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00:00:01
Why Do You Seek the Living Among the Dead?
19 Plays4 days ago
Resurrection Sunday 2026
Recommended
Transcript
00:00:01
Speaker
There's nothing worse than getting accused of something you didn't do, amen?
Mistaken Obituary and Funeral Home Mix-up
00:00:05
Speaker
Several years ago, Funeral Home accidentally printed a man's obituary who happened to still be alive.
00:00:12
Speaker
You can imagine waking up one morning, grabbing your cup of coffee, opening the local newspaper, and discovering, according to the town's paper, that you had died yesterday. Naturally, this man called the Funeral Home and panicked.
00:00:28
Speaker
Director! Did you see the obituary? To which of the director awkwardly said, well, yes, sir, I'm terribly sorry that that happened. Then the man asked a question that will forever be famous.
00:00:42
Speaker
He said, well, if I'm dead, where do you think I am right now?
The Importance of Truth in Life and Death
00:00:47
Speaker
Brothers and sisters, when it comes to life and death, the truth matters. If a doctor misdiagnoses a disease, the consequences can be enormous.
00:01:00
Speaker
If an engineer miscalculates a bridge, lives are at risk. And when it comes to Christianity, everything hinges on one truth claim.
Centrality of Resurrection in Christianity
00:01:11
Speaker
And that truth claim this morning is that Jesus rose from the dead.
00:01:18
Speaker
Think about it for a second, if you will, this morning. You may have come here expecting an Easter message. But I want you to think real quick, put on your thinking cap with me.
00:01:29
Speaker
If the resurrection is not true, Christianity as a whole collapses. Do you realize that? Everything we believe rests upon this truth that Jesus rose from the dead.
00:01:43
Speaker
But if it is true, brothers and sisters, it changes everything. Everything that you know about life, everything you know about death, and more importantly, everything you know about eternity.
00:01:56
Speaker
On a morning much like this morning, the very first Easter morning, the women came, just as Sister Loretta read so eloquently this morning. They came to the tomb expecting death.
00:02:10
Speaker
But they were asked this question, which still rings true this morning. Why do you seek the living among the dead? Those women came to the tomb expecting a corpse.
00:02:25
Speaker
But instead they encountered the greatest truth in all of human history.
Biblical References and Resurrection
00:02:30
Speaker
And that is, Jesus is risen.
00:02:34
Speaker
It's foundational, the resurrection. That's our very first truth claim. If you have your outlines, you'll see that with me. You'll follow along. Hopefully I'll have you write a couple of points in there today that as you go back this week, you'll read your notes because that's what they're there for.
00:02:50
Speaker
And it will remind you to maybe even to pray something. Look with me, Luke chapter 24, verses 5 through 7. And I know my faithful Bible students here today said this is so unlike First Baptist Church. We're going to jump around two or three different scriptures today in one sermon.
00:03:14
Speaker
Many of you know I like to go straight through a a book, verse by verse, chapter by chapter. Don't worry, next week as you come back, we're starting the Gospel of John.
00:03:26
Speaker
And all God's people said? And we'll be there a year. And you go, surely we're not going to be there a year. We may be there just under a year, I want you to know. I mapped it all out. I gave to Cindy. She sent me a message and said, you sure this is true?
00:03:41
Speaker
I mapped it all out. We're going to be in the Gospel of John for a long time, brothers and sisters. It's that important. If you think the resurrection of Jesus is important, you wait until next week. The angels confront the women here Luke 24, they say, why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?
00:04:00
Speaker
He isn't here. He has risen from the dead. I like the New Living Translation here. It says, remember remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.
00:04:21
Speaker
Jesus had told his disciples this is going to happen. Now the angels are reminding them again. thought about this all week. Pretty much the Bible is a reminder to you and I, is it not?
00:04:36
Speaker
Those you have read it from cover to cover, oftentimes we don't discover something brand The pastor's job is to remind you of something that has already been told. The angels are reminding them, why are you looking for somebody who is dead?
Promise of Eternal Life for Believers
00:04:50
Speaker
Jesus has already told you.
00:04:52
Speaker
The resurrection is no accident. It's the fulfillment of God's plan. That empty tomb means that Jesus is who he says he is. He is the Son of God.
00:05:04
Speaker
If you believe he's the Son of God this morning, can I get an amen? Think about it for a second, brothers sisters. What changes Christianity than every other world religion out there? It's that Jesus rose from the grave.
00:05:19
Speaker
We're to practice a little pastor-congregation interaction right now.
