Encounter: Using Biblegateway.com do a word search for the phrase “wait for the Lord” Read slowly through 1 Peter 1:3-9 The Passion Translation. Begin to think about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Then read or listen to John 12:23-24.
As dusk brought a golden glow through the sanctuary windows and darkness began to fall, heavenly voices broke the silence and brought the invitation we needed to hear…
Wait for the Lord
Whose day is near
Wait for the Lord
Keep watch, take heart
The Taize songs we sang during our Good Friday service last evening were actually prayers with themes from scripture capturing our heart cries to be with Jesus and to know He has us in His care even when it feels like what we had hoped for is passing away.
I wonder if on that first Holy Saturday the disciples remembered Jesus Words, “Now is the time for the Son of Man to be glorified. Let me make this clear: A single grain of wheat will never be more than a single grain of wheat unless it drops into the ground and dies. Because then it sprouts and produces a great harvest of wheat—all because one grain died.(John 12:23-24)
Jesus is helping his friends as he tells them about what is coming soon in His own death. It will look like everything has been lost but in the end they will have gained everything that had been lost in the garden of Eden when the created walked away from their Creator.
His death would bring the new Eden, lives resurrected and restored to relationship with God and the works of sin, evil and death destroyed. And his death makes is possible for us to now lay down our lives in love to be raised to new life and bear fruit for the kingdom.
God’s story over and over again shows how it is His passion to bring life out of death. Our invitation this Easter is what do we need to lay down and die to in order to live more fully into new life as one who has been Chosen, called, cherished, made new, and is now secure for …”no one has the power to snatch them from my Father’s care.”
Holy Saturday is the pregnant pause between death and resurrection, despair and hope, sickness and healing, sorrow and joy, fear and calm, anxiety and peace, pain and comfort. Now we keep watch and take heart as we wait for His light to dawn upon our lives.
Waiting with you for the Resurrection!
Pastor Tammy
Reflect: Take your answers to the question above and write them down on a piece of paper, share it with Jesus and then bury it in the ground.
Encourage: Encourage a family member this Easter who may be struggling to find hope in their dark time. Share with them a copy of the Why Jesus booklet that will be given in our Easter Celebration. Maybe even invite them to church and let them know you will be praying for them. Remember to listen to their story.
Gather: In your small group time discuss how John 12:23-24 could look like in our culture, through our lives and our church. Pray for each person to receive guidance from Holy Spirit to invest their lives in something specific that will bear fruit for the kingdom of God.
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