John 10:11-18, I John 3:16-24   In John 10, Jesus tells about himself using the metaphor of being the Good Shepherd. He compares himself with a mere hired hand in the way that the Good Shepherd will actually lay his life down for his sheep. He uses this metaphor to say how he will on his own accord lay his life down for the sheep when he endures crucifixion and death in order to bring us salvation. Christ followed the command from the Father and though he could have refused to do it, he did so for his love of us – as the metaphor says for the love of his sheep. In the book of I John the writer brings this act of love home to us. We are to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. How? By helping someone in need. He goes on to say let’s not just do it in word or speech but live it – in deed and truth. Don’t just say it- show it! Where does this self-giving spring from? He tells us that if our hearts don’t condemn us we can have boldness before God. This comes from obeying...

  Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18 Throughout the ministry of Jesus on earth he told his disciples that he must die but would rise again in three days. Peter in his sermon in Acts tells about how all the prophets testified about him and the salvation he would bring. Yet at the Sunday after the crucifixion his disciples and Mary seem to forget this or never really got it shown by how Mary goes to the tomb to anoint Christ’s body and is surprised to see the stone rolled away. She tells the disciples so Peter and John run to the grave and discover that Christ’s body is no longer there. Instead of this confirming Christ’s words of a resurrection after three days, Mary thinks someone has moved the body and asks, whom she thinks is the gardener, where they have laid Him. This is no gardener but the resurrected Christ – brought back to life but not quite ascended to the Father as He tells Mary not to touch Him. Mary then becomes the first witness of the resurrection and the first messenger...

  Mark 11:1-11, Philippians 2:5-11 In the time of Jesus the Romans ruled and when one of their emperors rode into a town there was quite a royal fanfare. They rode on golden chariots with beautiful white horses. However, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem in the Mark passage, which is now celebrated as Palm Sunday, he chose to ride on a humble donkey. Jesus who is said in the Philippians passage to exist in the form of God – the ruler of the universe did not regard this equality with God as he rode into Jerusalem on a humble donkey. Jesus’ humility is stressed in Philippians 2 which tells how Christ emptied himself taking the form of a slave and became human. This humility continues as he became obedient to the point of death. Not any old death but a humiliating one on a cross. In his entry into Jerusalem – no red carpet was laid out. The everyday people took what they had to lay a path for him – palms and their own cloaks spread out before him. They shout “hosanna” which means “...