NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2024
This Sunday is Easter, A celebration of the Resurrection. In Christian churches around the world there will be a familiar Easter greeting from pulpits; “Christ is Risen!” It is said to provoke an Easter response from congregations, “Christ is Risen, indeed!” It is a wonderful tradition for Easter Worship.
The assigned text from Acts 10 and Mark 16 offers two wonderful images to help us celebrate and experience “resurrection” on our “Journey to Wholeness.”
In Mark’s gospel we see “Easter Faith” at work early in the morning as some women are going to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. On the way they were saying to another “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb.” Their Easter Faith was apparent before knowing of Jesus’ resurrection. We see it in these women starting their journey to the tomb before having all the answers. Easter faith is trusting God on our “Journey to Wholeness,” when we don’t have all the answers.
In Acts 10, we see “A Resurrection of Inclusion.” Peter, whose life before the resurrection is one of missteps, foibles, and failures, changed after the resurrection into one who, even with questions, is speaking life-giving hope to ALL. In the Acts 10:34-35, Peter is preaching to folks he previously thought to be outside the realm of God’s grace, says; “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who reveres God and does what is right is acceptable to Yahweh.”
So, please join us this Easter in person for worship and the Easter Luncheon to follow. If that’s not possible, please join us by Zoom, Facebook Livestream, or YouTube. I will be talking about “EASTER FAITH AND A RESURRECTION OF INCLUSION,” based on “Acts 10:34-40a” and “Mark 16:1-8.”
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