Thank you for listening to Riverbend Churches Podcast.
To find out more about this message or Riverbend Church,
connect with us online at Riverbend Church dot live.
Thank you so much for being here with us this morning.
Incredible. Incredible.
Day that we get to celebrate. We got to kick it off Friday.
Night with our good. Friday service.
Had an incredible time with our Easter volunteer service.
Last evening, So, so excited about.
This morning and everything that.
God has in store. For us and everything that he's
going to do, I do want to kind of bring some things to your
attention, though, just kind of put them on your radar.
Here on Easter Sunday. Several things #1 Next week we
we invite you back. We have a baptism service and
both services. Actually 9:30 and. 11 be able to
celebrate new life. Through baptism, always an
incredible, incredible Tom also family and.
Child dedication is is. Coming up soon, family and child
dedication. Let me probably the easiest way
I can. Explain it is it's the
opportunities for for for the family to dedicate raising the
child in the home that. That loves Jesus and is going to
commit. To to to raising that child in a
home that. That loves Jesus loves the.
Church is going to do everything to.
Point that child to. Jesus, and it's an opportunity.
For us as a church to dedicate ourselves to.
Being that type of. Church that your kids.
Will want to grow up into and your kids kids will want to grow
up into The reason I bring that up is coming up in a few weeks,
but. Today is the, is the.
Deadline for registration for that.
And then Speaking of registration, one last thing
before we dive into this morning.
VBS is actually just. Around the corner Vacation
Bible. School.
And then that registration, it was going to open up today.
We decided to open it. Up last night.
As you came in, there's the little Flyers on your chair.
Here's one of the things that we would encourage you to do.
Take that flyer, put it on your put it on your refrigerator.
Mark those dates off on your calendar.
If you see some around you, some of the little Flyers handouts
around you, feel free to take as many as you want.
Just. To hand out to the people.
That you come in contact with and it's just going to be an
awesome, awesome time together. But this morning, we're going to
continue on. We're actually closing out a.
Series that we started about. Four weeks ago, and whether
you're new to Riverbend or maybe just new to the series, let me
kind of give you the. Overall gist of where we've.
Been. The series is called Borrowed.
And the reason it's called borrowed is when we whenever we.
Read about the life of Jesus in the.
Bible whenever you want to find out about how he lived and how
we treated people and what he did.
The four books of the Bible. That we could look into.
Or should explore. Would be Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John the four. Gospels very first.
Four books of the new. Testament.
In the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John about.
The life of Jesus. God thought that it was going to
be so. Important for us to know that
there were five items that during his earthly ministry
during the time that. Jesus was here.
With us, walking among us. On this earth, Jesus borrowed 5
items. And one of the main questions
we've been asking is. What is it about?
These five things what? Is it about these 5?
Items that were so important that God deemed it worthy.
For us to be. Able to know about them and read
about them and actually look further into them over 2000.
Years later, the five items. Were.
He. He.
He borrowed a boat. He borrowed some bread.
He borrowed borrowed a donkey, he borrowed a room.
And this morning, we're going to take a look.
At the at the 5th. And final thing that Jesus
borrowed, and it's the very reason that we're here this
morning, he, he borrowed. He borrowed a tomb.
Before we go any further, I do want to invite us just kind of
go into a time of. Prayer.
I want to invite us to pray. Whether.
Again, in the room downstairs overflow with us online.
Just to ask God to prepare our hearts for what He has prepared
for us this morning. God, we love you and we thank
you. God, we're so reminded.
Of your love for us on this day, God, when we reflect.
Back and when we really think about who we really really
meditate upon and when we dive deeper and explore Lord
everything that. Jesus went through God.
We're amazed at the fact that. He went through all of.
It for us because he loves us to to give us the.
Opportunity and to to give us the chance and to give us the.
Choice. Whether or not to to follow him
or not. So God I.
Pray that you would just continue to to work in our
midst. God, I pray that you would
continue to open our hearts. Open our minds as we open your
word. God, I pray that you would bring
it to life in and through us. This.
Morning it's in. Jesus name that we pray.
Amen. So we're going to start.
Kind of in a. Kind of in a strange place for
an Easter Sunday. When we start looking at Jesus
borrowing a tomb, we're actually going to start not.
