Easter is only a few weeks away, April 4! Last Easter there were six individuals who came forward to embrace a personal relationship with Christ. This is that time of year when individuals begin asking the question:who was Jesus, really? Why did he have to die? What’s the purpose for this holiday?

As a result, we encourage you to start praying for friends, family, or neighbors who have never heard the message of Jesus Christ, and to begin thinking about inviting them to Easter Services this year. Or perhaps you’ve stumbled onto our website asking yourself these same questions.  We would like to invite you to join us for our services this special Sunday. Our schedule is as follows:

1. Easter Services will start promptly at 10:30 AM. Come early for coffee. Kid-Mo Kids will remain with us in the sanctuary for the entire service. (Lil’K will continue)

2. A Pot-luck Lunch following Morning worship in the Fellowship Hall. Invite your friends and family to join us. We currently need volunteers to consider cooking a large turkey and/or ham which will be paid for by the church. Everybody can bring side-dishes and desserts (not paid for by church).

3. A giant Easter Egg Hunt following lunch (between now and Easter Sunday we are collecting candy donations to stuff in the eggs).

On Good Friday we will join with Cornerstone Baptist Church at 805 Sherbrooke Avenue to remember the crucifixion of Christ. We ask that you join with us to solemnly remember His sacrifice for our justification. We’ll have coffee, muffins, and fruit at 9:00 AM in the foyer. Following this we will have worship with selected scripture readings to be read by members of both congregations. Joshua will deliver the message and the Elders of Bridge Church and  Cornerstone Church will jointly conclude the worship service by leading both churches in communion.

Why so early? Because 9:00 AM was the hour that they nailed Jesus to the cross. We encourage you to join with us in worship Good Friday as we solemnly remember the enormous price that God paid in order to bring us home to be with Him.

For many of you this may be your first year to celebrate Good Friday with a clear understanding of what actually took place on this day so many years ago. You may be wondering how to celebrate this date. As you contemplate how to take this time to remember Christ’s crucifixion remember that it is a day of solemn remembrance. My wife and I have been celebrating Passover for several years now by preparing a traditional Jewish Passover meal (without going to the extremes of Kosher cleanliness), but celebrating it with a Christian understanding. Perhaps you might like to try this with your family. If so, I thought I would provide you with a menu to prepare for your meal. The following are menu items from a Traditional Jewish Passover Meal.  

Zeroah: traditionally a piece of roasted lamb shankbone, symbolizing the Paschal sacrificial offering. The Jews would bring the lamb into their home two weeks before the Passover. The animal would become a pet to the family. They would then take it to the Temple Mount at the appropriate time and have it slaughtered for the purposes of roasting it and consuming it in the evening. The death of the lamb was an offering to symbolize the wrath of God on sin. If a lamb was killed and the doors of the home were marked with the blood of the lamb, then the Scriptures promised that God would “pass over” that home and not exact vengeance upon those in the home for their sin. The Zeroah symbolizes the death of an innocent man, Christ, who was and is our friend who died in our place so that God would “pass over” our sins and forgive us. John the Baptist exclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” (John 1:29)

Matzoh: Three unleavened matzohs (unleavened bread) are placed within the folds of a napkin. Two are consumed during the dinner, and one (the Aftkomen), is spirited away and hidden during the dinner to be later found as a prize. Leaven represents sin, malice, and evil (1 Corinthians 5:6-8), and was to be removed from the homes of the Jewish people one week before the feast. Matzoh is symbolic of repentance from sin and is to be consumed as a side dish to the Zeroah. The Aftkomen, which is hidden before dinner, is to be searched for by the children at one point during the dinner to teach them the need to constantly be examining and searching out their own heart for any presence of sin in their lives.

Maror: bitter herbs, usually horseradish or romaine lettuce, used to symbolize the bitterness of slavery. These should taste bitter or sour, and should be consumed for the express purpose of putting a bitter taste in the mouth of the participant. This is intended to teach the bitterness of slavery to sin. It is best to eat this before consuming the Zeroah.

Karpas: a vegetable, preferably parsley or celery, representing hope and redemption; served with a bowl of salted water to represent the tears shed in anguish as one waits for the Lord. The Karpas are dipped in the salt water (tears) and then consumed. The Karpas is intended to teach that, although we have been redeemed by the Lord, our life on this earth will still be marked by tears and suffering, but we have the promise that our suffering serves a higher purpose (James 1:2-4).

As a result, we see the grand migration of consumers from church to church in Kamloops whenever one church is no longer cool, or the pastor resigns and moves to another church, or the consumer simply gets bored with routine attendance. How interesting that the people whom Jesus looked upon and pitied because they were harassed and helpless [Matthew 9:36] like sheep without a shepherd have now bought into the lie foisted upon them that they ought to always be wandering and never content with any shepherd -ever.

