WEBVTT

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<v SPEAKER_01>This.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We're gonna be in Matthew chapter 28 this morning, and if you're happy to be in the house of the Lord on Easter, would you say amen?

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<v SPEAKER_01>I don't know if you have any guesses what we're gonna teach about this morning.

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<v SPEAKER_01>But in case you're wondering, Jesus did resurrect from the dead, okay?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Right?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Growing up, growing up, a lot of my friends, they had family members that live nearby.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So their cousins live nearby, their uncles, their aunties, their grandparents, right?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Growing up, I didn't know what that was like because I lived here in Solano County.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Anyone else in the room or in the balcony?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Any of you guys grow up here in Solano County?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Okay, yes, yes.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I some of y'all were too embarrassed to raise your hand.

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<v SPEAKER_01>That's okay.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I'm not judging you, okay, right?

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<v SPEAKER_01>My my grandparents, they all lived on the east coast and they lived in the south.

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<v SPEAKER_01>With their grits, she knows.

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<v SPEAKER_01>With their collard greens, come on with their waffle house?

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<v SPEAKER_01>I lost some of y'all in the Waffle House one, okay.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And they and they were coming out to visit, and like we I was like eight years old.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And when grandma and grandpa come out here to visit, it's like it's like a big deal.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We're so excited about it, and then they get here, and my grandpa is sitting down with me, and he looks at me and he says, I'm gonna give you a hundred dollar bill.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I had never seen a hundred dollar bill except for the movies.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And remember, this is like the 90s when a hundred dollars you could actually buy something.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And my eyes got big.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I'm like, a hundred dollars.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then he grabbed my hand, he said, but you gotta do something for me.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He said, You gotta stop biting those fingernails.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like my grandpa said it, like I believed it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like he said it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I mean, I I I believed, I believed my grandpa.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And because of my belief in my grandpa's words, I stopped biting my fingernails.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I know, and to this day, I don't bite my fingernails.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yes, I've experienced recovery.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Not because I ever made like this decision, like I'm gonna stop biting my fingernails, but because I believed my grandpa's word and he gave me a hundred bucks.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Here's the reality about belief.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Belief has the power to change your life.

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<v unknown>Yes, it does.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And we gather today to celebrate and event the resurrection that if you will believe in, it will change everything about you.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Now, by belief, I don't just mean like intellectual knowledge.

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<v SPEAKER_01>In fact, when you look at scripture, what belief is it's trusting in, it's clinging to, it's relying on.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's kind of like this.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Let's say you were about to go skydiving.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Anyone ever gone skydiving before?

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<v SPEAKER_01>You crazy, you crazy.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You know, I mean, you paid money to almost die on purpose, but it's okay, right?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Let's say you're about to go skydiving, you're up there in the plane, and you got like the parachute there or whatever.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And the instructor says, Hey, do you believe that parachute can hold you up?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like, do you believe that parachute, like it's gonna work?

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<v SPEAKER_01>If you actually believe it, what are you gonna do?

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<v SPEAKER_01>You're gonna use it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You're gonna strap that thing on and jump out the plane.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And this is what real belief is.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Real belief is strapping it on and jumping out of the plane.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Because belief doesn't just inform your mind, it transforms your direction.

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<v SPEAKER_01>There's a a couple people I want to introduce you to this morning.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Both of their names were actually Mary.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Everybody say Mary.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Ready?

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<v unknown>Mary.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Mary and Mary were in a place in their life where they found themselves discouraged, they found themselves overwhelmed, they found themselves disoriented, and and in their life, they uh they weren't exactly sure how were they gonna go forward, what were they gonna do.

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<v SPEAKER_01>In fact, chances are some of you find yourself like Mary when you walked into this room.

