Easter 2025 All-age Message

[0:00] This is a sermon from King's Church West North. This is a sermon from King's Church West.

[1:00] This is a sermon from King's Church West.

[1:30] This is a sermon from King's Church West.

[1:59] Do you agree with that? It depends what kind of surprise. Well, I've got another question for you. This time you can do a hands up for me. Hands up if you've got some kind of egg-shaped chocolatey surprise today.

[2:13] Something a little bit like this. Yeah, fantastic. Was this a good kind of surprise? You say, yeah, absolutely. Well, in the meeting we've had today, there was a big surprise, wasn't there?

[2:28] There was a big surprise for Jesus' friends. And it was the very first Easter Sunday. Jesus' friends got a big surprise. Now, the word big, I'm a teacher, and I sometimes say the word big is not a very good word.

[2:42] I wonder if we can make it a better word. Large. Hands up if you think you've got a better word than big. Go on, Kayla. Large. Large. Okay, anyone wants to share? Gigant. Gigant. Gigant.

[2:54] Gigant. Gigant. One more. Yeah. So, should we go with gigantic? Gigant is a good word, isn't it?

[3:06] So, Jesus' friends, they got a gigantic surprise. Gigant. Now, over 2,000 years ago, there was a man called Jesus, wasn't there? Yes. Lots of us will know about him already.

[3:17] Everyone knows about him. He wasn't just a man, was he? He was the son of God. Okay? And you might have found some of the amazing things he did, some of the incredible miracles, some of the things he did with the people that were around him and his disciples.

[3:35] But do you know what? I'm not sure the most amazing thing about Jesus was necessarily the miracles that he did. One of the most amazing things about Jesus was his love.

[3:46] His love. Do you know, he loved his Father in Heaven. He loved the people around him. He didn't just love his friends. He actually loved people that hated him.

[3:59] He loved his enemies. And he taught us to love our enemies too. I think Jesus' love is amazing. And in the Bible, it says that he loves us, me and you, so much that he died on a cross, that wooden cross on the hill.

[4:15] And he died that we'd have forgiveness for all the things we've done wrong. So he died on a cross. And then they took him, and they buried him in a cross.

[4:25] And they buried him in a tomb, didn't they? It was like a cave in a garden. And it says that there was a big, heavy stone that they rolled in front of the tomb. Now, it sounds a bit like that is the end of the story, doesn't it?

[4:36] The tomb is closed. And that's it. Was it the end of the story? Was it? Now, we think about the end of the story today, don't we?

[4:47] Easter Sunday, we get to think about the end of the story. A few days after Jesus was buried, some of his friends visited the tomb, and they got this gigantic surprise.

[4:59] Jesus' body wasn't in the tomb anymore. It says that the tomb was empty. I wonder what his friends thought. You know, I wonder what they actually thought had really happened.

[5:11] I wonder how his friends felt at that time. As they were standing there, wondering about it, maybe they were worrying about it. But then, an angel came, and an angel said to them, don't be afraid.

[5:26] Jesus isn't here. Jesus has risen. Jesus is alive. What a gigantic surprise. But it wasn't a bad surprise.

[5:37] I don't know what the worst surprise would be, but I'm sure there's some bad surprises out there. It wasn't a bad surprise. It was the best news that they could get. Jesus wasn't dead anymore.

[5:47] Jesus was alive. Now, to Jesus' friends, that was the best news that they could possibly get. But I wonder, for you and for me, what does it mean for us?

[5:59] Is it the best news that we could have? Yes! Yes! No! Well, at that first Easter, there was an empty tomb. And I think for Jesus' friends, that was pretty confusing and pretty scary at first.

[6:13] Where had Jesus gone? But actually, that empty tomb turned out to be the best news. The thing that brought them such joy. And you know, there's something that's true of 2,000 years ago and today.

[6:27] The 20th of April, 2025. This is what is true of both of those things. God can take empty things and God can fill them with his life again.

[6:39] God can take empty things and he can fill them with life. What does that mean for me? What does that mean for you? Well, the good news is, if you've come today and you're feeling anxious or worried about something, do you know the truth is that God can bring you joy and peace today.

[7:00] If you feel afraid about something in your life, God can bring you new hope. And if your life feels empty, he can fill it with his life.

[7:14] Jesus can fill the life. God takes empty things and he can fill them with his life. And he can do all of this because he can do the impossible. He did the impossible when Jesus walked out of that tomb.

[7:29] All we have to do is ask God to fill our lives with him. Fill our lives with his life. So I wonder if you'd like to do that just now. And we're going to have an opportunity just to pray together.

[7:41] If you want to do that, why don't you close your eyes? And I'll lead us in prayer. And you can pray in your own heart if you want to. Why don't we pray? Lord Jesus, we thank you for this Easter Sunday.

[7:54] We thank you that we can rejoice that you are alive. And we trust that you defeated death on that day. We just say to you, Jesus, you are greater and better than any other thing.

[8:10] And we do pray today, Lord, that you would fill our lives again. Especially where we feel empty. Lord Jesus, would you fill us with your hope?

[8:22] Would you fill us with your joy? And would you fill us with your life today, this Easter Sunday? Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

[8:32] Amen. I'll see you next time.