Springhill Church

Topic: Easter

  • Easter 2024 – This Changes Everything!

    I want to ask you some questions today. If you answer yes to any of these questions, the Resurrection changes everything for you and me!

    1. Have you ever felt trapped or in bondage with no way of escape?

    We know that seven demons were cast out of Mary when she encountered Jesus the first time.

    Luke 8:2 | NKJV (2) and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities–Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons,

    She and several women then began to travel everywhere that Jesus went for the next 2 ½ years or so.

    She heard Him preach and teach everything during this time.

    She then sees Him scourged, nailed to the Cross, she watches Him die and then helps take His body off the Cross and prepares His body for burial. She runs out of time because of the Sabbath and that is why she is returning on Sunday.

    What was she thinking on Saturday?

    Were those spirits beginning to talk to her and say that they were going to come back because everything that she believed in was now dead? They were trying to get her to believe that He wasn’t really Who He said He was and she really wasn’t free.

    What then was she thinking on Sunday?

    Mary gets to the tomb early Sunday morning and discovers that Jesus is not there. She runs and tells Peter and John what she had seen. Peter and Johns race to the tomb and see for themselves that what Mary said was true. They then return to the other disciples, but Mary remains.

    John 20:11-16 | NKJV (11) But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. (12) And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. (13) Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” (14) Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. (15) Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” (16) Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

    She is weeping and then she sees Jesus and thinks He is the gardener. She begs for His body and then He says one word to her, “Mary.” She turns around and it is Jesus.

    This changes everything. She then realizes that those spirits are not coming back.

    Jesus died for your sins, but He rose for your freedom.

    Because Jesus died for your sins and rose from the dead for your freedom, this changes everything.

    There is no bondage in your life that can keep you in bondage if you come to Jesus and let Him set you free.

    1. Have you ever made a promise to the Lord you didn’t keep?

    Matthew 26:31-35 | NKJV (31) Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I WILL STRIKE THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK WILL BE SCATTERED.’ (32) But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” (33) Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” (34) Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” (35) Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.

    The third time that Peter denied the Lord, Jesus was on the other side of the courtyard being beaten by the guards.

    Luke 22:61 | NKJV (61) And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”

    How do you think Peter felt that day? He feels just like we do when we make promises to the Lord, and we do not keep them.

    What do you think that Peter was thinking on Saturday?

    He remembered that look that Jesus gave him in the courtyard and that picture was haunting him to the depths of his soul.

    Peter knew that Jesus was dead, and he was thinking that he will never get to talk to Jesus again. He will never get to tell him how sorry he is for denying Him and messing up.

    What do you think Peter was thinking on Sunday?

    He runs to the tomb and sees that it is empty. This changes everything. Later, Peter is able to say he was sorry to his friend whom he thought was gone forever.

    If you have ever made a promise to God that you did not keep, the Resurrection can change everything for you.

    1. Have you ever doubted God or His Word?

    John 20:24-29 | NKJV (24) Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. (25) The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (26) And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” (27) Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” (28) And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” (29) Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

    What was Thomas was thinking before he saw Jesus?

    Thomas was refusing to believe because he could not reconcile what Jesus had said with what he could see around him.

    What do you think Thomas was thinking after he found out about the resurrection?

    I am sure he thought to himself, this changes everything. I can believe without being able to reconcile everything God has said with what I can see around me. In other words, and can believe and live by faith.

    If you have ever doubted, the good news is that because of the Resurrection, it changes everything.

    Because He is risen, you can have victory despite what you can see around you and you can believe that what He said IS TRUE!

    What Jesus did 2000 years ago in His death, burial and resurrection, changes everything.

    1 Peter 1:3-4 | NLT (3) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, (4) and we have a priceless inheritance–an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

    1 Peter 1:3-4 | MSG (3) What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, (4) including a future in heaven–and the future starts now!

    We can live with great expectation and a bright future because the Resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything!!

  • For God So Loved – Part 2

    (John 3:16 NKJV) (16) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

    “Believing in Him…” means much more than just believing He existed. You must believe He accomplished His mission and fulfilled God’s plan of Redemption.

    (For more details on Jesus’ actual death on the Cross, refer to last Easter’s message on April 17, 2022.)

    In addition to all the people who saw Him die on the Cross, the following individuals and groups verified that His dead body was in the tomb:

    (Luke 23:50-56 NKJV)

    • Joseph of Arimathea carefully laid Him inside the tomb.
    • Nicodemus provided the embalming solutions, assisted in embalming Him, and helped Joseph of Arimathea lay Him in His place in the tomb.
    • Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses lovingly examined His body and carefully contemplated every aspect of the burial site to ensure everything was done properly and respectfully.

    (Matthew 27:62-66 NKJV)

    • Rome’s official officer went into the tomb and examined the body of Jesus to verify that it was Jesus and that He was really dead.
    • The chief priests and elders entered the tomb with Rome’s official officer so they could look upon Jesus’ dead body and put an end to their worries that He had somehow survived.
    • Roman guards checked the contents of the tomb because they wanted to know for sure a body was there. They didn’t want to be guarding an empty tomb that would later be used as a claim of resurrection, while they got blamed for the disappearance of Jesus’ body.

