Jesus’s resurrection from the dead that first Easter morning changed everything. He began his ministry by announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God, and in his death and resurrection he defeated the powers of sin. Yet, we still live in a world consumed by darkness. We suffer, we grieve, we lose hope. The kingdom of God is a present reality for us now, but not all of God’s promises have been fulfilled. We live in the tension of the “already, but not yet.”
In this series, we will be exploring the time between Jesus’s resurrection and Pentecost, in some traditions called Eastertide. We will consider how these stories and experiences inform our lives as we continue to live in the reality of God’s kingdom having arrived, yet not in its fullness. How are the different stories reflected in our own lives? What do these stories teach us about living in the “already, but not yet” tension?
Week 1: Thomas and Our Doubts
This week, Rebecca Moss explored how our doubts can be an invitation to an authentic, resilient faith in Jesus. We looked at the story of Thomas, in the Gospel of John, and how Thomas’s doubts and later profession of faith help us understand our own doubts and uncertainties as we live in the tension of the “already, but not yet” reality of God’s kingdom. The life of faith is an invitational one, able to hold a space for our believing and our questioning and doubts.
Kingdom Practices
Guided by the practice of Questioning Prayer, we invite you this week to set aside time to have a conversation with God about your doubts, questions, and uncertainties.
- Do you express your doubts to God?
- If not, why? Is it because you think doubt is wrong or do you fear your faith would begin to unravel?
- What role has doubts and questions played in your faith?
- What doubts or questions do you have today?
- Do you feel that sometimes your doubts or questions hinder you from seeing Jesus’s presence in your life?
We encourage you to take heart. Doubting or asking questions is a part of the life of faith and a way of making sense of living in the “already, but not yet” tension. Bringing our doubts and questions to God keeps us connected to him and encourages us to be on the lookout for Jesus’s presence in our lives.
Week 2: Recognizing Jesus on the Emmaus Road
This week, Joan Kelley led us on a walk down the Emmaus Road with Jesus. Guided by snapshots along the way Joan explained how the Emmaus story in Luke 24 shows us how to live and walk the resurrection day by day. The Emmaus story is filled with snapshots of how Jesus is present with his followers teaching us to live in the tension of the “now and not yet.” The experience with Jesus on the Emmaus Road teaches us how to hold our present reality within God’s bigger story. It reminds us that as we look for Jesus’s presence in our lives we get a “little bit closer to Jesus”.
Kingdom Practices
For our time of practice, Joan invited us to enter the story on the Emmaus road. It is an invitation to walk this story with Jesus. Using Imaginative Prayer as a guide consider the following:
- Imagine yourself on a road, path, or trail. Using your senses, notice what you see, feel, or smell.
- Imagine you are carrying something. Something that is weighing on you- an unfilled hope, concern, disappointment, or question.
- Now imagine that Jesus begins to walk alongside you. His presence brings peace and calmness. He asks you what you are carrying.
- Imagine you now come to a place with a table that is set for a meal. You and Jesus sit together and he breaks the bread and gives you some.
- Is there a word, phrase, image, or feeling that comes to mind that you will take with you from this experience of walking with Jesus?
Week 3: Peter and Our Failures
May 3 with Nicole Howe
Week 4: The Great Commission and Our Kingdom Lives
May 10 with Tim Gombis
Week 5: The Ascension of Jesus
May 17 with Bill Donahue
Week 6: Pentecost
May 24 with Jason Hitchcock
Books and Articles
Living the Resurrection by Eugene Peterson
Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright
When Faith Fails by Dominic Done
After Doubt by A.J. Swoboda
To Light Their Way by Kayla Craig (baby dedication resource)
Good Dirt a family devotional by Lacy Borgo
Living Easter- 50 Days to Practice Resurrection by Laura Kelly Fanucci
With Burning Hearts by Henri Nouwen
A Walk With Jesus Down the Hope Road by Michael Murray
The Book of Belonging: Bible Stories for Kind and Contemplative Kids by Mariko Clark
Podcasts
The Weight of Doubt in the Christian Life from the Slow Theology Podcast
Is There Such a Thing as “Good Doubt”? from the Slow Theology Podcast
Music
Resurrection Letters by Andrew Peterson
Art
The Incredulity of Thomas by Duccio di Buoninsegna
Road to Emmaus by George Rouault
If you have a story to share about how you have been encountering God in this season, we would love to hear it!
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