Podcasts about easter morning

Bartimaeus was blind, broke, and sitting on the side of the road. His desperation led him to shout past the crowd—who were telling him to shut up—and to get the attention of the one who could do something. This Sunday we're talking about the kind of bold, persistent, holy-hustle faith that refuses to stay seated and discovers that Jesus is already waiting, already asking, already wanting to hear all about how he can answer your deepest needs. Check out the weekly sermon here or on our SRBC podcast on Apple Podcast and Spotify. This Sunday we're exploring:Why faith is not passive and what bold, persistent faith actually looks like in practiceThe question Jesus asks twice in Mark 10, and why he answers it differently each time — What do you want?Why the version of Christianity that tells you to want nothing and need nothing is unbiblical and antithetical to the Jesus wayHow sacred striving and holy hustle are not opposed to grace but the key that unlocks the grace that awaits youHow the mature follower of Jesus knows who they are, knows what they need, and is satisfied with the God's answers to their requests Like what you hear? We'd love to know.At South Run, we read every message personally. Whether you have a question, want to share how God is moving in your life, or are thinking about visiting in person, this is the place to start. If you click the link below, Pastor Eric will personally reach out to you. Listening online? Let us know. Sermon Transcript What Do You Want? — Sermon TranscriptSouth Run Baptist Church | Springfield, VAPastor Eric GilchrestMark 10:46–52This is a full sermon transcript from South Run Baptist Church in Springfield, Virginia. In this message, Pastor Eric Gilchrest preaches on the healing of blind Bartimaeus from Mark 10:46–52. This sermon is part of the ongoing "The Jesus Way" transformation series and addresses the question Jesus asks Bartimaeus — "What do you want me to do for you?" — exploring what it means to bring our deepest desires to God, why active faith matters, and how to pursue the abundant life with what Pastor Eric calls "holy hustle."Opening Prayer: The Hope and Possibility That Children RepresentHeavenly Father, I thank you for these children, for the life that they represent, the energy, the possibility, the hope of their future. They are a reminder to us all, the adults in the room, of just what is possible when we give our lives over to you. And so, Lord, today we do so again, and we ask that you speak to us right here, right now. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.What Do You Desire from God? A Question That Broke a Pastor's BrainA few years ago, I was part of a small group of pastors. We met about once a month, and it was over Zoom, and in the first meeting that we had together, it was in person, and it was for a full day. And during this full day session, we really got to know each other well. We hadn't really met each other prior to this, and so there was just a lot of sharing, a lot of honesty, and then periodically in the meeting, we would be given a prompt that we would then have to go journal about for about 30 minutes or so.The very first prompt that we were given and we were supposed to go journal about was really quite simple. And it's a question, which is: what do you desire from God? What do you desire from God? And I remember I took the question, and I still have the journal, and I went off to my own little place, and I wrote the question at the top of the journal, and I sat there, and I felt like my brain was breaking, because despite 40 years of living on this earth at that point, I had never really asked that question. Like, I was always tuned to ask, what does God want, right? What does God desire from me? And I think this is a very good question, too, but they were asking me to think about, what do I desire? Like, what do I want in this life?And this is the question Jesus asks to Bartimaeus today — what do you want from me, is what he asks him. And it's the question I think you should be asking of yourself. And the truth is this, right? Even if you say, well, I don't have a desire, or I'm not supposed to have one — it's always there. It's lurking underneath. You're just kind of squashing it down. There are things sitting in your heart right now. You just simply need to be honest about them, and you need to bring them to God, and you need to see, like, God, is this what you desire? And then we tune our desires with the desires of God. And God may say, as he said to Bartimaeus, a big yes, be healed. And he may say no. And we must learn what it means to receive both of these answers.But with this sermon, my hope for you today is that as we continue down this path together of the Jesus way, the abundant life way, we get serious about what it is that we actually want ourselves in this life, but then we do something about it — that we don't just sit still and we don't wait for the thing to happen and we sit on our hands and do nothing. We actually then pursue and we proceed to go somewhere.Mark 10:46–52: Blind Bartimaeus on the Road to JerichoJesus is asking Bartimaeus today, what is it that you want me to do for you? And I actually think God is asking this same question of each of us. What do you want me to do for you? The truth is this: it's obvious that only you can live your life. No one's going to live it for you. God's not even going to live your life for you. And so part of being a follower of Jesus and finding our way down that path toward abundance is walking with an active kind of faith — moving and doing, pursuing, working in the world. And as we do so, coming back to God regularly, daily, asking God, is this what I should be doing in the world? Use me today for your ends.Let's go ahead and pick up Mark. If you've got your scriptures, we're in Mark 10:46 to 52. If you don't have a Bible with you, there's definitely one in the pew back, and I would encourage you to pull that out right now.Jesus is nearing the end of his life. He's heading out of Jericho and actually into Jerusalem for the very last time, and this is where we pick him up. It says:"They came to Jericho, and as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside."I really want you to envision this scene. I want you to put yourself into it. I want you to be Bartimaeus. I want you to sit there blinded for decades. I want you to be the beggar on the side of the road who is desperate. And then you know who Jesus is, and he's walking by. I want you to ask yourself what you would do in this situation.We continue in verse 47: "When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. Have mercy on me." And he cries out. Oh, you might do this too, right? You might cry out and you know this is your one shot. You're going to shoot your shot and you are going to find that man that can actually do something.But then there's probably some of you in the room who might think, well, he's a very important person and he's got other big things that he needs to do. He's on his way to save the world, in fact, and probably doesn't want to be bothered by my petty needs. And so maybe I'll just continue to sit here and do nothing. But this is not what Bartimaeus does, right? Bartimaeus shouts out, and he says, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. Help me out. I'm in a desperate place.And he goes on. "Many rebuked him, and they told him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me." Second time around, he is told by the crowds, be silent. Stop speaking up. And what does he do? Does he listen to the crowds and say, yeah, they're right, I probably should just sit here and be quiet? No, he shouts out all the more. And he says, Jesus, help me.Bartimaeus as the Opposite of Vanity: Seeking Jesus Above the Crowd's OpinionNow, if you were here last week, we talked about vanity, right? And if you remember what vanity is, it's being more worried about the crowds and what they think than about the one audience you should be seeking. Bartimaeus is a beautiful example of the opposite of vanity. He cares nothing about what the crowds think. He is not worried at all if they think he is immoral, if they think he is not worthy of Jesus' attention, if they think whatever they might think of him. He's a nuisance on the side of the road. He does not care about them. He cares about the only one in the room who needs to care for him. And so he shouts out all the more. Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.Jesus hears him and stops, says, call him to me. And they called the blind man, and they said to him, take heart, get up, he's calling you. And what does he do? He throws off his cloak, he sprang up, and he came to Jesus. And Jesus says the question of the day: "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said, "Rabbi, teacher, let me recover my sight." And Jesus says, "Go your way. Your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.Holy Hustle: The Active, Pursuing Faith of BartimaeusA couple key pieces of this that I want to draw out — really just one big one — is the nature of his faith, Bartimaeus. It is an active faith. He is pursuing Jesus. He is shouting out, not once but twice. He is not allowing the crowds to stop him. He is not allowing people to say, no, no, no, go over here and do this other thing. He is going to pursue Jesus actively, and he's going to go after the one who can indeed help him. And then when he gets the call, what does he do? He doesn't sit there in the dust. He throws it all off. The cloak, by the way, is everything he owns. And he leaves it all behind, unlike the rich man who appears just prior to this. He gives it all up, and he begins to follow Jesus in this moment.This is what Bartimaeus does, and he represents what I'm calling this morning holy hustle. Holy hustle. He is somebody who in a holy kind of way is hustling and doing something to reach the ends that not only he desires, but it turns out God desires these ends for him as well.The Persistent Widow of Luke 18: Another Portrait of Holy HustleLuke tells the same story about Bartimaeus. Luke tells it slightly differently. This will appear, if you want to look it up at some other point, in Luke chapter 18. But what Luke does in 18 is he pairs it with what happens in Luke 1 to, I want to say, 6 or 8. And in that little passage, Jesus tells a parable. And this parable is about a widow. And it's a widow who has been treated unjustly — something has been done to her that is unjust. And if you recall this parable, what does she do? Middle of the night, she goes and she finds the judge, the one who is supposed to mete out justice in the world, and she goes and she knocks on his door.It turns out he is an unjust judge. He doesn't really care about her at all. But what does she do? She knocks again, and then she goes again, and then she goes again, and she is persistent. She doesn't stop. She too has this holy hustle. And then finally, what happens in this parable? Well, this unjust judge who the passage says is evil and unrighteous, well, he finally relents and he gives her what she wants because he's just tired of her asking.And then it says, but if that's an unjust person, if that's somebody who is evil, imagine what a good God does when he hears our needs, our desires, and our prayers. What does that God do? Well, he looks upon us, as Bartimaeus asks for, with mercy.The Plastic Lawnmower: What Grace Actually Looks Like in PracticeThere is a holy hustle about the persistent widow. There is a holy hustle about Bartimaeus this morning. Now, all of this, by the way, gets at the nature of maybe one of the Bible's biggest topics, which is grace and how grace works. And I'm going to guess that at this point, some of you might be a little uncomfortable with the notion that you are somehow doing something to affect God's grace in your life. Because many of us have grown up in a Protestant tradition where we recite good Protestant phrases like sola gratia, by grace alone, and it's all God's doing and it's none of our doing. I'm not going to necessarily take aim directly at that, just close to it.Because what I think about how grace works is there is a part that you and I must play in it. Bartimaeus, for example, he could have sat there and said nothing, done nothing, waited, watched Jesus walk by, and then he would have remained blind for the rest of his life. But this is not what he does, is it? He shouts out. He is active. His faith pushes him to do something.I want you to think of it this way. I meant to bring a prop, by the way. I don't bring props often, and I was really happy about this one, and now I'm very sad that I didn't. So I want you to imagine, up on this stage is one of those plastic lawnmowers that kids have. Do you know these? We have one at our house still. A child who is five years old says to his dad, I want to help you mow the lawn. Now the dad chooses to give him the fake plastic lawnmower that does very little real good, but the fake plastic lawnmower is still something. And then the dad goes out and grabs his real metal lawnmower, one that is quite dangerous, but very effective. And he begins to mow. Well, alongside him is this five-year-old with the plastic mower, thinking that he is mowing the grass very well alongside his father.This is not a perfect analogy, but that little boy is doing something — something very important. He is showing up. He is engaging with the