Christ is Risen!! – April 4, Sunday of the Holy Resurrection!

Psalm 98 NASB

O sing to the LORD a new song,
For He has done wonderful things,
His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.
The LORD has made known His salvation;
He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;
Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.
Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,
With the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
Shout joyfully before the King, the LORD.
Let the sea roar and all it contains,
The world and those who dwell in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
Let the mountains sing together for joy
Before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth;
He will judge the world with righteousness
And the peoples with equity.

Luke 24:1-49 TNIV

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.

He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

“What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.

He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Christ is risen!!!  He is risen indeed!!!

The journey of Lent and the mourning of Holy Week are now transformed into the Joy of Easter.  Christ is risen and everything is different!  All things are made new, death has been destroyed, and the captives have been set free – Glory to God in the Highest!!

Our salvation is at hand and our God has done this all for us, Glory to God. Hallelujah!

Not much else needs to be said on this glorious day – especially not by me.  But you will find what I consider to be one of the most amazing Easter sermons ever preached below.  In many churches throughout the world it is still read every year as the only sermon on Easter Sunday.

Reading:

Is there anyone who is a devout lover of God?
Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!
Is there anyone who is a grateful servant?
Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

Are there any weary with fasting?
Let them now receive their wages!
If any have toiled from the first hour,
let them receive their due reward;
If any have come after the third hour,
let him with gratitude join in the Feast!
And he that arrived after the sixth hour,
let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.
And if any delayed until the ninth hour,
let him not hesitate; but let him come too.
And he who arrived only at the eleventh-hour,
let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.

For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.
He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh-hour,
as well as to him that toiled from the first.
To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows.
He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor.
The deed He honors and the intention He commends.

Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!
First and last alike receive your reward;
rich and poor, rejoice together!
Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!

You that have kept the fast, and you that have not,
rejoice today for the Table is richly laden!
Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one.
Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith.
Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!

Let no one grieve at his poverty,
for the universal kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again;
for forgiveness has risen from the grave.
Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.
He has destroyed it by enduring it.

He destroyed Hades when He descended into it.
He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.
Isaiah foretold this when he said,
“You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below.”

Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with.
It was in an uproar because it is mocked.
It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed.
It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.
It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.
Hell took a body, and discovered God.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.
O death, where is thy sting?
O Hades, where is thy victory?

Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!
Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!
Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!
Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead;
for Christ having risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!

– St. John Chrysostom *

Christ is risen!!  He is risen indeed!!!

Christ is risen!!  He is risen indeed!!!

Christ is risen!!  He is risen indeed!!!

* St. John Chrysostom (347 – 407) is one of the most famous preachers in Christian history.  As Bishop of Constantinople (in modern-day Turkey) he constantly held up the needs of the poor even though he preached to the emperor.  Chrysostom’s preaching is blunt and honest and as such it made him many enemies.  He spent the last years of his life in exile, but is still regarded as one of the most eloquent preachers in the history of the Church – so much so that history remembers him as “golden mouth.”

Waiting – April 3, Holy Saturday

Luke 23:50-56 NIV

Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Today is a day of waiting.  Christ has been crucified and placed in the tomb and we wait.  While we know that we’re waiting for the third day his followers didn’t.  They were waiting on this Sabbath day for their chance to go to the tomb and properly deal with Jesus’ body.  They waited and wept.  They mourned the loss of the one they followed and the one who was their friend.

Our Lord also “waited” on this day but his waiting looked quite a bit different.  In his death our Lord set free the dead.  By his death Jesus has defeated the hold of death on all humanity.  On this Sabbath Christ rested in the tomb having completed his work on the cross – by his death destroying hell.

Just as we are told in Genesis that God rested after he completed the work of creation (thus instituting the Sabbath) so Christ, having completed his work on the Cross, rests in the tomb.  The final exclamation point of his victory will come tomorrow.  But today he rests from the completely of his work.  He has destroyed death and set free the captives.  Tomorrow our joy will be made full and complete.  For tomorrow we will sing the songs of triumph.  But for now we wait.  For now we mourn like his followers and we rest in the hope that Christ has accomplished his work.

Let us make prepare ourselves for tomorrow like the women who prepared spices for Christ’s body.  Let us make ready our hearts and souls that we may fully receive Christ in his resurrection tomorrow.

Closing Prayer:

O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so may we await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

– Book of Common Prayer

It Is Finished – April 2, – Good Friday

John 1828 – 19:42 TNIV

Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

“If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.

Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”

But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”

The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”

When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”

When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.

“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.

But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”

This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,

“They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.”

So this is what the soldiers did.

