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Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Messages o f Easter inspiration from Wednesday, March 27,2013 - FIVE churches What will it take for you to accept the resurrection of Jesus By Jonathan Enz Heppner United Methodist In the April 19% issue of the “Joyful Noiseletter”, there is a report regarding a Roman Catholic priest who was speaking to a group of second-graders about the resurrection of Jesus. When one of the ‘students asked, “What did Jesus say right after He came out o f the grave”? Another student’s hand shot up and the student excitedly shouted, “I know! I know!” So the priest asked this second student “What did He say?” And the stu dent replied, “Tah-Dah!” We read in the four Gospels, that the disciples were told by Jesus several times - that He would be arrested, tried, killed, and raised on the third day. They also had witnessed the many miracles through which Jesus had healed the sick, raised the dead, transformed nature. They had heard His teachings and His proclamations that He was the Son o f God Peter, James,-and John had witnessed His Transfigura tion during which He talked with Moses and Elijah: Two of the disciples, including Peter, were informed by Mary Magdalene that she had seen the Risen Christ. These two disciples then went to the tomb and found it empty. And yet, when Jesus appeared before them on the evening of the day of His resurrection He found them in a locked room hiding in fear of the Jews, fearing that they, too, would be arrested. It was only upon Jesus appearing to them that they believed the “Tah-Dah” of Easter, the “Tah-Dah” of the resurrection of Jesus from death to life. Unfortunately, one of their group, Thomas, was not with the rest o f the disciples when Jesus ap peared to them. So, when he returned, they excitedly, told him that Jesus was alive! He had risen from the dead! Thomas went on to say that he could not believe in the resurrection of Jesus until he could see the mark of the nails in His hands and put his fingers in the nail marks and his hand in Jesus’ side. Eight days later, Jesus, again, appeared to the disciples, this time including Thomas. When Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side”.. Thomas answered saying, “My Lord and My God!” and Jesus said; “ Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to .believe.” Do you believe? If not, what will it take for you to accept the resurrection of Jesus? What will it take for you to believe that Jesus is the Risen Christ? What will it take for you to accept His teachings as the truth o f God’s love? I invite you to come and see, come and experi ence the “Tah-D ah” of. Easter, this Easter morning, March 31, at the football grandstands at 7 a.m. or at any of the church services on Easter morning, or both. If you plan to attend both the Sunrise Service and a church service (which will be a double blessing for you) plan on having breakfast at Hope Lutheran following the Sunrise Ser vice. If you can only attend one service, invite you to join us at the United Meth odist Church at 10:30 a. m. Know who our builder is By Pastor Lynda Liu Elohim Covenant Ministries, Heppner When I first started traveling to other countries, I saw such poverty in the midst o f lands that had a much longer grow ing season and greater natural resources than the US. But why are we so blessed in this country I asked? The only conclusion I have come to is that we have been one nation un der God. A government by the people, and for the people. A country whose strength was in its middle class. In other countries I saw the very rich and the very poor. That has been changing here. I see our government becoming an island unto itself. And yet in the midst of all of it I hear, “Equal rights.” Yet when cuts in budgets are needed they stand as kings and cry out “Give me more.” I have watched the rich become richer and the poor become poorer. The middle class continues to dimin ish with each passing day. I pray we will wake up soon. To know who our builder and maker is once again. That we might stand as a nation and as a people in this evil day. That we might say as a nation once again “Our God Lives on Resurrection Day.” Share the story of the love that we find in Christ By Stacy Shelton, Pastor lone Community Church In preparing to write this article I looked at what I had written last year. Last year at this time we had been given the news that, while we thought my father had cancer for the second time, he did not. That was good news, except for the fact that a couple of weeks later, we found out that the original diagnosis was correct, and that he did indeed have cancer, and that it had metastasized to his bones. Six months later he died. W hile m any m ight think that my profession would cause me to think a great deal about the afterlife, I have chosen to focus more on this life and what I believe we are called to here. But since my father’s death I have had a little more cause to think about the afterlife. 1 have not experienced his “ghost” coming to me, but I have been distinctly aware of his presence, in a peaceful and loving way. But, for all the comfort that is to me, I would still rather have my father in the flesh sitting in front of me, or even on the other end of the phone line. T h is E a s te r I am preaching on John 20:19- 28 and in it, Jesus tells Mary “ Do not hold onto m e” when she sees him outside of the tomb. How hard that must have been for Mary! Maybe she had felt Jesus’ presence before the day she went to the tomb, but The young salt is turning into an old salt! celebrating 90 years March 27, 2013 Come \o\r\ us *$ we IcbrMe M elviti larch 30, 2013 2:00-5:00 pm . Milton-Freewater Elk's Lodge 611 N. Main St. Milton Freewater, OR ♦ the opportunity to see him physically present would have been astounding. And it would have been tempting, in fact almost irresistible, to try to hang onto him. But his next words send her out to tell the story. He reminds her that she still has work to do. I am so saddened by my father’s death, but while he wasn’t a perfect man, he did tell me the stories of his faith, he did the work that Jesus calls all of us to do. I w o u ld lo v e th e opportunity to hold onto my father again, but I know that he too, would remind me that my work isn’t done. I hope you have a blessed Easter, and while we may be reminded of those we are missing during this season, let us also be reminded that their loving presence in our lives also calls us to share the story o f love that we find in Christ. lo n e C o m m u n ity Church will be celebrating Christ’s Resurrection with an Easter brunch at 9:30am and Worship