Sermon
Easter 2021 04042021
Publisher transcript
Transcript
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Okay. You say I'm dead and done, but you will
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see. opportunity to give and use it as we see
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fit under your guidance. Bless the time. Bless
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this offering. One day when sin was as black
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as could be, Jesus came forth to be born of the
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virgin, dwelled among men, and my example is
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He. The Word became flesh, and the light shined
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among us. His glory reigns. this weekend. And
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it started all the way back when it was prophesied
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in the Old Testament, right? And then Jesus was
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born. But the story and the things that happened
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on Good Friday through Easter Sunday through
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Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection are very
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important to us when we believe in Jesus, right?
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So we're going to talk about that story and say
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what the Bible says with the help of some, these
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are not Easter eggs, they're resurrection eggs.
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Resurrection eggs. Got it? Okay. Alright, so
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in the book of Matthew chapter 21, Jesus sent
Matthew 21 chapter mention
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two disciples, saying to them, Go into the village
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in front of you, and immediately you will find
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a donkey tied and a colt with her. Untie them
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and bring them to me. If anyone says anything
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to you, you shall say, The Lord needs them, and
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they shall send them at once. The disciples went
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and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought
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the donkey and the colt and put them on their
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cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd
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spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut
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branches from the trees and spread them on the
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road. In Jesus' day, most people walked everywhere.
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So it was actually considered an honor to ride
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on donkeys. She doesn't wear that quite yet.
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Okay. In Matthew chapter 26, I listened. Then
Matthew 26 chapter mention
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one of the twelve who came was Judas Iscariot,
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went to the chief priest and said, what will
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you give me if I deliver him to you? And they
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paid him 30 pieces of silver. And from that moment,
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he saw the opportunity to betray him. to hand
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Jesus over to his enemies. Now what's inside
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this pink egg? A coin. Coins. How many pieces
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of silver did they give him? Thirty pieces of
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silver. Not everyone was happy about Jesus and
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what he was teaching. And he took a cup, and
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when he had given thanks, he gave it to them,
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saying, Drink of it, Jason, all of you, for this
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is my blood of the covenant, which is poured
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out for the forgiveness of sins. Have we done
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this? No. When did we do this? On the Lord's
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Supper. Right. Exactly. So that comes from Matthew
Matthew 26 chapter mention
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chapter 26. And the light purple egg is a cup.
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Jesus had a special dinner with his disciples.
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And he taught them about what was going to happen
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and the meaning of it. Okay. Do any of you know
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what a promise is? Yeah. Say it again. What's
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a promise? Okay, let's help him out. A promise
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is, if you say, if someone wants to, it's sort
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of like a secret, if you're planning something
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and you don't want to tell it, that's what it
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is. Promises aren't secret. Ariana? A promise
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is when you say... thing, but you want to do
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something else. You would say, I promise that
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I'll do it. So it's like telling the person that
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you'll try to remember to do it and that you'll
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do it. It's a commitment to do something, right?
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Me. Okay. You, what? Me. Okay. Maybe you remember
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me. Okay. So in Mark chapter 14, it says, and
Mark 14 chapter mention
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they went to a place called? Gethsemane. And
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he said to his disciples, sit here while I pray.
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And he took with him Peter and James and John
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and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.
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And he said to them, my soul is very sorrowful,
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even to death. Remain here and watch. And in
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the orange hands, or egg, is praying hands. Right?
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Do this when you pray. Sometimes you do this.
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Right? Praying hands. After dinner with his disciples,
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Jesus took them to a garden where he prayed.
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Alright. When Jesus finished praying in the garden,
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the men who wanted to kill him took him as their
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prisoner. Are you listening? Then they brought
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Jesus to Pilate, their ruler, and he had Jesus
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whipped. John 19 .1 says, Then Pilate took Jesus
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and flogged him. In the green egg, we have a
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leather strap. That's what they would have whipped
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Jesus with. A leather strap? A leather strap.
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Whipped. Yep. The whip used was long and hard,
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and it hurt so much that Jesus was bleeding.
