Psalms Anyone? - April 19, 2015

Psalms Anyone?

Psalm 1, Psalm 150

April 19, 2015

Grace Presbyterian Church

Rev. Dr. Richard E. Miller

 

The Psalms  This morning I invite you to join me in a journey through the psalms. There’s 150 of them so we won’t have time to visit each of them. However, it is my hope that when we leave, we’ll have a deeper appreciation for those who wrote them and realize that they were people just like us - with the same problems, same hopes, and same joys that we have today.

To start, I invite you complete the following sentences from the psalms. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not ____,” [Psalm 23:1] God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in _______.  [Psalm 46:1] “The heavens declare the glory of ____” [Psalm 19]. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my ____.” [Psalm 119:115] “Be still, and know that I am ____” [Psalm 46:10] “The faithfulness of the Lord endures for _____.” [Psalm 117]

Of all the psalms, which is your favorite? Many of you would say the 23rd Psalm. Others might say the 100th. But the fact is that all of the psalms have something to offer.

Meaning of the Psalms  A little background on the psalms might be helpful at this point. The Old Testament is divided into the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, the Prophets, and the Writings. The Psalter is part the Writings.

Psalm comes from a word meaning, “A touching sharply” and “A pulling or twanging with the fingers.” Originally, it meant primarily a stringed instrument, but by association of ideas it came to mean the song sung to the accompaniment of stringed instruments. Thus, the psalms are called Songs of Praise to God. In a way, they are religious poems containing the words of humans directed to God.

Purpose of the Psalms The psalms were used in different ways, such as liturgy in the Temple, to instruct people how to live a godly life, and as private prayers of lament and praise. Ninety-three different passages from the Psalms are quoted in the New Testament.  And many of our our hymns contain thoughts from specific psalms.

Psalm One We read this morning the first and last psalms in our psalter. The first psalm serves as a prologue or introduction to the other 149 psalms and falls into two sections. The first three verses describes the joy of those who feed on the law of the Lord. The final three verses describe the fate of the wicked. The psalm begins, “Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers” [Psalm 1:1 NRSV]  Today we’d translate this as “Happy are those who don’t run around with the wrong crowd.” or “Happy are those who refuse to follow bad advice.”

The psalmist then states that a person happy is when he delights in the law of the Lord and meditates upon the law day and night. To meditate in the Hebrew sense means almost literally to feed upon God’s word at all times. Today we’d say, “Happy are those who read the scriptures and listen for all that God would say to them.”

 

Those who meditate on the scriptures are likened to a tree planted by streams of water that yields fruit in its season. Its leaf does not wither. That is to say, they are constantly nourished and strengthened by God’s Spirit and enabled to face whatever challenges that come their way.

Psalm 150  Now let us turn to the last psalm in our psalter, the 150th . While the first psalm talked about the happiness of a good person contrasted with the lot of the wicked, the 150th psalm concludes the psalter with a doxology of praise to God. In this psalm, four questions are asked and answered. Where should we praise God? Why should we praise God? How should we praise God? And by whom should praise be given?

Where we should praise God The psalmist says, “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament!” In a few minutes, we will sing: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him all creatures here below Praise him above, ye heav’nly host. Praise Father, son and Holy Ghost.” And when we go home, our praise will continue in our prayers, private devotions and as we experience the wonders of nature. The psalmist states that all of creation, including the angels and saints in heaven, unite with us in shouts of thanks and gladness to God. This means that those of our loved ones who have been resurrected to eternal life join us every Sunday in praising God. And they join us each day as we praise God for their life and the memories they left us.

 

 

Why should we praise God?  Why should we praise God?  The psalmist answers this by saying, “Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness!” Here the writer focuses upon the omnipotence of God - his majesty, holiness, wisdom and power that is greater than anything or anyone in all of creation. Today we praise and thank God for saving us in Christ from the powers of sin and death and for his indwelling spirit in our lives.

How to Praise God How should we praise God? The psalmist urges us to praise God with dance and with music, such as the trumpet, lute, harp, timbrel, strings, pipe and cymbals. We do this each Sunday with our hymns, prayers, the Gloria Patri, the Doxology, through the piano and organ, and through our wonderful choir. And, if you’re very lucky, through your preacher’s harmonica.

Who is to praise God?  Who is it that is to praise our great God? The psalmist answers this by saying, “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!” [150:6 NRSV] This means that the offering of praise is not limited to ministers, elders, deacons, choirs, pianists and organists. Rather it is to be offered by God’s people everywhere and at any time.

