April 2017 - Message from Bill

Christ died, but death did not conquer Him. On the first day of the week He would come forth triumphantly from the grave. He would show Himself to hundreds of witnesses that He was alive. He not only atoned for sin, but He demonstrated His Mastery over death in the process. The resurrection of Christ was a stamp of approval that He did indeed buy back sin through His dying. Paul wrote that Jesus was "declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:14). It's important that we know how the early church preached as much about the death of Christ as it did about the resurrection. Paul wrote, "We preach Christ crucified" (1 Corinthians 1:23); "I determine not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (2:2). So, again, without the work of Christ on the cross, the resurrection would merely be something to stand back and admire. Don't misunderstand what I am saying. I am not saying that the cross is more important than the resurrection or visa versa. The point I am trying to make is that we sometimes do pass over the meaning of the death of Christ on the way to celebrate the resurrection. It is the Cross that gives meaning to the resurrection of life. In the words of the apostle Paul, every believer's deepest desire should be: "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead" (Philippians 3:10-11). This month, we, as the body of Christ, will be remembering both the cross and the resurrection. And it will all start with the Good Friday Service on April 14th at 7pm. There will be music and a message remembering what Christ did for us on the cross. Then on Resurrection Sunday, there will be our annual Sunrise Service at Ramona Oaks Park in the Country Estates at 6:30 am. As always, there will be coffee, hot chocolate and donuts. This has always been a special time for us all to reflect on the events of Christ's resurrection. Afterwards, there will be an Open-Breakfast at the church from 7am - 9:30 am. Plan to attend and enjoy the fellowship and good food prepared for you. Then we will conclude our Sunday morning with our Easter Cantata at 10 am in the Sanctuary. The purpose of all these events is to praise, honor and glorify God.