Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this Friday before Palm Sunday. Let us plan to be in the Lord's House this coming Palm Sunday. Let us praise Him and proclaim His Majesty. Let us shout and sing. We live in a Good Friday World but we proclaim Palm Sunday faith. Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord. Jesus is the victor. He reigns in triumph and glory. Even though the world scene is bleak and frightening we serve under a captain who has never lost a battle.
I recall a fascinating part of John Bunyan’s book Pilgrims Progress, where Interpreter leads Christian into a place where there is a perplexing sight. He sees a fire burning beside a wall. It continues to burn under extraordinary circumstances. Someone stands beside the fire, continually throwing water on it in an attempt to extinguish it, but instead of the fire going out, it only burns brighter and hotter. Then Interpreter takes Christian behind the wall and shows him what he could not see before. Behind the wall another man is continually feeding the fire with oil. Christian cannot understand the whole thing until Interpreter explains to him that the man putting water on the fire represents the devil. He is always trying to dampen and extinguish the work of God in the world, but what he and the others on that side of the wall cannot see is the man on the other side of the wall who represents Christ. He is continually fueling the fire with the oil of his Spirit, and the forces of evil can never put it out.
The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of what God had in mind, and the reality of what Christmas will mean in the end, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). In the end Jesus Christ will reign, and He will reconcile all things to Himself. God reveals his ultimate plan for us in the Scripture, saying, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6-7). That is a wonderful end to a wonderful story — and nothing can stop it. All of us saw the incredible pictures of Saddam Hussein after he was taken from his hole in the ground. We were astounded to see this once powerful man who terrorized his own country and people throughout the world. Yet, he looked dazed and confused as he was deloused. He was filthy and his hair and beard were unkempt. He looked pitiful instead of powerful. The same thing happened with Osama bin Laden as he met his end. Somehow, I think that is going to be the way it is at the end of the world, when the final battle is over. We will look at our enemy, the devil, after he has been deposed and his power taken away and say, “That was who we were afraid of? That is the one who terrorized the world? The frightening serpent turned out to be only a worm.” Then he will be thrown back into his pit.
One of the readings for Palm Sunday is taken from Philippians 2, “Jesus. . . Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11). In the end, every knee will bow — the knees of those who despised him, rejected him, and ignored him, along with those who loved and served Him.
In Christ,
Brown
Join us for our weekly television outreach tonight on Time Warner Cable Channel 4, at 7 PM.
Saturday Evening Worship Service:
Location: First United Methodist Church
53 McKinley Avenue
Endicott, NY
Sponsored by: Union Center United Methodist Church
Time: 6:00 PM gathering for Coffee Fellowship
6:30 PM Worship Service
Date: Saturday, March 31, 2012
The Binghamton House of Prayer team will lead in music and Word.
"The Binghamton House of Prayer" is an Interdenominational and international ministry of prayer that is engaged in prayer for our region. This group meets weekly for prayer ministry.
There will be a very special time for prayer for healing and blessing.
Special Music by Laureen Naik
This coming Sunday will be our Palm Sunday celebration. Come and join us. Invite your friends and family to join us in worship, praise, and celebration. Following the second service there will be an Easter egg hunt for the children, coordinated by Shannan Meilunas and Tegan Kraus. There will also be an Easter banquet for one and all, prepared with much love by Rodney Haines and Kathy Dence.
APRIL 5 at 6:30 PM there will be a Maundy Thursday foot washing and communion service. We will gather in the Fellowship Hall for this special service.
APRIL 6 at 6:30 PM there will be a Good Friday Service at Union Center UMC –
"Simon Peter" will be presented by our brother Jim Geer and the team. Join us for this very special presentation on the life and witness of Simon Peter.
APRIL 7 at 6:30 PM will be a very special Easter Eve celebration. This will be held at the First United Methodist Church, Endicott. The service of worship and praise will include Hymns and songs both classic and contemporary. We are blessed to have Aric Phinney at the Grand Piano, and Yancey Moore at the Pipe Organ, Dave Berry as the song leader and soloist, along with special musicians Winnie Allen and Emma Brunson. Come, Share, and Rejoice.
APRIL 8 at 6:30 AM A Sunrise service will be held at the pavilion at Union Center
Christian Church, 950 Boswell Hill Road. Rev. Marshall Sorber will be preaching. We will have special music. Mr. Katchudurian will be presenting special Easter Music on his trumpet.
APRIL 6 at 6:30 PM there will be a Good Friday Service at Union Center UMC –
"Simon Peter" will be presented by our brother Jim Geer and the team. Join us for this very special presentation on the life and witness of Simon Peter.
APRIL 7 at 6:30 PM will be a very special Easter Eve celebration. This will be held at the First United Methodist Church, Endicott. The service of worship and praise will include Hymns and songs both classic and contemporary. We are blessed to have Aric Phinney at the Grand Piano, and Yancey Moore at the Pipe Organ, Dave Berry as the song leader and soloist, along with special musicians Winnie Allen and Emma Brunson. Come, Share, and Rejoice.
APRIL 8 at 6:30 AM A Sunrise service will be held at the pavilion at Union Center
Christian Church, 950 Boswell Hill Road. Rev. Marshall Sorber will be preaching. We will have special music. Mr. Katchudurian will be presenting special Easter Music on his trumpet.
You are all welcome back to the Union Center Church Fellowship Hall for a special Easter Morning breakfast prepared and served by Jim Holmes and the team.
We will gather for Special Easter Celebration and worship at 8:30 and 11:00 AM
at the Union Center UMC. The Youth and children will be presenting a very special song for Easter morning at both services. The Adult Choir will also be singing at both services. Sunday School will meet at 9:50 AM. We will gather for Easter Morning Worship At Wesley at 9:30 AM. We have so much to celebrate. We have so much to sing about. We have so much to rejoice in. It is all About Jesus, who came, who saw, and who conquered. He is upon the Throne.
No comments:
Post a Comment