Christ Is Risen
Christ is risen!
We give thanks for the gift of Easter
that runs beyond our expectations,
beyond our categories of reason,
even more, beyond the sinking sense of our own lives.
We know about the powers of death,
powers that persist among us,
powers that drive us from you, and
from our neighbour, and
from our best selves.
We know about the powers of fear and greed and anxiety,
and brutality and certitude.
powers before which we are helpless.
And then you…you at dawn, unquenched,
you in the darkness,
you on Saturday,
you who breaks the world to joy.
Yours is the kingdom…not the kingdom of death,
Yours is the power…not the power of death,
Yours is the glory…not the glory of death.
Yours…You…and we give thanks
for the newness beyond our achieving.
Amen.
Walter Brueggemann
Christ IS risen – he IS risen indeed! Happy Easter to all.
We were packed for all 3 services this morning. I was working the door handing out the liturgies for all 3 services and the old man in me wanted to say to the “infrequent members” – “where the hell have you been?”
But the new man in me, won over so instead said “I am so glad that you were able to come worship with us this morning.”
I am grateful that for whatever reason some folks come only twice a year, that the Holy Spirit is still alive and well in them.
“We were packed for all 3 services this morning. I was working the door handing out the liturgies for all 3 services and the old man in me wanted to say to the “infrequent members” – “where the hell have you been?””
They’ve probably been attending a live church and went this weekend with the aging grandparents – just to humor them. I know my grandmother used to beg me to go to church with them when they’d visit. I couldn’t since I didn’t believe in it.
Happy Resurrection,
Matthew 28:1-10
New English Translation (NET)
The Resurrection
1. Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has been raised, just as he said. Come and see the place where he was lying. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead. He is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you!” 8 So they left the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 But Jesus met them, saying, “Greetings!” They came to him, held on to his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.”
A Woman fell in the garden and it was a woman that was first to be restored, the first to see the risen LORD and she thought he was a gardener
DMW…what a great observation. Gardeners nurture, prop up and prune to help live thing flourish. I love that the first to fall was also the first to be restored. I believe that pattern follows today, as well.
Today was a little unusual at church for Easter. Our pastor is out recovering from surgery so we have been having several pastor/ professors fill in from Concordia University.
What was unusual was that we had a different pastor for each of the 3 services – and they each delivered a different message. For someone like me and about 2 dozen others who served at all 3 services, it was quite a treat to hear som many perspectives in one morning.
A good Easter message preached by The Lutheran Hour speaker Greg Seltz at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Before Greg took job as the LH speaker last year, he was a member of my church and would occasionally sit in on my Sunday School class – he was a professor here at Concordia for a couple of years.
Easter is the Super Bowl of Sundays. Its my favorite holiday of the year…next to daylight savings time!
Amen.
Do I know that God came down to earth as a man? Yes.
Do I know that he was crucified for our sins? Yes.
Do I know that when I die I can go to heaven because of what Jesus did? Yes.
Happy Easter.
I was working the door handing out the liturgies for all 3 services and the old man in me wanted to say to the “infrequent members” – “where the hell have you been?”
It was rather embarrassing, I had forgotten that I no longer have nice clothes that fit anymore. (I guess I can use the money I use to stuff my face with junk food to buy some cheap clothes)
So we decided to head down to our local mega church instead where “it’s okay to not be okay”.
We were reminded that we have a purpose for our lives, that our God is instoppable, and God is like that person at Disneyland who gets us to the front of the line. I was also reminded that I only have to put up with this two times a year. At least Brian likes the music.
BUT I got a chance to ask Brian over and over again today, “Did you know Jesus was crucified for your sins?” In which he replied, “Yes, and on the third day he rose from the dead.”
YEEEESSSS!!! He gets it! It took a long time, I hope he’s not being a parrot, but I finally think he’s understanding who Jesus is.
Happy Easter. Indeed it was a very Happy Easter.
Happy Easter all.
How amazing that the risen Lord Jesus appeared first to a woman. It was a woman that He sent to preach the first message of the risen Lord! In that culture a woman’s testimony was not legal or valued, but Jesus chose a woman to proclaim that He was risen! He called her, He sent her, and she obeyed His word. The first Easter Sermon was preached by a woman.
And today He continues to break the rules of the current culture!