When Grace Abounds - April 29, 2018 sermon

   By Pastor Greg...

Sister Grace at the convent opened a letter from home and found a $100 bill from her parents.  She smiled at the gesture.  As she read the letter by the window, she noticed a shabbily dressed stranger leaning against the lamp post below. Quickly, she wrote, "Don't despair. Sister Grace" on a piece of paper, wrapped the $100 bill in it and tossed it out the window. The stranger picked it up and read the note. He tipped his hat to Sister Grace and hurried away.

The next day, Sister Grace was told that a man was asking to see her.  She went down and found the stranger waiting.  Without a word, he handed her a huge wad of $100 bills. "What's this?" she asked. "That's your $8,000, Sister," he replied. "'Don't Despair' paid 80-to-1."

If you read the headlines, it seems the moral and ethical fiber of our nation continues to spiral out of control.  We are entering a period in our country where Christian morals and values are being marginalized; you and I are rapidly becoming the minority.  It can be quite discouraging.  How will the Church survive in a nation no longer receptive to our beliefs?  What does the future hold for Christians or for humanity?  Christ warned us that in the last days, “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold”^[1] (Matthew 24:12).  Should the Church continue to fight against evil or should it quietly and peacefully roll over and die?  Has Christianity lost its ability to influence this world?  Is there any hope for a revival? 

Don’t despair.  Revelation chapter 15 informs us that all is not lost.  Even up to the very end, some people will still turn to God. 

 (Revelation 15:1-8) Then I saw in heaven another marvelous event of great significance. Seven angels were holding the seven last plagues, which would bring God’s wrath to completion. ² I saw before me what seemed to be a glass sea mixed with fire. And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them. ³ And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

“Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. ⁴ Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed.”

⁵ Then I looked and saw that the Temple in heaven, God’s Tabernacle, was thrown wide open. ⁶ The seven angels who were holding the seven plagues came out of the Temple. They were clothed in spotless white linen with gold sashes across their chests. ⁷ Then one of the four living beings handed each of the seven angels a gold bowl filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. ⁸ The Temple was filled with smoke from God’s glory and power. No one could enter the Temple until the seven angels had completed pouring out the seven plagues.^[2]

It will be a dark and wicked time in the days when the world is ruled by the Antichrist; evil and treachery will fill the land.  Yet, gathered on this glassy sea are those who refused to bow down to Satan and his demonic influence.  And despite all the disasters and hardships caused by the 7 seals and the 7 trumpets, they continued to worship the Lord God.  In those dark days, the righteous will shine, and the darkness will not be able to extinguish their light.

The words of Paul ring true; “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more”^[3] (Romans 5:20).

I am encouraged by this.  Not every person will cave under pressure.  The Antichrist and the False Prophet will not subdue all of humanity; they will not wrestle everyone into submission.  In some of the darkest times on earth, many people remain steadfast in their faith.  Isn’t that amazing?  It gives me hope for today.

If people can be victorious over the world in that day, shouldn’t we be even more victorious today?  Today is a day of salvation.  Today the Holy Spirit is present among us.  Today, the hand of God is restraining evil and the man of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:6).  If those under severe persecution can shine brightly in the dark days to come, certainly you and I should be able to persevere today.

But how do we accomplish this?  How do we thrive in today’s culture?  If the Man of Lawlessness is being restrained, how can we continue to impact this world for Jesus?  The Lord has pointed out that, “the one who endures to the end will be saved”^[4] (Matthew 24:13).  So, how do we endure?

The Apostle Paul, a first-century evangelist, shares some instructions on how to live as lights in this dark world.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. ² Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

³ Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. ⁴ Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. ⁵ You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

⁶ Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. ⁷ Don’t participate in the things these people do. ⁸ For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! ⁹ For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

¹⁰ Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. ¹³ But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, ¹⁴ for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper,

rise up from the dead,

and Christ will give you light.”

