Reading Plan Easter 2015

Words from the Cross

For the next three weeks we at TurningPoint will look at some of the final
moments of Jesus life throughout the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, &
John). It starts with Passover, a time when Jews remember how the children
of Israel left slavery behind them when they exited Egypt. The Israelites had
been under the rule of Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, for 400 years until Moses
led them out; this was over 3,000 years ago.
Despite many appeals from Moses, Pharaoh refused to release the
Israelites every time. Moses warned that unless his people were released
from slavery and allowed to leave Egypt, God would send terrible plagues
onto Pharaoh's land. The ten plagues were blood, frogs, gnats, flies, blight
of the livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and the death of the first born.
God told Moses to tell the Israelites to daub the doors of their houses with
lamb's blood (speaking of Christs Blood) so God could 'pass over' their
houses and ensure they were spared this last plague. Thus was born the
Passover Festival and the Seder, a special family meal held on the eve of
Passover. The Passover came down through Jewish history to where Jesus
took the Passover wine and bread and made it into what we now know
today as the Last Supper.
As God had instructed the Jews to celebrate the Passover every year to
teach the next Generation the saving power of God, let us through our
family gatherings and holiday experiences also proclaim and declare the
saving power of God through Jesus.
When Jesus hung on the cross He made seven statements of how He saw
the situation and how He was committed to it.
The final week of our study, we are preparing an experience of Jesus
death, resurrection and His reappearance to the disciples. We hope that you
join us and invite one friend that you hope will hear the history and living
story of Jesus sacrifice and triumph over sin and
death.
Let remembrance of the work of the Cross
transform lives over this Easter time.
Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth,
who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here.
See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his
disciples and Peter that he is going before you to
Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told
you. Mark 16:6-7

Blessing, Ps
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Phil

Passover week: Day 1 - 30th March - Monday

Reading: Luke 19:28-41 & Isaiah 55:6-12
Hosanna! was the word that began the most explosive 7 days in all of
eternity. Never would there be a week, nor a word, that would so profoundly
impact every life in recorded history.
It was Passover week in Jerusalem and nearly 2.5 million people were
crowding the streets of this ancient city. All adult Jewish males were required
to come to Jerusalem three times a year with Passover being one of those
times. What a week for the presentation of a King!
As Jesus rode through the jammed streets, the mass of humanity threw their
cloaks on the way ahead of Him. Fittingly, this was the historical way that a
population would welcome their victorious king home from battle.
This crowd also cut branches from trees along the
way and threw them in front of the King on His
donkey. They waved the branches high above
their heads as they proclaimed, Blessed is He
Who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna
in the highest!
These people were worshippers! They were
declaring, Everything that we have is Yours,
Jesus! Are you a worshipper?
When Jesus enters our life, our Jerusalem, we must respond with wholehearted obedience and genuine praise. We must enter into an experience of
worship so dynamic that it causes us to sacrifice our comfort and tradition. Has
the presence of Jesus Christ caused a genuine stir in your life? Have you
responded to His triumphant procession with your reckless abandon of
absolute worship?
When confronted with the Kingship of Jesus Christ, many of us hold back and
refuse to change our style of worship. A genuine experience with the Son of
God ought to cause an expression of worship that goes beyond ... way beyond
... the official structure of acceptable worship.
As we prepare our hearts and lives for His death and resurrection, we must
first join with the voices of history and declare passionately and sincerely,
Hosanna in the highest!
Prayer: May my worship be that which is acceptable to Jesus. In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Application: I will endeavour to make every part of my life a place of honour to
Jesus. (Have I booked in for the Passover Meal at Cranbourne Yet?)

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He loved the sick: Day 2 31st March - Tuesday

