Death Could Not Hold Him! He Has Risen!

The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 1:3-4

Although we study the passion of Jesus, his death on the cross, Easter is a celebration of his resurrection: God brought Jesus back from the dead, proving he’d broken the power of sin and death. 

After Jesus died, they took his body down and put him in a tomb, and a giant millstone was set in front of the cave. The religious leaders, worried that Jesus’ body might be stolen, asked for Roman guards to be posted in front of the tomb. They didn’t want him coming out! 

But of course, he did.

You know the story. But it’s important to remember that Easter is not some memorial to a nice, good religious teacher who lived 2,000 years ago. It’s a celebration of the fact that he is alive today! 

I’m living proof and so are the approximately 2 billion Christians who celebrate Easter. Jesus “was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:4). 

Easter is the Good News about God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who came to Earth as a human baby, born into King David’s royal family line. Four historical records say that after his resurrection, he showed himself to 500 people at one gathering. 

Can you imagine witnessing his death and then seeing him walking around Jerusalem three days later? What an amazing thing! 

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, the skeptics and critics mocked him and said, “If you’re the Son of God, why don’t you just pull yourself down from that cross? Why don’t you just come down and show that you’re really God?” 

Jesus had something more spectacular planned. He said, in modern-day terms, “I’m going to let you bury me for three days, and then I’ll come back to life to prove that I am who I say I am.” 

And he did!

You Need Resurrection Power

“I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 1:19-20

You can’t tap into a greater power than one that raises a dead man to new life.

That’s the power that Jesus displayed on the first Easter. It was the most powerful event in the history of the world. And all of that power is available to you.

That’s right you have access to the same power that raised Jesus from the dead 2,000 years ago. 

The Bible says, “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 1:19-20)

Stop and think about that for a bit. Let that sink in. The power of the resurrection is yours for the taking. 

The Bible reminds us that the resurrection of Jesus comes with a promise: “By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also” (1 Corinthians 6:14).

Because God raised Jesus from the dead, your last breath on this earth won’t mean the end of your existence. 

You, too, can have resurrection power in your life. You don’t have to wait until your death to find new life. 

Maybe you need a resurrection of your energy. 

Maybe you need a resurrection of your marriage. 

Maybe you need a resurrection of your dream.

Humans can resuscitate. Only God can resurrect. Your dead energy, dead marriage, or dead dream can’t be resurrected on your own power. You’re simply not strong enough. 

Easter reminds us that God’s power is greater far greater than any problem you face today.

Because Of Jesus, God Accepts You

“God says he will accept and acquit us declare us ‘not guilty’ if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like.” Romans 3:22

Would you be surprised to know most people do not accept themselves? I’ve been in ministry now for over 40 years. I’ve talked to tens of thousands of people, and I’ve found that most people really don’t like themselves. They wish they were different. They wish they looked different. They wish they acted differently. 

If you’re like most people, you don’t accept yourself so you spend your life trying to find acceptance from other people. 

And you don’t just work hard to get other people to accept you. You work to get God’s acceptance too. You know in your heart you have a big problem: God is perfect but you’re not.

But there’s good news. God recognized the problem too and has a plan.

First, let’s make sure you understand the problem: God lives in a perfect place called heaven. And if he allowed imperfect people into a perfect place, it wouldn’t be perfect anymore. 

Next, the plan: God’s plan is what is sometimes called “The Great Exchange.” 

The Bible says, “God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God’s goodness into us!” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

You’re not perfect, but Jesus is. So God says, “We’ll do an exchange here. Jesus will take your sins, and you’ll get his goodness in your life.” 

Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, you don’t have to work to be good enough. Christ’s goodness makes you acceptable to God. And it will allow you to live with him one day in heaven, his perfect place. That’s quite a deal! 

Many people feel trapped by their past. They say, “If you knew what I’ve done, you’d know I’ll never be acceptable to God.” 

I don’t know what you’ve done, but God does and he still accepts you: “God says he will accept and acquit us declare us ‘not guilty’ if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like” (Romans 3:22).

It’s time to stop living your life trying to be acceptable to God and to other people. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, you are acceptable.

Why The Forgiven Don’t Have To Fear

Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven and the future starts now!” 1 Peter 1:3-4

Fear is nothing new. It’s been with us from the very beginning!

Adam’s first recorded words in the Garden of Eden were, “I was afraid, and I hid.” Humans have been living in fear of God and each other ever since. 

Fear is based on ignorance. That means truth is the only cure and truth can only be found in God’s Word. 

Jesus’ resurrection on the first Easter gives you five truths that demolish fear in your life. Yesterday, I shared the first two:

• You know Jesus tells you the truth.
• You know death isn’t the end.

Third, you know God loves you extravagantly. God didn’t just send you a postcard with a note saying how much he loves you. He cared enough to send the very best—himself! When Jesus was dying on the cross with his arms outstretched, he was saying: “I love you this much.”

Fear and love cannot exist in the same place. The Bible tells us, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). When you invite Christ into the front door of your heart, fear goes out the back door.

