HopeLives365

Mark Finley: God is the God of unexpected blessings. He still rolls away stones. God is the God of impossible possibilities. He still moves mountains. He still makes a way when there is no way.

Guest (Female): This is Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message, Christ is Risen Indeed. Enjoy and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with Hope Lives 365 and Pastor Mark by going to hopelives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: During the days of communism, being a Christian was extremely difficult in the former Soviet Union. Many pastors and faithful Christians were imprisoned on false charges. The communist leaders often gathered people in large auditoriums for lectures on communism.

These lectures on socialism and its benefits, and on atheistic communism, decrying Christianity, saying that Christians were intellectual ignoramuses. These times were times of brainwashing for the Soviet populace. Most of the factories had large assembly halls where people could meet.

And on one such occasion, a communist atheist intellectual spoke for over an hour on why God didn't exist. Then he asked the audience, "Does anyone here have anything to say?" An old man stood up, walked to the front, limping. And the intellectual looked at him and said, "What's your education?"

"I'm simply a factory worker, sir." "And you have something to say?" "Yes, sir." "You're going to challenge the fact that God exists?" "Sir, may I speak?" "Go ahead." And as the old man hobbled onto the stage, he paused. He looked at the audience and he said, "Christ is Risen!"

And with true orthodox response, the audience said, "Risen indeed." And he said again, "Christ is Risen." "Risen indeed." "Christ is Risen." "Risen indeed." And the crescendo of voices swelled until, the story goes, the intellectual walks off the stage.

You see, the resurrection story is the story of a Jesus who conquered death. This story speaks of the God of the unexpected. The empty tomb speaks of a God of unexpected blessings. It speaks of a God of the impossible possibilities. And it speaks to God of a God of new beginnings.

Let's look at the events that surrounded the resurrection. And let's study a little bit about this God of unexpected blessings, this God of impossible possibilities, this God of new beginnings. It was just a common ordinary day. The sun rose, the birds sang, the flowers bloomed, the roosters crowed.

Donkeys hee-hawed, people awakened. They drank their Roman coffee, ate their biscuits and broiled fish. They stretched, they yawned, and they stirred. As the people rose that morning, the two Mary's quickly hastened toward the place of his burial to perform a common task.

Now, it isn't hope that leads them up the mountain to the tomb that Sunday morning, it's duty. They don't expect anything in return, because really, what could Jesus give them? What could a dead man give them? The last time they saw Jesus' body, it was broken, bruised, battered, and bloodied.

There was no pulse, no heartbeat, his lifeless body was cold and still. They still remembered that scene of Roman soldiers taking that bloodied body off the cross. They still remember that scene of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus taking that body and burying it in that new tomb.

It was a horrible scene for them, as they stood looking at the cross of Calvary. And they saw the crown of thorns that had been so rudely pushed upon his brow. They saw the nails through his hands. They witnessed the blood running down his wrists. They saw the Roman soldiers strike him with that spear and pierce his side and the blood and water flowed out.

It was a horrible scene. And the two women are not climbing that mountain path to receive. They're going to the tomb to give. The scripture says in John chapter 20, verse 1, "On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been kept away from the tomb." The morning is dark.

It's been dark since Friday. Dark with Peter's denial, dark with the disciples' fear, dark with Pilate's cowardice, dark with Satan's glee, dark with Judas' betrayal, dark with the Jews' rejection. And dark with Christ's anguish as he hung on the cross. It was dark that Sunday morning.

The women were simply doing their duty. The two Mary's knew a task had to be done. Jesus' body had to be prepared for burial. And Peter didn't offer to do it. The disciples didn't say, "Hey, let's go there with Peter and embalm his body." Andrew didn't offer, didn't volunteer.

What about John, the one Jesus loved? He didn't step forward. Cleansed lepers, healed sufferers, forgiven sinners didn't offer their support in any way. But duty calls. The two Mary's were doing their duty. They're doing, they were doing what was right because it was right.

They would not compromise their own commitment to Christ because of fear. They would anoint Christ's body at whatever price. It was the right thing to do. And you know, God calls us today to do the right thing. To be honest in our business dealings, to do the right thing.

