Dharius Daniels - It's Only a Detour

John chapter 20, verse one states, «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 at the strips of linen lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight to the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’s 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, but they still did not understand from the scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.»

I want to talk from this subject in our time together, and I just want to know, does anybody know how to talk back to the preacher? I know I have one with Donna over here, I know I have one with Rachel right there, and I know my Change Global family has my back. Easton, I know you’ve got on your Easter something. I want to talk from this subject: It’s just a detour. It’s just a detour.

Ladies and gentlemen, all over the world this weekend, people are gathered in a plethora of places. They’re in cathedrals, they’re in community centers, they’re in churches, they’re in cars, they’re in homes—pausing for the cause of celebrating the most significant event in human history: the resurrection of Jesus. And whereas many assume this resurrection is a religious myth, those of us who have had an authentic and unique experience with him recognize it’s more than a religious myth; it’s actually a historical fact. Jesus got up.

The bones of dinosaurs have been discovered, the remains of mummified pharaohs have been found, and the Dead Sea Scrolls have been recovered, but the body of Jesus is still nowhere to be seen. Critics have looked for him, atheists have searched for him, and haters have tried to find him. But after years of seeking and searching, they have ended up being unsuccessful, unable to locate any indication of the remains of Jesus. And what they don’t know is that they can look until Jesus comes back a second time, and they will not find him, because he is not there. Did you hear what I just said? I said he is not there.

Therefore, it is essential and important every year around this time that we become intentional about expressing our appreciation—watch this—that he got up. This is gospel; this is good news. Yeah, the resurrection itself isn’t gospel for us; that’s gospel or good news for Jesus. But the implications of the resurrection, that’s gospel for us. Jesus getting up—that’s good for him, and when I know what it means, that’s good for me.

And I came to tell somebody on this Resurrection Sunday morning that Jesus didn’t just get up so that he could get up. Jesus got up as a picture of possibility for you. He didn’t just get up to be your savior; he got up to be your example. He said, «I want to show you not just what’s possible with me; I’m trying to show you what’s possible for you.» Did you hear what I just said? I said Jesus is saying, «I’m not just trying to show you what I can do; I’m giving you access and exposure to this because I’m trying to show you what you can do.»

And I want us to start reading the Bible and looking at the works of Jesus, and not just being inspired by what he can do, but we need to be educated in what we can do. You might not be in a literal tomb, but there are some things in your life that are in metaphorical tombs. Maybe your joy is dead; maybe your peace is dead; maybe there’s a relationship that’s dead; maybe your dreams are dead; maybe your timeline is dead. Maybe you thought you’d be at a different place, in a different space, in this season of your life.

I came to tell somebody that just like Jesus walked out of his tomb, this is your time; this is your season to walk out of yours, because he can bring those dead things back to life. It’s one thing to understand the act of the resurrection; it’s another thing to understand the implications. It’s one thing to know that it happened; it’s another thing to know what it means. Him getting up means you can get up.

This isn’t just religious rhetoric; this isn’t just church talk. You saw the sign when you walked in here. This is a no-cap community. Yeah, no, no, no—the Bible says this: What Paul says, «The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives on the inside of you.» Resurrection is not a season; resurrection is a spirit. It’s in you. So you don’t have to wait until Easter Sunday every year to experience some resurrections. Jesus said, «I am the resurrection.» Wherever I am, resurrection is possible. You don’t have to wait until Sunday; you can get one on Monday. You don’t have to wait until Monday; you can get one on Tuesday. You can wake up at nine o’clock on a Saturday night and say, «I’m getting up,» and the Spirit that’s on the inside of you will empower and enable. I need somebody to just…