04/10/2020
EASTER Message from Pastor Brian
From Despair to Joy!
It had been an exciting week. They had witnessed the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. They had seen the miracles. They had heard His teachings and were expectantly waiting to see Him crowned king. But now it is Friday and the disciples are disappointed and in despair. Their leader has been tried, convicted and executed. They are fearful. Peter had denied Jesus and the disciples had fled. Now they are hiding out in the Upper Room. They are wondering what is ahead for them. Would they be hunted down, tried, convicted and executed?
It is Friday, dark, cold and hopeless. BUT Sunday was coming! Sunday, when the tomb would open and Christ would rise from the dead. But they didn’t see it because it was Friday. They were focused on the past, the way things used to be, not the future.
Over the past few weeks, it has felt like Friday to many of us. Our “normal” has been shattered and now we wonder what the future holds for us---individually and for the church. We are in uncharted waters. It is dark, cold and hopeless for many. But the Good News is, Sunday is coming. Jesus is still alive. Just as the disciples rejoiced when they saw Jesus, we too can rejoice in “our Friday” BECAUSE Jesus is alive and with us.
We must trust the FACT that JESUS IS BIGGER THAN WHAT’S THE MATTER! He is in control of our current situation, our church situation and the world’s situation. He will bring good out of it. We will survive and learn. The world will probably change. There will be changes in the church. But it will not only survive but come back stronger IF we focus on Him and the future not the past. It is Sunday for the church because Jesus is risen and is already doing a new thing!
Isaiah 43:19 says, “forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
This is what He is already doing; making Casa Grande New Beginnings Church something new. We need to focus on what Jesus is already doing and not what has happened in the past. The past is behind us and it cannot be recaptured. We must focus on what He is doing now. His blessings are new every morning and Zephaniah 3:5 says that those new things WILL NOT FAIL!!!
New Beginnings Church, rejoice, God has this!!!
We may feel it is Friday but today is Easter Sunday! Let’s rejoice that He is Risen and has everything under control. The same power that resurrected our Savior is present today because He is still alive! In the coming days, let’s watch as our living Savior resurrects the life of the church and our lives individually. Let’s focus on Him and the new things He is doing!
REJOICE! He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Happy Easter!
Pastor Brian
As we go through these times together, why not remind ourselves that all will work out by singing that chorus, “Because He Lives”.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives.
