In difficult times, we may feel alone like the characters in the books we read. However, Jesus assures us that we are never truly alone, and that life will continue after our sorrow. As members of God’s family, we are cherished and welcomed. Even in our darkest moments, Jesus is always there to guide us toward the light and back in his arms.<\/p>\n","videoimg":"https:\/\/www.gci.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/SpOL5025-Thumbnail-585x330-1.jpg","content":"","transcript":"
Speaking Of Life 5025 <\/strong>\u2502<\/strong> Not An Orphan When I was growing up, I remember reading several books that had an orphan as the main character. Maybe you did, too. Remember Cinderella, Anne of Green Gables, and even Harry Potter? The children in these stories were left without parents, and their plots revolved around how well they fit into another family\u2019s dynamic. Often, they felt like outsiders \u2013 unwanted and alone.<\/p>\n At the Last Supper, Jesus tried to prepare his disciples for what was coming: his betrayal, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. He reassured them that while things would be different without him present, they would not be alone. Let\u2019s look at John 14:<\/p>\n If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you.<\/strong><\/p>\n I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.<\/strong><\/p>\n John 14:15-20 (NRSVUE<\/em>)<\/strong><\/p>\n Notice that Jesus refers to \u201canother Advocate,\u201d the \u201cSpirit of Truth,\u201d who would always be with the disciples. Jesus was their first Advocate; now the Holy Spirit would be another companion who would always be with them. The Spirit\u2019s goal is not to replace Jesus, but to share the presence of the Father and the risen Son to those who trusted them.<\/p>\n Since the Bible often refers to people as the \u201cchildren of God,\u201d it makes sense that Jesus would use the word \u201corphaned.\u201d We\u2019ll have the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit, and because of the triune relationship of Father, Son, and Spirit, we\u2019re brought into their fellowship. We\u2019re not like Cinderella who was mistreated and forced to become a servant. Instead, we\u2019re welcomed into the family of God as cherished members, never to be left on our own again.<\/p>\n By sharing with the disciples about the Spirit of Truth, Jesus is telling them that life will go on after the heartbreak of the crucifixion. He says, \u201cYou will see me; because I live, you also will live.\u201d<\/p>\n The resurrection was not the end of the story but the very beginning, thanks to the Spirit of Truth who will never leave us as orphans. May you know how completely you\u2019re loved and accepted by the Father, Son, and Spirit, and may you trust that you\u2019re never alone.<\/p>\n I\u2019m Michelle Fleming, Speaking of Life.<\/p>\n","downloadYouTube":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Up1Y9dS3eKA","catslug":"speaking-of-life","catname":"Speaking of Life","rssurl":"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/SpeakingOfLifeMp3","appleurl":"","playurl":"https:\/\/playmusic.app.goo.gl\/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/m\/Invbqg3jtwxr3zeouhpqgcgred4?t%3DSpeaking_Of_Life_-_Audio_Podcast%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16","googleurl":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLmZlZWRidXJuZXIuY29tL1NwZWFraW5nT2ZMaWZlTXAz","spotify":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0UEvj3BfvF58BdlJCg5Zxz","sticher":null,"podaddict":null,"airdate":"2026-05-11"},{"success":"1","id":11048,"url":"https:\/\/www.gci.org\/media\/videos\/speaking-of-life-5024-describing-the-indescribable\/","title":"Speaking of Life 5024 | Describing the Indescribable","fileCat":"SpOL","fileID":"SpOL5024-GW-DescribingtheIndescribable","youtubeID":"HEGHrapn5_M","isTooOld":false,"isVideo":true,"isAudio":true,"widescreen":false,"mp3Link":true,"mp4Link":true,"mp4LoRes":true,"mp4EngSub":null,"wmvVodLink":false,"wmvHRLink":false,"isoLink":false,"intro":"","teaser":" Stephen preached the Gospel with power and grace in the book of Acts. His message made people angry, but he forgave them as Jesus did. It’s an encouraging story that reminds us to share the love of Christ and the Gospel boldly, even when people oppose us.<\/p>\n","videoimg":"https:\/\/www.gci.