Years ago there lived an old English clergyman who used to stand on the roof of Winchester Cathedral and tell the story of how the news of Wellington's victory over Napoleon reached England. You see, the news of that history-making battle came by means of a sailing vessel off the southern coast. The vessel carried a semaphore and relayed the message by blinking the light on and off.

During the time of the battle, the church verger sat, night after night, staring out to sea so be would not miss the message. And then, one night he saw the message as it began to blink that all-important message.

But then, a heavy fog settled over the area and he could no longer see the vessel from the Cathedral. Since the semaphore could no longer be seen, the heartbreaking news of that incomplete message went on to London....WELLINGTON DEFEATED! A curtain of gloom fell over the city. Defeat! Defeat!

But then, several hours later, the dense fog lifted and once again the semaphore began signaling the Cathedral. This time the air was clear and the whole message came through...WELLINGTON DEFEATED THE ENEMY!

The message was even more glorious now, because of the preceding gloom. And, like a prairie fire it spread across the land and lifted the spirits of the people until there was jubilation in the streets. WELLINGTON DEFEATED THE ENEMY!!!

Almost 2,000 years ago...on a lonely hill outside the city of Jerusalem, the sinless Son of God gave Himself willingly in a vicarious death upon a rugged cross as the price God required for sin!

The Prophet Amos had predicted something interesting about that awesome scene many years before. He wrote in 787 B.C....

His prophecy was literally fulfilled, for Luke tells us.. "And it was about the sixth hour (noon), and there was a DARKNESS over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was DARKENED, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. " Luke 23:44-45

As that darkness covered the land, obscuring from the gaze of men the shame of the sufferer on the central cross, Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Father, into Thy hands I commend my Spirit. "

At the death of Jesus, the darkness deepened and to the fearful followers who gathered there at Calvary, it meant but one thing...Like the semaphore, it spelled out tbe apparent message ....J-E-S-U-S D-E-F-E-A-T-E-D!

Even as they placed the limp and lifeless body of Jesus in the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, the persistent thought of their hearts was the same...JESUS DEFEATED!

During the three days of His entombment, all Hell must have been alive with ghoulish glee, for the Prince of Darkness had apparently triumphed over the Son of Righteousness.

Did ever such darkness so deeply envelope the hearts of God's children as it did that day? I think not. Recall from scripture the gist of their dismal conversation on the Road to Emmaus...

How faithless and unbelieving were his followers. Many times He had told them of His coming death and resurrection. Again and again He had said, "After three days I will rise again. " And He kept His word. Those three dreary days dragged to a close and suddenly the darkness lifted!

The radiance of that first Easter morning dispelled the gloom and despair of the disciples and offered new hope and assurance to a lost world!

God's semaphore sent out its own completed message...JESUS DEFEATED DEATH!

The battle was done. The victory was won. And the message was much more glorious because of the preceding gloom. JESUS DEFEATED DEATH!

The RECORD tells us that Mary Magdalene and other women were the first to learn the message. Going to the tomb early in the morning to place spices around the body of Jesus, they found the tomb empty.

The triumphant message they heard from the angel at the tomb was this..."He is not here; He is risen as He said Come see the place where the Lord lay; and go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead"

One by one they heard the news. First the disciples and then 500 at one gathering. "HE'S ALIVE!! JESUS IS ALIVE!!

John tells us that while they gathered together in the upper room they saw Christ in His resurrected body. They talked with Him. They touched Him. They ate with Him.

Even Thomas, who wasn't present the first time Jesus met with them, and who had said, "I won't believe it unless I see Him and touch the nail prints ". . finally SAW and TOUCHED and CONFESSED, "My Lord and my God.!

In writing to the Corinthian Church, the Apostle Paul said, "If death had defeated Jesus Christ, our faith would be in vain, and we would yet be in our sins. "

Can you imagine such a tragedy? Calvary, with all of its horrible suffering and shame would have been without effect and powerless to save even one person, if Jesus had failed to rise again. You and I would have no hope for the resurrection of our own bodies and no hope for eternity. The grave would be the doorway to an eternity without God!

