On The Second Day

Posted on April 21, 2014 by David Nuottila

IMG_2067And [Jesus] said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Luke 24:38

The Easter narratives from all four gospel accounts make us fully aware of what happened early in the morning on the first day of the week. Women went to Jesus’ tomb and found he was no longer dead, but raised. The amazement continued throughout that first day of the week with Jesus appearing to his disciples and two people on the road to Emmaus. Easter changes lives, but for our world today, what are we to make of Easter on the second day of the week?

Yesterday, churches were filled with worshipers, many of whom hadn’t attended services since Christmas. It is now the second day of the week, the day after the resurrection celebration. Certainly the chorus of “Jesus Christ is Risen Today” still rings in the ears of the faithful. The images of the resurrection are still vivid in the minds of believers, but how long is it before doubt once again creeps back into the forefront?

On the second day of the week, the world has returned to work; the daily struggle of earthly life continues. For so many, grief remains all too real, worry has returned, relationships are still broken and death looms on the horizon. Easter joy seems to come and go for those who are not accustomed to encountering the risen Lord Jesus on the first day of the week. Living in the midst of our brokenness, we forget that because of Easter, these things no longer have power over God’s people. In the face of such sin and death, we have the promise of life in God’s kingdom.

When we hear the gospel preached, share in the Lord’s Supper and live in the midst of God’s people, the Easter promise remains central in our hearts and minds. The events of the first day of the week set the tone for life in the face of death, forgiveness in the face of sin and certainty in the face of doubt. Jesus said, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). On the first day of the week, every week, we become witnesses to these things.

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Christ is risen! Alleluia!

Posted on April 20, 2014 by David Nuottila

DSC_0006But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:5-6

Until the first Easter morning, death has always been the final word. Each and every stone marking our graves has sealed the tombs of the dead. For centuries, humanity has wondered what comes after death. For some unknown reason, death captivates our imagination. We would love to take a peek and get a glimpse of the forever after. Perhaps that is because death is the only real certainty. At least it was before the resurrection of our Lord Jesus.

God raising his Son from the grave changes everything we know about death. It removes the sting of our disobedience and conquers the grave forever. As the great stone was rolled away, suddenly we can see into what was once hidden. We can see inside the grave and believe death is no more. The folded grave clothes of Christ are the only remnants of earthly life. The witness of those who encountered the resurrected Jesus is proof that God indeed kept his promise to save his people.

The world would have us believe it is all an idle tale. Non-believers would attempt to sway the belief of others, mocking them for worshiping the God they cannot see. Yet try as they might, the powers that defy God have never been able to discount the witness of those who shared in the eyewitness account of Jesus’ resurrection.

People of God, Christ is alive! Because he lives, those who believe and are baptized shall live also. This is the good news of our salvation. This is the gospel we are to share with the world. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

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Silence

Posted on April 19, 2014 by David Nuottila

IMG_1509And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. Matthew 27:59-60

Holy Saturday, the day after we remember the crucifixion of Jesus the church remains silent. There is no business to conduct. There is no proclamation other than “Jesus died.” Silence is perhaps the only way we can respond to such news. What is there to say? The one whom all of our hope was placed is himself placed in a tomb. Sealed with a great stone, Jesus’ tomb causes us to wonder if our fate too is sealed.

The Good Friday worship concludes without benediction; there are no “Good words” for us to offer. It is sin that brought Jesus to earth, sin that led him to the cross and sin that put him to death. Not his sin, but the sin and disobedience of humanity are what killed Jesus, our sin. There are no good words for us to say; we ourselves had a hand in all of this. So once again we are silenced by our shortcoming and must allow God the final word. Only God can speak for a fallen humanity that brought his Son to trial, convicted him and put him to death. In judgment, God’s final word is all that remains, and God’s final word is “life.”

Today, the church should remain silent. In silent reflection upon what Christ endured for our sake, the people of God ought to keep prayerful vigil. Festivities and celebrations can wait one more day. Today is the day for prayer, for just as we have had a hand in the death of Christ; God will hear the prayers of his people. By his hand, Christ is raised.