    After all of these inspections were complete, Rome’s official officer ordered the stone be rolled into place. While the chief priests, elders, and Roman guards watched, he secured the site and sealed it shut with the seal of the governor of Rome.

    The purpose of the seal was to authenticate that Jesus was dead; therefore, we can know that His body was thoroughly inspected again for proof of death.

    Regardless of these efforts to secure the site and to keep Jesus inside the grave, it was impossible for death to hold Him. When preaching on the day of Pentecost, Peter proclaimed to the people of Jerusalem,

    (Acts 2:23-24 TPT) (23) This Man’s destiny was prearranged, for God knew that Jesus would be handed over to you to be crucified and that you would execute him on a cross by the hands of lawless men. Yet it was all part of his predetermined plan. (24) God destroyed the cords of death and raised him up, because it was impossible for death’s power to hold him prisoner.

    (Matthew 28:1-7 NKJV) Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. (2) And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. (3) His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. (4) And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. (5) But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. (6)  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  (7)  And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

    The power of God exploded inside that tomb, reconnected Jesus’ spirit with His dead body, flooded His corpse with life, and He arose! So much power was released behind the sealed entrance of His tomb that the earth itself reverberated and shuddered from the explosion.

    Then an angel rolled the stone from the entrance to the tomb, and Jesus physically walked through the door of that tomb alive! This is no legend nor fairy tale. This is the foundation of our faith! He was resurrected from the dead sometime between the close of Sabbath sunset on Saturday evening and before the women came to the tomb early on Sunday morning. The only actual eyewitnesses to the resurrection itself were the angels who were present and the four Roman soldiers who had been stationed there at Pilate’s command.

    This earthquake in Matthew 28:2 didn’t occur at the time when the women approached the tomb; rather, it occurred simultaneously with the moment of Jesus’ resurrection, sometime after the Saturday sunset and before the women arrived at the garden. When describing the magnitude of the earthquake, Matthew tells us that there was “a great (mega) earthquake.”

    (Mark 16:4 NKJV) But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away–for it was very large.

    In other words, this was no normal stone; the authorities placed an extremely, exceedingly massive stone in front of the entrance to Jesus’ tomb. Yet when the women arrived, it had been removed!

    Matthew 28:2 tells us HOW the stone was removed. It says that “…the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it.” Matthew informs us that not only was the angel strong, but “his countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow” (v. 3). The immense size, power, and brilliance of this angel explains why the Roman guards to be afraid and later flee the scene.

    Matthew 28:4 tells us, “And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.” The soldiers were so terrified at the appearance of the angel that they fell to the ground, violently trembling and so paralyzed with fear that they were unable to move.

    When they were finally able to move again, these guards fled the scene — and when the women arrived at the garden, they were nowhere to be found! But what did the women find inside the tomb besides the vacant spot where Jesus had laid?

    When they stepped into the tomb:

    They came expecting to see the stone in front of the tomb, but it was removed. Sitting on top of the massive stone was a dazzling angel. To get into the tomb, they had to pass by that angel — but once in the tomb, they discovered there was no dead body. Then suddenly they looked over to the right side of the tomb and saw a second angel, dressed in a long, white robe like a warrior, ruler, priest, or king. The women didn’t expect to encounter any of these unusual events that morning. It would have been normal for their heads to be whirling with questions!

    (Luke 24:5-8 NKJV) Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? (6) He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, (7) saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ” (8) And they remembered His words.

    Later Jesus Encountered the Disciples:

    (Matthew 28:16-20 NKJV)  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  (17)  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  (18)  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  (19)  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,  (20)  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

    This is the Power of His Resurrection:

    1. On the Cross, Jesus died spiritually, but God raised Him from the dead so that you could receive a new life.
    2. On the Cross, Jesus became guilty for you, but God raised Him from the dead so that you could be declared innocent.
    3. On the Cross, Jesus took your shame, but God raised Him from the dead so that you could hold your head high in Him.
    4. On the Cross, Jesus experienced God turning His back on Him, but God raised Him from the dead so that God would never leave and forsake you.
    5. On the Cross, Jesus took the disrespect and dishonor of men, but God raised Him from the dead so that you could receive the honor and respect of God.
    6. On the Cross, Jesus died in darkness, but God raised Him from the dead so that you could live and walk in the light.
    7. On the Cross, Jesus died as in obscurity, but God raised Him from the dead so that you could receive meaning and significance.
    8. On the Cross, Jesus took your sickness, but God raised Him from the dead so that you could receive healing in your body.
    9. On the Cross, Jesus took the curse that was on us, but God raised Him from the dead so that you could receive His blessing.
    10. On the Cross, Jesus died on Friday as an everyday thief, but God raised Him from the dead on Sunday as a King for you.

