Our Hope

I Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Mark 16:6 And he saith unto them, Be not frightened: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

This is one of my son's favorite songs. It seems appropriate on this day. I love the wonderful hymns of Easter, but I wanted to add something different that you don't usually hear on Easter.

• End of the Beginning by David Phelps

Lyrics

I was taking a trip on a plane the other day, just wishin’ that I could get out.
When the man next to me saw the book in my hand and asked me what it was about.
So I settled back in my seat. "A best-seller," I said, "a hist’ry and a myst’ry in one."
Then I opened up the book and began to read from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John...

"He was born of a virgin one holy night in the little town of Bethlehem.
Angels gathered ‘round Him underneath the star singing praises to the great I AM.

He walked on the water, healed The lame, and made the blind to see again.
And for the first time here on earth we learned that God could be a friend.
And though He never ever did a single thing wrong, the angry crowd chose Him.
And then He walked down the road and died on the cross and
that was the end...of the beginning."

"That’s not a new book, that’s a Bible," he said, "And I’ve heard it all before.
I’ve tried religion, it’s shame and guilt, and I don’t need it anymore.
It’s superstation, made-up tales, just to help the weak to survive."
"Let me read it again," I said, "But listen closely, This is gonna change your life."

"He was born of a virgin one holy night in the little town of Bethlehem.
Angels gathered ‘round Him underneath the star singing praises to the great I AM.

He walked on the water, healed the lame, and made the blind to see again. And for the first time
here on earth we learned that God could be a friend. And though He never ever did a single thing
wrong, the angry crowd chose Him. And then He walked down the road and died on the cross and
that was the end...of the beginning."

"The end of the beginning?" he said with a smile. "What more
could there be? He’s dead. You said they hung Him, put nails in
His hands and a crown of thorns on His head." I said, "I’ll read it
again, but this time there’s more.

And I believe that this is true: His death wasn’t the end but the beginning of life that’s completed in you.
Don’t you see, He did allthis for you..."

"He was born of a virgin one holy night in the little town of
Bethlehem. All the angels singing praises to the great I AM.
He walked on the water, healed the lame, and made the blind to see.
And for the first time here on earth, did you know that God could be a friend?
And thought He never ever did a single thing wrong, He was the one the crowd chose.
And then He walked and He died, but three days later, three days later, three days later...
He rose! Three days later He rose!

You see, He came, He lived, and He died, but that was the end of the beginning.

Have a wonderful Easter!

Christina and Victoria