T.J.I.F.A.

 

THANK JESUS IT'S FRIDAY AGAIN!
PASS IT ON…& ON…& ON…& ON.
MARCH 5, 2004

 

30 MORE DAYS TO RESURRECTION SUNDAY

 

SUBJECT:  "WHO HAS SEEN JESUS?" 

 

HAVE YOU SEEN JESUS?  THIS WAS OUR QUESTION LAST WEEK.  THIS WEEK, WE REPHRASE AND NOW ASK; WHO HAS SEEN JESUS?   THERE ARE DOUBTERS, LIKE THOMAS, WHO DON'T BELIEVE THAT HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD.  WE WILL FIND A FEW EYE WITNESSES TO THE RESURRECTION, WHO ARE HAPPILY OVERLOOKED.  CRITICS YEARN TO DISCOUNT THE RESURRECTION; BUT, THE WITNESSES ARE PREVALENT; BUT, WE MUST LOOK. 

 

NOTEWORTHY:   PRESENT DAY WITNESSES.

 

FRIDAY'S WORD: LENT (A MEANING SHARED WITH US)
   
IN THE MIRROR: AN INSIGHT ON HEAVEN.

 

O TASTE AND SEE!  JOYCE'S VANILLA TOPPING.  GOOD FOR CAKES AND ICE CREAM.  WE'LL GIVE YOU A GOOD SCRATCH CAKE NEXT WEEK…ENJOY! 
NOTE: REGARDING LAST WEEK'S BISCUIT RECEIPT, USE SELF-RISING FLOUR.

 

LOOKING FORWARD

 

SEE YA NEXT TIME!

 

TER
WHO HAS SEEN JESUS?

 

Acts 1: 11"Men of Galilee why do you stand gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus who as taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." 

 

Last week the question was presented:  "Have you ever seen Jesus?"  This week, we'll research a few appearances of Jesus, The Resurrected, and its effect on the observer.  It would be ludicrous to think that we could cover everything, but, with the space that we have we will do our very best. 

 

The Resurrection and reported appearances of Jesus Christ, after His crucifixion was and is a point of contention for many.  (Believers and Non- Believers)  It is well understood that IF Jesus Resurrected from the dead, then, indeed, He is greater than just a man.  Thousands upon thousands saw Jesus, the man.  They ate the fish, and the loaves of bread which were multiplied before them from a young boy's lunch; they were partakers, or observed Him heal lepers, the blind, the sick of the palsy, the lame and the dumb and many watched as he cast devils out of the possessed, crowds witnessed him raise the young girl, the widow's son and Lazarus from the dead.  ("And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." John 21:25 )    Every miracle has been explained away or seemingly imitated by the minute and insufficient reasoning of man. (Just as Pharaoh's magicians attempted to imitate the hand of GOD, shown through Moses.)   Jesus was no ordinary man.  But, who is HE? 

 

The question that has plagued the generations…Who is He?  Is He the Son of GOD? And, who has actually seen Jesus?   Witnesses to the most talked about miracle ever to have taken place…THE RESURRECTION, are readily available in the WORD of GOD. 

 

Mary  Magdalene was the first  to acknowledge that Jesus was no longer where they had laid Him.  She ran and told the Disciples that His body was gone.  When Simon and John heard  this report,  they, too, ran to the tomb and found only the linens which previously had wrapped His body and the napkin for His head.  Scripture says:  "Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first,   went in also and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead."(John 20:8,9)   These two Disciples went home leaving Mary Magdalene weeping at the empty tomb. 

 

While Mary mourned the removal of the body without consent, she stooped and looked into the tomb.  There she saw two Angels sitting one at the head and one at the foot where Jesus had lain.  They asked her why she was weeping and she told them that they had taken away the body of her Lord, and she didn't know where they had laid Him. 
It's easy to presume or assume that Mary wanted to ask the question…‘Who has seen Jesus?'  But, remember that Mary was looking for a carnal body.  She was looking for the Jesus that she remembered.  The one who fed thousands and did all kinds of miracles. [Now when she had said this, she tunned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that  it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?"She supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." 

