WWJD?

Why is it significant that Jesus rose from the dead?
Jesus' victory over death enables us to experience redemption and transformation.
Read John 20:1-10
Do you  believe that Jesus rose from the dead?
Do you think it is important to have evidence to support your beliefs?  The bible provides evidence of Jesus' resurrection.
What happened Friday?
Jesus died on the cross at mid afternoon.  The Jewish Sabbath began at sundown and his body was wrapped in linen and placed in the tomb.
What about Saturday?
Jewish Sabbath was observed and ended at sundown.
On Sunday the women returned to the tomb at sunrise.  Do you know whey they returned Sunday?
*Background on Jewish burial in First-Century Israel:  warm temp and belief that a dead body was ceremonially unclean resulted in the dead being buried without delay, usually same day.  To leave a body unburied or unattended after death was dishonorable.  After death the family would anoint the body with aromatic oils and spices and wrap the body in linens.

Once we recognize and believe that Jesus is risen, everything changes.  You don't have to understand everything about Jesus before you can believe in him we can't recognize who Jesus is until we hear his voice.  He is not found by human effort alone; he reveals himself to us.
Read John 20:11-18
John 20 is a key chapter in the Gospel.  In the previous chapter, Jesus received scourging, was crucified, and died.  Joseph of Arimathea requested that Pilate release the body to him, and he laid the body in the tomb.  The approaching Sabbath did not allow time to complete the work o preparing the body for burial, since Sabbath began at sundown on Friday and lasted until sundown on Saturday, therefore, Sunday morning provided the first opportunity for anyone to finish the task.  The disciples did not expect the tomb to be empty.  Each disciple had to come to a realization in his own heart of what had happened on Sunday morning and why the body of Jesus was nowhere to be found. 
The resurrection meant Christ was Lord of both life and death.
Do you own your faith?  Some people aren't very concerned about living holy lives.  God expects true holiness of his people.
What does it mean to be holy?
Holiness is being set apart for a relationship with God.
God declared that those people who faithfully kept his covenant would be his special possession, kingdom of priests, and holy nation.
Read Exodus 19:1-6. 
As Christ believers, we are set apart by God to glorify him and to show others the way to him.
God instructed the people to consecrate themselves in preparation to meet God and to set boundaries so as not to approach the holy mountain casually or irreverently.
Read 19:10-14
I am going to name (4) lives, church, social, home and school life.  Are they the same or separate?
As true believers they are intertwined and cannot be separated.
God in a display of his awesome power met his people on mount Sinai.
Read Exodus 19:16-19
We should approach God with the realization that he is Almighty, all-knowing, and all-powerful.  When we worship him, whether by ourselves or with other believers, we need to realize that he is incredible, incomprehensible, and completely in control.
Remember that God's grace does not excuse us from holy dis-obedience; instead it sets the stage for our obedience.  Determine to accept your role as part of God;s holy priesthood.  Understand that we always must approach God on his terms, now our own.  Understand where God puts boundaries and mark those boundaries in your own life to avoid the unholy and to embrace the holy.  Before worship, practice the discipline of confession and repentance, preparing to met holy God.  Come to church with the expectation that you will meet the holy God.  God's character has not changed.