Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me

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Day Eight

As we begin our second week after Easter, we often find ourselves settling into a “normal” pattern of life (or whatever “normal” looks like these days). The joy of the holiday is in the rear view mirror and the path in front of us starts to reveal its challenges and roadblocks, and before you know it we find ourselves in a season that is just like any other. The “tyranny of the urgent” takes over and takes us further and further from the empty tomb, and the resurrection loses its sense of immediacy and visibility.

The challenge to us in this season of Eastertide is to not let that happen.

When the glory of Easter first appears that wonderful Sunday morning, we find ourselves at the end of a journey that has prepared us well for the celebration. Lent reminds us of our need. The cross shows us how that need was met. And as the empty tomb declares victory over sin and death, it is a message which pours over us like water on thirsty land.

But as so often happens in our Christian walk, it’s easy to lose sight of our need. In fact, what often happens is that we start to drift back into an illusion of our own sufficiency. We drink from the well of our own gifts and capacities, and we lose sight of just how parched we are without the continual gift of God’s grace and strength.

In John 7, we find Jesus going to Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths (or Tabernacles), a harvest festival that commemorates how God provided for the Hebrew people in the desert after they left slavery in Egypt. As part of the rituals of the feast, the crowds of people would process to the fountain of Gihon, where the priest would fill a pitcher with water while a choir would sing, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (Is. 12:3), and it is during this remembrance of God’s provision of water that Jesus suddenly declares with a loud voice:

“Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”—John 7:37-38 (NLT)

What we need as we make our way through this season (and at all times, really) is to come to these living waters and be reminded that no other waters can satisfy our thirst. If the empty tomb is to be a central presence in our lives, then the emptiness of our souls without the living presence of Christ should be something we continue to reflect upon.

As we make our way from Easter to Pentecost, we need to continually re-orient. The temptation to lose sight of what God has done and is doing, to trust in ourselves instead of his work of transformation, will always be present. The call to “take up our cross and die to ourselves” did not end with the resurrection: Jesus himself said it was a daily decision (Luke 9:23).

Today, will you acknowledge your continuing thirst and constant need for Jesus? He invites you to come and drink deeply of his gifts of grace.

To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus
For my life is wholly bound to his
Oh how strange and divine, I can sing: all is mine!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me

Read the rest of the lyrics here.

CityAlight ~ Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me (Lyrics)get "Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me"Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2T15n2JApple Music: https://apple.c...

Questions for Reflection

1) Do you feel the tension in your soul between acknowledging your need for Jesus and trusting in your own gifts and capacities? What helps to keep you centered?

2) Here are some of the promises listed in this song, speaking to what Jesus provides for us. Which ones speak to your place of hunger and need right now?

—Joy
—Righteousness
—Freedom
—Steadfast love
—Deep and boundless peace
—Hope
—Presence in trials (“I am not forsaken”)
—Power
—Defense
—Guidance (“He will lead”)
—Victory and overcoming (“The night has been won”)
—Forgiveness
—Renewal
—Promise of everlasting life (“He will bring me home”)

3) What are some of the “unsatisfying waters” from which you’re sometimes tempted to drink? Spend some time in conversation with God about them, asking him to strengthen you as you resist their empty promises, and asking for a heart always open to the invitation of Jesus.

4) Read and reflect on this passage of Scripture. Let it lead you into prayerful worship and gratitude:

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”—Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

House of the Lord

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Second Sunday of Easter

On Sundays during these Eastertide Song Reflections, we will be doing something a little different. It’s rooted in the truth that the season of Easter is one of celebration. As we considered at the beginning of our journey, Easter is more than a day. It is a 50-day season of jubilation and worship.

It has been a difficult year, to put it mildly. Even though some churches are beginning to meet again in person, many are not, and many who would love to be with God’s people for worship are still waiting until they feel safer and more comfortable with public gatherings. Not being able to join our voices with our church family, to be alongside our sisters and brothers as we enter into the joy of this season is heartbreaking.

But even still…there is reason to celebrate and be joyful. We serve a God who is not limited by group restrictions or Zoom difficulties. We serve a God who is still active, still moving, and still present. He is still the God who heals, saves, and makes a way. He still rolls stones away, and we are invited to celebrate as we worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23).

