Last week on Palm Sunday, we stood on the road into Jerusalem in Mark 11, watching the crowds cry, “Hosanna!” as Jesus entered as King—praised, welcomed, and yet only temporarily received.

But within days, everything changed. The cheers turned to rejection. The King was betrayed, denied, and crucified.

Now, on Easter Sunday, we come to Mark 16 and the empty tomb.

In this message, we see that the rejected King has risen—that the One who was crucified has now been eternally vindicated. The resurrection is not just the end of the story… it is the beginning.

This sermon also launches a new series, “Because He Lives: The Birth of the Church,” where we will follow the movement from resurrection to mission through the book of Acts of the Apostles.

And as we stand at the empty tomb, one question remains: What will you do with a risen King—deny Him, or declare Him?