father. He is participating alongside of him. It looks like he's mowing, even though he's clearly not. If someone walked by to see this scene, they would know immediately that the father is doing all of the mowing out there. But when the grass is finally cut, and the father and the son walk inside, sweating profusely, and grab a drink, both of them have had a hard day's work together, and no doubt, the five-year-old son will look at the dad and be proud of what they did together. Did the son do anything? Yes, he did. Did the father do everything? Yes, he did.But you can also imagine a very different scene in which the five-year-old does not ask to mow with the dad. He just stayed inside and he watched. He wasn't part of it at all. He didn't ask the father for a mower, and he didn't walk alongside the father every step of the way. When the grass is cut and the father is inside getting the long drink, will that son look at the yard and say to the dad, look what we've done together, dad? No, he will not.This is what grace looks like. It is God who is doing it all. Obviously, it is Jesus who heals Bartimaeus. Jesus effectuates the grace. Jesus does the work of healing that blind man. Jesus does what Bartimaeus cannot. Bartimaeus sat there for decades, blind, begging, and could do nothing about it. And Jesus comes along, and he does what Bartimaeus simply cannot do — much like the five-year-old cannot do anything about really mowing that lawn. But he can show up. And he can be with his dad. And he can choose not to stay indoors, but to go outdoors and to mow with the father.I think the showing up is what Jesus rewards here. It's not that Bartimaeus has done anything, and yet he's done something — something very important. He has opened himself to the grace that God offers. That is what Jesus is asking of you right now. He is walking by and he wants you to call out. Maybe to be obnoxious and to forget about what the crowds are saying and to seek his grace.Two Traps to Avoid: The Genie Lamp and the Bootstraps TrapNow I will warn you, there are two traps that we should talk about. I don't want you to be confused. The first has to do with the play that I saw last night, Aladdin, in which there is a genie that pops out, and you rub the lamp, and you simply ask for your wish, and the genie says, your wish is my command, and he gives it to you. This is not how God works. Not at all, in fact. And we know this with certainty, because if you turn with me back to Mark chapter 10, I'll show you something that would be easily missed.You see, if you go to the passage right before this one, it's a passage about two men, James and John, the brothers, and they come to Jesus, and they have a request themselves. And so in verse 35, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and they said to him, teacher, we want you to do something for us, whatever we ask of you. We want to rub the lamp, right? And we want our wish to be your command. And so he says to them, interestingly, what do you want me to do for you? This is the precise question — like word for word — what he says to Bartimaeus, right? What do you want me to do for you? And they proceed to say, well, we want to sit at your right hand and your left hand in glory, right? We are self-seeking in this moment, they may as well say out loud. And Jesus says, you don't know what you're asking. Sometimes this is God's answer to us. We might be in prayer and rubbing what we think is the God lamp and saying, God, we want you to give me this thing. And sometimes God says back to us, you don't know what you're asking for.But sometimes it's actually a little deeper than that. I don't know if you caught the 60 Minutes this week, but there's a former senator from Nebraska named Ben Sasse. He's in his mid-50s. And in December of last year, he was given a cancer diagnosis, and he should not and probably will not make it to the end of this year. He is an honorable man. He is, in terms of politicians, we'll say he's one of the good ones. And he is a man of deep faith. And it is interesting to watch him because he has certainly asked God to take this cancer away from me. And God's answer has been to this point, no. No, I am not going to take that away from you. And this is sometimes the answer we get from God. Our desire, our will, our hopes, our dreams are much like Bartimaeus' — and we want to be healed of the blindness or whatever it is that's besetting us. But sometimes God says, no, I have other plans.And then Ben Sasse shows us a way forward. Because he will stand there and he will say, I trust the God of the universe to have a plan that is in all of our best interests. And so I am going to use the rest of my life, the life that I have left, that God has given me, and I am going to pour life into this world as long as I have breath in my lungs. And so this is what he has set out to do for however many months he has left.The second trap we might fall into — I was struggling to find a name for it — it might be like the bootstraps trap or the entitlement trap or the ownership trap, which is to say that that little boy that goes out there and mows the lawn with his father might turn around and then tell one of his friends, hey, look what I did, right? I am the keeper of this lawn. This is my domain. I own all of this. Look at how great I am. The holy hustle only remains holy if you don't fall into the bootstraps trap, which is to say that when the success comes, if the success comes, you always recognize that it's grace. From top to bottom, it's grace. And so you always point back to the one giving the grace, and you give him thanks for the successes that you have in life.Three More Traps: Suppressing Desire, Dying to the Wrong Things, and the Trap of InactivityBut there are some traps that this whole sermon has been trying to keep you out of, and I want to make sure you catch those as well. One of those traps says that we have or are supposed to have no desires or wants or needs. But as I started with, this is just silly. Of course, you will always have desires, so I think it's better to simply name them and to start working on them and to try to figure out if they are holy or not, if they are God's desires or not.Another trap says something along the lines of, we're supposed to die to ourselves, right? And this is true. The scriptures talk about this all the time. But sometimes we end up dying to the wrong things. We are supposed to die to that which makes us unholy, that which works against the grace of God working in us and through us. But instead, some in this room, and myself included, have fallen into the trap where we die to noble things and good things, things that actually give us life — maybe even desires that God himself has planted deep in your soul. And we say, we're not allowed to have those desires. I'm supposed to die to that old self. And to you, I would simply say, it's quite possible God has planted that seed in you and is really trying to grow it and is trying to nourish it and wants you to nourish it because that part of you might be the very thing that is going to change the world that is all around you. But this requires wisdom, knowing what parts of yourself to die to and what parts of yourself to live into — this is a life's journey. And it requires wise guides and people in your life, being discipled by someone else or others, coming to church on Sundays.Finally, there is this other trap. And this other trap is the trap of inactivity. It's just sitting there, waiting for God to move or to do something. It's as if Bartimaeus had not called out to Jesus, or the persistent widow had not walked next door to the judge's home and knocked on it ten times. The trap of inactivity says, well, God will do what God will do when God wants to do it. And I would encourage you, maybe the right thing to do is to get up, and to shout out, and to be a little obnoxious, and to go knock on somebody's door, and to do something about what God is trying to do in your life.This walking with Jesus on the narrow road to life requires a tremendous amount of wisdom. And here's why. The scriptures tell us routinely to wait on God. And so one might mistake what Bartimaeus is doing as not waiting on God. Bartimaeus is maybe being too active. And so it requires wisdom to know when I lean in and when I wait. This again requires good friends and wise counsel and people who are helping you discern what to do with your life.Easter Morning, the Amphitheater, and the Shout That Surprised a PastorOn Easter morning this year, in that early service, many of us gathered outside at the amphitheater down there, and something remarkable happened, for me at least. I don't know if you remember this, but for me it was a moment. You see, I didn't think it was going to work, and then it did work. I said to the congregation, I want you to be thinking of something that you're hoping for this year, something that you're dreaming about, something that you want, a desire that's deep down in you, and I'm going to ask you to shout it out. We're not doing this again this morning, by the way. And then I thought, well, no one's gonna do it, or they're just gonna whisper it. And so I kind of prompted it, and then we got to the point where I asked, okay, shout it out now — and like everybody shouted at the same time. And I was shocked because you clearly had some strong desires deep down in your hearts that you want, that you hope for.And I want you this morning to name those again. Not out loud this time. But I want you to name them in your heart and in your head. Because the first step toward living a faithful life is to name what we desire, to start walking toward it, and then allowing God to course correct along the way. To hustle, but to make sure it's a holy hustle.What Is Your Deep Desire? God Is Asking You the Same Question He Asked BartimaeusAnd so this morning, just to kind of prompt you and pump the well a little bit, you might be hoping or longing or desiring for one of these things. To be a present, engaged father. To find a spouse. To leave the job that is killing you and find the courage to do what you were made for. You might be desiring to find freedom from that thing that you've never told anyone about. To get sober. To get into the right school or the right grad program. To experience the real and living God rather than just study about him. To find a community where you actually belong, where someone knows you and you know them. To have one real friend. To eat right and to lose weight. To see a family member come to faith. To leave something behind that outlasts you.I don't know what your deep desire is. But God wants to know. And God is coming to you this morning and asking you the same question he asked Bartimaeus. What do you want? It starts with honesty. And God's answer may be no. But God's answer may be yes. And he's just waiting for you to say it out loud and to start walking toward him.Because there's this other part of the story that would be easily missed again, but I don't want us to miss it. Because right at the end of all of this, Bartimaeus comes forward, and he tells Jesus what he wants, and Jesus heals him. And then it says he followed him on the way. Which is everything that Jesus is trying to get us to do this morning — to follow him along the road. And our hopes and our dreams and our desires, it should all be aiming for that road of life, for that way of Jesus that he wants to walk us down.But God is not going to live this life for you. And yet, paradoxically, he is the one who will enable all the work you are supposed to be doing. He's got his mower out and he's ready. You just have to pick up your plastic mower, head outside, and walk where Jesus walks the path ahead of you, following where he has prepared a way. A path that is intended for your good and for the good of all around you.Let us pray together. Jesus, we come this morning and we hear echoing in our ears, what do you want me to do for you? What do you want me to do for you? God, sometimes we don't answer that question out of fear. Fear that we actually don't have faith, that we don't trust you enough to give it over, that you might disappoint us, that maybe you're not even really there. And so God, this morning, give us that faith to trust you enough, to hand over our life's deepest desires to you. And God, whatever answer that is that comes back, whether it's that resounding yes or a quiet no or a I want to make you holy — God, I pray this morning that we trust you, that we have the faith of Bartimaeus to leap up and to ask you for exactly what we want and then to follow you along the way. We pray this in Christ's holy name. Amen.South Run Baptist Church | 8712 Selger Drive, Springfield, VA 22153 | Sunday Worship at 11amServing Springfield, Burke, West Springfield, Lorton, Alexandria, Fort Belvoir, and Franconia, Virginia.Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Learn about every time the resurrected Lord appeared to someone in the gospels. Support us on Patreon for Member access to our special podcast series where we go in depth on books of the Bible. Ongoing season: Hebrews. You will also gain access to the entire archive of Season 1: The Gospel of John and Season 2: The Book of Exodus Apply for Saint Paul's House of Formation Email us Music by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from Sublime Chant. Copyright GIA Publications Word & Table Episode Index

