Easter - The Mercy Seat | Pastor Corbin Kill | Sunday, April 5th, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Resurrection Power is Alive and Active Today

The power that raised Christ from the dead is not a distant, historical event. It is a present and active force in the lives of believers. This same power that conquered the grave can bring life to areas of our own lives that feel dead and buried. It can resurrect dreams, restore hope, and fulfill promises that seem long forgotten. We serve a God who specializes in making dead things come alive. [11:29]

And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Romans 4:21 (KJV)

Reflection: What is a specific promise from God or a dream in your heart that currently feels dormant or even dead? How might inviting the resurrection power of Jesus into that area change your perspective and expectation this week?

Day 2: Jesus Extends Mercy in Our Deepest Pain

Even in His moment of ultimate suffering, Jesus modeled a radical, counter-intuitive mercy. He did not withhold forgiveness until the pain subsided or an apology was offered. Instead, from the cross, He interceded for those inflicting the pain, demonstrating that mercy is not a response to worthiness but a decision of grace. This profound act shows that God's compassion meets us in our deepest agony. [42:44]

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
Luke 23:34 (KJV)

Reflection: Is there a person or a situation in your life where you have been withholding forgiveness, waiting for the hurt to fade or for an apology to come? What would it look like to extend Christ-like mercy in that relationship today, even before those conditions are met?

Day 3: The Torn Veil and Our Access to God's Presence

The tearing of the temple veil from top to bottom was a divine declaration. It signified that the separation between a holy God and humanity was permanently removed through the sacrifice of Christ. This was not an act of man, but a sovereign act of God, ripping open the way for everyone to approach His throne of grace directly. We now have confident access into the very presence of God. [43:48]

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Matthew 27:51 (KJV)

Reflection: How does the truth that you have direct, personal access to God's presence change the way you approach Him in prayer, especially when you feel unworthy or distant?

Day 4: Jesus is Our Eternal Mercy Seat

In the Old Testament, the mercy seat was the place where God's justice and mercy met, covered by the blood of a sacrifice. The New Testament reveals that Jesus Himself has become our mercy seat. He is the place where God's justice toward our sin and His mercy toward us perfectly collided. His own blood, applied in heaven, eternally covers our failure and secures our redemption. [50:52]

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Romans 3:25 (KJV)

Reflection: When you feel condemned by past mistakes or your own imperfection, how can you actively remember that you are now permanently covered by the blood of Jesus, your mercy seat?

Day 5: God's Mercy Actively Seeks You Out

The gospel is not a story of humanity finding God, but of God relentlessly seeking humanity. Through Jesus, God entered our world, walked our roads, and touched our brokenness to find us. His mercy is not passive; it pursues, it invites, and it has the final word over sin, shame, and even death. No one is beyond the reach of this seeking, saving mercy. [01:01:37]

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Luke 19:10 (KJV)

Reflection: In what area of your life have you been trying to hide from God, believing you are too far gone? How does the truth that He is actively seeking you change your willingness to turn and receive His mercy today?

Sermon Summary

Easter celebrates the risen Savior and asserts that resurrection power still moves today. The account of Abraham believing God could raise Isaac introduces resurrection hope long before Calvary, showing that promises presumed dead can be raised again. The crucifixion scene becomes a study in paradox: at noon the world darkened, yet mercy shone through agony as Jesus cried, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Even while suffering, mercy extended outward—Jesus asked forgiveness for his executioners and welcomed the thief into paradise. The tearing of the temple veil and the Roman centurion’s confession signal that the way into God’s presence now stands open.

Old Testament worship centered the mercy seat atop the ark of the covenant, where blood covered the law and God promised to meet his people. The New Testament explains that Jesus fulfills that role: he becomes the true mercy seat, entering the heavenly sanctuary with his own blood once for all. That single, finished sacrifice cancels the debt and removes the need for repeated offerings. The cross therefore represents the place where divine justice and mercy collide and reconcile.

Mercy reaches the worst offenders without regard to merit. The witness of transformed lives—such as the former persecutor who became the chief proclaimer—proves that no past makes a person beyond God’s reach. Mercy does not operate on a sliding scale or an expiry date; it pursues, finds, and restores. Resurrection confirms that mercy holds the final word over sin, shame, and even the grave.

