He
is Risen, He is Risen indeed!
April
2018
Message
from Pastor Tom,
You definitely knew it was March for
sure since I got a little windy last month in my message, but hey, March is a
windy month. Now we come to April, which is one of my favorite months with the Resurrection
of Jesus, and of course, December being another when we recognize our dear Savior’s
birth. Two great things happen in April, one being the celebration of our RISEN Lord Jesus Christ, Hallelujah! With
the second being the celebration of Heidi and my 37th wedding
anniversary, which was planned all those years ago to coincide with Easter. Yet
the highlight this month is the cornerstone of our Christian faith, the resurrection
of our Savior, and what better month to do it in? April means spring, and spring
is a time of renewal with the trees budding, the grass turning green, and flowers
blooming. It is finally getting warmer, and everyone is happily attending their
allergies, while beginning to make plans for summer vacation when school is out.
What is
important for us to reflect on during Easter time is the physical pain Jesus
endured on Good Friday so through His Resurrection we can live forever with Him.
Therefore, let us also think about the purpose of our own pain. Everyone
reading this is going through or has gone through something painful. All of us
have faced trials and tribulations and will most likely face more. We can
either let adversity make us bitter or better. Our adversity can serve as a
stepping-stone, or stumbling block. It’s up to us! Jesus’ passion and suffering
produced the opportunity for the salvation of the world. Our suffering ultimately
makes us more like Jesus (Philippians 3:10) and gives us future opportunities
to minister to others. Although we may not understand it now, pain always
serves a purpose! Nowhere do we see this more clearly than in the life of Jesus.
In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus is nearly overcome with anguish and
distress. He tells the disciples, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point
of death” (Matthew 26:38). He cries out
to His Father, using a term of intimate endearment, “Abba, Father, all things
are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; not what I will, but what You
will” (Mark 14:36). He will say this two more times as swollen drops of sweat
fall to the ground like blood.
We live in a broken world. Every
Christian will at some point in our life know the pain of grieving for a loved
one. When Paul told us not to "grieve as others do who have no hope"
(1 Thessalonians 4:13) he did not mean we would not experience sadness. But
because Jesus conquered the grave, we have confidence one day we too will meet
both Jesus and our believing loved ones again. This changes everything when we
come face to face with death. Our heavenly Father is faithful to keep every one
of His promises. If you trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, God will
save you from your sin and welcome you into His family (John 1:12), without
regard to merit or worth on your part. Eternal life will be yours, and He
offers this gift freely to all who believe in His Son. Will you receive it
today, or will you be secure in your own salvation?
Happy Easter to you and your family as
we celebrate our Father’s greatest sacrifice through His Son, Jesus Christ. Heidi
and I pray this Easter you receive God's Love, Grace, and His never-ending
peace. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and as always, I hope it
spiritually enriches you. Have a most blessed Easter.
Blessings from a Pastor and his wife,
Tom and Heidi
The
times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to
repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in
righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given
assurance to all by raising him from the dead. Acts 17:30-31
