The Great Interruption Day 40

The Great Interruption

ReRead:   John 20:19-20

Saturday 4/4/15   Day 40

Ponder:  Mary shares with the disciples that she has seen the Lord.  They are still afraid and hiding behind locked doors in spite of her message.  Suddenly, Jesus is standing in their midst. He speaks to them, “Peace be with you.”  They are struggling to believe it is Jesus.  Do you ever struggle with believing the reality of a living God who presents himself to you?  Please notice, Jesus does not stop there and leave.  Instead, he shows them his wounds and tells them his resurrection story.  Instead of fear now they are filled with joy.  Jesus then offers the same line as before but adds further instruction, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.  Receive the Holy Spirit (he breathes on them).”  Jesus then commissions them to forgive the sins of others.

Practice:   Jesus connects faith and forgive-ness with forward movement.  Fear has to go, and forgiveness has to be granted.  If you are holding unforgiveness in your heart, you will hinder the work of the Spirit.  God wants to bring peace and joy in exchange for fear and unforgiveness.  What an Easter Gift is Jesus!

Prayer: Father, thank You for the work of Jesus to forgive my sins so I may know life with You. Holy Spirit, help me to forgive others, because of what you have done for me.  Fill me with Your peace as I follow your commands of love.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Mission: The resurrected life is given as a gift, so go and interrupt the world with the story of God’s Love and Light in Christ.  God loves you not because you do everything right, but because He created you and the world.  Invite someone to join us at church as we celebrate Resurrection Sunday!

The Great Interruption Day 39

The Great Interruption

ReRead:   John 20:17-18

Friday 4/3/15   Day 39

Ponder:   Mary wants to hold onto Jesus, but he tells her she must let him go.  Jesus reminds Mary, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”  Jesus’ comment brings Mary sweet peace and comfort. She knows she is connected to God now.  Mary leaves to find and tell his disciples; she does what Jesus asks of her.  The disciples are presently hiding from the religious leaders.  Fear has stopped them in their tracks.  They do not know how to move forward.  Jesus sends Mary with the message, “I have seen the Lord.”  The message is beautiful. When we have seen the Lord, we have a story to tell others.  Christ in us becomes the Great Interruption and source of hope for others to move forward with God.

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The Great Interruption Day 38

The Great Interruption

ReRead:   John 20:15-16

Thursday 4/2/15   Day 38

Ponder: Jesus calls Mary by name. It is how Jesus chooses to announce his resurrection; he says Mary’s name and she recognizes his Voice. Mary has heard Jesus call her by name before, but now it is overwhelming to her.  Why?  Because this Voice that calls her by name rises up within her in great power; it is the Voice of God within. Others will encounter and experience Jesus in similar ways; the Voice that speaks to them while walking on the road, greets them from behind closed doors, prays over bread and fish…Jesus will speak their names.  Have you heard him speak your name?

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The Great Interruption Day 37

The Great Interruption

Read:  John 20:1-20

Wednesday 4/1/15   Day 37  

Ponder:  Mary Magdalene is devastated; the tomb is empty.  Through her tears she sees two angels in white.  One sitting where the head of Jesus would have been and one at the feet.  These angels ask Mary, “Woman, why are you weeping?”  She replies to them, “They have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have laid him.”  Mary has tasted the presence of Christ and fears his absence.  She no longer understands.  It is then that she hears a Voice.  This Voice comes with power.  She turns to see a man but thinks he must be the gardener. 

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King of the Jews Day 36

King of the Jews

ReRead:  John 19:19-22

Tuesday 3/31/15   Day 36 

Ponder:  Pilate identifies Jesus with a  sign nailed to the cross.  Written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek the sign reads, “The King of the Jews.”  The chief priests of the Jews wanted it changed to “This man said, I am King of the Jews.”  These leaders see Jesus as claiming to be someone he is not.  Pilate refused to change the sign.  In a week’s time Jesus was celebrated by the crowds as the arriving King, hated by the religious leaders who had authority, betrayed by friends, denied by his followers, and suffered death. God is the Interruptor this time.  God sent his Son to announce the Kingdom.  God’s Kingdom is for those who celebrate Him, as well as for those who reject Him.  God loves His creation and offers His Son to be Lord of all.  Is Jesus your Lord?

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King of the Jews Day 35

King of the Jews

Read: John 19:16-22

Monday 3/30/15   Day 35

Ponder: Pilate plays the political game and hands Jesus over to be crucified.  Jesus carries his cross to The Place of the Skull (Golgotha).  He is crucified between two thieves.  Jesus’ followers are filled with sorrow.  They know he is Messiah; he is the eternal Savior sent from God.  How could this happen?

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Jesus Enters the City Day 34

Jesus Enters the City

ReRead:   Luke 19:38-40

Saturday 3/28/15   Day 34

Ponder:  Passion for God is building in Jerusalem so the flesh must attack.  The Pharisees seek to correct Jesus for stirring the people’s faith and hope.  “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.”  Jesus teaches about the supreme power of God over nature when he tells the religious Pharisees, “If the disciples are silent the stones will shout out!”  Why?

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Jesus Enters the City Day 33

Jesus Enters the City

ReRead:   Luke 19:35-37

Friday 3/27/15   Day 33

Ponder:   The disciples did what Jesus asked and brought the colt back with them.  Little did they know this animal would be with them as they entered Jerusalem.  Jesus sits on the colt and begins his ride.  People with palm branches start waving and greeting Jesus as he passes by. They shout praises to God.  Passover is a celebration to praise God for delivering His people, Israel, from bondage, and the hope of God’s ultimate salvation through Messiah.   People have heard about Jesus and his many interruptions in the region.  Now, he interrupts everything with his arrival into Jerusalem. Pause. If you are quiet, you can almost hear them asking each other, “Could Jesus be the Messiah?”

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Jesus Enters the City Day 32

Jesus Enters the City

Read:   Luke 19:28-40

Thursday 3/26/15   Day 32

Ponder: Jesus is approaching the Mount of Olives; he is on his way to Jerusalem.  He will “be” the sacrificial Lamb for the Passover.  We can see from scripture Jesus knows all things and is administering everything in detail to fulfill his mission from God.  Jesus interrupts two of the disciples by giving them an odd task to follow.  These two do not question the directions given by Jesus.  If Jesus says there is going to be a colt tied up for them to take, someone to inquire about them taking it, and a need for them to say, “The Lord needs it,” that is what will happen.  Are you that sure (full of trust) when following Jesus’ direction in your life?

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Be An Interrupter Day 31

Be An Interrupter

ReRead:  John 12:3

Wednesday 3/25/15   Day 31  

Ponder:  When we want to express our love for people, we may buy flowers, gifts, or we may seek to serve them in some specific way.  Those are expressions of love but not really a descriptive of love. Mary does not really know how to “tell” Jesus she loves him.  She cannot articulate the overwhelming feeling she has rising up within her.  So, she acts.  With every stroke of her hair on the feet of Messiah, she is telling him she loves him.  Since God conveyed his love for us by sending His Son to die on a cross, can we look at the cross as a symbol of love?

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