The Countdown Resets

Hallelujah. If you have your Bibles, turn with

me to Luke's Gospel. Luke 24. Thank you for being

in the house of the Lord today. Happy Easter.

Happy Easter Sunday morning. What a beautiful,

beautiful day that the Lord has made. Amen. Good

to see some of you out of your comfort zones

this morning. Moved around, front row Christians

now. Thank you for those of you that got here

before they did. Got their seats and made them

have to look for another place to light. I love

it. Hallelujah. It is Easter Sunday. Amen. I

just want to say thank you for being in the house

of the Lord. If you're visiting with us today,

you only get to be a visitor one time. And after

that, you just have to find a place to fit in.

Be one among us. So thank you for choosing to

be at the Hopewell Church of God today to worship.

I know there are some pastors that are looking

for some of you. And I'll tell them where you

were. He's a friend of mine. And he's like myself.

He's a shepherd that knows where his regular

sheep are and when they're not there. And so

if we could all get a group photo, we'll just

send it to him. They're shaking their head, though.

We ain't doing that. Luke 24. I'm going to start

reading verse 1. Now upon the first day of the

week, very early in the morning, they come into

the sepulcher bringing the spices which they

had prepared and certain others with them. And

they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher.

And they entered in and found not the body of

the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they

were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men

stood by them in shining garments. And as they

were afraid and bowed down their faces to the

earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living

among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.

Remember how he spake unto you? When he was yet

in Galilee. Saying the son of man must be delivered

into the hands of sinful men. And be crucified.

And the third day rise again. And they remembered

his words. And they remembered his words. I won't

speak to you for just a little while. Probably

going to conclude our countdown series. The countdown

reset. The countdown reset. Living in a Good

Friday world like it's Sunday morning. Well,

hallelujah. If you pray for me, I'll pray for

you, and I'm going to try my best to get this

done by 12 -ish. Father, we love you. We thank

you for your goodness and your mercy and your

grace. On this day, Father, I pray, let me be

expedient. Lord, to speak what thus saith the

Lord, what you would have us to hear and what

would be encouraging and uplifting to the saints

of God. For each one that is here today, we have

hope in the resurrection. And we're so grateful

and so thankful. This beautiful, beautiful congregation

that is assembled together today to worship you

in the power of your resurrection. Help us now,

Father, to hear what the Spirit would say to

the church. To you be praise forever. In Christ's

name, the church said, amen. Tell your neighbor,

live it like it's Sunday morning. Our countdown

series that we've been in, we began Palm Sunday,

the week before Palm Sunday. It started with

the last month or so of Christ's life. We've

been walking through his last few weeks upon

the face of the earth in his fleshly body. Holy

Week has concluded. The shouts of Hosanna have

faded and have been replaced with crucify him.

The week past, this Holy Week, passed with the

cleansing of the temple. In the declaration,

my house shall be called a house of prayer. This

week has passed with the healing of the sick.

Blinded eyes have been opened. The holy week

has passed with Christ daily in the temple teaching,

leaving final instructions. The instructions

of... The widow's mite took place in this last

week of Christ's life. As he's sitting, resting,

no doubt after a morning session, and it come

time for offering, and he and his disciples are

sitting away from the collection, and he's watching.

He's seeing how some come in, and they bring

their exorbitant gift, and they make a show of

the presentation. But he hasn't said anything

about the showy presentation. But he sees a widow

woman come with the smallest amount. And he draws

his disciples' attention to the offering of what

we know as the widow's mite. And how that she

had given more than all that had preceded her.

It wasn't the last teaching that he would do

concerning money. The Pharisees would come and

they would be gouging and poking at him so that

they may find somewhere and some wit to condemn

him. Is it lawful to give money unto Caesar?

In his teaching, he says, does anybody have a

coin? Well, yeah. Somebody digs up a coin. He

says, whose inscription is on the coin? Well,

it's Caesar's. They said, well, you do know it's

Caesar time, by the way. Render unto Caesar that

which is Caesar's, and render unto God that which

is God. And they left scratching their head.

That's a good answer. They thought, hmm, thought

we had him there, but that's a real good answer.

Money's still not the end. That teaching is not

the end of where... Money would play a role in

the last week of Jesus' life. For you see, it

would proceed on down to where Judas would barter

the life and the betrayal of Christ for 30 pieces

of silver. We don't think about all these things

going. We think that some of that other money

talk was way back in the early years of Christ.

No. He's teaching on it all in this last week.

Judas has betrayed him, sold him out. In this

week, the supper has been instructed. The room

had been secured. They would proceed from supper

after he washing their feet and breaking bread

and instituting the new covenant. He would hand

them the cup and say, this is my blood, drink

you all of it. From there he proceeds to the

garden. There those prayers are offered until

his sweat becomes as great drops of blood. Then

he surrenders the fleshly will to the will of

the Father. Hymns are sang. He who had been sold

out now is called upon. The soldiers are there.

One of the gospels tells us when they come for

him to actually take him, his power, again, Brother

Jeff, he had to restrain himself, but he lost

restraint for a moment, and they're all knocked

over. It is in that night at this very occasion

that the zealous one, Peter, would take a sword

and cut off the ear of one of the guards, one

of the soldiers. And it was there that Christ

again displayed his powers. He picked up the

old boy's ear and stuck it back on his head.

If it would have been me for spite, I'd have

put it on crooked. I'd have put it back. But

it had been sideways so that he would never forget.

But that's not Jesus. He just put it back on.

All these things are transpiring. The days that

would follow that night would be dark. They lead

us to what we know and celebrated the other day

as Good Friday. And the only good from it is

for you and I. For you see, it would be there

that the stripes would be laid upon his back.

It would be there for now what we can go and

follow through the seven stages of the Via Della

Rosa. The walk. the last walk of the Christ.

And you can stop at every station, and you can

reminisce, and you can let your mind be caught

up. I've been there. It's very solemn for a believer.

Others can walk the Via Dolorosa and just look

at the pretty sights and take pictures of the

architecture. But for a born -again child of

God who knows, as the song said, who we were

and who we are because of who he is. You can't

walk down through there without looking through

the glimmering of tears. I cried for 11 days

when I was over there. Couldn't hardly see the

countryside and the sights because I was always

looking through tears. Humbled and somewhat ashamed.

The Holy Week is concluding. The cross has been

selected. The spikes have been chosen. The one

to help him bear it to Calvary had been pulled

from the crowd, Simon of Cyrene. And now they

drive them. He's on the cross to be lifted as

the... Serpent was the brazen serpent. Back in

Moses' day when the people transgressed God.

Bitten by fiery serpents and dying. Moses is

instructed. We had a couple of our EMTs in here

with us this morning. Glad they made it prior

to their shift. But it's the insignia for healing

and for help. Still in our culture today. The

ceiling of healing and help. Christ said, if

I be lifted up, I'll draw all men unto me. So

he is now suspended between the heaven and the

earth. The sun is hidden by darkness. And he

cries those fated words. It is finished. Reset

the countdown. The last grain has fallen through

the hourglass of time. Sand is now settled. Turn

it over. Reset the countdown. And sand of time

begins to filter through the will and the promise

of God. The countdown has been reset. The declaration,

it is finished. Not he is finished. It. It. What

is it? Sin's dominion and domain. It. It is finished.

Sin's authority and sin's rule and the devil's

rampant unchecked action. It is finished. It

is over. He yields up his life. Remember, he

said, I lay it down. You can't take it. Pilate,

you can't take it. No one else can take it. The

army and the soldiers that came into Gethsemane

that night realized they couldn't take it as

they were getting up off of the ground because

of his spoken word. They realized they could

not take his life. Had he not desired to surrender

it, it would have never been taken. My God. And

even while he suspended between the heavens and

the earth, the legions of angels upon his summons

would have come and delivered him. But no, no,

he said it's time to reset the countdown. My

God, it's time to turn it over. Redemption is

coming to humanity. It is finished. Sin no longer

has dominion over God's creation. In his own

way, what I say, well, I've about had enough

of this. How many of you? Well, I'm over this.

