1 00:00:00,049 --> 00:00:00,050 Dr. Gregg Marutzky: 2 00:00:00,050 --> 00:00:01,018 Morning, church. 3 00:00:01,369 --> 00:00:01,859 Morning. 4 00:00:02,315 --> 00:00:03,724 Happy Easter. 5 00:00:09,694 --> 00:00:10,085 Turn it off. 6 00:00:11,254 --> 00:00:12,125 That must be a 7 00:00:17,585 --> 00:00:18,154 All right. 8 00:00:19,115 --> 00:00:20,434 I think we're okay now. 9 00:00:21,815 --> 00:00:22,595 Happy Easter. 10 00:00:22,599 --> 00:00:23,254 Easter folks. 11 00:00:23,974 --> 00:00:28,654 This is the most important day of the year for me. 12 00:00:29,674 --> 00:00:35,194 It hasn't always been, uh, even as a minister for many, many years, I, uh, 13 00:00:35,224 --> 00:00:40,835 didn't grasp the total significance of Easter, but the more and more I 14 00:00:40,835 --> 00:00:42,379 studied, the more and more I learned. 15 00:00:43,295 --> 00:00:47,765 I became what I call a cross theologian, where the cross 16 00:00:47,765 --> 00:00:49,835 is the fulcrum of my faith. 17 00:00:50,105 --> 00:00:52,654 It really is the foundation of my faith. 18 00:00:52,745 --> 00:00:57,394 The death bear and resurrection is the gospel of Christianity, and the 19 00:00:57,394 --> 00:00:59,735 resurrection is the crowning moment. 20 00:01:00,035 --> 00:01:05,105 It's the, the proof that God is all powerful, that God is greater than all 21 00:01:05,105 --> 00:01:08,045 evil, that wickedness will not prevail. 22 00:01:08,495 --> 00:01:14,945 That we as Christians truly are serving the true God and the one 23 00:01:14,945 --> 00:01:16,925 and only Savior Jesus Christ. 24 00:01:16,925 --> 00:01:22,835 And so I, uh, used to be an engineer and so it has to make sense for me. 25 00:01:23,134 --> 00:01:24,785 I don't need to know everything. 26 00:01:24,935 --> 00:01:27,125 I don't even need to know everything about God. 27 00:01:27,125 --> 00:01:31,085 I can't get my head around God or otherwise I would explode. 28 00:01:31,085 --> 00:01:31,565 Right? 29 00:01:32,404 --> 00:01:34,685 And, uh, my head's too big as it is. 30 00:01:34,685 --> 00:01:39,725 So, but, but I do need for it to make sense. 31 00:01:39,725 --> 00:01:40,625 It's reasonable. 32 00:01:40,670 --> 00:01:40,729 Wow. 33 00:01:41,210 --> 00:01:44,210 The resurrection of Jesus, the empty tomb. 34 00:01:44,210 --> 00:01:48,890 I wanna welcome you this morning I, uh, decided to wear a shirt 35 00:01:48,890 --> 00:01:50,300 that would keep your attention. 36 00:01:50,300 --> 00:01:55,490 All of the Easter colors, you know, you know all the different colors 37 00:01:55,490 --> 00:02:00,560 that, of the eggs that the kids will be gathering after church decided that, 38 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,289 uh, uh, this would keep your attention. 39 00:02:04,519 --> 00:02:07,850 The resurrection changes everything. 40 00:02:08,538 --> 00:02:12,470 At least it has for me, that because of the resurrection of 41 00:02:12,470 --> 00:02:14,390 Jesus Christ, I'm a Christian. 42 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:19,400 Not only am I a Christian, but I devoted my life to the ministry 43 00:02:19,430 --> 00:02:22,190 because I wanted to change the world. 44 00:02:22,190 --> 00:02:25,700 I'm a sixties baby, you know, I grew up in the sixties. 45 00:02:25,700 --> 00:02:27,260 I wanted to change the world. 46 00:02:27,470 --> 00:02:31,789 Thought about going to the moon, thought about this, and that, decided that 47 00:02:31,789 --> 00:02:35,150 Jesus was the answer to the problem. 48 00:02:35,210 --> 00:02:35,690 Amen. 49 00:02:35,785 --> 00:02:36,075 Amen. 50 00:02:36,590 --> 00:02:39,560 And I wanna start out a little bit with Good Friday because. 51 00:02:39,904 --> 00:02:45,035 I want us to know who the Easter story is for. 52 00:02:46,625 --> 00:02:48,995 I want you to know that it's for you 53 00:02:51,154 --> 00:02:56,375 that Jesus died on the cross, but most of all, he resurrected to show 54 00:02:56,404 --> 00:03:00,125 you and me how much God loves us. 55 00:03:00,125 --> 00:03:01,025 All right? 56 00:03:01,174 --> 00:03:08,285 And he made seven final statements on the cross that I think describe the 57 00:03:08,285 --> 00:03:11,375 people that he was trying to save. 58 00:03:11,975 --> 00:03:17,015 He said in Luke 23, father forgive 'em for they don't know what they're doing. 59 00:03:17,855 --> 00:03:22,025 That's the crowds, that's the persecutor, that's the enemies. 60 00:03:23,105 --> 00:03:28,684 If God can love his enemies, if Jesus can die and forgive the, the backers 61 00:03:29,315 --> 00:03:35,015 in life, those that persecute others for no reason, those that are just. 62 00:03:35,750 --> 00:03:42,079 Downright evil in some ways and mean in other ways, and heartless. 63 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:50,690 If Jesus can hang on the cross and forgive them, then hey, I think I got a chance. 64 00:03:51,260 --> 00:03:52,700 I think you got a chance. 65 00:03:53,270 --> 00:03:57,920 I haven't met anybody in this church that I think's even bad, and 66 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:01,250 especially the longer I've been a minister, I've never met anybody. 67 00:04:02,690 --> 00:04:05,210 I gotta say it quite as bad as me. 68 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:10,670 And so, so if I can be saved, I know everyone can be saved. 69 00:04:11,210 --> 00:04:16,310 Luke 2343 says to the Thief on the cross, and if you've ever 70 00:04:16,310 --> 00:04:19,399 read the book, no wonder they call him the Savior by Max Cato. 71 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:25,100 I'd really encourage you to do that, but this one, that chapter, and another one in 72 00:04:25,100 --> 00:04:31,505 there made me cry, two of 'em, the tail of the crucified crook that touched my heart. 73 00:04:32,194 --> 00:04:38,224 Because for some reason, you know, I just felt like I, I connected with 74 00:04:38,224 --> 00:04:41,615 him and I'm not a, a major thief. 75 00:04:41,794 --> 00:04:44,974 You know, that's not why I haven't made, didn't make a living in 76 00:04:44,974 --> 00:04:46,294 that before I became a Christian. 