GOSPEL LUKE 24:1-12

¹But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. ²They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³but when they went in, they did not find the body.⁴While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. ⁵The 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. ⁶Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, ⁷that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” ⁸Then they remembered his words, ⁹and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. ¹¹But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. ¹²But 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.

In Luke 24, the Bible portrays the resurrection of Christ.  Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary Mother of James, and the other women walk to Jesus’ tomb with spices they have prepared.  However, when they get there, they find that the stone, which had been blocking the tomb entrance, had been rolled away.  While they wondered, two men dressed in white appeared and reminded them of Jesus’ words, that he would rise on the third day of his death.  They run back and tell the eleven disciples about what they saw, but no one believes them.

Did these disciples, holy men, and followers of Jesus doubt his powers?  Did they think that God could not preform such a feat as bringing someone back from the dead?  It is strange that even after the eleven had witnessed the miracles performed by Christ, they appear to doubt his abilities.

Dear God, help us to remember the resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ.  Help us to understand that Easter is not about material possessions, but about celebrating our Son’s rebirth.  Help us to believe in your might, and teach us not to doubt your power.  Amen.

Aidan Tozer is pictured here in a “What is FPC?” t-shirt with other members of the youth group on our HSYG Winter Beach Retreat to Panama City Beach.

GOSPEL LUKE 24:13-49

¹³ Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, ¹⁶but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.¹⁷And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” ¹⁹He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him.²¹But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. ²²Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, ²³and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. ²⁴Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” ²⁵Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! ²⁶Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” ²⁷Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

²⁸As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. ²⁹But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.³²They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” ³³That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. ³⁴They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

³⁶While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ³⁷They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. ³⁸He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” ⁴⁰And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. ⁴¹While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” ⁴²They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³and he took it and ate in their presence.

⁴⁴Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you — that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, ⁴⁶and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

John 13:36-38

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.

This is the infamous prediction of Peter’s denial of Jesus. This passage shows Jesus’ love and forgiveness towards Peter even though he knows that Peter will end up betraying him. How do we see Jesus’ love and forgiveness in our own lives? How can we show Jesus’ love and forgiveness towards others?

“God,Help us learn to love and forgive like Jesus did to Peter. Show us how to give humbly and with compassion to others who have wronged us. Give us the ability to accept and welcome others, just like Christ. Amen.”

Authors: Eleanor Cleveland, junior at Leon, Emma Christine McCoy, sophomore at Leon and William Lowry, freshman at Leon.

John 17:1-11(12-26)

 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, ²since you have given him authority over all people,^* to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ³And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ⁴I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. ⁵So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

6 ‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. ⁷Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; ⁸for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. ⁹I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. ¹⁰All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. ¹¹And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. ¹²While I was with them, I protected them in your name that^* you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost,^* so that the scripture might be fulfilled. ¹³But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves.^{* 14}I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. ¹⁵I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.^{* 16}They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. ¹⁷Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.

20 ‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, ²¹that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us,^* so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²²The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, ²³I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. ²⁴Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

25 ‘Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. ²⁶I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’

God, the Almighty Creator, wants us to be united with him. This is what we learn from Jesus’ prayer in John 17:1-26, shortly before he was crucified. Perhaps this prayer was a comfort to his disciples in the hard days that followed- similarly, even when we feel alone, lost, or depressed, God is with us, reaching out to us.  Eternal life - wonderful life in all its fullness, life the way God wants it to be- is found in a relationship with God and his son, Jesus Christ. Jesus reveals the great love God has for us in his prayer, and he shows us something else important. He wants us to be one, all of us brothers and sisters in Christ, together with the Father. This unity gives us love, hope, peace, comfort, and strength.  What can you do today and from now on to strengthen your relationship with God and your neighbors? Are there people you need to make peace with? How can you help others to know God’s love?

God, of fatherly compassion,

Help us to be satisfied with your will, and find joy in sharing your love. Please help us to live united in Jesus Christ. Thank you for the love, fellowship, and new life that you give. Amen.

Matthew Morse, senior at Lincoln

John 12:27-36

27 ‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. ²⁸Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ ²⁹The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ ³⁰Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. ³¹Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. ³²And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people^* to myself.’ ³³He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. ³⁴The crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Messiah^* remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?’ ³⁵Jesus said to them, ‘The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. ³⁶While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.’

After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.

 

In Eugene Peterson’s translation of the Bible, The Message, this passage says, “At this moment the world is in crisis. Now Satan, the ruler of this world, will be thrown out. And I, as I am lifted up from the earth, will attract everyone to me and gather them around me.”

 That phrase, “the world is in crisis” seems to describe so many times in history including right now. There is a crisis of clean water around the world, famine, homelessness, war and atrocities committed against people for reasons of ethnicity, orientation and religion. How can we not feel that Jesus is still talking to us when he talks about dying for the world?

