"ROLL THE STONE AWAY!"

Luke 24:1-7: But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3 So they went in, but they didn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. 5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, "Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day."

This time of year is one of my favorite times as a Christian. I love Christmas, spending time with family and celebrating the birth of Jesus but I love to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Imagine what this life would be like if all we had to celebrate was the birth of Jesus but we had to mourn his death this time of year. I'm glad that we aren't mourning death, that we aren't attending a funeral but we are celebrating the risen Savior!

I know in the equal opportunity society we live in we are expected to accept all beliefs and all religions but I'm not afraid to say we are the only religion that can celebrate a risen, living Savior. He's not a statue sitting in the corner or picture hanging on the wall but the stone was rolled away and He's alive and well today! I'm not afraid to say that the most important message we can deliver during this time is the message of the cross, the message of the blood of Jesus and the message that He is the ONLY way to Heaven.

Something I want you to remember during this time and all year long is that Jesus went to the cross for every need you have in your life. Most importantly He went to the cross for your salvation so that you can have eternal life but He also went to the cross for your healing; Isaiah 53:5: "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed." This doesn't say we might be healed, maybe our healing will come but it says by His stripes we ARE healed! He also went to the cross for every financial need you have; 2 Corinthians 8:9: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." If you study this passage you find that this literally means rich as in money. Many try to interpret this verse as saying it means rich in all areas of life, not necessarily money but the actual translation means rich, as in money. I know some Christians have a hard time with this because there is the mentality that we need to walk around poor but Jesus died for your riches. You're a child of the King and the King wants His children to have the best.

Every need you have, Jesus took a stripe on His back for you. My purpose in all of this is to get you to start declaring what He did on the cross for you over your situation. As you celebrate the risen Savior, celebrate your healing, celebrate your financial breakthrough, celebrate whatever need you have in your life whether you can see it or not. It's time to roll the stone away from your grave and see what's dead come back to life! Roll the stone away from that dream that you've buried in a grave.

As you celebrate this weekend, celebrate that just as Christ rose from the dead, He died and rose again so that you could be raised to life through Christ. Roll the stone away!

I've included a video from Easter of last year at Free Chapel. I encourage you to watch it and worship the risen Savior.

Easter Worship Special - Jentezen Franklin