Fifth Sunday of Easter - Cantate (29 April, 2018)

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You will say in that day: "I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.  "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation."  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.  And you will say in that day: "Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.  "Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.  Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel."  Isaiah 12:1-6

To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm. Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!  Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.  All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name." Selah  Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.  He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him, who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations-- let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah  Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard.  Psalm 66:1-8

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.  Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures.  Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.  James 1:16-21

"But now I am going to Him who sent me, and none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'  But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.  Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you.  And when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.  I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come.  He will glorify me, for He will take what is mine and declare it to you.  All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that He will take what is mine and declare it to you."  John 16:5-15

Sometimes we need to be reminded where to focus.  Even when we are mindful of Christ and His resurrection, we have our squabbles, our worries, our pet peeves.  We know the story of salvation but get "hung up" on something.  It may be a worthwhile issue, or it may be we are making mountains out of mole hills.

We are reminded, time and time again, where our focus should be.  James admonishes us to be "quick to hear, slow to speak."  That doesn't mean we do not speak when there is something that need be said.  But rather we are to hold back, consider our words, and remember that we are by nature sinful and unclean.  That is why we are told to be "slow to anger."

It is not that anger is without place.  Jesus got angry.  God's anger burned against sinners numerous times, and most specifically at the Cross, where Christ bore that anger.  But God is perfect.  He cannot be angered in sin.  We, though, by nature, do everything in sin.

That is why we are to be temperate, slow to "knee-jerk reactions."  This is one of the few times someone who was wrong can be looked to as an example.  In the book of Job we hear about Job's friends who sat and listened to laments and complaints patiently.  They did not respond immediately to Job with "oh, it'll be alright," or "buck up, son."  They waited and listened.  Now, their responses were incorrect, because they spoke not out of faith provided by the Holy Spirit.

That is what Christ promised us: the Comforter.  We are told "He [the Holy Spirit] will guide you into all the truth."  And where do we find this third person of the Trinity?  In Scripture.

Christ is admonishing us to keep in God's word.  That is our resource and rule until His return.  Our lives and responses should be shaped by Scripture.  Most especially Christ's death and resurrection.

Fourth Sunday of Easter - Jubilate (22 April, 2018)

We Wait...

To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.  Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.  Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God"?  Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:25-31

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."  The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.  It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.  It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.  Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; let him put his mouth in the dust-- there may yet be hope; let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults.  For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men.  Lamentations 3:22-33

Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.  The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.  He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.  Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.  The LORD lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground.  Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre!  He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills.  He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry.  His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.  Psalm 147:1-11

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.  Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.  Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.  For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.  Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.  Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.  Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.  For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.  For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.  1 Peter 2:11-20

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.  And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.  1 John 3:1-3

"A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me."  So some of His disciples said to one another, "What is this that He says to us, 'A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and, 'because I am going to the Father'?"  So they were saying, "What does He mean by 'a little while'? We do not know what He is talking about."  Jesus knew that they wanted to ask Him, so he said to them, "Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'?  Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.  When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.  So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you."  John 16:16-22

It seems I keep being drawn back to the image of those resistance groups in the 1940s when thinking about the Church on earth.

We live in enemy controlled territory while awaiting the rightful King's return.  We gather around the radio, which we are not allowed to have, and listen to the broadcasts, hoping one will be the announcement not just of "stand firm, I'll be back soon" but "He's here."  We peer out of our windows, hoping to see one of the messengers run up the streets shouting "the King is near!"  We go about our lives, communicating the news that the war is over and the King will return.

Soon.

Just before His death, Jesus told the disciples that He would be "going away" but then would return.  God had promised such returns before.  As the people of Israel were marched across the desert to exile in Babylon, Isaiah brought a message of hope.  Not immediate hope, but hope for the future.  Hope that God would not abandon them.

Peter reminded the Church that we are like sojourners and exile.  We should not pine for comfort where we are now, but look for our Lord's return.  And while we wait, we serve our neighbors as a comfort to them trapped in a fallen world, and as a witness to the hope we have.

