A Weekend Celebration

We had a wonderful weekend celebrating Christ's resurrection. On Good Friday evening we held a joint service, and we praise the Lord for the 65 people in attendance! Our church bought the ingredients to make sandwiches for the "cafecito" (snack). Everyone arrived at our house an hour before the service to assemble the sandwiches. At the service we gathered for a time of singing and a special powerpoint presentation by one of the national believers.

Yesterday we were blessed as we worshiped together with 75 believers! It was a joyful time of celebration as we sang hymns, heard special music, and were challenged from God's Word -- "What, then, do we do with the resurrection?" Our group from the southern church sang two songs emphasizing Christ's death and resurrection. Tracy and Ashley also sang a duet, "Toma la Cruz (Embrace the Cross)."

The two services had very different focuses. Friday's service was sombering as we were reminded of the suffering Christ received, both before and during the crucifixion. Christ was "forsaken" by the Father, separated from His love, and He did it willingly for us. We were reminded of the song that says, "He could have called 10,000 angels, but He died alone for you and me." The Sunday morning service was quite the opposite as we celebrated the resurrection of Christ. We can be joyful because Christ conquered death! Through Him we are victorious! "Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o'er His foes!"

". . .Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. And that he was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." (I Corintians 15:3b, 4)