Reading: Mark 14: 1-9
Jesus loved people. He loved the sick and the lame ... the prostitute and
children. Jesus loved His band of brothers ... the 12 whose lives had
become so intrinsically a part of His own.
Jesus also loved a particular family who had celebrated with Him, had
often taken care of Him while He was traveling and with whom Jesus had
cried the day that He raised their brother, Lazarus, from the dead.
Understandably, Jesus spent some of His last hours on earth with
beloved friends who had become family to Him. These moments were
unspeakably dear as he looked lovingly into the faces of those whose
names would soon be written not only on His heart but also on His hands.
As they were dining together one evening during this final week of Jesus
life, Mary, the woman who had spent so much time at the feet of Jesus,
came to Him with a family heirloom in her hands.
Mary had spent time at Jesus feet in wonder listening to His Word; she
spent time at the feet of Jesus in her darkest hour believing that Jesus
would perform a miracle; and now she is extravagantly giving at His
beautiful feet that will soon be bloodied.
Mary broke the alabaster vial and poured the fragrant and costly perfume
over the head of Jesus. The amount in this vase was worth an entire
years wages and yet Mary lavishly poured it over the body of her Saviour.
Jesus will die as a criminal; only criminals bodies were denied the
societal anointing of spices and perfume after death. Marys singular act
of love saved Him from the disgrace of a criminals death. This one quiet
woman was so filled with devotion and love that she considered no
sacrifice too great for Jesus.
Will you spend heartfelt time with Jesus
this week? Will you allow your worship to
spill over into giving as you contemplate
the price that He paid for your life?
Prayer: Thank you Jesus for the price
you paid for my life. May Your
investment in me bring great return to the
Father. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Application: I will spend time with Jesus this week to appreciate His
giving. Why not view movies like The Passion of the Cross

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Why Easter: Day 3 1st April - Wednesday

Reading: John 12:1-6 & Matthew 26:14-16 & Psalms 41
The unanswerable word Why?! echoes within my soul as I read the
tragic account of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. Why?
Judas had spent three years with Jesus! He had seen Him heal bodies,
touch broken lives and raise the dead. Judas had heard the Gospel of
love. Why?
Judas laughed and shared life with Jesus. Judas had seen the miraculous
multiplication of loaves and fishes ... he had seen a once raging sea
become calm ... and had seen demons flee at the voice of the One Who
proclaimed, Let there be light! Why?
Does Judas even have a heart? Judas went to the chief priests ... they did
not come to him. He went to them.
I have always wondered if Judas betrayed Jesus because of his own
addiction. I wonder if Judas was compelled to sell Jesus to murderers
because of a compulsion that he was never able to conquer.
Judas was in charge of the money box and it was known among the
disciples that Judas often pilfered from the treasury that was meant to be
shared. We dont know if the disciples confronted Judas, or if Jesus
confronted him. What we do know is that Judas had an addiction that had
never been dealt with.
Judas could have taken his weakness to
Jesus! He could have confessed,
asked for forgiveness and
for power. Instead the
insidious and lethal addiction stayed hidden and thus overpowered the
ability of Judas to walk by faith and not by sight.
You may not sell Jesus for 30 pieces of silver but your addictions and
issues will cause you to make wrong choices. You will do things that will
shame you and lead you down a pathway of remorse and guilt.
Satan will take advantage of your weakness. He did it to Judas and he will
try it with you.
Prayer: In Christ I am stronger than anything Satan can put on me. Like
Jesus overcame, I too will overcome. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Application: Maybe it is time for you to make a choice that Judas never
made ... go to Jesus. Ask Him for forgiveness and power. You will be
amazed at how it will change the end of your story!
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I will bring you out: Day 4 2nd April - Thursday

Reading: Matthew 26: 17-30 & Exodus 6: 1-7
This was the third Passover meal Jesus had eaten with His disciples.
The Passover meal was organized around drinking four cups of wine,
each representing the four-part promise of redemption in Exodus.
The first cup remembered the promise I will bring you out. God, the
Father, brought the Israelites out of Egypt as now, Jesus, His Son, would
bring all His children out of sin.
The second cup commemorated I will rescue you from bondage. The
children of Israel were set free from the bondage of slavery in Egypt;
Jesus, the Great Emancipator, has set us free from the bondage of Satan.
I will redeem you was the promise of the third cup. God redeemed the
Israelites to the Promised Land and now, we, the beneficiaries of the
death of Jesus, have been redeemed to a new and abundant life!
The fourth cup symbolizes the promise, I will take you as my people and
I will be your God.
Jesus said that He would save the drinking of this fourth cup for when we
all celebrate together in the Kingdom of God. Jesus was communicating
to His earthly family that there would be a reunion dinner someday and
that they would be there.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and
Saviour, you will be there, too! Jesus will begin the
celebration by welcoming you home at last. You
will see Peter and James ... the woman with the
alabaster box. ... and Lazarus! You will be there!
At that grand reunion, there will be no sin or suffering. There will be no
cancer, bad backs or migraines. And you will be there!
When everyone has gathered, Jesus will pick up the fourth cup ... the one
that He didnt finish that night in Jerusalem. In the presence of the Father,
He will hold up that cup and a glorious cheer will fill the air! A resounding
shout will echo from the rafters of heaven ... hands will be raised ... the
sound of singing will fill the atmosphere of heaven!
And you ... will be there!
Prayer: Father I know I will be accepted as Christ has fulfilled all the
requirements of the Old Testament Law. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Application: I will arrange to have a time with my family and friends to
celebrate with a meal as I reflect on the great work that Jesus did.
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The three disciples: Day 5 3rd April Good Friday

