Nearly every good story centers on one thing: "a character wants something and has to overcome conflict to get it." Think of Frodo in the Lord of the Rings, or Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, or Katniss in the Hunger Games (or even Lloyd in Dumb and Dumber!). Or think of your life or the life of everyone who'll show up to your church this Easter season. That's the gist of Bryan Wilkerson's marvelous Easter sermon -"What's Your Story?" Bryan provides some fresh, biblically-grounded, and culturally-relevant ways to talk about the story of Jesus' death and resurrection.

Every week we're also posting some great ways to illustrate your own sermons for Easter Week. Check out a medical doctor's fascinating description about the medical miracle of a bodily resurrection. Or check out this week's -"News That Illustrates'" story about a father in Japan who died while sheltering his daughter from a blizzard.

This week we also feature:

• Sermon Series: Wicked, a four-part series on sin and redemption by James Emery White
• Illustration: English Law Provided a Way for Sinners to Find Refuge
• Video: Street Takes—Jesus

In Christ,

Matt Woodley
Managing Editor, PreachingToday.com
mwoodley@christianitytoday.com

Matt Woodley is the pastor of compassion ministries at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois.