Tag Archives: resurrection

Sunday – April 14, 2013, “The Proper Wife”

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April 14, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

The Proper Wife from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

The prophetic allegory in the Old Testament illuminates the New Testament.

Word On Worship – April 14, 2013 Download / Print

John 5:39-40
You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

As the speaker, Jesus is referring to what we now call the Old Testament. Today, many assume that because we have a New Testament that the Old one is nullified or at best a historic curiosity and at worst a mythical depiction of a vengeful, almost sadistic God. Indeed, there are Christian groups and denominations that say they would not follow or want a God who would tell the Jews to slaughter the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. They only want a God of LOVE. And that love is defined by their limited understanding and desires, not necessarily as defined by God and revealed in the scripture Jesus is addressing.

However, Jesus gave validity to the Old Testament. He quoted the scriptures of the Old Testament a multitude of times, referring to them as absolute truth from God the Father. The problem is not that the scriptures are out of date, as some suggest. The problem is many don’t study the Old Testament, and don’t know the scriptures well enough to see the truth clearly. What they see they discount because it does not fit their preconceived notions. Also, they believe false assessments and interpretations of those who are advancing another gospel cleverly disguised as truth by their language or sincerity. The truth is that God the Father has revealed his plan for man’s salvation throughout the Old Testament.

This revelation is purposely deep enough to prevent a casual reader, curiously interested in the intellectual and informational content only, from grasping God’s deep truths. Yet, the revelation is simple enough for the sincere seeker to see the completeness and unity of God’s plan for the redemption of mankind throughout both Testaments. The plan remains unchanged from the God who is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. And Jesus makes it clear in John 5:39 that the scriptures testify about him – as the redeemer of mankind. As Jesus often said, “let he who has ears hear and he who has eyes see.”

Today, we have an advantage – we see the Old Testament through the magnifying glass of the New Testament. We can more easily see Jesus and his redemption through his sacrifice in the pages of the Old Testament. For example, in Isaiah 9:6,7 we see the prophesied miraculous birth of Jesus the savior and his reign as king in his kingdom forever. In Genesis Chapter 5 we see God’s complete plan of salvation of man explained by joining the root meaning of the succession of names in the chronology from Adam to Noah.

In the Genesis account of Abraham and Isaac we again see God’s salvation plan in an innocent willing to be sacrificed. Through Abraham and Isaac, we see the miraculous birth of a son, followed by a father willing to sacrifice this only son, the providing of the real sacrifice by God himself and finally the choosing of a willing and perfect bride for the son. All are prophetic allegories of the purchase of the bride of Christ for salvation and new life with him. Let he who has ears hear and he who has eyes see.

Sunday – March 31, 2013 – Lessons from the Empty Tomb

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March 31, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Easter 2013: Lessons from the Empty Tomb from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

It is very easy to read the story of the women at the tomb of our Lord and to expect a very different message from the angels. When I consider my shortcomings and lack of faith, I hear the angels prepare a word of rebuke at why these women failed to take Jesus at His word at rising again on the third day. How many other things has Jesus spoken to us in the gospels that we acknowledge as Scripture but still fail to truly take Jesus at His word?
Join us this Resurrection Sunday at we “Learn From the Empty Tomb” lessons on taking Jesus at His word for life and living from the Gospel of John 20 verses 1 to 18.

Word On Worship – March 31, 2013 Download / Print

John 20:11-13
“But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

It is very easy to read the story of the women at the tomb of our Lord and to expect a very different message from the angels.  When I consider my shortcomings and lack of faith, I hear the angels prepare a word of rebuke at why these women failed to take Jesus at His word at rising again on the third day. How many other things has Jesus spoken to us in the gospels that we acknowledge as Scripture but still fail to truly take Jesus at His word?

This is a teachable moment in the lives of these women, just as you and I have teachable moments when the Lord calls us closer to look and see, testing for ourselves that the validity of His promises is sure and not to throw away our confidence which yields great reward. Jesus is no longer in the tomb, but the evidence remains — the linen wrappings lying there with the face cloth rolled up to the side. No disciple has come to remove the body or any enemy to pillage the tomb. Jesus has yet again kept His word.

There is a time to believe the promises of God as a child believes a parent when told to be ready for school in the morning. But there comes a time when each one of us must learn by faith to believe the Word of God is unfailingly true. We will experience the prick of our doubts, just as the women must have felt when the angels reminded them in Matthew 28:6 “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.” This resurrection Sunday is the day for us to move forward, past our previous doubts and failures, into the realm of faith. Not understanding how God will do what He has promised, but believing He who has promised is faithful, and will bring it to pass for our good and His glory.

For the church to believe Jesus rose from the dead is fine, but it is not enough. We need to personally understand what kind of Savior rose from the dead. He is the same loving Redeemer who healed the sick, comforted the mourning and died for the sinner. That is the Savior who now calls us to share with others  — the news Jesus Christ has risen — just as He said. He laid down His life so we could share in the inheritance as members of His family, if we believe as John did that first morning when he entered the tomb and saw and believed.