By Randy A. Rathman, Pastor
Harvest Church of the Nazarene
Arab, Alabama
JOHN 12:12-19
Once again we
are already at Palm Sunday. This is the
first day of the week before Easter! In just
one week we will celebrate the most glorious
day on the Christian calendar. We couldn’t
have Easter without Christmas but without
Easter Christmas wouldn’t matter. As we
approach this holy day, as we prepare to
celebrate the death and resurrection of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ it would be
great preparation for every family
represented here today to begin with the
12th chapter of John’s gospel and read “the
rest of the story” together as a family
every night for the next week. In fact turn
right now to the 12th chapter and let’s read
verses 12-19.
This is John’s recount of the “Triumphal
Entry” of Jesus into Jerusalem. The gospels
tell us that this is happening during
Passover. This was the biggest event on the
Jewish calendar so there were throngs of
pilgrims in town for the celebration. John
tells us in the preceding verses that when
the crowds heard Jesus was in Bethany, just
outside of Jerusalem, they came to see Him
and Lazarus who Jesus had raised from the
dead. On the next day when Jesus made His
grand entry the same crowds lined the road
waving palm branches and shouted “Hosanna!”
The same crowds proclaimed Jesus King of
Israel and acknowledged that He came “in the
name of the Lord.” They were collectively
testifying to the fulfillment of ancient
prophecy and proclaim Jesus to be their long
awaited Messiah. Complete message.....
Revival in the Home
Matt Jordan, pastor
Rocky Mount Primitive Baptist Church
“Except the Lord build the house, they
labour in vain that build it.” (Psalm
127:1) Our homes need rebuilding. The
family is in danger. Whether it is new
construction, or reconstruction, there
must be a plan, a blueprint. God has
given us the exact blueprint to follow –
His Holy Scriptures. The Bible gives us
the information we need to form and
build relationships within the family.
Who better to instruct us than the One
who created us? Christ-centered families
are those that follow God’s wise plan.
The philosophy of the world, which is in
direct opposition, tells us to lay up
treasures upon the earth, to seek after
notoriety, and to gain prominence in
every worldly activity possible.
Worldly-minded families become
disconnected and dysfunctional. The
dinner table turns into a fast-food
buffet. Communication takes place over
the phone or through instant messaging.
Instructions are left on the
refrigerator or given by email. And we
wonder why our children become swallowed
up. The family is becoming an endangered
species!
Every building must have a foundation.
Without it, the house will fall. That
foundation is Christ. The relationship
between a husband and his wife is
compared to the relationship between
Christ and His bride, the Church. Each
has a particular role to fill. The life
of a husband is marked by love and
sacrifice; respect and submission
characterize the wife. The purpose in
each role is to magnify Christ the
foundation, not self-satisfaction or
self-gratification. If the foundation is
missing, we can only expect instability;
a house tossed to and fro, swaying out
of control with the philosophies of the
world. With Christ as the center,
husbands can find the confidence to
lead, the strength to protect, and the
wisdom to provide; wives will find a
reason to respect, a willingness to
submit, and a desire to follow. If
Christ is at the center, God will be the
architect of our family and our labor
will not be in vain.
The foundation of the family is being
replaced with worldly philosophies. The
pursuit of material wealth has driven us
away from God’s blueprint for the
family. The quest for financial success
is turning the home into simply a
boarding house. Very little time is
spent together in the den or around the
dining room table. Family entertainment
barely exists in the world, but it is on
the decline now even in our homes. The
self-gratification system of the world
is tearing our families apart. Then,
when trouble comes, we look to that same
worldly philosophy for help, but find
none. In the days of Joseph when Pharaoh
had some perplexing dreams, the
magicians of Egypt were consulted but
none could help. Finally, someone
remembered Joseph, a man of God with a
gift and a message from God. Pharaoh
heeded the message, placed Joseph in a
position of authority and the nation was
spared. Let us not go down to Egypt for
help. God’s word alone contains the
blueprint for our families.
Click the E-Water.net link below to
receive a blessing in scripture, photos
and music. At E-Water you will find
Christian Flashes and E-Cards meant to
inspire and to warm the hearts of
Christians and seekers alike. Choose any
or all of the flash movies then relax and
listen for God's message.
