1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:05,020 Welcome everybody and happy Easter. Great to see all of you guys today. We are here today 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:12,200 to celebrate the truth, the reality that God made a promise to rescue us from all that's broken in 3 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:19,120 this world and more importantly what's broken inside of each of us and it is finished. God kept 4 00:00:19,300 --> 00:00:24,660 that promise by sending his son Jesus to live a perfect life that we couldn't live to show that 5 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:31,500 He loves us to death by actually going to death in our place as a substitutionary payment for our sins. 6 00:00:31,750 --> 00:00:36,540 And to prove that that rescue worked by rising victorious from the dead. 7 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:46,160 Jesus is now seated at God's right hand, transforming this world one life at a time until he comes back again to make it all beautiful and right again. 8 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:48,180 That's what we're here to celebrate today. 9 00:00:48,390 --> 00:00:48,520 Amen? 10 00:00:50,020 --> 00:00:50,220 Amen. 11 00:00:50,370 --> 00:00:53,900 And so, man, great to see you guys celebrating that with us here today. 12 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:56,600 My name is Justin. I'm one of the pastors here of our church. 13 00:00:57,260 --> 00:01:02,760 Okay, so we're going to focus our attention now on Jesus and the words of the Bible, 14 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:07,300 the words that God gave us so that we can know him and know the life that we have through him. 15 00:01:07,550 --> 00:01:11,920 And so if you have a Bible, you can grab it now and turn to John chapter 20. 16 00:01:12,700 --> 00:01:19,060 That'll be on page 963 in those Bibles under the chairs in front of you if you're using one of those. 17 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:24,000 For the last several weeks, we've been looking at the life of Jesus 18 00:01:24,020 --> 00:01:29,860 And how whenever people encounter the true, real Jesus, they walk away transformed. 19 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:35,680 And today, we're going to look at another story about how Jesus changed someone's life. 20 00:01:35,940 --> 00:01:40,680 It's the first life he transformed after the resurrection. 21 00:01:41,420 --> 00:01:42,520 That's what we're going to look at today. 22 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:45,640 And so we're going to pray a simple prayer as we get into God's word. 23 00:01:45,780 --> 00:01:47,360 It's a prayer from Psalm 74. 24 00:01:47,660 --> 00:01:48,560 It's going to be up on the screen. 25 00:01:48,700 --> 00:01:51,920 So I want us all to say it together, and then we're going to pray it. 26 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:53,780 So let's say it in three, two, one. 27 00:01:54,260 --> 00:01:57,380 You are the God who works miracles. 28 00:01:57,840 --> 00:01:58,180 Let's pray. 29 00:01:58,900 --> 00:01:59,760 Yes, God, you are. 30 00:02:01,020 --> 00:02:03,020 You are the miracle-working God. 31 00:02:04,580 --> 00:02:07,760 Jesus is alive today, and that is a miracle. 32 00:02:07,980 --> 00:02:09,800 You have defeated death. 33 00:02:10,759 --> 00:02:12,420 You've defeated our sin. 34 00:02:13,260 --> 00:02:14,540 You've defeated the enemy. 35 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,480 That is a miraculous work that you have done, but you are not done. 36 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,860 You are the God who continues to work miracles. 37 00:02:25,020 --> 00:02:28,320 There are so many people here in this room today who are living miracles, 38 00:02:28,630 --> 00:02:32,220 who have gone from death to life because Jesus has rescued them. 39 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,600 And so God, we just pray that you'd work more miracles this morning. 40 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:42,120 Before we leave here today, we pray that we would see miracles. 41 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:45,280 We pray it in Jesus' name. Amen. 42 00:02:46,550 --> 00:02:49,220 Amen. Let's look at verse 1, John chapter 20. 43 00:02:49,700 --> 00:02:54,700 On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early while it was still dark. 44 00:02:55,380 --> 00:02:58,640 She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 45 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:01,120 All right, so who is this Mary? 46 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,920 We only know a few details about Mary Magdalene from the Bible, 47 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,260 and all of them are really in Luke 8, the first couple verses of Luke 8. 48 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,240 And so here's what we know about Mary Magdalene. 49 00:03:10,620 --> 00:03:14,400 We know that she was a woman who lived in the first century that met Jesus. 50 00:03:14,640 --> 00:03:20,000 And when she met Jesus, at that time, she was possessed by seven demons. 51 00:03:20,460 --> 00:03:20,700 All right? 52 00:03:20,920 --> 00:03:22,940 You think your life's kind of going kind of weird right now? 53 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:24,560 She was possessed by seven demons. 54 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:24,940 All right? 55 00:03:24,980 --> 00:03:27,540 She was at a low point when she met Jesus. 56 00:03:28,020 --> 00:03:28,820 And Jesus healed her. 57 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:33,780 Jesus casted out those demons, brought her new life physically, healed her spiritually, 58 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:35,260 emotionally healed her. 59 00:03:35,540 --> 00:03:39,580 And now, since then, she's been following Jesus and his disciples around. 60 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,760 As Jesus walks around teaching and preaching about who God is and who he is, 61 00:03:44,100 --> 00:03:50,440 She's been following him and supporting his ministry and the disciples through giving of her finances, 62 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:52,080 just supporting Jesus financially. 63 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:54,700 And what that means is this, she's given her whole life to Jesus. 64 00:03:55,820 --> 00:03:58,320 This is someone who Jesus has already transformed. 65 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:01,880 He's already worked in her life powerfully to give her this new life. 66 00:04:02,220 --> 00:04:07,800 And now she's following him even though she doesn't fully understand who he is. 67 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:09,700 She just knows he saved her life. 68 00:04:10,500 --> 00:04:10,720 All right? 69 00:04:11,100 --> 00:04:15,560 And now she's at Jesus' tomb right after his burial. 70 00:04:16,280 --> 00:04:18,799 She's one of the few people who was there at the cross, 71 00:04:19,299 --> 00:04:22,440 one of only two people who followed to see where Jesus was buried, 72 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:24,860 and now she's back on Sunday morning. 