Jesus: The Way to Reconciliation and Love

### Summary

Welcome to Shoal Lake Baptist Church. I'm so thankful that you are here with us today on this Easter morning. I'm going to give you a second to greet one another here in the sanctuary. Go ahead and stand to your feet and shake a few hands and say, "He is risen," to a few people. It's good to be together. It's good to be in the church. We've been actually looking at the good news of Easter for a few weeks now. See, the good news of Easter actually goes beyond the resurrection story. It is something that is all throughout the Bible and indeed the Gospels. I've got just one question, one question alone. Don't take a pastor's word for it when they say, "Oh, I've just got one more thing to say or one question." But nevertheless, I'm saying it anyway. I'm a pastor. Just one question I want to ask is why is there good news today? Like, why is there good news today? Not what is the good news, but why is there good news today? Why dead on Friday and alive on Sunday? Why? Why Easter?

On Friday, the Bible tells us that we are separated from God. That we are banished from His presence. That we're slaves to fear. That we're hopelessly anxious. That we're deserving of wrath. That we're destined for death and hell. That we're stuck in sin. That broken bodies and minds is where we lie. Walking in darkness. That we're blind. That we're bound by the power of sin. That we're mockers and scoffers of the cross. That we're rebelling against goodness. That we're full of hate and without hope. Fearing death. That we're under the power of the devil. Cursed. Lost. And wandering. The verdict is guilty. Condemned. Guilty. This is Friday. But God, who is good, on Sunday, because of His great love for us, has made a way. Jesus is the way maker. Jesus' rejection makes way for our redemption. Jesus' flogging makes way for our healing. Jesus' outstretched arms make way for our justification. Jesus' obedience makes way for our reconciliation. Jesus' pain makes way for our payment. Jesus' sorrow makes way for our joy in His presence. And Jesus' resurrection makes way for our eternal destiny. And Jesus' dying makes way for your and I living on Resurrection Sunday. Jesus has made a way.

Reading for you from Ephesians 2, 1-7. As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sin in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the Spirit, who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. And like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But, because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. It is by grace you have been saved. And God has raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Jesus has made a way. Jesus has made a way.

And sure enough, even though Adam and Eve had literally everything, but the one thing they couldn't have, they desired. It's kind of like Noah. He can have, like my son, he can have like a million toys on the floor, but if there is something that he should not have, guess what he wants? That one thing. Now this is Adam and Eve. They have rule and reign and dominion over all creation, but there's one thing that they aren't to have, and it's evil. And guess what they want? Guess what they desire? Guess what they're tempted into? To eat and do the one thing they're not to. There's this propensity in us for the one thing. But interestingly, they don't die, drop dead style die, as we would expect. When they eat it, something far worse, I would suggest, happens. Because of Adam's and Eve's choosing to sin, they are banished from the garden. Eden is God's dwelling place. He is there, and their banishment means that they no longer share in the living, dwelling with God. So why? God's good, not evil. So if people have evil in them, that's the idea of eating, of course literal, but also the metaphor that you ingest, you become what you eat is kind of the idea here that you ingest evil. Now you can't exist in your nature with the God who is good. For God cannot be good if he has evil in him and with him. So now that means that we are separated, is the word in Isaiah and throughout scripture that is used. And without God's presence, the creator and sustainer of life, being separated from him, means we die. Jesus, he is an example like this, that here, oops, here is God. Why not? Here is you, the flower. He talks about the vine and the branches. Here is sin. That what is beautiful and lovely and went through the soil, nourishing the vine, nourishing the flower, will live. Sin cuts... And while it's still a flower, you and I understand that it will surely die. And if we cut ourselves off from the stem, we're separated from life. Part of your donation is destined for death now. That's the grief we're supposed to feel when reading the biblical narrative. This banishment from the garden is like, no, no, no. No, humanity is getting... No, what is connected to goodness and life is being torn away from humanity. And that's this desire for more in our lives, is that when we are disconnected from what sustains and gives us life, we inherently know that, like, this ain't so good. Like, I don't want this forever. that's where we live, separated from God. So the whole point of Scripture, like the whole story, like no matter where you read it, at the whole point going through all of Scripture, among others, but one of the key ones, is that God is trying to rebuild His dwelling amongst us. He is making a way for us to live together. To be connected to Him again. That's the story of Scripture. It's God's incredible rescue story of Him making His dwelling amongst His people again. Moses, directed by God, would be a key example where He builds a tabernacle. That word you read in the Old Testament quite a bit. The word tabernacle in Hebrew simply means dwelling place. The idea here being that God is dwelling with His people. The Israelites later build a temple. And there's the Holy of Holies. And in there God's manifest presence resides in a special way. The idea being God establishes His dwelling place amongst the Israelites throughout the Old Testament in various ways. But there are these covenants or partnerships that you'll hear read about.

