~1. Jesus was: Born into this world Philippians 2:7 [Jesus] emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

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1 This is not simply Easter ; it is RESURRECTION SUNDAY! Resurrection is a powerful word; let s take a look at what it really means: It is from Latin resurrectio meaning, a rising again from the dead ; in other words something was once alive in some fashion; lost the quality of life; then came back to life again. Three basic insights: 1. Life had to be possessed, and then that life had to be lost in order for resurrectio to happen. 2. Therefore, by definition; it is not merely an event, but the outcome of a progression; or, the destiny of a unique journey. 3. No created thing has ever created or re-created life from non-life. (Living things can reproduce, but not produce from nothing, that s a power beyond us.) Jesus did not raise Himself, He was raised by the Father. (Acts 13:34,Rom 10:9, Gal 1:1) This is very important because it means that Jesus is not just our Savior, but our example. And what s more; He isn t simply an example, but proof that resurrection is possible. But here s the catch: Romans 6 4. Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. In other words; to experience the same outcome as Christ, we must follow the same process. So the question becomes; what was the process of Christ s life? THE PROGRESSION The life of Christ cannot be reduced to a formula, but we can learn from the example. If we look at His life, here are five steps that led to His Resurrection: ~1. Jesus was: Born into this world Philippians 2:7 [Jesus] emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. The obvious beginning is the gift of physical life. But here s a question: If Jesus emptied Himself; can anyone tell me, of what was He emptied? [Kenosis: empty of divine power & authority] 1 P a g e

2 It is right to revere Christ, but in that reverence, we cannot use His divinity as an excuse not to be like Him. Outside His inception; he was born like the rest of us and He endured life s challenges like the rest of us. He had 24 hours in His days; He had a limited store of physical, emotional, and mental strength, just like the rest of us. As our example; Jesus Christ was born with a physical life to invest as He chose. What He did differently was lean so completely on the Father that they were in perfect sync. ~2. Jesus was: Empowered by the Holy Spirit Matthew Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?'' 15. But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.'' Then he allowed Him. 16. Then Jesus, when He had been baptized, came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'' Baptism is a symbol of dying in Christ. But it is a unique kind of death. It isn t simply a desire to dig a grave for the wrong within us; it is to fuse all that is valuable in us with God. It is a death that produces real life. But it is an action that takes more than just personal resolve. Christ was baptized to show us what obedience to the Father looks like. And that obedience resulted in something; the Holy Spirit settling on Him. It is only then that the ministry of Jesus really begins. Please realize: Belief alone produces nothing. Only when it leads to an encounter with the Spirit of God, (which is to say, the person of God) does it take on real meaning. Don t settle for a bit of church routine or a few articles of faith. Do not stop until you have an encounter with the Holy Spirit. That is where the journey to the resurrection really begins. ~3. Jesus was: Tested in His Commitment Matthew 4 1. Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 P a g e

3 It is not incidental that Jesus went directly from the high of the Spirit s touch to the depths of Satan s tricks. He was tempted with selfishness, convenience, and ambition. It was all made to sound so good. Here is a foundational concept of Scripture: the human race isn t simply lost; it is in the middle of a spiritual war. And the enemy is ancient, and far more knowledgeable and vicious than we can ever imagine. In a war, you deliberately choose sides. And that means you make friends and you make enemies. Being a Christ follower is more than a decision; it is picking sides. ~3. Jesus: Lived out the Call Luke "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19. to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.'' It is with this passage from Isaiah that Jesus begins His ministry on this earth. He is here to preach the gospel, to heal, to deliver, to bring sight and freedom. For three years He does this consistently. He does it in one dusty hot Middle Eastern day after another. He does it with His closest friends who very often don t even understand what He s doing. He does it when He is tired, crowded, ridiculed, and pawed after. He does it for the rest of His life. He does it to the ultimate cost. God invests Himself in us; He empowers us for one great reason; to live the call He sets before us. ~4. Jesus: Faced the Final Mile Matt He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.'' Jesus Christ Superstar is essentially, a theological train wreck, but it touches on a truth which traditional Christianity tends to remain too silent. I share it so you won t be surprised or confused if, and when it happens to you. In the Gethsemane song, the Jesus character sings: Then I was inspired Now I'm sad and tired After all I've tried for three years 3 P a g e

4 Seems like ninety Why then am I scared To finish what I started What you started If we were runners, we d call it, hitting the wall. It is the dark before the dawn. It is often that last great lesson God has for His loved ones. It seems most, if not every Godly servant faces it: the Apostle Paul did, Mother Teresa, J. Hudson Taylor, the legendary missionary to China, and A. B. Simpson, founder of the Christian Missionary Alliance who sparked one of the greatest missionary waves in history. They all faced their darkest hour, even as they remained faithful. Sometimes the follower even feels abandoned by God. They are like Christ on the cross: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? The two hardest steps in running the race of God in one s life is; the first one and the last one. But we might also say; they are the two most important ones. The point is this: Don t be surprised, and don t give up; God is giving that final refinement. ~5. Then Jesus could say: It is finished John So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!'' And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. There He is on the cross; nailed, beaten, bloodied, and in the final act of dying. The circumstances appear absolutely dismal. Then there is a final word, and that word is not defeat, but victory. It is finished. The original Greek being teleo, meaning; concluded, a debt fully paid, filled up, successfully performed; completed. The resurrection was more than an empty tomb, it was unimaginable victory of a mission, it was accomplishing the impossible, it was the re-ordering of reality, it was eternal life rippling through all of history. It was RESURRECTION. But we need to realize something: It wasn t simply an event; it was a progression and a process to get there. WHAT S THAT MEAN FOR US? The great hope of Christianity isn t simply THE Resurrection. It is your resurrection; it is the rising to eternal life of every person who follows the same journey as Christ. So, our resurrection isn t simply a future hope; it must be a process that is unfolding RIGHT NOW. It is fusing your physical life into God s Spiritual life. It is something you resolve to do. 4 P a g e

5 Let me put this process into a single word: UNION. John "At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21. "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.'' Chemists have a name for it: When two substances are dissolved in complete union, it is called a solution. The thing is; that substance doesn t cease to exist; it becomes something new, it becomes something more. It is transformed. That is the process that led to your resurrection. More than believing; it is Christ IN the Father; you IN Christ; and Christ IN you. INVITATION If it is your desire to take this road to resurrection, I invite you to participate in a symbolic act: In the tomb is a bowl of water. Consider it a symbol of Christ, who said I am the living water. Each of you was given a piece of special paper. If you haven t already, please write on that paper who you are. Write your name on it; write your defining qualities; draw your face if it helps, just turn that paper into an honest representation of yourself. Then, come to the tomb and place you into the living water. You will dissolve into the water. In effect: you will be in the water and the water will be in you. Everyone doesn t have to do this; only those who wish to commit to this spiritual process God uses to give you eternal life. -Christ being the way, the proof, and the example. The act is symbolic, but the commitment is real. In just as real a way as your paper dissolves in the water, may Christ be in you, and you in Christ..Take your time, make it honest and real. Come as this song plays. 5 P a g e