00:05:25
Speaker
I'm going to name a leader of a world religion, and your response will be, he's still in the grave. Amen? Mohammed.
00:05:38
Speaker
Buddha. The Dalai Lama. Joseph Smith. Tom Cruise. No, I'm sorry. that was That was Scientology. I'm not sure he's over Scientology.
00:05:51
Speaker
The point, brothers and sisters, is that Jesus is not in the grave. That tomb is empty. Christianity is unlike any other world religion. We have a living faith in a living Savior.
00:06:05
Speaker
The resurrection was described to me in a class I took in seminary one time. And I wrote this down in notes and I put it in a sticker and I put the sticker in one of my study Bibles.
00:06:17
Speaker
And it simply says this, the resurrection validates, validates is an important word here, everything that Jesus taught, the resurrection validates it.
00:06:28
Speaker
His sacrifice was validated that it was a sufficient payment for the sin of the world. That's why he was rose from the dead.
00:06:40
Speaker
That debt was paid in full. Matter of fact, that's what he said when he says it is finished. That word, tetelestai, means to pay the debt in full.
00:06:49
Speaker
Many of you remember the days of balancing your checkbook, don't you? That's why we sent those kids away earlier, because they know nothing about a checkbook.
00:07:00
Speaker
In that checkbook, you wrote down every deposit and every withdrawal, didn't you? And the final proof came when those numbers matched the bank statement.
00:07:11
Speaker
Cindy still does this today when it comes to our books at the church. And if those numbers didn't match, that meant there's a problem. The resurrection is God's bank statement, if you will, on the ministry of Jesus.
00:07:25
Speaker
Everything Jesus said about himself balances perfectly because he rose from the dead.
00:07:32
Speaker
The resurrection isn't just proof of who Jesus is. It's not just proof about his identity, but reveals something deeper for you and I. Jesus didn't just rise for himself, which would have been fabulous if that was the case, but he rose for you and he rose for me.
Believers' Path from Death to Eternal Life
00:07:49
Speaker
Matter of fact, we saw a picture of that in baptism this morning. we We'll touch about that in just a second. Jesus himself explained something even more remarkable about his own resurrection.
00:08:02
Speaker
He said it will become a source of life for everybody who believes. Not a source of life for everybody. I want you to understand that. It's a very clear distinction. You must believe. You must place your faith in.
00:08:15
Speaker
You must believe on Jesus to receive this source of life. Our second true statement today you'll see in your outline is the resurrection of Jesus guarantees life for his people. So I don't know if you're somebody who circles even in your outline. Maybe you just circle his people there.
00:08:33
Speaker
It's exclusive.
00:08:36
Speaker
I can't tell you how many times people tell me that. Christianity, so exclusive. You bet it is. You bet it is. But I also tell them at the same time it's very inclusive. We welcome all sinners.
00:08:50
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We really do. But it takes you believing on Jesus to become part of the family.
00:08:58
Speaker
And when you do, he guarantees a life for his people. look Look with me here what... Jesus says here in John 11, 25, and 26, if you flip over there or you can see on your screen, he says, I am the resurrection and the life.
00:09:13
Speaker
Anyone who believes in me will live even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never die.
00:09:23
Speaker
want you notice, I wrote in my notes as I reviewed this week, I put three stars next to this.
00:09:31
Speaker
He doesn't say, I can show you the resurrection or I can point you to a better way of life. No, he says, I am the resurrection.
00:09:43
Speaker
I am the life. Life itself is found in the person of Jesus.
00:09:50
Speaker
The sad truth, brothers and sisters, each one of us face the very real possibility that you will die one day. Matter of fact, it's a certainty. I wrote my notes, 100% of us will die one day.
00:10:04
Speaker
Some of you have buried parents. Some have buried spouses, brothers, sisters, or dear friends.
00:10:14
Speaker
Just five and half years ago, I buried my father. And I stood next to that grave and I realized in that moment just how fragile life really is. But Jesus speaks directly into that fragileness of life, that fear that sometimes we like to hold onto when we talk about death.
00:10:32
Speaker
He says, everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never die. For the believer, death is not the end. I can't even imagine, it's been so many years since I've given my life to Christ.
00:10:45
Speaker
I can't imagine being an unbeliever and thinking that death is it. That when they put you in the grave and they fill it over with dirt, that that's it.
00:10:55
Speaker
How hopeless that may seem.
