Remember Christ this Easter Sunday

Dear Friends.  On this week, one thousand, nine hundred and eighty-four years ago, our Lord ate his last meal before his death.  He was betrayed by one that walked with him during his ministry on earth.  He gave himself willingly to be tortured, mocked, humiliated, spit upon, and ridiculed by lesser men.  His beard was yanked out by the roots.  There was a crown of thorns shoved down on his head. Most the flesh on his back was torn off through beatings.  Last of all, he had to carry his own cross.  Even our Lord, after he spent the entire night and most of the next morning being tortured, was so weak in his body, that he couldn’t endure the weight of the cross, and fell in the street a bloody mess.  He allowed himself to be nailed to that cross, and hung up to die one of the most excruciatingly painful death ever devised. 

Isaiah 52: 14  As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:  The word astonied comes from the Hebrew word shamem.  It means to stun: grow numb; stupefy; be shocked; make amazed; be astonished; wonder.

He did all of this willingly, for you.  The God of glory, the creator of heaven and earth himself, took on the body of man, and willingly gave up his life, to redeem us from the curse Adam put us under.  And believe me, his pain was every bit as severe as ours would have been under the same circumstances.  He was God, but also just as human as we are.

All he asked of us is one simple thing.  Believe in him.  Paul explains it as we give our lives to him and allow him to live through us.  We put away our old ways, and become a new creation.

I Corinthians 11:23 – 26  23) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you.  That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:  24) And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, “Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.”  25) After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.”  26) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

Notice this scripture ends with ‘till he come.’  That tells us he will come again.  But if we die before his return, we can have confidence that we shall be with him.  Give him thanks this weekend, and give thanks to the Father God for allowing his Son to endure this for us.  There are none of us that deserve the price paid for our chance to have eternal life.  The Lord gave himself for us, so please accept his gift.  You will be eternally grateful.

The Armour of God

Ephesians 6: 11 -18  11) Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17) And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

The first five are all defensive: Truth, righteousness, preparation of the gospel of peace, faith & salvation.  The last two are offensive: the word of God and prayer.   Ending up with "supplication for all saints" which shows God our love towards our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Make your request known to God

Psalms 34: 18  The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite (crushed) spirit.

Works without love profit us nothing

If you have not charity you profit nothing

I Corinthians 13  1) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.  2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.  4) Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5) Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6) Rojoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7) Beareth all thing, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never fails

8) Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.  9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  10) But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.  11) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 

Now we see through a glass darkly

12) For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.  13) And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Fight the good fight of faith

The love of money is the root of all evil

I Timothy 6: 6-14  6) But godliness with contentment is great gain.  7) For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  8) And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.  9) But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lust, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  10) For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  11) But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love patience, meekness. 

12) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.  13) I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;  14) That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Reasonable Service

A peculiar people

Titus 2: 11 – 14  11) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

A living sacrifice

Romans 12: 1 – 2  1) I Beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God

God's reward for our service

Psalms 37: 25  I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging bread.