Quite at the resurrection. We're going to start a little
bit. Before the resurrection.
And what we're going to read the account of the burial of.
Jesus is actually recording. All four gospels, Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John. And this morning we're going to
take a look at John's account in John's writing of.
The burial of Jesus so. If you have a Bible with you, I
want to invite. You to find John chapter. 19 And
if you don't have a Bible with you, then no.
Worries the passage is going to be.
On the screen and it's also on the note sheet that you received
on your way in. So here's what I want to do.
I want to go ahead dive in verse 38 and we're going to start
looking at why is it so important that God knew God
wanted us to know that Jesus borrowed a tomb.
Here it is after these things, Joseph of Arimathea.
Now we're going to come back to. That phrase after these things,
because that, that's just that's.
Loaded with context after these things.
Joseph of Arimathea. Who was a disciple of Jesus, but
secretly for fear of the Jews asked.
Pilate that he might take. Away the body of Jesus and
Pilate gave him. Permission So Joseph came and
took away Jesus body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had
come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and.
Aloes about 75 lbs. In weight.
So they took. The body of Jesus and bound it
in linen. Clothes were the spices, as is
the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was.
Crucified, there was a garden. And in the garden, a new tomb in
which no one. Had yet been laid.
So because of the Jewish. Day of.
Preparation since the tomb was close at.
Hand they laid Jesus there. So 5th and final item.
That we're told that Jesus borrowed was a tomb.
And it was the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea now a lot of times.
And we talked. A little bit about this.
If you were with us Friday night for a Good Friday service, I
believe that probably the greatest.
Danger that you and I. Face.
Whether you've grown up in church or you've just lived in
the Bible Belt for any amount of time is we become so familiar
with like the. The quote UN quote Jesus story.
My guess is that there's very few of us in the room in
overflow with this online that what we're going to unpack.
And what we're going to. Walk through about Jesus dying
on a cross and being buried and raised again on the third day.
My guess is you've. Heard that?
Before and I think the greatest danger facing us, I know it's
the greatest danger facing me, is what I call being inoculated
to the gospel. We become so familiar with it
that we become desensitized to it.
For example, the phrase borrowed a tomb.
Does that not strike us as being a weird phrase?
That's a really. Weird.
Phrase like if you don't believe me, go to the Funeral Home
closest to you or go to the cemetery and go, hey, listen.
I would like to borrow. A tomb.
I'd just like to rent one. Be like.
That's not how it works. You don't borrow a tomb.
Jesus did. Jesus did.
Why did he borrow to borrow a tomb?
Because he only needed. It for three days.
The very reason? That we are here this.
Morning celebrating. What we're celebrating is that
tomb is empty. And it was Joseph of Arimathea
that Jesus borrowed that tomb from.
And even though that tomb is still empty.
I would argue. This morning that that empty
tomb. Has.
Three important lessons to teach.
US. This morning, so if you're
taking notes. With us, here's the first.
Lesson that I believe that a borrowed tomb is speaking to us
this morning. Here it is.
Is a personal or relationship with Jesus is personal but never
meant to be? Private.
A relationship with Jesus is personal but never meant.
To be private, we see. This playing out in the life of
Joseph of Arimathea. By the way, this guy.
Joseph of Arimathea. He's mentioned in all four
gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, but he's mentioned
nowhere else in scripture outside of the burial account of
Jesus. So he's mentioning all four
accounts of Jesus burial but nowhere.
Else there so. There's not a whole lot known.
About this guy Joseph of. Arimathea But there are some
things that can be known, like for example, Joseph of Arimathea
was a very, very influential man.
And what I mean by influential? Is he was a part of a select
group of Jewish leaders. Called the Sanhedrin.
The Sanhedrin was think. About think of it as the Jewish
Supreme Court. Of its day and it consisted of
71 members. Joseph of Arimathea was one of
those 71 he had. Incredible influence over the
lives and the the rhythms of the of the Jewish people of his day.
We we also know we can also conclude by the little that's
given to us about. Joseph of Arimathea.
Is he was a he was a man. With a lot of connections.
Scripture kind of indicates to. Us that he had a.
Direct pipeline to Pontius Pilate.
I mean, he wasn't, he wasn't having to to dial like the Roman
government hotline and, you know, having to be put on pause.
