WEBVTT 00:00:00.270 --> 00:00:05.349 Oh, man. You guys look better than normal. Some 00:00:05.349 --> 00:00:07.230 of you got sports coats. I didn't even know you 00:00:07.230 --> 00:00:10.310 owned them. So starting with my son, I was like, 00:00:10.310 --> 00:00:12.189 what? He came through the door and spoke. And 00:00:12.189 --> 00:00:16.670 I was like, what is that? Well, we are here to 00:00:16.670 --> 00:00:20.210 celebrate that the tomb is empty. The stone is 00:00:20.210 --> 00:00:24.609 rolled away and Jesus is alive. All right. So 00:00:24.609 --> 00:00:28.620 for Christians, though. Every time we go to church, 00:00:28.780 --> 00:00:30.940 we say this around here all the time, every time 00:00:30.940 --> 00:00:33.420 we go to church, the church gathers together 00:00:33.420 --> 00:00:37.420 to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. So I'm 00:00:37.420 --> 00:00:39.740 not sure how you came in here this morning. Maybe 00:00:39.740 --> 00:00:43.039 you were drug in by a friend. Maybe you just 00:00:43.039 --> 00:00:44.880 said, I haven't been to church in a long time. 00:00:45.460 --> 00:00:47.679 I don't know how you came here, but I'm just 00:00:47.679 --> 00:00:51.600 saying, I just want to tell you that Jesus wants 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:53.520 to meet you right where you're at. Maybe life 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:56.780 is tough for you. Maybe you feel like you just, 00:00:57.240 --> 00:01:00.399 It's all you can deal with. I'm here to tell 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:05.060 you today, because of the resurrection, you have 00:01:05.060 --> 00:01:09.939 hope. And so, as we look, as I look out at all 00:01:09.939 --> 00:01:13.060 of you, you're all in different places, I know 00:01:13.060 --> 00:01:17.959 that. Jesus wants to meet you right where you 00:01:17.959 --> 00:01:22.079 are at today. And so, today, we're going to look 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:25.099 at the resurrection of Jesus. and a few of the 00:01:25.099 --> 00:01:28.420 encounters and responses to that resurrection 00:01:28.420 --> 00:01:32.459 and one of the things that we will see is that 00:01:32.459 --> 00:01:35.799 jesus meets them meaning the people he encounters 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:40.260 he meets them right where they are he does the 00:01:40.260 --> 00:01:44.120 same with us as well so today for most of us 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:47.280 many of us in this room you won't hear any new 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:49.280 information you've been down this road when it 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:53.480 comes to the resurrection What we, though, need, 00:01:53.620 --> 00:01:56.760 every one of us in this room, is a divine revelation. 00:01:57.859 --> 00:02:01.519 We need God's Spirit to press in. I can give 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:03.299 great information. We can read that scripture, 00:02:03.459 --> 00:02:05.819 and it can bounce off you and deflect off you. 00:02:05.879 --> 00:02:09.719 But what we all need is a divine revelation from 00:02:09.719 --> 00:02:12.120 God. And so I'm going to start off by praying 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:15.580 for just that. And I don't care who you are. 00:02:15.620 --> 00:02:18.719 You need the same thing. I need it, too. So let's 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:21.099 start off together. And I'm just going to talk 00:02:21.099 --> 00:02:23.360 to God about that. And then we'll jump into this 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:29.539 text. Lord, starting with myself, I need you. 00:02:31.139 --> 00:02:34.020 I need a divine revelation. I need the empowering 00:02:34.020 --> 00:02:36.300 of the Holy Spirit to work through me today. 00:02:36.379 --> 00:02:38.580 So will you grant that? And Lord, for the rest, 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:40.800 all of us in this room, I pray that no matter 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:44.500 where we're at, that you meet us right where 00:02:44.500 --> 00:02:48.360 we sit. I pray for many in this room maybe that 00:02:48.360 --> 00:02:52.400 this is a time that you want them to surrender 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:54.259 their lives to you. I pray, Holy Spirit, that 00:02:54.259 --> 00:02:57.539 you will work in that too. And for us, many of 00:02:57.539 --> 00:03:01.340 us in this room, we need to just awaken to the 00:03:01.340 --> 00:03:03.599 way you come to us, the way you approach us, 00:03:03.659 --> 00:03:07.340 how you come to us in relationship. So I pray 00:03:07.340 --> 00:03:09.219 for that this morning as well. Lord, will you 00:03:09.219 --> 00:03:11.560 take this text and you just make it come alive 00:03:11.560 --> 00:03:16.639 to us by the power of your Spirit. Amen. So now 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:19.300 we're going to be in John. Now, if you didn't 00:03:19.300 --> 00:03:21.520 get one of those little blue books, little blue 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:23.939 Bibles, not this one, but one in the back there, 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:26.300 I encourage you to just jump up, go grab it. 00:03:26.680 --> 00:03:29.500 But we are going to be in chapter 20, although 00:03:29.500 --> 00:03:32.759 we just started the Gospel of John, and we'll 00:03:32.759 --> 00:03:37.500 go back to chapter 2 next week. But we're in... 00:03:38.509 --> 00:03:40.449 In that section. So if you need a Bible, Bob's 00:03:40.449 --> 00:03:42.409 going to hand you one. He's standing in the back 00:03:42.409 --> 00:03:43.849 there. Just raise your hand. He'll grab one of 00:03:43.849 --> 00:03:47.009 those for you. I just volunteered him. I think 00:03:47.009 --> 00:03:50.389 call that voluntold or something like that. But 00:03:50.389 --> 00:03:55.330 in chapter 20, what we're looking at in chapter 00:03:55.330 --> 00:03:58.710 20 is that it's been three days since the burial, 00:03:58.770 --> 00:04:03.610 crucifixion, and death of Jesus. So Jesus willingly 00:04:03.610 --> 00:04:07.009 went to the cross where he became our substitute. 