Embracing Hope: The Transformative Power of Easter

Devotional

Day 1: Encountering Christ Anew

Every service is an opportunity to encounter the risen Christ, who offers a chance for transformation and hope. For those who may be stepping into a church for the first time in a while, or perhaps are on the verge of giving up on faith, this encounter can be a pivotal moment. It's a reminder that the message of Easter is not just a historical event but a present reality that can change lives. The resurrection signifies that new beginnings are possible, and that no matter one's past, the future can be rewritten through faith in Jesus.

"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV)

Reflection: What past experiences or doubts have kept you from fully embracing the hope of the resurrection, and how can you allow the truth of Easter to transform your perspective today? [01:14:32]

Day 2: The Transformative Power of Resurrection

The resurrection of Jesus is a cornerstone of faith that has the power to transform lives. The early Christians experienced this transformation firsthand, moving from fear to bold proclamation of the gospel. This same power is available to believers today, offering hope and a new way of life. The resurrection is not just a past event to be celebrated but a present reality that empowers individuals to live with courage and purpose.

"And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs." (Mark 16:20 ESV)

Reflection: How does the reality of the resurrection empower you to overcome fear or hesitation in sharing your faith with others? [39:49]

Day 3: The Inclusive Call to Exclusive Faith

The gospel extends an inclusive invitation to all, yet it makes an exclusive claim on our lives. It calls for a personal decision to turn from one's own ways and follow Jesus. This decision is transformative, leading individuals from spiritual death to life. It's a journey of redemption where one's inherent dignity and worth, marred by sin, are restored through Christ's perfect life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV)

Reflection: What does turning from your ways and following Jesus look like in your daily life, and what steps can you take today to align more closely with His path? [45:03]

Day 4: Liberated by Gospel Truth

In a culture that often promotes ideologies devoid of God, the gospel stands out as a liberating truth. It frees individuals from the lies and hopelessness that can entrap them, inviting them into a life of purpose and hope. The gospel message is not just about being saved from sin but also about being freed to live a life that reflects God's design and intention for humanity.

"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32 ESV)

Reflection: What lies or ideologies have you found yourself trapped by, and how can the truth of the gospel liberate you to live with purpose and hope today? [42:32]

Day 5: Clarity and Compassion in Difficult Conversations

As believers engage in conversations about challenging topics like gender and sexuality, it is essential to approach these discussions with both conviction and compassion. Seeking clarity on God's design is an act of kindness that can provide direction and meaning in life. It's about understanding and embracing how God loves us as we are while also calling us to a deeper dependency on Him.

"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." (Colossians 4:6 ESV)

Reflection: How can you approach conversations about gender and sexuality with both clarity and compassion, and what steps can you take to better understand God's design for these aspects of life? [49:33]

Sermon Summary

On this Easter Sunday, I began by greeting everyone at Menlo Church across our campuses in San Mateo, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Saratoga, and those joining online. I acknowledged that for many, this might be their first time back in church in a while, or perhaps they're giving God one last chance to speak into their lives. I expressed my desire to connect with three groups of people: the saints, the skeptics, and the prodigals. I emphasized that the love of God is extended to everyone, regardless of their past or doubts.

I then addressed the common misconception that all religions are the same, pointing out that this is a new form of dogma. I challenged the idea that one can live without faith, arguing that everyone places their faith in something, and the question is what or who that will be. I shared the observation that ideology can become a form of idolatry, where a part of the truth is mistaken for the whole, leading to anger and anxiety.

I recounted the historical impact of Jesus' followers, who, inspired by the resurrection, have advanced education, healthcare, charity, and science. While acknowledging the harm done in the name of Christianity, I clarified that we follow Jesus, not those who have misused His name. I then posed a personal question to the congregation about what philosophy drives them, emphasizing the importance of choosing what to place their faith in.

I shared the gospel message, explaining that God created us in His image, with inherent dignity and worth, but sin has separated us from Him. I proclaimed the good news that Jesus lived a perfect life, died for our sins, and rose again, conquering sin and death. I invited those who were ready to turn from their ways and follow Jesus to pray with me, offering them the opportunity to start a new life with Him.

I announced that next week we would begin a series on our bodies, gender, and sexuality, addressing the mixed messages from our culture and seeking clarity and truth. I emphasized that God loves us as we are but calls us to greater dependency on Him.

I concluded the sermon with a prayer for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done in our lives, workplaces, homes, and community. I reflected on the significance of Easter and the hope it brings, not just historically but in the lives of individuals today.

