Easter Sunday, He Is Risen and Jesus Is Alive Forever

Hey, carpooling with Jesus family. Happy Easter. Today is the biggest celebration in our faith. It's the day we remember that Jesus didn't stay in the tomb. He came back to life and he's still alive today. Whether you're on your way to church in your Easter outfit, finishing a cinnamon roll at breakfast or sitting in the car with a chocolate bunny in your hand. I'm Pastor Justin, and I'm so glad you're here today. We're celebrating the best news ever. Jesus is alive. Here's the one thing I want you to remember. Jesus is alive and that changes everything. Let's hear what happened at the first Easter morning in Matthew chapter 28, verses five and six, it says, the angel said to the woman, do not be afraid for I know that you are looking for Jesus who is crucified. He is not here. He has risen, just as he said. The woman had come to the tomb expecting to see Jesus' body, but instead the stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty, then an angel gave them the best message ever. Jesus isn't dead. He's alive just like he promised. And in that moment, everything changed. Fear turned to joy. Tears turned into dancing, and a sad ending turned into a brand new beginning for you and for me. Now, remember. Jesus didn't just rise from the dead. He was resurrected and he will never die again. Rising from the dead means someone comes back to life like when Jesus raised Lazarus or others, but they still had the same kind of body, and one day they would die again. Resurrection is something much bigger. When Jesus was resurrected, he came back to life forever. His body was brand new, never to get sick, hurt or die again. He wasn't just alive again. He was alive in a whole new way and one day he promises that we'll be resurrected too, just like him. Imagine you're one of the women walking to the tomb. It's early. The sun is just rising. You're quiet, sad, maybe even a little scared, and then you see it. The stone is moved, the tomb is empty, and the angel says he is not here. He has risen. What would you do? Run. Shout. Tell everyone. Well, that's exactly what they did, because when Jesus rose from the dead, he showed that his promises are true, that he is stronger than death, stronger than fear, and stronger than anything we will ever face. One Easter morning when I was a kid, I found my Easter basket hidden behind the couch. It had a card taped to it that said nothing is better than candy except Jesus. At the time I laughed, but as I got older, I realized it's true. All the chocolate in the world can't beat the joy of knowing that Jesus is alive and that he invites us to live with him forever. So what does Easter mean for you? Well, it means you don't have to be afraid. It means that sin doesn't get the last word in your life. It means that you can have hope every day. Because Jesus is not in the tomb. He is risen. He is risen indeed. He's alive and he is with you. Enjoy church, create great family memories, and thank you for making carpooling with Jesus a part of your Easter Sunday. Before you go ask each other this, what's one way we can celebrate that Jesus is alive, not just today, but every day? I'll see you tomorrow as we start a brand new week talking about Samson on carpooling with Jesus. Until then, he is risen. He is risen indeed.