|
Sunrise Service | Do You Believe This? | John 11:17-27
Sanctuary Services | Do Not Weep! | Revelation 5:1-14
The time of Lent is coming to a close. We will soon be singing how Jesus rose from the grave to bring eternal hope to the world! I hope this means you will be taking extra care over your soul, asking God to show you what the resurrection means and how you can bring the light of Christ to others. Read the accounts of Jesus’ arrest, Peter’s denial, Judas’ betrayal, and the agony of all the Lord went through. Think about how the world still denies and mocks Jesus. Feel the shadows and acknowledge the evil which continues to permeates our world. Come and serve with us Thursday at Pershing Park. Experience the darkness of the Tenebrae on Friday. Feel the joy with us at the Egg Hunt. My prayer is that we will be ready for the joy of the Resurrection!
In our celebration on Sunday, we will be in two different passages for our time of study. At the Sunrise, we will be exploring the story of Mary and Martha after their brother Lazarus dies. We want to watch Jesus, seeing how He responds to this grief. What the Lord says and does is unbelievable on several levels. What does it all mean? In the sanctuary, we will be in the book of Revelation! Often the imagery in this experience given to the gospel writer John is not easy for us to understand. We are going to explore how Easter and this vision are connected and why it matters.
As we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ miraculous rising from the dead, I invite us to remember how Easter is an incredible opportunity for God’s people to reflect the light of Christ to those around us. As you think about how your day will go, take time to pray about this: Jesus’ resurrection brings new life, so who do you know who needs new life that only Jesus can bring? This is not a day simply for the church to joyously sing and praise God. . . it’s a time for us to invite others to know Jesus too. We reflect God’s hope in many ways, however in this week we want to be mindful that there are people who are wondering what Easter is really about, who are yearning for meaning and the chance to know God’s love. Pray about how Jesus would use you to show them. This is a time many will join us from the neighborhood and from being invited by friends and family. Let’s welcome each person warmly!
What a week this will be!
All praise and glory to the Lord most high.
Pastor Colleen
"Now let the heavens be joyful,
Let earth her song begin:
Let the round world keep triumph,
And all that is therein;
Invisible and visible,
Their notes let all things blend,
For Christ the Lord is risen
Our joy that hath no end."
- Saint John of Damascus
"Let every man and woman count themselves immortal. Let them catch the revelation of Jesus in His resurrection. Let them say not merely, 'Christ is risen,' but 'I shall rise.'"
- Phillips Brooks
“His crucifixion is the key; His resurrection is the door... it is only by his death that we have the mandate to enter into the gates of eternal life. His doors are open always.”
- Israelmore Ayivor
| 
