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Easter Sunday - Ephesians 2:1-10 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Amen. Good morning. Please take your copy of God's Word and join me in Ephesians chapter 2.
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!
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God's promises are sure because He lives.
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This is why we as a church celebrate the resurrection every single Lord's Day.
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We are resurrection people.
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My wife and I have had discussions about church calendars and why emphasize certain things at certain times.
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And I have said that if I were to go to an unreached people, had no concept of Christianity whatsoever,
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the only church calendar I would establish is we meet every Lord's Day and we celebrate all that is true for us in Christ.
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But we don't live in that culture and there's a lot of pressures that push into the way we might think about this weekend.
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So, that's why we think it good to pick up a specific resurrection text.
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Had we continued in our study of John, we would have looked at the end of chapter 8.
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There Jesus declares in chapter 8, verse 58 and 59,
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Truly, truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.
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He calls himself Yahweh, the God of Israel.
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We could have gotten to the resurrection from that text, to be sure.
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Verse 59 says,
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And so they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
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We know this because it wasn't yet the time for his death.
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So, it would not have been difficult to talk about the future resurrection from a text
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where Jesus calls himself God and the Jewish leaders take action to kill him.
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But I think there is an appropriate cultural sensitivity to take a beat from time to time
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and be sure we're thinking rightly as we get swept into the moment.
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So, we'll look at Ephesians 2, verses 1 through 10.
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Let's pray before I read it.
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Father, help us.
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We ask this morning that you would give us the ability to take your word up together as we should.
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We want to do so humbly.
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We want to properly understand it.
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We want to see how it gives application to us this morning and beyond.
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We want to believe its promises, obey its commands,
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and we want to have affection for you, its author.
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And so we pray that you'll help us to this end in the name of Christ.
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Amen.
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Ephesians 2, beginning in verse 1.
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And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked,
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following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air,
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the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience,
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among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh,
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carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind,
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and were by nature children of wrath.
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Like the rest of mankind.
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But God,
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being rich in mercy,
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because of the great love with which he loved us,
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even when we were dead in our trespasses,
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made us alive together with Christ.
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By grace you have been saved.
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And raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
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So that in the coming ages,
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he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
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For by grace you have been saved through faith.
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And this is not your own doing.
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It is the gift of God,
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not a result of works,
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so that no one may boast.
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For we are his workmanship,
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created in Christ Jesus for good works,
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which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
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I hope you caught why this text is a resurrection text.
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Just in case you didn't.
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Perhaps you were distracted for a moment,
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or just zoned out for some unanswerable reason.
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I want to draw your attention to verses 4 through 6.
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After Paul has stated,
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If we're in Christ,
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who we once were,
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he says,
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But God,
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being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us,
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even when we were dead in our trespasses,
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made us alive together with Christ,
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who is alive.
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We are alive with him.
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By grace you have been saved.
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And raised us up,
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resurrected us with him,
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and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
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A lot depends on whether or not Jesus truly is alive.
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Our faith absolutely falls apart if he is not.
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Charles Spurgeon once said,
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this is in your bulletin if you care to follow along,
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quote,
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The resurrection of Jesus is the keystone of the arch of our holy faith.
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And if you don't know anything about the way arches are built,
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there's always a stone in the middle that holds the whole arch together.
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If you pull it out,
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the whole thing will collapse.
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Back to the quote.
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If you take the resurrection away,
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the whole structure lies in ruins.
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The death of Christ,
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albeit that it is the ground of our confidence for the pardon of sin,
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would not have furnished such a foundation had he not risen from the dead.
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Were he dead still,
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his death would have been like the death of any other person.
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would have given us no assurance of acceptance.
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His life,
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with all the beauty of its holiness,
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would have been simply a perfect example of conduct.
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But it could not have become our righteousness
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if his burial in the tomb of Joseph
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had been the end of all.
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It was essential for the confirmation of his life teaching
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and his death suffering
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that he should be raised from the dead.
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End quote.
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Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 15,
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many sermons will be preached from 1 Corinthians 15 this morning,
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for good reason.
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He says,
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if Christ has not been raised,
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then our preaching is in vain
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and your faith is in vain.
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So then,
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how can we know that Jesus was raised from the dead?
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When all is said and done,
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I posit to you
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that you will have to accept the reality
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as an act of faith.
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Ultimately,
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you will have to believe that this is what happened.
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But,
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there are some reasons,
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some really good reasons
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to be reasonably faithful.
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I want to give you three briefly this morning
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and then we'll get back to our text.
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So again,
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the question is,
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how can we be confident?
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How can we know that Jesus is in fact resurrected?
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Well, firstly,
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Jesus stated that he would be raised from the dead.
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This refers back to the Charles Spurgeon quote,
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but in Mark 8, 31,
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he began to teach them
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that the Son of Man must suffer many things
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and be rejected by the elders
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and the chief priests
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and the scribes
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and be killed
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and after three days rise again.
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Jesus taught this again and again and again
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about himself.
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You may recall the argument
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I have been making to you
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as we study through the Gospel of John.