Resurrection

Listen this Easter morning as Pastor Kara preaches on the good news of the resurrection.

John 20:1-18 On the first Easter Morning, Mary Magdalene was the first of Jesus' followers to encounter the risen Christ; she was frightened, but her fear led to utter joy and relief when she finally understood the miracle God had done. Jesus sent her to tell others- he has been comforting and commissioning witnesses like her ever since! 

Did Tucker Carlson spend fifteen years calling Islam an "Islamic cult" -- only to buy a house in Qatar, call Trump the Antichrist on Easter morning, and declare himself the moral guardian of religious decency? Trump called the New York Post directly. The verdict: "Low IQ person that has absolutely no idea what's going on." The receipts are spectacular and we have all of them. Meanwhile:

https://www.bible.com/events/49589832 Church of the Nazarene - East Rockingham Campus Encounters Part 2- Easter Sunday Mary Magdalene Today we continue in our Easter teaching series called Encounters. We are looking at different stories in the bible where people personally encounter Jesus. Today we are looking at Jesus' encounter with Mary Magdalene on resurrection Sunday morning. What did this encounter mean for Mary? What can we learn from it today? ‭‭Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬-‭3‬‬ After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. We learn that Jesus had healed Mary from evil spirits and infirmities- It tells us specifically that 7 demons were cast out of her life. And that's all we really know about her background She was once in darkness, living with demonic presence in her life. But an encounter with Jesus was all it took. And her life was changed forever. What about you? ‭‭John‬ ‭20‬:‭1‬‬ Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. The last time Mary saw Jesus. He was dead. It was on the evening of Good Friday after she witnessed Jesus lifeless body being placed in the tomb, with a large stone rolled in front of the entrance. That stone on Friday evening had to feel like the end of her world. Hopeless and heavy. And she carried that same feeling with her on Sunday morning. ‭‭John‬ ‭20‬:‭2‬-‭7‬‬ So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!” So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Mary's only conclusion at the sight of the stone being rolled away is that someone has taken the body of Jesus out of the tomb. She runs to tell the other disciples. The other disciple who is not named here, is believed to be John, the one writing this gospel. Peter arrives and goes right on in to see for himself. He is taking it all in, trying to process the evidence that's right in front of him. ‭‭John‬ ‭20‬:‭8‬-‭13‬‬ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don't know where they have put him.” Mary is still so upset, that she is seemingly unphased by the sight of two angels as she looks in the tomb. As the angels ask about her condition, she can only reply that someone has taken away Jesus. And now comes Mary's encounter – the one that would change her forever…the one that would change the world – change you. If you let it. ‭‭John‬ ‭20‬:‭14‬-‭16‬‬ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). This is the encounter. This is the moment that changes everything for Mary. Jesus first shows up in a graveyard to encounter his friend Mary who is confused, broken, and hopeless. That's the God we serve. At the sound of Jesus calling her name, Mary recognizes that it is Jesus. Her heart leaps for joy as she grabs ahold of him. ‭‭John‬ ‭20‬:‭17‬-‭18‬‬ Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' ” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. This encounter with Jesus changed her life. Jesus was alive, validating everything he ever said. Jesus is alive, there is hope, there is the forgiveness of sin and the hope of ternal life. And he's still encountering us today. Do you believe that? Do you really believe that it can be true for you? ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭7‬-‭8‬‬ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬-‭17‬‬ If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. The question of the resurrection is really the central claim of Christianity. The good news or the gospel of Jesus Christ is that through is life, death and resurrection, we can not only encounter him, but we can find new life in him. Jesus, through his sufferings, and his death on the cross, made the full payment for all sin. The bible tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Jesus came to deal with the penalty and the power of sin in our lives. And in his resurrection, he validated his teaching, and the victory over sin death and hell. And those who place their faith in him, will one day share in a resurrection like his. And until then, we get to experience his life within us. That's what's at stake today as we consider the stone rolled away this Easter Morning.

