Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Festival of Easter

Today the first lesson is from Acts, not the OT. This being the Festival Sunday of Easter this text  seems out of place at first glance. As is so often the case the verses appointed to be read lose significance when torn from their context so read the entire chapter, not just the appointed lesson. The story is of the Roman Captain Cornelius and today's text is Peter's reply when he enters the captain's house. The essential message here is that Jesus' Good News was brought not just for the House of Isreal but for all people. To be a Christian one is not required to observe Jewish dietary laws and other traditions. In today's context our call is to serve all people despising and disdaining noone because of their ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, economic status or health.

Psalm 118 affirms God's steadfast love and contains the oft quoted:

Psa 118:22  The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Psa 118:23  This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
Psa 118:24  This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

The Epistle affirms the Resurrection. We preach God's love and saving grace as embodied by our risen Lord. Then as now we boast not in our own strength but in the love of God who redeems us by grace through faith.

Today is a day of rejoicing at the Feast Day of Easter. A day on which the Feast of the Passover is eclipsed in our observance by Resurrection signified by the finding of an empty tomb. It is not a day for delving deeply into theological discussions but for rejoicing in the Good News that God has made known to us in Christ.

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