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UP FROM THE
GRAVE
HE AROSE !
! !
Let The SON Rise in
You.
Devotional:
.
John 19: 1-3
1. Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2. The soldiers twisted together a
crown of thorns and put it on His head. They clothed Him in a purple robe 3. and went up to Him again and again, saying,
"Hail, King of the Jews!" And they stuck Him in the face.
John 19: 28-30
28. Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the
Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, I am thirsty. 29. A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a
sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30. When he had
received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 10: 10-11
10. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they
may have life, and have it to the full. 11. "I am the good shepherd. The good shephered lays down his
life for the sheep.
Luke 23: 27
27. A large number of people
followed him, including women who mourned and wailed him.
Psalms 34: 8
8. Taste as see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who
takes refuge in him.
John 3: 16
16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Isaiah 1:18
18 "Come now, let us reason together," says
the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall
be like wool.
John 3: 1-3
1 Now
there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and
said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are
doing if God were not with him." 3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell
you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 3
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is
born again."
Matt. 27: 57-60
57.
As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea,
named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58. Going to
Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60. and placed it in his own
new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.
Matt.27: 65-66
65. "Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as
you know how." 66. So
they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
John 16: 20 and 22
20. I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices.
You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
22 So with you:
Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away
your joy.
Matt. 28: 1-9
1. After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other
Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back
the stone and sat on it. 3. His
appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like
dead men. 5. The angel said to the women, "Do
not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7. Then go quickly and tell his
disciples: `He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told
you." 8. So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with
joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings,"
he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.
New International Version
Commentary:
"THE EVENTS OF
EASTER WEEK"
. Sunday ~ Jews traveled
to Jerusalem for Passover, a religious event commemorating the "passing over" of the Hebrews' first-born sons
during the death plague in Egypt centuries earlier. Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, and a large crowd of people placed
their cloaks and palm branches on the road as a royal carpet (hence the name "Palm Sunday").
Monday ~ Jesus visited the Temple in Jerusalem and became enraged by the money
changers' presence and practices, which involved usury in their exchange rates. He overturned their tables and told them
they were making his house of prayer into a den of robbers.
Tuesday ~ Jesus went to the Temple again, to teach and preach. The religious leaders
of the day (the chief priests, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees) challenged Jesus with questions designed to create political
evidence they could use against Him. They were unsuccessful due to Jesus' wise answers. They withdrew to plot his death.
Wednesday ~ The story
now focuses on Judas, one of the Twelve Disciples of Jesus. He went to the chief priests who paid him 30 silver coins to betray
Jesus to them.
Thursday
~ The first day of Passover, celebrated with a special meal called the Feast of Unleavened Bread, was the night of the famous
"Last Supper" of Jesus with the twelve disciples. Later that night, Jesus led them to the Garden of Gethsamane to
pray. Jesus grew increasingly burdened, aware of what was coming. Judas arrived with soldiers, and identified Jesus by greeting
him with a brotherly kiss on the cheek. Jesus was immediately arrested. The disciples fled.
Friday ~ Through the wee hours of the early morning hours,
Jesus was beaten and put under trial before religious and political leaders. By sunrise, Jesus was declared guilty of political
crimes (being called "King of the Jews"). Penalty was death by Roman crucifixion. At 9am, Jesus was nailed to the
cross. From noon to 3pm, the sun went dark for three hours. At 3pm, Jesus died. A tremendous earthquake broke open graves
and tore the heavy curtain in the Temple signifying we can enter the Holy of Holies (God's presence) directly. After Jesus
died, His body was wrapped in a linen cloth and sealed in a tomb with a large stone.
Saturday ~ The friends and disciples
of Jesus grieved over Jesus' death. After urging by the religious leaders, Pilate gave them authority to place his seal
upon the stone and assigned guards to the spot to prevent anyone from stealing the body.
Sunday ~ The third day of Jesus' death. At dawn, two
of Jesus' followers, women, went to the tomb. An angel appeared, causing such great fear among the soldiers they "fell
as dead men." The angel rolled back the huge stone from the tomb. Jesus' body was gone, and the angel announced,
"He is risen." For the next forty days, Jesus was seen by hundreds of people, all documented in the Bible (the books
of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD !!!! The Awesomeness of God!!
In Chemistry, He turned the water into wine. In Biology,
He was born without the normal conception. In Physics, He disapproved the Law of Gravity when He ascended into Heaven.
In Economics, He disapproved the Law of Diminishing Return by feeding 500 men with two fishes and five loaves of bread.
In Medicine, He cured the sick and the blind without administering a single dose of drugs. In History, He is the
Beginning and the End; in Government, He said that He shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Prince of Peace. In
Religion, He said no one comes to the Father except through Him; so...
Who is he? He is JESUS!
In God I've found EVERYTHING! The Greatest Man in History. Jesus had no servants, Yet they called Him Master. He had no degree, yet
they called Him Teacher. He had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him.
He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He was
buried in a tomb, yet He lives today. I feel honored to serve such a leader who loves us! God's blessing is
overflowing! Join me and let's celebrate Him, HE IS WORTHY!!! Amen.
And now, please
enjoy this Jelly Bean Prayer, in His honor.
"Jelly
Bean Prayer"
Song by Petra ("Colors")
Red is for the blood
He gave
Green is for the grass He made
Yellow
is for His sun so bright
Orange is for the edge of night
Black is for the sin we made
White is for the grace He gave
Purple is for His hour of sorrow
Pink
is for our new tomorrow
A bag full of jelly beans
Colorful and sweet,
It's a prayer,
it's a promise
It's an E A
S T E R
treat!
Stories to Touch the Heart and Warm the Soul:
SAYING GRACE IN A RESTAURANT
~ Author Unknown ~ Last week, I took my children to a restaurant. My
six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads he said, 'God is good, God is great.
Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty
and justice for all! Amen!'
Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard a woman remark,
'That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream!
Why, I never!'
Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, 'Did I do it wrong? Is God
mad at me?'
As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job, and God was certainly
not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, 'I happen to
know that God thought that was a great prayer.''Really?' my son asked.
'Cross
my heart,' the man replied.
Then, in a theatrical whisper, he added (indicating the woman whose remark
had started this whole thing), 'Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes.'
Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment, and then
did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and, without a word, walked over and placed it
in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, 'Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the
soul sometimes; and my soul is good already.'
I love this story! Sometimes, we all need
some ice cream.
I hope God sends you some Ice Cream today...in your favorite flavor!!!
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H A V E A
B LESSED E A
S T E R ! ! !
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