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<v SPEAKER_01>But Mary and Mary believed, they experienced this resurrection, and on the other side of the resurrection, it changed everything about them because of simple belief.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And here's what I believe, I believe, is that this morning, some of you are gonna experience a life transformation because you are gonna choose to believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And we're gonna pick this up in Matthew chapter 28.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And if you're ready for it, would you say amen?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Amen.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Amen.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Here we go.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Hey guys, the 845 service, they were pretty lively, so you guys have some you know competition, right?

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<v SPEAKER_01>So, okay.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Matthew 28, verse uh verse, let's try that again after that.

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<v SPEAKER_01>If you're ready for it, would you say amen?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Okay, that's right.

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<v SPEAKER_01>That's right, you know.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Balcony, if you're ready for it, would you say amen?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Let's go, come on, right?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Small but mighty.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Matthew 28, verse 1.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It says, after the Sabbath, the Sabbath was Saturday, as the first day of the week was dawning.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Somebody tell me, what was the first day of the week?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Sunday.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Sunday.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I was hoping y'all didn't say Monday.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Sunday, first day of the week.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Notice it doesn't say the empty tomb.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Mark tells us that they came to anoint the body of Jesus.

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<v SPEAKER_01>The dead body of Jesus.

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<v SPEAKER_01>But when they went to the tomb, they were gonna see something that they would never forget.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They were gonna experience something that was like nothing else.

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<v SPEAKER_01>In fact, verse number two tells us what they saw.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It says there was a violent earthquake because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He rolled back the stone.

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<v SPEAKER_01>The angel, angel, rolls back the stone and was sitting on it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Think about this, y'all.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They walk up and they see an angel just hanging out on the stone.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I mean, like, that's not something you see every day.

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<v SPEAKER_01>This is what they see.

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<v SPEAKER_01>His appearance, verse 3, it was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow.

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<v SPEAKER_01>The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Now hold up, y'all.

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<v SPEAKER_01>These are Roman soldiers guarding the tomb, train killers.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like y'all seen the movies.

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<v SPEAKER_01>That's who these people are, and they're so scared, they're literally in a state of paralysis, like they're dead.

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<v SPEAKER_01>The angel, verse 5, told the women, don't be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He is not here, he is not here.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Verse 6.

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<v SPEAKER_01>For he has risen.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And what are those next four words?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Let's say them together, just as he said.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Y'all know he said this.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like he predicted this.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Come and see the place where he lay.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And I want us to notice something really important here is that nobody saw the resurrection coming.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like the disciples, you know, Peter that was like super brash and tough and walk-on water guy, like he wasn't hanging out by the tomb like Jesus is coming back.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Nobody thought he was coming back.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Everybody thought it was game over.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I mean, think about this.

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<v SPEAKER_01>If you have a family member or a friend pass away, you don't think just give him a few days.

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<v SPEAKER_01>No, we know when somebody passes away, it's over.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like we feel the finality of death, we feel pain, we feel grief.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And for these people, it was magnified because it wasn't just the death of a loved one.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They had staked their entire lives on Jesus.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They had made decisions to end friendships, to go to places that they never imagined they would go, to do things that they never planned on doing because they trusted Jesus.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And the one they thought would save them a few days earlier was hanging on a cross dead.

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<v SPEAKER_01>The one they trusted did not come through the way they expected.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They aren't coming to the tomb with like Easter dresses to get cute selfies with Jesus.

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<v SPEAKER_01>No, like they're coming with pain, they're coming with grief, they're coming and their lives are disoriented.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They don't know what they're going to do.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They're coming to the tomb, and it's like, God, you disappointed us.

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<v SPEAKER_01>God, like He was, He did all the miracles, and now He's dead.

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<v SPEAKER_01>God, where are you at now?

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<v SPEAKER_01>We staked our lives to follow you.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And now I'm going to this tomb to, I don't even know what I'm doing.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And he was supposed to be the one that was going to save me, and he just died.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like I ended friendships.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I I ended my life as I knew it to follow him.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And now I'm going to a tomb to anoint his body.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Their world was unraveling before their very eyes.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And some of you walked in here just like that.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Maybe even smiling on the outside.

