WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.179 Good morning, Watermark. 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:09.179 Jesus is alive. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:13.919 I don't know about you, but that makes me excited. 00:00:15.200 --> 00:00:23.679 And that is a truth that has brought hope to millions, maybe even billions of people over the past 2,000 years. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:28.260 It's an incredible truth that Jesus is alive. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.280 And this morning, I want to talk with you guys about hope. 00:00:35.340 --> 00:00:38.359 Hope is right at the center of our human existence. 00:00:38.899 --> 00:00:40.700 There was a guy named Joseph Addison. 00:00:41.519 --> 00:00:44.240 He was a British writer in the 17th century. 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:48.840 And he said, there are three grand essentials to happiness in this life. 00:00:49.659 --> 00:00:51.060 Number one, something to do. 00:00:51.539 --> 00:00:53.560 Number two, something to love. 00:00:53.900 --> 00:00:56.299 And number three, something to hope for. 00:00:56.299 --> 00:01:02.419 All of us want something in life to hope for. 00:01:03.140 --> 00:01:08.280 If you look through the news, even this week, hope is a prominent theme that we've seen. 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:12.859 And if you go to the CNN website, down at the bottom of the page, 00:01:12.859 --> 00:01:17.159 there's an article about finding hope in the aftermath of the attacks in Brussels. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:21.760 Because we see that our world needs something. 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:27.299 Our world needs hope in light of all the disaster going on. 00:01:27.299 --> 00:01:33.099 And each of us looks for hope in different places in our lives. 00:01:34.140 --> 00:01:36.140 For many of us, it's our jobs. 00:01:37.159 --> 00:01:38.739 We hope that we can get that promotion. 00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:41.000 We hope that we can have a certain level of success. 00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:46.200 We hope that we will be able to provide for our families through working hard. 00:01:46.200 --> 00:01:46.439 We hope. 00:01:47.659 --> 00:01:48.500 We hope. 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:52.100 For others of us, it's relationships. 00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:56.340 We hope that someday we can find that special someone. 00:01:57.760 --> 00:01:59.600 We hope that we can settle down. 00:02:00.240 --> 00:02:02.840 We hope that we can have kids to carry on our legacy. 00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:03.859 We hope. 00:02:05.159 --> 00:02:10.099 For the kids here today, how many of you have hope for the Easter egg hunt after service? 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:11.860 Oh yeah. 00:02:11.860 --> 00:02:11.940 Yeah. 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:14.440 We're going to run around. 00:02:14.600 --> 00:02:18.520 We're going to go crazy collecting eggs so we can get the most candy. 00:02:18.620 --> 00:02:25.340 Because we have hope that candy will satisfy that craving in our life that nothing else on earth can. 00:02:26.520 --> 00:02:27.480 We all hope. 00:02:28.940 --> 00:02:33.140 And if you're here today and you're not quite sure what it is that you're hoping for, 00:02:33.420 --> 00:02:36.340 a simple test is just fill in the blank in this sentence. 00:02:36.340 --> 00:02:43.980 I will be happy when whatever goes in that blank, that is your hope. 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:48.599 All of us have something that we are hoping for. 00:02:48.680 --> 00:02:53.099 But this morning I want to ask you, what is the nature of your hope? 00:02:53.099 --> 00:03:01.180 What is it about your job or your husband or your children or the candy and the Easter eggs 00:03:01.180 --> 00:03:06.060 that makes you believe that it is worth you putting your hope in? 00:03:07.959 --> 00:03:10.280 Is it a reliable hope? 00:03:10.280 --> 00:03:18.180 And what I want us to see is that Jesus is the only hope that will never disappoint us. 