Easter, the most sacred and special day for every follower of Jesus. The message of Easter is summed up in the three most profound and powerful words in all of scripture, “He is risen,” Matthew 28:6. In Gethsemane, on the night leading up to His crucifixion, Jesus agonized and suffered unbelievable internal and spiritual affliction. It was there he faced down the devil, hell, and the awful task of bearing the sins of the world by dying on the cross to be the Savior of the world. After a night of indescribable and inhumane torture, He was then taken out to a place called Calvary. There He suffered as no one has ever suffered before. It was there Jesus, the perfect sinless Son of God, took our sins upon Himself and died as the sufficient, substitutionary, sacrifice for all sinners for all time. Our Lord was placed in a borrowed tomb and Sunday morning Jesus arose victoriously, triumphantly, and gloriously. With His resurrection, He has forever conquered death, hell, and the grave. So, because of an empty cross and an empty tomb, we can rejoice and celebrate, Hallelujah! Thanks be unto God.
HAPPY EASTER!
As I write these words, there is a note of sadness, as this is my last newsletter column, “From the Director’s Heart.” In a few days I will be moving into retirement after having had the wonderful opportunity to serve you for more than 21 years as your Associational Missionary. Time and space are not available nor adequate to describe my feelings of love, joy, and thanksgiving for you. Philippians 1:3-6 states best my parting words for each one of you: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now: Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
On a closing note, Marcille and I want to say thank you for allowing us to serve you for all these many years. We appreciate the wonderful retirement reception you hosted for us. Thank you to the many people who worked so hard to put everything in place in order to make it such a beautiful and special day. We were overwhelmed by the number of people who came by to visit with us and we are humbled by the gifts and generosity that you have shown us. We are continually amazed by the goodness of God in our lives. As we leave our places of service to you, we will always and forever be “Cherokee Baptist.”
God bless you!
Bro. Wendell
Philippians 1:3-6