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You cannot merely call Jesus
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a good teacher.
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You have to do something with him.
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He makes absolutely audacious claims
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about himself.
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One of those
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is that he would be resurrected.
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He would die
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and three days later
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he would be raised.
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So,
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he is either
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a liar
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or he is a lunatic.
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He actually thought that
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but it was entirely
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false
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or
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and as we should believe
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he is in fact
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resurrected
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and he is
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Lord.
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You really only have
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those three options.
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You can't just call him
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a good
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teacher
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teacher
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because of the things
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he said
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about himself.
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He is either liar
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lunatic
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or he is
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Lord.
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Secondly,
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the tomb was empty.
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We see a record of this
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in Luke chapter 24
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verses 1 through 3.
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There Mary Magdalene,
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Mary the mother of James
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and Salome
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go on the first day of the week
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at early dawn
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they went to the tomb
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taking the spices
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they had prepared
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and they found the stone
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rolled away
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from the tomb.
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But when they went in
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they did not find
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the body
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of the Lord Jesus.
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There's historical facts
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that show
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this stone
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would not have been moved
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in the middle of the night.
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There's a biblical account
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that they had to
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scheme together
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to make up this lie
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that his body
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had been stolen.
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The tomb
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was
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empty.
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And you must do something
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with what happened
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to the body
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of Jesus.
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Thirdly,
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and this is what's
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so helpful
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to me
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as I thought through
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these matters
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over the years,
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the disciples
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were transformed.
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Think back
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to Peter
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leading up
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to the time
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of Jesus'
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crucifixion
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and his
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three-time denial
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like
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powering in
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the shadows.
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And then in Acts
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2 and verse 32
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we see him
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delivering a sermon
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on the day of Pentecost
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having been
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filled with the Spirit.
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And there he says
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to a vast crowd,
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this Jesus
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God
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raised up
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and of that
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we are all
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witnesses.
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Remember,
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at the beginning of Acts
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these men are
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cowering
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in an upper room.
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They are
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hiding
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from
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the authorities
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when they are
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visited
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by the risen
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Christ
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and they are
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transformed
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from mice
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into men.
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They go out,
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they spread
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across a 40-year
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span
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from AD 34
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to approximately
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AD 74
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and they preach
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the gospel
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everywhere
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and not
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to their
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commendation,
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not because
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it was the
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popular thing
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for them
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to go forth
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and do.
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We have
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lots of
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accounts.
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Some are
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confidently
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historical,
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some are
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tradition,
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but listen
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to what
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happened
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to the
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men
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who
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shared
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the
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good
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news
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of
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Jesus
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Christ.
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Stephen,
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Acts chapter
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8,
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was stoned
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as Paul
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stood by
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and watched.
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James
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was killed
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by Herod Agrippa
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with a sword.
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Peter
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was crucified
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upside down.
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He himself
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requested this,
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didn't see himself
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worthy
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to be
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killed
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as his
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savior.
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Andrew
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was crucified
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on an
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olive tree
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in a town
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called
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Patre
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in Achaia.
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Thomas
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was run
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through
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with spears,
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tormented
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with red
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hot plates
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and finally
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burned
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alive.
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Philip
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was tortured
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then crucified
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in Phrygia.
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Matthew
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was beheaded
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at
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Nod
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Devar.
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Bartholomew
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or Nathaniel
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was flayed
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and then
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crucified.
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the other
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James
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beaten to
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death
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with a
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club.
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Simon
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crucified
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in Syria.
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Judas
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Thaddeus
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beaten to
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death
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with sticks
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in Mesitamia.
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Matthias
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stoned
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while being
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crucified
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in Ethiopia.
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Paul
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beheaded
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in Rome.
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John
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died a
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natural death
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but it's
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rumored
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that he
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was scarred
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horribly
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because he
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had been
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burned
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in boiling
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oil.
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Not to
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their
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profit
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that they
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would have
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carried out
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some kind
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of myth
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and preached
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that Jesus
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was resurrected
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from the
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dead.
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So
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significant
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that they
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had this
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kind of
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fervor,
13:18
spines of
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steel
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to go
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forth
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and share
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because they
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had been
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witnesses
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!
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of him
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raised.
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Now if
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none of that
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is helpful
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to you,
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we can
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tell them
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the
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apostles
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after
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arresting
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them,
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they
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beat
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them
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and
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charged
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them
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not
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to
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speak
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in
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the
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name
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of
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Jesus
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and
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let
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them
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go.
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Then they
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left the
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presence
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of the
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council
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rejoicing
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that they
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were counted
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worthy to
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suffer
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dishonor
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for the
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name
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and
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every
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day
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in the
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temple
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and from
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house
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to
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house
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they
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did
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not
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cease
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teaching
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and
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preaching
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that the
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Christ
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is
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Jesus.
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Clearly
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changed
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from
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towering
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in an
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upper
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room
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to
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!
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bold
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proclaimers
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of the
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resurrection
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of
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Christ.
