A Church Of New Life

A CHURCH OF NEW LIFE

Before we look to the Word of God I want you to know that I have some news to give you. In a moment I will share with you the Good News of Jesus Christ, but I am compelled to bring to you another more recent news of an event that has taken place.

Some of you may remember the story I am about to tell you…it happened a few years ago. It involves a lady by the name of Wanda McKinnis from Marietta, OK. Wanda gained national attention with a car accident she was involved in. It all happened when she was 86 years old and was driving to her home in the early morning hours. Unfortunately, Wanda lost control of her 1987 Pontiac Firebird and drove down a steep embankment and into a creek. Her car then flipped over and Wanda was trapped…upside down. No matter how hard Wanda tried there was just no way of escape. Her vehicle began to sink deeper and Wanda knew all hope was lost. Her life would soon come to an end.

But a miracle took place for Wanda. She found a pocket of air in the floorboard of her car that would barely keep her alive.

Picture this. An 86-year old woman is trapped in her car for more than 48 hours before she was finally rescued. During that 48 hours, Wanda had plenty of time to think about what had happened. With her face crammed into a tiny envelope of air Wanda began to think of what her life had come to. Wanda asked herself if she would ever see daylight again?

After her miraculous rescue Wanda was interviewed by the news reporters. They were amazed with her story of surviving for 48 hours alone and upside down in that creek. Her life being spared was truly a miracle when we consider her age. Her only comment to the world after her harrowing experience was this: “I told God that if He would get me out of this car alive that I might go to church.”

My point in telling you this story is to remind us that many people do not have an appreciation of how fragile life is.

Someone may spend 86 years of their life with a total disregard of where they will spend eternity. In those final fleeting moments of life some people will snub and mock God. That is, the One Who created and rescued us all from death and the grave.

This is a dangerous place to be with God.

This world needs Christ. They need to know that Jesus Christ has come to rescue us all from death and the grave.

Text: Colossians 3:1 thru 4

Prayer:

“…set your mind on things above…”

This morning I want to speak to you about what is on your mind. As with the story of Wanda, the things of God may be the last thought on some people’s mind. If you are like most people, you may have a lot of other things that you think about. You may find yourself overwhelmed with a lot of other things going on in your life?

It is easy to get wrapped up with all that is going on around us.

But our text gives us a simple direction as to what the Lord wants us to be thinking about. God wants you and I to have our minds set on the THINGS ABOVE. My friend this life is about Jesus.

We should know that we have been rescued and we have been raised from the dead (with Christ) into the newness of His life.

If Jesus Christ is not risen in us-

• Then our worship services would be in vain.

• Your faith would be in vain.

• We all would be lost in sin.

Jesus knew His resurrection was important in that He appeared some sixteen times to His followers (after His resurrection).

The resurrected Christ was seen by over 500 witnesses.

The proof of His resurrection cannot be refuted or denied.

When He showed himself to his disciples, He also ate and drank with them. The disciples touched his hands and his side, and they heard his voice, and they knew this glorious man was the same man of sorrows that had been brutally crucified on the Golgotha’s Hill.

Jesus gave to them evidence for their ears, for their eyes, and even for their sense of touch. There is no other (single) historical event documented more than the resurrection of the Son of God.

Unfortunately, mankind has made Easter Sunday a kind of a memorial of the resurrection. That is not what God had in mind. God wants us to not only celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection, but He wants us to experience it, also.