Easter 2026

Opening prayer We’re grateful to be here this morning. We’re grateful for the Easter season. We’re grateful for the cross. We’re grateful for your kindness and mercy. We’re mindful of those hurting physically and emotionally today. Would you draw them close to you? Would you give them healing? We’re mindful of those worshipping in secret today. Would you protect them? Help us to rejoice as children of God as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Help our minds to be captured by Jesus more than events around the world. Help us to worship the King of kings and Lord of lords today.

Would you draw us into your presence and make yourself known to us as we gather together?

May Jesus Christ be praised, Amen! Sermon begins here I love Easter for two reasons. The first reason ~ It’s resurrection Sunday, the day we celebrate that Jesus not only died on a cross as payment for our sins, but he walked out of a grave refusing to allow death to win. The second reason ~ Easter comes when the seasons are changing. We live in part of the world where much of creation shows few signs of life for about six months of the year. The weeks surrounding Easter is an opportunity to experience a rebirth of all that was dormant during a long winter.

The screen says “come alive.” Spring invites creation to come alive physically. There is more daylight. The grass begins to grow. The trees blossom. The landscaping looks fresh. People spend more time outside. Easter invites people to come alive spiritually. Some of us feel like our relationship with Jesus has been in the darkness of winter for months or years. Some of us would benefit from the rebirth of a new season with Jesus. Some of us need the simple reminder to celebrate that death has not won and you are not a spiritual zombie. The cross and the empty grave is our ticket to being alive in Christ.

Every person in this room needs the simplicity of the gospel every day. We need to be careful that we do not complicate what Jesus did for us.

Let’s look at three actions that will help you come alive in Christ.

Cling to the good news of the cross

1 Corinthians 15:1–3 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

Paul’s message in 1 Corinthians 15 was a familiar message to the Corinthian church. For many Americans, a message of the cross has been heard at least partially. However, many Americans have never heard the gospel message of the cross as payment for our sin, redemption of our guilt and shame, and a forever life with Jesus. Friends, that’s good news!

According to the Bible, Jesus had dinner with this closest friends. After dinner, they went to a secluded place so Jesus could pray. At that location, Jesus was falsely accused and arrested. He was brought to the Jewish leaders for 12 hours of court that was manipulated with untruthfulness. In order to satisfy the Jewish community, the Roman governor gave orders for Jesus to be tortured, humiliated and barely left alive. That wasn’t enough and the Jewish people insisted that he be crucified. The Romans made him carry own cross until he could no longer do so. With the assistance of an innocent bystander, they continued to usher Jesus outside the city gates to a location that was visible for all people. Their goal was a suffocating, humiliating death on a cross. The soldiers mocked him, spit on him, and continued to torture his body. The soldiers hung Jesus on a cross and for the next three hours, he would endure unbearable pain as he persevered in his mission to be a ransom for the sins of the world. Jesus had the power to come down from the cross any time he wanted. Instead, He demonstrated the power and perseverance to cling to the cross as he carried the weight of our sin. John 19:30 says, “Jesus said, ‘It is finished’ and bowed his head and gave up his spirit” In the next few hours, Jesus was wrapped and placed in a borrowed tomb. “It is finished” provides the power and perseverance that you and I need to cling to the cross.

Look at verse 1 - I remind you, brothers. Paul’s next words are loving, kind and gracious reminders. You have heard the gospel. You have received the gospel. You have been saved by the gospel. You continue to be saved by the gospel. You have future hope in the gospel. Friends, cling to the good news of the gospel. Look at verses 3-4. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was buried and was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. He appeared to lots of people.

Maybe you’re here today and you’ve heard the gospel and even said a prayer, but you don’t feel like Jesus makes any difference in your life. The end of verse 2 is for you. Maybe you believed in vain. Maybe you said a prayer without receiving the gospel into your life. Good news always make a difference to the person who receives it.

How can you know for sure? If you are a true believer, the good news of the cross chases you. Jesus pursues his children. Jesus clings to his children. We cannot cling to Jesus without him clinging to us. When the good news of the cross penetrates our life - we cannot avoid it and we cannot remove it. We receive it and cling to it.

Maybe you’re wondering if it’s too late for you. Let me tell you about a last-minute salvation story. There was a guy who lived his entire life without Jesus. Profanity was normal. Cheating was normal. Stealing was normal. Abusing people was normal. Murder was an acceptable solution. He was eventually arrested for his crimes, prosecuted and sentenced to death. In what would be his final days, he turned to Jesus and said, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom!”

The response to that man is the same response that Jesus would give to you. “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in paradise.” While three guys were being crucified, one of them rejected Jesus and one of them received good news. Thy guy in the middle of it all was the one offering redemption. Titus 3:4–5 says, “when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit”

Celebrate that Jesus walked out of the tomb

1 Corinthians 15:4–7 ESV

4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

Without the resurrection, last week’s coronation is a sham! Jesus cannot be king and savior from a tomb.

Without the resurrection, the power of the gospel is eliminated, the deity of Christ is false, salvation from sin and the free gift of eternal life is not possible.

Without the resurrection, Christianity becomes the same as every other religion and human philosophy.

But the resurrection did happen and Christianity is unlike other religions. Our God walked out of a tomb and lives so that we may have life. Luke 24 talks about a group of ladies that were walking to the tomb early on a Sunday morning with burial spices. They found an empty tomb. They were spoken to by angels. They were terrified. They ran to the disciples for help. Over the next few days, Jesus made himself known to all of them and many more. Their mourning turned into excitement. Their discouragement became joy. Their eyes were opened and their anxiety was calmed. Their fear was transformed into boldness.

Not only could they celebrate the past, but they became hopeful for the future. Paul included that most of them were still alive and likely willing to share their story. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ had stood firmly over the test of time and will continue to do so for all time.

Are you worried about the future? Is your hopeful future fading? Are you discouraged? Do you lack an excitement for Jesus? Are you missing a boldness for Christ? Follow the footsteps of those ladies ~ run to those who followed Jesus for help. Be truthful about your situation and lean into the power of resurrection that transforms lives.

Trust that God’s grace gives life and hope

1 Corinthians 15:8–10 ESV

8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

Look at verse 9. The Corinthians could have asked many of the people in verses 5-7 about their story, but Paul leans into his own story. He admitted that he wasn’t worthy to follow Christ because of his past. He persecuted the church. His mission was to protect his own religion and eliminate anybody in the way.

But’s God’s grace…God’s grace has changed lives, is changing lives and will continue to change lives. Paul told them that God’s grace is the sustaining factor in his life. God’s grace made him who he is. God’s grace gave Paul a new mission. God’s grace allowed him to advance the gospel. God’s grace used Paul to offer the hope of Jesus Christ. Paul made every effort, as much as it depended on him, to ensure the grace that God gave him had results.

Friends, that is not grace that we simply read about. That grace is the same grace that we are invited to live in as followers of Jesus Christ. Maybe you need that reminder today. Maybe you need that invitation today.

The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is for you and me. God’s grace is for you and me. The free gift of salvation is for you and me.

Ephesians 2:8–10 - “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Romans 10:13 - “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

2 Corinthians 6:2 “today is the day of salvation.”

If you would like to receive this free gift of salvation, you can silently pray the prayer on the screen.