WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.280 You guys doing okay? 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:03.759 Let's pray. 00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:06.320 Father, we give you this time. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:07.679 We love you. 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:10.800 We bless you as we see the sky changing. 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:15.439 As we see the sun about to rise, we're reminded of how much you love us. 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:17.600 God bless this time. 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:25.039 Lord bless our lives as we refocus and rededicate ourselves to you this year because you rose from the grave. 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:26.320 In your name we pray. 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:27.199 Amen. 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:34.159 Alright in the Bible it says Matthew says that they came to the tomb at dawn. 00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:45.280 Mark says it was Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, very early in the morning when the sun had already risen. 00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:46.560 That's interesting. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:50.479 And that coyote is already celebrating the resurrection. 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:54.399 Luke recounts it was very early in the morning. 00:00:54.719 --> 00:00:59.119 John says Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early when it was still dark. 00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:01.119 So how do you put all these together? 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:04.159 I think Mary must have been the athletic one. 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:08.879 And so she got up early when it was still dark, like some of us did. 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:10.560 We were here when it was like super dark. 00:01:10.640 --> 00:01:13.280 Because you know the darkest time of the day is right before the sun rises. 00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:15.120 It's actually the coldest time of day, too. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:17.359 So it's only going to get warmer from here. 00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:27.439 But um, but she probably got there early, and when she saw that the tomb was empty, there was actually an angel there like lightning, is what it says. 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:29.840 And so she must have freaked out over that. 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:34.879 And then she turned around to run back, and then Jesus actually appeared to her. 00:01:34.959 --> 00:01:37.599 And then there was at some point where they all came together. 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:41.040 The bottom line, though, is it was very early in the morning. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:42.239 It was the first day of the week. 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:46.560 So it's it is traditionally Sunday, which is what we were doing today. 00:01:46.879 --> 00:02:03.760 And um, and so that's why the uh Jews who got saved and became Christians went from a Sabbath type of worship, which was a which we would call classically a Saturday, to a Sunday, and why we are today with a Sunday because of what happened on this day. 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:09.280 So Sunday became the day of worship because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:16.479 All the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, agree that there was an empty tomb on the first day of the week. 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:23.680 All the gospels account for this story as the transition and the transformation of Christianity. 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:32.319 And as you guys know, every major magazine, every major newspaper in the world will have something about Easter. 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:37.199 It is by far the greatest historical event of all time. 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:49.120 Whether you're in New York City or in Papua New Guinea, there is news of the risen Christ today, and you join over a billion people around the world that are celebrating together. 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:53.680 So you bundle up your kids and you came here today. 00:02:54.000 --> 00:03:02.479 You came as a family, and you came and it's cold, and and it's uh and it's a challenge to be here because Jesus Christ rose from the grave. 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:03.120 C. 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:03.520 S. 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:04.960 Lewis, I love this quote. 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:06.159 Listen to this quote by C. 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:06.400 S. 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:07.039 Lewis. 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:17.680 The New Testament writers speak as if Christ's achievement in rising from the dead was the first event of its kind in the whole history of the universe. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:21.680 He is the first fruits, the pioneer of life. 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:27.680 He is forced to open a door that has been locked since the death of the first man. 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:32.800 He has met, fought, and beaten the king of death. 00:03:32.960 --> 00:03:35.599 Everything is different because he has done so. 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:47.919 Christ came, and we don't know exactly what happened, but what you've heard me speak of over the last few days is that I believe that on that day when Christ died, that he actually entered into hell. 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:53.599 And when he entered into hell, he encountered Satan, that great demon of death. 00:03:53.680 --> 00:04:02.479 And he stole, he took away from Satan the keys of sin and death, and it opened up paradise to all of you. 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:04.560 You now have access to paradise. 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:11.919 And when we go to meet the Lord, if the Lord tarries, immediately you're in paradise because of what Christ did that day. 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:22.240 So something between Friday and Sunday, Christ in a mysterious way went in and he didn't ascend to the Father. 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:27.439 We don't believe he even ascended to the Father, but he actually took on Satan during those three days. 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:40.319 And the reason we believe that is because later after he ascended, I mean excuse me, after he had risen before he ascended, he would not allow the disciples to touch him physically because he said he had not ascended to the Father. 