Episode 1: “Hope for a New Beginning”
What an awesome day we had Easter Sunday. The house was full of excitement and energy. Thank you to all who were responsible for bringing guests. We hope that everyone was uplifted, encouraged and inspired through our worship experience. We began our new series taken from the NBC series, “A.D.”. Today’s blog post will include insights from this week's episode.
What an awesome day we had Easter Sunday. The house was full of excitement and energy. Thank you to all who were responsible for bringing guests. We hope that everyone was uplifted, encouraged and inspired through our worship experience. We began our new series taken from the NBC series, “A.D.”. Today’s blog post will include insights from this week's episode.
CAIAPHAS: Joseph Caiaphas was a Jewish High Priest, serving for most of Jesus’ adult life. He was a part of the trial of Christ and the plot to have him killed. According to Josephus, Caiaphas was appointed in AD 18 by the Roman prefect who preceded Pontius Pilate, Valerius Gratus. Joseph was the son-in-law of Annas (also called Ananus) the son of Seth.
JOSEPH of Arimathea: According to Mark 15:43, this Joseph was an "honorable counselor, a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin. Matthew 27:57 described this Joseph as a rich man and disciple of Jesus. According to John 19:38, upon hearing of Jesus' death, this secret disciple of Jesus, "went in boldly unto Pilate, and requested the body of Jesus”. He provided his own personal tomb to Jesus at the time of his death on the cross.
PONTIOUS PILATE: Pilate was the 5th Roman governor of Judea. He presided at the trial of Jesus and gave the order for His crucifixion. In all four gospel accounts, Pilate lobbies for Jesus to be spared his fate of execution, and reluctantly allows it only when the crowd refused to relent. In the Gospel of Matthew, Pilate washes his hands to show that he was not responsible for the execution of Jesus and reluctantly sends him to his death. The Gospel of Mark, depicting Jesus as innocent of plotting against the Roman Empire, portrays Pilate as reluctant to execute Jesus.
JOSEPH of Arimathea: According to Mark 15:43, this Joseph was an "honorable counselor, a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin. Matthew 27:57 described this Joseph as a rich man and disciple of Jesus. According to John 19:38, upon hearing of Jesus' death, this secret disciple of Jesus, "went in boldly unto Pilate, and requested the body of Jesus”. He provided his own personal tomb to Jesus at the time of his death on the cross.
PONTIOUS PILATE: Pilate was the 5th Roman governor of Judea. He presided at the trial of Jesus and gave the order for His crucifixion. In all four gospel accounts, Pilate lobbies for Jesus to be spared his fate of execution, and reluctantly allows it only when the crowd refused to relent. In the Gospel of Matthew, Pilate washes his hands to show that he was not responsible for the execution of Jesus and reluctantly sends him to his death. The Gospel of Mark, depicting Jesus as innocent of plotting against the Roman Empire, portrays Pilate as reluctant to execute Jesus.
Have you ever faced a life altering circumstance that left you feeling hopeless, defeated, useless, afraid or un-loved? Maybe it was after you heard something like, “It’s cancer…”, “I’m not in love with you anymore…, “Your job is being cut….”, “There’s nothing else we can do…”, “We are sorry but it has come to this…”.
At some time or another, most of us have been, if not in, at least close to, one these places. We try most of our lives to avoid having to face these very things, but if you have faced this, then you can relate to where Jesus’ followers were in this Bible account. Everything they had given themselves to, at least for the past three years of their lives, are now at a totally complete standstill.
At this place in their lives, where do they go? What do they do now? Was he really the Messiah? What about the miracles? If he was Deity, then why did He allow all of the abuse and pain? Total devastation had to rest on each of His close followers. Was it all over now? Was this the end? Or was it?
At some time or another, most of us have been, if not in, at least close to, one these places. We try most of our lives to avoid having to face these very things, but if you have faced this, then you can relate to where Jesus’ followers were in this Bible account. Everything they had given themselves to, at least for the past three years of their lives, are now at a totally complete standstill.
At this place in their lives, where do they go? What do they do now? Was he really the Messiah? What about the miracles? If he was Deity, then why did He allow all of the abuse and pain? Total devastation had to rest on each of His close followers. Was it all over now? Was this the end? Or was it?
Some scholars believe that the book of Acts was actually written in conjunction with the book of Luke, that they were both originally one book. Nevertheless these books are stories of the beginnings of the New Testament church and the followers of Christ.
As we read these accounts we know that what looked like the end was actually the beginning. We know that Jesus tried to prepare them by teaching them that this would happen, but they would have never really been prepared for what they encountered.
