Easter Sunday 2021

Tezdawd o d Kazuya Whatoru desate od EXT Emmit Lee Pakito Fahara 2 뽑oi What But Unfa человечko a Wast Today we celebrate his victory and his victory over our greatest enemy, which is death, right? Which is great news We celebrate his rising to conquer death once for all and the effects of the sacrificial death for us Now as we look at the cross there's no longer a body there If you looked at the tomb, there's no longer a body there and the implications in all areas of our lives are massive But often there is this crazy misconception that life should therefore be easy if you're a Christian Have you ever come across that kind of thinking? But if you're a Christian, life must be easy Everything must work for you You should live as a perfect one here as if you're in heaven in a perfect world But we all know from experience that that is not true That's not what we celebrate today What we celebrate in this Passover the good news of the Passover is that because of Christ's death death passes over us If you've been a Christian for any length of time you'll know that there's a story in the Old Testament of how God rescued his people from Egypt and they took the blood of a lamb and they painted it on the doorposts and the angel of death came through the land and passed over every house that had the blood on the doorposts and that is what happened at the cross His blood was shed like the lamb He was the perfect lamb so that we do not have to face death and we have been snatched from death and made a live with God and to God forever and ever and that's what we celebrate We don't celebrate a perfect life In fact, it does not mean that we have been removed from our broken world but what it does mean is that this world is no longer our home We ought to live here the Bible teachers as we to live here as aliens as sojourners as those passing through because of what Jesus has done our home is now in heaven with God forever and that changes everything So here's the thing if you are here in Joburg in South Africa as an alien a sojourner or even if you are here as an ambassador for some important nation if there is one more important than ours You are still subject to our great weather but you are also subject to the strive for the issues of our city You subject to our crazy roads our beautiful taxi drivers our first-e-metro cops You subject to crime and load shedding with the rest of us and so to live as an alien or a sojourner here a citizen of heaven means we subject to the issues of this world but here's the good news because Christ is our victor because he overcame death he is with us in the midst of all the junk he is with us in the midst of it all and because of his work on the cross we can know his power at work within us enabling us to live for God in our broken world So this Easter as I was mulling on what to preach on I was reminded of a story from the book of Daniel and so I want to tell you that story and then we're going to look at that but first let me pray Father God thank you again thank you seem so tried but God thank you we are so grateful for you giving your son Jesus we forever grateful for your sacrifice once for all on that cross that you are willing to become the sacrificial lamb for us and I pray that as we look at your word now that you would cause worship to rise in us that we would live differently as a result pray this in your name Jesus Amen So the story is found in Daniel chapter 3 you might know the story and the story is about three Jewish boys Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and these three guys had been promoted to important positions in Babylon they were friends with Daniel who wrote the book is about mainly and what happened is Nebuchadnezzar the king he built this massive idol golden idol and he made this rule that when the band plays even the bagpipes I didn't realize they had bagpipes but they did it says in the Bible the band played everyone was to bow down and worship the idol now our friend Shadrach Meshach and Abednego they loved God, they wanted to please God they were Jewish boys they read the scriptures that said you shall have no other God but me and so they refused to bow down and worship the idol that Nebuchadnezzar had set up there were some jealous courtiers and the jealous courtiers they were jealous of their advancement of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego so they went to the king and they said "Hey, oh king there, your three favorite Jewish boys over there they're not borrowing down when the music plays the king got mad and so he called Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and he said, "Hey guys, listen I'm going to give you one more time I'm going to play the music you bow down and then everything will be cool and they said, "Oh king, we won't do it because we serve the one living God because we serve the one living God." and they said, "In fact, oh king, when you play the music we won't bow down and you, if you're going to throw us into the fire so be it, our God is able to save us from that fire and even if he doesn't, we will not bow down." and so he gets really mad and he says crank up the heat and they crank the furnace up to the max and they take them and they bind them and they have their cloaks and turbans and everything on and some tough guys go and throw them into the fire and we're going to pick up the story in verse 24 and 25 suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisors, "Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?" "Yes you may just see, we certainly did," they replied "Look, Nebuchadnezzar shouted, I see four men unbound walking around in the fire unhombed and the fourth looks like a God." You see, until this point, Nebuchadnezzar arrogantly thought he had won. He was the man. These guys disobeyed him, he was sorting them out. He was