Push 9 if you want, Pontius. Pilate.
And then get his secretary. No, he had a direct.
Pipeline to Pontius Pilate. The Roman governor at the time.
To where? He asked Pilate hey can I take
Jesus body down and bury it and by the fact that.
Joseph of Arimathea owned his own.
Tomb of freshly cut rock just outside the old city wall gate.
In Jerusalem, would indicate. That he was a very, very
wealthy. Man.
But John's account of Joseph of Arimathea is different from
Matthew, Mark and Luke's John's account.
Gives us that little detail. Joseph of Arimathea.
Who was a disciple of Jesus, but in secret, now a disciple of
Jesus. Doesn't mean that he was one of
the original. 12 It just simply means that he was a follower.
And here's the thing, only Joseph of Arimathea could make
the. Choice for Joseph of.
Arimathea on what to do with. Jesus, do you know the same
thing is true for us? Only you can make the decision.
For you as to what you do with Jesus, I'll go ahead and tell
you I wish, I really, really wish that I had the.
Ability and the capability to make that decision for every
single. One of us I would I.
Would make the decision for every single one of us that we
would all be true. Authentic, genuine followers of
Jesus. But I can't do that.
And by the way, nobody else can do.
That for you? You have to make that.
Decision for you. Which tells us this.
It's a reminder. Relationship with Jesus is
personal. It's not private.
That's kind of a reminder. To us that your decision.
To follow Jesus. Again, it's your decision.
It really has nothing to do with your with your grandparents or
your mom or your. Dad or your family lineage?
And and listen if your mom or your dad or your grandparents
if. If if they're all followers of.
Jesus and and maybe your, your, your, your.
Peepaw or your Paul? Paul.
Was a pastor man God bless. That's awesome.
Praise God for that. But I got to tell you, heaven
doesn't have a family plan. Your decision to follow Jesus is
your decision on the flip side of that coin.
You may be in here this morning, you may be with us this morning,
and you may say, well then there's nobody in my family.
That that's a that's a follower of Jesus.
I'm the only one who's. Actually giving Jesus a shot.
Listen, I got good. News for you that.
You're not destined to repeat the same mistakes as those who
went before you. Why?
Because your. Decision to follow Jesus is your
decision. Speaking of decisions, the
second thing that we see out of the life of Joseph.
Of Arimathea. Is this a real faith?
Refuses to stay hidden. Did you pick that point up and
you can look at the top of your note sheet?
To where it says Joseph. Of.
Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus. But in secret.
For fear of the Jews. You see at some point in time
because of his. Great influence and his
connections. I can imagine that Joseph
probably thought, man, I don't what are people going to think
or what are people going to say if they realize that I'm.
Actually a follower of Jesus. Especially when they tried him,
and they and and and they, they beat him, and they, they, they
crucified him. What are What are people?
Going to think and and I can just imagine that Joseph of
Arimathea probably justified it to himself.
Hey, listen, I think I could probably do more good for God if
I kind of stayed Incognito. If I kind of.
Stayed like. But but behind.
Behind the curtain a little. Bit that I didn't.
Quite go public with my faith, I could be kind of like a.
Secret agent for for God and and.
And maybe. There's some of us in here.
With us this morning that. You know your relationship with
Jesus is. Personal, but you consider.
It private. Because you've been justifying
your. Faith walk with.
Jesus, the same way that. Joseph of Arimathea did over
2000 years ago. So, So what?
Changed in Joseph's life. I.
Believe that it was this. I believe when he looked at
Jesus hanging on the. Cross.
Because Joseph of Arimathea, he knew something then that we
don't quite know now, because crucifixion is is not a common
practice. But in Joseph's day, the Roman,
the Roman military, the Roman government.
Perfected the art. Of excruciating pain, of a long
drawn out death. And and actually when when
someone was crucified, they didn't.
Die because they bled out. They they died of.
Asphyxiation. They.
Died because like they would. Constantly like just be pulling
themselves up on the. Cross to get another breath.
And every. Time they pulled, of course,
like. The places in their hands.
That are wrists that were. Pierced by nails and their.
Feet would would just being fiery agony.
And their muscles would eventually.
Seize up. It's about a three hour process.
