Promises Made… | Sunday, April 5, 2026

Man, praise the Lord. Thank you, Anthony and team. Good morning, Cross Connection Church. He has risen! You can have a seat. It's so good to see you this morning. We want to welcome you if you are visiting for the first time here at Cross Connection Church. My name is Miles, and I'm the lead pastor here. We're so glad that you are here.

I did want to mention something about our announcements, specifically regarding our missionaries. If you had a hard time reading the information this morning, the DMV would like to see you to recheck. I had a hard time reading it too; it's rather difficult. My oldest daughter got her license a couple of weeks ago, and we were at the DMV standing in line, which is lovely. I was looking at the eye test chart and realized, oh gosh, I hope they don't ask me to do this anytime soon. I'm going to have to go have my eyes checked because now I'm 46, and my eyes don't work quite as well as they used to. I feel very sad about this.

It is so good to see you all here. Anyway, regarding the missionaries, we support a whole bunch of different missions, both foreign and domestic. This year, we have more than 30 people here at the church who are signed up to go on short-term trips to South America and Africa. Next week, we plan to introduce you to those team members. We ask for your prayers for them, and we also encourage you to prayerfully consider helping them go on these trips. They are an extension of us. Even though you may not go on a trip, as part of Cross Connection Church, you are prayerfully sending and supporting them.

This mission is what Christ gave to us after He rose from the dead, which we'll be discussing this morning. He commissioned His disciples to go into all the world, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all the things that He commanded us. He said, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Well, the end of the age has not come yet. He has not returned; His second coming is something we look forward to and hope for. But until He returns, it is the task of the church—our church and the larger Big C Church—to fulfill that commission. There are still people in the world who have not heard the gospel, and there are still people in our community who do not know or understand the gospel.

And we want to make sure that we are a church that is committed to the Great Commission. Amen?

Well, it is obviously an important day. This is the day when we remember and celebrate Christ's resurrection. The Sunday following the crucifixion, a group of Jesus's faithful female followers got up very early in the morning. It was not surprising that it was the female followers. They walked to the tomb with the intention of finishing the final preparations for Christ's resting place in that cool, dry tomb, the garden tomb. However, they were unable to complete the preparations for His burial on the day of His crucifixion.

It was the custom of the people during that time and in that place to bury the dead on the day that they died. Jesus was crucified on what we remember as Good Friday. The followers made hasty preparations for His burial because they had to do it before sundown, as the Sabbath was about to start. Therefore, they were unable to finish the preparations on Friday. They could not do it on the Sabbath either, as they were not allowed to perform any work, especially coming into contact with a deceased body, which would make them unclean.

As soon as it was dawn on that Sunday morning, they went to the tomb. On their way, they discussed among themselves how they might roll away the stone, as it was too big for them to move. When they arrived, they found that the stone had already been rolled away, and the tomb was empty. Christ was not there; His body was not in the tomb.

At that moment, the Gospel of Luke tells us in Luke chapter 24 that an angel appeared, and there were actually two men who turned out to be angels. One of the angels spoke with them in Luke 24, verse six, and made this great proclamation: "He is not here, but is risen." That is the great good news of what we celebrate on Easter. He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee.

That's actually where we've been studying here at the church for the last many weeks. We've been in the Gospel of Luke, chapter nine. It was there in chapter nine that Jesus began to tell His disciples, "We are going to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man is going to be betrayed. He is going to be tried, condemned, and crucified."

Every time that Jesus informed His disciples about what was coming, He would say to them that on the third day He would rise again. The Scriptures say they didn't understand that, and there is good reason for their lack of understanding. How could they? No one had ever raised from the dead in that way before. The Jewish people during that time had hope in a future resurrection, but they didn't fully understand what that meant; they couldn't conceptualize it. Jesus said, "I will raise again on the third day."

Now, this angel says, "He is not here; He is risen. Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day He would rise again." Here were these women at the tomb on the third day after His crucifixion, and now they are told, "He is not here; He is risen."

