Holy Textures

Welcome to Holy Textures, Year B, Season of Easter

   

Holy Textures is a spot for my musings on the various Biblical texts that come our way through the Revised Common Lectionary.

My goal is to provide timely, short, easy to use and thought-provoking background commentary for your sermon or bible study preparation.

Year B - Season of Easter - 2021

This has been a year of pandemic, climate, economic, and political disruptions. Among other things, it has revealed deep-seated inequalities that have made plain for all to see that the old "normal" is deeply unfair and unsustainable for too many human and non-human lives.

Easter provides a whole season to reflect on the Good News that the oppressive political system that executed Jesus is not the only game in town. The proclamation, "He is risen!" is not just the celebration that the individual person of Jesus is risen. We are celebrating that everything Jesus stood for is risen. Is undefeated. Is the true and trustworthy. His struggle is now our struggle. His story is now our story. How do we want to write our chapter of the life of Jesus?

As usual with the Season of Easter, we get to spend time with the Gospel of John. I like to think of John as like a good day at the spa: Soaking in the swirling eddies and quiet back pools of his repetitive, non-sequitur, images and stories. John wants us to really GET the life that is Jesus. What could be more refreshing than that?

David Ewart
Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials.
Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required.
Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."

 

He has been raised!

Easter Vigil
April 3, 2021
Mark 16:1-8 
"It is women who witness the abject humiliation, degradation and torture of Jesus on the cross. It is women who hear him cry, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" It is women who witness his death. It is women who follow and witness where his body is placed. And so, fittingly, it is women who are the first witnesses of the empty tomb, and the first to receive the good news: He is risen!"

 

But Mary stayed weeping outside the empty tomb

Easter Day
April 4, 2021
John 20:1-18, Alternate Reading A 
"As the Word descended from the Father and became flesh at the start of John's Gospel, Mary is experiencing the reverse process - of the flesh becoming Word."

Mark 16:1-8, Alternate Reading B 
"It is women who witness the abject humiliation, degradation and torture of Jesus on the cross. It is women who hear him cry, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" It is women who witness his death. It is women who follow and witness where his body is placed. And so, fittingly, it is women who are the first witnesses of the empty tomb, and the first to receive the good news: He is risen!"

 

Jesus himself came near and went with them

Easter Evening
April 4, 2021
Luke 24:13-49  
"The details reported in Luke make it very clear that it was the same Jesus who was crucified who is now resurrected. And they are not seeing a ghost. However, Jesus-who-died-on-the-cross-and-is-now-resurrected has not come back simply to take up his old job. He now says: Over to you."

 

Reach out your hand and put it in my side

Easter 2
April 11, 2021
John 20:19-31 
"John doesn't care what we see with our eyeballs. He wants us to SEE with our inner eye who Jesus really is. That is why he has written these signs for us. That in SEEing, we might believe; and in believing, we might have the life that is in Jesus."  

 

They were still disbelieving. He asked, "Have you anything to eat?"

Easter 3
April 18, 2021
Luke 24:36b-48 
"However, the Jesus-who-died-on-the-cross-and-has-been-raised has not come back simply to take up his old job. In effect the now-resurrected-Jesus says, 'Over to you.'"

 

I am the good shepherd

Easter 4
April 25, 2021
John 10:11-18 
"Are you mourning today? Are you spiritually spent today? Are you afraid today? Is death nearby today? David and Jesus are here today inviting us to enlarge our frame and hold our grief, exhaustion and fear in a larger, deeper reality: God provides and guides and protects and restores."

 

I am the vine. You are the branches.

Easter 5
May 2, 2021
John 15:1-8 
"When we love one another as Jesus loves us, we first learn from Jesus what love is. And having experienced being loved by Jesus – had that love heal, restore and renew the loving that was already in us – we then love others the same way."

 

Abide in my love.

Easter 6
May 9, 2021
John 15:9-17 
"So as we look around church on any given Sunday, we may see people that we know and like, know and don't like, or don't know at all. Whatever. Jesus is commanding us to regard each other as a friend, so that we might bear fruit, fruit that endures."

 

Lifting his hands, he blessed them

Ascension Day
May 13, 2021
Luke 24:44-53 
"And as if to emphasize that this blessing of his disciples has not been finished - is still on-going - Luke tells us that: While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51) Might it not be that even in heaven Jesus-now-resurrected is still blessing his disciples?"

