Noah, the new movie starring Russell Crowe, hit the theaters this past week. After reading a few dozen reviews I figured it was time to see it for myself. Yes, the film took some huge leaps from the biblical story, but it was sure entertaining, and it also provoked the following thoughts about preaching: (1) The biblical story is flat-out amazing (not just the Noah story, but the entire biblical storyline of creation-fall-judgment-redemption), and people in our culture are surprisingly hungry for the real story. (2) Someone needs to tell this story in a fresh, compelling, and accurate way. (3) That "someone" is the preacher. We can't expect Hollywood to strive for accuracy to the biblical text. But week after week, Sunday after Sunday, preachers have the amazing privilege of pointing their people to the best redemption story, the only Savior, and a path for holiness. Okay, so you're not Russell Crowe, but you have something even better: "Christ in you, the hope of glory."

As you're gearing up for your Easter sermon, let this week's featured sermon from Bryan Wilkerson—"Hope Is a Who"—inspire your own thinking about a beautiful biblical story—Mary weeping outside the tomb. Wilkerson reminds us, "If life has a way of killing dreams, Christ's resurrection has a way of bringing them back to life."

This week to help you in your preaching efforts we offer the following:

• Featured Sermon: Hope Is a Who by Bryan Wilkerson
• Featured Illustration: "Tough Guy" Math Teacher Has Tender Heart
• Video: NEW! Our King (Palm Sunday)

In Christ,

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

P.S. Have you picked out your Easter video from our PT media store yet? Check out a special free video download based on Romans 8 as you prepare your Easter sermon.

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