The Church of Eleven22 - Jesus Defeats Death at the Cross and Resurrection - In The Arena: Wk 1

Episode Date: June 8, 2025

In week one of In the Arena, Pastor Britt unpacks 1 Corinthians 15 to show how Jesus didn’t sidestep death—He entered the fight, endured it, and destroyed its power through the resurrection. We don’t just face death at the end of our lives—we feel its sting every day: in shame, in regret, in broken relationships, in the ache for something more. But Scripture says the last enemy to be destroyed is death—and Jesus already put it under His feet. The resurrection is not just a belief—it’s the cosmic turning point of history. It changes our past, redefines our present, and secures our future. If you're in Christ, you’re not separated—you’re made alive. The question is: Are you in Him? 👉 Take Your Next Step: Ready to surrender your life to Jesus? Text SURRENDER to 441122 to take your next step and connect with someone from our team. 📌 Supplemental Series Resources: • In The Arena Sermon Series https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG692pIhVPakxkVKipdHtHcEIRdRYQGy9 • Deepen with Pastor Joby Martin Season 21 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG692pIhVPalJUyPqxUELQjHzagSST3Nr - The Church of Eleven22® is a movement for all people to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ. Eleven22 is led by Pastor Joby Martin and based in Jacksonville, Florida, with multiple campuses throughout Jacksonville and the surrounding areas. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: http://coe22.com/donate

I have found that it's possible to love someone and to completely be frustrated with their very existence. I have found that it's possible to want the best for people in this life, but to only see the worst in them. I found that it's possible to say one thing and to do another. I found that it's possible to be present but not be productive. I found it's possible to be tired at the end of the day without really having to be present. contributed anything. I found it's possible to be totally discouraged in this life while everything seems to be going fine. I found that it's possible to consume and to consume and to consume and to never be content. That it's possible to be blessed and to be completely bored. I have found that it is

possible to proclaim Christ while exalting self. I have found that it is possible to hide sin. by sinking into the shadow of other people's trust, that it's possible to be enslaved to other people's opinions while functioning at a high level in this life. I have found that there is often a big difference between what I know to be true and what I do with my time. I have found that it is possible to need an enemy in this life in order to satisfy my own ego.

I found that I can create reality, by self-fulfilling my own prophecies. I have found that it is possible to be running away in the hallways of my soul while seeking the things of this world and staying deep inside of my own comforts. I have found that it is possible to have received God-given purpose, but to reject the responsibilities that come with it.

I have found that something is wrong, my friends. I have found that something is wrong and that something is inside of me. You see, I've heard it said, and I've found it to be true, that life is war. It's not only that, but it is always that. So the question I ask you this weekend is, are you in the fight? That's what this teaching series is all about. It's called in the arena where we're going to be looking at fights in the Bible, and we're going to be studying these fights and to better understand our fight that we're in every day

and not just that we're in a fight, but more importantly, the power that Jesus Christ accomplished for us through the cross and through the resurrection that he has given to us. So we are in the fight so we can be prepared and fight from the power of the victory of Jesus Christ. So ladies and gentlemen, I invite you to join me this weekend in the arena. Let's go, people. Let's go. Come on, man. Y'all be honest.

Was that dramatic enough of an opener for you guys? Huh? It's good to see you. I'm Pastor Britt. I'm not as grumpy as my face looks. Our St. John's crew, they're in their new permanent facility down there at St. John's this weekend, worshiping with us for the first time. It's all nice and new and is smelling new.

I hope that new smell wears off real quick. Our plan is to dirty that place up in Jesus' name, man. We plan to see addictions broken and the children. chains of oppression on the floor in that place in Jesus' name. So we're glad you're with us. All right, everybody, across all of our campuses here, Bay Meadows, North Jacks, Wildlight, St. John's, look at your neighbor right now, and I want you to tell your neighbor out loud what is the best movie fight you've ever seen. Best movie fight you've ever seen. Go for it. One, two, three, go. Best movie fight. Oh, come on. Some of y'all are like, oh, Pastor Brett. I don't watch movies.

We only watch the Chosen. All right, all right. Come on back to me. I heard somebody say, Gladiator. That's a good one. Somebody said, Rocky Four, Rocky Four, when Rocky beat Ivan Drago to end of the Cold War. If I can change and you can change, we all can change. That'll preach, by the way.

