I get excited about preaching. I love to preach every Sunday, but I especially love the Christmas season messages. And I love to preach about the cross and the resurrection at Easter.
At Easter, I get to share that Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins and to give us a way to forgiveness. Yet, He didn’t stay in the grave. Friday was grim, but then came Sunday, the empty tomb and the great news that Jesus is alive and the impact Jesus makes.
Easter is a gamechanger because Jesus is a life changer!
Easter is a gamechanger because Jesus is a life changer!
Because Jesus is alive, He can change your life. He certainly changed Buddy Smith’s life. Buddy joined our church in March of 2014. He was struggling. Alcohol abuse had taken its toll.
He had already come to a crisis point when he began attending the previous November. He loved his beer, but he loved his family more. So he made a courageous decision to enter rehab. He was determined to get his life back on track. I remember his showing me a medallion commemorating the number of days that he had been without a drink. He was making great progress.
From that night in 2013 when he checked into rehab until the day he left this earth, March 9, Buddy never took another drink of alcohol.
Buddy began attending Wednesday night Bible study along with Sunday morning small group Bible study. He sat quietly for a long time, but then started asking questions. Then he began contributing to the discussion.
He regularly attended worship, then started participating in a Thursday night Bible men’s Bible study. He demonstrated a great hunger for God’s Word. He wasn’t perfect, but he was eager to learn and grow closer to Jesus. He knew he had a lot of people praying and pulling for him.
For the past two-and-a-half years, Buddy struggled with his health. Fluid would build up, he’d have a hard time breathing, and he’d have to go to the emergency department to get some relief. Often, he would spend several days in the hospital.
Then eventually, the cycle would repeat. Fluid, ER visit, hospital stay, medicines and finally temporary relief. Through it all, Buddy pressed on and stayed faithful. He loved his family, his church family, his Bible study class, his pastor and staff, and he loved Jesus.
Buddy got sick again, and made another courageous decision. The doctor told him he had two choices: he could go into the hospital once again and have the fluid removed, or he could go home and choose home hospice. Buddy was tired, and he choose to go home. He said, “I’m going home to meet Jesus.”
As Buddy started growing spiritually, two men especially poured into his life, John Christopher and Vic Summey, and became spiritual mentors. Hardly a day went by that Buddy didn’t call up Vic and ask a question about a specific scripture he was reading. Along with a thirst for God, Buddy’s life demonstrated joy and peace.
On Sunday, March 4, the choir was coming in as worship time started, and I looked up and saw Matt, Buddy’s son, pushing Buddy in a wheel chair across the balcony. Buddy had made it to the Bible study hour, but didn’t have the energy to stay for worship. I was deeply touched as I realized how much effort it took for Buddy to get there.
Our ministers visited Buddy the next day, and I commended Buddy for making it to the Bible study time. Buddy said, “I wanted to get to my class one more time.”
He had told Matt the day before, “If I have the energy to go to doctors, I can have the energy to go to church.”
That was his last time. Buddy shared with us that he was so excited to meet Jesus and go to heaven. He had a peace that can only come from being right with God. He had a faith that only comes from intentionally walking with God.
Buddy came to Jesus, and Jesus made a powerful transformation in his life. Jesus can change your life, too. What happened at Easter changes everything.
Bring someone to church Easter Sunday. It may change their life.
Bring someone to church Easter Sunday. It may change their life.
(David L. Chancey is pastor, McDonough Road Baptist Church, Fayetteville. The church family gathers at 352 McDonough Road, just past McCurry Park, and invites you to join them this week for Bible study at 9:45 and for our worship musical at 10:55 a.m. and 6 p.m. Visit us online at www.mcdonoughroad.org. and like us on Facebook. Thanks to John Christopher and Vic Summey for their personal input about Buddy).