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And then
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you'll see
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Paul say
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in Romans
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8
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and
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verse
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18
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For I
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consider
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that the
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sufferings
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of this
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present
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time
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are not
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worth
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comparing
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with the
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glory
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that is
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to be
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revealed
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to us.
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So Paul
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so clearly
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set against
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the church
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stood by
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at the
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stoning
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of Stephen
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approved
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of the
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stoning
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of Stephen
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now declaring
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that the
14:27
sufferings
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of this
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present
14:28
time
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for the
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proclamation
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of the
14:30
gospel
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are not
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worth
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comparing
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with the
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glory
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that is
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to be
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revealed
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to us.
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So
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some
14:39
reasons for
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you to
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believe if
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you don't
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already believe
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that Jesus
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is raised
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from the
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dead.
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Now
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then
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Jesus
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was
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resurrected
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but what
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if he
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had not
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been?
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I want
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to show
14:55
you from
14:55
our text
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today
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three ways
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our faith
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would all
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fall apart.
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Number
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one,
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without the
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reality of
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the
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resurrection
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we would
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not have
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protection
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from the
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wrath
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of God.
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Protection
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from the
15:11
wrath
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of God.
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and you
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were
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dead
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in the
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trespasses
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and sins
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in which
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you once
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walked.
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Spiritually
15:25
dead.
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This is not
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a picture
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of
15:28
sickness
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in sin.
15:30
This is
15:30
spiritually
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dead.
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In the
15:33
way
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your life
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practiced
15:36
out,
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this walking
15:38
out,
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you were
15:39
dead
15:40
in those
15:40
trespasses
15:41
and sins.
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You were
15:42
following
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the course
15:44
of this
15:44
world,
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following
15:45
the prince
15:46
of the
15:47
power
15:47
of the
15:48
air,
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the spirit
15:49
that is
15:50
now in
15:50
work
15:50
and the
15:50
sons of
15:51
disobedience.
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And just
15:51
in case
15:51
you don't
15:52
know who
15:52
that is,
15:52
he's
15:52
talking
15:53
about
15:53
Satan
15:53
at this
15:54
point.
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Among
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whom
15:56
we all
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once
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lived
15:58
in the
15:58
passions
15:59
of our
15:59
flesh,
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carrying
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out the
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desires
16:01
of the
16:02
flesh
16:02
and the
16:03
mind
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and
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were
16:04
by
16:05
nature
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children
16:07
of
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wrath
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like the
16:09
rest
16:09
of
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mankind.
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We
16:13
were
16:13
apart
16:13
from
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Christ
16:14
and if
16:14
you're
16:15
apart
16:15
from
16:15
Christ
16:15
this
16:15
morning,
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you
16:16
are
16:17
a
16:18
child
16:18
of
16:19
wrath
16:19
by
16:20
your
16:20
very
16:21
nature.
16:24
This
16:24
wrath
16:25
is a
16:25
thing
16:25
that
16:25
should
16:25
cause
16:26
us
16:26
to
16:27
tremble.
16:28
Great
16:29
fear
16:30
before a
16:30
God
16:31
who is
16:31
angry,
16:32
rightly
16:33
angry
16:33
at
16:34
sin.
16:36
Paul
16:36
writes in
16:37
Romans 1
16:37
verse 18,
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for the
16:38
wrath of
16:39
God
16:39
is revealed
16:40
from
16:40
heaven
16:40
against
16:41
all
16:41
ungodliness
16:42
and
16:42
unrighteousness
16:43
of men
16:43
who by
16:45
their
16:45
unrighteousness
16:46
suppress
16:47
the truth.
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We
16:50
experience in
16:51
this life
16:52
the effect
16:54
of sin.
16:54
We are
16:54
seeing it
16:55
all the
16:55
time
16:56
all around
16:57
us.
16:58
This is a
16:58
judgment
16:59
taking place
17:00
even now
17:01
as trite
17:02
and benign
17:03
as this
17:03
will seem.
17:04
All of
17:05
our
17:05
pollen
17:06
suffering
17:06
this past
17:07
week.
17:07
It's part
17:08
of the
17:08
judgment
17:09
on
17:09
sin.
17:11
But so
17:11
much more
17:12
than that,
17:12
all of the
17:13
things that
17:13
we experience
17:14
that press
17:15
against
17:15
goodness
17:16
in our
17:17
lives
17:18
is God's
17:19
judgment
17:19
in the
17:20
world.
17:20
But it
17:20
is but
17:21
a shadow
17:23
of the
17:24
wrath
17:24
that is
17:25
to come.
17:27
If you
17:28
don't think
17:29
that you
17:29
deserve
17:30
God's
17:30
wrath
17:30
for your
17:31
sin,
17:31
you think
17:31
far
17:32
too much
17:33
of yourself
17:34
and you
17:34
don't think
17:35
nearly
17:35
enough
17:36
of God's
17:37
holiness.
17:40
There is a
17:40
wrath that
17:41
awaits those
17:43
who are not
17:44
found in
17:45
Christ at
17:45
the judgment.
17:47
And just
17:47
hear me
17:48
plead with
17:49
you.
