"ONLY SAY THE WORD" (see Lk 7:7) - One Bread, One Body, 3/27/2008

We at Presentation Ministries wish you a very blessed and holy Easter.
Praise Jesus our risen LORD!

Read about your Risen Life in Christ
http://www.presentationministries.com/brochures/RisenLife.asp
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday, March 27, 2008, Easter Week

Acts 3:11-26, Psalm 8, Luke 24:35-48
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/032708.shtml

"ONLY SAY THE WORD" (see Lk 7:7)

"Recall those words I spoke to you when I was still with you." —Luke 24:44

Some people think Easter 2008 isn't as good as the first Easter. They
think they would be transformed by the risen Jesus if only they could see
and touch His glorified body. However, a sensory experience of the risen
Christ is not what makes Easter.

At the first Easter, the risen Jesus invited the apostles to look at and
touch His hands and feet (Lk 24:39). He even ate a piece of cooked fish to
prove to the apostles that they were seeing His body and not just a vision
(Lk 24:42). These sensory experiences did not give the apostles faith in
the risen Christ. Faith comes not through sensory experiences but by
spiritual hearing, and this kind of hearing comes from receiving God's
word (Rm 10:17).

After Jesus failed to instill in the apostles faith in the resurrection
through vision, sound, and touch, He "opened their minds to the
understanding of the Scriptures" (Lk 24:45). In this way, the two
disciples on the road to Emmaus came to believe in the risen Christ after
failing to recognize Him despite walking with Him for several miles (Lk
24:32).

Peter also emphasized meeting the risen Christ through the word. At the
first Pentecost he preached the word, not even mentioning Jesus'
resurrection appearances to him (Acts 2:14-36). This Easter can be as good
as the first, because Easter depends on faith, faith comes from hearing,
and hearing is from the word of God.

Prayer: Father, may the word burn in my heart this week (Lk 24:32).

Promise: "God raised Him from the dead, and we are His witnesses." —Acts
3:15

Praise: By confirming words that God speaks through others, Rachel knows
the Lord is specifically hearing her prayers.

(Devote yourself to the ministry of the Word. For encouragement, order our
tapes on the "Bible Teachers Series. "Our six-tape audio series starts
with AV 117-1. Our three-part video series starts with V-117.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my
permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from
February 1, 2008 through March 31, 2008
†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General Archdiocese of Cincinnati,
August 14, 2007

The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be
free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have
granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or
statements expressed.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB
eBook edition, and an online donation form at
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright © 2008 Presentation Ministries

To add your e-mail address to this list go to
http://www.presentationministries.com/general/emailList.asp

To remove your e-mail address from this list go to
http://www.presentationministries.com/general/emailList.asp?mode=r