Pilate had his wife. Balaam had, of all things, a donkey. In both stories, someone else could see what the person moving forward could not.
Sometimes the person frustrating us, questioning us, or telling us something we don’t particularly want to hear may be helping us see what we’ve missed. That doesn’t mean every piece of advice comes from God. We discern through prayer, Scripture, and the character of Christ. But when God confirms that someone is speaking truth into our lives, we need enough humility to listen and enough courage to change direction.
Pilate heard two very different voices that day. The crowd shouted, “Let him be crucified.” His wife quietly warned him, “Have nothing to do with that innocent man.” Pilate listened to the louder voice.
We live surrounded by voices telling us what to believe, value, fear, and even who deserves our anger. That makes it even more important to ask what is shaping us. Does it sound like Jesus? Is it consistent with Scripture? Is it producing the fruit of the Spirit in us?
A crowd can be loud and still be wrong. Following Christ means learning to recognize His voice when everything else is shouting.
Imagine being Barabbas. You’re sitting in prison knowing what you’ve done, and then suddenly you hear the words you never expected: “You’re free.” An innocent man is going to the cross while you walk away.
In a remarkably literal way, Barabbas experienced the heart of the gospel. Christ took his place, and Christ took ours. Grace is receiving a freedom we could never earn because Jesus willingly bore what we could never escape.
We aren’t standing outside the prison watching Barabbas walk free. We are Barabbas.
Pilate knew Jesus was innocent. He had the authority to act, but instead he let the crowd decide and then washed his hands as though that removed his responsibility.
We aren’t responsible for everything happening around us. But when God gives us an opportunity to love, defend, speak truth, or simply do what is right, following Christ means stepping into that moment rather than looking the other way.
Matthew 28:8 – “The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy.” (NLT)
Before sunrise, while grief still hung heavily in the air, the two Marys walked toward the tomb carrying the weight of everything they thought had been lost.
They had watched Jesus die. They had seen the stone sealed shut. As far as they understood, they were walking toward death, disappointment, and an ending they could not yet make sense of.
Instead, they encountered an empty tomb.
Matthew says they left “frightened but also filled with great joy,” which feels like one of the most honest descriptions of resurrection faith in all of Scripture. Because encountering the risen Christ does not always remove every fear instantly, but it does change what fear means. Hope suddenly enters places that once felt sealed shut forever.
Then Jesus met them on the road. And what did they do? They worshiped Him.
The first witnesses to the resurrection were not powerful rulers or religious elites, but faithful followers who simply kept walking toward Jesus even in their grief. Before the women had time to fully process what had happened, Christ was already sending them outward with good news to share.
That is still the movement of resurrection today. Jesus meets people in their sorrow, fills them with hope, and sends them back into the world carrying news that death does not have the final word.
This week, let’s ask ourselves: – Where in my life do I need resurrection hope right now? – Am I still expecting God to move in places that feel hopeless or sealed shut? – How can I carry the hope of the risen Christ into the lives of others this week?
The empty tomb reminds us that despair is never the end of the story for those who belong to Christ. Resurrection hope still sends ordinary people running back into the world with joy, worship, and good news to share. … See MoreSee Less
Christian hope is not the same thing as optimism. Optimism says, “I think everything will work out the way I want.” Christian hope says, “Even if it doesn’t, I still trust God.”
We can grieve and have hope. We can be afraid and have hope. We can face an uncertain tomorrow and still have hope because our hope is not built on circumstances. It is built on Christ.
Friday still came, and Jesus still went to the cross. But Friday wasn’t the end of the story.
The crowd in Matthew 27 was given a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, and they chose Barabbas. It’s easy to wonder how they could make that choice, until we recognize how often our own lives are shaped by smaller versions of the same decision.
Not everything competing with Christ is bad. Sometimes it simply becomes more important to us than He is. Following Jesus means learning to ask, “Is this drawing me closer to Christ?”
We would like to thank the Ebenezer- Snow Hill Charge for inviting our praise team to come worship with them this Sunday. Every time we spend time with our brothers and sisters from the Ebenezer Snow Hill Charge we walk away blessed and touched by the Holy Spirit! … See MoreSee Less
We are overwhelmed by the positive responses and interest in our homeschool post! We will be hosting an informational meeting Tuesday, September 8th, at 10:00 AM. We’ll share some of our initial thoughts and, more importantly, listen to what homeschool families in our community would find most valuable. Please bring your questions and ideas. Children are welcome, and we will have activities ready for them. … See MoreSee Less
Pilate had his wife. Balaam had, of all things, a donkey. In both stories, someone else could see what the person moving forward could not.
Sometimes the person frustrating us, questioning us, or telling us something we don’t particularly want to hear may be helping us see what we’ve missed. That doesn’t mean every piece of advice comes from God. We discern through prayer, Scripture, and the character of Christ. But when God confirms that someone is speaking truth into our lives, we need enough humility to listen and enough courage to change direction.
