The Expectations of Easter - Pastor Greg Jones

Apr 05, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Divine Design for Our Salvation

The events of Easter were not an accident or a human invention. They were part of a divine plan established by God before the foundation of the world. This design was for our ultimate good, to provide a way out of darkness and into His marvelous light. The entire narrative of scripture points toward this moment of redemption, orchestrated by a loving God who knew exactly what was needed to save us. His plan is perfect, intentional, and full of hope for all who believe. [06:02]

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. (1 Peter 1:18-20 KJV)

Reflection: In what area of your life are you most grateful that God’s plan is one of design and purpose, rather than leaving you to chance? How does this truth change the way you view a current challenge you are facing?

Day 2: The Call to Come Out of Darkness

God is actively calling people out of the darkness of sin and into His glorious light. This call is not based on our merit, appearance, or past, but on His great love and desire for us to be free. He calls us from the tombs of our own making, from the things that bind and hold us back from the life He has designed. This is a powerful, personal invitation to leave the old behind and step into the newness of life found in Him. [16:28]

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. (1 Peter 2:9 KJV)

Reflection: What does the ‘darkness’ represent in your own life that you sense God is calling you to leave behind? What would taking one step out of that darkness and into His light look like for you this week?

Day 3: The Necessity of Being Born Again

Entering God’s kingdom requires a genuine spiritual transformation, not just a superficial change. Jesus made it clear that we must be born again of water and of the Spirit to see and enter this new life. This is not a man-made rule but a divine necessity, a work of God’s Spirit that changes us from the inside out. It is the doorway to a relationship with Him and a life lived in His power. [26:08]

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3 KJV)

Reflection: If being ‘born again’ is about a genuine inner transformation by the Spirit, how would you describe the difference between simply knowing about God and truly being made new by Him?

Day 4: The Role of the Church in Our Freedom

We are not called to walk this journey of faith alone. God designed the church to be a community where we help one another become free from the things that entangle us. Just as others helped Lazarus remove his grave clothes, we need the support, encouragement, and sometimes the correction of fellow believers. The church is Christ’s body, essential for our growth and freedom. [23:03]

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25 KJV)

Reflection: Who in your church community has God used to help ‘loose’ you from something that was holding you back? How can you intentionally encourage someone else in their walk this week?

Day 5: Our Ultimate Call to an Eternal Hope

The hope of Easter does not end with this life; it points us toward our eternal home with God. We are called to heaven, to a place Jesus Himself is preparing for us. This future hope anchors our souls in the present, giving us perspective and strength amidst life’s struggles. It is the glorious expectation that our story ends not in a grave, but in glory, worshiping around His throne forever. [30:40]

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:1-3 KJV)

Reflection: How does the reality of your eternal future with God influence the choices you are making and the priorities you are setting today?

Sermon Summary

A worshipful opening celebrates resurrection hope and thanksgiving, then the Matthew 28 account anchors the narrative: an angel rolls back the stone, the grave stands empty, and God declares life victorious over death. God designed Easter long before humanity, tracing its plan back through the Passover pattern of a spotless lamb and the necessity of blood for forgiveness. Animal sacrifices could only postpone guilt; only the Lamb of God delivers permanent atonement and breaks the cycle of yearly coverings.

Expectation centers not on bunnies or eggs but on transformation: salvation, healing, provision, and deliverance flow from the empty tomb. God calls people out of darkness into his marvelous light and requires active praise as a response—praise that moves the body, voice, and heart. The Lazarus episode dramatizes the call out of death: a voice summons a bound body, life returns, and community removes the grave clothes so the newly raised one can walk free. The church functions as the place where others help remove those grave clothes; believers need one another to become fully unbound.

Entrance into God’s kingdom demands new birth—being born of water and Spirit—demonstrated at Pentecost when the Spirit empowers and changes hearts, not just rituals or polite confession. Spiritual birth produces witnesses who carry power and prophecy into the world. Finally, Easter points forward: the risen Christ promises a final calling to heaven, urging readiness and loyalty to the true church born by Spirit and water. Conviction, not condemnation, draws people to repent; prayer and the Holy Spirit supply the power to live differently. The resurrection supplies hope that transforms daily life: bills and struggles remain, but hope fuels endurance, healing, and steady obedience as God works to lift people from darkness into his life.

