WEBVTT - Easter Sunday 0:00:00.420 --> 0:00:04.040 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn't 0:00:04.140 --> 0:00:09.030 overcome it. John 1.5 Dear Lord, how often we find 0:00:09.090 --> 0:00:14.330 ourselves surrounded by darkness, whether it be challenges, disappointments, or 0:00:14.410 --> 0:00:18.950 uncertainties that cloud our vision. Yet Your Word reminds us 0:00:19.030 --> 0:00:23.070 that Your light can never be extinguished by any darkness 0:00:23.110 --> 0:00:26.319 we encounter. Help us to carry this light with us, 0:00:27.160 --> 0:00:29.910 not just as a personal comfort, but also as a 0:00:29.990 --> 0:00:35.020 beacon for others who are navigating their dark paths. Illuminate 0:00:35.100 --> 0:00:38.380 our hearts and minds so we may reflect the light 0:00:38.420 --> 0:00:43.019 of Christ in our thoughts, words, and actions. Thank you 0:00:43.120 --> 0:00:45.690 for the assurance that no matter how dark the world 0:00:45.740 --> 0:00:51.890 may seem, your light is constant, eternal, and victorious. As 0:00:51.950 --> 0:00:55.530 we dwell on this, fill us with a sense of peace. 0:00:56.370 --> 0:01:03.250 courage and purpose. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for 0:01:03.350 --> 0:01:07.509 praying with me today. You're listening to the Jesus Podcast. 0:01:08.250 --> 0:01:12.230 Stay engaged to be immersed in the dramatic story of 0:01:12.290 --> 0:01:15.330 the resurrection. If you want to partner with us in 0:01:15.410 --> 0:01:18.350 our mission to bring the Bible to life in new ways, 0:01:19.130 --> 0:01:23.020 follow this podcast on whatever platform you're listening to. Doing 0:01:23.080 --> 0:01:26.360 so will keep you updated, but also Help us get 0:01:26.420 --> 0:01:30.280 discovered by more people. That way, we can reach the 0:01:30.380 --> 0:01:36.300 whole world with the story of Jesus. They killed God. 0:01:37.600 --> 0:01:41.199 His blood dripped from a wooden cross and soaked the 0:01:41.260 --> 0:01:47.490 dirt of Golgotha. Some even cheered for his death. They 0:01:47.650 --> 0:01:52.210 reveled in his suffering like it was a spectacle. But 0:01:52.230 --> 0:01:58.210 their grins swiftly disappeared. when lightning split the heavens. When 0:01:58.290 --> 0:02:02.420 Jesus breathed his final breath and a cascade of blood 0:02:02.500 --> 0:02:08.020 and water poured from his side, the earth shook, rocks 0:02:08.100 --> 0:02:13.710 split open, and the land quaked with violent force. It 0:02:13.750 --> 0:02:18.760 was as if the planet itself was quivering in grief. Then, 0:02:19.780 --> 0:02:24.040 like the sun had been snuffed like a torch, darkness 0:02:24.220 --> 0:02:30.210 enveloped the land. An eerie and brooding darkness hovered over Jerusalem. 0:02:31.910 --> 0:02:35.889 It was the same in the hearts of men. The 0:02:35.970 --> 0:02:39.829 light of mankind had been buried in a stone tomb, 0:02:40.630 --> 0:02:44.430 tucked away in the hills, never to be seen again. 0:02:46.430 --> 0:02:49.370 The enemies of Jesus thought They had seen the end 0:02:49.389 --> 0:02:53.010 of him. They thought that if he could be killed, 0:02:54.130 --> 0:02:57.210 then the hope he brought to people would die with him. 0:02:58.850 --> 0:03:03.760 They were gravely mistaken. The light of Christ would return 0:03:04.100 --> 0:03:12.500 in full force. His death was only the beginning. Darkness 0:03:12.620 --> 0:03:15.480 loomed over the garden where the tomb of Jesus resided. 