Encounters with Jesus - Thomas

Today we are going to finish up our encounters with Jesus series by looking at the encounters Jesus had with His disciple Thomas.  While we know nothing about Thomas' background, there is a lot we can learn about what it means to follow Jesus by looking at the three encounters Jesus had with him.  We first hear from Thomas when Jesus was told that His friend Lazarus had died.  

When Jesus heard Lazarus was sick, He didn’t immediately go to heal him.  Jesus knew His plan was to raise Lazarus from the dead so He waited a few days and then told His disciples that they would return to Judea so He could raise Lazarus.  The problem that the disciples saw with this plan was that the last time they had been in Judea, many of the people wanted to kill Jesus.  To return now was going to be dangerous, even deadly.  While some of the disciples tried to talk Jesus out of going, it was Thomas who said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”  John 11:16b

Thomas was willing to go with Jesus and die.  While Peter said he would be willing to stand and die with Jesus, Thomas was actually ready to go.  Thomas was courageous and following Jesus still takes courage.  It takes courage to stand against all that the world says and choose to live not for ourselves but for Jesus.  It takes courage to surrender to God because it means that we might have to give up what we want to do and where we want to go.  It takes courage to trust God and be willing to give away all that we have and all that we are to follow Jesus where He leads us.

We are seeing what real courage looks like today when we look at Ukraine.  In the face of overwhelming odds and almost certain death and destruction, the people are standing strong.  Those we are trying to support through Raising Hope Ukraine are staying home and standing strong as they minister to thousands of people who have lost everything.  It takes courage to not allow war, destruction, and death to take away your hope and joy and love.  When God’s people gather around a young couple and help them celebrate their wedding in the midst of a war, that’s courage.  

It takes courage not to give up when we look around at the political or cultural climate we live in.  It takes courage to proclaim our faith and trust in God when so many others say that God is just not real.  It takes courage to sacrifice our time and energy to help further the kingdom of God in this world when so many people may say that it is just a waste of our time and energy.  

Thomas shows us that it takes courage to follow Jesus and he shows us where that courage comes from.  Thomas says, let us go WITH Him.  Courage doesn’t come from deep inside of us, it comes from staying deep in a relationship with Jesus.  It comes from walking daily with God.  Psalm 121:1-2 says,

I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Our help, our strength, our courage comes from God, and it comes when we are willing to do all in our power to stay close to Jesus.  When we are faithful to worship, prayer, service, fellowship, and study, we find the strength to stand firm and be courageous when the difficult days come.  The one command that Moses gave to Joshua and the people as they were about to enter the Promised Land was to be strong and courageous.  Over and over again they were told to be strong and courageous.  Thomas was strong and courageous because he was going to go WITH Jesus.  

The second encounter with Thomas came during the last week of Jesus' life.  Jesus had just told His disciples that He was going to His father’s house to prepare a place for them and that they knew the way to get there.  Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way.” John 14:5

Thomas wasn’t doubting Jesus here, he sincerely wanted to know where Jesus was going and how to get there so he could stay with Him.  Thomas is curious and following Jesus still calls us to be curious.  We aren’t called to just blindly believe all things, we are called to be curious and search into all things so that we can find God.  God said through the prophet Jeremiah:

I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  Jeremiah 29:11-13

When we are curious and seek God honestly, we will not only find God, but we will find His plan and purpose for us.  Today we confirm our youth and celebrate their faith and trust in Jesus.  If there is one word I would want them to hear it is this: stay curious about God and your future.  God has purpose and a plan for you, continue to seek God diligently and honestly and allow God to lead you on a path that will be infinitely better than any path you can walk on your own.  

That’s not just good advice to our youth, it’s important advice for us all.  No matter what stage of life we are looking at, staying curious about God will help lead us into new seasons and open up new doors of opportunity.  If you don’t know, we have an amazing church library with great books that can help us encounter God in a variety of ways.  Stay curious and explore the library.  Join a group or class to learn more.  See what God has in store for your future.  

Even as a church we need to remain curious about how God is moving in the world and how we can remain faithful and effective.  With so many monumental shifts in our culture, the church has to shift as well.  Now let me be clear, we must never shift off the foundation of Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, but the one thing the pandemic has taught us is that we must be creative and courageous in finding new ways to engage people in worship, study, and community.  

Our online church community is one way we are reaching new people and creating new faith communities.  I love that one of our small group leaders lives in Lititz.  We aren’t bound by location but can find new ways to connect.  The future of our church will look different than it does today.  God knows the plans He has for us.  It is a plan to continue to prosper us, but we have to stay curious, creative, and courageous.  We have to be willing to take risks, make sacrifices and seek God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength.

The final encounter with Thomas is the most familiar and it is where Thomas gets the very undeserved nickname doubting Thomas.  On the day Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples in the upper room and showed them His hands and side.  This helped prove to them that He was in fact Jesus in bodily form and that He had risen from the dead.  They were all there except Thomas.  