So on Sundays for our Eastertide Song Reflection, we are simply going to worship and celebrate. We are going to feature songs that call us to lift our hands, hearts, and voices in joyful praise. After the song, we will feature a passage of Scripture that focuses on praise and worship. There won’t be questions for reflection, just an invitation to read the text prayerfully and pay attention to the movement of our souls as we ask ourselves, “How does this text stir me to worship God?”

We start this Sunday with a song that was only released a week ago. It is an energetic declaration of the fact that “there’s joy in the house of the Lord.” As we wait for the time when all the houses of praise are able to throw their doors wide open and gather in worship, we still declare that God’s joy is present and real. Christ has taken up residence in our hearts through faith, and as temples of the Holy Spirit we can still declare with confidence: there is joy in the house of the Lord!

We were the beggars
Now we're royalty
We were the prisoners
Now we're running free
We are forgiven, accepted
Redeemed by His grace
Let the house of the Lord sing praise

Read the rest of the lyrics here.

Psalm 118 NIV14 The Lord is my strength and my defense[a]; he has become my salvation.15 Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteou...

Scripture for Reflection and Worship

“One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.

Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.

Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.”—Psalm 27:4-8 (NIV)

Belovedness

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Day Seven

Here’s a quick exercise:

Pick five words to describe yourself.

I’ll give you a minute.

OK. Which five words did you choose? Chances are (unless you read the title of this blog post ahead of time), the words you chose had something to do with your personality or maybe a physical characteristic or two…

—funny
—shy
—short
—extroverted
—forgetful

Over the years we accumulate a lot of words which we think apply to ourselves. Some are true, some maybe not so much. Some we like, some maybe not so much.

As we look at ourselves in light of the events of Good Friday and Easter, though, there are other words that come to the forefront. Or at least they should.

—forgiven
—delivered
—restored
—cleansed
—welcomed

And at the heart of all these is another word, one that applies to us…even if we have a hard time accepting it. Because sometimes we do.

—beloved

It’s a word that to some might seem out-of-date and out-of-place, like something that’s more at home in a Shakespearean sonnet or a romantic operetta than in a list of words we’d use for ourselves. But if we are going to take to heart the message of Easter, it’s a word that is well worth considering. The more we reflect on what God has done for us in the death and resurrection of Jesus, it’s an inescapable truth:

We are God’s beloved.

If we find this word an uncomfortable fit for self-reference, I wonder if it’s more than an issue of antiquated language. If we resist the word, maybe it’s because we don’t fully accept the truth behind it. Maybe we don’t consider ourselves beloved.

I think many of us go through our spiritual lives feeling as though God’s acceptance of us is a reluctant one, as if he only welcomes us because he’s obligated to. There can be a lot of reasons we might feel this way—it might be rooted in a false understanding of ourselves, or a false understanding of God. We might wrestle with shame, thinking, “I know God forgives my sin, but I still think he probably doesn’t like me all that much.” Or maybe we struggle with envy, thinking, “Look at how [insert name here] is blessed by God. God must love them more than me.” Or it might just be that the image of God we’ve been presented with over the years has been lacking, painting him as a spiteful deity instead of a loving Father.

Friends, don’t give in to these lies. Rest in these truths:

God welcomes you with open arms.
God delights in you.
You are his beloved.

In the first epistle of John, we are reminded of this:

“Look with wonder at the depth of the Father’s marvelous love that he has lavished on us! He has called us and made us his very own beloved children.”—1 John 3:1 (TPT)

His very own beloved children. That’s what we are. We can know this because of what we see and experience in our commemoration of Easter:

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”—Romans 5:8 (NIV)

So let’s finish with a quick exercise:

Pick five words to describe yourself. And make sure one of them is “beloved.”

I’ll give you a minute.

He says, "You're mine, I smiled when I made you
I find you beautiful in every way
My love for you is fierce and unending
I'll come to find you, whatever it takes
My beloved

Read the rest of the lyrics here.

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Questions for Reflection

1) How well do you “own your belovedness?” If you sense resistance within yourself, what might be behind that? How can you bring it to God in prayer?

2) In the words of today’s song:

It's time to hear what your father has spoken
It's time to own your belovedness

What kinds of things help you hear God speaking that kind of love into your life? Where are you most likely to be open to hearing him? What might prevent you from hearing him?

3) Think back on your walk with God and spend some time giving thanks for the people who made God’s love real for you, who made you feel “beloved” in a way that reflected him.

