Easter Weekend Notes - Into the light?

We will not have Sunday School this Sunday.  I will miss being in class with all of you and pray for a safe and happy Easter to you all.

Three quick things for this weekend:

First - have you been washed by Christ?

The night before He was betrayed He washed the disciples' feet.  Peter declared, "You shall never wash my feet."  Jesus said, "If I do not wash you, you have no part in me."

He will not serve us against our will.  You also have no part in Him if you don't allow Him to wash you clean.

Second - Do we dare look upon the Cross as it was and is?  John Donne in 1613 on Good Friday wrote about looking upon the Cross:

"Yet dare I almost be glad I do not see

That spectacle, of too much weight for me.

Who sees God's face, that is self life, must die,

What a death were it then to see God die?

It made his own lieutenant nature, shrink,

It made his footstool crack, and the sun wink.

Could I behold those hands which span the poles,

And tune all spheres at once, pierced with those holes?

Could I behold that endless height which is

Zenith to us, and our Antipodes,

Humbled below us?  Or that blood which is

The seat of all our souls, if not His,

Make dirt of dust, or that flesh which was worn

By God, for his apparel, ragged and torn?

If on these things I durst not look, durst I

Upon his miserable mother cast my eye,

Who was God's partner here, and furnished thus

Half of that sacrifice that ransomed us?"

Third - Do we want to know ourselves in Christ?  Do we want to come into the light and be seen?  The Psalmist writes:

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up,

you discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down,

and are acquainted with all my ways.

Easter is a glorious day for those in the light, willing to see Ephesians 4:25 as welcome to their soul.  For the rest, Easter is hiding in the shadows, not wanting to be seen or found.

When will you want Christ to see you?  Do you want to be found?

John 10:10

Have a great week.

Andy

Notes for April 17, 2011

Hello everyone!  I trust all of you had a great week.  This week we will continue in Romans 8 where we will explore Paul's continued exhortation of the Romans to live with the Spirit's leading.

Please read Romans 8

Read 8:18 - Based on last week, what sufferings are in our day to day lives that he is talking about here? What does he mean by the glory that will be revealed in us?  Why is he comparing these two things?

Read 8:19 - What does this verse mean and what does it mean now vs. when Christ returns?  Tactically, what does this verse tell us about our day to day activities?

Read 8:20 to 8:21 - What is he talking about when it comes to creation being frustrated?  Whose will subjected the earth to this frustration?  When did that happen?  After we finish Romans I plan to go into Genesis - can you find in Genesis - the verses - where the world became 'frustrated'?

Read 8:22 - How do we know that this is true?  What do you see around you that the Earth and all of creation is in pain?  Be specific and personalize this.  How would you explain this to your kids?

Read 8:23 - Is this something you experience?  Do you groan as someone torn apart by the body that still has sin stains vs your spirit?  Be specific - has this happened in the last day, hour, minute?

Read 8:24 to 8:25 - Explain these verses in your own words - do it outloud if you need to - what is this saying about hope?  What hope?  Do you hope for something you already have?  What is he talking about (refer to 8:23 if necessary)?  What are you waiting on in vs 25?  What was he telling the Romans they should do?  Should we be anxious for the coming of Christ?

Read 8:26 - This is a wonderful verse - Can you think of a time that you didn't know what to pray?  What does this verse do in that time?  What do you pray when you know this verse but don't know what to pray?

Read 8:27 - We know from previous verses that the Spirit does not act alone but only on the Father's will.  What does it mean to search your heart?  Why is this important?  What is in your heart?  Don't keep going until you answer this.. What do you long for in your heart?  Love, importance, what?  If God searches your heart what will He find?  Write that down for Sunday as we will be studying that in depth.  No, you won't have to share.  What is the Spirit doing in 27?  What does he intercede for?  Is it everything we want?  How would you explain this 'in accordance with the will of God" to someone else?

Read 8:28 - In light of vs 27 what is verse 28 all about?  What does God work for?  What is 'called according to His purpose'?  Answer this before Sunday - would be great if you could bring it written down:

How are you called to His purpose?  What is it? Be specific as you can.
Do you love God?  How does He or anyone else know that?  Be specific.
How have you seen God working for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose?  Be specific?

Read 8:29 - In light of vs 28 - This is a sticky verse for some.  Read this through thoroughly - God forknew (if you are truly saved) that you would be saved, God destined that these people would be what?  What does it mean to be conformed to the image?  If you are conformed what does that mean regarding firstborn?

If you are destined by sovereign God then what does verse 30 say?  Define the words:

Predestined
Called
Justified
Glorified

See you Sunday!!