Remember: Jesus Is Alive and Still at Work

Introduction

On the cross, Jesus cried out: "It is finished." Then he gave up his spirit. The tomb is empty, he is risen, and this victory is not a distant memory to celebrate once a year. This Easter Sunday, the sermon at Hillsong Paris calls for a recalibration: to constantly remember that Jesus is alive, that his word, his ways, and his works are still at work in your life today.

Message Outline

1. It Is Finished: The Victory of the Cross

• In John 19:30, Jesus declares "It is finished" and gives up his spirit. We did not take his life from him; he gave it for us.
• This word was the one servants used when their task was complete. Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God, fully accomplished the mission the Father had entrusted to him.
• Just as the priest presented the blood of the lamb on the mercy seat, Jesus presents himself before the Father: the debt is paid, everything is satisfied, nothing remains to be added.
• This is a turning point: the passage from the old covenant to the new. Jesus conquered everything, death has been defeated, the tomb is empty.

2. Remember: Recalibrating to the Resurrection

• At the last supper, in Luke 22, Jesus encourages his disciples to remember him. "Remember" is not merely recalling a past event; it is constantly recalibrating your life to what God has accomplished.
• At the tomb, the women are told: "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you" (Luke 24).
• The resurrection is not a distant historical moment; it is a powerful God who wants to act today, in your Monday, in your Tuesday, in your everyday life.
• Perhaps you have let challenges fill all your thoughts. Today, the power of the resurrection wants to take its place in what you are living through.

3. Remember His Word

• The Word of God instructs you, guides you, speaks over your future, and gives you hope. Perhaps you have let other words speak louder than his.
• On the morning of the resurrection, the women needed to recall what Jesus had announced. He did what he said he would do.
• When others were walking away, Peter answered Jesus: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68).
• His word lifts you up, sets you free, gives you a future. These are words to declare every day over your life.

4. Remember His Ways

• Hebrews 13:7 exhorts: "Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct."
• In Isaiah 55, God says that his ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts higher than our thoughts. This is not to say they are out of reach, but to invite us to draw near to them.
• In Hebrews 12, it says that Jesus, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross. He saw the situation differently.
• On the cross, in Luke 23:34, he did not say "Father, forgive me," but "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." No bitterness, only forgiveness and love.
• As Proverbs 14:12 reminds us, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Jesus reverses the order of things: he came to serve and to save.

5. Remember His Works

• When facing situations, we are often aware of what we cannot do. Remembering his works means recalling what God can do.
• Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. No tomb could hold him. He healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, and sent his own on mission.
• Today he still speaks to the storm, restores the broken, touches the untouchable, heals the blind, provides for the crowd, delivers from fear, anger, rejection, failure, and the fear of the future.
• In 2 Timothy 2:8, Paul writes to Timothy: "Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel." This is not a historical fact to file away in a drawer; it is the daily presence of a living Savior.

6. The Lord's Supper and the Road to Emmaus

• In Luke 24, two disciples walk on the road to Emmaus. Jesus approaches and talks with them, but they do not recognize him. Their hearts burned while he spoke to them.
• When he breaks bread with them, their eyes are opened. They realize the risen Lord is there.
• The broken bread represents his body given for us. The cup represents his life, his blood poured out for the forgiveness of sins. "By his stripes we are healed."
• Every time you take communion, you proclaim the death of Christ until he comes. May your eyes be opened, like those of the disciples at Emmaus, to the presence of the Risen One.

Key Takeaways

• "It is finished" means the debt is fully paid and the mission fully accomplished. You have nothing to add to the work of Christ.
• Remembering Jesus is not a simple historical recollection; it is bringing his presence and his will into today's situation.
• His word speaks louder than the words that would bring you down. Receive his words of life; they set you free and give you a future.
• His ways are not yours: the path that seems wide and easy is not always his. Choose the narrow path of service and forgiveness.
• No tomb could hold him. He is alive, he is at work now, and he invites you to recalibrate your life to his resurrection.

Personal Application

1. What did Jesus accomplish for you on the cross that you are still trying to accomplish in your own strength?
2. What word of God do you need to recall today to recalibrate your thinking to his truth?
3. In what area are you choosing your ways rather than God's? Where is the narrow path calling you today?
4. What work of God in the past can you recall to rekindle your faith in your present situation?
5. If you were taking communion this morning, what situation would you entrust to the Risen One so that he might act now?

Verses Cited

• John 19:30 -- "It is finished"
• Luke 22 -- "Do this in remembrance of me"
• Luke 24 -- The empty tomb and the road to Emmaus
• Hebrews 13:7 -- Remember those who rule over you
• Isaiah 55:8-9 -- My ways are not your ways
• Hebrews 12:2 -- For the joy that was set before him
• Luke 23:34 -- "Father, forgive them"
• Proverbs 14:12 -- There is a way that seems right
• 2 Timothy 2:8 -- Remember Jesus Christ
• John 6:68 -- "You have the words of eternal life"
• John 3:16 -- "For God so loved the world"

Further reading

• How to Communicate a Difficult Decision to Your Church Members
• Church Welcome Team: How to Create One
• Church Newsletter: How to Create One

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly does "It is finished" mean, as Jesus said on the cross?

The Greek word behind this statement (John 19:30) was used to say that a task was completely done, that a debt had been fully paid. On the cross, Jesus declares that the mission the Father had entrusted to him is totally accomplished: the sacrifice for sin is offered once for all, and there is nothing to add to his work.

How does "remembering" the resurrection change my daily life?

Remembering, in the Bible, is not recalling a distant event; it is bringing into the present the reality of what God has done. Remembering the resurrection means letting the power of the Risen One act now on your thoughts, your situations, your fears. It is a recalibration: his victory becomes the filter through which you look at your week.

What should I do if I want to invite Jesus into my life today?

At the end of the service, a simple prayer was offered for those who wished to receive Jesus. You can say it quietly: "Eternal Father, thank you for sending your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins and raising him to give me new life. Today, Jesus, I accept you into my heart. I ask forgiveness for my sin and my past. I receive you as my Lord and Savior. Help me to follow you every day of my life. In the name of Jesus. Amen." Then tell a Christian about it, open the Gospel of John, and join a local church.