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/SpOL5024-Thumbnail-585x330-1.jpg","content":"","transcript":" Speaking of Life 5024 | Describing the Indescribable <\/strong>Have you ever tried to describe a moment so wonderful that it defies your best efforts? How do you describe the feeling of watching the sunset over the mountains or the moment you held your child for the first time? Trying to share the things that fill us with such awe that can leave us at a loss for words.<\/p>\n Sharing the gospel can be like that too. We struggle with the task of sharing such a momentous message. We convince ourselves that if only we were filled with God\u2019s grace and power if we could work miracles or were gifted with Spirit-guided wisdom so impactful that no one could argue against us: Maybe then, people would listen when we proclaim the Gospel.<\/p>\n In the book of Acts, we\u2019re told that Stephen had all these things going for him. He performed wonders and described a spectacular vision of Jesus at the Father\u2019s side.<\/p>\n Luke shares with us Stephen\u2019s final impassioned message. It\u2019s filled with relevant references and helpful comparisons for his listeners and concludes with a convicting call for accountability. The response of those who heard Stephen\u2019s skilled oratory was one of anger, rage, and violence. At this point it might seem like the story of Stephen was included as a cautionary tale about a man who chose poorly his moment to become confrontational and inflammatory.<\/p>\n But this is no cautionary tale, Luke makes this clear when he begins and ends the account of Stephen by stressing that Stephen was Spirit-led. This is a story of encouragement, meant to remind us of how to share the Gospel both powerfully and graciously.<\/p>\n Before he was dragged out of the city to be stoned, Stephen described his vision of Christ\u2019s glory:<\/p>\n Look\u2026 I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. This was neither eloquent nor deep in theological exposition \u2013 this was a simple declaration of the Gospel so powerful that those present gnashed their teeth and blocked their ears!<\/p>\n Stephen was not the problem; the problem was who he was talking about \u2013 Jesus.<\/p>\n In the midst of being stoned to death, Stephen shows his godly love for his assailants by asking God to forgive them \u2013 imitating Jesus to the very end.<\/p>\n People will oppose us when we preach Jesus. Nevertheless, let\u2019s be like Stephen, Spirit-led even unto death.<\/p>\n I\u2019m Greg Williams, Speaking of Life.<\/p>\n","downloadYouTube":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HEGHrapn5_M","catslug":"speaking-of-life","catname":"Speaking of Life","rssurl":"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/SpeakingOfLifeMp3","appleurl":"","playurl":"https:\/\/playmusic.app.goo.gl\/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/m\/Invbqg3jtwxr3zeouhpqgcgred4?t%3DSpeaking_Of_Life_-_Audio_Podcast%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16","googleurl":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLmZlZWRidXJuZXIuY29tL1NwZWFraW5nT2ZMaWZlTXAz","spotify":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0UEvj3BfvF58BdlJCg5Zxz","sticher":null,"podaddict":null,"airdate":"2026-05-04"},{"success":"1","id":11005,"url":"https:\/\/www.gci.org\/media\/videos\/speaking-of-life-5023-empty-tomb-and-open-gate\/","title":"Speaking of Life 5023 | Empty Tomb and Open Gate","fileCat":"SpOL","fileID":"SpOL5023-JB-EmptyTombOpenGate","youtubeID":"sYKIzDGWwXQ","isTooOld":false,"isVideo":true,"isAudio":true,"widescreen":false,"mp3Link":true,"mp4Link":true,"mp4LoRes":true,"mp4EngSub":null,"wmvVodLink":false,"wmvHRLink":false,"isoLink":false,"intro":"","teaser":" The Empty Tomb on Easter Sunday is a reminder that Jesus is alive, and his sacrifice opened the door for us to have a new life in him. Jesus described himself as the gate for the sheep, leading to an abundant life in him, and we should focus on living in the reality of his resurrection and experiencing the fullness of life he offers.<\/p>\n","videoimg":"https:\/\/www.gci.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/SpOL5023-Thumbnail-585x330-1.jpg","content":"","transcript":" Speaking of Life 5023 | Empty Tomb and Open Gate A few weeks ago, we celebrated Easter Sunday, one of the most significant days in the Christian calendar. Many of us likely spent a lot of time hearing about and meditating on the Empty Tomb. This is good because the Christian faith is based on the fact that Jesus is not dead \u2014 his tomb is, indeed, empty. Jesus is alive and we are reconciled to God and each other because of it.