 

{‘Who has seen Jesus?'}

 

Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!"(which is to say, Teacher).  Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet   ascended to My FATHER; but go to My brethren and say to them, I AM ascending to My FATHER, and your FATHER, and to My GOD and your GOD."  Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the LORD, and that He had spoken these things to her.] (John 20:14-18.)

 

We can only imagine the joy that surrounded Mary as she delivered this message to the Disciples.  This is Good News.  Jesus is alive.  Death couldn't hold Him in the ground.  She surely didn't know the implication of receiving this wonderful report. Maybe she did know that the time for miracles wasn't ended; or maybe she knew that blinded eyes would still be opened and that those who mourned would be comforted. 

 

She, Mary, had hope, unlike the modern world, for the future,  because JESUS IS ALIVE! 
 
Mary Magdalene is witness number one.  But according to the WORD of GOD, a thing is settled by two or more witnesses.  We'll have to call on another who can justly conclude whether this matter is possible or even true. 

 

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, the doors were shut where the Disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews.  Jesus came and stood in the midst  and said to them,"PEACE BE WITH YOU."  When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side.   Then the Disciples were glad when they saw the LORD.  Then Jesus said to them again, "PEACE TO YOU.  AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME, I ALSO SEND YOU." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "RECEIVE  THE  HOLY SPIRIT."  (John 20:19-22)

 

No one has said it can be assumed that in this area, behind closed doors, there were at least ten men who can be called a witness to The Resurrected Jesus.  By Scripture's account it is known that Judas had  committed suicide and Thomas didn't happen to be there for His appearance.  And speaking of Thomas, he was mentioned last week, the ‘Doubter' who didn't believe the Good News from his fellow Disciples.  Only after Jesus entered the room and proved Himself, did Thomas believe. 

 

‘Who has seen Jesus?'

 

So, our cloud of witnesses is growing very fast.  Now we have twelve people who can vouch that Jesus, after the crucifixion is alive. 

 

Receiving the Love of GOD in your heart, through His Son Jesus, is a  prerequisite to fulfilling the ‘Great Commission'.  Our duty, as Christians is to preach the Gospel.  How? 

 

Every ‘Preacher' isn't in the pulpit, nor is he a traveling Evangelist, but, every Christian has the mandate to GO and PREACH the Gospel. 

 

When you see your brother in a fault, rescue him.  Love your neighbor.  Be kind to one another.  Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not.  Love your wife; respect your husband.  Let your light so shine.

 

The Disciples and the women who saw the Resurrected Christ were never the same.  They realized TRUTH within and no one could stop the spread of the Gospel message.  They had seen Jesus, and the overwhelming Love of GOD is still being preached today. 

 

‘Who has seen Jesus?' 

 

You may not have seen Him, but, if you have believed in Him you will also be a living witness to the power of the Love of GOD. 

 

I hope that everyone has accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.  But, there just might be someone who needs to take the time today and ask Jesus into your heart.  Let's say a very short prayer for this to happen for you.  Heavenly Father, I believe that You sent Jesus Christ to this world.  I believe that He suffered, bled and died for my sin.  I believe that He will come into my heart and make me a new creature.  I receive Jesus, and Father, I thank you for your gift of Love.   Jesus, I thank you for bearing my sin, for paying the price and for giving me a new life.  Amen.

 

Looking Forward

 

See Ya Next Time

 

TER

 

NOTEWORTHY: 

 

"THE PASSION OF CHRIST" 

 

This movie by Mel Gibson is the stir of the country.  This pass Sunday, I was privileged to talk with two people who had seen the movie and came straight to my home. 

 

They were excited about the reality of the Crucifixion.  There were many comments that TJIFA will share with you today and hopefully many more at a later date. 

