The Napkin is Still Folded....Thank God!

In Bible days, when someone died, it was the duty of a family member to close the eyes and kiss the cheek of the dead. When Christ died, this became the duty of two men: Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus. They went to Pontius Pilate and begged the body of the Lord Jesus. Then they had to take Him down from the cross…which was not an easy chore. First, they had to rig a ladder, and climb up the side of the cross, and then they had to pull His hands off over the nails. There was no way they could get those spikes out of the wood, not from that angle, not w/ His hands inbetween the wood and the nail head. Once the hands were loosed, they allowed the body of Jesus to sag into a sheet, and would then remove His feet from the nail in the same manner.They took the body of Jesus to a new tomb, that Joseph had prepared for himself. They washed His body, and wrapped it in white linen, folding His arms over His chest. They closed His eyes, kissed His cheek, and placed a napkin over His face.They walked away from that tomb, and no doubt they walked in silence…so that all you could hear was the sounds of their sadness, muffled crying, and sniffing. Surely it must have felt like a huge ball of lead in the pit of their stomachs, as they were thinking, “it’s all over, the end of the dream…and it only lasted for 3 short years.”3 days passed like an eternity…and I believe with all my heart that the birds refused to sing, and the sun refused to shine. For 3 days, all the demons of hell rejoiced, and Satan and the forces of darkness thought they had won a great victory. For 3 days, the Jewish leaders, as well as the Roman government, congratulated themselves on their brilliant scheme. But on the 3rd day, something wonderful and miraculous happened, as God the Father said to an angel in heaven, “Go get him!” And when the angel’s feet hit the ground, the stone rolled away, and up from the grave He arose…He lives! Mary comes first to the empty tomb. She sees the stone rolled away and it frightens her. And so she runs to get Peter and John, and they run together to the tomb as fast as they could. John outran Peter, and when he got there, he looked inside, and saw those grave clothes lying there in disarray. Then Peter arrived and, just as we’d expect of him, went right in. He also saw the linen clothes lying there, but there was something unusual in that scene. Something caught their eye that was very interesting. The Gospel of John tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin. Is that important? You’d better believe it! Is that significant? Absolutely! Is it really significant? Yes! OK....to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do w/ the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished. Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, “I’m done”. But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it aside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because the servant knew that the folded napkin meant, “I’m not finished yet.” The folded napkin meant, “I’m coming back!” Excuse me while I shout this morning….Hallelujiah the Savior lives. God is definitely good! Have a blessed and happy Easter…..I know I will…cause remember, I am an Easter person!

Easter Thoughts 2009

This morning I was up and in the shower at 4:15….getting ready for the beginning of my Easter day…..Sunrise Service in Waverly, AL. It was the Methodist Churches turn to set up chairs, lead the singing, say the opening prayer and host the annual breakfast. This sharing time is one of the things I love so about Waverly. They come together well. The sad part about this morning….is that this is the only Sunday I do the First Methodist to Waverly commute in reverse. Today I begin in Waverly and once the service is over I jump back in my car and head for First Church and the Arbor Service. I missed breakfast again….anyways….the other Brother Frank (the Baptist Church’s minister) spoke today on purpose and when we made our commitments to become a Christian….a Christ Follower….an Easter Person. He shared his date….and when the service was over….he hugged me….and I told him….Labor Day 1970. He understood what that meant….that was the day I became an Easter person. I jumped in my HHR and headed the 30 miles to the Arbor….where….we began with a video clip called….It was Friday….but Sunday is a Comin’. As soon as the clip ended….we began to sing a song called “I Will Rise”….about halfway through the song….some dancers came down the aisle….and I had to shut my eyes….at the most powerful point of the song….they lifted one of the little girls up….as if she were hanging on a cross. I knew I would cry….so I simply closed my eyes and let the music just flow gently over me. Easter music is my purpose….I was put on this earth….to sing about Easter….365 days a year. The end of our service was the most powerful….Rhonda Blythe sang “Worthy is the Lamb”. I love harmonizing with her on this song…..today….Sammy Teel dressed as a shepherd….entered the service….carrying a precious lamb…..he came down the aisle to the front….and knelt at the 6 foot cross…until the song was over. It does not get any better than this….at least it doesn’t to me. I LOVE EASTER!!!!! When I got home from visiting my Aunt Shirley….I started looking for a devotional on Easter and found a great one by Warren Mueller and As Easter ends…I find myself thinking about the death and resurrection of Jesus. “The purpose of his life was to offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. The Bible says that Jesus became sin for us so that we could be forgiven and found righteous in God’s sight (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus was so certain of his purpose that he predicted when and how he would die. (Matthew 26:2). So, as believers and followers….what is our purpose? Some would answer that it is to love God while others might say that it is to serve him. The Westminster Shorter Catechism states that man’s chief purpose is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. While considering these ideas, Hebrews 12:2 came to mind: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus looked beyond the suffering, shame and death he knew was to come and focused on the joy that would be. I have to ask myself….what is this great joy that motivated him so. I love a lot of people….but to die such a cruel and harsh death for them…..I would have to think long and hard on that one. The Bible says that there is great joy in heaven whenever a sinner repents (Luke 15:10). Likewise, the Lord rewards good works and there is joy in hearing him say, “Well done good and faithful servant.” Therefore, Jesus anticipated the joy that would happen when each person would repent and be saved. He also looked forward to the joy that would result from each good work done by believers in obedience and motivated by love. The Bible says that we love God because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). Ephesians 2:1-10 tells us that by nature we are rebellious towards God and are born spiritually dead. It is by his love and grace that he brings us to faith and reconciliation. God has even planned our good works (Ephesians 2:10)!” Ok….so what is my purpose????? Really???? I know I said earlier…that it is to sing Easter music 365 days a year….but is that really it? I do know after reading Mr. Mueller’s devotional that joy is something I can give….and music does that for some….I know it does it for me. My God is Mighty to Save…and He honors all sinners like us by giving us the ability to please Him. All I have to do is repent, love, and bring Him glory….and He rejoices and experiences joy. How absolutely cool is that?
So…at the close of Easter….I want all Easter People…and those who want to be Easter People to simply give Jesus the gift of joy today….tomorrow….forever…. He is waiting on you! Happy Easter My Dear Ones!