To be pure in the lives that we live, to do the right thing. To refrain from sexual immorality, to do the right thing. To obey God and be faithful in keeping His commandments, to do the right thing. Faithfulness in our giving, to do the right thing. Moses and Daniel and Joseph and Paul and John were not pressured by compromise.

When you do the right thing, God surprises you with unexpected blessings. The two Mary's decided to do it. They're doing their duty more than their duty. This is a service motivated by love, desiring nothing in return. No selfish motives prompt them. They're not giving to get, they're giving to give.

There are times when we too are expected to love expecting nothing in return. There are times we're called to give to people who will never say thanks. There are times we're called to forgive when people won't forgive us. Kindness for kindness sake, service for service sake.

There are times we're called to come early and stay late when nobody else notices. If your motivation in doing service for Christ is to receive thanks, when they don't say thanks, you'll stop doing. But if your motivation is you are giving because your heart is filled with grace, you'll give whether they say thanks or not.

There are times when we do a task simply because it needs to be done. God was watching. God noticed. He saw their tears. He knew their commitment. He honored their faithful service. And the God of the unexpected was about ready to do something amazing. As the two Mary's approached the tomb, they were amazed.

Matthew chapter 28, verses 1 and 2. Imagine the shock. Imagine the absolute amazement of the two Mary's as they come to the tomb that day. When you look at Matthew chapter 28, verse 1 and 2, "Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb."

"And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it." Now imagine, imagine a church board meeting in the upper room that Saturday night before the two Mary's go to the tomb and Mary speaks up, "We're going to anoint the body." Now, that's just imagination.

And suppose Peter would say, "Anoint the body? It's dangerous! Roman soldiers. Tensions are high, Mary. You may betray where we're staying." Thomas speaks, "Anoint the body? It's impossible." Matthew speaks, "A hundred Roman soldiers. The stone weighs over 500 pounds. It would take 10 men to move it."

The Mary's don't have all the answers. But in faith, they move ahead. Faith does not mean that you march into the future confident of knowing what God's going to do. Faith means you march into the future trusting what he will do, not knowing what that will be. He is the God of unexpected surprises. The stone is rolled away.

God really is the God of the unexpected. All through the Bible, he's the God of unexpected surprises. Donkeys talk, that's unexpected. Ravens feed Elijah, that's unexpected. Water flows from the rock, that is unexpected. Manna falls from heaven, that's unexpected.

Common stick becomes powerful and delivers Israel in Moses' hand, the rod, that's unexpected. Water turns to wine, fresh unfermented grape juice that's sweeter than anything they drank, that's unexpected. A fish has a coin in its mouth, that's unexpected. You see, when we step out in faith, God reveals himself in unexpected ways.

God is the God of the unexpected miracles for those who trust him. Those who in spite of disappointment, go about their duty doing what they know to be right, God blesses them. Some years ago, I worked in Romania. And I met Lucian Craciunescu. He tells, he told me about his this experience with one of his relatives.

His relative was imprisoned for the sharing his faith. This particular relative of his would type with one finger on one hand lessons from the Bible, passages from scripture. Of course, it was against the law in those days, in the dictator days of Nicolae Ceaușescu in Romania.

It was a very strict, rigid communist regime. It was against the law to own a typewriter.

Guest (Female): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truths of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence his life-changing truths with others.

You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: That was a function of the state. You had to register every typewriter. Our Adventist Christians would get typewriters, and then they would, they would, they would smuggle them in. Then they would take 10 sheets of that onion skin, very thin typing paper.

We who use computers today may not even remember that. But this very thin typing paper and they type with one finger on one hand. Why? So they could hit the keys hard enough so they go through 10 pages. And they type Bible passages, they type Bible lessons, they type lessons that Christians could study.

And there was an informant who told on brother Craciunescu. And as he told on him, this informant said, "This is where he lives, this is the apartment, he has a typewriter, he's typing Christian literature." The authorities broke in. They arrested him. They took his typewriter and burned his stuff that he was typing, the Christian literature and books.

