Empty Tombs and Living Hope: Finding Power in Resurrection Truth

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Welcome and thank you for joining us for Ryan Sutton Ministries.

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Pastor Ryan Sutton is the senior pastor of the Grace Center located in Festus, Missouri.

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Ryan has conducted crusades and preached in churches in Latin America, europe, africa and Asia and all across the world.

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We hope you enjoy this message today.

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Let's join Pastor Ryan now.

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I'm going to ask you to stand with me all over the house, if you would, today for the reading of God's Word.

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We're going to go to John 11.

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We're going to read verses 20- 27.

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I want to say welcome to our live stream audience today, wherever you're watching from in the world.

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God bless you.

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We're so glad that you're with us and do us a big favor and click the share button and share this on your timeline today.

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I also want to say it's great to have so many visitors and special guests with us and, yeah, amen, we appreciate everybody that's come to worship with us today.

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I want to say it's very great to have Miss Denise with us all the way from Poplar Bluff today.

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We love Miss Denise.

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She was a faithful member here for almost 20 years and she moved to Poplar Bluff, but she came back to be with us today on Easter and we're so glad that she's here.

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And I'm also so happy to have my sister, Brianna here, all the way from Los Angeles, California.

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And to all of our visitors, God bless you, we're so glad you're here today.

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This is what it says John 11: 20.

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And don't be nervous, I don't have a long word, just a strong word, today.

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Okay.

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Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him.

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But Mary sat still in the house John 11: 21.

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Then said Martha unto Jesus Lord, if you would have been here, my brother would not have died.

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But I know that even now, whatsoever you will ask of God, God will give it to you.

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Jesus said in John 11: 23, your brother shall rise again.

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And Martha said unto him I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

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But Jesus said unto her listen to this verse 25.

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Jesus said unto her I am the resurrection and the life.

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Whoever believes in me though they were dead yet shall they live, and whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die.

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Do you believe this?

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And she said unto him yes, lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the son of the living God which should come into the world.

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Amen.

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Before you're seated, I want you to pray with me today and this is our thought just for the next few minutes why I believe in the resurrection and you should too.

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Amen, why I believe in the resurrection and why you should too.

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Let's pray right now, father, in the mighty name of Jesus.

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Thank you so much, lord, for our awesome time of worship today.

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We've worshiped you in singing, we've worshiped you in giving Lord.

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Thank you for the photos that we were able to show of some of the ministries, lord, that we support in different parts of the world.

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And now, as we turn our hearts to the teaching and preaching of your word, I pray that you would speak to us in an undeniable way.

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Lord, don't let anybody walk outside the doors of 36 East Main Street the same way that they came in Touch us, change us, transform us from the inside out.

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Thank you, Jesus, that because you rose from the grave with all power and authority, and because you've given that power and authority unto us, we have the same spirit that raised you from the dead living on the inside of us.

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It's a spirit of resurrection, life and power, and I pray, when we leave this place today, that we would go forth as witnesses of your resurrection, life and power, and that you would use us as your hands and feet in our world, that you would use us, lord, to shine your light into the darkness.

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We love you and we say thank you in advance for the eternal difference that your word is going to make in every single one of us, not just in this room, but all who are watching online.

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In Jesus' name, Amen, God bless you.

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Use your seat one more time in his presence.

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Now I want to read today, just before we get into my opening illustration.

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I really like Jimmy Swaggart's notes about John: 11, and particularly verses 25 and verses 26.

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He said unto her I am the resurrection and the life, my man, jimmy Swaggarton.

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You may love him or you may hate him, but it doesn't matter, because you don't have the microphone.

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Come on somebody.

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I got the mic and so I love the swag, so let me just slip a little swag in on you here.

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Okay, this is what he says.

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He said in his notes.

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In effect, Jesus is saying Martha, look at me, you are looking at the resurrection and the life.

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Jimmy says this shows that resurrection and the life is not a mere doctrine but, in reality, a person, the person of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

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And then he said whoever lives and believes in me, though they were dead yet, shall they live.

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This speaks of the coming resurrection of life, when all the sainted dead will rise, and that's found in 1 Thessalonians 4: 13- 18.

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But then he says this whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.

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Talking about, they will live eternally.

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And he said do you believe this?

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And this is what I really want you to get today.

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Jimmy Swaggart says the resurrection is the end of death.

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Consequently, death has no more to do with the redeemed Somebody shout that to me.

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Consequently, death has no more to do with the redeemed.

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It has done all that it can do.

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It is finished, amen.

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It is finished.

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The redeemed live in the imparted life that put an end to death.

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For them, the old life, its death and judgment, no longer exists.

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And I want you to think about that today.

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I want you to think about what the resurrection means for you and for me.

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That because Jesus rose from the dead and because he said all power in heaven and earth is given unto me and I give that same power to you, paul the apostle said in Romans 8, and I'm getting ahead of myself but he said in Romans 8 that if the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives on the inside of you, it will even quicken your mortal body.

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I want you to think about that today.

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Jesus led captivity captive.

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That's what the great apostle said in another place and he gave gifts unto mankind.

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And today, you and I would have no reason to be here, we would have no reason to celebrate.

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We would have no reason to be here, we would have no reason to celebrate, we would have no reason to rejoice if Jesus had stayed in the grave.

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But because he rose on the third day, you and I know that we don't just have hope for today.

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As I said earlier in our service, in our prayer this morning at the end of worship, we don't just have hope for today and hope for tomorrow and hope for our future on earth.

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We have the hope of eternal life with him.

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Come on, somebody, because of what he did when he conquered death, hell and the grave and I want you to think about that today, what that really means that the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives on the inside of you and me.

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He said I am the resurrection and the life, and we have that resurrection, life and power.

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If you've received him as your personal Lord and savior, now look if you're here today or you're watching me online and you haven't received Jesus.

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Today's the day of salvation.

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Come on, somebody, today is your day to be saved.

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All right, this is your day to open your heart and open your life and receive him as your personal Savior and Lord, because when you receive him by the Holy Spirit, he comes to live on the inside of us, and it's not a different spirit or a different anointing, it's that same resurrection, life and power that takes up residence in us.

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Somebody say amen.

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Today I want you to listen to this True story, bro.

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True story, all right.

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Little Phillip, born with Down's Syndrome, attended a third grade Sunday school class with several eight-year-old boys and girls.

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Typical of that age.

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The children did not readily accept Phillip with his differences.

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According to an article in Leadership Magazine, they had trouble allowing him to fit in and belong to the group.

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But because of a creative teacher, they began to care about Philip more and more and accept him as part of their little group, though they didn't accept him fully.

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The Sunday after Easter the teacher brought legs pantyhose containers.

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Any of y'all know anything about legs pantyhose containers?

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I used to love playing with those when I was a kid.

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I'd be like, hey, Mom, don't throw that in the trash, I want to play with that silver egg.

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Come on somebody.

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Y'all ain't saying nothing to me today up here.

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I'm like let's make this the golden egg and you can put a hundred dollar bill in here.

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Mom and dad, they're like yeah, right, that can be the golden egg and you can have four quarters.

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Come on somebody, I go, you can have a hundred, all right, a hundred cents, right?

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So anyway, I love playing with those.

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I'm telling on myself, but that's all right.