Key Takeaways

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Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 28:1-10 (ESV) — > Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

2. John 20:24-29 (ESV)
> Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

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Observation Questions

What was the reaction of the guards and the women when the angel appeared at the tomb? (Matthew 28:4-5)
How did Jesus' followers respond when they first saw Him after His resurrection? (Matthew 28:9)
What did Thomas require in order to believe in Jesus' resurrection? (John 20:25)
How did Jesus address Thomas' doubts, and what was Thomas' response? (John 20:27-28)

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the angel's message to the women included the instruction to not be afraid? How does this relate to the overall message of the resurrection? (Matthew 28:5)
What does Thomas' initial doubt and subsequent belief tell us about the nature of faith and doubt? (John 20:25-28)
How does the resurrection of Jesus serve as a catalyst for transformation in the lives of His followers, both historically and today? [39:49]
The sermon mentioned that ideology can become a form of idolatry. How does this concept relate to the way we place our faith in things other than God? [42:32]

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. How did you respond, and what helped you reconnect with Him? [29:00]
The sermon emphasized that everyone places their faith in something. What are some things you have placed your faith in, and how have they impacted your life? [41:50]
How can the resurrection of Jesus inspire you to live a life of boldness and transformation? What specific steps can you take to live out this transformation in your daily life? [39:49]
The gospel message is inclusive in its invitation but exclusive in its claim. How do you personally navigate this tension in your conversations with others about faith? [45:03]
As we prepare to discuss topics like gender and sexuality in the coming weeks, how can you approach these conversations with both conviction and compassion? What does "clarity is kindness" mean to you in this context? [49:33]
Think about a skeptic or prodigal in your life. How can you extend the love of God to them in a way that is both genuine and inviting? [30:19]
The sermon mentioned that the gospel offers a liberating truth that frees us from the lies we've believed. What are some lies you have believed about yourself or God, and how can the truth of the gospel set you free? [42:32]

Sermon Clips

"Christian or not argues that there was not a man named Jesus who lived 2,000 years ago in the Middle East who taught a group of people who went from a fledgling group looking for the closest exit on a Saturday to the essential to becoming a group of men and women who were willing to give up their lives for this incredible movement centering around a man named Jesus on Monday. So what changed?" [35:22](Download clip | | )

"We are all operating on faith all the time. For you, you have to figure out, will I submit my life to Jesus or will I submit my life to someone or something else? Something, something in your life you are submitting to right now. The question is what? The question is who? Author John Mark Comer underscores the problem this way. He says, Ideology is a form of idolatry." [42:32](Download clip | | )

"The good news of the gospel is that God loves all of us exactly as we are. No matter what you've done, no matter where we've been, no matter how you identify, God loves you. But he loves us way too much to just let us sit in exactly the life that we're in. He is always calling all of us, including me, to greater and greater dependency on him." [50:00](Download clip | | )

"The Bible talks about sin, the brokenness that lives inside of us. And when we look in the mirror every single day, will that sin overtake us? Will it take control of our lives? As we're living, especially apart from Jesus, we have this sickness inside of us. And the gospel is the truth that God made us and that he loves us. And no matter where you've been or what you've done, he loves you." [43:53](Download clip | | )

"So God, he sent his son Jesus, fully God and fully man, to live a perfect life, the one that we couldn't, to die the death that all of us deserved, and come back from the grave to conquer sin and death, so that if we turn from our way and we choose to follow him, that we will experience eternity with God. Not someday, today and forever." [45:03](Download clip | | )

"In our culture, we are receiving some very mixed messages about all of this and making sense of it can feel impossible. I hope that what we can discover together is that there truly is good news in the fact that God has fearfully and wonderfully made us. That he has fine-tuned the entire universe, and yet you are the only part of the universe that when he made humans, he made us in his image." [48:27](Download clip | | )

"well good morning Menlo Church happy Easter so good to see you welcome to all of our campuses in San Mateo Menlo Park Mountain View and Saratoga and to those of you joining us online I know it's a big deal that you would choose to celebrate part of your Easter weekend with us and we do not take that for granted thank you so much now I know that for some of you today is the first time or maybe the first time in a long time that you have been in church" [29:23](Download clip | | )

"Christianity is understood to have exclusive claims that Jesus is the only way and just so we're all on the same page every major religion makes the same claim scholar and theologian and see right describes the problem this way says it's interesting it's an interesting observation on today's religious climate that many people now get every bit as steamed up about insisting that all religions are just the same as the older dogmaticians did about insisting on particular formulations and interpretations" [32:55](Download clip | | )

"See, this message, this moment, it changed everything for them. And whether you believe it or not, in the history of the world, it's changed everything. It changed everything for us. Our calendar year is a marker of the impact of this person, Jesus. From education and literacy for people because they are image-bearers of God. Followers of Jesus have pushed this forward." [39:49](Download clip | Download cropped clip | Download captioned clip)

"Now, after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tombstone. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow." [36:59](Download clip | | )

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