But, Paul writes: "Now is Christ risen from the dead and become the FIRST FRUITS of them that slept. "

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?? It simply means that Jesus Christ is the living pattern of those that sleep. As Christ came forth from the dead, so shall He quicken our mortal bodies, and fashion them like unto His GLORIOUS, RESURRECTED, ETERNAL BODY.. (I Cor. 1S)

IS THAT GOOD NEWS...or WHAT? What a blessed hope! No wonder Paul cries out, "Oh death, where is thy sting? And grave, where is thy victory? "

Death is certain.....but death isn't final. Not by a long shot!

Jesus said, "Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in the which ALL that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth: they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. "

Very simply, everyone will be resurrected. The remaining question is-where will you spend the rest of eternity?

If you have trusted in Christ as your Saviour and crowned Him as Lord of your life, you can say with bold assurance .. "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord "

Not too tong before his passing, the great D.L. Moody said this to one of his friends: "Some day you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody is dead! Don't you believe it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher, that's all. I was born in the flesh in 1837, I was born in the Spirit in 1856. That which is born of the flesh may die, but that which is born of the Spirit will LIVE FOREVER!"

If the grave had ended all for Jesus, it would have ended all for us. There would have been NOTHING BEYOND.

Before COLUMBUS discovered the New World, the Spanish bore the motto, "NE PLUS ULTRA" = There is nothing beyond! But, after he braved the terrors of the unknown and uncharted seas, the "NE" was dropped from the Spanish motto, and it simply read, 'PLUS ULTRA" = THERE IS MORE BEYOND!!

Because Jesus defeated death...there is so much more beyond for us. Paul expressed it this way: "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. "

How can all of this be possible? The wonder of such things? How can it be? I'll tell you in three words.. JESUS DEFEATED DEATH:

Last month we looked into the fact that the existence of God gives the absoluteness to moral answer. This month, I would like to recall a newspaper article.

The article was in the Virginia Pilot, January 10, and was written by Fred Tasker. It was addressing the moral correctness of Homosexuality. It was based on an interview with six religious leaders/theologians of differing views, conducted by the Miami Herald.

The six in question were: David Bartlett, Timothy Crater, Reuben Kimelman, Albert Mohler Jr., Jill Nelson, and Krister Stendahl. One of the passages they dealt with was in the first chapter of Romans. The conclusion of the paper was basically one of ignorance, with no total agreement, and the reader has to decide on his/her own.

Now based on what we discussed last month, I would like to recall this first chapter on Romans. One of the things I want to make clear is something that article did not: you cannot properly answer a moral question unless you have a proper metaphysical base to work with. In other words, if these six were asked to define or describe God’s charater, they would without which have a solid metaphyical base laid, no sound ethical view can be constructed.

Romans 1 shows that metaphysical error leads to ethical error, and Romans 12:1-2 shows its reversal in the life of the Christian. In 1:18-23, man turns from his Metaphysical Absolute and begins to depend on his own understanding and imagination. In 1:24-25, God lets them have their choice; all the ethical problems start to flow from the mind and emotions that then are functioning independent of the Metaphysical Absolute: God.

So one of the passages these people dealt with held a clue to the certainty they were trying to deal with, and this brings me to a related subject: how "open" should the church be to those in unethical situations?

The Church needs to be as open as a hospital offers services designed to heal, and they are open to sick people. The sick are welcome to come; it is the purpose of the hospital to serve them. They are not to be shut out. But the sole reason that the hospital is open to them is to restore them to proper health, not to le them get worse, or just live there untreated, or pass their sickness on to others.

The Church needs to be as "open" as the hospital. It offers salvation, which is deliverance. Mankind has fallen from its original ideal condition and needs restoration; otherwise what is salvation? Salvation is helping man to get back to that ideal state, instead of this just accepting everybody as is, with no need of deliverance. We see this in 1 Corinthians 6:9ff. They had been in alternative lifestyles (alternative to God’s ideal), but in Christ they were now to pursue that ideal one of which Christ is the example.

Pray for each pastor and for those under his care. May God strengthen our hands as we serve Him together so that we may rejoice in the harvest He has promised to faithful laborers.

It’s Me-Centered Instead of Christ-Centered. First and foremost, it is the gospel that appeals to the selfish. Instead of honoring God, it places the sinner at the center of God’s plan. But the Bible places Jesus at the center of God’s plan, not the sinner.

