Easter Service

how our whole Christian faith hinges upon this one day, this one historic event where our king who was crucified, our savior who was hung on a cross, as the song said, in three days, three days he rose. And the question is, what does that mean for each and every one of us sitting here today? I think it's imperative that we realize that Jesus rising wasn't just a day, it wasn't just a historic event, it was those things, but it didn't stop there. The question is, what does his resurrection mean for you? How does his resurrection impact your life? If I had to talk from a title today, I'll give the message, the title today is time to come alive. It's time to come alive. I don't do this often, but just because it's Easter Sunday, could you look at the person next to you and tell them it's time? Now, I know it's a lot of visitors in the room. Look to the other person on the other side and just tell them it's time, it's time. It's time to come, I love, who was the baby that said that? She said, it's time, do you know what time it is? It's time to come alive. I didn't tell this story to the first service, but I think about a moment, it was just a funny moment when I was in high school. I had a friend, and this friend of mine, he was just, I'll try to be polite, I hope he's not watching this

all these years later. I had a friend in high school who was just a liar. You ever, you got some people who just lie for no reason? Just, this dude, the wild part about it is, none of us who was around him actually knew he was a liar. This dude just had some really amazing stories. And I remember all throughout high school, whenever it was report card time, this dude never had his report card. Anytime it was time for report cards and we getting our report cards and we showing it to each other, we was like, where's yours? He was like, oh, I got my report card two weeks ago. Got it two weeks, he's always in the principal's office. We're like, why are you in the principal's office? He's like, oh, I'm working with him on some future plans. We're like, this dude is the man. This guy is amazing. And so I remember this one specific day, it's at, we're seniors now in high school. For those who don't know, I'm from Brooklyn, New York. Brooklyn, with the Easter Sunday shout out. I remember this one day in a way our school did it in Brooklyn, I'm not sure if they do it like that out here, but back home, how they did it was, especially if you came from a bad high school like I did, they moved all the seniors into this auditorium quite like this. And they said, if we say your last name,

we need you to go to the office. So we knew that meant if they said your last name, that meant you wasn't graduating. And they just didn't wanna give you the bad news in front of everybody. So we remember me and all of my boys, we just sitting there cause we was some clowns in high school. So we just hoping we did enough to not hear our name called. We was all hanging by a thread, none of us really knew. So we're all just sitting there and we're listening. It's in ABC order. And so they get past all the A's. And so my guys who last name begin with an A, they all celebrate like, yeah, I'm good. My hold on, hold on, hold on, man. We all gotta make it through. My last name begins with a C, my last name is Cody. So when they get to the D's, I didn't hear Cody. I'm like, I did it y'all, we good, but hold on, hold on. We wait for our other guy. But everybody's like, oh, this guy's good. We good, we can start celebrating. But when we just wait a little bit and then they say, I'm not gonna say his last name now. But when it gets to his last name, they say his last name. And we all was like, what? Him? There gotta be a mistake. That must mean that all of us who's sitting in the room that must mean we're not graduating