 

 

 

As you have sent me into the world, so I send them

Easter 7
May 16, 2021
John 17:6-19 
"Whenever we are offered a blessing in the Bible, we might be tempted to run and hide - because a blessing never comes without a God-sized mission. And God-sized missions never come without a cost."

 

When the Spirit of truth comes ...

Pentecost Sunday
May 23, 2021
Acts 2:1-21  
"We might all hear the same words - each in our own language - but we will not all hear and understand exactly the same meaning. The problem with life, and faith, and following Jesus is always: What does this mean?"

 
John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
"Whatever else we may want to say on this day of Pentecost about the Spirit, it is important to notice that Jesus always refers to the Spirit as the Spirit of truth. And in John truth is always the way, the life, the light, the joy, the friendship." 

 

2021 Key Liturgical Dates

Welcome to Holy Textures, Year C, Season of Easter

   

Holy Textures is a spot for my musings on the various Biblical texts that come our way through the Revised Common Lectionary.

My goal is to provide timely, short, easy to use and faith-provoking background commentary for your sermon or bible study preparation.

By entering your email and clicking "Subscribe," you can receive all new posts by email. You will only receive new posts, nothing else - no spam, nada, zip. Your information will not be shared or sold in any way to any one; ever.

Year C - Season of Easter - 2022

I frequently forget that the Bible is NOT focused on my personal beliefs or feelings. Jesus was NOT sent here to be a life coach (as important as finding guidance for our lives is). The message of Easter is NOT life overcomes death; love overcomes hate; joy overcomes fear. The Bible is focused on relationships. On right relationships. And healthy communities.

The message of Easter is that we can trust the Good News which Jesus proclaimed: Repent. The Kin_dom of God is at hand. The tyrants of this world keep trying to kill the hope that another way is possible. I wonder how our communities will respond to the Good News that the hope revealed in Jesus' can be trusted. Can be trusted enough that we can already start living now for the new way of "heaven on earth." And resisting the ways of the tyrants. May it be so.

As usual with the Season of Easter, we get to spend time with the Gospel of John. I like to think of John as like a good day at the spa: Soaking in the swirling eddies and quiet back pools of his repetitive, non-sequitur, images and stories. John wants us to really GET the life that is Jesus. What could be more refreshing than that?

David Ewart
Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials.
Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required.
Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."

 

At dawn, the women came to the tomb

Easter Vigil
April 16, 2022
Luke 24:1-12 
"This lesson contains no resurrection. But this lesson also contains trusting the amazing void."

 

But Mary stayed weeping outside the tomb

Easter Day
April 17, 2022
John 20:1-18, Alternate Reading A 
"As the Word descended from the Father and became flesh at the start of John's Gospel, Mary is experiencing the reverse process - of the flesh becoming Word."

 

At dawn, the women came to the tomb

Luke 24:1-12, Alternate Reading B 
"This lesson contains no resurrection. But this lesson also contains trusting the amazing void."

 

Jesus himself came near and went with them

Easter Evening
April 17, 2022
Luke 24:13-49  
"The details reported in Luke make it very clear that it was the same Jesus who was crucified who is now resurrected. And they are not seeing a ghost. However, Jesus-who-died-on-the-cross-and-is-now-resurrected has not come back simply to take up his old job. He now says: Over to you."

 

Reach out your hand and put it in my side

Easter 2
April 24, 2022
John 20:19-31 
"John doesn't care what we see with our eyeballs. He wants us to SEE with our inner eye who Jesus really is. That is why he has written these signs for us. That in SEEing, we might believe; and in believing, we might have the life that is in Jesus."

 

They saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread

Easter 3
May 1, 2022
John 21:1-19
"What I see in this encounter is that Jesus twice offers Peter the opportunity to again over promise as he did at the last supper (I will NEVER deny you). And so, when Jesus asks Peter for the third time, "Do you love me?" Jesus uses "philios." In effect, accepting Peter's offer of friendship."

 

My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me

Easter 4
May 8, 2022
John 10:22-30 
"The challenge for most mainline Christians is not following Jesus. We've been taught pretty well about that. The challenge for us is recognizing Jesus' voice."

 

I give you a new commandment

Easter 5
May 15, 2022
John 13:31-35 
"There are at least two challenges in Jesus' commandment, 'Love one another as I have loved you.' One is to deeply and correctly discern how Jesus loves. And the other is to let the 'you' be 'me' - 'I love you as Jesus loves me.'"

