Press here to listen to the 10.30am sermon or here to listen to the 5.00pm sermon.
The world can leave us full of distrust. Videos and photos we see may be faked or doctored. Our Internet search questions can receive answers which are made up. Social media presents others as they want to be seen, but not as they actually are. Leaders proclaim the truth, but it turns out to be lies. We rely on a friend, only to discover they’re not the friend we thought they were. We find ourselves asking, “Is there anyone who can really be trusted?”
The story of Easter says that there is.
At the first Easter, Jesus Christ was murdered and then came back to life. You can read about this in the Bible, in the four gospels called Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (there’s a quote from John below). But can you trust them? Yes. They come from the time not long after Jesus died 20 centuries ago, and their accounts drew on many, many eyewitnesses who saw what happened. And the witnesses were not people simply saying stuff because it would win them friends, status, likes or money. Many of those who spoke about Jesus were attacked for doing so, and even killed. Yet they stuck to the story insisting it was truly what they saw: Jesus was executed, but God raised him from the dead, and he’s still alive today.
But they weren’t telling others simply because it was a miraculous event. That wouldn’t be enough of a reason to risk your life. They were telling others because they were certain that in these events Jesus had given them a gift which all the world needed to hear about, and which took away their fear of others. What was the gift? Their sins forgiven by God and their adoption as God’s children. In other words, all the guilt and shame which have ruined our relationship with God, and with other people, can be justly and fully dealt with. It was amazing promise from Jesus, which he said would lead to eternal life for all who trusted him for it. And given all they had seen and heard in his life, the first Christians absolutely trusted him.
Christians today have the same total trust in Jesus, and testify to the same message of forgiveness and eternal life. Although we’ve not met him in person, we’ve come to know Jesus through what we’ve read about him and through what he has done in our lives. You can can know him too and receive the same hope. So come along this Easter to one of our services, hear more about Jesus and discover the most trustworthy person you’ll ever meet.
Services: 10.30am and 5.00pm on Sunday 5th April 2026
Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realise that it was Jesus. “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (John 20:11-17)
Bible verses from NIV(R) – Biblica Inc.