One of the most well-known phrases of modern evangelism is "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life!" But the sober, biblical truth that needs to be presented to the sinner’s mind is "you have made yourself an enemy of God, and in your present state of rebellion there is absolutely no hope for you." In fact, God’s "plan" for the sinner at this point in his life is to separate him forever from His presence in hell. However unpopular or unlovely that may sound it is the only truth and reality about anyone who is an enemy of God through sin.

The whole line of reasoning in our modern gospel continues on and on in this mistaken way. "in has separated you from God, "and His wonderful plan for your life." Jesus came and died on the cross, so that you may experience "His wonderful plan for your life." You must accept Jesus now, so that you will not miss out on "His wonderful plan for your life!" You, you, you, you!!! It’s all for YOU! I’m not sorry to say this, but Jesus did it all in obedience, for His Father’s glory. (Phil. 2:8-12) Of course, it infinitely benefits those who love, serve and honor Him, but that was a secondary consideration, not the primary one. (Please read Eze. 36:22-32) If people come to Jesus mainly to get a blessing, or only to get forgiveness, they will ultimately be disappointed. But it they come to give Him their lives in honor and worship, them they will truly have forgiveness and joy-more than they could ever imagine! (1 Cor. 2:9)

It’s Shallow, Cheap, and Offered as a "Bargain". Our gospel reduces the good news to a "come and get it while you can" sale. We make every effort to take all the bones out-everything that might offend someone, might make them hesitate or put off their decision. Jesus didn’t do this. He never lowered the requirements for anyone. One had to be completely sincere, totally humbled, having counted the cost, willing to leave everything, family and property, "count all things loss" so that they might "gain Christ". (Phil. 3:7-8) When that same rich young ruler "went away sad, for he had many possessions" (Matt. 19:22), Jesus didn’t go running after him shouting, Hey, wait a minute! Let’s talk this thing over, it isn’t as bad as it might sound, Maybe I was a little too harsh!

Maybe we’re so eager to "see the converts," to publish" "how many got saved at our last concert" in the bulletins to our supporters, that we’ll do anything to rush someone into a "decision" before he’s had a chance to really make one. The problem is, if you have to rush him into it, he probably will change his mind later anyway. For as a friend of mine says, "If somebody can talk them into it, somebody can talk them out of it! (1 Cor. 1:17)

Salvation is Shown as a Barter or Trade, Instead of the Result of Obedience by Faith. We offer forgiveness of sin like Monty Hall on "Let’s Make a Deal." I’ve even heard, "You give Jesus your sin, and He’ll give you salvation in return! No one in the Bible ever thought so low of the grace of God to talk about the gift of eternal life like it was for trade. It is a gift! You can’t earn it, or buy it, or give anything in return for it. How it must offend the Holy Spirit to hear people talk of His Jesus so. (Acts 8:18-23)

It Produces Selfish, Blessed, and Feelings-Oriented" "Converts." Anyone who is made to believe he becomes a Christian under such preaching will seldom bring forth the true fruits of a real convert. He will remain just as selfish as he always was, only now his selfishness will take on a religious form. If he wants thing, or he will say, "It is the desire of my heart, "or some other religious-sounding phrase like that. He will pray selfishly, desiring blessings for himself, and even if he does pray for others, it usually will be for selfish reasons. After all, when he "accepted the Lord," he was told how much Jesus wanted to bless him and how much God had stored up for his account, and how the Bible was like "a checkbook full of promises, just waiting to be cashed!"

Such a person always seeks to feel" good about himself, his own church, his own pastor, etc. His whole world is built on feeling blessed. He was never shown how he created to bless God…God was not created to bless him. (Psa. 149:4; Phil. 2:13)

As you can see the "converts" described above are not like those pictured in the book of Acts, when the Church was new and the fire was hot. Take a look at Acts 2:41-47 and 4:31-35, and you will see the tender spirit of love, and the mighty spirit of power that prevailed among the brethren in those early days. I believe that one of the great reasons that "everyone kept feeling a sense of awe" (Acts 2:43), was because "they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles" teaching and to prayer." (vs.42) I believe that Peter and the others made every effort to convey the whole message of the Gospel when they preached and taught, and that is why the Spirit of God could anoint and bless the new converts so powerfully-God always anoints the truth (Isa. 55:11)

There are three things that are real—God, human folly, and laughter. The first two are beyond our compehension. So we must do what we can with the third.

