Good Evening Shaamgod and Bruce,
On behalf of the Greeters Ministry, I would like to thank you both and your FRONTLINER brothers who so graciously volunteered on Easter Sunday during all 3 services. You ALL were so great and beyond helpful. Everyone stepped up to the call and answered it. Please thank them all for me. They stood on the front lines with us, and we were problem free. It was a pleasure working with them.
From the Greeters...
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
Debra Banks-Smith
Servant Leader
Greeter's Ministry
Have a blessed day,
Debra J. Banks-Smith
Obscurity is no longer an option!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Easter is Always Here
Easter Is Always Here
By Bonnie St. John
This week's topic: Resurrection
“Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10 KJV)
What if you looked up one day from a busy week of work with overtime and unexpected deadlines and suddenly realized that Easter happened a week ago and you missed it? You would think, How could that happen? Wasn’t I paying attention?
I have never actually forgotten Easter, but I have gone through times in my life that were so difficult and painful, I seemed to miss a whole season. When my mother died just before New Year’s Day, I entered a dense fog of grief mixed with the ensuing financial tasks and the cloud didn’t seem to lift until mid-summer. When did spring happen? I wondered.
If you have ever been through a divorce, lost a job, suffered a major illness, or been forced to move from the community you love, you may have also been through a period of agony that felt like it would never end. The recession in 2009 has affected almost everyone in one way or another, causing many people to feel stuck in a permanent winter.
Yet, whether we experience it or not, Spring does arrive every year promising rebirth in bright green buds on trees, colorful tulips, and warmer, gentler winds. God reminds us with the seasons every year that He can bring life from the dead of winter. So, too, can He bring life to us no matter how many seasons we have felt deadened and no matter how long we have been deaf to the call of Easter.
During Easter week, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from death into everlasting life. Jesus who lived as the perfect example of love and kindness, suffered and was nailed to a cross so that our sins would be forgiven. After three days and three nights, the Father called Jesus back into life and He was able to return to the Father’s side.
God’s love also calls us to our own resurrection from anguish and affliction. Like Job who is described in the Old Testament as the epitome of misery, your winter may last for years and encompass unimaginable losses. Job lost not only his livelihood and property, he also lost his wife, his children, and his health. Yet, he continued believing in God’s promise. And His faith was rewarded with even more than restoration: “the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. (Job 42:12-13 KJV)
When springtime finally came for Job, everything was returned to him tenfold. (get verse)
Life from death is the message of Easter: Jesus’ sacrifice of blood gives us everlasting life. If you are not hearing the call of spring, if you are not feeling the joy of Easter, perhaps you have not fully accepted the gift of God’s mercy and forgiveness through Jesus.
Sometimes we are the hardest on ourselves…much harder than God would be. If you have lost a job, have you forgiven yourself, forgiven your employer, and moved on? If you lost a house, are you able to let go and see what God has next for you?
God’s gift of mercy is available to us 365 days per year. If you listen carefully enough, you will not only hear Easter calling in springtime, but every day of every year. Whether your personal resurrection has arrived yet or not, don’t miss Easter. Take His mercy into your heart and live every day knowing that your life will be redeemed. Easter is always here. Your spring will come.
Scripture Of The Day: "For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will." - John 5:21
Bonnie St. John is a professional speaker and Olympic medalist, who has appeared on the Today Show, CNN, the 700 Club, and Life Today. The author of How Strong Women Pray and Live Your Joy, Bonnie St. John is committed to reaching out to the world with a message of triumph over circumstance. For more information about Bonnie, log onto http://www.bonniestjohn.com
By Bonnie St. John
This week's topic: Resurrection
“Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10 KJV)
What if you looked up one day from a busy week of work with overtime and unexpected deadlines and suddenly realized that Easter happened a week ago and you missed it? You would think, How could that happen? Wasn’t I paying attention?
I have never actually forgotten Easter, but I have gone through times in my life that were so difficult and painful, I seemed to miss a whole season. When my mother died just before New Year’s Day, I entered a dense fog of grief mixed with the ensuing financial tasks and the cloud didn’t seem to lift until mid-summer. When did spring happen? I wondered.
If you have ever been through a divorce, lost a job, suffered a major illness, or been forced to move from the community you love, you may have also been through a period of agony that felt like it would never end. The recession in 2009 has affected almost everyone in one way or another, causing many people to feel stuck in a permanent winter.
Yet, whether we experience it or not, Spring does arrive every year promising rebirth in bright green buds on trees, colorful tulips, and warmer, gentler winds. God reminds us with the seasons every year that He can bring life from the dead of winter. So, too, can He bring life to us no matter how many seasons we have felt deadened and no matter how long we have been deaf to the call of Easter.
