April 17, 2022 - The Hope of Resurrection (John 20)

Well, welcome out. It's great to see everyone and everyone out there in the hallways too. I hope you can hear me. My name is Ryan, Rippey on the pastor of Trinity Church of Benicia here and it is my pleasure to welcome you to our very first service and that yeah.

And by way of introduction, I've lost my place here for a moment. So you'll have to not mind me. Yes. I'm preaching right now. That's what I'm doing. We shall see how this all goes. Yes. That's right. Thank you. That's what I meant to do. Children. Kindergarten Elementary school-aged all the way to 5th grade. You are free to be dismissed to your classroom out the door to the right, and that's what we're doing right now. Thank you. I appreciate that. I knew I was forgetting something and their people waving at you out their kids. You can join them and follow them out. And if you guys want to make a little more space, now that the kids are free. You're welcome to spread out. It's nice and warm in here, at least is up here on the stage. So

I think I'm going to scoot over, Gavin to this other Podium, because it's a little higher.

You still got me there? That's good. Right? But we're going to be in the Book of John chapter 20 here. And we're going to look at the hope of Resurrection out of this passage. In the word death, it has such a finality to it. Doesn't it? And brings with its sorrow and despair depression fear. Sometimes even hopelessness. And if we think about what has been happening to Jesus, disciples, the last 3 days, prior to Easter Sunday, this day that we're celebrating. Their lives have been a Trainwreck. At one of their own Judas had betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Peter, their leader had denied Jesus, three times. He crumbled under the questioning of a young girl. You think about that? He just he was the leader and he crumbled all of the disciples fled in fear. None stood by Jesus. They see their master who is given an unfair trial, whose beaten and mocked and paraded through the streets and he was executed by crucifixion. A horribly shameful way to die in the Roman Empire and he was buried in a borrowed tomb. And the Roman authorities sealed the tomb and posted a guard in the disciples were demoralized and fearful and hopeless. That's what we come to hear in John chapter 20. They had no reason to believe that Jesus would rise from the dead.

I mean, think about this just for a moment. As we think about this covid, the last couple years has been difficult. We had loved ones die. We might have you might have had loved ones, die of of other illnesses. We've had cancer, hit our family. We've had friends who died in other ways and the reality is when you go to those funerals and I've performed a few funerals the last couple years. There's a finality to that death. We don't expect them to get up out of the coffin. We don't expect them to get up out of the grave. It would shock our senses and so the disciples they had no reason to believe that Jesus was going to rise from the dead. And so here in John chapter 20. We want to look at the hope of Resurrection in what this did to the disciples, this morning this afternoon. I've been doing this morning for 20 years. I need to get used to this afternoon.

You're with me. You know what I'm talkin about. All right, so John chapter 21st, or going to see that the empty tomb produces faith. Faith, a producer's faith verses 1 to 10. No. On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early while it was still dark and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. And so she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved and said to him, they taken the Lord out of the Tomb. And we do not know where they laid him. So Peter went out with the other disciple and they were going toward the two men, both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran, Peter, and reach the tomb first and stooping to look in. He saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. And then Simon Peter came following him and went into the tomb and he saw the linen-closet lying there and the face cloth which has been on Jesus head not lying with the linen cloths, but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who would reach the tomb, first also went in and he saw and believed for his yet. They did not understand the scriptures that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes. And so, you have this situation where Mary and we know from the other gospel accounts that there were other women with her. They went to the tomb early in the morning, not because they thought he was risen. But to visit the tomb, And they see the stone rolled away. Marry here in this context in John 20, is the, the main actor. The one that John pulls out, and she sees the, the stone rolled away and she sneaks the glance in and realizes, there's nobody in there. So she goes in runs and tells the disciples and Peter, and the disciple whom Jesus, loved, which we know from the Gospel of John to be John, the author, they take off, running to see it themselves. And it says that John ran ahead of Peter probably because he was younger. Maybe Peter. It had a few too many fish sticks. On the Sea of Galilee is a fisherman. I don't know. But The point of it is not that he beat him to it. But rather their eagerness to see that and when they look in, They're shocked because the stone being rolled away removal wasn't easy or expected. The fact that the Lord was taken out of the Tomb inverse to that. We do not know where they've laid in Mary says, assuming his body was taken and moved for shady reasons, not knowing who moved it and then we're going to see him vs 3 to 10 that the disciples didn't fully understand the scriptures yet. That's what what John comments on in verse nine. That didn't quite get it. But they say there's this whole conversation about the linen closet in the face, cloth in the neatness in the placement of the Grave clothes. And what does proves is that the robbers didn't steal the body? There was no one stole the body because what we know from chapter 19, it was covered with seventy-five pounds of perfume and spices 1939. And the head covering was in a place by itself, which what this tells us if we could transport back to thousand years. It gives us a picture of Jesus rising from the dead removing the cloth from his face and folding it nicely to the side of the stone. Slab, where his body was lying. And then they verse 10, go back to their homes. At this point. The disciples don't fully understand the meaning of this yet, his death and Resurrection, but I want to focus in on verse 8 right here, for a second. Verse 8, says the disciple whom Jesus, loved John, he saw and believed. The Apostle John was beginning to put the puzzle pieces together and he believed the Jesus rose from the grave. He just didn't yet know that the scriptures had promised this scriptures like the one we read just a little bit ago out of Psalm 16, you will not abandon my soul to see all the grave or let your Holy One. See corruption or if we see the Jesus had made a comment in John Chapter 2 in and the Apostle John in writing. This gives us a little bit of information. Jesus, John 2:19.

