Set Free Now and Forever!
April 5, 2015, Easter Sunday
Church of the Valley
Pastor Mike Clark
Apple Valley, CA
Wherever He went, Jesus caused a stir. No more than a stir, He caused upheaval! He changed
everything. No one spoke like Jesus. Soldiers sent to arrest Him would not do so because He spoke
with such authority. No one did the things Jesus did, opening blind eyes, healing every ill person
brought to Him, feeding thousands with a few loaves of bread, upsetting the money changers’ tables
in the Temple court while the authorities just watched in horror, confounding their plots against Him,
transforming every funeral He attended into a celebration of resurrection with at least 3 persons
coming back from death. Jesus confounded his critics and enemies while He transformed His
followers.
Even Jesus’ death was unlike anything ever seen before or since. Jesus endured the worst human
death ever recorded as the Romans tortured Him with 2 capital punishments; scourging and
crucifixion. By Roman law, only one was permitted. When Jesus died the sky turned dark, the earth
shook, rocks split, dead came back to life, and the huge curtain that separated the Holy of Holies
from the rest of the Temple tore apart from top to bottom. The Roman Centurion who supervised
Jesus’ crucifixion declared “This was truly the Son of God.” Some laid Jesus’ body in a dark, cold
tomb thinking this would be the end of Him. Yet, on the morning of the 3rd day, occurred the greatest
upheaval ever recorded in human history. Jesus rose from the grave! The tomb emptied as He strode
back among the living. The soldiers guarding the tomb ran in fear. Jesus conquered death. Jesus
routed evil and all its forces with the greater power of love and truth.
Over the next 7 weeks things quieted down some. Jesus often appeared to His disciples to encourage
and instruct them on what would happen next. He told them to wait for the Holy Spirit. Then Jesus
ascended into heaven to be with God the Father. The Apostles remained quietly in Jerusalem as Jesus
had told them to wait. Then it happened. As the Disciples met together in a 2nd floor room, the
promised Holy Spirit filled them with power, splendor, energy and wisdom. They confidently left that
room and openly shared the truth of Jesus with all around. Many had gathered in Jerusalem for the
Feast of Pentecost and listened with amazement. Peter proclaimed this message, Acts 2:22-24
“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you
by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you
yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and
foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to
the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death,
because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
God raised Jesus from the dead! Death could not keep Him, could not hold Him down. It was
impossible! It was inevitable! It was the great work of God for humans in great need. Irrepressibly by
the power of God, Jesus rose again to shower His followers with the incomparable benefits of His life.
Jesus said this about His life in John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The word for full life means
abundant, fulfilling, satisfying, whole and complete. That is the life Jesus gives to all who follow Him.
The Apostle Paul described this life in Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do
immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work
within us,” Jesus gives life more than we can ask for, greater than we can imagine; a life
overflowing, excessive, even extravagant in its fullness. God did not create us to live boring,
powerless, joyless, loveless and hopeless lives darkened by wrong and sadness. Jesus came for life to
begin again in the way God intended. John Henry Newman wrote “Fear not that your life shall come
to an end, but rather that it shall never have a beginning.”
What does this new life with Jesus look like? How does Jesus transform our lives? How can Jesus
change your life? Allow me to list some of the many amazing ways Jesus changes our lives. I will
share actual experiences from the people of Church of the Valley. I asked them to share with you
how Jesus changed their lives, and they gladly wanted you to know the amazing transformations that
take place when we follow Jesus.
1st we receive the wonderful gifts of grace and forgiveness. These gifts are described in Hebrews 8:12
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” In forgiveness
our past no longer holds us back. God does not remember our wrongs when we receive His grace.
One COV member wrote “Jesus helped me with forgiveness and lifted a weight off my chest.” We no
longer carry the burden of guilt. We no longer fear God’s anger and wrath. In place of our fear, Jesus
brings peace. He brings order out of our chaos. Another COV member wrote “Jesus has given me
peace and order instead of living my way wasting energy.” Another COV member wrote of forgiving
her sexual abuser and healing her life “I was sexually abused by my father at 12 years old, and only
when I was saved 44 years later, was I able to forgive my father, which also set me free to live a full
life in Jesus.” Forgiveness is a powerful life changer when the Lord heals our lives with it.
