Quiet Time - Recharge

Can I admit something to you without sounding sacrilegious? I really don’t like the term Quiet Time. Sorry if I offended you, but it’s true. What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase, “quiet time”?

For some reason it conjures up the memories of sitting in my room awaiting punishment, or being stuck in the corner of the room in elementary school. Maybe it’s my mischievous past, but it sounds like discipline or punishment.

Of course, for parents, the phrase “quiet time” may be the perfect phrase in hopes of a few minutes to relax, to find peace and to unwind. Regardless of the imagery that comes to mind, it’s the concept that matters.

Growing up I’ve called it Quiet Time, Personal Devotions, Devos and the such. The “it” I’m talking about is spending time with God. The time you set aside to spend with the living God, the Creator of the Universe. Do you take time with God? What do you call your time? How often do you spend time with God?

I think it is important to find a term that helps you find the proper motivation to do it. It really doesn’t matter what it’s called, it matters that you do it. I like to call it “Recharge.”

Every night when I go to bed I have to pause for a moment and plug my phone into the charger. I know you thought I was going to be spiritual there. Nope, just stating a fact that my phone needs charged up. If I don’t charge it at night, then it may die on me the next day. Every once in awhile I can go several days without charging my phone, but then the functionality is limited due to battery life.

Spiritually, we need a recharge. Most Christians are so accustomed to operating on such a low charge that a weekly sermon seems to fuel them up. Now there are some really good sermons out there, but the sermon was never intended to be all you need for the entire week.

Maybe you get charged up by the worship music on Sundays or listening to Christian music. All very good, and will help sustain your current charge, but is not what’s going to recharge the battery of your soul.

The only Source we have to fully charge our spiritual battle is found in the presence of the Almighty. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself wants to spend time with you. Being in His presence is what leads to a fully charged soul. But as soon as we complete our time with Him, a drain on our battery begins. The lower it gets the more susceptible we are to sin.

The longer we go without spending time with Jesus, the easier it is for us to continue in sin. Just reading the Bible will not stop us from sinning, but actually learning how to relate to Him and growing in our friendship with Him will.

The Quiet Time, Recharge, Personal Devotion time is to be a time where you plug into the Word of God and learn about Jesus. Spend time with Him by listening to what He has spoken in the Word for you and by being open and honest with Him.   

“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation”  (1 Peter 2:2 ESV). Our desire for God’s Word should be like a baby wanting his next meal. A persistent desire expressed that can only be satisfied by feeding. We are to long for the Word of God and we are to be nourished by it. Only by spending time with Jesus will we recharge and be effective.

A few tips to have an effective “recharge” time with Jesus are:

·      Open with a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to teach you. Psalm 119:18

·      Choose an appropriate length of Scripture to dwell on. Not too long were you only read, but long enough to give you something to think about. The idea is to read and reflect.

·      Writing the passage out in your own words can be helpful to understand it.

·      Ask questions like:

o   What is this passage saying about God?

o   What is it saying about me?

o   What promise is there for me to claim?

o   What sin do I need to confess?

o   How do I need to change?

·      Try to focus on your relationship with Jesus in this time.

Just A Little CHAT

Soul Care

Over the next few weeks we will be talking about “soul care.” The soul is often overlooked in the business of life. We take too much on, we focus on school, work, relationships, etc. Yet we fail to make sure our soul is cared for. We don’t pause long enough to listen to the voice of God, to hear from the Word or to replenish our faith. We will look at what the Bible says about prayer, quiet time, worship, service and evangelism.

Just a little chat

One thing we want more then anything is to communicate with others, yet we are so poor at it. We have created so many great devices to help us communicate, and yet the more options we have the more we seem to fail at the very thing we are seeking.

When God created us, He created us as He is, to be a relational being. We desire to know and to be known. We want others to know us, and yet we are afraid to be truly known. We seek to converse, but we hold back from what we truly want to say. In the multitude of social media sites, smart phones, emails and text messages, we sit feeling disconnected and empty.

