We had a great time Easter Sunday.  In spite of the monsoon (torrential rains) we had 145 people.  It was awesome to celebrate our resurrected Lord. 

The worship team did a fantastic job leading us into worship.  The special songs fit perfectly with the illustrated message.  Children’s Church and the nursery were full and all the kids went home with a bunch of Easter eggs.  Most important of all, Christ was lifted up and I believe everyone left with the knowledge that their lives do not have to be empty.  The tomb is empty so we do not have to be.

Today, I feel more patriotic, or at least one of our politicians said I should.  In fact, he reminded us that it is patriotic to pay taxes.  I am reminded where Jesus said, “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s”, so I am.  Therefore, I am having a more positive outlook on it this year.  I feel like I am helping with the stimulus package.  I didn’t receive anything, but at least I can make sure that AIG, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae get their’s.  After all they are the one’s who really need the money. 

Seriously though, regardless of where my taxes go, it is something we are required to do.  So therefore, I will do my part.

Imagine being a disciple of Christ and grieving over the loss of a man who had spent three years pouring into your life. When we lose someone close, we visit their grave out of respect as well as seeking comfort, as if we can be close to them again. We miss them when they are gone.

The disciples of Jesus visited His grave to pay homage to their teacher and friend. Imagine the shock to find the stone rolled away and the body missing. What an atrocious act, someone had stolen the body. The Master had disappeared!

“Where has Jesus gone? Where is His body? We thought for sure He would still be here,” His disciples cried within

God sent the angels to the followers of Christ to give them comfort that the Jesus they are looking for is not missing but alive. He is not dead, He is risen! Jesus was raised from the dead.

This Savior who was buried after a horrific death is now alive and well. You and I serve a risen Savior who has the ability to give us life and share His life with us. His disciples had forgotten that He had told them that He would raise again. In essence they really didn’t believe it with all of their heart that He could actually raise from the dead.

Friend, you and I can believe without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is alive and He is living within the hearts of men and women today. Happy Easter!

The Grave, A Tomb, The Place of The Dead
This is the final place Jesus laid His head

Beaten, bruised, mocked and shamed
The crowds screamed, mocking His name

Peering over the crowd of Golgotha’s Hill
The pain unbearable, to pay sin’s bill

The wages of sin is death, we were guilty sure
Wretched sinners, naked, blind and poor

But Jesus, gave it all, bled til He could bleed no more
They pierced Him in His body to open salvation’s door

The clouds became dark as the Father looked away
Jesus breathed His last, gave His life on that Dreadful day

They carried His limp body and placed Him in the tomb
They walked away, as they hung their heads in gloom

It’s over, it’s finished, certainly He is done
What on earth has become of God’s only Son?

Their doubts arise, uncertainty filled the air
The disciples had no answers, the world it did not care.

When suddenly the ground shook, the stone it rolled away
Hearts began to quake as their night turned into day

Jesus was alive, risen from the grave
He alone awoke, His intentions were to save

Resurrected, awakened, healed, He’s Alive
The Risen Savior in our hearts has come to abide

From the sin of this world, He alone can save
Our risen Lord, Jesus, has risen from the grave

-Danny Cheney-

John Piper posted a great article which looks at the Christian’s Conversation with Death.

CHRISTIAN:

Hello, Death, my old enemy. My old slave-master. Have you come to talk to me again? To frighten me?

I am not the person you think I am. I am not the one you used to talk to. Something has happened. Let me ask you a question, Death.  

Where is your sting?

 

DEATH, sneeringly:

My sting is your sin.

CHRISTIAN:

I know that, Death. But that’s not what I asked you. I asked, where is your sting? I know what it is. But tell me where it is.
Why are you fidgeting, Death? Why are you looking away? Why are you turning to go? Wait, Death, you have not answered my question. Where is your sting?

Where is, my sin?
What? You have no answer? But, Death, why do you have no answer? How will you terrify me, if you have no answer?

O Death, I will tell you the answer. Where is your sting? Where is my sin? It is hanging on that tree. God made Christ to be sin—my sin. When he died, the penalty of my sin was paid. The power of it was broken. I bear it no more.
Farewell, Death. You need not show up here again to frighten me. God will tell you when to come next time. And when you come, you will be his servant. For me, you will have no sting.

O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)  

HT: Desiring God Blog (John Piper)

 

” This little cheap god we’ve made up is one you can pal around with-“the Man upstairs,” the fellow who helps you win baseball games.  That god isn’t the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  He isn’t the God who laid the foundations of heaven and earth; he’s some other god.”

