By Richard R. Aguirre, Goshen College staff
Reprinted from Lenten Devotions DEVOTIONAL: Have you ever finished watching a movie feeling unsatisfied – even upset – by an unexpected or cliffhanger ending? Today’s scripture, the original conclusion of the Gospel of Mark, can certainly leave one feeling underwhelmed or even frustrated. We want more because other Gospels tell us that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and then to the disciples, that he issued the Great Commission and ascended to heaven. In other words, we want our Easter Sunday story to have a happy and unambiguous ending – the triumph of good over evil and life over death, with side orders of Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies. But that’s not what happened on that morning long ago. Instead, as this scripture relates, grief gave way to distress and then shock at the angel’s startling revelation, followed by amazement and fear. The women were too frightened to believe Christ had risen and was on his way to Galilee, the embodiment of the Good News. So how are we supposed to respond to Mark 16:1-8? I believe we are called to put ourselves into the story and imagine how we would respond to the angel’s message – immediately and with belief or only after we gathered more evidence. When I was a young newspaper reporter, I often ran out of the newsroom, notepad in hand, when the police scanner sputtered to life and 911 dispatchers directed emergency personnel to respond to reports of fires, car crashes, robberies or shootings. I wanted to see the action first hand and interview witnesses. Sometimes that led to good stories, filled with vivid details, but sometimes the reports were false alarms. As I got older, and more experienced, I usually waited to verify the initial reports by telephone before heading out for the story. As Christians, we often face a similar dilemma: we don’t always know how and when to respond to circumstances that test our faith – whether to forge ahead or weigh the evidence and act only when we feel ready. Fortunately, faithful believers can help write the story as long as we keep open hearts and minds: Jesus eventually will meet us, whether on the road to Galilee or after we arrive there. PRAYER: Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia! Through his life, his teachings, his suffering and his sacrifice, Jesus ushered in an “Upside Down and Inside Out” kingdom and world. May the risen Christ renew your faith, bring you hope and joy through all your days and give you courage to spread the Good News. Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia! SCRIPTURE: Mark 16:1-8 (NRSV) The Resurrection of Jesus When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.’ So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
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By Taylor Ermoian, a senior at Goshen College
Reprinted from Lenten Devotions DEVOTIONAL: Many questions surface for me as I reflect on this passage. Why did the first disciple not enter the tomb? What did he fear? Why was Mary Magdalene not surprised by the presence of angels? Why did Mary stay at the tomb after the disciples had left? However, despite these curiosities, one question remains most pertinent for me: Why could Mary Magdalene not recognize her beloved’s voice? Jesus’s voice. The very man whom she was weeping about. Mary seemed so consumed by her own fears and worries that she had forgotten the timbre of the voice of her most cherished person. Someone’s voice that she thought she knew very well. A voice she could never forget. Yet how quickly we forget. How have you forgotten God’s voice? In what ways are you no longer able to hear your creator? Through apathy, laziness, arrogance, stagnancy or the illusion of good deeds, we have all experienced seasons of drought in our ability or even willingness to listen for God’s voice in our lives. Like with Mary, God not only whispers the spirit into our lives, but when our ears have become so deeply clogged God passionately shouts out our names. “Mary!” “Taylor! Hear my voice, I am ALWAYS with you. Never forget this” I invite you to reflect upon these thoughts, in hopes that not only your ears, but also all of your senses will be re-tuned and awakened to a state of desire and awareness of God’s voice. The voice that speaks through people, the sun, the winds, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, the spirit, silence and screams. The voice that warms, challenges, produces, transforms, forgives, affirms and loves. May we listen, hear, and echo God’s voice! AMEN SCRIPTURE: John 20:1-18 (NRSV) The Resurrection of Jesus 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 towards 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. Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene 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 round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ 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. By Hannah Barg, a junior at Goshen College
Reprinted from Lenten Devotions DEVOTIONAL: In the field of science, we must justify theories, hypotheses and claims with supporting evidence which underlines some understood truth. As a science major, I often extend this kind of philosophy to other areas of my life. It is much easier for me to believe something is true if there is evidence to support my claim. While I recognize that my faith cannot ever be entirely justified or “proved” by physical evidence, having some basis in this makes my faith more understandable and real; it balances the intangible with the tangible. In his letters to the church in Corinth, Paul made a point to remind the people of the evidence for Jesus’ death and resurrection, mentioning the events that took place and the witnesses who saw the resurrected Jesus. This would have been an important component of the early church’s doctrine, and necessary to ground the beliefs of these new Christians in something real and experienced. Now, many centuries after Christ walked the earth, we still need to be reminded of these truth claims. Paul’s account is what helps us as Christians today paint the picture of the resurrection in our minds. We see Jesus interacting with each of the witnesses; we are able to imagine what it would have been like to meet the resurrected Jesus, the amazement and excitement of this encounter. As we prepare for our celebration of Easter in a few short days, let us all dwell in the invitation to participate, witness and proclaim Jesus’ resurrection and the power this has in each of our lives. SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (4) (NRSV) The Resurrection of Christ Now I should remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to someone untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe. and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. By Alisa Murray, a senior at Goshen College
Reprinted from Lenten Devotions DEVOTIONAL: As we arrive at Easter this coming week, we anticipate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are encouraged with the words from the psalmist, “The Lord’s love endures forever.” This particularly encourages me, at this time of year with the stress of school work, commitments and other elements of daily life, which seem to pile up and consume time. Even during busy schedules, I have found taking time to spend in the Word and other ways of connecting with God has encouraged and reminded me of the psalmist’s words, “The Lord’s love endures forever.” I am amazed at the simple yet powerful message behind these words. When my schedule is out of control, “The Lord’s love endures forever.” When I spill soup on my laptop, “The Lord’s love endures forever.” When I am overwhelmed with school work, “The Lord’s love endures forever.” When I found out I need to take two online classes to graduate, “The Lord’s love endures forever.” When I found out I am teaching the entire class period and not just 30 minutes, “The Lord’s love endures forever.” Psalm 118 according to Alisa SCRIPTURE: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 (NRSV) A Song of Victory 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. |
Chad Hill
Pastor, Allen-Lee CategoriesArchives
April 2015
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