During Easter week, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from death into everlasting life. Jesus who lived as the perfect example of love and kindness, suffered and was nailed to a cross so that our sins would be forgiven. After three days and three nights, the Father called Jesus back into life and He was able to return to the Father’s side.
God’s love also calls us to our own resurrection from anguish and affliction. Like Job who is described in the Old Testament as the epitome of misery, your winter may last for years and encompass unimaginable losses. Job lost not only his livelihood and property, he also lost his wife, his children, and his health. Yet, he continued believing in God’s promise. And His faith was rewarded with even more than restoration: “the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. (Job 42:12-13 KJV)
When springtime finally came for Job, everything was returned to him tenfold. (get verse)
Life from death is the message of Easter: Jesus’ sacrifice of blood gives us everlasting life. If you are not hearing the call of spring, if you are not feeling the joy of Easter, perhaps you have not fully accepted the gift of God’s mercy and forgiveness through Jesus.
Sometimes we are the hardest on ourselves…much harder than God would be. If you have lost a job, have you forgiven yourself, forgiven your employer, and moved on? If you lost a house, are you able to let go and see what God has next for you?
God’s gift of mercy is available to us 365 days per year. If you listen carefully enough, you will not only hear Easter calling in springtime, but every day of every year. Whether your personal resurrection has arrived yet or not, don’t miss Easter. Take His mercy into your heart and live every day knowing that your life will be redeemed. Easter is always here. Your spring will come.
Scripture Of The Day: "For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will." - John 5:21
Bonnie St. John is a professional speaker and Olympic medalist, who has appeared on the Today Show, CNN, the 700 Club, and Life Today. The author of How Strong Women Pray and Live Your Joy, Bonnie St. John is committed to reaching out to the world with a message of triumph over circumstance. For more information about Bonnie, log onto http://www.bonniestjohn.com
Friday, April 9, 2010
He Still Rises
He Still Rises
By Pastor Marquis Boone
This week's topic: Resurrection
A Sunday School teacher had just finished telling her third graders about how Jesus was crucified and placed in a tomb with a great stone sealing the opening. Then, wanting to share the excitement of the resurrection, she asked "And what do you think were Jesus’ first words when He came bursting out of that tomb alive?" A hand shot up into the air from the rear of the classroom. Attached to it was the arm of a little girl. Leaping out of her chair she shouted out excitedly "I know, I know!" "Good" said the teacher, "Tell us, what Jesus’ first words were?" And extending her arms high into the air she said Jesus first words were "TA-DA!"
More from:
Pastor Marquis Boone
Watch Your Mouth
Romans 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
The resurrection of Christ is amazing and life changing. Everything hinges on the resurrection in our deepest, darkest moments. When we don’t think anything can ever get better the resurrection gives us hope that it can. When we are in the midst of day one or day two of our trials and situations, the resurrection gives us hope that there is a day three and victory is coming. But one of the errors, slip-ups, mistakes, and faults that the people that crucified Jesus made was that they put all of their efforts and energy in trying to do damage to His body. And they overlooked, ignored, and disregarded the most powerful thing that they would never be able to damage and that is His spirit.
Yes they beat Him and it caused pain, yes they spit on Him and it caused dishonor, they made Him carry a cross and it caused exhaustion, of course they put a crown of thrones on His head thinking it would some how control His mind. While making a mockery of Him being the king of glory, yes they called Him everything but the savior, they even nailed His hands and feet causing blood to rush out. They also nailed His feet and of course pieced Him in His side. But the fault they made was they could not damage His spirit or heart, but because He still had the aptitude to have a good spirit He still had the power to give God praise.
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.” Proverbs 17:22 (NLT)
You see folks have been putting all of their energy and efforts in trying to do damage to your body, to your name, to your reputation, to your position but they don’t realize that your heart is still cheerful because you know that all things are working together for the good and you will not allow the present time to brake your spirit.
Because of Christ, even today He is about to rise up in you and in your situation and He is about to give you an encore. Encore means a reappearance or additional performance demanded by an audience it is a second achievement especially that surpasses the first. This time when God stands up in you it will surpass every other time He moved in your life. Christ could not stay down, Christ could not stay in a grave because there were a host of angles, a host of believers, a host of friends and family waiting to see His reappearance. And because of His resurrection you are about to see a resurrection in your life.
Remember He still rises!
