Easter Program – 2024

Easter Program – 2024

Subject – Sunday is Coming

By Rick Welborne

Romans 5:8-11 (NLT2)
⁸  But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
⁹  And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.
¹⁰  For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.
¹¹  So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

--Verse 8 was quoted in the program by the narrator;

Romans 5:8 (NKJV)
⁸  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

--I hope you understand what Easter or Resurrection Sunday is all about…it’s not just about wearing bright colored clothes, bunny rabbits, and colored eggs. It’s much deeper than that.

--You see, what has become a day of celebration for us was bought at an expensive price. God sent Jesus to die for us…yes, while we were still sinners.

--Sometimes I get a little bothered when we call the Friday before Easter “Good Friday.” It was definitely not a good Friday for Jesus.

--You see, He was arrested, He was mocked, He was slapped, He was spat upon, He was beaten with a cat of nine tails (a whip).

--He had to carry His cross to Calvary’s Hill, He was nailed to an old rugged cross, He was lifted up between Heaven and Earth for the world to see. Naked and humiliated.

--He was mocked by the scribes, Pharisees, and religious leaders…He saved others, if He is the Christ, then save Himself. He was pierced through the side with a spear.

--Good Friday…Good Friday! What could have possibly been good about this Friday? You see, that Friday Christ died for us while we were still sinners. How could that be good?

--It was good for us because God the Father and Jesus the Son, said yes, it’s Friday but Sunday is coming! They knew Their plan from the beginning of time!

--They knew Christ would die on Friday, but they also knew three days later, Jesus would be raised from the dead. They knew what would happen on Friday but They kept saying…Sunday is coming!

--I don’t know where you are in your life today. Maybe you feel like it’s Friday for you. Everything is wrong, everything is messed up…you feel beaten down and humiliated. Lost.

--Pastor Rick and Pastor Neftali, I feel like it’s Friday. Hear your pastors today…it may be Friday right now but please know…Sunday is coming.

--How can you say that with such confidence? Look at our text again today.

Romans 5:8-9 (NLT2)
⁸  But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
⁹  And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ

--The same blood Jesus gave to end His life is the same blood that will give you new life…It may be Friday but Sunday is coming.

--Do you understand? We have been made right in God’s sight (isn’t that what is important?) by the blood of Christ. It may be Friday but Sunday is coming!

--Again, listen to our text:

Romans 5:10 (NLT2)
¹⁰  For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 

--Through Jesus’ death we were restored to the Father and by His resurrection (being raised from the dead) we will be saved. Maybe it’s Friday but Sunday is coming.

--Maybe you are here today and you are follower of Christ but you feel like it’s Friday in your life. Family issues, marriage issues, financial issues, life issues.

--The stress and the pressure are so great you feel like you are going to die. I’ve got good news.

Romans 11 (NLT2) ¹¹ So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

--It’s Friday but Sunday is coming! It’s Friday but Sunday is coming! It’s Friday but Sunday is coming!

Romans 8:28&31-32 (NLT2)
²⁸  And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
³¹  What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
³²  Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 

--Happy Resurrection Sunday – It’s Friday but Sunday is coming!