because this dude got straight A's. This dude was always in the principal's office. How is this dude not graduating? Now all of our hearts are beating and we're like oh man we cook. And when he leaves and goes to the office we're just all kind of like looking at him like what happened? We start talking to each other again. We was like didn't he get all A's? You're like yeah well at least that's what he told us. We're like how do you think about it? Did anybody ever see his report card? It's like I think about it no. They're like he was always in the principal's office. We're like maybe it wasn't for anything good. We're like hold up. We start thinking through other things that he said. Like remember when he said that he had all this money he was supposed to give it to us. We never we never got the money. Remember he said he was going to buy his girlfriend a dog and he came up with all these stories. Why? He never everything this everything this dude said was a lie. And we just start sitting there thinking about everything he said. It's like man it was all one big lie. This dude is the biggest fraud in our high school history. And we just started looking at this dude different every time I see him to this day on on social media and I just shake my head. I can't believe this dude. Why am I saying this story? Because it reminds me in a different way of this story of Jesus being resurrected from the dead. Dude if there is one thing that had an impact on everything it was the fact that Jesus rose from the dead. Because if Jesus rose from the dead that means everything the dead that means everything else he ever said was true. If Jesus rose from the dead that mean he's coming back again. If Jesus rose from the dead that mean I can put all my hope all my trust in him. If he rose from the dead that means what he said was true. What he says he will never leave me alone. Although I may feel lonely I know I'm not alone because he said I will never leave you nor forsake you. If he rose from the dead this has major implications for my life, for your life, for your children's life, for generations beyond your life. And so when we celebrate today we celebrate it not just the fact that he rose because yes he rose but it's what it means going forward. Everything changes and I want to read this one scripture to you in first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 58. Paul for those who don't know Paul wrote this to the Corinthians church and then the church in Corinth and if you study how Paul writes look at scriptures like Romans 8. Paul often starts with a main idea. The main idea in first Corinthians 15 is the resurrection of Christ and the way Paul writes he goes deep into it.

If he rose this is what this means, this changes, this happens, we all have access to resurrection power. He goes deep into it. 58 verses and then on the 58th verse Paul essentially says his conclusion. He said if he rose if all of this happened here's what this means. This is what he says in verse 58. He says therefore my dear brothers and sisters stand firm let nothing move you. I'm gonna read that again. Stand firm and let nothing move you. If he rose let nothing move you. I know the news is going crazy right now but let nothing move you. I know the doctor's report is not positive but let nothing move you. I know things are not going the way you expect to with your children but let nothing move you. And always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord. Why? Because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. If he rose that mean everything that you do for him has a purpose. Your life can actually, you don't have to wake up in the morning feeling purposeless and hopeless he said there's a god who they thought when they went to the tomb they thought he was going to be there but even the illustration that we have at the side speaks volumes it says when they went to the tomb the tomb was empty therefore there's a word that we've been using over this first few months of the year and the word is this anchored it's anchored he says this this is what it means if he's alive he said i want you to come alive and this is what it looks like to be alive to be alive in christ looks like you are steadfast and immovable which means you are anchored you are solid nothing moves you i know it's hard times i know it's not easy i know we're living in the most anxious generation of all time i know what it's like i know you have plenty reason to be unsure but i can give you one reason why you shouldn't be moved because if you put your trust in the one who is risen if you put your trust in him i'm not saying bad things won't happen i'm just saying if your trust is in him those other things don't even matter the reason why sometimes you could be so up and down so anxious so unsure is because you have your hope and your trust and everything else but the one who raised put your trust in him the psalmist says it like this some trust in horses some trust in chariots but we we we put our trust in the name of the lord i believe god wants to encourage y'all today maybe there are some of you who just visiting who's like you know what i heard this story before for some of you is just your grandmother's faith for some of you is just a story that you heard in

church growing up but i believe that god wants to make this personal to you this morning he said it's not just it's not just an old story he said this is real and i want you to experience what life is like when you decide to put your trust in me i know chasing the promotion at work seems like it's worth your whole life he said but in an instant that can change i know the other things that you feel are worth chasing after i i know the world makes it appealing he said but there's only one who will never fail there's only one who defeated death hell in the grave there's only one he said it is only one that's worth you putting your trust in and when you put your trust in him you'll be we used to we read the scripture all year when you put your trust in him you'll be like a tree that's planted by the water who sends his roots out into the streams listen what he says here he says when drought comes you'll still be fruitful you don't have anything to worry about if if if i love that baby if you put your trust in him he said but jim it shouldn't just make you anchored it should also make you active he said give yourself fully to the work of the lord give yourself you you know why it's so hard for us sometimes to give ourselves fully because we don't really fully trust when you fully trust it's easy to give your all when you fully trust it's easier to say you know what i'm gonna put i'm gonna put all my weight on you i'm gonna throw everything sometimes we feel like we have to hold stuff back i can't really give myself fully because perhaps if i give myself fully what will i have left for other things if i give myself fully and this all turns out to be a hoax then what will i have to show he said listen don't forget he rose from the dead he came alive that's all the hope that you need give yourself fully to him fully to the work ask yourself the question what work is god calling me to that he's looking for me to give myself fully to you i said this in the sermon earlier this here i just feel it's more it's been it's worth repeating right now it's wild to me how we have more faith and hope in the chair that we sitting in than we do in the god who rose from the dead when we have this chair i said this earlier in another sermon we take this chair we don't look at the chair kick the legs i just want to make sure the chair is okay how many of you when you came in today you just plopped down in the chair

