Jesus Loves Meme 5 – What if I told you

What if I told you.

What if I told you there was something wrong?
What if I told you there was essential information that would change everything?
What if I told you Jesus changes everything?
Jesus really went to the cross for us. Everything He did on the cross was for us. He really did rise again.
What if I told you this story is not finished?

He is risen! He is risen indeed! Welcome everyone to Redemption Church. Happy Easter! Happy Resurrection Sunday
Greetings to everyone in the room, and to all those that are experiencing the Word of God over the internet.
We have been in the middle of an unusual sermon series, Jesus Loves Meme
Jesus Loves Meme

 
Early on we thought we wouldn’t carry the series over to Easter Sunday. Churches usually do the more traditional resurrection sermon on Easter.
But then it hit us… There is a perfect meme for Easter.
Easter Bunny

No not that one. No Easter rabbit memes.
What if I told you…?

It’s a screen grab of the actor Laurence Fishburne from the 1999 film, “The Matrix.”
The screen grab comes from the memorable scene in the movie where the Fishburne character, Morpheus, informs the protagonist, Neo, along with the audience, that there is something wrong in the world and that there is a knowledge that changes everything.
What if I told you… standing up as soon as the airplane stops won’t help you get off sooner?

What if I told you… I don’t care is not a restaurant?

What if I told you… you read the first line wrong?

What if I told you I was cowboy Curtis?

So I tried to make this meme for Sunday service…
What if I told you that the church isn’t a building?

What if I told you that with God all things are possible?

What if I told you the Bible wasn’t originally written in the King James Version?

What if I told you, you could celebrate the resurrection even when it isn’t Easter?

 
The Resurrection of Jesus is an absolute “What if I told you” moment.
We forget this as we become familiar with the story.
How familiar are you with the story?

1. Jesus was beaten on the back with a Cat of 9 tails whip.
2. Jesus was taken from his disciples at the Garden of Gethsemane.
3. Jesus was taken before what Roman leader? Pontius Pilate.
4. What happened to Jesus’ hands & feet? Nailed to a cross.
5. What did the Roman soldiers put on Jesus’ head? Crown of Thorns.
6. What happened 3 days after Jesus died on the cross? He rose!
7. What woman was the first to see a resurrected Christ? Mary Magdalene

What if I told you… It all happened just as it is written?

• Jesus was taken at night and put through a sham of a trial by the biased Sanhedrin.
• Jesus was brought before Herod & Pilate.
• Jesus was beaten, yet never raised His voice in anger or attempted to defend himself.
• Jesus walked through the city in a most humiliating fashion.
• His hands & feet were nailed to a crucifixion cross.
• Jesus wore on top of His head a crown of thorns.
• His blood was shed and He breathed his last.
• He was buried in a tomb that belonged to Joseph of Arimathea.
• Roman Guards were stationed at the tomb to make sure nothing happened, but Angels showed up on the 3^rd day and rolled the stone away from that tomb.
• Jesus rose to life.

What if I told you it all happened just as it is written?
There are plenty of historical accuracies in this story, that you would at least have to say… “what if?”
If you think the story is made up fiction, I would ask you…

• Did Jesus the man exist? History says He did.
• Was there a Sanhedrin? Yes! BUT were the members of the Sanhedrin that were named in Scripture historically accurate? Yes!
• What about Pilate & Herod? If the story is made up fiction, then Pilate & Herod must be made up fictional characters right? No. History clearly tells us that the Pilate & Herod existed just as Scripture wrote.
• Was there really a thing called a crucifixion? Would they really parade them through the city and nail their hands and feet to a wooden cross? Yes. That is not fake news.
• Was there really a tomb? History says there was a tomb. History says that there was a Joseph of Arimathea. History says that the dead body of Jesus has never been found.
• Did Jesus really rise from the dead? EVERYTHING ELSE IS TRUE AND 100% VERIFIABLE AND YET YOU QUESTION THE RESURRECTION? There are many eye witness accounts that were written by Biblical and historical authors.

There are so many reasons to believe the story… So do you believe it?
What if I told you… Everything Jesus went through was for you?

All the abuse, pain, and injustice was something Jesus went through for you.
It wasn’t that this horrible crucifixion happened to him.. it is that He went through it purposefully for you!
John 19:10 (NIV2011) “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
John 19:11 (NIV2011) Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above…
John 10:17 (NIV2011) …I lay down my life—only to take it up again.
John 10:18 (NIV2011) No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
One prophecy in Isaiah 53 declares that Jesus…

• Bore YOUR pain and YOUR sorrow.
• Was pierced and crushed for YOUR willful sins.
• He was punished to purchase US PEACE.
• His wounds HEAL US!

What if I told you that everything Jesus went through was for you?
This is not simply a story that you hear.
It is truth that you receive and it effects, restores, heals, redeems, and blesses your life.
3 points of the What if I told you meme

 
The “What if I told you” meme usually features something that is #1 usable knowledge, that #2 you should already know yet #3 are not utilizing.
    Information that is of importance, readily available, yet surprisingly not being used. I think this is the situation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the story of the death, burial, and resurrection.

• This story of Jesus is important, life changing knowledge! (No one else could defeat death, save us)
• The majority of the people who will hear this message, already know the story. We checked if you were familiar with the story earlier. Most people in this room were familiar with intimate details of the story. I imagine the majority of those hearing me right now online were able to answer those questions. We are familiar with the story of Easter Resurrection.
• Yet are we fully utilizing the power of this story?

What if I told you… It all happened just as it is written?
You know the story, BUT DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE IT?

• Do you live this story out every day?
• Do you thank God every day?
• Do you share this story with others?

What if I told you that everything Jesus went through was for you?
You know what happened on the day Jesus died, BUT DO YOU RECEIVE WHAT HE DID FOR YOU DAILY?

• Have you let him bear your pain & sorrow?
• Have you turned away from your sin, leaving them at His cross where he was crushed and pierced?
• Are you walking in the peace that He purchased for us as He was chastised?
• Are you allowing His wounds to heal you? Heal your physical, emotional, spiritual, mental…?

I will be drawing to a close soon. I want to challenge you to do something with this moment.
JESUS
What if I told you Jesus really died on a cross for you? …Shouldn’t that change some things?
What if I told you that He was buried in a tomb?
What if I told you that He defeated death and rose from the dead?
What if I told you He really was nailed to the cross?
What if I told you that everyone turned their back on Him?
There is something wrong in the world… Is that ever true!?
Yet there is a knowledge that changes everything… Jesus
I believe this knowledge about Jesus is what changes everything.

• Maybe you have never believed that before. Today is your day. Come talk to God today.
• Maybe you believed in the past. You need to come back to this powerful truth and stir it up. Come.
• Maybe you believe it. Then you need to rejoice in it! Come and thank Him.

What if I told you… the story is not over?

    The very same Jesus that we have talked about today is still alive. His story is not over.
Every time a soul receives this Gospel story of Jesus, it shows that the story is not over.
Every time someone has all their sins forgiven and covered with His blood, it shows the story is not over.
One day this very same Jesus will return to Earth. Are you ready for that day? Friend you need to be ready for that day. The story is not over. Jesus will return.