He cleanses the temple, he drives out the money-changers. He restores worship for a brief period of time and then in verse 19, Jesus answers, the religious leaders and says destroy this Temple. And in three days, I'll raise it up. Then the Jews said, it's taken 46 years to build this Temple. Will you raise it up in 3 days? But he was speaking of the Temple of his body, John comments on verse 21 and then, therefore, he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that. He said this and they believe the scripture and the word Jesus had spoken. So it shall we see here that they're not quite putting all the puzzle pieces together, but back in John, chapter 20, I want you to see that the Apostle John as simple as it was. He exercised faith in verse a. He saw the Jesus was not there. That there was no way someone took his body that it must be that he was raised from the dead and he believed And so, the empty tomb produces the belief that the hope of the Resurrection gives us reason to believe part of faith in Jesus is believing that he not only died for our sins. But that he rose from the grave. You see? He's no courts. He's the Messiah of the Lord, whose Resurrection defeats sin and death, and he declares that he's bringing life to all and making all things new. And so, the empty tomb is exhibit a of Jesus, making all things new. And that's good news. This is why we celebrate its, why our timelines are flooded with. He is risen. And the church for hundreds of years in response to, he is risen, says he is risen. Indeed. Why? Because this is our hope. This is the hope of Resurrection. Well, then not only does the empty tomb produce hope, but Jesus is going to dinner. Three times. The first appearance of the Lord restores. Joy to marry verses 11 to 18. Let's read this together.

But Mary stood weeping outside the two-minute. She wept, she stooped to look into the tomb and she saw two angels and white sitting with the body of Jesus had Lain, one of the head and one of the feet and he said to her woman, why are you weeping? And she said to them, they'd taken away my Lord and I do not know where they've laid him, having said that she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that. It was Jesus. And Jesus said to her woman. Why are you weeping? Who are you seeking supposing him to be the gardener? She said to him, sir, if you carried him away, tell me where have you laid him? And I will take him away. And Jesus said to her, Mary. Mary. She turned and said to him and Aramaic rabboni, which means teacher. And Jesus said to her to not clean to me for I have not yet ascended to the father, but go to my brothers and say to them. I'm sending to my father and your father and to my God, and your God and Mary Magdalene went and announce to the disciples. I've seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her. Mary, she doesn't she gets a glimpse in the Tomb. Sees the body is gone and her grief is clouding. Her vision. In verse 30, you hear this question from the Angels. Why are you weeping and Jesus repeats it again to her. Why are you weeping now? I find it. Amazing that no comment is made regarding the Angels there just there in John's gospel in these aren't Precious Moments Angels. By the way. These are God's angels that are scary usually when they appear, but they're appearing to bring good news. That he's risen to a point not to themselves and their Glory. But to Jesus what she says, I don't know where they put him. She has no assumption that. He's risen from the dead. She you still assuming his body was taken and moved again. Probably for shady reasons. So she's consumed with the death of her Lord. She cannot imagine him alive, and she doesn't even recognize him when she turns in season. In verse 14. She says a 15 tell me where you laid him and I will take him away. Perhaps this Gardener she's supposed, or in a cemetery, worker is what we would think of. Maybe he move the body for some reason and she's hopeful that maybe the body is somewhere where I can go get it and bring it back to the tomb. After I was a borrowed too. Maybe we need to move the body into another grave. And Jesus says her name and his appearance to her restores her joy in verses 16 to 18. Can you imagine how warm and inviting Jesus is tone of voice must have been? When he said Mary, he had stayed in her house. He'd known her. He had forgiven her sins and she was a follower of Jesus.

