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He Is Risen!Linda's LetterHow Do You Celebrate Easter? |
The Lamb of God Excuse Me Three Men on Crosses He Still Moves Stones Their Eyes Were Opened An Unholy Hoax? |
Joseph of Arimathaea's Tomb Love Defined His Arms Wide Open Where Misery Reigned Where Religion Ends He Acquits You Where Is the Love of God? For the Children Easter Pages to Color |
Still He Walked.... The Old Rugged Cross Redeemer, Savior, Friend Empty Tomb My Redeemer Lives The Greatest Love |
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Greetings, friends & family! It's been more than a year since I published a newsletter. But as the Easter season is my favorite holiday, I just couldn't let another Passover—Good Friday—Resurrection Sunday pass without a reminder of what Easter is all about and why we celebrate. This newsletter is a repost of one from several years ago, and I pray it will draw you into a time of worship and intimacy as you join me in meditating on our Savior's Passion and Resurrection. As I was looking for artwork for this newsletter, I came across many crosses with elaborate engravings and beautiful flowers winding their way around the cross. But no one had an ugly, rugged, splintery, blood-stained cross.... and that made me sad. Have we come so far from Calvary that we've forgotten that the cross was not a symbol of beauty and love? Yes.... because of what our Savior endured there, it has become a symbol of love; but at that time, the cross was a symbol of torture of the cruelest kind! And no matter how many vines of flowers you put around it, it would still be ugly and crude.... and something the early Christians would never wear around their necks, place on a T-shirt, or hang on a wall! Friends, please(!), let's not rush through this season leading up to Resurrection Sunday (Easter) and forget what it's all about. No matter how you choose to celebrate the day, slow down and consider what our Savior endured three days earlier (Preparation Day for the Passover). We call it "Good Friday", and as the day when God purchased my salvation, it is good; but as the day when Jesus of Nazareth died in excruciating physical and emotional pain, there's nothing 'good' about it! Let's not celebrate the Resurrection until we've spent some time, again, kneeling at the foot of the Cross -- not an ornate flower-covered cross, but a roughly-hewn timber soaked with the precious blood of Jesus. Kneel there.... dare to look up and see His tortured body nailed there.... dare even to see the charges against Him: your and my sins(!).... and understand that what held Him there wasn't the nails, but rather His outrageous love for you and for me.... Only after we've cried and mourned on Golgotha can we truly celebrate Resurrection Sunday. Then.... "My Redeemer Lives!" will be more than the name of a website or a song in your hymnal.  Be blessed in Jesus' name, and remember: Christianity isn't about going to church; it's about coming to Christ!
Your sister & servant in Christ,  My Redeemer Lives Christian Ministry Because of the volume of e-mail I receive, it is impossible for me to respond to every person who writes. If you have an opinion or question, please understand that I will not offer personal advice or debate theological issues. You are welcome to send your opinions, corrections and questions, but I can't guarantee I'll be able to respond. If you're looking for some good Bible study sources, I recommend: Bible.org -- Trustworthy Bible Study Resources, Blue Letter Bible Study Resources, Christian Courses by RBC Ministries, Precept Ministries International, In Touch Ministries, Shepherd Serve, Today In the Word, Today's Turning Point, all of which offer hundreds of pages of well-organized teaching articles, Bible studies, and/or daily email devotionals. 
