Category: PASSION Reflections

Passion Week: Resurrection Sunday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections

Read: Mark 16:1-7.
“And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” – Mark 16:6-7 (ESV)

Reflection: Ponder this amazing announcement that Jesus is risen. Who can you go and tell? One day you too will see Him!

Sing:
“Christ the Lord is ris­en to­day,” Al­le­lu­ia!
Sons of men and an­gels say, Al­le­lu­ia!
Raise your joys and tri­umphs high, Al­le­lu­ia!
Sing ye heav’ns, and earth re­ply, Al­le­lu­ia!
(Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, Written by Charles Wesley)

Passion Week: Saturday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections

Read: Mark 15:42-47.
And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone  against the entrance of the tomb. – Mark 15:46 (ESV)

Reflection: For the disciples, it seemed all hope was lost. How would your life be different if Jesus had stayed in the tomb?

Sing:
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me
To tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
(American Folk Hymn)

Passion Week: Good Friday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections1 Comment

Read: Mark 15:24-37.
So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” – Mark 15:31-32 (ESV)

Reflection: To save us, He must not save Himself.  He had to stay on the cross so that we might know His grace.

Sing:
To Christ, who won for sinners grace
By bitter grief and anguish sore,
Be praise from all the ransomed race
Forever and forevermore.
(When I Survey, Written by Isaac Watts)

Passion Week: Thursday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections

Read: Mark 14:32-42.
And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” – Mark 14:35-36 (ESV)

Reflection: Jesus trusted and submitted to the Father’s will for Him – even to the cross.  How do you need to trust and submit to the Father’s will for your life today?   

Sing:
Were the whole realm of na­ture mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
(When I Survey, Written by Isaac Watts)

Passion Week: Wednesday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections

Read: Mark 10:32-34.
“See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” – Mark 10:33-34 (ESV)

Reflection: Ponder what Jesus endured for you. Rest in His love.  Offer Him your thanks.

Sing:
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
(When I Survey, Written by Isaac Watts)

Passion Week: Tuesday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections1 Comment

Read: Mark 9:30-35.
But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” – Mark 9:34-35 (ESV)

Reflection: Jesus chose to humbly serve us by going to the cross.  How have you been seeking to be the greatest?  How can you serve today?

Sing:
When I survey the won­drous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
(When I Survey, Written by Isaac Watts)

Passion Week: Monday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections

Read: Mark 8:31-34.
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them,“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. – Mark 8:34 (ESV)

Reflection: Jesus denied Himself and took up the cross to save you.  How do you need to deny yourself to follow Him today?

Sing:
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
(When I Survey, Written by Isaac Watts)

Passion Week: Palm Sunday

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Reflections1 Comment

Read: Mark 11:1-10.
And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
– Mark 11:9-10 (ESV)

Reflection: Your King was willing to take the road to the cross to make you part of His Kingdom.  Join the crowds in praising Him.

Sing:
“Hosanna in the highest!”
That ancient song we sing,
For Christ is our Redeemer
The Lord of Heaven our King.
O may we ever praise Him
With heart and life and voice,
And in His blissful presence,
Eternally rejoice!
(Hosanna, Loud Hosanna, Written by Jennette Threlfall)

Devoted Goals

On By BrianIn Habit Miscellaneous, Holidays

This past Fall our church looked at five habit of growth to which we should be devoted. Then during advent, we looked at being devoted to the gospel. Below is my attempt to pull it all together with the goal of applying our study to our lives during the coming year. I believe these would be good questions for any Christian to ponder as we look at a new year, a new month, and a new week.

Annual Goals (Review at least monthly)

Gospel: What habit will I begin this year to better remember, focus on, and live out the hope, peace, joy, and love found in Jesus?

Worship: What habit will I begin to better prepare my heart to come into God’s presence for corporate worship each Sunday? 

Prayer: What is one way I would like to grow in prayer this year? 

Word: What portion of Scripture (Old Testament, New Testament, Book(s) of the Bible, etc.) will I commit to read and meditate on throughout this year? 

Fellowship: In what ways will I partner with my church family this year in serving, giving, and prayer?

Outreach: What habit will I begin to become more watchful for opportunities to share the gospel this year? What will I do to become better prepared to share the gospel this year?  Who might I specifically pray for to receive salvation this year?

What might distract me from these goals, and how can I overcome that?
How can I live out these goals as expressions of love instead of pride?

Monthly Goals (Review at least weekly)

Gospel: What might I do to better grasp some aspect of the gospel this month, and let that aspect of the gospel better grasp me?

Worship: Is there an area in my life that I need to start submitting to God this month, and what will I do about it?

Prayer: What promise or attribute of God will I incorporate into my prayers this month?

Word: What passage of Scripture will I memorize this month?

Fellowship: What practical need in my church family will I seek to help with this month?  Who can I get together with this month around a meal?

Outreach: What practical need do I see in my workplace, neighborhood, or community that I could seek to meet this month?  How might God lead me to help with this month’s church outreach activity and/or outreach/missions project? How do I specifically need to pray for my missionaries this month? 

Weekly Goals (Review daily)

Gospel: What aspect of the gospel from my Bible reading or Sunday’s sermon will I meditate on this week?

Worship: In the midst of my current trials and temptations, what attribute of God or aspect of the gospel will I cling to this week to tune my heart to praise Him? 

Prayer: Who and what do I specifically need to pray for this week?

Word: What Biblical truth from my personal reading or Sunday’s sermon do I need to very specifically apply to my life this week?

Fellowship: Who in my church family might God be leading me to care for and/or seek to encourage this week, and how will I do it?

Outreach: How might I better shine as a light with integrity, hope, and love this week? What is one way I might purposefully seek to share the gospel this week?

God Loves You

On By BrianIn All About Love

God loves you.  He proved it by coming to earth as a baby for you.  He proved it by dying on a cross for you. He proved it by forgiving your sin, and giving you a new life with Him now and forevermore.

God loves you – that might be most important you hear today.

God loves you.  But maybe you doubt it because of some sin in your life, and you wonder how he could love someone like you.  But he came and died to pay for that sin, to wash away all the shame and guilt of that sin. That sin is gone.  And he did it, because he loves you.

God loves you.  But maybe you doubt it because of some suffering in your life.  If God loved me, why am I going through this?

But his love is not found in keeping us from suffering.  We live in a fallen world, and because of that, there is sickness and death and tragedy and terrible actions by others.  We will suffer.

Jesus suffered, and we will suffer too.

But his love is not found in keeping us from suffering.  Rather, his love is found in being there to help us in our suffering.  He will never leave you nor forsake you.  He is with you always to end of age. 

And at end the end of the age, He will come again and bring all of our suffering to an end.

He came for you.  He died for you.  He washed away all your sins.  He purchased a new life for you.  He is with you in your trials.  And he is coming again for you.  All because he loves you.