<\/p>\n The Empty Tomb means that our sins have been forgiven and that humanity has been made new in Christ. As Christians, we should give a lot of our attention to the empty tomb. The empty tomb helps us understand Jesus referring to himself as the open gate.<\/p>\n In the tenth chapter of John, Jesus describes himself as the gate by which the sheep can find pasture. In the parable, those who follow Christ are his beloved sheep. The passage says:<\/p>\n Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. In this season of Easter, let\u2019s focus on what it means to live in the reality of Christ\u2019s resurrection. In other words, we have an opportunity to give our attention to why we were saved, and how we are being invited to respond to God\u2019s gift of grace. According to this passage, part of the reason that Jesus rescued and redeemed us is so we can experience a full, abundant life in him.<\/p>\n Jesus is depicted as the gate that leads to life and because of his sacrifice, the gate is wide open to all. No matter our current circumstances, abundant life is available to us in Jesus. This does not mean that our lives will be perfect once we start following him, however, it does mean that in every situation, Jesus will be with us and our relationship with him is the richest of blessings.<\/p>\n It also means that one day believers will experience eternal life \u2014 an existence where there will be no more pain or suffering and there will be rejoicing without end. We have been saved by Jesus to live an abundant, full life in Christ \u2014 a life where Jesus fills all our moments with his life-giving presence. The gate to this life has been opened wide by Christ when he left that tomb, so what are we waiting for? Let us not hesitate to run away from things trying to steal our joy and into Christ\u2019s wide-open arms. There he is offering us an abundance of forgiveness and love.<\/p>\n I\u2019m Jeff Broadnax, Speaking of Life.<\/p>\n","downloadYouTube":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=sYKIzDGWwXQ","catslug":"speaking-of-life","catname":"Speaking of Life","rssurl":"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/SpeakingOfLifeMp3","appleurl":"","playurl":"https:\/\/playmusic.app.goo.gl\/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/m\/Invbqg3jtwxr3zeouhpqgcgred4?t%3DSpeaking_Of_Life_-_Audio_Podcast%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16","googleurl":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLmZlZWRidXJuZXIuY29tL1NwZWFraW5nT2ZMaWZlTXAz","spotify":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0UEvj3BfvF58BdlJCg5Zxz","sticher":null,"podaddict":null,"airdate":"2026-04-27"},{"success":"1","id":11004,"url":"https:\/\/www.gci.org\/media\/videos\/speaking-of-life-5022-born-again\/","title":"Speaking of Life 5022 | Born Again","fileCat":"SpOL","fileID":"SpOL5022-GW-BornAgain","youtubeID":"ZEYy_kn9QHQ","isTooOld":false,"isVideo":true,"isAudio":true,"widescreen":false,"mp3Link":true,"mp4Link":true,"mp4LoRes":true,"mp4EngSub":null,"wmvVodLink":false,"wmvHRLink":false,"isoLink":false,"intro":"","teaser":" Do you ever feel like an outcast in this world? You are not alone. Peter used the metaphor of being “born again” to encourage Christ\u2019s followers who were being treated as outcasts because of their faith. We have a new life in Christ that is full of hope and belongs to God. So, we can be brave and hopeful because being “born again” in Christ means living in hope.<\/p>\n","videoimg":"https:\/\/www.gci.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/SpOL5022-Thumbnail-585x330-1.jpg","content":"","transcript":" Speaking of Life 5022 | Born Again As a Christian, you are probably familiar with the metaphor of being \u201cborn again.\u201d Jesus used it when talking to Nicodemus to try to explain the radical difference that one must undergo to enter the kingdom of God. Peter later used the same image to encourage a church that was being treated as exiles because of their faith in Christ.<\/p>\n The image of being born again works on both fronts. Certainly, entering the kingdom of God is like being born again as one becomes a new creation filled with life. But have you ever considered that this metaphor also speaks to the experience of believers being exiled from their old way of life?