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Oh. Matthew 27 says, Then the soldiers of the
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governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters,
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and twisting together a crown of thorns, they
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put it on his head, and kneeling before him,
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they mocked him. What does mock mean? Make fun
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of people. Right, they made fun of them, right?
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Okay, inside the yellow egg we have? A chronicle.
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Who would like to wear a chronicle? Me. You're
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just kidding. Does it sound fun? No. Does it
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sound painful? Yeah. Jesus was not exactly thrilled
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about a chronicle because it hurt. So they whipped
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him, then they took branches with thorns and
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shaped him into a crown and shoved it on his
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head. Okay. So they took Jesus and he went out
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bearing his own cross, so he's carrying his own
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cross, to the place called the place of a skull,
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which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they
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crucified him, with him two others, one on either
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side, and Jesus between them. So the light orange
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egg is? A cross. A cross. This cross is made
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of something different. Can you see what this
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is made of? Nails. Nails. Why would it be made
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of nails? Because they used nails to put Jesus
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on the cross. Very good. The soldiers made Jesus
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carry this heavy wood cross to the top of the
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hill. And using nails much larger than those,
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they nailed him through his hands and his feet.
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Okay. It's coming. John chapter 19 says, When
John 19 chapter mention
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the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his
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garments, clothes, and divided them into four
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parts, one part for each soldier. Also his robe,
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but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece.
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So they said to one another, Let's not tear it.
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Let's cast lots and see who it shall be. Do you
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know what cast lots means? No. They were playing
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a game or gambling to determine who got to keep
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his robe. In the light green egg, what do you
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find? Dice. They were playing a game with dice
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to determine who got to keep. Did you ever play
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a game using dice? Yes. Games are supposed to
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be fun, right? Was the games a soldier was playing
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fun? No. No, I don't think so. John chapter 19.
John 19 chapter mention
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So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the
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first and of the other who had been crucified.
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But when they came to Jesus, they saw he was
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already dead. So they did not break his legs.
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But one of the soldiers... One of the soldiers
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pierced his side with a spear and at once came
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out, what came out? Blood and water. In the purple
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egg we find a spear. Two robbers were crucified
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with Jesus, one on each side. When they came
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to check, the other two men were still alive,
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so they broke their leg. The story is sad, but
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true. It's sad to think Jesus died, but remember,
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Jesus gave up his life for the love of all of
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us. Okay, getting ready to close to the end.
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Are you listening? Matthew 27, starting in verses
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57, when it was evening. There came a rich man
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from Arimathea named Joseph, who was also a disciple
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of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the
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body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given
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to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped
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it in a clean cloth and laid it in his own new
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tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled
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a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and
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went away. Fine linen. So they wrapped Jesus'
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body in cloth like that to get him ready to be
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buried. But they didn't bury them in the ground.
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Where did they put them? They didn't bury Jesus
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in the ground. Where did they put his body? In
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a tomb, in the rocks, right? Yeah. In a rock.
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All right, Matthew 28. And behold, there was
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a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord
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descended from heaven and came back and rolled
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back the stone and sat on it. His appearance
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was like lightning, and his cloth white as snow.
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And for fear of him, the guards trembled and
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became like dead men. The stone that was rolled
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out in front of Jesus' tomb was much bigger than
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this stone. Think that would cover the tomb?
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No. I don't think so. It was much bigger than
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that stone. It was as big as a door and probably
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weighed more than a car. So most men could not
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have rolled it away. It probably took many people
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to put it there, right? The men were no match
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for God's angel, and it only took one angel to
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roll the stone away. Where do you think the angel
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got his strength from? God. When two women came
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to the tomb of Jesus, they were surprised. The
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heavy stone was rolled aside, and the tomb was
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empty. But the angel said to the woman, Do not
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be afraid, for I know you seek Jesus who was
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crucified. He is not here, but he has risen,
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as he said. Come to the place where he lay. The
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angel told him he has risen. This was the promise
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that Jesus made to his disciples during the last
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supper. He promised that he would be back. He
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would come back to life to show those who believe
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in him that they will live forever. Someday,
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because he died for us, we can meet him and thank
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him in heaven. And that is the true story of
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Easter. Oh, sorry. Last egg. Aaron. The tomb
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was? Nothing in it. Nothing in it. Good job.