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it wasn't a tomb at all -- it was a room for a transient. Jesus just stopped there.... on His way back to glory." Herbert Booth Smith Back to top |
He could hear the crowds screaming, "Crucify! Crucify!" He could hear the hatred in their voices, These were His chosen people. He loved them, And they were going to crucify Him. He was beaten, bleeding and weakened.... His heart was broken, But still He walked. He could see the crowd as He came from the palace. He knew each of the faces so well. He had created them. He knew every smile, laugh, and shed tear, But now they were contorted with rage and anger; His heart broke.... But still He walked.  Was He scared? You and I would have been So His humanness would have mandated that He was. He felt alone. His disciples had left, denied, and even betrayed Him. He searched the crowd for a loving face and He saw very few. Then he turned His eyes to the only One who mattered And He knew that He would never be alone. He looked back at the crowd, at the people who were spitting, Throwing rocks at Him and mocking Him, and He knew That because of Him, they would never be alone. So for them, He walked. The sounds of the hammer striking the spikes echoed through The crowd. The sounds of His cries echoed even louder, The cheers of the crowd, as His hands and feet Were nailed to the cross, intensified with each blow. Loudest of all was the still small voice inside His Heart that whispered "I am with You, my Son", And God's heart broke. He had let His Son walk.  Jesus could have asked God to end His suffering, But instead He asked God to forgive. Not to forgive Him, but to forgive the ones who were persecuting Him. As He hung on that cross, dying an unimaginable death, He looked out and saw, not only the faces in the crowd, But also, the face of every person yet to be, And His heart filled with love. As His body was dying, His heart was alive. Alive with the limitless, unconditional love He feels for each of us. That is why He walked. When I forget how much My God loves me, I remember His walk. When I wonder if I can be forgiven, I remember His walk. When I need to be reminded of how to live like Christ, I think of His walk. And to show Him how much I love Him, I wake up each morning, turn my eyes to Him, And I walk.... Author Unknown Back to top |
has ever been performed in the history of the world, namely the self-giving of God in Christ on the cross for undeserving sinners. That is why, if we are looking for a definition of love, we should look not in a dictionary, but at Calvary." John Stott, "The Cross of Christ" Back to top |
Who Takes Away the Sins of the World! John 1:29 Read: Mark 14:12-26 and Hebrews 10:1-18 When the German poet, Heinrich Heine, was on his deathbed, a Priest told him that God would forgive his sins. Heine rather flippantly responded, "Of course God will forgive me; that's His job." Later the psychiatrist Sigmund Freud, commenting on Heine's words, said: "What it means to say is nothing else than . . . that's what He [God] is there for, and that's the only reason I've taken Him on (as one engages one's doctor or one's lawyer)." Thinking of God's forgiveness as simply part of His job description is pretty arrogant, to say the least! The Bible makes it clear that God isn't in our employ, waiting around to say, "That's OK!" whenever we decide that maybe we've done something wrong. Instead, the Bible shows that our sin cost God dearly. In fact, forgiveness for sin is only possible because of the willing death of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The necessity of Jesus' sacrifice is difficult for many people to understand. The same was true for the disciples. It's no coincidence that Jesus' crucifixion occurred during the Jewish Passover celebration. As the disciples would find out, the customary slaughtering of a spotless lamb for the Passover meal was a picture of Jesus' own sacrifice. As Jesus sent His disciples before Him to make the necessary preparations for the Passover meal, they were no doubt anticipating an enjoyable evening with their Lord. But a somber note was sounded when Jesus predicted that He would be betrayed. An equally grave moment occurred when Jesus linked the breaking of bread with His own body, and the drinking of wine with His own blood, predicting His own death. The author of Hebrews also shows that repeated animal sacrifices could never take away sin. Instead, only the willing sacrifice of Jesus' body could make people holy (v. 10). Because Jesus' death truly effected full forgiveness of sins, no other sacrifice is needed or could ever be effective (v. 18).  Unfortunately many people have ideas about God's pardon that are similar to Heinrich Heine. But when we understand the depth of Christ's willing sacrifice, it's hard to be flippant. Advent season is a good time to reflect on the purpose of Jesus' incarnation, namely, to take away the sins of the world. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you thoughts or deeds for which you need to be forgiven. Then confess your sins and prepare your heart to celebrate Jesus' perfect sacrifice as you join with God's people tomorrow in worship. Back to top |
