Overarching Theme: We have been raised with Christ.
But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. -- Ephesians 2:4-8
March 30 2nd Sunday in Easter: Thomas Sunday
The focus is on graciousness of Christ in meeting our doubts (divine action instead of human re-action) “those who cannot see me in the flesh will nevertheless be enabled by grace to believe, even as you have been, Thomas. For I, the Risen One am gracious. By the power of my resurrection I am able to share myself as a gift with all in every age and circumstance who truly seek me.” (Stookey, 59)
April 6 3rd Sunday in Easter: Meal Sunday Communion Sunday
Focus on the presence of Christ. The Lord’s supper has changed from the sadness of death to the joy of the feast of heaven hosted by the victorious Christ. We find joy in our deliverance from death and the powers of evil. Two Luke stories: the Emmaus Road and Jesus eating with the disciples to show his bodily resurrection….. Christ is made known in the breaking of bread.
April 13 4th Sunday in Easter: Good Shepherd Sunday
Language of Jesus as the good shepherd – a metaphor for divine care. The tension of Jesus as both lamb and shepherd.
April 20th 5th Sunday in Easter: “I AM” Sunday
the transcendence of God—the cosmic Christ – stands in contrast to the “Good Shepherd” metaphor. “I AM” statements from John can be compared to the “I AM” of the burning bush and the reference to the Revelation account “I AM the alpha and Omega”
April 27th 6th Sunday in Easter: Love Sunday
How Christians are to live together – love one another – the Spirit will work this out in us.
“May it be that our real failure is that we have trusted in ourselves to achieve love when instead we should have accepted as a gift from the Spirit the love God showed to the world in the humiliation-exaltation of Jesus?” (Stookey, 65)
May 4th 7th Sunday in Easter: Ascension Sunday Communion Sunday
(Ascension Day is the Thursday before this Sunday.)
1. God completes what he starts
2. We participate in the resurrection of Christ – we are also raised (1 Cor. 15:20)
3. Jesus takes his human experience to the throne of the Father
4. In the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and Risen Christ is not confined by time or space.
May 11th Pentecost Sunday Empowering of the Church
“the day of Pentecost is about the formation of the church out of a frightened band of followers; that tight-lipped crowd, which had huddled timidly behind closed doors, is trhust by the Spirit into the streets of Jerusalem to proclaim the gospel in terms everyone can understand. How are we to account for this change? Only by recognizing that the Spirit is the One who forms the church by making the Risen Christ manifest in power.” (Stookey, 74)
