U-turn (Day 19) Jesus’ death and burial | Pr Sadie Kydd

Hallo Ex Church, Missus said from Ex Karawachi, and we are on day

nineteen of our uturn. We are almost close to the finishing line. I

pray believe that all of us have been having a really powerful time with God

during the special season. Our devotion to day is based on Matthew chapter twenty

seven, verses forty five two sixty six, which is about his death and

burial. Eli eli lama subactany My God, My God, why have you

forsaken me? These were some of his last words spoken before his final breath,

And as I reflected on a familiar passage, I was reminded again that

it wasn't just a physical pain on the cross that he suffered on my behalf,

but it was the agony of separation from God, the Father. Jesus,

who has always been one with the Father from eternity, had to experience

being forsaken, being abandoned as he took on the sin of the world because

of his love for us. He went through an unimaginable pain so that all

may know him, so that any one, regardless of their past or their

present situations, can have a future with him. We read that the veil

of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. This supernatural act

of God symbolized that there was no longer separation between men and God. In

the past, only the high priest had access to the inner courts beyond the

bill once a year. Jesus paid the price for us to be reconciled to

God and to have direct access to our Father at all times, at all

times. What an amazing privilege. So are reminded again to not take his

death on the cross were granted. And I pray that as believers we will

continue to recognize how precious our gift of salvation is, and that it should

not stop with us. Our theme in Ecstas here is that all may know.

How are we sharing that with those who have yet to know him?

Do we go out of our way to share the gospel? Maybe not lose

that passion to reach the unchurched. Moving on to his burial in Verses fifty

seven to fifty eight. Now, when evening had come, there came a

rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of

Jesus. This man went to Pilot and asked for the body of Jesus.

Who is this Joseph. In the Gospel of John, he was said to

be a secret follower for fear of the Jews. He was a member of

the Sanhedrin, and this was the council which passed judgment on Jesus and sent

him to the cross. However, Joseph did not consent to their decision,

and so the act itself of asking for Jesus' body from pilot would have impacted

his high position, his right standing in Jewish society, as news who have

spread about his association with Jesus. Adding to the Jewish laws, preparing his

body for burial would have caused Joseph to be considered unclean and therefore disqualified him

from celebrating the important Jewish festival of Passover. And this would have caused a

mark on his reputation, as his absence would have been noticeable. Everyone would

be asking questions. So he had a lot to lose when he asked for

his body. Yet Joseph was willing to go through all of that, give

up his status, risk his reputation for his master so that he could honor

him with a proper burial. My question to all of us today is are

we willing to give up something valuable or do something courageous when he calls us

to what is God putting on our hearts. During this time uton when we

were living in Vietnam, our church was shut down instantly by the authorities on

a Sunday morning. We were one of the main international churches in town at

that time. We were coming out of the cab from music instruments. We

were ready to lead in worship and our pastor tells us to go back and

pray because we have been shut down. I still remember being shocked and in

tears at the turn of events, as I felt that we were in a

good place as a church. We were growing, and it seemed like revival

was going to happen in our midst and I asked the Lord, why did

you allow this to happen? But there was no answer. After a week,

the call came from our pastor to various leaders to hold service in their

own homes, as there was no indicate that we would be allowed to have

church service in a hotel. Again, there was a great sense of fear

and uncertainty. We prayed and then we knew that we had to obey that

call. Upon our life regardless of what might happen to us. So we

said yes, and that led to leading and hosting weekly Sunday services in our

tiny apartment for almost five years. The initial weeks were filled with worries of

having authorities coming to our home and the victims from the country. It wasn't

easy, but God turned our fears into deeper faith, and looking back,

I know that this was His way of preparing us and stretching our faith for

church planting in Karawachi. In the Last Passage of Checks twenty seven, we

see pilots setting a god over the tomb of Jesus as they were worried about

his disciples stealing his body and saying that he has risened. So, my

dear friends, time and time again, the enemy will try to frustrate the

plans of God in our lives. But we know for sure and we certainly

that nothing is impossible for him. What is done in the natural, like

the securing of his tomb, could not prevent the supernatural from happening, as

we will see in tomorrow's devotion. And so back to the Vietnam story,

Almost ten home based services were bused from the closure of our church in Vietnam.

The enemy tried to shut down his church, but it flourished even more.

God multiplied his leaders in various homes as more people had to step up

in faith. People were serving in different capacities. Those who had never served

in their lives before experience a greater journey with God. And so revival happened

in a way that we did not anticipate. It happened in His way,

in his own time. The both of us grew in so many ways through

this season, and we were so grateful for the privilege of sharing our home

with expert believers from different nations. And also we got to see our Vietnamese

friends come to the Lord what in honor. So let us not be fearful

when things seemed to be out of control, but be assured that His ways

and thoughts are truly higher than ours. And so we continue to hold on

to his promise that no weapon formed against his people can't prosper. Let us

pray, Lord Jesus, we thank you that your death paved the way for

us to live again. Help us to never take your gift of salvation for

granted. Give us a heart to share that amazing news with those who don't

know you, and to do it great agency. Father, We pray that

you would also give us a courage to step up when you call us to

and to not hold back anything from you. We surrender every single fear,

worry, anxiety, especially during challenging times when we cannot see or understand your

purpose. We choose to trust you completely take us where you want us to

go. In Jesus name me pray Amen