73 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,920 All of Jesus' other followers have run away scared. 74 00:04:30,260 --> 00:04:36,220 And she sees that the stone sealing Jesus' tomb has been moved. 75 00:04:38,180 --> 00:04:44,560 The religious leaders of the day, they had heard that Jesus was talking about how he was going to die and he was going to rise after three days. 76 00:04:44,940 --> 00:04:46,040 And that threatened them. 77 00:04:46,220 --> 00:04:50,900 I mean, these are the ones who killed Jesus because his whole teaching and life threatened them and their jobs and everything. 78 00:04:51,380 --> 00:04:57,140 And so they go to the government official to Pilate and they say, hey, this Jesus guy, he said he was going to rise from the dead. 79 00:04:57,740 --> 00:04:58,620 And here's what they were saying. 80 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:00,780 They were saying, I know that's not possible. 81 00:05:01,500 --> 00:05:03,020 He's not going to really rise from the dead. 82 00:05:03,280 --> 00:05:07,120 But they told Pilate what we think is going to happen is his disciples are going to come, 83 00:05:07,620 --> 00:05:10,560 get into that tomb, and steal away Jesus' body. 84 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:14,900 And if they do that, then it's going to keep this Jesus movement going, 85 00:05:15,550 --> 00:05:17,440 and it's going to be harder to snuff it out. 86 00:05:17,610 --> 00:05:20,480 And so they asked Pilate, can we seal that tomb? 87 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:21,780 And Pilate said, sure. 88 00:05:22,250 --> 00:05:24,260 He said, go seal it with a giant rock. 89 00:05:24,700 --> 00:05:28,700 He said, take these government-trained guards and put guards all around the tomb. 90 00:05:28,730 --> 00:05:33,240 And then he says this, do whatever else you see fit to secure that tomb 91 00:05:33,260 --> 00:05:34,340 the best way you know possible. 92 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,100 And so these guys whose lives depended on it 93 00:05:38,420 --> 00:05:39,920 went and sealed that tomb 94 00:05:40,500 --> 00:05:42,780 to the best of human ability. 95 00:05:44,300 --> 00:05:46,140 And Mary shows up Sunday morning 96 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:48,220 and sees that the stone is moved. 97 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:49,960 The guards are gone 98 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:52,520 and Jesus's body is not there. 99 00:05:52,660 --> 00:05:53,140 So verse two, 100 00:05:53,460 --> 00:05:54,860 she went running to Simon Peter 101 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:56,120 and to the other disciple, 102 00:05:56,220 --> 00:05:58,640 the one Jesus loved and said to them, 103 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:00,680 they've taken the Lord out of the tomb 104 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,340 and we don't know where they've put him. 105 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:06,840 She runs to tell Peter and John. 106 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:10,120 Now, that's the disciple who Jesus loved, 107 00:06:10,220 --> 00:06:11,200 what it says there in verse two. 108 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:12,260 That's talking about John. 109 00:06:12,420 --> 00:06:13,540 John's the one who wrote this book. 110 00:06:13,860 --> 00:06:16,580 The nickname he gives himself is disciple who Jesus loved. 111 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,920 Kind of braggy, you know? 112 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:24,360 But Mary probably went to get these guys 113 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:25,580 because in the first century, 114 00:06:25,740 --> 00:06:27,160 women didn't have the same rights as men 115 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,460 and a woman's testimony wasn't admissible in court. 116 00:06:29,980 --> 00:06:34,080 For a testimony to be admissible in court as fact, it needed the witness of two men. 117 00:06:34,460 --> 00:06:37,280 And so she runs, sadly, to have to get two men here. 118 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:39,240 At verse 3, it says, 119 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:42,240 At that, Peter and the other disciple went out heading for the tomb. 120 00:06:42,740 --> 00:06:47,680 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. 121 00:06:48,300 --> 00:06:52,320 So John doesn't just want everyone forever to know that Jesus loved him best. 122 00:06:52,540 --> 00:06:54,520 He also wants us to know that he's faster than Peter. 123 00:06:55,100 --> 00:06:57,040 He wants us 2,000 years, here we are now. 124 00:06:58,660 --> 00:07:00,380 John's faster than Peter, guys, all right? 125 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:02,080 And so I guess he wanted us to know that. 126 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:05,900 Those are like the two things that every four or five-year-old says all the time. 127 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:08,200 Daddy loves me more than me, and I'm faster than you. 128 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:10,340 You know, I mean, John's got to be a middle child. 129 00:07:10,580 --> 00:07:13,740 He's just got to be the middle child trying to stand his ground here. 130 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:14,300 I don't know. 131 00:07:14,580 --> 00:07:16,700 But his fast legs get him to the tomb first. 132 00:07:17,140 --> 00:07:18,240 And verse 5, it says, 133 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:22,240 Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he didn't go in. 134 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:25,840 Then, following him, Simon Peter also came. 135 00:07:26,260 --> 00:07:28,600 He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. 136 00:07:28,700 --> 00:07:31,500 The wrapping that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths, 137 00:07:31,500 --> 00:07:33,780 but was folded in a separate place by itself. 138 00:07:34,860 --> 00:07:37,540 The other disciple who had reached the tomb first, 139 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,020 then also went in, saw, and believed. 140 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:44,740 A third time, John just brings it up. 141 00:07:45,380 --> 00:07:48,360 He says here, then following him, Simon Peter, 142 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:49,740 and then in that last verse we read there, 143 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:52,620 the disciple who reached the tomb first, 144 00:07:52,940 --> 00:07:55,300 he really wants to highlight that he's faster than Peter. 