RESURRECTION EVENTS RECALLED

Recently I was thinking about an Easter service that was likely our first one many years ago. That morning our little band went to a beach somewhere on Fox Island. There at water’s edge the sun rose in glorious brilliance for our time of worship. It was a great memory of fellowship, worship, and rejoicing because of Christ’s resurrection.

Ancient wall of Jerusalem with many tombs outside the wall awaiting resurrection. Up to 150,000 are buried in the area. -by MS taken on location in 2011.

With Easter we also must reflect on the pain that Jesus endured earlier. After the Passover Feast with the twelve Jesus soon was arrested and whisked away for series of six trials. They were illegal because they were all at night. The first three were before Annas (Jn. 18), then Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (Mk. 14), and finally before just the Sanhedrin (Mk. 15). At about this time Judas, one of the twelve, committed suicide. All of this must have been a terrible drain on Jesus. The last three trials were before Pilate (Jn. 18), then Herod Antipas (Lu. 23), and finally before Pilate again (Matt. 27). It was a dark night for Jesus. But that was just the beginning.

Pilate then scourged Jesus and he was given a crown of thorns (Jn. 19). He hoped to release him but the people cried “Crucify, crucify Him!.” It was about six in the morning now.

Next Jesus was mocked and led to Golgotha where he was nailed on a cross. He languished in physical and emotional pain there about six hours and died. A few followers then took his body away and prepared it for the tomb.

Golgotha where it is thought Christ died on the cross on top of the hill. Note the holes in the rock face liking like a scull.

But the grief of Christ’s death was wiped away by the joy of his resurrection on Sunday morning. What a glorious moment for rejoicing that was and still continues to be. He paid the price for our redemption and changed history and the calendar too. We have an eternal hope.

David Gunn of RBP wrote, “This life is transient, and someday it will surely end. But that is no cause for fear. Death is not the end. Springtime will come again. The resurrection of Christ portends our resurrection too. Because He triumphed over death, the portal to life everlasting—an eternal springtime—has been opened.” He is risen!

Near Golgotha an ancient tomb where Christ likely was laid. Here the women came early in the morning and found it gloriously empty and Chris standing nearby.

He is risen!

Pastor Mark (Redeployed)

EASTER WEEKEND AT DISCOVERY April 2-4 2021

Good Friday - Everyone is welcome to join us this Friday at 6:30 for a special Good Friday service at the Helland Home (12976 Gopher Hill PL SE, Olalla, 98359).

We plan to meet indoors, but if it's sunny and not unbearably cold, we will meet out back. Please bring your own chair if the sun is shining brightly.

Thank you for coming with hearts prepared for communion. May Christ be lifted up as we lovingly worship Him throughout this Passion Week.

Easter Sunday - We’ll celebrate his resurrection at 2:30 as usual at Harborview Fellowship. Our new building is going up fast and very soon we hope to be back in it for our first service. Thanks for praying.

ALL MY EGGS IN ONE BASKET

Recently Mike McKinley’s book, Passion, grabbed me. It’s a good read this time of year. As you might have guessed, my blog title is about Easter. But it’s not what you think. Yes, I do have all my eggs in one basket. I am not referring to a basket of Easter eggs. My basket is the resurrection of Christ.

The events leading up to Easter morning are discouraging; Jesus was given a kingly welcome into Jerusalem but then executed on a cross. His followers were scattered and scared. Death was not what they expected. Paul said “…if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.”  If there is no resurrection then there is no forgiveness, no life after death, and nothing to live for except self (cf. Acts 2:22-24; Rev. 1:18).

But Easter changed everything. Jesus was resurrected and details of the story confirm it. Jesus was raised. All my eggs are in one basket. I am betting on Christ’s resurrection. McKinley lists three ways the resurrection changes everything. First, for the believer you have the guarantee of being “saved from eternal death, for eternal life.”  The resurrection is an act of God showing the Father has accepted Christ’s death in our place for our sin. We are secure in Christ forever.

Second, you don’t have to live like this life is all there is. “If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” (I Cor. 15:19) But believers are free to give their lives away. Don’t waste your life on sinful desires, getting your “dream house,” or becoming successful.  I am not advocating doing nothing until the rapture. But give your life for the cause of Christ in some way. Commit to helping others and sharing the gospel. And, most of all be part of God’s program for this life, the church. There is nothing else like it.

Third, because of the resurrection you have an ever-present Savior. His Holy Spirit was sent to be with us and empower us for whatever He wants. That is so comforting when you are alone and unsure. You can call on Him for wisdom, direction, comfort and know He hears. Such a deal, all this and heaven too!

This is one of my favorite paintings done by my son Ezra the artist after he returned from Israel where he visited the garden tomb site where Christ was taken and later resurrected.

How about you? Where are your eggs? Unsure about the resurrection or why it is so critically important?  Whatever your situation why not join us Easter weekend as we celebrate and learn more of the story.

·        4/19 7:00pm Good Friday.  I will speak on Father, Forgive Them from Luke 23 and the importance of seeing ourselves on the cross. (Livestreamed)

·        4/21 9:30am Easter Sea of Galilee Breakfast. An informal fellowship time with light breakfast

·        4/21 10:30am Easter Worship  Pastor Chris speaking on The Good News of Your Faith and Love" from 1 Thes. 3:6. (Livestreamed)

Subscribe to our blogs at www.DiscoveryBaptist.org, See details also of our building expansion project to start soon entitled For the Generations to Come. Click below for more details.  You can also call the office for a complete packet of information to be sent to you or ask for a board member to talk to about it.  

 -Pastor Mark Suko  

HE IS RISEN INDEED!!

John 2:19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

Painting of the Western Wall and Golden Gate today that opens toward the remains of the Temple that was destroyed in 70 A.D..   Painting by Ezra Suko

Miniature model in Jerusalem of the Temple as it was in Christ's time.

John 2:22 “When therefore He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken”

John 11:25-26  Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,   and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Mat 12:40  (Jesus said of himself) “for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

Revelation 1:17-19 ESV (The resurrected Jesus speaking) “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

EASTER SUNDAY EVENTS

• 7:00 a.m. Community Sunrise Service at Haven of Rest Cemetery on Highway 16 just North of Gig Harbor. 
• 9:30 a.m. Sea of Galilee Fellowship Easter Breakfast. Bring a breakfast snack to share.   
• 10:30 a.m. Easter Worship w/pastor Mark speaking on Mark 16:1-8.

Scriptures quoted are from NASB 1995 unless otherwise stated.