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:51.759 And then the next time we see him, Thomas wants to touch his wounds, wants to touch his side because he's uh doubting whether Christ is really physically risen from the grave. 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:56.240 In other words, they're thinking, okay, he rose from the grave spiritually. 00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:59.360 It was some kind of a spiritual thing that he did. 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:12.399 But then Jesus says, No, you can now touch my hands, you can touch the wounds on my side, and then he ate fish, as we talked about last night at the Sea of Galilee. 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:25.439 So somewhere between his resurrection and then his ascension, 40 days later, he ascended to his father, and he came back physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually risen from the grave. 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:32.240 This morning, the great challenge before us, I believe, is Matthew 28. 00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:35.600 So Jesus has been on the earth now for 40 days. 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:37.600 He's risen from the grave. 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:40.000 And then he gives this challenge. 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:43.120 He says this, Matthew 28. 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:44.959 Matthew 28, 18. 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:54.800 Jesus came and he spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 00:05:55.040 --> 00:06:02.879 Now Jesus could not have said, All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth if he hadn't risen from the grave. 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:12.319 In other words, he could say he has authority on the earth, but now he could say, All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:18.639 You see, he entered into that fourth dimension, that spiritual rim, and then he broke free from that. 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:23.040 And if you look over now to your right, you see this cross. 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:26.160 It's empty. 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:27.839 It's empty. 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:29.120 He's not there. 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:31.439 There's a tomb. 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:33.120 They all ran to a tomb. 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:34.720 They came to a tomb. 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:36.319 And the tomb is empty. 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:47.600 Believe it or not, it was empty, and the authorities would have gone and gotten the body and brought it forth if there was a body to be brought. 00:06:47.839 --> 00:07:02.480 I mean, they, more than anything else, the chief priests, the Pharisees, and the Roman authorities had gotten together the day after the crucifixion of Christ and said, put a Roman seal, put soldiers over the tomb. 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:10.879 Because they're going to say he rose from the grave, because he was always talking about rising from the grave, and then what's going to happen is the disciples are going to come and steal the body. 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:12.720 And they said, Oh, yeah, this is a good idea. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:16.879 So they put 50 Roman elite soldiers over the tomb. 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:22.959 They put a wax and a seal and a rope across the tomb right there and sealed it. 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:25.199 And it was empty and it was broken. 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:28.959 And if there was a body to be found, believe me, they would have found it. 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:30.160 There was no body. 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:33.680 There's an empty cross and there's an empty tomb. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:36.480 So all authority has been given to him. 00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:44.879 Men and women, all authority on heaven and earth, if you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior lives in you. 00:07:45.199 --> 00:07:46.720 That's power for healing. 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:48.079 That's power for deliverance. 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:49.680 That's power for forgiveness. 00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:55.600 That's power to work in your job and to do situations that are impossible. 00:07:55.759 --> 00:08:01.759 Now all things are possible for you because all authority in heaven and earth lives in you. 00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:12.480 And if you don't know Christ this morning, if you haven't personally become a disciple, I'm going to give you that chance to stand and give your heart to Christ and become a Jesus disciple. 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:16.879 We don't even know in many cases what exactly all that means. 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:18.399 We just know this. 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:25.439 In Christ. 00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:29.199 Greatest miracle of all time. 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:44.240 And then he said this go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I've commanded you. 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:48.559 And lo, I'm with you always, even until the end of the age. 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:55.120 Jesus is inviting us to be disciples and to make disciples. 00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:58.159 We get to make Jesus followers. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:00.399 We get to be Jesus followers. 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:04.559 And at the road, we talk about building whole-hearted disciples. 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:09.360 And this word whole-hearted is so important on Easter. 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:12.559 Folks, most of us, isn't it true? 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:14.639 We live half-hearted lives. 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:21.279 We kind of give ourselves halfway to things in our life that we know are so valuable and so important. 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:23.759 Jesus wants us to be whole-hearted. 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:34.879 But he's the only one that can empower us through his Holy Spirit to be whole-hearted disciples, to give everything that we have to him daily. 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:39.440 And so Jesus is commanding us to go and make disciples. 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:43.200 But does that feel like it's sort of impossible most of the time? 