WEBVTT 00:00:07.900 --> 00:00:11.099 Hey guys, this is Tracy. If at any time you'd 00:00:11.099 --> 00:00:15.019 like to connect with HCV, go to hcv .church forward 00:00:15.019 --> 00:00:18.100 slash connect. If you feel called to give, go 00:00:18.100 --> 00:00:21.980 to hcv .church forward slash give. And if at 00:00:21.980 --> 00:00:23.920 any time you feel called to make a change in 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:29.399 your life, text change me to 970 -00. Enjoy the 00:00:29.399 --> 00:00:33.000 message. Now, I'm out of breath. Are you guys 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:36.520 ready to hear an Easter message? You guys ready 00:00:36.520 --> 00:00:40.460 to do this? So, without further ado, I give you 00:00:40.460 --> 00:00:48.539 our lead pastor. Rudy. Rudy, what did you do? 00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:53.640 Easter is ruined. I needed those flowers, dude. 00:00:54.420 --> 00:00:59.869 I needed that pot. You know, friends, here's 00:00:59.869 --> 00:01:04.750 the reality. At some point in life, we're all 00:01:04.750 --> 00:01:10.150 going to break. And when this happens, humanity's 00:01:10.150 --> 00:01:15.010 initial reaction is one of frustration, anger, 00:01:15.209 --> 00:01:22.170 and judgment. But God, God doesn't run away from 00:01:22.170 --> 00:01:27.200 broken pieces. He comes near. And not only does 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:33.040 he come near, our God humbly and gently kneels 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:39.620 down and begins to pick up each piece. Not one 00:01:39.620 --> 00:01:49.180 forgotten. Not one ignored. And the beauty of 00:01:49.180 --> 00:01:54.280 this is summed up in one word, and it's called 00:01:54.280 --> 00:02:01.599 mercy. Mercy is God giving us what we don't deserve 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:06.180 in our brokenness. And he doesn't stop there. 00:02:06.780 --> 00:02:10.300 He doesn't glue us back together so that we're 00:02:10.300 --> 00:02:14.039 the same person that we were before. Because 00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:18.280 of Easter, he takes it a step further. And he 00:02:18.280 --> 00:02:26.330 creates something brand new. A masterpiece. Good 00:02:26.330 --> 00:02:33.509 morning and welcome to HTV. Happy Easter. And 00:02:33.509 --> 00:02:35.550 if you're joining us from home, thank you for 00:02:35.550 --> 00:02:40.110 welcoming us into your space. There is a word 00:02:40.110 --> 00:02:44.110 at the very heart of the gospel, a word we often 00:02:44.110 --> 00:02:49.550 use but very rarely grasp. And that word is mercy. 00:02:50.349 --> 00:02:54.229 We sing about it. We pray for it. We hope for 00:02:54.229 --> 00:02:58.560 it. Yet when it meets us face to face, it can 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:02.900 almost feel too good to be true. Mercy is not 00:03:02.900 --> 00:03:06.800 getting what we deserve. It is love when we have 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:12.699 failed. It is compassion when we wandered. It 00:03:12.699 --> 00:03:18.020 is God looking at us, making eye contact in our 00:03:18.020 --> 00:03:22.000 worst moments, in our deepest regrets with eyes 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:26.400 full of grace. And nowhere is that mercy more 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:30.860 visible than in the story of Easter. Because 00:03:30.860 --> 00:03:33.479 see, at the very moment humanity had done its 00:03:33.479 --> 00:03:37.620 worst, because of Easter, God responded with 00:03:37.620 --> 00:03:44.479 his best. At the cross, we see the judgment that 00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:49.419 we all deserve. But at the empty tomb, we see 00:03:49.419 --> 00:03:56.020 mercy that we could never earn. Today, we stand 00:03:56.020 --> 00:04:01.319 in that tension between who we have been and 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:05.479 who God is calling us to become. And the good 00:04:05.479 --> 00:04:12.139 news is this. Mercy has the final word. See, 00:04:12.219 --> 00:04:15.740 because of Easter, there's no person God can't 00:04:15.740 --> 00:04:19.250 reach. There's no life he can't change. There's 00:04:19.250 --> 00:04:22.589 no situation he can't handle. There's no miracle 00:04:22.589 --> 00:04:28.209 he can't do. And that church is good news. And 00:04:28.209 --> 00:04:32.310 that's why we gather to celebrate every single 00:04:32.310 --> 00:04:38.050 Easter. Let's open in prayer. Holy Spirit come. 00:04:38.649 --> 00:04:41.189 God, we are grateful that we can gather together. 00:04:44.329 --> 00:04:46.350 I just pray, God, that you would open every ear, 00:04:46.470 --> 00:04:49.230 mind, heart to receive your truth this morning, 00:04:49.250 --> 00:04:53.870 God. I silence distractions in Jesus' name. And 00:04:53.870 --> 00:04:55.850 I just pray, God, that we would all leave here 00:04:55.850 --> 00:05:00.250 differently than when we came. In Jesus' name, 00:05:00.370 --> 00:05:04.209 amen. That prayer leads us to our first thought 00:05:04.209 --> 00:05:09.360 this morning. See, life can be messy. Life can 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:13.079 be messy, Luke chapter 24 verse 1. But very early 00:05:13.079 --> 00:05:15.839 on Sunday morning, the women went to the tomb 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:19.939 taking the spices they had prepared. And see, 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:22.959 quite often what happens when we know a story 00:05:22.959 --> 00:05:26.839 from the Bible is we quickly read past verses 00:05:26.839 --> 00:05:30.680 that are important to the narrative. Just like 00:05:30.680 --> 00:05:34.860 the one I read to you. Early in the morning. 