Scripture Of The Day: "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." - Romans 6:4 NKJV
Marquis D. Boone is the Lead Pastor of Fresh Start Church whose mission is to Re-vive, Re-fresh, Re-lease and to Re-store people back to God. For more information about Pastor Boone; log onto http://www.myfreshstartchurch.org or http://www.dreamoutloudtoday.com.…
By Pastor Marquis Boone
This week's topic: Resurrection
A Sunday School teacher had just finished telling her third graders about how Jesus was crucified and placed in a tomb with a great stone sealing the opening. Then, wanting to share the excitement of the resurrection, she asked "And what do you think were Jesus’ first words when He came bursting out of that tomb alive?" A hand shot up into the air from the rear of the classroom. Attached to it was the arm of a little girl. Leaping out of her chair she shouted out excitedly "I know, I know!" "Good" said the teacher, "Tell us, what Jesus’ first words were?" And extending her arms high into the air she said Jesus first words were "TA-DA!"
More from:
Pastor Marquis Boone
Watch Your Mouth
Romans 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
The resurrection of Christ is amazing and life changing. Everything hinges on the resurrection in our deepest, darkest moments. When we don’t think anything can ever get better the resurrection gives us hope that it can. When we are in the midst of day one or day two of our trials and situations, the resurrection gives us hope that there is a day three and victory is coming. But one of the errors, slip-ups, mistakes, and faults that the people that crucified Jesus made was that they put all of their efforts and energy in trying to do damage to His body. And they overlooked, ignored, and disregarded the most powerful thing that they would never be able to damage and that is His spirit.
Yes they beat Him and it caused pain, yes they spit on Him and it caused dishonor, they made Him carry a cross and it caused exhaustion, of course they put a crown of thrones on His head thinking it would some how control His mind. While making a mockery of Him being the king of glory, yes they called Him everything but the savior, they even nailed His hands and feet causing blood to rush out. They also nailed His feet and of course pieced Him in His side. But the fault they made was they could not damage His spirit or heart, but because He still had the aptitude to have a good spirit He still had the power to give God praise.
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.” Proverbs 17:22 (NLT)
You see folks have been putting all of their energy and efforts in trying to do damage to your body, to your name, to your reputation, to your position but they don’t realize that your heart is still cheerful because you know that all things are working together for the good and you will not allow the present time to brake your spirit.
Because of Christ, even today He is about to rise up in you and in your situation and He is about to give you an encore. Encore means a reappearance or additional performance demanded by an audience it is a second achievement especially that surpasses the first. This time when God stands up in you it will surpass every other time He moved in your life. Christ could not stay down, Christ could not stay in a grave because there were a host of angles, a host of believers, a host of friends and family waiting to see His reappearance. And because of His resurrection you are about to see a resurrection in your life.
Remember He still rises!
Scripture Of The Day: "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." - Romans 6:4 NKJV
Marquis D. Boone is the Lead Pastor of Fresh Start Church whose mission is to Re-vive, Re-fresh, Re-lease and to Re-store people back to God. For more information about Pastor Boone; log onto http://www.myfreshstartchurch.org or http://www.dreamoutloudtoday.com.…
Thursday, April 8, 2010
The Dichotomy Of Dying To Live
Daily Devotional
The Dichotomy of Dying to Live
By Jothany Blackwood
This week's topic: Resurrection
One of the most powerful lessons that has been translated from the pulpit to the front porch is that we must die to the things of the flesh in order to live as Christians. And while that is not always an immediate transformation, it provides a model for the dichotomy of Christian living. And it is found in this conflicting idea; that in order to live a life of purpose, you must first die to the ways of the world.
More from:
Jothany Blackwood
We Are All Witnesses
Accepting The Gift Of The Cross
And the challenge for many of us is not with the death of a thing, but it is in the mysterious act of living afterwards. We have all had some experience with death; whether from the intimacy of its embrace of loved ones or the recognition that it waited patiently for us like an unwelcome visitor with no place to go.
We recognize, however, that we have experienced the emotional death of relationships that promised so much and friendships that summoned our trust with ease. And after they ended, we were left with the pain of here's another one that didn't love us and we readjusted our masks with a heavy sigh.
Many of us have shouted, prayed, cried and danced our way through spiritual death as deliverance revealed that which had quietly offered promise underneath. It left us with a transparency that not only allowed us to see what we had survived, but even greater it offered the reflection of who God said we could be.
As I am dealing with my grandmother's death, my soul cries out from the uncertainty of how to live without her. And many of us are in that place of ambiguity that seeks clarity on how to live again without the familiar issues or behaviors that accompanied us until we met Christ.
Yet the resurrection indicates that after the death of certain behaviors and ideas, it is followed by living in fulfillment of one's purpose. If we can allow our hunger for the things of the world to die, then surely God will sustain us in every way. We can be confident in the knowledge that the essence of this dichotomy is not simply that we must die to live, but that all that we are belonged to God all along.
And since Jesus died and lived to tell about it, perhaps our story can also tell of how we rose again from our circumstances and challenges and lived a renewed life. Each day we get the chance through Christ to rewrite and create our own story and as my grandmother would often say, "You just make it a story to tell!"
