What Does Resurrection Sunday Mean to Me?

by  David M. Brown


A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away I remember what my life once was like.  I was born and grew up in a great Conservative Jewish home living first in North Miami Beach, Florida, then Atlanta, Georgia and for some time in the capital of the United States, Washington, D.C.  I also found myself living in the Holy Land, the Land of Milk and Honey, the State of Israel also known as the Land of Israel and the Jewish State.  Living the life of a devout Conservative Jew, I believed the last of the names listed but today, I know it is also the land where my Personal Lord and Savior, My Messiah and the True Son of God was born, ministered, died and rose again.

You surely recognized the title of this commentary or testimonial as calling tomorrow Resurrection Sunday.  Why?  Well, as many people have asked over the years, where does the idea of the bunny and easter eggs come into the story of Jesus Christ's life, ministry and death and resurrection?  Easily said, these are not symbols of His life.  They are simply symbols of the time of the year, Spring.

I will be the first one to tell you that I would never have believed that Jesus Christ died and rose again and still would not if I remained in my old life.  I would say this as well, I am not even sure if I would be alive today if I did not come to accept Him as my Lord and Savior.  I feared death because I had no idea what was in store for me afterward.  I have heard about Heaven and Hell but I was never sure what any of this meant.  I have heard of pergatory and being in limbo, but once again, had no idea what any of this meant until I read Dante's poems and stories in American Literature classes in my first year in college.

Then, I felt that it was absolutely necessary to pick up the Holy Bible and begin to read.  Read I did and read I do each and every day.  Way back when, I would spend hours and days in Hebrew School reading from the Torah and the Siddur (Jewish prayer book) but I still did not find a lot of the answers that I was looking for.  In neither of these great books did I ever find the mention of the Precious Name of Jesus Christ.

When I came to my decision to accept Jesus Christ into my life, I learned from my first pastor that there were many signs in my prior life that led me to the day of my conversion.  I did not see them until he and I talked for nearly three hours.  Wow!  I learned that he knew more about my life than I knew about my life.

So, today, as I have done over the last ten years since my conversion into the life of Jesus Christ, I come to gather my thoughts, dwell in His Word and come to an understanding that without knowing and accepting Jesus Christ, I would still be asking the same questions and definitely continuing to fear death and even fear itself.  I would still be lost and wondering what was to come in my life after death, if anything without Christ.

Dwelling in the Word, the Holy Bible and knowing Jesus Christ, I have the greatest understanding of what my life is to be and how I am to lead it.  Understanding the story of the Resurrection is so important that knowing without it, we would not have a Christmas.  Without the Resurrection, we would all be wondering, what happens to us after death?

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.  And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.  And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but has risen.  Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise."  And they remembered his words and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest, Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.  But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.  Luke 24:1-12 English Standard Version

So, just as was foretold in the Scriptures, Jesus Christ had risen again.  He has Risen!  He Has Risen Indeed!  Jesus is Alive!  He is with us!

So, Resurrection Sunday means to me that I have eternal life because I have accepted Jesus Christ into my life, into my heart and into my mind.  He is truly the Son of God, the Messiah!  And, there is no turning back!

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Ten Years Ago, I was Born Again

by David M. Brown

Well, this was supposed to start off differently but I have to tell you a little story.  Earlier today, I was typing a Facebook Post, which was the subject of what I am posting here in my blog.  It was being done on my SmartPhone while I was getting ready to have dinner.  Well, I knew that my battery was getting low but I had no idea that as I was about to finish my post, the phone said GoodBye!  Then, it went black.  Oh well, I bowed my head and prayed and felt myself even laughing with God.  He did this to me because He knew that a Facebook Post would not do what I have to say here, justice.

So, here it goes.....Tomorrow, Saturday, March 9, 2013, will be the tenth anniversary of my death.  That is my spiritual death.  I "died" and was then Born Again at my home church of Mount Carmel Christian Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia.  What this means is this:  I accepted Jesus Christ as my Personal Lord and Savior, as the Messiah and as the TRUE Son of God.  I will not go through the entire day with you as I am soon publishing a book about how my old life led me to that day, ten years ago.

After my new life began, I said and will always say, there is no turning back.  You see, over forty-eight years ago, I was born into a Conservative Jewish family in North Miami Beach, Florida.  For nearly thirty-nine years, I lived the life of a devout Conservative Jew.  I married as a Conservative Jew to my wife Amy, who was born a Southern Baptist.  There has been a great deal of things that I have learned over the last ten years and one of these things is that they might not have been the easiest ten years but no one said it would be easy.  That includes God and His Son Jesus Christ.  Neither of them promised an easy life.  

At the same time, I have learned that with my God and Jesus by my side, how can I fail?  Failure would not and will never be an option.  You see, in my old life, I tried everything.  I always believed in God, I would be foolish not to.  Why?  I was reminded that I was a Jew and that meant that I was part of the Chosen People.  Well, I have learned in the last ten years that the Chosen People are the Jews, yet, I also believe and know that Christians are also part of the Chosen People.  How could we not be?  Jesus was a Jew, so does this not make Him part of God's Chosen People?  He was and is God in the Flesh, is He not?  

An injustice would be done here if I do not quote the following:  "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  John 1:1-5.