17:50
Seriously
17:51
consider what
17:52
the scripture
17:52
has to say
17:53
about the
17:54
wrath to
17:55
come.
17:55
That
17:55
judgment,
17:56
it does
17:57
await you.
17:59
Flee from
18:00
that wrath
18:01
to
18:01
Christ.
18:04
The
18:04
resurrected
18:04
Christ.
18:07
Without
18:07
the reality
18:07
of the
18:08
resurrection,
18:08
we have
18:09
no protection
18:10
from the
18:11
wrath of
18:12
God.
18:13
But in
18:14
Christ,
18:15
we are
18:15
saved from
18:18
God's
18:18
wrath.
18:20
Look with me
18:21
at two other
18:21
places.
18:22
Paul shows
18:22
that the
18:23
doctrine of
18:23
the
18:24
resurrection
18:24
is integral
18:25
to our
18:26
salvation
18:26
from God's
18:28
wrath.
18:28
You may
18:28
want to
18:28
turn there.
18:29
It's okay
18:29
if you
18:30
don't.
18:30
1 Thessalonians
18:31
chapter 1.
18:32
I read
18:33
verse 9
18:34
and following.
18:36
For they
18:37
themselves
18:37
report
18:37
concerning
18:38
us the
18:39
kind of
18:39
reception
18:39
we had
18:40
among you
18:41
and how
18:41
you turn
18:42
to God
18:43
from idols
18:44
to serve
18:45
the living
18:46
and true
18:48
God
18:48
and to
18:49
wait for
18:50
his son
18:51
from heaven
18:51
whom he
18:52
raised from
18:53
the dead,
18:54
Jesus,
18:55
who delivers
18:56
us from
18:57
the wrath
18:58
to come.
19:00
How is it
19:01
that he
19:01
accomplished
19:02
this work?
19:03
It's the
19:03
doctrine of
19:04
justification.
19:06
A declaration
19:07
by faith
19:09
in Christ
19:09
that we
19:10
are now
19:11
righteous.
19:13
The penalty
19:14
of our
19:14
sin
19:14
expunged.
19:16
Jesus takes
19:17
our sin
19:17
on himself
19:18
on the
19:19
cross.
19:20
He pays
19:20
the penalty
19:21
in full.
19:22
The eternal
19:22
weight of our
19:23
debt paid
19:24
by an
19:25
eternal
19:25
savior.
19:26
But not
19:28
only that,
19:28
we are
19:29
granted
19:30
his
19:31
righteousness,
19:32
his
19:32
perfect
19:33
law
19:33
keeping
19:34
and the
19:34
resurrection
19:35
is the
19:36
proof
19:36
that he
19:37
accomplished
19:38
the task
19:38
that God
19:39
gave him
19:40
to
19:40
accomplish.
19:42
God the
19:43
Father
19:43
raised Jesus
19:44
from the
19:44
dead
19:45
and he
19:45
delivers
19:46
us
19:46
from the
19:48
wrath
19:48
to come.
19:49
Another
19:50
place,
19:50
Romans
19:50
chapter 5,
19:51
also verse
19:52
9 and
19:52
10.
19:53
Since
19:53
therefore we
19:54
have now
19:54
been
19:55
justified,
19:56
by his
19:56
blood,
19:57
much more
19:58
shall we
19:59
be saved
19:59
by him
20:00
from the
20:00
wrath of
20:01
God.
20:02
For
20:03
while we
20:03
were
20:03
enemies,
20:04
we were
20:04
reconciled
20:05
to God
20:06
by the
20:06
death of
20:06
his
20:07
son,
20:07
much more
20:08
now that
20:09
we are
20:09
reconciled,
20:10
shall we
20:11
be saved
20:12
by his
20:13
life.
20:17
Without
20:17
the reality
20:17
of the
20:18
resurrection,
20:18
we would
20:19
not have
20:20
protection
20:20
from the
20:22
wrath of
20:22
God.
20:22
But praise
20:23
God,
20:24
because of
20:24
the
20:24
resurrection,
20:25
we can
20:27
be saved.
20:28
To develop
20:29
that a bit
20:30
further,
20:31
secondly,
20:32
without the
20:32
reality of
20:33
the resurrection,
20:34
we would
20:34
not have
20:35
our sin
20:36
pardoned.
20:39
Verse 4
20:40
begins with
20:41
a blessed
20:42
conjunction.
20:44
It's a
20:45
connection to
20:46
the discourse
20:46
above.
20:47
He says,
20:48
but
20:48
God,
20:50
God,
20:50
you were
20:52
dead in
20:53
your
20:53
trespasses.
20:54
We all
20:55
once
20:55
were this,
20:57
but
20:57
God.
21:00
Not because
21:01
we did
21:01
anything to
21:02
deserve it.
21:03
We were
21:05
this,
21:06
but
21:06
God
21:07
acted.
21:09
Being
21:09
rich
21:10
in
21:11
mercy,
21:12
verse 4
21:12
tells us.
