Easter Sunday – Penuel Baptist Chapel, Roch

To watch this service, click on the link to our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/35K1Pj2dh6o?si=Y1TYxXj21zOxP92R

Psalm 107:9
“For He satisfies the longing soul and the hungry soul with goodness.”

This verse speaks about the people of Israel as they travelled through the wilderness journey, hungry and thirsty. This verse can also apply to spiritual longing in the heart of man – that which can’t be satisfied by anything else in the world. “For He satisfies the longing soul and the hungry soul with goodness.” The things that we have, such as clothes and gifts, only last for a while. We breeze but there will come a time when breath will leave our bodies. Then comes judgement. Today is an opportunity for you to receive Christ as your Saviour.

We say thank you for Easter eggs, but sometimes we don’t give thanks to God. We receive many things, but the greatest thing that’s been given we have rejected – the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says there will come a time when we will have to give an account to God if we have rejected His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those of us who are recipients of this wonderful gift of love, this wonderful gift of grace, can say, “For He satisfies the longing soul and the hungry soul with goodness.” We have received of the Lord’s goodness, his blessing and eternal life. We can rejoice!

In John chapter 4 the Lord Jesus Christ is going to Samaria for a purpose – to meet a lady at a well, drawing water. The Lord meets her. He begins to speak to her. The Lord Jesus Christ knew she had a deep need and had tried many things. The Lord Jesus Christ goes straight to the point. Are you a recipient of that well, that water of life? This living water can satisfy your need.

On another occasion, He went to a town called Bethany. Lazarus was sick. Mary and Martha hoped Jesus would heal him. After two days He went. When the elder sister Martha heard He was coming she ran to meet Him. She was sad, her brother had died. Out of her sadness, you see her faith rising. She says, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. ²²But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” (John 11:21-22). There are times when we are down or ill and we can rejoice. Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26). Martha’s eyes were opened. She was overwhelmed and replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” (John 11:27).

For 3 1/2 years the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ were spiritually nourished and fed. They saw how He reached out to the lost and how He met the needs of all. He told them clearly He would die and rise again (Luke 9:22). He was arrested, crucified and buried. When the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and His followers heard, they had their hopes shattered. Only two stayed the course, John and Peter. The others ran away. They were afraid that they too would be arrested and put to death. Peter denied the Lord Jesus Christ.

Then in the gospel of John, we read of Mary Magdalene. She loved the Lord Jesus Christ so much because He had healed her and cast out seven demons in her. For that, she loved Him. She went and gave up everything to follow Him and serve Him. Anything she had, she gave to the Lord. She fed Him and His disciples. Early that Sunday morning she went to the tomb when it was dark. She noticed the stone was rolled away. She ran back to Peter and John and told them this. You can imagine them running back to the tomb. Something was happening. Peter and John did not see the body and went home. But Mary stayed, weeping. She went inside the tomb. There was nobody but she saw two angels who asked, ‘Why are you crying?’ She replied, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” She came out of the tomb and no doubt continued to weep. As she came out, there was a man standing in front of her. She thought he was the gardener. He said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She answered, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” (John 20:15b).

Mary came with expectation – not to see a living Christ, but a dead Christ. That’s how much she loved Him. She wanted to demonstrate her love and embalm Him. He spoke her name and she recognised His voice. When was the last time you recognised the voice of the Lord? Mary ran excitedly to the disciples to tell them she had seen the Lord, that He had risen.

The Lord Jesus Christ promised the woman at the well living water. His promise was based on His resurrection from the dead. He said to Martha, “I am the resurrection.” Mary Magdalene, a persistent woman, was rewarded. I encourage you to be persistent. She couldn’t rest until she saw her Saviour. Why are you here this morning? Is the Lord Jesus Christ alive in you? Every word of hope that the Lord Jesus made, every promise, is based on the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:14). I am not serving an empty faith.

Many people who don’t believe in the resurrection of the dead call themselves Christians. Our faith is based on the resurrection, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,” (Ephesians 2:1). Knowing Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we have been saved for the glory of God. One day our frail bodies will live, having a body like unto our Lord Jesus Christ.

I love Job; he had periods of being down, then up. He had more downs than ups. He had boils all over his body and was cast out of his city, sitting on a dung heap. But he was able to say, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth,” (Job 19:25). I shall see my saviour. Will you see Him? Are you looking forward to seeing Him?

Heaven is going to be a wonderful place filled with glory and grace. Until that day we are flesh and bones and there is still sin. But the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead and said because He lives, we can live. He is the one who is sustaining us. He wants us to live in that resurrection power. What is the power that is at work in you? If you know the Lord Jesus Christ, it is resurrection power. It was in Martha, Mary, His disciples. He wants us to show the power of Christ. He will sustain and keep you. He knows your longing, your pain, your hunger, your anxieties. He loves you and will never let you down.

He destroyed sin, hell, and death. He has overcome the power of Satan so you can rejoice. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. Come to Him. He will give you rest. Living that power.

“For He satisfies the longing soul and the hungry soul with goodness.”

If you would like to watch this service, click on the link to our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/VLuFxHwsL_M

Luke 24:1-12

We are raised with Him! Death is dead! Love has won! Christ has conquered! It’s a wonderful thing when we read the Bible; we learn the beginning and the end of the world. This book thrills our hearts when we read it. The more we read, the more we know about the One who is on high.

“Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,” (Luke 24:5-6). I read from Psalm 24, a wonderful chapter which speaks about the One. David wrote a little bit about himself but also about someone else. Throughout the Bible we can see writers God would use to write about someone else – about the future. When we read it we need to see the current situation but also look ahead.

“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
⁴He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.”

Psalm 24: 3-4

When we read the Bible we need to be looking at what the writer says about the current situation, but also looking ahead, to the future. In the above verses from Psalm 24 we read, ‘Who may ascend into the of the Lord?’ The writer speaks about someone who would come – none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Just think about the different hills He would climb when He came into this world, when He walked this life. He had to climb up a hill of the religious authorities, the arrogant people, the obstinate people, the people who hated Him. Finally, He ascended the hill called Calvary, where He laid down His life for you and for me.

He ascended many hills. Why was He able to do that? Because He had ‘clean hands and a pure heart.’ He did not bow down to idols. He ascended that hill, He died, He gave His life for you and for me. He is no longer dead, no longer buried. He is alive! He had to destroy death in order that he would rise in victory. 2 Corinthians 5:21 confirms the same thought, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” He was the only man who ever walked this Earth who was able to do that.

A perfect path of purest grace,
Unblemished and complete,
Was Thine, Thou spotless Nazarite,
Pure, even to the feet.

Wylie McLeod

It’s wonderful, as we celebrate today and everyday of our lives. He is ascended to God, awaiting that day when we’ll come again and receive us to Himself. That is our home, where we’ll one day be because we are raised with Him. We are celebrating a risen Saviour! Even now, in our current situation, we are raised with Him. We should be living with Him. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Today, there are those who would say that they are Christians. They may be found in churches and chapels, but they deny that Christ ever rose from the dead. This is nothing new. The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead. This is what the writer of Corinthians says, “But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. ¹⁴And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. ¹⁵Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. ¹⁶For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. ¹⁷And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” (1 Corinthians 15:13-17). If you don’t believe the Lord Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, you are a miserable person. That is what the Bible says.

Those of us who have trusted Him as our Saviour are not just living for this life, we are raised with Him. Christ died for our sins. He was buried and rose again. Because He lives, we should be the happiest people. The Resurrection confirmed that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Son of God. In Acts 2 Peter preached the first gospel message – Christ died for our sins, He bore our own sins. By rising from the dead, we have the proof that He is victorious over death. We see the physical demonstration of God’s power over death, over sin, over Satan.

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. ¹⁸No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (John 10:17-18). The power that has saved you and me, given you life, comes from God Himself. Christ has risen! God’s power is over everything, including death.

“Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here, but is risen! (Luke 24: 5b-6a). The scriptures are the infallible word of God, inspired by God. We must believe them. If people who struggle to appreciate Christ see us doubting the word of God, doubting the fact that He is risen from the dead, living as if our life is for this world only, then what are we preaching, what are we teaching, what are we living?

The purpose of the Resurrection is the power over sin and death. The women who followed Jesus Christ cared for Him; the fed and made sure He never went hungry. They went to take spices to embalm His body. The tomb was empty. Today, in Israel, there will be thousands of people visiting a tomb. The tomb is empty! That is evidence that Christ is not there. The angel asked the women, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” How often we forget what God has said in His word. We forget His promises. The women were so distressed. The religious people knew Jesus had said He would rise again, so they made sure the tomb was sealed. Imagine these women running to tell Peter and them all that Jesus is risen! The dour men thought it was women’s gossip. They did not believe.

Later, we read of two travelling on the Emmaus Road who were sad. Jesus joined them but they did not recognise Him. He took them back into the scriptures. I wonder if He took them back to Psalm 24? He spoke to them. They invited Him into their home. They said, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32). Wow! This is exciting. Seven miles, in the dark, on the road to Emmaus, they would run back to Jerusalem to tell the others Christ has risen, risen from the dead. This is proof of the Resurrection.

One of the truths of the Resurrection is the transformation that took place in the life of the disciples and of us today. Are you living? Are you alive? “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-7)

You are sitting today in Penuel Chapel, but you are also alive in glory. We are raised with Him. We are a testimony of His grace and favour to us. Do we appreciate who we are in Christ? He has resurrected us. The Resurrection power is what has occurred in your life and my life. We were dead in trespasses, in sins. We are raised with Him! He has destroyed the power of Satan. In Christ, God sees us sitting in heavenly places, raised with Him. If that doesn’t excite you, nothing will! We are raised with Him. Wow!

The Lord Jesus Christ travelled to Bethany because He was told his friend Lazarus was dead. The disciples said, ‘When you heard he wasn’t well you didn’t go, but now he’s dead you’re going.’ He met Martha, who was very sad and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. ²²But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” (John 11:21-22). Jesus replied by saying, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26). Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Do you believe it? We are raised with Him. Oh, my friends, if only we can grasp that today.

^“I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” (Revelation 1:18). Wow! He is alive and we are raised with Him. If that doesn’t move your heart, nothing will. Knowing Christ is one thing, but living in the power of an endless life, living in Him, relying on Him, living in Him – amazing!

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ²In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3).

Are you ready to go with Him? He may come today.

Tag: Easter Sunday

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