Cause for Hope

Dear Meadowood Family,

Easter is fast approaching. March 28th is Palm Sunday. April 2nd is Good Friday. April 4th is Easter Sunday. For many people these are merely dates on a calendar. For those of us who are followers of Christ, these are days in which the greatest events in history occurred.

On Good Friday Jesus did what only He could do. He bore the punishment for mankind's sin paying the debt we could not pay. This makes it possible for any who receive Jesus as their Savior to be forgiven by God of every sin they have ever or will ever commit in their lives on earth.

On Easter Sunday Jesus did the unthinkable. He conquered death. Human beings have no remedy for death. No man or woman can prevent it or overcome it. When death occurs they cannot reclaim the life of the one who died.

Jesus steps onto the world scene, and it all changes. The Lord did the following to show His power over death:

One — He proclaimed Himself as the resurrection. John records in His Gospel these words of Jesus to Martha whose brother Lazarus had died. Jesus said to her in John 11:25-26: “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.” Jesus was not only saying he would resurrect Lazarus, He was declaring that while Lazarus's body was lifeless Lazarus was still alive.

In referring to Himself as the resurrection Jesus was proclaiming, I have power over death. Following the statement He made to Martha, Jesus asked her a probing question that pertains to all of us, “Do you believe this?”

Two — Jesus brought people who were dead back to life. Mark 5:22-34, 34-42 tells of a synagogue official named Jairus. He came to Jesus begging Him to heal his daughter who was at the point of death. When Jesus got to her she had already died. The people around her were helpless, Jesus was not. He brought the 12 year old girl back to life.
Luke 7:11-16, Jesus came to the city of Nain. Upon His arrival there He met a funeral procession. A widow had lost her only son. Jesus saw her, felt compassion for her, and told her not to weep. Then He raised her son from the dead.

In John 11 after speaking to Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, Jesus proceeded to raise Lazarus from death.

Three — On Easter Sunday Jesus, who subjected Himself to death, came forth from the grave. The angel gave this great announcement to the women at the tomb on the first Easter, Mark 16:6:  “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; see, here is the place where they laid Him.” Jesus brought Himself back to life. The promise of Jesus to everyone of His followers is, "as I have conquered death so will you." Jesus assures us He will give to us that victory.

In this world there are so many challenges and troubles. People are stressed. Numbers are experiencing great anxiety and feel hopeless.

The message of Easter is the greatest truth that any of us can hear. Because of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ Jesus we can have complete forgiveness of all our sins, we can have life eternal that even death cannot take from us, and we can have the living Savior live within us as we journey through this life.

Wherever you are and whatever you are facing you can have hope, peace, and assurance of good to come because Jesus Who died has risen from the grave.

I quoted this statement in my message on March 14th. It is wise counsel for any of us:

"Look to the world and you can be distressed.

Look within and you can be depressed.

Look to Jesus and you can be at rest!"

Happy Easter!

Bob