Suddenly - A Special Edition Easter Podcast

Real life presents the Jack Hibbs podcast with intention and boldness to proclaim truth, equip the saints and impact our culture. God is in this for the long home and that it makes sense to God knowing you that your life suffered what it did to bring you to a point that you can remember now the promise of God and he says I will take that which is broken and I will restore it. I will take that which is dead and breathe life into it. I will take what man engineered to destroy your life I will use to bring about a great blessing in your life. You can get the outlines of this podcast by going to jackhibbs.com slash podcast. Today if this podcast lifts you up and encourages you to live a more fulfilled life in Christ then make sure you leave us one of those five star ratings to us that's like saying amen or yes then that rating will encourage others to listen. Now open your hearts to what God's word has to say to you. Here is Jack Hibbs. Suddenly their grief was being challenged. I like this. Listen to this on the screen Matthew chapter 28 verse 1 Matthew 28 1 the Bible tells us now in the first day of the week very early in the morning remember that they insert another women with them so the women ladies the women were the according to the Bible Matthew Mark Luke and John the women were the first ones to the town did you know that and all the women said and look I love the guys I'm a guy here's the thing the Bible tells us that all the men were in hiding for fear I'm just telling you straight up guys we need to step it up Jesus has risen from the dead so we need not hide in fear anymore we are men and God's called us to be godly men and we need to be dynamic men for God but uh two thousand years ago the the ladies got us they got us beat they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared that's a whole nother story but they found the stone rolled away from the tomb then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus you what are what are we saying to this that suddenly their grief was being challenged what's going on here we've got the women on a Saturday working hard to prepare right Mer fragrances oils Cassia there's a list of these perfumes that were used for embalming not embalming like the Egyptians are like we do but this is outer fluids they put the oils around the rapins of the body you're they're not allowed to work hard on that on that day but the Bible says in Luke's gospel I believe it's chapter 23 around verse 56 the Bible tells us that they prepared the spices and rested according to the commandments that is absolutely impossible but there's only one thing that can make that verse possible and it's this that if they're forbidden to do any menial labor whatsoever in in according to the commandment then what were these women doing working so hard to prepare the fragrance oils it was all down out of love they went to the tomb to put those ointments on his dead body you got that did you see that let me ask you a question did they go to the tomb expecting him to be resurrected from the dead nope they expected him to be dead they're faith as it were had been lost the one that we believed in and thought of the one that did all of these amazing things turns out he couldn't do it for himself it turns out this didn't turn out the way that we are expecting and we are going to go first thing Sunday morning and we are going to wrap his body with oils it's what we would have done hadn't he been taken down from the cross so fast he's dead and they're grieving and suddenly a big question mark is introduced into their grief but the resurrection of Jesus Christ challenges grief suddenly number two we see suddenly that there's a collision taking place a collision a collision of truth and reality verse 24 or chapter 24 verse two and three I think it is yes it says there but they found the stone rolled away from the tomb then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus suddenly they're starting to take place a collision of truth and reality that's happening right in front of them the Bible tells us that they found the stone rolled away from the tomb now it should be stated for the record Jesus did not need the stone to be rolled away for him to get out okay you need to read your Bible carefully the stone was rolled away for the people to get in Jesus was gone before the stone was rolled away he said how do you know because the Bible says so and then number three is this awestruck suddenly they became awestruck and that's a word we don't use much anymore awestruck it's a pretty fun word to look up it depends on the quality of your dictionary I've found out but you need to go back to like like Noah Webster's dictionary the one that Noah Webster wrote awestruck is something that most often is reserved for like experiencing a miracle or something unexplainable something that is beyond fantastic it leaves you speechless and behold there was a great earthquake for an angel of the Lord descendant from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and I love these four words and sat on it oh that's sassy stuff man that is this is one this is an angel with an attitude this is cool I'll come back to this in a second his countenance was like lightning excuse me hello what you've got an angel who rolls back the stone and then sits on it and his face is like lightning what does that look like I have no idea and as clothing as white as snow but you got it met he rolls back a stone and then sits on it he he could have leaned on it that's pretty sassy but he sits on it and I don't know in my mind when they start showing up at the tomb he's sitting