NO. LIVERMORE — At the April 9 North Livermore Baptist Church service, the congregation was welcomed by Pastor Bonnie Higgins at 9:30 a.m. to begin the Easter service. There was a responsive reading with the congregation before the Invocation/Lord’s Prayer were recited. The hymn that was sung was “Were You There?”. The choir sang six songs throughout the service. The service ended with “Go Now in Peace”. Linda Lyman is the organist and Janet Diaz is the pianist each week. Lew Lyman leads the music for the congregation each week.

The sermon, titled “He Is Risen!” reading the scripture from Matthew 28:1-10. Pastor Bonnie began by letting the congregation know God wants His children to know that Easter is not a holiday, but a Holy Day. It should remind us what God did through His Son, Jesus on the cross and how the tomb was empty on the third day.

Every day we wake up, we don’t know how the day is going to be. But because of Jesus, we go through each day, hopeful as we walk through our lives. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, He overcame death and darkness and so haven’t we, for those who have accepted as truth what happened on the cross and finding the tomb empty on the first Easter morning.

Just a few days earlier, Jesus was betrayed, beaten, had an unfair trial, and put to death on a cross. For the disciples and His followers, it was a sad day. They believed Jesus was going to usher in the Kingdom of God right in front of them. But now all hope is gone as Jesus hung from a cross dying. Jesus was taken down and laid in a tomb, believing to be laid to rest for ever. But, that Sunday morning, theirs and our lives were about to change.

As the women, and then some of the other disciples, found the tomb empty, their lives were changed forever. The stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty, we know that Jesus has overcome death and was resurrected to be the light in our lives. If we trust and believe in Him, we too can overcome death and live in the light and not in the darkness that this world wants us to be in.

As the angel told the women, do not be afraid, He is not here! He has risen! Joy came back to them and it should to us too. Joy in knowing that we can live and know that our Savior is living. When Jesus was resurrected on that Sunday morning, He gave us the hope in Him of eternal life.

Faith is something that we have as Christians, it means that we believe in Jesus, who was raised from the grave and lives with His Father in Heaven and will be coming back to get His Church, His followers someday soon. The darkness we used to live in, is gone. We live in the light, the light shines in the darkness, and darkness – did not – has not- will not- cannot – overcome the light. Jesus has risen! He has risen indeed!

Announcements listed in the bulletin are that the congregation will be collecting canned Tuna for the Food Pantry in the month of April. Bible Study is at 1 p.m. on Tuesday. Coming Events: April 16 – Quarterly Business Meeting, April 30 – West Association Spring Meeting in Buckfield. The AA meetings are held on Friday nights at the church. Do not park around the church when there is snow on the roof and if School is canceled in the area, Pastor Bonnie will not be in the office and all events canceled.

For information, check out our website at northlivermorebaptistchurch.org. You can email the church at nlbcmaine@gmail.com. Pastor Bonnie’s office hours are Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon.