Why the Stone Was Rolled Away

Week of April 18, 2025

“He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” (Matthew 28:6, NKJV)

Early Sunday morning, women came to the tomb expecting to mourn. Instead, the found an angel sitting on a rolled-away stone and heard these words from the angel, “He is not here. He has risen.”

The stone wasn’t rolled away so Jesus could get out, it was rolled away so we could look in.

Jesus didn’t need help escaping the grave. He had already risen, already defeated death, already shattered the grip of sin. The stone was rolled away so we could see the truth – the tomb is empty. Hope is alive. Death has lost its sting.

This Easter don’t miss this truth. The Cross was not the end; it was the path to victory. The grave was not a final resting place; it became the platform for the resurrection. The resurrection is what changes everything.

Whatever fear you carry, whatever guilt or pain you carry, it doesn’t have the final word. Let Easter remind you that no matter how dark Friday looks, Sunday is coming. The resurrection changes everything.

God Bless, Pastor Rick

Behold The Lamb

Week of April 11, 2025

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, NKJV)    

As we approach Easter, we find ourselves caught in the tension between grief and glory - between the blood-stained cross and the hope of the resurrection. And right in the center of that tension stands Jesus, the Lamb.

John the Baptist declared those words, “Behold The Lamb of God.” Every lamb sacrificed at Passover, every drop of blood on ancient altars, all of it was a shadow of what was coming. But now, in the final week before the resurrection, that which was a shadow become substance. The Lamb of God arrives to die for the sins of humanity.

What does that mean for us? It means sin has been accounted for. It means judgment has passed over you. It means death has lost its claim.

This week, we remember the cross was not a failure – it was a fulfillment. He laid down His life as part of the divine plan set in motion before the world began. Let’s reflect on how His sacrifice affects the way we live today.  

God Bless, Pastor Rick

The Shadow Before the Celebration

Week of April 4, 2025

“He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” Isaiah 53:3 (NKJV)       

Soon, we will celebrate Easter. Churches will be full of people and “He is Risen” will ring from pulpits. But before we get to that celebration, we must not overlook the shadow of the cross and the road that led our Savior there. We want resurrection without sacrifice, but that is to miss the weight of what Jesus endured and the depths of His love. Before the victory of the resurrection, there was the cry of abandonment: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Jesus didn’t suffer so we could have a moment of celebration once a year. He bore the weight of our sin so that we could be forgiven and free. A price was paid for that.

This Easter, let the shadow of the cross remind us of His love. Let it stir a deeper commitment to serve the Lord. As we approach Easter, don’t just prepare for a service – prepare your heart. Reflect on the cross, so when we celebrate the resurrection, it is with the awareness of what it cost.

God Bless, Pastor Rick