1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:04,120 Welcome to Heaven Earth Church. 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:06,040 My name is Ross Stackhouse. 3 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:09,040 I'm the founding pastor of Heaven Earth Church. 4 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:13,280 From the beginning, our heart was to be a church for people who 5 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:15,040 don't fit neatly into church. 6 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,200 Our heart is to meet people where they are, to learn their stories, 7 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:20,720 to honor their stories. 8 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,840 Because in every human story is God's story. 9 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:27,840 In this podcast, you'll hear more about the people who now call 10 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:29,400 Heaven Earth Church home. 11 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,420 Their stories, in many cases of misfits who are discovering or 12 00:00:33,420 --> 00:00:34,700 rediscovering faith. 13 00:00:34,860 --> 00:00:38,140 If you want to know more about us, you can go to heavenorthchurch.org 14 00:00:38,620 --> 00:00:41,660 Otherwise, we invite you now into the story. 15 00:00:44,060 --> 00:00:44,980 Hello, good people. 16 00:00:44,980 --> 00:00:49,660 Brad Miller here, the producer of the Heaven Earth Church podcast. 17 00:00:50,140 --> 00:00:53,700 One of the main benefits of being a part of the Heaven Earth 18 00:00:53,700 --> 00:00:59,850 Church community is our Sunday morning conversations taught by founding 19 00:00:59,850 --> 00:01:02,170 pastor Ross Stackhouse. 20 00:01:03,450 --> 00:01:08,250 You can watch and participate in the Sunday morning conversation 21 00:01:08,810 --> 00:01:17,210 this Sunday morning, 9:30am Eastern time at YouTube.com heavenearthchurch. 22 00:01:18,730 --> 00:01:23,690 The audio version of the Sunday morning conversation is available 23 00:01:23,690 --> 00:01:28,370 here on the podcast, which you can find at Apple Podcasts, Spotify 24 00:01:28,850 --> 00:01:36,730 and on the website, which is heavenerthchurch.org now with the 25 00:01:36,730 --> 00:01:42,770 message for Easter Sunday 2026 is Heaven Earth Church. 26 00:01:42,770 --> 00:01:45,330 Pastor Ross Stackhouse. 27 00:01:46,530 --> 00:01:52,530 Lord, I pray that you open our eyes, our ears, our hearts to what 28 00:01:52,530 --> 00:02:01,580 you want to show us today about this mystery of Jesus, his 29 00:02:01,580 --> 00:02:03,740 life, his death, his resurrection. 30 00:02:04,060 --> 00:02:08,740 Help us to embrace this mystery, to embrace your power, your 31 00:02:08,740 --> 00:02:12,820 love, and to become a part of this mission into which you invite 32 00:02:12,820 --> 00:02:16,060 us in Jesus name, Amen. 33 00:02:17,900 --> 00:02:20,590 All right, we're going to do a little song trivia. 34 00:02:20,590 --> 00:02:21,190 Okay? 35 00:02:22,310 --> 00:02:24,710 If you win, you get a prize. 36 00:02:25,830 --> 00:02:27,470 We'll give you one egg. 37 00:02:27,470 --> 00:02:31,030 We'll steal an egg from one of the children and give it to you. 38 00:02:32,470 --> 00:02:32,950 Yes. 39 00:02:33,190 --> 00:02:33,830 I did. 40 00:02:33,830 --> 00:02:35,710 I put a Jesus in the yes bucket. 41 00:02:35,710 --> 00:02:37,390 If you don't know that, we have a question back there. 42 00:02:37,390 --> 00:02:40,110 Have you ever stolen candy from a kid's Easter basket? 43 00:02:40,110 --> 00:02:41,110 I've done it many times. 44 00:02:42,310 --> 00:02:42,950 Many times. 45 00:02:44,640 --> 00:02:45,480 You did it this morning. 46 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:46,240 Good for you. 47 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,840 All right, if you get this right, you get an egg from one of 48 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:50,760 the children in the back. 49 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:54,480 Here's the song lyric first hand that shoots up. 50 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:56,560 I'm calling on you. 51 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:57,200 Here we go. 52 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:00,719 13 month old baby broke the looking glass. 53 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:02,640 Nobody gets a prize. 54 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:03,840 Nobody. 55 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:06,880 Who said that? 56 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,080 Jen Rice gets a prize. 57 00:03:11,190 --> 00:03:12,310 What's the song, Jen? 58 00:03:14,070 --> 00:03:16,310 Oh, okay, so we'll give you half a prize. 59 00:03:17,510 --> 00:03:18,390 Superstition. 60 00:03:18,550 --> 00:03:19,190 Let's go. 61 00:03:19,190 --> 00:03:20,550 Cooper gets a prize. 62 00:03:20,550 --> 00:03:25,510 We get two prizes now, Cooper, you actually have to go back and 63 00:03:25,510 --> 00:03:26,589 steal the egg, though. 64 00:03:26,589 --> 00:03:26,909 Okay? 65 00:03:26,909 --> 00:03:28,070 I'm not doing that, man. 66 00:03:28,150 --> 00:03:29,190 I'm not doing it. 67 00:03:30,470 --> 00:03:34,550 Yeah, in a minute, I'm gonna disagree with Stevie a little bit. 68 00:03:34,630 --> 00:03:35,910 I think I have it there. 69 00:03:37,790 --> 00:03:40,950 He says, when you believe in things you don't understand, then 70 00:03:40,950 --> 00:03:41,710 you suffer. 71 00:03:41,790 --> 00:03:44,030 I'm going to disagree with that in just a minute. 72 00:03:44,430 --> 00:03:48,550 I love Stevie and I love that song, and I get what he's trying 73 00:03:48,550 --> 00:03:50,670 to say, but I am. 74 00:03:52,109 --> 00:03:57,070 I think about these first followers of Jesus. 75 00:03:58,510 --> 00:04:02,480 It's this time of year where I think about this movement in whose 76 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:03,800 legacy we now sit. 77 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:08,440 Anybody got an idea of the fella with that sweet purple robe 78 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:09,400 or whatever it is? 79 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:11,640 Anybody know who that is? 80 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:13,800 You can also steal an egg from a child. 81 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:15,360 Okay, never mind. 82 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:16,920 Nobody gets an egg on that one. 83 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:18,079 If. 84 00:04:18,079 --> 00:04:22,440 If I were allowed to be amongst the first followers. 