From Before Bethlehem To Beyond Calvary

and

again in

well glories so good to see you in the house of the Lord today

and

trust that you've been blessed already

by being in his presence

through your worship

I want to read

just a couple of scripture to you

one we're going to quote and the other won't take but just a second

so if you'll just give me about two more minutes

and stand with me for the scripture

this morning I'll let you be

seated and we can

proceed into what the Lord has for us today

amen

we used to sing that old song

at the cross, at the cross where I first

saw the light

and the burdens of my soul they rolled away

how many remember the burden

rolling away

you know I was raised in church

took there since a baby

and

church was good

but it was different when the burden

of my soul got rolled away

amen

we're going to quote together

John 316

and then we're going to look at

Matthew 28 verse 6

Matthew 28:6

this morning and we'll see what the

spirit of the Lord has to say to us

on this resurrection Sunday

John 316 how many

know that one you see it on TV

for God

so loved the world

that he gave his only

begotten son

whosoever believeth in him

should not perish

but have everlasting

life

now we're going to look at verse 6

in Matthew's gospel 28

and it reads this the recording

the words of the angel that was at

his empty tomb

he is not here

for he is risen

as he said

that's important

come see the place where the Lord

lay

that's all he had to offer

there wasn't no Jesus there but you can come look

where he was

for the verification

he is risen

from before Bethlehem

we're going today beyond

Calvary

amen I'll pray for you if you pray for me

and hopefully this next hour won't be as painful

as you thought it might be

Father we love you

we thank you for your goodness and your mercy

I thank you for this opportunity

Lord the request that we have this morning

that have come in

Lord I pray you touch sister Courtney

who's looking at some surgery today

would rather be in your house

but I ask Lord that you watch over and keep her this morning

and Lord for the family friend

that called today and asked

that we would just lift their

family up as they lost a loved one last night

Lord you know who they are

and I ask God that you would encourage them

on this the day that we celebrate

life eternal and life evermore

now Father your word has been spoken

Lord we've read from the precious

book of life now Lord

let our hearts be open and our ears be open

that we would hear what the spirit says

to the church today speak to us today

Father God in the name of Jesus

and everybody says amen

tell you neighbor we're going beyond Calvary today

again thank you so much for being

here you could have been a lot of places today

but you've chosen to worship here at Hopewell

Church of God and I'm so thankful

for that

the past previous

two weeks we've been in a little series

as I've mentioned already

from before Bethlehem

to beyond Calvary

we've just been walking our way

through the life of Jesus Christ

and last week was Palm Sunday

and so we celebrated Palm Sunday's

celebration

with that beginning of the passion week

that week that the Lord

would suffer for you and I

the week that he would ultimately

end up giving his life for us

so that we might be free and so that

we might know him and the love

that he has for us and all that he wants

to deliver into our

hearts and lives when we

think about the week of passion

the walk of

Friday being the

Via Dolorosa and the many

stops that the Lord made there

from this past week hopefully

you've read along and you've brought yourself

up to the expectation of this

resurrection Sunday

Palm Sunday being last week Monday

Jesus cleansed the temple

on Tuesday he would go

about teaching the principles

of the kingdom of heaven

on Wednesday there was the betrayal

the plan was set in place

Judas had already decided

that he was going to betray the Lord

so he does so and then on Thursday

we have that wonderful evening

meal the very last supper we call it

as the Lord would eat with his

disciples but we also have

one of the most important

institutions to the church that we have on

that very night as he would take the bread

and break it and he would take of the

cup and he would say this is my body

amen that is broken for you and he said

this is my blood which is shed

for the remission of the sins of many

and so he gave the wonderful principle

of his life and of his blood for

us that was on Thursday

this Friday we had a wonderful celebration

here of worship and a time

of just worshiping together on what we

what we have called Good Friday

and many people wonder what was so

good about it well it wasn't good for Christ

but it was good for you and I

it was good

it was for the joy that was set before him

and I know we can't hardly see

a crucifixion as something

joy filled or something to be excited

about but the Lord's excitement

was in knowing that he was about to redeem

lost humanity

and make a way and build a bridge

so that the father again could be in

relationship with his creation

so Thursday that meal is given

Friday that walk he goes

to the whipping post and his body

is beaten and he is given

a cross to bear and he begins to carry

it and it would be on that Friday

that under the weight of that cross

his physical body being beaten beyond

recognition that he would fall

under the weight of that cross and Simon

of Cyrene was standing by

which the Roman soldiers would grab

and put the cross of Christ in

him to assist him to

Galgotha's hill but it would be at Galgotha

where he was alone it would be there

where the Roman soldiers would pierce his

arms and his feet with those

old Roman spikes it would

be there where they would suspend him between

the heavens and the earth on Friday

but it was on that Friday when the clouds

turned dark we sang about it this morning

when the skies turned dark

and the earth began to shake

and the earth began to quake when he

gives up the ghost when he gives his life

and it would be that veil that was before

the presence of God and the holiest

of holy places that big curtain

would be torn in two opening

access to humanity because of

the work that Christ had done from before

Bethlehem before

the manger before Christmas

all of this had been set in order

and now it's being fulfilled

because now Saturday oh we call

it silent Saturday we think Saturday

was very quiet and he was

just laying in the grave I'm telling

you there was work going on on Saturday

according to Ephesians chapter 4

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

before he ascended he first

descended into the lower parts of

the earth and he went down preaching good news

to the captives and he took the captive

and he brought them captive with

him come on somebody

oh I know I may be out there but I'm

giving you a place to go look and read

before he ascended into glory

and all this is going on in these three

he wasn't just laying there resting

can I tell you he didn't have to rest

he was the lord of glory he was the king

of eternal ages he had

work to do and he was doing

his work hallelujah amen

so Saturday passes it by

and early before the dawning of the day

on the first day of the week

Mary and the others because they had

to prepare his body quickly they

didn't have much time to get back

and do the preparation on his

body that they really wanted to do

so they make their way oh

what the way to the tomb and it's

according to the garden tomb they're

discussing ladies how are we going

to roll this big stone out of the way

from the door it's possibly two ton

how can we move it what are we going to do

how are we going to get it rolled away

my god it was a worry they should not

have worried about it's about 90%

of the stuff you and I worry about

it was something you're not going to have to deal with

it was something they didn't have to deal with

and as they made their way to the tomb

they found the stone

already rolled away

they saw an angel there

and they begin to get a report

why seek ye the living

among the dead he is risen

as he said that he would

he is alive

he took the Via De La Rosa trail

and the walkway the pain and the

way of suffering and the way of sorrow

he took it for you and I

my god but he didn't just stay

in a tomb he didn't just stay

dead

it kindly it kindly

it kind of perturbs me from time to time

we we get to Easter Sunday

and all we can do is get to Friday

there'll be countless churches

across the land and around the world

that'll never get past Friday

but I'm here to tell you Friday wasn't

the end Friday

it wasn't over Friday

it was only beginning

hallelujah you gotta get past Calvary

you gotta get you gotta go

beyond Calvary people

he was crucified

but have you noticed the cross

is empty and the tomb is empty

as well but there's a throne

at the right hand of the father

where he is

where he is now seated and where he

is making some

prayer requests for you and I

he's the interceder

for our dilemma

and trouble

man

that's the first sentence of the introduction

so let's see where we can get to now

hallelujah we got

we got to the cross

we we've gotten past the

crucifixion

don't get me wrong

I'm not making light of it

it's a very serious

moment

it's a very agonizing and painful

moment that the Lord

took for you

last Wednesday night brother Randy talked to us

in his teaching about

grace and mercy

what you saw on Calgotha's

hill is God's mercy

when he

takes on to himself

what you and I deserve

when we don't get what we deserve

he took it

he bore it

while you and I were yet sinners

Christ died

for you and I it was an agonizing

death it was a death of suffocation

as he's hanging on that

cross

beaten

bruised

how many of you seen the passion of the

Christ

I saw it once and I said to myself

I'll never see it again

I don't know how it affected you but it hurt me

deep

the best that Hollywood could do

broke me down

to see him at that whipping post

those 39 stripes

saved the one

it tore me up brother David it broke me down

because I deserved that because

of sin

hello he didn't the sinless one are you with me

the sinless one

deserved the whipping post

and the best that Hollywood could do

still didn't even come close

to the day of his beating

when the scripture

says that his body was