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She brought in one of those big legs pantyhose containers, the kind that look like large silver eggs, each receiving one.

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The children.

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Apparently the Sunday school teacher had a lot of pantyhose.

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Come on somebody, each of these children receiving one.

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They were told to go outside on that lovely spring day to find a symbol for new life and put it in the egg-like container.

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Back in the classroom they would share their new life symbols, opening the containers one by one in surprise fashion.

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After running all over the church property in wild confusion, the students returned to the classroom and placed the containers on the table, surrounded by the children.

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The teacher began to open them one by one, and after each one, whether a flower.

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Open them one by one, and after each one, whether a flower, a butterfly or a leaf, the class would ooh and ah, I love eight-year-old kids.

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Then one was opened, revealing nothing inside.

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The children exclaimed that's stupid, that's not fair.

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Somebody didn't do the assignment right.

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But then Philip spoke up.

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That's mine, that's mine, philip, you don't ever do things right.

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One student yelled out there's nothing in there.

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Philip insisted I did so, do it.

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I did do it.

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It's empty.

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And the tomb was empty.

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Silence followed.

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From then on, philip became a full member of that class and they all accepted him wholeheartedly.

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Tragically, philip died not long afterward from an infection that most normal children would have shrugged off.

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But at the funeral, this class of eight-year-olds marched up to the altar not with flowers, but with their Sunday school teacher, each one of them laying an empty pantyhose egg on the altar at his funeral.

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Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to think about this.

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Today, philip is not dead.

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Little Philip, as precious as he was, is very much alive and well today, because of the resurrection I'm gonna say it again because he lives.

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Come on somebody we can't just face tomorrow.

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We have hope of eternal life.

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I tell people all the time Christians don't die.

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I think I've done like 12 or 14 funerals since the beginning of this year because my buddy, todd Mann, his people keep calling me saying we've got some people without a pastor.

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Will you come do their funeral?

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And I'm like are you kidding me?

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Does a six-year-old kid like Disney World?

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Come on in here.

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Yeah, I'll come speak at their funeral because I love to share Jesus with people.

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You know what I tell people every time I'm there.

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I say listen, if you put your faith and trust in Jesus, Christians don't die, they just relocate.

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Come on somebody.

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Christians don't die because of the resurrection.

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They graduate from life on earth to life forever with Jesus, which is far better than life on earth.

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Come on.

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There's no pain, there's no suffering, there's no sickness, there's no infections.

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For little Phillip, come on somebody.

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When Micah and I went to her granny's funeral this week and y'all pray for me, I'm taking it harder than Micah is Come on.

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Micah was just sitting there at the funeral.

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I'm over there crying like man.

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I'm going to miss granny.

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You know Mike is like Ryan, could you get it together?

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I'm like, no, this stinks man.

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You know I love granny.

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But when I went up by the casket man, she looked good laying in there.

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She would have turned 104 on June 1st and one of the most incredible people I've ever met in my life, and I mean that I'm walking and I've been all over the place.

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All right, I'm walking by her casket and I stop and lean down and I smile and I didn't say goodbye, I said, granny, I'll see you later.

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Amen, you beat me there, but hold on, I'm coming, amen.

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I'm on my way because we have hope beyond the grave.

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Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, because of the resurrection, and that's what I want you to wrap your spirit around today.

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And I've got to hurry, put on your Air Jordans and come fly with me.

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Okay, I want you to wrap your spirit around this the resurrection is what separates Christianity from all the other religions of the world.

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There are religions.

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I mean, come on, I've been to India many times.

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Last time I was there, they arrested me, locked me up and then deported me.

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Come on, somebody.

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I ain't tried to go back since.

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Glory to God, but when I was in India preaching, I remember they worship millions and millions of God's friends.

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They worship everything.

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They worship rats, they worship elephants, they worship cows, amen.

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There are religions all over the world.

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You know something that a lot of people are getting into.

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Jeremiah and I were talking about this.

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Recently the New Age movement has like resurged in a crazy way.

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You know, back in the 70s and 80s and early 90s it was a big thing.

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Some people were worshiping rocks and stuff Come on somebody.

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But it's totally surging again.

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There are religions, people believe all kinds of crazy stuff, but you know what separates Christianity from all the other religions of the world?

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It's that Jesus is not dead today.

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Jesus is alive.

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Ladies and gentlemen, I said Jesus is alive and well.

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Today.

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He lives on the inside of us by the Holy Spirit.

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He's seated at the right hand of the Father and when you go to his tomb, there's nothing there.

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I've said this a million times over the years here at the Great Center.

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I've said this all over the world, wherever I've gone to preach.

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If you go to the grave of Muhammad, you find a pile of dead dry bones.

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Come on somebody.

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If you go to the grave of Buddha, you find a big, fat pile of dead dry bones.

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Are y'all with me today?

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If you go to the grave of Jesus, there's nothing there because he isn't in the tomb.

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Amen, that's why.

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That's why I don't like.

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I'm just going to unbutton one.

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Don't get nervous, come on someone, I'm just, it's just one.

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I was somewhere recently.

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This, this guy was, this guy was preaching.

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I went to hear this guy preach recently.

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He was a good preacher.

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He unbuttoned his top button.

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He's like is this okay?

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I'm like no, it's not okay, put that away.

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No, I didn't do that.

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I was like come on, man, you know what I'm saying.

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If you unbutton and one button is causing somebody to lust, you need to cast the devil out of them.

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Praise the Lord.

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All right, listen, I'm not going to pull Elvis on like, unbutton it down to here, don't be worried.

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Okay, no, seriously though, I'd you think about this with me today.

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I love, I love the worship we did today.

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Didn't our worship team do a great job?

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Give them a great big hand clap.

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They did a great job.

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I really appreciate them and you know what I love about them.

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They have talent, but it's not about talent.

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They have an anointing on their lives and they have a heart to worship.

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They're not here to perform for you, they're not here to put on a show.

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They're here to lead us in worship.

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Amen, to usher us into the throne room, and they did a beautiful job of that.

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You know one of the things I love about worship today, though.

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I love that we sang old songs and new songs, amen, and everything in between we did.

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Lord, I Lift your Name on High, come on 1993.

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Praise God.

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I mean, we took it way back.

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We took it to the 90s, we took it to the 2000s.

00:16:05.875 --> 00:16:11.767
Okay, I love it, but you know one of the things I love about old gospel hymns there's a message in those songs.

00:16:11.767 --> 00:16:18.630
Y'all, I'm getting ready to get old hymnals and redback hymnals and just put them in all the chairs around here.

00:16:18.630 --> 00:16:21.304
Some of y'all are like what are these frames on the bottom of chairs?

00:16:21.304 --> 00:16:26.153
Well, you can put your Bible there if you want to, but we put those on there because we're about to put some redback hymnals.

00:16:26.153 --> 00:16:28.897
Pastor Ryan, are you old school like that?

00:16:28.897 --> 00:16:31.206
Yeah, can't you tell by my light green jacket?

00:16:31.206 --> 00:16:31.947
Come on somebody.

00:16:31.947 --> 00:16:32.327
No, look.

00:16:32.327 --> 00:16:38.028
I love old gospel hymns, and some of my favorites are ones about the resurrection.

00:16:38.087 --> 00:16:45.650
I was thinking this morning when I woke up about that old hymn Up from the grave, he arose with a mighty triumph over his foes.

