Finally, Some Good News

Can anybody agree that its been rough lately? 1. A Rolled away Stone

The stone was rolled away. Let me tell you a little bit about the stone. The type of stone that was put in front of Jesus tomb could range between 4-6 feet in circumference, weighing between 1-2 tons. It would have taken two men to roll the stone into place. But, placing the stone was not the issue, rolling it away was. The stone was rolled into a groove about 1 foot deep and would be sandwiched in by another wall. So to roll it way would require hand grips on the outside only, plus the additional strength of more men to get it out the groove in the first place. Then to add insult to injury they sealed the stone on the tomb with a Roman seal, which involved ropes, knots, and wax. Nothing gets in. Nothing gets out. This is where the Power of God comes into play. With no help God sent an angel to get him out. (Rise and Shine Jesus) I don’t know if he took his finger and pointed. I don’t know if he took his hand and waved. I don’t know if he spoke a word. I don’t know if he just thought and it rolled away. What I do know is that he removed the obstacle that man had placed in the way. There it is, that’s the word. There was an obstacle, a stone in the way. And Jesus didn’t let it get in his way. The stone’s what was keeping him away…Death from life …isolation from his family …cross from his crown …past from his future …judgment from justification …oppression from liberation …sin from salvation I wasn’t even mad when they put the stone there in the first place. Why? Because I’m a bible reader. I know that large stones don’t work on the people of God. 2. A Resurrected Savior

So they get there and the find that the tomb has been open. As they enter in the tomb they notice something aint right. Something is mission. Jesus’ body, its gone. Jesus is not there. Now as far as they know somebody has the body because they got there looking for a dead Jesus. And its this reason why the angels had to address them with the question, “why are you looking for the living among the dead?” The angels are surprised. They are asking a real question and they don’t understand. The angels heard what Jesus said to them, and so they are asking, “why are you here? This tomb is vacant because Jesus aint using it anymore.” Did you hear what I Just said. See this thing of a resurrected savior is what sets Christianity, which is a relationship with Jesus his people, apart from the religions of the world. It’s the vacancy of the tomb that sets us apart. Everybody has a holy book, everybody has moral code and ethics, everybody has a leader, everybody has philosophy and ideology, everybody has a worldview, but only the Church has a Resurrected Savior. Abraham’s…Moses’…Zoroaster’s…Maccabee’s…Nero’s…Buddah’s…Confucious’… Mohammad’s…Adolph Hitler…Every single Pope’s…Joseph Smith’s…Charles Russell…Mary Baker Eddie…Elijah Muhammad’s…Jim Jones(kool aid)…David Koresh Now let me stop here to help somebody. At times we wonder why our situation is not changing or we wonder why God isn’t fixing it. Well maybe we need to stop looking where God was and try and figure out where he is taking you. (Preach where God leads) 3. A Reminder of what He Said

Remember what he said (Run with Scriptures on remembering what He said) The next thing is to actually think and remember. They know what he said, they saw what he did, now look for whats next. (Run for stone was rolled the women, then for us)

4. Recite The Story

They buried Him. They sealed Him. They thought it was over. Hell started celebrating. Demons started dancing. Darkness thought it had finally won. Because Friday said, “It is finished.” Saturday said, “It’s silent.” But they didn’t understand… Sunday was coming. And the Bible says… “Early… while it was still dark…” Before the sun showed up… Before the world woke up… Before hope had a chance to breathe again… God was already moving. Can I preach it like I feel it? The stone wasn’t rolled away so Jesus could get out— the stone was rolled away so YOU could see in. See, death thought it had Him… the grave thought it could hold Him… but on the third day, Jesus got up with all power in His hands. Power over death. Power over hell. Power over the grave. Power over everything that tried to bury you. And here’s the shout— If He got up… then anything dead in your life can get up too. That dream you buried—get up. That joy you lost—get up. That peace that walked out—get up. That calling you gave up on—get up. Because resurrection isn’t just an event… it’s a declaration. God is saying: “I’m not finished.” “I’m not done.” “It’s not over.” You may have had a Friday. You may be in a Saturday. But I came to declare— Sunday is here. So don’t you leave here defeated. Don’t you leave here doubting. Don’t you leave here thinking the story ends in a grave. Because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead… is still moving is still saving is still healing is still delivering right now. And if you believe it— if you know He got up— if you know the grave couldn’t hold Him— And because He got up… WE GET UP TOO.

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