This is the sermon for Easter Morning at St Paul LCMS Church in Apopka, FL, with Pastor Donald Moore.  The sermon text is Colossians 3:1-4.

The full show begins with Colonel David Hunt on the miraculous rescue Sunday of the second US airman shot down over Iran. Later, we talk about the controversy regarding President Trump's profane message on Truth Social Easter morning. Plus, we have Overrated, Underrated or Properly Rated, Arne Carlson explaining his call for an investigation into possible bribery of legislative leaders in the state, Chip Scoggins on multiple sports topic and more!

Colonel David Hunt joins Chad for two segments to lead the show talking about the amazing rescue operation of the downed airman in Iran over the weekend. Later, Chad reacts to the profane message President Trump shared on Truth Social Easter morning containing threats towards Iran.

Chad reacts to the message President Trump shared Sunday morning on Truth Social containing profanity and threats towards Iran's power plants and bridges.

Chuck Todd opens with the harrowing story of two F-15 operators who went missing over Iran and had to be extracted by U.S. Special Forces — a dramatic rescue the administration is now using to obscure the larger failures of a war that is clearly not going well, starting with the fact that Defense Secretary Hegseth's description of "uncontested airspace" was demonstrably false and raises the most important question nobody in the Pentagon wants to answer: why did we need a rescue mission in the first place? He catalogs a weekend of Trump's unraveling: a Truth Social post telling Iran to "open the fuckin strait, you crazy bastards," a seemingly deliberate insult to Muslims with a sarcastic "praise be to allah" reference, and an unhinged Easter morning rant that Todd challenges Evangelicals to defend — all while the Strait of Hormuz remains closed after three weeks of empty threats, energy expert Daniel Yergin has called this the worst energy disruption in history, and control of the strait now gives Iran more leverage than a nuclear weapon ever would. Todd warns that the world economy is far more interconnected than during the 1970s oil shocks and that even if the war stopped today, it would take a year to restore supply chains to normal. He highlights Republican Senator John Curtis of Utah challenging the very premise of the war and drawing a direct parallel to Vietnam's gradual escalation, notes that Congress has just three weeks until the 60-day War Powers clause kicks in, and excoriates lawmakers for doing nothing while Trump threatens Iranian infrastructure in ways that could constitute war crimes under the Geneva Convention — a framework Pete Hegseth clearly doesn't care about. He closes with a quick dissection of Trump's executive order on college sports, which he dismisses as a glorified press release with no enforcement mechanism, no controlling legal authority, and zero chance of surviving legal challenges — just another document designed to generate talking points from an administration so unpopular the public won't even side with them on an issue where there's genuine bipartisan frustration. Then, Mike Pesca — the veteran journalist, podcaster, and host of The Gist — joins the Chuck Toddcast for a wide-ranging conversation that covers everything from the structural reforms American democracy desperately needs to why the NBA regular season is unwatchable. They dig into the emergence of the "never Trump media" ecosystem and argue that both parties have become fundamentally reactionary, with internal debates in each reduced to full resistance versus compromise. They make the case that partisan primaries are the single biggest driver of hyperpartisanship, that competitive districts would produce more reasonable candidates and debate which reforms could actually break the cycle. They note that if California's jungle primary produces a Republican governor, Democrats will reform the system within a year, and that with so many big-name Democrats in the crowded field, at least one major candidate needs to drop out before they cannibalize each other. The conversation shifts to what Democrats should do if they control Congress. Pesca argues that Democrats can't brand themselves as the alternative to the "do nothing GOP" and then do nothing themselves — a child tax credit expansion is something Democrats and JD Vance could theoretically agree on, and being seen as on the side of the consumer is both good policy and great politics. They zero in on surveillance pricing as the issue ripe for bipartisan action: airlines using your personal data to gouge you is gross and bills are already moving in state legislatures to ban digital price tags, though Chuck notes there are legitimate upsides to dynamic pricing based on supply and demand that shouldn't be thrown out with the bathwater. They discuss how consumer advocacy once gave news media enormous credibility and trust, how the public feels big tech has too much control over everything, and how creating a caucus of independents in the Senate could serve as a powerful fulcrum — since independent candidates shouldn't have to choose between Trump and Schumer to be effective. The episode closes with a surprisingly passionate sports segment where they agree that March Madness exposes how unwatchable the NBA regular season has become, that tanking and load management are destroying competitive integrity, and that urgency — the thing college basketball's single-elimination format delivers in abundance — is what creates truly great sports. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the beginning and end of America’s participation in the Civil War & World War 1, and argues that the underlying disagreements of both conflicts have never been resolved. He also takes listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and weighs in on the latest in sports. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 01:15 Check out Chuck’s sports podcast “Dynastic”! 04:30 Moderating debate “Is gambling is the new pornography?” 05:30 Trump silent after F-15 operator was missing in Iran 06:15 Fear was an American pilot captured by the regime 06:45 U.S. Special forces able to extract both F-15 operators 07:30 Success of rescue being used to obscure Trump’s failures 08:15 Hegseth’s description of “uncontested airspace” was false 09:00 Most important question… Why did we need rescue in the first place? 09:45 Things are not going well in this war 10:15 Hegseth has not been telling the public the truth 11:30 Congress would normally provide oversight, but they’ve been neutered 12:30 Trump posts “Open the fuckin strait, you crazy bastards” 13:30 Trump seemingly insults muslims with “Praise be to allah” in post 14:00 Trump posts rant on Easter morning… How can Evangelicals defend this? 15:00 After 3 weeks of threats, the Strait of Hormuz is still closed 15:45 Trump tries to jawbone markets on Sundays, but they might not be listening 16:30 If Trump walks away with Strait in Iranian control, he sets the world back 17:30 Energy expert Daniel Jurgen calls this worst energy disruption ever 19:00 Control of the strait gives Iran more power than having a nuke 19:45 The world economy is far more interconnected than during 70’s shocks 20:15 If the war stopped today, it’d take a year to get supply chains back to normal 21:15 Congress is doing nothing here, and they’ll pay the price at the ballot box 22:30 Republican Sen. John Curtis challenges the premise of the war 23:30 We have 3 weeks until 60 day War Powers clause kicks in 24:30 Curtis argued Vietnam started as small operation, then expanded 25:30 Trump threatens infrastructure, could be potential war crime 26:15 Hegseth doesn’t care about human rights or Geneva Convention 27:15 Trump has treated NATO allies terribly, doesn’t deserve their help 28:15 Trump is not a reliable ally to anyone, we’re here because of him 29:00 75 years of American leadership didn’t alienate allies like Trump 29:45 Congress needs to get off its ass and do its job 31:45 Trump issues executive order on college sports 33:30 Trump’s order is basically a list of suggestions/press release 34:30 Order says if schools abuse NIL, could ban them from federal grants 35:45 Courts have struck down basically every NCAA rule before them 37:00 White House wants to apply pressure on the big schools 38:30 Document is a wish list sent to NCAA, no enforcement mechanism 39:45 Administration is so unpopular, public won’t side with them on this order 41:00 Order will face all kinds of legal hurdles, only gives WH talking points 41:45 Trump has no controlling legal authority here 47:15 Mike Pesca joins the Chuck ToddCast 49:15 The emergence of the never Trump media 50:15 Both parties have become reactionary 51:30 Prior to the civil war, leaders just papered over the divides 52:30 Debate in both parties is full resistance vs. compromise 53:45 Virginia would go 8-3 Democrat without partisan redistricting 54:45 Competitive districts will create more reasonable candidates 57:00 Partisan primaries are the biggest driver of our hyperpartisanship 57:45 Mobile voting would be a game changer for voter participation 58:45 All-party primaries are a better alternative 1:00:30 Is there a viable path for independent candidates to win? 1:01:15 Dem brand is so toxic in Nebraska, only an independent can be viable 1:02:00 Ranked choice voting is further down the list of good reforms 1:02:45 Ranked choice makes explaining results difficult on election night 1:03:45 Louisiana had the best version of the jungle primary 1:04:45 Louisiana changed their system just to beat Bill Cassidy 1:06:00 If jungle primary in CA produces a Republican, reforms come in a year 1:07:00 One of the Democratic CA governor candidates has to go 1:08:15 Surprising how many big name candidates passed on CA gov race 1:09:15 Kash Patel might hand Eric Swalwell the nomination by leaking file 1:10:00 Gavin Newsom doesn’t have an heir apparent 1:11:15 With control of congress, should Dems try to pass legislation with Trump? 