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Gospel Reading from John
The gospel reading from John:
Jesus said “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.
You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.
I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
Jesus said “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.
Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
The gospel reading from John:
Jesus said “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away–and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
Sermon
Pastor Stevenson tells us that today is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. There are two natural themes, namely, the questions: What does Jesus do? and Who is He? There is a third possible theme, that being Why does He do it? He does it for His sheep and He is willing to die for them. And why sheep, which are smelly dumb creatures, for which He gives His life. Explanations differ, but one idea exists throughout Christianity. It points to Good Friday. How has it helped for these 2000 years? The Romans brutally crucified many and it did not help. The answer is in the identity of the shepherd. There was a special relationship between Jesus and God. God had special instructions for Jesus – to lay down His life. Now the Gospel moves toward Jesus saying “I am the Father of life.” The lectionaries will point to another answer to the question How does it help? God is in His Son and the Son is God, and God will raise His Son from the dead. This means everything. Jesus promises and delivers. He points to his later statement “I am the way, the truth and the life.” That God is in Jesus means everything to us. For the next few weeks of Pentecost we will consider the Holy Spirit and the Trinity. What it is all about is that God cares for us.
Gospel reading from Luke
While the disciples were talking, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you. “They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost.
He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look 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.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.
While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.
Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
Then 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.”
Sermon
Pastor Stevenson once taught a course on the speeches to be found in the Bible. He himself is now taking a course on Greek language grammar. In Greek, he tells us, there is no concept of quotation marks in text, making the study of speeches a bit difficult. The book of Acts is a good source of speeches. Martin Luther referred to them in his writings. There have not been been many speech writers since Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg address. This speech contains much in not many words. The disciple Peter wrote that God gave his Son, but Jesus gave his life. His people acted in ignorance. His killing was the worst crime in history. So then God raised Jesus from the dead, so that those who repent may have eternal life.
Gospel reading from John
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.
Sermon
In his sermon this week Pastor Stevenson mentions three ideas for intrepreting the gospel reading. One is to simply treat this reading from John as the well-known bible story about the doubts of Jesus’ disciple Thomas. A second is concede that we, like Thomas, would like proof, and a third is to go beyond and study the contemporary struggles over this matter. These struggles include those over writings that claim that Christianity consists of superstitions carried over from the stone age. They say that it disagrees with science and and has led to the low church attendance we see. Atheists have tapped into these claims. In his book, Meyer writes that we need some proof. But Jesus said to Thomas “Do not doubt but believe”. John does not say that Thomas actually felt Jesus’ wounds. We assume he did not. It does say that Thomas answered with “My Lord and my God.” Jesus had appeared only to a few people, his disciples. Demonstration was not needed. It is what the Reformation is about. We look for comfort and assurance instead of proof. We believe. We enjoy the workings of faith in our God.
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| *Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 25:6-9 | Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 | 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or Acts 10:34-43 | John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8 |
Gospel Reading from John
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.
Sermon
In our gospel reading from John, Mary Magdelene brought two disciples to Jesus’ tomb. The other disciples were likely attending to preparations for a funeral. Their hopes were crushed. And they were confused. But the scriptures taught the meaning of the week’s events. The words “death” and “rise again” appear in the scriptures, our Old Testament. Thomas has yet to probe with his finger. They will soon know however. What does it mean? The cross by itself only meant death. And resurrection was deemed a fantasy. But God defeats death and the devil. On the cross he saw conquest. In a sermon, Martin Luther spoke of death and Calvary as being united with Him through crucifixion and then resurrection. The apostle Paul wrote of being unified. A minister in New York City published an article, just before being diagnosed with a deadly form of cancer. When asked, he says that he only half believes in the resurrection. Pastor Stevenson tells us this week that he was distressed over this. It is a problem in our culture. But we should not be concerned. Does God say his promises are unshakable? If united in death, then we too are united in resurrection. We must trust Him.
Liturgy of the Palms (March 28, 2021)
Liturgy of the Passion (March 28, 2021)
Gospel reading from John
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of t hose at the table with him.Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)
Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
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. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.
Sermon
Today Pastor Stevenson poses the question “What did Palm Sunday mean to Jesus?” There is a clue in Zachariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout, Daughter pf Jerusalem. See, your kIng comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” This verse is referred to in both Matthew and Luke. Jesus was familiar with these prophesies of God. Jesus sent two of his disciples to “fetch a colt,” and He rides this colt into Jerusalem. One other time in the history of the Bible a colt was ridden by a new personage. This was KIng David when he had grown old and needed to decide on his successor. One wife Bathsheba reminded him that he had promised to have their son Solomon be the one. David then had a mule gotten for Solomon to ride. So Jesus knew what it meant. He rode the colt into Jerusalem so that all would know who he is. We can only speculate His true meaning. But the key is that God is in control. The gospel by Mark is telling us that Jesus understood this. We recognise that Jesus Christ has come.
Gospel reading from John
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very 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.
Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
“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. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
Sermon
We are at week 5 on the Lenten calendar. During Lent the lectionary looks back and looks ahead. Our Gospel reading this week fits both, and also fits Palm Sunday. It has a prologue, in which the last few days of Jesus’ ministry are recorded, and an epilogue, in which are told what He means by his words in verses 23-27. In verses 20-21, some Greeks come with a request. They are non-Jews, who Pastor Stevenson tells us, can represent the rest of the world. God loves all. They make a request “We wish to see Jesus.” In verse 33 Jesus’ concluding answer is “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself,” meaning the coming Resurrection and the drawing of all people to God’s KIngdom. Some Greeks asked to see Jesus, but did they understand His answer? People are drawn to His Kingdom when they hear God’s Word that have been put down in the Bible. We are encouraged to read, listen and study the Word to gain this understanding.
First reading from Numbers 21:4-9
From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.”
Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.
Gospel reading from John
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”
Sermon
Gregory the Great said “The more we read the Bible the richer it gets.” And the more and more we find it inexhaustible. Pastor Stephenson thinks our Gospel reading today a rich one. It captures the essentials of our faith. The verse John 3:16 is found everywhere. But we need to read it carefully. By “lifted up” John means the resurrection after the crucifixion. John 3:16 is read every year on the Fourth Sunday of Lent. In Numbers 21:9 we read how people who had been bitten by a snake when lifted up to see a bronze snake put on a pole would live. John used this to explain Jesus’ words in John 3:16. This is the most taught biblical passage. Luther called it the Bible in Miniature. We see it on bumper stickers and business cards. “He gave His only Son.” He acts on His decisions. Humanity needed to be saved. Further on, in John 3:19 we read “this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” When taken together, the two verses say that God sent his Son to heal humanity. God tells us that things went wrong. The church is called to go forth and proclaim. It awakens us. Humanity is drawn to darkness. Like the people in Numbers, all humanity is lifted up. It applies now, this moment, the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ.