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Daylight Saving Time begins this weekend. We "spring ahead" an hour. Aside from the inconvenience of losing an hour Saturday night, I really appreciate the longer days of this season. We're also just two weeks away from Easter, better known in our circles as the Feast of The Resurrection. By the way, do you remember how Easter Sunday is chosen and why it keeps moving every year? The simple answer was given on page 158 of The Lutheran Hymnal (Concordia Publ. House, 1941): "Easter is always the first Sunday after the Full Moon which happens upon or next after the twenty-first day of March; and if the Full Moon happens upon a Sunday, Easter is the Sunday after." Of course, as you might suspect, it's a whole lot more complicated than that. For instance, our brothers and sisters in the Eastern Orthodox churches may have a different date for Easter, because they still use the Julian rather than the Gregorian calendar. To learn more about all this go to the astronomical applications page of the U.S. Naval Observatory (http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/easter.html) and to The Greek Orthodox Church in America site: http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article7070.asp.

 

Dates and Times and Seasons  have been important to believers from the very beginning. On the fourth day of Creation God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years . . ." So when we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ on a date related to the sign of Spring, the vernal equinox, we are remembering that our God became flesh, lived, died and rose again in a particular time, among a particular people. This real event is at the center of our faith, so much so that every Sunday is a new celebration of the Resurrection.

 

Reclaiming the Sabbath - Because of this and because God's Third Commandment is "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy," CrossTies Ministries had developed a ten session seminar to show how the Sabbath commandment is related to the Feast of the Resurrection. Questions about the use of time in our lives, the value of worship and styles of worship are ones of critical importance in our post-Christian and post-modern world. Here's a list of the topics we discuss in our Bible study seminar:

 

• The Cultural Shift in the Twentieth Century
• The Sabbath and the Old Covenant
• The Sabbath and the New Covenant
• The Sabbath and the Early Church
• The Sabbath and the Reformation Church
• God's Word of Power in Worship
• The Place of Tradition in Worship
• The Sabbath and the Family      

A Bibliography on The Sabbath is located at http://www.crosstiesministries.org/reading.asp.

We do not endorse every position presented in these books; however, we do believe they offer much valuable information.

 

For help in bringing this valuable information to your church, contact me at the address below. We will be happy to discuss the matter with you and the leaders of your congregation.

 

Publication news - I know, I know. I keep saying that we're about ready to publish our first book. We are, but. . . This is a very complex task. We're learning how complex it is the further we get into it. Nevertheless, we are confident that in the next few weeks we'll have our book on the eight Beatitudes,  The First Words of Jesus , available in printed format. Soon after that we'll have a study workbook to accompany it. It will be available to order directly from the site or from www.Amazon.com.  We believe that this little book should be in the hands of all Christians. To grasp the meaning of the Beatitudes is to grasp the central teachings of our Christian faith.

 

Four Loves Seminar May 17, Zion Lutheran Church , Tomball , TX . - for those of you in the Houston area. This 8:00 A.M.. to noon Bible study seminar will help participants to sort through the four major meanings of love as presented by the Bible. We will look at how human loves have been twisted and perverted by our common sinfulness. We will also study how God's love in Jesus Christ renews love in marriage, family and congregation. Call Zion Lutheran Church (281-351-5757) for more information about registration.

 

Keep our work in your prayers. Above all, we need your prayers. Also, if the Lord moves you to support our work, join us. Become a member. Send a one time or a monthly donation. We are only able to continue because of your prayers and your love. For more information go to http://crosstiesministries.org/membership/membership_information2.htm.