Your Kingdom Come

The Bible, Episode 10 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R7sDSbuKJQ

Between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, Through the Disciples’ Eyes

Peter
Thomas
Phillip
Matthew

What the Day Before the Resurrection Felt Like

This has been a difficult season. Many of us are probably sitting still in “Saturday,” in the darkness, in the confusion. Even now, knowing that Jesus rose and knowing that the Spirit is here, it can still be hard. It can still seem dark.

We may be feeling discouraged - that the work ahead of us is too much to bear. We may be feeling disbelief - that maybe God isn’t here after all. We may be in denial - that things aren’t really happening like this because it isn’t the way things should be.

The physical, spiritual and emotional battles we have faced over the last year are too heavy a weight to bear.

How The Disciples Feelings Could Be Like Ours

Discouraged - Physically, the disciples experienced the events of the crucifixion and resurrection along with more than one earthquake. There was much rubble to clean up. And physically for us, we are in the midst of a pandemic from which the clean up will last for years.

Disbelief - Spiritually, the disciples were experiencing doubt, denial and confusion. And aren’t we experiencing those things, too? Wondering why God didn’t show up how we maybe thought He should?

Denial - And emotionally, the disciples were cast into a long term grief and then recovery - from the loss of the way they thought things were going to turn out to the way that they did. They imagined a political revolution, but Jesus had something else in mind. And we are here today, all of us, grieving and recovering from the idea that things are not turning out how we had imagined.

In times of darkness, denial, doubt and feared defeat, we seek control - because things feel so out of control. We want the security that we think will come from being in control. We are all looking for knowledge, understanding, information, something to hold on to.

However, there is hope in the darkness. Hope can be found when the Spirit is on the move. And, He definitely is.

Where Hope is Found

Hope is found in returning to the promise - in remembering where God showed up in the past and remembering the promise that He will show up again. God started something with the disciples and He has kept it in motion long past their lives here on earth. And a similar story is true today: God started something in us and He will carry it on to completion.

So, how we can learn from the disciples as they came together to start the Church - what did they do that can be an example for us today?

Scripture gives us some clues. From the stories we find in Scripture, we can kind of imagine some of what happened in those 40 days - the 40 days between the resurrection and when Jesus ascended to be with His Father. I think the source of our hope is found there, too - how the disciples found hope in the darkness is how we do, too.

What the Disciples Did in the 40 Days

Matthew 28:8-9
Matthew 28:17
Luke 24:52

They worshipped.

The Greek word for worship here isn’t about singing a song. It isn’t even about a worship service. It is about lying flat on the ground and reaching out to kiss and touch the feet or the hem of the garment of someone worthy of worship - a King.

The King-ship of Jesus had just been made known to the whole world and the disciples were some of the first to crown Him King in their hearts. And, they crowned Him with their worship.

In John 4, Jesus spoke with a Samaritan woman, saying “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” Jesus had taught them that worship wasn’t about just singing praises, but a posture of the heart - a posture of surrender, surrendering our kingdom to His.

How We Seek for His Kingdom to Come

During those forty days, the disciples had been learning more about what kind of kingdom Jesus was proclaiming.

Acts 1:3b says, “He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”

Then, they prayed it into existence. But, their prayers weren’t just words - they were clothed in worship, a posture of the heart.

A posture of surrender.

They changed their allegiance from their own kingdom to His kingdom.

How We Can Pray for His Kingdom at Phos

In Acts 1:14, we see that the disciples “all joined together constantly in prayer.” Recently, Jesus had taught them how to pray: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.” (Matthew 6:10)

And, while we know this is the “right” prayer to say, it is too open ended of a prayer for our comfort. It surrenders our will and it surrenders control.

However, it is what introduces us to the kingdom. And now, that will be our story as a church, to embrace “Your will be done.”

Before we even know what His will is, we pray, “Father, Your will be done.”

The purpose of prayer is to surrender our will - not impose it.

Surrender is an invitation for someone to lead. We all must do that for the teams in place to do their work. BUT… more importantly: Surrender is our church’s invitation for the Spirit to lead.

In times of darkness, doubt and denial, hope is found in the surrender.

The Holy Spirit is on the move.

Let’s not miss it.

Let’s give Him room to breathe and act and make us new. Let’s show up for a front row seat. It is His kingdom after all. He knows best.

What To Expect in the Coming Days

The next season of Phos will be characterized by a few teams working behind the scenes to bring a new pastor into place. That will involve the staff, the trustees and an elder board. The elder board is made up of people that were nominated about a month ago and we are introducing them to the church family on April 18.

As for someone sharing with us for the coming months, we have been super blessed by the staff’s willingness to share. Brandon has done an excellent job carrying us through this time, but we wanted to let you know that the staff and Brandon have collectively decided for him to take a break from speaking. He feels God’s call on His life to be a pastor and has decided to apply for the position here at Phos. For his sake, the church’s sake and any future candidates’ sake, we find it best for us to use other staff and guest speakers while the pastor search team walks through the process of praying for and presenting our next pastor.

We hope you’ll join us for what is coming up. We hope you’ll show up. The Spirit is certainly on the move and we have a front row seat to what He is up to - and the opportunity to participate in this very exciting season for our church family. Tommy Purvis will be sharing next week about the early church as we continue our journey from the resurrection into the future. And then, on May 2, we will gather to worship. In song, yes, but in spirit and truth - practicing for heaven, you would say. We will worship and we will feast. We hope you’ll join us the next two weeks, into the future and we hope you’ll keep praying us along.

“Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (John 21:25) He did things then that put into motion what He is still doing today. Don’t miss it.

Questions for Small Groups or with Friends/Family

What disruption has been the most significant for you in the last year? Has it effected you physically, emotionally and/or spiritually? How?
Where are you finding your hope in the midst of these difficult days? Can hope come from surrender?
What do you think surrender looks like for you in your own circumstances? In our church? In our community?