20150405 Sunrise Service

Made alive in Christ

The Jewish court sentenced Jesus and sealed His tomb

The Roman court sentenced Jesus and posted guards at his tomb

Yet God vindicated Jesus 

by breaking the seal

Paralizing the guards

And raising Jesus from the dead. 

Defining moments of the Holy Week narrative

Death on the cross

Resurrection 

Which completed his work on the cross

Good Friday only makes sense though the perspective of Easter

Post resurrection

Jesus came to the disciples

They were guilt stricken

"Don't be afraid"

Words of comfort 

He brought gift of the Holy Spirit

Gift of forgiveness to be shared with others.

Don't be caught in the cycle of revenge

The vampire bat has enzymes in saliva that prevent blood from clotting

Bat can keep licking blood.

Likewise satan tempts us to 

unforgiveness 

Bitterness

Spiritual Zombie

How to move from Victim to Hero?

Constant flow of forgiveness.

Pathway to forgiveness
* COMMUNITY
   support
   accountability

* NAME the hurt
  acknowledge it

* ACCEPT that whatever happened can not be undone

* MOVE ON
  Choose forgiveness over revenge

* RELEASE that person with action

NO turning back
To wholeness
Bless them with God's love
with acts of kindness

Unforgiveness locks us into our pain

Walk out of the tomb of unforgiveness

"An eye for an eye" would only end up in the whole world going blind!