Concord Church, Statesville NC

April 24, 2022 at Concord Presbyterian.
concordpreschurch.com
Music and lyrics used by permission from
CCLI License # CSPL086812
One License # A-735433

The Door is locked out of fear. Who are they afraid of? The Religious Authorities? Or is it Jesus? In truth, Easter absorbs both the joy and triumph as well as the fear and disbelief, and is irreducible to just one experience of it. It would be easier if Easter were only the trumpet blasts and Alleluias. Or, it might even be easier if Easter were only fear and disbelief. But Easter is all of this, it holds all of it, even the contradictory emotions, and makes them one.
- In Easter, Jesus is called “Teacher,” “Lord,” and “My God.” What do each of these titles mean? Is he teacher, Lord, and God? What does it mean to my life if he is all of these things?
- Doubt is the pathway to faith. When we doubt, we probe, question, and search. How do you experience doubt?

In the other gospels, Thomas appears only as a name on the list of disciples (Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15). In John, however, Thomas appears not just in a list of disciples but is featured in three stories. Out looking to follow Jesus unto death, out where those who would harm him could find him, Thomas missed Jesus. Thomas’ belief that he could and would follow Jesus unto death is re-cast. His question of how to follow Jesus to where he is going is answered. Following Jesus leads not just to death, but beyond.
- Thomas doesn’t doubt Jesus, he doubts this friends. How does our mistrust of our fellow believers cause us to miss out on Jesus?
- What were they afraid of? Fear didn’t keep two of them from sprinting to the tomb when they heard the body was gone. After the tomb, they returned home. Why were they now locked in a room? Now faced with reality of resurrection, why were they paralyzed?

Peter presents Jesus’ life and resurrections as the renewal of the covenant God made with Jacob. In doing so, Peter reshapes Joel’s original prophecy to show how Jesus fits into the well-known prophecy. Peter never showed a lot of Biblical knowledge, so did he intentionally reinterpret the passage or simply remember it in the way he needed to support his sermon?
- At some point between the time of Peter’s denial of Jesus and when he stood up and preached his first public sermon in this text, Peter got a bit of holy boldness. What could cause that kind of change?
- How do we “misremember” scripture show it says what we want it to say? What do you think is your favorite example of how you might do this?

God At Work by Concord Church, Statesville NC

Easter 2022, April 17, 2022 at Concord Presbyterian.
concordpreschurch.com
Music and lyrics used by permission from
CCLI License # CSPL086812
One License # A-735433

(Almost) Daily Devotion on Romans 6. How can death be good news?

(Almost) Daily Devotion on Zephaniah 3. How does putting our trust in human leaders set us up for failure?

(Almost) Daily Devotion on Genesis 9. When and how do rainbows appear?
concordpreschurch.com
Songs used with Permission from:
bensounds.com

(Almost) Daily Devotion on Psalm 19. If creation is speaking, we can't understand what it says. So how do we learn a lesson from it?
concordpreschurch.com
Songs used with Permission from:
bensounds.com