And he says to her Mary and I can't help, but think in John's gospel is John, his writing this down. He's thinking about what he'd written down in John 10. When Jesus said, I am the Good Shepherd and the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep. And then he goes on to say in verse 27, my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. And as soon as Jesus says her name, she hears the voice of our savior and she says rabboni teacher. Jesus. Our teacher is standing outside of the Tomb and Shirley, all of his teaching must have made sense. All of a sudden. Why does she cry out teacher? She could have cried out, Lord. She could have cried out Master. She could have cried out to God. We're going to see Thomas say this later. My Lord and my God, but she says teacher. Why because all of his instruction, all of his pocket that he was going to die and be buried and Rise Again, to come to die for Sinners, so that they could have life, it all clicks and it all makes sense. And she said, teacher

He's standing outside of the Tomb. Risen from the dead. Now. They're seven. I am statements in the Gospel of John and John is he's putting this gospel together. Surely as soon as Jesus has risen from the dead and Mari says, teacher, it would bring to the mind, the heroes of this gospel. I'm the bread of life, his body broken on the cross brings life on the light of the world to the world lost in darkness. Jesus offers himself as a guide on the door of the sheep through Jesus is the only means of Safety and Security on the Good Shepherd. He cares for his sheep and he lays his life down on the cross for the Sheep. I am the resurrection and the life. John 11 death is not the final word for those who believe in Jesus. I'm the way the truth and the life Jesus is the way to God the Father. I am the True Vine by attaching ourselves. To Jesus abiding in Christ. We enable his life. The flow in and through us. A Jesus goes on to say something. Interesting to marry. He says do not cling to me. I am ascending. And the commentators have spilled a lot of Ink on this and you can read all sorts of theories as to why Jesus says, don't cling to me. I think it's completely understandable that Mary would never want to let go of Jesus. And in order. For Jesus to ascend. So that the holy the promised. Holy Spirit could come. Because Jesus said just said, in John 14 to 17. If I go, I go to prepare a place for you and I'll send another helper. Who's not only going to be with you is going to be in you. And it's going to be the promise of the father is going to be the gift of the father. I'm going to ask the father to send him. And so Jesus is saying, Mary, don't cling on to me yet. I know you love me. She's probably cleaning on to him. And he says, okay, stop cleaning on to me. I need to go Ascend to my father. So the spirit can come and all of the hope of the Resurrection can happen. All of the New Covenant promises could be fulfilled. You see the hope of Resurrection, gives us a great reason for Joy rather than grief. It establishes. Jesus saving power and presents, not only through his death, but through his resurrection and Ascension to the right hand of the father.

Saint John chapter 10, the introduction, John tells us to all who did receive Jesus. Who believed in his name. He gave the right to become children of God. Who were born, not of the, not a blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of, man. But of God. And then in John 3:16 is Nicodemus. You have to be born from the spirit born from above and John chapter 14 of the woman at the well, you need to Worship in the spirit and in truth and a John 14217. Jesus says I'm going to send the spirit to be with you to bring all of the hope. All of the promises, all of the blessings of God to you to your experience and Mary is hearing Jesus. Say I must have send to my father. And she's thinking, that's right. So that the spirit could come and what is Jesus doing at the right hand of the father right now? Because right now, there is the man Christ Jesus alive and resurrected in seated, at the right hand of the father. He's ruling and reigning with the greatest Authority and he's interceding for us as a high priest. We are completely forgiven. We are completely brought into the kingdom of God. We will never be lost. We will never be forsaken. Why? Because we have a savior who has risen and I'm seated at the right hand of the father and all of God's promises are yes, and amen in him because he lives forever. He's always able to intercede for us. He's the best kind of lawyer you could ever have. You see all those Old Testament? Priests their lawyer needed a lawyer.

