“Two thousand years ago, in the Middle East, an event occurred that permanently changed the world. Because of that event, history was split. Every time you write a date, you’re using the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as the focal point.” – (Rick Warren)
History is divided up:
Before the resurrection of Jesus and after
It’s before and after the resurrection - Not a particular war - Or iconic leader
The condition of the world before the resurrection was:
One: Spiritually Dead
Eph. 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins (ESV)
Col. 2:13a and you, who were dead in your trespasses…(ESV)
Spiritual death was a result of man’s fall:
We call it the “curse of the fall”
When Adam and Eve sinned
Christianity isn’t about driving by a church sign and picking a church because it’s the right thing to do:
True Christianity is a spiritual birth
A supernatural birth - Followed by supernatural transformation
Two: Under a Curse
Gal. 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— (ESV)
This is the “curse of the law”:
It was based on man’s behaviour, performance, obedience, and so on…
If man/woman broke a command the curse would come on them:
What did that include?
Mainly failure, poverty, and sickness - BASED on HOW GOOD OR BAD PEOPLE WERE
Three: Prey for the Devil
John 10:10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. (NLT)
People who live in spiritual darkness are not aware they are prey for the devil:
Many think God is doing it to them - We thought that growing up
Why did God let it happen? Why isn’t God doing something about it?
Four: Without God and Hope
Eph. 2:12a&c In those days you were living apart from Christ…You lived in this world without God and without hope. (NLT)
I awoke - got out of bed until I was 23 years old:
Without Jesus in my life
My purpose for living was to work, make money, pay my bills, eat, have what I thought was fun
The last 43 years and 3 months – I have awoke – got out of bed – WITH JESUS
What a difference – I live for Him – He is my purpose – I don’t mean only the work of the ministry – I mean Him
Without the Resurrection the world was:
Spiritually Dead
Under the Curse of the Law
Dominated by the Devil
Godless and Hopeless
“The resurrection completes the inauguration of God's kingdom…It is the decisive event demonstrating that God's kingdom really has been launched on earth as it is in heaven. The message of Easter is that God's new world has been unveiled in Jesus Christ and that you're now invited to belong to it.” – (N.T. Wright)
The Birth of a New World
What the Resurrection Assures:
We have been freed from the penalty
Our sins are washed away
We become new creatures in Christ
We become the righteousness of God in Christ
We are given a heavenly seat in Christ
Death no longer has dominion over us
We will live forever in heaven
We can rule and reign in Christ
We enter into and belong to the family of God
“We are adopted into God's family through the resurrection of Christ from the dead in which he paid all our obligations to sin, the law, and the devil, in whose family we once lived. Our old status lies in his tomb. A new status is ours through his resurrection.” – (Sinclair B. Ferguson)
How is Water Baptism Related to Jesus’ Resurrection?
Water baptism is a command instituted by Jesus and the early apostles
Water baptism symbolises the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus
Water baptism is far more than a ritual or religious exercise
It is intended to be an essential part of the spiritual foundation of Christians
Jesus stressed the vital importance of water baptism when He commissioned His followers to baptise all those who became Christians:
Matt. 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Peter and the early church leaders stressed the importance of water baptism:
Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (ESV)
Acts 10:47 “Can anyone object to their being baptised, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?”
Acts 10:48 So he gave orders for them to be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days. (NLT)
Water baptism symbolises a believer’s death to sin and resurrection in Christ
Rom. 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
If you go under water, you can’t breathe. It’s a picture of death and the grave and always has been.
Someone who is held under for a long time:
They come up out of the water - AND BREATH IN
A BIG - INTAKE of AIR
REMEMBER how Jesus BREATHED on His Disciples and said RECEIVE the Holy Spirit?
God BREATHES LIFE INTO US _ “as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life”.
NEWNESS of LIFE
Rom. 6:5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
STORY: Nearly 40 years ago - A friend of mind walked outside on easter morning - looked up into the sky and said: “happy resurrection day Jesus!” He heard the still small voice of the Lord say: “Happy Resurrection day to you Tim!”
That is when he realised he was raised up with Christ
We’ll look into that some today!
Water baptism is an outward sign of an inward grace that took place when you put faith in Jesus. It is symbolic, but it represents a powerful spiritual reality that is ours in Christ!
What is the practical application of this:
Going in the water is symbolic of death and burial
Before you resurrect you would need to die
Coming is symbolic of new life in Jesus
Rom. 6:11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NKJV)
Rom. 6:11 In the same way, you must think of yourselves as dead to the power of sin. But Christ Jesus has given life to you, and you live for God. (CEV)
Rom. 6:11 Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God [living in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus. (AMP)
How does that apply?
We reckon - see ourselves - consider ourselves DEAD to sin
To OUR past - we ARE DEAD to everything we have ever done
Everything we have ever regretted
This is a death to everything we have ever been or done - and everything ever done to us
We are raised in His likeness - this symbolises what has happened when you received Him
No more regrets - just thankful to God for forgiveness
He died for sin and now we are dead to sin
When you come out of the water - it symbolises a brand new life - a new life IN Christ
Summary of Water Baptism
You must be born again to be water baptised.
Baptism is a wilful act. An act of obedience and submission to God.
You are a Christian with or without water baptism.
Salvation is through faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross.
Baptism is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection with Jesus.
CONFESSION: - I publicly CONFESS THAT…
I believe in One God. The Father, the Almighty.
Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.
I believe in One Lord, Jesus Christ. The only Son of God.
Eternally begotten of the Father. - Through Him all things were made.
He came to earth and died on the cross, and rose on the third day.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the eternal Spirit of God.
Who proceeded from the Father and the Son.
I believe in one baptism, One Lord, One God, One Father, one church.
I belong to Jesus and have also been baptised into His Body and am a part of believers all over the world.
I am dead to my past. His death is mine.
I am alive with God’s life and His purposes