[0:00] If you have your Bible, turn to John chapter 11, verses 17 through 44 will be the text for this! If you don't have a Bible, there are Bibles in the pews that you can use. And if you don't own a Bible, please take that Bible home with you today as a gift from our church to you in our hopes that you'll continue to be reading, studying, meditating upon the Word of God. Now in our culture, we stand for important things, for important events, for important people. And here in our church, we stand when we read the Word of God because it is inerrant, it is inspired, it is His gift to us. So would you stand with me as we read John chapter 11, verses 17 through 44?
[1:01] Now when Jesus came, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met Him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.
[1:31] Jesus said to her, your brother will rise again. Martha said to Him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life.
[1:43] Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? She said to Him, yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who is coming into the world. When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, the teacher is here and is calling for you. And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met Him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet, saying to Him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled. And He said, where have you laid
[2:45] Him? They said to Him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. So the Jews said, see how He loved Him.
[2:57] But some of them said, could not He who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying? Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave and a stone lay against it.
[3:09] Jesus said, take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Him, Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days. Jesus said to her, did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God? So they took away the stone, and Jesus lifted up His eyes, said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me. But I said this on account of the people standing around that they may believe that you sent me. When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out. The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips and his face wrapped with a cloth. And Jesus said to him, unbind him.
[3:56] And let him go. May God add a blessing to the reading of His Word. Would you please be seated? Born in 100 BC, Gaius Julius Caesar remains one of the most recognized figures from the annals of history.
[4:19] Julius Caesar was a complex figure who has fascinated historians for centuries. Caesar is admired as a brilliant military strategist, a political leader, and a scholar who rose rapidly from humble beginnings in a family of little influence in Rome to become Rome's emperor. As a teenager, Caesar fled Rome to escape Lucius Cornelius Sola. Sola was a Roman governor and a prominent statesman who seized power and who ruled as a dictator, exemplifying a style of leadership that Caesar himself that Caesar himself would later adopt. Sola viewed Caesar as a political threat and sought to eliminate him.
[5:10] While away from Rome, Caesar joined the Roman army, rose in its ranks, became a general, winning wars, which increased the prosperity of the Roman people.
[5:24] One of Caesar's most decisive victories occurred in Pontus, modern-day Turkey, in 47 BC against the forces of King Pharnassus II. Caesar's victory was so swift and decisive in the sports world we would call such a dominating win a blowout. The citizens of Rome celebrated Caesar's victory as he marched into town, parading the spoils of his latest conquest. And among the trophies in his triumphal procession was a placard inscribed with words from Caesar that summarized his success. Three Latin words, veni, vidi, vici. In English, I came, I saw, I conquered. That's a powerful statement. I sometimes say it to myself after completing a home improvement project. Caesar's statement was intended to highlight more than just how quick and decisive his victory. The statement served to advance his political ambitions and reinforce the thought in the Roman people that he was someone who knew how to win.
[6:48] The Roman people began to worship and treat Caesar as if he were a god or at least descended from the gods. And it appears that Caesar, given all his success, came to believe that himself.
[7:04] However, there was one enemy that this great conqueror could not defeat. On the Ides of March, March 15th, 44 BC, Caesar was murdered, assassinated by the same men who handed him the power that he was unwilling to give back. And among the assassins was Brutus, his close friend and confidant.
[7:30] In life, Caesar conquered many of the living by killing them. But in the end, death was the enemy that this great conqueror could not defeat. Like Caesar, Jesus of Nazareth's earthly beginnings were meager. The Bible tells us he was born in a barn. He was laid in a trough. He grew up in a small, insignificant town called Nazareth. Like Caesar, when he was young, he drew the ire of a ruler who viewed him as a political threat, forcing his parents to flee their home and live in a foreign land.
[8:07] Like Caesar, Jesus became popular. For a time, large crowds followed him wherever he went. Like Caesar, these crowds viewed Jesus as a political figure who could defeat the enemies who had conquered their land, the Romans. Unlike Caesar, Jesus did not seek political power, nor did Jesus have political ambitions. He rejected people's attempts to make him king. Also unlike Caesar, Jesus conquered not by killing, but by dying on a Roman cross with a placard affixed above his head which read, king of the Jews, king of the Jews. All that Caesar conquered no longer belongs to Rome.
