resurrection

April 10, 2023

The Resurrection (Easter)

Mark 16.1-8

The women have a front row seat to the miraculous events of that first Easter morning. Though all hope seemed to be lost…the Hero was dead…God was not finished yet. Not by a long shot. Instead, there’s an astounding twist to the plot…the Hero is raised and is alive. Death is conquered. Sin is atoned for. The way is made available for us to return to God. Death is swallowed up in life, despair in hope, mourning in astounding joy. Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed!

The resurrection proves that Jesus is the Hero that God promised to send and that everything He said is true…His death satisfied God’s wrath on sin, and His resurrection means that He is able to give life…new life, eternal life…to all those who believe in Him. And as He promised, He will be with us always, even unto the end of the age. So no matter how much the world may shake around us…and there’s sure a lot of shaking going on…God is able to bring life out of death, hope out of despair, victory out of sure defeat.

Sometimes we lose sight of that, even as believers. Maybe that’s you today. Maybe the circumstances of life have caused you to lose hope. You’re living as if Jesus is still in the tomb. Maybe you need to be reminded today that Jesus is alive, and He is still rolling stones away…revealing Himself in specific ways to those who have believed in Him. He wants you to experience resurrection life…the abundant life that He saved you for. Now’s a good time to re-up on following Him.

But maybe you haven’t yet trusted in Jesus. If not, today can be the day of salvation for you. He has already done all the heavy lifting. You simply have to recognize your need to be saved…that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. And believe that Jesus came to do just that…He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death in your place and was raised the third day, conquering both sin and death. When you do that, the Bible says that your sins are forgiven, that you have eternal life, and that you are now a part of God’s family…a son or daughter of the King.

pro rege

This post is based on our Easter sermon. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

April 18, 2022

The Resurrection

Luke 24.1-12

The women have a front row seat to the miraculous events of that first Easter morning. Though all hope seemed to be lost…the Hero was dead…God is not finished yet. God’s the Author of this Story, and when God tells the Story, there’s always hope. An astounding twist to the plot…the Hero is alive. Death is conquered. Sin is atoned for. The way is made available for us to return back to God. Death is swallowed up in life, despair in hope, mourning in astounding joy. Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed!

The resurrection proves that Jesus is the Hero He claimed to be and that everything He said is true…His death satisfied God’s wrath on sin, and His resurrection means that He is able to also raise us up and give us new life…eternal life. And as He promised, Jesus will be with us always, even unto the end of the age. So no matter how much the world may shake around us…whether it’s natural disasters or the wickedness of men…God is able to bring life out of death, hope out of despair, victory out of sure defeat.

Sometimes we lose sight of that, even as believers. Maybe that’s you today. Maybe you are like the women or the disciples, and the circumstances of life have caused you to lose hope. You’re living as if Jesus is still in the tomb. Maybe you need to be reminded today that Jesus is alive, and He wants you to experience resurrection life…the abundant life that He saved you for. Now’s a good time to rededicate your life to following Him.

But maybe you haven’t yet trusted in Jesus. If not, today can be the day of salvation for you. He has already done all the heavy lifting. You simply have to recognize your need to be rescued…that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. And believe that Jesus came to do just that…He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death in your place and was raised the third day, conquering both sin and death. When you do that, the Bible says that your sins are forgiven, that you have eternal life, and that you are now a part of God’s family…a son or daughter of the King.

pro rege

This post is based on our Palm Sunday sermon. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

April 5, 2021

Our Resurrected King

John 20

The resurrection proves not only that everything Jesus said and did was absolutely true, but that He “crushed sin and death for all eternity.” Jesus’ death pays the penalty for sin. However, if we stopped there, we might be forgiven; but what about the life He promises us? The abundant life? It’s not Jesus’ death, but His life…His resurrected life…that gives us the ability to experience life today…real, abundant life.

John says that he wrote “these things that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that believing we might have life in His name.” While Mary and the disciples had believed in Jesus…their experience of a crucified Jesus hadn’t brought life (fear, doubt, distress, confusion). Although Jesus was alive and although He had crushed sin and death, they were not experiencing this life.

And if I’m honest, that’s me too sometimes…I practically live like Jesus is still in the tomb. I know I’m forgiven, but I am often consumed by my circumstances – distraught, confused, fearful, and even doubting that Jesus can/will bring me out of the current situation. My guess is, I’m not alone.

