Easter 2023

Easter Sunday: Prayer Of Salvation

April 9th, 2023/Casey Middle School

He is Risen!

We are so grateful that you are joining us on this very special day. Easter Sunday is the day that the global church celebrates the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is risen, and because of His resurrection, we too are able to be brought from death to life.

If you are a guest with us today then I’m especially glad that you’re joining us. I hope that you feel welcome in God’s house. We love you and want to make sure you feel seen and known. But more than that, we hope that you know God loves you, sees you, knows you, and has a wonderful plan for your life.

You have entered an atmosphere of faith. A room full of people that are imperfect, broken, and wrestling with many of the same things you are. But we hold tight to the hope we have in Christ that He will never leave us and never forsake us. He is a good and faithful God. He is a loving Father that loves to give good gifts to His children.

If you follow current events, listen to podcasts, or follow the news then you probably have had the thought, this is really bad! We live in a world with so much brokenness, pain, and difficulty. I recently wept in my truck driving down the road as I thought about the families, moms and dads that have to go on with life without their little girl, or their son.

There is deep longing around the world for hope. Many seem put off by religious activity or spiritual trends, but feel a deep hunger for something real that is beyond themselves. Self help and the pursuit of happy days fall short time and time again and so many are left still searching. Surely there is a God, surely there is one that can bring light in this darkness, hope when times feel hopeless, and comfort through the pain.

Today is a day of Good News! The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The One who is and the One who is to come. The creator of the heavens and the earth. The creator of you and me. The one that knows us the best and loves us the most, His name is Jesus. Jesus loves you. He sees you. And He has a beautiful plan for your life.

I believe there is someone here that showed up feeling a nudge to go to an Easter service, compelled to walk into God’s house, and today is the day for a turning point in your life. We have been praying. I have been praying. You are not here by accident. God is drawing you. The truth of Jesus is being revealed to you. And he’s calling you with a still small voice saying “Come.” Nothing more. Just “Come.”

Jesus is not simply a part of history, we all exist today as a part of His Story. A love story. The most beautiful love story that has ever been written. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16 NKJV

Since the beginning of time He was writing your story. You are no accident on this earth. You were intimately formed by God in your mother’s womb for such a time as this. How could the God of the universe know me you might ask. Because He is a relational God that wants to have a personal and intimate relationship with you. He is not detached from your story, He is leaning in and chasing after your heart.

The two most important days of your life are the day that you were born, and the day you discover why. What is my purpose? Why am I placed on this earth? Surely there is more than the day to day grind, more than the waking up and falling asleep. More than hiking and hiking. More than sunrises and sunsets. More than death and life. There’s so much more and it’s found in the resurrection of Jesus.

Title: Prayer Of Salvation

Passage: Ephesians 2:1-10

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Pray:

Story: Soul winning in middle school “if you were to die today…”

My whole life I have been burdened for the souls of men and women. Not just for the eternity of their souls, but for the present reality of their lives. Making a decision to follow Jesus is not fire insurance. “I guess I don’t want to go to hell, so why not try Jesus!” The Gospel of Jesus is so much richer and deeper than a better and brighter future. It is our hope for today! It is the very breath of life that sustains every moment of every day.

Would you lean in with me over the next few minutes as we look at God’s Word and see how you can begin a personal relationship with God today.

Prayer Of Salvation

1. Jesus, I acknowledge that I need you.

   1. - “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven.” - Matthew 10:32-33
   2. The address matters. Giving your life to Christ is a conversation you are having with Almighty God. You don’t need any human mediator. Jesus Himself is our mediator, so you go to Him directly and He hears your prayers.
   3. Thought on Christianity: Faith in Jesus is only for those that are at the end of the rope, for those that have hit rock bottom and have no hope. There was a man in the Bible who had it all, all wealth, wisdom, and women, and here’s what he had to say..
   4. “So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done. And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.” - Ecclesiastes 2:9-11 NKJV
   5. “Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well.7
   6. Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it. 8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity.”” - Ecclesiastes 12:6-8 NKJV
   7. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.” - Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NKJV
   8. You can search the whole earth for purpose, meaning, and hope, but none can satisfy the deepest longing of your soul. There may be temporary happiness, but in the end it will never be enough.
   9. So I guess you could say the saying is true… you must come to the end of yourself, to truly find yourself in Christ. Not a new and improved you, but the truest you in Christ.
   10. “36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ”” - Mark 8:36-37 NKJV
   11. “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” - CS Lewis
       1. You are a spiritual being, designed for worship. Nothing in this world will ever bring eternal satisfaction.
       2. Everyone on earth gives themselves fully to worshiping something or someone. Worship is a part of our design.
       3. The literal meaning of worship is to bow down or bend low. With this understanding of the word worship, it wouldn’t make a whole lotta sense to say “I didn’t really enjoy worship this morning.” Or in other words “I really didn’t enjoy bowing down this morning.” Which I guess could be the case for some.
   12. The end of yourself is not a matter of having experienced enough pain and brokenness that you need a change, it’s an encounter with a Holy God that LOVES YOU! It’s the acknowledgement that “Jesus, I need you!”, “I need you Lord!”
   13. Next we need to address the root problem of sin.

