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Easter Message "More than History" 2013 by Arthur Blessitt
The message of what happened at the cross and the open tomb with Jesus is not just history. It is more than history. The same Jesus is here today, doing the same things He did two thousand years ago. He has the same power! You can experience resurrection power in your life, salvation, blessings, healing; plus love, peace and joy! Glory
Jesus greetings and joy on this Easter morning! Jesus is Alive!
(A brief summary of carrying the cross around the world!)
My shoulder shaped by the weight of the cross but most important is my life shaped by the cross.
(A summary of who Jesus is and His life on earth, death, resurrection, ascension!)
"He bore our grief and carried our sorrows..." Isaiah 53:4
"He himself bore our sins in His Body on the cross...1 Peter 2:24
"God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that we might become
the righteousness of God in Him". 2 Corinthians 5:21
"I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me". Galatians 2:20
I am going to make the following personal to you and me although it's really about Jesus.
In this way I trust you will understand what Jesus experienced!
The following will cause you to remember, even with great emotion things that took place in your life. This will help you to see what Jesus went through and know that He understands.
Jesus put Himself in Your place...Have you ever imagined yourself in His place?
I am going to share the following slowly so you can think and feel the emotions.
Have you ever seen death?
Have you ever been with the dying?
Have you heard the screams of the pains of the injured?
Have you ever smelled death?
Have you ever been the object of mob violence?
Have you heard the voices of hundreds of people screaming angrily at you?
Have you faced the great possibility of dying in a few hours?
Have you been with the dying when they had great agony?
Have you seen a person that is alive die & see their color change & the coldness of death?
Have you been betrayed by your closest friends?
Have you had those that were your best friends leave you in your greatest need?
Have you faced false accusations and lies?
Have you been mocked and laughed at and spit upon and slapped and beaten?
Have you been beaten with a whip that ripped your flesh to the bone?
Have you had to carry a real wooden cross to your place of death?
Have you ever worn a crown of thorns in mockery?
Have you been nailed to a cross as your means of execution?
Have you ever had all the sins of the world in all history placed upon you?
Have you had Father God turn His back upon you, as you became sin for us?
Have you had your lifeless body placed in a stone tomb with a stone over the entrance?
"He is not here He is Risen!" Matt. 28:6; Luke 24:6; Mark 16:6
Do you know what it is like to triumph over death, hell & the grave and overcome all sin?
Do you know what it feels like to be so victorious that your words of greetings are: "peace, rejoice and fear not"?
Do you know what is feels like to know that hell is real and heaven is real and call for your followers to go into all the world to proclaim the Gospel to people everywhere?
Do you know how it feels to have a family made up of people who accept what you did on that cross in shedding Your Holy Blood for them?
Do you know that the Person that died on that cross and arose has all power in His Hands and wants to release it in you as you are filled with the Holy Spirit?
Do you know or can you even imagine how it feels to be at the Right Hand of the Father after ascending into heaven and ever living to make intercession for people on earth.
Do you know or can you even imagine the great and glorious love of God in giving Jesus to live and die for us to take away our sins and make us His children and to fill us with the Holy Spirit!
Do you know that Jesus did all this and much more for you and me that we could be in His Family forever!
Do you know that your salvation is a free gift paid for by Jesus on the cross and offered to everyone who will repent, believe and welcome Him as Savior and Lord?
Salvation is anything but 'FREE', just look at the cost paid for your sins by Jesus!
Free to you but it cost God!
The early followers of Jesus obeyed and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit went out sharing the good news of the crucified and resurrected Christ with their known world. Faithful witnesses from one generation to the next and from nation to nation carried the thrilling message until the message was heard by a 7 year old by named Arthur Blessitt. That little farm boy wearing Big Mack overalls and barefooted knelt in a dirt parking lot at Goodwill, Louisiana and prayed a prayer with a traveling evangelist. The same Jesus who died on the cross and rose again came into my heart and saved me!
My wife Denise's story:
"I grew up in England and was educated at an all girls Catholic convent. From the time I was a little girl I loved hearing stories of Jesus. But did not know him personally.
As I grew up, matters of spirituality consumed me and I was drawn into the occult and many New Age beliefs. My life was empty and filled with despair. In July 1983 I was sitting cross legged in the grass at Wimbledon Common. "God if there is more of you than I have ever been told, then show me now...or I will end my life," I cried aloud. I was sobbing and rocking back and forth with my head in my hands.
