Acts 2:29-32
My friends, it is right for me to
speak to you about our ancestor David. He died and was buried, and his
tomb is still here. But David was a prophet, and he knew that God had
made a promise he would not break. He had told David that someone from
his own family would someday be king.
David knew this would
happen, and so he told us that Christ would be raised to life. He said
that God would not leave him in the grave or let his body decay. All of
us can tell you that God has raised Jesus to life!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This
morning, I awoke to a beautiful sunrise over the valley outside our
window. My first thought was one of great comfort and joy…“Jesus is
Risen!” I looked around the room at all of the preparations that had
been made for this day. The table was set to serve lunch to eleven, and
the ham and side dishes were in the oven. There were “Easter sacks” on
the hearth filled with gifts for Timothy, Zola and Nathan. The
children had new outfits to wear today, and there were plenty of gifts
and “new” things from others, as well.
This also signaled a new
chapter in the life of our family…our first holiday dinner since my
mother died. She is spending this Easter Sunday in Heaven with Jesus…
my dad and brother, her own parents and in-laws, and countless cousins
and other relatives and friends. No doubt, theirs will be a huge meal,
with all of the “family favorites”…and the fellowship will be
unbelievable. I cannot wrap my brain around literally sharing “family
dinners” with Jesus…but I look forward to the day when I can!
The
message of Easter is not death…but life! We sometimes miss this! We
get so bogged down in the events that led up to this day…and they are
important. But a friend shared a blog post yesterday in which the
writer aptly reminded us that Jesus rose from the grave and spent the
next 40 days telling us how to spread the Good News. He didn’t talk
about Heaven…Jesus talked about how we were to go…preach…love
others…share the Gospel…and “make disciples.”
So as you attend
worship today, enjoy a sumptuous meal, hide and hunt the eggs, and eat
far more candy than one person ought to consume…consider WHY Jesus rose
from the grave. Think of what He has called us to do…and all that this
week means for us. He saved us, cleansed us of our sins…and called us
to do great things in His name. All parts of this equation are
important.
We cannot accept salvation in Jesus, then sit down
and wait to die. We must get up and get going! Jesus is Risen…what
about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label what happens after Easter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label what happens after Easter. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for April 6, 2015
Psalm 119:105-112
By your words I can see where I’m going;
they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back
from living by your righteous order.
Everything’s falling apart on me, God;
put me together again with your Word.
Festoon me with your finest sayings, God;
teach me your holy rules.
My life is as close as my own hands,
but I don’t forget what you have revealed.
The wicked do their best to throw me off track,
but I don’t swerve an inch from your course.
I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever—
what a gift! And how happy it makes me!
I concentrate on doing exactly what you say—
I always have and always will.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
If you have spent any time at all with little kids, you know that a favorite question is “What’s next?” “What are we going to do when we finish this?” they will often ask…or “Where are we going next?” And these are really good questions for us to ask ourselves this day after Easter Sunday. What IS next for us? The candy has been eaten, the Easter finery has been worn, the eggs have all been hunted, and many of us have shared a family dinner and/or get-together. In spiritual terms, we have studied and celebrated Jesus’ birth, life, death by crucifixion, and resurrection. So the logical next question to ask is, “Where do we go from here?”
Jesus - the Light of the World - is illuminating our way along the path of righteousness. He has given us the instructions…and a “map” for staying on course. Now all we have to do is follow Him…walk in His light…listen for His voice…and carry His Holy Spirit in our heart. Will there be times of hardship, struggle, sadness and disappointment? Probably. Will we be tempted to go another direction…to venture down other paths? Most likely! Will the devil and his agents try to throw us off track? Definitely! Can we withstand these trials and temptations and remain faithful to Jesus? Absolutely!
Easter Sunday may be over, but life in Christ is just revving up! It’s time to apply all we have been taught…to be the hands and feet of Jesus each and every day…to walk in faith and stand on His promises. We have been told that Jesus is preparing a place for us for all Eternity…that Heaven is our real home – not this earth. We have been given His Holy Spirit to guide us every step of the way until we are called to our eternal Home, once and for all. And by the power and grace of God Almighty through Jesus Christ…we.can.do.this!
Are you ready to walk in the Light?
©2015 Debbie Robus
By your words I can see where I’m going;
they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back
from living by your righteous order.
Everything’s falling apart on me, God;
put me together again with your Word.
Festoon me with your finest sayings, God;
teach me your holy rules.
My life is as close as my own hands,
but I don’t forget what you have revealed.
The wicked do their best to throw me off track,
but I don’t swerve an inch from your course.
I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever—
what a gift! And how happy it makes me!
I concentrate on doing exactly what you say—
I always have and always will.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
If you have spent any time at all with little kids, you know that a favorite question is “What’s next?” “What are we going to do when we finish this?” they will often ask…or “Where are we going next?” And these are really good questions for us to ask ourselves this day after Easter Sunday. What IS next for us? The candy has been eaten, the Easter finery has been worn, the eggs have all been hunted, and many of us have shared a family dinner and/or get-together. In spiritual terms, we have studied and celebrated Jesus’ birth, life, death by crucifixion, and resurrection. So the logical next question to ask is, “Where do we go from here?”