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Yay. All right. We're going to pray and thank
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God for dying on the cross, right? For us? Okay,
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just a minute. We can't. All right. Would one
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of you like to pray and thank God for sending
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his son to die on the cross for us? Ariana? Okay,
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one more. Thank you. was fastened down I spent
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the night in sleeplessness and rose at every
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sound half in hopeless sorrow and half in fear
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the day would find the soldiers springing through
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to drag us all away just before the sunrise I
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heard something at the wall the gate began The
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voice began to call. I hurried to the window
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and looked down into the street, expecting the
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sores in the charges and the sound of soldiers'
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feet. There was no one there but Mary, so I went
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down to let her in. John stood there beside me,
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and she told us where she'd been. We found the
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stone in the empty tomb, just the way that Mary
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said. But the whining sheep they wrapped him
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in was just an empty shell. And how well they'd
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taken him was more than I could tell. Just what
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I didn't know John believed a miracle But I just
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turned to go Circumstance and speculation Couldn't
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lift me very high Cause I'd seen them crucify
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Then I saw him die Back inside the house again
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Anguish came Everything I promised him Just added
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to my shame When at last it came to choices I
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denied I knew his name And even if he was alive
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It wouldn't be the same Suddenly the air was
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filled with a strange and sweet From everywhere,
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from shadows from the room, Jesus stood before
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me with his arms held open wide. And I fell down
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on my knees, and just glummed in and cried. He
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raised me to my feet, and as I looked into his
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eyes, Love was shining out from him like sunlight
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from the skies. Every fear I never had just melted
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into. So Jesus... of 20 right. So, we'll see
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if you can do better than I can. And I did actually
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get a couple of the ones wrong that are in the
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resurrection eggs, believe it or not. So, the
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first one is, at Christ's crucifixion, what did
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the soldiers place on his head? Just yell it
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out. The crown of thorns. That one I got right.
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That's an easy one. Jesus? 30. How did Judas
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betray Christ? With a kiss. With a kiss. That
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was not in there, I don't think. I did get that
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right though. Christ was led away to which high
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priest first? John 18 .13 says, although in Matthew's
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gospel record it is said that he was led away
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to Caiaphas, John gives us a little extra information.
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Annas was, for whatever reason, was still recognized
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as a high priest. So we actually went to him
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first. Annas first. It is a trick question. And
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I did not answer Annas or Caiaphas. What was
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inscribed above the cross? When Jesus died, for
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how long was there darkness over the land? Okay.
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No. Alright, I need someone quickly to look up
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a verse. Luke 23, 44. I said hours. It's not
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24, but I was wrong. What was it? Luke what?
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23, 44. Okay, go ahead. It was now about the
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sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole
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land until the ninth hour. The sun stopped shining,
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and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
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Three hours it was dark. What was the name of
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the man who requested Jesus' body for burial?
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Joseph. Joseph, right. I did get that one right.
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I said three days, not three hours. That's the
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one I got wrong. Who of these was first on the
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scene after resurrection of Christ? Mary. Mary
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what? Which one? Do you remember? Mary Magdalene.
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Yep. Pilate offered to release one prisoner.
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Which prisoner did the Jews request to be released?
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Barabbas. Barabbas. What was the color of the
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robe that was placed on Jesus? Purple. Wait.
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Matthew mentions the robe being scarred. Scarlet,
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but this is not the same Greek word that is used
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for red, so it was purple. Scarlet apparently
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means purple. Purple -ish, red -ish, something.
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As for Pilate found no guilt in Christ, for what
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reason did the Jews say that Jesus should die?