like the scene on Calvary. Nowhere does the soul find such consolation as on that very spot where misery reigned, where woe triumphed, where agony reached its climax." Charles Spurgeon Back to top |
A man on a weekend business trip took Sunday morning off to be with the Lord. He found a nearby church, arrived early, parked his car, and got out. Another car pulled up alongside his, and the driver got out and said, "Excuse me, sir, I always park there! You took my place!" The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat, and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "Sir, that's my seat. You took my place." He was somewhat miffed by this rude welcome, but said nothing. After Sunday School, the man went into the sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, "That's where I always sit, you must be new here. You're in my place!" Even more disturbed by this treatment, he still said nothing. Later as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood up, and his appearance began to change.... Horrible scars appeared on his hands and sandalled feet, and his suit changed into a robe. As He walked out, someone noticed Him and called out, "What happened to You?" As a tear fell from His eye, He looked back and said, "I took your place....!" Back to top |
For the Children Easter Pages to Color Click on an image to open a page for printing it full-size to color.  ...... Provided by All About Coloring -- Free Coloring Pages, Games, and Puzzles  .......... .......... Provided by DLTK's Bible Activities -- Free Bible Lessons, Coloring Pages, and Crafts Back to top |
 "The Old Rugged Cross"On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suffering and shame; And I love that old cross where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain. Refrain So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown. O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, Has a wondrous attraction for me; For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above To bear it to dark Calvary. Refrain In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, A wondrous beauty I see, For 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, To pardon and sanctify me. Refrain To the old rugged cross I will ever be true; Its shame and reproach gladly bear; Then He'll call me some day to my home far away, Where His glory forever I'll share. Refrain by Rev. George Bennard (1873-1958) Back to top |
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By Mart De Haan CRUCIFIXION WAS TORTURE. Leather straps and/or spikes were used to hang the condemned man on a pole, tree, or cross. Like a helpless animal tangled in a barbed wire fence, the victim could survive for days in excruciating pain. Death usually came by suffocation when, hanging by his hands, the victim lost the strength to draw another breath. IN THE SPRING OF 33 AD, the crucifixion of three men, outside the city walls of Jerusalem, changed the course of world history. Roman executioners hammered nails through the wrists and ankles of three men and left them to die. The event itself was common in the ancient Middle East. And yet, 2000 years later, the world still talks about those three deaths. I found an explanation of the significance of those deaths written on the flyleaf of my grandfather's Bible. In words I have found memorable, my grandfather M. R. De Haan wrote: "One man died with guilt in him and on him. A second man died with guilt in him but not on him. The third died with guilt on him but not in him." Since finding that quote, I've held on to it as a profoundly simple description of some differences we all need to understand. HE WAS THE FIRST OF TWO THIEVES executed that day. By the law of the land he was given the punishment he deserved. By a judge wearing the authority of the Roman Caesar, he was sentenced and condemned, like a house that is no longer fit to live in. The first thief seems to have died an angry man. He was probably angry with himself for getting caught. He was probably angry with the judge who sentenced him. He was probably angry with all those who had let him down along the way. He seems to have been especially angry with the man named Jesus who hung innocently at his side. The first thief wasn't alone in his contempt for Jesus. Others shared his feelings. It was easy to be furious with someone who claimed to be the light and hope of the world — then hung like a common criminal, not even saving Himself from death. Angry with Jesus for being unable to help Himself or anyone else (Luke 23:39), the first thief died with his own sin in him and on him. THERE WAS A SECOND THIEF executed that day. At first he joined the others who ridiculed and insulted Jesus. For a while he too mocked Jesus with the challenge to save Himself and them if He really was the promised Messiah (Matthew 27:37-44). As the darkness closed in, however, the second thief had a change of