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:10.919 I want to expand this for a minute because it's 00:04:10.919 --> 00:04:12.620 real important that even if you've heard it before, 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:15.300 that you remember it as we go into this. The 00:04:15.300 --> 00:04:18.019 purpose and significance of Jesus going to the 00:04:18.019 --> 00:04:20.240 cross, which is what we celebrate on Good Friday, 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:27.060 his purpose in doing that was to end the separation 00:04:27.060 --> 00:04:30.819 that sin had caused. You and I, because of our 00:04:30.819 --> 00:04:33.399 sin and because of all the sin of mankind, has 00:04:33.399 --> 00:04:36.319 separated us from a holy God. And there was nothing 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:39.519 we can do. In fact, most of this Bible, half 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:42.079 of your Bible is pointing to Jesus because of 00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:44.600 the problem that we got into back in the very 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:47.160 beginning in Genesis chapter 3 where he said 00:04:47.160 --> 00:04:54.060 sin separates. The world's jacked up problems 00:04:54.060 --> 00:04:58.000 all stem back to sin. And so Jesus had to come 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:00.459 because you and I couldn't do it. And so he came, 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:02.459 which was what we discover in John chapter 1. 00:05:02.680 --> 00:05:04.759 As we looked at in the beginning was the Word, 00:05:04.839 --> 00:05:06.459 and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 00:05:06.620 --> 00:05:09.660 That whole section there in the few verses of 00:05:09.660 --> 00:05:12.279 John is all pointing to the fact that Jesus came 00:05:12.279 --> 00:05:18.120 on a rescue mission. So he came to fix it, to 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:20.079 fix our problem. Like there was this massive 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:25.379 cavern between us and God. And Jesus knew that 00:05:25.379 --> 00:05:27.920 he was the only way to fix it. So he came, entered 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:30.699 into our world. totally God, totally man, entered 00:05:30.699 --> 00:05:34.540 into our world, walked, lived a sinless life. 00:05:36.019 --> 00:05:39.019 But then that day on the cross, as he hung there, 00:05:39.139 --> 00:05:42.879 on that cross, all of our sin was dumped upon 00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:46.939 him. And the anguish that he experienced on our 00:05:46.939 --> 00:05:49.720 behalf, and his blood was shed, and his body 00:05:49.720 --> 00:05:56.079 was broken for you and me. And so... Why did 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:58.980 he do that? Because he loves you, and so much 00:05:58.980 --> 00:06:01.660 that you needed a substitute that you might have 00:06:01.660 --> 00:06:06.240 a way to God. So Jesus was raised up on that 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:12.379 cross for all of us. With great suffering, Jesus 00:06:12.379 --> 00:06:19.529 died. In John chapter 19, if you just want to 00:06:19.529 --> 00:06:21.889 flip back there a little bit from what we read, 00:06:22.029 --> 00:06:25.170 it says in verse 30 that when Jesus had received 00:06:25.170 --> 00:06:29.589 the sour wine, which is basically just giving 00:06:29.589 --> 00:06:32.050 somebody to stuff a stick up in his mouth, he 00:06:32.050 --> 00:06:36.790 said, it is finished. And then bowing his head, 00:06:36.829 --> 00:06:40.250 he gave up his spirit. He died. Christ was dead. 00:06:40.939 --> 00:06:44.180 And for those who knew and loved Jesus, the unthinkable 00:06:44.180 --> 00:06:46.180 had happened. And I want to challenge you to 00:06:46.180 --> 00:06:48.000 enter into what they must have been feeling, 00:06:48.120 --> 00:06:52.920 those who were close to Jesus. The Gospel of 00:06:52.920 --> 00:06:56.819 Matthew tells us what happened immediately when 00:06:56.819 --> 00:06:59.420 Christ died. And it's a crazy text, and I thought 00:06:59.420 --> 00:07:01.339 we'd just read it because it should twist with 00:07:01.339 --> 00:07:03.899 your brain a little bit, of what actually happened 00:07:03.899 --> 00:07:06.819 in that moment. Matthew chapter 27, it'll be 00:07:06.819 --> 00:07:08.899 up on the screen for you. It's starting in verse 00:07:08.899 --> 00:07:16.500 51. It says this. Suddenly, this is right after 00:07:16.500 --> 00:07:19.779 his death. Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary 00:07:19.779 --> 00:07:23.060 or temple. This is where God was at, right? For 00:07:23.060 --> 00:07:24.779 the Jewish people, that's where he hung out. 00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:28.939 Notice that it's not torn from the bottom up, 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:32.879 but from the top to the bottom. Suddenly, the 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:35.040 curtain of the sanctuary, the temple, was torn 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:38.699 in two from top to bottom. The earthquake. There's 00:07:38.699 --> 00:07:41.980 a massive earthquake. And the rocks were split 00:07:41.980 --> 00:07:44.600 and the tombs were opened. And this is where 00:07:44.600 --> 00:07:47.639 it gets crazy. And many bodies of saints who 00:07:47.639 --> 00:07:50.339 had fallen asleep were raised. And they came 00:07:50.339 --> 00:07:52.959 out of the tombs after his resurrection and entered 00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:55.480 into the holy city and appeared to many. I don't 00:07:55.480 --> 00:07:57.980 even know how to explain that. But something 00:07:57.980 --> 00:08:01.819 supernatural happened in that moment. Then the 00:08:01.819 --> 00:08:04.740 centurion and those with him who were keeping 00:08:04.740 --> 00:08:08.379 watch over Jesus saw the earthquake and they 00:08:08.379 --> 00:08:12.939 were terrified and said, Truly, this man was 00:08:12.939 --> 00:08:18.000 the Son of God. So what a crazy, overwhelming, 00:08:18.259 --> 00:08:20.220 supernatural experience that happened in that 00:08:20.220 --> 00:08:22.899 moment. And put yourself in the shoes of one 00:08:22.899 --> 00:08:28.879 of those followers of Jesus. So as for one of 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:34.139 those that saw Jesus, who loved Jesus, it was 00:08:34.139 --> 00:08:41.129 over. Jesus is dead. They were probably full 00:08:41.129 --> 00:08:45.350 of intense grief and maybe disoriented and maybe 00:08:45.350 --> 00:08:48.269 overwhelmed and maybe scared for their own lives. 