WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.060 Hey, if you're visiting here for the first time, again, my name is Tobin, and we are glad that you're here for this special Easter celebration. 00:00:07.219 --> 00:00:13.179 I've been told that I cannot speak as long as I normally do, because we have 60 gallons of ice cream, and it will melt. 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:18.760 And so my staff told me that if I go overtime, they're going to start showing a picture behind me of an ice cream cone melting. 00:00:19.460 --> 00:00:22.320 It'll just get worse and worse, and so that will tell me, you know. 00:00:22.539 --> 00:00:28.900 So right afterwards, we're going to all go to the podium, which is a great grassy area right near here, right across from Starbucks. 00:00:28.899 --> 00:00:33.060 And we're going to have ice cream sundae, so just please come join us and eat. 00:00:33.219 --> 00:00:39.019 If you want to gather, we buy food sometimes here and hang out as families, often after church, and it's just a great celebration. 00:00:39.200 --> 00:00:42.619 And then we're going to have an Easter egg hunt. We have, I think, over 700 Easter eggs. 00:00:43.159 --> 00:00:47.739 So a couple of the community groups are going to be doing Easter egg hunt for the kids, and it is one of my highlights. 00:00:48.060 --> 00:00:52.519 So please come to that, because you don't want to miss that. 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:55.119 You know, I love this season. I love Easter. 00:00:55.119 --> 00:01:02.280 However, as a pastor, you have to come in, and you're talking about the greatest story and message, 00:01:02.459 --> 00:01:06.399 and the eight words that are probably the most powerful words in history. 00:01:06.539 --> 00:01:11.719 And you have to talk about them, and some people feel like, oh, you know, it has to be awesome and incredible, 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:13.359 and they're waiting to be wowed. 00:01:14.759 --> 00:01:18.060 You know, I grew up in a family where we didn't celebrate Easter. 00:01:18.060 --> 00:01:22.700 My family is full of CEOs, Christmas and Easter only people. 00:01:23.380 --> 00:01:26.859 And so we went to Christmas, and we went to Easter, and that was about it. 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:30.980 But there was always something about Easter that was encouraging and exciting to me. 00:01:31.480 --> 00:01:34.480 I always remember we got new suits or a new set of clothes. 00:01:34.740 --> 00:01:36.740 It was just a tradition. My parents carried on. 00:01:37.180 --> 00:01:39.040 I don't understand where they got it from. 00:01:39.540 --> 00:01:43.280 We got great food and candy, and we went to church, whether we wanted to or not. 00:01:43.320 --> 00:01:44.980 We had to be in church. 00:01:44.980 --> 00:01:48.680 And I just remember sitting there and just hearing these stories going through my head, 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:51.400 but it was inconsistently, it wasn't lived out in my family. 00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:52.700 My parents never talked about it. 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:55.200 So it was really confusing to me. 00:01:55.340 --> 00:01:58.980 And so I realized, even as we spend 10 minutes to talk about this amazing, 00:01:59.960 --> 00:02:02.960 the thing that changes everything, that it might be confusing to you also. 00:02:03.080 --> 00:02:07.020 And if it is, just grab me in an appropriate place. 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:08.740 Grab me, and we'll talk about that. 00:02:09.879 --> 00:02:11.719 I get in trouble when I say that sometimes. 00:02:11.719 --> 00:02:16.099 Because we want to talk about these things, because it is the story. 00:02:16.840 --> 00:02:19.979 And it's the highlight for me as a pastor. 00:02:20.280 --> 00:02:24.340 I have to say, these last three weeks have been terrible for us as a family. 00:02:24.900 --> 00:02:30.180 So Christina's mom suddenly died, and so we rush back to America. 00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:36.620 Her dad is fighting a debilitating disease that we do the ice bucket challenge about. 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:41.219 And so now he's by himself, and we're at home, and we're in Dallas, 00:02:41.219 --> 00:02:45.759 and we're seeing this funeral, and we're watching Mimi's memories, 00:02:46.300 --> 00:02:48.639 and hearing these amazing testimonies of her. 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:51.099 And we're seeing the tomb where she's going to be laid. 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:55.039 And you feel this finality of things, right? 00:02:55.060 --> 00:02:55.500 You feel this. 00:02:55.819 --> 00:03:00.840 We flew back, I think, Thursday night, because we wanted to be here with our family, you guys. 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:01.840 And we're seeing the same. 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:02.840 And we're seeing the same. 00:03:02.840 --> 00:03:03.680 So you can pray for Christina. 00:03:03.780 --> 00:03:05.759 She's still there, helping her dad. 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:08.500 But, you know, you feel this finality when you look at the grave. 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:12.319 And we heard all these stories, and it was amazing, her testimony. 00:03:12.780 --> 00:03:13.659 It was fun. 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:15.680 But we also felt the pain. 00:03:15.780 --> 00:03:16.460 We felt the loneliness. 00:03:16.700 --> 00:03:18.240 We felt sadness. 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:20.740 And sometimes we just felt hopelessness. 00:03:21.820 --> 00:03:23.420 But that's not what Easter is about. 00:03:24.620 --> 00:03:26.659 But that's what's happening in this story. 00:03:27.700 --> 00:03:28.020 Right? 00:03:28.760 --> 00:03:32.280 And so what I want to do just in the short time that's allotted to me, 00:03:32.340 --> 00:03:34.980 I want to look at actually just one verse. 00:03:35.040 --> 00:03:39.660 I want to look at two words, and I want to talk about what these mean to all of us in here, 00:03:39.740 --> 00:03:40.600 whoever you are in here. 00:03:40.740 --> 00:03:42.020 I want to talk about these things. 00:03:42.020 --> 00:03:50.300 Because I learned when I was going on my spiritual journey that it wasn't so much how good the pastor was in communicating. 00:03:50.460 --> 00:03:51.879 I used to judge things like that. 00:03:52.820 --> 00:03:56.400 As long as he preached God's word, that was what he was called to do. 00:03:56.700 --> 00:03:58.980 But I realized what the issue was was my heart. 