77 00:04:46,805 --> 00:04:51,784 But the first time I ever got in big trouble is 'cause I stole marbles 78 00:04:51,905 --> 00:04:55,145 from the Wilco store when I was a kid. 79 00:04:55,714 --> 00:05:00,664 And my mother found them at home and made me go back and give them to the manager. 80 00:05:01,234 --> 00:05:05,734 And what was so heavy about that, and it really caused me to never 81 00:05:05,734 --> 00:05:11,434 steal again, was my mother just wept in shame the whole time. 82 00:05:11,434 --> 00:05:12,424 She just wept. 83 00:05:13,294 --> 00:05:16,714 She had a little bit of a false view of her baby boy, right? 84 00:05:17,194 --> 00:05:18,004 Four boys. 85 00:05:18,004 --> 00:05:20,194 She thought at least one might be good. 86 00:05:20,284 --> 00:05:20,734 All right? 87 00:05:22,385 --> 00:05:25,714 But I know didn't ever want to shame her like that again. 88 00:05:26,254 --> 00:05:31,055 And so when I read that chapter, I thought, oh man, Jesus died for me. 89 00:05:32,225 --> 00:05:34,955 And I want you to know that Jesus died for you this morning. 90 00:05:35,885 --> 00:05:39,725 Whether you're a crucified crook or just done some things, 91 00:05:39,725 --> 00:05:41,345 you're very much ashamed of. 92 00:05:41,795 --> 00:05:49,685 John 19 verse 26, Jesus says to Mary, mother, behold, your son and son John. 93 00:05:50,135 --> 00:05:53,015 Behold your mother, love of family. 94 00:05:54,245 --> 00:05:56,735 And for some of his family's easy to love. 95 00:05:56,945 --> 00:05:58,955 For others, family's hard to love. 96 00:05:59,915 --> 00:06:01,805 And for some of us it's mixed. 97 00:06:02,135 --> 00:06:04,385 There's Someon family that are easy. 98 00:06:04,385 --> 00:06:09,725 There's Someon family that are hard, but Jesus loved his family. 99 00:06:09,725 --> 00:06:14,315 Even his brothers, younger brothers that weren't with him for a long time. 100 00:06:15,185 --> 00:06:17,495 Jesus died for family. 101 00:06:18,215 --> 00:06:21,215 And then in Mark 15, and it says, why? 102 00:06:22,055 --> 00:06:25,205 Why God have you forsaken me? 103 00:06:26,495 --> 00:06:29,975 I was a chaplain for eight years at a level one trauma hospital. 104 00:06:29,975 --> 00:06:34,565 Doctor of ministry in the emergency room in the A CU. 105 00:06:35,375 --> 00:06:40,655 Went to all the codes, went to all the tests, and so many different people would 106 00:06:40,655 --> 00:06:45,395 ask me, chappy, chappy, why my loved one? 107 00:06:46,325 --> 00:06:52,295 Why my baby, why my son, why my daughter? 108 00:06:52,715 --> 00:06:55,385 I've had to pray through a lot of nightmares about 109 00:06:55,385 --> 00:06:57,995 those events, haunting me. 110 00:07:00,755 --> 00:07:02,195 Jesus asked why too? 111 00:07:03,215 --> 00:07:13,325 And the answer was for Greg, for Dallas, for Kathy, for Mandy, for Kyle, for you. 112 00:07:14,795 --> 00:07:16,835 That's why it was the only way. 113 00:07:18,755 --> 00:07:22,115 Yes, he did try to get out of it in the garden, but it was 114 00:07:22,115 --> 00:07:25,025 the only way for us to be saved. 115 00:07:25,955 --> 00:07:27,335 My God, my God. 116 00:07:27,424 --> 00:07:32,585 Eloy, Eloy lama sub and then John 19, verse 28. 117 00:07:32,585 --> 00:07:33,545 He's almost dead. 118 00:07:33,545 --> 00:07:36,845 And so he can barely say anything and he raises himself up on the 119 00:07:36,845 --> 00:07:38,705 cross and he says, I thirst. 120 00:07:40,565 --> 00:07:42,034 And what does that say to us? 121 00:07:42,815 --> 00:07:43,805 He was human. 122 00:07:45,545 --> 00:07:48,755 He wasn't Superman on the cross, not feeling it. 123 00:07:48,755 --> 00:07:53,105 He felt it all for you and me. 124 00:07:53,855 --> 00:07:57,095 That's how much God loves us this morning, folks. 125 00:07:57,185 --> 00:08:00,095 And then he finally said, it's finished. 126 00:08:01,385 --> 00:08:04,985 All these naysayers have tried to get me to come down from the cross. 127 00:08:04,985 --> 00:08:07,414 Satan has tried to get me to come down from the cross. 128 00:08:07,414 --> 00:08:12,215 I have wanted to come down from the cross, but I, I've done it. 129 00:08:13,025 --> 00:08:18,245 I've survived all the temptation and all the evil and all my own fears and 130 00:08:18,245 --> 00:08:21,485 my own humanity, and I've trusted God. 131 00:08:21,545 --> 00:08:23,825 And now it is finished. 132 00:08:24,754 --> 00:08:28,595 Death is finished, sin is finished, evil is finished. 133 00:08:29,015 --> 00:08:30,214 It's over. 134 00:08:30,875 --> 00:08:34,115 God's gained the victory, it's finished. 135 00:08:35,224 --> 00:08:38,015 So Father, take me Father into your hands. 136 00:08:39,004 --> 00:08:40,385 I release my spirit. 137 00:08:41,135 --> 00:08:47,615 Those seven things tell me that you and I need to celebrate Easter today. 138 00:08:47,615 --> 00:08:48,125 Amen. 139 00:08:48,875 --> 00:08:54,155 Every one of us, we fit in one of those categories this morning, and I reread 140 00:08:54,155 --> 00:09:01,444 this book, the Final Words, uh, by a fellow by the name of Adam Hamilton. 141 00:09:02,224 --> 00:09:06,335 And, uh, uh, he goes into great depth. 142 00:09:06,365 --> 00:09:11,135 I just give this to you as a reference and, uh, if you'll, y'all 143 00:09:11,135 --> 00:09:12,605 help me with the slides there. 144 00:09:12,605 --> 00:09:18,964 My clicker's, uh, got a demon in it, so I'll try to exercise it here in a 145 00:09:18,964 --> 00:09:20,885 minute, but if you'll help me yeah. 146 00:09:21,905 --> 00:09:26,135 But I reread this book this last week just to prepare myself for that 147 00:09:26,135 --> 00:09:32,345 introduction because I want us all to know that Jesus died on Friday for 148 00:09:32,345 --> 00:09:36,125 us, but he rose today for us as well. 149 00:09:36,185 --> 00:09:36,845 Amen. 150 00:09:37,804 --> 00:09:39,635 And it's mercy. 151 00:09:39,724 --> 00:09:41,105 Easter's about mercy. 152 00:09:41,105 --> 00:09:42,544 Mercy to the enemies. 153 00:09:42,575 --> 00:09:45,155 Mercy to the evil, mercy to the family. 