00:08:50.250 --> 00:08:55.909 Jesus was dead. And this is what happened next. 00:08:56.009 --> 00:09:00.850 Look at verse 38. After this, that's after his 00:09:00.850 --> 00:09:03.629 death, Joseph of Arimathea, he's a very rich 00:09:03.629 --> 00:09:07.330 man. Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple 00:09:07.330 --> 00:09:11.570 of Jesus, but secretly because of his fear of 00:09:11.570 --> 00:09:16.330 the Jews, which is reassuring for some of us 00:09:16.330 --> 00:09:19.129 who struggle with boldness to step out as followers 00:09:19.129 --> 00:09:21.809 of Jesus. You see a man right here going, ooh, 00:09:22.029 --> 00:09:25.809 I'm hiding it. But he believed. And he went and 00:09:25.809 --> 00:09:29.090 asked Pilate that he might remove Jesus' body. 00:09:29.289 --> 00:09:31.529 And Pilate gave him permission. And so he came 00:09:31.529 --> 00:09:34.480 and he took. his body away. And Nicodemus, another 00:09:34.480 --> 00:09:39.600 one of those wealthy men who had previously came 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:41.559 to him at night, that's part of pointing back 00:09:41.559 --> 00:09:43.460 to what we're going to cover when we get to John. 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:48.320 He also came bringing a mixture of about 75 pounds 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:52.240 of myrrh and olive. They took Jesus' body and 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:55.399 wrapped it in linen cloths with a fragrant spice 00:09:55.399 --> 00:09:57.700 according to the burial customs of the Jews. 00:09:58.940 --> 00:10:01.940 There was a garden in the place. where he was 00:10:01.940 --> 00:10:06.480 crucified, and a new tomb was in the garden that 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:10.799 no one had been placed in yet. They placed Jesus 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:14.159 there because the Jewish day of preparation and 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:19.820 since the tomb was nearby. So Jesus is placed 00:10:19.820 --> 00:10:24.200 in a tomb, and a very large stone is placed in 00:10:24.200 --> 00:10:29.240 front. And three days now have gone by. And you 00:10:29.240 --> 00:10:30.960 know what happens to a body after three days. 00:10:32.519 --> 00:10:35.960 You know? It's rough. That's why they put all 00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:37.899 that stuff around him. Make it smell better. 00:10:39.820 --> 00:10:42.940 Three days had gone by since Jesus' death. It 00:10:42.940 --> 00:10:49.519 was a sad, heavy, and confusing three days. It 00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:54.159 is now early Sunday morning as we look at John 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:59.559 chapter 20, verse 1. Did you guys see the sunrise 00:10:59.559 --> 00:11:03.559 coming up today? Isn't it beautiful? I always 00:11:03.559 --> 00:11:06.600 picture this scene as kind of that moment where 00:11:06.600 --> 00:11:08.860 it starts creeping up on Sunday morning. This 00:11:08.860 --> 00:11:10.860 is what it says. On the first day of the week, 00:11:11.019 --> 00:11:15.799 Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early while it 00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:18.799 was still dark. She saw that the stone had been 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:23.899 removed from the tomb. So we know from the other 00:11:23.899 --> 00:11:27.210 Gospels that There actually were a few women 00:11:27.210 --> 00:11:29.950 that showed up at this. But what John does, and 00:11:29.950 --> 00:11:31.789 this is really important, John wants to hone 00:11:31.789 --> 00:11:36.289 in on this person, Mary. Probably they estimate 00:11:36.289 --> 00:11:38.710 maybe three or four ladies were with him based 00:11:38.710 --> 00:11:41.190 on the other synoptic gospels, the gospels that 00:11:41.190 --> 00:11:44.450 work together. But John wants us to focus on 00:11:44.450 --> 00:11:49.649 Mary. See, Jesus had freed Mary from possession 00:11:49.649 --> 00:11:53.370 of seven demonic evil spirits and from sickness. 00:11:54.669 --> 00:11:59.990 She was a jacked up mess. And Jesus heals her, 00:12:00.149 --> 00:12:04.909 rescued her from a life of destruction. That's 00:12:04.909 --> 00:12:07.350 really important to understand because you're 00:12:07.350 --> 00:12:11.970 looking into the heart of Mary. You can imagine 00:12:11.970 --> 00:12:15.169 the love and devotion that Mary had for Jesus. 00:12:15.370 --> 00:12:18.049 I mean, you pick somebody that has actually rescued 00:12:18.049 --> 00:12:21.429 you. It saved you from a life of destruction 00:12:21.429 --> 00:12:25.929 and brought you to hope and purpose and health 00:12:25.929 --> 00:12:28.870 again. You actually feel connected to that person. 00:12:29.009 --> 00:12:36.549 And this is where Mary's at. So Mary and a few 00:12:36.549 --> 00:12:38.909 of the other women come to the tomb to finish 00:12:38.909 --> 00:12:42.840 this burial process, right? And putting more 00:12:42.840 --> 00:12:45.399 fragrance and spices on. And we could go into 00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:47.759 a lot of the detail that's surrounded. But basically, 00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:50.620 it says in there, as the custom of Israel, the 00:12:50.620 --> 00:12:53.179 Jewish custom. And that is, they have a process 00:12:53.179 --> 00:12:57.120 of observing the body and then putting it into 00:12:57.120 --> 00:13:01.659 a smaller little nook inside this tomb. And they 00:13:01.659 --> 00:13:04.360 were coming to do that. But when they get there, 00:13:04.700 --> 00:13:10.929 Jesus' body is gone. Look at verse 2. So she 00:13:10.929 --> 00:13:12.830 went running to Simon Peter. Notice something. 