Cedar Grove Church

Announcements: On Easter Sunday, Sunday School will begin at 9:45 a.m., the Easter drama begins at 11 a.m. and an Easter egg hunt for the children will follow the drama.

An outreach event will be held at Thorsby Park from 4-8 p.m. on April 18. Everyone is invited.

On April 13, Bro. Dennis Smith will preach the revival service at Mt. Bethel Baptist Church, with Pastor Jeff Carroll to preach the revival service on April 15.

Prayer concerns: Eli Jackson, Tucker Jones, April Jones, Kenny Wyatt, Janet Wyatt, Jennifer Watley, Jennifer Nivens, Mary McGuire, Ann Russell, Debbie Barbee, Stony Barbee, all those in hospitals and nursing homes, and spoken and unspoken requests.

Pastor Jeff Carroll’s text for his sermon “What is Palm Sunday” was taken from Mathew 21:1-10.

Jesus died at same hour as the Passover lamb was slain, so when God looks at us, he will see that the blood has been applied to our lives, and we will be spared death unto damnation.

Palm Sunday was the only time God allowed Jesus to be recognized as King. The multitudes laid palm branches and their coats in his path as he rode into Jerusalem on a simple donkey, depicting a man of peace and love.

The people were shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.” This was a man who walked on water, raised to life a man who had been dead for four days, healed the lame, made the blind to see, calmed the seas and cast out demons.

Jesus is the only one who can get you to Heaven. This is where men and Jesus meet, the crossroads, Calvary.

How quickly things can change. On Palm Sunday, Jesus was being hailed as King; on Friday he was hanging on a cross being crucified for the sins of the world. While we were still sinners, he loved us enough to die for us and give us a chance at eternal life. All we have to do is believe, repent and love him.  He will forgive us and be our advocate before God the Father.

Some people think if they are good or do good things, they can go to heaven, but no one can be good enough to go to heaven. You cannot buy you way to heaven or talk your way into heaven. One day, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess—even Satan and his minions—that Jesus Christ is Lord of lords and King of kings. Glory to God in the highest!

Submitted by Naomi Gillespie

Mars Hill Baptist Church

Where would we be if Christ had not risen from the dead? We would still be in our sin, with no hope of a better life, no hope of a life to come. But praise be to God, he has risen from the dead and sits at the right hand of our Father in heaven, ever interceding for our sins. What a hope and a future we have in Christ Jesus! This world is not our home; we are just passing through like shadows on the wall.

Bro. William Short’s message was taken from 1 Corinthians 15:19-22: If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But Christ is arose from the dead, and became the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. In Adam, all die, but in Christ all shall be made alive.

This is the promise of God, that if we live for him and in him, we shall be alive for evermore—not in this body we have now or in this life we have now, but in a glorified body in heavenly places. This earthly body will wear out. When the heart stops beating, the body will return to the earth, but if we trust in God and place our lives in his hands, then when this earthly body breathes its last breath, the next breath will be in heaven with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

This is the promise we live for: life eternal with Jesus. Place all your hopes and dreams in Christ Jesus. He will never let you down.

A resurrection life is not what we have now, but what we hope for in Christ Jesus. Many of us have loved ones who have died and gone on to heaven. We must live for Jesus if we ever hope to see them again.

Friends, if you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, there is no better time than now. We are not promised tomorrow. Death has no respect for age; young and old die every day. The choice we have to make is whether to die in our sins and wake up in a devil’s hell, or ask forgiveness for our sins and wake up in heaven with Jesus Christ.

Please make the choice to follow Jesus, to have God’s promise of life eternal in your future. God loves you, and wants no one to have to experience hell’s fire for eternity. God loves you; hear his voice and accept Jesus today.

Easter services will begin at 6 a.m. with “Sonrise” service, followed by breakfast in the fellowship hall at 7 a.m., Sunday School at 8 a.m. and worship service at 9 a.m. We will have no evening service.

A Blessing Easter Egg Hunt for children will be held on April 4 from 10 a.m. until noon.

The quarterly business meeting will be held on April 8.

Please pray for our church, our pastor, the sick, the lost, the hurting, our children, our schools and teachers, missionaries at home and abroad, our military, our government and the peace of Israel. God is good, all the time! Amen.

Submitted by Danny L.