[8:51] The kingdom he established no longer exists today. Nobody worships Caesar as God anymore. Death defeated him. But unlike Caesar, death did not defeat Jesus Christ because he is the Christ, because he is the son of God who experienced death to conquer death, to set his people free from their sins, to give them new life in him, to make them a part of his kingdom which continues to advance in this world today as millions of people around the world he created have gathered to worship him today and celebrate his victory, a victory that he shares with us. Three days after Jesus died, two of the women who followed him went to his tomb seeking to finish the burial process in keeping with Jewish customs. Jesus died on Friday which left little time for them to prepare his body since the sun was coming down and the Sabbath was at hand.
[10:00] When they arrived at the tomb, they saw that it was empty and they saw angels who told them the good news that the son of God was alive. Matthew records their words in Matthew 28, 5 through 6, but the angel said to the women, do not be afraid for I know that you seek Jesus who is crucified.
[10:22] He is not here for he has risen as he said, come see the place where he lay. The gospels record numerous times when Jesus said that he would conquer death. He was heaven's champion, the eternal word of God who entered into our realm, the realm he created to conquer the enemies that we could not defeat. The first time Jesus predicted his death is detailed in Matthew 16, 21 through 23, Mark 8, 31 through 32, and Luke 9, 21 through 22. Jesus had just fed the multitudes and in Mark 8, 31, it says he began to teach them that the son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed and after three days rise again. After Peter, one of Jesus' disciples heard this, he took Jesus aside to rebuke him. He didn't like this plan, but Jesus responded to him, get behind me, Satan. Jesus knew his mission. He knew his death was necessary to conquer death and fulfill his father's plan to save the world. Jesus again predicted his death and resurrection in Matthew 17, 22 through 23, which is also recorded in Mark 9, 30 through 32 and Luke 9, 43 through 45.
[11:47] After his transfiguration, when he lifted the veil of his humanity to expose his divine glory to Peter, James, and John, we read in Matthew 17, 22, as they were gathered in Galilee, Jesus said to them, the son of man is about to be delivered into the hands of men and they will kill him and he will be raised on the third day.
[12:06] And they were greatly distressed. Jesus predicted his death and resurrection a third time as he traveled with his disciples from Jerusalem for the Passover and he told them in Luke 18, 31 through 34, see, we are going to Jerusalem and everything that is written about the son of man by the prophets will be accomplished for he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him. And on the third day he will rise. But they understood none of these things. The saying was hidden from them and they did not grasp what was said.
[12:46] John's gospel, like the others, record Jesus's resurrection. And while the other gospels record Jesus bringing dead people back to life, John's gospel records in detail a preview of what Jesus would do, did do, and still does today. And so the main idea of this morning's sermon is that Jesus came to conquer death. Jesus came to conquer death. I came, I saw, I conquered is a powerful statement uttered by a once powerful man who was conquered by death. An infinitely better statement is the one Jesus gives in John 11, 25 in our text this morning. I am the resurrection and the life and the promise that follows that statement.
[13:46] Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. And everyone who believes in me shall never die.
[13:58] This is a truth that Christians celebrate not just one day of the year on Easter, but every day. If you're a Christian, today we celebrate the victory of our conquering king, our heavenly warrior, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who came to die in our place for our sins and who rose again, conquering our enemies and sharing his victory with us, giving us new life in him that begins the moment that he saves you and extends forever and ever into eternity.
[14:34] Christian, you always have reason to celebrate. You always have reason to hope because Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life.
[14:49] But maybe you're here this morning and you don't know Jesus. Maybe you feel like you don't belong here. Friend, we're glad that you are here because we want you to know him. We want you to know the truth of Jesus, who he truly is and what he has done. And we want you to know that not for our benefit, but for yours.
