“Fear not, I am the first and the last.  I am He that liveth and was dead and behold, I am alive forevermore and have the keys of hell and death.” Revelation 1:17-18

              John wrote these words approximately sixty years after our Lord had triumphed over death in resurrection.  John, unable to behold the grandeur and glory of Jesus with his finite eyes, fell at the feet of the Master as if dead. But the Master put His hand upon John and told him, “Fear not.”

            Fear not. That is also the Easter message!  “Fear not” is the watchword of our Christian experience.  The first words of introduction to our Master that we hear are when the angel declares, “Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord.”  It is repeated frequently through the ministry of Jesus, till at last the women came to the tomb where the angel appears and says, “Fear not, for I know that you seek Jesus which was crucified.  He is not here, for he is risen.”

            How our world needs to hear this message, “Fear not”!  Seldom, if ever, was the world in such a grip of fear as today.  Never before were there so many people who are in need of food, and clothing, and comfort, and hope!  But the word is still the same, “Fear not.”  “Fear not” because we have the victory over death, over sin, and over fear itself.   

            Now the rest of our text tells us why we should banish fear.  I like these next words, “I am the first and the last.”  You put that on the lips of anyone excepting only the Eternal God, and they do not fit.  He is the only one about whom it could be written.  He is the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. 

            And, “I am He that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore.”  You need not doubt that!  You can trust the efficiency of the Roman soldiers.  There was too much at stake for them to have been inefficient in the action of execution that Good Friday.  Undoubtedly, they killed Him.  When they pierced His side, and blood and water poured forth, we may be sure He was dead.  Then, they placed a Roman seal upon the tomb and placed a Roman guard in front of it.  You may be sure they did not place it upon the grave of a living man.

          But on Sunday, He was gone.  The grave clothes were loosed and laid aside and the stone was rolled away.  The many appearances of our Lord attest to the fact of His resurrection.  In a sense, we worship at a tomb, but there is no other tomb like this one.  The great pyramid took 2.3 million blocks of stone and the labor of thousands of men to build, yet it houses the remains of one Pharaoh with no message of life.  The Taj Mahal is said to be the most beautiful tomb in all the world, but it has no message of hope for the teeming millions of India.  Yes, we worship at a tomb because it is empty and in it we see our victory.  He was dead.  Today, He is alive. 

          We worship a risen Christ, and He holds the keys to death, but He is also the way of life.  Our everlasting destiny is in the hands of the keeper of the keys.  “Fear not!”  and Happy Easter!

        Oh Lord how I rejoice today in Your mighty victory over death and sin.  Thank You for making a way for me to have relationship with You. I am so thankful that the keys to my future are firmly in Your loving hands rather than in my own shortsighted possession.  I feel the lightness in my soul, knowing I have no need to fear the future.  Thank you that I truly can say from the depths of my soul that I “Fear not.”  Amen.


For His Glory!
Cara & Patti
Classic Christianity

       Jesus knew. He knew as he divided the bread and sent the cup around the table. He knew He was facing the cross. He knew the darkness that stood between Him and Easter morning.

“Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:45-46

What is the meaning of this darkness at the cross? Jesus had repeatedly said His ministry would culminate at a certain point in time, “…my hour is not yet come,” but now we hear him pray in John 17, “Father the hour has come.” And as the chief priests came to arrest him, “This is your hour, the power of darkness.” It was the time of evil’s dominion.

            During that time of darkness, a transaction took place. No longer could Christ call out, “Abba, Father” but instead he cried out in abandonment as God turned away from the sight of the sin-bearer.

            The chief priests and the mob had shouted, “Come down from the cross,” but He went up from the cross, to triumph over principalities and powers. They shouted, “Save yourself,” but He saved others instead. In this darkness, He saved not Himself, but us. He declined to pursue His own deliverance, that He might loose us from sin. Out of that darkness, came a mighty light!

            When Jesus took the sinners’ place He passed beyond the limits of God’s mercy. Under the judgment of sin, Jesus Christ went for a time out of the divine presence of His Father. Ultimately, He conquered the powers of darkness.

            No wonder the old world rocked and the mountains trembled. No wonder graves were opened and the veil of the temple split in two. No wonder the darkness covered the land. Praise the Lord; the darkness did not triumph. Praise the Lord; Jesus emerged victorious!

           Tonight, as we celebrate the Last Supper, let's not forget that the love Jesus shared around the table that night long ago had not blinded His eyes. He knew what was before Him. He walked toward it for us.

            Dear Jesus, Your agony on the cross bought our lives; Your separation from Your Father bought our relationships with Him. Your compassion and love are beyond understanding, and we are so very grateful. In the mighty name of our risen Savior , amen.


For His Glory,
Cara & Patti
Classic Christianity

“He shall have dominion also from sea to sea….” Psalms 72:8

             When Jesus entered the City of Jerusalem, He did so to the shouts of the masses, "Hosanna! Hosanna!" 

     The people thought they were welcoming their next king that day. But Jesus came then as a revelation to us of the future return in glory as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He wasn't the king they were expecting that day - the one who would wage war against the Romans - but He was exactly the King mankind needed at that moment. In fact, He is exactly the King mankind needs today as well.

            Jesus entered the city sitting on a borrowed donkey. He entrance was only surprising only if you don't consider the rest of his history. The Promised One was born in stable in Bethlehem, crucified with thieves at Calvary, raised from a borrowed tomb and is now the head of the Church.  He transcends all other kings that have sat upon a throne and when He sits upon the throne of His Glory, the world will see the most glorious personage and potentate ever to have ruled over man. His future reign will be as surprising and amazing as the rest of His life has been!  Hosanna, indeed - I want to see this King reign! 

            Power has been the quest of  man from ancient to modern times. Men, by scheming and military victories, have tasted that power only to make a record of abuse, oppression, tragedy, and destruction. The power men lust after is nothing compared to the omnipotence of this coming Ruler. The power of the Lord Jesus Christ will be used to reign in justice and equity, and righteousness will fill the earth.

           Jesus will reign. But, He will not reign over a single kingdom, not over an empire, He comes to rule in righteousness over, as  Zechariah tells us, over all the earth. The Psalmist tells us that those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him. Everyone will bend the knee to worship this King of Kings when He comes again. He will be King of all.

           The proof of His Kingship will be seen in that which He will do. He will be neither limited in wisdom nor in power to perform all that will fulfill the purpose of God in that age. He will deal with evildoers justly, but will also reign as Prince of Peace. It will be a time of universal worship, righteousness, and blessing. 

           Today as we celebrate that first celebration of the rule of Jesus...let's look forward to the day when the Hosannas never end, when the world comes under the authority of its rightful King. Hosanna, Hosanna! Even so, come Lord Jesus.

     "Let us set our eyes on Jesus, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross." Hebrews 12:2

For His Glory!
Cara  & Patricia
Classic Christianity