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:45.200 I mean, it does for me. 00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:51.200 I feel like so many times, I mean, I was so pumped last night because Duke won. 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:56.879 I went home and uh my dad's alma mater Duke. 00:09:57.279 --> 00:10:04.559 We we you gotta understand, man, we like we we grew up with Duke being like crummy, a really crummy basketball team. 00:10:04.720 --> 00:10:10.399 Then Coach K came and and it was almost like the savior of the world came to Duke University. 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:12.480 But they won last night, right? 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:14.399 And then Kentucky got beat. 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:16.559 Yes, that was awesome too. 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:25.360 But I I noted myself, I looked at myself, you know, and I'm thinking, I'm so excited about the stupid final four. 00:10:25.600 --> 00:10:26.799 Who gives a rip? 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:30.080 Next year, most people won't even remember who they were. 00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:31.759 Really? 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:39.279 But we have Jesus Christ, and through his power, we can be excited about that. 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:40.960 And you guys are here. 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:42.000 Look at look at us. 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:47.600 We're all bundled up and we and we made the effort to come because we're wholehearted disciples and we love him. 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:50.240 But it's through the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:51.840 So even Jesus, can you imagine this? 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:52.799 Listen to you guys. 00:10:52.960 --> 00:11:03.440 If you think that sometimes you're not doing so well in your Christian life, these guys were with Jesus every day, and he still doesn't trust them. 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:07.200 He says, This, you are witnesses of these things. 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:08.639 This is Luke 24. 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:14.879 Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you, but wait, tarry. 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:16.960 Some of your Bibles say, Tarry. 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:22.799 Some Bibles say, wait in the city of Jerusalem until you're endued with power from on high. 00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:24.799 So he doesn't even think they're ready. 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:31.039 They've been with him for three and a half years, every day, seeing, visually seeing the miracles. 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:34.240 And he says, Look, you you're gonna screw the whole thing up. 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:38.080 Unless, unless you're empowered with the Holy Spirit. 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:44.399 And so, men and women, here this morning, we have to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:47.519 We have to be refilled with the Holy Spirit. 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:49.840 We can't live the Christian life. 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:54.720 You can't live the Christian life without the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:11:55.279 --> 00:12:08.480 And so in Acts chapter 1, verse 8, you shall receive power, Jesus says, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the remotest parts of the earth. 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:16.480 The only way we can be disciples, the only way we can make disciples, the only way we can live as disciples is through the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:21.200 So the challenge before us here is to be refilled. 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:23.919 Some of you are filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:25.840 You are walking in power. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:37.759 You have seen people get healed through prayer, you have seen miracles in your life, and you need to be refilled as we start this new year, this new resurrection day. 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:41.360 For some of us here, you've never given your heart fully to Christ. 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:46.320 And it's time to give your heart to Christ and really become a Jesus disciple to follow him. 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:56.000 Not in your own power, but surrendering your life to him that he might fill you and he might empower you for the work that he has for you. 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:02.799 We had a fire two years ago in Waldo Canyon. 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:05.120 And I mean it was scary. 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:06.559 It was a big fire. 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:08.639 Some of you are firefighters. 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:09.919 You were involved in it. 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:16.320 You were out there every day battling those blazes, and house after house went up, and explosions occurred. 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:17.919 And we followed that. 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:19.360 All of us did, didn't we? 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:20.639 On TV and radio. 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:30.720 And and I remember we were up in Monument and we had binoculars, and one of my sons was playing baseball, and we could just see what appeared to us like rock remnant was just being lit up. 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:48.240 And then last year, you know, I'm in a I'm in one meeting after another, and uh, and one of my staff runs in to tell me, dude, there is a there is a there is a uh column of smoke coming up from Black Forest right where your house is. 00:13:48.399 --> 00:14:03.600 So we all jumped in our trucks and we drove and it was right there where Black Forest fire started was a quarter of a mile north, um, if not closer, on that Falcon Drive, uh as a as a crow flies from our house. 00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:04.720 So it's just right there. 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:06.799 We couldn't see the flames, but we almost could. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:09.679 And we just started evacuating stuff and we got out of there. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:11.440 And then we know what happened. 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:15.200 One of the great fires of Colorado happened last summer. 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:21.360 So we've had a fire in Waldo Canyon, and we've had a fire in Black Forest. 