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For being the king of Jesus. Close. Yes. The
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Jews considered his title as blasphemy. The title
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was naming himself the Son of God. With what
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was Jesus' side pierced? In what was Jesus wrapped
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before he was buried? Which disciple wanted to
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see the imprint of the nails before he would
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believe? Thomas. I got that one. Jesus appeared
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to his disciples after the resurrection beside
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which sea? White sea. So it technically is the
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Sea of Galilee. According to this, the actual
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is the Sea of Tiberias, which is also known today
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as the Sea of Galilee. it send Jesus to after
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he had interrogated him? Joseph? Herod. Herod?
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Yes. Herod. Three more. Who carried the cross
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for Christ? A man from the cloud. Yes. What was
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his name? I don't know. Simon of Cyrene. Simon
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of Cyrene. I got the wrong Simon. They're all
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Simon. It's Simon of something for all four answers.
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Who rolled away the tombstone? An angel. See,
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I got that one wrong because I said God, which
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is technically still true. For how long did Jesus
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remain after his resurrection before he ascended
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into heaven? Two days. Forty days. Forty days.
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I got that one wrong too. Could it be that Jesus
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breathed his last? Could it be that his Father
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had forsaken him? And the father looked down
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to his son message for today I said sure and
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I started thinking about the topic of what I
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wanted to do or what God wanted me to do and
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a question came to me popped in my mind why was
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the resurrection necessary like Jesus resurrecting
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here on the earth Why was that necessary? Why
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didn't he just go up to heaven, take his place
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next to God? So I started looking into it and
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researching. I started by asking several brothers
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and sisters from the body the same question.
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There's no right or wrong answer. I just wanted
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to get their response. I just wanted to see what
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their side of it was. Most of them gave me a
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similar response. Which was, it was symbolism
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or to show us what was to come for us. You know,
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the future resurrection that we would experience.
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They're 100 % correct. Don't get me wrong. Jesus'
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resurrection definitely points towards the resurrection
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that one day we will experience as believers.
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Today, we're going to see another reason why
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Jesus' resurrecting here on earth was so important.
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So I'm going to jump around to several different
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texts. So if you want to follow me, you can,
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but it might be a little weird jumping around
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here. So first, we're going to start off in 1
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Corinthians 15, verse 20 -23. This is Paul speaking.
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But now Christ has been raised from the dead,
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the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
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For since death came through a man, the resurrection
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of the dead also comes through a man. For just
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as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will
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be made alive. the first fruits, afterward, at
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his coming, the people of Christ. So, Paul uses
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the term first fruits. And I think it's actually
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pretty important that he used this terminology.
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First fruits actually has two definitions. The
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first definition is the agricultural products
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harvested first and given to God as an offering
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slash sacrifice. Okay? The second definition
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is a promise of more goods to come later. Two
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separate definitions. However, Paul uses both
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definitions in this short bit of text that I
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just read. So, according to the verses, death
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came through a man, that's Adam, when he sinned,
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death is the wage, sin, sorry, excuse me, death,
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the wages of sin is death. So when he first sinned,
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Death came to us. The resurrection also had to
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come through a man, according to the scripture.
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And that was Jesus. So the first definition of
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first fruits, Christ was the first to die as
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an offering for our sins. So he was our sacrifice
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to God for our sins. The second definition, Jesus
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was the first person to be resurrected, a promise
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of more to come. Okay? So let's move on to 1
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Corinthians 15, 44 -49. I'm actually starting
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in the middle of the verse here. It says, If
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there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual
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body. So it is written, The first man, Adam,
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became a living being. The last, Adam, became
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a life -giving spirit. However, the spiritual
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is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual.
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So, first you have your natural body, like you
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see me standing here today. In heaven I will
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have my spiritual body until I am resurrected.
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The first man was from the earth and made of
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dust. The second man is from heaven. Like the
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man made of dust, so are those who are made of
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dust. Like the heavenly man, so are those who
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are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image
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of the man made of dust, we will also bear the
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image of the heavenly man. So this is Paul talking
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about the nature of our resurrected bodies when
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we become resurrected. I like to think that according
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to this text, when we are resurrected into our
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new body in the new heaven and new earth, that
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we will share some of the same traits that Jesus
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showed to us when he was here resurrected. Like
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the ability to walk through walls, the ability
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to teleport. the ability to change your likeness.
