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Lectionary
Notes - Easter Sunday
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Readings for Easter
Sunday, 4/16/06:
Acts 10:34-43, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24, 1
Corinthians 15:19-26, John 20:1-18, or Mark 16:1-8
Acts 10:34-43:
- Peter is speaking
to Cornelius and his friends and relatives in Caesarea. Cornelius had been
visited by a messenger from God telling him to invite Peter to his home and
here him speak.
- "God shows
no partiality". Do we get that? Believe it? Preach it? Live and practice
it?
- "preaching
peace by Jesus Christ" Ah, the gospel message is a message of peace.
Too much of our Christian history works to counter that claim. We struggle
on!
- A mini-sermon,
all the facts needed to share the good news packed into one little blurb -
this is Peter's quick pitch, at the opportunity he's been given.
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24:
- Note that this is virtually the
same selection from Psalms as on Palm Sunday,
with slightly different verses. Included in Easter's reading, but not in Palm
Sunday's: "the Lord has punished me severely, but he did not give me
over to death." Hm. I don't like to think about God punishing us. But
the verse's significance on Easter is powerful. The cup was not taken from
Jesus - he drank it. And yet, he lives.
- Even still, it's hard to focus
on any scripture passage on Easter Sunday other than the gospel lesson of
the Resurrection, isn't it?
1 Corinthians 15:19-26:
- "If for this life only we
have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied." A striking
statement. I'm not sure how to react - I guess I don't exactly share Paul's
perspective. I think we're so wrapped up in thinking about what awaits us
after this earthly life, that we forget what Christ means for us right now,
on earth. My hope for Christ in this life is powerful stuff!
- "The last enemy to be destroyed
is death." I'm a big fan of John
Cobb and process theology. I remember reading that for process theologians,
some could not get over the "ultimate evil of personal death." Conceptions
of afterlife are tricky things. How can death be destroyed for you? When I
was younger, I used to ask my pastor/mentor, Rev.
Bruce Webster, if heaven wouldn't be a boring place. He, a math major
in college, could draw some sort of graph to show it would be ok!
John 20:1-18:
- I have to admit, as a woman, I
get a kick out of the way the men behave here, versus the way Mary Magdalene
acts. The men run there, almost competitively, after hearing Mary's report,
and then they return home, apparently not too impressed or curious to figure
out what's going on. It's Mary who is there to begin with to care for the
tomb, Mary who sheds tears for Jesus, Mary who remains at the tomb long enough
to encounter the risen Christ, Mary who is the first to spread the good news.
You go girl!
- "Rabbouni!" What would
you say if you had a change to come face to face with a lost loved one again?
- I just can't let loose of the
sense of the importance of Mary staying at the tomb. She is honest with her
emotions, and holds still, stays in place, soaks it in. She gets to see Jesus,
the fruits of her devotion. Don't hurry through Easter, but rest at the empty
tomb!
Mark 16:1-8
- Ah, Mark. Eight verses for the
resurrection. Of course, there are verses 9-20, but many scholars think this
is an add-on, doubtfully from Mark, likely added later to compensate for
Mark's alarming brevity.
- "and they said nothing to
anyone, for they were afraid." Good thing they get over their fears and at
least tell the disciples, else this would have really been a different Easter
story altogether!
- Note even Mark's description of
who the women find in the tomb, as compared to the other gospels. Mark seems
to describe a man, very simply, dressed in a white robe. Matthew, on the other
hand, has an earthquake, and an angel descending from heaven with dazzling
white clothing. Matthew is bells and whistles. Mark is "just the facts".
Pastor’s Note: (I use the Greek-English
Lexicon from Liddell and Scott, the “little Liddell”
and the Metzger et. al Greek New Testament in my translation work.)
Lectionary
Notes are from the Lectionary Chat Group Bible Study of St.
Paul's UMC, Oneida, NY, Rev. Beth Quick.
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