A.A. Introduction This is Resurrection Sunday. The day we observe the death burial and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus. In all of human history, it is the most defining event of my life and millions of others. If I started writing now and continue writing through the rest of my life, I could never explain all of the wondrous lessons I have learned from my Lord and Master Jesus. But here are a few that I would like to mention.
John 11.25-26: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
1 Corinthians 15.17: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.”
1. Jesus is Perfect virtue. Our Lord demonstrated in His life a complete selflessness. All of His motives from washing His disciples feet to willingly and lovingly giving His life were directed towards the Father, and love for us. He demonstrated a life of perfect virtue.
2 Cor 5:21 KJ V
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
New Living Translation
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
2. Service is greater than achievement. Jesus had enough charisma and the Holy spirit’s presence and sway in His life, that He could have obtained any worldly Accolade or Acclaim that He desired. But that is not what He desired. He avoided putting Himself up on a pinnacle, in His Temptation and reserved this reverence for His Father alone. Christ came to serve, not to be served. He gave himself freely away. He did not judge His accusers. He tried to reach them through His loving grace. He demonstrated completely, finally and ultimately that the greatest life is not one of accomplishment but one of genuine, sacrificial service.
Mt. 20:28. NLT
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
3. Love leads the way. Christ never had any doubt in His heart or in His mind about who He was. He saw clearly His commission from the very beginning of His life. And He Faithfully followed His Heavenly father’s call, all of His days. He saw the truth. He was the truth and so He led the way for others around Him, to follow in His light. And through His light, we can lead others through His love.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
4. Christ demonstrated gentle Authority. Jesus could have called realms of angels to deliver Him from his gruesome death on the cross. But He chose to embrace that tragic task, because of His love for us. Jesus did not find it necessary to talk like the teachers around Him in Poetic riddle or religious mystery. He spoke plainly in Ultimate and Final truth. Because the authority was resident in Him. Not some sort of self usurped, arrogant, pompous pretension. But a deep inward recognition and display that His motives were pure, and we’re indeed the given motives of His Heavenly Father. He was holy. A word that we barely mention, much less understand. Yet, Jesus was exactly that: Holy! Indescribably pure. His light and love teaches us how to have the fruits of Jesus; the fruits of the Spirit and Christ’s own, gentle Authority.
Mk. 1:22 NLT
The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law.
5. The greatness of humble lowliness. Whether it was coming as a baby in a Manger, washing His disciples feet, accepting the affection of a sinner woman’s tears washing His feet, appreciating the repentant love of a tax collector, or knowingly sharing life with wine-bibbers and gluttons. Jesus was not a goody two-shoes kind of man. He hung out with the fishermen. He made his home with the common.
The King of all Kings and the Lord of all glory, found His kind of royalty comfortable in the midst of such commoness, as you and I. Even at his death he was hung between two thieves .. His greatness was expressed in humility. It still is.
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”Hebrews 4:15.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5-8.

6. There is a window into the hearts of men and women. Jesus knew to tell His parents when He was a child, not to be concerned about Him spending time with the teachers. He knew their concerns about Him being different and comforted their hearts with assurance that He was doing the right thing for His Father, for the right reasons. He knew the simple, good Joys that caused people to celebrate a new marriage and joined their celebration in miraculous fashion. When John did not want to baptize Him, he comforted John’s heart that he was fulfilling his role in helping Jesus. When Judas had decided that he was beyond help and was going the wrong way, no matter what. Jesus saw this in him. And knowingly, let him go. When Peter pridefully boasted he would never fail the Lord. Jesus prepared his heart for what he would soon come to see about his own limitations and deep spiritual need. Not only while Jesus was alive did He help those around Him, to see the truth inside their hearts. He still helps seeking men and women to see inside their hearts and the hearts of others today.
Proverbs 15:11
Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD, How much more the hearts of men!
Matthew 12:25
And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand.
Matthew 22:18
But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?
Mark 2:8
Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts?

Luke 11:17
But He knew their thoughts and said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a house divided against itself falls.
Luke 16:15
And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.
John 2:25
and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
This is a too seldom claimed spiritual power that is a part of the package that God means for us to operate in, by being Spirit-filled, Spirit lead believers.
John 14:11-13 King James Version (KJV)
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

7. There is a greater power than death. Even though Jesus had told His disciples before He died, that He would arise. It was beyond their grasp, to understand this. The power of Life confronting and overcoming death, is nearly an impossible thing for us to grasp and understand. It’s the same power that causes a seed to break down, to allow the new birth of life to come forth in a brand new exploding seedling. It’s the same power that allows a cocoon to collapse and a new winged Beauty to be born, in place of the crawling worm that existed before. Jesus is life. He doesn’t just give life. He is life. When we offer our life to Him. He can manifest the same resurrection power that caused Him to gloriously come forth from the tomb, to be inside the mortal shells of our lives. So that we can be absolutely sure, that when we leave this realm there is a more glorious and wonderful reality for us yet to experience. In fact that is His glorious promise. That in His Father’s house are many mansions. And He has gone there to prepare a place for us, to dwell with Him and His Heavenly domain of Glory, forever.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 (KJV) 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
John 11.25-26: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Around the world, people will be trying to express what the Savior means to them on this Easter Sunday. I just join my little voice with this throng. Praising My Savior all the day long.

Pastor Tim