THE GREAT EXCHANGE: A Sacrifice of Love & Hope that Rises

Living Stones Series: First Published in All Around Old Bridge Publication – April 2025, Pastor Lloyd Pulley

Good Friday reminds us of sacrifice. Easter Sunday declares the triumph of hope – because the cross was not the end but the beginning of redemption. For many, sacrifice has been a source of pain rather than hope. You may have longed for love from a parent, spouse, friend, or mentor, only to be betrayed or abandoned or perhaps just discouraged by the confusion of this present culture. If you carry wounds from those who should have cared for you, know this: Jesus understands.

He, too, was betrayed, denied, and despised by those closest to Him. Yet, in the greatest act of love, He chose to lay down His life – not for the perfect, but for the broken. For you.

The cross is where pain meets redemption, where injustice meets mercy, where your story can be rewritten. And Easter morning? It declares that brokenness does not have the final word – hope does.

If you feel distant from God or uncertain about faith, bring your wounded heart to the One who can restore it. Jesus sees you. He knows your name. And He gave everything to make you whole.

This Easter, as many – including a surprising number of Gen Z – are rediscovering Jesus and the Bible, we invite you to take another look.

Join us at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge:
Good Friday (April 18th) 4:00 PM & 6:00 PM
Easter Sunday (April 20th) 6:30 AM, 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM

Don’t let past wounds keep you from healing. Come as you are. Hope is alive, and it’s waiting for you.