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”

Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

There isn’t much that can be said after this reading from the Gospel of John.  Just reading this passage causes my eyes to well with tears.  My God and my King – the One whom I love has been beaten and crucified.

Heartache fills my soul as I think about this event in light of the words of John’s prologue.  “He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him” (John 1:11).  The creator and maker of all things came and was utterly rejected.

Christ became fully human, taking on all that is truly human in order to bring draw us to God and yet we rejected him.  He came in love and yet we showed him hate.  Somehow our joyous cries of “Hosanna” from Palm Sunday have now turned into rage and hate-filled cries screaming for his crucifixion.  Christ is wounded for our sake and yet we seemingly do not care.

It seems on this day that evil triumphs.  The one who formed us and calls us by name has died.  The life-giver has been crucified.  Yet we must remember that he was not forced upon that cross against his will.  He willingly gave himself up for us in what is the greatest sign of love in history.

Yet even when evil seems so strong and seems as if it has triumphed we are reminded that the same one that died on the cross and is laid in the tomb is the same one that will burst forth in bringing life to all, but for now we await Easter and we weep and mourn that Christ has died.

We remember this event as if we were there.  We remember that this is love incarnate and this is are call.  We remember that the cross which we are called to take up as Christians is not our chores or homework or jobs, but that it is this cross.  We are called to die so that Christ may dwell richly within us.

Reading:

But look, O my soul, and see how the King of Heaven was welcomed by His subjects, in what manner they honored their God Incarnate…Who cleansed the lepers, healed the sick, made the paralytic walk and the blind man see; Who straightened the lame and the crippled, Who raised the dead and fed the many thousands who were hungry. Oh, shame covers my face, awe grips my heart, and my tongue trembles to speak! His holy Evangelist cries out in grief: “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not”…Terrible and piteous are these words…Men did not accept their God, servants did not receive their Lord; subjects rejected their King! O, my God, all this You knew, and yet You came to save me, perishing; to find me, the lost!…Glory be to You for all…They judged You, the Judge of the living and the dead! They insulted and dishonored You, spat upon Your holy face, to which angels dare not lift their gaze! And they buffeted Your cheek and condemned You to death – You, the Life of all! They preferred a robber and a murderer to You, the Son of God, the only good and just One! …Oh prodigy! Oh, fearful and unheard-of crime!

– Tikhon of Zadonsk. Confession and Thanksgiving *

Closing Prayer:

Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me a sinner.

* Tikhon of Zadonsk (1724-1783),the bishop of Voronezh was born in Korotsk, Russia. Tikhon is affectionately referred to as the “Russian Chrysostom” possibly because of his constant exhortation to actively love one’s neighbor. Tikhon is aslo known for constantly saying “forgiveness is better than revenge.”

A New Commandment – April 1, Maundy Thursday

Today it begins.  Today we begin the ever-quickening descent with our Lord to the Cross.  Today is Maundy Thursday, tomorrow, Good Friday, and Sunday morning Easter Sunday.  These are not three services or days but one service, one day, one quick and steady descent with our Lord to his voluntary suffering.  The readings on these days will be longer than normal but I encourage you not to skim them.  Breath deep of the scriptures on these days, read them two or three times, let us truly remember the events of these days.  Not just remember like we recall a sports score or a phone number, but remember as if we are there, as if we are witnessing these acts and are participants with Christ.

Luke 13:1-35 TNIV

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

“I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’

“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”

His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”

Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Festival, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.

“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

for Today’s full text read: John 13:1-17:26 (click here if you want to read it online)

Together with his disciples Jesus partakes of a final meal and at some point during the course of the meal Jesus stands up, wraps a towel around his waist and proceeds to do the task of the lowest servant – washing the feet of the disciples.

So often when we think of the Last Supper we think of the famous painting and the fact that Jesus instituted Holy Communion.  But John, instead of emphasizing the beginning of the sacrament of Communion decides to emphasize the fact that Jesus washed the disciples feet.

John isn’t downplaying the importance of Communion (he alludes greatly to it throughout his Gospel) and he isn’t instituting a new sacrament (the Church has never taught this) but instead he is emphasizing something else that is very important.

Jesus, right before he was taken captive, tried, and crucified; washed feet.  He did something that was completely below himself.  Right before the greatest act of love in history (the Cross) Jesus humbled himself by washing the feet of the disciples.

Why did Jesus do this?  Jesus was showing them what true love for one another looks like even before the Cross.  After Jesus washed their feet he goes on to give them a new commandment.  He tells them that the new command is to “love one another.”