opened up you could probably have seen his

lungs moving as he would take

a breath

39 stripes with a cat of nine

tails with the metal and bone

shards and pottery shards anything

sharp that they could get in it that

would tear away the flesh

you're getting a little gross this morning

well my god we need to get a little

gross because we come so nonchalantly

with his sacrifice

I'm trying to tell you I'm not trying to

rush past Calvary because Calvary

was important it was agonizing

he poured out every

drop of blood

for you and I

while we were yet sinners

Christ died

who for the joy that was

set before him he endured the

shame of the cross

and died the death

presented himself

as the only

sacrifice worthy

not to just

cover but

to cleanse and purify sin

the blood of

goats and bulls and sacrifices

merely covered our sin

and they had to be covered every year

for the Israelite people every

year the blood had to be

spilled but I'm here to tell you

it's been spilled for the last time

hallelujah

oh yes oh I know

that they found five

my lord I'm so far from where I wanted to be

but man I just feel

like the lord taking us there this morning

there's the search for the pure sacrifices

I've heard that they've

discovered five of the

animals that are necessary

to bring about the purification

sacrifices

as the people the Jewish people

are getting ready for their messiah

well they've missed

the one event that they should have been paying

attention to and he is

coming

well we better get on past

calvary hadn't we

things are being set in

order time is

coming into place

amen the week of the passion

many emotions from hearts of

believers worldwide

they range in depth

some see no severity

in it at all and take Sunday

it's just another day to cheat and eat some chocolate

that's how nonchalantly

some so called

Christians see

the resurrection Sunday

it's a day to dress up

a day to get a new outfit

I'm surprised I didn't see at least one

Easter hat in the house

for many it's an excuse to get them a new

hat to wear in a new

Easter dress hat

for some that's as deep as they go and

that's as moved as they are

but others are so overwhelmed

because of the passion of the Christ

the sorrow of the Christ and the agony

of the Christ and in the Philippines

they actually are beaten

and they are actually taking crosses

and they are actually nailed

the two across amen

and they are suspended I'm here to tell you

you don't have to do that you don't have to

go that far amen but I

think in the heart of the believer we should

understand the passion of the Christ

and know that that mercy was

bestowed I who was a sinner

am a sinner no more

hallelujah why because grace

entered in and grace was introduced

because of the mercy

and the debt that he paid for us all

we can lean upon him because

of his good grace and no

free pardon

from sin

several years

ago the secular songwriter John Meyer

or Mayor, however you want to pronounce it

produced a song that was titled

Waiting on the World to Change

the lyrics

of this song give some insight to the

mentality of our society of that day

but even more so

this day

one particular verse

goes this way now we see everything

that's going wrong

with the world and those who lead it

we just feel like we don't have

the means to rise above

and beat it

so we keep waiting

waiting on the world to change

we keep waiting

waiting on the world to change

those lyrics offer

absolutely no hope

and actually it sounds like it's coming from a man

who has no hope from a man

who does not know what

I'm preaching to you this morning

it comes from a heart that

can only see the world and society

and how deeply

depraved that man is kidding

and it's worse now some 15

18 20 years later from when this

song was introduced our world

is in an upside down turmoil

my god I hoped

and I said I wouldn't do it but I'm just

going to draw our attention just a little bit

to the leadership of this nation

and the declaration they made over this

day and the ideology

to begin to change

my god there is a transformation

that is available and this world

has been changed because

of the introduction of

Jesus Christ into it

and the day that he went to Calvary

and even greater so on that

first morning of the week when

he rose from the dead

hallelujah there has been a change agent

introduced to society

a change agent has been introduced

and it is Jesus Christ the

righteous from before Bethlehem

to Calvary and beyond

beyond Calvary is an empty

tomb I'm not waiting on the world

to change I'm waiting on the world

changer to come back

I'm waiting on the world

changer to make his way

back

well give the lord praise in his house

he's worthy of it come on

we're waiting on the world changer

we're waiting on the world changer

beyond Calvary these are just

these are gone

that's over

that first sentence is all we got

which is probably to your benefit

I'll get done quicker

we're waiting upon the world changer to introduce

himself again to a lost

world

amen but it took

Calvary it took Bethlehem it took

a manger

it required all

those things it required his sacrifice

what is it your and my

