"The Triumph of Love"

Call to Worship  (inspired by Colossians 3, The Message) Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed! So if you’re serious about living a resurrection life with Christ, act like it! No longer will we shuffle along, downcast and discouraged.  We’re ready to live the way Christ lives. Our old lives are dead.   Our new lives model every moment after the risen Christ! Many:  So let’s sing out our joy!  Christ the Lord is risen today!

Opening Prayer

Life-Giving God, today we soar!   We raise our voices, clap our hands,   and make “hallelujah” the word of this day,  for you bring life out of death; you turn our weeping into laughter.  Great are you, Lord God of all life.  Accept our praise and our gratitude,    knowing we rejoice in Love’s redeeming work, which raised Jesus,    continues in us, and is spreading throughout your whole creation!  AMEN

Moment for Stewardship

The greatest offering comes from God, whose love is unending,   and whose love we see clearly in Jesus raised up from death into Life.

The work of ministry to which our congregation is called  is not to build a shrine to a dead Lord,  but to spread this Good News:  Jesus Christ, ALIVE!   invites us to demonstrate our desire to follow him   by sharing our lives (including our tithes and our gifts) today.

Our offerings help us shout out the news of resurrection,  so all who long to encounter the LIVING GOD may join in the Way of Jesus Christ.

Give, that we might share the great news of abundant life.

Prayer (Psalm 118, John 20)

Living God, rejoicing in this day of resurrection, we have come to celebrate the strength of your love— a love that triumphs even over death. As we exult in the miracle of your incarnate love, we thank you for the opportunity to encounter the Risen Christ here in our midst. Amen.

“The Triumph of Love”

John 3:16-17 New International Version 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Introduction:

Easter Sunday is a celebration of the triumph of love over sin and death through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This event is the cornerstone of the Christian faith and represents the ultimate victory over the forces of darkness and evil in the world. The resurrection of Jesus is a powerful reminder that God's love and grace are stronger than any sin or evil in the world. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus conquered sin and death, and opened the way for all people to receive forgiveness and new life. As the apostle Paul wrote, "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). The message of Easter Sunday is one of hope, joy, and new life. It reminds us that no matter what challenges we face in life, there is always hope for a better tomorrow. The resurrection of Jesus gives us confidence that we too can overcome the trials and difficulties of life, and that we have the promise of eternal life in him. As we celebrate Easter Sunday, we are called to renew our faith in Jesus Christ, to embrace his message of love and grace, and to share the good news of his resurrection with others. We are called to live as people of hope and joy, knowing that through Christ, we have been given the ultimate victory over sin and death.

Body:

John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." This passage highlights the nature of God's love as sacrificial and self-giving. God's love is not simply an emotion or feeling, but a choice to give of oneself for the sake of others. In this case, God chose to send his Son into the world to die for the sins of humanity, out of his great love for us. God's love triumphs over sin and death by offering us forgiveness and new life through Jesus Christ. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and opened the way for us to have a restored relationship with God. Because of God's love and grace, we have the opportunity to receive forgiveness and eternal life, even though we do not deserve it. God's love is also demonstrated in the fact that he did not come to condemn the world, but to save it through Jesus. Despite our sin and rebellion against him, God chose to reach out to us in love and offer us a way back to him. In summary, the nature of God's love is sacrificial, self-giving, and unconditional. It triumphs over sin and death by offering us forgiveness and new life through Jesus Christ, and by demonstrating God's desire to save rather than condemn us.

John 3:16-17 teaches us that God's love is the driving force behind our salvation, and that Jesus is the means by which we are saved. God did not send Jesus to condemn us, but to save us. All we need to do is believe in Jesus and trust in him for our salvation. This passage reminds us that salvation is a gift from God, offered freely to all who believe.

Illustration:

John 3:16-17 is a story of a father who risks his own life to save his child from drowning in a river. The father jumps into the water, fights against the current, and pulls his child to safety, even though he himself is exhausted and injured.

This story illustrates the sacrificial and self-giving nature of God's love for us. Just as the father in the story was willing to risk everything to save his child, God was willing to send his only Son to die for our sins, out of his great love for us.

The story also highlights the unconditional nature of God's love, as the father did not hesitate to save his child, regardless of any mistakes or shortcomings the child may have had. Similarly, God's love for us is not based on our merit or worthiness, but on his own choice to love and save us.

Overall, this illustration can help to bring to life the powerful message of John 3:16-17 and the nature of God's love for us.

Applications:

Responding to God's love in a way that honors him and brings joy to our lives involves both an inward transformation of the heart and outward actions. Here are some ways to respond to God's love: Worship: The natural response to experiencing God's love is to worship him. Worship can take many forms, such as prayer, singing, reading Scripture, and participating in corporate worship with other believers. Worship helps us to focus our hearts and minds on God, and to express our gratitude and adoration for who he is and what he has done for us. Obey: Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Obeying God's commands is not a way to earn his love, but rather a response to his love. As we grow in our love for God, we will naturally desire to obey him and follow his will for our lives. Serve: One of the ways we can demonstrate our love for God is by serving others. Jesus said that when we serve others, we are serving him (Matthew 25:40). Serving can take many forms, such as volunteering in our local community, giving to those in need, or using our talents to help others. Share: God's love is meant to be shared with others. We can share the good news of Jesus with those who have not yet heard, and we can also share our own stories of how God has worked in our lives. Sharing God's love can take many forms, such as evangelism, discipleship, and acts of kindness. Grow: Finally, responding to God's love involves a lifelong journey of growth and transformation. We can grow in our love for God by reading Scripture, praying, seeking wise counsel, and participating in community with other believers. As we grow in our love for God, we will experience greater joy and fulfillment in our lives. In summary, responding to God's love involves worship, obedience, service, sharing, and growth. As we respond to God's love in these ways, we will honor him and experience greater joy and fulfillment in our lives. Conclusion Yes, the triumph of love is indeed the heart of the Easter story and the foundation of our faith as Christians. At Easter, we celebrate the ultimate triumph of God's love over sin and death through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that God's love is so great that he sent his only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16). Jesus willingly sacrificed himself out of love for us, taking upon himself the punishment that we deserved. But that was not the end of the story. On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead, demonstrating his power over sin and death, and making it possible for us to have eternal life with him. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus showed us the depth and breadth of God's love for us. He proved that God's love is stronger than anything in this world, including death itself. As a result, we can have confidence in God's love for us, and we can trust in his promises. This message of love and hope is the foundation of our faith as Christians. We believe that God's love is the most powerful force in the universe, and that it has the power to transform our lives and the world around us. As we celebrate Easter, let us remember the triumph of God's love, and let it fill our hearts with joy and hope for the future. Benediction

Christ is with us in this place. Christ goes with us into the world.

Go now in peace. Christ is risen! Risen indeed! Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.