Ministries

Chain of Lakes Videos

Select a link below to view recent past videos of worship services. For all past worship services go to https://vimeo.com/chainoflakes/videos Don’t forget to also check out Pastor Paul’s blog

April 14, 2024
Celebrating Volunteers
Video shown above

April 7, 2024
“Why do Bad Things Happen to Good People”

March 31, 2024
Easter Sunday

March 24, 2024
Palm Sunday

March 17, 2024 (This video isn’t available)
“Essentials” – The Bible

March 10, 2024
“Essentials” – Humanity

March 3, 2024
“Essentials” – The Holy Spirit

February 25, 2024
“Essentials” – Jesus

February 18, 2024
“Essentials” – God

February 14, 2024
Ash Wednesday

February 11, 2024
“The Transfiguration” and featuring music by the New Brighton Celebrate Recovery Band

Daily Devotions

Comments about the devotion can be emailed to pastor@colpres.org

Daily Devotions April 15 - April 20, 2024

Monday, April 15
Ephesians 4:1-7, 10-16

Unity in the Body of Christ
I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,one Lord, one faith, one baptism,one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
Pastor Paul has shared that a calling is not something that only a person with a “Rev.” in front of his or her name receives. A calling is given by God to everyone. Often religious people will talk about their calling, that is, a particular time when they experienced a summons from God to go into religious life.
The reality is everyone receives a call. Even if we have not received or heard the visible voice of God, God is still calling us. Our task is to discern that calling.
A calling is not necessarily a once-in-a-lifetime summons from God. Our calling can change based on the season in which we find ourselves. Our calling can be to a vocation or job, but it is much more than that. A calling can be to our family, or friends, or an approach to life that we’ve consciously decided to take. Verses two and three share a beautiful calling to character that each of us could follow.

We discern our calling by using our gifts. This means that the first part of our calling is to look at ourselves and identify our own gifts or strengths. The writer of Ephesians shared five gifts—but really these are more vocations than gifts.
On Sunday Pastor Paul made a list of spiritual gifts. To look at the whole list today, watch the sermon. The link to worship is at colpres.org.
Can you remember a season of your life that you were using your gifts? Please share your experience? Share also the impact that you made by using your gifts.

Tuesday, April 16
Romans 12:1-8

The New Life in Christ
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members and not all the members have the same function,so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith;ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching;the encourager, in encouragement; the giver, in sincerity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
Personal transformation can happen for us when we use our gifts.
Pastor Paul has shared an idea called the Inspirational Intersection. The Inspirational Intersection is the intersection between what God wants us to do and be and what we want to do and be. When a person discovers this intersection the person will experience tremendous energy, imagination, and love. And ultimately the person will make a significant impact.
God works through our gifts. God might ask us to do something where we are compelled to use a gift that we don’t identify in ourselves. But this normally won’t take a long time.
When we identify and use our gifts we are connected to God as God is the source of our gifts.
Our connection to God is more than saying a prayer. When we use our gifts to help, we are following what God wants for us.
Would you identify yourself right now as living from your Inspirational Intersection? Please share.

Wednesday, April 17
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of services but the same Lord, and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,to another the working of powerful deeds, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.
The Apostle Paul identified gifts, services, and activities in verses four through six. Each is different.
A gift comes from the Greek word, “charisma.” We know of charisma as a magnetic force that draws in others. When we use our gifts a force comes from us that is very natural.
A service comes from the Greek word, “diakonos.” It means service. There are different ways that people can serve God. Last Thursday night, April 11 a large number of people from Chain of Lakes served or exhibited diakonos at Feed My Starving Children.
An activity comes from the Greek word, “energema.” It means effects or results. Activities is probably not the best translation of this word. We can think of the results of using our gifts. This is the energema. The Message translates the verse this way, “God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all.”
Gift and serving and results are all very important. What are your thoughts about this. Please share.

