Risen King- Easter Series

And we know the stone is rolled away. We know that Jesus appeared to people. We know that there is accounts of him appearing to twelve different groups, over five hundred people saying we serve a risen king. The stone was rolled away. The guards fell down like dead men. The seal was broken. Jesus came out. People don't have to go into death anymore. They can run to Jesus, and it's true. His promises are true.

It also means today that he can roll away your stone. That's what it means. It means he can roll away your stone. And I know that sometimes we wonder can he do it, can he do it. How many know the power of an addiction can be so strong. How many know the power of a critic laughing at you can be so strong. How many know that even your own doubt can be so strong. And God is like, "I want to roll away the stone of your doubt and set you free."

And I don't know what stands between you and Jesus, what keeps you out, but nothing kept Jesus in the tomb. And he is here today, and he is saying, "I'm a risen king. I'm a risen king." The Bible says he ascended into heaven, and the Bible says he's preparing a place for us, and those that call on the name of the Lord will be saved. And we have an opportunity now to respond to the love of Jesus, respond to the risen king and say, Lord, roll away my stone.

So here and at all of our campuses, can we bow our heads for just a moment, and let's take a moment to think about that. He's the risen king. He's the risen king. The stone was rolled away. The stone was rolled away. Why? Because he came back from the dead. He came back from the dead and his promises you true. And the Bible says that if we call upon the name of the Lord Jesus, we will be saved. Some people wonder, "How do I get to Jesus? How do I find hope?" Can I tell you this? Jesus is walking to you.

The women were wondering, "How will we get to Jesus?"

And Jesus is saying, "I'm coming to you."

You're here today, you might be watching online, you might be at one of our other campuses, and the Bible is saying that Jesus is reaching out to you. He's saying, "I'm the risen king and I want to roll away your stone, whatever it is. Will you allow me to do that? "

We have been praying for you that you would respond today. We have been praying you would call upon his name to be forgiven. We've been praying that you would ask for forgiveness, and we want to give you this opportunity to respond.

With everyone's head bowed and their eyes closed, I just want to say this: If you have not responded to the living king, if you've let a stone stand in your way of religion or tradition, if you've let a stone stand in your way of doubt, or critics or friends or family or success or fame or money, God is saying, "Roll away that stone. I want to roll away that stone for you and help you to know me as Lord and Savior."

And if you're saying, "I need to do it. I need to get past those things that have kept me away from Jesus, and I want to have a personal relationship with Jesus. I want to be forgiven of my sins, these things that I have done wrong, those moral shortcomings not living up to God's standard. The things that have corrupted me in my life. I didn't even try, but those things that catch themselves in my life, and I feel guilty for them." The Bible says he can wash away that guilt. He can wash away that sin, and he can forgive you of all that and make you new. So the Bible says if you believe that he died on the cross and he rose from the dead and you ask him for forgiveness, you will be forgiven. And in just a moment I'm going to ask you to raise your hand to be included in that closing prayer.