Easter Week 4

Psalm: Psalm 23
Acts: Acts 4:5-12
Gospel: John 10:11-18
Epistle: 1 John 3:16-24

If you can believe it, April has already come and gone.  In fact, this school year has almost come and gone.  By next Sunday, colleges will be out, and in 2 weeks I’ll be done with Seminary!  This week presents some interesting passages revolving around the idea of the Divine Shepherd.  Psalm 23 perhaps is the best known Psalm in which David declares that the Lord is his shepherd.  He guides David through the good and bad, but ultimately the Lord does this for his name.

Our reading from Acts is Peter’s sermon before the Jewish religious leaders in which he proclaims Jesus is the only source of Salvation, in other words, Jesus is God.  Like the shepherd in the Psalm, Jesus saves us.  It is his name which brings salvation; Peter is saying Jesus is God.

Easter week 3

Psalm: Psalm 4
Acts: Acts 3:12-19
Gospel: Luke 24:36b-48
Epistle: 1 John 3:1-7

Welcome to the third week of Eastertide.  We continue this week by reflecting on Jesus’ resurrection appearances as well as how his resurrection affects our lives.  Last week, we discussed Christ’s desire for unity amongst his people, but this week we turn towards more individual actions.

Let us first look at the resurrection appearance of Jesus portrayed in Luke.  First, this is the only time Jesus appears to the disciples in Luke after the resurrection.  It is interesting that in all four Gospels the post-resurrection accounts vary, yet each Gospel tells of Jesus actual death and actual rising from the dead.  In Luke’s account, he makes it abundantly clear that in some ways Jesus is actually present in the flesh and that there is some continuity between his body during life (then) and post-resurrection (now).  Jesus ate in front of his disciples and he shows them the scars on his hands and feet.  Despite some continuity, there is also change.  Jesus just appears in the midst, he doesn’t use the front door you might say. (John actually makes it clear that the door was locked and Jesus appeared in their midst.) Jesus also ascends up into heaven, which didn’t/couldn't(?) happen before his death. 

Easter week 2

Psalm: Psalm 133
Acts: Acts 4:32-35
Gospel: John 20:19-31
Epistle: 1 John 1:1-2:2

Welcome to the second Sunday of Easter.  Last week in service I was overwhelmed with the amount of people, almost 1,400.  This week I heard first service was much emptier.  Isn’t strange how church for so many is optional?  One week it is practically standing room only, and the very next week there are plenty of empty seats.  I must admit that I am a part of this trend.  We are at church every week, but not in service.  We go to Sunday school every week, but we are hit and miss when it comes to the church service.  The issues that surround my reason as well as others for missing Church I’m sure range from the theological to the lazy, and from the apathetic to noble, such as kids sports events.

Easter

Psalm: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
Old Testament: Isaiah 25:6-9
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Gospel: Mark 16:1-8


Easter is just one of those days where almost everything that can be said, has been said.  What more can I even offer.  Let me make just one point and then encourage all of us to read Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright. It is my next book to ready and from what I hear it is an important and powerful book.  As a teaser here is a quote from Wrights facebook feed:

Take Christmas away, and in biblical terms you lose two chapters at the front of Matthew and Luke, nothing else. Take Easter away, and you don’t have a New Testament; you don’t have a Christianity... This is our greatest day. (Surprised by Hope)

Naturally, Wright is making a Polemical point because if we don’t have the birth of Jesus we don’t have his death and resurrection, but in terms of importance, Easter trumps all.  In fact, two of the four Gospels don’t even record the birth of Jesus.  Paul makes the very same point as Wright in 1 Cor. 15, if we read the whole chapter.  Without the resurrection our faith is worthless.  We would still be lost in our sins and there would be no hope for our own Resurrection.  Paul calls Christ the first fruits of a great resurrection harvest when Christ comes again.

Good Friday

Psalm: Psalm 22
Old Testament: Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Gospel: John 18:1-19:42
Epistle: Hebrews 10:16-25

(if you don’t know the seven last words of Christ check them out here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_last_words)

I challenged us last Sunday to ponder the humility of Jesus portrayed in the Gospels in his last week.  This week has provided some opportunities for me to do just that.  Yesterday was Maundy Thursday, which actually refers to the washing of the disciples’ feet at the Passover meal.  This one act summarizes Paul’s teaching from Phil. 2. (Yes, I recognize that Paul was pointing to the crucifixion, we will get there.) Only John records Jesus washing his disciples' feet, which is interesting because he has the highest Christology of any of the Gospels.  John is the one who started his Gospel by declaring Jesus as the Eternal Word and Son of God and now he has become like a lowly servant.

Palm Sunday

Psalm: Psalm 118:19-29
Old Testament: Zechariah 9:9-17
Gospel: Mark 11:1-11
Epistle: Philippians 2:5-11

I’m sure it comes as no surprise to anybody but today is Palm Sunday.  Palm Sunday is an interesting time in the life of Christ as well as the Church.  On the one had both Christ and we recognize the important and amazing thing that is happening as Jesus enters into Jerusalem and is welcomed as King and Messiah. Yet we, and I think Jesus did as well at this point, know that this “triumphal entry” can only end in disaster.  From Jesus’ perspective he has made an enemy of everyone in power.  He has the support of the mob at this point, but we also know how fickle that can be.  One day these people are shouting “King of the Jews” and placing palm branches for him to walk on and not even a week later this same crowd is shouting “crucify him!”  Jesus is in a very precarious position in the last week of his life.