“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” “Living a Resurrected Life” Sermon 2 “We Will Rise!”

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Last Week: The echo of “He Has Risen…” This is both good and bad news.

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Unusual Easter Sermon? Our focus is often on Jesus’ resurrection. Life in light of eternity. We will all rise so what should we know before we get there?

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Preparing for Eternity Today we will be looking at a few passages that inform us about life after death and call us to be prepared for eternity.

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Hebrews 9:27-28 on page 1872 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Most people assume, or wish… Matthew 13 – Parables of the Weeds, and Net. God will separate the righteous from the unrighteous at the end. Matthew 27:50-53 – Who came out of the tombs?

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Matthew 7:21-23 on page 1506 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” How Can We Have Certainty? It is all about Jesus! His sinless life, death, burial, and resurrection provides the way for us to exchange our sin for his holiness and be saved by his grace.

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Romans 6:1-7 on page 1754 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Romans 6:1-7 on page If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Certainly! Baptism (immersion) connects us to the death of Jesus. Our death to self and burial in baptism leads to a certain resurrection united to his certain resurrection. God’s grace has saved us, not provisionally, but completely.

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” 2 Timothy 2:11-13 on page 1854 If we died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; 13 if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” We Will All Rise! We will all rise and all of those who are in Jesus will open their eyes in paradise.

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” He Is Coming Back 2 Peter 3:10-13 on page 1896 Peter reminds us that Jesus will return like a thief in the night and so we “ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 on page 1840 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 on page For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Taking It Home #1 Think about the truth that we will all rise and thank God that Jesus has made a way for us to be with him for eternity. James 1:22

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Taking It Home #2 Avoid being distracted by the temporary and focus on eternity. James 1:22

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Taking It Home #3 Be encouraged by thinking of what comes after this and share the good news while we can. James 1:22

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Taking It Home #4 Evaluate how your life shows an eternal perspective. James 1:22

“He Has Risen!” Easter 2015 “We Will Rise!” Next Week Living a Resurrected Life.