Resurrection Of Hope Series

Resurrection of hope

John 20:1-18

Introduction- He is risen (response- He is risen indeed)

Hope is a powerful word.

With it you are able to endure great stress and look past many hard situations.

Without hope you crumble and lose vision.

To those that put their hope and trust in Jesus Christ, the future looks brighter. (Amen)

To those who have no redeemer, situations and circumstances rob us of our hope.

Hope defined

Hope is the state which promotes the belief in an outcome related to events and circumstances in one’s life. Despair is often regarded as the opposite of hope.

Hope is to expect with confidence.

Despair is to lose that hope, and expect nothing.

For most today, Easter (resurrection Sunday) was a visit by the Easter bunny, candy companies become little richer, and most eat till they cannot eat another bite.

Their lives will not have changed and that by itself does not offer much hope.

Like the person that bites into a hollow chocolate Easter bunny in the hope that it would be solid chocolate.

Illustration-(SermonCentral)

An Illinois man left Chicago for a vacation in Florida. His wife was on a trip and was planning to meet him the next day. When he reached his hotel he decided to send his wife a quick e-mail. Unable to find the scrap of paper on which he had written her e-mail address, he did his best to type it from memory. Unfortunately, he missed one letter and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher’s wife whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her e-mail, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream and fell dead. At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw the note on the screen.

Dearest wife,

Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow.

Your loving husband.

P.S. sure is hot down here.

Easter is good news!

Easter is a celebration that the stone which sealed the life and love of God has been rolled away. It means that our hopes are alive in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Even the disciples struggled with what His death and resurrection meant.

John 20:1-18

I don’t know about you, but I have had to have a few fresh starts and do-overs. Amen?

To you golfers, I have had to have a few mulligan’s to get me back in the game of life.

The religious leaders wanted Jesus dead.

Out of the way.

Out of sight. That was their plan and they thought they had succeeded.

The disciples had dis-banded.

Peter denied Jesus three times, they were afraid.

Locked themselves up in a room so that they would not be the next killed.

They did not understand what happened!

I think Mary just wanted to be close to the tomb of Jesus, and when she found the tomb empty, it messed with her head. It messed up her confused feelings.

Mary wept- all her emotions had come out. We have all been there. 2 angels greet her and she turns around to a standing Jesus Christ. “Who are you looking for?”

She did not recognize Him because she was not looking for Him. (repeat )

Jesus says to her “Mary”- when she heard his voice, she cried out with excitement.

The hope that was lost was now found. Jesus gave her instructions to tell the others the good news. “I have seen the Lord.”

If you grasp nothing else this morning, understand this- “those that encounter the risen Christ will never be the same.” (repeat )

Society without hope is lost.

But as children of God we have a hope and His name is Jesus Christ.

Just like the thief on the cross that cried out to Jesus. Luke 23:41- “And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong. Then he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. (43) “And Jesus said to him, Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

I. God has come to meet us where we are

Have you ever had moments where this world seems cruel, full of broken promises, disappointments, dreams shattered. The devil beat you up and you feel hopeless.

There is hope, and His name is Jesus. Hope has a name and it is Jesus.

It was the plan of God for Jesus to bridge the gap between God and man.

To bring hope to a dying world.

In the routine of life, God desires to be near you.

God desires that in the midst of all the mess of the world. He brings His comfort, His love, His passion for each one of us.