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:23.900 And he is the only place that it is worth it for us to put our hope today. 00:03:23.900 --> 00:03:31.379 So we read this passage from Luke, chapter 24, verse 13. 00:03:31.719 --> 00:03:37.680 I want to look at this passage and see in this passage how we need to see Jesus as our hope today. 00:03:38.379 --> 00:03:41.480 The passage starts out with two guys walking along the road. 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:44.860 I don't know if you've ever seen like a Charlie Brown Christmas. 00:03:45.800 --> 00:03:50.280 But you know there's this scene where Charlie Brown is sort of like walking along, dragging his feet, 00:03:50.740 --> 00:03:52.960 his shoulders slumped over, his head down. 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:54.960 It's got this little music playing like... 00:03:54.960 --> 00:04:02.939 I picture that being what these guys are doing as they're walking down the road. 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:06.379 I'm sure they didn't have like the soundtrack going on, but they were sad. 00:04:06.460 --> 00:04:08.680 It had been a rough few days. 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:16.939 They had been following this guy for years, hoping that he was going to rescue their nation. 00:04:19.259 --> 00:04:22.639 And instead of rescuing their nation, the complete opposite had happened. 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:28.539 He had been executed as a traitor, executed by the very ones that they had hoped that he would overthrow. 00:04:30.339 --> 00:04:32.219 Their hope was crushed. 00:04:33.899 --> 00:04:38.839 And as they're walking down the street, a stranger walks up to them and says, 00:04:38.919 --> 00:04:40.079 what are you guys talking about? 00:04:41.399 --> 00:04:45.959 And it says they stood still and looked at him looking sad. 00:04:45.959 --> 00:04:48.859 It's like as pathetic as it gets, right? 00:04:49.459 --> 00:04:51.039 Like, what's going on, guys? 00:04:51.159 --> 00:04:51.539 Like, oh. 00:04:55.079 --> 00:04:59.319 And they're like, are you the only guy around here who doesn't know what's happening? 00:05:00.199 --> 00:05:06.919 Like, apparently the magnitude of what had happened to Jesus had just spread far and wide across that area. 00:05:07.179 --> 00:05:10.120 It's like, imagine September 13th, 2001. 00:05:10.120 --> 00:05:13.240 You're in New York City and you walk up to someone and you're like, why the long face? 00:05:14.220 --> 00:05:15.780 It's like, have you been living under a rock? 00:05:17.019 --> 00:05:21.160 Our whole world, everything that we've been hoping for has just been destroyed. 00:05:22.300 --> 00:05:27.459 We thought that we had security in our financial institutions, but we learned that those can crumble to the ground in minutes. 00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:33.139 We thought that our city was a relatively safe place to live and thousands of people just got killed. 00:05:33.139 --> 00:05:39.939 We thought that our future was secure and we realized that was all a lie. 00:05:41.379 --> 00:05:45.959 And in a similar way, these men, they're saying we had hoped in Jesus. 00:05:46.259 --> 00:05:52.199 We had hoped that our future was secure in him and it has all come crumbling to the ground. 00:05:53.139 --> 00:05:53.719 He's dead. 00:05:54.439 --> 00:05:55.199 He's been killed. 00:05:56.199 --> 00:05:58.620 Our hope, it's gone. 00:05:58.620 --> 00:06:08.980 And Jesus jumps in on the conversation and asks them to explain more about this Jesus guy. 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:11.639 So they begin telling Jesus about himself. 00:06:14.540 --> 00:06:21.639 And it becomes clear as they explain that their hope had been built around Jesus. 00:06:21.639 --> 00:06:32.899 They saw his death as the end of their hope and they were going home to rebuild the broken down pieces of their life. 00:06:35.159 --> 00:06:41.259 They say during this conversation that they had thought that he would be the one to redeem Israel. 