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In the Field Audio Bible
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In the Field Audio Bible
Empty Tombs and Living Hope: Finding Power in Resurrection Truth
What makes Christianity different from every other belief system in the world? In this powerful Easter message, Pastor Ryan Sutton unpacks the single most transformative event in human history—the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The empty tomb isn't just a nice religious symbol or a feel-good story; it fundamentally changes everything about how we understand life, death, and what happens beyond the grave. Pastor Ryan shares the touching story of Philip, a third-grade boy with Down syndrome who taught his classmates the profound truth that "the tomb was empty" through a simple Easter project. Through Philip's innocent wisdom, we glimpse how resurrection truth can be both elegantly simple yet eternally profound.
Moving beyond sentimentality, Pastor Ryan presents six compelling reasons why the resurrection demands our belief: Jesus predicted it, the Old Testament prophesied it, the tomb was demonstrably empty, hundreds witnessed the risen Christ, the disciples were radically transformed, and lives continue to be changed by resurrection power today. While other religious leaders remain in their graves, Christianity alone offers a Savior who conquered death.
The implications are staggering. As Pastor Ryan powerfully states, "Christians don't die—they just relocate." The resurrection isn't merely about what happened to Jesus; it's about what happens to us when we place our faith in him. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead now lives in believers, bringing resurrection power to our mortal bodies and transforming our perspective on both life and death.
This message culminates in the powerful "That's My King" declaration, celebrating Jesus as the incomparable, invincible King of Kings who death could not handle and the grave could not hold. If you're seeking hope that extends beyond this life or power for transformation in your current circumstances, discover why the resurrection matters—not just on Easter Sunday, but every day of your life.
Thank you for joining us in this episode of In the Field Audio Bible, where we explore the richness of God’s Word, one chapter at a time. We hope today’s reading brought insight, comfort, or inspiration to your journey of faith.
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Welcome and thank you for joining us for Ryan Sutton Ministries. Pastor Ryan Sutton is the senior pastor of the Grace Center located in Festus, Missouri. Ryan has conducted crusades and preached in churches in Latin America, europe, africa and Asia and all across the world. We hope you enjoy this message today. Let's join Pastor Ryan now.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:I'm going to ask you to stand with me all over the house, if you would, today for the reading of God's Word. We're going to go to John 11. We're going to read verses 20- 27. I want to say welcome to our live stream audience today, wherever you're watching from in the world. God bless you. We're so glad that you're with us and do us a big favor and click the share button and share this on your timeline today. I also want to say it's great to have so many visitors and special guests with us and, yeah, amen, we appreciate everybody that's come to worship with us today. I want to say it's very great to have Miss Denise with us all the way from Poplar Bluff today. We love Miss Denise. She was a faithful member here for almost 20 years and she moved to Poplar Bluff, but she came back to be with us today on Easter and we're so glad that she's here. And I'm also so happy to have my sister, Brianna here, all the way from Los Angeles, California. And to all of our visitors, God bless you, we're so glad you're here today. This is what it says John 11: 20. And don't be nervous, I don't have a long word, just a strong word, today. Okay.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him. But Mary sat still in the house John 11: 21. Then said Martha unto Jesus Lord, if you would have been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now, whatsoever you will ask of God, God will give it to you. Jesus said in John 11: 23, your brother shall rise again. And Martha said unto him I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. But Jesus said unto her listen to this verse 25. Jesus said unto her I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me though they were dead yet shall they live, and whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? And she said unto him yes, lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the son of the living God which should come into the world. Amen. Before you're seated, I want you to pray with me today and this is our thought just for the next few minutes why I believe in the resurrection and you should too. Amen, why I believe in the resurrection and why you should too.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Let's pray right now, father, in the mighty name of Jesus. Thank you so much, lord, for our awesome time of worship today. We've worshiped you in singing, we've worshiped you in giving Lord. Thank you for the photos that we were able to show of some of the ministries, lord, that we support in different parts of the world. And now, as we turn our hearts to the teaching and preaching of your word, I pray that you would speak to us in an undeniable way. Lord, don't let anybody walk outside the doors of 36 East Main Street the same way that they came in Touch us, change us, transform us from the inside out. Thank you, Jesus, that because you rose from the grave with all power and authority, and because you've given that power and authority unto us, we have the same spirit that raised you from the dead living on the inside of us. It's a spirit of resurrection, life and power, and I pray, when we leave this place today, that we would go forth as witnesses of your resurrection, life and power, and that you would use us as your hands and feet in our world, that you would use us, lord, to shine your light into the darkness. We love you and we say thank you in advance for the eternal difference that your word is going to make in every single one of us, not just in this room, but all who are watching online. In Jesus' name, Amen, God bless you. Use your seat one more time in his presence.