The Impact Of The Resurrection

If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you’re familiar with the miraculous account of Christ’s resurrection. It brings hope for salvation, assurance for eternity, and comfort in times of grief or loss. But has it changed how you live? In this message, Dr. Stanley explains the impact Christ’s resurrection can have on your thinking, conversation, and conduct. His power over the grave can transform every aspect of your life. Learn more about the blessings that accompany our salvation. For more messages from Charles Stanley, including this week’s broadcast, go to www.intouch.org/watch

God’s Messages

Dear Lord,
Today…….I am asking all my prayer warriors to say a prayer that may help others. So many people are hurting right now. Many are struggling with finances and need jobs. Some are facing foreclosure and don’t even know how they are going to make it from week to week..

Many are lonely. . Many are heartbroken. . Many are facing sickness and health is fading. . Some are dealing with difficult family members. Many have lost HOPE.. Tonight, let us put our prayers and faith together decree and declare breakthrough over our families. Financial miracles WILL take place. Jobs WILL be found. Our Bodies WILL be made whole & sickness WILL flee. Marriages and relationships WILL be restored. Family members WILL find Jesus. Heartbreaks WILL be healed. JOY WILL be restored and HOPE WILL be found. In Jesus Name. Amen!!!!!! Keep God First…….

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Now you heard the message of the resurrection of Jesus for years and years and years.
You could quote some of the scriptures and you could tell me standing by the graveside of one of your loved ones that uh you could tell me what it meant to you.
So you’ve thought about it over the years. Let me ask you a question.
What do you know about the resurrection of Christ?
How has it impacted your life in any way to change your thinking, your behavior, your conduct?
If we would say your conversation, what difference has it made?
When I think about the awesome message of the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
Surely, if you understand it, it has made some difference in your life.
Where are you gonna spend eternity?
How you treat one another, how you worship God, your own private devotions.
What difference has it made that you have believed that Jesus Christ, the son of the living God came into this world, lived it out, died on the cross, resurrected, sits at the Father’s right hand.
What difference has that made in your life.
So, what I’d like to do is to just review a few moments.
Those things that you say, you believe our beliefs about the resurrection of Christ starts with the fact that Christ rose from the dead.
He’s alive at the Father’s right hand. Listen to what he says in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 12.
He having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God.
We believe that He was the all sufficient one sacrifice for the sin of the whole world.
A second thing we say, we believe is this, that we are forgiven and eternally secure in Him.
Many people don’t believe that there will be many people today sitting in churches and celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ who do not believe their eternal is secure.
They believe that their conduct will determine whether they go to heaven or hell or not.
And imagine what kind of insecurity that is.
You go to church, you sing these wonderful hymns and then somebody says, are you going to heaven?
And you have to say, I hope so. I, I maybe so.
I think so sometimes I think I am and sometimes I think I’m not the insecurity built into a person’s life because they don’t understand the word of God.
Then of course, the scripture says, having also believed you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who’s given to us as a pledge of our inheritance.
God says, when you trust in Him as your savior, you were sealed, that not sealed by our conduct, sealed by the Holy Spirit.
The third person of the Trinity.
A third thing we say that we believe as a result of the resurrection is that we’re gonna live forever.
He says, for example, that verse that most of us learn first in the Bible for God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.
Isn’t it interesting how we can quote verses and to say that we believe them?
But when we divide them up and look at the words, we think, well, everlasting.
Well, I don’t know about that. Well, how if it’s not everlasting life, what is it?
How long is it? You can’t answer it. The Bible doesn’t leave us with a lot of questions.
The Bible answers all the questions that we have that are relevant for living a Godly life and relevant for giving us assurance that we go into heaven when we die?
Then we say, for example, we believe that we are also going to experience about resurrection, that’s part of the message of the resurrection.
And so as we look at these verses over and over and over again, he said, this body is sown, a perishable body raised an imperishable body in First Corinthians 15, that 15 chapter is an awesome chapter about the resurrection.
Many people spend a lot of time thinking about how they look, their hair, their dress, their shoes, they’re this, they’re that and the other and some men just is not just we, we’re probably just as bad.
There’s coming a day when you won’t have to worry about how you’re dressed.
Listen to this. It is sown. A perishable body raised, imperishable, eternal. Perfect.
That’s the promise of the resurrection.
Then somebody says, well, what about this idea of heaven? What’s it gonna be like?
Well, the Bible does not leave us without a whole lot of questions about that because if you read the book of the revelation and some of the things that Jesus said in the gospels, we know a little bit about what heaven is gonna be like.
But the most important thing is what he said in John 14 verse three, I’m going to prepare a place for you and I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am that you may be also.