145 00:07:56,120 --> 00:08:01,700 and listen if we know anything about Jesus's disciples we know that they are almost always 146 00:08:02,100 --> 00:08:08,340 focused on the wrong things and here we see it again John's focus in this moment is even being 147 00:08:08,740 --> 00:08:14,040 faster than Peter wanting to shine some light on himself even while he's writing about Jesus having 148 00:08:14,340 --> 00:08:20,200 victory over death like did he think we'd be impressed like yeah Jesus defeated death but I'm 149 00:08:20,300 --> 00:08:25,360 faster than Peter what like come on dude like I don't know what he's doing here but it highlights 150 00:08:25,380 --> 00:08:26,240 It's what we see in verse 9. 151 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:30,100 For they did not yet understand the scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead. 152 00:08:31,180 --> 00:08:33,300 Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying. 153 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:34,860 See, at this point, they still don't get it. 154 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:38,800 They still didn't believe that Jesus had come back to life. 155 00:08:39,419 --> 00:08:44,240 They're still focused on all these other little things and trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces of their life. 156 00:08:45,220 --> 00:08:49,340 Maybe they were starting to believe a little bit, but not enough to stake their lives on it. 157 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:51,900 Not enough to stick around at the tomb. 158 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,640 They ran back to the house and hid. 159 00:08:55,560 --> 00:08:57,740 it was really hard for them to believe 160 00:08:58,340 --> 00:08:59,820 that Jesus had risen from the dead. 161 00:09:03,660 --> 00:09:04,860 Maybe it's hard for you to believe too. 162 00:09:07,100 --> 00:09:08,040 Maybe it's hard for you to believe 163 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:10,140 that a Jewish rabbi 2,000 years ago 164 00:09:10,420 --> 00:09:12,440 was actually God who became man 165 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,240 and who lived and died for you to rescue you 166 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:16,820 and that after he really died 167 00:09:17,020 --> 00:09:18,980 he actually had victory over death 168 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:20,560 and rose up back to life. 169 00:09:21,300 --> 00:09:23,779 And man, if that is hard for you to believe 170 00:09:26,180 --> 00:09:27,180 you're in good company. 171 00:09:28,620 --> 00:09:30,100 I was really hard for Peter to believe 172 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:31,680 and John to believe 173 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:33,820 and Mary to believe. 174 00:09:36,100 --> 00:09:36,700 But here's the thing. 175 00:09:37,420 --> 00:09:39,160 We've all got to come to a conclusion 176 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:41,340 about what happened to Jesus. 177 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:44,440 Looking at the historical evidence, 178 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:46,100 everything that's been preserved, 179 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:47,700 all the eyewitness accounts, 180 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:50,040 Jesus appearing to over 500 people 181 00:09:50,330 --> 00:09:51,140 after he was raised, 182 00:09:51,370 --> 00:09:53,059 the explosion of the Christian faith 183 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:54,760 in the church over the last 2,000 years, 184 00:09:55,060 --> 00:09:56,380 all of us have to ask ourselves this, 185 00:09:56,740 --> 00:09:58,380 do I really truly believe 186 00:09:58,700 --> 00:10:00,900 that Jesus actually rose from the dead? 187 00:10:03,820 --> 00:10:05,880 Because if it's true 188 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,040 that a God-man came and lived among us 189 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,660 and then died but rose from the dead victorious, 190 00:10:14,140 --> 00:10:17,780 then that changes everything for us. 191 00:10:19,700 --> 00:10:20,520 That changes everything. 192 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:27,620 If there's a God who can have victory over death, then anything is possible. 193 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:30,380 Anything is possible. 194 00:10:32,540 --> 00:10:35,780 Do you believe that anything is possible with God? 195 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:43,680 We live in a world where it seems like the things that are impossible are becoming more and more possible. 196 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:46,820 It seems like some impossible thing is happening like every day. 197 00:10:47,660 --> 00:10:48,600 Like dire wolves. 198 00:10:48,940 --> 00:10:51,380 Dire wolves became extinct thousands of years ago, 199 00:10:51,740 --> 00:10:54,540 but some company last week named Colossal Biosciences 200 00:10:55,060 --> 00:10:56,680 found some DNA of some old dire wolves, 201 00:10:57,060 --> 00:11:00,040 and they did something that allowed three dire wolf pups 202 00:11:00,060 --> 00:11:02,200 to be born last week into this world 203 00:11:02,580 --> 00:11:04,460 after being extinct for thousands of years. 204 00:11:05,620 --> 00:11:08,180 We are that much closer to Jurassic Park, guys. 205 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:09,400 Like, it's coming. 206 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:10,080 It's happening. 207 00:11:10,340 --> 00:11:11,580 My great-grand, I think we're on track. 208 00:11:11,700 --> 00:11:13,420 My great-grandkids could own a Stegosaurus, 209 00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:14,100 and I'm for it. 210 00:11:14,140 --> 00:11:15,160 Like, I'm all about it. 211 00:11:15,380 --> 00:11:16,560 Bring them back, all right? 212 00:11:16,740 --> 00:11:17,520 I think that movie, 213 00:11:17,680 --> 00:11:18,940 I don't think that was a cautionary tale. 214 00:11:18,980 --> 00:11:19,920 I don't think it'll go that way. 215 00:11:19,940 --> 00:11:20,660 I think it'll be fine. 216 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:21,800 All right, so let's just do it. 217 00:11:21,860 --> 00:11:22,500 Let's bring them back. 218 00:11:23,060 --> 00:11:23,560 I love it. 219 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:24,920 The impossible is coming true. 220 00:11:25,500 --> 00:11:27,280 Our new van that our family has, 221 00:11:27,680 --> 00:11:30,420 it has the ability when we're at a stoplight 222 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:33,800 to actually ding me, to send an alarm to me 223 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:36,540 when the car in front of me starts to move and go ahead. 224 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:38,760 So I can now come to this stoplight here at Walmart, 225 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:41,680 put my van in park and take an eight minute power nap. 226 00:11:42,060 --> 00:11:44,540 And then right after, right when that car in front of me moves, 227 00:11:44,660 --> 00:11:45,900 it's just gonna ding me and wake me up. 228 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:47,300 What a time to be alive. 229 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:50,680 the impossible is coming true. 230 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,780 It's an amazing time to be on this planet. 