154 00:09:45,155 --> 00:09:49,954 Mercy to the confused and bruised and lonely, those screaming, why mercy to 155 00:09:49,954 --> 00:09:55,234 self, those that are thirsty in our bodies, giving out mercy to the dying, 156 00:09:55,234 --> 00:10:00,425 the suffering, the broken and the tired, and especially those that are 157 00:10:00,425 --> 00:10:03,605 terminally ill and on death's door. 158 00:10:04,264 --> 00:10:06,514 But today we're gonna look at John chapter 20. 159 00:10:06,635 --> 00:10:13,415 I encourage you to turn over there and, uh, I, uh, I have the words 160 00:10:13,415 --> 00:10:18,365 for you on the screens, and we've got some great screens this morning. 161 00:10:18,754 --> 00:10:21,065 One even behind me. 162 00:10:21,335 --> 00:10:22,055 Amen. 163 00:10:22,625 --> 00:10:25,234 You won't be focused here, you'll be focused there. 164 00:10:25,234 --> 00:10:28,385 And I do not do a silhouette of me. 165 00:10:28,415 --> 00:10:28,984 Okay? 166 00:10:29,284 --> 00:10:31,055 Do not please brothers. 167 00:10:31,474 --> 00:10:32,555 I beg for mercy. 168 00:10:34,774 --> 00:10:36,815 And here's where we're going this morning. 169 00:10:37,085 --> 00:10:42,004 And in this Resurrection chapter, this is a wonderful chapter. 170 00:10:42,004 --> 00:10:43,055 You gotta embrace it. 171 00:10:43,565 --> 00:10:48,214 It talks about the empty tomb and why it was empty in Jesus' resurrection. 172 00:10:48,724 --> 00:10:51,155 And then the witnesses, Mary and others. 173 00:10:51,514 --> 00:10:54,935 And then he appeared to disciples and he gave him the Holy Spirit. 174 00:10:55,175 --> 00:10:58,505 And then he, he appeared to Thomas A. 175 00:10:58,505 --> 00:11:03,095 Little bit of a hard head, a little bit stubborn like some of us men. 176 00:11:03,125 --> 00:11:03,905 All right? 177 00:11:04,415 --> 00:11:10,204 And so there's four resurrection theories, and you've probably heard of them. 178 00:11:10,204 --> 00:11:12,034 This is review for many of you. 179 00:11:12,575 --> 00:11:15,244 But the four resurrection theories is he didn't. 180 00:11:16,895 --> 00:11:21,635 A lot of people gnostics later on in the, the latter part of the first 181 00:11:21,635 --> 00:11:26,014 and second century, didn't believe that Jesus even came as a human. 182 00:11:26,014 --> 00:11:27,665 That he was a just a spirit. 183 00:11:27,665 --> 00:11:31,354 He was an emanation of God, is how they say it. 184 00:11:31,415 --> 00:11:32,854 And he just swooned. 185 00:11:32,885 --> 00:11:34,205 It's the swoon theory. 186 00:11:34,234 --> 00:11:35,225 He really didn't die. 187 00:11:35,225 --> 00:11:36,185 He just fainted. 188 00:11:36,185 --> 00:11:37,325 And they thought he was dead. 189 00:11:37,325 --> 00:11:42,274 And even though the Romans were great at killing people, you know, they killed 190 00:11:42,274 --> 00:11:44,825 about half the Earth at one point, right? 191 00:11:44,975 --> 00:11:46,055 At least the known world. 192 00:11:46,055 --> 00:11:47,675 They conquered the civilized world. 193 00:11:47,794 --> 00:11:52,040 But for some reason, people didn't think that they really knew how to kill Jesus. 194 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:56,225 But after all that torture and all that beating and all that crucifixion, 195 00:11:56,555 --> 00:12:02,135 and then with the spear in the side, some will still say he just 196 00:12:02,135 --> 00:12:04,504 swooned, but he did more the swoon. 197 00:12:04,504 --> 00:12:05,254 He died. 198 00:12:05,675 --> 00:12:10,265 And so others will say, well, the Romans, they stole the body because 199 00:12:10,294 --> 00:12:13,564 they did not want Jesus to be a martyr. 200 00:12:13,655 --> 00:12:15,515 And so they didn't want his. 201 00:12:15,875 --> 00:12:19,175 The place he was buried and they didn't want him to be worship, 202 00:12:19,385 --> 00:12:21,004 and so they stole the body. 203 00:12:21,004 --> 00:12:24,214 But if you think about that logically, that doesn't make any sense. 204 00:12:24,214 --> 00:12:27,545 Because when they said he was resurrected, when the disciples and 205 00:12:27,545 --> 00:12:31,115 the Christians started claiming his resurrection, what would they have done? 206 00:12:31,295 --> 00:12:32,944 They had revealed the body. 207 00:12:33,875 --> 00:12:35,194 These guys, they're liars. 208 00:12:35,825 --> 00:12:36,785 They're liars. 209 00:12:36,875 --> 00:12:37,745 Here's the body. 210 00:12:37,745 --> 00:12:39,425 Here's Jesus right here. 211 00:12:40,055 --> 00:12:41,225 They didn't do that. 212 00:12:41,645 --> 00:12:45,425 And so then others said the Jews stole the body again. 213 00:12:45,455 --> 00:12:49,625 Why wouldn't the Jews revealed the body at just the right time 214 00:12:49,984 --> 00:12:52,175 to prove that it was all false? 215 00:12:52,265 --> 00:12:56,944 And then they said, well, these sneaky disciples, you know, they were so smart. 216 00:12:56,944 --> 00:12:58,355 You can just read the New Testament. 217 00:12:58,355 --> 00:12:59,555 See how brilliant they were. 218 00:13:00,815 --> 00:13:03,515 Some people are laughing it, it was meant to be a joke. 219 00:13:03,515 --> 00:13:03,995 Yeah. 220 00:13:04,355 --> 00:13:04,925 All right. 221 00:13:04,984 --> 00:13:06,484 No, they were normal folks. 222 00:13:06,484 --> 00:13:08,705 Fishermen, they were normal like us. 223 00:13:08,795 --> 00:13:13,444 A few of the smarter ones came along later, Luke and Paul and others, but. 224 00:13:14,030 --> 00:13:15,349 They didn't steal the body. 225 00:13:15,349 --> 00:13:22,280 And how I know that is somebody always squeals, at least in my 226 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:23,629 neighborhood, that's how it was. 227 00:13:24,889 --> 00:13:28,010 Just, at least in my family, one of us would squeal. 228 00:13:28,010 --> 00:13:29,149 It was usually Sam. 229 00:13:29,629 --> 00:13:32,300 My daughter was wondering who, who? 230 00:13:32,300 --> 00:13:32,990 Uncle Sam. 231 00:13:33,619 --> 00:13:34,939 'cause he was the good one. 232 00:13:35,629 --> 00:13:36,050 All right? 233 00:13:36,079 --> 00:13:37,849 Three of us weren't so good. 234 00:13:37,909 --> 00:13:38,419 One. 235 00:13:38,689 --> 00:13:39,740 Sam was good. 236 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:41,569 And he's an elder in the church now. 237 00:13:41,569 --> 00:13:43,970 He'll probably watch this, so I'm glad I said that. 238 00:13:44,300 --> 00:13:44,599 Amen. 239 00:13:47,510 --> 00:13:49,430 But somebody would've told the truth. 