 

The following are quotes from the movie viewers: 

 

"I wondered when they would stop beating Jesus."

 

"I have a more mature understanding about what Jesus did for me." 
"Every time the whip hit Him, I felt it." 

 

"I felt cleansed by what I witnessed today."

 

"I cried."

 

"Everyone should go.  Preachers and congregations should go." 

 

"I know what I believe." 

 

Before the visit was over, we all joined hands and repeated the sinner's Prayer to reaffirm in their minds the power of GOD to forgive backsliders and reassure a soul of the enabling power of the Holy Spirit to rescue and restore. 

 

They saw their sin embossed on the body of "Sinless Jesus."  It was brutal, unbearable and ugly.  It was a mirror which reflected the only recipe of the prescription for our sin, sick soul. 

 

They saw Christ, today, in a way they've never imagined. 

 

"Who has seen Jesus?"

 

TER

 

FRIDAY'S WORD: LENT - Not so much a definition today, but taken from Victor Parachin's "Lenten fact sheet".

 

Lent officially begins 40 days before Easter. Traditionally, it is a period of fasting, cutting back on the amount of food eaten and reducing consumption of meat. It is also a time when Christians reflect on the life of Christ as well as their own spiritual lives. Lent is a time to correct personal faults and shortcomings by confessing those in prayer, asking God's forgiveness and seeking God's help to live a more authentic Christian life. 

 

It's never too late to start a Christian tradition for the right cause!
IN THE MIRROR:

 

The story is told of a Sunday school teacher whose assignment was to explain to the six-year-olds in his class what someone had to do in order to go to heaven. In an attempt to discover what the kids already believed about the subject, he asked a few questions.
 "If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale, and gave all my money to the church, would that get me into heaven?"
 "NO!" the children all answered.
 "If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into heaven?"
 Again the answer was, "NO!"
 "Well then," he said, "if I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children and loved my wife, would that get me into heaven?"
 Again they all shouted, "NO!"
 "Well then, how can I get into Heaven?"
 A boy in the back row stood up and shouted, "YOU GOTTA BE DEAD!"
Taken from Andy Stanley's book, "How Good is good enough?"

 

Out of sixty-six books in the Bible, fifty-one of them make some sort of reference to "Heaven."

 

When you look at Genesis 1:1, and it tells you "God created the heaven and the earth;"Stop for a minute and look all around you and what do you see, EARTH!   Somebody gets my point already; Because the same Bible that tells me of the one, also speaks of the other unmistakably, and remarkably.

 

Jesus talked a lot about heaven while in His earthly ministry, and for the same reason you would have also, were you in that same position. He knew perfectly of His real home, and He made a very special journey down here in order that we might be more than well informed that, we don't have to make this our permanent residence.

 

I want to preface my next words to you by simply saying that, I Love You with a pastor's heart. Now listen to your words when you pray, ". . .thy will be done in earth as it is in HEAVEN. . ." and let those words guarantee you a place in His Kingdom.                   S.L.C.

 

O TASTE AND SEE!

 

Joyce's Vanilla Sauce

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

 1 CUP SUGAR

 

3   TBSP. CORNSTARCH

 

2  CUPS BOILING WATER

 

4   TBLSP  BUTTER OR MARGARINE

 

2   TSP. VANILLA EXTRACT

 

DIRECTIONS: 

 

MIX SUGAR AND CORNSTARCH IN SAUCE PAN.
GRADUALLY  STIR IN WATER.
BRING TO BOIL AND BOIL FOR ONE MINUTE  STIRRING CONSTANTLY.
REDUCE TO SIMMER
ADD BUTTER AND VANILLA.

 

SERVE HOT  YIELDS 2 CUPS.

 

USE AS A TOPPING FOR CAKE OR ICE CREAM. 

 

JOYCE SAYS:  "IT'S DELICIOUS.  IT REMINDS ME OF SOMETHING MY MOTHER USED TO MAKE. YUM.  YUM."