I MARVEL AT THE WISDOM OF MY GOD! A. (Slide #2) Today In The Religious World Is Known As Easter Sunday. B. This Is Consistent With The Sunday After Passover In The Jewish Calendar. 1. Easter is connected to the Jewish Passover observance. 2. It occurs on the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurs on or after March 21. a. Why does it fluctuate yearly? b. It can never occur before March 22 or later than April 25. 3. It is a day when those who view Jesus as the Messiah honor His Resurrection! Christ and the New Testament do not command this celebration. C. When You Think Of Resurrection One Word Stands Out -- LIFE! D. Today: I Marvel At The Wisdom Of God That Gives LIFE! I. (Slide #3) I Marvel At The Wisdom Of My God In Life During This Time Of Year. A. Spring Is Here! 1. Aren t you EXCITED? 2. What JOY Spring brings to our hearts! 3. It brings the expectation of color -- (Slide #4) Daffodils, warmth, being outside, gardens, picnics, fishing, baseball, etc. B. Spring Heralds, LIFE! 1. I love the song, I Marvel At The Wisdom Of My God! 1
Verse 1: The Lord said Let the weak say they are strong. But I wondered in my heart if He was wrong. Then I saw the little lilies pushing up the heavy sod, And I marveled at the wisdom of my God. Verse 2: The Lord said Repay evil with the good. But I wondered in my heart if I could. Then I saw the little lilies pushing up the heavy sod, And I marveled at the wisdom of my God. Verse 3: O they crucified the Father s only Son. When they laid Him in the tomb they thought they d won. But just like the little lilies, He pushed up the heavy sod. I marvel at the wisdom of my God! 2
C. Lk. 12:27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. D. (Slide #5) Nature Seems To Come Alive! 1. Birds begin to sing. 2. All kinds of flowers grow, bud, and blossom. 3. Grass turns green. 4. The weather warms up. E. People Who Have Struggled With Discouragement And Feeling Closed In All Winter Begin To Get Out, Feel The Warmth, And Are Uplifted In Attitude. F. Ah, Spring Proclaims LIFE! II. (Slide #6) I Marvel At The Wisdom Of My God In Resurrection Life That Crucified Jesus Received! A. For Three And One-Half Years Jesus Foretold His Death And Resurrection. 1. Jn. 2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 2. Mk. 8:31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. B. After The HORRIBLE Events Of The Crucifixion, Jesus Was Buried By Joseph And Nicodemus. 1. It was a time of GREAT grief and sadness for the Lord s disciples and family. 2. Death had taken Him away from them! 3
C. (Slide #7) Resurrection Morning Brought LIFE -- HE IS ALIVE! 1. Mt. 28:6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 2. (Slide #8) Jn. 20:1-18 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him. 3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. 11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? She said to them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him. 14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away. 16 Jesus said to her, Mary! She turned and said to Him, Rabboni! (which is to say, Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God. 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her. D. (Slide #9) His Resurrection Heralds, He Lives! 1. Hymn: He Lives! Verse 1: I serve a risen Saviour, He s in the world today. I know that He is living, whatever men may say. I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, And just the time I need Him He s always near. 4
He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life s narrow way. He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. Verse 2: In all the world around me I see His loving care, And though my heart grows weary I never will despair. I know that He is leading, thro all the stormy blast; The day of His appearing will come at last. He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life s narrow way. He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. Verse 3: Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian! Lift up your voice and sing Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, the King! The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find, None other is so loving, so good and kind. He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life s narrow way. He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. -- Words & Music by: Alfred H. Ackley 2. He Lives -- He has made such a difference in my life! He lives! He cares! He is our help! He is our hope! He is our Savior and Lord! Jesus Is LIFE! 5
III. (Slide #10) I Marvel At The Wisdom Of My God In Life For Sinners. A. Sin Is SUCH A REPUGNANT Action In The Sight Of God! 1. Abomination! These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: Pr. 6:16-19 2. Pr. 8:7 Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. B. Spiritual Life Is Available Because Of Jesus Death, Shed Blood, Resurrection, And Offering In Heaven! 1. Jn. 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 2. Col. 1:14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 3. Heb. 9:11,12 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. C. His Resurrection Proclaims, Sinners Can Have LIFE! 1. Jn. 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 2. I Pet. 1:23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 3. Mk. 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 4. Rom. 6:3,4 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 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. Jn. 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 6. Eph. 1:19,20 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, The Divine power that raised Jesus from the dead is needed to raise sinners from spiritual death and to give them life! 6
D. Christ s Resurrection And Provided Forgiveness Heralds LIFE! IV. (Slide #11) I Marvel At The Wisdom Of My God In Eternal Life With The Godhead Eternally! A. Why Was Man Created When The Godhead Knew We Would Sin? 1. They longed to have children! 2. They longed to be loved! 3. They longed to be worshiped and praised! B. (Slide #12) What Christians Have Because Of Having Spiritual Life In Christ: 1. If they remain faithful, they will have eternal life with the Godhead, the angels, and all the redeemed in Heaven FOREVER! 2. I Tim. 4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 3. Mt. 25:46 the righteous into eternal life. 4. Every sacrifice by God s people in this life will be rewarded in eternity! Lk. 18:29,30 So He said to them, Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life. 5. Jn. 10:27,28 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 6. And when our body decays and we die, oh what we have when Christ returns! II Cor. 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 7. I Jn. 2:25 And this is the promise that He has promised us--eternal life. (Slide #13) Conclusion: A. Jesus -- LIFE! B. I MARVEL At The Wisdom Of My God! 7