1:12:15 Child tax credit is something Dems & JD Vance could agree on 1:13:30 Democrats can’t be an alternative to “do nothing GOP”, then do nothing 1:14:45 Dems will do investigations, but not much else will get done 1:15:30 Trump officials won’t answer subpoenas, business leaders will have to 1:16:15 With power in congress, Democrats will likely target big tech 1:18:15 Surveillance pricing needs to be regulated 1:20:15 Bills in many legislatures to ban digital price tags in stores 1:21:00 There are upsides to dynamic pricing, it’s not all bad 1:22:00 Airlines using your data against you to gouge you is gross 1:22:45 Floating price based on supply vs. demand is fine 1:24:15 Being seen as being on the side of the consumer is good politics 1:25:15 Consumer advocacy gave news media credibility and trust 1:26:45 The public feels like big tech has too much control of everything 1:28:15 Creating a caucus of independents could be a fulcrum in the senate 1:29:30 Independents shouldn’t have to choose between Trump & Schumer 1:31:30 We are in desperate need of reform, and the constitution is difficult to amend 1:33:15 March Madness reminds you that the NBA regular season sucks 1:34:30 NBA players don’t try hard in the regular season & tanking is terrible 1:36:45 Long playoff series in the NBA are great 1:38:15 A shorter 1st round 5 game series injects some randomness into the playoffs 1:40:30 DC could be a great NBA market, but the Wizards are awful 1:42:15 NBA draft lottery needs some modification to address tanking 1:42:45 “Load management” also needs to be addressed 1:45:45 Urgency is what creates great competitive sports 1:52:30 NCAA tournament shows why NBA has issues 1:53:15 ToddCast Time Machine 1:53:30 Many American wars started/ended this week in history 1:54:45 We’re good at marking the beginning/end of wars, but not resolving them 1:55:30 Appomattox was a clean ending to the Civil War 1:56:15 The fighting stopped, but the argument for the war wasn’t resolved 1:56:45 Birthright citizenship added via 14th amendment 1:57:15 Citizenship rights were denied to black Americans 1:58:15 U.S. formally entered WW1 1:58:45 Hard to celebrate Armistice Day when WW2 happens 20 years later 1:59:15 European powers drew new maps but didn’t settle claims & conflicts 2:00:00 Middle East turmoil is direct result of Europeans redrawing maps 2:01:00 Wars aren’t chapters…they are arguments 2:02:00 The arguments of the Civil War & WW1 are still unresolved 2:03:00 Ask Chuck 2:03:15 What are your thoughts on ranked choice voting? 2:09:30 Correction on the location of Stetson’s law school 2:10:15 What current sports player or manager would do well in politics? 2:16:00 Has Congress’s inaction over Trump’s Iran war created a precedent? 2:19:30 Is relegation structurally possible in the NBA to avoid tanking? 2:23:15 Sports reactionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with the harrowing story of two F-15 operators who went missing over Iran and had to be extracted by U.S. Special Forces — a dramatic rescue the administration is now using to obscure the larger failures of a war that is clearly not going well, starting with the fact that Defense Secretary Hegseth's description of "uncontested airspace" was demonstrably false and raises the most important question nobody in the Pentagon wants to answer: why did we need a rescue mission in the first place? He catalogs a weekend of Trump's unraveling: a Truth Social post telling Iran to "open the fuckin strait, you crazy bastards," a seemingly deliberate insult to Muslims with a sarcastic "praise be to allah" reference, and an unhinged Easter morning rant that Todd challenges Evangelicals to defend — all while the Strait of Hormuz remains closed after three weeks of empty threats, energy expert Daniel Yergin has called this the worst energy disruption in history, and control of the strait now gives Iran more leverage than a nuclear weapon ever would. Todd warns that the world economy is far more interconnected than during the 1970s oil shocks and that even if the war stopped today, it would take a year to restore supply chains to normal. He highlights Republican Senator John Curtis of Utah challenging the very premise of the war and drawing a direct parallel to Vietnam's gradual escalation, notes that Congress has just three weeks until the 60-day War Powers clause kicks in, and excoriates lawmakers for doing nothing while Trump threatens Iranian infrastructure in ways that could constitute war crimes under the Geneva Convention — a framework Pete Hegseth clearly doesn't care about. He closes with a quick dissection of Trump's executive order on college sports, which he dismisses as a glorified press release with no enforcement mechanism, no controlling legal authority, and zero chance of surviving legal challenges — just another document designed to generate talking points from an administration so unpopular the public won't even side with them on an issue where there's genuine bipartisan frustration. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to revisit the beginning and end of America’s participation in the Civil War & World War 1, and argues that the underlying disagreements of both conflicts have never been resolved. He also takes listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and weighs in on the latest in sports. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Thank you Wildgrain for sponsoring. Visit http://wildgrain.com/TODDCAST and use the code "TODDCAST" at checkout to receive $30 off your first box PLUS free Croissants for life! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 01:15 Check out Chuck’s sports podcast “Dynastic”! 04:30 Moderating debate “Is gambling is the new pornography?” 05:30 Trump silent after F-15 operator was missing in Iran 06:15 Fear was an American pilot captured by the regime 06:45 U.S. Special forces able to extract both F-15 operators 07:30 Success of rescue being used to obscure Trump’s failures 08:15 Hegseth’s description of “uncontested airspace” was false 09:00 Most important question… Why did we need rescue in the first place? 09:45 Things are not going well in this war 10:15 Hegseth has not been telling the public the truth 11:30 Congress would normally provide oversight, but they’ve been neutered 12:30 Trump posts “Open the fuckin strait, you crazy bastards” 13:30 Trump seemingly insults muslims with “Praise be to allah” in post 14:00 Trump posts rant on Easter morning… How can Evangelicals defend this? 15:00 After 3 weeks of threats, the Strait of Hormuz is still closed 15:45 Trump tries to jawbone markets on Sundays, but they might not be listening 16:30 If Trump walks away with Strait in Iranian control, he sets the world back 17:30 Energy expert Daniel Jurgen calls this worst energy disruption ever 19:00 Control of the strait gives Iran more power than having a nuke 19:45 The world economy is far more interconnected than during 70’s shocks 20:15 If the war stopped today, it’d take a year to get supply chains back to normal 21:15 Congress is doing nothing here, and they’ll pay the price at the ballot box 22:30 Republican Sen. John Curtis challenges the premise of the war 23:30 We have 3 weeks until 60 day War Powers clause kicks in 24:30 Curtis argued Vietnam started as small operation, then expanded 25:30 Trump threatens infrastructure, could be potential war crime 26:15 Hegseth doesn’t care about human rights or Geneva Convention 27:15 Trump has treated NATO allies terribly, doesn’t deserve their help 28:15 Trump is not a reliable ally to anyone, we’re here because of him 29:00 75 years of American leadership didn’t alienate allies like Trump 29:45 Congress needs to get off its ass and do its job 31:45 Trump issues executive order on college sports 33:30 Trump’s order is basically a list of suggestions/press release 34:30 Order says if schools abuse NIL, could ban them from federal grants 35:45 Courts have struck down basically every NCAA rule before them 37:00 White House wants to apply pressure on the big schools 38:30 Document is a wish list sent to NCAA, no enforcement mechanism 39:45 Administration is so unpopular, public won’t side with them on this order 41:00 Order will face all kinds of legal hurdles, only gives WH talking points 41:45 Trump has no controlling legal authority here 46:45 ToddCast Time Machine 47:00 Many American wars started/ended this week in history 48:15 We’re good at marking the beginning/end of wars, but not resolving them 49:00 Appomattox was a clean ending to the Civil War 49:45 The fighting stopped, but the argument for the war wasn’t resolved 50:15 Birthright citizenship added via 14th amendment 50:45 Citizenship rights were denied to black Americans 51:45 U.S. formally entered WW1 52:15 Hard to celebrate Armistice Day when WW2 happens 20 years later 52:45 European powers drew new maps but didn’t settle claims & conflicts 53:30 Middle East turmoil is direct result of Europeans redrawing maps 54:30 Wars aren’t chapters…they are arguments 55:30 The arguments of the Civil War & WW1 are still unresolved 56:30 Ask Chuck 56:45 What are your thoughts on ranked choice voting? 1:03:00 Correction on the location of Stetson’s law school 1:03:45 What current sports player or manager would do well in politics? 1:09:30 Has Congress’s inaction over Trump’s Iran war created a precedent? 1:13:00 Is relegation structurally possible in the NBA to avoid tanking? 1:16:45 Sports reactionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Easter isn't a warm metaphor in my mind, it's a bold claim about reality: Jesus is alive. On this powerful Monday morning, I take a fast but serious look at why the resurrection of Jesus Christ still stands as the turning point of human history, and why it still gives real hope to real people. If you've ever thought, “Dead is dead,” you're exactly who I'm talking to. I lay out several quick evidences that Christians have leaned on for centuries, including the resurrection accounts recorded across the four Gospels, the early testimony Paul shares in 1 Corinthians about Jesus being seen alive afterward, and the striking change in the apostles who go from hiding in fear to proclaiming Christ at the cost of their lives. I also touch on fulfilled prophecy and the long trail of transformed lives as ongoing evidence of the power of the risen Jesus. This is a short, practical, faith-focused look at resurrection evidence, Christian belief, and why Easter Sunday continues to matter. Here is the YouTube link for today's songhttps://youtu.be/IakJlI4etsc?si=2DSo5fffbwZbzn7u  We would love to hear your comments. Send us a Text MessageSupport the show