240 00:13:50,119 --> 00:13:54,169 Somebody would've had a conscience, somebody would admit it. 241 00:13:54,619 --> 00:13:55,519 They stole the body. 242 00:13:56,119 --> 00:13:56,839 Nobody did. 243 00:13:56,839 --> 00:14:00,829 They went to death as martyrs for Jesus. 244 00:14:00,859 --> 00:14:07,700 So I believe with all my heart that Jesus tomb on that Easter morning 245 00:14:07,729 --> 00:14:12,409 and this Easter morning, and every Easter morning since has been empty. 246 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:13,850 Okay. 247 00:14:14,540 --> 00:14:18,410 And a book that I want to encourage you to read is this one. 248 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:22,040 I read it as a sophomore in college and it changed my life. 249 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:22,879 It's not too big. 250 00:14:22,879 --> 00:14:24,710 Neither of these books are very big. 251 00:14:24,770 --> 00:14:25,370 All right. 252 00:14:25,879 --> 00:14:30,440 And, uh, it's Who Moved the Stone by a man named Frank Morrison. 253 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:32,930 He goes through it much more in depth than I just did. 254 00:14:32,930 --> 00:14:37,670 It goes through all these theories and other logical, plausible, uh, 255 00:14:37,700 --> 00:14:44,120 explanations, and it definitely convinced me, uh, that Jesus is resurrected. 256 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:49,010 So into the verse, into the text, John chapter 20 in verse one. 257 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:50,540 Let's read together. 258 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,050 Okay, there we go. 259 00:14:54,290 --> 00:14:59,270 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene 260 00:14:59,569 --> 00:15:06,140 went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 261 00:15:06,530 --> 00:15:08,899 Now, I haven't done any empirical research. 262 00:15:08,899 --> 00:15:12,080 I haven't read any empirical research, but. 263 00:15:12,694 --> 00:15:15,394 My heart, soul, and mind. 264 00:15:15,604 --> 00:15:19,294 And maybe 'cause I just love my mama so much, but I think women 265 00:15:19,294 --> 00:15:20,584 are more spiritual than men. 266 00:15:21,905 --> 00:15:25,714 What do you think women, men, you can't answer. 267 00:15:26,675 --> 00:15:27,124 Right? 268 00:15:27,905 --> 00:15:29,435 You think women are more spiritual? 269 00:15:29,524 --> 00:15:30,334 I think so. 270 00:15:30,334 --> 00:15:31,595 Here's evidence right here. 271 00:15:31,624 --> 00:15:33,365 Who was the first to the tomb? 272 00:15:34,444 --> 00:15:37,535 Mary Magdalene maybe. 273 00:15:37,535 --> 00:15:39,245 'cause she'd been forgiven much. 274 00:15:39,305 --> 00:15:40,595 She loved much. 275 00:15:42,604 --> 00:15:47,584 But sometimes I don't know about you, but women are more in touch with things. 276 00:15:47,615 --> 00:15:48,484 They see it. 277 00:15:48,964 --> 00:15:50,825 I'm a little slow on the uptake. 278 00:15:51,754 --> 00:15:55,535 You know, I see the wind blowing after it's blown. 279 00:15:58,055 --> 00:16:03,035 But women are intuitive and they have that, that that women's intuition and 280 00:16:03,035 --> 00:16:04,984 that instinct, at least my mother did. 281 00:16:04,984 --> 00:16:08,075 I thought she had eyes in the back of her head, you know? 282 00:16:08,645 --> 00:16:11,345 Because she could be driving and she knew just which one 283 00:16:11,345 --> 00:16:12,754 of us flicked the other one. 284 00:16:13,084 --> 00:16:13,535 All right. 285 00:16:14,194 --> 00:16:16,084 She knew who was acting up. 286 00:16:16,624 --> 00:16:22,294 So Mary is the first to the tomb, and you know, let's keep reading. 287 00:16:22,294 --> 00:16:27,124 In verse six, it says, oh, other direction. 288 00:16:27,305 --> 00:16:27,694 Here we go. 289 00:16:28,834 --> 00:16:35,555 Then Simon Peter, who had was behind him, this is, uh, uh, Peter and John had 290 00:16:35,555 --> 00:16:40,624 had a race to the tomb after Mary came back and said that the tomb was empty. 291 00:16:41,374 --> 00:16:45,814 Uh, then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. 292 00:16:46,145 --> 00:16:51,785 He saw the strips of linen laying there and well, as well as the barrel 293 00:16:51,785 --> 00:16:54,035 cloth that had been around Jesus' head. 294 00:16:54,035 --> 00:16:58,084 The cloth was full folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 295 00:16:58,115 --> 00:17:02,285 Finally, the other disciple who had reached the tomb first, this is John. 296 00:17:02,285 --> 00:17:03,694 He always speaks in third person. 297 00:17:04,175 --> 00:17:06,540 He's like, he sees himself as, uh. 298 00:17:07,474 --> 00:17:09,575 Um, pretty famous or something. 299 00:17:09,575 --> 00:17:10,055 I don't know. 300 00:17:10,055 --> 00:17:10,234 Yeah. 301 00:17:10,234 --> 00:17:14,615 He, he refers to himself in the book of John, without naming himself, he 302 00:17:14,615 --> 00:17:19,385 says, he described himself as the one that Jesus loved the most, the beloved. 303 00:17:19,535 --> 00:17:20,075 All right. 304 00:17:20,525 --> 00:17:23,615 And now you know why he left his name off, all right. 305 00:17:24,484 --> 00:17:31,025 Who had reached the tomb first, also went inside and he saw and believed, so 306 00:17:31,025 --> 00:17:32,915 what's the evidence of the resurrection? 307 00:17:32,915 --> 00:17:34,115 The empty tomb. 308 00:17:34,385 --> 00:17:35,885 The linen cloths there. 309 00:17:35,915 --> 00:17:40,625 Here's the first three witnesses, John, Peter, and Mary. 310 00:17:41,225 --> 00:17:48,965 And then Jesus appears again to marry, and she gives him this big hug. 311 00:17:48,965 --> 00:17:50,105 But let's read the story. 312 00:17:50,105 --> 00:17:52,325 Beginning of verse 15, woman. 313 00:17:52,325 --> 00:17:54,275 He said, why are you crying? 314 00:17:54,755 --> 00:17:56,345 Who is it you're looking for? 315 00:17:56,795 --> 00:17:59,285 Thinking He was the gardener. 316 00:17:59,615 --> 00:18:02,225 Now, this was not flattering to Jesus. 