Easter

‘Vital facts that demand your urgent attention’ (Matthew 28:1-10)

AudioPhilip

The story of the resurrection of Jesus isn’t just a made up story to make us feel good about death or to give Jesus some more status that wasn’t meant for him. In Matthew 28:1-10, the facts are laid out for all to see and they must be wrestled with! For, if God did really raised Jesus from the dead, then everything changes – nothing is the same! And, following on from that, the claims Jesus makes must be examined and either believed or rejected. There’s no middle ground.

Message

Outline

• House fires!
• Facts that demand action
• Crisis moments & the claim of the gospel writers…
• Note that Matthew tells us of…

  1. One indisputable fact (v.1-6a)
  2. Two important commands (v.6b-7)
  3. One inescapable conclusion (v.8-10)

The verdict of the gospel writers
The challenge for all people!

‘Mrs Pilate’s crazy dream’ (Matthew 27:19)

AudioPhilip

When the gospel writer, Matthew, recorded the fact that Mrs Pilate (Claudia Procla) told her husband, Pontius Pilate, about her dream and her ill-feeling towards the situation her husband would soon be in, sentencing the Lord Jesus, we could ask the question, why? Why did Matthew record that incident? There might well be some suggestions that aren’t quite right and some (or at least one) that probably is. On this Good Friday, listen on to see!

Message

Outline

• The text! Mrs Pilate’s cameo…
• Why did Matthew include it?
• What does it mean? What can we learn? Think on…

  1. Three suggestions that are wrong
    Men

We

Not

  1. One suggestion that is right

The

“Innocent” and innocent
That goat!
The gospel: the innocent punished, the guilty go free!

‘Looking for (and finding) the source of real hope (1 Corinthians 15:1-11)

AudioPhilip

The motto of ‘let’s eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die’ is sadly all too common in our society. In fact, such a motto is nothing new, but was around in the prophet Isaiah’s day at least 700 years before Christ! The motto is often held as a philosophy of life, because many have no hope beyond the grave. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Paul lays down some of the fundamentals of the gospel message that centres on Christ’s death and resurrection. It is a message of hope…in fact, on this Easter Sunday, it is the only message that brings real hope.

Message

Outline

The Uni student & the hope-less professor

  • Confusion about the after-life
  • See how Paul wrote about some fundamental building
    blocks…
  1. There’s truth to be believed (v.1,3-4)
  2. There’s evidence that can’t be ignored (v.5-11)
  3. There’s a challenge to be met (v.2)
    Is this hope yours?

‘The moment Jesus knew that the time had come’ (John 12:20-36)

AudioPhilip

The text of John 12:20-36 is a very significant moment in the life of Jesus – especially in relation to his impending death. It happened when some Greeks appeared and sought and audience with him. This was the signal for Jesus that his ‘time had come’…but what did that mean? What did he know? And what significance did it have to his death and resurrection? On this Good Friday, perhaps here are some answers!

Message

Outline

o It’s not over until….
o The Greeks who sought a meeting with Jesus..
o The setting of the text
o What did this mean for Jesus? He knew…

  1. The time for His suffering had come (v.23-30)
  2. The time for His victory had come (v.31)
  3. The time for salvation had come (v.32-36)

There’s more to the story!
‘Now is the day of salvation…’ (2 Corinthians 6:1)