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“Wounded”

2015 Joint IIT/Loyola Easter Bible Conference

Key Verse Isaiah 53:5

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” 

Praise God who poured out his blessing on the joint IIT and Loyola UBF Easter Bible Conference at Camp Wonderland, March 27-29, 2015. The theme was “Wounded”.  Because of sin, all people are wounded in their souls.  They wound others and are wounded by others as well.  But Jesus was wounded to heal all of our wounds.  On Friday night Jose Reina shared how Jesus came to heal sick sinners, calling them as he called Levi. We all need Dr. Jesus to heal us. On Saturday morning, a Loyola Senior, Roshan Jacob spoke about Jesus’ healing a demon-possessed boy.  Here we learned Jesus’ broken heart for his generation. Dan Bockenfeld delivered a main message on Isaiah 53 revealing how Jesus heals us by his wounds. He beautifully portrayed Jesus’ healing through his death on the cross for our sins.  On Saturday night Orlando Ocasio delivered a heart moving message on John 20, how Mary was healed through meeting the Risen Jesus. He suffered under the power of death after serving as a Marine in Iraq and after being discharged from the Marines.  But the he realized there is no tomb, because Jesus has Risen, and visits us as he visited Mary.  Helen Rarick gave a message Sunday Morning on 1 Peter 2:25, how we are healed so that we can live for righteousness; not retaliating, but living a glorious life. Rich Ryzewski gave a beautiful Sunday message on John 21, how Jesus restored Peter from failure, healing him and restoring him as disciple, by serving him breakfast.

32 attended from Loyola, including ten current Loyola students. 29 attended from IIT. Four IIT students came and served as Group Bible teachers, including Dave Andrews from Bethel college who served praise. Vittoria,a Loyola student, played a beautiful Clarinet solo.  She is the friend of Hanna Choi, a Loyola Junior, and they were very happy to receive God’s word.  We are also deeply thankful for the IIT praise team who served every meeting with beautiful, Spirit-filled music, and for Joshua Min who prepared a beautiful video about Jesus’ healing. 

Lastly, we thank God who gave us beautiful coworking between IIT and Loyola.  It seemed effortless. We loved each other and were very supportive of each other.  We believe it is a beautiful example of Christ’s love working among us. 

We thank Jesus who heals all our wounds by his wounds and by the power of his resurrection.   We pray we may love others so that they may hear Jesus’ words, “Come and have breakfast,” and “...by his wounds we are healed,” so many may receive Jesus’ love and be healed. 

By Sh. Jim Rarick