This is Why We Rejoice!

((music playing)) ((music playing)) >> This morning we have gathered to celebrate the resurrection. This morning WE ARE HERE NOT OUT OF TRADITION, BUT WE ARE here because this is the occasion UPON WHICH ALL OF OUR FAITH is built. Paul said in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and VERSE 14, "IF CHRIST IS NOT RAISED FROM THE DEAD, then our preaching is empty and our faith is in vain."

If he's not alive, then chain the doors of this church and every church shut and don't have a reason to go back. IF HE'S NOT ALIVE, then no sin has ever been forgiven and all men are without hope. IF HE'S NOT ALIVE, then there IS NO HEAVEN TO gain and there is no hell to shun and we have no reason to rejoice.

BUT WE DIDN'T GATHER HERE TODAY to talk about everything that Jesus is not. We're here today to talk about everything that he is. He is alive and he is seated at the right hand of God the Father and he is the victor over death, hell, and the grave.

Every power AND EVERY PRINCIPALITY BOW BEFORE THE MIGHTY and matchless name of Jesus Christ. He is the lamb of God who has made a way where there seemed to be NO WAY. THERE WAS NO way for me to get into the presence of God my father IN HEAVEN, BUT NOW BECAUSE the veil has BEEN TORN FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, ALL I HAVE TO DO IS MENTION THE MATCHLESS NAME OF JESUS AND I CAN FIND AUDIENCE WITH GOD ALMIGHTY AND GET GRACE and mercy in my HOUR OF NEED.

THERE WAS NO WAY FOR MY SINS THAT WERE SCARLET TO BE WASHED WHITE AS SNOW, BUT WHEN JESUS CHRIST BORE MY NAILS AND TOOK MY SHAME AND WAS BRUISED FOR MY TRANSGRESSIONS AND HE CARRIED MY INIQUITIES, ALL MY SINS THAT ARE SCARLET ARE NOW WHITE AS SNOW BECAUSE THE LAMB OF God has made a way where there seemed to be no way.

THERE WAS NO WAY FOR ME TO BE GRAFTED IN BECAUSE BEFORE THE CROSS, I WAS OUTSIDE OF THE COVENANTS, BUT NOW BECAUSE OF THE CROSS, I'M A PART OF THE FAMILY OF GOD AND HEIR and a joint HEIR WITH JESUS. THERE WAS NO WAY FOR ME TO have victory over the grave.

I couldn't walk through THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW of death with anything else but fear, but because OF WHAT THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, JESUS CHRIST, DID WHEN HE SHINED UPON THE GRAVE AND HE TURNED IT TO A MERE SHADOW, NOW MY LAST BREATH ON THIS EARTH IS MY FIRST BREATH IN THE PRESENCE OF AN ETERNAL KINGDOM WHERE I KNOW THAT MY SAVIOR LIVES AND HE REIGNS.

CHURCH, THE GRAVE IS THE GATEWAY TO GLORY BECAUSE GOD HAS MADE A WAY WHERE THERE SEEMED TO BE NO WAY. TODAY I REJOICE IN GOD MY SAVIOR. GIVE THE LORD A HAND CLAP OF PRAISE. >> [cheering and applause] >> 2,000 years ago, last Sunday morning, all of Jerusalem was talking about one topic, but they all had different opinions about it.

All of Jerusalem was talking about this Jesus. The Pharisees were talking about Jesus. Who does he think he is? This untrained rabbi from Nazareth thinks he's the son of God? He's dangerous. People follow him. We should find a way to shut him up. Rome wanted to know, "Who is this Jesus?"

They take off their cloaks and they put it before his donkey. They wave palm branches and they shout Hosanna. Maybe he's a threat to our power. Maybe he's an insurrectionist that's coming to overthrow us. Maybe he's somebody we should watch out for. The disciples are talking about Jesus.

They're talking about what he's done. HE JUST RAISED Lazarus from the grave over there in Bethany. HE TOOK FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH AND MADE IT 5,000. HE CALMED STORMS. HE WALKED on water. Surely he's the promised one. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, the debate rang out, "Who is this Jesus and what should we know about him?"

BUT BY FRIDAY NIGHT, IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT JESUS BEFORE, EVERYONE AGREED UPON THIS FACT, "IT'S OVER." The Pharisees were laughing on Friday. "It's over. It worked. We had him tried and accused and all of the sudden we convinced Rome to crucify him. He's dead. He's gone."

Rome said it was over. One more revolt avoided. One more insurrection contained. We're still in power. Rome wins again. The disciples, with broken hearts, they said, "It's over. How can it be over? How can our teacher How can our Messiah How can the one with so much power be dead and gone?

