Sunday Recap from Easter 2018, Big Picture Question: How does waiting increase our love of God and others?

Sunday Recap from Easter 2018, Big Picture Question: How does waiting increase our love of God and others?

Easter 2018, Evident Grace Fellowship looked at Mark 16:1-16:

Mark 16:1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  9 Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

12 After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. 14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.

15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

We answered this Big Picture Question from those verses:

How does waiting increase our love of God and others?

We found these 3 answers to our Big Picture Question:

  • Waiting Fuels Worship
  • Waiting Fuels Community
  • Waiting Fuels Mission

Waiting Fuels Worship

Mark 16:1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  9 Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

Mary, Mary, and Salome go to visit Jesus’ tomb.  Can you imagine what was going on in their minds?  They knew Jesus’ promises of resurrection on the third day, but they brought spices just in case.  They hoped to see Him alive, but just in case, they brought spices to preserve His body.  Thankfully, the angel tells them that He is risen, and a few moments after that, Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene.

We are just like them.  We gather to worship Jesus.  We have hopes that Jesus’ promises are true.  We hope to meet Him intimately.  We hope to worship Him.  But we fear.  We doubt.  The first act of worship going forward to meet Him.

Waiting Fuels Community

12 After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.  14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen

The disciples wait for Jesus.  They’ve been waiting for 3 days.  They’ve eaten, they’ve hidden, they wondered.  And they have doubted.  However, Jesus shows up to assure them that He is alive.  That is the essence of Godly communities.  We wait for God together.  We may doubt.  We may fear.  But we wait in faith for Jesus.

Waiting Fuels Service

15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Once the people are sure that Jesus is alive, He gives them a mission to go into all the world and tell them about His resurrection.  We believe because of their faithfulness.

So, now we wait.  We wait for Jesus to return, and when He returns it will be as…

Revelation 22: 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Big Picture Question:  How does waiting increase our love of God and others?

Truth:  Our waiting for the outworking and fulfillment of Jesus’ work and mission fuels our worship, community, and service.

Application:  Live knowing that Jesus grows our faith by creating a persevering love within the church as we worship and serve together.

Action:  Pray for the faith to show grace to someone struggling this week.   

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