Love Reigns (Easter) Week 1.

Love Reigns (Easter) Week 1.

Matthew 27:32-42.

As Jesus was being crucified, the soldiers mocked him by placing a crown of thorns on his head and placing a sign over his head that read, “King of the Jews.”

They did not see him as the true King who rules and reigns. After Jesus’ resurrection, he revealed himself to his disciples and because of his defeat of death, he claims all authority over heaven and earth.

It was Jesus’ love for us that held him on the cross. His love reigns in our lives when we put our faith, hope, and trust in him.

Think: Jesus is the true king over everything. He proved his authority by resurrecting from the dead.

Can you imagine the power of God behind Jesus’ resurrection? ?Can you imagine the power of God that brought salvation?

1 Corinthians 1:18-19AMP For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God. 19 For it is written and forever remains written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise [the philosophy of the philosophers], And the cleverness of the clever [who do not know Me] I will nullify.”

Q&A, Do I see Jesus as the authority in my life? Does His love reign over the way I live?

Hear this church. He is Risen! (He Is Risen indeed) Happy Easter everyone. -Today we join with churches from all across the world, and throughout the centuries, in celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It was the love of God that caused Jesus to come to earth and to offer Himself as a sacrifice on the cross to forgive the world of its sins.

It is the love of God that continually offers us new life through this risen Savior. So, today we celebrate.

* Today we worship the risen Jesus! The greatest crossroad of history is at the cross of Calvary.

At the cross of Calvary, our Savior, Victoriously, and Irreversibly pronounced, “it is finished!”Victory has been secured, and the evil enemy of our soul is already defeated.

Not only is today Easter Sunday, but it is also the beginning of a powerful sermon series called, Love Reigns.

Together, for four weeks, we will be discovering all the ways that God’s amazing love transforms our past, present, and future.

The truth is, many people underestimate the power of love. I would argue, however, that it is the most powerful force on earth.

I remember dating Jenny, and after several dates it seemed like she was pulling away from me.

Therefore, I decided to fake a car wreck. Jenny and her mother drove 60 miles and came to my apartment in Smyrna Georgia.

I proceeded to show them cuts in my mouth. There were no cuts, but my ploy worked. To be honest with you, I felt desperate because I wanted this girl. I loved her the day I saw her.

The power of love drove Jesus to the cross!

Love is the driving force behind our sacrificial actions toward our family and friends. -We will gladly pay any price in order to demonstrate how much we care. Love is powerful, and it moves us to do amazing things.

Before there was ever an Easter Sunday, there was a Good Friday. Before there ever was a resurrection, there first had to be a death.

POINT 1: There can only be one King.

For 33 years, Jesus Christ walked the earth while serving the hungry, healing the broken, and delivering the oppressed. He announced the coming Kingdom of God and the restoration of all things. He was Jesus, the Son of the living God.

This kind of thinking and teaching caused a lot of conflict in the area that Jesus served in. You see, at that time, the ruler of the Ancient Near East was Rome.

Rome had installed a vassal king named Herod the Great to keep things in Israel under control. Herod was a tyrant and was constantly afraid that his authority would be undermined.

Therefore, another potential king would be a threat to Roman rule, and had to be eradicated.

Fact, Both Herod and Jesus could not reign over Israel.

Again, 1. There can only be one King!

Romans and religious leaders (Jews) work together to have Jesus arrested. He was brought to trial for his claims to be God.

He was convicted and beaten, nearly to death.

Jesus then was forced to carry a rugged, wooden cross all the way to the hill that he would be killed upon.

Matthew 27:32-42NLT Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.