WHAT DO YOU HEAR?

This past week I spoke for Chapel, at a local retirement community. I asked them to hear the scriptures. Not just read them, but to imagine the surroundings and how it would have sounded. Today I ask you to do the same thing and I am asking you to look up the scriptures. Yes, this is a bit longer than usual, but remember, you are reading the reason for the Christmas story.

Please read the scriptures for each section.

Luke 22:7 --- The Last Supper: When I think about the sounds of the day of the Last Supper, I picture Peter and John walking down a very busy street. Noisy with chatter. Merchants selling wares needed for Passover. What do you think they talked about while they prepared the room? Can you hear how quiet the room would have become when the preparations were over?

Can you hear Jesus and the disciples coming up the stairs? Do you hear the door open?

Can you hear the water being poured into the basin? Can you hear Peter telling Jesus not to wash his feet? Can you imagine the quiet as Jesus continues to go from disciple to disciple? Can you hear the cup being passed? Can you hear the bread being broken?

Jesus made many startling and troubling remarks that night. Can you hear the whispers, as the disciples tried to figure out what Jesus was talking about.

Can you hear the door shut as Judas leaves? Can you hear the quiet return as Jesus and the disciples left? What sounds do you hear in the Upper Room?

Luke 22:39-46 --- In the Garden: "Father" - What do you hear in his voice when he prays? Pain? Hope? Pleading? Obedience! What sound would an angel make? What sound would an angel make bringing the love of the Father to strengthen the Son? Do you hear his sweat fall to the ground? Do you hear someone snoring in the distance? Do you hear the footsteps getting louder and louder? Do you hear the confusion in the voice of the disciples? Do you hear the disappointment for a lost soul, as Jesus tells Judas to carry out his task?

Matthew 27:63-67 --- The Trial, the Courtyard and the Crucifixion: Sometimes we visualize what we have seen in movies and we hear what the director feels is important. What would you hear at the trial? What would you hear in the courtyard? Would you hear the disciples asking themselves what they could do? Can you hear the anguish in the voice of the women? Can you hear the crowd? Can you hear the crown being made? The whip cutting through the air? Can you hear - Oh, these are sounds we do not want to hear. I do not want to hear the cross being drug down the street. I do not want to hear the hammer hit the nail. I do not want to hear -- Oh, this is where I would rather just read the words and not hear or see.

Luke 23:46 --- The Cross: Words are bad enough, but the sounds. The vision of this is too hard. But it takes all of our senses to make this real. We must hear. We must feel. The sounds at the cross are the hardest to hear. Can you hear Jesus being called names? Being made fun of? Do you hear the weeping? Do you hear Jesus as he calls out to his father? Do you hear Jesus as he -- As he says, Father, forgive them --

Matthew 28:1-2, 5-6, 18 --- The Empty Tomb and the Ascension: Can you hear the sounds of footsteps as the women walked to the tomb? Do you suppose they talked? Or were they quiet? Can you hear them go (intake of breathe) as they saw the open tomb? What did the voice of the angel sound like? Gentle? Full of promise? I think it sounded like - hope! Can you hear the difference in their footsteps as they leave? Coming their steps would be sad. Heavy. Sorrowful. Now their steps were light! Joyful!

Hearing the sounds of the courtyard and the cross were so hard, but hearing the sounds of the empty tomb is like hearing the most beautiful -- The most beautiful sound. Sweet to the ears. Comfort for the soul. A melody that can only be played on an angel's harp.

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Can you imagine being there when Jesus spoke for the last time? Read the Gospels and imagine.

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. How would that have sounded?

Jesus ascended! Listen!

Can you hear the joyful sound in heaven?

LET US PRAY (Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.)

Dear Heavenly Father, As I read and study Your word, let those words touch my whole being. Let me use my ears to hear the activity and emotions that surround Your word. And, in that hearing, let my understanding be greatly increased.

Amen