2nd we receive from Jesus the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings the new life of Jesus
powerfully into our daily situations. The Holy Spirit conquers death for us. Death becomes merely a
new doorway to greater, eternal life. Paul wrote in Romans 8:11 “And if the Spirit of him who
raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also
give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”
The Holy Spirit brings the greatest changes in our lives. I hope you understand that when you follow
Jesus, you will never be alone again. The 3rd member of the Holy Trinity of God the Holy Spirit walks
with you in every situation. One COV member wrote “He has shown me that I was not alone in the
world or struggling alone to be a better person, and to fight for what I believe in which is Him, and to
love all and be all I can be.” We always have the Holy Spirit. Plus you will never be alone as you
discover Christ’s Family that will surround you. We who also follow Jesus welcome you into His family
here at COV. We become eternal, not just temporary, brothers and sisters in Christ. We learn to be
there for each other; to encourage, sympathize, comfort and celebrate new life in Jesus. Let me say it
again – we are never alone as we follow Jesus.
The Holy Spirit and His Church get us through great difficulties. Maybe you struggle with depression
as so many do. Listen to this COV member “my MOST DIFFICULT fight through this life has been my
struggle through VERY DEEP depression over many years & my suicidal tendencies because of it.
Finally, after many years of just being an obedient follower, by His Spirit I was shown how TRULY
GRACIOUS our God is & that HIS LOVE & GRACE IS ENOUGH for me! I don't have to be strong
enough to fight to survive through depression! I only have to ASK Him for it & I DO receive it! So I
now depend upon HIM & His never failing strength, love, & mercy.” We can stand strong in the power
of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be on your guard; stand firm in
the faith; be courageous; be strong.” Here at COV, we discover this is true. One member wrote
“After a very traumatic event in my life and crying until I was drained, I surrendered completely and
told HIM I gave my life to HIM and HE would have to take over now. I fell into an exhausted sleep
and when I woke the next morning, I felt completely loved and safe. And although I have faced many
difficulties and tragedies since then, I still know I am safe and loved.”
Are you dealing with drugs or other addictions? The Holy Spirit changes that too. A COV member
wrote “Two years ago I was a serious drug addict. I used for 32 years. I went into recovery and I
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found that my life was without hope. In doing this it is suggested that you find a higher power. I took
this literally, and after 90 days at the rehab facility I started to attend COV. I gave my life over to
Jesus and 6 months later I was baptized. I promised God I will follow whatever path he put before
me. And I allowed him to take control. Jesus has changed every part of my life. Now I help people
every day that are in the pain I was once living. I am able to share in detail my experiences of my
past and what the Lord has done for me in such a short amount of time.” Another COV member said
“Only one thing seems to matter: his love for me. I had to get to a place where I had nothing and
had to depend on him. That is how I was delivered from my substance abuse problems. It wasn't me,
it was Christ in me.” Again, let me assure you that these are actual COV people dealing with effective
changes that Jesus brought into their lives. Drugs are not the only addictions Jesus overcomes. He
deals with our alcoholism and others too. One COV member shared “Jesus changed my way of
thinking. I was addicted to drugs and alcohol. I was angry and hate was my way of life. His grace
gave me peace and patience. He saved me and my family.” Jesus can do that for you too!
Do you desire to know real power over temptations and evil? Jesus promises His Spirit will bring that
to you. The Apostle John wrote (1 John 4:4, NLT) “But you belong to God, my dear children.
You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is
greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” The Spirit of Jesus is greater than the spirits of
this world, and this Holy Spirit is in every follower of Jesus. Some don’t understand that and never
use His power. But many do know that the Holy Spirit frees them from enslavement to anger, greed,
pornography, and other out of control desires. The Holy Spirit brings order back into our lives. One
COV member wrote of her freedom from materialism and greed: “Immediately after accepting Christ I
no longer felt that emptiness that comes from always seeking, and never having enough material
possessions. He filled my void. Then He gradually changed my heart to see money as something to
use to help others, not as something to keep to myself. Praise God! Freedom from slavery to the
greed!” Another shared “I was putting my faith in wrong things. When I turned it over to God
completely, everything worked out better than I could do it. I learned once you turn it over to Him,
you don’t take it back.” This next testimony says it so clearly and succinctly “Jesus gave me eyes to
see what is good and what is evil.”
Are you facing insecurity about your future? Are you facing financial hardships? Jesus helps us there
too. A COV member said “When we lost most of our income my wife and I had to trust. All our needs
were met, utilities paid, and our family fed and nourished. Now, I am just trusting.” We carry so
many burdens on our shoulders. God did not design us to be god of our own lives without Him. He
can take our burdens and replace them with peace and success. A COV member reported “The nurse
in me wants to take care of everyone. I have learned I cannot control everything and all the
problems. I have learned to pray and let my burdens go to Jesus. I know it will be ok.”