0:03:17.190 --> 0:03:22.040 dormant flowers nestled closely together at its edges, desperate for 0:03:22.160 --> 0:03:26.480 some sort of light. It had been dark for three 0:03:26.560 --> 0:03:31.930 days now. Storm clouds hovered over the hills outside Jerusalem, 0:03:32.750 --> 0:03:38.170 causing the earth to slow down in a sorrowful, brooding silence. 0:03:39.510 --> 0:03:42.170 There was a collective unrest among the people who had 0:03:42.250 --> 0:03:47.580 witnessed Jesus' death. Everyone went about their business with An 0:03:47.700 --> 0:03:53.680 unspoken sorrow, heavy on their hearts. Even if they weren't 0:03:53.800 --> 0:03:58.070 consciously aware of it, they had just witnessed the death 0:03:58.490 --> 0:04:03.330 of God himself. One does not simply return to normal 0:04:04.170 --> 0:04:05.650 after witnessing such a thing. 0:04:08.110 --> 0:04:11.550 Whatever darkness you're lost in, whatever sin that's held you captive, 0:04:12.050 --> 0:04:16.589 there's hope. A living and active hope that prevails over circumstances. 0:04:17.150 --> 0:04:20.270 a light shining brightly through the shadows. This is the 0:04:20.330 --> 0:04:24.029 Jesus Podcast, and I'm Pastor Zach wishing you a happy Easter. 0:04:24.370 --> 0:04:28.970 He is risen, he is risen indeed. Today's episode is short, 0:04:29.029 --> 0:04:33.470 but packed with beauty. The earth has been lost in darkness. Jesus' 0:04:33.510 --> 0:04:37.969 followers are reeling in anxiety, but through it all, hope emerges. Today, 0:04:38.089 --> 0:04:39.750 I'm mindful of 1 Corinthians 15, 55-57, best stated by 0:04:39.770 --> 0:04:45.410 the Old King James Version. O death, where is thy sting? 0:04:45.650 --> 0:04:48.590 O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death 0:04:48.650 --> 0:04:50.710 is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 0:04:51.050 --> 0:04:53.609 But thanks be to God, which gives us this victory 0:04:53.690 --> 0:04:57.540 through our Lord Jesus Christ. Death sunk its teeth into 0:04:57.570 --> 0:05:00.400 the Son of God. The enemy thought he won. But 0:05:00.460 --> 0:05:03.120 we know the truth. Death has no power over the 0:05:03.140 --> 0:05:05.539 King of glory. What was it like for the disciples 0:05:05.580 --> 0:05:08.479 to behold the resurrected Jesus? What was Jesus up to 0:05:08.580 --> 0:05:11.040 after he emerged from the grave? And how can we 0:05:11.120 --> 0:05:13.360 live in light of the resurrection? We are going to 0:05:13.420 --> 0:05:16.659 spend the next 10 episodes exploring all the days after 0:05:16.720 --> 0:05:20.620 the resurrection to Jesus' ascension back up to heaven. This 0:05:20.720 --> 0:05:24.219 epic tale of redemption, commission, and restoration will keep us 0:05:24.339 --> 0:05:26.200 on the edge of our seats and compel us to 0:05:26.260 --> 0:05:29.400 live a life that follows after the risen King with passion. 0:05:30.380 --> 0:05:33.440 Let's re-enter the story now. Jesus has been slain and 0:05:33.480 --> 0:05:36.660 the whole world is residing in darkness. Armed men are 0:05:36.720 --> 0:05:39.400 outside the tomb of Jesus guarding what they perceive to 0:05:39.420 --> 0:05:42.120 be a corpse. But it's the third day. and we 0:05:42.160 --> 0:05:44.800 know what that means. These guards are in for a 0:05:44.880 --> 0:05:47.680 rude awakening as the King of Kings emerges from the 0:05:47.720 --> 0:05:51.500 tomb victorious over death. Join me afterwards to unpack the 0:05:51.540 --> 0:05:54.349 deep truths hidden within the margins of this story. 