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Stones Hill Community Church
Easter 2026 - Making a Comeback in Life
Easter blessings to all of you! NCAA Men’s Basketball March Madness is in full swing with the Final Four this weekend in Indy. The city is buzzing with the excitement. The thing I love about March Madness is the comeback. I want to talk to you today about the greatest comeback in all of history. Jesus was alive! It was the greatest comeback in history. Death itself was defeated and life won and the movement exploded! Welcome to the beginning of your life comeback!
Locations & Times
Ligonier, IN
151 W Stones Hill Rd, Ligonier, IN 46767, USA
Saturday 5:00 PM
MESSAGE TEXT
Matthew 28:1-15
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INTRODUCTION
I want to talk to you today about the greatest comeback in all of history. In the span of about a week, the thriving 3-year public ministry of Jesus came to what looked like an end. It was over, or so they thought. A kangaroo court was quickly assembled, false witnesses were called, and they had Him on the Roman cross in one week’s time and laid in a tomb. And Jesus’ closest followers were all wondering what they would do now. The game appeared to be over. There was no getting around it. Another failed Messiah. But three days later, Jesus came storming out of the grave and starts showing up again at various times and places.
*
CLARIFICATION
In one sense, humanity had a setback we couldn’t come back from. Humanity experienced a fall we could never climb out of. No effort, no religion, no goodness could undo it. There’s no way that we could pick the perfect bracket morally or spiritually. That’s where Jesus does for us what we couldn’t – and that’s the Gospel. But in another sense - Jesus has given you a guarantee or down-payment on your life comeback. It’s called Easter. That’s your guarantee that your story isn’t over. It’s a promise. A guarantee. A down payment on your comeback. Easter means the power of death is shattered. Sin has been forgiven and a whole new and living hope has come. You no longer have to live in the guilt of your past nor the fear of your future.
*
CONTEXT
What we see in Matthew 28:1-15 are two sets of messengers. One set is the women who are off to tell the disciples about the empty tomb and seeing Jesus. The other set is made up of some of the guards who were at the tomb. Both take very different approaches. With which group will you align?
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MESSAGE POINTS
Matthew 28:1-15 shows you how to make a COMEBACK IN LIFE.
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Step 1: Show Up Even When It Feels Over (v.1-8)
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Step 2: Worship Rather Than Bog down in Analysis (v.9-10)
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Step 3: Face Reality Without Spinning the Truth (v.11-15)
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Step 4: Go Public with Costly Love (John 19:39)
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APPLICATION
We’ve all had setbacks in life with far greater impact than a basketball game. Breakup, divorce, or separation. Betrayal or loss of trust. Losing a close friendship. Ongoing family conflict. Losing a job or getting laid off. Business failing. Major financial loss or debt. Feeling stuck or overlooked in your career. Serious illness or diagnosis. Injury that limits your normal life. Chronic fatigue or ongoing health issues. Mental health struggles like anxiety or depression. Failing a class or important test. Missing a big opportunity. Letting yourself or others down. Falling back into old habits. Setbacks don’t automatically ruin a life—they redirect it. The key difference is what happens next.
*
CONCLUSION
Two messages came racing away from the tomb on Easter Sunday morning. Note the correlation between the women and the guards. Both groups gather at Jesus’ tomb (vv. 1, 4). Both see an angel (vv. 2–5). Both feel fear (vv. 4, 8). Both leave the tomb in order to tell others what has happened (vv. 8, 10). And both are told by others what they should say (vv. 7, 10, 13–14). The difference lies in this, that while the women tell the truth to the disciples, the guards tell a lie about the disciples.
*
Which one of those messages will your life be about? We know absolutely there was an empty tomb and people had to give an account for it. Will your life be a celebration and a defense of the message of these soldiers? A message of confusion and failure. What is the good news in the world? The body was stolen? Or will you give your life for this message of hope and victory that announces to the disciples and to the world Jesus is alive. What a comeback!
Matthew 28:1-15
*
INTRODUCTION
I want to talk to you today about the greatest comeback in all of history. In the span of about a week, the thriving 3-year public ministry of Jesus came to what looked like an end. It was over, or so they thought. A kangaroo court was quickly assembled, false witnesses were called, and they had Him on the Roman cross in one week’s time and laid in a tomb. And Jesus’ closest followers were all wondering what they would do now. The game appeared to be over. There was no getting around it. Another failed Messiah. But three days later, Jesus came storming out of the grave and starts showing up again at various times and places.
*
CLARIFICATION
In one sense, humanity had a setback we couldn’t come back from. Humanity experienced a fall we could never climb out of. No effort, no religion, no goodness could undo it. There’s no way that we could pick the perfect bracket morally or spiritually. That’s where Jesus does for us what we couldn’t – and that’s the Gospel. But in another sense - Jesus has given you a guarantee or down-payment on your life comeback. It’s called Easter. That’s your guarantee that your story isn’t over. It’s a promise. A guarantee. A down payment on your comeback. Easter means the power of death is shattered. Sin has been forgiven and a whole new and living hope has come. You no longer have to live in the guilt of your past nor the fear of your future.
*
CONTEXT
What we see in Matthew 28:1-15 are two sets of messengers. One set is the women who are off to tell the disciples about the empty tomb and seeing Jesus. The other set is made up of some of the guards who were at the tomb. Both take very different approaches. With which group will you align?
*
MESSAGE POINTS
Matthew 28:1-15 shows you how to make a COMEBACK IN LIFE.
*
Step 1: Show Up Even When It Feels Over (v.1-8)
*
Step 2: Worship Rather Than Bog down in Analysis (v.9-10)
*
Step 3: Face Reality Without Spinning the Truth (v.11-15)
*
Step 4: Go Public with Costly Love (John 19:39)
*
APPLICATION
We’ve all had setbacks in life with far greater impact than a basketball game. Breakup, divorce, or separation. Betrayal or loss of trust. Losing a close friendship. Ongoing family conflict. Losing a job or getting laid off. Business failing. Major financial loss or debt. Feeling stuck or overlooked in your career. Serious illness or diagnosis. Injury that limits your normal life. Chronic fatigue or ongoing health issues. Mental health struggles like anxiety or depression. Failing a class or important test. Missing a big opportunity. Letting yourself or others down. Falling back into old habits. Setbacks don’t automatically ruin a life—they redirect it. The key difference is what happens next.
*
CONCLUSION
Two messages came racing away from the tomb on Easter Sunday morning. Note the correlation between the women and the guards. Both groups gather at Jesus’ tomb (vv. 1, 4). Both see an angel (vv. 2–5). Both feel fear (vv. 4, 8). Both leave the tomb in order to tell others what has happened (vv. 8, 10). And both are told by others what they should say (vv. 7, 10, 13–14). The difference lies in this, that while the women tell the truth to the disciples, the guards tell a lie about the disciples.
*
Which one of those messages will your life be about? We know absolutely there was an empty tomb and people had to give an account for it. Will your life be a celebration and a defense of the message of these soldiers? A message of confusion and failure. What is the good news in the world? The body was stolen? Or will you give your life for this message of hope and victory that announces to the disciples and to the world Jesus is alive. What a comeback!