Living by the Spirit’s Power

¹⁵ So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. ¹⁶ Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. ¹⁷ Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. ¹⁸ Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, ¹⁹ singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. ²⁰ And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ ^[5] (Ephesians 5:1-20)

In the dark days ahead, not everyone will be lost.  Some will resist the Antichrist and the false prophet.  And I am encouraged by this.  If men and women can resist evil in those days, surely we can resist in these days… these days while the Spirit is still working among us.  In fact, John the Apostle says it is the presence of God’s Spirit within us that enables us to overcome the sins of this world.  “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world”^[6] (I John 4:4).  Kind of makes you want to sing, doesn’t it?

If there is one thing that has remained consistent over time it is the human heart; the spirit and the soul of men and women are the same today as it was yesterday.  Throughout history, some people worshiped the darkness, but in those dark days, there were some who went searching for the light.  It is the same today.  In a land that is amoral, we will find people here and there who are searching for love and meaning; people who know deep in their heart that there must be something more to life.  As long as people thirst for Truth, the message of Jesus will remain.  Regardless of what happens in the world, the Church will always find a way to reach the lost with God’s offer of grace.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mt 24:12). Carol Stream, IL.

^[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Re 15:1–8). Carol Stream, IL.

^[3] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Ro 5:20). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

^[4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mt 24:13). Carol Stream, IL.

^[5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Eph 5:1–20). Carol Stream, IL.

^[6] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (1 Jn 4:4). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

The Harvest - April 22, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

The church gossip and self-appointed spokesperson of the church's morals kept sticking her nose into other people's business. Several church members were unappreciative of her activities but feared her enough to remain silent.  She made a mistake, however, when she accused George, a new member, of being drunk after noticing his truck parked in front of the town's only bar. On Sunday, right in front of several people, she commented that everyone seeing it there would know what he was doing.  George, a man of few words, stared at her for a moment and just walked away. He didn't explain, defend, or deny; he said nothing.  Later that evening, George quietly parked his pickup in front of her house and left it there all night.

Do you think this gossip learned her lesson?  I doubt it.  People like her refuse to be taught; they will not admit their sin.  And John the Apostle reminds us that, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth” ^[1] (1 John 1:8).

I meet very few people who enjoy being confronted about their sin.  However, in Christian circles, this is actually a healthy exercise.  A true believer is willing to admit their sin.  They recognize their need for a Savior and turn to Christ in faith.  This is the lesson we read in the book of Romans.  Paul, a first-century evangelist, teaches us that without conviction there is no salvation.  After all, if we deny our sin, why would we need a Savior.  Contrasting Adam and Jesus, Paul writes, “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.  Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous” ^[2] (Romans 5:12,19).

Ever since the first man and woman sinned, God has been working on a process to undo the effects of sin.  By the death of Jesus, we have been delivered from sins penalty.  In His resurrection, we have been delivered from sins power.  One day, when He returns, we will be delivered from sins presence.  And it is this last part – the removal of sins presence – we see unfolding in Revelation 14.

 (Revelation 14:14-20) ¹⁴ Then I saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was someone like the Son of Man. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

¹⁵ Then another angel came from the Temple and shouted to the one sitting on the cloud, “Swing the sickle, for the time of harvest has come; the crop on earth is ripe.” ¹⁶ So the one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the whole earth was harvested.

¹⁷ After that, another angel came from the Temple in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. ¹⁸ Then another angel, who had power to destroy with fire, came from the altar. He shouted to the angel with the sharp sickle, “Swing your sickle now to gather the clusters of grapes from the vines of the earth, for they are ripe for judgment.” ¹⁹ So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and loaded the grapes into the great winepress of God’s wrath. ²⁰ The grapes were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress in a stream about 180 miles long and as high as a horse’s bridle. ^[3]

Angels announce that God’s wrath will trample the wicked in a great battle.  Blood will probably be splattered as high as a horse’s bridle, not necessarily that deep.^[4]  The description here makes us wonder if God really hates people this much.  Is God fuming and fussing in Heaven as we speak, anticipating the day He can let loose a whole barrage of curses on humanity?  Although words like “wrath” and “anger” are used here, we must remember that God does not want anyone to die (Ezekiel 18:32), so there must be a more in-depth explanation to this event. 

