REACHING TOWARDS THE SON

We have a tree on our property that is most unusual. It is just a small hemlock tree, but its peculiar appearance speaks to its most recent history. The strong winds of the December 2007 storm blew down a number of trees, some of which crashed down across our pond and onto the brush and trees below. That small hemlock lay hidden under its broad and weightier cousins for months. It was only after I began to move those downed trees that I discovered it and was then able to rescue it. I wondered whether the 25-foot tall tree would survive--it had been brought to the ground by all of the weight--but it bounced back up. Once released, it continued to grow in its awkward position, trying its best to regain its vertical bearing. Over a period of months it found its way. If you look at it now you can still see how it was once bent over, but now it has compensated for that misdirection with another bend towards the sun.

Jesus invites the "heavy-laden" to come to Him. He alone can lift the sin burden from our souls. The sin debt that weighed us down was "nailed to the cross" (Colossians 2:14). Through His work on the cross the believer has been relieved of sin's burden and released from sin's power.

Matthew 11:28-29, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."

Over time that little tree reoriented itself to a heavenward direction. An innate force redirected the tree top to reach for the sky. The Holy Spirit works in the believer to orient him in a Christward direction. He is always and patiently working to do that. "Earthly pleasures vainly call us," still He directs us Christward. Trials and troubles threaten us, still He directs us Christward. Sin failures discourage us, still He directs us Christward. We are burdened by a myriad of infirmities--He pulls us up, props us up, and points us towards Christ.

And sometimes God uses fellow believers to assist burden-laden souls. We are exhorted to "bear one another burdens" (Galatians 6:2). The burdens of life--sin failures, injuries, sickness, death, and sorrow--can weigh us down. Too often we see a discouraged soul only to ignore them or condemn them in their plight. How much better it is to do all that we can to help. God privileges us to come alongside a discouraged brother to give comfort and encouragement. True encouragement is the kind that looks to Christ as the ultimate source of help.

Galatians 6:2, "Bear one another burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ."

That little tree has a profound lesson for us. In spite of its history it has reoriented itself to stand straight and tall. It has joined its cousins in their upward climb to the sun. Likewise we are all "to reach for the Son." Encumbrances work to weigh us down and sin works to entangle us, but by faith we are to be "fixing our eyes on Jesus," that we may "not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:1-3).

We all bear evidence of past storms that have burdened our souls. Praise God for Christ's work on the cross that has saved us. Praise God for how He continually works to redirect us to Himself. Past triumphs over sin burdens speak to the majesty of God's amazing grace.

Pastor Jerry

INCREDIBLE STORY OF FORGIVENESS

The following account is from Randy Alcorn's book "If God is Good" p. 436-437:

"Graham Staines left his home in Australia to minister to lepers in India for 34 years. He and his wife, Gladys, served Christ by serving the poorest of poor.

At midnight on January 23, 1999 a mob of militant Hindus murdered Graham and his two sons, Phillip, age 11, and Timothy, age 6. The killers invaded a Christian camp in the jungle, were Graham had ministered, and set fire to the Jeep in which Graham and his sons slept. When the fire finally cooled, believers found the charred body of Graham Stines with his arms wrapped around the bodies of his sons.

In the most appalling way, Gladys and Esther (their only remaining child) found themselves alone. Their response to the tragedy appeared on the front page of every newspaper in India. "I have only one message for the people of India," Gladys said, "I'm not bitter. Neither am I angry. But I have one great desire: That each citizen of this country should establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ who gave his life for their sins...Let us burn hatred and spread the flame of Christ's love."

When asked about how she felt about the murder of her dad, 13 year old Esther said, "I praise the Lord that He found my father worthy to die for Him."

Gladys then stunned the nation by saying that God had called her and Esther to stay in India for that season. "My husband and my children have sacrificed their lives for this nation; India is my home. I hope to be here and continue to serve the needy."

At the funeral, masses of people filled the streets--Hindus, Muslims, and Christians. They came to show respect for the Staines family and demonstrate solidarity against the killers."

What a great example of forgiveness! God only knows how far reaching were the effects of Glady's forgiving response.

Pastor Jerry

"WORTHY IS THE LAMB" EASTER CANTATA 4/4/10

Here is a link to the recent Easter Cantata:

http://sermon.net/lcbc/sermonid/2390975

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

Easter celebrates the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ--a grand and glorious truth which is central to all our faith and practice. How important is this truth? Some in the church in Corinth denied the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12). Paul addressed the matter in First Corinthians chapter fifteen. His response made it clear that there can be no Christianity apart from Christ’s resurrection. "If Christ has not been raised," he said, "then our preaching is in vain, your faith is in vain" (1 Cor. 15:14)..."If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless" (1 Cor. 15:17)..."If Christ has not been raised...you are still in your sins" (1 Cor. 15:17)..."If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied" (1 Cor. 15:19). If Christ had not been raised, then there would be no gospel to proclaim, no Savior to believe in, no forgiveness of sins, and no hope for the future.