Scripture For The Day: "For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ." - Romans 5:17v NKJV
In addition to serving as a college dean and motivational speaker, Jothany Blackwood is the founder of MidWife Ministries, which supports ministers and churches in birthing their vision. For more information about Jothany, log onto http://www.jothanyblackwood
The Dichotomy of Dying to Live
By Jothany Blackwood
This week's topic: Resurrection
One of the most powerful lessons that has been translated from the pulpit to the front porch is that we must die to the things of the flesh in order to live as Christians. And while that is not always an immediate transformation, it provides a model for the dichotomy of Christian living. And it is found in this conflicting idea; that in order to live a life of purpose, you must first die to the ways of the world.
More from:
Jothany Blackwood
We Are All Witnesses
Accepting The Gift Of The Cross
And the challenge for many of us is not with the death of a thing, but it is in the mysterious act of living afterwards. We have all had some experience with death; whether from the intimacy of its embrace of loved ones or the recognition that it waited patiently for us like an unwelcome visitor with no place to go.
We recognize, however, that we have experienced the emotional death of relationships that promised so much and friendships that summoned our trust with ease. And after they ended, we were left with the pain of here's another one that didn't love us and we readjusted our masks with a heavy sigh.
Many of us have shouted, prayed, cried and danced our way through spiritual death as deliverance revealed that which had quietly offered promise underneath. It left us with a transparency that not only allowed us to see what we had survived, but even greater it offered the reflection of who God said we could be.
As I am dealing with my grandmother's death, my soul cries out from the uncertainty of how to live without her. And many of us are in that place of ambiguity that seeks clarity on how to live again without the familiar issues or behaviors that accompanied us until we met Christ.
Yet the resurrection indicates that after the death of certain behaviors and ideas, it is followed by living in fulfillment of one's purpose. If we can allow our hunger for the things of the world to die, then surely God will sustain us in every way. We can be confident in the knowledge that the essence of this dichotomy is not simply that we must die to live, but that all that we are belonged to God all along.
And since Jesus died and lived to tell about it, perhaps our story can also tell of how we rose again from our circumstances and challenges and lived a renewed life. Each day we get the chance through Christ to rewrite and create our own story and as my grandmother would often say, "You just make it a story to tell!"
Scripture For The Day: "For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ." - Romans 5:17v NKJV
In addition to serving as a college dean and motivational speaker, Jothany Blackwood is the founder of MidWife Ministries, which supports ministers and churches in birthing their vision. For more information about Jothany, log onto http://www.jothanyblackwood
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
We Are All Witnesses
Daily Devotional
We Are All Witnesses
By Pastor Andre Butler
This week's topic: Resurrection
Resurrection Day is one of the most important days of the year for Christians. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is no salvation, and without salvation there is no Christianity. This illustrates the heart of the gospel message that Jesus rose from the dead.
More from:
Pastor Andre Butler
Get It To Give It
Winning The War Within
A Word To Fathers
In the Book of Acts one word seemed to be used repeatedly to describe the followers of Jesus: witnesses. In Peter's first message on the day of Pentecost, his grand finale was that Jesus was no longer dead but alive and that they were all witnesses. The rest of the apostles joined in with Peter in testifying of what they had heard, seen, and knew. They with more than 500 others had personally seen Jesus after his resurrection.
He was among them for 40 days and proved He was alive by many infallible proofs. Therefore, they became an ecstatic group that found themselves on the streets of Jerusalem testifying about the resurrection of Jesus.
If the apostles had made up the resurrection story they preached, and later wrote, surely at least one of them would have confessed of their deception to prevent whatever death awaited them during that time. However, they all testified through their actions that their testimony was true.
They, along with those that became followers of Jesus through his ministry and theirs, testified wherever they went that Jesus was alive. Later a man named Paul, one who had Christians killed for their beliefs, had an encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. He left on his trip with plans to end the lives of Christians, and he returned as a witness to the resurrection of Jesus.
As Christians today, we have the same responsibility to spread the good news about the resurrection of Jesus. We are witnesses, commissioned to testify that Jesus is not dead but alive, and that His resurrection is proof that everything He said was true. The many healings and miracles occurring not only in churches all over the world, but in grocery stores, athletic fields, schools, and anywhere else you find Bible-believing Christians using the authority of Jesus also prove that Jesus is alive and still working miracles as He did during His time on earth.
Lastly, as Christians, each of us are witnesses of what Jesus has done in our marriages, bodies, finances, careers, emotions, and other areas of our lives. We must not be ashamed to get in the streets as the early believers did and testify about what Jesus has done for us.
Resurrection Day is not just a day where we celebrate, but a day when we are reminded of our responsibility to be a witness to our world that Jesus is alive and that what He did for us He will do for them as well!