heart. Turning to the first thief, he said, "Don’t you fear God since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise." (Luke 23:39-43) That may be one of the 10 most important conversations ever recorded. Those few words show what the rest of the New Testament declares. Forgiveness of sins and eternal life is given to anyone who believes in Jesus. Nothing more. Nothing less. Faith alone in Christ alone determines our eternal destiny (John 3:16-18; Acts 16:31; Romans 4:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). The second thief had no time to clean up his life. He had no time to do anything but to believe in Jesus. In the process, he gave all of us a picture of what it takes to come into the eternal family of God. In response to the simplest expression of faith, Jesus assured him of forgiveness. The second thief died with sin in him but not on him. The Judge of the heavens lifted the guilt from the second thief’s shoulders, placing it instead on Jesus, our sin-bearer. JESUS SHOULDERED THE GUILT of the world that day. He died with the weight of the world’s sin on Him but not the slightest wrong in Him. Three days later He rose from the dead to show that His death, tragic as it was, was not a mistake. With a nail-scarred, resurrected body Jesus gave hundreds of His disciples all the evidence they needed to believe that He had taken their place in death. The judgment of God had fallen on Him instead of on us. What I also find amazing is that this is our story. We were there. We were there because God was there in our place, bearing our sins. We were also there because all of us will respond either as the first thief or as the second. The words don't make the difference; the faith does. If you don't have that faith, but want it, ask God to give it to you. You won't be the first to cry out, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief." (Mark 9:24) RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI 49555 USA Back to top |
He wept and mourned, that thou mightest laugh and rejoice; He was betrayed, that thou mightest go free; was apprehended, that thou mightest escape; He was condemned, that thou mightest be justified; and was killed, that thou mightest live; He wore a crown of thorns, that thou mightest wear a crown of glory; and was nailed to the cross, with His arms wide open... John Bunyon (1628-1688) Back to top |
| "Redeemer, Savior, Friend" I know You had me on Your mind When you climbed up on that hill, For You saw me with eternal eyes While I was yet in sin, Redeemer, Savior, Friend. Every stripe upon Your battered back, Every thorn that pierced Your brow, And every nail drove deep through guiltless hands Said that Your love knows no end, Redeemer, Savior, Friend. Chorus Redeemer, redeem my heart again. Savior, come and shelter me from sin. You're familiar with my weakness, Devoted to the end. Redeemer, Savior, Friend. So the grace You pour upon my life Will return to You in praise. And I'll gladly lay down all my crowns For the name by which I'm saved. Redeemer, Savior, Friend. (Repeat chorus 2 times) Redeemer, Savior, Friend Redeemer, Savior, Friend by Darrell Evans & Chris Springer Copyright © 1999 Integrity's Hosanna! Music/ASCAP and Integrity's Praise! Music/BMI |
with the resurrection." Herbert Booth Smith |
Read: Matthew 28:1-10 Mary and Mary knew a task had to be done -- Jesus' body had to be prepared for burial. Peter didn't offer to do it. Andrew didn't volunteer. The forgiven adulteress or healed lepers are nowhere to be seen. So the two Marys decide to do it. I wonder if halfway to the tomb they had sat down and reconsidered. What if they'd looked at each other and shrugged, "What's the use?" What if they had given up? What if one had thrown up her arms in frustration and bemoaned, "I'm tired of being the only one who cares. Let Andrew do something for a change. Let Nathaniel show some leadership"? Whether or not they were tempted to, I'm glad they didn't quit. That would have been tragic. You see, we know something they didn't. We know the Father was watching. Mary and Mary thought they were alone. They weren't. They thought their journey was unnoticed. They were wrong. God knew. He was watching them walk up the mountain. He was measuring their steps. He was smiling at their hearts and thrilled at their devotion. And He had a surprise waiting for them. . . . Why did the angel move the stone? For whom did he roll away the rock? For Jesus? That's what I always thought. I just assumed that the angel moved the stone so Jesus could come out. But think about it. Did the stone have to be removed in order for Jesus to exit? Did God have to have help? Was the death conqueror so weak that He couldn't push away a rock? ("Hey, could somebody out there move this rock so I can get out?") I don't think so. The text gives the impression that Jesus was already out when the stone was moved! Nowhere do the Gospels say that the angel moved the stone for Jesus. For whom, then, was the stone moved? Listen to what the angel says: "Come and see the place where His body was" (v. 