April 12 – Via Zoom

Sunrise Service – 6:30 AM – by Doug Shenk (photographed in the Shenk Peach Orchard by his son Garth)

Sunrise in a Peach Orchard

Promise in an orchard

This orchard looks dead and hopeless during the winter.

By springtime there is a resurrection.

We love beauty – our souls need it

Our world is changing

Our days ahead will be different.

We may not be able to expect the same kind of life that we have known.

Blossoms will soon fade – with a promise of something better to come.

In John 14 the disciples were facing changes

As glorious as the days were when they had Jesus with them on earth, Jesus promised greater days after he left this earth.

We want to be part of a church who invades darkness.

May He reveal the coming season of fruitfulness to you.

Sunday School – Opening: Leland Litzenberger

Christ Arose!

When Jesus was in the garden, his sweat was like drops of blood as He took on the weight of the sin of the world.

On Friday the boys and I spent hours scraping paint – removing it in any way possible – knowing that new paint will not last – no matter how good a job we do.

However we know that Jesus’ death for us is lasting – forever.

His death had to happen for us to live.

Sunday School Lesson – Marv Shenk

Scripture – 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 12-14, 20-23, 42-45

He is risen! He is risen indeed.

Restaurants, churches, schools, arenas and stadiums are empty this year – but, praise God, the tomb of Jesus is also empty!

I accepted the challenge to read 1 Corinthians 15 daily for a week and pass that challenge on to you.

The resurrection is the energizing factor to the Christian faith. Our faith would be dead without it.

Just like an engine is dead without fuel.

The Bible records that people saw Jesus in seventeen different settings and at one point 500 people saw him – confirming that He indeed lives.

Jesus is the only person who accurately described his resurrection.

Marv told the story of a Muslim man who was converted to Christianity. When he was asked what influenced his decision, he said, “If you came to a fork in a road and didn’t know which road to take – then noticed a dead man at the beginning of one road and a live man at the beginning of the other, which man would you ask for directions?”

We know that people were raised from the dead in the Old Testament and during the life of Jesus. However, the others died again. Jesus is the only one who never died following his resurrection.

His resurrection body did not need doors to enter a room – a resurrected body is different from a physical body.

How do we put this information into our daily life?

Begin by taking up the challenge of reading 1 Corinthians 15, daily for one week. Make notes that will help you in your spiritual growth.

Sue and I pray that you will have God’s blessings in your heart.

Children’s Story by Ryan and Jess Bruckhart and their boys

Ryan and Jess were playing an “old couple” named Walt and Peggy – relaxing at home and enjoying Easter when there was a knock on their door. It was the neighbor boys with Easter eggs for them. When Walt and Peggy asked how they were doing, the boys complained about the weather and the virus that was interrupting their lives.

Walt and Peggy took the opportunity to share the gospel with them by using a real egg – using the hard shell to represent sin. They also had a soft egg which they used to describe how Jesus changes and softens our lives by his death and resurrection. They said goodbye to the boys by saying, Jesus is risen!

Then Jess and the boys showed us how to make a cross with a sheet of paper – by folding and cutting or tearing it into pieces that created a cross

With the leftover pieces they made the other two crosses, the dice used by the soldiers and on the one cross, the spear that was used to pierce Jesus.

The extras could also be arranged to read Hell (missed getting that picture) and this one – the other choice we have because of the resurrection of Jesus – LIFE.

Happy Easter

Opening Devotions – John Cassel

When He opened by saying, “He is risen,” His children jumped up and shouted, “He is risen indeed!”

Welcome to everyone on Zoom – those from our congregation and those listening from other states and countries.

Wait is a word that we are becoming familiar with.

Wait until social distancing is over.

Many of us may not like it.

However, don’t miss the blessings of the moment.

Wait – be strong – wait.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14 (ESV)

Interesting that Jesus said he was glad that he hadn’t arrived before Lazarus died – that they may believe. (John 11:15)

Trust in God’s timing – for your best.

Wait for the Lord. Waiting is okay.

Scripture Reading – John Diffenderfer

Opened by saying, “He is risen” His family replied, “He is risen indeed.”

Scripture – Matthew 28:1-10

Sermon – David Wenger

A few weeks I imagined what it would be like to be together again – in church – on Easter Sunday.

Before long we learned that was not going to happen.

So I am giving you my heart-felt Easter blessings from our home.

My wife, Shawn, wishes to join me in that blessing.

Shawn said, “I have missed you and wish you a blessed Easter.”

Sermon title: Because He Lives.

Resurrection gives faith and hope for today – and tomorrow.

A song written by Bill and Gloria Gaither during a time in the late 60s when they were troubled by issues concerning, schooling, war and uncertain things in their lives as they waited for the birth of their third child.

We do great honor to God when we believe in Jesus and worship Him.

Because Jesus lives we can (1) Experience Salvation (2) Experience Peace (3) Experience Hope – the three points to my sermon.

Experience Salvation

When the disciples left the tomb they thought it was like any other death – the end of life.

That is until Sunday morning!

It happened just like He said it would.

His resurrection confirms the forgiveness of our sins.

We are all familiar with Romans 10:9-10:

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Our youngest daughter, Kelsey, recently returned from serving on a Mercy Ship. After meeting many Muslims, she purchased a book by a man who grew up Muslim but converted to Christianity. She wanted to learn more about the beliefs of those she met on the ship.

One thing the converted Muslim man said was the reason he now believes in Jesus is because Jesus in the only leader who overcame death.

Experience Peace

John 14 – Do not be afraid

God has our best interests at heart.

Jesus want us to live in peace.

Sometimes God calms the storm – sometimes he calms us during a storm.

Isaiah 41:10 – fear thou not for I am with you. I am your God.

Experience Hope

1 Peter 1:3 – because of His abundant mercy we have hope.

Living hope is not wistful thinking.

Living hope is confident, eager, energizing, expecting

Alexander Solzhenitsyn tells about a time when he was in a Soviet Union prison camp [gulag of Siberia] working under the hot sun. He was so exhausted that he just stopped – unable to keep going – when another prison walked up to him and drew a cross in the sand. It so energized Alexander that he was able to keep going.

We cannot survive long without hope

Hope in God is an anchor to our soul.

Dave said he was recently fishing where they went 30 miles out into choppy waters. However, when the anchor was thrown into the waters, they didn’t move from the spot.

It reminded him of the song, My Anchor Holds.

Remember this – Because He Lives I can face tomorrow.

He is alive – forevermore!

Celebrate our resurrected Lord – today and tomorrow.

Closing Remarks – Merv Groff

He thanked everyone for their participation – Doug (Sunrise Service); Leland (SS Opening Thoughts); Marv (SS Lesson); The Bruckhart Family (Children’s Story), John (Scripture Reading); Dave (Sermon).

He prayed for our congregation and for our government leaders – that they would have strength to make wise decisions.

He closed by saying, “Thank you, Lord, that we can magnify your name on this Easter Sunday.”