Prayer Request

     The forecast in my area is for a lot of rain. There has been a lot of flooding in my area this year already. Please pray that the rain will not be as bad as forecast. Thank you.

Weekend Sermon -- Luke 24:13-35

     Thank you for reading the Weekend Sermon this week. I want to once again thank the Lord for the opportunity that He has given me to post these sermons. I hope and pray that you all are having a very good week.
     This week has gone well in my writing work, and I am thankful to the Lord for that. I will be starting my new job soon, and I am thankful to the Lord for that as well.
     I would ask for your prayers this coming week on a matter. The weather forecasters are calling for very heavy rains in my area next week. Please pray that we do not get these rains. I am worried about more flooding. We don't need any rain at all right now. Thank you for your prayers.
     As we go to prayer this week, please remember to pray for the people of Sri Lanka. There are many who are still recovering in the hospital. Please pray that the sick will get well and that the Lord will comfort those who mourn. Please continue to pray for those in New Zealand who are recovering from their injuries. Let us pray that all terrorism will stop.
     Mozambique was hit with another storm this week, and they haven't recovered from the last storm yet. Please pray that these people will get the aid that they need, and pray that there won't be any storms.
     Continue to pray that the Ebola outbreak in Congo will come to an end. Please pray that the measles outbreak in parts of the United States will end.
     We need to continue to pray for peace in this world. Syria, Libya and Yemen need our prayers for peace.
     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those who live in Indonesia and Ivory Coast. Pray that many will come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.
     For our message today, I want us to focus on one of the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. The Bible tells us that Jesus remained on the earth for 40 days after He rose up from the dead. In the book of I Corinthians, Paul tells us that Jesus appeared to many people after He rose again. Jesus appeared to all of the apostles. He appeared to Paul and to James. Paul says that Jesus appeared to at least 500 other people after He rose from the dead. Paul stated that this provided proof that Jesus truly did rise from the grave.
     Luke chapter 24 records one of the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. Two of Jesus' followers were walking along the road to Emmaus. They were discussing what had happened to Jesus over the course of the last few days.
     Jesus came alongside and asked what they were talking about. The two travelers did not recognize that they were talking and walking with Jesus.
      As they were walking along, Jesus said that the travelers should not be surprised about what happened. Jesus said that all of the things that happened to Him were recorded about the Messiah in the Scriptures. At that point, Jesus proceeded to show the travelers from the Old Testament the Scriptures about the Messiah.
      I think that it would have been great to be on that road to Emmaus listening to Jesus explain the Scripture. What a lesson it would be.
      One of the more interesting studies that you can do in the Bible is to look at the Old Testament references to the coming Messiah and see how these were fulfilled by Jesus. I would like us to look at just a few of these today. Maybe Jesus shared some of these same verses with the travelers on the road to Emmaus.
     In Deuteronomy 18:15-19,  Moses said that the Lord would raise up a prophet like him from among the people. The Gospels go to great lengths to show that Jesus is the one who is greater than Moses. This is especially demonstrated in the events surrounding the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus is shown as the new lawgiver. Jesus will often say in this sermon that Moses said something, but Jesus will then say something else. Jesus was showing that He was the ultimate lawgiver. He was the one who was greater than Moses.
     Isaiah 53 is one of the great passages in all of the Bible. In this passage, the suffering servant is revealed. So much of the imagery in this passage is fulfilled by Jesus on the cross. Let me give you just one example. Isaiah 53:5 states, "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." Zechariah 12:10 also tells us that the Messiah would be pierced.
     Psalm 16:8-11 tells us that the holy one of God would be resurrected from the dead. Verse 10 states, "You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption."
     In the book of Micah chapter 5 and verse 2, the Bible tells us that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. That is where Jesus was born and placed in a manger.
     In Zechariah we have two other passages that tell us about the Messiah. Zechariah 11:12-13 tells us that the Messiah would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. Zechariah 9:9 tells us that the Messiah would come riding into Jerusalem on a donkey.
     These are just a few of the many passages in the Old Testament that speak to us about the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled each and every one of these Scriptures telling about the Messiah. There can be no doubt that Jesus is the Messiah. He is the one sent to redeem the world. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Jesus Christ is Lord.
     Next week, I will post a message about the teachings of Jesus. I will post the sermon on Friday. On Monday, I will post the verses for the week, and on Wednesday I will post a review. May God bless you all. Amen.
   

