ASSIGNMENTS

1. Daily read over this material and read or sing the song.

2. Place the scripture where you will see it each day.

3. Think of how Christ's resurrection has changed your life.

4. Write down one way you can allow His resurrection to have more of an impact on your life.

5. Plan to tell the class how the Lord's resurrection affects your day to day life.

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DAILY BIBLE VERSES AND PRAYER THOUGHTS

MONDAY - VERSES: Matthew 22:23; Luke 20:35-36; 1 Corinthians 15:12; 2 Timothy 2:18 PRAYER THOUGHT: God of All Truth, help me to study and learn the truth about Jesus' resurrection and the final resurrection and not to be deceived by lies.

TUESDAY - VERSES: Philippians 3:10-11; 1 Corinthians 15:19-22 PRAYER THOUGHT: Father, help me to appreciate the power of Jesus' resurrection.

WEDNESDAY - VERSES: 1 Corinthians 15:14-18 PRAYER THOUGHT: Master, help me to understand the importance of Jesus' resurrection to faith.

THURSDAY - VERSES: 1 Peter 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:42-47 PRAYER THOUGHT: God, help me to have hope for my own resurrection because of Jesus' resurrection.

FRIDAY - VERSES: Romans 4:23-25; 8:10-11; 2 Corinthians 4:14 PRAYER THOUGHT: Great Giver of All Life, Help me to live this life to prepare for the life to come.

SATURDAY - VERSES: Acts 2:22-24; 3:14-15; 4:8-10; 13:29-31 PRAYER THOUGHT: Great Faithful God, help me to build my faith in the facts of the resurrection.

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A Sunday School teacher asked her class to write one sentence each on "What Easter Means to Me." One pupil wrote: "Egg salad sandwiches for the next two weeks!"

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The Sunday School teacher told the 5th grade class that Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb. One student said that she knew why. "Jesus only used it three days." There was no point buying something that was only used for such a short time.

SPIRITUAL HEALTH REGIMEN - WEEK 89

RESURRECTION - 4-20-14 TO 4-26-14

SCRIPTURE - ACTS 17:30-31 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: (31) Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

COMMENT - The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the single most important event in human history since creation. The eternal salvation or condemnation of every person that has ever lived depends on Jesus being raised from the dead.

SONG - LOW IN THE GRAVE HE LAY

1) Low in the grave He lay - Jesus, my Savior! Waiting the coming day - Jesus, my Lord!

Chorus: Up from the grave He arose (He arose) With a mighty triumph o'er His foes; (He arose,) He arose a Victor from the dark domain, And He lives forever with His saints to reign: He arose! (He arose!) He arose! (He arose!) Hallelujah! Christ arose!

2) Vainly they watch His bed - Jesus, my Savior! Vainly they seal the dead - Jesus, my Lord!

3) Death cannot keep his prey - Jesus, my Savior! He tore the bars away - Jesus, my Lord!
THOUGHTS

HE'S NO LONGER IN THE GRAVE

In 1887, twenty two years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, his coffin was dug up and opened because there were constant rumors that his body was not in the grave. So they dug it up and the body was there. The rumors continued so 14 years later they had to dig it up again. Both times witnesses were present who testified that Lincoln was still in the grave.

Three days after the death of Jesus Christ, similar rumors began to spread throughout the land of Israel. Only this time there were no witnesses who could say that they had seen His body. In fact, to the contrary, many witnesses claimed to have seen him out of His grave and even talked with Him after the resurrection.

As great a man as Lincoln was there were witnesses to prove he was still in the grave. If one of our Presidents or another leader in our government were to cry out today to Lincoln for help, there would be no response. If a scientist were to cry out to Einstein for help today there would only be empty silence. If someone were to call out to Mohammed or Buddha or Gandhi today there would be no help. But if you and I call out to Jesus Christ there is instant power available to us... power to change lives ...why? Because He lives! - David Henderson, "Overcoming Death," 5/25/2011

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POSSUMS AND THE GRAVE

I have heard that possums are smart animals. You wouldn't think so because you hardly ever see one except when it's dead on the road. There's a joke that goes, "why did the chicken cross the road? To prove to the possum that it could be done!"

