“Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.  The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (GEN 2: 8 and 15)  Eden, a real place.  In this garden, the LORD GOD walked and talked with man.  Man, the only part of the creation that specifically states: “He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”  Our bodies where formed from the earth, and will return to the earth.  Our life, soul, being from God’s breath and will return to HIM.  Each will go back to its original source.  Without His Breath, we could not, would not live. 

This garden was a special place.  The Creator would not make something that was not appealing to the eye or the heart.  Of all the gardens created by man, none come close to the beauty and serenity of Eden.  Man was placed there to tend and enjoy this special place.  He was there to walk and talk with God.  Each of us may have a special place where we feel safe and secure – a place to think, dream, put the worries of the world aside; a place to meditate, to unwind, to talk to God and listen.  At our house, it is the library full of books, memorabilia, family pictures, travel souvenirs, quietness.  However, it does not compare to Eden. 

Even in our own unperfected created gardens, we can talk to God and He will listen.  David sang these words:

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
    and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my savior,
    the one who saves me from violence.
I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and he saved me from my enemies.
But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
    yes, I cried to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
    my cry reached his ears.” (2 SAM 22)

Where is the Garden of Eden?  It is where ever I am listening to God. Remember, HE BREATHED His breath into us.  We have both spirit and understanding.  We are His children.

As a soldier and a centurion, I witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. I had been trained to be unshaken in the face of death, but as I stood at the foot of the cross, I was overwhelmed with a profound sense of emotion. It was like a light had been switched on in my heart, and I suddenly knew without a doubt that this man was more than just a criminal. He was the Son of God.

The earthquake, the darkness, and the temple curtain torn in two convinced me that something extraordinary had occurred. As Jesus breathed his last breath, I couldn’t help but say, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54 ESV). This moment changed me forever. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I had seen and experienced. It was like a seed had been planted in my heart that continued to grow and blossom. I knew that I had to live my life differently, to honor the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross.

I urge those who doubt the reality of the resurrection to look at the undeniable events that occurred at the crucifixion, such as the earthquake, the darkness, and the tearing of the temple curtain. All these point to the reality of Jesus’ divinity. The resurrection is not just a story, but the truth that has the power to change lives. I was once a skeptic myself, but the events that occurred at the crucifixion were undeniable. The words that I spoke were not just the words of a soldier, but of a person who had been transformed by the power of Jesus’ love and sacrifice.

On Monday, I and Andrew went to the Reds game. We were heading to the game like any other day. As we approached the exit, there was a message across the interstate saying, “N 471 ramp closed ahead.” There wasn’t any other explanation of what resulted in the closure. It turns out that a single-car accident resulted in the ramp being closed. We were diverted around, and it got my mind thinking that there was a statement with no explanation.

Today is Easter Sunday! This occurrence got my mind thinking about Jesus and his resurrection. In the book of Mark, there is a similar situation in the sense that an announcement was made but never given an explanation. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went to Jesus’ tomb. They were given a message that is found in verse six but without an explanation.

Mark 16:6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.

Last Monday, we found ourselves in a situation where a message was given but no reasoning behind it. The reasoning for the closure was discovered by us. When looking at the angel’s announcement. There are many scriptures that provide us with an explanation. This is the foundation of our faith. The book of Luke is one of the first places for an answer. 

Luke 24:6-7 He is not here but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”

Jesus came, died, was buried, resurrected, and will return for us someday. It has to make one feel wonderful that Jesus rose from the dead. We were given a reason as to why he did. The importance of this is significant. If there is no resurrection, there is no forgiveness of sins by the blood of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15: 3-4 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”

He Has Risen!

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27, ESV)

How many genders did God create? What happens if we go beyond what is written?

“But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’” (Mark 10:6, ESV)

How many genders did God intend there to be from the beginning of creation? If I don’t align with the Creator, who am I aligning with?

“A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.” (Deuteronomy 22:5, ESV)

Was it God’s intention that there be a clear distinction between male and female clothing? If I don’t accept that, and I accept gender confusion in clothing instead, am I still aligned with God’s will?

Friend are you still able to “Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9–10, ESV)

Eyesight is not only crucial for physical health but also has a spiritual dimension in the Bible. In Matthew 6:22-23, Jesus teaches us that the way we see things affects our actions, and our eyesight is a metaphor for spiritual understanding and
discernment.

Last week, I found myself searching for my headphones. I knew where I had left them, so I knew where to look. But, alas, I could not see them. At the end of the day, I went back to where I thought I had left them – and guess what? They were exactly where I thought they should be – I just could not see them.

In the Bible, Jesus healed the blind, which not only restored their physical sight but also opened up new opportunities. With their new clear vision, they could navigate the world with wisdom and discernment, and see the beauty and goodness that surrounded them.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve been struggling with an injury in my right eye. At least every second month I would get an injection into this eye. A few of those injections were steroid shots that caused a cataract. So, I needed surgery to remove the cataract. Now, my 3-year-old glasses are more a hindrance to me than an asset. But any moment now the phone will ring, and my new glasses will be ready for pick up.