85 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:27,240 Big if on that one, I'd be that guy. 86 00:04:28,090 --> 00:04:31,930 As I've said before, he's known as Doubting Thomas. 87 00:04:32,250 --> 00:04:36,570 And my middle name is Thomas because my father knew this guy's 88 00:04:36,570 --> 00:04:37,530 gonna be a doubter. 89 00:04:37,530 --> 00:04:38,970 Now, that's not why he did it. 90 00:04:38,970 --> 00:04:40,490 No, no. 91 00:04:40,490 --> 00:04:42,010 He's named after my Uncle Bob. 92 00:04:44,490 --> 00:04:44,890 What? 93 00:04:47,050 --> 00:04:48,690 His name is Robert Thomas. 94 00:04:48,690 --> 00:04:49,210 Sorry. 95 00:04:49,610 --> 00:04:50,250 Thank you. 96 00:04:51,050 --> 00:04:52,730 Thank you, thank you, thank you. 97 00:04:53,540 --> 00:04:56,460 If you don't know how it works here at Heaven Earth, this is a conversation 98 00:04:56,460 --> 00:04:58,020 you can interrupt me at any time. 99 00:04:58,580 --> 00:04:59,940 I don't talk at you. 100 00:05:00,180 --> 00:05:01,300 I'm just a dude. 101 00:05:01,780 --> 00:05:05,060 So anyways, I'd be that fella. 102 00:05:05,220 --> 00:05:06,820 Because I'm a skeptic at heart. 103 00:05:07,860 --> 00:05:09,540 I don't have the gift of faith. 104 00:05:09,780 --> 00:05:12,020 And some would say, aren't you in the wrong job? 105 00:05:12,260 --> 00:05:12,820 Maybe. 106 00:05:13,540 --> 00:05:14,180 Could be. 107 00:05:16,580 --> 00:05:21,230 But in this story, if you don't know it comes from the Gospel 108 00:05:21,230 --> 00:05:21,710 of John. 109 00:05:22,030 --> 00:05:23,550 Four accounts of Jesus life. 110 00:05:23,550 --> 00:05:24,670 Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. 111 00:05:24,910 --> 00:05:29,230 In John, Jesus appears to the disciples after he has died. 112 00:05:30,350 --> 00:05:32,430 Many of them, I should say most of them. 113 00:05:32,910 --> 00:05:37,710 And they're like, thomas, we just saw him alive. 114 00:05:38,430 --> 00:05:40,430 And Thomas is like, that's great for you. 115 00:05:40,910 --> 00:05:41,710 Good for you. 116 00:05:41,790 --> 00:05:45,110 But until I can put my fingers in the holes in his hands and my 117 00:05:45,110 --> 00:05:47,970 hand in the wounds in his side, I'm not going to believe. 118 00:05:48,770 --> 00:05:49,570 That's me. 119 00:05:49,730 --> 00:05:51,330 And then Thomas does it. 120 00:05:51,490 --> 00:05:54,210 Jesus shows up and says, peace be with you. 121 00:05:56,210 --> 00:05:58,210 And then he says, basically, go for it. 122 00:05:58,290 --> 00:06:01,770 And then Thomas has the highest confession of faith that 123 00:06:01,770 --> 00:06:03,530 we have recorded in the New Testament. 124 00:06:03,530 --> 00:06:05,090 He says, my Lord, my God. 125 00:06:05,250 --> 00:06:07,890 So he goes from big skeptic to big believer. 126 00:06:07,890 --> 00:06:08,530 That's me. 127 00:06:09,730 --> 00:06:12,050 And Jesus says, you've believed because you have seen. 128 00:06:12,050 --> 00:06:14,130 Blessed are those who believe without seeing. 129 00:06:15,300 --> 00:06:16,900 Well, that's the rest of us, isn't it? 130 00:06:16,900 --> 00:06:18,580 And that's what makes it so hard. 131 00:06:20,100 --> 00:06:21,740 You've believed because you've seen. 132 00:06:21,740 --> 00:06:24,260 Blessed are those who believe without seeing. 133 00:06:24,660 --> 00:06:26,100 That's what makes it so hard. 134 00:06:26,340 --> 00:06:30,179 But I'm going to speak to the rational person in the room today, 135 00:06:30,179 --> 00:06:31,140 because I am you. 136 00:06:31,300 --> 00:06:32,420 You need some evidence. 137 00:06:33,220 --> 00:06:34,100 I'm with you. 138 00:06:34,580 --> 00:06:36,660 I think about these first followers. 139 00:06:36,740 --> 00:06:39,580 How improbable their conviction is, how improbable that 140 00:06:39,580 --> 00:06:41,460 their conviction that this story lasted. 141 00:06:41,460 --> 00:06:42,100 Here's why. 142 00:06:44,310 --> 00:06:45,230 Many people would. 143 00:06:45,230 --> 00:06:48,750 Would hang on to a superstition like many of us, if 144 00:06:48,750 --> 00:06:51,350 it would make our lives better and make some of the lives of the 145 00:06:51,350 --> 00:06:52,150 people we love better. 146 00:06:52,150 --> 00:06:54,230 We'd tell a story and we'd live in it. 147 00:06:54,470 --> 00:06:54,870 Right? 148 00:06:55,270 --> 00:06:58,350 Maybe you would not hang on to a superstition. 149 00:06:58,350 --> 00:07:02,030 If you were threatened by brutal death, maybe a couple people 150 00:07:02,030 --> 00:07:03,150 would you be like, yeah, we. 151 00:07:03,150 --> 00:07:05,190 We got stories of that all the time, Ross. 152 00:07:05,910 --> 00:07:07,510 People drinking the Kool Aid. 153 00:07:07,510 --> 00:07:08,070 Literally. 154 00:07:10,220 --> 00:07:14,940 But when we think about people drinking the Kool Aid and Jim Jones, 155 00:07:14,940 --> 00:07:17,740 if you don't know who he was, I think he was a Methodist, too. 156 00:07:17,740 --> 00:07:20,540 Was he Disciples of Christ? 157 00:07:20,540 --> 00:07:21,100 Okay. 158 00:07:22,060 --> 00:07:23,020 We kicked him out. 159 00:07:23,020 --> 00:07:23,580 Okay. 160 00:07:25,660 --> 00:07:27,860 I'm never going to ask you to drink any Kool Aid. 161 00:07:27,860 --> 00:07:28,380 Okay? 162 00:07:30,060 --> 00:07:33,340 But with that, we only reflect on that. 163 00:07:33,500 --> 00:07:38,760 Because of its weirdness, this story has lasted such that billions 164 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:39,880 of people claim it. 165 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:43,960 And in the first days of it, it's so unlikely that they would 166 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:44,720 hang on to it. 167 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:45,400 Here's why. 168 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:49,080 Because the most powerful empire in the history of the world 169 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:53,240 sought more than once to extinguish this movement. 170 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:54,840 I've told you this recently. 171 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,400 Some of you, like Ross, you keep saying this story, but it haunts 172 00:07:57,400 --> 00:07:57,720 me. 173 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,800 The very first time it happened when there was an imperial 174 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:05,720 ordered persecution of the Christians was by the Emperor nero 175 00:08:06,850 --> 00:08:07,810 in the 60s. 176 00:08:07,810 --> 00:08:10,050 Not the 1960s, the 60s. 177 00:08:10,850 --> 00:08:13,930 He started a fire in Rome because he wasn't getting what he 178 00:08:13,930 --> 00:08:15,170 was wanting. 