It's the most. Excruciating.
Most humiliating form of death humanity has ever known.
But to make matters. Worse after the victim of
crucifixion. Would die the Roman government?
Would typically keep those bodies on the cross.
They would keep the bodies on the cross so that the birds
could eat the flesh of the bodies.
And so. That it would be a deterrent to
all that walked. By going hey, don't.
Mess, don't step out of bounds because this could happen to you
too. I believe that Joseph of
Arimathea when he saw Jesus. Body hanging on the.
Cross. The thought of him leaving his
Savior's body on the cross was so crushing that something
happened and it was where his love for Jesus.
Began to outweigh the. His fear of his peers listen.
When true love for Jesus really takes over our lives, it has a.
Way of pushing out. Fear of what other people think.
Or what other people may. Think of us.
I'm. So thoroughly convinced that God
never saves a single person, just a sit in secret.
I believe that he saves every single person to live out that
transformation that only he could bring in a public way as a
way of saying. Listen my.
God did this for me. And in me and through me.
And He can do it in you, and through you and to.
You as well. He can bring out transformation
in you. Speaking of transformation,
second lesson that an empty cross.
Or an empty grave wants to teach us this morning.
Is this proximity to Jesus? Is not the same as being
transformed by. Jesus proximity or closeness to
Jesus? Is not the same as being
transformed. By Jesus, so Joseph.
Of Arimathea goes and asks the Roman governor for the.
Body of Jesus Roman governor complies.
Joseph then takes the body down, starts to transport it to his
personal empty. Tomb, but did you notice there
was? Another guy that was with Joseph
in this passage that we just read in John.
There's a guy by the name of. Nicodemus and and and.
Maybe. Maybe you know who Nicodemus is.
You. You remember.
Who Nicodemus was and. Maybe you're maybe you're new to
church. And maybe you're like I.
Think I may have. Heard that name, I just don't
know where to place it. We first encounter this guy by
the name of Nicodemus when he had a conversation.
With Jesus, you see Nicodemus like Joseph, he was.
He was a member of Sanhedrin. So very, very influential.
Very. Powerful Jewish religious
leader. He has a conversation with
Jesus. He comes to Jesus at night and
basically. Ask Jesus this question, hey?
Jesus, how can a person be made? Right with God.
And then Jesus tells him. You have to be.
Born again. And then that just blows
Nicodemus's mind. How in the world can I be born
again? Can I crawl up in my mother's
womb? And Jesus begins to unpack that.
He's not talking about a. Physical birth.
He's talking about a spiritual birth.
And it's in that context that Jesus gives him the very famous
phrase, probably the the deepest.
The greatest passage in all of scripture to where it says for
God so loved the world. Hey, Nicodemus, listen God.
So loved the world. That he gave his one and only
son, that whoever believes in him should not.
Perish, but have eternal life. We know that verse.
We know that statement as the verse John 316.
It was that conversation that Jesus and Nicodemus.
Had is recorded to for us in the early.
Chapters of John But here's the thing about Nicodemus.
We are never told that Nicodemus was a true.
Follower of Jesus. As a matter of fact, I would
argue that the way that. John.
Describes Joseph of Arimathea. Joseph, a follower of Jesus, a
disciple of Jesus, but in secret, but it says nothing
about. Nicodemus I think that that's
pretty damning. When it comes to Nicodemus.
So what are we? What are we to?
Do with that. I want to show you again taking.
Notes with us jot. This down it is possible to know
the things of God and not know God.
It is possible to know the things of God and not know God.
Now I would argue that there were very few, if any, that were
smarter than Nicodemus. The the guy was just an absolute
genius. He he, he was a.
He was a master. Of the Jewish law he.
He knew Scripture backwards and forwards, yet salvation.
Is not based on intellect. I would also.
Argue that very few, if any, actually did more for Jesus.
Remember in the passage. That we just read about how
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, they they they took.
Jesus Body and. They Nicodemus brought 75.
Pounds of of myrrh and. Aloe.
To to to anoint the body of. Jesus the the initial like
burial process 75. Pounds of myrrh and aloe is the
modern day equivalent of 150,000 to 200,000.
Dollars all in one shot. Very few, if any, did more for.
Jesus than Nicodemus. Yet here's the deal.
