May 19, 2025 • 50 mins
The power of resurrection isn't merely a future promise—it's an invitation to awakening right now.
When we hear the Easter story, we often focus solely on Christ conquering physical death and securing our eternal future. But this powerful message from First Love Church reveals how resurrection transforms our present reality, too.
Death's dominion has already been broken. As Pastor Heather describes it, "Death cannot breathe, and this space in which we grieve is the long exhale of death's last expiring breath." We live in the aftermath of Christ's victory, yet many of us remain spiritually asleep, trapped in what Pastor Dennis calls a "zombified state"—going through motions without awareness of God's presence.
The women who discovered the empty tomb faced what seemed an impossible obstacle—a stone too heavy to move. Yet they found it already rolled away. What stones block your path to Jesus today? This message reminds us that God removes barriers between us and resurrection life.
Mary Magdalene's encounter with the risen Christ offers perhaps the most profound insight. Standing before Jesus, she failed to recognize him until he spoke her name. How often is Christ right beside us while we feel completely alone? The invitation of Easter is to listen for love calling your name, to trust that inner voice assuring you of God's presence.
Through a powerful story about an ancient tree in Wales—one so covered with moss, vines and wildlife that it nearly disappeared beneath the life it supported—we discover our ego's greatest obstacle to experiencing oneness with God. True resurrection life means becoming like that tree: not seeking attention but supporting abundant life for others.
Ready to awaken from spiritual slumber? This Easter, hear Christ calling your name and step into the resurrection life available today.
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can donate at https://www.firstlovechurch.org/giving
In the service of LOVE,
Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the First Love Church Podcast.
This is a collection of Sundayteachings inspired by the
Revised Common Lectionary andrecorded weekly in Ocala,
florida.
You were not content to cedeeven one speck of ground to the
enemy of our souls or to thecruel kingdom of death.
You were ever mindful of ourplight.
(00:22):
You took on body, blood andbreath, and you clothed in our
condition that you might move insymphony to save and shelter us
From the living temple of yourflesh.
Perfect justice, perfect mercywere met and there, in the
shedding of your own blood, theywere forced to be reconciled in
(00:42):
love.
You subdued the sting of death.
By death, you conquered deathand you rescued us from the fear
of death and from its power.
You have made all things well,o Christ.
You have made all things well.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Hear the word of the Lord.
This grace was given us inChrist Jesus before the
beginning of time, but it hasnow been revealed through the
appearing of our Savior.
The powers of darkness soughtto swallow you in death's black
waters.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
O Christ, but going under that flood, you drank
death down like a river and youdrank death's reservoir die.
All praise to you, lord Christ.
You swallowed death for us andin that willing sacrifice you
(01:35):
pushed death back upon itselflike the last lapping wade in
the turning of the tide, thehigh watermark now fading as
death's dominion ebbs out forthe last time Its power to
terrorize God's people, foreverdestroyed by God's own passing
through it, through death.
Oh Lord, you have given us life.
(01:56):
You have made all things well.
Eternal king, you have made allthings well.
You have made all things well.
The grip of death already slips.
It cannot slow the steadyprogress of resurrection, now
advancing one day to be madevisible in the full outworking
of infinite glad expectations.
(02:18):
The door that led to death hasbeen remade by Christ into the
door that now opens intoeverlasting life.
You have made all things well,christ.
You have made all things well.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Hear the word of the Lord, for he has rescued us from
the domination of darkness andbrought us into the kingdom of
the son he loves, in whom wehave redemption, the forgiveness
of sins.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
And now, king of all space and time, raise your
scepter and declare the adventof the age, declare healing and
remaking of the world, the greatrejoining of these realms of
earth and heaven and the eternaldwelling of God with his people
in the reconstructed canyons ofcreation.
(03:04):
We who live in this shadow landof death's last stand await
your appearance and your command.
O Christ, every longing of oursouls, every molecule in our
physical bodies is crying foryearning for reaching for
twilted, for the irresistiblegravity of your being and your
glory.
(03:24):
Come quickly, lord Jesus.
We await your speaking of theword that will roll up death
like an old, disintegratingscroll, bind it with iron band
and cast it into flames.
Christ alone will wear thecrown.
Christ alone is worthy of thename that is above all names,
that every knee will bow andevery tongue will proclaim the
(03:46):
righteousness of his coronation.
All sorrows we endure for noware but a rattling grass of the
signal of death's defeat.
Christ's heel is planted ondeath's neck.
Death cannot breathe, and thisspace in which we grieve is the
long exhale of death's lastexpiring breath.
This age of passing sorrows isbut a long death rattle of death
(04:11):
itself.
The outcome bears no hint ofdoubt.
The work is done, the victoryis won.
Death will be undone, all theworks of death will be undone,
and we, whose lives are hid withChrist in God, will rise to
live eternal.
Every one.
You have made all things well,o Christ.
(04:33):
You have made all things well.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Hear the word of the Lord, we know that Christ, being
raised from the dead, willnever die again.
Death no longer has dominionover him.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
The victory is yours, o King, and now claim what is
your own Every inch of earth,all the span of heaven, field
and skies, and stars and seas,all continents, all forests, all
nebula, all galaxies, allcreatures and all peoples, all
principalities, all governments,all time and history, all
wonder and mystery, all loves,all hearts, all principalities,
all governments, all time andhistory, all wonder and mystery,
(05:07):
all loves, all hearts, alllives.
All of this is yours the crown,the throne, the prize, the name
above all names, the kingdomand the joy, the glory and the
praise, the victory over death,the conquering of the grave, the
King of Kings, we offer todayeternal adoration.
(05:29):
And now let your resurrectionat last be worked through the
fabric of creation, till everyfiber, every atom, every
particle in play is bathed inyour holy light, consecrated
forever as your own, until everysorrow that we've sustained is
redeemed, restored and remain.
Till ones we've lost and lovedand grieved are joining us again
(05:53):
.
Till all the brokenness thatbreaks our world is, by your
word, made whole.
You have made all things well, oLord of life, o King of
creation, o Christ who conquersdeath, you have made all things
well.
You are the radiant end towardwhich all creation ends.
(06:14):
You dwell in the fullness ofGod and through you all things
are reconciled to God.
You are the beginning and thefirstborn among the dead.
You are the firstborn over allcreation.
You are the church's livinghead.
In all things you are supreme.
All the glory is your eternalglory.
You are faithful and true.
You have kept your promises.
O Christ, who gives us life, wegive you praise, amen.
(06:39):
Amen.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Hear the word of the Lord.
I am the resurrection and thelife, he that believeth me
through.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
he were dead, yet shall he live, Hear the word of
the Lord On this mountain.
He will destroy the shroud thatenfolds all peoples, the sheet
that covers all nations.
He will swallow up deathforever.
The sovereign Lord will wipeaway the tears from all faces.
In that day they will saySurely, this is our God.
We trusted in him and he savedus.
(07:19):
This is the Lord.
We trusted in him.
Let us rejoice and be glad inhis salvation.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Hear the word of the Lord.
Praise be to God and the Fatherof our Lord, Jesus Christ.
In his great mercy.
He has given us new birth intoa living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christfrom the dead.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Hear the word of the Lord.
I am the living one.
I was dead and now, look, look,I am alive forever and ever,
and I hold the keys of death andHades.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Crush this age-old darkness, o Christ, in the
winepress of your everlastinglight.
Trample this old darkness andfrom it draw the wine of
everlasting life.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Abend.
All works of death.
Make all things new, make allthings right.
You have made all things well.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
You have made all things well.
You have made all things well.
You have made all things well.
O Christ, he is risen.
He is risen indeed.
Thank you, ladies.
We are grateful again that youare with us this morning.
Grateful again that you arewith us this morning.
(08:46):
Oh, what joy to be in God'shouse with you, to be
remembering, to be reminded oftruth.
We are so grateful that you arehere with us in person.
For those of you who are withus online, we're grateful for
your participation and for yourremembering as well.
As we read the stories thismorning, I remind you that there
are four different accounts ofthe resurrection in the Gospels,
(09:08):
and this morning we'll bereading two.
I encourage you to read theother ones just to see what
another perspective would havebeen like.
And so this morning, I am sograteful again that we can
gather together, that we canhear the word of the Lord and
that we can remember this is theday the Lord has made.
We will rejoice and be glad init.
(09:31):
This is the good news.
The good good news I want toread to us for a moment from
Revelation.
And there was another angel witha golden incense burner that
came and stood at the altar anda great amount of incense was
given to him to mix with theprayers of God's people as an
(09:53):
offering on the golden altarbefore the throne, and the smoke
of the incense, mixed with theprayers of God's holy people,
ascended to God from the altarwhere the angel poured them out.
There is such a hope in ourremembering that our prayers,
that our desires matter and theymatter to God, that the prayers
(10:14):
that we pray are joined withthe prayers of the ancients, are
joined with the prayers ofthose who have gone on before us
.
We stand amidst a cloud ofwitnesses, and so this morning,
in God's house, we remind youthat you do not stand here alone
.
You stand here with those whohave loved you and who remind
(10:34):
you this morning.
This is your place.
You belong in the house of God,you belong in the family of God
.
You are worthy to be at thetable.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Well, we just welcome everyone here today.
Happy Easter.
The folks that are online,welcome, and thank you for
coming and being a part of thechurch service.
It's nice to see our family gettogether.
You know, on on these holidaysand stuff, uh, we we tend to uh,
uh, see some folks that maybewe're just or watching online or
(11:08):
or maybe live in other statesor whatever.
So, welcome to all of you anduh and uh, it's just good to to
be together with you in thehouse of the Lord.
Thank you for being here today.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
Amen.
Very early on Sunday morningthe women went to the tomb
taking the spices they hadprepared.
Pay attention to love storyhere this morning.
