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Morning.
Glad that each and every one of you are here with us today as we celebrate the most powerful day in the history of the world.
As we celebrate the day that the tomb was thought to be full.
But to find out that the tomb was empty.
It is a wonderful day to be here.
And I'm so glad that each and every one of you are here.
If this is your first time with us, if you came looking for a place to worship, not knowing anyone, we hope that today not only will you find Jesus, but you'll find some brothers and sisters in Christ to welcome you and love you in this congregation.
Whether you're here because a friend invited you, whether you're here for a family member invited you.
Whether you're here because you're a skeptic wanting to know what all of this is about.
Regardless of your motivation, we're glad that you're here.
If you call Willow Ridge home, we are glad that you're here as today, just like we do every single Sunday, we celebrate our risen savior, jesus christ.
Well, if you've got your bible, and I hope you do, I'm gonna invite you to open them to John, chapter 14.
A little bit different passage this morning than what we would normally do, but we're gonna connect those with us together.
Yesterday was a busy day in the life of the Bradbury family.
Emma recently has started doing some extra exercise and running, and she decided to challenge herself and her workouts.
And so she went and participated for her first five k this.
This past.
And she's looking at him like, dad, why did you just say that?
Right?
I didn't get permission.
I'm sorry.
And grayson had a track meet run into what he does, right?
And so he had a track meet down in the Charleston Somerville area.
So yesterday we got up, Aaron and I went and watched Emma and watched her race, and then we drove like 2 hours and went and watched Grayson compete in his track meet.
And then we came all the way back.
And along the way, you know, there's interactions you have with people, people around the race for the five k.
And I noticed as people were talking, it was, happy Easter, even though it's the day before.
On our way down to Summerville, it was around lunchtime, and so there was that nice, big, brilliant, beautiful place called Bojangles in Orangeburg.
Right?
And so we stopped there, by the way, I don't know if y'all are aware of this.
I was kind of shocked that I was not informed of this ahead of time, but there's now a Boberry cookie.
I'm not saying it's as good as the boberry biscuit, but it's worth eating a couple of them when you go by there.
All right.
And in there, the ladies that were behind the counter, they were a happy Easter, right?
And then we get to the track meet.
Everybody's around us.
We're there with other parents.
They know what I do.
They're like, man, I bet tomorrow is a really stressful day for you.
I might not.
It's great.
We can't wait.
And by the way, kudos to all those who got up really early this morning to provide that wonderful breakfast that we had.
It's always good when it's 06:00 a.m.
And your church smells like bacon, you know, and just feel, happy Easter.
Happy Easter.
And I was thinking about that this morning.
It wasn't Easter, but we're celebrating Easter.
It's in the words that we say.
And people were happy, and they were joyous, and they were ready to share.
But that first Easter, that wasn't the attitude.
In the days, in the hours, and.
Even the moments leading up.
Let's remind ourselves of the story.
Today we celebrate Jesus Christ.
The Bible says, a friend of sinners.
But yet was betrayed by the one close to him.
We celebrate Jesus, who was found innocent.
Found to be innocent of the crimes, but yet convicted and sentenced to hang on a cross.
Jesus, who had done no wrong to anyone and what he had deserved, what he should have been given to him, was all of the praises.
But instead, what greeted him were the chance of crucifying.
And instead of being embraced with the hugs and the welcome of others, was embraced with the lashings of a whip and a crown of thorns shoved on his head, who should have been surrounded by heavenly angels, but was instead hung on a cross between two thieves, as he hung there naked, beaten and bloody, where he would die on the cross, but his death on the cross would not signal the end, but instead the.
Beginning, as the veil in the temple was torn in two.
A way made for you and I to be brought in relationship with God.
Not through our works, but through the.
Work of Christ, through his sinless sacrifice.
Hear this.
I love the lyric on one of the songs that we sang.
Buried my past.
All our debts have been paid, and all our sins have been forgiven.
And on that night, on that day, laid in a borrowed tomb.
No monument, no service, no memorial.
But then came Sunday.
I'm going to read for you the Sunday Easter account intentionally.
It's not going to be on the screen.
What I want to encourage you to do is focus and listen to the words.
Maybe you want to close your eyes.
Maybe you want to see the emotion in the individuals as this day plays out.
Now, 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.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, they have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have laid him.
So Peter went out with the other disciple.
And they were going toward the tomb.
Both of them running together.
But the other disciple outran Peter and.
Reached the tomb first.
And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there.
But he did not go in.
Then Simon Peter came following him and went into the tomb.
