Sermon Illustrations for Easter Day (2012)
Illustration
Acts 10:34-43
Leonard Sweet tells an old story about three African elders visiting the West. The visitors were asked: "How can you tell when night ends and day begins?"
The first man responded: "When I can distinguish the olive trees from fig trees, then I know that night is over and day has begun."
The second answered: "When I can see the forms of the animals across the Serengeti, I know that night is over and day has begun."
The third visitor took an entirely different tack: "When we can see a black woman and a white woman and call them both 'sister,' when we see a poor man and a rich man and call them 'brother,' then darkness of night has lifted and the light of day has come."
Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality..." (Acts 10:34).
Richard H.
Acts 10:34-43
Our system of justice is based to a great degree on testimony. Go to any trial and there will almost certainly be witnesses who are called to give testimony of what they saw or experienced. It is on the basis of their statements that judgment is rendered. The judge or jury did not see what the witnesses saw, so they have to go by that testimony.
We are not privileged to have lived during the time when Jesus died and rose from the dead. But we can be thankful for the testimony of witnesses like Peter and the other apostles. Because of their witness and the witness of countless others throughout the centuries, the message of the gospel that we celebrate today is alive and thriving worldwide.
Craig K.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Paul reminded the constituents in the church at Corinth "of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which in turn you have received." Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians of the good news of Jesus Christ so they would be inspired to remain obedient to the scriptures and to serve the Lord and proclaim His word.
When Melinda Gates, the wife of computer entrepreneur Bill Gates, returned from Bangladesh, she wanted to share the god news of what the Bill and Melinda Gates' Foundation was doing.
To do so she used Twitter and Facebook to share the stories of triumph over adversity that she witnessed and the foundation helped foster. It is not surprising that the wife of a computer guru would choose the internet to share the foundation's story. Melinda said, "I'm a big believer in the power of social networks." And through the social network, she hopes to encourage others to become a part of the good news story.
Let us be sure that we share the good news of the gospels with others.
Ron L.
John 20:1-18
Chuck Swindoll in his book, Growing Deep in the Christian Life relates the story about a Sunday school teacher of kindergarten students who sought to know how much the young children were really learning in their Christian education. She talked to a five-year-old boy who was not aware of the details of the story of Jesus. She told him about Jesus dying upon the cross. He did not know what a cross was; therefore, the teacher picked up a few sticks and made a crude cross. The teacher told the little boy that Jesus was nailed to a cross something like this and then Jesus died.
The boy was saddened and cried, "Oh that's too bad!" Then the teacher told the boy about Jesus' resurrection, that Jesus rose again and came back to life, and the boy responded, "Totally awesome!"
Or as Mary Magdalene exclaimed on that first Easter day, "I have seen the Lord" (John 20:18).
Richard H.
John 20:1-18
There is something fascinating about illusionists like David Copperfield or Penn and Teller. There is that anticipation of the big reveal, when that plane appears out of thin air or the box that some girl crawled into is suddenly empty. Of course, we all know that it is illusion for a reason. It's not magic; it's simply misdirection.
Some could look at the empty tomb and perhaps look at it no differently than a Copperfield illusion. But the reveal here is much different than in any staged magic trick. Instead of seeing a rabbit coming out of a hat, we see the Son of God, at one time stone dead, calling Mary's name, his hands still showing the marks of the nails. This is no illusion; it is a miracle.
Craig K.
Leonard Sweet tells an old story about three African elders visiting the West. The visitors were asked: "How can you tell when night ends and day begins?"
The first man responded: "When I can distinguish the olive trees from fig trees, then I know that night is over and day has begun."
The second answered: "When I can see the forms of the animals across the Serengeti, I know that night is over and day has begun."
The third visitor took an entirely different tack: "When we can see a black woman and a white woman and call them both 'sister,' when we see a poor man and a rich man and call them 'brother,' then darkness of night has lifted and the light of day has come."
Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality..." (Acts 10:34).
Richard H.
Acts 10:34-43
Our system of justice is based to a great degree on testimony. Go to any trial and there will almost certainly be witnesses who are called to give testimony of what they saw or experienced. It is on the basis of their statements that judgment is rendered. The judge or jury did not see what the witnesses saw, so they have to go by that testimony.
We are not privileged to have lived during the time when Jesus died and rose from the dead. But we can be thankful for the testimony of witnesses like Peter and the other apostles. Because of their witness and the witness of countless others throughout the centuries, the message of the gospel that we celebrate today is alive and thriving worldwide.
Craig K.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Paul reminded the constituents in the church at Corinth "of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which in turn you have received." Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians of the good news of Jesus Christ so they would be inspired to remain obedient to the scriptures and to serve the Lord and proclaim His word.
When Melinda Gates, the wife of computer entrepreneur Bill Gates, returned from Bangladesh, she wanted to share the god news of what the Bill and Melinda Gates' Foundation was doing.
To do so she used Twitter and Facebook to share the stories of triumph over adversity that she witnessed and the foundation helped foster. It is not surprising that the wife of a computer guru would choose the internet to share the foundation's story. Melinda said, "I'm a big believer in the power of social networks." And through the social network, she hopes to encourage others to become a part of the good news story.
Let us be sure that we share the good news of the gospels with others.
Ron L.
John 20:1-18
Chuck Swindoll in his book, Growing Deep in the Christian Life relates the story about a Sunday school teacher of kindergarten students who sought to know how much the young children were really learning in their Christian education. She talked to a five-year-old boy who was not aware of the details of the story of Jesus. She told him about Jesus dying upon the cross. He did not know what a cross was; therefore, the teacher picked up a few sticks and made a crude cross. The teacher told the little boy that Jesus was nailed to a cross something like this and then Jesus died.
The boy was saddened and cried, "Oh that's too bad!" Then the teacher told the boy about Jesus' resurrection, that Jesus rose again and came back to life, and the boy responded, "Totally awesome!"
Or as Mary Magdalene exclaimed on that first Easter day, "I have seen the Lord" (John 20:18).
Richard H.
John 20:1-18
There is something fascinating about illusionists like David Copperfield or Penn and Teller. There is that anticipation of the big reveal, when that plane appears out of thin air or the box that some girl crawled into is suddenly empty. Of course, we all know that it is illusion for a reason. It's not magic; it's simply misdirection.
Some could look at the empty tomb and perhaps look at it no differently than a Copperfield illusion. But the reveal here is much different than in any staged magic trick. Instead of seeing a rabbit coming out of a hat, we see the Son of God, at one time stone dead, calling Mary's name, his hands still showing the marks of the nails. This is no illusion; it is a miracle.
Craig K.
