Easter Three 2014

Today we have  Peter's famous sermon preached to a throng outside the room where tongues of fire appeared over the heads of the hiding Apostles on Pentecost. Supposedly those present heard the message in their own tongues in a reversal of what supposedly occurred at the Tower of Babel. He preaches Christ crucified and asks those gathered to repent and be baptized.

The Psalmist declares his faith in God who has redeemed him from sin and death, therefore he will glorify God and give him praise.

The writer of the Epistle declares that our salvation is in Christ who was destined from the foundation of the earth.

The Gospel is the unique to Luke story of two previously unknown Disciples on the road to Emmaus. They are met by a stranger to whom they explain the events leading up to the Crucifixion and the disappearance of the body from the tomb. The stranger then supplies an elaborate commentary on the significance of Jesus' life as foretold in the Law and the Prophets. It is not until Jesus breaks bread with them that the two realize who their travel partner has been and at that point he disappears.
The message it would seem is that Jesus made manifest God's saving grace. His unconditional love that will redeem and forgive all who repent and confess their sin.

Second Sunday in Easter 2014

Once more our first lesson is from Acts a passage immediately following the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. His words in Act_2:22 and following amount to a creed in the same manner as Jewish tradition invokes Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses.
Since he was speaking to a Jewish Audience Peter invokes King David the passages he refers to coming from Psalms attributed to David.
E.g. Act_2:27 and Act_2:31 :

Psa 86:13  For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

And indeed our Psalm is number 16 another so quoted. A Michtam is a prayer.

The Epistle is addressed to believers who, though they may not have been witness to Jesus and his resurrection in the flesh believe and in so doing share in his salvation and the resurrection of their souls.

The Gospel finds the Disciples gathered in fear behind locked doors to comfort one another in their mourning. The Risen Lord appears to them and makes effort to prove that it is he. To men still in shock he declares:

Joh 20:21  Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."
Joh 20:22  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
Joh 20:23  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."

Next we have the tale of Doubting Thomas which leads to the declaration:

Joh 20:29  Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

And these final verses:

Joh 20:30  Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
Joh 20:31  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.

And almost as an after-thought Chapter 21 follows ending with much the same words.

Todays theme then is quite clear. In the sharing of Word and Sacrament we are partakers of Jesus Death and Resurrection and in so believing share in the Salvation it represents. We may not have been physically present to see these events but we share in them in Spirit. That same Spirit indwells in us as well and the commission Jesus gave his Disciples in John is ours as well.

Verse 23 is the basis of Luther's Keys of the Kingdom.

Easter 2014

And so we come to Easter. To a child of the 20th Century the idea of a
dead body being restored to life seems rather far-fetched. We read about
it 2 Sundays ago in the context of the raising of Lazarus. With God all
things are possible and it would seem Jesus followers believed it
happened. We return to Matthew for the telling.

Compared with recent weeks today's lessons are short. The "Lesson" today
is from Acts and its salient point is that God's Salvation is for all
people.

Psa 118:24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and
be glad in it.

Pretty much sums up the day.

Whatever should become of our physical bodies our spiritual bodies are
eternal. The Epistle adjures us to seek that which is spiritual not
earthly things. On this day in particular we acknowledge that neither
death nor the grave can separate us from the love of God which is with
us even unto the end of the world.

Good Friday 2014

Those who observed Passion Sunday rather than Palm Sunday or did both
heard the version recorded in Matthew. Today's appointed lessons give us
the version recorded in John. A teacher whose message conflicted with
the received orthodoxy of the day was put to death by the Romans at the
behest of the Jewish leaders because his teachings were perceived as a
threat to their authority.

The OT Lesson from Isaiah invokes the Israelites' rescue from slavery in
Egypt and rejoices in God's continued redemption of Jerusalem even in
the face of repeated defeats and exile. The Psalm contains text quoted
by Jesus on the cross. In Hebrews the Epistle promises not only the
forgiveness of sins but also that they will be forgotten, wiped out as a
transgression is blotted from one's record. The congregation of those so
redeemed will meet together for mutual support and to assist one another
in advancing God's work here on earth. For those redeemed by faith will
feel compelled to respond to that love with acts of love of their own.

The text recorded in the Gospels was written at least 300 years after
the events took place. Those who had lost a beloved teacher felt a
desperate need to make his death count for something and invoked the
ancient scapegoat model to give meaning to their loss. The Passover Lamb
whose blood on the Israelites' doorposts ensured their deliverance from
the Angel of Death is seen as a parallel for Jesus' sacrificial act.
Jesus had to go out in a blaze of glory while still in his prime for had
he eluded the Jewish authorities and for example retired to a life of
seclusion in the Essene community and lived to reach his dotage he may
have died a respected teacher but his life would have lost much of its
impact. By marching into Jerusalem as he did on Palm Sunday he committed
an act tantamount to suicide.