Final Thoughts  As you read and meditate upon the psalms this coming week, you will discover people just like us. No, they didn’t have computers and cell phones. And they didn’t encounter back ups in rush hour. But they were people who experienced the same emotional and physical problems and worries we have. You will find some who are in pain or sorrow, others in happiness and joy. And you will be able to say, “I know how they feel!”

 

Write your own psalm  This morning, I invite you to join the Psalm a Month Club. Once a month, sit down and write your own psalm that reflects your feelings, concerns, joys and hopes. If you are filled with joy, write a psalm to God praising God. And if you are having problems, write your thoughts to God and ask for his help. Write a psalm asking for God’s intervention with the nations of the world. And write a psalm of praise for sending his son, Jesus, to save you from the powers of sin and death. Whatever it is you want to say to or about God, write it down as a psalm.

A psalm appropriate for this morning might read as follows.“Happy are those who bring their son to be baptized for their home is a house of prayer and their hope is in Christ Jesus, their Lord.” Let us pray.

Psalm 1:1-6 NRSV

Happy are those

   who do not follow the advice of the wicked,

or take the path that sinners tread,

   or sit in the seat of scoffers;

but their delight is in the law of the Lord,

   and on his law they meditate day and night.

They are like trees

   planted by streams of water,

which yield their fruit in its season,

   and their leaves do not wither.

In all that they do, they prosper.

 

The wicked are not so,

   but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement,

   nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,

   but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 150:1-6 NRSV

Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;

   praise him in his mighty firmament!

Praise him for his mighty deeds;

   praise him according to his surpassing greatness!

 

Praise him with trumpet sound;

   praise him with lute and harp!

Praise him with tambourine and dance;

   praise him with strings and pipe!

Praise him with clanging cymbals;

   praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Gifts, Marching Ordrs, and a Promise, April 12, 2015

Gifts, Marching Orders, and a Promise

Deuteronomy 6:1-9, John 20:19-31

April 12, 2015

Grace Presbyterian Church

Rev. Dr. Richard E. Miller

 

Introduction  Last Sunday we were reminded that  because Christ is risen and we have the assurance of eternal life, we have a deep and abiding joy in our hearts - a joy that cannot be stifled or diminished by the trials and tribulations of life. And I also suggested that all congregations are a franchise of God’s Joys R Us.

This morning, I’d like to continue our Easter celebration by looking at the forty days between Christ's resurrection and his ascension into heaven. In those forty days, scriptures tell us that Jesus appeared to his disciples and followers eleven different times.

Two Gifts, Three Marching Orders and a Promise   In those eleven appearances, Jesus gave his followers and us two gifts, three marching orders, and a promise.

The Gift of Peace  The first gift was the gift of peace. Early on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene told the disciples that the tomb of Jesus was open and that his body was gone. They ran to the tomb and confirmed that it was empty. The disciples then returned home, but Mary stayed by the tomb and met Jesus. Mary then told the disciples that Jesus was alive and that she had talked with him. What were they to make of this news? What were they to do? Where should they go? That evening, they went to a room, locked the door and began discussing their concerns. In the midst of their discussions, Jesus suddenly appeared to them and said "Peace be with you."

He then showed his disciples his hands and his side to prove to them he was really their master.  As a result, they believed and were glad. Jesus then repeated his blessing upon them by saying, "Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."

The gift of inner peace was one of the first gifts that Christ gave his disciples. He came to them at this point to assure them that he really was alive and that there was absolutely nothing to fear. It was the same peace that he had mentioned earlier when he said, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you, not as the world gives give I unto you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27)

The Greek word Jesus used for peace is "eiranay."  This reflects the same idea as the Hebrew "shalom."  It meant more than an absence of warfare. Rather, it conveyed the concept of wholeness and completeness.

By Christ’s death and resurrection, the disciples were now in a perfect relationship with God.  Paul said that Christ made "peace by the blood of his cross." (Colossians 1:20)

Peacemakers  When we receive Christ's gift of peace, it transforms us into peace makers.  To accept the call to peace making means to do whatever we can to be agents of reconciliation in a world divided by hostility and hate.

Gift of the Spirit  The second gift from Jesus to his disciples was that of the Holy Spirit.  While he was in the room with them, he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:22). Now why did he breathe on them? That's rather strange behavior. The answer is found in the fact that the Greek word for spirit, "pneuma" also means wind or breath. It signifies life.