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<v SPEAKER_00>But inside, things are hard.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And you don't know what to do.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And you don't know how you're gonna get through what you're going through.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And you've experienced some things, some emotions, and some situations and circumstances where you just don't know how to navigate through it, and it's been disorienting.

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<v SPEAKER_00>You know what I'm talking about.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And something happened in Matthew 28 to these ladies that changed them, and something could happen in your life that can change you, and it's this they experienced the resurrection and they believed in the resurrection.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And belief in the resurrection changed everything for them.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You know it's interesting to me that uh that Jesus said he would do this.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like Jesus said that he was gonna resurrect.

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<v SPEAKER_01>In fact, he he promised he would resurrect in a couple different places.

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<v SPEAKER_01>But it's almost like they missed that part.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like that's kind of like an important part to miss.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like you think about this.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Jesus has said, he said, I'm gonna resurrect from the dead.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It was like at that moment, were they like distracted?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like, were they scrolling on TikTok and they like watching the like in that moment was Peter over here?

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<v SPEAKER_01>And Peter was like putting his foot in his mouth, and Jesus was trying to talk to them, and they were like, I can't even.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Or were they just like, Jesus, that's crazy.

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<v SPEAKER_01>There's no way you can resurrect.

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<v SPEAKER_01>But if they would have just believed what he said, then it would have saved them a lot of pain, a lot of heartache, and a lot of sorrow.

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<v SPEAKER_01>See, Jesus lived his life with the purpose to get people to believe in him.

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<v SPEAKER_01>When Jesus came to this earth, he wasn't just trying to get people to say, Oh, you're a good guy, Jesus, you do lots of miracles.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Jesus didn't come to the earth just to heal a bunch of people, he came so people would believe in him.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And the reason he did miracles and the reason he did healings was so people would believe in him.

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<v SPEAKER_01>This is why Jesus said, I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life.

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<v SPEAKER_01>No man comes to the Father apart from me.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Now we live in a world that's saying believe in everything else but Jesus.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like, believe in yourself.

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<v SPEAKER_01>That's the oxygen we breathe.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Believe in yourself, believe in good vibes.

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<v SPEAKER_01>What the heck does that even mean?

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's like somebody's sick or somebody's going through something that's like, I'm gonna send good vibes your way.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Oh, give me more than good vibes, man.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We the world's like, believe in the universe.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Who came up?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like, what TikToker came up with the idea of believing in the universe?

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<v SPEAKER_01>What's that even mean?

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<v SPEAKER_01>And everything in our world is telling us to believe in all these things because we know inside there is something bigger than us that we need to believe in.

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<v SPEAKER_01>There's something, and Jesus says, Listen, believe in me.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Believe in me.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And this is why the angel, this is why the angel says, Come and see the place where he lay, verse number six.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Even though these ladies did not believe initially, the angel still invited them to come and see and investigate.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You know, the angel could have said, You didn't believe before, too late, you're not good enough.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You didn't measure up.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Mary, how could you not hear Jesus say that?

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<v SPEAKER_01>What's wrong with you?

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<v SPEAKER_01>God is mad at you, Mary.

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<v SPEAKER_01>These other people they can believe, but you cannot believe.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You're not no, he didn't do that to these people that had not believed previously, even though they saw all the miracles, even though they saw all the healings, even though they heard Jesus teach live and in person, they still didn't believe.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And the angel says, Hey guys, hey guys, it's okay because come and see the place where he lay.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like, come and investigate this for yourself.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Years ago, there was a man named Lee Strobel who was a hardcore skeptic of Christianity.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He was an investigative journalist from the Chicago Tribune, and he set out to do something.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He said, Hey, I'm a journalist.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I'm gonna, and I'm smart, I'm gonna disprove Christianity.