Just incase the disciples didn’t understand what exactly was meant by loving one another Jesus showed them.  He showed them that loving others means humbling yourself, being willing to sacrifice, and not considering yourself too important or too special to do even the small and dirty stuff.

Think of it, the God of the Universe washed feet.  The hands that formed Adam from dust now washed the dust off of the feet of the disciples.  The God that allowed Israel to walk across the Red Sea on dry ground now dried the feet of the disciples with a towel.

Jesus Christ humbled himself and did the task of a servant even before he completed the deepest act of humility and gave his life up for us on a cross.

And so should it be with us.  This is the attitude that we should have towards one another.  Throughout Lent we have been talking about stripping ourselves of pride that we might have the mind of Christ.  This is what that looks like.  Today is Maundy Thursday a name that is taken from the Latin to mean “mandate or command.”  The command of Jesus is simple – Love one another.  Simple…and yet it is so hard.

Today we somberly begin a participation with Christ in the last events of his life.  We remember the institution of Communion and the washing of the feet.  In both of these the command of Christ is love.  Love one another.

Let us live lives of humility and love toward one another that we may fulfill the “new command” of Christ our God.

Closing Prayer:

O Lord and master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk.  But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.  O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother or sister for blessed are you always.  Amen

– The Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem

The Call of Christ- March 31, Wednesday of Holy Week

John 12:20-36 TNIV

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Those who love their life will lose it, while those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Those who walk in the dark do not know where they are going. Put your trust in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

“Those who love their life will lose it, while those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12)

“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” (Luke 9)

“whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.  Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10)

These are some of the tough sayings of Jesus that we have meditated on through this Lenten journey.  We’ve read, thought and prayed about dying to ourselves so that Christ might richly dwell within us.  We’ve tried to realize during this Lenten season that the Christian life isn’t about us and our self-will, it isn’t about getting more stuff and making a name for ourselves, it isn’t about building ourselves up.  Life, for the follower of Jesus Christ is about carrying the cross and following Christ.  It’s about humility, love, self-sacrifice, and obedience to the Gospel.

I often wonder about how we approach this calling of Jesus to ultimate self-sacrifice.  Even though we don’t actively think it, we often view these thoughts as perfectly well and good as long as they just stay as thoughts.  As long as we don’t think too hard or consider too concretely what these thoughts mean for us we’re fine with them.  Jesus, however, didn’t have this luxury and neither do we when we examine these scriptures in light of the events of the coming days.

Over the next few days we will meditate and think deeply on Jesus’ death.  We will remember that he was betrayed, unjustly accused, beaten, and crucified.  This is what our Savior went through, this is the reality out of which he calls to us “Those who love their life will lose it, while those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” and “take up your cross and follow me.”

Out of this we are forced to reconcile our lives with the call of Christ.  Are we loving our lives and forsaking Christ?  Are we truly carrying our cross – the cross of Christ that we may die to self and truly live?  Are we truly following Jesus?

There is no room for “maybe” or “a little bit.”  The call of Christ is not maybe, it is either life or death and the only way to true life is through death.  The paradox is great, but our God is greater still.

Let us remember Jesus’ call to us over the next few days.  Let us journey to the cross with him that we may truly die to ourselves so that we might live.  May God grant us strength and may his name be glorified as we take up our cross and follow Christ.

Closing Prayer:

O Lord and master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk.  But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.  O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother or sister for blessed are you always.  Amen

– The Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem

Rejected – March 30, Tuesday of Holy Week

Luke 20:9-19 TNIV

He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.

“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’

“But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

“What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”

When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”

Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written:

” ‘The stone the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone’?

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

According to the Gospel of Luke, after Jesus enters Jerusalem he tells this parable after he was questioned by some of the religious leaders.  In this parable Jesus more or less describes what had been happening in Israel from the days of the prophets.  He tells this story so that they may see that they are really the tenants of the land and the prophets are the ones they beat and sent away.  Jesus then tells them of the Landowner’s son who they killed.  This is exactly what happens to Jesus – the Son of God.

Somehow the cheers and joys of Palm Sunday get swallowed up in the anger, pride, and lust for power of the religious leaders.  Somehow the people desire to have it their own way and take the Son and beat him and kill him.  Jesus predicts his death in this parable.  He knows what will befall him and yet he continues forward.  The challenge for us as we read this passage is to examine our hearts.  Are we ready to accept Jesus or are our hearts hardened like the tenants in the parable?  Are we willing to accept the Son or are we too caught up in ourselves and our sinful desires that we will join with the crowd in just a few days and yell “crucify him!”?

