This morning, we celebrate one of the single greatest events in human history,
the resurrection of our Lord Jesus from the dead.
And I'm excited to celebrate together with those of you who are watching or listening at home.
But before we get to that moment in the story,
we want to take some time to go back and remember what has brought us up to this moment in the story of Jesus.
So I want to invite you to enter into the story of Jesus with me this morning.
A week ago today, Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey
to shouts of Hosanna to the Son of David.
Blessed is the King of Israel.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
And the people were taking off their cloaks
and throwing them down on the road in front of him
and laying palm branches down.
It was a great kind of a royal procession.
Up until this moment,
anticipation had been building in the nation.
For the past three years,
the crowds had been going out to Jesus
and following him.
No one had ever spoken or taught like Jesus did.
He was doing amazing signs and miracles
such as no one could do.
People were being healed
of their sicknesses and diseases.
He was even commanding evil spirits
and the spirits would obey him.
And so the attention on Jesus
has been increasing right up to this moment
as he rides into the city of Jerusalem.
And in this moment,
the big question on people's minds
is simply this.
Who is this man?
Matthew writes in his gospel,
when Jesus entered Jerusalem,
the whole city was stirred
and asked,
who is this?
Is he just a mere man?
Or is he more?
Is he a prophet?
Is he the Messiah?
The people want to know.
And so begins this week
leading up to the Passover in Jerusalem.
And it's a week full of intrigue
and excitement.
I should mention that
in these three years
leading up to this moment,
it hasn't all been smooth sailing for Jesus.
There has been tension
rising between him
and the religious leaders
all through this time.
And now as we come to this week
leading up to the Passover in Jerusalem,
those tensions begin to rise even more.
Jesus goes to the temple
there in Jerusalem
each day
and he teaches the people.
And again and again,
the religious leaders,
they challenge Jesus.
They try to ask him questions
that will discredit him
or humiliate him
in front of the people.
But as hard as they try,
they cannot stump
or trip Jesus up
in his words.
He answers everything perfectly.
Displaying such an amazing wisdom
and understanding.
He even asks a few questions
of his own
which put the Pharisees
on their guard.
They're not able to answer
his questions.
And they're the so-called experts
when it comes to the law.
This makes the religious leaders mad.
In fact,
they become furious
and they are plotting
and scheming
as to how they can get rid of Jesus.
As the week draws to a close,
Jesus,
who is staying outside the city
in a small town called Bethany,
he sends some of his disciples
into the city
to make preparations
for the Passover.
And while they're making preparations,
one of Jesus' inner twelve,
a man named Judas,
is making preparations of his own.
Preparations to betray Jesus
and hand him over
to the religious leaders
for a sum of money.
Finally,
that evening comes
when Jesus sits down
in the upper room
with his disciples
to celebrate the Passover meal.
They eat and they drink together.
Jesus says many things to them.
And that night,
he leads them out
to Gethsemane,
an olive grove.
It is there in Gethsemane
that Jesus is arrested.
Under the cover of darkness,
Judas leads a crowd of armed men
out to meet Jesus
there in the olive grove.
And Jesus surrenders himself
to them
and allows them to arrest him.
His disciples desert him
and flee
in that moment.
A couple of them
follow along
from a distance
to see
where they will take Jesus
and what they will do with him.
And so begins
this dark night
in the story of Jesus.
From there,
they take him
to the chief priests
in Jerusalem.
And he
is put on trial.
If you could even
call it a trial.
It was more of a sham
trial than anything.
In that moment,
it was almost as if
they were just rehearsing.
What could we possibly
say?
What accusations
could we possibly make
that would secure for us
the result
that we want to get?
Which is to see
him executed.
From there,
they take him
to the Roman governor,
Pilate.
Pilate sends Jesus
to stand trial
before Herod.
Herod
mocks Jesus
and sends him
back to Pilate.
Pilate
questions Jesus
and finds him
innocent.
He makes his
verdict known
publicly
in front of
all the people.