Christ told us that He would return.  First was His return from death.  The second is the one we now wait for: His return to bring about Judgement Day.  On that day, there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more sin.  There will be the New Kingdom.  It is that promise we wait for.

So take heart, our wait will be over soon.

Third Sunday of Easter - Misericordias Domini (15 April, 2018)

Green Pastures

"For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out.  As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.  And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country.  I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel.  I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD.  I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.  Ezekiel 34:11-16

A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.  Psalm 23

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.  When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.  He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.  For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.  1 Peter 2:22-25

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.  He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.  I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.  And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.  John 10:11-16

There are some topics that the Bible presents that seem to take mental gymnastics to leap through all the hoops.  And then there are others that seem to smack you over the head with the point straight from the get-go.

The Good Shepherd.  Is anything more than Christ's own words even necessary?

Sadly, it is, because we, like sheep, are dumb.

Consider, God chooses shepherds.  Perhaps it is the humble origins.  Perhaps the experiences trying to manage the unmanageable.  Perhaps it is merely for the symbolism.

Abraham was a shepherd.  Moses was a shepherd.  David was a shepherd.  But Jesus is the Good Shepherd.  Everyone else is merely an under-shepherd.

He leads us through this valley of death that we dwell in.  We've been trapped in this valley since the Fall.  But our Shepherd came down to rescue us, to lead us out.  When one of us gets lost, He rescues us.

The Shepherd loves us.  So much that He died for us.

Second Sunday of Easter - Quasimodo Geniti (8 April, 2018)

What Do You See

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones.  And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry.  And he said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know."  Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.  Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.  And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD."  So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.  And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them.  Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live."  So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.  Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.'  Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel.  And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD."  Ezekiel 37:1-14

Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.  Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!  Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.  For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.  He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.  By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.  He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.  The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.  The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!  The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.  The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.  The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.  Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.  Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.  For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.  Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.  Psalm 33

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  This is He who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.  For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.  If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that He has borne concerning his Son.  Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in Himself. Whoever does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning His Son.  1 John 5:4-10

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."  When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.  Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."  And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."  Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe."  Eight days later, His disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."  Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."  Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and my God!"  Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."  Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.  John 20:19-31

There use to be a popular phrase: "seeing is believing."  Seems pretty straight forward.  If you can see "it," whatever that may be, or direct evidence of "it," then you know "it" is real.

But in today's world of "I have my truth and you have your's" even that modicum of belief is slipping away.  Which makes holding onto the faith of our fathers even more difficult.

Who, in their right mind, would look at a field full of sun-bleached bones and think "yep, they'll be walking around in a few minutes."  Or say to a friend "hey, I know that our friend was wrongfully executed, but its okay, because he walked through the wall last night and said hello."

If you started saying things like that, someone would probably measure you for a straight jacket.

Yet we are called, commanded even, to believe in things that not only seem without evidence, but may very well exceed all rational explanation.  Dead men back from the grave.  Floods that cover mountains.  Seas parted.  Livestock holding conversations.  Men surviving fire hot enough to melt steel.  The list goes on.

It is sad to say that many, if not all, of us are like Thomas.  We struggle with believing something outlandish unless we are given something tangible.  Selfishly, if understandably, Thomas wanted to physically see and touch the risen Lord.  Notice, Jesus doesn't berate him for his struggle to believe.  Sure He makes it clear that it is better to believe the testimony without having to physically be there, but that doesn't make Thomas any less of a faithful Christian.

Any more than it makes any one of us less faithful when we struggle with the question "is it real?"

Consider: without having ever seen the Messiah, or even (as far as we know) meeting anyone who would be His ancestor, Job knew that his redeemer lives.  Not "will live."  But is alive now.  What faith.

The list of the faithful goes on.  The author to the Hebrews spends considerable time listing them.  Abraham, Moses, Deborah, Ruth, David, Jeremiah, Micah, and more.  None of them "saw" the long-promised Messiah.  Yet, they believed.