I think that this perpetual discontentment with church and incessant wandering is nothing shy of non-conversion. They aren’t really believers.  1 John 3:14 puts it simplest: “We know that we have passed out of death into life [eternal life, i.e. salvation], because we love the brothers [other Christians in the church].” John says that if you don’t attend church you’re not a Christian. “They went out from us [our church gathering], but they were not of us; for if they had been of us [a part of our fellowship], they would have continued with us.” 1 John 2:19

John puts it simplest in 1 John. I’ve always loved John for his simplicity of expression, and simplicity of communication. But Paul writes on a much more technical and deeper level.  Paul prays in Philemon 6, “…and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.” Paul’s prayer is that Philemon’s understanding and ‘full knowledge’ would be brought about through his fellowship with other believers. There is this obvious sense in this passage that a full and deep knowledge of God can only be had in the community of church.

Specifically, it must be had in the act of loving service to the brothers in the church. And the scriptures condemn the wanderers in Kamloops as loveless, uncommitted, and un-converted. 1 John 4:8, “Anyone who does not love [i.e. the church, other brothers; is committed to a fellowship of believers; i.e. is a member of the church, and doesn't up and leave whenever the pastor resigns or whenever the church isn't so cool anymore] does not know God [i.e. is unconverted, does not have a relationship with God, still dead in sins and trespasses, and still destined for hell], because God is love.”

So you must be converted to Christ. What does conversion look like? It looks like a lot of different things: conversion is synonymous with routine church attendance; conversion is synonymous with active participation in a Life Group; conversion impacts your wallet; conversion impacts your friends; and conversion impacts your lifestyle.

Conversion does not look like church shopping for the church with the best kids program. Conversion does not look like going to church but living like hell the rest of the week. Conversion does not look like sitting on the back row every week yet not knowing the name of more than five individuals in your church. Conversion does not look like these things. You must convert to Christ to go to heaven.

I personally didn’t buy a class ring. I’m not much for jewelry. However, as a caveat, if I was the third-string, bench-warming, no-talent water boy for the Dallas Cowboys and we won the superbowl – I would probably get the superbowl ring and wear that around. That would be cool.

Did you know that all Christians all wear a symbol of their special status as being christians? It’s true. We who claim the name of Christ all wear a special symbol. But it’s not a ring. We actually put on the living God. He’s our class ring. Seriously. Three passages of scripture indicate a work of the Holy Spirit revealed under the symbol of “sealing” (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30). The context of these passages indicate that the sealing is a ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian.

All the passages make clear that the act of sealing is accomplished entirely by God. It is never given in the form of an exhortation or a command to the believer. It is not a goal to which the Christian should strive. You, Joe Christian, don’t need to actively pursue the sealing of the Spirit. Being sealed with the Holy Spirit is a glorious act by God performed by Him alone upon those whom He has saved. Unbelievers are not sealed.

2 Corinthians 1:22 shows that the sealing of the Christian by God is done by putting the Holy Spirit upon the person. God, in his mercy, has provided a seal of greater significance than could be found in anyone or anything else. The figure is that of a finished transaction.

A seal signifies identification and ownership. I will always be a graduate from Dallas Baptist University (even though I dont wear a ring to show it). Nothing changes that fact. No matter what happens- I graduated from DBU. It’s a finished, accomplished fact of history. A class ring shows the world that I have successfully graduated from DBU, and the world can plainly see that I satisfied the requirements necessary to obtain a Bachelor’s degree from DBU.

God seals us with His Holy Spirit. God himself is our class ring. His seal shows the world that we belong to him and that we are certified owners of citizenship in heaven. In light of this fact take care, Christian. We who believe in Christ are God’s seal and signature in this world. You are the temple of the living God. The Holy Seal of the Universal Emporer rests upon your soul. Don’t act like a rebel. Dont trash the Seal. Dont treat God with disdain or contempt. Live like the ambassador that the Holy Spirit makes you. Live like you are worthy of the Seal.

As we look at the economic turmoil around our world, it is no secret that many people are in trouble.  GM just announced that they are cutting 2,000 jobs.  Air Canada is temporarily laying off 345 people.  Without a doubt, The economic situation is grim.

Just like our economic status – our moral and spiritual status is grim too.  Let’s look at the situation for just a moment.  God gave us a moral and spiritual law to keep.  We know these as the Ten Commandments.  Take a look at Exodus 20.1-17.  The first four commandments deal with our relationship with God.  The last six commandments focus on our relationships with each other.  The Ten Commandments focus on our morality and our spirituality.

Now, can anyone honestly say that they have always kept these commandments?  Ask yourself a few questions – have you ever told a lie?  Have you ever stolen anything?  Have you ever taken God’s name in vain?  Romans 8.7 says that we cannot keep the law.  Furthermore, Romans 2.14-15 reveals to us that the law of God, His moral and spiritual standards, are written on our hearts.  Basically, we all know right from wrong.  Rightness and wrongness is something that is inherent within every humans heart.

As Tom Hanks said (in Apollo 13), “Houston, we have a problem.”  God gave a standard for us that we cannot keep (remember the 10 commandments).  Actually, you and I have a standard that we can’t keep.  That’s right, we don’t live up to our own moral goodness.  This leaves us with a moral and spiritual bankruptcy problem.  Because we have a law written on our hearts – when we break that law – we sin (Romans 3.20).  Romans 3.23 continues to say that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  Additionally, we find in Scriptures that our payment for sin is death (Romans 6.23).

