Matthew 28:2, 6-7, 12-13

“There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.“

”He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay.  Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.  There you will see him.’  Now I have told you.”  When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ ”

LIES

The guards did not want to admit they were so afraid they passed out.  They did not want to admit they did not know what happened to Jesus’ body.  So, they lied.  The chief priests and elders made the decision to continue that lie.  Satan smiled as first 30 pieces of silver and now a large sum of money caused men to sin.  Lies.  Oh, and how easy it is to make humans believe a lie.

Satan knows when a believer is vulnerable.  A believer overhears something that makes them wonder.  Satan has found the gap he is looking for.  He begins to whisper words like NO HOPE or HOW DO YOU KNOW or ARE YOU SURE.  Then he begins to lie.  How easy it is to replace the truth.  One small lie and then another until the lie seems to make sense.  Quickly the lie spreads.  Quickly the truth is forgotten.

Our son-in-law and I were having one of our conversations.  This time about Satan and how Satan can corrupt anything.  He makes simple things confusing.  I asked what is the biggest lie Satan uses today and Jon’s answer was where we came from, eternal life, and how we get there.

BUT, it was the answer he received from a 20 year old friend that shows how tricky Satan can be.  He answered, “Satan’s best trick was convincing the world and this generation that even he doesn’t exist.  Let alone God.  He’s devious that is for sure.”

Satan’s power comes from lies.  If Satan can get people to believe the first small lie, he will get them to believe the next and the next.

And the lie will make sense and the truth will be forgotten.

Matthew 28:15

“So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed.  And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.”

SERIES RECAP

Change happens.  Are you willing to allow the actions of one man to impact your life?

Jesus offered the disciples the job of a lifetime.  Are you willing to accept his call to “follow me”?

A Son obeyed his Father and died to save you from your sins.  Do you accept this gift of forgiveness?

Sometimes we wear blinders and cannot see.  Have your eyes been opened?  Can you see Jesus?

Have the lies of Satan made you question the Truth of God? Do you believe?

Easter is early this year - March 31.  Are you ready?

IN AN INSTANT

We have a friend who told Bill, “Life can change in an instant.” His instant was finding out he has cancer. The word cancer changes life after life after life. Other words do the same thing: stroke, heart attack, and on and on and on.

But no one expects a ship to destroy a bridge. To change lives in an instant. A mother will not hear the word, “I love you mom.” A father will not be able to tell their child, “I am proud of you.” A spouse, a child, a sibling, a friend will now have an empty space in their hearts and in their lives. Laughter will not be heard. No glass of wine shared. No tender kiss. No story read at bedtime. It all changed in just an instant.

What would you do if you knew you only had an instant to live. If you knew that at some point in your day you would die? Would that information change how you lived your last day? Would you look deeper into the eyes of those you love? Would you cherish one more breakfast before your children went off to school? Would you make a call? Would you?

And isn’t that the question? Would you? Would you change the way you had planned to spend your day? Would you realize your priorities were wrong? Would you beg for one more day? One more minute? One more instant?

Life can change in an instant. Would you be secure in your faith and trust and know you would have eternal life on the other side of the instant?

 If your answer is no, look around. How can you deny there is a God? Look at a flower. Look at the sky. Look at the ocean or a mountain. Look at the human body. This did not happen in a big bang and you did not come from pond scum. God created you. He created you with a desire to know and trust Him. He created you with a desire to find the love that fills the empty part of your soul. If you have spent your life denying God, you can change! You can confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Savior. And when you do this, the other side of an instant is glorious and Jesus is waiting to welcome you home.

We must be ready because we never know when our final instant comes. It might come, in the middle of the night, crossing a bridge.

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I offer prayers of sympathy and support for all those that were killed or injured in the Baltimore bridge collapse.  I offer prayers of gratitude for all who helped rescue those injured and who will recover those who died.

 LOST

Have you ever looked for something and couldn’t find it? You can remember the last time you used it. When you were done, you put it back in the correct location. Except, no matter how many times you open the drawer, nothing. It is not there! If I am honest, 99.9% of the time I can find anything in our home.

Now, not to male bash, but hubby can lose something and look and look and look. Finally, he will tell me what he is looking for. And just like that, I see it lying there. Right in front of his eyes, but he could not see it. I guess new eyes were needed.

Mary was weeping. The tomb was empty. She could not find Jesus. He was not there! She saw the angels. (Notice the men did not see the angels, but we will let them off the hook. Maybe the angels were not there when they looked and entered the tomb.) Not only were the angels sitting there, they spoke to Mary and asked why she was weeping. After telling them that the body of Jesus had been taken away, she turned around. And there stood…. the gardener. At least that is what Mary thought. Jesus was still missing.

Jesus spoke her name and she recognized his voice. Mary’s eyes were opened because the sheep recognized the Shepherd’s voice. With new eyes, she saw Jesus.

Being afraid of the Jews, the disciples were not out seeking Jesus. They were in a room with the doors shut. If a grave cannot hold Jesus, a door doesn’t stand a chance. Just like that, Jesus was before them and showed them his hands and his side. With new eyes, they saw him!

Do you have new eyes? Can you see Jesus as you go through your days and nights? Can you see him in your sisters and brothers at church? Can you see him in the unexpected help that comes when you need it? Can you see him as he gives you just the right words to say or deed to do? Can you see him?

Easter is early this year - March 31. Are you ready?

 IT IS TIME

 This is not going to be easy to write, but …..

 Grandma lived with us in the winter. We had indoor plumbing. I loved my grandma, but it was time. The call came in the middle of the night. Mother quickly dressed and was waiting on my dad to get dressed. It seemed like he was moving in slow motion. As a teenager, I wanted to shout, “She is ready to go to her mother. Stop stalling.” They finally left for the hospital. As an adult, I realize dad was not stalling. He knew grandma was already dead and he was giving the hospital time to prepare the body. She lived for the day she would go home and now her faith had been rewarded.