So many things mess up our communications. Sometimes it the tone cannot be properly relayed through text. Other times we haven’t taken time to actually listen to what the other person is saying. The timing of the conversation might not align with the depth of the topic. How much sleep, what we ate, how we feel, and the list goes on. And that is only one side of it all.

Perhaps the most significant reason that our communication with others breaks down is our failure to communicate with the One who created us. We are born into this world disconnected from our Creator because of our sinfulness. Yet God created us to be in a relationship with Him and He has provided a way for this purpose to be reconciled. In Christ, we have the opportunity to once again be united with God, to talk with Him and to know Him.

He reveals Himself as our Heavenly Father, and we can cry out to Him as “Abba,” which means “daddy!” He wants us to acknowledge His presence and to talk to Him. However, we neglect this often. How often do you pray?

What comes to mind when you hear the word prayer? Some stifling old guy rambling on and on in a boring prayer meeting…blah, blah, blah? Someone talking about a never-ending list of requests?  Some formal language that you just haven’t figured out? Awkward? Silent? Unfamilar? Or is it life-giving and hope filled?

Prayer is talking to God.

That is it. No formula, no magic incantation, just you and God having a chat. Jesus taught His disciples how to pray (Luke 11:1-13). He gave them a pattern of prayer. Someone once described it as the ACTS prayer pattern. Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication, which I have found helpful but needs some explanation.  So we are going to make it a bit easier and talk about it as having a CHAT with God.

CONFESS

When we talk to God, it is always best to come with a clean slate through Confession. Psalm 66:18 tells us that hiding sin in our hearts will prevent the Lord from hearing us. 1 John 1:9 encourages us by saying God will forgive us of our sins when we Confess. Even as the Lord’s prayer says “forgive us our sins.”

God is a big God and He can handle your sin. Don’t hold it back from Him…remember He knows everything already. Confession is saying the same thing as, to acknowledge how you have sinned against God and ask for forgiveness.

HONOR

Once you have confessed your sin, Honor God by praising His name. Jesus taught us to recognize God is Holy, “hallowed,” and He is in Heaven. God is “other” then us. He is bigger then our comprehension. He is creative, resplendent in majesty, gracious to sinners, generous and kind. Our words are so limited to describe Him, yet He has revealed Himself to us.

To Honor God is to step back and admire who He is in awe and wonder. It is to tell Him how much you love Him and need Him. As the psalmist says, “I will praise Him in the midst of the throng” (Psalm 109:30).

ASK

Asking seems to be the area we are best at. It can be hard to confess, it is hard to praise, but it is easy to ask. God is our Heavenly Father who is not offended when we come to Him with our requests. Actually He wants us to run to Him with our requests.

It is good to evaluate what is on our “Ask” list. What we are asking for is indicator of what is going on in our heart. If we are careful, we could be asking for things that are against God’s will, which He will not give us. Yet as we learn to love God more, our affections and desires mature according to His plan.

Life can get difficult and hard. Stresses and frustrations will arise. Jesus wants you to bring your fears, struggles and requests to Him (Philippians 4:6).

THANK

One thing God loves is a grateful heart. He gives us so much, the breath we are breathing right now, our health, our family, etc. He has given us His Son, salvation, redemption and a future hope. There is nothing we can do to repay Him. Yet a little Thanks goes a long way!

““Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name” (Psalm 100:4). Do you want to be a blessing to God? Thank Him for His loving kindness today!

Talking with God can take on many forms. You don’t always have to kneel beside your bed and fold your hands. You don’t always have to close your eyes. You can pray while you are walking, driving or waiting. God is ever present and a whisper away. Just talk to Him.

As you CHAT with God, watch how He works in your life. As you are seeking to connect with those around you, don’t fail to connect with the one who Created you.

FAITH is OBEDIENCE

“By FAITH Abraham OBEYED…” (Hebrews 11:8).

We have been studying the call and life of Abraham on Sunday mornings as we prepare for REACH Sunday, in our series called “SENT.” Understanding that way back in the beginning, God has been calling His people into missions. To “go and make disciples of all nations!”