I have had the privilege a number of times over the years to go to Jerusalem. There are two traditional sites believed to be the likely place of the tomb. I have been to both: the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and another called Gordon's Calvary, just outside the old city to the north. I have gone into both tombs, and I can tell you, I have seen with my own eyes that they are empty, just as the Scriptures say. On one of them, there is actually a banner that says, "He is not here; He is risen." That is the good news, the good news of this story.

I am sure that many, if not most of you, hopefully all of you, know this story. In my view, and not just my view but the view of many different teachers and theologians, it is the most important story in all of human history. The news of the empty tomb and the story of the resurrection are key turning points in human history. They are significant because everything from the first book of the Bible, the third chapter of Genesis, where we have the story of humanity's fall in the Garden of Eden, until the empty tomb is dominated by death.

The Scriptures tell us in Romans chapter five that through one man, sin entered the world, and death through sin, and death has spread to all of humanity. There is not a person alive today who doesn't recognize the brokenness of this world. We see it constantly; it bombards us continuously. Many times, the brokenness and death of this world are at a distance; we see it in the news or we see it affecting somebody else's life. However, for all of us, there comes a point where we experience it personally. Someone close to us is diagnosed with a terminal disease.

Someone close to us has an accident, whatever it may be, and we are confronted with the reality of death. Through one man, sin entered the world, and death through sin; death has spread to all of humanity. We see the effects of that brokenness in Genesis chapter three. Everything from Genesis chapter three until the words in Luke 24, "He is not here, but is risen," was punctuated by death. The resurrection marks the beginning of the end of death. This is good news; this is the gospel.

Now, I realize we are 2,000 years after the resurrection, and we are still affected by death. Paul tells us in First Corinthians chapter 15 that one day death will be done away with. How many of us are looking forward to that? Amen, I think so. The resurrection marks the beginning of the end of death.

In Romans chapter five, verse 14, Paul says, "Nevertheless, death reigned." Death has reigned over us like a cruel taskmaster. It reigned from Adam in Genesis chapter three until Moses in the book of Exodus, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who is to come. The free gift contrasts with Adam, who brings death and the curse through sin, while Jesus brings a free gift. The free gift is not like the offense; for if by one man's offense, Adam sinned, many died. Much more, the grace of God and the gift by the grace of God through the one man, Jesus Christ, will abound to many.

Paul goes on in verse 17 of Romans chapter five and says, "For by one man's offense, death reigned through the one. Much more, those who received the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ." What does all that mean? It means this: as I shared a couple of days ago on Good Friday, if you were here with us, many of you were. Because of the cross, death is done. That is the good news we celebrate when we observe Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. Because of the cross, death is done.

Jesus' last word on the cross was a Greek word, "tetelestai." It means "it is finished." Another way to translate it is "paid in full." The penalty for the punishment of our sins was paid in full on the cross. Jesus absorbed all of the punishment for your sin, my sin, and all of the sin of all humanity throughout all time.

Going all the way back to Genesis chapter three, there on the cross, Jesus said, "It is finished." That is the glorious good news, the message of Easter, the message of the resurrection. That's why we call it the gospel. The word "gospel" means good news, and it is the fulfillment of a prophetic message that was delivered by an angel three decades before the cross, before Jesus was crucified, at the annunciation of His birth.

I realize it's a strange passage to choose as your Easter Sunday message, but I'm going to ask you to take out your Bibles this morning and turn to the Gospel of Luke, chapter two. This would seem to be the wrong place to open on Easter; it would be the right place to open on Christmas. If you think that, you would be right as I read through this passage. However, Luke chapter two is where we're going to go this morning, and I'm going to ask you to stand with me. If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and the usher will bring you one. We'll put it up on the screen as well.

Luke chapter two, beginning at verse eight, reads: "Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you, note this, good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts, other angels praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill toward men.'"