00:05:35.740 --> 00:05:40.139 Ladies were walking to the empty tomb. In our 00:05:40.139 --> 00:05:43.759 mind, it's Easter. Praise God, Jesus has risen. 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:47.939 And typically when it comes to Easter Sunday, 00:05:48.199 --> 00:05:52.800 we dress up a little nicer. We put on a big smile. 00:05:53.100 --> 00:05:55.819 We take family photos. We gather for a meal. 00:05:55.860 --> 00:05:59.779 We celebrate. So when we read about the first 00:05:59.779 --> 00:06:03.040 Easter, we immediately think it was a celebration. 00:06:04.939 --> 00:06:07.800 In fact, it had to be the best celebration that 00:06:07.800 --> 00:06:13.379 ever was. Right? So when reading that first verse, 00:06:13.540 --> 00:06:17.300 we quite often picture these ladies, not in pain, 00:06:17.459 --> 00:06:21.860 not suffering, not fearful, but in Sunday's best, 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:26.500 going to celebrate the risen Savior because we 00:06:26.500 --> 00:06:32.259 know the end of the story. However, today, I 00:06:32.259 --> 00:06:36.019 want us all to put ourselves in their shoes for 00:06:36.019 --> 00:06:39.500 just a moment. See, they don't know the ending. 00:06:40.519 --> 00:06:44.120 They don't know it's Easter. They're just living 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:48.939 in the mess. Because see, that first Easter morning, 00:06:49.079 --> 00:06:55.060 it wasn't a celebration. It was a disaster. For 00:06:55.060 --> 00:06:58.139 starters, these women were walking to a tomb 00:06:58.139 --> 00:07:01.860 for someone that they loved to put burial spices 00:07:01.860 --> 00:07:06.290 on a dead body. They didn't know Jesus had risen. 00:07:06.970 --> 00:07:09.629 They were heartbroken. They had loved Jesus. 00:07:10.870 --> 00:07:14.110 But at the same time, in their grief, they were 00:07:14.110 --> 00:07:17.370 also a little mad, a little confused, a little 00:07:17.370 --> 00:07:21.110 scared. Because remember what Jesus told them. 00:07:21.709 --> 00:07:25.370 I am the Son of God. I am going to build a kingdom 00:07:25.370 --> 00:07:28.709 that will never end. I am the Chosen One. I am 00:07:28.709 --> 00:07:33.610 the Messiah. So we find these women totally confused. 00:07:34.730 --> 00:07:39.870 and feeling a little betrayed. Maybe Jesus didn't 00:07:39.870 --> 00:07:44.350 lie to us. It could be that he thought he was 00:07:44.350 --> 00:07:48.449 the Messiah, but he can't be because we saw them 00:07:48.449 --> 00:07:53.589 die. We saw them buried. A dead person can't 00:07:53.589 --> 00:07:57.370 build a kingdom that will never end. So you see, 00:07:57.410 --> 00:08:01.269 we have all these emotions. We have this tension 00:08:01.269 --> 00:08:06.730 that the first Easter would bring. And remember, 00:08:06.889 --> 00:08:09.430 these women, they were all alone. The disciples, 00:08:09.670 --> 00:08:12.449 they had scattered. They were now in hiding. 00:08:15.310 --> 00:08:17.629 What is so important about this line of thinking 00:08:17.629 --> 00:08:21.730 is if you walked into this place to celebrate 00:08:21.730 --> 00:08:27.569 Easter and your life feels a little messy, you're 00:08:27.569 --> 00:08:31.779 not alone. If you gathered here with us this 00:08:31.779 --> 00:08:34.980 morning or you're watching online and you're 00:08:34.980 --> 00:08:37.059 trying to put on a smile, you're trying to celebrate, 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:39.960 you're trying to engage in worship, but mentally 00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:45.100 you're just checked out, you're not alone. If 00:08:45.100 --> 00:08:47.600 you're currently walking through challenges in 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:49.759 this life, you're experiencing some turmoil, 00:08:49.940 --> 00:08:53.899 let me say it again, you're not alone. Truth 00:08:53.899 --> 00:08:57.039 is, we are all broken people living in a broken 00:08:57.039 --> 00:09:00.690 world. And I can almost guarantee there's not 00:09:00.690 --> 00:09:03.210 one person in this place that isn't struggling 00:09:03.210 --> 00:09:07.230 with something in their life. And maybe it's 00:09:07.230 --> 00:09:11.629 not personal. It could be that a loved one is 00:09:11.629 --> 00:09:15.629 struggling or sick. It could be in today's economic 00:09:15.629 --> 00:09:19.149 climate, you're struggling with the pressure 00:09:19.149 --> 00:09:23.090 to just pay the bills. Maybe for you it's a relationship 00:09:23.090 --> 00:09:26.250 that's broken or a marriage that you're fighting 00:09:26.250 --> 00:09:31.720 for. Maybe you're dealing with a diagnosis. Maybe 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:34.059 you lost a loved one and are walking through 00:09:34.059 --> 00:09:37.700 a season of grief. Maybe for you it's mental. 