Ellen Chauvin | Soaked & Sprouting

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It’s True! It’s ALL True!

April 18, 2019 by Ellen 8 Comments

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.” Revelation 1:17 (NIV)

My Bible study question asked: Why did John fall down as if dead?
Oh, there are all the usual reasons:

  • Like Isaiah and Peter, John could have realized his utter insignificance and worthlessness before a pure and holy God (Isaiah 6:5, Luke 5:8)
  • Perhaps he remembered Moses’ conversation with God: ‘No man can see Me and live!’ (Exodus 33:20).

These are both plausible and possible reasons. But here’s my theory. Walk with me for a moment in the sandals of the apostle John. Perhaps these were the thoughts that ran through his mind:

They call me the disciple Jesus loves, His beloved disciple. That seems so odd, since I’m just an ordinary fisherman. But Jesus chose me, and I became a part of His inner circle. Following Jesus from village to village, along dry, dusty roads, I learned so much from Him. I believed all He said, all His teachings. I watched Him perform miracles! And yet…

I was there when they arrested Him in the garden. I watched them drag Him away. I was there when they nailed Him to the cross and I saw Him breathe His last. What now?

He’s gone…He’s gone…They’ve crucified Him. Deep in the pit of my soul, I was afraid. Scared that He was indeed dead, that I would never see Him again. But three days later, Mary Magdalene ran up to Peter and me.

“He’s gone! They’ve taken His body!”

We ran back to the tomb. It was EMPTY! My heart skipped a beat. A shiver of excitement ran through me. And relief, oh the relief that flooded my soul. Jesus was alive! The belief in my mind had moved to my heart. I believed – without even seeing His body – that some how, some way, Jesus was alive!

 “So the other disciple (John) who had first come to the tomb entered then also, and he saw (the empty tomb) and believed.” John 20:8

But, where is He? On the cross He said something about paradise. Where is that?

A few days later, we were camped out in the upper room. Our sorrow had overwhelmed us. We were scared. We couldn’t go out, because the people hated us. Suddenly, Jesus was there, among us. He spoke with us, and ate with us. He showed us His nail scarred hands. He HAD died, and risen again! Just like He said. Seeing Him resurrected, my faith was confirmed.

After a few days, He left again, to go to His Father…our Father.

I began to spread the word of the resurrected Christ, and how He saves us from our sins. How He loved us enough to die on that cross for us, even while we are still sinners.  I told people He would come again!

I preached it, I taught it as best I could. But how was it all supposed to work? Where is heaven? How will we live with Him forever? What will our bodies be like? I had so much hope, and yet so many questions.

Beloved, we are [even here and] now children of God, and it is not yet made clear what we will be [after His coming]. We know that when He comes and is revealed, we will [as His children] be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is [in all His glory]. 1 John 3:2 (AMP)

And now, here I am, exiled on Patmos because of my beliefs. I was in the Spirit, and I heard a voice talking to me. I looked around to see who could be here. And that’s when I saw Him!

It’s Him! It’s Jesus! I fell at His feet, like a dead man.

Oh, my Lord and my God! It’s all true. Everything. Your death, burial, and resurrection. Everything. Even this place that You’re giving me a glimpse of, this new home. Yes, I believed You! But I also had doubts about how it would work! But it’s true. Oh, my Jesus, I bow before You. You have fulfilled all my hopes and dreams. You are the Way, the Truth and the Light. I’m home now. I’m really home.

It's True

Possibly, just possibly, John was overwhelmed – not at the sight of his glorified Savior, but that it’s all true. Everything Jesus had told him. It’s ALL TRUE! John realized in that instant, without a shadow of a doubt, that he would have eternal life, he would have a glorified body, and he would live forever with Jesus. He knew without a doubt, because he DID see. John knew that his faith was not in vain and all his hopes were fulfilled.

We have faith and believe now. But on that glorious day, when we get to heaven, we will SEE without a doubt that eternal life IS the truth of the Gospel. That Jesus not only died and rose again, but that He will be living among us (Revelation 21:3).

Grace be with you,

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It’s Friday….

March 30, 2018 by Ellen 2 Comments

It’s Friday…

John 19:38-42 (NLT)
Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away.

With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth.

The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before.
And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.



But Sunday’s coming…

John 20:1-8 (NLT)
Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.

She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in.

Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings.

Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—

John 20:11, 14-16, 18 (NLT)
Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in.

She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him.

“Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”

“Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.

May we all see Jesus this Easter, and always!

Grace be with you,

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Torrential rains had been pelting us for weeks. With the rains came weeds growing tall in the flower beds. But I noticed other new growth, too. It wasn’t colorful flowers. It was teeny, tiny little oak trees! Squirrels had been working hard, burying food for later. The rains had soaked and softened … Read More...

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