 

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything

Easter 6
May 22, 2022
John 14:23-29, Alternate Reading A 
"There are probably at least 3 ways to misunderstand John. One is to treat each of: following, loving, and abiding; as if they were separate and distinct pieces. These things are all of a whole; you cannot selectively choose only one part: 'I'll have the love of Jesus please, but hold the keeping the commandments.'"

 

He took up his mat and began to walk

John 5:1-9, Alternate Reading B 
"Without Verses 11-20, we might not realize that Verses 1-9 are a high-stakes sign performed by Jesus to show the work that the Father is doing: WORK the Father is doing - even on the Sabbath day of REST."

 

Lifting his hands, he blessed them

Ascension Day
May 26, 2022
The fortieth day of Easter. May also be used for Easter 7.
Luke 24:44-53 
"And as if to emphasize that this blessing of his disciples has not been finished - is still on-going - Luke tells us that: While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51) Might it not be that even in heaven Jesus-now-resurrected is still blessing his disciples?"

 

That they may all be one

Easter 7
May 29, 2022
John 17:20-26 
"This fully devoted relationship is what John means by 'love.' It is by abiding in this love, and being completely one that outsiders may truly know that indeed Jesus was sent by the Father."

 

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit

Pentecost Sunday
June 5, 2022
Acts 2:1-21  
"We might all hear the same words - each in our own language - but we will not all hear and understand exactly the same meaning. The problem with life, and faith, and following Jesus is always: What does this mean?"

 

The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name

John 14:8-17, (25-27)
"Those who are bonded into Jesus will know a Truthful Spirit who will (Verse 26): 'Teach you everything; and remind you of all that I have said to you.' We, who like Philip, have been with Jesus all this time, and still do not know him, should receive this promise with great joy and thanksgiving at Jesus' generosity. We have not been left alone."

 

And here are key dates for 2022.

Key Liturgical dates for 2022

Welcome to Holy Textures, Year A, Season of Easter

   

Holy Textures is a spot for my musings on the various Biblical texts that come our way through the Revised Common Lectionary.

My goal is to provide timely, short, easy to use and thought-provoking background commentary for your sermon or bible study preparation.

Year A - Season of Easter - 2020

This year, Easter will arrive in the midst of the experience of a global pandemic and all of its consequences. One of the strengths of living within an ancient practice is being able to draw on the experiences and learned-from-experience wisdoms of those who have gone before. We are not the first generation to live with the stress and anxiety of a deadly present and unimaginable future. Nor are we the first generation to discover that our "faith" was actually based on taken-for-granted assumptions that we were unaware of - because those assumptions just happened every day - never needed to be thought about.

Whatever your context may be, I pray that Holy Textures will guide you in responding to these times with insights / wisdoms / faith that is adequate for these days.

I have been blessed with time to give a close reading to the Holy Week biblical texts and background information about life at the time of Jesus. I come away even more amazed at the courage of Jesus to voluntarily face the torture and humiliation of Roman execution on a cross, in order to remain faith to God's calling - God's purpose - for him: To proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Whatever else Easter may mean, it surely is a sign that God has vindicated the words and deeds of Jesus. We can trust him and what he stood for. And give our own lives for his vision.

As usual with the Season of Easter, we get to spend time with the Gospel of John.

I like to think of John as like a good day at the spa: Soaking in the swirling eddies and quiet back pools of his repetitive, non-sequitur, images and stories.

John wants us to really GET the life that is Jesus. May it be so.

   

See the place where he lay

Easter Vigil
April 11/12, 2020
Matthew 28:1-10 
"To deny the physicality of the resurrection is to deny that God vindicated the words and deeds of Jesus which are embodied in his flesh."

   

But Mary Stayed weeping outside the empty tomb

Easter Day
April 12, 2020
John 20:1-18, Alternate Reading 1 
"As the Word descended from the Father and became flesh at the start of John's Gospel, Mary is experiencing the reverse process - of the flesh becoming Word."

   

See the place where he lay

Matthew 28:1-10, Alternate Reading 2 
"To deny the physicality of the resurrection is to deny that God vindicated the words and deeds of Jesus which are embodied in his flesh."

   

Jesus himself came near and went with them

Easter Evening
April 12, 2020
Luke 24:13-49  
"The details reported in Luke make it very clear that it was the same Jesus who was crucified who is now resurrected. And they are not seeing a ghost. However, Jesus-who-died-on-the-cross-and-is-now-resurrected has not come back simply to take up his old job. He now says: Over to you."

