Never Lost From God

Easter is really about hope and you realize that when you remember a time when you lost hope. (Hopeless; not gonna happen=putting the desk together)

Easter is really about hope and you realize that when you remember a time when you lost hope. (Hopeless; not gonna happen=putting the desk together)

Hope is a powerful thing. To know there is something you have that is beyond what you see in this life.

It’s risky to hope. Hope for loved one to overcome an addiction, relationship falls apart. It’s harder to hope and lose that hope than to never have hoped at all.

The disciples felt the same way. They gave up everything to follow Him and He died on the cross and their hope was gone.

Luke 24:13–24 NLT

13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.” 19 “What things?” Jesus asked. “The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago. 22 “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

When we lose hope there is nothing else to look forward to.

Easter is about hope!

Rats in water swam for about an hour and that was it.

Rats in another tub and was given breaks and they swam for 24 hours.

Difference? They had hope and evidence that someone was going to rescue them from their situation.

Jesus came to rescue us! The empty tomb is proof of that. There were many messiahs that came before Jesus and since Jesus but only Jesus is the one who died and also rose from the dead! Jesus was seen by hundreds of people!

Hope gives us a rock solid certainty. It tells us that Jesus was who He said He was! We don’t need an I hope so but we need an I know so certainty! It changes how you look at today and the future.

So what does the empty tomb mean?

God has defeated death!

(1 Corinthians says death has been swallowed up in victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!)

Story of dad and girl in car with bee and girl is allergic to bees and she is scared.

Jesus took the sting of death for us!

We need a new start!

Move on from broken promises, bad decisions, our past, etc.

I took a break from putting that desk together and came back later with a new start/perspective and was able to finish it.

(Isaiah says I am doing a new thing)

We are no longer lost!

Not just a geographical problem but a relational and emotional problem (Psalms says no one cares for my life)