Christian Reflection and Prayer

Easter Monday

Scripture:

Read Luke 24:13-35.
TEXT: (Jesus said) "What is this conversation that you
are holding with each other as you walk?"
(see Luke 24:17).

On this day of Jesus' resurrection, two of His followers
are walking to a nearby village called Emmaus. Jesus
begins walking with them, but they are kept from
recognizing Him. When the stranger asks them what
they are discussing, they stop dead in their tracks,
stunned that anyone coming from Jerusalem could be
unaware of the things that have happened there.

They talk about the powerful prophet Jesus, whom
they had believed to be the Messiah, about the horrible
end He met, about the chief priests who delivered Him
up to be crucified. They add the bitter disappointment
of hoping He was the One who would ransom Israel,
and the women's confusing report about angels at the
tomb.

After letting them unload their grief and sorrow, Jesus
begins to solve their mystery. They had been quick to
believe the glorious things about the Messiah, but they
stubbornly resisted the passion He predicted and of
which the prophets had spoken. The Christ first had to
pay the ransom price for sins; only then could He enter
the glory the Jews had focused on for so long.

When they reached Emmaus Jesus sat down with them
at the table. He blessed and broke the bread, and while
He was giving it to them their eyes were opened to
recognize Him. Then He vanished from their sight. They
discuss the way their hearts warmed with new faith,
assurance and joy, when they finally understood the
Messiah's work.

They then return to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples.
They are greeted with shouts: "The Lord truly arose! And
He appeared to Simon." Then the two tell their story.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank You for taking the time to teach Your
disciples and us about the ransom You paid to free us from
our sins. Receive our joyful thanksgiving. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

The Resurrection of our Lord

Scripture:

Read Luke 24:1-12.
TEXT: On the first day of the week, at early dawn,
they went to the tomb
(see Luke 24:1).

The women don't waste a moment making their
way to the tomb. In a climate where decay rapidly
sets in on a corpse, they want to complete their
work, while they can still handle Jesus' body.
They needn't have hurried; God refused to give death
any victory over His Son's body, including any hint
of decay. Also, by the time they arrived, Jesus was
already gone.

As they reached the tomb they found the stone rolled
away. While the women are looking in, two angels
appear as young men in the prime of life, wearing
dazzling clothes. Immediately, the women are gripped
with fear.

The angels point out the folly in what these women are
doing: "Why are you looking for the living among the
dead? He is not here, but has risen!" Then they remind
the women of Jesus' predictions and the divine
necessity behind His suffering. God's divine love for
fallen humans required Jesus' suffering and death to
remove our sins. They mention three essentials: Jesus
had to be delivered into the hands of men, die by
crucifixion, and rise again in glory.

At these words the women remember, quickly returning
to report them to the 11 apostles, and the other believers
with them. Peter sets out for the tomb, stoops down to
look into it, and sees with his own eyes the linen bands,
empty and undisturbed. Even with this clear evidence of
Jesus' miraculous resurrection, Peter still isn't ready to
accept it as truth. Instead, he goes away wondering
exactly what has actually happened.

THE PRAYER:

Almighty God, thank You for the joyous news of the
angels: my Lord is risen! I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

PRAISE THE LORD MOST HIGH!

HE    IS    RISEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scripture:

Then Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust my spirit
into your hands!" And with those words he breathed
his last.    Luke 23:46 NLT

Behold the Savior of mankind nailed to the shameful
tree! How vast the love that Him inclined to bleed and
die for thee!

'Tis done! the precious ransom's paid! "Receive my
soul!" He cries; see where He bows His sacred head!
He bows His head and dies!
Behold the Savior of Mankind
Samuel Wesley (1662-1735)

Saved from the fire

On February 9, 1709, a fire ripped through a rectory
in the village of Epworth, England. The Wesley family
lost nearly everything. Miraculously, their six-year-old
boy named John (who would later found the Methodist
church) was saved from the fire, as was a piece of
paper bearing this hymn, written by the rector,
Samuel Wesley.

Samuel Wesley, father of John and Charles (and
seventeen other children), was scholarly and stern.
His major academic project was a study of the book
of Job. And he faced a great deal of suffering himself.
Nine of his children died at birth or in infancy. He was
frequently in debt (even spending three months in
debtors' prison). Of course, there was also that
devastating fire.

This hymn, however, shows us a slightly different side
of Samuel Wesley. The theme of suffering is strong,
but there's an attitude of love, of devotion. Apparently
he taught his famous sons more than just discipline,
but also a deep appreciation for what Christ
accomplished through His suffering.

Our Holy Week readings are adapted from The One
Year® Book of Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert
Brown, Tyndale House Publishers (1995). Today's is
taken from the entry for March 22.


BURIAL ARRANGEMENTS

Holy Saturday

Scripture:

Read Luke 23:50-56.
TEXT: This man went to Pilate and asked for
the body of Jesus (Luke 23:52).

As Jesus was dying He entrusted His spirit into
His Father's hands. But what would become of
His lifeless body? The faithful believers and
women stood at a distance to see what the
soldiers would do. But unknown to them, God
the Father was already making arrangements.
He had chosen a man, Joseph, to be Jesus'
earthly father, to find a shelter and a manger at
His birth. Now He provides another Joseph to
arrange for Jesus' proper burial.

Luke describes Joseph as a prominent member
of the Jewish high court; he had not consented
to its decision to destroy Jesus. Joseph trusted
God's promise to send His Son, and he had
secretly come to believe Jesus was that Messiah.
Now he boldly secures Pilate's permission to take
charge of Jesus' lifeless body.

He takes Jesus' body down, wraps it in linen, and
lays it in a tomb as yet untouched by death's decay
and corruption. Then Joseph rolls a large stone-a
flat, circular, upright slab-down in a groove in front
of the entrance to the tomb. Since the Sabbath is
beginning, only the women follow Joseph to the tomb.
They carefully note its location; they see how Jesus'
body was laid in it. In the few minutes left before the
Sabbath, the women will buy spices and myrrh in
preparation for the work they will do when the
Sabbath is over. Early Sunday morning they will
 return to anoint His body for a proper burial.

THE PRAYER:

Almighty God, You raised up Joseph to care for Your
Son's dead body. Thank You that You take note of all
my needs-especially my need for forgiveness through
Jesus my Savior. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)