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:48.339 For an Israelite in those days, the word redeem was connected with a specific event in history 00:06:48.339 --> 00:06:52.079 when God had rescued the Israelites from being slaves in Egypt. 00:06:52.899 --> 00:06:59.139 He had taken them out miraculously from this foreign ruler that was oppressing them and set them free. 00:07:00.039 --> 00:07:03.299 And during these days, they were living under Roman oppression 00:07:03.299 --> 00:07:06.919 and they were waiting for a savior to come to set them free from Rome. 00:07:07.079 --> 00:07:08.839 And they thought that Jesus was that one. 00:07:08.899 --> 00:07:12.759 They thought that he was going to raise up an army and rescue them. 00:07:12.939 --> 00:07:14.199 And he had not. 00:07:14.199 --> 00:07:22.199 And now they were left facing the future, living under this Roman rule. 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:28.819 Because Jesus did not meet their expectations of what he would do. 00:07:29.420 --> 00:07:31.240 Their dreams were crushed. 00:07:33.819 --> 00:07:38.579 I want to ask you today, what would it take to crush your hopes? 00:07:38.579 --> 00:07:48.120 You know, I think we place our hopes in a lot of things in this life that we think can hold us and sustain us. 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:54.099 But they're things that if we look closely at them are incredibly fragile. 00:07:56.139 --> 00:07:58.899 I would venture to guess that there's no one in this room 00:07:58.899 --> 00:08:04.680 who couldn't have their entire world flipped upside down with a simple phone call this afternoon. 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:10.160 Hey, your wife or your kid had an accident. 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:13.300 You need to get to the hospital now because we don't know how long they have. 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:20.500 Hey, we just found out that one of the board members has been embezzling money from the company. 00:08:21.420 --> 00:08:22.160 We're bankrupt. 00:08:22.960 --> 00:08:23.899 You have no more job. 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:28.120 Simple things 00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:32.539 that can cause our hopes to crumble. 00:08:35.179 --> 00:08:37.060 If they are built on things 00:08:37.060 --> 00:08:38.720 that cannot last, 00:08:39.720 --> 00:08:42.740 our hopes can be destroyed 00:08:42.740 --> 00:08:43.560 in an instant. 00:08:46.659 --> 00:08:47.879 And as we're going to see, 00:08:47.980 --> 00:08:50.340 Jesus is the only hope 00:08:50.340 --> 00:08:52.659 that can never 00:08:52.659 --> 00:08:53.659 fail us. 00:08:54.860 --> 00:08:56.259 An interesting side note, 00:08:56.340 --> 00:08:58.100 there's some cool things in this passage 00:08:58.100 --> 00:08:59.700 that point us towards 00:08:59.700 --> 00:09:01.600 the truth of this story. 00:09:02.180 --> 00:09:04.500 The fact that they mention Cleopas by name 00:09:04.500 --> 00:09:06.820 means that Luke's original readers 00:09:06.820 --> 00:09:08.240 could go back and actually 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:10.659 cross-reference whether Luke is telling the truth 00:09:10.659 --> 00:09:12.540 because they have this guy, Cleopas, 00:09:12.580 --> 00:09:13.800 they could go talk to and be like, 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:15.240 was Luke telling the truth about you? 00:09:17.000 --> 00:09:18.879 And I think for many people in our world today, 00:09:18.940 --> 00:09:20.139 we look back 2,000 years, 00:09:20.200 --> 00:09:21.259 we're like, well, they were gullible, 00:09:21.399 --> 00:09:21.980 they were stupid, 00:09:22.300 --> 00:09:24.000 like, they didn't know about science. 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:26.800 They could have been fooled into believing someone rose from the dead, 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:28.279 of course, even if it didn't happen. 