Luke 24

The Resurrection

   ¹But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
   ²And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
   ³but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
   ⁴While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing;
   ⁵and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead?
   ⁶"He is not here, but He has risen Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee,
   ⁷saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."
   ⁸And they remembered His words,
   ⁹and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
   ¹⁰Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.
   ¹¹But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.
   ¹²But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.

The Road to Emmaus

   ¹³And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.
   ¹⁴And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place.
   ¹⁵While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them.
   ¹⁶But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.
   ¹⁷And He said to them, "What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?" And they stood still, looking sad.
   ¹⁸One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, "Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?"
   ¹⁹And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people,
   ²⁰and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him.
   ²¹"But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.
   ²²"But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning,
   ²³and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive.
   ²⁴"Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see."
   ²⁵And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
   ²⁶"Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?"
   ²⁷Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
   ²⁸And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther.
   ²⁹But they urged Him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over." So He went in to stay with them.
   ³⁰When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.
   ³¹Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.
   ³²They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?"
   ³³And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them,
   ³⁴saying, "The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon."
   ³⁵They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.

Other Appearances

   ³⁶While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be to you."
   ³⁷But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit.
   ³⁸And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
   ³⁹"See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."
   ⁴⁰And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
   ⁴¹While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?"
   ⁴²They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish;
   ⁴³and He took it and ate it before them.
   ⁴⁴Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."
   ⁴⁵Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
   ⁴⁶and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,
   ⁴⁷and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
   ⁴⁸"You are witnesses of these things.
   ⁴⁹"And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

The Ascension

   ⁵⁰And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
   ⁵¹While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
   ⁵²And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
   ⁵³and were continually in the temple praising God.

Nothing says it like His Word

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter.  Don't forget to remember the reason for the season.

Luke 23

Jesus before Pilate

   ¹Then the whole body of them got up and brought Him before Pilate.
   ²And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King."
   ³So Pilate asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" And He answered him and said, "It is as you say."
   ⁴Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no guilt in this man."
   ⁵But they kept on insisting, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching all over Judea, starting from Galilee even as far as this place."
   ⁶When Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.
   ⁷And when he learned that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself also was in Jerusalem at that time.

Jesus before Herod

   ⁸Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him.
   ⁹And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing.
   ¹⁰And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently.
   ¹¹And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate.
   ¹²Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with each other.

Pilate Seeks Jesus' Release

   ¹³Pilate summoned the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
   ¹⁴and said to them, "You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him.
   ¹⁵"No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him.
   ¹⁶"Therefore I will punish Him and release Him."
   ¹⁷[Now he was obliged to release to them at the feast one prisoner.]
   ¹⁸But they cried out all together, saying, "Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!"
   ¹⁹(He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.)
   ²⁰Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again,
   ²¹but they kept on calling out, saying, "Crucify, crucify Him!"
   ²²And he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him."
   ²³But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail.
   ²⁴And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted.
   ²⁵And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will.

Simon Bears the Cross

   ²⁶When they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.
   ²⁷And following Him was a large crowd of the people, and of women who were mourning and lamenting Him.
   ²⁸But Jesus turning to them said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
   ²⁹"For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.'
   ³⁰"Then they will begin TO SAY TO THE MOUNTAINS, 'FALL ON US,' AND TO THE HILLS, 'COVER US.'
   ³¹"For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
   ³²Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him.

The Crucifixion

   ³³When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
   ³⁴But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing " And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
   ³⁵And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One."
   ³⁶The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine,
   ³⁷and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!"
   ³⁸Now there was also an inscription above Him, "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."
   ³⁹One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!"
   ⁴⁰But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
   ⁴¹"And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."
   ⁴²And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!"
   ⁴³And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."
   ⁴⁴It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour,
   ⁴⁵because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two.
   ⁴⁶And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." Having said this, He breathed His last.
   ⁴⁷Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, "Certainly this man was innocent."
   ⁴⁸And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, began to return, beating their breasts.
   ⁴⁹And all His acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, seeing these things.