Thursday, April 18
1 Corinthians 12:12-27

One Body with Many Members
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many.If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.If all were a single member, where would the body be?As it is, there are many members yet one body.The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect, whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another.If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
Pastor Paul has described a congregation as a network of volunteers. In these verses the Apostle Paul shares a metaphor to describe a congregation. The metaphor is a body.
It’s important that each part of the body sees others as important parts of the body. Each part of the body has a need for others. We are called to use our gifts in a community. When we do this we see that our gifts are part of a large and wider whole. An arm cannot live by itself, but an arm can be effective when it is connected to an entire body.
This metaphor is a significant contrast to the individualism that we often see in our culture. When we use our gifts in a community we are not looking to make money, receive attention or overpower others. We are looking to be part of a larger team.
Can you remember a time when you were part of a faith community when people’s gifts were being used like Paul described them in this passage? Please share.

Friday, April 19
Matthew 25:14-30

The Parable of the Talents
“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. At oncethe one who had received the five talents went off and traded with them and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter,so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter?Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
In this fairly long reading, Jesus shared a beautiful story of people sharing their talents. Because Jesus is such a masterful teacher, we can identify quickly an important part of our story. Jesus wanted people to use their talents and not hide them.
What we might miss is the attitude of the two people who used their talents versus the attitude of the person who didn’t use their talents. The people who used them were courageous. They weren’t worried about making mistakes or worried about the consequences of taking risks. The person who hid his talent was afraid. He shared that his fear and timidity caused him to hide his talent.
Another lesson from this story is to use our talents courageously and without fear. We don’t need to worry about the results. Be courageous and fearless!
Can you think of a person you know who uses their gifts courageously and without fear. Their life is consistent with the first two people of this story. Please share!

Saturday, April 20
1 Peter 4:9-11
Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

Verse ten is significant. “Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.”
How beautiful to read again that the gifts or charisms that we have come from God. They are a gift, so we don’t have to do anything to have them. God gives them to us freely as an expression of grace.
When we hide our gifts—like the third person in yesterday’s story—we are hiding what God has given to us. When we use our gifts the light shines freely out of us.
What are some ways you would like to use your gifts in the next six months. As you share your desire, the rest of the group can pray for you as you use your gifts. Please share!

Daily Devotions April 8 - April 13, 2024

Monday, April 8
Deuteronomy 30:15-20

“See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you do not hear but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall certainly perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him, for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”
Choose life! Moses shared the message of these verses and this two-word exhortation with the Israelites as they prepared to enter into the Promised Land. Moses never got to enter the Promised Land, so in a way this is the last speech of Moses. This was an aspirational message and advice from Moses for the people.
However, if we look at these verses in a strict literal way, they can cause us to question the message that Moses was sharing. Moses shared that when people love Gd, walk in God’s way, observe God’s commandments, and choose life that the people will be blessed.
It could be easy to take the next step in our belief and wonder if our suffering means that we aren’t following God and as a result that God is punishing us.
Hundreds of years later—when Jesus was alive, people saw suffering in this way. A person’s suffering was an indication of their sin. We’ll see this in passages this week.
In 2024 we don’t look at suffering this way. Suffering is not the result of sin or punishment meted out by God because we aren’t being faithful. There is no quid pro quo.
Though Jesus never taught the following, it’s easy to think that when we suffer we are being punished by God for not being or doing good. Have you had a time in your life when you thought this way? Please share.

Tuesday, April 9
Luke 13:1-5

At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the
Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the other people living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish just as they did.”
The question by the people present was a reflection on the reason that people suffered. Basically, Jesus was being asked if a person’s suffering was the result of their sins.
Jesus had a short and powerful answer to this question.
No!
The terrible act of Pilate to murder people while they offered sacrifices didn’t happen because of the lack of faith of the people who were murdered. Similarly, the people who were killed by a collapsing tower weren’t worse sinners than others.
People don’t receive bad things because they are bad people.
Have you had a season in your life when you thought that people experienced bad things because they were bad? Please share.

