Easter 2023

April 9, 2023

EASTER 2023 Resurrected from the Ruins

Why Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?

• To He is who He to be.

(Acts 1:3 NIV) After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.

• To  for himself and us.

(Revelation 1:18 NKJV) I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death

• To provide .

(Philippians 3:10 NRSV) I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection…

Q1: Do you ?

Q2: Do you know the ?

(Ephesians 1:19-20 LB) I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him. It is that same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead.

Resurrected from the Ruins

(Isaiah 61:1-4 NIV) The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

1. Stop .

“The Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.”

(John 11:25-26 NIV) Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

2. Start .

“Bind up the brokenhearted…proclaim freedom for the captives…release from darkness for the prisoners…”

3. Stop .

“They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”

Jesus doesn’t want to .

He wants to .

(2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

(1 Peter 2:9 NIV) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

4. Start .

“They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”

(Ephesians 2:10 LB) It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.

Jesus didn’t come to make .

He came to make .