But possums, it turns out, are smart. They won't enter a hole if there's just one set of tracks going into it. They know there's something in there. But if there are two sets of tracks. The possum will enter and not be afraid.

The message of the resurrection is that we can enter the grave - we don't have to fear death because there are tracks leading out of the tomb. Paul preached the proclamation of the resurrection: "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

This is the message that we need to hear. Jesus is risen!

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JESUS SWOONED?

One lady wrote in to a question and answer forum. "Dear Sirs, Our preacher said on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think? Sincerely, Bewildered."

"Dear Bewildered, Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine- tails with 39 heavy strokes, nail him to a cross; hang him in the sun for 6 hours; run a spear thru his side...put him in a tomb for 60 hours and see what happens. Sincerely, Charles."

My friends, He is risen!

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"Martha believed in a resurrection. But listen, it makes less demand upon faith to believe that in a future day we shall receive glorified bodies than it does to rest now on the assurance that they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. It is easier to believe that the Lord is coming and the dead will be raised than it is to believe that tomorrow I can live for God. It is so easy to comfort people who are mourning and say, 'Well, you'll see your loved ones someday.' That doesn't take much faith. It takes a lot of faith to say, 'I have just lost my loved one, but I am comforted with the assurance that God is with me and He does all things well.' You see, although Martha knew from the Old Testament that there would be a resurrection from the dead, she didn't believe that Jesus could help her now." - J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, Vol. IV, pg. 439).

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3 Buddies were discussing death and one asked the group: What would you like people to say about you at your funeral?

The first said he would like to hear someone say, "He was a great humanitarian, who cared about his community."

The second thought he would prefer to hear, "He was a great husband and father, who was an example for many to follow."

The third one however thought the best thing to hear at his funeral would be, "Look, he's not dead, he's moving!!"

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EMPTY THINGS

INTRODUCTION - 1 SAMUEL 12:21

L. S. - LET US EXAMINE . . .

I. SOME _______________ EMPTY THINGS

A. EMPTY _________ - EPHESIANS 5:1-6; JOB 21:34

B. EMPTY ______ - DEUTERONOMY 16:16-17; 15:12-13

C. EMPTY ___________ - JAMES 2:15-16

D. EMPTY __________ - JOB 11:12; PSALM 92:5-6

E. EMPTY ___________ - JEREMIAH 14:3; 51:34

F. EMPTY _______ - ISAIAH 29:8; ECCLESIASTES 6:12

II. SOME EMPTY THINGS THAT ARE _________ ___________

A. EMPTY ______________ TO BE _________ - JUDGES 7:16; 2 KINGS 4:1-7

B. AN EMPTY _________ - 1 SAMUEL 20:18

III. THAT THE ________ ________________ THING IN THE WORLD IS EMPTY. - LUKE 24:1-7; 1 CORINTHIANS 15:14

CONCLUSION

EMPTY THINGS

INTRODUCTION

A. MOST EMPTY THINGS ARE OF NO VALUE

1. Empty coke can, potato chip bag, peanut bag, candy wrapper, battery, ballpoint pen, all useless

2. I might be able to fool someone into thinking they had some value but for the most part they are useless

B. 1 Samuel 12:21 And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing.

L. S. - LET US EXAMINE . . .

I. SOME WORTHLESS EMPTY THINGS

A. EMPTY WORDS

1. Ephesians 5:1-6 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. {2} And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. {3} But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; {4} neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. {5} For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. {6} Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

2. Job 21:34 How then can you comfort me with empty words, Since falsehood remains in your answers?"

3. Say what you mean, mean what you say but don't be mean in what you say!

B. EMPTY HANDS

1. Deuteronomy 16:16-17 "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed. {17} "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you.

2. Deuteronomy 15:12-13 "If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. [13] And when you send him away free from you, you shall not let him go away empty-handed;

C. EMPTY HEARTS - James 2:15-16 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, {16} and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

D. EMPTY HEADS

1. Job 11:12 For an empty-headed man will be wise, When a wild donkey's colt is born a man.

2. Psalm 92:5-6 O Lord, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep. [6] A senseless man does not know, Nor does a fool understand this.

