words of life

from a place of death

COME AND REFLECT ON THE POWERFUL WORDS SPOKEN FROM THE CROSS AND DISCOVER THE LIFE AND HOPE THEY BRING, SHARED BY JOHN ANDREWS THIS HOLY WEEK.

denial

None of us likes to admit when we’re wrong.
Sometimes we deny mistakes we’ve made.
Sometimes we pretend things don’t hurt as much as they do.
Sometimes we avoid the things we know deep down we should face.
It’s human nature.
We distract ourselves.
We keep busy.

We tell ourselves everything is fine.
But if we’re honest, life isn’t always the way we wish it was.
The Easter story says that on Good Friday, Jesus was arrested, beaten, and executed on a cross. One of his closest friends even denied knowing him when things got difficult.

It’s not a comfortable story.
But it’s a very honest one.
Because it shows something about us: when pressure comes, we often hide, run, or deny.
Christians believe the cross shows something surprising.
Instead of ignoring the brokenness in the world, God steps right into it.
And Jesus willingly carries it.
Good Friday begins with denial — but the story doesn’t end there.
Questions to think about:

What’s something in life you find yourself avoiding or pushing down?
When things go wrong, do you tend to face them… or hide from them?
If God really understood the messy parts of life, would that change how you see him?

despair

The day after Jesus died was quiet.
No miracles.
No speeches.
No explanations.
Just confusion, grief, and fear.
Jesus’ friends thought the story was over.
Many of us know what that kind of moment feels like.
When life doesn’t go the way we hoped.
When something breaks that we can’t fix.
When the future suddenly feels uncertain.
These are the Saturday moments of life.
The times when hope feels distant and nothing seems to change.
One of the surprising things about the Easter story is that it doesn’t skip this part.
For a whole day, everything felt lost.
Christians believe this matters because it shows that God understands despair.
The story of Jesus includes loss, grief, and waiting.
If you’ve ever felt stuck, disappointed, or empty — you’re not alone in that feeling.
But according to the story, Saturday wasn’t the end.
Questions to think about

Have you ever had a season where life felt stuck or uncertain?
Where do you normally look for hope when things feel difficult?
What would it mean if God understood moments like these?

delight

Early on Sunday morning, everything changed.

Jesus’ followers discovered that his tomb was empty.
Soon they became convinced that he was alive again.
It was completely unexpected.
The message of Easter is simple but powerful:
Death didn’t get the last word.
Despair didn’t win.
Hope was still possible.
Christians believe the resurrection means God can bring life out of situations that seem
finished.
It means forgiveness is possible.
It means new beginnings are real.
It means our past doesn’t have to define our future.
Easter is about delight — not shallow happiness, but the deep joy that comes when light
breaks into darkness.
And the Easter story asks a simple question:
What if hope is closer than you think?
Questions to think about

Where in your life do you long for a fresh start?
What would it mean if hope was stronger than failure?
Could it be possible that your story isn’t finished yet?