The Resurrection of Jesus Increases Our Faith

 

The Resurrection of Jesus Increases Our Faith

Good morning brothers and sisters. Tim Montoya here and what a beautiful Lord’s day it is. We are in day 14 of the national lockdown and I imagine all of us are tempted to go a little stir crazy and are experiencing a little bit of cabin fever. We are advised by the health experts to sleep enough, eat healthy, and exercise as much as you can. We hear reports of over 122 thousand Americans infected and over 2200 have passed on. We pray for the families who have lost loved ones and pray for our loved ones to not be next. I recommend that we also look at the positive that 1,095 have recovered and pray that that number multiplies many times over. We are feeling the loss of freedom to travel freely, to meet together physically and on the same hand it has been great to meet online with many of you and sing and pray and read Scripture together. We could say that our world is going through stages of grief; Denial-not me or mine; Anger-I am forced to stay home; Bargaining- Okay, I will follow the rules of isolation/quarantine for 15 or 30 days and I will be back to normal; Sadness– I don’t know if this will ever end and the world as we know it is changed forever and Acceptance- This is real, I have to figure out how to move on in life.

Let us remember that our all powerful and loving Lord and Savior was not and is not fazed or freaking out.

This is what He says to us;

“He says, ‘I will announce Your Name to my brothers and sisters. I will sing your praises among those who worship You.’ Again He says, ‘I will put my trust in Him.’ And again He says, ‘Here I am. Here are the children God has given Me.’” Those children have bodies made out of flesh and blood. So Jesus became human like them in order to die for them. By doing this, He could break the power of the devil. The devil is the one who rules over the kingdom of death. Jesus could set people free who were afraid of death. All their lives they were held as slave by that fear. He Himself suffered when He was tempted. Now He is able to help others who are being tempted.” 

                                                                                                             Hebrews2: 12-15,18

Counting today we are 3 Sundays away from Easter and this will be our third lesson on the Resurrection of Jesus. If we prayerfully consider the power of the Resurrection of Jesus this will increases our in times of distress.

I Know God is saying that;

  1. It is time to Honor Him.

The Father raises the dead and gives them life. In the same way, the Son gives life to anyone He wants to. Also, the Father does not judge anyone. He has given the Son the task of judging. Then all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

                                                                                                                         John 5:21-23

  • God has always had the power to raise the dead to life. Spiritually and physically.
  • At the beginning of this chapter Jesus healed a physically disabled man and called him to a new life. The religious leaders condemned Jesus because He healed on the Sabbath day.
  • Jesus made it clear that to honor God was to honor Him as well.
  • What does honoring Jesus look like today?
  • We have different seasons that we experience. This is a season of prayer like never before. There will come a time when we will be able to get out and help others.
  • Listen to the direction of our leaders. We in California may be on lockdown longer. Than other states.
  • Pray continually for our leaders, those who are sick to recover, those who are on the front lines battling this invisible enemy, for all of the essential workers to not be infected, for this pandemic to pave the way for spiritual renewal in our world and in all of our lives.
  1. It is time to listen to Jesus’s Voice.

What I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who hears my word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life. They will not be judged. They have crossed over from death to life. What I’m about to tell you is true. A time is coming for me to give life. In fact, it has already begun. The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. Those who hear it will live. The Father has life in Himself. He has allowed the Son also the have life in Himself. And the Father has given Him the authority to judge. This is because He is the Son of Man.                                    John 5:25-27

  • The Psalmist writes, “I have treasured Your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11
  • We have much time to spend in His word. Did you know that one could read the entire New Testament in 14 days by reading 18 chapters a day?
  • Seek His will in His word each day.
  1. It is time to make it our goal to please Him

Do not be amazed at this. A time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice. They will all come out of their graves. People who have done what is good will rise and live again. People who have done what is evil will rise and be found guilty. I can do nothing by Myself. I judge only as I hear. And my judging is fair. I do not try to please myself. I try to please the One Who sent Me. 

                                                                                                                   John 5:28-30

  • We must imitate our Lord Jesus Christ in His desire to please His Father.
  • Paul wrote, “We know what it means to have respect for the Lord. So we try to help other people to understand it. What we are is plain to God.”

                                                                                              2 Corinthians 5:11ab

  • Prayers of thanksgiving for our union with Christ in His death and resurrection. Christs love compels us. We are sure that one person died for everyone. And so everyone died. Christ died for everyone. He died so that those who live should not live for themselves anymore. They should live for Christ. He died for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

As we share in the Lord’s Supper together we give thanks with overflowing hearts for the righteousness that He bestows upon us in the sacrifice of His Son’s body and blood.

  • May the Lord bless you, may the Lord protect you, may He shine His face upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord smile upon you and give you peace.
  • We thank you O Lord for this promise of resurrection that we have in Jesus Christ. In this time of crisis please make our prayers and lives be lives that honor you, listen to you and please you in Jesus your Son. Please use us to lead many to Your righteousness. Dear heavenly Father, almighty creator of heaven and earth, please establish your kingdom in our midst, Dear Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us sinners, Dear Blessed Holy Spirit, breath of the Living God, renew and transform us and the whole world into the image of Jesus.                    We pray this in the powerful name of Jesus.