Holy Week

Ok, so today is hump day. It is Wednesday of Holy Week. I know that Monday and Tuesday are called Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday.....Thursday is called Maundy Thursday, Friday is Black Friday, Easter is Sunday....but what about Wednesday and Saturday....what are they called? I pondered over this for a few days and finally began googling the answers. I want to share with you the information I have found....just in case you have an inquiring mind like mine. Happy Holy Week to everyone!
Did you know that....?
"....only very few people and devout Christians are knowledgeable about Lent and the Holy Week leading up to Easter. Below are the details of the long journey that leads up to the celebration of Easter.
Ash Wednesday - period of fasting begins on Ash Wednesday which is 46 days before Easter Sunday. It's a day of penitence to clean the soul before the Lent fast. Roman Catholic, Anglican, and some other churches hold special services at which worshippers are marked with ashes as a symbol of death, and sorrow for sin.
Lent-- This is a 40-day (not counting Sundays) period of sacrament and fasting to share the grief by Jesus Christ by self-denial. Today, only a small number of people fast for the whole of Lent, although some maintain the fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Palm Sunday -- the last Sunday of Lent and the first day of the Holy Week. Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus Christ's triumphant arrival in Jerusalem where he was welcomed with open arms. It is also the basis for the Palm Sunday processions.
Holy Monday and Tuesday --The cleansing of the temple at Jerusalem supposedly took place on Holy Monday. The Holy Tuesday is the day when the famous incident between Jesus and Pharisees took place where an attempt was made to get Jesus to commit blasphemy.
Spy Wednesday -- This is the day when Judas Iscariot, a disciple of Jesus who betrayed him told the chief priests where they could find Jesus.
Maundy Thursday-- This is the day of the Last Supper before crucifixion, when Jesus Christ washed the feet of his disciples and held the ceremony known as the Eucharist. The night of Maundy Thursday is the night on which Jesus Christ was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane. The word ‘Maundy’ comes from the command given by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper, that we should love one another.
Good Friday --This is the day when Jesus was crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem, at the top of Calvary Hill. This day is marked by solemn thoughts, fasting and abstinence to commemorate the pain and suffering of Jesus Christ.
Easter Eve --This is the Holy Saturday and Easter Eve. It is a traditional time for baptism.
Easter Sunday -- This is the day of resurrection and the big feast. Jesus Christ is said to have risen from the dead after crucifixion. He also joined his disciples for a meal and told them to carry on his works in his absence.
So now you all know the rest of the story and I hope that I have given your minds some peace for those of you, who like me, constantly thought about this. Have a wonderful Weds.

The Story of Edith Burns

I got an email from a congregation member of a local church and since this is Palm Sunday weekend I felt I had to share it with you all today. It makes me stop and ask myself....am I an Easter person?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas.
She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips
was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.
One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because
of Edith Burns.

When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.
Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way:"Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the eaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.

Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse,
Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying, "My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"
Beverly said, "Why yes I do."Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?"
Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up."
Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter,and finally
led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don't call Edith into the office quite yet.
I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting room.
After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and when
she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so sad? Are
you reading your Bible? Are you praying?" Dr. Phillips said gently, "Edith, I'm the doctor and you're the patient." With a heavy heart he said, "Your lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and Edith, you're not going to live very long."
Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do you
think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to see my
precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me
that I am going to celebrate Easter Forever, and here you are having
difficulty giving me my ticket! "Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this Edith Burns is!"

Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips, Christmas came and the office closed through January 3rd. On the day the office was to have opened, Edith did not show
up. Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, "Will, I'm very near home, so would you
make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know about Easter?"

Well , they did just that and women began to come in and share that room
with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff to
patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith
Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse.

Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because
she was a "religious nut". She had been a nurse in an army hospital.
She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. did everything
by the book.

One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith
had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot. When she
walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said,"Phyllis, God loves
you and I love you, and I have been praying for you." Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit praying for me, it won't work. I'm not interested."

Edith said, "Well I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go home until you have come into the family." Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will never happen," and curtly walked out of the room. Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say, "God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying for you." One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said to Phyllis, "I am so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special day."

Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question,
Do you believe in Easter?' but you have never asked me."
Edith said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait
until you asked, and now that you have asked.." Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Edith said, "Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?" Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life." Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of angels.

Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you know what
day it is?" Phyllis Cross said,"Why Edith, it's Good Friday."Edith said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter Phyllis!"

Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some
of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter
lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies
and wish her a Happy Easter. When she walked into Edith's room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a
sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith's hand,
she realized Edith was dead. Her left hand was on John 14: "In my
Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come
again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." Her
right hand was on Revelation 21:4, " And God will wipe away every tear from
their eyes, there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying; and there
shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face
toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, "Happy
Easter, Edith - Happy Easter!"

Phyllis Cross left Edith's body and walked out of the room and went over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"

Do you?