This is one of the best lovestories that you will ever read
or ever hear about.
This is a love story.
That is our love story.
It is the story of God's lovefor the world, but our love,
particularly the love of womenfor Jesus who came and who said,
(11:41):
even though he is physicallygone, love is eternal, beloved,
and we remind you of that, thateven though people are
physically gone from us, theirlove is eternal.
And this morning, for those ofyou who hold the line, who hold
on to hope and to love, that washere and now you cannot see it
anymore.
This is the grace that has beengiven us on this service.
(12:04):
They found the stone that hadbeen rolled away from the
entrance.
Pause there just for a moment.
In another one of the stories,the women are getting ready and
then they say we're all going.
Of course the women were upearly.
I don't know if that saysanything about the men, but I'm
just telling you what the textsays.
The women were up early andthey were busy getting things
ready and they did it out oflove, out of their intention,
(12:28):
out of their rituals, and theybring these things and they say,
not in these ones, but in theother accounts.
Well, we're going to go there,but who will roll the stone away
?
Because they know full wellthere will be an obstacle to do
the things that they want to do.
There is something in the wayfor them to live the way they
want to live and they askthemselves, well, who's gonna
(12:49):
roll the stone away so that wecan love the way that we know
how to love?
Speaker 4 (12:53):
and I think that's the beautiful part and the
takeaway for us is that there isin all of our lives a stone,
there's something that is toolarge for us to move.
But can we see here in thistext and extrapolate that truth,
that when there is an obstaclebetween you and Jesus, god will
move it?
Amen.
(13:13):
Amen, and so that's the thingthat I can remind myself.
Sometimes I have to remindmyself, but I can't trust that
Amen.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
They found the stone had been rolled away from the
entrance, so they went in, butthey didn't find the body of the
Lord Jesus.
And they stood there puzzledand two men suddenly appeared to
them clothed in dazzling robes,and the women were terrified
and they bowed with their facesto the ground.
And the men asked why are youlooking among the dead for
(13:41):
someone who is alive?
He is not here.
He is risen from the dead.
Remember what he told you backin Galilee that the son of man
must be betrayed into the handsof sinful men and be crucified
and that he would rise again onthe third day.
And then they remembered thathe said this.
So they rushed back from thetomb to tell the 11 disciples
(14:04):
and everyone else what hadhappened.
And it was Mary Magdalene,joanna, mary, the mother of
James, and several other womenwho told the apostles what had
happened, but the story soundedlike nonsense to the men, so
they didn't believe it.
However, peter jumped up andran to the tomb to look and,
stooping in, he peered and sawthe empty linen wrappings and he
(14:27):
went home again, wondering whathad happened.
There's so much to talk about inthis particular story.
There's two things I want totalk about the church and kind
of what this tells us, and it'sa beautiful pattern for us on
why we gather together toremember because, beloved,
sometimes we forget what ourJesus told us.
These people had been told byChrist don't worry about this, I
(14:51):
am coming back.
And then, when it actuallyhappened, they totally forgot
about what he said and they werestuck in their grief and they
needed each other to come andremind them.
Remember the words of Christ,remember what it looked like
when he was among us, and sothis morning I remind you this
is the hope.
Remember the words of Christ.
Remember the voice that youheard deep within yourself that
(15:13):
told you that you are loved.
Remember the voice that callsyour name.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
You know, know, there's two things in this
passage of scripture that standout to me.
One is in verse five, where itsays why do you look for the
living among the dead?
You know, that's a profoundtruth to uh, to our life, that
oftentimes we're looking forthings to satisfy us.
I don't know if you've ever gotcaught in a scrolling trap
(15:45):
where you're looking for thatnext endorphin hit.
So you scroll to the next thingon the phone and you look up
and realize that you're two tothree hours in on this thing.
Anyone ever had that happen.
Why are you looking for theliving among the dead?
Anyone ever had that happen.
Why are you looking for theliving among the dead?
You know, my friend said onetime he did it and he scrolled
(16:05):
to the end of the internet.
I don't think that happened, butI will tell you that there is
no life there.
Every time I do it, I look andregret the time that I've wasted
, and every time that I'velooked everywhere else for joy
and satisfaction.
(16:25):
In times past I've you knowit's been a failure to me.
Why do we continue?
And we do look for the livingamong the dead, and so it
reminds us.
You know in all these placesthat we're convinced we need to
find happiness.
Just remember that it's in thatrelationship with God and it's
(16:49):
coming and being part of achurch family like this, where
we can share the truth and wecan inspire one another.
And where can I find people oflike faith and people who are
alive in christ unless I comeamong the living?
Amen, and so it's good to bearound now.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Some of you, uh, don't seem all that living and
while it was yet early I thinkthat's the key for all of us
it's early.
You haven't had a lot of coffeeyet, or a lot of resurrection
yet, so we speak that truth overyou.
But why do we look for theliving among the uncaffeinated?
Speaker 4 (17:20):
haven't had a lot of coffee yet or a lot of
resurrection yet.
So we speak that truth over you.
But why do we look for theliving among the uncaffeinated?
Speaker 1 (17:30):
No, that's not it.
That's not what it says.
Christ is risen, and maybecaffeine will help us in those
kind of ways too.
Perhaps not, but here is thehope for all of us.
Maybe we should think aboutthat for a moment the next time
we go to something and we find adisappointment.
Maybe we should look and go.
Was I looking for the livingamong this thing that is dead?
Christ is alive within us.
Christ is given to us as notonly a pattern, but the spirit
(17:51):
of Christ alive inside of eachone of us.
There is a hope for us thismorning to remember this
resurrection story.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
Amen, and I said, there was two things that really
stood out to me.
And the second thing I wantedto speak to briefly is the idea
that the women came and sharedwith the disciples what had
happened, and they didn'tbelieve them.
They thought it was a load ofmalarkey.
I think if that's a thing, Idon't know.
If that's a thing I don't know.
But people oftentimes ask meyou know, pastor Dennis, you've
(18:24):
had.
You and Heather have had 34years of marriage.
How is it possible With thesame person?
Because I had a friend in 57years of marriage, but it was
with 13 different women.
That's a true story.
And he asked me if I wanted himto speak on marriage and I said
(18:45):
no.
But if we do a seminar ondivorce, you'll be the first one
I'll call.
But for Heather and I this mightsound old-fashioned, but
Heather and I decided in thevery beginning that we would
divide up the responsibilities,that all you know.
(19:05):
Major decisions would be madeby me but all minor decisions
would be made by her.
And in 34 years there's neverbeen a major decision.
There's never been a majordecision.
That's it.
No, I just but I do want to inall sincerity say that because I
(19:26):
try to do like the disciplesand said it is true.
What the women have said is true.
I believe that manyrelationships in effect you can
back it up with science by theGottman Institute but
relationships have a 90% failurerate when the man is unwilling
to listen to reason from hisspouse.
(19:49):
Some of you are shaking yourheads in sorrow, but I got to
tell you that we're gifted withour partners and you don't have
to worry women, because us menwill tell you how gifted you are
.
But it's the men that need towake up and realize the gift
(20:09):
that we have and that's beensuch a salvation for Heather and
I in our relationship is for me, as bullheaded as I am to go
now.
Now listen, the Holy Spiritlives on the inside of my wife,
so I better listen to what Godis saying and uh and really
trust uh that, and I think it'sa problem in the church in in
(20:32):
America, and it's not, I noticedas I went over to Europe.
It's, uh, it's not uncommon thatthe entire church be staffed by
women pastors.
Although it's uncommon here inAmerica, it's not worldwide.
Dr Cho has the largest churchin the world.
I think 85% of his pastors arewomen and there's tens of
(20:57):
thousands of pastors in thatchurch and there's tens of
thousands of pastors in thatchurch and I think other people
realize what we've missed out isthe wonderful gift and godly
input that we have when we worktogether as teams of men and
women that surrender our giftsand talents to God.
Amen, amen.
This is a beautiful.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
I didn't get too big of an amen they're thinking
about it.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
This is a beautiful.
I didn't get too big on amen,they're thinking about it.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
This is a beautiful invitation.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
Help me.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Jesus.
This is a beautiful invitationalso to remember that if
somebody says something that isdifficult for you to believe,
you're welcomed among theresurrected, because this story
is a little preposterous andthere are things that when
people tell us seem preposterouslike.
And there are things that, whenpeople tell us seem
preposterous like, your sins areforgiven.
(21:44):
There is nothing that separatesyou from God.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
Sounds a little preposterous.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I felt a separation this morning.
That's okay, beloved, yourdoubt is welcomed, your
questions are welcomed.
This is an invitation toquestion everything.
Do I even know what death is?
Do I even know what life is?
This is an invitation into more.
And so, as we listen to this, Iwant you to hear Mary's good
news.
(22:10):
And she begins to tell us inthe next part too and I love
this I have seen the Lord.
She begins to tell what she hasexperienced and what the beauty
of this story is.
Tells us listen.
If you can't believe it, get upand go to the tomb.
If what someone tells you istoo good to believe, find your
way to God and ask God yourself.
There is no separation betweenyou and God.
(22:31):
There is nothing that canseparate you from the love of
Christ.
That is the good news, beloved.
Here is the good news of faithI read to you from first
Corinthians and if our hope inChrist is only for this life,
then we are more to be pitiedthan anyone in the world.
But in fact, christ has beenraised from the dead.
He is the first of greatharvest over all who have died.
(22:54):
So you see, just as death cameinto the world through a man.
Now the resurrection from thedeath had begun through another
man.
Just as everyone dies becausewe all belong to Adam, everyone
who belongs to Christ will begiven new life.
But there is an order to thisresurrection.
