Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. The tomb is empty. And Christ is risen. Isn't it wonderful to think that for over two thousand years With all of the scepticism With all of the archaeology, with all that's going on, no one has ever produced the body of Jesus, and no one ever will. Why?
because he rose from the dead. Welcome to the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. Over 2,000 years ago, a man named Jesus was crucified on a Roman cross, buried in a tomb, and three days later, he rose from the grave. Today on the verdict, we're exploring why this event remains the central and most significant event in human history. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive?
That's the key question in today's lesson with Pastor John Monroe. The resurrection is at the heart of Easter. Among world religions, the resurrection stands unique. The tomb of Abraham is occupied. The tomb of Buddha is occupied.
The tomb of Muhammad is occupied and visited by millions every day. But the tomb of Jesus is empty. an empty tomb and a risen Christ. Paul writes, we believe that Jesus died and rose again. Jesus himself said, Fear not.
I'm the first and the last and the living one. I died, and behold, I'm alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades. But this truth is not one which is merely intellectual. It must be passionately believed and appropriated.
So today, let's think of the relevance of the resurrection.
So I want to consider two things. I want us to think a little of the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. And then secondly, I want to think of the relevance that it has for you and for me. First of all, the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. The evidence is clear.
That Jesus is alive.
Now you say, well. John, that was 2,000 years ago. Yes, but think of the relevance. of this. The relevance of the resurrection of Jesus is crucially important.
for your past. You say you outweigh.
Well, in the chapter we read from 1 Corinthians 15, Paul argues. very logically and very powerfully. that if Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, The whole of Christianity crumbles. And in particular, There is no forgiveness of our sins. He says if Christ 1 Corinthians 15, verse 17.
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile. and you are still in your sins. They say, well, I'm not sure if I've sinned. I don't know if I like that word. It sounds rather negative.
It sounds rather old-fashioned.
Well You may be a very kind person. You may be even the most generous, kind person on all of the 10 million people who live here, you may be one of the best. But I can say And I don't think you can really contradict me. is that you're not perfect. You've messed up.
Even the best of people. the nicest of people.
sometimes do and say nasty things. that we're all characterized by failure. And you know in your life That there are things that you have said And things that you've done, and things that you've thought, and attitudes that you've had, that as you look back, you say, I can't believe I did that. I can't believe I said that. I can't believe I had that evil thought in my mind.
That's a dilemma. that all of us are in. The Bible says that all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Life is full of regrets, life is full of failures. This is the universal human condition.
And into a world of sin and of darkness. God, in his great love, sends his Son, our Savior, to come and to die on the cross for our sins. I find it interesting when I speak with people Who disagree with the Christian viewpoint, and I ask them: how do you deal with sin in your life? How do you deal with guilt? and with shame.
Central to the Christian faith is this. If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord. And believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. That's it. You must believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins.
That he was buried. And that on the third day he rose from the dead according to the scriptures. And so I say to you today, as you think of the relevance of the resurrection, it is crucially relevant for your past. Because there is sin there, and the only way for forgiveness is through Jesus Christ. who comes in great love and grace.
Who knows how bad you are? and offers you As he pays the price for your sin, he offers you salvation. And forgiveness. You see only the risen Christ. Only the one who pays the debt of sin can offer you forgiveness.
Wouldn't that be wonderful? All of the sin and the failure and the shame and the mistakes. of the past are gone, totally gone. Totally forgiven. It's only God who can deal with your past.
and wipe it totally clean. Yes, the resurrection is relevant for your past. But the resurrection is also relevant for your presence. Because you say, well, this is wonderful, but you know. Monroe, you're a pastor and...
You were raised in a Christian home. I'm not a pastor, and I wasn't raised in a Christian home. This Christianity, I really couldn't handle it. I really would mess up. I know you would mess up.
You don't need to tell me. I'm a pastor. I deal with people mess up every day. I understand. I understand how you feel about that.
I feel exactly the same. By myself. I'm not naturally religious. Left to myself, I want to do my own thing. I want to set my own standards.
I want to Course my own life. But I want you to understand something. This is the uniqueness of the Christian faith. What are we celebrating today? That Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.
That means that he's alive. And becoming a Christian isn't just saying, well, I agree with this church. That's not the Christian faith. Yes, there are doctrines that you must acknowledge: that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died for your sins, that he rose again. Yes, but you can acknowledge them intellectually.
And still remain in your sins. What's the difference? Because when we, and we emphasize this, and perhaps this is strange language to you. Because you're saying to me, well, John, I'm a member of a church. I've been a Christian all my life, and I was baptized as a child or as an adult.
I've taken communion and I've gone through all of that. And you can go through all of that. And all of that is well and good in its place. But it still begs the question: do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior? Because the Christian faith Is having a personal relationship with the living Christ.
who not only forgives our sins, This is difficult for us to get our minds around, isn't it? But he makes us new. The Bible calls that being born again. And furthermore, Christ, this living Christ, lives in us. That's what Paul says.
