He lives to take me from death to life! That sounds too good to be true. When does this ever happen in life?! In my opening illustration I offering the story of Ron and Carl, two fishermen who got in over their heads. Back in 2006 divers found a car that had fallen through the ice in 1961 on a small lake in Wisconsin. That’s 45 years. It’s not uncommon for cars to fall through the ice, but usually they do get fished out. What’s really amazing about this car isn’t that it’s so old, but that the two passengers were still in it. A Ronald Wick, 19, vanished along with Carl Stolz, 21 one night in Feb of 1961. Can you imagine raising that car from three feet of lake muck for the chance to literally stare death in the face? It’s a creepy thought.
I always wonder about those folks who deny the facts of Easter. Maybe Philip Yancey was right about Jesus. In many respects I find an unresurrected Jesus easier to accept. Easter makes him dangerous. Because of Easter, I have to listen to his extravagant claims and can no longer pick and choose from his sayings.
Ever since that first Easter people have been trying to deny the truth that Jesus rose from the dead. This was happening in the Corinthian congregation as well. I don’t know that I would say Jesus is dangerous, but the consequences of Easter are monumental.
Either Jesus is still dead, or Jesus rose. That means, either Jesus is a complete waste of your time, or he is your only hope for salvation. If Jesus is still dead, it is completely logical that you should want nothing to do with him. If Jesus rose, it is only logical that he becomes the center and greatest priority of your life. Either Jesus is still dead, or Jesus rose.
Want to hear more? Watch this Easter’s sermon taken from 1 Corinthians 15 – He Lives to Take Me From Death to Life!
Book(s): 1 Corinthians
Tag(s): Easter
Speaker(s): Fred Guldberg