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Now I want to read today, just before we get into my opening illustration. I really like Jimmy Swaggart's notes about John: 11, and particularly verses 25 and verses 26. He said unto her I am the resurrection and the life, my man, jimmy Swaggarton. You may love him or you may hate him, but it doesn't matter, because you don't have the microphone. Come on somebody. I got the mic and so I love the swag, so let me just slip a little swag in on you here.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Okay, this is what he says. He said in his notes. In effect, Jesus is saying Martha, look at me, you are looking at the resurrection and the life. Jimmy says this shows that resurrection and the life is not a mere doctrine but, in reality, a person, the person of the Lord, Jesus Christ. And then he said whoever lives and believes in me, though they were dead yet, shall they live. This speaks of the coming resurrection of life, when all the sainted dead will rise, and that's found in 1 Thessalonians 4: 13- 18. But then he says this whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Talking about, they will live eternally. And he said do you believe this? And this is what I really want you to get today.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Jimmy Swaggart says the resurrection is the end of death. Consequently, death has no more to do with the redeemed Somebody shout that to me. Consequently, death has no more to do with the redeemed. It has done all that it can do. It is finished, amen. It is finished. The redeemed live in the imparted life that put an end to death. For them, the old life, its death and judgment, no longer exists.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:And I want you to think about that today. I want you to think about what the resurrection means for you and for me. That because Jesus rose from the dead and because he said all power in heaven and earth is given unto me and I give that same power to you, paul the apostle said in Romans 8, and I'm getting ahead of myself but he said in Romans 8 that if the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives on the inside of you, it will even quicken your mortal body. I want you to think about that today. Jesus led captivity captive. That's what the great apostle said in another place and he gave gifts unto mankind.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:And today, you and I would have no reason to be here, we would have no reason to celebrate. We would have no reason to be here, we would have no reason to celebrate, we would have no reason to rejoice if Jesus had stayed in the grave. But because he rose on the third day, you and I know that we don't just have hope for today. As I said earlier in our service, in our prayer this morning at the end of worship, we don't just have hope for today and hope for tomorrow and hope for our future on earth. We have the hope of eternal life with him. Come on, somebody, because of what he did when he conquered death, hell and the grave and I want you to think about that today, what that really means that the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives on the inside of you and me. He said I am the resurrection and the life, and we have that resurrection, life and power. If you've received him as your personal Lord and savior, now look if you're here today or you're watching me online and you haven't received Jesus. Today's the day of salvation. Come on, somebody, today is your day to be saved. All right, this is your day to open your heart and open your life and receive him as your personal Savior and Lord, because when you receive him by the Holy Spirit, he comes to live on the inside of us, and it's not a different spirit or a different anointing, it's that same resurrection, life and power that takes up residence in us. Somebody say amen. Today I want you to listen to this True story, bro. True story, all right.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Little Phillip, born with Down's Syndrome, attended a third grade Sunday school class with several eight-year-old boys and girls. Typical of that age. The children did not readily accept Phillip with his differences. According to an article in Leadership Magazine, they had trouble allowing him to fit in and belong to the group. But because of a creative teacher, they began to care about Philip more and more and accept him as part of their little group, though they didn't accept him fully.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:The Sunday after Easter the teacher brought legs pantyhose containers. Any of y'all know anything about legs pantyhose containers? I used to love playing with those when I was a kid. I'd be like, hey, Mom, don't throw that in the trash, I want to play with that silver egg. Come on somebody. Y'all ain't saying nothing to me today up here. I'm like let's make this the golden egg and you can put a hundred dollar bill in here. Mom and dad, they're like yeah, right, that can be the golden egg and you can have four quarters. Come on somebody, I go, you can have a hundred, all right, a hundred cents, right? So anyway, I love playing with those. I'm telling on myself, but that's all right.