Now listen to that. I’m going away to prepare a place for you.
He didn’t say I’m just going away and he didn’t say I’m just gonna go prepare a place.
He said, I’m gonna prepare a place for you that is with God.
It is the will and purpose and plan of God that every single one of us have a relationship with Him that makes it possible for us to enter heaven sinless, holy righteous before almighty God.
Because that’s the reason he came, he came, that we might have life and not just life, but he said, have it more abundantly eternal life.
And we can quote John 3 16 all day long.
But the question is this, do I believe that as a result of believing, placing my trust in Jesus Christ, his death at the cross?
He paid my sin debt in full, not impartial but full.
Do you know what grace is all about grace is all about God’s awesome, eternal love for us that listen that beyond anything we could ever imagine or do that?
His love for us takes care of all of our sin. For by grace. Are you saved?
And it’s interesting that people can go to church for years and years and years, listen to the hymns, listen to sermons.
Then when it comes down to life and death and say to them, are you sure you’re going to have them?
I hope so well again, why, why do you hope so well? I just hope so.
Do you believe the Bible teaches? Yeah, I do. Oh, are you sure you’re going well?
I hope so for by grace, you are saved.
Not by works, not by being good, not by hoping. So not by planning.
So not by giving grace is God’s undeserved favor for us, provided for us by the blood of Jesus Christ.
We have the awesome promise as Children of God so that we live a holy life, not living a holy life to get to heaven, but living a holy life because we are going to heaven.
We have awesome assurance of that.
And then he says, for example, also in uh the 14th chapter John, he says, heaven is our home.
Listen, I’m going to prepare a place for you.
I’ll come again to receive you to myself that where I am there. You may be. Also.
Now think about this, if you believe that Jesus Christ is your savior, count on it.
If you don’t believe he’s your savior, don’t count on it.
Well, I believe that somehow God’s gonna take care of all of us. One of these days. That’s right.
But it’s gonna be a split. Some going to heaven, some not going to heaven. It’s a choice.
We make hear the promises that we’ve said all these years.
We believe we believe that because Jesus rose from the grave, he absolutely settle once and for all our foundation for all of our faith in what he said, that is he rose from the grave.
And then of course, he said one of these days, we’re gonna see our loved ones in Second Corinthians chapter five verse eight, be of good courage, I say, and prefer to be absent from the body to be present with the Lord.
All of us who are followers of Jesus believe that in one of these days we see our loved ones.
If I go away, I’m coming in to receive you unto myself.
Our relationship to Jesus Christ is intimate, warm and personal. He loves us. He forgives us. He cleanses us.
He forgives us over and over and over again because he knows we’re not perfect.
Can’t be perfect in this life, but we can by faith, be one of his Children.
We can by faith have eternal security and all of these promises in the scripture that we say, we believe about the resurrection and the result of it.
What kind of effect has that had on your life?
Because all these things that you believe are true.
So let me ask you the question, what difference that do these truths make for you on Monday morning, a Friday night or Sunday afternoon or any time, the truth of God’s word should make an eternal difference in the way we live, the way we speak, the w what we wear, where we go, what we do with our life because he came into our life to make a change, make a difference, not just some little difference but eternal difference.
So if you had to say to some unbelieving friend of yours, let me tell you the difference that Jesus has made in my life, where would you begin?
What would you say if you had to say to an unbeliever in response to that question?
Tell me now that if you’re a Christian, what difference has it made in your life?
The difference isn’t visible.
It’s all about the Holy Spirit who say, listen, who brought about salvation in your life.
And the Bible says, seal you as a child of God, that’s who we are.
And so it certainly has made a difference in our life. And so the question is, what’s the difference?
Well, let me give you a few verses.
You can think about them in your own life and ask yourself the question has Christ in my life made this difference.
And in first Peter chapter one verse 15, here’s what he says, be holy yourselves in all your behavior.
Now, I don’t think most Christians use the word holy except maybe holy day or some people who believe in the holy sacrament.
A holy. This uh what about being holy? Does that mean? Does that mean being sinless?
No, it doesn’t. Well, it says be holy and must be being sinless?
No or John would not have written if we confess our sins, he’s faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I I is our goal to be live a holy life. Yes. Is that a sinless life?
No, but it is a life listen carefully. It is a life committed to the person of Jesus Christ.
It is a life indwelt by Jesus Christ.
It is a life whose name is written in the Lamb’s book of Life in Heaven.
It is a life committed to Jesus.
It is a life that attempts to live by the truths of the word of God. Perfect.
Absolutely not because we live in a human body.
But he says our goal should be to live a holy life.
You say, well, if I told somebody I want to live a holy life, they just laugh at me.