Scripture Of The Day: For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. --2 Peter 1:16
Pastor Andre Butler is senior pastor of Faith Christian Center, located in the Metro Atlanta, Georgia area. Pastor Andre is also the founder and president of Andre Butler Ministries and Six20 The Gathering Campus Ministry. He is a devoted husband and father of three girls. For more information about Pastor Andre Butler, log onto http://www.andrebutler.tv…
We Are All Witnesses
By Pastor Andre Butler
This week's topic: Resurrection
Resurrection Day is one of the most important days of the year for Christians. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is no salvation, and without salvation there is no Christianity. This illustrates the heart of the gospel message that Jesus rose from the dead.
More from:
Pastor Andre Butler
Get It To Give It
Winning The War Within
A Word To Fathers
In the Book of Acts one word seemed to be used repeatedly to describe the followers of Jesus: witnesses. In Peter's first message on the day of Pentecost, his grand finale was that Jesus was no longer dead but alive and that they were all witnesses. The rest of the apostles joined in with Peter in testifying of what they had heard, seen, and knew. They with more than 500 others had personally seen Jesus after his resurrection.
He was among them for 40 days and proved He was alive by many infallible proofs. Therefore, they became an ecstatic group that found themselves on the streets of Jerusalem testifying about the resurrection of Jesus.
If the apostles had made up the resurrection story they preached, and later wrote, surely at least one of them would have confessed of their deception to prevent whatever death awaited them during that time. However, they all testified through their actions that their testimony was true.
They, along with those that became followers of Jesus through his ministry and theirs, testified wherever they went that Jesus was alive. Later a man named Paul, one who had Christians killed for their beliefs, had an encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. He left on his trip with plans to end the lives of Christians, and he returned as a witness to the resurrection of Jesus.
As Christians today, we have the same responsibility to spread the good news about the resurrection of Jesus. We are witnesses, commissioned to testify that Jesus is not dead but alive, and that His resurrection is proof that everything He said was true. The many healings and miracles occurring not only in churches all over the world, but in grocery stores, athletic fields, schools, and anywhere else you find Bible-believing Christians using the authority of Jesus also prove that Jesus is alive and still working miracles as He did during His time on earth.
Lastly, as Christians, each of us are witnesses of what Jesus has done in our marriages, bodies, finances, careers, emotions, and other areas of our lives. We must not be ashamed to get in the streets as the early believers did and testify about what Jesus has done for us.
Resurrection Day is not just a day where we celebrate, but a day when we are reminded of our responsibility to be a witness to our world that Jesus is alive and that what He did for us He will do for them as well!
Scripture Of The Day: For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. --2 Peter 1:16
Pastor Andre Butler is senior pastor of Faith Christian Center, located in the Metro Atlanta, Georgia area. Pastor Andre is also the founder and president of Andre Butler Ministries and Six20 The Gathering Campus Ministry. He is a devoted husband and father of three girls. For more information about Pastor Andre Butler, log onto http://www.andrebutler.tv…
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Resurrection Wounds
Resurrection Wounds
By Bishop Vashti McKenzie
This week's topic: Resurrection
“When he had said this he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.” John 20: 20
In the movie Madea’s Family Reunion, a song sung by Rachael Ferrell and lyrics by J. Carlock goes something like this: “As time passes they begin to multiply adding up secretly like the rings of an old oak tree; there are wounds in the way; some old, some new all stifling debilitating and cruel and some are passed down from elder to youth – they don’t belong to you.
As time passes, they begin to accrue, a strange sort of value; some you don’t think that are worth holding on to; cause you don’t want to change who you are: there are wounds in the way”
There are times in our lives when we have allowed our wounding to get in the way of our living. Jesus did not allow his wounds to get in the way of the resurrection.
John’s gospel indicates that Jesus met with his disciples after the resurrection. Initially, he had sent them news of the resurrection and now he comes himself. The disciples were locked behind closed doors perhaps to encourage each other, pray or develop a new strategy to do damage control of the horrific events on that fateful Friday. Wounds tend to do two things - they will either cause you to hide or try to hurt someone. Hurt people can hurt other people.
Although the disciples were on lock down, Jesus appears to them and shows them his wounds. Some scholars in a majority opinion believe that Jesus showed his wounds to prove that he was the same Jesus that hung on the cross and rose from the grave. The wounds proved that he was who he said he was. He was the risen Christ and not an impostor. The wounds were the evidence, the tell tale signs of the resurrection. They were validation of his life and teachings. The wounds spoke of the resurrection: Jesus is not just a good guy, another prophet or teacher, but he is the Son of God who said he was going to suffer and die and said he would rise on the third day.