21:14
Abundant
21:15
mercy,
21:15
overflowing
21:16
mercy.
21:17
God is
21:19
himself
21:20
merciful,
21:22
full of
21:23
wrath for
21:24
sin,
21:25
but merciful
21:26
at the
21:26
exact same
21:27
time,
21:28
and always
21:28
being those
21:29
things at
21:30
all times.
21:33
The doctrine
21:34
is called the
21:34
simplicity
21:35
of God,
21:36
and it's
21:36
hard to wrap
21:37
your mind
21:38
around how
21:38
he is who
21:39
he is
21:39
all the
21:40
time,
21:41
and does
21:41
not change.
21:43
but because
21:43
he's
21:44
merciful,
21:45
and because
21:46
he is
21:46
love,
21:47
the text
21:47
goes on,
21:48
because of
21:48
the great
21:49
love with
21:50
which he
21:51
loved us.
21:54
Even
21:55
when we
21:56
were dead
21:56
in our
21:57
trespasses,
21:59
enemies of
22:00
God,
22:01
he made
22:02
us alive
22:03
together
22:03
with Christ.
22:05
Because Christ
22:06
is raised,
22:07
we can be
22:08
made alive
22:09
with Christ.
22:11
by grace
22:13
you have
22:14
been saved.
22:17
And not
22:17
only that,
22:18
we've been
22:18
raised up
22:18
with him
22:19
and seated
22:20
with him
22:20
in the
22:21
heavenly
22:21
places in
22:22
Christ
22:23
Jesus,
22:24
so that
22:24
in the
22:25
coming
22:25
ages,
22:27
that is not
22:28
this age,
22:29
that's the
22:29
ages that
22:30
will come,
22:31
he might
22:32
show the
22:32
immeasurable
22:33
riches of
22:34
his grace
22:35
in kindness
22:36
toward us
22:37
in Christ
22:38
Jesus.
22:39
at our
22:41
Good Friday
22:43
service,
22:43
I read the
22:44
first eight
22:44
chapters from
22:45
a book
22:46
called
22:46
The Biggest
22:47
Story.
22:49
My hope
22:50
for the sake
22:51
of the
22:51
children with
22:52
us that
22:53
evening and
22:53
perhaps for
22:54
some of us
22:54
adults who
22:56
can appreciate
22:56
things simplified
22:58
and in
22:59
childlike
23:00
language,
23:01
myself included,
23:03
was to
23:04
present the
23:04
grand narrative
23:05
of God's
23:06
rescuing work
23:08
in the
23:08
atoning
23:08
death of
23:10
Jesus Christ.
23:11
It's a
23:11
story that
23:11
starts all
23:12
the way
23:12
back at
23:13
creation and
23:15
we live in
23:15
that story
23:16
today.
23:18
Now, I
23:19
don't know
23:19
if that
23:20
reading was
23:20
a hit or
23:21
a miss.
23:23
The kids
23:23
were fussy
23:24
that night,
23:24
I'm not
23:25
sure, and
23:25
it might
23:26
have been
23:26
too long.
23:27
But for
23:28
those children
23:28
paying attention
23:29
that evening
23:29
and perhaps
23:30
a few adults,
23:31
I want to
23:32
spend just a
23:32
little bit
23:33
of my allotted
23:34
time to
23:35
finish reading
23:36
this book.
23:38
So settle
23:39
in with me
23:39
just for a
23:40
moment, and
23:41
then I'll
23:41
turn our
23:42
attention back
23:42
to Ephesians
23:43
2.
23:45
The very
23:47
end of the
23:47
last chapter
23:48
we read,
23:50
after speaking
23:51
of the death
23:52
of Christ,
23:52
says this,
23:54
but the
23:55
biggest surprise
23:56
to everyone
23:56
was that the
23:57
chosen one of
23:58
God was
23:59
chosen by
23:59
God to
24:01
die.
24:02
It just
24:03
didn't seem
24:03
right that the
24:04
one destined
24:04
to crush the
24:05
serpent would
24:06
be crushed
24:06
himself.
24:08
So when
24:08
Jesus, the
24:09
Christ, the
24:10
Son of the
24:10
living God,
24:11
died on the
24:11
cross that
24:12
Friday afternoon,
24:13
it seemed a
24:14
shocking evil
24:15
beyond belief.
24:18
And it was
24:18
the worst
24:20
thing that's
24:21
ever happened
24:21
in the
24:22
world.
24:23
But it was
24:24
also the
24:25
best thing
24:26
that's ever
24:26
happened in
24:26
the world,
24:27
just as we
24:28
would expect
24:29
from God,
24:29
and just as
24:30
God planned
24:31
it.
24:33
We break
24:33
promises,
24:34
so God
24:35
keeps his.
24:36
We run
24:37
from God,
24:37
so he
24:37
comes to
24:38
us.
24:39
We suffer
24:39
for sin,
24:40
so the
24:41
Savior suffers
24:42
for us.
24:44
Our story
24:45
is the story
24:45
of God
24:45
doing what
24:46
we can't
24:47
in order to
24:47
make up for
24:48
us doing
24:48
what we
24:49
shouldn't.
