"May the Lord make his face shine upon you and give you peace"

"For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." - Colossians 1:19-20

When I was a kid, growing up in a Lutheran church with all it's liturgy, my favorite part of the service was the benediction...

"May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; may the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace."

I didn't know what countenance meant but I do remember thinking those were the most beautiful words..."may the Lord make His face to shine upon you...and give you peace". It always made me smile!

Granted, I had no idea what that peace really meant and it wasn't until this Easter, my first as a "born again" Christian, when I truly understood what it meant for my Lord to "give me peace." In fact, even though I am no longer a practicing Lutheran, I went to a Lutheran service on Easter just to hear those words again. This go around it was AWESOME!!

Let's consider the peace of the risen Christ. What were the first words Jesus spoke to the disciples? "Peace be with you!" In fact, those were the second words as well. And when he showed up the first time Thomas was present, his first words to our doubting friend were also "Peace be with you!". (John 20:19-27)

While some skeptics might say, "That was a common greeting among Jews of that time" and not give it much significance, they are wrong. The greeting was intentional and had significant meaning. For there was really NEVER any peace until Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.

What do I mean? Jesus' death broke down the barrier between us and God (Matthew 27:51). Through Jesus' shed blood, we were given the ability to approach the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:14). We were justified through Christ's blood (Romans 5:9), reconciled to our Father (Romans 5:10) and set free from the punishment of sin, which was death (Romans 6:23). Only now can we have true peace over the thing that scares us the most, death (1 Corinthians 15:26).

Friends, today, I want you to to know Jesus' death, burial and resurrection has saved you. It has brought with it a peace which those who have yet to know and receive the Lord can't comprehend or understand. Today, you are blessed to walk in the resurrection peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Radiate that peace, share it with a friend, a co-worker, a member of your family who has yet to experience it. It wasn't a gift to be horded but to be shared!!

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7

The Great Commission

"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" Romans 10:14-15

Sunday we celebrated the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!! What an awesome event. I went to two church services, both filled to the brim with people in their new dresses, suits, hats. Easter is a day to dress up, be with family and attend church. As I looked around the churches, I was overwhelmed with Joy at the number of people who show up on Easter Sunday. I don't judge and question why it is the only day of the year they come. I praised God that they DID come and asked Him to open there hearts and minds so they would hear something that would bring them back!!

However, as the days march on and we get back into the habits of our daily life, I am saddened that we seem to lose the final message of Christ on earth. Why do we let those people who only come to church once a year slip back into the habit of not coming? Is is not our duty to now go out and preach the Good News of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. Is that not the final command given to us by our Lord and Savior? That is our Great Commission as believers in Jesus Christ. ( Matthew 28:19-20)

Let us pray for God to soften the hearts and minds of those who have not found the great peace His resurrection brings. Let us spread the Good News. Let us not be silent and wait another year for Easter to come and go. It is our duty as Christians to reach out and touch the lives of others. To be salt and light to the world. We cannot sit back and hope someone else will do it.

Each of you who are compelled to read this post, I encourage you to share this note. Ask people to subscribe to this BLOG or join us on Facebook. Help spread the good news of Jesus. Over the next few weeks, I want to explore the peace of Jesus. The resurrection peace that comes from His death, burial and resurrection. There are so many people out there hurting, suffering, searching for that peace. Let us fulfill our responsibility to the Lord Jesus Christ, to spread the Good News of the Gospel and reach people who are hungry for His peace.

Join me today. Let's grow this page, let's spread the word.

Lord, thank you for leading people to this page and this note, please set their hearts and minds on Your commission to "make disciples of all nations". Fill us with the Holy Spirit, giving us the strength to overcome persecution for our beliefs and thereby spreading your good news. Help us to reach someone who is hurting, suffering, lonely, someone who needs to hear your word. Lord, use us to bring the sheep of your flock home. In Jesus name, Amen.

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power and the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all." Acts 4:32-33

Is there a cross in your life?

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ 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 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

This morning, I stood looking in the mirror at the two crosses hanging around my neck. One mine, the other my Mother's, both beautiful. I never take them off. They are very special to me. However, on this Good Friday my thoughts went back to the day our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. In those Roman times, there was nothing beautiful about the cross. It was an instrument of punishment for the most vile of criminals. It was beyond cruel, a slow death with great suffering for all to witness. Scripture even notes the shame of death by crucifixion. (Hebrews 12:2)

The cross was absolutely essential to God's plan. Only through the witness of the cross could God show the world His uncompromising love. He sacrificed His son in the most vile and shameful way so we might grasp "how wide and long and high and deep" His love is for us (Ephesians 3:18). It was the only way we could be rescued from death that is sin.

Jesus' death on the cross was our only hope for reconciliation with the Father. "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross." Colossians 2:13-14

So, as I look at the two beautiful golden crosses around my neck, I am reminded through the power of God, something so vile, so ugly, is transformed into something of great beauty. Isn't that exactly what happens to us at the moment we accept Jesus Christ into our lives? We are transformed from an ugly sinner to a beautiful child of God!!

So, today my friend, ask yourself, is there a cross in your life?