Reading: Matthew 26: 31-75
Jesus took three disciples with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter,
James and John had been with Him on the Mount of Transfiguration, and
Jesus needed them to stand with Him in prayer.
But while Jesus prayed ... they slept. While Jesus sweat
great drops of blood ... they snored. While Jesus cried in
agony ... the three men He trusted were slumbering.
Knowing that He was about to die the violent death
of a criminal, they dozed and drooled.
Three times Jesus came to the disciples
... and three times they were sleeping.
We become outraged at the seemingly
careless actions of Peter, James and
John and yet how often have we been caught giving into the twilight of
half-hearted behaviour when Jesus calls our name?
We watch television when there are prayers to be prayed.
We read novels when there are people to be loved and saved.
We snore while our culture crumbles without Jesus.
Just as the Saviour needed Peter, James and John ... your Saviour needs
you. He has entrusted you with the power of prayer. He has entrusted you
with the Great Commission. He has entrusted you with the Gospel.
In this Garden, Jesus prayed, Not as I will ... but as You will. Have you
ever tried praying that prayer when your life was crumbling? Have you
ever prayed, Father, Your will be done, when faced with cruel
circumstances? If we learn nothing else from this event in the life of
Jesus, we should learn to pray and to desire the will of the Father above
all else while others sleep.
When Jesus finally roused the three from their slumber, they had a view
in the moonlight of a mob coming up the western slope of Mt. Olive. After
the mob, led by Judas, seized Jesus, Peter stayed in the courtyard of the
high priest. It was there that Peter denied Jesus three times.
Prayer: Father may I stand strong in the time of need, but much more
may I learn to be ready now before the hour is upon me, Amen.
Application: I wonder if Peter would have denied Jesus if he had prayed
rather than slept. I wonder how different my life would be if I would pray ...
rather than sleep.
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Scourging and flogging: Day 6 6th April - Monday

Reading: Matthew 26: 1-56
Before his crucifixion, Jesus was scourged. Roman soldiers bared the
upper half of his body and tied his hands to a pillar. He was forced to
bend double with his spinal column exposed. Then, Jesus was flogged
with a 3-pronged whip comprised of three leather thongs connected by
pieces of bone and metal on a chain.
Scourging or flogging always preceded capital punishment so that the
prisoner would be weakened and die more quickly on the cross. The
violent lashing of Jesus body tore his skin and bared his flesh to the very
bone. Many victims died before they even encountered the cross because
of the flogging. Many were paralysed and few remained conscious after
this horrific punishment.
After the flogging came the mocking. The soldiers relentlessly and cruelly
ridiculed the Son of the God of all creation. Jesus was too weak to even
carry His own cross because his torment had already been taken to the
utmost limits. There was little life left in His precious Body as He reached
the top of Golgotha.
The Man Who had turned over tables ... held little children on his lap ...
calmed the storms ... and raised the dead ... was now bleeding in agony.
His lungs were struggling for one more gasp of earths atmosphere and
His eyes were glazed with vicious pain.
I wonder if the guards could hear the Saviour gasping for breath. His
mother, who had witnessed His first precious breath, now heard Him
breathing His last. She had giggled over His first coos and gurgles, and
now had to stand and hear Him fight the pain and fight for breath.
He could have called 10,000 angels at that moment. They would have
come to His rescue! He could have removed Himself from the cross but
He chose not to! He chose to contain His power. Why? Why didnt He
save Himself from the mockery of hell itself?
Prayer: Father in the final hours of Jesus on the cross I see Your great
love for me as you looked past the need of Jesus to the hope of me
becoming your child. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Application: He stayed there for you ... because YOU were the joy set
before Him. You were on His mind while He hung on Calvarys cross.
Do we hold the same view of joy as we look forward to seeing others
saved?