24:50
The Christ
24:51
suffers for
24:52
our sin that
24:52
we might
24:53
share in
24:53
his
24:54
sinlessness.
24:56
And so
24:57
deliverers are
24:58
born to
24:58
die.
24:59
Things fall
25:00
apart so they
25:00
can come
25:01
together.
25:01
God kicks
25:02
his own
25:03
people out
25:04
of paradise
25:04
and then
25:05
does whatever
25:05
it takes
25:06
to bring
25:07
them back
25:08
again.
25:10
As you
25:11
may have
25:11
heard and
25:12
should definitely
25:12
tell someone
25:13
else,
25:14
the snake
25:15
crusher who
25:15
died on the
25:16
cross didn't
25:17
stay dead.
25:20
He couldn't.
25:21
Death had no
25:22
claim on him.
25:23
The devil had
25:24
no case against
25:25
him.
25:26
And sin had
25:27
no wages for
25:27
him that he
25:28
couldn't pay.
25:30
Jesus just
25:31
couldn't stay
25:31
dead and God
25:32
just wouldn't
25:33
let him rot
25:33
in the tomb.
25:35
So on the
25:35
third day,
25:37
God raised
25:37
him from
25:39
the dead.
25:40
A whole
25:41
bunch of
25:41
people saw
25:42
him and
25:42
ate with
25:43
him and
25:43
told their
25:43
friends that
25:44
he was
25:45
really alive.
25:48
Forty days
25:49
later, God
25:50
lifted him into
25:50
the sky and
25:51
gave him the
25:52
seat of honor
25:53
at his right
25:54
hand.
25:56
And you
25:57
know what
25:57
the snake
25:58
crusher did
25:59
next?
25:59
Jesus, because
26:01
his work was
26:01
done, he
26:03
sat down.
26:05
And God
26:05
gave him the
26:06
name above
26:06
all names so
26:07
that at the
26:07
name of
26:08
Jesus, everybody
26:09
and everything
26:10
would start to
26:10
sing and
26:11
shout and
26:13
worship.
26:14
Then just to
26:15
make things even
26:16
better and to
26:17
make good on
26:17
even more
26:18
promises, God
26:19
the Father and
26:20
God the Son sent
26:21
the best present
26:22
of all time down
26:23
to earth.
26:25
They gave the
26:25
gift of the
26:25
Holy Spirit.
26:27
And because of
26:27
the Spirit, we
26:28
can have power and
26:29
peace and the
26:30
presence of
26:31
Christ with
26:31
us all the
26:33
time.
26:36
As you can
26:36
tell, this
26:37
story is a
26:38
big story.
26:38
In fact, it's
26:40
the biggest
26:40
story.
26:42
It's a familiar
26:43
story to some
26:43
of us.
26:44
It's a true
26:45
story for all
26:46
of us.
26:47
But we haven't
26:47
seen the end
26:48
of the story,
26:49
not yet.
26:51
We live in the
26:52
beginning of the
26:53
end of the
26:54
story that we
26:55
are still in
26:55
the middle of.
26:57
We know it's
26:58
not the end
26:58
because we
26:59
haven't made
26:59
it back to
27:01
the garden.
27:02
We get
27:02
glimpses of
27:03
the garden
27:03
here and
27:04
there, in
27:04
our hearts,
27:05
in our
27:05
families, in
27:06
the church.
27:08
But anyone
27:08
who loves this
27:09
story longs to
27:10
see the one
27:11
who is the
27:12
center of the
27:13
story.
27:14
The snake
27:15
crusher is
27:16
coming back
27:16
again to
27:17
wipe away all
27:18
the bad guys
27:19
and wipe away
27:20
every tear.
27:21
He's coming
27:22
to make a new
27:22
beginning and to
27:23
finish what he
27:24
started.
27:25
He's coming to
27:25
give us the
27:26
home we once
27:27
had and might
27:28
have forgotten
27:28
that we lost.
27:31
So keep
27:31
waiting for
27:32
him.
27:33
Keep believing
27:33
in him.
27:35
Keep trusting
27:35
that the story
27:36
isn't over
27:37
yet.
27:38
God's promises
27:39
never fail
27:40
and the
27:41
promised one
27:42
never
27:42
disappoints.
27:45
One day we
27:46
will see him.
27:47
One day we
27:48
will be with
27:49
him.
27:50
One day there
27:51
will be nothing
27:51
but the best of
27:52
days, day
27:53
after day
27:54
after day
27:56
after day
27:57
and forever
27:58
and ever
27:59
it will be a
28:00
wonderful time
28:01
to be God's
28:01
children in
28:02
God's wonderful
28:04
world.
28:06
We live in
28:08
the beginning
28:08
of the end
28:09
of the story
28:10
that we are
28:11
still in the
28:12
middle of.
28:14
We have
28:15
so much
28:17
to look
28:18
forward to.
28:20
Our
28:20
sin is
28:22
pardoned
28:23
by faith
28:24
in the
28:25
resurrected
28:26
Christ.
