Pastor's Article April 9, 2023 (Easter)

Pastor’s Weekly Article (Easter Sunday 2023)
When someone passes away, we always think about them absent from the body and in the presence of the Lord, free from the pain, sadness, and the stress of this world. We do this because we know that there is more to life than just this world in which we live. We know that we are created in the image of God as living souls in a mortal body. This means that we outlive our home of this earthly tabernacle. The only hope of this being true is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, so we understand that the crucifixion was when Jesus was slain as the sacrifice for our sin, and His resurrection is our victory over death, hell, and the grave. If Jesus was not raised from the dead neither is there hope for anyone. Therefore, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the basis of our eternal hope.
It always amazes me when non-believers suffer the loss of a loved one in death and immediately start talking of them being better off and in heaven. How can that be? How can a person be in heaven if there is no resurrection and how can there be resurrection without Christ having been raised? Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we know that this is our eternal hope. As the Apostle Paul said ‘’if in this world only we have hope we are of all men most miserable”. Think about it, if this is all there is, if when I die am over and done with, then my life is a miserable waste of time. Yet, I know that this is not all there is, this is just the tip of the iceburg. When I consider the length of this life in light of eternity, I know that this is just the first chapter of my eternal story. This is the dressing room for my eternal existence with my Lord and Savior. This is where my white robe of righteousness is put on, so I can walk in a perfect place with The Holy God. The best of my life is yet to come! Thank God for the victory that is in Christ Jesus my Lord.       Rev. Wayne Marcus