And he saw the linen cloths lying there and the face cloth which had been on Jesus head, not lined with the linen cloths, but folded up in a place by itself.
Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first also went in.
And he saw and believed.
For as.
Yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
Then the disciples went back to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb.
And as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb.
And she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.
They said to her, woman, why are you weeping?
She said to them, they have taken.
Away my lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.
Having said this, she turned around.
And she saw Jesus standing, but she did.
Not know that it was Jesus.
And Jesus said to her, woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you seeking, supposing him to be the gardener?
She said to him, sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.
I love verse 16.
Jesus said to her, mary.
She turned and said to him in Aramaic, rabbi, and I Jesus said to her, do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the father.
But go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my father and your father, to my God and your God.
And the hope of today reminded us.
And Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, I have seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.
The power on that day that Mary and Peter and John experienced as they went to a tomb expecting to find one situation.
And instead what they experienced is the power of the resurrection.
Churches all over the world today will be filled with men and women and children coming to celebrate, to worship, to sing songs, to celebrate the fact that Jesus is not dead, that he is alive.
And then so many people will leave a gathering where wonderful worship music has been played, where a message has been faithfully preached from God's word and lived.
The rest of their days without the.
Daily impact of the power of the resurrection.
The reason why I wanted you to be this morning in John 14 is, I believe, John 14 in verses one through six, what we're going to read this morning is what Jesus does in this is he speaks a lot of truth in six short verses.
But part of what we can draw from this and what I'll attempt to do this morning is to see the truth, that this is what it means to live every day, not just this special Sunday.
And this Sunday is special as we celebrate this together, but not to just live our lives on this day in the light of the resurrection, but to live every day, every day in the truth that the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive.
And we're gonna see from his own words.
Would you join me?
I'm gonna read verses one through six.
Jesus says, let not your hearts be troubled.
Believe in God.
Believe also in me.
In my father's house are many rooms.
If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself.
That where I am, you may be also.
And you know the way to where I'm going.
And Thomas said to him, Lord, we do not know where you are going.
How can we know the way?
Verse six.
Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth and the life.
No one, no one comes to the father except through me.
Three truths that we're going to look.
At this morning, of what it means.
To live every day in the light.
And the power of the resurrection.
Truth number one.
Put your eyes on Jesus.
Look back at Jesus.
This first line, Jesus has been with them.
This is in the same environment, the same room, the same setting where Jesus would have washed the disciples feet.
This is the same setting where Jesus speaks to that one of you.
Will betray me.
This is the same setting where Jesus looks at Peter and says, you will deny me.
In all of the conflict, as Jesus has talked about his death and what awaits him, Jesus looks at his disciples and says, let not your hearts be troubled.
Believe in God.
Believe also in me.
Jesus steps into the darkest time in the life of his disciples, in the middle of all that he will face, in the middle of all that awaits him.
And here's what he says.
Believe in God.
Believe also in me.
And what Jesus is saying, this word belief, sometimes we believe truth, but then don't apply that truth to our life.
When Jesus uses this word, believe in God, this word believe, what he's saying to them is, trust in God.
Trust in me.
Jesus says.
He says, take your eyes off of.
All of this that surrounds you, all.
Of this that troubles you, all of this that you've heard, all of this that you believe is going to happen.
And Jesus says, trust me, trust me.
Trust me.
What it means to live your life every day in the light of the resurrection and the power of the risen.
Christ is to place your eyes on, on Jesus and trust him.
Jesus doesn't say, believe in God.
Believe in me, and figure this out as you go.
Jesus says, believe in God.
Believe in me.
This is what we need to do.
Apart from Christ, your heart is troubled.
Apart from Christ, your fears are consuming.
Apart from Christ, your reality is grim.
And Jesus turns and looks at them and looks at us today and says, trust me.
To believe in Jesus is not to accept a factual statement, but to believe in Jesus is to trust Jesus with all of you.
With all of you.
The second thing that we see, we need to put our eyes on Jesus.
But we also need to trust, trust in the work of Jesus.
Look at verses two and three.
Jesus says, in my father's house are many rooms.
If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself.
That where I am, you may be also.
Look, Jesus says he's gonna do four things, four things.
Jesus says, I'm gonna go, I'm gonna prepare.
I'm going to return.
I'm going to take, I'm going to go, I'm going to prepare, I'm going to return.
I'm going to take you with me.
There's lots of debate that theologians have gone into of exactly what is Jesus talking about here in this.
I think there's some truth to both arguments.
Share them with you.
Number one, as Jesus goes, as Jesus prepares, Jesus returns, takes, jesus must go to the cross so that he can return from the tomb.