salvation redemption

many think well I don't

know that I need it well let me just share with you

today you need

it

how so I've not done anything wrong you

were born and that's enough

that's all is required for humanity

to deserve

the wrath of God why so

because of the sin in the garden

of Adam and Eve the

disobedience of God's word

and sin

entered in and because sin entered in

death reigned

how many of us are afraid of death

I'll be honest

I don't relish

the thought

I like living

I enjoy life

this beautiful day

I enjoy God's creation

I'm not looking to leave here tomorrow

unless he comes to

get us all

all who are ready

that means get ready

because of that

original sin that

we are born with

the attempts of the heavenly father

to spare his son

through the giving of that law

for blood to cover

but man couldn't

even live by that

too difficult

we made it

so then the simplicity of faith

through grace

his grace

your and my

faith

and the sacrifice that he made

that God loved

this world that he gave his son

so that you and I

would not have to perish

I know we live in a day

in time where the harshness

of the gospel seems too much

for some

they want a heaven

but not the reality of a hell

I'm here to tell you Christ

went through all of that suffering and pain

and agony to spare you and I

from that hell

if there was no hell

I guarantee you he would not have been

at a Roman whipping post

if there was no hell

to save us from I assure you

he would not have surrendered himself

and allowed them

to drive those Roman rusty spikes

through his limbs

and elevate him between heaven

and earth

how do you know? Because at his

very word

legions of angels

would have leaped out of heaven

come to

Galgotha's hill

there wouldn't have been a Roman standing

but he surrendered

because why?

He knew

that Sunday was coming

I assure you

on Calvary

he was thinking

about Sunday

oh they played that little video

in here Friday night, it's Friday

but Sunday's coming

Sunday's here

and the reality

of that first Sunday

is that you and I

because of his grace

and abundant mercy

can have hope beyond

Calvary

we can have hope that

carries us and ushers us into

a heavenly home with him

because remember

John's gospel recorded in that

14th chapter, let not your

hearts be troubled

you believe in God, believe also in me

for in my

father's house there are

many mansions

and he said I'm going to prepare a place for you

that where I am there

and maybe also

and they're scratching their heads

saying we don't know how to get there

he says

you know the way

I've demonstrated and showed you the way

and matter of fact

I am the way

I am the way

the truth and the life

no man comes to the father

but by me

so while we're

in a world that's waiting for a change

simply what the world

fails to see is they have

to accept the change that has

been offered

the world changer has already made

the offer

you don't have to

live it out through

the suffering

of this life

but even though we receive him

and accept him, one of the puzzling

things for us is

that we too may have to suffer

for all those who live

godly in Christ Jesus

we're going to suffer and we're going to face

persecution

remember his words, they hated me and they're

going to hate you, have you ever seen a

day in time

not the world, let's just narrow it down

in our 200 plus odd year history

of this nation, have you ever

seen a time when there are so

many who anti-Christ

and anti-God than right

now?

but the world changer

is coming

beyond

Calvary is this

beyond Calvary is Luke 24

13 and behold two of them

went that same day, we're talking about

the same day

of this first day

of the week, the same, two of them

went that same day to a village called

Emmaus which was from Jerusalem

about three score furlongs or about seven

miles

and they talked together of all

these things which had happened

they talked about the week of the passion

they talked about the crucifixion

and they had left town early before the ladies

got back from the resurrection

they're trying to make

that seven mile journey

and while they

communed together and reasoned

Jesus himself

drew near

and went with them

now isn't that wonderful

there was a lot of things the Lord

needed to be doing

a lot of different things

he could have been doing

but he was walking

with two of his disciples

talking about

the previous week's events

and how they said we

actually thought he was the one

I can see him standing there with a grin

you reckon?

I mean

couldn't you just see the Lord interjecting

in that sad conversation

of two depressed

disciples leaving Jerusalem

before they got the news

what happened fellas?

well you know he raised

the dead and we thought he was the one

I mean he opened blinded eyes

lame people walked

the disciples said that he spoke to the

seas and the waves laid flat

and we surely thought

well he was the one

was there any other

proof?

well I mean there's this guy

Lazarus

you know he was dead and already

starting to stink

and he raised him from the

dead and well we really thought

he was the guy I mean how much more proof

are you needing here?