179 00:08:15,730 --> 00:08:18,530 And so, like a spoiled little child, he said, you know what? 180 00:08:18,530 --> 00:08:19,890 I'm burning it all down. 181 00:08:20,370 --> 00:08:22,369 And then who did he blame for it? 182 00:08:22,610 --> 00:08:23,010 Those. 183 00:08:23,170 --> 00:08:26,610 Those pesky little followers of Jesus. 184 00:08:27,010 --> 00:08:29,650 And that was the first time they started killing Christians. 185 00:08:29,650 --> 00:08:32,690 In the 60s, 30 years after Jesus was on the earth. 186 00:08:33,030 --> 00:08:33,990 We have a letter. 187 00:08:35,030 --> 00:08:35,870 Think about this. 188 00:08:35,870 --> 00:08:40,350 We have a letter from a guy named Pliny the Younger to the emperor 189 00:08:40,350 --> 00:08:46,150 of Rome, Trajan, in sometime like 111 to 113, saying, like, hey, 190 00:08:46,230 --> 00:08:51,110 there's this weird group of folks who, like, get together once 191 00:08:51,110 --> 00:08:53,830 a week and they worship this guy like he's a God. 192 00:08:53,830 --> 00:08:55,110 And they eat together. 193 00:08:56,070 --> 00:08:59,270 My Practice has been that I tell them I beat them up. 194 00:08:59,680 --> 00:09:01,360 I asked them to recant their faith. 195 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,400 If they do, I churn them back out. 196 00:09:04,560 --> 00:09:07,040 If they don't, I kill them. 197 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:09,040 Trajan, what do you think? 198 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:11,360 And Trajan writes back, we have these letters. 199 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:15,160 Trajan, the Emperor of Rome writes back and says, good job, my 200 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:15,480 boy. 201 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:16,320 Golden star. 202 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:20,160 That's not exactly what it was, but it was about like that. 203 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:23,520 Emperor Decius did it. 204 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:26,160 The worst of all was the Diocletian persecution. 205 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:31,800 And this movement went from 120 to 100,000 to 10 million. 206 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,040 Because here's what I'm convinced of. 207 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:38,600 Skeptic Ross is convinced of it. 208 00:09:38,680 --> 00:09:41,480 Those very first followers really saw something. 209 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:43,320 They actually saw something. 210 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:50,080 They experienced something so powerful, so life altering that no 211 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:51,880 one could take it from them. 212 00:09:52,370 --> 00:09:52,850 No one. 213 00:09:53,010 --> 00:09:58,370 Even when they said, hey, either recant your faith or we're 214 00:09:58,370 --> 00:10:00,050 going to give you over to that lion. 215 00:10:00,370 --> 00:10:04,330 Recant your faith or we're going to crucify you like your stupid 216 00:10:04,330 --> 00:10:04,850 Lord. 217 00:10:05,250 --> 00:10:08,530 Recant your faith or we're going to turn you into a human torch. 218 00:10:08,610 --> 00:10:09,810 And they said, no. 219 00:10:09,970 --> 00:10:15,250 And today, in 2026, we're sitting here talking about it. 220 00:10:15,490 --> 00:10:19,300 They saw something, they experienced something, and it changed 221 00:10:19,300 --> 00:10:23,260 their lives in the most powerful way. 222 00:10:23,580 --> 00:10:25,340 And that's what I want to talk to you about. 223 00:10:25,900 --> 00:10:26,380 When I. 224 00:10:26,380 --> 00:10:29,940 When I read this story to you in a minute, I wanted. 225 00:10:29,940 --> 00:10:30,980 That was all a setup. 226 00:10:30,980 --> 00:10:31,860 That's not the sermon. 227 00:10:31,860 --> 00:10:32,316 It's 10. 228 00:10:32,364 --> 00:10:32,580 10. 229 00:10:32,580 --> 00:10:33,580 Are you still with me? 230 00:10:33,820 --> 00:10:34,500 We haven't even. 231 00:10:34,500 --> 00:10:35,820 That was like the prologue. 232 00:10:36,220 --> 00:10:37,340 Are you still with me? 233 00:10:37,660 --> 00:10:38,140 Okay. 234 00:10:38,140 --> 00:10:39,340 Do you need some chocolate? 235 00:10:39,740 --> 00:10:40,820 Okay, maybe later. 236 00:10:40,820 --> 00:10:42,140 Go steal it from the children. 237 00:10:43,260 --> 00:10:45,260 Go steal it from the children afterwards. 238 00:10:45,710 --> 00:10:47,270 The children aren't going to have a good time here. 239 00:10:47,270 --> 00:10:48,230 Don't steal it from them. 240 00:10:48,230 --> 00:10:50,110 Okay, I forgot to say something. 241 00:10:51,150 --> 00:10:52,030 Sidebar. 242 00:10:52,350 --> 00:10:59,710 Our kids volunteers worked so hard to prepare a safe, fun learning 243 00:10:59,710 --> 00:11:01,710 environment for those kids today. 244 00:11:02,030 --> 00:11:04,350 And I want to give them a round of applause for that. 245 00:11:08,830 --> 00:11:11,310 We work so hard to like. 246 00:11:12,370 --> 00:11:16,050 We want kids to feel like church is a safe, wonderful place 247 00:11:16,610 --> 00:11:17,890 to belong and grow. 248 00:11:18,130 --> 00:11:21,250 And our staff and our volunteers work on that very hard. 249 00:11:21,410 --> 00:11:24,050 We have so many volunteers to do that every week. 250 00:11:24,210 --> 00:11:29,450 Angie Eisenthal and Jill Bevins work to just make this just 251 00:11:29,450 --> 00:11:31,530 a place of beauty and glory today. 252 00:11:31,530 --> 00:11:32,970 And I'm just thankful for them. 253 00:11:32,970 --> 00:11:39,420 So round of applause for them too, to all of our volunteers. 254 00:11:39,420 --> 00:11:40,900 Okay, we're back on track. 255 00:11:40,900 --> 00:11:41,740 Are you with me? 256 00:11:42,540 --> 00:11:43,100 Okay. 257 00:11:43,340 --> 00:11:46,060 If you're new to us, I struggle with rabbit trails. 258 00:11:46,700 --> 00:11:47,260 All right. 259 00:11:48,780 --> 00:11:52,380 For them, the story we're about to Read was not just a story. 260 00:11:53,900 --> 00:11:55,420 It wasn't a fairy tale. 261 00:11:56,460 --> 00:11:59,660 It was not just superstition. 262 00:11:59,900 --> 00:12:00,700 It was not. 263 00:12:01,660 --> 00:12:02,460 It was real. 264 00:12:03,150 --> 00:12:04,350 It was life altering. 265 00:12:04,350 --> 00:12:05,310 It was the truth. 266 00:12:05,630 --> 00:12:10,310 And it was about this how like this story that we're going to look 267 00:12:10,310 --> 00:12:10,910 at today. 