Good day dear friends. Sorry your ConCafe didn't arrive yesterday. Thursdays are my Emmaus Reunion days and I had to travel to get to it, then back to where we were and with other church things pending, I did not have a chance to write one.
So, here are the two study guides:
Thursday: Read John 19:38-42. Two interesting character appear in this Good Friday story. Read this short passage, in fact, you can start at verse one, as it’s not that long, and see what is going on. Notice who the second character is in that passage recommended above. Why do you suppose he was present for this event? Would you have been there?
Here is that passage from John 19(NRSV):38 After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. 39 Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. 40 They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. 42 And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Nick at Nite comes through! We read in verse 39 that this second character is Nicodemus, and it says who he is, "who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes." The first character was a secret service sort of disciple, and Nick wasn't too far behind, but he does come forward at the end, to help in the burial of Jesus' body. That took courage. Perhaps the life and purpose of Jesus did not yet make sense, but they were convinced of Jesus' sincerity and service. They knew Jesus was of God and for that reason helped in this compassionate action. They did now understand the meaning of Christ's suffering and how they were involved in it.
Do you now understand that your sinfulness, and mine, caused the death of this good man? Do you realize the depth of God's love for you and me through what Jesus suffered? I can't honestly say what I would have done had I been in either Joseph of Arimathea or Nick's place. It took boldness and compassion and love, to step forward at the end of this bloody and painful execution to claim Jesus' body.
Lent is leading us to get ready to claim Jesus' body for ourselves and what we need to be about, in terms of God loving us so much that He gave His only begotten Son, so that we might have life. Don't let this Lent be just another time of having given up something; let it be the Lent where we took up the love of God and entered into a fuller, deeper, richer relationship with our God of life and love.
PRAYER: God of life and love, fill me with Your wisdom to better understand Lent and all that is Yours for me today. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Here's the next prayer guide:
Friday: As we spend our time in prayer, let God speak to your heart about the meaning of Lent and especially about the meaning of Christ’s passion for you and me. Let the Holy Spirit prepare you for the fullness of the celebrations that will be ours in a few short weeks. May this year’s Holy Week come alive for you! See you in church!
Have a blessed and great weekend!
e.v.