4) Do you sense any resistance within yourself to the lyric, “I find you beautiful in every way?” Bring to God in prayer the things about yourself that push back against that thought, and ask him to help you see yourself through his eyes.

5) Read and reflect on this passage of Scripture. Let it lead you into prayerful worship and gratitude:

“I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”—Ephesians 3:17b-19 (CSB)

Let The Redeemed

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Day Six

“O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
those he redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.”—Psalm 107 (NRSV)

Psalm 107 may have been written hundreds of years before Christ, but it contains a timely and relevant message for us as we make our journey through Eastertide.

Like Mary Magdalene returning from the empty tomb, like Cleopas and his friend rushing back from Emmaus with an astounding story, like the disciples filling Thomas in on what he missed, we have a story to tell: “We have seen the Lord.” We have seen his steadfast love demonstrated in the cross. We have seen his goodness and mercy in the death of his only son. And now we have seen his power and victory in the Resurrection, and like those others so long ago…we can’t be silent.

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.”

Evangelism is a tricky subject to talk about in churches. Many pastors (half) jokingly refer to it as the “E” word, because it seems to strike fear, or at least uncertainty, into the hearts of so many Christians today. The responses when it’s brought up are fairly common:

—I’m no preacher. I’m not trained to evangelize.
—I’m horrible at public speaking. I get all nervous and tongue-tied.
—I’m afraid I won’t have all the answers to questions they might have.
—I don’t know enough about the Bible to share my faith.

All of these (and others like them) are built on a false premise: that sharing our faith means sharing what we know about Jesus in a compelling way that demonstrates a solid grasp of the Bible and breaks down any objections people may have.

That’s not evangelism. At least, not usually.

Evangelism, at its heart, is telling a story. Our story. Your story. It’s sharing with someone else the truth of what knowing Jesus has done for you and has meant for you. It’s talking about how knowing Jesus has freed you, healed you, comforted you, and transformed you. It’s saying, to borrow a line from the TV show The Chosen:

"I was one way...and now I am completely different.
And the thing that happened in between...was Him."

1 Peter 3 gives some wonderful advice for us as we reflect on what it means to tell our story:

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…”—1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

Sharing faith isn’t about how much we know, it’s about who we know. It isn’t about our knowledge, it’s about our hope. Not that God can’t use our knowledge as we share, but the knowledge isn’t the central piece of our testimony.

Jesus is.

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.”

Telling our story is an act of overflowing joy. As we encounter Jesus, we are filled with hope and the promise of new life. Eastertide is a wonderful season to be reminded of this. And as we are reminded, we are also invited: go, tell your story.

He led me out of the desert
Brought me into His streams
River of living water
Turned my bitter into sweet
And all my burdens are lifted
You took the shackles off my feet
There's no sound louder than a captive set free

Read the rest of the lyrics here.

Provided to YouTube by Bethel Music (Sound Recordings)Let the Redeemed · Josh BaldwinLet the Redeemed℗ Bethel MusicReleased on: 2019-07-19Auto-generated by Y...

Questions for Reflection

1) Think back on your life with God so far. What moments stand out for you as most indicative of his faithfulness and mercy? How have those moments shaped your story?

2) Whose stories have encouraged your walk with God? Whose testimonies of salvation, deliverance, comfort, and freedom have spoken deeply to your soul?

3) Spend some time reflecting on this quote. How does it speak to you? Challenge you? Provoke you? Inspire you?

“People say all the time 'I don't have a good testimony' because they think their story has to involve some dramatic story of change from 'bad' to 'good'. But Jesus didn't come to save people this way. Sin doesn't make us bad it makes us dead. Jesus came to save by bringing the dead to life. And that's an amazing testimony.”—Louis Giglio

4) Today’s song contains these lyrics:

So let the redeemed of the Lord say so
Sing of His promises ever more
Pour out your thankfulness, let it overflow
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so

How do you understand the link between gratitude (“pour our your thankfulness”) and sharing your faith story (“let the redeemed of the Lord say so”)?

5) Read and reflect on this passage of Scripture. Let it lead you into prayerful worship and gratitude:

“Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.”—Psalm 66:16 (ESV)

You Are Here

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Day Five

Today we sit with a thought that is absolutely astonishing:

We are invited to draw near to the Lord of the universe, who desires to fellowship with us.

