Happy Resurrection Sunday!

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.  Matthew 28:6

Today is the high point on the Christian calendar.  Jesus rose from the dead, victorious over sin, death, and the grave.  Because He lives, we have hope of life eternal, if only we believe.  Believe what, you may ask?  Believe that He is the Son of God, the foretold Messiah, the perfect atoning sacrifice whose precious blood bought my pardon.  Trust in Him today.

We had a wonderful church service in which the preacher had visual aids, showing graphically the scourging Jesus endured by cat of nine tails whips that had bone, lead and iron tied to the ends.  He also had a crown of thorns.  He brought it all to life and then emphasized that He did that for you and me so that we might be reconciled with a Holy Father.

He died upon that cross, but He didn't stay dead.  As He said, in three days He rose again!  He is risen!!

After church we had a nice meal and relaxed until around 4 PM.  I snapped this photo of Tricia, Russ and Benjamin.

At around 4:30 we headed over to Kinder for a family gathering at my sister and brother-in-law's home.  Mom & Dad were there, and we all had a nice visit and ate entirely too much!

All in all it was a good day.  We hope yours was, too!  The empty tomb echoes 20 centuries later that we have a wonderful savior Who offers a wonderful salvation.  Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.  Because He lives, all fear is gone.  Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living just Because He lives!

Resurrection Sunday

Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.  1 Corinthians 15:12-19

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Last night we were preparing for a Resurrection Day Drama that our Youth Group was putting on during Worship Services today.  Tricia was sewing some tunics for Russ (Simon Peter) and Benjamin (Doubting Thomas) to wear.  I was painting a cardboard stone that was rolled away from the empty tomb.  While we were working on it, "The Ten Commandments" was on TV.

I watched as Moses knelt before the burning bush and the LORD said "I have seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and I have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.  I am come to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians, to bring them to a good land - a land flowing with milk and honey."

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It struck me how, like the Israelites, we are in bondage - bondage to the cruel taskmaster of sin.  We are cursed from sin that first entered into the world from back in the Garden with Adam and Eve. That sin broke the fellowship with Almighty God, separating us from a Holy God.  But thanks be to God for His indescribable Gift. He sent His Son Jesus to die a cruel death on a cross and shed His Blood for my sin and yours.  But it didn't end there.  On the third day He arose. He Lives! There are no bones in that empty Tomb. Because of His finished work on the cross, He saved those who put their trust in Him from death.  We have victory in Jesus!

Happy Resurrection Day!

He Is Risen!

Happy Resurrection Day!

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"He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."  - Luke 24: 6-7