One who is righteous has many adversities, but the Lord rescues him from them all.
Psalm 34:19, CSB
Jesus’ body is not in the tomb, so we can be courageous in the face of hatred and persecution for our faith in Christ, for He is overcoming all enemies.
This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
1 John 5:14, CSB
Jesus’ body is not in the tomb, having resurrected and ascended to the Father. Therefore, we can know He hears our prayers and helps us in this life and for the next.
God presented him as the mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.
Romans 3:25, CSB
Jesus’ body is not in the tomb after dying for our sins, so we can know our sins are forgiven forever and hope for eternity with God.
Therefore my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices; my body also rests securely. For you will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.
Psalm 16:9-10, CSB
Jesus’ body is not in the tomb, so we can have joy in knowing that death is not the end for all who believe in Christ.
So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. “He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee“
Luke 24:5-6, CSB
Christ is risen. He was dead and buried, but He is not there anymore. Our God and Savior lives.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
John 20:15-16, ESV
Circumstances in life can make us miss the truth right in front of our own faces.
Don’t let grief, self-righteousness, pain, or good things blind you to the crucified and risen Christ who calls us by name.
It is about time . . . to finish a short message series.
For the past couple of months, I have uploaded short messages based on the book of Malachi. It has been basically based on the section divisions in the English Standard Version of the Bible.
No special titles. Just taking a quick look at what was said.
So read along with me, and let us study what Malachi said to his people about 2,400 years ago.
Remember that Malachi literally means “my messenger”, so he is God’s messenger, as all the Prophets were.
Chapter 1 was about God’s love for His covenant people – those who obey and love Him – versus those who refuse to listen to Him. The priests offered lame, sick, and injured animals as sacrifices, basically taking the Lord’s name in vain by calling it acceptable even though they were worthless gifts.
Chapter 2 can be called the passage about “bovine scatology”, because priests then (and many now) led people astray with false teachings. So God rebuked them and showed they are outside of the covenant.
Chapter 2 finishes with God rebuking not only the priests but any who practice what God said not to, and leads into chapter 3 in which God calls out those who call evil good and vice versa (which leads to His eventual judgment!)
Chapter 3 is largely about stealing from God, which was equated to not sharing the Gospel or giving the Church (and thus God) a bad name so that others want nothing to do with Jesus. It is like robbing God of souls. And this leads to God’s wrath on the ungodly while separating out the godly. Again, He defends those who listen to Him and obey His commands, and He defends His glory.
Now, on to discuss the Great Day of the Lord:
1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.
4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules[b] that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.
5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
God’s Law is:
Love the Lord your God
Love your neighbor (others)
Love each other (the Church)
Elijah:
John the Baptist
Possibly one of the two witnesses in Revelation?
2 Thessalonians 1:5-10
Those who refuse to turn to Christ will be burned by and in fire as eternal punishment for disbelieving and persecuting those who do believe.
Separation from God.
The Great and Awesome Day of the Lord:
2 Peter 3:1-13
All of the heavens and the earth will be dissolved in fire
We must share the gospel
How close are we to the end?
Most deny a global flood
Most claim millions/billions of years
Most turn from God’s Law and do whatever they want
Anything is acceptable and should be celebrated
When Christ returns, He will obliterate all sinfulness from Creation and make a perfect Kingdom on a renewed Earth.
This is still happening online because of the current mandate for isolation for the C-19 pandemic.
After the lesson for Palm Sunday that my lovely other-half, Caitlin – who is our Children’s Director at the Church Next Door – made, we had her record another lesson!
So, gather up the kiddos (or enjoy this at any age), and enjoy another mashup from a weekly sermon and children’s curriculum:
Questions to consider:
Was there a time in your life that you thought everything was going wrong? How did you feel?
Have you had a fight with someone and you could not ask for forgiveness or were you ever not able to see someone for any reason, to say goodbye?
Resurrection Sunday – John 20:19-29
Jesus is the Son of God, God’s only Son by birth.
Remember last week’s big idea? That Jesus is the Son of God, God’s only Son by birth.
He was nailed to a cross to save us from our sin, but His own disciples did not understand it.
Jesus died. Their leader was gone. His friends felt abandoned by Him. They thought they would never have the chance to see or talk with him again.
But then … He is alive?! Now what?
John 20:19-29
19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus’ resurrection shows us that:
We can be afraid in our circumstances, but Jesus can comfort us;
We can push God away with our sin, but by His sacrifice He draws us back to Himself;
We can misunderstand God’s plan, but Jesus draws us close with the Holy Spirit to give us forgiveness;
We can doubt, but Jesus comes to us and overcomes our doubts. Because He was dead, but He is alive!
Now, we tell the world that Jesus is alive!
Today is Resurrection Sunday! The one holiday we celebrate 52 times a year!
Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!
Memory verses: Ephesians 5:2:
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
2 Peter 3:9, ESV
We long for Christ to return and restore Creation, but He is patient with this rebellious world, waiting for all who will call on His name in repentance and faith.
Do we truly love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths? Maybe I can help with the mind part, at least! This is Daniel M. Klem, apparent poet, reluctant yet passionate Disciple (Peter?), and foolish man attempting to understand theology!