|
Trading an Empty Tomb for
Empty Hearts - By Chuck Baldwin - March 26, 2002
This Sunday, Christians will celebrate the greatest event in world
history: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Truly, it is "the
greatest story ever told." There is nothing to compare to it. The
resurrection of Christ confirms His deity and His redemptive work on the
cross. It also condemns every false religion. The resurrection of Jesus is
the defining moment of human history.
The Gospel of Christ not only gave birth to the Christian church, it also
birthed the United States of America. Our Pilgrim and Puritan forebears
brought the story of Christ's death and resurrection to these shores.
Subsequently, the flames of Christian revival spread that story "from sea
to shining sea." Bible verses were engraved on our public buildings, Bible
principles were codified into public law, and public statues memorialized
Bible characters. For over 150 years, America's songs and America's
schools honored the story of the empty tomb. No more.
Today, the story of the empty tomb is regarded as invidious in America's
schools and in America's public life. To even mention the story in any
public manner invites howls of "separation of church and state." Christian
servicemen stationed in Muslim countries are not even allowed to receive
Bibles from the States, but it is worse than that.
According to published reports, certain school districts in California now
require students in public schools to attend courses that teach the
Islamic religion. In these courses, students must memorize verses in the
Koran, are taught to pray "in the name of Allah," and are instructed to
chant, "Praise to Allah, Lord of Creation."
In New York, Muslim students were permitted to pray in school during
Ramadan. They were even allowed to have their schedules altered to
accommodate their attendance at Islamic religious observances. Is it any
wonder that new mosques are outgrowing new churches in the United States?
Now we learn that President Bush has authorized millions of taxpayer
dollars to produce books that promote the Islamic religion. That's right.
Your tax dollars and mine are being used to purchase textbooks that teach
the Muslim faith. Bush is sending these books to the children of
Afghanistan.
Where is the A.C.L.U. crying "separation of church and state"? Why does
not this expenditure of federal tax dollars violate the First Amendment? A
bigger question is, "How can Bush, a professing Christian, willingly use
tax dollars to promote a pagan religion that damns the souls of all who
follow it?"
There is no empty tomb in the Muslim religion; and in America, the empty
tomb is being traded for empty hearts.
NOTE TO THE READER:
These commentaries are published Tuesdays & Fridays and may not be
reprinted or republished without permission. Editors or Publishers
interested in running these editorials, or Talk Show Hosts interested in
scheduling an interview may contact
chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com. To learn more about my radio talk show
please visit my web site at
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your
name, city and state.
To subscribe to these columns, send a message to
majordomo@chuckbaldwinlive.com with the words subscribe
chuckwagon in the body of the message. To unsubscribe put the
words unsubscribe chuckwagon in the body of the message.
"EASTER" or
"RESURRECTION DAY" ? - by Steve Lefemine
This Sunday, most Christians worldwide will, as stated by the author of
the article above, "celebrate the greatest event in world history: the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... The resurrection of Christ
confirms His deity and His redemptive work on the cross. It also condemns
every false religion. The resurrection of Jesus is the defining moment of
human history."
Amen. Praise the Lord.
However the miraculous Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
occurred on the third day after His crucifixion. This year, in 2002,
Passover began Wednesday night, March 27 at sundown. The Jewish and
Biblical reckoning of the start of a new day is at sundown, so this was
actually the beginning of the next day.
It was the evening Passover meal which Jesus shared with His disciples
(Matt. 26:17-20), at which He instituted the Lord's Supper (Matt.
26:26-28), before His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt.
26:47-56). It was the next day that the "chief priests and the elders"
delivered Jesus to Pilate to put Him to death (Matt. 27:1-2). That same
day, Passover, he was crucified and He died (Matt. 27:35,50). He was
buried (Matt.27:57-60). The next day was the Jewish Sabbath (Matt. 27:62;
Luke 23:54), beginning the evening of the day on which He was crucified.
