Post Easter Series
Easter: Trading My Sorrows "I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy." John 16:20
What does the joy of Easter mean for my life?
We celebrated Joy and New Life on Easter morning. And yet here we are a couple of weeks later, back to seeing our lives meander through all the hurts, the rejections, the losses, the suffering and injustice that were there before. What's changed? Our culture tells us to "move on and get over it." The empty tomb give us permission to examine grief and come to understand how it has been transformed by Christ.
Date
Scripture
Reference
Theme for the Week
April 6th
John 16:17-24
Grief Acknowledged:
Their last night together Jesus told his disciples they would grieve. Following Christ does not insulate us from loss. But he does promise it will have an endpoint.
April 13th
Genesis
3:8-13
Choosing Poorly:
Watching someone make a really bad life-choice, feeling helpless, knowing the impending consequences, leaves us wondering what to do with all the emotions and thoughts the logical outcome leaves behind.
April 20th
Matthew
12:46-50
Walking a New Direction:
As we follow after Christ, we may notice there are mothers not coming along for the journey. Moving forward sometimes means walking away from those who are "stuck."
April 27th
John
8:2-11
Life After Rejection
Shame and Blame are the twin siblings of a demotivated life. They also lock us into a profound grief about our life's trajectory. Forgiveness in Christ frees up our past.
May 4th
1 Peter
4:12-14,
5:6-11
Faith on the Edges
As Peter draws his letter to a close, he assures his readers that their "fiery Ordeal" is a test of faith and an opportunity to share in Christ's suffering. He also assures them of God's grace to restore and strengthen them.
May 11th
Pentecost Sunday
Pentecost
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that was made. In him was life, And that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” John 1:1-5
Growing Up ... Human
The Bible tells us Jesus Christ was and is the Word. From our human perspective, words are what we use to communicate. They are symbols we use to communicate meaning between ourselves and others. But Jesus is so much more than mere symbol; he is and was the primary communication of God – the “Word made Flesh.” What can we learn from the one who is the very essence of communication?