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:She brought in one of those big legs pantyhose containers, the kind that look like large silver eggs, each receiving one. The children. Apparently the Sunday school teacher had a lot of pantyhose. Come on somebody, each of these children receiving one. They were told to go outside on that lovely spring day to find a symbol for new life and put it in the egg-like container. Back in the classroom they would share their new life symbols, opening the containers one by one in surprise fashion.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:After running all over the church property in wild confusion, the students returned to the classroom and placed the containers on the table, surrounded by the children. The teacher began to open them one by one, and after each one, whether a flower. Open them one by one, and after each one, whether a flower, a butterfly or a leaf, the class would ooh and ah, I love eight-year-old kids. Then one was opened, revealing nothing inside. The children exclaimed that's stupid, that's not fair. Somebody didn't do the assignment right. But then Philip spoke up. That's mine, that's mine, philip, you don't ever do things right. One student yelled out there's nothing in there. Philip insisted I did so, do it. I did do it. It's empty. And the tomb was empty. Silence followed. From then on, philip became a full member of that class and they all accepted him wholeheartedly.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Tragically, philip died not long afterward from an infection that most normal children would have shrugged off. But at the funeral, this class of eight-year-olds marched up to the altar not with flowers, but with their Sunday school teacher, each one of them laying an empty pantyhose egg on the altar at his funeral. Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to think about this. Today, philip is not dead. Little Philip, as precious as he was, is very much alive and well today, because of the resurrection I'm gonna say it again because he lives. Come on somebody we can't just face tomorrow. We have hope of eternal life.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:I tell people all the time Christians don't die. I think I've done like 12 or 14 funerals since the beginning of this year because my buddy, todd Mann, his people keep calling me saying we've got some people without a pastor. Will you come do their funeral? And I'm like are you kidding me? Does a six-year-old kid like Disney World? Come on in here. Yeah, I'll come speak at their funeral because I love to share Jesus with people. You know what I tell people every time I'm there. I say listen, if you put your faith and trust in Jesus, Christians don't die, they just relocate. Come on somebody. Christians don't die because of the resurrection. They graduate from life on earth to life forever with Jesus, which is far better than life on earth. Come on. There's no pain, there's no suffering, there's no sickness, there's no infections. For little Phillip, come on somebody.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:When Micah and I went to her granny's funeral this week and y'all pray for me, I'm taking it harder than Micah is Come on. Micah was just sitting there at the funeral. I'm over there crying like man. I'm going to miss granny. You know Mike is like Ryan, could you get it together? I'm like, no, this stinks man. You know I love granny. But when I went up by the casket man, she looked good laying in there. She would have turned 104 on June 1st and one of the most incredible people I've ever met in my life, and I mean that I'm walking and I've been all over the place. All right, I'm walking by her casket and I stop and lean down and I smile and I didn't say goodbye, I said, granny, I'll see you later. Amen, you beat me there, but hold on, I'm coming, amen. I'm on my way because we have hope beyond the grave. Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, because of the resurrection, and that's what I want you to wrap your spirit around today. And I've got to hurry, put on your Air Jordans and come fly with me. Okay, I want you to wrap your spirit around this the resurrection is what separates Christianity from all the other religions of the world.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:There are religions. I mean, come on, I've been to India many times. Last time I was there, they arrested me, locked me up and then deported me. Come on, somebody. I ain't tried to go back since. Glory to God, but when I was in India preaching, I remember they worship millions and millions of God's friends. They worship everything. They worship rats, they worship elephants, they worship cows, amen.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:There are religions all over the world. You know something that a lot of people are getting into. Jeremiah and I were talking about this. Recently the New Age movement has like resurged in a crazy way. You know, back in the 70s and 80s and early 90s it was a big thing. Some people were worshiping rocks and stuff Come on somebody. But it's totally surging again.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:There are religions, people believe all kinds of crazy stuff, but you know what separates Christianity from all the other religions of the world? It's that Jesus is not dead today. Jesus is alive. Ladies and gentlemen, I said Jesus is alive and well. Today. He lives on the inside of us by the Holy Spirit. He's seated at the right hand of the Father and when you go to his tomb, there's nothing there. I've said this a million times over the years here at the Great Center. I've said this all over the world, wherever I've gone to preach. If you go to the grave of Muhammad, you find a pile of dead dry bones. Come on somebody. If you go to the grave of Buddha, you find a big, fat pile of dead dry bones. Are y'all with me today? If you go to the grave of Jesus, there's nothing there because he isn't in the tomb. Amen, that's why. That's why I don't like.