00:09:29.179 --> 00:09:30.120 But if you look at it, 00:09:30.359 --> 00:09:31.899 Cleopas and his friend, 00:09:32.899 --> 00:09:33.979 they actually say, like, 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:35.559 we've heard that the tomb is empty. 00:09:36.339 --> 00:09:38.299 Some people are saying that maybe he's alive, 00:09:38.539 --> 00:09:39.519 we don't buy it. 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:42.439 Like, they didn't just jump in and say, 00:09:42.539 --> 00:09:43.779 oh, the tomb is empty, 00:09:43.839 --> 00:09:44.559 he must be alive. 00:09:44.659 --> 00:09:46.099 They're like, no, the tomb is empty, 00:09:46.319 --> 00:09:47.539 someone probably stole the body 00:09:47.539 --> 00:09:49.779 because that's how tombs get emptied. 00:09:49.779 --> 00:09:53.000 And that's just common sense. 00:09:53.059 --> 00:09:54.759 People don't come back to life, right? 00:09:56.740 --> 00:09:58.240 And so even here, 00:09:58.319 --> 00:10:00.399 we see skepticism from these followers. 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:02.779 Even though they've heard 00:10:02.779 --> 00:10:04.740 that maybe there's a chance that he's alive, 00:10:04.779 --> 00:10:05.860 they don't want to believe it 00:10:05.860 --> 00:10:08.419 because they know that doesn't happen in the real world. 00:10:09.459 --> 00:10:11.379 We've already had our hopes disappointed once 00:10:11.379 --> 00:10:13.799 and we don't want it to happen again. 00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:17.399 And so they decide, 00:10:17.719 --> 00:10:19.139 we're not going to hold on to that hope. 00:10:20.759 --> 00:10:22.139 We're not going to expect 00:10:22.139 --> 00:10:23.799 that he's going to come back 00:10:23.799 --> 00:10:26.019 because we've already lost him once. 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:27.719 If we lose him again, 00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:28.099 that would just, 00:10:29.179 --> 00:10:30.179 that would be even worse. 00:10:33.339 --> 00:10:36.240 And after hearing these guys' explanation 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:37.379 of who Jesus was 00:10:37.379 --> 00:10:38.839 and what they expected of him, 00:10:39.240 --> 00:10:39.979 Jesus comes in. 00:10:40.039 --> 00:10:41.379 I love his response right here. 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:43.039 Oh, foolish ones. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:45.419 Slow of heart to believe 00:10:45.419 --> 00:10:46.639 all that the prophets have spoken. 00:10:47.839 --> 00:10:49.059 Wasn't it necessary 00:10:49.059 --> 00:10:50.799 that the Christ should suffer these things 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:51.799 and enter into his glory? 00:10:51.939 --> 00:10:52.519 He's like, guys, 00:10:53.459 --> 00:10:55.019 the cross was the whole point. 00:10:56.199 --> 00:10:58.139 That's why Jesus came to the earth. 00:10:58.319 --> 00:10:59.939 It was all about the cross. 00:11:00.139 --> 00:11:02.359 It was all for the cross. 00:11:03.740 --> 00:11:05.879 You totally misunderstood what was going on. 00:11:05.959 --> 00:11:06.359 You totally, 00:11:06.740 --> 00:11:08.120 you thought you were looking at one thing 00:11:08.120 --> 00:11:10.000 and you were watching something totally different. 00:11:10.099 --> 00:11:11.639 What you thought was defeat 00:11:11.639 --> 00:11:14.259 was actually ultimate victory. 00:11:17.480 --> 00:11:19.080 And he then unpacks 00:11:19.080 --> 00:11:21.240 from the entire Old Testament, 00:11:22.179 --> 00:11:23.319 passage by passage, 00:11:23.879 --> 00:11:25.220 look, here's where it talks about 00:11:25.220 --> 00:11:27.179 Jesus coming and saving us. 00:11:27.419 --> 00:11:29.220 Here's where it talks about him suffering. 00:11:29.419 --> 00:11:31.039 Here's where it talks about him 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:32.639 coming back after he suffered. 00:11:32.899 --> 00:11:34.899 Probably the most incredible Bible lesson 00:11:34.899 --> 00:11:36.600 that had ever been given in history. 00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:38.899 Like, wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall 00:11:38.899 --> 00:11:40.500 as Jesus is just walking down the street 00:11:40.500 --> 00:11:42.320 explaining to them about himself 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:43.720 from the entire Old Testament? 