Now the Real Work Starts

Acts 2:14, 22-32
“This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses” (Acts 2:32). Peter’s words to the crowds in Jerusalem on Pentecost are appropriate for the day after Easter because they remind us of the good news of the resurrection, but also of the responsibility that we now bear for sharing that good news with the world. The truth is, if we think that Easter has somehow brought us to the end of something, we are wrong; Easter is, in so many ways, only the beginning.

Think of the empty tomb as a pebble dropped into a pond. From the point of impact, ripples move outward across the water until the entire pond has been stirred. As people of faith, we play an important role in transporting the gospel, conveying the message of Jesus’ resurrection further and further through time and space. It may be by you or me that others are stirred from their placid apathy into lives of discipleship. It may be our actions or our attitudes that help others recognize Christ at work in their lives, that awaken them to the possibilities that God is offering in grace.

Because of the cultural aspect of this holy day–the egg hunts, the new clothes, the candy-filled baskets–Easter may seem somehow to be a culmination or a fulfillment; what it represents, though, is a starting point. We may have put the decorations into storage until next year, but if we are paying attention we will recognize that the real work is just beginning. Oh, but what joyous, life-affirming work it is.

Prayer: Lord, may the season of Eastertide bring us new opportunities for service and growth as we seek to follow our risen savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

An Idle Tale?

Luke 24:1-12

How did the disciples react when on Easter morning the women gave them the joyous news of the resurrection? According to Luke’s gospel, “…these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them” (Luke 24:11). How is it possible that the followers of Jesus so easily dismissed as foolishness what they were told? That’s a question we should all ponder, because day in and day out we are faced with good news of great joy but time after time we set it aside as nonsense. The starving are fed in impoverished parts of the world, houses are built for the homeless, justice is found for the oppressed, the sick are comforted, all in the name of Jesus Christ. Do these sound like idle tales? Why, then, do we seem most focused on dissension and schism? Why do we gage the validity of someone’s faith by worldly ideals? Why do we insist on sitting in doubt when given the chance to join Peter in a dash to discovery?

In these days following the celebration of Easter I, like many other church professionals and volunteers, face physical, emotional, and spiritual fatigue. I need a chance to recharge my batteries so that I can resume my efforts. But this is no time to dismiss the news that the women bring, no time to shutter the windows and put out the lights. Jesus Christ is risen! The truth is all around us. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we dismiss the gospel in order to follow our own whims. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Simply Summing It Up

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

The good news according to Paul is not terribly complicated nor is it difficult to understand. He shares it with his readers in Corinth: “For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures…” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). One thing to note here is that Paul is passing along what has been given to him. Faith is a gift he has received and one he is eager to share. Another thing to note is the role that scripture plays in Paul’s message. What Paul says about Jesus is a confirmation of the promise that God has made to past generations. None of this should come as a surprise to those who are familiar with Judaism. And finally, that which Paul says is of “first importance” to people of faith centers on the sacrificial (and very real) death of Jesus followed by his resurrection.

For Paul the spread of the gospel is based on the truth of what happened in and through Jesus and its foundation in the faith tradition of Israel. We should not allow centuries of theological wrangling to cloud this simple message: Jesus died; he was buried; he was raised again just like scripture said it would be. This is the “important stuff.”

We have celebrated the resurrection. Now we return to the work of sharing the gospel, and if we follow Paul’s lead we will do so with a reliance on the simple truth.

Prayer: Lord guide us as we seek to live the faith that we have been given. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Good And The Bad

Josephine Fontaine

Lamentations 3:37-58

Psalm 43

When I first read the passage from Lamentations, I was struck by verse 38: "Is it not from the hand of the Most High that good and bad come?" (Lamentations 3:38). I certainly believe that all good comes from God, but I had never even considered that "bad" things also come from God, our God of love, and grace, kindness, and forgiveness.

And then I thought of the horrible death of Jesus that we remembered in our Good Friday services yesterday. Jesus' followers and many other Hebrews were well enough versed in Lamentations that they knew that God made the bad happen along with the good, and could only wonder at why it had to be this way.

But Sunday dawned and with it the resurrection of Jesus, which was the real beginning of his church. His appearance to his apostles and others of his followers, strengthened their faith and with the gift of the Holy Spirit they were empowered to go forth into the world and proclaim the good news of the gospel. What a miracle to the people of the western world!

And so my quandary about the verse in Lamentations became less important to me (although I'm inclined to believe that God makes good things happen, rather than bad). But then my mind is overwhelmed with things I don't understand and when I have doubts and my spirit seems to be at a low ebb, I repeat to myself one of my favorite Bible verses -- which just happens to be in Psalm 43 (Psalm 43:5, and also in Psalm 42:5 and 42:11) one of the psalms for today's reading. "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, my help and my God."