Wednesday, April 10
John 9:1-3

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight
As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.
Once again we see this ancient view that unfortunate events happen because of a person’s sin. The disciples wanted to know if a blind man was blind because of his own sins or the sins of his parents.
Jesus again had a clear answer to this question. No!
Jesus loved the man who was born blind. He saw his blindness as an opportunity to show the love that he had for the man and the love that he has for people who suffer.
This healing was very threating to the Pharisees. If you read the rest of this chapter, you’ll discover that the Pharisees discounted what happened. They questioned whether the man was really blind. These religious leaders wanted to do everything that they could to discredit Jesus and his teachings.
Can you think of a time when someone was threatened by a healing or when life suddenly went well? It might be strange to think that people would be threatened by others’ good things. But unfortunately, this does happen. Please share.

Thursday, April 11
Romans 5:1-5

Results of Justification
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
These verses from Romans 5 are most likely very familiar. They have been shared often in this devotion.
The Apostle Paul wanted to communicate that suffering can lead someone to a deeper relationship with God. In fact, Paul wrote that people could boast in their sufferings.
This might seem to be a strange teaching, but if we understand the context the teaching is not hard. Suffering can lead a person to God. In fact, a person will often cry out to God because of their suffering.
God can lead the person from suffering to hope. Look carefully at the progression from suffering to hope in these verses.
The logic of what Paul said makes sense. We can boast in our sufferings because suffering leads us to God. But it’s not a message that is easily embraced. Most people won’t say, “I’m happy to suffer because this will lead me to a deeper sense of hope.”
What are your thoughts about this? Please share.

Friday, April 12
Isaiah 43:1-2

Restoration and Protection Promised

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
These verses from Isaiah are powerful descriptions of how God metaphorically walks with us when we suffer. These verses are similar to Psalm 23. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
The second verse of these two verses are similar. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the waters, I will be with you and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.
God promises us that God will be present to us as we walk through hard seasons of our life—seasons where we are suffering.
God doesn’t stop suffering from happen, but God will always help us during these hard times.
Have you had an experience where you had a deep sense of God’s presence while you were suffering?
Please share.

Saturday, April 13
Psalm 139:1-6

The Inescapable God

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.
O Lord, you have searched me and known me.You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.
This familiar Psalm shares a message that can help us when we suffer. God knows us deeply. God knows us even better than we know ourselves. God knows every part of each of us and chooses to be with us.
God’s knowledge and presence is a different way for God to relate to us compared to the assumption that God punishes us for doing bad things. God cares for us so deeply that God knows us. A knowing God wouldn’t punish us.
David wrote this Psalm. He suffered often. Through his suffering he came to a deeper understanding of how God related to him.
Have we had a season of life when we developed a deeper sense of God’s presence when we were suffering?

Daily Devotions April 1 - April 6, 2024

Monday, April 1
Mark 16:1-8
The Resurrection of Jesus
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”  When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

This week we have the opportunity to read each resurrection story along with the Apostle Paul’s version of the resurrection and the healing of Jairus’ daughter.
Mark was the first gospel that was written down, so this is the first resurrection story of Jesus that had been written down.
In Mark’s story, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome came to the tomb. Mark is the only gospel where Jesus didn’t appear in person. In Matthew and John, Jesus appeared in the resurrection story. In Luke Jesus appeared to the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
Mark’s account is the shortest account of the four resurrection stories.
At the end of Mark’s account the women were running from the tomb. They were experiencing terror and amazement and they said nothing to anyone because they were afraid.
The ending of Mark was so controversial that later scribes added an ending. It wasn’t appropriate to end the story with people in this level of fear.
Have we experienced a moment of fear that is similar to what the women experienced in Mark? Something so awful happened that we were afraid to even talk about it? Please share.

