Dear Friends, April 2012
Greetings to you in the powerful name of Jesus the Christ!
It seems as though no matter where I look I see info about the new movie coming out called “The Hunger Games”. Now I must admit that I know nothing about the plot. But the title intrigues me – “The Hunger Games”. It must have something to do with a game and it must be a game that one wants to win because we have a hunger for it. Well, I am not at all sure that I am close to the plot but it has clearly got the attention of people around the world. Everyone is excited about the release of this movie at mid night – March 22nd. I find this all rather interesting because we are in the midst of another kind of event that will having a lasting impact on the world. In fact the event I am thinking about will also touch the lives of people all over the world. It is not the release of another movie or the Final Four or some other type of game. The event that has caught my attention is the empty tomb on Easter morning.
Luke recounts the events this way in Luke 24 – “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise.’ And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.” Wow! That is what the world is truly hunger for – NEW LIFE! This is no game what Jesus has done! This is no movie that Hollywood has produced to entertain us. No – this is real! Death could not hold Jesus in the tomb. The victory over sin and death has been won by Jesus!
We are told that after they saw the empty tomb and heard the word from the messengers of God that they went out to tell other what they had seen and heard about Jesus. What story are you sharing with your neighbor or coworker who is hungry for peace? What story are you giving witness to with those loved ones who are sick or grieving? Let us share with the world the Good News about Jesus Christ who lives! Let us tell others about the one who can satisfy the hungers of our hearts. Let us invite them to worship this Easter so that God’s Spirit can touch them with a peace that is beyond all human understand. Remember? Remember like those early followers of Jesus did. They not only remembered but they went out into the community telling others about Jesus Christ! Worship times on Easter Sunday are as follows:
SUNDAY – APRIL 8
8:00a.m. Easter Celebration & Holy Communion
9:30a.m. & 12:30PM Easter Egg Hunt
10:30a.m. Easter Celebration & Holy Communion
11:30a. m. Esperanza Para Todos & Holy Communion / Easter
CHRIST LIVES!!
In Christ,
Pastor Jim (P.J.)