00:16:45.650 --> 00:16:52.581
He arose the victor of the dark domain, and he lives forever with his saints to reign.

00:16:52.581 --> 00:16:54.068
He arose.

00:16:54.068 --> 00:16:57.232
He arose, hallelujah, Christ arose.

00:16:57.232 --> 00:17:01.275
I was thinking about that old song the other day and I jotted it down in my notes so I'd remember.

00:17:01.275 --> 00:17:03.312
He lives, he lives.

00:17:03.312 --> 00:17:05.532
Christ Jesus lives today.

00:17:05.532 --> 00:17:10.297
He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.

00:17:10.297 --> 00:17:14.395
He lives, he lives salvation to impart.

00:17:14.395 --> 00:17:17.233
You ask me how I know he lives.

00:17:17.233 --> 00:17:19.753
He lives within my heart.

00:17:19.753 --> 00:17:20.929
Somebody give God praise.

00:17:20.990 --> 00:17:30.325
If you believe that today, I need an organ and a black choir up here, deacon Harrington, to help me preach this, all right, look, I love what Miss Sandy sang today.

00:17:30.325 --> 00:17:31.528
Man, I love that song.

00:17:31.528 --> 00:17:33.933
My man, bill Gaither, wrote it.

00:17:33.933 --> 00:17:36.991
Bill Gaither's bad to the bone man, bad to the bone.

00:17:36.991 --> 00:17:40.226
Jimmy Swagger posted the other day Bill Gaither came by to have coffee with him.

00:17:40.226 --> 00:17:40.749
They were sitting there.

00:17:40.749 --> 00:17:49.131
Somebody took a picture and I was like man, I'd give a million dollars to sit at that table with two living legends and just have both of them lay hands on me at the same time.

00:17:49.131 --> 00:17:51.733
I love Bill Gaither Because he lives.

00:17:51.733 --> 00:17:53.516
I can face tomorrow.

00:17:53.516 --> 00:18:02.731
Because he lives, all fear is gone, because I know who holds my future and life is worth the living.

00:18:02.731 --> 00:18:05.817
Just because he lives.

00:18:05.817 --> 00:18:07.119
I believe that today.

00:18:07.125 --> 00:18:15.536
I believe that today, in one of his lighter moments, benjamin Franklin pinned his own epitaph.

00:18:15.536 --> 00:18:19.201
I love Ben Franklin, and not just because he's on the $100 bill.

00:18:19.201 --> 00:18:21.626
Come on somebody.

00:18:21.626 --> 00:18:22.647
Ben did not profess.

00:18:22.647 --> 00:18:23.929
Y'all aren't ready for me today.

00:18:23.929 --> 00:18:30.636
I've got two little babies and I'm running on like zero sleep okay, it could be dangerous and I've had four cups of coffee.

00:18:30.636 --> 00:18:33.118
I might just start doing backflips down this side aisle.

00:18:33.118 --> 00:18:33.680
Praise the Lord.

00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:40.346
Mike was like I hope you rest well.

00:18:40.346 --> 00:18:40.625
Last night.

00:18:40.625 --> 00:18:41.288
I said I hope you rest well.

00:18:41.288 --> 00:18:43.711
I said it's okay if I don't, I'm just going to drink like five cups of coffee before we go to church.

00:18:43.711 --> 00:18:44.053
Praise the Lord.

00:18:44.053 --> 00:18:44.393
Listen to this.

00:18:44.452 --> 00:18:47.298
In one of his lighter moments, benjamin Franklin penned his own epitaph.

00:18:47.298 --> 00:19:01.817
He didn't profess to be a born-again Christian, but it seems that he must have been influenced by Paul's teaching of the resurrection of the body, because this is what Ben Franklin wrote the body of B Franklin printer.

00:19:01.817 --> 00:19:03.506
Like the cover of an old book.

00:19:03.506 --> 00:19:05.588
I love this.

00:19:05.588 --> 00:19:14.907
Its contents, torn out and stripped of its lettering and gilding, lies here, food for worms.

00:19:14.907 --> 00:19:29.976
But the work shall not be wholly lost, for it will be as he believed, to appear once more in a new and perfect edition, corrected and amended by the author.

00:19:29.976 --> 00:19:32.451
I like that, amen.

00:19:32.451 --> 00:19:42.365
It shall appear once more in a new and more perfect edition, corrected and amended by the author, friends.

00:19:42.385 --> 00:19:45.451
This is why I believe Jesus rose from the dead, and I'm gonna close quickly today.

00:19:45.451 --> 00:19:48.650
This is why I believe Jesus rose from the dead and you should believe it too.

00:19:48.650 --> 00:19:54.135
If Jesus did not rise from the dead, the Christian faith is a foolish fantasy.

00:19:54.135 --> 00:19:55.137
How many of y'all know that?

00:19:55.137 --> 00:20:00.718
If Jesus did not rise from the dead, the Christian faith is a foolish fantasy?

00:20:00.718 --> 00:20:08.378
However, if the resurrection of Christ did occur, it confirms his life, his message and his atoning work.

00:20:08.378 --> 00:20:12.085
It is the basis of our hope of life beyond the grave.

00:20:12.085 --> 00:20:17.218
As I've already said here today, Christ is alive and the evidence is overwhelming.

00:20:17.845 --> 00:20:20.517
Here are just some of the reasons that we can be so sure.

00:20:20.517 --> 00:20:21.421
And I don't have time.

00:20:21.421 --> 00:20:26.576
I got scripture to back all this up and I might just post this on Facebook because I don't have time.

00:20:26.576 --> 00:20:27.586
Come on, somebody.

00:20:27.586 --> 00:20:29.853
Some of y'all got to go hunt eggs.

00:20:29.853 --> 00:20:30.595
Come on in here.

00:20:30.595 --> 00:20:35.788
What's up with a bunny that lays eggs?

00:20:35.788 --> 00:20:36.048
I don't know.

00:20:36.048 --> 00:20:36.390
Help me somebody.

00:20:36.390 --> 00:20:37.874
Look, some of y'all got to go to egg hunts and family barbecues.

00:20:37.874 --> 00:20:38.395
So I don't have time.

00:20:38.395 --> 00:20:40.041
I got scripture to back all this up.

00:20:40.041 --> 00:20:51.444
I don't have time to get in all the scripture, but I'm going to just give you these points right.

00:20:51.464 --> 00:20:52.930
Here are just some of the reasons that we can be so sure.

00:20:52.930 --> 00:20:53.951
Number one Jesus predicted his resurrection.

00:20:53.951 --> 00:20:55.998
You can read about that in the Gospels Matthew 16: 21, Mark 9: 9- 10.

00:20:55.998 --> 00:20:57.121
John 2: 18- 22.

00:20:57.121 --> 00:21:01.750
Number two the Old Testament prophesied the resurrection of Jesus.

00:21:01.750 --> 00:21:06.465
My man, David, said in Psalm 16: 10, that you will not leave my soul in hell.

00:21:06.465 --> 00:21:07.167
Come on in here.

00:21:08.028 --> 00:21:11.977
Acts 2: 25- 31, and Acts 13.

00:21:11.977 --> 00:21:13.065
I'll speak of this.

00:21:13.065 --> 00:21:15.170
The Old Testament prophesied the resurrection.

