EASTER MESSAGE

Sermon Notes, April 1, 2018

Rev. Garry McGlinchy

            Pastor Garry's Easter message was based on Acts 10:34-43, the story of Peter and his visit to Cornelius' house.  What does that have to do with Easter, you ask?  Everything!

            Peter sees a vision of all kinds of animals being let down in a sheet,  A voice tells him to kill and eat, Peter protests he'd never eaten anything impure or unclean, but the voice tells him, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."  Three times!  Then Cornelius' men are at the door.

            The conflict between Jews and Gentiles was the greatest obstacle for the spread of the Good News in the First Century.  For a Jew to associate with Gentiles was scandalous.  But God calls Peter to take the Good News of Jesus Christ to none other than a Roman!  And despite his Jewish upbringing, despite everything he has known of Gentiles, he steps out of bounds and obeys God's command.

            The message that is clear in this passage is that the Good News of Jesus Christ is for EVERYONE!

            The truth is that the world is restless for God!  Aching to receive the Good News of Jesus Christ.  That means that we have a role to play in God's salvation story. 

            The Good News needs to reach the world, and we are the messengers.  Simply seeking Him is not enough for someone to truly find Him.  How can we expect people to find Jesus if we don't point the way to Him?

            People must find Jesus, and we are the ones who are called to help them find Him!

            Peter's brief sermon is a powerful truth about the Good News of Jesus Christ.  It told of Jesus' perfect life of servant-hood, His death on the Cross, and His Resurrection, all witnessed by Peter firsthand.  Talk about an experience you  would never forget!

            When pointing someone to Jesus, we don't have to be loquacious, or have a well thought-out sermon prepared.  BUT, our message should be Spirit-led and centered on Christ.  So what does this passage have to do with Easter?  EVERYTHING!

The empty tomb reminds us that nothing can hold back the Good News of Jesus Christ.  However, man does a pretty good job of holding Him back.  We need for the stones of our hearts to be rolled away (as the stone to the tomb was rolled away) so that we can be used to bring the Good News to a world that is thirsty and hungry for it!