Jesus Shows Up Big to Conquer This
Lenten Journey 2024 | Resurrection Sunday | Jesus Christ | Christianity
The series:
Lent 2024 Week 1 | Lent 2024 Week 2 | Lent 2024 Week 3 | Lent 2024 Week 4 | Lent 2024 Week 5 | Lent 2024 Week 6 | Palm Sunday 2024 | Maundy Thursday 2024 | Good Friday 2024 | Resurrection Sunday 2024
What Is Our Deepest Need?
While surfing “Christian Twitter”* I found this post:
*I won’t, for now, call the platform X.
We live in a rural county with limited radio stations and cable TV programs. I get most of my community news from online local news sites and Facebook community groups. When comments are allowed, I sometimes see a lot of anger expressed.
Anger that could be hiding fear; fear of:
Job loss
Income that’s not sufficient to meet their needs (so people work two or three jobs to survive)
Home ownership stolen through rising prices from out-of-state buyers
Illness that’s chronic (their illness or a loved one’s)
Death
Loss of control (of any situation)
Gavin Ortlund’s last sentence caught my eye:
If we can see under the anger to this deeper need, we can better hold out Christ as the answer.
Sometimes, we need to look for a deeper need within ourselves. If we spend too much time on social media, we can come away from “doomscrolling” with feelings not in line with the joy, love, and peace that Jesus promises us. We can feel angry, envious, depressed, lonely, insecure, fearful, and other feelings.
Only Jesus Can Meet These Needs
Jesus Christ is the answer for humanity’s issues. Obviously, it’s why He came. Our sin led to our brokenness. He came to heal us from our sins, from our fears.
This Lenten Season, let’s invite Him into our own areas of need, of fear.
If we let Him work His very good work in us, then we’ll be able to share with others who are struggling how Jesus has met our deepest needs and healed us of our fears.
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Readings
This Sunday’s readings, according to one liturgical Church Calendar, are the following verses for the First Reading, a Psalm, an Epistle, and the Gospel. Here are the links for you to read as you have time this week:
[URLs to go Biblegateway.com - version is the HCSB]
For this post, we’ll briefly examine a few verses from Mark chapter 10.
Jesus’ Followers Were Afraid
Let’s think about fear from the viewpoint of Jesus’ disciples. For a third time, Jesus told them of His impending death.
Mark 10:32-33 (HCSB)
32 They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. They were astonished, but those who followed Him were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, He began to tell them the things that would happen to Him.33 “Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death. Then they will hand Him over to the Gentiles, 34 and they will mock Him, spit on Him, flog Him, and kill Him, and He will rise after three days.”
“…but those who followed Him were afraid.”
In the previous chapter, Mark 9, Jesus had taken Peter, James, and John to a high mountain (probably Mount Hermon) where they experienced His glorious Transfiguration. Then, they witnessed Him cast out a powerful demon that had possessed a young man for years.
And yet, after all those amazing spiritual victories, when Jesus told them He would be arrested (handed over), mocked, flogged, and killed, they were afraid.
They hid after He was arrested, crucified, and buried in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb.
However, they would lose their fear after Jesus’s resurrection.
And, that’s how Jesus “showed up big” to conquer our fears. We’ll celebrate that soon on Resurrection Sunday.
What We Can Do for Our Fears
The Lord God empowered His disciples at Pentecost. And, we, too, can surrender our fears and have God transform them into courage, hope, peace, and joy. Even in the midst of very difficult circumstances. Father God has given us the Holy Spirit in us to help us on this journey. We are never alone.
This Lenten Season, take time to surrender your fears to Jesus. Spend time talking with Him about what makes you afraid. Invite Him to heal those areas in you, then rest in Him. He loves you and cares about you more than you could ever imagine.
And then, go into the world. Tell those who are afraid what Jesus has done for you and within you. Seek to meet their deepest needs—and share your Jesus Story.
Maranatha, come Lord Jesus.
Soli Deo Gloria!
If you’re a not-yet follower of Jesus Christ, please come along on this journey with us. You are welcome here.
And, I invite you to read my series on the book “What Does God Want?”.
Conversation & Community
Your Turn
What’s on your mind after reading this post?
As always, feel free to send me an email:
❤️ To bless the “Algorithm Angels”, please select the “heart” icon to like this post (if you do), even if you’re not a subscriber. That will help NOC, so thank you in advance.
Subscribe to My Publication
It’s easy and free! Subscribe to receive my posts in your email Inbox. And, feel free to share this post with others. Thank you!
Follow me on Twitter
https://twitter.com/NightOwlXian
Pin me on Pinterest
https://www.pinterest.com/nightowlchristian/night-owl-christian-blog-posts/
© Copyright 2024—Present, Jenise Cook. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Linking and Sharing Brief Excerpts: We encourage you to quote briefly from our articles within reason, and to link to our content, with proper credit given to Night Owl Christian and contributors. Please provide a complete link to nightowlchristian.substack.com or directly to the article’s URL.
Reprint Permission: Please contact nightowlchristian@proton.me to request reprint permission. All reprints must include the language “Previously published in Night Owl Christian reprinted with permission” or “Reprinted with permission from Night Owl Christian along with a live link to nightowlchristian.substack.com. Content may not be reproduced, in any form, without permission from Night Owl Christian (Jenise Cook).
There are plenty of things to make our head spin these days. I like how you said to just talk to God about it. Sometimes we forget that we can come to the Father and just pour out our hearts - our concerns, our fears, and our anxieties.
GOD bless you, Jenise, and your family.
"Nothing to fear but doubt in the LORD."
Mark 4:35-41 NLT
"35. As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake."
36. So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed).
37. But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
38. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?"
39. When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.
40. Then he asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
41. The disciples were absolutely terrified. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "Even the wind and waves obey him!" Mark 4:35-41 NLT
"Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
Like the disciples, as fearful sheep of our Shepherd's pasture, we still lack the faith to believe that the LORD will care for us under any circumstance. Mighty storms, sicknesses, unthinkable world tragedies, famine, pestilence, war, etc.
So, let us pray.
Oh, Father in Heaven, how Mighty are You? Sovereign over all that You have created, unlimited in power, unrestrained in all Your ways, nothing can stop You, all Your plans are perfect, who can fully comprehend Your great Love for Your people and Your immeasurable mercy that is always willing to forgive us of all our iniquities.
Forgive us now of our sins, oh GOD, cast our sins far from us. Increase our belief in You. Create in us an unshakable faith to always believe in Your steadfast Love. Give a faith that will trust in You without any reservations. Yes, LORD, You will be with us. You will never leave us. You will keep us, not just for now but for all eternity. Thank You, Father, for Your Great Love and everlasting care. In Jesus's Holy Name, we pray, Amen.
The JESUS PRAYER or PRAYER OF THE HEART(sung) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfzXHDBSaIQ&list=RDGMEMMib4QpREwENw3_jAc0YgNw&start_radio=1&rv=DPGfRCKE5Nw
GOD bless you all!