   

Reach out your hand and put it in my side

Easter 2
April 19, 2020
John 20:19-31 
"John doesn't care what we see with our eyeballs. He wants us to SEE with our inner eye who Jesus really is. That is why he has written these signs for us. That in SEEing, we might believe; and in believing, we might have the life that is in Jesus."  

   

He took bread

Easter 3
April 26, 2020 
Luke 24:13-35 
"In this lesson - and in the Last Supper - breaking bread is an act of companionship and solidarity; of loyalty and friendship; of mutuality and sharing. Jesus-now-resurrected still appears to people in mystical visions. These are unique, individual experiences. But all of us can still recognize Jesus-now-resurrected in quite ordinary, everyday ways. Anyone here got some bread? Let's give thanks, break it, share it, and see what happens."

   

I am the gate

Easter 4
May 3, 2020
John 10:1-10 
"Many voices call our name. Can we be like the good sheep in this lesson and recognize and respond to the voice of Jesus calling our name?"

   

And you know the way

Easter 5
May 10, 2020 
John 14:1-14 
"If we substitute the "me" with who Jesus says "me" is - the "I am" that he begins with - we get: No one comes to the Father, except through the way, the truth, and the life."

   

God will give you another Advocate

Easter 6
May 17, 2020 
John 14:15-21 
"The underlying Greek word which is translated into English as 'truth' is alethea. In Greek, an initial letter 'a' is like our English 'un.' Lethe is the river in Greek mythology that the dead drank from in Hades in order to forget their past. And so 'a-lethea' - truth - has the sense of: waking up; remembering; overcoming oblivion and stupor; being alive and vital; not being deceived by false ideas or desires or scams; SEEING what is as it actually is."

   

Lifting his hands, he blessed them

Ascension Day
May 21, 2020 
Luke 24:44-53 
"And as if to emphasize that this blessing of his disciples has not been finished - is still on-going - Luke tells us that: While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51) Might it not be that even in heaven Jesus-now-resurrected is still blessing his disciples?"

   

May they be one as we are one

Easter 7
May 24, 2020 
John 17:1-11 
"The blessing Jesus prays for is: That we may be one as Jesus and God are one. That is, the quality of companionship between Jesus and God is the measure of our companionship with each other. Shortening the quotation to: That all may be one; misquotes the verse as it omits the defining quality of the oneness to which we are called."

   

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit

Pentecost Sunday
May 31, 2020
Acts 2:1-21  
"We might all hear the same words - each in our own language - but we will not all hear and understand exactly the same meaning. The problem with life, and faith, and following Jesus is always: What does this mean?"

   

Jesus came and stood among them

John 20:19-23, Alternate Reading 1
"To be a spirit-filled community of peace requires that we learn and practice and experience the reality and art of repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation." 

   

Let anyone who is thirsty come to me

John 7:37-39, Alternate Reading 2
"In John, 'thirst' has the double meaning of literal thirst for real water and physical life; and 'spiritual' thirst for a real relationship with God and eternal life. Thus, those who come to Jesus and trust him will have floods of life flowing out of them." 

   

And here are key liturgical dates for 2020.

Key dates for 2020

Welcome to Holy Textures, Year C, Season of Easter

Holy Textures is a spot for my musings on the various Biblical texts that come our way through the Revised Common Lectionary.

My goal is to provide timely, short, easy to use and thought-provoking background commentary for your sermon or bible study preparation.

As usual with the Season of Easter, we get to spend time with the Gospel of John.

I like to think of John as like a good day at the spa: Soaking in the swirling eddies and quiet back pools of his repetitive, non-sequitur, images and stories.

John wants us to really GET the life that is Jesus.

What could be more refreshing than that?

At dawn, the women came to the tomb

Easter Vigil
April 20, 2019
Luke 24:1-12 
"This lesson contains no resurrection. But this lesson also contains trusting the amazing void."

   

But Mary stayed weeping outside the tomb

Easter Day
April 21, 2019
John 20:1-18, Alternate Reading A 
"As the Word descended from the Father and became flesh at the start of John's Gospel, Mary is experiencing the reverse process - of the flesh becoming Word."

   

At dawn, the women came to the tomb

Luke 24:1-12, Alternate Reading B 
"This lesson contains no resurrection. But this lesson also contains trusting the amazing void."

