107 Coldren Street, Johnstown, Pennsylvania 15904, United States
Upcoming Sermons & Devotional Message
April Sermons 2026
4-12 - The Other Road”
Luke 24:1-14 Luke 24:27-35
4-19 - “Jesus and the Doubter”
John 20:24-29 John 20:30-31
4-26- “ Redemption”
John 21:1-14 John 21:15-19
Devotional Message : These will change 1-2 times a week. Stop by often to read the new message.
Grace Wins!
“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.” (Matthew 28:1)
Every Sunday is Easter Sunday! For 20 centuries, our faith has risen or fallen on our belief in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It's central to our teaching—core to our belief—and the common foundation of our creeds. Each weekend, Christ-followers from all over the world gather to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead using the ancient words of The Apostles' Creed:
“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen.”
We look to the empty tomb and proclaim: “All things are possible!” “We have hope!” “Christ has been vindicated!” “Christ is risen!” GRACE WINS! We can see this in the little we know about Mary Magdalene—the first witness to the resurrected Jesus. Grace wins over sin, and Mary had a past.
Some say she was a repentant prostitute—indicating she was the one wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair. The Bible says Jesus cleansed her of seven demons. We don’t know all Mary had done, but her life was full of all kinds of vice. She became a follower of Jesus, was present at the cross, and was one of the first witnesses of the resurrection. Mary’s a reminder—GRACE WINS!
Do you have a past? Are there hurts, habits, and hang-ups that try to keep you locked in shame? Are there single words that define you—addict, victim, divorced, abused, failure, unfaithful, disappointment, unwanted, bitter, sinner. Easter announces, and Mary exemplifies—GRACE WINS!
Once again, Mary teaches us grace wins over death. Mary had a future. The resurrection of Jesus from the grave removes the sting of sin and death. It’s a reminder that this world isn’t all there is. Mary was the first to see and believe it. Jesus promised in His Father's house there are many rooms, and He was going to prepare a place for us and will come again and take us to Himself—that where He is, we will be also. Jesus told the repentant thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in paradise." We believe heaven is real, and those who believe in Jesus have a future. GRACE WINS!
Do you know your future? The Bible says if we believe in our hearts that Jesus is the Son of God and confess with our lips that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. Our past is forgiven. But we also have a future—heaven. For those who believe in Christ, this life is the closest to hell you’ll ever experience. For those who don’t believe in Christ, this life is the closest to heaven you’ll ever get. American author and minister Frederick Buechner said it this way: "Resurrection means that the worst thing—is never the last thing."
GRACE WINS!