The Surprise Ending of Resurrection

By Brian Orme 

In some stories, hope is wrapped up in the obvious and tangible elements of the plot, but other times hope is revealed through a surprise ending or a twist — giving new life to the story in foreshadowed glory. The Easter story is a vivid example that things aren't always as they seem. In a way, Easter is a celebration of the greatest story twist in history, one that's so subversive it changes everything for all time.

It's easy to gloss over the Easter story — we've heard it so many times — and forget the surprise and shock of the resurrection. It’s easy to read through the Gospels without that “aha” moment it really delivers. We have the privilege of reading the resurrection into the teachings of Jesus — we know how the story ends — but for the disciples, the moments before the resurrection were steeped in fear, darkness and confusion. For the disciples, the resurrection provided an incredible twist — in Sixth Sense fashion — that made the story come alive in a new way … past experiences began to make clarion sense. It changed everything. 

Eugene Peterson explains it like this in his book Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: “The Christian life begins as a community that is gathered at the place of impossibility, the tomb.”

Faith Through Trials

Written by Charles Spurgeon

“… for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith —of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire— may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6b-7

Untested faith may be real faith, but it is sure to be immature faith. It is likely to remain immature as long as it never faces difficulties.

When all things seem against it, faith often prospers. Storms are faith’s illuminators. When a calm reigns on the sea, spreading a ship’s sails is futile because the ship will never leave its harbor. 

We Live In A Good Friday World

David Burchett

A couple of years ago I saved an article from USA Today . The title, We are Easter People, was intriquing enough to merit a second look. Here is a portion of the piece written by Diane Cameron.

One of the lowest points in my life occurred years ago when I was living in Washington, D.C., at Easter time. My older sister had recently died and both of my brothers were seriously ill; my best friend was leaving town, and on top of that I was questioning my work. In my journal that April I wrote, "Am I depressed?" When I read those pages now I laugh and shake my head. "Depressed?" That I even had to ask. In that long year I thought I'd never laugh again, just as I thought I'd never again feel love, the joy of easy friendship, or the satisfaction of good work.

I went to church that Easter out of both habit and desperation. I had grown up in a church-going family. It was what we did. And so to honor the family that I was losing I went. Easter after all, is the centerpiece for Christians, honoring and recalling Christ's triumph over death.

I chose a big downtown church for Easter services — one with hundreds in the congregation — not daring to visit a smaller church where I might have to speak to people or be embarrassed by my own tears. I wanted the paradoxical safety and anonymity of being in a crowd.

The minister that Easter Sunday said many things that I don't remember, but one sentence has stayed with me all these years. He said, "We live in a Good Friday world."

That I understood. A Good Friday world is a world full of suffering, questioning, unfairness, trouble, mistakes, hurts, losses and grief. Good Friday in the Christian faith is the day Christians commemorate Christ's suffering and death on the cross. So that certainly made sense to me at that difficult time in my life.

"But," he continued, "We are Easter people." Those words stopped me cold. I was stunned to be reminded that painful morning that there was something other than what I was feeling.

Wow. What an amazing message as we head into the Easter week. We do live in a Good Friday world. How easy it is to stop right there, just short of healing, not realizing the hope of resurrection. The story of Easter week did not stop on Friday. The hope of this season is all about Sunday. Tony Campolo writes about a life changing sermon he heard in his book It's Friday but Sunday's Comin'. (Note to spiritual cyber hall monitors...I know Mr.Campolo is controversial. Just enjoy this illustration, take a deep breath, and move away from the keyboard). Campolo writes about hearing a wise African-American pastor preach about the events of Easter week.

For an hour and a half he preached one line over and over again..."It's Friday, but Sunday's comin'!" He started his sermon real softly by saying, "It was Friday; it was Friday and my Jesus was dead on the tree. But that was Friday, and Sunday's comin'!" One of the Deacons yelled, "Preach, brother, Preach!" It was all the encouragement he needed.

He came on louder as he said, "It was Friday and Mary was cryin' her eyes out. The disciples were runnin' in every direction, like sheep without a shepherd, but that was Friday, and Sunday's comin!"

The preacher kept going. He picked up the volume still more and shouted, "It was Friday. The cynics were lookin' at the world and sayin' `As things have been so shall they be. You can't change anything in this world; you can't change anything. But those cynics don't know that it was only Friday. Sunday's comin'! It was Friday, and on Friday those forces that oppress the poor and make the poor to suffer were in control. But that was Friday! Sunday's comin'!