00:21:15.170 --> 00:21:20.748
Number three the tomb was empty and the grave clothes were vacant.

00:21:20.748 --> 00:21:36.612
If those who oppose Christ wished to silence his disciples, all they had to see John 20:3-9.

00:21:36.612 --> 00:21:37.394
Let me do this.

00:21:37.394 --> 00:21:38.656
This is my shameless plug right now.

00:21:38.924 --> 00:21:46.152
If you've never read the book Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, or if you've never, they turned it into a movie, come on, some of us still go to the movies.

00:21:46.152 --> 00:21:47.976
Help me somebody, pray for me.

00:21:47.976 --> 00:21:49.385
All right, I still watch movies.

00:21:49.385 --> 00:21:50.027
Glory to God.

00:21:50.027 --> 00:21:53.069
The Case for Christ is a phenomenal book.

00:21:53.069 --> 00:21:55.592
They turned it into a movie and it's an awesome movie.

00:21:55.592 --> 00:21:57.013
You need to check that out.

00:21:57.013 --> 00:21:59.817
All they had to do was produce the body, but they couldn't do it.

00:22:00.778 --> 00:22:04.721
Number four many people saw the resurrected Christ.

00:22:04.721 --> 00:22:05.747
I want you to think about that.

00:22:05.747 --> 00:22:11.727
They looked on Jesus' face, they touched him, they heard his voice, they saw him eat.

00:22:11.727 --> 00:22:12.067
Come on.

00:22:12.067 --> 00:22:16.275
The angel said to Mary he is not here, he is risen.

00:22:16.275 --> 00:22:18.218
Look at the place where they laid him.

00:22:18.218 --> 00:22:18.557
Come on.

00:22:18.557 --> 00:22:22.712
I like what one of the gospels says the angel said he is not here, he is risen.

00:22:22.712 --> 00:22:24.777
Just like he said he would.

00:22:24.777 --> 00:22:25.358
Amen.

00:22:25.358 --> 00:22:28.295
Many people saw the resurrected Christ.

00:22:28.295 --> 00:22:30.686
They looked on his face, they touched him, they heard his voice.

00:22:30.686 --> 00:22:31.852
They saw him eat.

00:22:31.852 --> 00:22:37.832
You see it all throughout the gospels in Matthew 28 and Luke 24, in John 20, in Acts and 1 Corinthians.

00:22:37.832 --> 00:22:38.693
It talks about it.

00:22:38.693 --> 00:22:40.778
Many people saw the resurrected Christ.

00:22:41.424 --> 00:22:44.414
Number five the lives of the disciples.

00:22:44.414 --> 00:22:46.874
Why I believe in the resurrection and you should too.

00:22:46.874 --> 00:22:51.537
The lives of the disciples were revolutionized.

00:22:51.537 --> 00:22:53.510
Think about the apostle Peter.

00:22:53.510 --> 00:22:58.326
When Jesus was about to die on the cross, I said last Sunday, on Palm Sunday, the late great Dr.

00:22:58.326 --> 00:22:59.189
BH Clendenin.

00:22:59.189 --> 00:22:59.910
He mentored me.

00:22:59.910 --> 00:23:00.731
He's in Heaven now.

00:23:02.055 --> 00:23:09.115
He always used to tell me he would say Ryan, the closer that Jesus got to the cross, the fewer there were who followed him.

00:23:09.115 --> 00:23:17.855
And he said, son, the closer you get to the cross, sometimes, the fewer there will be that will follow you.

00:23:17.855 --> 00:23:20.819
And I thought, man, I wish you wouldn't have said that.

00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:23.471
Come on, no, seriously, it's the truth.

00:23:23.471 --> 00:23:26.835
The closer Jesus got to the cross, the fewer there were that followed him.

00:23:26.835 --> 00:23:28.510
Peter, I want you to think about this.

00:23:29.164 --> 00:23:31.232
Peter was scared of a little servant girl.

00:23:31.232 --> 00:23:34.355
She said you're one of those Galileans, you're with Jesus.

00:23:34.355 --> 00:23:37.352
He said you blankety, blank and blank no, I'm not Jesus.

00:23:37.352 --> 00:23:38.795
He said you blankety, blank and blank no, I'm not.

00:23:38.795 --> 00:23:39.718
Come on in here.

00:23:39.718 --> 00:23:45.067
I don't know the man, I don't know what you're talking about.

00:23:45.067 --> 00:23:45.490
What are you saying?

00:23:45.509 --> 00:23:46.413
Whenever Jesus rose again from the dead, amen.

00:23:46.413 --> 00:23:55.550
And he led captivity captive, and he gave gifts to men and he said all power in heaven and earth is given unto me and I give that power unto you the lives of the disciples were revolutionized.

00:23:55.550 --> 00:24:04.758
Peter went from cussing out a little servant girl, because he was scared, to standing up in front of a lot of the people that were responsible for Jesus being crucified.

00:24:04.758 --> 00:24:06.929
And Peter said y'all did this.

00:24:06.929 --> 00:24:10.517
But he said God raised him from the dead on the third day.

00:24:10.517 --> 00:24:10.718
Why?

00:24:10.718 --> 00:24:21.961
The resurrection revolutionized the early disciples, and the resurrection will revolutionize your life, your home, your family and your world, if you let it.

00:24:21.961 --> 00:24:24.984
The lives of the disciples were revolutionized.

00:24:24.984 --> 00:24:32.896
Though they fled and even denied Christ at the time of his arrest, they later feared no one in their proclamation of the risen Christ.

00:24:32.896 --> 00:24:44.153
The resurrection was the central message of the early church, and the church grew with an unwavering conviction that Christ had risen and that he was the Lord of the church.

00:24:44.153 --> 00:24:53.557
Finally, today, men and women today testify that the power of the risen Christ has transformed their lives.

00:24:53.557 --> 00:25:05.381
We know that Jesus is alive, not only because of the historical and biblical evidence, but also because he has miraculously touched so many lives throughout the entirety of the world.

00:25:05.605 --> 00:25:08.074
Why do I believe in the resurrection and why should you believe in it too?

00:25:08.074 --> 00:25:10.073
Number 1: Jesus predicted his resurrection.

00:25:10.073 --> 00:25:12.192
The angel said it happened, just like he said.

00:25:12.192 --> 00:25:13.951
Number 2: the Old Testament prophesied it.

00:25:13.951 --> 00:25:16.644
Number 3: the tomb was empty and the grave clothes were vacant.

00:25:16.644 --> 00:25:22.797
Number 4: many people, hundreds and hundreds of people, saw the resurrected Christ.

00:25:22.797 --> 00:25:25.330
Number 5: the lives of the disciples were revolutionized.

00:25:25.330 --> 00:25:37.400
And Number 6: men and women all over the world today are still having their lives revolutionized by the most incredible person in the history of mankind.

00:25:39.144 --> 00:25:44.453
Well over, come on, just fasten your seatbelts and keep your arms and legs inside the chair at all times.

00:25:44.453 --> 00:25:47.734
We're going to bring this bad boy in for a crash landing, okay?

00:25:47.734 --> 00:25:54.873
Well, over 300 verses are concerned with the subject of Jesus' resurrection.

00:25:54.873 --> 00:25:59.309
In the New Testament I didn't stutter, preacher, did I hear you right?

