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
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[Music]
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 you could tell me what he meant to
you
so you’ve thought about it over the
years let me ask you a question
what you know about the resurrection of
christ
how has it impacted your life
in any way to change your thinking
your behavior your conduct
as 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 going to 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 the
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’ll
be many people today sitting in churches
and celebrating the resurrection of
jesus christ who do not believe
they’re eternally 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
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 a
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 going
to 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 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 a bodily 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 and imperishable body in first
corinthians 15. that 15th 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 their
this their that the other
and some men just it’s not just we’re
probably just as bad
there’s coming a day when you won’t have
to worry about how you dress
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 going to be
like
well the bible does not leave us without
a whole lot of questions about that
because
if you read the book of revelation and
some of the things that jesus said
in the gospels we know a little bit
about what heaven’s going to be like
but the most important thing is what he
said in john 14
verse 3. 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 going to go
prepare a place he said i’m going to
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 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 then 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 heaven i
hope so
well again why do you hope so well i
just hope so do you believe the bible
teaches yeah i do
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 hope and soul
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 the 14th chapter of john he says
heaven is our home listen i’m going to
prepare a place for you
i’ll come again and receive you to
myself that where i am
there you may be also but 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 going to take care of all of us
one of these days that’s right
but it’s going to be a split some go
into heaven
some not going to heaven it’s a choice
we make
here the promises that we’ve said all
these years we believe
we believe that because jesus rose from
the grave he
absolutely settled 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 going to see our loved ones in ii
corinthians chapter 5 verse 8
be of good courage i say and prepare 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 will come again 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
do these truths make for you on monday
morning
a friday night a 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 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 sealed 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 1 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
holy this that 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
sent us 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 it is our goal
to
live a holy life yes is that a sinless
life
no but it is a life listen careful 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
well you say well what do i have to do
to live a holy life
what does our 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’s all about
not perfect
none of us are going to 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 going to live life and i go to
church on sunday and i’ll give a little
bit every once in a while and try to
love my name 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 trusted 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 why i hear these
people talking about giving a testimony
i can’t give a testimony
i’m going to teach you how right 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 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 their
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 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 the time to say that to
somebody
we’re followers of jesus our life’s 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
about life and death to whom have you
said
i want to tell you the source of my
peace
i want to tell you why i have joy in my
heart
i want to 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 in one of these days
when you die you’re going to heaven
how can we keep it
to ourselves
can you imagine how loud the disciples
shouted
when they knew jesus christ not only
arose from the dead but when he ascended
do you think they just stood and said
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 ascend 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
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
preaching also you say well
we send missionaries 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 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 the trinity
came to indwell 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 indwelling
presence
of the holy spirit he not only has
sealed 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 trinity
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 indwelt you and will indwell
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
placed his 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
that 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 truths 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 out every day with
the awesome power of the holy spirit
that is the third person of the trinity
god the father son of the holy spirit
listen you’re 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 certainly hope
you’re happily married
and if you are you know what he 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 live within us through the holy
spirit to 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
thank god i’ve 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 in 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 them
don’t wait any longer
just tell them 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 my prayer 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
do not walk out of this place
without having made a decision you say
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 surrendering my life to you
right now lord
and i’m gonna trust you to help me
understand
and live it out he’ll change your life
in the next few moments
amen father we love you and praise you
thank you for your forgiveness
thank you for writing our 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 them
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
[Applause]
you