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The curtain: Day 7 7th April - Tuesday

Reading: Matthew 27: 57-66 & Isaiah 53:
The world was cloaked in an unnatural, early and consuming darkness
the day Jesus died. There was no reason for the sun to shine on this day
in history the Light of the world had been temporarily extinguished.
The curtain in the temple, which symbolically separated the most Holy
Place from the sinful place, was rent in two! When Jesus took His last
breath on the Cross, the curtain was torn to shreds! Mankind would never
be separated from their Holy God again! The Spirit of Jesus Christ ripped
the dividing wall in two and made a way for you to touch God.
The earth shook when Jesus gave up His spirit. The rocks cried out in
grief as the Saviour of the world took His last earthly breath.
Dead people rose from their tombs! Can you even imagine the power that
burst forth from heavens gate that day? There was no more power in
death! Jesus had defeated death forevermore and even tombs could not
hold back the dead. These bodies were set free by the power of life that
was released in the heavenlies that day!
All of humanity knew that something gargantuan had happened on the
day Jesus had died.
Joseph of Arimathea offered his grave that had never been used. This
borrowed grave was in a cave hewn from the rock on the side of a hill.
The Body of Jesus Christ was laid inside and then a boulder, larger than
the opening, was rolled downhill into a trench.
They made the tomb as secure as they humanly could. They sealed the
huge rock with clay that hardened. Jesus was literally cemented into the
grave. And then, they set a guard to watch the tomb of Jesus.
Make it as secure as you know how, were the words of Pilate to the
Pharisees. What the Pharisees failed to understand was that no clay ... no
rock ... no guard ... no grave ... and no soldiers could have prevented the
Son of God from rising again! Jesus was about to give back His borrowed
grave!
Prayer: Lord may I stand in the authority that you
gave me through your name Jesus, Amen.
Application: May I realise that no rock ... no
guard ... no grave ... and no soldiers could have
prevented Jesus granting me all that He said he
would deliver!

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Do not be afraid: Day 8 8th April - Wednesday

Reading: Matthew 28:
When the women arrived at the ancient cemetery on the dawn of the
Sabbath, they were greeted not by a cold, sealed tomb but by an angel
relaxing in the morning sunshine on the stone that had been rolled away!
And what were the words of this angel? Do not be afraid!
Lets travel back in time about 33 years before this Resurrection morning
when an angel was sent from heaven to announce the birth of Jesus.
What did that angel say? Do not be afraid!
When God arrives on the scene of our lives, He comes to take away all
fear. Jesus lived and died to deal with your fear issues! If you are bound
by fear, be set free today by the Saviour Who could not be held by death!
The sealed grave, this Easter morning, was not opened to let Jesus out
but to let the adoring women in. As these women, who were the first
commissioned to tell the Gospel story, ran in celebration away from the
cemetery, they were experiencing both fear and great joy.
Always allow your joy to be greater than your fear! Nothing in your life
should be stronger than His joy. The joy those women experienced on
that Sabbath morning caused them to fall on their faces in worship.
Some of the disciples worshipped while others doubted. Disciples have
the same decision to make today. Will you worship or will you doubt?
Will you get on your face in worship or give into your fear?
The power and authority that Easter heralds should compel us all to go
and make disciples. Once you have been told ... you must go tell! Gods
will for your life, and for my life, is to make disciples in our personal
worlds. Hosanna!
Prayer: Father may I see
the hope that is the
resurrection not only for me
but also for these who You
have placed me to minister
to. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Application: The final truth of the Resurrection story is that He really is
with you. He will be with you in all your tomorrows. We are sent out on the
greatest task in all of History and are assured of the Greatest Presence
that has ever lived on heaven or on earth.