Somebody over here, these were all the extra graceful pride people sit over here. Somebody said, fight club? Fight club? I don't know. I've never seen it. Did you know that Meat Loaf was in that movie from the 90s rock star? He would do anything for love and for Tyler Durdon, it seems, in Fight Club. The truth is we're all in a fight.

We know it. It's something we're familiar with. Some of us walk in here today and we are in a real fight. A real fight against cancer, a real fight against sickness, a real fight against kid pain, against parent pain. We're in a fight for our marriage. We're in a fight in our finances. Some of us come in here today and we feel like we are in a literal fight for our own sanity.

We are familiar with the reality that we are in a fight. We're in a fight against time, against gravity, against our past decisions, against our urges, our procrastination. Our choices, ultimately what the Bible says is that we are in a fight against death. We're all going to die. We know it. We don't love to think about it, but it's true. We hate it and I totally get it. Our airbags have airbags.

We take supplements for our supplements. We're the most medicated people in the history of the world, but we know in and of our own best efforts, all we could possibly do is delay the 100% metaphysical reality that we will all face, which is death. The Bible says that death is our enemy. Now, I want to just jump to the end and I want to tell you the good news. news. The truth is that death is our enemy, but somebody picked a fight with death. Y'all hear me? Somebody picked a fight with death and he won. And he won. So let's pick up in the arena, week one. We're going to be in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. We're going to be studying Jesus's fight with death when Jesus defeats death at the cross and through the resurrection.

1 Corinthians chapter 15. It says this, but in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. The first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order, Christ's the first fruits. Then it is coming those who belong to Christ. And then comes the end.

when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father, after destroying every rule and every authority and every power, for he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a fact. What's going on in context? The Apostle Paul is contending for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And he is saying that because Jesus rose from the dead, you can trust and believe all of his claims, like the ones when he would say, I am the Father or one, saying, I am God, I am the God man, I am the Messiah. He would say, I am the way the truth in the life. I am the resurrection in the life. I am the bread in the life. I am the way to eternal life and right standing with God. These are the claims that Jesus made when he was on the earth. And Paul is saying, because he resurrected from the dead, after saying he resurrected from the dead, you can trust everything else.

would say, and he's contending for this in the marketplace against all different kinds of voices, like the Romans and the Greeks who were super religious, but they believed in gods like Zeus and Jupiter and a laundry list of other gods, and they were very syncretistic in their beliefs, which means they were more than happy to blend beliefs. And so they would look at Paul and they would say, Paul, yeah, no problem. We'll buy into your God too, and we'll follow him if it works out for us and in this life. But we're also going to believe in Zeus, and we're also going to believe in Jupiter and Paul saying, no, Jesus Christ of Nazareth doesn't give you that option. He doesn't give you the option to where all theories can just end up in the same place.

He said, I am the way, the truth in the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. So he's contending for the exclusivity of Christ through the resurrection, and he's also doing it with the Jews. Two different groups, the Pharisees, who were Jesus' primary adversary in the Gospels. The Pharisees believed in the idea of a resurrection, but they had no category, one, for that the Messiah would come in the same way that Jesus did. They were looking for an earthly, kingly type ruler,

and Jesus is claiming to be the Messiah, and they also had no category for resurrection of the dead happening until the end of the story. This is one of the reasons they were very frustrated with Jesus is because he resurrected people from the dead. And then the Sadducees, who were the apostles adversary in the Book of Acts, they didn't believe in the supernatural. They didn't believe that there would be a bodily resurrection one day,

and what a terribly sad way to live if you don't believe. believe in miracles and you believe the only power in the life is the one in this life is the one that you have. There is power beyond us. There's supernatural power. And so the sadducees, a great way to remember is the Sadducees were very sad. You see? The reason they were sad is because they didn't believe in the power of the supernatural nor the resurrection. So Paul is contending for the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The resurrection is a fact. It is a fact. We have four eyewitness testimonies in the scripture, Matthew Mark, Luke, and John. The Apostle Paul, some 40 or 50 years later, writes in, actually, 1st Corinthians 15.