268 00:12:12,190 --> 00:12:16,870 It's this glorious surprise that defines what Jesus and Christianity 269 00:12:16,870 --> 00:12:17,950 are all about. 270 00:12:18,909 --> 00:12:23,710 The, the, like the center of gravity for, for the Jesus movement 271 00:12:23,710 --> 00:12:25,070 is Easter. 272 00:12:25,710 --> 00:12:28,950 Easter, or Christianity, is all about resurrection. 273 00:12:28,950 --> 00:12:29,990 It's the promise. 274 00:12:29,990 --> 00:12:35,370 As Jesus says in Revelation, behold, I am making things new. 275 00:12:35,530 --> 00:12:39,610 The good news of Christianity is that the whole earth is going 276 00:12:39,610 --> 00:12:45,090 to be restored, every person, a new creation in the whole earth, 277 00:12:45,090 --> 00:12:45,850 a new creation. 278 00:12:45,850 --> 00:12:48,090 And Jesus says, step into it with me now. 279 00:12:48,490 --> 00:12:50,250 Become a new creation now. 280 00:12:50,410 --> 00:12:52,610 Help me build the new creation now. 281 00:12:52,610 --> 00:12:54,970 It's the best thing that you could be a part of. 282 00:12:54,970 --> 00:12:58,810 And Jesus proves in his resurrection that nothing will stop 283 00:12:59,130 --> 00:13:00,410 the power of my love. 284 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:02,880 Nothing will stop this new creation. 285 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:06,120 No power of evil, no power of death, no sin. 286 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:07,520 I will be victorious. 287 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:09,840 This is good news. 288 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:12,400 It's the best surprise. 289 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:15,920 The glorious surprise of Easter is that what seems so bleak 290 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:18,400 about life will be brighter than we can imagine. 291 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:22,480 What seems so final about evil and death will be reversed. 292 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:27,080 And though God may seem so far from our suffering, God's love, power 293 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:28,800 and glory are nearer than we believe. 294 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:30,400 And they will make all things new. 295 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:31,360 Praise be to God. 296 00:13:33,890 --> 00:13:36,490 And last thing I'm going to get to that this is when you'll know 297 00:13:36,490 --> 00:13:38,210 that we're at the end of the sermon today. 298 00:13:38,210 --> 00:13:38,770 Okay. 299 00:13:39,890 --> 00:13:45,930 One thing we're not used to, having to fight against the empire 300 00:13:45,930 --> 00:13:47,410 for our faith in these days. 301 00:13:49,250 --> 00:13:52,050 We hear about stories of persecution in our time. 302 00:13:52,050 --> 00:13:53,730 They're really not persecution. 303 00:13:55,170 --> 00:13:58,370 It's pretty easy to be a follower of Jesus in America. 304 00:14:00,700 --> 00:14:03,620 In fact, what we're a little bit used to in our time is that people 305 00:14:03,620 --> 00:14:08,420 in the highest places with the most power will exploit Christianity 306 00:14:08,420 --> 00:14:09,820 to get more power. 307 00:14:10,300 --> 00:14:12,700 What, Ross, would people do such a thing? 308 00:14:13,100 --> 00:14:13,980 They sure would. 309 00:14:14,140 --> 00:14:19,340 But it's all the same today that if we trust Jesus and stand 310 00:14:19,340 --> 00:14:22,460 up for what Jesus actually said and did and died for, then we're 311 00:14:22,460 --> 00:14:23,660 going to get into some trouble. 312 00:14:23,820 --> 00:14:24,540 Good trouble. 313 00:14:26,390 --> 00:14:30,510 You will get in the good trouble of Jesus, the best kind of 314 00:14:30,510 --> 00:14:30,950 trouble. 315 00:14:31,670 --> 00:14:35,030 If you are filled with the same love, power and glory that was 316 00:14:35,030 --> 00:14:40,710 in his risen life, you will gain life and you will build people 317 00:14:40,710 --> 00:14:43,750 up and be a part of something so much greater than yourself. 318 00:14:44,470 --> 00:14:47,190 So I want to walk you through this story today. 319 00:14:47,830 --> 00:14:51,030 To me, the best story that's ever been told, because it's Real 320 00:14:51,420 --> 00:14:56,220 were in Matthew, the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 28. 321 00:14:57,180 --> 00:15:00,380 And I want to tell you that the way that the trajectory of the 322 00:15:00,380 --> 00:15:05,660 story goes in all of the Bible, for that matter, and all of 323 00:15:05,660 --> 00:15:11,580 life, it goes from like, bleak, darkness, it seems really 324 00:15:11,580 --> 00:15:12,060 bleak. 325 00:15:12,860 --> 00:15:17,180 And then there are people sitting in the darkness for a while, 326 00:15:18,660 --> 00:15:23,860 waiting, and then a glimmer of hope and then a breakthrough. 327 00:15:24,020 --> 00:15:28,580 Bleakness, waiting, glimmer of hope, breakthrough. 328 00:15:29,540 --> 00:15:30,660 All right, here we go. 329 00:15:31,060 --> 00:15:36,020 After the Sabbath, the Jewish Sabbath was from Friday evening to 330 00:15:36,020 --> 00:15:37,060 Saturday evening. 331 00:15:37,860 --> 00:15:43,670 Jesus died at about 3 o' clock in the afternoon on a Friday, sometime 332 00:15:43,670 --> 00:15:44,510 in the afternoon. 333 00:15:44,670 --> 00:15:48,550 That's what we call Good Friday, after the Sabbath, as the 334 00:15:48,550 --> 00:15:49,950 first day of the week was dawning. 335 00:15:49,950 --> 00:15:51,150 What's the first day of the week? 336 00:15:52,270 --> 00:15:53,550 Sunday, in their time. 337 00:15:53,870 --> 00:15:55,950 I thought Jesus rose three days later. 338 00:15:55,950 --> 00:15:56,430 Ross. 339 00:15:56,430 --> 00:15:58,670 Well, no, he rose on the third day. 340 00:15:59,310 --> 00:16:01,790 Friday's day one, Saturday's day two. 341 00:16:01,790 --> 00:16:05,790 Sunday's the third day after the Sabbath. 342 00:16:05,790 --> 00:16:08,510 As the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the 343 00:16:08,510 --> 00:16:10,470 other Mary went to see the tomb. 344 00:16:10,470 --> 00:16:11,310 Here's the point. 345 00:16:12,030 --> 00:16:16,830 They had been waiting for roughly 40 hours, something like 346 00:16:16,830 --> 00:16:18,750 that, about 40 hours. 347 00:16:19,870 --> 00:16:25,390 The number 40 in the Bible is always a period of trial, of wilderness 348 00:16:25,630 --> 00:16:26,350 and waiting. 349 00:16:27,070 --> 00:16:31,110 Jesus, before he launches his public ministry, spends 40 days in 350 00:16:31,110 --> 00:16:37,110 the wilderness, not eating or drinking, and he is tempted by the 351 00:16:37,110 --> 00:16:38,270 accuser, the devil. 