Salvation is not. Based off of what you do for
Jesus. You know, when it comes to
Nicodemus, I'm reminded of of a statement that Jesus made back
in back in Matthew. This is what Jesus said.
Back in Matthew he says, listen, not everyone who says to me,
Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but the one
who does the will of my. Father who is.
In heaven, in other words, you can call Jesus.
Lord doesn't mean that he is Lord.
You can have the right name for Jesus, but not everyone who says
to me, Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of heaven on that day.
Many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your
name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty
works in your name, and then I will declare to them the most
bone. Chilling phrase in all of
Scripture. The most bone chilling?
Phrases ever been uttered and all of creation I and then I
will declare to them, I never knew you Depart from me, you
workers. Of lawlessness, you see, it has
nothing to do. With how much you know about
Jesus, it has nothing to do with all the good.
Things that you do for Jesus it has.
Nothing to do with how. Moral or how virtuous you are,
it has to do with something else.
Check this out the. Beginning place of
transformation is surrender. Surrender.
Is the pathway to true transformation.
Now what? What does that mean?
It means surrender means that I realize that I need to be
forgiven. Of my sins that but.
I can't do that on my own. In other words, like.
I need Jesus to forgive me of my sin because I can't take that
weight off of me. I can't get rid of that shame
and that guilt on my own, so I need Jesus.
I need Jesus to come into my life and to guide me in life
because I can't do life on my own.
I I need. Jesus to give.
Me, the hope of heaven when I die, because there's nothing
that I can do here in this life. To.
Earn eternity with God in heaven.
That pathway is only through Jesus.
Listen, Jesus is not. Just a way.
To forgiveness and and or even the best way to to to to, to, to
to new. Life, he is the only.
Way. He's the only way, Jesus himself
said I am the way. The truth and the life no.
One comes to the father. Except through me.
Surrender is the pathway to transformation.
This is something that Nicodemus didn't get.
I believe that Nicodemus. Was very, very close to Jesus
as. Physically close to.
Jesus as you could possibly be. I would even argue that
Nicodemus in that in that initial staging of the burial.
Process with a with a. With a myrrh and the aloe, I
believe that Nicodemus. Had the blood of Jesus.
On his hands. Literally had the blood of.
Jesus on his hands, yet he never surrendered.
To Jesus in his heart. Man, how?
Tragic is that Listen. Here's what transformation
Here's what what Jesus wants to do in and for us, He wants to
take. You where you are as you are.
And to mold and shape and develop you into who He created
you to be. But that can't start with just a
head knowledge of Jesus. And it certainly can't start
with trying to earn the favor of Jesus.
It has to start. With a surrender to.
Jesus, Jesus, I. Need you to forgive me of my
sins. Jesus, would you please come
into my life and take control of my life?
And Jesus, I commit to following you for the rest.
Of my life, that surrender. That's surrender.
Surrender is the pathway to transformation.
But the third lesson? That an empty tomb has for us
this morning. Is actually the greatest news.
That you and I, whether you came in here or stepped on step foot
on this campus anticipating this or logged in and you're with us
online, the greatest news that you and I could ever imagine is
the third. Lesson that an empty tomb has
for us this morning. Here it is.
The empty tomb is your invitation to a new life.
On your note sheet I put Matthew chapter 28 verses one through
10. We're not going to take time to.
Read all of it. But I do want to highlight the
most joy filled verse I think in all.
Of Scripture. And let me kind of set it up,
give you some context. You have the women that were
following. Jesus that were very close to
Jesus. They're absolutely devastated.
They're wrecked. They're grieving and they're
making their way before the sun comes up on Sunday morning to.
Finish the burial process of. Jesus.
And you got to imagine that they're probably sitting there
talking. Who's?
Going to roll that stone. Away so that we can bury.
Jesus so that we can apply the. More of these oils and ointments
on the body of Jesus and and will the Roman guards who were
stationed there to guard the entrance of the tomb, will they
are they going to turn us away or.
Will they actually help? Us roll that stone away.
But that Sunday morning, over 2000 years ago, they turned the
corner and they saw something. That they never expected to see
the. Stone was already rolled away
and then panic immediately. Starts to set in.
Somebody's stolen the body. Of Jesus.