[15:17] We don't want anything from you. We're not trying to sell Jesus to you. We want you to hear the truth, know the truth, believe the truth, and receive and enjoy the truth of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done.
[15:34] And so today you're going to encounter, we're all going to encounter three realities from our text that I pray this morning you will hear and if you haven't believed, you will believe and a resurrection will take place in your life.
[15:51] Three actions of Jesus which verify that Jesus came to conquer death from our text this morning. The first action that verifies that Jesus came to conquer death is Jesus' claim.
[16:05] His claim, I am the resurrection and the life. John 11 begins with Jesus receiving the news from Lazarus' sisters that Lazarus was gravely ill.
[16:18] Verse 3 says that the sisters sent to him saying, Lord, he whom you love is ill. Then in verses 4 through 6, we hear Jesus' response.
[16:30] It says, Well, when Jesus heard it, he said, This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God so that the Son of Man may be glorified through him. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
[16:45] So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. On the surface, this seems like a strange way for Jesus to react to the serious illness of someone he loved.
[16:59] Not only does he not go right away, he doesn't go the next day, and he doesn't go the day after that. When Jesus does decide to go, he notifies his disciples in verses 7 through 16.
[17:15] The disciples didn't think that this was a good idea because the Jews in that region had recently attempted to kill Jesus. And so they tried to persuade him not to go, but Jesus was undeterred.
[17:28] And in verses 14 through 15, he explains to them, Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there so that you may believe, but let us go to him.
[17:44] Put yourself for a moment in the shoes or the sandals of Jesus' disciples. What would you be thinking? You might be thinking something like, well, two days ago, Jesus said Lazarus' illness would not lead to death.
[17:59] And now he tells us that Lazarus has died, and he wants us to go with him to a region where people want to kill him. And Jesus is glad that he wasn't present to heal Lazarus before he died because in some way his death will lead to our belief.
[18:19] And so we're going to see a dead person in a place where people seek our death. Sounds like a good plan. In verse 16, Thomas, ever the cynic, says, let us also go that we may die with him.
[18:36] Sometimes God has us do things that we don't want to do and puts us in places where we don't want to be or go. And he does that for our benefit because in those uncomfortable situations, all we have to rely on is our faith in him.
[18:56] And in such cases, God reveals himself to us in ways that increase and benefit our faith in him. When Jesus arrives in Bethany, Lazarus has been dead four days.
[19:10] When Martha and Mary hear that Jesus has come, Mary chooses to stay in the house, but Martha goes out to see him. Verse 21 through 27 record her conversation with Jesus.
[19:22] Verse 21 again, it says, Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now, I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.
[19:36] There's a hint of a rebuke in Martha's statement. She believed Jesus could have done something four days ago, but now it's too late.
[19:49] However, what we see here still is Martha clinging on to her faith, though it's limited at this time. And while she said, I know whatever you ask from God, God will give you, her whatever did not include resurrection.
[20:06] Because she rebukes Jesus again when he commands the stone to be rolled away in verse 39. And so while Martha is clinging on to the little faith she has in Jesus, verse 23 says that Jesus said to her, your brother will rise again.
[20:22] But Martha misunderstands Jesus' intentions. Verse 24, Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.
[20:36] Martha does a few things here that we also tend to do. First, she rebukes the Lord. she casts some of the blame on him for not showing up on time.
[20:52] Second, she limits what Jesus can do. She believed Jesus had to be physically present to heal her brother and doesn't believe that there is anything he can do now for him.
[21:08] Because thirdly, she pushes Jesus' promise that her brother will rise again to the future.
[21:21] This is what we do as Christians. At times, we are discouraged by what God chooses to do or chooses not to do. At times, we place limitations on him as if our situation is beyond his ability to overcome.
[21:37] At times, we treat his promises as if they aren't much help to us in the present. And in such times, we live in defeat.
[21:51] And in such cases, in such times, what we need to do is we need to do what Martha did. She sought Jesus. She was honest with him.
[22:04] She didn't hold anything back. And how did Jesus respond? By redirecting her focus. Directing it away from what happened in the past and what would happen into the future to himself in the present and who he is.
