1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:05,080 We are one church. We love God, love people, love 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:07,000 His mission, and love His church. 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:09,560 Welcome to the One Church podcast. 4 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:21,600 This weekend Susan and I watch the live action Cinderella film. 5 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:24,560 I think it was because we've been thinking about Disney, but 6 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:28,800 it was where the Prince searches for the lady who left her glass 7 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:32,439 slipper at the ball and eventually he finds her. 8 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,200 The shoe fits, their love is shared, and they get married. 9 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:40,640 I have to tell you, I was weeping and I thought to myself, 10 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,880 David, get a grip man, get a grip. 11 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:46,920 And it reminded of us when our boys were young and we used to 12 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,600 watch Disney videos on our video cassette machine. 13 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,040 For those of you who are only used to streaming, we used to 14 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:59,040 play programmes on a big machine in which you would place large 15 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:03,440 cassettes and at times at critical moments I can remember 16 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:07,280 with Disney sing along videos with the songs playing and the 17 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,320 little note bouncing on the top of each word. 18 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:14,840 The tape would get stuck and clogged the machine and caused 19 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:19,280 great tension in the house. Far more successful was 20 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:21,080 Disneyland Paris with our family. 21 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:25,240 Here's our granddaughters five years ago about to go into the 22 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:30,640 Disney Princess party where they met the real Cinderella and 23 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:35,160 Ariel, Rapunzel and Snow White today. 24 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:40,320 The message in this room is so much more than a fairy tale, and 25 00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:43,680 it's so much more important than a movie. 26 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:50,480 The resurrection of Jesus is truth and freedom, the empty 27 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:55,560 tomb, the reality that they never found the bones of Jesus. 28 00:01:55,880 --> 00:02:00,360 The transformed disciples who moved from devastation to bold 29 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,000 witnesses and later died for their faith. 30 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:06,480 The 500 plus people who saw him alive. 31 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:10,880 The explosive growth of the church, the power of the message 32 00:02:11,039 --> 00:02:14,280 that he now seeks. A relationship with us all. 33 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:19,440 And how we respond to this truth is the most important thing in 34 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,240 life. And today I'd like to introduce 35 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:26,240 you to three people who met Jesus after his resurrection 36 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,640 from the dead. And just look at what he said to 37 00:02:29,640 --> 00:02:34,000 each one of them. The first person to meet Jesus 38 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,600 after his resurrection was Mary Magdalene. 39 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:41,680 And she was asked, who are you looking for? 40 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:45,840 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary 41 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,440 Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been 42 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:54,520 rolled away from the entrance. Mary was in a desperate state 43 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:58,600 when she first met Jesus. She was oppressed, full of need. 44 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:02,200 And when she encountered him, she was changed beyond 45 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:05,200 recognition. And from that moment, she 46 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,680 followed him. And in our passage, Mary had 47 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:12,600 just watched Jesus be beaten and brutally treated and then nailed 48 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:15,120 to a cross. And she probably saw him taken 49 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:17,720 down from the cross, placed in a tomb. 50 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,120 She knew he was dead. And we read this. 51 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:25,680 Mary stood outside the tomb crying, and as she wept she 52 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:30,000 stooped and looked in, and she saw 2 white robed angels, one 53 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,600 sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place 54 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:34,600 where the body of Jesus had been lying. 55 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,680 Dear woman, why are you crying? The angels asked her. 56 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,960 Because they've taken my Lord away, she replied, And I don't 57 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:45,600 know where they've put him. And she turned to leave and saw 58 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,360 someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn't 59 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:52,880 recognise him. Dear woman, why are you crying? 60 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:58,000 Jesus asked her. Who are you looking for? 61 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:03,320 What a question. Who are you looking for? 62 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:10,280 Mary was looking for Jesus. Some years ago a group of us 63 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:14,040 were travelling at night to a hotel and we were driving behind 64 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:18,200 Pastor James who was our guide because he knew the way and we 65 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:22,800 followed him avidly as he drove in his car for many many miles 66 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,680 until eventually we realised that it wasn't his car at all. 67 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:34,800 We called him Fake James. We were looking for the wrong 68 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:37,560 thing. Who are you looking for? 69 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:39,920 Everybody's looking for something. 