Prove It
“The Turnaround Event”
John 20

When someone predicts their death, the day they will be resurrected, and pulls it off, we might want to investigate.
Greek gods died.
Roman gods died.
Buddha died.
Muhammad died.
Hindu gods died.
Jesus died and was resurrected!

Prove it!
Prove that Jesus is all about turnarounds

Easter is the ultimate turnaround event.

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying … she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, 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.” – John 20:1-11,14-16
Turnarounds happen when you hear Jesus calling your name.

“But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.” 
– Luke 24:11

Eyewitnesses
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, James, Paul 

Peter believed, unbelieved, denied he ever knew Jesus, and re-believed.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”– 1 Peter 1:3

Turnaround
Jesus doesn’t do slight improvements, but complete turnarounds.

Starting a relationship with Jesus
Believing God is personal (Exodus 6:7, Leviticus 26:12, Jeremiah 7:23, 11:4, 30:22, 		Ezekiel 36:28, John 3:16, Luke 15:11-32)
Knowing that you are loved by God (John 3:16, Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalm 36:7, 86:5, 		86:15, 136:26, John 15:9-17, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Romans 5:8, 8:37, Galatians 2:20, 		Ephesians 3:4-5, 1 John 4:7-8, 9-11)
Understanding that forgiveness is complete (1 John 1:9, Ephesians 1:7, Matthew 			6:14-15, Isaiah 1:18, Colossians 3:13, Acts 2:38)
Happens by grace only (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Re-committing your life to Jesus
Suffering is not evidence of God’s absence 
Roll back your pride to live for Him
The more you experience Him, the less empty you feel
His life can undo the death we are experiencing 

Mary met Jesus at an empty tomb – we can too!