there I see a little sparkle in his eye our little gleam comes off his teeth like or how about this the angel rolls it back sits on the stone like nothing or he could have said you're welcome because from that moment on there's a series of visitors to the tomb and it ranges from different people and they're mentioned either by name or by group and of course the women were the first ones they were the first ones to announce as I said earlier but they're all struck absolutely amazing number four is this suddenly they remembered what he had said suddenly now you see now they're starting to things you're starting to happen the Bible tells us that in Luke 24 verse 4 that had happened that as they were greatly perplexed about this that behold two men these are angels again stood by them in shining garments or shining apparel then as they were afraid listen they were afraid they bowed their faces to the earth and they said to them so the angels speak to those that are bowing down those that are terrified what what I think is an amazing but but almost a hilarious question why do you seek the living among the dead now now one of us might have said at that moment because we're in a graveyard the angels are not falling for it why do you seek the living among the dead he's not here but is risen remember how he spoke to you when he was still with you in Galilee and you can see the little lights come on over their head right oh right saying the son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful man and be crucified and on the third day rise again verse 8 what does it say they remember his words remembering suddenly they began to remember is God doing things in your life where now you are starting to put pieces together maybe that's what has brought you here today have there been things and dynamics and issues of life that's brought you to this moment listen it doesn't make you feel any better but honestly it's not the feelings that's important it's what you conclude your life and what you've gone through throughout your entire life I know the human experience is God why me but did you know that God is in this for the long home and that it makes sense to God knowing you that your life suffered what it did to bring you to a point that you can remember now the promise of God and he says I will take that which is broken and I will restore it I will take that which is dead and breathe life into it I will take what man engineered to destroy your life I will use to bring about a great blessing in your life I'm telling you right now I would not change a thing about being a failed abortion I would not change a thing about being somebody who stuttered all of their life even to the point of trying to ask my wife to marry me I stuttered all over myself until the day that God in 1983 supernaturally touched my mouth in an instant listen I wouldn't regret anything of the rejection the pain and the hilarity I brought to people in school when I was the funny one in the class because the brunt of it was on me they thought it was great to have me stand on top of the desk and try to read a book out loud while everybody laughed let me tell you something I wouldn't change a thing stop leaning on the things that you say I can't do this because of this I can't do this because of that let me tell you something Jesus Christ takes this stuff that you think crippled you and he makes them the biggest strengths of your life I'm a failed abortion I what nobody had a plan for me to be here anyway but God did listen I couldn't talk but he touched my tongue I haven't shut up since listen I'm not I'm not gonna whatever whatever's going on here well my dad didn't hug me enough get over it I'm telling you right now come on let's grow up we got to get over it because God's word tells us I love you for God so love the world that's you that he gave his only begotten son gifted his only son to us gifted you think about that and number five you need to be doing this and that is seen seeing like you've never seen before suddenly they were seeing him for the first time the Bible shows us in Luke 2412 he that is Peter saw the linen cloths lying by themselves and he departed marveling to himself what had happened I love this about Peter and somebody has wisely said seen is not believing but believing is seen it's not blind faith it's not dumb it's not make believe which leads us to number six and that is realization suddenly they came to a realization and this is precious and I don't need to go along on this it's simply this on that new morning when that day dawned the tomb was empty and the Messiah of Israel the Messiah of the world was risen from the dead and you know what happened in that second a new day dawned realization waking up to the fact that God wants you to understand that he transforms lives number seven suddenly they had an unstoppable hope you couldn't stop them by the way hope is built on a promise you know that the only reason why you have hope in anything is because you believe in a promise regarding something somebody gave you a promise and the promise cannot fulfill itself the promise maker must be someone who's faithful thus you have hope it's kind of like somebody cheating on you right your wife or husband cheats on you and says I'm sorry it just happened once it never happened again the cloud is over your head all the rest of your life it's going to be a struggle you'll make it but there's a struggle why hope was dashed are you with me we don't want to talk about it but hope was dashed why do you reel your heart back in because you were broken you were abused or hurt so you reel your heart and you won't give it out why because