His wounds were the fulfillment of what Isaiah spoke as in he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquity. Jesus bore the marks of his affliction and ours in his body. Flora Slosson Wirellner writes that showing the wounds were acts of mercy- swift acts for friends who were confused, who misunderstood those struggling to understand what was happening.
The resurrection did not blot out the wounds, erase the wounds, and reverse the wounds. Jesus rose from the grave in spite of the wounding with the scars and the sores that were produced by the hurt and pain of a brutal public crucifixion. The wounds themselves are a sign of healing - scabs formed over the abrasions where his skin was scraped off as he stumbled along the apian way carrying the cross. The wounds were a sign of healing – the lacerations where his flesh had been torn open by the leather whips. Penetrating wounds from the spear in his side- the clots that had formed over the bleeding holes in his hands, and feet that indicated healing. Like stretch marks on a woman’s belly show the at one time new life stretch the skin to its breaking point but now healed the scar remains.
Jesus showed his wounds. They identify him with the human condition. God fully entered into our daily life through his son; entered into the daily injustice and pain of exclusionary idioms– he passionately carries our wounds in his body and longs for our healing. The wounds remind us that God, through his son Jesus Christ, will never ignore or negate nor minimalize the human condition. He will never be beyond our reach or cry. Jesus suffered for us then and suffers for us now.
Jesus shows his wounds – they more than validate his resurrection. He also demonstrates that in spite of all that happened to him on Calvary – he did not let his wounds get in the way.
The wounds of his descend did not prevent his assent; the wounds of his demise did not get in the way of his come back; the wounds of his downfall did not prevent his uprising. The wounds from his humiliation did not prevent his elevation; the wounds of his agitation did not get in the way of the wounds of his motivation; the wounds of his crucifixion did not get in the way of his glorification. The wounds did not get in the way.
It is an encouragement that as we celebrate another resurrection Sunday, to never let our wounds get in the way!
Scripture Of The Day: "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was brused for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." - Isaiah 53:5v
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie is the presiding bishop of the 13th Episcopal District of the AME, and serves as a guiding example for women and church leaders throughout the country. For more on Bishop McKenzie, visit http://www.13thame.com or hear her messages
By Bishop Vashti McKenzie
This week's topic: Resurrection
“When he had said this he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.” John 20: 20
In the movie Madea’s Family Reunion, a song sung by Rachael Ferrell and lyrics by J. Carlock goes something like this: “As time passes they begin to multiply adding up secretly like the rings of an old oak tree; there are wounds in the way; some old, some new all stifling debilitating and cruel and some are passed down from elder to youth – they don’t belong to you.
As time passes, they begin to accrue, a strange sort of value; some you don’t think that are worth holding on to; cause you don’t want to change who you are: there are wounds in the way”
There are times in our lives when we have allowed our wounding to get in the way of our living. Jesus did not allow his wounds to get in the way of the resurrection.
John’s gospel indicates that Jesus met with his disciples after the resurrection. Initially, he had sent them news of the resurrection and now he comes himself. The disciples were locked behind closed doors perhaps to encourage each other, pray or develop a new strategy to do damage control of the horrific events on that fateful Friday. Wounds tend to do two things - they will either cause you to hide or try to hurt someone. Hurt people can hurt other people.
Although the disciples were on lock down, Jesus appears to them and shows them his wounds. Some scholars in a majority opinion believe that Jesus showed his wounds to prove that he was the same Jesus that hung on the cross and rose from the grave. The wounds proved that he was who he said he was. He was the risen Christ and not an impostor. The wounds were the evidence, the tell tale signs of the resurrection. They were validation of his life and teachings. The wounds spoke of the resurrection: Jesus is not just a good guy, another prophet or teacher, but he is the Son of God who said he was going to suffer and die and said he would rise on the third day.
His wounds were the fulfillment of what Isaiah spoke as in he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquity. Jesus bore the marks of his affliction and ours in his body. Flora Slosson Wirellner writes that showing the wounds were acts of mercy- swift acts for friends who were confused, who misunderstood those struggling to understand what was happening.
The resurrection did not blot out the wounds, erase the wounds, and reverse the wounds. Jesus rose from the grave in spite of the wounding with the scars and the sores that were produced by the hurt and pain of a brutal public crucifixion. The wounds themselves are a sign of healing - scabs formed over the abrasions where his skin was scraped off as he stumbled along the apian way carrying the cross. The wounds were a sign of healing – the lacerations where his flesh had been torn open by the leather whips. Penetrating wounds from the spear in his side- the clots that had formed over the bleeding holes in his hands, and feet that indicated healing. Like stretch marks on a woman’s belly show the at one time new life stretch the skin to its breaking point but now healed the scar remains.
