Resurrection Sunday

Happy Resurrection Day! It’s Easter Sunday and Jesus is alive! Death could not hold Him. The grave could not keep Him. It’s a day to shout the news from the mountaintops: Satan lost and Jesus won! Everything changed when the King arose.
If you’ve been around the church very long, you know this story well. It is the foundation of the Christian faith. But the Spirit has been teaching me to sit in the Scriptures and soak up what I tend to rush over in my familiarity.
There is one part of the Easter story that came alive to me several years ago when I first started writing out Scripture. It’s in John’s account of the resurrection in chapter 20. Mary Magdalene had gone to the tomb to grieve. She saw that the stone was rolled away and looked inside to discover that His body was gone. Two angels guarded the place where He had lain. I imagine her stumbling backward in confusion and fresh waves of grief. Through her tear-filled eyes, she sees a man, probably the gardener, she assumes. He approaches and asks, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for” (v. 15). She pleads for the body of her Lord. Then He calls her by name: “Mary.” And she knows. It is Jesus. He is alive! Heart pounding. Mind racing. Hands shaking. She answers: “Rabboni!” And all her grief turns to Joy.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in human history. Easter celebrates the day the Son of God rose from the dead and assured eternal life for all who would believe on Him. But in that quiet morning, Easter was very personal for one woman. Before the disciples and the rest of Israel would hear that Jesus had risen, Mary saw Him with her own eyes.
As you gather in places of worship today and listen to the old, old Easter story, hear it with fresh ears. Imagine yourself all alone in the garden early on that Sunday morning. Listen closely as the Lord calls out your name. Easter is for all the world, and it is just for you. May the Joy of the resurrection fill your heart today Beloved. He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Promises and Prophecies

Yesterday the weather prediction was for an 80% chance of rain. While my husband and I were out early running errands we got some misty sprinkles, and that was it for the day. NOAA recorded 0.08 inches of rain for the day. Somebody’s prediction was wrong. Predictions often fall short – prognostication is not an exact science. Ask Punxsutawney Phil.
That is why I am so thankful that the Bible is a book of promises and prophecies, not predictions. Whatever the Lord says will happen just as He declared. That is because He is operating from a position of sovereignty and providence. Those are words we don’t use much in our contemporary religion, but they are powerful and carry a rich and significant meaning. The word “sovereign” speaks to God’s rightful authority over every created thing – which covers everything that exists. Likewise, the word “providence” is speaking to God’s charge over everything He has made. I take great comfort in that.
We can see God’s supernatural hand in all through Scripture. The Lord promised Israel a land of their own and He gave them the Promised Land in Canaan – which is still their God-given territory no matter what men say. He prophesied exile in Babylon for Israel – and restoration after seventy years. Every word came to fulfillment. And He promised that, despite enemies, imprisonment, a shipwreck, and a snakebite, Paul would preach in Rome. Luke reported, “And so we came to Rome” (Acts 28:14). God does everything He declares.
When I come to passages that prophesy Christ’s return, I have one eye always looking to the east, anticipating His appearance (Matt 24:27). One day He will break open the sky and it will roll back like a scroll (Rev. 6:14). He will set His feet on the Mount of Olives and it will be split in two “from east to west, forming a great valley” (Zec 14:4). “The Lord will be King over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and His name the only name.” (v. 9).
Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon” (Rev 22:7). If you do not know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, that is a frightening prophecy, but if you are in Christ, His return is an exciting promise. Beloved, you can take Him at His Word; He is on His way. Will you join me in declaring, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).

Doctrines of the Faith: God the Father

The Apostle’s Creed is the core doctrinal statement of the Church. It outlines every foundational statement of the Christian faith. The opening statement says: “I believe in God the Father . . .” What does that mean? Are we “all God’s children” as many philosophers and modern songwriters have claimed?
Deuteronomy 32:6 is the first mention of the Lord as “Father.” Moses declared: Is He not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?” In this sense, God is called Father because, like a human father He is instrumental in creating life. As man’s Creator, He is The Force of life. But the Old Testament people did not relate to God as a personal Father.
Jesus addressed God as Father in His prayers – often using the tender name “Abba” as little children would do – and he called Him “my Father” on multiple occasions when speaking to his disciples. In the prayer He taught them, said, “This, then is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven hallowed be Your name. . .’” (Matt 6:9). He set this forward as a term of reverence. It was a step closer to the kind of relationship that He had with God but was still a formal declaration of devotion and veneration.
But go with me now to the tomb. When Mary Magdalene encountered the resurrected Lord in the garden, He told her to “Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (Jn 20:17). Now His Father was the disciples’ Father – and subsequently our Father. (On a side note: Jesus first called His disciples servants, then He called them friends. But after His resurrection, He called them brothers.)
Paul wrote that all who come to Christ Jesus “receive adoption as sons” [and daughters], and are full heirs with Christ. We are granted “the Spirit of Sonship” and that same Spirit “testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Rom 8:15-16). He also wrote that “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ” (v. 9). No Christ – no Spirit – no Father.
God is indeed the Creator of all people, but He is not the Father of all people. He is the Father of every person whom He chooses to come into saving faith through His Son, Jesus. Beloved, is that you?