We have no idea why Thomas wasn’t there but when he got together with the rest of the disciples, they told him that they had seen Jesus.  Thomas had a hard time believing this.  Thomas knew Jesus had died.  He was there when Jesus was arrested.  Maybe he saw Jesus on the cross from a distance.  Like all the others, he knew that there was no way the Romans would have allowed Jesus to be taken off the cross unless He was dead.  All of what he had seen and heard could not be wiped away with just a few words from his friends.  

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”  But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  John 20:24-29

This is one of my favorite stories, not because of Thomas doubting, but because of what happens after Thomas sees Jesus.  The ancient historian Eusebius tells us that Thomas traveled to India in about 50 AD, and all of the history about the Christian Church in India points to Thomas as being the one who started it all.  It is believed that when Thomas arrived in the region he shared the gospel with five families who all believed in Jesus and were baptized, and from this small beginning came a powerful church.  

Why I love this story is because it shows us the power of vision.  Thomas had seen Jesus dead.  Either with his eyes or with the eyes of his heart and mind, he saw Jesus dead and there was power in that vision.  It was so powerful that nothing was going to change it.  Only seeing Jesus alive would change his mind.  So Jesus appears to Thomas, and seeing Jesus alive is now such a powerful vision that Thomas doesn’t need to touch Jesus, it never said that he did, and he cries out in faith, My Lord and my God.  

Jesus' final words to Thomas were these, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.  This helped create a new vision for Thomas' life.  He was going to be part of that blessing and share with people who would never physically see the risen Jesus that Jesus had died and risen again for the forgiveness of sin and the redemption of the world.  Thomas did just that and changed a big part of the world.  

When we have a vision of the risen savior, when we can hear Him calling us by name, when we experience Him walking with us in life and leading us into the future, it can change everything.  Seeing Jesus alive can change our sense of calling and purpose. Seeing Jesus alive tells us that God can do anything in me and through me.  I am no longer bound by my own gifts, skills and abilities because the living God is now at work in me.

The Bible says that in Christ we can do all things, and Paul said, 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.  Ephesians 3:20-21

When we see the risen Jesus, we also begin to see what God can do in our lives.  Our eyes are opened to the limitless possibilities and potential that lies before us.  God has made us for so much more than what we can see in this world, He has made us to help usher in His kingdom.  I want to invite you to sign up for the design workshops in May where God can help open your eyes to the very unique way He has created you and the gifts of the Holy Spirit he has given you to use for His purpose.  You can sign up in the lobby or online and you can make this a time when God can help you clarify and define a vision for your life.    

There is power in vision.  There is a power that can give us the courage to stand firm and step out in faith.  There is a power that can help us stay curious and seek God and God’s purpose and plan for our lives.  So let me invite you to keep praying the prayer we heard last week.  Open my eyes Lord, for I want to see Jesus.  

 

Next Steps

Encounters with Jesus - Thomas

Read the three encounters between Jesus and Thomas.  

● John 11:1-16, John 14:1-7, John 20:24-29

What do these encounters teach you about following Jesus?

Courage: Thomas was courageous enough to be willing to follow Jesus to death.  

● Why is courage needed to follow Jesus?

● When have you needed courage to follow Jesus?

● Where is courage needed in your faith today?  Courage to believe.  Courage to be obedient.  Courage to stand strong.  Courage to sacrifice.

● What examples of courage inspire you today?

Curious: Thomas was curious enough to ask questions of Jesus so he could remain faithful.

● How is curiosity different from doubt?

● What questions of faith do you have today?  Where are you looking for answers?

● Consider joining a small group to dig deeper into your faith.  Small groups are places to ask questions and find answers.  

The power of VISION: Thomas' vision of Jesus dead held him back but seeing Jesus alive changed him forever.

● When you picture Jesus, what do you “see”?  

● How does the way you see yourself hold you back in life and faith?  

● How can seeing the risen Jesus help you see yourself differently?

● God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20).  Sign up for the rhythm workshop “design” (May 1, 15, 22).  These 3 weeks can help you see how God can use you in His mission.

Encounters with Jesus - Peter (Maundy Thursday)

Luke 22:14-22, 31-34, 39-47, 54-62

the night Jesus was betrayed and arrested, we watch Peter go from saying, Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death! to saying three times that he didn’t even know who Jesus was.  What causes Peter to fail so dramatically?  What causes him to fall away and deny Jesus?  If we can answer these questions, then maybe we can learn how to stand strong in our own faith and not fall away when things get difficult.  