00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:02.420 Was my heart ready to hear God's word? 00:04:02.480 --> 00:04:03.660 Was my heart ready to meet God? 00:04:03.760 --> 00:04:06.980 Was my heart ready to be changed by God and be different? 00:04:06.980 --> 00:04:11.060 And so that's maybe the question we have to ask ourselves as we begin is, 00:04:11.060 --> 00:04:14.039 are our hearts ready to meet the creator of all things? 00:04:15.300 --> 00:04:18.040 And are we open to his spirit changing us? 00:04:19.160 --> 00:04:23.340 If you've been here for any amount of time, we've been going through this series called God's Story and Our Story, 00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:30.079 and we began in creation, and we've been following it for thousands of years, not thousands of years here. 00:04:30.139 --> 00:04:31.939 We've been following it for 12 Sundays. 00:04:32.860 --> 00:04:33.779 Somebody got that. 00:04:35.319 --> 00:04:36.519 I think it was Jason Mann. 00:04:36.519 --> 00:04:43.459 Anyway, but all along we've seen this common thread throughout these 12 Sundays. 00:04:43.620 --> 00:04:47.339 We've seen this idea of God creating, and we've seen this idea of God pursuing. 00:04:47.599 --> 00:04:50.240 He creates us, and he pursues us. 00:04:50.519 --> 00:04:53.259 He wants to have this covenant relationship with us. 00:04:53.620 --> 00:04:54.919 He's doing everything he can. 00:04:55.419 --> 00:04:59.519 And what we've been seeing in these stories is that people like us, like you and me, especially me, 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:00.939 we struggle. 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:03.439 We struggle with our brokenness. 00:05:03.500 --> 00:05:04.779 We struggle with our selfishness. 00:05:04.839 --> 00:05:06.839 We struggle with our self-sufficiency. 00:05:06.839 --> 00:05:09.799 We struggle with our desires to do things the way we want to do them. 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:11.159 We want to do them the way we want to do them. 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:12.939 And you see that in little kids. 00:05:13.459 --> 00:05:14.299 And we struggle with that. 00:05:14.359 --> 00:05:18.079 And what we've been seeing throughout all this series is that men, you and I, 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:21.399 and throughout history, we've made some really bad choices. 00:05:21.399 --> 00:05:28.279 I mean, we've made some really poor choices, and yet throughout all these stories, 00:05:28.719 --> 00:05:35.139 God just continues to be true to his word and true to his covenant, and he pursues us. 00:05:36.419 --> 00:05:39.679 Do you know that God is aggressive with his love? 00:05:41.259 --> 00:05:45.799 That right now God is aggressively pursuing you, and you see this throughout Scripture, 00:05:46.019 --> 00:05:47.359 and it doesn't make any sense. 00:05:47.359 --> 00:05:51.239 And throughout the Scripture, God just continually makes a way for Tobin and you and me, 00:05:51.399 --> 00:05:54.319 he continually makes a way for Noah and Moses, all these guys, 00:05:54.379 --> 00:05:56.299 he continually makes a way for them to come back to God. 00:05:57.519 --> 00:05:58.899 Because he's pursuing them aggressively. 00:05:59.459 --> 00:06:02.259 And what we see today, and what we saw last Sunday in this series, 00:06:02.339 --> 00:06:03.979 is that the ultimate solution to the problem, 00:06:04.379 --> 00:06:06.939 the ultimate thing that all these stories are pointing to in the Bible, 00:06:07.639 --> 00:06:09.379 the center of all the stories we've been reading, 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:13.019 this whole journey we've been on, is Jesus. 00:06:14.659 --> 00:06:18.339 And God has sent Jesus to be the final solution. 00:06:18.519 --> 00:06:21.379 I mean, he's the one that makes all the stories come together. 00:06:21.399 --> 00:06:24.500 He's the one that ultimately fulfills all the things that we need. 00:06:24.819 --> 00:06:28.399 He's the one who's come to bring us back to God. 00:06:29.819 --> 00:06:31.799 He hasn't made a way for us to come back to God, 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:33.439 because if he's done that, then we have to do something. 00:06:33.560 --> 00:06:36.459 But he's come to bring us back to God. 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:38.699 And as Christians, if you've never heard that, 00:06:38.719 --> 00:06:39.659 that's what we call the gospel. 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:43.719 The gospel is that God has come in the form of Jesus Christ, his son, 00:06:43.779 --> 00:06:47.419 and he has done everything necessary to bring you and I back to God. 00:06:47.420 --> 00:06:49.420 He's done it all. 00:06:49.879 --> 00:06:51.180 And we've seen that in his story. 00:06:51.259 --> 00:06:52.900 And then last Sunday, we got to Palm Sunday, 00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:54.560 and Jesus entered into Jerusalem. 00:06:54.660 --> 00:06:55.780 If you were here, you remembered it. 00:06:56.080 --> 00:06:57.379 And the kids just taught you it. 00:06:57.420 --> 00:06:59.819 They taught you it much better than I could ever teach you it. 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:02.920 So go back and listen to their story. 00:07:03.300 --> 00:07:06.060 But we're told it on Palm Sunday that Jesus rode in on a donkey. 00:07:06.340 --> 00:07:10.720 It was a symbol of being a ruler and a king and not a warrior. 00:07:10.840 --> 00:07:12.800 A warrior rode in on a big white stallion. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:16.819 And we're told that there was 20,000 people, and Eric talked about this last week, 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:18.240 20,000 people coming in with him. 00:07:18.259 --> 00:07:19.600 It's like a rocks concert, right? 00:07:19.879 --> 00:07:22.920 And they're all waving these branches, palm branches, and they're yelling, 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:23.319 Hosanna. 00:07:23.400 --> 00:07:24.800 And the palm branch is really significant. 00:07:25.180 --> 00:07:26.520 Don't have time to talk about it now. 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:27.400 We'll talk about it later. 00:07:27.759 --> 00:07:30.660 But Hosanna means save us, save us, save us now. 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:35.040 And Jerusalem during the Passover was an amazing place. 00:07:35.100 --> 00:07:36.019 Do you realize this? 00:07:36.860 --> 00:07:39.199 I mean, it usually held maybe 40,000 people. 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:43.479 But during the Passover, the city just expanded to like 3 million people. 00:07:43.560 --> 00:07:49.159 There were 3 million people living in this one area for this Passover. 