Easter—The Greatest News Ever

(S1)

Bunny Jokes

Why we’re here…Easter—The Greatest News Ever

(S2) — Jesus is Risen

Three objectives

1. Visit the tomb…

2. Identify the miracle(s)…

3. The significance of the resurrection of Jesus for us…

Can what happened on this particular morning make a difference in our lives?

It didn’t start out that way for 3 women who had followed Jesus, arriving early that morning to the place where Jesus body was laid—The worst day ever.

But that is not the end of the story…their worst day ever would turn out to be the best day ever!

(S3) — Easter summed up in one sentence...

When the WORST day ever, turns into the BEST day ever , because of the GREATEST news ever, changing lives FOREVER!

Easter was never meant to be a one day, or once a year event. It was meant for you and me, because we need Jesus not just one day, but everyday.

Jesus RISEN is the greatest news ever and its meant to change us! I pray it is for you...

PRAY

(S4) — Ever have one of those days when you were hoping and planning for the best day ever, but...

Childhood—Skinned knees

What could have been my WORST day ever…mom

(S5) — For three women…this was not the best of day(s)

1 Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body.

Sabbath (shabbath)—to cease, rest from...

Mary, Mary, Salome—most faithful among women. Their religion became a relationaship, spending days, years with Jesus, teacher and friend who was not dead.

This was their WORST of DAY(S)

— They witnesses/Foot of the cross (Mark 15:40)

There was no question Jesus was deceased.

— They watched as he was hung to die, heard him speak his last words, take his last breath

— See him taken down carried away, and laid in his burial place—Tomb

GRAVESIDE

As it is for us…being there was hard. Their act of love

— Burial Spices (expense)—Anointing (oder)

FLOWERS

What else were they to do on this worst day ever? They did what they could!

— My mom could not change that moment, but she did what she could, and it made a big difference.

Phil’s last days/ladies/acts of love

(S6)

2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb.

They came to the tomb to expecting only death—Not hoping for a miracle!

Miracle defined—When something happens that can’t be explained by human reason.

Divine interruption that “demonstrates God’s involvement in the course of human affairs.”

How did you come here today? Is this just another Easter, or are you in need of a miracle?

(S7)

This Good News is God interceding on our behalf

"The time has come! God's kingdom will soon be here. Turn back to God and believe the good news!" Mark 1:15 (CEB)

The greatest news ever can be seen in three miracles—The first, reason Mary Magdalene was there.

(S8) — The miracle of…

I. A life CHANGED for the better!

Mary—named...in all the gospels

— When she met Jesus. He turned her worst of day(s) into the best of days.

Mark 16:9

Mary was a mess when she met Jesus

Luke 8:1–2

Demon-possession—taking over of a persons body

— a controlling behavior, influencing a person for bad—void of good.

Ephesians 2:2 “You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.”

We don’t know Mary’s pre-conversion story, how she got in this mess.

— Our messiness is not always our doing…but most of the times, our messiness is our mess!

My Life headed in a wrong direction

The Bible tells us that we either have the spirit of Christ in us, or the spirit of this world

Romans 8:5 “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.”

Meeting Jesus she was resurrected her from her old life to a new way to live. Becoming a woman of means, following Jesus and providing for his ministry.

Mark 15:41 “They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee.

This morning, Mary came to show her love for the one who changed her. Mary needed Jesus, just like we need Jesus, to change us for the BETTER, so we could live into God’s BEST!

16:3-4

(S9) — Second miracle

II. The stone was REMOVED

…not thinking ahead of how they would get to Jesus’ body

These woman were sensible, practical, not hysterical or easily deceived. They planned this mornings journey...It may seems that on this morning, logic goes out the window.

…“Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

When I first met Jenny (blind date). I was logically too old for her, being just out of high school, but emotion (love) won the day! Turned out pretty good!

How the stone was rolled into place across the tomb, on an incline, and in a deep channel, would have taken many men to move it.

16:4-5

The presence of the divine being…the presence of God—Big boulder, no problem! Just a pebble to God.

Stones (like this stone), represent what gets in the way of a life-giving relationaship with Jesus

— PRIDE

Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.”

—GUILT (Judas)

Romans 5:8 “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

— WEAKNESS/STRENGTH

1 Corinthians 1:27 “God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.”

— WORRY

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Do you have a boulder-size problem weighing you down, keeping you from having a loving, growing relationaship with Jesus?

(S10) — Easter is Good News because…

GOD STILL MOVES STONES

Not just stones, but boulders, cause their just pebbles to Him.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”

Following your emotions can turn out pretty good when you trust in Jesus. It did for the women…because God moved a big stone, making a way to see that Jesus was no longer dead.

16:6

(S11) — Third Miracle…

III. Jesus is NOT dead!

He is alive—”to be raised”

God moved the stone not so Jesus could get out, but to show he had been raised to life

So what? Lazarus did that...

—Lazarus still died

Jesus alive meant that death could not hold him. He was victorious over the grave.

1 Corinthians 15:55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

Are you concerned about what’s next…

Without Jesus we are destined to the grave. Without Jesus we are dead in our own sin.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(S12) —

With Jesus we are given—NEW LIFE IN CHRIST

— Life abundantly here and now...John 10:10

— The way to ETERNAL life! …John 3:16

A NEW life in Christ, CHANGED, made new, because stones are REMOVED. Beats the old life by far! The way to Peace—Joy—Love—Life everlasting

Jesus alive is the greatest news ever?

Because he...

— CHANGES us for the better (God’s best)

— Shows us the God who still REMOVES stones

— Jesus was NOT dead! He was alive

My worst day(s) turned into a best day(s) because I knew how much my mom loved me…more than that, because she loved Jesus!

(S13) — Jesus loves you this much…

He turns our WORST days, into the BEST days, because of the GREATEST NEWS ever, changing our lives FOREVER!

We only need to seek out Jesus like the women, only looking for a miracle, that he can change us (inside-out) and remove the stones that keep us from a saving relationship with him.

Jesus alive is the greatest news ever because Jesus is the GOOD NEWS!

Challenge/call

1. What change is needed in your life…for the BETTER

What’s holding you back from God’s best? Are you willing to see out Jesus?

2. What stones does God need to REMOVE?

3. Are you ready for a New Life offered in a relationaship with Jesus ALIVE?

Jesus changed Mary's life, turned her worst day in to her best days…he can do the same for you

God still moves stones, to remove your pride, guilt, weakness/strength, worry…the weight of any burden you carry

When the WORST day ever, turns into the BEST day ever , because of the GREATEST news ever, Jesus can change your life FOREVER!