00:11:47.300 --> 00:11:48.340 And yet they still, 00:11:48.420 --> 00:11:49.720 they still don't quite get it. 00:11:51.240 --> 00:11:52.700 They finally reach their hometown, 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:55.019 which is about seven miles outside of Jerusalem. 00:11:55.019 --> 00:11:58.100 And they say, 00:11:58.159 --> 00:11:58.740 all right, this is, 00:11:58.819 --> 00:11:59.600 this is our stop. 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:01.019 And Jesus acts like 00:12:01.019 --> 00:12:02.159 he's going to keep going further, 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:02.600 but they're like, 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:03.100 no, no, no. 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:04.879 Come in, stay with us, 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:05.399 eat a meal. 00:12:05.500 --> 00:12:06.279 You can have a safe, 00:12:06.500 --> 00:12:07.840 warm place to stay for the night. 00:12:08.759 --> 00:12:09.639 And he says, okay. 00:12:11.139 --> 00:12:12.240 He comes inside. 00:12:12.779 --> 00:12:13.819 They sit down to eat. 00:12:13.860 --> 00:12:15.419 And it says that he blessed the bread. 00:12:15.539 --> 00:12:17.059 And as he blessed the bread, 00:12:17.299 --> 00:12:18.559 their eyes were opened. 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:21.419 And they saw that it was Jesus. 00:12:22.819 --> 00:12:24.360 And we don't know how their eyes were open, 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:25.159 whether it was like something 00:12:25.159 --> 00:12:26.279 about the way that he prayed 00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:27.419 or whether God just like 00:12:27.419 --> 00:12:29.139 miraculously revealed it to them 00:12:29.139 --> 00:12:30.279 at that exact moment. 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:32.300 But all we know is in that moment, 00:12:32.519 --> 00:12:34.139 they saw Jesus. 00:12:35.539 --> 00:12:37.620 The things they had heard with their ears, 00:12:37.779 --> 00:12:39.700 they now saw with their eyes. 00:12:40.039 --> 00:12:42.039 And they knew this isn't just some story. 00:12:42.279 --> 00:12:43.600 This is the truth. 00:12:45.019 --> 00:12:46.440 Yes, Jesus was killed 00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:47.840 and that crushed our hopes, 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:48.940 but he is not dead. 00:12:49.060 --> 00:12:50.500 He is alive. 00:12:50.500 --> 00:12:50.580 He is alive. 00:12:53.299 --> 00:12:54.740 He is not dead. 00:12:54.740 --> 00:12:56.740 He is alive. 00:12:58.600 --> 00:13:00.700 And in his resurrection, 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:02.860 he has conquered death. 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:05.419 The hope that we thought we had lost, 00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:08.860 we have now regained and found. 00:13:09.700 --> 00:13:12.639 And it says that they go back to Jerusalem, 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:14.460 another seven-mile journey. 00:13:14.460 --> 00:13:16.200 And, you know, 00:13:16.259 --> 00:13:17.940 on the way from Jerusalem, 00:13:18.180 --> 00:13:18.379 you know, 00:13:18.420 --> 00:13:19.540 it was the Charlie Brown walk. 00:13:20.259 --> 00:13:21.580 On the way back to Jerusalem, 00:13:21.639 --> 00:13:23.519 it doesn't tell us how they went, 00:13:23.860 --> 00:13:24.580 but I'm guessing 00:13:24.580 --> 00:13:25.980 there was a little bit more 00:13:25.980 --> 00:13:26.780 skip in their step. 00:13:27.900 --> 00:13:29.139 I'm guessing they were probably 00:13:29.139 --> 00:13:30.019 jogging a little bit 00:13:30.019 --> 00:13:31.180 because they had good, 00:13:31.500 --> 00:13:32.300 amazing news 00:13:32.300 --> 00:13:33.960 to share with everyone in Jerusalem 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:35.500 that their hope that they thought 00:13:35.500 --> 00:13:36.060 they had lost 00:13:36.060 --> 00:13:37.019 was not lost at all. 00:13:37.180 --> 00:13:37.960 It was found. 