BECAUSE HE LIVES
Easter Sunday – April 5, 2026
Dr. Mark S. Hartman, Lead Pastor – SCBC
1. IS JESUS WHO HE CLAIMED TO BE?
A. Because He lives, Jesus is everything He said about Himself.
- John 11:25 I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
- John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
- Over the centuries, skeptics have tried to disprove the resurrection. Yet after serious study of the evidence, the following atheists became convinced that the evidence is in favor of the resurrection, accepted Christ as their Savior and wrote books demonstrating the validity of the evidence of a real resurrection: Gilbert West, 1750; George Lyttleton, 1770; Simon Greenleaf, 1850; Frank Morrison, 1900 (Who Moved The Stone?); Josh McDowell, 1960 (Evidence that Demands a Verdict); Gary Habermas, 1976 (The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus); Lee Strobel, 1998 (The Case for Christ), just to name a few. (Books still in publication).
B. Because He lives, Jesus has all power over the universe.
- Matthew 28:18 All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
- John 10:18 No one takes My life from Me. I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.
C. Because He lives, we can trust what He promises.
- Mark 10:34 They will mock Him, spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him. And three days later He will rise.
2. IS DEATH REALLY THE END OF OUR STORY?
- A. John 11:25-26 I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.
- B. 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?
- C. Because He lives, we have eternal life through Him.
3. Because Jesus is alive and Jesus promised the same for us, death is not the end of our story.
3. IS IT POSSIBLE TO FACE TOMORROW WITH CONFIDENCE?
- A. John 20:19-20 Jesus came and stood among them… and the disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
- B. Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you.
- C. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
- D. John 16:33 - I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
- E. Because He lives, we can face anything life throws at us.