April 20 2019

Saturday – The Longest Day


But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So Peter went out and wept bitterly. Luke 22:60-62

Imagine what a long day Saturday was for Peter.  
He had denied his Lord and now Jesus had gone to the cross and being crucified.  
On Friday, if someone had told him, “it may be Friday but Sunday is coming,” 
it probably wouldn’t have brought him any relief.  
He had given everything up for Jesus and then he watched Jesus give everything up for him, but he couldn’t begin to understand what it all meant.  
All he knew was that in the moments when it mattered the most, he had denied his Lord, his Teacher, his Master and most of all, his friend.  
There is always a day between Friday and Sunday.  
A long Saturday.  
A day in which we sit and question our choices and what might have been.  
But regardless of how long Saturday is, Sunday is still coming.  
Jesus is still Jesus and He is still on the throne.  
He still has a plan for our lives regardless of where we feel we messed up or missed the mark.  
Be assured, if you are in a Saturday in your life right now, Sunday is just around the corner.
Question for Discussion
What Saturday’s have your felt yourself in?  How did you feel?  At what point did you realize that Sunday was still coming?

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April 19 2019

It May Be Friday But Sunday Is Coming

Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ”Having said this, He breathed His last. Luke 23:42-46

Good Friday was a dark day, literally and figuratively.  
The sun was actually darkened in the physical, which mirrored what the disciples of Jesus must have been feeling.  
They were confused about the events that played out before the, dismayed, heartbroken. 
Nothing seemed to be going as planned.  
They had given up everything to follow Jesus and all that was now in jeopardy.  
And even more than that, He was their friend, their Teacher, their Master and how it broke their heart to see Him suffer and die.  
But in the midst of the darkness and in this passage we see two glimmers of hope:  
1) Jesus promised the their on the cross that he would be with Him in paradise that very day, 
2) the veil of the temple was torn in two.  In the midst of His suffering Jesus promised Eternal Life.  The veil that was torn threw open access to the Holiest of Holies where God Himself resided.  
These glimmers of hope pointed toward the hope of Sunday that was coming.  
If only the disciples had someone to tell them, 
“It may be Friday but Sunday is coming.”  
When we find ourselves in the dark (literally and figuratively) we must look to Jesus.  
He is saying to you today, 
“look beyond where you are today, it may be Friday but Sunday is coming.”
Question for Discussion
Is it Friday in your life?  Are you waiting for Sunday to come?

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April 18 2019

Nevertheless Not My Will, But Yours Be Done


Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” Luke 22: 39-46

Jesus submitted to the Father’s will.  
And although He prayed “take this cup away from Me,” 
He prefaced it with, “if it is your will.”  
And He followed it with, “nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” 
If only we would walk, as we claim, in the footsteps of Jesus.  
If only we would act out that thing that we commit to with our lips.  
If we are followers of Christ, then we must follow Him.  
Are you able to say today,
 “nevertheless not my will, but Yours, be done.”
Question for Discussion
What situation in your life do you need to say this about, today, “nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done”?

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