   

   

Jesus himself came near and went with them

Easter Evening
April 21, 2019
Luke 24:13-49  
"The details reported in Luke make it very clear that it was the same Jesus who was crucified who is now resurrected. And they are not seeing a ghost. However, Jesus-who-died-on-the-cross-and-is-now-resurrected has not come back simply to take up his old job. He now says: Over to you."

Reach out your hand and put it in my side

Easter 2
April 28, 2019
John 20:19-31 
"John doesn't care what we see with our eyeballs. He wants us to SEE with our inner eye who Jesus really is. That is why he has written these signs for us. That in SEEing, we might believe; and in believing, we might have the life that is in Jesus."  

   

They saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread

Easter 3
May 5, 2019
John 21:1-19
"What I see in this encounter is that Jesus twice offers Peter the opportunity to again over promise as he did at the last supper (I will NEVER deny you). And so, when Jesus asks Peter for the third time, "Do you love me?" Jesus uses "philios." In effect, accepting Peter's offer of friendship."

My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me

Easter 4
May 12, 2019
John 10:22-30 
"The challenge for most mainline Christians is not following Jesus. We've been taught pretty well about that. The challenge for us is recognizing Jesus' voice."

   

I give you a new commandment

Easter 5
May 19, 2019
John 13:31-35 
"There are at least two challenges in Jesus' commandment, 'Love one another as I have loved you.' One is to deeply and correctly discern how Jesus loves. And the other is to let the 'you' be 'me' - 'I love you as Jesus loves me.'"

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything

Easter 6
May 26, 2019
John 14:23-29, Alternate Reading A 
"There are probably at least 3 ways to misunderstand John. One is to treat each of: following, loving, and abiding; as if they were separate and distinct pieces. These things are all of a whole; you cannot selectively choose only one part: 'I'll have the love of Jesus please, but hold the keeping the commandments.'"

He took up his mat and began to walk

John 5:1-9, Alternate Reading B 
"Without Verses 11-20, we might not realize that Verses 1-9 are a high-stakes sign performed by Jesus to show the work that the Father is doing: WORK the Father is doing - even on the Sabbath day of REST."

   

   

Lifting his hands, he blessed them

Ascension Day
May 30, 2019
Luke 24:44-53 
"And as if to emphasize that this blessing of his disciples has not been finished - is still on-going - Luke tells us that: While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51) Might it not be that even in heaven Jesus-now-resurrected is still blessing his disciples?"

That they may all be one

Easter 7
June 2, 2019
John 17:20-26 
"This fully devoted relationship is what John means by 'love.' It is by abiding in this love, and being completely one that outsiders may truly know that indeed Jesus was sent by the Father."

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit

Pentecost Sunday
June 9, 2019
Acts 2:1-21  
"We might all hear the same words - each in our own language - but we will not all hear and understand exactly the same meaning. The problem with life, and faith, and following Jesus is always: What does this mean?"

   

The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name

John 14:8-17, (25-27)
"Those who are bonded into Jesus will know a Truthful Spirit who will (Verse 26): 'Teach you everything; and remind you of all that I have said to you.' We, who like Philip, have been with Jesus all this time, and still do not know him, should receive this promise with great joy and thanksgiving at Jesus' generosity. We have not been left alone." 

   

And here are key dates for 2019.

Key liturgical dates 2019

Reading John in Lent and Easter

www.holytextures.com

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials.
Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required.
Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."

 

 

I recently had a wonderful time auditing a two week intensive on John. It was great to be part of such an excellent class of fellow students and teacher. Here are my personal top take-aways:

1. When John refers to "the Jews" (as he does over and over again), ask yourself:
      Is John referring to the 8,000,000 people living throughout the Roman Empire who identified as belonging to the people of Israel?
Or to put it another way:
      Is John wanting us to include as one of "the Jews" Lazarus - whom the text says Jesus loved; and Mary - who anointed him before his arrest? 

And when John actually includes "Jews" in the story, who are they? (Answer: about 90% of the time they are Judean elites who were collaborating with the Roman Empire as local rulers.) (The Greek text uses the word for Judean, i.e. people from the geographic region called Judah - which historically was in the process of becoming the generic word Romans used to refer to the entire people of Israel. English translators have continued this practice even though it is often debatable as to whether this is the correct meaning.)

2. The pascal lamb that is sacrificed on Passover is NOT a sin offering. Identifying Jesus as a sin offering is not Johannine. Jesus' death (at most) is an offering for protection, community formation, and escape from bondage. John is placing Jesus in the Mosaic Exodus tradition - not a priestly ritual blood-sacrifice tradition. John presents Jesus as a Messiah in the Mosaic tradition, not the Davidic. ("Jesus died for our sins" may be valid, but it is not in John. Nor in me. And don't get fooled by John the Baptist saying, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." Just about everyone who says anything about Jesus in John have got it wrong. John the Baptist is no exception.)