 The death of my father was sudden. With no warning, a brain aneurysm burst and he was in a coma for three days. My prayer was that us kids would make it home before he died. We did, we saw him, and then took mom home to rest. Once again, our family gathered, in the early hours of the morning. It was time. Dad was not a church goer and I was not sure if he was a believer. We didn’t talk about this at home. Oh, us kids were sent to church, but no parent went with us. Dad was a trucker and the “talk to them where they are” chaplain knew my dad. He said he was a man of family and faith. Those words gave me the assurance that I would see my dad again.

My mother was a very young 87. She was a very old 89. Her body was wearing out and she broke a hip. Instead of living in her apartment, we moved her into a nursing home. We honestly thought she would live a few more years. Instead it was a few months. During those months, I made a lot of four hour .. four hours each way … trips to see her. And then I got a call. It was early evening. The nurse tried to get her to hang on until my sister got there. She only lived ten minutes away. My mother shook her head and it was time. Mother told her tired earthly body goodbye and walked, standing straight and with new strength, into heaven. I think God put some weeds in a corner of the garden just for her to pull.

God had a plan to save us from our sins. On that Friday, it was time. And a Son, obeyed the Father, and gave his life for me! And a Son, obeyed the Father, and gave his life for you.

Easter is early this year - March 31. Are you ready?

 THE JOB OF A LIFETIME 

I have worked in various positions.  My first job was doing whatever my mom and dad told me.  This was free labor, but my next job was a paying position.  I was a car hop and made 35 cents per hour plus tips.  Not quite free labor, but close.  Other jobs followed, but were never “the job of a lifetime.” 

The disciples seemed pretty set for life. They were self-employed fishermen or gainfully employed as a tax collector.  Until …. Until they heard the words, ”follow me.”  What?  Drop everything.  No trip to HR.  No guarantee of advancement.  Not even the mention of a salary.  Just “follow me.”  And they did.  They dropped their nets and left their father.  One left the tax money lying on the table.  Other disciples heard about Jesus and went to him.  There were no interviews.  Sit under a fig tree and you just might be the next disciple.    

The disciples thought they had their “job of a lifetime.”  They listened.  They learned.  They saw miracles.  They carried baskets of fish and bread.  They saw Jesus pray.  

The disciples were prepared to be on the job long enough to have their hair turn gray.  They were prepared to follow Jesus through the decades.  At 33 … Jesus would be around for a good many years.  Yes, this was their “job of a lifetime.” Until ….

Until can be a very unpleasant word.  The disciples’ until came when Jesus was arrested.  What do we do now?  Then it got worse.  Jesus was charged and found guilty.  What do we do now?  Jesus was beaten and … and hung on a cross.  What do we do now?  Jesus is dead.  In a grave.  Dead.  What do we do now?

Jesus was no longer there to teach them.  He was no longer there to guide them. What do we do now?

“Follow me.”  Two short words.  Two words said by a man.  Two words that changed the lives of the disciples and put them on a path to spread the Good News.  Jesus still says, “Follow me.”  Two short words.  “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  What do we do now?  

Easter is early this year - March 31.  Are you ready?

 Change

“Why do we have this?”   “Do you want it?”

Those two questions are being heard with great regularity around our house.  We are moving! This move involves a new word: downsizing.  Other moves have been “put it in the box and I’ll figure it out later” moves.  This time, we are moving into an independent home at a local retirement community.  A new adventure but less space.  We no longer need a lawn mower or a snow blower.  I did not count the number of puzzles that no longer reside in one-half of a closet.  They will now challenge someone else.

Purge is my new word.  Purge one is pretty well done.  Purge two will begin shortly.  Purge two will be a bit harder and I do not look forward to the sewing closet.  I remember a friend saying they found a box of string in their parent’s home.  The box was labeled: strings too short to use.  I am afraid I am going to find material scraps that would belong in such a box.  And I will wonder why I kept that small piece.  But, you know…someday I might need a piece just that size.  Of course, I never do and downsizing will mean it goes pitched.

Hang in there.  I am moving toward the point of the blog.  That point is the title: CHANGE!  How we hate that word.  We want everything to stay the same.  News Flash: Change happens!

I look around and see change everywhere.  The Amazon truck goes up our street every day - even Sunday.  Following along are FedEx and USPS.  The way we shop has changed.  Not to be outdone, Ubers will deliver us and Grub-hub will deliver our supper.  Change.  Family news is now announced and shared on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and messenger.  Change.  Going to church now means grabbing another cup of coffee and getting comfortable on the couch.  Change.

So you do not think I am an old fuddy-duddy, I am not opposed to change.  Farmers now feed the world instead of working to just feed their family and books now come flying into your Kindle.  I love technology.  My iPad gives me directions to faraway places and allows me to send messages to my grandkids.  My computer gives me access to articles and information.  I like the old hymns and I like the contemporary hymns.  I think contemporary means any hymn written since 1900.

I do like change.  I like the change that happens when I allow God to direct my path.  I like the change that happens when I accept the forgiveness of my sins through the love of Jesus.  I like the change that warms my soul when I listen to the Holy Spirit.

News Flash: Change happens.  Your life can be impacted by inventions and ideas.  Your life can be enriched by a story and a song.  You can be surrounded by family and friends or sitting quietly by yourself.  You can live in a mansion or on the street.  BUT not one thing invented or thought of by man.  Not one word written or spoken by the greatest preacher.  Not one worldly change can have the impact on your life as the actions of one man.

Easter comes early this year - March 31.  Are you ready?