Today is Sunday! It is the Sunday after Good Friday. The ninth of April, 2023, Easter Sunday, Resurrection Day! It is the first week of Easter.
May the joy of the resurrected Christ flood your soul today!
Day 23,768
My Wordle score for today:
Wordle 659 X/6*
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I did not get the word. I feel cheated, as I do not consider it a real word. I will reveal it tomorrow. My streak starts over.
Yesterday’s word was “ledge.”
Since I must be at the church by 7:55, this morning, I do not have time for baseball updates. The Rangers lost and the Red Sox won. That’s all I have time to tell you. I must get on with what is important.
TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS
Of course, the most important thing, this morning, is that today we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord! He is risen!
RESURRECTION O GOD OF MY EXODUS, Great was the joy of Israel's sons, when Egypt died upon the shore, Far greater the joy when the Redeemer's foes lay crushed in the dust. Jesus strides forth as the victor, conqueror of death, hell, and all opposing might; He bursts the bands of death, tramples the powers of darkness down, and lives for ever. He, my gracious surety, apprehended for payment of my debt, comes forth from the prison house of the grave free, and triumphant over sin, Satan, and death. Show me herein the proof that his vicarious offering is accepted, that the claims of justice are satisfied, that the devil's sceptre is shivered, that his wrongful throne is levelled. Give me the assurance that in Christ I died, in him I rose, in his life I live, in his victory I triumph, in his ascension I shall be glorified. Adorable Redeemer, thou who wast lifted up upon a cross art ascended to highest heaven. Thou, who as Man of sorrows wast crowned with thorns, art now as Lord of life wreathed with glory. Once, no shame more deep than thine, no agony more bitter, no death more cruel. Now, no exaltation more high, no life more glorious, no advocate more effective. Thou art in the triumph car leading captive thine enemies behind thee. What more could be done than thou hast done! Thy death is my life, thy resurrection my peace, thy ascension my hope, thy prayers my comfort. (From The Valley of Vision)
Let me live that I may praise you, and let your ordinances help me. (Psalms 119:175 NRSV)
Today I am grateful:
- for the life that Christ has given me
- for the community of saints, celebrating the Resurrection together, today
- that sin and death have been defeated; though they linger on this earth, the victory is won
- for all of the beautiful music that helps us celebrate Resurrection
- for Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that we have been invited into the “dance”
- that I am a “stranger and foreigner” on this earth, seeking my Homeland
- that “I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
(Matthew 28:1-10 NRSV)
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
(Mark 16:1-8 NRSV)
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed 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, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
(Luke 24:1-12 NRSV)
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
(John 20:1-10 NRSV)
All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
(Hebrews 11:13-14 NRSV)
Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”
(Matthew 21:21-22 NRSV)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”
(Romans 1:16-17 NRSV)
Father, I could type all day in my efforts to thank You enough for what we celebrate on this day. But even that would not be enough. Nevertheless, I thank You for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the truths surrounding it. It would not mean anything if it were not for the sacrifice of Good Friday. We must take it all in together, the suffering, the death on the Cross, the burial, the three days, and the Resurrection are a package deal. If He had only died, we would be hopeless, still.
But thanks be to You, there is hope for all! May You bring His Life into all of us, this morning, as we celebrate this new day!
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Corinthians 15:55-57 NRSV)
Grace and peace, friends.
Spaces of Beauty, Grace, Prayer, and Mercy 