Victor

Victor of the Dark Domain

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I have had a hymn running through my mind.  It’ funny, I haven’t been to a church that has sung this song in a while, but it’s still imbedded in my brain.  Probably the observance of Easter brought it to the forefront.

 

Text: Robert Lowry, 1826-1899
Music: Robert Lowry, 1826-1899
Tune: CHRIST AROSE, Meter: 65.64 with Refrain

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1.      Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior,

waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

Refrain:

Up from the grave he arose;

with a mighty triumph o'er his foes;

he arose a victor from the dark domain,

and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.

He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

 

2.      Vainly they watch his bed, Jesus my Savior,

vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!

(Refrain)

 

3.      Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior;

he tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!

(Refrain)

 

The stanza that is sticking with me is – he arose a victor from the dark domain. 

Many times, when I read the headlines, I feel like evil is winning. 

What I have to remember is that evil may win a battle, but Christ alone will win the war.  

 

Revelation 1:18

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁸ I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

 

 

Their Darkest Hour

God Wasn't Done

 

 

Somewhere in time, a little over two thousand years ago, a group of people were hiding out.  They had spent three years following a man they believed to be the messiah, but the man was dead now.  They were hiding out in fear the soldiers would be after them next.  Fear they might be the next to be nailed to the cross.

Together in their grief, fear and worry, they waited.  They weren’t sure what they were waiting for, but at the very least for the danger to lift a little. Then they could return home.  Then they could get back to the lives they had before they started following the teacher.

It had been three days.  Women from their assembly, not as noticeable as the others, crept out and down to the grave.  They planned to finish preparing the body for its continued burial.   When they got there, the stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty.  Confused, they looked around. Who could have stolen the body?

They ran back to the others and told them the body was gone.  A few ran back.  Mystified, the worry intensified. Whoever had taken the body, what else did they plan to do?

They went back to their safe room and locked the door.

Mary Magdalene stayed at the grave.

A man she thought was the gardener appeared and asked what she was looking for.  She told him she was looking for a body but He spoke her name – Mary.  She knew it was her Lord.

Suddenly jubilant she ran back to tell the others. She must have lost her mind they thought.  They saw him die, how could he be alive?

They didn’t believe her.  Running back to the tomb they found nothing.  How could he be alive?

Two of them decided to leave the area and walk to a small village. They walked with their head held low, contemplating the events of the past few days. As they walked a stranger appeared. He walked with them and talked with them.  He told them all prophesies that Jesus fulfilled.  He started with Moses and kept going until they realized they were walking and talking with Jesus.  As soon as they realized this, the stranger disappeared.

Back in the locked room, they discussed the risen Lord. They were sure of it now, but not sure what to do about it.  They were afraid to believe what they had seen and afraid to trust their own heart.

Christ appeared in the room suddenly.  The light of God entered the room. The darkness of worry and concern fled.   

Jesus was not dead, He was alive. 

The mourning turned to celebration. 

John 11:25

King James Version (KJV)

²⁵ Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

A group of people that had previously hid for fear of their lives went out into the streets to boldly proclaim – the Messiah has come.  Jesus is the Messiah and He has risen from the dead. 

This Easter, let’s boldly proclaim the risen Lord. 

 

Newsboys - Jesus Paid it All (Official Lyric Video) from newsboys on GodTube.

He is Risen

He is Risen Indeed!




Somewhere in time, this week, I have been thinking about my blog.  Palm Sunday is this Sunday and that must have been a joyous event. I thought about it, but all that occupied my mind was the death and resurrection of Jesus. So instead of remembering why we celebrate Palm Sunday, I’m going to remember why we celebrate Jesus. 


In this Easter season, we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  There is no tomb we can visit to honor our God, the tomb is empty.  I have heard it said that Jesus didn’t really die, he was just injured.  If you think about it, that's not possible. Jesus was whipped with a cat of nine tails.  This is a special whip that has several endings.  Each tip has pieces of glass and pottery imbedded. The purpose is not to cut the skin, but it was meant to grab the flesh and rip it off.  When Pilate said, “Behold the man”, it could be because he was surprised that Jesus survived the beatings.


This is not the end.
The Roman soldiers put a robe on his beaten and bloody back and a crown of thorns on his head and then they mocked him.  Pulling the robe off after the blood started to congeal into the fabric, they would replace the robe with a cross.  He didn’t have the strength to carry the cross, so a man was pulled from the crowd and required to carry the cross for Jesus. Once at the location, they nailed spikes into his hands and heals.  They left him hanging in a position that made it difficult to breathe, and the pain was unbearable. If he had been removed from the cross at this point, he would have been alive.  If he was walking around in three days completely well, then that would be a miracle in and of itself, but the day wasn’t over.


The sky turned dark.
Matthew 27:50-56 (The Message Bible) “ But Jesus, again crying out loudly, breathed his last.  At that moment, the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom.  There was an earthquake and the rocks split in pieces. What’s more, tombs were opened up, and many bodies of believers asleep in their graves were raised. (After Jesus’ resurrection, they left the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many). The captain of the guard and those with him, when they saw the earthquake and everything else that was happening, were scared to death. They said, “This has to be the Son of God.””


The curtain in the temple was torn right down the middle.
After all of this, a centurion, someone experienced with death, used a spear to pierce Jesus through the side and into the heart.  From Jesus’s side, blood and water flowed.  This is a sure sign of death.


An earthquake shattered the rocks.
On Sunday morning, the followers of Jesus were hiding out in fear for their lives.  A couple of women went to the tomb to finish preparing Jesus’s body for his continued burial, but the tomb was empty.


The tomb was empty!
The wages of sin is death.  God knew the only way to make provision for us is to have a perfect sacrifice.  Christ is the sacrifice for our redemption and for our salvation.  As we celebrate Easter, let’s remember the sacrifice behind the holiday.  

 

Casting Crowns - "Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me)" - Live from casting-crowns on GodTube.

All Creatures

of our God and King

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I was driving home from an appointment and I saw a man trying to walk three dogs.  It caught my attention because one of the dogs was a beautiful Siberian Husky.  The dog looked majestic as it walked tall and proud. I thought to myself, God must have had fun creating dogs. 

God didn’t just create one type of dog, there are several.  Some are large and some are small.  Others have fur to spare and others hardly any fur at all.  Each dog has a different temperament and personality.  God created so many types of animals just as he created so many types of people. I'm a person that enjoys pets.  Thinking about animals made me think of the hymn, “All Creatures of our God and King”, written by St. Francis. 

Many years ago, St Francis was also someone who enjoyed the creatures of this world. It is reported that St. Francis once preached a sermon to a flock of birds.  Maybe he did.  I used to try to teach my cats how to read when I was young.  When you enjoy something, or believe something so much, you will tell anyone or anything that will stay still and quiet long enough to hear.

St. Frances composed his hymn in 1225.

All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!

This Hymn is based on Psalms148 

1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

² Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

³ Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

⁴ Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.

⁵ Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.

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While it’s true that St. Francis enjoyed God’s creation, his real passion was serving the living God. 

I do think its funny that most of God’s creation recognizes God as their creator.  There is a verse in the Bible that says if the people were quiet, the rocks would cry out.  So really, the only created thing that doesn’t acknowledge God is us – humans.  We somehow think we are above worshipping our creator, but at times we worship His creation.

Let’s enjoy God’s creation while giving praise and honor to the creator of all.  God.

 

 

 

Matt Redman - 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) (Official Music Video) from matt-redman on GodTube.