The Akridge Sunday School Class

Happy Easter!!!

John 20:1-23
The Empty Tomb

1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
10 Then the disciples went back to their homes, 11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' " 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

Announcements:
--May 1st- Special Baptism service after worship on Sunday. For those wanting a low key, no video or "bells & whistles" service. Come celebrate with those who have given their life to the Lord and want to follow Him in baptism.

--May 22-Prayer & Pampers Shower for Ashley Lybrand will be held at Jennifer Bearden's casa.

-June 12 is our next Sunday School Social during classtime. Plan on a fun time of getting to know each other and a breakfast potluck.

--VBS Meeting for volunteers--Tuesday, 4/26/11. It's not too late to sign up to help out! There is a place for you!

Prayer:
--Jason L.--praise his nose biopsy came back normal and no scare of cancer.

--Chad's grandmother--still in hospital. Her strokes left her unable to move.

--Logan will have his tonsils out 4/27/11

--Whites-continue to pray for job search

--Mike A.-surgery is scheduled for 8/18.

Prayer Requests:

Mike White-lost his job

Scott--his Dad will be having a stress test on Wednesday. Also Scott's brother's wife if scheduled for a C-section early Wednesday morning. Praise that his cousin Daryl is home and beginning the healing process. Please pray all the cancer is gone.


Announcements:

Easter Egg Hunt/Picnic- 4/23- **TIME CHANGE**-The Egg hunt will be first beginning at 11:30-be sure to bring your own picnic, chairs, blankets, riding toys, etc. You can contact Ashley to bring a side item.

New Men's Bible Study beginning next Tuesday, April 26th. We are going to do the study called Fatal Distractions by Ed Young Jr. http://www.lifeway.com/product/001268737/. It is an 8 session study that looks at the Seven Deadly Sins. We meet in the CLC room 203 at 6:00 am every Tuesday morning. We take turns bringing in biscuits for the group. We are usually out around 7:00 – 7:15; so everyone can get to work. If you are interested please contact Brian Sewell

Based on our consult with the surgeon yesterday, Mike says he is "98%" sure he will opt for the robotic surgery. Dr. Tully was easy to talk with and answered all our questions. We are blessed to have him in B'ham! Once Mike chooses to make the phone call, it will take 4-6 weeks to get on the surgical docket.
So, pray for God's timing of the surgery, assuming that is what Mike decides. The option of surgery first gives him more options should the cancer ever recur. Since this is a slow growing type of cancer, we do not feel rushed to do anything, but at the same time, want it taken care of.

On another note, pray for Jim, my brother-in-law, who will get back results today from tests run yesterday to see the latest status of his renal cancer that jumped to his lung. Jim is very tired from 10 consecutive rounds of treatment and is dealing with serious mouth sores from the drugs. We are praying for total healing for his body this side of heaven, if God sees fit.

We will be starting a new study in our Tuesday morning men’s group on Tuesday, April 26th. We are going to do the study called Fatal Distractions by Ed Young Jr. http://www.lifeway.com/product/001268737/. It is an 8 session study that looks at the Seven Deadly Sins. We meet in the CLC room 203 at 6:00 am every Tuesday morning. We take turns bringing in biscuits for the group. We are usually out around 7:00 – 7:15; so everyone can get to work. If you are interested please contact Brian Sewell

Jennifer Colburn's Prayer & Pampers Shower Prayer Requests: