Bro Gary Sunday AM 4/24/11

Bro Gary Sunday AM 4/24/11

Mat 28:1  In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Mat 28:2  And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

Mat 28:3  His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

Mat 28:4  And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

Mat 28:5  And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

Mat 28:6  He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Mat 28:7  And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

Mat 28:8  And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

Mat 28:9  And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

Mat 28:10  Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Mat 28:16  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

Mat 28:17  And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

“All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”  God designed that we would know not only intellectually but in a very personal way about the power of God.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

We are happy to know this morning that the Word of God is God.  All things were made by Him.  “In Him was life and the life was the light of men.”

Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Joh 1:5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Joh 1:6  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

Joh 1:7  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

Joh 1:8  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

Joh 1:9  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Joh 1:10  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

Joh 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Joh 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Joh 1:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Each of us was born into a natural family and has a literal father and mother.  Jesus came with the mission of doing the will of God so that we could receive power to become the son of God.

Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

We see that God sent His son which is also the Word of God and is God.  They cannot be separated.  Jesus came in the flesh and brought the Word of God to mankind and we are certainly thankful for that.

God the father, Jesus the son, and the Holy Spirit of God are always in agreement with the Word of God.  They always speak in agreement to His servants.  

We know that there are many voices in the world today.  The voice of Satan came and spoke to Jesus.  (Luke 4)  We have the voice of our flesh that speaks to us.  Our human nature has its own likes and dislikes.  For example, right now we are very happy that the sun is shining today.  It is alright with us if it doesn’t snow again until about thanksgiving 2011.

In life we will have our thoughts and others may try to give us their thoughts.  The question that we need to ask is “Is that what the Bible says?”  When people tell you that God told them something, then they expect you to take it as from God.  There is something that we need to know about God, He never speaks anything to us that does not agree with the Bible.

Psa 138:1  A Psalm of David. I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

There have always been other gods.

Psa 138:2  I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

He has magnified His word above all His name.  To me and to you when a thought comes if it is in agreement with the Word of God, then it is a word from God and it is true.  If a thought comes contrary to the Word of God then that is a dangerous thought.  It will lead you away from God.

Psa 110:1  A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

I thought of the power of God to change an enemy into a friend.  The thought of a footstool here is as a resting place.  David said that thought 1000 years before Jesus Was born.  This is a prophecy of Jesus.  

Mat 22:42  Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.

Mat 22:43  He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,

Mat 22:44  The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Mat 22:45  If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

Here Jesus quotes the same scripture 1000 years later.  David understood about the messiah but the Pharisee’s didn’t understand about the messiah not only coming but being the Lord.  The messiah came to change enemies into being friends and someone that He could rest in.

Paul also understood this.

Eph 2:1  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

We were all at odds with God and choosing our own way.  But Jesus Christ has the power to change lives.

The power of Christ is shown in the thought of Christ setting at the right hand of God.

Psa 110:1  A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

There are times when we have the thought that our prayer request will stretch the limits of what Jesus can do.  Remember that Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father because He had accomplished everything that God designed for Him to do.  

He went through the garden, through the tomb and rose triumphant.  He spent 40 days with His disciples after that and then led them out of the city and lifted up His hands and blessed the disciples.  As they watched, Jesus ascended into Heaven and is right now at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us.

David was inspired by the Holy Ghost in the thought that the messiah would come and bring salvation to all mankind and would pay the price so that everyone that believed on Him could experience the power of God changing them on the inside.  

Life is a changing experience.  My grandson has been fascinated with my bald head and has asked me where my hair is.  He said, “Sometime, Grandpa you might get hair.”  We make changes in life, but the power of God is designed to change us on the inside.

David called Him Lord, this Jesus that could handle every situation, and saw Him sitting down at the right hand of the Father until His enemies be made His friends.

All of us that have reached the age of accountability have experienced the feeling of really needing a friend.  Sis Davis wrote the song, “I have a longing in my heart for Jesus.”  David spoke the words, “When can I see God?  I desire to see his power and glory.”  

Jesus said, “blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

We’ve all experienced the common denominator of sin.  “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  Sin has a way of exposing itself.  We wondered when we were a child, “How did my mom and dad know.”  As we got older, sin took its toll and brought darkness to our countenance.  

Jesus said, “All power is given unto me.”  Jesus paid the price to be able to say that.  He is worthy to have all power in heaven and earth.  

He was willing to come to earth to be our savior.  He knew about Adam’s sin.  He was there when God looked down on the face of the earth and said, “My spirit will not always strive with man… I’ll destroy the whole earth.” (Gen 6:3-8)  There was a man Noah that walked with God.  

He knew how bad things were and How God felt about it in heaven.  He knew about the sacrifices that had been made, the plan of butchering a ox or sheep.  He understood about the tabernacle and offering for sin.  He knew that there was only one way that an atonement could be made.  