2. I confess that I have sinned against you

   1. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” - Romans 3:23-24 CSB
   2. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” - 1 John 1:9-10
   3. It was not the nails that held Jesus to the cross, it was His love.
   4. If you want to know how much God hates sin, look at the cross. If you want to know how much God loves you, look at the cross.
   5. The penalty of our sin.
   6. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23
   7. Story: man who has done no wrong, stands in the place of a guilty man. “I will take his punishment”
   8. Jesus not only died for you, He died as you. He stood in your place as the perfect sacrifice.
   9. Greater love has no one than this, that He would lay down His life for a friend.

3. I believe that God has raised you from the dead

   1. “But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8 CSB
   2. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
   3. HE IS RISEN!
   4. Through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection He defeated the enemy, sin, hell, and the grave! He is Almighty God! Prince of Peace! The Everlasting Father! He alone is our King of Kings!
   5. When you give your life to Christ, everything changes. You receive a personal relationship with God the Father. You receive eternity with God and those who believe. You are given the inheritance of God on this earth. His riches, His peace, His love are now yours fully.
   6. Do you believe it?

4. And right now, by faith, I say “Jesus Is Lord”

   1. “9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.” - Romans 10:9-10
   2. “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” - Romans 10:13 CSB
   3. Jesus was either a liar, lunatic, or Lord.

5. Thank you for forgiving me

   1. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.” - Ephesians 1:7
   2. “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” - Psalm 103:12
   3. What else can we say, but thank you God.

6. By Your grace I am saved

   1. “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!” - Ephesians 2:4-5
   2. “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” - Ephesians 2:8-10
   3. You don’t deserve it
   4. You can’t earn it
   5. It’s simply God's undeserved love and unmerited favor over your life given as a free gift.
   6. It is free, but it was not cheap.
   7. It came at the highest price.
   8. It came through pain and suffering

   9. Story: The love of a father

      1. My kids don’t have to earn my love or work for my affection. I give it freely and unconditionally because I love them.

7. And by your power, I am set free

   1. - “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.” - Romans 8:11
   2. - “So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.” - John 8:36
   3. - “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” - 2 Corinthians 5:17
   4. Question: Why wasn’t Jesus allowed into the jewelry store? They heard that He was a chain breaker. :)
   5. How many of you can testify this morning that I once was lost, but now I’m found. I once was blind but now I see. That there is a God that knows my deepest darkest secrets and yet He still loves me! I was once addicted to drugs and now I’m set free! I was once a slave to alcohol and God gave me a new desire! I once held all that life’s riches has to offer and was found wanting, desperate for hope, purpose, and something bigger than myself and God found me!

Closing:

The thief at the cross, he knew 1 thing, Jesus is Lord.

THE INVITATION IS “COME”. COME TO JESUS. JUST AS YOU ARE. NO CLEANING UP FIRST. NO GETTING ALL THE ANSWERS YOU NEED. NO NEED OF CONVINCING. SIMPLY COME. HE’S WAITING… WON’T YOU COME.

As the band plays the invitation is for you to step out of your seat and come forward and give your life to Christ. Won’t you come. As the band begins to play don’t hesitate or put it off one more moment. Today is the day of salvation.

And church, won’t you pray as people begin to move.

Invitation #1

For the new believer needing to take that first step of faith. You acknowledge your need for a Savior and you’re trusting God with your life. He is waiting. He is calling. Won’t you come to Him today.

Invitation #2

For the believer that needs to make Jesus King, not just know He is risen, but needs to say “Today I’m turning around.” No more games. No more dipping my toes into the Jesus thing, but I’m committing my life to follow Him with my whole heart! It’s not my mama's faith, it’s not my daddy’s faith, it’s not my auntie's or gramma’s faith, it’s not my spouse's or friend's faith, but I want to make it personal to me. Come forward and commit your life to Christ today! He says COME.

Invitation #3

For the believer that says I need to make some changes in my life. I have fallen away and have not prioritized my relationship with Jesus. I need to set some things right in my life. I need to repent and turn back to God.