As we read this parable we are faced with the grim reality that all-too-often we are just like the religious leaders – we indeed are the tenants in the story.  Too often we allow ourselves to be caught up in the drive of our self-will and we reject Jesus.

As we journey to the cross this Holy Week let us realize the sin, pride, and greed that lies deep within each one of us.  Let us cast aside these things and so “no” to our self-will so that we may truly say “yes” to God.  This is the great call of Lent and of Holy Week.  Let us descend to the cross with Christ that we may continue to live out our baptism – dying to self and raising with Christ.

May God grant us mercy as we deeply examine ourselves during these holy days that may truly be able to receive the King of All!

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a Sinner!

The Bridegroom – March 29, Monday of Holy Week

Matthew 25: 1-13 NIV

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

” ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

“Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’

“But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

As we begin Holy Week this may seem like an odd passage for us to read.  We wonder what exactly the second coming has to do with Easter.  The fact of the matter is that we often hurry toward Good Friday and toward Easter and often we skip over our need to prepare ourselves for the days to come through repentance.  Yes, we have been preparing ourselves during the whole season of Lent, but as we enter Holy Week we must remain watchful so that we may continue to prepare our hearts to receive Jesus Christ.

We must remain watchful so that we do not “fall asleep” spiritually like the five foolish virgins.  We must remain watchful so that as Jesus Christ – the Bridegroom makes himself known to us on this most holy of weeks we can fully receive him and enter into the fullness that is his passion and resurrection.

So often we let our hearts become distracted as Easter approaches that it seems as if we focus on everything except preparing ourselves for the joyous celebration of the resurrection.  As we do this we become blind to what God is seeking to do in our lives as we approach this day.  We become blind because we focus on ourselves and on the distractions that surround us and are not prepared to receive Christ.

As we move through Holy Week let us prepare ourselves through repentance.  Let us get ready to see Jesus and to walk with him through the entire events of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.  Let us be ready so that we can see and embrace everything that he wants to do in our lives.

Closing Prayer:

O Lord and master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk.  But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.  O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother or sister for blessed are you always.  Amen

– The Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem

Expectations and the Kingdom- March 28, Palm Sunday

Luke 19:29-40 NIV

As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ”

Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Today is a day of mixed emotions.  On the one hand we celebrate with joy the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem but on the other hand we realize that in just a few short days Jesus will be crucified by the very same people who celebrated him so wonderfully on this day.  The same people who yell “blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord” are the same ones that in just a few short days will yell “crucify him!”  How can this be?

Today as we think about this paradox we can only conclude that the people must have misunderstood Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem.  They think that he is coming to conquer, to set up his earthly rule, and to usurp the government.  They, just like what we mentioned with the disciples (here), had an idea of what a Messiah was supposed to look like.  They were all excited because as Jesus entered they had in their mind what he was going to do and then when he didn’t meet those expectations they shouted “crucify.”

Today we celebrate this day because we know that Jesus’ entrance points beyond what happened just on that day.  Jesus’ entrance does indeed point to a kingdom, just not an earthly one.  Today we look to the eternal and heavenly Kingdom of Jesus – a kingdom that is not entered through power and might, but through humility and repentance.  This is why we celebrate Palm Sunday.

On Palm Sunday we are again forced to consider what preconceived ideas of Jesus we are carrying around.  We must prepare our hearts to receive Christ for who he is or else we will quickly turn on him just like the crowd.  We are also forced to realize that we cannot enter the Kingdom of God through force, power, might, money, popularity, or sheer awesomeness.  The only way into the Kingdom of God is through confession, humility, casting aside our earthly cares, abandoning our own strength, and relying on the mercy and grace of Christ.

May God give us all strength to accept and rely on him for who he is so that we may fully enter his kingdom.

Closing Prayer:

Lord, as we think about your triumphant entry into Jerusalem let us not forget that you entered so that you could be lifted up on a cross for the salvation of humanity.  Keep this holy lent before us and let us cast aside all earthly cares that you may increase and we may decrease.  Amen.

– Anonymous

Anticipation – March 27, The Sixth Saturday of Lent

John 11:1-44 NIV

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

Then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

“But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?”

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.”

After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”

His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

Jesus wept.

Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

There are so many things we could discuss with this passage of scripture.  So many wonderful truths contained therein, but there is one that jumps in front of them all as we approach Easter – we are like Lazarus.  We are like Lazarus in that we will die.  Death has come into the world because of the fall of Adam and we will surely die.  “But Lazarus was raised,” you may interject.  Yes, but even in his risen state he was still to die again.