Jesus Is Buried

   ⁵⁰And a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man
   ⁵¹(he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God;
   ⁵²this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
   ⁵³And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain.
   ⁵⁴It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
   ⁵⁵Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid.
   ⁵⁶Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

of dreams and other stuff

So last night I dreamt I was at church on an Easter Sunday and they were doing the Passion Play. All of a sudden I see a light from the stage that did not belong.  I feel myself get up and start walking toward it. As I walk toward it friends jump up from their chairs rushing to me asking me what I am doing. "I don't know" I say. And they try to get me to come with them.  I feel they are afraid I will embarrass myself. One by one they come and I tell them. "I must go on, though I know not why." Finally they give up and I walk into the light and feel it enfold me and I feel love like I have never know envelope me and hold me and then it is gone.  And I turn and look around. I feel deserted. Left behind and I wake up.  And my first thought was wow how much more powerful would that had been if had been real.  My second thought was to thank Jesus for leaving that holy place to come down to be with us.  Wow it must have been like ripping yourself in two.  I cannot even imagine!  We always think of everything He gave up for us here, but I wonder how often we think about what He had to give up in Heaven to come to us.

I still cannot put into words the devastation I felt just before waking up.  The desperate need to not be here, the wish to go with that light.  It was so intense, so real and yet it was but a dream.

The Baby That Came to Die

There are two holidays that I cannot think of as separate. I could never put them apart not even when I was very small. The two holidays that celebrate one gift, the Christ Child. One that celebrates bringing forth a helpless child and on...e sending Him back home after saving an entire world and all it's people past, present and future. And even that doesn't cover all it means to me. He chose how to come to save me. He chose to come meek and mild not rich and spoiled. He chose to come as a common man not as a king. He chose over and over again to not be held up by those who wanted His kingdom immediately instead He wanted to give us all a chance and so He died on a sinners cross and in doing so poured out His blood for all sinners. Each time He chose. Each moment He could easily have said enough, it isn't worth it. But He never did. He never turned, He never hesitated. He went boldly forward for me. His death was not the end of His life but the beginning of mine. Happy Easter to all. He has risen from the dead and He is Lord. Let us celebrate His sacrifice and His love for us. For no greater love is this than that one man should give up his life for another.

April 11, 2011

Do you ever think about the things God does and does not give you.  I was just wondering today about how as a child I used to pray for wisdom.  I expected Him to make me wiser. It wasn't until I was much older that I realized He didn't make me wiser but gave me His wisdom. That's why when I pull away from Him, I usually wind up feeling like a complete idiot. Any wisdom that anyone finds in me is from Him. If I push Him away then I also push away wisdom and so much more.  I push away love, peace, kindness, patience, hope, charity.  Without Him I truly am nothing.  But with Him there is nothing I can't do.  Provided of course that what I want to do is what is best for me. Sometimes I admit it is a bit like I walking around in a catch 22, but really once I am through something and look back it all makes sense.  The trick, if you can call it that, I guess is in letting God take me down the path and not in trying to lead Him down it.  He knows whats up ahead. He knows everyone and everything they have ever been through.  I don't.  So to be able to walk in His light I have to give up mine to Him.

The sun is starting to go down and I always equate the sunset with telling God goodnight and thanking Him for the day.  And I think of the sunsets as His good night to me.  I feel so blessed at these moments as if I am truly sitting with Him watching the sun of his creation set and wondering about my day. Maybe talking to Him about it or just sitting quietly beside Him and contemplating what has or has not happened and wondering what tomorrow might bring. I think of that Life Savers Commercial, where the dad and little girl are sitting watching the sunset and after it's over she asks him to do it again.  And with God He does....

Welcome to Let The Sonshine In.

I am not a new blogger.  However it has been many years since I have done this type of thing, so bear with me as I get used to having a blog and as I start to update organize and transfer stuff from my Facebook page.  This Blog will containing mainly Christian ideals and views.  However I am also an amateur photographer, a crafter and a cook.  So I will have recipes, stories of everyday life, photos of things I like and pictures of crafting that I have done.  I might later break them out into different Blogs but for now I am creating pages for each.  Thanks for those of you wishing to follow my blog. Mary.