The Dean was busy working on a schedule for our Pulpit Exchange Sundays. There are five months in the year that have five Sundays. These have been selected as Sundays to exchange pulpits in order that our people may have an opportunity to get acquainted with our pastors and they with the people in other parishes. The first of these took place on Sunday, March 29^th.

The next Convocation will be held on Saturday May 10, 1998 at Cornerstone Church, Salem, VA. Rev. Michael Wilshire is the pastor there and has graciously invited us. May I ask you to mark your calendar and plan to come. It would be a great encouragement to our pastors to have more of our laity involved in these sessions. Will you please pray about your involvement and ask the Lord to guide you in the use of your time to benefit of all our churches? Thank you.

Again we would be greatly encouraged to see more of the lay people involved. Plan ahead and come.

"LET US PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER"

PRAY: this newsletter may be used by the Lord to reach others inclined to believe.

PRAY: that another mission church be established in Virginia and Maryland.

PRAY: that our churches will increase by 20% this summer.

PRAY: that a Mission Church be established in the Smithfield, and Bedford, area of Virginia.

1 Pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces 2 tbls. soy sauce . 1 tbls. Vegetable oil 1 tbls . vinegar 1-1/2 tep. sugar 1 tbls. Sesame seeds, toasted ¼ to ½ tps ground ginger . ¼ tps. Ground cumin

I n a saucepan, cook the asparagus in a small amount of water until crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain well and place in a large bowl. Combine the spy sauce , oil, vinegar, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger and cumin; pour over asparagus and toss to cost. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Drain before serving. Yield 4 servings.

By J. Mahler

Christ’s Church Mission Meets at Newmarket Baptist 8309 Orcutt Ave. 23605 Hampton, VA Phone (757) 826-5293 The Rev. William T. Kump Home Phone (757 )244-7944

New Covenant Church 1350 Liggates Road Phone (804) 847-8313 / 528-2533 e-mail Inklings@lynchburg.net The Rev. Edward Y. Hopkins Home Phone (804) 846-2539

Prince of Peace Church 14100 Ridge Creek Road 23112 The Rev. Dr. Hans E. Josephsen Home Phone (804) 744-7500 e-mail hjosephsen@bellind.com

Covenant Church Roanoke 6429 Merrinam Road The Rev. Rodney Longmire Home Phone (540) 989-5458

Bishop Cummins Memorial R.E. Church 2001Fredrick Road Baltimore, MD Phone (410) 744-3383 The Rev. Paul C. Schenck

Emmanuel Church Reformed Episcopal 3517 Harford Road Baltimore, MD 21218 Phone (410) 893-7251 Fax (410) 893-7251 The Rev. Willian A. Jenkins Sr. Phone (410) 893-7251 e-mail jenkinsw@erols.com

Faith Church Reformed Episcopal 5071 E. Federal Street Baltimore, MD 21205 Phone (410) 893-7251 Fax (410) 893-7251 The Rev. Willian A. Jenkins Sr. Phone (410) 893-7251 e-mail jendinsw

Saint Stephen’s Reformed Episcopal Church 2275 Liberty Road Eldersburg, MD 21784 Phone (410)795-1249 Fax (410)281-1350 The Rev. Cody L. Godman Phone (410)795-9266

Grace Reformed Episcopal Church 560 Fountain Street Havre de Grace MD 21078 Phone (410) 939-2866 Fax (410) 393-2365 The Rev. Jeffrey Welch Phone(410) 939-3052

6429 Merrinam Road Roanoke Va. 24018 CH (MAJ) Rodney H. Longmire phone (540) 989-5458

New Covenant School 1350 Liggates Road Lynchburg, Va. 24502 Phone (804) 847-8313 e-mail NCShead@juno.com Headmaster Rev. Dr. R. Littlejohn

Eleanor Matthews 2420 Rockwell Avenue Baltimore, MD 21228 Phone (410) 788-4809 e-mail PreacherPaul@juno.com