Christ lives in me.
So there is a power. There is a grace. There is a spiritual transformation that by ourselves we can't continue to live a Christian life. No, we are drawn to the dark side of things, left to ourselves. You know that.
I need a greater power. Not just a power, I need the person of Christ within me, and that is the promise of the gospel. That when you come humbly Turning from your sin, confessing your sin, and crying out to Christ. Not only will He forgive your sins, He'll come and indwell you and change you so that as you follow Christ, you will become more and more like Him. Let me use another Sport tank.
Illustration.
Some of you watch the Masters, the Golf. And some of you here Play golf. Let's take Some individual who normally scores Or do we say 95? You've never blades. Par golf in your life.
Well, maybe you lied about it, but you haven't. Right? Even in miniature golf you struggle, let's face it. And so here you are. And you're watching the masters.
And here is Tiger Woods. It's a music golfer. And just think. How effortless it seems. And could you imagine That you go out to play golf one day And in a miracle Tiger Woods.
Is it dwelling here? And you take that club. And the stand you take is the stand of Tiger Woods. And the way you grip that club is the grip of Tiger Woods. And Hasn't it got an incredible swing?
Right, when you like to swing the ball like that. Makes it sound so easy, doesn't it? And as you swing that club, it's the swing of Tiger Woods. Why? He's living inside you.
And you are totally dependent on Tiger Woods. That would amaze your friends, wouldn't it? That's what it is with the Christian life. You say, well, I couldn't do this. I would mess up.
I couldn't begin. I'm not a holy person. You're not. But Christ lives within you. That's why one of the key virtues of the Christian faith is humility.
Germelody. I need you every hour. I need your help, Lord. I need your help to do this. I'm a husband and I need your help.
I love my wife, but I want that spiritual love. I need that grace. I need that strength. I'm working with this difficult boss. I need your help.
And in the wonder of the Christian life, the promise is that Christ, this living Christ, will never leave you. And he will give you all of the strength and all of the grace and all of the comfort you need for each moment. Yes, it is relevant for your past, for your present, but what about your future? The resurrection of Jesus is crucially important for your future. You see, other than the return of Jesus, every one of us will die.
Every single person. A hundred years from now, not one of us will be here. on this planet.
Some of us will die in the next Few months?
Some of you children. may live for 80, 90 years possibly. But one thing is certain, there is not one person here who can stop death. Coming.
Now I ask you, what do you think is going to happen to you? Not me, you. Answer this yourself. What do you think is going to happen to you when you die? There are many ideas of life after death.
Here are some. There's the atheistic belief. that death ends everything. There are many people who say that. Bart Ehrman, who's the distinguished professor of all things of religious studies at UNC Chapel Hill, he believes that.
On death. There is total extinction, just like the fly you You killed yesterday. The atheist view. You live, you die. And there's just endless oblivion.
Total annihilation, total extinction. That's one view. Then there is the view of universalism. Which is the view that all people of all time ultimately will be saved, ultimately will get from heaven. There may be a few exceptions, like the Hitler and the Stalins, and the Osama bin Ladens and the Axe murderers possibly.
They may not make it, but We we're in church on Sunday. I mean we're going to be there, aren't we? It doesn't really matter what you believe. Uh different beliefs But just kind of live your life, try and be a nice person, and we'll all make it. Universalism.
Then there is the growing belief in reincarnation. The belief that an individual lives his or her life on earth, dies, and then comes back. Again, they have a lot of birthdays. It's happy returns, happy returns, happy returns. The scripture says, however, it's appointed for men to die.
How many times? Once. And after that comes the judgment, the b the belief in reincarnation. Then there's the belief in purgatory, which supposedly is a place where people go after death for purification before they enter into heaven.
Well, what did Jesus teach? Jesus thought There are two ways. There's a broad road which leads to destruction. Eternal destruction. We call that Hell.
Then says Jesus, there's a narrow way which leads to life Eternal.
So we're according to the teaching of Jesus There's this option. When you die You're going to go? to heaven, a place of eternal joy. Or you're going to go to hell, a place of eternal Punishment.
Some time ago, Time CNN carried out a poll of people's beliefs in heaven and hell. Those who said they believed in the existence of heaven were asked this question. Immediately after death, which of the following do you think? Which of the following do you think will happen to you? 61% said go to heaven.
15% said go to purgatory. Five percent said reincarnated. Four percent said it's the end of your existence. One percent. said go to hell.
That's remarkable, isn't it? What about you? What about you? Where do you think you're going to go? Here's the message of Jesus, the message of Easter.
That Jesus Christ has defeated death. He has conquered death. He went into death. He experienced the darkness of death. He shattered the gates of death.
And he is risen. He's alive. That's why we get excited about it. And therefore, he is the only way to heaven. You say, well, wait a minute, John, there's many ways.