Some of us today are believers…we’ve believed in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, but we are not experiencing the life of Jesus that is ours through His resurrection. Maybe we are like Mary…distraught and grieving, focused on our circumstances and having a hard time seeing Jesus. These things have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. Like Mary, Jesus patiently waits for us to recognize Him, wanting to turn our mourning into joy.

Maybe we are like the disciples…fearful, betting on Jesus but feeling like we are on the losing side. These things have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. Like the disciples, Jesus speaks peace over us, wanting to transform us from being fearful to being fearless.

But maybe we are like Thomas…doubting, needing evidence that Jesus can help us in our present predicament. These things have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. Like Thomas, Jesus meets us in that place of unbelief and wants to turn our doubting to believing.

Some of us today would not put ourselves in the believing category at all. We may be somewhere on the road of our spiritual journey, but we are definitely not there. That’s ok. These things have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. Jesus changes everything. He wants to meet us right where we are. He knows us…He knows our name, our doubts and fears, our circumstances. He’s not afraid of our questions, but is patient with us.

We all need to be reminded of the truth of the resurrection. Jesus is alive. And because He’s alive, we too can have life in Him.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Easter services. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter: @ccclancaster

April 13, 2020

He Is Risen!

Matthew 28.1-17

Both the women and the guards are witnesses to some amazing things that first Easter morning. But they arrive at two wildly different conclusions: 1) The women believe that Jesus is alive, which brings both fear and joy, a resurgence of their faith, a rekindling of their hope, eternal life, forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God; whereas 2) the guards, at the prompting of the religious leaders, say that Jesus is dead, which brings only fear and trembling, deception and despair, death…

The resurrection proves that everything Jesus said and did is absolutely true. He is the Hero that God’s people hoped for, the Messianic King He claimed to be. His death paid the penalty for our sin so that by believing in Him our sins can be completely forgiven. His resurrection means we have new life…eternal life. His Spirit now dwells within us, and He has promised to be with us always, even unto the end of the age.

If you have not yet trusted in Jesus, why not make today the day?

Maybe you have trusted in Jesus, but you now find yourself far from Him. Like the prodigal son…it’s time to come home.

Matthew’s Gospel closes with Jesus’ words… “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28.18-20). Come and see, go and tell.

pro rege

This post is based on our Easter sermon. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube: @ccclancaster

April 22, 2019

This Is Living Like Jesus

1 Peter 1

Jesus changes everything! Because of His death and resurrection we have a living hope…a hope that’s alive because Jesus is alive and a hope that continues to grow and mature as we follow Him. We need not live a life of fear, though the world around us is shaking, we can have confidence knowing that the temporary things may fade, but the kingdom remains.

If you have trusted in Jesus, He has rescued you from sin and death and has given you new life. This world is no longer your home. You have a new address…the kingdom where you have an inheritance awaiting you. You are protected by God’s power in this life…doesn’t mean that you won’t have physical pain or sorrow or even death…but it does mean the eternal life you have cannot be taken away. And even the trials that come are meant to strengthen your faith and remove everything that keeps you from fully trusting God.

And because we have this living hope and unshakable salvation, we are freed up to love. To love the way God loves. To love full on. Nothing held back. A love that shares the same message of hope…the gospel…with others.

So let us live as sojourners in this world. Let us live courageous and generous lives, preoccupied with the kingdom. Let us make an impact in the lives of those around us for Jesus.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our This Is Living series in 1 Peter. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @ccclancaster

April 3, 2018

Good News…Jesus is Risen!

Jesus is alive. God raised Him from the dead. His resurrection proves that Jesus is the Hero He claimed to be and that everything He said is true…His death satisfied God’s just punishment for sin, and He is able to raise us to new life, to give us eternal life. And as He promised, Jesus will be with us always, even unto the end of the age. So no matter how much the world may shake around us…God is able to bring life out of death, hope out of despair, victory out of sure defeat.

The resurrection changes everything! Jesus makes all the difference. He gives purpose and meaning to life, He brings real hope and change. Eternal life that starts today and never ends.

Do you know Jesus as Savior today? If you have not yet trusted in Him, today can be the day of salvation for you. Recognize your need to be saved…we are all sinners. Believe that Jesus came to save you by dying a sacrificial death for your sins. Then trust Him to save you. Then you too can truly celebrate Easter, and the good news that Jesus is risen.

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on a sermon from our Easter services. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @ccclancaster

November 6, 2017

The Ascension

Luke 24.36-53

Jesus makes His final appearance to His disciples and gives them instructions on carrying His mission forward.

