Summary: This Easter message is an opportunity to present the gospel by asking the question concerning what is your "empty" the Easter -- an empty heart, an empty cross, or an empty tomb.

WHAT IS YOUR EMPTY THIS EASTER?

OPENING ILLUSTRATION: AFTER THE SERVICE, WHEN WE GET HOME, WE WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE AN EASTER EGG HUT FOR MY GRANDSON. NOW, PREVIOUS TO THIS EVENT, I TOOK GREAT JOY IN HIDING THE EASTER BASKETS FOR OUR KIDS. I HAD A SIMPLE RULE; AS THEY GOT OLDER THE HIDING PLACES GOT HARDER! THIS WOULD GO ON UNTIL THEIR 18TH BIRTHDAY. AT THAT POINT, IF THEY WANTED AN EASTER BASKET, THEY COULD HIDE IT THEMSELVES AND LOOK SURPRISED WHEN THEY FOUND IT.

NOW, WITH MY GRANDSON, IT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. WE ARE HAVING A HUNT! NOT A DEER HUNT OR A DUCK HUNT, OR A BEAR HUNT. WE ARE HAVING AN EGG HUNT. KELSEY IS SETTING THIS UP, YET IN REALITY, IN THE MIND OF OUR GRANDSON, AND EASTER EGG HUNT REDUCES DOWN TO THIS:

1. FIND THE EGG

2. OPEN THE EGG

3. EMPTY THE EGG

4. FORGET THE EGG

5. REPEAT UNTIL THERE ARE NO MORE EGGS.

THE END RESULT IS A HYPER CHILD AND A YARD FULL OF EMPTY EGGS

INTRODUCTION: THIS BRINGS ME TO THE THOUGHT OF WHAT IS YOUR EMPTY THIS EASTER? FOR DAVID IT WILL BE EMPTY EGGS.

PROPOSITION: WE ALL HAVE AN EMPTY THIS EASTER, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT EMPTY THIS EASTER!

TRANSITION: IN OUR TIME THIS MORNING, I WOULD LIKE US TO DISCOVER OUR EMPTY, DETERMINE IF WE HAVE THE RIGHT EMPTY, AND FINALLY DECIDE TO CHANGE OUR EMPTY!

BUT BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS EASTER WHY I BELIEVE THAT THIS BOOK IS TRUE. WHY YOU CAN HAVE FAITH THAT WHAT THIS BOOK SAYS IT MEANS AND THAT IT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE! WHAT FOLLOWS IS THE WORK OF WHITNEY T. KUNIHOLM, THE PRESIDENT OF SCRIPTURE UNION.

MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE.

THERE ARE WAY MORE COPIES OF THE BIBLICAL MANUSCRIPTS, WITH REMARKABLE CONSISTENCY BETWEEN THEM, THAN THERE ARE FOR ANY OF THE CLASSICS LIKE PLATO, ARISTOTLE AND SOCRATES. "THERE IS NO BODY OF ANCIENT LITERATURE IN THE WORLD WHICH ENJOYS SUCH A WEALTH OF GOOD TEXTUAL ATTESTATION AS THE NEW TESTAMENT." F.F. BRUCE, THE NEW TESTAMENT DOCUMENTS: ARE THEY RELIABLE?

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE.

AGAIN AND AGAIN ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES HAVE VERIFIED THE ACCURACY OF THE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL REFERENCES IN THE BIBLE. THE MORE THEY DIG, THE MORE IT CONFIRMS THE BIBLE. “IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT NEAR EASTERN ARCHAEOLOGY HAS DEMONSTRATED THE HISTORICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL RELIABILITY OF THE BIBLE IN MANY IMPORTANT AREAS.” E.M. BLAIKLOCK, THE NEW INTERNATIONAL DICTIONARY OF BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY.

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS.

