What Difference Does Easter Make?

Chauncey Spencer, does an awesome job of keeping the message in an outlined form each Sunday, a great teaching tool.  It is my goal to share this outline each week.

The verbs within the following message stand out to me.  Jesus is, has, and does.  He is NOT dead, no past tense.  He still is, still has, and still does when it comes to us on a daily basis.  "Can be" makes an impression as well.  Our past can be forgiven, our present problems can be managed, and our future can be secured.  They can be but only ARE when we accept what is being offered to us.  We need to accept the forgiveness, to accept the eternal life offered, to accept Christ as our Savior - the only one who changes "CAN BE" to "IS".

What does the Resurrection Mean?


1. Jesus is who he claimed to be.

     "I am the Resurrection and the Life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies." John 11:25

     "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one can get to God the Father except by means of me."     John 14:6 (LB)

2. Jesus has the power he claimed to have.

     "All power in heaven and on earth is given to me." Matt 28:18 (Ph)

     "No one takes my life from me.  I have the power to lay it down and I have the power to take it up  again."   John 10:18 (Ph)

3. Jesus does what he promises to do.

     "They will mock...and flog... and kill me; but after three days I will come back to life again." Matt. 10: 34 (LB)

     "The angel said, "Don't be frightened!  I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified, but he isn't here!  He has come back to life again, just as he said he would." Matt. 28:5-6 (LB)

Why Does the Resurrection Matter?

1. My past can be forgiven.

"He has forgiven all our sins... and canceled every record of the debt we owed; Christ has done away with it by nailing it to the cross." Col. 3:14 (JB)

"There is no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ." Rom. 8:1 (LB)

2. My present problems can be managed.

"How incredibly great is his power to help those who believe Him... the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead!" Eph. 1:20 (LB)

"I am ready for anything through the strength of Christ who lives in me." Phil. 4:13

3. My future can be secured.

"This is the way to have eternal life - by knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ, the one he sent to earth!" John 17:3 (LB)

"We have been born again into a life full of hope through Christ's rising from the dead." 1 Peter 1:3

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