317 00:18:03,485 --> 00:18:05,615 I mean, Isaiah says that he wasn't. 318 00:18:06,035 --> 00:18:11,104 You know, incredibly handsome, but I don't think he was that plain. 319 00:18:11,405 --> 00:18:15,965 All right, but she doesn't recognize him because why? 320 00:18:15,995 --> 00:18:17,945 Sometimes we don't have eyes to see. 321 00:18:18,874 --> 00:18:21,425 She probably wasn't looking for Jesus. 322 00:18:21,485 --> 00:18:23,345 She was looking for the tomb. 323 00:18:23,615 --> 00:18:27,965 She was looking for the body, but she wasn't looking for the miracle. 324 00:18:29,044 --> 00:18:33,365 Easter tells us about the greatest miracle in the world. 325 00:18:33,725 --> 00:18:33,785 Yeah. 326 00:18:34,235 --> 00:18:35,584 Thinking he was the gardener. 327 00:18:35,584 --> 00:18:38,975 She said, sir, if you have carried him away, tell him where you 328 00:18:38,975 --> 00:18:40,535 have put him and I will get him. 329 00:18:40,955 --> 00:18:45,905 Jesus said to her, Mary, she turned toward him and cried in air. 330 00:18:45,905 --> 00:18:51,664 Make Rob teacher anytime. 331 00:18:52,175 --> 00:18:55,564 Our name is called, we pay attention, don't we? 332 00:18:55,564 --> 00:18:55,655 Yes. 333 00:18:59,615 --> 00:19:00,095 Mary. 334 00:19:01,774 --> 00:19:04,925 Somehow, some way that he said it. 335 00:19:05,689 --> 00:19:09,500 She had heard it spoken just that way before. 336 00:19:12,620 --> 00:19:16,879 Maybe he had comforted to her when she was crying over her shame. 337 00:19:18,470 --> 00:19:23,750 Maybe he had given her a promise that she's completely forgiven. 338 00:19:23,750 --> 00:19:27,860 Mary, stop beating yourself up. 339 00:19:28,340 --> 00:19:29,195 You're forgiven. 340 00:19:30,254 --> 00:19:31,280 Let it go. 341 00:19:32,959 --> 00:19:40,580 But when he said her name, just the way he had said it before she recognized 342 00:19:40,584 --> 00:19:48,200 him, I pray with all my heart that you hear your name from the lips of Jesus. 343 00:19:50,570 --> 00:19:51,560 And I believe you can. 344 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:53,419 I believe you can in prayer. 345 00:19:53,450 --> 00:19:54,530 I believe you can. 346 00:19:54,530 --> 00:19:57,439 As you're reading your Bible, I, I believe you can. 347 00:19:57,439 --> 00:19:58,550 As you're sitting on the. 348 00:19:58,820 --> 00:20:01,910 See shore watching the waves come in. 349 00:20:01,910 --> 00:20:05,629 I believe that God is always trying to reach out to us. 350 00:20:05,629 --> 00:20:12,680 It says in Acts 17 that he wants to connect to us, that he's among us. 351 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:18,260 He's right here all the time reaching out, you know, and 352 00:20:18,260 --> 00:20:21,110 he's probably saying your name. 353 00:20:22,910 --> 00:20:26,629 I'm glad I have a simple name, Greg. 354 00:20:29,390 --> 00:20:34,700 Sometimes my mother would change the intonation of it when I was in trouble. 355 00:20:34,700 --> 00:20:35,570 Greg, 356 00:20:38,030 --> 00:20:41,390 you know, our brothers used to make fun of it. 357 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:43,220 Gra egg. 358 00:20:46,189 --> 00:20:47,269 I'm not a Gregory. 359 00:20:47,330 --> 00:20:50,269 You probably gathered that from my speaking already. 360 00:20:50,360 --> 00:20:50,840 All right. 361 00:20:51,260 --> 00:20:53,600 My parents weren't that sophisticated. 362 00:20:53,990 --> 00:20:56,180 Uh, they, uh, they didn't finish. 363 00:20:56,645 --> 00:20:57,275 College. 364 00:20:57,275 --> 00:21:00,755 They were just very hardworking, wonderful Midwest people. 365 00:21:01,175 --> 00:21:07,085 And uh, so all of us have just sort of these southern names, Jody, Charles, 366 00:21:07,085 --> 00:21:10,115 Sammy, John, Philip, Neil, and Greg. 367 00:21:10,115 --> 00:21:11,735 And I'm not telling you my middle name. 368 00:21:11,735 --> 00:21:11,795 All 369 00:21:15,935 --> 00:21:18,725 that's ornery, but I just can't do it. 370 00:21:18,995 --> 00:21:20,735 We don't know each other that well. 371 00:21:22,145 --> 00:21:24,935 Verse 17, let's keep going. 372 00:21:26,165 --> 00:21:30,125 Jesus says to Mary, do not hold on to me. 373 00:21:30,245 --> 00:21:35,045 She must have been holding on very, very tight, even to the point of 374 00:21:35,045 --> 00:21:36,845 where Jesus got uncomfortable. 375 00:21:37,385 --> 00:21:42,185 Mary, don't hold on for I have not yet returned to the Father. 376 00:21:42,545 --> 00:21:46,115 Go and instead to my brothers and tell them I'm returning 377 00:21:46,115 --> 00:21:47,705 to my Father and your Father. 378 00:21:47,705 --> 00:21:49,535 And to my God and your God. 379 00:21:51,575 --> 00:21:52,774 I know you wanna hold on. 380 00:21:52,774 --> 00:21:54,814 I know you love, you've lost me once. 381 00:21:54,814 --> 00:21:57,035 I know I, I died right in front of you. 382 00:21:57,035 --> 00:22:00,665 I know it broke your heart, but now's not the time. 383 00:22:00,665 --> 00:22:01,715 Don't hold on. 384 00:22:01,715 --> 00:22:04,685 Keep trusting in faith. 385 00:22:06,155 --> 00:22:07,235 Hold on to your faith. 386 00:22:07,235 --> 00:22:09,425 Don't hold on to me physically. 387 00:22:10,294 --> 00:22:11,975 Hold on to what I taught you. 388 00:22:12,725 --> 00:22:16,024 Hold on to the Father, your God and my God. 389 00:22:16,535 --> 00:22:21,334 And sometimes we hold on to the wrong things and Mary thought 390 00:22:21,334 --> 00:22:22,415 she'd found the right thing. 391 00:22:22,415 --> 00:22:22,805 Right. 392 00:22:22,985 --> 00:22:24,875 And she had in that sense. 393 00:22:25,655 --> 00:22:28,685 But sometimes you gotta let things go to get 'em back. 394 00:22:29,375 --> 00:22:29,435 Yeah. 395 00:22:29,524 --> 00:22:30,064 Right. 396 00:22:30,754 --> 00:22:33,605 Those of us that are parents have learned that, haven't we? 397 00:22:34,535 --> 00:22:41,015 And he goes on in verse 18, says, Mary Magdalene went to 398 00:22:41,015 --> 00:22:42,185 the disciples with the news. 399 00:22:42,185 --> 00:22:43,715 I've seen the Lord. 400 00:22:43,774 --> 00:22:48,125 And she told them that he had said these things. 401 00:22:48,125 --> 00:22:52,085 Tour and we know that at first it was a little bit difficult for 'em 402 00:22:52,085 --> 00:22:54,395 to believe, but then they believed. 