231 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,040 But you and I also know 232 00:12:00,670 --> 00:12:02,120 that there are things in our lives 233 00:12:02,150 --> 00:12:03,860 that seem impossible. 234 00:12:08,540 --> 00:12:09,260 The diagnosis. 235 00:12:13,220 --> 00:12:15,920 The failing or failed relationships. 236 00:12:19,060 --> 00:12:19,880 the broken trust 237 00:12:23,060 --> 00:12:24,480 the crippling anxiety 238 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:30,080 making up for past mistakes 239 00:12:34,220 --> 00:12:39,560 there's so many things in our lives that can feel impossible right and I don't know what 240 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:44,999 impossibilities you brought with you here into this room today what things in your life that just feel 241 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:49,600 man, it just seems like it's impossible and it's never going to happen and there's no hope. 242 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:53,280 But Mary showed up to the tomb this Sunday morning with an impossibility. 243 00:12:54,260 --> 00:12:59,480 She was not thinking at all that it was possible for Jesus to be raised from the dead. 244 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:03,000 That's why in verse 11 it says this, Mary stood outside the tomb crying. 245 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:05,040 She didn't think it was possible. 246 00:13:06,560 --> 00:13:11,220 But look, as she was crying, as she was feeling life's impossibilities, 247 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:13,760 she stooped to look into the tomb. 248 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:19,800 She saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus' body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 249 00:13:20,020 --> 00:13:22,560 They said to her, woman, why are you crying? 250 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,860 Because they've taken away my Lord, she told them, and I don't know where they've put him. 251 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:35,320 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. 252 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:39,060 But she did not know it was Jesus. 253 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:42,640 Woman, Jesus said to her, why are you crying? 254 00:13:43,380 --> 00:13:46,000 Who is it that you are seeking? 255 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:50,800 Now, Mary's been around for the last several hours. 256 00:13:51,100 --> 00:13:54,900 She's seen Jesus hit, beaten, flogged, the crown of thorns. 257 00:13:55,180 --> 00:13:58,420 By the time Jesus died, his face was so unrecognizable. 258 00:13:58,740 --> 00:14:01,860 But now, in his resurrected body, those wounds would have been healed. 259 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:06,880 He still bears the scars on his arms and on his feet where the nails pierced him. 260 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:10,920 But all the other injuries have been healed in this resurrected body. 261 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:13,540 And so this isn't the Jesus she's looking for. 262 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:16,220 And that's the point of the question. 263 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:19,780 Who is it that you're seeking? 264 00:14:21,300 --> 00:14:22,060 Who are you looking for? 265 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:25,360 When God asks those kinds of questions, 266 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:27,760 he asks them because he wants us to think. 267 00:14:30,300 --> 00:14:31,180 Who are you looking for? 268 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:37,180 Who did you come in here looking for today? 269 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:42,020 Which version of Jesus are you here for? 270 00:14:43,660 --> 00:14:46,060 The beaten, disfigured, humiliated Jesus? 271 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:48,780 He's not here. 272 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:52,480 The weak Jesus? 273 00:14:54,580 --> 00:14:56,160 The good teacher Jesus? 274 00:14:57,700 --> 00:15:00,340 The inspiring historical figure Jesus? 275 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:03,260 The co-pilot of your life Jesus? 276 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:05,200 The homeboy Jesus? 277 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,100 The Jesus who will walk beside you on the beach 278 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:09,520 but carry you once you get tired? 279 00:15:11,050 --> 00:15:12,100 None of those Jesuses are here. 280 00:15:13,590 --> 00:15:15,940 But the resurrected Jesus is here. 281 00:15:16,700 --> 00:15:18,000 The victorious Jesus. 282 00:15:18,900 --> 00:15:21,720 The Jesus who's defeated sin and death and Satan 283 00:15:21,910 --> 00:15:23,500 and rose triumphant from the grave, 284 00:15:23,860 --> 00:15:26,840 showing us that he has the power to raise each of us from the dead as well. 285 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:30,300 That Jesus is right here in our midst. 286 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:33,080 You can experience him today. 287 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,220 Just like Mary was experiencing him. 288 00:15:41,900 --> 00:15:42,840 But she missed it. 289 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:46,040 She missed it, right? 290 00:15:46,700 --> 00:15:47,460 She wasn't paying attention. 291 00:15:47,980 --> 00:15:51,720 Verse 15, supposing he was the gardener, she replied, 292 00:15:52,340 --> 00:15:57,060 Sir, if you've carried him away, tell me where you've put him and I will take him away. 293 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:00,580 See guys, we can get so distracted. 294 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:06,420 We can turn our eyes so aggressively away from Jesus that we actually miss him. 295 00:16:06,620 --> 00:16:12,100 Mary was missing Jesus even though he was right in front of her. 296 00:16:14,660 --> 00:16:15,420 And maybe that's you. 297 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:17,380 Maybe that's you. 298 00:16:18,740 --> 00:16:20,600 Maybe you've been missing Jesus. 299 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:26,160 Maybe you've been content to let Jesus be the gardener of your life, 300 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:29,260 to occupy this small piece of your life, 301 00:16:29,420 --> 00:16:36,140 and you've had your head turned away from Jesus and focused on all the cares in this world and all the cares of your life. 302 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:37,060 That's what Mary's doing. 303 00:16:37,260 --> 00:16:41,360 She's turned her head away from Jesus, and she's focusing on these other little things. 304 00:16:41,460 --> 00:16:44,440 Oh, I don't know where this corpse is, and I don't know what to do about the linen, 305 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:46,260 and what do I do with these spices I brought? 