That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life...we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Imagine what the Christian Faith would look like if the resurrection story in the Gospels simply ended with the words, “He has risen, he is not here” (Mark 16:6). What would Christianity look like if the account ended with just the claim that Christ had risen from the dead? Without any subsequent appearances to his followers or his journey with the two travelers on the Road to Emmaus. Without him coming to stand before the disciples like he does in today’s Gospel. In short, what would the Gospel look like if there were no “witnesses of these things” -- no witnesses of the risen Lord -- but only a claim that the rest of us simply had to accept or reject at face value?

Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him….

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

As we come today to the final Sunday in Lent, we find the hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. It is the hour when the purpose for which Jesus came into the world is now ready to be fulfilled: Father, glorify thy name. Our Lord has received his cue. His final act to play on the great stage of the world has come. 

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which giveth life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, 
and we in him….

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Fourth Sunday in Lent is known as “Laetare Sunday” and is a brief moment of levity and celebration in an otherwise austere season of fasting and penitence. Laetare is the Latin word for “rejoice” -- so this is literally “Rejoice Sunday.” For those churches that have them, it’s an option today to switch out the Lenten array of the vestments and altar furnishings you see up here for a rose-colored set to highlight the mood. And then there’s yet another title for today, “Refreshment Sunday” --- which gets at the same point -- but also directs our attention to the Gospel lesson appointed this morning, where we hear of Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand, as recorded in John’s Gospel. 

Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul.

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

For human beings, architecture has never been just about the need for shelter. It’s way more than that, because the buildings we construct are expressions of our deepest values. It’s why we feel personally offended if a certain space we cherish is neglected or used inappropriately. Buildings are reflections of our selves, and so the way that a space is treated likewise reflects the way that we desire to be treated. For example, while we could theoretically teach our children in a metal shed with a couple heaters and a window unit, the fact that we can do better than that means that such a space would suggest an unacceptable lack of care for the value of education. Schools should look like we consider education to be as important as it is. 

​And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly.

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

As those who know how the story of the Gospel ends -- who know that the tomb is empty -- the season of Lent could seem unnecessary, perhaps even like a distraction from the grand finale. So, it’s worth asking why we have to rewind the tape and go through Lent every year?