9 Hilltop Place Catonsville, MD 21228-5510 Bishop Daniel G. Cox Mrs. Patricia Cox Mrs. Patty Levi Mrs. Carrie Rembert Mr. John Thayer Phone & Fax (410)747-4380

Rt. Rev Daniel G. Cox 9 Hilltop Place Catonsville, MD 21228-5510 Phone (410) 747-4380 Fax (410) 747-4380

Rt. Rev Leonard Riches 85 Smithstown Road Pipersville, Penn. Phone (215) 483-1196 Fax (215) 294-8009 e-mail Nicaea@aol.com

Rev. Dr. Hans Josephsen 14100 Ridge Creek Road Midothian, Va. 23112 Phone (804) 744-7500 e-mail hjosephsen@bellind.com

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Christ instituted two rites for His followers to observe: baptism, a once-for-all rite of initiation (Matt. 28:19: Gal. 3:27), and the Lord’s Supper, a regular rite of remembrance (1 Cor. 11:23-26). These are called "sacraments" in the Western church, "mysteries" in the Eastern Orthodox church, or "ordinances." Scripture has no technical term for the two rites of the corresponding Old. Testament observances that is, circumcism of males as a rite of initation (Gen. 17:9-q4, 23-27) and the annual passover as a rite of remembrance (Ex. 12:1-27). Bibical teaching, however warrants classifying them all together as signs and seals of a covenant relationship with God.

"Sacrament" is from a Latin word meaning sacred. Study of the Christian rites themselves leads to a definition of sacrament as a ritual action instituted by Christ in which signs perceived by the senses present to us the grace of God in Christ and the blessings of His covenant. They communicate and confirm these blessings to believers, who in receiving the sacraments respond to God’s grace and declare their faith and allegiance to Him. The sacraments "put a visible difference between those that belong unto the Church and the rest of the world." They solemnly "engage [Christians] to the service of God in Christ, according to His Word" (Westminster Confession, XXVII.1).

It was a mistake of the medieval church to classify as sacraments five more rites (confirmation, penance, marriage, ordination, and exterme unction). These five are not seals of a covenant relationship with God. They were not instituted by Christ and they do not have "any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God" (Thirty-Nine Articles, XXV).

The sacraments are means of grace, for God uses them to strengthen faith’s confidence in His promises and to call forth acts of faith for receiving the good gifts signified. The efficacy of the sacraments is not from the faith or virtue of the minister, but from the faithfulness of God, who, having given the signs, is now pleased to use them. Christ and the apostles speaks of the sign as if it were the thing signified, and as if receiving the former is the same as receving the latter (Matt. 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 10:15-21; 1 Pet. 3:21, 22). As the preaching of the Word makes the gospel audible, so the sacraments make it visible.

Sacraments strengthen faith by correlating Christian beliefs with the testimony of our senses. The Heidelberg Catechism illustrates this in its answer to Question 75. The key words are "as sure as."

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Funny Bone

A missionary came into the mountains to see how many people he could save for the Lord and from a way of life that he had read about in local color novels. He spied an old man sitting on his front porch enjoying the afternoon sun. He went up in the man’s yard and without so much as a howdy said, "Brother, are you lost?"

"Why, no," the man said. "I’ve been living here forty years."

"I mean, have you found Jesus?"

"Now, I didn’t realize he was lost. The Bible says he’s in heaven until he comes again."

"What I mean is, are you a member of the Christian band?"

"No, but there is a Bill Christian who lives about five miles over the ridge."

"My question is, are you ready for the Judgment Day."

"When is it?"

"It may be next week of it may be next year. We just don’t know."

"Well, you find out, you let me know. The old woman may want to go both days."

VA, & MD, Reformed Episcopalian 1848 Wolfsnare Road Virginia Beach, Va. 23454-3541 e-mail VaREChurch@aol.com Fax 757-491-0245

Whether you want to praise us, complain, or just let us know what’s on your mind, we’d love to hear from you. Donations of any amount will be appreciated.

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or e-mail us at REChurch@AOL.COM Fax 757-491-0245 or call James at 757-491-7791

Persecution of Christians around the world of the worst sort: slavery, starvation, murder, looting, burning, torture. Call your Congressman and Senators today. We want sanctions placed on countries that allow this.

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