Fourth, you know God has a good plan for your life. When you open yourself up to God’s love, he takes care of your past, present, and future. Through the resurrection, your sins are forgiven, you get a purpose for living, and you get a home in heaven. 

The Bible describes it like this: “Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven and the future starts now!” (1 Peter 1:3-4). You won’t get that kind of life anywhere else. You only get it through the power of Jesus’ resurrection.

Finally, you know God will take care of your needs. One of the reasons you struggle with fear is that you worry about tomorrow and worry can’t change anything! It won’t add a single moment to your life, and it won’t solve a single problem.

But the resurrection guarantees that God will meet all of your needs starting with your salvation by providing you with the power of his resurrection. Paul writes, “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 1:19-20).

This year, as you celebrate Easter, remind yourself that because Jesus was raised from the dead, you are no longer a prisoner to fear. That’s news so good that you have to share it!

Resurrection Truths That Will Shatter Fear

Jesus] included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

The Bible is full of commands. But do you know what the most common one is?

Don’t be afraid. You’ll find it 365 times in Scripture including several times in the Easter story. “Don’t be afraid” were the first words the angel told those who showed up at the tomb on Easter morning. They were also the first words Jesus spoke after the resurrection.

It’s no wonder why it’s a common theme of the Bible and in the Easter story: Fear is humanity’s most common problem. 

You might not think you’re a fearful person. But if you think about it, you may realize that many of your decisions are based on fear, such as the fear of what people think of you and the fear of failure.

But Easter brings good news! Because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can now live without fear. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “Jesus included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own”.

When you live according to the resurrection of Christ, the Bible says you’re living a better life, a life where you’re free from fear.

In fact, there are five truths about the resurrection that will set you free from fear if you understand them. I’ll share these truths over the next two days.

First, you know Jesus tells you the truth. Throughout history many people have claimed to be God or the Messiah but only one proved it. The Bible says, “[Jesus] was declared to be God’s Son with great power by rising from the dead” (Romans 1:4).

Without the resurrection, you couldn’t trust anything Jesus said. But you can trust what Jesus says about God, heaven, and everything else he taught because he rose from the dead like he said he would.

Second, you know death isn’t the end. Until Jesus rose from the dead, people didn’t know if there was life after death because there was no proof. Jesus changed that. The Bible tells us, “God raised the Lord Jesus from the dead, and we know that God will also raise us with Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:14). You don’t need to fear death, because Jesus’ resurrection shows us that death isn’t the end of the story. It’s really the beginning of your best life—your eternal life in God’s presence.

Learning to live without fear will transform your life now! Tomorrow I’ll share with you three more Easter truths that will help you live in freedom from fear.

God’s Goodness Last Forever

“I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6

Of all the benefits of God’s goodness, only one lasts beyond your life on earth. The final verse of Psalm 23 expresses the ultimate example of God’s goodness: “I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6.

That means you don’t have to fear death because death is not the end. God saves the best for last. Even if you have a tough life here on earth, if you have asked Jesus Christ to save you, you will dwell forever in the house of the Lord, where there’s no more sorrow, no more suffering, no more sin, no more sickness, no more sadness, no more problems, no more pain, and no more pressure. Heaven is unbelievable. God’s glory is waiting there for you. 

The Bible teaches, “It is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:5-7).

Everything you’ve seen in movies about heaven is probably wrong. First, heaven is not nirvana, a dream, or a metaphorical attitude. Heaven is a physical place, not a state of being. It’s a permanent place that will last forever. And it is reserved only for God’s family. 

Heaven is also not boring! We see a glimpse of heaven in Revelation 21, where we learn that we won’t just kick back and do nothing for eternity. A lot of the stuff you do here on earth is what you’ll be able to do in heaven. You’ll be able to eat in heaven, you’ll be able to sleep in heaven, you’ll party in heaven, talk, fellowship, pray, and sing just to name a few. Heaven was created for you.   

There are only two things that you do on earth that you won’t do in heaven. First, in heaven you can’t sin; second, you can’t witness to a nonbeliever about Christ’s love and forgiveness because only God’s children are there. That’s why, once you become a believer, God does not take you instantly to heaven. He wants you to pass on the Good News of salvation and grace. The only reason you’re going to heaven is because somebody told you about the Gospel. Now it’s your turn to tell others. 

There is so much to look forward to in heaven. We will worship God forever. We will be reunited with those who love Jesus. We will be rewarded for our faith, hope, and love. We will be assigned work that we enjoy doing.

What an awesome promise. What a good God!

The Resurrection Of Jesus Changed Everything

“I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish.” John 11:25-26

The resurrection of Jesus changed everything. It literally split history into A.D. and B.C. It’s the most important event in human history. And it proves three things.

First, the resurrection proves that Jesus is exactly who he claimed to be. He repeatedly said he was the Son of God who came to die for our sins. And he did just that. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most well-documented events in history. It would stand up in any court of law. In fact, it has many, many times throughout centuries.

The apostle Paul said, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

Second, the resurrection proves that Jesus keeps his promises. Jesus told his disciples that he would “be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Matthew 16:21 NIV). Because Jesus kept that promise, you can trust the other promises in the Word of God. The Bible says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. . . . [He] set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Third, the resurrection proves that there is life after death. Because of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, we have hope for the future. And it is a hope that will not disappoint (see Romans 5:5). Jesus said, “I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish” (John 11:25-26).

