As I was reading the texts for today, two things stood out for me:

            “do not be afraid” and

                        “resurrection….”

The accounting of names is always important.

 Names are the ways that we identify ourselves….
and one another.

 “What names are you considering?” we ask new parents when he hear of a pregnancy.

 The lack of names is also important…..

The Pharisees asked Jesus’ disciples,          
  “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

The Pharisees didn’t understand….

Today is the only Sunday in the church year devoted to a church doctrine.

 I could ramble on for 10 or 15 minutes, trying to get at something that took well over a century to hammer out in our Creed, but this morning I really want to address this question:

What difference does belief in a Trinitarian God make in our lives?

“Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6b)

 The apostles wanted to know.

 They had hoped that Jesus would restore the kingdom,
but their hopes were dashed when he was crucified….

This morning we find Paul on his 2nd missionary journey,

            having gained some new followers of Jesus

      and having gained some folks who want to kill him….

This morning our texts talk about sheep, shepherds, and abundant life.

 While all the readings are connected, I want to focus on Psalm 23…

On this third Sunday of Easter, Easter Day is probably becoming a vague memory to many of us.

We have since…

watched the successful landing of the Integrity capsule of the Artemis II mission, paid our taxes, made visits to doctors’ offices, and wondered if we’ll have one more final freeze so that we can plant!…

Back in my younger years,
            I would ride my bike to work.

 In the mornings,
I enjoyed the pre-dawn darkness.

 There were few cars on the roads,
           and the streetlights were still glowing in the dark….

“After the sabbath,
         as the first day of the week was dawning,
                Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.”

 Friday had been horrific….

 “Hope frees us to live in the present, with the deep trust that God will never leave us.” (Henri Nouwen)

 What words of faith and comfort that Henri Nouwen gives us….

We find Jesus this morning,

having just ducked out of the temple,

 narrowly escaping a stoning by some angry Jews

      who have taken offense at his claim to be the Son of Man….

Activist Shane Claiborne says,

“Violence is contagious.

“Violence begets violence. …”

“A powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake shakes parts of Malaysia.” 

“11 million under flood watch as storms bring heavy rain and snow to California.” 

“UN warns millions in Somalia face malnutrition and starvation.” 

“Ukraine remembers its dead as war enters a fifth year.” 

These were some of our recent news headlines….

We all face temptations…
            all the time!

 But how do we handle them?

 That is the question.

Paul says to the Church at Corinth:
            “Be reconciled to God.”

 That seems to me the theme of Lent: reconciliation….

“Arrive with no plan….”

When Jesus finishes the Sermon on the Mount,
           he continues addressing the disciples saying:

 “You are the salt of the earth…

“You are the light of the world….”

Given Jesus’ clarity on the matter,
            perhaps we should spend a little time fleshing that out….

This week I read a blog post by Lutheran pastor, Nadia Bolz-Weber.

 A woman named Kathryn had written her:
           “Dear Nadia, I am struggling with the world’s weight….”

“The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”

 This morning we hear these words in both Isaiah and our Gospel reading….

Light has shined on those who live in deep darkness!…