So many of the truths related to the cross and the empty tomb are not easy to illustrate in practical terms. We can experience them as spiritual realities, but they can be difficult to describe fully. We’re forgiven of our sin, but what does that look like? We can use images such as cleansing or the paying of a debt, but they only scratch the surface of how the events of Good Friday and Easter Sunday deal with our sin. The same goes for the gift of eternal life—how do we even begin to grasp that particular one in the here and now? We won’t know for sure what it is like until we are in God’s presence. “For now we see in a mirror dimly,” as Paul says in 1 Corinthians. And he is right.

But this truth about our invitation into God’s presence is one that comes to us in very plain and simple terms—once we were separated from God, but now the blood of Jesus ends that separation. We are invited into his presence and can accept that invitation with confidence and assurance. It’s a truth illustrated by one of the most powerful images in all of Scripture, occurring at the moment of Jesus’ death on the cross:

“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”—Matthew 27:51 (NIV)

The veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple, representing the separation between God and humanity, is “rent asunder” as one commentator puts it. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the barrier of sin is removed and we are invited into God’s presence in ways that not even the Old Testament saints could have known. The author of Hebrews states it in powerful and beautiful language:

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”—Hebrews 10:19-22 (NIV)

Think about that for a moment—we have confidence to enter the very presence of God because of what Christ accomplished in the cross and the empty tomb. We can draw near with a sincere heart and full assurance that we will not be cast aside, but will be welcomed by a loving Father who has made a way for us.

Sometimes there are just no words.

So as we pray and worship today, let’s make sure we don’t take for granted the fact that we’re able to do so, that we are invited to do so. We can be with God because of the supreme way he chose to be with us in Jesus. What an astonishing thought…what a marvelous gift.

You are here
You are here in this place
We draw near
We draw near by your grace
At your feet
We will lay down our burdens
And leave them in your care

Read the rest of the lyrics here

Provided to YouTube by CDBabyYou Are Here · Scott KrippayneSimple Worship℗ 2008 Scott KrippayneReleased on: 2008-01-01Auto-generated by YouTube.

Time of Reflection

Today we will simply contemplate some verses of Scripture that speak to being in God’s presence. Let them lead you into reflection, prayer, and worship.

“One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.”—Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

“Jesus answered him, Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’”—John 14:23 (NRSV)

“You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”—Psalm 16:11 (NIV)

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”—James 4:8 (NRSV)

“The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.”—Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV)

Who You Say I Am

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Day Four

In Mark’s account of the Resurrection there is an interesting detail. After the women arrive at the tomb and find it empty, they encounter a young man dressed in white who tells them about the miracle that has taken place:

“Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”—Mark 16:6-7 (NIV)

It’s the wording of the instruction that is fascinating to me: “Go, tell his disciples, and Peter.”

And Peter. What’s up with that? Why mention Peter?

Of course, from our perspective we know something unique must be happening for Peter. We know the full story of what took place after Jesus was arrested, when Peter denied three times that he even knew the carpenter from Nazareth. Jesus predicted it, his prediction came true, and now Peter must be struggling with an indescribable level of guilt and shame. So the fact that Peter gets singled out in the command given to the women is very interesting.

You can almost imagine the scene when they return to the disciples:

“You won’t believe what’s happened! The tomb of Jesus is empty! And a young man, probably an angel of God, told us to come back here and tell you that Jesus has risen from the grave!”

Murmurs of excitement, disbelief, and confusion sweep through the room, and then the women continue:

“And he specifically mentioned you, Peter!”

What would Peter have made of that? I like to think that he saw it as an invitation, that it was a word of good news that extended to everyone, even him. If the angel wanted Peter to know Jesus was alive, then there still was hope for him to find forgiveness for his denial.

Which, of course, is exactly what happened. John records it in his gospel:

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’

‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’

Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’

Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’

He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’

Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’

The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’

Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, ‘Follow me!’”—John 21:15-19 (NIV)

For each of the three times Peter denied Christ, he is given an opportunity to declare his love for Jesus. And as Jesus concludes his restoration of Peter, he issues the same invitation that began Peter’s life as a disciple: “Follow me!”

We can’t know everything Peter wrestled with in the days between the angel’s announcement and this shoreline encounter (but the fact that he literally leaps into the water at the chance to see the risen Lord gives us a clue as to his hopes), but there’s no doubt this story is a powerful example of the redemptive power of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Peter may have denied Christ, but even that does not disqualify him from service in the kingdom. Whatever fear, whatever shame, whatever uncertainty Peter might have struggled with following his failure, it melts away as Jesus looks on him with compassion and forgiveness and says, “You are my disciple. You are the one who will feed my lambs.”

