Introduction:

At times, we Christians can be too sensitive. What I mean by that is this. Christians don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Christians don't want to turn people off with talk about religion. Christians often don't want to run the risk of offending someone with their faith. Then Christians hope that people will miraculously join them in church on Sunday.

Is that reality though? Are Christians doing something nice by holding back the news of Jesus' resurrection from others? What if someone in your life dies today and you were waiting for the opportune time to share Jesus? We have the cure to the world's disease, pain, and heartache. It is Jesus. He's alive! Tell someone!

The news of Jesus' resurrection has changed your life. You don't live in fear of death. Heaven is your home. We long for that eternal kingdom. The news of Christ's empty tomb has changed everything for us.

The news changed your life and you can be confident that the news of Christ's resurrection can change someone else's life too. In today's sermon lesson, Peter addressed the crowd on Pentecost. The message that "Jesus is alive" dominated his sermon and changed thousands of lives that day. This news changes things for you. It can change someone else's life also.

I. The news has changed your life.

The Jews had crowded into Jerusalem to celebrate the Old Testament festival of Pentecost. Little did they know that they would experience the New Testament Pentecost that day. Witnesses saw the tongues of fire on the disciples' heads. They heard the disciples speak in many languages that were not their own. And Peter stood up as the spokesman for the group.

There is an awesome lesson right there for us. Peter was the guy who just seven weeks earlier had denied even knowing Jesus. Then on Pentecost he got up in front of all these people to testify about Christ's resurrection. Surely the resurrection had changed Peter's life. Clearly the Holy Spirit was at work in him. The lesson is that when we share the gospel, the Holy Spirit takes care of the work. That is comforting and encouraging.

In Peter's sermon, he referred back to David's words from the Old Testament. Of course, this was not by chance. The Jews were very familiar with David and Peter wanted to make a connection with them.

Peter quoted King David's Psalm 16. "My body will also live in hope because you will not abandon me to the grave." The wages of sin is death. We are all sinners. And so we must all die and go to the grave. So what hope is their in death? Our sins have made a mess of life. We struggle daily against these sins. We lose those battles often. What are we to do? Will we all die without any hope? Will we be punished for our disobedience and left to suffer in eternity? That is what we deserve because of our sins.

But we have hope. It is a sure confidence. Our confidence is that we will not be left in the grave. God's Word tells us that he will not abandon us in death. Why not? He abandoned his one and only Son on the cross. When Jesus and gave up his innocent life on the cross, God had abandoned him there. That is why Jesus cried out from Calvary, "My God, my God, Why have you forsaken me?" Jesus died that day to make the payment for all sin complete. It was finished, the victory won.

God the Father, however, would not let the Holy One see decay. Jesus lives! That is the astonishing news of Easter. And David prophesied about it back in the Old Testament. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead has always been part of God's plan of salvation.

He's alive. That was King David's confidence. That was Peter's confidence. That is our confidence as we gaze at the empty tomb. He's alive. That news changes everything in our lives. We no longer live for the pleasures of this world because we know that we have citizenship in a far greater place. Our Fatherland is heaven. That news affects the way we live, act, talk, play, and work.

Transition:

When you receive good news, it is hard to contain yourself. We want to tell everyone important to us and many times we want to tell people we don't even know. Maybe it is the birth of grandchild or that your doctor told you that your cancer was in remission. Maybe it was that you are getting married or that you got a job promotion. Maybe it is that you made the honor roll at school or made the varsity team. We can't wait to tell people good news. He's alive is the greatest news our ears have ever heard. Follow Peter's example and pass that great news on.

II. This news can change someone else's life.

Peter addressed those people of in Jerusalem as "Men of Israel." This was a term of respect that was used to remind them that they were the people that held the promise of the Savior. Then Peter told them about the Savior. He said, "Jesus of Nazareth was a man." They knew that Jesus was human. They had seen him or heard from people who had. They even knew where Jesus was from, Nazareth. This made Jesus real to them.

Peter continued by showing them that Jesus was no ordinary man. Christ had been endorsed by God with miracles, wonders, and signs. These great deeds were evidence that Jesus was not only sent by God, but that he was God. Again these people had either seen these things or heard about them.

But Peter wanted to make one thing very clear. He was not going to be too sensitive. He was not afraid of causing offense. He flat out told the people that they put Jesus to death. Oh that had to cut to their hearts. They were responsible for the death of Christ. Peter even said that they nailed Jesus to the cross. The law did its work. It exposed their sin and revealed their guilt. It picked the scab wide open. He was not afraid of hurting their feelings. He preached the law like there was no gospel.

But once the law did its work, he indeed brought the gospel in all its glory. "God raised him from the dead." He gave them the news that would change their lives. Beaten up and bloodied by guilt and sin, the gospel soothed their hearts. It gave healing to their souls. There was hope. Even though they had killed Jesus with their sins, Peter told them, "He's alive!"

The resurrection of the Savior was the heart of Peter's sermon that day and it is the heart of our message today. What King David saw in prophecy, Peter and the disciples saw fulfilled, and we see in the words of Holy Scripture. He's alive! Verse 32 tells us, "God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact."

We all are witnesses! Jesus lived for us. Jesus died for us. Jesus rose for us. That is the life-changing news we have heard. And that news can change someone else's life also. We are all witnesses. Share the news that Jesus is alive. That ought to be the entire purpose of our lives and work. Do you know that? Do you understand that? Or do you just nod your head and say, "Yep pastor, sounds good, the entire purpose of my life and work."

Jesus declared that we are to be evangelists spreading the good news. All believers have this mission together. Jesus did not request that if we have the time that we should share the news. He did not give us the option that if we feel brave enough, then we could share the good news. It is a command that we all have from the Almighty Lord and Savior.

The nuts and bolts of it are like this. You know exactly who needs to hear the good news in your life. And if you are not sure about someone, find out. You also know the message. Jesus lived a perfect life for us sinners. Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins. Jesus rose from the dead to give us forgiveness of sins. He's alive so that we too will live with him in heaven. Believe in Jesus and you will be saved. That is the simple message. Take this news out of this church today and share it. He's alive! Tell someone!

Conclusion:

The Holy Spirit will guide you. God will strengthen you. Jesus will love you. Don't just say, "Yep pastor, sounds good." Get out there and do it. Find the person that needs to know Jesus is alive and tell them. Then move on to the next person and the next. Then invite them to church and Bible study. You, with the help of God, can make a difference. The news of the resurrection will change people's lives. May God be with you as you strive in the work of his kingdom. He's alive. Tell someone. AMEN.