He writes these words. He's contending for the resurrection, and he says, hey, listen, if you don't believe me, Jesus appeared to more than 500 people after he was resurrected from the dead, most of whom are still alive. So why don't you just go ask them? So 50 years later, he's saying, there's still people alive who will tell you eyewitness testimony. to deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is to just punt on anything that's true

only in the manner of historicity. You have to just abandon what makes things true in order to deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is a fact. That's what Paul is saying, but in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He says Jesus is the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. The first fruits.

This was Paul throwing back to a Jewish, feast, and this is a ritual where they would bring a sheaf or a large portion of their grain harvest, and they would dedicate it to the Lord in the temple. And they would do this every year on the first day after the Sabbath on Passover week. Post-resurrection of Jesus Christ, do you know what this day became known as? The Lord's Day or Resurrection Day. It's the first day after the Sabbath. What is today? Sunday. the first day after the Sabbath. This is part of the reason why we go to church historically as Christians on Sunday.

It's because it is the resurrection day. It is the Lord's day. In the same way that they were dedicating grain to the Lord when we show up at church and we worship with God's people, one of the things we're doing is saying, I am dedicating myself to the Lord. I want to be in the Lord's presence. I am dedicated myself to the things of God.

So they would dedicate the first portion of the harvest. And then they would, and in so doing, what they're doing is saying that the rest of the harvest belongs to you. So it wasn't like all the harvest came in and then they dedicated. They dedicated the first and best of the harvest and then saying, Lord, we trust you for the rest. The same thing we're doing today. We're saying, God, I want to be in your presence because I know that there are things coming this week and all of those things belong to you.

I want you to know I belong to you. It's a first fruit dedication. Right? And so the sheaf was representative. They were saying everything belongs to the Lord. Anywhere you see the word first in the Bible, you should pay attention to it. Because it's the principle of or representing the doctrine of first. And here's what the doctrine of first teaches this.

God is first. He is first. We don't put God first. He is first. It's where he is and it's who he is. And we live our lives and respond to the reality of God's firstness. And we align ourselves in our time, in our talent, in our treasure, in our financial practices, in our physical practices.

We align ourselves around the firstness of God. And then our lives are in order. And anywhere that God is not, we don't recognize God as first, then our life is completely out of order. So to say that Christ is the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep, what Paul is saying here is that Jesus is the first body to ever be resurrected from the dead, never to die again. Jesus resurrected other people from the dead, at least 10 of them, but they all died again. Jesus is the first one who was resurrected from the dead never to die again. And what he's

saying is that there will be a harvest of bodies since Jesus is the first fruits, that everyone believes in him will have a bodily resurrection in the same manner or a similar manner that he did. Bottom shelf, what's he saying? Christians don't die. Our bodies take a dirt nap. That's what he's saying. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, of course. Of course. But our bodies are going to take a dirt nap for a minute. For a minute.

Paul continues. He says, for as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. Let's do a quick little Bible jog around this idea of death, dying, and pick up in Genesis Chapter 2. You can just follow along with me. Genesis chapter 2, it says this, and the Lord. Lord God commanded the man. Who's the man?

Adam. The first man. This matters. He's the first man. So God commands the first man, Adam, and says, you may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat. For in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely what? Die.

That's right. James, chapter one, Jesus' brother, who didn't believe in Jesus, but saw him resurrected from the dead. and then was killed for his faith and became one of the leaders in the early church. That's the resurrection power and the fact that it is a fact. His brother was testimony. He writes this to explain sin and death in James chapter 1. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin.

And when sin is fully grown, it brings forth what? Death. Romans chapter 6. Paul writes, for the wages of sin is death. He's saying that our sin is out working for us and it's earning a paycheck, that it's working on our behalf and it's earning a paycheck and the sum of the payment is death. Is what Paul writes there.