The story of Abram, who becomes Abraham, is such an appropriate life to consider when we think of Global Missions. From the call to leave his homeland, his career, his family and his comforts, to the unknown and uncertainty of what was ahead, Abraham stepped out in faith. As the author of Hebrews writes, “he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, who designer and builder is God.” Abraham had his focused fixed on something bigger then the immediate and trivial things that so often consume our lives.

Abraham, known as the “Father of Faith,” has set for us an example to follow. Faith, true faith, is obedient to God’s call…no matter what. That is easy to say, it is easy to type, it is even easy to read…yet it is hard to do. What’s the last thing you have sacrificed? I mean really, something that hurt to give up in order to glorify God? It’s convicting to think about this question because often times we can’t even remember the last time.

Don’t misunderstand me; I am not saying that we cannot glorify God in our affluence or that we cannot glorify God while enjoying good things. What I’m getting at is, how are you living by faith today? What is faith to you? Is your view of a life of faith consistent with what the Bible describes?

Even after Abraham trusted God with leaving his comforts of home, career and being willing to live in a place he did not know, God had more challenges before him. Read Genesis 22:1-18. Maybe you should read it again.

Abraham was willing to follow the call of God because of the promise God had given him; a promise to bless him with descendants that will become a blessing to all the nations. Here we read that God wants him to sacrifice that very promise He gave him. Can you imagine, the most important thing in Abraham’s life, his one and only son, God asked him to sacrifice?

So what is the most important thing in your life? What do you value above all else? What if God asked you to give that up? Would you be willing to let go and follow God wherever He calls?

There are three things we learn about an obedient faith in this passage.

A life of faith is not an easy life!

It isn’t easy to believe God. It’s not easy to trust in the Bible over what everyone else is saying. And even when we do believe, the Bible never promises and easy life. It does promise blessings, but not a life of ease.

Abraham was asked to do the hardest thing imaginable, to sacrifice his own son. That is not easy. It’s not easy emotionally, spiritually or physically. Think of the questions that went through his mind. “What kind of God would want me to sacrifice my son? What will my wife say? I’m too old to start over. Will I ever recover from this emotionally?” And so many more. Yet he obeyed.

True faith doesn’t demand all the answers.

Faith is trusting God when things don’t make sense. If this is what God wanted, Abraham would do it believing that God could raise him from the dead (Hebrews 11:19).

Even as Abraham ascended the mountain, his answer to his son was, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together” (Genesis 22:8 KJV). I love how the KJV renders this verse. For after all, God became the perfect Lamb who was slain for our sins.

A tested faith produces a stronger faith

I believe the reason Abraham was willing to get up early the very next morning and begin the long hike to sacrifice his son, was because of the previous trials he had been through. He had seen God prove Himself over and over in His life and trusted that God would once again prove Himself faithful. Abraham’s faith had stood the test time and again, and was stronger because of it.

This is one reason I love missions trips. I thank God for the several opportunities I have had to travel the world to share the Gospel. In each and every trip, my faith was challenged, stretched and strengthened. Every time I step out on a new adventure, I recall how God has proved Himself more and more. My faith has become stronger and stronger and it’s easier to trust God. Yet I still feel the need to pray the Centurion’s prayer, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief!”

What is God calling you to today? What is your mission field? Maybe there is an opportunity to “go into all the world” on a missions trip, or full time missions. Maybe God will place a burden on your heart for a specific area of the world. Certainly there is a mission field where you live, in your schools and at your work place. Who do you need to share the Gospel with this week?

God isn’t calling you to sacrifice your son, but He might ask you to sacrifice your pride. Are you willing to step out in faith and obey the call? After all “FAITH is OBEDIENCE!”

Life In The End

The Cost of Discipleship

(Story from Luke 5:27-28; 9:23-25, 57-62 ESV)

It was a day like any other day, Levi awoke early, made breakfast and prepared for his day as usual. He knew he would encounter angry and bitter people this day, like most days. Certainly there would be snide remarks and empty threats...at least he hoped the threats would be empty. Some days he felt like he deserved the hate he received, for after all he was a tax collector. Yet it was a lucrative position and his family was well taken care of. Who needs friends anyway?

