Without Easter, Christianity would be powerless and pitiful. Jesus would not be our Savior; He would merely be a wise sage. The Christian faith rests on our risen Christ. The skeptics will say He never really died, or they will proclaim that His followers stole His body and hid it somewhere so no one could find it. If you listen to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, they will tell you that was impossible. Jesus truly died. There is no doubt about it. Romans make sure those they crucify are truly dead. Their own lives depended on it. They would break the legs of the criminals hung on a tree to guarantee that they were dead. They didn’t do that with Jesus because He was already dead when they checked.
Then His followers asked for His body. Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate to grant him the opportunity to bury Jesus respectfully. They placed Him in a tomb and a large stone was placed in front. Out of fear that Jesus would rise on the third day, Pilate placed Roman soldiers on guard at the tomb and sealed the tomb. They didn’t want the Jesus followers to steal the body and hide Him. If a Roman soldier guarding the tomb fell asleep or let people take the body away, the soldier would be put to death.
Early on Sunday morning, women went to the tomb to show their respect for the dead and, when they arrived, they found the tomb empty. The Roman soldiers had seen the Angel of the Lord come and roll the stone away. They were so afraid; Matthew tells us that they were like dead men. The Angel of the Lord said to the women, "He is not here, He has risen just as He said." Jesus appeared to the women first, then the disciples, and then to over 500 witnesses who were able to testify to what they saw.
The resurrection of Jesus changed everything. It was the reminder of God’s great love for us. Jesus was our Redeemer and Rescuer who came to save us from ourselves. He would die so we could live. He would be forsaken by God so we would never experience a God forsaken life.
We can find God’s truth in unexpected places. A former Manchester United soccer player who came to understand the meaning and purpose of Easter said:
"Blessed are those to whom Easter is not a hunt...but a find; not a greeting...but a proclamation; not an outward fashion...but inward grace; not a day...but an eternity." -Anderson Luís de Abreu Oliveira
May this Easter be a blessing to you!
He Has Risen,
This Easter Sunday, April 20, we will have three opportunities for you to join us in celebrating the resurrection of our Lord! Pastor Sheldon will lead us in studying Mark 8:34-36 as we learn "How to Follow Jesus."
6:45am Sunrise Service
9:30am Traditional Service
11am Contemporary Service
*Please note: Adult Sunday morning classes and student ministry will not be meeting on Easter Sunday.
If you attend our 11am Contemporary Service and would like to familiarize yourself with the songs we will be singing this Sunday, here are the links to check them out:
New Hope's Women's Ministry invites all women – mothers, daughters, friends, or neighbors – to join us for a fun Tea Tasting event on Sunday, May 4, at 3pm in Room 212. Joy Schwartz, owner of Wisteria Tea Room, will bring some favorite teas for us to sample. There will also be some tasty foods to enhance our experience. Don't miss this special event! The cost is $5 per person and you can click here to register. Registration is open through May 2.
Wednesday Family Nights are back this Wednesday from 6:30-8pm! We have classes for adults, student ministry, children's ministry, and nursery care. Join us as we grow together in the Lord as a church family!
Make plans to join us for FamCon 25 from June 5-7 as we welcome children and families to our campus for TRUE NORTH – an adventure in learning to trust Jesus in a wild world! Parents wishing to register their children and those able to volunteer can click here to find out more information and register!
JOIN US IN PRAYER FOR FAMCON 25
Prayer is one of the key components of anything we undertake here at New Hope. We are inviting our church family to set aside time each day in the month of May to pray for FamCon 25. We have created a prayer calendar with specific items to pray for each day of the month and you can pick up a printed copy in the Lobby at New Hope on Sunday or download the image to the right.
DWAIN UPTON:
PORTUGAL
It has been several months since Dwain arrived in Portugal. We are thrilled to share that the reports from him are very encouraging. He is forming meaningful connections with college students through his ongoing involvement with Young Life. Dwain’s ability to engage openly and share his faith in Jesus Christ with them is truly a blessing!
Let’s join in prayer, wishing him abundant fruitfulness in his ministry just outside the city of Lisbon.