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Forgiveness extends: Day 9 9th April - Thursday

Reading: Luke 23: 1-34
When He hung on the cross, suffering through a horrific punishment He
did nothing to deserve, He didn't waste His final breaths. He spoke words
that echo throughout eternity, forever shaping the way we view and
receive His sacrifice.
Luke 23:34 records the first of the seven final sayings of Jesus on the
cross: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
On what many now call Palm Sunday, people crowded the streets of
Jerusalem, welcoming Jesus to the cries of, "Hosanna! Hosanna in the
highest!" Days later, He looked down on another crowd at the foot of His
cross harshly shouting, "Crucify him!"
His response to their outcry was opposite of what many of us might have
done. Jesus asked God to have mercy. "Father, forgive them, for they do
not know what they are doing." His words reached far beyond the
bloodthirsty people at His feet to us, today.
While it was our sin that ultimately subjected Jesus' life to the relentless
beating, mocking, and torture of the cross, it was the forgiveness Jesus
issued in the midst of His torment that has the power to forever transform
your life. His forgiveness, if you receive it, extends beyond your deepest
hurts, regrets, and failures.
To receive this great gift, we first have to see
exactly how far His forgiveness reaches and all it
covers: rejection of Christ, turning from His ways,
doubting who He is, and so much more.
All of us have sinned and fallen short of living a
perfect life. But we have the hope of forgiveness. Forgiveness that takes
away those sins. No matter who you are, where you have been, or what
you have done, Jesus forgives you. Unconditionally.
PRAYER: Jesus, give me the perspective today to see the full extent of
your forgiveness. Forgive me for the times that I have unknowingly, and
knowingly, sinned against you. I pray the same forgiveness I receive from
you may overflow into the forgiveness I extend to others. Amen.
Application: The full extent of Jesus' forgiveness extends beyond your
greatest sins, and allows you to extend it beyond the greatest sins others
have committed against you. What is one offense you have yet to forgive
someone for? Take the opportunity today to reach out to that person to
offer forgiveness.
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Jesus save Yourself: Day 10 10th April - Friday

Reading: Luke 23: 34-43 & Lamentations 3:19-23
It was impossible for Jesus to save Himself if He was going to save us. As
Jesus hung between two habitual criminals, one mocked Him, hurling insults
upon Him. "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"
Jesus could have escaped this scene of torment and humiliation, but in that
moment, He chose to obey the purpose He came to fulfil. Jesus knew He
wouldn't do the very thing the criminal asked of Him in Luke 23:39. You see, it
was impossible for Jesus to save Himself if He was going to save us.
In the pressure of everyday life, you may cry out for God to save you.
However, Jesus longs to do more than rescue you from dire circumstances. He
wants to save your soul first. The other criminal hanging on a cross next to
Jesus recognized Him as the Messiah, the saving King. And in his dying
breaths, he made a simple request for salvation: "Jesus, remember me when
you come into your kingdom" (Luke 23:42).
Jesus did more than remember. He said in Luke 23:43, "I tell you the truth,
today you will be with me in paradise." This was a firm promise that Jesus was
guaranteeing the thief a place in heaven, with Him. Consider today the wonder
of salvation through Jesus. He offers remembrance and redemption.
When Jesus says, "I will remember you," He's working on our behalf.
He hung on the cross on behalf of our sins.
He endured the wrath of the cross so we would never have to stand before
such judgment without a redeemer.
He gave His earthly life to invite us into eternal salvation.
Each day, we get to choose how we remember our salvation.
Will we recount the sin in our life?
Or remember the grace He makes available every day?
Will we regret the choices that put us where we are?
Or remember that Jesus saved us and will work through us as we humbly
depend on Him? No matter what you choose to remember, Jesus has already
chosen to remember you, and has guaranteed a place in eternity with Him.
Prayer: Jesus, I praise you for the grace you showed to the man hanging next
to you on the cross. Your mercies are greater than anything I can comprehend.
Thank you for remembering me, although I deserved the punishment you
received. Open my eyes, Lord, to receive the mercy you make available to me
so that I may remember you in everything I do. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Application: While Jesus chooses not to remember our sin, they're often easy
for us to recall. Write down several ways Jesus has changed you since you
received His salvation. Celebrate this as a new way to remember the
transformative power of your salvation.
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Prioritize relationships: Day 11 13th April-Monday