Reset the countdown. You see, we live in a continuum

of a Good Friday world. You see, Good Friday

was filled with pain and suffering. Good Friday

is all about the power that sin had over the

world. Huh? Good Friday is about despair. Good

Friday is about depression and oppression. Good

Friday is about darkness. And we live in the

continuum of a Good Friday world. People being

overburdened and overwhelmed by the cares of

this world. And even though, I want you to mark

this now, even though we live in a Good Friday

world, We're in this Good Friday world, but the

redeemed are no longer of this Good Friday world.

So my encouragement to you is... That Christ

died that you may live. We've sung about it this

morning. He died that you may live in spite of

a Good Friday world. He died that you might live

in spite of the darkness that shudders across

the face of this earth. He died that he may rise

again and let the glorious light and the power

of his resurrection. Hallelujah. I am in a Good

Friday world, but I live every day like it's

Sunday morning. you've got to understand the

declaration on that first day of the week. Early

in the morning, amen, when they went to the place

where he was laid and the stone was rolled and

the seal was placed, he, I love what the angel

said, why seek ye the living among the dead?

He is not here. Do you not remember what he said?

I'm in this thing, but I'm no longer of this

thing. I spent my time living out the Good Friday

life. How about you? I spent my time allowing

sin to have dominion over my life, but no longer.

I endeavor to the best of my ability to live

without sin. I do. I said endeavor. To live without

sin. As long as I'm in this world and there's

a devil going out to steal, kill, and destroy,

the potential for me to fall and the subjection

of me to fall is always in play. So you thought

I was going to tell you I was perfect. That ain't

so. But you know what the old songwriter said,

it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in

every way. The perfection of my life is Christ

who is in me, who is my eternal hope of glory.

And if there's any perfection in you as well,

it's Christ that lives in you and dwells within

you. That is the perfection that we proclaim.

It's Christ. And we totally always surrender

ourselves to the perfection and the will of Christ

and allow the authority of the power of His Spirit

to move and to reign, to lead, and to guide,

and let His Word dictate our actions. So, live.

Like it's Sunday morning. Live in this Black

Friday world, Good Friday's actions of Christ's

surrender like it's Sunday morning. Why? Because

Sunday morning brings about joy. And we must

remember that Christ died in order that we may

live like it's a Sunday morning. Because we know

that we are in this mess, but we're not out of

this mess. And as I've told you before, this

is as bad as it's ever going to get for you.

Hey, what are you saying? If you are redeemed

by the blood of the Lamb, if your sins are forgiven,

if you have repented and invited Christ into

your heart, whatever this old world has is as

bad as it's going to get for you. It's not going

to get any worse than a sickness or a disease

that devours your body. It's not going to get

any worse than that. This is as bad as it's ever

going to get for you. Whatever the enemy can

come against you with is all he's got. It's the

only effort that he had because there is a hope.

in eternity for you and I. You better take your

best shot now, devil, because this is as good

as it's ever going to get. It's as bad as it

ever will be because when I'm even here, he has

no authority. He has no dominion over you other

than which you surrender to him because when

you are here on the resurrection, on that first

Sunday morning, he has given you and I authority

and power to live like every day is a Sunday

morning. Resurrection Sunday is a day of new

beginning. It's a day of renewed hope. It's a

day of refreshed joy. That first Sunday morning

was a great day. People say, well, why don't

we worship on Sabbath day? Because I'm not a

Sabbath day Adventist. And I am not of the Jewish

faith. That's why we gather on Sunday morning,

early on the first day of the week. They went,

the stones rolled away, and he is living evermore.

