Easter

God Has Time For You!

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments 
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they 
do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. 
Luke 23:34 KJV

During the long hours of the suffering of Jesus, He hung from nails driven through His hands and feet. Blood streamed down His face from the thorns that pierced His scalp. No one expected Him to do more than simply endure., but Jesus was busy with an amazing number of things. He was busy, not because He hoped to gain anything, but because He was moved by compassion for those around Him. During those six hours, Jesus promised the repentant thief who was dying next to Him a place in paradise and made sure that Mary would be cared for by His disciple John. Even in His agony, Jesus showed the world the power of the love of God, so much so that after He died, one of the soldiers who had crucified Him, came to believe that He was the Son of God. But of all the things Jesus did, none mattered more than His final prayer “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do!”, and that prayer is still being answered today. If we are angry with the sight of children starving in war torn villages while dictators plan the next attack from their headquarters, remember that there is an even greater power than their guns and bombs. There exists today a stronger force far stronger than fear and hatred. When Jesus bowed His head and died, both friend and foe thought He was finished. But ever since His final breath escaped, the power of His forgiveness has been transforming our world, one sinner at a time!

Photo by Aphiwat chuangchoem on Pexels.com

A borrowed manger – a borrowed donkey – a borrowed tomb

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment 
 “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” Luke 19:30-31 ESV

Lent is now over and some of us come to Palm Sunday and Easter as times when we need to be in church. We know those are especially important days to God, so we show up in church. But the next week, we may or may not come back. We have finished our vows for the 40 days of Lent and now God sort of releases us. But the story of Easter, isn’t about seven weeks or seven days. It actually begins in Bethlehem, in a borrowed manger. That manger wasn’t much more than just a worn wooden trough where the cows were fed, but Jesus needed to borrow it for a little while. Then when Palm Sunday came, Jesus sent two of His disciples into a village to borrow a donkey. That animal wasn’t much more than just a simple beast on which He chose to ride for an hour. But, just like the manger for that hour, Jesus needed that donkey. Though Jesus needed, the donkey and the manger, both of them were returned to their owners. But when Jesus looked at you and me, thank God He decided that He wanted to do more than just borrow us. Jesus wants us to become permanent members of His family, and He has no plans to ever return us! So, on Friday of Holy week, Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice for our sins and purchased us by HIs own precious blood. He did all the work. We have only to believe. When Joseph and Nicodemus, came at the end of the day, they pulled those terrible nails from the hands and feet of Jesus, wrapped Him in another kind of swaddling clothes and laid in in a borrowed tomb. That must have seemed an abrupt and sad ending to the loving life Jesus had lived, but the story wasn’t over. Jesus didn’t need the tomb for long. Very early on Sunday morning, when it was still dark, Mary and the other women came to the tomb looking for Jesus. But they were amazed by angels and they found the tomb empty. Jesus didn’t need that tomb any longer, because He had risen and He has come for you and for me. What will you do with the gift He has given? He has paid the price so you can belong to Him forever.

An Unforgettable Prayer

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment 
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”  Matthew 26:39 ESV

This prayer of Jesus was etched into the minds of His disciples, like none other He had prayed. At an earlier time, when the disciples had seen Jesus praying, they asked, “Lord teach us to pray.” But this prayer was not like that one. This midnight prayer left them so overwhelmed by sorrow, that they fell asleep. They had never seen Jesus like this. They were used to Him commanding the wind and waves or casting out demons. But at this moment it almost seemed as if Jesus was afraid. His words were so unforgettable that three of the four gospels repeat them. His words seemed shocking, “If it is possible, let this cup pass.”  It sounded like such a hopeless prayer. They must have wondered how that could be? Didn’t Jesus have enough faith? Had He done something wrong? NO, not for a moment! But the answer to His cry lay hidden even from Him for that moment. Hidden behind the suffering, shame, betrayal, and mocking was the miracle of our redemption. The Father would remove the cup from His hand, but not until He after had drunk from it for us all. When Jesus accepted that cup in Gethsemane, and drained it of its poison, He made it possible for it to be filled it with the new wine of salvation that is still running over with eternal life for you and me!

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels.com