00:07:51.279 --> 00:07:53.319 And Palm Sunday is also a really important day. 00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:55.480 It was the day you chose your lamb. 00:07:57.819 --> 00:08:00.120 I mean, according to the book of Exodus, all the families would go, 00:08:00.199 --> 00:08:01.800 and they would pick a lamb, a perfect lamb. 00:08:02.060 --> 00:08:04.219 And every household would go, and they'd pick this perfect lamb, 00:08:04.259 --> 00:08:06.240 and they would care for this perfect lamb for a week. 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:10.340 They would care for this perfect lamb and feed him and take care of him 00:08:10.340 --> 00:08:12.680 and love him and nurture him. 00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:16.699 And then on the Passover, the day of atonement, at the same time, 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:20.480 in Hebrew, it's at twilight between the hours, between the days. 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:23.680 At the same time, everybody, they would kill their lamb, 00:08:23.800 --> 00:08:26.420 and the blood would splatter everywhere and would roll down the streets 00:08:26.420 --> 00:08:28.819 into the Kidron Valley, and there would be blood shed. 00:08:29.079 --> 00:08:30.019 And it was terrible. 00:08:30.019 --> 00:08:33.620 And people, they realized how bad sin is. 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:36.779 They realized how corrupt our nature is. 00:08:36.819 --> 00:08:38.819 They realized when corruption comes into our life, 00:08:38.919 --> 00:08:43.379 it separates us from each other, and it separates us from a holy God. 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:46.799 So this is what's happening as Jesus walks in there. 00:08:47.139 --> 00:08:50.860 So on this Palm Sunday, all the shepherds would bring their sheep into Jerusalem, 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:56.120 and some historians like Josephus would say that there were 350,000 lambs 00:08:56.120 --> 00:08:57.919 brought into this place. 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:01.759 350,000 sheep were all around Jerusalem, and they had these little stalls, 00:09:01.879 --> 00:09:02.779 and people would cry out. 00:09:02.839 --> 00:09:05.039 They would cry out, hey, hey, take my sheep. 00:09:05.159 --> 00:09:05.899 My sheep are good. 00:09:06.019 --> 00:09:06.599 Take my sheep. 00:09:06.679 --> 00:09:07.559 My sheep can save you. 00:09:07.819 --> 00:09:08.659 My sheep are pure. 00:09:08.759 --> 00:09:09.839 My sheep will atone you. 00:09:10.079 --> 00:09:10.740 They're going to help you. 00:09:10.779 --> 00:09:11.899 They're going to make you right with God. 00:09:11.939 --> 00:09:12.879 They're going to save you. 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:19.579 And Jesus walks into this, the Lamb of God. 00:09:21.919 --> 00:09:25.639 And you know the story because the kids told the story is that things don't go as people wanted. 00:09:25.839 --> 00:09:27.579 Jesus isn't the Messiah that people wanted. 00:09:27.920 --> 00:09:31.180 He's a different type of Messiah, and the people turn on him. 00:09:31.259 --> 00:09:31.879 They get angry. 00:09:32.740 --> 00:09:35.100 And he's tried in this illegal trial. 00:09:35.259 --> 00:09:35.980 It's so corrupt. 00:09:36.060 --> 00:09:39.040 Even within Roman government, they could never do it. 00:09:39.060 --> 00:09:41.620 And he's beaten, and he's condemned, and he's humiliated. 00:09:43.139 --> 00:09:46.480 He's hung on a cross on Good Friday. 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:50.240 And at the exact same time that the high priest went into the temple to kill the lamb, 00:09:50.620 --> 00:09:55.920 to pour the blood over the mercy seat, the Bema seat, the places where the Ark of the Covenant was, 00:09:55.960 --> 00:09:58.500 at that exact same time, Jesus is hanging on a cross. 00:09:58.500 --> 00:10:02.039 And all the gospels say that he yelled out, 00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:05.179 my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:10:05.179 --> 00:10:11.879 Because at that moment, God turned his back on him. 00:10:11.879 --> 00:10:24.799 Because all of my sins and all of my brokenness and all of your sins and all of your brokenness were placed upon an unbroken, 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:31.519 un-sinful God-man, and he took all of our debt, and he paid it. 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:34.759 The kids told the story. 00:10:34.839 --> 00:10:35.379 You know it. 00:10:36.359 --> 00:10:42.279 And he dies, and he's placed in this tomb, this fresh tomb in this garden, and it's freshly cut, and it's amazing. 00:10:43.500 --> 00:10:48.120 And the stone is rolled across, and it's into Friday night. 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:48.159 Right? 00:10:50.500 --> 00:10:55.539 You ever thought what it would be like to be there Friday night or Saturday? 00:10:57.179 --> 00:10:59.259 You ever thought what the stories people were saying? 00:11:00.220 --> 00:11:01.139 I mean, I've thought about this. 00:11:01.299 --> 00:11:07.139 Maybe I'm weird, but I kind of try to think about what it would be like being there and listening to what they were saying about Jesus. 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:10.019 Do you remember when he said this, this, and this, this? 00:11:10.060 --> 00:11:11.060 Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know that. 00:11:11.379 --> 00:11:12.840 And do you remember when he did this, this, and this? 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:13.519 Oh, yeah, yeah, I know. 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:14.340 It's amazing. 00:11:14.340 --> 00:11:17.420 You know, but all his disciples, they're scattered. 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:18.240 They're afraid. 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:20.620 They think they're next. 00:11:22.100 --> 00:11:23.180 And it's not good. 00:11:25.060 --> 00:11:28.780 You know, last week, we were telling stories about Christina's mom. 00:11:30.019 --> 00:11:36.160 And there were times I walked into the house, and I thought I heard her speaking to me because she'd always give me instructions, as good mother-in-laws would always do. 00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:42.160 I know I give a hard time to mother-in-laws, but, you know, I actually, I really love Karen. 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:47.120 And so I, we told stories about her, and we told stories that were funny and how she dressed. 00:11:47.199 --> 00:11:48.259 And this is a Karen tie. 00:11:48.360 --> 00:11:51.539 Kip and I went out for the funeral, and we picked her favorite colors. 00:11:51.579 --> 00:11:55.319 Her favorite colors were purple, green, and just these wild colors that you wear. 00:11:55.399 --> 00:11:58.819 I guess you can wear when you're 70 years old because no one cares what you dress like, right? 