Romans chapter 5, he says this, therefore just as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, so death spread to all men because all sin. When Adam, the first man, rebelled against God. when he rejected God's word, when he resisted God's will, when he revoked God's worth in his life and said, I can do better, I know better. When he rebelled, when he sinned, what he did was he opened the door for rebellion for everybody else to follow, and he guaranteed that they would. When Adam opened this door, he opened the door for people to surrender their dependence and love to someone and something of.

other than God. And he guaranteed that they will follow. See, sin comes as the result of the desire and the belief that we can satisfy ourselves and we are more than happy to pursue that belief as a way of life. The result of this pursuit is what the Bible calls death. Wherever there is sin, death is following close behind. Now, speaking of sin and death, I have two dogs. Their names are not sin and death, but as I stand here and I tell you this, it's not the worst idea I've ever had, okay? Oh, yeah. You see, my dogs, they're real cute.

Real cute. I didn't want dogs. Nope. But my wife, she wanted dogs. I did not choose this. This was chosen for me. My wife comes to me, and she's like, we've got two daughters, and they both need a dog. It'll be great.

It'll be great. We'll just be so much face-licking and loving and cuddling and be so much happy. She promises happiness with the dogs. If we just get dogs, then we'll be happy. Do you know what comes with dogs? Who knows what this is? Anybody? Let me show you how this works.

It's early in the morning. You're walking outside, you're peeling the crust off your eyes. You haven't even had your coffee yet. You're still in your pajamas and you're out in public. It's like before 7 a.m. We think we're invisible and we can't see each other, right? You're walking, the grass is wet, you can't even cognitively process and you're just following these little creatures around.

And what do they do is they step into the wet grass. They do what dogs do. They pop a squat and then they give you the side eye to make sure you're watching. And then what do you do? You grab your plastic bag. You put it on your hand. And listen to me, I want you to hear me. This right here is the most demoralized you've ever been in your entire life.

You've never been more defeated than you are in this moment right now. It's just true. And then you grab it and you clean it up. And then what do you do? You look at it, you know you do. You look at it, you nasty. And then you've... And then you fold it up, then you tie it up, and then you start walking around with it like

it's normal. You're just walking through the neighborhood, hey Bill, how are you doing, buddy? Oh, hey, Sally, why don't you come over later? We'll watch The Chosen, right? This is, y'all think I'm making this up. It's true. Now, theologically and actually, this is how our relationship with sin and death works. dogs get hungry dogs eat dogs create and somebody's got to clean up the mess we have desires

those desires eat they create something and what sin is creating in us and beyond us the Bible says is death where dogs are things closely follow that need plastic bags wherever there is sin, there is death. And somebody has to clean it up. This is how it works. It was chosen for us in Adam. We choose it ourselves over and over again. And then most of the time we walk around believing that this is just the way that life's supposed to be.

It becomes normal. It's normal for us unless something from outside of us intervenes and shows us a better way. God did not create people so that they could struggle in a future. eventually die. He created people so that they could live with him. And sin is what jacked it all up. And so what is death? Death is far more than ceasing to exist and we all know it. On a percentage basis across the entirety of humanity, almost no one, really until recently, almost no one believed that this life was all that it is. Every religion in the world, every people group in the world believes and has a story and contends that everyone will spend eternity somewhere doing something.

We all believe that we're going to live somewhere doing something forever. So what is death? It is far more than ceasing to exist. When the Bible talks about death, what it means is separation. It means separation. Jesus explains this in a parable, which is a story with a point. And the point he's making in this parable is what is eternal death like? And then he also foreshadows how someone can escape eternal death and experience eternal life.

He does this in Luke chapter 16 picking up in verse 19. Jesus says this. There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus covered with sores who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried and in Hades being in torment. He lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.

And he called out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water to cool my tongue for I am an anguish in this flame. But Abraham said, child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things. and Lazarus in like manner bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you, a great chasm has been fixed in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us. And then he said, then I beg you, Father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them lest they also come into this place of torment.

But Abraham said, they have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. And the man said, no, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, then they will repent. And Abraham says to him, if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead. Let me explain. A poor man lives and suffers greatly in this life. What is this a picture of? A man who is greatly aware of his need. Jesus says that blessed are the poor and spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. What is the first thing that is necessary in order for anyone to be in right relationship with God? We have to become aware of how desperately needy we are of him because of sin. This man is very aware of his needs, and he dies and he goes to a place called Abraham's bosom. If you're in the first century and you hear this, you immediately know that Abraham is known as the father of faith. that in Abraham's life, God counted him righteous by faith. So he's the father of faith.