Reading: John 19:26-27 & James 4:7-10 & John 15: 9-17
The relationship God wants to have with you is not based on anything He
needs from you. It is based entirely on what you need from Him. It's easy to
establish and prioritize relationships based on what has been or can be done
for us. The value we place on relationships is often contingent on what we
think other people will contribute to the relationship.
That's what's so amazing about our relationship with God. In our sin and
imperfection, it's difficult to say we provide much that could impress an
already-perfect God. The good news is, God doesn't measure His relationship
with us based on what we have done or can do for Him. If we receive His
grace, He has already accepted, forgiven, and saved us. Nothing can take
away His love or relationship. We see this at the cross, as Jesus hung before a
tortuous, merciless crowd of hecklers. He was abandoned by nearly everyone
that had once fellowshipped with Him. Though His love never left them, His
people left Him.
Yet as Jesus looked down from the cross, He saw two familiar faces standing
amongst the crowd-His mother, Mary, and His disciple, John. Upon seeing
them, Jesus issued His final words to them. When Jesus said, "Here is your
son Here is your mother," He showed His passion for relationship,
particularly the kind He desires with His people: close, caring, intimate.
Many people hide from these type of tight-knit relationships because they may
fear, "If people really knew me, they'd never accept me." But God really knows
you, and He has already accepted you. The relationship God wants to have
with you is not based on anything God needs from you. It is based entirely on
what you need from Him. Jesus knew His mother needed someone to watch
over her, protect her, and care for her. When He looked down and saw how
close she had drawn to Him, even as He died a horrific death on the cross,
Jesus took the time to make sure she would never be alone.
Jesus knows the state of your heart today. He knows if you are trying to push
through any pain or insecurity. He knows if you feel like everyone else has left
you. He knows exactly what you need, and He is with you, desiring to be in
close, caring, intimate relationship with you. Embrace the unconditional love
Jesus wants to show you today. In your every thought, every word, and every
action, you are loved. Stay close to God, and He will stay close to you.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for acknowledging our need for care and relationship
in your final moments on the cross. Give me the perspective to prioritize my
relationship with you, as I learn how to follow you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Application: Jesus died not to scowl at us for the price our sin forced Him to
pay, but to smile at us in the joy of His eternal relationship with us. Let us shift
your perspective to see He delights in you.
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Love the greatest: Day 12 14th April - Tuesday

Reading: Matthew 27:46 & Hebrews 12:
He was forsaken so you wouldn't have to be. Just after making sure two
people He loved would not be alone, Jesus had to face being forsaken by
His Heavenly Father. Until that moment, Jesus had spent every waking
moment of His life fully connected to God.
Every word His Father gave to Him, Jesus spoke. Everywhere Jesus
went, His Father was there. But when Jesus cried, "My God, my God, why
have you forsaken me?" He felt the weight of separation from His Father.
The greatest agony He could ever experience unlocked the greatest
opportunity Jesus would have to show His love for you.
As Jesus neared death on the cross, He was forsaken so you wouldn't
have to be. We are not promised a life free from abandonment. People
will abandon us, just as the disciples abandoned Jesus in the Garden of
Gethsemane. Occasionally, the pain of our circumstances can cause us
to look around, wondering if God has abandoned us as well.
While there will be moments where you feel far from God, Jesus' death on
the cross forever guaranteed that you will never be separated from Him.
The moment Jesus felt apart from His father ensured that you would
never have to spend a moment apart from Him. The enemy can use
moments of loneliness and pain to distract you from the potential and
purpose God has for your life.
But even in your greatest agony, God is
there. He isn't waiting for your strength to
rise above your feelings of abandonment.
He's waiting for your faith to rise as you
acknowledge your dependency on Him.
Open your eyes today to the persistence of His presence.
Prayer: Lord, I confess there are times in my life when I feel like
everyone, even you, has abandoned me. Give me the faith to see that
you have never left me. Help me to see that you were abandoned so I
would never have to be. Let me focus on your presence today. In Jesus'
name, Amen.
Application: Even in your greatest moments of agony, God is there. He
promises to never leave us nor forsake us. What is one area of your life
that feels empty and abandoned? What is one way that you can see God
in this situation? As you face this struggle, seek ways to recognize God's
presence.
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Death & resurrection: Day 13 15th April - Wednesday

