Easter on SermonAudio

God's Commandments versus Man's Traditions: Matthew 15:1-12: 15 Then some Pharisees and scribes *came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 "Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." 3 And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, 'Honor your father and mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.' 5 But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever you might benefit from me is given to God," 6 he need not [c]honor his father.' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 8 'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. 9 But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commands of men.'" 10 After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, "Hear and understand. 11 It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." 12 Then the disciples *came and *said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were [d]offended when they heard this statement?" 13 But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit." The Catholic rite of Holy Communion parallels pre-Christian Greco-Roman and Egyptian rituals that involved eating the body and blood of a god. A number of Catholic holidays and myths, such as Christmas, Easter, and Mardi

In Luke 24:36–43, Jesus appears to His disciples in a locked room — and their first reaction isn't faith. It's terror. Even after hearing testimony after testimony that He was alive, they thought He was a ghost. In this sermon, we walk through one of the most human moments in all of Scripture: a room full of people who wanted to believe but couldn't quite get there, and a risen Savior who met them exactly where they were. Along the way we examine four lessons from the text: Why knowing something in your head and trusting it in your heart are two very different things How Jesus responds to doubt with grace rather than condemnation Why the resurrection is physical, verifiable, and permanent — and what it means that Jesus still bears His scars Why the resurrection should feel almost too good to be true — and why that's exactly the right response We also look at the fascinating distinction between "flesh and bones" and "flesh and blood," explore a striking parallel in Acts 12, and consider what it means that the risen Christ asked for something to eat. Whether you are someone who believes but still struggles, someone whose fear gets to you before your faith does, or someone who has heard the resurrection story so many times it has lost its weight — this message is for you.

Most people know the story of the empty tomb. But do we truly understand what the resurrection means for our lives? In John 20:1–18, Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John encounter the empty tomb and begin to grasp the reality that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. Yet even as they believed, they still had much to learn. Their journey reminds us that the Christian life is not merely about knowing facts about Jesus—it's about growing in the grace and knowledge of the risen Savior. This sermon explores: The historical truth of Christ's resurrection The difference between believing and understanding Why spiritual growth matters What it means to seek things above How knowing Christ transforms our lives Living as citizens of a heavenly kingdom The empty tomb is not simply an Easter message—it is the foundation of our hope, our faith, and our future. "This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses." (Acts 2:32) Visit Us Are you looking for something deeper than religion? In a culture filled with uncertainty, distractions, and empty promises, the risen Christ offers lasting hope, truth, forgiveness, and purpose. We invite you to worship with us at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church. Whether you've been away from church for years, are searching for answers, or desire to grow deeper in your faith, you'll find biblical preaching, genuine fellowship, and the historic Christian faith centered on Jesus Christ. Come hear God's Word, grow in God's grace, and discover the hope found in Christ alone. 🌐 Cornerstone Presbyterian Church: www.cornerstonepresbyterian.church

Theme: Believers Look Outside of Ourselves Seeking That Which Is Above for All of God's People. I. Bearing the Reproach of Our Savior, Seeking an Eternal City – vv. 10-16 A. Christ Suffered Outside the Gate to Sanctify His People – vv. 10-12; Ex 29:14 B. Bearing Christ's Reproach Outside the Gate – vv. 13-14; Heb 11:26; I Pe 4:14; Lk 6:22; Gal 3:21; Mic 2:10; Heb 11:16 C. Offering the Fruit of Our Lives in Thanksgiving to Him – vv. 15-16; Ps 107:22; Ga 6:10; Ro 12:13; Php 4:18 II. Seeking God's Eternal Blessing – vv. 17-21 A. Allowing Leaders to Give a Joyful Account – vv. 17-19; I Th 5:12-13; Eze 3:17 B. The Blessing of God for Completion in Righteousness– vv. 20-21; Php 2:13 C. Bear with the Word of Exhortation – v. 22 III. Fellowship with Our Fellow Saints – vv. 23-25 A. Rejoicing and Receiving Benefit from the Freedom of Fellow Believers – v. 23 B. Greetings to All of God's People – vv. 24-25

Theme: God's People are Reminded that the Root of Christ Produces the Fruit of Christian Obedience. I. Called to the Love of Our Fellow Believers – vv. 1-3 A. Called to Brotherly Love – v. 1 B. Entertaining Strangers (and possibly angels) – v. 2 II. Called to Faithfulness as God is Faithful – vv. 4-6 A. Marriage is Honorable, but Fornicators and Adulterers will be Judged – v. 4 B. Content with What we Have (including the Presence of the Holy Spirit) – v. 5 C. The Lord is My Helper, I Will Not Fear – v. 6 III. Founded on the Solid Foundation of Christ – vv. 7-9 A. Remember Those who Preach – v. 7 B. Christ Does Not Change – v. 8 C. Our Hearts are to be Established on Solid Teachings – v. 9

Theme: Surrounded by a Great Cloud of Witnesses, Believers Press Forward to the Goal of the Kingdom which Shall Not be Shaken. I. Pursue Peace and Holiness – vv. 14-17 A. Pursue Peace and Holiness (without which no one will see the Lord) – v. 14; Ro 14:19; 12:18; 2 Co 7:1 B. Care not to Fall Short of the Grace of God – vv. 15-17; Ga 5:4; Ge 25:33; 27:38-40 II. Approaching the Heavenly Jerusalem – vv. 18-24 A. Not Approaching an Earthly Mountain like Sinai – vv. 18-21; Ex 19:12-13; 20:18-26 B. Coming to the City of the Living God – vv. 22-24; Re 21:10; 7:9; 20:12; I Ti 2:5; Heb 10:22 III. Preparing for the Kingdom Which Cannot be Shaken – vv. 25-28 A. We Dare Not Refuse God's Word – vv. 25-26; Heb 2:2-3; Hag 2:6 B. The Removal of the Earth at God's Judgment – vv. 27-29; Is 65:17; Mt 24:4-8; I Co 15:58; 2 Th 1:8