The post Easter Morning appeared first on New City Church.

Join us this week as Pastor Nate takes us through Matthew 28. Helping us understand the debt paid on Easter Morning. Matthew 28:1-10 Romans 6:23 - for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Sin leads to death but Jesus leads to life Sin leads to death Matthew 6:12 - forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. Jesus leads to life The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Colossians 2:13-14 - 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

1 Peter 1:3-9Rev Ryan Arkema

Kyle Kauffman | Apr 5 2026The events of our lives and this world can leave us feeling hopeless. Life can be so full of trouble, tragedy, division, violence, loneliness, pain, and death. In the midst of it all, we can find ourselves desperately longing for something hopeful to cling to. And yet hope itself can feel dangerous because we fear that what we hope for might never happen. To use the words secure hope can seem like an oxymoron. Hope by its very nature seems insecure. Hope is forward-facing and future-oriented. We don't know or control the future and so we usually don't know if the things we are hoping for will come to pass. So how can we speak of a secure hope? As Christians we are placing our ultimate hope in something that has already come to pass – the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This past reality is the grounds for our future hope. And because of that we are invited to find a secure hope in Jesus. A hope that will come to pass. A hope that nothing in this world can take from us. And a hope that can carry us through all the troubles of this life. Because on Easter Morning our hope was forever secured by Jesus rising from the dead.

Easter Morning 2026 11am Service

Easter Morning 2026 11am Service

Crossroad Ministries Live Service

Crossroad Ministries Live Service

Crossroad Ministries Live Service

Easter Morning 2026 11am Service

Easter Morning 2026 11am Service

Easter Morning Service by Union Road Presbyterian Church

Sunday, April 5, 2026 | Easter Morning at 11:15 am (we alternate each week posting either the 9 am or the 11:15 am services) To follow along during the service and learn about upcoming events at Bethel UMC, view the bulletin Here. We would love for you to follow our podcast so you won't miss any of our weekly sermons! Follow us on social media @BethelCHS. Thank you for listening!

Psalm 63:2-9 Daniel 3:57-88,56 Psalm 149 Acts 10:40-43 Prayer Requests to psp@sqpn.com