00:11:59.199 --> 00:12:01.179 And so this is kind of like her dresses would look like. 00:12:01.219 --> 00:12:02.000 And you're like, oh, wow. 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:07.579 And so we told these Karen stories, but in the midst of the happiness and all these things, we still felt sad. 00:12:07.580 --> 00:12:11.060 We felt disappointed. 00:12:13.220 --> 00:12:14.320 We felt lonely. 00:12:15.800 --> 00:12:17.139 We felt hopeless. 00:12:19.020 --> 00:12:20.820 But something happens in this story. 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:22.740 Something different happens. 00:12:23.820 --> 00:12:27.139 And what we see is something happens, and it changes everything. 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:30.160 I mean, it changes what the disciples do. 00:12:30.259 --> 00:12:31.900 It changes how the disciples act. 00:12:32.379 --> 00:12:35.080 The disciples, all of them, die because of their faith now. 00:12:35.180 --> 00:12:36.120 They're not hiding anymore. 00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:37.000 They're not running around. 00:12:37.639 --> 00:12:39.460 They're killed or martyred throughout their life. 00:12:39.659 --> 00:12:42.000 It changes the culture in Jerusalem at that time. 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:42.899 It changes Judaism. 00:12:43.659 --> 00:12:46.799 It changes the Roman culture and empire. 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:53.240 The Roman empires change, and historians will tell you, in a way that is unlike any other way because it didn't happen by violence. 00:12:53.560 --> 00:12:54.700 It didn't happen by sword. 00:12:54.759 --> 00:12:55.620 It didn't happen by army. 00:12:55.940 --> 00:12:57.899 But it happened by love. 00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:03.840 And the Christians just loved well, and the Christians had compassion. 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:08.759 And we're told by historians that the Christians actually died well because they were persecuted. 00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:12.139 And when it came time for them to die, they just go, well, praise the Lord. 00:13:12.179 --> 00:13:16.080 I'm with God in heaven, and heaven is so much greater than here, and it's going to be for eternity, so let's do it. 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:19.519 And this attitude changed them, and it changed their culture. 00:13:19.700 --> 00:13:20.779 It changed history. 00:13:20.939 --> 00:13:22.700 It changed the story. 00:13:22.919 --> 00:13:24.419 And it changes our story, right? 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:27.960 And it changes Christina's mom's story, Karen's story. 00:13:28.019 --> 00:13:29.819 We tell it differently now. 00:13:29.820 --> 00:13:34.020 Because if this didn't happen, her story would be sad and disappointed. 00:13:35.020 --> 00:13:42.680 But now her story is full of life and hope and meaning and truth. 00:13:45.260 --> 00:13:49.020 So Psalm Matthew 28, 1 through 20, we've read. 00:13:50.920 --> 00:13:51.760 You have your bulletin. 00:13:51.800 --> 00:13:52.440 Just look at it. 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:54.940 And it's in the Sunday morning, and the women are going to the tomb. 00:13:55.020 --> 00:13:56.560 They're going to prepare Jesus' body. 00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:57.679 And there's two of them. 00:13:57.759 --> 00:13:58.899 There's Mary and another Mary. 00:13:58.979 --> 00:14:01.459 There might be up to six, but Matthew only records two. 00:14:01.979 --> 00:14:03.479 And in verse 2, there's this massive earthquake. 00:14:03.639 --> 00:14:04.819 I mean, it's this huge earthquake. 00:14:05.379 --> 00:14:08.459 So you wonder how the soldiers were sleeping when the disciples came to steal the body. 00:14:08.539 --> 00:14:11.099 There's this massive earthquake, and there's this angel there. 00:14:11.179 --> 00:14:15.219 So they had some really good sleep medicine or something like that. 00:14:15.419 --> 00:14:18.879 But this earthquake happens, and this angel is sitting on top of this boulder, 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:20.119 and this stone is rolled away. 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:23.099 And this angel is white, and he's sitting there, and it's amazing. 00:14:23.100 --> 00:14:29.840 And the Roman guards, who are the trained killers of their time, I mean, they are tough. 00:14:30.540 --> 00:14:32.320 We're told they're standing there, and they're paralyzed. 00:14:32.580 --> 00:14:35.740 They're in fear, and something that's incredible is happening to them. 00:14:36.899 --> 00:14:40.500 And then the angel speaks to this woman, and he says the same thing that all angels say. 00:14:40.659 --> 00:14:43.139 He says the same thing that an angel would say to you if he came to you tonight. 00:14:43.460 --> 00:14:44.639 He would say, don't fear. 00:14:45.560 --> 00:14:47.840 Because there's something about angels that really freak people out. 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:51.180 And then he gives this message, and he gives this message, and these are these eight words. 00:14:51.540 --> 00:14:54.200 And these eight words change history. 00:14:54.379 --> 00:14:55.899 They change stories. 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:57.040 They change meaning. 00:14:57.200 --> 00:14:58.540 They change our future. 00:14:58.660 --> 00:15:01.340 They change who we are, what we hope in, what we grab onto. 00:15:01.680 --> 00:15:05.180 These eight words, and you look at them in verse 6. 00:15:06.840 --> 00:15:10.360 He is not here, for he is risen. 00:15:10.360 --> 00:15:16.840 He is not here, for he is risen. 00:15:18.220 --> 00:15:20.039 Can you repeat that for me? 00:15:21.340 --> 00:15:24.440 He is not here, for he is risen. 00:15:25.800 --> 00:15:29.000 He's not here, for he is risen. 00:15:29.960 --> 00:15:35.519 And then the angel goes on, and the angel shares with these ladies four imperatives in the Aramaic. 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:37.620 Four things they must do. 00:15:37.779 --> 00:15:39.039 Four things they have to do. 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:40.699 Four things they need to be about doing. 00:15:41.079 --> 00:15:42.419 And I only want to talk about two of them. 00:15:42.699 --> 00:15:43.899 And they're still in verse 6. 00:15:44.360 --> 00:15:45.759 He says, he is not here, for he is risen. 