00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:10.080
<v SPEAKER_01>I'm gonna show the world once and for all that it is not true.

00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:15.360
<v SPEAKER_01>In fact, what spurred this was his wife had recently become a follower of Jesus.

00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:19.039
<v SPEAKER_01>So he's like, I'm gonna prove my wife wrong.

00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:27.120
<v SPEAKER_01>I'm gonna prove my wife wrong.

00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:36.879
<v SPEAKER_01>And after investigating the evidence, the prideful, self-righteous, investigative journalist himself came to a place of humility and honesty.

00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:38.320
<v SPEAKER_01>And this is what he said.

00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:47.679
<v SPEAKER_01>In light of the convincing facts, I was forced to abandon my skepticism and become a follower of Jesus.

00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:59.360
<v SPEAKER_01>Not because, not because he wanted to believe, but because when he looked at the evidence, he couldn't deny it.

00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:11.519
<v SPEAKER_01>He even wrote a book that's that's very popular called The Case for Christ, that's been turned into a movie where you can hear about a story and you can learn about some of the evidence that brought him to faith in Christ.

00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:16.320
<v SPEAKER_01>One of the pieces of evidence is the death of the early followers of Jesus.

00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:17.840
<v SPEAKER_01>I mean, think about this.

00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:24.639
<v SPEAKER_01>When somebody dies today, they for a faith, they die for something they believe in just in their head.

00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:28.720
<v SPEAKER_01>The early followers of Jesus, they didn't die for this belief.

00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:34.960
<v SPEAKER_01>They died, they died because they claimed to see a resurrected Jesus.

00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:39.759
<v SPEAKER_01>When your life is on the line, you don't die for a lie.

00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:41.759
<v SPEAKER_01>But they died.

00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:45.440
<v SPEAKER_01>He saw the explosion of Christianity.

00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:49.360
<v SPEAKER_01>All of a sudden, overnight, Christianity exploded.

00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:54.799
<v SPEAKER_01>Even though it was illegal, even though it was outlawed, even though it was unpopular, it exploded.

00:16:56.879 --> 00:17:01.039
<v SPEAKER_01>He looked at the evidence of the eyewitness testimony of over 500 people.

00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:04.000
<v SPEAKER_01>Y'all, 500 people saw Jesus alive.

00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:07.440
<v SPEAKER_01>500 people could not hallucinate the exact same thing.

00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:12.079
<v SPEAKER_01>Number four, Jewish and Roman leaders could not disprove it.

00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:18.559
<v SPEAKER_01>Like the most powerful forces, the most powerful forces in the world could not disprove Christianity.

00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:20.960
<v SPEAKER_01>They could not disprove the resurrection of Jesus.

00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:23.440
<v SPEAKER_01>All they had to do was show a body.

00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:25.039
<v SPEAKER_01>Couldn't do it.

00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:29.759
<v SPEAKER_01>The evidence is there, and the evidence is overwhelming.

00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:35.039
<v SPEAKER_01>And this is what the angel did to these women, and this is what the angel does to you.

00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:42.799
<v SPEAKER_01>He invites you to come and see, to come and investigate for yourself.

00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:53.279
<v SPEAKER_01>And if Jesus resurrected from the dead, then here's the question you have to wrestle with is what will you do with the empty tomb?

00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:58.240
<v SPEAKER_00>What will you do with it?

00:17:58.799 --> 00:18:03.279
<v SPEAKER_00>Look at what these ladies did in verse number six, verse number seven, rather.

00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:12.640
<v SPEAKER_01>The angel told them, Go quickly and tell his disciples, he has risen from the dead, and indeed he's going ahead of you to Galilee.

00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:14.480
<v SPEAKER_01>You will see him there.

00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:16.880
<v SPEAKER_01>Listen, I have told you.

00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:19.039
<v SPEAKER_01>So verse eight, what do they do?

00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:22.000
<v SPEAKER_01>Departing quickly from the tomb.