In Genesis we read, "Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.": (Genesis 2:7)

In like manner, Jesus came to his disciples and breathed the breath of new life and power into them. Jesus was giving them the power of the Spirit to be with them as they went forth to begin the Church. After he gave his disciples the gifts of peace and the Holy Spirit, Jesus then gave them three marching orders.

Feed my sheep  The first marching order took place when Jesus was eating breakfast with them on the sea shore. After they finished, Jesus turned to Peter and asked, "Do you love me?" Peter answ

 

ered, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus replied, "Feed my lambs." Two more times Jesus asked Peter "Do you love me?" And two more times Peter assured Jesus that he did. And two more times Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."

Here Jesus was entrusting to Peter and the disciples the lives and souls of the people who were as sheep without a shepherd. It was the command to evangelize the world for Christ. It was a command to witness to Christ in all places and at all times. Of course we know that not all Christians witness to Christ. They talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk. The fact is that very few people who just talk about kissing and never get around to doing it ever get married. And few people who just talk about their faith instead of doing their faith ever attract people to Christ. There’s two parts to the gospel: one is “believin’ it” and the other’s “behavin’ it.” If you “Talk the talk,” you need to “Walk the walk.”

Follow me  The second command from Jesus was "Follow me." Jesus was saying, "Even though I will no longer be with you physically, you still are to follow me no matter what." It was a reaffirmation and renewal of that original call of the disciples issued three years earlier. In order to follow Jesus, we have to know where he is and where he is leading us. Unfortunately there are those who don’t want to go where Jesus would lead them so they choose another path that takes them away from Jesus. They are the ones who try to make God into their image.

 

The Great Commission  The third marching order was given to the disciples when he appeared to them in Galilee. He said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:16-20). This great marching order from Christ has become known as the Great Commission.

 

The order is for us to make disciples, baptize them and teach them all of Christ's commandments. The function of making disciples is the foremost function and purpose of the church. The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) says that the Church exists for the proclamation of the Gospel for the salvation of humankind. (Book of order, g-1.0200)

The promise  And now for the promise. Immediately following the Great Commission, Jesus says to his disciples, "Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." I am with you always. What wonderful news for the disciples and for us. No matter what happens in life, Christ is with us. We are never alone.

This is particularly comforting when we are frightened or sorrowful. But it can be equally disturbing when we’re doing something wrong.

Final thoughts  In looking over the various events that took place in those forty post-resurrection days, we find that Jesus reached out to his disciples and created order out of their confusion, calmed their troubled hearts, filled them with the power of the Holy Spirit, gave them orders to follow him into the world to witness to him and to baptize in his name. He then promised that through it all, he would always be with them.

These same gifts of peace and the spirit are offered to each of us today.  Peace for troubled hearts and wholeness for our relationship with God and those around us.  And we are under the same marching orders as were the disciples: orders to follow Jesus, feed his sheep, and witness to him at all times.

As you leave here this morning, remember this.

If you want to be happy for an hour, eat a steak.

If you want to be happy for a day, play with a child.

If you want to be happy for a week, go on a cruise.

If you want to be happy for a month, buy a new car.

If you want to be happy for a year, win the lottery.

If you want to have joy for a lifetime, follow Christ. Let us pray.

 

 John 20:19-31 NRSV

 

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’

 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’

 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’

 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 NRSV

Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the ordinances—that the Lord your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, so that you and your children and your children’s children may fear the Lord your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you.

 Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

 

The Anandamide of Easter, April 5, 2015

The Anandamide of Easter

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24, John 20:1-18

April 5, 2015

Grace Presbyterian Church

Rev. Dr. Richard E. Miller

 

Christmas Promises and Easter Proofs  As you know, the two biggest celebrations in our church year are Christmas and Easter. Christmas is all about promises that center around Jesus. In Matthew, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” [1:20-21] And in John, we hear this promise: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” [3:16] So there you have it. The promise that Jesus would save his people from their sins and give them eternal life.

This morning we celebrate Easter, the proof of the Christmas promises. We celebrate and rejoice because the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ fulfilled the Christmas promises. And the question that each of us must ask ourselves each day is, “What do the Easter proofs of  the Christmas promises mean to me?

Knowing the Easter Story  When we were small children, it’s likely that Easter chiefly meant colored eggs and chocolate bunnies, or a delightful break from school.  Or maybe Easter meant seeing family or dressing in your best clothes, going to church and singing Easter hymns.

