Easter 2026

Jesus is Alive

John 20:19-22

Today is a very special day in much of Christendom

This day is a celebration of the day that everything changed.

Never again would the world be as it had been.

Time before has come to be known as BC

Now our time is AD or CE

In BC we were counting down to this time.

Now we are counting up from this day.

We celebrate the coming of Jesus on Christmas

We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter.

Pray

The Crucifixion

Relate the story of Jesus’ tragic death and burial. John 19:16-42

It begins on Thursday night with...

The Arrest

The Trial before the Chief Priest

On Friday

The trial before Pilate

The beating

Golgotha

Nailed to the cross

His clothing divided among the Roman soldiers

His last words include,

“Father Forgive them”

“It is Finished”

He died

The Burial

Joseph of Arimathea

A borrowed tomb

Saturday had to have been a horrendous day for the Disciples

What do we do now,

What of Judas?

Who will lead us, teach us?

I am certain sleep was not easy on Friday or Saturday nights.

The Resurrection

Then the story of the empty tomb John 20:1-18

The women’s discovery

The run by Peter and John

Mary’s discovery near the tomb of the “Gardner”

The empty tomb was quite the discovery

The disciples traveling to Eumaeus

How their ears burned as the fellow traveler taught them fo the prophecies.

When their eyes were opened They went immediately back to the upper room.

But that is only the beginning...

Jesus Is Alive

That evening they were in the upper room

John 20:19 NASB 95

19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

This was the first time many of His disciples saw Him alive.

He was there in the room with them.

Even though the doors and windows were shut.

John 20:20–22 NASB 95

20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was alive and He wanted all His disciples to know peace.

Jesus walked with the disciples for 40 days Acts 1:3

Acts 1:3 NASB 95

3 To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

Jesus was very much alive and many people witnessed His life after crucifixion.

For 40 days he appeared to them speaking of the Kingdom of God.

He then ascended into heaven in their presence

Acts 1:9–11 NASB 95

9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Everyday since then has been a celebration of easter, the resurrection of Our Lord.

You see the cross on Friday was the punishment, the sacrifice for all sin, past and present.

Those in the OT were awaiting this but they could only believe it would happen.

We in the NT see that it has happened so all sin is forgiven as a gift to all men.

As with any gift it must be recieved.

Have you ever been given a gift?

How did you receive it?

There had to be some way that you took or accepted that gift.

The gift of Jesus can be received in many ways.

The thief on the cross is an example of one way.

No prayer

No baptism

No discipleship

No devotional every morning

Not even any tithing

Simply a recognition of who Jesus is and a request, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” Luke 23:42

Luke 23:42 NASB 95

42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!”

Jesus’ response,

Luke 23:43 NASB 95

43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

Jesus did it all

Saul recieved the gift of Jesus when someone told him of this gift. Acts 9:17-19

Soon he was known as Paul.

He began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues.

Many have recieved Jesus’ gift after or during prayer.

But there is no formula to receive the gift.

The result though is always a changed life.

How else can you describe Saul killing Christians to becoming the most prolific writer of the NT?

What is different about you now, from before you received the gift of Jesus?

Jesus is alive and He changes everything.

Conclusion:

Jesus is alive!!

That is only the beginning

Jesus changes any who believe

Jesus guides all who will listen.

Jesus heals as He sees fit.

Jesus provides all our needs.

If Jesus has not changed your heart let Him do so today.

Our closing/invitational hymn is One Day 193

193 One Day

1. One day when heaven was filled with His praises,  One day when sin was as black as could be,  Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin,  Dwelt among men, my example is He!

 Refrain:  Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;  Buried, He carried my sins far away;  Rising, He justified freely forever:  One day He's coming - O glorious day!

2. One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain,  One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;  Suffering anguish, despised and rejected:  Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He!  (Refrain)

3. One day they left Him alone in the garden,  One day He rested, from suffering free;  Angels came down o'er His tomb to keep vigil;  Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He!  (Refrain)

4. One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,  One day the stone rolled away from the door;  Then He arose, over death He had conquered;  Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!  (Refrain)

5. One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,  One day the skies with His glories will shine;  Wonderful day, my beloved One bringing;  Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!

Refrain:  Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;  Buried, He carried my sins far away;  Rising, He justified freely forever:  One day He's coming - O glorious day!

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 NASB 95

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.