Where do we go from here?
A teachable moment.
Luke 24:30-(31) ; 44-49
Matthew 28:19-20
Last Sunday, we, (Christians all over the world) celebrated Easter.
However, the correct terminology should have been Passover or Resurrection Sunday.
I’m not here to mess up any body’s religion. But I want you to know the truth. ( when you know the truth, the truth makes you free)
...Easter does not commemorate Christ’s death and resurrection. Easter is a pagan holiday. It recognizes the Chaldean goddess Astarte. The Babylonians call her Ishtar - still other cultures called her Astoreth... she is a fertility goddess.
I believe that this god was in the form of a rabbit. Rabbits are known for being very fertile creatures. Think about it, worshipping a rabbit. What will you have if you conceive, rabbits.
And what’s up with the eggs. Rabbits don’t lay eggs, chickens do. Oh, so confusing... The Roman Catholic Church adopted this tradition making it a part of the Resurrection Sunday festivities. And we have gone on along with it.
I am so glad that Paul instructed Timothy to study to show himself approved ...
People we need to do the same thing. (Study) We want the blessings of God, but we keep coming up short because we want things our way. We don’t study to find God’s way, we just go with the flow. No!!!
Some have been known to say, what you don’t know won’t hurt you. I’m here today to tell you that, that’s a lie from the pits of hell. What you don’t know will not only hurt you, but it will kill you.
When we use certain things in our celebrations, or when we do certain things, we need to ask, where did this come from? Is it from God or just a Manmade tradition. (Ham story) Remember only the things of God will last.
Little House on the Prairie. ...... There is an episode that I remember fondly where Elizabeth, the baby girl fell in love with newborn puppies. The older girls were talking about how many children they would have when they grew up, Elizabeth decided that she would not have children, instead she would have puppies....
When we mix bunny rabbits with chicken eggs and chocolate, then you throw in an old rugged cross, Can you imagine the confusion this twist of nature is having on some of our children? ....... That’s probably why Elizabeth wanted to grow up and have puppies instead of babies. It could very well be the reason why some of the children today grow up with minds so twisted that they go out and slaughter innocent people.
But I will move on...
The whole point of Easter, or should i say it correctly (Resurrection Sunday) just like the Christmas Holiday, I don’t believe is realized by the people of God. We have not fully grasped what it is all about.
Now, We have celebrated the resurrection of our Lord and Savior for 2013. But even though the celebration is over for this year, we are still faced with the harsh realities of all that is wrong with and in our world today.
* unrelenting hatred in the hearts of men - .....
Kkk had a rally in Jackson recently .....
* terror on the horizon - Korea ......
They have such a hatred for us that they want to wipe this country off the face of the map.
* evil running rampant in our country, our world
* in Jackson last week a decorated police detective was shot and killed
in the line of duty in a place that should have been a safe haven for him. .....
* 7 month old baby boy raped by his mother’s boyfriend ......
* all types of perversion men with men and women with women, then there are those who go both ways .... Sick, perverted acts
* the conflict between the Israelies and the Palestinians continue today (Abraham’s two boys)
* there are diseases for which we have no cure
* many are in despair because the world offers no hope
Even though We have celebrated the resurrection which brought an opportunity of change in our lives, but the question remains, where do we go from here?
What have we done to bring about the change that we’ve been given the opportunity to realize?
Many of us have been through this celebration for 40, 50 and even sixty years, but there has been no change in us. Sunrise services.... passion plays depicting what happened at that time ....We sing about how we will cherish the old rugged cross, but it’s not happening. We lie, we cheat, we steal, kill .....
We talk about how He arose and the power that was given Him, we now have it, but with the least wind blowing in our direction, we get thrown off course. I submit to you today that - Something is wrong. Where do we go from here?
In our quoted passage of scripture in Luke’s Gospel, (vs 31) it says that their eyes were opened ....
Are your eyes opened to the truth? With all that is going on in our world are we discerning what God has called us to do. Remember we are the answer. We pray it all of the time, Let Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, well, His will is done through us!
