The Perfect Three Point Sermon (Easter Season Message)

For those not familiar with an Anglican Service there are four Scripture readings prior to the Message. Today's Easter Readings are: Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2,14-24; Colossians 3:1-4 and Matthew 28:1-10 or Mark 16:1-8 or Luke 24:1-12.

Let us pray O' Heavenly Father it is through your only begotten Son Jesus that we have the gift of eternal life. For He overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life:

Grant that we, who this day celebrate with joy our Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin ...by your life giving Spirit; And Father it is through Jesus our Savior and Lord that we pray.

A Sunday School teacher ... had just finished telling her third graders ... about how Jesus was crucified and placed in a tomb ...... with a great stone sealing the opening.

Then, ...... wanting to share the excitement of the resurrection, she asked: ...... "And what do you think were Jesus' first words ... when He came out of that tomb?"

A little girl ... in the back of the room shot her arm into the air ... and leaped to her feet and shouted excitedly ...... "I know, I know!"

"Good" said the teacher, "Tell us, Bethany what did he say."

Extending her arms high into the air she said: "TA-DA!" (Pause)

That story... always puts a smile on my face ... and it is so appropriate for this Day.

Beloved ... The resurrection of Jesus Christ was indeed ...... a "TA-DA".

It has touched the lives of believers throughout the ages.

Yes, ...... "TA DA" Christ is Risen

Today is Easter.

The day ... that that we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

A time when Alleluias fill the air:

Beloved ... You know the response:

Alleluia Christ is Risen... The Lord is Risen indeed ...Alleluia.

My Grandfather ... My Father and My Uncle were all Real-estate Brokers ...in my hometown ...of Painesville Ohio.

And they would always share ... that in the real estate business, ...there are only 3 rules to remember.

And these 3 rules... these 3 truths... will determine whether a piece of property ...is going to sell easily ... or not.

And the three rules are these: ... location, location, location.

What matters most ... is where the property is located.

Even if it is old ... and crumbling down ...or has out-of-date appliances, ... it will sell ...... if it is in a desirable location.

Location is the Key.

The Buying and Selling of Real Estate is all about ... location, location, location.

And quite honestly, ... the Scriptures are clear ... everyone will live for eternity somewhere.

And quite honestly, … the Scriptures are clear … everyone will all live for eternity somewhere.

It too is just a matter of ... Location, ... Location ... Location.

Today is Easter Sunday... the highest holy day ... of the church year.

So, ... I would like to share ... something really inspiring... on this incredible day.

In order to do so, I am going to preach an old-fashioned ... 3-point sermon.

That is the traditional model of preaching.

By the way. ......It is also ... very Trinitarian.

The pastor is supposed to fit every important scriptural matter ...into 3 easy-to-remember points.

That way, ... the congregation will be able to hear it, go home and hopefully say: ... "Yes, I still remember the 3 points of the sermon."

I do not always use a 3-point Sermon

But today...because it is Easter... I am sticking with the traditional 3 points.

So here are the 3 points I have come up with ... after great contemplation ... on the Gospel text.

Are you ready?

They are: ...... He is risen! He is risen! He is risen!

Now be aware ... Each of these points are equally important ... so ... I will begin with the first one.

He is Risen.

Our Gospel reading Luke begins on that first Easter morning.

Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and the other women make their way to the tomb of Jesus. (Luke 24:10)

What do they expect to find?

I suppose they expect... what you and I would expect ... if we went to visit the grave ... of a friend or a loved one:

That the grave ... the tomb ... would be ... un-disturbed.

You certainly would not expect your friend or loved one ... to be gone!

And yet ... that is exactly what these women encounter!

This event is highly dramatic in Matthew's telling ...... of the story.

There is a great earthquake, ...which shakes up their perspective ...and probably everything else.

And then an angel of the Lord descends from heaven, ...and remarkably this single angel ... rolls back the stone of the grave ...and then sits on it.