3. Jesus was laid in a tomb (not buried) in expectation that he would be resurrected. But expected to be resurrected on the last day, not on the third day. And so, Jesus' resurrection is not "Love is stronger than death." Easter sermons need to think about: What does it mean that this resurrection happened ON THE THIRD DAY?

4. The crucifixion is a SIGN that points to the glory of God. How does it do that? Passion Sunday and Good Friday sermons probably would not go far wrong if you spent the whole time using the dialog between Jesus and Pilate to reflect on their two very different understandings of: a) Kingship, b) power, and c) truth. God's glory is not about being glorious. 

5. When John reports that Jesus "gave up his spirit" (John 20:30), he is wanting us to remember that Jesus has previously promised that he will send the Spirit to be with us. John wants us to understand that Jesus has already given us his Spirit. There is no "Second Coming" to look for. Jesus has returned in the Spirit incarnated in / through his disciples. If I were to be starting over again, I would be spending my ministry wondering how the Holy Spirit is a real presence in this congregation?

And just to add the usual mea culpa: Harry Maier, our teacher, is NOT responsible for any errors, omissions, additions, or stupidities in the above. They are all exclusively my own. But I am thankful for his lively, scholarly, humane, and joyful teaching of this amazing Gospel.

Welcome to Holy Textures, Year B, Season of Easter

Holy Textures is a spot for my musings on the various Biblical texts that come our way through the Revised Common Lectionary.

My goal is to provide timely, short, easy to use and thought-provoking background commentary for your sermon or bible study preparation.

Year B - Season of Easter - 2018

As usual with the Season of Easter, we get to spend time with the Gospel of John.

I like to think of John as like a good day at the spa: Soaking in the swirling eddies and quiet back pools of his repetitive, non-sequitur, images and stories.

John wants us to really GET the life that is Jesus.

What could be more refreshing than that?

He has been raised!

Easter Vigil
March 31, 2018
Mark 16:1-8 
"It is women who witness the abject humiliation, degradation and torture of Jesus on the cross. It is women who hear him cry, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" It is women who witness his death. It is women who follow and witness where his body is placed. And so, fittingly, it is women who are the first witnesses of the empty tomb, and the first to receive the good news: He is risen!"

But Mary stayed weeping outside the empty tomb

Easter Day
April 1, 2018
John 20:1-18, Alternate Reading A 
"As the Word descended from the Father and became flesh at the start of John's Gospel, Mary is experiencing the reverse process - of the flesh becoming Word."

Mark 16:1-8, Alternate Reading B 
"It is women who witness the abject humiliation, degradation and torture of Jesus on the cross. It is women who hear him cry, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" It is women who witness his death. It is women who follow and witness where his body is placed. And so, fittingly, it is women who are the first witnesses of the empty tomb, and the first to receive the good news: He is risen!"

Jesus himself came near and went with them

Easter Evening
April 1, 2018
Luke 24:13-49  
"The details reported in Luke make it very clear that it was the same Jesus who was crucified who is now resurrected. And they are not seeing a ghost. However, Jesus-who-died-on-the-cross-and-is-now-resurrected has not come back simply to take up his old job. He now says: Over to you."

Reach out your hand and put it in my side

Easter 2
April 8, 2018
John 20:19-31 
"John doesn't care what we see with our eyeballs. He wants us to SEE with our inner eye who Jesus really is. That is why he has written these signs for us. That in SEEing, we might believe; and in believing, we might have the life that is in Jesus."  

They were still disbelieving. He asked, "Have you anything to eat?"

Easter 3
April 15, 2018
Luke 24:36b-48 
"However, the Jesus-who-died-on-the-cross-and-has-been-raised has not come back simply to take up his old job. In effect the now-resurrected-Jesus says, 'Over to you.'"

I am the good shepherd

Easter 4
April 22, 2018
John 10:11-18 
"Are you mourning today? Are you spiritually spent today? Are you afraid today? Is death nearby today? David and Jesus are here today inviting us to enlarge our frame and hold our grief, exhaustion and fear in a larger, deeper reality: God provides and guides and protects and restores."

I am the vine. You are the branches.