6). The stone was moved -- not for Jesus -- but for the women; not so Jesus could come out, but so the women could see in! . . . "Go quickly and tell His followers, 'Jesus has risen from the dead. He is going into Galilee ahead of you, and you will see Him there'" (v. 7). Mary and Mary don't have to be told twice. They turn and start running to Jerusalem. The darkness is gone. The sun is up. The Son is out. But the Son isn't finished. One surprise still awaits them. "Suddenly, Jesus met them and said, 'Greetings.' The women came up to Him, took hold of His feet, and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, 'Don't be afraid. Go and tell My followers to go on to Galilee, and they will see Me there'" (vv. 9-10). The God of surprises strikes again. It's as if He said, "I can't wait any longer. They came this far to see Me. I'm going to drop in on them." God does that for the faithful. Just when the womb gets too old for babies, Sarai gets pregnant. Just when the failure is too great for grace, David is pardoned. And just when the road is too dark for Mary and Mary, the angel glows and the Savior shows and the two women will never be the same. The lesson? Three words. Don't give up. Is the trail dark? Don't sit. Is the road long? Don't stop. . . . Is the night black? Don't quit. God is watching. For all you know right at this moment He may be telling the angel to move the stone. The check may be in the mail. . . . The apology may be in the making. The job contract may be on the desk. Don't quit. for if you do, you may miss the answer to your prayers. God still sends angels. And God still moves stones. Copyright © 1993 Word, Inc., Dallas, Texas |
The One who has the right to condemn you has provided the way to acquit you." Max Lucado |
I wonder on that glorious morn, when the rock was rolled away, What those guards were thinking, before they ran away. Did they realize that You were the Son of Almighty God, And hallowed was the ground that Your feet had trod? When Mary first arrived, her heart was filled with doom, She didn't realize the significance of that empty tomb. She stood outside and wept, her heart so full of fears; It was then the angel asked her about her tears, "Woman, why are you crying, who are you looking for?" He said, as he stood inside the open door. She trembled and inquired about her Rabboni. Then Jesus stood before her and said, "Mary, it is I,  "Go and tell My brothers, they have nothing to dread, I have risen, I have risen, I am not among the dead." Mary swiftly ran, on winged feet how she soared, Breathlessly announcing, "I have seen the Lord!" On the evening of the first day in the upper room, The disciples were together discussing the empty tomb, The doors were locked down tight, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them, "Peace be with you." And then again Jesus said, "Peace be with you, As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you." With that He breathed on them, the Comforter was given, Then He spent time with them before returning unto Heaven. No tomb could ever hold Him, no grave could quite contain, The Savior of the world. Oh! Let us bless His holy name! Jesus, is our hero, our conqueror, our friend, He knows no beginning, and He knows no end. Praise Him in the morning, praise Him from your bed, Jesus saved the world by rising from the dead! Author Unknown Submitted by Pastor Peter Mwangi Back to top |
"Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, 'Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road.' " Luke 24:31-32 Cleopas and his friend trudged back to Emmaus on Sunday afternoon, confused over reports that their friend, Jesus of Nazareth, was alive. Problem was, He was dead, and they knew it. Being preoccupied, they scarcely noticed footsteps behind them as a stranger caught up and came alongside them. Soon the stranger was explaining to them from the Old Testament how logical it was that the Messiah should die and rise three days later. Old Testament prophecy presented the resurrection of Christ as both a physical reality and a theological necessity: sane, logical, wonderful, and real! Arriving home, Cleopas invited the stranger to supper; and as the man broke and distributed the bread, suddenly their eyes were opened and they saw Him. Remember as you walk in the park, drive along the road, sit on the patio, or gather at the table, that Jesus is alive, He is with you, and His Word is sane, logical, wonderful, and real. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace." Helen Howarth Lemmel by Dr. David Jeremiah "Today's Turning Point" Back to top |
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| "My Redeemer Lives" I know He rescued my soul, His blood has covered my sin. I believe, I believe. My shame He's taken away, My pain is healed in His name. I believe.... I believe. I'll raise a banner Cause my Lord has conquered the grave. Chorus: My Redeemer lives, my Redeemer lives. My Redeemer lives, my Redeemer lives. Bridge: You lift my burdens I'll rise with You. I'm dancing on the mountain top To see Your Kingdom come. Words and Music by Reuben Morgan Copyright © 1998 Reuben Morgan/ Hillsong Music Australia (ASCAP) (in US & Canada - Integrity's Hosanna! Music) |