00:25:59.309 --> 00:26:00.093
You heard me right?

00:26:00.093 --> 00:26:05.476
Over 300 verses are concerned with the subject of Jesus' resurrection.

00:26:05.476 --> 00:26:14.147
In the New Testament, we are told that this event is a sign for unbelievers as well as the answer for the believer's doubt.

00:26:15.451 --> 00:26:16.974
God, I wish I had time to preach today.

00:26:16.974 --> 00:26:24.875
It serves as the guarantee that Jesus' teachings are true, and it is the center of the gospel itself.

00:26:24.875 --> 00:26:40.517
Further, the resurrection is the impetus for evangelism, the key indication of the believer's daily power to live the Christian life, and it's the reason for the total commitment of our lives to Christ.

00:26:40.517 --> 00:26:44.892
The resurrection even addresses the fear of death.

00:26:44.892 --> 00:26:54.017
Come on, I love what the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4, when it says the trump will sound and the dead in Christ will rise.

00:26:54.017 --> 00:27:01.911
First and then we which who are alive and remain, shall be caught up in the air to meet the Lord, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

00:27:01.911 --> 00:27:05.777
It deals, it deals.

00:27:05.777 --> 00:27:11.612
It deals with the issue of the fear of death and it is related to the second coming of Jesus.

00:27:11.612 --> 00:27:20.726
Lastly, this event is a model of the Christian's resurrection from the dead and provides a foretaste of heaven for the believer.

00:27:22.451 --> 00:27:23.953
Now I was like you're ready to end with my king?

00:27:23.953 --> 00:27:31.686
Any of y'all that have ever been at the Grace Center for like more than a year know that every Easter, you know I don't like vain, meaningless traditions.

00:27:31.686 --> 00:27:35.535
Come on somebody, but I do Not.

00:27:35.535 --> 00:27:36.676
All traditions are bad.

00:27:36.676 --> 00:27:37.558
Help me somebody.

00:27:37.558 --> 00:27:38.866
Not all traditions are bad.

00:27:38.866 --> 00:27:39.406
Today, somebody.

00:27:39.406 --> 00:27:40.087
Not all traditions are bad.

00:27:40.087 --> 00:27:41.990
Today I'm going to close with my king.

00:27:41.990 --> 00:27:48.719
Every year on Easter, I always close with a powerful, just a portion of the powerful message preached by the late, great Dr.

00:27:48.719 --> 00:27:55.968
SM Lockridge, and I will not be able to do it justice, but I'm going to share it with you anyway.

00:27:55.968 --> 00:27:56.108
And Dr.

00:27:56.108 --> 00:27:58.874
Lockridge always had an organ, betty, and so that's part of the reason that I can't do it justice.

00:27:58.874 --> 00:28:00.256
But that's all right, we're going to do our best.

00:28:00.256 --> 00:28:02.628
Okay, listen, this is what I want you to wrap your speed around today.

00:28:02.628 --> 00:28:13.569
If you forget everything else, the crazy white boy says remember this number one if you have surrendered your life to Christ, I'm gonna say this again if you have not surrendered your life to Christ, today's a day for you to do it.

00:28:14.050 --> 00:28:15.815
Heaven was not created for perfect people.

00:28:15.815 --> 00:28:24.375
Heaven was made for people who put their faith and trust in Jesus and receive God's free gift of salvation through him.

00:28:24.375 --> 00:28:27.652
I'm a good person, I'm going to heaven.

00:28:27.652 --> 00:28:28.895
No, you're not, sweetheart.

00:28:28.895 --> 00:28:30.811
Heaven wasn't made for good people.

00:28:30.811 --> 00:28:35.817
Heaven was made for people who receive God's free gift of salvation through Jesus.

00:28:36.125 --> 00:28:39.174
Jesus said in John 14: 6, I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life.

00:28:39.174 --> 00:28:43.374
Nobody gets to heaven, nobody gets to the Father, except through me.

00:28:43.374 --> 00:28:45.510
That's so exclusive, pastor.

00:28:45.510 --> 00:28:46.554
That's so exclusive?

00:28:46.554 --> 00:28:47.296
No, it's not.

00:28:47.296 --> 00:29:00.867
Christianity is the most inclusive religion in the whole wide world, because Jesus says I don't care who you are, I don't care where you've been, I don't care what you've done done, I don't care how messed up you might be.

00:29:00.867 --> 00:29:04.717
Just come to me as you are and I'll change your life forever when you open the door of your heart to me and receive me.

00:29:04.717 --> 00:29:08.425
It's not exclusive, it's inclusive.

00:29:08.425 --> 00:29:09.971
I'm the way, I'm the truth, I'm the life.

00:29:09.971 --> 00:29:11.536
Nobody gets to the Father except in me.

00:29:11.536 --> 00:29:15.836
Today is the day, friend, for you to surrender your all and surrender everything to him.

00:29:15.836 --> 00:29:23.233
And when you do that, the apostle Paul said, the same spirit Romans 8, that raised Jesus up from the dead comes to live on the inside of you.

00:29:23.233 --> 00:29:40.548
And it doesn't just quicken your spirit, it doesn't just make your spirit, man, feel better, it will even quicken your mortal body, because it's that same Holy Ghost, it's that same anointing, it's that same power, it's that same resurrection life that takes up residence in our souls.

00:29:40.548 --> 00:29:43.093
Come on.

00:29:43.133 --> 00:29:46.026
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15, I wish I had time to read it and I don't.

00:29:46.026 --> 00:29:49.692
But it says death is swallowed up in victory.

00:29:49.692 --> 00:29:53.598
Oh grave, where is your victory?

00:29:53.598 --> 00:29:55.428
Oh death, where is your sting?

00:29:55.428 --> 00:29:56.690
Come on.

00:29:56.690 --> 00:30:04.913
And then it says that the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God, which has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:30:04.913 --> 00:30:14.119
Paul said in Romans 8, what the law could not do, and that it was weak, God did by sending his own son Jesus.

00:30:14.119 --> 00:30:21.125
The law of the spirit of life that's in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death.

00:30:21.125 --> 00:30:25.781
Thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:30:25.781 --> 00:30:26.002
Why?

00:30:26.002 --> 00:30:29.651
Because resurrection, life and power swallowed up death.

00:30:29.651 --> 00:30:31.194
And I'm going to say it again, on purpose.

00:30:32.317 --> 00:30:34.887
I love first y'all to read first Thessalonians.

00:30:34.887 --> 00:30:36.632
Read first Thessalonians man.

00:30:36.632 --> 00:30:37.894
Read 1 Thessalonians man.

00:30:37.894 --> 00:30:38.234
Read it.

00:30:38.234 --> 00:30:39.877
Chapter 4: 13- 18.

00:30:39.877 --> 00:30:40.199
Read it.

00:30:40.199 --> 00:30:41.508
I don't have time to read right now.

00:30:41.508 --> 00:30:42.250
Read it on your own.

00:30:43.051 --> 00:30:48.886
When the trumpet sound, the dead in Christ will rise first and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up in the air with them to meet the Lord.

00:30:48.886 --> 00:30:50.634
And so shall we ever be with the Lord.

00:30:50.634 --> 00:30:53.825
That's because of the resurrection.