Easter 5
April 29, 2018
John 15:1-8 
"When we love one another as Jesus loves us, we first learn from Jesus what love is. And having experienced being loved by Jesus – had that love heal, restore and renew the loving that was already in us – we then love others the same way."

Abide in my love.

Easter 6
May 6, 2018
John 15:9-17 
"So as we look around church on any given Sunday, we may see people that we know and like, know and don't like, or don't know at all. Whatever. Jesus is commanding us to regard each other as a friend, so that we might bear fruit, fruit that endures."

Lifting his hands, he blessed them

Ascension Day
May 10, 2018
Luke 24:44-53 
"And as if to emphasize that this blessing of his disciples has not been finished - is still on-going - Luke tells us that: While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51) Might it not be that even in heaven Jesus-now-resurrected is still blessing his disciples?"

As you have sent me into the world, so I send them.

Easter 7
May 13, 2018
John 17:6-19 
"Whenever we are offered a blessing in the Bible, we might be tempted to run and hide - because a blessing never comes without a God-sized mission. And God-sized missions never come without a cost."

When the Spirit of truth comes ...

Pentecost Sunday
May 20, 2018
Acts 2:1-21  
"We might all hear the same words - each in our own language - but we will not all hear and understand exactly the same meaning. The problem with life, and faith, and following Jesus is always: What does this mean?"

 
John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
"Whatever else we may want to say on this day of Pentecost about the Spirit, it is important to notice that Jesus always refers to the Spirit as the Spirit of truth. And in John truth is always the way, the life, the light, the joy, the friendship." 

Welcome to Holy Textures, Year A, Season of Easter

Holy Textures is a spot for my musings on the various Biblical texts that come our way through the Revised Common Lectionary.

My goal is to provide timely, short, easy to use and thought-provoking background commentary for your sermon or bible study preparation.

Year A - Season of Easter - 2017

This year, Easter is almost as late as it can possibly be. It has given me time to give a close reading of the Holy Week texts and background information. I come away even more amazed at the courage of Jesus to voluntarily face the torture and humiliation of Roman execution on a cross, in order to remain faith to God's calling - God's purpose - for him: To proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Whatever else Easter may mean, it surely is a sign that God has vindicated the words and deeds of Jesus. We can trust him and what he stood for. And give our own lives for his vision.

As usual with the Season of Easter, we get to spend time with the Gospel of John.

I like to think of John as like a good day at the spa: Soaking in the swirling eddies and quiet back pools of his repetitive, non-sequitor, images and stories.

John wants us to really GET the life that is Jesus.

What could be more refreshing than that?

Easter Vigil
April 15/16, 2017
Matthew 28:1-10 
"To deny the physicality of the resurrection is to deny that God vindicated the words and deeds of Jesus which are embodied in his flesh."

Easter Day
April 16, 2017
John 20:1-18, Alternate Reading 1 
"As the Word descended from the Father and became flesh at the start of John's Gospel, Mary is experiencing the reverse process - of the flesh becoming Word."

Matthew 28:1-10, Alternate Reading 2 
"To deny the physicality of the resurrection is to deny that God vindicated the words and deeds of Jesus which are embodied in his flesh."

Easter Evening
April 16, 2017
Luke 24:13-49  
"The details reported in Luke make it very clear that it was the same Jesus who was crucified who is now resurrected. And they are not seeing a ghost. However, Jesus-who-died-on-the-cross-and-is-now-resurrected has not come back simply to take up his old job. He now says: Over to you."

Easter 2
April 23, 2017
John 20:19-31 
"John doesn't care what we see with our eyeballs. He wants us to SEE with our inner eye who Jesus really is. That is why he has written these signs for us. That in SEEing, we might believe; and in believing, we might have the life that is in Jesus."  

Easter 3
April 30, 2017
Luke 24:13-35 
"In this lesson - and in the Last Supper - breaking bread is an act of companionship and solidarity; of loyalty and friendship; of mutuality and sharing. Jesus-now-resurrected still appears to people in mystical visions. These are unique, individual experiences. But all of us can still recognize Jesus-now-resurrected in quite ordinary, everyday ways. Anyone here got some bread? Let's give thanks, break it, share it, and see what happens."

Easter 4
May 7, 2017
John 10:1-10 
"Many voices call our name. Can we be like the good sheep in this lesson and recognize and respond to the voice of Jesus calling our name?"

Easter 5
May 14, 2017
John 14:1-14 
"If we substitute the "me" with who Jesus says "me" is - the "I am" that he begins with - we get: No one comes to the Father, except through the way, the truth, and the life."