God, I pray, even though this is seemingly the wrong passage for this day, that You would speak to us in the same way that the angelic hosts rejoiced here in this passage, declaring glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and goodwill toward men. I pray that You would stir our hearts to rejoice in the work that You accomplished, the work that You came to the world to do. Lord, that we would rejoice in it, not only for ourselves, because of what it means for us.

But that we would rejoice in what it means for others, Lord, and we would recognize that this message, this good news, this gospel, is not something that we just hold for ourselves. It is a gospel that we're to share with others. I do pray that today you would rejoice our hearts with the reality of the resurrection, but that you would stir our hearts also by it to share the glory of this news with other people. Transform us by the renewing of our minds, Lord. We pray and ask this in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, "Amen." You can be seated.

Yes, this isn't an Easter passage; it is the Christmas passage. It is a passage that I share every single year during our Advent series here at Cross Connection Church. In the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, we take time to remember and celebrate the first coming of Christ into the world under that word Advent, which speaks of the arrival of Jesus. Every single time that I teach through our Advent series, I remind you that Advent is essential for Easter. You cannot have Easter without Advent. There is no cross and resurrection; there is no empty tomb there on that Easter Sunday morning without first Christ coming to this world. So, Advent is essential.

Just as true as it is that there is no Easter without Advent, I think it's also important to recognize that this angelic declaration in Luke chapter two, where the angel said to them, "Glory to God in the highest," and "I bring you glad tidings of good news, for unto us is born this child," makes no sense. The great joy of the enunciation of the angel to the shepherds in Luke chapter two does not make any sense without the empty tomb. The empty tomb makes it truly good news. It makes it truly full of joy and rejoicing.

What is it about the babe in Bethlehem that brings good news of great joy to all people? It is the fact that this child, born in Luke chapter two, is the Son that was given on Calvary. What do I mean? Well, another famous Christmas passage...

You've probably seen it in some of your Christmas cards in the past: Isaiah chapter nine, verses six and seven. "For unto us a child is born." That's Luke chapter two. "Unto us a son is given." That's the cross. The child born in Luke chapter two was necessary for the event of the son being given there on Calvary's cross. The very son that was prophesied goes all the way back to Genesis chapter three.

At the very beginning, when sin entered in Genesis chapter three and death through sin, there was a promise given by God in Genesis chapter three, verse fifteen. God spoke to the serpent that deceived Adam and Eve and said that there would come a child, a male child from the woman who would destroy the work of the serpent. He would crush the serpent. I had a very beautiful illustration of this yesterday when I had to kill a rattlesnake in my backyard. It reminded me of this exact idea: that Jesus came to crush the work of the serpent. I did that yesterday, and it felt good. It's a good reminder.

"Unto us a child is born." That Christ child of Christmas that we celebrate every single year in December is the son that was given. The most famous verse of the Bible, John three, verse sixteen, states, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life." How is it possible that we could not perish and have everlasting life? The only way that's possible is through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. If there is no resurrection, there is no hope for you and me. Everything of the Christian faith hinges upon the empty tomb.

If Christ is not raised from the dead, Paul in First Corinthians chapter fifteen says we are the most pitiable people on the planet. Some good alliteration there. We are to be pitied if Christ did not rise. Why? Because we gather together and we sing songs of praise and worship to a risen Lord. If he didn't rise from the dead, then how pitiful. The resurrection is the essential turning point for the Christian faith and for all of human history.

"For unto us a child, a child is born, but unto us a son is given." Christ came to die on that cross for us. The angel in Luke chapter two said, "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be for all people." And then the angel at the tomb proclaimed...

He is not here; he is risen. That's where the great joy comes from: that death could not hold Him. Death that reigned from Adam until the empty tomb could not hold Jesus. Every year in the Christmas season, we celebrate on the four Sundays leading up to Christmas during that period of Advent. I remind you that the arrival of Jesus, the advent of the Christ child, means the arrival of a joy that is increasing unto abundance for eternity.

