June 7 - Lifewords #1:

"Who is it you are looking for?" (John 15:1-15a)

Key Focus:

• The sayings of Jesus after the resurrection

• SBA coming: SBA Video promo

• John 15:15a tniv

He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

• John 5:24-25 tniv

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.

• John 14:1-4 tniv

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. My Father’s house has plenty of room; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Drama, Media, & Connecting Pieces:

• Pre-video:
• Video Piece Possible #1: Resurrection
  • We would begin Refresh with this, possibly Daybreak, running right after the pre-video and it would dissolve into a "Lifewords: Jesus' words for us after His resurrection!" slide and then our opening song set
• Video Piece Possible #2: another possible - His Resurrection
  • We would begin Refresh with this, possibly Daybreak, running right after the pre-video and it would dissolve into a "Lifewords: Jesus' words for us after His resurrection!" slide and then our opening song set
• Scripture readings
  • There will be three Scripture readings during our gathering:
    1. John 20:1 - Phil would do this and he would do Communion prep followed by the song, "Up From the Grace He Arose" {We would want to select someone to do the communion prayers and there would not need to be a communion devotional}
    2. John 20:1-10 - Someone else do this reading
    3. John 20:11-15a - this would flow into our Time in the Word
       

Time in the Word Focus:

• Mary Magdalene's heart, hopes, and dreams had been extruded through the pain of Jesus' crucifixion
  • Why come back to the tomb and face all the pain, heartache, and confusion?
    • How had her hope in God & all of her prayers for Jesus paid off for her?
  • Where would she go to restore her energy and emotion drained from every fiber of her body as she watched Jesus humiliated and mutilated?
• Many come back each week to this place - they come back to us, God's people. They have many of the same questions! Why? How? Where?
• In Jesus' Lifewords this week, he asks two questions that help us us find an answer to these very real questions (vs. 15):
  • Why are you crying?

    vs. 13 & 15 - Jesus knows our hurt & wants to ...

    1. validate that hurt
    2. address it and bring hope
    • John 5:24 - resurrection & reunion (1 Th 4:13-18; cf. 1 Cor 15)
    • John 14:1-4 & also vs. 8, 15-21 & 23 - bring comfort by being in us, making a home with us, through the Holy Spirit
  • Who are you looking for?
    • When we come here, to this place, this table, with these people, WHO is it that you are looking to meet?
      • It's not what are you looking for, but WHO? When you come looking for Jesus and you meet Him, He becomes enough until reunion day comes!

Daybreak Focus: (See emphasis above! Team Working on Planning Order - E Greenlee & P Ware)

Refresh Focus: (See emphasis above! Team Working on Planning Order - W Huggins, P Ware, D Merrell)