<\/p>\n Peter did. When he began his letter to a church that was being ostracized because of their faith, he chose to use the \u201cborn again” image to encourage them not to conform to their former ways of living.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s read how he uses this image in these verses.<\/p>\n \u201cBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n 1 Peter 1:3-5 (ESV)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Did you catch the picture? Being \u201cborn again\u201d involves being born into<\/em> something \u2013 \u201ca living hope.\u201d It also includes being born out<\/em> of something \u2013 \u201cfrom the dead.\u201d Like a newborn baby, the new life it has after birth will be completely different than the life it had in the womb. Can you imagine a baby trying to live as if it is still in the womb? That would be nonsensical.<\/p>\n But, as Christians, we live with the constant temptation to return to a life that conforms to our old ways of moving and breathing. Especially since we are surrounded by a culture that resists and even persecutes those that live in such a way that challenges and calls into question the status quo. Being a Christian in this world is to live in exile. We are no longer at home in the womb of this world.<\/p>\n But that does not mean we do not belong. We belong to our heavenly Father, and we belong to a new family of brothers and sisters who live together in his love. Our new life of freedom lived in the light is beyond compare to the dark and restrictive life we once had.<\/p>\n So, if you sometimes feel like an exile in this world. Take courage and live in hope. It comes with the territory of being born again.<\/p>\n I\u2019m Greg Williams, Speaking of Life.<\/p>\n","downloadYouTube":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZEYy_kn9QHQ","catslug":"speaking-of-life","catname":"Speaking of Life","rssurl":"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/SpeakingOfLifeMp3","appleurl":"","playurl":"https:\/\/playmusic.app.goo.gl\/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/m\/Invbqg3jtwxr3zeouhpqgcgred4?t%3DSpeaking_Of_Life_-_Audio_Podcast%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16","googleurl":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLmZlZWRidXJuZXIuY29tL1NwZWFraW5nT2ZMaWZlTXAz","spotify":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0UEvj3BfvF58BdlJCg5Zxz","sticher":null,"podaddict":null,"airdate":"2026-04-20"},{"success":"1","id":11003,"url":"https:\/\/www.gci.org\/media\/videos\/speaking-of-life-5021-%e2%94%82-stop-doubting-and-believe\/","title":"Speaking Of Life 5021 \u2502 Stop Doubting and Believe","fileCat":"SpOL","fileID":"SpOL5021-MF-StopDoubtingBelieve","youtubeID":"OEw0E-VDdac","isTooOld":false,"isVideo":true,"isAudio":true,"widescreen":false,"mp3Link":true,"mp4Link":true,"mp4LoRes":true,"mp4EngSub":null,"wmvVodLink":false,"wmvHRLink":false,"isoLink":false,"intro":"","teaser":" Michelle tells the story of Doubting Thomas, who needed physical proof to believe in Jesus’ resurrection. When Thomas finally met Jesus, he believed and acknowledged Him as Lord. Learn how we can relate to Thomas’s doubts and ask Jesus for help, and discover how doubt can be overcome with the Holy Spirit’s aid.<\/p>\n","videoimg":"https:\/\/www.gci.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/SpOL5021-Thumbnail-585x330-1.jpg","content":"","transcript":" Speaking Of Life 5021 <\/strong>\u2502<\/strong> Stop Doubting and Believe Shortly after Jesus\u2019 crucifixion, the disciples locked themselves away in fear that the Jewish officials might come for them next. But Jesus appeared to them in their locked room. To prove that he was real, he showed them his nail-scarred hands and feet.<\/p>\n One of the disciples was missing, however, and here is where Doubting Thomas comes in. John shares the story:<\/p>\n Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So, the other disciples told him, \u201cWe have seen the Lord!\u201d But he said to them, \u201cUnless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.\u201d <\/strong> <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, \u201cPeace be with you!\u201d Then he said to Thomas, \u201cPut your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.