Stress

Stress is something we all deal with in life, both good stress and bad stress. it's that bad stress that can eat away at our emotional health and relationships. While this study will not attempt to deal with all the biological and psychological influences, it may surprise you to learn that God does give us some instructions on how to gain better control of this aspect of our life. Join us on Sunday mornings April 3, 10, & 17 as we look at what the Apostle Paul learned and shared with us on this topic. Each month we collect a particular item that is needed by one of the Christian agencies in our area. Our focus for April is nerf balls, kick balls, & soft balls for Camp Beechpoint. Just drop them in the collection box in the Commons at Immanuel near the information booth. If you would like to learn more about Immanuel Church (how we operate, our priorities, how we see the future) with the possibility of joining our membership, this opportunity is for you. A discussion group about Immanuel will be held on Saturday morning, April 16. We will start at 9:00 and finish by noon. If you would like to join us send a note to Dean by clicking this link (dean@immanuel.cc), write "membership" on your welcome card on Sunday morning, or call the church office at 392-1814. Copyright © 2016 Immanuel Church, All rights reserved. . Our mailing address is: Immanuel Church 325 104th Avenue Holland, MI 49423 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

John 20

John 20:1-31 (Message)   Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, "They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him."   Peter and the other disciple left immediately for the tomb. They ran, neck and neck. The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.   But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?"   "They took my Master," she said, "and I don't know where they put him." After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognize him.   Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?"   She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him."   Jesus said, "Mary."   Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!"   Jesus said, "Don't cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.' "   Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: "I saw the Master!" And she told them everything he said to her.   Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you." Then he showed them his hands and side.   The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were exuberant. Jesus repeated his greeting: "Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you."   Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. "Receive the Holy Spirit," he said. "If you forgive someone's sins, they're gone for good. If you don't forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?"   But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, "We saw the Master."   But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it."   Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you."   Then he focused his attention on Thomas. "Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe."   Thomas said, "My Master! My God!"   Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing."   Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it. Copyright © 2016 Immanuel Church, All rights reserved. . Our mailing address is: Immanuel Church 325 104th Avenue Holland, MI 49423 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

John 19

John 19:1-42 (Message)   So Pilate took Jesus and had him whipped. The soldiers, having braided a crown from thorns, set it on his head, threw a purple robe over him, and approached him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they greeted him with slaps in the face.   Pilate went back out again and said to them, "I present him to you, but I want you to know that I do not find him guilty of any crime." Just then Jesus came out wearing the thorn crown and purple robe.   Pilate announced, "Here he is: the Man."   When the high priests and police saw him, they shouted in a frenzy, "Crucify! Crucify!"   Pilate told them, "You take him. You crucify him. I find nothing wrong with him."   The Jews answered, "We have a law, and by that law he must die because he claimed to be the Son of God."   When Pilate heard this, he became even more scared. He went back into the palace and said to Jesus, "Where did you come from?"   Jesus gave no answer.   Pilate said, "You won't talk? Don't you know that I have the authority to pardon you, and the authority to—crucify you?"   Jesus said, "You haven't a shred of authority over me except what has been given you from heaven. That's why the one who betrayed me to you has committed a far greater fault."   At this, Pilate tried his best to pardon him, but the Jews shouted him down: "If you pardon this man, you're no friend of Caesar's. Anyone setting himself up as 'king' defies Caesar."   When Pilate heard those words, he led Jesus outside. He sat down at the judgment seat in the area designated Stone Court (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). It was the preparation day for Passover. The hour was noon. Pilate said to the Jews, "Here is your king."   They shouted back, "Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!"   Pilate said, "I am to crucify your king?"   The high priests answered, "We have no king except Caesar."   Pilate caved in to their demand. He turned him over to be crucified.   They took Jesus away. Carrying his cross, Jesus went out to the place called Skull Hill (the name in Hebrew is Golgotha), where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, Jesus in the middle. Pilate wrote a sign and had it placed on the cross. It read: JESUS THE NAZARENE THE KING OF THE JEWS.   Many of the Jews read the sign because the place where Jesus was crucified was right next to the city. It was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. The Jewish high priests objected. "Don't write," they said to Pilate, " 'The King of the Jews.' Make it, 'This man said, "I am the King of the Jews." ' "   Pilate said, "What I've written, I've written."   When they crucified him, the Roman soldiers took his clothes and divided them up four ways, to each soldier a fourth. But his robe was seamless, a single piece of weaving, so they said to each other, "Let's not tear it up. Let's throw dice to see who gets it." This confirmed the Scripture that said, "They divided up my clothes among them and threw dice for my coat." (The soldiers validated the Scriptures!)   While the soldiers were looking after themselves, Jesus' mother, his aunt, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene stood at the foot of the cross. Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her. He said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." Then to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that moment the disciple accepted her as his own mother.   Jesus, seeing that everything had been completed so that the Scripture record might also be complete, then said, "I'm thirsty."   A jug of sour wine was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the wine on a javelin and lifted it to his mouth. After he took the wine, Jesus said, "It's done . . . complete." Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit.   Then the Jews, since it was the day of Sabbath preparation, and so the bodies wouldn't stay on the crosses over the Sabbath (it was a high holy day that year), petitioned Pilate that their legs be broken to speed death, and the bodies taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man crucified with Jesus, and then the other. When they got to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn't break his legs. One of the soldiers stabbed him in the side with his spear. Blood and water gushed out.   The eyewitness to these things has presented an accurate report. He saw it himself and is telling the truth so that you, also, will believe.   These things that happened confirmed the Scripture, "Not a bone in his body was broken," and the other Scripture that reads, "They will stare at the one they pierced."   After all this, Joseph of Arimathea (he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, because he was intimidated by the Jews) petitioned Pilate to take the body of Jesus. Pilate gave permission. So Joseph came and took the body.   Nicodemus, who had first come to Jesus at night, came now in broad daylight carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. They took Jesus' body and, following the Jewish burial custom, wrapped it in linen with the spices. There was a garden near the place he was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been placed. So, because it was Sabbath preparation for the Jews and the tomb was convenient, they placed Jesus in it. Copyright © 2016 Immanuel Church, All rights reserved. . Our mailing address is: Immanuel Church 325 104th Avenue Holland, MI 49423 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