  “God’s anger and wrath must always be seen in relation to His maintaining and defending His attributes of love and holiness, as well as His righteousness and justice.  The emotion or passion that moves God to this maintaining and defending is exposed by the terms ‘displeasure’, ‘indignation,’ ‘anger,’ and ‘wrath.’”[5]  So, it’s best to understand these events as God removing sin’s presence from the earth.  These events depict the world being prepared for the arrival of Jesus – the glorified Jesus.

Jesus describes this period like a farmer separating the wheat from weeds.  He says, ⁴⁰ “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴² And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! ^[6](Matthew 13:40-43).  In another parable, Jesus describes the last days as a fisherman separating his catch.  ⁴⁷ Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. ⁴⁸ When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. ⁴⁹ That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, ⁵⁰ throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth ^[7] (Matthew 13:47-50).

To fully understand what will happen at this point in history, we need to dismiss the notion that God loses control of His emotions and flies off in an uncontrollable rage.  We cannot describe God using human emotions, for this diminishes His holiness.  To put it simply, the great battle depicted here is God purifying the land.  Since Jesus will be returning to rule for a thousand years, the earth is being made holy; everything that causes sin and all who do evil will be removed.  The Millennial rule of Christ will be marked by righteousness, purity, and justice. 

In Matthew 24 Jesus spoke of two men standing in a field or two women grinding at the mill.  One will be taken away, and one will be left behind (Matthew 24:40-41).  Days before Jesus returns to the earth, the wicked will be pulled out from among the righteous and cast aside.  The righteous will be left behind.

Yes, I imagine these last days will be difficult for God.  It will be with great sorrow the Father casts the unrighteous aside.  He has continually reached out to those with stiff necks and hard hearts.  Even in these last days, God will send angels to call sinners to repentance.  But many people will refuse; they refuse to be humble or admit their sin… leaving God no other choice.  To maintain His holiness, God will pass judgment.  He will separate.  And far too many people will find themselves cast aside.  However, because the Lord can see into the deepest part of our hearts, His judgment will be just and fair; not one single innocent person will suffer in the “winepress of His wrath.”

This section of Revelation speaks of those who are still alive near the end of the Tribulation period.  These are people who have survived the effects of the 7 Seals and the 7 Trumpets mentioned in earlier chapters of Revelation.  This includes some who have worshiped the beast (receiving his mark) and those who have refused.  And a day will come when God must harvest humanity; we will reach a point where wickedness threatens to spoil the whole crop (compare verse 15).  So, the events mentioned here happen in the future; we don’t know when, but they will happen.

You can be spared all of this by merely humbling yourself before God, admitting your sin, and accepting Jesus as your Savior.  It’s true!  By placing your faith in Jesus, you will be spared these trials; you will not endure this time of earthly purification.  Don’t be like those who are stubborn and stiff-necked.  You can be made righteous because of the death of Jesus by allowing Him to remove the penalty for your sin.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (1 Jn 1:8). Carol Stream, IL.

^[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ro 5:12,19). Carol Stream, IL.

^[3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Re 14:14–20). Carol Stream, IL.

^[4] Walvoord, J. F. (1985). Revelation. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 965). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

[5] The Wrath of God; Baker Theological Dictionary ©1996 by Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI.

^[6] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Mt 13:37–43). Carol Stream, IL.

^[7] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Mt 13:47–50). Carol Stream, IL.

A Wake-up Call for the Church - April 8, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

A few years ago my daughter and I were traveling home from Enola – a small residential section west of Harrisburg.  We went there to pick up a dining room table she had purchased.  And once we had it loaded into her van, we headed back toward home, deciding to take interstate 83 instead of the back roads.  What I didn’t know was that recent construction had altered the entrance ramps onto the highway and, to make matters worse, the new signs giving drivers clear directions had not yet been installed.  So, I turned left onto a ramp thinking it would take us south, but once I saw the how the road continued to sweep to the left, I realized it was an off-ramp.  I stopped where I was and immediately started to turn around.  A few drivers “graciously” helped me realize I was headed in the wrong direction.  And I kindly thanked them for their gestures.  It was nice to discover such friendly people who readily pointed out my error; they showed me that I was on the wrong path.