00:13:39.980 --> 00:13:41.400 They probably ran down the street 00:13:41.400 --> 00:13:42.280 doing cartwheels 00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:42.959 in their excitement. 00:13:45.899 --> 00:13:47.079 And they headed back. 00:13:47.899 --> 00:13:49.079 They found the disciples 00:13:49.079 --> 00:13:49.600 and they said, 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:50.899 we've seen Jesus. 00:13:51.220 --> 00:13:52.120 He is alive. 00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:55.240 And the disciples said, 00:13:55.299 --> 00:13:56.379 yeah, Peter saw him too. 00:13:56.459 --> 00:13:56.779 We know. 00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:57.659 Isn't this amazing? 00:13:59.259 --> 00:14:00.500 They had a little celebration 00:14:00.500 --> 00:14:01.220 with each other, 00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:03.379 rejoicing in the truth 00:14:03.379 --> 00:14:04.360 that the grave 00:14:04.360 --> 00:14:06.319 could not conquer Jesus. 00:14:07.639 --> 00:14:09.319 Death could not hold him down. 00:14:09.659 --> 00:14:12.259 He was alive. 00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:16.419 Their hope that they thought 00:14:16.419 --> 00:14:17.159 was lost 00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:18.179 was found 00:14:18.179 --> 00:14:20.539 never to be lost again 00:14:20.539 --> 00:14:22.419 because Jesus 00:14:22.419 --> 00:14:25.360 had conquered over death. 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:30.360 They found their hope. 00:14:31.899 --> 00:14:32.879 And today, 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:34.519 almost 2,000 years later, 00:14:35.339 --> 00:14:36.679 I want to ask you, 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:38.500 where is your hope today? 00:14:38.500 --> 00:14:44.340 jobs can change 00:14:44.340 --> 00:14:44.940 or be lost 00:14:44.940 --> 00:14:46.039 in an instant. 00:14:48.460 --> 00:14:49.919 Families are awesome. 00:14:51.639 --> 00:14:52.500 But again, 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:53.700 tragedy can strike 00:14:53.700 --> 00:14:54.480 in an instant. 00:14:57.879 --> 00:14:59.360 Anything in this world 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:00.980 that we can set 00:15:00.980 --> 00:15:01.960 our hopes on 00:15:01.960 --> 00:15:04.159 can fail us 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:05.600 in an instant. 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:10.019 But what we see here 00:15:10.019 --> 00:15:11.740 is Jesus 00:15:11.740 --> 00:15:14.379 coming back to life, 00:15:14.540 --> 00:15:15.580 conquering over death 00:15:15.580 --> 00:15:16.800 once and for all, 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:17.480 proving 00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:18.960 for all time 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:20.220 that he has accomplished 00:15:20.220 --> 00:15:21.980 victory over the grave. 00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:23.259 And not just victory 00:15:23.259 --> 00:15:23.860 over the grave 00:15:23.860 --> 00:15:24.500 for himself, 00:15:25.500 --> 00:15:26.120 but it's a victory 00:15:26.120 --> 00:15:26.820 over the grave 00:15:26.820 --> 00:15:27.580 that he offers 00:15:27.580 --> 00:15:29.399 to his people. 00:15:29.740 --> 00:15:30.420 A rescue. 00:15:30.420 --> 00:15:30.580 A rescue. 00:15:32.920 --> 00:15:33.519 Salvation. 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:37.399 So if you're here today 00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:39.480 and you're not 00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:40.039 a Christian, 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:42.419 my encouragement 00:15:42.419 --> 00:15:43.159 to you today 00:15:43.159 --> 00:15:45.000 is to place 00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:45.799 your hope 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:46.679 in Christ. 00:15:48.360 --> 00:15:49.879 The Bible tells us 00:15:49.879 --> 00:15:51.120 that God created us 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:51.939 for a relationship 00:15:51.939 --> 00:15:52.699 with him. 