00:10:59
Speaker
The Apostle Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians, he says this, he says, we are always confident even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies, meaning these earthly moral bodies, that we are not at home with the Lord.
00:11:15
Speaker
For we live by believing, not by saying, yes, we are fully confident. I love that word. We have extreme confidence, he says. That we would be better off outside of these earthly bodies, if you will, and then be at home with the Lord.
00:11:33
Speaker
In other words, when it's time to leave this earth, you'll leave this earthly body.
Spiritual Unity and Future Resurrection
00:11:43
Speaker
But you're going pass on into the presence of the Lord, just like that. There's no middle ground, I want to be real clear. There's no... Cloudy space that you're going hang out with waiting for Jesus to show up.
00:11:59
Speaker
There's no purgatory. I hate to burst your bubble for some of you guys.
00:12:05
Speaker
If I can paint you a picture of what really happens, those you who remember the old days in train travel, remember that where you would go to the train station and passengers would step off the platform and onto the train and they would wave to their loved ones as the train would depart?
00:12:20
Speaker
right From the platform, as you watch that train go off, you would think they're leaving forever. But brothers sisters, of the reality is that train is simply just traveling somewhere else for other people who are waiting to see them.
00:12:33
Speaker
For the Christian, death is like boarding that train. From this side, it feels like loss. But from that side, it is life eternal with Christ. I cannot wait.
00:12:47
Speaker
But the promise of resurrection is not just something that happens after we die. And that is fantastic, and it really is. But there's a promise that Scripture gives us that we can grasp today. that were already spiritually connected to Jesus in his resurrection. We saw that in the baptism earlier.
00:13:04
Speaker
said buried with Christ into baptism. And then both Candace and Ellie did a perfect job. Did you see them? It appeared to you guys that they leaned straight back and went under the water.
00:13:16
Speaker
But really they sat. The picture is they were buried. Buried, the picture here. Just like Jesus. And then they're risen into the newest life. Brothers and sisters, that's it's a beautiful picture what happens in baptism. Quite often we get so wrapped up in emotion and everybody taking pictures, we don't understand the the spiritual significance of what's going on right there.
00:13:39
Speaker
Because Jesus rose from the grave, he didn't just rise alone. Everybody who's united with him, who's placed their trust in him, also is risen too. This takes us to our final...
00:13:51
Speaker
true statement today that the resurrection of Jesus secures our future resurrection. What does that mean, Pastor? I don't understand what that looks like down the
Applying Resurrection Truths in Daily Life
00:14:02
Speaker
road.
00:14:02
Speaker
Once I die I'm in the presence of the Lord, what what does the Bible tell me about life after death? Well, if you look at Romans 6, 8-9, it says, Since we died with Christ, we know.
00:14:15
Speaker
This word know is confidence. We have extreme confidence that we will also live with him. And we are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead and he will never die again.
00:14:27
Speaker
Death no longer has any power over him. It has no other control over him. He has defeated death. The Bible teaches us that as believers we are united with Christ in his death, in his barrial burial, and his resurrection.
00:14:42
Speaker
When Jesus died, our sin was judged. When Jesus rose, new life began. And one day that spiritual truth will become a physical reality for you and I. And we will receive, everybody say with me, new glorified bodies.
00:15:01
Speaker
And you know what the number one question people ask the pastor? What does that body look like? And to give you the best answer I have. I got no idea. The Bible doesn't really tell us.
00:15:12
Speaker
Paul gives us this illustration in 2 Corinthians again. He says it's like putting on new clothes. I kind of thought about that after I got out of the baptismal up there. ah heard Kim doing her best to draw out the announcements, give me some time.
00:15:27
Speaker
And I'm peeling off wet clothes, trying to dry off and get on these new clothes. And you don't realize that it's tough to get a tie on up there. And all the buttons in your fingers aren't working.
00:15:37
Speaker
And I can hear the piano playing and the stress is getting higher. I got to get down there. This new body, this immortal body that we're to put on, Sister, it has no disease.
00:15:50
Speaker
It has no weakness. It has no aches. It has no pain.
00:15:59
Speaker
I'm not even going ask for a show of hands. How many of y'all are waiting for that body? Ooh, mercy. I'm waiting for a body with no pain, no aches.
00:16:09
Speaker
Amen, sister. When I think about this new body, I thought about this week, what can I give as an illustration? I love HGTV. I love that show. I could probably watch it that whole channel nonstop.
00:16:22
Speaker
My wife is thankful that I don't. I think about all those renovation shows that come on. They all have some old broken down dilapidated house. Beat up porch, sagging porch, cracked windows, old paint.