403 00:22:54,395 --> 00:22:58,085 Then verse 19, and on the evening of that first day of the week, when 404 00:22:58,085 --> 00:23:02,375 the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, 405 00:23:02,765 --> 00:23:07,595 Jesus came and stood among them, and I want to emphasize what he said. 406 00:23:08,615 --> 00:23:12,275 Peace be with you. 407 00:23:14,585 --> 00:23:18,215 You know, I know on a Easter service, there's a lot of 408 00:23:18,215 --> 00:23:20,405 us that are seeking peace. 409 00:23:24,005 --> 00:23:27,785 We sometimes wear our new Easter colored shirts. 410 00:23:29,465 --> 00:23:35,585 We wear our Sunday best, we put on our Sunday smile. 411 00:23:36,905 --> 00:23:38,495 We try to comb our hair, 412 00:23:41,345 --> 00:23:46,295 but inside we're not always at peace, are we In this world? 413 00:23:46,295 --> 00:23:47,705 Jesus said, you'll have trouble. 414 00:23:47,765 --> 00:23:47,855 Right. 415 00:23:48,785 --> 00:23:51,965 And I don't know about you, but the troubles has seemed to 416 00:23:51,965 --> 00:23:53,825 increase the older I've gotten. 417 00:23:54,754 --> 00:24:01,235 Maybe I just was oblivious in denial when I was younger, but 418 00:24:01,235 --> 00:24:03,395 Satan seems to be on the war path. 419 00:24:04,235 --> 00:24:04,295 Yeah. 420 00:24:04,295 --> 00:24:07,145 He seems to be hurting people I love and you love. 421 00:24:07,625 --> 00:24:12,065 He seems to be making more and more people sick and suffering. 422 00:24:12,785 --> 00:24:18,275 There seems to be more, war, seems to be more conflict, more people 423 00:24:18,275 --> 00:24:19,655 that don't seem to get along. 424 00:24:19,655 --> 00:24:23,765 More prejudice, more hatred, more evil, more crime. 425 00:24:24,485 --> 00:24:28,775 I don't know, maybe I'm just paying more attention now, but 426 00:24:28,775 --> 00:24:30,395 I think the world needs peace. 427 00:24:30,395 --> 00:24:31,265 How about that? 428 00:24:32,735 --> 00:24:36,185 Isn't that what we come together for and celebrate that 429 00:24:36,185 --> 00:24:39,605 Jesus is the prince of peace. 430 00:24:40,205 --> 00:24:40,985 Yes. 431 00:24:41,105 --> 00:24:41,855 Amen. 432 00:24:42,515 --> 00:24:43,295 Amen. 433 00:24:43,955 --> 00:24:46,175 And then moving on. 434 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:55,220 From verse 19, he says in verse 21, again, Jesus said, peace be 435 00:24:55,220 --> 00:24:57,080 with you as the Father has sent me. 436 00:24:57,080 --> 00:24:58,220 I'm sending you. 437 00:24:58,490 --> 00:25:01,220 And with that, he breathed on them. 438 00:25:02,060 --> 00:25:07,340 Now, I don't know about you, but I don't like people invading my personal space. 439 00:25:10,490 --> 00:25:15,170 When people breathe on me, I'm like, okay, let's step back a step. 440 00:25:16,700 --> 00:25:19,100 I'm friendly too, but not that friendly. 441 00:25:19,940 --> 00:25:21,590 I'm only married to one person. 442 00:25:22,310 --> 00:25:25,310 Kathy, she can have that space. 443 00:25:25,850 --> 00:25:29,750 We'll, we'll share some air, but let's not you and me share air, all right? 444 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:32,120 There's enough air to go around. 445 00:25:32,810 --> 00:25:33,260 Amen. 446 00:25:33,260 --> 00:25:33,440 Amen. 447 00:25:35,150 --> 00:25:36,140 But it's the Ruah. 448 00:25:37,940 --> 00:25:43,310 The ruah of the the, the Dset, the Holy Spirit. 449 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:44,899 It's the breath of life. 450 00:25:44,899 --> 00:25:47,899 It's the breath of God that he breathes Donna. 451 00:25:48,379 --> 00:25:51,260 And he says to him, receive the Holy Spirit. 452 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:55,280 And if you forgive anyone his sins, then they are forgiven and you 453 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:56,990 do not forgive them their sins. 454 00:25:56,990 --> 00:26:00,800 They won't be forgiven because forgiveness is in Jesus' name. 455 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:04,820 So listen to these blessings that Jesus gave people first. 456 00:26:04,820 --> 00:26:07,309 He wanted to give us peace when he resurrected. 457 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:10,399 So that's what he wants for each and every one of you. 458 00:26:10,910 --> 00:26:13,970 All you beautiful college students and teens over here. 459 00:26:13,999 --> 00:26:14,689 All right? 460 00:26:14,809 --> 00:26:20,209 All you beautiful older singles and mature people back here, all you older legacy 461 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:22,459 people here in the middle, all right? 462 00:26:22,519 --> 00:26:25,039 And all the real friendly people in the back. 463 00:26:25,039 --> 00:26:28,070 That's where I like to sit too, so I can see everybody, all right? 464 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:35,570 He wants to give us peace and he wants to give us his Holy Spirit. 465 00:26:35,570 --> 00:26:36,019 Why? 466 00:26:36,935 --> 00:26:41,345 Because Galatians tell me if I have the spirit, and Romans chapter 467 00:26:41,345 --> 00:26:45,395 seven and eight says, if I have the Spirit, I have the same power 468 00:26:45,395 --> 00:26:47,465 that raised Jesus from the dead. 469 00:26:48,815 --> 00:26:50,405 Most Christians I know. 470 00:26:50,435 --> 00:26:52,865 I have to convince that you can do it. 471 00:26:54,245 --> 00:26:55,055 You can do it. 472 00:26:55,925 --> 00:26:57,305 You can live the Christian life. 473 00:26:57,305 --> 00:26:58,835 You can overcome that sin. 474 00:26:58,955 --> 00:27:00,635 You can be a different person. 475 00:27:00,785 --> 00:27:02,495 You can be everything you want to be. 476 00:27:02,495 --> 00:27:03,635 It's not in the army. 477 00:27:03,635 --> 00:27:07,560 If you find that it's in the church, you find that you can be all you wanna 478 00:27:07,595 --> 00:27:11,045 be with the Holy Spirit, all right? 