Friends, this is good news: we are not defined by the times we have turned from God, as long as we are willing to respond to the one standing on the shore of our souls, beckoning us to come and be restored. It is there that we are reminded who we really are: his beloved, his disciples, his servants, and his friends.

It is an astounding gift of this season of resurrection—we, too, are raised to new life. We who were dead in our sins have been forgiven and transformed. We are not who we were before.

I am chosen
Not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me
Not against me
I am who You say I am

Read the rest of the lyrics here

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Questions for Reflection

1) Are you able to imagine the inner journey Peter took following his denial of Christ, maybe even identify with it? How has Jesus met you in your guilt and shame and restored you? Spend some time offering to God your gratitude that your sins and failures do not define you.

2) After denying Jesus around a fire in the courtyard of the high priest, Peter is now restored around a fire built by the Lord to offer sustenance. How has Jesus offered strength and spiritual food to you in your times of desperation and need? Imagine Jesus has built a fire and invited you to come sit with him—what would you desire to hear from him today? What would you desire to say to him today?

3) While we may desire to root our identity in what God says about us, there are other voices that say things about us that are not consistent with God’s word. What lies about your identity are you most prone to believe? Spend some time sitting with the truth of who you are in Christ, reflecting on these promises from scripture:

You are loved.—1 John 3:3
You are accepted.—Ephesians 1:6
You are a child of God.—John 1:12
You are Jesus' friend.—John 15:14
You are a joint heir with Jesus, sharing His inheritance with Him.—Romans 8:17
You are united with God and one spirit with Him.—1 Corinthians 6:17
You are a temple of God. His Spirit and his life lives in you.—1 Corinthians 6:19
You are a member of Christ's body.—1 Corinthians 12:27
You are redeemed and forgiven.—Colossians 1:14
You are complete in Jesus Christ.—Colossians 2:10
You are free from condemnation.—Romans 8:1
You are a new creation.—2 Corinthians 5:17
You are chosen of God, holy and dearly loved.—Colossians 3:12

4) Spend some time contemplating this quote. Do you agree? How does it speak to you?

“If there's anything more exhausting than running from your enemies, it must be running from your true identity in God.”—Laura Story

5) Read and reflect on this passage of Scripture. Let it lead you into prayerful worship and gratitude:

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”—Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

You Cannot Be Stopped

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Day Three

There are many wonderful truths for us to sit with over the next 7 weeks, but in these days of chaos and turmoil there is one message of the empty tomb that resonates with me very deeply right now:

God’s love cannot be overcome and his purposes cannot be defeated.

The message of Easter morning is that not even death has the power to hold back the love of God. At the cross the enemies of God staged their best and most powerful assault on his purposes, and what looked like victory for them on Friday gave way to their ultimate defeat on Sunday morning. No wonder it is the death and resurrection of Jesus that sits at the heart of one of the Apostle Paul’s most powerful passages about God’s love, from Romans chapter 8:

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

‘For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”—Romans 8:31-37 (NIV)

If God is for us, who can be against us? Paul is writing to people who knew firsthand what it was to face persecution for their faith in Jesus, and yet he reminds them that because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, they (and we, too) can be absolutely certain that the forces which stand against the love and purposes of God will never know victory—they are rendered impotent next to the power of the cross and the empty tomb. In the knowledge of that truth, Paul is able to make a declaration that has provided comfort for Christians through the centuries:

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

How we need those words today! There are so many forces in the world right now that seem more determined than ever to unleash a plague of discouragement on God’s people. It is very tempting to think they have the upper hand, but Scripture is absolutely clear on this point: THEY DO NOT. It may look that way for a season, but the love of God is supreme and the purposes of God will triumph.

As we begin our journey of Eastertide, we need to acknowledge that there will be days when the empty tomb seems distant and the voices of defeat loom large. When we find ourselves in those days, let’s return to Paul’s words and the glorious truth they proclaim:

God’s love cannot be stopped.

Mover of mountains
Breaker of chains
Jesus has triumphed
Over the grave
Sing hallelujah
The battle is won
Nothing can stand
Against our God

Read the rest of the lyrics here

Brand New Single "You Cannot Be Stopped" from Laura Story's EP I Give Up. Listen or Download now at the links below.Apple Music: http://smarturl.it/IGiveUp/a...

