This week is often referred to as "Holy Week" by many Christian churches. It marks the week preceding Jesus' death on the cross, followed by His resurrection from the dead. We will be celebrating that resurrection on the Sabbath, but there are other opportunities for you to worship this week as well. On Friday evening the First Baptist Church will host a Good Friday service at 7 pm, sponsored by the Evangelical Pastor's Fellowship. On Sabbath morning we will remember the death of Jesus on the cross and then celebrate His resurrection from the dead. On Sunday morning at 7 am you are invited to join us for a sunrise service at the Berlin community cemetery. As we reflect on the cost of our salvation, spend some time this week to approach the throne of grace with humble reverence.
“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more." (Isaiah 65:17-19)
There will come a time when all things are made new, when sorrow will no longer be known. That time has been set, and the beginning of the end was set in motion by the death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus. Although we continue to suffer here, it is but for a little while. Jesus has gone ahead to prepare a place for us, and the time when we will dwell with Him forever draws near. 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) As we await the complete fulfillment of that promise we can be steadfast, knowing that our salvation is assured.
"Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the Lord." (Isaiah 65:24-25)
The Lord continued with His promises to Israel (and, by extension, to all who belong to Him) regarding their restoration to right relationship with their God. When that happened, the Lord said, He would answer them while they were still speaking, for they would walk so closely with Him that His response would be immediate. They would also live in peace, and even the lion and serpent would be tamed. We can have that sort of relationship with the Lord right now. We can know that sort of peace right now. All we need do is call on the name of Jesus (see Romans 10:13), and our relationship with God will be restored. Call on His name today!
Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. (Psalm 118:19-21)
Jesus described Himself as the "gate" (see John 10:9), and it is through Him that we enter into a relationship with the Father, and thus salvation. We enter that gate with thanksgiving, because our plea was answered. When we cried out to the Lord for salvation, He heard our cry and, through His Son, provided us with salvation. Give thanks!
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. (Psalm 118:22-24)
Jesus is not only the gate, He is also the cornerstone (see 1 Peter 2:6 and Ephesians 2:20). God's Son is the foundation upon which we are being built up into a temple, both individually and collectively, to bring glory, honor and praise to the Lord. As we reflect on Jesus' death on Friday and celebrate His resurrection on Sabbath, we are reminded once more of how firm a foundation the Lord has laid for His people as He provides us with shelter and comfort through His Son and His word.
"But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
We are all of us "terminal." There is no escaping physical death. But through Christ we can and will escape spiritual death, and will be reunited with out bodies on the Day of the Lord so that we will achieve the immortality that eludes us now. This is all possible because Jesus, God's Son, loved us so much that He chose to die in our place, paying the price for our sin on the cross. As we celebrate His death and resurrection we can celebrate our own as well, provided that we have turned to Jesus for salvation and thus eternal life.
This week is often referred to as "Holy Week" by many Christian churches. It marks the week preceding Jesus' death on the cross, followed by His resurrection from the dead. We will be celebrating that resurrection on the Sabbath, but there are other opportunities for you to worship this week as well. On Friday evening the First Baptist Church will host a Good Friday service at 7 pm, sponsored by the Evangelical Pastor's Fellowship. On Sabbath morning we will remember the death of Jesus on the cross and then celebrate His resurrection from the dead. On Sunday morning at 7 am you are invited to join us for a sunrise service at the Berlin community cemetery. As we reflect on the cost of our salvation, spend some time this week to approach the throne of grace with humble reverence.
ReplyDelete“See, I will create
ReplyDeletenew heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
and its people a joy.
I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
will be heard in it no more."
(Isaiah 65:17-19)
There will come a time when all things are made new, when sorrow will no longer be known. That time has been set, and the beginning of the end was set in motion by the death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus. Although we continue to suffer here, it is but for a little while. Jesus has gone ahead to prepare a place for us, and the time when we will dwell with Him forever draws near. 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) As we await the complete fulfillment of that promise we can be steadfast, knowing that our salvation is assured.
"Before they call I will answer;
ReplyDeletewhile they are still speaking I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox,
and dust will be the serpent’s food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord." (Isaiah 65:24-25)
The Lord continued with His promises to Israel (and, by extension, to all who belong to Him) regarding their restoration to right relationship with their God. When that happened, the Lord said, He would answer them while they were still speaking, for they would walk so closely with Him that His response would be immediate. They would also live in peace, and even the lion and serpent would be tamed. We can have that sort of relationship with the Lord right now. We can know that sort of peace right now. All we need do is call on the name of Jesus (see Romans 10:13), and our relationship with God will be restored. Call on His name today!
Open for me the gates of the righteous;
ReplyDeleteI will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation. (Psalm 118:19-21)
Jesus described Himself as the "gate" (see John 10:9), and it is through Him that we enter into a relationship with the Father, and thus salvation. We enter that gate with thanksgiving, because our plea was answered. When we cried out to the Lord for salvation, He heard our cry and, through His Son, provided us with salvation. Give thanks!
The stone the builders rejected
ReplyDeletehas become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad. (Psalm 118:22-24)
Jesus is not only the gate, He is also the cornerstone (see 1 Peter 2:6 and Ephesians 2:20). God's Son is the foundation upon which we are being built up into a temple, both individually and collectively, to bring glory, honor and praise to the Lord. As we reflect on Jesus' death on Friday and celebrate His resurrection on Sabbath, we are reminded once more of how firm a foundation the Lord has laid for His people as He provides us with shelter and comfort through His Son and His word.
"But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
ReplyDeleteWe are all of us "terminal." There is no escaping physical death. But through Christ we can and will escape spiritual death, and will be reunited with out bodies on the Day of the Lord so that we will achieve the immortality that eludes us now. This is all possible because Jesus, God's Son, loved us so much that He chose to die in our place, paying the price for our sin on the cross. As we celebrate His death and resurrection we can celebrate our own as well, provided that we have turned to Jesus for salvation and thus eternal life.
Good Sabbath! Jesus is risen; He is risen indeed! See you at church!
ReplyDelete