[22:23] And again, he says to her in verse 26, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
[22:35] And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you notice that Jesus doesn't rebuke her? He doesn't put her down for having doubts or asking hard questions.
[22:49] Friends, it isn't a sinful thing to tell God how you truly feel because he already knows. Martha was reverent as she spoke to Jesus, but she wasn't afraid to ask the hard things, to say the hard things.
[23:05] And Jesus' response reveals that God is more patient and accepting than we sometimes give him credit for. I'm sure you felt like Martha at some point in your life, thinking, where were you, Lord?
[23:23] Where were you when my loved one died? Where were you when my marriage was falling apart? Where were you when my parents got a divorce? Where were you when I lost my job?
[23:37] The Psalms are full of people pouring out their hearts to God, expressing their hard questions and seeking answers.
[23:50] Two years into our marriage, Danny and I, or I should say Danny, had an idea that for Christmas we would make each other gifts. I was in seminary and we were poor so we didn't have much choice.
[24:07] I was taking a Greek class at the time so I thought I'd paint a Bible verse in Greek on a canvas that she could hang somewhere in our house. And the verse I chose was Romans 8, 28.
[24:19] Not so much because of what it said but because of how I liked the way the Greek letters looked. About four years later we suffered through the difficulty of a miscarriage between our two children.
[24:39] I had hard questions for God. We were heartbroken. The verse that brought us greatest comfort was Romans 8, 28.
[24:55] I had forgotten all about that painting all about that I had actually painted that verse that was now hanging in our downstairs bathroom because I'm not a very good artist.
[25:09] But sometime after that painful day I was in there I saw that picture I took it off the wall I turned it over because I knew that I had translated it in English and I read Romans 8, 28.
[25:27] This painting had been hanging as a decoration in our house but all this time it was God's declaration to us in our time when we desperately needed some good news.
[25:41] Romans 8, 28 says and we know that for those who love God all things all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose.
[25:54] This verse served as a light in a dark time. A reminder that God works all things together for the good even those things that we don't perceive as good things. But I'll tell you during that time my love for my wife my love for the child that we still had on this earth grew immensely.
[26:19] I wouldn't want to repeat it but I'm thankful for how the Lord revealed to us his faithfulness and not too long after that we learned that Danny was pregnant with Hazel.
[26:31] As Job said the Lord gives the Lord takes away blessed be the name of the Lord.
[26:41] but the worst thing that would ever happen happened not long after Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead.
[26:53] The Son of God was beaten mocked crucified and killed but it's by his wounds it's through this evil thing that a great and good thing has happened because salvation has been made possible for sinful people.
[27:16] 700 years before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ Isaiah was given this prophecy speaking of what he would come to do Isaiah 53 5 but he was pierced for our transgressions he was crushed for our iniquities upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace and with his wounds we are healed.
[27:37] Jesus redirected Martha's attention to himself to the present to who he was and Jesus said to her I am this is the fifth of seven times John records Jesus say I am this is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name for God Yahweh Jesus was saying to her I am God incarnate with you I am the source of resurrection I am the source of life and then he asks her do you believe this despite her sorrow her doubts her frustrations Martha though she still didn't fully trust that Jesus would bring her brother back to life said to him in verse 27 yes Lord I believe that you are the Christ the son of God who is coming into the world wow what a great confession of faith despite her doubts her faith in Jesus her confession of who he truly is did not waver many times
[28:41] I have visited Christians in the hospital who were dying who knew they were dying early on in my ministry or in ministry I should say I would go and see such people and I would sit in my car in the hospital parking lot and I would be flipping through my Bible trying to find the perfect verse to lift their spirits and once I thought I had found it I would go up and see them in the room and I would expect to see someone who was down and sad and in fear but I saw the opposite instead of seeing someone in fear I saw them experiencing peace instead of seeing doubt I saw faith instead of seeing sorrow I saw joy they knew that physical death is not the end for those in Christ because they knew that they had life in Christ once a person believes in Jesus the life of God is poured into that person and that life is eternal and they know that death has been conquered it is no longer an enemy but a doorway that takes them home
