EASTER SUNDAY SERMON

4/12/2020

    Good Morning.  I’m Pastor Rod from Hilltop Chapel in Miramonte, CA.  We would like to welcome you here on this Easter Sunday.  I’d like to share with you now a couple of verses of scripture and then give you the reason why we are here this morning.  As we begin our sermon this morning, I would like to start with a word of prayer “Father we thank you for this day and thank you for bringing us here for your purpose.  Help us to always realize that everything that is swirling around us, all the things that we see and hear are part of a plan, a perfect plan given by you from the foundations of the world.  Nothing changes in that plan, Father, because you are the same yesterday, today and forever and you will bring it about according to your will and your purpose.  We’ll praise you and thank you for your Word, we ask that it will be a blessing to our hearts and our lives this morning.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.”

     Most of you already know John 3:16 and because of that I’m going to quote it for memory.  If you know it. Please say it with me.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”  Now if you would open your Bibles and read Matthew 28:1-10. 

     SERMON:  Powerful words!  Our risen Savior came to earth for one reason, because God who loves us sent Jesus into the world to save us.  Have you ever given it much thought why you get up early on Easter Sunday morning and go to an outdoors, usually in cold weather, and recognize Christ’s resurrection; watch the sun rise and then you go home.  Because of the circumstance of the Coronavirus, you may be watching us at 6:30am or 2:00pm this afternoon. Obviously things are quite a bit different in our surroundings.  I’m standing here with less than 10 people, actually just 5, all spaced exactly 6 ft. apart, doing our best to replicate a 6:30am Easter Sunrise Service from our Sanctuary.  We have hand sanitizer at the ready along with face masks as needed.  Even though the world has changed greatly over the past few months, the Bible tells us that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8).  Knowing that we take comfort in the fact it also tells that He will never leave us or forsake us, especially in tough times.  

     That morning, the first day of the week in Jerusalem, there was an eyrie silence as the citizens of the city awoke.  The Passover feast was marred by the strange and violent events leading up to it and there was a restless spirit even now as people tried to make sense of what they had seen.  The women, described in our text today, had a singular mission in mind when they left their homes that morning.  And that was to anoint Jesus with spices for a proper burial.  A great earthquake the subsequent appearance changed everything.  Verse 4 is telling us here that the soldiers guarding the tomb were so frightened that they fell on the ground like they were dead.  It’s amazing to think that it’s something that you never see from the battle-hardened veterans.  Verses 5 and 6 gives a clear explanation of the overnight events and leave no doubt as to Christ’s resurrection.  Listen carefully as I read these verses again.  “And the Angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid because I know you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has Risen as he said.”

     Our whole existence as Christians hangs on those words, “He has Risen, as He said.” If Jesus had died on that cruel cross, then taken down and buried, and never overcome death by rising again, then as the Apostle Paul said, “Now as Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there is no resurrection of the dead then Christ has not risen,  And if Christ has not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith also is empty.  Yes and we are found to be false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up, if in fact the dead do not rise.  For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.  And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins.  And also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished, if only in this life we have hope in Christ we are all men the most pitiable.

    But the good, no Great news is that Christ did rise from the dead, and you, wherever you are watching or listening this morning have the absolute assurance that Christ did rise from the dead. And this is where the first verse that we read this morning comes into play. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  What an amazing thing that is, folks.  As we look at the world we live in today, and we look at all the things that are going on around us, to know that Jesus Christ came into the world to do that one glorious thing, to save us from our sins.  We, all the people, are most blessed, we are not pitiable, we are not down trodden, we are not disposed to fear, we are God’s children, called by His name, we have been called out of darkness into HIs marvelous light.  And Jesus will reign supreme very soon, here on this earth for a thousand years, and then we get the great privilege moving on from here into eternity forever.

     I don’t know where you stand with the Lord this morning, I don’t know how your life is unfolding this day.  But I do know that the Risen Savior is the one you need, no matter where you are today, no matter what your situation in life is today, you need Jesus. You need Jesus because He is the one who gives everlasting  life.  There may be those who express it more eloquently, but take it from a plain old country preacher, there is nothing more that you need to know;  that God loves you so much that He gave his most precious one in His entire universe, the one who created all things, and purchased your life and my life and gives us a equal share of His inheritance  for eternity.

     Think about that as you ponder what to do with Jesus this morning.  We have a great opportunity here because even though our Sanctuary is empty, there is no one standing  out in the parking lot this morning listening to this sermon.  I may be meeting a lot of you for the first time, you’ve never tuned into one of our broadcasts, that’s because we haven’t been doing it very long.  But God has given us an appointment together here this morning to ponder what we need to do with Jesus, because that is the eternal question.  What are you going to do with Jesus?  How are you going to spend eternity?  You either spend it with Him, or you spend it without Him.  Eternity is going to go on and you are going to either be eternally with Him, or eternally separated from Him. Those are the only two choices that any of us has.  So as you consider Christ’s death on cross at Calvary; consider His resurrection three days later; consider God’s offer of forgiveness of your sins and eternal life, there is only one thing required of you.  Just one thing.  You must accept His offer, it’s all free for the asking.  But you have to ask Him for forgiveness of your sin and then invite Him into your life.  It’s a simple proposition, one that is hard to refuse.  There are n other options that are viable.  God knows it, I know it, and you deep down in your heart know it too.  

     I have the very rare privilege of asking you to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.  I am going to give you a moment to think, then we’re going to pray, and for those of you who would like to invite Jesus into your life today, we are going to pray a prayer that you can say with me or modify it any way that you would like, but the prayer is always the same.

    Let’s pray. “Father God, for this day, for this Resurrection Sunday, there may be someone listening to this message this morning that’s longing for a change, that wants to have peace in their heart, and joy in their life and a new beginning. And this is the perfect day to do it Lord.  My prayer is that whoever that person is that they will say this simple prayer and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord this day.”  So if you would like to repeat after me, please do.  “Dear Lord Jesus I know I am a sinner.  I know that only You can save me.  I ask you to save me from my sin right now.  I ask You to be in my life and take charge of it and make a new person out of me.  Old things are passed away, behold all things have become new in Christ Jesus.  I praise you and thank you now.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.

     If you have made that commitment this morning and you would like to talk further about it just send me a note with your phone number or mailing address and I will be glad to to that.  You can do that at: Pastor Rod Davison, Hilltop Chapel, P. O. Box 14, Miramonte, CA 93641.  Thank you so very much for being with us here this morning,  and we hope it was a blessing to you.