00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:41.980 It's anxiety or depression or fear or, dare I 00:09:41.980 --> 00:09:46.120 say, suicidal thoughts that no one knows the 00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:50.159 pain you're feeling inside. Let me tell you again, 00:09:50.340 --> 00:09:56.169 you are not alone. And John... Chapter 16, verse 00:09:56.169 --> 00:09:59.289 33, Jesus told us, I have told you all this so 00:09:59.289 --> 00:10:02.809 that you may have peace in me. Here on this earth, 00:10:02.990 --> 00:10:05.269 you have many trials and sorrows. In other words, 00:10:05.350 --> 00:10:09.769 life is messy. But take heart, church, because 00:10:09.769 --> 00:10:12.970 I have overcome the world. See, because of Easter, 00:10:13.190 --> 00:10:16.889 everything has changed. Jesus overcame death 00:10:16.889 --> 00:10:21.309 and the power of this world. And I want to encourage 00:10:21.309 --> 00:10:27.100 you this morning. It's okay to not be okay. Because 00:10:27.100 --> 00:10:30.139 see, there's good news today. And there's good 00:10:30.139 --> 00:10:32.399 news for your life. Let's continue reading Luke 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:35.440 24, two through six. They found that the stone 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:37.559 had been rolled away from the entrance. And notice, 00:10:37.620 --> 00:10:41.820 no high fives, no celebrating, no hallelujahs. 00:10:42.419 --> 00:10:45.460 In fact, in all four gospel accounts, we find 00:10:45.460 --> 00:10:48.019 these women completely confused, believing the 00:10:48.019 --> 00:10:51.419 body had been stolen. Continuing on. So they 00:10:51.419 --> 00:10:54.370 went in, but they, They still didn't find the 00:10:54.370 --> 00:10:57.370 body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, 00:10:57.370 --> 00:10:59.950 two men suddenly appeared to them, closed in 00:10:59.950 --> 00:11:04.070 dazzling robes. And again, we fast forward to 00:11:04.070 --> 00:11:05.909 the end of the story. Oh, the angels are here. 00:11:07.210 --> 00:11:13.730 Now they'll understand. Two men in white clothes, 00:11:14.070 --> 00:11:18.950 dazzling white clothes. Like if I was them, I'd 00:11:18.950 --> 00:11:22.029 be feeling the same way. A little freaked out. 00:11:22.559 --> 00:11:26.460 Like, what is going on? And you may be sitting 00:11:26.460 --> 00:11:30.159 there thinking, oh, there's no way, Chris. They 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:33.860 wouldn't feel that way. Okay. If two shiny dudes 00:11:33.860 --> 00:11:35.879 appeared in your kitchen this afternoon after 00:11:35.879 --> 00:11:40.440 Easter service, how are you going to feel? How 00:11:40.440 --> 00:11:45.019 are you going to feel? Let's continue. The women 00:11:45.019 --> 00:11:49.110 were terrified, just like you would feel. and 00:11:49.110 --> 00:11:51.350 bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the 00:11:51.350 --> 00:11:53.549 men asked, why are you looking among the dead 00:11:53.549 --> 00:11:56.110 for someone who is alive? He isn't here. He is 00:11:56.110 --> 00:12:00.870 risen from the dead. Remember what he told you 00:12:00.870 --> 00:12:05.470 back in Galilee. See, we know that that is good 00:12:05.470 --> 00:12:10.230 news. They didn't. And while this conversation 00:12:10.230 --> 00:12:13.230 is happening with the angels, look at Mary's 00:12:13.230 --> 00:12:16.600 posture, John chapter 20, verse 11. Mary was 00:12:16.600 --> 00:12:21.019 standing outside of the tomb crying, weeping. 00:12:21.639 --> 00:12:25.639 Then she stopped and looked in. See, Mary was 00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:30.879 broken in pieces because her life was messy. 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:35.480 Which leads us to discover three important Easter 00:12:35.480 --> 00:12:39.399 truths today that I believe you can take from 00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:44.480 today and live with for the rest of your life. 00:12:45.049 --> 00:12:48.669 And the first is this. Because of Easter, Jesus 00:12:48.669 --> 00:12:53.190 still shows up. See, Mary is outside of the tomb, 00:12:53.330 --> 00:12:57.370 crying and confused. She stops, looks in, sees 00:12:57.370 --> 00:13:01.230 that it's empty, then turning to leave with all 00:13:01.230 --> 00:13:04.429 of these emotions in her mind, all this negativity, 00:13:04.590 --> 00:13:07.570 all this doubt, her broken heart. We read this 00:13:07.570 --> 00:13:11.169 in John chapter 20. She turned to leave and saw 00:13:11.169 --> 00:13:16.360 someone standing there. It was Jesus. But she 00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:18.600 didn't recognize him. Dear woman, why are you 00:13:18.600 --> 00:13:20.840 crying? Jesus asked her. Who are you looking 00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:24.220 for? She thought he was the gardener. Sir, she 00:13:24.220 --> 00:13:26.360 said, if you have taken him away, tell me where 00:13:26.360 --> 00:13:29.700 you have put him and I will go and get him. See, 00:13:29.779 --> 00:13:34.360 in her brokenness, Jesus showed up. In her doubt, 00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:38.840 Jesus showed up. In her confusion, Jesus showed 00:13:38.840 --> 00:13:42.730 up. And it wasn't just to Mary. Let's continue 00:13:42.730 --> 00:13:45.750 in verse 19. That Sunday evening, notice we're 00:13:45.750 --> 00:13:48.490 now in the evening. That was the morning. The 00:13:48.490 --> 00:13:51.149 disciples were meeting behind locked doors because 00:13:51.149 --> 00:13:53.309 they were afraid. They were terrified of the 00:13:53.309 --> 00:13:57.389 Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing 00:13:57.389 --> 00:14:00.929 there among them. Peace be with you, he said. 00:14:01.950 --> 00:14:04.250 See, the disciples hadn't read the story yet. 00:14:04.830 --> 00:14:07.429 They didn't know Jesus had risen. They were full 00:14:07.429 --> 00:14:13.830 of fear and doubt. Jesus. Still showed up. Look 00:14:13.830 --> 00:14:17.409 at Luke 24. That same day, two of Jesus' followers 00:14:17.409 --> 00:14:19.870 were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven 00:14:19.870 --> 00:14:21.710 miles from Jerusalem. In other words, they had 00:14:21.710 --> 00:14:25.070 given up. They thought it was over. Jesus had 00:14:25.070 --> 00:14:28.250 died. He was buried. As they walked along, they 00:14:28.250 --> 00:14:29.909 were talking about everything that had happened. 