“Own the midddle.”
”The mean time moments”
“The middle is where your significant happens”
“The middle is the in between time that a promise is given and a promise is fulfilled” Quotes by Pastor Justin Graves of Foundations Church
Thanks Pastor Justin Graves. Your message this Sunday stepped right into my life.
”Not only surviving, but thriving.” Quote from Landry Jones.
It’s called the middle. Sometimes it’s boring. Sometimes it’s excruciating. And sometimes you just don’t think you can make it to the end. Your patience has reached it’s end. We’ve all been there and maybe are there still.
The disciples were there one Saturday.
”Because He was teaching His disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after three days He will rise.” Mark 9:31
I wonder what the disciples thought when they heard those words spoken by Jesus.
Did the words go in one ear and out the other? Did they take them by heart? Because they sure were blown away Sunday morning when the promise was fulfilled.
“The women left the tomb and told all these things to the eleven apostles and the other followers. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and some other women who told the apostles everything that had happened at the tomb. But they did not believe the women, because it sounded like nonsense. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Bending down and looking in, he saw only the cloth that Jesus’ body had been wrapped in. Peter went away to his home, wondering about what had happened.”
Luke 24:9-12 NCV
“When it was evening on the first day of the week, Jesus’ followers were together. The doors were locked, because they were afraid of the elders. Then Jesus came and stood right in the middle of them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. His followers were thrilled when they saw the Lord.”
John 20:19-20 NCV
On Saturday they were shaking in their sandals. The last three years of their lives seemed wasted now. They were considered an enemy of the state because they had followed Jesus of Nazareth and had aligned themselves with His teachings. Every Roman militia and every Temple guard were out searching for them. Their courage was buried when they buried Jesus.
They were in the middle of the promise given and the promise fulfilled. At this moment you would never believe that any of them would become the great pillars of our faith, the forefathers of the church, the Bride of Christ.
They had just witnessed an atrocious spectacle. The Romans slayed Jesus as if they wanted to cut Him down one piece at a time. They feared they would be next to hang on a Roman cross on a hill they called Golgatha.
No judgement here. I fear I would be acting the same had I been living in their middle. In fact I have acted the same living in my own middle. Allowing fear to overtake what I know His promises are for me. Allowing my thoughts to dwell constantly on the horrific events that swirl around me. All they knew at this time was they had just buried their best friend. The promise of resurrection was obscured by the treachery threatening their very lives. They forgot He had given life back to others. Could He not also rise again Himself?
In the middle each of the disciples had fled after Jesus’ arrest. Wouldn’t you?
It’s okay to admit it. You see Jesus died because He knew our weaknesses. And He rose so that we might not only survive but thrive during our middle.
So how do we own our middle? Don’t forget His promises. And if you fail. It’s ok. They failed also, but go ahead and read the rest of their stories. Peter and John once made a cripple walk again in Jesus name. Chains broke from their wrists in Jesus name.
We can own the middle because Jesus is the Beginning and the End and everything in between.