Eyesight is a precious gift from God that we should cherish and take care of, both physically and spiritually.

Are you in shape both physically and spiritually? In our society today, physical fitness and our appearance seems to be of high importance, but as Christians, our spiritual health is what needs to be in top shape.

In 1 Timothy 4:8 the apostle Paul writes, “For physical training is of some
value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the
present life and the life to come.” (NIV)

As we all know, our physical health is susceptible to disease and injury, but unfortunately, it is the damage to our spiritual health that can have a detrimental long-term effect. To train ourselves to be godly and toned in righteousness, we must develop our spiritual muscles by:

1. Reading God’s word daily – remember “Bible before breakfast”!

2. Talking to God daily through personal prayer – make prayer the first “set” of your daily workout routine. Pray thanking God for the blessings in your life, His unfailing love, and ask for His guidance on the new day.

3. Cast aside your worldly “idols” that cause you to have weak faith – get rid of the excess “fat” that is only slowing you down!

4. Use your God-given abilities in the service of His church – this does not
require “heavy lifting”, but you are promised to see results!

1 Timothy 4: 15 (NIV) “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress”.

Even highly trained and talented athletes lose their physical abilities if their muscles aren’t toned in constant use. As Christians, if we can add 1 or 2 of these items to our “daily workout routine” we will become stronger in the faith, which will not only improve this present life, but more importantly, the life to come.

Imagine living a life where every decision you make brings you closer to fulfilling your purpose and becoming your best self. This Sunday’s Sermon on 2 Peter 1:5-11 aims to help us achieve just that.

Picture a planter planting a tiny seed in a pot. With water, sunlight, and nutrients, the seed slowly grows into a strong and beautiful plant, bearing fruit or flowers.

Similarly, our faith is like a seed that needs nourishment and cultivation to grow. By adding virtues such as knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love to our faith, we provide it with the water, sunlight, and nutrients it needs to thrive. As we develop these qualities, we become more like Jesus Christ and fulfill our purpose in life.

By cultivating these attributes in our faith, we will not be unproductive or ineffective in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Instead, we will be fruitful and effective in all that we do.

Friend, let us strive to grow into Jesus Christ and become more like Him each day.

We all know the kid’s song, “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.”

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:14 and 16

The next verse says,” Don’t let Satan blow it out, I’m going to let it shine.”  I am afraid Satan may be winning the battle of letting our light shine.  Covid has hurt the Lord’s church; when I talk to other leaders, they all say we are not back to our numbers before covid.  We are still missing several of our members over the last 3 years.  Bible study, fellowship with, and encouragement from other Christians is important to keep our light burning.  It is the fuel we need to help us share our light with others around us.

If you were just married, had your first child, or found a cure for cancer, would you not want to share with everyone that you know your good news?  We have THE good news about Jesus Christ, who came to seek and save the lost, and to give us life more abundantly!  Is your light always shining or do you keep it “under a bushel” to pick and choose when you share Jesus with others?

Brothers and Sisters, we are proud of Summit, and we are ready to tell the world!  We will be putting the Summit name on the front of the building.  Daryl and I are in the process of getting this done and upgrading our little sign with more eye-catching graphics so people know who the little church on the hill is.  We have just signed up for House to House, a publication of our beliefs that will go out monthly to everyone in Alexandria, Cold Spring and Highland Heights.  That means everyone moving into the new subdivision at Arcadia will receive this.  We want everyone passing the building on 27 and the rest of the community to know that we are Christians by our love! We want to be a light for the community and share God’s love.

But Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should “SHOW FORTH” the praise of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous Light. 1 Peter 2:9

Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine, all the time!

Joining the Summit Church of Christ worshipers as we study 2 Peter (for the next few weeks during our 11 am Sunday morning service) is an excellent opportunity to enrich your spiritual life and connect with a community of believers who share the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

Second Peter is packed with wisdom, encouragement, and practical guidance that can help you navigate the challenges of daily life and deepen your understanding of God’s will for your life.

You will also have the chance to interact with other members of the congregation. And you are invited to return to our Sunday 6 PM evening services where you can share your insights and learn from the experiences of others.

Furthermore, attending regular worship services is an essential part of developing a strong and lasting relationship with God. It provides a consistent time and space to reflect on your faith, deepen your understanding of the Bible, and connect with the larger community of believers. When you attend church regularly, you are more likely to experience the transformative power of God’s grace in your life, and you will find it easier to live out your faith in everyday life.

Friend, will you take advantage of this opportunity to grow spiritually, connect with other believers, and deepen your relationship with God. It is an investment in your spiritual well-being that will have lasting benefits for your life.