00:30:53.825 --> 00:30:56.549
We have that hope today.

00:30:56.549 --> 00:31:02.786
We have that assurance today, because of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

00:31:02.786 --> 00:31:06.635
He said I am the resurrection and the life.

00:31:06.635 --> 00:31:16.215
Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die, and that's why I'm grateful today as I close with.

00:31:16.215 --> 00:31:16.817
That's my king.

00:31:16.817 --> 00:31:18.700
That's why I'm grateful today as I close with.

00:31:18.700 --> 00:31:19.020
That's my king.

00:31:19.020 --> 00:31:20.282
That's why I'm grateful today.

00:31:20.282 --> 00:31:21.305
Oh, I'm grateful today.

00:31:21.945 --> 00:31:23.953
They don't have to be afraid of death, and neither do you.

00:31:23.953 --> 00:31:27.574
The Bible says it's appointed unto mankind once to die, and after this the judgment.

00:31:27.574 --> 00:31:28.696
Hebrews 9: 27.

00:31:28.696 --> 00:31:30.330
You know why I'm not afraid of that?

00:31:30.330 --> 00:31:34.914
Because the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives on the inside of me.

00:31:34.914 --> 00:31:38.413
I've already got eternal life living within me.

00:31:38.413 --> 00:31:48.832
If you know him, you've already got that eternal life living in you, and when I see him before him someday, all I have to say the devil's going to be there reading off a long list.

00:31:49.472 --> 00:31:50.997
Some of y'all are holy and you know it.

00:31:50.997 --> 00:31:51.665
God bless you.

00:31:51.665 --> 00:31:54.288
There's a long list of stuff that I've done.

00:31:54.288 --> 00:31:58.815
Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, and you know what I'm going to say when the devil reads off that long list.

00:31:58.815 --> 00:32:02.740
It's all true, your honor, every last thing he may, oh, slew foot.

00:32:02.740 --> 00:32:13.874
May have even missed a few, and I'm not going to bring them up, but I do want to say one thing the blood of your son, Jesus Christ, cleanses me from all my sin and unrighteousness.

00:32:13.874 --> 00:32:15.155
I plead the blood.

00:32:15.155 --> 00:32:15.916
How do you plead?

00:32:15.916 --> 00:32:17.057
I plead the blood.

00:32:17.057 --> 00:32:17.499
Amen.

00:32:17.499 --> 00:32:19.461
I have hope beyond the grave.

00:32:19.461 --> 00:32:22.034
You have hope beyond the grave that we don't have to fear death.

00:32:22.034 --> 00:32:25.454
For Christians, death is a fact, not a fear.

00:32:25.454 --> 00:32:29.573
Ron Sutton always used to tell me when I was a little boy.

00:32:29.573 --> 00:32:33.755
He would say Ryan, Christians are death's victors, not death's victims.

00:32:33.815 --> 00:32:42.378
Come on in here as much as I was being a big baby about granny going home to be with the Lord and I'm like is anybody else is upset about this?

00:32:42.378 --> 00:32:44.105
I am Everybody's just like chill, I'm not okay with this.

00:32:44.105 --> 00:32:46.471
I wanted her to live, to be like 110.

00:32:46.471 --> 00:32:47.093
You know what I mean?

00:32:47.093 --> 00:32:48.737
I was all excited.

00:32:48.737 --> 00:32:49.746
I was like granny's man.

00:32:49.746 --> 00:32:51.928
She's looking good and feeling good and doing good.

00:32:51.928 --> 00:32:57.835
She was like this, tall and weighed 87 pounds, soaking wet, with rocks in her pockets, but she was bad to the bone y'all.

00:32:57.835 --> 00:32:59.997
That means she was good White people, come on.

00:33:00.238 --> 00:33:02.480
But I'm telling you I'm thankful today.

00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:03.060
I mean this.

00:33:03.060 --> 00:33:05.127
I'm thankful today as much as I miss Granny.

00:33:05.127 --> 00:33:09.965
I wouldn't bring her back if I could, because she wouldn't want to come back if she could.

00:33:10.526 --> 00:33:13.907
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

00:33:13.907 --> 00:33:27.115
Listen, friend, if you have a loved one that you've lost, that knew Christ and you're having trouble getting over it, come on, you need to just turn it over to the Lord and say thank you, that this isn't goodbye, I'll see you later because they're in a place that's beautiful.

00:33:27.115 --> 00:33:31.076
No more sorrow, no more tears, no more suffering, no more heartache.

00:33:31.076 --> 00:33:33.917
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

00:33:33.917 --> 00:33:35.638
We have hope beyond the grave.

00:33:35.638 --> 00:33:36.539
I'm thankful for that.

00:33:36.539 --> 00:33:39.642
For Christians, death is a fact, not a fear.

00:33:39.642 --> 00:33:43.002
Christians are death's victors, not death's victims.

00:33:43.002 --> 00:33:43.625
Amen.

00:33:43.625 --> 00:33:47.971
I might feel sorry for myself today because Granny's gone.

00:33:47.971 --> 00:33:48.653
Come on somebody.

00:33:48.653 --> 00:33:52.038
I might feel sorry for Micah's family because Granny's gone.00:33:52.038 --> 00:33:52.377


You know who.00:33:52.377 --> 00:34:01.229


I don't feel sorry for Granny because she's in the presence of the Lord because of resurrection, life and power.00:34:01.229 --> 00:34:01.769


I got to shut up.00:34:01.769 --> 00:34:02.330


I got to shut up.00:34:02.330 --> 00:34:02.811


I got to shut up.00:34:02.811 --> 00:34:03.192


Here we go.00:34:04.154 --> 00:34:17.414


Several years ago I had the privilege of sharing that's my King on the stage with KJ52.00:34:17.414 --> 00:34:28.516


Now a lot of y'all don't know who KJ 5-2 is, but I'm going to tell you KJ 5-2 was like my hero in the 90s when I was growing up and they called me and said hey, we wanted to know if you wanted to come preach a salvation message and we also need you to recite that's my King.00:34:28.516 --> 00:34:33.820


I'm like by Dr.00:34:33.820 --> 00:34:34.119


SM Lockridge.00:34:34.119 --> 00:34:36.021


We're like, oh, you know what?00:34:36.021 --> 00:34:36.961


I2 is one of the headlines.00:34:36.961 --> 00:34:38.902


I'm like the KJ 5-2?00:34:38.902 --> 00:34:40.862


What's it going to cost for you to come do this?00:34:40.862 --> 00:34:45.715


Pastor, son, if you let me hang out with KJ 5-2 in the green room, I'll do it for free.00:34:45.715 --> 00:34:46.577


Come on somebody.00:34:46.577 --> 00:34:49.894


And Johnny Osmond, I went to Union, Missouri, and I did it for free.00:34:49.894 --> 00:34:51.391


I'm like taking selfies and stuff.00:34:51.391 --> 00:34:55.672


He's like Ryan, bro, I'll sign it for you.00:34:55.672 --> 00:34:57.797


I was like all right, man, and then I had to go out and do this.00:34:57.797 --> 00:34:58.398