A Few Recommendations

     This past weekend, I came across a program that I enjoyed on BBC Radio. Jeremy Irons was reading the Psalms. There are four thirty minute episodes in the series. They are still available for you to listen to at this link -- https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0004633/episodes/player. Jeremy Irons has a very expressive voice, and he really makes the Psalms come alive. I believe that these episodes are only available for a short time.

     As some may know, James Herriot is my favorite author. Over the past few weeks, I've been looking at some of the old "All Creatures Great and Small" television programs. I recommend those to you if you've not seen them.  Please read all of James Herriot's books too.
     I can't remember if I've ever recommended the book James Herriot's son wrote. "The Real James Herriot" by Jim Wight, is a book that gives a lot of insight into James Herriot (his real name was James Wight) that we don't get to read about in the James Herriot books. The books go into detail until about the late 1950s. "The Real James Herriot" details James Herriot's life through the time of his death in 1995.

Verses For The Week

I Thessalonians 4:14 -- "For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him."

I Peter 1:3 -- "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."

Weekend Sermon -- Easter

     Christ is risen! Happy Easter to everyone. Thank you for taking the time to read the blog this weekend. I hope that you are all having a great week.
    This week was a good week for me. As you know, I have been looking for a better job. On Tuesday, I was offered and accepted a good job. I will start in two weeks. Thank you for all of your prayers in this matter. Thanks be to God.
     In prayer this week, please remember to keep praying for those in Mozambique who are having such a terrible time because of the storm that hit that country. Pray that the needs of the people will be met.
     Please continue to pray for those in the United States who have experienced the terrible flooding. This is just to the north of where I live, and I know that many are having a very hard time.
     Continue to pray that the Ebola epidemic in Congo will end. Pray for those who are working diligently to help the Ebola victims in Congo.
     Remember to pray for peace in the troubled areas of this world. Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen and Libya need our prayers.
     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those who live in the nations of Mongolia and Liberia. Pray that many will hear about the love of Jesus.
     Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. What a glorious day. All four of the Gospels give us an account of the events concerning the resurrection of Jesus. I want us to focus our attention on the resurrection account from the Gospel of Matthew.
     In Matthew's Gospel, we see that Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary went to the tomb of Jesus. When they arrived at the tomb, they found an angel sitting on the stone that had been rolled away from in front of the tomb of Jesus. The angel instructed the women not to be afraid. He told them that Jesus had risen just as He said that He would. The angel told the women to go and tell Jesus' disciples what had occurred.
     The women ran to tell the disciples. On the way, Jesus appeared to the women. The women fell at Jesus' feet and worshiped Him. He told the women not to be afraid. He too instructed the women to go and tell the disciples that He had risen from the dead.
     In this account, we see that both the angel at the tomb and the risen Lord told the women not to be afraid. What I would like to focus on today is how the resurrection of Jesus frees us from fear.
     First of all, the resurrection of Jesus frees us from the fear of death. Because the human race fell into sin, death passed upon all because all have sinned. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death.
     Most people that I have known have a fear of death in some manner. This can run the gamut from terror to uneasiness. The idea of non-existence is hard for people to come to terms with.
     I've met Christians who are afraid to die. This is something that I find hard to understand. Jesus' resurrection frees us from the fear of death. Because Jesus conquered death through His resurrection, death has no power over those who are in Christ.
     Hebrews 2:14-15 expresses very well what Jesus has accomplished for us. These verses state, "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."
     Since Jesus has risen from the dead, we do not have to fear death if we are in Christ. Jesus will take all those who are in Him to be with Him in the place that He has prepared. Those who are in Christ Jesus will spend eternity with Him.
     Jesus expressed so well in the Gospel of John the power of His resurrection. John 11:25-26 records Jesus saying, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though he die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die." These are magnificent and glorious words.
     Another verse that clearly shows us that we as Christians need not fear death is found in II Corinthians 5:8. In this verse, Paul states that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
     Because of the glorious resurrection of Jesus from the dead, we don't have to worry about what happens to us when we die. Jesus will raise us up and take us to be with Him forever if we have trusted in Him as Savior and Lord.
      The resurrection of Jesus not only frees us from the fear of death for ourselves. Jesus' resurrection frees us from the fear that we will not see our loved ones again after they have passed away.
      Almost everyone in my family has passed away. My Mom and Dad are both dead as are my grandparents. I lost two of my uncles and one of my aunts this year. Several of my friends have passed away. This is hard. However, all of these people trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. I know that because Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, I will see my family and friends again in the presence of my Lord Jesus. I don't have to fear and grieve that they are gone from me forever. They aren't.
     Finally, the resurrection of Jesus frees us from the fear of living in this world. It does not matter what should come against us. Ultimately, no matter what happens to us in this life, we have a home with Jesus forever. We can take comfort in the fact that we will rise to be with the Lord.
     There may be someone reading this sermon who has never placed his or her trust in the Lord Jesus. Jesus died on the cross to take away our sins. He rose again to defeat death and hell. Jesus invites whosoever will to come to Him. He invites you to repent of your sin and ask for His forgiveness. He invites you to accept Him as the Lord of your life. I hope that you will chose Jesus today.
     Next week, we will be back to our regular schedule on the blog. On Monday, I will post the verses for the week. On Wednesday, I will post a review. The Weekend Sermon will be posted on Friday. May God bless you all. Christ is Risen. Alleluia.