What was the message of the angel to the shepherds? "I bring you glad tidings of great joy that will be for all people." When Jesus came into the world, He brought a joy that is increasing unto abundance for eternity. This is only true because of the empty tomb. Without the empty tomb, there is no increasing joy unto abundance for eternity. Without the empty tomb, it is just the cross; it is just death. There is no joy in that; there is a lot of sorrow in that.

But the word of Jesus to His disciples the night before He was crucified was, "Your sorrow will be turned into joy." How can sorrow be turned into joy? The sorrow of sin and death is turned into joy by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Point number one, if you're taking notes this morning: the resurrection makes the eternal joy of Advent available and accessible. In the proclamation of the angel in Genesis chapter two, when he says to the shepherds, "I bring you glad tidings of great joy," there is a promise. It's like a promissory note: "I will pay the payment on some future date." It took 30 years, but ultimately the fulfillment of that promise, the payment of the promissory note, comes when the angel comes—maybe it was the same angel; I have no idea. The same angel comes and says, "Behold, He is not here. He is risen. Come see the place where they laid Him. He's not there anymore; He is risen."

Christ's birth signaled the arrival of joy, but His resurrection makes it real. It's no longer just a promise; now it's a reality in Christ because He lives. What does that mean for us? It means that you and I are no longer in darkness. We are no longer under the bondage of sin and death. We are now in the light. We are able to walk in the light as He is in the light. And as we are in the light, what do we do?

When you come out of darkness into the light, what happens? You rejoice with joy, inexpressible and full of glory, as Peter says in 1 Peter 1, verse 8.

As I mentioned a moment ago, Jesus, in John 16, the night before His crucifixion, is preparing His disciples for what is about to happen within the next 24-hour period. They can sense the foreboding doom that is about to come, and they are all heavy with anxiety and fear over this. He assures them in John chapter 16 that their sorrow will be turned into joy. This promise of Jesus in John 16, verse 22 makes no sense without the resurrection.

On the morning of that Easter Sunday, when His female followers went to the tomb, their mourning and sorrow were turned into dancing. Their sorrow was turned into joy because Christ was no longer in the grave. That joy signals something so awesome for us; it brings us hope. This is the second theme of Advent that I share with you every single year leading into Christmas. The first is that in Christ Jesus, we have a joy that is increasing unto abundance for eternity. But also, because of the resurrection, we have a sure and steadfast hope that does not disappoint, which is an anchor for our souls.

I love this. It is a promise in the Advent, in the coming of Christ to this world, but it is a promise fulfilled in the resurrection. Because Jesus is no longer in the tomb, but has risen from the dead and the tomb is empty, you and I have a hope that does not disappoint.

Now, every single one of us in this room knows of hope that does disappoint. Let me give you an example. We can hope that Anthony will wear a Padres hat at that game. The likelihood is that our hope will be disappointed. He doesn't understand how much this is hindering him in life, but even still, your hope will be disappointed. Even greater than this, and it pains me to say this, but I want to dispel your misplaced hope: it is highly unlikely that the Padres will have a good season. We can hope, and maybe we will have great joy.

But it's wishful thinking kind of hope. It's like blind hope. It's not the hope of the Scriptures. The hope that Jesus speaks of is not a wishful thinking kind of hope, like the kind of hope you have when you buy a lottery ticket. I hope you don't waste your money on that, but some of you will, and it's fine; it's your prerogative. You can waste your money if you want to. I would highly encourage you not to, but when you do so, it's a wishful thinking. I hope I strike it rich. You will probably not, and if you keep buying those tickets, you certainly will not. That is the wishful thinking kind of hope that we all know well, and we are frequently disappointed by this wishful thinking sort of hope.

However, the hope that we have in Christ is not a wishful thinking hope. It is an absolute certainty, and it is a certainty based upon what? Not His death. It's a certainty based upon His resurrection. We have a sure and steadfast hope that does not disappoint; it is an anchor for our souls. What does that mean? It is that which keeps us steady in the very part of us that is unsteady because of all the things that are happening in our lives or in the world.

