Shirley Choat

Blog writings by Shirley Choat.

Good Morning Easter Vigil 4-23-11

Written by Shirley Choat

We come to the end of our Lenten Journey

Inspiration and Preparation

Can we rescue at least part of this day to prepare the altars of our hearts as well as the chancels of our churches? As we make last minute adjustments on new suits and dresses and hats, is it possible to adorn our souls and spirits in new beauty?

In many churches Easter services begin shortly after sundown today; some continue all night long and the drama of the first Easter is re-enacted. Dark since Good Friday, the churches spring to light as the candles are lit again and worshipers recall how new life spaked back into the lifeless Form in the borrowed tomb.

"Jesus Lives"

HEARING GOD'S VOICE

"So they (Joseph and Nicodemus) took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews" (John 19:40).

Good Friday is drawing to its close. With the Passover quickly approaching, Pilate orders the legs of the crucified men to be broken so they will die quickly. The legs of the two criminals hanging at Jesus' side are broken. But since Jesus is already dead His side is pierced with a spear instead and out flows blood and water-proof that the King of the Jews is truly dead.

That's when a secret disciple of Jesus steps forward. Joseph of Arimathea is a prominent member of the Jewish high court who did not agree with their decision to put Jesus to death. He boldly steps out of the darkness and asks Pilate for permission to bury Jesus' body. Pilate grants it.

Another secret disciple joins him. The Pharisee Nicodemus who had snuck through the darkness of night to talk to Jesus now steps into the light and helps Joseph lay our Lord's body to rest in Joseph's new tomb.

But it is only a rest. Death has no hold over Jesus' body. It cannot even touch His body with the stain of decay. On the third day He will rise to life and live forever.

One day you and I will be laid in our own graves. But for all of us who trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior, our future will be the same as His. Our bodies will rest in the grave until He returns; then Jesus will raise us to share paradise with Him forever.

Today is the "quiet day" of Holy Week. Jesus' body lay lifeless in the ground that holy Saturday. But the ground gave up the body of this King, who stood His ground for us.

When Jesus saw that He had done all His Father had asked of Him, He willingly gave up His life with a shout of victory. The world around Him responded to the awful truth that the Son of God was dead. The earth trembled and shook at the news. The curtain that had long separated the holy of holies from the holy place in the temple was torn in two, signifying that we now have direct access to the throne of our heavenly Father. Saints walked out of their tombs into Jerusalem, proving that Jesus' death had given final victory over death once and for all.

Having been an eye witness to the power of God manifested in this man Jesus, the Gentile centurion spoke words of faith: "Surely He was the Son of God!"

Death could not conquer the Son of God, as the empty tomb on Easter morning proved.

God willing, this Easter morning, you will see through the shame and humiliation, the weakness and suffering to behold Him as He really is, the victorious Son of God! We will praise our priceless King tomorrow, throughout life, in death, and for all eternity.

Here we rest in wonder, viewing all our sins on Jesus laid, and a full redemption flowing from the sacrifice He made.

PRAY - O sanctifying Spirit, prepare me on this sacred,"Quiet" day for the grace of Easter through heartfelt repentance and renewed loyalty to Jesus, self-giving Savior of my soul in His name I pray. Amen

Good Morning - Good Friday 2011 Message

Written by Shirley Choat

I Thirst

Is it possible that He who claimed to be living water...
Is it possible that He who said, "Come unto Me and drink..."
Is it possible that He who told the Samaritan woman
that He had water she knew nothing about...
Is it possible that this Man could mouth the words,
"I thirst?"

And because He did, the incarnation message of Christmas
is voiced in this human cry of Good Friday.
Jesus the divine Creator of life
is now subject to the creation and the creature's basic needs.
Yes, Jesus, the Son of God, actually needed water.
For six hours He hung from a calloused cross on a hot barren hill
beneath a darkened middle-eastern sky.

He was bleeding profusely and losing vital body fluids.
What is more,
without sleep the night before,
without food or drink, He had been tortured, teased
and tried before a tribunal
before the crucifixion had even begun.
His lips were parched. His tongue swollen
as He managed to blurt out His human thirst...
A thirst that spoke of His total identification with all our needs,
drives,
hopes
and sufferings.

Jesus' physical thirst only symbolized the deeper thirsts
that every human being who has ever lived has felt:
the thirst for companionship
the thirst for acceptance,
the thirst for immortality
the thirst for end to suffering,
and most important
the thirst for relationship with God.

Augustine said it centuries ago:
"Thou has made me for thyself, O God
And I am restless till I rest in Thee."
But the Psalmist said it long before Augustine:
"As the deer pants for flowing streams,
so thirsts my soul for Thee, O God."

A restlessness,
a panting,
a thirst to end all thirsts,
a thirst no water,
no wine,
no gall could ever quench.

And for once Jesus knew that desire of all ages himself.

As the bearer of all sin
of all people
of all time,
Jesus knew the separation and desperation
that all creation has known apart from God.
And He cried, "I thirst."

The Baby of Bethlehem.
The Christ of the Cross
knows the creature's cage.
He's acquainted with our pain,
our pressures,
our panic
our plight apart from the Father.

And because He's been there,
He knows how to quench our thirst.

An Easter poem by Rev. Greg Asimakoupoulos

Good Lenten Morning 4-13-11

Written by Shirley Choat

(Jesus said) "... 'Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me'" (John 13:21b).

"One of you will betray Me." Judas must be totally shocked by Jesus' words. One by one the disciples ask a question that floats around the table. With rising suspense Judas watches the question work its way around the table to him-and he even joins his voice to theirs: "Is it I, Lord?"

If Judas' voice didn't give him away, what Jesus does next will make it crystal clear. He dips the morsel of bread and hands it directly to Judas.

Good Lenten Morning 4-12-11

Written by Shirley Choat

Jesus did not wash His disciples' feet just to get them to be nice to each other. His far greater goal was to extend His mission on earth after He was gone. These men were to move into the world serving God, serving each other, and serving all people to whom they took the message of salvation."... (Jesus said) 'You are clean, but not every one of you.' ..." (John 13:10b).

Jesus has preached His last message to the crowds. Now He spends one final night before His suffering and death with His disciples in the upper room, preparing them for what is about to happen.

In the middle of supper Jesus does something totally unexpected. Taking off His outer garments He goes around the table washing the disciples' feet one by one, the way the lowliest slave in the household would. It is a demonstration of His absolute humility, love and care-a demonstration He will repeat for the whole world the next day on the cross.

For Peter it is too much. He objects and receives a firm correction from Jesus: "If I do not wash you, you have no share with Me." Then Peter goes to the other extreme asking Jesus to wash all of him. Jesus points out that the one who has had a bath does not need to bathe again, only to wash the part of him that is unclean.

Jesus is pointing to Judas, the one who has abandoned his Lord and become unclean and is even now awaiting the chance to betray Him. The other eleven are forgiven, cleansed of their sins because they still walk in the light by faith; Judas has rejected that light and walks in darkness. Very gently Jesus reaches out to His lost disciple in an unforgettable demonstration of His love, forgiveness and acceptance. It's a demonstration He wants Judas to remember when he is gripped by guilt and remorse for what he is about to do.

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, forgive my wandering heart. Help me to see Your great love for me and remember what You have done to save me. Amen.

Good Lenten Morning 4-11-11

Written by Pastor Tim

HEARING GOD'S VOICE

(Jesus said) "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself" (John 12:32).

The crowds are confused. Jesus has told them He will be "lifted up," and they know exactly what He means. Being "lifted up from the earth" was a familiar phrase describing death on a cross. But they all know the Christ remains forever, so how can Jesus be the Christ if He will die on a cross?

It's easy for us to share that confusion too. God's light doesn't always make sense to our sin-darkened minds. Jesus simply tells them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you." Satan is always trying to overtake us, trying to snatch away the light from us.

One of the tools he uses is the confusing things that happen in this life, things that don't always make sense to us. Often our search for answers leads us to question God and doubt His love. Jesus just encourages us to walk in Him. He invites us to lay those questions at the foot of His cross, to focus instead on the extent of His love for us. It's a love that moved Him to lay down His life in terrible suffering that we might be forgiven.

We don't understand every reason for everything that happens to us. And we won't always find all the answers to all our questions, but we don't have to. We only need to walk in Christ's light and keep looking to Him. At the right time He will make everything clear.

Love divine, all loves excelling
Joy of heaven, to earth com down,
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling,
All Thy faithful mercies crown.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I don't always understand the things I see around me. Help me to come to Your Son's cross, that there I may know Your love and receive Your strength. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Shirley Choat

Good Morning Easter Vigil 4-23-11

Good Morning - Good Friday 2011 Message

Good Lenten Morning 4-13-11

Good Lenten Morning 4-12-11

Good Lenten Morning 4-11-11

More Articles...