Alive, Immortal, and Just Like Jesus!

 'Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying.' John 11:25 NLT

The story is told of a nine-year-old boy named Philip who suffered with Down’s Syndrome. In Sunday school the other kids made fun of him because he was different. The Sunday before Easter, the teacher gave each of the kids a plastic egg and asked them to look for symbols of new life, like seeds and leaves, and then place them inside the egg.

The idea was to open their eggs on Easter Sunday and discuss what they had found. When the children gathered, they had collected all sorts of things like flowers, butterflies and rocks. But when the teacher opened Philip’s egg it was empty. One child said, ‘That’s not fair, he didn’t do it right!’ But Philip tugged at the teacher’s sleeve and said, ‘I did do it right. It’s empty because the tomb is empty. That’s why we have new life.’
 The class gasped—and from then on Philip rose to a new level of respect and became part of the group. But Philip’s family knew his time was short—too many problems for one small body. So that summer he died. As the class of eight-year-olds faced the reality of death, they marched up to the altar—but not with flowers.

Together with their teacher, they each placed an empty plastic egg on their friend’s tiny casket. Why is the resurrection of Jesus so important? For two reasons: (1) His resurrection guarantees yours. (2) If you live long enough you will experience the heartache of losing someone you love. Easter guarantees you will meet them again—alive, immortal, and just like Jesus!

SoulFood : 1 Cor 15, Luke 24:1-12, Mt 28:1-10

Building Good Relationships

"Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud…’ 1 Corinthians 13:4 NCV

Do you remember the elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son? He wanted the privileges of being a son, but not the obligations that came with being a brother. And because he couldn’t celebrate his brother’s return, it cost him his joy.

Contrary to what you may have heard, speaking critical words doesn’t make you feel better, it just makes you more miserable and keeps the issue alive. The Bible says, ‘Pleasant words are…healing to the body.’ (Proverbs 16:24 AMP) If you value your opinions more than your friends, you’ll defend your opinions and destroy your friendships.

When conflicts arise, step back and look at what’s really important. Give others the benefit of the doubt. When working with yourself, use your head; when working with others, use your heart. Learn to be flexible.

Thomas Jefferson said, ‘In matters of principle stand like a rock; in matters of taste swim with the current.’ Don’t major in minors, and stop fighting over things that ultimately make no difference. Be gracious with others in the same way God is gracious with you. Mature love allows someone who has failed to ease out of the situation with their dignity intact. Once you’ve made your point, back off! In life, you’re always going to have disagreements. They’ll either give you ulcers or give you understanding-the choice is yours. Don’t over-react.

When conflict arises make it a time to learn, not lose. If you’re serious about building good relationships, live by the words, ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself.’

SoulFood: 2 Sam 7:18-11:27, John 2:1-11, Ps 110, Pr 23:6-9