Shortly after opening up shop and new visitor came to see Levi. This was a different encounter then any he had ever experienced. He had met men and women from all around the known world in his position, but this Jewish man was different. The room changed as He entered and for the first time in years, Levi felt real peace. He couldn’t explain it, but it was there.

“Follow me!” is all this man said. No explanation, no further directions, just “follow me.”  Yet Levi knew in that moment, down to his inner being, that this man didn’t mean simply to accompany him down the street. This was a much deeper journey, a call that would effect his entire being. It was a call to forget his life as he knew it. To forget the steady paycheck, to forget the prestige and power and to embrace the unknown. Levi’s analytical mind was racing, but his heart had already answered.

He got up, left everything and followed Him. Nothing has been the same since.

Even as Jesus changed Levi’s life, Jesus continued to change lives of men and women throughout His earthly ministry with a simple call, “Come and Follow Me.” This was a phrase He used to call His disciples, followers who would learn to imitate Him and take up His cause. Soon Jesus gathered 12 followers who would be His closest companions. Later crowds started following, but their commitment wasn’t the same.

Jesus described what it meant to truly follow Him with these words, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”

It became clear that there is a cost to discipleship. Jesus wasn’t looking for a flaky followers, but He desired resolve and determination to love what He loved. So He challenged others to follow Him, as He did with Levi, to willingly give up all they knew and follow Him.

One journey Jesus took with His twelve disciples was from Samaria to Jerusalem. As they were walking one young man ran up and said, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

Not much farther down the very same road, another man approached. Jesus look at him and said, “Follow Me!” The man seemed interested but he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

A third time a different person approached Jesus, and with eagerness he said,  “I will follow you, Lord…” but then he added,  “…let me first say farewell to those at my home.”

Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

With each of these three encounters, the disciples learned more and more that following Christ was costly, but worth it.

Creation Restored

(Story from John 14:1-7 ESV; Luke 17:24 ESV; Revelation 21 and 22 The Message)

Many years had passed since the Lord Jesus ascended into Heaven. The Apostle John, now an old man, sat reflecting on the promises Jesus had made to them that day. “I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go, I will return for you and take you to be where I am. In my Father’s house are many rooms... I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me!”

Yet Jesus also promised that the day He returns would be a spectacular day. “For as the lighting flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in His day!” He is coming to put an end to the sin and corruption of this world.

Much has happened since Jesus ascended and the Church, all the Followers of Jesus, had been born. Most of John’s close friends and fellow apostles had already given their lives for the cause of Christ. John himself was banished to the Island of Patmos because of his faith in Jesus. He longed for the times he spent with Jesus and the other disciples many years earlier. He spent much time reading through the Scriptures and teaching whomever he could about the glorious appearing of Jesus.

The promise of Jesus return brought much hope, as He promised to destroy all evil, sin and rebellion. In that day there will be no more sickness, cancer, pain or death. There will be no more slavery or abuse. And every Christian, dead or alive, will be resurrected to new life, in a new body on a new earth! Most importantly, the will get to live with Jesus forever!

One day, John was walking around the island of Patmos talking to Jesus as if He were right there with him. When all of a sudden, John, whether in a dream or vision he did not know,  was actually transported somewhere else and Jesus showed John what was to come!

“I saw Heaven and earth new-created. Gone the first Heaven, gone the first earth, gone the sea. I saw Holy Jerusalem, new-created, descending resplendent out of Heaven, as ready for God as a bride for her husband.”

Then the Angel showed me Water-of-Life River, crystal bright. It flowed from the Throne of God and the Lamb, right down the middle of the street. The Tree of Life was planted on each side of the River, producing twelve kinds of fruit, a ripe fruit each month. The leaves of the Tree are for healing the nations. Never again will anything be cursed. The Throne of God and of the Lamb is at the center.

I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: “Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They’re his people, he’s their God. He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone.” The Enthroned continued, “Look! I’m making everything new. Write it all down—each word dependable and accurate.”

