The Resurrection Promised

“I am going to be arrested, suffer brutally, and be killed…” is the last thing that Peter heard before he flew off the rails. I say that’s the last thing (though I can’t be certain) he heard because he responded as if Jesus didn’t follow that up with a promise that He would rise again after three days.

His reaction makes sense if all he hears is that the person he is betting everything on is going to die and that’s the end of the story. If Jesus dies and that’s it, then there is no point in denying yourself and following Him. To Peter, the dream would have been over if Jesus dies. Time to head back to the sea and re-open Pete’s Fishing Co.

That’s exactly what we should do too should Jesus had died and stayed dead. The chapter we are studying right now on Sunday nights, 1 Corinthians 15, makes it clear that if Jesus died and stayed dead, then our faith is in vain. We should go back to our old ways of living, we should stop gathering to worship this Jesus we say we believe in, and we should stop telling others about Him. If the man we are betting all on is still dead, let’s pack it up and call it a day on the Christian faith.

However, had Peter kept listening, he would have heard the whole promise! Sure, he would have heard Jesus say that he would suffer and die, but he also would have heard the promise that ensured his death wouldn’t be in vain, namely, the promise of His resurrection. He would have heard the one promise that makes the death of Jesus more than just another ordinary death by crucifixion. He would have heard the one promise that ensures the identity of Jesus truly being the Son of God. He would have heard the one promise that makes Jesus’s death not in vain. Thank God for promising His Son would live after His death, and thank God for keeping such a promise!

As Christians today, we look back to Jesus’s words in Mark 8:31 not as a promise to be anticipated, but as a promise that has been fulfilled. We don’t look ahead nervously wondering if His promise to come back to life would come true, we get to look back in faith knowing that it did. So, we get to look to Easter this year and every year, not as a promise that we should anticipate, but as a promise fulfilled that we should celebrate!

Adam and Ashley Walz

Taiwan

(1) The Walz have seen three men recently trust Christ in their evangelistic Bible studies. Pray for them as they begin their journey with Christ. (2) Pray for their train station ministry, a weekly opportunity for them to share food and the gospel with people. 

Sunday Morning Service

Sunday Evening Service

Check out the music and Scripture texts for this Lord's Day.

Get Connected

Plan To Invite Someone To Church This Sunday

Do you feel connected to the fellowship family? Perhaps you have been attending Fellowship for a short time or even a long time but have yet to get connected to a core group of people to go through life with. We were made to have fellowship with one another and develop deep and strong relationships outside of our immediate family. One small step to get you in the right direction could be to join us this Sunday for our Connection Group time at 9:45am. You can contact our church office and ask for one of our pastor's to help get you connected to a group that fits your stage of life.
You can invite someone to church any Sunday of the year—there's no need to wait for a special occasion. Your friends and family can join our community of believers at any time! Consider stopping by the church to pick up an invitation card, which can help you start a conversation with someone you know this week.

Read this Sunday's sermon texts.

Sunday Morning:
John 5:1-15
Sunday Night:
I Corinthians 15:35-49

Spend Time Praising God.

Why wait until Sunday to sing or listen to the songs of our faith? Check out our setlist for this Sunday and get ready to join with God's people in worship.
Book of the Month | Delighting In The Trinity
Easter Outreach | April 12
Communion | April 18
Easter Service | April 20
Prepare your mind and heart with some Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs this week. Use our church playlist
through the week and be encouraged by the music we will sing as a congregation this Lord's Day.

Sunday Morning

Blessed Be Your Name
Great Is
Trust In God
Run To The Father

Sunday Evening Service

When We All Get To Heaven
Hymn Of Heaven
I Will Rise
To listen to this Sunday's setlist, use one of the platform links below.