Reading: John 19:28 & Philippians 4:1-13
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus offers the only true solution to your
distress: Himself. While you cannot escape thirst in your life, you can choose
how you will fulfil this thirst.
Throughout His life, Jesus lived in direct connection with God and had access
to the source of all life. So when Jesus gasped, "I thirst," from the cross, His
sense of need may have seemed contradictory to the limitless resources He
could have tapped into as the Son of God. Even in expressing His physical
thirst, Jesus never spoke or acted without reason. While these words were
uttered in distress, it was in His greatest distress that released His greatest
purpose.
When Jesus declared His thirst in John 19:28, He was fulfilling the prophecies
in Psalm 22:15 and 69:21. And while He spoke of His physical need that
needed to be quenched, it brings to mind our spiritual thirst He knew would
forever be unmet without Him.
Much like the Samaritan woman Jesus encountered in John 4, your soul will
thirst for fulfilment every single day. But when you face moments of distress,
the enemy will present an endless array of options for you to quench your
thirst. The enemy wants you to thirst for A better job that will pay you enough
to relieve your financial insecurity. A relationship that satisfies the physical
desires of your flesh. Newer, fancier material things that provide the joy you
may be lacking. The list is endless and attractive yet deadly.
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus offers the only true solution to your
distress: Himself. When Jesus died on the cross, His love fulfilled your every
need once and for all. He provides the peace your spirit needs to rest. - He
provides the joy your spirit needs for strength. - He provides the purpose you
need to make today matter.
Jesus' death doesn't guarantee a life free from distress. But it does make
provision to get through the hard times. He invited each of us to place our faith
in Him, who is stronger than any needs we may have.
God's not waiting for you to find another way to fill a void in your life. He's
waiting for you to receive the fulfilment He's already made available to you
Himself. Embrace the unending satisfaction of His love.
Prayer: Jesus, Even in your greatest moment of distress, you fulfilled a
purpose greater than anything I can ever imagine. I receive the fulfilment that
only your love can bring. Everywhere I go today, give me the peace of knowing
that I am complete in you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Application: Memorize Philippians 4:10-13 as a picture of the peace, strength,
and fulfilment that Jesus makes available to you on a daily basis.
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The greatest sabotage: Day 14 16th April Thursday

Reading: John 19:30 & 1 John 5:
It's not what I can do; it's what He's already done. With Jesus' dying words in
John 19:30, He initiated the greatest sabotage in human history.
When Jesus said, "It is finished," the enemy was ready to celebrate the
ultimate defeat of evil over good. But what the enemy intended to be a cry of
defeat, Jesus used to speak eternal victory over death. Once and for all, Jesus
used His final words to issue us the victory of saying, "It's not what you can do;
It's what I have already done for you."
No longer would you have to get your act together to come into the presence
of God. No longer would you have to strive under your own effort to earn God's
love.
No longer would you have to follow a detailed set of rules and regulations to
achieve your spot in Heaven. The triumph of the cross does not come by
human effort. The victory of Jesus is received where your trying ends.
Jesus will never love you any more than He does right now. He's not waiting
for perfection before He'll accept you. Jesus has already done everything you
need to experience Heaven. He's not waiting for you to achieve the goals
you've set for your life. He's not waiting for you to feel sorry for the price He
paid.
He's waiting for you to be changed. He's waiting for you to completely
surrender your will to His. Faith is not about a bad person becoming good; it's
about a dead person becoming alive. The greatest triumph in the world - the
victory of life over death - is available for you to receive today.
When you make this daily decision to surrender to God's greatest triumph, you
enable yourself to experience His victory in every area of your life.
Surrender your unforgiveness. Resurrect love.
Surrender your disobedience. Resurrect the purpose God has for you.
Surrender your insecurities. Resurrect the security of your identity in Him.
Open your eyes today to the obedience and victory of surrender.
Prayer: Jesus. I know that you have overcome the world. The grave could not
hold you down, Lord. You may have died on the cross, but you rose again.
And today, Jesus, I receive the life you have made available to me through
your victory over death. Change me, Lord, and shape me into the person you
died for me to be. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Application: How have you changed since surrendering to Jesus? How has
your outlook on life changed? How have your relationships changed? How has
your purpose in life changed? Write down your life change story and share it
with one person close to you this week.