00:15:46.039 --> 00:15:47.579 Just as he said, come. 00:15:48.659 --> 00:15:50.860 And the word come in Greek actually means come here. 00:15:51.019 --> 00:15:51.559 Sit down. 00:15:51.879 --> 00:15:52.360 Watch it. 00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:53.039 Look at this. 00:15:53.199 --> 00:15:54.079 Be here. 00:15:55.419 --> 00:15:58.360 And you don't realize that when they're coming into this garden tomb, 00:15:58.439 --> 00:16:00.600 and you're going to see it with us when you go to Israel next year, 00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:02.179 because we go to this place. 00:16:02.179 --> 00:16:06.979 And you go into this garden tomb, and you don't realize that what the women saw when they came there 00:16:06.979 --> 00:16:08.179 was something they didn't expect. 00:16:09.779 --> 00:16:12.159 I mean, no one thought Jesus was going to resurrect. 00:16:13.399 --> 00:16:14.759 No one thought it was possible. 00:16:15.639 --> 00:16:16.839 I mean, none of the disciples are there. 00:16:16.959 --> 00:16:20.199 None of them, I mean, the only people who really believed that he might do it were the Sanhedrin, 00:16:20.279 --> 00:16:22.739 because they sent the guards to make sure that he didn't do it. 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:24.159 But no one else was there. 00:16:24.439 --> 00:16:27.500 And so these women walk in the middle of this chaos, and there's this earthquake, 00:16:27.699 --> 00:16:29.599 and things are shaking, and there's this boulder moving, 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:31.779 and there's this angel sitting on top of this boulder. 00:16:32.179 --> 00:16:34.860 And there's this light coming out of them, and the guards are sitting there, 00:16:34.899 --> 00:16:35.679 and they're kind of frozen. 00:16:35.819 --> 00:16:38.139 And actually, the words actually mean they're quaking, just like the earthquake. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:40.019 They're shaking, and some of them are laying on the ground. 00:16:40.360 --> 00:16:42.559 And these women are sitting there going, okay, what are we going to do? 00:16:42.899 --> 00:16:44.659 This is like a crime scene. 00:16:45.699 --> 00:16:47.500 And as women, we're not even supposed to be here. 00:16:47.579 --> 00:16:48.519 The seal's been broken. 00:16:48.860 --> 00:16:50.759 If anybody's around this area, it's a death penalty. 00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:52.620 And the angel says, okay, come. 00:16:54.019 --> 00:16:54.340 Come. 00:16:55.939 --> 00:16:58.200 And the women are looking at this thing, and they say, it's impossible. 00:17:00.539 --> 00:17:02.639 I mean, it's not probable. 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:05.859 But they were beckoned to come to the tomb. 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:11.079 And you know, I think as I prayed about this and went to this funeral, 00:17:11.180 --> 00:17:14.500 that I think many of us face the same kind of invitation today. 00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:20.019 I think God is saying for many of us, come. 00:17:22.460 --> 00:17:23.519 But we have doubts. 00:17:25.799 --> 00:17:26.940 We have fears. 00:17:28.299 --> 00:17:29.680 We don't think it's possible. 00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:31.680 We don't know if it can work. 00:17:31.819 --> 00:17:33.579 We just don't know. 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:38.940 I mean, some of us, even after we've come to the faith as Christians, 00:17:38.940 --> 00:17:43.080 we're still afraid to look into the tomb and really understand what it means 00:17:43.080 --> 00:17:46.340 because it means that we might have to surrender things or give up things. 00:17:46.539 --> 00:17:47.820 And we have to ask these questions. 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:50.320 Can we accept this? 00:17:52.820 --> 00:17:54.000 Is it possible? 00:17:56.980 --> 00:17:59.100 I don't know what it is about being a pastor, guys. 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:02.820 But, you know, sometimes as a pastor, when I go to a party or a wedding or a funeral, 00:18:03.180 --> 00:18:07.180 people either get angry at me and yell at me about things God's doing in their life. 00:18:07.180 --> 00:18:10.299 And I usually say, well, you have to talk to God. 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:11.180 He's my employer. 00:18:11.860 --> 00:18:13.299 I can't do anything about that. 00:18:13.720 --> 00:18:15.799 Or they just tell me these incredible stories. 00:18:16.039 --> 00:18:19.660 And these last two weeks in Dallas, I've had these incredible stories. 00:18:20.860 --> 00:18:23.420 And in the midst of all these ceremonies and things going on, 00:18:23.480 --> 00:18:28.000 this guy came up to me and he looked at these things talking about an Easter 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:29.519 and the funeral and the resurrection. 00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:31.000 He just said, I just don't know if it's real. 00:18:33.100 --> 00:18:34.920 I just don't know if it's possible. 00:18:34.920 --> 00:18:38.120 I mean, it just seems too out of control. 00:18:38.340 --> 00:18:41.120 It's just too weird. 00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:46.640 And I said, you know, I feel that same way sometimes. 00:18:49.640 --> 00:18:52.279 I did before I became a Christian. 00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:54.240 And even now, when I read these stories, 00:18:54.360 --> 00:18:58.300 I just think the only way this can be possible is if God really exists. 00:18:58.299 --> 00:19:02.859 And if God really exists, and the same God who creates life, 00:19:02.940 --> 00:19:04.599 he can create resurrection life. 00:19:05.940 --> 00:19:11.119 And so if God really exists, he can do all these things, is what I told this guy. 00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:14.959 And the question is, are we going to trust him? 00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:19.239 Are you going to trust him? 00:19:21.179 --> 00:19:22.439 Will you trust him with your life? 00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:26.000 Will you trust him with your job? 00:19:27.679 --> 00:19:28.939 Will you trust him with your family? 00:19:28.940 --> 00:19:34.360 The God who creates life can create resurrection life. 00:19:34.500 --> 00:19:35.559 And he's true. 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:39.580 And he invites us to come and to look at the tomb and to follow him. 00:19:43.299 --> 00:19:45.600 The second word that sticks out to me is the second imperative. 00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:46.620 It's just the word see. 00:19:49.299 --> 00:19:50.940 In Greek, it means to ponder. 00:19:51.340 --> 00:19:52.580 It's a very rich word. 00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:54.100 It means to examine. 00:19:54.299 --> 00:19:56.140 It means to theorize. 00:19:56.140 --> 00:19:57.580 We get the word theorize from it. 00:19:57.620 --> 00:20:01.940 It means to take in all the things that you're seeing and think about it. 