How could the one who calmed a storm with simple words be arrested by just a man? How could he be nailed to a cross? It's over." Fast forward 2,000 years later and there's still lots of people talking about Jesus, but they've all got different opinions about him. This world is full of people who know him by name, but they've never met him personally.

There's the agnostic and the atheist, the secular humanist and they, like those of old, think that Jesus is a nuisance. They think his ancient teachings do nothing but give false hope to people who are weak-minded. By the way, that's what the elites think of people like you who come to churches like this.

Congratulations, you're in good company. >> [cheering and applause] >> Then there's the religious, the self-righteous, those who believe that they can contain Jesus in man-made rules of some denomination. They believe that they know what Jesus wants and who Jesus likes and who Jesus doesn't like, who he's for and who he's against.

And what you need to know is that Jesus Christ is not anymore for or against anyone. He is a whosoever will Jesus. There were those then and there are those now who doubt him. There were those then and there are those now who try to control him, but there were those then and there are those now who have been to a place where they have met this man face to face and they know beyond a shadow of a doubt who Jesus is.

Just as there were faithful then, there are faithful now. We've seen him do too much to deny him. We felt his faithful touch too strong to walk away from him. We know that the redeemer lives because we've seen what our God can do. We cannot be silenced and we will not be intimidated.

We cannot be MANIPULATED BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE FIRE AND THE FIRE didn't burn us. We've been through the water and the water didn't drown us. We've seen MOUNTAINS MOVE AND CAPTIVES SET FREE. WE'VE SEEN THE SICK healed and marriages mended. WE'VE SEEN THE MASTER OF THE WIND CALM THE STORMS of life.

We've seen THE CONQUEROR OF CALVARY TAKE THE DOCTOR'S DIAGNOSIS AND ELIMINATED WITH his shed blood. WE'VE SEEN HARD HEARTS SOFTENED BY HIS HOLY SPIRIT. WE'VE seen him love the unlovable, touch the untouchable, DO THE IMPOSSIBLE. SO DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR YOUR ENERGY TRYING TO CONVINCE ME THAT JESUS ISN'T ALIVE.

HE SPOKE WITH ME THIS MORNING AND I KNOW MY REDEEMER LIVES. Christ said one word, "Rejoice." Why? Because the resurrection reminds you that the impossible is possible. You don't have to strive to do too much in this life before people will tell you that it's impossible. If people tell you it's impossible, rejoice because you have evidence through the resurrected savior that the impossible is possible.

You'll rejoice when you remember the resurrection because the resurrection proves that every promise that God has ever made is true. If Jesus Christ is alive, then every line and every letter of this book is a reality. AND IF HE'S NOT ALIVE, THEN EVERY line and every letter is a lie.

But my God is not a man that he should lie. And with the resurrection of my savior, I know that every promise that he has ever made, he will keep. When you think about the resurrection, YOU'LL REJOICE BECAUSE DEATH HAS BEEN DEFEATED. WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO this week is live every day with the same enthusiasm for the resurrection as you have right now.

Because it's easy to celebrate that he's alive on Resurrection Sunday, but guess what? He'll still be alive tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that and the day after that and that's when it's important to remind the world that Jesus Christ is has always been and will forever more be the risen savior with healing in his wings.

Give the Lord a hand clap of praise in this house. The resurrection of Jesus Christ changed everything. >> ((music playing)) >> In my new book from the tomb to triumph, I take you through this resurrection truth from the suffering ((music playing)) of the cross to the empty tomb and into the authority every believer is called to live in today.

This month ((music playing)) for your gift of any amount to support the work of Hagee Ministries, we want to send you ((music playing)) Pastor John Hagee's new book from tomb to triumph, claim the victory of the resurrection. And with your ((music playing)) love gift of $125 or more, we'll send you our handcrafted Genesis 12:3 olive wood anointing ((music playing)) oil set box from Israel.

And with your gift of $500 or more, in addition, you'll also receive the ((music playing)) prophecy study Bible and his glory revealed. The risen king reigns now >> ((music playing)) >> and his power is at work in you. Call the number on your screen, use the QR code, or go to jhm.org/spring.

((music playing)) I'm forever amazed at how people who call themselves Christians can live a life of despair. Jesus didn't say, "Hey, it's me." HE SAID, "REJOICE!" AND YET WE WALK AROUND with a hey, it's me kind of God. That's not the attitude of Christianity. The disciples who walked with Jesus for years, they didn't have the courage to go to the grave on Resurrection morning.

It took two women to do that. >> ((cheering)) ((applause)) >> These mighty men who marched into Jerusalem with him just a week ago are now hiding, full of despair. Why? For the same reason that you allowed despair into your life. They forgot what he said. And when you live a life of doubt and despair, you are forgetting what he said.