they didn't even stay around long enough to see

if what he said

was going to come to pass they were just

headed toward Emmaus

and he walked with them talked with them

when they get

to Emmaus

they'll stay and eat with us

we're going to get a bite to eat well I need to get

I need to be going

but since you asked

I will and he breaks bread and then the

light comes on

and the next thing you know

they're back in Jerusalem I don't know where

Jesus went

but the next thing you know

they went back to tell the others

and they get in the room and they say hey well we know

I mean if you'd been you know you

walked 14 miles

for nothing

you could have been here

that's after that's after Calvary

that's beyond Calvary

John 20

19 through 29 then the same

day and evening this is the same day

evening

being the first day of the week

when the doors were shut where the disciples

were assembled for fear of

the Jews came Jesus and stood

in the midst he

said unto them peace be unto you

Thomas

Didymus not being

present

later that day

the conversation happens when Thomas

shows up we saw the

Lord well why didn't somebody come get me

I don't know if you saw him or not

that's why we call him doubting Thomas

prove it I won't

believe it

unless I see for myself

where they put the nails

put my finger in one of the holes

see where they pierced his side and put my

hand tells me it was

a gaping wound

put my hand he's gone from his

finger to his hand and I

put my hand in his side I won't

believe until then well

are you ready

you skip down to verse 26 and after 8 days

say that with me after 8 days

Thomas wasn't there on

the same day the first day

now we're 8 days later

I don't have time to talk about that

number 8 my lord don't get me going

and after 8 days

again his disciples were within and Thomas

with them Thomas is there now

then came

Jesus the doors

have you noticed the emphasis on the doors

being shut they're scared

to death they're afraid

they're coming after them they've been

hiding for 8 days

a few of them

Peter James John got up just enough to go

see if what Mary and the others said was

true and they came back and shut themselves

back up

8 days has come and gone Thomas is there

with them now the

doors being shut and he stood in the midst

and he said peace be unto you

then Thomas he said

to Thomas Thomas

reach your finger over here and stick it in

here

Thomas stick your hand in here

nowhere do we read

where he did either

but what we do read is his confession

on the 8th day my lord

and my god

hallelujah

doubts rolled away by confirmation

there's some doubts in your life

don't be in doubt because he is risen

and he is risen indeed

the tomb is empty

if it's the right place if it's the right tomb

I went in there and

looked for myself

in 22

thousand

I went in there

and he wasn't there

no bones

he was not there

I never forget that day as long as I lived

the Franciscan priest

is watching over the

holy site

I mean there's 8 or 9

preachers in this little old room

and we're getting happy

and this

fellow had the audacity to say to us

why are you so excited

he's not here

I said dude that's the whole point

I mean

you're here every day

it's the whole point

he isn't here you go dig up

Mohammed if it hasn't been long enough

his bones are still rotting and bleaching

in the dirt

you go dig up any of the others and you'll find them there

but you can't find

Jesus

because beyond

Calvary he's in glory

they tried to blame it on the disciples

but they were too scared locked up in a room

it wasn't them that got his body

and the Jews sure enough weren't

going to go get it and try to hide him

because that would be a validation

of his

proclamation

so they didn't do it

and there's no way a

Roman would break

the seal that was put on that

door

it meant their life

so

it was

opened from the inside

out

yeah

nobody won't take responsibility for that one

he takes

responsibility

himself

beyond Calvary's Acts 1 3

to whom also he showed

himself alive after his passion

by many infallible proofs

being seen of them 40 days

and speaking of things pertaining

to the kingdom of God

further so 1st Corinthians 15

I like this one

moreover brethren

I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you

which also you have received

and wherein you stand

by which also you are saved

if you keep in memory

see there's too many people forgetting

what I preached unto you unless you

have believed in vain for I

delivered unto you first of all that which

I also received how that

Christ died for our sins

according to the scriptures

and that he was buried

and that he rose again the third day according

to the scriptures

and that he was seen of Cephas

then the twelve after that he was

seen of above 500

are you hearing me

brethren at once

of whom the greater part

Paul said that most of them are still

alive today and could testify

it was

him

and after

that

he was seen of James

then of all the apostles

in verse 8

and least

of all he was

seen of me also

as one born

out of due time

Stephen saw

him

when they were stoning him to death

because he's preaching the good

news of the gospel

he looks up and he said I

see Jesus

standing

I don't know what that word

standing does for you when you read it

but I'm telling you let me just share

just what you go ahead and stand and I

won't take long in telling you what it means to me

when I read that

word standing

when he said I see Jesus standing

that means he wasn't in

a leisurely position at the

throne of the right hand of the father

it means his attentions were drawn

to one of his servants

who were about to be ushered into his

eternal glory and he's

standing at attention watching the

faithfulness of old Stephen

so beyond Calvary

Revelation 1 18 you will find

the declaration of the Lord himself I am

he that liveth

and was dead

and behold

I am alive

forevermore

amen

and have the keys

of

hell in the grave

