Lift Up Your Heart!

Letter

Building One Another

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

I Thessalonians 5:11

Lift Up YourHeart!

Dear Friend,

Years ago, an exhibit of the treasures of the tomb of Egypt's "King Tut" (Tutankhamun) was traveling around the United States. At the end of the exhibit, a banner hung from the ceiling near the exit with these words:

"To speak the name of the dead is to make them live again -- Egyptian Proverb"

In that sense of living again, people like Mother Teresa, Abraham Lincoln, Kobe Bryant and our own loved ones who are no longer alive on earth still live as we remember them.

That view of resurrection was not limited to ancient Egypt. It lies at the heart of much modern thinking. The dead live when we speak their names and remember them.

However, we long for real resurrection... not merely the memory of our lives by those who come after us... but true eternal life in the presence of the Lord who loves us.

There is incredibly great news in these days of the COVID-19 coronavirus when we are very aware of the reality of death. There is real resurrection! JesusChrist is alive. He is not merely alive in our memories, not only alive in our writings, not simply alive in some symbolic or mystical sense. He is literally alive --in every sense of the word -- and he offers his life to you:

“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11

Entrust your life to Jesus and receive the promise of his resurrection for you! Jesus Christis risen today! Alleluia!

Happy Easter - E. Stanley Ott

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Show Notes

This can be the Easter of your life. While our usual practice is to fill our church building on Easter Sunday, this year we may allow the wonder of Easter to fill us whever we are. Tune into the online worship of the church of your choice - and spend time time reading the last chapter or two of any of the gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. Re-affirm your own trust in Jesus and desire to serve him, to love him and be loved by him.

A wonderful study on the resurrection of Jesus may be found here:

For excellent videos on the resurrection of Jesus, type into Youtube: "resurrection - NT Wright"

NT Wright's book on the resurrection is also excellent. The Kindle edition is inexpensive: https://www.amazon.com/Resurrection-Son-God-V3-Christian-ebook/dp/B00B1VG66E/ref=sr_1_22?dchild=1&keywords=nt+wright&qid=1586128944&s=books&sr=1-22

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