Fluent Fiction - Norwegian: Easter Morning Mystery: Trust Saves the Election Day Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/no/episode/2026-04-04-07-38-19-no Story Transcript:No: Sigrid sto opp tidlig denne påskemorgenen.En: Sigrid got up early this Easter morning.No: Hun elsket denne tiden av året, når våren fylte luften med ny energi.En: She loved this time of year when spring filled the air with new energy.No: Fuglene kvitret, og blomstene begynte å titte fram etter en lang vinter.En: The birds chirped, and the flowers began to peek out after a long winter.No: Sigrid hadde en viktig oppgave foran seg.En: Sigrid had an important task ahead of her.No: Som leder for det lokale valglokalet, måtte hun sørge for at alt gikk som det skulle under det kommende lokalvalget.En: As the head of the local polling station, she had to make sure everything went as it should during the upcoming local election.No: Da hun ankom valglokalet, var det allerede livlig aktivitet.En: When she arrived at the polling station, there was already lively activity.No: Frivillige sorterte stemmesedler og satte opp bokser.En: Volunteers sorted ballots and set up boxes.No: Sigrid følte seg trygg.En: Sigrid felt confident.No: Hun ønsket at hver stemme skulle bli hørt og telle.En: She wanted every vote to be heard and counted.No: Da kom Lars stormende innover gulvet.En: Then Lars came rushing across the floor.No: "Sigrid, vi har et problem," sa han med bekymret blikk.En: "Sigrid, we have a problem," he said with a worried look.No: Sigrid så over på Lars.En: Sigrid looked over at Lars.No: "Hva er det, Lars?En: "What is it, Lars?"No: " spurte hun.En: she asked.No: "Stemmematerialene fra nattens levering er borte," sa han.En: "The voting materials from last night's delivery are missing," he said.No: "Det er umulig," svarte Sigrid bestemt.En: "That's impossible," Sigrid replied firmly.No: "Vi må finne dem.En: "We must find them.No: Uten dem kan vi ikke gjennomføre valget.En: Without them, we cannot conduct the election."No: "Lars rynket brynene.En: Lars furrowed his brows.No: "Vær forsiktig, Sigrid.En: "Be careful, Sigrid.No: Det kan være farlig å grave for dypt.En: It can be dangerous to dig too deep."No: "Sigrid hørte knapt etter.En: Sigrid barely listened.No: Hun visste hva hun måtte gjøre.En: She knew what she had to do.No: Hun bestemte seg for å undersøke selv.En: She decided to investigate herself.No: Hun gikk fra rom til rom og lette etter spor.En: She went from room to room, searching for clues.No: I det øyeblikket hun gikk inn i en umerket dør bakerst i lokalet, avslørte det noe uventet.En: The moment she entered a nondescript door at the back of the venue, it revealed something unexpected.No: En hemmelig trapp.En: A secret staircase.No: Sigrid gikk ned trappen, og der, i et lite rom, sto Morten.En: Sigrid went down the stairs, and there, in a small room, stood Morten.No: Han så overrasket ut.En: He looked surprised.No: "Morten, hva gjør du her?En: "Morten, what are you doing here?"No: " spurte Sigrid.En: asked Sigrid.No: Morten så ned på boksene rundt ham.En: Morten looked down at the boxes around him.No: "Jeg prøvde å finne dokumentene.En: "I was trying to find the documents.No: Jeg visste ikke hvem jeg kunne stole på.En: I didn't know who I could trust."No: "Sigrid pustet lettet ut.En: Sigrid breathed a sigh of relief.No: "Jeg trodde du hadde tatt dem," sa hun ærlig.En: "I thought you had taken them," she said honestly.No: "Vi må få dem tilbake nå.En: "We need to get them back now."No: "Sammen bar de boksene tilbake til hovedrommet.En: Together they carried the boxes back to the main room.No: Sigrid merket at hun hadde undervurdert Mortens intensjoner.En: Sigrid realized she had underestimated Morten's intentions.No: Lars virket like nervøs som alltid, men Sigrid smilte til ham.En: Lars seemed as nervous as ever, but Sigrid smiled at him.No: "Hvorfor smiler du?En: "Why are you smiling?"No: " spurte Lars.En: asked Lars.No: "Fordi vi fant stemmematerialene, og vi fant også ut at vi kan stole på hverandre," svarte hun.En: "Because we found the voting materials, and we also found out that we can trust each other," she replied.No: Resten av dagen gikk uten en hitch.En: The rest of the day went off without a hitch.No: Valglokalet var fylt med positive energier og samarbeid.En: The polling station was filled with positive energy and cooperation.No: Sigrid hadde lært en viktig leksjon.En: Sigrid had learned an important lesson.No: Hun forsto nå betydningen av tillit og fellesskap.En: She now understood the importance of trust and community.No: Da solen gikk ned over den lille byen, kjente Sigrid en dypere forståelse av hvor viktig det er å tro på andre og jobbe sammen for et felles mål.En: As the sun set over the small town, Sigrid felt a deeper understanding of how important it is to believe in others and work together for a common goal.No: Voilelister var sendt inn for telling, og hun kunne puste lettet ut.En: The ballots had been sent in for counting, and she could breathe a sigh of relief.No: Valgdagen var en suksess.En: Election day was a success.No: Nå var hun klar til å fortsette sitt arbeid med nyvunnet optimisme.En: Now she was ready to continue her work with newfound optimism. Vocabulary Words:chirped: kvitretpeek: tittetask: oppgavepolling station: valglokaleballots: stemmesedlervolunteers: frivilligeworried: bekymretmaterials: materialenedelivery: leveringhitch: hitchinvestigate: undersøkeclues: spornondescript: umerketreveal: avslørestaircase: trappunexpected: uventetdocuments: dokumenteneintentions: intensjonercooperation: samarbeidlesson: leksjontrust: tillitcommunity: fellesskapcounting: tellingvenue: lokaletrushing: stormendefurrowed: rynketnervous: nervøsoptimism: optimismebelieve: trocommon goal: felles mål

The Catechism tackles Jesus' bodily resurrection from the dead which is the “the crowning truth of our faith in Christ". Fr. Mike makes sure we understand that Christ's resurrection cannot be interpreted as a legend or a metaphor, but as a true, historical fact. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 638-644. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In this episode of The Choral Director's Toolbox, Dr. William Baker reflects on the vital role of mentorship and leadership development in "Choral Interns." Drawing from more than four decades of experience, he outlines how thoughtful internship programs can shape the next generation of choral conductors, emphasizing meaningful podium time, comprehensive artistic involvement, and the responsibility of today's leaders to invest in those who will carry the art forward. In today's listener question, a conductor grapples with how to respond to an unfair concert review. Dr. Baker offers practical and gracious guidance, encouraging professionalism, perspective, and proactive communication with members of the press. Today's inspiration is "Easter Morning" by Olaf Christiansen, performed by The St. Olaf Choir under the direction of Kenneth Jennings. Enjoy a simple and elegant anthem well suited for the Sunday following Easter. Join us for a thoughtful discussion on mentorship, leadership, and the long view of building a lasting choral legacy. Submit your question to The Choral Director's Toolbox by writing to us at Toolbox@FestivalSingers.org.

March 7, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Lent 3 - Psalm 25:1-2, 17-18, 20; antiphon: Psalm 25:15-16Daily Lectionary: Genesis 27:1-29; Mark 8:22-38“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 25:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. O Lord, to You I lift up my soul. I trust in You. Yes, my life rests on You, for You are the unshakable foundation. That's what my Baptism tells me. I have been put into You, my Mighty Fortress. Sin, Death, and Satan can't crush and hush me for You have overcome these enemies by Your bleeding, dying, third-day rising. I believe this, O Lord, and yet I struggle. There are days I look around and my eyes get the best of me. It can look like Sin, Death, and Satan are in charge. O Lord, I know this is not true. You are Lord over all! Therefore, help me to walk by faith and not by sight. Open the eyes of my heart to see You as my deliverer. I'm helpless to save myself, after all, but I am not hopeless. You are my hope. This is not wishful thinking but a sure confidence that You will come through for me in Your way and Your time.  I feel alone some days, but Your promise is that You are with me always. Your promises can't fail. They will never lead me astray. You tell the truth, for You are the Truth. There's no reason, therefore, for me to ignore what I'm going through or try to cover it up with a smiley face. I can be honest since nothing can surprise You. There are troubles in my life that I can't get myself out of. Troubles that I am responsible for and those that have been brought into my life by others. These troubles teach me that I'm not in control. I ask You to consider all the sufferings and troubles I have, and please forgive me. Cover my sins with Your righteousness. Cleanse me with Your blood. Every part of my life, You have redeemed with Your blood, and I will on the Last Day get to see how You used it all for my good. I won't be able to stop smiling!       Now I wait. It's not always easy with all the pains and problems in this life. So please, Lord, guard my heart from the attacks of Satan, who wants me to give in, give up, and give out. The Cross is my reminder that You can and will deliver me from all my fears and tears. You did not stay dead but rose on Easter Morning, securing for me my own Easter Morning on the Last Day! Because You are my refuge, I can't be shaken. Nothing and no one can destroy me. I trust in You and will not be put to shame. O Lord, to You I lift up my soul.     In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. While I am a pilgrim here, Let Thy love my spirit cheer; As my guide, my guard, my friend, Lead me to my journey's end. (LSB 779:5)Rev. Aaron Schian is pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Auburn, MI.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.We wander through life looking for freedom, only to realize we have listened to the devil's call to serve our selves, our pleasures, and our lusts. Instead of freedom we find ourselves enslaved to sin. We wonder if we have sinned too often, too deep to ever be welcomed back to the Father's home, back into His loving embrace. Have we lost our inheritance as children of God?In this short book, author Bryan Wolfmueller digs into the popular parable of the Prodigal Son to bring hope and aid to our hurting conscience. Wolfmueller proclaims the freedom-giving Gospel that through Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection, our place in the Father's house is secure, and forgiveness and welcome are ours in His outstretched arms. Fully Free, now available from CPH.

