PASSOVER
It is always a pleasure to remember your Passover which begins this year with the Seder meal on Monday evening, March 29,
2010.
As one reads the Hebrew Scriptures, it is impressive how often one is reminded of the great Passover event as recorded in the
Book of Exodus as Moses reminded the people, "Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of
bondage, because the Lord brought you out from there by strength of hand: no leavened bread shall be eaten. Today, in the
month of Abib, you are going out."
I love the retelling of the story in Deuteronomy, chapter 26, during the "offering of the first fruits", verse 3ff :
"And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, 'I profess this day unto the Lord thy G-d, that I
am come unto the country which the Lord sware unto our fathers for to give us.' And the priest shall take the basket out of thine
hand, and set it down before the altar of the Lord thy G-d. And shall speak and say before the Lord thy G-d, 'A Syrian ready to
perish was my father and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a mighty nation, great and
populous: And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: and when we cried unto the Lord
G-d of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: And the Lord
brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and
with wonders: And he has brought us into this place, and has given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.
And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given me.' And thou shalt set it before the
Lord thy G-d, and worship before the Lord thy G-d. And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy G-d hath
given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger hat is among you." Beautiful!!!
EASTER
This week IS the holiest week for all believing Christians. Together we recall our Lord riding into the holy city of Jerusalem on the back of
small jackass, and receiving triumphant 'hip, hip, hoorays' from a crowd of witnesses. Jesus, ever showing His humility and holiness.
We know from Scripture what happened during the next few days leading up the Passover seder on Holy Thursday, and the sharing of His
body and His blood with His disciples - the first Holy Communion....."this do, He said, for the remembrance of Me!" So we who observe the
Sacrament, also share the Presence of Jesus the Christ of God, as we partake of the bread and wine "given and shed for you for the
forgiveness of sin".
Then came Holy Friday....the day so named 'GOOD FRIDAY'...we all know what happened on this first GOOD Friday....and, from our Good
Friday liturgy:
Jesus said, "And I shall draw all men to Myself, when I am lifted up from the earth,...God forbid that we should boast of anything but the
Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world is crucified to us and we to the world!" The Lamb of God slain 'for the sin of the
world'!
Then the three days in the tomb....the descent in to hell...then the First Easter Morning........the ultimate power of the Creator God displayed
in all its Glory... Jesus, the Lord's Christ, risen from the dead!! HE LIVES! CHRIST IS RISEN - HALLELUJAH!!!!!
Again, from the holy liturgy..."Beloved in the Lord. On this holiest of days the Church, recalling the death and burial of the Lord Jesus
Christ, rejoices with great joy in the celebration of His glorious RESURRECTION."... And so the great day of EASTER is "joy to the world,
the Lord is come!, let earth receive her KING!"
Our prayer is shared: Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to You. Help us to turn over our lives to Your
keeping and our abilities to Your service. May all the days that are left to us in this world be days of obedience and surrender, fulfilled
forever through the death and Resurrection of Your dear Son. Let the redeeming power which has flowed from His sufferings pour into our
spirits, so that we can leave this place in full assurance that our lives have been reclaimed. And, above all, may our gratitude to You be
reflected in the care and concern which we show to others in the world where we live and work for Christ's sake. Amen.
And the Good Word, the Benediction, from the Book of Hebrews:
"May the God of peace, Who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the
everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus
Christ, to Whom be glory for ever and ever!" Amen and Amen!
MOTHER'S DAY
To our Wives, a short poem by Rebecca Barlow Jordan:
"Your love has made a difference in my life: It has lifted me up when I was down;
Your courage has changed my timidity to boldness; Your faith has drawn me into God's presence
and given me purpose, hope, and promises of a bright future.
You have made a difference in my life ... And I'm so grateful!"
And our Tribute to our Mothers and the Mothers of our Children:
"God bless my mother", Abraham Lincoln said, "All I am or hope to be I owe to her."
In Isaiah chapter 66, verse 13a, the Lord God Almighty speaks to the people of Zion, "As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you."
God in the Bible many times speaks of His comfort for His people, as St. Paul reminds us in his second letter to the Corinthians, Chapter one,
verse 3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all mercies and the God of all comfort."
And, God reminds us in Psalm 139, verses 13 & 14, of His loving creative design when He made us in His own image, "For it was You who
formed my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are
Your works; ... "
Quoting from a Lutherans For Life Mother's Day prayer: "Thank You, heavenly Father, for the life You give and the comfort You bring
through mothers ... Hold all mothers and all Your people in Your comforting arms assuring us that everything will be okay. In Jesus' name,
Amen"