So we worship on Resurrection Day. But can I

tell you, every day is a resurrection day for

a child of God. Victory was accomplished through

the cross and by the power of the resurrection.

Never... ever only put your hope in the cross

of Calvary. Never, ever. You need to hear me

now. Never allow the cross to be elevated above

an empty tomb. The cross was necessary. It was

the judgment that was required. His blood had

to be poured out. But remember the words of the

Apostle Paul. If Christ be not risen, then is

your faith in vain. It's the empty tomb. Hallelujah.

It's the resurrected Lord that gives validity

to your faith and hope in the resurrection and

the power that also you need. You know this,

the same power that raised Christ from the dead

will also raise your mortal bodies. Hallelujah.

It's the hope we have. Live every day like it's

Sunday morning. Jesus went to Calvary and then

rose from the dead. He accomplished a great victory.

Not only for himself, but for all of humanity.

As we look at some things this morning that bring

about the benefits of how and why we live like

it's Sunday morning. Not as though we are condemned

in a Good Friday world. It's because of the resurrection

of Jesus Christ. Had he not risen, he would be

no different than Mohammed. He would be no different

than a Buddha, a Hare Krishna, a Sun Yung Moon,

a David Koresh. Trying to get in one you might

recognize. The other's bones are still bleaching

in the earth. But his. above the heavens beyond

the galaxies of this world. He sits at the right

hand of the throne of God. So live like it's

Sunday morning. You say, well, I thought he had

a spirit body. Well, he told Thomas, stick your

finger here, indicating the hole. Because you

remember Thomas in his doubting because he was

absent from church. Oh, did I say that? He was

absent from the gathering of the other disciples.

After the resurrection and Jesus comes in, says,

peace, y 'all be peaceful. Just, I'm here now.

Thomas wasn't there and they said, you missed

Jesus. How'd you look? Like that little kid.

who was sick on Palm Sunday. Dad comes home.

Mom stayed home to take care of the sick young

'un. Dad comes home bringing a palm branch. You

know, they got one that Sunday. He said, here.

The little kid said, well, what's this? He said,

well, they waved these when Jesus came into town.

The little kid grabbed it and went to the room

and said he would show up the day I can't go.

What are you saying? It's important to show up.

I just did that, didn't I? As we take a look

at the benefits of the resurrection over the

next 13 minutes. Why live like it's Sunday? Because

Sunday people are a forgiven people. Sunday people

are a forgiven people. Through the power of the

resurrection, we have been given access to the

greatest victory, the victory over sin. Romans

6, 4 -7 says, Knowing this, that our old man

was crucified with him, that the body of sin

might be done away with, that we should no longer

be slaves to sin. How does that happen? It happens

through the Roman road of salvation. That you

find in Romans 10 verses 9 and 10. Where it declares

Romans 10:9

that with the heart man believes. And with the

mouth he makes confession. Amen. And when we

confess our sin and we believe in our heart that

Christ is Lord. And that he rose from the dead.

So that our sins may be purged and sin may be

taken away. Then we are no longer slaves to the

power and the authority of sin. And you live

that way. You live as though sin doesn't have

dominion over your life. Christ in you who is

the hope of glory. And we find ourselves in this

condition. If we are of all men, if only we have

hope in Jesus for eternity, then we become most

miserable. My hope is not simply for eternity.

My hope is that I have victory here and now.

And so I live in accordance to the victory that

he has brought through Calvary by raising from

the dead. The angels really couldn't understand

why they didn't believe what they had already

been told. What are y 'all doing here? You didn't

really expect to find him. He told you. You know,

angels, they don't doubt what he's saying. They

don't doubt what he says. They know who he is.

It just takes you and I a little bit longer to

figure out really who he is. I'm going to let

that just sink in. Ephesians 2 and 8 says, For

by grace are you saved through faith. That not

of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Titus 3,

5 says, According to his mercy he saved us. Romans

8, 10 through 11 says, And if the spirit of him

who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,

he who raised Christ from the dead will also

give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit

that dwells in you. Sunday people are forgiving

people. Secondly, Sunday people are victorious

people. Through the wonder of the power of the

resurrection, we have been given access to great

power and victory over the enemy who intends

to destroy our life and our soul. You and I simply

have to accept it, and we have to believe it.

