Pastor Quinn • May 1, 2022
Witness Marches Victorious over Restraint
The good news of the risen Christ is bigger than a single day. The Easter gospel will continue to march across centuries and continents. However, there will always be forces that try to slow that march. Those forces could be self-inflected fears and doubts. They could be various types of persecutions.
Whatever the case, the good news of Easter will not be restrained. For it is not some myth or fable, not a hoax or conspiracy. The reality of Easter rests on the testimony of eyewitnesses. Therefore, the gospel cannot be boxed in any more than Christ could be put back in a tomb. Many may try and restrain the good news of Christ. But the march of the Church's witness will never slow down.
When we use God's name flippantly...when we take God's reputation lightly...when we are apathetic about his Word...when we have little interest in the spiritual rest he offers...we demolish the Commandments. That hurts us way more than it hurts God. Disobedience of the Commandments are attempted acts of spiritual suicide. If we continue in this rebellion, we are guaranteeing that hell is our eternal home. So, this week, we ask the Spirit to give us the ability to sincerely pray, "Lord, have mercy, for demonstrating irreverence for your name and despising your Sabbath rest."
I recognize my inability to defend myself against spiritual enemies. The world is against me, but I look for ways to imitate it. I try to master my own sinful flesh, but I recognize desires in myself that war against my soul. And when it comes to the devil, I fall into temptation again and again. My impending death proves that I have sinned. I realize that what I really need is a champion. God the Father realized it too. He sent his Son to be my Savior. Through the obedience of the Son of God, I have victory over my enemies.
I recognize my deep spiritual thirst. I long for a good relationship with God and for everlasting life. I am tempted to satisfy that deep thirst with worldly things, a strategy doomed to failure. I realize that my thirst is satisfied only by the one who said, “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.” Jesus meets my greatest need.
