Easter

Kids Korner: Good Shepherd (April 21st)

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Read John 10:11-18 with your family.

Sometimes it is very hard for adults to understand the lessons God is trying to teach us. Kids have an easier time understanding God (which should mean that adults listen more to kids, but sadly that doesn’t happen).

It was difficult for adults to understand in Jesus’ time as well, which is why Jesus used word pictures to help grown-ups understand the lessons of God. Jesus used things like candles, coins, bread, and fig trees to explain what he came to teach. One of the most popular word pictures Jesus used was sheep.

Sheep might be hard to understand in our time if we only ever live in the city, but in Jesus time sheep were everywhere. Even people who did not work with sheep were able to watch sheep and how they behaved.

So Jesus used the idea of sheep, that even when we were in trouble, like a shepherd, God would come find us and take care of us, even when the ‘shepherd’ had to risk their lives to make sure we stay safe.

Sunday Reflection – April 14, 2024

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Jesus tells his followers what comes next

Luke 24 36 While Jesus’ disciples were talking about what had happened, Jesus appeared and greeted them. 37 They were frightened and terrified because they thought they were seeing a ghost.

38 But Jesus said, “Why are you so frightened? Why do you doubt? 39 Look at my hands and my feet and see who I am! Touch me and find out for yourselves. Ghosts don’t have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

40 After Jesus said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 The disciples were so glad and amazed that they could not believe it. Jesus then asked them, “Do you have something to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish. 43 He took it and ate it as they watched.

44 Jesus said to them, “While I was still with you, I told you that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Books of the Prophets, and in the Psalms had to happen.”

45 Then he helped them understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them:

The Scriptures say that the Messiah must suffer, then three days later he will rise from death. 47 They also say that all people of every nation must be told in my name to turn to God, in order to be forgiven. So beginning in Jerusalem, 48 you must tell everything that has happened.

Kids Korner: I told you this would happen (April 14th)

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Read Luke 24:36-48 with your family.

This is about as close to an “I told you so” as Jesus got with his followers. He tried to tell them along the way, three times in fact, but they just could not hear it. Really, it is no surprise. Hearing your friend is going to be beaten and killed in the most painful way possible, is not something that any of us want to hear.

And when the disciples were listening to what Jesus said, they were focused on the horror of his death, not what came afterwards.

This meeting was a chance for them to see that Jesus really was back from the dead, and not just a ghost. He ate with them and he let them touch him. It was important that they were paying attention, because this was the last time Jesus would be able to teach them directly.

Jesus returned from the dead to show us death is not the worst thing that could happen, and that there is so much more to life after someone we love dies.

Jesus also reminded them that now it was time for them to get to work. This was not a movement Jesus was going to lead in person anymore. Encouraging people to ask for forgiveness and choosing a new life was now the responsibility of the disciples.

The work was not finished with Jesus’ death and resurrection. In truth, it had only begun for his followers, just like it is our job to keep reminding people of Jesus love and how we can change the world.

Sunday Reflection – April 7, 2024

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Recorded 2020

Jesus and Thomas

John 20 

19 The disciples were afraid of the Jewish leaders, and on the evening of that same Sunday they locked themselves in a room. Suddenly, Jesus appeared in the middle of the group. He greeted them 20 and showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they became very happy.

21 After Jesus had greeted them again, he said, “I am sending you, just as the Father has sent me.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23  If you forgive anyone’s sins, they will be forgiven. But if you don’t forgive their sins, they will not be forgiven.”

24 Although Thomas the Twin was one of the twelve disciples, he wasn’t with the others when Jesus appeared to them. 25 So they told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But Thomas said, “First, I must see the nail scars in his hands and touch them with my finger. I must put my hand where the spear went into his side. I won’t believe unless I do this!”

26 A week later the disciples were together again. This time, Thomas was with them. Jesus came in while the doors were still locked and stood in the middle of the group. He greeted his disciples 27 and said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands! Put your hand into my side. Stop doubting and have faith!”

28 Thomas replied, “You are my Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said, “Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed!”

30 Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life.

Kids Korner: Thomas has questions (April 7th)

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Read John 20:19-29 with your family.

Something I used to hear growing up was “just believe, don’t ask questions”. As a kid I found that hard to understand. As an adult who reads the Bible, I now know that is not the kind of faith God wants us to have.

Thomas asked questions like anyone else would. He wasn’t there the first time Jesus appeared in the Upper Room, so he had a hard time believing that Jesus had risen from the dead.

