Trembling and Bewilderment

Mary Magdalene and the Holy Women at the Tomb by James Tissot

This beautiful morning as we again celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus the Christ, we have heard of His Body no longer occupying a new tomb in which no one else had ever been laid. That a couple of His disciples had borrowed to place His Body in after He died on a cross. This account came to us from the Evangelist Mark’s record. He, apparently writing the account of St. Peter as many theologians argue (and there is really no problem with that understanding), provided a very brief account of the events of the first Resurrection Sunday….For more, click on the title above.

Easter promises: Fulfilled in Christ’s resurrection

Touch me not (Noli me tangere) by James Tissot, Brooklyn Museum

I exhort you in Christ Jesus: Do not for a minute dismiss what we celebrate here: For on this Easter morning, we celebrate nothing less than the triumph over death itself. Triumph over actual death—this is not some story we use as a mind-numbing agent, to make us feel better about life and its hardships in this world.
No, my friends, we rejoice that Christ has accomplished what all science, medicine and human effort cannot possibly do. He has conquered the grave. He has won the victory so that we can truly live forever in the gracious presence of God. …For more, click on the title above.

We killed our King

Christ Crucified by Svitozar Nenyuk

The text for this evening’s sermon comes from the Passion recorded in the Gospel of St. John, these words:
Therefore, [the Jews] cried out “Away with Him! Away! Crucify Him!”
Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”
The chief priests answered, “We have no king if not Caesar.”

Thus far our text. This is a bold claim made by the leaders of the faith in our reading this evening. This confession by the chief priests of the Jews has the entire history of the world and of God’s love for His people behind it. Let us consider all the implications of this demonic declaration…For more, click on the title above.

Sing for Joy to God

Today, we have sung, as one voice – which is what the Greek word behind the English, “symphony,” means – as we called out to all earth to “Shout for joy!”