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I also like to think that, you know, when he
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lifted up his shirt to show the spear wound in
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his side, that he was like rocking some cool
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abs, you know, six -pack abs, you know, like
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the models. But, you know, that's just silly.
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So anyways, 1 Corinthians 15, 50 -57. Brothers,
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I tell you this, flesh and blood cannot inherit
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the kingdom of God. And corruption cannot inherit
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incorruption. Listen, I am telling you a mystery.
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We will not all fall asleep, but we will all
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be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of
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an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet
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will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible.
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And we will be changed. Because this corruptible...
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Must be clothed. With incorruptibility. And this
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mortal. Must be clothed. With immortality. Now
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when this corruptible. Is clothed with incorruptibility.
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And this mortal is clothed. With immortality.
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Then the saying. That is written will take place.
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Death has been swallowed up. In victory. Oh death
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where is your victory. Oh death where is your
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sting. Now the sting of death is sin and the
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power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God
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who gives the victory through our Lord Jesus
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Christ. So, when we are resurrected and because
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Jesus came, died, and was resurrected, we have
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faith, we believe in that, we know that that
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resurrection stands for us. We, as corrupted
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beings, once corrupted, can now be clothed in
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incorruptibility when we raise again in the future.
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Jesus paved the way, not only through his death,
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but through his burial and resurrection. So our
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flesh has been corrupted by sin. It's not suitable
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to enter the kingdom of God. Without the resurrection
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of Jesus, there would be no promise of a future
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resurrection for us. And we wouldn't enter the
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kingdom. Because we share in his resurrection,
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we are found incorruptible in the sight of God.
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We'll jump over to Romans 6, 5 -11. For if we
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have been joined with him in the likeness of
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his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness
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of his resurrection. For we know that our old
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self was crucified with him in order that sin's
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dominion over the body may be abolished so that
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we may no longer be enslaved to sin. Since a
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person who has died is freed from sin's claims,
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now if we die, With Christ. We believe that we
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will also live with him. Because we know that
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Christ. Having been raised from the dead. No
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longer dies. Death no longer rules over him.
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For in that he died. He died to sin once for
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all. But in that he lives. He lives to God. So
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you too consider yourselves dead to sin. But
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alive to God. In Christ Jesus. Amen. He was raised
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for us. Praise God. Because he was raised for
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us. Now we can live for God. Okay. There's a
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reason that once we are saved. Then the Holy
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Spirit takes up residence in us. We were corrupted
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like Paul said. But now through Christ's resurrection,
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we are suitable hosts for the Holy Spirit. So,
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in Romans 4 .25 it says, I actually have it written
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down here, I don't have to flip there. He was
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delivered up for our trespasses and raised for
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our justification. So I started looking up the
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definition of justification. And according to
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the Oxford Languages, which is the group, company,
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whatever you want to call it, that does the Oxford
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Dictionary, the religious definition of justification
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is the action of declaring or making righteous
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in the sight of God. So, resurrection, if Jesus
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being raised is an action, then because he was
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resurrected, we have been declared righteous
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in the sight of God. Through the action of him
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resurrecting on this earth, we were declared
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righteous to God. So, in conclusion, keep it
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short and simple here. Nice and sweet. Who can
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tell me what happens when Super Mario from the
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video game Super Mario Brothers eats the red
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mushroom? What's that? No, that's the flower.
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Close. Gets bigger. Thank you. What happens when
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Super Mario eats the green mushroom? That's right.
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He has a little life counter in the corner of
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his screen and it goes up by one, correct? So
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because Jesus died, was buried, and resurrected,
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I now have another life after this one. Thank
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you. Dan, I'll turn it over to you. is alive.
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Thank you. Pretending to be saved. There is no
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better day. Than this day. The day. The only
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day that you have any control over. To fully
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with all of your heart. Give your life over to
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the Lord. And let him be in charge. For he will
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not only save your soul. He will bring you home.
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Let's pray together. Father in heaven I'm blessed.