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:03.500 What's going on here? 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:05.280 What's being said? 00:20:05.980 --> 00:20:07.000 What just happened? 00:20:07.060 --> 00:20:08.759 It means pay attention to it. 00:20:09.840 --> 00:20:11.160 And so they come in there, and he says, 00:20:11.460 --> 00:20:12.340 I want you to see. 00:20:12.440 --> 00:20:13.860 I want you to look into this empty tomb. 00:20:13.940 --> 00:20:20.460 I want you to examine the facts and understand what this empty tomb means for you. 00:20:23.020 --> 00:20:25.500 This is something that's blown me away my whole life. 00:20:26.140 --> 00:20:29.120 Because when you read scripture and you read this passage and you read Matthew, 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:33.720 you realize really closely that Christianity and history are intertwined. 00:20:35.140 --> 00:20:42.100 There's no other faith, no other theory, no other belief intertwines itself with historical data like Christianity does. 00:20:43.840 --> 00:20:47.720 And so what you realize really quickly when you study theology or even if you just read your Bible, 00:20:48.060 --> 00:20:50.980 you realize that Christianity is really easy to disprove. 00:20:50.980 --> 00:20:57.200 I mean, I can't disapprove you had a dream last night and an angel came to you and all these other things. 00:20:57.319 --> 00:20:58.339 I mean, that's, I don't know. 00:20:58.380 --> 00:20:58.900 I wasn't there. 00:20:59.220 --> 00:21:01.680 But if you want to disprove Christianity, you can do that. 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:06.259 Because there's all these historical facts and ideas and things, 00:21:06.360 --> 00:21:07.480 and all you have to do is look at them. 00:21:07.740 --> 00:21:10.600 And if you disprove one of the facts, then you've disproved all of Christianity. 00:21:12.360 --> 00:21:13.580 I mean, if you disprove the resurrection, 00:21:13.820 --> 00:21:17.600 then the first Corinthians passage I have in the back of your bulletin says that we're stupid. 00:21:18.580 --> 00:21:20.299 I can't use the word stupid in our family. 00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:21.120 My kids are here. 00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:22.600 Don't say the word stupid. 00:21:23.560 --> 00:21:26.740 We're foolish, as Paul would say. 00:21:27.059 --> 00:21:30.319 But, you know, it's foolish because all you need to do is disprove Christianity. 00:21:30.440 --> 00:21:33.559 If you're here right now and you're thinking about these things, you're not a Christian yet, 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:35.319 you know, there's an easy way to disprove Christianity. 00:21:35.559 --> 00:21:38.859 All you need is look at the historical data and say, you know, that didn't happen and here's the evidence. 00:21:39.460 --> 00:21:42.980 And if you're a lawyer, there's a lot of great lawyers throughout history who have tried to do that. 00:21:44.099 --> 00:21:47.859 And a lot of great lawyers throughout history have been changed because of that. 00:21:48.599 --> 00:21:50.779 I think that's why Matthew gives us so many details. 00:21:50.940 --> 00:21:51.779 He tells us the time. 00:21:51.900 --> 00:21:52.720 He tells us the empty tomb. 00:21:52.839 --> 00:21:53.859 He tells us the eyewitness accounts. 00:21:53.940 --> 00:21:54.740 He tells us the soldiers. 00:21:55.079 --> 00:21:56.579 He tells us the soldiers were bribed. 00:21:56.740 --> 00:21:58.700 He tells us this veil was split in the temple. 00:21:58.819 --> 00:22:00.759 How did he know the veil was split in the temple? 00:22:02.200 --> 00:22:04.599 The only person who could go into the temple was a high priest. 00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:10.039 Well, the only way he knew that is on Acts 6, the next book, 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:17.019 you see this massive conversion of priests and people in Jerusalem as Peter preaches his first sermon. 00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:21.240 And so all this information he's getting about what happened in the temple and what happened around, 00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:22.920 they're from all these eyewitness accounts. 00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:24.220 And these people were still alive. 00:22:24.220 --> 00:22:28.779 And 40 years later, 45 years later, Paul is talking to these people and Luke is talking to these people. 00:22:29.100 --> 00:22:31.559 And if you were alive back then, you could have talked to those people and you could have asked them, 00:22:31.860 --> 00:22:32.839 did Jesus really do this? 00:22:34.259 --> 00:22:35.220 I mean, he said this. 00:22:35.259 --> 00:22:36.059 Did that really happen? 00:22:37.180 --> 00:22:38.640 You could have verified all those things. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:43.000 And the craziest thing out of all these things is that the women were the eyewitnesses to this. 00:22:44.520 --> 00:22:47.420 Now, I love women and I love my wife and my girls. 00:22:48.020 --> 00:22:52.500 But, you know, if I wanted to write a story that everybody would believe, I would never write it the way the gospel did. 00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:59.339 Because in Jewish culture, women were worthless. 00:23:00.779 --> 00:23:02.119 Just like Chinese culture, right? 00:23:02.279 --> 00:23:04.039 You had a son, a horse, or a woman. 00:23:04.140 --> 00:23:05.019 Which one did you give up? 00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:10.420 You gave up your wife first and then you gave up your horse and then maybe you had to give up your son. 00:23:10.500 --> 00:23:13.079 But the wife was always the first thing you gave up because they were not valued. 00:23:13.079 --> 00:23:19.699 And you have to realize that until Jesus came, until Christianity started, women were never valued in any culture. 00:23:20.980 --> 00:23:23.439 But Jesus made women the same as men. 00:23:23.539 --> 00:23:24.699 And you look at that in Genesis. 00:23:24.899 --> 00:23:25.460 They're equal. 00:23:26.879 --> 00:23:27.659 They're co-heirs. 00:23:28.759 --> 00:23:34.199 And so if you wanted to write a story that you could disprove, the biggest thing you could disprove was the women because no one would listen to women. 00:23:34.199 --> 00:23:38.519 And so when you read that, you go, well, it has to be true or there has to be something going on there. 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:44.279 And so the word see means to look at these things and to examine these things and to think, is it true? 00:23:44.359 --> 00:23:44.799 Is it true? 00:23:44.879 --> 00:23:45.339 Is it true? 