And he was put in prison. Well, he was put there. There was a big fat, overweight communist captain. And he looked at him and he said, "Do you believe that God gives you food?" "Yes, I do." "Do you say your blessing before you eat?" "Yes, sir, I do." "Well, I'll tell you what. Let God give you food in this prison, because I'll tell you what I'm going to do."

"I'm going to go home and eat steak that the communist government gives me. I'm going to eat my pork chops that the communist government gives me. I'm going to eat the chicken the communist government gives me, and you are going to get nothing in this prison until you recognize that there is no God."

"And if your God is here, let your God feed you." That night, my dear brother, Pastor, knelt in that prison and he prayed, "Dear Lord, I'm willing to starve to death for you in the prison. But Lord, show that big fat captain that you are in control. He's eating from the communist table."

"But Lord, I'm willing to die for you here, but I, I give a testimony, show your glory." That night, that night, Pastor is praying and he hears, "Meow, meow, meow." A cat, a cat. The cat goes, comes under the prison bars, and he has a big, long loaf of bread in his mouth.

Pastor breaks off the part where the bread was in his mouth, eats the bread. He's nourished like manna falling from heaven. Next day, he feels satisfied. Four days in a row, the cat comes, brings him food, brings him one of those long loaves of bread. Four days he eats it. The fifth day, captain comes, "Well, are you ready now to acknowledge that God can't do anything for you?"

Pastor says, "Look, I'm, I'm doing well. I've been eating." "Who's been giving you food? I will beat them, will, will torture them, they'll be in prison." He said, "You're going to believe this, a cat. A cat? What are you crazy?" Then they hear, "Meow, meow." The cat begins coming with the bread, and the captain says, "That is my cat, and that is my bread."

You see, as typical, captain lived in an apartment above the prison, and the cat would bring our pastor bread. You see, God is the God of the unexpected. God is the God of the impossible. Why did angels move the stone? Not so Jesus could get out, but so Mary could look in.

Jesus is not saying before the resurrection, "Please, I'm in here, somebody let me out." Jesus could have walked out. But Jesus longs to show his unexpected miracles. On a common day, doing their duty, women received an unexpected blessing from God. They met Jesus.

And when we do what's right, because it is right, he's the God of unexpected blessings. So the resurrection story speaks of something else. It speaks of the God of the impossible. Matthew 28, verse 6. The angel says, verse 5, verse 6, "But the angel answered and said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he's risen.'"

"As he said, 'Come, see the place where the Lord lay.'" He's not here, he's risen. Christ was dead, the Roman soldiers made sure of that. The tomb was sealed, the Roman soldiers made sure of that. The disciples were so frightened, they didn't want to go near the place. The tomb was guarded by Roman soldiers just in case.

Remember what it says in Matthew 17, verse 20, "You'll say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there and it'll move.' Nothing, nothing will be impossible to you." Matthew 19, verse 26, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are what? All things are what? Possible."

He is the God of impossible possibilities. He is the God who opens the Red Sea. He is the God who causes Jericho's walls to fall. Sennacherib surrounds Israel with 185,000 soldiers. And what happens? The angel of the Lord slays them. That's an impossible possibility.

Jesus walks on water, an impossible possibility. Jesus calms the storm, an impossible possibility. Jesus feeds 5,000 with a few loaves and fishes, that's an impossible possibility. Jesus raises the dead man Lazarus, that's an impossible possibility. God is the God of impossible possibilities.

I remember, you know, God has shown me this so many times in my life, how he works in these miraculous ways. I was 21 years old when I made my first mission trip, traveled to Brazil, worked in the jungles of the Amazon. And at 21, I remember being there on my knees praying.

See, we had taken an ambulance from Belém, Brazil to Fortaleza. We're on our way. The Red Cross shipped in an ambulance, and I was assigned with two other people to take the ambulance through the jungles to deliver it to Fortaleza, Brazil. Belém had a port and we were able to get the ambulance from the Red Cross cleared by customs.

But then we had to take it 500 miles through the jungle. It was an amazing, amazing trip. As we traveled through those jungles, we were coming down a very steep mountain embankment. We were hitting rocks and the driver went to shift, he missed third gear, went into reverse. The crankshaft shattered, and we were there in the middle of the jungles with no food.