Questions for Reflection

1) Sit prayerfully with Paul’s words in Romans 8:38-39. Name and offer to God the things from your own life that seek to separate you from God’s love. Spend some time offering up gratitude that his love is victorious.

2) In what ways have you found God to be a “mover of mountains” and a “breaker of chains?” How has your testimony been shaped by God’s power in your life?

3) What have been helpful practices and disciplines for you when the power of the empty tomb seems distant? What would be helpful for you during this Eastertide journey as a reminder of its victory?

4) Spend some time contemplating this quote and the journey to which it invites us:

“If you want a wonderful experience, take your New Testament and use a concordance to look up the two little words, ‘but God.’ See how many times human resources have been brought to an utter end; despair has gripped the heart and pessimism and gloom has settled upon a people; and there is nothing that can be done. Then see how the Spirit of God writes in luminous letters, ‘but God,’ and the whole situation changes into victory.”—Ray C. Stedman

5) Read and reflect on this passage of Scripture. Let it lead you into prayerful worship and gratitude:

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”—2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (NIV)

This Joyful Eastertide

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Day Two

I’m sure there have been quite a few people through the centuries who have reflected as Easter Sunday draws to a close: “It doesn’t seem fair that we focus on the cross for 40 days during Lent, but then the empty tomb gets only a single day’s focus on Easter.” If you’ve ever had a similar thought, there is good news for you:

Easter is more than a single day.

That’s true in more ways that one. Yes, we are “Easter people” who live in the reality of the Resurrection every day of our lives. But it’s also true in a liturgical sense, because Easter is not just a single day on the church calendar—it's a season of its own.

We call this season “Eastertide,” and it lasts from Easter Sunday until Pentecost. During this time we reflect on the Resurrection and also the time Jesus spent with his disciples before his Ascension. It’s a season of joy, celebration, and worship. In this season we find an invitation to commemorate our journey from the empty tomb with as much commitment and intentionality as we commemorated our journey to the cross. British theologian N.T. Wright once remarked in a sermon:

“I don’t know how you do it here, but in my tradition today, alas, after forty days of Lenten fasts, and three days of deep and serious concentration on the meaning of the cross, we have precisely one morning of Easter festivities. And then people disappear, exhausted by the rigors of Holy Week, the clergy go on holiday, and the only celebration that is left is eating up the remains of the chocolate Easter eggs!

No, we should make Easter a forty-day celebration. If Lent is that long, Easter should be at least that long, all the way to Ascension.”—N.T. Wright

Traditionally we take it even 10 days further than Wright suggests, as Eastertide lasts 50 days. It is, in fact, the longest liturgical season on the church calendar (since Ordinary Time doesn’t technically count as a “season”).

So as we begin our walk from the empty tomb of Easter to the upper room of Pentecost, let’s embrace the invitation to celebrate our risen Lord with joyful hearts and expectant spirits. Just as Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after the Resurrection, he stands ready to reveal himself to us during these 50 days. Let the shout continue to ring out from the lips of his Easter people:

He is risen! He is risen, indeed!

May God bless you as you begin your journey of Eastertide.

Had Christ, who once was slain,
ne’er burst his three-day prison,
our faith had been in vain.
But now hath Christ arisen,
arisen, arisen, arisen.

Read the rest of the lyrics here

For a modern worship song based on this hymn click here

Here is a hymn for Easter Day, 'This joyful Eastertide'. The melody comes from Joachim Oudaen's David's Psalmen (1685) and was harmonised by Charles Wood in ...

Questions for Reflection

1) How might you “extend” your celebration of Easter for the next 7 weeks? What practices, disciplines, or devotional tools might help you embrace the journey of Eastertide?

2) As the journey of Lent invites us to explore dying to self in light of the cross, the season of Eastertide invites us to explore the new life Jesus offers to those who trust in him. How has that been revealed in your life? How have you experienced resurrection and new life in your spiritual walk?

3) The post-resurrection accounts in the gospel show Jesus revealing himself to the disciples, meeting them in their doubt and need (Thomas), and offering restoration and a renewal of calling (Peter). As you spend these days with Jesus, what would you ask of him during this time? What needs do you bring to the risen Christ, trusting in his power to meet you there?

4) This 100+ year-old hymn includes this invitation: “My flesh in hope shall rest.” How might you rest more fully in the hope of Easter in these days that seem so full of chaos and turmoil?