352 00:16:39,170 --> 00:16:43,210 The Israelites in the book of Exodus are in the wilderness, the 353 00:16:43,210 --> 00:16:44,850 desert, for 40 years. 354 00:16:45,410 --> 00:16:49,970 These women, it ain't been that bad, but they've been sitting 355 00:16:49,970 --> 00:16:53,330 in this brutal fact of Jesus's death for 40 hours. 356 00:16:53,330 --> 00:16:54,290 And they're waiting. 357 00:16:54,610 --> 00:16:57,010 And I wonder if that's how it is for you right now. 358 00:16:57,170 --> 00:16:59,010 You've been sitting in a crisis. 359 00:17:00,050 --> 00:17:05,379 You've been sitting in sadness or doubt or confusion, the unknown. 360 00:17:06,179 --> 00:17:11,939 And you're waiting and hoping and praying for a sign for a breakthrough. 361 00:17:12,019 --> 00:17:12,979 They were too. 362 00:17:13,619 --> 00:17:16,019 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb. 363 00:17:16,019 --> 00:17:17,059 It's that time of year. 364 00:17:17,059 --> 00:17:21,859 Every time we say it in every story, the women saw Jesus first. 365 00:17:22,419 --> 00:17:25,299 If it weren't for the women, we wouldn't know. 366 00:17:26,179 --> 00:17:28,739 All right, Every year, women, you get a. 367 00:17:29,619 --> 00:17:30,739 Get a plug for that. 368 00:17:31,510 --> 00:17:33,110 And suddenly there was a great. 369 00:17:35,430 --> 00:17:37,270 Do we need to do some jumping jacks? 370 00:17:38,630 --> 00:17:40,150 And suddenly there was a great. 371 00:17:40,950 --> 00:17:41,990 All right, you're with me. 372 00:17:41,990 --> 00:17:47,750 For an angel of the Lord descending from Haman, Heaven came 373 00:17:47,750 --> 00:17:51,110 and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 374 00:17:52,230 --> 00:17:55,670 That's a guy from another story, not this one. 375 00:17:56,640 --> 00:17:57,600 That's for another day. 376 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,200 An angel of the Lord descending from heaven. 377 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:06,680 Haman came back, came and rolled Back the stone and sat on 378 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:06,960 it. 379 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:10,040 This is almost the symbol of. 380 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:10,880 This is. 381 00:18:11,360 --> 00:18:14,600 It's hard for us to receive this, but this is almost like a mic 382 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:15,920 drop moment from God. 383 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:17,840 This is a very heavy stone. 384 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:20,320 Heavy, heavy, heavy, heavy. 385 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:21,920 Rolled in front of the tomb. 386 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:25,440 And the angel is just sitting on it and chilling. 387 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:27,600 Like, yeah, I made quick work of that. 388 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:28,800 That's easy for me. 389 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:30,760 And it's kind of. 390 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:34,960 It's that first glimmer of hope, that sign, like, what is going 391 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:35,600 on here? 392 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:38,680 And that's kind of like the beginning of like the glory that's 393 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:39,760 breaking in in this story. 394 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:44,200 So like I said, the story goes from bleakness and darkness and waiting 395 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:49,450 to a sign of hope to the glory breaking in for fear of him. 396 00:18:49,450 --> 00:18:52,250 The guard shook and became like dead men. 397 00:18:52,250 --> 00:18:56,330 This is a theme throughout the scriptures from the moment Jesus 398 00:18:56,330 --> 00:18:59,770 is born until he is raised. 399 00:18:59,850 --> 00:19:03,290 After he is raised, when people encounter God's glory, they're 400 00:19:03,290 --> 00:19:05,930 terrified in a good sort of way. 401 00:19:07,210 --> 00:19:08,810 So let's go back to Christmas. 402 00:19:08,810 --> 00:19:10,890 Let's have Christmas in April for a minute. 403 00:19:12,090 --> 00:19:14,250 Back when the shepherds who were in the field. 404 00:19:14,250 --> 00:19:16,810 Go back to Charlie Brown, Linus. 405 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,000 The shepherds were keeping their flock by night. 406 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:24,800 And the angel of the Lord appeared and they were what? 407 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:27,640 They were so afraid. 408 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:33,040 Right back then, the shepherds in that story, that's Luke 2, I believe, 409 00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:36,080 they encounter the angels, the glory of God, and it's like, whoa, 410 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:38,560 what's happening? 411 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:40,880 It's a good kind of terror. 412 00:19:42,890 --> 00:19:44,250 And it happens here, too. 413 00:19:45,290 --> 00:19:48,330 The angel said to the women, the women are afraid too. 414 00:19:49,370 --> 00:19:53,570 Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who 415 00:19:53,570 --> 00:19:54,410 is crucified. 416 00:19:55,450 --> 00:19:58,730 He is not here, for he has been raised as he said. 417 00:19:59,690 --> 00:20:01,850 Come see the place where he lay. 418 00:20:03,610 --> 00:20:07,490 Then go quickly and tell his disciples he's been raised from the 419 00:20:07,490 --> 00:20:07,850 dead. 420 00:20:08,010 --> 00:20:10,530 And indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee. 421 00:20:10,530 --> 00:20:12,270 There you will see him. 422 00:20:12,430 --> 00:20:14,510 This is my message for you. 423 00:20:15,550 --> 00:20:19,430 I want to play back some the elements of the good news here. 424 00:20:19,430 --> 00:20:22,030 Okay, let's go back. 425 00:20:22,430 --> 00:20:26,790 Number one, something about this good news is right off the bat, 426 00:20:26,790 --> 00:20:30,230 the angels acknowledges, acknowledge that suffering is a part 427 00:20:30,230 --> 00:20:33,230 of our reality on earth, that things are not as they should be. 428 00:20:33,950 --> 00:20:38,350 God doesn't skip over how hard our life here is. 429 00:20:39,010 --> 00:20:42,770 I know the angel says that you are looking for Jesus crucified. 