He is risen!
As I’ve prayed about where the Lord would have us go after Lent, it seemed good to celebrate the resurrection and how it can impact our heart for just as long as we meditated on the cross and how it can impact our heart. While this is new to me, many liturgical Christians have done this for centuries. They call it Eastertide – 7 weeks from the Resurrection to the ascension of Christ and the descent of the Holy Spirit! (I know there are centuries of controversy over the word Easter — some think it is from a pagan goddess of fertility, but there is also strong evidence that it is from a Latin word meaning “dawn” or a Greek word meaning “paschal.” In any case, even if its origin is pagan, we are reforming it!) The above picture is from my window one morning at dawn. If God could create such a beautiful world in just 7 days, imagine what the new heaven and earth will be like!
It’s wonderful when God gives me confirmation I’m on the right path, One way was from our own Bev just last week. She wrote:
God has shown up often this past week in the lessons of this Journey to the Cross speaking conviction and truth into my life. But as I started and have been re-reading Gentle and Lowly I have been greatly encouraged. I feel it has helped balance the harshness of the Cross with the purpose of the Cross and the heart behind the Cross which is God the Father’s heart lived out through Jesus. I recognize the need to let this week culminate in the passion and agony of our Lord and Savior and absorb those realities but oh how I look forward to celebrating the victory of the Cross and the Resurrection next Sunday.
So let’s not just celebrate today, let’s do so for seven weeks!
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God Hunt Resurrection Sunday!
God is always here, but we don’t always recognize Him, as with the two on the road to Emmaus. You might spy Him through an answer to prayer, unusual timing, help to do His work in the world, or, during this Eastertide becoming aware of what Brennan Manning called “the risenness of Christ in your life.” The same God who rose Christ from the dead now lives in the believer and empowers him or her. Let’s be alert to be amazed.
1. Share a way you spied God in your life this week — perhaps even “the risenness of Christ” in your life.
Monday: God’s Heart Toward the Oppressed
I’ve been reading a book on Luke by Michael Card. I did know that women were Luke’s primary sources which is why there are so many women’s stories in Luke that appear only in his gospel. I also knew Luke was a physician, but what I didn’t know is that most physicians were slaves and that a common name for a slave was Lucian. If indeed he was, it helps me understand his great sympathy for the oppressed, as women were then – -and a woman who was a demoniac — how hard her life must have been! We will look at Mary Magdalene over the next two weeks.
2. Comments on the above?
3. How does history or Hollywood often portray Mary Magdalene? How does Luke 8:2 portray her?
4. Looking at Mark 5:1-5 what do you learn about the life of a demoniac?
5. Watch the above from the Chosen. Does this seem like a possible way her deliverance might have happened? Why or why not? In what way did the writers parallel her meeting Jesus at the tomb?
6. After my Good Friday talk, we all had a matzo cracker with horseradish — a “mini Passover meal.” With one exception in the Bible, leaven represents sin. Bitter herbs represented the bitterness of sin and slavery. We need to remember our idols are not our friends. With that in mind, what is one of the most painful things from which Jesus has delivered you?
Tuesday: I Was One Way…
The Chosen also imagines that Nicodemus had tried and failed to exorcise her demons. That is fictional, though not implausible. But she says something at the end of this clip that indeed she must have felt and probably communicated. Find it.
7. Share two ways you are completely different because of encountering Jesus.
She saw it all. She was there at the cross. She saw His suffering, the cruelty, and heard his words.
8. Read Mark 15:33-47
A. What do you think was going on in her mind when she heard Him cry: “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
B. What do you learn about her from verses 40-41?
C. What do you learn about her from verses 42-47? What thoughts might she have had?
Wednesday: The Eucatastrophe
179 comments
Read Luke 24:1-3
    A. Why were the women going to the tomb and what did they expect to find?Â
They were going to the tomb to prepare the body of Jesus with spices they had prepared. They expected to find Jesus’ dead body.
    B. What two things did they discover?
The stone that sealed the tomb was rolled away. There was no dead body.
    C. What thoughts do you think they had? Why?
In John’s Gospel, Mary believes someone has taken Jesus body. Because His body is gone.
10. Read Luke 24:4-8 and share one thing that stands out to you and why.
“then they remembered His words.” How often does trauma cause our minds to forget? It’s a totally natural response.