The Mosaic Covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant before the other covenants of the Old Testament. These are partnerships. These are kind of like relational contracts in a way. A covenant, the Bible and we as believers use that for marriage. That it is this kind of uniting of two people. A faithfulness to each other. But we read through Scripture, again, all of the Old Testament testifies this. That while God makes initiatives to dwell among His people again. The problem is that people choose to live outside of that covenant. Severing us from His presence. So Moses, through the temple, they're banished from Israel and whatnot. The idea is again, separation, separation, over and over again. People fail to live in this partnership. But then Jesus walks on the stage. He walks onto the scene in John's Gospel. And He says this in 1 John, or John 1, 14. And the word Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us. So this is the good news. This is where we've kind of been for five weeks now. Why did Jesus come? This is His dwelling among us. But why did He come? Why did Jesus do what He did? We know the longer story of what He was up to. That it was building our capacity to be with Him again. But why did He do it? So let's start with what He did. Luke 24, 1-12 for you today. As many people around the world read today. Leave on the screen with you as well. On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the woman took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. But when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright, the woman bowed down with their faces to the ground. But the men said to them, Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here. He has risen. But remember how He told you while He was still with you in Galilee. The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified on the third day, and be raised again. Sorry. And on the third day be raised again. So that's the what of the Easter story. Why did Jesus come though? As we see in the Garden of Eden right to today, because of sin, we cannot be with God. But there was a break in humanity's relationship. And like all wrong choices, sin has consequences. Listen to the language in Paul's letter to the Colossians. Just looking at it another way. Chapter 2, verse 13. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh. It's biblical language for the born with sin nature. Babies are born. Male babies are born with foreskin. The idea being they are born with this. The idea being here then, the uncircumcision of your flesh, being your sin is something that you have sinned. That you inherit through Adam. That there is a sin nature here. Biblical language. Spiritual truth. Going on. When you were dead in your sins and uncircumcision of your flesh. God made you alive with Christ.

