Tag Archives: Easter

Funny Friday: Mom Chill Out

Leave a reply

Mom chill out. I'll be back in like three days tops.

Funny Friday: Mom Chill Out

A modern day rendition of what it may have been like when Jesus explained his death and resurrection to his mom… So then I was all like “Mom chill out.  I’ll be back in like three days, tops.”

“From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.” Matthew 16:21 (NLT)

Funny Friday: Big Kid Easter Basket

Leave a reply

Big Kid Easter Basket meme

Funny Friday: Big Kid Easter Basket

I came across this clever meme for Easter. It’s a great idea for a big kid Easter basket!

“I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.” Nehemiah 13:9 (NIV)

Easter Resource for you

Easter Resource for you

I recently found a new resource that I’ve been enjoying (and you KNOW how I love sharing resources). I came across some of the Eyewitness Bible Series videos in the YouVersion Bible App that I regularly use. I’ve found them to be an insightful supplement to my Bible studies (more for cultural context and some background information than for scripturally-accurate content).

According to their website, “Eyewitness video narratives are Bible-based and are designed to spark your imagination and provoke your curiosity, while not being controversial. Each video is 12-18 minutes long and addresses a portion of the Bible from the viewpoint of a Bible character. The videos and study guides provide a significant amount of historical, cultural, and chronological information that the original writers and hearers of the Bible knew, but are not well-known by most people today. The videos are not recitations of Scripture.[1]” Their hope and intent are to entice people to read and study the scriptures deeper and further.

Therefore, this week for Easter I’d love to share these Easter resource videos with you, as part of an Easter series that Eyewitness Bible Series has put together. As you click on each video on their website on the series, it has additional study guides, references, and resources under each video (under “Downloads”) to take your study of the video content even further and deeper.

PALM SUNDAY – THE NEED

The Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem took place on Palm Sunday when people threw palm branches on his path. This event is told in varying degree of detail in all four gospels. The narration for this event is by an unlikely character.[2]

FIG MONDAY: SEVEN MIRACULOUS SIGNS

Fig Monday’s episode shows Lazarus telling his story of being resurrected. We do not know precisely when Lazarus was raised from the dead, but this occurrence probably wasn’t too long before the Triumphal Entry. Lazarus was a controversial figure for the Jewish authorities during this time because he was solid proof that Jesus could raise people from the dead.[3]

HOLY TUESDAY – ANDREW

Continue reading →

Lessons from Barabbas at Easter

2 Replies

Learn the symbolism of Barabbas in the Easter story

Lessons from Barabbas at Easter

I’m super excited about this week’s post!  I went all “college professor” on this one doing some extended research, even researching some books and scholarly articles to examine some history and expert opinions. With this being Easter Week or Holy Week, I’d like to share a bit of what I’ve learned about Barabbas.

A few years ago Pastor Brent Troxell, one of the pastors at my church, gave a mini-message of sorts before we took communion together at church. In less than 5 minutes, he spoke something so profound that impacted me as much as an hour long sermon. He shared part of the crucifixion story, specifically about Barabbas, in a way I had never heard before. It made such an impact on me that I made a note to go and study it further on my own, which is what I’ve done to write this post.

Pontius Pilate was convinced of Jesus’ innocence

I want to talk to you about Barabbas, but let’s back up and start with Jesus’ trial.

After Jesus was arrested, questioned, and falsely accused by the Jewish authorities, he was handed over the next day to Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea (Matthew 27:1-2, Mark 15:1, Luke 23:1-2, John 18:28-29). Pilate questioned Jesus and was convinced that Jesus was innocent (Matthew 27:23-24, Mark 15:14, Luke 23:4, 13-16, John 18:38).

Paschal Pardon

Continue reading →

Wounds Heal But Sometimes There Are Scars

2 Replies

Wounds Heal But Sometimes There Are Scars

Have you ever experienced some kind of pain or trauma in the past but have since recovered and healed from that? Do you have reminders, triggers, or stimuli that bring that past pain up again? Does that mean that you aren’t completely healed? Not necessarily. Personally, I don’t think that this automatically means that you aren’t fully healed. Now, as a disclaimer, let me say that this most certainly could be the case, and that some healing might still be in process (as healing IS often a long process, especially when wounds are deep or trauma is severe). However, I also believe that there are times when wounds heal, but sometimes there are scars left behind.

Even after healing, there may be times when we still experience some subsequent pain. There might even be some external or internal triggers to prompt further pain or remind us of an old injury. There may be some additional healing and recovery to be done. Then again, it may just be a scar serving as a reminder of a wound that once was there.

Let me give you an analogy…an old basketball injury

Several years ago my husband, Eric, completely damaged his ACL and meniscus in his knee. “Obliterated” was the precise word the doctor used. Eric experienced excruciating pain at the time of the injury, and the pain lasted for quite some time. He eventually had surgery replacing and repairing parts of his knee, yet afterward he still experienced some pain for a while during the recovery process. He also had ongoing physical therapy for a while. Again this was all still painful, but the pain gradually diminished as his wound healed.

Though he now has permanent scars, over time the knee was completely healed and the pain was completely alleviated. However, it’s odd because there are times when the weather might trigger a flare up of pain in his knee at the scars. Even though the injury is healed, there is a trigger for pain from time to time. The pain doesn’t last indefinitely, and experiencing pain again doesn’t negate the fact that his injury is completely healed. Nevertheless, because of the old injury he just still suffers from subsequent pain on occasion even after healing, and sometimes there are external triggers that might cause a renewed temporary discomfort, ache, or soreness.

Additionally, because of the old injury and the initial pain affiliated with it, he tends to favor, protect, or guard that knee a little more. He wants to prevent that pain or that same or similar injury from happening again. That still doesn’t mean he’s currently experiencing pain or that it’s not healed. He just tends to be a little more cautious and careful—he’s more aware. He may even avoid some of the activities that were involved in the injury to begin with.

Wounds we experience, the scars left behind, and subsequent pain even after healing

Continue reading →