Your soul is the place where you feel fear and anxiety, where you experience dread. We live in a culture that is filled with fear, anxiety, and dread, which is an amazing thing to consider because we have more resources and more abundance than perhaps anybody in all of human history. Yet, we live with this foreboding dread. Why? Because we're constantly bombarded with the brokenness of this world, many times through social media, which shows us all of the brokenness that's happening, sometimes at a far distance.

It's war and rumor of war in Ukraine or in Iran or wherever it may be. We're constantly feeling the dread and the anxiety of these things. If it's not war, then maybe it's sickness or illness. We're constantly told about some crazy new viral disease that might come and kill us all in a second. Then there's politics. If your hope is in politics, you will always be sad, especially with the midterms coming. It's going to be filled with dread and fear because dread, fear, and anxiety drive people to the polls. That's why it's used as a tool.

We are made anxious and fearful by the economy. If you've been watching the economy for the last several weeks, you have every reason to feel dreadful and fearful. Now, you add to it the fear and dread of AI. I talked about it last Saturday night.

I would appreciate your prayers this week. I leave this afternoon to go to San Jose for a Christian conference on AI. There is a lot of fear and anxiety surrounding these topics. If your hope is in this world, then you are going to be pretty hopeless. You will find yourself devastated by a hope that disappoints. However, the hope that we have in Christ does not disappoint.

Why? Because Peter calls it a living hope. I love this. Let me read to you from 1 Peter 1, verse three: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope." How? Through the—what's the word?—resurrection. You and I have a living hope that is based not on a dead man in a tomb, but on the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Where does our eternal hope come from? It comes from the sure and steadfast hope that anchors our souls and does not disappoint. This hope is not found just in His birth; it is definitely not just found in His crucifixion. It is solely seated upon the resurrection. Without the resurrection of Christ, we have no hope. This is exactly what Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, which I will not have time to get into today, but I probably wish I should have. Read it later. If Christ be not raised from the dead, we are still dead in our sins, and we are pitiful. But because He rose from the dead, we have a living hope.

And what is our hope unto? I love this: to an inheritance, verse four, "incorruptible and undefiled that does not fade away, reserved for you in heaven." Do you realize this? Because Christ rose from the dead and the tomb is empty, you have an absolutely certain hope that does not disappoint. God has an inheritance for you that can't be stolen by thieves, corrupted by rust, or eaten by moths. He has an inheritance for you that is incorruptible, that does not fade away, reserved for you in heaven. Amen.

You are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. In this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials. Yes, we still are in a broken world, and yes, we still experience the brokenness of this world, experiencing trials in this life.

That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to the praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Whom having not seen, you love; though now you do not see Him, you believe. Yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible, full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Point number two: the resurrection secures for us a steadfast and living hope that does not disappoint. It was promised in Advent at Christmas, and that promise becomes a reality through the resurrection. Easter is the fulfillment of the promise. Because of His resurrection, here's good news: death is no longer the final word.

Now just think about that for a moment. Every single human being lives in fear of death. Death anxiety is real, and it increases the older you get unless you know Christ. I have been at the bedside of many people who have died, and there is a distinct difference between the Christian and the non-Christian on the deathbed. The body always cowers in the face of death, but I have seen such peace and joy in the faces, demeanor, and words of those who have approached death with Christ. For them, death is not the final word.

Death, because of the resurrection, is not the final word. It punctuated all human history from Eden to the cross, but on this side of the cross, we have a hope that does not disappoint. It is a sure and steadfast anchor for our souls, and because of this, we have what? Peace.

That's the third theme of Advent that is promised in His birth and fulfilled in the empty tomb: peace. First, we have a joy inexpressible, full of glory, a joy that is increasing unto abundance for eternity. Second, we have a hope that is sure and steadfast, that does not disappoint, and that is an anchor for our souls. Third, we have a peace that surpasses all understanding.

That guards our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. His resurrection assures us that sin's penalty has been fully paid. When Jesus said, "It is finished," the penalty of sin that hung over you and me and brought death is now taken away. Because of that, we have peace.

