Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Easter Song


Easter Song

1.  Peter came in anguish on that Easter morning
Remembering that bitter night and the way he had run.
He could hear the accusations, hear himself denying,
He could hear the rooster crowing with the coming of the sun.
But on that Easter morning, a new day had begun
His anguish would be taken with the rising of God’s Son.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia

2.      Mary came in sorrow on that Easter morning
Remembering that brutal hill and the way he had cried.
She couldn’t hide the tears, or the empty feeling
Or the haunting question of why he had to die.
But on that Easter morning, a new day had begun
Her sorrow would be taken with the rising of God’s Son.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia

3.      Andrew came in anger on that Easter morning
Remembering the cruel way they had him crucified.
He couldn’t see their reasons or understand their fears
And he vowed that he’d never forgive their lies.
But on that Easter morning, a new day had begun
His anger would be taken with the rising of God’s Son.
 Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia

4.      Thomas came with questions on that Easter morning
Remembering the dreams they shared as they walked through Galilee.
Was he the Messiah, the one for whom they waited,
The one who would truly set them free?
But on that Easter morning, a new day had begun
His questions would be taken with the rising of God’s Son.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia


Friday, March 2, 2018

Repent! - Good News?

Repent!  When we here the word, we usually envision the person on the street corner with a placard or the fire and brimstone preacher pounding on the pulpit.  For us, there’s an ominous quality to the word.  We rarely think of it as good news.   And yet, “Repent” is how Jesus began his ministry and the scripture tells us that it was good news.  How can that be?  Repentance begins with the painful truth that something is fundamentally broken and off in our world and in our lives and needs to change.  Change is at the heart of repentance.  As difficult as it is to hear that word, it’s true.  The shooting in Parkland is just the most recent reminder that the world is broken and change is needed.  As we look at our own lives, we can own that brokenness.  There’s a cause to our sleepless nights and anxious days that needs to be addressed.  With the call to repentance, Jesus is simply speaking the truth.  The good news is that he came not only acknowledge the need for change but to make that change possible.  Grace, the love of God, is the door to new life and new beginnings.  With grace, change happens.  We sees that in the lives of the people Jesus impacted.  Peter was changed.  Mary Magdalene was changed.  Paul was changed.  That power of change was poured out through Christ into whole world.  That’s why Jesus’ call to repent is good news.  The change we need in our lives, the change we need in the world, is made possible through Christ.