Author: Jon Wellman

I am hearing wonderful things from all over the place about lives that were changed during services Easter Sunday. One church planted three new churches and saw hundreds saved. Another saw several hundred saved in their services. Yet another saw over 700 saved. I have been amazed at the extent God has been at work in houses of worship lately.

How many more are unaware?

I saw an article about a website that, after the rapture, will send your loved ones an email with a final plea to turn to Christ before all is lost for eternity. Now, I don’t really have a problem with such an enterprise. Some of the comments about the website, however, were troubling.

One person said that if all the “Bible-thumpers” were to disappear, it would be great. “We could teach science and reason in our schools, give everyone equal rights, explore space, and clean up the environment. It would be a golden age for mankind.”

WHAT? Let me see if I understand. Millions of people vanish. Untold chaos erupts worldwide. And from all that… paradise ensues?

Another person said that unbelievers were the ones that would be “swept away,” because in Matthew 24 it says that it would be as it was in the days of Noah. Just goes to show that a little knowledge (very little) is a dangerous thing.

There were dozens more examples of misinformation, truth rejection, and absurdity. But they all point to why we need to remain vigilant and not rest on our successes. Millions need Christ, including those behind every negative comment towards our God and what He plans to do. I pray for every one of those anonymous souls that desperately need salvation before they are unpleasantly surprised by the reality of what’s to come.

Every Sunday is a new opportunity. Every minute of every day is a new opportunity. Let us all look for new ways to tell others about the hope we have in Christ.

I hesitate to even write this entry, because I don’t want people to get the wrong idea. I’m not making light of sacrifice.

As we approach Easter, I’ve been thinking about the cross and the grave. The other morning as I was getting ready for church, I believe God spoke into my life…

Anybody can die. 

The miraculous thing about our salvation and Christ’s death on the cross is not that He died. Two thieves died next to Him that day. Many others died before or since. Christ suffered like no man has ever suffered and died a death more horrific than anyone else has ever experienced. And He allowed it to happen. But was His death a miracle? Not really.

God the Son wrapping Himself in flesh and being born of a virgin? Yes, I would call that miraculous. Feeding thousands with practically nothing? Miraculous. Walking on water? Without a doubt. But dying? No. Christ’s earthly body started to die when He was born. Human flesh is finite and relatively easy to kill.

The miracle came three days later. Our Savior and Lord conquered sin, death, and the grave to pay our sin debt. The tomb where He was laid is empty today because our Messiah didn’t stay in there. The grave could not hold our King.

Pastor Johnny Hunt said it best when he said that churches might want to replace the cross on the wall with an empty tomb. I think I agree with that.

The story didn’t end at the cross. That’s the miracle. We should be forever grateful for the sacrifice our Savior made, and in awe of the fact that death couldn’t keep its grip on Him.