Prayer: Gracious and loving God, when I have doubts and wonder about things, help me to remember that you are my hope in all things. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Jo Fontaine is a long-time member and elder of the Westover Hills Presbyterian Church of Little Rock, Arkansas. At age 93 she remains an inspiration to her friends and a thoughtful commentator on scripture.

Shocking News

Mark 10:17-31

When was the last time that you were actually surprised by something Jesus said or did? If you are new to the Christian faith then perhaps you have encountered something recently that actually amazed you. But if you are like me, a life-long Christian raised in a Christian home, it may have been years since Jesus did or said something you didn’t expect. Not so with the rich man from our gospel reading today. “When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions” (Mark 10:22).

I know that I’m not the first one to say this, but much about our world and our lives has served to “tame” Jesus, to remove the heart and soul of his teachings until it all sounds familiar. At the time he was ministering it certainly wasn’t that way. The things he did and said caused quite a stir. His teachings perplexed many, his healings were a revelation, his miracles were unexpected to say the least. When he appeared after the resurrection his followers were not sure what to believe. Now we come to church on Easter, not to be amazed by the news of a risen Savior, but because that’s what we do. Christmas isn’t so much about the birth of God’s Son as it is an economic indicator of how the next year is going to play out. And when Jesus says sell your possessions, give the money to the poor, and come and follow me, we hardly bat an eye. We’ve heard it before. That’s not really what he meant. There are other ways to explain that.

What has happened to us? Why don’t these things affect us anymore? Is it a lack of faith? Have we become too “sophisticated?” Or have we simply allowed ourselves to be lulled into a spiritual stupor? Whatever the case it’s time to wake up and let the gospel shock and amaze us. Did you hear what he said?! Sell your possessions and give the money to the poor! How can we pass that off as more of the same? The rich man was shocked by what Jesus told him because it completely changed his way of looking at things. I think it’s high time that we all began to look at Jesus differently and to let him surprise, shock, amaze, startle us. Otherwise, what are we doing here?

Prayer: Lord, open our hearts and our minds to your word so that it may surprise us and lead us to new ways of living in your name. Amen.

“Getting To Know You…”

1 John 3:1-10

“The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know God” (1 John 3:1). I wonder about this verse in light of our contemporary culture. I realize that when it was written there was an enormous majority of people who had never heard of Judaism, let along Christianity. But what does this passage mean today?

The fact is that there are few people who do not know something about the Jewish and Christian faiths, but the issue lies in how that knowledge the way people live. A list of the 10 best speeches in history ranked Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” as number 2 (right behind Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech). Jesus’ “speech” was ranked second purely because of it’s value as moral instruction, not because it was spoken by the Son of God. How many people in the western hemisphere do not know the significance of Easter and Christmas? Yet where is most of the emphasis placed? On gift giving and retail sales. When the Cadbury Co. can say “No bunny knows Easter like we do” it provides an interesting commentary. And the familiar Christmas song “Here Comes Santa Clause” includes the line, “Say your prayers to the Lord above, ‘cause Santa Clause is coming tonight.” How have those two concepts become related? I even remember a time when one of the major oil companies used Noah’s Ark as a promotional giveaway: fill up the tank and receive a set of two animal figures.

The world knows about God. But the world—and too many people of faith—seem content to allow a skewed version of the story of salvation to pass as truth. Easter and Christmas remain profoundly significant without gifts or major purchases. Jesus is the Word of God incarnate; what he says is life-giving not merely instructive. And the stories of faith should do more than prompt consumer choices. They should compel us to reexamine who we are and what we hold as essential. So maybe it isn’t that the world doesn’t know us, maybe it is that we do not know ourselves.

Prayer: Lord help us to live as your people and not according to the world’s version of who you are. Amen.

A Matter of Life and Life

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Acts 3:11-26

John 15:12-27

There is a fascinating theme running through our three readings for today. In Ezekiel 37:1-14 the prophet tells of a valley of dry bones restored to life. This is an image both of resurrection (the raising of the bones) and of inspiration (the granting of breath), one suitable for both Easter and Pentecost. But it also speaks of life before and after death. In the book of Acts we read Peter’s words to the crowd in the temple. Speaking of Jesus he says, “and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses” (Acts 3:14). Here again there is reference to both resurrection and inspiration, for it was by the name of the resurrected Jesus that Peter and John were able to heal a lame man. But again there is an emphasis on life before and after death, because Jesus, who was crucified, is the “Author of life” and the source of life eternal. In John’s gospel we read Jesus’ familiar words, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Here Jesus points to his death as the source of life for others, inspiring his disciples to live his message of love even in the face of death because death does not really end life; it leads to resurrection. John’s gospel ties it all together nicely.

