Purpose: to instill hope for the Christian, regardless of what comes up
See the bulletin for this day. I took notes on the ‘sermon page’ by reading through 20+ sermons at sermon central on Easter, then adapting my own style to connect with our congregation.
Opening:
Used this illustration
A. Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book: Mowgli, the man cub, asks the animals what’s
the most feared thing in the jungle. He’s told that when two animals meet on a narrow
path that one must step aside and let the other pass. The animal that steps aside for no
one would then be the most feared.
Mowgli wants to know what kind of animal would that be? One tells him it’s an
elephant. Another tells him it’s a lion. Finally the wise old owl exclaims, “The most
feared thing in the jungle is death. It steps aside for no one.”
From sermon central. TITLE: “YOU CAN’T KEEP A GOD-MAN DOWN” by Michael Luke. Based on Luke 24:1-8
Transition: “Death is the most feared thing, but Christ has conquered death. He is risen! So what is your problem!”
Read text: Matthew 28:1-10
Look at the Biblical Record to help connect God’s word with the congregation:
1. God had other plans. Even when Christ was born, the leaders of that day sought to kill him. But God had other plans.
2. There was a women caught in adultery and the leaders of that day sought to kill her. But God had other plans. Jesus did not condone her lifestyle but forgave it and then told her to sin no more
3. The blind were healed, the lame walked, and the spiritually sick found salvation because God had other plans
My dear friends. God has other plans for your life too. He is Risen! Can you turn to your neighbor right now and tell him, Neighbor, He is Risen. God had other plans!
Transition:
Illustration:
Even scientists are stumped by there own response to what is infallible proof¡
Science says if there is any such thing as infallible proof, it is the repetition of the same experiment.
Jesus rose from the dead, and Mary Magdalene encountered him¡ experiment one. The women encountered him¡ experiment two. The disciples encountered him¡ experiment three. The apostles encountered him¡ experiment four. Five hundred people saw him after the Resurrection¡ experiment five.
Each one of these is the repetition of the same experiment. They all encountered the same phenomenon. What was it? He was alive! That’s what changed the history of the world.
Sermoncentral. From Eric Darr
Has He Risen? Luke 24:1-24:12
The proof is that His disciples saw Him, many others too saw Him, and you my dear Christian friend have seen Him because you have witnessed in your life hope when there was despair, peace when there was turmoil, and love when there was hate all around you. HE IS RISEN. Say that with me, won’t you this day, HE IS RISEN. PRAISE HIS NAME
Why then do we look for the living among the dead? That is what the angel asked the women who came to peer into that tomb that first Easter Morning. Why do we get so wrapped up in a problem that we don’t look up to see Jesus who is Risen. He is Risen
Illustration. Be funny. Focus is having tunnel vision and not looking to Jesus
A teen looks to her parents, and tells them. Why are you so mean. All the other kids parents are doing it. You are just impossible to live with. And the parents look at each other, and cry out ‘Why is this child of mine so impossible to live with”
But this day my friends, “He is Risen. He is Risen indeed.
There is a newspaper clipping that I want to read to you.
ILLUS: There was an item printed in Newsweek magazine a few years ago. It was a letter from
the Greenville County, South Carolina, Department of Social Services. The letter was written to
a dead person. It said: "To whom it may concern: Your food stamps will be stopped effective
immediately, because we have received notice that you passed away. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances."
From sermon central. By John Beehler. “Death and Taxes”
Matthew 28:1-28:10
There are problems in your life this day that just don’t have to be dealt with in the wrong way. The Stone that was over that tomb was rolled away, and the stone that is over your heart has been rolled away if you are a Christian. Let Jesus shine. Let life not be about you, but Him. He is Risen. Say it with me again. He is Risen Indeed.
In ?, I have one more story to tell you
ILLUS: In 1989, an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened Armenia, killing over 30,000 people in less
than four minutes. It’s hard to imagine the pain, and suffering. In the twinkling of an eye, worlds
were shaken and lives crushed. Surprisingly, such tragedies often bring out the best in people-- at
least they provide a wide open window to peek at the contents of each heart. Let me show you
the loving heart of a father.
In the midst of chaos and destruction, he rushed to his son’s school. But instead of a school, he
found a shapeless heap of rubble. Imagine what went through his mind. What would have gone
through your mind? Perhaps, shock? But in the case of this father, the sight of rubble and ruin
only made him spring into action. He ran to the back corner of the building where his son’s class
used to be and began to dig. Why? What real hope did he have? What were the chances that his
son could have survived such destruction? All he knew was that he had made a promise to
always be there for his boy. It was this promise that animated his hands and motivated his heart.
As he began to dig, well-meaning parents tried to pull him out of the rubble saying: "It’s too
late!" "They’re dead!" "You can’t help!" "Go home!" "There’s nothing you can do!" Then the fire
chief tried to pull him off the rubble by saying, "Fires and explosions are happening everywhere.
You’re in danger. Go home!" Finally, the police came and said, "You’re angry, distraught, but it’s
over. You’re endangering others. Go home. We’ll handle it!"
But he continued to dig for eight . . . 12 . . . 24 . . . 36 hours. Then, in the 38th hour, he pulled
back a boulder and heard his sons’ voice. Immediately, he screamed, "ARMAND!" Back came
the words, "Dad!?" I told them! I told the other kids that if you were still alive, you’d save me!
You promised me, you’d always be here for me! You did it, dad!"
From Sermon Centrral . By John Beehler . “:Death and Taxes” Matthew 28:1-28:10
Closing
Ask Olivia to pass out the Palm crosses.
“Take a good look at them my friends, Turn them over, and over, and you will notice something: Christ is NOT on the Cross. He is Risen. He is Risen indeed. (by this time everyone was saying it with me!. I want you to carry this with you. It can go in your wallet, and perhaps, maybe, I don’t really know, but maybe Barb can laminate for you. (hahahaha everone liked that). But look at it when you have a problem. And tell that problem, He is Risen. He is Risen indeed.
Our final song is Amazing Grace. Let’s sing it.
After singing the song, I asked Kevin to play gently in the background as I talked:
I gave an altar call.
I am giving this call, not me, but rather God. There may be some people here this morning that feel like there are just a lot of problems, a lot of rocks, a lot of rubble, a lot of ‘why me’ o lord, all over them. But I want you to know, not me, but our Father wants to remind you that He made a promise to you for such times and all times that He will never leave you or forsake you. He is coming back for you. Do you know that. Let’s sing one more verse, and I ask you to come up and we will pray if you are going through difficult time.