They were all guilty. And even if they were as good as you could be in an Earthly standard, they all died and they needed a new lawyer. The lawyers went out of practice. But Jesus because he is resurrected in seated. At the right hand of the father. He lives forever and he's interceding for us forever. This what we sang about that his wounds are the promise that we are forgiven and we have life in Christ. This is why Mary has great. Joy. It's a celebration. Hallelujah. Amen. Well, the second appearance of Jesus to the disciples, brings lasting peace verses 19 to 23 of chapter 20 on the evening of that day. So, this is Sunday the Lord's day. We call it. Now the first day of the week. That first day in the evening. This is all happened in one day. The door's been locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, peace be with you. And when he said this, he showed them his hands in his side and then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord and Jesus said to them again, peace be with you as a father sent me. So even I am sending you and when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit, if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. And if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is with held Again, the disciples were in fear. Peter and John and seeing the empty tomb, John and believed but the disciples, I mean, I heard Alistair Begg in a sermon on this day that there were ten of them, which is enough for a soccer team to field a team anyway, but no plans are winning. Being down. The doors are locked. They're in fear. What an irony that the greatest day in history. Jesus followers are hiding in fear behind locked doors rather than celebrating.

And so, Jesus appears in their midst again, not much, it made about this miracle of Jesus, getting through locked doors, and he says, to them, peace, be with you. And what he says is, even more important than his miraculous appearing in their midst. Why? Because when he says to them, Shalom, peace be with you. He's reminding them that he's the promised Prince of Peace of Isaiah 96. He's the one who makes Peace by the blood of his cross, Paul's going to write that later in Colossians 1:20. And when he says this, he shows them his hands in his side, in verse 20. Now. This is more than simply proof of his identity. He showing them the source of their peace with God. What is the source? My hands were pierced for your sins. My body was pierced for your sins. My blood was shed for your sins, you are now at peace with God. It's a substitution. It's a great exchange on the cross. This is what the prophet Isaiah had said, in Isaiah 53. He was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities upon him. Was the chastisement that brought us peace. And by his wounds, we are healed. Paul in 1st Corinthians, 15 makes this really important point about the resurrection. He says it's a first importance that Christ not only died for our sins, according to the scriptures and then he was very, but then he rose again, but he goes on to say later, in chapter 15, if Christ is not raised, then our hope is in vain and we have people to be most pitied. But he says No, in fact Christ was raised and he goes on to list all the people. He appeared to to witness the resurrection 500 at one time.

The good news of this peace with God, is the message that we see here when he says peace be with you. Our sins were placed on to Jesus at the cross. And Jesus took those sins upon his body. So that we might have his righteousness. So, when the father looks at us, he no longer sees our sins. He sees the righteousness of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the good news of the Gospel is, you can receive this gift not by works. Not by doing good things. But by faith, simply by believing the Jesus died and was buried in Rose. Again, or what happens to the disciples verse 20, then the disciples were glad that's an understatement. That's like having teenage kids and they're happy. You know what? It's they lift their eyes from the cell phone. They're happy. They're glad know, they're celebrating their rejoicing. Their Fear is turned into joy and celebration. But Jesus doesn't stop there in verse 21. He says, as the father has sent me, I'm sending you is not just about proving the resurrection of Jesus. It's about equipping, the disciples to go take this. Good news to the ends of the Earth. This message that Jesus is giving the disciples and sending them to Proclaim is a message of peace. Peace with God and peace with men and women. Peace with others. Then he breathes on them and it's this. Interesting, verse 22, when he says receive the Holy Spirit. Again, the commentaries there's a ton of writing on this. And is it trying to replace the day of Pentecost is a sort of a Proto Pentecost. Is it a promise of what's to come later? And we don't have time to dig into all of that and it's not the main point of my message today. But what I want you to see is that Jesus is keeping his promise to empower his disciples in their mission. So you just given them their marching orders and he says I'm giving you the gift of the Holy Spirit, the one in John 6:63, who is the Lord and give life, and he's going to empower you to do this work. He had promised them in the upper room in John 16, that the spirit was going to guide them into all the truth to give us the New Testament that we have that we were hearing from these words that the Apostle John wrote this afternoon while he wrote them, two thousand years ago. They were reading this afternoon. On this first Resurrection Day. The Lord's Day Jesus. Transformed his followers. Fear with the promise of forgiveness and true lasting peace with God and he commanded them and us as well to participate. By the power of the spirit is mentioned that he received from the father. There's one more appearance and it's a famous One doubting Thomas. In fact, it's in our dictionaries. What a doubting Thomas is

