LIVING IN THE PARENTHESES

⁵⁰ Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, ⁵¹ who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. ⁵² Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. ⁵³ Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. ⁵⁴ It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

⁵⁵ The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. ⁵⁶ Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ⁷ ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”⁸ Then they remembered his words.

⁹ When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. [Luke 23:50-24:10]

Life “in the parentheses” is marked by the following:

1. A ________________ departure from “life as usual” due to significant change.

1. A return to new _________ & ____________ after the brief departure.

According to the above definition, describe the last time when your life entered “the parentheses”.

We can live our lives “in the _____________________” by following certain steps:

1. Use the _________ God has given you to bless. [23:50-53]

Why is hard to even think about blessing someone else during a time like this?

How would giving a blessing to someone else help you through a time like this?

1. Do what we know to do together according to our ______________. [23:55b]

What is helpful about “customary” or “habitual” activity when life is in turmoil?

When might “customary” activity NOT be beneficial in parenthetical times?

1. Be in ____________ w/ safe people—those you _______ & _______ [24:9-10].

Why is it better to be in community during times like these?

Why then are we so tempted to separate and go it alone?

1. Remember the ___________ of Jesus! [23:5-8]

How does the remembrance of Scripture—particularly the words of Jesus—help you?

What way(s) are best for you to remember the teachings of Jesus, why?

Which of the above insights was most meaningful to you and why?