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Steelhead
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Hillsboro, OR
Posts: 247
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Re: A Blessed Easter to all
This was sent to me today. I thought I’d share it with everyone here as I enjoyed reading it. It's written as if Paul is directly talking to us now.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the holy and faithful leaders of the men in the American churches: Grace and peace to you from God our Father, the Creator of all that exists.
I always thank God for you and your faithful service to the brethren. I wish that I could come and encourage you all personally, but having been dead now for well over 1900 years, I regret that I cannot greet you face to face at this time. I pray that my letter will result in the same encouragement as I wished to bring to you myself.
I have heard about your annual tradition of commemorating the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I want to commend you all for emphasizing this as a most holy day. When I first heard of this tradition of yours, I went immediately and spoke to Peter and John, who, as you well know, were blessed to actually see the empty tomb and grave clothes with their own eyes, and were able to walk and talk with Jesus after he was raised. They agreed with me that a letter should be sent to you to remind you of the utmost importance of this day of remembrance, for it is the essence of the gospel.
God was pleased to use our efforts in the early days of the church to spread the good news of the gospel through our preaching and writings, and God has been faithful to continue spreading the message of His grace even to this day in your far distant land. And here is my charge to you, together with the other apostles who were eye witnesses of the risen Christ: Proclaim the gospel boldly and clearly. Your brothers in Christ and all those you meet who have yet to understand the gospel message need to see the risen Christ in you. Who else do they have that will show them the power of God in a man's life? This task now falls to you. As surely as the Holy Spirit is alive and active in you, the world needs to see Him shining in you, and all the more as the day of His glorious reappearing nears. Let your life and your words shine forth the glory of Christ who has taken up residence in you, and is transforming you into His likeness.
This gospel, which you commemorate this upcoming weekend, has the power to set the sinner free of his chains, and turn him from the eternal punishment he rightly deserves, to eternal glory with Christ. Do not let this gospel message become dulled by the many things that can preoccupy daily life. Be single minded, presenting the gospel every day through your words and deeds. Let your life shine as a powerful testimony to Christ's power, for it is His power at work in you, changing you into His image and giving you peace and hope. Until you met Christ, you did not know this peace and hope, but He who spoke mountains into existence has made a way for sinful man to have a right relationship with Him. This way is Christ, whom the Father sent to us to take the punishment of our sins on our behalf, that we could know the Holy Father and spend eternity with Him.
Some have actually become bored with the gospel, forgetting that their sins have been removed, and they hold to the traditions of an annual remembrance of the gospel without living in the incomprehensible riches of God's grace that changes lives. Do not be counted among the bored, my brothers. Hold fast and be passionate. You have not yet been chained for the gospel as we have, so you need to make the most of your opportunity to testify to the power at work in you, and I charge you to remember clearly what the gospel is all about: Jesus Christ saves sinners! He came, died, and rose again, conquering death on our behalf! He is our Champion, victorious over death and hell, and He has handed us true, abundant life for free for the asking!
This is the biggest news in the history of mankind! Proclaim it to all those around you by your words and your lives. Let the living, powerful glory of God be revealed in you this weekend as you celebrate the risen Christ who is our salvation! Remember who you were and where you were headed before Christ transformed you. Let gratitude burst from your spirits for the salvation the Father has lavished upon you. You were redeemed from eternal damnation, so let your light shine and glorify the God of your salvation. Celebrate the risen Christ loudly this weekend and every day according to the measure of your incomparably great salvation. Your sins have been removed from you as far as the east is from the west, and God does not remember them anymore! So proclaim this gospel loudly, that others may clearly recognize the reality of what God's amazing grace has done in you.
Peter and John send along their greetings, as does Silas and Timothy. We wish we could be there and join you as you proclaim the glories of God. But then again, you probably wish you were here glorifying God where we are now. On second thought, we've done our time suffering for Christ, so we'll see you when you get here, and what a day that will be!
Grace and peace to you from the Lord Jesus Christ.
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