Remember, I told you last week, faith is not

as much about receiving as it is about believing.

Because if you can believe, then the receiving

just comes next in natural order. You have to

believe. What? Everything that he said. Everything

that he proclaimed. You first have to believe

that you, without him, are lost to a devil's

hell. Which leads to the believing with him and

through him, heaven will be your eternal abode.

Sunday people are victorious people. Ephesians

1, 18 -20 says, And what is the exceeding greatness

of his power toward us who believe, according

to the working of his mighty power, which he

worked in Christ when he raised him from the

dead and seated him at his right hand in the

heavenly places? John 4 and 4, 1 John 4 and 4

says, You are of God, little children, and have

overcome the world because greater is he that

is in you than he that is in this world. Greater

is he that is in you than he that is in this

world. Greater is he that is in you than he that

is in this world. Live like it's Sunday morning.

Live like you have been given the authority and

the power, oh, from Christ himself. Has he really

done it? He's done that for us. Well, let's see

what the book says. People act like the devil

just has free reign in their life and they have

no way to stop him. Hogwash. He wreaks havoc

in your life because you permit the havoc. Okay,

Luke 10, 10. Jesus said, behold, I give you the

authority to tread on serpents and scorpions

and over all the power of the enemy and nothing

shall by any means hurt you. How about this one?

Resist the devil and he might leave you alone.

Huh? Sound pretty good? If that's the way it

were. It would, but that's not the way it declares

it. Submit yourself unto the mighty hand of God,

that he may exalt you when the time is right.

Resist the devil, and he will, he shall, not

might, not maybe, not possibly, he will flee.

The key to the fleeing of the enemy is the subjection

of yourself and submitting yourself unto the

mighty hand of God that the greater is he that's

in you, exercises through you by the working

of the power of your faith, and the devil will

leave you alone. Well, don't get too sad for

him. He's coming back to try again. If you miss

his company, hold on, he'll come back. He did

Jesus three times. He'd fasted for 40 days. You

don't get more prayed up than fasting for 40

days. He's no respecter. The devil's no respecter

if he'd come back and tempt Jesus three times.

Don't you think he's coming back when you put

him to flight? What do I do? Run him off again.

Through the authority that's been given to you

as a born again, blood -bought child of the living

Jesus Christ. The power that works in you. Live

like it's Sunday morning. Too many people like

to dwell at the foot of the cross. They just

like that. That's as far as they want to get.

Oh, the cross. Well, yeah, the cross. It's shameful.

But that wasn't the end result. The cross was

not the end. I know he said it's finished, but

I told you he didn't declare that I am finished.

He said it was finished. Reset the countdown.

I said now a little. Message to some folks on

Saturday. They call Saturday after Good Friday

the day of silence. As though he's just taking

a nap in the tomb. Like he's just laying there.

Waiting on the first day to get here so he can

get up. Folks, you need to read the book. You

don't have to try to figure out what's going

on in between the lines. He tells you what's

going on. Paul put it this way, before he ascended,

he first descended into the lower parts of the

earth. And what he did on that silent Saturday

when disciples are whining and pouting, hiding

in a room somewhere. Why the women are running

around trying to get spices ready and together

so they can get there early before he starts

to stink. All they had time for on that Friday

evening was just enough time to put a little

ointment on him just to say that he'd been anointed

and wrapped up real quickly and put in a borrowed

tomb. And so, man, they were just panicking.

They were trying to get the spices. There was

a certain amount and a certain kind. All this

stuff, the women were running around trying to

get all that together. They got aggravated. because

Peter and the rest of them wouldn't even get

up early enough to go with them. Come on, somebody.