The first thing that causes Peter to stumble is pride.  While Jesus is trying to warn His disciples about the difficult hours to come and that He was praying that they would stand strong, Peter seems to ignore Jesus' concern and boldly states, “I’ll go with you to the end.”  Peter dismisses Jesus’ warning and doesn’t take His concern seriously.  Peter sees himself as being strong enough on his own to do all that is needed.  It’s as if he is telling Jesus, thanks, but I don’t need you.

The Bible is clear that pride leads to our failure.  Proverbs 16:18, Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.  Jesus knows this is going to happen to Peter.  He sees through Peter’s pride and knows he won’t be able to stand so Jesus tells him that he won’t just deny Jesus once before morning, but three times.  Even then I’m not sure Peter takes Jesus seriously because when they get to the garden and Jesus asks Peter, and the rest of the disciples, to stay awake and pray, he doesn’t.  Peter still thinks he can stand strong and do it on his own.  He doesn’t see his need for God.  His pride leads to his failure. 

Pride always causes us to fall away from God and it only makes sense.  If we think we can do everything on our own, then there is no need for Jesus.  Pride tells us that prayer isn’t needed.  Pride tells us that help and support from others isn’t needed.  Pride tells us we don’t need God which obviously puts distance between us and God.   

While pride leads to our downfall, humility will lift us up.  In His final moments with His disciples, Jesus called them to be humble and then showed them what humility looked like. 

First Jesus washed their feet and called them to serve and love one another as a servant.  Think of others before yourself, Jesus said.  Be a leader who serves.  Then Jesus served the meal and offered Himself in the bread and cup.  Give yourself for others, Jesus said.   Be willing to sacrifice yourself for the wellbeing and life of others.  Then Jesus took them to the garden where He humbled Himself again, this time before God.  Pray for strength, Jesus said.  Pray for God’s power to lift you up.  Three times Jesus showed Peter and the disciples what humility looked like and told them if they would humble themselves, God would give them strength.    

What protects us from pride is humility.  It’s serving others. It’s sacrificing ourselves and carrying a cross.  It’s surrendering to God.  The more these become the hallmarks of our lives, the more of God’s grace and power we will receive, and the closer to God we will remain.  Pride causes us to fall away, humility keeps us not only close, but strong.

The second thing that leads to Peter’s downfall is that he is sleeping when he should be praying.  Jesus took the disciples to Gethsemane which was their place of prayer and He told them that difficult times were coming.  His entire tone had gotten serious, and yet when Jesus invites them to stay awake and pray, they all fall asleep. 

What causes us to stumble in our faith is when we are sleeping when we should be praying.  Now I’m not talking about actual sleep, I am talking about being too distracted to pray.  We fill our days with work, family, entertainment, activity, and even service, but forget to take time to connect with God.  We empty ourselves and then forget to go back to the source of all strength to ask for help.  It is even possible to get so caught up in doing good things, and Godly things that we forget to stop and pray and ask God for the direction and strength to do it all in His name and for His glory.  

I have seen people get burned out doing good things in the church because they have forgotten to connect with God.  I have seen people fall away from their faith because they have gotten burned or burned out and never turned to God for healing, help, or hope.  You have to wonder how Peter’s night might have gone if he had prayed for God’s help?  Would an angel have come to strengthen him?  Would he have stood closer to Jesus during the difficult times instead of running away? 

To keep us close to Jesus, prayer needs to be an ongoing part of our lives, but it can be hard to pray when things get difficult.  If we are disappointed with our lives, if we are feeling let down by God, it’s hard to keep praying, but that is just the time we need to be honest with God and keep praying.  Jesus is honest with God.  He doesn’t want to take up the cross.  He doesn’t want to die.  He makes this clear when he says, let this cup pass from me, but because he is still praying He finds the strength to stay faithful, yet not my will but thy will be done. 

Honest prayer strengthens us.  Honest prayer humbles us and lifts up our eyes so that we not only see God’s will for us but we see God actually with us.  When Luke says that an angel came to strengthen Jesus, it was his way of saying, God is here to strengthen you.  God heard Jesus' prayer, understood His cry, and came to give Him strength.  Consistent and intentional prayer keeps us focused on God.  Prayer keeps our faith strong and our lives moving in faithful directions. 

The last thing that causes Peter to fall away is that he chooses to follow Jesus from a distance.  Luke 22:54-55 

Then seizing Jesus, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.  And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.

Jesus was arrested and led to the home of the high priest and while we can give Peter credit for following Jesus, he followed from a distance, Following Jesus from a distance is never a good thing.  Being a part time believer, will never strengthen our faith and keep us faithful.  

