Tag Archives: Resurrection

Christ is Risen!

Easter

April 12, 2020

Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:1-10
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” This is my message for you.’ So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’

The gospels render the events of the resurrection differently. I have heard police inspectors say they are more suspicious of witnesses’ accounts that all match entirely than the ones that differ somewhat. We all remember events through the filters of our lives. What does seem to be consistent is fear, joy, and scant memories of Jesus saying something about coming back from death.

The other consistent messages were “Do not be afraid” and “go and tell.” Go and tell the disciples I am alive. Both instructions ring in our ears today. The commands still apply to be fearless disciples and to go and tell the whole world that Christ has Risen!

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for your incarnation, coming to dwell among us modeling wisdom and truth, and we thank you for the wonderous gift of your life, which brought us salvation and open the door to creating a world ruled by love. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

God’s Peace

Silent Saturday

April 11, 2020

Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:1-10
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” This is my message for you.’ So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’

This day in Holy Week is Silent Saturday. My father died early on a Sunday morning at the VA Hospital in the city where I live. Most of my family lives about seventy miles away, and thus my brother and mother who were at the hospital with me when he died came to my home to do the things people do after a death. My Dad had his first significant heart attach the previous Sunday. The doctors were not encouraging, but after they drained all the retained water from his body, he looked healthier than I had seen him in a while. A lot of essential interchanges happened during that week. He was in good spirits and said to me once rather matter of factly, “It’s worse than you think, Marilynn,” preparing me, I guess. He knew he was dying. We first called my sister, homebound, following a winter storm. We called the local funeral home, all his brothers and sisters,  my parent’s pastor.  We played with food cooked and served automatically, and finally, everyone left. After this, I experienced something similar to silent Saturday.

Sitting in my favorite rocking chair during the dusk of the evening with no artificial light, I turned to music to calm my soul. My Dad gifted me with my love of music. I experienced a deep sense that my Dad has passed through some difficult moments but had arrived at perfect peace. As a result, I, too, knew peace.

I wonder if this is something similar to what Silent Saturday was for Mary Magdalene and the other Mary that provided the stamina they need early that next morning to go to Jesus’s tomb and face their new life in Christ.

Prayer: Lord, bless us with your loving presence as we once again prepare to realize your resurrection and to use that opportunity to renew our commitment to your calling. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Going Home

Maundy Thursday
April 18, 2019

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. –1 Corinthians 15:20-23

I end my book Houses Divided with these words:
. . .do we really want to live in a world that functions within the rule of love, God’s love, with God sitting right there, every day, all the time in absolute transparency? Is this the one to whom we really want to be married? If we have spent our lives judging others, deluding ourselves in what is right and is wrong for ourselves, or tearing down others to build ourselves up, I think that when we arrive in heaven we will at least experience some cultural shock and at worst think we are in hell.

 Jesus’ way is to start living as a citizen of the nation of God right now and every day forward. I believe if we love God and love our neighbors as we love ourselves, eternity will take care of itself. The last words my mother said to me were, “I want to go home.” Don’t we all?

 Going home, going home
I’m just going home
Quiet light, some still day
I’m just going home 

It’s not far, just close by
Through an open door
Work all done, care laid by
Going to fear no more

 Nothing’s lost, all’s gain
No more fret nor pain
No more stumbling on the way
No more longing for the day
Going to roam no more

 Morning star lights the way
Restless dream all done
Shadows gone, break of day
Real life begun

 There’s no break, there’s no end
Just a living on
Wide awake with a smile
Going on and on 

Going home, going home
I’m just going home
It’s not far, just close by
Through an open door
I am going home
I’m just going home*

Prayer: Lord, as we end our 40 days of remembering your life, death, and resurrection instill in us the understanding of the sure and certain truth that home is ultimately with you. Amen.

*From Going Home by Annie Haslam

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

New for Eternity

Jesus’ Ministry
February 21, 2019

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50

But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?’ Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.