\u201d Thomas said to him, \u201cMy Lord and my God!\u201d Then Jesus told him, \u201cBecause you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.\u201d<\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/strong>John 20:24-29<\/u><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n We can relate with Thomas, can\u2019t we? As excited as the other disciples were that they had seen Jesus, Thomas was skeptical. For whatever reason, he was not present when Jesus showed up and he got quite specific about what it would take for him to believe. <\/p>\n A week later Jesus reappears, and this time Thomas is there. Jesus tells Thomas to go ahead and touch him. Then he tells Thomas to stop doubting and believe. With the exclamation, \u201cMy Lord and My God!\u201d, Thomas becomes the first to acknowledge who Jesus really was and is. <\/p>\n Like Thomas, we all have those moments of doubt. Moments where we wonder if God can hear us, or if he sees what we are going through. Does he really care about me? We want to believe, but doubt enters in. <\/p>\n In another place in Scripture, a distraught father of an afflicted child blurts out, \u201cLord, I believe; help my unbelief!\u201d <\/em>(Mark 9:24). This is beautiful because it describes us so well. We believe, and we ask Jesus to help us where we doubt. He can be trusted to answer that prayer. Because he is the one who has perfect belief, and believes on our behalf.<\/p>\n Thomas didn\u2019t stay a doubter. Tradition says that Thomas was the first missionary to India. In 52 A.D. he sailed from Palestine and arrived on the Kerala coast. He was martyred twenty years later, but not before founding seven flourishing churches. In India today, there are nearly 70 million believers. <\/p>\n Doubt did not have the last word in Thomas\u2019 life, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it will not have the last word with us either. <\/p>\n I\u2019m Michelle Fleming, Speaking of Life.<\/p>\n","downloadYouTube":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=OEw0E-VDdac","catslug":"speaking-of-life","catname":"Speaking of Life","rssurl":"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/SpeakingOfLifeMp3","appleurl":"","playurl":"https:\/\/playmusic.app.goo.gl\/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/m\/Invbqg3jtwxr3zeouhpqgcgred4?t%3DSpeaking_Of_Life_-_Audio_Podcast%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16","googleurl":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/podcasts?feed=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLmZlZWRidXJuZXIuY29tL1NwZWFraW5nT2ZMaWZlTXAz","spotify":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0UEvj3BfvF58BdlJCg5Zxz","sticher":null,"podaddict":null,"airdate":"2026-04-13"},{"success":"1","id":12315,"url":"https:\/\/www.gci.org\/media\/videos\/resurrection-of-the-lord\/","title":"Resurrection of the Lord","fileCat":"RSB","fileID":"RSB050-YearA-ResurrectionOfTheLord","youtubeID":"1pH4397i3XQ","isTooOld":false,"isVideo":true,"isAudio":true,"widescreen":false,"mp3Link":true,"mp4Link":true,"mp4LoRes":true,"mp4EngSub":false,"wmvVodLink":false,"wmvHRLink":false,"isoLink":false,"intro":"","teaser":"","videoimg":"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/1pH4397i3XQ\/hqdefault.jpg","content":"","transcript":" Resurrection of the Lord<\/strong><\/p>\n Every once in a while, we witness a moment so full of life that it takes our breath away \u2014 Easter begins with this kind of joy.<\/strong> Psalm 118 proclaims, \u201cThis is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.\u201d Think of that first resurrection morning. A grieving follower comes to the tomb expecting loss and silence, only to find that what seemed final is undone. The stone is rolled away. Emptiness is transformed into promise. Sorrow turns into wonder as the truth slowly settles in. The crucified one is alive, and nothing will ever be the same.<\/p>\n The resurrection is not God undoing death by force. It is God transforming death itself, filling it with divine life until it can hold us no longer.<\/p>\n This is why we rejoice today. Easter joy is not flimsy. As we celebrate the resurrection today, let\u2019s reflect together:<\/p>\n Reflect on the empty tomb for a moment. What aspect of Jesus\u2019 character becomes clearer to you? Is it his faithfulness, his power, his compassion, or something else?