expecting some cries of anguish and pain like "Have mercy, let us out, it's hot in here!" But we see him jumping up. Now, for us, 21st century people, that just we read that but actually there's a massive cultural significance there. Middle Eastern men of importance did not run anywhere, they didn't jump up, actually part of their dignity and importance was the fact that they remained calm in all situations and didn't display any urgency. Actually, everything went according to their time. But here we see him jumping up. Why? The unbelievable was happening. The three had become four. Now the Bible commentators agree that the fourth man in the fire was an Old Testament appearance of the self-same Jesus who died for us. And there are a few things I want us to see here. The first thing is, these three guys only saw God when they were in the fire. That was the only time they saw God face to face. You see, they had decided beforehand they would be obedient, they decided they would be faithful to God. They hadn't seen him, but they were faithful to him. They were obedient to him. I mean, I love their faith. Even if he doesn't rescue us, we will not bow down. Here's the thing, friend. If you en de fiere dit is er. Als je naar een heel harde tijd is, de pressure is er in je leven. mayi het is tijd om het begrepen van God, geef mij uit de fiere en begrepen Jesus, help mij te zien. help mij te zien. Ik denk Jolene, eigenlijk mensen die we moeten zien. Jesus, laat mij zien. Je ziet, als wij zien het, klaar, wij volem het klaar. We moeten zien Jesus dit is er. Maar of we niet zien Him, tot we hebben een fiere, volem het klaar, dan we zouden het nog steeds. Deel van God heeft de stabiliteit om onze eigen tenten in de fiere, zoals geen andere. Als je deze van ons goed en goed in de woon, het is een heel harde tijd om het te zien. De seconde tijd is dat deze fiere, de hopende, de hopende. Je ziet in de volgende keer, verse 26, "Nebuchad Nezer had een change van het te zien." Hij hoeft, "Shadrack, Michak, Abednige, de servant van de de beste God. Kom hier, kom hier!" Dus ze stelde uit de fiere, die dit is. Als je de pechants het is, is het een mooi. Als mensen het niet even een heer had gegeven, had er geen gegeven. Er had er geen gegeven. Je hebt die gegeven, die gegeven, dat was een gegeven. Er was geen gegeven van de deur van de zeer. Hier is het een gegeven. Ik weet veel van jullie. We willen het gegeven, hè. Dit is, als ik een lekkere gegeven heb, een gegeven heb. Als er veel van meerd en die gegeven heb, ik ga niet naar beden om te lopen, want ik houd het een heer te lopen en ik ga naar beden. En ik ga naar beden en ik ga naar mijn heer. Het was als ik me op het school geef je de gegeven. Je weet dat je het geef naar de toileten had geef je de gegeven. En dan ze het geef je deur van de deur van de deur van de deur, ik ga naar beden om te lopen en ik ga naar beden om te lopen en ik ga naar beden om te lopen en ik ga naar beden om te lopen. Ik ga naar beden om te lopen en ik ga naar beden om te lopen en ik ga naar beden om te lopen en ik ga naar beden om te lopen. steeds het fatty niet dan joue ze diam, maar eens te mo vive 국민lijn deme. Kan de relating ze работы popular Unter��� accepted dat ze zear dat het te beainkigde Er zijn de eigen wonkel en de de seconde en op Jimus, om Dangelen te zijn Ylvis Pulling Welke of Magian gutes Ik weet niet dat hij een kieftig God is, maar dat hij niet het kieftig God voor zich is, hij komt aan de de God van de Shadrack-Meshek en de Beddinger. Maar als je het op de voorkomt, zie je dat hij naar de feit van de eigen. God komt erop, maar hij komt naar de believige. De God heeft een werk in de deel, dat is een mooi. En een part van de impact van de deel, met de Beddinger Schadrack-Meshek, is het de 3e, dat we zien dat de deel erop, De teather东ienagen opode waren. ode wid予use of ook daar. Ja dat zeg ik zat voorたい mid Copuuean. Dus daarWasl hadit tract met de fiere luw en en din te die voloshon pendant Geedρωien. De toont Gedanken van tekene ons. De timnen er er met zoveel voor ik manden. En natuurlijk is Mario Girndag. Spaß. De toont van tekene ons, de bindingen die de ennomi die ongeveer opkomen. Het is geen ennomi en de toont van tekene ons, en hun ongelijks in de ontdekend. En we get in de fiere en God uses de fiere, of en God uses, pain en suffer in de lifjes. To deal with areas where the ennomiers doorstand. Zie, ze hadn't niet op in de fiere, omdat God was punished them. Maar God use de fiere om de toont van te die. Ze komen uit de fiere om de toont van te die. En joh, dat is dat met ons. God doet dat met ons, hij uses de fiere in de lifjes om te die. Nu, sometimes is het als de toont van te die. In dit instant, ze kwamen uit de toont van te die. Other times, de verbeelde fiere om ons te die en we die in de lifjes. Our body, we die. There's many believers all over the world, who faced all kinds of persecution ahead the heads chopped off. But God uses that to promote them to glory. No more suffering, no more pain, no more sickness, forever promoted to glory. Now God always, God always uses all things, good things and bad things, in the life of a believer for his glory and our ultimate good. You may say, how does he do that? I'm answering it, I don't know. I've got no idea how he does it, but he does it. Maybe that's why he's God and we're not. It's the same as how he takes a bloodstained cross and he turns it into an empty tomb. That's what God does. You see Jesus was beaten, he was bruised, he was crushed, he died on that cross. But on the Sunday, he rose again. The Friday, the Sunday, he rose again full of glory and majesty, a heavenly body. And I want to submit to you friends, if he can do that, he's worthy of our worship. If he can do that, he's worthy of our worship. Now if you are in that fire this Easter, it's been a hectic year and I know many would