Sunrise

One Unexpected Morning

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). John 20:15-16 ESV

Mary Magdalene had not come to the tomb of Jesus because she thought that Jesus was alive, but to show respect for the dead. But then the most unexpected thing in all of history happened. Jesus came to meet her! And Mary’s story is the story of everyone who has ever put their faith in Jesus Christ. We all have this one thing in common. He has come unexpectedly. Just like Mary, this Easter. you may be wondering where Jesus went in your life. Or, maybe like the disciples, you are hiding out behind locked doors. But when Jesus comes, everything changes, not just because of our faith, but because of His grace. The most wonderful news of the universe is standing right in front of us. Jesus is alive and is calling our name. How will you answer Him? The most important step of faith anyone could ever take is to fall at His feet, just as Mary did, and simply believe. Though we may not have been expecting Him, He has been expecting us and He is waiting for you today!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe that you have risen from the grave, just as You said. I ask that you forgive my sins and I thank you for all you have done and thank you for your gift of eternal life!

Christ Our Life

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments 
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 
Colossians 3:2-4 ESV

It was so early that the sun was not even thinking of rising and I was snuggling deep under warm covers when I felt a little hand on my shoulder. As I pried open one eye, I saw the smiling face of our 5-year-old son Ben. “Can we get up Dad?” He asked. “It’s already 6 o’clock and it’s Christmas!” Hearing the eagerness and joy in his voice, any thoughts of being annoyed evaporated. Ben just couldn’t sleep even one more minute, because he was thinking of all the fun of opening presents. That is one of my sweetest memories, but every morning as we wake up, a far less endearing list of questions gets thrown at us. “What will we do first? What will we eat? What will we wear?” Now it’s normal for a five-year-old to be anxious on Christmas, but if we allow anxious thoughts to drag us out of bed every morning, they will change our choices, manipulate our moods, and govern the words that come out of our mouths. They are hoping to hurry us on, without stopping to pray. Their plan is for us to open packages of impatience, selfish thoughts, and nasty words. But today’s verse has wonderful news for those of us who are Christians. It reminds us that we have the ability to say, “No!” to those dastardly door knockers, and “Yes” to the Christ, who is already living inside of us. We may not be able to see Jesus, but by faith we can turn to Him. He is far more than just a part of our day’s agenda. He loved us and died so we could freely receive eternal life. Since Jesus is our life, let’s get up and open the gifts that He has waiting for us today!

Three Mary’s Point to Easter – Part 3

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments 
“Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”). John 20:15-16 NLT

This third Mary, who we meet on our journey to Easter, is Mary Magdalene. Of her background we know only that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her (Lk 8:2). Speculation beyond that runs rampant among the Hollywood crowd, but what the Bible does make clear is that this woman, followed Jesus. She along with a few other women ministered to the daily needs of Jesus and His disciples. Mary Magdalene also stood by His mother Mary at the cross. Like us, she was helpless get the religious authorities to accept Jesus or to alleviate His suffering on the cross, but on Easter morning, she along with other women came with spices to prepare the body according to their traditions. This was not only a demonstration of love and respect for the dead, but also a part of the grieving process. But it was not to be. The tomb lay open and empty! As they saw it, someone must have come as a final act of disrespect to hide the body. Little did they yet know the full and amazing truth of Easter. Yes, angels had met them, and told them that He was risen. Peter and John had even come and gone. But after they have all gone home, Mary stands alone and weeping outside the door of the grave. She does not understand what this all means. Are you there this morning? Have you read the story of the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, but have a hard time connecting to how that touches your life? Just like Mary, many of us have come looking for Jesus, but our hope comes not from gaining more information about His whereabouts. Hope and joy come from discovering that Jesus has come looking for us! He is looking for those who are looking for Him. The joy of Easter comes not from an explanation of the fact. Joy and faith come from the sound of His voice calling our name!