Text: Jeremiah 31:1-6

Topic: How God helps you bounce back from defeat

Introduction:

• In Easter we celebrate Jesus' defeat of the grave.

• Big Idea: God can turn any defeat into victory.

• God loves us beyond what we are capable of understanding.

• God's love for us is greater than any love we could have for anyone.

• God doesn't love you because you are lovable; he loves you because he is love.

• Jeremiah 31:3

• Illustration: May illustrates our universal longing for love by quoting American Atheists founder, Madelyn Murray O'Hare's diary: "Somebody, somewhere, love me."

• Jeremiah 31:4

• Illustration: May tells the story of Billy Graham's mistake-laden trip to the Truman White House, after which Truman said, "Graham will never be invited to the White House again," to illustrate that God gives second chances.

God promises to fill your life with joy.

• Illustration: May tells a long story from childhood—involving broken glass, a lecture from Dad, and some serious self-pity—to illustrate how we can often make our defeats seem much more final and fatal than they are.

• Jeremiah 31:4-5

He promises to make you effective in life.

• Jeremiah 31:5

• Many times in life our greatest victories come after our greatest defeats.

Illustration: May points out that H.J Heinz, Walt Disney and Milton Hershey all declared bankruptcy before becoming successful.

• Many people decide that after failing once, they will never succeed again.

Illustration: May briefly recounts the story of Moses, a man who had failed but who God used after his failure to do great things.

Conclusion:

• Illustration: May quickly quotes a man (and a few other examples) who believes his past failure at being a Christian prevents him from trying again.

• It's not too late.

• Easter demonstrates that if God can beat death, he can beat anything.

• Jesus paid the price for all your defeat.

• God turned his greatest defeat into victory — and he can do the same for you.