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:55.500 And that each of us 00:15:55.500 --> 00:15:56.439 has turned away 00:15:56.439 --> 00:15:56.840 from him. 00:15:57.539 --> 00:15:58.199 Each of us 00:15:58.199 --> 00:15:58.819 has rebelled. 00:15:59.799 --> 00:16:00.559 Each of us 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:01.319 for our rebellion 00:16:01.319 --> 00:16:02.879 deserve death. 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:06.319 each of us 00:16:06.319 --> 00:16:06.860 have chosen 00:16:06.860 --> 00:16:07.840 to make ourselves 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:09.379 enemies of God. 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:12.379 And what happened 00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:13.079 on the cross 00:16:13.079 --> 00:16:14.199 is that Jesus came 00:16:14.199 --> 00:16:15.179 and he bore the death 00:16:15.179 --> 00:16:15.919 that we deserved. 00:16:17.259 --> 00:16:18.240 He offered us 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:18.659 forgiveness 00:16:18.659 --> 00:16:20.360 that we don't deserve. 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:23.919 He offered us 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:25.439 a new life 00:16:25.439 --> 00:16:26.699 that can only be 00:16:26.699 --> 00:16:27.240 ours 00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:28.039 as a gift. 00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:30.959 but it's a life 00:16:30.959 --> 00:16:32.019 that all we have 00:16:32.019 --> 00:16:32.879 to do is ask 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:33.679 and it will 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:34.559 be ours. 00:16:35.779 --> 00:16:36.599 And so I encourage you 00:16:36.599 --> 00:16:37.500 if you are here today 00:16:37.500 --> 00:16:38.360 and you have never 00:16:38.360 --> 00:16:39.500 trusted in Jesus 00:16:39.500 --> 00:16:40.839 and his death 00:16:40.839 --> 00:16:41.539 and resurrection 00:16:41.539 --> 00:16:42.839 to give you 00:16:42.839 --> 00:16:43.740 a new relationship 00:16:43.740 --> 00:16:44.319 with God, 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:46.039 please do that 00:16:46.039 --> 00:16:46.579 today. 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:47.959 Do that right now. 00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:50.559 And if you're here today 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:51.480 and you're a Christian, 00:16:51.480 --> 00:16:54.120 you know, 00:16:54.200 --> 00:16:55.039 jobs are great, 00:16:55.420 --> 00:16:56.659 families are great, 00:16:57.220 --> 00:17:00.100 but none of these things 00:17:00.100 --> 00:17:01.180 can be our ultimate 00:17:01.180 --> 00:17:02.240 hope in life. 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:05.319 If we are hoping 00:17:05.319 --> 00:17:05.900 these things 00:17:05.900 --> 00:17:06.799 more than we are hoping 00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:07.240 in Jesus, 00:17:08.279 --> 00:17:09.140 our hope 00:17:09.140 --> 00:17:10.559 will at one point 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:11.099 or another 00:17:11.099 --> 00:17:12.039 fail us. 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:16.859 what does it look like, 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:17.579 what does it mean 00:17:17.579 --> 00:17:19.099 for you to place 00:17:19.099 --> 00:17:19.680 your hope 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:21.559 in Jesus 00:17:21.559 --> 00:17:22.220 today? 