 So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. –1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42

As I stated previously, I do not concentrate much on the bodily aspects of the resurrection. I do take interest in the idea that we die to an old way of being and are raised to a new way that will structure who we are and what we do for eternity.  Some experience a dramatic shift as Paul did on the road to Damascus but even Paul withdrew into the desert perhaps for three years and pondered what had happened in his encounter with Christ. Most of us through study and meditation gradually become new persons. I rather like the way the song Have Thine Own Way puts it:

Have Thine own way, Lord,
  Have Thine own way;
Thou art the Potter,
  I am the clay.
Mould me and make me
  After Thy will,
While I am waiting,
  Yielded and still*.

Prayer: In the crush and clatter of life that pulls us all in many directions, teach us to be still and know that you are God and are using every one of our experiences to make us the persons we need to be in your service. Amen.

First verse of Have Thine Own Way by Adelaide Addison Pollard see at https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/449

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Moving Mountains

Jesus’ Ministry
February 15, 2019

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

  But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

I have a problem with how dependent we people of faith seem to be on the use of the word “believe”. It is a relative word, yet we use is as fixed as stone. People believed the earth was flat until someone trusted enough to sail further than ever before and discovered it was round.  There is no English verb form for the word “faith” so “trust” to me is the better word to discuss any absolutes of faith.

I thus found it interesting that the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible translated the Greek words introducing verse 20 as the word “fact” which is an absolute. On researching the Greek, I discovered the word is something akin to the English word “now” but stronger. One writer noted it as an emphatic “now” that means, “Now as it was definitely not like this before, or after”* “Fact” certainly works for this translation. Noting that something is definitely not like it was before is so much richer.

The resurrection changed everything. The Arbuckle Mountains in south central Oklahoma are the oldest known formations in the United States between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. At some point in their 1.4 billion history they were markedly changed never to be the same again**. If you study then closely, the Mountains look like they were turned onto their side. The magnitude of the Resurrection in our lives exceeds the force of mountains moving.

The Resurrection affirmed the omnipotence of God while ushering God’s children, all of us, into expanded roles designed to create a world rules by love full of grace and truth.

Prayer: Creator of All, open doors of opportunities for us the fulfill our call to move mountains with love. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/3570.htm
**https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbuckle_Mountains

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Sanctuary

Living in the Spirit
November 8, 2018

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 9:24-28

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. –Hebrews 9:24-26a

The Greek word translated here as the noun sanctuary is more literally a holy place which means likeness of nature with the Lord” because “different from the world*.

The noun sanctuary means a consecrated place: one devoted to the keeping of sacred things**. The verb form of sanctuary means to shelter by a sanctuary or sacred privileges**.

Upon reading the English word sanctuary in this scripture, my first thought was of the large room in my church primarily set aside for the worship of God. My next thought was of the curve in the driveway on my family farm where a natural waterfall appeared with most rainstorms when water flowed down a hill across sandstone rocks in the drive, down an embankment, and into our pond. The entire length of the stretched “C” shape drive was lined with locust trees. In the spring when the trees were in full bloom and the little waterfall followed the rain, there was no more holy place on God’s good earth for me as I sat beside it on a slightly raised sandstone rock and pondered the wonder of God’s great creation. It seemed strange to me a few years ago when I sensed the same holiness visiting the coastline of Maine and sat on a rock above crevices of stone jutting out of the water being strenuously washed with beating wave after wave of seawater. The continuous nature of water cleansing the earth as it follows its natural paths or carves out new ones as it adapts to the environment in which it finds itself is always a holy experience.

As I traveled through England and Scotland in the spring, I saw and toured several no longer used crumbling cathedrals. Some were destroyed by war, some of those wars were dubbed holy. At Jesus’ death on the cross, Matthew reports* that the veil of the temple was torn thus the Holy of Holies was opened for all to see. Christ’s resurrection permanently lifted the focus of our faith to a higher plain where Christ’s unconditional love became the stream of living waters to the restoration of the whole world as his realm of love was initiated and is still developing today. Amen.

Prayer: Continuously cleanse our hearts, O God, so that our actions are pure and reflect your love. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/40.htm
**http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/sanctuary
***Matthew 27:51

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Beyond Explanation

Light of the worldEaster
March 27, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 24:1-12

Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened. –Luke 24:6-12

While we have been blessed by much knowledge because of the age of reason we may have lost our taste for wonder at the supernatural—that which is beyond our explanation or anybody else’s as far as that is concern. Raise the question about what seems to be afterlife experiences though among any group of people and gradually stories will come out. My grandmother told about…, a friend remembered…, I dreamed…. For first century people that sense of wonder and acceptance of supernatural experiences was not at all unusual.