I love this.00:34:58.398 --> 00:34:59.239


This is so powerful.00:34:59.239 --> 00:35:00.909


Dr Esselstyn Lockridge, this is what he said.00:35:00.909 --> 00:35:01.532


Y'all stay with me.00:35:01.532 --> 00:35:02.255


I'm done with this.00:35:03.144 --> 00:35:23.570


The Bible says Jesus is the king of the Jews, he's the king of Israel, he's the king of righteousness, he's the king of glory, he's the king of kings and the Lord of lords.00:35:23.570 --> 00:35:23.871


That's my king.00:35:23.871 --> 00:35:26.179


David says the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament show with his handiwork.00:35:26.179 --> 00:35:29.208


No means of measure can define his limitless love.00:35:29.208 --> 00:35:35.407


No far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of his shoreless supply.00:35:35.407 --> 00:35:39.675


No barriers can hinder him from pouring out his blessing.00:35:39.675 --> 00:35:40.277


I love this.00:35:40.538 --> 00:35:41.907


He's enduringly strong.00:35:41.907 --> 00:35:43.670


He's entirely sincere.00:35:43.670 --> 00:35:45.554


He's eternally steadfast.00:35:45.554 --> 00:35:47.179


He's immortally graceful.00:35:47.179 --> 00:35:48.987


He's imperially powerful.00:35:48.987 --> 00:35:50.851


He's impartially merciful.00:35:50.851 --> 00:35:52.875


That's my king.00:35:52.875 --> 00:35:54.998


He's God's son.00:35:54.998 --> 00:35:56.489


He's the center savior.00:35:56.489 --> 00:35:58.778


He's the centerpiece of civilization.00:35:58.778 --> 00:36:01.507


He stands alone in himself.00:36:01.507 --> 00:36:06.242


He's August, he's unique, he's unparalleled, he's unprecedented.00:36:06.242 --> 00:36:08.527


He's supreme, he's preeminent.00:36:08.527 --> 00:36:10.893


He's the loftiest idea in literature.00:36:10.893 --> 00:36:13.686


He's the highest personality in philosophy.00:36:13.686 --> 00:36:16.632


He's the supreme problem in higher criticism.00:36:16.932 --> 00:36:19.898


He's the fundamental doctrine in true theology.00:36:19.898 --> 00:36:23.516


He's the cardinal necessity of spiritual religion.00:36:23.516 --> 00:36:26.068


That's my king, I wonder.00:36:26.068 --> 00:36:27.192


Do you know him?00:36:27.192 --> 00:36:29.112


He's the miracle of the age.00:36:29.112 --> 00:36:32.494


He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call him.00:36:32.494 --> 00:36:37.177


He's the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously.00:36:37.177 --> 00:36:42.206


He supplies strength for the weak, he's available for the tempted and the tried.00:36:42.206 --> 00:36:46.695


He sympathizes and he saves, he guards and he guides.00:36:46.695 --> 00:36:48.239


He heals the sick.00:36:48.239 --> 00:36:49.847


He cleanses the lepers.00:36:49.847 --> 00:36:51.550


He forgives sinners.00:36:51.550 --> 00:36:53.335


He discharges debtors.00:36:53.335 --> 00:36:55.159


He delivers the captives.00:36:55.159 --> 00:36:56.768


He defends the feeble.00:36:56.768 --> 00:36:58.472


He blesses the young.00:36:58.472 --> 00:37:00.478


He serves the unfortunate.00:37:00.478 --> 00:37:02.427


He regards the aged.00:37:02.427 --> 00:37:04.132


He rewards the diligent.00:37:04.132 --> 00:37:05.894


He beautifies the meek.00:37:05.894 --> 00:37:07.679


Do you know him today?00:37:08.085 --> 00:37:09.728


My King is the key of knowledge.00:37:09.728 --> 00:37:11.512


He's the wellspring of wisdom.00:37:11.512 --> 00:37:13.496


He's the doorway of deliverance.00:37:13.496 --> 00:37:15.248


He's the pathway of peace.00:37:15.248 --> 00:37:17.251


He's the roadway of righteousness.00:37:17.251 --> 00:37:19.115


He's the highway of holiness.00:37:19.115 --> 00:37:20.885


He's the gateway of glory.00:37:20.885 --> 00:37:22.730


He's the master of the mighty.00:37:22.730 --> 00:37:24.815


He's the captain of the conquerors.00:37:25.076 --> 00:37:26.646


He's the head of the heroes.00:37:26.646 --> 00:37:28.793


He's the leader of the legislators.00:37:28.793 --> 00:37:31.322


He's the overseer of the overcomers.00:37:31.322 --> 00:37:33.067


He's the governor of governors.00:37:33.067 --> 00:37:34.690


He's the prince of princes.00:37:34.690 --> 00:37:37.998


He's the king of kings and he's the Lord of lords.00:37:37.998 --> 00:37:41.965


Princes, he's the king of kings and he's the Lord of lords.00:37:41.965 --> 00:37:42.306


That's my king.00:37:42.306 --> 00:37:42.686


That's my king.00:37:42.706 --> 00:37:43.887


His office is manifold.00:37:43.887 --> 00:37:45.369


His promise is sure.00:37:45.369 --> 00:37:47.132


His life is matchless.00:37:47.132 --> 00:37:48.934


His goodness is limitless.00:37:48.934 --> 00:37:50.896


His mercy is everlasting.00:37:50.896 --> 00:37:52.797


His love never changes.00:37:52.797 --> 00:38:01.967


His word is enough, his grace is sufficient, his reign is righteous, his yoke is easy and his burden is light.00:38:01.987 --> 00:38:09.829


I wish I could describe him to you, but he's indescribable, he's incomprehensible, he's invincible, he's irresistible.00:38:09.829 --> 00:38:15.307


I'm trying to tell you the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, let alone a man or woman.00:38:15.307 --> 00:38:16.230


Explain him.00:38:16.230 --> 00:38:20.166


You can't get him out of your mind, you can't get him off of your hands.00:38:20.166 --> 00:38:23.434


You can't outlive him and you can't live without him.00:38:23.434 --> 00:38:26.527


The Pharisees couldn't stand him, but they found out.00:38:26.527 --> 00:38:27.650


They couldn't stop him.00:38:27.650 --> 00:38:35.356


Pilate couldn't find any fault in him, the witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree and Herod couldn't kill him.00:38:35.356 --> 00:38:37.226


Death could not handle him.00:38:37.226 --> 00:38:39.373


The grave could not hold him.00:38:39.733 --> 00:38:40.856


That's my King.00:38:40.856 --> 00:38:42.166


That's my king.00:38:42.166 --> 00:38:44.351


I wonder, do you know him today?00:38:44.351 --> 00:38:47.777


He always has been and he always will be.00:38:47.777 --> 00:38:52.333


I'm talking about he had no predecessor and he'll have no successor.00:38:52.333 --> 00:38:56.228


There was nobody before him and there'll be nobody after him.00:38:56.228 --> 00:39:00.016


You can't impeach him and he's not going to resign.00:39:00.016 --> 00:39:01.505


That's my King.00:39:01.505 --> 00:39:02.949


That's my King.00:39:02.949 --> 00:39:04.150


Praise the Lord.00:39:04.150 --> 00:39:06.516


That's my King.00:39:07.257 --> 00:39:19.717


I want you to stand with me all over this house and give the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the risen Christ Jesus, all the praise, all the honor and all the glory, because he got up on the third day.00:39:19.717 --> 00:39:22.172