That's the good news. He forgave us all our sins. Having canceled, listen really carefully to this. Having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness. Which stood against us and condemned us. He has taken it away. Nailing it to the cross. Having disarmed the powers and authorities. Making a public spectacle of them. Triumphing over them by the cross. The debt is paid. Sins are forgiven. As for so many of us, this is where the good news ends. That our sins are forgiven. And that is so important and a core part of the gospel. But it's not the whole gospel. That's not the whole story of scripture. It's an important part. But it's actually not the whole story. We talked about on Good Friday the term that Jesus says in John's gospel. Tetelestai. It is finished. And this word we find on historical records in different places. That they use this word tetelestai in an abbreviated form. On the top of settlements of accounts and receipts saying it is finished. Like your debt has been paid. There's no more owing. This is the idea that Jesus canceled. That Jesus paid for. The legal indebtedness we have. And praise be to God. the question remains. Why did God do this through Jesus? Jesus didn't come to forgive your sins as an end to itself. Yes, you need forgiveness. But just getting forgiveness isn't the full purpose of why Jesus came. It's a core reason. We needed him to do this. But it's not the fullness of the Bible. Think about the story. God's dwelling with us. This part of Jesus forgiving us. Dying for our sins is actually part of a longer story. Like scripture is one story. And what do we see in all of the efforts through the Old Testament and beyond. That God is making his dwelling place among people. That he's bringing back that Eden reality. So Jesus cleanses you from your sins. So that you may be able to be with God again. Jesus came that you and I could live with God once again. And too often preaching about Jesus and his forgiveness has been preached as something as just a way to get out of something bad. That it's your get out of hell ticket. And friends it is. Praise God. But that's not all it is. Like his religion. His saving power over your life doesn't start and end just with the forgiveness of your sins. It is the means by which we enter into relationship with him. And so my question for you is are you going to give God what he came here for? That's why Biblical scholars, well you'll hear it said all the time. That the Bible is a love story. That it is the story of Jesus winning back to be in love. To be in relationship with him. To dwell with him once again. And what's so important for us when we recognize who God is. Because as philosophers would say that our picture of God has so much influence on who we become and who we desire to be. And so it's so important that we have a Biblical picture of God. And for some of us we have wandered very far from a Biblical picture of God. Where we picture Jesus on the cross or God in heaven now. Where there is a begrudging father.

That he kind of sits with his arms crossed. He's upset and angered. And believe that God indeed has these emotions. But God in his core nature 1 John tells us is love. And so we get in John 3.16 that for God so loved the world. He didn't hate the world. He didn't need to fix the world. Like God it's in his nature. The reason why friends. The reason why there is Easter good news today. Is because he loved. John 15.9 as the father has loved me. I also have loved you. Abide in my love Jesus says. Romans 5.8 two passages from Romans. But God shows his love for us. That while we were still sinners Christ died for us. What is Christ showing on the cross? Love is what Jesus is showing on the cross. Romans 8.37 and 39. No in all these things we are more than conquerors. Through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life. Nor angels or rulers. Nor things present nor things to come. Nor powers nor height nor depth. Nor anything else in all creation. Will be able to separate us from the love of God. In Christ Jesus our Lord. Nor height nor depth. Nor anything else in all creation. Neither divorce. Neither addiction. Neither immorality. No thing friends hear me in your soul today. No thing can separate you from the love of God. There is no thing. There is no person who has gone too far. And that frightens us. And so we build rules around it. Who God would love. And who Jesus is on the cross for. That they must be a certain something. But friends. Paul makes it so clear in Romans 8. That there is nothing that can separate you from the love of God. Why did Jesus come here? It's for love that he is here. And if it's because he loves us that he is here. Then it must be more than just to forgive us our sins. But it must be because he wants relationship with us. One more clear reason of the answer why. Reading as we read before in Ephesians 2.4 and 5. It answers with the word because. It makes it so clear to us. But God. Being rich in mercy. Because of the great love. Which he loved us. Even when you were dead in trespasses. I've got to pause there. We have an idea of God's grace. An idea of God's love. That once there is obedience to him. Once you've fixed up your life enough. That somehow it tips the scales. From God hating you. To God loving you. And through your life. You smoke too much.

Because. Of. This. Because. The. Truth. Is. Jesus's. Followers. Are. Going. To. Live. With. God. This. Is. A. Book. Of. Prophecy. Is. Talking. About. The. End. Times. And. John. Is. Seeing. This. Vision. And. He. Sees. This. I. Heard. A. Loud. Voice. From. The. Throne. And. God. And. This. Is. What. Happens. When. There. Is. Full. Restoration. And. When. In. The. World. There. Is. No. More. Sin. And. Death. Where. No.

