Imagine Easter

Imagine Easter

“He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” The Ascension of Jesus 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.” Luke 24:44-53 NIV

Intro: As a kid, our imagination could fill up an entire day.

Me and a couple of friends would get together

The next thing you know…, we had taken a scrap pile of old lumber

And turned it into a fort and would fight off whole armies of invading bad guys.

Or maybe you remember the days when newspapers had cut out paper dolls and paper clothes?

Her name was Betsy McCall.

She was just a flat piece of paper, but each week there was a different printed cutout change of clothes.

You could have scrap books filled with outfits for every day of the week…, every season of the year.

Your imagination could run wild dreaming about all the fancy places Betsy McCall would go.

Today it is anything electronic, images onscreen-online.

God created us with an imagination.

God made us so that we would dream and build and learn and grow greater.

That same God given imagination can help you achieve God’s created purposes in your life.

Today we are going to “Imagine Easter.”

We are going to Imagine Easter before there was an Easter.

That is what the disciples and early follower of Jesus had to do.

Jesus said, “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds…, so they could understand the Scriptures.

There was a high school basketball team that was in the final game of their District Play Offs.

Their star shooter was sick, hadn't even dressed out for the game.

Four out of five starting players had fouled out.

Their second line guard had just been injured.

All the coach had left was a 3rd string freshman guard.

They had only one senior left on the floor who was a shooter.

To make matters worse, the team was down by one point in overtime,

with only a few seconds left on the clock.

It was a desperate situation, the coach's only thought was for the guard to get the ball to their one senior

And hope for either a foul or a clean shot.

Sending in the 3rd string guard, the coach said, "Whatever you do Tommy don’t shoot the ball,

just get the ball to the senior player.

The players went in.

The guard received the ball.

The 6’4” senior was double guarded, even tripled teamed.

The experienced senior realizing what was happening

ran out of the paint and back almost to the half court line.

This opened up a clear path for the freshman guard to go straight in under the basket.

The guard dribbled under the goal.

The guard looked up at the time clock.

The guard looked at the basket.

The guard threw the ball all the way back to senior player at the half court line

The senior shooter took a long wild shot that hit the rim at the buzzer but rolled out.

The coach ran onto the floor and demanded of the freshman guard,

"Why didn’t you take the shot?

You were unguarded. You were standing right under the basket.

What in the world were you thinking?

The freshman answered, "I was thinking what a dumb coach we have."

What does it mean to have an “open mind to the scriptures?”

The disciples had heard the prophecies of God’s word.

They knew the rules of faith.

But knowing the rules of the game and thinking on your feet are two different things.

“What makes us Christians?”

The question that also begs to be asked is: “What makes us United Methodist?”

The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,