11. Read Luke 24:9-11
A. Why do you think God gave names of the specific people involved?
They are eye witnesses. Interesting though, because the word of a woman in those days, did not hold merit. Perhaps God is acknowledging and emphasizing that He gives them merit!
B. Luke, the physician, uses a medical term here, translated idle tales or nonsense. It has the sense of hallucinating or the delirious talk of the very ill. What are the reasons the men might have responded that way?Â
Maybe Luke thought the women were overwrought by their emotions.Â
A woman’s word or testimony was of little value in those days.Â
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9. Read Luke 24:1-3
    A. Why were the women going to the tomb and what did they expect to find?
They we’re taking the spices they had prepared.
    B. What two things did they discover?
The stone had been rolled away from the entrance.
The body of Jesus was gone.
    C. What thoughts do you think they had? Why?
Maybe they thought that His body had been stolen or moved someplace else.
10. Read Luke 24:4-8 and share one thing that stands out to you and why.
The words of the angels brought back the memory of Him telling them that on the 3rd day He would rise…what a comforting and exciting thing that must of been for them!
11. Read Luke 24:9-11
A. Why do you think God gave names of the specific people involved?
To give validity to the story.
B. Luke, the physician, uses a medical term here, translated idle tales or nonsense. It has the sense of hallucinating or the delirious talk of the very ill. What are the reasons the men might have responded that way?
Luke writing this indicates his high regard for women because the testimony of women wasn’t regarded as reliable.
I think this quote from Leon Morris gives some insight into the disciples reaction…
“The disciples were not men poised on the brink of belief and needing only the shadow of an excuse before launching forth into a proclamation of resurrection. They were utterly skeptical.”
Good quote from Morris, Sharon. They really had zero expectations.
Welcome to all the newcomers! Dee’s teaching is a treasure, so glad you have joined us!
12. Watch the above Tim Keller video and share your thoughts? Did you learn anything new about Mary Magdalene?Â
As great as her devotion was to Jesus, her view of His was still too small. She was looking for a dead Jesus. Her faith did not equal her devotion. She was looking for a human Jesus and she never would have found Him except He comes and finds her and reveals Himself to her. Humanly speaking faith is impossible unless God breaks through. The more we look into the resurrection, into Jesus, the more we know who we are.Â
It makes me think about the ways I make God too small. I think if something doesn’t work out like I prayed or hoped, then maybe He isn’t listening or I didn’t pray enough. But He is bigger than our thoughts and I often remind myself I do not want a God I can understand.
I also loved this: “The way you get a secure identity is that someone you adore, adores you. Someone that you respect, respects you. Someone you love, comes and loves you and affirms you. Jesus Christ is saying, ‘I, the greatest being in the  universe, I love you personally, expensively, and eternally.”
As usual with Tim Keller this sermon was rich with truth about and encouragement from Jesus. So much good in this sermon. The insight to the resurrection that stood out to me was that it is personal. His portrayal of how Jesus came back and revealed that he was alive shows the wonderful humility of Jesus. He didn’t show up like a superhero as the center of all attention and say “Here I am. It’s Me!!” But rather he appeared quietly and spoke Mary’s name in a very personal way so that she knew it was him. And we see in other accounts of his appearing to others disciples it was in personal interaction with them.Â
I learned or at least was reminded that Mary was one of the least of people in society for several reasons. But Jesus had redeemed her life and she was the first to be sent out and tell others. To be a witness for the truth.Â
I liked this phrase  “Jesus loves personally, expensively and eternally.”
Yes! Jesus loves personally, expensively and eternally.”
9. Read Luke 24:1-3
    A. Why were the women going to the tomb and what did they expect to find?Â
They were going with the traditional burial spices, etc. They were expecting to find Roman guards and having to beg them to roll the stone away so they could give Jesus a proper burial.
    B. What two things did they discover?
The tomb was open and empty.
    C. What thoughts do you think they had? Why?
They probably thought that the Romans had taken his body somewhere.
10. Read Luke 24:4-8 and share one thing that stands out to you and why.
That their first reaction to the appearance of the heavenly beings was to bow down. I think that my first reaction to something suddenly appearing out of nowhere would be to run.
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11. Read Luke 24:9-11
A. Why do you think God gave names of the specific people involved?
Maybe at the time it was written these women were still alive and could attest to what they saw.