But the religious
leaders stir up
the people
to demand
that Jesus
be executed,
that he be
crucified.
And so,
even though
Jesus is
innocent,
Pilate,
after having
him severely
flogged,
hands him
over
to be
crucified.
From there,
Jesus is
made to
carry his
own cross
to Golgotha,
the place
of the
skull.
There,
the soldiers
nail
Jesus'
body
to a
wooden
cross
and then
lift him
up
on that
cross.
where he
hangs
for all
to watch
as he
dies.
A horrific
death
of suffocation
and blood
loss.
The charge
above his
head
reads
on a sign
that was
posted there,
this is
the king
of the
Jews.
It was
an awful
day,
a dark
day,
a bloody
day.
But
it was
a day
that
God
had
planned
long
ago.
The
religious
leaders
thought
that they
had
triumphed
over
Jesus
that
day.
We
got him.
Little
did they
know,
little
did they
realize,
all of
this was
part of
God's
plan
from
long
ago.
All
of this
had
deep
significance.
Jesus'
suffering
and
death,
it had
a distinct
and clear
purpose
from
God.
God
had given
an
explanation
to
these
events,
to what
Jesus went
through
hundreds
of years
before it
had even
happened.
And I'm
going to
read some
of that
for us
this
morning.
I
encourage
you to
think
about
those
moments
before
and
on
the
cross
as
Jesus
suffered
while I
read
from
Isaiah
53.
God
said this
through the
prophet
Isaiah,
he was
despised
and
rejected
by
mankind.
A
man of
suffering
and
familiar
with
pain.
Like
one
from
whom
people
hide
their
faces,
he
was
despised.
And
we
held
him
in
low
esteem.
Surely
he
took
up
our
pain
and
bore
our
suffering.
Yet
we
considered
him
punished
by
God,
stricken
by
him
and
afflicted.
But
he
was
pierced
for
our
transgressions.
He
was
crushed
for
our
iniquities.
the
punishment
that
brought
us
peace
was
upon
him
and
by
his
wounds
we
are
healed.
We
all
like
sheep
have
gone
astray.
Each
of us
has
turned
to
our
own
way
and
the
Lord
has
laid
on
him
the
iniquity
of
us
all.
He
was
oppressed
and
afflicted
yet
he
did
not
open
his
mouth.
He
was
led
like
a
lamb
to
the
slaughter
and
as
a
sheep
before
its
shearers
is
silent
so
he
did
not
open
his
mouth.
By
oppression
and
judgment
he
was
taken
away
yet
who
of
his
generation
protested
for
he
was
cut
off
from
the
land
of
the
living
for
the
transgression
of
my
people
he
was
punished.
He
was
assigned
a
grave
with
the
wicked
and
with
the
rich
in
his
death
though
he
had
done
no
violence
nor
was
any
deceit
in
his
mouth.
Yet
it
was
the
Lord's
will
to
crush
him
and
cause
him
to
suffer.
The
Lord
makes
his
life
an
offering
for
sin.
By
his
knowledge
my
righteous
servant
will
justify
many
and
he
will
bear
their
iniquities.
Long
ago
before
any
of this
had
taken
place
God
had
made
known
that
there
would
be
a
specific
purpose
for
the
suffering
of
this
servant
of
his.
He
was
to
bear
the
punishment
of
his
people
so
that
they
might
be
healed.
Like
a
sin
offering
being
offered
for
their
atonement.
John
the
baptizer
three
years
before
this
moment
at
the
cross
pointed
to
the
same
thing.
He
pointed
to
Jesus
and
said
behold
the
Lamb
of
God
who
takes
away
the
sins
of
the
world.
Jesus
himself
spoke
of
this
moment.