00:16:33
Speaker
And they do this amazing renovation and that same old beat up house now looks brand new. And I thought myself this week, this is kind of what God's promise looks like for these new immortal bodies.
00:16:45
Speaker
Our present body may be broke down, may be weak, it may be worn out, but one day, God willing, he will renovate this old thing with the brand new immortal body. So let me ask you this, brothers and sisters, on this Easter Sunday, on this Resurrection Sunday, how do we apply these truths about Jesus' resurrection to our own lives?
00:17:11
Speaker
It's not important enough just to simply read God's Word and then we just close it up See you next Sunday. That's not what the instruction manual was ever given to us for. It was so that we would learn what God wants from us so that we can apply it to our lives today so that we can become more Christ-like in our perspective, in our actions.
00:17:33
Speaker
How do we take this Resurrection Sunday, these truths about the resurrection, and because it is so certain, how can we practice something this week that really drives home this truth?
00:17:46
Speaker
I'm going to right back to the very beginning that we have that these ladies come to the tomb and these angels give them a reminder. And so I'm going to give you a reminder this week. And it's going to look in the form of a prayer.
00:18:00
Speaker
Because the resurrection is certain in your life and in my life, here's the prayer I want you to consider praying this week. And I'm going say it real slow for those of you who are writing so that you can write it out.
00:18:13
Speaker
I want to let you know there's no magic behind the order in which I put these words. You can feel free to tweak it as long as you pray it this week. Jesus, because you rose from the grave,
00:18:26
Speaker
I know my future is secure.
00:18:30
Speaker
Help me live today with resurrection hope. I'll read that again. Because you rose from the grave, I'm going give you a picture, just an arrow. i just put a little arrow, an arrow up is my idea when I look at this during the week. This is rose from the grave.
00:18:48
Speaker
My future is secure. I drew a little picture of a lock next to that. So i have an up arrow and then I have a lock. Help me to live with resurrection hope. And resurrection hope to me is a picture of a little sunshine. So I have just a little half half sun with some lines around it.
00:19:06
Speaker
Resurrection Equals secure hope secure future equals hope. Resurrection equals secure future equals hope.
00:19:16
Speaker
Brothers sisters, I challenge you to pray this prayer this week. As a small daily reminder that reshapes how we face fear, how we face sickness, how we face uncertainty, and perhaps how we even face death itself.
00:19:32
Speaker
I'm looking out
Personal Story Reinforcing Resurrection Message
00:19:33
Speaker
real quick to see if I can see somebody that's here today. I'm not going to call you out. Brother Pease, where you at, if I can see your hand? Thank you. Brother Pease and I had the the honor and the privilege, and I won't get emotional, to go sit with a Becky and Jim Schreiner before Jim went into surgery for his back.
00:19:59
Speaker
And I looked at some of you guys as you came in as your pastor. I've sat with some of you in the hospital. before you guys have gone in for surgery.
00:20:10
Speaker
I can tell you what a great comfort, not only ah Jim and Becky were there, Becky's in-laws were there.
00:20:19
Speaker
Just a sense of peace. Brother Pease can agree agree with me on this. There's a sense of peace of going in into that surgery. We had the great fortune of praying alongside the doctor and a couple of the nurses that came in.
00:20:35
Speaker
Just reframe for us this hope that we have. That all although we said our prayers for Jim and we knew he was in God's hand, we never knew if he was coming back out of that surgery.
00:20:47
Speaker
All honestly, we didn't know that. He did and he's doing alright right now.
00:20:54
Speaker
It means something completely different when you place your faith in Jesus Christ. We can face even death. Even surgery on your back.
00:21:05
Speaker
Which those of you who know Jim Schreiner and you know his comedic skills,
00:21:15
Speaker
the nurse came in and said, I just want to make sure you know what surgery is going on today. And he said, yes, I'm getting my knee replaced.
00:21:23
Speaker
Becky was like, she's not joking, Jim. I'm getting back surgery. I think she was more concerned than he was.
00:21:35
Speaker
Remember the man who read his obituary in the newspaper? What he should have said to that funeral director is, why do you seek the living among the dead? Don't you know that I am alive?
00:21:49
Speaker
Brothers and sisters, the truth on this Resurrection Sunday is Jesus is alive. He is risen. oh
00:21:58
Speaker
Even with all that practice, he is risen. And because he lives, everyone who places their trust in him will live also.