Scripture
When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first.
~I Corinthians 15:36, NLT
Quote
Jesus, not death, has the last word.
~Ya’akov
When the got ready to build the new Kingsway Theater in London back in 1882, they had to take down the old buildings that occupied the property. They leveled the site to the ground and left it exposed to the sun and rain for almost a year. Something amazing happened, flower seeds brought to Britain in the first century AD by the Romans were hidden under the stones of the old buildings. The seeds had been laying dormant for 1800 years and yet with the light of the sun and the rain, they came to life with such beauty that folks were amazed. Years ago, I heard Paul Harvey tell a similar story. It was about the discovery of an old Spanish ship that had sunk off the coast of South America. Although it lay on the ocean floor, several feet below water for 400 years, many of things on board were in tack. One chest was filled with garden seeds the Spanish were bringing to the new world. When the seeds were planted, to everyone’s surprise, they came up.
Paul uses the seed to illustrate the power of the resurrection. A seed is a lifeless, inanimate thing or so it seems. All seeds appear to be dead or lifeless and yet God has put life in these tiny elements. Our physical bodies are the seed and they will die. Paul said, “Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies.”
I love all the stories about Jesus but particularly the ones where folks are trying to have a funeral and then Jesus shows up. Jesus didn’t do funerals. He had this bad habit of speaking life to dead folks and they all came alive. My point is: death never had the last word, not if Jesus was present. I love the story of Jairus daughter: the professional mourners who saw death all the time said to Jesus, “She is dead. There is no pulse, no breath and her body is getting cold. We know what death looks life and she is dead.” Jesus said, “She is not dead, just taking a nap. You folks go on out in the yard while I wake her up.” I’m a telling you: Jesus has the last word.
Another beautiful day it looks like, it was 67 when I made my walk to the office. You couldn’t ask for better. The FRIDAY FILM FESTIVAL went great. We had over 100 and that is good for us. The pop-corn was a big hit. I have a feeling for those of you who do it for three hours non-top at the block party. I was exhausted when I got home last night around 10:00.
Another busy day on tap, LORD willing. I am not complaining, I like to be busy. I am thankful that I can go and able to help others. Curly Turrentine’s COLS is this evening at 2:00. Curly was 84 which is really not that old. Leona and Gaines Burden will be 95 this month. Matter of fact, Mrs. Leona was 95 yesterday. Landon was helping me yesterday evening and he asks, “Grand daddy, do you want to live to be 84?” I said, “Son, it depends. If I can be healthy and active yes, if not I had just soon depart.” What a blessing it is to be able to go and do, amen!
Have a great day and weekend!