Good Friday

      For the Good Friday post, I am posting the account of the crucifixion of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Mark. The Weekend Sermon will be posted tomorrow.

Mark 15

1And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate.

2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto them, Thou sayest it.

3 And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing.

4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.

5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.

6 Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.

7 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.

8 And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them.

9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?

10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.

11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.

12 And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?

13 And they cried out again, Crucify him.

14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.

17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,

18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.

20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.

22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull.

23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.

24 And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.

25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

26 And the superscription of his accusation was written over, The King Of The Jews.

27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.

28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,

30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross.

31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.

32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.

36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.

37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.

38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.

40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;

41 (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.

42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,

43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

45 And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

46 And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.

47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.

Maundy Thursday

     Today is the first of our blog posts for Holy Week. Today, we will focus on Maundy Thursday. Tomorrow, there will be a post for Good Friday, and the Weekend Sermon will be posted on Saturday.
     Several different events in the life of Jesus occurred on Maundy Thursday. First of all, this was the night when Jesus instituted the sacrament of holy communion. Jesus stated that the cup represented the blood that He would shed. The bread represented His body which would be broken. As often as we eat the bread and drink the cup we are to do so in remembrance of Jesus.
     During the time of the Last Supper, Jesus also demonstrated how we are to serve others. Jesus washed His disciples feet even though He was their Lord and teacher. He demonstrated that true greatness comes from serving others.
     In the Gospel of John, the Upper Room Discourse of  Jesus is recorded. These are the teachings that Jesus gave to His disciples after the Last Supper was finished. The Gospel of John also records the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus as Jesus prayed for His disciples and for those who would come to believe in Him in the future through the disciples' witness.
     After they left the Upper Room, Jesus went with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus went there to pray because in just a few hours, He would be crucified.
     Jesus took James, John and Peter with Him, and He asked them to keep watch and pray with Him. Jesus went off a little way by Himself and prayed to His Father. Mark 14:34 records Jesus saying, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death."
     Jesus prayed that if it was possible that the Father would let this cup pass from Him. In other words, if possible, Jesus wished to be sparred the events of Good Friday that would soon follow. However, Jesus said that He wanted the Father's will to be done.
     There are two things that I want to focus on . First of all, Jesus in His humanity went through the same emotions that we go through. He knows and understands what it is like to suffer. Because of this, He is able to help us when we go through the hard times of life. Jesus committed His future into the Father's hands. He was committed to doing the will of the Father. That is what we should do. We must always pray not my will but Yours be done. When we commit ourselves into the Father's will, we can rest knowing that He is looking out for us.
     Finally, Jesus would be betrayed by one of His followers. Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Jesus would be led off to face trials, mocking, scourging and crucifixion. He did all of this because of His great love for us. Thank you Jesus.