Acts: When the Way is Hard

We’re back to Acts. When we last left Paul, he had shared his testimony of coming to faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God. We pick up in Acts 22:30; please read through 23:11.
Paul stood before the Sanhedrin, the ruling Jewish council – a mixture of Pharisees and Sadducees – who were united in their hatred for Jesus and for His followers. But they were separated on certain theological issues, one of which was the resurrection of the dead. Paul, himself once a Pharisee, called out to his fellow Pharisees to defend – not him – but the doctrine of the resurrection. A fierce dispute ensued which turned into a violent physical attack on Paul. The commander, concerned for Paul’s life ordered him taken away to a safe location and kept in isolation.
But Paul was not alone. The Lord was there. “The Lord stood near Paul and said, ‘Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome” (v. 11). He had a plan that was bigger than Paul or the Sanhedrin, or the entire Roman army. Jump back to Saul’s conversion in Acts 9. The Lord sent Ananias to tell him that he was His “chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings . . .” (v. 15). Now He was about to use all this chaos, hatred, and persecution to propel Paul into His God-ordained purpose. In Rome. Peek ahead to Acts 28:14: “And so we came to Rome.” God’s plans never fail, not matter how the situation looks or feels. Perhaps this is where Paul learned the truth of Romans 8:28.
Don’t button this verse up just yet – there’s something else I want you to see. Not only was Jesus in the room with him, but He “stood near Paul.” The original word indicates a wind. Maybe I’m being poetic but, in my heart, I believe he was so close to Paul that the apostle felt the Lord’s breath on his face. Why do I say that? Because I have sensed Him that near and felt a breeze as He spoke comfort and assurance to my heart. I need Him to come near again.
Life will take you to all sorts of places, some good, some hard, some shattering. But Paul and I will tell you, the Lord is near. He will “never leave you nor forsake you” (Jos 1:5). Jesus said He would be “with you always” (Mat 28:20). That, Beloved, is a promise on which you can rest your weary soul.

How to be Saved

I was reading at the very end of Luke’s Gospel about the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus in chapter 24. Jesus appeared on the road to Emmaus and joined two disciples walking there. They talked about what had occurred in Jerusalem in recent days. They were talking about Him. But “they were kept from recognizing Him” (v. 16). He explained the prophecies from the Scriptures about Himself and joined them for a meal. “He took the bread, gave thanks, and broke it and began to give it to them.” And something happened. “Their eyes were opened and they recognized Him . . .” (vv. 30-31). Hold that thought.

A few verses later, after the two men rejoined the Eleven, Jesus appeared to them again. But they did not believe it was really Him – “because of Joy and amazement” (v. 41) – until he again joined them for a meal of broiled fish. He reminded them that He had told them these things must happen to fulfill all that had been written. Then Luke said, “He opened their mind so they could understand the Scriptures” (v. 45).

In my Bible, verses 31 and 45 are parallel to one another and I have drawn a line to connect the two because this is how the Holy Spirit works to bring people to Christ. He opens their eyes so they can recognize who Jesus is – the Son of God and He opens their minds so they can understand the truth about Him – that He is the risen Lord. Jesus also said the Holy Spirit will convict the sinner (Jn 16:8) – an act that takes place in the heart.

Paul said, “If you confess with your mouth that “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9). Salvation is not a decision merely based on emotion. It is the conviction that you are a sinner in need of a savior. It is recognizing and accepting Jesus as the Savior you need. And it is a conscious choice to follow Him day by day.

Is there someone you love who needs salvation? Pray that the Holy Spirit will touch their eyes, their mind, and their heart to see and know and believe. Or maybe the one who needs salvation is you. Beloved, Please reach out to me and let me share Jesus with you. It is the most important decision you will ever make.

Time to Change

Joy does not like to wear dirty clothes. She insists that she must change if she sees just a little spot on her shirt. Last weekend her Daddy took her to a trampoline place to jump to her heart’s content, which also got her clothes dirty. She protested until she got home and changed.

