Wednesday Words for April 30, 2014
From Pastor Carrie Smith
Scroll down to find the link to the Bethany Weekly Newsletter. Enjoy!
Thought for the Day:
Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection,
not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.
Martin Luther
***
Tonight at Bethany: Wednesday nights are back in full swing! Bethany choir and Confirmation are meeting tonight as usual.
Sunday at Bethany: Alleluia, Christ is risen! The Easter candy may be on 50% off, but we are still celebrating the resurrection. This week we’ll hear the story of how Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and became known to them in the breaking of the bread. We’ll sing songs that proclaim “Alleluia, he is risen!”: “This Joyful Eastertide”, “At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing”, and “He is Lord, he is Lord, he is risen from the dead and he is Lord!” The Bethany choir will sing at 8:30, and we’ll be graced with some surprise special music at 10:30 am.
Looking back to last week: What a glorious Sunday it was! It was inspiring to see so many of our young people leading the worship services. The Youth Band was uplifting, the skit was humorous, we heard from an articulate high school senior, and we saw some new assisting ministers in action. Thanks be to God! Let us find ways to lift up the gifts, talents, and passions of our young people every Sunday of the year. They are not the future of the church—they ARE the church. Thank you especially to Pr. Paul for his hard work in organizing and recruiting for these services.
Bethany Arts: The Elgin Brass Quintet was superb! Thank you to the more than 175 people who showed up to hear this music and to honor the memory of Marcene Linstrom, beloved wife of Pastor Emeritus Robert Linstrom.
Culver’s update: The Preschool Night at Culver’s netted $520 for the Bethany Preschool. Even better—Thrivent is matching $500 of that! These funds will provide scholarships for students who cannot pay the entire cost. Thanks be to God—and to those of you who showed up to support the preschool!
World Hunger Update: Again, thank you for giving generously. The Bethany community gave $5,785.00 to ELCA World Hunger during Lent and Holy Week, which will be matched by a Bethany member, dollar for dollar. WOW! This is what it means to be the church—giving ourselves away as bread for the hungry.
“If you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.” Isaiah 58:10
***
This Week’s Texts: 3rd Sunday of Easter
Prayer of the Day:
O God, your Son makes himself known to all his disciples
in the breaking of bread.
Open the eyes of our faith,
that we may see him in his redeeming work,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
| FIRST READING | Acts 2:14a, 36–41 |
Today's reading is the conclusion of Peter's sermon preached following the giving of the Holy Spirit to the apostles on the day of Pentecost. The center of his preaching is the bold declaration that God has made the crucified Jesus both Lord and Christ.
14aBut Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, 36Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified."
37Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" 38Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him." 40And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.
| PSALM (ELW) | Psalm 116:1–4, 12–19 |
I will call on the name of the LORD. (Ps. 116:13)
1I love the LORD, who has | heard my voice,
and listened to my | supplication,
2for the LORD has given | ear to me
whenev- | er I called.
3The cords of death entangled me; the anguish of the grave
| came upon me;
I came to | grief and sorrow.
4Then I called upon the name | of the LORD:
"O LORD, I pray you, | save my life." R
12How shall I re- | pay the LORD
for all the good things God has | done for me?
13I will lift the cup | of salvation
and call on the name | of the LORD.
14I will fulfill my vows | to the LORD
in the presence of | all God's people.
15Precious in your | sight, O LORD,
is the death | of your servants.
16O LORD, truly I | am your servant;
I am your servant, the child of your handmaid;
you have freed me | from my bonds.
17I will offer you the sacrifice | of thanksgiving
and call upon the name | of the LORD. R
18I will fulfill my vows | to the LORD
in the presence of | all God's people,
19in the courts of | the LORD's house,
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. | Hallelujah! R
| SECOND READING | 1 Peter 1:17–23 |
The imagery of exile is used to help the readers of this letter understand that they are strangers in a strange land. Christians no longer belong to this age. Through the death of Christ we belong to God, so that our focus, faith, and hope are no longer on such things as silver or gold.
17If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile. 18You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. 21Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.
22Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. 23You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.
| GOSPEL | Luke 24:13–35 |
The colorful story of Jesus' appearance to two disciples on the road to Emmaus answers the question of how Jesus is to be recognized among us. Here, he is revealed through the scriptures and in the breaking of bread.
13Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad. 18Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?" 19He asked them, "What things?" They replied, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him." 25Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! 26Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" 27Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
28As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?" 33That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!" 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Peace,
Pr. Carrie Smith