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:I'm just going to unbutton one. Don't get nervous, come on someone, I'm just, it's just one. I was somewhere recently. This, this guy was, this guy was preaching. I went to hear this guy preach recently. He was a good preacher. He unbuttoned his top button. He's like is this okay? I'm like no, it's not okay, put that away. No, I didn't do that. I was like come on, man, you know what I'm saying. If you unbutton and one button is causing somebody to lust, you need to cast the devil out of them. Praise the Lord. All right, listen, I'm not going to pull Elvis on like, unbutton it down to here, don't be worried. Okay, no, seriously though, I'd you think about this with me today.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:I love, I love the worship we did today. Didn't our worship team do a great job? Give them a great big hand clap. They did a great job. I really appreciate them and you know what I love about them. They have talent, but it's not about talent. They have an anointing on their lives and they have a heart to worship. They're not here to perform for you, they're not here to put on a show. They're here to lead us in worship. Amen, to usher us into the throne room, and they did a beautiful job of that. You know one of the things I love about worship today, though. I love that we sang old songs and new songs, amen, and everything in between we did. Lord, I Lift your Name on High, come on 1993. Praise God. I mean, we took it way back. We took it to the 90s, we took it to the 2000s.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Okay, I love it, but you know one of the things I love about old gospel hymns there's a message in those songs. Y'all, I'm getting ready to get old hymnals and redback hymnals and just put them in all the chairs around here. Some of y'all are like what are these frames on the bottom of chairs? Well, you can put your Bible there if you want to, but we put those on there because we're about to put some redback hymnals. Pastor Ryan, are you old school like that? Yeah, can't you tell by my light green jacket? Come on somebody. No, look. I love old gospel hymns, and some of my favorites are ones about the resurrection.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:I was thinking this morning when I woke up about that old hymn Up from the grave, he arose with a mighty triumph over his foes. He arose the victor of the dark domain, and he lives forever with his saints to reign. He arose. He arose, hallelujah, Christ arose. I was thinking about that old song the other day and I jotted it down in my notes so I'd remember. He lives, he lives. Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way. He lives, he lives salvation to impart. You ask me how I know he lives. He lives within my heart. Somebody give God praise.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:If you believe that today, I need an organ and a black choir up here, deacon Harrington, to help me preach this, all right, look, I love what Miss Sandy sang today. Man, I love that song. My man, bill Gaither, wrote it. Bill Gaither's bad to the bone man, bad to the bone. Jimmy Swagger posted the other day Bill Gaither came by to have coffee with him. They were sitting there. Somebody took a picture and I was like man, I'd give a million dollars to sit at that table with two living legends and just have both of them lay hands on me at the same time. I love Bill Gaither Because he lives. I can face tomorrow. Because he lives, all fear is gone, because I know who holds my future and life is worth the living. Just because he lives. I believe that today.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:I believe that today, in one of his lighter moments, benjamin Franklin pinned his own epitaph. I love Ben Franklin, and not just because he's on the $100 bill. Come on somebody. Ben did not profess. Y'all aren't ready for me today. I've got two little babies and I'm running on like zero sleep okay, it could be dangerous and I've had four cups of coffee. I might just start doing backflips down this side aisle. Praise the Lord. Mike was like I hope you rest well. Last night. I said I hope you rest well. I said it's okay if I don't, I'm just going to drink like five cups of coffee before we go to church. Praise the Lord. Listen to this.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:In one of his lighter moments, benjamin Franklin penned his own epitaph. He didn't profess to be a born-again Christian, but it seems that he must have been influenced by Paul's teaching of the resurrection of the body, because this is what Ben Franklin wrote the body of B Franklin printer. Like the cover of an old book. I love this. Its contents, torn out and stripped of its lettering and gilding, lies here, food for worms. But the work shall not be wholly lost, for it will be as he believed, to appear once more in a new and perfect edition, corrected and amended by the author. I like that, amen. It shall appear once more in a new and more perfect edition, corrected and amended by the author, friends.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:This is why I believe Jesus rose from the dead, and I'm gonna close quickly today. This is why I believe Jesus rose from the dead and you should believe it too. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, the Christian faith is a foolish fantasy. How many of y'all know that? If Jesus did not rise from the dead, the Christian faith is a foolish fantasy? However, if the resurrection of Christ did occur, it confirms his life, his message and his atoning work. It is the basis of our hope of life beyond the grave. As I've already said here today, Christ is alive and the evidence is overwhelming.