0:05:54.670 --> 0:06:00.130 Let's begin. The thin line between evening and morning had 0:06:00.150 --> 0:06:04.010 been crossed, and the darkened skies gave way to the 0:06:04.110 --> 0:06:08.510 first signs of dawn. The storm clouds that had hovered 0:06:08.550 --> 0:06:12.940 over the land slowly melted away, as the warmth of 0:06:13.070 --> 0:06:18.099 new light peeked over the horizon. Two men stood watch 0:06:18.160 --> 0:06:21.979 over the grave where Jesus' body rested. They had been 0:06:22.020 --> 0:06:26.400 charged to strictly guard the tomb, lest his radical followers 0:06:26.480 --> 0:06:30.089 steal the body and claim he had risen from the dead. 0:06:31.190 --> 0:06:34.849 They lazily lounged with their heads resting against the stone entrance, 0:06:35.750 --> 0:06:39.810 watching the sun's rays spill over the hills like liquid gold. 0:06:41.110 --> 0:06:44.770 A gentle hush filled the air, and the morning light 0:06:44.870 --> 0:06:49.810 painted every leaf, blade of grass, and flower petal, bright 0:06:49.930 --> 0:06:55.130 hues of amber and saffron. The sunlight was a pleasing 0:06:55.210 --> 0:06:57.580 sight to the guards, who had been sitting in the 0:06:57.640 --> 0:07:02.040 chilly darkness for three days. They stood up and turned 0:07:02.080 --> 0:07:06.940 their cheeks toward the light, stretching and yawning. One turned 0:07:07.000 --> 0:07:12.180 to the other and said, All. 0:07:12.080 --> 0:07:14.680 This guarding of a dead man has made me begin 0:07:14.700 --> 0:07:15.640 to feel like one. 0:07:16.780 --> 0:07:19.500 How much longer do we need to do this? The 0:07:19.550 --> 0:07:23.850 other guard rolled his neck back. Until those paranoid priests 0:07:23.910 --> 0:07:27.430 and scribes are certain his followers won't steal the body. 0:07:29.690 --> 0:07:32.910 It's a lot of trouble for a corpse, the guard 0:07:32.950 --> 0:07:37.050 said with a wave of his hand. Just then, the 0:07:37.130 --> 0:07:41.200 men felt the ground begin to quake underneath them. They 0:07:41.260 --> 0:07:45.720 recoiled and looked back. The stone covering the entrance of 0:07:45.740 --> 0:07:50.200 the tomb was slowly moving on its own, and a 0:07:50.300 --> 0:07:56.480 light was cascading from within. The lights were breathtaking, rivaling 0:07:56.540 --> 0:08:01.090 the radiance of the sunshine. The guards reached for their spears, 0:08:01.850 --> 0:08:04.810 but a surge of power broke forth from the tomb, 0:08:05.250 --> 0:08:09.310 sending them rolling back into the trees. One returned to 0:08:09.350 --> 0:08:12.400 his feet, and launched himself forward with spear in hand, 0:08:12.940 --> 0:08:15.860 but he was quickly immobilized by another rush of wind 0:08:16.280 --> 0:08:21.000 and light surging from the tomb. Both guards were blown 0:08:21.060 --> 0:08:25.119 away and sent running with their spears left on the ground. 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:31.860 The garden was still and peaceful. The daffodils spread out 0:08:31.900 --> 0:08:36.160 their petals, soaking in every bit of sun rays they could. 