“BREATH-TAKING MOMENTS”

I am sure that everyone here has had certain moments in your lives where something just took your breath away or swept you off your feet. For some people it might have been the beauty of God’s creation such as the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls. Maybe it you had one of those moments when you met that special someone in your life. The list could go on and on!

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I often think back through history and wish I could have witnessed certain events. Can you imagine how the first settlers to this country must have felt after months of sailing across the ocean when someone shouted, “Land ho?” The excitement on that small ship must have been something to behold!

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I often wonder what it would have been like to have been in the war room when the decision was made to drop the Atom Bomb on Japan. Did those making this decision truly know the extent of its power and destruction? Did they consider all the innocent lives that would be lost or negatively affected? I imagine the emotions and adrenaline were running high in this meeting!

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I do think one of the most breath-taking moments in history and one I wish I really could have witnessed happened around 2,000 years ago just outside Jerusalem.

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The previous week had been extremely rough for the followers of Jesus. They got to see Jesus ride triumphantly to the cheers and praise of the people into the holy city of Jerusalem. They listened to him teach and challenge the Jews and their leaders. They watched His popularity fade to virtually nothing in a week. The apostles witnessed Jesus naming one of their own as a traitor. They saw Jesus arrested and they were reprimanded for trying to fight the mob that came after Him. They witnessed a mock trial and could see that even Pontius Pilate could not justify crucifying Jesus.? They saw Him hanging on a cross between two thieves while the crowd and one of those being crucified along with Him mocked Him. They saw Jesus die and allowed all their hope to fade away. All that He taught them seemed to have escaped them until the third day after Jesus was put on the cross. The women come to the tomb and what do they find? The stone rolled away and the tomb empty! Imagine how fast their hearts started beating especially when the two men in gleaming white clothing appeared to them.

??????????????? Yes, this is one event I really would have loved to witness first-hand. Thanks be to God that He has given us written accounts so we can feel like we have been there.

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Read Luke 24:1-12