This is where Matthew chapter 28.
Picks up, he says. There's an Angel, There was an
Angel there at the entrance of the empty tomb, he says.
The Angel said to the women, Do not be afraid, for I know that
you seek. Jesus who was crucified.
Verse 6. Most joy filled verse in all
scripture. The very reason that we are here
today. The very reason that you and I
can live in hope. He is not here, for He has
risen. As he said.
Let me kind of translate that. Hey, Jesus called his shot when
he walked among you. He told you that he was going to
die, He was going to be buried and he was going to resurrect
himself from the dead. Listen, I don't know about you.
There's probably so many of us in this room or downstairs in
overflow or online. Listen, intellectually you're a
lot smarter than I am, but here's all I know.
The guy that calls his shot and raises himself from the dead.
I'm with that guy. I'm going to follow that guy.
He is not here, just he is risen from the dead, just as he.
He said. But.
Check out the last thing that the Angel said to him.
Come see. The place where he lay.
Do you see that invitation? Listen.
One of the one of the most tragic things that you and I.
Can do is to. Come here on a Sunday morning
and to read. The words of Scripture to read
God's Word and go. Man, empty tomb.
Awesome. Awesome.
Jesus rose from the dead. Incredible.
Cool. What's for lunch?
A lot. Of times it's.
Very easy for us to. Stand back and admire.
The empty tomb for for. For some some of us that are
very analytical. It's easy for us to.
To kind of stand back and wanted.
To analyze the empty. Tomb.
I want to study more about the empty tomb.
I want to. Analyze the empty tomb.
Can I tell you this, the empty tomb this morning is not
something for us to just admire and something for us just to.
Analyze. It's actually.
Something for us to step. Into and here's.
Here's what I mean as we kind of.
Head down the home stretch this morning.
Because the tomb of. Jesus is empty.
There's two. Great pieces of hope because the
tomb is empty. I can now be forgiven.
Set. Free, born again and secure.
Because the tomb is empty, because Jesus defeated death and
the grave, I can now be forgiven.
And for the person that's with us this morning that you're
sitting here thinking, if he only knew what what I've done,
if he only knew what I think about where, where my mind
automatically drifts. To.
If he only knew my. Past.
If he only knew my. Struggles.
Surely he wouldn't say that to me.
To me, absolutely. I'd say that to you.
Listen, do not miss this. Point everything that Jesus went
through on the cross. He went through for you.
He knows you backwards. And forwards, inside and out,
there's nothing. Hidden from him and yet.
He still chooses to love you, as we talked about last week.
I believe that there are so many people that have convinced
themselves, they've convinced themselves that if.
Jesus just knew what they had done or what they think.
About or what they struggle with, Jesus would.
Find them too gross. And too offensive.
And too. Unlovable to love.
And I can assure you that that is not the case at all because
of the empty. Tomb you can be forgiven.
You can also be set. Free.
It doesn't mean that you're. Bound by the chains.
That you were once bound. By Why?
Because. Not because you have greater
willpower, but because. You now have God power.
Living in you, you can be set free.
You can also be born again. One of the things that we
constantly. Hear in our culture is well,
that's. Just who I am and that's what my
mom struggle with and my dad struggle with come from a long
history. Of like people that just.
Fly off the handle. I was.
I was born with these. Struggles and we go.
OK, we get that. With all.
Love and grace and compassion. I get that.
You know what the call of Jesus is?
Be born again because the tomb is empty.
You and I, we can be born again. We can also.
Be secure. Secure is.
The is the peace of knowing that when we close our.
Eyes to go to sleep at night. We know that no matter.
What happens if that's the last? Time that.
We ever close our eyes? That we will spend eternity.
With God in heaven. Man, that's a hope that you
cannot. Put any type of money or figure
on. But it's only if you.
Surrender your life to. Jesus, because the tomb is
empty, I can be forgiven, set free, born again and secure.
And some of us are sitting here thinking, well, Ben.
I have surrendered my life to Jesus and I'm glad that the
empty tomb does. That, and I'm not saying that.
Tritely or flippantly or glibly? At all.
I'm glad that the tomb is empty. But but.
What is an empty tomb saying to me?
I'm glad you asked. The empty tomb.