Almighty and eternal God, in the silence of our hearts we seek your forgiveness and mercy. Grant us the joy of your saving help, rescue us from our sin and restore us through the power of your grace through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Forgive them

Posted on April 18, 2014 by David Nuottila

IMG_1482“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34

They do not know what they are doing? Well, no they didn’t know exactly, they were too blinded by their sin. They were too wrapped up in their own self-importance, their own sense of control and fear to even begin to fathom what they were doing. They…the ones who killed Jesus. The only question is who are “they”?

It is so easy to name others; easy to blame others. Caiaphas, the priest, the Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes all conspired to falsely accuse Jesus. Herod turned his back on God, Jesus and the Jewish people. Even the crowd was swayed to call for the release of Barabbas and demand Jesus be killed. Pilate had opportunity to free Jesus but chose to order the crucifixion of an innocent man. The Roman soldiers followed the execution order with no regard for Jesus’ life. They all played their part and conspired against Jesus. It seems there was no shortage of people to blame, all those who wanted to keep Jesus’ kingdom from infringing on theirs.

And yet where are we when Jesus’ kingdom infringes on ours? Surely our sinfulness led Jesus to the cross. When we look at the definition of “they” we have to begin by looking in the mirror. As the apostle John teaches us, “If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1John 1:8). Jesus was innocent of all charges made against him. Yet because of our sin, he endured the pain, humiliation and shame of the cross. In essence, because of our age old rebellion, we too are numbered among those who crucified Jesus.

Surely Jesus could have cursed the sinners who nailed him to the tree. Surely he should have raged at us for the evil we do, the evil we do both knowing and unknowing. Yet, Jesus has compassion. With words uttered from the cross, he intercedes for us. Jesus begs his Father to forgive them, forgive us, “they don’t know what they are doing.”

The same compassion of God that brought Christ to earth, to serve God’s people, is the same compassion that compelled him to the cross. It is the power of God’s love that brings incredible, unbelievable grace for those whose sin made such sacrifice necessary. God’s compassion echoes through the centuries as Christ’s words are heard by all people who, through sin, participate in the crucifixion of our Lord.

Today, compassion cries out yet again. Today we are reminded of the victory of Jesus over sin and death. “For our sake God made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). For our sake, compassion cries out from the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Photo: The shrouded crucifix at the altar – Union Lutheran Church, Salisbury, NC

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Do This

Posted on April 17, 2014 by David Nuottila

IMG_2884And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” Mark 14:22

In the night in which Jesus was handed over, he prepared his disciples for their days and life ahead. There is no way they could have known the events that were about to unfold; that Jesus would be arrested and put to death. There is also no way that they could know that at their master’s darkest hour, they would all abandon him. However, Jesus knew this. He knew exactly what the coming hours would bring; pain, agony, death. Jesus knew the fear and anxiety they would feel, the sorrow at the loss of their master, and the grief that would pierce their hearts. And so Jesus prepared his friends. Jesus gave of himself once more in the breaking of the bread and pouring of the cup.

Tonight, we also need such preparation. Burdened by the weight of our sin, we come to the table where Christ offers us this same bread and cup. As we stretch out our empty hands filled with the shortcomings of human life, God lifts the burden of sin and places life, love and grace in our very palm. Eating this bread and drinking this wine is the means by which Jesus comes to us spiritually and physically in order that we may feel the power of God’s love. The bread that is broken and wine that is poured provide forgiveness of our sins and nourishment for our faith so that we may live for God alone.

This is not a memorial meal. It is not simply a means by which to remember how Jesus offered himself up for the sake of God’s people. It is real just as God’s grace is real. It is physical just as Christ’s body and blood is physical. Jesus continues to offer his body and blood because he knows we need it. He feeds us the bread of life because without it we have no life in us. This is the power of God’s love made manifest through Christ Jesus, that he would send his only begotten Son to die for the sake of his people.

In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it. Again after supper he took the cup, gave thanks and gave it for all to drink. Even as we gather and hear these words again, our Lord Jesus comes into our midst, stands among us and says, “Given and shed for you…Do this.”

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