This Weekend

With Good Friday and Easter Sunday morning coming up this week here are nine ways that you can be of help to us as you come to Immanuel this weekend. Pray as you enter the property. Pray for the guests. Pray for the services. Pray for the worship team. Pray for the message. Pray for those who will be working with the children. Park at the most distant spot available. Save the closer parking places for guests and park as far from the building as you are physically able. Make finding a good parking spot an unexpected bonus for our guests. Greet people. They may be guests. They may be members. It's okay to introduce yourself to either. Don't just leave this to the "professionals" at the door. Look for people to help. You know the place well. Many others will not. Be a guide. Help someone who looks like he or she needs help. Sit as close as possible to the front of the room. Save the back rows for guests and late entrants, so they don't have to walk past so many people. Sit in the middle. Don't claim that aisle seat where people have to walk over you or past you. Sit close. As you invite your guests (and others do as well) leave plenty of seats around you so that others can find a spot quickly and easily. Be sure you say hi to those who sit near you. Volunteer to serve. Don't wait to be asked. If you see something that needs to be done, do it. Pray as you leave. The Holy Spirit is likely working in many people who attended. Pray for His continual work of conviction and comfort. Friday night and Sunday morning are going to be special, especially as you jump in to help. Copyright © 2016 Immanuel Church, All rights reserved. . Our mailing address is: Immanuel Church 325 104th Avenue Holland, MI 49423 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

