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 THE JOURNEY The Last Word By Lisa Zulke On this day, we celebrate and proclaim the resurrection of Jesus. On this day, he conquered death and literally has the last word on our behalf over it. If we believe in the hope of the resurrected Jesus, we believe that our stories are not over. Our mess-ups and cover-ups, our lies and our shame, our guilt, and even our eventual death are not the end of the story. No, the new beginning of our story is written by Jesus. He flips the script and says, “No more. You are mine. You will be with me in paradise. Your faith in me brings the glory of new life and a hope for eternity.” Jesus has the last word with death, and it is powerful. Hopeful. Incredible! Are you a last-word kind of person? I am not. I’d rather be agreeable. Go with the flow. Allow others room to have their say. Oh, I am thinking of words all the time. I know what I would say if I had the gumption to raise my voice and speak in most moments. I often need space to breathe before I can voice my thoughts. My first words with Jesus were words about barriers. Confessions of guilt and shame. Explanations of why I wasn’t good enough. So, the hope of his last word on Easter Sunday is excellent news to my wandering, wary soul. Following Jesus through Easter week, I saw him using his words carefully. I read of him speaking identity to those he spent time with. I hear him encouraging, inviting, challenging, and releasing people with his words. I listen to him cry out to God, asking for a third way this whole story can be written. And I see him take space and time to breathe, ponder, cry out, and pray. Do you know what the last word in the bible is? (Spoiler alert.) Amen. In Hebrew it can be translated as so be it. I read it as an expression of hope and anticipation. “Amen” becomes a fervent “So be it!” to the promise of the resurrection and our eternal future. I read amen as an active declaration or agreement to go and do and be what Jesus created me to be. That means my last word should be in action while stepping into the role Jesus calls me to fulfill. It’s my declaration of agreement with all Jesus’ words over my life and a fulfillment of the hope he sees in me. I don’t need to have the last word over the chaos around me or the world’s hardness or the eventuality of death. I need simply to go and do and fulfill my call. So be it. Amen. Read through the book of John with us! We will be reading through the book of John together. It takes three easy steps to dive into Bible study: observe, reflect, and apply. In this process, we ask ourselves, “What is God saying to me?” and “What am I going to do about that?” We observe – notice what we are reading, the details of the story, and how it makes us feel or challenges us to think. We reflect – by pondering what God is saying to us in this particular story or passage. We pray – inviting God to be clear on what we are sensing. Then we go and do it. Grab your notes app on your phone, or a journal, and take notes of your Observe/Reflect/Apply thoughts. Practice reading and processing with a friend. Grab a coffee or go for a walk. We’ll model ways to do this each week, but you will get the biggest impact if you engage in these practices, too. So, jump in to John with us! If you need a Bible, stop by the Welcome Center for a free copy. [Monday, April 21] John 1:1-18 Observe: Take note of what you see happening in this passage. What questions arise for you? Reflect: Now, consider what stood out to you. Pray over that phrase or word, and ask God to give you clear thoughts about what he is saying to you. Apply/Do: Finally, what are you prepared to do about what you have read or heard today? My personal notes: I notice the idea that Jesus (Word) was with God at the creation of the earth and everything in it, along with all the references to Jesus being a light that comes into the world. I am encouraged by the reminder that Jesus was with God, that he came to earth and walked among us, and that now he is present with us in Spirit, an encourager and a hope bringer. The reflections on light struck me, as I feel surrounded by news of so much chaos and darkness in the world. This week, I want to refocus how I interact with people and be a light bringer more than a doom sayer. Amen… [Tuesday, April 22] John 1:19-34 Observe: What is happening? Reflect: What is God saying to me? Apply/Do: What am I going to do about that? [Wednesday, April 23] John 1:35-51 Observe: What is happening? Reflect: What is God saying to me? Apply/Do: What am I going to do about that? [Thursday, April 24] John 2:1-12 Observe: What is happening? Reflect: What is God saying to me? Apply/Do: What am I going to do about that? [Friday, April 25] John 2:13-25 Observe: What is happening? Reflect: What is God saying to me? Apply/Do: What am I going to do about that? {extra journey resources} CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources). You can also download The Bible Project App HERE. CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project. CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading. The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others. The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages. Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference. Please visit us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and share what you are learning, questioning or experiencing. We love conversations! © 2025 Heartland Community Church |