MAC KIRK

We were coming into Panama after having flown from Monterey, Ca airport on a C-5 . The seats were nets . I thought , “ is this what war is like?” It was Christmas 1989 a few days before and the 7th Infantry Division was mobilized to liberate Panama from Manuel Noriega. The unit I was in was called light infantry, “ The Wolfhounds.” Then we were supposed to be landing into a hostile zone or so it was said. I was thinking, “ it sure would be nice to be home for Christmas “. Someone from the S1 shop ( the administrative headquarters) said they forgot to load the guns with bullets. This is when I thought of the verse from Hebrews 12:5 “ ..he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” What is making you fearful? What are you and I afraid of? It is certainly difficult to do certain things that we do not want to do. One of those things is flying. That being said, I know

Easter. Acts 10:34-43 Today’s lesson from Acts 10:34-43 tells us of a Roman Soldier, Cornelius , a man outside of the covenant of Israel yet one “ who feared God with all his house” and in this account we read of the drama of Easter played out for the whole world. For Cornelius is the beginning of how God’s plan to save humanity was not limited to a certain race or creed but is for all men & women who trust in the living God . So today while we celebrate Easter as these truths illuminate our minds and hearts, we a present application to our own lives as well : 1. The means of salvation- to him (Christ) bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believes on him shall receive remission of sins 10:43 2. The universality of salvation- “ to every one that believes” 3. Nature of salvation- “ remission of sins” which gives us life eternal. (outline from The Acts by Charles R. Erdman) The Means of salvation is believing in him. Who? In Jesus . Jesus who was h

Good Friday. Is.52:13-53:12;Heb 10:16-25;Jn 18:1-19:42 “ Follow Through” John 13:1 tells us ,” Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, HE LOVED THEM UNTO THE END.” On this solemn Friday when we remember the death of our Lord on our behalf , it is good to know that he did not swerve from the task He was given by the Father and which He willingly accepted. He set his face toward Jerusalem like a flint . His purpose was plain and planned. Many verses tell us this: one is Matthew 20:18 “ Behold we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.” There was follow through in our Lord’s mission to go to the cross despite its difficulty