In Zechariah, Joshua became the high priest when the Jews returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian captivity.  (Note: this is about a thousand years after Moses’ Joshua.)  In Zechariah’s vision, Joshua was standing before the Lord with “satan standing at his right side to accuse him” (3:1). The Lord God rebuked satan for his lies. Joshua represented Jerusalem, the city of the Lord’s temple.  Joshua was “dressed in filthy clothes” and the word used here means his clothes were soiled with human excrement. An angel came and removed his filthy clothes, symbolizing the Lord taking away the sin of Jerusalem. Then he put “rich garments” on Joshua and “a clean turban” on his head (vs 4,5). He dressed him in fine garments used only for a special occasion and crowned his head with purity. God cleansed Jerusalem and gave them back their dignity and purity as His people.

This is also a picture of Jesus, “the Branch who was to come” (v. 8). I hope you can see the prophecy clearly. Even the name “Joshua” was the Hebrew equivalent of “Jesus.” Joshua foreshadowed Jesus, the pure and holy Son of God who was stained with all the filth of humankind. But Jesus put off those filthy clothes and left them in the grave and He put on the garments of the priestly king (Heb 6:20; Matt 27:11). He is now in heaven clothed in majesty (Ps 93:1).  

This is also a picture of you and me and all who will believe in Him. We wore clothes stained with the filth of our sins, and satan was hurling accusations (Rev 12:10). But Jesus “Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Pet 2:24). He clothed us in “garments of salvation and robes of righteousness” (Is 61:10). We are now “clothed with Christ” (Gal 3:27). And with those new holy clothes, we have a new nature (Col 3:10), and even a new mind – “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16).

Dear one, it’s time to change. It’s time to take off the old filthy clothes and dress like who you are. Clean. Pure. Righteous. Holy. Step behind the curtain, Beloved. Jesus is waiting for you in the dressing room.

God Shows Up

God sent Moses to bring His people out of Egypt. Moses delivered the Lord’s demand: “Let my people go” (Ex 5:1). Pharoah retaliated by increasing the workload for the Israelites. When they could not keep up, they were beaten for failing to make quota. The situation was as bad as it could be for the Hebrews. The Israelites turned on Moses. Moses blamed God for the mess they were all in.

What was the Lord’s response? “Now you will see what I will do” (6:1)

Over and over and over in the Bible, we see situations turn dark and hopeless for God’s people – and then we see God show up and do what only He can do.

He shows up at the Red Sea.

He shows up at Jericho.

He shows up at the battle of Gibeon.

He shows up in the stories of Deborah and Jael, Gideon, Samson, and Ruth.

He shows up in Hannah’s prayer.

He shows up when David squares off against Goliath.

He shows up in every battle Israel faces.

He shows up in the widow’s jar of oil.

He shows up when Elisha and his servant are surrounded by Israel’s enemy.

He shows up in the fiery furnace and the lion’s den.

He shows up for Esther in Persia.

He shows up all throughout the Psalms.

He shows up in the belly of a whale.

He shows up in the eyes of the woman with the issue of blood and the parents of a dead little girl.

He shows up in a storm at sea, among crowds of hungry people, and in the faces of everyone who was healed, released, or raised by Jesus.

He shows up on an old wooden cross and an empty tomb.

He shows up in saints scattered by persecution.

He shows up in the face of Stephen as stones fly.

He shows up in Paul’s prison cell.

He shows up in Jesus’ final words: “I am coming soon.”

Some of us are sitting in hard places right now. We are grieving. We are hurting. We are tired. We are anxious. We are overwhelmed. We need God to show up and declare: “Now you will see what I will do.” I’m counting on Him with all my heart. You can too, Beloved, because God always shows up.

Stand Firm

This morning something caught my attention in 1 Corinthians, and when I turned the page to 2 Corinthians there it was again. I knew this was the word for today: “Stand firm.” Paul wrote, “Therefore, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58). “Stand firm” in the Greek means “to be settled.” It’s worth noting that we determine how we will respond before the battle, not in the middle – and we do not waver.

But life is hard, the evil world is cruel, and the devil is always on the attack. How can we stand firm when everything thing around us is against us? That’s where 2 Corinthians comes in: “Now it is God who makes us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (1:21-22). Oh, thanks be – God Himself enables and empowers us to stand firm through His Holy Spirit.

But we do have a responsibility in this as Paul added, “It is by faith that you stand firm” (v. 24). Peter said that “God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him . . . [and] through His very great and precious promises” (2 Pet 1:3-4). Knowing God makes the decision to stand firm, and faith plants our feet on the solid rock of what – and Whom – we know.