All these things are going on. Peter and the

rest of them say, what are we going to do now?

I really thought he was the Christ. I thought

he was the one. Oh, did somebody just say, well,

didn't you see him put that ear back on that

old boy's head? What happened with that? Just

two days ago, he healed blind Bartimaeus. What

are we doing? Why are we so puzzled? He told

us that they're going to tear this temple down,

but just give me three days, baby, and I'm going

to raise her back up. And he gave us a great

illustration of the prophet Jonah. He said, as

Jonah was in the belly of the whale, three days

and three nights, so must the Son of Man be in

the heart of the earth. But then he's going to

be spewed out like Jonah was spewed out. The

earth couldn't hold him. You heard it this morning.

The earth didn't want him. The earth couldn't

contain him. So the stone of its own accord rolled

away. Why? Because it's Sunday morning. well,

what much does I like Luke 10 and 10? I just,

just this morning, put Luke 10 and 10 with John

10 and 10. I thought, huh, that's pretty good.

Never put that together. Never put them two together.

Luke 10 and 10, Jesus said, behold, I give you

the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions

and over all power of the enemy, and nothing

shall be any means hurt you. And John 10 and

10, Jesus said, the thief cometh not but to steal

and to kill and to destroy. He said, I am come

that you might have life and that you might have

it more abundantly. If you ever want to memorize

two, put them two together. When the devil comes

at you, say, look. devil, I've been given authority

over you. I may have to endure some of the consequences

of this world, but it'll hardly upheld in everybody

else before I let you in my ear and in my head

and make me suffer in my mind while I may have

to suffer in my body. I may be suffering in my

body, but you're getting out of my head. Come

on, somebody. You take authority. You've got

to remember this flesh is subject to the diseases

of this world because of the curse of sin. You

may have to endure through some hard stuff, but

the peace of mind, let this mind be in you that

was also in Christ Jesus, the authority. Happy

Easter. I got one minute. It's not going to happen.

Sunday people. Thirdly, no longer have the fear

of death to rule over them. You do know that

death had authority over man until the reset.

Until the countdown got reset. Because while

people think he was silent, on Saturday, no,

he was at work. He was in the heart of the earth.

Went to that place called Paradise and Sheol.

He went into the devil's domain to get the keys.

The keys of death, hell, and the grave. Until

then, Until the reset, the old devil wielded

the keys at his discretion. But while it was

silent on the earth, I told him the other day,

inside the earth was in turmoil. You've got demons

screaming. Why? Because the king of kings, the

Lord of lords, the son of God, He who was from

the beginning, spoke their creation into being,

is in town. He's come to hell. What does he want

down here? What belongs to him. He's come for

the keys of death, hell, and the grave. That's

why the declaration of old Paul to the Corinthians

in that 15th letter, he said, behold, I show

you a mystery in the 15th chapter. We're not

all going to sleep. He rolls on down and he tells

them, says, old grave, where is your victory?

The sting of death is sin. I hope you've been

paying attention. The sting of death is sin,

but now. The reset sin no longer has dominion.

Death in the grave no longer has the power over

all of humanity. Why? Because he is risen. He

is risen indeed. The second man Adam has taken

authority and he's came for the access. The Germans

were screaming because the Bible says he went

and made a show. Openly. What does that mean?

He went to hell, kicked butt, and took names.

I debated on that phrase about .3 milliseconds.

But it made my point so well. And some of you,

I about have to wait until we get half carnal

for you to understand what I'm saying. How many

of you understood that statement? There you go.

Thankfully, through the foolishness of preaching,

it pleases God. I don't know how, but if it causes

you to wake up, And to know that he was not silent

on Saturday. He was going to take authority.