00:13:12.950 --> 00:13:14.990 If you're underlining stuff right here, underline 00:13:14.990 --> 00:13:17.429 the word running. Everything in the Gospel of 00:13:17.429 --> 00:13:19.769 John is like pregnant with meaning. It means 00:13:19.769 --> 00:13:22.090 all the words matter. And so here's a good one. 00:13:22.230 --> 00:13:25.309 It's like he's running. She just turns and runs. 00:13:25.429 --> 00:13:27.509 Why? Because you need to know there's a sense 00:13:27.509 --> 00:13:31.529 of urgency here. So she went running to Simon 00:13:31.529 --> 00:13:34.049 Peter and to the other disciple, the one that 00:13:34.049 --> 00:13:35.950 Jesus loved. Underline that. We're coming back 00:13:35.950 --> 00:13:40.259 to that. And said to them, They've taken the 00:13:40.259 --> 00:13:43.279 Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:49.000 they put him. John, the author of this book, 00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:52.980 describes himself in this event as the one that 00:13:52.980 --> 00:13:56.539 Jesus loved. Now, a lot of people laugh about 00:13:56.539 --> 00:14:00.100 this, because it is kind of funny. I mean, I 00:14:00.100 --> 00:14:02.399 become like, I'm the one that Jesus loved. Like, 00:14:02.460 --> 00:14:05.940 he loves you all. But John wants to make sure 00:14:05.940 --> 00:14:09.299 you know that he was special. Okay, whatever. 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:12.879 But I think this tells us a lot about how John 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:19.039 felt about how Jesus viewed him. John knew that 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:23.139 Jesus was the creator of all things and the one 00:14:23.139 --> 00:14:26.240 who came to us. John had walked with him. John 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:28.980 had watched him die. John is late in his life 00:14:28.980 --> 00:14:31.700 when he's writing this and he's seen Jesus rise 00:14:31.700 --> 00:14:34.740 from the dead and he knew that he was deeply 00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:39.440 loved by Jesus. When you read the Gospel of John, 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:45.580 you cannot miss how much you are loved by Jesus. 00:14:48.379 --> 00:14:53.200 Jesus loves you and wants to be in relationship 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:57.779 with you. John has experienced the love of Jesus. 00:14:58.059 --> 00:15:00.320 And my question this morning for you is, have 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:04.120 you? I don't care if you've been to church on 00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:06.679 and off your whole life. Have you experienced 00:15:06.679 --> 00:15:12.940 the love of Jesus? So Peter and John hear that 00:15:12.940 --> 00:15:16.539 Jesus' body is missing. Look at verses 3 and 00:15:16.539 --> 00:15:21.259 4. At that, Peter and the other disciple, that's 00:15:21.259 --> 00:15:28.259 John, went out heading for the tomb. The two 00:15:28.259 --> 00:15:30.740 were running. There we go again. They were running 00:15:30.740 --> 00:15:33.490 together. But the other disciple outran Peter 00:15:33.490 --> 00:15:36.250 and got to the tomb first. Another funny part 00:15:36.250 --> 00:15:37.830 in this. Man, you just cannot read some of this 00:15:37.830 --> 00:15:39.450 and laugh. Like, what is he saying? Like, I'm 00:15:39.450 --> 00:15:42.889 faster. I'm faster than Peter. I don't know why, 00:15:42.929 --> 00:15:45.210 maybe Peter's old like me. Like, you understand 00:15:45.210 --> 00:15:47.370 that, like, you can't, like, you know, like, 00:15:47.450 --> 00:15:49.389 Brandon over there is way faster than me because 00:15:49.389 --> 00:15:51.750 he's half my age. You hear that, Brandon? Like, 00:15:51.809 --> 00:15:53.850 maybe that's what's going on. I don't know, but 00:15:53.850 --> 00:15:56.070 he just, they're telling you this detail that 00:15:56.070 --> 00:15:58.070 there's a sense of urgency. They're running to 00:15:58.070 --> 00:15:59.970 the tomb as fast as they can get there. Oh, and 00:15:59.970 --> 00:16:03.269 by the way, I'm faster than Peter. For some reason, 00:16:03.330 --> 00:16:05.889 that's what John wants us to know. Look at verse 00:16:05.889 --> 00:16:09.149 five. And stooping down, so Peter gets there, 00:16:09.230 --> 00:16:13.059 right? Finally, John gets there and Peter gets 00:16:13.059 --> 00:16:14.419 there too. So watch, this is what's happening. 00:16:14.580 --> 00:16:19.220 Stooping down, he saw the linen clothes lying 00:16:19.220 --> 00:16:24.460 there, but he did not go in. That's John. Then 00:16:24.460 --> 00:16:29.299 following him, Simon Peter also came. He entered 00:16:29.299 --> 00:16:31.419 the tomb and saw the linen clothes lying there. 00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:36.059 And the wrapping that had been on his head was 00:16:36.059 --> 00:16:38.360 not lying with the linen clothes, but was folded 00:16:38.360 --> 00:16:44.940 up in a separate... place by itself. The disciples 00:16:44.940 --> 00:16:47.240 show up and they discover something strange. 00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:52.340 Jesus' body is gone, but his grave clothes are 00:16:52.340 --> 00:16:56.559 still there and they don't appear to be disturbed. 