0:08:37.390 --> 0:08:40.210 The birds all sang to the collective tune of dawn, 0:08:40.950 --> 0:08:46.770 heralding a new day. In that garden, illuminated by the 0:08:46.830 --> 0:08:51.790 sun's brilliant rays, a lone figure emerged from the dark 0:08:51.970 --> 0:08:56.840 and cold tomb. He stepped out, cheek turned to the 0:08:56.880 --> 0:09:01.330 warmth of the morning sky. He smiled and looked up, 0:09:02.540 --> 0:09:09.040 greeting the world with joy and power. He breathed in deeply, 0:09:10.040 --> 0:09:15.260 his lungs rising as they filled with life. As he exhaled, 0:09:15.640 --> 0:09:19.200 the wind shifted with the falling of his chest, causing 0:09:19.260 --> 0:09:24.880 the entire forest to sway. The one who spoke earth, wind, 0:09:24.960 --> 0:09:30.880 and light into existence was alive and present in that garden. 0:09:32.280 --> 0:09:37.180 He stepped forward, caressing the jasmine bush's with his scarred 0:09:37.240 --> 0:09:42.560 hands as he passed. Every inch of creation rejoiced as 0:09:42.600 --> 0:09:46.210 he stepped. It was almost as if the Garden of 0:09:46.250 --> 0:09:51.550 Eden had been restored wherever he placed his feet. On 0:09:51.610 --> 0:09:57.610 that cool and condescent morning, the Son of God had risen. 0:09:59.370 --> 0:10:01.850 His body stilled. still bore the marks of his fight 0:10:01.900 --> 0:10:05.970 with death. His hands and feet revealed scars where the 0:10:06.010 --> 0:10:10.309 nails had been placed. His side had a deep crimson 0:10:10.429 --> 0:10:14.429 mark where the spear had pierced him. Yet he did 0:10:14.470 --> 0:10:18.390 not walk as someone who had been slain. His fight 0:10:18.470 --> 0:10:22.280 with death had left him scarred, but He had the 0:10:22.360 --> 0:10:26.980 final victory. He was a conqueror. He turned back to 0:10:27.020 --> 0:10:32.390 the grave he had laid in for three days. There, sin, shame, 0:10:32.570 --> 0:10:38.770 and death remained buried. Jesus turned to the trail that 0:10:38.830 --> 0:10:43.850 wound back to Jerusalem and began walking. There were others 0:10:43.890 --> 0:10:47.400 who needed a taste of resurrection, and he was eager 0:10:47.860 --> 0:10:48.340 to see them. 0:10:55.510 --> 0:10:58.050 Let's go back to the beginning. In the beginning, when 0:10:58.090 --> 0:11:00.710 God created the heavens and the earth, the Bible describes 0:11:00.770 --> 0:11:03.650 the earth as dark, chaotic, and caught in the abyss. 0:11:04.030 --> 0:11:05.790 But when it came time for God to create life, 0:11:06.130 --> 0:11:09.120 he spoke. He said, let there be light, and all 0:11:09.160 --> 0:11:12.900 of creation followed after. That imagery we find in Genesis 0:11:12.900 --> 0:11:15.579 1 mirrors the state of the world after Jesus was killed. 0:11:16.160 --> 0:11:19.920 Everything was dark and chaotic, frenetic and unruly. The earth 0:11:19.980 --> 0:11:23.520 itself was off kilter and shrouded in shadows. But on 0:11:23.600 --> 0:11:26.820 Easter Sunday, God brought the light. The light came from 0:11:26.860 --> 0:11:30.120 the tomb, emerging in splendor and glory. In the Gospel 0:11:30.160 --> 0:11:32.820 of John, he said that Jesus was the light of men. 0:11:33.179 --> 0:11:35.480 The same light that brought life to the earth rose 0:11:35.520 --> 0:11:37.660 from the tomb that Sunday. The same is true with 0:11:37.730 --> 0:11:41.310 our hearts. For those without Christ, life is dark, chaotic, 0:11:41.370 --> 0:11:44.929 and caught in the shadows. Jesus brings light and life 0:11:45.030 --> 0:11:48.069 into our lives. The resurrection is supposed to be a 0:11:48.150 --> 0:11:51.250 reclamation of Eden. You hear that imagery in the story. 