Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday

Sunday, April 4, 2021

Hallelujah!  He is risen!

A Lenten Devotional Guide

By Patience Nave

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher. 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 upon it… The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 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. Lo, I have told you.” So they departed from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples.

Matthew 28:2-8 RSV

I have stood in the garden at Gordon’s tomb, a lovely place in Jerusalem that I would like to believe is the place where Jesus lay – though probably it is not. As I stood there, went inside the cave, and saw the track on which the stone would have rolled, I tried to imaging what it would have been like to have gone there to mourn and to have found that the day of mourning was over! That no grave contained the Lord! I am sure that it seemed to the two Marys almost too good to be true – especially since they had seen resurrection before when Lazarus had come forth from the grave.

With great joy they ran to tell the others! Of course. Isn’t that the natural reaction?

Then what about us? Two thousand years later, isn’t that still the news that the world needs to hear? If Christ be not resurrected, we are indeed a people most miserable! But he IS risen! He suffered and died for MY sin and he rose that I need not die! That is very personal news for a desperately needy world! Surely that must cause me to want to run and tell others!

Father, I thank you that no tomb could hold Jesus. I thank you that we serve a risen, living Savior! Make us bold to tell others this good news! Amen

Hallelujah! He is Risen!
prepared for First United Methodist Church of Homosassa, Florida
Spring 2011
compiled by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator
reproduced and edited by Patience Fort

Fortieth Day of Lent

Saturday, April 3, 2021

Hallelujah!  He is risen!

A Lenten Devotional Guide

By Rayna Carlsen 

“When we get to Jerusalem,” he said, “the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, whipped, and crucified….”

Matthew 20:18-19

Unbelievable. At least four times God has recorded for us these words of Jesus. He knew what was coming. The betrayal, degradation, excruciating torture and agony of crucifixion. Not to mention the awful knowledge that He would be rejected by his Father when He took on our sins.

He knew all the time. Before He entered Jerusalem, Jesus tried to explain to his disciples what would happen. Even though they did not fully understand, Jesus knew. And he went anyway.

How many times in our own lives are we paralyzed by fear when we know something unpleasant is coming? Or how often do we avoid difficulty, making up excuses to change plans or looking for other roads to take so we don’t have to endure our own painful situations? We also tend to “pre”-live upcoming problems in our minds, not to prepare ourselves for it but building our apprehensions and devising potential methods of escape. Jesus knew what was coming – every  detail – and chose not to avoid it.

Jesus was God in human flesh. At any point He could have made a miraculous escape. When they spit in his face, He could have stopped it. When they ripped open his flesh with whips, He could have walked away unscathed. When they drove nails into his hands and feet, He could have freed himself, unharmed. He made the choice to stay and die.

What have we chosen to deny ourselves to show love for another – to show our love for Him?

Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you seems such an inadequate way to express our wonder at the expression of Your love through Your Son. Guide our hearts and minds to see and understand how You want us to love. Put your love in our hearts and change our selfish ways that others may see You and give You the glory. In the name of Him who chose to love us. Amen

Hallelujah! He is Risen!
prepared for First United Methodist Church of Homosassa, Florida
Spring 2011
compiled by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator
reproduced and edited by Patience Fort

Thirty-ninth Day of Lent

Good Friday

Friday, April 2, 2021

Hallelujah!  He is risen!

A Lenten Devotional Guide

By Patience Fort 

Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God.

Matthew 27:39-40

Throughout the years, I have been involved with various dramatic performances of one kind or another. None has affected me quite like portraying one of the passersby at Jesus’ crucifixion.

Earlier in the play, as one of the people in the crowd, I marveled at how Jesus healed the blind and the afflicted and multiplied the loaves and fish to feed the multitude. I sat at his feet as he taught us, picking up on the promises he made and enjoying the wonder of it all.

When it came time for the tragic scene at Golgotha, our director had asked for volunteers to jeer at Jesus while he suffered on the cross. Most were more comfortable to weep in the shadows. But I did it. “Save yourself!” I cried at him. “King of the Jews!” I mocked. “Call down your angels to rescue you!” I yelled. “You’re nothing but an ordinary man!” I jeered.

As the scene drew to a close and we exited from the stage, I burst into uncontrollable tears. “Oh God, that could have really been me that day saying those ugly things!”

Thankfully, I will never know if I would have been one of the crowd easily swayed by the religious leaders. I’d like to think I would have been more like Mary or John. But it is definitely my responsibility to stand my ground in the here and now – to make sure everyone knows that he is my Savior and that I love him with all my heart.

Lord, thank you for loving even the ones who jeered at you. Thank you for your grace and love. May we be constant in our commitment to you.

Hallelujah! He is Risen!
prepared for First United Methodist Church of Homosassa, Florida
Spring 2011
compiled by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator
reproduced and edited by Patience Fort

Thirty-eighth Day of Lent

 Thursday, April 1, 2021

Hallelujah!  He is risen!

A Lenten Devotional Guide

By Ernie Dorrell

Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for me will save it.”

Luke 9:23-24

When Jesus taught, He never tried to camouflage the truth. People didn’t always embrace His teachings, but when it came time for discipleship He made it clear that there would be a cost involved for those who decided to follow His ways. I like the word “intentional” because I believe it carries with it a positive action, not just something to be considered.

Jesus said in the scripture listed above that if you intend to follow him you must be prepared to do three things. The first is to deny ourselves. That’s a shocker for most of us, who are part of a very self-centered society whose heart-cry is “give it to me now and make sure it is bigger and better and faster.” Jesus is calling us to change the center of our universe from ourselves to the needs of others and allegiance to His calling on our lives. Secondly, take up your cross on a daily basis. To me, that means my conscious choice to live by Jesus’ standards. Sometimes it is a narrow way, sometimes a way of suffering, sometimes a way of service or a way of compassion. But always a way of joy deep within us. Thirdly, “follow me.” This means not simply listening to Jesus’ words and meditating on them but sharing the risk with Jesus, of doing what is right in a world that is going all wrong.

We must never be ashamed of His Name or of being counted among His followers. We must “own up” to having been with Jesus and do so with a glad heart. We know that it’s risky business to follow Jesus, but the results of that choice will bring incredible blessings in this life and the next. Are you “intentional” about following Jesus?

Lord help us to count the cost. Amen

Hallelujah! He is Risen!
prepared for First United Methodist Church of Homosassa, Florida
Spring 2011
compiled by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator
reproduced and edited by Patience Fort