Our Servant King: Easter Journey 2015 & "Truth of the Resurrection"

It's been a quiet and busy couple of weeks to Easter. We spent last week mourning the passing of our founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, with the boys paying their respects at the Community tribute site near our home and watching the funeral cortège go by last Sunday.

We had not done as many Truth of the Resurrection lessons as I would have wanted by Good Friday, but I believe the Holy Spirit has guided us to do the ones we should. Understanding the truth of the Gospel is not something that will happen through the mere reading and comprehension of the Bible text, we know, it will ultimately be about the Holy Spirit's conviction in their lives to want to follow Him wholeheartedly. Their understanding of Jesus' death and resurrection and what it means for them personally will grow as they listen to the stories and understand who He is, our Suffering Servant and Reigning King.

Last year, Z accepted Jesus into his heart shortly after we had done Amanda Oh's Truth of the Resurrection series of activities to walk us through to Easter Sunday. Early this year, we had the joy of watching E make the same decision shortly after we had done The Truth in the Tinsel series over Christmas. We have confidence in their salvation and desire to continue to disciple them to know Jesus and make Him known.

We started with the story of the sinful woman washing Jesus' feet in Luke 7:36-50. We read of how the people said that Jesus should not entertain sinners like her. But He welcomed her into His presence and she wept over his feet and broke a bottle of the most expensive perfume, anointing His feet with it. Jesus said her sins were forgiven, because she loved much. As a follow-up activity, we poured some essential oils into a bottle with reed sticks. Filling the whole house with the sweet aroma reminded us of His presence in this season of Lent.

We also read about the occasion of Jesus washing His disciples' feet in John 13, and Mark had the privilege of washing the boys' feet as an act of serving them. We were reminded to love and serve one another in our family.

We've been away for the Easter Sunday weekend enjoying time with the in laws and the family. It's been a short break away with the usual enjoying of food and the pool and an excursion to meet Thomas and Barney at the Little Big Club in Johor, but to me the most precious times have been the winding down and time away. The boys know our time on holiday is exclusive time with the family, no work commitments or errands to run or classes to attend.

We've been reading through the Easter story in our current favourite version, the Jesus Storybook Bible. The boys have been moving away from their toddler Bibles and we have all been enjoying the heartfelt and lyrical interpretation of the Word. E was mesmerised by the mighty shining man standing in front of the empty tomb, and Z felt the emotions of Mary as she ran to her friends shouting, "Jesus is alive!"

It's times like these in our journey of discipleship with the kids that I feel so honoured and privileged to be a part of helping them grow to know Jesus. It's after all the most important job He has given us as parents. We ended Easter Sunday with this hymn:

Alive, alive, alive forever more

My Jesus is alive, alive forever more

Sing Hallelujah, sing Hallelujah

My Jesus is alive forevermore!

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