The Rock Church - A contemporary church in Asheville, North Carolina

I love these lines in the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow": 

Somewhere over the rainbow way up high

There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true

You might be wondering what in the world The Wizard of Oz has to do with Easter Sunday. I'm starting a series of messages, speaking to the dreamer inside of you and to the dreamers among us. 

Dorothy is stuck in Kansas - and she's dreaming of another place. The truth is - every person has a dream inside for something greater than what they're living right now. 

Your dream is the key to what you were created for.

Some people love children. Others dream of building a great business.

There are people reading this who dream of making music, being in ministry or having a great family.

You were born to dream.

God places a dream in your spirit - A purpose for your life - A picture of what He wants for you.

Your dream is the beginning of your future.

Acts 2:17

A man or woman with a dream in their spirit is elevated above the monotonous.  They have a sense of destiny.

Something changes in the dailies of life when you have a dream in you.  Your dream is your guiding light. It is your sense of purpose on the earth.

You probably had a dream while you were growing up. You wanted to be a baseball player, an astronaut or perhaps a teacher. 

As you start to get older you can feel like your career, your marriage, your ministry, your aspirations and your hopes seem very far away.

Genesis 37:5

The Bible is full of stories of dreams and dreamers. If you had entered their life on a certain day, it would have seemed like anything but a dream being fulfilled.

Joseph had a dream. His family rose against him and tossed him in a pit.

Abraham had a dream for a child. He spent 25 long years waiting for the promise.

David was anointed king by Samuel, but then had to spend time on the run from Saul.

Moses had a dream. Then he spent 40 years on the back side of the desert. 

Luke 24:13 - 21

Jesus appeared to two men walking the road to Emmaus as they discussed the crucifixion. Discouraged by his death, they were hoping that Jesus was one who would redeem Israel.

We all walk down our own Emmaus road at some point in our life.

We were hoping the relationship was going to work out.

We were hoping the business deal was going to go through.

We were hoping the opportunity was going to go our way. 

The problem with life is that it's so daily. You wake up and go to work, pay the bills, wash the clothes and fix stuff around the house. Your dreams seem a million miles away.

On the Emmaus road, you find yourself facing disappointment beyond your own ability to fix. You had an expectation of your ministry, your job, your life and your relationships - But now you are wondering:  Is it ever going to happen?

Proverbs 13:12

Proverbs 15:13

Proverbs 18:14

Your heart can grow weak when you have a dream or a vision that doesn't seem to be coming to pass.

But thank God for Easter!  Easter is God's demonstration that nothing can hold back the plan of God - not death, not hell or any enemy.

This is the power of the Resurrection:

Life has defeated death

Light has defeated darkness

Life conquers death

Light conquers darkness

Faith conquers doubt

Love conquers hate

Positive dispels negative

Easter is the celebration that the life of God wins over all enemies.

Easter reminds us:  With God there's hope, even when it seems all over!

Acts 2:32

Acts 13:30

Keep walking forward. The Bible says over and over that God raised Jesus from the dead.  If God can raise Jesus from the dead, your problem is well within His range. And so are your dreams!