430 00:20:42,850 --> 00:20:44,050 You went through that. 431 00:20:44,050 --> 00:20:46,290 I know that's what you're stuck in right now. 432 00:20:46,610 --> 00:20:47,330 It's hard. 433 00:20:47,490 --> 00:20:49,690 The suffering seems like the reality. 434 00:20:49,690 --> 00:20:51,250 I know that's where you're stuck. 435 00:20:54,050 --> 00:20:58,770 And then part two of the good news, well, it's that the transformation 436 00:20:58,770 --> 00:20:59,810 has broken in. 437 00:20:59,970 --> 00:21:01,730 A new creation has started. 438 00:21:02,450 --> 00:21:06,130 I know that you're stuck over here, that life has been hard, that 439 00:21:06,130 --> 00:21:07,730 suffering's a part of your reality. 440 00:21:07,730 --> 00:21:09,850 But a new creation has begun. 441 00:21:09,850 --> 00:21:10,600 Come and see it. 442 00:21:11,390 --> 00:21:14,270 Glory has broken in like you've never seen before. 443 00:21:14,350 --> 00:21:16,190 And I want you to come and see it. 444 00:21:16,270 --> 00:21:18,190 A new creation has begun. 445 00:21:19,150 --> 00:21:20,830 Something like you can't imagine. 446 00:21:22,910 --> 00:21:25,150 And then this is one of my favorite parts. 447 00:21:25,550 --> 00:21:27,310 He is going ahead of you. 448 00:21:27,790 --> 00:21:29,390 Part three of the Good News. 449 00:21:31,070 --> 00:21:35,390 Right now in our lives, it does not matter what death is ahead 450 00:21:35,390 --> 00:21:40,170 of us, what darkness is ahead of us, what sin that is keeping us 451 00:21:40,170 --> 00:21:41,170 down from the past. 452 00:21:41,330 --> 00:21:43,730 Jesus is ahead of us in the battle. 453 00:21:43,810 --> 00:21:48,770 He is always ahead of us, shepherding us, leading us on to 454 00:21:48,770 --> 00:21:49,250 glory. 455 00:21:49,570 --> 00:21:56,810 In this case, he's saying, hey, go to the schmucks who left 456 00:21:56,810 --> 00:22:01,730 me for dead, my followers, and tell them I'm still with them. 457 00:22:02,150 --> 00:22:03,670 That's part four of the Good News. 458 00:22:05,110 --> 00:22:08,750 Every single one of those dudes who left me for dead, I'm not 459 00:22:08,750 --> 00:22:09,990 going to leave them for dead. 460 00:22:10,070 --> 00:22:11,830 And he will not leave you for dead. 461 00:22:13,830 --> 00:22:15,950 Nothing stands between us now but love. 462 00:22:15,950 --> 00:22:17,270 Go there and you'll see him. 463 00:22:17,990 --> 00:22:19,910 And then the best surprise comes. 464 00:22:20,950 --> 00:22:22,550 So they left the tomb quickly. 465 00:22:22,550 --> 00:22:23,270 Look at that. 466 00:22:23,350 --> 00:22:24,990 With fear and great joy. 467 00:22:24,990 --> 00:22:26,870 Those things don't go together, do they? 468 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:29,040 Right? 469 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:32,720 This is a good fear. 470 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:36,880 Like you've encountered this brilliant glory that has made you 471 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:41,160 realize how small you are, how your reality has been very small. 472 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:44,840 And things are a lot bigger, bigger and scarier and more wonderful 473 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:45,920 than you ever dreamed. 474 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:53,770 So it's terrifying and it's joyful, and they run to go tell those 475 00:22:53,770 --> 00:22:55,930 fellas who left him for dead. 476 00:22:57,130 --> 00:22:59,610 And then suddenly the goat shows up. 477 00:23:02,410 --> 00:23:04,730 No, not Tom Brady or Michael Jordan. 478 00:23:05,850 --> 00:23:07,010 Sorry, Colts fans. 479 00:23:07,010 --> 00:23:08,290 It's true, he is. 480 00:23:08,290 --> 00:23:14,810 But anyways, Jesus met them and said, it's your turn now. 481 00:23:15,450 --> 00:23:21,140 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, that's a lot more powerful 482 00:23:21,380 --> 00:23:23,780 Hallmark card than any of us is going to get. 483 00:23:25,700 --> 00:23:30,500 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, My favorite part of this story, 484 00:23:30,500 --> 00:23:33,020 the Christmas story in this one, the thing throughout the whole 485 00:23:33,020 --> 00:23:38,180 Bible is that God is so much nearer than we can see, feel or imagine. 486 00:23:38,420 --> 00:23:40,900 They think they've gotten the good news so far. 487 00:23:41,140 --> 00:23:43,540 They think that they've heard something really good. 488 00:23:43,780 --> 00:23:46,300 And then they got an even bigger surprise. 489 00:23:46,300 --> 00:23:47,220 Jesus is near. 490 00:23:47,670 --> 00:23:48,950 He has always been with them. 491 00:23:48,950 --> 00:23:50,230 He'll always be with them. 492 00:23:50,230 --> 00:23:53,230 He says at the end of this gospel, behold, I will be with you 493 00:23:53,230 --> 00:23:54,390 until the end of the age. 494 00:23:54,710 --> 00:23:57,670 And they came and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 495 00:23:59,030 --> 00:24:03,110 Then Jesus said to them again, don't be afraid. 496 00:24:03,430 --> 00:24:06,470 Go and tell my brothers and sisters to go to Galilee. 497 00:24:06,550 --> 00:24:08,790 There they will see me. 498 00:24:08,870 --> 00:24:10,150 There they will see me. 499 00:24:10,230 --> 00:24:11,350 This is the good news. 500 00:24:11,750 --> 00:24:15,330 This is the story that sparked a movement, because it's not just 501 00:24:15,330 --> 00:24:16,250 a story for them. 502 00:24:16,250 --> 00:24:16,890 It was real. 503 00:24:17,610 --> 00:24:21,610 They encountered something that was so real, so life altering 504 00:24:21,610 --> 00:24:24,730 that no threat of death could get them to give it up. 505 00:24:25,530 --> 00:24:28,450 And we're sitting here talking about it today because it was so 506 00:24:28,450 --> 00:24:31,290 real, so powerful, so life altering. 507 00:24:31,770 --> 00:24:35,530 They had a peace in their lives that surpassed understanding, 508 00:24:35,530 --> 00:24:36,730 as the Gospels say. 509 00:24:37,210 --> 00:24:39,810 So I have two more things to tell you, and then I'm done. 510 00:24:39,810 --> 00:24:40,170 Okay? 511 00:24:40,170 --> 00:24:41,050 Are you still with me? 512 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:42,360 Okay. 513 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,400 I have to tell you about someone named Muriel Rose. 514 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:52,320 I was a chaplain at St Vincent Hospital, and when someone is about 515 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:56,600 to die as a chaplain, you will get called there to sit with them 516 00:24:57,720 --> 00:24:59,800 and help them walk through this moment. 517 00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:04,680 And when I got to Muriel, she had a couple of days to live. 518 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:09,280 And when I got to her, I was already surprised at the lightness 519 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:12,670 in her spirit, the sort of radiance in her face. 520 00:25:13,710 --> 00:25:16,550 A lot of times when you get to folks when they're in this moment, 521 00:25:16,550 --> 00:25:17,550 it's not like that. 522 00:25:17,550 --> 00:25:20,350 There's a heaviness about them and a great fear. 523 00:25:22,590 --> 00:25:26,350 She spoke in a very soft spoken way to me and just. 524 00:25:26,350 --> 00:25:29,470 But she said, ross, I'm very afraid. 525 00:25:29,790 --> 00:25:30,990 I'm very afraid. 526 00:25:31,550 --> 00:25:33,870 And so I just sat with her. 527 00:25:33,870 --> 00:25:35,630 We call it the Ministry of Presence. 528 00:25:36,130 --> 00:25:39,090 I'm going to let you in on a little secret that might be disappointing, 529 00:25:39,330 --> 00:25:39,970 okay? 530 00:25:41,010 --> 00:25:44,690 I have no more answers about what happens after we die than the 531 00:25:44,690 --> 00:25:45,250 next person. 532 00:25:45,650 --> 00:25:49,610 I know what I believe, but I can't go like, hey, this is exactly 533 00:25:49,610 --> 00:25:50,530 what happens next. 534 00:25:51,170 --> 00:25:51,810 Chill out. 535 00:25:51,810 --> 00:25:52,930 It's going to be all right. 536 00:25:53,570 --> 00:26:01,930 I just let her with me, dig down into her soul to rediscover 537 00:26:01,930 --> 00:26:06,330 the things she knew and experienced and believed throughout 538 00:26:06,330 --> 00:26:07,010 her whole life. 539 00:26:07,980 --> 00:26:12,060 I let her just dig down for the anchor for her soul that she 540 00:26:12,060 --> 00:26:13,580 had going into that moment. 541 00:26:13,740 --> 00:26:15,660 And she started talking about it. 542 00:26:16,860 --> 00:26:19,980 And then as she kept talking about it, I realized for her, it 543 00:26:19,980 --> 00:26:22,700 wasn't just superstition. 544 00:26:23,100 --> 00:26:26,180 It wasn't just like, don't walk under the ladder. 545 00:26:26,180 --> 00:26:26,940 Or else. 546 00:26:27,420 --> 00:26:30,660 She didn't just have some belief that comforted her for the 547 00:26:30,660 --> 00:26:31,100 bad things. 548 00:26:31,100 --> 00:26:32,660 She actually experienced something. 549 00:26:32,660 --> 00:26:33,580 She believed something. 550 00:26:33,580 --> 00:26:36,580 And when she discovered that, I'm telling you guys, there was a 551 00:26:36,580 --> 00:26:40,460 peace, there was a lightness that washed completely over again. 552 00:26:40,460 --> 00:26:43,420 The scriptures say it's a peace that surpasses understanding. 553 00:26:44,060 --> 00:26:47,140 I Got called back to her the next day because she had asked for 554 00:26:47,140 --> 00:26:47,740 the Eucharist. 555 00:26:47,740 --> 00:26:48,860 She was a Catholic lady. 556 00:26:48,860 --> 00:26:49,260 She had. 557 00:26:49,260 --> 00:26:54,940 She experienced the Eucharist, which is communion, and she was smiling. 558 00:26:55,260 --> 00:26:57,900 She was joyful, light as a feather. 559 00:26:57,900 --> 00:26:59,420 And she died that day. 560 00:26:59,580 --> 00:27:03,340 And her daughter sent me a card the next week, thanking me. 561 00:27:04,770 --> 00:27:07,090 Can you imagine thanking me? 562 00:27:07,970 --> 00:27:09,170 I want to thank her. 563 00:27:09,490 --> 00:27:15,730 I'm talking about her today because she taught me again, like, 564 00:27:15,730 --> 00:27:18,450 the power of this story, the power of belief. 565 00:27:18,610 --> 00:27:21,890 Superstition will not give you the peace she had in that moment. 566 00:27:22,610 --> 00:27:23,490 It will not. 567 00:27:24,850 --> 00:27:26,050 It will not. 568 00:27:27,170 --> 00:27:29,930 And this is why I disagree with Stevie. 569 00:27:29,930 --> 00:27:31,730 You know, we're towards the end now, folks. 570 00:27:32,780 --> 00:27:34,780 This is why I disagree with you, Stevie. 571 00:27:35,740 --> 00:27:37,260 I think it's the opposite. 572 00:27:38,220 --> 00:27:42,380 I think if you believe only in things you understand, then you will 573 00:27:42,380 --> 00:27:42,940 suffer. 574 00:27:44,940 --> 00:27:48,700 I think if you believe in only things you understand, you will suffer. 575 00:27:49,660 --> 00:27:52,940 I tell you right now, I do not understand gravity. 576 00:27:53,740 --> 00:27:54,780 I believe in it. 577 00:27:54,860 --> 00:27:57,020 I do not understand the Big Bang. 578 00:27:57,340 --> 00:27:59,500 I think that's probably how it happened. 579 00:28:00,610 --> 00:28:04,650 Maybe when God said, let there be light, the Big Bang happened. 580 00:28:04,650 --> 00:28:05,170 Boom. 581 00:28:06,130 --> 00:28:09,810 In this universe that we're now a small, teeny, tiny little speck 582 00:28:09,810 --> 00:28:12,450 in started racing into expansion. 583 00:28:13,090 --> 00:28:15,170 I do not understand astrophysics. 584 00:28:15,170 --> 00:28:16,210 I promise you that. 585 00:28:16,210 --> 00:28:18,730 I got a C in Chemistry 115 at Purdue. 586 00:28:18,730 --> 00:28:19,410 That was a sign. 587 00:28:19,410 --> 00:28:21,090 Time to stop with the sciences. 588 00:28:23,250 --> 00:28:25,090 I don't understand that, but I believe it. 589 00:28:25,090 --> 00:28:25,770 And I'll tell you this. 590 00:28:25,770 --> 00:28:29,890 I do not understand fullness, the mystery of Jesus. 591 00:28:30,210 --> 00:28:31,410 But this skeptic. 592 00:28:31,650 --> 00:28:35,890 This skeptic believes it so deeply, I wonder about you. 593 00:28:36,530 --> 00:28:37,810 Do you believe it today? 594 00:28:38,850 --> 00:28:41,010 I did not ask if you understand it. 595 00:28:42,370 --> 00:28:44,610 I did not ask if you understand it. 596 00:28:45,330 --> 00:28:46,370 Do you believe it? 597 00:28:47,330 --> 00:28:47,730 Yes. 598 00:28:47,730 --> 00:28:48,530 There's the evidence. 599 00:28:48,930 --> 00:28:51,770 I gave you my rational argument for Christianity. 600 00:28:51,770 --> 00:28:53,330 I needed that at one time. 601 00:28:53,710 --> 00:28:55,230 I really did, because I'm a skeptic. 602 00:28:55,230 --> 00:28:57,310 God, thank you for loving me still. 603 00:28:58,110 --> 00:28:59,670 But now I've experienced it. 604 00:28:59,670 --> 00:29:02,710 I've seen the Holy Spirit at work through people like Muriel. 605 00:29:02,710 --> 00:29:04,510 I've seen the Holy Spirit at work through you. 606 00:29:04,510 --> 00:29:06,270 I've seen improbable things happen. 607 00:29:06,590 --> 00:29:10,190 God has taught me how to do irrational things, like love my enemies, 608 00:29:10,830 --> 00:29:12,550 pray for people who are mean to me. 609 00:29:12,550 --> 00:29:15,390 And it's changed my heart, made me actually love them deep down. 610 00:29:16,510 --> 00:29:18,110 It's made me a pastor. 