Christ was raised at the firstof the harvest, and all who
(23:15):
belong to Christ will be raisedwhen he comes back, and after
that the end will come and hewill turn the kingdom over to
God the harvest.
Then, all who belong to Christwill be raised when he comes
back, and after that the endwill come and he will turn the
kingdom over to God the Father,having destroyed every ruler,
authority and power.
For Christ must reign until hehumbles all his enemies beneath
his feet, and the last enemy tobe destroyed is death.
(23:37):
From John's account early Sundaymorning, while it was still
dark, mary Magdalene came to thetomb and found that the stone
had been rolled away from theentrance.
In this particular account,mary comes by herself and she
comes out of love.
She comes because she has aconnection and she knows that
(23:57):
even death does not mar thatconnection.
She ran and she found SimonPeter and the other disciple,
the one whom Jesus loved, andshe said they have taken the
Lord's body out of the tomb andwe do not know where they have
put him.
And Peter and the otherdisciples started out for the
tomb and they were both runningand the other disciple outran
(24:18):
Peter and reached the tomb first.
I remind you of the author, whois the one who is apparently a
better at a foot race.
He is young and he is a runnerand he is reminding us.
But I want to ask you maybeit's not about a foot race,
maybe it is something more.
Peter has denied Jesus.
(24:40):
Peter has denied Jesus so manytimes that I cannot imagine the
shame and the guilt that he mustlive with.
He is in the company of otherbelievers, but he knows what he
has done and what I see in thisstory is such an act of
incredible beauty.
His friend is bringing him withus let's see, let's see.
(25:00):
And his friend will not go inand see unless Peter is there
with him.
Beloved, this is what communitylooks like that we give each
other an opportunity to find thelove of Christ, to find this
hope, to find each other and sayI'll wait for you before we go
(25:21):
into the tomb.
I'll wait for you because it'simportant.
We know together that Christ ishere among us.
We pause here for a moment tothank you for joining us today.
If you're finding this episodemeaningful, would you take a
moment to share it with a friend?
This podcast is made possiblethanks to the generosity of
(25:43):
people just like you.
If you would like to supportthe ongoing work of First Love
Church and the continued work ofour podcast, visit us online at
firstlovechurchorg, remindingyou to like, follow and
subscribe.
She found Simon Peter and theother disciple the one who Jesus
loved and she said they havetaken the Lord's body out of the
(26:07):
tomb and we don't know wherethey've put him.
And Peter and the other disciplestarted out for the tomb.
They were both running, but theother disciple outran Peter and
reached the tomb.
First he stopped and looked inand saw the linen wrappings
lying there, but he didn't go in.
And then Simon Peter arrivedand went inside and he also
noticed the linen wrappingslying there and while the cloth
(26:27):
that had covered Jesus's headwas folded up and lying apart
from the other wrappings, thenthe disciple who reached the
tomb first went in and saw andbelieved, for until then, then
they hadn't understood thescriptures that said Jesus must
rise from the dead.
And then they went home andMary was still standing outside
(26:49):
the tomb crying and as she wentshe stooped and looked in.
In other accounts of this thistomb is in a garden.
Accounts of this this tomb isin a garden and Mary is there in
the garden.
And there is such a hope inthis retelling of the Genesis
story.
Mary reminds us that she is Eveand that she comes to this
(27:10):
garden, that she knows what sheis looking for, this beautiful
story redeemed, that Eve standsin love with the Christ, with
God, and that the hope of thespirit that we are being called
as women and as men, not just tohold the line for grief, but to
hold the line and rememberthere is a promise of
(27:31):
resurrection coming.
There is a promise ofresurrection.
Can you go to the next slide?
We're gonna leave at 10.
Mary was standing outside thetomb crying and as she wept, she
(27:52):
stooped and looked in and shesaw two white robed angels, one
sitting at the head and theother at the foot of the place
where the body of Jesus had beenlying.
Dear woman, why are you crying?
I believe when we meet thepresence of love, love knows
(28:14):
that we are in pain.
Sometimes we have been told that, in order to be a part of
belonging or a part of a personof faith, that you have to
ignore your grief and beloved.
You do not cry as much as youneed to allow those to be
prayers, to be tears, allow thegrief to be holy and listen to
(28:37):
an angel who does not scoff butsays why are you crying?
Not because you should rush on,but tell me about it.
Tell me about it, tell me aboutthe pain, tell me about what
you lost, tell me about what youhoped for, because they have
taken away my Lord.
She replied, and I don't knowwhere they have put him.
(28:58):
So she turned to leave and shesaw someone standing there and
it was Jesus, but she did notrecognize him.
And this is the part thatshimmers to me this morning.
Beloved, how often is Jesusright next to us and we do not
recognize him?
How often in your life do youfeel alone and the Christ is
(29:21):
right there with you, in you,and yet you have determined that
you are there alone, and yetthere is the voice of your
beloved, there is the christwith you.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
You are never alone you know, I think the the hope
of easter for us as believers isresurrection.
His new life is awakening and,uh, and I would ask that, that
we would uh, uh, ask god to helpus in in this kind of
revelation and this kind ofawakening.
(29:52):
Awaken me to realize where,where you are in the middle of
what I'm going through becauseyou're here, but, but my eyes
need to be opened to, becauseright now I just feel like I'm
abandoned, I'm forgotten, andthat's not true.
Uh, that's the the, the thingthat, uh, my illusion tells me.
(30:12):
You know, my ego tells me.
But if I can open my eyes andreally see what spirit's doing,
I can realize that there's apurpose for this.
And I know that in my past lifethere's things that I went
through that were very difficultat that time.
But if I can be honest now,looking back, that had I not
gone through it, I wouldn't beable to speak with the authority
(30:35):
that I speak and share with myfamily and my children in my own
life, have confidence, and so,in that, I'm grateful that I
went through it, although it wasso painful and uh, but that
only happens when the Spirit ofGod lets us be awakened, and I
think that for a large portionof my life, I was asleep in the
(30:56):
fact that I was chasing mycareer, I was getting up in the
morning and doing what I neededto do, and I had my hobbies and
my interests, but all that stuffwas a life that was outside of
an awareness of what God wantedto do or what my spirit actually
(31:21):
needed, and so, in a way, I wasa zombie, I was the walking
dead.
I had this stuff going on, butthere wasn't an awakening in me
spiritually.
Now I don't know if anyone canrelate to that because of things
(31:42):
in the past, or if anybodypotentially is asleep right now.
And I'm nudging them, but Iknow, for me, when you nudge me
in the morning, I start swingingmy arms Go away, I'm
comfortable, I want to be leftalone, I'm sleepy, but I set the
(32:06):
alarm, or I asked you to wakeme, because there are things
that I need to do and I can onlydo them when I'm awake.
So I need to rise up.
Oh, you sleeper, you know, andthat's to me.
I mean, I love the promise ofthe resurrection and the life to
come, but what happens todayfor me?
To me, I mean, I love thepromise of the resurrection and
the life to come.
(32:26):
But what happens today for me,because of this truth, because
of the knowledge of Christ'sresurrection, that I can be
awakened today, that I can beresurrected from my slumber,
that I can get out of thatzombified state and actually
walk in a relationship, isanybody hearing what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
The promise of resurrection is not what I'm
saying.
The promise of resurrection isnot just for another life.
The promise of resurrection isfor this life, and I will tell
you two paths to this life.
That is there.
It is the death of ego'scontrol and it is resurrection
by the spirit.
And if you will take those twosteps, I believe that there is
such an ushering of the Spiritthat allows us to say resurrect
(33:14):
in me hope, I give up cynicismand resurrect in me the hope of
Christ.
There is for us a call, anawakening.
I read to you from an Easterhomily from the 7th century.
I know that you were all hopingthat I would, but I often go
back and read very, very ancienttexts, and one of the reasons I
do that is because I enjoy it.
But also also the prophetJeremiah said this stop and ask
(33:38):
for the ancient paths, ask wherethe good ways are.
Follow those roads and you willfind rest for your soul.
Beloved.
There is rest in reestablishingthe ancient paths, in reminding
ourselves of this.
So I go back because I remindyou that we have an ancient
faith, that this is a faith thatis given to us from the church,
(33:59):
from the witnesses, from thewomen who said I have seen the
Lord.
There is another way of living,beloved Jesus, and the love of
Jesus should radicalize you.
You should think other thoughts.
You should allow yourself to beresurrected because the love of
Christ has so radicalized us.
This is the Jesus movement, Iremind you, from the first time
(34:21):
after Jesus died until aroundthe fourth century, declaring
that you were a Jesus followerwas asking for execution, and so
this invitation into thisradical life.
You must ask yourself thisquestion what kind of love did
Jesus have that religion andempires were threatened by it?
What kind of love do we havewithin us to be able to be
(34:44):
spilled out on the world thatevil would be threatened by our
love?
And there is a hope for us inopening our thoughts, in
allowing the Holy Spirit to giveus a new way of thinking, to
give us a new hope, and this itwas in particular for Holy
Saturday, for the harrowing ofdeath.
(35:05):
There are such, there are somany beautiful, beautiful,
hopeful things here, but I wantto read just this one.
This was from Epiphanius andagain the 7th century, and this
is a dialogue that thisparticular priest said went on
between Christ and Adam Christhas entered Sheol.
The Lord himself enters amongthem, burying his conquering
(35:29):
cross, and he takes beloved Adamby the hand and says rise up,
you who sleep, and Christ willenlighten you.
I am your God, but because ofyou I became your son and
because of you, all those whodescend from you, I now speak
with the authoritative commandto the prisoners depart.
To those in darkness, beenlightened.
(35:52):
To those who are asleep, awaken.
I command you, adam, wake up.
Awake, thou that sleepest.
I did not create you for this,that you would remain dead.
Arise in my likeness, made inmy very own image.
