NO. LIVERMORE — At the North Livermore Baptist Church March 17 service, the congregation was welcomed by Pastor Bonnie Higgins at 9:30 a.m. to begin the service. The Invocation/Lord’s Prayer were recited. The hymns that were sung were “Praise Him! Praise Him!” “O How I Love Jesus”, and “I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary”. The service ended with “Go Now in Peace”. Linda Lyman is the organist each week. Lew Lyman leads the music for the congregation each week.
The sermon, titled “The Resurrection and The Life of the Cross” and scriptures from John 11:17-27. Pastor Bonnie began by asking ‘why the cross’? Couldn’t God done something different to bring salvation to the world? In the scriptures, we read the story of Lazarus, who became ill with a disease that seems to be fatal. Lazarus was a good man, loved Jesus, and Jesus loved him. When Jesus found out that he was sick and looking like he was going to die, Jesus didn’t hurry to his bedside to save him. Jesus waited until the right time to go to him. By then, Lazarus was dead, told to Jesus by his sisters. We know the end is not in Jesus, but a beginning. Jesus went to Lazarus and told him to get up and go. In doing this, Jesus showed the glory of God to all that were there.
While reading the scriptures of Lazarus in John, chapter 11, there are unanswered questions. Like, why many people have asked why God allows bad things happen to good people. Lazarus was a good man, but he became ill and died. Sometimes God does allow bad things happen to His children, just so when we come out of it, God is gloried. God should always get the praise, even during the most difficult time in our lives. He wants us to lean on Him and He will walk through it with us.
Mary and Martha told Jesus, if you had come earlier, our brother would not have died. Why is it, that we feel sometimes that God is doing nothing in our lives? God is always working on our behalf; we just don’t see it. He is lining up things in our lives so we will walk in His glory, not on our own. This is where our trust in God is essential.
In the scriptures, Jesus wept as He approached the tomb where Lazarus was laid. Even though Jesus knew what was going to happen, He wept. Many have asked why? Maybe he wept because he was moved by the people around Him that cared for Lazarus crying. Jesus was moved by this.
Some, have asked why two people can witness the same thing and have two different views on it. In the story of Lazarus, some looked at the miracle of a dead man rising by the words of Jesus and while the others saw it was a way to tell the Pharisees to build a case against Jesus for His execution.
What these scriptures do tell us is that God is still at work, and He got the glory when Jesus brought His friend from the grave. Because of this story and Jesus’ death and resurrection it gives us the salvation we need to be in God’s family. Through the cross and the empty tomb, Jesus brought us eternal life, He brought us hope, and He brought us power. We know through accepting Jesus as our personal Savior, we have also overcome death and we will always have Jesus with us as we journey through this world.
The cross reminds us that we all need to make the choice to accept and follow Jesus, when we do, we are part of God’s family.
Announcements listed in the bulletin are that the congregation will be collecting canned Spaghetti Sauce for the Food Pantry in March. Bible Study: Tuesday at 1 p.m.
You can email the church at nlbcmaine@gmail.com. Pastor Bonnie’s office hours are Tuesday’s from 9 a.m. to noon.
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