That you have joined us tonight means that you desire to draw closer to Jesus.  Many of you are active in small groups, Bible studies, Sunday school classes, and ministry teams because you want to stay close to Jesus.  Daily devotions and times of prayer help us stay close to Jesus.  Being with other people of faith also helps us stay close to Jesus and to stand strong in difficult times 

I have often wondered how Peter would have fared if he had James and John by his side, or maybe his brother Andrew.  The wisdom of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament tells us that, Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up! Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

But Peter was alone.  He kept his distance from Jesus and stood alone trying not to be noticed, but what if two more had been there?  What if Peter had chosen not to follow from a distance but to stay by Jesus’ side?  He may have been physically beaten and arrested, but my guess is that he would have preferred that physical pain to the emotional and spiritual pain he felt when the rooster crowed. 

While pride can cause us to stumble, and sleeping instead of praying can weaken our faith, trying to stay faithful alone and at a distance from God will never work.  If you are feeling isolated and alone in your faith, I would encourage you to seek out others for study, or a group to serve with, so that you aren’t walking alone.  It is always easier to stay close to Jesus when we have people by our side. 

As we share in communion tonight, we have the opportunity to stay close to Jesus.  We need toconfront our pride and humble ourselves.  We need to reflect on our pride and confess our sin.  This meal shows us once again how it is only through the humility of Jesus, through His body and blood, that we are forgiven and saved.  So let us humble ourselves.  

And let us remain awake and alert as we come to Jesus because it is here at the table that we can ask God for help and for the power of His spirit to keep us strong.  As a meal of God’s Holy Spirit, this is a place where we can be strengthened by God if we will ask for the Spirit to come and dwell within us. 

And tonight let us remember that we don’t come to the table alone, but with everyone who is gathered with us.  Even if you are joining us online, you are present with us, and together we acknowledge that we are all sinners in need of a savior.  We gather in humility knowing that we need God and one another if we are going to stand strong. 

Peter fell away, but we don’t have to if we will humble ourselves, stay awake, and together follow Jesus. 

Encounters with Jesus - The Palm Sunday Crowd

 As I read Luke’s account of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem a few days before the Passover, I want to invite you to listen carefully because I have a question for you at the end.  Luke 19:28-40.

After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.  As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them,  “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them.  As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”  They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.  When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”  “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Did you notice something missing in Luke’s account?  The palms.  If we only had Luke’s version of this event we would call today Cloak Sunday, but other gospels tell us that the crowd also cut palm branches to both wave in the air and spread on the ground before Jesus.  

While the palm branches were the sign of a victorious king, the laying of garments on the ground was a sign of submission.  Luke helps us see Jesus as a victorious king, but a king who wins the battle through humility, which is why he was riding on a donkey.  Luke also wants to be clear that we need to submit ourselves to Jesus.  Luke wants us to take off all that hinders us and surrender to Jesus.  In many ways, the true worship of Jesus can only take place when we are willing to first lay our garments, or our lives and hearts, down before God.  

Since we have been looking at different encounters Jesus had with people in Luke’s gospel, let’s dig deeper into the encounter that Jesus had with the people as He rode into Jerusalem, and specifically, let’s see what we can learn about worship - because that is what many in the crowd are doing, they are worshiping Jesus as king, and savior, and lord.  

First let’s look at why they are worshiping Jesus.  It says they were worshiping Jesus for all the miracles they had seen. Another translation says they were worshiping for all the deeds of power they had seen.  I like this saying because a lot of what amazed people weren’t miracles, but simply how Jesus treated people.  

For example, Jesus forgave a woman caught in adultery, and a tax collector who was known for cheating.  Jesus' teaching lifted up the lowly, which brought the rude and self-serving religious leaders down a peg or two.  They heard a powerful message of God’s grace being extended to all people and many from outside the family of God heard that they were not only loved but welcomed into the family of God.  Some of the deeds of power that people celebrated were Jesus’ messages, not just His miracles.

But His miracles were pretty amazing.  The people saw Jesus heal lepers, restore sight to the blind, feed the multitudes, and raise the dead.  Jesus did things that no other person had ever done, and He did things that only God could do.  I wonder how many in the crowd hadn’t just heard about Jesus’ miracles but had actually seen them or even been the recipient of them.  

Were the 10 lepers there?  What about Jairus and his daughter?  Remember, this was just a few days before the Passover when most people traveled to Jerusalem, so in the crowd there may have been people who had had their lives transformed by Jesus, or been eyewitnesses to Jesus' love and power.   

They worship Jesus because of His miracles and deeds of power.  They worship Jesus because He alone is worthy of worship.  They worship Jesus because He touched and transformed their lives.  And that is why we need to worship today, because God has touched and transformed our lives.  Or maybe we worship because we know that God alone is worthy of praise, or that Jesus alone is worthy of all we have to give.  

When our lives have been personally touched by God, our worship and praise will be more powerful.  How can we not sing?  How can we not shout and cry out?  How can we not give Jesus our all?  But never forget that the focus of our worship can never be ourselves and what God has done for us, but who Jesus is.  

