The Tomb Is Empty! He Is Risen!

Mark 16:1-8; Easter Sunday; He Is Risen! He Is Risen, Indeed! 

He Is Risen - Easter 2022

Thicker Than Blood

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

                                                                        (John 19:25-30 KJV)

The world was changed when Jesus hung on that cross and died for us. Of course, there are many things that have not changed. There are still some really ugly things going on in the world. But, when Jesus hung on that cross and died, we received the possibility of being reconciled to God. We who were not His children became His children. We are family. 

On very rare occasions I will refer to brothers and sisters in Christ as "friends" because they are. I don't use that term often; though, because more than friends, we are family. We are children of the most high God; brothers and sisters in Christ. When Jesus hung on the cross he told John, "Behold thy mother" and to his mother Mary he said, "Behold thy son." John was to care for Mary as a son would. Mary was to love John as a mother would. When, through faith, we are made to be children of God, we become family. We are to love and care for one another as our Father in heaven cares for all of us. 

As you gather with your brothers and sisters this Good Friday to remember what Christ has done for us; remember that the person sitting in the pew or chair next to you is your brother or sister in Christ and that together you remember and grieve that Jesus had to suffer and die for the both of you. There is a blood that is thicker than blood. It is the blood of Christ that was shed for you and for all people.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Do What Is Right Or Do Nothing?

"It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid." (Mark 15:42-47 NIV)

At a council meeting of a small congregation of money, one council member during a vote the expenditure of about $100.00 for a non-essential item in the church. The overall church budget was very small. Money was very tight. The Pastor voted no as a similar item could be purchased for about $10.00 or less, citing poor stewardship. The rest of the council voted for the expenditure.

But, this is not about stewardship. It is about why one council member would choose to abstain. It was not a matter of conflict of interest for the council member to vote. Well, I guess there was a conflict of interest. He would not make his opinion known in order to be able to stay on the good side of everyone. He simply did not want to offend the Pastor or the rest of the Council by voting against either one so he chose to do nothing. He just wanted to be a nice Lutheran and not offend anyone.

It was the hierarchy in the church that wanted Jesus out of their way. Yet, it was one council member who was willing to put his own life on the line and stand up for Jesus. Jesus was dead, so how was he going to know if Joseph of Arimathea stood by him? But, Joseph had hope in the Kingdom and it was important to Joseph that Jesus have a proper burial. He went to Pilate, knowing full well that the Council would find out, and asked for Jesus' body so that he could give Jesus' body a proper burial. Joseph was not afraid to do what he felt was right. Neither fear of Pilate or the other council members could keep him from doing what he felt he should and must do.

May God help us to do the right thing and not be afraid of what others will think of us or do to us when we stand up for Jesus and for his whole Church.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Would You Be There?

  

   Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There 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.  (John 19:17-27 NIV)

  

Who was there? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Who had the courage to witness the crucifixion of Jesus? The two criminals who were crucified with Jesus witnessed it. They had no choice. The soldiers who nailed him to the cross were there. They had no choice. Many of the Jews may have witnessed his crucifixion, from a distance, as Golgotha was not too far from the city. They were able to read the sign. They could read the words "JESUS OF NAZARETH. THE KING OF THE JEWS" that were written on the instrument of his execution. 

The three Mary's were there to witness his death; Jesus' mother, Mary, and her sister Mary and Mary Magdalene were there. Where were the close disciples whom he had called? Was Peter still in hiding? But, John was there. John, the disciple who loved Jesus, was there. The crowd of Jesus' followers was not quite as large as the crowd that had followed him around looking for healing, looking to be delivered from multitudes of maladies. He had been there for them. Where were they now?

I began this Holy Week with the reading of the entire "Passion" on Sunday. I always do because I know that by Maundy Thursday and Good Friday the crowd of worshippers will be off doing other things. They will not be there to remember our Lord's death; the giving up of his body, his life, for them, for you.

Tonight we will remember our Lord's death with a Tenebrae Service. We will sing a verse of "Were You There?" with the snuffing out of each candle. I expect, as it has been in years past for multitudes of Christian churches, the crowd will be small. Many will be missing. It causes me to wonder how many would have been there at his death. Would we have made it to his crucifixion had we been there? Would we have been too afraid of being found a sympathizer to be found near him at his death? Or, would we have found something more pleasing to ourselves to attend instead?

Remember, there is no Easter with out Good Friday! There can be no resurrection if death does not occur. Will you be there with your brothers and sisters in Christ when times are not going according to your will; when they are not so joyful, or will you be there only when the remembrance and celebration might lift you up? 

May God help us to rightly and reverently observe the lifting up of Jesus on the cross for us.

God's Peace - Pr. J