Is someone who just refuses to believe the evidence is what our dictionary says, but that's not exactly what's going on with Thomas here. This third appearance to Thomas, generates worship, one of the 12 called the twin. Was with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him we've seen the Lord, but he said to them, unless I see his hands and Mark. In his hands, the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails and placed my hand into his side. I will never believe. 8 Days Later, his disciples were inside again and Thomas was with them and all the other doors were locked. Jesus came and stood among them and said peace be with you. They said to Thomas, put your fingers here and see my hands and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe and Thomas answered him. My Lord. And my God, and Jesus said to him, have you believe, because you've seen me. Blessed? Are those who have not seen and yet have believed not Thomas? Again. This is quite normal, what we would expect if it, if you were to hear a report that one of your loved ones had raised from the dead. And you've been there at the, at the cemetery, you'd seen the grave and the gravestone and you wouldn't believe it. even if some of your dearest friend said all we song, You didn't know, no, I got to see it for myself. But if we saying, I want to see for myself, I want to put my fingers in his hands and put my hand in his side.

And yet when Jesus appears the next Sunday. Eight days. Later, is the next Sunday. The way the Jewish people counted days was including the first day, so it's the next Sunday. Jesus appears again to Devon. And Thomas, doesn't stick his finger in Jesus hands or place his hand in his side. What does he do? When Jesus says old? I heard you Thomas. I heard what you said, why don't you go ahead? And stick your finger in my hand. He just falls down and worship. And he says my Lord, and my God.

He says, do not disbelieve. Jesus says to Thomas but believe in this is exactly what happens. Thomas's doubt is turned into belief. He sees his savior. He says my Lord. And my God, he burst forth and worship. And this is what the Gospel of John has been saying from the very beginning and John 1:1 in. The beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. So who is this one? Who has died for us? He's not just a perfect man who lived a perfect life who died in our place? Yes, that's true. But he's also fully God. The second person of the Trinity, the Eternal Son of God. And what we hear in this statement, when Thomas says my Lord, and my God, he's understanding. When you died for us. You really accomplish what you said you would do. And the resurrection is the proof of it. You see, Eternal Son of God, Jesus. The Eternal Sun of God, became the incarnates, Son of God. So that we might become adopted Sons and Daughters of God, isn't it? Glorious news? And then Jesus tells Thomas and this is getting tied to the mission. He says, have you believe because you've seen me? Blessed? Are those who have not seen and yet, believe, what's he telling, so I'm going to send you on Mission. I'm an Empower you with the Holy Spirit and you're going to tell people who never see me, and they're going to believe. And guess what? It's like, one of the Beatitudes in The Sermon, on the Mount blessed. Are those who believe in Jesus, though. They've never seen him and that word blessed. You know, that word means happy. It's not a big theological word. It means you're happy. Happy are those

I've never seen him. In fact, Peter the Apostle writes in his first letter in chapter 1 verses 8. And 9, though. You've not seen him, you love him and though you do not see him but believe in him and rejoice with joy. That is inexpressible in full with Glory your obtaining the outcome of your face, the salvation of your souls. This should bring you great joy as we celebrate today. Because as We Gather in this room, and if you're believing in Jesus, you have a hope in a savior, who's not dead. He's Alive.

And it should make you happy. Christian, should be happy people.