306 00:16:46,380 --> 00:16:48,840 She's so concerned with all the other things of life. 307 00:16:50,460 --> 00:16:54,620 She's turned her head away from the one who can actually transform her life. 308 00:16:56,660 --> 00:16:57,200 Maybe that's you. 309 00:16:57,340 --> 00:17:02,920 Maybe you're a Christian here today and you're like, man, I've been focusing on so many other things in life and I just give Jesus. 310 00:17:03,070 --> 00:17:05,640 I let him occupy this little corner way over here. 311 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:10,980 Or maybe you're here this morning and you're like, I don't think I've ever really turned and paid attention to Jesus. 312 00:17:12,060 --> 00:17:14,220 I'm here on Easter because I think that's probably a good thing to do. 313 00:17:14,270 --> 00:17:17,819 But man, I don't think I've ever actually turned and looked at Jesus. 314 00:17:19,900 --> 00:17:23,760 And man, if that's you today, right now, I believe this. 315 00:17:23,850 --> 00:17:26,199 I believe that Jesus is calling your name. 316 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:28,960 just like he did for Mary. 317 00:17:31,460 --> 00:17:33,040 That's what Jesus recently did for Sandy. 318 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,020 Sandy was in Kakaako a few months ago. 319 00:17:36,130 --> 00:17:38,840 She was at her storage unit across the street from Harbor Honolulu 320 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:40,740 putting some stuff in her storage unit 321 00:17:40,950 --> 00:17:43,060 and she looked across the street and saw our church. 322 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:45,360 And at that moment she said, 323 00:17:45,660 --> 00:17:46,740 man, I've been ignoring Jesus. 324 00:17:47,120 --> 00:17:48,200 I've been ignoring God. 325 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:50,840 I've been searching for all kinds of other things in life 326 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:53,840 for the last 30 years, but I've been ignoring God. 327 00:17:54,010 --> 00:17:56,240 And so she walked right across the street that moment 328 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:58,920 walked into church and she heard about Jesus. 329 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:01,300 She started to hear about who Jesus is 330 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:02,980 and how much Jesus loves her. 331 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:06,720 And she heard Jesus call her name. 332 00:18:08,900 --> 00:18:09,880 Listen to how she responded. 333 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:10,820 Listen to Sandy's story. 334 00:18:22,660 --> 00:18:24,220 It felt like life was full. 335 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:31,740 A high paying job, designer clothes, the highs of shopping, traveling, and smoking. 336 00:18:33,270 --> 00:18:35,420 But beneath the surface, I was numb. 337 00:18:36,950 --> 00:18:37,840 I tried everything. 338 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:43,380 Crystals, new age beliefs, even old Buddhist traditions from my upbringing. 339 00:18:45,360 --> 00:18:47,200 But nothing filled the void inside me. 340 00:18:49,360 --> 00:18:53,000 For over 30 years, I was consumed by the world of luxury retail. 341 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:58,260 I still felt empty, like my soul was slowly dying. 342 00:19:00,940 --> 00:19:07,440 Then one day, I looked up from my 45th floor condo, and I saw the face of God in the clouds. 343 00:19:08,460 --> 00:19:12,080 I fell to my knees and cried for the first time in years. 344 00:19:14,460 --> 00:19:15,180 Something shifted. 345 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:19,680 In that moment, I surrendered my life to Christ. 346 00:19:20,380 --> 00:19:25,900 The things I had been turning to for the past 30 years, I let go of. 347 00:19:27,660 --> 00:19:28,800 I felt truly alive. 348 00:19:30,460 --> 00:19:32,240 He healed what nothing else could. 349 00:19:33,540 --> 00:19:34,940 Now I'm not just living. 350 00:19:36,300 --> 00:19:37,360 I'm living transformed. 351 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:48,400 For 30 years, 30 years, Sandy had had her attention turned away, 352 00:19:48,660 --> 00:19:54,240 her gaze turned away from who Jesus was, from how God was working in her life. But she came into 353 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:58,340 church that day and she heard about Jesus and she started thinking about the gospel, thinking about 354 00:19:58,340 --> 00:20:01,700 the good news. And then God showed up and just called her name. He did it in this miraculous, 355 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:07,320 I mean, kind of weird kind of way by allowing her to see his face in the clouds. God can speak to us 356 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:11,860 however he wants. But in that moment, Sandy remembered what she'd heard in that church 357 00:20:12,820 --> 00:20:18,620 about who Jesus was and how much he loved her. Sandy put her faith in Jesus and she started to 358 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:24,700 experience a new life. And now today, Sandy is a growing, thriving member of Harbor Church Honolulu 359 00:20:24,780 --> 00:20:30,980 down in town, and she's bringing other people in her life to meet Jesus. And it happened to Sandy 360 00:20:31,220 --> 00:20:39,260 the same way it did with Mary. In verse 16, Jesus said to her, Mary. Jesus called her name. 361 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:48,600 He spoke directly to her. Mary heard the voice of God in her life. She knew that God was speaking 362 00:20:48,620 --> 00:20:50,580 her to get her attention. 363 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:54,220 Jesus spoke to her. 364 00:21:00,220 --> 00:21:00,840 Do you hear it? 365 00:21:04,420 --> 00:21:05,140 Do you hear it? 366 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:08,280 The voice of God in your own life? 367 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,100 Do you hear Jesus speaking to you today? 368 00:21:17,740 --> 00:21:19,760 Maybe he's getting your attention here today. 369 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:22,920 He's telling you, man, you've been running away for a long time. 370 00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:24,920 Sandy was running away her whole life. 371 00:21:25,270 --> 00:21:29,720 It was later in life, years and years down the path of turning her attention away from Jesus. 372 00:21:29,830 --> 00:21:30,680 And maybe that's you today. 373 00:21:30,730 --> 00:21:32,660 You're like, man, I'm way down that path. 374 00:21:32,660 --> 00:21:33,660 I don't know if I can turn back. 375 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:38,900 Maybe Jesus is calling your name today. 376 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:43,040 Look how Mary responds in verse 16. 377 00:21:44,340 --> 00:21:45,220 Turning around. 378 00:21:47,360 --> 00:21:55,680 she said to him in Aramaic, Rabboni, which means teacher. She turns and actually looks at Jesus. 