This is where I have become bankrupt.  Apparently, my sin is a debt owed to God.  By nature, my sin becomes an infinite debt owed to an infinite God.  I’m not alone in this bankruptcy.  You, me, and everyone else has fallen short of God’s standard.

There is a false understanding that says something like, “when you die, your good and bad deeds will be weighed.  If the good outweighs the bad, then you are in favour with God.  However, if your bad deeds outweigh the good, then you are not okay.”  This is a nice sentiment, but it is completely false.

Scripture is clear that we have a problem that cannot be fixed by our own merrit.  However, Scripture clearly gives us the remedy.  Romans 10.9-13 shows that our remedy is found in Jesus Christ.  Our faith and trust in Jesus Christ is what “justifies” us before God.  Justification basically means that we are in a right standing before God.  This is critical.  Jesus Christ, by dying on the cross, paid the debt for my sin (remember, wages of sin is death).  It was his death that satisfies the wrath of God for me and for you.

You need to know that salvation is available to all, but it is not automatic.  By trusting in him (Jesus), this salvation will be appropriated to you.

Yes, we are bankrupt, but our bankruptcy is paid in full by Jesus Christ.

For more information, listen to this message.

By this point I’m sure you’re asking, “What is he talking about?” I’m talking about eternal security, and a personal assurance that we are truly the children of God. “Am I going to heaven? Am I truly saved? I know that I’ve sinned several hundred times since I accepted Christ earlier this morning, so I just want to make sure that I have not lost my salvation.” These are good concerns to have, but they should not be perpetual irritations about which we go on ever fretting ourselves to death. I believe we can safely and correctly answer the question of a man’s salvation, and move on confidently to other items of pressing concern such as our neighbor’s salvation, or the salvation of the guy who works in the office cubicle down the hall.

There is too much Christian literature which compels us to consistently revisit this question. In a recent book Edmund McDavid asked, “Does God’s Spirit testify to me that I am a Christian?” In response to his own question, he answered with a scripture recitation: “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,” (Romans 8:16). Without further explanation and moving on to some other point, McDavid leaves his readers thinking that the Holy Spirit must speak to us in the dark of night as we drift off to sleep, whispering to us, “Hey Josh, this is the Holy Spirit talking, not your imagination. I just wanted you to know that you are in fact going to heaven. I just wanted to share that with you. Have a good night’s sleep. See ya in the morning, buddy.”

So many Christians worry about their salvation because they receive no similar whisperings or inner promptings from the Holy Spirit. The question frequently arises, “Where did my inner prompting go? Did I ever have an inner prompting? I know something happened… but now I’m not so sure what it was that happened. Am I really saved?” The problem is in the fact that you are not reading the verse correctly, and guys like McDavid are twisting it to make it say something that it is not saying. The verse says that the Holy Spirit testifies with your spirit that you are a child of God. The verse is NOT saying that the Holy Spirit is testifying to you. There is a huge difference between “with” and “to.” A correct reading should be, “The Spirit himself testifies WITH our spirit that we are children of God.”

Since this verse is so frequently twisted to suggest that the Holy Spirit is talking to us, we probably need to ask the question, “If the Holy Spirit is NOT talking to us, then who is He talking to?” In the Old Testament, and in Rabbinical law -the rule was that you could not accept the testimony of only one witness. Nothing could be accepted in a court of law that did not have at least two witnesses. Therefore, what this passage of scripture is saying is that when we show up at the Pearly White Gates and God asks us, “Why should I let you into my Heaven,” we can respond to His question, but we will not be the only one responding. As we testify to God that we are His children, there is another One who will add His voice to our own individual testimony: the Holy Spirit. God may not accept our testimony, but He must accept the testimony of the Holy Spirit. The best understanding of this verse is, “The Spirit himself testifies WITH our spirit [TO God] that we are children of God.”

So it’s okay if you don’t have inner promptings from the Holy Spirit every night before you drift off to sleep. I don’t have those mystical experiences, and so I don’t expect you to either. However, this does bring me to an interesting second question. The verse says that “the Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit…” Do you know for a fact with your understanding of God and the Scriptures that you have satisfied His requirments for holiness and righteousness? Do you know for a fact that you will go to Heaven when you die? Let’s forget for a second about all this stuff concerning the Holy Spirit. Let us imagine that we are face to face with God, and there’s no worry about anyone else testifying or not testifying on our behalf. Let’s just imagine for a second that as we stand before God He asks the famous question, “Why should I let you into this most glorious and most wonderful place?” What do you say to Him? There is an exclusively correct answer, and if you dont know what it is, then you are in trouble. If you can’t answer that question correctly, then you should not assume that the Holy Spirit is going to testify on your behalf. If you have trouble answering that question, then maybe you should chat with either me or Donnie about it this Sunday morning. We’d love to talk to you about it. We can give you the correct answer to that question. We can help you figure out for sure if the Holy Spirit is on your side or not.

See you Sunday.

In Christ,

Josh