Ten Minutes for Teachers
Apr. 8, 2007
Vol. 8, Issue 2
Worship Texts: Exodus 12; Psalm 118; John 20:1-18
Worship Theme: I’ve Seen the Lord
Other Texts: Luke 24:1-12; acts 10; I Corinthians 15
Reminders:
Sunrise Service & Breakfast: Consider joining us this Sunday at 6:00 am for an opportunity to await the arrival of our Easter hope and welcome this glad day. Following the Sunrise Service, we also have the opportunity to enjoy breakfast together.
Sunday school and second service will be at their ordinary times.
Devotion:
There are many things that now symbolize American culture – jazz, baseball, the cheeseburger. In the past couple of years, though, you may have noticed the reemergence of another classic American symbol (if it ever did wane): comic book superheroes. While the format has changed from print to film, the popularity of famous characters like Batman, Spider-man and Superman seems as strong as the days of Adam West and Christopher Reeve.
Right about now you are probably wondering, “what in the world does this have to do with Easter?”
Consider, if you will, the reaction that the empty tomb created within Jesus’ closest friends and family. The news that Jesus’ tomb was empty (which was delivered by heavenly agents) downright terrified and bewildered a group of women when they first heard it (Lk. 24:5). And Peter – fresh off the most disturbing and lonely couple of days in his life – ran to the empty tomb only to walk away in complete amazement – shocked in wonder (Lk. 24:12). Naturally so. How else can you respond to an empty tomb and the declaration that God had raised Jesus from death to life?
The Augsburg curriculum reminds us that “Easter is about changing our frame of reference from the expected to the incredible.”
Easter is miraculous. It is full of wonder and the triumph of good over evil. Which is to say that America’s great interest in comic book superheroes may be indicative of an underlying hope we all have. We all desire to witness the incredible, the awesome.
The majesty of Easter is in recognizing that our hope for the incredible is not simply fairy-tales and pipe-dreams.
This Sunday is Easter, and there is no reason to restrict the wonderful to comic books and movie screens. So, I hope you can come with fresh eyes – to experience Easter all over again as an incredible, marvelous story.
Something to Chew On:
What makes Easter so incredible is that it is a hope and life born out of despair and darkness. The good news about Jesus’ resurrection is prefaced by the disturbing news that Jesus – the very son of God – found himself scorned, ridiculed and killed.
There are two more opportunities for you to walk into the valley so that you might appreciate the mountain-top view of Easter. Today, there will be a Good Friday service at noon and 6 pm in the chapel.
Then, tomorrow, there will be a Great Vigil of Easter service, which will help signify the transition out of emptiness and silence into new life and good news. The service will begin at 7 pm here at the church.
Prayer for the day:
“Alleluia! We thank you, O God, for our new life in Christ. Join our voices and our hearts with your servants in every place and time. Alleluia!” - Seasons of the Spirit: Ages 12-14. Pg. 39