In the life of Peter:
Peter was one of the original twelve disciples. Jesus gave him his name which means “Rock”. Some of you thought that Dwayne Johnson, the professional wrestler was the first “Rock.” Peter could have been a professional wrestler, he usually acted first and thought second. He had a gift of putting his foot into his own mouth at times also. Never the less, he witnessed many unbelievable things being with Jesus. He actually heard God speak in Matthew 17:5 as he witnessed Jesus being transfigured.Think about the countless miracles he witnessed Jesus do and yet in the face of uncertainty he gave in to denying the very knowledge of knowing Christ. In theses last moments, Peter was alone and in despair, a hurting man.
In the life of Mary Magdalene:
We don’t have many details about this Mary, but we know her life was never the same after meeting Jesus. She has been associated with the prostitute who anointed the feet of Jesus with perfume and dried them with her hair. However there is no evidence that suggests she was a prostitute or the same woman who anointed Jesus. Her life was transformed by her encounter with Christ and she became as close of a follower as the disciples themselves had. She stood by Jesus through the end, watching with Jesus’ mother as he dies on the cross. She even followed them and watched them place Jesus in his tomb. What anger, confusion, doubt and despair must she have felt and the visual she witnessed till the end?
Can you imagine being in the crowd that gave up everything to follow Christ, now not knowing what would happen to them? What about going to the tomb to pay respects only to find that His body was not there. After the crowd had demanded he be killed, and now they are simply wanting to go and mourn His death, only to find what appeared to them that someone has taken his body. But then it happened. In Matthew 28:5-6 an angel appears to them and says, “He is not here! He is risen from the dead, just as He said.” Jesus was alive. Jesus is alive. The cross was only the beginning.
As we read these accounts we know that what looked like the end was actually the beginning. We know that Jesus tried to prepare them by teaching them that this would happen, but they would have never really been prepared for what they encountered.
In the life of Peter:
Peter was one of the original twelve disciples. Jesus gave him his name which means “Rock”. Some of you thought that Dwayne Johnson, the professional wrestler was the first “Rock.” Peter could have been a professional wrestler, he usually acted first and thought second. He had a gift of putting his foot into his own mouth at times also. Never the less, he witnessed many unbelievable things being with Jesus. He actually heard God speak in Matthew 17:5 as he witnessed Jesus being transfigured.Think about the countless miracles he witnessed Jesus do and yet in the face of uncertainty he gave in to denying the very knowledge of knowing Christ. In theses last moments, Peter was alone and in despair, a hurting man.
In the life of Mary Magdalene:
We don’t have many details about this Mary, but we know her life was never the same after meeting Jesus. She has been associated with the prostitute who anointed the feet of Jesus with perfume and dried them with her hair. However there is no evidence that suggests she was a prostitute or the same woman who anointed Jesus. Her life was transformed by her encounter with Christ and she became as close of a follower as the disciples themselves had. She stood by Jesus through the end, watching with Jesus’ mother as he dies on the cross. She even followed them and watched them place Jesus in his tomb. What anger, confusion, doubt and despair must she have felt and the visual she witnessed till the end?
Can you imagine being in the crowd that gave up everything to follow Christ, now not knowing what would happen to them? What about going to the tomb to pay respects only to find that His body was not there. After the crowd had demanded he be killed, and now they are simply wanting to go and mourn His death, only to find what appeared to them that someone has taken his body. But then it happened. In Matthew 28:5-6 an angel appears to them and says, “He is not here! He is risen from the dead, just as He said.” Jesus was alive. Jesus is alive. The cross was only the beginning.
What about you and me? Where do we turn when we face these types of life disasters? How do we handle life altering events that make our emotions scream and our lives go spinning out of control?
- Don’t Deny!
- Trade the Fear!
- Do the Next Thing!
Who do you most identify with in this episode? How would you have responded? What unexpected turns has your life taken? How did you respond? Would you like to respond differently? Do trust and faith in God help you see things clearly? Or are they what you need when you can’t see clearly? What actions or steps help you trust God in the midst of pain, fear, or the unpredictability of life?
Read the following verses and write down what they mean to you. How do they encourage or challenge you?
Psalms 34:18
Proverbs 3:5-6
Isaiah 55:8-9
Hebrews 13:8
Read the following verses and write down what they mean to you. How do they encourage or challenge you?
Psalms 34:18
Proverbs 3:5-6
Isaiah 55:8-9
Hebrews 13:8