Five Fun Free Family Things To Do This Weekend – March 11-13, 2016

5 Servant Stage Company will perform “Embraceable You: Rhapsody in Gershwin” tomorrow and Sunday (Saturday, March 12 & Sunday, March 13) at The Trust Performing Arts Center, North Market Street, in Lancaster at 3 & 7pm both days. All performances are free but tickets are required and donations will be accepted. More Info: www.servantstagecompany.com.

4 Lancaster County Council of Churches Roadside Party Benefiting the LCCC Food Bank Sunday (March 13) 1-5pm at the corner of Manheim Pike and Plaza Blvd in Lancaster. FREE Food, Entertainment, Vendor Fair, and Bring food items to donate to the LCCC Food Pantry. More Info: 717-947-4422

3 Spring Forward Event, tomorrow (Saturday, March 12) 1-3pm at Antietam Lake Park, Court Street near Reading, Berks County.   Search for signs of Spring while exploring trails via the Spring Outdoor Observation Activity checklist. Bring binoculars. More Info: www.countyofberks.com/parks

2 Cabin Fever Out Door  tomorrow (Saturday, March 12) 11am-2pm at Moore’s Chapel United Methodist Church in  Elkton, Maryland FREE activities, crafts and demonstrations from Cecil County Master Gardeners, Elk Neck State Park, Rising Sun Arts Alliance, Plumpton Park Zoo, Freedom Hills Therapeutic Riding Program and many more. More INfo: 443-553-8420

1 Charter Day The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission invites Pennsylvania residents and visitors to celebrate the commonwealth’s 335th birthday on Charter Day, Sunday, (March 13), with free admission to many historic sites and museums. Here are few local museums that are participating :Brandywine Battlefield Park in Chadds Ford, Conrad Weiser Homestead in Womelsdorf, Ephrata Cloister, Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum in Lancaster, The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, State Museum and Planeterium in Harrisburg More Info: statemuseumpa.org

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is the power of the cross.

Jesus paid a price for a debt load at Calvary that no amount of money could purchase. That price was His blood that was shed at the cross. His blood was the complete payment for our sins, and the full price for our redemption. The cross was such a monumental event that Jesus’ sacrifice is celebrated in the songs of heaven for eternity.

The value of Jesus’ blood to our freedom and forgiveness is found in places like Ephesians 1:7 which says, “In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”

And First John 1:7 says, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

The blood of Jesus, shed for you and me, is the source of power that flows from the cross to reach us with God’s saving grace.

The power of the cross is a reason to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is the purpose behind the cross.

Jesus died for us. He gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins. What does that accomplish? What was the purpose of Jesus dying on the cross for us? The Bible shows us various ways that we are blessed by what Jesus accomplished at the cross.

Second Corinthians 5:15 says, “He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them, and was raised again.” The death of Jesus gave us purpose to live for His glory.

First Thessalonians 5:10 says that Jesus “died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.” The death of Jesus provided a way for us to live in God’s presence.

First John 4:9 says, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” The death of Jesus gave us power to live through His love to touch people with His grace.

The purposes behind the cross to bless us are reasons to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason To Believe is the predictions about the cross.

In the Old Testament, there were prophecies made about Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross before crucifixion was even invented as a form of execution.

In Psalm 22:16, David prophesied, “They have pierced my hands and my feet.”

Isaiah 53:5 prophesied about Jesus, “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities.”

Jesus also predicted His own suffering when He said to His disciples in Luke chapter 9, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.”

These predictions reveal a God who knew in advance what would happen. He purposefully worked through the sacrifice of Jesus to fulfill His redemptive plan of saving souls. The prophecies related to the cross highlight God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises.

The predictions in the Bible made about the cross are reasons to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Q and A Segment explores the question, “When Jesus went to the cross, what was the joy that was set before Him?”

Hebrews 12:2 urges us to fix our eyes on Jesus, “the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Just before Jesus died, we see many quotes, where Jesus is looking past His suffering to the glory that would follow. He said to His disciples, “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice.”

Perhaps the most insightful statement revealing the joy that was set before Him came when He prayed to the Father just before His death. Jesus prayed in John 17:24, “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”

The cross was the only way this holy desire could become reality. By way of the cross, we have a pathway to heavenly citizenship, whereby we can be in His presence and enjoy His glory forever.