    Jesus is alive and He is Lord!!!!

  • Easter 2019 – Resurrection!

    God has so much more for you and your life! Wherever you may be in life, God has more in store for you. You have not experienced all that God has for you.

    Is your perception of Christianity simply that God is telling us what we can and cannot do?

    Maybe your church experience in the past has framed that perception.

    Maybe you have had it preached to you that you are a bad person and you need to let Jesus make you a good person.

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    • Jesus did not come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people alive.

    God wants to take the areas of your life that are decaying and getting worse and make them better.

    He wants to take the areas of your life that are dead and make them alive again.

    (Romans 8:11 NLT) The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

    He will give life to every area that is mortal: your marriage, your hopes, your dreams…

    • The resurrection of Jesus gives you the power to close the gap between the life you are living and the one you could live.

    Some may be asking, “How can I pull this off? Is there a catch? After all, I’m not one of the heroes of the Bible…”

    (2 Corinthians 1:8-9 MSG) (8) We don’t want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us in Asia province. It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. (9) We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally–not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead!

    (Romans 4:17 NLT) That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

    • Abraham’s faith was based in believing in the God who brings dead things back to life.

    (John 11:1-6 NIV) Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.  (2)  (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.)  (3)  So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”  (4)  When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”  (5)  Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.  (6)  So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days,

    (John 11:11-16 NIV)  After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”  (12)  His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.”  (13)  Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.  (14)  So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,  (15)  and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”  (16)  Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

    (John 11:17-26 NIV)  On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.  (18)  Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem,  (19)  and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.  (20)  When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.  (21)  “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  (22)  But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”  (23)  Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”  (24)  Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”  (25)  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;  (26)  and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

    • Resurrection is not an event or a holiday. Resurrection is a Person!

    (Ephesians 1:19-20 TLB)  I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him. It is that same mighty power (20) that raised Christ from the dead…

    The whole meaning of Easter is not based solely on what Jesus did on the cross.

    • Easter is about realizing that His death was not final!

    Do you believe that Jesus can raise all parts of your life from death to life?

    Your marriage, your relationships, your health, your resources, your job, your peace…

    All Jesus is asking us to do today is believe that He can resurrect your life from something dead and meaningless to something alive, fruitful and full of meaning and purpose.

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  • Easter 2016 – When Only A Miracle Will Do

     (Matthew 27:50-53 NIV) And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

    This was a great day of miracles.

    God has never stopped wanting to do miracles.

    (John 14:12-14 NIV) Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

    Easter is not a day to be remembered, but a day that is to be experienced.

    The best way to celebrate Easter is to not remember THE miracle that happened 2000 years ago but to experience that miracle and others today!

    (Ephesians 1:19-20 TLB) I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him. It is that same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in heaven,

    (Romans 8:11 NLT) The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal (situation) bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

    (Philippians 3:10a GNB) All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of his resurrection…

    Many of us are facing things that only a miracle will do.

    Some myths that keep us from receiving a miracle:

    • Some think God is disinterested.

    God cares for every detail of your life.

    (Matthew 10:29-31 NLT) What is the price of two sparrows–one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

    • Some think God is deaf.

    (Psalms 34:17 NLT) The LORD hears His people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.

    • Some think God is dead.

    Some think God does not exist or if He does that part of Him has died.

    (Malachi 3:6a NLT) “I am the LORD, and I do not change…

    (Hebrews 13:8 NLT) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

    Here is some advice that will move you towards God’s life-giving, miracle-working power:

    1. Open up to God’s power.

    (Ephesians 4:18b TLB) …they are far away from the life (power) of God because they have shut their minds against him, and they cannot understand his ways.

    Some look at God as a last resort. “We need to pray… well, has it come to that?”

    1. Do whatever He tells you.

    Sometimes God is going to ask you to do something that you may not understand. We, however limit Him to what we can contain in our brain. God is much bigger than that.

    God is much smarter than you and me!

    What if I pray for someone and nothing happens? Were you going to take the credit if it did happen? Well, then it is not your responsibility if it doesn’t. Our responsibility is to obey and pray.

    (John 2:1-5 NIV) On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

    Unlike our culture, in Jewish culture is was all about the wedding reception that lasted seven days. Here it is the third day and they are out of refreshments.

    Jesus did not do this miracle the way that you would think He would.

    1. Have faith in God.

    (Mark 9:22-23 NIV) “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

    (Luke 18:27 NIV) Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

    The more times you sit in a chair, the more confident you will be that the chair will hold you.

    Our confidence in God comes from our relationship with Him. The more you get to know Him, the closer you get to someone, the more confidence you will have in them.

    Summary:

    Open up, don’t filter – obey, and get close.

    The greatest miracle of has to do with your closeness with God.

    (Luke 10:17-20 NIV) The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

    The real miracle is that you living forever is the greatest miracle.

    Some need two miracles today. The first being your relationship with God and the second is the situation that you might be facing.