00:16:57.980 --> 00:17:02.940 If someone had simply stolen his body, It is 00:17:02.940 --> 00:17:05.140 most likely that the clothes would be gone or 00:17:05.140 --> 00:17:07.839 at least thrown on the floor or somewhere else. 00:17:08.220 --> 00:17:12.900 And to see them perfectly lain, John says, that's 00:17:12.900 --> 00:17:17.220 a detail you need to know. But here's a scene 00:17:17.220 --> 00:17:20.960 in which the body is missing, but the clothes 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:25.759 seem to be undisturbed. Jesus' body had simply 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:32.059 been left behind. Now, verse 8. is significant 00:17:32.059 --> 00:17:36.059 for John. Look what it says. The other disciple, 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:39.079 that's John, who had reached the tomb first, 00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:43.000 wants you to know he's faster. Then he also went 00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:47.539 in and he saw and believed. Underline that. He 00:17:47.539 --> 00:17:50.240 saw and believed. Two things. John wants you 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:54.200 to know, again, that he's faster than Peter and 00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:58.279 that he saw the empty tomb and what happened, 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:04.980 he believed. Now, if you remember back three 00:18:04.980 --> 00:18:06.900 weeks ago, if you were here three weeks ago, 00:18:06.980 --> 00:18:09.759 and you remember the illustration that we talked 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:13.059 about in John chapter 1, when I used the chair, 00:18:13.259 --> 00:18:15.319 for some of you that were here, and you probably 00:18:15.319 --> 00:18:16.960 remember this, and I said, you know, there's 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:19.380 a difference in the fact that if you believe 00:18:19.380 --> 00:18:23.720 that this chair will hold you, that's believing 00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:27.720 that it will, but believing in is the fact that 00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:29.859 I would actually sit and say, yes, I actually 00:18:29.859 --> 00:18:33.990 trust it. To sit in this chair. So what John 00:18:33.990 --> 00:18:37.609 is saying, he says, in this statement, he believes 00:18:37.609 --> 00:18:43.549 in. It's not to believe that. That's information. 00:18:46.410 --> 00:18:49.269 But it is to believe in the person of Jesus. 00:18:51.410 --> 00:18:57.150 And then in verse 9, he says this. For they did 00:18:57.150 --> 00:19:00.470 not understand the scriptures. that he must rise 00:19:00.470 --> 00:19:03.009 from the dead. So here's what is a really important 00:19:03.009 --> 00:19:05.250 piece to understand when it comes to believing 00:19:05.250 --> 00:19:09.549 in Jesus. You don't have to fully understand 00:19:09.549 --> 00:19:14.470 to believe. John believes, but he doesn't fully 00:19:14.470 --> 00:19:18.549 understand. He doesn't understand the big picture 00:19:18.549 --> 00:19:22.750 of the resurrection, even though most of this... 00:19:23.150 --> 00:19:25.410 The Bible's been pointing this, and there's lots 00:19:25.410 --> 00:19:27.390 of texts that would have been pointed, and Jesus 00:19:27.390 --> 00:19:30.049 had talked about it, but it had not yet. Dots 00:19:30.049 --> 00:19:33.109 had not connected. All the details weren't all 00:19:33.109 --> 00:19:35.670 there, but it was still enough for him to believe. 00:19:39.730 --> 00:19:43.130 John chapter 20, verse 10. Then the disciples 00:19:43.130 --> 00:19:45.930 returned to the place where they were staying. 00:19:46.670 --> 00:19:49.529 So the boys go home. Basically, they turn around 00:19:49.529 --> 00:19:54.539 going, whoa. Almost like, we don't know what 00:19:54.539 --> 00:19:59.160 to do next, so we're going to go home. But what 00:19:59.160 --> 00:20:02.200 we see is that Mary, who's come back to the tomb, 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:07.920 stays. Look at verse 11. But many stood outside 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:11.440 the tomb. But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:17.039 As she was crying, guys, they understand something 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:20.079 about Jewish custom too. When they're grieving, 00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:24.309 it wasn't a quiet. It wasn't a sniffle over in 00:20:24.309 --> 00:20:27.750 the corner. It was a wailing. It was great grief 00:20:27.750 --> 00:20:31.869 being poured out. Mary stood outside the tomb 00:20:31.869 --> 00:20:35.170 crying, and as she was crying, she stooped to 00:20:35.170 --> 00:20:39.630 look into the tomb. She saw two angels in there, 00:20:39.710 --> 00:20:42.849 sitting where Jesus' body had been laying, one 00:20:42.849 --> 00:20:45.849 at the head and one at the feet. They said to 00:20:45.849 --> 00:20:51.359 her, woman, why are you crying? Because they've 00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:54.480 taken away my Lord, she told them. And I don't 00:20:54.480 --> 00:21:00.180 know where they put him. I don't know if you've 00:21:00.180 --> 00:21:10.180 been so overwhelmed with grief. If you have been, 00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:11.839 you might understand a little bit about what 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:16.619 Mary's going through. She's so overwhelmed that 00:21:16.619 --> 00:21:19.059 all she's living in is hopelessness and despair. 00:21:19.930 --> 00:21:22.369 She feels like the whole world is just crashing 00:21:22.369 --> 00:21:26.369 in on her, even so much so that as she stoops 00:21:26.369 --> 00:21:29.269 to look into the tomb, she sees two angels. Now, 00:21:29.349 --> 00:21:34.250 that would mess with me a little bit, but it 00:21:34.250 --> 00:21:38.849 doesn't affect her. When you're dealing with 00:21:38.849 --> 00:21:40.690 grief, when you know you've been overwhelmed 00:21:40.690 --> 00:21:44.589 with grief, everything just kind of is not important. 00:21:49.450 --> 00:21:52.289 She sees two angels with her, and it doesn't 00:21:52.289 --> 00:21:56.170 even faze her. The angels ask her, why are you 00:21:56.170 --> 00:22:02.529 crying? This question means to ask, like, why 00:22:02.529 --> 00:22:08.890 are you sorrowful, Mary? Why are you struggling? 00:22:09.509 --> 00:22:12.970 It's almost like there's something different 00:22:12.970 --> 00:22:16.349 going on here. Why are you crying? He's like, 00:22:16.450 --> 00:22:19.079 duh, have you not seen it? They've taken the 00:22:19.079 --> 00:22:24.539 body away. Mary explains that her grief is because 00:22:24.539 --> 00:22:29.359 Jesus is gone. And she could not locate his body 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:31.839 like she wanted closure, she wanted to the end, 00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:33.700 but now it's gone and she can't even have that. 00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:37.059 She wanted Jesus alive in her life, but now Jesus 00:22:37.059 --> 00:22:42.099 seems to be gone and she can't handle that. Then 00:22:42.099 --> 00:22:45.259 the most unexpected encounter Mary could have 00:22:45.259 --> 00:22:49.099 ever imagined. John tells us about in verse 14. 