Easter Sunday & Lift Up Your Heads

Easter Sunday & Lift Up Your Heads...

Easter Sunday

Although we won't be meeting for Easter Sunrise service, this year, the lovely flower cross that Petra and Dutch made for us will available for us to place a flower in it.  

Please join us for Easter Service at 10am using Zoom video conference system.  

We will also have a Zoom "breakout room" for Sunday School following our worship service.  

Lift Up Your Heads!

A message from Pastor Edd.

One of Jesus' teachings during this final week of His life has to do with what the theologians call "the Second Coming." According to His teachings there will come a day when this world will end and the "New Heavens and the New Earth" will appear. During this last week of His life, Jesus mentions this again and the disciples now want to know more. Jesus offers more information and Luke records it in chapter 21. You can find more about this in Matthew chapter 25 and Mark chapter 13. 

Luke 21:7 They questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?" 8 And He said, "See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not go after them.  9 "When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately." 

10 Then He continued by saying to them, "Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, 11 and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 

12 "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name's sake.  13 "It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony.  14 "So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 15 for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.  

25 "There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,  26 men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  27 "Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory.  28 "But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." 

Jesus describes the times leading up to His return as a time in life where many will claim to be the Christ and offer to lead people down a path of happiness in this life. There will be wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, plagues, and famines. He talks about terrors and great signs in the heavens. But before all of these things happen Christians will be put to the test. They will be dragged into prison and brought before kings and governors for the sake of the name of Jesus. 
 
In comparison to those times, being at home because of the plague of this virus doesn't sound so bad.  
Even in the midst of "signs in the sun and moon and stars," or "men fainting from fear of the things coming upon the world," Jesus says to us, "straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." God is with us through it all. If the world offers us a virus or a war or difficulty with health or trouble within the family, Jesus is there for us. He will never leave us or forsake us. And Jesus knows the torment of feeling left alone. On the cross just a few days after He spoke these words of the end times to His disciples, Jesus cried out to the Father in heaven, "why have you forsaken me?" Even though He knew His Father would never leave Him, He felt abandoned and alone. He had the greatest of faith and yet He knew the pain of an apparently silent God. The Bible says Jesus was tempted in every way like we are.  
He knows how you feel at this moment. He knows your thoughts and your feelings. And He has felt those same temptations and trials while He lived on this earth. And He even felt the pain of wondering why God did not respond in the midst of crisis.  
His answer to us, was His actions in His time of need, and His instructions to the disciples who will be around during the end times. "Straighten up and lift your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."God never leaves us nor forsakes us. He is always with us. We might not always understand that or feel His presence, but He is here. And just around the corner the answer to our situation is coming. It seems like an eternity before God resolves our concerns, but in reality, it is just a few more days or a week away. Many of us started this quarantine over a month ago. On the 8th of March we had worship in the church. On the 9th of march most of the meetings I had on my calendar were beginning to be canceled. On the 15th of March, I offered to be in Church and Bob and Aaron came to offer music, some others joined with us for our last worship service in the church until this quarantine will be gone. 

For three weeks we have enjoyed the company of others via the wonderful technology of the computer. For three weeks we have not been in each other's presence, but we have been together in the presence of our Lord and Savior. What a blessing. To have a fellowship of friends who are praying for us, caring for us, ready at any moment to help with a word of comfort or a smile of hope or even a card of friendship.

For three weeks we have enjoyed the company of others via the wonderful technology of the computer. For three weeks we have not been in each other's presence, but we have been together in the presence of our Lord and Savior. What a blessing. To have a fellowship of friends who are praying for us, caring for us, ready at any moment to help with a word of comfort or a smile of hope or even a card of friendship.

Lift up your heads, 30 days are behind us and the plan at the moment is only 21 days left until we might be able to be together again. Do not lose heart. Continue to pray, to sing, to read, and to reach out to your friends in any way you can. Let Jesus spread His love through you.
   
Blessings,Pastor Edd 

How our worship will transition when the order is lifted? It is likely that we will have a mixed service similar to that with Edd and Aaron at church while others on Zoom watching from home.  When the "shelter-in-place" order is lifted some individuals could return to worship in our physical church and other "at risk" members of our church family could continue worshipping from the safety of their homes until the threat of contracting the virus has passed.