Saturday, April 7, 2012

WHY DO YOU LOOK FOR THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD?

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}Luke 24:1–12
}Jesus Has Risen
}24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had preparedu and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.v While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightningw stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:x ‘The Son of Many must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”z Then they remembered his words.a
}When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with themb who told this to the apostles.c 11 But they did not believed the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves,e and he went away,f wondering to himself what had happened
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}Where is Jesus now?
}Why do you look for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5) That is a great question! We do not normally look for the dead among the living. So why would you look for the living among the dead? That is the question the angels posed to the women who came to Jesus’ tomb that first Easter morning. And that is the question I would like us to consider this morning.
}They were finding Jesus among the dead.
}Instead, we read in verses 2-3: “They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” (Luke 24:2-3) I like that. They found the stone rolled away, but they did not find Jesus. They were looking for Jesus among the dead, and they could not find him.
}Many Christians are looking for Jesus at the wrong place.
}Some looking for Jesus in the cradle on Christmas day.
}Some have kept Him nailing on the cross.
}Some have made idols of Him thinking He is there.
}Some even put photos of Him thinking it is Him and worshipping it.
}Jesus is not in this place.
}The world cannot see Him. But you can.
}John 14:18-20
}New International Version (NIV)
}18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
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}When you believe in Him He lives in you.
}Apostle Paul who had this revelation told the Colossians Christian.
}26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which[d] is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
}WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HE LIVES IN YOU?
1.He gives you wisdom. 1 Corinthian 1 :30
1 Corinthians 2:16
 2.16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord
   so as to instruct him?”
[a]
   But we have the mind of Christ.  
3. Romans 8:11
}11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of[a] his Spirit who lives in you.
}HE GUARANTEES YOUR INHERITANCE.
}No religion in the world guarantees your inheritance  but Jesus guarantees your inheritance.
}Ephesians 1 :14
}14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
}HE IS YOUR HIGH PRIEST.
}Hebrews 8:1
}English Standard Version (ESV)
}Jesus, High Priest of a Better Covenant
}8 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
}He intercedes for you.
}He blesses you each day.
}Although He is seated in the Father’s right hand His spirit lives in you.
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}YOU HAVE VICTORY IN YOUR LIFE.
}1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
}No more need fear, and no more need doubting,
}No more need pride control in my life.
}I may be free from all condemnation,
}I can have victory now in the strife. 
}I take the life of victory,
}Not I, but Christ Himself in me;
}He conquers now, He sets me free;
}I take, He gives—the victory.
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}HE GIVES US VICTORY OVER DEATH.
}1 CORINTHIANS 15: 55
}55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
}He is alive, you are alive and reign in life.
}CONCLUSION: The angels asked the women that first Easter morning, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Let me say it to you again. If you are looking for Jesus among the dead, you will never find him because he is not there. But if you look for Jesus among the living, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Jesus Christ is alive. He is risen! He is risen indeed!
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