If only Christians today would be as helpful. 

Jesus has described a person’s life as a journey; we pilgrims travel along one of two separate paths.  And He says we must choose which pathway to follow.  ¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. ¹⁴ For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it”^[1] (Matthew 7:13-14).  This “broad path” is the way of the world.  It is the pathway that follows our basic human instincts.  It entices us with pleasures and promises personal happiness; it is the “way” that permits us to do as we wish and succumb to greed.  It is the pathway of selfishness.  And, as announced by an angel, it is the pathway of “Babylon.”

(Revelation 14:1-13) Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. ² And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together.

³ This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. No one could learn this song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. ⁴ They have kept themselves as pure as virgins, following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb. ⁵ They have told no lies; they are without blame.

⁶ And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. ⁷ “Fear God,” he shouted. “Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water.”

⁸ Then another angel followed him through the sky, shouting, “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen—because she made all the nations of the world drink the wine of her passionate immorality.”

⁹ Then a third angel followed them, shouting, “Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand ¹⁰ must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. ¹¹ The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.”

¹² This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.

¹³ And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!” ^[2]

Our world today seems to think there are no consequences for our actions… at least no eternal consequences.  Sociologists have decreed that we determine our own personal standards of right and wrong.  Governments have passed laws granting people the freedom to decide which lifestyle makes them happy, while it appears God sits by and does nothing.  However, as announced by these three angels, a day of reckoning is coming; God will finally judge the people of this world based upon the choices they have made.  In this section of Revelation, we find that those who choose to worship the beast will drink of God’s wrath.  Those who follow the easy way – the broad way – will find themselves being tormented with fire and brimstone in the life to come.  And there will be no rest for their misery.

You simply cannot live any way you want and expect a happy ending; anyone who claims we can is a liar.

This “broad path” is the way of Babylon.  Of course, the second angel is not speaking of a specific city but of a way of living.  It is a lifestyle filled with sinful passions; it is a mindset and a way of living that is contrary to the way of God.  The Apostle Paul warned that these days would come.  In his second letter to Timothy, Paul writes, “³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, ⁴ and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths”^[3] (2 Timothy 4:3-4).  And as we draw closer and closer to this tribulation period, the world will look more and more like that ancient empire of Babylon.  People will turn away from truth and instead will turn aside to whatever feels right in their own heart.

When faced with a choice, many will choose the broad path.  Rather than restraining their passions, those who choose the easy way will give in to their basic human urges.  And when the Antichrist is in power, these seductions of the flesh will lure them to receive the Mark of the Beast.  In his Great Deception, Satan deceives people into thinking that there are no consequences for their actions.  Oh, they may live a life of ease for a while, but one day they will suffer for the choices they made in this life.  It is not a very pleasant image.  In contrast, those who choose the narrow way restrain their urges.  They “put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking [inside them].” Those who walk the narrow path “Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires.”  They are not greedy; they do not “worship the things of this world”^[4] (Colossians 3:5).  These are the ones who will face many hardships in this life but find great rewards in the life to come.  What we learn in this section is that there is only one way that leads to life, and that is the “way of the cross.”

This revelation becomes a wakeup call for the person traveling along the path that leads to destruction.  Unfortunately, as the Lord has reminded us, few people headed for destruction will find the road to the Cross on their own (Matthew 7:14).  … which is why those headed for destruction need faithful believers to call out their name – to get their attention – and point them to the narrow way.