I shared on Good Friday about Jesus's last words: "It is finished." It is paid in full. The payment is complete. The redemption has been accomplished. From the cross, Jesus said, "It is finished, paid in full," and the empty tomb says, "Payment accepted."

It's like if someone said, "Hey, I want you to go buy yourself something nice," and then they gave you their credit card, saying, "Buy whatever you want." How many of you would be hesitant? You might stand there at the cash register, hand the card to the cashier, and think, "I hope it doesn't get declined." When it comes back accepted, that's joy; that's peace.

You see, from the cross, He says, "Paid in full." The empty tomb says, "Payment accepted," and that gives us peace. Paul talks about this in Ephesians chapter two. He says, "For Jesus himself is our peace, and he has made both one, having broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in his flesh, in his body, the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in himself one new man from the two, thus making peace."

And that he might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. You see, back in Genesis chapter three, when Adam and Eve were deceived by the serpent to rebel against and disobey God's command, man ended up at enmity with God. There is a separation between God and man, and we are divided from Him.

There's a separation between humans as well; we are divided from one another. What does Jesus do in his death, burial, and resurrection? He reconciles us back to one another again through the cross, thus making peace. The war is over.

Point number three: the resurrection confirms that the peace promised at Advent.

Has been secured through the cross. In Jesus's last conversation with his disciples, the night before his death, he spoke many beautiful words that are some of the most treasured in the Bible. Among them is this in John 14. This is just hours before he would be betrayed, tried, condemned, and crucified. His disciples sense what's coming, and he says, "Let not your heart be troubled."

How is it even possible? In the face of unbelievable and horrific torture and death of someone you love, how could you possibly not be troubled? He answers the question: "You believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; were it not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also."

He opens this discourse with his disciples saying, "Let not your heart be troubled." Then, 27 verses later, he closes it saying, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. Not as the world gives, I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

You see, it begins with "Let not your heart be troubled," and it ends with "Let not your heart be troubled." How can you not be troubled in the face of such immense suffering, brokenness, and death in a broken and fallen world? This is how you find peace—in the trust and hope of the resurrection. "My peace I give to you," Jesus says, "not as the world gives. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

In the advent of Christ, this first coming that we celebrate at Christmas, we have the promise of peace because he is called the Prince of Peace in Isaiah chapter nine, verse six. Through his death, burial, and resurrection, we find the fullness of his peace. The Prince of Peace is alive. We do not celebrate a crucified and dead Savior in a tomb somewhere; we celebrate the Lord who has risen. He is not here; he is risen. That is the good news.

In one of his first encounters with his followers after his resurrection, he meets them.

They are all cowering in fear just a few days after Jesus was crucified. In their minds, He is dead, except a few people have said, "No, we saw Him; He's alive." However, most of His disciples haven't realized that yet. Then Jesus shows up.

In John chapter 20, verse 19, it states, "Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, the disciples were assembled because of the fear of the Jews." They are scared to death, cowering in fear. Jesus came and stood in their midst, and what does He say to them? "Peace, be with you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you." Twice He says to His fearful disciples, "Peace."

As the Father has sent Him, He also sends them. In the cross and the resurrection, we have the fulfillment of the promises of Advent. First, there is a joy that is increasing unto abundance for eternity. Second, there is a hope that is sure and steadfast, an anchor for our souls that does not disappoint. Third, we have a peace that surpasses understanding, guarding our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. The fourth theme of Advent is Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, which confirms God's love for us—not with mere words.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Note this: God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

On the night before He was crucified, Jesus said to His disciples in John chapter 15, verse 13, "Greater love has no one than this, that a man would lay down his life for his friends." The greatest expression of love that we can comprehend is that someone would be willing to lay down their life for those they love. But Jesus goes beyond that.

In Romans 5, it states, "For when we were still without strength, in due season, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man, someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His love towards us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Point number four: The resurrection reveals the glorious victory of God's love over sin and death, in the cross at Calvary and the empty tomb in the garden.