Arise and let us leave thisplace, for you are in me and I
(36:14):
am in you, and we are oneBeloved.
This is the hope of all of usIn John, chapter 17,.
This is what Jesus prays Lord,make us one.
The promise of resurrection isthat we can live differently.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
You know, and I'd like to talk for a minute
Heather mentioned somethingabout the ego and I, just you
know, I want to remind us of thesimple truths.
I I love that about our churchis that we're going to talk
probably this week we did lastweek and probably next week
about the love of god all theweeks.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
We're just going to keep talking about it.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Just all the weeks you know, and, and it's the
simple things.
But it never gets old becauseit's so transformative and it's
and it's who god is.
It's not just an attribute.
God literally is love.
So how much more importantwould it be that a church talk
about god?
Speaker 1 (37:08):
yes, if you're a church and all you know, but?
Speaker 4 (37:11):
but we're talking about the ego and Heather, just
read a story that reminds us ofthe scripture, where Jesus prays
that we would be one with God,the way Jesus and the Father are
one, and I want you tounderstand the simple truth.
That's what this is all about.
(37:31):
Yes, simple truth, that's whatthis is all about.
Yes, your draw from the time youwere a little child to
spiritual things, the senseinside of you that certain
spiritual practices and Ishouldn't say spiritual, certain
religious practices were funkyCan we use that word?
Not funky like James Brown,funky like we need to throw that
(37:52):
fish away it's been in thefridge too long.
Funky Because James Brown good,rotten fish bad.
But as a small child we knewsome of us.
You know, and you can call onthat.
What was that drawing?
What was that desire?
There's always been a desirefor you and I to be one with God
, but there's always been anopposition within you, and it is
(38:14):
your ego.
And it's the desire to be onewith God.
But there's always been anopposition within you, and it is
your ego and it's the desire tobe noticed, to be special, to
be different.
And that's been the war sincethe time we drew our first
breath.
And it will be the battle untilwe're when that scripture is
(38:37):
fulfilled, that you're one.
But it's not something that wegive up on, it's something that
we allow our hearts to surrenderon the side of unity, of
oneness, of my way or thehighway.
You know those people.
They're so hard to get alongwith because their ego's
(38:57):
screaming so high.
It's about me, it's all aboutme.
And the truth is, christ laiddown his life.
You know, I had an experience.
I'll try to share it shortly.
But I was in Wales and a mansaid to me do you want to go to
an ancient forest?
Do you want to go to the oldestforest in all of Wales?
Yeah, give me the directions.
(39:20):
And he pulled out my phone andhe did the blow up on the map
and he put a pin.
He said you'll park right hereby this bar it's named this and
go in and have a pint if youwant.
They were closed, but we parkedthere and we started to walk
and I went up and I thought I'mgoing to go up in an ancient
forest and I know that I'm goingto meet God up in this ancient
forest.
(39:40):
And so I I went up there andand I'm hustling along and I'm
climbing and I'm gettingexhausted and God's nowhere to
be found and all of a sudden, atone point I felt like I should
take my shoes off.
So I'm up in the forest and Itook my and this is a huge
commitment because I've gotthose shoes with the laces that
go all the way up.
They're hiking boots and I tookthem off and I sat there and I
(40:04):
thought, well, what's going tohappen, you know, is a burning
bush going to happen?
I mean, the last time I readabout this and it was just an
opportunity, I think God had meto slow down and stop.
And I looked over and I feltlike God said I want you to
learn from that tree that'sright next to me.
And I thought, oh no, I'm aboutto get kicked out of the church
(40:26):
.
You know the Christians, justthey seem to hate tree huggers
and all this.
And now you got me talking tothe tree, lord, what's going on
all this?
And now you got me talking tothe tree, lord, what's going on?
And I looked at that tree and Iand I felt like the spirit lord
said what do you see?
And when I looked at that tree,I saw moss growing all up
around the tree.
(40:46):
You couldn't even see the bark.
There was so much moss.
And where there wasn't moss,there was vines wrapped around
the tree.
And where there wasn't plantsand ferns growing off of the
tree and vines and moss, therewere birds and animals just
climbing throughout this wholetree.
And the Lord said do you see thetree?
(41:07):
And I said not really.
I said all I can see is thelife around the tree that it's
supporting.
And the Lord said now you'regetting it, now you're starting
to understand.
You want to be a beautiful treethat everybody looks at.
I want you to be the kind oftree that disappears because of
(41:34):
the life that it supports.
I never, ever in my life, saw amore clear vision and
understanding of the differencebetween my ego and oneness with
God and surrender.
Where do we look foropportunities to lay down our
(41:57):
lives Like Christ, who is ourexample?
But we're looking for places tobe noticed and to be seen and
to show up and show off andincrease in gain.
And all the increase in gain isgreat when it comes through you
, to other people.
And all of that growth and allthat strength is amazing when
it's used to increase the lifeof those things that are around
(42:24):
us.
Will we allow oneness or wewill continue to kick and fight
to be special when?
How amazing is it is that?
And how special is it that youwere called, that you were
chosen to be a part of acommunity, of a collective, of a
(42:49):
family, because all thatgreatness is you alone, and when
the end comes, all that mattersis our unity, our family, our
oneness with each other.
I don't know, heather.
(43:11):
I think they're starting toturn on me.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
She turned to leave and saw someone standing there.
It was Jesus, but she didn'trecognize him.
Dear woman, why are you crying?
Jesus asked her who are youlooking for?
And she thought it was thegardener Sir.
She said if you have taken himaway, tell me where you have put
him and I will go and get him.
(43:33):
Mary, jesus said.
And she turned to him and criedout Rabboni, which is Hebrew
for teacher.
This is when she recognizes theChrist, when she hears him call
her name.
Beloved, listen for love callingyour name.
(43:56):
If you're confused, if youdoubt, if you do not know if the
stories are true, listen forlove calling your name.
Do not cling to me, jesus said,for I have not yet ascended to
the father, but go and find mybrothers and tell them I am
ascending to my father and yourfather to my God and your God.
(44:20):
God is making a proclamationhere, through Christ, to you and
to me today.
This is the oneness that we arespeaking of.
God is saying he's not only myGod, he's your God, he's our God
.
This is the hope that familyhas been restored, that there is
an awakening and a spiritualresurrection of our thoughts, of
our intentions.
(44:41):
And Mary Magdalene found thedisciples and told them I have
seen the Lord.
And then she gave them hismessage.
What an incredible, beautifulhope for us, beloved.
Where have you seen love?
Where have you seen the lord?
And the invitation is for us totrust the voice inside of us
(45:02):
that tells us that we are loved,that we are welcomed into the
family, that god is with usalways, that love is a reason
for hope, that death does nothave the final word, that love
is eternal.
Beloved, you can trust love.
You can trust love.
Love becomes our anchor, thislove that is eternal, and it
(45:26):
draws us to look, and I lovethis portion of the scripture
where Jesus says to her don'tcling to this form.
Yet there is an expansion thatis offered to us by the holy
spirit.
Allow christ to be renewed, tobe ascended with you, and for
god to invite you back into theunderstanding and awareness that
(45:46):
you are never apart from him,that god is with you always,
that you are always loved youknow, know, I was standing there
, sitting there on the side ofthat ancient forest, crying with
my shoes off, and it's cold.
Speaker 4 (46:04):
I'm like how am I even going to put my shoes back
on?
And I felt like you learn tojust walk down the mountain
without your shoes on.
I'm like I am a tenderfoot, Ican't even walk outside right
now.
Step on a rock and just lightme up.
I'm now I'm all the way up onthis mountain and I feel like
the Lord tells me to walk down.
And so I did.
I threw my tie to my shoestrings together and threw them
(46:27):
on my shoulder and I walked downbarefooted.
And I got to tell you that Iwalked so careful.
Every step was methodic.
My way up that mountain I wasrunning and I was just hiking,
but on the way down I was verycareful at every step and I was
slow.
It took me 15 minutes to get upthere, 45 minutes to get back
(46:48):
down.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
And that's with gravity.
Speaker 4 (46:51):
And I got to tell you that every step, I saw the most
beautiful things.
And I got to tell you thatevery step I saw the most
beautiful things, and it was aslower walk but it was much more
beautiful Because it was withintention.
It was awake to the fact thatif I step in the wrong place,
and I was so aware of theimportance of what each step
(47:14):
meant, you know, and I thinkthat there's a place for us, and
I hope so aware of theimportance of what each step
meant, and I think that there'sa place for us, and I hope that
you don't just hear anotherresurrection story.
And yes, he's risen, he's risenindeed.
But if all we do is put that inour cap as something to
remember that one day is goingto happen to you, then you miss
what could be happening in yourlife.
(47:34):
Right now.
There is a power ofresurrection.
There is a power in awakening.
There's a power in surrenderingto unity and oneness.
There's a tremendous working ofthe Holy Spirit in our families
.
When we stop trying to be thecenter of all, you know how many
, many, how much resources areconsumed by our oneness and how
(47:58):
welcome come on in and uh andand how important that is to uh
to us and how troublesome it isfor everyone around us.
Speaker 1 (48:11):
Help us, lord I invite you this morning to just
to consider what it would havebeen like and maybe you can
already know this to be confusedabout something, to have
thought things were going to goone way and then find out
they've gone another.
I offer, I offer a blessingthis morning, blessing from the
(48:41):
Magdalene.
Would you close your eyes thismorning as I speak over you?
This blessing, I ask right now.
The Holy Spirit would be amongus and in us and around us, and
I trust that love reminds youthat you are safe in the house
(49:03):
of God.
You hardly imagine standinghere.
Everything you ever lovedsuddenly returned to you,
looking you in the eye andcalling you by name.
And now you do not know how toabide this ache in the center of
your chest, where a door slamsshut and swings open at the same
(49:24):
time.