379 00:21:56,520 --> 00:22:02,160 She sees him for who he truly is. And that word there, it literally means precious teacher. 380 00:22:03,020 --> 00:22:08,060 And in this moment, Jesus is teaching her some precious lessons. He's teaching her that he's 381 00:22:08,140 --> 00:22:12,620 there for her. He's teaching her that he's going to show up for her when she's at her lowest. 382 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:16,940 He's teaching her that he knows her, that he's defeated death for her. 383 00:22:17,140 --> 00:22:20,460 And he's about to teach her that he's given her life a new purpose. 384 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:21,520 Because look at verse 17. 385 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:25,200 He says, don't cling to me since I have not ascended to the Father, 386 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:29,900 but go to my brothers and tell them that I'm ascending to my Father and your Father, 387 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:31,480 to my God and your God. 388 00:22:31,980 --> 00:22:34,600 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, 389 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:36,640 I have seen the Lord. 390 00:22:37,900 --> 00:22:40,300 And she told them what Jesus had said to her. 391 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:46,420 Mary Magdalene becomes the first person to meet the risen Jesus. 392 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:51,160 The first person to tell others that Jesus is alive. 393 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:57,660 This formerly demon-possessed woman, a woman whose society probably had no hopes for, 394 00:22:57,860 --> 00:23:01,660 and she'd likely given up having hope in her own life that it could be turned around, 395 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:06,000 is now the first person to share the good news of Jesus with anyone. 396 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:07,980 And here's what that tells us, guys. 397 00:23:08,380 --> 00:23:11,620 it tells us that it doesn't matter what your past is. 398 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:18,520 It tells us that it doesn't matter what you've done or where you come from. 399 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:24,100 It tells us that it doesn't matter your status in society. 400 00:23:25,300 --> 00:23:30,180 Through Mary Magdalene, we see that anything is possible now that Jesus is risen. 401 00:23:30,650 --> 00:23:37,100 A formerly demon-possessed woman can become the first proclaimer of the greatest news in the world. 402 00:23:37,740 --> 00:23:42,920 If the tomb is really empty, then anything is possible. 403 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:53,360 The way that Jesus transformed Mary's life, he can transform our lives today in the same ways. 404 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:59,360 Mary realized that because the tomb was empty, that she could have a transformed faith. 405 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:06,060 Like in verse 2, when she first shows up to the tomb, Mary says they've taken the body away. 406 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:12,100 where have they taken the body? She's focused on the dead corpse of Jesus. See, when she comes to 407 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:17,320 the tomb, her focus is simply this. Her faith is just this. Jesus was a good teacher. Jesus was an 408 00:24:17,620 --> 00:24:21,480 inspirational figure, but she didn't think he could be raised from the dead, which means this. 409 00:24:21,690 --> 00:24:28,300 She didn't think he was God yet. She just comes to the tomb and says, where's my teacher? Where's 410 00:24:28,620 --> 00:24:36,240 the one who I've been following? But because of the empty tomb, because she encountered the risen 411 00:24:36,260 --> 00:24:46,240 Jesus, she says in verse 18, I've seen the Lord. Jesus is the Lord to her now. He's God himself 412 00:24:46,700 --> 00:24:51,900 who is more powerful than death. She has a new faith, not just in a good teacher or a miracle 413 00:24:52,100 --> 00:24:58,100 worker, but in God himself. Because the tomb is empty, Mary's faith can be transformed. And guys, 414 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:01,540 because the tomb is empty, your faith can be transformed today. 415 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:09,480 You can go from viewing Jesus as an inspirational figure or a good teacher or the founder of a religion 416 00:25:09,900 --> 00:25:15,380 to today for the first time viewing him as the God of the universe who defeated death for you. 417 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:17,320 That's a new kind of faith. 418 00:25:18,540 --> 00:25:19,660 That's a different kind of faith. 419 00:25:20,350 --> 00:25:23,080 Because your faith is in someone totally different. 420 00:25:25,420 --> 00:25:28,320 You can have that new transformed faith today. 421 00:25:30,060 --> 00:25:34,280 But also because the tomb is empty, Mary's identity was transformed. 422 00:25:35,780 --> 00:25:40,100 In verse 17, Jesus tells her, I'm going to ascend to, look at the words, 423 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:44,120 my God, or my father, and your father. 424 00:25:44,900 --> 00:25:46,120 My father and your father. 425 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:48,720 What does it mean if you have the same father? 426 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:50,460 Your siblings. 427 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:52,320 Your family. 428 00:25:52,770 --> 00:25:55,220 See, Jesus wanted her to know this right away. 429 00:25:55,700 --> 00:25:57,520 You are in the family now. 430 00:25:58,500 --> 00:26:00,080 You are my sister. 431 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:02,860 That was her new identity. 432 00:26:03,580 --> 00:26:06,900 Because the tomb is empty, she is in the family of God. 433 00:26:09,299 --> 00:26:16,660 Listen, you do not need to be defined by your past, your failures, your sins. 434 00:26:17,900 --> 00:26:21,060 We are so tempted to define ourselves by our past scars. 435 00:26:21,460 --> 00:26:24,740 Mary would have been so tempted to define herself, to just view herself as, 436 00:26:24,930 --> 00:26:26,740 well, I'm a formerly demon-possessed woman. 437 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:28,740 That's in my past, that's part of my story, 438 00:26:29,220 --> 00:26:30,900 and I don't know if I'll ever recover from that. 439 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:34,340 Peter would be tempted to define himself 440 00:26:34,500 --> 00:26:35,580 as a denier of Jesus. 441 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:38,340 Paul as a murderer. 442 00:26:40,260 --> 00:26:42,820 The enemy would love for you and I 443 00:26:42,860 --> 00:26:45,660 to define ourselves by our past scars, 444 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:49,640 but Jesus wants you to be defined by his scars for you. 445 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:53,760 The scars of Jesus prove this, 446 00:26:54,060 --> 00:26:55,880 that he loves you to death. 