Then he said, “It’s happened. I’m A to Z. I’m the Beginning, I’m the Conclusion. From Water-of-Life Well I give freely to the thirsty. Conquerors inherit all this. I’ll be God to them, they’ll be sons and daughters to me.”

“But for the rest—the faithless, degenerates and murderers, sex peddlers and sorcerers, idolaters and all liars—for them it’s Lake Fire and Brimstone. Second death!”

As John returned to himself back on the island, he was overwhelmed with what he saw. Yet the voice of Jesus was ringing in his ears to write this Story down and pass it on to others. Jesus left him with one final promise for His followers to be expectant and ready for, “Surely I am coming soon!”

(Today’s post is inspired from: The Storyformed Way)

The Early Church

Story from… Acts 2 and 4; Acts 9:31; 1 Corinthians 16; 2 Corinthians 8

The Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit filled all the disciples, marked the beginning of the New Covenant people, known as the Church. Thousands came to believe all that Jesus had done for them.

These new disciples of Jesus spent time together in prayer and were united in heart and mind so they shared everything they had. Selling their possessions and goods, they felt that what they owned was not their own. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to anyone in need. They celebrated communion in their homes and ate together all with great joy, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. They testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. And the Lord added to their number daily people who were being saved.

The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. Everyone was filled with awe and all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade where they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching of the Word.

Guided by the Spirit, the church grew in Jerusalem and then spread throughout the region as the disciples gave their lives fully to the work of the gospel. They continued to preach about Jesus’ death and resurrection and new life for all who would believe. They lived generous lives, sacrificing for those who were in need. All of this displayed God’s great generosity toward mankind in real, tangible ways.

The believers were encouraged in a letter by one of the apostles, named Paul, “I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.

I can tell you that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in this gift for the believers in Jerusalem.

They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and then to us, just as God wanted them to do.”

Another time Paul taught the believers, “You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.”

 In this way the church continued to grow and be a blessing to each other as they supported the continued spread of the gospel.

These were times of great growth and blessing for the Church as they were guided and strengthened by the indwelling Holy Spirit who led them in all the ways of truth and life.

Let me tell you another story about the Church…

Several years went by and problems began to arise among some of the believers. They were no longer living under the power of the Spirit, but instead were becoming just like the rest of their culture…Corinth was a port city, and along with great economic gain and philosophical understanding came questionable moral behavior. The problems of the city began to affect the Corinthian church.

Quarreling and divisiveness had sprung up among the believers and some leaders started to claim spiritual superiority over one another. Some of the believers even began to sue one another in public courts.

Others were coming to their communal meals and overeating and drinking to the point where some were drunk and some went away hungry. Sexual immorality in the church became a problem too. One man was even reported to be having an affair with his own stepmother and no one was doing anything about it! On top of all of that, the church was starting to divide itself into factions based on who’s preaching they liked the best.

The Apostle Paul wrote them a letter stating, “each of you says, 'I belong to Paul,' or 'I belong to Apollos,' or 'I belong to Cephas,' or 'I belong to Christ.'”

But Paul told them, “all things are yours . . . you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. The place of the preachers is not to establish themselves as leaders among men; instead, people should think of us all as servants of Christ.”

There were also fights about which spiritual gifts were the “best” and they began to argue about weather Jesus was really raised from the dead or not.

The good news for this story is that the church in Corinth was teachable and ultimately repented.

(Today’s post is from: The Storyformed Way is a derivative of The Story of God © Copyright 2003-2006 Michael Novelli & Caesar Kalinowski, all rights reserved. This derivative was created and distributed with permission. You are free to use, remix, and build upon this work non-commercially if you attribute Soma Communities. For details, see creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/)

The Mission and Power

Story from John 20, Matthew 28 John 14 Acts 2 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

In the weeks that followed Jesus death, he appeared to his disciples many times and was seen by over 500 eyewitnesses. Quickly, the news about his resurrection spread throughout the land.

One of Jesus’ disciples named Thomas said, “I won’t believe he is alive unless I can put my fingers into the holes where his hands where nailed to the cross.”

A few days later, Jesus appeared to his disciples and said to Thomas, “Put your fingers here—feel the hole in my hand. Put your hand into the wound on my side.” Thomas shouted, “It is you, Jesus—my God!” Then Jesus said, “I will bless those even more who haven’t seen, but still believe!”

Soon after that, Jesus met with his disciples over a meal. He said, “John baptized you in water, but in a few days you will be baptized with God’s Spirit. This will give you power to live in my ways and tell the entire world about me.”

Jesus commanded his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, all over the world. Baptize these new disciples in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey all the commands I have given you and to walk in my ways.

And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” God’s Spirit will come and live inside of you—giving you peace and leading you in all the ways of truth.”

As the disciples watched, Jesus went up into the sky, disappearing in the clouds right in front of them!

A few weeks later, a group of 120 of Jesus’ followers, including his closest disciples gathered to pray together in Jerusalem. All of sudden, they heard a loud sound, like a roaring windstorm, that filled the house where they were meeting. Each of them was filled with God’s Spirit and started speaking in languages that were not their own! They went out into the street and began to tell people about all that Jesus had done.

This roaring sound was heard throughout the entire city, and a large crowd had gathered outside the house to see what was going on. At that time, Jews from all over the world were living in Jerusalem.

When the people heard Jesus’ followers speaking, they said, “How can this be? They’re from Galilee, but they’re speaking in our own languages. This is amazing!”

One of Jesus’ disciples, named Peter, stepped forward to explain to the crowds what was happening. He said, “This is part of God’s prophecy being fulfilled. We are eyewitnesses of the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead and is the true Messiah!”

Then Peter explained how Jesus had fulfilled everything the prophets said about the Messiah. He told the crowd, “Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God. In Jesus, you will find forgiveness—he is the final sacrifice for everyone’s sin. This is God’s new covenant offered not just to the Jews, but for all who want to be part of God’s family.”

That day, thousands believed what Peter said and repented putting their trust in Jesus. They turned from their sins to follow Jesus and walk in God’s ways. They were baptized and became a part of God’s family—once again empowered to live out God’s promise to be a blessing to all people.

God’s new covenant was not written on tablets of stone like before, but on the hearts and minds of his people, so they would always know how to live in his ways.

These followers of Jesus were deeply committed to God and each other… sharing everything they had, praying, learning God’s ways together, and helping anyone in need—all with great joy and generosity.

Daily they ate together to honor and remember Jesus’ life given for them.

They saw God do amazing things through them—miracles and healing—as he added people to their group each day.

This was the beginning of what the Bible calls the Church—a community of people all over the world who, because of Jesus, once again enjoy a life that is full and complete—a life lived close to God—the way God always intended it to be!

(Today’s post is from: The Storyformed Way is a derivative of The Story of God © Copyright 2003-2006 Michael Novelli & Caesar Kalinowski, all rights reserved. This derivative was created and distributed with permission. You are free to use, remix, and build upon this work non-commercially if you attribute Soma Communities. For details, see creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/)

Death and Resurrection

The Garden Tomb in Jerusalem

Story from Matthew 26–28; Mark 14–16; Luke 22–24; John 13,17–20

Jesus and his disciples traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. Everywhere he went he had compassion on people and met their needs. The Pharisees and other Jewish leaders were becoming increasingly upset with Jesus and his claims.

He continued to tell people that he could forgive their sins. This enraged the Jewish leaders—they saw this as the ultimate disrespect to God. They looked for ways to trap Jesus into saying something they could arrest him for, but Jesus was too wise for them.

Many of his stories pointed out the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders. Jesus said, “When the Pharisees and teachers share with you God’s commands, listen to them—but don’t follow their example. They don’t live out what they teach.”

The High Priest met with these leaders to discuss capturing Jesus and putting him to death. “We can’t arrest him during Passover,” they agreed, “or it will create a huge riot.”

