Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. The King. Lives conquering Dan. Our Lord Jesus Christ, whom we trust, has conquered death. He's alive, he's risen from the dead, and he still stands.
and majestically says I um The resurrection. and alive. This is the verdict. The Bible teaching ministry of Pastor John Monroe. You may have heard the saying, where there's life, there's hope.
But followers of Jesus Christ can say, where there's death, there's hope. Because our Lord Jesus has conquered death, our hope extends beyond the grave. Today, we're reflecting on this magnificent truth as we celebrate our risen Savior.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe with this message, the king is alive. Death is a reality of life. One out of one dies. No one escapes death. It's tough to think that our loved ones will die.
and it's certainly difficult to face our own mortality. But if were wise, we will consider our death. What's your reaction to death? This is a very important message. As I want to tell you of someone who is eternally alive.
Yes, this Easter we celebrate. that not only did Jesus Christ die on the cross for our sins and was buried, On the third day, according to the scriptures, he was raised from the dead. That is, he's now alive forevermore. He has defeated that. The grave is empty, the tomb is empty, and Jesus is alive.
I was about seven years old when I attended my. First funeral. My maternal great grandmother had died at the ripe old age of a thousand.
Well That's how ancient she seemed to a little boy of seven. Later I was to learn that she was in her early 90s. She lived all of her life in a small A fishing village in the north of Scotland called Sand End. uh where my mother uh was born and raised. The village is a small one, small fishing village.
It's so small that it doesn't have its own cemetery. And after the funeral service, I joined the mourners who walked behind the hearse. through the village, up the winding road, to the main road, across the main road. And traveled a little bit further to another village called Ferdais, where there was a cemetery. And there, my ancient great grandmother.
uh was buried I remember the Coffin being lowered into the grave. Remember the Bible being read? I remember the solemn faces, the dark, Black clothes. Uh the long walk back to my grandparents' house. Great grandmother.
I was dead. My first. funeral. I'm sure you can probably remember the first funeral You were at. It's been said that there are only two certainties in life.
Taxes and death. You may escape taxes, although I warn you the IRS can be really tough, so don't try it. You may escape taxes, but the long shadow of death falls on each one of us. C.S. Lewis says, human life has always been lived on the edge of a precipice.
Just think of that. Your life is lived. on the edge of a precipice. You say, John, I'm 15 years old. I'm ten.
I'm 35 and I'm in excellent health. My life isn't lived on the edge of a precipice. Let me differ with you. It is. In the over nine years I've been at church, I've done many funerals.
I've officiated at the funeral of little boys and little girls. People of all ages. People in their twenties. Young man, young woman who seems strong. who seemed as if they'd live forever.
And yet we know at whatever age C.S. Lewis is right, we live life. on the edge. of a precipice. The Bible puts it very bluntly and says, It's appointed unto men once to die.
And after this The judgment. We don't know when that day is, but we do know there is no Escape. And as we think of the reality of death, we can respond in various ways. Let me suggest some to you. We can ignore death.
We can take the view, the foolish view, But perhaps the very human view That death only happens to others. That we are different, that we will escape death. That we realize that people do die young, but that will be for someone else. And we can ignore the reality. of death.
I remember When I was at seminary, one of the professors telling us about giving us some advice and counsel about conducting funerals, he said to us, you must come to terms with your own mortality. That is, as pastors, we have to understand that we too shall die one day. And coming to terms with their own mortality can be difficult for all of us. When I was practicing law in Scotland, the Law Society of Scotland were trying to encourage people to sign their wills. No, that wasn't to make money for lawyers.
Lawyers are always concerned. Uh with helping people compassionately, not making money. I don't know where people get that idea.
So, the Law Society was trying to get people to make their wills, and they said they had the slogan in saying: signing your will is not signing your death warrant.
Now, why did they say that? Because they recognized, and something I know from my experience with people, that it is very, very easy to ignore death. And even when you know theoretically you will die, people have a reluctance to make their wills. They think, if I make my will, I'm going to die.
Well, one day you will die. But you can choose to ignore the reality of death.
So first, you can ignore it. Secondly, you can fear it. Many people Live in fear. of dying. It's the most common fear that there is.
And could I say the greatest fear? The fear. Woody Allen jokingly said, I'm not afraid to die. I just don't want to be around when it happens. Funny, but Woody, one day you will die as well.
Yes, many people are afraid to die. The 18th century French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau said, He who pretends to look on death without fear lies. All men are afraid of dying. I want us to think of another response, the Christian answer. The Christian answer to death is not found in ignoring it.