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Here are just some of the reasons that we can be so sure. And I don't have time. I got scripture to back all this up and I might just post this on Facebook because I don't have time. Come on, somebody. Some of y'all got to go hunt eggs. Come on in here. What's up with a bunny that lays eggs? I don't know. Help me somebody. Look, some of y'all got to go to egg hunts and family barbecues. So I don't have time. I got scripture to back all this up. I don't have time to get in all the scripture, but I'm going to just give you these points right.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Here are just some of the reasons that we can be so sure. Number one Jesus predicted his resurrection. You can read about that in the Gospels Matthew 16: 21, Mark 9: 9- 10. John 2: 18- 22. Number two the Old Testament prophesied the resurrection of Jesus. My man, David, said in Psalm 16: 10, that you will not leave my soul in hell. Come on in here.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Acts 2: 25- 31, and Acts 13. I'll speak of this. The Old Testament prophesied the resurrection. Number three the tomb was empty and the grave clothes were vacant. If those who oppose Christ wished to silence his disciples, all they had to see John 20:3-9. Let me do this. This is my shameless plug right now.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:If you've never read the book Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, or if you've never, they turned it into a movie, come on, some of us still go to the movies. Help me somebody, pray for me. All right, I still watch movies. Glory to God. The Case for Christ is a phenomenal book. They turned it into a movie and it's an awesome movie. You need to check that out. All they had to do was produce the body, but they couldn't do it.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Number four many people saw the resurrected Christ. I want you to think about that. They looked on Jesus' face, they touched him, they heard his voice, they saw him eat. Come on. The angel said to Mary he is not here, he is risen. Look at the place where they laid him. Come on. I like what one of the gospels says the angel said he is not here, he is risen. Just like he said he would. Amen. Many people saw the resurrected Christ. They looked on his face, they touched him, they heard his voice. They saw him eat. You see it all throughout the gospels in Matthew 28 and Luke 24, in John 20, in Acts and 1 Corinthians. It talks about it. Many people saw the resurrected Christ.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Number five the lives of the disciples. Why I believe in the resurrection and you should too. The lives of the disciples were revolutionized. Think about the apostle Peter. When Jesus was about to die on the cross, I said last Sunday, on Palm Sunday, the late great Dr. BH Clendenin. He mentored me. He's in Heaven now.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:He always used to tell me he would say Ryan, the closer that Jesus got to the cross, the fewer there were who followed him. And he said, son, the closer you get to the cross, sometimes, the fewer there will be that will follow you. And I thought, man, I wish you wouldn't have said that. Come on, no, seriously, it's the truth. The closer Jesus got to the cross, the fewer there were that followed him. Peter, I want you to think about this.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Peter was scared of a little servant girl. She said you're one of those Galileans, you're with Jesus. He said you blankety, blank and blank no, I'm not Jesus. He said you blankety, blank and blank no, I'm not. Come on in here. I don't know the man, I don't know what you're talking about. What are you saying?
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Whenever Jesus rose again from the dead, amen. And he led captivity captive, and he gave gifts to men and he said all power in heaven and earth is given unto me and I give that power unto you the lives of the disciples were revolutionized. Peter went from cussing out a little servant girl, because he was scared, to standing up in front of a lot of the people that were responsible for Jesus being crucified. And Peter said y'all did this. But he said God raised him from the dead on the third day. Why? The resurrection revolutionized the early disciples, and the resurrection will revolutionize your life, your home, your family and your world, if you let it. The lives of the disciples were revolutionized. Though they fled and even denied Christ at the time of his arrest, they later feared no one in their proclamation of the risen Christ. The resurrection was the central message of the early church, and the church grew with an unwavering conviction that Christ had risen and that he was the Lord of the church. Finally, today, men and women today testify that the power of the risen Christ has transformed their lives. We know that Jesus is alive, not only because of the historical and biblical evidence, but also because he has miraculously touched so many lives throughout the entirety of the world.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Why do I believe in the resurrection and why should you believe in it too? Number 1: Jesus predicted his resurrection. The angel said it happened, just like he said. Number 2: the Old Testament prophesied it. Number 3: the tomb was empty and the grave clothes were vacant. Number 4: many people, hundreds and hundreds of people, saw the resurrected Christ. Number 5: the lives of the disciples were revolutionized. And Number 6: men and women all over the world today are still having their lives revolutionized by the most incredible person in the history of mankind.