0:11:51.640 --> 0:11:54.360 When Jesus emerges from the tomb, we are hearkened back 0:11:54.400 --> 0:11:56.850 to the Garden of Eden in Genesis, when the world 0:11:56.880 --> 0:11:59.210 was at peace with God. For those of us who 0:11:59.250 --> 0:12:02.170 believe in the resurrected Christ, our hearts are brought back 0:12:02.190 --> 0:12:05.210 to the Garden of Eden. Unity with God, peace with 0:12:05.290 --> 0:12:09.370 Him in paradise. Jesus gives us harmony. John 1, 9-11 0:12:10.309 --> 0:12:13.189 tells us that the true light, which gives light to everyone, 0:12:13.570 --> 0:12:16.270 came into the world, yet the world rejected Him. This 0:12:16.340 --> 0:12:19.000 reality was personified in the guards as they ran away 0:12:19.040 --> 0:12:21.530 from the light of Jesus. At first, they were indifferent 0:12:21.570 --> 0:12:24.390 to Jesus, but when the light emerged, they became hostile. 0:12:24.710 --> 0:12:27.290 When they realized that the true and radiant power was 0:12:27.350 --> 0:12:30.170 coming from Him, they ran away. This is the process 0:12:30.210 --> 0:12:32.530 many people in the world go through when they come 0:12:32.550 --> 0:12:35.870 in contact with the gospel. At first, they are indifferent. Then, 0:12:36.050 --> 0:12:39.350 they are hostile. Then, they become scared and run from it. 0:12:40.120 --> 0:12:42.280 May we be known as people that are always running 0:12:42.340 --> 0:12:44.740 towards the light and not from it. As 1 John 0:12:44.780 --> 0:12:47.780 encourages us, may we walk in the light as Jesus. 0:12:47.540 --> 0:12:48.100 Is in the light. 0:12:48.520 --> 0:12:51.660 The resurrection also means redemption is finished. The penalty of 0:12:51.740 --> 0:12:54.700 sin is paid in full. The weight of sin has 0:12:54.740 --> 0:12:58.069 been lifted. Death is destroyed under the boot of Jesus' 0:12:58.150 --> 0:13:02.330 powerful sacrifice. The cross to us is good news. We 0:13:02.390 --> 0:13:04.469 know that our sins are dealt with, and there's a 0:13:04.530 --> 0:13:06.730 dying to ourselves that takes place when we go to 0:13:06.750 --> 0:13:09.430 the cross. The cross is the greatest news to us 0:13:09.470 --> 0:13:13.010 who are believers today. But the followers of Jesus at 0:13:13.050 --> 0:13:16.569 that time don't know he's resurrected yet. The characters in 0:13:16.610 --> 0:13:19.199 this story at this time They don't know what we know. 0:13:19.940 --> 0:13:23.090 That's a really important detail. Joseph of Arimathea doesn't know 0:13:23.120 --> 0:13:27.110 that yet. Mary Magdalene doesn't know it yet. Peter, James, John, 0:13:27.150 --> 0:13:30.110 the rest of the disciples, they don't know anything. To them, 0:13:30.490 --> 0:13:31.610 the cross is bad news. 0:13:32.210 --> 0:13:32.809 Dead is dead. 0:13:33.210 --> 0:13:37.170 And to the disciples, Jesus is dead. There's no expectation 0:13:37.190 --> 0:13:39.650 of the resurrection for them, especially if you have just 0:13:39.710 --> 0:13:42.670 experienced what the disciples have. Their whole world has been 0:13:42.710 --> 0:13:46.070 flipped upside down. Their expectations for the future have been thwarted. 0:13:46.450 --> 0:13:50.700 Their best friend, master, and king has just been brutally murdered. 0:13:50.980 --> 0:13:54.280 They all scattered and hid when Jesus was arrested. All 0:13:54.320 --> 0:13:57.720 but John fled. So not only are they living in loss, 0:13:57.760 --> 0:14:00.679 but they're also living in regret. Something I bet you 0:14:00.720 --> 0:14:03.320 and I can relate to. That state that they are in, 0:14:03.660 --> 0:14:06.020 the state of loss and hopelessness, is a picture of 0:14:06.120 --> 0:14:09.450 our hearts apart from Jesus. A heart without the resurrection 0:14:09.470 --> 0:14:13.910 of Christ is vulnerable to the tragedy of sin, shame, death, loss, 0:14:13.970 --> 0:14:16.520 and regret. We actually see this in the disciples in 0:14:16.559 --> 0:14:19.390 John chapter 20, and we'll explore it in our next episode. 