“Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her.” John 20:18
On the first day of the Jewish week, which is our Sunday, Mary went to the place where Jesus’ body was placed after his death. Upon arriving at the tomb, she discovered that the large stone used to close the entrance of the tomb had been moved and Jesus’ body was missing. She went back to the disciples to report her findings and they returned with her to the tomb. After they searched, the disciples journeyed back to their meeting place. Mary, being very upset, stayed behind at the tomb. A person who she mistook for the gardener spoke to her, and when He spoke her name, she recognized that this person was Jesus, resurrected from the dead. They talked briefly and she was sent back to the others to tell them that Jesus was alive.
What a wonderful thing it was that a woman was the first to see the resurrected Jesus. Remember that the culture of their time was very strongly male-oriented, and patriarchal. I would have thought they would have preferred it had been one of the male disciples that met Jesus before anyone else. Instead, pleasantly enough, it is Mary who is first. That would have been fairly scandalous and controversial back in those times. And yet, Jesus chose to appear to Mary before any of the disciples. Outrageous!
Questions to consider: Do you think that Mary being the first to see Jesus was significant? Why, or why not? What application can you draw from this for your journey with Jesus?
Prayer: Father, Thank You that Mary was the first to see the resurrected Jesus. Lord, You have a purpose for everything that You do. Help me to recognize Your presence in some of the outrageous things that people say, write, or do. Please help me not to judge, but instead, listen for Your voice. Amen.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
April 21, 2011 - Easter
For the Easter season, I decided to print out this famous sermon from Tony Campolo.
Dr. Campolo tells how he preached the perfect sermon in every way and had taken the congregation to ‘the heights of glory’. As he sat down beside his pastor, Tony patted him on the knee and simply said, “Top that.” The older black pastor looked at him and said, “Boy, watch the master.” Then Dr. Campolo recalls for us the very brilliant message which followed.
It’s Friday. Jesus is arrested in the garden where He was praying. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. The disciples are hiding and Peter’s denying that he knows the Lord. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Jesus is standing before the high priest of Israel, silent as a lamb before the slaughter. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Jesus is beaten, mocked, and spit upon. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Those Roman soldiers are flogging our Lord with a leather scourge that has bits of bones and glass and metal, tearing at his flesh. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. The Son of man stands firm as they press the crown of thorns down into his brow. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. See Him walking to Calvary, the blood dripping from His body. See the cross crashing down on His back as He stumbles beneath the load. It’s Friday; but Sunday’s a coming.
It’s Friday. See those Roman soldiers driving the nails into the feet and hands of my Lord. Hear my Jesus cry, “Father, forgive them.” It’s Friday; but Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, bloody and dying. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. The sky grows dark, the earth begins to tremble, and He who knew no sin became sin for us. Holy God who will not abide with sin pours out His wrath on that perfect sacrificial lamb who cries out, “My God, My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?” What a horrible cry. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. And at the moment of Jesus’ death, the veil of the Temple that separates sinful man from Holy God was torn from the top to the bottom because Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, heaven is weeping and hell is partying. But that’s because it’s Friday, and they don’t know it, but Sunday’s a coming.
And on that horrible day 2000 years ago, Jesus the Christ, the Lord of glory, the only begotten Son of God, the only perfect man died on the cross of Calvary. Satan thought that he had won the victory. Surely he had destroyed the Son of God. Finally he had disproved the prophecy God had uttered in the Garden and the one who was to crush his head had been destroyed. But that was Friday.
Now it’s Sunday. And just about dawn on that first day of the week, there was a great earthquake. But that wasn’t the only thing that was shaking because now it’s Sunday. And the angel of the Lord is coming down out of heaven and rolling the stone away from the door of the tomb. Yes, it’s Sunday, and the angel of the Lord is sitting on that stone and the guards posted at the tomb to keep the body from disappearing were shaking in their boots because it’s Sunday, and the lamb that was silent before the slaughter is now the resurrected lion from the tribe of Judah, for He is not here, the angel says. He is risen indeed.
It’s Sunday, and the crucified and resurrected Christ has defeated death, hell, sin and the grave. It’s Sunday. And now everything has changed. It’s the age of grace, God’s grace poured out on all who would look to that crucified lamb of Calvary. Grace freely given to all who would believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary was buried and rose again. All because it’s Sunday.
(At the end of the message the pastor shouts out:)
It’s Friiidaaaay!
(And the whole congregation responds:)
But Sunday’s Coming!
If you would like to see Tony Campolo preach this sermon, here is a link to see it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuYk_D3OwpU&feature=related
Joyous Easter to each of you!
Dr. Campolo tells how he preached the perfect sermon in every way and had taken the congregation to ‘the heights of glory’. As he sat down beside his pastor, Tony patted him on the knee and simply said, “Top that.” The older black pastor looked at him and said, “Boy, watch the master.” Then Dr. Campolo recalls for us the very brilliant message which followed.
It’s Friday. Jesus is arrested in the garden where He was praying. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. The disciples are hiding and Peter’s denying that he knows the Lord. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Jesus is standing before the high priest of Israel, silent as a lamb before the slaughter. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Jesus is beaten, mocked, and spit upon. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Those Roman soldiers are flogging our Lord with a leather scourge that has bits of bones and glass and metal, tearing at his flesh. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. The Son of man stands firm as they press the crown of thorns down into his brow. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. See Him walking to Calvary, the blood dripping from His body. See the cross crashing down on His back as He stumbles beneath the load. It’s Friday; but Sunday’s a coming.
