Easter Sunday - 7am

Someone put it this way, sin will take you further than you wanna go, keep you longer than you wanna stay, and cost you more than you wanna pay. You know what sin is. Sin is when we disobey God, we reject God. Sin keeps showing up. One choice, one night, one click, one drink, one text message, one yes, one hour too long, one too many, and our lives change. Sin is so powerful that it tries to consume our lives. But here's what we know about the resurrection, is that because Jesus got up, we now have power over sin. [00:48:16] (50 seconds)  #PowerOverSin

But when they got there, they were walking in preparing for grief, preparing to anoint a body. But what they would discover when they got there, the stone had been rolled away. And an angel was sitting on that stone, and the angel said the most important words of all of human history, he has risen. To the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not a theory, it's not a feeling, it's not a story we tell just for Easter. No, it's a historical fact that the empty tomb has been documented and the witnesses are numbered in the hundreds that the resurrection divided time because the resurrection is not just good news two thousand years ago, but is good news for your life today. [00:42:40] (50 seconds)  #EmptyTombTruth

Sometimes we are trapped because of our need to control everything. And if everything is not like we wanted, everything's not in order, we don't trust God and we don't trust other people. Sometimes we are trapped by addictions and habits. Sometimes there are habits in our lives that that keep calling us back over and over again. Maybe pornography or alcohol or substance abuse or food. There are so many things that can keep us trapped. Friends, although our ancestors didn't get the word that they could be free for two long years, I came by on Sunday morning to tell you, friend, you can be free today. [00:41:18] (44 seconds)  #FreedomFromAddiction

You see Mary Magdalene didn't just get healed, she also got a commission on her life. He said, go and tell them that I am alive. God has plans for your life. Jeremiah says this, and I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future. There's a purpose on your life. There's a plan on your life, but it's only unlocked through a relationship with God. We've been freed from some things, but we've been freed to some things. And when we walk in the fact that he loves us, that we are worthy, and there's a purpose on our lives, it changes everything, and it puts us right in the center of God's will. [00:55:47] (52 seconds)  #PurposeUnlocked

I came by here to tell you that freedom is available today. I came by here to tell you that the price has already been paid, that the stone has already been rolled away, that the news is today. I wanna tell you, you can have freedom in Jesus Christ. You read that passage in Luke twenty four and six where it says, he is not here, he has risen just as he said. On that first Easter morning, the women came to that tomb to finish a funeral. They came with their anoint anointed and spices ready to anoint a body. [00:42:01] (39 seconds)  #StoneRolledAwayToday

Father God, we thank you right now, God, that you got up to bring life, to bring hope, and to bring resurrection. Father, I pray for my neighbor right now and whatever they may be facing in their lives right now. Father, I don't know, but you know. And, father, in the name of Jesus, thank you, Lord, for getting them here this morning, Lord, because they came to worship your name. They came, Lord, to tell you thank you. And so, father, I pray right now that me holding their hand is a reminder that they serve a God that's holding their hand as well. [00:34:26] (38 seconds)  #PrayerForNeighbor

Some of us in this room are trapped by our fears that won't let us move, Trapped by anxiety, trapped by shame, trapped by negative thinking. We are there not feeling good enough, worried about what will happen and what could happen, and we can never rest. Some of us, our past mistakes, our regrets, and even our own labels have us trapped. Not only internal bondage, there's also relational bondage, where we spend our lives trying to seek validation from others. We never feel valuable unless somebody tells us something. We avoid conflict because we don't we wanna be accepted by everybody else, [00:39:45] (44 seconds)  #BreakFreeFromFear

Or we also spend our lives comparing ourselves to other people. We spend ourselves scrolling and doubting whether we measure up to other people. Sometimes it's unforgiveness that has us trapped. And there we are holding on to that hurt and replaying that offense. Sometimes it's toxic relationships that have us trapped. And we are connected to somebody that is manipulating us and controlling us. And that relationship is not giving us energy, it's draining us. Sometimes there's lifestyle bondage. We are trapped as we chase after money. We are trapped as we chase after living paycheck to paycheck or debt. Sometimes we are trapped as we try to keep up with everybody else. [00:40:30] (47 seconds)  #BreakFreeFromComparison

we are constantly bombarded with all of the changes happening in our world, and it leaves us sometimes worried and anxious. It leaves us wondering about what will happen, what can happen, and how does all these things play out. When you have someone like that's currently in the White House, It leaves you to wondering, Lord, what are you really up to? Someone that can't tell one plus one is two and can't put words together. You you you're left wondering what in the world is really going on. [00:51:24] (36 seconds)  #OvercomingAnxiety

They would go on to lose that game and that young man sat in his locker room nearly defeated. And he said these words, I I I he said, I turned the ball over. I cost our team our whole season. I felt so bad for this young man because he he was sitting in the mistake that he had made, but the truth of the matter is not one mistake that lost the game, but for in that moment it felt like his moment, his mistake cost him that. I don't know about you, but I've had some moments in my life where I felt the same way. [00:44:53] (35 seconds)  #NotDefinedByMistakes

I felt like if I hadn't said that, if I hadn't done that, if I hadn't gone there, if I hadn't acted that way I don't know about you, but if you look back over your past, there's moments where you have some some moments that you have messed up, where you've blown it, where you've made mistakes. And if you're not careful in those moments, you you you will begin to think sometimes you're defined by your mistakes, that you're defined by the by the shortcomings. What I love about this passage today, that in Luke 24 and also in John one, when they talk about the women came, [00:45:29] (35 seconds)  #NotDefinedByRegret

So, father, I pray right now, God, that you would encourage their heart and their mind right now. I pray right now, God, that they will know that you're God and you're God all by yourself. I pray right now that they will know, Lord, that you're not only gonna handle that situation, but you're gonna carry them at the same time. Father, thank you right now, God, that every morning you give us new mercies. Thank you right now, God, that today is a reminder that you give people power to get up again, that you give people power to live a life for you. So, father, we praise your name today. [00:35:04] (42 seconds)  #DailyMerciesPrayer

Father, we bless you today, God, for all that you've done, for all that you're doing, and God, that you are not done yet. You're still doing miracles. You're still opening doors. You're still making ways. You're still healing. You're still restoring. We give you glory and praise in the name of Jesus. And, Lord, would you bless your word, would you bless your service, and would you bless our service? Bless every bless my neighbor. Bless my friend online. Bless everyone. Bless all day today, Lord. We thank you, and we honor you in Jesus' name. And all of God's people said, [00:35:56] (44 seconds)  #PraiseAndBlessings