It's not found in fearing it. Rather than It is found in facing it. I want you today to face your own death. People say, where there's life, there's hope. Followers of Jesus go further, and we say, where there's death, there's hope.
How can we say that? Because our hope, the hope of the gospel, the hope of Jesus Christ, goes beyond death. Because as we're celebrating today, our Lord Jesus Christ, whom we trust, has conquered death. He's alive, he's risen from the dead, and he still stands. and majestically says, Can you hear him say this to you?
I am The resurrection. And the life. No mere man, no mere prophet could say that, but God incarnate. God's perfect man. Truly man and truly God stands supreme, unique in human history.
And says 2,000 years ago and says today. I am the resurrection and the life. But not only did Jesus say I'm the resurrection and the life, he proved that. Because on that first Easter Sunday, he did rise from the dead. Victorious Over.
Death. I want you to grasp that. That Jesus Christ Unmistakably died on a cross. The Romans knew how to put someone to death. And so they killed him.
They crucified him. And they buried him. And they rolled a huge stone in front of it because they realized there were these rumors that he would rise again. And they think, well, maybe his disciples will come and steal him.
So we'll make sure that the grave is guarded. But on that first Easter Sunday, Jesus Christ bodily. literally rose from the dead. And this is how he and only he can say, I am the resurrection and the life. And those of us who receive Christ As our personal Saviour.
Who knows him as our Lord and Savior, we receive as a gift, as an act of grace, this new life, this eternal life, this resurrection life, this life which will last beyond death.
So we want to think about the King who is. Alive. Last week we thought about the king coming as we celebrated Palm Sunday. On Good Friday, we thought of the king's death. The king dies.
Now we think the king is alive. And think of the difference that will make to your life here and now. And for all. Of eternity. Let's stand.
And read the scripture. from Revelation 1 verses 17 and 18. This comes From the last book in the Bible called the book of Revelation. And our Lord Jesus is the speaker and notice his first words. I want you to get this.
I want you To go away this morning understanding that there is no reason to fear death if you know Christ.
So here it is, read it with me. Fear not. I am 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. How wonderful, please. Be seated. I want us to think of this.
That the king lives Conquering Death. The king, our Lord Jesus Christ, is the king, the king of kings. He lives. And because he lives, he conquers. Yeah.
I'm going to read. From the fourth Gospel, the Gospel according to John chapter 11 is the story of Lazarus. And we're going to read of how he was sick. And then he died. John chapter 11.
And I'm reading from verse. 17.
Now when Jesus came, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb. Four days, notice that. Dead four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, to the east in fact of Jerusalem. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.
So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him. but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, Lord, If you'd been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. Jesus said to her, Your brother, will rise again.
Martha said to him, I know that he'll rise again in the resurrection on the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?
She said to him, Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ. The Son of God. who is coming into the world. Here is this man, Lazarus, and he's sick, and eventually he dies.
He's the brother of Mary and Martha. They live in this little town of Bethany, just outside Jerusalem. Jesus knows this family very, very well. They're his friends. He's been in their home.
He's enjoyed their hospitality. He loves Lazarus. He loves Mary and Martha. And the word is sent from the sisters to Jesus. We want you to come, Jesus, because Lazarus is very, very ill.
But by the time Jesus arrives at Bethany. Lazarus has died. He's dead. In fact, He's been in the tomb, not just one day or two days, but for four. days.
What's going to happen? John 11. Verse three. 33, listen to these words. When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.
And he said, Where have you laid him? They said to him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. The shortest verse in the Bible. Jesus wept.
So the Jews said, See how he loved him. But some of them said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying? Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, take away the stone.
Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, Lord, by this time there will be another, for he has been dead four days. Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?
So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around that they may believe that you sent me. When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out. The man who had died.
Came out. His hands and his feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, unbind him. And let him Go. Jesus raises this man Lazarus from the dead.
Why is Jesus so troubled? Why is he so moved, as the writer tells us, as John tells us? Why is he weeping? After all, Jesus knew that he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. No, Jesus wept.
as he reflected, no doubt, on the profound tragedy and sorrow and tears and devastation caused by sin and death down through the centuries. You see, death is ugly. Death is horrible. It's a last enemy. And Jesus is weeping.
And he's also entering into the sorrow and the grief with his friends. This is the heart of God. Revealed God incarnate is weeping. His friend. has died.
Then Jesus tells them. to remove the stone from the tomb. Jesus prays to his father and then cries with a loud voice, Lazarus! Come forth. And he raises Lazarus from the dead.