It was Friday, and on Friday Pilate thought he had washed his hands of a lot of trouble. The Pharisees were struttin' around, laughin' and pokin' each other in the ribs. They thought they were back in charge of things. But they didn't know it was only Friday! Sunday's comin'!

Campolo continues, "He kept on working that one phrase for a half hour, then an hour, then an hour and a quarter, then an hour and a half. Over and over he came at us, "It's Friday, but Sunday's comin!" By the time he had come to the end of the message...He had me and everybody else so worked up that I don't think any of us could have stood it much longer. At the end of his message he just yelled at the top of his lungs, `It's FRIDAY!' and all 500 of us in that church yelled back with one accord, `SUNDAY'S COMIN'!"

A lot of people who stumble across this site might be in the middle of what seems to be an interminable Friday. It is hard to accept suffering and illness. Relationships that hurt us make Friday seem like it will never end. The trials of living on a fallen planet will make this seem like a Friday world at times during the journey. Two years ago Joni’s diagnosis of cancer put us into a Friday state of mind. But we trusted that Sunday's comin'! As we told our wonderful sons, if your faith doesn't work at times like this it is of little value for the rest of the time. And it does work. We have been blessed with healing for now but we have the greater hope of the resurrection of Jesus as we continue. We trust in a God that has been faithful to strengthen us for the battle, work through us for His glory, and teach us to be dependent on Him.

I believe the message of this week. Sunday's comin'. And I believe that with all of my heart and soul. Paul wrote in Romans...

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." Romans 1 NIV

I am not ashamed of the gospel. I fact I am excited about the gospel. Even though I may be living in a Good Friday world today I am convinced that Sunday's comin'!

Dave Burchett is an Emmy Award winning television sports director, author, and Christian speaker. He is the author of When Bad Christians Happen to Good People and Bring'em Back Alive: A Healing Plan for those Wounded by the Church. You can reply by linking through daveburchett.com.

http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/david-burchett/we-live-in-a-good-friday-world-11570780.html

The Power of Forgiving Love

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by: Alan Bullock

Nearly everyone has been hurt by the actions or words of another but it is wise to remember that forgiveness can heal individuals, marriages, families and entire communities.  Forgiveness is a decision to release thoughts of resentment and revenge.  My wife’s sister’s husband, Bishop Haik Hovsepian, was a strong Christian leader in a Muslim country.  He was known as the “Billy Graham of the Middle East”.  Though a devoted Armenian Pastor, he continued to visit Mehdi Dibai, a Baptist pastor who had been incarcerated in prison and systematically tortured for many years because of his vocal and unwavering faith in Christ.  

His Hands
The frail hands of a Man most meek
The nails and spear His body did seek.
Water and blood flowed out like wine,
“Father forgive them,” said the One Divine.
A worm am I, you showed mercy on me
Spared by grace, can I ever thank thee?
You looked past my faults on Calvary’s hill,
The Christ who died there — He triumphs still.Though his life was threatened many times, Haik continued to visit and bring food and hope to the imprisoned pastor.  In January 1994, the fanatical Islamic terrorists made good on their threats and Bishop Haik was abducted and murdered.  He left behind three sons, a daughter and a wife, each of them with a major decision to make.  Would they forgive those that murdered their father and husband or harbor resentment and bitterness?   They chose to forgive.  The Hovsepians have gone on to become involved in a full-time ministry and have produced films reaching out to the Muslim communities with the love of Christ.

Forgiveness is mercy in action.  Forgiveness is the height of love (Matthew 5:44-45).

The cross is all about forgiveness.  The cross stands eternal as a sign of suffering and victory and of sacrifice and salvation.  Speaking to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul declared that we should be thankful unto our God who always causes us to triumph in Christ.  Because he was victorious, we too share that victory.  Be brave child of God.  Your sins are forgiven; go and do likewise – walk in the love and victory meant for you.

“…In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.” The LORD replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth” (Numbers 14:19-21)

Hope in God is the salve that wipes away the tears of hurt and remorse and brings

refreshing times to all who trust in the Lord.

MEET THE AUTHOR

ALAN BULLOCK

Alan has pioneered several churches and has also been blessed to travel the world preaching and teaching in churches and conferences as a missionary evangelist for over thirty two years.

Copyright © 2011 by Alan Bullock

http://www.daystar.com/devotions/the-power-of-forgiving-love/