Series: Master Plan
Sermon: Just As He Said
Scripture: Matthew 28: 5-6
ICE BREAKER: What Easter memory stands out to you from your childhood?
REVIEW:
This week we celebrated Easter!
When the women visited to tomb to grieve the loss of Jesus, they were greeted by angels who let them know, "He is not here, He is risen JUST AS HE SAID!"
Jesus had been trying to tell his followers that this would happen, but their grief was too strong to connect the dots. The idea of a dead man coming back to life was just too far-fetched. However, that is exactly what happened on Easter Sunday! All that was left for the women to find was an empty tomb.
We spent time talking about how absurd it would be for the women to put their hope in the tomb itself - to come back daily and worship the empty tomb, to give sacrifices to the tomb, to tell others to come and believe in the tomb itself, etc... The object of our hope is not the tomb - it is the Savior who walked out of it!
This wild scenario (people worshipping the tomb, making a religion out of it, etc.), helped us to see that there are "empty tombs" in our own lives as well. Jesus is real and living today, which means we can put our entire hope and faith in Him. However, we often turn to things in this world for hope. We often put our faith in ourselves or the people around us. Our peace is too often searched for in processes and products around us.
When our hope, faith, and peace are founded on anything other than Jesus, we are worshipping empty tombs! The things of this world do not have the capacity to give us the hope and peace we are looking for. Over time, anything other than Jesus will leave you emptier, lonelier, angrier, more confused, bitter, lost, and so much more! In other words, the empty tombs you keep turning to will be crying out "Jesus is not here! He is risen!"
APPLY:
To maximize the life you have been given, your faith has to be secured in the appropriate place.
What are the "emtpy tombs" you find yourself putting your faith in?
We are all guilty of this from time to time. Some put their faith in their performance, others in relationships, many people look for peace in their addictions, some rely on their careers, far too many people put their hope in money, and countless are trusting politicians and governments for their futures.
How have the "empty tombs" let you down throughout your life?
What is ONE WAY you can transfer your faith from "emtpy tombs" to fully relying on Jesus?
PRAY:
Spend time contemplating all that Jesus did as Easter and thanking Him for it!