 

 

 

The story is told of a grandfather who wanted to know how much his four-year-old granddaughter, Julie, knew about the Easter story. When he saw little Julie playing in the backyard with her friends, he went out and asked, ““Who knows why we celebrate Easter every year?”” One of Julie’’s friends quickly spoke up and said: “Oh, that’’s when you go to the mall and sit on the big bunny rabbit’s lap and tell him what you want in your Easter basket.” Julie’s second friend said: “No, no, no! Easter is when you get a tree and hang eggs on it - and you wake up on Sunday and there are presents underneath it.”

Then Julie said, “You’re both wrong! Easter is when Jesus was crucified. He died, and His disciples put his body in a cave. They rolled a big stone in front of the opening. And the guards went to sleep. On the third day, there was a big earthquake and the stone rolled away.”

At this point, Grandpa was really proud that Julie knew so much of the Easter story. But then Julie continued, “When the stone was rolled away by the earthquake, the entire town came by the grave to watch. If Jesus came out and saw his shadow, they knew there would be six more weeks of winter!” (Family Life, February, 1995).

What Does Easter Mean to You  Although Easter certainly includes traditions of Easter bunnies, gaily colored Easter eggs, getting together with family, and church services, the question still remains. “What does Easter mean to you? To your life during the week?” What does the fact that Jesus rose from the dead mean to you at work, or when you’re with your family? Unless we have a good answer to such questions, Easter will never be anything more than a once-a-year, “feel good” religious observance that quickly fades away.

Anandamide  A once-a-year, “feel good” Easter is a lot like anandamide. If you’ve ever eaten a piece of chocolate, you’ve consumed anandamide because in addition to cocoa, sugar, vanilla, soy lecithin, and cocoa butter, chocolate has anandamide . What’s anandamide? It is a chemical compound that serves as a physical neurotransmitter that imparts to the eater a feeling of pure bliss.

Anandamide comes from the Sanskrit word for “bliss and happiness” All of you chocoholics can vouch for that, can’t you? However, the problem with anandamide is that the blissful feeling it gives you doesn’t last. And so when the feeling wears off, you obviously have to have another piece of chocolate right? A few years ago, I was part of a tour that visited a chocolate factory in Switzerland. As we walked through the production area, we were invited to eat the broken pieces of chocolate that were laying at the end of each assembly line. Believe me, the anandamides were flying all over the place!

Jesus This morning I suggest that we have another source of pure bliss and joy - our Lord Jesus. Why? Because Jesus is our spiritual neurotransmitter that imparts to us an inner joy which lasts and lasts and lasts, longer than the Energizer Bunny.

Joy in the Bible  In the Bible, joy and rejoice are found in 565 verses. On the other hand, sad, sadness and sorrow are found in only 133 verses.

The angel came to the shepherds and said, “I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” [Luke 210]. And Jesus was born. At the resurrection, an angel appeared again to Mary Magdalene and said, Jesus “is not here; for he has been raised, as he said,” And Mary left the tomb with great joy and ran to tell the disciples.

The Apostle Paul wrote: “My brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.” [Philippians 3:1]  “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say Rejoice.” [Philippians 4:4] Yes, the overwhelming theme in the Bible is joy.

Joy that fills our hearts, minds and souls.

Joy that fills us when we pray and meditate.

Joy that is constantly renewed by the Spirit.

Joy is Natural Since joy is a gift from God, it should come quite naturally to us. As one person wrote, “Joy is the echo of God’s life within us. ” [Joseph Marmion]

In Psalm 16:11, we read, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures evermore.”

 

 

 

Sam Storms wrote “God built into us an undeniable, inescapable hunger for joy and satisfaction and delight. God built us to be fascinated, to be intrigued, to be exhilarated, to be stunned. Our desire for these experiences will never let up.” [ “Pleasures Evermore,” pp. 42-43]  Yes, God created us with the desire to seek and find joy in all that we do.

Difference Between Joy and Happiness Dwight Moody suggests that there is a distinct difference between joy and happiness. He wrote, “ Happiness is caused by things that happen around me, and circumstances will mar it; but joy flows right on through trouble; joy flows on through the day; joy flows in the night as well as in the day; joy flows through persecution and opposition. It is an unceasing fountain bubbling up in the heart; a secret spring the world can’t see and doesn’t know anything about. The Lord gives his people perpetual joy when they walk in obedience to him.”

Joy with Christ Like Mary, we know that the resurrection of Christ is no temporary anandamide fix. This is a joy which fills our lives forever! This forever joy fills our lives because Christ is our Lord and Savior. This forever joy fills our lives because our sins are forgiven. This forever joy fills our lives because there is life beyond the grave. This forever joy fills our lives because God is always with us no matter what. This forever joy fills our lives because we are loved - loved fully and completely.

