Jesus Is Risen! (Resurrection Sunday)

16 April 2017 (11.30am service, New Creation Church at Star Vista)
 - Sermon delivered by Pastor Joseph Prince

Sermon Notes (Note: These are personal notes and not a transcription of the sermon.) 

I. He Is risen indeed!

Romans 4:24-25

but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

He was raised because of our offences. We all know why Jesus went to the cross. It is not because He has sins that He has to pay for. He did no sin; in Him there was no sin; He knew no sin.

We are caught in the battle of the ages. The devil is no more cunning than telling you – you are not holy enough, you are not righteous enough, you have not studied your bible enough, etc.

Psalm 89:14

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.

God loves man. However, He is full of righteousness and justice. The devil was thinking — if man were to sin, how can God still love man. Thus, the devil is trying to trap God. We are caught in the battle of the ages.

II.         Two stories

1.   The story of Daniel.

The king tenderly loved Daniel, as Daniel had an excellent spirit. The other two governors and other princes were jealous as Daniel rose to the rank. They tried to find fault in him, and found one fault— he worshipped God. Daniel prayed 3 times per day at the balcony towards Jerusalem to God. They decided to trap Daniel with this deed of his.

Daniel 6:7-16

All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter." Therefore King Darius signed the written decree. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king's decree: "Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?" The king answered and said, "The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter." So they answered and said before the king, "That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day." And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed." So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."

All the governors of the kingdom referred to three governors, including Daniel.

They went to the king and present to him that “whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days [except the king] shall be cast into the den of lions". They flattered the king and appealed to his pride. The king even thought that Daniel was behind this too.

Daniel knew about this plan of the governors, and yet he went to the balcony and worshiped God.

When Daniel knelt down on his knees three times that day, prayed and gave thanks before his God, the king at his throne had no ability to carry out what he wanted though he was greatly displeased with himself. It was a wicked law targeted at a good man, and yet the king was powerless.

Once the king put his seal on it, he could not change it. It’s a case of being powerless against the law. The king was displeased with himself. It is when love is powerless against the law.

The king said to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."

Daniel went into the lions’ den and God shut the mouth of the lions.

Daniel went into the den of the lions. He has served his sentence, and gone through the judgment.

We have been through the judgment through the body of Jesus who bore my sins. Jesus bore my judgment and I am free. The promised seed, dragon slayer and death destroyer have come in the new testament.

God’s heart is mercy, and his throne is righteous.

2.   The story of the adulteress

In another story, Jesus was tested on how He would handle the situation of one who has committed adultery by teachers of laws and the Pharisees:

John 8:3-8

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?"  This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.  So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.

As Jesus was writing on the ground, His fingers touched the stones. If Jesus were to say, “Don’t stone her”, he was not keeping Moses’s laws

However, if He were to say, “stone her”, He would not be demonstrating His grace.

He could stone her but he would not. Jesus did not compromise his righteousness with His answer.

The sinner was eventually left alone with the saviour. He said to the lady:

"Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." (John 8:11)

  

In this story, this woman is guilty (it’s a just and holy law). However, there is also a dilemma presented.

In Daniel’s case, a wicked law against a godly man was presented.

In the second story, the woman was outwardly guilty. If the Pharisees really care about the law, they did not have to bring the woman to Jesus. The whole thing was targeted at Jesus.

The king in the story of Daniel adhered to the righteousness of the law.

Sometimes as a leader, we have to do justice to save the rest. In our hearts, we love mercy.

Lucifer is aiming towards God.

God gave the 10 commandments twice.  Moses broke the first set of the 10 commandments given. The second set of the 10 commandments was given to Moses again. However, it was placed at the ark of the covenant.

Jesus stood down and wrote twice. He wrote on the stony ground. Jesus’s finger was on the stone. This reminded the Pharisees that He was the one who gave Moses the law. Now, grace and truth must come. Here, He revealed His heart, while the Old Testament revealed His hand.

He was demonstrating by his action—I was the one who wrote the law, and since you were so zealous of the law, “he who has without sin among you, throw the first stone”.

They would stone her but they could not. He could stone her but He would not. Here, the law is now powerless against love, and yet the Lord upheld the law.

The law is righteous, unbending and inflexibly righteous, only grace can save us.

He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.- Jesus was the only one who is without sin. However, He did not cast a stone.

One by one, the accusers all left.

Jesus asked the woman, “Where are those accusers?” and told her, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.”

First, there is no condemnation, and then the sinners have the power to go and sin no more.

Jesus freed the woman, however, sin is still the sin. When people receive the gift of no condemnation, they will sin no more.

The cross changes everything. Jesus was punished and judged on our behalf. God is righteous in making us righteous.

Romans 3:24-26

being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

How could Jesus “pass over” the sin of the woman? He was going to pay for it at the cross.

He paid for the woman’s sins, He paid for all our sins at the cross.

III.      Conclusion

Romans 5:17

For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

It’s not “work of righteousness”. It’s the “gift of righteousness”.

Because of the cross, the law cannot successfully condemn you.

Isaiah 54:13-14

All your children shall be taught by the Lord, And great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; And from terror, for it shall not come near you.

All the children must be taught, not “about” the Lord but “by” the Lord. In righteousness, you shall be established.

Proverbs 17:15

Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both.

Isaiah 54:17

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me," Says the Lord.

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and your righteousness is from the Lord.

Isaiah: 54:13-14

All your children shall be taught by the Lord, And great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; And from terror, for it shall not come near you.

“Far from oppression” and you will not fear. You will be at the right place at the right time.

Matthew 6:31-33

Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

If you do that, all the things that you desire will come with it.

Many of us are pursuing things. We have been pursuing things and cannot attain any result.

If you put the primary thing (righteousness) in the primary place, the secondary things (the lower needs) will be added to you.

If you put secondary things (for instance, working to get wealthier) in the primary place, you will forfeit the primary blessings, and there is no promise that you can even get the secondary blessing.

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