Easter - The Difference A Year Makes!
April 11, 2006 09:14 AM'; } ?>Last Easter, the talk of the town was Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion of the Christ." No matter your view on the movie, you have to admit that at least the cross of Christ was a big topic of discussion around the Country. I remember watching a number of news-oriented shows where preachers gave the Gospel as the cross was discussed. Personally, I had several good witnessing opportunities as a result of all of the interest in this topic.
This Easter, the talk of the town is surrounded around a bunch of books that deny the Biblical accounts of Christ's life. What a difference a year makes! Recently, I visited some of the bookstores near this church. The main displays near the entrance featured books like "The Da Vinci Code," "Holy Blood, Holy Grail," "The Jesus Papers," "The Gospel according to Judas," and others that deny main elements recorded in the Gospels of the inspired Word of God. These authors want us to believe that Judas did not betray Jesus, that Jesus did not really die, that He married Mary Magdalene, had children with her, and became a King in France.
If we believe these authors, then proclaiming a Risen Savior to a dying world is a big waste of our time because they say it is not true.
If we believe in the infallible Word of God, then we can rejoice in verses like 1 Corinthians 15:2, 10, 14, and 17 which clearly teach that our belief in the Risen Lord is not in vain, neither is our proclamation of this grand and glorious truth!
On Easter Sunday at CBC, one person will look at another and say, "He is risen." The other person will respond with, "He is risen indeed." Once again, we can do this with assurance that what we are saying is truth. The books which deny these truths are worthless!
In Christ,
Pastor Joe Roof