We Remember!

Scriptures From N.K.J.V.

Intro: Today we celebrate Jesus' Resurrection from the dead. After the Lord's Supper, before Jesus made His way to the “Garden of Gethsemane” where He would face unbelievable  agony and suffering, He prayed for His disciples as they were left to carry out His kingdom's work and all those who would believe their message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Jesus shows His love for us. He was not concerned with Himself but us. He ever lives to make intercession for us. (Hebrews 7:25)

1. In just a short time after Jesus' prayer for us, He would be suffering great agony and pain as He made His final steps to the cross. As we celebrate the Lord's Resurrection this Sunday,we remember that severe agony and pain Jesus suffered for us on His way to the cross. LUKE 22:39-46 Says as He prayed there in the garden, Jesus was in such agony the angels came and ministered to Him, strengthening Him as He sweat drops of blood. There while He was praying, His disciples went to sleep on Him. They could not stay awake to help Him pray for what was ahead.

2. Even after suffering such agony in the garden, Jesus was betrayed by one of His own disciples.

Luke 22:47 (NKJV) ⁴⁷ And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. ⁴⁸ But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"

3. He was deserted by His disciples. Matthew 26:31 (NKJV) 
³¹ Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' Not one disciple stood by Him. Jesus walked the road of suffering to the cross all alone.

4. Peter denied Him 3 times, last time with a curse. Matthew 26:74-75 (NKJV) ⁷⁴ Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly.

5. Jesus was falsely accused and denied a proper trial before the religious leaders and Pontius Pilate.

No fault could be found in Him. Luke 23:13-16 (NKJV) ¹³ Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, ¹⁴ said to them, "You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; ¹⁵ no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. ¹⁶ I will therefore chastise Him and release Him"

6. Even though Jesus did no wrong, He was unjustly condemned to die on a cross by His own people the Jews.

Luke 23:18-24 (NKJV)¹⁸ And they all cried out at once, saying, "Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas"--
¹⁹ who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.
²⁰ Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. ²¹ But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" ²² Then he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go."
²³ But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested.

7. This week we remember how He endured that cross, hanging there in agony with His arms outstreched in love until He gave His Life to pay the penalty for our sins. He was left alone even by the Father God while He bore our sins in His body.

Matthew 27:45-46 (NKJV) ⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. ⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

John 19:28-30 (NKJV) ²⁸ After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" ²⁹ Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. ³⁰ So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. The payment for mankind's sin was now paid in full.

8. Today we will celebrate Jesus' resurrection from the dead.

A. Jesus' body was taken from the cross and put in a borrowed tomb and sealed. Matthew 27:64-66 (NKJV) ⁶⁴ Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be worse than the first." ⁶⁵ Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how." ⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

B. But on the third day He arose! Matthew 28:1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. ⁵ But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Hallelujah, Jesus Christ lives and He lives in His people.

7. Why is the Resurrection so important?

a. Because of the Resurrection, we know that the Kingdom of Heaven has broken into earth’s history. Acts chap. 2

b. Because of the Resurrection, we know that death has been conquered and that we who believe in Christ as our personal Savior and Lord will be raised from the dead also to live forever with Jesus and the Father God.

c. The Resurrection gives authority to the church’s witness in the world. No other religion has a risen Savior and Lord.                         1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. The apostles’ most important message was the proclamation that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead for the forgiveness of man's sin! Because He lives, we who believe will also live together with Him and the Father forever.

d. The Resurrection gives meaning to the church’s celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper reminds us of Christ’s suffering on our behalf, His victorious resurrection, and His imminent return to take us to Himself.

e. The Resurrection helps us find meaning even in great tragedy. What we experience here is not all there is. No matter what happens to us as we walk with the Lord, the Resurrection gives us certain hope for the future.

f. The Resurrection assures us that Christ is alive and ruling his Kingdom. All powers subject to Him.

This week we remember Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection as we worship and praise Him in God's house for all He has accomplished for us. What a Savior, we are free from the penalty of sin.

Invitation: All I ask is that you each respond to what you have read as God's Spirit leads you before we this Sunday!

Death is certain! Be sure you are right with God. If you have not been saved and you are not right with God, then ask Jesus to forgive your sins and then invite Him into your life to save you from Hell and live in you to guide, guard, and direct each day of the rest of your life. You will be so glad you did, so sorry if you don't!