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:41.679 And I think we should make it our prayer that there'd be a fire of the Holy Spirit in Colorado Springs, that God would show up in our churches, that God would show up on our pastors, that God would show up on believers just like us right here, that we'd be filled with the power and the fire of the Holy Spirit. 00:14:42.159 --> 00:14:44.000 Why not start here? 00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:50.240 Part of my sermon was we were gonna light these fires, and I was gonna have you stand, it's gonna be really cool and everything. 00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:53.679 And it was so flipping cold that we went on and lit them. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:55.600 So sorry about that. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:02.799 But the sun's about to rise, and I want to give us a challenge here before we take communion. 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:12.159 If you'd like to be refilled, filled with the Holy Spirit, or maybe for the first time, give your heart to become a Jesus follower. 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:13.679 Would you stand with me right now? 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:15.120 You stand up. 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:21.200 Amen. 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:31.039 To be filled with the Holy Spirit, fresh fire from the Holy Spirit, to be refilled with the Holy Spirit, fresh fire from the Holy Spirit. 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:32.320 Would you stand? 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:39.919 And then I'd like my guys, uh Ben and Tom, would you guys come and grab these cards? 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:42.320 As you guys are standing. 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:48.000 We're gonna take these as a sign of giving these areas over to the Lord. 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:50.720 And we're gonna dump these in the fire. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:56.639 And then you guys, as I said earlier, there's pens and cards up here. 00:15:56.720 --> 00:16:04.080 So when you're taking communion, if there's something on your heart that you want to give to the Lord, you can do that. 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:05.120 So we're gonna put those in. 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:06.960 Let's just dump those in the fire. 00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:15.759 These represent hundreds of you that have surrendered or surrendering stuff to the Lord. 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:25.279 Alright, you that are standing with me, would you just kind of put your hands out in a posture of surrender? 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:33.679 Holy Spirit, we invite you now to come across this group of Jesus disciples. 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:41.200 God, those that are longing for fire and and re-surrender, or maybe for the first time giving their hearts to you. 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:45.120 I ask you, Lord, to fill them with your Holy Spirit. 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:47.120 Fill them with your love. 00:16:47.440 --> 00:17:11.200 Fill them with your Son Jesus, fill them with your power, fill them with forgiveness, fill them with mercy, fill them with joy, fill them with power to live a surrendered Jesus disciple life, to take all their thoughts and their hearts and their vision and their future and their passions and give it to you. 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:16.480 And God, fill them, anoint them, empower them. 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:27.039 God, come and make this the rest of this year a year of the empowering of the Spirit as whole-hearted disciples of Jesus. 00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:28.559 Come, Lord. 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:31.039 Bless you, Lord. 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:32.960 Now let's all stand. 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:33.920 Let's all stand. 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:40.240 Let's sing this song and then after this worship song, I'll come up and we'll take communion together. 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:42.240 But let's first just worship. 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:30.720 Okay, guys, we're gonna, Lord, we just ask you right now to take the juice and the bread. 00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:32.960 God, anoint it. 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:39.680 Lord, even as some of us have made fresh commitments to you to follow you, to be filled with your spirit. 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:45.920 God, as we take communion, would you bless this bread that represents the body of Christ? 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:50.799 Would you bless this wine and juice that represents the blood of Christ? 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:54.400 And God, fill us with life. 00:22:54.640 --> 00:23:00.000 Life through our bloodstream, through the power of your holy communion. 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:00.720 In your name. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:01.599 Amen. 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:05.359 You guys, what we have here is the communion elements. 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:10.960 And the first cup that you have on the table is uh grape juice. 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:13.920 The cup behind is wine. 00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:23.119 And then what we want you to do is just come and you can dip the bread into the juice or the wine, whichever you choose, and take communion on your own. 00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:26.960 In the middle, it's for all of you that need gluten-free. 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:32.640 So Jesus' body was probably gluten-free. 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:35.599 So there it is right there. 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:38.079 So um let me just make a note of this. 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:40.720 It looks like a stone table, but it's very light. 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:43.119 So try not to bump the table. 00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:51.839 So if you've got your kids with you, could you just kind of manage them so that they don't run into the table because it could tip over, because it's not super steady. 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:54.640 So um, what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna make a change. 00:23:54.720 --> 00:24:02.720 I'm gonna put the wine next to on the outer edge so you don't have to reach in as far for that. 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:09.680 So, Father, right now we just give this time to you and we bless you and praise you. 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:10.400 Amen. 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:13.119 So come on up, take communion.