you see that's what he was doing on Saturday

never run off with his keys

he's just going to get them back

I know a little bit

something about that

I couldn't find brother Wayne

Henry's truck key this morning they loaned me

I couldn't find it

I looked all over the house

everywhere

but I was so focused on getting

here this morning I had already

forgotten that I'd put it in my pet's pocket

so I wouldn't forget where I put it

I went out to that truck three times

Sister Kathy's up by now

and this is early 630 something like that

what are you looking for

brother Wayne's key

well where'd you put it you know

at that moment

you know frustration

if I knew where I put it

I wouldn't be looking for it

so on that

what we think is a quiet Saturday

he just went looking for his keys

he knew exactly where they were

and he went and put his foot

on the neck

of your and my enemy

I'll be back to finish this

later I'm thinking he's saying

this water's parallel

it's mine I'm preaching

give me the keys

Satan

and

I don't think he moved

from his position one iota

I don't think Jesus

made one

inkling of reaching to take them

put them right here

and I mean now

I don't know what that does

for you but it does a lot for me

we're talking beyond Calvary

this is John the revelator

Jesus testifying

I went and got the keys

here's what he's going to do with them

chapter 19

we're beyond Calvary now we're way past Calvary

John says and I saw

heaven opened

and behold a white horse

and he that sat upon him

was called faithful

and true

and in righteousness

he does judge and make war

his eyes were as a flame

of fire

his head

on it were many

crowns and he

had a name written that no

man knew but he himself

and he was clothed with a vesture

dipped in blood

he never forgot

and his name is called the word

of God

and the armies which

were in heaven

followed him upon white horses

clothed in fine linen

white and clean

now we're way beyond

Calvary I'm reading

to you from a vision

that's way beyond 2024

March 31

this is a moment in time

yet to come

but it's getting closer every day

and out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword

that with it he should

smite the nations and he shall

rule them with a rod of iron

and he treadeth the wine

press of the fierceness and the wrath of

almighty God

he hath on his

vesture and on his thigh

a name written

king of kings

and lord of lords

oh they put a little

placard over his head

at Calvary

I read one of the gospel writers where they

they sat and watched them as

they scribed

Jesus king of the Jews

and they missed that one

we're talking beyond

Calvary

the king of kings

and the lord of lords

while many are waiting

for the world to change

I'm simply waiting

on the world changer

I'm waiting on this

to come to pass

I'm waiting for the fulfillment of the

faith that I have in him

on this Easter Sunday morning

I don't know where you are in your

relationship with this

king of kings and lord of lords

but I do know where you need to be

you need to be in a right relationship

well how do I do that?

repent

for the kingdom of heaven is at hand

well how do I do that?

well we begin by saying

we're sorry

we confess our sin

we confess our sin

we confess our sin

and we ask him to

cleanse us of it

and according to 1st John 1 and 9

he is faithful and just

to cleanse us when we do that

of all unrighteousness

and we come in right standing

and then from that point

we just walk right, act right, talk right

do right

in accordance to his instruction manual

beyond Calvary is a hope

beyond Calvary is a savior

who will come walk beside you when you're so distraught

in the world that you don't even recognize

that he's with you

like those Emmaus disciples

they were rehearsing the event

thinking we thought he was the one

and the whole

seven mile journey

he's walking with them

and beats them back to Jerusalem by the way

and enters into a room that was shut up

father I love you this morning

thank you for your goodness

and your mercy today, thank you for your help

this morning, I thank you for your anointing

father I've tried my best to

relay what you've put on my heart

fresh and anew, Lord is fresh

this morning and I'm so thankful for that

it's resurrection Sunday

and resurrection means life

not death

not depression, not doubt

not overwhelming

not the presence of fear

I'd like to pray for you this morning

if there's any in here

if you do not know Christ is your Lord and Savior

I'd like to pray with you if you'd meet me down here at this altar

it'd be the simplest

prayer that you'll ever pray

but it will afford you

the greatest eternal value

of any prayer that you'll pray after

I'd love to pray with you

heads bowed all over the house

I promise I'll take just another couple minutes

so important today

as the gospel's been declared

the scripture says the wages of sin is death

it also says by grace you are saved

pastor I need Jesus in my life

in fact would you just

pray with me

I need Jesus in my life

in fact would you just slip a hand up this morning

I need Jesus

I need him

oh I need you

every hour

Father I love you this morning

I thank you so much for this resurrection Sunday

I thank you for every person

in this room

I thank you for every

everyone

Lord as you touch and speak

to hearts and minds

I ask God that you would have your way

that you would lead

Lord as you speak of peace

in the turmoil

in the chaos of life

Father we love you this morning

thank you for your goodness today

and your mercy

Lord you know what the days hold

that lay ahead

and Lord for the worry and the fear

and the anxiety of it all

I pray Lord you touch this young man

Lord through this process

I ask Lord as

those he mayest disciples

had their eyes open that his too would open

to see you in the reality of your help

and the hope that you offer

go with him Lord

go with him Lord

in Jesus name

every

hour

every hour

every hour

every hour

every hour

every hour