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On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared\u202fand went to the tomb.\u202fLuke 24:1-11 (NIV)\xa0

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,\u202fbut when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.\u202fLuke 24:1-11 (NIV)\xa0

While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning\u202fstood beside them.\u202fIn their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, \u201cWhy do you look for the living among the dead?\u202fLuke 24:1-11 (NIV)\xa0

He is not here; he has risen! Luke 24:1-11 (NIV)\xa0

Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:\u202f\u2018The Son of Man\u202fmust be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.\u2019\u202f\u201d Then they remembered his words. Luke 24:1-11 (NIV)\xa0

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them\u202fwho told this to the apostles.\u202fLuke 24:1-11 (NIV)\xa0

But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.\u202f Luke 24:1-11 (NIV)\xa0

At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.\u202fThe teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. John 8:2-11 (NIV)\xa0

They made her stand before the group\u202fand said to Jesus, \u201cTeacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.\u202fNow what do you say?\u201d They were using this question as a trap,\u202fin order to have a basis for accusing him.\xa0 John 8:2-11 (NIV)\xa0

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.\u202fWhen they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, \u201cLet any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone\u202fat her.\u201d\u202fAgain he stooped down and wrote on the ground. John 8:2-11 (NIV)\xa0

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.\u202fJohn 8:2-11 (NIV)\xa0

Jesus straightened up and asked her, \u201cWoman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?\u201d \u201cNo one, sir,\u201d she said. \u201cThen neither do I condemn you,\u201d\u202fJesus declared. \u201cGo now and leave your life of sin.\u201d John 8:2-11 (NIV)\xa0

\u201cThe Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me\u202fto proclaim good news\u202fto the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,\u202fto proclaim the year of the Lord\u2019s favor.\u201d Luke 4:18-19 (NIV)\xa0

1. Finding ACCEPTANCE in the face of accusation

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NLT)\xa0

Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior]. Romans 8:1 (AMP)\xa0

1. Going from prison to FREEDOM\xa0\xa0

\u2026There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity\u2014the man Christ Jesus.\u202fHe gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NLT)\xa0

1. Moving from death to LIFE

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.\u202fYou used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil\u2014the commander of the powers in the unseen world.\u202fHe is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.\u202fAll of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God\u2019s anger, just like everyone else. Ephesians 2:1-10 (NLT)\xa0

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,\u202fthat even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God\u2019s grace that you have been saved!)\u202fEphesians 2:1-10 (NLT)\xa0

For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.\u202fSo God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:1-10 (NLT)\xa0

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can\u2019t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.\u202fSalvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.\u202fEphesians 2:1-10 (NLT)\xa0

For we are God\u2019s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:1-10 (NLT)\xa0

For God so loved\u202fthe world that he gave\u202fhis one and only Son,\u202fthat whoever believes\u202fin him shall not perish but have eternal life.\u202fJohn 3:16-17 (NIV)\xa0

For God did not send his Son into the world\u202fto condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17 (NIV)\xa0

Have you experienced for yourself, what Easter really means?