Resurrection Sunday

We had a great day at First Baptist. One of my deacon's said he counted 184 in the morning worship service, which is the most I believe we have had in the 28 months I have been pastor here. Our worship center will only hold around 210. So, the attendance was a blessing.

The choir was "filled to the rim" and the three songs they shared each had powerful messages. The final song was "I Stand Redeemed." We are blessed to have Mike Smith as our Minister of Music. I do not know of a more dedicated bivocational Minister of Music in the state.

My sermon was based on the two disciples that traveled the Emmaus Road following the death and resurrection of Jesus. Read the account recorded in Luke 24:13-35 here.

The men on the road to Emmaus experienced a journey, which began in sadness and ended in hope.

I. Sad Journey (vv.13-17)
II. Confusing Journey (vv.18-24)
III. Challenging Journey (vv.25-27)
IV. Revealing Journey (vv.28-31)
V. Hopeful Journey (vv.32-35)

Through the power of the resurrection, God transforms our spiritual journeys from restless striving to be "good enough" into a relationship based on His unmerited favor.

The Color of Easter

We celebrate Easter with bright colors and soft spring pastels. But, what is the most symbolic color to contemplate as we remember the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus?

As a little boy, I waited with great anticipation for Easter. A great family tradition was the dyeing of Easter Eggs. The bright orange, yellow, and green eggs were so vivid. The almost “glow in the dark” artificial grass stuffed in my basket was a sign the dead grass of winter was coming to life.

Each Easter, all the girls wore beautiful pink and yellow dresses to match the fresh flowers of spring. However, we must not forget a color that reminds us of the love God offers to paint on the black sin-stained canvas of our lives.

Gordon Jensen expressed it like this:

In letters of crimson God wrote His love
On a hillside so long, long ago.
For you and for me Jesus died
And love’s greatest story was told.
I love you, I love you;
That’s what Calvary said.
I love you, I love you,
I love you written in red.

The Bible says, “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (I John 1:7).

So, dye the eggs, wear that pink tie, but don’t forget the love written in red upon the cross for you and me.