ROLLING AWAY STONY HEARTS!
Matthew 28:1-10 relates the best news you, me or any sinner in this world could receive!! After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb of Jesus following his crucifixion. They wanted to perform “the last rites” to his blood-stained dead body by cleaning it up and anointing it with myrrh and other spices.
They were worrying how they could get into the tomb because a heavy stone had been rolled across the entrance. They met an angel who explained to them that the stone had already been rolled away, not to fear and that Jesus had risen from the dead just as he had foretold. The Lord was going ahead of them to Galilee where they would see him but Jesus would meet them on the road as they rushed to tell the disciples.
Jesus can meet you and me on your road of life today but we need to believe in the Risen Lord and that God will roll away all the obstacles we may put in the way of that faith. Sometimes these are physical – poor health, agedness, family commitments but more often the main barrier to accepting Jesus into our lives is our own stony hearts. If you look in a Thesauras, comparable words to “stony” are some we would expect such as “ rocky”, “hard”, and “rough” but there are others which speak more to our character and attitudes: “unyielding”, “hardness”, “coldness”, “unsympathetic” and “unfeeling”.
Ask our loving God this Easter to roll away the hardness of your heart, accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour and see how Christ can give you a new life not just for your remaining days on this earth but on into eternity!
Geoff Champion
Speakers for Sunday Services in April
7th am. Revd Peter Cho
pm Revd Dr Suzanne Roberts
14th am. Revd Peter Cho
pm. Dr Chris Palmer
21st am. Easter Play
pm. Revd Peter Cho
28th am. Mr Geoff Champion
pm. Mr John Gibby
Dates for your diary:
Thursday April 18th: 7pm. United Communion
Good Friday April 19th: Services at 10.30 and 7pm.
Thursday 2nd May: 12.30pm Luncheon Club
Tuesday 21st May: 6.30pm. Professor Kim (musical ministry)
Thursday 23rd May: 6.30pm. Mr Chef
Thursday 30th May: 7pm. Ascension Day service – Revd Simeon Baker
GWEDDI DROS Y PASG/EASTER PRAYER
Duw Byw,
Rydym yn eich addoli heddiw gyda llawenydd yn ein calonnau a’r diolchgarwch ar ein gwefusau. Pan oedd pŵerau drwg wedi gwneud eu gwaethaf, gan groeshoelio’ch Mab, a’i gladdu yn farw, fe wnaethoch chi ei godi yn fyw eto: gweithred o bŵer yn rhoi gobaith i’r byd.
Living Lord,
We worship you today with joy in our hearts and thanksgiving on our lips. When the powers of evil had done their worst, crucifying your Son, and burying Him in death, You raised Him to life again: an act of power giving hope to the world.
Yr Arglwydd Iesu,
Rydym yn llawenhau na allai’r farwolaeth eich dal chi; y codwyd eich bywyd yn fyw, yn fyw am byth. Fe wnaethoch chi gyfarch eich ffrindiau ac yn awr rydych chi’n sefyll yn ein plith yn eich pŵer atgyfodol.
Lord Jesus,
We rejoice that death could not keep You; that You rose from the grave alive; alive for evermore. You greeted Your friends and now You stand amongst us in Your risen power.
Ysbryd Duw,
Rydych chi bob amser yn rhoi bywyd i bobl Duw, gan roi genedigaeth i blant Duw. Ail-luniwch ni yn delwedd Iesu, llenwch ni gyda’i gariad a’n galluogi ni gyda’i bŵer atgyfodol, fel y gallem fod yn ffyddlon i’w ffordd, wedi ei ddefnyddio gennych chi wrth adennill ei fyd.
Spirit of God,
You are always giving life to the people of God, giving birth to the children of God. Remodel us in the image of Jesus, fill us with His love and enable us with His risen power that we might be faithful to His way, used by You in the redeeming of Your world.
A bydd bendith Duw, Tad, Mab ac Ysbryd Glân, gyda ni i gyd yn awr ac am byth. Amen
And the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us all now and for evermore. Amen.