B. Luke, the physician, uses a medical term here, translated idle tales or nonsense. It has the sense of hallucinating or the delirious talk of the very ill. What are the reasons the men might have responded that way?
Men had the belief that women were emotional (to the point of hysteria) and unreliable when it came to recounting facts.
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Thursday/Friday
12. Watch the above Tim Keller video and share your thoughts? Did you learn anything new about Mary Magdalene?
This was such an encouraging sermon, as usual from Keller.  One thing he said about Mary that really stood out to me is that she wasn’t looking for the living Jesus, she was too caught up with who He was as a human, being a teacher and miracle worker, but He was so much more.  It got me thinking…are my expectations of Jesus too much within the human realm.  Do I really see Him as the King of kings?  Is that why I look to things that are among the dead, such as work’s righteousness or my idols rather than putting complete trust in Him?  It is amazing though that just as He went to seek out Mary to open her eyes to see who He really is, He does the same for me!!
Both Lizzy and Bev had such insight and I too, liked what Keller said, “I (Jesus) love you  personally, expensively and eternally.” Â
12.Watch the above Tim Keller video and share your thoughts? Did you learn anything new about Mary Magdalene?Â
Tim Keller says that Mary’s Jesus was too small…it makes me wonder though. If I were delivered of 7 demons that had tortured and ruined me my whole life and Jesus saved me from that and certain death, my Savior would be indescribably powerful! I would be sold out to Him! He would be way bigger than I could imagine! However, we are most certainly physical beings and tend to see everything through that lens. Mary’s Jesus was her Comforter, Deliverer and Teacher( Raboni) very much in the physical sense. God used her because of her need.
Help me Lord Jesus to always need You!🙏❤🙏
Your enthusiasm is wonderful Lydia.
13. What is your take-a-way and why?
One of the things I am learning about the broken relationships in my life is that without Christ we can’t handle truth-accepting it from one another or facing it. I have always been a truth-teller type, I want everything out in the open, pulled out from under the rug. But unless you share Christ, this can be too much for a relationship to withstand. Some would rather you keep things hidden, covered up, and smoothed over.Â
But Jesus came to destroy the dark. He IS Light and He longs to reveal what is hidden. Often what is hidden is ugly and the process to uncover it is scary. But with His light is a flood of mercy and grace. I am overwhelmed by the truth that He loves us, so personally, so expensively, eternally. That there is nothing for us to add, not even a stitch, for the garment is finished. That God sent His Son because He loves us that much and at the same time His love shines light in our dark and changes us. We are never the same after meeting Him. Grace upon grace.Â
My identity has been re-established in Him and I realize, and thank Him, that I am more His than I am any earthly family’s. And each of you here truly are my sisters (and I like to call Dee my spiritual mom, though she’s too young!)- because to Him, I believe, the family of God is of greater weight than our biological family. I feel rich. Blessed. His.Â
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Not too young, Lizzy, but thank you! 🙂
Lizzy, yes. You are my sister. So true. The bond that we have with the family of God can often be stronger than our biological family. Just like the song goes, “we are one in the bond of love”. I am so glad we are sisters in Christ!
Oh Sweet Lizzy, Â Your words are true. As Bing says we are sisters in Christ and as Dane Ortlund says in Gentle and Lowly Jesus is our big brother hence we are part of the family of God our Father. Â No greater blessing than that.Â
Oh, dear Lizzy! Your words are so filled with God’s truth! How I love all that you wrote!! Amen to this entire paragraph! This are been a really difficult and stressful week for me and I so needed to read this. So thankful for all of the sweet sisters I have on this Blog. You have such beautiful insights This says it all:
My identity has been re-established in Him and I realize, and thank Him, that I am more His than I am any earthly family’s. And each of you here truly are my sisters (and I like to call Dee my spiritual mom, though she’s too young!)- because to Him, I believe, the family of God is of greater weight than our biological family. I feel rich. Blessed. His.Â
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“I believe, the family of God is of greater weight than our biological family. I feel rich. Blessed. His.”
Lizzy,Â
This sure resonates with me. I once read that the saying, “blood is thicker than water,” actually means that the bonds we have through the blood of Christ are thicker than the bonds we have through our biological water birth.
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Thank you for this Nila!Â
 I once read that the saying, “blood is thicker than water,” actually means that the bonds we have through the blood of Christ are thicker than the bonds we have through our biological water birth.
Love that, Patti!
12. Watch the above Tim Keller video and share your thoughts? Did you learn anything new about Mary Magdalene?
This is so good and beautiful. Tim Keller always has a way to make me see things outside the box.
Christian faith is more than reasoning not less than.
Mary Magdalene’s understanding of Jesus is too small. She was looking for a dead Jesus.
Jesus encountered Mary with gentleness-nothing showy. Made me think of the Gentle and Lowly book.
Faith is impossible unless Jesus comes to us and reveals Himself to us.
Jesus saves by grace, not by human category.
Jesus chose a woman to be the first to see Him in His resurrected body. Hallelujah!
I am now wondering what happened to Mary Magdalene after Jesus went to Heaven. And how about the other women, like Mary, the mother of Jesus? I know John took her to his home.
A sobering thought: How often do I shrink Jesus into my own made category? Is my Jesus too small?
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We know Mary the mother of Jesus was at Pentecost for she is mentioned.
Saturday:
13. What is your take-a-way and why?
The practice and discipline of a God Hunt have been good for me. Some negative, depressing thoughts have been bombarding me lately and “hunting” God especially in the Scriptures has helped correct my thinking. I have sensed His presence, His “risenness” as I wrestled with these thoughts and realized that I am not loved less because I have them. I am reverting to the default mode of works righteousness. Instead, I should be asking Jesus to come to me and reveal Himself to me knowing that I am loved “personally, expensively, and eternally”. There is no work I need to do to change that.
I also love this closer look at the story of Mary Magdalene. One person. One life. And God saw her. She mattered. And so do we.
I found a book by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Eric Schumacher titled “Worthy: celebrating the value of women”. I can’t wait to read it! She also wrote a book, “Home” which I read when we were studying Revelation. It was her personal take on heaven and the book was a blessing to me.
Saturday:
13. What is your take-a-way and why?
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As I went back and did a quick overview of this week these were a couple of comments by Dee in the introduction to the daily lessons.Â
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“God is always here, but we don’t always recognize Him…
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The same God who rose Christ from the dead now lives in the believer and empowers him or her. Let’s be alert to be amazed.”
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Considering Mary Magdalene this week has been rich with examples from the scriptures of how God worked in the life of a woman who didn’t recognize the risen Christ but he was there and as the risen Christ he made her to be among the very first of witnesses for him. He empowered her life with his great love and his presence.Â
She becomes a strong example of encouragement to me in my many failings and my weaknesses in this old flesh that my daily hope for living is in the powerful love of God for me and in the power of “the present risenness of Jesus Christ” as quoted by Brennan Manning.Â
Thursday/Friday
What really stood out to me was Keller’s point on how Mary’s understanding was too small. This is worthy of consideration. Where am I at, do I view Jesus as too small, and even if my understanding isn’t too small, is how my I live my life reflect that I might ‘believe’ He is a big God, but my actions tell a different story?
Saturday
My takeaway is how highly regarded the women in Jesus’s ministry were by Him. That He chose to reveal Himself to them is encouraging. Also how I need to be aware in thought and in faith, just how highly I regard Jesus.
Saturday
My take away…
You Put This Love In My Heart  by Keith Green https://youtu.be/zCHgBjLShj4
Amen Sharon!! So thankful for our Father, who puts this Love in our hearts!Â
What is my take-away and why?
The same God who rose Christ from the dead now lives in the believer and empowers him or her. Let’s be alert to be amazed
I have been aware of Jesus “knocking on my door” for a few years. But I allowed life, children, grandchildren and social media to distract me. So on January 1st, 2022, I gave up social media to help me to spend more time studying God’s Word and talking to Him in a more personal way. I read about Dee’s Bible study “The Jesus Who Surprises” and I heard an interview of Dee on Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson where that book was discussed. Finished the book a few weeks ago, but not finished with searching out Jesus! So here I am at Eastertide with my family of fellow seekers, lovers of God! I suppose my take-away from this first week is what do I expect to find while seeking Jesus? Why? Because my motives in seeking Him are clear to Him, but am I aware of them?
You are a joy, Lydia. With the name Lydia, were your parents believers?
Thank-you Dee! Yes, my parent’s were believers. ❤
Hi Dee!
As always I’m late to the party!
But I’m here now and would love to join your study!
So glad to see you walk in the door, my new friend Kathy! When I met you at pickleball, I suspected you were a believer. So glad to have you here.Â