70 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:43,520 People are looking for academic achievement or financial 71 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:47,640 prosperity, physical health, mental well-being, social 72 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:51,160 prominence and if I can just get there, that'll be enough. 73 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,600 However, most of us in the room have already worked out that a 74 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,280 certificate of achievement, a rise in wages, new car, a 75 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:03,440 holiday, even a family addition. As wonderful as they all are, 76 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:05,480 it's not really what we're looking for. 77 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:11,240 The Bible says this, that the Father has set eternity in the 78 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,760 human heart and all of us, whether we realise it or not, 79 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,440 are searching for the One who made us. 80 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:24,080 Some of us take a very wide route to find Him, but our 81 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:28,840 hearts will be incomplete until we do, because we're all looking 82 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,600 for something. Who are you looking for? 83 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:35,840 I love Mary's response to Jesus words. 84 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:37,960 She thought he was the gardener, Sir. 85 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,120 She said if you've taken him away, tell me where you've put 86 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:43,360 him and I will go and get him. Mary. 87 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:48,400 Jesus said and Mary said I have seen the Lord. 88 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:54,320 Mary's response was I'm looking for Jesus and when she found him 89 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:57,880 she said I've seen the Lord. What's your response today? 90 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,160 Who are you looking for? Will you see the Lord? 91 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:08,040 Our second character is Thomas, the disciple of Jesus, and he 92 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:12,560 was told this. Don't be faithless any longer. 93 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:19,640 Believe the disciples were meeting behind locked doors. 94 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:23,200 This is the evening of the day Jesus rose from the dead because 95 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,080 they were afraid. And suddenly Jesus was standing 96 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:28,840 there among them, and he showed them the wounds in his hands and 97 00:06:28,840 --> 00:06:32,560 his side, and they were filled with joy when they saw the Lord. 98 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:35,680 And one of the 12 disciples, Thomas, was not with the others 99 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:37,920 when Jesus came. And they told him, we've seen 100 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:40,680 the Lord. But he said, I won't believe it 101 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,200 unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into 102 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,240 them and place my hand into the wound in his side. 103 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,920 Now, Thomas was loyal. He was a man full of courage. 104 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:55,520 Earlier on, he had inspired the other disciples to follow Jesus, 105 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:59,640 whatever happened. But in this moment, he's slow to 106 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:02,680 believe. He questions, he doubts, He's 107 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:05,960 trying to work it all out. And then this happened. 108 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:10,040 Some days later, the disciples were together again, and this 109 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:12,960 time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but 110 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,880 suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. 111 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,640 Do you know that He's standing among us here, right now, here 112 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:25,520 in this room by the Holy Spirit? Peace be with you, he said. 113 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:29,720 And then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here and look at my 114 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,280 hands. Put your hand into the wound in 115 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:36,120 my side. Don't be faithless any longer. 116 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:42,080 Believe. Wow, don't be faceless any 117 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,480 longer. Believe these words to, Thomas 118 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:50,000 challenged his heart. Stop doubting, start believing. 119 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:53,280 Don't be faceless any longer. It's time to believe. 120 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:57,000 Where are you on your faith journey this morning? 121 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:02,000 Are you still trying to work it all out, still believing that 122 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,520 you don't need God, that everything will just be OK 123 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:06,640 without him? Are you still trying to make it 124 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:08,600 on your own? Are you still questioning 125 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:11,120 everything? Have you drifted away from a 126 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:13,840 childhood faith? Are you still faithless? 127 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:18,800 Listen, it's time to believe. The one who made you says this. 128 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:21,800 Don't be faceless any longer. Believe. 129 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:26,400 And Thomas's response to Jesus words was so powerful. 130 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:35,400 My Lord and my God, he said, My Lord, my God, what's your 131 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:41,559 response? Is it time to say my Lord and my 132 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:47,240 God? The third character is Peter the 133 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:51,720 disciple, and he was commanded. Follow me. 134 00:08:53,680 --> 00:08:58,960 Peter is such an inspiring character in the Bible, always 135 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:02,400 saying the wrong things, putting his foot in it, making bold 136 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,840 declarations, exemplifying a life that had been changed by 137 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:08,720 Jesus and making mistakes. I love him. 138 00:09:09,560 --> 00:09:14,120 He was called and transformed. But when Jesus was arrested and 139 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:18,440 Peter was tested, he denied that he knew Jesus three times. 140 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:23,160 And he's devastated and carrying such guilt. 