 Jesus goes onto urge us to follow God’s guidance; to follow Jesus. From the life and stories of Jesus, what does it mean for us to follow him? How should we order our lives?

“Believe in the light. Then the light will be within you, and shining through your lives.”

Have you ever met anyone that you could see the light of shining through them? Can your friends, family or people you meet see the light shining through your life? What might it mean to greet others with that spark of Christ at our core?

Today has begun just as any other day. What if today we each let that small spark of God’s love shine through our words and actions?

 Christ, you are the light of the world. Within me there is a spark of your very light. Kindle that spark in me, let it grow into a flame and let that flame send me out to set the world on fire. Amen.

Spring Break Mission Trip participants reflecting and praying after a day of work at the Veterans Restoration Facility by using the labyrinth near downtown Asheville. Participants included: Paul Wynn, Emma Christine McCoy, Eleanor Cleveland, Kira and Quinn Sullivan, Claire Hodges, William Lowry, Lucas Heiker, Matthew Morse and Christy Williams.

John 12:20-26

20 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. ²¹They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ ²²Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. ²³Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.

 

Jesus,

Help us to follow in your foot steps, in life and death. Help us to see our path, to help your people all over the world, and to let us be all that we can be in your vision.

Amen.

Sarah Walker, Sophomore at Leon

John 12:9-19

9 When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ¹⁰So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, ¹¹since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.

12 The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. ¹³So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting,
‘Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord—
   the King of Israel!’
¹⁴Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written:
¹⁵ ‘Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.
Look, your king is coming,
   sitting on a donkey’s colt!’
¹⁶His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him. ¹⁷So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify.^*18It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him. ¹⁹The Pharisees then said to one another, ‘You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!’

 

Dear Lord,

Help us to see Jesus as both an earthly king, and as even more than that, he is our heavenly king as well. Help us to pray hosanna, save us, everyday. Your heart is boundless with love for us, all of us, even our mistakes. Help us to see those mistakes and fix them with your help.  Help us to see your power and love, and embrace it fully.

Amen.

Meg Walker, Junior at Leon

Luke 23:1-49

Jesus before Pilate

Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. They began to accuse him, saying, ‘We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.’ Then Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ He answered, ‘You say so.’ Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, ‘I find no basis for an accusation against this man.’ But they were insistent and said, ‘He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place.’

Jesus before Herod

 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign. He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate. That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.

Jesus Sentenced to Death

 Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them, ‘You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. I will therefore have him flogged and release him.’

 Then they all shouted out together, ‘Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!’ (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; but they kept shouting, ‘Crucify, crucify him!’ A third time he said to them, ‘Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.’ But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

 As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, “Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.” Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us”; and to the hills, “Cover us.” For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’

 Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[ Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’]] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’

The Death of Jesus

 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’ Having said this, he breathed his last. When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, ‘Certainly this man was innocent.’ And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

In this passage, the death of Jesus is described. Now, anyone who has grown up in the church, or even been around the church for at least one season of lent pretty much knows this story. It’s hard to take something new and meaningful out of such a used passage, so I guess I’ll talk about something I’ve never noticed before. In verses 42-43, one of the condemned criminals asks Jesus to “remember me when you come into your kingdom” and Jesus replies “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise”. That’s a pretty strong word. Paradise implies perfect tranquility and peace, and I think this means following Jesus’ teaching means the way to paradise, or the kingdom of God.

 Dear Lord, help me to follow your word

And love in your ways.

Help me to forgive and bless as Jesus did on the cross.

Grant me the strength to overcome obstacles

And my own shortcomings,

So that truly I can follow you to Paradise

In your name we pray, Amen

William Lowry, Freshman at Leon

Gospel John 11:28-44

John 12:1-10

Mary Anoints Jesus

12 Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ² So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. ³ Mary then took a ^[a]pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴ But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to ^[b]betray Him, *said, ⁵ “Why was this perfume not sold for ^[c]three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” ⁶ Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. ⁷ Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep ^[d]it for the day of My burial. ⁸ For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

⁹ The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. ¹⁰ But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also;

Back in this time people were persecuted for being Christians and to believe in Jesus as the Messiah was to risk one’s life. It took so much bravery for someone to openly admit to being a christian and to reject normal life to fallow Jesus but all of his disciples made this sacrifice so willingly it is unbelievable. In this passage a woman worships Jesus by washing his feet with perfume. This was very humbling but she was very poor and the perfume she used was very valuable to her and she used it to praise Jesus instead of selling it when it would bring her income. He respects her for this very much and when a thief eyes the perfume and wants to steal it he stands up for her saying that “you will always have the poor with you but you will not always have me.”

Lord please give me the bravery in my heart to follow you regardless of the outside circumstances that I may have to face and overcome. Help me to put my relationship with you before all else in my life and to proudly announce my devotion to you. Help me to learn to cherish every moment I spend in your glory, free of jealousy and fear. Amen

Kelly Ann Kennedy