PLEASE comment and correct as necessary – and where the languages use alternate alphabet, please feel free to let me know what characters are used so I can fill in the blanks! (There are probably typos as well..)

Sermon presented to The Salvation Army, Marion Corps (South Australia) on Easter Sunday, the 24th April 2011.

Easter Sunday, 24^th April 2011

Introduction

God had been promising throughout all of history the resurrection of the dead, the sending of the messiah and his death and resurrection. Throughout the Old Testament, and through many of the teachings of Jesus. Even so, even with the depth of their understanding of the scriptures and the realities of the Law and Prophecies, the Jews never actually expected that the messiah would be crucified and resurrected. Obviously, resurrection is one of those things that can be hard for us to get our heads around. And we might find ourselves thinking, oh yeah, it’s a good thing for Jesus, but what has it got to do with me, what could it possibly mean for my life?

It means God is keeping his promises. It means that Jesus really was the messiah that God had promised to the Jews.
It means that all things are being made new, that the new creation has begun.
It means that there is hope for a brighter future, even when the worst has happened.

Resurrection is the power of God to put things right. It means that when Christ returns we will be made new just like he was, our bodies too will be fully healed and transformed as his resurrection body was.

The resurrection of Jesus was God’s sign to the world that He isn’t finished with us yet, and that He will fulfil his promises to restore and recreate the whole of creation. What God has done for Jesus in the resurrection, he will do for the whole of creation.

He is making everything new.

/// The theme of this Easter series is “Out of Darkness”, based on a verse in 1 Peter 2:9 where the believers – where we – are addressed:

 “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light”.

This statement empowers us into who we are, who God is, and what he’s done.

We are – a holy nation, a people that God chose, a priesthood of believers, who are called to bring more people to him. We are chosen, and chosen for his purposes.

He is – the one whose excellencies we are proclaiming – and not just for what he has done, but for who he is. And who he continues to be.

And he has – called us

OUT OF DARKNESS                          Into                                    His Marvellous Light!
Away from Death and Pain                  into                                    life and fullness
From being lost                                      to                                    being found
From being blind                                    to                                    seeing clearly

& seeing clearly the
mysteries of the kingdom.

From seeing Jesus dead on the cross                   to                  finding the tomb empty!

From thinking that things will always be as they will be to believing that things can be different.

From FRIDAY                                    to                                    SUNDAY!

[[[[  Video  ]]]] http://easyworship.com/minimovies/detail/product/24733/

It’s was Friday.
Hope had lost
Death had won
Sin had conquered
Satan was laughing

It’s was Friday, it was only Friday.
Sunday has arrived!

Jesus HAS risen!
He IS risen!
Will you say after me, He is risen indeed!
He IS risen – He is risen indeed!

What we know to be true is that the Good Friday story was never meant to be a one part series. It was ALWAYS intended to have a sequel.

It was always the case, the resurrection was planned.

What happened on Friday was NOT THE END OF THE STORY.

ON FRIDAY the disciples did not believe or understand what was happening. On Friday, they were bewildered by what was happening.

ON SUNDAY we read from John 20;
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

On Sunday, some believed that Jesus had indeed risen, but they still did not fully understand what had taken place!

But, they knew that THE STORY WAS NOT OVER. What happened on FRIDAY was NOT THE END OF THE STORY.

STORY

This week, a friend of mine, from my training college session got lost in the bush. Jon is an enthusiastic bushwalker, the most energetic and adventurous outdoorsman you could come across. He and his wife Katherine moved to Tasmania at the beginning of this year when they were appointed there together to be the Corps Officers at the Ulverstone Corps. They were thrilled to be in Tasmania and absolutely loved having the “outdoors” at their fingertips. They took Tuesdays as their day off, and every week would take the opportunity to explore the local nature reserves and parks and thoroughly enjoyed having mountains, and valleys and rivers to pour over each time they went out.

This last Tuesday they set out for a 4 hour bush walk together and then decided to go in separate directions and meet back at a central point for some lunch. Jon didn’t make it back and after being in contact with Kat on the phone to let her know he hadn’t been able to find his way back.