An UnHoly Hoax? The Authenticity of Christ's Resurrection It's become the surest way to get attention during Easter: claim the resurrection of Christ was an unholy hoax. One of the latest claimants is a researcher named Suzanne Marie Olsson. She says that she's convinced she has found the final resting place of Jesus -- in a Muslim shrine in India. Olsson wants to exhume the body and run some DNA tests on it. Tracing the body's origins will "resolve the raging controversy," she says, over the identity of the remains. Don't hold your breath, Ms. Olsson. People have been trying to "resolve the raging controversy" for some two thousand years. I have been challenged myself many times on the resurrection. My answer is always that the disciples and five hundred others gave eyewitness accounts of seeing Jesus, risen from the tomb. But then I'm asked, "How do you know they were telling the truth? Maybe they were perpetrating a hoax." My answer to that comes from an unlikely source: Watergate. Watergate involved a conspiracy to cover up, perpetuated by the closest aides to the President of the United States -- the most powerful men in America, who were intensely loyal to their president. But one of them, John Dean, turned state's evidence, that is, testified against Nixon, as he put it, "to save his own skin" -- and he did so only two weeks after informing the president about what was really going on -- two weeks! The real cover-up, the lie, could only be held together for two weeks, and then everybody else jumped ship in order to save themselves. Now, the fact is that all that those around the President were facing was embarrassment, maybe prison. Nobody's life was at stake. But what about the disciples? Twelve powerless men, peasants really, were facing not just embarrassment or political disgrace, but beatings, stonings, execution. Every single one of the disciples insisted, to their dying breaths, that they had physically seen Jesus bodily raised from the dead. Don't you think that one of those apostles would have cracked before being beheaded or stoned? That one of them would have made a deal with the authorities? None did. You see, men will give their lives for something they believe to be true -- they will never give their lives for something they know to be false. The Watergate cover-up reveals the true nature of humanity. Even political zealots at the pinnacle of power will, in the crunch, save their own necks, even at the expense of the ones they profess to serve so loyally. But the apostles could not deny Jesus because they had seen Him face-to-face, and they knew He had risen from the dead. No, you can take it from an expert in cover-ups -- I lived through Watergate -- that nothing less than a resurrected Christ could have caused those men to maintain to their dying whispers that Jesus is alive and is Lord. Two thousand years later, nothing less than the power of the risen Christ could inspire Christians around the world to remain faithful -- despite prison, torture, and death. Jesus is Lord: That's the thrilling message of Easter. And it's an historic fact, one convincingly established by the evidence -- and one you can bet your life upon. Go ahead, researchers -- dig up all the old graves you want. You won't change a thing. He has risen! Chairman & Founder, Breakpoint and Prison Fellowship Ministries Copyright © 2002 Prison Fellowship |
"Men point to the sad incidents of human life on earth, and they ask, "Where is the love of God?" God points to the Cross as the unreserved manifestation of love so inconceivably infinite as to answer every challenge and silence all doubt for ever. And that Cross is not merely the public proof of what God has accomplished; it is the earnest of all that He has promised." Sir Robert Anderson (1841-1918) |
The Greatest Love The greatest communication of love, This world has ever known, Was when God, the everlasting one, Sent down His only Son. He sent His son down from on high, And the virgin Mary gave birth. Jesus Christ, the Holy One, Did miracles here on Earth. With a single touch He healed the sick, Out of the grave walked the dead. His hands broke a few small loaves of bread, And through His great deed thousands were fed. Marred by the cruel appearance of the cross On which many criminals died. He hung as His blood, a cleansing stream of life, Flowed down from His side. The day grew as dark As a human’s sinful heart. Then Jesus gave up His life for us, From the Holy Spirit He did part. Jesus Christ rose from the dead, Just when we thought we were lost. And God’s great glory was given to men, On the day of Pentecost. by Martha Offer |
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My Redeemer Lives Christian Ministry
We are a non-denominational, Christ-centered Free Church Ministry and Missions Society. Scripture taken from: Copyright © 2009. My Redeemer Lives Christian Ministry™. All rights reserved. |