Jesus had already foretold His death to His disciples, saying He would "be
raised up on the third day" (Matt. 16:21). Jesus arose from the dead on
the day after the Jewish Sabbath. "Now after the Sabbath, as it
began to dawn toward the first day of the week,..." (Matt. 28:1) the
followers of Jesus learned "..He has risen,..." (Matt. 28:6).
So Jesus had a Passover meal in the evening of one day, was crucified and
died in the daytime portion of that same day, and "The Gospels tell that
on the morning two days after Jesus' death His tomb was found
empty." [The World Book Encyclopedia, Vol. 6, 1997].
In the year Jesus was crucified (ca. A.D. 33), Passover began in the
evening at the beginning of the 6th Day of the week. Jesus was crucified
during the daylight hours of that same day, was buried before the
beginning of the 7th Day of the week (Sabbath) (Luke 23:50-54), and arose
on the 1st Day of the week, after the Sabbath.
This year, in 2002, Passover began at sundown on March 27, which
fell at the beginning of the 5th Day of the week. Jesus was crucified
during the daylight hours of Passover (March 28). He arose from the
grave two days later. In 2002, Resurrection Day, the third day after the
day of Christ's crucifixion, would be the 7th day of week, which
this year, is Saturday, March 30 !
Just some food for thought. HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY
! He IS Risen ! Hallelujah ! Steve Lefemine
The Story -> Various Links to
Online Stories and Facts Concerning the Resurrection:
The
Resurrection Journey In Scripture - Links through the World Wide Study
Bible. Chronological
Images Of The Resurrection -
The Masters
Other Easter
Or Resurrection Links
Lord
Of The Dance - Song - By Sidney Carter
Sydney Carter writes...
"I see Christ as the incarnation of the
piper who is calling us. He dances that shape and pattern which is at the
heart of our reality. By Christ I mean not only Jesus; in other times and
places, other planets, there may be other Lords of the Dance. But Jesus is
the one I know of first and best. I sing of the dancing pattern in the
life and words of Jesus.
Whether Jesus ever leaped in Galilee to the
rhythm of a pipe or drum I do not know. We are told that David danced (and
as an act of worship too), so it is not impossible. The fact that many
Christians have regarded dancing as a bit ungodly (in a church, at any
rate) does not mean that Jesus did.
The Shakers didn't. This sect flourished in
the United States in the nineteenth century, but the first Shakers came
from Manchester in England, where they were sometimes called the "Shaking
Quakers". They hived off to America in 1774, under the leadership of
Mother Anne. They established celibate communities - men at one end, women
at the other; though they met for work and worship. Dancing, for them, was
a spiritual activity. They also made furniture of a functional, lyrical
simplicity. Even the cloaks and bonnets that the women wore were
distinctly stylish, in a sober and forbidding way.
Their hymns were odd, but sometimes of
great beauty: from one of these (Simple Gifts) I adapted this
melody. I could have written another for the words of 'Lord of the Dance'
(some people have), but this was so appropriate that it seemed a waste of
time to do so. Also, I wanted to salute the Shakers.
Sometimes, for a change I sing the whole
song in the present tense. 'I dance in the morning when the world is
begun...'. It's worth a try".
From
Green Print for Song, published by Stainer & Bell (1974)
- I danced in the morning
When the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon
And the stars and the sun,
And I came down from heaven
And I danced on the earth,
At Bethlehem
I had my birth.
Dance, then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he,
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said he
- I danced for the scribe
And the pharisee,
But they would not dance
And they wouldn't follow me.
I danced for the fishermen,
For James and John -
They came with me
And the dance went on.
Chorus
- I danced on the Sabbath
And I cured the lame;
The holy people
Said it was a shame.
They whipped and they stripped
And they hung me on high,
And they left me there
On a Cross to die.
Chorus
- I danced on a Friday
When the sky turned black -
It's hard to dance
With the devil on your back.
They buried my body
And they thought I'd gone,
But I am the dance,
And I still go on.
Chorus
- They cut me down
And I leapt up high;
I am the life
That'll never, never die;
I'll live in you
If you'll live in me -
I am the Lord
Of the Dance, said he.
Chorus
Copyright
1963 Stainer & Bell Ltd. London, England |