5) Read and reflect on this passage of Scripture. Let it lead you into prayerful worship and gratitude:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.”—1 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)

He Is Risen

This is a repost of the final entry in our Lenten Song Reflections resource

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Easter Sunday

It is no overstatement to declare that today is the most important day in the Christian year, commemorating the most important day in human history. The Resurrection is the “Sine Qua Non” of the Christian faith, the “without which not,” meaning if you take away the Resurrection there is no reason for our faith. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians:

“If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”—1 Corinthians 15:13-14 (NIV)

But the message of today is that Christ has been raised. He is risen—he is risen indeed! Paul goes on to say:

“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”—1 Corinthians 15:20-22 (NIV)

Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, and because of that truth all will be made alive. That is what we celebrate today. The somberness of our Lenten journey gives way to a shout of victory, and the shadow of the cross gives way to the glorious light of Easter morn.

For today’s devotional we will be offering passages of Scripture followed by songs for worship and reflection. You’re invited to read each passage slowly and meditatively, paying attention to the movement of your soul. What moments in the story, or phrases from the different passages, resonate most with you? Who in the Easter story do you find yourself identifying with most? How will you choose to respond in prayer and gratitude today?

You may wish to spread out these passages and songs through the day rather than reading and listening to them all at once. However you choose to spend time with God today, we pray this Scripture and music will encourage and bless you.

We begin at the garden early in the morning, as the women make their way to the tomb, leading us into a time of worship in response to what they discovered—the stone is rolled away! The tomb is empty!

He is risen! He is risen, indeed!

“When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’

When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.’”—Mark 16:1-7 (NRSV)

Is It All Over Now?

You can read the lyrics here

“So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’”—Matthew 28:8-10 (NRSV)

Jesus Christ is Risen Today

You can read the lyrics here

“Now that same day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. Together they were discussing everything that had taken place. And while they were discussing and arguing, Jesus himself came near and began to walk along with them. But they were prevented from recognizing him. Then he asked them, ‘What is this dispute that you’re having with each other as you are walking?’ And they stopped walking and looked discouraged.

The one named Cleopas answered him, ‘Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that happened there in these days?’

‘What things?’ he asked them.

So they said to him, ‘The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in action and speech before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. But we were hoping that he was the one who was about to redeem Israel. Besides all this, it’s the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb, and when they didn’t find his body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn’t see him.’

He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted for them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures.

They came near the village where they were going, and he gave the impression that he was going farther. But they urged him, ‘Stay with us, because it’s almost evening, and now the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them.

It was as he reclined at the table with them that he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Weren’t our hearts burning within us while he was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us?’ That very hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and those with them gathered together, who said, ‘The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!’ Then they began to describe what had happened on the road and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.”—Luke 24:13-35 (CSB)

Remembrance

You can read the lyrics here

“But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’' Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’”—John 20:24-29 (NRSV)

Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery

You can read the lyrics here

“What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’
’Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?’

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”—1 Corinthians 15:50-57 (NRSV)

I Will Rise

You can read the lyrics here

“Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

The Lord said to my Lord:
‘Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.’

Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”—Acts 2:29-36 (NIV)

Worthy is the Lamb/Crown Him with Many Crowns

You can read the lyrics here and here

Eastertide Song Reflections

Welcome to Eastertide Song Reflections, a daily resource during this season of Easter from Abiding Way Ministries. Each day during Eastertide you will find a short reflection here based on a worship song, hymn, or other piece of music that echoes the themes of this season. It is our prayer that this resource will draw you into deep appreciation and worshipful gratitude for the victory of Jesus as you reflect on the meaning of the empty tomb over these 50 days.

Eastertide is a time of great joy, celebration, appreciation, and gratitude. While the focus is on the empty tomb, the empty cross also sits as a reminder of what the Resurrection of Jesus has rendered powerless. Each of the songs offered will center on images, texts, and ideas from the Easter season, and will be accompanied by a few thoughts and questions for refection. Use these in your personal devotions, or perhaps listen together with family members or friends, spending time in conversation afterwards.

Each song will be linked to an online opportunity to listen, and will be embedded in the post if possible. Due to the policies of some streaming sites, the song may be preceded by an advertisement, which is unfortunately out of our control. You may wish to mute the advertisement and sit in silence until the song begins.

God bless you as you draw near to Him during this important season.