Jesus and his 12 disciples met together in a home to celebrate the Passover. During the meal Jesus picked up some bread, thanked God for it, and broke it into pieces. Giving it to his disciples he said, “Take this and eat it, this is my body given for you.”

Then Jesus picked up a cup of wine and thanked God for it. He gave them the cup and said, “All of you, drink this. It is my blood given for you—a new covenant between God and his people. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many. Remember me when you continue to eat and drink these things together.”

Jesus told them, “When you see what happens tonight you will all abandon me. It is part of God’s plan that I will be betrayed and die. But don’t fear, I will rise again from the dead!” He knew that his disciple Judas would betray him, bringing Jewish soldiers to capture him later that night when no one was around.

After the meal, when it was dark, Jesus went to pray. Filled with pain and sorrow, he pleaded with God, “Father, if there is another way besides my death, please let that happen—but I will do whatever you ask.”

Just as he had finished praying, Judas showed up with an armed mob. He greeted Jesus with a kiss—a sign to show the guards which one they should arrest.

Jesus said to them, “Am I a dangerous criminal that you need weapons to capture me?

Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple where I’ve been teaching everyday? No! This is part of God’s plan, just as the prophets predicted long ago.”

When the guards arrested Jesus and dragged him away, the disciples ran away and hid. The guards beat Jesus and brought him before the Jewish leaders for questioning.

They asked, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?” Jesus answered, “I am, and you will see me seated next to God in power—coming back on the clouds of heaven.”

When Jesus said this, the High Priest tore his clothing in horror and said, “Any man who claims to be God must be put to death.” Then they slapped Jesus in the face and spit on him.

Jesus was brought to the Roman governor, Pilate, since Jews could not execute anyone without official approval. The Jewish leaders stirred up the crowds and pressured Pilate to have Jesus put to death.

They shouted, “CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!”

Pilate feared a riot would break out, so he handed Jesus over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

Crucifixion was the most cruel and humiliating way to die. Jesus was brutally beaten and whipped by the soldiers. They put a crown of sharp thorns on his head and a purple robe around his shoulders. “Hail the King of the Jews!” they laughed. All night, the Roman soldiers continued to beat Jesus and mock him.

When morning came, they led Jesus to a place called Skull Hill. Like a criminal, Jesus was nailed to a heavy wooden cross between two thieves. Hanging there, he cried out, “Father, please forgive them, they don’t know what they’re doing.”

At noon, darkness filled the skies—blocking out the sun for three hours. Suddenly, the thick curtain hanging in the Temple tore down the middle! At that moment Jesus shouted, “Father! I give you my life… it is finished.”

Then Jesus breathed his last breath and died.

The soldiers broke the legs of the criminals crucified next to Jesus to speed up their death. When they found that Jesus was already dead, they didn’t break his legs. To be sure, one of the soldiers stabbed him in the side with a spear—blood and water poured out.

Late Friday afternoon, Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross, wrapped in long strips of cloth, and buried in a rich man’s tomb. A large stone was rolled over the entrance to the tomb and Roman guards were posted to make sure nothing happened to his body.

Early on Sunday morning, some of the women who followed Jesus went to prepare his body for burial.

When they arrived at the tomb, they saw the stone rolled away and the soldiers were gone!

Suddenly, two angels appeared. They said, “Why are you surprised? You are looking for Jesus, but he is not here, he’s been raised from the dead.”

The women were excited but afraid and hurried to tell the disciples the amazing news. Some of them ran back to the tomb and looked inside for themselves… Jesus was not there!

In fact, Jesus appeared to his disciples many times over the next 40 days. They touched him, saw him eat food and perform miracles again. Jesus reminded them of his teaching about the kingdom and opened their minds to understand how the whole Story has led up to him. Over 500 people saw him alive.

(Today’s post is from: The Storyformed Way is a derivative of The Story of God © Copyright 2003-2006 Michael Novelli & Caesar Kalinowski, all rights reserved. This derivative was created and distributed with permission. You are free to use, remix, and build upon this work non-commercially if you attribute Soma Communities. For details, see creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/)