NO RESURRECTION=NO GOSPEL; NO SAVIOR; NO FORGIVENESS; NO HOPE

"But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep" (1 Cor. 15:20). He is risen! Because He is risen, there is a glorious gospel message to proclaim and believe in. Because He is risen there is such a thing as forgiveness of sins. Because He is risen our lives can have purpose and meaning and hope. As the hymn says, "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."

RESURRECTION=A GOSPEL WORTH PROCLAIMING; A SAVIOR WORTH TRUSTING; A SALVATION WORTH EXPERIENCING; A LIFE WORTH LIVING

During his day Nikolai Bukharin was as powerful a man as there was on earth. A Russian Communist leader he took part in the Bolshevik Revolution 1917, was editor of the Soviet newspaper Pravda, and was a full member of the Politburo. His works on economics and political science are still read today. There is a story told about a journey he took from Moscow to Kiev in 1930 to address a huge assembly on the subject of atheism. Addressing the crowd he aimed his heavy artillery at Christianity hurling insult, argument, and proof against it.

An hour later he was finished. He looked out at what seemed to be the smoldering ashes of men's faith. "Are there any questions?" Bukharin demanded. Deafening silence filled the auditorium but then one man approached the platform and mounted the lectern standing near the communist leader. He surveyed the crowd first to the left then to the right. Finally he shouted the ancient greeting known well in the Russian Orthodox Church: "CHRIST IS RISEN!" En masse the crowd arose as one man and the response came crashing like the sound of thunder: "HE IS RISEN INDEED!"

He is risen indeed! "I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today; I know that He is living, whatever men may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, And just the time I need Him, He’s always near! He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart."

Pastor Jerry

EMBITTERED NO MORE

The following encouraging story is recounted from chapter 35 of Randy Alcorn's book "If God is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil," a book I heartily recommend...

David Flood was embittered against God. Decades earlier, in 1921, he made great sacrifices to serve God as a missionary in the Belgian Congo. He and his wife, Svea, served with another young couple, the Ericksons. Because a tribal chief would not let them enter his area, they had contact with only one young boy who sold them food. Svea led that boy to Jesus. Then malaria struck and the Ericksons returned to the central mission station. The Floods remained to continue their ministry. Within days of giving birth to a little girl, Svea died.

Stunned and disillusioned, David dug a crude grave where he buried his young wife. David gave his baby girl, Aina, to the Ericksons and returned to Sweden embitted, saying that God had ruined his life. Soon afterwards, the Ericksons died. Again, Aina had no one to care for her. American missionaries brought Aina to the United States where she was adopted, becoming Aggie Hurst.

Years later, a Swedish Christian magazine appeared in Aggie’s mailbox. She didn’t understand the words, but a photo inside shocked her--a grave with a white cross, marked with a name she recognized--that of her mother, Svea Flood.

A college professor translated the article for Aggie. Missionaries came to the Belgian Congo long ago--a white baby was born--the young mother died--one little African boy was led to Christ--the boy grew up and built a school in the village--gradually he won his students to Christ--the children led their parents to Christ--even the tribal chief became a Christian.

After decades of bitterness, one day an old and ill David Flood had a visitor--his daughter, Aina Flood, now Aggie Hurst. She told David the story recounted in the article. She informed her father: "Today there are six hundred African people serving Christ because you and mother were faithful to God’s call in your life." David felt stunned. His heart softened. He returned to God. Weeks later, he died.

Aggie eventually met that African boy, by then the superintendent of a national church in Zaire (formerly the Belgian Congo), an association of 110,000 baptized believers.

What a wonderful story! It is amazing how God can turn a tragedy around and use it to His glory! How exciting that, in God's sovereign timing, the daughter was able to share those truths with her father before he died!

Pastor Jerry

SPURGEON ON HIS PASSION TO SEE SOULS SAVED

"If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies; and if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay...If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned or unprayed for."

THE SOCIALIST'S 23rd PSALM

The following parody was written by two men after they had converted to Christianity from communism (was actually written quite some time ago, but is relevant to today):

The Government is my shepherd;
Therefore, I need not work;
It allows me to lie down on a good job;
It leads me besides the still factories.
It destroys my initiative;
It leads me in the path of a parasite for politic's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of laziness and deficit spending;
I fear no evil, for the Government is with me;
It preparest an economic utopia for me;
By appropriating the earnings of my own grandchildren.
It fills my head with false security;
My inefficiency runneth over.
Surely the Government should care for me all the days of my life;
And I shall live forever in a fool's paradise.