When the angel saw the disciples, he told Peter and John, "Remember what he said." Say that with me. Remember what he said. For 3 years they had listened to Jesus Christ speak about his death and his resurrection. For 3 years he told them the son of man must be delivered up, but on the third day he'll rise again.

BUT THEN WHEN THEY SAW him arrested and THEY SAW HIM CRUCIFIED, WHAT THEY SAW in their natural eyes caused them to forget what he had said. And now they're filled with despair. The same is true of you when you see things go a different way and your expectations aren't met and you CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD is doing when what you see WITH YOUR NATURAL EYES IS SOMETHING YOU NEVER THOUGHT you'd see, you find yourself full of DESPAIR BECAUSE YOU FORGET WHAT HE SAID.

IF THEY HAD REMEMBERED ON the third day, he'll rise again. When he got arrested, they would have walked on and said, "See you Sunday." They would have been waiting right outside that tomb. You fellas need a bigger rock. It's about to happen. It's about to happen. And when he'd come out OF THE GRAVE, THEY'D HAVE LIKE STREAMERS and confetti cannons and be like, HE'S BACK!

BUT INSTEAD THEY'RE HIDING. BECAUSE WHAT THEY SAW erased what they heard. The Bible doesn't say that we walk by sight. The Bible says faith comes by what? Hearing and hearing by the word of God. Don't let what you see cause you to forget what Jesus said. Have you been through great reversal?

Remember what he said, "I've never seen the righteous forsaken nor their seed begging bread." Have you suffered loss? Remember what he said, "I'll make you the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath." Have you been THROUGH SOME MAJOR TRAGEDY? REMEMBER WHAT he said, "Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning."

ARE YOU FEELING LIKE THE WORLD is against you? Remember what he said, "Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world." You are more than a conqueror through Christ. You are a blood bought child of God enlisted in the triumphant army of the living God.

You can do ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST. DON'T YOU DARE wonder or worry if GOD IS FOR YOU BECAUSE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON AND SINCE HE IS FOR YOU, WHO CAN BE AGAINST YOU? CHURCH, REMEMBER WHAT HE SAID! Everyone who meets the resurrected savior is changed forever.

Just look at the disciples. Peter. He was around Jesus. He heard Jesus. HE WENT FISHING WITH JESUS. THEY HAD A GOOD DAY. Filled the boat. I mean, anybody you go fishing with and fill up the boat, y'all are friends for life. It's just man law. And yet Peter, although he was around him and he knew of him and he had heard him, he still hadn't met him.

Because Peter is hot and Peter is cold. Peter is in and Peter is out. PETER IS AWESOME AND PETER is aw. I mean, have you ever been around somebody that when they are on, they are amazing? And when they are off, they are amazing. You know what I'm talking about?

The two spectrums of amazing. Amazed at their magic and amazed at the mess. This is Peter. He's walking on water and drowning. HE'S PROFESSING, "THOU ART THE CHRIST" AND then getting rebuked. HE SAYS, "I'LL DIE FOR YOU AND I'LL LIVE MY LIFE FILLED BUILDING YOUR CHURCH" AND THEN HE'S HACKING off ears.

It's hard to start a church when your ushers are whacking off ears. But Peter, as inconsistent as he was before the resurrection, when he meets the resurrected savior, he becomes so consistent that he preaches on the day of Pentecost and 3,000 are saved. He becomes SO CONFIDENT IN CHRIST HIS SAVIOR THAT WHEN HE is arrested for preaching the gospel and they let him out of prison, he falls to his knees and he asks the Holy Spirit to give him more boldness that he would have the ability to preach with MORE POWER.

HE'S SO CERTAIN THAT THE RESURRECTED SAVIOR IS ALIVE and awaiting him in glory that when Rome is ready TO KILL PETER, THEY SAY, "WE'RE GOING TO CRUCIFY YOU JUST LIKE WE DID JESUS" AND HE SAYS, "DO ME A FAVOR, FLIP THE CROSS UPSIDE DOWN BECAUSE I'm not worthy to be crucified like my Lord and savior."

What made Peter so certain? He met the resurrected savior. Before he knew about Jesus, but then when he met Jesus, he knew something was different. Consider James, the brother of Jesus. In his earthly ministry, he doubted and denied Jesus. People would come to James and they'd say, "Your brother's a miracle worker."

He said, "No, he's not. You should watch him eat cereal. Gets it all over his shirt like everybody else." He was so close to Jesus and so familiar with who he was, he didn't believe anything could be exceptional or supernatural about him. He'd allowed familiarity to blind him.

And many people have been so close to the church and so close to Christ all of their life that they don't believe that there's anything more that they can receive from him. But James saw Jesus crucified, knew he was dead, and then saw him alive again. And everything changed.

