Sermon Notes:

Easter Sunday

April 5, 2026 "I Am the Resurrection and the Life"

By: Pastor Joel Philbrook


Consider this...

For thousands of years, death seemed to have the final word. From the garden of Eden through the long history of the prophets, every story ended the same way: they all died. Even when Ezekiel stood in a valley of dry bones and watched God breathe life into them, the "echo of death" eventually caught up to him too. It felt like an unbreakable pattern that chased all of history, leaving us with a vision of life that always felt limited and fragile.

But then Jesus stepped into the grave and did something no one else could do. He did not just escape death; He defeated it. By rising again, He broke the old cycle and invited us into an entirely new creation where death no longer has a seat at the table. He is the Resurrection and the Life, settling us in a land where we can finally breathe again alongside Him.

Consider this: If Jesus really is the "I Am" who holds the power over life and death, how does that change the way you look at your own future? When you face the "dry bones" or the "dead ends" in your life today, do you believe He has the power to open those graves and bring you into something entirely new?

  • John 11:17-25


    17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;


    Ezekiel 37:1-14


    37 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath[a] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”



  • The Practice: 

    Standing at the entrance of a tomb, Jesus looked at Martha and made a radical claim: "I am the resurrection and the life." Then, He followed it with a question that echoes down to us today: "Do you believe this?"

    This week, we invite you to move beyond just thinking about Easter and start practicing the reality of it. At least once each day, take a breath and pray these words aloud:

    "Jesus, I do believe in You. I believe You are the one who makes all things new. I believe You love me, and I believe You are the Resurrection and the Life."

    As you pray this, hold onto the promise that Jesus has broken the pattern of death in your life. You are saved from spiritual death right now and eventual physical death later. You are living in a new creation where hope, not the grave, has the final word.


    Great I AM


    NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD


    Prayer from "Living Room Liturgy" by Winfield Bevins


    Almighty God, who through your only begotten Son Jesus Christ, overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life, grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day the Lord's resurrection, may, by your life-giving Spirit, be delivered from sin and raised from death, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. 

  • 1. The Echo of Death

  • In the sermon, we talked about how the "echo of death" has chased history since the Garden of Eden, showing up as patterns of fear, shame, or hopelessness. Where do you still hear that old echo trying to convince you that your situation is final or that things will never change?


  • 2. The Valley of Dry Bones

  • When you look at the "dry bones" in your life right now—perhaps a broken relationship, a stalled dream, or a personal struggle—do you find it easier to trust in the finality of the grave or in the limitless imagination of the God who breathes life into dead places?


  • 3. The Great "I Am" Challenge

  • Jesus asked Martha, "Do you believe this?" If you truly lived this week as if the Resurrection and the Life had already settled you in a "new land" where death has no power over your future, what is one bold act of love or faith you would take today?

What's Coming Next in "On the Road Again"

In the moments after Jesus’s death, His followers were living in a fog of confusion and despair. Two of them were walking away from Jerusalem—and from everything they had hoped for—when a stranger joined them on the road. They were so blinded by their grief that they didn’t recognize the resurrected Jesus walking right beside them.

But as this stranger explained the Scriptures, their hearts began to burn. In a moment of sacred fellowship, their eyes were opened, and they finally saw Him the unmistakable Jesus. Immediately, their despair turned into an urgency to go back and share the good news.

Yet, their journey was not over. In a locked room with the other disciples, Jesus appeared again, calming their fear and proving His reality by showing them His scars and sharing a meal. He opened their minds to truly understand the Scriptures and His purpose. He then gave them a divine mission and promised them the power of the Holy Spirit to complete it.

This series is a journey from confusion to clarity, from doubt to destiny. We will walk the road from despair to the radical hope of the Resurrection, discovering how Jesus, through His Word and His presence, reveals Himself to us. He is not just a historical figure; He is the living Lord who meets us in our doubts, opens our minds to His truth, and empowers us to be His witnesses in the world.


  • Join us for...

    Week 1: 4/12 "The Walk of Disappointment" 

    Luke 24:13-24 by Pastor Joel

    Week 2: 4/19 "Catch Up!" 

    Luke 24:25-27 by Pastor Joel

    Week 3: 4/26 "Stay WITH US" 

    Luke 24:28-35 by Pastor Justin

    Week 4: 5/3 "Peace be WITH YOU" 

    Luke 24:36-44 by Caroline Carpenter

    Week 5: 5/10 "Time to GO!" 

    Luke 24:45-49 by Val Burgard


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