00:14:30.669 --> 00:14:33.370 They stopped short, sadness written across their 00:14:33.370 --> 00:14:36.090 faces. Guess who showed up in their sadness? 00:14:37.009 --> 00:14:40.590 Jesus. And he would walk all the way to Emmaus. 00:14:42.170 --> 00:14:45.070 There's this guy named Peter. He leaves the group 00:14:45.070 --> 00:14:48.350 full of guilt, shame. He had denied Jesus, ever 00:14:48.350 --> 00:14:53.809 existed three times. So he goes fishing. He takes 00:14:53.809 --> 00:14:55.889 a few friends with him, and we read this in John 00:14:55.889 --> 00:14:58.889 21. At dawn, Jesus was standing on the beach, 00:14:58.929 --> 00:15:01.909 but the disciples couldn't see who he was. He 00:15:01.909 --> 00:15:04.149 called out, fellows, have you caught any fish? 00:15:04.370 --> 00:15:08.190 No, they replied. And Jesus keeps showing up. 00:15:08.940 --> 00:15:11.519 And see, I think this is one of the most beautiful 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:14.399 parts of the resurrection that we need to remember. 00:15:15.340 --> 00:15:19.559 Dead guys don't show up anywhere. But when Jesus 00:15:19.559 --> 00:15:22.159 stepped out of the tomb and proved that he was 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:25.179 the King of kings and the Lord of lords, he can 00:15:25.179 --> 00:15:27.919 show up in people's lives for the rest of eternity. 00:15:29.460 --> 00:15:32.639 And friends, dare I say that is still happening 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:36.740 today. See, we are experiencing this abundance, 00:15:36.899 --> 00:15:40.879 these interactions every single week here at 00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:45.000 HCV. And you don't have to have it all together 00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:49.580 before Jesus shows up. I mean, we just read about 00:15:49.580 --> 00:15:51.720 all these people. They were hurting. They were 00:15:51.720 --> 00:15:53.620 depressed. They were broken. They were grieving. 00:15:53.700 --> 00:15:56.019 They were anxious. They were regretful, shameful, 00:15:56.299 --> 00:16:01.299 scared. And Jesus showed up. See, God is not 00:16:01.299 --> 00:16:04.750 waiting for us to fix ourselves. He's not waiting 00:16:04.750 --> 00:16:07.149 for us to get more spiritual before he shows 00:16:07.149 --> 00:16:12.750 up. You just heard Rudy say, on Good Friday, 00:16:12.789 --> 00:16:16.169 we baptized nearly 90 people who declared they 00:16:16.169 --> 00:16:20.929 were publicly following Jesus. And an amazing 00:16:20.929 --> 00:16:24.990 move of God. And it was interesting, one of the 00:16:24.990 --> 00:16:27.669 gentlemen that had gotten baptized, he wanted 00:16:27.669 --> 00:16:31.149 to share his story with me. And I was right over 00:16:31.149 --> 00:16:34.110 there in the baptismal, still in the water, cold, 00:16:34.370 --> 00:16:37.190 shaking. And he comes up to me, Chris, you got 00:16:37.190 --> 00:16:43.789 to hear my story. I said, okay, tell me. I promise 00:16:43.789 --> 00:16:49.210 I'm listening. And he began to say, you know, 00:16:49.350 --> 00:16:54.230 my sister goes to HCV. She comes here. And she 00:16:54.230 --> 00:16:59.350 invited me to church last Christmas. She said, 00:16:59.389 --> 00:17:01.490 why don't you come to Christmas Eve with me? 00:17:02.669 --> 00:17:04.750 And my response to her was, no, I don't need 00:17:04.750 --> 00:17:08.670 church. I don't need your church. I'm good right 00:17:08.670 --> 00:17:12.029 where I'm at. And just that week, that week after 00:17:12.029 --> 00:17:14.890 she invited me, I was hunting and I was in my 00:17:14.890 --> 00:17:18.230 tree stand 30 feet above the ground in a tree. 00:17:19.170 --> 00:17:21.390 And I don't remember much from that day, but 00:17:21.390 --> 00:17:23.990 I do remember falling out of that tree stand. 00:17:25.349 --> 00:17:30.630 I fell 30 feet and bounced off the ground. And 00:17:30.630 --> 00:17:35.750 when I came to, I heard my name being spoken 00:17:35.750 --> 00:17:40.890 audibly in my ears. And as I woke up and looked 00:17:40.890 --> 00:17:43.589 around, not being able to move, I recognized 00:17:43.589 --> 00:17:47.589 that voice as God's voice inviting me back home 00:17:47.589 --> 00:17:50.130 and getting my attention that I needed to get 00:17:50.130 --> 00:17:54.029 back into church. And he said to me, he said, 00:17:54.069 --> 00:17:58.930 Chris, I walked away from that accident unscathed. 00:17:59.690 --> 00:18:03.410 But I haven't missed a Sunday since. And not 00:18:03.410 --> 00:18:06.250 only have I not missed a Sunday since, I'm now 00:18:06.250 --> 00:18:08.450 getting baptized because all I want to do is 00:18:08.450 --> 00:18:15.970 go all in for Jesus. And you say to me, well, 00:18:16.009 --> 00:18:18.410 Chris, why is that important? Well, it's important 00:18:18.410 --> 00:18:21.970 because Ecclesiastes 3, verse 11 says, God made 00:18:21.970 --> 00:18:25.069 everything beautiful for its own time. He planted 00:18:25.069 --> 00:18:28.250 eternity in the human heart. In other words, 00:18:28.329 --> 00:18:30.210 it doesn't matter where you are, what you're 00:18:30.210 --> 00:18:33.589 going through, you have eternity in your heart. 00:18:34.710 --> 00:18:37.230 And if you have eternity in your heart, then 00:18:37.230 --> 00:18:40.029 God can speak to you, whisper to you, audibly 00:18:40.029 --> 00:18:46.240 invite you home. And listen, when we are experiencing 00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:49.279 troubles in this world, when it feels like you're 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:52.920 drowning, we need to start to expect that Jesus 00:18:52.920 --> 00:18:57.339 is going to show up because he does. And I want 00:18:57.339 --> 00:19:00.940 to challenge you today. Let's make this Easter 00:19:00.940 --> 00:19:03.000 a little different and take it a step further. 