It's Personal

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  • Date: Sunday, April 5, 2015
  • Speaker:
  • Series: Worship Service
  • Scripture: Mark 16:1-8

It's Personal
 Mark 16:1-8

6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarenes who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ” Mark 16:6-7

Theme: Jesus is Risen!

Goal: That by His grace and through the power of the Holy Spirit and His Word, God will move us to live the joy of the resurrection.

Other Text: Isaiah 25:6-9; 1Corinthians 15:1-11

INTRODUCTION: !The Lord has Risen! (A victorious proclamation).
!The Tomb Is Empty! (A victorious sight).  

I. Especially in view of the experiences of the past week.

  • We began with the triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Sense of hope and victory).
  • Multitudes gathered, multitudes joined their voice (Hosanna, Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord).
  • Followed by Good Friday. (Sense of overwhelming despair and defeat).
  • Again we beheld the multitudes gather, Again multitudes joined their voice….but it was a different shout not of hosanna’s, but “CRUCIFY HIM”.
  • We found ourselves at Golgotha.
  • We found ourselves at the tomb ….Jesus dead.
  • It was meant to be the end.

II. But there is one detail.

  • Christ is Lord and sovereign God.
  • Christ is the Alpha and Omega.
  • Jesus is the name above all names.
  • Jesus is the one before every knee shall bend.

     a. And we know this truth because He faced the worst of enemies, the devil, sin, and death and in doing so we can attest the following:

  • The devil, death and sin have been conquered.
  • The tomb is empty ..... Christ has Risen!

III. But still a problem remains; this will be the focus of the message:

  • Why? Why is our joy, peace and victory taken from us?
  • Why is there still so much difficulty? (Temporal, physical, emotional, spiritual?)

IV. Our separation with Jesus' Easter victory.

  • Is the cause this fallen World?
  • Is it the devil?
  • Is the cause Sin?
  • Is the cause Death?
  • To say such a thing would deny the power of Christ Resurrection.
  • The cause of our loss of Joy, Peace and Victory is our separation from our Lord Jesus Christ and His redemptive work. Which unites us to Him and His victory. (Romans 8:31-35)

V.Jesus unites us all to Himself and His victory.
     a. This has been God’s plan all along.

  • At the fall we see His desire for our redemption (Genesis 3:15)
  • We see Gods desire to redeem all people (John 3:16)
  • We see His redemptive, loving desire for individuals (Mark 3:6)
  • We see His redemptive and loving Grace focused on the weak and overwhelmed (like Peter). (Mark 3:6)
  • We see His focus on you and me.

VI. Jesus’ victory is for us today.

  • Through Our Worship we remain united to Christ and His redemptive victory.
  • Through the preaching of His Word.
  • Through our Confession and Absolution.
  • Through our Baptism.
  • Through the Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion).
  • Through the Benediction (Numbers 6:24-27)

May Our Risen Lord strengthen you, His victorious people and united proclaim your personal joy, peace, and victory in Christ. Amen.