The Easter Door Series

The Easter Door

One Month To Live

I’M SURE - you’ve noticed that we have a door on the stage. NOW - whenever you walk through a door you’re going from one place to another. AND - as you walk through a door you have certain emotions, depending on what’s on the other side of the door. WHEN - you walk through some doors you may have a feeling of excitement or joy. WHEN - you walk through other doors you may have a sense of anxiety or of fear. AGAIN - it all depends on what’s on the other side of the door.

THINK ABOUT – the various doors you walk through on a regular basis… AND - the emotions they create within you. QUESTION – what emotions do you feel (picture these doors in your mind) when you walk through the door to:

• your home

• your room

• a sports arena or stadium

• a movie theatre

• your favorite restaurant

• your best friends house

• your school or the class you dislike the most

• your place of employment (kind of depends on whether or not you are coming or going).

• Your bosses office

• a mall (a feel I need some oxygen – malls suck the life out of me)

• your dentist office for your annual cleaning

HOW ABOUT – the doors to the church… What emotions did you feel when you walked through the doors of the church a few moments ago: Did you feel:

• a sense of excitement?

• a sense of anticipation?

• did you feel pumped up – because it’s Easter/Resurrection Sunday! And your Savior is alive!

• or did you feel a little uneasy, because this is your first Sunday at SE or it’s been awhile since you’ve been in church and you are not sure what to expect? Will I like the music? Will the people be nice? Will I have to do anything weird?

NOW - the reason we chose a door as the prop for Easter this year is because when you think about it Easter is all about A DOOR! UNDERSTAND - Two thousand years ago, God the Son (the alpha and omega… the beginning and the end… the prince of peace, the everlasting Father, the Mighty God) LEFT - all the glories of heaven, put on human flesh (accepting it’s limitations) and walked through the door of human history… OR – should I say, walked through the door of HIS STORY…

UNDERSTAND – all of human history, every bit of it is REALLY ‘His’ Story. IN – the beginning God CREATED everything. AND LISTEN SINCE – the dawn of creation the overriding theme of human History has been God’s passionate pursuit of a prodigal people. HAS BEN – the story of a loving God doing whatever it takes to bring people back to Himself.

That’s why Easter is the focal point of all history – because Jesus Christ (Our king who came to bring us back to him) is the focal point of all human history (think about it all time revolves around Him. BC/AD. Every time you date a check, print a calendar… every time this unbelieving world puts a date on a news paper or magazine they are bearing witness to Him… YOU SEE - History just cannot get away from Him). That’s why 2000 years later over 2 billion people all around the world are celebrating His Resurrection this weekend. AND OUR GOAL – this Easter, is to help you find your place in His story.

OKAY – let’s go back 2000 years and see that first Easter through the pen of Matthew….

1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ’He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you." 8So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." - Matthew 28:1-10