WALKING TO THE GRAVE
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Luke 24:1-8
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Then they remembered his words.
EASTER -- A WONDERFUL TIME TO CELEBRATE!!!
We are having Sunrise Service at our church and the Minister asked if I would write a responsive reading. So, I started thinking about Easter and I started thinking about how it must have felt to walk to the grave. That thought sent me to the scriptures. As I was checking in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, I discovered that there were a few differences on just exactly who went to the grave.
Matthew says Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. Mark agrees but adds Salome. Luke (who I think might just be a little bit of a male chauvinist) referred to them as "the women," until he finally named names and added Joanna and others. John comes in with another story altogether. He has Mary Magdalene going to the tomb, finding it empty, calling in the guys, who look around and go home. Mary, waiting because she didn't know what to do, was blessed because Jesus appeared to her.
And then no one could agree on if it was one man or two in the tomb telling the good news. TAKING ALL THAT INTO ACCOUNT --- going to grave -- be it one, two or many -- would not have been an easy journey. I came up with this responsive reading.
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Luke 24:1-8
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Then they remembered his words.
EASTER -- A WONDERFUL TIME TO CELEBRATE!!!
We are having Sunrise Service at our church and the Minister asked if I would write a responsive reading. So, I started thinking about Easter and I started thinking about how it must have felt to walk to the grave. That thought sent me to the scriptures. As I was checking in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, I discovered that there were a few differences on just exactly who went to the grave.
Matthew says Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. Mark agrees but adds Salome. Luke (who I think might just be a little bit of a male chauvinist) referred to them as "the women," until he finally named names and added Joanna and others. John comes in with another story altogether. He has Mary Magdalene going to the tomb, finding it empty, calling in the guys, who look around and go home. Mary, waiting because she didn't know what to do, was blessed because Jesus appeared to her.
And then no one could agree on if it was one man or two in the tomb telling the good news. TAKING ALL THAT INTO ACCOUNT --- going to grave -- be it one, two or many -- would not have been an easy journey. I came up with this responsive reading.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Walk with me up the path to the grave. Be beside me as we go to prepare the body. Each step is hard. I know I should hurry, but I am so afraid.
Do not be afraid. Remember everything Jesus told you.
We all listened as Jesus spoke. His voice was always so sure. So calm. To know that I will never hear that voice again breaks my heart.
Do not be afraid. Remember everything Jesus told you.
The grave is closer now. I wonder how we will roll away the stone. We have the spices and perfumes. We will attend to the body, of Jesus, with love and respect. But how will we roll away the stone?
Do not be afraid. Remember everything Jesus told you.
We are almost there. No one is saying a word. We are each lost in our own thoughts. Each wondering what will happen. How can we go on?
Do not be afraid. Remember everything Jesus told you.
There is the grave. I don't understand -- The stone is rolled away. The body of the Lord Jesus is not here. Where is my Lord?
Do not be afraid. Remember everything Jesus told you.
Hurry. Hurry. We must tell the others. How afraid I was until I heard the truth. Why did I not remember? The men in gleaming clothes simply asked -- "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!" Remember -- "The son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again."
He is risen!! He is risen!! He is risen!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QUESTION OF THE DAY
How do you feel about Easter? Did you prepare for Easter by understanding the Last Supper? Did you prepare for Easter by realizing the forgiveness made possible by the cross? Did you prepare for the absolute joy of Easter morning? Are you prepared for a risen Lord?
LET US PRAY
Dear Jesus, Thank you that the women found an empty tomb. An empty grave with angels to proclaim that you are risen. Not dead! Alive! I am brought to my knees at the thought that you held a Last Supper, suffered and died on the cross and then arose from the dead. AND YOU DID THIS FOR ME. FOR ME!!! My Jesus -- A RISEN SAVIOR. Let me go from Easter with the Holy Spirit so wrapped around my soul that I am never even one heartbeat away from you. This Easter I thank you for the sacrifice you made for me. Help me always be worthy. .................................................... Amen
Note: Celebrate Easter. It should be a time of smiles. And joyful noise. And wondrous praise. It should be a celebration!!!
Walk with me up the path to the grave. Be beside me as we go to prepare the body. Each step is hard. I know I should hurry, but I am so afraid.
Do not be afraid. Remember everything Jesus told you.
We all listened as Jesus spoke. His voice was always so sure. So calm. To know that I will never hear that voice again breaks my heart.
Do not be afraid. Remember everything Jesus told you.
The grave is closer now. I wonder how we will roll away the stone. We have the spices and perfumes. We will attend to the body, of Jesus, with love and respect. But how will we roll away the stone?
Do not be afraid. Remember everything Jesus told you.
We are almost there. No one is saying a word. We are each lost in our own thoughts. Each wondering what will happen. How can we go on?
Do not be afraid. Remember everything Jesus told you.
There is the grave. I don't understand -- The stone is rolled away. The body of the Lord Jesus is not here. Where is my Lord?
Do not be afraid. Remember everything Jesus told you.
Hurry. Hurry. We must tell the others. How afraid I was until I heard the truth. Why did I not remember? The men in gleaming clothes simply asked -- "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!" Remember -- "The son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again."
He is risen!! He is risen!! He is risen!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QUESTION OF THE DAY
How do you feel about Easter? Did you prepare for Easter by understanding the Last Supper? Did you prepare for Easter by realizing the forgiveness made possible by the cross? Did you prepare for the absolute joy of Easter morning? Are you prepared for a risen Lord?
LET US PRAY
Dear Jesus, Thank you that the women found an empty tomb. An empty grave with angels to proclaim that you are risen. Not dead! Alive! I am brought to my knees at the thought that you held a Last Supper, suffered and died on the cross and then arose from the dead. AND YOU DID THIS FOR ME. FOR ME!!! My Jesus -- A RISEN SAVIOR. Let me go from Easter with the Holy Spirit so wrapped around my soul that I am never even one heartbeat away from you. This Easter I thank you for the sacrifice you made for me. Help me always be worthy. .................................................... Amen
Note: Celebrate Easter. It should be a time of smiles. And joyful noise. And wondrous praise. It should be a celebration!!!
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