Key Takeaways

1. Easter predestined by God's design God planned redemption before creation and wove Easter into Scripture through types like the Passover lamb. This predestination frames resurrection as deliberate rescue, not accident, inviting a posture of trust that God orders even suffering toward restoration. Understanding Easter as divine design deepens gratitude and patience when trials seem random. [06:22]
2. Blood secures forgiveness, not symbols Scripture insists on the reality of atonement: symbolic sacrifices covered sin temporarily, but true removal required the Lamb’s blood. This truth refuses cheap grace and calls for sober awe at the cost of reconciliation. Belief in that blood reorients moral life from duty to grateful transformation. [07:36]
3. Call out of darkness to light God summons every person regardless of status, past, or appearance to leave dead places and step into life. That call issues as both command and invitation—conviction that frees rather than condemns—so obedience becomes an act of hope. Responding requires trust that God’s light changes the interior, not mere behavior. [16:28]
4. Born of water and Spirit Entry into the kingdom occurs through spiritual rebirth, evidenced by baptism and Spirit-power at Pentecost. New birth changes identity and gifts the follower to witness, prophesy, and serve in holy boldness. Relying on rituals alone misses the inner upheaval the Spirit produces. [26:08]
5. Church restores, removes grave clothes The gathered community helps strip off the bindings of past life so risen people can walk free. Salvation intends communal restoration: others aid in peeling away shame, habit, and bondage. Refusal of the body hinders full freedom and neglects the means God appointed for growth. [21:58]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:17] - Praise and Thanksgiving
[02:22] - Resurrection Account
[03:40] - Expectation of Easter
[06:02] - God's Design & Passover
[09:00] - Blood and Forgiveness
[13:47] - Threefold Calling
[16:28] - Called Out of Darkness
[18:20] - Lazarus: Called from the Tomb
[23:53] - Called Into the Kingdom
[28:18] - Pentecost: Spiritual Birth
[30:40] - Called to Heaven
[36:41] - Easter's Expectation
[41:41] - Conviction and Transformation

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: Matthew 28:1-6 (KJV)
1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Observation questions

According to the account in Matthew, what specific actions did the angel of the Lord take at the tomb?
What was the reaction of the Roman guards to the angel's appearance?
What two emotions did the women experience as they left the tomb to tell the disciples the news? [03:24]
What Old Testament event, involving a spotless lamb and blood on a doorpost, was described as the beginning of God's design for Easter? [06:48]

Interpretation questions

Why is it significant that the angel rolled the stone away after Jesus had already risen, rather than to let Him out?
The resurrection was described as something God designed long before humanity existed. [06:22] What does this tell us about God's nature and His plan for redemption?
The story of Lazarus shows a man who was brought back to life but was still bound in grave clothes. [19:12] What might these "grave clothes" represent in a person's spiritual life today?
Jesus told Nicodemus that being "born of water and of the Spirit" was essential to entering the kingdom. [26:08] How does this spiritual birth differ from simply changing one's behavior or making a polite confession?

Application questions

God calls everyone out of darkness, regardless of their past, status, or appearance. [20:50] What does the "darkness" look like in your own life that He is calling you to leave behind today?
The church is meant to be the place where we help each other remove the "grave clothes" of our past lives. [21:58] Is there a binding of shame, a bad habit, or a hurt that you need help from others in the body of Christ to be free from? Who can you trust to help you with this?
Praise was described as an active, noisy response to being called into God's light. [14:39] In what practical ways can your praise to God become more active—using your voice, your hands, or your whole body—this week?
Easter supplies a hope that transforms daily life, even though bills and struggles remain. [42:53] What is a specific, current struggle where you need the resurrection hope of Jesus to fuel your endurance and steady obedience?
The expectation of Easter is not about bunnies or eggs, but for someone to receive salvation, healing, and deliverance. [09:27] Who in your life needs to hear this true expectation of Easter, and how can you share it with them this week?
The resurrection means we don't have to live the same old way we've always lived. [11:32] What is one "old way" of thinking or acting that you feel empowered to leave in the tomb because Christ is alive in you?