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Well over, come on, just fasten your seatbelts and keep your arms and legs inside the chair at all times. We're going to bring this bad boy in for a crash landing, okay? Well, over 300 verses are concerned with the subject of Jesus' resurrection. In the New Testament I didn't stutter, preacher, did I hear you right? You heard me right? Over 300 verses are concerned with the subject of Jesus' resurrection. In the New Testament, we are told that this event is a sign for unbelievers as well as the answer for the believer's doubt.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:God, I wish I had time to preach today. It serves as the guarantee that Jesus' teachings are true, and it is the center of the gospel itself. Further, the resurrection is the impetus for evangelism, the key indication of the believer's daily power to live the Christian life, and it's the reason for the total commitment of our lives to Christ. The resurrection even addresses the fear of death. Come on, I love what the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4, when it says the trump will sound and the dead in Christ will rise. First and then we which who are alive and remain, shall be caught up in the air to meet the Lord, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. It deals, it deals. It deals with the issue of the fear of death and it is related to the second coming of Jesus. Lastly, this event is a model of the Christian's resurrection from the dead and provides a foretaste of heaven for the believer.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Now I was like you're ready to end with my king? Any of y'all that have ever been at the Grace Center for like more than a year know that every Easter, you know I don't like vain, meaningless traditions. Come on somebody, but I do Not. All traditions are bad. Help me somebody. Not all traditions are bad. Today, somebody. Not all traditions are bad. Today I'm going to close with my king. Every year on Easter, I always close with a powerful, just a portion of the powerful message preached by the late, great Dr. SM Lockridge, and I will not be able to do it justice, but I'm going to share it with you anyway. And Dr. Lockridge always had an organ, betty, and so that's part of the reason that I can't do it justice. But that's all right, we're going to do our best. Okay, listen, this is what I want you to wrap your speed around today. If you forget everything else, the crazy white boy says remember this number one if you have surrendered your life to Christ, I'm gonna say this again if you have not surrendered your life to Christ, today's a day for you to do it.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Heaven was not created for perfect people. Heaven was made for people who put their faith and trust in Jesus and receive God's free gift of salvation through him. I'm a good person, I'm going to heaven. No, you're not, sweetheart. Heaven wasn't made for good people. Heaven was made for people who receive God's free gift of salvation through Jesus.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Jesus said in John 14: 6, I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life. Nobody gets to heaven, nobody gets to the Father, except through me. That's so exclusive, pastor. That's so exclusive? No, it's not. Christianity is the most inclusive religion in the whole wide world, because Jesus says I don't care who you are, I don't care where you've been, I don't care what you've done done, I don't care how messed up you might be. Just come to me as you are and I'll change your life forever when you open the door of your heart to me and receive me. It's not exclusive, it's inclusive. I'm the way, I'm the truth, I'm the life. Nobody gets to the Father except in me. Today is the day, friend, for you to surrender your all and surrender everything to him. And when you do that, the apostle Paul said, the same spirit Romans 8, that raised Jesus up from the dead comes to live on the inside of you. And it doesn't just quicken your spirit, it doesn't just make your spirit, man, feel better, it will even quicken your mortal body, because it's that same Holy Ghost, it's that same anointing, it's that same power, it's that same resurrection life that takes up residence in our souls. Come on.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15, I wish I had time to read it and I don't. But it says death is swallowed up in victory. Oh grave, where is your victory? Oh death, where is your sting? Come on. And then it says that the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God, which has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul said in Romans 8, what the law could not do, and that it was weak, God did by sending his own son Jesus. The law of the spirit of life that's in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death. Thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Because resurrection, life and power swallowed up death. And I'm going to say it again, on purpose.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:I love first y'all to read first Thessalonians. Read first Thessalonians man. Read 1 Thessalonians man. Read it. Chapter 4: 13- 18. Read it. I don't have time to read right now. Read it on your own.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:When the trumpet sound, the dead in Christ will rise first and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up in the air with them to meet the Lord. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. That's because of the resurrection. We have that hope today. We have that assurance today, because of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. He said I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die, and that's why I'm grateful today as I close with. That's my king. That's why I'm grateful today as I close with. That's my king. That's why I'm grateful today. Oh, I'm grateful today.