Easter season series
April 17th, 2007 by Bob Buehler
| Easter Season Sermon Series | ||
| “The Church’s Power“ | April 15 | John 20:19-31 [+/-]John 20:19-31
[19]On the evening of that day, the first day of the
week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for
fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said
to them, "Peace be with you." [20]When he had said this, he
showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were
glad when they saw the Lord. [21]Jesus said to them again,
"Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am
sending you." [22]And when he had said this, he breathed on
them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. [23]If you
forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you
withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."
[24]Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was
not with them when Jesus came. [25]So the other disciples
told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them,
"Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place
my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand
into his side, I will never believe."
[26]Eight days later, his disciples were inside again,
and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked,
Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with
you." [27]Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here,
and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my
side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." [28]Thomas answered
him, "My Lord and my God!" [29]Jesus said to him, "Have you
believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who
have not seen and yet have believed."
[30]Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of
the disciples, which are not written in this book; [31]but
these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have
life in his name. (ESV) |
| “The Church’s Purpose” | April 22 | John 21:1-19 [+/-]John 21:1-19
[21:1]After this Jesus revealed himself again to the
disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself
in this way. [2]Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin),
Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two
others of his disciples were together. [3]Simon Peter said
to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will
go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that
night they caught nothing.
[4]Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore;
yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. [5]Jesus
said to them, "Children, do you have any fish?" They
answered him, "No." [6]He said to them, "Cast the net on
the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So
they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in,
because of the quantity of fish. [7]That disciple whom
Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When
Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer
garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself
into the sea. [8]The other disciples came in the boat,
dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from
the land, but about a hundred yards off.
[9]When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire
in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. [10]Jesus
said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just
caught." [11]So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net
ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there
were so many, the net was not torn. [12]Jesus said to them,
"Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared
ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.
[13]Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and
so with the fish. [14]This was now the third time that
Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised
from the dead.
[15]When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to
Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than
these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love
you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." [16]He said to him a
second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said
to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to
him, "Tend my sheep." [17]He said to him the third time,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved
because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?"
and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know
that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.
[18]Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you
used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but
when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and
another will dress you and carry you where you do not want
to go." [19](This he said to show by what kind of death he
was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him,
"Follow me." (ESV) |
| “The Church’s Provision“ | April 29 | John 10:22-30 [+/-]John 10:22-30
[22]At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at
Jerusalem. It was winter, [23]and Jesus was walking in the
temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. [24]So the Jews
gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you
keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us
plainly." [25]Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do
not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear
witness about me, [26]but you do not believe because you
are not part of my flock. [27]My sheep hear my voice, and I
know them, and they follow me. [28]I give them eternal
life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch
them out of my hand. [29]My Father, who has given them to
me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them
out of the Father's hand. [30]I and the Father are one."
(ESV) |
| “The Church’s Promise“ | May 6 | Revelation 21:1-6 [+/-]Revelation 21:1-6
[21:1]Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the
first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the
sea was no more. [2]And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband. [3]And I heard a loud voice from
the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is
with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his
people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
[4]He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death
shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor
crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed
away."
[5]And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I
am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down,
for these words are trustworthy and true." [6]And he said
to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the
spring of the water of life without payment. (ESV) |
| “The Church’s Place“ | May 13 | Rev. 21:10,22-22 [+/-]Revelation 21:10
[10]And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great,
high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming
down out of heaven from God, (ESV):5 |
| “The Power of Praise“ | May 20 | Acts 16:16-34 [+/-]Acts 16:16-34
[16]As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met
by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought
her owners much gain by fortune-telling. [17]She followed
Paul and us, crying out, "These men are servants of the
Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation."
[18]And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having
become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I
command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of
her." And it came out that very hour.
[19]But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was
gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the
marketplace before the rulers. [20]And when they had
brought them to the magistrates, they said, "These men are
Jews, and they are disturbing our city. [21]They advocate
customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or
practice." [22]The crowd joined in attacking them, and the
magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to
beat them with rods. [23]And when they had inflicted many
blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the
jailer to keep them safely. [24]Having received this order,
he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet
in the stocks.
[25]About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and
singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to
them, [26]and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so
that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And
immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds
were unfastened. [27]When the jailer woke and saw that the
prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to
kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
[28]But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm
yourself, for we are all here." [29]And the jailer called
for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell
down before Paul and Silas. [30]Then he brought them out
and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" [31]And they
said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,
you and your household." [32]And they spoke the word of the
Lord to him and to all who were in his house. [33]And he
took them the same hour of the night and washed their
wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
[34]Then he brought them up into his house and set food
before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire
household that he had believed in God. (ESV) |
| “The Churchâ’s Privilege” | May 27 | Romans 8:14-17 [+/-]Romans 8:14-17
[14]For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of
God. [15]For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to
fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of
adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" [16]The
Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are
children of God, [17]and if children, then heirs--heirs of
God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with
him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (ESV) |