Easter Is Here!
Joe Alain
John 20:19-28
This sermon was preached on Easter Sunday as a three-part sermon with various worship elements interspersed between each part.
Song: ‘‘Hallelujah, God Is Here!’’
Part 1: ‘‘Then Jesus Came’’ (Jn. 20:19-24)
‘‘Hallelujah, God is Here!’’ The first Christians discovered that on the first Easter. Here’s their story. (Read John 20:19-23). It was the first Easter at evening when ‘‘Jesus came’’ to the huddled disciples in the upper room. This upper room would become the center of spiritual power in just a few days but now it is far from that. The disciples were behind closed doors ‘‘locked because of their fear of the Jews’’ (v.19). The cries of the mobs had prevailed and Jesus had been crucified. The people desired blood sport and Rome obliged. It was prime time now for Jesus’ enemies to finish off his followers. ‘‘Strike while the iron is hot.’’ We know how quickly a mob can get out of control. The disciples probably thought it was inevitable, just a matter of time before the crucifiers would be coming for them.
Instead of the church gathered for worship they were the church huddled in worry. Powerless and fearful of what their future holds, they were no doubt disillusioned and downcast. Their Messiah was no more, so they thought. Their dreams of the kingdom of God were shattered. They had left everything to follow Jesus, now what do we do? They are feeling like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, ‘‘We thought Jesus was the one, but maybe we were wrong.’’
But in their sorrow Jesus came (v.19) and spoke words of ‘‘shalom’’ - ‘‘peace to you.’’ When you’re anxious, troubled, and down the only thing that can clam your heart is the peace of Jesus! The one who calmed the raging sea is the one who can calm the anxious heart. Maybe now they remembered what Jesus had told them in this same upper room just days ago. Words we too need to remember. ‘‘Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rej ...
Joe Alain
John 20:19-28
This sermon was preached on Easter Sunday as a three-part sermon with various worship elements interspersed between each part.
Song: ‘‘Hallelujah, God Is Here!’’
Part 1: ‘‘Then Jesus Came’’ (Jn. 20:19-24)
‘‘Hallelujah, God is Here!’’ The first Christians discovered that on the first Easter. Here’s their story. (Read John 20:19-23). It was the first Easter at evening when ‘‘Jesus came’’ to the huddled disciples in the upper room. This upper room would become the center of spiritual power in just a few days but now it is far from that. The disciples were behind closed doors ‘‘locked because of their fear of the Jews’’ (v.19). The cries of the mobs had prevailed and Jesus had been crucified. The people desired blood sport and Rome obliged. It was prime time now for Jesus’ enemies to finish off his followers. ‘‘Strike while the iron is hot.’’ We know how quickly a mob can get out of control. The disciples probably thought it was inevitable, just a matter of time before the crucifiers would be coming for them.
Instead of the church gathered for worship they were the church huddled in worry. Powerless and fearful of what their future holds, they were no doubt disillusioned and downcast. Their Messiah was no more, so they thought. Their dreams of the kingdom of God were shattered. They had left everything to follow Jesus, now what do we do? They are feeling like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, ‘‘We thought Jesus was the one, but maybe we were wrong.’’
But in their sorrow Jesus came (v.19) and spoke words of ‘‘shalom’’ - ‘‘peace to you.’’ When you’re anxious, troubled, and down the only thing that can clam your heart is the peace of Jesus! The one who calmed the raging sea is the one who can calm the anxious heart. Maybe now they remembered what Jesus had told them in this same upper room just days ago. Words we too need to remember. ‘‘Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rej ...
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