He is Risen!
This week we’ll take a special look at the “seven signs” in the Gospel of John, concluding with a look at the ultimate sign – the resurrection. The audio and notes can be accessed below:
Here’s a new chapter checklist for reading through the Bible. It doesn’t include any kind of a plan for reading, just a list of all the chapters in all the books. You can go at your own pace, read the books in any order you want, and check off the chapters as you read them.
I fits on one 8 1/2 x 11 sheet folded in half, so it conveniently fits in the pages of an average sized Bible.
The disciples really didn’t know what was coming. After the crucifixion – and even shortly after the resurrection had already taken place – they still didn’t understand.
But Jesus knew all along. He saw into the glory of eternity. He saw every failure and victory in the history of the church. He saw you and me right now. He saw the resurrection and He no doubt saw the cross. And this is how he began His prayer – knowing that trials and suffering and death were the first things on His agenda:
Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.'” – John 17:1-5 (NKJV)
There are times when our striving over a thing reaches its proper limits. When this happens we need to know how to quietly trust in the Lord. That unanswered prayer, that stressful situation, that massive uncertainty we have in an area that we feel we ought to understand better – all these may be areas we need to deliberately give over to Him.
David understood this and offers his own example to us in a brief psalm. He intentionally calmed and quieted his soul, knowing that some things needed to be placed in God’s hands and left there. There is a beautiful peace and humility involved in this kind of intentional trust.
Psalm 131
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 Lord, my heart is not haughty,
Nor my eyes lofty [or “arrogant”].
Neither do I concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things too profound [or “difficult”] for me.
2 Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
Like a weaned child with his mother;
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
Central Reflections 