Today we celebrate the resurrection. The belief that even though someone has died, that they will be raised again to life. But there can be no resurrection unless there first is death. During this Lenten season we have been following Jesus as he prepared for his death and we were witnesses again of how and why he died on the cross.

We are amazed at the resolute way in which Jesus faced death and all of the sufferings that it included. How could he do it? How could he face the cup of suffering? How could he rebuke Peter who tried to dissuade him? How could he remain silent while on trial for his life? How could he give up his life in a most shameful and horrible way?

The writer to the Hebrews gives the answer in chapter 12: 
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God

Jesus believed that death was not the end. He believed in the resurrection and that even though he would die, he would rise from the dead in just three days and would live forever ruling the universe at the right hand of God. And so he could give up his life, lay it down, only to take it up again. It wasn't that he lost his life, but that he won salvation for us and received exaltation for himself.

As Christians, we are to follow Jesus into death. In fact, we have already done so in a spiritual sense. Is this not the point that St. Paul makes in our text? 
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 

Follow Jesus into a New Life

In order to follow Jesus into a new life, we must first die. Today we are going to consider two aspects of dying: Physical death and dying to sin. 

The prospect of physical death is daunting to mortal man. Consider the approach that the character Hamlet had in Shakespeare's play. This character was considering ending his own life in his famous soliloquy "To be or not to be". He finally makes up his mind to stay alive because of "in that sleep of death what dreams may come must give us pause." He was afraid to die because he didn't know what would happen to him after his death.

This same uncertainty faces many people today. What will happen after death?

· Complete loss of awareness forever?
· Reincarnation?
· Ghost who haunts people or places?
· Eternal punishment in hell?
· Enjoyment of heaven?


It is a tough question because not too many people have died and come back to life. Oh, we hear of "near death" experiences but they are only "near death" and not actual death experiences. The only people we know of who have actually been really dead and came back to life are those we are told about in the Bible, and only one came back to actually talk about the resurrection.

But that is enough! Jesus died. There can be no mistake. Jesus lives! Again, there can be no mistake. 1 Corinthians 15
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance_: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter,_ and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

And because Jesus lives, we also will live. What does the Bible say about what happens after death?
· The body and soul separate.
· Body is buried or disposed of in some other way.
· Soul goes immediately to heaven or to hell.
· Jesus will return on the last day to raise up all the dead.
· We must appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ.
· Those who believe in Jesus as their Savior will receive glorified bodies and enjoy heaven while those who did not believe will be condemned to a very real and horrible hell for all eternity.

I can't scientifically or medically prove any of this but we believe it nevertheless. Because Jesus lives, you also will live.

Jesus has the power to raise people from the dead and to give them new life. In fact, he has already done that in the hearts of Christians.

Recall again the words of our text: Colossians 3:1-4

1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
St. Paul also describes it this way in Romans 6 
1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

St. Paul's point is clear. Those who believe in Jesus not only have the sure hope of a new life in heaven, they also have the power of the resurrection to give them a new life right now! Let me repeat that. Easter is not just about what will happen to us on the Last Day, it is about what will happen in our lives the rest of today, tomorrow, and every day here on this earth. 

What impact does the resurrection of Jesus have on the daily lives of those who follow him? 

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

This is not easy. It involves giving up the known for the unknown. Remember Hamlet? He was afraid to died because he didn't know what was going to happen to him after he died? Many so called followers of Jesus are the same way. Oh, they claim to believe in Jesus but they refuse to die to sin because they don't know what their life will be like after they have surrendered to Jesus. They would rather grovel in their sins than be released from guilt and be free to serve Jesus. And yet, the Gospel has the power and has been used by Christians for centuries to do that very thing.

Conclusion: As Christians who are benefits of the resurrection, we must realize that for us to live again, we must first of all die. When we will die physically, we leave that in God's hands and trust in the power of Jesus to raise us on the last day. When we will die to sin and live for Jesus, why not let God bring that about today? Now is the time to follow Jesus into a new life-a new life of saying "No" to sin