[29:47] Jesus' claim is that he is the resurrection and the life do you believe this now the second action that verifies that Jesus conquered death Jesus' contempt he was deeply moved and greatly troubled in verses 28-31 Jesus tells Martha to ask Mary to come see him remember Mary stayed back in the house Mary goes then quickly to Jesus those who were with her consoling her thought that she was going to Lazarus' tomb to continue to mourn verse 32 says now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him she fell at his feet saying to him something very similar as her sister Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died like Martha's comment in verse 21 there is a hint a suggestion that Mary's anguish over the loss of her brother was intensified by what she perceived as Jesus' failure to be there when she needed him and when she expected him to come in a sense
[30:56] Mary was saying Lord where were you we needed you but you came too late we then come to the verses that profoundly communicate the humanity of Jesus we're told in verse 33 when Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her also weeping he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly trouble deeply moved is a misleading translation I think of the Greek verb which literally means to snort like a horse it appears only three times in the New Testament where it is translated as sternly warned or scolded it conveys a deep emotional response characterized by indignation the word translated as trouble describes inner turmoil or a great emotional disturbance and so I think a more accurate translation that would communicate the full force behind these Greek words would be to say that
[31:57] Jesus was irate why some scholars and commentators suggest that maybe Jesus was angry with Mary and Martha and the crowd for their lack of faith they think maybe he was thinking to himself I've done miracles I've fed you I've healed you I've taught you what more evidence do you people need to be convinced of who I am there were times when Jesus did express his frustration with his disciples for their lack of faith and understanding but I think what caused the blood of the son of God to boil to fill his spirit with indignation was that he was in the presence death death death was his enemy too death was not originally part of the world he created the bible tells us that satan tempted adam and eve and they sinned and sin brought a curse and sin brought death there's a scene in the lord of the rings the two towers where gandalf the white releases king theoden from a curse inflicted on him by the evil wizard saruman and grima wormtongue in that scene theoden is or theoden theoden some lord of the rings fan is going to correct me after this
[33:30] I'm sorry I like it maybe not as much as you theoden is transformed from a withered old man to a younger stronger truer version of himself you know if I could somehow set a young person before you and do the opposite of what gandalf did for theoden and you saw that person instantly change and age before your eyes you'd think that person is cursed we don't pay as much attention to the curse of death because of how slow the aging process can be but the bible says that we were all under the curse of sin we are all born with a sin nature and that sin brings death and the older we get the more aware we are of death's curse some people try to dress younger when they're older or act younger eat better exercise more to look younger to feel better in their attempts subconsciously maybe to undo the curse and delay death there's a
[34:38] Netflix documentary called don't die the man who wants to live forever and it follows Brian Johnson a tech entrepreneur as he attempts to defy death this man spends about two million dollars on his health every year but no matter how much money a person spends no matter how great their physical condition they cannot conquer death they cannot overcome its curse soon after God pronounced the curse of sin in Genesis 3 he promises that one day an offspring of the woman would come and crush Satan's head and the rest of the Old Testament points to who that offspring will be and what he would do to undo sin's curse by conquering death at this point in Jesus earthly life death was a foe that in just a few days he would confront head on as he agonized on the cross dying to conquer death at this moment he was irate seeing all the sights and all the sounds the mourning the suffering that death inflicted on people whom he loved
[35:49] I bet you felt similarly cancer seeing the pain it inflicts as it slowly takes away their strength their energy and their life you see that and you think you either think or say out loud I hate cancer that's the kind of visceral reaction Jesus had when he encountered the sorrow that death provoked he hates it Jesus entered into the affliction of his people and was deeply moved within himself at the travesty of death but that's not all after Jesus asked where they laid Lazarus in verse 34 verse 35 says the shortest verse in all of the Bible two words Jesus wept he was on the verge of perhaps his greatest miracle to that point knowing what he would do but he entered into the feelings of grief and loss for those whom he loved again
[36:59] Jesus knew what he would do but here we see not only his contempt for death but his love for people verse 36 through 37 say the Jews seeing this said see how he loved him but some of them still doubted could not he who opened the eyes of the blind also have kept this man from dying friend what we need to see here is that Jesus comes into our grief he enters into the midst of our doubts because he cares because he loves and because he overcomes and so now the third action Jesus call come out finally Jesus stood outside of Lazarus tomb verse 38 says then deeply moved again again feeling again his contempt!