One more point. Did you notice the “Therefore . . .” in the first verse? What’s it there for? Throughout the entire 15^th chapter Paul focused on the resurrection – specifically the resurrection of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the resurrection of the body. This is our guarantee (2 Cor 1:22) that all who are in Christ will also be resurrected at His return (vv. 20-21) and we will be given perfect heavenly, eternal bodies (vv. 42-44). Peter said these are God’s “very great and precious promises” (v. 1) Each of these verses tied the ability to stand firm with the hope of eternal life with Christ. “Therefore,” the hope of eternity is our motivation for standing firm in our faith in Christ.

I know, it’s not easy. I know you have wounds and battle scars inside and out. But the promise of eternity is your impetus for faithfulness. Stand firm, Beloved. It will be worth it in the end – because in Christ, there is no end.

Acts: Proclaim the Gospel

In our last Acts lesson, we left the apostles in jail for ministering and preaching in Jesus’ name. At least that was the “party line.” But the real reason was “jealousy” (v. 17). The apostles had become very popular and the religious authorities felt threatened. This would be a good place to stop and read today’s text: Acts 5:17-42.

During the night an angel “opened the doors of the jail and brought them out” and told them to keep proclaiming the gospel. They were back in the temple courts at the first light of day (vs. 19-21). When the Sanhedrin met to question them, they were shocked to find the jail empty and the men “standing in the temple courts teaching the people” (v. 25). They were again brought before the Jewish leadership, albeit more gently out of fear of the people.

The Sanhedrin reminded them of their orders to refrain from teaching in the name of Jesus but Peter boldly declared “We must obey God rather than men.” (v. 29). He pointed the finger directly at the Jewish council as the perpetrators of Jesus’ murder and proclaimed the Lord’s resurrection and exaltation to the right hand of the Father. They were naturally furious and wanted them executed. But one Pharisee – Gamaliel – wisely advised caution saying “If [this] is from God you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God” (v. 39).

The culture today, particularly where I live in the U.S., is turning decidedly away from God. The message of the Bible is not welcome and is considered “hate speech.” How the gospel can be called hateful is beyond me – it is the greatest show of divine love in human history. The gospel declares the mercy of God towards sinful creatures who are rightly condemned for their corrupt state.

The apostles refused to back down, even after they were flogged. They “rejoiced because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (v. 41). They “never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ” (v. 42). So must we. The gospel is God’s message and it is unstoppable. It will offend some, but it will also save some. Maybe someone you love. Never stop declaring the good news of Jesus Christ. Eternity is at stake. Beloved, tell somebody about Jesus today.

Acts: The Name of Jesus Christ

What could possibly turn an impetuous, weak fisherman into a mighty preacher? What could cause a man who denied and cursed his teacher to gladly endure imprisonment for proclaiming that same name? What could empower a rag-tag bunch of timid fellows who’ve lost their leader into bold and fearless men who turned the whole world upside down? The conviction that what they have seen and experienced – and the One who made it all happen – is the real deal.

The fourth chapter of Acts (read vs. 1-12) opens with Peter and John in the temple teaching about Jesus and His resurrection. This did not sit well with the ruling religious authorities and the pair was thrown into jail. As the convening counsel questioned them the next day, Peter, who once denied the Lord three times, stood in the power of the Holy Spirit, and boldly declared the name of “Jesus Christ of Nazareth.” The name that healed a crippled man, but more than that, the name that brings salvation to all men. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (v. 12).

That declaration still holds true more than two thousand years later. There is still no other name but the name of Jesus Christ that can change men’s eternal destiny. Allah cannot save. Brahman cannot save. Confucius cannot save. Buddha cannot save. Nor can Muhammad, Krishna, the Dalai Lama, or the Pope. Not even Mary, the mother of Jesus can save anyone. And the biggest news flash of all – you cannot save yourself. Neither your name nor any other name has the power and authority to defeat death and eternal condemnation.

Our modern, “inclusive” culture wants to claim that you can believe anything and be granted some kind of glorious hereafter, as long as you are sincere. But sincerely will not save you. You can be whole-heartedly sincere all the way to hell. Only the name of Jesus carries any weight before the Eternal God of Heaven and Earth.

But it is not five letters strung together that give this name power. There were lots of men named Jesus (the Greek version of Joshua) before and after, but there was only one Jesus Christ. Only one Son of God. Only one God-Man who came from heaven lived a perfect, sinless life, died a criminal’s death He did not deserve, lay in a sealed tomb, and walked out three days later, gloriously alive. This is the Name that changes everything. Beloved, is your faith in the name of Jesus Christ?