Celebrate Jesus

I first heard this praise and worship song during a youth-led service several years ago.  I love its upbeat tempo as well as its message. I hope you like this song as much as I do.

He Carried Jesus’ Cross

 

Spread Jesus.org

 

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23 (NIV)

 

We read these words, but do we really pay attention to what Jesus says here? Let us look at one who carried Jesus’ cross along the road to Golgotha.

 

Who is Simon of Cyrene?  

Simon attended the Passover Feast in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion.

 

Why did he do it? 

He was ordered to by the Roman centurion in charge of the journey to Golgotha.

 

Where is Cyrene? 

Cyrene was what is now modern-day Tripoli, located on the northern coast of Libya. (Daily Bible Commentary, Gospel of Luke, William Barclay p.335)

 

Why was he in Jerusalem?

To observe the Passover. He may have saved for a long time to be able to make this pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Barclay tells us, Simon, most likely. saved for many years to make this pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Passover. The account of the Simon’s conscription for this task by Mark tells us he had two sons, Alexander, and Rufus. 

 

How did Simon feel when he was ordered to carry Jesus’ cross? 

He could have felt anger toward the Roman centurion for making him do this task against his will. Maybe he had hard feelings against Rome (for taking over the government of Jerusalem). 

 

How might he have felt when he was at Golgotha?

Was he caught up in the crowd that wanted to see Jesus crucified? He knew that crucifixion was a criminal’s death. Did he have compassion for Jesus that grew as He walked alongside Him, carrying His cross?

 How did he react to what he heard?

 “Father, forgive them.” Did Simon wonder how Jesus, a perfect man, could ask God to forgive the people for this travesty?

 “They know not what they do.” Did Simon wonder what Jesus meant by saying this? These people were causing life to end for no reason.

 “Mother, here is your son.” Jesus Christ made provisions for Mary to be taken care of in her later years of life. He voiced his wishes for everyone in the crowd to hear. Did Simon marvel at Jesus’ words?

“Here is you mother” Jesus spoke these words to John, but did Simon realize what was happening with these words? He may have had lots of time to ponder these words.

 

How did he feel when he heard that Christ had risen?

Simon must have realized that Jesus was truly the Son of God. We are told that Simon and his family became believers in Jesus. The Apostle Paul writes to the Romans they are to “Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. (Romans 16:1)

We can conclude that Simon and his family became believers because of this event at the Passover Feast. The task Simon was ordered to do was not one he would have volunteered for. Because of that task, the kingdom of God was enlarged.

 

Sometimes in our Christian walk, we will be faced with a task we really do not want to do. We find ourselves doing it because we feel we must. Later, we find that we have grown from the experience. God uses even the tasks we find distasteful to enlarge His kingdom.

HE AROSE! HAPPY EASTER

Newness of Life

 

K love morning show

 

Praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that never perish oil or fade -- kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the Salvation that is readily revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1: 3 - 5 (NIV)

 

The Apostle Peter tells us this too tells this 2 those scattered throughout the known world

 

Peter reminds us that God has mercifully given his children new birth. What does this mean to us?

 

Simply put, God gives us a new life because he wanted to. It was nothing we did that caused God to give us a new life. He did it because he loves us.

 

He gave us a living hope. God did this by sacrificing his son, resurrecting him, and taking him back to heaven to rule with himself

 

We received this new life through faith and believed that all things are under God's control because of God's power we have nothing to fear.

 

With all the upheaval going on around us, we can rely on God to be with us and give us strength to be stand what life throws in our way.

 

Father God, thank you for giving us our Salvation thank you for your son who took our sin upon himself so that we might live in his name, Amen

“I Am the Resurrection and the Life”

http://harvestpeoria.org/watch/i-am-the-way-the-truth-and-the-life/

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.

Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.

 Do you believe this?

John 11:25-26 (ESV)

                Jesus returned to Bethany because Lazarus had died. When Jesus arrived, Martha heard He was nearby and went to meet Him. She believed that had Jesus been present, her brother would have recovered. In her grief, she voiced her thoughts.

           

            Jesus told her Lazarus would rise again. She responded that she knew her brother would rise again ‘in the resurrection on the last day.’

Jesus then identifies Himself as “the resurrection and the life.” He continues, explaining what that means. Simply stated, it means that, although a believer dies, that believer will live with Jesus. He goes on to state that once a person believes in Him, he or she ‘will never die.’ (He is speaking of the soul of the believer.)

            The Master asked Martha a very pointed question, “Do you believe this?” Martha

Answers with the affirmation that she does believe that this man standing before her is “The Christ, the Son of God.”

            I have heard this passage preached at many funerals. When I hear the question Jesus asks, it sets me to thinking.   Our time on earth is getting short. We need to focus on this question that Christ asked Martha on a regular basis. 

           Things come into our lives that distract us from the journey that God has planned for us. We have the responsibility to live for Jesus and share His love with those around us. Part of that responsibility is that we search our hearts for hidden sin and ask Him to take care of it.         

Mary's Discovery

Ma

noamish.vgh.no2010/10/23

Mary asked the man, "Where have you taken Him?" Then she heard her name. She looked up and saw Jesus. She ran into town and told all she met, "HE'S ALIVE." 

Study this picture. Mary is joyful that her Master lives. We are to be joyful that our Master lives

.He Lives

Because He Lives

My wish for you, my readers is that you have a glorious Resurrection Sunday, May God richly bless you and yours.

  

Lent, Why Do We Observe it?

Every spring we go through a time of preparation for celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. What would we tell someone who asked us what lent was all about?

The custom of observing Lent stems from a desire to draw closer to the Lord. For forty week days we deny ourselves something that we like in order to understand what Jesus endured in the desert before He started His ministry.

It was explained to me that the Sundays in the Lenten season are “little Easters”, in that we can end our self denial and celebrate, as we would on Resurrection Day.

Certain Protestant groups and the Roman Catholic Church observe this special event of the Christian year. A thought that came out of our Ash Wednesday service is that we are not only to abstain from an action but we are also to fill the void left with something positive.

Another facet of the Lenten observance is some groups ask those in their flock to think about something they may want to change about themselves. I had become soured about an issue in my life; I chose to give it to the Lord. During this Lenten season I have begun to see myself as how I think God sees me. It has been an eye-opening experience for me.

Just As He Said

“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know you

are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen,

just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.’”

Matt 28:5-6 (NIV)



Two women approached the garden tomb where they saw the men lay the Master. Their mission was to complete the burial procedure. They believed it to be disrespectful not to finish the work.


Matthew records a violent earthquake followed by an angel who moves the rock away from the tomb’s door. This must have caused the women fear. The angel’s first words are, “Do not be afraid.”
With the next words, “He is not here.” The women could have panicked. Their first thought could have been of someone stealing the Master’s body. But how?

The angel knows why they came to the tomb. He continues, “. . . he has risen, just as he said.” He invites them to see the place where the men had laid Jesus’ body.

Jesus Christ had shared with his disciples what would happen to Him in the future. The angel reminded the two women of this.

We have recorded information about Him telling them He wouldn’t be with them much longer. The disciples didn’t (didn’t want to?) understand.

In today’s world we know some people learn from being told about an event and its consequence. We also know others have to experience that circumstance or its outcome before they might learn a lesson. The disciples seem to belong to the group that has to suffer through the ordeal.

The key words I see in this passage remind me of Jesus’ genuineness: “. . . Just as He said.” I praise Him for that.

HE IS RISEN:HE IS RISEN, INDEED.

 A dear friend sent me this link. I hope you receive a blessing from it. I know I have. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5ddoyfn6g4