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A Sermon by Dr. Bob Griffin, Teaching Elder at Sovereign Grace Church
**WELCOME:
**SCRIPTURE: I Cor. 15 and John 3:16 “For God so loved the world (not just the Jews) that He gave His one and only Son for atonement, so that the believing ones will never perish but have everlasting life.”
**HYMN: “HE LIVES”
1 I serve a risen Savior
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.
Chorus:
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.
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,
Through all the stormy blast;
The day of His appearing
Will come at last.
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.
**PASTORAL PRAYER:
**HYMN: “CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAY”
1 Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!
2 Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!
3 Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!
4 Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
**SPECIAL MUSIC: “WATCH THE LAMB”
**MESSAGE: THE GOOD NEWS MEETS MY LONGINGS
#1 I WANT TO CHANGE
>>1. NEGATIVE – I Cor 15:14 “If Christ HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, then our preaching is worthless.”
(also II Cor 6:4-5 “By great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger”)
>>2. POSITIVE – But since Christ HAS BEEN RAISED, our message is NOT futile
#2 I WANT TO BELIEVE SOMETHING REAL
>>1. NEGATIVE I Cor 15:14b If Christ HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, then “your faith is worthless.” (also I Cor. 15:17a If Christ HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, then “your faith is futile.”)
(also I Cor 15:3-4 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures”; Gal 2:20 “The life I live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me”)
>>2. POSITIVE – But since Christ HAS BEEN RAISED, our faith is NOT empty
#3 I WANT TRUE RELIGION
>>1. NEGATIVE – I Cor 15:15 If Christ HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, “we are found to be misrepresenting God [literally: we are false witnesses], because we testified of God that He raised Christ.”
>>2. POSITIVE – But since Christ HAS BEEN RAISED, the apostles are not false witnesses about the work of God.
(also Jn 14:6 Jesus came into the world to say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life”)
#4 I WANT FORGIVENESS FOR MY SIN
>>1. NEGATIVE – I Cor. 15:17b If Christ HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, then “you are still in your sins.”
>>2. POSITIVE – But since Christ HAS BEEN RAISED, we are not still in our sins.
(also II Cor 5:20 “For our sake God made His Son to be sin (Who knew no sin), so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Rom 4:25 “He was handed over [to death] on account of our transgressions, and he was raised on account of our justification.”)
#5 I WANT HOPE FOR ETERNITY
>>1. NEGATIVE – I Cor 15:18 If Christ HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, then “those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.”
(also I Thes 4:13; 18 “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as do the others who have no hope. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
>>2. POSITIVE – But since Christ HAS BEEN RAISED, the dead in Christ have not perished
#6 I WANT ASSURANCE
>>1. NEGATIVE – I Cor 15:19 If Christ HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, then “we are of all men most to be pitied.”
>>2. POSITIVE – But since Christ HAS BEEN RAISED, we are not to be pitied
(also II Cor 4:17 “This slight momentary affliction is working for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison”
STILL THE GOOD NEWS TODAY
THEREFORE, I LOVE GOD FOR WHO HE IS
I Cor 15:58 “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
THEREFORE, I LOVE GOD FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE
CONCLUDING HYMN “THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU”
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord lift his countenance upon you,
and give you peace,
and give you peace.
The Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious,
and be gracious;
The Lord be gracious, gracious unto you.
Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen,
Amen, Amen, Amen.