Whether or not you want to believe in a physical resurrection and
ascension into the heavens is a matter of faith. Either way a man once
lived whose teachings so shook the world that their effects are felt to
this day. If you want to see Jesus' crucifixion and death as a
representation of God's redeeming love fine, but God has always been
willing to accept those who believe in him. This act could be seen as
illustrative of God's love but I cannot buy that it redeemed Moses,
Elijah, Abraham and Isaac. God's redeeming love is eternal, it has
always existed. Jesus just made it dramatically apparent in his Person.
He incarnated this aspect of God's love which has always existed.

Today we once more commemorate that great act of love eternally renewed.

Maundy Thursday 2014

I've never been much for foot washing. I realize the symbolic nature of
the act but in our climate people do not go walking barefoot or without
socks in open sandals this time of year.

The appointed Gospel does not include the words of institution or the
passing of the bread and the wine and chooses to skip the exchange
between Jesus and Judas and jumps to the following text:

Joh 13:34 And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I
have loved you, so you must love one another.
Joh 13:35 If you have love for one another, then everyone will know
that you are my disciples."

The message seems so clear and yet has been a stumbling block to
orthodoxy and dogma for centuries. Christ's body the church most surely
and dramatically demonstrates its conviction and faith through the love
we show for our fellow members and for the world at large. Those who are
in leadership positions lead best not by exercising their authority but
by the example they set.

Mar 10:44 and whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all.

The 'Lesson' contains directions for the Passover Meal in Exodus. The
Psalm rejoices in God's Salvation and admonishes us to make public
confession of our faith and to praise the Lord of our Salvation. In the
Epistle we have the traditional words of institution for Holy Communion.

Passion Sunday Palm Sunday 2014

Passion Sunday

Today's lessons offer us a conflict. Those marching with palms will hear
the story of the triumphant march into Jerusalem that characterizes Palm
Sunday. On the other hand today's Gospel is the story of Christ's trial,
crucifixion, and death.

As usual I look to the accompanying lessons for perspective. Isaiah is
strong in the knowledge that whatever charges and abuse may be heaped
upon him his spiritual being is kept safe by his God. In similar fashion
the Psalmist says that when even his friends and neighbours are afraid
to be associated with him for fear of the harm they may come to, God
will not desert him. On the other hand our Epistle counsels against
self-righteousness. We may not face ridicule and persecution because of
our faith but we should remember the humble faith of those who did and
do face even martyrdom for their faith who in the face of such
persecution provided their strongest witness.

Jesus was dispatched because he was perceived as a terrorist. His Spirit
could not be contained in the grave and he rose again. Whether or not
you want to hang the sins of the world round his neck as a scapegoat it
is his divinity we celebrate. God in the person of the Son is the light
of the world that nothing can dim. His spirit is eternal and burned
bright at Pentecost.

Lent Five 2014

Lent 1 Sin
Lent 2 Salvation
Lent 3 Faith
Lent 4 Sight
Lent 5 God's Love and Forgiveness

Can't read today's Old Testament Lesson and not think of the Sunday
School Ditty, Dry Bones
Dem Bones, Dem Bones, etc.

Ezekiel has a vision of an ancient battleground where the bones of the
unburied dead lay brittle and bleached. Just as these bones come back to
life the fortunes of Israel and Judah can be restored if only they will
be faithful to their god.

Psalm 130 glories in God's forgiving love.

Romans once more stresses that we are spiritual beings for things of the
spirit are eternal, things of the flesh will perish.

And so we come to Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Their home in Bethany was a
short distance from Jerusalem but it was a place of solace to which
Jesus returned often and was always welcome. It is instructive to note
that it is practical-minded Martha who sends for Jesus. Mary and Martha
keep house for their brother, no mention is made of their spouses,
therefore aside from losing a beloved sibling since as woman they would
have no property rights they would also have lost all visible means of
support. The Jews who were in their home consoling them were also
waiting to divide up the spoils. Resurrecting Lazarus was not an act of
mercy for Lazarus but it sure saved his sisters' bacon.

For the writer of John the resurrection of Lazarus is an example of a
sign and wonder, a miracle that served to confirm Jesus' position as the
messiah. For us it serves as an exemplar of God's love for all people.
Even though he knows that he is about to raise Lazarus back to life in
response to Mary's grief in his humanity Jesus weeps. As God made
manifest Jesus demonstrates his loving concern for Mary and Martha in
their sorrow and in doing so for us.

On the other hand the Jewish authorities saw this event as yet another
threat to their authority and sped up their plotting which led to the
crucifixion. First next Sunday we see the triumphal entry of the "King
of the Jews" into Jerusalem. Most did not realize until later that his
Kingdom was a spiritual one which we as Christians share a place. God
was willing to restore his people Israel in their distress if they but
believed, he is the God of Forgiveness who in his love redeems his
people Israel, and he is the God who will preserve our spiritual bodies
if we but believe.