It’s No April Fools, He Is Alive

For Christians, it almost seems sacrilegious that we will be celebrating Easter on the first of April, the day known as April Fools day. It is inevitable that there will be some who will take the opportunity to ridicule the resurrection of Jesus Christ by comparing it to an April Fools joke.

But maybe having Easter fall on April 1st is healthy for us Christians because it compels us to confront the question, “Did Jesus physically rise from the dead in a specific time in human history?” A serious consideration of this question ought to lead us to a resounding, “He is risen. He is risen indeed.”

The resurrection of Jesus, however, is meant to produce much more than just an emotional affirmation of its truthfulness. The fact that Jesus came back from the grave changed the lives of his first disciples which in turn led them to change the world. The same can be true for us.

The great English writer G. K. Chesterton was asked once by a reporter what he would do if the Risen Christ were now standing right behind him. The questioner knew of Chesterton's firm belief in the bodily resurrection of Christ, but he was not prepared for the answer he got from Mr. Chesterton, who simply replied "but He is."

Consider how our lives would be different if we took seriously Chesterton’s statement, “He is standing right behind me”? Our celebration of Jesus’ resurrection is meant to remind us that Christ’s promise to “be with us always” is to be practically lived out each day. Think about the possibilities of that kind of life!

Join us for Easter!

Easter breakfast: 8:30 am
Easter morning worship: 10:00 am

What Will You Do with King Jesus?

That was pretty much the question the Jewish religious leaders were left with after the events of Palm Sunday. The preacher/miracle worker/rabbi from Galilee had taken the city of Jerusalem by storm earlier in the day putting the name “Messiah” on everyone’s lips. Jesus had left no doubt about his claim when he entered Jerusalem that day, fulfilling the messianic prophecy every God-fearing Jew had learned from Zechariah, that the Messiah would enter the capital riding on a donkey.

And now what to do with this self-proclaimed king? That was the question those in power were struggling to answer. We know the conclusion they came to – “kill Jesus”. Only five days later, led by the High Priest Caiaphas, Jesus of Nazareth was sentenced to death by crucifixion.

Killing Jesus, however, did not silence, once and for all, the question, “What will you do with King Jesus?” Because of his resurrection, Jesus confronts us, two thousand years later with the same challenge. Will we receive him as he claims, the Messiah – King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Or will we reject him as an imposter as the religious leaders did when they sent him to the cross?

If you are struggling with an answer to Jesus’ question, join us for one of our weekend services.

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am