And so this poor man dies and goes to the place where God's faithful are, Abraham's side or Abraham's bosom. This is what we would know as heaven. The rich man dies. This guy is self-important. He lives his life focused on him. He has no concern for the things that God cares about or the needs of others. What's interesting about this is when he's already dead, he's talking to life. Lazarus, he calls him by name. He says, Lazarus, he knows his name. So he was very aware of

Lazarus's need, and he didn't do anything to help. All he did was fee sumptuously all day, just feeding himself, living the self-important life. So the rich man dies, and he goes to another place called Hades. He just didn't care, and he goes to this place called Hades, which is known as the place of the dead or the place of separation. What we would know today as, as hell. but he is still existing. He's just passed into another life. And in this place, the rich man experiences this separation, experiences death in at least three ways. Number one, he experiences a physical separation.

He is separated from God and from anything good. Jesus uses words like torment and anguish. I mean, how thirsty you got to be to want someone to touch your tongue? Any volunteers? Anybody be like, hey, come on. No man, that's gross. You're in a bad spot. He is physically separated from anything good.

Jesus uses anguish and torment. Here's what he's saying. Jesus is saying that in this place there is no common grace. That every day you and I take things for granted like water that are provided to us by a sovereign God and his common grace on this world. In this place, that doesn't exist. So that's a physical separation. A second one is an emotional separation. Abraham says, there's a chasm between you and me, and you will never be able to cross that this man is separated from hope of his situation ever changing.

He is eternally fixed. He has no hope. And he's also filled with regret. It's emotionally, he's like, I've got five brothers. Please go and tell them. And he's like, he's got so much regret because he regrets the choices that he never made. And the third is spiritual separation. What is the one question you think this brother would ask Abraham?

Hey man, do you think you could get me out of here? But he doesn't ask the question. He doesn't ask the question. Why? Because he doesn't want to change. He just wants to be made comfortable in his situation. This is the sting of death. Death is what tempts us to want comfort over change.

It's the sting of death at work. The truth is, if we don't want God in this life, we are not going to want him in the next. Death is not just a ceasing to exist. It is being eternally separated. 1 Corinthians 15. For as by a man came death, by a man has also come the resurrection of the dead. For as an Adam, all die, all are dying, all experience the sting of death and will eternally in Adam.

What does this mean? You got back pain? Blame Adam. He went first. You got baby pain? Birth pains? Blame Adam. He went first. It's inherited. Let me show you. Last week, my brother and I, we took our five kids, and we were on a vacation to the lake. And every time we get our kids together, our kids, all they do over and over again is just talk about how similar we are. You move the same. You look the same. I got a picture of us right here. That's funny. My bag is still hanging out. Y'all can see it. Let me put that back here. This is me and my brother. He's a preacher. I'm a preacher. One of these things is much like the other. We cough the same.

We laugh the same. We look the same. I'm a little balder, but that's by choice. I just straight raised you that thing off. He's gone like inverted monk. That's the choice that he's made. Right? We cross our legs the same.

Our kids make fun of us. They're like, you both have hairy feet, which one of my toes is sticking out of a hole in my sock from my devil dogs right now. Why are we so similar? Are we the same? No. Are we very similar?

Yes. Why? Because we have the same parents. We inherited it. That's what Paul's talking about. for as an Adam all die. Serious question, why don't we love God, cherish God, desire God, worship God, care about what God thinks first.

Why don't we do that naturally? Because we were born in Adam and we are destined and determined to make the same choice as he did. What Paul is talking about is known as federal headship or federal representation. And what he's saying is that from God's perspective, everyone falls into one or two categories. We fall into the category of in Adam or in Christ. In Adam, separated. In Christ, united. In Adam, sinner.

In Christ, counted as righteous by faith, credited, been made perfect. In Adam or in Christ, for as in Adam all die. And here's the good news you've been waiting for it. So also in Christ shall all be made alive. Jesus died because the payment for sin is death. He died in order to defeat death. He had to endure it in order to defeat it. He had to endure it in order to defeat it.

And he did for God. So loved the world. For God. Not just by God. For God. Why is God out doing all of this rescuing? Why is He doing all this redeeming? all this saving, all this sacrifice.