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His last words: Day 15 -17th April - Friday

Reading: Luke 23:46 & 2 Corinthians 5:
The Resurrection is not an event, it is a person. When Jesus spoke His very
last words in Luke 23:46, His life on Earth ended. But His eternal reign in our
lives was just beginning. Likewise, the end of this study is meant to be a new
beginning in your relationship with Christ. The seven sayings that Jesus cried
out on the cross, when paralleled with the way Jesus appeared to His disciples
on the road to Emmaus after His death, are designed to be a Seven-Mile
Miracle. By focusing on the significance of each of Jesus' final words, you may
gain unique perspective on who Jesus is, what He has done for you, and how
He wants to reveal Himself to you every day.
Interestingly enough, the very people that knew Jesus the best - the disciples
that followed Jesus over the course of His life - did not recognize Him as they
walked with Him to Emmaus in Luke 24. Still in shock from the events that
unfolded just days earlier, the disciples likely saw the Passover meal they
shared with Jesus in Luke 22 as their last meaningful time with Him.
When He sat down for the only meal He'd share with the disciples after His
death, Jesus took the bread, blessed the bread, broke the bread, and gave the
bread to His disciples. Every step of this process parallels the way Jesus
works in and through you. Just as He took the bread in His hands, He takes
you from a place of uncertainty and brings you into a life of faith, hope, and
certainty. Just as He blessed the bread, He blesses you and favours you with
a new life found only in Him.
Just as He broke the bread, He breaks you not to discourage you, but to
increase your dependency on Him. And finally, just as He gave the bread to
His disciples, He gives you to the world for the sake of His glory. These stages
can be painful, but remember that God doesn't want to hurt you; He wants to
reunite with you.
When Jesus broke bread with His disciples, the bread never left His hands.
And when He finally stretched forward to give the bread to His disciples, they
saw His nail-scarred hands and their eyes were opened to see Jesus as the
risen Lord. Jesus wants to reunite with you today. Open your eyes to see Him
as the resurrected Son of God.
Prayer: Jesus, you are powerful, loving, and faithful. Take me from my old
ways, break me of anything holding me back from you, and give me to the
world so that I may glorify your name. You are the Resurrection, Jesus, and I
am forever grateful for the life you have given me. In your name, Amen.
Application: As you reach the end of this study, we pray that God has
changed your heart and your perspective to bring you closer to Him. If God
has stretched your faith and changed your heart in any way during this series,
we want to celebrate with you.
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Our Motivation as inspired in 1996 and still unchanged.

For a Church: - that is a Family, operating as one unit with One
Vision and purpose, with a place of expression and ministry for each
Partner/Member in it.
For a Church: - that will have a strong emphasis on the Word of God
and Worship, cherishing the Precepts of God. Having contemporary
style and flavour being able to cater for the different sectors of our
City.
For a Church: - that will be a Safe Place taking in the hurting,
depressed, frustrated and restore them, giving them encouragement
and hope in Jesus.
For a Church: - that will develop every Member to discover their own
ministry gifting through Connect Groups, Care groups, Training
groups and Bible school, empowering them to use their God given

Talents.

For a Church: - that every Member, Department, Small Group, and

Corporate Meeting is constantly sharing the Good News of Jesus
Christ as the Gospel is Advanced.
For a Church: - that will form a strong base of 1000 members that
know the Joy of the Lord who can Live, Love, Learn and Laugh
together.
For a Church: - that is progressively Active in Missions,
ministerially and financially, overseas and locally, planting and
supporting a new outreach Church with Manpower, Resources and
Ministry every 5 years.
For a Church: - that has a consistent user friendly Influence and
impact into the City with Coffee Shops, OP Shops, Bookshops,
Training Centres.
For a Church: - that Facilitates Care and Education having its own
Christian School, Kindergarten, Day Care, Play Group and Mothers
groups.
For a Church: - that has its own simple yet Practical Buildings for
Church (1000 seat auditorium, Sunday school rooms and offices) and
School (Kinder to VCE of approximately 500 student) established on
approximately 10 acres of well set out land and gardens.
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SUNDAY SERVICES:
TurningPoint Cranbourne
1785 South Gippsland
Highway Cranbourne
(Opposite Devon Road)
10:30am & 6:00pm Services
TurningPoint Lyndhurst
Lynbrook Childrens Centre
25i River Redgum Place
Lynbrook
10:30am Service

TurningPoint Koo Wee Rup

335 Rossiter Road
Koo Wee Rup
10:30am Service

Administration:
PO Box 5422
Cranbourne VIC 3977
Phone 03 5996 3048
Emailchurch@turningpoint.asn.au
www.turningpoint.asn.au

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