And what a Palm Sunday it was here - and must've been the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem!

Pastor Luke points out 4 things about Jesus that day:

1.  He was a humble King

Jesus came into town on a donkey, knowing His fate.  Willing to submit Himself to an entire week of daily persecution and indescribable physical pain, and even death.  Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

2.  He was the Promised King

As we've seen throughout our study in Genesis, the events that happened to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, etc etc, point to the Messiah - and the sacrifice and atonement for our sin.  Even Zechariah, 500 years prior, wrote about how our King was to enter into Jerusalem in chapter 9:9.  

3.  He was the Savior King

He came with Righteousness - perfect adherence to God's law.  Pastor Luke makes a great point here; "It's why we need His life - not just His death."  Yet now, we know how to live - from His example.  It's why they were comparing His life with Lazarus - identifying with life after death.    

4.  He was the welcoming King

His entry on a mere donkey, His healings, His love for all people are just a few of the many, many ways Jesus welcomes us.  His Kingdom is not intimidating - He's already won!  Pastor Luke adds that He purposefully put Himself in the 'spotlight', and, He doesn't question who was holding the palm branches that day!  He even is welcoming to those who hate him (John 12:19), of which we should notice who does not want him...

This message is a must 'hear'.  Listen for yourself:

Vimeo Channel: CVBC Vimeo Channel 4.2.23

Spotify Podcast:  Spotify Podcast CVBC 4.2.23

Let the weight of the Cross wash over you as you join us during this very special service, Friday at 6pm.

Welcome to our weekly Liturgy!  We hope you continue to find it useful to see the way we are planning to worship our King in advance!

SUNDAY, APRIL 9, 2023

ORDER OF WORSHIP:

Call To Worship - John 11:25-27

Responsive song - Christ the Lord is Risen Today

Hymn - Living Hope

PASTORAL PRAYER

RESPONSIVE SCRIPTURE READING:  Psalm 110:1-10

Responsive song - I Stand in Awe

SERMON -  Pastor Luke Wartgow  "I Have Seen the Lord"  John 20:1-18

Hymn - All Hail the Power of Jesus Name

BENEDICTION

Looking forward to celebrating a blessed Resurrection Day!

Follow along with CVBC as Pastor Luke guides us through daily scripture readings for Passion Week!

Beginning Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday, we'll be reading about the last week of Jesus Christ's life here on earth.  We are all about the Gospel here at CVBC - let's dig into scripture and let it wash over us in a way we may never have experienced.

Click on the link every day for that day's text.  We're praying that remembering our Savior together, every day next week, renews our love and appreciation for the Lamb of God.

Passion Week 2023

Don't forget to share and invite someone to follow along!

We have good news - well, we always have Good News - but this is of a different kind!

For this weekend, we've been given permission from the property manager to park in the lot next door adjacent to the corner office building - here's a map to show directions for any of you that can park there, giving our own parking lot more room for all those visitors you're inviting!

You can park and walk across the path over the culvert, to the gate entering the parking lot (there will be a CVBC sign there holding the gate open).

Or, feel free to use the sidewalk as well!  You never know, people using the path might stop in :)

We appreciate all of you - so much..!

Quarterly business meeting coming 4.23.23, directly after church (11:30am).

All are invited to learn more about how CVBC operates, and our plans for the future! 

Oh, and lunch is provided!

Our church family is continuing to grow in Christ, and in our relationships with each other.  If you'd like to be a part of that, come and join one!  Right now there are 3 groups, getting bigger by the minute, which means yes!  We will have to add another!  :)

If you're not plugged into one, we are praying you are able to do so.  Jesus taught us having regular fellowship with other believers is so beneficial. There is a group for all schedules, even bi-weekly.  Try one out - you won't be disappointed!

  These groups are weekly or bi-weekly that meet to discuss the previous sermons being taught at CVBC.  Held at CVBC member's homes, or at the church due to weather lately!

Here is the schedule...

Wednesdays

This Community Group meets at 6:00pm in the Foothill and Waterloo Road area.  This group meets every other week.

Thursdays

Both of these groups meet in the Minden area at 6:00pm.  One meets every week, the other meets every other week.

These groups are special and always open for new attendees!  For more information, address, etc., please reach out to us here at the church - we'll direct you to your new best place to be during the week!  admin@carsonvalleybiblechurch.com.  

Hope to see you there!

Here's the schedule for all of our weekly CVBC Bible studies...

Tuesdays

Every Tuesday at 5pm with "Blessed Hope"! 

Fridays

Men's Friday 9am bible study Pastor Luke is going to teach through the book of Romans - Bootcamp Style! First Friday is 3/24/23.