00:19:03.160 --> 00:19:06.380 And my challenge to you is not to expect Jesus 00:19:06.380 --> 00:19:10.880 to show up, but ask for him to show up. That 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:14.980 we would all start to ask. For Jesus to show 00:19:14.980 --> 00:19:18.519 up in our lives. Because when Jesus shows up 00:19:18.519 --> 00:19:21.799 in our lives, look what happens. Jeremiah 29 00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:25.200 verses 12 through 14. In those days when you 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:28.160 pray. In other words, today when you pray. And 00:19:28.160 --> 00:19:29.859 you say, Chris, that's not what it says. Yeah, 00:19:29.900 --> 00:19:32.799 but Jeremiah was a prophet. And that prophet 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:37.140 was speaking to our times. In those days when 00:19:37.140 --> 00:19:38.920 you pray, I will listen. And if you look for 00:19:38.920 --> 00:19:41.789 me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be 00:19:41.789 --> 00:19:43.890 found by you, says the Lord. I will end your 00:19:43.890 --> 00:19:47.329 captivity and restore your fortune. In other 00:19:47.329 --> 00:19:51.109 words, if we seek him, we'll find him. If we 00:19:51.109 --> 00:19:55.029 knock, he will open that door. And if we ask, 00:19:55.230 --> 00:19:59.710 he will listen. See, Jesus has risen from the 00:19:59.710 --> 00:20:03.839 dead so he can show up in our life. And let's 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:06.920 start to expect those encounters to happen every 00:20:06.920 --> 00:20:09.720 single day, which leads us to our second truth. 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:12.599 Not only does Jesus still show up, because of 00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:16.960 Easter, we need to remember. Now you say, Chris, 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:19.539 is that really a truth? Well, notice the very 00:20:19.539 --> 00:20:22.240 first thing the angel says to these women who 00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:26.119 were sad, brokenhearted, downcast, Luke 24. He 00:20:26.119 --> 00:20:29.559 isn't here. He is risen from the dead. Remember, 00:20:30.039 --> 00:20:35.559 church, What he told you back in Galilee, that 00:20:35.559 --> 00:20:37.500 the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands 00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:40.160 of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would 00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:43.359 rise again on the third day. Then they remembered 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:48.519 that he said this. And see, I find it interesting, 00:20:48.700 --> 00:20:50.900 and I've actually skipped over that verse before, 00:20:50.980 --> 00:20:54.519 not even recognizing the word remember. It's 00:20:54.519 --> 00:20:57.079 interesting that God told people, a group of 00:20:57.079 --> 00:20:59.460 people, that were struggling, brokenhearted, 00:20:59.500 --> 00:21:03.839 downcast, to remember what Jesus did. Why? Well, 00:21:03.880 --> 00:21:06.660 because of Easter, we have something to remember. 00:21:07.720 --> 00:21:10.779 See, Jesus told them he would be crucified. Jesus 00:21:10.779 --> 00:21:14.259 told them that he would rise again. And one of 00:21:14.259 --> 00:21:16.819 the best things we can do when we're really struggling 00:21:16.819 --> 00:21:21.319 is to take all of our negativity and fears and 00:21:21.319 --> 00:21:24.059 doubts and unanswered questions, all those difficult 00:21:24.059 --> 00:21:27.460 situations that seem impossible, and we need 00:21:27.460 --> 00:21:29.619 to begin to run them through the God filter. 00:21:30.569 --> 00:21:32.890 And you say, well, what is the God filter? How 00:21:32.890 --> 00:21:35.369 do you make coffee? You grind up your grounds 00:21:35.369 --> 00:21:38.109 and you pour it into the filter. And then you 00:21:38.109 --> 00:21:40.509 have a beautiful, delicious cup of joe that comes 00:21:40.509 --> 00:21:44.930 out. Well, we all have the God filter. And that 00:21:44.930 --> 00:21:48.130 God filter is remembering what Jesus did for 00:21:48.130 --> 00:21:52.849 us. Remembering that he went to the cross. Remembering 00:21:52.849 --> 00:21:56.250 that Jesus is now alive. Remembering that he 00:21:56.250 --> 00:21:59.250 still shows up. Remembering that he can do the 00:21:59.250 --> 00:22:02.650 impossible. See, when you're struggling, I want 00:22:02.650 --> 00:22:05.569 to challenge you to remember two important truths. 00:22:05.769 --> 00:22:08.450 And the first is this. Remember Jesus loves us. 00:22:09.049 --> 00:22:12.369 1 John 4 .10, this is real love. Not that we 00:22:12.369 --> 00:22:14.829 love God, but that he loved us and sent his son 00:22:14.829 --> 00:22:18.950 as a sacrifice to take away our sins. And I say 00:22:18.950 --> 00:22:21.230 this often, and I mean it, church. This isn't 00:22:21.230 --> 00:22:25.400 about you. It's not about how well we love him. 