Apprentice2Jesus

Ramblings of a Confessing Pentecostal

Archive for the category “Resurrection Sunday”

24 Apr 2011

Resurrection!

This year’s journey through Lent has been amazing. Personally, I have worked harder than any other year to purposefully observe this season. It’s been uneven at times, but I have worked to observe the readings, pause in prayer, and reflect.

On Saturday I went through some Easter Vigil readings that really heightened my anticipation of Resurrection Sunday. Then, I began to read Easter greetings from friends in Australia. Resurrection Sunday had dawned for them. They were rejoicing! I was still pausing, anticipating… longing.

HE IS RISEN.

He is mighty to save! He has delivered on his promise.

There is no resurrection without Golgotha. There is no true celebration of life without the smell of death. This journey has been good. He has called us to anticipation of what he will do in resurrection power. Let us hear the call of the Spirit! Let us SEE his glory!

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

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23 Apr 2011

Worship and Remember — Saturday Before Resurrection Sunday

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23 Apr 2011

Saturday — In the Tomb

I am trying to imagine the level of hopelessness in the disciples on this particular day. One of the Psalms for today’s reading is Psalm 88:

1 LORD, you are the God who saves me;
day and night I cry out to you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.

3 I am overwhelmed with troubles
and my life draws near to death.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like one without strength.
5 I am set apart with the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
who are cut off from your care.

6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
8 You have taken from me my closest friends
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
9 my eyes are dim with grief.

I call to you, LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

13 But I cry to you for help, LORD;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, LORD, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?

15 From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend.

(NIV)

That last line is powerful: “Darkness is my closest friend.”

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18 Apr 2011

Worship Meditations for Holy Week

I probably post this every year, but I LOVE this song!

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04 Apr 2010

Hallelujah! JESUS IS ALIVE!

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04 Apr 2010

One of My Favorite Choirs and Songs! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

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23 Mar 2008


Resurrection Sunday


One of the events I enjoy the most over the Passion season is Good Friday. For our community it’s a time of reflecting on the seven last words of Christ from the cross. A different church will take 20 minutes to reflect on a word. It’s a three hour service that is really one of my personal highlights for the year.

This year was even more special because I was able to see my colleagues in ministry for the first time in months, since I now work another job and can’t meet with them on a monthly basis.

That being said, I truly enjoy Good Friday and reflecting on the cross. Too many times I think we rush to the resurrection. Paul knew the power of the cross and the resurrection. BOTH had to work in him.

As I’ve reflected on this day for my message, I think there are three things that work together to FULLY bring the power of Christ into our lives.

1. The Cross. We must come to the cross. The old self must die. We simply cannot keep obeying that old self! It wrecks us! It wrecks me! I can be cruising along and think I’m pretty successful, but somewhere along the way that old self rises up and does something to screw up my perfect plans. I just keep falling in the same ditch. That old self needs to die! The cross brings victory.

2. The empty tomb. When we are buried with Christ we are RAISED with him. We are brought to new life and it is possible to look at what is RIGHT…and now do it! My mind can be set on what is life now!

3. The power of the Spirit. Rom. 8:11. That same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in me! DWELLS IN ME! That power comes to us. Jesus told his disciples to wait until they received that power.

Here is my issue: That work must be done in me. I cannot simply read it and hope it applies by osmosis. I must allow the WORK to be done. Just like the disciples waited in the upper room. Just like Paul went to the desert. Just like other great people of the Spirit have done…I must ALLOW THIS WORK to be effected in me.

There must be a place of the altar in my life. I must allow the cross, the resurrection, and the Spirit place to fulfill that complete work of Christ in me.

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23 Mar 2008


Resurrection Sunday


One of the events I enjoy the most over the Passion season is Good Friday. For our community it’s a time of reflecting on the seven last words of Christ from the cross. A different church will take 20 minutes to reflect on a word. It’s a three hour service that is really one of my personal highlights for the year.

This year was even more special because I was able to see my colleagues in ministry for the first time in months, since I now work another job and can’t meet with them on a monthly basis.

That being said, I truly enjoy Good Friday and reflecting on the cross. Too many times I think we rush to the resurrection. Paul knew the power of the cross and the resurrection. BOTH had to work in him.

As I’ve reflected on this day for my message, I think there are three things that work together to FULLY bring the power of Christ into our lives.

1. The Cross. We must come to the cross. The old self must die. We simply cannot keep obeying that old self! It wrecks us! It wrecks me! I can be cruising along and think I’m pretty successful, but somewhere along the way that old self rises up and does something to screw up my perfect plans. I just keep falling in the same ditch. That old self needs to die! The cross brings victory.

2. The empty tomb. When we are buried with Christ we are RAISED with him. We are brought to new life and it is possible to look at what is RIGHT…and now do it! My mind can be set on what is life now!

3. The power of the Spirit. Rom. 8:11. That same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in me! DWELLS IN ME! That power comes to us. Jesus told his disciples to wait until they received that power.

Here is my issue: That work must be done in me. I cannot simply read it and hope it applies by osmosis. I must allow the WORK to be done. Just like the disciples waited in the upper room. Just like Paul went to the desert. Just like other great people of the Spirit have done…I must ALLOW THIS WORK to be effected in me.

There must be a place of the altar in my life. I must allow the cross, the resurrection, and the Spirit place to fulfill that complete work of Christ in me.

Posted in Resurrection Sunday | Leave a Comment

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