0:14:19.910 --> 0:14:22.770 They're somber. They had locked themselves in a room because 0:14:23.010 --> 0:14:25.230 they're too afraid to face the world. I want us 0:14:25.270 --> 0:14:28.250 to hone in on the pre-resurrection state of the disciples 0:14:28.270 --> 0:14:31.460 in the world at this moment. They're cowardly, running away 0:14:31.500 --> 0:14:33.960 in the face of danger, denying Jesus in front of 0:14:34.020 --> 0:14:36.660 little girls, and hiding in a room with the doors locked. 0:14:37.460 --> 0:14:40.160 There is a very clear distinction between the disciples before 0:14:40.180 --> 0:14:43.980 the resurrection and the disciples after the resurrection. Because afterwards, 0:14:44.160 --> 0:14:46.540 you see this boldness from every single one of them, 0:14:46.800 --> 0:14:50.940 proclaiming the gospel unabashedly, being beaten, singing hymns in prisons, 0:14:51.000 --> 0:14:53.340 and preaching in front of thousands of people with tongues 0:14:53.380 --> 0:14:56.600 of fire. What does that mean? It means that the 0:14:56.660 --> 0:15:00.410 resurrection of Jesus is a big deal. Something occurs in 0:15:00.490 --> 0:15:03.729 us because of the resurrection. It means that the resurrection 0:15:03.750 --> 0:15:06.490 of Christ has a serious supernatural effect on the hearts 0:15:06.510 --> 0:15:09.270 of those that follow and believe in Jesus. It is 0:15:09.310 --> 0:15:13.030 not just for show. The resurrection changes us. Paul the 0:15:13.070 --> 0:15:15.670 Apostle believed this so strongly that he said that our 0:15:15.850 --> 0:15:19.090 faith in what we believe is worthless unless Jesus rose 0:15:19.150 --> 0:15:22.930 from the dead. Our faith in Christ, our Christianity, hinges 0:15:23.030 --> 0:15:25.510 on the resurrection of Jesus. Without it, death has the 0:15:25.550 --> 0:15:29.060 final word, not him. The resurrection is necessary, and the 0:15:29.120 --> 0:15:33.220 resurrection was also foreshadowed. The resurrection of Christ is woven 0:15:33.320 --> 0:15:36.230 as a tapestry throughout the entirety of Scripture. There is 0:15:36.290 --> 0:15:38.710 story after story in the Bible of those who were 0:15:38.770 --> 0:15:41.210 once enslaved and dead in their ways, but then risen 0:15:41.270 --> 0:15:44.530 again by the redemption of God. There was these heroes 0:15:44.570 --> 0:15:48.910 that had this resurrection theme flowing through their lives. Noah 0:15:48.950 --> 0:15:51.090 was preserved in the ark and rises out of it 0:15:51.170 --> 0:15:53.830 once the floods are over. Jonah spends three days in 0:15:53.850 --> 0:15:55.510 the belly of a fish and is spit out to 0:15:55.550 --> 0:15:59.500 proclaim repentance to a far-off nation. Daniel is shoved into 0:15:59.530 --> 0:16:01.750 a lion's den for his faithfulness to God, but then 0:16:02.050 --> 0:16:05.420 comes out a few days later unscathed. Moses spent years 0:16:05.460 --> 0:16:08.060 in the wilderness before leading Israel out of slavery into 0:16:08.080 --> 0:16:11.360 the promised land. And David spends years pursued by his 0:16:11.420 --> 0:16:13.730 enemies hiding in a cave, only to come out on 0:16:13.760 --> 0:16:16.550 the other side to lead Israel into a period of thriving. 