Easter – Securely Anchored

Burning Hearts

April 21, 2023April 26, 2023by securelyanchoredLeave a Comment

On Easter morning we usually stop reading or hearing the biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection right after the women run from the tomb to tell the disciples that it is empty and angels told them that He is alive. Peter and John run to see the empty tomb but have not seen Jesus yet. But a whole lot more happened later that day.

The guards assigned to watch the tomb received a large sum of money from the chief priests to change their report. (Matthew 28) Later that day we are told that two men were walking toward Emmaus, a town about 7 miles from Jerusalem. They were talking about everything that had happened when a stranger came alongside asking why they seemed so sad. They explained that Jesus the Nazarene was a powerful prophet in word and deed and they were hoping he was the one to redeem Israel. But the chief priests and rulers had sentenced him to death and had him crucified. Now it is the third day since all this took place and some women were at the tomb this morning and couldn’t find his body. They came back saying they saw angels and that Jesus is alive. It’s just crazy.

Luke 24:25–32 (LEB) Lexham English Bible And he said to them, “O foolish and slow in heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ suffer these things and enter into his glory?”And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things concerning himself in all the scriptures.And they drew near to the village where they were going, and he acted as though he was going farther.And they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is getting toward evening, and by this time the day is far spent.” And he went in to stay with them.And it happened that when he reclined at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks, and after breaking it, he gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he became invisible to them. And they said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was speaking with us on the road, while he was explaining the scriptures to us?” The men returned to Jerusalem to find the disciples and as they were speaking Jesus appeared before them all.

Can you imagine the excitement of these men? They witnessed a horrific crucifixion of the man they had great hopes in and now they realize he is alive just as he fortold. Amazing. Jesus’ words burned in their hearts the message of truth and hope. His words were profound yet personal. He walked ,talked and ate with them. Astonishing . {If you want to feel some of that excitement, I suggest you listen to Sandi Patty and Larnelle Harris sing “I’ve Just Seen Jesus“, it is on you-tube. It raises the hair on my arm everytime! }

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language) Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

Hebrews 4:12 (LEB)
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, both joints and marrow, and able to judge the reflections and thoughts of the heart.

Dear Reader, when was the last time your heart burned with joy and excitement of knowing Jesus. Because He lives we have a hope and a future. God speaks to us in so many ways reminding us of His presence, protection and provision. While listening to a sermon do you hear God speaking to you personally? Have you experienced a “God moment” when you know He answered prayer or comforted your heart through someone else? Our hearts cannot burn without adding fuel. When you read the Bible do you hear and feel Him talking to your heart? God has given us His word to challenge us, comfort, encourage and instruct us. We all get sidetracked by busyness and worries of the day and don’t feel very close to God. Let us ask Him for burning hearts.

Easter

The Women of the Easter Story

April 7, 2023by securelyanchored2 Comments

The attitude of Jesus towards women broke many normal social standards. Women lived very restricted lives in first century Palestine and belonged to their husbands (like property). Their main purpose was to provide an heir but they worked very hard just to provide daily sustenence. It is hard in the 21st century to imagine grinding your own grain to make bread every day or to card the wool to then spin and weave into clothing for the family. They had no voice in the synagogue yet Jesus had women among his disciples. Many men and women listened to Jesus teach but there was an inner circle of women who followed him and provided for Jesus and the disciples needs. It is confusing since the name “Mary” was used so often by families. Here are some of the women who played a big part in the Easter story.

The beginning of Passion Week

Mary of Bethany was the sister of Martha and Lazarus. (Luke 10:39, John11) Oh how she loved sitting nearby and listening to Jesus teach. He didn’t rebuke her for not helping her sister to prepare for all the company. Martha appears to be the owner of the home so perhaps she was a widow and took care of her younger brother and sister. It was this Mary who annointed Jesus’ feet and Jesus said it would be remembered as a gift for his burial .

John 12:1–8 (ESV)
Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him),………. complained about the waste of money….

The Women at the Crucifixion

All four gospels mention the women watching the crucifixion of their Friend, Teacher – The Messiah. They watched from a distance; Close enough to observe the horrific torture of Jesus but maybe far enough away from the angry mob and soldiers. Mary, his mother drew close enough for him to speak to her and then asked his closest friend John to take care of her. Deep tenderness is shown for His mother even as He is dying.

Matthew 27:55–56
There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebede.

Mary Magdalene appears in all four Gospels as a follower of Jesus (Luke 8:2) and at critical moments in Jesus’ story. “Magdalene” implies that she was from Magdala, a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. In Mark 16:9 and Luke 8:2, it states that Jesus had cast seven demons from her. She may have been a woman of means—Mark 15:40–41 counts her among the women who followed and provided for Jesus. This woman carried a deep debt of gratitude for the whole new life He gave her. She is the one to first see the resurrected Lord and it is recorded in all four gospels.