Turning on the hinge of youraching and yet hopeful heart, I
tell you this is not banishmentfrom the garden, this is an
invitation, a choice, athreshold, a gate.
This is your life, calling toyou from a place you could never
(49:44):
have dreamed, but now that youhave glimpsed its edge, you
cannot imagine choosing anyother way.
So let the tears come asanointing as consecration and
let them go and let thisblessing gather itself around
you, let it give you what youneed for this journey, and you
(50:09):
will not remember the words,because they do not matter.
All you need to remember is howit sounded when you stood in
the place of death and you heardthe living call your name.
We hope you've enjoyed thisweek's sermon.
If you would like moreinformation about us, visit us
(50:29):
online at firstlovechurchorg.
Welcome to the First Love Church Podcast.
This is a collection of Sundayteachings inspired by the
Revised Common Lectionary andrecorded weekly in Ocala,
florida.
You were not content to cedeeven one speck of ground to the
enemy of our souls or to thecruel kingdom of death.
You were ever mindful of ourplight.
(00:22):
You took on body, blood andbreath, and you clothed in our
condition that you might move insymphony to save and shelter us
From the living temple of yourflesh.
Perfect justice, perfect mercywere met and there, in the
shedding of your own blood, theywere forced to be reconciled in
(00:42):
love.
You subdued the sting of death.
By death, you conquered deathand you rescued us from the fear
of death and from its power.
You have made all things well,o Christ.
You have made all things well.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Hear the word of the Lord.
This grace was given us inChrist Jesus before the
beginning of time, but it hasnow been revealed through the
appearing of our Savior.
The powers of darkness soughtto swallow you in death's black
waters.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
O Christ, but going under that flood, you drank
death down like a river and youdrank death's reservoir die.
All praise to you, lord Christ.
You swallowed death for us andin that willing sacrifice you
(01:35):
pushed death back upon itselflike the last lapping wade in
the turning of the tide, thehigh watermark now fading as
death's dominion ebbs out forthe last time Its power to
terrorize God's people, foreverdestroyed by God's own passing
through it, through death.
Oh Lord, you have given us life.
(01:56):
You have made all things well.
Eternal king, you have made allthings well.
You have made all things well.
The grip of death already slips.
It cannot slow the steadyprogress of resurrection, now
advancing one day to be madevisible in the full outworking
of infinite glad expectations.
(02:18):
The door that led to death hasbeen remade by Christ into the
door that now opens intoeverlasting life.
You have made all things well,christ.
You have made all things well.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Hear the word of the Lord, for he has rescued us from
the domination of darkness andbrought us into the kingdom of
the son he loves, in whom wehave redemption, the forgiveness
of sins.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
And now, king of all space and time, raise your
scepter and declare the adventof the age, declare healing and
remaking of the world, the greatrejoining of these realms of
earth and heaven and the eternaldwelling of God with his people
in the reconstructed canyons ofcreation.
(03:04):
We who live in this shadow landof death's last stand await
your appearance and your command.
O Christ, every longing of oursouls, every molecule in our
physical bodies is crying foryearning for reaching for
twilted, for the irresistiblegravity of your being and your
glory.
(03:24):
Come quickly, lord Jesus.
We await your speaking of theword that will roll up death
like an old, disintegratingscroll, bind it with iron band
and cast it into flames.
Christ alone will wear thecrown.
Christ alone is worthy of thename that is above all names,
that every knee will bow andevery tongue will proclaim the
(03:46):
righteousness of his coronation.
All sorrows we endure for noware but a rattling grass of the
signal of death's defeat.
Christ's heel is planted ondeath's neck.
Death cannot breathe, and thisspace in which we grieve is the
long exhale of death's lastexpiring breath.
This age of passing sorrows isbut a long death rattle of death
(04:11):
itself.
The outcome bears no hint ofdoubt.
The work is done, the victoryis won.
Death will be undone, all theworks of death will be undone,
and we, whose lives are hid withChrist in God, will rise to
live eternal.
Every one.
You have made all things well,o Christ.
(04:33):
You have made all things well.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Hear the word of the Lord, we know that Christ, being
raised from the dead, willnever die again.
Death no longer has dominionover him.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
The victory is yours, o King, and now claim what is
your own Every inch of earth,all the span of heaven, field
and skies, and stars and seas,all continents, all forests, all
nebula, all galaxies, allcreatures and all peoples, all
principalities, all governments,all time and history, all
wonder and mystery, all loves,all hearts, all principalities,
all governments, all time andhistory, all wonder and mystery,
(05:07):
all loves, all hearts, alllives.
All of this is yours the crown,the throne, the prize, the name
above all names, the kingdomand the joy, the glory and the
praise, the victory over death,the conquering of the grave, the
King of Kings, we offer todayeternal adoration.
(05:29):
And now let your resurrectionat last be worked through the
fabric of creation, till everyfiber, every atom, every
particle in play is bathed inyour holy light, consecrated
forever as your own, until everysorrow that we've sustained is
redeemed, restored and remain.
Till ones we've lost and lovedand grieved are joining us again
(05:53):
.
Till all the brokenness thatbreaks our world is, by your
word, made whole.
You have made all things well, oLord of life, o King of
creation, o Christ who conquersdeath, you have made all things
well.
You are the radiant end towardwhich all creation ends.
(06:14):
You dwell in the fullness ofGod and through you all things
are reconciled to God.
You are the beginning and thefirstborn among the dead.
You are the firstborn over allcreation.
You are the church's livinghead.
In all things you are supreme.
All the glory is your eternalglory.
You are faithful and true.
You have kept your promises.
O Christ, who gives us life, wegive you praise, amen.
(06:39):
Amen.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Hear the word of the Lord.
I am the resurrection and thelife, he that believeth me
through.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
he were dead, yet shall he live, Hear the word of
the Lord On this mountain.
He will destroy the shroud thatenfolds all peoples, the sheet
that covers all nations.
He will swallow up deathforever.
The sovereign Lord will wipeaway the tears from all faces.
In that day they will saySurely, this is our God.
We trusted in him and he savedus.
(07:19):
This is the Lord.
We trusted in him.
Let us rejoice and be glad inhis salvation.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Hear the word of the Lord.
Praise be to God and the Fatherof our Lord, Jesus Christ.
In his great mercy.
He has given us new birth intoa living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christfrom the dead.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Hear the word of the Lord.
I am the living one.
I was dead and now, look, look,I am alive forever and ever,
and I hold the keys of death andHades.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Crush this age-old darkness, o Christ, in the
winepress of your everlastinglight.
Trample this old darkness andfrom it draw the wine of
everlasting life.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Abend.
All works of death.
Make all things new, make allthings right.
You have made all things well.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
You have made all things well.
You have made all things well.
You have made all things well.
O Christ, he is risen.
He is risen indeed.
Thank you, ladies.
We are grateful again that youare with us this morning.
Grateful again that you arewith us this morning.
(08:46):
Oh, what joy to be in God'shouse with you, to be
remembering, to be reminded oftruth.
We are so grateful that you arehere with us in person.
For those of you who are withus online, we're grateful for
your participation and for yourremembering as well.
As we read the stories thismorning, I remind you that there
are four different accounts ofthe resurrection in the Gospels,
(09:08):
and this morning we'll bereading two.
I encourage you to read theother ones just to see what
another perspective would havebeen like.
And so this morning, I am sograteful again that we can
gather together, that we canhear the word of the Lord and
that we can remember this is theday the Lord has made.
We will rejoice and be glad init.
(09:31):
This is the good news.
The good good news I want toread to us for a moment from
Revelation.
And there was another angel witha golden incense burner that
came and stood at the altar anda great amount of incense was
given to him to mix with theprayers of God's people as an
(09:53):
offering on the golden altarbefore the throne, and the smoke
of the incense, mixed with theprayers of God's holy people,
ascended to God from the altarwhere the angel poured them out.
There is such a hope in ourremembering that our prayers,
that our desires matter and theymatter to God, that the prayers
(10:14):
that we pray are joined withthe prayers of the ancients, are
joined with the prayers ofthose who have gone on before us
.
We stand amidst a cloud ofwitnesses, and so this morning,
in God's house, we remind youthat you do not stand here alone
.
You stand here with those whohave loved you and who remind
(10:34):
you this morning.
This is your place.
You belong in the house of God,you belong in the family of God
.
You are worthy to be at thetable.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Well, we just welcome everyone here today.
Happy Easter.
The folks that are online,welcome, and thank you for
coming and being a part of thechurch service.
It's nice to see our family gettogether.
You know, on on these holidaysand stuff, uh, we we tend to uh,
uh, see some folks that maybewe're just or watching online or
(11:08):
or maybe live in other statesor whatever.
So, welcome to all of you anduh and uh, it's just good to to
be together with you in thehouse of the Lord.
Thank you for being here today.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
Amen.
Very early on Sunday morningthe women went to the tomb
taking the spices they hadprepared.
Pay attention to love storyhere this morning.
This is one of the best lovestories that you will ever read
or ever hear about.
This is a love story.
That is our love story.
It is the story of God's lovefor the world, but our love,
particularly the love of womenfor Jesus who came and who said,
(11:41):
even though he is physicallygone, love is eternal, beloved,
and we remind you of that, thateven though people are
physically gone from us, theirlove is eternal.
And this morning, for those ofyou who hold the line, who hold
on to hope and to love, that washere and now you cannot see it
anymore.
This is the grace that has beengiven us on this service.
(12:04):
They found the stone that hadbeen rolled away from the
entrance.
Pause there just for a moment.
In another one of the stories,the women are getting ready and
then they say we're all going.
Of course the women were upearly.
I don't know if that saysanything about the men, but I'm
just telling you what the textsays.
