Covenant Life Church

When Jesus Christ walked out of the tomb on Easter morning, He walked out in a resurrected physical body. When He was on the earth, He was in a physical body. He was — and IS — a real person. He’s not a mythical figure or a philosophical construct; there is a real Jesus this morning who not only lived, died and rose again but also Who is alive and well this morning and will live forever! From almost every church on Easter, an invitation will go out to follow Jesus, but not everyone who claims to be a Christian is one. However, not every pulpit is preaching the real Jesus revealed in His Word. The goal of following Jesus isn’t fame or fortune. It is forgiveness of sin, relationship with Him and a commitment to His Kingdom. It’s the ability to say with confidence, “That’s my King.”

There is much to be learned in the four gospels by reading about the crucifixion of Jesus, but what often gets lost in the sensory overload of the events described is the perspective that only time and distance can offer. If you just read the accounts, you’ll get the impression that it was a power play, a political assassination or a religious feud. However, the Bible tells us that Jesus was sent for this. The crucifixion didn’t happen by accident. It was the plan all along because He loves the world that much. It wasn’t an assassination; Jesus willingly laid down His life. In fact, when Jesus talks about the cross in John 3, He refers to an event from Moses’s life that happened 1,800 years before He was even born. This week, we’re going outside the crucifixion accounts to find new depth and insight.

In Jeremiah 29:11-14, God is speaking to the exiles in Babylon. His message to the Jewish people who had been deported from Jerusalem was one of hope and a future; He wanted them to know that He had plans for them despite their hardship. While graduating isn’t the same as being deported, it is a huge accomplishment reflecting hard work and dedication, and it is a move the rest of the students’ lives. For Graduation Recognition Sunday, Matt Carlisle — a member of our high school ministry team — encourages young people to build their lives on the firm foundation of God’s Word. By pointing out five common things we’re all likely to face, he illustrates that the things from our childhood can follow us through adulthood, but he also reminds us that Jesus can help us change and overcome the challenges of life.

The tent of meeting, which we read about in Exodus 33, was a tent that Moses set up outside the camp of the Israelites. He would go into the tent and meet with God about the decisions he needed to make and directions he needed to take in leading Israel toward the will of God. It was a place where Moses could be in the manifested presence of God. As a matter of fact, some translations called it the Tent of the Lord’s Presence. When we think of talking to or hearing from God, we often think it may happen at some point in the future or that we missed opportunity sometime in the past. However, the Bible refers to our bodies as temporary tents and says they are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. We don’t have to worry that we’ve missed our chance or wait until the future; we can enter into God’s presence any place and time — right here in the present tense.

Throughout history, the role of the father has been vital to the stability of their children. Fathers have been the cornerstones of their families and the communities. In modern times, the role of the father has been diminished as part of an intentional spiritual attack designed to weaken our families and the fabric of our nation. In honor of Father’s Day, we’re talking about the investment that we make in our kids. There are thousands of dollars and thousands of hours spent raising a kid to 18, but this week, we’re looking at a different kind of investment: what fathers say, display and pray. These three areas naturally define a child — whether positively or negatively.