April 2018 - Pastor Craig

 About 1930, the Bolshevik Bukharin, journeyed from Moscow to Kiev. His mission was to address a huge assembly. His subject, atheism. For a solid hour he aimed his heavy artillery at Christianity, an hour-long argument and ridicule. At last he was finished and viewed what seemed to be the smoldering ashes of a people's faith.

 "Are there any questions?" Bukharin demanded.

 A solitary man arose and asked permission to speak. He mounted the platform and moved close to the communist. The audience was breathlessly silent as the man surveyed them first to the right, then to the left. At last he shouted the ancient Orthodox greeting, "CHRIST IS RISEN!"

 The vast assembly arose as one and the response came crashing like the sound of an avalanche, "HE IS RISEN, INDEED!"

 The power of the Risen Lord can never be stamped out. In Jesus, we find our hope and our life. In God's Son, we find our forgiveness and the strength to struggle in the midst of adversity. The Resurrection means victory. Victory over death and over human cruelty.

 The bonus is that Jesus tells us that "He goes to prepare a place for us." Even in the midst of death he declared, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." How about this word of hope, "I am the way the truth and the live no one comes to the Father, but by me."

 Jesus was no stranger to pain and suffering. Yet, through his pain and sacrifice, we have the spoils of his battles. His battles were with temptation, greed, power, obedience and the final battle with death.

 Jesus Christ is indeed active in the world. Listening to a radio program, they recounted the fact that 3 years before the "fall" of communism a large wooden cross was allowed to be displayed in Red Square during the great parade. In the trip of Pope John Paul II to Cuba, Castro displayed a portrait of Christ that was many stores high. Who knows the power and purposes of God?

 I pray that as we have come to the cross and to the tomb that God's Spirit would empower you to find the victory and encouragement that you need in your life. How is this accomplished? Because; CHRIST IS RISEN, HE IS RISEN, INDEED!!!

In Christ,

Pastor Craig