A few thoughts about the resurrection

On reading the account of Jesus’ resurrection and appearing to His disciples I was struck by how He gently prepared them to receive the truth. They had just been devastated because of His death. They were convinced He was the Messiah and would deliver them from the Romans, but instead the Romans had killed Him on a cross. This looked like the end of everything to them. But Jesus rose again and gently prepared His disciples, including the women, to see Him once more, the risen Christ. First the women found the stone over the tomb had been rolled away and looking in saw there was no body. They relayed the news back to Peter and John who came to see for themselves. When they had gone Mary Magdalene stayed at the tomb and met a man she presumed was the gardener, but when He spoke to her and used her name she recognised Jesus and believed what she was seeing. She went back and told the disciples that Jesus was alive, but they did not believe.

Two disciples decided to leave Jerusalem and go to Emmaus, perhaps it was their home. On the way they talked about all that had happened that week. After a while a stranger joined them and having heard their account of the death of Jesus He began to explain to them from the Old Testament that the Messiah was meant to die. They invited Him into their home and at the meal the stranger took bread and broke it and blessed it. It was then that they recognised Jesus and at once He disappeared. They could not keep this to themselves but returned the seven miles to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples, not just the eleven. It was only after all this preparation that Jesus appeared to His disciples in the upper room. He suggested they touch Him to prove He was not a ghost and ate food for the same reason. Again He showed the many places in the Old Testament which spoke about Him. This shows we need to know our Old Testament as well as our New.

Jesus appeared to His disciples many times over the next six weeks. They were changed people and ready to receive the Spirit and then to spread the Good News of Jesus boldly wherever and whenever they could.

Jesus still leads His children tenderly and gently today. And then He sends us out to spread the Good News of salvation in Jesus alone.

Life after death

When we lose a loved one it is natural to wonder how they are faring in the next life. I would warn against going to a medium to find out. At worst these people are charlatans after your money, the rest misguided or worse. We are told in the Bible not to try to reach the dead. The best person to call on in this situation is Jesus. That's right, go to the top. He is always available through prayer and doesn't make a charge. All he requires is that you look for him with all your heart. He has the answers to all of life's difficult questions.

Constructive criticism

First of all thanks to Fat Prophet for your interest. I see from your blog you are having trouble commenting. To get back to my assessed service. Criticism albeit constructive is harder for some to take than others. I felt a little crushed after my assessed service but then remembered I had recorded it on my dictaphone. I listened to it all through and although my assessors were quite right about me speaking a little quickly and rushing from item to item, I was actually very pleased with the content of my sermon and how I presented it. So I have decided to take heart. I highly recommend other trainees to record your services. You can hear your good points and your bad and there is no argument about it, it is all caught on the recorder.

Section A

I've posted off my work for section A. Now to get on with B. Onward and upward as they say. It does feel good to have completed A, progress is being made.I think my tutor is more nervous than I as to the outcome, but then I am his first student. We are learning from each other.But then that should always be the case. It's an adventure we go on together.The course seems to be suiting me alright but I feel there are a lot of potentially excellent local preachers out there who are put off by the study. Something should be devised to include these good people, we can ill afford to do without them, especially as the numbers of ministers is dropping. What did Wesley do? You don't need a degree, or even A levels to preach. You need a call, and a close relationship with God.

Preaching with a purpose

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