It’s Friday. See those Roman soldiers driving the nails into the feet and hands of my Lord. Hear my Jesus cry, “Father, forgive them.” It’s Friday; but Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, bloody and dying. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. The sky grows dark, the earth begins to tremble, and He who knew no sin became sin for us. Holy God who will not abide with sin pours out His wrath on that perfect sacrificial lamb who cries out, “My God, My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?” What a horrible cry. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. And at the moment of Jesus’ death, the veil of the Temple that separates sinful man from Holy God was torn from the top to the bottom because Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, heaven is weeping and hell is partying. But that’s because it’s Friday, and they don’t know it, but Sunday’s a coming.
And on that horrible day 2000 years ago, Jesus the Christ, the Lord of glory, the only begotten Son of God, the only perfect man died on the cross of Calvary. Satan thought that he had won the victory. Surely he had destroyed the Son of God. Finally he had disproved the prophecy God had uttered in the Garden and the one who was to crush his head had been destroyed. But that was Friday.
Now it’s Sunday. And just about dawn on that first day of the week, there was a great earthquake. But that wasn’t the only thing that was shaking because now it’s Sunday. And the angel of the Lord is coming down out of heaven and rolling the stone away from the door of the tomb. Yes, it’s Sunday, and the angel of the Lord is sitting on that stone and the guards posted at the tomb to keep the body from disappearing were shaking in their boots because it’s Sunday, and the lamb that was silent before the slaughter is now the resurrected lion from the tribe of Judah, for He is not here, the angel says. He is risen indeed.
It’s Sunday, and the crucified and resurrected Christ has defeated death, hell, sin and the grave. It’s Sunday. And now everything has changed. It’s the age of grace, God’s grace poured out on all who would look to that crucified lamb of Calvary. Grace freely given to all who would believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary was buried and rose again. All because it’s Sunday.
(At the end of the message the pastor shouts out:)
It’s Friiidaaaay!
(And the whole congregation responds:)
But Sunday’s Coming!
If you would like to see Tony Campolo preach this sermon, here is a link to see it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuYk_D3OwpU&feature=related
Joyous Easter to each of you!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
April 14, 2011 - Acts 17:24
“’The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.’” Acts 17:24. The Athens that Paul experienced was filled with many different temples, dedicated to the numerous gods the Athenians worshiped. These gods were thought to have particular powers that they used at the whim of their emotions. If bad things happened, it meant that one of the gods was angry about something. On the other hand, when things were going well, it was because the gods were appeased or content for the moment. Paul came proclaiming that there was one true God, the maker of all things, and this all-powerful and all-knowing God did not reside in man-made temples. In one of his letters written to the Corinthians, Paul explained that the Holy Spirit now lived within humans and that our body was the temple God lived in. This was not just for people 2000 years ago. This was true from that time forward to the present. Our bodies are temples for God’s presence to come into and make His home. I must admit that I have not taken care of my temple as well as I could have. For years, I ate foods that were horrible for my body. I gained way too much weight and became more sluggish. Because of this, I was less aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit. In the present, I am doing what I can to reverse this. I am trying to discipline myself by exercising and eating correctly. I could also see how exercise and eating right could become my focus and I could totally miss the Holy Spirit’s presence. I realize that instead of focusing on me and my temple, I need to submit to the Holy Spirit within me. Questions to consider: How is your temple doing? How are you taking care of your body? Are there any changes that you need to make? How aware are you of the presence of God within you? Prayer: Father, thank You for helping me to take better care of the temple You have given me. Help me to remember that temples are not built by human hands but only by You. Amen.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
April 7, 2011 - Acts 17:23
“’For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with the inscription: To An Unknown God. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.’” Acts 17:23. In his travels, Paul journeyed to Athens, where he was brought to the Areopagus to tell about Jesus and His resurrection. As he was beginning his message, Paul spoke of the many objects of Athenian worship and of the specific one to the Unknown God. With all the gods that they worshipped, the Athenians made sure to cover all their bases. They made an altar for the Unknown God in case they happened to miss any gods along the way. Paul picked up right there in his effort to make known to the Athenians that which was previously unknown. Paul connected what was around him with that which was all he had to offer – the goods news concerning Jesus. Paul didn’t have anything else of importance to share with these people. All he desired to do was to declare who Jesus was and to proclaim the power of His resurrection. I must admit that there have been times when I have stayed away from sharing the message of Jesus and His resurrection. Whether out of fear or some other reason, I found other issues or subjects to talk about rather than Jesus. “Who do you want to win the Masters (Golf) Tournament?” “What about what’s happening in the Middle East?” “Hasn’t the weather been terrible this winter?” Yet, when it comes to talking about the most important issue, I have clammed up with people who desperately needed to hear the good news about Jesus. Perhaps I can learn from Paul and how he related what was happening around him to his most important message. Questions to consider: Is the message of Jesus and His resurrection the most important message in your life? If this is so, how do you relate the message to those around you? If not, why not? Prayer: Father, thank You for the message of Your Son, Jesus, and the importance it holds in my life. Please give me strength to boldly share this message to those around me who desperately need to hear it. Amen.
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