Easter is a little different for me this year. I have been to Jerusalem, just a couple of weeks ago. I have been to Golgotha. I have been to the tomb. I have looked in. He is not there. He has risen. He has risen indeed!

Today we enter the week of our Lord’s Passion, beginning with Palm Sunday, when He triumphantly entered Jerusalem, and then next Sunday, Easter, when He rose from the grave conquering sin and death for you and me; so that we could be forgiven and restored in righteousness to God. In the midst of this week, the night before He would go to the cross, Jesus gave us the Lord’s Supper, a way to remember and a way to proclaim what He accomplished for us.

Today we enter the week of our Lord’s Passion, beginning with Palm Sunday, when He triumphantly entered Jerusalem, and then next Sunday, Easter, when He rose from the grave conquering sin and death for you and me; so that we could be forgiven and restored in righteousness to God. In the midst of this week, the night before He would go to the cross, Jesus gave us the Lord’s Supper, a way to remember and a way to proclaim what He accomplished for us.

John teaches that the true believer should constantly be changing from the time that he comes to faith, until the moment he is perfected when he sees Christ face-to-face. From this, we can understand that the NATURE, the DESTINATION, and the SHAPE of Christian faith is TRANSFORMATION, and that SEEING God fuels that transformation.

John teaches that the true believer should constantly be changing from the time that he comes to faith, until the moment he is perfected when he sees Christ face-to-face. From this, we can understand that the NATURE, the DESTINATION, and the SHAPE of Christian faith is TRANSFORMATION, and that SEEING God fuels that transformation.

Rev. Ronnie West, our Education Pastor, shares a sermon based around his life verse.

Rev. Ronnie West, our Education Pastor, shares a sermon based around his life verse.

This Thursday Karen and I will overlook Megiddo, site of a final cataclysmic battle called Armageddon. Friday we will stand on the mount where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. Saturday we will be on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus walked on the water. Monday is the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Upper Room. And we finish at the empty tomb. To say I am excited is just bit of an understatement. I hear so much how the Bible comes alive. Just to walk where Jesus walked.

This Thursday Karen and I will overlook Megiddo, site of a final cataclysmic battle called Armageddon. Friday we will stand on the mount where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. Saturday we will be on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus walked on the water. Monday is the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Upper Room. And we finish at the empty tomb. To say I am excited is just bit of an understatement. I hear so much how the Bible comes alive. Just to walk where Jesus walked.

We base most of what we do on a book written 2000-3000 years ago. Much of our opportunity today in this church came from the faith and work of those before us. So we have to achieve this precious balance between looking back and looking forward, between respecting the past, but not so dedicated to it that we sacrifice our future. Here’s my compass: if it comes from God’s word it doesn’t change. But if God hasn’t directed it then almost anything can be up for change.