She didn’t hear from him again, and after engaging some locals to help her look for him, had to report him missing. I cannot imagine what would have been going through her mind.

Early the next morning, the session were informed about his being missing and we all immediately engaged in as much prayer and support as we could muster.

There were a million and three things going through my head all of Wednesday. What’s happened? Where is he? Why? Please Lord, direct the rescue helicopters in the right direction, please lord give Katherine peace, please Lord comfort Jonathon if he is in pain or if he is distressed. What is going on? Why? What has actually happened?

The other thing I knew to be true though, was that what I knew, and where we were on Wednesday was not the end of the story. Someone was lost, literally. But where something is lost, they are to be found – they have to be – that’s the promise of the word that I was holding on to.

The STORY was NOT OVER YET. This was NOT THE END OF THE STORY. It couldn’t be.

And then a whole day had past, and they had to call off the search because darkness had fallen again. The sun had gone down.

That’s when it became hard to sleep. Something else was going on here. It was really hard to fathom.

Again the thoughts and questions; Why, where? How? Oh Lord, Peace for Katherine.

We found out just after 2 o’clock on Thursday afternoon that he had died.
They still don’t know what happened to him, or how. But, he had died.

Suddenly, it felt like the story was over. A tragic end. A complete numbness. A hollow heart that has no way of knowing how possibly to move forward into a new minute, a new hour, let alone a new day.

And then a friend said to me, “Perhaps this is how the disciples felt on Friday”.
And I was floored. It was true. This is how they would have felt, and I’ve heard the story a hundred times, but I’ve never felt it like this before. I’ve never felt it like they would have been feeling it.

He died, he really died. And it’s completely unfathomable, and completely bewildering.

And we look at the disciples, and we think – “they didn’t get it, how could they not get it, Jesus had been teaching them, God had been preparing for a death and resurrection for ever, how stupid are they for not getting it, and being so upset that he had to die”.

But, he really died. He was really a man, and he really died. And the disciples were his BEST FRIENDS. His closest and most precious friends. They loved him and they felt broken and sore inside when he died.

Even if their minds understood what was happening, their hearts would have been feeling like they were dying aswell.

Yesterday morning, all of our session buddies received a message from Katherine. She said;

To all my buddies, just to let you know I’m coping. I didn’t have nightmares, only woke with joyful memories. I am very much looking forward to seeing you all.
I have a request. Tomorrow, preach with resurrection power. Preach as if it’s your last. Death no longer has it’s sting.

When we all get to heaven
What a day of rejoicing it will be
When we all see Jesus
We’ll shout VICTORY!!!

It gave us such joy to read Katherine with such a resoluteness to her words, with such conviction that DEATH NO LONGER HAS ITS STING.

DEATH NO LONGER HAS ITS STING.

Those words rang in my ears all day yesterday.

DEATH NO LONGER HAS ITS STING.

Suddenly I knew that THE STORY WAS NOT OVER YET. THIS is NOT THE END OF THE STORY.

Really, if you could sum up Easter and its story in one phrase it would be that Death no longer has its sting.

Jesus, through his life, death and resurrection WON Victory over death.

Effectively, Death died. Death has been swallowed up in a Victory.
Jesus claimed for us a victory over the power of sin and death.

We don’t understand it, but we know that death is not the end of the story.

It wasn’t for Jesus, and in ways we cannot comprehend, in the eternity of this world and the next, death is not the end of the story for Jon.

In 1 Corinthians 15 we read;
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death is your sting?”

In Hebrews 1 we read;
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

In Hosea 13
“I will deliver this people from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death
Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?

This Easter we celebrate that God has called you out of darkness into his marvelous and glorious light.

It was in the death of Jesus that death itself died.  A man named Joseph laid Jesus in his tomb, but it was Jesus who would ultimately put death itself away for evermore. You can think of it as Jesus literally laying death in a grave. Putting death away for good.