THE BIBLE WAS WRITTEN BY PEOPLE WHO WITNESSED THE EVENTS IT DESCRIBES; MANY WERE PERSECUTED OR MARTYRED BUT NEVER CHANGED THEIR STORY. WOULD YOU DIE FOR SOMETHING YOU KNEW WAS UNTRUE? “IT IS NO MODERATE APPROBATION OF SCRIPTURE THAT IT HAS BEEN SEALED BY THE BLOOD OF SO MANY WITNESSES, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE REFLECT THAT THEY DIED TO RENDER TESTIMONY TO THE FAITH …WITH A FIRM AND CONSTANT, YET SOBER, ZEAL TOWARD GOD.” JOHN CALVIN, INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.

CORROBORATING ACCOUNTS.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF REFERENCES IN NON-BIBLICAL SOURCES TO THE EVENTS DESCRIBED IN THE BIBLE. THE JEWISH HISTORIAN JOSEPHUS, BORN IN 37 AD, “PROVIDE(S) INDISPENSABLE BACKGROUND MATERIAL FOR THE STUDENT OF…NEW TESTAMENT HISTORY. IN THEM, WE MEET MANY FIGURES WELL KNOWN TO US FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT. SOME OF HIS WRITINGS PROVIDE DIRECT COMMENTARY ON NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES.” J.D. DOUGLAS, ED., THE NEW BIBLE DICTIONARY.

LITERARY CONSISTENCY.

THE BIBLE CONTAINS 66 BOOKS WRITTEN OVER 1,500 YEARS BY 40 DIFFERENT WRITERS BUT IT TELLS ONE "BIG STORY" OF GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION THAT CULMINATED IN JESUS CHRIST. YOU CAN'T EVEN PASS A SECRET AROUND A CIRCLE OF 12 PEOPLE AND GET THE SAME MESSAGE AT THE END. “THERE IS INDEED A WIDE VARIETY OF HUMAN AUTHORS AND THEMES (IN THE BIBLE). YET BEHIND THESE…THERE LIES A SINGLE DIVINE AUTHOR WITH A SINGLE UNIFYING THEME.” JOHN R.W. STOTT, UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE.

PROPHETIC CONSISTENCY.

THERE ARE OVER 300 SPECIFIC PROPHECIES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT ARE FULFILLED IN THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. “THE VERY DIMENSION OF THE SHEER FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO CONVINCE ANYONE THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH A SUPERNATURAL PIECE OF LITERATURE….GOD HAS HIMSELF PLANTED WITHIN THE SCRIPTURES AN INTERNAL CONSISTENCY THAT BEARS WITNESS THAT THIS IS HIS WORD.” R.C. SPROUL, NOW THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION.

EXPERT SCRUTINY.

THE EARLY CHURCH HAD EXTREMELY HIGH STANDARDS FOR WHAT BOOKS WERE JUDGED TO BE AUTHENTIC AND THEREFORE INCLUDED IN THE BIBLE. A BOOK HAD TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY AN APOSTLE OR SOMEONE IN THEIR IMMEDIATE CIRCLE, HAD TO CONFORM TO BASIC CHRISTIAN FAITH AND HAD TO BE IN WIDESPREAD USE AMONG MANY CHURCHES. THIS WAS A CAREFUL PROCESS OF “THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN MANY DIFFERENT PLACES, COMING TO RECOGNIZE WHAT OTHER BELIEVERS ELSEWHERE FOUND TO BE TRUE”; THESE WRITINGS WERE TRULY GOD’S WORD. G.J. WENHAM, J.A. MOTYER, D.A. CARSON AND R.T. FRANCE, THE NEW BIBLE COMMENTARY.

LEADER ACCEPTANCE.

A MAJORITY OF THE GREATEST LEADERS AND THINKERS IN HISTORY HAVE AFFIRMED THE TRUTH AND IMPACT OF THE BIBLE. "I BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE BEST GIFT GOD HAS EVER GIVEN MAN. ALL THE GOOD FROM THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD IS COMMUNICATED TO US THROUGH THIS BOOK. BUT FOR IT WE COULD NOT KNOW RIGHT FROM WRONG.” ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

GLOBAL INFLUENCE.

