4.03.2010

Friday and Saturday Family Devotional

Hi All!

Yesterday was semi-nutty with Good Friday services and activities. Here's the Friday and Saturday devotionals. I'm super excited about some of the things God has done through them this week. I'll share more later!


Friday
Shorter Catechism Question #141
Did Christ remain in the grave after his crucifixion?
No. He rose bodily from the grave on the third day after his death.
John 20:1-18
After Jesus died, his friends took His body and placed it in a tomb. Then, they rolled a giant stone in front of the tomb to keep Jesus’ body safe.
Early on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene, Peter, and some of Jesus’ friends returned to the tomb. They went because they loved Jesus, and their hearts were so sad that He was dead. When they reached the tomb, the stone had been rolled away. Jesus was not there! Suddenly, they understood all the things Jesus had said to them. They remembered that Jesus had to die, but that He would rise again.
As the disciples ran home, Mary Magdalene stood crying. When she looked in the tomb, there were two angels where Jesus’ body should have been. Suddenly, someone called her by name. It was Jesus, and Mary Magdalene worshipped Him. Jesus gently rebuked her and encouraged her to go and tell the disciples that he would be returning to His father, our Father, very soon. Jesus’ simple words reminded Mary that we no longer have to be separated from God. His death rescued us to be free in God’s love.
· Have you ever had someone close to you die? How did you feel when that happened?
· How did Jesus’ friends feel when they found His body was gone?
· How do you think Mary felt when Jesus called her by name?
· How can our lives be different if we are free in God’s love, and no longer have to be separated from Him?
· Praise God that He made Jesus alive again! Thank Him for the life we have because of Jesus.
Sing the Doxology.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
Saturday

Shorter Catechism Question #142
Where is Christ now?
In heaven, ruling His kingdom and interceding for us.
Read Matthew 27:50-66
As Jesus Christ struggled to breathe, darkness fell. When He was nailed to the cross, all of God’s wrath and anger that we deserved was put completely on Jesus. There was nothing left for us. Jesus took our full punishment. As soon as Jesus’ physical body died, the Bible says the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. In God’s temple, man could not enter the Holy of Holies, which was God’s special dwelling place beyond the curtain. But now God, himself, destroyed it. God’s children were now welcomed into His presence. He longed for them. God had been planning and waiting for this moment since the first sin of Adam and Eve. He had been weaving together His plan to rescue His covenant children.
Jesus is our priest, our High Priest. He took all the sin that ever was, and all the sin that would ever be, on Him when He died. We never have to fear going to God because of what Jesus did. We can be honest about who we are and the bad things we’ve done because God only sees Jesus when He looks at us.
· Describe a time when someone defended you, or when you defended someone else.
· Have you ever felt unloved by God or afraid to go to Him?
· How does it make you feel to know that God welcomes you into His presence?
· What are some things you can do to be open to God’s presence in your life?
· Thank God that He longs for us. Thank Him for rescuing us through His plan in Jesus.
Sing verse one of Holy, Holy, Holy!
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Reginal Heber 1826

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