Well, the question comes down to the last two verses. Even though they had no reason to believe their doubt and their fear and their grief was turned to Faith in joy and worship. The question here at the end. John says, here's the reason I wrote all of this as well as the rest of the book first 30. Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in his name. So the question is, will you believe? John is offering a genuine invitation to receive life and I I find it somewhat ironic John probably wrote this in the 90s. So Jesus if if we take the traditional date and he died somewhere around 38, 32 33 ad, John is riding his gospel about sixty years later is an old man. Remember he was the young one who had outran Peter at the beginning and end some commentators think that maybe John was a teenager when he was a disciple of Jesus, considering how long he lived and John had been in that upper room and ski a bin at Pentecost. And he did receive the spirit and he knew he was going to be a witness of this gospel, then, he'd spread the gospel and he'd been imprisoned on a prison Island in Patmos and he preached in Ephesus and he had done all of this and he's telling this good news in the Gospel of John and he says, hey, you know what, I could have told you a bunch of other stories. I find it. Isn't that what old men like to do in their 90's is tell stories and John says, I could have told you a bunch of other stories, but these things right here are written that. You might believe that Jesus is the Christ and by believing have life in his name. And what is this belief? This belief is in the person and work of Jesus believing that he is the Christ. That's not his last name. By the way, that's his title. He's the Messiah. He's the anointed one. The promised one that God promised to send from the very beginning. A hero who would make all things new. This is why John 3:16 that verse that we love says God, the Father soul of this Fallen world that he gave his only begotten son, his eternal son became an incarnate son, so that we might not perish but have eternal life, whoever believes in him. Whoever this message is for anybody. This gospel is for anybody. I'm a Leo boy, I'm going to lean on that a lot and make jokes about being from Vallejo. Now, I did grow up on this side of Vallejo, so don't hold that against me, the nice side of Leo Wright. God can save anyone. Who? So, ever believes? This is the good news of the Gospel. None of us are Out Of Reach of the life that God promises in the gospel of his son. The good news of his son. Who became a man and lived, a perfect life and died is substitutionary, death, but didn't stay buried in the grave. He rose on the third day. This day, we celebrate and he seated at the right hand of the father and he's interceding for us and he's drooling and raining with the greatest Authority and he's coming back to get us and he's going to make all things new and is going to be no more sorrow and no more tears and no more death and no more grief. No more war. You can make all things new.

We can have life in Christ. We can know, God, the Father and Jesus whom he sent it back. That's the meaning of life. We're now a part of the family in Christ. Why We Sing Abba, Father? He is our Father in heaven with John. 20 is a beautiful dramatic, portrayal of the problem of faith. You see these four pictures, don't you, you see each this problem of Faith gives greater and greater to some degree moving from the Beloved disciples, natural Faith with an empty tomb. To marry sorrow and the disciples fear in the upper room in Thomas's doubt. And each seems to be a more severe problem. That why would I believe that he's risen in each case. Jesus meets their need head on and he turns their life around and the results become greater in each instance. So that Thomas the one who's got the greatest doubt is one who gives the most profound statement, my Lord. And my God, This one that we worship. Peter and John possessed, the evidence of the Tomb, Mary experiences and encounter with the Risen. Jesus, the disciples experience, not only Jesus, but the Holy Spirit, Thomas demands, the same evidence and he receives it. Jesus gives him what he demands. And yet the Most Blessed In this passage or none of them. In verse 21, the most blessed are those who do not see and believe and the hope of the Resurrection gives you. And I great reason to believe it gives you an i great. Joy because it brings us an offer of peace with God, the Father, through our Lord, Jesus Christ, and our response, should be like, Thomas to worship him today as Lord. And God, the one who gives us life by the spirit in his name, and his wife, John writes. These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and by believing, you may have life in his name. That spray father. Thank you for this word in this. Hope this is what we celebrate today. Father. Your son is raised from the dead and seated at your right hand. The grave could not hold him death, could not keep him. He's alive. And this is our joy, and our hope. This is the hope of the Resurrection. That just as Jesus has been raised. We too will be raised to newness of life to be absent. From the body, is to be present with the Lord Jesus Christ, and he's coming back to make all things new and even death. The Last Enemy will be destroyed and put under his feet forever. And we're going to be with you forever, and you haven't left us as orphans. You've given us your spirit.

You've given us yourself to Endwell has the Triune God in us, empowering us to say notice, in in to become more like Jesus. And to see you for who you really are father. Oh, I pray for this church. This new work. We don't want our Name In Lights. We don't want it to be about us. We want it to be about Jesus. We wanted to be about his glory. We want to be about, proclaiming his gospel, bringing. Hope to people who are broken and herd immunity. I'm so father. May you take these? Simple efforts. This work, this labor and may you bear the fruit you Delight to use? Clay pots.