The challenge for us is that faith is believing when we can’t see something, and we are asked to have faith in Jesus and his resurrection.

However, having faith does not mean we stop asking questions. Even Jesus asked questions. That’s the only way we learn… and it’s the only way we can figure out if the adults around us know the answers or just want to stop the questions.

Sunday Reflection – Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024

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The tomb was empty

Mark 16 After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary the mother of James bought some spices to put on Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on Sunday morning, just as the sun was coming up, they went to the tomb. 3 On their way, they were asking one another, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance for us?” 4 But when they looked, they saw that the stone had already been rolled away. And it was a huge stone!

5 The women went into the tomb, and on the right side they saw a young man in a white robe sitting there. They were alarmed.

6 The man said, “Don’t be alarmed! You are looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was nailed to a cross. God has raised him to life, and he isn’t here. You can see the place where they put his body. 7  Now go and tell his disciples, and especially Peter, that he will go ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you.”

8 When the women ran from the tomb, they were confused and shaking all over. They were too afraid to tell anyone what had happened.

Sunday Reflection – Ascension Sunday, May 21, 2023

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Jesus offers prayer

John 17 After Jesus had finished speaking to his disciples, he looked up toward heaven and prayed:

Father, the time has come for you to bring glory to your Son, in order that he may bring glory to you. 2 And you gave him power over all people, so he would give eternal life to everyone you give him. 3  Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent. 4 I have brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, give me back the glory I had with you before the world was created.

6 You have given me some followers from this world, and I have shown them what you are like. They were yours, but you gave them to me, and they have obeyed you. 7 They know that you gave me everything I have. 8 I told my followers what you told me, and they accepted it. They know I came from you, and they believe you are the one who sent me. 9 I am praying for them, but not for those who belong to this world. My followers belong to you, and I am praying for them. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine, and they will bring glory to me.

11 Holy Father, I am no longer in the world. I am coming to you, but my followers are still in the world. So keep them safe by the power of the name you have given me. Then they will be one with each other, just as you and I are one. 

Sunday Reflection – May 14, 2023

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Promise of the Holy Spirit

John 14 15  Jesus said to his disciples:

If you love me, you will do as I command. 16 Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you. 17 The Spirit will show you what is true. The people of this world cannot accept the Spirit, because they don’t see or know him. But you know the Spirit, who is with you and will keep on living in you.

18 I won’t leave you like orphans. I will come back to you. 19 In a little while the people of this world won’t be able to see me, but you will see me. And because I live, you will live. 20 Then you will know I am one with the Father. You will know you are one with me, and I am one with you. 21  If you love me, you will do what I have said, and my Father will love you. I will also love you and show you what I am like.

Performed by Margaret Whisselle

Kids Korner: Promise of the Holy Spirit (May 14th)

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Read John 14:15-21 with your family.

Jesus knew he was leaving. His friends knew he was leaving, although they didn’t know the rest of the Easter story like we do. Everyone was sad.

But in the middle of all those feelings of worry and loss, Jesus gave them hope and love. He told them another would come to help them understand God. One who would make them feel better and help them really live the only commandment Jesus every gave his followers – that they love everyone. This was not romantic love or family love, but love for our neighbours and love for the world.

The promise was the Holy Spirit.

Jesus promised we would never be alone, and as long as we lived love for each other, we would always know God.

Sunday Reflection – May 7, 2023

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Jesus is the way

14 Jesus said to his disciples, “Don’t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I wouldn’t tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. 3 After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together. 4 You know the way to where I am going.”

5 Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t even know where you are going! How can we know the way?”

6  “I am the way, the truth, and the life!” Jesus answered. “Without me, no one can go to the Father. 7 If you had really known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him.”

8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need.”

9 Jesus replied:

Philip, I have been with you for a long time. Don’t you know who I am? If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. How can you ask me to show you the Father? 10 Don’t you believe that I am one with the Father and that the Father is one with me? What I say isn’t said on my own. The Father who lives in me does these things.

11 Have faith in me when I say that the Father is one with me and that I am one with the Father. Or else have faith in me simply because of the things I do. 12 I tell you for certain that if you have faith in me, you will do the same things I am doing. You will do even greater things, now that I am going back to the Father. 13 Ask me, and I will do whatever you ask. This way the Son will bring honor to the Father. 14 I will do whatever you ask me to do.

Performed by Margaret Whisselle