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:56.200 One of the conversations I had this last week, a guy was at the funeral and he was watching these things happen. 00:23:58.460 --> 00:24:02.460 And we're talking afterwards and he goes, wow. 00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:05.519 Christianity really worked for her, didn't it? 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:08.740 It really worked for her. 00:24:11.299 --> 00:24:12.259 I said, what do you mean by that? 00:24:13.180 --> 00:24:18.759 He goes, well, her life, it really worked for her, but I just don't think it can work for me. 00:24:20.099 --> 00:24:21.200 I don't know if I can be good enough. 00:24:21.240 --> 00:24:22.460 I don't know if I can do all the right things. 00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:24.420 I don't know if I cannot do the things I shouldn't be doing. 00:24:25.220 --> 00:24:26.619 I don't know if it will work for me. 00:24:30.279 --> 00:24:31.639 So I asked the guy, what works for you? 00:24:31.640 --> 00:24:36.400 He says, myself. 00:24:38.940 --> 00:24:40.060 I rely on myself. 00:24:43.500 --> 00:24:49.680 Now, I normally would not say anything, but I just, in the moment, I just felt so overwhelmed for this person. 00:24:51.080 --> 00:24:54.400 I said, well, how does that work when you're looking at a casket? 00:24:54.400 --> 00:25:01.300 Does relying on yourself help you when you look at a dead person? 00:25:02.800 --> 00:25:04.380 Or when you think about your death? 00:25:07.280 --> 00:25:10.320 This person didn't say anything. 00:25:13.580 --> 00:25:14.660 They just walked away. 00:25:14.660 --> 00:25:25.460 You know, Christianity beckons us to come see, to ponder, to realize Christianity is true. 00:25:26.680 --> 00:25:29.600 Please don't leave here and say, I'm going to become a Christian because it works for me. 00:25:29.640 --> 00:25:31.400 Because, you know, one day it might not work for you. 00:25:34.060 --> 00:25:37.060 One day in your world, you might not get married to the person you want to get married to. 00:25:37.100 --> 00:25:39.480 You might not have the type of kids you want to have. 00:25:39.540 --> 00:25:42.920 You might not get that Rolex that all the other pastors promise you when you become a Christian. 00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:45.240 And your job might happen the way it happens. 00:25:46.539 --> 00:25:50.460 Or you might lose somebody that you love in incredible ways. 00:25:51.580 --> 00:25:53.660 And if you're only a Christian because it works for you, 00:25:54.180 --> 00:25:58.380 at that moment, you're going to realize, it doesn't work for me. 00:26:03.060 --> 00:26:05.640 The passage says we come to Christ because he's true. 00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:09.320 He's in control. 00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:12.640 He knows what's best for you. 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:14.460 He's going to give you the best thing in your life. 00:26:14.860 --> 00:26:16.240 And the question is, are you going to trust him? 00:26:16.259 --> 00:26:17.420 Are you going to allow him to do that? 00:26:20.540 --> 00:26:26.880 We're Christians because it's true, not because it works for us all the time. 00:26:28.180 --> 00:26:28.800 So think about it. 00:26:28.800 --> 00:26:30.960 There's this empty tomb and Jesus is walking around. 00:26:31.240 --> 00:26:33.680 And this empty tomb and Jesus walking around changes everything. 00:26:34.060 --> 00:26:37.560 Because if there was an empty tomb and no Jesus, then you wouldn't know what happened to his body. 00:26:37.660 --> 00:26:38.280 You didn't know where he was. 00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:43.879 If there was a closed tomb and there was a Jesus, you'd be thinking, well, this isn't the real Jesus or it was a fake Jesus or somebody. 00:26:44.220 --> 00:26:52.279 And it's amazing to me during Easter and Christmas how many books and magazines and TV articles come out about who the real Jesus is and what he's doing. 00:26:52.599 --> 00:26:54.639 And I think there's probably about 25 of them in America. 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:55.920 I looked at the bookstore when I left. 00:26:56.380 --> 00:26:57.380 This is who Jesus was. 00:26:57.440 --> 00:26:58.440 This is really who he really is. 00:26:58.480 --> 00:26:59.140 This is what he's doing now. 00:26:59.220 --> 00:27:00.120 This is what he's not doing now. 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:04.259 And it's just amazing how we try to argue these things and figure out what these things are. 00:27:04.580 --> 00:27:09.820 But the passage says that an open tomb and Jesus walking around validates everything that he said. 00:27:09.819 --> 00:27:12.200 Because he said that he would come back to life. 00:27:12.279 --> 00:27:13.299 He said that he was God. 00:27:14.819 --> 00:27:17.439 And his actions demonstrate the truth of his words. 00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:18.960 And the resurrection changes everything. 00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:20.899 And it changes what we hope in. 00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:21.939 It changes who we are. 00:27:22.039 --> 00:27:23.019 It changes what we believe in. 00:27:23.480 --> 00:27:27.139 It changes what we think even when we see pain. 00:27:28.439 --> 00:27:29.460 Does that make any sense? 00:27:32.039 --> 00:27:33.259 I'm sure I'm jet lagging. 00:27:34.679 --> 00:27:36.119 Maybe I'm just talking to myself. 00:27:36.119 --> 00:27:40.319 But the resurrection changes everything. 00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:48.399 So come and see and hope one final thing. 00:27:49.539 --> 00:27:50.399 And then we'll go eat ice cream. 00:27:53.419 --> 00:27:57.979 I think our world today is a lot like Jerusalem during the Passover. 00:27:59.059 --> 00:28:03.099 I think there are all these sheep and goats that have been brought in. 00:28:03.159 --> 00:28:05.519 And they're calling out to us, hey, buy me. 00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:07.279 And they're tempting us to buy them. 00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:09.299 And they're saying, invest your life in me. 00:28:09.420 --> 00:28:10.400 And I'll take care of you. 00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:11.279 To believe in me. 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:14.859 Sacrifice your kids and your life and your health for me. 00:28:15.079 --> 00:28:16.720 And if you do these things, I'm going to take care of you. 00:28:17.059 --> 00:28:21.460 And we do these things as people because we want to find meaning in our life. 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:22.519 We want to find love. 00:28:23.660 --> 00:28:24.639 We want to find happiness. 00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:25.920 We want to find significance. 