Why has God done all of this on behalf of people who have resisted and rejected him? Why does he go to such lengths to rescue us for God? Ultimately, he's doing it for himself, for his name, and for his glory's sake. What does that mean for you and me that God does things for God's glory's sake? It means that God, it makes him happy to save you. It makes him happy to love you. It makes him happy to eternally keep you. for God so loved the world

that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. 1 Corinthians 15 continues and it says, but each in his own order, Christ the first fruits, and then at his coming,

those who belong to Christ. Christ is coming back. At his coming, Christ is coming back. As sure as Jesus resurrected from the dead, Jesus Christ will return for his church. He has to because he said he would a lot. And because he rose from the dead in his time and in his way in a similar manner, so will we.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead truly changes everything. In my experience, Christians take two postures toward the reality of Christ's resurrection. The first posture is people who view the resurrection as an opportunity. They ascribe to the resurrection mentally is the best option. They want to go to heaven. and they want to be morally upstanding, they want to be blessed in this life. And so if believing in the resurrection from the dead makes a way for them to do that, they are willing to believe.

And in some cases, happy to, in order to get the results out of this life and the next that they want. And I guess it's a fine way to live, except when you lay your head down on your pillow at night, you find yourself wondering and asking questions like, is this what life's really all about? You go through your life processing every event through the filter of how do I feel about this, or how will this affect me first? And the reason it is, is because we are the center of our own universe.

And it fundamentally goes to our relationship to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Because if we were honest, the reason we've accepted resurrection as truth is because primarily it benefits us to do so. Now, usually, this is an issue of discipleship. Last week, Josh Wells was a pastor on the, a guest on the Deepen podcast.

And he did a fantastic job. And one of the things he said, he goes, he goes, you know, I was going through life and I thought I was content just being saved until I realized that life was supposed to be all about the father's business. The father is in the resurrection business. The father is resurrecting marriages right now. He's resurrecting life out of addiction.

He is resurrecting people into light out of darkness. Right now, he's in the resurrection business. And we, by the power of Jesus' resurrection, can be all about his business. Poster number one is people who view the resurrection as an opportunity. The second is people who are overwhelmed by the resurrection's power. people overwhelmed by its power. These are folks whose folks entire lives are transformed by the revelation of the God man. These are not just nice folks.

These are powerful folks. They pray with power. They serve with passion. They repent with sorrow. They rejoice with hope. They walk in humble confidence. They have a tendency to make Group 1 a little nervous. They want to see miracles more than they want to experience comfort.

These are broken people who dare to believe that healing truly does come off Jesus' back. They dare to believe with their lives that if a dead man went into the tomb and in the greatest of all miracles woke up and walked out, then anything truly is possible cancer can be cured. The dead can be raised. The marriages can be healed. Sin can be forgiven. Shame can be crushed and enemies can become family. I'm not just talking about niceties in America here. I'm talking about resurrection power people that believe the demonic lies of religion can be undone.

They believe that the oppressive idolatry of socialism and communism can be uprooted. They believe that the addictions of the American dream can be broken. They believe that orphans have a home, that widows have an unfailing husband, that the last will be first and the first will be last. They believe that there is a feast of glory prepared for them and the table is set, my friends, that the father is seated at the head of the table and there is a seat with their name on it. And they believe that all of this is true and that it has been provided to them by grace and completely free to them, but they know it was not free.

It cost a man his life. but he did not stay dead on the third day. That man came out of the tomb and he is alive. He is alive. Resurrection power. Paul writes in Romans, the same power that resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead lives in you and me by faith. They believe in the resurrection's power.

I love that he says they belong to Christ. Belong to Christ. This is a really important idea, teaching. principle in the Bible. He doesn't say that they appreciate that. It says that they belong to Christ. Jesus didn't come to recruit fans. He came to save sinners and call them to be as followers. So the question is, are you in Christ? Belong to him. It's possessive. When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we receive, listen, think back 10 minutes, we receive a new physical future. we receive a new emotional reality.