THE BIBLE HAS HAD A GREATER INFLUENCE ON THE LAWS, ART, ETHICS, MUSIC AND LITERATURE OF WORLD CIVILIZATION THAN ANY OTHER BOOK IN HISTORY. CAN YOU THINK OF ONE THAT EVEN COMES CLOSE? “CHRISTIANITY”, AS SET FORTH IN THE BIBLE “IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A DISPROPORTIONATELY LARGE NUMBER OF THE HUMANITARIAN ADVANCES IN THE HISTORY OF CIVILIZATION—IN EDUCATION, MEDICINE, LAW, THE FINE ARTS, WORKING FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND EVEN IN THE NATURAL SCIENCES….” CRAIG L. BLOMBERG, IN CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS: A COMPREHENSIVE CASE FOR BIBLICAL FAITH.

CHANGED LIVES.

FROM ST. AUGUSTINE TO MARTIN LUTHER TO JONI EARECKSON TADA TO COUNTLESS EVERYDAY MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE HAVE TRANSFORMED LIVES UNMISTAKABLY AND FOREVER. “AS UNNAMED MASSES OF CHRISTIANS DOWN THROUGH THE AGES HAVE SHOWN US, THE BIBLE IS THE MOST RELIABLE PLACE TO TURN FOR FINDING THE KEY TO A LIFE OF LOVE AND GOOD WORKS.” T.M. MOORE, THE CASE FOR THE BIBLE.

NOW WITH THAT ASIDE, WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES, …

I. IS OUR HEART IS EMPTY THIS EASTER?

a. IN REALITY WHAT WE ARE ASKING IS OUR HEART EMPTY OF JESUS THIS EASTER

b. ALSO, IN REALITY, THIS IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY BECAUSE OUR HEARTS, LAKE ANYTHING ELSE WILL FILL UP WITH SOMETHING.

i. EMPTY ROOMS DO NOT STAY EMPTY VERY LONG

ii. EMPTY CLOSETS DO NOT STAY EMPTY VERY LONG.

iii. EVEN WHEN WE BUY STORAGE SPACE TO GET STUFF OUT OF OUR HOUSE, WE END UP BRINGING MORE STUFF IN!

c. “EMPTY” IS A TEMPORARY CONDITION AT BEST.

d. THIS IS TRUE OF OUR SPIRITUAL “HEART”.

Luke 11:24 "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.'

i. HEARTS ARE LIKE A VACUUM. IT IS LOOKING TO BE FILLED WITH SOMETHING

ii. JESUS TELLS US THAT IF THERE IS THE RIGHT THING IN OUR HEART THEN THE RIGHT THING WILL COME OUT OF OUR HEART

Matthew 12:35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

e. JUDAS HAD AN EMPTY HEART – A HEART NOT TURNED TOWARDS THE THINGS OF GOD

i. LOOK WHAT HAPPENED

John 13:26-27 Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. "What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him,

ii. SATAN GOT INTO JUDAS

iii. SATAN WOULD GO OFF AND MAKE A DEAL TO BETRAY JESUS, AND LEAD THOSE WHO SOUGHT THE LORD RIGHT TO HIM

f. LATER JUDAS WOULD TRY TO “TAKE IT ALL BACK”

Matthew 27:3-5 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.

4 "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility." 5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

i. SOME THINGS WE CAN TAKE BACK, BUT OTHER THINGS WE CANNOT TAKE BACK

THERE IS TREMENDOUS EVIDENCE THAT THE BIBLE WE HAVE TODAY IS A BOOK TO BE BELIEVED. WITH THAT SAID, IF WE ENTER INTO ETERNITY WITH AN EMPTY HEART THERE IS NO DO OVER.

Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,

DO YOU HAVE AN EMPTY HEART THIS MORNING; A HEART THAT NEEDS TO BE FILLED WITH THE RIGHT STUFF? WELL LISTEN ON, BECAUSE IN A FEW MINUTES I HAVE SOME GREAT NEWS FOR YOU!

II. IS OUR CROSS EMPTY THIS EASTER

Matthew 27:35-60 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38 Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" 44 In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. 45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah." 48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him." 50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. 52 The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. 54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!" 55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons. 57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.

a. THE EVENTS SURROUNDING THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST ARE INTERESTING.

i. IF THE STORY WERE TO END HERE WE WOULD BE LEFT “HANGING” SO TO SPEAK

b. IF THE STORY OF CHRIST ENDED HERE, …

i. WE HAVE A DEAD CHRIST – HE WAS NO MORE THAN A GOOD MAN WHO WAS PUT TO DEATH WITHOUT CAUSE.

ii. WE HAVE A CHRIST LEFT ON THE CROSS, WITH HIS FINAL ACT BEING HIS DEATH.

iii. WE HAVE GOOD THOUGHTS AND GOOD ACTIONS DONE IN HIS MEMORY

iv. WE HAVE A BURIED CHRIST.

c. THIS EASTER THIS IS THE PICTURE OF CHRIST MANY OF US HAVE

i. WE HAVE AN EASTER OF GOOD INTENTIONS

ii. WE HAVE AN EASTER OF GOOD FEELINGS

iii. WE HAVE AN EASTER OF EGG HUNTS, HAM DINNERS, AND CHOCOLATE BUNNIES.

d. WE HAVE AN EASTER IGNORANT OF THE REASON IT EXISTS.

e. EMPTY CROSS BELIEF

i. A BELIEF THAT JESUS WAS A GOOD MAN IS NOT SUFFICIENT

ii. A BELIEF THAT JESUS WAS FALSELY ACCUSED IS NOT SUFFICIENT

iii. A BELIEF THE JESUS WAS INNOCENT IS NOT SUFFICIENT

iv. A BELIEF THAT JESUS WAS, IN THE WORDS OF THE CENTURION, “THE SON OF GOD”.

f. THE EVIDENCE OF ALL THAT HAPPENED AT THE DEATH OF JESUS POINT TO WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE CAN DO

i. THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE WAS TORN IN TWO; SYMBOLIZING THAT ALL MEN CAN COME TO GOD.

1. BY THE WAY WHO SAW THIS SO THAT IT COULD BE? IT WAS PROBABLY THE CENTURION WHO WAS THERE FOR THE CRUCIFIXION

ii. THE VIOLENT ACT OF NATURE AT HIS DEATH

1. PROBABLY CORRESPONDS TO THE SHAKING OF THE EARTH WHEN THE LAW WAS GIVEN AT MOUNT SINAI

2. THE LAW OF GOD HAD BEEN COMPLETED IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST!

iii. THE RESTORATION OF THOSE FROM THE GRAVE

1. A PRECURSOR OF THE RESURRECTION TO COME!

g. THE PROBLEM WITH THE EMPTY CROSS

James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.

i. THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS IS NOT SUFFICIENT

ii. THE BELIEF IN THE REALITY OF JESUS IS NOT SUFFICIENT

iii. THE BELIEF THE JESUS IS GOD IN THE FLESH IS NOT SUFFICIENT

ALL OF THESE BELIEFS ARE EMPTY BELIEFS – THEY DO NOT DEAL WITH THE REASON JESUS WAS ON THE CROSS

h. JESUS WAS NOT ON THE CROSS

i. BECAUSE HE WAS GUILTY

ii. BECAUSE HE ANGERED THE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES

iii. TO PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE FOR US TO FOLLOW

JESUS WAS ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR OUR SINS BY SATISFYING THE JUSTICE OF GOD.

JESUS WAS ON THE CROSS SO THAT WHEN WE STAND BEFORE GOD, WE CAN STAND BEFORE HIM CLEAN.

“IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE GOD EXISTS, THE ONLY HOPE YOU HAVE IS THAT HE IS NOT THERE” PHIL ROBERTSON, DUCK COMMANDER

DO YOU HAVE AN EMPTY CROSS THIS EASTER – BY THIS I MEAN, ARE YOU HEAR TODAY AND HAVE A LOT OF GOOD THOUGHTS ABOUT EASTER, AND EVEN ABOUT JESUS, BUT ARE MISSING THE REAL REASON WE HAVE A CROSS, THEN IN A FEW MOMENTS, I HAVE WONDERFUL NEWS FOR YOU TOO, BECAUSE THERE IS ONE MORE EMPTY, …

III. IS YOUR TOMB EMPTY THIS EASTER?

Matthew 28:1-8 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

a. PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL STATEMENTS IN THIS PASSAGE IS THAT JESUS DID WHAT HE SAID.

i. ALL OF US SAY THINGS

ii. ALL OF US DO THINGS

iii. WHAT WE SAY WE CAN DO, AND WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISH IS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS

iv. IN FACT THE LEVEL OF WHAT WE CAN DO GIVES EVIDENCE TO WHAT WE SAY WE CAN DO.

v. NOW IF JESUS CAN RISE FROM THE DEAD, WHAT EVIDENCE DOES THAT GIVE TO EVERYTHING ELSE HE SAID?

b. THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS IT THIS WAY, ….

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

i. THE FACT THAT JESUS DIED FOR OUR SINS TELLS US HE WAS SINLESS.

ii. THE FACT THAT JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD TELLS US THAT GOD WAS SATISFIED

Psalm 16:10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

iii. THE RESULT OF A RISEN CHRIST IS SIMPLE

Isaiah 53:8-10 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

c. IF YOUR EASTER EMPTY IS AN EMPTY HEART, YOU NEED TO KNOW THE PERSON OF EASTER; THE RISEN SON OF GOD WHO DIED FOR YOUR SINS

d. IF YOUR EASTER EMPTY IS AN EMPTY CROSS, YOU MAY KNOW ABOUT JESUS, BUT YOU TOO NEED TO KNOW HIM AS THE ONE WHO SATISFIED THE JUSTICE OF GOD AND PAID FOR YOUR SINS

e. WE ALL NEED TO HAVE AN EMPTY TOMB AS OUR EASTER EMPTY, AND WE DO THAT BY, ….

i. UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT JESUS DID ON THE CROSS FOR ME HE DID BECAUSE I COULD NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH TO GET TO HEAVEN MY SELF. HE MADE HEAVEN FREE BECAUSE I COULD NOT GET THERE ANY WAY ELSE.

ii. REALIZING THAT WE HAVE ALL SINNED AND OUR SINS MAKE US ALL FALL SHORT OF GOD’S STANDARD – PERFECTION

iii. ACCEPTING THAT JUST AS GOD IS LOVING, HE IS ALSO HOLY AND JUST. HE MUST JUDGE IS FOR WHAT WE HAVE DONE, WE HAVE SINNED AND THOSE SINS SEPARATE US FROM HIM.

iv. EMBRACING THAT WHAT JESUS DID PROVIDES US A WAY BACK TO GOD, THE ONE WHO LOVES US, CREATED US, AND LOOKS FOR OUR RETURN.

v. TRUSTING IN FAITH THAT JESUS PAID THE PENALTY FOR MY SIN, AND OFFERS ME THIS WONDERFUL GIFT OF SALVATION; A WAY OF RETURNING TO GOD FOR ALL ETERNITY.

THE QUESTION IS, THIS EASTER WHAT WILL YOU EMPTY BE? IF YOU WANT THE RIGHT EMPTY, PRAY RIGHT ALONG WITH ME.

IF YOU LEAVE HERE TODAY WITH THE WRONG EMPTY, JUST AS PHIL SAID, YOUR ONLY HOPE IS THAT HE IS NOT THERE!