knowing that it was hoping and expecting it to hold you hoping and expecting that it won't fold in on you if you can have that kind of faith with a chair i know it sounds crazy but there's a god there's a god who created heaven and earth who died for you when you didn't even think about him it says while you was yet sinners still in darkness still living away whatever way you wanted to live it said he died for you is he worthy enough for you to put your trust in or is all the other things that you're chasing after worth more than him if you trust him i love this line your faith your belief what you proclaim should be a catalyst for action your faith should move you into action it's to thrust you into doing something you kids can't have faith i'm like i believe it in my head he's like no no no faith without works is dead don't yourself fully at this work if you believe me your faith should make you active he said be anchored be active and then the last verse it says this it says because you know that your labor in the lord is not in vain there's a purpose the last one is this to be alive means to live aimed focus purposeful i think about this good friday we just had and when we had our good friday bible study i couldn't help but zone in on jesus's final words before he gave up his breath he said it is finished it is finished could you imagine him on his last breath so locked into his mission so locked into the task at hand so locked into the reason why he came that when he's going through his most incredible time of suffering his most painful time his time when he feels most alone when everybody deserted him when he's bleeding and being mocked and bloodied and bruised and hung he is so focused on his mission that his last words was it is finished i wonder do we live our lives with that type of focus that type of or does the minute anything come up we lose our focus for some of us in here we've been christians and believers for a long time and we've been living back and forth going back and forth and god is like no no no no when you when you live a life you don't have to go back and forth when you put your trust in me you don't have to go back and forth when you live focused and keeping your eyes focused on me you don't have to go back and forth this is why i died and i rose because i want you to live new there's a new way to live i'm afraid that too many of us live more like disciples of the culture than we do disciples of christ who rose disciples of the culture the culture tells you which way to go the culture tells you what to pursue the culture tells you how to live the culture tells you what's right

and what's wrong what about what christ said what about what he did or have we already made up our mind that what the world offers is better it's him rising it's the resurrection is it only good enough for you to come to church once a year and pay your respects is that what this is about i'll come and i'll pay i'll pay my respects you know salute to that man matter of fact it's not even for that man it's for my grandmother you know the most amazing thing about jesus in our clothes jesus knew that he would have people all these years later who still treat his death and resurrection as a casual thing He knew it He knew that you would come to church maybe once a year and I'm not trying to make you feel bad Trust me. I'm a cool guy. I love you But Jesus Jesus knew But he's not like humans He's not like he's not saying you know what I'm only coming to die for those who will really accept me I'm only coming to die. If there's a guarantee that didn't like if there's a guarantee that everybody's gonna come He said no. No, I know that they'll reject me. I know that they'll treat this casual You know what? I still love them and I'm still gonna die for them and I'm a prey I'm going to pray that one day They come to know me and realize me for who I am and they decide to put their trust in me They decide that I'm worth it They decide you know what God the same way you laid your life down for me I'm going to choose to lay my life down I'm going to choose Paul says this and I'll end he says in view of God's mercy Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice Holy and acceptable. This is your reasonable service. He said you want to know what you can give me Because I gave you everything, you know, I know what you want to know what you can give me It's not a Sunday a year

