Author Archives: reveds

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About reveds

Occupation: Pastor, Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Lennox, SD Education: BS - Christian Education, Sterling College; MDiv. - Princeton Theological Seminary Family: Married, with Four children. Hobbies: Running (will someday run a marathon), Sci-Fi (especially Doctor Who and Sherlock), Theater, and anything else my kids will let me do.

His Voice Gives Life

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“Jesus had to say, “Lazarus, come forth!” because if He had just said, “Come forth,” all the dead would have come forth.”
Matthew Henry

Dear Friends,

While preparing or the message on Sunday, I was reminded of this quote from Matthew Henry.  Such is the power of Jesus, when He called Lazarus from the tomb (John 11:43), if he had merely said, “Come forth,” hell would have been emptied and every tomb burst open.  Here stands the one through whom all things were made, and without whom “was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3).  Standing before the tomb was the Word of God, the very Word that was spoken in creation bringing all things to life.  Jesus had to be careful what he said, there was power in His word.

What is truly amazing is that Jesus still calls us by name, calls us out of the tombs and into a new life with Him.  Each of us, at some point, or maybe even now, have lived in the tombs.  We may be living, but we are living in the ways of the world, following after the desires of our own hearts, living for ourselves.  We think we are alive, but the truth is, we are dead to the things of God.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).  While we were dead in our sins, Jesus, who is the Resurrection and the Life, called us out of the tombs, out of the death of sin, and into a new life with Him.  It is important that Jesus said He is the Resurrection and the Life (and in that order), for there is no life for those who are dead unless they have first been resurrected.  As it was for Lazarus, so it is for us today.  We are dead in our sins, and Christ calls us to life. 

When Jesus calls, his call brings the grace and forgiveness that comes with His cross.  We are set free from sin and death, and set free for life with Him.  He calls us out of a life of sin, in which we lay aside the burial cloths, those sins that bound us and trapped us, and He sets us free to a life of peace and righteousness.  He has raised us, and given us life!

Friends, Jesus is calling.  He knows your name, and He loves you.  You never have to doubt His love, He demonstrated it on the cross.  If you have heard Him calling, or if you hear Him calling today, know that the One who is the Resurrection and the Life is calling you to Himself.  Rise up out of the tombs, and begin your new life in Christ.

May the joy of the Resurrection be yours!

SDG

A Sure Save

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“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.” Psalm 62:1–2 (ESV)

 I spent the better part of the afternoon yesterday getting ready for the Senior High Youth Group rehearsal for our Easter Sunrise service.  These are always great events: a handful of half-asleep teens, leading us in praise and worship of the Risen Lord at the crack of dawn!  Always an adventure.  (I actually had one student ask if we could just have the Sunrise Service in the afternoon.)

To prepare for the service, I put together an overhead Worship Guide.  There were slides that led the congregation in praise of God for creation, incarnation, sacrifice, and resurrection.  There were slides that not only displayed the words of the songs we’ll be singing, but I actually figured out how to get the accompaniment tracks to play from this program (MediaShout is awesome!).  I have to admit, I was geeking out at my superior prowess with all things technical – that is until we made it to the sanctuary to practice.

It would seem that I forgot to save the file.  When I opened my computer, it restarted, and I lost all the work I had done that afternoon.  It was gone… forever.  Frantically I tried to put things back together so that we could rehearse.  Meanwhile, the Youth are graciously reminding me, “You know that’s what a ‘save’ button is for!”

Thankfully, my savior is not as absent minded as I.  God alone is the source of my salvation, He is my rock, my salvation, in Him, I will not be greatly shaken.  While this world may move and shake around me, while I can depend on the undependability of my own strength and assurances; God will never be moved, and my salvation is secure in His hands.

The psalmist goes on to say in Psalm 62, “Once God has spoken; twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.”  My friends, at times it may seem that we are standing on shifting sand, but know this: Power belongs to our God, and our God reigns with steadfast love.  In Him, we will never be lost like my abandoned files, we will always be saved, kept, and secure!

SDG