00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:26.299 What does it look like 00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:27.519 to reprioritize 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:28.019 your life 00:17:28.019 --> 00:17:30.159 so that you're 00:17:30.159 --> 00:17:30.940 truly building 00:17:30.940 --> 00:17:31.440 your life 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:32.519 around the one thing 00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:33.399 that cannot 00:17:33.399 --> 00:17:34.519 and will not 00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:35.220 ever 00:17:35.220 --> 00:17:36.220 fail you? 00:17:38.819 --> 00:17:39.359 You know, 00:17:39.379 --> 00:17:39.920 the resurrection 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:41.879 is a historically 00:17:41.880 --> 00:17:42.740 verifiable 00:17:42.740 --> 00:17:44.800 objective proof 00:17:44.800 --> 00:17:46.280 of the fact 00:17:46.280 --> 00:17:47.080 that God 00:17:47.080 --> 00:17:48.500 loves us, 00:17:49.080 --> 00:17:49.960 of the fact 00:17:49.960 --> 00:17:50.500 that God 00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:51.720 has conquered 00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:52.880 over the grave, 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:55.060 of the fact 00:17:55.060 --> 00:17:55.500 that there is 00:17:55.500 --> 00:17:56.520 nothing that can 00:17:56.520 --> 00:17:57.220 separate us 00:17:57.220 --> 00:17:58.860 from God's love. 00:18:01.400 --> 00:18:02.600 And he's inviting 00:18:02.600 --> 00:18:03.660 each of us today 00:18:03.660 --> 00:18:05.240 to come in 00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:06.060 to experience 00:18:06.060 --> 00:18:06.720 that relationship 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:07.200 with him, 00:18:07.260 --> 00:18:07.800 to experience 00:18:07.800 --> 00:18:08.480 the joy 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:09.560 that comes 00:18:09.560 --> 00:18:10.720 from that relationship 00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:11.180 with him 00:18:11.180 --> 00:18:11.980 because Christ 00:18:11.980 --> 00:18:13.000 is alive. 00:18:13.360 --> 00:18:14.440 He is not 00:18:14.440 --> 00:18:15.340 in the grave 00:18:15.340 --> 00:18:15.920 anymore. 00:18:17.019 --> 00:18:17.920 His body 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:18.480 has not been 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:18.840 stolen. 00:18:19.320 --> 00:18:20.360 He has come 00:18:20.360 --> 00:18:21.980 back to life. 00:18:23.340 --> 00:18:24.240 That's why we 00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:24.980 celebrate today. 00:18:26.120 --> 00:18:27.060 That's where our 00:18:27.060 --> 00:18:28.120 hope is today. 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:30.580 Let's pray. 00:18:32.580 --> 00:18:33.060 Father, 00:18:33.160 --> 00:18:33.680 we thank you 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:34.920 for your love. 00:18:35.620 --> 00:18:36.480 We thank you 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:37.380 for the cross. 00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:37.980 We thank you 00:18:37.980 --> 00:18:38.900 for your grace. 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:40.819 We pray that 00:18:40.819 --> 00:18:41.579 today we would 00:18:41.579 --> 00:18:42.500 find our hope 00:18:42.500 --> 00:18:44.880 in the resurrection. 00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:46.759 We pray that 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:47.319 we would 00:18:47.319 --> 00:18:49.779 see the amazing 00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:50.660 love that you 00:18:50.660 --> 00:18:51.299 have for us, 00:18:51.360 --> 00:18:52.380 the amazing promise 00:18:52.380 --> 00:18:53.360 held out to us, 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:54.240 and the fact 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:54.819 that Christ 00:18:54.819 --> 00:18:55.960 is no longer 00:18:55.960 --> 00:18:57.220 in the grave, 00:18:57.400 --> 00:18:58.319 but he is 00:18:58.319 --> 00:18:59.000 alive. 00:19:00.660 --> 00:19:01.440 Help us to 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:01.940 love you more. 00:19:02.019 --> 00:19:02.460 Help us to 00:19:02.460 --> 00:19:03.240 trust you more 00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:03.860 each day. 00:19:04.779 --> 00:19:05.860 In Jesus' name, 00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:06.799 Amen. 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:06.919 Amen.