Because the tomb is empty, that means that nothing is
impossible. That means that nothing is
impossible. Let me kind of tell you
something that you don't. It's not that you don't already
know. I'm going to reinforce something
that you already know just because you give your life to
Jesus. And surrender your life to.
Jesus, that doesn't mean that you won't have.
Hardships, heart breaks and hard times.
And some people will go. Amen.
Been there. And if you don't know that.
I would go ahead and prepare yourself.
I'd go ahead and. Anticipate the fact that you're
going to have. Hardships, hard times, heart
breaks. Go ahead and expect it.
But here's what we do, and maybe this is just me in the midst of
those trials and those seasons and those storms.
It's so easy. For us to just get.
Beaten down. To where we start to.
Accept a new normal and we start to think, God, I know that
you're the great physician. But that, that, that diagnosis
that I just got, I thought, I don't think there's anything
that you can do about that. God, I know.
That you're the great physician. But what just?
Popped up on the patient. Portal the test results.
God, I'm I'm not really sure that you're even interested in
healing that. God, I know that you.
Love me and I know. That you that you created
marriage and instituted marriage.
But God, I don't. I don't think there's any.
Hope for us anymore. I think this is beyond
restoration. God, the relationship that I
have with family, the estranged relationship, I believe it's
beyond. I know that you can do all
things in theory, but. I believe it's way too big for
your reconciliation, for the power of your reconciliation.
Can I tell you this? Because the tomb is empty.
Do you know what? God is shouting from heaven.
Impossible is now off the table. Impossible is now off the table.
Here's. What I want to do when?
We talked about how the. Tomb is not.
The empty tomb is not. Just something for us to admire
or something for us to stand back and to analyze or something
for us to step into. I want to give us the
opportunity this morning to kind of step into that empty tomb and
we're. Going to do it kind.
Of in a. In a in a way that we typically
don't. On a on a Sunday morning because
we have so many people here this morning.
I want to invite you wherever you are in the room, if you're,
if you're in the in the room. With us now or?
Down in. Overflow, I want to invite you
to take this connect card out, that every single one of us take
this connect card out, and I want to point your attention to
something. In the middle of that connect.
Card there. There are three small boxes.
The first one says I'm new to. Riverbend and if you are new to
Riverbend, man, we're so. Glad that you're here.
If you're if you're checking us out for the first time online,
we're so glad that you're here. And you know.
As a matter of fact, if you are. New, you know.
Check that box pass on. Whatever info you feel
comfortable passing on, we look forward to getting to know you
and connecting you. With some other relationships
here in the church, just because we know how important
relationships are to us if you're with us online and you're
new. Just drop a.
Comment in the comment section new here and we'll follow up
with. You, but that's not really the
one that I'm. Most interested in this morning.
It's actually the second two, the.
First one says I'm placing. My faith in Jesus.
Can I ask you A? Question this morning just
being. Really, really, really real and
really, really honest with yourself about yourself.
When I was talking about. Nicodemus did.
Was there a part of you that identified with him?
You may know a lot about Jesus. You may.
Know a little about Jesus. You may have done a ton for
Jesus. You may have.
Grown up in church. This may be one of your first
few. Times in church.
But here's what you do know. You can be close to the things
of God and not give your heart to God.
Has there been a point in time in your life?
To where? You have come to.
Jesus and said, Jesus, I need you to forgive me.
I need you to come. Into my life, take control of my
life, and I commit to following you for the rest of my life.
Has there been a point to? Where you've surrendered your
life to Jesus. If not, if you know that you
haven't, I mean encourage. You to take a bold step, just
check that box and that lets one of our pastors know to follow up
with you. And if you're on the fence, If
you're iffy? About it, you're like I.
Don't know, but I really want to know.
I really need to know. Check that box.
One of our pastors will follow up with you.
We'd love to help you in your faith journey, even if it's at.
The very. Beginning of your faith journey
second question when I. Was talking about Joseph of.
Arimathea about how he was a disciple of Jesus.
He was a follower of Jesus, but in secret because he was afraid
of what the people around him would think.
Was there something in you that resonated with Joseph?
Where you, you, you've, you've been saved.
You surrendered. Your life to Jesus you've just
never gone public with that decision you know God God
instructs us in his word that the first step of obedience
after. Giving.
