Easter Hope: Finding Redemption through Jesus Christ - Pastor Jason Lockard

The crucifixion of Jesus was a necessity for mankind's redemption.

Jesus' death on the cross would have meant nothing if he had stayed in the tomb.

On the third day, Jesus came alive again, fulfilling his promise.

The resurrection of Jesus is a miracle that proves his power and love.

Today is the day we celebrate the single greatest miracle in mankind's history. I mean, it literally is. I've said it so many times, but it's so true. the crucifixion, Jesus' death was a necessity for mankind's redemption. It was a necessity. But really when you get right down to it the death on Calvary's cross would have meant nothing if Jesus would have stayed in the tomb. But thankfully he didn't stay in the tomb. Thankfully, on the third day, Jesus came alive again Hallelujah It was early in the morning when He came alive And of course the disciples were all upset All of the ones that had followed Jesus were all upset They had not listened to His words and all the time they had been with him they did not listen to his words because if they would have listened to what he was saying they would have known that the third day something was going to happen and they would have been at the tomb they would have been in the graveyard area where that sepulcher was and they would have been there prepared for something to happen but instead Instead, they were all saddened at the loss of Jesus. Verse 1 says, In the end of the Sabbath, this is the Jewish Sabbath, which would be Saturday, when Saturday was over, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, meaning Sunday, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. Now, Mary Magdalene had seen an amazing miracle in her life. If you remember, Jesus was the one that cast seven demons out of Mary Magdalene and set her free, changed her life forever. But here came two women to the sepulcher, and all of them says here, to see the sepulcher. There was great sadness. Their hearts that once rejoiced at being around Jesus had now turned to sadness as they were going to the sepulcher to prepare Jesus' body for final burial. Again, these two ladies who've been with Jesus and have heard all the messages, heard everything that he said, know all about his prophetic words, yet they're bringing spices to prepare Jesus' body for a final burial. Where were these people's faith? Right? Jesus had promised, he said, tear down this temple and I'll rego it in three days. Remember that? That's exactly what he said. Jesus, and that was the thing. So many people thought that Jesus was talking about Solomon's temple. But Jesus was not talking about a physical building. Jesus was talking about the temple of God himself. This temple that he was living in, that the Son of God was living in, this mortal flesh that God had imparted unto him so that he could be in this world. He said to these people, you can tear this temple down, but I will rebuild it in three days. And everybody thought it was a physical building. I sit and I wonder Why was there not one person That followed Jesus That was in that garden Or in that graveyard At that sepulcher Just to see if maybe He would come back to life like He promised You ever wonder why there wasn't one person there? It bothers me it makes me wonder what did they believe? These two ladies were coming to bring spices to prepare Jesus' burial body for his final burial. And behold there was a great earthquake. Now I want you to understand something that with earthquakes usually comes destruction, right? That's what happens with an earthquake. You get a massive earthquake, you get destruction, right? You get the ground breaks open, buildings collapse, all kinds of bad stuff happen, right? Two earthquakes happen in a short period of time, and both of them brought back to broad miracles. When Jesus was on the cross, there happened to be an earthquake. when he said, meaning, my God, my God, why have thou forsaken me? and then he gave up the ghost and he died, and when he died the earthquake happened and the veil on the temple red and twain meaning that it ripped from the top to the bottom okay which is really interesting and then that was more than just curtains ripping That meant we then had access to God, which is so cool. But beyond that, I want to share something with you that is found in Matthew 25, 51-53. And it says, old saints began to rise up from the dead and they began to walk into the cities. So an earthquake at his death brought forth many to witness to the glory of God. And then on that glorious Sunday morning, the earthquake and an angel descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat upon it. I love it. And there again was another miracle, another resurrection. Two earthquakes, many resurrections. Hallelujah. I love that. And I want you to understand something, too. When the angel came down and he rolled back that stone, it was not so that Jesus could get out. it was so those followers could get in why? because most of mankind has to see it to believe it right? we don't have faith to believe it we've got to see it to believe it if we can't touch it, if we can't smell it if we can't taste it, if we can't see it You know, it's not true. And see, that's exactly what it was. All of what it says here, verse 3, His countenance was like lightning, and His brain went white as snow. And for fear of Him, the keepers, those that were guarding this sepulcher, did shake and became as dead men, literally faded dead away. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye. There's something very interesting that is happening here. Two appearances of angels that deal with Jesus. When Jesus first came into the world, an angel appeared unto shepherds and said, what? Fear not. For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be unto all people. And here, at Jesus' glorious resurrection, an angel appears again to two women and says, fear not ye. I love that. You ever thought about that two times? Two times that an angel appears to tell of Jesus to people, hey, don't fear. we got good news we got good news to share with you I'll run to you of his born this day in the city of David a savior which is Christ the Lord and here he says fear ye not for I know you see Jesus which was crucified he is not here for he is risen as he said I love those three words he had to reiterate what Jesus had said many times He is not here, but is risen as he said. You remember what he said? You remember all the times that he said that he was going to be put down but would come again? You remember what he said he would die, but he would raise again? Do you remember what they said? That he would be killed, but he would come alive again? Well, don't worry about it. He's not dead. He is alive. And he's alive forevermore. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I love that. He's not here. He is risen, as he said. You're looking in the wrong place. We're always looking for God in the wrong place, right? People are always looking for God in the wrong place. I'm amazed at people. They'll be out in the woods sitting there saying, Oh, I'm worshiping God in nature. You know? Oh, I'm worshiping God with my family or whatever. But, you know, sometimes I sit and I go, why can't we come to church? Right? We want to worship God other than in church, right? Well, we're going to find someplace else to go to worship God other than His house. I don't know. You're in the wrong place. See, Jesus is life. I love what the The angel continues here after he said what he said. He said, come see the place where the Lord lay. If you want to be honest about it what it should say is come see the place where the Lord did lay They just missed that little did That where He was laying He ain there no more First maybe the angel was saying come look and see for yourself. Maybe that's what he was trying to say. Come look and see where the Lord's laying. He ain't there. Duh, what did I just tell you? Maybe that's what he was trying to get across. I don't know. Come see for yourself. And I love what he says here. And go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. Again, here I sit and I say, why were his disciples not there? Why were the ones that followed Jesus not there? Why was it Mary Magdalene and the other Mary that went to Jesus to prepare his body? What about the disciples? What about those that had followed him all that time? Why were they not there? Hmm. Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it? You ever heard the term fair-weather friends? kind of almost makes you feel like maybe they were fair weather followers. Because, let's be honest, Jesus, if he was dead, needed somebody to prepare his body for burial. But the ones that said they loved him was not there. I love what the angel says. Go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. And behold, he goes before you in Galilee. And there you shall see him. Lo, I have told you. I love what the angel is saying here. He said, I want you to realize you need to go to Galilee because he's getting there. That's where he's coming. And then you're going to see him as he is. You're going to be able to see Him As He is You're going to be able to see the risen Lord Now we all know that when Jesus did appear One wasn't there, right? You remember who that was? Thomas? When Jesus appeared They all sat there and ran to Thomas and said Hey, we saw Jesus And he said, what? He said, I don't believe anything. I don't have faith in that. And then he sat and went a step further with, I don't believe. He said, unless I can put my fingers in the nail prints in his hand, unless I can put my hand in the spear print in his side, I will not believe. And Jesus appeared to him again When he came into the place That was scary No doubt Walking through the walls He went right out to Thomas And he said Don't doubt here Nobody told Jesus What he had said He knew He said here Put your finger right here. Here. Put your hand right there on my side. Go ahead. And don't doubt. See, this message today, I think, is for all of us. Because sometimes we can lose faith easily. Circumstances happen, and things happen, and we can lose faith. But there is one thing we should never, ever, ever, ever lose faith in, And that is the fact that Jesus is alive. And he's alive forevermore. And because he lives, we too shall live also. If you can't believe nothing else, you can believe that. You can trust in that. And you can bank on that because it's true. Easter is about hope. That was the purpose of Easter. That was the purpose of the resurrection. The resurrection of Easter, this event, is all about hope. Jesus' resurrection brought mankind hope. Number one, I've got three things and then we're going to finish up today, but I want to share these with you. Number one, Jesus' resurrection, number one, brought us, mankind, healing. Isaiah 53, 4 and 5 says Surely it had borne our griefs and carried our sorrows Yet we had seen constricted of God and smitten and afflicted But he was wounded for our transgressions He was bruised for our iniquities And the chastisement of our peace was upon him And with his stripes we are healed I love that word I love that word. It doesn't say we might be, may be, could be, possibly be. It doesn't say that. It says we are healed. Number two. Jesus death and resurrection brought us salvation Ephesians 2 8 and 9 says For by grace are ye saved through faith in that not of yourselves It is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Again, salvation is a gift. How? By faith. Jesus' death and resurrection brought us salvation But only if we have faith And then number three The final thing that I want to share with you today That Jesus' death and resurrection brings us Is home It brings us home John 14, 1-3 says these words let not your hearts be troubled you believe in God believe also in me in my father's house are many mansions not rooms and if it were not so I would have told you I go and prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you under myself that where I am there ye may also be I love that so Jesus death and resurrection open the doors for us to have home if we have faith. But see, that's the whole thing. This season, this Easter season is all about faith in the promise of a resurrected Messiah. Jesus came out of that grave for you and for me. His glorious resurrection made a way for us to have the blessings of God in our lives. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. We're going to celebrate the resurrection. in just one second. Actually, a little more in one second. But we want to pray this morning. Let's bow our heads before the Lord for just a moment. And as we bow our heads and close our eyes, I just want to talk to the Lord for just a moment. Father God, this morning, we want to bless Your name. We want to thank You, God, for the glorious resurrection of your only begotten Son. Father, your Son's resurrection opened the door for us to have victory, for us to have healing, for us to have salvation, for us to have hope. Father God, we want to praise you for the willingness to send your only begotten son. But most importantly of all, God, we want to thank you that he didn't stay in that grave, but he came out of the grave risen with victory over death, hell, and Satan forevermore. And because he lives, we too shall live also. We too shall have victory. I praise you today. Father God, maybe there is someone in this house. Maybe there's someone watching this video this morning and they're saying, you know what, I don't have the faith that I need to believe in the resurrected Messiah. I don't have faith to believe for salvation. I don't have faith to believe for home. I don't have faith to believe for healing. I pray, Father God, today in the resurrected Messiah, the power that came from His risen body out of that grave, that that power will go into these ones this morning, Father God. that those ones that are saying, God, I don't have the faith, that you will strengthen their faith right now in Jesus' name, that they will have new faith, new hope, new beginnings. And Father God, they will be blessed beyond measure and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the risen Messiah is in them, that the risen Messiah's power is in them, and they will have the faith to believe all things are possible to them that do believe. I pray it right now in Jesus' name. Father God, I thank you for the blessing that it is to be in your house. I thank you, Father God, for the resurrected Messiah. I thank you, Father God, that he is alive today and forevermore. And I give you all praise and honor and glory for it all. Now, Father God, as we conclude with a song this morning, Father God, we ask that you will not dismiss us, but, Father God, that you will go with us. You will keep us safe. You will bring us back safe into your house next time. That we might be able to worship you yet again. And Father God, for all that you are, for all that you do, we give you all the praise and all the honor and all the glory for you're truly worthy of it all. For it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you.

Playlist coming soon.