Sunday, April 24, 2011

The Resurrection Story (Part 3): The Tomb is Empty!



The Resurrection
 1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them,“Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

I know that my Redeemer lives, do you?


Cindy Sig 2

Saturday, April 23, 2011

The Resurrection Story (Part 2)





The Guard at the Tomb
 62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
 65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.




Matthew 27: 62-66




Cindy Sig 2

Friday, April 22, 2011

The Resurrection Story (Part 1)




Judas Hangs Himself
 1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. 2They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
 3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
   “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
 5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
 6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”[a]
Jesus Before Pilate
 11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
   “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.
 12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” 14 But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.
 15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
 19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”
 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
 21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
   “Barabbas,” they answered.
 22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked.
   They all answered, “Crucify him!”
 23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
   But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
 24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”
 25 All the people answered, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”
 26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
 27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
The Crucifixion
 32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.[b] 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38 Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”
 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus
 45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi,[c] lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”[d]
 47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
 48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
 50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. 52 The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
 54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son[e] of God!”
 55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
The Burial of Jesus
 57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.




Matthew 27: 1-61 (NIV)

Cindy Sig 2

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Red Is For The Blood

We had the privilege this past Sunday of being led in worship by the Andrew Brown Band.  They are amazing and I wanted to share the lyrics of this song written by Andrew.  He had been on a mission trip in Africa, speaking with a little girl about salvation bracelets.  She was explaining to him what all the colors in the bracelet meant and when she came to the red one, she said, "this is the red one.  It's for the blood of Jesus.  And it's my favorite." He said: "it's my favorite too".  He wrote this song when he returned home.  It's a beautiful song and perfect for this Holy Week.  You can find them on iTunes.


Red Is For The Blood

Who am I
That You would know my name
Come and die
To take this sinner's place
Give your life
To save this broken race
I am Yours


Here I stand
At the Cross where You bled
Covered in love
Covered in red

Red is for the blood
For the love
For the mercy pouring down
For the One
Took my nails
Took my sin
Took my crown
It's for the Father 
Who would NOT give up
Until this one was found
It's for the blood of Jesus
Red is for the blood
It's for Your blood

You have eyes
To see what I can't see
Search through time
To the heart of me
Crucified
To set this captive free
Now I'm Yours

Here I stand
At the Cross where You bled
Covered in love
Covered in red

Red is for the blood
For the love
For the mercy pouring down
For the One
Took my nails
Took my sin
Took my crown
It's for the Father
Who would NOT give up
Until this one was found
It's for the blood of Jesus
Red is for the blood
It's for Your blood



©Andrew Brown






Cindy Sig 2

Monday, April 4, 2011

Happy Birthday Caitlin!



Happy Birthday Caitlin!  I can't believe that it has been 24 years since you entered the world and became the center of our universe.

We were beside ourselves when we found out that you were on the way.  After one miscarriage, we were anxious and worried.  I was on bed-rest for five of the nine months that I carried you.  We prayed so hard that I could carry my pregnancy to completion and deliver a healthy baby.  And we did.  God is so good.  You were and are such a blessing.

We were immediately smitten, and it took all of 5 seconds for you to wrap your daddy around your little finger.  You were his princess, and you still are.  You were so precious and we  took delight in everything that you did.  You were such a joy and your personality was larger than life.  You kept us on our toes and you kept us laughing.  We never had the least bit of trouble out of you.  If you ever did anything that maybe  you shouldn't have,  your conscience would get the better of you and you would immediately confess.

It has been such a privilege to be your Mama and to watch you grow into the godly young woman that you are today.  You've had my heart since the moment I met you.

Happy Birthday.  I love you so much.



Cindy Sig 2

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Good Speaking, Good Music, Good Friends

Last Thursday I had the privilege of accompanying my friends Leah Adams and Kristin Adams (no relation) to North Metro First Baptist Church in Gwinnett County. Even though I had to get up in the middle of the night to get ready, I wouldn't have missed it.

Leah spoke at their Ladies Bible Study Spring Luncheon on the importance of Bible Study.  As always, her talk was wonderful and pointed straight to Jesus.  I enjoyed spending some time with the ladies of North Metro.  Please check out Leah's blog; she is a gifted Bible teacher and speaker.

Leah speaking

The special music for the day was performed by a beautiful young lady Ele Gilliland (pronounced Ellie).  She has a beautiful voice, but the most amazing thing is that she is only 13 years old!  And beautiful inside and out.  Cindy Morgan (yes that Cindy Morgan, Dove Award winner Cindy Morgan) has written a few songs for her.  She sings in her song Your Girl : " I found my place in this world when I became your girl".  So true.  Our identity and purpose comes from God alone.  I expect that we will be hearing a lot from Ele.  You can find the song Your Girl and her CD on her website.  You'll love it!

Beautiful Ele

Cute as a button, right down to her sequined converse sneakers!


After we left North Metro, we went to the Mall of Georgia for a little retail therapy.  We didn't buy a lot, but had a blast just being girls.  We did a lot of laughing.  I love my friends.  They are my Aaron and Hur, holding me up, supporting me with their love and prayer.


Me, Leah and Kristin.  Love these ladies!

It was a blessed day.


Cindy Sig 2