It's not every other month on Easter and on Mother's Day He said you want to know what you can give me? That's reasonable That's not even too much to ask. It's not even crazy when you really understood what I did. You want to know what's reasonable? for you to say Jesus here's my life Here's my life whatever you want to do. Here's my life. Whatever you see fit Here's my life. Whatever mission you have for me to live while I'm here on life on earth. Here's my life God Would you make me alive in you and here's what I get to tell you It is the best decision you will ever make It's the best decision I Believe with all my heart The only reason why I'm here today The only reason why I'm on this mic screaming and sweating this morning It's a few factors prayers of people who came before me But I remember one day laying in my bed. I was a teenager had to be around 15 16 years old Not fully Grasping what this was all about Not fully understanding it all but I remember laying in the bed and I just prayed to God because it was so real to me In this moment, I said God I want to live my life for you Everything I ever do in my life I wanted to be for you any talent that I have any gift that I have God Would you please take it and use it for you? I Prayed I said God even the gifts and talents that I don't even know that I have Would you find a way to use this for your glory? I Look at where he has me now. I look at my children now. I look at all of you sitting in the audience right now Can I tell you when you decide to give your life to Christ? There are other people who are impacted by it There are other people who are depending on your decision to trust Jesus with your life

heads bowed eyes closed I Want to pray for you I'm not gonna call you to the front I'm gonna ask everyone in here to take a moment of reflection Evaluate your heart evaluate your life For some of you you planned, you know what? I'm gonna just come today. I Don't plan on coming next week. I don't plan on continue to come. I Want you to lay down everything that you fought today with it, but just lay it down And I want you if you feel so moved if you feel so obligated In your seats if you feel you know what God I want to take a chance And Say regardless of my thoughts regardless of my opinions regardless of what I felt God I want to lay down everything and I want you to have your way in my life. I Would I want to make room for you Even if it cost me everything That I thought was there I want you to make a fresh surrender to him in your seat right now You And as you do that I want to guide you in this quick prayer and I'm gonna ask that we all say this prayer aloud together so that no one feels alone. God hears. God sees. God knows the ones who are praying this for the first time. God knows the ones who's like you know what God I've been following you but I kind of lost a little faith. I want you to pray this prayer. Repeat after me. Say Jesus I believe you are alive. I believe you died for me and rose again. Today I come to you. I lay my life down. Forgive me of my sins. Make me new. I choose to follow you. Show me how to live. Anchored. Active. And aimed. In your purpose. In Jesus name. Amen. Can we put our hands together and clap for those who may have prayed that for the first time. Here's the, here's the amazing thing. With Jesus he's like this isn't where the

journey ends for you. This is where the journey starts for you. It doesn't stop here. It just starts here. I want to encourage you. I want to invite you back because next week as we kick off this new series life after death I want to talk you through this. What this new life in Christ looks like. What it means. What's the implications for you and in two weeks as you leave today there's a handout that you're gonna receive. We're gonna have baptism Sunday because the next step is you know what God I prayed that prayer and I want to be baptized. I want to go along this journey. I want to encourage you to scan the QR code. Come back. Be baptized. Walk this journey together. I believe that the rest of your life can be the best of your life if you put your trust in God and decide to walk this journey together. Can we all stand? I'm excited about what God is doing. I believe with all my heart that there's people in the room that there's people in overflow who prayed that prayer for the first time and who's really hungry and searching and looking for the only thing that can satisfy the thirst in your soul in his name is Jesus and maybe you're here you didn't pray that prayer and you were a little nervous so it didn't really mean anything to you and you might think about you know what later I'll pray it. On the back of these handouts we put that exact prayer so maybe later maybe you'll find it on your desk maybe you'll find it in your car seat and God will visit you and he's like you know what I want to take this step I want to encourage you to pray it even later on during the week. I believe with all my heart God is gonna do something amazing in this next season. He has plans for you and he wants you to be a part of it but I want you to take that first step. I want you to watch this video and get ready for this new series that we're gonna start and before that can I say I'm so happy that today that our founding pastors Pastor Pierre and Pastor Marlisa are in the room. I'm looking forward to having Pastor Pierre next week. And I look forward to seeing you all next week. God bless.