As a newfound believer in Jesus in 1976, I remember the thrill I felt as each new Sunday came around and I had the chance to be challenged again from God's Word. I knew that not only would I be challenged personally, but that lives would be changed as God's Word would be preached with boldness and power. It was March of that year and I would soon experience my first Easter as a new believer. Well, that Easter came and went, and as I grew as a believer and in His Word, the impact of that day took on new meaning.
Perhaps you too have memories of special services and messages from God's Word that have left indelible impressions on your heart as well. As wonderful as opening His Word every week was, there was perhaps just a little more significance on days like Christmas. Yes, on this day we celebrated the birth of Jesus--It was a big day! I for one am very thankful that he came to this earth. "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:" (Philippians 2: 6-7, KJV). So, Christmas is surely an important event in history. But of even greater importance is Easter.
You see, the message doesn't end in Philippians with verse 7. "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2: 8-9, KJV). He had to come to earth first--very important. Yes, He then had to be "obedient unto death". But then, thank God-- He rose again and conquered death, hell and the grave! We can agree with the apostle Paul in recognizing the vast, eternal importance of Jesus' resurrection. "And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." (I Corinthians 15:14, KJV).
The Easter that we now see in our rear view mirror, will no doubt be remembered in all of our minds as the Easter of Covid-19. I was struggling with some technical problems on my computer as I navigated and sat alone in my office. It was surely not like any Easter service I had experienced before. But, we have been reminded through this and through other recent messages, that the church is NOT the building! Perhaps we all needed to be reminded. May God richly bless each of you during these trying times, and may He see fit to help us all learn the spiritual lessons that possibly only a worldwide pandemic can teach us all.
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