"GOD IS BIGGER THAN YOUR PROBLEM!"

-  Bigger than relationship problems
-  Bigger than marriage problems
-  Bigger than problems at work
-  Bigger than problems with your kids
-  Bigger than financial problems
-  Bigger than sickness and disease
-  Bigger than death

"GOD IS BIGGER THAN YOUR PROBLEM!"

I. Jesus Left Heaven and was Born a Baby

-   Grew into a man
-   For 31/2 years taught truth
-   He was on a mission to rescue people who were in trouble
-   Jesus stood between God and man
-   Jesus came to take that barrier down!

Ro 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Col 2:12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.  13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,  14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.  15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

II. Jesus Had Gathered Followers who Had High Hopes for the Future

- A new kingdom
- Led by this man who they believed to be the Messiah

- Then He was arrested, beaten, and  sentenced to death

- The disciple watched in horror as they  led Jesus away to be crucified

Mt 27:28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there.  37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.  46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, <"Eloi, Eloi, lama> <sabachthani?">-- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"  47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."  48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink.  49 The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."  50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.  51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.

- Jesus solved the biggest problem of all
- Access to God
- God illustrated this by tearing the curtain

III. But His Disciples were confused

Jesus was dead
They had laid Him in a Tomb
A rock rolled in front of the opening
Roman soldiers were guarding it

IT WAS OVER!

- They didn't think it was going to go this way
They thought they had even bigger problems now!

- They might be next to be arrested
-  Hopes of this new kingdom under Messiah were crushed

They had questions about what they remember He had said:

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

BUT HE IS DEAD NOW!

Then good news comes

 It is recorded in Mt chapter 28:1

Mt 28:1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.  2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.  5 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."  8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

IV. Then the Disciples remembered Something else that Jesus has said to them

Mt 20:17 Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them,  18 "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death  19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"

JESUS HAD JUST SOLVED THEIR BIGGEST PROBLEM

Death and what happens next

V.  They Understood that:

- The sins of the world were placed upon Jesus on the cross
-  He took the punishment for them

-  That we can follow Christ by admitting our sins to Him and trusting that His blood is able to cleanse us from all.

VI. BIG TRUTH

If He is Able to Solve Our Biggest Problem - The rest of our problems are a piece of cake

Ro 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?  32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

We first come to Christ because of our biggest problem

But as a believer we understand that He is:

Heb 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Ps 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,  3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.  5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.  6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.  7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Lu 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered…

PROOF OF HIS LOVE= Christ on Cross

PROOF OF HIS OVERCOMING POWER AND EFFECTIVENESS OF HIS SACRIFICE = Resurrection from the Dead