Aren’t you glad that Jesus was willing to come?  He came and lived holy in an unholy world.  We’ve all been misunderstood and Jesus was misunderstood.  We must be willing to be misunderstood; it is not easy but it was a part of life.

He was called everything from a man of God to a devil; He went on and did that which was right.  He had cruel mocking and injustices done to Him, but He went through it all.  He was mocked with a crown of thorns.  He who knew no sin died on a cross.  His own disciples and friends forsook him and fled.  He was crucified.

While on that cross a soldier took a spear and thrust it into His side and out came water and blood.  In that day a fountain was opened for sin.  It is only through the Blood of Christ that our sins can be forgiven.  You cannot bury them any other way.  Jesus has all power in heaven and earth.

He was crucified; he was taken from the cross to the new tomb.  He was anointed for the burial; He was wrapped in the grave clothes.  Those that were taking care of His body came out and placed the big stone in front of the tomb.  

The soldiers were there to guard so that no one could steal Him away.  God had a better way.  Very early that Sunday Morning, the stone rolled away.

I’d like to leave the thought that if there would be something standing in your way, God still moves stones.  Each of us has challenges, some are in our mind and they are stopping us.  

One of the verses in the hymn that Jesus and the disciples sang after the ordinances is of God causing the mountains to skip.  He is a powerful God, He moves mountains.

Jesus arose!  God did something more powerful than move mountains.  When some of the disciples went to look in, the tomb was empty and there were two in shining clothes that asked, “Why seek ye the living among the dead, he is not here for He is risen.”  

Jesus spent 40 days with His disciples after this.

Joh 20:19  Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Joh 20:20  And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

It is part of our natural makeup to have fear.  It is important to consider what we are visited by when fears come.  Little children have fears:  “Is it going to be dark in there?  Is it going to be scary?  You and I aren’t afraid of the cellar; we pretty much know what is in the cellar or in the wood-room.  We have different fears. 

How’s it going to be in a month or two?  Sometimes when we get a pain, we think that no one else has ever had a pain like it.  We wonder if the doctor had ever diagnosed a pain like that before. We worry that he wasn’t as concerned as we were and we become fearful.  Economics of Montana can cause people to become fearful.  

The scripture says before Jesus comes “men’s hearts would fail them because of fear.”(Luke 21:26)   Whatever your fears are, it is vital that you get someplace where Jesus can come.

When Jesus comes to us, it is awesome.  He doesn’t come with the thought that there are a lot of people that have died that had a pain in that place, no he says, “Peace.”

There are a lot of differences between coming to terms with something and Jesus saying, “Peace.”  After He’d said, “Peace,” He showed them His nail pierced hands and His side.  

You’ll know when it is Jesus because the words He speaks will always agree with the Word of God.  

Joh 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Forty days later:

Luk 24:50  And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

Luk 24:51  And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

Luk 24:52  And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

Luk 24:53  And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

God wants to bless His people.  Life is life and it is about the same for everyone.  It is what our attitude is toward it that matters.  “God has allowed me to be here so that He might show Himself strong.”  God wants you to really be blessed.  

You say “Preacher, you don’t know about the dilemma I’m in.”  God wants us to separate our literal life from our spiritual life; as the song says, “No matter what happens He will care for me.”

I can almost sense how the disciples felt when he was blessing them. While he blessed them He was being lifted up from them.  He was parted form them and He was lifted up to heaven and they stood there worshiping Him and praising and blessing God.

Christ is setting at the right hand of the father making intercession for us.  This morning He is alive.  

I want to show you another place where Jesus changed positions:  Stephen, filled with the Holy Ghost, had a job waiting on tables and serving food.  Every once in a while the Spirit of God would move on him and he’d preach and teach.  As he was preaching and teaching one time, conviction began to fall.  The Bible said that they gnashed on him with their teeth.   I’m not sure what that means, but it wasn’t too long until they wanted to do more than that.  Before they picked up the first stone, Stephen said, “Behold I see the heaven opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”  (Acts 7:56)

Every one of us in this audience is challenged.  But we are blessed because Jesus said, “All power is given unto me.”  

Our spiritual needs can only be met by the power of God.  Never be embarrassed if you have a spiritual need, only be embarrassed if you don’t get it met.  Jesus has power to deal with those needs.  There is only one way to be rid of your sins and that is to confess and turn from them.  Jesus Christ can keep us every day of our life. He has all power.  He is sitting or standing at the right hand of the Father.  He is the same yesterday and today and forevermore.  

We are blessed to have experienced this Easter season of 2011.  What Jesus has done is so marvelous that we cannot preach about it enough or exalt him enough; all we can do is worship him.