And in doing so, Jesus is demonstrating this. that he conquers death. That he, God incarnate, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus and only Jesus is greater than death. And he gives new life, resurrection life, to this man Lazarus, who's been in the tomb for four days.
What's Jesus doing? Jesus is conquering Death. I'm saying that there is the reality of death. And that all of us are going to die, and there's no escape. You can respond to it in different ways, you can ignore it, you can fear it, but I want you to think of Jesus.
What are we celebrating that Jesus is alive? And that makes a profound difference for our lives now and for all of eternity, that Jesus conquers death. And he's alive. Therefore, place your faith in him. He's the only one.
Who can defeat death? He's the only one who's ever defeated death. Larry Ellison is the CEO of Oracle, a very Uh successful. company here in the US. And Larry Ellison was listed last year by Forbes as the third wealthiest man in America.
Do you know how much? Larry Ellison is worth Fifty-six point two, not million. 56.2. billion. That's a lot of money, isn't it?
I mean, I would do just with a 0.2 billion. I mean, that's 200 million. I mean, Larry, you wouldn't miss it. I mean, just think. what that would do to missions.
Larry Ellison. One of the Wealthiest man In the world, third wealthiest man in the United States is worth $52. 56.2 billion. But he's got a problem. Like all of us.
She's got the same problem as we all have. He's getting old. And he's in his seventies.
Some of us are not that old.
Some of you Are older. But every day He's getting older. And that makes them angry. This is what he says about death. He says, death makes me angry.
It doesn't make any sense to me. Death has never made any sense to me. How can a person be there and then just vanish, just not be there? Death. may not make any sense, but perhaps it can be Defeated.
What do you think of that? He's a wealthy man. And he's angry. About death. And he says, it doesn't make any sense, but perhaps it can be defeated.
Do you know how Larry goes about trying to defeat death? He has donated millions and millions. of dollars. To the Ellison Medical Foundation. Do you know what the Medical Foundation does?
It does research on, quote, lifespan development processes. Get it lifespan. development processes. That means to defeat death.
So that we don't age.
So that we don't die. He's doing biomedical research on aging. And he gives millions and millions to the brightest Scientists are around to do research to stop us from aging. His biographer Writes that Ellison sees death as just another kind of corporate opponent he can outfox. Really, Larry?
Really? Are you serious? You see death. as just another opponent that you can outfox. What do we say to Larry Ellison?
We say Larry. For all of your billions and billions and for all of your research, you. and no one else will ever be able to out Fox or defeat death. There is only one person. in the whole universe.
Who is able to conquer death and who can defeat death and who can deliver you from death? And that is not the Ellison Medical Foundation. That's no one else other than our Lord Jesus Christ, who that third and glorious day, physically, bodily, rose from the dead and is alive and still says, I am the resurrection and the life. And Larry, we want you to trust him. That's the only way.
This is what John is telling us here in John 11: that Jesus conquers death, He gives new life. What could Lazarus do in the tomb? The man died. For four days, he's been in the tomb. What can he do?
Absolutely nothing. Don't give him a lecture. Don't tell Lazarus that he should have lived a different kind of life or lived on dandelion leaves and some kind of fruit juice and he might have lived a bit longer. Don't tell him that. A dead man can do absolutely nothing for himself.
What does he need? He needs new life. Not his old life. But he needs a new life. Alive from outside of himself, that is the very life of God in his soul.
The raising of Lazarus is, it actually happened, it's a historical event, but it's also a parable. It's a paradigm. It tells us that spiritually speaking, you and I are dead. We're spiritually dead. God made us in the beginning, He made us perfect.
We're made in the image of God. Adam and Eve were made perfectly, but we know that our first parents did what we all do. And that is sin. And sin has come into the world. And we're all characterized by failures and mistakes.
And wishing that we did things differently, and wishing that we hadn't said something. And so the Bible says the wages of sin It's deaf. The wages of sin is death, that's the penalty. And this is the wonderful uniqueness of the Christian faith. That my Lord Jesus Christ, in love for you and for me, came into this world.
And when he died on the cross, he bore the penalty of my sin. He died so that I may live. 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? Are you ignoring death? Do you have a fear of death or Are you able to face death knowing that as a follower of Jesus Christ, your hope? goes beyond death. Because your Lord Jesus, in whom you trust, has conquered death.
Receive as your Saviour the one who still says, I am the resurrection and the life. and experience this life-changing hope.
Next broadcast, we'll continue to think of the triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ, who conquered death and is eternally alive. 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.