We have the fulfillment of the promises of His coming at Advent. Jesus came into the world to bring a joy that is increasing unto abundance, a hope that does not disappoint, that is a sure and steadfast anchor for our souls, a peace that surpasses all understanding, that guards our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus, and the unwavering, unfailing love of God for you and me. These things are completed through the cross and the resurrection.

We have two great seasons that the Church celebrates in what is called the liturgical year: Advent and the Passion. These reveal the greatness of God's joy, hope, peace, and love to us. Advent introduces these themes to us. In Advent, the coming of Jesus brings the arrival of the promise of joy, hope, peace, and love. But in the resurrection, we have the fullness of what the incarnation looked forward to. This completes the whole thing.

You see, the hope that is given to us in Advent needs a future, and the resurrection guarantees that future. You and I have no hope apart from the risen Christ, but He, because He is alive, has given us an eternal hope. We have the promise of an inheritance that does not fade away, that is incorruptible, secured for you and me in eternity. Therefore, the hope of Advent needs a future, and the resurrection guarantees it.

The peace requires a payment for you and me to be brought into peace with God. The payment for the debt of sin has to be paid, and the resurrection confirms that the payment was accepted. The joy that is promised in Advent needs a foundation, and the resurrection provides that foundation. The love needs a demonstration, and the resurrection validates that demonstration.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ that we celebrate at Easter transforms Advent's anticipated blessings—love, hope, peace, and joy—into present realities for you and me. They become ours. Easter delivers what Christmas promised. As I said previously, you cannot have Easter without Advent, but I would suggest to you that you cannot fully understand the angel's proclamation at Advent.

I bring you glad tidings of great joy that will be for all people. The proclamation of the angel in Luke chapter two does not make as much sense until you have the second proclamation of the angel when he says, "He is not here; he is risen." These two things go hand in hand. The promise announced by the angel at Advent becomes a present reality at the empty tomb. The empty tomb is our hope. It is what the church has pointed back to as our hope since the very beginning.

It's what Paul articulates so beautifully and clearly in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, which maybe I should have included in my message, but I didn't. I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. At Christmas, we hear the promise. At the cross, we see the price paid. And at the empty tomb, we behold the proof that it has been accepted. Now we have the fullness of joy. The Savior who was crucified on Friday is that child who was born at Advent, and he becomes the Lord who rose on Easter Sunday. He brings to you and me the fullness of hope, joy, peace, and love.

Not so that we alone have it, but so that we also would share it with others. That's the glorious truth of Easter, but it's also the glorious message that Christ has given to you and me. You see, within ten miles of this building, there are many people who are hopeless—many people who are fearful and anxious over the state of the world or the future that they have. You and I have been given the joy, the peace, the hope, and the love of the gospel. Not so that we would just simply know it as a theoretical concept, not so that we alone would be joyful in it, but so that we would share that with others. Amen.

So, God help us to make that known. This afternoon, there's a good chance you might spend some time with friends or family members celebrating this holiday—a holiday that far too many people don't even understand. It's not so that we can exchange little chocolate bunnies, even though some make really good ones. It's not so that we can overfill ourselves on Easter ham or something like that, but so that we can rejoice in the hope, joy, peace, and love that Christ makes a reality for us. Amen. God, I pray, let's stand together.

God, I pray that you would help us today to rejoice in the good news, the gospel of the empty tomb. Good Friday would not be called good if it wasn't for what was found on Easter Sunday. Lord, we rejoice. We rejoice in the life that you give. We rejoice in the light that you shine upon us.

We pray that you would help us by your Spirit and by your grace to walk in the light as you are in the light and to reflect that light. Thank you, God, that you loved us in such a way that you demonstrated your love towards us by dying for us when we were far from you, when we were at enmity with you. You did that so that you could restore us back into a right relationship.

I thank you for the right relationship we can have with you in Christ Jesus. God, help us. Help us to praise, honor, and glorify you, not just with our lips, but with our lives. For we ask this in Jesus' name, and all those agreed said, amen.