Sharing is Caring

Those who are in Christ Jesus           [Romans 8:1-11]     There may be hymns or gospel songs that you like.   And you probably have a reason why you like that hymn or gospel song.   Personally, when I see brothers and sisters in Christ whom I love around me suffering from hard work, I often exhort them by quoting the lyrics of the 2nd verse of the gospel song “We Will Keep Our Faith Alive”: “We will live as God has planned though at times we may not understand.   Many things we may not see, but our faith will help us believe.   From His word we learn the truth; through His love we all are born a new. ….”   I don't know how much comfort and strength these lyrics are.   Although it is difficult to fathom what the Lord intends, there are many times when I am personally strengthened and comforted by the fact that I am always in the Lord's will.   In the midst of this, I began to ponder a little in...

The risen Jesus (3)       [Luke 24:1-12]       We have already meditated on “The risen Jesus” twice [“The risen Jesus (1)” centered on John 20:1-10, “The risen Jesus (2)” centered on Matthew 28:1-15].  Today, I would like to receive grace by meditating on the third word under the title of “The risen Jesus (3)” centered on Luke 24:1-12.   In today's text, Luke 24:1-3, the Bible says, “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.   And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.”   Here, “the first day of the week” refers to Sunday, the first day after Saturday, which is the Sabbath day.   Also, “they” refers to Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and the other women who were with them (v. 10).   When these women went to the tomb of Jesus with the spices they had prepared on Sunday morning, they saw the stone rolled aw...

The risen Jesus (2)           [Matthew 28:1-15]       During the last Wednesday worship service, we shared grace under the title of “The risen Jesus (1)” centered on the words of John 20:1-10.  It seems that no one believed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Mary Magdalene did not believe that Jesus was resurrected and came to the tomb of Jesus.  Apostle Peter and Apostle John did not come to the empty tomb of Jesus because they believed in the resurrection of Jesus.  They did not believe in the resurrection of Jesus because they remembered the words in the Scripture that He (Jesus) must rise again from the dead (v. 9).  But they believed when they saw the towel and the linen cloth wrapped around Jesus' head in the empty tomb (vv. 6-7).  No one believed in the resurrection of Jesus based on the words of the Scripture (v. 9)   Today, I would like to share grace under the title of “The ri...

The risen Jesus (1)       [John 20:1-10]       The event of Jesus' resurrection is all recorded in the four Gospels (Matthew/Mark/Luke/John).  Today, I would like to testify about the resurrected Jesus centering on John 20:1-10, and next week's Wednesday worship centering on Matthew 28.   John 20:1 says, “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb.”   Here, “the first day of the week” means Sunday.   The Bible records that "Mary Magdalene" came to Jesus' tomb early while it was still dark.   According to the Gospels of Matthew/Mark/Luke, at least four other women accompanied Mary Magdalene [“Mary Magdalene and the other Mary” (Mt. 28:1), “Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome” (Mk. 16:1), “the women” (Lk. 24:1) “who had come with Jesus from Galilee” (23:55)].   The “stone” (Jn. 20:1) th...

Prophesized death and resurrection (3)       [Matthew 16:21-23]       Matthew 16:21-23 say: “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.  Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.’  But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's.’”  Here, “that time” refers to the time when Simon Peter confessed his faith, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16) through the revelation of God the Father in heaven, and received many compliments from Jesus.   After hearing Peter's confession of faith, Jesus said, "I will build my church on this rock (Peter's confession of faith), and the powers of Hades w...