Preparing for the Lord's Day
Impossible means that it can’t happen, by definition. An impossible mission is one that is not even worth spending your time on. You can’t make a triangle a square. It is impossible. You can’t make black white. You can’t go back in time. You can’t make “a” equal “b” and “a” not equal “b” at the same time. These are things that are impossible.
And in our passage for this Easter Sunday Luke is telling us that death took on an impossible mission. It tried to do something that was not able to happen. Verse 24 of our text says,
God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (Acts 2:24 ESV)
It was not possible for him (Jesus) to be held by it (death). This verse is saying that death didn’t have the power, death didn’t have the resources, death was incapable of holding Jesus. It was not just difficult, it was not just improbable, it was impossible for Jesus not to rise from the dead.To be prepared for our Resurrection Day sermon on Death’s impossible task take time this week to read and to meditate upon Acts 2:22-24, 2 Samuel 12:23, Proverbs 12:28, Romans 5:12-18; 6:23, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Revelation 1:17-18, and Westminster Confession of Faith 8.4.
As we gather in our homes to worship this Easter Sunday, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “Jesus Christ is Risen Today”, the Acclamation of Praise “Alleluia, Alleluia! Give Thanks” and the Hymn of Response “To Thine be the Glory.” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!
Sermon Information
Text: Acts 2:24
Title: Mission Impossible
Outline:
- Was Jesus’ Mission Impossible?
- Why Jesus’ Mission seems Impossible.
- Why Death’s Mission is Impossible.
PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES
(for your ongoing prayers and expressions of love)
IN THE HOSPITAL OR RECUPERATING: Kay Albee, Greg Alty, Sophia Boyers, Paul Cowras, Marty Halgren, Bill Johnson, Andrew Shaddock, Pres Terrell, and Ryan Webb
CONGRATUATIONS TO: Julie and Brandon White in the birth of their son Jack, who was born on April 1.
EXPRESSIONS OF LOVE AND SYMPATHY:
- To Fay Retnam and family in the loss of Fay’s mother Jan William, who died on March 18 in Ogden, Utah;
- To David Sosin and family in the loss of David’s mother, Anita Sosin, who died on April 7.
PRAYING FOR OUR COMMUNITY, NATION, AND MISSIONARIES: Let us remain in steadfast prayer for Christ's Church and our witness during this remarkable time of challenge and opportunity. May we support in fervent prayer and faithful love our community, medical laborers, and government leaders worldwide. May we pray for God's direction and strength for our global and local missionaries, including the staff of Campus Outreach, as they persevere in ministry (follow the links in this sentence to pray for our missionaries by name).