VOICE OF THE TEACHER #11

Mark 16
April 12, 2009
with Adam Waters

Do you know the story of the boy who cried wolf… Reading to your kids can sometimes get monotonous as you remember every word of their stories… have you ever heard a story so many times that you got tired of it?
Let me ask this a different way: How many of you have every risen from the dead?
It seems like sometimes at Easter, I hear the preacher get up and begin to tell the story of Jesus… and the audience eyes begin to glaze over. “I’ve heard this before.” “I’ve got a ham going for when the family comes over after service.” “What’s this got to do with my life in 2009? I’m out of work. I’m broke. My kids are a mess. My dad’s in the hospital… so what that Jesus came back to life in 30AD!” and we are at the crossroads of ever wanting to listen again to another sermon… but you’re here today! And I want to tell you something: Jesus brought himself back from the dead AND IT MATTERS!

What happened at the resurrection?
· First, Jesus brought himself back to life… that’s sweet! He entered into the place furthest from his light, holiness and life & said, “I win here too!”
· Second, Jesus made it official that he had the power to conquer all the death in your own life—physical and spiritual.
· Finally, if that’s true friends, that means that you have the ability to NOT BE DEAD! Do you get it? Jesus paved the way for all of us to be resurrected. He paid the ransom for you and I to not face death. He turned us from exist-ers into ALIVE people. He redeemed us in order that we might become HIS RESURRECTED CHURCH!

THE TEACHER’S VOICE ~ His charge to his resurrected church…
Mark 16, Matthew 28, Luke 24, John 20-21, Acts 1
GO…
· Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:19, Luke 24:47
Make disciples
· Mark 16:16, Matthew 28:19, Luke 24:47, John 21
Teach people the truth about me…
· Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:19-20, Luke 24:48
Be powerful…
· Mark 16:17-18, Matthew 28:20 (also 10), Luke 24:49 (also 10), John 20:22-23, Acts 1:8
Why will this work?
1. I’m going with you! (Matthew 28:18, Luke 24:47)
2. I’m in charge (Matthew 28:18, Luke 24:47)… it’s my authority.
3. I’m alive (Acts 16:1-8)…

We must tune our ears to a different station…
We are challenging you to live like what God has to say actually matters!
If what he is saying matters, then we need to realize that Jesus has resurrected!
And HE HAS resurrected us… and as the RESURRECTED CHURCH, we are to powerfully take this message of life to the WORLD!