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:28.299 We want to find forgiveness. 00:28:28.779 --> 00:28:30.559 We want to find security. 00:28:31.539 --> 00:28:32.539 We want to find hope. 00:28:32.539 --> 00:28:35.119 And sometimes we even do it because we hope that it will bring us back to God. 00:28:37.500 --> 00:28:42.299 And so my question for you as you leave here to eat ice cream and pray and think about this Easter day. 00:28:45.180 --> 00:28:46.779 What lamb are you clinging to? 00:28:46.779 --> 00:28:53.039 What have you bought into in your life? 00:28:55.059 --> 00:28:57.359 It says, if I have this, I'll be happy. 00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:01.299 If I own this, I'll be significant. 00:29:01.399 --> 00:29:03.740 If I carry this throughout my whole life, I'm going to be great. 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:06.619 What is that lamb that you're holding on to? 00:29:06.680 --> 00:29:08.279 And my question for us is, is it true? 00:29:08.279 --> 00:29:11.639 Is it real? 00:29:14.220 --> 00:29:15.480 Are you just fooling yourself? 00:29:18.839 --> 00:29:22.500 It's amazing to me how often I can fool myself even when I know the truth. 00:29:24.039 --> 00:29:26.079 But this story is truth. 00:29:27.859 --> 00:29:30.480 And the question is, are we going to allow it to change us and affect us? 00:29:30.519 --> 00:29:32.480 Are we just going to ignore it and say no? 00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:32.519 No. 00:29:34.700 --> 00:29:39.059 The message of Easter is that Jesus is God and he's come to forgive our past. 00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:43.180 He's the God of second chances. 00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:48.579 The message of Easter is that Jesus is God and he's come to secure our future. 00:29:50.059 --> 00:29:56.640 And to give us hope and meaning and significance and love and identity. 00:29:56.640 --> 00:30:06.820 The message of Easter is that Christ has come to give our lives here and now ultimate meaning and truth. 00:30:08.040 --> 00:30:11.160 Something that we can grab onto no matter how hard things get. 00:30:12.620 --> 00:30:15.340 And the question is, will we accept it? 00:30:16.980 --> 00:30:17.900 Will we come? 00:30:20.140 --> 00:30:21.120 Will we see? 00:30:23.520 --> 00:30:25.720 And more importantly, will we trust God with our life? 00:30:26.640 --> 00:30:30.660 Because the Bible says that he's 100% trustworthy. 00:30:33.400 --> 00:30:35.080 Because he's done everything he said he would. 00:30:37.520 --> 00:30:38.480 And you can trust him. 00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:41.340 Father, we thank you for this day. 00:30:41.420 --> 00:30:44.060 We thank you for your goodness and your mercy in our life. 00:30:44.820 --> 00:30:46.880 Thank you for the story of the resurrection. 00:30:48.220 --> 00:30:52.540 We thank you for Easter and the hope that is found in the empty tomb. 00:30:52.539 --> 00:30:57.099 I don't know where we are in this room spiritually. 00:30:58.200 --> 00:31:05.500 I know that some of us are facing incredible trials in our lives. 00:31:06.500 --> 00:31:06.899 Suck. 00:31:08.980 --> 00:31:11.299 I know that some of us are doing pretty good. 00:31:11.359 --> 00:31:12.779 And we feel like, well, we're doing pretty good. 00:31:12.779 --> 00:31:14.059 So God must be happy with us. 00:31:14.139 --> 00:31:16.399 But that's not what your word says. 00:31:18.599 --> 00:31:19.940 So what I pray for us. 00:31:20.379 --> 00:31:23.740 I pray that if there's somebody in here who's wondering, is it true and real? 00:31:25.339 --> 00:31:31.839 I pray if there's somebody in here who's wondering, should they come and see that you would open their eyes and that they would take a step of faith. 00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:36.919 They would ask me, they would ask the person who brought them, they would come ask some of the elders, the staff, what does this really mean? 00:31:36.980 --> 00:31:37.839 What does Easter really mean? 00:31:37.879 --> 00:31:39.299 What does resurrection really mean? 00:31:40.139 --> 00:31:41.659 And how does it change your life? 00:31:42.299 --> 00:31:44.399 I pray they would ask these questions of us. 00:31:44.879 --> 00:31:50.939 I pray that our kids would ask these questions of us today so that we can give this truth to them. 00:31:52.019 --> 00:31:56.720 So that we can raise up future generations that are based in truth and reality. 00:31:58.279 --> 00:31:59.459 And not in a lie. 00:31:59.460 --> 00:32:04.620 And Father, I pray for those of us who've been on this journey with you for a while. 00:32:04.759 --> 00:32:06.740 And sometimes we just forget to go back to the tomb. 00:32:06.840 --> 00:32:07.660 We forget to look in. 00:32:07.720 --> 00:32:09.279 We forget to see the empty grave. 00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:13.700 We forget to realize and think about what that means in our work. 00:32:16.980 --> 00:32:19.240 Because the next two imperatives is come and see. 00:32:19.319 --> 00:32:21.079 And the next two ones are go and tell. 00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:27.019 But until you've come and see, you don't even know what to go and tell about. 00:32:27.019 --> 00:32:32.099 But I pray for those of us who have come and seen and have entrusted our lives to you. 00:32:32.099 --> 00:32:37.740 That we would be faithful to go and tell those around us at work and in our family. 00:32:39.639 --> 00:32:40.879 And around the grave. 00:32:43.079 --> 00:32:44.480 Lord, I pray for our church here. 00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:48.559 I pray that we wouldn't be just a church that meets just to make ourselves happy and feel good about each other. 00:32:48.599 --> 00:32:52.879 But we'd be a church that realizes and remembers what it was like before we knew you. 00:32:52.880 --> 00:32:57.740 How we walked in darkness and how we walked in hopelessness. 00:32:57.800 --> 00:33:02.940 And how our lives, we kept trying for the next new thing to make our lives meaningful and good and happy. 00:33:03.060 --> 00:33:04.440 And the next new thing just failed us. 00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:05.660 We looked for the next new thing. 00:33:06.300 --> 00:33:08.960 Help us to be a church that always remembers what that was like. 00:33:10.660 --> 00:33:15.860 Help us to go to the people around us and to show them an empty tomb. 00:33:15.859 --> 00:33:22.799 And then a life that is changed by the truth of your word. 00:33:24.619 --> 00:33:25.599 Lord, we love you. 00:33:26.579 --> 00:33:27.539 And we need you. 00:33:28.539 --> 00:33:30.359 We pray these things in your son Jesus' name. 00:33:31.259 --> 00:33:31.519 Amen. 00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:31.639 Amen.