Jesus showed his wounds. They identify him with the human condition. God fully entered into our daily life through his son; entered into the daily injustice and pain of exclusionary idioms– he passionately carries our wounds in his body and longs for our healing. The wounds remind us that God, through his son Jesus Christ, will never ignore or negate nor minimalize the human condition. He will never be beyond our reach or cry. Jesus suffered for us then and suffers for us now.
Jesus shows his wounds – they more than validate his resurrection. He also demonstrates that in spite of all that happened to him on Calvary – he did not let his wounds get in the way.
The wounds of his descend did not prevent his assent; the wounds of his demise did not get in the way of his come back; the wounds of his downfall did not prevent his uprising. The wounds from his humiliation did not prevent his elevation; the wounds of his agitation did not get in the way of the wounds of his motivation; the wounds of his crucifixion did not get in the way of his glorification. The wounds did not get in the way.
It is an encouragement that as we celebrate another resurrection Sunday, to never let our wounds get in the way!
Scripture Of The Day: "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was brused for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." - Isaiah 53:5v
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie is the presiding bishop of the 13th Episcopal District of the AME, and serves as a guiding example for women and church leaders throughout the country. For more on Bishop McKenzie, visit http://www.13thame.com or hear her messages
Monday, April 5, 2010
Spiritual And Physical Phenomena
Daily Devotional
Spiritual And Physical Phenomena
By Pastor Olu Brown
This week's topic: Resurrection
"…they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6 "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. Mark 16: 3-6 (NIV)
More from:
Pastor Olu Brown
Moments
The Power Of The Cross
Freedom In Christ
As we leave the Easter season, I believe most of us are able to focus more intently on the story of the Resurrection. Spiritually and physically the Resurrection is an almost unbelievable event. I personally don’t know of anyone who was physically dead and now is alive other than Jesus. It is not something you hear or see every day. The Resurrection is a moment of spiritual awakening for some and a physical phenomena for others.
What is most striking to me is, what the Resurrection of Jesus means personally. When Mary Magdalene and others approached Jesus’ tomb in Mark’s Gospel their conversation was around burial practices. They were caught up in preparing Jesus’ body according to the customs of their time. They had no idea they were in for the experience of a lifetime. When they arrived at the tomb, they saw the tombstone rolled away and what appeared to be an angel dressed in white. The angel spoke these words “Don’t be alarmed…you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.”
I can only imagine how this experience touched each of their lives on a personal level. How they were changed and blessed because the One they believed in and followed was no longer dead but had risen. They understood spiritually and were in awe of the physical phenomena but on a personal level, their lives would never be the same.
The Resurrection is both a spiritual and physical phenomena. The Resurrection is also a personal experience with Jesus. Personally, the Resurrection touches our lives in such a way that we can never be the same. For me, the personal blessing of the Resurrection is the affirmation that I can get up because my savior got up. Because Jesus rose again I can rise again. The Resurrection is a personal victory statement for each of us as we live this life and prepare for life beyond this world. In this life, we know that no matter what we face it is never the end and that through the power of the resurrection we can have new life, hope and possibility on this side. It also confirms that when we leave this world we can have new life as well.
The lead pastor of Impact Church, located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, Pastor Olu Brown has helped grow Impact into one of the fastest growing new church starts in America. For more information about Pastor Brown, log onto http://www.impactdcd.org or by following him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/olub.
Spiritual And Physical Phenomena
By Pastor Olu Brown
This week's topic: Resurrection
"…they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6 "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. Mark 16: 3-6 (NIV)
More from:
Pastor Olu Brown
Moments
The Power Of The Cross
Freedom In Christ
As we leave the Easter season, I believe most of us are able to focus more intently on the story of the Resurrection. Spiritually and physically the Resurrection is an almost unbelievable event. I personally don’t know of anyone who was physically dead and now is alive other than Jesus. It is not something you hear or see every day. The Resurrection is a moment of spiritual awakening for some and a physical phenomena for others.
What is most striking to me is, what the Resurrection of Jesus means personally. When Mary Magdalene and others approached Jesus’ tomb in Mark’s Gospel their conversation was around burial practices. They were caught up in preparing Jesus’ body according to the customs of their time. They had no idea they were in for the experience of a lifetime. When they arrived at the tomb, they saw the tombstone rolled away and what appeared to be an angel dressed in white. The angel spoke these words “Don’t be alarmed…you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.”
I can only imagine how this experience touched each of their lives on a personal level. How they were changed and blessed because the One they believed in and followed was no longer dead but had risen. They understood spiritually and were in awe of the physical phenomena but on a personal level, their lives would never be the same.
