March 31, 1942 is the day Bell Gardens Baptist Church was officially incorporated by the State of California. It is that date that has long been considered the church’s “anniversary,” even though our founders were duly organized by a constitution, led by a pastor, and meeting regularly for worship services during the previous two years. When compared to churches on the East Coast of the United States, in Europe, or in Africa, sixty-six years is not very long. Even those centuries-old churches don’t measure up when the birthday of the Church on the Day of Pentecost becomes the “golden milestone.” But the marking of time is not a primary purpose in the greater scheme of God’s work. What He has done (and is doing) is far more important. Sometimes God’s best work in a particular place goes unnoticed because we weren’t watching or He chose to veil from us a complete understanding. Until then, until we are given a glimpse of things yet unseen, another year enters the annuls of time, we remember the great things He has done and collectively proclaim, “to God be the glory.”

While April 6, 2008 is technically not in March, on this day, Pastor Don and Wanda Slaven will complete their ministry at First Baptist Church in Hughson, CA, and I like this, “with a communion service.” I should probably revise that sentence to read “complete their ‘active’ ministry.” Even saying “active” doesn’t sound correct, but I think you know what I mean. Of course, the church is honoring the Slavens as well on that day after the worship services. Pastor Don wrote recently that he has served the Lord in active ministry at 5 churches over 47 years, the last 27 in Hughson. Wanda reflected on Easter this year “with mixed emotions, as 27 years ago we began our ministry at First Baptist Hughson (on Easter Sunday).” Pastor Don quoted a few lines from a song called “Finish Strong.” The final lines say, “I want to finish strong / Faithful to the Father though the road is long / Crossing that line and still I’m pressing on / Oh, I want to finish strong.”

How well we know that time marches on. This we know, whether tomorrow’s dawn is an anniversary or a commencement, “great (is) our rejoicing through Jesus the Son.” What keeps us motivated and focused through the mundane or the monumental? “Purer, and higher, and greater will be, our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.”

The headline (above) from the The Telegraph newspaper in Great Britain did its job, I was curious.

Worshippers taking part in Easter crucifixion and self-flagellation ceremonies in the Philippines have been warned to get a tetanus shot and sterilise any nails used to avoid infections.

Did anyone think to warn the Romans about tetanus when they adopted this barbaric practice from the Persians? This warning may reveal the real reason Doubting Thomas balked at putting his hand in Jesus’ side. While I would not advocate this as a modern practice, I must respectfully disagree with the headline, this warning that crucifixion is bad for you. On the contrary, crucifixion can be very good for you (but not in the way the people referred to in the article think).

Even Paul agreed that crucifixion is good for you. He told the believers in Galatia he would “boast” in it.

“But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14).

However, Paul did not mean that one would need to torture himself because we know this,

“That our old man was crucified with Him [Jesus Christ], that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin” (Romans 6:6).

Even Jesus declared from the cross, “It (the work of salvation) is finished” (John 19:30).

Paul was careful to remind his readers that torture alone would be insufficient to appease God’s wrath.

“For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23).

“And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22).

That a person believes some amount of self-flagellation (whether with a whip, crucifixion, or otherwise) can atone for any sin reveals their lack of understanding of the purpose of Jesus Christ’s suffering and death.

“Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life” (Romans 5:18).

“For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10).

While “Easter” encompasses both the death and resurrection of Jesus, Paul asserts that we know Jesus Christ

“Having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him” (Romans 6:9).

If death no longer has dominion over Christ why would anyone want to reenact a crucifixion? Paul declared of himself and all who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ,

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:10).

What is the power of His resurrection? Being conformed to His death. We could describe “death” as crucifixion. And the death or crucifixion that is good for you is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and His alone.

The next installment from Israel is available. You can download Day 4.
[ Previous issues: Day 3. Day 2. Day 1. ]

Monday evening was the funeral for Michael Moreno. It was good to become reacquainted with his mother and family. It was helpful that some present were believers. Michael always seemed to make an impression with everyone he met. A chaplain from the Los Angeles County General Hospital met Michael a little over a year ago and was impressed by his candor and willingness to dialog (some would spell that “debate”). The chaplain came to the funeral because of all his patients, Michael made a significant impression. Chaplain Chuck also spoke at the funeral. Instead of focusing on the illness that put Michael in the hospital in the first place, he told of Michael’s struggle with assurance of salvation. Ironically, it was this same matter that brought Michael to the church here about twenty years ago. Whether Michael ever resolved his conflict of grasping assurance of salvation does not determine where his soul might be today. Our salvation is wholly dependent on the work that Jesus Christ completed on the cross (“It is finished”). I’ve told you this to simply thank you for praying.

Thursday or Friday, many of you received a series of email notes. I was as surprised as you to also receive these. I noticed they were all sent last July (2007). Who knows where they have been circulating in cyber-space all this time or why they weren’t delivered when they were sent. Technology is a wonderful tool but it is not perfect. I do try to keep any email I send to a minimum. The typical pattern is one each week, unless there is an urgent matter (such was the situation last July), or as I did in January with an almost daily note from Israel. If these emails are taxing your inbox or time, let me know. Speaking of Israel, Day 4 should be ready next week.

Today is Palm Sunday. Next Sunday is Resurrection Day. I prefer to call it “Resurrection Day” rather than “Easter” because that is what the Bible calls the day our Lord rose from the dead. But, I won’t argue if others prefer “Easter.” Every Sunday is intended to be a reminder that “He is risen,” not just one particular Sunday of the year. I suppose altering or correcting traditions would be a difficult task. I read a short article of “Interesting Facts about Easter” from an email I receive, the Timothy Report. I have modified it some, adding one additional “interesting fact.”

Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Based on the above formula, Easter can actually be one day earlier than it is this year (March 22), but that is very rare. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier!

1) The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you’re 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).

2) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

3) Whatever date on which Easter occurs does not change the fact that Jesus Christ did actually rise from the dead three days after a horrible execution. That Jesus died and rose again is the greatest proof that He is God, the long promised Messiah (Christ, One anointed and chosen) who came to earth, becoming man to redeem us (substituting His life for ours) and to pardon our sin in order that we might be restored to a right relationship with God now, on earth, and eternally forever.