James is willing to die at the sword for Christ not because he followed a lunatic and a liar. But because he saw Jesus Christ who was alive. What was the message that the first century church preached everywhere that they went that eventually brought Rome to its knees? What was the secret that they had to share that caused everyone who heard it to come to grips with the reality?

It wasn't a gospel of grace and it wasn't a message of prosperity and it wasn't overwhelming hope. Do you know what they told the world? Simply this, him who you crucified is alive. He is alive. He is alive. If there's one message that will change this nation, it's he's alive.

If there's one message that can save the world, it's he's alive. If there's one message that will change your life, it's he's alive. It's a message THAT CAUSES DEMONS TO TREMBLE AND SAINTS TO REJOICE BECAUSE MY SAVIOR, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, he is alive, ALIVE, ALIVE. GIVE THE LORD a hand clap of praise.

I say this in closing. Everyone who meets the savior is changed forever. Have you met him? Do you know him and the power of his resurrection? Because if you do, then that resurrection power that brought him out of the grave, it's alive and it's well in you. That's what Romans 8 and 11 says.

The same spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead, it dwells in you. If you've met him, then you can rejoice today because the same spirit that does the impossible dwells in you. The same spirit that conquers and defeats death, hell, and the grave dwells in you.

The same spirit that overcame on resurrection morning, it dwells in you. But if you haven't met him, I want you to know with all of my heart you need to. And the reason you need to is because if you don't meet him now, you will meet him soon.

There is coming a day when this same Jesus, just as the angel said, shall come just as you've seen him go. And when he comes, he's not going to be the lamb of God slain for sinners, but he's going to be the king above kings and the lord above lords.

And when he comes, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Have you met the risen savior? If not, you're not really living until you do. But if so, then you have a reason to rejoice in the joy of your salvation today.

Would you stand in the presence of the Lord? With every head bowed and every eye closed, you're in this place today. And you know that you haven't met the resurrected savior. Maybe you've been around the teaching, maybe you're familiar with the terms, but you're either in or you're out.

You're hot or you're cold. You're not consistent enough to say that you live for Christ, you live for self. But today you know that the thing that needs to change in your life is the fact that you need to receive this savior who has conquered death, hell, and the grave.

If today you want to receive him like that, I want you to raise your hand right where you are so that I can see it and heaven can see it and all of those in around the throne today see your hands in this place. Others of you in this place, you say, "I know the risen savior, but I've forgotten to rejoice in the joy of my salvation.

I've allowed despair to cause me to forget what he said. Right now I'm walking through a dark season and I need comfort. I need to remember what he said and let the joy of the Lord be my strength." And you're in this place today and you don't want to leave with the same despair and desperation that you walked in with.

You want to leave here rejoicing like Jesus said. If that's you, I want to see your hand right where you are. I want everyone at this altar, everyone here in this sanctuary, those of you who are watching, raise your hands and repeat this prayer with me. Lord Jesus Christ, >> Lord Jesus Christ, thank you Thank you for the gift that you have given me, for the gift that you have given me, salvation salvation and triumph. and triumph.

Your death Your death washed me white as snow. washed me white Your resurrection Your resurrection gave me victory. gave me Not just in heaven, Not just but here on earth. but here on So today I rejoice So today in the joy of my salvation in the joy and I receive and I receive your grace, your mercy, and your loving kindness in my life. in my Cleanse me Cleanse from every unrighteousness and make me and make your child today. your child I receive you into my heart, into my life, in Jesus' name.

Amen. Now, would you give the Lord a hand clap of praise in the house? Would you give the Lord a shout of praise in this house? >> ((music playing)) >> God is good. On resurrection morning, Jesus met two women who were in the garden and gave them this one declaration, "Rejoice."

I want you to know that because we have a living savior, there is so much for us to rejoice in. For example, every promise in his word is confirmed by the resurrection. Our life in eternity is made possible because of the resurrection. No matter what you're going through today, rejoice, we have a risen savior.

In a world ((music playing)) filled with noise, one message still brings peace. At ((music playing)) Hagee Ministries, our mission is clear. Proclaim the truth of God's word, equip believers, ((music playing)) and reach the lost, no matter the cost. From the sanctuary of hope to feeding the hungry and caring for the sick. From social media to our broadcast outreach, >> ((music playing)) >> the borders of Israel and beyond, we go where God sends us.

But this mission is accomplished ((music playing)) because of you, your prayers, your generosity, your heart for the kingdom. The world ((music playing)) is desperate for truth, for hope, for a savior. Partner with us today ((music playing)) at jhm.org/partner and be part of something eternal. ((music playing)) Together, we are the hands and feet of Jesus. You've been watching Hagee Ministries.

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