Like the disciples, we too can get distracted by life’s events and circumstances and forget that God is at work in our lives…that He is bringing about His purposes in and through us, that He is conforming us to the image of Jesus, transforming us to live and love like Him. So while we may not see the purpose in suffering, He ultimately uses it to bring about greater glory.

God invites us to see our lives and our circumstances through His eyes…to see the opportunities that each of us have on a daily basis to be His witnesses to those around us. To encourage, to equip, to love, to serve, to share the gospel, to point them to Jesus. And He’s given us the Spirit to help us do just that.

How do we begin to see life through God’s eyes? Time spent in His Word, time spent in prayer, and time spent with other believers. It’s only as we spend time with Him in His Word that the Spirit opens our minds to understand the Scriptures. How do we know who God is apart from His Word? Through His Word, we get to know who He is and who we are. And the latter is almost as important as the former. You see, every day in a myriad of ways this world tells us who we are…tv, social media, music, books, friends, enemies, family members, etc. Not to mention the enemy… All these other inputs judge our worth based on the value we bring to the system…by our looks or our talents or our bank accounts or our reputation or our popularity or whatever. Those voices tell us that we are never good enough or acceptable enough or worthwhile enough. But what does the Bible say? You and I are of infinite value because we are made in the image of the Creator. That would be enough. But even greater than that, if you have trusted in Jesus, then you are a son or daughter of the King.

It’s only as we spend time with Him in prayer that we share our thoughts with Him…our hopes and dreams, our fears and failures, our desires and our struggles…and hear from Him. And it’s only as we spend time with other believers that we are reminded and encouraged to pursue Jesus together. Time spent with God should be a daily habit.

The disciples struggled to believe initially, but when they became convinced, they changed the world. The only reasonable explanation for their devotion, even at the cost of their own life, is:

• They saw the empty tomb.

• They met their risen Lord.

• They came to believe the Word of God: “… that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Have you trusted in Jesus? If not, today could be the day. He invites you to be a part of His kingdom. He’s already provided the way…all you have to do is recognize your need for repentance, believe that Jesus can save you and trust Him to do so. Then forgiveness of sins, eternal life, peace, joy, hope…the kingdom are yours.

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on a sermon from our series in the book of Luke. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @ccclancaster

October 9, 2017

The Resurrection

Luke 24.1-12

The women have a front row seat to the miraculous events of that first Easter morning. Though all hope seemed lost…the Hero was dead…God was not finished yet. God’s the Author of this Story, and I love when God tells the story…because when God tells the story, there’s always hope. An astounding twist to the plot…the Hero is alive. Death is conquered. Sin is atoned for. The way is made available for us to return back to God. Death is swallowed up in life, despair in hope, mourning in astounding joy. Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed!

The resurrection proves that Jesus is the Hero He claimed to be and that everything He said is true…His death satisfied God’s just punishment for sin, and He is able to raise us to new life, to give us eternal life. And as He promised, Jesus will be with us always, even unto the end of the age. So no matter how much the world may shake around us…whether it’s natural disasters or the wickedness of men…God is able to bring life out of death, hope out of despair, victory out of sure defeat.

In this life, there will be suffering. Guaranteed. Some of that suffering is due to our own bad choices, some of it to other’s bad choices, and some of it because we live in a fallen world. Every death is a tragedy because every death is a reminder of our rebellion against God…a rebellion that broke the good world He made…a rebellion that could only be atoned for by the death of His own Son, so that while physically these bodies will die, we have the hope of new bodies that won’t…we have the hope of an eternity spent with our Hero, delighting in our Triune God, in a place where there is no more pain or sorrow, no more tears or death. Perfect peace, joy and bliss…reigning with our King forever.

The question isn’t whether or not these bodies will give out…they will…we will die someday. Death is one for one. It’s an appointment we all must keep. The question is: will we be ready when that time comes? And when it comes, Jesus will either be Savior or Judge. Which will it be for you? Life is short. Death is sure. The only hope we have is in Jesus.

Do you know Jesus as Savior today? If you have not yet trusted in Him, today can be the day of salvation for you. You simply have to recognize your need to be rescued…that you are a sinner in need of repentance. You have to believe that Jesus can rescue you…that He can save you from your sin, that He died in your place. And then you have to trust Him to save you. When you do that, the Bible says that you are adopted into God’s family…you become a son or daughter of the King of the Universe, spending an eternity with Him in the kingdom.

Maybe you are a believer, but, like the women or the disciples, the circumstances of life have caused you to lose hope. You’re living as if Jesus is still in the tomb. Maybe you need to be reminded today that Jesus is alive, and He wants you to experience resurrection life…the abundant life that He saved you for. Now’s a good time to rededicate your life to following Him.