By faith, the joy that was set before Jesus becomes our greatest hope in the Year of Exploration.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

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Here’s your playlist for the March 4th&6th episode of Some Sort of Rock Show:

Hour 1

1. Feel You Falling – Devin Williams
2. Through It All – Spoken
3. Dance Like Nobody’s Watching – Family Force 5
4. Move (Keep Walkin’) – TobyMac
5. Cage – Manafest
6. Positive Radio – Manic Drive
7. Wake up Screaming – House of Heroes
8. Staring At the Sun – Roelant
9. Bring It On – Kutless
10. Love Changed Everything – Bread of Stone
11. Sayonara – Disciple
12. Gravity Bomb – I Am Empire
13. I’ll Bleed – Seventh Day Slumber
14. I Know – Seventh Day Slumber
15. Desperados (feat. Mali Music) – Andy Mineo
16. Facemelt – KJ-52

Hour 2

1. Worthy – Scarlet White
2. A Whisper & A Clamor – Anberlin
3. Heartbeats – Nine Lashes
4. Clarity – Come Wind
5. I’m Not Running Away From This – Hearts Like Lions
6. Fighting Gravity – I Anthem
7. Running With Giants – Thousand Foot Krutch
8. Rise – Skillet
9. Take Me Away – Delirious?
10. Choices – Graceful Closure
11. Come Alive – Matty Mullins
12. Running From The Scene – Manic Bloom
13. Where The Money Is – NEEDTOBREATHE
14. Fading West – Switchfoot
15. Highway – August Rain

Five Fun Free Family Things To Do This Weekend – March 4, 2016

5 The Musical Mansion- A Christian concert showcasing various genres of music For Individuals 8 & up tonight (Friday March 4) from 7 pm to 10 p.m. at The Hugh McCall Mansion in York.  More Info: 717 318 3971

4 26th Annual Lancaster Quilt Show at The Continental Inn, Lancaster, today and tomorrow (Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5) Today – 9am-6pm, and tomorrow 9am-4pm. Antique wool quilt exhibit and vendors mall featuring 40 vendors.More Info: 717-299-0421

3 35th Annual School Art Show tomorrow (Sat. March 5) 10am-3pm at Hanover Area Arts Guild in Hanover.  Eleven area middle schools and high schools show off their best work at the show, which includes painting, pottery, sculpture and a variety of other work. More Info: http://www.hanoverareaarts.com/

2 First Friday Lancaster! Tonight (Friday, March 4) from 5 to 9 pm in downtown Lancaster. Discover innovative exhibitions, performances and a few surprises. Art galleries, museums, performing groups, professional theater, symphony orchestra, and more from Lancaster’s arts community. More Info:
http://www.visitlancastercity.com/first-friday/

1 Camp Rock Preview Day is a fun day of singing, dancing, games, and special performances for 1st – 7th graders interested in rocking out this summer at Camp Rock! tomorrow (Saturday, March 5) from 8:30am to Noon at Harvest Bible Chapel Lancaster. Camp Rock is Lancaster County’s premier creative arts camp. More Info www.camprocklancaster.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is the parables taught by Jesus.

Jesus fulfilled many prophecies in the Old Testament. One of them comes from Psalm 78:2, which says, “I will open my mouth in parables.” In the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew tells us that Jesus fulfilled these words when He spoke in parables.

These parables were stories that Jesus told to describe what God’s kingdom is like. To the average person, these were interesting stories. To the person who had understanding, these parables were more than just interesting stories. They reflected important truths about the nature of God’s Kingdom.

In Matthew 13, Jesus told His disciples why he taught the people in parables. He said to them, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.” The parables were structured in such a way that His followers could understand them, because they accepted His words. But to the hearts that were calloused, they heard, but did not understand. Yet, if their hearts were open to His message, they would understand and turn to God for the healing of their souls.

Each parable taught by Jesus is a reason to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is the birth of the nation of Israel.

The story of the Bible reveals certain events that were humanly impossible. One example is the virgin birth of Jesus. Another example would be His resurrection from the dead. Yet another example would be the birth of Israel.

In Genesis 12, the call came to Abram, who would later be called Abraham, to leave his country and his people, and go to the land that the Lord would show him. The LORD said to him, “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you.” Later, God told him, “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” That statement is linked to the Gospel in Galatians 3:8, showing us that Jesus would be the ultimate fulfillment of the blessing that came through Abraham’s descendants, specifically, the nation of Israel.

Sarah, his wife, was beyond childbearing years. Yet, by God’s intervention, she became pregnant and gave birth to a son named Isaac. That was how the birth of Israel happened, which sends us the message, “what is impossible with man is possible with God.”

The birth of the nation of Israel is a reason to believe in God’s Good News.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com