In
his
conversation
with
Nicodemus
he said
this
he said
just as
Moses
lifted up
the
snake
in the
wilderness
referring
to how
he had
lifted
it up
on a
wooden
pole
so
the
son
of
man
must
be
lifted
up
that
everyone
who
believes
in
him
may
have
eternal
life
in
order
for
people
who
believe
in
him
to
have
eternal
life
something
must
happen
the
son
of
man
must
be
lifted
up
the
lamb
of
God
must
be
sacrificed
in
the
words
of
Jesus
the
ransom
must
be
paid
the
death
of
Jesus
was
absolutely
necessary
to
secure
this
gift
that
God
desires
to
give
to
his
people
eternal
life
and to
secure
their
just
pardon
for
their
sins
against
him
and we
have all
sinned
against
God
we
all
deserve
to
receive
from
him
the
punishment
that
he
has
prescribed
death
hell
there
was
no
other
way
for
us
to
be
forgiven
for
us
to
escape
this
punishment
and be
saved
Jesus
had
to
come
and die
on that
cross
and suffer
as he
did
the
innocent
for the
guilty
to make
that
possible
for us
Jesus
said so
himself
that night
that he
was betrayed
he
told
Peter
to put
his
sword
away
he
said
do you
think
I
cannot
call
on my
father
and he
will at
once
put at
my
disposal
more
than
twelve
legions
of
angels
but
how
then
would
the
scriptures
be
fulfilled
that
say
it
must
happen
in
this
way
it
must
happen
in
this
way
and so
the
death
of
Jesus
was
absolutely
necessary
but
it's
not
the
end
of
the
story
we're
here
listening
watching
on
Easter
Sunday
morning
and the
story
goes on
if
the
death
of
Jesus
was
the
darkest
day
in
human
history
this
morning
we
celebrate
the
brightest
day
in
human
history
so
let's
read
the
story
together
from
Luke
chapter
24
verse
1
on
the
first
day
of
the
week
very
early
in
the
morning
the
women
took
the
spices
they
had
prepared
and
went
to
the
tomb
they
found
the
stone
rolled
away
from
the
tomb
but
when
they
entered
they
did
not
find
the
body
of
the
Lord
Jesus
while
they
were
wondering
about
this
suddenly
two
men
in
clothes
that
gleamed
like
lightning
stood
beside
them
in
their
fright
the
women
bowed
down
with
their
faces
to
the
ground
but
the
men
said
to
them
why
do
you
look
for
the
living
among
the
dead
he
is
not
here
he
has
risen
remember
how
he
told
you
while
he
was
still
with
you
in
Galilee
the
son
of
man
must
be
delivered
over
to
the
hands
of
sinners
be
crucified
and
on
the
third
day
be
raised
again
then
they
remembered
his
words
would
have
been
a
wonderful
moment
I
would
have
loved
to
have
seen
it
he
is
risen
he
is
not
here
this
is
just
as
he
said
this
must
happen
it
must
happen
in
this
way
but
he's
not
here
he's
alive
the
big
surprise
would
come
later
that
evening
as
almost
all
of
Jesus
disciples
and
many
others
with
them
were
gathered
together
in
Jerusalem
I'm
reading
from
verse
36
there
they
are
gathered
while
they
were
still
talking
Jesus
himself
stood
among
them
and
said
to
them
peace
be
with
you
they
were
startled
and
frightened
thinking
they
saw
a
ghost
he
said
to
them
why
are
you
troubled
and
why
do
doubts
rise
in
your
minds
look
at
my
hands
and
my
feet
it
is
I
myself
touch
me
and
see
a
ghost
does
not
have
flesh
and
bones
as
you
see
I
have
when
he
had
said
this
he
showed
them
his
hands
and
feet
and
while
they
still
did
not
believe
it
because
of
joy
and
amazement
he
asked
them
do
you
have
anything
here
to
eat
they
gave
him
a
piece
of
broiled
fish
and
he
took
it
and
ate
it
in
their
presence
oh
what
a
moment
that
must
have
been
I
love
the
reaction
of
the
disciples
their
first
reaction
is
that
of
unbelief
but
not
the
bad
kind
of
unbelief
kind
of
the
kind
of
unbelief
that
wow
this
can't
be
I
can't
believe
what
my
eyes
are
seeing
I
can't
believe
what