The more we understand of Jesus, the more we will want to honor Him.  The more we see God at work in our world, and in our lives, the more we will want to lay down our lives before Him.  The people worshiped Jesus because of who He was, and what He did, and we still worship Jesus for who He is, and what He is doing, and can do, in all of our lives.  He alone is worthy of our worship.  

The next lesson we learn from Jesus' encounter with the crowd is that they were worshiping together.  It says the whole crowd of disciples began to joyfully praise God in loud voices.  Let’s be clear, not everyone was worshiping Jesus.  The Pharisees were there and they were not part of the crowd praising Jesus, but all the disciples were together in worship.  While we can worship God alone, we see here that the best worship takes place with God’s people gathered together.  It is important to worship God with the family of God.  

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

It is important that we worship Jesus together because we need one another to sustain us in life, in faith, and in worship.  We have an active scouting program here at Faith Church and our scouts would tell you that if you want to put out a campfire you first need to start moving all the wood and embers apart.  If you separate all the wood, the fire will soon burn itself out, but if you can keep it all together - it feeds off of each other and keeps going.  Like a fire, our worship can feed off each other.  

Picture this worship event with Jesus.  In the crowd might be someone who shouted out that because of Jesus he could now see.  Maybe a leper was there shouting that Jesus had cleansed him and gave him new life.  Maybe someone was weeping for joy because their sins had been forgiven.  As their words and songs and cries were heard by others, it filled their hearts and they began to worship Jesus.  As they saw and heard great things, they joined in worship.  

Can we worship God alone?  Of course we can, but it is sweeter to worship God with others.  One of the most amazing things for me is when above all the instruments on a Sunday morning I hear the voices of God’s people singing.  To hear a crowd in one voice sing to God is amazing.  It touches our hearts and strengthens our faith in ways that nothing else can.  We need each other - we need the whole crowd of disciples to come together in worship and when we do, our witness, our testimony, our song can fill the world.  

So does this mean we can’t worship alone, or outside of the church building, absolutely not, in fact, Jesus and the crowds were criticized because they were worshiping outside of the Temple.  This entire scene takes place as Jesus is making His way down from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem.  It’s not in the Temple.  They are not in the place of worship, and that is one reason why the Pharisees tell Jesus to tell His disciples to stop.  This is not how worship was to take place.  The streets were not the place for worship, but I love what Jesus says, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.  

I would love to hear rocks cry out, or stones worship God.  There are times when I think creation does worship God.  Have you ever seen a sunset so powerful that it simply cries out about God’s power and love?  Have you ever heard the crashing of the waves, or the gentle lapping of water, and heard God in the midst of it.  

I remember hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains and coming into a field of tall grass and there was a gentle breeze and as all the grass moved I felt the presence of God.  I heard God say that just as he constantly moves over the grass, He constantly moves through my life to love and forgive.  Creation does sing out and we can worship with them.  This week we want to give you a special opportunity to worship outside of these walls and out in the beauty of God’s world.  

The Holy Week Selfie Scavenger Hunt is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to worship God in the beauty of creation.  Each day there are directions on places to go and activities to do as we read about the events of Jesus' final days.  We can go to the banks of a river or lake and read about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples.  We can find a cross in the community and read about Jesus carrying His own cross.  We can find a large rock and read about how the rock that sealed the tomb was rolled away.  

While we would love for you to take some pictures and share them with us, the most important thing is to get out into the world and worship Jesus.  Read and reflect on God’s word.  Pray and thank God for the faithful love of Jesus.  Worship is not confined to these four walls, it can take place in your home, in our community and in the world around us, it’s just always better if we worship with others.  

So we have talked about why we worship and where we worship and who we should worship with, so let’s end with when we should worship.  It’s easy to worship when things are going well, but we learn from Jesus here that we really need to worship when things are difficult.  

While for the people this was a moment of joy and the excitement of celebrating the Passover with Jesus, for Jesus… this was worship in the midst of sorrow.  Jesus knew what was coming.  Jesus knew that one of his own disciples was entering the city to betray Him.  He knew many of the people there would desert him, and He knew that shouts of Hosanna would soon become shouts of crucify Him.  It is in the midst of sorrow that Jesus is welcoming this worship and it reminds us that in times of sorrow we also need to worship God.  

One of the reasons it is so important to worship during difficult times is because it is our worship that reminds us that God is always with us and that God is always victorious.  As Jesus entered the city the people used part of Psalm 118 as their song.  They said, blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!  This is just part of one verse, but the entire Psalm is known as a Song of Victory.  And while the people were shouting this, maybe Jesus was thinking this.  

Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous:

“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!

The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; 

the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”  

I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.

The Lord has chastened me severely,  but he has not given me over to death.  Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter.   Psalm 118:15-20

When we gather to worship during difficult times, our worship reminds us that God has already won the victory for us in Jesus.  While struggles are all around us, God’s love will see us through.  

