Resurrection Encouragement in Quarantine
Lance Shumake • April 16, 2020
Notes on John 20: 19-20:
The disciples were self-quarantined. They were sheltering in place in hopes of remaining safe. They were hiding out in the upper room with the doors locked. They were afraid. They were uncertain about their future. They had lost all hope.
And then, in a moment, everything changed. Jesus showed up. Back from the grave. Victorious over death. In the flesh.
In. The. Room.
On Sunday we talked about how the resurrection changes everything by zooming into this story.
Let’s move in even closer and look at how this story can inform this season of quarantine with three observations.
Jesus goes where He wants to go. No one had to go unlock the door to let Jesus in. Deadbolts are no hindrance. One minute they were hiding out. The next minute they were freaking out (Luke 24:37). Jesus was with them, and nothing could have stopped him from being there at that moment.
And Jesus is with you too. Right now. In your isolation. In the monotony of your quarantine life. He is with you. Even if it doesn’t feel like it. Even if you can’t see his hands and touch his side. He is there.
So carve time into your schedule to meet with him. Get your daily bible reading going. Memorize some Scripture. Check out a new devotional (we highly recommend New Morning Mercies). Start a prayer journal.
No shelter in place, no quarantine restrictions, and no pandemic will keep him away from you. So pursue him with your time, your energy, and your passion.
Jesus is in the middle of all this. When he shows up in the room, he doesn’t linger over by the door. He fails to maintain a safe distance. Instead, he stands among them. In the middle. He moves in close.
Let that truth bounce around in your brain. He is not just with you in this season. He is in the middle of all this with us. He understands. He knows how we feel (Hebrews 4:15). He really gets it. And he is the one that can help.
So invite him in.
Let Jesus be central in your family, your meal times, your walks. Read scripture together. Do a bible reading plan on YouVersion together and discuss it. Keep a list of prayer requests as a family. Discuss the sermon and the service together. Memorize a passage. Why not go all in on Deuteronomy 6:4-9 right now?
It is easy to focus on all the things we are missing right now. We miss our friends. We miss our community. We miss each other. And I’m glad we do.
Even so, he is with us. And he is more than enough for us. Don’t miss him right now. Don’t leave him out. Don’t keep him on the edges. Invite him into the middle.
Jesus comes to us when we are afraid. They were hiding out. Afraid for their lives. Ashamed at how they had let him down. The future was so uncertain. No doubt they were struggling to hold on to any thread of hope.
That’s when Jesus showed up. Don’t you love that? He doesn’t remain distant until they muster up some courage and put on a happy face. He comes to them knowing how afraid and hopeless they were in that moment. And he comes to bring them hope. He comes to displace fear with faith.
Are you afraid right now? Feeling really uncertain about the future? Aren’t we all?
He will show up! He is already here. We know that because He is risen. Nothing can keep him away. And he is here to help like no one else can. Turn to him. Pursue him. Pray to him. Cast your cares upon him.
And let our Risen Savior meet all of our needs.
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:11-17 This is the beginning of a section addressing how God's people now function in this world. It begins with aliens and exiles and continues with servants, wives, husbands, and finally, all of you. 1.) Our identity defines our actions. We are sojourners and exiles (temporary, passing through, not at home) We have a heavenly citizenship Actions We abstain from the passions of the flesh Keep conduct among the Gentiles honorable (our conduct is for the benefit of other people) Honorable conduct wins souls… sojourners, exiles, and soul winners “Peter’s point is that believers’ behavior creates a context in which people will listen to God’s word. He is not teaching that ‘good deeds’ in themselves convert unbelievers, but they establish an environment for the Gospel-word to do so.” -Barnett 2.) Our identity defines our expectations (Unbelievers will respond to honorable conduct in 1 of 2 ways) Some will speak evil against us as though we are evildoers Some will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation 3.) Our identity defines our view of authority (Does anyone here ever just want to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it? That’s why laws exist) Be subject to every human institution (for the Lord's sake) This includes governors and emperors (no distinction between good/bad) The will of God... by doing good, we silence the ignorance of foolish people 4.) Our identity defines our view of freedom Don't use freedom as a cover-up for evil We are freed to serve God Honor, Love, and Fear Discipleship Questions: 1.)Why is it so important to understand our identity before talking about our behavior? 2.) How might this reality impact your parenting? For real, what are 3 ways that you can apply that this week? 3.) How is good conduct a form of evangelism? 4.) What do these verses say that we can expect from others? 5.) How can we honor a government that isn't always honorable? Seriously, what are 5 things we should immediately stop doing and 5 things we should immediately start doing? 6.) What are some tangible ways to honor others? Love the brotherhood? Fear God? Honor the Emperor? 7.) Should we fear the Emperor?
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 Everyone must accept or reject Jesus. He is the cornerstone. We choose to accept Him as the foundation of our lives or toss the truth aside. When we come to Jesus… We become part of His People 1 Pe 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The cornerstone is The New Temple. From this we learn that following Christ entails joining his community, the church…The freelance Christian, who follows Jesus but is too good, too busy, or too self-sufficient for the church, is a walking contradiction. -Daniel M. Doriani We join a royal, holy, priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Because of who Jesus makes us. We receive God’s mercy Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms….Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means undergoing a kind of death. Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Discipleship Questions: Why is it impossible to be neutral about Jesus? Why do you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God? Do you ever have doubts about this? If yes, what are they? According to 1 Peter 2:9, who are we after we come to Christ? Why does Paul say (in 1 Corinthians) that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain?
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Why do our souls ache for certainty? We are so eager for certainty that we will look for it in all the wrong places. - Certainty in our Finances [show slide from news] - Certainty in our Jobs [Acts 17:24-27] - Certainty in our Health [Covid] - Certainty in our Abilities [Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”] “Things that have never happened before are happening every day.” -Morgan Housel In these verses, God gives us what our souls ache for! 1.) You must be born again of imperishable seed - We have all been born of perishable seed o Impure souls o Disobedient to truth o Unloving insincerity toward others o Lack of loving effort o Impure hearts - We are withering grass and falling flowers - The imperishable seed is the living and abiding Word of God o Does not wither o Does not fall o Does not let us down o It remains forever o It MUST BE PREACHED! But still, how can we be certain that we have been born again? 2.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your relationships When your relationship with God changes, God changes your relationships! - Sincere brotherly love - Love earnestly - Put away… o Malice o Deceit o Hypocrisy o Envy o All Slander 3.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your appetite for God’s Word - Like newborn infants - Long for the pure spiritual milk Discipleship Questions: 1.) Where are some unhealthy places where you look for certainty? 2.) Why do you do that? 3.) What were some evidences of your perishable seed before you came to Christ? Any of that still lingering that needs to be repented from? 4.) Why does Peter call the Word of God the imperishable seed? 5.) In light of the text, how would you describe being "born again" to a 5-year-old? 6.) How has imperishable hope proven itself in your relationships? OR How might it if you lean into loving others earnestly? 7.) Why does Peter tell us that hope will be seen in our appetite for God's Word?