28:28
Verse 8
28:29
says,
28:30
For by grace
28:31
you have been
28:31
saved through
28:32
faith.
28:33
And this is
28:34
not your own
28:34
doing, it is
28:35
the gift
28:36
of God,
28:37
not a
28:38
result of
28:39
works,
28:40
so that no
28:41
one may
28:42
boast.
28:44
What a
28:44
wonderful,
28:45
blessed thing
28:45
it is that
28:46
we are not
28:46
asked to
28:47
earn our
28:47
salvation,
28:48
because none
28:49
of us
28:49
would be
28:50
saved if
28:51
this was
28:51
the case.
28:52
none of
28:53
us would
28:54
measure up
28:54
to the
28:55
perfect
28:55
expectation
28:56
of God.
28:57
We would
28:57
all
28:58
fail.
29:00
Christianity
29:00
is the
29:01
only world
29:02
religion
29:02
that gets
29:03
this right,
29:06
understands
29:06
our sinful
29:07
state,
29:09
our deadness
29:10
in our
29:10
trespasses
29:11
and sins,
29:13
and presents
29:14
to us
29:14
a God,
29:15
the true
29:16
living God,
29:17
who acts
29:18
on our
29:19
behalf,
29:20
because he's
29:21
merciful and
29:22
he's full
29:23
of love.
29:25
So we
29:26
get to
29:26
live and
29:28
be free
29:29
in him,
29:30
free to
29:31
obey,
29:32
a faith
29:32
that finds
29:34
itself
29:34
working,
29:36
but not a
29:37
faith that
29:38
thinks it
29:38
earns
29:39
salvation.
29:42
Paul says
29:42
in Galatians
29:43
6.14,
29:44
far be it
29:45
for me to
29:46
boast,
29:46
except in
29:48
the cross
29:48
of our
29:49
Lord,
29:50
Jesus
29:50
Christ.
29:52
Now Paul
29:53
is not the
29:53
only one
29:54
who closely
29:54
unites the
29:55
doctrine of
29:55
resurrection
29:56
with our
29:56
salvation.
29:58
Peter says
29:58
in 1 Peter
29:59
chapter 1
29:59
verse 3,
30:00
blessed be
30:00
the God
30:01
and Father
30:01
of our
30:01
Lord,
30:01
Jesus
30:02
Christ.
30:03
According
30:03
to his
30:03
great mercy,
30:04
he has
30:05
caused us
30:05
to be
30:06
born again
30:07
to a
30:08
living hope
30:09
through the
30:09
resurrection
30:10
of Jesus
30:11
Christ
30:11
from the
30:13
dead.
30:15
Beloved,
30:15
we do not
30:16
differ in
30:17
degree,
30:19
but in
30:19
kind,
30:21
born again,
30:22
new
30:23
creation.
30:25
If you
30:26
are in
30:26
Christ,
30:27
then you
30:27
have been
30:28
made alive
30:29
eternally
30:30
because
30:31
Jesus
30:31
is
30:33
alive.
30:36
Listen to
30:36
what Jesus
30:37
says in
30:37
Luke chapter
30:38
20 and
30:38
verse 36.
30:41
They cannot
30:42
die
30:42
anymore,
30:44
those who
30:45
are in
30:45
heaven,
30:46
because they
30:46
are equal
30:48
to angels
30:48
and are
30:49
sons of
30:50
God,
30:51
being sons
30:52
of the
30:54
resurrection.
30:56
Without the
30:57
reality of
30:58
the resurrection,
30:58
we would
30:59
not have
30:59
our sin
31:00
pardoned.
31:03
And then
31:04
lastly,
31:04
without the
31:05
resurrection,
31:06
we would
31:06
not have
31:07
the presence
31:08
of Jesus.
31:12
Have you
31:12
ever imagined
31:13
what it might
31:13
be like to
31:14
walk with
31:14
Jesus?
31:15
on the
31:16
earth.
31:17
The road
31:18
to Emmaus
31:18
where he
31:19
expounds
31:19
all of
31:20
the Old
31:20
Testament
31:21
and shows
31:21
how it
31:22
all points
31:22
to him
31:23
as the
31:23
moment I
31:23
would have
31:24
wanted to
31:24
experience.
31:27
If you
31:27
consider that
31:28
it's a
31:28
better thing
31:29
still,
31:31
that is
31:31
given to
31:32
us the
31:33
spirit
31:34
of Christ.
31:36
We have
31:36
his very
31:36
presence with
31:37
us by
31:38
faith in
31:39
him.
31:41
Verse 10
31:41
says,
31:41
for we
31:42
are his
31:43
workmanship
31:43
created in
31:44
Christ Jesus
31:45
for good
31:46
works,
31:46
which God
31:47
prepared
31:47
beforehand
31:48
that we
31:49
should walk
31:49
in them.
31:51
Paul's
31:51
going to
31:51
go on
31:52
to talk
31:52
about God
31:53
working in
31:54
us to
31:54
will and
31:55
to work
31:55
for his
31:56
good
31:57
pleasure.
