Where Is God This Easter?

Easter Sunday Service

“Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.  2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.  3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill."  4 But when Jesus heard it he said, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it."  5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.  6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was… 17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.  20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.  21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you."  23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."  24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."  25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"  27 She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world. 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you."  29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.  30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.  31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.  32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."  33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.  34 And he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see."  35 Jesus wept.  36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"  37 But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?"  38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.  39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days."  40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?"  41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me."  43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out."  44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."  45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, "

- John 11:1-6, 17-45

Jesus' Suffering & Our Suffering

Good Friday Service

“For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.  20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.  21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.  22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.  23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.  24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.  25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

- 1 Peter 2:19-25

THE CRUCIFORM LIFE: Power Through Weakness

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.”

2 Corinthians 4:7-12

Did It Happen? Does It Matter?

Easter Service 2018, Matthew 28:1-10

TEXT:

"Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.  2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.  3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.  4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.  5 But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.  7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you."  8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.  9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.  10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."

- Matthew 28:1-10  

Following The Crucified Lord

Good Friday Service 2018, Luke 14:16-27, 33

TEXT: 

"But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.  17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'  18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.'  19 And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.'  20 And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'  21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.'  22 And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.'  23 And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.  24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'"  25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them,  26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.  27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.... 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. "

- Luke 14:16-27, 33