GETTING READY – Part 4

Scriptures from Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20

Oh my gosh!

HAVE YOU HEARD?

THE TOMB IS EMPTY!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay.  Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.  There you will see him.’  Now I have told you.”

THE WOMEN

Although the Gospels differ on exactly which women and the number of women, they agree the women went to the tomb.  The women were not exactly sure how they were going to move the stone, but they were ready with spices to anoint Jesus’ body.  They were ready.  They were surprised!

I have imagined their walk to the tomb.  Words would have been spoken quietly.  Steps would occasionally hesitate.  Hearts would be remembering a gentle touch or a kind word.  Tears would be wiped from their cheeks.  And there would have been a shadow of fear.  To their surprise, there was an empty tomb.

THE ANGEL

Talk about getting ready.  I wonder if the angel rehearsed and rehearsed.  This speaking role ranked right up there with, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”  Of all the messages ever delivered, this has to be at the top of the list:  “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 over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’

The angel nailed it! 

GETTING READY

This series has been titled Getting Ready, but how do you get ready for an empty tomb?  There is not one thing logical about the empty tomb. 

Getting ready means we are to follow the example Jesus set when he instructed his disciples:

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Getting ready means we are to pray as Jesus did:

Yet not as I will, but as you will.

Getting ready means we must understand how Jesus suffered if we are to find our way to the empty tomb:

Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus,

who was crucified.  He is not here.

Getting ready for our eternal life means we are to humbly accept the gift Jesus gave us when he said:  “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” 

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.

And all God’s people said, “Amen.”

GETTING READY – Part 3

Scriptures from Matthew 26 - 28

This week’s blog is about the hard stuff and I will understand if you choose to stop reading.  This is the part we skim over.  In our minds, we know what happened but, in our hearts, we can barely comprehend.  We do not want to feel or hear or …. We want to move quickly to Easter, but there is much we need to get ready for.

THE SOUNDS

What sounds do you associate with Easter?  Can you hear the silver drop into Judas’ hand?  Can you hear the crowd and priests making their way to Jesus?  Can you hear the scream of the servant, of the high priest, as his ear is cut off?  Can you hear Peter deny Jesus?  Can you hear the soldier’s staff as it strikes Jesus on the head?  Can you hear the crowd shout crucify him?  Can you hear the sound as the hammer strikes the nail?  Can you hear the cross drop into the ground?

Sounds…. Sounds we do not want to hear.  Sounds we cover up with Hosanna and blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  But there were sounds.  Jesus heard them. 

THE ACTIONS

What actions do you associate with Easter?  The disciples fled.  Jesus was arrested.  The priests accused Jesus and spit on him and hit him.  Judas hung himself.  Pilate washed his hands.  Jesus carried his own cross.  Jesus felt forsaken. 

Actions…. Actions we do not want to see.  Actions we cover up by singing He is Risen and He Lives Forever.  But there were actions.  Jesus suffered them.

THE SEALED TOMB

Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock.  He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.

GETTING READY

We need to get ready for Easter by not sanitizing it.  We must never forget what it cost Jesus.  Getting ready means putting out candy and decorating with cute rabbits, while the tears drop from our eyes and our body stiffens as we remember each sound Jesus heard and each action Jesus suffered.

Getting ready means we do not skip over the verses that are hard to read because …..

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; ….”

Getting ready means we do not skip over the verses that are hard to read because those verses lead to a tomb – an empty tomb.

GETTING READY – Part 2

Scriptures are from Matthew 26:36-46 unless noted

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray”  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.  Stay here and keep watch with me.”

PRAYING

“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

“My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.  And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.  Luke 22:43-44

We hear over and over that Jesus felt everything as a “human” and this scripture certainly backs that up.  What if this passage is reworded for us to pray?

My Father, I do not want ________ (cancer/illness, to be a widow/widower, to fail, to see a loved one hurt, etc.).  Please do not make me go through this but your will be done.

I must admit, my prayers go more like this:

            My Father, I know you have a plan but, really, you are going to heap this on me too?

My Father, I pray this surgery heals our daughter.  Be with the doctors and the nurses and give them skill and wisdom.

            My Father, ……………………..

Thy will be done --- where did Jesus find the strength to pray these words?  He knew the plan.  He knew what was ahead.  Thy will be done --- he prayed.  His sweat like drops of blood.  If Jesus was in anguish, …If the Son of God was overwhelmed with sorrow, how do I find the strength to use the words they will be done?

SLEEPING

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.

When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.  So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?  Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.  Rise!  Let us go!  Here comes my betrayer!”

How many miles had the disciples walked with Jesus?  How many hours had they listened as he taught?  How many times had they witnessed the lame walk and the blind see?  How many fish did they pass out to the crowds? 

Jesus asks them to sit and wait while he prays.  This seems like a simple request.  I wonder if Jesus had even begun to pray before the disciple’s eyes closed in sleep. 

I can relate to the disciples.  Many times I have fallen asleep while holding a sick child.  Many times I have fallen asleep in the middle of saying a bedtime prayer.    Yes, I can relate to the disciples.

UNDERSTANDING

Jesus woke them and said, ”…. Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.”

Can you picture the confusion as the disciples woke up?  Can you hear them mutter, “What is Jesus talking about?”  or  “Did I miss something?” 

Even minutes before Jesus was to be arrested, they did not understand. 

Do we?  Do we understand how Jesus could pray, “…thy will be done.”?  Do we understand the whole Easter story or do we want to only understand the time after the cross?

GETTING READY – Part 1

I am amazed at how long it takes to get ready to do --- to do... just about anything. 

Time to go on vacation means:  Decide where to go, make reservations, map out a route, stop the mail and the papers, pack, go to the bank, fill the gas tank, make sure you have all the kids, and depart.

Time to do spring cleaning means:  Check for cleaning supplies, go to store, decide where to begin, move all the items out of the room that do not belong there, and wait till tomorrow because, now, it is too late in the day to start.

Even an everyday chore can take time.  Time to fix a meal:  Decide what to fix, change the menu because no one else wants that, look for ingredients, change the menu again because certain items are not where they belong, finally reach for the eggs, and fix breakfast for dinner.

Time to prepare for Easter:  Look at the calendar, realize Easter is in two weeks, panic, order the ham or make reservations, go shopping, go shopping again because the perfect Easter outfit was not there the first trip, remember to go to Maundy Thursday Service but decide you can skip Good Friday Service, set the table, put the ham in the oven, spill something on the new outfit and change into the best you have (Why the best?  Because there will be people there you have not seen since last Easter.), and, finally, leave for church.

GETTING READY JESUS’ WAY

What an interesting thought.  Getting ready Jesus’ way. 

Time to prepare:  Tell the disciples again and again and again that I will be condemned to death, mocked, flogged, crucified, and raised to life.  I still have time to teach them with parables they can understand. First we have to get to Jerusalem and have the Passover.  Then my time will come.

Reading the scriptures, it struck me that Jesus spent his time making sure the disciples were prepared.  He even washed their feet.  He comforted them.

You know the way to the place where I am going.

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you

and be with you forever --- the Spirit of truth.

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,

will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Portions of John 14

GETTING READY

Time to prepare for Easter:  Honestly, there is not much wrong with the way we prepare for Easter.   UNLESS – Unless we spend more time preparing for the dinner after church than we spend time:

Finding the way to Jesus

Seeing the Father through Jesus

Receiving the Spirit of truth / the Advocate / the Holy Spirit

Having hearts that are not troubled and not afraid

How do you prepare for Easter?