An open invitation stands: repent, be baptized in Jesus’ name, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. That gift promises God’s abiding presence, guidance, and power. The mercy seat now welcomes the weary, the guilty, and the distant; burdens may be cast upon Christ and new life may begin. The cross, the empty tomb, and the torn veil together announce that forgiveness, restoration, and Spirit-empowered life remain available now.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus is the eternal mercy seat Jesus now occupies the place where God’s justice and mercy meet; his blood, offered once, covers the law and grants direct access to God. This changes worship from a yearly ritual to ongoing relational access. Understanding Jesus as the mercy seat reorients reliance from ritual to the finished work of Christ. [50:36]
2. Mercy meets justice on Calvary The cross stands where righteous wrath and abundant mercy collide and are resolved in one act. The torn veil and the cry “It is finished” declare the penalty paid and the way opened. This truth frees conscience from endless attempts to earn acceptance and invites honest encounter with God. [54:09]
3. No sin lies beyond mercy God pursues and forgives even the most culpable and violent, transforming enemies into witnesses. Historical examples demonstrate that mercy rescues those society deems irredeemable. The reach of grace undermines despair and restores dignity to the repentant heart. [58:37]
4. Invitation: repent, baptize, receive Repentance turns direction; baptism identifies with Christ’s death and resurrection; the Holy Spirit indwells and empowers ongoing life. These steps form a tangible response to mercy, not a checklist for worthiness. The promise extends to the distant and the ashamed—come as you are and be remade. [67:04]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:37] - Prayer Requests
[03:02] - Opening Prayer & Worship
[11:29] - Abraham’s Faith and Resurrection Hope
[34:33] - Darkness at the Cross
[41:15] - Mercy from the Cross
[46:22] - Mercy Seat Explained
[51:57] - Once‑for‑All Atonement
[67:04] - Invitation: Repent and Receive

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: Matthew 27:45-46, 50-51, 54 (KJV)
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
54 When the centurion and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

Observation questions

What three specific, paradoxical events occurred at the moment of Jesus’s death according to this passage?
What did the Roman centurion and the other soldiers conclude about Jesus after witnessing these events?
In the sermon, the Old Testament mercy seat was described as a place where blood was sprinkled to cover the law. What three items were inside the ark of the covenant that the blood covered? [47:47]
According to the New Testament explanation, what did Jesus do with his own blood that fulfilled and replaced the Old Testament system? [52:33]

Interpretation questions

The cry “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” comes from a place of immense suffering. How does this moment, where Jesus feels abandoned, actually serve as the ultimate demonstration of God’s mercy for humanity?
The tearing of the temple veil from top to bottom signifies a monumental shift. What does this act, performed by God, mean for our relationship and access to Him today?
The sermon states that mercy was extended from the cross even before Jesus’s death, as he asked for forgiveness for his executioners. How does this act challenge our human understanding of when and to whom mercy should be offered? [42:44]
If Jesus’s sacrifice was a “once for all” event that finished the need for repeated offerings, what does that suggest about our attempts to earn God’s favor through our own works or rituals? [54:09]

Application questions

The mercy seat is now open and accessible. What burden of guilt, shame, or regret have you been carrying that you need to bring to this mercy seat and allow Jesus’s blood to cover today? [01:10:07]
Mercy does not operate on a sliding scale or an expiry date; it pursues, finds, and restores. [01:00:15] Is there an area of your past—or a person in your life—that you have believed is too far gone for God’s mercy to reach? How does this truth change your perspective?
The invitation is to repent, be baptized, and receive the Holy Spirit. [01:07:04] If you have never fully responded to this invitation, what is holding you back from taking these tangible steps of faith?
The resurrection proves that God can raise promises we thought were dead. [12:15] What is a dream, vision, or promise from God that you have given up on or buried? How can you begin to speak the name of Jesus over that situation this week?
Mercy was extended to the worst offenders, like the apostle Paul. [58:37] Is there someone who has wronged you whom you have deemed “unforgivable”? How can you extend the same mercy that was first shown to you, even if it feels like a “guttural groan” from a place of pain? [40:15]
The gift of the Holy Spirit promises God’s abiding presence, guidance, and power for daily life. [01:08:38] In what practical situation this week do you most need to rely on this indwelling presence rather than your own strength?
The story of the gospels is not of people finding God, but of God finding people. [01:01:37] How does this shift in perspective—from you seeking God to God relentlessly pursuing you—change the way you approach your relationship with Him today?

