In this sermon, the speaker shares their personal journey of being lost in sin and feeling estranged from God. Despite feeling undeserving, they experienced the overwhelming love and grace of God, who washed away their pain and made them feel brand new. The speaker then transitions to discussing the upcoming Passover and Jesus' crucifixion. They mention Jesus instructing his disciples to prepare for the Passover meal and how Jesus took bread and wine, symbolizing his body and blood, and shared it with his disciples. The sermon concludes with a reminder to watch and pray, as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane, and to trust in God's will being fulfilled.

I was raised in a Christian home all my life, but I spent about six years lost in drugs and selling drugs and in and out of jail. In fact, I was in and out of jail three or four times by the time I was age 18, but I'm just here to tell you all that the Lord's got a hold of my life. I've been delivered. The devil doesn't have a hold of my life anymore. And last night, the Lord gave me this poem I wanted to read just as part of my testimony. It says, life was once empty and aimless with wandering, I mean, excuse me, life was once empty with aimless wanderings and confusion. This life lived was that of a destitute place. This life was filled with hopelessness and ever growing despair. This life found me battered and empty, lying lifeless on my face. How did I get here? I wondered and feared. I looked inside and realized that my conscience was seared. I could not understand how I'd fallen so far. From the Lord, I found myself estranged and afar. I was barren and defiled, hopeless, even lost when I realized the father want to be home no matter what the cost. I reached out my battered hand with one last spark of strength. In doing this, I felt a hand that would soon wash away my pain. He scooped me up into his arms and held me to his face. I could not understand this for I did not deserve his grace. I looked up at him with tearful eyes and all he did was smile. With all the time I was lost in sin, he loved me all the while. He washed me with his love and grace and made me feel brand new. Then he brought me to his kingdom, turned my gray skies to blue. He showed me the wounds on his hands and feet and the piercing in his side. He said, I've done this all for you, my son, so you can be my bride. As you know, the Passover is two days away and the son of man will be handed over to be crucified. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover? He replied, go into the city to a certain man and tell him the teacher says my appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to his disciples saying, take and eat. This is my body. Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them saying, drink from it all of you. This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. Sit here while I go over there and pray. Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. He went away a second time and prayed. My Father, it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it. Your will be done for the forgiveness of sins. You think I cannot call on my Father and He will at once put in my disposal more than 12 legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled? I'd say it must happen in this way, for the forgiveness of sins. In my leading rebellion that you come out with swords and clubs to capture me every day, I sat in the temple courts teaching and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled for the forgiveness of sins. I charge you under oath by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. Yes, it is as you say. Jesus replied. But I say to all of you, in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the mighty one and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. What shall I do then with Jesus who is called Christ? Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified. Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head, put a staff in his right hand and held it in front of him and mocked him. They spit on him, took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. Save Douglas. He can't save himself. He's the king of Israel. Let him come down now from the cross and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him if he wants it. For he said, I am the son of God. At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. The next day, the one after preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. Sir, they said, we remember that while he was still alive, that deceiver said, after three days I will rise again. So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he's been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.