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:They don't have to be afraid of death, and neither do you. The Bible says it's appointed unto mankind once to die, and after this the judgment. Hebrews 9: 27. You know why I'm not afraid of that? Because the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives on the inside of me. I've already got eternal life living within me. If you know him, you've already got that eternal life living in you, and when I see him before him someday, all I have to say the devil's going to be there reading off a long list.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Some of y'all are holy and you know it. God bless you. There's a long list of stuff that I've done. Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, and you know what I'm going to say when the devil reads off that long list. It's all true, your honor, every last thing he may, oh, slew foot. May have even missed a few, and I'm not going to bring them up, but I do want to say one thing the blood of your son, Jesus Christ, cleanses me from all my sin and unrighteousness. I plead the blood. How do you plead? I plead the blood. Amen. I have hope beyond the grave. You have hope beyond the grave that we don't have to fear death. For Christians, death is a fact, not a fear. Ron Sutton always used to tell me when I was a little boy. He would say Ryan, Christians are death's victors, not death's victims.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Come on in here as much as I was being a big baby about granny going home to be with the Lord and I'm like is anybody else is upset about this? I am Everybody's just like chill, I'm not okay with this. I wanted her to live, to be like 110. You know what I mean? I was all excited. I was like granny's man. She's looking good and feeling good and doing good. She was like this, tall and weighed 87 pounds, soaking wet, with rocks in her pockets, but she was bad to the bone y'all. That means she was good White people, come on.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:But I'm telling you I'm thankful today. I mean this. I'm thankful today as much as I miss Granny. I wouldn't bring her back if I could, because she wouldn't want to come back if she could.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Listen, friend, if you have a loved one that you've lost, that knew Christ and you're having trouble getting over it, come on, you need to just turn it over to the Lord and say thank you, that this isn't goodbye, I'll see you later because they're in a place that's beautiful. No more sorrow, no more tears, no more suffering, no more heartache. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. We have hope beyond the grave. I'm thankful for that. For Christians, death is a fact, not a fear. Christians are death's victors, not death's victims. Amen. I might feel sorry for myself today because Granny's gone. Come on somebody. I might feel sorry for Micah's family because Granny's gone. You know who. I don't feel sorry for Granny because she's in the presence of the Lord because of resurrection, life and power. I got to shut up. I got to shut up. I got to shut up. Here we go.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Several years ago I had the privilege of sharing that's my King on the stage with KJ52. Now a lot of y'all don't know who KJ 5-2 is, but I'm going to tell you KJ 5-2 was like my hero in the 90s when I was growing up and they called me and said hey, we wanted to know if you wanted to come preach a salvation message and we also need you to recite that's my King. I'm like by Dr. SM Lockridge. We're like, oh, you know what? I2 is one of the headlines. I'm like the KJ 5-2? What's it going to cost for you to come do this? Pastor, son, if you let me hang out with KJ 5-2 in the green room, I'll do it for free. Come on somebody. And Johnny Osmond, I went to Union, Missouri, and I did it for free. I'm like taking selfies and stuff. He's like Ryan, bro, I'll sign it for you. I was like all right, man, and then I had to go out and do this. I love this. This is so powerful. Dr Esselstyn Lockridge, this is what he said. Y'all stay with me. I'm done with this.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:The Bible says Jesus is the king of the Jews, he's the king of Israel, he's the king of righteousness, he's the king of glory, he's the king of kings and the Lord of lords. That's my king. David says the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament show with his handiwork. No means of measure can define his limitless love. No far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of his shoreless supply. No barriers can hinder him from pouring out his blessing. I love this.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful. That's my king. He's God's son. He's the center savior. He's the centerpiece of civilization. He stands alone in himself. He's August, he's unique, he's unparalleled, he's unprecedented. He's supreme, he's preeminent. He's the loftiest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He's the supreme problem in higher criticism.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:He's the fundamental doctrine in true theology. He's the cardinal necessity of spiritual religion. That's my king, I wonder. Do you know him? He's the miracle of the age. He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call him. He's the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak, he's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and he saves, he guards and he guides. He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharges debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent. He beautifies the meek. Do you know him today?
