BECAUSE HE LIVES

JESUS IS ALIVE; HE IS RISEN

I Corinthians 15:20

But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone; because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living, just because He lives." 

JESUS is alive and He holds the future. Because He lives eternity with Him is assured. There are 5 assurances that stem from the resurrection of JESUS:

1. Christianity is validated - because He lives, those who believe in Him will live with Him.

2. Our Salvation is guaranteed. JESUS arose from the dead, defeating death and darkness, in Him, we have light and life.

3.We are assured that JESUS is the Son of GOD. JESUS is GOD and sits at the right hand of the Father in glory.

4. Because He lives, the power of GOD is proven as sovereignty over all. All entities are under the feet of the sovereign GOD, there is nothing  above Him.

5. Because He lives, we shall live also.

The resurrection of JESUS erased all doubt and questions. JESUS is alive and He lives to make intercession for all people.

HALLELUJAH!! CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAY.

IT IS FINISHED;DEATH IS VANQUISHED

John 19:30

When JESUS, therefore, had received the vinegar, He said, IT IS FINISHED; and He bowed His Head, and dismissed His Spirit.

IT IS FINISHED

The cry of JESUS resounds in our heart, as we hear the shout of victory in the midst of great agony. What does this shout mean? 

1. the plan of Salvation through the Blood of JESUS was completed. Death is vanquished and the new and living way is open. The shout was the shout of the servant JESUS who had completed His work on earth, the Salvation of the world. (John 3:16).

2. This was the cry of the Priest, JESUS, who was the Lamb of GOD without spot or blemish, willingly submitting His flesh to be the perfect sacrifice for us.

3. this was the shout of the merchant who paid our debt in full. "We had a debt that we couldn't pay; He paid the dept He didn't owe." 

Through the Blood of JESUS we are redeemed and set free to walk in the Light of Life. JESUS is the perfect offering for our sin and His Blood cleanses us from all guilt and shame. 

COME UNTO HIM, ALL YE WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY BURDENED AND JESUS WILL GIVE YOU REST; TAKE HIS YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN OF HIM FOR HE IS MEEK AND LOWLY OF HEART AND YOU WILL FIND REST UNTO YOUR SOUL.

IT IS FINISHED; DEATH IS BEATEN AND HEAVEN IS OPEN TO ALL WHO BELIEVE IN ME.  JESUS IS LORD.

JESUS BORE OUR BURDENS

I Peter 2:23, 24

Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously; Who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.

JESUS, THE BURDEN BEARER

Yesterday we looked at JESUS riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, the symbol of peace. We saw that JESUS is our peace; Who came in peace and tore down the dividing wall between GOD and man. Today we look at JESUS riding into Jerusalem on the back of the donkey, a burden bearer.

JESUS bore our sins on the cross, so that sin and death would have to yield to righteousness and life. In JESUS we are declared righteous and are given eternal life. His Blood reconciles us to GOD and the middle wall has been destroyed, once and for all time, by the willing sacrifice of JESUS.

When JESUS was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He didn't threaten, but committed Himself to GOD. We, who love the LORD JESUS have this pattern to follow, and the burden bearer, JESUS, redeems us by His Blood.

BY HIS BLOOD, HE RECONCILED US; BY HIS WOUNDS WE WERE HEALED.

JESUS CAME IN PEACE

Ephesians 2: 13, 14

But now in Christ JESUS ye who once were far off are made near by the Blood of Christ. For He IS OUR PEACE, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.

JESUS, WHO IS PEACE CAME IN PEACE.

The lowly donkey carried the King of Kings and LORD of LORDS into Jerusalem. The Donkey is the symbol of humility and peace; not power and war. JESUS came to earth with one purpose, the redemption of all creation, not by war, but by peace.

Peace has another meaning, it means unity. JESUS came to break down the dividing wall between man and GOD; to make peace. That middle wall was marked by sin and JESUS broke it down by taking the sin of the world and crucifying it upon the cross.  When the veil of the Temple was rent in two from top to bottom, the middle wall was torn down and man was to have access to the Throne of Grace for ever and ever. 

THE BLOOD OF JESUS RECONCILES US TO GOD; HE IS OUR PEACE.

TRIUMPHAL ENTRY

Psalm 148: 1-5

Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens; praise Him in the heights. Praise ye Him, all angels of His; praise ye Him, all His hosts. Praise ye Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars of light. Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that are above the heavens. Let them praise the Name of the LORD; for He commanded, and they were created.

Psalm 150: 6

Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD, Praise ye the LORD.

All things in the heavens and on earth were "commanded" and "were created". All created things know their creator and praise Him for their being. When we praise the LORD, we are joining our voice with all creation, in one, endless shout of praise to the One who spoke all things into existance.

Think about your breath! Praise GOD that you have breath, because He has ordained you to breathe today. Your breath is a gift from GOD, use it to give Him the worship and praise due His Name.

CHRIST OUR PASSOVER IS SACRIFICED FOR US; THEREFORE, LET US KEEP THE FEAST.

TRIUMPHAL ENTRY

Psalm 47: 1,2, 3

Oh, clap your hands, all ye peoples; shout unto GOD with the voice of triumph. For the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet.

Applause is a type of praise; it is normal, in creation, that the thunder of clapping can be heard. Listen to the trees, or the roaring thunder; listen to the clap of the waves against the sea shore or the roar of the wind in the pine trees. All creation claps its hands in praise of the Creator.

It is true, that when we are filled with praise of the Living GOD, no force or evil can invade us; our heart is fixed on the LORD. The LORD GOD is awesome, He subdues people and nations by the Word of His mouth; He has given to us the authority to be His vessels of overcoming power through His Son JESUS.

CLAP YOUR HANDS AND RAISE THE SHOUT OF PRAISE TO THE LORD; HE IS TRIUMPHANT.

TRIUMPHAL ENTRY

Matthew 21: 8, 9

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and spread them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the LORD! Hosanna in the highest."

It was the time of Passover and the multitudes of people were in Jerusalem for the Passover feast. This was a time to remember the deliverance of the Children of Israel from the bondage under Pharaoh, when the LORD GOD saved the people who put the Blood of the lamb on the door posts and the lintel of their house.   Now, JESUS was entering into Jerusalem and they viewed Him as their conquering King.

How right they were! But not in the way they thought. JESUS was fulfilling His Mission on earth, to set ALL the captives free and to break, once and for all time, the bondage of sin. Yes, JESUS would shed His blood for the remission of sin and by His Blood He would reconcile the world to GOD, for all who believed in Him.

"Hosanna" means praise, but it also means "save us". The people were shouting for JESUS to save them; with His Blood, He did. 

JESUS rode into Jerusalem in humility and in peace, on the back of a lowly donkey; when He comes again, He will come riding a white stallion, with the whole company of heaven with Him.

RIDE ON KING JESUS!!!!!