[37:52] For death came to the tomb it was a cave and a stone was laid aside it Jesus said take away the stone Martha the sister of the dead man said to him Lord by this time there will be an odor for he has been dead four days Jesus said to her did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God so they took away the stone and Jesus lifted up his eyes said!
[38:16] I thank you that you have always we've had this conversation before I know that you've authorized me to do this thing that I'm about to do but I'm praying for the benefit of others that they may know what's going on here that they may know that I am the one whom you have sent to reverse the curse of sin and death and now we reach the climactic moment!
[38:55] Jesus doesn't use some kind of magical words he doesn't say abracadabra Lazarus come on out of that grave there's no smoke there's no mirrors just a cold hard stone tomb a cold dead lifeless body and Jesus who said he is the resurrection and the life in verse 43 we read again when he said these things he cried out with a loud voice Lazarus come out the eternal incarnate word of God who was from the beginning with God existing as God spoke he gave a command to a dead body to come back to life and Lazarus his dead heart began to beat again his rotting flesh became whole and healed and the dead man got up and walked out of the grave the raising of Lazarus is a glorious picture of what Jesus does for those whom he saves
[39:58] Jesus calls he says come and we come and in coming he gives us new life the apostle Paul captures this brilliantly in Ephesians 2 1 through 10 again inspired by the Holy Spirit Paul is writing to Christians and he's taking them into thinking about who they were before Christ saved them and he says and you were dead you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked following the course of this world following the prince of!
[40:32] power of the! It's the bad news here's the good news verse 4 but God being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in our trespasses made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus for by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing it is the gift of God not a result of works so that no one may boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them
[41:35] Jesus calls and we come Jesus conquered! death in the past tense yes he came he conquered death but presently Jesus still conquers death I know this because I've experienced it and I know this because I've seen how the Lord has brought somebody from spiritual death to spiritual life making them a new creation I've seen it and the only explanation for it despite all the other evidence that there is is that Jesus Christ truly is the Son of God that truly on that first Easter morning the tomb was empty and Jesus continues to conquer death by calling people to salvation by faith in his name and who he is and what he has done he did what he said that he would do and he still calls dead people to life he came as a suffering servant he will return as a conquering king do you believe this do you believe this if so rejoice if so for the first time rejoice if not friend
[43:11] I encourage you to do the work yourself do the research read the words of Jesus and I hope and I pray that in doing so you will hear him say to you come out come to me I'm going to give you life in abundance I'm going to take away all of your sin I've died for them on the cross I've suffered hell for you on the cross so that by faith in me forgiven you will be restored you will have life now and forever do you believe let's pray Lord what a wonderful statement it is that you made saying that I am the resurrection and the life and the promise Lord that you gave that whoever believes in you will live
[44:11] Lord thank you for those whom you have been gracious to save God who this morning have gathered and have marveled anew I hope over the fact that you have conquered death that the tomb was empty and Lord as wonderful as that statement is there's another great statement you made upon the cross when you said it is finished one word to tell us die meaning that you had completely atoned for our sins that there is nothing left for us or for anyone else to do than simply to repent of our sins and turn to you in faith and your promise is Lord that you will receive us and that you will save us and that you will keep us forever and so Lord I pray that for those of us whom you have been gracious to save that we will continue to proclaim the good news of who you are and what you've done wherever you would have us to go and
[45:12] Lord for those who don't I pray that today Lord they've heard your words and I pray that they're hearing your voice saying come to me that they would be healed that they would be forgiven that they would be restored that a resurrection would take place in their life and that they would know how wonderful it is to have Jesus Christ in your life we love you and we're thankful for your victory which you share with us in Jesus name we pray amen