00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:24.720
<v SPEAKER_01>They put their running shoes on.

00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:34.160
<v SPEAKER_01>Departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell his disciples the news.

00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:47.680
<v SPEAKER_01>And just then, Jesus, the one who they had come to anoint his dead body, that Jesus said, Greetings.

00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:51.759
<v SPEAKER_00>Greetings.

00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:02.559
<v SPEAKER_01>They bowed to his feet and they said, You have supreme worth.

00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:04.480
<v SPEAKER_01>I want to worship you.

00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:09.200
<v SPEAKER_01>Then Jesus told them, verse 10, do not be afraid.

00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:16.480
<v SPEAKER_01>Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.

00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:19.519
<v SPEAKER_01>And these ladies did that very thing.

00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:26.799
<v SPEAKER_01>Here's why they did that thing is because the empty tomb demands a response.

00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:28.960
<v SPEAKER_01>Verse number eight.

00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:35.279
<v SPEAKER_01>Nobody saw the resurrection coming, but once it happened, nobody can ignore it.

00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:41.359
<v SPEAKER_01>When you understand the empty tomb and its implications, you have to respond.

00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:43.200
<v SPEAKER_01>In the text, this is what they did.

00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:44.960
<v SPEAKER_01>They responded with great joy.

00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:47.119
<v SPEAKER_01>They responded with worshiping Jesus.

00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:49.119
<v SPEAKER_01>They responded with obeying Jesus.

00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:51.119
<v SPEAKER_01>They responded with telling others.

00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:51.680
<v SPEAKER_01>Why?

00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:54.160
<v SPEAKER_01>Because Jesus had resurrected.

00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:57.039
<v SPEAKER_01>These ladies were not apathetic about faith.

00:19:57.119 --> 00:19:58.799
<v SPEAKER_01>They were not casual about faith.

00:19:58.880 --> 00:19:59.359
<v SPEAKER_01>Why?

00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:02.720
<v SPEAKER_01>Because Jesus had resurrected from the dead.

00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:07.759
<v SPEAKER_01>And friend, if the tomb is empty, then your excuses are too.

00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:13.440
<v SPEAKER_01>If the tomb is empty, then your excuses are too.

00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:16.400
<v SPEAKER_01>Some of you are here and you've been thinking about God.

00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:19.920
<v SPEAKER_01>You've been thinking about faith, but you've been putting it off.

00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:21.200
<v SPEAKER_01>Life has happened.

00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:26.240
<v SPEAKER_01>You have every excuse in the world, but what's happening is God the Father is drawing you to Jesus.

00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:40.400
<v SPEAKER_01>He's put a friend in your life, He's put a family member in your life, He's put a situation in your life, He's put a video in your life, He's planted a seed in your mind, and He's done all these different things, but you have excuse after excuse after excuse.

00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:42.720
<v SPEAKER_01>You have reason after reason after reason.

00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:44.880
<v SPEAKER_01>I don't like this church, I don't like that over here.

00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:46.720
<v SPEAKER_01>Well, they do things this way, guys.

00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:49.440
<v SPEAKER_01>If the tomb is empty, then so are your excuses.

00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:51.839
<v SPEAKER_01>There's so are your excuses.

00:20:52.319 --> 00:21:00.160
<v SPEAKER_01>One day, by the way, this is not the feel-good Easter message at this point, and I don't really care because one day we will stand before God.

00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:05.920
<v SPEAKER_01>We will stand before God as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and we will bow before Him.

00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:09.920
<v SPEAKER_01>And we can live our lives acting like that's not gonna happen.

00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:16.480
<v SPEAKER_01>You can pursue money and you can pursue fame and you can try to get rich, and you can try to ignore God all you want.

00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:19.599
<v SPEAKER_01>But one day it will be too late.

00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:25.680
<v SPEAKER_01>One day it won't matter how many followers you had, it won't matter what your 401k had.