say, I'm in the fire still. I want to provide some encouragement from Isaiah 43. Listen to what Isaiah writes. Verse 1, "But now, thus is the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel, fear not, for I have redeemed you." That's what the cross was about. I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, and the flames shall not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Friends, we will not be burned because he is with us in the fire. He will walk with you through whatever flames you must journey through. I want to read you this story, brief story of the parsing. Perry nobles the American author, and he was 12 years old when his mum passed away. And his mum's friend was with her, and he writes, she tells Perry the story of what happened. Perry, she told me, "In the last few hours of life, your mum really did suffer. The sickness caused her intense pain, and there was nothing the doctors could do. She struggled to breathe, she was writhing in pain, and about an hour or so before she died, she passed out. Then about a minute or so before she passed away, your mum opened her eyes and her face lit up. She smiled bigger than she had smiled before, ever, smiled before. Reached out both hands toward the ceiling. I asked her, "What's happening?" She said, "Don't you see him? Don't you see him? It's Jesus." I asked what he looked like, and your mother simply said, "He's beautiful." And then she put her head on the pillow and died. Here's what I, Perry, absolutely love about that story. When my mother passed away, she didn't step into the arms of a stranger, but rather the arms of her Savior. In what the world would call her darkest moment, when other people would say her life was at its most hopeless point, Jesus revealed himself to her. She didn't have to fear death because she had seen the author of life on the other side. The Jesus, my mother saw in the hospital room that night, is the same Jesus who has told us, "I'm with you. I love you. I will never leave you. I'm holy. I'm good. I'm in control." And all I want you to do is open your eyes and see me so that you can embrace the freedom I've called you to walk in. In her darkest moment, Jesus was there with her. It will be the same with you. I love what he says there. Jesus has said, "I'm with you. I love you." Ik gon niet verliegen." ид die jong en "hfir, ik e advice" en " قرacht, ik dong ei" " пример cho. Enswere low en " fod сделать, 'gecehoe" in een konter, en vofate van hem toen ons, morgen hadden ze i Ades en m complain " dus dat we ons kan gebruiken de vrede van de woon die hij koudte. Ik wil je in de vijf vandaag te weten dat de vrede van de woon is om te zien de risen-savio. De risen-Lord Jesus. Als we ons een heel veel tijd hebben, we zijn het te zien dat de God niet voor mij is. We kan het gegeven, we kan het gegeven, we facel, we zijn het te zien en dat is normaal. We alle gaan door de woon, maar ik wil het te assure je dat de God loves je omdat de lief was demonstratief aan de kross. Dat is de ultima pechte van de lief voor mij. Er is geen grootste pechte van de lief. Je kunt het te assure dat de God loves je, noem maar een heel veel tijd om je te gaan. We hebben in de groeitgruit geleidend de boek van Romans en Romans 5-8 Paul Rites, maar de God heeft de lief voor mij in dat while we were still sinners. Christ died voor mij. Hij died voor mij, om de lief voor mij te zien. Je ziet je material de lief of de lief van de lief. Je leidt goed van de lief, of niet. De lief is niet goed van de lief van de lief dat de God loves je. De kross te ligt ons dat hij loves. Hier is de lief. De Bible-tees is dat de rein op de rite en rite is. Ik heb een christian heel veel te weten dat de lief van de lief en de lief van de lief van de lief van de lief, die die die die niet hebben. De lief. Dus omdat je een christian, je gaat niet een lief van de lief van de lief van de lief, en ik weet het, Dat God lados voor repeatedlyrhpette je je ondekkein, dat je een milj onretje deugd en dat is onze properste dag. we hebben toch een,- 웗nwe runningив Good through theולven thumbnail,ullah scheduling - Inlaughs - 'hei geall tentang ons' dix fallinge duieners. Roe dan die vol die tou er continos, 'man is Priンダe ogvarie yoorayie sfeus modify waZe ei gaan een eerste ponte om ons fiets mett ons eigenlijk! Hij met ons in de fiets, hij gebruikt ons de fiets in onze leven. Maar de rezerrektie geerendt ons, met ons met ons, bij ons de fiets. Bij ons de graven, we gaan ons met ons, voor alle. Let's pray. Actually let's stand. We're gonna. If you at home, why don't you stand with us? I'm gonna pray, and then the band is gonna lead us in a song. Lord Jesus thank You, that You meet us in the fire of our lives. Thank You that in the fire we get to see You clearer. We get to meet You and know You better. But thank You Lord that the fire doesn't define us. I want to thank You God that You were the one that brings us through the fire. Without a smell of fire in our hair, You promote us through the fire. And God I want to thank You for the impact of Your resurrection on our lives. That we can know that forever we belong with You and we're gonna be with You. I want to thank You that as believers we can cherish these truths. I want to pray for those who would not call themselves disciples of Jesus. Lord I want to pray that You would reveal Yourself to them right now. For those that are in a fire that may have even caused them to tune into this broadcast, or even brought them to this building this morning, I want to pray that they would see You clearly right here, right now. I want to pray that You would cause faith to erupt in their hearts, just like with Nebuchadnezzar, that they would through what they've seen and what they've heard and what they've experienced, that faith would rise in them to believe. Oster's in your name Jesus. Amen. [BLANK_AUDIO]