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:28.220 It's not about how much we pray. It's not about 00:22:28.220 --> 00:22:30.819 how much we serve. It's not about how well we 00:22:30.819 --> 00:22:33.720 play the guitar or how much Bible we read. It's 00:22:33.720 --> 00:22:40.299 about Jesus loving us. And you say, really, Chris, 00:22:40.359 --> 00:22:43.859 is that scriptural? Sure is. Won't you ask the 00:22:43.859 --> 00:22:47.259 thief on the right? Last time I checked, he never 00:22:47.259 --> 00:22:50.299 went to church. Didn't read the Bible, didn't 00:22:50.299 --> 00:22:57.059 pray. But he is now in eternity. And see, Jesus 00:22:57.059 --> 00:23:00.759 doesn't love a future version of you. He loves 00:23:00.759 --> 00:23:06.180 you right here, right now, just as you are. And 00:23:06.180 --> 00:23:08.140 I believe someone needs to hear this this morning. 00:23:10.619 --> 00:23:15.240 God loves you. And you're here for a purpose. 00:23:16.299 --> 00:23:18.180 And the second thing we need to remember is that 00:23:18.180 --> 00:23:20.980 Jesus died for us, Romans 5, 8. But God showed 00:23:20.980 --> 00:23:23.319 his great love for us by sending Christ to die 00:23:23.319 --> 00:23:26.319 for us while we were still sinners. The women 00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:29.660 were hurting. And God reminds them to remember 00:23:29.660 --> 00:23:33.500 what Jesus did for them. See, Jesus knew in the 00:23:33.500 --> 00:23:38.619 garden as he was sweating profusely blood droplets 00:23:38.619 --> 00:23:42.680 from his forehead. He knew the pain and suffering 00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:45.849 that he was going to go through for us. He knew 00:23:45.849 --> 00:23:49.769 he would be beaten beyond recognition. He knew 00:23:49.769 --> 00:23:53.190 he would hang on a cross where he would be spit 00:23:53.190 --> 00:23:57.029 on and mocked. And see, we forget sometimes when 00:23:57.029 --> 00:24:00.569 we see pictures of the crosses that they're wrong. 00:24:01.289 --> 00:24:05.809 See, in Roman crucifixion, the Romans, when they 00:24:05.809 --> 00:24:08.210 killed someone, they would put the crosses at 00:24:08.210 --> 00:24:13.670 eye level so that person could be spit on, mocked. 00:24:13.789 --> 00:24:18.150 made fun of, and Jesus did that for us. Jesus 00:24:18.150 --> 00:24:24.849 knew he would die for you and me. And the next 00:24:24.849 --> 00:24:28.329 time you're struggling through life and you feel 00:24:28.329 --> 00:24:31.210 like you're drowning, take a minute and remember 00:24:31.210 --> 00:24:34.869 what Jesus did for you. See, he loves us so much 00:24:34.869 --> 00:24:37.750 that he died for us so that we can walk free 00:24:37.750 --> 00:24:40.369 from anxiety and regret into a life of abundance 00:24:40.369 --> 00:24:44.779 so that we can be masterpieces. There's no situation 00:24:44.779 --> 00:24:47.940 in life that Jesus can't handle. He has been 00:24:47.940 --> 00:24:51.720 through it all. And why is this so important? 00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:55.759 Well, John 3, 16 reminds us. For this is how 00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:58.220 God loved the world. He gave his one and only 00:24:58.220 --> 00:25:00.019 son so that everyone who believes in him will 00:25:00.019 --> 00:25:03.559 not perish but have eternal life. God says, let 00:25:03.559 --> 00:25:07.519 me be clear. There's a reason Jesus suffered, 00:25:07.619 --> 00:25:10.880 died, and rose from the dead. It was so you and 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:14.579 I can avoid eternal separation from God. And 00:25:14.579 --> 00:25:18.000 we can spend eternity with Jesus in God's kingdom. 00:25:19.740 --> 00:25:22.779 And God reminds us whoever believes it experiences 00:25:22.779 --> 00:25:25.819 eternal life and lives in abundance right now. 00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:30.279 Not tomorrow, right now. Which leads to our final 00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:34.220 Easter truth. Jesus still shows up. We need to 00:25:34.220 --> 00:25:36.819 remember. And church, there was purpose in our 00:25:36.819 --> 00:25:40.119 pain. Now we're going to zero in on this lady 00:25:40.119 --> 00:25:42.720 named Mary Magdalene. She was one of the women 00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:46.039 who were first to go to the tomb. And she was 00:25:46.039 --> 00:25:50.339 experiencing the pain of Jesus' death. But she 00:25:50.339 --> 00:25:52.500 also experienced a lot of pain in her personal 00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:55.799 life. We read in Luke chapter 8. Soon afterward, 00:25:55.819 --> 00:25:58.339 Jesus began a tour of nearby towns and villages, 00:25:58.539 --> 00:26:00.680 preaching and announcing the good news about 00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:03.710 the kingdom of God. He took his 12 disciples 00:26:03.710 --> 00:26:06.109 with him, along with some women who had been 00:26:06.109 --> 00:26:09.170 cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them 00:26:09.170 --> 00:26:12.589 were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out 00:26:12.589 --> 00:26:16.789 seven demons. Now, I don't know about you, but 00:26:16.789 --> 00:26:21.369 if I knew a person that had one demon cast out 00:26:21.369 --> 00:26:24.049 of them, I think we can all agree that person 00:26:24.049 --> 00:26:29.029 had some issues. Can we all agree on that? But 00:26:29.029 --> 00:26:33.740 if God has to cast out... Seven demons? That 00:26:33.740 --> 00:26:38.740 person was a mess. But at the same time, I can't 00:26:38.740 --> 00:26:40.740 even picture the pain that Mary experienced throughout 00:26:40.740 --> 00:26:44.779 her life. I can't imagine the dysfunction she 00:26:44.779 --> 00:26:49.220 lived in. I can't imagine how many people wanted 00:26:49.220 --> 00:26:52.960 to totally avoid her when she came near, wanting 00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:56.819 