John 18

John 18:1-40 (Message)   Jesus, having prayed this prayer, left with his disciples and crossed over the brook Kidron at a place where there was a garden. He and his disciples entered it.   Judas, his betrayer, knew the place because Jesus and his disciples went there often. So Judas led the way to the garden, and the Roman soldiers and police sent by the high priests and Pharisees followed. They arrived there with lanterns and torches and swords. Jesus, knowing by now everything that was coming down on him, went out and met them. He said, "Who are you after?"   They answered, "Jesus the Nazarene."   He said, "That's me." The soldiers recoiled, totally taken aback. Judas, his betrayer, stood out like a sore thumb.   Jesus asked again, "Who are you after?"   They answered, "Jesus the Nazarene."   "I told you," said Jesus, "that's me. I'm the one. So if it's me you're after, let these others go." (This validated the words in his prayer, "I didn't lose one of those you gave.")   Just then Simon Peter, who was carrying a sword, pulled it from its sheath and struck the Chief Priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. Malchus was the servant's name.   Jesus ordered Peter, "Put back your sword. Do you think for a minute I'm not going to drink this cup the Father gave me?"   Then the Roman soldiers under their commander, joined by the Jewish police, seized Jesus and tied him up. They took him first to Annas, father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the Chief Priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.   Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was known to the Chief Priest, and so he went in with Jesus to the Chief Priest's courtyard. Peter had to stay outside. Then the other disciple went out, spoke to the doorkeeper, and got Peter in.   The young woman who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, "Aren't you one of this man's disciples?"   He said, "No, I'm not."   The servants and police had made a fire because of the cold and were huddled there warming themselves. Peter stood with them, trying to get warm.   Annas interrogated Jesus regarding his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered, "I've spoken openly in public. I've taught regularly in meeting places and the Temple, where the Jews all come together. Everything has been out in the open. I've said nothing in secret. So why are you treating me like a conspirator? Question those who have been listening to me. They know well what I have said. My teachings have all been aboveboard."   When he said this, one of the policemen standing there slapped Jesus across the face, saying, "How dare you speak to the Chief Priest like that!"   Jesus replied, "If I've said something wrong, prove it. But if I've spoken the plain truth, why this slapping around?"   Then Annas sent him, still tied up, to the Chief Priest Caiaphas.   Meanwhile, Simon Peter was back at the fire, still trying to get warm. The others there said to him, "Aren't you one of his disciples?"   He denied it, "Not me."   One of the Chief Priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Didn't I see you in the garden with him?"   Again, Peter denied it. Just then a rooster crowed.   They led Jesus then from Caiaphas to the Roman governor's palace. It was early morning. They themselves didn't enter the palace because they didn't want to be disqualified from eating the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and spoke. "What charge do you bring against this man?"   They said, "If he hadn't been doing something evil, do you think we'd be here bothering you?"   Pilate said, "You take him. Judge him by your law."   The Jews said, "We're not allowed to kill anyone." (This would confirm Jesus' word indicating the way he would die.)   Pilate went back into the palace and called for Jesus. He said, "Are you the 'King of the Jews'?"   Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you this about me?"   Pilate said, "Do I look like a Jew? Your people and your high priests turned you over to me. What did you do?"   "My kingdom," said Jesus, "doesn't consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn't be handed over to the Jews. But I'm not that kind of king, not the world's kind of king."   Then Pilate said, "So, are you a king or not?"   Jesus answered, "You tell me. Because I am King, I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice."   Pilate said, "What is truth?"   Then he went back out to the Jews and told them, "I find nothing wrong in this man. It's your custom that I pardon one prisoner at Passover. Do you want me to pardon the 'King of the Jews'?"   They shouted back, "Not this one, but Barabbas!" Barabbas was a Jewish freedom fighter.   Copyright © 2016 Immanuel Church, All rights reserved. . Our mailing address is: Immanuel Church 325 104th Avenue Holland, MI 49423 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

John 17

John 17:1-26 (Message)   Jesus said these things. Then, raising his eyes in prayer, he said: Father, it's time. Display the bright splendor of your Son So the Son in turn may show your bright splendor. You put him in charge of everything human So he might give real and eternal life to all in his charge. And this is the real and eternal life: That they know you, The one and only true God, And Jesus Christ, whom you sent. I glorified you on earth By completing down to the last detail What you assigned me to do. And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor, The very splendor I had in your presence Before there was a world.   I spelled out your character in detail To the men and women you gave me. They were yours in the first place; Then you gave them to me, And they have now done what you said. They know now, beyond the shadow of a doubt, That everything you gave me is firsthand from you, For the message you gave me, I gave them; And they took it, and were convinced That I came from you. They believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I'm not praying for the God-rejecting world But for those you gave me, For they are yours by right. Everything mine is yours, and yours mine, And my life is on display in them. For I'm no longer going to be visible in the world; They'll continue in the world While I return to you. Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life That you conferred as a gift through me, So they can be one heart and mind As we are one heart and mind. As long as I was with them, I guarded them In the pursuit of the life you gave through me; I even posted a night watch. And not one of them got away, Except for the rebel bent on destruction (the exception that proved the rule of Scripture).   Now I'm returning to you. I'm saying these things in the world's hearing So my people can experience My joy completed in them. I gave them your word; The godless world hated them because of it, Because they didn't join the world's ways, Just as I didn't join the world's ways. I'm not asking that you take them out of the world But that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world Than I am defined by the world. Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth. In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. I'm consecrating myself for their sakes So they'll be truth-consecrated in their mission.   I'm praying not only for them But also for those who will believe in me Because of them and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind— Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, So they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me. The same glory you gave me, I gave them, So they'll be as unified and together as we are— I in them and you in me. Then they'll be mature in this oneness, And give the godless world evidence That you've sent me and loved them In the same way you've loved me.   Father, I want those you gave me To be with me, right where I am, So they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me, Having loved me Long before there ever was a world. Righteous Father, the world has never known you, But I have known you, and these disciples know That you sent me on this mission. I have made your very being known to them— Who you are and what you do— And continue to make it known, So that your love for me Might be in them Exactly as I am in them.   Copyright © 2016 Immanuel Church, All rights reserved. . Our mailing address is: Immanuel Church 325 104th Avenue Holland, MI 49423 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences