Rocky Road Epistles Chapter 4
Rocky Road Epistle 7th April 2020Chapter 4Happy Easter and welcome to chapter 4 of the Rocky Road Epistle from Laura, your minister in exile! Here we are in Holy Week approaching Easter without all the usual activities, sorry that you’ll have to cook your own breakfast on Sunday morning. At present life is without the usual trappings, it certainly highlights what is important for life. We have chance to pray, to read the Bible and think as we wait in this sort of “limbo”, unable to change our situation and wondering when the restrictions will be eased. Passage for next week is Luke 24 v.13-35You should have had a communion service for Maundy Thursday in last week’s mailing. If you can celebrate it at 7pm on Thursday (9th) by yourself, you’ll know that others from RRBC are doing the same. If you would like to you can join with some of us online through the “Zoom” system. You will need to provide your own with bread and wine (or equivalent).
Thoughts and prayer for Good FridayAs we think about Jesus suffering on the cross, we are reminded about those who are suffering at this time and who have suffered in the past, for example slaves in the 19th century slave trade. They were people like you and me, yet were treated like animals, and traded like objects. They were taken from their homes by force and trafficked to faraway countries. Those who survived the horrific sea crossing were then sold to the highest bidder. Those slaves wrote and sang songs. You might expect the words to complain and protest at their treatment. Even asking where is God in this, does he not care, why does he let us suffer? Yet the songs do not. Here are the first 2 verses of one of their songs Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? The song asks simply were you there? In Jesus the slaves saw a man like themselves, someone falsely accused, beaten, jeered at, imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. The slaves knew what it was like to be beaten, accused and taunted. Jesus suffered like they suffered, but this Jesus prayed ‘Father forgive’. How could Jesus love those who were unlovable, who had been so cruel? Jesus showed a way of love, a way of freedom and forgiveness. On the cross Jesus died for the sins of all people, of every race and colour. So for these slaves Jesus had to be who he said he was, otherwise he could not have done what he did. For the slaves who sung this song, the answer was yes, I was there, he died for me. They found forgiveness and hope through the cross. Whatever they were going through they knew God understood, God cared and there was hope of a better future. Or as an African-American preacher, S. M. Lockridge, put it “It’s Friday. But Sunday’s Coming!” Friday is a day of pain and death, but Sunday brings the joy of the resurrection. You cannot have Easter Sunday without Good Friday. PrayerDear Lord Jesus, our crucified saviour, thank you for dying for us that we can be forgiven and know God as our father. We can rejoice in the hope of this day because we know what happens next. Around your cross were those who were deeply upset, including your mother. We pray for those this day who have lost loved ones or are deeply distressed, especially in the middle of this Coronavirus outbreak, may they know the hope of Easter because you were wounded and broken for them. You suffered on the cross, you knew pain, beatings and betrayal. Around the world there are those who are suffering, those beaten, those who are betrayed. People who are wounded and broken, may they find the help they need and hope in their lives because you were wounded and broken for them. Father you sent Jesus to die for us, but praise you that was not the end of the story. Now you send us out into a world that is wounded and broken to speak of your love shown by the fact that Jesus was wounded and broken on the cross. Amen Reflection for Easter SundayBased on the passage for the week - Matthew 28 v.1-20 The passage has a pattern like a sandwich, Bottom layer of bread v.1-10, is made of four ingredients, 1) They knew Jesus had died The women had seen the crucifixion, how they must have suffered witnessing their beloved friend and Lord going through such agony. They knew though that he was dead and knew the tomb where he had been buried. As they waited for the Sabbath to be over, they must have been thinking about what had happened. They were in limbo, nothing to hope for, afraid of arrest, their lives on hold and in their grief forgetting what Jesus had said. Even now on the Sunday they could do very little. Just go to mourn at the tomb for didn’t know how they would move the massive stone. 2) They heard Jesus was alive The women went to the tomb, there was an earthquake, an angel and a message. The stone was rolled away by an angel – not an everyday occurrence, yet the message was more amazing, “Jesus is risen, just as he had said”. We are told that the women went rushing away, afraid yet filled with joy. Afraid of what? Of being arrested, afraid of what would happen when the guards recovered or simply not daring to believe the news which was too good to be true? 3) They met Jesus personally Jesus met them, they worshipped him and he said to them “do not be afraid”. Everything was going to work out, Jesus was alive, their few days of limbo were over. 4) They were given a message to tell others Jesus gave them something to do. It was very simple, “Go and tell the other disciples to go to Galilee and meet me there”. Filling v.11-15 is bribery and fake news The guards reported what had happened and were bribed to spread untruths. Fake news is nothing new and, like now, spreads very easily. Top layer of bread v.16-20, same four ingredients as on the bottom layer. 1) They knew Jesus had died The other disciples were in limbo, they had seen Jesus arrested, they all knew Jesus had been crucified, died and buried in a tomb. Three years of walking with Jesus had just ended in a very dramatic way. They were scared, not sure what to do, hadn’t remembered the words of Jesus. They gathered together supporting each other. 2) They heard that Jesus was alive We know this story so well, we know that Easter Sunday is coming when we celebrate Good Friday, but the original disciples did not know what was coming. The women came to tell them Jesus was alive and give the message of going to Galilee. As we learn from the other gospels, the women were not believed. Perhaps the men were so wrapt up in their own grief that they could not grasp the truth of what was said. 3) They met Jesus personally John tells us “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord (John 20 v.19,20). They met Jesus, who blessed them with peace. They were overjoyed! 4) They were given a message to tell others Jesus met them all again in Galilee and they were sent to spread the good news to all. Not just to tell, but to make disciples. Matthew 28 v.19 & 20 says “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." This message has travelled over 2000 years and all over the world to reach us. This Easter as a result of something dramatic, something not seen before, the whole world is in a state of limbo because of Coronovirus. No one knows when the shutdown will be over. But we have a greater hope founded on something more dramatic. We know Jesus has died, we have heard Jesus is alive, we have met Jesus personally and we have been given a message to tell others. These 4 ingredients should impact our lives as we live in the limbo between the resurrection on Easter Sunday and the second coming of Jesus. We can live with hope remembering the words of Jesus that he is with us always to the very end of the age. Nothing can separate us from his love. PrayerLiving God, Lord Jesus, Spirit of God, Encouragement in prayer
Suggestions
Hymns for Easter SundayJesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia! Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia! But the pains that he endured, Alleluia! Thine Be the GloryThine be the glory, risen, conquering Son, Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son, Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb; Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son, No more we doubt Thee, glorious Prince of life; Sing Resurrection A counter-infection of joy and hope for Easter Day Easter Sunday 2020 will be an Easter Sunday like no other before it. We cannot sing the great Easter hymns inside our churches, but we can sing them in this way… At 10am on Easter Sunday April 12th we call on all who want to celebrate the resurrection to go outside and sing Jesus Christ is Risen Today and Thine be the Glory at the top of their voices! You could sing them…
...all of course always keeping a safe spatial distance. Why Jesus Christ is Risen Today and Thine Be the Glory? They are probably the best loved Easter hymns known by the largest number of people. They are cheerful, confident and joyful acclamations of resurrection and will be uplifting for other people to hear on Easter morning. Jesus Christ is Risen Today is very ancient based on a 14th century Latin hymn, but reworked in the Lyra Davidica of 1708, so it is an expression of unity and connects us with all those who have gone before us. Thine Be the Glory was first written in French (A Toi la Gloire) by the Swiss writer Edmund Budry and connects us with the worldwide church. How to make this happen…
Participating organisations
|