<\/strong><\/p>\n As we hold this hope of new life and joy, we return to the story where it all began to unfold in human hearts. On that first Easter morning, grief met grace, and sorrow met the risen one. As we listen now, pay attention to how gently Jesus makes himself known, and how personally he comes to those who seek him.<\/p>\n 11 <\/sup><\/strong>But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12 <\/sup><\/strong>and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 <\/sup><\/strong>They said to her, \u201cWoman, why are you weeping?\u201d She said to them, \u201cThey have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.\u201d 14 <\/sup><\/strong>When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 <\/sup><\/strong>Jesus said to her, \u201cWoman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?\u201d Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, \u201cSir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.\u201d 16 <\/sup><\/strong>Jesus said to her, \u201cMary!\u201d She turned and said to him in Hebrew]<\/sup> \u201dRabbouni!\u201d (which means Teacher). 17 <\/sup><\/strong>Jesus said to her, \u201cDo not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, \u2018I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.\u2019\u201d 18 <\/sup><\/strong>Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, \u201cI have seen the Lord\u201d; and she told them that he had said these things to her. As we rejoice in the risen Lord, may the life of Christ rise within us.
\nMichelle Fleming<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Greg Williams<\/p>\n
\nActs 7:56<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Jeff Broadnax<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nJohn 10:7-10<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Greg Williams<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nMichelle Fleming
\n<\/strong>
\nHave you ever heard someone being referred to as a \u201cDoubting Thomas\u201d? If you have, then you were probably aware that this was not meant as a compliment. It is typically used to describe someone who is a skeptic. Someone that is known to utter, \u201cI\u2019ll believe it when I see it!\u201d <\/p>\n
\na baby\u2019s first cry, a long-awaited reunion, a sunrise breaking through after a storm. These moments remind us that joy can arrive suddenly, surprising us with hope we didn\u2019t know we were waiting for.<\/p>\n
\nA joy that bursts into the world like new life after winter, like light flooding a darkened room. It is joy born not from circumstance, but from the One who stepped out of the tomb and made all things new.
\nThe resurrection is God\u2019s declaration that life has the final word,<\/strong> that love cannot be buried, and that joy is stronger than sorrow.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nOn Easter, this is more than a call to worship. It is an invitation into a whole new reality.
\nThe \u201cday\u201d God has made is resurrection itself.
\nA new creation. A fresh start for the whole world.<\/p>\n
\nBecause Christ is alive.
\nBecause new life is here.
\nBecause joy has risen with him.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nIt does not depend on everything in our lives being perfect or easy.
\nIt is the joy of knowing the risen Christ walks with us, calling us into hope wherever we go.<\/p>\n
\nJohn 20:11\u201318 NRSV<\/p>\n
\nThe One who stepped out of the tomb now walks with us, calling us into joy, into hope, into new creation.<\/strong>
\nMay his resurrection fill our hearts and guide our steps as we live in the light of this glorious day.<\/p>\n","downloadYouTube":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=1pH4397i3XQ","catslug":"rcl-sermon-bumpers","catname":"RCL Sermon Bumpers","rssurl":"","appleurl":"","playurl":"","googleurl":"","spotify":"","sticher":"","podaddict":"","airdate":"2026-04-06"},{"success":"1","id":12312,"url":"https:\/\/www.gci.org\/media\/videos\/good-friday-2\/","title":"Good Friday","fileCat":"RSB","fileID":"RSB049-YearA-GoodFriday","youtubeID":"4uaiKcXUzQA","isTooOld":false,"isVideo":true,"isAudio":true,"widescreen":false,"mp3Link":true,"mp4Link":true,"mp4LoRes":true,"mp4EngSub":false,"wmvVodLink":false,"wmvHRLink":false,"isoLink":false,"intro":"","teaser":"","videoimg":"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/4uaiKcXUzQA\/hqdefault.jpg","content":"","transcript":"