The Resurrection is both a spiritual and physical phenomena. The Resurrection is also a personal experience with Jesus. Personally, the Resurrection touches our lives in such a way that we can never be the same. For me, the personal blessing of the Resurrection is the affirmation that I can get up because my savior got up. Because Jesus rose again I can rise again. The Resurrection is a personal victory statement for each of us as we live this life and prepare for life beyond this world. In this life, we know that no matter what we face it is never the end and that through the power of the resurrection we can have new life, hope and possibility on this side. It also confirms that when we leave this world we can have new life as well.
The lead pastor of Impact Church, located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, Pastor Olu Brown has helped grow Impact into one of the fastest growing new church starts in America. For more information about Pastor Brown, log onto http://www.impactdcd.org or by following him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/olub.
Accepting The Gift Of The Cross
Daily Devotional
Accepting The Gift Of The Cross
By Dr. Patricia Bailey-Jones
This week's topic: Resurrection
In our stages of growth we should become more conscious of our righteousness as opposed to our sin. Practicing a consciousness of our state of righteousness is a journey in maturity. This growth process of humanity does not have to be painful. Under the law, man was conscious of his sin continually; but under the New Covenant God desires for us to focus more on who we are and what we have in Christ Jesus.
Our own righteousness is filthy in His sight; however, the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus is our new identity. As we honestly grow in Christ our desire increases to please Him. As we grow to please Him, we become more aware of our new creation realities. These realities and more powerful than the bonds of sin because sin is no longer our master. We are not under the law but under grace according to Romans 6:14, which says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law for under grace."
Does this mean that we will not miss the mark because we are under grace? By no means! It simply means that we must practice a lifestyle of walking in our redemptive rights. To refuse to grow up and walk in God's truth is to refuse to accept what Christ has made available to us. It cost the Father the blood of Jesus for us to live this life in its totality. We appropriate this life by grace. For if this growth and acceptance of righteousness came by our own works or by the law, then Christ died in vain according to Galatians 2:20-21.
His death is not in vain in our life when we recognize that we are in Christ Jesus. Maturity sets in when we meditate on the fact that Christ lives in us and we become God-inside minded. This is by no means a formula that makes us flawless, but rather creates an awareness of our purchased possession. In order words, we have more working in us internally than we have working against us externally.
As the maturity level develops in our life, it doesn't mean that we are free from the ability to sin or free the enemy tempting us with sin. We must always remember that we have an advocate with the Father, our high priest Christ Jesus, and it is through Him only that we are more than conquerors and triumphant in living this Christian life. We are assured of this because Christ Jesus is the propitiation for our sins and He is our righteousness. This righteousness is our purchased possession.
Jesus died to provide this for us and now we must posses the provision and walk in our covenant entitlement.
Dr. Patricia Bailey-Jones has created a tremendous impact for more than 25 years in over 100 countries around the world through her ministry. She has brought deliverance and salvation to countless th
Accepting The Gift Of The Cross
By Dr. Patricia Bailey-Jones
This week's topic: Resurrection
In our stages of growth we should become more conscious of our righteousness as opposed to our sin. Practicing a consciousness of our state of righteousness is a journey in maturity. This growth process of humanity does not have to be painful. Under the law, man was conscious of his sin continually; but under the New Covenant God desires for us to focus more on who we are and what we have in Christ Jesus.
Our own righteousness is filthy in His sight; however, the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus is our new identity. As we honestly grow in Christ our desire increases to please Him. As we grow to please Him, we become more aware of our new creation realities. These realities and more powerful than the bonds of sin because sin is no longer our master. We are not under the law but under grace according to Romans 6:14, which says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law for under grace."
Does this mean that we will not miss the mark because we are under grace? By no means! It simply means that we must practice a lifestyle of walking in our redemptive rights. To refuse to grow up and walk in God's truth is to refuse to accept what Christ has made available to us. It cost the Father the blood of Jesus for us to live this life in its totality. We appropriate this life by grace. For if this growth and acceptance of righteousness came by our own works or by the law, then Christ died in vain according to Galatians 2:20-21.
His death is not in vain in our life when we recognize that we are in Christ Jesus. Maturity sets in when we meditate on the fact that Christ lives in us and we become God-inside minded. This is by no means a formula that makes us flawless, but rather creates an awareness of our purchased possession. In order words, we have more working in us internally than we have working against us externally.
As the maturity level develops in our life, it doesn't mean that we are free from the ability to sin or free the enemy tempting us with sin. We must always remember that we have an advocate with the Father, our high priest Christ Jesus, and it is through Him only that we are more than conquerors and triumphant in living this Christian life. We are assured of this because Christ Jesus is the propitiation for our sins and He is our righteousness. This righteousness is our purchased possession.
Jesus died to provide this for us and now we must posses the provision and walk in our covenant entitlement.
Dr. Patricia Bailey-Jones has created a tremendous impact for more than 25 years in over 100 countries around the world through her ministry. She has brought deliverance and salvation to countless th
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