I believe that God gives us brains and expects us to use them to the betterment of the world. I also believe that we have barely begun to explore the wonders of our world and all that is in it. I enjoy working Sudoku number puzzles. When I get hung up on one it is most often because I am unwilling to explore that the way I approach the task is not necessarily the best way to find the solution. To complete the puzzle, I usually have to correct a block that seems unassociated with where the problem was found.

Jesus’ Resurrection realigned the out-of-order world and then commissioned our work in making God’s love and justice the rule of our world.

Prayer: We praise and thank you, God, for the gift of Jesus, our teacher, redeemer and friend; and for the gift of the Holy Spirit who continues his work as our advocate and guide. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

The Power of the Resurrection

resurrection-1Lent
March 11, 2016

Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:4b-14

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
 –Philippians 3:10-14

Approximately halfway through Lent, it might be a good idea to consider just what we think about the power of Jesus’ resurrection. First do we appreciate its power? There are lots of books written about the resurrection some thinking it a symbolic representation of God’s presence with us; others strongly accepting the bodily resurrection. I must confess I do get amused sometimes at the lengths we go trying to wrap our minds around the infinite. Getting to know the heart of God is a lifelong task and I, for one, don’t plan to stop my pursuit.

The first thing in considering the power of the resurrection is that in 2016 it still matters. One man who walked the earth some 2000+ years ago turned the world upside down. Now that is power. It is so much power that political pundits today seem to have the need to use it for their own purposes as have others.

The most important aspect of the power of the resurrection for most of us, if we really stop to think about it, is how very much love it demonstrates for each of us and all of us.

Prayer: Lord, we adore you, lay our lives before you because you loved us first and showed us what love is and how to love. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Bodily Resurrection of Christ

Resurrected ChristEastertide April 18, 2015

Scripture Reading: Luke 24:36b-48 Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence. –Luke 36b-42

What does bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ mean to you? We in the 21st century are scientifically removed markedly from the thinking of the first century. We live in a world where people are routinely resuscitated. Most of us have been trained to provide this help if necessary. I just watched on the news recently a report of a multi-kidney swap among various donors from families of various recipients all combined so that those who needed a kidney got one even if it was not a match within their family. It is amazing the amount of information contained on a small stick drive that can spill out and compare in a moment’s time matches of complex details that could bring these strangers together and extend the lives of the ones they love. Yet in spite of that knowledge or perhaps because of that knowledge many struggle with the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

On the other hand, it is easy to say all things are possible through God, but in reading the stories of God’s work in our world, God seems to function most often through people. The opening of the waters to allow the Israelites’ escape from the Egyptians comes to mind as a supernatural event. The story in 1 Kings 17:16 of the flour and the oil never running out is another. This God we worship is more often than not just outside the grasp of our understanding in the midst of our life struggles but we somehow know the Lord is there when we need God the most. In many instances in my life I have realized God’s acts in retrospect.

In the first century, it was apparently important that the followers of Christ encounter his resurrected body in real time, in real flesh with real wounds. We probably would not know his story today had this meeting and others like it not occurred and that makes the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ very important to me.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for having the patience with us to address us in the most appropriate way at the most important time for our meager understandings. Help us always to be open to what we need to know to further your kingdom on earth. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Conduits of God’s love

Go and tellEaster
April 5, 2015

Scripture Reading: Mark 16:1-8

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.’ So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

We serve a risen Savior. He is in the world today and we are the conduits of his love.

I might too have been scared silent had I been with the women that morning. It was a lot to take in. The world had radically changed in the blink of an eye. The lives of all would never be the same again.

I had dinner yesterday evening with a group of advocates striving to move a major mountain. Most think it cannot be done. The fire that stirred once more among that gathering said this mountain can be moved. I believe, and the other gospels tell us that when these women got their wits about then, they did go and tell and we have heard their message today. We have been empowered by this wind of change to go forth and move mountains, to make people whole, to make people one, and to implement justice throughout our land. Let the Kingdom come, let God’s will be done.

Prayer: Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Amen.

 All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.