611 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:20,760 I didn't want to be a pastor. 612 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:21,880 No way. 613 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:24,040 Sometimes I still don't. 614 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:27,720 Did I say the quiet part out loud? 615 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:29,560 Shoot. 616 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:31,320 I can't quit it. 617 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:31,920 I won't. 618 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:34,200 If this isn't my job, I'll keep doing it. 619 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:36,680 Because there's only one reality to me. 620 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:37,400 Him. 621 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:40,400 There's only one hope to me. 622 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:41,480 His resurrection. 623 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:45,400 There's only one mission that's worth being a part of his 624 00:29:47,510 --> 00:29:49,990 and being a part of it every day has been my greatest joy. 625 00:29:50,310 --> 00:29:52,550 Loving his people is my greatest joy. 626 00:29:52,550 --> 00:29:56,470 Being a part of his resurrection story is my greatest 627 00:29:56,470 --> 00:29:56,870 joy. 628 00:29:57,030 --> 00:29:59,990 And I want to tell you today that you have received the invitation 629 00:29:59,990 --> 00:30:01,430 to be a part of it all over again. 630 00:30:01,750 --> 00:30:02,790 I'm not inviting you. 631 00:30:02,790 --> 00:30:03,270 He is. 632 00:30:03,670 --> 00:30:06,150 Blessed are those who will believe without seeing. 633 00:30:08,070 --> 00:30:11,190 This invitation is coming to you all the time, my friends. 634 00:30:11,350 --> 00:30:12,150 All the time. 635 00:30:13,460 --> 00:30:14,580 The God invitation. 636 00:30:15,060 --> 00:30:17,300 Sometimes it comes to you through the sunrise. 637 00:30:17,540 --> 00:30:20,500 If you're looking, if you're not doing this, which I do it too. 638 00:30:20,500 --> 00:30:21,300 I did it too. 639 00:30:21,300 --> 00:30:21,620 Man. 640 00:30:21,620 --> 00:30:25,060 I really tried to work on my social media stuff for Easter. 641 00:30:25,220 --> 00:30:25,980 It didn't change. 642 00:30:25,980 --> 00:30:28,300 This morning I got up first thing and I was like, I gotta see 643 00:30:28,300 --> 00:30:29,380 what's on the Instagram. 644 00:30:30,900 --> 00:30:34,020 If you, if you're looking up and noticing there's an invitation 645 00:30:34,980 --> 00:30:38,710 in the sunrise and the sunset, if you're listening, the kindness 646 00:30:38,710 --> 00:30:40,430 of your neighbors is an invitation. 647 00:30:41,390 --> 00:30:46,030 Even the darkness sometimes, sometimes Mary Oliver says, like 648 00:30:46,030 --> 00:30:48,510 something like, I found the darkness was a gift too. 649 00:30:48,590 --> 00:30:50,790 There's sometimes an invitation in the dark. 650 00:30:50,790 --> 00:30:53,790 It's Jesus whispering, come, follow me. 651 00:30:54,029 --> 00:30:55,070 Come follow me. 652 00:30:55,070 --> 00:30:58,110 And he will show you the greatest mysteries, the greatest 653 00:30:58,110 --> 00:30:58,670 purpose. 654 00:30:58,910 --> 00:30:59,790 Happy Easter. 655 00:31:00,910 --> 00:31:01,710 Let's pray. 656 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:07,080 Lord, we believe. 657 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:09,880 Help our unbelief. 658 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:13,000 Help us to understand what is ours to understand. 659 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:19,000 Expand our knowledge, our wisdom, but what is not ours to understand. 660 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:23,360 Give us faith, give us perseverance, give us hope and help 661 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:24,840 us to be your Easter people. 662 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:29,160 Not just today, but Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 663 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:32,240 Saturday alongside our neighbors, our co workers in the 664 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:34,200 places where we live, work, learn and play. 665 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:38,600 Fill us with your love, the love of the heavens, so that it may 666 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:41,000 pour out for a new creation. 667 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:42,120 Amen. 668 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:49,040 Thank you for participating in the conversation happening at Heaven 669 00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:50,040 Earth Church. 670 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:55,960 Your next opportunity to do so live is this Sunday morning, 9:30am 671 00:31:57,170 --> 00:32:01,530 Eastern Time, either at the main campus at 309 East Main in Whiteland, 672 00:32:01,530 --> 00:32:05,570 Indiana, or online at YouTube Live. 673 00:32:05,890 --> 00:32:10,770 That's@YouTube.com HeavenEarth Church. 674 00:32:11,730 --> 00:32:17,810 The audio podcast is always available at Apple Podcast and on 675 00:32:17,970 --> 00:32:18,610 Spotify. 676 00:32:19,090 --> 00:32:23,420 You can help others find out about the Heaven Earth Church podcast 677 00:32:23,740 --> 00:32:28,540 by going to Apple Podcasts and or Spotify and leaving a five star 678 00:32:28,540 --> 00:32:32,820 rating and your review instructions on how to do just that 679 00:32:32,820 --> 00:32:34,860 and links are in the show notes. 680 00:32:35,420 --> 00:32:41,020 You can always find out more by going to the church website heavenearthchurch.org 681 00:32:41,500 --> 00:32:41,780 we. 682 00:32:41,780 --> 00:32:43,980 Want to thank you for spending time with us today. 683 00:32:44,140 --> 00:32:47,420 My name is Ross Stackhouse, the pastor to Heaven Earth Church. 684 00:32:48,070 --> 00:32:51,150 And you may think out there that your story is over, but in fact, 685 00:32:51,150 --> 00:32:54,310 your faith story may just be beginning. 686 00:32:54,550 --> 00:32:57,390 If you want more information about our church or you're interested 687 00:32:57,390 --> 00:33:01,430 in the next step, you can go to heavenorthchurch.org Otherwise,. 688 00:33:01,430 --> 00:33:04,230 We look forward now with the message for Easter Sunday. 689 00:33:04,550 --> 00:33:11,190 Church Podcast 2026 is Heaven Earth Church Pastor Ross Stackhouse.