“And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering…”
(Genesis 22:2)
What an outstanding and awesome time we had last week! We were blessed with the exceptional ministry of the Word, the inspirational production, “If I could Speak,” along with the blessed fellowship in humility with one another! We can say as the Psalmist, “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Psalm 118:23)
And then on Friday, We were ‘called into fellowship’ with the Lord. God’s love sent Him to the cross for us! And that love He had for us gave us a new relationship. Jesus declared, “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you…” (St. John 15:15,16a) Yes, through His death on the cross and the shedding of His blood, Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for all of us who were condemned to death through Adam. The scripture makes it clear, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19) When we partook of the body as well as the blood of Christ through Holy Communion, know that we were privileged to be ‘called into fellowship’ not as a servant, but as a friend!
However on today, ‘Resurrection Sunday’, the culmination of all we’ve experienced has come with understanding that Jesus did not remain in the grave, but rose triumphantly as he proclaimed! As the song declares, “Up from the Grave He Arose!” As the Lamb, Jesus became the eternal sacrifice for all our sins & transgression; but on this day… we celebrate the Lord rising from the dead of His own volition… as Judah’s Lion! The King of Kings, who is our Savior and Lord!
Today also culminates our “Journey of Sacrafice!” For almost three years, we’ve been preparing for and engaging in many activities to encourage individuals to fulfill their financial commitment for our new building program. I want to thank each person who completed their pledge or those who contributed something to the cause! While you may think this is the end of the journey… the reality is this is just the beginning! The work of the Lord is just beginning for this new era in the history of New Bethel as we prepare the building of Phase 1 of our new worship center. This is that day! So “Let the Journey Begin!”
The Lord has declared that this is “The Year of Abundance!” Claim all that God has for you and don’t forget, “Let God be God!” I, along with First Lady, Alexis, Amaris & Dave, extend to you a blessed & holy Resurrection Sunday!
Pastor A. Glenn Brady