While challenges come at us on all sides, worship reminds us that God is our refuge and our strength.  We can’t just worship when things are going well, worship among God’s people is where we need to be when things aren’t going well because worship reminds us that God is good all the time, and that all the time, God is good.  

This encounter Jesus has with the worshiping crowd teaches us a lot about worship.  We worship God because of all the powerful things we have heard and seen and experienced for ourselves in Jesus.  We worship together so we can find strength, power, and passion from one another.  We worship everywhere God is, and since God is everywhere, worship can be an ongoing part of our lives, and we worship God even in the midst of sorrow and pain because worship reminds us that God loves us and that God has been, and always will be, victorious in our lives.  

This is an important week for us to worship together as God’s people and we have many opportunities to do just that.  This afternoon we can worship through the word and song of the Easter Cantata.  Thursday and Friday we can worship Jesus as we remember the final hours of Jesus' life and the lengths He was willing to go to love us and to save us.  We have an opportunity to worship every day this week at home and in our community as we read and reflect on God’s word.  And whether things are going well, or we are struggling with doubt, fear, sorrow, or pain this week, our worship can remind us that God is good all the time and that all the time - God is good.  

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.  

 Next Steps

Encounters with Jesus - the Palm Sunday Crowds

Read Luke 19:28-40. Compare with the story found in other Gospels.  Matthew 21:1-17, Mark 11:1-11, John 12:12-50

What would it mean for you to take off your cloak and lay it before Jesus?  How can you surrender yourself in new ways this week?

Why we worship

● What deeds of power have you experienced in Jesus?

● Which miracles of Jesus mean the most to you?

● What teaching of Jesus speaks most to your heart?

Who we worship with

● Why is worshiping with others so important?

● When have you been encouraged and inspired by being part of a larger worshiping congregation?

Where we worship

● Take advantage of all the Holy Week worship opportunities at Faith Church.  

○ Easter Cantata, Holy Week scavenger hunt

○ Maundy Thursday and Good Friday worship

○ Good Friday prayer labyrinth, 

○ Easter Sunrise and Easter Sunday worship

When we worship

● When has worship helped you through a difficult time?  

● How was the worship of Palm Sunday an encouragement to Jesus?  (read all of Psalm 118)

● How can Psalm 118 be an encouragement to you during difficult times?  

Holy Week outdoor worship guide and selfie scavenger hunt!

Day 1 or April 13

Jesus humbled himself and washed the disciple’s feet.  Wash a family member's feet or find a body water where you can dip your feet in. Read Luke 7:36-50

Day 2 or April 14

Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray. Find a garden where you can read Mark 14:32-50 and pray. It can be anywhere outside that would make a comfortable spot to share your heart with Jesus.

Day 3 or April 15

Jesus dies on the cross.  We remember the cross as a place of suffering but also as a place of hope for all eternity.  Find a cross (or hold one) and read Matthew 27:32-61. Reflect on the hope we have in Jesus.  

Day 3 or April 16

The tomb was empty! The tomb was a cave with a large stone covering the entrance. Do you have a special rock or stone? Find one outside. Read John 20:1-18 and reflect on the miracle of Jesus rising from the dead. 

Day 5 or April 17

Jesus appears to his disciples.  Our greatest hope comes in knowing that we will get to spend eternity with Jesus and all who follow him! In a favorite outdoor location, read Luke 24:36-52 and reflect on the JOY of Easter and new life.  

You can share your faith by posting pictures (selfies) on our facebook page. Special posts will run April 13-17.  Or post on Instagram with #bellefontefaith.

Encounters With Jesus - The Rich Man

What do I have to do to be saved?  What do I have to do to make sure I have eternal life?  People ask this question for many reasons.  Some might want to make sure they are doing everything they need to do to be saved.  Some might have no idea what salvation or eternal life are all about so are asking to get some direction.  And some might be asking in order to make themselves look good because they see themselves as righteous and holy.    

What must I do to be saved?  It was a question that Jesus was asked and His encounter with the man who asked it has a lot to say to us today.  The encounter is found in Luke 18:18-29

A certain ruler asked Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”

“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!  Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”  Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

While we don’t know a lot about this man, we know two things for sure.  First, he was a religious leader.  Most likely he was a synagogue ruler which means he followed the rules.  He did all he was supposed to do and when Jesus asked him if he followed the commandments and didn’t commit adultery, murder, steal, lie, and if he honored his parents, he said yes.  He was a good man.  Everyone knew him as a good man.

The second thing we know is that he was rich, actually he was very rich.  In Jesus’ day, wealth was seen as a sign of God’s blessing.  If you were rich, then you were favored by God, and if you were very rich then you were truly blessed by God.  That he was very wealthy tells us that he and others saw him as a blessed man and child of God.  In other words, he probably already knew he had eternal life.  So why did he ask?  

He may have asked to test Jesus, which is what many religious leaders did.  He also may have asked to have Jesus recognize his righteousness and good life.  Maybe he was looking for praise from Jesus.  No matter what his motive was, Jesus turned the tables and challenged this man to dig deeper into his own faith and life.  

Why this encounter is important for us to consider is because in many ways, we are all this man. We are all rich.  I know that we aren’t rich like Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk.  Most of us aren’t multi-millionaires, but compared to ¾ of the world, we are rich.  While we might not see our wealth as a sign of God’s favor, or that God has chosen us and blessed us above others, our wealth is something that can keep us from a stronger faith.  We will talk about that in a moment.

The other way we are like this man is that most of us would consider ourselves to be good.  Compared to many others, we are good people and many times we think that our goodness is enough to get us into heaven.  Being a good person is good, but being a good person is not what brings us eternal life, and that is one of the important lessons we learn from this encounter with Jesus.

Being good is NOT what saves us.  Being good is not what opens the door to eternal life.  Being good is good, we need to live a life that honors God and loves others, but salvation comes from only one place and that is Jesus. Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.

Salvation and the gift of eternal life does not come through our good deeds, it doesn’t come from working hard enough or being good enough.  Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ and even that is a gift of faith that comes because of God’s grace.  The Bible is clear that we are all sinners who fall short of God’s glory.  On our own we can’t live the perfect life needed to live in God’s kingdom forever.  On our own we can’t even turn back to God.  

On our own, we are like Adam and Eve who put ourselves first and end up separated from God.  If God hadn’t gone out to find Adam and Eve, they would have remained forever alienated from God, but God reached out to them in their sin.  It is God’s grace that softens our hearts and draws us to Jesus.  It’s God’s grace that moves us to repent and ask for God’s forgiveness.  It is God’s grace that allows us to see in Jesus all that we need for salvation.  John Wesley calls this prevenient grace, and this is the grace of God that works in us before we are saved.  It is God’s grace alone that helps us turn to God for salvation and everlasting life.   

So God’s grace moves us to turn to Jesus where salvation comes from.  Salvation comes from the work that Jesus did on the cross.  On the cross, Jesus took on the punishment for our sin. He died our death.  The Bible says that the wages of sin is death, and the death that Jesus died was ours.  He paid the price and when we trust in Jesus and what He did for us, we are not only forgiven but we are redeemed and restored into a right relationship with God.  

We have eternal life.  We don’t earn this by being good, it is a gift that was given to us when Jesus took up a cross.  

In Jesus' last breath He said, It is finished.  In Greek this is just one word, tetelestai, which means completed.  This is a word that comes from the business community and means paid in full.  When a bill was paid it was marked - tetelestai.  So what Jesus did on the cross was to fully pay the price for our sin so that nothing more was needed.  The work of salvation was done.

For the ruler who came to Jesus, religion was spelled DO.  What must I DO to inherit eternal life? What must I DO to be saved?  What commandments do I have to keep?  What rules do I need to follow?  How good do I have to be?  

But Christianity isn’t spelled DO, it is spelled DONE.  The work of salvation was DONE by Jesus.  It was DONE once and for all.  There is nothing more needed and there is nothing we can add to it, we just need to receive it.  It is by grace we have been saved through faith, our faith in the work Jesus did for us on the cross.  

If you want the assurance of salvation today, if you want to know that you have the gift of eternal life, accept what Jesus has done for you on the cross.  Accept Jesus as your savior.  Trust in the work He did for you and know that He paid the price for your sin and that Christ alone has opened the door to life everlasting.  

Now let’s go back and look at the other way we are like this man, we are all rich.  He believed his wealth was a sign of God’s favor and blessing which kept him from going deeper in his faith and while there is nothing wrong with being rich, wealth can often be a hindrance to faith.  

Proverbs shows us that one of the problems with wealth is that it can give us a false sense of security and independence.  Having a lot of money can fool us into thinking that we don’t need God. 

Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.  Proverbs 30:8-9

When we have all we need and then some, we don’t always see our need for God.  We trust our bank accounts, pension funds, and investments to meet our needs instead of God.  Wealth can hinder the development of our faith by telling us that we don’t need God.  

Wealth can also keep our eyes focused on this world and not God.  When we have a lot of money it can be easy to focus on how to keep it, how to invest it, and how to get more.  And that’s the danger, we will always think we need more.  When people of every income bracket were asked how much money they needed to be secure and happy, they always said, just a little bit more.  It’s crazy to think that millionaires and billionaires always think they need more in order to be happy and secure, but they do. Money is a false god. It can never make us happy or secure.  We will always want and need more

The key to real happiness and security isn’t more money, it is more of Jesus.  Look at the commandments Jesus asked this man if he followed.  You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.  Did you notice which commandments He didn’t include?    

He didn’t include anything that might focus on our relationship with God.  He didn’t ask him if he had no other God in his life, or if loved God, or if he kept the Sabbath.  It’s as if Jesus knew that money had become an idol and He wanted the man to see this on his own.  Money had gotten in the way of his ability to truly love and follow God so when Jesus tells him to sell all he has and then follow Him, the man walks away sad.  He can’t let go of what he has. .  

As a final warning to His disciples about the dangers of wealth, Jesus says that it is harder for a rich man to enter heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.  There has been a lot of discussion about what Jesus meant by this.  Some people think that the eye of a needle is a small doorway that would have been part of a larger city gate.  During the day gates would be open to allow all kinds of traffic, but at night, to keep the city safe, the gates would be closed and people would have to pass through a small doorway that could be easily monitored.  The only way a camel would be able to get through that door would be to unload it and make it shimmy through on its knees.  It would be difficult, but not impossible.

The Greek words used for the eye of the needle have nothing to do with gates and doors, and everything to do with the needles that a tailor would use.  Jesus was talking about something that was impossible - and that was His point.  If we are trusting in any of our wealth to save us, then we aren’t fully trusting in God.  If we are trusting in any of our good deeds to save us, then we aren’t fully trusting in God.  It is impossible to be saved by our wealth or good needs.  It is impossible to earn our way into heaven.  On our own it is impossible, but what is impossible for us, is possible with God. 

Salvation is impossible on our own, but is possible with God.  Salvation is never something we achieve on our own, it is a gift of God by grace through faith.  So the key isn’t to be good, or to gain wealth; the key is to be faithful.  Faithfulness is what counts, and this is a third take away from this encounter.  

The disciples said to Jesus, we have been faithful.  We have given up everything for you.  Some of them left their homes and families.  People like Matthew, the tax collector, gave up his job and any chance of going back to it.  They gave up everything to be faithful and Jesus says that their faithfulness would be rewarded.  

When I look at all the disciples gave up to follow Jesus, I realize that I have had to give up very little in order to be faithful.  I haven’t had to give up family or friends, in fact my family and friends are supportive of my faith and ministry.  While following Jesus doesn’t always mean giving up all we have and living a difficult and painful life, we need to ask ourselves what we have given up to follow Jesus?  

Maybe we need to ask, what do I need to give up to follow Jesus? 

Do we need to give up trusting in our money and make sure that we give to God first and then continue to give even during uncertain economic times?  Do we need to give up some of our time so that we can share our gifts and talents and service with others?  Can we give up a few Saturdays at home to help build a home for someone through Habitat for Humanity?  Do we need to give up the idea that we are in control of our lives and really let God take control?  

What can we give to more faithfully follow Jesus?  But let me also ask us this, what have I gained by following Jesus?  What I have gained by following Jesus is a life filled with more purpose.  Being part of God’s church and working in people’s lives to share the love and power of God is incredibly rewarding. I feel more fulfilled, encouraged, and inspired working as part of the church, and that is something money can’t buy or provide.  

I have also gained a family.  Following Jesus, I have gained brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, who have all helped make my life complete.  Once again, this is something that money and good works can’t buy.  Faithfulness is what counts and when we are faithful, God honors us.  

This encounter with Jesus is an important one for us to consider because in so many ways, we are this man.  We live in a culture that tells us that being good is what religion is all about.  Just be a good person and you will go to heaven.  But it's not about being good enough, it’s not about what we do at all but what Jesus has done for us.  It’s about placing our faith and trust in Christ alone.  It’s about accepting what Jesus has done for us on the cross and then faithfully serving Jesus as our Lord in all the days to come.  

This encounter reminds us that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone.  If there is anything else we are trusting in, we need to surrender it today so that we can more fully and faithfully trust Jesus.  Let go of everything and then come take hold of Jesus.  

Next Steps

Encounters with Jesus - The Rich Man

Read Luke 18:18-29

● How would you answer the question, “what must I do to be saved?”  

● What things do people trust in today for salvation instead of trusting in Jesus?  

● Why do many people think that just living a “good” life is enough for eternal life?  

Read Ephesians 2:8

● What is needed for salvation?  

● What does it mean for you to place your faith and trust in Jesus?  

● What is the work that Jesus has DONE for us?

● Why is God’s grace always needed for faith in Jesus?  

To place your faith in Jesus, you can pray this prayer:  

Dear Lord Jesus, Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. Please forgive me. Come into my life. I receive You as my Lord and Savior.  Now, help me to live for you the rest of this life.  In the name of Jesus, I pray.  Amen.

Jesus asked the rich man to give up his wealth & follow Him.  

● What have you given up to follow Jesus?

● What do you need to give up to follow Jesus?

● What have you gained by following Jesus?

Faithfulness is what counts.  

● What one step can you take this week to be more faithful?