The women were up early andthey were busy getting things
ready and they did it out oflove, out of their intention,
(12:28):
out of their rituals, and theybring these things and they say,
not in these ones, but in theother accounts.
Well, we're going to go there,but who will roll the stone away
?
Because they know full wellthere will be an obstacle to do
the things that they want to do.
There is something in the wayfor them to live the way they
want to live and they askthemselves, well, who's gonna
(12:49):
roll the stone away so that wecan love the way that we know
how to love?
Speaker 4 (12:53):
and I think that's the beautiful part and the
takeaway for us is that there isin all of our lives a stone,
there's something that is toolarge for us to move.
But can we see here in thistext and extrapolate that truth,
that when there is an obstaclebetween you and Jesus, god will
move it?
Amen.
(13:13):
Amen, and so that's the thingthat I can remind myself.
Sometimes I have to remindmyself, but I can't trust that
Amen.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
They found the stone had been rolled away from the
entrance, so they went in, butthey didn't find the body of the
Lord Jesus.
And they stood there puzzledand two men suddenly appeared to
them clothed in dazzling robes,and the women were terrified
and they bowed with their facesto the ground.
And the men asked why are youlooking among the dead for
(13:41):
someone who is alive?
He is not here.
He is risen from the dead.
Remember what he told you backin Galilee that the son of man
must be betrayed into the handsof sinful men and be crucified
and that he would rise again onthe third day.
And then they remembered thathe said this.
So they rushed back from thetomb to tell the 11 disciples
(14:04):
and everyone else what hadhappened.
And it was Mary Magdalene,joanna, mary, the mother of
James, and several other womenwho told the apostles what had
happened, but the story soundedlike nonsense to the men, so
they didn't believe it.
However, peter jumped up andran to the tomb to look and,
stooping in, he peered and sawthe empty linen wrappings and he
(14:27):
went home again, wondering whathad happened.
There's so much to talk about inthis particular story.
There's two things I want totalk about the church and kind
of what this tells us, and it'sa beautiful pattern for us on
why we gather together toremember because, beloved,
sometimes we forget what ourJesus told us.
These people had been told byChrist don't worry about this, I
(14:51):
am coming back.
And then, when it actuallyhappened, they totally forgot
about what he said and they werestuck in their grief and they
needed each other to come andremind them.
Remember the words of Christ,remember what it looked like
when he was among us, and sothis morning I remind you this
is the hope.
Remember the words of Christ.
Remember the voice that youheard deep within yourself that
(15:13):
told you that you are loved.
Remember the voice that callsyour name.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
You know, know, there's two things in this
passage of scripture that standout to me.
One is in verse five, where itsays why do you look for the
living among the dead?
You know, that's a profoundtruth to uh, to our life, that
oftentimes we're looking forthings to satisfy us.
I don't know if you've ever gotcaught in a scrolling trap
(15:45):
where you're looking for thatnext endorphin hit.
So you scroll to the next thingon the phone and you look up
and realize that you're two tothree hours in on this thing.
Anyone ever had that happen.
Why are you looking for theliving among the dead?
Anyone ever had that happen.
Why are you looking for theliving among the dead?
You know, my friend said onetime he did it and he scrolled
(16:05):
to the end of the internet.
I don't think that happened, butI will tell you that there is
no life there.
Every time I do it, I look andregret the time that I've wasted
, and every time that I'velooked everywhere else for joy
and satisfaction.
(16:25):
In times past I've you knowit's been a failure to me.
Why do we continue?
And we do look for the livingamong the dead, and so it
reminds us.
You know in all these placesthat we're convinced we need to
find happiness.
Just remember that it's in thatrelationship with God and it's
(16:49):
coming and being part of achurch family like this, where
we can share the truth and wecan inspire one another.
And where can I find people oflike faith and people who are
alive in christ unless I comeamong the living?
Amen, and so it's good to bearound now.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Some of you, uh, don't seem all that living and
while it was yet early I thinkthat's the key for all of us
it's early.
You haven't had a lot of coffeeyet, or a lot of resurrection
yet, so we speak that truth overyou.
But why do we look for theliving among the uncaffeinated?
Speaker 4 (17:20):
haven't had a lot of coffee yet or a lot of
resurrection yet.
So we speak that truth over you.
But why do we look for theliving among the uncaffeinated?
Speaker 1 (17:30):
No, that's not it.
That's not what it says.
Christ is risen, and maybecaffeine will help us in those
kind of ways too.
Perhaps not, but here is thehope for all of us.
Maybe we should think aboutthat for a moment the next time
we go to something and we find adisappointment.
Maybe we should look and go.
Was I looking for the livingamong this thing that is dead?
Christ is alive within us.
Christ is given to us as notonly a pattern, but the spirit
(17:51):
of Christ alive inside of eachone of us.
There is a hope for us thismorning to remember this
resurrection story.
Speaker 4 (17:59):
Amen, and I said, there was two things that really
stood out to me.
And the second thing I wantedto speak to briefly is the idea
that the women came and sharedwith the disciples what had
happened, and they didn'tbelieve them.
They thought it was a load ofmalarkey.
I think if that's a thing, Idon't know.
If that's a thing I don't know.
But people oftentimes ask meyou know, pastor Dennis, you've
(18:24):
had.
You and Heather have had 34years of marriage.
How is it possible With thesame person?
Because I had a friend in 57years of marriage, but it was
with 13 different women.
That's a true story.
And he asked me if I wanted himto speak on marriage and I said
(18:45):
no.
But if we do a seminar ondivorce, you'll be the first one
I'll call.
But for Heather and I this mightsound old-fashioned, but
Heather and I decided in thevery beginning that we would
divide up the responsibilities,that all you know.
(19:05):
Major decisions would be madeby me but all minor decisions
would be made by her.
And in 34 years there's neverbeen a major decision.
There's never been a majordecision.
That's it.
No, I just but I do want to inall sincerity say that because I
(19:26):
try to do like the disciplesand said it is true.
What the women have said is true.
I believe that manyrelationships in effect you can
back it up with science by theGottman Institute but
relationships have a 90% failurerate when the man is unwilling
to listen to reason from hisspouse.
(19:49):
Some of you are shaking yourheads in sorrow, but I got to
tell you that we're gifted withour partners and you don't have
to worry women, because us menwill tell you how gifted you are
.
But it's the men that need towake up and realize the gift
(20:09):
that we have and that's beensuch a salvation for Heather and
I in our relationship is for me, as bullheaded as I am to go
now.
Now listen, the Holy Spiritlives on the inside of my wife,
so I better listen to what Godis saying and uh and really
trust uh that, and I think it'sa problem in the church in in
(20:32):
America, and it's not, I noticedas I went over to Europe.
It's, uh, it's not uncommon thatthe entire church be staffed by
women pastors.
Although it's uncommon here inAmerica, it's not worldwide.
Dr Cho has the largest churchin the world.
I think 85% of his pastors arewomen and there's tens of
(20:57):
thousands of pastors in thatchurch and there's tens of
thousands of pastors in thatchurch and I think other people
realize what we've missed out isthe wonderful gift and godly
input that we have when we worktogether as teams of men and
women that surrender our giftsand talents to God.
Amen, amen.
This is a beautiful.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
I didn't get too big of an amen they're thinking
about it.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
This is a beautiful.
I didn't get too big on amen,they're thinking about it.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
This is a beautiful invitation.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
Help me.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Jesus.
This is a beautiful invitationalso to remember that if
somebody says something that isdifficult for you to believe,
you're welcomed among theresurrected, because this story
is a little preposterous andthere are things that when
people tell us seem preposterouslike.
And there are things that, whenpeople tell us seem
preposterous like, your sins areforgiven.
(21:44):
There is nothing that separatesyou from God.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
Sounds a little preposterous.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I felt a separation this morning.
That's okay, beloved, yourdoubt is welcomed, your
questions are welcomed.
This is an invitation toquestion everything.
Do I even know what death is?
Do I even know what life is?
This is an invitation into more.
And so, as we listen to this, Iwant you to hear Mary's good
news.
(22:10):
And she begins to tell us inthe next part too and I love
this I have seen the Lord.
She begins to tell what she hasexperienced and what the beauty
of this story is.
Tells us listen.
If you can't believe it, get upand go to the tomb.
If what someone tells you istoo good to believe, find your
way to God and ask God yourself.
There is no separation betweenyou and God.
(22:31):
There is nothing that canseparate you from the love of
Christ.
That is the good news, beloved.
Here is the good news of faithI read to you from first
Corinthians and if our hope inChrist is only for this life,
then we are more to be pitiedthan anyone in the world.
But in fact, christ has beenraised from the dead.
He is the first of greatharvest over all who have died.
(22:54):
So you see, just as death cameinto the world through a man.
Now the resurrection from thedeath had begun through another
man.
Just as everyone dies becausewe all belong to Adam, everyone
who belongs to Christ will begiven new life.
But there is an order to thisresurrection.
Christ was raised at the firstof the harvest, and all who
(23:15):
belong to Christ will be raisedwhen he comes back, and after
that the end will come and hewill turn the kingdom over to
God the harvest.
Then, all who belong to Christwill be raised when he comes
back, and after that the endwill come and he will turn the
kingdom over to God the Father,having destroyed every ruler,
authority and power.
For Christ must reign until hehumbles all his enemies beneath
his feet, and the last enemy tobe destroyed is death.
(23:37):
From John's account early Sundaymorning, while it was still
dark, mary Magdalene came to thetomb and found that the stone
had been rolled away from theentrance.
In this particular account,mary comes by herself and she
comes out of love.
She comes because she has aconnection and she knows that
(23:57):
even death does not mar thatconnection.
She ran and she found SimonPeter and the other disciple,
the one whom Jesus loved, andshe said they have taken the
Lord's body out of the tomb andwe do not know where they have
put him.