0:16:16.770 --> 0:16:19.270 All of those stories of deliverance fall short to saving 0:16:19.310 --> 0:16:22.330 our souls, but they point towards our true north, Jesus. 0:16:22.770 --> 0:16:25.190 All of these narratives are but shadows of the gospel. 0:16:25.650 --> 0:16:27.750 Daniel may have come out of the lion's den, but 0:16:27.770 --> 0:16:29.990 that fact doesn't bring your soul out of despair when 0:16:30.010 --> 0:16:33.500 your family is being torn apart by divorce. Jonah may 0:16:33.520 --> 0:16:35.260 have been delivered out of the belly of the fish, 0:16:35.340 --> 0:16:38.540 but he doesn't deliver us from our addictions. David may 0:16:38.580 --> 0:16:41.490 have slain Goliath, but that doesn't change the battle against 0:16:41.520 --> 0:16:45.450 our fears and insecurities that we face. Moses doesn't lead 0:16:45.490 --> 0:16:48.030 us out of slavery to sin and death into new life, 0:16:48.130 --> 0:16:51.670 but Jesus does. Jesus is the greater Moses. Jesus is 0:16:51.710 --> 0:16:54.670 the greater Noah. Jesus is the greater Daniel. He's the 0:16:54.710 --> 0:16:58.110 greater David. I can't walk in David's triumphs. I can't 0:16:58.230 --> 0:17:00.210 share in that with him, but I do share in 0:17:00.230 --> 0:17:02.930 the resurrection and the triumph of Jesus. That is the 0:17:02.970 --> 0:17:05.869 difference between Jesus and all the other characters of the Bible. 0:17:06.450 --> 0:17:10.330 Jesus brings us into new life. Jesus is the resurrection 0:17:10.369 --> 0:17:13.410 from the dead, and his spirit is in us. And now, 0:17:13.810 --> 0:17:18.280 we have resurrection flowing through us. Romans 6, 5-11 says this, 0:17:18.800 --> 0:17:20.480 For if we have been united with him in the 0:17:20.520 --> 0:17:23.139 likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in 0:17:23.160 --> 0:17:25.899 the likeness of his resurrection. For we know that our 0:17:25.980 --> 0:17:28.340 old self was crucified with him so that the body 0:17:28.420 --> 0:17:31.340 ruled by sin might be rendered powerless. so that we 0:17:31.380 --> 0:17:34.200 may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person 0:17:34.440 --> 0:17:37.119 who has died is freed from sin. Now, if we 0:17:37.180 --> 0:17:40.200 died with Christ, we believe that we will also live 0:17:40.260 --> 0:17:43.220 with him, because we know that Christ, having been raised 0:17:43.270 --> 0:17:46.210 from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer 0:17:46.290 --> 0:17:49.290 rules over him. For the death he died, he died 0:17:49.330 --> 0:17:51.970 to sin once for all. For the death he died, 0:17:52.090 --> 0:17:54.699 he died to sin once for all time. But the 0:17:54.740 --> 0:17:57.430 life he lives, he lives to God. So you too, 0:17:57.530 --> 0:18:00.149 consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in 0:18:00.190 --> 0:18:04.070 Christ Jesus. The cross removes the sting of sin, but 0:18:04.109 --> 0:18:07.630 the resurrection removes the sting of death and offers sweetness 0:18:07.670 --> 0:18:10.570 of life. The two together are the inheritance we have 0:18:10.609 --> 0:18:13.410 in Christ. Not only that our sins would be forgiven, 0:18:13.780 --> 0:18:15.899 but that we would step into new life with God. 0:18:16.560 --> 0:18:18.720 The cross does away with the sting of sin, baggage, 0:18:18.760 --> 0:18:21.740 and failure, and the resurrection brings new life with the 0:18:21.780 --> 0:18:24.840 Spirit of Christ. The resurrection means we're new creation. 