Our lives to Jesus is baptism. Let me tell you a quick story.
My my story. I got baptized when I was really
young, and then I gave my life to Jesus two years afterwards
and I realized that wasn't baptism when I was really.
Young that. Wasn't baptism that was just
getting wet in front of people? Baptism is on this side of
salvation, you know? I fought that.
I was, I was like Joseph of Arimathea.
I fought that from the end of the school year, my 4th grade of
4th grade, all the way till I started the summer before I
started college. Finally, I gave in, and I'll
never forget that moment of surrender to where my love for
Jesus really overwhelmed and outweighed the fear of what I
thought people around me were going to think.
To go back in time, I would. Not have wasted those years at
all. Let me ask you a question.
Have you gone public with? Your faith and followed Jesus
and believers baptism. If you if you haven't, I'm going
to encourage you to take a bold step.
Just check that box. I would like to be baptized.
If you're with us online, either one of those I'm placing my
faith in Jesus, or I would like to be baptized.
Just drop us a comment in that comment section and we'll have
somebody follow up with you ASAP.
You know, we, we have a baptism service next week and we would
love to celebrate that public step of obedience with you.
We just need to know how to connect with you and encourage
you. Now there's a lot of us that
we've surrendered our lives to Jesus and we've we have
followed. Him and being obedient
believers. Baptism.
Yet there are certain situations in our lives that we have just
accepted. A new normal?
And we're doubting the resurrection power of God in our
lives. For those of us that may be
going through something really, really hard, and you were
praying for something no less than a miracle.
I want to encourage you to flip over on the back of that Connect
card, that place where it says prayer request and just jot down
something you you could jot down maybe my marriage, you could jot
down work situation, family situation, maybe infertility.
Maybe you're struggling mentally or or emotionally.
Maybe you're struggling physically.
Listen, we would love to pray with you and to pray for you,
but our desires that. We would be.
Reminded of the resurrection power of God.
It was active then, and it's still active now because of the
empty. Tomb and.
Possible is now off the table. So here's what we're going to
do. I want to pray over us and then
we're. Going to have the.
Opportunity to stand and just be able to praise God one more time
through song together, if you want to.
Come down here and pray. You can come down here and pray.
If you want to come and talk with a pastor, you can talk with
a pastor there. There are people stationed
downstairs in our overflow to pray with you and to help
counsel you. But my hope and my.
Prayers that you put your yes on the table.
And you go, hey, God. Whatever you want to do in and
through me. God, would you remind me that
the. Tomb, the empty tomb is not
something for me just to stand back and admire is something is
an invitation for me to step into.
So would you pray with? Me God, we again thank you for
your word. But most importantly, God, we
thank you for the fact that you loved us so much, that you sent
Jesus into this world to die in our place, to pay the price for
our sins. God, I pray that you would just.
Continue to bring us back. To a sense of.
Awe and wonder at the realization.
And at the fact that your son Jesus died on a cross,
everything that he. Went through.
He went through for us at. Any point in time he could have
stopped it. But he didn't.
Because of his love for us. But God he did not.
Stay dead. He is not there.
He rose from the dead. Just as he said.
God in that empty tomb. Speaks volumes to us this
morning. God, I pray that for.
The man or the woman? Or the student this morning to
God. You have brought them here.
Because they are seeking forgiveness, they are seeking
freedom, God. They're seeking new life.
They're seeking hope. God, I pray.
That you would just continue to press upon their.
Hearts. That you are the only way.
For all of those things to become a reality in their lives.
God for others of us. God we.
Thank you for the new life that you have given.
Us, but God we also. Pray that you would remind.
Us of the resurrection power. Of an empty tomb.
God, it is still. Working this morning and God
with you. Impossible is now.
Off the table, So God. Whatever we're going through,
whatever we're walking through, God, whatever we may have.
Accepted as a new. Normal God, we.
Pray that you would allow us to put those things back in your
hands and and just ask. You and to.
Plead with you to do. What only you can do.
God, I pray that. You would continue to move.
Among us and in US, and through US and us, in Jesus name that we
pray, Amen. Thank you for listening to the
Riverbend Church Podcast. Learn more about who we are as a
church and how to connect, you can head over to our website,
Riverbendchurch Life.