00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:28.640
<v SPEAKER_01>It won't matter.

00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:48.400
<v SPEAKER_01>And can I unapologetically say it is time to stop playing games with faith and fully follow Jesus because he is Lord, he is seated at the right hand of God the Father, and he is calling you to come to himself.

00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:59.759
<v SPEAKER_01>The spirit is working in you and on Easter, Easter's not about let's wear pretty dresses and let's look.

00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:11.759
<v SPEAKER_01>Cute and let's do this and let's have bunnies and the next no no Easter's to remember that we have a savior that resurrected from the dead, and if he resurrected from the dead, then everything he says matters.

00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:16.000
<v SPEAKER_01>And I'm telling you, some of you came this morning, and you're just like, Easter, I need to come to church.

00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:17.440
<v SPEAKER_01>Somebody invited me, somebody dragged me.

00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:18.079
<v SPEAKER_01>No, no, no.

00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:27.200
<v SPEAKER_01>Today is the rest of your life because today is the day you're gonna realize that Jesus is real, the tomb is empty, and your excuses are done.

00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:31.279
<v SPEAKER_01>They're done.

00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:33.200
<v SPEAKER_01>They're done.

00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:37.440
<v SPEAKER_01>I was thinking all yesterday about this message, like just feeling the weight of it.

00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:42.400
<v SPEAKER_01>Not because there's gonna be a bunch of people here, but because one day the people here will stand before God.

00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:44.960
<v SPEAKER_01>Like I feel that.

00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:48.400
<v SPEAKER_01>Like I'm not here to make somebody feel good.

00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:51.680
<v SPEAKER_01>I'm not here to some, I'm not here to say you can live however you want.

00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:54.720
<v SPEAKER_01>Like uh Jesus loves you, go and do what you want.

00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:56.799
<v SPEAKER_01>Nah.

00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:59.200
<v SPEAKER_01>I'm here to say there is a king.

00:23:00.559 --> 00:23:02.240
<v SPEAKER_01>The king of kings.

00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:10.400
<v SPEAKER_01>He came to this earth, he died a death for you on the cross, but he resurrected from the grave.

00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:13.119
<v SPEAKER_01>Hey, hey.

00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:16.000
<v SPEAKER_01>Muhammad is still in the grave.

00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:18.240
<v SPEAKER_01>That's right.

00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:21.039
<v SPEAKER_01>Any other religion, they're still in the grave.

00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:29.359
<v SPEAKER_01>One day that TikToker that you're following everything they say, and they are your king, one day they're gonna be gone too.

00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:35.279
<v SPEAKER_01>But Jesus is alive, and one day we will bow before him.

00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:40.160
<v SPEAKER_01>Hey, if the tomb is empty, your excuses are too.

00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:43.440
<v SPEAKER_01>How would you respond?

00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:51.680
<v SPEAKER_01>For some of us, our response is that we need to trust in Jesus to be our Lord and Savior.

00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:55.759
<v SPEAKER_01>To understand that Jesus died on the cross for our sin.

00:23:56.319 --> 00:24:02.000
<v SPEAKER_01>You know, scripture tells us that we aren't good people in need of a pep talk, we are sinful people in need of a savior.

00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:08.640
<v SPEAKER_01>And if you will turn from your sin and put your faith in Jesus alone, you will be saved.

00:24:09.759 --> 00:24:13.920
<v SPEAKER_01>For some of us, we've made that decision, but we need to get baptized.

00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:19.680
<v SPEAKER_01>Biblically, after somebody trusts Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they were baptized.

00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:22.240
<v SPEAKER_01>This is a huge part of following Jesus.

00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:25.200
<v SPEAKER_01>There's a number that's going to be put on the screen.

00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:28.079
<v SPEAKER_01>That if this is your next step, you can take that.

00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:34.079
<v SPEAKER_01>Some of you in the room, like you've trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior, but you're like, I'll get baptized eventually.

