Dear Friends,
Have you ever put yourself in the sandals of Christ's disciples? Just imagine giving up your livelihood and leaving home to travel around the country with someone who claimed to be God's Son and who backed up that claim with very impressive miracles and unparalleled, authoritative teaching. He was the most inspiring man who ever lived, and you believed He was the long awaited Messiah who would make everything right. All your hopes and dreams were invested in Him. Yet after giving three years of your life to follow Him, one day you watched Him die on a cross.
The thrill and excitement of such close association with the Messiah suddenly turned to shock, grief, and utter despair. However, before you could even recover from the dreadful experience, more astounding news came to you from some women who returned from the tomb. They claimed that Jesus had risen from the dead. What a roller coaster of emotions from anticipation, to grief, to exhilaration all in a few days.
Sometimes our Easter celebrations seem far removed from this event. When I was growing up, I didn't hear much about the cross or the empty tomb. Instead, people talked about new clothes, the Easter bunny, going to church, and family gatherings. The traditions had somehow drowned out the most important message on earth the death of Christ and His victory over the grave.
This year, I'd like to go back and review the reasons we have for celebration and rejoicing at Easter.
1) Jesus is alive and has conquered death.
2) Jesus promised to prepare a place for us in heaven.
3) Christ's promise of our bodily resurrection.
4) We will see our believing loved ones again.
Easter truly is an occasion for celebration, but Jesus' resurrection also reminds us that He is our source of hope. If we set our hearts on the things of this world, we'll be on an emotional roller coaster up one minute and down the next. But the open tomb reminds us that a better day is coming.
The next time you're tempted to despair, remember that you have reasons to rejoice that will last into eternity. Like the disciples, you may feel as if your world has fallen apart, but there is a glorious day coming when all your sorrows will be turned into joy. Let that hope give you the courage and strength to persevere. A resurrection day is coming again.
Peacefully yours- Rev. Dr. Glenn Alan Harris
P.S. Here at Words of Truth Ministries, we pray that you'll have a joyful Easter as you celebrate with family and friends. Because Christ lives, we not only have the hope of eternal life, but we also have a reason to keep sharing the gospel with those who don't yet know Him. There's a great family reunion coming, and we want to invite as many people as possible to join us
Have you ever put yourself in the sandals of Christ's disciples? Just imagine giving up your livelihood and leaving home to travel around the country with someone who claimed to be God's Son and who backed up that claim with very impressive miracles and unparalleled, authoritative teaching. He was the most inspiring man who ever lived, and you believed He was the long awaited Messiah who would make everything right. All your hopes and dreams were invested in Him. Yet after giving three years of your life to follow Him, one day you watched Him die on a cross.
The thrill and excitement of such close association with the Messiah suddenly turned to shock, grief, and utter despair. However, before you could even recover from the dreadful experience, more astounding news came to you from some women who returned from the tomb. They claimed that Jesus had risen from the dead. What a roller coaster of emotions from anticipation, to grief, to exhilaration all in a few days.
Sometimes our Easter celebrations seem far removed from this event. When I was growing up, I didn't hear much about the cross or the empty tomb. Instead, people talked about new clothes, the Easter bunny, going to church, and family gatherings. The traditions had somehow drowned out the most important message on earth the death of Christ and His victory over the grave.
This year, I'd like to go back and review the reasons we have for celebration and rejoicing at Easter.
1) Jesus is alive and has conquered death.
2) Jesus promised to prepare a place for us in heaven.
3) Christ's promise of our bodily resurrection.
4) We will see our believing loved ones again.
Easter truly is an occasion for celebration, but Jesus' resurrection also reminds us that He is our source of hope. If we set our hearts on the things of this world, we'll be on an emotional roller coaster up one minute and down the next. But the open tomb reminds us that a better day is coming.
The next time you're tempted to despair, remember that you have reasons to rejoice that will last into eternity. Like the disciples, you may feel as if your world has fallen apart, but there is a glorious day coming when all your sorrows will be turned into joy. Let that hope give you the courage and strength to persevere. A resurrection day is coming again.
Peacefully yours- Rev. Dr. Glenn Alan Harris
P.S. Here at Words of Truth Ministries, we pray that you'll have a joyful Easter as you celebrate with family and friends. Because Christ lives, we not only have the hope of eternal life, but we also have a reason to keep sharing the gospel with those who don't yet know Him. There's a great family reunion coming, and we want to invite as many people as possible to join us