Tuesday, April 2
Matthew 28:1-10
The Resurrection of Jesus
After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers and sisters to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
The resurrection story in Matthew is different than the other gospel stories in that this is the only story where an earthquake took place. In Matthew an earthquake also took place when Jesus died, Matthew 27:51.
In Matthew an angel descended from heaven and rolled back the stone that was in front of the cave or tomb where the body of Jesus had been placed. The angel sat on the stone. The guards were so afraid that they fainted.
Twice in Matthew’s story we find the phrase, “do not be afraid.” The angel sitting on the stone shared this with the two women who came to the tomb. Jesus appeared to the women as they were running away from the tomb and shared the same message.
“Do not be afraid,” is a message that is timeless. No one can ever hear this message enough. It seems that so much in the world can make each of us afraid. But the message of the resurrection helps us let go of any fear.
How do you see the connection between the phrase “do not be afraid” and the resurrection? Please share.
Wednesday, April 3
Luke 24:1-12
The Resurrection of Jesus
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.  But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
More women came to the tomb in Luke’s resurrection story than any other story. This might have been because Luke valued women and their ministry.
When the women came to the tomb they were expecting to anoint a dead body. Instead they saw that the large stone had been rolled away that was in front of the tomb. Luke doesn’t tell us how it was rolled away. He just shared this reality.
Only in Luke’s resurrection story did two heavenly messengers appear in the story. The heavenly messengers shared the eternal message of the resurrection, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” Luke 24:5
These seventeen words can change the life of anyone. They certainly changed the lives of the women who were at the tomb. When they heard them, they ran away from the tomb excited to tell the disciples or apostles what they had heard.
But the apostles did not believe. In Luke it was only after Jesus appeared to some of the male disciples on the road to Emmaus that they believed that Jesus was risen.
Have you had a moment when you heard news that was so extraordinary that you wouldn’t allow yourself to believe the news? This moment was so powerful and meaningful that it was hard to believe.
Please share.

Thursday, April 4
John 20:1-10
The Resurrection of Jesus
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’s head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed, for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
In John’s writing of the resurrection story, only Mary Magdalene came to the tomb. Like Luke and Mark the large stone that had been placed in front of the cave had been rolled away.
Just the reality that the stone had been rolled away was significant to Mary Magdalene. When she saw the stone had been rolled away, she didn’t even enter the tomb. Instead she ran to get Peter and the Beloved Disciple.
It’s almost comical to see that John reported that the Beloved Disciple and Peter ran to the tomb and that the Beloved Disciple outran Peter and arrived first. Maybe he was in better shape than Peter!
Peter eventually caught up and went into the tomb first. The beloved disciple then followed him.
We don’t read what impact the empty tomb had on Peter, but we do read that the Beloved Disciple saw and believed.
Have you ever had a moment that changed your belief system? A moment or time that significantly changed the way you looked at the world? Please share.

Friday, April 5
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
The Resurrection of Christ
Now I want you to understand, brothers and sisters, the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you believed.
The entire 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians shares Paul’s thoughts on the resurrection. In the first eleven verses of this chapter, Paul shared the people whom Jesus appeared when he rose from the dead.
He first appeared to Peter, then the twelve disciples—though one wonders if Paul had this right as Judas had died by suicide. Perhaps the new disciple, Matthias, had joined the group and saw Jesus. Jesus then appeared to five hundred people. He appeared to James and the other apostles. And finally Jesus appeared to Paul.
This order must have been important to Paul.
It’s significant that even though Paul or Saul was persecuting Jesus, Jesus still appeared to them. Jesus never gave up on Paul.
Just as Jesus doesn’t give up on us. What does it mean to you, that Jesus never gives up on you? Please share.

Saturday, April 6
Mark 5:35-43
While he was still speaking, some people came from the synagogue leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the synagogue leader, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the synagogue leader’s house, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” And immediately the girl stood up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this and told them to give her something to eat.
This story of Jesus healing the daughter of Jairus is very precious—it’s a resurrection story. Jairus had come to Jesus and asked him to heal her. When Jairus appeared to Jesus, his daughter was at the point of death. By the time that Jesus arrived she was dead.
We are never told her name.

Sleeping is a common euphemism for death in the Bible. When Jesus told the disciples that Lazarus had died, Jesus used the phrase, “he has fallen asleep.”
This phrase illustrates how Jesus viewed death. It was only a temporary state before a person experienced heaven.
How do you view your own death? It’s a big question, but an important one for any human. Do you see death as the end of life? Or do you see it as a transition to heaven? Please share.

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Community Gardens

Chain of Lakes Church is excited to offer a Community Garden Ministry next to the new church building at 2650 125th Ave NE, Blaine, MN 55449. It’s just east of Malmborg’s Garden Center on 125th Ave NE in Blaine or .8 miles east of Radisson Rd on 125th Ave NE, Blaine.