Acts 5:12-20; Revelation 1:4-18; John 20:19-31

He is Risen! But Jesus was not finished with his ministry on earth. We will be looking at the 40 days after the cross and resurrection. What was it that Jesus wanted his people to see, to know, to avoid and to do? Today we look at his first appearance to his disciples.

Isaiah 65:17-25; Romans 6:3-11; Luke 24:1-12

“He is risen!”—the Church shouts with confidence—“He is risen indeed!”The high point of our Christian life is celebrated this morning as we gather with allof God’s children to rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Astoday’s Gospel from Luke 24 will show us, confusion and fear give way toconfident faith when the women who went to the tomb realize Jesus is alive andthen share this good news with the other disciples. Through those disciples, thismessage has reached us also! Just as God had promised through His prophetsof old, the Lord Himself will restore creation and bring harmony to all life—beginning with Jesus’ resurrection and continuing until the Last Day, when Jesusreturns in glory, destroys death itself, and raises us up to new lives in His eternalkingdom. With confidence in God’s promises, we say: “I know that myRedeemer lives!” What comfort, what hope, what joy this sweet sentence gives!

Deuteronomy 32:36-39; Philippians 2:5-11; John 12:20-43

The words of the prophet Zechariah echo throughout this special day: “Behold your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is He, humble and mounted on a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). On this day, we remember how Jesus Christ, the King of all creation, came down the Mount of Olives riding “a colt, the foal of a donkey.” We know the time and the place of that coming down the hill and traveling in procession across the valley and up to the city of Jerusalem. Jesus rode down a real mountain in a definite time in history and at a place still very much there today. All this was for a most certain purpose. On this day of celebration and of sorrow, we have reason to rejoice in the salvation our humble King brought for us to and through Jerusalem and to the cross on Calvary’s hill. The people there called out Hosanna!—which means “save us now!” And Jesus fulfilled their—and our—heart-felt request.

Who’s Boss? In our world today everyone is told that it is their life. People leave jobs because they don’t like what is required. Some people cannot follow anyone but themselves. What does Jesus tell us in His parable about the Wicked Tenants that we experience in our world?

Isaiah 12:1-6; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

No parable more fully describes the profound character of God’s mercy than the prodigal son and the waiting father. We are the rebels who begin to think we deserve our heavenly Father’s kindness and who demand from Him what is not our right to claim. But instead of disowning us, He meets us with joy, welcomes us with His forgiveness, restores our tattered righteousness with the robe of Christ’s holiness, and sets His Table before us. This is what happens every Sunday as the Lord reclaims us from our sins, restores joy to our heavy hearts, reminds us of His baptismal promise, and feeds our body and soul with the body and blood of His Son. This is the source of our holy joy and this is the peace that passes all understanding.

Ezekiel 33:7-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Luke 13:1-9

God blessed us with his Word so that we would know Him. The prophets came to reveal what our loving God was trying to give his children. Jesus came to reveal what had been lost in God’s people. The disciples of Jesus lived their calling to share the good news with the world. What is Immanuel’s purpose in the world today?

Jeremiah 26:8-15; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:31-35

What a privilege it must have been when Israel was rescued by God. What an incredible king God was with His people. A king of truth, power, and love. Yet, Israel did not follow their savior. God was patient and forgiving, but Israel will would not follow Him. When God Himself came down to help and guide, His people would not accept God as their king. After the consequences, they lamented. Do you ever lament?

Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Romans 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13

The First Sunday in Lent begins with the temptation of Jesus. Alone in the wilderness, Jesus faces the temptations of the devil, who tries to use God’s own Word to entrap Jesus. The collect reminds us that we are also walking through the wilderness of this world, taunted and tempted by the devil, who still uses God’s Word to entrap us. Jesus does not simply show us how to resist but reveals that our strength lies in the same Word of God. In Christ, we stand strong against the wiles of the devil and, when and if we fall, we find refuge in Christ to be forgiven and restored.

Isaiah 12:1-6; Romans 5:1-11; Matthew 6:25-33

Tick Tock Tick Tock - It’s amazing how sometimes time is moving so fast we can’t keep up. It’s amazing time is moving so slow we want it go faster. What a gift that we have the God who has all time in His hands.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 5:1-2, 15-20; Matthew 20:20-28

God blesses us with so much grace and so many gifts. Have you identified your gifts? Have you seen your talents and the reason God gave you your talents? What a wonderful and generous Father we have!