00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:36.480
<v SPEAKER_01>Friends, no, no, this is super important.

00:24:38.160 --> 00:24:39.279
<v SPEAKER_01>No more excuses.

00:24:39.359 --> 00:24:41.759
<v SPEAKER_01>If the tomb is empty, your excuses are too.

00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:48.720
<v SPEAKER_01>After 845 service, during that, we had multiple people decide they were gonna trust Christ as their Lord and Savior, and they were gonna get baptized.

00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:50.720
<v SPEAKER_01>It's gonna make it's gonna be amazing.

00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:56.480
<v SPEAKER_01>In a couple, a few weeks from today, April 26th, we're having baptisms.

00:24:56.720 --> 00:25:01.920
<v SPEAKER_01>And we want you to take that step and get baptized if you have not taken that step.

00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:09.279
<v SPEAKER_01>For some of us, we have taken that step, and I'm gonna invite you to take the three-month church attendance challenge.

00:25:10.559 --> 00:25:19.440
<v SPEAKER_01>I'm gonna challenge you and your entire family, entire family to commit to attend church weekly for the next three months.

00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:23.039
<v SPEAKER_01>Not understand sometimes you get sick or sometimes you go on vacation.

00:25:23.119 --> 00:25:24.079
<v SPEAKER_01>I understand that.

00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:34.079
<v SPEAKER_00>But if it's a normal Sunday that you say, as a family, we are gonna prioritize worshiping Jesus, the excuses are gone.

00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:37.200
<v SPEAKER_00>After all, there's an 845 service.

00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:51.759
<v SPEAKER_01>Here's what I promise is that if your family will do this and intentionally take steps of growth in your faith, you will experience significant spiritual growth in your life.

00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:57.359
<v SPEAKER_01>You will grow in your relationships, you will grow in your closeness as a family, and you will have more joy in your life.

00:25:57.519 --> 00:26:02.720
<v SPEAKER_01>If you will take this three-month challenge and intentionally grow in your faith journey.

00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:22.079
<v SPEAKER_01>And three months from y'all are gonna come to me and you're gonna say, Hey, Easter Sunday, I took the three-month challenge, and over the last three months, I've experienced peace, I've experienced joy, I've experienced spiritual growth, we experienced a closeness as our as a family.

00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:22.559
<v SPEAKER_01>Why?

00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:26.480
<v SPEAKER_01>Because we took this three-month challenge.

00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:33.759
<v SPEAKER_01>And here's why I invite every one of us to do one of these three things this morning.

00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:41.359
<v SPEAKER_00>It's because if Jesus really resurrected from the grave, then the games have to stop.

00:26:42.240 --> 00:26:44.720
<v SPEAKER_00>And it's time to take faith seriously.

00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:51.119
<v SPEAKER_01>If he really resurrected from the grave, then this isn't a good religious idea that we talk about Easter Sunday.

00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:56.000
<v SPEAKER_01>This isn't just information from a passionate preacher on Sunday morning.

00:26:56.799 --> 00:27:08.559
<v SPEAKER_01>No, it demands a response from every single one of us because the resurrection isn't something you casually agree with, it's something you build your life on.

00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:11.599
<v SPEAKER_01>Because that's what belief is.

00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:15.039
<v SPEAKER_01>So today, I'm inviting you to do that.

00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:18.640
<v SPEAKER_01>Today is your moment to respond.

00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:22.319
<v SPEAKER_00>The tomb is empty, Jesus is alive.

00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:24.079
<v SPEAKER_00>How will you respond to it?

00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:35.519
<v SPEAKER_00>Because the empty tomb demands a response, and how we respond to it can change the rest of our lives.

00:27:35.839 --> 00:27:37.200
<v SPEAKER_01>Let's all bow our heads and close our eyes.

00:27:37.359 --> 00:27:37.839
<v SPEAKER_01>I want to give you a