Words of Welcome

  Mark 16:1-8; Isaiah 25:6-9 It was the morning of the first day of the week. Just a few days earlier, Roman officials crucified Jesus. Since the Sabbath was close at hand, a follower of Jesus named Joseph of Arimathea got permission to take Jesus down from the cross, and he simply placed the body in a tomb. Finishing the burial process would have to wait until after the Sabbath. On the day Jesus died, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched Joseph place the body in the tomb. Then after the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, along with Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices to the tomb so they could finish the burial process. As the three women walked toward the tomb, they remembered that a large stone covered the entrance. While they had the spices, they wondered who was going to reopen the tomb? After all, none of the men went with them.  When they arrived at the tomb, they were surprised to discover that the tomb was already open. When they loo...

John 16:16-33 March Madness should be a fading memory by now, but those of you who pay attention to such things, you know that when the buzzer sounds, the game is over.  If a ball enters the basket before time runs out, it counts.  That last second shot might even win the game.  But, if the ball goes through the basket just a half a second after the buzzer sounds – then it’s of no consequence.  The game is over, and the team with the highest score gets the win.   In matters spiritual, our Lenten journey has reached the final minutes.  The buzzer is about to sound.  We’ve had our procession.  We’ve sung Hosanna and King of Kings, while waving palm branches.  We’ve even heard the children remind us to be happy in Jesus.  But that is all in the past.  Now we must face a future that is defined by the road to the cross.  You might say -- the clock is ticking.    By the time we come to the moment recorded i...

1 Corinthians 15:19-26 Easter is here in all its glory! Colorful baskets of eggs and chocolates, along with an Easter bonnet or two, help us celebrate the coming of Spring. These accouterments of our annual Easter celebrations remind us that something even more important is at hand. Our Easter celebration lifts up the victory of life over death, a victory that’s embodied in the resurrection of Jesus. Just as Spring frees nature from the bondage of Winter’s grip, the Resurrection signifies the liberation of human life from the bondage of death. And if we look around we discover that signs of death are all around us. It’s in the news, in our TV shows, and in the movies. Yes, it’s especially prominent in the movies. Although modern medicine may delay death’s call, our culture seems to be fascinated with it, and the more violent death, the more intrigued we become. Consider for a moment the Oscar winning movie The Departed. The title of the movie says it all, for in the end almost everyone...