In preparation of centering one's heart and mind, read Matthew 28.
Today is a special day for those who have questions about Jesus and for those who worship Him. This is the day we commemorate Jesus rising from the dead after dying on a cross three days earlier. It signifies the power of a God who does not let our brokenness keep us away from God and the eternal failure of sin and death to keep us from God.
We will read that bit of the story of Christ’s rising from the dead and inviting a woman to be the first to tell others about it! But first, let’s read a couple verses of a story about the beginning of the journey to Jerusalem, a few days before He entered the city where He knew He was going to be killed. He had already made His mind up and was willing to face the pain because He knew it would open doors for anyone to live life with Him afterward.
Luke 9:51-56+ - Samaritan rejection & Christ’s forgiveness
51 As the time drew near for Him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for His arrival. 53 But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because He was on His way to Jerusalem. 54 When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. (And He said, “You don’t realize what your hearts are like. 56 For the Son of Man has not come to destroy people’s lives, but to save them.”) So they went on to another village.
Jesus offers an invitation – that we can welcome Him into our lives to lead and guide us, but He is not going to force His way in. And He knows that we are quick to be offended, either by being told that others don’t agree with us, or feel like we’ve been made fun of, but Jesus isn’t put off by that at all. God doesn’t burn us up if we refuse, He moves on to another person, or in this story, to another town where He will be welcomed in. And when He is welcomed, He offers it all. Guidance and direction, comfort for the pain each of us experience, forgiveness for our bad choices, and new life and a fresh start the moment we choose Jesus – or the moment we come back to welcome His Love again.
What is choosing Jesus like? Has anyone here asked Jesus to guide their lives – and would you want to share about that choice? When you’ve made a bad choice, has anyone here been burnt up by God? Any fire from heaven experiences? How about receiving a loving welcome – have you experienced that from God?
Let’s read a bit about one of Jesus’ followers, a woman, Mary, who had gone to the tomb expecting to find Jesus dead inside and wanting to honor Jesus. But her visit to the tomb turned out totally differently than she expected.
John 20 – Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 12 She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her.
“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put Him.”
14 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize Him. 15 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”
She thought He was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will go and get Him.”
16 “Mary!” Jesus said.
She turned to Him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).
17 “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them His message.
What must that have been like? To know that the person who inspired you and welcomed you and led you had died young with His whole future ahead of Him…and all of you His followers? But He was now alive again? And to have been someone who was an outsider…see women weren’t allowed to lead back then, and here is Jesus, God, telling her to tell others and lead them to a meeting with Him?!?! He was placing her in the most important place of sharing the good news for the first time!!! Amazing!
Have you ever felt you were an outsider or not accepted? And what must that welcome from Jesus have been like? Saying you who were left outside…I want you front and center, right next to Me in the things that are about to happen! That is what Jesus is inviting you to…that is the invitation: bring your questions to Me and your doubts and pain and I will welcome you because I gave you life for a reason…I want you to know I love you, to realize that I want you to be with Me now and forever in this new life that can start today! God’s Holy Spirit can give you new life starting now!
Songs dear to our hearts today. Perhaps you loved ones would like to worship with us in spirit as we sing...
"Redeemer" by Nicole C. Mullen
"How Great Is Our God" by Will Morrison or by Bethany Dillon
"I Speak Jesus" by Charity Gayle and Steven Musso
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