Pastor Ryan Sutton:My King is the key of knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. He's the master of the mighty. He's the captain of the conquerors.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:He's the head of the heroes. He's the leader of the legislators. He's the overseer of the overcomers. He's the governor of governors. He's the prince of princes. He's the king of kings and he's the Lord of lords. Princes, he's the king of kings and he's the Lord of lords. That's my king. That's my king.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His word is enough, his grace is sufficient, his reign is righteous, his yoke is easy and his burden is light.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:I wish I could describe him to you, but he's indescribable, he's incomprehensible, he's invincible, he's irresistible. I'm trying to tell you the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, let alone a man or woman. Explain him. You can't get him out of your mind, you can't get him off of your hands. You can't outlive him and you can't live without him. The Pharisees couldn't stand him, but they found out. They couldn't stop him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in him, the witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree and Herod couldn't kill him. Death could not handle him. The grave could not hold him.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:That's my King. That's my king. I wonder, do you know him today? He always has been and he always will be. I'm talking about he had no predecessor and he'll have no successor. There was nobody before him and there'll be nobody after him. You can't impeach him and he's not going to resign. That's my King. That's my King. Praise the Lord. That's my King.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:I want you to stand with me all over this house and give the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the risen Christ Jesus, all the praise, all the honor and all the glory, because he got up on the third day. He is the resurrection and the life. Whoever lives and believes in him shall never die. But the question is do you believe this? I want you to bow your heads with me. I'm out of time All over this room. I want you to bow your heads with me and everybody watching online.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:If you're watching me today and you said Pastor Ryan, I need to surrender my life to Christ. Maybe you've never prayed to make Jesus your personal Lord and Savior. Or maybe you prayed a prayer at one time in your life, but you know that you walked away from him. He didn't walk away from you, but you walked away from him to pursue your own desires, to pursue your own wishes. And today you say you know what. I know.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:There's no better day than Easter Resurrection Sunday to recommit myself and rededicate myself, and I want the worship team to come back and just play softly. And this is what I want to do today. I'm out of time and I'm going to do this differently. Some people won't like the way I do this, but that's all right. I don't do altar calls the same way every time, with everybody bowing your head, nobody looking around, bow your head, close your eyes.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:If you're here today and you say Pastor Ryan, I heard what you said about the resurrection, I heard what you said about Jesus, about who he is, and I know I need to commit myself, maybe for the first time, maybe you need to rededicate yourself to the Lord. I want to say to you today he loves you with all of his heart. God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in Jesus should not perish but have everlasting life, for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world, through Jesus, might be saved. What I want to ask you to do today you know in America we make a big emphasis on people's decision for Christ. Oh, we had 38 people raise their hands and come forward today on Easter. Hey, that's awesome. Praise God for that.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:But it's not about our decision. Yes, it requires a decision on our part, but praying with people, leading people in a prayer, is just the first step. The choice is yours, friend. You can choose to just be here today, celebrate Jesus because it's Easter. You can choose to pray a prayer with me if you want to, but that's all it'll ever be, unless you make the commitment that, hey, I'm really yielding myself and surrendering my all, and so I'm going to do something a little different today.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:I don't do altar calls the same way all the time, but I want everybody in this room to repeat this after me and to pray with me, and I want you to mean it with all of your heart and I know many of you that are here today know the Lord, but I want you to pray it so we can pray it with one voice. For those that need to pray this and those of you watching online, we've had many, many people over the years come to Christ through our live stream broadcast and I'm thankful for that. And if you're watching and you say, pastor Ryan, I need Jesus today, he loves you, friend, and I want you to pray this prayer that we're getting ready to pray, I want you to mean it with all of your heart and I want you to know that today is the first day of the rest of your life. This can be a brand new beginning for you. This can be a fresh start. This can be brand new beginning and a fresh start for you, and this is what I want us to do All over this house. I want you to say this out loud, repeat it after me, mean it with all of your heart.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in Jesus' name, lord, I'm sorry for all of my sins and I repent. Today I open my heart. I invite you to come in, wash me and cleanse me. Be my heart. I invite you to come in, wash me and cleanse me. Be my Savior, be my Lord. I turn from my old ways. I choose to follow you, dear Jesus. I believe with my heart and I confess with my mouth. You are the son of God. You died on the cross. God raised you from the dead on the third day. I surrender all to you. I give you my life.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Devil, come on, say it like you, really mean it. Devil, you are not my God. I will not serve you. I renounce you and all the powers of darkness go from me now, in Jesus' mighty name. Jesus, thank you for loving me, thank you for saving me, thank you for writing my name in your book of life. From this day forward, give me grace, give me strength to follow you for all of my days. I trust you, Jesus, for all of my days I trust you, Jesus, and I thank you that because you rose again, I can have a fresh start, I can have a brand new beginning. I declare today Come on, say it like you mean it I declare today this is the first day of the rest of my life In Jesus' name. Amen and Amen.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Come on, give God praise all over this room. Come on, give him praise. Give him praise give him praise.
Pastor Ryan Sutton:Thank you again for joining us today. For Ryan Sutton Ministries, we truly hope this message has been a blessing to you. If you'd like to contact Pastor Ryan Sutton at the Grace Center, you may do so by writing, PO Box 21, Crystal City, Missouri, 63019. Or you can call the office at 314-960-8308. Or you can reach out to Pastor Ryan Sutton on the web by visiting wwwthegracecentercom. Thank you again for joining us. God bless and we'll see you next time.