He went to hell, Hades, Sheol, whatever you want

to call it, wherever the throne of the prince

of darkness reigns. He went there, never said

a word, held out his hand. I like to think of

it like this. He just done this first. What's

that mean? Get down, boy. Right here. And I love

to think, this is waters parallel, hope it was

this way. I love to think after he points his

finger, and old Lucifer, old slew foot, prostrates

himself in the middle of hell. Right before all

the fallen demonic angels and evil spirits. And

Jesus just gently puts his heel. Here's why I

think it was so. Way, way, way back. Way back

in the garden. After the fall. Here's what is

stated. The seed of woman, his heel's going to

get bruised, but your head's going to get mashed.

Talking to the devil. So I can just, in my mind,

let me see it the way I see it. You see it the

way you see it. I can just see the Lord. even

have to say a thing. They know. The Bible declares

that the devils, they are in fear and trembling

because they know. I told you a week or so ago,

he just walks down the street and they start

screaming out, what are you here for? Well, there

was no question of what he was there for. So

with his foot on the head, grinding that heel

just a little bit. See the old devil trying to

reach up out of the corner of his eye. Reach

a little higher. I'm not stooping for nothing.

You will put them in my hand. I stooped all I'm

going to stoop when I let them spit on me. I

stooped about as far as I was going to stoop

when they beat me until my lungs were showing

out my back. I stooped as low as I was going

to stoop when I stood there and permitted them

to pierce my brow with that crown of thorns mocking

me. I stooped as low as I was going to stoop

allowing them to pluck my beard from my face.

I stooped as low as I would allow as they shamed

me, stripped me of my clothing. I'm not stupid.

You stretch. were placed in his hand. And then

across the chasm he goes where the righteous

folk are watching the scene. Woo! Huh? Grind

it for me, said Noah. So he spans the chasm.

to paradise. And there he preaches. He preaches.

What's he preach? Good news. I am the Christ.

I'm the one you've been waiting on. Come on,

let's go. What happened? I'm glad you asked.

When he took captivity, captive, they just left.

The gospels record on the resurrection day that

the dead burst out of the tombs and shouted in

the streets. He took captivity captive and went

back the way he came. So you don't have to worry

about death. Don't be afraid of it. It's coming

to us all. Unless the Lord comes back, how many

is waiting on that train? Me too. Me too. I just

assume we all go at the same time. Right? We

can meet them other folks in the middle of there

and we can just all get together and go on. I'm

good with that. You've heard that, how many of

you want to go to heaven? Everybody raise your

hand. How many of you want to go today? Nobody.

If we all go, let's go. But until then, I like

doing what I'm doing. Enjoy life. I don't enjoy

some of the effects of a Good Friday world. But

I'm living like it's Sunday. Let's see. Revelation

118 says, do not be afraid. If you'll stand,

I'll run through the last page real quick. Do

not be afraid. I'm the first and the last. I

am he who lives and was dead. And behold, I am

alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys

of death and hell. Just so you know, I wasn't

making that up. Revelation 1 .18. This stuff's

so good you don't have to make it up. You don't

have to add to it at all. Just preach it the

way it is. 2 Timothy 1 .10 declares God's purpose

has now been revealed by the appearing of our

Savior Jesus Christ who has abolished death and

brought life and immortality. To light through

the gospel. Lastly, Sunday people have a hope.

You and I have hope. Not the way the world sees

hope. But the hope that we have is out of this

world. Amen. I'm going to read something to you

in just a minute. Through the power of the resurrection,

we've been given a living hope. 1 Peter 1, 3

and 4 says, We have been begotten to a living

hope and given an inheritance, incorruptible

and undefiled, and fadeth not away. Reserved

in heaven for each one of us as we set our hope

on Jesus Christ. Through the power of his resurrection.

There's power in that hope. Again, I say if in

this life only you have hope in Christ Jesus,

we become as all men most miserable. I live like

it's Sunday morning because of the power that

he's promised for me to live that way. I try

to live that way every day of my life because

I understand the devil has no authority over

me. Doesn't mean he doesn't try. Doesn't mean

he doesn't fight and war, lie and accuse, all

that stuff. Look, folks, that's just typical

in the life of a child of God. But what we do

not permit and allow is the power of those accusations

and lies and things to take power. power over

our minds, thus defeating us spiritually, emotionally,

and physically. It's the hope that gives us power.