479 00:27:11,375 --> 00:27:17,435 And it's this power that defeated all evil, all the demons, all the sin. 480 00:27:18,005 --> 00:27:19,295 It's living within me. 481 00:27:20,015 --> 00:27:22,265 It's just a matter of tapping into that. 482 00:27:23,135 --> 00:27:27,665 And that's a lifelong pursuit of how to tap into it and how to use it. 483 00:27:27,665 --> 00:27:30,095 But you got the power. 484 00:27:31,085 --> 00:27:34,745 You've got the power already as a Christian. 485 00:27:36,229 --> 00:27:40,970 And you have the ability to share that power with other 486 00:27:40,970 --> 00:27:42,649 people the same way you got it. 487 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:46,490 You share it with other people and they can be forgiven of sin 488 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:50,570 because Jesus died for them as well. 489 00:27:50,749 --> 00:27:52,550 This is gospel folks. 490 00:27:52,820 --> 00:27:57,169 Easter sermons are the easiest to preach 'cause it's just about good news. 491 00:27:57,439 --> 00:27:58,760 It's just about gospel. 492 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:00,470 It's about the good stuff. 493 00:28:00,530 --> 00:28:01,970 It's not the bad stuff. 494 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:05,479 See, if you had to come Friday, we'd had to tell you what a sinner you are and 495 00:28:05,479 --> 00:28:07,160 how much Jesus's needed to die for you. 496 00:28:07,700 --> 00:28:09,320 But today you're not a sinner. 497 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:09,979 You're forgiven. 498 00:28:09,979 --> 00:28:10,129 Amen. 499 00:28:10,879 --> 00:28:12,590 All right, you're forgiven. 500 00:28:12,590 --> 00:28:13,100 Clap. 501 00:28:13,129 --> 00:28:14,180 There you go, sister. 502 00:28:14,180 --> 00:28:15,979 Just 'cause nobody claps with you. 503 00:28:16,340 --> 00:28:16,999 Amen. 504 00:28:17,570 --> 00:28:18,499 There you go. 505 00:28:18,649 --> 00:28:19,580 That's gospel. 506 00:28:19,580 --> 00:28:20,540 That's good news. 507 00:28:20,810 --> 00:28:29,209 But then there's always a Thomas Thomas called Dimus, which means he was a twin. 508 00:28:29,209 --> 00:28:30,830 So there were two Thomases. 509 00:28:31,249 --> 00:28:31,610 Oh Mercy. 510 00:28:32,689 --> 00:28:33,649 One of the 12. 511 00:28:34,220 --> 00:28:36,289 Was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 512 00:28:36,289 --> 00:28:39,320 So the other disciples told him, we have seen the Lord. 513 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:42,860 But he said to them, unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put 514 00:28:42,860 --> 00:28:49,220 my fingers where the nails were and put my hand into his side, I will not 515 00:28:49,550 --> 00:28:53,419 believe he was a critical thinker. 516 00:28:53,929 --> 00:28:55,490 He was an analytical person. 517 00:28:55,610 --> 00:28:56,869 He was a humanist. 518 00:28:57,110 --> 00:28:58,340 He was empiricist. 519 00:28:58,429 --> 00:29:00,860 He had, it had to be proven to him. 520 00:29:01,669 --> 00:29:03,619 Well be careful when you challenge God. 521 00:29:04,429 --> 00:29:07,039 'cause he might just take up that challenge. 522 00:29:07,519 --> 00:29:08,840 He might just take it up. 523 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:10,729 Verse 26, let's keep going. 524 00:29:11,300 --> 00:29:14,899 Week later, his disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. 525 00:29:15,260 --> 00:29:18,079 Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them 526 00:29:18,079 --> 00:29:20,329 and said, what'd he say again? 527 00:29:20,329 --> 00:29:22,159 He just had one refrain. 528 00:29:22,999 --> 00:29:30,590 Peace be with you if, if you met Jesus today, folks, he'd say, peace be with you, 529 00:29:31,369 --> 00:29:32,990 be the first thing he'd wanna say to you. 530 00:29:33,994 --> 00:29:35,285 'cause he knows what we need. 531 00:29:35,794 --> 00:29:39,994 Then he said to Thomas, okay, Thomas, put your finger right here. 532 00:29:40,655 --> 00:29:42,485 Ooh, I don't want to touch you. 533 00:29:44,314 --> 00:29:44,974 Put it right here. 534 00:29:44,974 --> 00:29:45,664 Thomas. 535 00:29:46,414 --> 00:29:47,434 Look at my hands. 536 00:29:48,004 --> 00:29:49,445 Look at where the nails went in. 537 00:29:49,445 --> 00:29:51,845 Thomas, I heard you. 538 00:29:52,204 --> 00:29:54,515 You didn't think I heard, but I heard you. 539 00:29:55,294 --> 00:29:56,885 I heard you scoff at me. 540 00:29:57,425 --> 00:29:58,865 I heard you doubt. 541 00:29:59,285 --> 00:30:01,925 I heard you didn't believe that I was resurrected. 542 00:30:02,405 --> 00:30:03,394 Put your finger here. 543 00:30:03,394 --> 00:30:04,235 See my hands. 544 00:30:04,235 --> 00:30:06,754 Reach out your hand and put it in my side. 545 00:30:06,965 --> 00:30:10,535 Stop doubting and believe. 546 00:30:11,675 --> 00:30:15,785 Thomas said to him, my Lord and my God. 547 00:30:18,004 --> 00:30:20,164 And I don't know everybody in the audience. 548 00:30:20,164 --> 00:30:23,075 I don't know where, where you're at spiritually. 549 00:30:23,465 --> 00:30:27,544 You're obviously good hearted and good looking, Southern California people. 550 00:30:27,544 --> 00:30:28,110 Or you would be here. 551 00:30:30,350 --> 00:30:35,210 But there's probably a little bit of Thomas in some of us, a little bit 552 00:30:35,210 --> 00:30:40,430 of Thomas that just needs to stop your questioning and doubting and 553 00:30:40,430 --> 00:30:48,380 defensiveness and open up your heart and let God speak to you and give you 554 00:30:48,380 --> 00:30:55,010 peace, and give you power, and give you encouragement, most of all give you love. 555 00:30:55,010 --> 00:30:55,160 Amen. 556 00:30:57,260 --> 00:31:02,510 You know, as religious people, we haven't always conveyed the true message, 557 00:31:02,660 --> 00:31:05,150 and the true message is from God. 558 00:31:06,290 --> 00:31:06,950 I love you. 559 00:31:08,450 --> 00:31:11,720 God wants to say to you this morning, you're my beloved. 560 00:31:13,610 --> 00:31:17,750 Just as much as I love my one and only begotten son, one and only 561 00:31:17,750 --> 00:31:20,870 beloved son, you're my beloved son. 562 00:31:20,870 --> 00:31:22,280 You're my beloved daughter. 