The resurrection changes everything! Jesus makes all the difference. He brings purpose and meaning, real hope and change. Eternal life that starts today and never ends.

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on a sermon from our series in the book of Luke. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @ccclancaster

July 31, 2017

Signs of the Times Part 2

Luke 21.20-38

Using a discussion about the temple as a starting point, Jesus foretells future events leading up to His Second Coming. While we wait, we are not to be deceived, afraid, ignorant or careless, but we are to be ready…faithfully, courageously, obediently, prayerfully and intentionally investing in the kingdom and anxiously awaiting the return of our King.

In the waiting, it’s easy to lose focus. It’s easy to allow the things of this world to take priority. Like the days of Noah…eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage (Luke 17.27). Life goes on and gradually we stop thinking about the kingdom. We no longer anticipate the return of our King. Bills to pay. Errands to run. Things to do. Our own lives to live…our own kingdom to build. Instead of being faithful stewards, we treat the resources He’s entrusted to us as our own private pile of loot to do with as we please. In the parable of the soils, the third soil…thorns represent worries and riches and pleasures of this life…brings no fruit to maturity (Luke 8.14). I’m afraid most of us live in the third soil….and so miss out on the abundance of life, the fullness of joy that comes from living a kingdom-life. We live as if we have all the time in the world…then suddenly like a trap…it’s over. Don’t be careless.

There are lots of things in this life we prepare for…we study for tests; we practice for the game; as parents, we save up for our kids’ education or first car or retirement or any number of things. Why do we prepare? So that we will be ready when the moment of truth comes…the test, the game, the event, the milestone… So why wouldn’t we prepare for the most significant, the greatest event ever…the return of our King?

Reminds me of a fireman. Although a chunk of his time on the job, he might be able to shoot pool, watch TV, play basketball, sleep, etc. At any moment the alarm could sound, and he would have to be ready to go. That means his fire suit has to be prepared, his boots have to be where he can find them, and his helmet needs to be in its place. If he misses anything, the results could be disastrous, or he’s left out of the action. Jesus has given us all a job to do…we each have a mina that we are to invest. The alarm is sounding, are you ready?

As believers we are to keep looking up…“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2.11-14).

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on a sermon from our series in the book of Luke. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @ccclancaster

July 10, 2017

Questioning the Resurrection

Luke 20.27-21.4

The Sadducees’ question about the resurrection backfires. Jesus says there’s no doubt there will be a resurrection. God is faithful and will fulfill all that He has promised. Jesus will sit at the right hand of the Father, He will rule over the kingdom and His enemies will be crushed beneath His feet.

What the Sadducees considered a trick question because of their own doubt and misunderstanding is the central question of Christianity…is the resurrection real? The resurrection is central to our faith, and is our hope as Christians. If there is no resurrection, then eat and drink for tomorrow we die. If there is no resurrection, this life is all we have. If there is no resurrection there is no future kingdom, and our hope is only a fleeting and fading one. If there is no resurrection all the promises that God has made…are false, and frankly, we are all wasting our time here today.

Christianity rises and falls on the resurrection…first for Jesus, then for us. For Jesus to conquer sin and death, a resurrection is required. In the parable of the nobleman, Jesus says He goes away to receive His kingdom and then return, picturing His death, resurrection, ascension, and return. The promises made to the patriarchs can only be fulfilled for them if there is a resurrection. For us to live in the kingdom that both the OT and Jesus describe, there must be a resurrection. We know that God is faithful to His promises. Our hope is not in vain. We know that since Jesus was raised, we too will be raised with Him. And we will reign with Him in His kingdom. We know that there is a resurrection.

Knowing that the resurrection is real, it should affect the way live. We have a real hope in Jesus. Hope that this life is not the end. A hope that one day wrongs will be made right. No more tears or pain or sorrow. No death. Endless joy and unheard of satisfaction living life in the kingdom, serving and worshiping Jesus our King.

Knowing that the resurrection is real, we should live, not for the here and now, building our own kingdoms, selfishly grabbing all that we can get…but for the kingdom to come, willingly giving of ourselves and our resources, investing our mina in the lives of those who are around us.

Jesus is the resurrection and the life…our hope is in Him. If you have not yet trusted in Him, make today the day. Recognize that you are a sinner in need of repentance. Believe that Jesus can save you and trust Him to do so. The kingdom awaits.

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on a sermon from our series in the book of Luke. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @ccclancaster