Death is no longer the end of the story. It wasn’t for Jesus, and will not be for those who love Jesus and follow in his ways.

The power of Jesus death on the cross that day took away the power that death has over your life.

The power of Jesus takes away the power of sin and death. We don’t have to die in our sin anymore. Jon knew that Jesus had won the victory for him. Jon is enjoying the fullness of the kingdom of God right now, because he knew that sin had no place in his life anymore, and death could not keep him from the love of God.

Jesus put death away for good so that we could have eternal life in Christ Jesus.

The gift of God, is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Death is no longer the end of the story.
In the same way, wherever you are right now, whatever is happening in your life or in the life of your loved ones right now is not the end of the story.
There is more to come. It may be completely incomprehensible, but the story goes on.

We don’t understand how it’s not the end. We feel like it’s the end. In our situations, it sometimes doesn’t feel like there is any possible way of walking forward.

For the disciples, when Jesus had died, they didn’t understand. When he had risen, they still couldn’t fully comprehend what was going on. What is happening? What does this mean? What does this mean for our tomorrows? What does this mean for the story that we are living?

We also reflect this weekend on the Anzac Story. The very reason that every year we remember again the sacrifice of those who fought in war, is because the story goes on. The preciousness of what happened then is part of a rich story that Australians and New Zealanders live as part of each and every day. We tell the story and live the story every day, because it kept going.

God promises to restore and recreate the whole of creation. He has begun this restoration through the death and resurrection of his son Jesus. He is making everything new, starting with Jesus.

God knows that there are some in this room for whom sin is an issue. He says in his word that the wages of sin is death. BUT the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God knows that there are some in this room for whom the fear of death is an issue. His word says that the fear of death has the power to hold someone in an inward state of slavery, a slavery to fear. Jesus conquered death, and conquered fear, in order to break you free from that. The reality of the Kingdom of God is that you are free of that bondage to fear through Jesus.

If your sin, and your resolute defiance of God, or his call on your life is separating you from the eternal life that God offers to you through the story of the cross, then today is the day for you to reconcile with your Lord. The story is not over for you, THIS IS not the end of the story.

Sin does not have to be your master any more. Jesus paid and price and has won the victory over the power of sin. It doesn’t have to rule you anymore. He arose, and so can you, out of the darkness, into his glorious light!

If your fear, and the bondage that makes it feels like you are held in chains is keeping you from being able to life a free and full life, then today is the day for you to come to the cross and allow Jesus to life the burden from your shoulders.

Fear does not have to be your master any more. Jesus paid the price and has won the victory over the power of fear. God’s perfect love drives out all fear. It doesn’t have to rule you anymore. He arose, and so can you, out of the darkness, into his glorious light!

Nobody here can tell you what is going on in your own heart, but you know the kind of freedom and salvation that God is calling you to.

God is restoring the whole of creation back to him. Starting with what he did on the cross, and continuing today.

As we spend time in reflection now, come to the cross. Lay everything down, because the work is done. He is risen! And what has happened, what he went through, has to count for something here today.

SONG – “Majestic” (Transmission – http://transmission.virb.com/majestic)

Finish up prayer,

The greatness of your love, is pouring over us
And we now sing the song of the redeemed.
Your mighty arm has raised our souls up from the grave
You’ve saved us from the hands of enemies
No earthly eye has seen, no mind can comprehend
what our God has in store for those who love him.
Thank you Lord, for reaching out,
Thank you Lord, for your great love,
Your arm is not too short to save.
Oh Lord, Our Lord, How Majestic is your name in all the earth.
Oh Lord, Our Lord, How Majestic is your name in all the earth.

I saw one for “Corps Officers”, poached it and adapted it to an Aussie audience and with better graphics. It went “viral” apparently. 167 likes, 60 shares and 28 comments in 22 hours. Apparently that’s impressive in facebook land.

The discussion started though – even though it was intended as “humorous” – what is Corps Officership really like? Am I called to a life of holiness and service, yet bound by an inevitable pile of paperwork and bureaucracy?

