CHARISMATICA » Resurrection

-Happy Resurrection Day

Michael — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 18:01:46 +0000

May You and your family have a wonderful Easter. May we all remember and reflect upon what is really important after all the eggs have been colored, hidden, and found. After there is nothing but crumbs left of that beautiful chocolate Easter Bunny.

May we remember what the day is really all about—the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

When the women went to the tomb on Easter morning the rock was rolled away and the tomb was empty. Not only that but an angel met them there and said:

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come see the place where he lay.”

…And behold Jesus met them and said, “Greetings! Do not be afraid…” –Matt.28:5-10

Another good scripture to remember–this is what Jesus told Martha before he raised her brother Lazarus from the grave:

“I am the resurrections and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?

The good question for each one of us today—Do you believe this?

-“It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming”

Michael — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 19:59:43 +0000

: (Image by fa73 via Flickr)

“It’s Friday and the Devil and his demons are celebrating…it’s Friday but Sunday’s a comin’…

It’s Friday and the forces that enslave and hold folks down are having a party but that’s Friday…Sunday’s a comin’”

A Quote from my all time favorite Good Friday message: “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming” by Dr. Tony Campolo.

<<Read the rest from the archives on my Apologetica blog>>

Easter: Facts About The Resurrection of Jesus

Michael — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 17:33:49 +0000

Here’s a great article by William Lane Craig, professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, California.

This is one of the best summaries that I’ve ever found of all the important facts concerning the resurrection of Jesus–all on one page too:

“To answer the question of Jesus’ resurrection from a historical standpoint, we must first determine what facts concerning the fate of Jesus of Nazareth can be credibly established on the basis of the evidence and second consider what the best explanation of those facts is. At least four facts about the fate of the historical Jesus are widely accepted by New Testament historians today.”

<Read the Whole Article> *Top

It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming—

Michael — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:52:29 +0000

(-Reprinted from last year)

My Favorite message of all time for Good Friday is by Dr. Tony Campolo. Here is a link to the famous tape and where it can be downloaded.

The whole tape is great but the best part is at the end when Tony Campolo recalls one Sunday when he had a little preaching competition with the head pastor at the church where he attends.

Dr. Campolo tells how he preached the perfect sermon in every way and had taken the congregation to ‘the heights of glory’. As he sat down beside his pastor, Dr. Tony patted him on the knee and simply said, “Top that.” The older black pastor looked at him and said, “Boy, watch the master.” Then Dr. Campolo recalls for us the very brilliant message which followed.

The following is a short printed version of the 45 minute sermon–the printed version doesn’t really do justice to the original, but you can at least get an idea what the last part is like:

It’s Friday. But Sunday’s coming—

It was a simple sermon, starting softly, building in volume and intensity until the entire congregation was completely involved, repeating the phrases in unison. The sermon went something like this.

It’s Friday. Jesus is arrested in the garden where He was praying. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. The disciples are hiding and Peter’s denying that he knows the Lord. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Jesus is standing before the high priest of Israel, silent as a lamb before the slaughter. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Jesus is beaten, mocked, and spit upon. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Those Roman soldiers are flogging our Lord with a leather scourge that has bits of bones and glass and metal, tearing at his flesh. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. The Son of man stands firm as they press the crown of thorns down into his brow. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. See Him walking to Calvary, the blood dripping from His body. See the cross crashing down on His back as He stumbles beneath the load. It’s Friday; but Sunday’s a coming.

It’s Friday. See those Roman soldiers driving the nails into the feet and hands of my Lord. Hear my Jesus cry, “Father, forgive them.” It’s Friday; but Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, bloody and dying. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. The sky grows dark, the earth begins to tremble, and He who knew no sin became sin for us. Holy God who will not abide with sin pours out His wrath on that perfect sacrificial lamb who cries out, “My God, My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?” What a horrible cry. But Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. And at the moment of Jesus’ death, the veil of the Temple that separates sinful man from Holy God was torn from the top to the bottom because Sunday’s coming.

It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, heaven is weeping and hell is partying. But that’s because it’s Friday, and they don’t know it, but Sunday’s a coming.

And on that horrible day 2000 years ago, Jesus the Christ, the Lord of glory, the only begotten Son of God, the only perfect man died on the cross of Calvary. Satan thought that he had won the victory. Surely he had destroyed the Son of God. Finally he had disproved the prophecy God had uttered in the Garden and the one who was to crush his head had been destroyed. But that was Friday.

Now it’s Sunday. And just about dawn on that first day of the week, there was a great earthquake. But that wasn’t the only thing that was shaking because now it’s Sunday. And the angel of the Lord is coming down out of heaven and rolling the stone away from the door of the tomb. Yes, it’s Sunday, and the angel of the Lord is sitting on that stone and the guards posted at the tomb to keep the body from disappearing were shaking in their boots because it’s Sunday, and the lamb that was silent before the slaughter is now the resurrected lion from the tribe of Judah, for He is not here, the angel says. He is risen indeed.

It’s Sunday, and the crucified and resurrected Christ has defeated death, hell, sin and the grave. It’s Sunday. And now everything has changed. It’s the age of grace, God’s grace poured out on all who would look to that crucified lamb of Calvary. Grace freely given to all who would believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary was buried and rose again. All because it’s Sunday.

At the end of the message the pastor shouts out:

It’s Friiidaaaay!

And the whole congregation responds:

But Sunday’s Coming!

Stillborn Baby Raised from the Dead

Michael — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:14:40 +0000

Here is the testimony of some teens from North Carolina who went on a ministry trip to Guatemala. In one village they visited in the home of a young woman who had given birth to a still born baby the day before. They proceeded to pray for the dead infant:

"We prayed for thirty to forty minutes.

At the end of that time, Julia screamed out to God, telling Him that she believed with all of her heart that this baby could be raised from the dead. After Julia screamed out, everyone was silent. We were quietly interceding and praying.

Within a few minutes, the baby started moving. Then the baby coughed and began crying. The mother came rushing into the room. She was screaming, what is going on? No one could answer her. We were just staring at the baby, who had come back to life. The mother asked us again, what is going on? She began crying as she saw that her baby was alive.

She ran out of the house and banged on every door in the village, telling all of the people that God is real because her baby was alive. Within about thirty minutes, the baby’s skin tone and movements had become completely normal."

What an incredible experience! These young Christians will never be the same and obviously the Young woman, her baby, and that village also. Praise God!

I found the link to this on iamhealed.net blog. Kathi Sharpe mentions in the post that the teens had watched some of the Lakeland meetings on GodTV before they left on the mission and that’s where they got the idea to pray for the dead baby. *Top

Christ is Risen!, He Has Risen Indeed!

Michael — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 07:04:04 +0000

Happy Resurrection Day! Here’s a great article for today: "Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?" by William Lane Craig, professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, California. His answer to the question is obviously yes!

Dr. Craig takes a look at all the facts surrounding the resurrection of Jesus. This is probably the best and most concise summary of the event that I have ever read:

"To answer the question of Jesus’ resurrection from a historical standpoint, we must first determine what facts concerning the fate of Jesus of Nazareth can be credibly established on the basis of the evidence and second consider what the best explanation of those facts is. At least four facts about the fate of the historical Jesus are widely accepted by New Testament historians today."