“We educated Americans can create gods just the same as the heathen can.  You can make a god out of silver, wood or stone – or you can make it out of your own imagination.  And the god that’s being worshipped in many places is simply a god of imagination.  He’s not the true God.  He’s not the infinite, perfect, all-knowing, all-wise, all-loving, infinitely boundless, perfect God.  He’s something short of that.  Christianity is decaying and going down into the gutter because the god of modern Christianity is not the God of the Bible.  I don’t mean to say that we do not pray to God; I mean to say that we pray to a god short of what he ought to be.  We have got to think of God as being the perfect One.”

A.W. Tozer – The Attributes of God Volume 1

Steven Scott has written a masterpiece in this intriguing look into The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived.  What greater person to study than Jesus Christ Himself.  Scott’s insightful look at the characteristics of Christ and His teachings unfolds some dynamic principles that are meant to be inherent in every Christ-follower.

The author begins the book with the subject of what Christ can do for you, which in short, is a chapter dealing with the life-changing power of Jesus Christ.  Scott weaves personal stories, Scripture, the teachings of Jesus and many accounts from recent history to engage the reader into discovering how Jesus can help us to live life not only successfully, but also with joy.

My favorite chapter was “Meaning that Motivates: Finding Your Why’s”.  The basic premise is, don’t just do something for the sake of doing it or even just for money and gain.  Scott reasons we must find the why we do what we do.  Why should we create a product?  Why should we serve?  Why should we live the way we do?  Answering why gives us the true meaning.  Life is for a reason and we must identify the reason for our being and for the things we do, even as it has to do with our walk with God.  It helped me think on my calling and put it into proper perspective.  That this is not just a profession and a calling.  Since reading this chapter, I have been answering the “whys” for a few weeks now.

In all, this book is a good and easy read and will help the reader to discover all that Christ has for them.  It answers many of the great questions of life, not just from a theological stand-point but from a Biblically based perspective that simply looks at the life of Jesus Christ.

Summary:

In The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, Scott guides readers in a step-by-step application of the life-changing principles, skills, and methods that Jesus used throughout his earthly life. Although believers may spend a lifetime learning from Jesus’ teachings, it’s easy to overlook the powerful lessons demonstrated in His life. But when these incomparable lessons are learned and put to use, they enable ordinary people to achieve extraordinary success and happiness.

From Jesus’ earthly life readers will learn:

• How to break through the barriers that prevent them from achieving extraordinary success at work and relational success at home.
• How to experience a level of happiness and fulfillment that nothing the world offers can duplicate.
• How to use adversity and opposition as a springboard for greater success.
• How to love others in a way that increases their love as well.

No matter what a person’s area of expertise and in what setting a person influences others, living by the principles of Jesus’ life on earth produces extraordinary success, unprecedented achievements, personal fulfillment, and blessings for others.

Author Bio:

Steven K. Scott is the best-selling author of The Richest Man Who Ever Lived,The Greatest Words Ever Spoken, and Mentored by a Millionaire. After failing in nine jobs, he started reading a chapter of Proverbs every day—and the wisdom of Scripture changed his life. Scott and his business partners have built more than a dozen multimillion-dollar companies from scratch, achieving billions of dollars in sales. He is the co-founder of Max International, Total Gym Fitness, and The American Telecast Corporation. He is a popular international speaker on the subjects of personal and professional achievement and the application of biblical wisdom to every area of life.

You can get a copy of The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived at www.christianbook.com.

Yesterday, I wrote about my passion for preaching and how, often, our passions get out of order.  Meaning, we allow other passions to consume us more than others. 

I have a passion for souls.  I have a passion for prayer.  I have a passion to know God.  I pursue these things.  I am sure these are your passions and pursuit as well. 

Here is the question I have been asking myself this week:  Are these the things I am MOST passionate about?  Are my priorities and passions in the right order?

Often in our Christian life, we continue to be passionate about the right things.  We haven’t lost those passions altogether, it might just be that they are not as strong as they used to be.  Or, in many cases, we allow another passion to take first place.  I am constantly on a journey in my Christian walk.  I often evaluate my life in light of what God desires and what His passion for me is.  I pray as the Psalmist, “Search my heart and see if there is any wicked way in me.”

The key to continued spiritual growth is honesty with self and God.  It is being willing to open your heart and allow God to work in you.  The successful Christian will always seek to fix himself before he fixes everyone else.  When we find something that needs to be fixed, we must fix it.  If our passions are out of order, it is the time to put them back in their proper place.