And so, this Revelation is also a wakeup call for the Church.  It seems God pulls the Church aside and says, “Here is what awaits those who have been seduced by ‘Babylon’” (verse 8).  The Lord’s words seem to call the Church to action.  Seeing that many are being deceived and seduced, the Church today should be stirred to even greater action than the Church of yesterday.   It doesn’t take a theologian to realize our time is short.  The influence of “Babylon” is growing stronger every day.  Christians need to call the people of this world to repentance; to show them that only the narrow way leads to life.  The Church today should be driven to rescue as many as it can from the broad road that leads to destruction.

Christians have chosen the narrow gate; the road less traveled.  And since the Lord has shown us here where the other road is headed, this disturbing revelation should awaken us to the perils that await the traveler on the other path.  The real question here is whether we will call them to the narrow way or sit idly by and watch them head to destruction.

Do not allow your journey down the narrow path to be filled with regrets and sorrows; not sorrows for the things you have done, for the Lord is able and willing to forgive the sins which we commit. Rather, let there be no remorse or sadness for the things we failed to do or say along the way.  Call out to a lost person wandering along the wrong path; help them find the road that leads home.

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^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Mt 7:13–14). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

^[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Re 14:1–13). Carol Stream, IL.

^[3] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (2 Ti 4:3–4). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

^[4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Col 3:5). Carol Stream, IL.

Faithful and True - April 1, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

As I was thinking about the whole Easter story this past week, I was reminded of an event early in Jesus’ ministry.  It’s the story of the paralyzed man who was lowed through the roof.  And although it seems rather odd to talk about a paralyzed man on Easter morning, I find that it may help us see the Resurrection of Jesus in a whole new light.  Look at the events Luke describes in chapter 5.  ¹⁷ One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was strongly with Jesus.

¹⁸ Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, ¹⁹ but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus. ²⁰ Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.”

²¹ But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”

²² Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? ²³ Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? ²⁴ So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

²⁵ And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God. ²⁶ Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!” ^[1]

The words of Jesus shocked the crowd that day.  How could He, a mere man, claim that God forgave someone’s sin?  That’s a very bold claim; His words sounded like those of a madman… unless Jesus indeed had the Father’s authority.  Knowing their thoughts, Jesus heals the man as proof His words are faithful and trustworthy; if Jesus said it, you can be sure it is true.

It is the same with the earthly ministry of Jesus.  As the Lord walked among us, He begins preaching and teaching that He was sent by God to provide eternal life for those who believe… you know - the whole John 3:16 message.  Jesus promises over and over again that those who obey His message will never die (John 6:50; 8:51; 11:26).  Even while He was dying on the cross, Jesus turned to the one thief and said, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” ^[2] (Luke 23:43).  These were some very bold claims, like those of a madman… unless, of course, He had absolute authority from God.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus made some rather bold promises about sins being forgiven and, if you’re like me, you sometimes wonder if they really are true.  How can we be sure that our many sins really are forgiven?  I think that’s the real question many people ask during Easter.  We hear about these promises made by Jesus and secretly wonder how they could be true.  And, just as He did with this paralyzed man. Jesus provides the evidence we need to believe.

When we find ourselves struggling to accept the promises of Jesus – forgiveness of sin and eternal life promises – Jesus confirms that He has the authority to take away our sin by rising from the dead and has the power to grant eternal life.

And when you or I ask how can it be that the Lord could forgive our sin or give us everlasting life, it’s then that Jesus whispers into our doubts saying, “Which is easier; to forgive your sin or rise from the dead?  But to show you that I have the authority to do these things I will cast aside the stone and walk out of the grave.”

Like many of us, you too probably wonder if Jesus has forgiven your sins.  You wonder if God could possibly forgive you for all the wrong things you have done in your life.  In hopeful anticipation, the idea begins to form in your heart that maybe, just maybe, God has prepared a place for you in glory.  But you are unsure.  I pray that this Easter the empty tomb becomes a sign that all the promises made by Jesus are faithful and trustworthy.  He has said it; the empty tomb proves they are true.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Lk 5:17–26). Carol Stream, IL.

^[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Lk 23:43). Carol Stream, IL.