00:22:50.680 --> 00:22:56.519 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus 00:22:56.519 --> 00:22:59.400 standing there, but she did not know who he was. 00:23:02.759 --> 00:23:08.039 Mary is so consumed with her life, with her pain, 00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:15.279 that she did not know Jesus. Is this true for 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:21.980 us today? Is this true for you, that where you're 00:23:21.980 --> 00:23:26.980 living in is what you're consumed with? John 00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:33.259 goes on, he says in verse 15, Woman, Jesus said 00:23:33.259 --> 00:23:37.339 to her, Why are you crying? Who are you seeking? 00:23:39.079 --> 00:23:43.400 Supposing he was a gardener, she replies, Sir, 00:23:43.619 --> 00:23:47.019 if you've carried him away, tell me where you've 00:23:47.019 --> 00:23:50.480 put him that I may take him away. Now, it's important 00:23:50.480 --> 00:23:52.720 to understand here that I think in that moment 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:56.380 she just kind of turns her head and moves over 00:23:56.380 --> 00:24:01.220 here to the corner in her grief. Jesus said to 00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:12.380 her, Mary. Wow. Turning around, she said to him 00:24:12.380 --> 00:24:20.960 in Aramaic, Rabboni, which means teacher. It 00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:26.559 seems that when Jesus said her name, Mary, that 00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:29.240 the scales fell off of her eyes and she recognized 00:24:29.240 --> 00:24:35.740 him. The other parts in John talks about the 00:24:35.740 --> 00:24:40.420 fact that his sheep will know his voice. In the 00:24:40.420 --> 00:24:43.640 minute, as soon as she says his name, it comes, 00:24:43.720 --> 00:24:49.140 it happens. She realizes who he is. It reminds 00:24:49.140 --> 00:24:53.599 me of a story from my own life. Some of you know 00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:55.839 I grew up in the village of Ruby on the Yukon 00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:59.480 River for most of my young years, up through 00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:05.119 my teenage years. And one day at a camp I was 00:25:05.119 --> 00:25:09.039 sitting at, I went down. So you've got to understand, 00:25:09.099 --> 00:25:12.700 I believed that God existed. I believed that. 00:25:15.539 --> 00:25:18.640 but I was sitting in the front seat of the boat 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:20.640 that we had parked on the edge of the river, 00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:23.839 and I had my Bible open, and I was just kind 00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:25.920 of like trying to talk to God, and I was like, 00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:28.420 and honestly what was going on in there is I 00:25:28.420 --> 00:25:32.160 didn't feel real close to God. See, I had the 00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:35.640 information of God all over me. I had the information 00:25:35.640 --> 00:25:39.200 of who Jesus was, but I hadn't really, in my 00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:42.619 thinking, hadn't really received the transformation 00:25:42.619 --> 00:25:48.359 or the revelation of God. And so while I sat 00:25:48.359 --> 00:25:51.319 there in the boat, it wasn't a loud, audible 00:25:51.319 --> 00:25:53.460 voice, but it was definitely an internal voice 00:25:53.460 --> 00:26:01.180 that I heard God say to me, Caleb, I want a relationship 00:26:01.180 --> 00:26:09.339 with you. I'm not a transaction, Caleb. I don't 00:26:09.339 --> 00:26:11.259 want you to look at me like transactionally. 00:26:11.299 --> 00:26:14.500 I want you to look at me relationally. I can 00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:17.900 still see it so vividly today as I sat in the 00:26:17.900 --> 00:26:22.480 boat. That changed everything. All of a sudden, 00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:28.940 the Jesus who loved me was asking for me to be 00:26:28.940 --> 00:26:33.579 in relationship with me. Have you ever heard 00:26:33.579 --> 00:26:39.920 him call your name? Have you ever gone from belief 00:26:39.920 --> 00:26:45.599 that to belief in Jesus? That's what he wants 00:26:45.599 --> 00:26:51.880 for us today. Like John, many, Mary, have believed 00:26:51.880 --> 00:26:55.440 Jesus is alive and he loves her and has come 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:58.180 for her. And of course, what would her response 00:26:58.180 --> 00:27:05.359 be? She embraces Jesus like everything. And then 00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:08.440 Jesus has this to say. So don't, this next part 00:27:08.440 --> 00:27:11.140 can seem a little, little like, that's kind of 00:27:11.140 --> 00:27:14.650 not very nice. But understand what she's doing. 00:27:14.769 --> 00:27:17.529 She's just, she has lost Jesus. She clings to 00:27:17.529 --> 00:27:20.190 Jesus, wraps her, and she says this in verse 00:27:20.190 --> 00:27:25.170 17, don't cling to me. Now, I won't go into a 00:27:25.170 --> 00:27:27.549 lot of this, but don't cling to me is not a harsh 00:27:27.549 --> 00:27:30.190 term. It's almost a term of compassion in it. 00:27:30.289 --> 00:27:35.750 Mary, don't cling to me. Jesus told her, since 00:27:35.750 --> 00:27:40.089 I have not yet ascended to the Father, he said, 00:27:40.130 --> 00:27:44.049 I got more to do. I got more plans. It's not 00:27:44.049 --> 00:27:49.230 over. But go to my brothers and tell them that 00:27:49.230 --> 00:27:51.829 I am ascending to the Father and your Father, 00:27:51.930 --> 00:27:56.269 to my God and to your God. Mary Magdalene went 00:27:56.269 --> 00:27:58.950 and announced to the disciples, I have seen the 00:27:58.950 --> 00:28:03.779 Lord. Now what happened with Mary? She got excited 00:28:03.779 --> 00:28:07.220 because life change, revelation, transformation 00:28:07.220 --> 00:28:10.299 happens. And so he says, I want you to go and 00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:12.779 tell the disciples that I have seen the Lord. 00:28:13.099 --> 00:28:16.460 And she told them what he had said to her. And 00:28:16.460 --> 00:28:18.039 I can just imagine she just turns in the book 00:28:18.039 --> 00:28:19.660 and says, I've got to tell you what's happened. 