March 19th, 2008
Do you remember those sickly-sweet marshmallow candy eggs? I don’t know if you can still buy them, but I hope to never see another one again. As a child my home church hid these candy eggs for all the children to hunt on the Saturday before Easter. I never cared for the eggs but I have many fond memories of those egg hunts. The adults would hide the eggs all around the ample church grounds including the cemetery and then we would busy ourselves collecting them. As far as I knew, no one gave much thought to the fact of searching for eggs among the tombs. The graveyard was as much a part the Easter experience as the crowed sanctuary would be the following day.
Children finding joy and pleasant surprises among the symbols of the dead are not that far removed from the first Easter morning. The disciples and the women came to the tomb expecting a dead man but were surprised with joy and life. They spent the rest of their life trying to comprehend it all.
Two thousand years later we are still trying to understand. We still have the dead among us and still are surprised when new life and new hope enters in: the alcoholic finds sobriety; the unfaithful spouse finds restoration; the terminated employee is given affirmation. The stories are endless and they all point us to the “hope in the graveyard.” This Sunday we will dwell among the crowds. Most of us “think” we know what to expect. But maybe God has something for our lives that reaches beyond our expectation, beyond our imagination.
May God “Easter” us this Sunday with newness for our church, our community, and our lives. Resurrection Day is not a historical event. It is God’s event for our lives everyday.
Grace, peace and love,
Greg
March 11th, 2008
There are just some journeys I would rather not take. Trips to a department store or a dentist or a parent-teacher conference do not make it to my top ten places to visit. We cannot always choose our journeys. And then there are the passages that are necessary.
Holy Week is a time believers and beholders throughout the world observe not because it is attractive, alluring or even desirable. We trek through Holy Week because it is a necessary journey that Christ took and calls on us to be willing to do the same. The days of Holy Week come as the final week of Lent, immediately preceding Easter Sunday. It is this week that we are invited to focus on the “passion” or suffering and death of Jesus. To rush to the empty tomb of Easter without pondering the significance of Christ’s passion cheapens the depth of Christ’s sacrifice. Only through walking in the shadows of Holy Week can we best experience the light and hope of Resurrection morning.
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51)
Holy Week begins this Sunday which is known as Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday. We recall Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem accompanied by the waving of palm branches and the gleeful shouts of children.
The following Thursday is called “Maundy Thursday.” (The term Maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum (from which we get our English word mandate). It is generally translated as commandment. There are a number of themes observed or commemorated on this day including the last meal with the disciples, which was probably a Passover meal, the institution of the Lord’s Supper or Communion, the betrayal of Judas, and the washing of feet. We also remember that it was on this night that Jesus prayed at Gethsemane and was handed over to the soldiers and arrested.
Contrast Maundy Thursday with Palm Sunday. Initially many were enthused about the inbreaking of God and his coming Kingdom. But when Jesus spoke of sacrifice and being willing to give all, the tone of the crowds changed. Indeed we discover that the disciples themselves did not understand.
Good Friday follows Maundy Thursday. The term “Good Friday” seems rather odd when considering what this day commemorates. This day remembers Jesus’ arrest (according the Jewish counting, Friday began at Sundown on Thursday), trial, suffering and crucifixion. The term “Good” probably came from “God’s Friday” just as “good-bye” comes from “God be with ye.” It is a dark day and is to be observed as such.
Finally, there is Holy Saturday. This is the seventh day of the week and so for the Jew was a day or rest or Sabbath. On this day Jesus rested in the tomb. Like Good Friday, Saturday is often observed as a day of fasting. It is a day we recall the words of the Psalmist: …Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. (Psalm 30:5)It is a journey we are each called to make. Join me this coming week as we observe and contemplate Holy Week. Grace and peace be yours, Greg
March 11th, 2008
Several years ago my son Aaron reminded me: “Dad remember, you promised…” Aaron was right. I had promised. I had assured both my sons that on the first day of school I would bake some homemade cinnamon rolls. My biggest problem was the fact that I had forgotten to take the starter out of the fridge Saturday night. For those of you unfamiliar with sourdough baking the starter is the yeast used to make the dough rise. To make bread with starter (including rolls) takes about thirty-six hours. Anyway, on Sunday morning I remembered my promise. So a “rush” job was in order. I called Amy at home and had her deliver the goods on her way to church that morning. Between the morning worship and the funeral I had that afternoon I was kneading dough in the break room. In the end, the rolls came out just fine on Monday morning. A promise is a promise.
Honoring commitments, after all, is important in the big and small things. Baptism, for the believer, is the outward mark of an internal commitment. And for the rest of our lives we seek to honor our commitments. How are you doing? Need a little reminder, a nudge, a word of assurance? I don’t think I am overstating it when I say that the church is where we help each other honor our promises and commitments. The Old Testament word for this is “covenant.” Simply stated, it is agreement we share with God. I shall live among you; I shall be your God and you will be my people (Leviticus 26:12). God is keeping his promises. How are we doing?
Grace and Peace
Greg
Greg’s Cinnamon Roll Recipe
For the Starter: Dissolve one cake of yeast into 1C of warm water and mix with ¾ cup of sugar and 3T of dehydrated potato flakes. Sit out on counter loosely covered for 8 hours. Cover and refrigerate. Every five to seven days take starter out and “feed” with the above ingredients, cutting the yeast to no more than half a cake if at all.
The Dough: Take starter out, “feed” and place on counter for eight hours (or overnight) with loose cover. Take out one cup of starter and place the remainder back in the refrigerator. Mix starter with 1/3 C of sugar, 1T salt, ½ C of corn oil, 1 ½ C of warm water and 6 C of bread flour. Knead dough until rubbery and place in greased bowl and cover. Let it stand all day or all night.
After the first rise, roll out half of the dough onto a floured surface. Roll into a 12 by 6 rectangle. Top with the following: 1/3 C melted butter, ¼ C sugar, ½ C brown sugar. ¾ C nuts (optional). Stir together and sprinkle on dough. Roll up jelly roll fashion starting with the long side. The roll should be about 12 inches long. Cut slices half inch and place in generously greased glass baking dish. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (all day or overnight). Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Serve warm for breakfast or anytime! Amy likes to add a drizzle of icing on top and for that you need a 1/2 cup of powdered sugar mixed with 1 tbl spoon of milk and 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract.
With the other half of dough you can form into a loaf for sour dough bread or make a second batch of cinnamon rolls.