Mark 16:1-8

Read Mark 16:1-8.

1.  God will make a way for you to make a way to go your way and tell everyone.  Notice what He will do and what He wants you to do.

2.  God meets your need before you become aware of it.  The stone was rolled away before the women even thought about how to deal with it.

3.  Get to Jesus early in the morning.  Start your day right.

4.  When it comes to the Resurrection, you have access to more than you think.  The women intended to anoint a dead man.  You could say they were going to pay their respects, doing what they could as they grieved.  They weren't prepared to see and hear an angel. They didn't anticipate an empty tomb with the stone rolled away.  Easter is an opportune time to ask Jesus to enlarge your capacity to realize His greatness.

Quote By A. W. Tozer

"I cannot give in to the devil's principal, deceitful tactic which makes so many Christians satisfied with an 'Easter celebration' instead of experiencing the power of Christ's resurrection.  It is the devil's business to keep  Christians mourning and weeping with pity beside the cross instead of demonstrating that Jesus Christ is risen indeed."

Tozer, A. W.  "Easter And Missions."  Mornings With Tozer.  Chicago, IL:  Wing Spread Publishers, 2008.  Entry for April 8.

Jesus Turned Them (Jn. 20:1-29)

Read John 20:1-29.

1.  Mary - Jesus turned her weeping into worship.

2.  Peter & John - Jesus turned their routine (20:10) into rejoicing.

3.  Thomas - Jesus turned Thomas' obstinacy into opportunity.

What a difference the Resurrection makes!  What a difference an encounter with Jesus makes! Jesus knows where you're at, what you're going through and how to convince you that He is both real and alive.  From an honest, sincere heart, would you invite Him:  "Jesus, please encounter me and change me."  He will take you up on that offer,

Mary, Peter and John's Responses To Jesus' Empty Tomb (Jn. 20:1-10)

Read John 20:1-10.

1.  Mary, the rationalist, was quick to assume another explanation.  She deferred to logic.

2.  Peter, the agnostic, was slow to declare his stance.  He saw, he evaluated, but the text does not say that he believed yet.  He deferred to indecision.

3.  John, the beloved disciple, was quick to believe limited evidence.  He didn't understand what Jesus' rising from the dead meant, let alone how it happened (Jn. 20:9), but he believed nonetheless. John deferred to faith.

Outline of John Chapter 20

Read John chapter 20.

1.  People encountered, on their initiative, an empty tomb (20:1-10).

2.  People encountered, on Jesus' initiative, a risen Savior (20:11-29).

3.  People encountered, on the Holy Spirit's initiative, many other signs (20:30-31).

Trouble's Final Word (2 Kin. 4:18-37) (Part 5)

7. WHEN TROUBLE CAME, ELISHA HAD THE FINAL WORD.

HE BROUGHT THE WOMAN'S SON BACK TO LIFE! Nothing changed until the situation was left entirely in the presence and power of Elisha.

Remember that, earlier, I said Elisha was a picture of Jesus? Elisha's name means 'God is Savior.' Our Savior is none other than Jesus Christ our Lord. When Jesus comes into your trouble, it is always the right time for a grand reversal (Jn. 11:6, 4-15, 39-44).

Trouble's Final Word (2 Kin. 4:18-37) (Part 3)

3. WHEN TROUBLE CAME, THE WOMAN DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD.

NOTICE WHAT THE WOMAN COULDN'T DO.

• She couldn't change what happened.
• She couldn't believe what happened.

She wasn't in denial; rather, she believed that God had given her a son and that God could give him back to her. Where would she have gotten such a defiant idea?

• Elijah (1 Kin. 17:17-24)
• Abraham (Gen. 22:1-10; Heb. 11:17-19)

Now that we noticed what the woman couldn't do, let's NOTICE WHAT THE WOMAN COULD DO. She could go to and return with the only one who was capable of changing what had happened. She didn't have the final word, but she knew how to get a hold of Elisha, who knew how to get a hold of God.

4. WHEN TROUBLE CAME, THE HUSBAND DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD.

IT WAS UNNATURAL FOR THE WOMAN TO KEEP SUCH NEWS TO HERSELF. She wasn't trying to deceive her husband. How she wanted to tell him! Why didn't she tell him? She didn't want him getting in the way of her faith! Perhaps she thought that he would ridicule her, discourage her or overrule her.

• If you're going to pursue the supernatural, then you might have to do something that is unnatural.
• If you're going to live by faith, then you will have to guard yourself against human reason.
• If you're going to believe for a miracle, then you should be careful with whom you share your heart and how early you divulge it.

Easter Opportunity (Mt. 28:1-10)

photo: http://tinyurl.com/znv5aok

Perhaps file this away for next Easter.

1.  The opportunity to investigate the vast evidence (28:5-6).
2.  The opportunity to communicate the good news (28:7).
3.  The opportunity to encounter the risen Christ (28:9).  Encounter Him and worship Him.  You can encounter Him because He took the initiative to encounter you.

Weekly Inspiration (03/26/16)

"Emergence"   Lake Glendale,   Gallitzin State Park,   02.20.16

I call this shot "Emergence."  Much of the lake was still iced over, but the melt had begun and blue water was poking through.  The cold couldn't prevail.

Jesus died on Good Friday.  Things appeared "frozen" and bleak that day and on Saturday.  Early on Sunday morning, hope and joy pierced through the gloom.  A grave-break occurred! The tomb could not keep Jesus contained! Jesus emerged victorious over death, hell and the grave.

Let the freezing over cease and the lifelessness end.  Let freedom ring and Christ's praises ascend. Because He broke through, we don't remain broken.  Darkness has been shattered and the Son is shining.   Alleluia!

Four Kinds of Witnesses (Jn. 20:1-10)

We're continuing to read through the Gospel of John. Today's reading is John 20:1-18.

Mary Magdalene, Peter and John were the emergency response team at the scene of a crisis.  Something happened to Christ's body.  Why wasn't it there?

Mary Magdalene was the hasty witness.  She saw something but not everything.  She was unafraid to assume:  "They have taken the Lord. . . ."  Who are "they"?  Why assume "they" moved Him to another grave?  The hasty witness is an empiricist:  she wants all the facts neatly wrapped with a bow and won't consider the supernatural as an explanation.

John was the hesitant witness.  He saw something more than Mary Magdalene.  John hesitated to go in the tomb.  He would've been defiled for seven days.  Was it worth it to explore things further?  John was torn between his heart and his head.  So are many witnesses today.  They remain in the "undecided" category.

Peter was the headstrong witness.  "You stay outside if you want, but I'm going in to see things for myself!"  What detailed evidence confronted Peter.  The folded head cloth suggested intentionality, time, and confidence.  This "thief" wasn't worried about getting caught.  Wait!  What if the thief was no thief?  What if Jesus really was alive?  Open-minded people carefully consider the evidence for the resurrection.  If you believe the resurrection has no validity, is it evidence that convinced you or is it simply that you predetermined you won't believe no matter what?

Together, Peter and John represent the half witness.  They both believed (Jn. 20:8) the right thing but for the wrong reason (Jn. 20:9).  The best reason to believe the resurrection is not the evidence itself.  The best reason to believe the resurrection is not tradition.  No, the best reason to believe Jesus' resurrection is the record in God's Word:  (1) Jesus predicted His resurrection, (2) the Old Testament also predicted it.  To downplay the resurrection is to trivialize God's Word.