I have to say this is one of the best sermons I have ever read in my life! I am so very grateful that I knew Lynn’s Dad, Gene. We had some wonderful talks. Gene also preached at one of the Windom Revivals. Gene and his wife Margaret are certainly a marriage that was made in heaven! I have really gotten to know his daughter Lynn Stoneking in such a wonderful way from meeting her in person, seeing her minister with her husband Thomas and family and seeing her postings on Facebook. This family is so very precious in our Lord. At about 6:15am this morning New Mexico time, I see another wonderful message from Lynn on Facebook! It stopped me in my tracks! I love that because the Lord does that to me when He wants me to pay extra attention to something! Thank you so much for this message Lynn……Happy Resurrection Sunday to you all at Maranatha Ministries!
Lynn Stoneking
Lynn Stoneking/Maranatha Ministries Website
Have you ever lost someone you really loved?
You didn’t have a book where you could read forward to see what happened next…you had to endure the journey.
The pain is real.
The grief is real.
The unknown is real.
Every day.
The weekend when it became apparent to us that my dad Gene was very sick, and until he took his final breath —
Was 3 days.
Friday early morning – he was admitted to the hospital.
Saturday morning – he said “I’m ready to go to Heaven.”
Sunday pm just before midnight – his last breath.
So many moments happened in those 3 days.
For others – they don’t get 3 days.
No goodbyes to be said.
It’s Instant.
Yet, there is one thing that happens immediately after death that we ALL feel:
OUR. WORLD. STANDS. STILL.
My world stopped.
Not my activity, but my focus on the world.
Grief, Sadness, + Joy overtook my emotions all at the same time. I could not explain myself – I just knew that Life would be different now. A piece of my ‘normal’ was gone forever.
As I looked around me, others kept going because this was not their world…it was mine.
As I stood beside my friends while they faced the reality that their son laying before then would never wake up again… Their world Stopped.
Nothing mattered anymore.
Today – as I’ve thought through the reality of what 24 hours looked like for Jesus —
1. A Last meal with his best friends laughing, reminiscing, loving one another, telling them his heart.
2. Walking to his favorite Garden to talk to His father.
3. Roman Soldiers coming to arrest him;
4. Because one of his friends Betrayed him.
5. Probably staying the rest of the night in a cold Prison bound by chains?
6. Knowing that his other Friends denied knowing him that night.
7. FELING ALONE.
8. To endure a Trial before Roman Officials + Church officials + Public Opinion the next day.
9. Unending Questions; No one Understood him.
10. Laughter + Jeering + Mockery.
11. Humiliation.
12. Exhaustion.
13. Rejection as the crowd yelled “Give Us the criminal Barabas instead!”
14. Being Spit upon, shoved, punched, kicked, whipped.
15. The heavy weight of a wooden Cross to carry;
16. To know that he was dragging the very platform that he would die upon.
17. A sharp, itchy, painful Crown of Thorns SHOVED DOWN upon his brow and forehead…poking into his skin.
18. Blood running into his eyes.
19. Sweat stinging his eyes.
20. THIRST.
21. Nails – penetration through flesh + bone; three times.
22. Trying to breath through the pain.
23. Mockery again.
23. Pain. Pain. Pain.
24. His lungs collapsing from the weight of his limp body.
25. To think that Jesus could converse with the two criminals hanging next to him, and offer forgiveness in their last hour.
26. Finally, Jesus last breath — to fulfill the purpose of his Life here on Earth.
I have never watched ‘The Passion’ movie.
I’ve only read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John’s accounts of this moment.
And my Question becomes this:
AFTER A DAY LIKE THAT, How do we skip ahead to Sunday right away? Doesn’t Saturday deserve to be sat in and remembered?
Friends. Christians. Church. Brothers + Sisters. Searchers.
I encourage us to take a Saturday and realize that ‘Our World Stood Still.’
Some of you are in that headspace exactly now, because of your real-life situations.
What does family look like in grief?
What do conversations look like?
Do you even know what day it is?
Or – has your World Stood Still?
Sigh… I’m not a scholar or ordained clergy.
I’m simply a girl who longs for us all to see the magnitude of what a man endured to ‘gift’ Peace and Forgiveness, Love and Hope for generations to come.
Because He Knew who He was;
And because He Knew who YOU ARE.
Now THAT’s a Big Love…
Let us take time to Mourn the Loss + Remember the man on Saturday.
God Bless you Lynn, we love you all so very much!
Here is what I replied to Lynn……
Oh my this preached the love of Jesus! God has gifted you with words and music to share with the world and you use those God given gifts to glorify Him! Thank you for this message! My Dad Wally Moede passed away on Easter morning at 3am on April 19, 1992 I will never forget that phone call. It has been many years but the grieving never ends it changes, it lessens but it is always there because of the very deep, deep love we have for our precious ones! Ruth, my Mom passed away on Jan. 9th 1995. My Mom and Dad were so very wonderful people of God. They taught me so much on how to live RIGHT WITH GOD! They both passed into the arms of Jesus at age 64. I’m going to be 64 in July. I treasure each day as my Mom and Dad did. Live your life to the fullest everyday, serve God with love and compassion everyday! Thanks Lynn for this message your Daddy and Mommy raised a great preacher! You write and sing with a mighty heart and soul all sold out for Jesus! We love you and your precious family so much! Happy Resurrection Sunday!