One week before her wedding, on the Easter Morning in 2015 Stephanie Scott decided to stop by her classroom at Leeton High School to go over her lesson plans and other coverage documents she'd left for the substitute teacher one final time. By midafternoon, her fiancéAaron grew anxious by unanswered calls and texts, and reported her missing with Leeton Police. The Leeton community rallied, coordinating search efforts to this beloved member of their town. Sadly, on April 9th, twenty-four-year-old Vincent Stanford was formally charged with the murder of Stephanie Scott. The arrest of Vincent Stanford came as a surprise to Stephanie's friends and family, particularly because, as far as anyone could tell, he was little more than a stranger.Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!ReferencesAustralian Associated Press. 2016. Stephanie Scott's killer Vincent Stanford told police he 'went a little nuts'. October 10. Accessed July 12, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/oct/11/stephanie-scotts-killer-vincent-stanford-told-police-he-went-a-little-nuts.Australian Broadcasting Company. 2015. Stephanie Scott: 24-year-old school cleaner kept in custody over murder of teacher from Leeton, NSW. April 8. Accessed July 12, 2023. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-09/man-charged-leeton-schoolteacher-stephanie-scotts-murder/6379516.—. 2016. Stephanie Scott: Cleaner Vincent Stanford pleads guilty to teacher's rape and. July 19. Accessed July 13, 2023. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-20/stephanie-scott-murder-accused-vincent-stanford-pleadsguilty/.—. 2015. Stephanie Scott: Mother of missing teacher from Leeton fears search is 'running out of days'. April 8. Accessed July 12, 2023. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-08/mother-missing-leeton-teacher-stephanie-scott-fears-search/6378256.—. 2015. Stephanie Scott: Police say burned body found in Cocoparra National Park believed to be that of missing teacher. April 10. Accessed July 12, 2023. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-11/stephanie-scott-police-searchers-find-burned-body-near-griffith/6385584.Brooks, Emily. 2016. This is what we know about Stephanie Scott's killer so far. October 12. Accessed July 13, 2023. https://www.huffpost.com/archive/au/entry/this-is-what-we-know-about-stephanie-scotts-killer-so-far_au_5cd41819e4b0ca9b77563363.Fairfax Media. 2015. "'Devastated:' Communities mourning murdered bride-to-be Stephanie Scott." Central Western Daily, April 9.Harris, Janice. 2015. "Tears for Stephanie: Canowindra grieving for 'absolutely wonderful girl'." Central Western Daily, April 9.Harvey-Jenner, Catriona. 2016. Man's chilling google searches before he murdered a bride-to-be have been revealed in court. October 11. Accessed July 13, 2023. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/news/a46516/murderer-chilling-google-searches-bride-rape-kidnapping/.Levy, Megan. 2015. "'No way it's cold feet!'." Illawarra Mercury, April 8.Partridge, Emma. 2015. "Stephanie Scott's alleged killer not rostered to clean school." Central Western Daily, April 9.Partridge, Emma, and Megan Levy. 2015. "Car found, cleaner charged with murder of Stephanie Scott." Canowindra News, April 9.Patterson, Monique. 2020. United in Grief: The story of Stephanie Scott's Beautiful Life, Tragic Murder, and How Her Death Broke the Heart of Leeton NSW. Milwaukee, WI: Genius Publishing.Pattison, Talia, and Daisy Huntly. 2015. "Have you seen Stephanie Scott." The Irrigator, April 6.Reneker, Tony. 2022. "Stephanie Scott case 'changed' inspector's life." The Irrigator, September 1.Shields, Moyra. 2015. Stephanie Scott: Missing teacher from Leeton in NSW Riverina due to get married on Saturday. April 6. Accessed July 12, 2023. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-07/missing-teacher-from-leeton-nsw-riverina-region-was-due-to-marry/6374992.The Guardian. 2016. Stephanie Scott killer Vincent Stanford sentenced to life for murder. October 12. Accessed July 12, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/oct/13/stephanie-scott-killer-vincent-stanford-sentenced-to-life-for.Stay in the know - wondery.fm/morbid-wondery.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Last week was Easter — but the story isn't over. For resurrection people, Easter never ends. After the crowds thin and the music fades, a quieter question remains: Is it still true? Is resurrection still real… even now? Like Thomas, we find ourselves reaching out — hoping to touch what our hearts dare to believe. Acts 5:27–32 | Revelation 1:4–8 | John 20:19–31

In Episode 151, Scott Piehler's topics include: A lawsuit dismissed. A sad sight on Easter Morning. Make your voice heard on transportation issues. From slow streets to Greenways. An F-18's final journey. A potentially life-saving drug now available easily and affordably. APD welcomes a great bit of history. Weekend events. A Bay-area inspiration for runners of all ages. And a shoutout to Admiral Maltings. Support the show• AlamedaPost.com • Podcast • Events • Contact •• Facebook • Instagram • Threads • BlueSky • Reddit • Mastodon • NextDoor • YouTube • Apple News •

Easter Morning, 2025

A new MP3 sermon from Huntingdon Missionary Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Easter Morning Sunrise Service Speaker: Stephen King Broadcaster: Huntingdon Missionary Baptist Church Event: Devotional Date: 4/20/2025 Length: 33 min.

Welcome back to the Hope Church Podcast! Be encouraged this Easter Morning with a power word from Pastor Josh! Be blessed as you listen to, "Undeniable"!

We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus by encountering it from the perspective of those women who first discovered the empty tomb. Through their eyes, let's recapture the majesty, meaning, and great surprise of that world-changing first Easter.

Come listen to our Easter message, as Tony teaches over Romans 8:31-39.

Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives! I know that my Redeemer lives!

Alleluia! He is Risen! Rev. Ben delivers our Easter Morning message. Readings from this service:Acts 10: 34-43Psalm 118: 14-17, 22-24Luke 24: 1-12Thanks for listening! CONNECT with CCFC:Visit us on FacebookVisit our websiteDownload our app!

Easter Morning

In this episode, we revisit the appearance of Jesus to Mary on that first Easter Morning!

This is the last reading for our Good Friday and Easter series. We are going to be looking at John 20. This is the record of Christ being raised from the dead where the heavenly courts confirm Pilate's words, “Behold Your King!” If Christ remains in the grave then we have no Easter message. If Christ is never raised it means that God as not overcome death. One could argue that Easter is far more important than Good Friday. Yes, we need the lamb of God and Son of Man to take away our sins. However, if he is never raised from the dead it means we are still in our sins because Christ was not the perfect sacrifice.

Jesus' appearance to Mary Magdalene on Easter Morning was a side trip.The King of Life had died, descended, and on the third day rose from the dead - as all Christians confess. But He had farther to rise! He couldn't stay long in the Garden to comfort Mary, but He had instructions for her: Something to stop doing, and something to do. We're looking at John 20, verse 17, as today Jim brings us Part 2 of his sermon, The Real Triumphal Entry. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for $7 on a single CD by calling +1 (800) 984-2313, and of course you can always listen online or download the message for free. RS04162025_0.mp3Scripture References: Luke 24:26

The Catechism tackles Jesus' bodily resurrection from the dead which is the “the crowning truth of our faith in Christ". Fr. Mike makes sure we understand that Christ's resurrection cannot be interpreted as a legend or a metaphor, but as a true, historical fact. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 638-644. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The Catechism tackles Jesus' bodily resurrection from the dead which is the “the crowning truth of our faith in Christ". Fr. Mike makes sure we understand that Christ's resurrection cannot be interpreted as a legend or a metaphor, but as a true, historical fact. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 638-644. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.