The. Cross. Restoring. The. Relationship. Is. Just. That. A. Restoration. Of. The. Relationship. So. That. Even. Today. Going. Home. Now. That. This. Can. Be. The. Moment. Where. You. Say. I. Am. Starting. To. Live. In. The. Relationship. With. God. As. My. Sustainer. As. My. Everything. So. That. I. Can. Enjoy. The. Blessings. Of. Heaven. Right. Now. The. Blessing. Of. Having. God. Dwelling. Amongst. Me. Now. This. Is. The. Message. Of.

May. Know. Jesus. Says. God. And. Jesus. That. You. May. Have. Knowledge. Of. Him. That. You. May. Be. In. Connection. To. The. Source. Of. Life. Living. In. Something. Abundant. That. Is. Eternal. Life. Friends. Jesus. Did. Not. Leave. Heaven. Die. On. A. Cross. Rise. From. The. Dead. Just. So. That. You. Don't. Have. To. Fear. Death. Don't. Have. Good. News. Because. I. Have. Tried. To. Satisfy. This. Kind. Of. Brokenness.

Lord, we come here for you, but we come here because we need you, Lord, too. We can't do this on our own. It's because of your greatness that we have strength to go on. pray this in your name. Lord, we thank you that it's by your great name, the essence of who you are being loved, that you have come and saved us. And so Lord, we welcome your saving amongst us. Lord, we make a decision, and if this is you, I just ask that you agree in your heart, Lord. Help us to agree in our hearts, Lord, that you saved me, maybe for the first time, sincerely in your heart. You want this to be you. You want to be saved. You want the flower to be fixed. Jesus says this when he proclaims the kingdom, repent and believe. So Lord Jesus, I repent that I'm, that I've gone my own way. That like Adam and Eve, I've just wanted the one thing. Lord, I've chose to hold resentment. I've chose lies. I've chose to steal. I've chose immorality. I've chose to hate you. But because of your great name, while the scales look like that, I am forgiven. And I am saved. And Lord, I thank you for every person who repents in their hearts and believe that you are Jesus, risen from the dead, that they

Key Takeaways

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Observation Questions

1. According to Ephesians 2:1-7, what was our condition before God made us alive with Christ?
2. What does John 1:14 say about Jesus' relationship with humanity?
3. In Romans 8:37-39, what are some of the things that cannot separate us from the love of God?
4. The sermon mentions that Jesus' resurrection makes way for our eternal destiny. How does this align with the message in Ephesians 2:6-7? [34:57]

Interpretation Questions

1. What does it mean to be "dead in transgressions and sins" as described in Ephesians 2:1-2? How does this impact our understanding of human nature and need for salvation?
2. How does the concept of Jesus "dwelling among us" in John 1:14 enhance our understanding of God's desire for relationship with humanity? [45:59]
3. Romans 8:37-39 speaks of being "more than conquerors." How does this passage encourage believers facing trials and challenges in their faith journey?
4. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus' forgiveness is not an end in itself but a means to restore our relationship with God. How does this perspective change the way we view salvation and our daily walk with God? [50:52]

Application Questions

1. Reflect on a time when you felt separated from God. How did you experience His grace and mercy in that situation? How can you share this experience to encourage others? [34:25]
2. The sermon mentions that Jesus' resurrection makes way for our eternal destiny. How does this truth impact your daily life and decisions? [34:57]
3. In what ways can you cultivate a deeper relationship with God, knowing that He desires to dwell among us as stated in John 1:14? What practical steps can you take this week? [45:59]
4. Romans 8:37-39 assures us that nothing can separate us from the love of God. How can this assurance help you face current challenges or fears? [53:32]
5. The sermon highlights that Jesus came not just to forgive our sins but to restore our relationship with God. How can you live out this restored relationship in your interactions with others? [50:52]
6. Think about the "one thing" that often tempts you away from God, similar to Adam and Eve's temptation. What strategies can you implement to resist this temptation and stay connected to God? [40:43]
7. How can you actively participate in God's mission to rebuild His dwelling among us, as described in the sermon? What specific actions can you take to contribute to this mission in your community? [43:58]