Many of us, especially males, carry guilt about anger that gets the better of us. I know what this is
like. I hated how my anger kept hurting others I loved. I gave my anger over to the Holy Spirit and
He brought so much healing in my life. Another COV member shared this too “Jesus has changed my
life by giving me a way to release my anger, in a way that empowers and inspires people instead of
hurting them. He made me believe that no one other than God can judge me for who I am.” Please
understand that we are not saying we are perfect. We still struggle with these problems at times. I
still struggle with anger. But we see Jesus changing us to become better people.
Jesus changes minds and attitudes. His Holy Spirit changes the way we think with greater wisdom for
the important decisions we make. This promise is found in 2 Timothy 3:15 “…you have known the
Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ
Jesus.” We gain the mind of Christ. A COV member testified to this “I am a new creation. I no longer
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live like the world, talking and thinking in their ways. Only Christ could truly change my thoughts and
walk.” By the power of the Holy Spirit we mature into the people God designed us to be; full of love,
truth and joy. We discover maturity for greater life. Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:15 “Instead,
speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of
him who is the head, that is, Christ.” This is true for us here at COV, as one member wrote “He
gives me joy every day and takes away my sadness in spite of personal tragedies. He continues to
strengthen me every day and lift me up.” Another spoke of being changed from fear to greater trust.
“I have the joy and security of knowing I will be with God forever. No worldly events can scare me no
matter how bad. I trust God completely.”
We are no one special here at COV, but Jesus makes us special. We have no power or claim to fame
by ourselves, but Jesus brings power to transform our lives. We know we cannot do anything without
God, but we also know we can do all things through the Lord who strengthens us.
Would you like to receive these gifts of Jesus too? Let’s go back to the Apostle Peter to learn how we
all receive them. He said in Acts 2:36-39 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has
made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard
this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what
shall we do?” The people who listened were cut to their hearts. That means they were convicted of
their need for Jesus. The Holy Spirit opened their eyes and minds to how living without Jesus was not
working, and living with Jesus was what they needed. So they cried out to Peter, what shall we
do?” Are you convinced in your heart that you need Jesus? Would you like to receive His new life
today too? You can!
Peter describes what you can do. He said “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the
name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit.” The first thing to do is to repent! To repent means to stop trying to live without Jesus.
Stop trying to find joy and meaning without Jesus. Stop trying to overcome your difficulties and
temptations without Jesus. It doesn’t work! Turn back to Him for greater life. Turn around and face
God again. He wants to know you! He has been waiting for you to turn to Him. 2nd Peter tells us we
need to be baptized! We have been talking about baptism for the last 2 Sundays. Baptism is the Jesus
approved way of surrendering our lives to Him. Baptism is the way for us to publically say “I don’t
want to live without Jesus anymore, so I choose to live with Him.” When you repent and are baptized,
you receive the 2 great gifts of Jesus we have been sharing with you: forgiveness and the Holy Spirit.
In baptism, we take some water and pour it over your head. That water symbolizes the cleansing of
Jesus as He washes away all your wrongs and guilt. The water also represents life. In your cleansing
through Jesus’ death, the Holy Spirit comes upon you for abundant and eternal life in the resurrection
of Jesus. The Holy Spirit brings love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control and all the power of
life with Jesus.
Easter is a great day to start life new with Jesus. He died to forgive you. He lives again to help you
every day. Ask Jesus into your life. Ask Jesus to cleanse and guide you by His Holy Spirit. We do this
by saying to Jesus, “Be my Lord and Savior!” Are you ready to do this now? Here in front are 3 places
for you to be baptized. If you are convicted in your heart to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior
today, come forward! If you are convicted in your heart to follow Jesus, come forward! If you thought
you knew Jesus before, but really never gave your life to Him and realize you need to follow Him
now, come forward!
Others of you have been baptized before, and you would like to be baptized again today because you
feel that Jesus is calling you to a deeper life with Him. We invite you to come forward too. You don’t
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need to be re-baptized, because Jesus was with you in your first baptism, even if it was done to you
as a baby. But you want to renew your baptism promises. You want to go deeper in trust in Jesus.
We will celebrate with you today as you renew your baptism promises. And let us all ask the Lord
Jesus to open our hearts, minds and lives to the power of the Holy Spirit that we can enjoy the
greater life that Jesus wants to give us. This promise is for now and forever! Come forward and share
in the gift of His forgiveness and His Holy Spirit! Amen.
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