And Peter and the otherdisciples started out for the
tomb and they were both runningand the other disciple outran
(24:18):
Peter and reached the tomb first.
I remind you of the author, whois the one who is apparently a
better at a foot race.
He is young and he is a runnerand he is reminding us.
But I want to ask you maybeit's not about a foot race,
maybe it is something more.
Peter has denied Jesus.
(24:40):
Peter has denied Jesus so manytimes that I cannot imagine the
shame and the guilt that he mustlive with.
He is in the company of otherbelievers, but he knows what he
has done and what I see in thisstory is such an act of
incredible beauty.
His friend is bringing him withus let's see, let's see.
(25:00):
And his friend will not go inand see unless Peter is there
with him.
Beloved, this is what communitylooks like that we give each
other an opportunity to find thelove of Christ, to find this
hope, to find each other and sayI'll wait for you before we go
(25:21):
into the tomb.
I'll wait for you because it'simportant.
We know together that Christ ishere among us.
We pause here for a moment tothank you for joining us today.
If you're finding this episodemeaningful, would you take a
moment to share it with a friend?
This podcast is made possiblethanks to the generosity of
(25:43):
people just like you.
If you would like to supportthe ongoing work of First Love
Church and the continued work ofour podcast, visit us online at
firstlovechurchorg, remindingyou to like, follow and
subscribe.
She found Simon Peter and theother disciple the one who Jesus
loved and she said they havetaken the Lord's body out of the
(26:07):
tomb and we don't know wherethey've put him.
And Peter and the other disciplestarted out for the tomb.
They were both running, but theother disciple outran Peter and
reached the tomb.
First he stopped and looked inand saw the linen wrappings
lying there, but he didn't go in.
And then Simon Peter arrivedand went inside and he also
noticed the linen wrappingslying there and while the cloth
(26:27):
that had covered Jesus's headwas folded up and lying apart
from the other wrappings, thenthe disciple who reached the
tomb first went in and saw andbelieved, for until then, then
they hadn't understood thescriptures that said Jesus must
rise from the dead.
And then they went home andMary was still standing outside
(26:49):
the tomb crying and as she wentshe stooped and looked in.
In other accounts of this thistomb is in a garden.
Accounts of this this tomb isin a garden and Mary is there in
the garden.
And there is such a hope inthis retelling of the Genesis
story.
Mary reminds us that she is Eveand that she comes to this
(27:10):
garden, that she knows what sheis looking for, this beautiful
story redeemed, that Eve standsin love with the Christ, with
God, and that the hope of thespirit that we are being called
as women and as men, not just tohold the line for grief, but to
hold the line and rememberthere is a promise of
(27:31):
resurrection coming.
There is a promise ofresurrection.
Can you go to the next slide?
We're gonna leave at 10.
Mary was standing outside thetomb crying and as she wept, she
(27:52):
stooped and looked in and shesaw two white robed angels, one
sitting at the head and theother at the foot of the place
where the body of Jesus had beenlying.
Dear woman, why are you crying?
I believe when we meet thepresence of love, love knows
(28:14):
that we are in pain.
Sometimes we have been told that, in order to be a part of
belonging or a part of a personof faith, that you have to
ignore your grief and beloved.
You do not cry as much as youneed to allow those to be
prayers, to be tears, allow thegrief to be holy and listen to
(28:37):
an angel who does not scoff butsays why are you crying?
Not because you should rush on,but tell me about it.
Tell me about it, tell me aboutthe pain, tell me about what
you lost, tell me about what youhoped for, because they have
taken away my Lord.
She replied, and I don't knowwhere they have put him.
(28:58):
So she turned to leave and shesaw someone standing there and
it was Jesus, but she did notrecognize him.
And this is the part thatshimmers to me this morning.
Beloved, how often is Jesusright next to us and we do not
recognize him?
How often in your life do youfeel alone and the Christ is
(29:21):
right there with you, in you,and yet you have determined that
you are there alone, and yetthere is the voice of your
beloved, there is the christwith you.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
You are never alone you know, I think the the hope
of easter for us as believers isresurrection.
His new life is awakening and,uh, and I would ask that, that
we would uh, uh, ask god to helpus in in this kind of
revelation and this kind ofawakening.
(29:52):
Awaken me to realize where,where you are in the middle of
what I'm going through becauseyou're here, but, but my eyes
need to be opened to, becauseright now I just feel like I'm
abandoned, I'm forgotten, andthat's not true.
Uh, that's the the, the thingthat, uh, my illusion tells me.
(30:12):
You know, my ego tells me.
But if I can open my eyes andreally see what spirit's doing,
I can realize that there's apurpose for this.
And I know that in my past lifethere's things that I went
through that were very difficultat that time.
But if I can be honest now,looking back, that had I not
gone through it, I wouldn't beable to speak with the authority
(30:35):
that I speak and share with myfamily and my children in my own
life, have confidence, and so,in that, I'm grateful that I
went through it, although it wasso painful and uh, but that
only happens when the Spirit ofGod lets us be awakened, and I
think that for a large portionof my life, I was asleep in the
(30:56):
fact that I was chasing mycareer, I was getting up in the
morning and doing what I neededto do, and I had my hobbies and
my interests, but all that stuffwas a life that was outside of
an awareness of what God wantedto do or what my spirit actually
(31:21):
needed, and so, in a way, I wasa zombie, I was the walking
dead.
I had this stuff going on, butthere wasn't an awakening in me
spiritually.
Now I don't know if anyone canrelate to that because of things
(31:42):
in the past, or if anybodypotentially is asleep right now.
And I'm nudging them, but Iknow, for me, when you nudge me
in the morning, I start swingingmy arms Go away, I'm
comfortable, I want to be leftalone, I'm sleepy, but I set the
(32:06):
alarm, or I asked you to wakeme, because there are things
that I need to do and I can onlydo them when I'm awake.
So I need to rise up.
Oh, you sleeper, you know, andthat's to me.
I mean, I love the promise ofthe resurrection and the life to
come, but what happens todayfor me?
To me, I mean, I love thepromise of the resurrection and
the life to come.
(32:26):
But what happens today for me,because of this truth, because
of the knowledge of Christ'sresurrection, that I can be
awakened today, that I can beresurrected from my slumber,
that I can get out of thatzombified state and actually
walk in a relationship, isanybody hearing what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
The promise of resurrection is not what I'm
saying.
The promise of resurrection isnot just for another life.
The promise of resurrection isfor this life, and I will tell
you two paths to this life.
That is there.
It is the death of ego'scontrol and it is resurrection
by the spirit.
And if you will take those twosteps, I believe that there is
such an ushering of the Spiritthat allows us to say resurrect
(33:14):
in me hope, I give up cynicismand resurrect in me the hope of
Christ.
There is for us a call, anawakening.
I read to you from an Easterhomily from the 7th century.
I know that you were all hopingthat I would, but I often go
back and read very, very ancienttexts, and one of the reasons I
do that is because I enjoy it.
But also also the prophetJeremiah said this stop and ask
(33:38):
for the ancient paths, ask wherethe good ways are.
Follow those roads and you willfind rest for your soul.
Beloved.
There is rest in reestablishingthe ancient paths, in reminding
ourselves of this.
So I go back because I remindyou that we have an ancient
faith, that this is a faith thatis given to us from the church,
(33:59):
from the witnesses, from thewomen who said I have seen the
Lord.
There is another way of living,beloved Jesus, and the love of
Jesus should radicalize you.
You should think other thoughts.
You should allow yourself to beresurrected because the love of
Christ has so radicalized us.
This is the Jesus movement, Iremind you, from the first time
(34:21):
after Jesus died until aroundthe fourth century, declaring
that you were a Jesus followerwas asking for execution, and so
this invitation into thisradical life.
You must ask yourself thisquestion what kind of love did
Jesus have that religion andempires were threatened by it?
What kind of love do we havewithin us to be able to be
(34:44):
spilled out on the world thatevil would be threatened by our
love?
And there is a hope for us inopening our thoughts, in
allowing the Holy Spirit to giveus a new way of thinking, to
give us a new hope, and this itwas in particular for Holy
Saturday, for the harrowing ofdeath.
(35:05):
There are such, there are somany beautiful, beautiful,
hopeful things here, but I wantto read just this one.
This was from Epiphanius andagain the 7th century, and this
is a dialogue that thisparticular priest said went on
between Christ and Adam Christhas entered Sheol.
The Lord himself enters amongthem, burying his conquering
(35:29):
cross, and he takes beloved Adamby the hand and says rise up,
you who sleep, and Christ willenlighten you.
I am your God, but because ofyou I became your son and
because of you, all those whodescend from you, I now speak
with the authoritative commandto the prisoners depart.
To those in darkness, beenlightened.
(35:52):
To those who are asleep, awaken.
I command you, adam, wake up.
Awake, thou that sleepest.
I did not create you for this,that you would remain dead.
Arise in my likeness, made inmy very own image.
Arise and let us leave thisplace, for you are in me and I
(36:14):
am in you, and we are oneBeloved.
This is the hope of all of usIn John, chapter 17,.
This is what Jesus prays Lord,make us one.
The promise of resurrection isthat we can live differently.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
You know, and I'd like to talk for a minute
Heather mentioned somethingabout the ego and I, just you
know, I want to remind us of thesimple truths.
I I love that about our churchis that we're going to talk
probably this week we did lastweek and probably next week
about the love of god all theweeks.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
We're just going to keep talking about it.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Just all the weeks you know, and, and it's the
simple things.
But it never gets old becauseit's so transformative and it's
and it's who god is.
It's not just an attribute.
God literally is love.
So how much more importantwould it be that a church talk
about god?