The account in Mark 15 adds the name of Salome as the mother of the apostles James and John, a.k.a. the sons of Zebede. He mentions another devoted follower named Mary the mother of James the younger (not the apostle) and Joseph. And to add to the group of Marys, Jesus’ mother, had a sister named Mary, the wife of Clopas, who is mentioned in John 19. These women provided food and shelter for twelve plus hungry men as they traveled with Jesus and perhaps they tended to their clothing and other personal needs. If you remember the account of Jesus teaching at Peter’s house in Capernaum, it was so packed that some men brought their friend through the roof for healing. Imagine all those people crowding into your home!

The Women at the Tomb

Mark 16:1–8 (ESV)
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Despite being so horrified at the turn of events and watching Jesus die a few women stayed to see his body taken from the cross and followed to see where it was laid. These women had to wait for Sabbath to end to prepare to mourn and properly care for Jesus’ body according to custom. What they found totally shocked them but they ran to tell the disciples what they saw and heard. Peter and John ran to investigate their unbelievable story for themselves and then went home. Mary Magdalene stayed behind totally confused and distraught.

Jesus is ALIVE

John 20:15–18 (ESV)
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

What can we learn from these women that were included as early disciples and founders of the early Church? 1. They were loyal servants who gave sacrificially to support the message of good news. 2. Huge social barriers were broken when a woman like Mary Magdalene was included in the group of women. 3. The disciples were a mix of men and women from different classes and backgrounds.Therefore the Church is made up of all types of people and should be fully inclusive.

How can you be a follower of Jesus? God loves us but hates sin and it separates us from Him. Jesus died to pay the price for our sin so we can have a new relationship with our Heavenly Father. This is the good news and hope of Easter that we too can have eternal life in heaven. The scripture tells us:

Romans 3:22–24 …the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

A simple prayer

Easter, faith, hope, Lent

Hope is Alive

April 10, 2020March 30, 2023by securelyanchored2 Comments

We call today “Good Friday” but over 2000 years ago it was anything but good. The disciples of Jesus’ whole world had been turned upside down in one day. Confusion, Disbelief, Fear, Heartbreak and Shock were just a few of the emotions they were feeling. Rabbi, healer, miracle worker, they believed Jesus was The Messiah! The band of friends had just celebrated Passover together. It couldn’t possibly be real – it didn’t make sense – but they watched with their own eyes as the soldiers nailed Him to a cross like a vile criminal!

Some of the men and women, faithful followers of Jesus, gathered together trying to grasp the situation and others were in hiding. It was now the Sabbath and there was nothing they could do. How could everything go wrong in such a short time? He hadn’t done anything to deserve what happened. The disciples had put all their hope in Him and now it seemed gone.

While Jesus hung on the cross He forgave the repentant thief, showing us that it is never to late to ask for forgiveness until our last breath. On Passover HE provided the one and only perfect, holy and final sacrifice. His last cry “It is finished” was not a cry of defeat but of victory. The Temple curtain kept everyone and everything away from the holiness of God. When the massive curtain tore in half it showed the access we now have to come before a Holy God through Jesus’s own blood sacrifice.

Jesus’ body had been quickly laid in a borrowed tomb just before Sabbath began. Early the next morning a few women gathered to go to the tomb and properly prepare His body for burial as was tradition. They wondered how they would move the stone sealing the grave and if the soldiers would give them grief. But as they approached the burial site they were shocked to see the stone had already been rolled away….

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead….. Matt 28:5-7

Jesus is alive! He soon after met with them, ate with them and explained the Scriptures about Himself. Christians around the world celebrate Easter because our hope is not based on earthly wishful thinking but assurance from God. Jesus’ sacrifice provides forgiveness and restoration in our relationship with The Father. His resurrection offers us power and victory for everyday.

Tragedy can strike quickly and indiscriminately and it may seem hopeless. We are left reeling to try and make sense of the circumstances and figure out the next steps. That’s how the disciples felt on Good Friday. Right now our daily lives are disrupted, loved ones are distanced and many people have died. But Our Hope is Alive!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb 4:15-16

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, Heb 6:19

We are loved. We have help. We have hope. We can have peace.

Because He Lives

God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus,

He came to love, heal and forgive

He lived and died to buy my pardon

An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow

Because He lives all fear is gone

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living just because He lives!

faith, Lent

Saturday – When Everything Was Wrong

April 19, 2019April 6, 2020by securelyanchoredLeave a Comment

The whole world had been turned upside down in one day. Confusion, Disbelief, Fear, Heartbreak, Shock… were just a few of the emotions the disciples were feeling. What had gone wrong? Jesus was their friend. Rabbi, healer, miracle worker, they had believed He was Messiah! Some of the men and women, faithful followers of Jesus, gathered together while others were in hiding. It was the Sabbath and there was nothing they could do.