I enjoyed that people were honestly thinking about the role of a Corps Officer. Apologetic if the humorous angle was discouraging in any way. But, excited that something humorous makes us ask questions!

So, anyway – I attempted a followup. I’ve since realised that I forgot evangelism and a bunch of other things! But, the most important thing is that in the beginning and in the end, we’re pointing to Jesus.

Please comment – add and subtract as you so desire. What is it that we really do?

You might like these links; get-saved.org, goforsouls.com, armybarmyblog.

breaking you – lyrics

You’ve been let down, it’s true
Your pain is so easy to see
You’re hunted by your history
and it feels like you’ve got no escape

Your life left you high and dry
You used to be sure of yourself
But then your whole world went to hell
and tomorrow looks like just like today

So, you lie on your bed, you wont let the morning come in
And you hide in your room, feeding that fear and its killing you
don’t you know
that its killing me too, cause your heart break is breaking you

I miss the life in your eyes
the home that I found in your arms
and now you don’t know who you are
but I wont give up on you
on no

You lie on your bed, you wont let the morning come in
And you hide in your room, feeding that fear and its killing
don’t you know
that its killing me too, cause your heart break is breaking you

and you lost your fight
and your flame’s gone out
and your down on your knees
cause your life is not what you thought it would be
no,

lift up your head
help is on the way
and it wont pass you by
you just gotta reach out your hand
lift up your eyes
love is on the way
and it wont pass you by
you just gotta reach out your hand

go on and lift up your head
because love is on its way
and it wont pass you by
you’ve just gotta reach out your hand

Today was interesting though, because I came across quite a few books I forgotton I had. While I was at Training College, we had a “free book shelf” which consisted of odd, spare, old donated and ex-library books. It was often a treasure trove to scour for golden oldies and gems galore. Among the loot from that shelf were four Watchman Nee books which have now been moved to the top of my “Read in 2012″ list. Including;

Another find was a book by Commissioner Wesley Harris (whose Wikipedia page needs some serious work!). Again, while at Training College, we had the privilege of the Commissioner coming as a visiting lecturer for our “History and Theology of The Salvation Army” class. I’d heard him speak on a couple of occasions, but not until I met him did I realise that he is a prolific writer. I found this one today, which is now at the very top of my “Read in 2012″ list;

The text on the front of the book reads;

“You’ve got what it takes; We should seek to dance with life, rather than wrestle with it. Not every change is for the best – the trick is to find the best in every change.”

I’m very excited about reading this!

“Author, Wesley Harris believes that most of us, possibly all of us, have got far more ability, talent and potential for success than we ever imagine. As the title says we’re got what it takes and in this book he shows us how to make the best use of what we’ve got.”

In any case, actually knowing what’s on my bookshelves has been very beneficial!

I have a 2012 reading competition going with a friend, so I better get cracking! 

–> Click here to find these books on Amazon.com <–

This is my guess at the lyrics from giving is a good solid listen.
Beautiful beautiful beautiful song. Thanks Audrey.
Buy it HERE.

blessed are the ones – lyrics

tossing pennies in the well
empty pockets all turned out
happy shining blessed are the ones who hunger

when our poverty is plain
try to burn it in my brain
trace a line around your face to paint a picture

so further up and further in we have nowhere else to go
as we plant the seeds of toil and tears
its beauty we have sown

blessed are the ones
oh blessed are the ones
blessed are the hungry ones.

lets build a house with turned out doors,
so we can share what love affords
pour ourselves out like a wine that we’ve been saving

when our well is running dry
when we raise our glasses high
and we’re shining on the faces of the thirsty

so further up and further in we have nowhere else to go
but you give us seeds of toil and tears
its beauty we have sown.

blessed are the ones
blessed are the ones
blessed are the thirsty ones

yeah

love is all yer love is all
love is all yer love is all
love is all we need

so further up and further in we got no place else to go
and when all we have is what we need its joy that we will sow

blessed are the ones
blessed are the ones
blessed are the hungry ones.

we are blessed, yeah.