No, there's not many ways to heaven. There's many ways to hell, but there's only one way to heaven. And that is the one who came from heaven to earth. Died on the cross, was buried, and rose again, and returned to heaven, and says, If you believe in me, you will have eternal life. That God so loved the world.
that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him Should not perish, that is, will not go to hell, but will have everlasting life. And so only Jesus can say, Who is the man God, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.
So when a Christian dies Physically, they are eternally alive spiritually. We in that sense will never die. What an incredible Future, we have as the people of God. This is the message of the gospel. This is the good news: that if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved, you will receive eternal life.
And I'm asking you now to place your faith in Christ. Not just to think about Christ, not just to come to church on Easter Sunday, we're glad you're here, but to acknowledge that Jesus died for your sins. That he was buried and that he rose again. And through the power of Almighty God, he has conquered death. You cannot conquer death.
I can't conquer death. We die When we die, there's nothing we can do about it. But Christ can. Because he has died my death. He has paid the punishment of my sin.
And as he says to his disciples so powerfully, because I live, you shall live also. How is that? Because as a young boy, I placed my faith in Christ. I was united with Christ. The baptism that I refer to symbolizes that.
I am eternally united with Christ. His death was my death. His life is my life. And the scripture makes it clear that God never dies. God is eternally alive.
And the only hope for salvation, the only way to heaven, is Jesus, who said Himself, I'm the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father apart from me. Do you think you can stand before a holy God by yourself? No. This Easter morning.
Will you humble yourself? Come to Christ. He's the only one who bridges the gulf between a holy God and sinful people like us. What will happen to you one second after you die? Heaven?
Or how? Place your trust. In Christ. Your sins will be forgiven. There isn't Christ will indwell you.
And you will receive eternal life and have this wonderful assurance of everlasting life. Today, this Easter Sunday. I'm proclaiming to you with all of the authority of Scripture. With joined with the testimony of millions and millions of people down through the centuries, including myself. who know for a fact that Christ is alive.
that we've come to Christ, have been saved by his grace. That Christ is alive, He's risen from the dead. This is not religion. This is not a church. I'm proclaiming that Jesus is alive.
And that God And his infinite love and grace for you seeks a personal relationship with you. Don't you want to know Christ?
Well you realize you can't live. A perfect life. You can't get rid of your sin. But by yourself. You can do nothing.
And so you come. As a helpless person, unable to save yourself. And where do you come? You come to the cross. Where you see your sins being atoned for.
You come to the living Savior and cry out to him to save you. Jesus says, he who believes in the sun has eternal life. If you've never believed in the sun, Will you believe in them now? Will you join me? As I pray, Because everyone who is the living Christ in their hearts and their lives will live eternally in heaven today.
Trust Christ. As your personal Saviour. And if you are a believer in Jesus, We ask for his help. to tell others about him and to and to draw on his power and his strength. and discomfort, wherever you are in your spiritual life today.
And if you're not saved, will you pray with me? Not just to repeat words. But to know in your heart. That Christ died for your sins. He was buried.
And on the third day he rose again according. To the scripture. Will you pray with me? God in heaven. I know I've sinned.
I've messed up. I repent of that. I confess of that. I make no excuses. Thank you for your love.
I don't deserve that love. And thank you. as I look to Jesus that he died for my sins. I now believe him. He is the Son of God risen from the dead.
And I ask him to come. and to save me No. I believe But Jesus is the Son of God. is my savior. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come into my life. and cleanse me. and give me the gift of eternal life. And then your power. I seek to live for your glory.
In Christ's name. Amen. This is the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. There's still more to hear when John returns in just a moment, so stay with us. From matters of truth and identity, to the subjects of love and grace, our world seems more confused than ever.
but to find truth and certainty about who we are and find peace, we must turn our attention away from the world and look to the Word of God. To help you do that, John wrote a booklet titled Eternal Security, Finding Certainty in a Chaotic World. Through this special resource, John shares his personal testimony, along with a careful examination of Scripture, to offer us clarity on matters of eternity. Get your copy today by visiting our website at theverdict.org. While you're there, consider making an investment in this Bible teaching ministry.
Whether it's $5, $50, or more, your gift today helps cover the cost of sharing these gospel messages to listeners around the world. And if you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to the Verdict Podcast, featuring John's weekly podcast exclusive called Avizandam. It's available wherever you get your podcasts, or simply go to our website. Again, that's theverdict.org. The verdict is a ministry of Calvary Church in South Charlotte.
We're located on the corner of Highway 51 and Ray Road. If you've been looking for a church home or a community to help you grow in your walk with Christ, We invite you to join us for our Sunday services. For more details about Calvary and our service times, visit theverdict.org.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? This is one truth which demands a verdict. You cannot stay neutral. To remain neutral is to be eternally lost. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, And believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
I want you to be saved. To have your sins forgiven, to receive as a gift of the grace of God, eternal life. Receive this gift. Today. Receive Jesus Christ.
As your resurrected Savior, and follow Him as Lord of your life. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