We are now in the time of the celebration of the life of Jesus Christ.  We celebrate His ministry and then His crucifixion and then His all powerful resurrection.  Yes, three days after His crucifixion on the Cross on Mount Cavalry, He rose again as promised, three days later.  I always love to use this time for reflection and to definitely say Thank You to My Lord and Savior for the sacrifice that He made on that Cross.  He died taking our sins and our transgressions with Him.  This was so much for the Son of God to endure.  I want to believe that I carry my Cross and that I carry it in His Grace.

There are a number of issues that I have pondered over the last ten years and I know that the decision I made on that Sunday morning at Mount Carmel Christian Church was the right one.  As I said earlier, there would be no turning back.  I have heard over the years that there have been those who have believed in Jesus Christ and have accepted Him into their lives and then turned away.  My only question when I hear this is:  Why?  Why turn away from The Lord and Savior?  Why turn away from The Messiah?  Why turn away from the True Son of God?

One of the issues was my marriage to my wife Amy.  In the nearly first three years of marriage, I asked myself and I asked God if there was a way that our marriage could be made stronger with one faith in the house?  Would my remaining a Jew and losing my sight of Him hurt our marriage or make no difference?  I found out, it would have made a big difference.  I found out that by accepting Jesus Christ in my life, I would be helping strengthen our marriage and at the same time I would be getting ever so closer to God.

The second issue was what was more important in my life, growing closer to God or continue to worship money and the need for more.  I grew up and always knowing that something was just not right.  Yes, I wanted to be successful as my parents were but I did not want to make money the number one issue in my later years.  I wanted to make God my number one issue and being closer to Him.  It was knowing Him and knowing Jesus that would become my "goal" in life.  This was not going to happen if I made money, the want for material things in my life to be the issue before God was the issue.

The third issue was how would my love for Israel change?  Well, it has not changed at all.  Actually, it has grown ever more stronger.  It was the area of this world that He came to us and it was the area of this world where Jesus came to us, where He conducted His ministry and it was where He died and rose again.  Israel is a great country, a great friend of the United States and I continue to be strong in my relationship with the Land of Milk and Honey and this now makes me a Christian Zionist.

The fourth issue was would I be accepted in my new life?  My family seemed to not have a problem, yet, I knew that it would be hard on my mother.  My father, already deceased before I made the decision to accept Jesus Christ, I know would have accepted my decision.  My mother had a hard time at the beginning but then began to attend church with Amy and I, yes, more during Easter and Christmas.  She said this after one Christmas production at Mount Carmel Christian Church as I was driving her home:  "You know, the Christian people are the most loving people I have ever come to know/"  I said, "That is was this is all about. This is what Immanuel teaches us.  Love!"  You see, she came to love the Christmas song, "Oh Come, Oh Come Immanuel."  She did ask me who Immanel was and I read to her the part in the Old Testament from the Book of Isaiah:

 "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14

The fifth issue is that of fellowship.  I was wondering how I would be accepted in church?  Would I be called the "Token Jew?"  Would I be always looked at in a strange way.  Well, this certainly never happened and I really felt great from the first time I ever walked through the doors of a church.  What I have to say here is this:  The first Brother-in-Christ that I met was at Mount Carmel Christian Church.  It was one night in choir practice and since then, we have been Brothers ever since.  His name is Alex and I am so ever grateful that God brought us together.  We have prayed together, we have laughed together, we even climbed mountains together.  Without Jesus, we would never have met and as I said, I am ever so grateful.  God bless you Brother!  God is Great!

The fifth issue was would I be able to keep focused on God and Jesus?  How was I supposed to do this?  I knew that reading the Holy Bible, committing to prayer and committing to devotional time with God in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening, at meals and whenever I need Him, He would be there.  He has been there and I love Him for this!  This includes worship.  I have to say this:  I love music and I come from a musically inclined family.  My wife and her brother Tim for many years formed the duet "Golden Breeze" and would sing many great Gospel songs, many of them written by Tim and put to music by Amy.  I wanted to sing to but I never made it in choir when I would attend synagogue.

So, I made it in choir at my home church and I sing in choir in my new church.  I love worship time with God and Jesus and I love to spend daily time in God's Word.  Both of these make a great couple.

Finally, I have to say thank you to my two church homes that I love so much.  Now, I am not saying that I am in love with two buildings.  I love those who make up the church.  This includes the congregation, the pastors and all of those who make the church successful through Christ.

First, Mount Carmel Christian Church, the first church I ever entered. It was where I accepted Jesus Christ.  I have to say thank you to Pastor Brother Randy who helped me see Jesus Christ.  He Baptized me and I will never forget him,  I also want to throw a shout out to Brother Billy, Brother Wye, Brother Art and the congregation.  Love you all and God Bless!

Second, I want to say that my new church, Mountain Park First Baptist, is a great new home.  Amy and I felt a calling to attend Mountain Park First Baptist after visiting for a couple of weeks.  More about this in the book that I am writing.  I want to send a shout out to the Pastoral Team, Senior Pastor, Brother Paul, Brother Josh, Brother Ron and t rest of the pastoral team that has made our transition so smooth.  I have to say that God is Great!

So, to end this testimony on my tenth year of my acceptance of Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and as the Messiah and as the True Son of God, I want to say that all that I do from this day forward will be for God's Will and not for me but for Him!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:16.

Thank you Jesus!  Happy Easter and Happy Passover!