Victor Hugo said, " The supreme joy of life is the conviction that we are loved;  loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves ." God loves us in spite of our sins, not because of our good works. What an amazing reason for joy that is.  

Joy in midst of Sorrow Resurrection joy is ours forever. Jesus, speaking of the joy of the resurrection, said “No one will take your joy from you.” [John 16:22]

Even in the midst of tears at the death of a loved one, knowing that the grave is not the end of life brings us inward joy. We do not grieve at death in the same manner as those who don’t know Christ because God is with us both in life and in death. It has been written that “joy is not the absence of trouble and sorrow, but the presence of Christ. ” [William Van der Hoven]

You’ve heard it said that when you die you can’t take it with you. Whoever coined that phrase forgot about the joy that is ours in Christ for you can take that joy with you.

The Father, His Son and the Bee  I close with the story of a little boy and his father who were driving down a country road on a beautiful spring afternoon. Suddenly out of nowhere a bumblebee flew in the car window. Since the little boy was deathly allergic to bee stings, he became petrified. But the father quickly reached out, grabbed the bee, squeezed it in his hand, and then released it. But as soon as he let it go, the young son became frantic again as it buzzed by him. His father saw his panic-stricken face. Once again the father reached out his hand, but this time he pointed to his hand. There still stuck in his skin was the stinger of the bee. "Do you see this?" he asked. "You don't need to be afraid anymore. I've taken the sting for you."

Message of Easter   This is the message of Easter. We do not need to be afraid of death anymore. Christ conquered the power of death for us. And by His victory, we are saved from sin. Christ has taken the stinger for us.  As Paul says, "Where, O death, is your sting?" [1 Cor 15:55b]. 

He has risen! Fear is gone. Our new life, filled with the miracles of thanksgiving, hope and new life is ours. And we can join the psalmists in saying, “Praise the Lord! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! [Psalm 150]

It has been said that: “ Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God .” [Leon Bloy] As we go forth into the future, how can we express our joy in Christ?

Preaching I suggest we do it by preaching every day. Oh, you thought I was the only preacher you had? Wrong. By our words and actions, each of us preaches a sermon that is seen and heard every day by someone.

We preach the Gospel of joy by acts of service to others.

We preach the Gospel of joy by leading lives of high moral and Christian character.

We preach the Gospel of joy by forgiving one another.

We preach the Gospel of joy by the language we use

And we preach the Gospel of joy by building a family life that glorifies God.

One person put it this way: “ Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary .”

Yes, our very lives are living sermons that people read, hear and experience. What kind of sermon our life is preaching is up to us. But believe me, someone is listening and watching. Someone is being influenced by what we do and what we say, or by what we don’t do or don’t say. Is our life preaching the Gospel of Christ or not? If it is, then we are expressing our joy in Christ. And that joy flows through the sermons of our lives to elevate and bring joy to the hearts and souls of those around us.

It has been said that “The surest mark of a Christian is not faith, or even love, but joy .” [Samuel Moor Shoemaker]

 

 God is in the Joy Business The fact that we sometimes forget is that God is in the Joy Business. Through his son, Jesus, God established a business called, “Joys R Us”. God has outlets all over the world - they are called congregations of believers, just like us, who are commissioned to tell the community about the Joy that is theirs in Christ.

We are the voices and strings in the concert of God’s joy. Let us sing and play well and Invite others to join us in God’s Ode to Joy. Help them to experience God’s joy, ecstasy and delight and that “ Christmas was the promise, Easter is the proof.” Amen.

John 20:1-18 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.  But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.  They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him."  When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away."  Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher).  

Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"  Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.  
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

 

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

   his steadfast love endures for ever!

 

Let Israel say,

   ‘His steadfast love endures for ever.’

 

The Lord is my strength and my might;

   he has become my salvation.

 

There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:

‘The right hand of the Lord does valiantly;

   the right hand of the Lord is exalted;

   the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.’

I shall not die, but I shall live,

   and recount the deeds of the Lord.

The Lord has punished me severely,

   but he did not give me over to death.

 

Open to me the gates of righteousness,

   that I may enter through them

   and give thanks to the Lord.

 

This is the gate of the Lord;

   the righteous shall enter through it.

 

I thank you that you have answered me

   and have become my salvation.

The stone that the builders rejected

   has become the chief cornerstone.

This is the Lord’s doing;

   it is marvellous in our eyes.

This is the day that the Lord has made;

   let us rejoice and be glad in it.