The first in a series of 9 sermons
Series Theme
In POWER Christ laid down His life and by His power He took it up again.
At His ascension He promised the disciples they would receive the Holy Spirit and with the Spirit’s coming, the power to fulfill the mission He was giving them. As the Father had sent Him, now He was sending them into the world.
As the Church reflects on these truths at the time of Lent and onwards to Pentecost, especially in times of trial and growing resistance, it is important for us not to become timid as to Christ’s mission. We need to remember that while individual expressions of the Church might dissolve in a given locality, the Church of Christ as His body, cannot be overcome by the world… not even the gates of Hell can prevail against Christ’s Church.
This series helps us to look up and remember the mission we have is from Christ and in all situations He will provide, according to His plans and purposes. With hands and knees strengthened in faith, we press on in our time to be Christ’s light and salt in our world, so in need of the Gospel.
Readings reproduced on this page:
The Holy Bible: New International Version. 1996, 1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan
Readings
Genesis 22:1–14 (NIV84)
1Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.
2Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”
3Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.
4On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.
5He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together,
7Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
9When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
10Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.
12“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
13Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
14So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
Text
Matthew 27:47–56 (NIV84)
47When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink.
49The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.
52The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.
53They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
54When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
55Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.
56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