447 00:26:56,240 --> 00:27:00,280 The scars of Jesus proves this, that he wants you to be in his family. 448 00:27:00,510 --> 00:27:02,360 He wants you to be his brother. 449 00:27:02,430 --> 00:27:04,760 He wants you to be his sister. 450 00:27:06,340 --> 00:27:07,680 That's what defines you. 451 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:10,000 You are part of the family. 452 00:27:11,540 --> 00:27:16,380 Because the grave is empty, you can have a new transformed identity with Jesus as your brother. 453 00:27:16,590 --> 00:27:22,140 And because the tomb is empty, lastly, you can have a transformed purpose in life now. 454 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:23,600 A transformed purpose. 455 00:27:25,100 --> 00:27:28,560 When Mary shows up at the tomb, her only purpose there is just to cry. 456 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:30,380 I mean, she's just there crying. 457 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:33,860 She's come to the point in life where she's like, man, I don't know what led me here, 458 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:35,460 but this is what my life is now. 459 00:27:35,700 --> 00:27:38,600 I hitched my, I never know how to say that. 460 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:43,280 I hitched my wagon to this train, to Jesus' train, and now he's dead, and I don't know what to do. 461 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:44,940 And so she's just crying. 462 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:47,980 Life is in shambles, all right? 463 00:27:48,820 --> 00:27:50,200 Isn't that what life feels like sometimes? 464 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:52,900 You just wake up every day and you're like, man, I don't know how I got here. 465 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:54,280 I don't know what to do with any of this. 466 00:27:54,620 --> 00:27:57,240 Life is just hard and all you do is just cry. 467 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:01,580 Maybe that's just me being a parent of three young children right now. 468 00:28:01,670 --> 00:28:02,040 I don't know. 469 00:28:02,220 --> 00:28:04,280 But it's just life is hard, right? 470 00:28:05,300 --> 00:28:06,980 And you think like, what is the purpose of it? 471 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:08,100 What is my purpose? 472 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:10,760 Is life just about making the best of each situation? 473 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:12,440 Living for the weekend? 474 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:15,020 Waiting on the next vacation? 475 00:28:16,540 --> 00:28:21,280 Trying to accumulate as much stuff as I can to see if maybe that'll work to fill some sort of void? 476 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:25,640 Mary's here just at the tomb crying at where life has brought her. 477 00:28:25,870 --> 00:28:30,780 But then in verse 18, in verse 18, after she meets the risen Jesus, 478 00:28:31,340 --> 00:28:36,260 she's bursting down the doors of a house that's filled with a bunch of frightened, scared men 479 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:40,280 to tell them to stop being scaredy cats and to put their faith in Jesus. 480 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:44,140 She's the first evangelist. 481 00:28:47,060 --> 00:28:49,980 Man, what a life of purpose she has now. 482 00:28:50,820 --> 00:28:52,280 Jesus tells her, here's your purpose now. 483 00:28:52,700 --> 00:28:54,100 Go, tell my brothers. 484 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:56,760 Jesus could have done that himself. 485 00:28:57,900 --> 00:28:58,900 He totally could have done that himself. 486 00:28:59,490 --> 00:29:00,860 But he wanted her to do it. 487 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:03,600 He's given her life a new purpose. 488 00:29:04,020 --> 00:29:05,460 Go, share the good news. 489 00:29:05,820 --> 00:29:08,600 And you can have that new transformed purpose in life also. 490 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:11,060 You can be here in this life, 491 00:29:11,460 --> 00:29:13,140 not just to make the best of each situation 492 00:29:13,370 --> 00:29:14,180 or live for the weekend, 493 00:29:14,450 --> 00:29:16,140 but with a new God-given purpose 494 00:29:16,390 --> 00:29:17,960 to bring good news and life 495 00:29:18,250 --> 00:29:19,999 into every place and relationship 496 00:29:20,020 --> 00:29:21,600 that God has placed you. 497 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:25,000 You can be a source of life to everyone around you 498 00:29:25,260 --> 00:29:27,140 because you now know the giver of life, 499 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:29,320 the risen Jesus. 500 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:36,980 When Mary showed up to the tomb that Sunday morning, 501 00:29:37,140 --> 00:29:38,460 she wasn't looking for a resurrection. 502 00:29:39,700 --> 00:29:41,300 She wasn't anticipating a resurrection. 503 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:44,280 She wasn't planning on her own life being transformed, 504 00:29:44,660 --> 00:29:46,480 but she encountered the risen Jesus 505 00:29:46,940 --> 00:29:49,580 and Jesus changed everything. 506 00:29:50,580 --> 00:29:51,860 he transformed her faith 507 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:53,920 her identity and her purpose 508 00:29:56,759 --> 00:29:58,340 maybe you showed up here today 509 00:29:59,380 --> 00:30:00,100 this Sunday morning 510 00:30:00,980 --> 00:30:02,400 not looking for a resurrection 511 00:30:03,940 --> 00:30:04,920 not really planning 512 00:30:05,260 --> 00:30:06,680 on your life being transformed 513 00:30:08,300 --> 00:30:10,300 but just like Jesus did for Mary 514 00:30:10,380 --> 00:30:11,840 and just like he did for Sandy 515 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:13,920 and just like he did for many others here 516 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:16,180 Jesus is now calling your name 517 00:30:17,799 --> 00:30:19,680 Jesus is calling your name 518 00:30:19,700 --> 00:30:26,500 this morning. Maybe you're encountering the risen Jesus who wants you to have a life and live a life 519 00:30:26,500 --> 00:30:34,600 to the full that you could have never dreamed of. When Jesus called Mary's name, she turned 520 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:41,980 and looked at him and acknowledged who he is. And he gave her new life. So I want to give you 521 00:30:42,090 --> 00:30:48,420 the opportunity to do the exact same thing today. If Jesus is calling your name, if he's calling you 522 00:30:48,460 --> 00:30:49,500 and getting your attention, 523 00:30:49,690 --> 00:30:51,460 I wanna give you the opportunity just to turn 524 00:30:51,740 --> 00:30:54,820 and look at him and experience the new life 525 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:56,100 that he has for you. 526 00:30:57,240 --> 00:30:57,920 And so in just a minute, 527 00:30:58,060 --> 00:30:59,840 we're gonna sing three incredible songs 528 00:31:00,340 --> 00:31:01,600 about the resurrection of Jesus. 