#ListeningToGod #Discernment #BiblicalWisdom #SnowHillMD #TheOrdinaryMethodist … See MoreSee Less
1 CommentsComment on Facebook
Pilate heard two very different voices that day. The crowd shouted, “Let him be crucified.” His wife quietly warned him, “Have nothing to do with that innocent man.” Pilate listened to the louder voice.
We live surrounded by voices telling us what to believe, value, fear, and even who deserves our anger. That makes it even more important to ask what is shaping us. Does it sound like Jesus? Is it consistent with Scripture? Is it producing the fruit of the Spirit in us?
A crowd can be loud and still be wrong. Following Christ means learning to recognize His voice when everything else is shouting.
#VoiceOfJesus #Discernment #Matthew27 #SnowHillMD #TheOrdinaryMethodist … See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Imagine being Barabbas. You’re sitting in prison knowing what you’ve done, and then suddenly you hear the words you never expected: “You’re free.” An innocent man is going to the cross while you walk away.
In a remarkably literal way, Barabbas experienced the heart of the gospel. Christ took his place, and Christ took ours. Grace is receiving a freedom we could never earn because Jesus willingly bore what we could never escape.
We aren’t standing outside the prison watching Barabbas walk free. We are Barabbas.
#Barabbas #Grace #Matthew27 #SnowHillMD #TheOrdinaryMethodist … See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Pilate knew Jesus was innocent. He had the authority to act, but instead he let the crowd decide and then washed his hands as though that removed his responsibility.
We aren’t responsible for everything happening around us. But when God gives us an opportunity to love, defend, speak truth, or simply do what is right, following Christ means stepping into that moment rather than looking the other way.
Pilate had a choice. So do we.
#PontiusPilate #FollowingJesus #Matthew27 #SnowHillMD #TheOrdinaryMethodist … See MoreSee Less
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
Devotion for the Week: Running From the Tomb
Matthew 28:8 – “The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy.” (NLT)
Before sunrise, while grief still hung heavily in the air, the two Marys walked toward the tomb carrying the weight of everything they thought had been lost.
They had watched Jesus die. They had seen the stone sealed shut. As far as they understood, they were walking toward death, disappointment, and an ending they could not yet make sense of.
Instead, they encountered an empty tomb.
Matthew says they left “frightened but also filled with great joy,” which feels like one of the most honest descriptions of resurrection faith in all of Scripture. Because encountering the risen Christ does not always remove every fear instantly, but it does change what fear means. Hope suddenly enters places that once felt sealed shut forever.
Then Jesus met them on the road. And what did they do? They worshiped Him.
The first witnesses to the resurrection were not powerful rulers or religious elites, but faithful followers who simply kept walking toward Jesus even in their grief. Before the women had time to fully process what had happened, Christ was already sending them outward with good news to share.
That is still the movement of resurrection today. Jesus meets people in their sorrow, fills them with hope, and sends them back into the world carrying news that death does not have the final word.
This week, let’s ask ourselves:
– Where in my life do I need resurrection hope right now?
– Am I still expecting God to move in places that feel hopeless or sealed shut?
– How can I carry the hope of the risen Christ into the lives of others this week?
The empty tomb reminds us that despair is never the end of the story for those who belong to Christ. Resurrection hope still sends ordinary people running back into the world with joy, worship, and good news to share. … See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Christian hope is not the same thing as optimism. Optimism says, “I think everything will work out the way I want.” Christian hope says, “Even if it doesn’t, I still trust God.”
We can grieve and have hope. We can be afraid and have hope. We can face an uncertain tomorrow and still have hope because our hope is not built on circumstances. It is built on Christ.
Friday still came, and Jesus still went to the cross. But Friday wasn’t the end of the story.
#ChristianHope #TrustGod #Matthew27 #SnowHillMD #TheOrdinaryMethodist … See MoreSee Less
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
The crowd in Matthew 27 was given a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, and they chose Barabbas. It’s easy to wonder how they could make that choice, until we recognize how often our own lives are shaped by smaller versions of the same decision.
Not everything competing with Christ is bad. Sometimes it simply becomes more important to us than He is. Following Jesus means learning to ask, “Is this drawing me closer to Christ?”
#Barabbas #FollowingJesus #Matthew27 #SnowHillMD #TheOrdinaryMethodist … See MoreSee Less
1 CommentsComment on Facebook
We would like to thank the Ebenezer- Snow Hill Charge for inviting our praise team to come worship with them this Sunday. Every time we spend time with our brothers and sisters from the Ebenezer Snow Hill Charge we walk away blessed and touched by the Holy Spirit! … See MoreSee Less
1 CommentsComment on Facebook
We are overwhelmed by the positive responses and interest in our homeschool post! We will be hosting an informational meeting Tuesday, September 8th, at 10:00 AM. We’ll share some of our initial thoughts and, more importantly, listen to what homeschool families in our community would find most valuable. Please bring your questions and ideas. Children are welcome, and we will have activities ready for them. … See MoreSee Less
0 CommentsComment on Facebook