Speaker 1 (37:08):
yes, if you're a church and all you know, but?
Speaker 4 (37:11):
but we're talking about the ego and Heather, just
read a story that reminds us ofthe scripture, where Jesus prays
that we would be one with God,the way Jesus and the Father are
one, and I want you tounderstand the simple truth.
That's what this is all about.
(37:31):
Yes, simple truth, that's whatthis is all about.
Yes, your draw from the time youwere a little child to
spiritual things, the senseinside of you that certain
spiritual practices and Ishouldn't say spiritual, certain
religious practices were funkyCan we use that word?
Not funky like James Brown,funky like we need to throw that
(37:52):
fish away it's been in thefridge too long.
Funky Because James Brown good,rotten fish bad.
But as a small child we knewsome of us.
You know, and you can call onthat.
What was that drawing?
What was that desire?
There's always been a desirefor you and I to be one with God
, but there's always been anopposition within you, and it is
(38:14):
your ego.
And it's the desire to be onewith God.
But there's always been anopposition within you, and it is
your ego and it's the desire tobe noticed, to be special, to
be different.
And that's been the war sincethe time we drew our first
breath.
And it will be the battle untilwe're when that scripture is
(38:37):
fulfilled, that you're one.
But it's not something that wegive up on, it's something that
we allow our hearts to surrenderon the side of unity, of
oneness, of my way or thehighway.
You know those people.
They're so hard to get alongwith because their ego's
(38:57):
screaming so high.
It's about me, it's all aboutme.
And the truth is, christ laiddown his life.
You know, I had an experience.
I'll try to share it shortly.
But I was in Wales and a mansaid to me do you want to go to
an ancient forest?
Do you want to go to the oldestforest in all of Wales?
Yeah, give me the directions.
(39:20):
And he pulled out my phone andhe did the blow up on the map
and he put a pin.
He said you'll park right hereby this bar it's named this and
go in and have a pint if youwant.
They were closed, but we parkedthere and we started to walk
and I went up and I thought I'mgoing to go up in an ancient
forest and I know that I'm goingto meet God up in this ancient
forest.
(39:40):
And so I I went up there andand I'm hustling along and I'm
climbing and I'm gettingexhausted and God's nowhere to
be found and all of a sudden, atone point I felt like I should
take my shoes off.
So I'm up in the forest and Itook my and this is a huge
commitment because I've gotthose shoes with the laces that
go all the way up.
They're hiking boots and I tookthem off and I sat there and I
(40:04):
thought, well, what's going tohappen, you know, is a burning
bush going to happen?
I mean, the last time I readabout this and it was just an
opportunity, I think God had meto slow down and stop.
And I looked over and I feltlike God said I want you to
learn from that tree that'sright next to me.
And I thought, oh no, I'm aboutto get kicked out of the church
(40:26):
.
You know the Christians, justthey seem to hate tree huggers
and all this.
And now you got me talking tothe tree, lord, what's going on
all this?
And now you got me talking tothe tree, lord, what's going on?
And I looked at that tree and Iand I felt like the spirit lord
said what do you see?
And when I looked at that tree,I saw moss growing all up
around the tree.
(40:46):
You couldn't even see the bark.
There was so much moss.
And where there wasn't moss,there was vines wrapped around
the tree.
And where there wasn't plantsand ferns growing off of the
tree and vines and moss, therewere birds and animals just
climbing throughout this wholetree.
And the Lord said do you see thetree?
(41:07):
And I said not really.
I said all I can see is thelife around the tree that it's
supporting.
And the Lord said now you'regetting it, now you're starting
to understand.
You want to be a beautiful treethat everybody looks at.
I want you to be the kind oftree that disappears because of
(41:34):
the life that it supports.
I never, ever in my life, saw amore clear vision and
understanding of the differencebetween my ego and oneness with
God and surrender.
Where do we look foropportunities to lay down our
(41:57):
lives Like Christ, who is ourexample?
But we're looking for places tobe noticed and to be seen and
to show up and show off andincrease in gain.
And all the increase in gain isgreat when it comes through you
, to other people.
And all of that growth and allthat strength is amazing when
it's used to increase the lifeof those things that are around
(42:24):
us.
Will we allow oneness or wewill continue to kick and fight
to be special when?
How amazing is it is that?
And how special is it that youwere called, that you were
chosen to be a part of acommunity, of a collective, of a
(42:49):
family, because all thatgreatness is you alone, and when
the end comes, all that mattersis our unity, our family, our
oneness with each other.
I don't know, heather.
(43:11):
I think they're starting toturn on me.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
She turned to leave and saw someone standing there.
It was Jesus, but she didn'trecognize him.
Dear woman, why are you crying?
Jesus asked her who are youlooking for?
And she thought it was thegardener Sir.
She said if you have taken himaway, tell me where you have put
him and I will go and get him.
(43:33):
Mary, jesus said.
And she turned to him and criedout Rabboni, which is Hebrew
for teacher.
This is when she recognizes theChrist, when she hears him call
her name.
Beloved, listen for love callingyour name.
(43:56):
If you're confused, if youdoubt, if you do not know if the
stories are true, listen forlove calling your name.
Do not cling to me, jesus said,for I have not yet ascended to
the father, but go and find mybrothers and tell them I am
ascending to my father and yourfather to my God and your God.
(44:20):
God is making a proclamationhere, through Christ, to you and
to me today.
This is the oneness that we arespeaking of.
God is saying he's not only myGod, he's your God, he's our God
.
This is the hope that familyhas been restored, that there is
an awakening and a spiritualresurrection of our thoughts, of
our intentions.
(44:41):
And Mary Magdalene found thedisciples and told them I have
seen the Lord.
And then she gave them hismessage.
What an incredible, beautifulhope for us, beloved.
Where have you seen love?
Where have you seen the lord?
And the invitation is for us totrust the voice inside of us
(45:02):
that tells us that we are loved,that we are welcomed into the
family, that god is with usalways, that love is a reason
for hope, that death does nothave the final word, that love
is eternal.
Beloved, you can trust love.
You can trust love.
Love becomes our anchor, thislove that is eternal, and it
(45:26):
draws us to look, and I lovethis portion of the scripture
where Jesus says to her don'tcling to this form.
Yet there is an expansion thatis offered to us by the holy
spirit.
Allow christ to be renewed, tobe ascended with you, and for
god to invite you back into theunderstanding and awareness that
(45:46):
you are never apart from him,that god is with you always,
that you are always loved youknow, know, I was standing there
, sitting there on the side ofthat ancient forest, crying with
my shoes off, and it's cold.
Speaker 4 (46:04):
I'm like how am I even going to put my shoes back
on?
And I felt like you learn tojust walk down the mountain
without your shoes on.
I'm like I am a tenderfoot, Ican't even walk outside right
now.
Step on a rock and just lightme up.
I'm now I'm all the way up onthis mountain and I feel like
the Lord tells me to walk down.
And so I did.
I threw my tie to my shoestrings together and threw them
(46:27):
on my shoulder and I walked downbarefooted.
And I got to tell you that Iwalked so careful.
Every step was methodic.
My way up that mountain I wasrunning and I was just hiking,
but on the way down I was verycareful at every step and I was
slow.
It took me 15 minutes to get upthere, 45 minutes to get back
(46:48):
down.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
And that's with gravity.
Speaker 4 (46:51):
And I got to tell you that every step, I saw the most
beautiful things.
And I got to tell you thatevery step I saw the most
beautiful things, and it was aslower walk but it was much more
beautiful Because it was withintention.
It was awake to the fact thatif I step in the wrong place,
and I was so aware of theimportance of what each step
(47:14):
meant, you know, and I thinkthat there's a place for us, and
I hope so aware of theimportance of what each step
meant, and I think that there'sa place for us, and I hope that
you don't just hear anotherresurrection story.
And yes, he's risen, he's risenindeed.
But if all we do is put that inour cap as something to
remember that one day is goingto happen to you, then you miss
what could be happening in yourlife.
(47:34):
Right now.
There is a power ofresurrection.
There is a power in awakening.
There's a power in surrenderingto unity and oneness.
There's a tremendous working ofthe Holy Spirit in our families
.
When we stop trying to be thecenter of all, you know how many
, many, how much resources areconsumed by our oneness and how
(47:58):
welcome come on in and uh andand how important that is to uh
to us and how troublesome it isfor everyone around us.
Speaker 1 (48:11):
Help us, lord I invite you this morning to just
to consider what it would havebeen like and maybe you can
already know this to be confusedabout something, to have
thought things were going to goone way and then find out
they've gone another.
I offer, I offer a blessingthis morning, blessing from the
(48:41):
Magdalene.
Would you close your eyes thismorning as I speak over you?
This blessing, I ask right now.
The Holy Spirit would be amongus and in us and around us, and
I trust that love reminds youthat you are safe in the house
(49:03):
of God.
You hardly imagine standinghere.
Everything you ever lovedsuddenly returned to you,
looking you in the eye andcalling you by name.
And now you do not know how toabide this ache in the center of
your chest, where a door slamsshut and swings open at the same
(49:24):
time.
Turning on the hinge of youraching and yet hopeful heart, I
tell you this is not banishmentfrom the garden, this is an
invitation, a choice, athreshold, a gate.
This is your life, calling toyou from a place you could never
(49:44):
have dreamed, but now that youhave glimpsed its edge, you
cannot imagine choosing anyother way.
So let the tears come asanointing as consecration and
let them go and let thisblessing gather itself around
you, let it give you what youneed for this journey, and you
(50:09):
will not remember the words,because they do not matter.
All you need to remember is howit sounded when you stood in
the place of death and you heardthe living call your name.
We hope you've enjoyed thisweek's sermon.
If you would like moreinformation about us, visit us
(50:29):
online at firstlovechurchorg.
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