31:58
John 14
32:01
15
32:02
and following
32:02
there Jesus
32:03
says,
32:03
if you
32:03
love me
32:04
you will
32:05
keep my
32:05
commandments
32:06
and I
32:07
lost the
32:07
father and
32:08
he will
32:08
give you
32:08
another
32:09
helper
32:09
to be
32:10
with you
32:11
forever.
32:13
Even the
32:13
spirit of
32:14
truth whom
32:14
the world
32:15
cannot receive
32:15
because it
32:16
neither sees
32:16
him nor
32:17
knows him
32:17
you know
32:18
him for
32:19
he dwells
32:20
with you
32:21
and will
32:21
be in
32:23
you.
32:24
I will
32:24
not leave
32:25
you as
32:25
orphans.
32:26
I will
32:26
come to
32:27
you.
32:27
Yet a
32:28
little
32:28
while
32:29
in the
32:29
world
32:29
will
32:29
see
32:29
me
32:30
no
32:30
more
32:30
but
32:30
you
32:30
will
32:31
see
32:32
me
32:32
because
32:33
I
32:33
live
32:34
you
32:35
also
32:36
will
32:37
live.
32:40
Paul
32:40
writes in
32:40
Romans 8
32:41
verse 9
32:42
and following
32:42
you however
32:43
are not
32:44
in the
32:44
flesh
32:44
but in
32:45
the
32:45
spirit
32:45
if in
32:45
fact
32:46
the
32:46
spirit
32:46
of
32:47
God
32:47
dwells
32:47
in
32:48
you.
32:49
Anyone
32:49
who does
32:49
not
32:49
have
32:50
the
32:50
spirit
32:50
of
32:50
Christ
32:51
does
32:51
not
32:51
belong
32:51
to
32:51
him.
32:52
But
32:53
if
32:53
Christ
32:53
is
32:53
in
32:54
you
32:54
although
32:55
the
32:55
body
32:55
is
32:55
dead
32:55
because
32:56
of
32:56
sin
32:56
the
32:56
spirit
32:57
is
32:57
life
32:57
because
32:58
of
32:58
righteousness
32:58
the
32:59
spirit
33:00
of
33:00
him
33:00
who
33:00
raised
33:00
Jesus
33:01
from
33:01
the
33:01
dead
33:01
dwells
33:02
in
33:02
you
33:02
he
33:03
who
33:03
raised
33:03
Christ
33:04
Jesus
33:04
from
33:04
the
33:04
dead
33:04
will
33:04
also
33:05
give
33:05
life
33:06
to
33:06
your
33:06
mortal
33:06
bodies
33:07
through
33:08
his
33:08
spirit
33:08
who
33:09
dwells
33:10
in
33:10
you.
33:11
The
33:11
resurrected
33:12
Christ
33:13
dwells
33:13
in
33:14
all
33:15
who
33:16
believe
33:16
in
33:17
him.
33:19
The
33:19
resurrected
33:19
Christ
33:20
says in
33:20
Matthew
33:21
chapter
33:21
28
33:21
verse
33:22
20
33:22
behold
33:23
I
33:23
am
33:23
with
33:24
you
33:24
always
33:25
to
33:26
the
33:26
end
33:27
of
33:28
the
33:28
age.
33:29
In
33:29
Romans
33:30
6
33:30
9
33:30
we
33:30
know
33:31
that
33:31
Christ
33:31
being
33:32
raised
33:32
from
33:32
the
33:32
dead
33:33
will
33:33
never
33:34
die
33:35
again.
33:36
Death
33:37
no
33:37
longer
33:38
has
33:38
dominion
33:39
over
33:40
him.
33:41
What a
33:42
thing
33:42
to consider
33:43
because
33:44
Jesus
33:45
lives
33:46
we have
33:47
his
33:47
presence
33:48
with
33:49
us
33:49
now
33:50
through
33:50
his
33:50
spirit
33:51
and
33:51
forever
33:52
more
33:53
as we
33:54
live
33:54
with
33:54
him
33:55
in
33:55
eternity.
33:57
So
33:57
without
33:57
the
33:58
reality
33:58
of
33:58
the
33:58
resurrection
33:59
we
33:59
would
33:59
not
33:59
have
33:59
protection
34:00
from
34:00
the
34:00
wrath
34:00
of
34:00
God
34:01
our
34:01
sin
34:01
pardoned
34:02
or
34:02
the
34:02
presence
34:03
of
34:04
Jesus
34:04
and
34:04
so
34:05
praise
34:05
be
34:06
to
34:06
God
34:07
that
34:07
Jesus
34:07
is
34:08
in
34:08
fact
34:09
raised
34:10
from
34:11
the
34:11
dead.
34:12
All
34:12
of the
34:13
promises
34:13
of
34:14
God
34:14
find
34:14
their
34:15
yes
34:15
and
34:16
amen
34:17
in
34:17
the
34:17
resurrected
34:18
Christ.
34:20
Let's
34:20
pray
34:20
together.