529 00:31:01,780 --> 00:31:04,440 Many of us are just gonna worship our hearts out 530 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:07,240 and lose our voices in these next three songs, all right? 531 00:31:07,700 --> 00:31:11,260 But if you, today, if you know that God is calling your name, 532 00:31:12,380 --> 00:31:14,140 calling you to believe in Jesus, 533 00:31:14,540 --> 00:31:15,700 here's what I wanna invite you to do. 534 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:17,580 It's gonna take some boldness, all right? 535 00:31:17,700 --> 00:31:18,720 It's going to take some guts. 536 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:21,660 But here's what I want to invite you to do. 537 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:27,220 I want to invite you at some point over the next three songs just to walk up here to the front, to the stage. 538 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:30,600 We would love to pray with you. 539 00:31:31,860 --> 00:31:33,500 We'd love to talk with you and pray with you. 540 00:31:33,820 --> 00:31:38,520 We'd love to help you hear the voice of God and respond to Jesus calling your name. 541 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:46,280 We would love to welcome you into the family of God and see you live a new transformed life starting right here today. 542 00:31:48,180 --> 00:31:51,580 and so Pastor Mike, Pastor Mike's over here, Pastor Mike's going to be up here in the front, 543 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:55,680 I'm going to be right over here, Lindsay Cole right here is going to be over here and all three of us, 544 00:31:55,740 --> 00:32:00,940 we'd love to talk with you, pray with you, welcome you into God's family by you trusting Jesus, 545 00:32:01,060 --> 00:32:06,300 we would love to do that and listen to me, it is not a weird, strange, or awkward thing for you to 546 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:12,280 come do that today, that is not an awkward thing in this space, this is a safe space for that, 547 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:15,780 In fact, this room is filled with scores of people 548 00:32:16,140 --> 00:32:18,500 who at one point in their life realized 549 00:32:18,530 --> 00:32:21,140 that they were as far from God as they could possibly be, 550 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:23,800 but they experienced Jesus calling their name 551 00:32:24,070 --> 00:32:25,220 and they responded to it. 552 00:32:25,380 --> 00:32:26,980 Many of them by doing the exact same thing 553 00:32:27,300 --> 00:32:28,940 that I'm asking you to have the guts to do, 554 00:32:28,980 --> 00:32:30,200 to have the boldness to do, 555 00:32:30,490 --> 00:32:31,620 by coming and talking to someone, 556 00:32:31,750 --> 00:32:32,680 even during a church service. 557 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:34,280 And so man, if that's your story, 558 00:32:34,620 --> 00:32:37,340 if you're in here today and at some point you realized 559 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:39,480 you were as far from God as you could possibly be, 560 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:42,560 but you heard Jesus calling your name and you responded, 561 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:43,940 and Jesus rescued you 562 00:32:43,980 --> 00:32:45,400 and you're living that transformed life, 563 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:46,740 can you just shoot your hand up 564 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:47,820 as high as it can go right now? 565 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:49,660 Put your hand up if that's your story. 566 00:32:49,980 --> 00:32:50,500 Put it up high. 567 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:51,440 No weak hands. 568 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:52,580 Put it up high, okay? 569 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:53,280 Keep it up. 570 00:32:53,500 --> 00:32:53,800 Keep it up. 571 00:32:54,500 --> 00:32:54,980 Look around. 572 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:57,960 That's many people's story in this room. 573 00:32:59,020 --> 00:33:00,120 And so here's what I want you to know. 574 00:33:00,180 --> 00:33:00,980 If you've never done that, 575 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:01,640 you can put your hands down. 576 00:33:02,020 --> 00:33:03,180 If you've never done that, 577 00:33:03,780 --> 00:33:05,220 we are on your side. 578 00:33:06,780 --> 00:33:07,460 We are for you. 579 00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:10,200 We're just like you. 580 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:14,060 We were as far from God as we could possibly be, 581 00:33:14,310 --> 00:33:15,440 but Jesus called our name 582 00:33:15,650 --> 00:33:17,480 and he gave us the grace and boldness to respond. 583 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:20,500 And so I just wanna give you the space, 584 00:33:20,550 --> 00:33:22,940 the opportunity to also respond. 585 00:33:25,120 --> 00:33:26,220 On that Resurrection Sunday, 586 00:33:26,460 --> 00:33:28,980 Mary experienced new life like she never could have dreamed. 587 00:33:29,250 --> 00:33:31,080 And now she's with Jesus right now 588 00:33:31,580 --> 00:33:32,420 and she'll be with him forever. 589 00:33:33,020 --> 00:33:34,680 And we wanna give you the space to know 590 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:37,800 that you can be with Jesus right now and forever 591 00:33:38,540 --> 00:33:40,300 and live a new life of transformed faith, 592 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:43,220 transformed identity, and transformed purpose. 593 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:44,100 So we'll be up here. 594 00:33:44,540 --> 00:33:45,280 We'll be worshiping. 595 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:47,340 Feel free to come. 596 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:48,180 Tap us on the shoulder. 597 00:33:48,420 --> 00:33:48,980 Stand beside us. 598 00:33:49,060 --> 00:33:50,220 If you come up and stand beside me, 599 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:51,680 I'm assuming you want prayer to know Jesus. 600 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:53,140 Don't come up and just worship with me, all right? 601 00:33:53,260 --> 00:33:55,480 So I'm gonna lead anybody that comes up to Jesus, 602 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:56,640 but come up. 603 00:33:57,560 --> 00:33:58,340 Let's go, man. 604 00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:02,300 Let's see Jesus transform some lives. 605 00:34:04,740 --> 00:34:05,900 Don't continue to be distracted. 606 00:34:07,780 --> 00:34:09,679 Don't continue to look the other way from Jesus. 607 00:34:11,159 --> 00:34:12,000 come forward today 608 00:34:13,100 --> 00:34:14,120 and begin to live 609 00:34:15,300 --> 00:34:15,500 transformed. 610 00:34:17,540 --> 00:34:17,919 Let's pray 611 00:34:17,919 --> 00:34:18,040 together.