Sermon Clips

29s

#LoveJesusLoveChurch

“You can't do that. You you can't love Jesus and not love his body. There's no possibility of that. There's no way to do that. Amen. It's it it's it's not even it's not thinkable. It's not even right but people say that all the time and I'm telling you right now, it's the church that helps us get free. Well, I got about three of you and half of you maybe but it's the church that gets us free. Amen. Amen. We have to help each other.”

38s

#TrueRepentance

“Don't get in just by confessing our sins. I wish that would work. I I wish it was easy and this is an old time thing. It doesn't happen anymore. I don't think anywhere that I know of. Used to, there were some denomination. They said, oh, if you just come shake the preacher's hand. I don't have no power. I can't do away with your sins. What's shaking? I I like shaking hands. I like being friendly. I I like talking to people and all that kind. I can't save you. Don't put that on me. I'm not that. He is.”

56s

#SpiritRaisesUs

“You see, it it wouldn't. Oh, I'm trying my best to explain stuff. It it it was not man that powered himself out of that grave. It was the spirit of god because Paul said, he said, if you got the same spirit that Christ had, it'll raise you up. It's going to pick you up I I feel so strong. I I felt this all week. Matter of fact, I converged two messages together because early last week, I was I was I knew I knew something I was going to preach and then and then the lord begin to work on me and I'm like, you know what?”

50s

#CommunityHeals

“Now, he called Lazarus out and however Lazarus came out, he came out but then he's he told the people. Now, watch this because this is biblical. He told the people, he said, lose him. Get those grave clothes off of him. He can't do it by himself. I know everybody wants to talk about the church. How bad the church is? Oh, I hate the church. I love Jesus but I hate his body. She knows this is not true but that's like me coming to her and say, man, I love this. That's dumb.”

41s

#BornOfWaterAndSpirit

“In other words, there's gotta be something that changes that life. I can't just confess Christ and do the same old things I've always done and be saved. Can't enter the kingdom that way. Cannot do it. Except the man be born of water and of the spirit. Cannot. He cannot. And Nicodemus said, I don't know how that works. Am I supposed to enter the second time into my mother's? He never even heard this concept. It had never been spoken yet. Some prophets had talked about it a little bit.”

56s

#DivineDesign

“Everything god has ever done or is about to do is by design, by his divine design. Could've titled it that. God's divine design. That's pretty cool. Not even in my notes but it's cool. Easter was not an accident. It it wasn't man made It wasn't about a little bunny or big bunny. It wasn't about I don't know where they got eggs from a bunny but they'll let out some pellets but not egg. I don't know where that came from but Easter is not about that and and it's not man made and and it wasn't started by mankind. We're we're not smart enough for this kind of stuff.”

37s

#HeIsResurrection

“I don't care how messed up your life is. He is the resurrection. I I don't care how much you stink in your sin. He is the resurrection. I don't care if it has been four days since there was any life or four years or four hundred years. He's still the resurrection. Amen. And and when they finally listen to him and they rolled that tomb, there was somebody laying in the darkness of that tomb that heard a voice calling their name and when Jesus begin to call the name of Lazarus,”

42s

#EasterIsSalvation

“God has always had an expectation of Easter. And that whole purpose, that whole expectation is for us to receive salvation from this world, from our sin. That's the whole expectation from god. That's why he calls us out of darkness. Into his marvelous light. The expectation of Easter is for us to live in his kingdom. The expectation of Easter is for us to go to heaven. With him one of these day. Amen.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Stroud United Pentecostal Church This sermon · AI assistant

What is God's intended expectation for Easter?

How does God call us out of darkness?

What does being born of water and Spirit mean?

The Expectations of Easter - Pastor Greg Jones

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Divine Design for Our Salvation

Day 2: The Call to Come Out of Darkness

Day 3: The Necessity of Being Born Again

Day 4: The Role of the Church in Our Freedom

Day 5: Our Ultimate Call to an Eternal Hope

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

The Expectations of Easter - Pastor Greg Jones

Share