Jesus must go to the father that he can return for his people.
In all of these, in all of these instances, Jesus says what he is going to do in his work and in his work only guarantees a place for you and I.
And he is the only one who can do the work.
He did a work on the cross that only he can do, and we praise him for it.
He made a way.
He is doing a work in this world today that only he can do, and we praise him for it as his truth is declared.
He is doing a work in your life that only he can do.
And we praise him for it because he gives you life in him, in him alone.
And we trust in his working in our past, in our present and in our future.
And we find that in him and in his work, and in his work.
Alone are we justified, are we sanctified?
And as we await the future of our glorification in all of this he is doing.
And lastly, what we'll see of what it looks like to live in the.
Light of the resurrection, of what Christ has done is surrender your life to Jesus.
Surrender your life to Jesus.
Verses four through six, Jesus says, and you know the way to where I'm going.
And Thomas said to him, lord, we do not know the way where you are going.
How can we know the way?
And Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the father except through me.
Jesus, you know the way of where I'm going because I am the way.
It's me, Thomas.
It's Christ.
It's Jesus.
And then Jesus explains himself in the fullness of the gospel, in light of the resurrection to these disciples and to us this morning.
And Jesus says that he is the way, that Jesus is the way to God.
And so how do we live our life?
In the daily reminder of the power of resurrection, we follow Jesus.
We follow Jesus.
We trust in his way.
We trust in who he is.
We know that his way is secure because it rests in his hands and in his power.
We trust that his way is straight, that all that we walk through and all that we journey through and the highs and the lows and the mountaintops and the valleys and the suffering and the joy, that all of it, that Jesus is working for his glory, for our good and for our growth.
And that's what it means to follow Jesus, not just when it's easy.
But when it's hard and when it's easy and everywhere in between, that Jesus is.
The way Jesus says that he is the truth, that Jesus is the truth of God.
And so we believe in who Jesus says he is.
In verse seven of John 14, he says, if you had known me, you would have known my father also.
From now on, you do know him.
And have seen him.
Jesus is saying, I'm God.
Jesus says, I'm God.
And if you know me, you know him and you see him.
Jesus is the truth of God.
It's not just that God's word is true, it's that Jesus is true.
Jesus is perfected truth.
He is sinless, complete, holy, righteous, just loving.
And each of these are not a part of him, but their fullness is found in him and who he is.
Jesus is truth, but he's also authoritative truth.
Authoritative truth.
Easter.
Is the ultimate picture of the grace of God.
Sinless Christ dying on a cross for sinful humanity.
And I want you to understand this about the grace of God.
It's free.
It's free, but it's not cheap.
Meaning this, you can't earn it and you don't deserve it.
It's free, but it's costly as it cost the life of the son of God.
And with the truth of God, God demands and calls our obedience in allegiance to him.
Earlier in John 13 and later in John 14, Jesus says, if you love me, you'll obey me.
Jesus says, if you love me, you'll love one another.
Notice this, Jesus doesn't say, if you can.
Jesus says, you will.
The demands of the gospel, of the authority of our life, of what Jesus is calling us to, and surrender as lord and savior.
And then lastly, we'll close with this Jesus is the life from God.
Jesus is the life from God.
We find our hope in Jesus.
What the disciples would await for following the execution, the crucifixion of Christ, was their impending death.
They had been with him.
People knew that they had been with him.
And what they waited done to them would be what would have been done to Jesus.
But on that day when they saw that the tomb was empty, it would be the reminder when Christ would appear to them, the hope that they would have in them and their life would.
Be found in him.
And what is remarkable, remarkable about the story of these men that at one time were hiding in a room, afraid.
For their life once they encountered the resurrected Jesus.
It was a life of abandonment for the gospel afford all that you would have.
All that you would have, and what would await them is persecution upon persecution upon persecution.
Send Jesus the hope for today is the life from God, a life that never ends.
When Jesus is your lord and savior, he sets your eternity.
He sets your eternity held in his hand, eternity always with him, never to be removed from him.
But it's not just your eternity that he sets.
He also sets your life of blessing.
Today Jesus says, I came so that you may have life and that you may have it abundantly in the now.
Jesus says, when I give you life, I give you hope, purpose, meaning, enjoy beyond what this earth can give, would give and will give.
The question is, do we have a head, information, knowledge who Jesus is?
Or do we have more than that, a life?
Surrender to him as Lord and savior.
Thanks again for listening, and be sure to check back next week for another episode.
In the meantime, you can visit us@willowridgechurch.org or by searching for Willow Ridge Church on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.