nothing to do with her. See, she had a painful 00:26:56.819 --> 00:27:00.500 past. And she experienced freedom from her pain 00:27:00.500 --> 00:27:05.500 when she met Jesus. So when Jesus died and was 00:27:05.500 --> 00:27:11.539 buried, Mary once again found her place in a 00:27:11.539 --> 00:27:14.920 place of brokenness. She goes to the tomb. It's 00:27:14.920 --> 00:27:18.200 empty. She thinks someone stole the body. She's 00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:20.579 totally confused, hurting. But notice what Jesus 00:27:20.579 --> 00:27:24.910 says to her. John 20. Mary, Jesus said, she turned 00:27:24.910 --> 00:27:27.549 to him and cried out, Rabbani, which is Hebrew 00:27:27.549 --> 00:27:30.390 for teacher. She recognized his voice. Notice 00:27:30.390 --> 00:27:32.609 she didn't recognize him and his resurrected 00:27:32.609 --> 00:27:35.349 body. She heard his voice. Don't cling to me, 00:27:35.410 --> 00:27:37.190 Jesus said, for I haven't yet ascended to the 00:27:37.190 --> 00:27:41.569 Father. But go find my brothers and tell them 00:27:41.569 --> 00:27:44.490 I am ascended to the Father and your Father and 00:27:44.490 --> 00:27:47.410 my God and your God. Mary Magdalene found the 00:27:47.410 --> 00:27:49.809 disciples and told them, I have seen the Lord. 00:27:49.950 --> 00:27:54.200 Then she gave them his message. See, Mary was 00:27:54.200 --> 00:27:58.660 experiencing grief and pain. What did Jesus do? 00:27:59.079 --> 00:28:03.279 He took her pain and turned it into purpose. 00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:07.160 Notice what Jesus said. Go and tell the disciples 00:28:07.160 --> 00:28:10.759 everything you have seen and heard. Mary was 00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:15.400 the very first person to ever share a testimony 00:28:15.400 --> 00:28:20.720 about the resurrected Jesus. And see, that started 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:24.640 a movement. The disciples believed. Peter got 00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:27.599 up and preached 3 ,000 would be saved. Then it 00:28:27.599 --> 00:28:30.140 went to 5 ,000. Then it went to 10 ,000. Then 00:28:30.140 --> 00:28:35.220 100 ,000. Today, there is over 3 .2 billion people 00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:38.240 in the world who believe that Jesus is the Son 00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:45.900 of God and was risen from the dead. And see, 00:28:45.960 --> 00:28:49.319 this whole movement did not begin in a living 00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:52.799 room at a Super Bowl party. This whole movement 00:28:52.799 --> 00:28:57.559 began with Mary's testimony. Mary had a purpose 00:28:57.559 --> 00:29:00.640 on her life that more than she could ever think 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:04.279 or imagine. She had so much purpose on her life. 00:29:04.299 --> 00:29:07.559 We're still talking about her more than 2 ,000 00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:11.059 years later. See, Mary experienced the God of 00:29:11.059 --> 00:29:15.440 more. And God is inviting us to experience more 00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:19.660 today. How do I know that? Ephesians chapter 00:29:19.660 --> 00:29:22.579 three, verse 20. Now, all glory to God, who is 00:29:22.579 --> 00:29:24.660 able through his mighty power at work within 00:29:24.660 --> 00:29:29.839 you, within me, to accomplish infinitely more 00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:34.700 than we might ask or think. See, God had a purpose 00:29:34.700 --> 00:29:37.720 for Mary that she never thought she could do 00:29:37.720 --> 00:29:40.720 for herself. And I have no idea what you're going 00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:42.720 through today. I have no idea what you brought 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:49.980 into this room. But can I remind you? There is 00:29:49.980 --> 00:29:54.660 no person that God can't reach. You're not too 00:29:54.660 --> 00:29:57.660 far gone. You're not at a point in life where 00:29:57.660 --> 00:30:00.859 you're so broken that God won't come and pick 00:30:00.859 --> 00:30:03.700 up the pieces. You're not at a point where God 00:30:03.700 --> 00:30:06.779 doesn't see your hand coming up out of the water. 00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:10.019 God is in the business of changing lives in this 00:30:10.019 --> 00:30:13.079 community of faith. And not only does he change 00:30:13.079 --> 00:30:21.190 lives, he turns our pain into our This week I 00:30:21.190 --> 00:30:23.250 was reflecting on one of our leaders within our 00:30:23.250 --> 00:30:27.009 community of faith and just kind of began to 00:30:27.009 --> 00:30:31.890 weep. It was right around this time. It was late 00:30:31.890 --> 00:30:35.589 spring. Easter had passed. We all decided as 00:30:35.589 --> 00:30:40.009 a staff to go out for lunch. We went to a local 00:30:40.009 --> 00:30:45.589 bar, restaurant, sat on the outside patio deck, 00:30:45.690 --> 00:30:49.119 if you will. Just so we could spend time together 00:30:49.119 --> 00:30:51.960 and reflect on all that God was doing and have 00:30:51.960 --> 00:30:59.099 fun. And we ran into a bartender there. And this 00:30:59.099 --> 00:31:04.039 bartender was broken. He was tired. He was worn 00:31:04.039 --> 00:31:09.140 out. He had seen the pain and heartache of the 00:31:09.140 --> 00:31:12.859 church and judgment and hypocrisy. He was a youth 00:31:12.859 --> 00:31:16.380 leader as a youth. But walked away from God. 