Sermon Clips

He went looking for that one lost sheep. He left the 99, and he doesn't stop until he finds us. Easter Sunday. This morning where we celebrate god's Jesus' resurrection from the grave, his conquering of death, hell, and the grave. This Easter Sunday, it's a declaration that even death could not stop Jesus' search for the one. The resurrection is the reminder. It's the announcement that mercy has the final word, not our sin, not our shame, not even the grave can hold sway or power over us any longer because it is the mercy of Jesus Christ that has the final word in our lives. [01:02:21] (58 seconds) #MercyHasTheFinalWord

It's not too late for you. It doesn't matter what you have walked away from. It doesn't matter what you've done this morning. It didn't matter how long it has been today when we celebrate that stone that was rolled away from that tomb. Today is an open door. Today is an opportunity. The mercy seat is accessible to to us now. The veil has been torn, and you can still come to Jesus. [01:03:20] (49 seconds) #OpenDoorToMercy

God's mercy doesn't curl up and expire. It doesn't run out. God's mercy is offered to you not because you deserved it, not because you did anything to earn it. It is offered to you precisely because you do not deserve it, because you cannot earn it, because you are not worthy. But in his love for us, he gives us grace and mercy anyway. That's what makes it mercy. Here is something I hope that we can all hold on to today. Mercy still seeks after you. Don't think you can hide from the mercy of God. [01:00:51] (39 seconds) #MercyNeverRunsOut

Paul is saying, I'm the proof of concept on this principle. If god's mercy can reach me, the one who stood ordering the death of Christians, the one who drug people out of their homes, the one who persecuted to the fullest extent of the law possible at the time. If God can reach me, he can reach anyone. Praise god. Yes, sir. Paul was telling Timothy, my story is not meant to be a warning. My story is an advertisement of the grace and mercy mercy that Jesus died for. [00:59:31] (36 seconds) #PaulProofOfMercy

Paul is not being poetic. Paul is being very precise in what he is saying to his readers and what I am preaching to you this morning. Paul is saying that Jesus has become our mercy seat. Praise god. That Jesus has become our mercy seat. That the cross of Calvary is where god's justice and god's mercy met. The collision at the cross that day between the judgment that should be coming all of our way and the mercy that Jesus extended to us in dying for us on Calvary's cross meets there. [00:50:48] (48 seconds) #MercyMeetsJustice

The story of the gospels is not a story of people finding God. It's the story of god finding people. Jesus, the mighty god incarnate wrapped in the flesh of a human. He left heaven and he entered human history. He walked dusty roads. His feet became dirty. He touched lepers. He ate with sinners. He turned the religious elite upside down on their heads. He didn't care about the status quo. He sat with the rejected, the outcast, the morally disqualified. [01:01:37] (45 seconds) #JesusFindsTheLost

Jesus lived the life that we could not live. He died the death that we deserve to die. He was not a representative being sent by a distant god. He's god himself. The mighty god is Jesus. Stepping into the pain that we bear. Paying the debt that we owe, doing what only he could do. And three days after they buried him, that resurrection power that we now have access to brought that body up out of that grave. [01:05:36] (38 seconds) #ResurrectionPowerForAll

It's remarkable to me that after Jesus's death, the very first person to proclaim him to be the son of god was not a disciple. But rather a Roman soldier. Perhaps, one of the very self same soldiers that had pierced his hands to that wood. But that Roman soldier, that pagan, a man who had just participated in the execution of our lord and savior, mercy was already spilling out before his body was even taken taken down off of that cross. Yes. Praise god. Surely, this man was the son of god. [00:44:09] (45 seconds) #SoldierProclaimsChrist

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Easter - The Mercy Seat | Pastor Corbin Kill | Sunday, April 5th, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Resurrection Power is Alive and Active Today

Day 2: Jesus Extends Mercy in Our Deepest Pain

Day 3: The Torn Veil and Our Access to God's Presence

Day 4: Jesus is Our Eternal Mercy Seat

Day 5: God's Mercy Actively Seeks You Out

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Easter - The Mercy Seat | Pastor Corbin Kill | Sunday, April 5th, 2026

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