Mine;

Theirs;

See, they totally copied me!

From About Us – After years of research, discussions and relevant experience in life and news, we have created a news source that veers away from current trends of negativity and sensationalism, and will focus on presenting inspiring, in-depth and positive news stories. By being not for profit, we illustrate that the media does not have to be about making money, and with that comes a sense of freedom in journalism, the ability to tell the stories you care for, the truth, unrestricted ideals and a chance for change. ourworldtoday.com.au will have mainstream appeal, but present a unique array of positive and challenging in-depth stories.

EDIT – Bonus; “We refuse to accept that no news is good news”.
[TEDx Adelaide - Mike Worsman & Chris Campbell - A New Approach to News]

“Human beings, ineluctably, want meaning and purpose in life. The meaningful life consists in belonging to and serving something that you believe is bigger than the self, and humanity creates all the positive institutions to allow this: religion, political party, being Green, the Boy Scouts, or the family.” – Dr Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology, believes finding and holding meaning in life is one of the three fundamentals to leading a happy life.
[Our Greatest Fight] & [What is Well-Being?]

“…although Facebook looks destined to stay, a world where expression hides behind the computer screen will never defeat the old school charm of a romantic gesture…”
[Old School Romance Alive & Well]

“We now know that underestimating the obstacles life has in store lowers stress and anxiety, leading to better health and well-being. This is one reason optimists recover faster from illnesses and live longer.”
[Why So Optimistic?]

“Sometimes EVERYTHING BEING RIGHT makes a kind of sound.”
[Listening]

“Smile, it’ll make people wonder what you’ve been up to.”
[inspired by; A smile is Worth 2000 Chocolate Bars]

“Oh won’t you come, won’t you light all my lights.” - Seeker Lover Keeper
[inspired by; Seeing The Light]

“The reason Gen Y is more educated, passionate and mobilised to create a better world than those before it is because they are able to come together (online) and share this vision of the future that so many so badly want.”
[Gen Y Will Change The World]

This moment made me really appreciative of the perspectives of those around me who were perhaps more open-minded and positive than me about these things.
[The Last Photo My camera Ever Took]

Bonus: Really? You’re just giving me $20?!
[$20 Challenge]

Salvation Army Leader’s Tour

Of Brigadier C. J. Brimblecombe, officer in charge of The Salvation Army in Tasmania (1943)

“… In a second meeting in the evening, he took as his text, “Fear God and keep His commandments.”(Ecclesiastes 12 & 13). “The Christian life.” he said, “is not a complex affair, but one to be lived according to this simple watchword. There is no problem or difficulty which appears at the moment that cannot be overcome when there is a wholehearted acceptance of God and a holy, purposeful determination to live by this rule.”

Makes me think of Commissioner James Knaggs’ axiom “Be holy & show up for work.”

of, Commissioner Robert Henry (the leader of the Salvation Army in the Southern Territory at the time.)
This is an excerpt of a much longer article celebrating their official visit to Ulverstone in 1936.

Initial Hardships

Continuing, he said he also had a purpose in his work – to build and extend the Salvation Army in his territory. Long ago, two men, one a carpenter and the other a milkman, decided to start the Army in Australia. General William Booth sent officers to this country and the foundations were laid.

The pioneers had carried out their work at the cost of much struggling and labor. Referring to the hardships which were endured in the early days of the Army, the Commissioner said: “My own wife had the honour of going to prison in Bairnsdale, Victoria, for taking part in an open-air meeting, because some people thought it a sin against the Crown to do so.”

He spoke highly of the officers and members of the Army, without whom the work could not have carried on.

Army people, he said, were saved to save (emphasis mine). But they did not put service before salvation, which was the foundation of Army service. Out of salvation sprang the spirit of service and self-sacrifice, and the remarkable record of the Army in all countries arose out of the spirit of service. Members of the Army were also willing to sacrifice as well as to serve, and he hoped they would never lose the power to do so.