00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:23.460 And this church staff was having fun and having 00:31:23.460 --> 00:31:26.779 lunch. And, oh, the pastor ordered a Long Island 00:31:26.779 --> 00:31:34.059 iced tea. If you don't know what that is, you 00:31:34.059 --> 00:31:40.180 can look it up. Don't judge me. Don't judge me. 00:31:41.769 --> 00:31:44.009 And as we were sitting there interacting and 00:31:44.009 --> 00:31:47.630 having fun and talking about Jesus and God with 00:31:47.630 --> 00:31:50.809 this young man, he became interested and listened 00:31:50.809 --> 00:31:54.170 and we invited him to summer jams and he came 00:31:54.170 --> 00:31:56.289 to summer jams and heard one of his favorite 00:31:56.289 --> 00:32:03.190 songs, non -Christian. And that Sunday recommitted 00:32:03.190 --> 00:32:07.809 his life to Jesus. And now, fast forward, that 00:32:07.809 --> 00:32:10.009 young man is now a leader in our community of 00:32:10.009 --> 00:32:12.589 faith. He's leading young people and youth and 00:32:12.589 --> 00:32:15.369 giving back to them and speaking into their life. 00:32:15.450 --> 00:32:17.910 He's the coach of a softball team, not in the 00:32:17.910 --> 00:32:20.690 church league, in the tavern league, because 00:32:20.690 --> 00:32:25.569 he wants to see people meet Jesus. See, God shows 00:32:25.569 --> 00:32:30.009 up not just in a church building. God shows up 00:32:30.009 --> 00:32:37.319 in bars. God changes lives. And desires to continue 00:32:37.319 --> 00:32:44.680 to do so. So I want to challenge you today. To 00:32:44.680 --> 00:32:49.400 remember. That because of Easter. Jesus loves 00:32:49.400 --> 00:32:53.039 us. Jesus died for us. Gave us his spirit. We 00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:55.940 are can be forgiven. And are forgiven. And there's 00:32:55.940 --> 00:32:57.799 nothing in this world he can't handle. And no 00:32:57.799 --> 00:33:02.420 matter what life throws at you. Because of Easter. 00:33:03.339 --> 00:33:06.559 No matter how great the pain, God turns our pain 00:33:06.559 --> 00:33:12.519 into purpose. Leading us to impact and change 00:33:12.519 --> 00:33:16.539 the lives of others so that our masterpiece that 00:33:16.539 --> 00:33:20.240 he created us to be shines for all men to see. 00:33:21.599 --> 00:33:28.440 Will you stand with me? I want to close today 00:33:28.440 --> 00:33:33.619 with two simple questions. And the first is this. 00:33:34.779 --> 00:33:37.700 And the first is a challenging one because I'm 00:33:37.700 --> 00:33:40.920 going to ask you to be honest. If you're here 00:33:40.920 --> 00:33:45.480 today and you've walked into this place and you're 00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:49.240 struggling, maybe you feel like you're drowning. 00:33:50.319 --> 00:34:01.700 You're overwhelmed. Can I encourage you and say 00:34:01.700 --> 00:34:06.440 that Jesus still shows up? And how do I know 00:34:06.440 --> 00:34:08.340 that? Well, last night at our first ever Saturday 00:34:08.340 --> 00:34:11.400 evening gathering, I had a young lady come up 00:34:11.400 --> 00:34:14.679 and share with me. She came right up front and 00:34:14.679 --> 00:34:16.059 said, Chris, do you remember me? I said, no, 00:34:16.119 --> 00:34:19.579 I don't remember you. I'm sorry. She goes, about 00:34:19.579 --> 00:34:22.820 eight months ago, you reached out to me. I was 00:34:22.820 --> 00:34:26.860 on a camping trip with my family and was struggling 00:34:26.860 --> 00:34:30.349 with suicidal thoughts. I was contemplating ending 00:34:30.349 --> 00:34:34.429 my life and you called and you encouraged me 00:34:34.429 --> 00:34:37.889 and prayed for me and broke off a spirit of death 00:34:37.889 --> 00:34:43.369 over the phone. That was one of the most difficult 00:34:43.369 --> 00:34:46.909 weekends I had ever spent. But God began to move. 00:34:48.489 --> 00:34:50.670 And she looked at me and she goes, can you believe 00:34:50.670 --> 00:34:55.329 that I'm now at a point eight months later that 00:34:55.329 --> 00:34:58.360 my husband and I have just... booked a trip to 00:34:58.360 --> 00:35:00.639 Africa this summer because we're going to serve 00:35:00.639 --> 00:35:08.679 in an orphanage. And she goes, I needed to share 00:35:08.679 --> 00:35:10.400 that with you so you could share it with other 00:35:10.400 --> 00:35:12.960 people so that they can be encouraged that even 00:35:12.960 --> 00:35:20.099 in the contemplating of suicide, God still shows 00:35:20.099 --> 00:35:23.300 up. So if you're here this morning and you're 00:35:23.300 --> 00:35:26.280 struggling, I want you to be honest. I want you 00:35:26.280 --> 00:35:28.500 to put your hand up. I want you to put it up 00:35:28.500 --> 00:35:31.480 real high so I can see them. It could be anything, 00:35:31.579 --> 00:35:36.480 church. Put it up. Now here's what I want you 00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:38.019 to do. I want you to look up to heaven. I want 00:35:38.019 --> 00:35:39.940 you to keep your hand up. Don't put it down because 00:35:39.940 --> 00:35:41.159 if you put it down, then you're saying you're 00:35:41.159 --> 00:35:46.940 lying. I want you to look up to heaven. I want 00:35:46.940 --> 00:35:53.320 you to say these words. Jesus, I need you to 00:35:53.320 --> 00:36:00.039 show up. Change my circumstances. Meet me where 00:36:00.039 --> 00:36:07.559 I'm at. Holy Spirit, empower me today. In Jesus' 00:36:07.659 --> 00:36:13.219 name, amen. Now you walk that out and you believe 00:36:13.219 --> 00:36:25.639 Jesus is walking with you. For life or mine Either 00:36:25.639 --> 00:36:28.360 one Turn water into wine Please fix my heart 00:36:28.360 --> 00:36:29.699 And the things inside Yo