A woman approached me tentatively and asked, "Are you all right?"
"No, I'm not!' I cried back to her.
This dear African woman, Yuonne, introduced me to her husband and they told me about Jesus...that He was real and that I could know him. I was absolutely thrilled to hear this, and accepted Jesus into my life at that moment.
My life was transformed. After so many years of wandering in the darkness, I was now n the light. The love of Jesus infused my soul and I felt a deep sense of lasting joy that is still with me today."
The Jesus of the cross and resurrection had found Denise and given her eternal life.
I could share hour after hour the testimonies of people around the world that have come to know personally the Living and Alive Jesus that saves and changes lives today.
Denise and I were carrying the cross in Indonesia during Easter many years ago. The church was meeting in a hotel assembly room. The lady interpreter was trying with the help of others to translate my message about the first Easter. We got through the cross and Jesus dying and being buried but somehow they could not understand the words about Jesus coming out of the grave and being raised from the dead and the grave. After stopping me they talked among themselves trying to figure out the correct words.
Suddenly they called out "Upping"! That's right! Jesus came "Upping from death and the grave and Jesus is Alive". Not only then but NOW!
Jesus is Alive to hear, to heal, to bless and to save!
One day in 1984 while I was carrying the cross in Switzerland, I struck up a conversation with a businessman. When I said to him, "Jesus loves you," the man replied, "I hope so."
"I have good news for you," I said and then I shared the gospel with him. I'll never forget his response when I said to him, "Jesus wants to come into your heart."
"Oh, no. If He looked into my heart, what he'd see would be so bad he would not dare enter - nor would he want to enter."
Tears filled my eyes as he invited me to his house where I was to spend the night.
That evening he received a clean heart as Christ came to live within him. He saw that Jesus invites everyone to trust him and follow him. He leaned that Jesus would not reject him but loved him and he came to know the living Jesus!
Denise and I were near Wellington, New Zealand, on a cold day in 1995. I carried the cross along a highway beside the beach. I noticed a young lady in jogging clothes running in the sand. Soon after I started carrying the cross up a steep, narrow road into the mountains.
Suddenly I heard someone calling me. I looked up to see the young woman in the jogging clothes in front of me. She had emerged from a trail up ahead and was running toward me on the road.
"Why are you carrying that cross?" she asked. She was short of breath.
I explained my mission of walking with the cross around the world.
The woman then told me she had been living near the beach for about two years. She shared that her life had become unbearable. She had planned to run into the sea that day and drown. She was going for her final run.
She said she stopped and cried to God: "I need life. If you are real, show me something." Just then she looked up and saw the cross going up the mountain!"
"I have come to the cross!" she declared. Then the young woman burst into tears.
I talked to her about the love and mercy and salvation of Jesus. We prayed together and she repented and gave her heart and life to Jesus. It was glorious.
I will never forget what she then said: "I have life."
She had found life in the loving arms of Jesus!
(More back up stories should I have more time...Poland, Montana, Bali, S. Africa, etc)
Open your heart and let this the living Christ come to live in your life. You will have His Presence forever. Just as the one thief on the cross, cried out believing in Jesus. Jesus will also hear you.
Should you want to receive Jesus and have me pray for you please wave your hand for me to see.
I pray for them and lead them in prayer
I invite you to pray this prayer now.
"Dear God, I need you. I put what faith I have in Jesus who died on the cross for my sins and arose again to be my Savior and Lord. Oh, Jesus thanks you for shedding your Holy Blood for my sins. As best as I know how I repent of my sins. I turn to you Jesus to be my Savior. Come into my heart and life and put my name in your book in heaven. I want to follow Jesus. I am not ashamed of you and help me to share this good news with others. In Jesus Name I pray."
Now, confess Jesus openly by standing right now...and please join me at the front of the church. I want to pray with you in this glorious moment of New Birth!
Pilgrim followers of Jesus,
Denise, Sophia and arthur Blessitt
Luke 18:1
"The Passion of the Christ" showing on TBN TV in the USA. 11 showings in March, April and May. Click the link above for the dates and times.
Be sure to watch after the credits for a special message by arthur.
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