And I remember, you know, some people say, well, you know, if you go without food for a day or two, then your body adjusts, you're not very hungry. Don't believe it. I was 21, a young college student. I was hungry the first day, hungry the second day, hungry the third day, and hungry the fourth day.

And I remember getting on my knees and praying, "Dear Lord, please, please help us have food." Now, a day before, a jungle truck had come by and there are jungle trucks that come by about once a day on those rough roads. They're delivering rice to the villages. And the jungle, the guy was driving this jungle truck, this transport truck, saw us there.

And he said, "What can I do?" And we said, "Look, we're going to send one person back to a town about 60 miles away to radio our mission headquarters to tell us our dilemma to see if they can fly help out to us." So, one of the three of us left and myself and another gentleman stayed.

A Dr. Rocco was his name. And we sent Dr. Murillo off to this village to get us help. Well, when I was on my knees praying at night, saying, "God, I'm so hungry." I heard a jungle truck in the beeping its horn. And I opened the back of the ambulance where we were sleeping and I saw lights.

I went out, called Dr. Rocco, who was with me, just he and I said, to, to, to go with me. And we went and this man handed from the truck, handed a box of food out. Impossible. They said, "Oh yeah, your friend was in town, he knew how hungry you were. He saw a jungle truck coming this way and sent me the food."

Is it any coincidence that at the moment I was on my knees praying, God sent that food? You see, God is the God of impossible. God still rolls away stones. God is the God of impossibilities. As you are committed to Christ and see, see things that in your life just appear to be absolutely impossible.

Trust God. Trust God. Ask, Matthew 7:7, "Ask and it shall be given to you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you." When we trust God, he opens miraculous doors for us. And think about Philippians 4, verse 19, "My God shall supply your need." He doesn't supply our wants, but he supplies our needs.

God is the God of unexpected blessings. He still rolls away stones. God is the God of impossible possibilities. He still moves mountains. He still makes a way when there is no way. When you're facing some mountain, by faith know that God's going to take you around that mountain.

It's not going to stop you. Or God's going to take you over that mountain. It's not too high for you. Or God's going to dig a tunnel and you can go under the mountain. It's not too deep for God. Or you're going to dig right through that mountain and find gold because God is the God of impossible possibilities.

But God is also a God who turns dead ends into new beginnings. There are no dead ends with God, only mazes which lead to treasures at the end, only pathways which lead to new opportunities. Look, Matthew chapter 28, verse 6. The angel said what? "He is not here. He's risen."

"Christ is risen." The tomb becomes a tunnel. The grave becomes a doorway to tomorrow. Earth's doors open to resurrection morning. It was dark, dark Friday. Nails pierced his hand. A spear wound rips open his side. A crown of thorns placed rudely upon his head.

A cross erected on Golgotha's mountain. It was dark, dark Friday, the nails, the spear, the crown, the cross. Dark, dark Friday, Peter's denial, Thomas doubting, Judas betraying. Dark, dark Friday. Romans crucifying him, women wailing, children crying, angels sighing, God sorrowing.

It was dark, dark Friday. They have salty tears and broken hearts and disappointed dreams and frustrated hopes. But hallelujah. Hallelujah. Sunday was coming. It was a day of new beginnings. New beginnings for Peter, the fisherman who denied his Lord becomes a preacher.

New beginnings for Matthew, the tax collector, now becomes a writer of the gospels. New beginnings for Mary, the one who fell in adultery, but now becomes a proclaimer of Jesus. New beginnings for James and John, the sons of thunder, who now become mighty warriors for Christ.

Let today, my friend, be for you a new beginning.

Guest (Female): You've been listening to Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at hopelives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark.

Mark Finley: Have you disappointed your Lord like Peter? There's a new beginning for you. Christ is risen. He'll forgive your sins. He'll change your life. Have you turned your back on his grace? This can be a new beginning for you. Christ is alive. He's interceding for you in heaven. Have you rebelled against his will?

Have you willfully, knowingly sinned? Have you cherished idols in your heart? This is a day of new beginnings for you.