Good morning.  Since we had the Cantata share their program with us today, I have put together just a small message that is really just some devotional thoughts put together.  What we have to realize this morning, is that even though Easter is past, what Easter is all about goes throughout our entire lives.  At some time in the future, which no one knows, God is going to return, and we are going to enter into eternity.

I have a just a couple of stories that I would like to share with you today.  But before I do that, allow me to open in a word of prayer.  Let’s Pray!

At this time, allow me to share a story with you.  Some of you may have heard this story before, and if so, I hope that you will enjoy it with us once again today.  It is the Legend Of The Three Trees.

Once upon a mountain top, 3 little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up.  The first little tree looked up at the stars and said, “I want to hold treasure.  I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones.  I’ll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!”

The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on its way to the ocean.  “I want to be traveling mighty waters and caring powerful kings.  I’ll be the strongest ship in the world!”

The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town.  “I don’t want to leave the mountain top at all.  I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me they’ll raise their eyes to Heaven and think of God.  I will be the tallest tree in the world.”

Years, passed.  The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall.  One day 3 wood cutters climbed the mountain.  The first wood cutter looked at the first tree and said, “This tree is beautiful.  It is perfect for me.”  With a swoop of his shinning ax, the first tree fell.  “Now I shall make a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!” the first tree said.

The second wood cutter looked at the second tree and said, “This tree is strong.  It’s perfect for me.”  With a swoop of his shinning ax, the second tree fell.  “Now I shall sail mighty waters!” thought the second tree.  “I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!”

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last wood cutter looked her way.  She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to Heaven.  But the wood cutter never even looked up.  “Any kind of tree will do for me.” he muttered.  With a swoop of his shinning ax, the third tree fell.

The fist tree rejoiced when the wood cutter brought her to a carpenter’s shop.  But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals.  The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, or treasure.  She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.

The second tree smiled when the wood cutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day.  Instead the one strong tree was hammered and awed into a simple fishing boat.  She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river, instead she was taken to a little lake.

The third tree was confused when the wood cutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard.  “What happened?” the once tall tree wondered.  “All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God.”

Many days and nights passed.  The 3 trees nearly forgot their dreams.  But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box.  “I wish I could make a cradle for Him.” her husband whispered.  The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and sturdy wood.  “This manger is beautiful.” she said.  And suddenly the first tree knew she was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

One evening a tired traveler and His friends crowded into the old fishing boat.  The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake.  Soon a thundering and a thrashing storm arose.  The little tree shuddered.  She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and the rain.  The tired man awoke.  He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, “Quit!  Be still.”  The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun.  And suddenly the second tree knew she was carrying the King of Heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten wood pile.  She flinched as she was carried through and angry jeering crowd.  She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man’s hand to her.  She felt ugly and harsh and cruel.  But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God’s love had changed everything.  It had made the third tree strong.  And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God.  That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.

So, the next time you feel down because you didn’t get what you wanted, sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.

Now the question that I think of when I read this story is this: “What do you do with plan B?”  Maybe you think God has disappointed you, maybe you can’t see relief right now, but God will provide the ultimate victory, in His time.

God might not use you in the way that you have always dreamed of, but He will use you for something special if you will just remain open to Him.

Now, as we close today, just keep in mind that God is coming back some day.  That is a promise that we have from Jesus Himself.

As we look back to last week and we examine the Resurrection of Christ, why did Jesus fold the napkin?

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?  The gospel of John in 20:37 it says, “1”

So, in that passage, it tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the rest of the grave clothes.  Instead, it was folded and placed separately from the grave clothes.  The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.  She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved.  She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and I don’t know where they have put Him!”

Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see for themselves.  The other disciple outran peter and got there first.  He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn’t go in.  Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside.  He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying to the side.

So, is that important?  Absolutely!  Is it really significant?  Yes!  In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day.  The folded napkin had to do with the master and servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.

When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it.  The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating.  The servant would not dare touch that table until the master was finished.

When the master was done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.  The servant would then know to clear the table.  For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, “I’m done.”

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because the folded napkin meant, “I’m coming back.”

As we look at the resurrection, notice that Jesus wadded up and threw the grave clothes to the side.  He was done with those.  He had defeated death and He was finished.

But, the once piece that covered His face, He folded it and placed it in the tomb.  That meant that He was not done, and that He was coming back.

As we leave here today, we need to realize that Jesus is coming back!

He told us in John 14:1-6, “2”

You see, He is coming back some day, and we need to be ready.  And the only way to be ready is to go through Jesus.  Jesus Himself said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No once comes to the Father except through me.”

Let’s Pray!