It is this last passage that is referenced in the Walt Disney film “The Jungle Book.” There Bagheera the leopard offers this eulogy for his friend Boloo the bear. “But you must remember, Mowgli, ‘Greater love hath no one than he who lays down his life for his friend.’ When great deeds are remembered in this jungle, one name will stand above all others: Our friend, Baloo the bear” (“The Jungle Book,” Walt Disney Pictures, 1967). These are “inspiring words” when offered in the film’s context; Baloo has died––Bagheera believes––while saving the life of Mowgli. But in the original context of John’s gospel they are more than inspiring because they point to the life that comes after death.

The season of Eastertide in which we find ourselves is about more than resurrection OR inspiration. It is about life, and the life that comes after life. It is a time to rejoice that Jesus was willing to die, and to remember that God continued to act, even through that death. Like the valley of dry bones and the man born lame, Jesus, too, was raised up. We may look forward to being raised up as well, may hope in the life that comes after death. And we may thank God that Jesus was willing to die for friends, a term which refers to us. Truly, Eastertide is a matter of life and life.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for your work in raising us up to share in the resurrection life of Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

A New Commandment for Christmas

John 13:20-35

A quick trip to the mall yesterday turned out much better than I thought it would. It was the day after Christmas and there were hundreds of shoppers everywhere, but the stores were prepared and we were able to make our gift exchanges and buy our missing components and with little trouble. In some ways it seemed easier to shop the day after Christmas than it had been any day leading up to Christmas. Not only are we are still in the midst of the Christmas shopping season, we are still in the liturgical season of Christmastide. Yet our reading from John today puts us smack in the middle of Holy Week. Jesus is speaking to his disciples moments after Judas has left the room. “I give you a new commandment,” he says, “that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (John 13:34).

These words are the reason we call the fifth day of Holy Week “Maundy Thursday”. “Maundy” comes from the Latin word for commandment. But this is the second day after Christmas. Is this really an appropriate time to consider the days leading up to the crucifixion? Frankly, yes. On the one hand it is always appropriate to consider the crucifixion. As Christians we live our lives with the truth of Jesus’ sacrifice every day. But there is also an inherent connection between Christmas and Easter, between the birth and the death/resurrection that shapes the Christian life and experience. Without Christmas, the gift of “God with us,” there is no Easter, no demonstration of God’s love on the cross and at the empty tomb. In the same way, without Easter there is no significance to Christmas.

But finally, both Christmas and Easter give us ample reason and opportunity to “love one another” as Christ commands. Indeed there is never a season in which love is not God’s wish for us. So while we begin to pack away the decorations and take down the tree, it is already time to look ahead to the events of Holy Week and to focus on the love of God among us.

Prayer: Lord, help us to love one another as you command, that the light of your coming reign may be bright at all times in our world. Amen.

Always More to Learn

Acts 18:12-28
Luke 3:15-22
I admire Apollos. Here is a man “well-versed in the scriptures” (Acts 18:24), with a “burning enthusiasm” who teaches “accurately the things concerning Jesus” (v. 25). “But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the Way of God to him more accurately” (v. 26). Apollos, for his part, was willing to listen and apparently eager to learn. There is always more to learn, always more to the story, always another way that the good news can touch us and heal us and guide us. John the Baptist also offers a “more accurate” message, this to the people who flock to hear him. Not only do they need to repent—live as wheat and not as chaff (Luke 3:17)—but they also must recognize that John is not the one they are seeking. “I baptize with water;” he tells them, “but one who is more powerful that I is coming…. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (v. 16).

One of the things that constantly surprises me is the fact that on Sundays such as Easter and Pentecost, with a limited number of texts to draw from––texts that that have been read on those days for centuries—there is always a fresh word, a new application, a more accurate way to hear what God is saying. Is the word changing? No, not really. But we are. Our lives are in a constant state of flux yet the word of God remains relevant to our needs. There are only four Easter accounts in scripture, and only one passage that really depicts Pentecost, yet we return to them again and again for meaning and hope and encouragement, all of which we find.

This is one reason why the people of God must remain attentive to God’s word. To quit wrestling with the scriptures is to assume that God has said everything God intends to say which is simply not true. The Holy Spirit still pulses through the pages of the Bible offering up new truths for our day and beyond. Apollos knows he has more to learn. John shows the people that they have more learning to do. So do you and I. There is always more to learn, but it takes time and it takes a willing spirit.

Prayer: Lord, give us hearts and minds set upon your word that we may continue to grow in our knowledge and appreciation of your love and that we may live lives of faithful discipleship. In Jesus’ name. Amen.