141 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:28,040 And a few days after the resurrection, Jesus is cooking 142 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:32,720 breakfast for the disciples, and he asks Peter a question. 143 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:40,680 Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? 144 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,640 And then Jesus said to him, follow me. 145 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:52,560 Wow, what a do you love me? Then follow me. 146 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:57,440 And today it is an invitation for us all to do the same 147 00:09:57,560 --> 00:10:04,760 because we all follow something. I urge you, let it be Jesus more 148 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:08,000 than anything. See Peter's response to Jesus. 149 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:13,720 Words reveal his heart. Yes Lord, Peter replied, You 150 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:17,960 know that I love you. And he went on to follow him, 151 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:21,400 eventually dying as a martyr for his faith. 152 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:31,840 My response 40 years ago, when I was 19, to this very invitation. 153 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:37,400 Will you follow me? I stopped in a moment like this, 154 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:41,680 and I came to the cross. And by grace, my life was 155 00:10:41,680 --> 00:10:44,880 changed. I never deserved it. 156 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,160 It was always this kindness. And in the room today there are 157 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:52,000 hundreds of people who responded like me to the truth of the 158 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,480 resurrection. And what they did is they came 159 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,840 to the empty cross and they said, Jesus, I love you. 160 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:03,600 I want to follow you. I wonder what your response is 161 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:05,320 today. Three people. 162 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:11,720 Mary, Thomas, Peter, 3 moments. Mary, what are you looking for? 163 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:14,640 Thomas, stop doubting and believe. 164 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,160 Peter, follow me and three responses. 165 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:23,400 Mary, I've seen the Lord, Thomas, my Lord and my God. 166 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:27,080 Peter, you know that I love you and he followed him. 167 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:33,560 What's your response today? At the end of our production, we 168 00:11:33,560 --> 00:11:38,080 saw a beautiful picture of the shepherd finding the sheep that 169 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:39,680 was lost. I love this picture. 170 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,960 This is my life because I was a sheep lost. 171 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:52,080 And the shepherd looks for, finds the sheep, brings them 172 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,760 home. If you speak to a shepherd today 173 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:59,600 and you ask them why they would do what this man is doing here, 174 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:05,920 they'd probably say this. I paid a good price for every 175 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:08,920 one of those sheep. So I go and get them. 176 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:14,600 And today the Good Shepherd didn't just pay a good price for 177 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:20,160 you, he prayed the whole price of your sin and your brokenness 178 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:24,440 and your lostness. Why did you deserve it? 179 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:27,840 No, it was grace. He loved you. 180 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,080 Why did he do it? To bring you home. 181 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:36,240 And that shepherd, the Good Shepherd says to you today, who 182 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:39,080 are you looking for? Stop doubting and believe. 183 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:44,160 Come follow me. God is perfect. 184 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:49,680 I know there are challenges sometimes with understanding the 185 00:12:49,680 --> 00:12:52,320 perfection of God in an imperfect world. 186 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:57,440 God is perfect. Me, you, we're not. 187 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:00,880 We've all been selfish, we've all been greedy. 188 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:06,560 We've all carried pain. We've all grieved him. 189 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:11,000 And in the middle there's this gap that is we try and cross by 190 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:12,960 other ways. If I'm a good person, or I 191 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:16,280 perhaps read the Bible or I, I go to church or I help others, I 192 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:19,720 want to get across the the gap because I want to connect with 193 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:21,960 the God who is perfect, but I am imperfect. 194 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:27,120 And in the middle of this gap stands the greatest statement of 195 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:31,680 love you will ever encounter, the cross of Jesus. 196 00:13:31,680 --> 00:13:41,480 The empty cross of Jesus. And the follower of Jesus is not 197 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:45,040 a religious person. It's not even someone baptises a 198 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,680 baby perhaps, who believes in God. 199 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:53,920 It's someone like a lost sheep who has come to an empty cross 200 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:58,600 where the Good Shepherd sent his Son to take all of our 201 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:03,640 brokenness and our mess. We come to the cross, we 202 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:07,400 acknowledge what he's done, we ask him to forgive us, and we 203 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:12,880 invite Jesus into our lives and we are reconciled with the holy 204 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:16,000 God. I love the gospel so much. 205 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:24,000 I love the gospel. All the films, all the messages, 206 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:30,840 they're very nice. But this, this message, it 207 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:33,760 tells, it changes. It changes you, it changes 208 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:36,160 everything. It's the hope for our world 209 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:39,000 today. And listen, it's the hope for 210 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:43,360 your life. The Lord bless you and keep you. 211 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:47,240 The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. 212 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:51,120 The Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.