It's the hope that causes us to remain steady

in our faith and belief. And even though we face

the storms of life, it will cause us to grow

and mature in Him and beyond. The effects of

this world. Hebrews 6, 19 says, this hope we

have is an anchor of the soul, both sure and

steadfast, and which enters the presence behind

the veil. Live like it's Sunday morning. The

Easter before D. William Sangster passed away,

he... painfully printed a short note to his daughter.

Sangster was a revivalist, very deeply spiritual

Methodist man. He'd been endeavoring in spearheading

a renewal movement in the British Isles after

World War II. Then his ministry, except for prayer,

was ended by a disease which was progressively

paralyzing his body. Even his vocal cords, he

couldn't speak. But the last Resurrection Sunday

that he spent on earth, still able to just barely

move his fingers, he wrote a note. How terrible

to wake up on Easter and have no voice to shout,

he is risen. Far worse. To have a voice and not

want to shout. Far worse to have a voice and

not want to shout. I was going to take you to

Revelation 19 and 21, but we don't have time

to go there this morning. You're done. Live like

it's Sunday morning. The beginning to living

like it's a Sunday morning is repentance of your

sin. For all have sinned and come short of the

glory of God. You got it. You came in this world

with it. And if you've not repented and asked

Christ to cleanse you and forgive you, you're

still dealing with it. But the good news on this

Sunday morning. Is that he died so you don't

have to deal with it. For you see the wages of

sin is death. Well I thought you said we don't

have to fear death. You do with sin in your life.

Because there's a thing called the second death.

Without sin being taken out. Where you'll be

cast into outer darkness. Where there are flames.

That are quenched not. In other words, they don't

get put out. A very violent, dark place. But

you don't have to go there. It wasn't prepared

for humanity. It was prepared for those fallen

angels. Father, I love you this morning. My heads

are bowed all across this house. If you're in

this building this morning and you do not know

Jesus. As Lord and Savior. I want you to before

you leave here today. Say well I'm not coming

down there. Good. I'm not going to ask you to.

I want to ask you to submit yourself right where

you are. To humble your heart right where you

are. That's how much Jesus desires to save you.

Doesn't have to be down front. Can be. Has been.

There have been just as many saved at a back

door or on a back row or in the middle row or

in a balcony somewhere. In the woods, at work,

many places. For all those that call upon the

name of the Lord, they shall be saved. I'm going

to pray this sinner's prayer. It wouldn't hurt

all of us just to recommit and refresh this morning.

Jesus, I come before you today. Come into this

world a sinner. Have been redeemed by your marvelous

grace. Our sins have been crucified with you.

Now I confess today that I am a sinner. In need

of that marvelous grace. You may be here today

and say, I'm a backslider. I used to serve and

love and worship, but I've gone back to my old

ways. Well, just pray that prayer again. Do that

first work over again. Repent. Invite Christ

back to the throne of your heart. Turn from your

wicked ways and walk away. Lord Jesus, upon my

confession that I am a sinner and that you are

the Christ. I invite you into my heart as you

cleanse me of my sin. According to your word,

if I am faithful and just to confess my sins,

you're faithful and just to cleanse me and to

forgive me. I accept that today. Be Lord of my

life. Now why don't we all just lift our hands

toward heaven and thank him for his marvelous

saving grace. Lord, I thank you for your saving

grace this morning. all across this building

in this room today, Lord. If there are those

who have repented, I know you've done the work.

If they sincerely prayed, and Lord, for those

of us that have done a renewal, a prayer of renewal,

a prayer of confession, renew our heart, renew

our faith, renew our trust, renew our hope in

you. Lord, we'll be quick to praise you for it

all. In Christ's name, the church said, amen.

Give the Lord a hand clap of praise for you.