Let them laugh. Would you say?
Well, what do I have to do to live a holy life? What does the holy life mean?
Does it mean sinless? No. But here’s what it means, an absolutely genuine desire and heartfelt attempt to walk by the ways of our Lord to be obedient to him in every aspect of our life.
That’s what our holy life is all about. Not perfect. None of us are gonna be perfect.
But the, but the desire of our heart is to live in keeping with the pattern of Jesus and what he requires of us, loving our neighbors, giving, sharing, sharing our testimony and you go all the way through the scriptures, all the things he requires of us.
Perfect. No. Holy, yes. Holy, holy holy is the Lord God of host.
A holy life, not a sinless life but a Godly life.
A life committed to being obedient to God following his ways in every way. That’s a holy life.
And I think most people have decided when they got saved, they can’t, can’t be perfect. Nobody’s perfect.
And So we come up with this excuse, nobody’s perfect.
So, you know, I’m just gonna live life and I go to church on Sunday and I give a little bit every once in a while and I try to love my neighbor and be kind and be good but perfect.
No, or what about attempting to be obedient to God.
Holiness is God’s goal for every single one of us?
Then I think for example, what is your message as a believer?
For example, if somebody said to you, tell me what you believe, what would you say?
Now, think about this for a moment. You trusted Jesus Christ as your savior.
That is you have put your whole eternal future in his hands.
You have accepted what he said as truth and you have asked him to forgive you of your sins.
You trust Him as your personal savior originally when you were saved.
And so you’ve settled that issue in your life.
And so so if somebody said, well, well, tell me, what is your message as a Christian, what would you say?
What’s your message as a Christian? What do you have to say?
So remember this, you don’t have to think this up you.
Somebody says, well, I hear these people talking about giving a testimony. I can’t give a testimony.
I’m gonna teach you how to write quick.
Here’s how to give a testimony you say to that person.
Here’s my testimony for God.
So loved me, that he gave his only begotten son that if I trusted him as my personal savior, I would have the gift of eternal life and I have it.
I have it.
Not because I’m good, not because I deserve it, but because he promised it.
And I believe him, in other words, what you and I think about this, what, what all the things that you and I believe about the resurrection of Jesus Christ should absolutely transform our life.
We should each one of us be a beacon to the people around us that we work with and live with a beacon of the truth of Almighty God.
They should hear it from their lips.
They should see it in their walk, they should see it in our conduct, our conversation.
They should see something that they cannot quite figure out what it is and you have the awesome privilege of telling them.
So listen to this question that ought to be very convicting. Are you listening to say amen?
When is the last time you said to anybody?
Let me tell you how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Let me tell you how to be saved.
Let me tell you how you can be sure when you die, you’re going to heaven.
When is the last time you ever took for time to say that to somebody?
We’re followers of Jesus. Our life has been transformed.
Our name is written in the lamb’s book of Life and they cannot be erased.
We’re going to heaven when we die.
We’re on our way some closer than others, but on our way and we haven’t told anybody else how to get there.
Let me ask you this. What are you doing in your life? That’s so important.
So absolutely consumes your whole life day after day, week after week, month, after month, year after year.
And you don’t tell anybody else the source of your assurance, confidence about life and death to whom have you said?
I wanna tell you the source of my peace.
I wanna tell you why I have joy in my heart. I wanna tell you why.
I’m absolutely certain that what the Bible is true, absent from the body present with the Lord.
Let me tell you about what Jesus Christ means to me. When is the last time?
And who whom have you ever told how to be saved?
How to have what you already have the blessings of eternal life, the goodness and mercy and kindness of Almighty God, year after year after year, after year, after year after year and never tell anybody else the source of your joy of your assurance, your confidence that one of these days when you die, you go to heaven, how can we keep it to ourselves?
Can you imagine how loud the disciples shouted when they knew Jesus Christ, not only a rose from the dead, but when he ascended do you think they just stood there and said mm mm no, they didn’t.
They were shouting all over the place because what he did in that ascension affirmed everything he ever taught him.
Watch this. You and I have the word of God. It’s true from cover to cover.
We have written authentic promises of Almighty God.
We’ve not seen Him I send to heaven, but we’ve seen this awesome truth about Him and we’ve seen his commands and we’ve seen all these verses of scripture that’s told us about Him.
We have this awesome foundation. You, you have the truth in your heart.
You, you, you have within you.
What it takes to move a person from walking on this earth to go into heaven.
You have it within you. As a follower of Jesus, you cannot afford to keep it to yourself.
He said, go into all the world and preach of you say, well, we send mission.
Mm mm mm I can’t send somebody and take the place of talking to somebody that I live next door to or work with.