He is the resurrection and the life.00:39:22.172 --> 00:39:26.315


Whoever lives and believes in him shall never die.00:39:26.315 --> 00:39:34.596


But the question is do you believe this?00:39:34.596 --> 00:39:36.811


I want you to bow your heads with me.00:39:36.811 --> 00:39:38.085


I'm out of time All over this room.00:39:38.085 --> 00:39:40.632


I want you to bow your heads with me and everybody watching online.00:39:41.253 --> 00:39:45.338


If you're watching me today and you said Pastor Ryan, I need to surrender my life to Christ.00:39:45.338 --> 00:39:48.148


Maybe you've never prayed to make Jesus your personal Lord and Savior.00:39:48.148 --> 00:39:53.286


Or maybe you prayed a prayer at one time in your life, but you know that you walked away from him.00:39:53.286 --> 00:39:59.139


He didn't walk away from you, but you walked away from him to pursue your own desires, to pursue your own wishes.00:39:59.139 --> 00:40:00.931


And today you say you know what.00:40:00.931 --> 00:40:01.365


I know.00:40:01.385 --> 00:40:09.693


There's no better day than Easter Resurrection Sunday to recommit myself and rededicate myself, and I want the worship team to come back and just play softly.00:40:09.693 --> 00:40:11.190


And this is what I want to do today.00:40:11.190 --> 00:40:13.932


I'm out of time and I'm going to do this differently.00:40:13.932 --> 00:40:16.922


Some people won't like the way I do this, but that's all right.00:40:16.922 --> 00:40:22.726


I don't do altar calls the same way every time, with everybody bowing your head, nobody looking around, bow your head, close your eyes.00:40:23.208 --> 00:40:36.405


If you're here today and you say Pastor Ryan, I heard what you said about the resurrection, I heard what you said about Jesus, about who he is, and I know I need to commit myself, maybe for the first time, maybe you need to rededicate yourself to the Lord.00:40:36.405 --> 00:40:45.983


I want to say to you today he loves you with all of his heart.00:40:45.983 --> 00:40:53.005


God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in Jesus should not perish but have everlasting life, for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world, through Jesus, might be saved.00:40:53.005 --> 00:41:00.327


What I want to ask you to do today you know in America we make a big emphasis on people's decision for Christ.00:41:00.327 --> 00:41:05.565


Oh, we had 38 people raise their hands and come forward today on Easter.00:41:05.565 --> 00:41:06.708


Hey, that's awesome.00:41:06.708 --> 00:41:07.630


Praise God for that.00:41:08.092 --> 00:41:10.125


But it's not about our decision.00:41:10.125 --> 00:41:17.505


Yes, it requires a decision on our part, but praying with people, leading people in a prayer, is just the first step.00:41:17.505 --> 00:41:18.827


The choice is yours, friend.00:41:18.827 --> 00:41:23.505


You can choose to just be here today, celebrate Jesus because it's Easter.00:41:23.505 --> 00:41:37.311


You can choose to pray a prayer with me if you want to, but that's all it'll ever be, unless you make the commitment that, hey, I'm really yielding myself and surrendering my all, and so I'm going to do something a little different today.00:41:37.331 --> 00:41:51.025


I don't do altar calls the same way all the time, but I want everybody in this room to repeat this after me and to pray with me, and I want you to mean it with all of your heart and I know many of you that are here today know the Lord, but I want you to pray it so we can pray it with one voice.00:41:51.025 --> 00:41:59.309


For those that need to pray this and those of you watching online, we've had many, many people over the years come to Christ through our live stream broadcast and I'm thankful for that.00:41:59.309 --> 00:42:11.068


And if you're watching and you say, pastor Ryan, I need Jesus today, he loves you, friend, and I want you to pray this prayer that we're getting ready to pray, I want you to mean it with all of your heart and I want you to know that today is the first day of the rest of your life.00:42:11.068 --> 00:42:12.746


This can be a brand new beginning for you.00:42:12.746 --> 00:42:14.422


This can be a fresh start.00:42:14.422 --> 00:42:19.951


This can be brand new beginning and a fresh start for you, and this is what I want us to do All over this house.00:42:19.951 --> 00:42:25.454


I want you to say this out loud, repeat it after me, mean it with all of your heart.00:42:25.474 --> 00:42:34.304


Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in Jesus' name, lord, I'm sorry for all of my sins and I repent.00:42:34.304 --> 00:42:37.425


Today I open my heart.00:42:37.425 --> 00:42:42.829


I invite you to come in, wash me and cleanse me.00:42:42.829 --> 00:42:43.072


Be my heart.00:42:43.072 --> 00:42:44.099


I invite you to come in, wash me and cleanse me.00:42:44.099 --> 00:42:47.784


Be my Savior, be my Lord.00:42:47.784 --> 00:42:50.807


I turn from my old ways.00:42:50.807 --> 00:42:56.164


I choose to follow you, dear Jesus.00:42:56.164 --> 00:43:01.527


I believe with my heart and I confess with my mouth.00:43:01.527 --> 00:43:04.630


You are the son of God.00:43:04.630 --> 00:43:07.289


You died on the cross.00:43:07.289 --> 00:43:12.208


God raised you from the dead on the third day.00:43:12.208 --> 00:43:14.728


I surrender all to you.00:43:14.728 --> 00:43:17.248


I give you my life.00:43:18.847 --> 00:43:21.306


Devil, come on, say it like you, really mean it.00:43:21.306 --> 00:43:23.652


Devil, you are not my God.00:43:23.652 --> 00:43:26.282


I will not serve you.00:43:26.282 --> 00:43:35.884


I renounce you and all the powers of darkness go from me now, in Jesus' mighty name.00:43:35.884 --> 00:43:47.510


Jesus, thank you for loving me, thank you for saving me, thank you for writing my name in your book of life.00:43:47.510 --> 00:43:57.672


From this day forward, give me grace, give me strength to follow you for all of my days.00:43:57.672 --> 00:44:09.827


I trust you, Jesus, for all of my days I trust you, Jesus, and I thank you that because you rose again, I can have a fresh start, I can have a brand new beginning.00:44:09.827 --> 00:44:23.275


I declare today Come on, say it like you mean it I declare today this is the first day of the rest of my life In Jesus' name.00:44:23.275 --> 00:44:25.637


Amen and Amen.00:44:25.657 --> 00:44:27.438


Come on, give God praise all over this room.00:44:27.438 --> 00:44:32.282


Come on, give him praise.00:44:32.282 --> 00:44:34.565


Give him praise give him praise.00:44:34.585 --> 00:44:36.248


Thank you again for joining us today.00:44:36.248 --> 00:44:41.135


For Ryan Sutton Ministries, we truly hope this message has been a blessing to you.00:44:41.135 --> 00:44:52.000


If you'd like to contact Pastor Ryan Sutton at the Grace Center, you may do so by writing, PO Box 21, Crystal City, Missouri, 63019.00:44:52.000 --> 00:44:58.733


Or you can call the office at 314-960-8308.00:44:58.733 --> 00:45:05.813


Or you can reach out to Pastor Ryan Sutton on the web by visiting wwwthegracecentercom.00:45:05.813 --> 00:45:08.824


Thank you again for joining us.00:45:08.824 --> 00:45:12.152


God bless and we'll see you next time.