Friday sin was as black as could be. Jesus had been beaten, battered and nailed to a cross. The same crowd that had welcomed Him with praise now jeered, mocked and spit on Him. Jesus had done nothing to deserve this.

They had just celebrated Passover together! Jesus washed their feet and talked about being servants of one another. He talked about a “new Covenant” and His blood shed for us…such odd sayings! He wanted us to pray together but we were so tired we fell asleep. Judas betrayed our Lord! He was one of us, we trusted him, how could he? Peter wept bitterly because he watched Jesus as He was beaten and even denied knowing Him, just as Jesus had predicted. It couldn’t possibly be real – but they had watched with their own eyes as the soldiers nailed Him to a cross like a vile criminal! All their hopes and dreams in Jesus Messiah were destroyed. It was Saturday and everything was wrong.

Joseph, a righteous member of the Council, had taken Jesus’ body and laid it in his own tomb just before Sabbath began. Saturday was the blackest, saddest, most hopeless day. Early the next morning a few women, who had loved Jesus dearly, gathered to go to the tomb and properly prepare His body for burial as was tradition. There had been no time the night before and it was the least they could do. They wondered how they would move the stone sealing the grave and if the soldiers would give them grief. But as they approached the burial site they were shocked to see the stone had already been rolled away….

An angel up on the tombstone – said He has risen just as He said Quickly now, go tell His disciples – that Jesus Christ is no longer dead!

But then came Sunday!

We celebrate Easter because Jesus conquered sin and death, that is victory! He arose from the grave by HIS OWN ALMIGHTY POWER because HE IS LORD GOD! Saturday was full of hopeless despair but instead we cry out with Joy-He is risen! When the angels announced Jesus’ birth they announced “do not be afraid” and when Jesus met Mary at the tomb, He said, “do not be afraid”.

What does that mean for us my friends? Jesus conquered the grave – if we have accepted Him as LORD and Savior – we have no fear of death. We’ve been given the promise of eternal life with Him. No matter what trials or circumstances we face – we can draw on His power knowing that nothing is impossible with God. When all seems hopeless – look to Jesus and He will turn your sorrow into Joy!

Easter Song

Hear the bells ringing, they’re singing – that you can be born again!

Hear the bells ringing they’re singing- Christ is risen from the dead!

Joy to the world, He is risen, hallelujah – HALLELUJAH!

Christian Living, hope, Lent

The Hope of Easter

March 23, 2018April 6, 2020by securelyanchored2 Comments

Spring brings the promise of renewal and new life. Even here in New England while we are enduring our 4^th Nor’easter, we know Spring will come. We long for warmer weather and outdoor activities. We look for the buds on the trees and bulbs poking through the ground. The birds have returned from their southern migration and daylight is lasting longer. Despite how things look right now, we have hope.

Nature burst forth in expectancy and hope. We plant seeds and wait for their growth with a promise of flowers or food. We watch the birds as they lay their eggs in expectant hope of new life. Easter is celebration of remembrance and thanksgiving because God is all powerful and keeps His promises. Easter is about hope. It does not matter who you are, where you have been. Because of God’s great love He offers a new life through faith in His Son.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NLT)

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰ But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹ And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Luke 23:39-43 (ESV)

Jesus forgave that repentant thief and promised him peace and a place in heaven. He also had told His disciples that He would be leaving but come back for them.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.” … ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:1-6 (ESV)

But on that day – we call it black Friday – The disciples were horrified and devastated as they watched Jesus die. All their hopes and dreams seemed gone. Many ran and hid in fear. He had taught them so many things but they just didn’t understand what went “wrong”. A few friends hung around to do the only thing they could…give Him a proper burial. When the women arrived at the tomb, the stone was rolled away and an angel greeted them;

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, Matt 28:5-7 (ESV)

Surprise, joy, wonder, awe, hope… ran through their hearts and minds!

Later the apostle John wrote, …but these (scriptures) are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31 (ESV)

We believe that Jesus lived a sinless life, died for our sin on the cross, was buried, rose from the grave on the third day and is alive and coming again. This is our promise. This is the hope of Easter.

“Pardon for sin, peace that endures, His presence with us to comfort and guide, Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.” (from the hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness)

Because He Lives by Gloria Gaither

Because He Lives

Because He lives I can face tomorrow:

Because He lives all fear is gone.

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living just because He lives.

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Because He Lives

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