Easter at Church of the Highlands 2022 - Tears, doubts, and failure.

 

1.  Jesus is drawn to the broken hearted.  

He was with  Mary Magdalene.  When you cry, God notices. 

 

John 20:11-14

New International Version

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

 

Psalm 34:18

New International Version

18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

 

 

2.  Jesus comes for the doubters. 

He did for Thomas. Jesus is not bothered by your doubts, so reach out to Him.  

 

John 20:24-28

New International Version

 

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”    

 

 

3. Jesus comes for the failures.  

 

Those who are disappointed in themselves.... Like Peter. 

 

In John 21, Jesus found Peter after he had gone back to his previous job which is fishing.  

Peter was so disappointed in himself for abandoning Jesus during His execution on the cross.  

Jesus met Peter where he was, and called upon the imperfect love that Peter had for Jesus.  God used Peter to preach the sermon at Pentecost in Acts 2.

 

It was the the same story with Adam and Eve when they hid from God after they disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit.

Sin causes the loss of innocence and shame.  

 

It was the same in the end in Revelation when Jesus calls out to us to forgive our sin. 

 

Revelation 3:20

New International Version

20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

 

God never gives up.  He still reaches out for you.  Where are you spiritually?  

Jesus takes 999 steps toward you.  

Will you take one step toward Him?

 

Tell Jesus.  Please forgive me.  Be my Lord and Savior.  Take over my life.  Amen.             

  

Passion...Day 6

On Friday, there was pain.  On Sunday, was the fulfillment of the promise.  In the middle, was Saturday day six was the gap.  

 

There is always a gap between the promise and the pain.  Waiting is a part of the spiritual journey.  

 

On Saturday, Jesus was confronting hell in the waiting.  When you think that God is doing nothing, He is working on your behalf while you are waiting. 

 

We must wait patiently.  

 

Hebrews 6:15

New International Version

15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

 

God is more interested in working in your life that answering your prayers. 

 

James 1:2-3

New International Version

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 

 

When something is happening to you, God is working something in you. 

 

James 1:4

New International Version

4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 

 

If you want to get the pain over, focus on passing the test.  Ask God.  What are you trying to teach me? 

 

James 1:5

New International Version

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

 

We must wait hopefully.

  

Hebrews 10:36-39

New International Version

36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For,

“In just a little while,
    he who is coming will come
    and will not delay.”

38 And,

“But my righteous] one will live by faith.
    And I take no pleasure
    in the one who shrinks back.”]

39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

 

Don't give up!

 

Galatians 6:9

New International Version

9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

 

We must war consistently.  Prayer is not only communion with God, but confronting the enemy. 

 

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

New International Version

3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 

 

A stronghold is something that Satan convinced you of that is untrue.  We must war confidently. 

 

Philippians 2:8-10

New International Version

8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth.