HOFC Sermon Archive: April 2025

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Today is Sunday. April 20^th, 2025

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Luke 24:1-8

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.

2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.

5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them,

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.”

INTRODUCTION

Luke 24 is one of the references I spoke of last week in our sermon series from the Gospel of Mark, speaking about the resurrection taking place on Sunday and why we meet and worship on the first day of the week. Along with the fact the disciples held services and communion on Sunday as well in scripture.

The resurrection had taken place, and the women, expecting to find the dead, instead discover that Jesus is very much alive.

In the same way, when we become new creations, sometimes our family and friends expect to arrive and meet the “old man” who is dead, but instead, find one who is very much alive in Christ Jesus.

At the least, if we are claiming to be Christian follower’s of Jesus, this is what they should discover.

Unfortunately we know not all who claim Christ are of Christ.

We must examine ourselves, test ourselves as scripture states, to see if Christ is indeed in us, or if we fail the test. Jesus Himself says the test is not passed because of works, for many the Lord does not know will stand before Him on judgment day who did many works in Hs name, but did not know Him.

Are you the new man alive in Christ, or does the dead man yet enslave you to the bondage of sin?

I. CHRIST’S RESURRECTION IS NOT JUST HISTORICAL INFORMATION

a. About the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ

i. We have all heard the recounting of the empty tomb

ii. The stone rolled away, the tomb being empty

iii. The angels asking the question, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

iv. Jesus’ resurrection is not just a historical event – it’s the source of our new life.

His rising from the dead is both the power that enables transformation and the pattern for how we must live as followers of Christ Jesus: dying to the old self and living anew in Him.

b. The important question: Have you died so that you may live?

i. Romans 6:1-7 “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be!

How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

3 Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,

6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be made powerless, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died has been justified from sin.”

ii. When we repent and put our trust in the gospel, just as Jesus taught and preached, we do not continue to go on living in sin.

1. Sin has been made powerless, we are no longer slaves to sin

2. The old man is dead, and if we die to the old, we are set free from the bondage of sin, and justified. We have been acquitted. Innocent. Not guilty! When we repent and put our trust in the gospel, we do not have to pay the penalty for sin, because Jesus paid it all on the cross, and we are now considered FREE.

3. What about those who continue to live in sin? Though they were set free and sin has no power?

a. Sin has no power over us. We give power to it.

b. Those who find themselves living in sin have not died to self, therefore, cannot live anew, free from sins grasps.

c. They place the noose about their own necks.

d. And unless they repent and put their trust in the gospel, as Jesus says, they will die in their sins, and the debt due will be owed, and paid, by them. This is the second death.

Revelation 20:14-15 “Then death and Hades (Sheol) were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

How do you get your name written in the Book of Life?

Revelation 3:5 “He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

We get our name into the Book of Life by being an “overcomer”.

Staying faithful to Christ, even during trials.

Being victorious over sin, temptations and Satan, who has no real power or authority over you. Remaining in truth, even when persecuted.

1 John 5:4-5 “For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the overcoming that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

Romans 8:12-13 “brothers, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die, but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the practices of the body, you will live.”

Revelation 12:10-11 “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witness, and they did not love their life even to death.”

iii. It is not that sin still has power over them, for the scripture says it has been made powerless! We are no longer slaves to sin!

1. But some return to it, like a dog to its vomit.

2. Like Lot’s wife turning to look back at the life she had left.

3. Like Demas in 2 Timothy who once labored with Paul in ministry, but had forsaken Paul because Demas loved the world.

4. Like Annanias and Saphira, playing the Christian part, but never dying to selfish desires, such as their love of money.

5. We read in John 6 about many walking away from Jesus’ teaching because it was “hard”

a. What is hard about Jesus’ teaching? Dying to self.

c. The resurrection not only secures our salvation but sets forth the pattern of our Christian walk

i. To live as the “new man”, the old must die, and only then are we truly followers of Christ.

ii. Dying to self does not take place once, but daily.

1. Sometimes multiple times a day!

II. DYING TO SELF IS THE DAILY CROSS

a. Do you die to self daily, or just when it is convenient?

i. Luke 9:23-26 “And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. 25 For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”

b. Our spiritual pattern of living must imitate Christ in death and resurrection

i. Just as Christ physically died to this world, so must we spiritually die to this world and to self with its selfish ambitions and sinful desires.

ii. Can you die to self?

1. You can, because the Lord says its possible

2. The question isn’t “can you” but rather, do you?

c. Without dying to self, you have no life in Him

i. What does your daily walk look like?

ii. John 12:24-26a “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also;”

If one dies, they bear fruit.

iii. How do you make your daily decisions in life?

1. Does the process begin with “I want, I will, I’m going to”?

2. Or does it sound more like what Jesus said in scripture?

a. Luke 22:42-44a “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me, yet not My will, but Yours be done.” 43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently…”

3. Jesus was in agony, emotionally, spiritually, but prayed fervently.

a. Do not think for a moment Jesus does not understand what you are going through in life.

4. Jesus wanted “this cup” the cross and the torture that was to come, the pain, agony, suffering, to be taken away from Him!

5. How did He choose to live? “Not my will, but Yours be done.”

6. And an angel from heaven was sent “to strengthen Him”

iv. Jesus prayed, not for what feels good, relieves suffering, makes life easy, rewards here and now, fulfills our living experience, makes things perfect or great…

v. But for the will of the Father…let that be done in me, and in my life, for I have died to self, and desire to live for You.

It is only when we die to self that we can truly begin living.

When others see you, do they see this selfless new man, desiring the will of the Father, or still the old, chasing self and its desires?

III. ARE YOU COUNTED AMONG THOSE TRULY LIVING FOR THE LORD?

a. Are you alive in the Lord, or remain dead in yourself?

i. Who would trade the promises of God for sin?

ii. It happens all the time, and I mentioned many from scripture who did.

iii. Selfish desire can be a strong influencer, yet, in Christ, we have power over sin.

iv. Therefore, when we sin…we are choosing sin over the Glory of God and His will.

1. Because the word says we are no longer slaves to sin, it has NO POWER over us.

v. Are you living victoriously, or do you commonly return to your sin like a dog to its vomit?

vi. You have been set free, therefore, stop putting the chains back on!

b. You have been buried and raised with Him

i. So, die to self, and pick up your cross!

CONCLUSION

Colossians 3:1-10a “Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

2 Be committed to the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you died and your life has been hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory.

5 Therefore, put to death the members of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.

6 On account of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, lay them all aside: wrath, anger, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Stop lying to one another, since you put off the old man with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new man”

The resurrection of Christ is not just a holy day to be celebrated in remembrance of Him who died for us so that we may have eternal life.

It must be something we take to heart and embody in our daily walk. Because it is only when we truly die to self we are able to live for Him. No matter the “works” we may do in His name while alive.

For there will be many on Judgment Day who stand before our Lord listing all of the things they’ve done in His name, while neglecting the one thing required of them, dying to self, that would allow them to serve the Lord, and for Him to “know” them.

John 10:27-28 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish—"

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Friday, April 25, 2025

Resurrection Sunday 2025 Risen with Christ: Living for Him