Recently on Cumberland Island, Georgia, the wind and shifting sands revealed a partially buried skeleton of a ship. Someone noticed this did not look like the ordinary flotsam washed ashore, and reported to the National Park Service. Consequently, archaeologists have uncovered an 80 foot fragment of a wooden sailing ship dating from the 1850s. The shifting sands of time uncover a lot of human shipwrecks too. Lives that once were whole but for various reasons have made shipwreck. But thankfully, someone stepped into time about 2,000 years ago to intervene – Jesus, God’s Son. He is able to take the broken pieces and make a whole person. In Matthew’s gospel we read Jesus words, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” If you have made shipwreck of your life, turn to the Captain, Jesus Christ, and He will make you whole again.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Ryan, a University student, doesn’t have much money. So when he went to purchase a small quantity of gas recently, he was pleasantly surprised to learn that the previous customer wanted the remaining value on her gas card to be given to the next customer who came after her. The student’s bill was paid, and he had enough left over to pay for his gas the rest of the week. The unidentified lady anonymously gave to a person unknown to her. Now that’s a happy story with a good example for us all. And it reminds one of a similar, unexpected, but greater event, when Jesus, who is God manifested in the flesh, left behind a greater legacy for all mankind, when He died for the sins of the world. Paul wrote, “While we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.” Ryan readily accepted the lady’s gift, and we should all accept the free gift of eternal life from our Savior.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. Luke 24 1-10

In rising, Christ has defeated the grave, defeated sin, defeated Satan, and assured a way for all who believe in Him to have eternal life. Is your eternity assured? Are you trusting in Jesus? Is it truly a Happy Resurrection day for you?

Chaplain Bob Semp

Trivial Pursuit was invented in 1979 by Chris Haney and Scott Abbot. Money was tight so they took in two partners, and offered share blocks to their friends for $1,000. Many refused to invest – It was a serious mistake. The four original partners became millionaires, and the initial 34 people who invested as little as $1,000 for five shares, or accepted shares instead of payment for services, have also realized fortunes, as Trivial Pursuit became the world’s number one board game. There is an important lesson in investing. We have a choice in life, whether to invest in time or eternity. Either to listen to what God has to say, or man. Jesus once asked the rhetorical question, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?” The answer is obvious. You and I are going to live somewhere forever. We’d better learn how to live!

Pastor Alex Rockwell

“I was terrified. I thought it was a plane crash or an explosion. I saw a huge streak across the sky.” Those are the words of Michael Garnett, after he had been blasted out of bed in his apartment in Chelyabinsk, Russia, when the area was struck by a 10 ton meteor last month. The meteor was moving 54,000 kilometers an hour as it entered the atmosphere, and disintegrated about 50 kilometers above the earth. Garnett, a Canadian now playing hockey in Russia, certainly had a rude awakening as a result of this extremely rare event. It shows the uncertainty of life and how vulnerable we are on this planet doesn’t it? But we’ve been warned, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” While there are many things, such as meteors which we really can’t be ready for, we can be prepared if blasted into the next life. The preparation comes by heeding the sage advice, “Seek the Lord while He may be found.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Globe and Mail Columnist David Tabachnick (tar barch nick) has written a thoughtful article recently on how technology has affected the relationship between work and leisure. He says that at one time it was thought that technologies would free us from work and give us more leisure. But the reality is that smart phones follow us golfing, or to our kids soccer games. Rather than freeing us from work, technology turns everything into work. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, stated, “There is a time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant, a time to reap, a time to laugh, a time to mourn.” We all need both work and leisure. But most of all, in this frantic modern society, we need time to be quiet. The Psalmist said it well, “Be still and know that I am God.” In other words, get your mind of work and other cares, and take time to reflect on things eternal, knowing that the universe is unfolding exactly according to His plan.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Just 20 years ago, astronomers didn’t know there were any planets at all outside our own solar system. But two years ago, NASA scientists using the powerful Kepler space telescope, found well over 1,000 new planets and now they believe our galaxy alone is filled with literally billions of planets. As predicted centuries ago by Daniel, “knowledge shall increase.” If you are convinced there is no God, no hereafter, please consider what if, in that vast field of information still unknown, God really exists? What if He is a personal God as the Bible says He is? What if He holds us responsible for the truth in His Word, the Bible? Should we wager that we know everything, or that outside our knowledge there is no personal God to whom we will one day be accountable? Remember please the Psalmist’s words, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.“

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Jeremy Britt, a 23 year old Banker from Rochford, Michigan was the winner of TV’s “The Biggest Loser Season 13”. Britt lost 199 pounds over the course of the season, going from 389 pounds to 190 pounds. Those who have also tried over the years to lose weight understand what a tremendous effort this young man made to lose that much weight. He saw he needed to change, and he physically became a brand new person. Few people could accomplish what he did. But what happened to Jeremy on the outside can also happen to anyone on the inside. The Bible puts it this way, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come.” Do you see the need to change your life? Then surrender it to the One who made you. He will forgive, transform and make a brand new person of you on the inside, with a lasting impact on the outside.

Pastor Alex Rockwell

Three people were killed last month in a helicopter crash while filming for a new reality TV show for the Discovery Channel. The show is one of the more popular TV channels today, with millions of viewers. The challenge of discovering new worlds, new ideas and new frontiers has captivated every generation. Some of the discoveries have been amazing, For example – anesthesia – the artificially induced insensibility to pain. What a huge difference it has made in the lives of those who go through operations. Sir James Simpson who discovered the use of chloroform was once asked, “What is your greatest discovery?” His reply- “That I am a sinner and that Jesus Christ is my Savior” – a smart but humble man. Sounds like Paul who wrote, “Christ Jesus came into the world to saved sinners, of whom I am chief.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell

A new report from Canada’s largest school board in Toronto says that more than half of the nearly 103,000 students surveyed say they worry about their future. While their worries are about this life, they illustrate a larger picture – concerns about the next life. Blaise Pascal, a brilliant Christian mathematician and physicist who lived in the 1600s, had insights for today. He wrote “Man wants to be happy … but how shall he go about it? The best thing would be to make himself immortal, but as he cannot do that, he has decided to stop himself thinking about it. We don’t want to think about our frail lives, the fact that someday our lives will end, so we fill our lives with toys that numb our minds and help us forget.” And Pascal was absolutely correct. Pretending there is no afterlife, and using diversions is not the answer. But Jesus promises, “I am the Resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live.”

Pastor Alex Rockwell