If your eyes are opened to His truths, then much of what is happening in your sphere of influence, wouldn’t be happening.
* the truth says speak those things ....
* the truth says the devil is defeated
* the truth says greater is he that is in you ....
Now let me clarify that, the scriptures say "and they knew Him." Not only were their eyes opened, but they knew Him!
Do you really and truly know The Lord? Have you established a relationship with Him?... . Is your desire His desire? Is He the lover of your soul?
If you do not know Him like you say you do, then the enemy is eating your lunch and many of you don’t know even that because your eyes are not opened!
Your marriage is in shambles because you don’t know Him.
The doctors have issued a death sentence for you and you are succumbing to it because you don’t know Him. (Jehovah Rophi)
You are worried about the economy, your job downsizing, losing your job all because you don’t know Him. (Jehovah Jireh)
You are worried about terrorist attacks because you don’t know Him. The truth says ..... a thousand shall fall at your side ...
He promises to keep you in perfect peace when your mind is stayed on Him. Let the enemy shoot his best shot. God has promised us that no weapon that has been formed against us will prosper.....
Not only that when tongues go to wagging, The Lord says we can shut them down too, but you’ve got to know HIM!
Where do we go from here?
We all realize that there are some things we learn later on in life that as we look back, we’re amazed that we didn’t learn them sooner. We all reach a stage in life where we look back and see all of the dumb/crazy things we have done, the precious time we have wasted and somehow wish that we knew then what we know now; that our lives would be much better at this point. But The Lord would say to us, the day you hear my voice, harden not your hearts. That means whenever it is that you come into the knowledge of the truth, you should start walking in it.
In Bill Cosby’s book on fatherhood, Bill suggests that Adam and Eve were not the first parents. God was and Adam and Eve were the children. God provides a place for the children, instructs the children on what to do and what not to do. He says in a paraphrase: everything is yours to do what you want with it, except this one thing. .... I don’t want you to eat of this particular fruit in the garden. And just like children today, just what they were told not to do, they did. So God goes to them and asks, why did you do that? And just answer is the same with children today: " I don’t know". Many parents today throw up their hands and ask, where do I go from here. I know I raised you right. I know I provided for you. What do I do with you?
I don’t know about you today, but I am glad that God has not thrown up His hands on us. He has not given up on us. His hands are stretched out still.
As I go to my seat, Paul says in 1Corinthians 1:18 - "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.
We now, because of the cross, have the power to:
* change the way we think
* Change the way we act
* change our lives
* overcome the influences of sin
* have the victory over drugs, alcohol ....
* heal broken marriages
* comfort the heart torn apart by grief
*’bring families back together
How do we do it? By transformation. Paul says be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed, by the renewing of your mind. How do you renew your mind? By getting to know Him, by establishing a relationship with Him, allowing Him to be Lord of your life. When you do that He opens your eyes so that you can see. You began to see Him in every facet of life. ....
Yet the question remains, where do we go from here? Turn with me to Matthew 28:19-20. - "go ye therefore....
The final statement in Luke 24:31 says, "and He vanished out of their sight." The example is now gone. The display has been taken down. It is now our turn to be the kingdom example to others. It is time for us to walk as Jesus walked, doing the work of the kingdom everywhere we go.
The Resurrection opened the way.... The Resurrection gave us hope. It gives us a place to turn to. Jesus said, I came that you might have life .....
The ability to make intelligent, kingdom decisions is one of the secrets of having that abundant life that Jesus spoke of.
When God created us in His own image, this was only primary among the characteristics with which He endowed us with. He also gave us the ability to understand, to reason and to choose.
However, Your eyes must be opened to the truth and you must establish a relationship with Him.
Find out your assignment and walk it out.
Where do we go from here? We go forth taking the light of the Father with us every where we go. Many sit in darkness and need the light for the dark areas of their lives. When our light shines, God draws.