563 00:31:23,930 --> 00:31:27,260 The cross, the bear and resurrection of Jesus is God's 564 00:31:27,260 --> 00:31:31,010 way, cosmic way, universal way. 565 00:31:31,039 --> 00:31:37,519 Eternal way of saying, I love you. 566 00:31:37,604 --> 00:31:37,894 Amen. 567 00:31:38,285 --> 00:31:38,575 Amen. 568 00:31:39,354 --> 00:31:41,990 And you, I love, 569 00:31:44,870 --> 00:31:48,439 you know, whenever you get that into your heart, it changes everything. 570 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:54,829 Ornery, ornery, people change. 571 00:31:55,370 --> 00:31:59,870 We're gonna have some cardboard confessions after this in a moment, 572 00:32:00,530 --> 00:32:04,550 and we're gonna show you one side of our sign of what we used to 573 00:32:04,550 --> 00:32:06,050 be before we were Christians. 574 00:32:06,050 --> 00:32:09,890 And we're gonna turn it around and show you what at least we think. 575 00:32:09,890 --> 00:32:11,269 We think we are now. 576 00:32:12,620 --> 00:32:16,220 And one of the, the associate ministers, Marcel, is. 577 00:32:16,669 --> 00:32:21,980 Made me do it, so I'll be up there in line too, the lineup. 578 00:32:22,010 --> 00:32:25,939 All right, my Lord and my God. 579 00:32:26,780 --> 00:32:28,700 Verse 29, let's close out. 580 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:36,080 Then Jesus told him, because you've seen me, you've believed, blessed that are 581 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:38,510 those who have not seen and yet believe. 582 00:32:38,899 --> 00:32:39,530 That's you and me. 583 00:32:39,530 --> 00:32:40,040 Folks. 584 00:32:40,790 --> 00:32:44,240 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which 585 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:48,830 are not recorded in this book, but these are written that you may believe 586 00:32:48,830 --> 00:32:56,180 that Jesus is who the Messiah, the Son of God, and on believing you may have 587 00:32:56,180 --> 00:33:02,660 abundant life in his name, just like the centurion at the crucifixion of Jesus. 588 00:33:02,959 --> 00:33:08,810 He said, seeing what had happened, he prays God and said, surely this 589 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:13,160 is a righteous man in this church. 590 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:14,360 We confess our faith. 591 00:33:15,050 --> 00:33:16,220 Over and over. 592 00:33:16,220 --> 00:33:17,300 It's become a habit. 593 00:33:17,300 --> 00:33:22,879 Now, in our, in my sermons is to ask the congregation, because of Easter, 594 00:33:22,879 --> 00:33:26,720 because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we believe these two things. 595 00:33:27,110 --> 00:33:32,419 We believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, that he's divine, that he's the 596 00:33:32,419 --> 00:33:38,629 communicate, the bridge between us and God the mediator, the one and only mediator, 597 00:33:39,140 --> 00:33:42,500 and that Jesus is Lord, that he has power. 598 00:33:43,189 --> 00:33:46,970 And so I, I, I plead with all of you. 599 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:49,189 If you can say it, say it. 600 00:33:49,189 --> 00:33:52,399 If you can't think about it, all right? 601 00:33:52,580 --> 00:33:54,200 But let's say it together. 602 00:33:54,260 --> 00:33:55,070 Say it with me. 603 00:33:55,490 --> 00:33:58,490 Jesus Christ is the son of God. 604 00:33:58,580 --> 00:34:01,730 In the second, Jesus is Lord. 605 00:34:02,270 --> 00:34:03,260 That's gospel. 606 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:07,310 That's the message of Easter, and that's a sermon for you this morning. 607 00:34:07,310 --> 00:34:07,640 Amen. 608 00:34:14,210 --> 00:34:19,279 I'm gonna say a prayer before we take a communion here in OC Church. 609 00:34:19,518 --> 00:34:22,130 We take a communion every Sunday. 610 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:27,018 Not all churches do, but we're sinners and we need to every week. 611 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:29,809 That was a joke, but it's true too. 612 00:34:30,679 --> 00:34:31,909 All but we do. 613 00:34:31,909 --> 00:34:37,130 We take it every week because we believe it is so fundamental to 614 00:34:37,130 --> 00:34:41,899 our faith that gospel, the death bear and resurrection of Jesus. 615 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:46,399 This is a sacred ritual that we take here in the OC Church, and I'm gonna 616 00:34:46,399 --> 00:34:52,340 play pray for these symbols and for these emblems, and then we invite you 617 00:34:52,340 --> 00:34:54,559 to take of communion with the Lord. 618 00:34:55,159 --> 00:34:59,990 Let's pray our great God and Father, we bow before you now on 619 00:34:59,990 --> 00:35:05,420 this resurrection morning, claiming that the tomb was empty because 620 00:35:05,420 --> 00:35:08,569 you conquered death conquered evil. 621 00:35:09,274 --> 00:35:10,175 Conquered sin. 622 00:35:11,194 --> 00:35:12,904 Father, we love you with all our hearts. 623 00:35:12,904 --> 00:35:14,045 We wanna love you back. 624 00:35:14,045 --> 00:35:17,225 You've given us every good and perfect gift that we have. 625 00:35:17,644 --> 00:35:24,904 You've been such a wonderful, merciful, faithful God, and as we remember the 626 00:35:24,904 --> 00:35:30,694 death bear and resurrection now as we take of this small piece of bread, 627 00:35:30,694 --> 00:35:36,394 this emblem of the body of Christ, we pray that we'd remember that He hung 628 00:35:36,394 --> 00:35:41,495 there for us, for our forgiveness and for our salvation, for our future. 629 00:35:42,035 --> 00:35:46,654 And as we take of this juice, we pray that we could remember that our souls are 630 00:35:46,654 --> 00:35:51,365 cleansed, that though they may have been as scarlet, now they are white as snow, 631 00:35:51,935 --> 00:35:57,455 that Father, the blood of Jesus cleanses us continually, not just once, but always, 632 00:35:57,635 --> 00:36:00,635 constantly to be righteous in your sight. 633 00:36:00,935 --> 00:36:04,175 Our righteousness comes from you because you're so good. 634 00:36:04,505 --> 00:36:08,255 We pray that you bless this moment in Jesus' name. 635 00:36:08,300 --> 00:36:08,479 Amen.