THE SUNDAY SERMON

Easter is About Fresh Starts

Hello dear friends,

Have you ever wished you could just start over? I am sure we have all had situations and days in, which we wish we could just start over with a fresh start. Sometimes we have days that do not go the way we want them to go. It would be nice if we could flip a switch and erase everything that just happened.

I have spoken to people that have been in situations and they told me it seemed no matter what they did, it was the wrong decision. Sometimes things start going the wrong way and we cannot seem to turn the situation around. No matter what we do, someone tells us we are doing it wrong. That is when we start to look for the reset button so we can have a fresh start. Don’t you wish we had a fresh start button? There were some people that needed a fresh start and they received one.

Jesus’ disciples were quite content following Jesus as he performed his miracles in the various towns and doing the ministerial work he asked of them. They had never seen anyone like him before and it had been revealed to them that he was the long waited for Messiah (Matthew 16:13-18 KJV). However, Jesus had started telling the disciples he must go to the cross and die, but he would rise from the dead on the third day (Matthew 26:31-32).

Sometimes we get on the wrong track because we are not paying attention. Other times we just do not believe what we are told, and it causes us to veer into having a situation that is going to need a reset. Have you ever needed a reset because of your job, family, or maybe your life?

The disciples did not believe Jesus was going to die and they certainly did not believe Jesus was going to rise from the dead if he did die. They had seen Jesus raise people from the dead though. The disciples were going down a path that needed a reset, a fresh start.

Only a few hours before Jesus was to be arrested, put on trial (illegally), and crucified, Jesus tried to help the disciples get on the correct path by encouraging them to pray with him in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 2:36-46). The disciples did not see the need to pray at this time even though the need was extremely great. They were blind to their spiritual needs and to their needs for a reset. Fortunately, Jesus knew what they needed and already had a plan in place to give them the fresh start, which they so deeply needed.

As soon as Judas showed up with the chief priest’s servants to arrest Jesus, the disciples knew they were in trouble. Can you think of a moment in your life that you knew everything had just gone wrong and you wish you had a reset button? That is where the disciples were as Jesus was being arrested. Peter tried to stop the arrest by using a sword, but Jesus healed the man Peter had injured and went with the authorities (Luke 22:50-54). Just like Peter, sometimes we try to fix our bad situation the wrong way. There was only one way to fix what needed to be fixed and Jesus knew the price that had to be paid.

Jesus was put on trial throughout the night (which is illegal under Jewish law) and the next day he was sentenced to die on the cross with two other criminals. This was a terrible situation for the disciples. Each of the disciples rejected Jesus. The disciple’s lives were turned upside down in the matter of a few moments. Just a few hours before, they had been in the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus and he was encouraging them to pray with him. Less than a day later and Jesus had died on the cross. If ever anyone needed a reset button, it was the disciples.

Fortunately, just as Jesus predicted, he rose from the dead and walked out of the tomb (Matthew 28:1-10). The reset button had been pushed and a fresh start for the world had begun.

If the disciples had been paying attention, they would have been anxiously waiting for Jesus to rise from the grave and would have been in Galilee waiting to see him just as Jesus said (Matthew 26:32). Unfortunately, the disciples were continuing to wallow in their bad situation even though Jesus had already made a way for them to completely start over. Have you ever refused to push the reset button and get a fresh start even though you could? Sometimes we do this out of stubbornness. The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 “old things are passed away” and “all things are become new.” When we give our lives to Jesus, all the old things of our life are forgiven and Jesus gives us a brand-new start. The entire verse says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Because Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead, we have a reset button. Our fresh start begins the moment we ask for forgiveness of our sins (John 3:16).

Jesus rounds up the disciples, ministers to them, and helps them get the fresh start they needed. They were soon doing the work Jesus had called them to do because they again put their trust in Jesus.

Maybe you used to know the Lord, but somewhere along the line something happened, and your faith was stolen from you. Don’t let your pride stop you from hitting the rest button. Jesus is waiting to give you a fresh start. You could soon be back serving God and knowing you are where God wants you to be. If this is your situation, don’t let this Easter pass you by. Give your life back to Jesus and he will give you peace like you have never experienced before.

Easter is a wonderful time of the year. While it is sad that Jesus had to die on the cross, it is a time of rejoicing that he rose again on the third day. Jesus went through all his suffering so you and I can have eternal life with him forever. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

Jesus is waiting for you to knock on his door and he will let you in.

Pastor Ron Barker, M.Div

(www.victoriouslifeministries.net)