Where else are you going to get a promise like that? Nowhere! Who else can give that to you? No one! If you don’t get it from Jesus, you won’t have it. That is an amazing benefit, and it’s available to you today. What’s the qualification? You must believe.

The Bible says, “This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life’” (Romans 1:17 NLT). God’s Word also says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The Good News is that the death and resurrection of Jesus give us access to God. In other words, we can only get to heaven by trusting in God through his Son, Jesus Christ. “God says he will accept and acquit us declare us ‘not guilty’ if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like” (Romans 3:22).

Standing Out At Work

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people. Colossians 3:23

The Bible identifies five characteristics of people who excel at what they do.

They work with enthusiasm. Regardless of whether the job is big or small, give it your best. Great performers give their best effort, no matter what the size of the audience: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people” (Colossians 3:23).

They sharpen their skills. They never stop developing, growing, learning, and improving: “If your ax is dull and you don’t sharpen it, you have to work harder to use it. It is smarter to plan ahead” (Ecclesiastes 10:10). It takes more than desire to excel; it takes skill! Remember: You’re never wasting time when you’re “sharpening your ax.

They keep their word. They are reliable. They can be counted on to do what they say they’ll do. They excel because people of integrity are rare in our society: “Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is!” (Proverbs 20:6).

They maintain a positive attitude. Even under the worst circumstances, they don’t become negative: “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:14-16). And remember: “If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes” (Ecclesiastes 10:4).

People who excel do more than is expected. This is a secret that every successful person has discovered. You’ll never excel by only doing what is required. Jesus said, “If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously” (Matthew 5:40-42).

The Broadway lyricist Oscar Hammerstein once told the story of seeing the top of the Statue of Liberty from a helicopter. He was impressed because of the incredible detail the artist sculpted on an area that no one was expected to see. In fact, the Statue of Liberty was completed with no idea that man would someday be able to fly over the statue!

When you’re tempted to cut corners, thinking, “No one will ever know,” remember that God sees everything you do. Give him your best this week!

Reliable People Get Promoted

“So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing except what kind of food to eat!” Genesis 39:6

The greatest compliment a boss can pay you is, “I’m not worried,” because it says that you are reliable, trustworthy, and steady. They can count on you.

Genesis 39:6 says, “So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing except what kind of food to eat!”

How would you like to have the kind of job where all you had to worry about was what to eat? Potiphar trusted Joseph and gave the former slave complete decision-making power because he knew he could rely on him.

That’s why Joseph kept getting promoted because all of his bosses could say, “I trust this guy with my life.” When he was in prison, Joseph had favor with the warden, who put the entire prison under Joseph’s care. That’s how much the warden trusted Joseph. Joseph was reliable so the warden didn’t have to worry about anything with Joseph in charge. 

Reliability is earning the trust of others by always keeping your promises and fulfilling your responsibilities, even if it requires sacrifice.

Joseph knew how to be reliable. He got promoted because he fulfilled his responsibilities. He kept his word even if it meant personal hurt, loss, and sacrifice. Can the same be said of you?

Loyalty Makes You Stand Out At Work

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. ‘Come and sleep with me,’ she demanded. But Joseph refused. ‘Look,’ he told her, ‘my master trusts me with everything in his entire household . . . He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing?’” Genesis 39:6-9

Loyalty is a quality that is in short supply in our society today. It seems like nobody is loyal to anything anymore. There’s no such thing as brand loyalty. And most people aren’t loyal to companies or bosses or leaders. They’re loyal to themselves.

Loyalty is an old-fashioned quality. But when a person exhibits a rare quality like loyalty, that person gets promoted. It makes you stand out!

Loyalty is being faithful whether it’s to your boss or to God or to someone else when difficulty tests your commitment. 

It’s easy to be loyal when everything is going great, but when the ship goes into the storm, that’s when real loyalty comes out. And because God is more interested in your character than your career, your loyalty will be tested in your work. In the middle of those storms, he’s seeing if he can trust you with greater responsibility in heaven. 

Joseph had a tough test. The Bible says, “Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. ‘Come and sleep with me,’ she demanded. But Joseph refused. ‘Look,’ he told her, ‘my master trusts me with everything in his entire household . . . He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing?’” (Genesis 39:6-9).

Now that’s loyalty! Joseph’s got a beautiful woman throwing herself at him, reassuring him, “You think I’m going to tell my husband? Are you kidding me? Nobody’s going to know. You can have your cake and eat it too. You can be the master, and we can have a fling. It’ll be great. No harm, no foul!” 

I’m sure Potiphar was an imperfect boss because every boss is imperfect. I’m sure Joseph probably disagreed with his boss a lot of the time because they were both human. Nobody gets it right all of the time.

But Joseph still turned her down because of loyalty to his boss. He honored the trust that had been placed in him by his master.

God looks at that kind of loyalty and goes, “That’s the kind of person I’m going to promote.”

Don’t you want God to say the same about you?