Jesus - the Light of the World - is illuminating our way along the path of righteousness. He has given us the instructions…and a “map” for staying on course. Now all we have to do is follow Him…walk in His light…listen for His voice…and carry His Holy Spirit in our heart. Will there be times of hardship, struggle, sadness and disappointment? Probably. Will we be tempted to go another direction…to venture down other paths? Most likely! Will the devil and his agents try to throw us off track? Definitely! Can we withstand these trials and temptations and remain faithful to Jesus? Absolutely!
Easter Sunday may be over, but life in Christ is just revving up! It’s time to apply all we have been taught…to be the hands and feet of Jesus each and every day…to walk in faith and stand on His promises. We have been told that Jesus is preparing a place for us for all Eternity…that Heaven is our real home – not this earth. We have been given His Holy Spirit to guide us every step of the way until we are called to our eternal Home, once and for all. And by the power and grace of God Almighty through Jesus Christ…we.can.do.this!
Are you ready to walk in the Light?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 21, 2014
1 John 1:7
If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
My niece Jasmine, said that when Zola put on her Easter dress, she twirled around in the floor with excitement. Her older brother Timothy told her to “Stop that! You are NOT a hula girl!” Zola quickly replied, “Yes I AM! I AM a hula girl!” Trust me…this is not the first time that Big Brother has told Little Sister how to act…and it certainly won’t be the last!
The thing is…more than a few of us could use a “big brother or sister” to tell us to “Stop that!” We have claimed the name of Jesus…then gone right back to behaving like we always did. Nothing really changed. Many people made their annual “Easter appearance” at church on Sunday…and that will be about as “spiritual” as it gets for them until at least Christmas! A friend of mine calls these folks “Christmas-and-Easter-Christians”.
I still recall when one of my best friends was baptized into her husband’s church. We were both so excited for her new-found faith, and I asked her, “So what’s next?” She replied, “What do you mean?” I explained that I was wondering if there was going to be someone in her church family who would nurture her and encourage her as she studied the Bible and grew in her discipleship. She did not know of any such person. So we studied together and shared in our faith walk for the next few months/years…and I’m sure her husband and other family members encouraged her, as well.
But it did make me wonder…are we in a “numbers game” of sorts? Are we so focused on winning souls to Jesus that we fail to nurture and encourage them afterward? Where DO we go from the cross and the tomb? What really does happen after Easter? I pray that you will not put away your Bible and go back to your old ways. I pray that this will be the year that you truly find God…that you fully grasp that Jesus came to earth and taught us about love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion…about the power of Almighty God and the lasting presence of His Holy Spirit…about the tremendous sacrifices that He made to wash away every one of our sins.
I pray that you will really internalize Jesus’ commandment to “Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you.” It is my hope that you will know without any doubt His promise that “I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.”*
Easter is a time when we think of a rebirth…new life…a fresh start. Will this Easter season mark the beginning of your intimate journey with God and a shared life in His light? Has the blood of Jesus truly transformed you…or are you twirling like a “hula girl” and “playing Christian” when it suits you? Isn’t it time you became the “real deal” for Jesus? What are you waiting for?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Matthew 28:19-20
If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
My niece Jasmine, said that when Zola put on her Easter dress, she twirled around in the floor with excitement. Her older brother Timothy told her to “Stop that! You are NOT a hula girl!” Zola quickly replied, “Yes I AM! I AM a hula girl!” Trust me…this is not the first time that Big Brother has told Little Sister how to act…and it certainly won’t be the last!
The thing is…more than a few of us could use a “big brother or sister” to tell us to “Stop that!” We have claimed the name of Jesus…then gone right back to behaving like we always did. Nothing really changed. Many people made their annual “Easter appearance” at church on Sunday…and that will be about as “spiritual” as it gets for them until at least Christmas! A friend of mine calls these folks “Christmas-and-Easter-Christians”.
I still recall when one of my best friends was baptized into her husband’s church. We were both so excited for her new-found faith, and I asked her, “So what’s next?” She replied, “What do you mean?” I explained that I was wondering if there was going to be someone in her church family who would nurture her and encourage her as she studied the Bible and grew in her discipleship. She did not know of any such person. So we studied together and shared in our faith walk for the next few months/years…and I’m sure her husband and other family members encouraged her, as well.
But it did make me wonder…are we in a “numbers game” of sorts? Are we so focused on winning souls to Jesus that we fail to nurture and encourage them afterward? Where DO we go from the cross and the tomb? What really does happen after Easter? I pray that you will not put away your Bible and go back to your old ways. I pray that this will be the year that you truly find God…that you fully grasp that Jesus came to earth and taught us about love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion…about the power of Almighty God and the lasting presence of His Holy Spirit…about the tremendous sacrifices that He made to wash away every one of our sins.
I pray that you will really internalize Jesus’ commandment to “Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you.” It is my hope that you will know without any doubt His promise that “I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.”*
Easter is a time when we think of a rebirth…new life…a fresh start. Will this Easter season mark the beginning of your intimate journey with God and a shared life in His light? Has the blood of Jesus truly transformed you…or are you twirling like a “hula girl” and “playing Christian” when it suits you? Isn’t it time you became the “real deal” for Jesus? What are you waiting for?
©2014 Debbie Robus
*Matthew 28:19-20
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