Introduction

Introduction

During Holy Week as we read and enter the story of our redemption, the road of sorrow, shame and betrayal he chose to travel for us, we find ourselves broken at the foot of the cross. It is there in our brokenness that somehow we get a glimpse of the joy that awaits us in our healing. Evil can never outdo the power of the cross to redeem the restless hearts of a lost and broken humanity or a broken individual.

Peace leading into joy then becomes the dominant theme from Easter Sunday onwards. In a short sub-theme we begin to use the empty tomb to speak to us of the peace that goes unnoticed before us in our everyday lives: ending up with the thought of the unnoticed Saviour. Mary mistakes the identity of Jesus only to find her joy is lifted to another plane as she is reminded of the true identity of Jesus. His time had come to ascend to the Father. Yet he would not leave them comfortless. Joy would be made complete by the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The Lenten study comes to an end by focusing our attention on the call of the Christian to be ready to give a reason for the hope that lies with us. To be aware that we are treading on Holy ground and that the veil between heaven and earth is thinner than we might ever imagine. We are called to look up and see heaven’s open door. To look up in expectancy for the coming of the baptism of the Holy Spirit to transform our restless hearts into hearts stilled by the peace and joy knowing that heaven is our destination.

Let’s take time to notice the joy.

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Week One

Part 1: When Sorrow and Joy Go Unnoticed

The passages below point to the ultimate joy of knowing that God is doing a new thing, pointing to the joy of his coming kingdom. Sorrow and pain are for a season, but the steadfast love of God endures, outlasting pain and sorrow.

Read Isaiah 43: 18-19

God’s new thing.

Why is it important on occasions to look more to the future than the past?

Read Psalm 126

When sorrow turns to joy.

Can impossible good things happen after great sadness?

Read Romans 15: 5-13

Being filled with joy and peace.

What does it mean to ‘overflow with hope’?

Week Two

Part 2: When Love Goes Unnoticed

These readings are picked out from a week that changed the history of the world. A week when Love went unnoticed. As people rooted in time we are often too blind to see the signs that point to another place. As a result we miss out on the eternal things.

Read Luke 19: 28-35

The Lord needs it.

Consider what the scene that day would have been like from the perspective of the owners of the colt. 

What would they have made of what was going on? What would they have noticed?

Read Luke 19: 36-40

What was it they could not see? 

Check out Zechariah 12: 10. What of the sorrow that John refers to in his prologue John 1: 10-13?  

How easy do you think it is to have religious eyes that are blind?

Read John 13: 3-17

The betrayer at the table. 

How sad to be so close, yet so far away from Jesus. In our actions and activities can we sit at table with Jesus but still misunderstand and become a betrayer?

Week Three

Part 3: When Peace Goes Unnoticed

Our weekly selection of passages invite us to reflect on what happens when peace is overlooked in the midst of fear. So then what of Joy waiting in the wings knowing fear has been defeated?

Read John 20: 1-2

The unnoticed peace of an empty tomb. 

The Prince of Peace had arisen but no one noticed. Do we wait long enough to read the room, encounter the peace, or do we jump to conclusions?

Read John 20: 3-10

The unnoticed headwear. 

What do we learn about the Prince of Peace from the folded head cloth? Why did it go unnoticed by John?

Read John 11: 11-20 & Hebrew 12: 1-3

The joy that flows from the peace.

Mary running to tell the disciples and us running the race that has been set forth for us!

What can we gain from reading these two passages side by side?

Week Four

Part 4: When Heaven Goes Unnoticed

Taking into account the unexpected power and presence of the Spirit of God that brings protection and insight in times of great trouble and persecution. The readings for this week remind us that discipleship is not for the faint hearted. Yet it is often to the fainthearted that God appears in order that his glory can be revealed.

Read Acts 5: 27-32

The Peace, the Presence, the Power. 

Do you think the presence of heaven is sometimes closer to us in our speech than we ever imagine?

Read Revelation 3: 19-22

Standing at the door. 

There is an unnoticed caller at the church door. It’s time to open up to the one standing knocking. It’s time to let Jesus into the Church. 

What would happen if we did?

Read Genesis 18: 1-8

The heavenly visitors. 

Here’s a thought: should restless souls have joy filled hearts because heavenly visitors may move among us unnoticed? (See 2 Kings 6: 15-17.)