Ladies Friday 9am bible studies every other Friday, from the Dr. Steve Lawson series, "Rejoice in the Lord" - a look at Paul's book of Phillipians.  If you haven't studied this incredible author's work, you will learn so much in this in depth study!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact admin@carsonvalleybiblechurch.com.  Have a great week!

This Sunday, we've choosen to feature a 284 year old hymn! 

"Christ the Lord is Risen Today"

The hymn was written by Charles Wesley in 1739 and was originally titled "Hymn for Easter Day." The melody dates back to 1708.  In this hymn we celebrate the triumphant victory of Jesus over death and the grave - and the fact that we as believers are included in this victory because of our union with Christ by faith.

We celebrate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and our resultant new life every day of the year, but on Easter Sunday we get to make an especially big deal and turn our whole attention to our risen Lord.  

The lyrics say it all!

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia! 

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where's thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!

United Methodist Hymnal, 1989

Let's gather together this Sunday to sing this glorious truth at the top of our lungs: Christ the Lord is Risen Today! Alleluia!!-- 

... Glenn - Worship Director!

We had a great time meeting our new missionary team and hearing about their awesome work at Love Justice International!

No really.  They were.  I'm sure it looked a little different than this staged picture though...

I learned something new this week, thanks to one of the ministries I serve in.  I continue to learn new things about Him repeatedly regardless of how long I've known Him.

Not your typical Passion Week post here... nevertheless, a post worthy of writing about during this week of our daily studies through Jesus' last week on earth.

After Jesus entered Jerusalem, more than a few things happened the next day.  We're going to look at one in particular.

When Jesus approached the Temple, "they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons." Mark 11:15.

As we've seen multiple times, the other gospel accounts sometimes record these things differently - to our benefit.  We get the entire picture of what's happened!  So John records in 2:15 that Jesus made "a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables."  But Matthew also records something interesting - the same detail as Mark "And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons."

Just outside the Temple in the court, had become "a den of robbers."  This area of the Temple had a purpose that had been forgotten - possibly even on purpose.  You see, back then, only the Jews were allowed inside the Temple.  This posed a problem - how and where were the other belivers (gentiles) to worship God?  Other people were beginning to believe that Jesus was the Messiah - and all they knew was that they were supposed to go to the Temple to worship.  Let's remember back when Jesus ventured all the way into Samaria - only to meet with a woman, alone, that was at a well (side note, this was literally Jacob's well - that he had given to his son Joseph!)  He meets with her, and she believes.  Then she remembers about their culture - and became confused as to what she is supposed to do, saying where are they supposed to worship then (John 4:20-26)?  Jesus tells her that things are about to change...  the court of the Temple in Jerusalem will not be the only place to worship the King.  He will be here, in Spirit and in Truth.

Thats where this 'market' comes in.  Animals of all types were being sold, right there in the courtyard.  They were animals for sacrifice, and the 'money changers' were also there, exchanging the different coins for people to go buy the animal of their choice.  There were all kinds of animals, oxen, sheep, pigeons, possibly others.  I can't imagine what that must've looked like.  They certainly didn't have nice portable panels for livestock like we do now...

Old Testament law allowed people to use turtledoves or pigeons for sacrifice.  The Lord has knows that having to buy an animal could be quite a monetary sacrifice, a cost for the poor, for an animal to make atonement for sin.  Leviticus 14:22 says "two turtledoves or two pigeons, whichever he can afford. The one shall be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering."  That tradition continued - to the Temple in Jerusalem - and the marketers knew it.  

So why does Mark and Matthew only talk about the pigeons?  The watched Jesus, who went right to that table, because He knew that the pigeons being sold were bringing an extreme the profit margin to the "den of theives" - as their target market was to the poorest of the poor.  The other target was the "money-changers" who were making far and above what was appropriate.  The other animals being sold were afforded by those who were not poor (can you imagine an ox?).

So yes, Jesus was angry.  But for other reasons too.

He is angry at the fact that this area of the Temple needed to serve those not allowed inside the Temple. Not be a livestock market.  But the key point is what Jesus says, "And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”

He wants to save us all.  From all nations, tribes, continents.  All of us.  He wants to give of Himself freely to those who will have ears to hear.

That's why He was angry.

What table(s) do you need to overturn this week to prepare for the Risen King?

How are we to worship His resurrection this weekend?

Sure hope you join us for a very special service this Friday - and to celebrate with us on Sunday! 

Till He comes again,

Julie

"My Redeemer Lives"  Nicole C. Mullins:  https://youtu.be/6QvX4CwSmwY