Luke 24:44-53; Ephesians 1:15-23   This Sunday we celebrated the Ascension of the Lord Sunday. This is basically Jesus’ goodbye to the disciples and when the power of God which raised him from the dead, raised him up into heaven. Jesus makes a promise to them that in a little while they will be “clothed with power from on high.” This refers to the day of Pentecost which we will be celebrating next week when Jesus keeps his promise and God sends them and all who believe the Holy Spirit. Paul writes the Ephesians years after Pentecost has happened and he tells the Ephesians how thankful he is for the faith and love of all of them. He wishes great things for them – the things Jesus promised in our Luke passage. One is a spirit of wisdom. Luke tells about how Jesus opened up the disciples’ minds to understand the scriptures. This is something the Holy Spirit does for us today when we study God’s word. Paul then prays for their hearts to be enlightened that they will realize ...

  Acts 17:22-28; John 14:15-21 In Acts17 Paul is addressing an audience by an altar inscribed “To an Unknown god.” Paul rectifies this by telling them of the true God not made by hands who you don’t need to worship in shrines made by humans. He gives a spiel about the one true God, our creator, life giver, and Lord of all nations who is near us and available for those who search for God. Paul then delivers a powerful statement quoting an unknown source, “In Him we live and move and have our being.” Many interpret this as God giving us life since we are God’s offspring – yet I see a spiritual life given to us through the Spirit of God that lives within us. The Holy Spirit is the one Jesus promised in our John passage. The Spirit of truth, and our advocate will be us, abiding within us. Jesus didn’t leave them orphaned but gave them and gives us one part of the Trinity. Because Christ will be resurrected and will live, we will also live. Jesus says he is in my Father and you – us...

  John 14:1-7; Acts 7:55-60 In our John passage Jesus is comforting the disciples. He tells them not to worry – be troubled since he is preparing a place for them. In his Father’s house are many dwelling places. After he prepares this place for them, he will come again for them and take them to himself. Thomas is confused when Jesus tells them they know the way to which he responds, “No we don’t.” Jesus answers with one of the famous, “I am” passages: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Through him people will come to the Father in a place he has prepared for them. Now this is before the crucifixion where Jesus does provide the way to God the Father by dying for everyone’s sins. He then is the way – paving the way to a relationship to God and being able to dwell in one of the eternal dwelling places he has gone and prepared for them. In this way no one can come to the Father except through him. Fast forward pass the crucifixion and Christ’s resurrection to the days of ...

  Acts 2:14a,36-41; Luke 24:13-35 We read further in Acts 2 with Peter continuing his preaching to the Jews but here you have the reaction of his audience. They are said to be “cut to the heart” – many of these could have been part of the crowd which had shouted, “Crucify him!” Thus, they feel guilty, “cut to the heart” and ask how they can remedy this. Peter tells them to repent and be baptized and 3,000 persons were added to – became Christians, Christ’s followers. This is quite a contrast to the two walking on the road to Emmaus in our Luke passage. These men had been in Christ’s company – had heard Jesus’ words but were still confused and perhaps disappointed since they hoped he would redeem Israel but instead he died an awful death. They are discussing this on the road when Jesus, unbeknownst to them, joins them and listens to their account. Now these are men who knew their scriptures but didn’t quite get it. So, Jesus explains that the Messiah must suffer things before he...

  Psalm 16; I Peter 1: 3-9 Psalm 16 is written by a refugee who finds himself in a land that chooses to worship another god. The Psalmist however takes refuge in the Lord asking God to protect him from these others. He delights in the noble holy ones in the land who worship the true God. The terms used in verses 5 and 6 such as portion, lot, and boundary lines reflect what will be distributed in the promised land. In verses 8 and 9 he talks about God being at his right hand keeping him from being moved. Due to this his heart is glad and rejoices and his body rests secure. This Psalmist is confident that God will not give him up to death instead God shows him the path of life where there is joy and pleasures forevermore. This use of “forevermore” brings up the concept of eternal life. Thus, the Psalmist feels protected by God. The apostle Peter in one of his sermons to the Jewish people in Acts 2 quotes verses 8 and 9 of this Psalm his audience is familiar with. In I Peter, Pe...

  Matthew 28: 1-10; Colossians 3: 1-4   The two Marys went to the tomb to find Jesus but could not find his earthly dead body. Instead they experienced an earthquake and an angel of the Lord. The angel’s words: “He is not here. He has been raised from the dead.” This event is enough to cause fear in one’s soul and it is said they left the tomb in fear but in great joy – the news was so great and they were told to go tell the disciples. In this Matthew account Jesus, himself, meets them on their way. He knows of their fear and assures them: “Do not be afraid – go and tell my brothers.” Jesus here is reassuring them that what the angel said is true and they can be trustworthy witnesses to report to the disciples. Years later, Paul tells the Colossians that since we have been raised with Christ – we have eternal life and life with him on earth. Due to this we are to seek the things that are above. “You have died to sin and earthly things and your life is now hidden with Chr...

Matthew 26:36-46, Hebrews 4:14-16 The account of the Garden of Gethsemane is something we might hear each year during Holy Week since it is one of the Passion of Christ passages. This Lenten season I’d like to revisit it anew. Though it is a beautiful passage which celebrates the humanity of Christ, I have found over the years that both Christ and the disciples seem to have gotten a bad rap from it. The disciples are considered wimps for falling asleep when Christ asks them not to, and they get yelled at three times. Then there’s Christ who   seems to be getting cold feet before doing the mission he was sent when we see him asking God to remove the task before him. Many, I’m sad to say, have rendered this as his spiritual low point letting his humanity override him in this moment. Well, I’d like to address these misconceptions. Revisit with me the account of Gethsemane: Jesus takes three of his disciples with him to the garden. He tells them how distressed he is and asks them to ...