my
hands
are
feeling
you're
here
you're
alive
he
is
risen
this
is
amazing
it
can't
be
we
saw
you
die
you're
alive
here
you
are
with
the
human
body
flesh
and
blood
and
scars
to
prove
it
Luke
tells
us
that
they
had
joy
and
amazement
what a
wonderful
and
glorious
moment
that
must
have
been
and
even
this
moment
too
Jesus
had
told
them
about
on
the
eve
of
his
betrayal
do
you
remember
those
words
that
he
spoke
to
his
disciples
he
said
very
truly
I
tell
you
will
weep
and
mourn
while
the
world
rejoices
you
will
grieve
but
your
grief
will
turn
to
joy
it's
like
a
woman
giving
birth
a
woman
giving
birth
to
a
child
has
pain
because
her
time
has
come
but
when
her
baby
is
born
she
forgets
the
anguish
because
of
the
joy
that
a
child
is
born
into
the
world
so
with
you
now
is
your
time
of
grief
he
told
them
on
the
night
of
his
betrayal
but
I
will
see
you
again
and
you
will
rejoice
and
no
one
will
take
away
your
joy
the
resurrection
of
Jesus
is
cause
for
great
joy
the
resurrection
of
Jesus
is
everything
that
God
raised
Jesus
from
the
dead
is
heaven's
declaration
that
yes
he
is
the
son
of
God
he
is
my
son
whom
I
love
yes
he
is
the
Messiah
the
king
that
I
promised
long
ago
the
shoot
from
the
stump
of
Jesse
the
son
of
David
the
one
who
will
reign
over
the
never
ending
kingdom
of
heaven
which
is
coming
in
its
fullness
Jesus
being
raised
from
the
dead
by
God
is
God's
proclamation
that
yes
the
ransom
payment
has
been
accepted
you
can
be
made
right
with
me
through
him
by
believing
in
his
name
Jesus
being
raised
from
the
dead
is
God's
declaration
that
there is
nothing
that can
stand in
the way
of him
giving
to his
people
all that
he has
promised
the
greatest
of
promises
eternal
life
not
even
death
can stand
in the
way
the
resurrection
of
Jesus
is
everything
it's
God's
ultimate
sign
his
ultimate
certificate
of
authenticity
on
Jesus
his
son
and
on
every
word
that
Jesus
spoke
and
so
as
we
celebrate
the
resurrection
of
our
Lord
Jesus
this
morning
I hope
that
you just
feel ready
to praise
and to
thank God
for this
amazing
glorious
reality
it doesn't
matter
what you're
going through
there is
nothing
that can
stand in
the way
of all
that God
has
promised
to give
to you
if you
have
believed
if you
have
repented
and
believed
in the
name
of his
one
and only
son
the
coronavirus
can't
stand
in the
way
your
physical
health
and
sickness
or issues
that you're
going through
with your
body
can't
stand
in the
way
death
itself
can't
stand
in the
way
hear these
words of
Jesus
again
in this
world
you will
have
trouble
but
take
heart
I
have
overcome
the
world
where
oh
death
is your
sting
where
oh
death
is your
victory
over
me
it's
gone
forever
that's
what the
resurrection
of Jesus
declares
thanks be
to God
he has
given us
the victory
through our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
and this
good gift
of eternal
life which
guarantees
in a
solid and
certain way
all of the
good things
that God
has promised
to his
people
is available
to all
who will
repent
who will
seek God's
forgiveness
and believe
that he
has provided
the way
and that
the way
is his
son
Jesus
and so
I wish
you joy
with your
family
or with
or on
your own
if you're
celebrating
on your
own
this Easter
Sunday
morning
Christ
is risen
he is
risen
indeed
let's
pray
Lord
Jesus
thank you
for offering
your life
for ours
thank you
for enduring
the suffering
of Calvary
so that we
might be
forgiven
and receive
new life
forever
in you
father
thank you
that nothing
can
can stop
your love
from breaking
through
fill our
hearts with
joy and
enable us
to feel
it today
we ask
this in
Christ's
name
amen
you