Good morning and God’s blessing to you from SEBC here in San Antonio. I want to testify to you today that it doesn’t matter if you WHO are part of this celebration are Catholic, or Methodist, or Baptist, or non-denominational. How we worship, what methods or music we use to praise our God is not necessarily what’s important to God. What’s important to God is that we believe in His Son Jesus Christ and that we know Him as our personal Savior.
Chances are, if you are here now or watching this from home at a later time, you more than likely claim Jesus as your own or you’re at least interested in finding out a little more about this man called Jesus. You’re here now because you believe the Gospel message.
? You believe that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary.
? You believe that HE was sent from God from the beautiful realms of heaven, to this earth to personally teach us to believe in Him. Jesus was always asking people to simply believe in Him. That was His mission while He was here on earth. He said and it’s recorded in John 12:44 – “The one who believes in me believes not in me, but in Him who sent me.” Jesus was always pleading for people to believe in Him. He’s still making that plea to us today.
? You WHO are listening to this message now, I am pretty sure you believe that Jesus was crucified for our sins.
? You believe that he suffered and died on that cruel cross, for us, on what would be last Friday on our calendar.
? But you also believe that when Jesus was placed in that tomb that wasn’t the end of the story. Am I right? And that belief is where lies our HOPE today.
God had it all planned from the beginning. It was God’s prophet Isaiah that God used to foretell Jesus’ mock trial, the beatings He took, the suffering, the crucifixion, the burial and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ that all took place the week leading up to today. God told that story some 600-700 years before Jesus was even born. That’s how I know all this was in God’s plan. And you being here at this very moment is in God’s plan as well.
God knew that in this old world, we need something to HOPE for. He knew there would be times like we are experiencing right now. He knew that we need something sure to claim. Something we can count on. Something that we KNOW will come about. God knows that.
Let me ask you; Is there anything in this world that you hope for and you know 100% that it will happen? If we’re truthful, we would all admit that there isn’t very much we can be sure of in this world. Sure, we can HOPE. But how many times have our hopes been dashed. How many times has someone, or something failed us and we lose all HOPE?
Friends, that’s exactly why we’re here now. That’s precisely why you’re listening to this message now. It all has to do with HOPING in something that is a sure thing. Our HOPE is in Jesus Christ and what he did for us. And I think you already know that, but God just wants to reassure you today.
And it all happened early on Easter morning. We know and believe without a shadow of doubt that Christ arose from that grave. We know that no person rolled that stone away that morning. It was rolled away by the power of God.
And here’s something you may never have thought about much. Did the stone get rolled away to open the tomb so Jesus could come out? If you believe in my Jesus, then you believe as I do, that Jesus could have come out of that grave, with or without that stone being rolled away. No, that stone wasn’t rolled away so Jesus could get out. It was rolled away so that witnesses could look in and see for themselves the HOPE that Jesus promised.
Jesus told us before all this ever happened. In John 11:25-26, Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Now, I ask you, do you believe this? Many and probably most of you believe this. Why? Because you have the HOPE of eternal life with Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live.” And you see, that’s what this Easter morning is all about. It’s proof that death is not the end. It is proof that a better life, eternal life, is there for us to claim. And that HOPE is something that is sure.
The Apostle Paul shouted at death when he said, ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”
And that, my friends, is the HOPE that only Jesus can give. And that’s why God brought you here today. Either to remind you of that HOPE, or to show you there is HOPE. Yes, this day is a precious day to those who love the Lord. So, celebrate this day. Claim it for your very own. Because there will be another glorious day to come. And that’s the day when Jesus comes again to take us with Him to the glorious realm of our eternal home in heaven.
Until then, we do as Paul wrote in his letter to Titus in Chapt. 2:13-14, “…we look forward with HOPE to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. (Titus 2:13-14)
Do you know Him? Can you say Jesus IS my Savior? If so, then you have received God’s gift of salvation and the HOPE of living eternally in heaven.
If you don’t know Him personally, you can claim Him as your Savior right now by asking Jesus to come into your heart and into your life. Ask Him to help you to confess your wrongs to Him and then ask Him to forgive you of all those wrongs. Just say, ‘Lord, Jesus, come into my life.”
And if you mean it from the bottom of your heart, He will. That is God’s invitation to you. Wil you do that right now? As we pray.
If you made your decision for Jesus, I encourage you, once we are allowed to gather together again, to get into a Bible-based church. Go to the pastor and tell him about your decision.
Then consider following Jesus’ example and be baptized. Make your public profession of faith.
Jesus said, “If you confess Me before man, I will confess you before My Father in heaven.” Make that decision and don’t be ashamed to tell others that Jesus is your Savior.
Let Christ’s words dwell in you heart. Claim this HOPE that He has given us.