We receive a new spiritual position. In the throne room of heaven, we actually get a new legal position. We go from being separated to being accepted. We go from being sinner to being counted as righteous. We get a new reality when we place our faith in Jesus Christ. So in Adam, in Christ, if you've placed your faith in Christ, I just want to take a couple of minutes and I want to mind you of this new position that you have eternally. It's new, but it is completely yours in it through Christ Jesus. Second Corinthians chapter 517 says, therefore if anyone is what? In

Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. The new has come. First Peter two says, but you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. You, Galatians chapter two, have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer you who live, but Christ who now lives in you. And the life you live, you live by faith in the Son of God who loved you and gave himself up. For you, you are his workmanship, his masterpiece. And he's not done with you yet.

You are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works. For in Christ Jesus, Galatians 3, you are all sons or daughters of God through faith. Through faith, Romans chapter 8, verse 1, I want you to listen to me. Hey, if you're at Columbia right now, if you're at the work camp, if you're one of our sisters at Duval County Correction, I want you to listen to me. This is a better word I want to speak over you. right now. In it's Romans chapter 8, verse 1, it says, there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. You may be experiencing some separation in this life, the sting of death. You may be separated from people you love or from the future that you

thought was going to be yours, but no matter how death has come at you in Christ, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Ephesians chapter 2, and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places. Blessed be God, our Father, our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us. Listen, listen, in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Psalm 23, the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not what? Want. Why do I not want? Because in Christ I have received every spiritual blessing. I have it all. And I didn't do anything to deserve it. It was given to me by grace through faith. I have a new reality. 1 Corinthians chapter 6, but he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

To them, God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you. The most divine revelation in the history of the world, Christ is currently revealing it through you, which is his possession of you. Your testimony matters, your story matters, and I'll finish with this, Romans chapter 8. Oh, the great 8.

What then shall we? say to these things, if God is for us, who can be against us? What can stand against us? Not even death. He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died and more than that was raised. And who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. What shall separate us from the love of Christ. Shall tribulation, shall distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? Listen to me. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through

him who loved us for I am sure that listen, that neither what? Death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things to come, nor things present, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation. Anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God the desires in Christ Jesus. Are you in Christ? I'll finish with this. First Corinthians 15 and then comes the end. It's the telos.

That's what that word is, the end, the telos. It's the final chapter. It's the last tick on the clock and the final countdown. If I could sing, I would sing it. It's the final countdown. Then comes the end when Jesus delivers the key the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and every power, for he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed

is death. Death is defeated and there is coming a day where it will be completely destroyed. It will be completely cast out. There will be no stench of it. There will be no suffering, no sickness, no worry, no pain, no hurry, no insecurity, no self-doubting, no self-exhaulting. All of that will be completely gone, locked up and sent a lot of it. away forever and God's people will live in the presence of God forever completely in the kingdom of peace ruled by the Prince of Peace who is Jesus Christ. That day is coming where death will be completely destroyed. It's the tell us. This is where history is going. And I love this picture. It says that Jesus is going to tie it all up with a bow. All this winning that he's been doing.

And make no mistake, he has the victory. Right now, Jesus Christ, the king, he's got his foot on Satan's neck. And it's just a matter of time. And he's tying it all up. And he's going to hand it to his dad. He's going to say, here you go, dad. I did all this for you. Eight years ago, 2017, I'm working in my yard and I get a phone call. And it's my brother. He's older than me. He calls me and he says, hey, man, the time has come. And I know exactly what that means. He's See, my dad had been fighting brain disease for 10 years in a literal fight. And he lost or was losing. He was in his final hours.

And my brother said, you need to come on. So I actually jumped in my friend's car because my car has like a Honda with 300,000 miles on it. And I was like, it didn't even make the drive. So I called a friend and he's like, no problem, man. And so in his car, I'm just snot crying all the way up to north of Atlanta where my dad was. And right before I walk into the hospital room, I call Pastor Jobby, and I'm like, hey, man, I'm just walking into a tough situation here. Will you pray for me? And he did.

Why? Because we all need people in the corners of our mat. I walk in there, and we're this close. We're this close. I'm holding my dad's hand, and all I can think to say standing there is, Dad, last weekend, I got to baptize my oldest daughter. she surrendered her life to the lordship of Jesus Christ. And she walked out into the Atlantic Ocean and she said, Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.