00:28:20.920 --> 00:28:24.660 Mary was hanging on to Jesus because she thought 00:28:24.660 --> 00:28:30.869 she had lost him, but now she had him back. So 00:28:30.869 --> 00:28:35.069 Jesus says, it's okay. You can let me go. Mary, 00:28:35.210 --> 00:28:38.410 I have a mission for you. I want you to go and 00:28:38.410 --> 00:28:42.230 tell others that I'm alive. Wow. Isn't that our 00:28:42.230 --> 00:28:44.849 mission, church? That's what we're called. If 00:28:44.849 --> 00:28:46.430 you're a follower of Jesus, that's your mission. 00:28:47.230 --> 00:28:48.990 Don't just hold it to yourself. You're not a 00:28:48.990 --> 00:28:51.170 bucket. You're a conduit. You get to tell the 00:28:51.170 --> 00:28:56.630 good news to others. As we close today, I have 00:28:56.630 --> 00:29:01.240 three questions for us to consider. Number one 00:29:01.240 --> 00:29:07.480 is this. Has Jesus called your name? Is Jesus 00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:09.680 drawing you to himself? Like I said at the beginning, 00:29:09.779 --> 00:29:12.140 I don't know where you're at. I don't know your 00:29:12.140 --> 00:29:18.900 journey. But God does. Friends, it's not a mistake 00:29:18.900 --> 00:29:24.880 that you're here today. Jesus wants to be in 00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:28.559 relationship with you. You don't have to have 00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:32.950 it all figured out. The cross of Jesus shows 00:29:32.950 --> 00:29:38.890 us that Jesus' love for you is real. It's not 00:29:38.890 --> 00:29:41.109 lip service. There's action behind this love. 00:29:41.950 --> 00:29:45.509 On the cross, Jesus took our sin, and he paid 00:29:45.509 --> 00:29:49.089 for it. The resurrection shows us that there 00:29:49.089 --> 00:29:51.369 is a newness of life for those who put their 00:29:51.369 --> 00:29:55.950 faith into Jesus. The hope is there. A very famous 00:29:55.950 --> 00:29:58.730 verse that many are aware of says this, John 00:29:58.730 --> 00:30:02.930 3. We'll take it through 17 and 18. It says this. 00:30:03.029 --> 00:30:07.529 For God loved the world in this way. He gave 00:30:07.529 --> 00:30:11.390 his one and only son so that everyone who believes 00:30:11.390 --> 00:30:15.349 in him will not perish but have eternal life. 00:30:15.690 --> 00:30:18.730 For God did not send his son into this world 00:30:18.730 --> 00:30:20.730 to condemn the world. That's what sin already 00:30:20.730 --> 00:30:26.470 did. But to save the world through him. This 00:30:26.470 --> 00:30:31.519 is what Easter is all about, guys. So today Jesus 00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:34.559 is inviting you to come to him. That's what Easter 00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:36.299 is. That's what every time we gather together 00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:39.039 is to remember that Jesus has invited us in. 00:30:39.140 --> 00:30:42.339 And today he's inviting you to come to him wherever 00:30:42.339 --> 00:30:47.920 you are at. So that's the first one. And the 00:30:47.920 --> 00:30:53.940 second question is this. Do you believe in Jesus? 00:30:57.180 --> 00:31:03.700 Not believe that. But believe in. John chapter 00:31:03.700 --> 00:31:07.819 3 verse 18 continues. It says this. Anyone who 00:31:07.819 --> 00:31:11.779 believes in him is not condemned. But anyone 00:31:11.779 --> 00:31:16.759 who does not believe is already condemned. Because 00:31:16.759 --> 00:31:20.180 he has not believed in the name of the one and 00:31:20.180 --> 00:31:25.440 only Son of God. Believing in Jesus means that 00:31:25.440 --> 00:31:29.740 he is both now your Savior and your Lord. Savior 00:31:29.740 --> 00:31:31.900 is what he did for you when he went to the cross, 00:31:32.140 --> 00:31:35.500 suffered in your place, and he rose again from 00:31:35.500 --> 00:31:37.799 the dead. He did that for you, and that's the 00:31:37.799 --> 00:31:40.220 thing that gets us. You are saved by him, but 00:31:40.220 --> 00:31:43.200 when you are saved by him, he then becomes absolute 00:31:43.200 --> 00:31:47.460 Lord and Savior of your life. He is your life. 00:31:47.480 --> 00:31:49.359 Your life rotates around him. That's what it 00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:53.440 means to be Lord. Believing in Jesus means that. 00:31:54.579 --> 00:31:59.259 And then the last question is this. We see it 00:31:59.259 --> 00:32:04.720 with John and Peter. Are you running to Jesus? 00:32:05.640 --> 00:32:09.920 Are you running to him? Peter and John didn't 00:32:09.920 --> 00:32:14.660 hesitate or casually approach Jesus. What did 00:32:14.660 --> 00:32:18.339 they do? They ran. Now there's place for those 00:32:18.339 --> 00:32:20.099 who are skeptical. In fact, if you keep reading 00:32:20.099 --> 00:32:22.140 in this, I don't have time to do this, but if 00:32:22.140 --> 00:32:23.380 you keep reading, you're going to read about 00:32:23.380 --> 00:32:25.839 a guy named Thomas who is very skeptical and 00:32:25.839 --> 00:32:27.859 Jesus meets him right where he's at. So if you're 00:32:27.859 --> 00:32:32.000 skeptical today, I get it. That's okay. You're 00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:35.380 welcome here. But my question to you is, are 00:32:35.380 --> 00:32:40.200 you ready to run to Jesus? I'm not just talking 00:32:40.200 --> 00:32:41.960 about those who have not yet put their faith 00:32:41.960 --> 00:32:43.980 in Jesus. I'm talking about running to Jesus 00:32:43.980 --> 00:32:49.279 with all of your life. All of the time. So run 00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:53.519 to Jesus today. C .S. Lewis famously presents 00:32:53.519 --> 00:32:56.319 his argument, I think it's on mere Christianity, 00:32:56.460 --> 00:32:59.980 about Jesus. He says, Jesus is either a liar, 00:33:00.099 --> 00:33:06.079 a lunatic, or he's your Lord. Someday we will 00:33:06.079 --> 00:33:12.380 all answer to what we believe in, truly. From 00:33:12.380 --> 00:33:16.220 the things Jesus said and did, from his crucifixion 00:33:16.220 --> 00:33:18.599 to his resurrection, the only conclusion is that 00:33:18.599 --> 00:33:24.460 he is Lord. So how do you need to respond to 00:33:24.460 --> 00:33:29.599 him today? Band, you guys can come up. Would 00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:36.380 you bow your heads with me for a minute? Think 00:33:36.380 --> 00:33:43.059 about those three questions. If you are here 00:33:43.059 --> 00:33:46.670 today, And you have not confessed that Jesus 00:33:46.670 --> 00:33:51.289 is Lord and Savior. And he is calling your name. 00:33:52.349 --> 00:33:55.829 And you believe. Even if you don't have all the 00:33:55.829 --> 00:34:00.809 answers. If that's you today. If you are ready 00:34:00.809 --> 00:34:04.089 to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life. 00:34:04.470 --> 00:34:06.130 I just want to encourage you right where you 00:34:06.130 --> 00:34:10.489 sit. Be bold. Raise your hand for a second. Nobody 00:34:10.489 --> 00:34:19.420 else looking around. Right where you sit, I'm 00:34:19.420 --> 00:34:21.679 going to encourage you just to pray to God right 00:34:21.679 --> 00:34:26.840 now. Pray this way, then I'll help you walk you 00:34:26.840 --> 00:34:29.800 through. But just talk to him. He hears you. 00:34:31.780 --> 00:34:38.940 Father, here I am. I admit that I am a sinner. 00:34:41.639 --> 00:34:44.559 I believe that when Christ died on the cross, 00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:52.139 that it counted for me. I confess Jesus Christ 00:34:52.139 --> 00:35:04.119 as my Lord and Savior. Let's pray together. Lord, 00:35:04.260 --> 00:35:08.659 we asked you at the beginning to bring revelation, 00:35:08.739 --> 00:35:13.099 to bring transformation by your spirit. Pray 00:35:13.099 --> 00:35:15.300 that you'll continue to do that work in our hearts 00:35:15.300 --> 00:35:20.809 no matter where we're at this Easter. That you 00:35:20.809 --> 00:35:24.110 will, for those that raised their hand and prayed 00:35:24.110 --> 00:35:27.409 that today, I just pray that you will help them 00:35:27.409 --> 00:35:29.769 now in the next steps as they say, I want to 00:35:29.769 --> 00:35:33.929 follow Jesus. Help us as a church to come around 00:35:33.929 --> 00:35:38.630 them and to encourage them. For those of us who 00:35:38.630 --> 00:35:42.409 need to get, instead of casually walking to you, 00:35:42.449 --> 00:35:44.110 need to begin to run to you, will you help us 00:35:44.110 --> 00:35:47.030 with that? Those who are struggling with their 00:35:47.030 --> 00:35:51.719 belief, will you help us with that? So thank 00:35:51.719 --> 00:35:55.800 you, Jesus, for rising from the dead and conquering 00:35:55.800 --> 00:36:01.139 Satan, sin, and death and giving us a hope. Amen. 00:36:03.880 --> 00:36:06.920 We, in our church here, do what we call a time 00:36:06.920 --> 00:36:08.559 of response, which is basically we're going to 00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:13.400 sing three songs. And it's a time for you just 00:36:13.400 --> 00:36:15.239 to kind of reflect where you're at. And so if 00:36:15.239 --> 00:36:20.619 you put your faith in Jesus today, The guy, Bob, 00:36:20.699 --> 00:36:22.199 that was up here, he doesn't know this is coming. 00:36:22.440 --> 00:36:24.659 He's one of our elders, one of our pastors. He's 00:36:24.659 --> 00:36:26.519 going to be on that side of the room. Are you 00:36:26.519 --> 00:36:30.300 doing communion? Okay, I'll be in the back. I'll 00:36:30.300 --> 00:36:32.199 be in the back by that machine there. I'd love 00:36:32.199 --> 00:36:36.800 to talk with you. Just to help you take the next 00:36:36.800 --> 00:36:40.860 steps with that simple confession that you want 00:36:40.860 --> 00:36:42.840 to follow Jesus. I'll walk with you. I'll talk 00:36:42.840 --> 00:36:45.699 with you. If you're already a follower of Jesus, 00:36:45.800 --> 00:36:48.579 we invite you to take communion. Let me explain 00:36:48.579 --> 00:36:50.860 this real quick, how we do it here. There's going 00:36:50.860 --> 00:36:53.960 to be two groups of people back with trays. If 00:36:53.960 --> 00:36:56.639 you're new to us, if you are a follower of Jesus, 00:36:56.699 --> 00:36:58.219 if you're not a follower of Jesus, just don't 00:36:58.219 --> 00:37:00.880 worry about it. Please don't take it. Because 00:37:00.880 --> 00:37:04.400 what communion represents for us is that Jesus' 00:37:04.579 --> 00:37:08.059 body was broken, I believe. And his blood was 00:37:08.059 --> 00:37:13.539 shed for me. And I consume this like I need Jesus. 00:37:13.760 --> 00:37:16.519 Like he is the only answer. He's the only fix 00:37:16.519 --> 00:37:18.889 for anything. And so when I go up there and I 00:37:18.889 --> 00:37:21.789 take the bread that looks as represents Christ's 00:37:21.789 --> 00:37:24.289 body broken for me and a drink of the cup which 00:37:24.289 --> 00:37:27.170 represents his blood shed for me, I am saying 00:37:27.170 --> 00:37:31.730 I'm about Jesus. And so we practice this every 00:37:31.730 --> 00:37:34.170 week. So if you're new with us, we want to invite 00:37:34.170 --> 00:37:36.710 you during any time during the next three songs 00:37:36.710 --> 00:37:38.969 that we sing just to make your way out of the 00:37:38.969 --> 00:37:41.210 chair, go to the back. You can take it, go back 00:37:41.210 --> 00:37:43.409 to your chair, wherever, and just say thank you, 00:37:43.409 --> 00:37:48.469 Jesus, for what you've done for me. And then 00:37:48.469 --> 00:37:50.289 we're going to stand. So stand with me. We're 00:37:50.289 --> 00:37:52.409 going to sing. If you need to sit there, you 00:37:52.409 --> 00:37:54.989 can. But if you want to stand, this is a celebration 00:37:54.989 --> 00:37:56.989 service. So let's rock it out, all right, church? 00:37:57.090 --> 00:37:58.289 We've got three good songs. Let's go.