SLIDE:  Rise

 

40 days before / Easter to Ascension

Sunday after Easter = depressing.  Mothers Day 3^rd.

 

SLIDE: The Cross

 

The symbol of everything that was wrong with this broken world!

The reminder of your greatest loss.

Symbol of defeat.

The source of your pain.

 

The cobra wears a mongoose

An earthworm / Robin

Joe Frazier wears Mohammad Ali

 

Everything you want to forget but are forced to remember

 

Morbid Curiosity

 

FROG

FARM

BONNIE & CLYDE

DEATH / LIFE

 

AD 400.  Martyrs with arms outstretched

 

SLIDE:  THE CROSS  VS.  Jesus FISH 

 

SLIDE: Luke 9:22 Jesus said, “The Son of Man must suffer, be rejected and be crucified and on the third day be raised to life.”

 

Jesus talked about the cross

Only Chapter 9/24!  Crucified all ready!

 

Other New Testament writers talked about the cross.

 

SLIDE:  1 Corinthians 1:18  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.   ~ Apostle Paul

 

 

SLIDE:  **IMAG:  Luke 23:32-47

 

SLIDE: The Cross

 

3 act play…

 

ACT 1

The Cross = Center Prop, Center stage, Central character

 

Giving the worst and bring out the worst!

my weaknesses and deficits

suffering

In pain.

Feeling rejected.

Revealing the worst…

 

SLIDE: ACT 1 = “Father Forgive Them”

 

The lighting goes wider

ACT 2

 

SLIDE: ACT 2 = “Jesus remember me” -criminal  

Jesus, Remember me….    when you come into your kingdom.

 

SLIDE:  “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

 

SLIDE:  ACT 3 = the curtain in the temple was Torn in two.

 

When the cross “won”.  It lost!

When the cross did its absolute horrific best.

 

Behind the curtain

 

SLIDE:  Hebrews 10:19-21 

Brothers and sisters, we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body.

 

If Jesus can take “the cross”

and make it into something good.

the cross hatred and violence  = a symbol of love

Death a symbol of life

everything wrong in the human brokenness and make it about healing!

 

He can do that in my life too.

 

SLIDE:  FEET TO OUR FAITH

 

YOU stand in front the cross.

 

Hear “Father Forgive Pete”  ~ Jesus

 

2 Thieves. Me too!

 

Curtain is torn = all blockages to God are removed

 

Follow Jesus   Serve Others

 

SLIDE:  Luke 9:23 then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple up their cross daily and follow me”.   – Jesus

 

 

WE What if we all…

Leather Jewelry box

 

I lean into my day… with my cross!

 

SLIDE: THE CROSS

 

CLOSE:  A few moments in quiet before the Lord