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"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." Romans 8:11

This Easter, we are looking at Romans 8 to discover the answers to what it means that the spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in us and how it should impact how we live now. We invite you to join us in celebrating Easter week at Calvary.

  • Sunday Services on April 20 are at 8:30 and 11am
  • Good Friday Service is at 6pm on April 18
    • Note: Most classes (for children thru adults)will be meeting as usual except elementary to high school students are having a pancake breakfast extravaganza at 9:45am.


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    Week 1 - Preparation through Prayer

    Matthew 26:36-46 - Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
    36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”



    Devotion:
    “The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” It’s an all-too familiar experience. We have the right intentions, but will our intentions ever bear fruit? The story of Jesus and the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane is one of intense emotion and dissonance. Jesus is bearing the overwhelming weight of his imminent betrayal, arrest, crucifixion, and receival of the wrath of God. On the other hand, the disciples are confused, weary, and deeply disturbed by the words of Jesus from the Last Supper. Upon entering the garden, Jesus first commands his disciples to “remain and watch”. What were they to watch?

    It’s hard to imagine the Savior of the world, the One who upholds the universe, the all-sovereign Lord, with his face in the dirt, crying in anguish to God the Father. With Christ on his knees in prayer, the disciples witnessed pure, unwavering surrender to God. Jesus held nothing back. This time of prayer was Christ’s preparation for the cross.
    Yet, in this intimate moment between God the Son and God the Father, the disciples fall asleep.

    Upon awaking the disciples, Jesus commands them a second time. But this time, he says, “watch and pray”. The disciples first were called to watch the example of their Savior. They were then called to follow his ways. If Jesus prayed in preparation for his darkest hour, so should we.

    How does spiritual slumber creep into our lives? It comes when we are physically tired and too busy to make time for God. In the chaos and craziness of life, our spiritual eyes dim and lose sight of our Savior. This week, how can you lean into the Spirit’s leading in your life to “watch and pray”? How can you pause amid the chaos and hold nothing back, offering your all to Jesus? This week, I encourage you to spend time in prayer. Not just prior to a meal or a quick sentence or two to God, but an intentional time set aside to talk to God. It will likely be hard to add this to your week, so what can you take out to make room for prayer?

    Week 1 - Reflections

    We quickly approach the weekend, and I wanted to check in and see how your preparation through prayer is going. If you feel like prayer has been neglected or forgotten this week, there is still time!

    This week I have been praying through Psalm 23. I am amazed at the trust of David as he compares the Lord to his shepherd. Whether it be seasons of stillness and rest or valleys of death and evil, David is confident the Lord will guide him to the house of the Lord where he will dwell forever. This reminded me that Christ trusted the Father to guide him through the cross and into glory at his right hand. Easter season reminds me that Christ is our good shepherd, who will guide us on a similar path of his own, from suffering to glory.

    As we enter the weekend, consider these words from the hymn, “What a Friend we have in Jesus.”

    What a Friend we have in Jesus,
    All our sins and griefs to bear!
    What a privilege to carry
    Everything to God in prayer!
    O what peace we often forfeit,
    O what needless pain we bear,
    All because we do not carry
    Everything to God in prayer!

    Have we trials and temptations?
    Is there trouble anywhere?
    We should never be discouraged,
    Take it to the Lord in prayer.
    Can we find a friend so faithful
    Who will all our sorrows share?
    Jesus knows our every weakness,
    Take it to the Lord in prayer.

    Are we weak and heavy-laden,
    Cumbered with a load of care?
    Precious Savior, still our refuge—
    Take it to the Lord in prayer;
    Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
    Take it to the Lord in prayer;
    In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
    Thou wilt find a solace there.

    • How are you going to God in prayer?
    • How can you foster a discipline of prayer in your family?
    • What has God revealed to you during this week of intentional prayer?

    Consider these words by Milton Vincent:
    “When God chose me in Christ before the foundation of the world, He did not merely chose me to be ‘holy and blameless’; He chose me to also be ‘before Him in love.’ To be sure, I am always in God’s presence on earth, and in heaven I will be in His presence more fully than ever. But it could also be said that in this life I am especially ‘before Him in love’ when I come ‘before Him’ in prayer and worship.

    Therefore, I can infer that prayer is not simply something I am allowed to do as a Christian; prayer is actually one of the great purposes for which God chose to save me. Christ Himself confirms this fact when He makes the following statement to His disciples: ‘I chose you… that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give you.’ As a chosen one of God, I was saved to pray; and whenever I come into God’s presence to behold Him, worship Him, or make request of Him, I am arriving at the pinnacle of God’s saving purposes for me.”

    - Milton Vincent, The Gospel Primer, page 35

    May God fill you with a yearning and desire to talk to him, share your life with him, and resist temptation by the power of His Spirit.

    We will see you Sunday!

    Michael Hansen
    Associate Pastor

    Resources & Playlist Links


    Cross He Bore-Meditations on the Suffering of the Redeemer


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