We have a divine obligation to tell it like it is to everybody we can.
Then we have this wonderful opportunity of serving him in the power of the Holy Spirit.
And so somebody says, well, um I don’t know exactly what to say.
Listen carefully when you were saved, the Holy Spirit, the third person of eternity came to you.
And the Bible says, He sealed you as a child of God.
That seal cannot be broken, that your security is not in your conduct.
Your security is in the end dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
He not only has seal us as a child of God, he has empowered us that is He has equipped you to do whatever God has called you to do.
And when he said, go into all the world to teach and preach the word of God, that does not mean that all of us have to go to some other country, but that we are to share the truth of the gospel with the people around us.
And we listen to this, you have the third person of the, to the holy spirit of God who who first of all convicted you of your sin showed you the truth.
Gave you the faith enabled you to be saved.
And then, and you and will in you all the way to glory in order to do what to equip you to give you the courage and the confidence and the assurance and the strength and the energy and the power to share the truth of God’s word to other people.
You are equipped God place this Son Jesus in your life and you live every day and you don’t tell anybody.
You said, well, I came to hear a pleasant message about the resurrection this morning.
It’s pleasant to those of us who are obedient to those who are not, it shouldn’t be pleasant.
It should be because I love you enough to tell you the truth and God loves you and He wants you to be everything he created you to be.
And when I think about the truth that we know, and when I think about the fact that He’s given us the Holy Spirit to equip us every day, you wake up with Him, you go to bed with Him.
You live your life at every day with the awesome power of the Holy Spirit.
That is the third person, the turn to God, the father, son of the Holy Spirit.
Listen, you are never alone when you’ve trusted Jesus as your savior, never alone.
So you have a friend who’s with you all the time.
And the question is this, what kind of friendship do you have with him?
Now, if you’re married, I said, I hope you’re happily married and if you are, you know what, how wonderful it can be to have a good relationship with somebody who loves you unconditionally and you love them in return.
Well, Jesus came to deliver then us through the Holy Spirit.
They give us that awesome sense of fullness, completeness.
We may live alone, but we don’t have to be lonely because we always have him and we have a message that the world desperately needs to hear.
And when I think about how often we talk about many other things I think about the presence of the Holy Spirit and the fact that you and I have the privilege of praying and changing anything we can pray to Almighty God with the power, the confidence and assurance that changes anything and everything that fits His will for our life.
So I think on this resurrection day that we celebrate, this is a good time to examine our hearts to thank God.
I’m sure enjoyed a lot. I’m blessed now. Lord.
What do you expect of me? I’ll tell you what he expects.
He expects you to give yourself away to him by giving yourself away to others and sharing the best news the world has ever heard.
That’s what he expects. Isn’t it amazing how the devil has put fear in people’s lives about talking about Jesus when he is the most important person who has ever existed, who loves you absolutely unconditionally who has blessed you beyond your description.
And all he’s asking of you is tell him, tell her, share it with him. Don’t wait any longer.
Just tell him, you know, somebody who needs to be saved.
And let me just say this.
If you care about them, you will tell them, you say, but suppose they don’t listen.
That’s not your responsibility. Suppose they don’t want to hear it. That’s not your responsibility.
Our responsibility is to tell it their responsibility is to make a choice.
You have the truth.
It’s not to be kept but to be shared I pray to God is that you will.
And you may be seated here this morning. You’ve never trusted Christ as your savior.
You know, a lot of Christians, nobody’s ever said much to you and you came along today or you may have come invited by somebody else and today, you know, in your heart, this is the moment in time when your eternal future will change.
Yeah. Do not walk out of this place without having made a decision.
You say, well, what decision is that? It’s this simple with all the sincerity of your heart.
God, I’m a sinner. Lord. I’m asking you to forgive me of my sin.
I don’t deserve it, but I’m asking you to forgive me.
And today in this place seated right here, I’m surrendering my life to you and I’m trusting you to be for me.
What I can’t be for myself.
I don’t think I can live the life, but I’m, I’m, I’m surrendering my life to you right now.
Lord. And I’m gonna trust you to help me understand and let it out.
It’ll change your life in the next few moments.
Hey man, father, we love you and praise you.
Thank you for your forgiveness.
Thank you for writing your name in the lamb’s book of Life. Never to be erased.
Thank you for giving us the courage to share with those about us who are yet to be saved, make us so uncomfortable.
Dear God. We cannot live among, live around precious people who need your message any longer without telling him and father, I pray that every single person here who has never trusted Christ right now in these moments will say, Lord forgive me of my sin.
Today, I surrender my life to you, to live for you forever.
Thank you father for your awesome power to love, forgive and change in jesus’ name.
Amen.