1 0:18:24.840 --> 0:18:27.379 Corinthians 5 says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he 0:18:27.420 --> 0:18:29.780 is a new creation. The old has passed away and 0:18:29.800 --> 0:18:32.419 the new has come. Jesus said that you cannot see 0:18:32.460 --> 0:18:35.060 the kingdom of God unless you are born again. This 0:18:35.100 --> 0:18:36.960 is the beautiful thing that has happened as a result 0:18:37.000 --> 0:18:39.399 of the cross and the resurrection, that there was an 0:18:39.460 --> 0:18:43.310 exchange of our sin for Christ's righteousness. And because of 0:18:43.350 --> 0:18:46.850 that righteousness, we get the Spirit of God. We live 0:18:46.890 --> 0:18:49.429 as completely new people. Let that be an encouragement to 0:18:49.490 --> 0:18:51.650 us who feel like we're still caught in a continual 0:18:51.690 --> 0:18:54.250 loop of our past sins. That's not who you are. 0:18:54.660 --> 0:18:57.140 The old you has been crucified on the cross. You 0:18:57.200 --> 0:19:00.359 now have resurrection flowing through you. Many of us believe 0:19:00.400 --> 0:19:03.609 that becoming a Christian means that it's a change in subculture, 0:19:03.770 --> 0:19:06.550 hobbies and habits. We don't curse anymore and maybe we 0:19:06.590 --> 0:19:08.690 hang out with a new crowd. But giving your life 0:19:08.730 --> 0:19:11.450 to Jesus means that you are literally a new person. 0:19:11.750 --> 0:19:14.850 You have different affections. You have different things that give 0:19:14.869 --> 0:19:18.550 you joy because you're new. We also have been given 0:19:18.609 --> 0:19:20.990 new purpose and we'll get to that in later episodes. 0:19:21.560 --> 0:19:23.679 as we draw close, take heart in the fact that 0:19:24.100 --> 0:19:25.939 you get to live a life as an extension of 0:19:26.000 --> 0:19:29.310 Christ's life. And that's so sweet. We're not just sacks 0:19:29.369 --> 0:19:32.490 of matter flowing through life randomly with no absolute direction. 0:19:33.050 --> 0:19:36.209 You have a purpose. And that is a reality that 0:19:36.230 --> 0:19:39.730 people spend decades searching for yet never find. But you 0:19:39.770 --> 0:19:42.830 have a purpose. Your purpose is to know God intimately, 0:19:43.170 --> 0:19:45.530 to love Him deeply, and to find new and exciting 0:19:45.570 --> 0:19:48.830 ways to reconcile everything around you to His kingdom. You 0:19:48.850 --> 0:19:51.460 have the resurrection flowing through you. This is something to 0:19:51.520 --> 0:19:55.280 rejoice in, cherish, and be emboldened by. Happy Easter. I'm 0:19:55.340 --> 0:19:57.860 so glad that you've joined us through Holy Week, but 0:19:57.920 --> 0:20:01.080 the Jesus Podcast is only getting started. We're going to 0:20:01.100 --> 0:20:03.800 spend the next few episodes going through the events after 0:20:03.840 --> 0:20:06.520 the resurrection. We're going to follow the disciples as they 0:20:06.540 --> 0:20:09.710 wrestle with doubt, fear, and anxiety. We're going to watch 0:20:09.800 --> 0:20:12.820 Jesus restore them and give them new purpose. After that, 0:20:13.080 --> 0:20:17.240 we're going to dive into other gospel stories, the parables, Jesus' miracles, 0:20:17.560 --> 0:20:21.369 the Beatitudes, everything centered around the person and ministry of 0:20:21.430 --> 0:20:24.530 Jesus we're going to cover here on the Jesus Podcast. 0:20:24.990 --> 0:20:27.060 Have a happy Easter. See you next time.