Christ is Risen!

Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen!

This is the cry that goes out today. It goes out all through the former Soviet Union (Amazing), it goes out through all the House Churches in Communist China (Amazing), It goes out through Christians living in Muslim controlled Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and throughout the middle east (Amazing).

In prison cells around the world where Christians are being persecuted for their faith they too are proclaiming these words to each other. In the United States of America, In Canada, in South America, in Europe and throughout Africa and with all of you at Alpha and Omega we greet each other with the phrase which proclaims the fact that Christ is Risen indeed. Because Jesus makes all the difference in the world.

I came to Ukraine in 1993 it was seven years after Chernobyl (1986) and four years after perestroika (1989). I came not knowing what would happen or if I would ever return to Canada. I came because I was invited to come and share with students this wonderful message of God’s love, the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ and the hope over death because Christ is risen! Christ for me changes everything. Christ for me is the hope of glory. It is knowing that in the end when we die we have heaven as our home because of what Christ has done for us. However, if you have never heard and placed your faith in Jesus Christ then there is no hope, no salvation, no glory and that is tragic. God loves Ukrainians so much that He died on the cross for you so that you may have eternity with Him. I love Ukrainians too that is why I, from the age of 35 – 47 (12 years), was in Ukraine and had the wonderful opportunity of being a servant for Jesus sake and sharing the crucified and risen Christ with all of you. Those were some of the best years of my life even though it was so difficult at times and even though I did not know if I would ever come back to Canada. Christ makes all the difference in my life and I hope and pray that He makes all the difference in yours too.

Within the last few years the world has experienced a number of earth quakes. In 2010 there were two great earth quakes one in Haiti and one in Chile. Statistics tell us that there were 250 lesser earthquakes in 2010. Remember the Earth Quake in Indonesia that changed the lives of thousands of people. Remember the earthquake at Christ Church, New Zealand that also effected so many lives. Then there were earthquakes in China and now the big earthquakes in Japan. Earthquakes bring change in so many different ways. Earthquakes can happen anytime and once again I am reminded of how fragile life is and where is it that I have placed my hope? Sometimes our lives get on a tragic course as we give in to temptation and sin. How many of you today who are listening are caught in some addiction or negative thought process or are slowly poisoning a relationship with negative words, hurtful words, reminding someone always of the past instead of moving ahead with hope into the future? Or anytime someone has an idea different from yours you shut it down instead of seeing how God can use it? How many of you today are caught in a situation that seems to have no way out, no hope!

Have you ever noticed in the account of Jesus death and resurrection there were two powerful earthquakes. The first earthquake we read of in Matthew 27:51 and here it is, we begin with verse 50.

“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.”

Amazing the power of God! Amazing how God can change things in a moment in the twinkling of an eye! The temple curtain was torn in two. This was the curtain that separated the inner sanctuary of God’s presence where everyone feared to go, and the temple where only Jewish men could be. The temple curtain torn in two indicated that the separation between man and God has changed because of Christ. Now each of us have access to God through Christ and it all changed in a moment. The graves broke open and the bodies of many holy people were raised to life. Death has no more victory! God has conquered death!

The next earthquake we read about is in Matthew 28:2:

“There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.”

One earthquake proclaimed victory over death and the second earthquake proclaimed opens the possibility for others to see that Jesus is not dead but alive and resurrected as the stone of the tomb was rolled away not to let Jesus out but to let you and me see in.And so we see that God is all powerful and that all is under His control and power. Now, if God can rip apart the curtain that separates us from Him and if He can split rocks and open tombs and raise the dead and do things that seem impossible then what can He do and is He doing in your life?

Today, God’s power in Jesus Christ is for YOU! He comes with His earthquake power to break you free from the sin that so powerfully grabs your life. He breaks open the tomb of despair that robs you of joy, the graves of distress that keep you in sin and he rolls away the stone in front of a hardened heart to give you forgiveness, healing, love and resurrection joy. The earthquake of God’s love is Jesus Christ whom people thought they could destroy on a cross but that cross was the one that destroyed your sin and that cross where Christ died won for you and me freedom and Christ did not stay on that cross but he rose again and in that resurrection is your resurrection and mine. He comes to you to give you new life, a new chance, a new relationship so that all the relationships that you are in now, may begin new and fresh and with His power and forgiveness and love. His is an earth shattering love that breaks the bonds of sin, hopelessness and despair and gives forgiveness from the past, power to live for today and hope for tomorrow. Christ is risen! Christ is risen! Christ is risen! For you and for me.

That is why people in the former soviet union, like yourselves proclaim this (Amazing). This is why people in communist China proclaim this. (Amazing), This is why Christians in Muslim countries all over the world proclaim this (awesome)! This is why we proclaim Christ is Risen because His death and resurrection makes all the difference – in our past, for today and for tomorrow! Now that is something to rejoice about! Amazing!. Are you ready? I ask that you receive this prayer as yours.

Dear Heavenly Father, you know when we sit and when we stand. You know where we sit and where we stand, you know the thoughts in our mind even before we speak them. You know how our hearts have been hardened over certain things and because of certain people and we know that this is not right. Lord, forgive us. Lord, help us when we think nothing will change in our lives or the lives of those around us for as you have reminded me once again that you have all power to shake the earth, and you have destroyed Satan’s control of things and so I ask you now to come into my heart and change my thinking so that my mind may be renewed and not conformed to the pattern of this world. Give to me the mind of Christ so that my actions may reflect Christ to others and not my sin nature. Lord, you have resurrected so that I may have life and not just life after death but life abundantly and so I invite you to come with your resurrection power to change me, make me into the man of God or woman of God that you want me to be, for I know that with you nothing is impossible and with me nothing is possible. Father God fill me with Christ so that I may love as Christ loves, so that I may care as Christ cares and that I may serve as Christ serves by the empowering of your Holy Spirit. Thank you for your amazing forgiveness, love and resurrection joy… I pray this in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.