I think this might be the reason Jesus wept.  Yes, his friend Lazarus had died, but he knew ahead of time that he was going to raise him from the dead, or “wake him up” as Jesus says.  I think one of the reasons Jesus wept is because he saw the pain that the decay of sin brought into the world.  He saw the havoc that death brought and his love for Lazarus (and also for us) caused him to weep.

But a reminder of our death is not the reason that this scripture is before us today.  Today, this scripture reminds us of the all-encompassing nature of Christ’s work.  Today we look at Lazarus not as a man who died, was raised, and the died again, but as a prequel or anticipation to the resurrection.

In just a short week (and a day) we will celebrate Easter.  We will celebrate the fact that Christ is risen from the dead and that by conquering death he has given us life.  We will joyously sing and proclaim that death could not hold Christ and that he has defeated sin and death.  We will remember that Christ is not like Lazarus, he will not die again.  No, he is risen indeed!

What Lazarus reminds us of today during Lent is the greatness of Christ’s resurrection. It gives us an anticipation of the resurrection.  Christ has conquered death and sin, therefore death and sin no longer have a hold on us.  Yes, we will die like Lazarus, but we will rise again.  Just as we say in the Apostles Creed every Sunday – “I believe…in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”  What Jesus has done for Lazarus he will do for all of us!

I am also stuck by the thought that even as Lazarus hears the voice of Christ and exits the tomb he is still in his grave-clothes.  In order to fully respond to Christ he must remove these grave-clothes that bind him.  So it is with us.  In order to fully follow Christ we must hear his voice and strip ourselves of the clothes of our sin and death.  Lazarus also reminds us this day that we must cast aside everything which hinders us and follow Christ.

Today we catch yet another glimpse of the fullness that is to come.  Today we are reminded that our place is not in the tomb, but with Christ our life.  Today, we are reminded that if we hear Christ’s voice we must respond and “come out” and remove the clothes of sin and death that bind us.

Let us be attentive to the voice of God that calls us from our death in sin to life in Christ Jesus.

Closing Prayer:

O Lord and master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk.  But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.  O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother or sister for blessed are you always.  Amen

– The Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem

Praying in Weakness – March 26, The Sixth Friday of Lent

Luke 18:9-14 NIV

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

We’ve already read through this passage once during Lent (here) but I read something today that brought my heart back to this passage that I thought would be worth sharing and thinking about.  Not only does this passage teach us about humility in life, but it also teaches us something very valuable about prayer.  Today I read this:

I often tell people who say they are struggling with prayer to quit trying to pray like a Pharisee and learn to pray like a [tax collector]. We often want to pray from strength – to approach God when we at least feel spiritually alive. The [tax collector] refuses to lift his eyes to heaven. The contradiction of his life and the goodness of God are more than he can bear. And yet he prays. And, ironically, it is he who goes down to his house justified rather than the Pharisee.

As I pondered this statement I realized the truth that it contained.  So often I keep myself from praying because I don’t feel holy enough to pray.  Sometimes I don’t allow myself to pray or to read the scriptures because it seems as if my heart is not fully committed and longing for God.  Why is it that I feel as if I can and should only pray when I am right with God or when I’m in the mood to pray.

It seems to me that the times I need to pray the most are the times that I am hesitant to pray.  Am I only willing to pray when I feel strong and competent before God?  Am I only willing to pray when I feel worthy enough and holy enough to approach God.  If this is what is in my heart then am I really any different from the Pharisee?  Sadly I am, indeed, just like the Pharisee if this is my attitude.

We need to break this attitude as it creeps into our lives.  We need to be people who learn to pray in all circumstances…especially when we feel weak and undeserving.  What the tax collector teaches us is that we can humbly approach God at all times.  Even in our weakest moments, when life is overwhelming, and we don’t feel as if we even deserve to pray we can and should approach God.

We need to realize that God is with us when we are down, when we are overwhelmed, and when we feel as if we can’t approach him.  His love for us continues on even when we don’t feel it and when we don’t feel like we can approach him.  It is during these times that we must humble ourselves like the tax collector and pray.  Even if our prayers don’t seem like “good ones,” if we stumble over words, or if we don’t have the words to pray God is still there, he hears us and he will answer us.

So what about you?  Do you only pray when you feel strong?  Do you allow your weaknesses and shortcomings keep you from approaching God?  Are you like the Pharisee – only willing to pray from your strength or will you be like the  tax collector and pray despite your weakness.  After all it was the tax collector that went home justified before God.

Let us continue to learn to pray during this Lenten season.  As our fasting and our reading reveals our weaknesses let us not be fearful of approaching God, but let us approach him all the more for his mercy is great and he loves us dearly!

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a Sinner!