at 11:00am followed by coffee hour. All are welcome! Today’s Easter is just as powerful as the first one By Katy Anderson, Pastor king. They shouted “Son of All Saints Episcopal and David, save us now!” Their confidence would rise as Hope Lutheran Churches he “cleanses” the Temple of the money changers and The Passover season speaks parables against is a celebration o f free the corrupt leaders of the dom. It is a celebration of Temple mount. G od’s deliverance from But these hopes would oppression and slavery and be pu b lically and b ru Jerusalem would be filled tally crushed. These cor to overflowing with wor rupt leaders had already shippers that have come plotted to kill the prophet. to celebrate. During that Passover some 2000 years They feared a revolution ago there would have been and were worried that they the added excitement of the would lose their positions Rabbi and Prophet, Jesus of o f power and privilege. Nazareth. Many fantastic They convinced one o f his stories would have been own disciples to turn on told of this Prophet; stories him. He is arrested, illegally o f his miracles, teaching tried in a kangaroo court, and conflicts with the Jew convicted and savagely ish leadership. Perhaps they beaten and crucified. Their had even heard of him rais hope of a new king crushed, ing Lazarus from the dead the leading disciples of his movement feared for their just a short time before. As he enters the city the lives and abandoned him. people treat him as a com The entrenched corrupt ing king. They anticipate leadership wins again. The him as the Messiah. One common folks will continue who would throw off the to suffer under Roman rule oppression o f the Romans and the privileged locals. But then reports began and challenge the puppet to trickle in...Guards with leaders o f Israel. His rid fantastic stories of angels ing in on a donkey would and empty tombs, people remind them o f Solomon all around the city that wit as he challenged for the nessed this prophet alive. throne, the real anointed His disciples became bold Nothing equals the feast of the Resurrection By Fr.Kumar Udagandla St.Patrick’s Church Heppner March 31, 2013 is a great day and we, the Chris tians in the world, are cel ebrating the greatest feast of Easter. It is one of the great est and solemn feasts in the church among other feasts. “ If we were to keep all feasts together, none could be equal to the feast of Res urrection” says St. Irenaus. The feast of Easter teach us that the first Adam brought death by sin, whereas the second Adam destroying the power o f death and restoring the eternal life to our human temporary life. St. Paul meditating on the event of resurrection said “0 death where is your power and sting” (1 cor. 15/55). “I have risen and I am still with you, forever." These w ords invite us to contemplate the risen Christ, letting his voice resound in our hearts. With If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available and that help Is FREE of charge. If Y O U h ave a fam ily m em b er w ho suffers from gam bling addiction, Y O U can also receive F R E E treat m ent even if th e g am b ler is not receiving treatm ent. If you a re a resident o f M o rrow County an d you wish to take a d v a n ta g e of the services ab ove or d esire m ore inform ation. P le a s e call any o f the following num bers to set up a L O C A L appointm ent or just to talk: Bobby H arris @ 5 4 1 -6 7 6 -9 9 2 5 or 5 4 1 -2 5 6 -0 1 7 5 Community Counseling Solutions (CCS) @ 541-676-9161 O R 1 -8 7 7 -6 9 5 -4 6 4 8 (1 -8 8 8 -M Y L IM IT ) i and no longer fearful. They began to preach that this prophet Jesus was alive, resurrected from the dead and not just a prophet, but the Messiah, the anointed one who would come to transform the world. These disciples no longer feared the corrupt leaders and told them so, right to their face. Thousands were trans formed by the message and becam e follow ers. This started a movement of the advancement of the King dom of God that continues to transform to this day. It is amazing what people can do when they are empow ered by God and no longer fear death... We celebrate Easter today and it is just as pow erful as that first one. It is a season of freedom from the ultimate powers that bind us...sin and death. It was amazing how those early disciples were transformed when they no longer feared death and we can be trans formed and just as bold if we are empowered by the Spirit o f the resurrected Messiah Jesus. You will become truly alive, because He is alive. his redeeming sacrifice, Jesus of Nazareth has made us adopted children of God, so that we too can now take our place in the mys terious dialogue between him and the Father. We are reminded of what he once said to those who were listening, “All things have been delivered to me by my father; and no one knows the Father except the son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal to him.” (Mt ll/27) Easter is a day of cel ebration because it repre sents the fulfillment of our faith as Christians. St. Paul wrote that, unless Christ rose from the dead, our faith is in vain (l Corin thians 15:17). Through his death, Christ saved man kind from bondage to sin, and He destroyed the hold that death has on all of us; but it is His Resurrection that gives us the promise o f new life, both in this world and the next. The resurrection of Jesus in the history of mankind and in the life o f all the Christians has become a milestone to divide the Era and destiny o f human beings. It has become solid foundation for all Christians for their hope of resurrection and the everlasting life. Easter is the spring of Faith. From the Bible we read Mary Magdalene with her physical eyes saw only the empty tomb but with the eyes of faith, she saw not the Gardner but the Risen Lord. (Jn20/11-18) The disciples on their way to Emmaus in their physical eyes saw only a traveler but with the eyes of faith saw the Risen Lord at the breaking of the bread. (Lk 24/13-35) If we want to really meet the risen Jesus, experi ence the bliss of our bodily resurrection then we need to be freed from the clutches of our sins, temptations and being slaves to the passing and perishing world and cherish the values of Risen Christ. Let us allow the light that streams forth from this solemn day to enlighten us; let us open ourselves in sincere trust to the risen Christ so that his victory over evil and death may also triumph in each one of us, in our families, in our cities and in our nations. Let it shine forth in every part of the world. Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia. ALL NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT 5:00 P.M.
