Remember, Retell, Rejoice.
 | Current mood:  contemplative Category: Life Easter Sunday... a day to celebrate Jesus rising from the dead. I can’t tell you how many sermons I’ve heard that recounted either the crucifixion of Christ or the story of the empty tomb. Neither story gets old, mind you, but I don’t know that I remember any applications other than be thankful or be joyful. This year was different though. This time, when P.S. preached about the empty tomb, he made some really simple but memorable points. I don’t know, maybe it was because I got to hear it twice, but somehow it stuck... The first point (and just like my Beth Moore issue, there’s no way I can say it as well as P.S. did) was that we should remember. When Mary and the other women got to the tomb and the angels appeared the angels said, "He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ’The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’" (Luke 24:6-7) Then the women remembered what had been said. The second point was that we should reiterate or retell. The women ran back to the Eleven (Apostles) and told them what had happened but they didn’t believe the women. Then two of the Apostles were on their way to Emmaus and were discussing all the events that had happened over the past three days. Jesus walked up to them but they didn’t recognize Him at first. They continued to talk about what had happened because Jesus asked them to tell Him about what they were discussing. They told the story of what they thought was going to happen and then what actually did happen. Then they told Jesus about how the body of Christ had disappeared from the tomb. Jesus chastised them and retold the story of Christ from what Moses and the prophets had foretold. That evening when they sat down to break bread together their eyes were opened to who Jesus was and then Jesus disappeared from their sight. The final point was rejoice. Now, this is the part where it gets fuzzy for me because I was really caught up in point two - the retell part. I think it was pretty self explanatory, though. Rejoice in the fact that Christ is alive and living in those who have accepted Him as Savior. He is living in ME! I’d say that’s definitely something to rejoice about. So, application - what did all of this mean to me? Well, the remember part was key for me because I think sometimes I do forget what Christ did for me... not in the sense that I forget He died for my sins, but that I don’t think of it enough. It’s not always at the forefront of my mind... and I think it should be there more often than it is. Realistically speaking for me, if I thought of it more, or remembered it more, then I’m pretty sure I’d talk about it more. That brings me to point two - retell. I talk about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit all the time but I don’t remember the last time I told someone Christ’s story. It’s not that I don’t actively witness, I do, but it’s been a while since I told someone the WHOLE story about who Jesus is and what the Bible says about the Trinity and what God did for us when He allowed His Son to die on the cross for us. It’s been a long time, too, since I recounted my own salvation story (or gave my personal testimony as we say in Baptist circles, lol). You can guarantee that both of these things will be blog topics very soon, as well as conversation topics with the next person the Holy Spirit lays on my heart... Point three: Rejoice. I’ve got this one in the bag... but the bag can always be bigger, right? I’m thankful for my relationship with Christ: He has been a life saver in more ways than one. People can say I’m a zealot or a Bible Thumper or whatever, I just know that my life would not be the same without Him and I wouldn’t give Him up for the world. I’m not always perfect in my love for Him but His love is perfect for me - and for you, for that matter. It’s not about who I am or what I’ve done - the good, the bad and the ugly don’t matter. It’s about believing what the Bible says in its entirety about God, the Holy Spirit, Jesus (the Trinity) and what they did, do and will do for those who believe. There are a lot of verses in the Bible - I’ve been reading it for around 31 years and I’m still not sure I’ve read them all. This is what I believe, though, captured by the Apostles’ Creed and made into a song by Rich Mullins. I believe in God the Father PS. If you don’t know Jesus I can introduce you to Him. I know He wants a relationship with you... He literally died so it would be possible.
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