May I offer an opinion – a hypothesis, if you will? Everything that is in the Old Testament was written to help us understand more about Jesus and what He was going to do on earth. Since we are to follow the example of Jesus, […]
Happy Easter! The wonders of celebrating the resurrection of our Lord. He is not here. He has risen! Music has always been a huge praise driver for me, but especially on Easter Sunday. What are the songs of your resurrection Sunday? Was your day a […]
What is your favorite Easter song? My favorite Easter song was performed by Petra, a music group regarded as the one of the foundations of Christian rock and contemporary Christian music. The song is titled, Grave Robber, and was written by Petra band member Bob Hartman.
There’s a step that we all take alone
An appointment we have with the great unknown
Like a vapor this life is just waiting to pass
Like the flowers that fade, like the withering grass
But life seems so long and death so complete
And the grave an impossible portion to cheat
But there’s One who has been there and still lives to tell
There is One who has been through both heaven and hell
And the grave will come up empty-handed that day
Jesus will come and steal us away
(Chorus)
Where is the sting, tell me where is the bite
When the grave robber comes like a thief in the night
Where is the victory, where is the prize
When the grave robber comes
And death finally dies
Many still mourn and many still weep
For those that they love who have fallen asleep
But we have this hope though our hearts may still ache
Just one shout from above and they all will awake
And in the reunion of joy we will see
Death will be swallowed in sweet victory
Grave robber – it sounds more like something out of a world wrestling match than church, doesn’t it? Maybe that is a far more appropriate imagery than a hallelujah or a lilly. Paul says we wrestle – not against flesh and blood – but against powers and principalities. And for centuries, we wrestled against death – and lost.
If I understand what happened on the day that Christ rose from the grave, death died.
Since Adam in the Garden, death had reigned day after day, generation after generation. From the time of a birth, mankind simply waited for the time of a death. From the moment that Adam and Eve buried Abel, people have paused respectfully at tombs, gathered together in cemeteries, planted flowers and gazed and remembered. And death smiled. Laughed. Champion again. Undefeated. Still holding the belts. Longest reigning ever.
And today, if you and I were to visit cemeteries
and look for
Grandpa May, whom I never knew
Grandma May
James Thomas, Uncle Wes’ son
Uncle Lloyd
Uncle Herb
Aunt Reba
Aunt Sylvia
Aunt Flossie
Aunt Emma
Uncle Wes
Sharon, a teen-aged girl, and the first funeral I ever officiated
Grandpa
Chuck
Dad
Bama
Grandma
Joe, the one who got away
Dean
Joyce
Jacob
Mom
Scott
Rich
Renae
Your loved one
We would be struck by seeing a man, relaxed, waiting, almost anticipating our arrival. Sitting on the headstone. Glistening. White. Radiant.
With a slight smile on his face, he whispers, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”
He is not here.
She is not here.
Never was.
Never will be!
For death, you see, not only does not reign – it doesn’t even need to be considered.
Useless.
Impotent.
Stingless. Defeated.
Robbed.
And a grin bursts over our faces.
They are not here.
They are risen!
The interesting phrase, “that the world may know” is the subject of our attention for today. As we move toward the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, there is a phrase in verse 31 of John 14 that is translated very well by the English Standard Version (ESV). Several other translations use the same wording, including the KJV, NASB, NKJV, CEV, NLT and NRSV.
The phrase stands out in some versions. The entire sentence is captured best by the CEV, “I obey my Father so that everyone in the world might know that I love Him.”
Why should you obey God’s commands?
You have been stuck inside your home for the better part of three weeks, venturing out only for groceries and prescription visits to the pharmacy. Your retirement account has sprung a leak and you seem to be losing gallons daily. Your job has laid you off indefinitely. Every sniffle during astronomical pollen counts has you concerned. Your favorite form of entertainment, going out to eat, has been taken away from you. Your patience is as thin as well-made rice paper on a sushi roll.
Why shouldn’t you lose your temper? Why shouldn’t you snap at the thoughtlessness of people? What difference does your behavior make?
You obey God’s commands so the world may know that you love Him.
A stretch of the highway sprawls around curves where the speed limit is not clearly marked. You know that closer to the town the speed limit is 30, but out here it seems like 55 would be safe. Cars are passing you every chance they get. Everyone is going faster than you.
You decide to give the engine a bit more gas to keep up with the flow of traffic. You are now cruising between 55 and 60, when the flashing lights behind you motion you to the side. “I am sorry, officer, I didn’t know what the speed limit was through here.”
“The speed limit is 40. You should have known.”
Most of the world doesn’t know the commands of God. Most of the world does not read the Bible. Why should you obey God?
So the world will know.
On the Monday of the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry, our Savior spent the day teaching. In the temple. Out on the streets. For an intimate, personal small group and for a larger crowds. He taught so that people would know. Honor Him today by reading some of the things He taught in that last week. You will find some of the teachings in Matthew 22:1-14, Matthew 22:15-22, Matthew 22:23-40, Matthew 23:1-15, Matthew 24:3-14.
Title: One Step Closer to the Father Scripture passage for the week: John 14:28-31 ESV Key Phrase: Because I am going to the Father Can you believe that we are about to start the last week before Easter? We took our first steps on Ash […]
If you pick up a Bible study or commentary on the important teachings of the book of 1 Corinthians, or if you listen to a sermon series studying through the book, you are most likely to hear that the church in Corinth was a problem […]
This is my final Christmas music post for 2019. We have looked at the secular and religious music of the season. Music is a special part of our lives. It stirs our memories. It rousts our spirits. It brings us together. It challenges our personalities. […]
Today’s post is the second in our series featuring favorite Christmas songs. (For the first post in this series, click here.) Today we are looking at secular holiday songs that are a little less than classic, but that hold a special place in making the […]
The meaning of Christmas is a bit like truth. The more that you think about it, the more incredible, almost unbelievable that it seems. A God who cared enough to take the time to become a human being? In the form of a baby? Born […]
A couple of years ago The New York Times ran an article asking the question, “Is Christmas a religious holiday?” The subheading to the story replied, “A growing number of Americans say No.” While many doubt that Christmas is embattled for its religious significance, a […]