Easter 2020 – Week 1 | The Encounter

An empty tomb, raw grief, and the nagging suspicion that the resurrection is either a scam or too good to be true—this sermon meets people standing between skepticism and longing. It’s aimed at those who feel disconnected right now, worn thin by loss or by a culture that says you must “find yourself” from within. The scene of Mary at the tomb captures that precise tension: stunned sorrow, a credible witness dismissed by her culture, and the hard question of what to do with surprising news that upends everything. The message walks through the Easter account with a clear, honest logic and surprising tenderness: it treats the resurrection as something you can investigate, as an act of mercy that meets people where they are, and as the start of a truly personal relationship. Hear how the facts, the compassion, and a single spoken name push belief from theory into life—inviting a closer look that stays with you.