WEBVTT 00:00:00.720 --> 00:00:07.379 We've been following a thing called the Four Point Gospel and it starts off with a heart 00:00:07.379 --> 00:00:15.140 and an X. And we look at the heart which is God's love for us. And we've been looking 00:00:15.140 --> 00:00:21.960 at this over Lent. God's love and his promises for his people. It's God's love that is shown 00:00:21.960 --> 00:00:31.500 today as we celebrate in the risen Jesus. And why? Because we rebelled. We rebelled against 00:00:31.500 --> 00:00:37.600 God. And many times it's a world we've only got to look around and we do that again and 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:43.460 again through history. And even don't feel bad about that because even the ones that were 00:00:43.460 --> 00:00:51.799 closest to Jesus on this week leading up to this glorious day had let Jesus down. Judas 00:00:51.799 --> 00:00:59.959 had betrayed him with a kiss. Maybe at the end of a card you put a little X there. A kiss. 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:07.780 Our sign for that on here is sin. So often we say, oh yes, you know, we love you Lord. But 00:01:07.780 --> 00:01:16.620 suddenly sin gets in the way. And Jesus came to make sure that that would be paid for in 00:01:16.620 --> 00:01:25.500 full. Because today changes. Today is a game changer. Because of God's love and promises 00:01:25.500 --> 00:01:34.280 that sin will no longer, whatever we do, will be a separation between us and God. Because 00:01:34.280 --> 00:01:43.500 Jesus paid the price. He paid the cost in full. His love never, ever ends. Even on the cross, 00:01:43.500 --> 00:01:53.519 he said, Father forgive them. You can't change the value of God's love for us. Now, I have 00:01:53.519 --> 00:02:05.420 here a new £20 note. Look at that. I can't change the value of it whatever I do. Why? Because 00:02:05.420 --> 00:02:17.640 it's what a vicar gets paid every week. No, it's, oh. You know, this £20 note is precious. It's like 00:02:17.640 --> 00:02:26.120 God's love. There is nothing that you can do to this to make any difference. If I try to rip it up, 00:02:26.620 --> 00:02:34.480 I can't. It won't work. If I put it through the washing machine, it'll come out exactly the same. 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:40.859 Nothing changes. Nothing changes. Just like God's love. I thought this morning, if your dog eats it, 00:02:41.179 --> 00:02:49.060 it will probably come out the same. Except the vet will pay a lot probably to get it out. And I was 00:02:49.060 --> 00:02:56.319 thinking, whatever you do, you can stamp on it. You can jump up and down on it. But you can't crush 00:02:56.319 --> 00:03:01.939 God's love. And people abuse Jesus as well. They did awful things. 00:03:04.780 --> 00:03:13.019 The thing is, our sin is wiped clean because of the value of all that Jesus has done for us. 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:22.539 Jesus paid the price for our sin, for all of us. God's love never changes. It's new every morning, 00:03:22.539 --> 00:03:30.379 just like this glorious morning. The debt for our sin has been paid in full. Alleluia. 00:03:30.959 --> 00:03:38.459 As Philip Yancey said on for days such as this, there is nothing we can do to make God love us more 00:03:38.459 --> 00:03:45.780 than there is nothing we can do to make God love us less. Russ. 00:03:45.780 --> 00:03:58.539 So as Clive said, you know, during Lent, we've been thinking about the Christian message as a four-point 00:03:58.539 --> 00:04:02.639 thing. And each week we've been thinking about one of those points. As Clive just said, you know, 00:04:02.680 --> 00:04:08.000 the first point there is that God loves you. And the second point is, yes, we've done something wrong. 00:04:08.740 --> 00:04:14.699 We've messed up. But God doesn't stop loving you. And it was those first two points that were really at 00:04:14.699 --> 00:04:20.620 the heart of Jesus' message. And as Jesus went around proclaiming that message, sharing that message, 00:04:20.719 --> 00:04:27.500 living out that message with among those that he met, well, people found that threatening. 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:36.120 Particularly the religious leaders of Jesus' day. Because that message that says that even though you 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:46.560 mess up, God still loves you, is a challenging one. It was so challenging that Jesus went to the cross. 00:04:46.660 --> 00:04:51.100 Here's another illustration just to help us think about the cross. 00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:58.899 Jesus went to the cross because people felt so threatened by that message. The religious leaders of 00:04:58.899 --> 00:05:06.299 his day felt so undermined by the authority that Jesus was claiming and saying, you can be forgiven 00:05:06.299 --> 00:05:15.339 because God loves you. And so when Jesus went to that cross, he didn't just die an ordinary death. 00:05:16.379 --> 00:05:23.779 They drove the nails through his hands. They drove the nails through his feet. 00:05:23.779 --> 00:05:30.659 And as Jesus hung there and died on the cross, they wanted to be really sure that he had died. 00:05:30.819 --> 00:05:38.179 And so they took a sword and they plunged it into Jesus' side. And there he died. 00:05:39.219 --> 00:05:45.219 And when Jesus died on that cross, all the stuff, all the mess that separates us from God 00:05:45.220 --> 00:05:57.460 was taken on to Jesus. And so he died for us and broke the power of those things that can separate us from God. 00:05:59.780 --> 00:06:07.280 And so they took his body and they buried it. Well, they placed it inside a cave. 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:20.579 It was an empty cave. Until, of course, they placed Jesus' body in there. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:32.319 And when they placed Jesus' body in that cave, they wanted to guard it. So they put a stone in front of it. 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:43.819 And they placed a Roman guard with a sword to make sure that that body stayed in that place. 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:54.779 And so it was there. Jesus, to all intents and purposes, was dead and buried and was going to remain in that place. 00:06:56.459 --> 00:07:00.819 That was the Friday. And then it was the Saturday. 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:16.699 And then the Sunday, when they came to that tomb and found that in fact, death cannot hold Jesus down. 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:30.819 And inside the grave, it was empty, except for the grave clothes in which Jesus had been buried. 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:38.599 Because he had the victory over death that could not hold him down. 00:07:39.860 --> 00:07:43.860 So God loves us. We've done something wrong. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:47.319 But God comes to save us through the cross. 00:07:48.680 --> 00:07:49.939 Those are three points. 00:07:51.279 --> 00:07:53.839 But the fourth one is, where do we go with that? 00:07:54.819 --> 00:07:56.300 What do we do with it? 00:07:56.300 --> 00:08:01.160 Either this story is true or it's not true. 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:08.699 But one thing is that each of us must make a response to it. 00:08:09.660 --> 00:08:15.120 Either we choose to believe that it's true or we walk away from it. 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:19.160 But it's the most important decision that we can ever make. 00:08:19.160 --> 00:08:29.840 And so as we come to pray now, we're going to pray over these four different points. 00:08:30.840 --> 00:08:34.800 And the way that's going to happen is that we've got some balloons. 00:08:36.139 --> 00:08:38.420 And here they are. 00:08:38.419 --> 00:08:42.279 We're going to pass these balloons around. 00:08:42.579 --> 00:08:44.319 Somebody come and help me. Children, come and help. 00:08:45.539 --> 00:08:46.459 There we go. 00:08:47.319 --> 00:08:48.579 Just throw them out. 00:08:51.079 --> 00:08:54.039 You've noticed they've got the four-point gospel on them. 00:08:54.719 --> 00:08:58.079 And that's going to make part of what we do this morning. 00:08:58.279 --> 00:09:01.039 We're going to try and keep them all in the air. 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:07.839 Those four symbols that remind us, the heart that reminds us of the love of God. 00:09:09.339 --> 00:09:12.740 The cross that reminds us that we've all done something wrong. 00:09:12.839 --> 00:09:15.299 The cross that reminds us that Jesus died for us. 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:20.319 And the question mark that reminds us of, well, we need to make a decision. 00:09:22.959 --> 00:09:26.500 So if you want to grab onto one or just point your hand to one that's nearby. 00:09:26.500 --> 00:09:36.000 Dear God, thank you that you love me and have a good plan and purpose for my life. 00:09:36.659 --> 00:09:41.159 Thank you that I can talk to you about everything and for the blessings you have given me. 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:43.879 Help me to bless others too. 00:09:44.860 --> 00:09:49.860 And Lord, at this time we also lift up, especially the people in Ukraine 00:09:49.860 --> 00:09:52.840 and anywhere else that's in conflict. 00:09:53.220 --> 00:09:54.740 And we lift this up to you now. 00:09:54.740 --> 00:09:55.960 Amen. 00:09:56.500 --> 00:10:05.639 So dear Lord, I ask you now for your forgiveness for when I've ignored you and done my own thing. 00:10:06.440 --> 00:10:10.399 I also ask for forgiveness for the people I've hurt along the way. 00:10:11.240 --> 00:10:17.500 For broken relationships, harsh words and difficult situations I've made worse. 00:10:18.539 --> 00:10:21.019 Sorry for not loving people as you love them. 00:10:21.019 --> 00:10:23.019 I ask for your forgiveness now. 00:10:23.019 --> 00:10:31.179 I ask you to help and strengthen me by the power of your Holy Spirit to make amends in whatever way I can. 00:10:31.960 --> 00:10:34.419 And to see and love people as you do. 00:10:34.419 --> 00:10:36.099 Amen. 00:10:36.099 --> 00:10:41.919 And now we look into the fact that Jesus died for us. 00:10:43.360 --> 00:10:44.679 So dear Lord, 00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:51.339 Sorry for when I focus on the things I don't have instead of the blessings that you have given me. 00:10:51.939 --> 00:10:53.479 Thank you for saving me. 00:10:54.439 --> 00:10:57.239 Forgive me and providing for my needs. 00:10:57.240 --> 00:10:58.240 Thank you for saving me. 00:10:58.240 --> 00:10:59.240 Thank you for saving me. 00:10:59.240 --> 00:11:00.240 Thank you for saving me. 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:01.240 Thank you for saving me. 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:02.240 Thank you for saving me. 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:02.379 Thank you for saving me. 00:11:02.379 --> 00:11:03.820 Amen. 00:11:07.180 --> 00:11:11.899 Dear Lord, I know that in my life I do not always live for you. 00:11:11.899 --> 00:11:13.899 I mess up every day. 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:17.779 I know that you have plans for me and for my life. 00:11:18.459 --> 00:11:24.980 But Lord, I ask you to help me to trust and to want to put my life and my future in your hands. 00:11:25.579 --> 00:11:32.899 Please work in my life and guide my steps and help me to decide to live and share your hope and goodness. 00:11:33.899 --> 00:11:36.460 For only you, with everyone we meet. 00:11:38.460 --> 00:11:38.860 Amen.