you don't believe anybody anymore and you don't even believe God and God says listen I want you to hand me your unbelieving doubting fearful terrified heart put it in my hand I'm afraid you're going to drop put it in my hand and my friends I want to make it very clear God is not asking anyone of us to put our hands in the hand of any man or any system ever it's Jesus only that's why he came to hold our hearts to cleanse our minds from guilt and shame when you understand that truth and that reality that the power of the gospel brings to you on this day you'll have an unstoppable hope and you need that right now number eight is suddenly they're motivated to say the least 12 people turn the world right set up with the gospel news I find it interesting church that if you kind of dissect what's behind motivation and you think about this for a moment you can either be motivated by the love of God the gospel of God or you can be motivated by Tony Robbins you got to take your pick based on this let this be the test I'm going to go to a course they're going to motivate us what we'll see depends on what is said listen because motivation is a reaction to a discovery of evidence motivation is the discovery to a bit of evidence what is it that you've discovered what have you found out what do you now know guess what that does it creates confidence listen the reason why you're motivated is because you've had a reaction to a discovery that you've made and what that does is build confidence and the end-used result is joy joy let me ask you have you been convinced regarding the evidence of who Jesus Christ is are you convinced of the empty tomb you should be produced evidence that discredits that you'll never find it motivated by God's grace were motivated in this verse this verse and I will have to bring this to an end but I got to tell you guys mark 168 I can't think of a more this is so fun this is one verse in the Bible so they went out quickly and flabbed from the tomb how come they trembled and they were amazed and I love this they said nothing to anyone they were afraid that is one pregnant verse of action can you imagine reporters there excuse me are you guys coming back excuse me you guys they went out quickly they fled from the tomb for they were trembling and were amazed and they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid sanctified emotion they couldn't even talk to others the other day she's not here right now I can say this Lisa was watching a portion of the Passion of Christ and I was just as early morning a modern mountain business sitting with my books she comes walking out and she's crying I thought somebody died she had her phone on her hand and she's crying and she can't you know that and she'll watch this well I had just been reading about it in my Bible but Mel Gibson made it graphic and it just got her you've seen it a hundred times but it may get you or may not get you but it got her and she couldn't talk she became speechless right let's be careful we don't we do not remove ourselves too far from what these people experienced because they're just like us number nine suddenly they came to life who did the disciples and Jesus is already alive we're not talking about him we're talking about them Jesus is because I live you can live also is that awesome talk Jesus said I'm the way the truth in the life nobody goes to the Father but through me is that wild or what Jesus said if a person dies believing in me they won't see death they immediately pass from death to life you know who had a problem with that he said it was insane see us Lewis said cuckoo this Bible says not see us Lewis the great thinker the great Oxford professor see us chronicles of Narnia line in which the wardrobe mirror Christianity the great divorce you name it probably quite possible to the greatest mind of the 20th century and his buddy J. R. R. Tolkien says you need to fix something here you need to do with something Jesus said if a man dies believing in him yet he lives Jesus said that he was going to be beaten and crucified on the third day be resurrected from the dead see us Lewis's nickname was Jack he said Jack you need to deal with this and see us Lewis struggle with that because he wound up hearing the words echoing Tolkien had said Jesus is either a liar or a lunatic or the Lord because he's not good if he's just a great prophet then you would have misled people think about it those who believe in him come to life it's suddenly they had a message to share I said it earlier now say it again you can shut your Bibles the Bible tells us that God did not send his son into this world to condemn this world read the fine press because the world is already condemned God didn't send his son into this world to condemn this world but that this world might be saved for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that who's so ever would believe in him would not perish but have everlasting life it's a decision that you make to an offer he extends this Jack Hibbs podcast as well as all the broadcast outreach opportunities are listener supported will you consider partnering with us through a special gift go to jackhibbs.com to learn more and stay connected catch the NBA playoffs on sling tv the most flexible live tv streaming service putting consumers in control to watch games their way with flexible subscriptions want to catch one game or a full series on ESPN grab a one three or seven day pass if you want to catch as many games as possible get a monthly subscription with our ABC NBC and ESPN combo package either way sling lets you watch the playoffs your way with no long term contracts learn more at sling.com