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To be a part of a fellowship. As full of so many
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gifts. That clearly loves you. And would take.
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Very serious. The responsibility. That we have.
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To bring you glory. Though we would be remiss.
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If we didn't accept. That there might be someone
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in the room. Who has not admitted. What you have
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done for them. And their need. Of a savior. Was
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not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord
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of all things. Recognizing his sacrifice. And
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living accordingly. Or there may be somebody
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in this room. Who even knowing those things.
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Even having a head knowledge of the resurrection
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of our Lord. Has not committed their way unto
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you. They have not decided to live the remainder
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of their days. And decided is a weak word because
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we decide what to wear, we decide where to eat,
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we decide what to do, we decide how to behave.
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And those decisions mostly last for a few moments.
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When they last for quite a while, we make the
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same decision over and over again, we begin to
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realize a pattern. And that pattern of deciding,
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even that pattern of deciding is very weak. It's
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nothing compared to what it means to just surrender
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our lives, And our hearts. Into the healing love.
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Of our Lord. No games. Just your glory. No. Struggles
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too big. To overcome. Not because we are big.
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Mighty. Strong. Smart. Because he that is in
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us. Is so much greater than he that is in the
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world. Thank you Lord. For dying, taking the
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sins upon you. Essentially becoming sin. Being
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nailed to a cross. Being buried. And being resurrected.
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As that first payment, that proof that more is
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coming. But as that justification. That we might
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be seen now sinless. Having you as Lord. and
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we praise you for it. We have more of Easter
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to go. There's more of celebrating your resurrection.
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There's time to praise you, to lift up prayers,
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to be in your word, to serve. Right now, right
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here in this moment, Lord, I would ask you to
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work in the hearts of every person present and
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that there be somebody just now who needs to
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today. surrender their life in earnest to you,
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regardless of what anybody else thinks. And Lord,
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right where they are, just make them bold to
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raise their hand. When I walk forward to the
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front of the room, just make them bold to raise
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their hand, and I might lift up a special prayer
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for them. God, just help them right now to be
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courageous. To anyone in this room. Lord, you
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know our hearts. I don't know the hearts. I know
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that most people here would say that they're
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saved. Most people here would say that they're
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trusting in you. I ask you, Lord, if you know
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that there's someone who's not moving right now,
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just raise their hand. Father, if you're here
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today, I see that hand. All right, brother, I
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see that hand. If you're here today and you would
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say, you know that there are folks here today
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who would say that they have you as Lord, but
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they're just having a hard time putting it all
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on the line, having a hard time being fully committed,
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then Lord, just have them right where they are
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to raise their hand today. as they commit themselves
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completely to you. Alright, now if you raise
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your hand for either one of those, I want you
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to put your hand up right now. Keep it up for
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one minute because I'm going to pray specifically
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for you. And I saw that hand. Is it up? Alright,
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sorry. Father in heaven, we pray for those who
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would commit themselves to you today, that we
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would be bold, that we would have strength, that
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we would live according to the way we're supposed
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to do the best. We know how nobody's asking for
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us to make every perfect decision perfectly every
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moment. but rather decisions led by you with
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the intention of glorifying you, and you make
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it work. And we praise you for doing that work
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in us. Now as we go out, Lord, we ask you to
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bless your people. It's a crazy time, but it's
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no time any different than what's happened in
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the past where there's nothing new out of the
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sun. So we ask you to give us courage. We ask
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you to help us serve and to look for those who
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need to be served and to talk and to look for
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those who need to be talked to and to love and
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look for those who need to be loved and let us
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stop making it about us or our wants or our desires,
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what's left of this life, Lord. Let it be for
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you and for the preaching of the gospel and the
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deliverance of the kingdom of God and to anyone
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who will listen because there's no time to let
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souls go to hell, only time to live for our God
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and see folks on the way to heaven. We pray that
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you'll do just that in our day. May there be
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an outpouring of your Holy Spirit and a mighty
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movement of the gospel that people will be saved.
