Series: I Am
Sermon: EASTER! (I Am the Resurrection)
Scripture: John 11
ICE BREAKER: What is your favorite holiday based on the candy only? (Halloween for candy corn, Easter for chocolate bunnies, etc.)
REVIEW:
This week we celebrated Easter!
We also learned the 5th of our Iam7 statements, "I am the Resurrection and the Life..."
What surprised you the most about this statement from Jesus.
This quote comes from Jesus after the death of his close friend, Lazarus. Most people read this as one point, emphasized with two word - Resurrection and Life. However, Jesus was actually pointing out two realities that he offers those who believe in Him.
He said it right after Martha, Lazarus' sister, showed her disappointment that Jesus did not show up on time to save her brother.
Have you ever felt like Martha?
Has God ever not shown up in a way that you wanted Him to?
The first is Resurrection. Jesus lets Martha know that resurrection wasn't just an event coming in the future, it was the power found only in Himself. Jesus offers all of us a way to overcome death itself. This is why he tells Martha, "whoever believes in me, though they may die, will live again."
Second, Jesus offers Life. While resurrection points to the physical reality and promise of never dying, "Life" points to the spiritual reality of purpose and potential.
Resurrection is about the quantity of life - never-ending
Life is about the quality of living - significant purpose and potential
APPLY:
To start our Easter message, we acknowledged the two HUGE problems we all have in life:
Suffering and Death
There is real evil in our world, and there is real sin inside of all of us. This creates suffering in unbelievable quantities. Most of our lives are spent avoiding, ignoring, numbing, or circumventing this suffering.
Death also looms large over us. We have so many fears, and virtually all of them are rooted in the reality of our death. The moment we are conceived, we begin the path to death!
Jesus solves both of these issues in this one Iam7 statement! He is Resurrection, which means he has actually defeated death! If we no longer have death itself to fear, there is nothing holding us back from fully embracing and pursuing the life God gave us to live. Jesus also offers Life, which is a purpose grand enough to give us perspective to handle the suffering of life in a meaningful way.
If suffering is not pointing us towards something, if there is no way for it to create a greater good in us, then suffering will overcome us. However, if we have Everlasting Life both as a quantity of life AND a quality of being, suffering can become the teacher that molds us and moves us toward our potential.
HERE IS YOUR APPLICATION QUESTION FOR THE WEEK
What is ONE WAY you will look at suffering and death differently this week, and how will it actually impact your life?
PRAY:
Let's decide to pray every day this week for the new people who attended, not only MetaChurch, but any faith community for the first time this Easter. Ask that they would come to believe in Jesus and experience a resurrection lifestyle!
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