E. EMPTY VESSELS

1. Jeremiah 14:3 Their nobles have sent their lads for water; They went to the cisterns and found no water. They returned with their vessels empty; They were ashamed and confounded And covered their heads.

2. Jeremiah 51:34 "Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me, he has crushed me; he has made me an empty vessel, he has swallowed me up like a monster; he has filled his stomach with my delicacies, he has spit me out.

F. EMPTY LIVES

1. Isaiah 29:8 It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams, And look; he eats; But he awakes, and his soul is still empty; Or as when a thirsty man dreams, And look; he drinks; But he awakes, and indeed he is faint, And his soul still craves: So the multitude of all the nations shall be, Who fight against Mount Zion."

2. Ecclesiastes 6:12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?

II. SOME EMPTY THINGS THAT ARE WORTH NOTICING

A. EMPTY CONTAINERS TO BE FILLED

1. We buy some things empty. - trash can, buckets, bags, even houses

2. Judges 7:16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

3. 2 Kings 4:1-7 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. (2) And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. (3) Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. (4) And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. (5) So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. (6) And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. (7) Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

B. AN EMPTY SEAT

1. We miss the one who should be there

2. 1 Samuel 20:18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.

III. THAT THE MOST VALUABLE THING IN THE WORLD IS EMPTY.

A. Luke 24:1-7 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. (2) And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. (3) And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. (4) And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: (5) And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? (6) He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, (7) Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

B. The Empty Tomb Keeps Our Faith and Preaching from Being Empty- 1 Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

C. Doris told her class the story of Jesus' resurrection, and then to emphasize the idea of new life springing forth, she gave each of the children a large plastic egg. "Now," she said to them, "I want you to take this home and bring it back tomorrow with something inside that shows new life! Do you understand?"

"Yes, Miss Miller," the children responded enthusiastically all except for Jeremy, her mentally handicapped, terminally ill student. His eyes never left her face. Had he understood about Jesus' death and resurrection? Did he understand the assignment? Perhaps she should call his parents, but that evening because of unexpected problems at home she completely forgot about phoning Jeremy's parents.

The next class, 19 children placed their eggs in the large wicker basket. In the first egg, Doris found a flower. "Oh yes, a flower is certainly a sign of life," she said.

"That's my egg, Miss Miller," a small girl called out.

The next egg contained a plastic butterfly. Doris held it up. "Yes, that's new life, too."

Judy said, "Miss Miller, that one is mine." Next was a rock with moss on it. She explained that moss, too, showed life.

Billy spoke up, "My daddy helped me."

Doris opened the fourth egg. She gasped. The egg was empty. Surely it must be Jeremy's she thought, and of course, he did not understand her instructions. If only she had called his parents. She did not want to embarrass him, so she set the egg aside and reached for another. Suddenly, Jeremy spoke up."Miss Miller, aren't you going to talk about my egg?"

Flustered, Doris replied, "But Jeremy, your egg is empty."

He looked into her eyes and said softly, "Yes, but Jesus' tomb was empty, too."

Time stopped. Then the recess bell rang. While the children excitedly ran out to the schoolyard, Doris cried. The cold inside her melted completely away.

Three months later, Jeremy died. Those who paid their respects at the mortuary were surprised to see 19 eggs on top of his casket, all of them empty.

CONCLUSION

A. SUMMARY - The risen life of Jesus is the nourishment and strengthening and blessing and life of a Christian. Our daily experience ought to be that there comes, wavelet by wavelet, that silent, gentle, and yet omnipotent influx into our empty hearts, this very life of Christ Himself. - Alexander MacLaren

B. INVITATION

ACTS 17:31

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

ACTS 17:31

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

ACTS 17:31

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

ACTS 17:31

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

ACTS 17:31

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

ACTS 17:31

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

ACTS 17:31

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

ACTS 17:31

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

ACTS 17:31

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

ACTS 17:31

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

ACTS 17:31

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

ACTS 17:31

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Acts 17:31

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.