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And we pray this in Jesus' name. And if you prayed
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with me, just say, Amen. Amen. All right, God
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bless you all. This concludes our Easter services.
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Don't forget to collect your children. Thanks
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for choosing this podcast from New Heights Fellowship
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Baptist Church of East Toledo. This has been
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the Easter Sunday podcast as we celebrated the
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resurrection. which we do pretty much every Sunday
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and really ought to do seven days a week. Without
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the resurrection, there would be no newness of
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life, no justification before God, no freedom
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from guilt, no power to enter heaven. Praise
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God, the power of the resurrection is still at
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work in those who believe and follow our Lord
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Jesus Christ. Thank you for listening. I hope
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you've been blessed. If you want to connect up
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with New Heights Fellowship Baptist Church of
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East Toledo, you can do so through our website
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in a variety of ways at churchtoledo .com. That's
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church. Toledo .com. You can also give financially
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on there if you want. There's a message board
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called Your Thoughts in which if God has given
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you a thought, an inspirational moment that you'd
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like to share with the church or with the world,
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you can type it in there and it will show up
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on our website. Ask that everything on there
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be encouraging and godly to the best of our abilities.
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If you are interested in hooking up with one
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of our ministries, there's a ministry... page
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on our website, and you can look at all the things
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that we're doing. It's pretty broad, pretty amazing
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considering we're a relatively small church.
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Sometimes I think you'd think that New Heights
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is a mega church, and the truth is New Heights
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is actually a mega church. We're a great big
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church, even if we are in a relatively small
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body. Impacting Toledo through ministries like
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the Southside Life Station, you can read about
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that on our website, and our TV commercials,
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and our publishing arm, and the podcasting. Man,
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this list just goes on and on. We're so blessed.
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And we just ask you to see how the Lord might
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lead you to reach New Heights in Jesus right
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where you are and help others do the same. And
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if you're within touching distance of us, then
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come on, worship with us on a Sunday or maybe
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join us in membership and become part of New
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Heights Fellowship. By the way, there's a page
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on our website. What would it take for me to
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become a member of New Heights Fellowship Baptist
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Church of East Toledo? And then on top of that,
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there is such a thing as a non -resident member.
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So somebody who's out there in the world, you
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might be in Afghanistan or in California or in
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Texas or somewhere far away and never be able
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to come and worship with us. But at the same
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time, you might be able to join as a non -resident
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member. And the requirements are listed on our
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website on the What Does It Take to Be a Member
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of New Heights link. So that's about all I got.
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If you'd like to give to this ministry, you can
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text G -I -V -E to 419 -419 -0095. That's fairly
-
easy to remember because it's 419 twice, 419
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-419, and then a pair of zeros and a nine and
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a five, 419 -419 -0095. That's a pretty easy
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number to remember, and you just got to text
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the word G -I -V -E, set up your debit or credit
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card, and you can give to the ministry. There's
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a lot more information about other text words
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you can use on our website at churchdeledo .com
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on the homepage. There you go. Father in heaven,
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please bless this listener. Please be powerful.
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Be yourself. Be love in their lives. Lord, help
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us to live the power of the resurrection every
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day in the midst of a pandemic, which to us is
-
nothing because no pandemic can keep us from
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our Lord. From the love that you have for us.
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You have not forgotten us. And you are working
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even this messy time for our good. Assuming that
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we love you and are called according to your
-
purpose. We know this. We consider this a promise
-
from you and we claim it. I ask you to bless
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the listener. Bless those who are hurting. Bless
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those who just went to the hospital. Bless those
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who are dealing with heart issues. And Lord,
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those who have problems with their back, because
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I can think of a couple that that would be true.
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And Lord, those who are having pain in their
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hand and those who are recovering from a surgery
-
that went badly. And Lord, these are on our list
-
today. And we just ask you to bless and be mighty.
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And if you're one of them and you're blessed,
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feel free to reach out and let us know how God
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has blessed you. And so that's it. Pastor Dan,
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New Heights Fellowship Baptist Church of East
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Toledo. And I'm out. Go ye therefore. and be
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the church.