We, who now live two thousand years after His death and resurrection have not "seen" Him either.  And, yet, we have.  Go back to the Gospel reading first.  See all the red lettering?  Those are Christ's words.

Now look at all the readings.  All of that is Christ.  As John says at the start of his gospel: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."  That "Word" is the Son of God: Jesus Christ.  To read the Scriptures is to see Christ.  As is being baptized, and partaking in holy communion.  There not only do you see your Redeemer, but you physically interact with Him.

So seeing is believing.  And believing is seeing.  Not by our own strength, but by the grace of God.

Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed, alleluia!

The Resurrection of Our Lord (1 April, 2018)

HE IS RISEN!

"Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!  Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!  For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!  Job 19:23-27

Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,  the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!"  I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.  The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.  Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.  This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.  I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.  The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.  This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.  This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.  The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!  You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!  Psalm 118:15-29

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?  Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  1 Corinthians 5:6-8

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.  When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."  "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:51-57

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, 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.  And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?"  And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back--it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed.  And he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you."  And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  Mark 16:1-8

The people had been hoping an impossible hope.  God promised a savior, a redeemer, a hero, to rescue them from their sin.

Adam and Eve were the first to receive, and believe, this promise.

Abraham and Sarah were told they would be the ancestors of this promise.

Moses oversaw the mere foretaste of the sacrifice the promise would require.

David held fast to the promise that his descendant would be his Lord.

Isaiah saw that this long waited for promise would bear unspeakable burden and punishment.

Mary was chosen to be the mother of this promise.

John went on ahead, proclaiming the promise was near.

Peter, James, and John were called by the promise to follow.

Bartimaeus was healed by this promise.

Lazarus was raised to life by this promise.

Pilate oversaw the trial, flogging, and execution of the promised Messiah.

Joseph and Nicodemus treated the promise with honor in burial.

The women went to the tomb to care for the promise one last time.

None of them could believe it, though.  After three years of learning from the Man who spoke with authority none had ever held, after hoping that He would be the fulfillment of the promise, He was dead.  The dream that seemed so real just a week ago when He entered Jerusalem was as dead as their Lord.  And to add insult to injury, His body was not given the full care it deserved, was hastily buried, and was under armed guard.

There was no joy that morning as the women approached the tomb.

There was only fear, uncertainty, and pain.  Had this Man not been the long expected Christ?  Had they wasted their time, chasing after a meaningless dream?

But the only guard at the tomb that morning was a single man, dressed in white.  No Roman soldiers in sight.  The stone was already rolled away.  The grave clothes had been neatly folded.  What could this mean?!

"You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here."

The Son of David, the Living Word of God, the Messiah, the King of Kings, the man of Nazareth named Jesus WAS NOT DEAD!

Christ Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and rose from the dead.  He conquered death by death, and killed sin upon the cross.  He did what no human could do.  He satisfied the consequence no sacrifice could meet.

It is finished indeed.

Christ Is Risen!

Χριστὸς Ἀνέστη

He Is Risen Indeed, Alleluia!

Ἀνέστη Ἀληθῶς

The Resurrection of Our Lord (1 April, 2018)

He Is Not Here!

On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.  And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.  He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.  It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."  Isaiah 25:6-9

When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD.  They said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?  Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."  And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.  The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."  The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.  Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.  And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen.  And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."  Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.  Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.  And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.  The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.  And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians."  Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen."  So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea.  The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained.  But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.  Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.  Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.  ... Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, "I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.  Exodus 14:10-15:1

A Miktam of David. Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.  I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."  As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.  The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.  The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.  The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.  I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.  I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  Psalm 16

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you believed in vain.  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.  Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.  Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.  For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.  Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.  1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.  And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.  We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about 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, not even Christ has been raised.  And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.  But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.  But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.  Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.  For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.  1 Corinthians 15:12-25

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.  So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him."  So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.  Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.  And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.  Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.  Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.  Then the disciples went back to their homes.  But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb.  And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.  They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."  Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away."  Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).  Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"  Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"--and that He had said these things to her.  John 20:1-18

CHRIST IS RISEN!