And I got to baptize her. And that's because of you, man. Because you taught me to love Jesus, I now get to teach my kids to love Jesus. So that all I can really think to say right now is, thank you. Thank you. Jesus is going to tie it all up.

He's going to look at God the Father and he's going to go, I did all of this for you and you deserve it. You deserve it. And all of God's people, everyone found in Christ is going to look at Christ the king and they're going to look at God the Father and they're going to say, thank you. Thank. So I ask you, are you in the fight?

Are you walking in the power of the resurrected Christ? we respond every week in three ways we sing true things about God some of us today as we're singing and declaring these truths these beauties about Christ we need to sing and we need to posture our bodies in complete surrender and say I am here I am physically here I am dedicating myself to you I want you to have all of me because I know that everything belongs to you my problems may feel a little big right now Jesus but I know they're not bigger than you There's some things in my life right now that feel like they have some power, but they're not more powerful than you. And I declare it with my body.

I declare it with my mouth and with my song. We're going to sing. Some of us, here, if we're honest, we need to come and pray. We have altars at all of our campuses. If you're joining us online, someone was happy to pray with you there as well. The reason we have altars at all of our campuses is because we think it's important to put our bodies in the posture that we want our hearts and our lives to be in. And if you were honest right now, the truth is that hell is giving you hell in your life right now. Satan and death are trying to get a foothold on your future.

They're trying to get a stronghold in your life. They're trying to grab a stronghold on your mind, on your marriage. And you need to come down front and you need to pray and say, hell, get off me in Jesus' name. Get off me. Jesus says that you have authority over the enemy. You claim that authority by speaking it out loud saying in Jesus' name, get off me. some of us need to say hell get off me you cannot have my marriage you cannot have my future you cannot have my conscience you cannot have it it's in Christ and it belongs to someone greater

there's lastly there's some of us here maybe that would say pastor the truth is as I listen to you talk if I'm really honest and self-reflection I'm I'm separated I'm not in a relationship with Jesus Christ. I'm not in Christ. I'm lost. And I don't even know what all of this means if I'm honest, but there's something inside of me that's saying I need to believe. I want to go from being separated to being accepted, to being united in Christ.

I want to go from being lost to being found. I want to go from being outside to being in the family. And the Bible says that, anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. So the way we explain that here is that how do we go from being separated to being united? The first thing is that we admit that we have a need. We're aware of our need. That because of sin, we can't fix ourselves and that we need someone else to do for us

what we couldn't do for ourselves. We admit that we're a sinner. And the second, we believe that when Jesus Christ died on the cross and he resurrected from that tomb on the third day, somehow that kind of. counted for me. He said, I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will never die. I don't even know the fullness of what that means, but I believe right now that that counts for me. And the third is to confess, admit, believe, and confess that Jesus Christ is your Lord and you want your life to be in him and you want to follow him the rest of your days. And so

at all of our campuses, and if you're joining us, if you would, bow your head and close your eyes. If you're here right now and you would say, I want to admit, I want to believe, and I want to confess. I admit that I'm a sinner. Believe in Jesus Christ as the Lord and confess him and confess him as my Lord. Just raise your hand at all of our campuses if you're doing that for the first time, surrendering your life to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Amen. Father, we love you. Jesus, we thank you that you're worth it all. God, we thank you that it's all yours and that we belong to you. And so as we respond, Father, we pray that you would cover this moment in your grace, that you would cover this time. Holy Spirit, that you would get into the places that only you can. Way,

believe the surface of our lives. Would you dig below the surface because we know, Father, that the surgery is always worth it when you get in there? And so we invite you in. I pray that you would help us to sing with faith, to pray with power. We bind up the enemy in Jesus' name. He has no place here. And we stand on the authority of the cross and the empty tomb. Jesus Christ, name is better than every other name. And it's all for your sake and for your glory that we do all of this. And all of God's people said, amen. Would you stand with me at all of our campuses as we respond as the Lord would lead? The reality is everything already belongs to God. And when we give financially, we're acknowledging that we trust him. If you just watch this

and feel led to make a donation, text the word donate to 44-1122 or visit C-O-E-22.com slash donate. Your generosity is not only an act of worship, but an investment so all people can discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ.