Today is the first day of "camp". This guy, who never went to church camp, and who hasn't done anything with teens in about 14 years has been given the opportunity to speak to and hopefully with, 8th and 9th graders all this week. God willing I will post an overview of what I intend to focus on.
Mary Magdalene is only shown doing two things in scripture, sitting at the feet of Jesus or looking for Jesus. She did not shy away from the horror of the crucifixion and saw with her own eyes, her Savior's agonizing death on the cross. Early on that resurrection morning all she was looking for was Jesus' body, His dead lifeless body. Then she heard His voice, speaking her name. Her eyes were blinded by hot tears of sorrow and disappointment, but her ears clearly heard the voice of her Beloved. How many times in the last 3 days had she gone over her regrets? She couldn't even give voice to words of hope, "If I ever see Him again...", but now, it was Him and she knew it. I picture her throwing herself at His feet and wrapping herself around His knees and grabbing a hold of Him so tight that a cobra that saw her doing it would be jealous. She had let Him go once and that was never going to happen again.
Jesus made her a priority, interrupting His trip back to the Father to comfort her, to commission her, she was "sent out" by Jesus with a specific message. Apostle means sent one.
Now come the words that I picture being spoken as a command, because without a command from Him, she was never, ever going to voluntarily let go.
"Stop clinging to me!" He had to say it, she was using all her strength to keep a hold of Him.
Worship looks like this. Do you see any of this on a typical Sunday morning?
Mary breathed in grace and forgiveness from Jesus and she breathed out gratitude and praise.
This is our model of behavior.
We have the Holy Spirit to enable us to always connect to Jesus. Do we "cast aside all hindrances" to get to Him? Do you give the first part of your day to Him? Nothing else matters, and the path to growing closer to Him involves knowing who He is, which leads to knowing who you are, which leads to overflowing love for Him and for others,
Mary Magdalene is only shown doing two things in scripture, sitting at the feet of Jesus or looking for Jesus. She did not shy away from the horror of the crucifixion and saw with her own eyes, her Savior's agonizing death on the cross. Early on that resurrection morning all she was looking for was Jesus' body, His dead lifeless body. Then she heard His voice, speaking her name. Her eyes were blinded by hot tears of sorrow and disappointment, but her ears clearly heard the voice of her Beloved. How many times in the last 3 days had she gone over her regrets? She couldn't even give voice to words of hope, "If I ever see Him again...", but now, it was Him and she knew it. I picture her throwing herself at His feet and wrapping herself around His knees and grabbing a hold of Him so tight that a cobra that saw her doing it would be jealous. She had let Him go once and that was never going to happen again.
Jesus made her a priority, interrupting His trip back to the Father to comfort her, to commission her, she was "sent out" by Jesus with a specific message. Apostle means sent one.
Now come the words that I picture being spoken as a command, because without a command from Him, she was never, ever going to voluntarily let go.
"Stop clinging to me!" He had to say it, she was using all her strength to keep a hold of Him.
Worship looks like this. Do you see any of this on a typical Sunday morning?
Mary breathed in grace and forgiveness from Jesus and she breathed out gratitude and praise.
This is our model of behavior.
We have the Holy Spirit to enable us to always connect to Jesus. Do we "cast aside all hindrances" to get to Him? Do you give the first part of your day to Him? Nothing else matters, and the path to growing closer to Him involves knowing who He is, which leads to knowing who you are, which leads to overflowing love for Him and for others,
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