Easter 6
May 21, 2017
John 14:15-21 
"The underlying Greek word which is translated into English as 'truth' is alethea. In Greek, an initial letter 'a' is like our English 'un.' Lethe is the river in Greek mythology that the dead drank from in Hades in order to forget their past. And so 'a-lethea' - truth - has the sense of: waking up; remembering; overcoming oblivion and stupor; being alive and vital; not being deceived by false ideas or desires or scams; SEEING what is as it actually is."

Ascension Day
May 25, 2017
Luke 24:44-53 
"And as if to emphasize that this blessing of his disciples has not been finished - is still on-going - Luke tells us that: While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51) Might it not be that even in heaven Jesus-now-resurrected is still blessing his disciples?"

Easter 7
May 28, 2017
John 17:1-11 
"The blessing Jesus prays for is: That we may be one as Jesus and God are one. That is, the quality of companionship between Jesus and God is the measure of our companionship with each other. Shortening the quotation to: That all may be one; misquotes the verse as it omits the defining quality of the oneness to which we are called."

Pentecost Sunday
June 4, 2017
Acts 2:1-21  
"We might all hear the same words - each in our own language - but we will not all hear and understand exactly the same meaning. The problem with life, and faith, and following Jesus is always: What does this mean?"

John 20:19-23, Alternate Reading 1.
"To be a spirit-filled community of peace requires that we learn and practice and experience the reality and art of repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation." 

John 7:37-39 
"In John, 'thirst' has the double meaning of literal thirst for real water and physical life; and 'spiritual' thirst for a real relationship with God and eternal life. Thus, those who come to Jesus and trust him will have floods of life flowing out of them." 

Welcome to Holy Textures

Year C - Season of Easter - 2016

Holy Textures is a spot for my musings on the various Biblical texts that come our way through the Revised Common Lectionary.

My goal is to provide timely, short, easy to use and thought-provoking background commentary for your sermon or bible study preparation.

As usual with the Season of Easter, we get to spend time with the Gospel of John.

I like to think of John as like a good day at the spa: Soaking in the swirling eddies and quiet back pools of his repetitive, non-sequitor, images and stories.

John wants us to really GET the life that is Jesus.

What could be more refreshing than that?

Easter Vigil
March 26, 2016
Luke 24:1-12 
"This lesson contains no resurrection. But this lesson also contains trusting the amazing void."

Easter Day
March 27, 2016
John 20:1-18, Alternate Reading A 
"As the Word descended from the Father and became flesh at the start of John's Gospel, Mary is experiencing the reverse process - of the flesh becoming Word."

Luke 24:1-12, Alternate Reading B 
"This lesson contains no resurrection. But this lesson also contains trusting the amazing void."

Easter Evening
March 27, 2016
Luke 24:13-49  
"The details reported in Luke make it very clear that it was the same Jesus who was crucified who is now resurrected. And they are not seeing a ghost. However, Jesus-who-died-on-the-cross-and-is-now-resurrected has not come back simply to take up his old job. He now says: Over to you."

Easter 2
April 3, 2016
John 20:19-31 
"John doesn't care what we see with our eyeballs. He wants us to SEE with our inner eye who Jesus really is. That is why he has written these signs for us. That in SEEing, we might believe; and in believing, we might have the life that is in Jesus."  

Easter 3
April 10, 2016
John 21:1-19
"What I see in this encounter is that Jesus twice offers Peter the opportunity to again over promise as he did at the last supper (I will NEVER deny you). And so, when Jesus asks Peter for the third time, "Do you love me?" Jesus uses "philios." In effect, accepting Peter's offer of friendship."

Easter 4
April 17, 2016
John 10:22-30 
"The challenge for most mainline Christians is not following Jesus. We've been taught pretty well about that. The challenge for us is recognizing Jesus' voice."

Easter 5
April 24, 2016
John 13:31-35 
"There are at least two challenges in Jesus' commandment, 'Love one another as I have loved you.' One is to deeply and correctly discern how Jesus loves. And the other is to let the 'you' be 'me' - 'I love you as Jesus loves me.'"

Easter 6
May 1, 2016
John 14:23-29, Alternate Reading A 
"There are probably at least 3 ways to misunderstand John. One is to treat each of: following, loving, and abiding; as if they were separate and distinct pieces. These things are all of a whole; you cannot selectively choose only one part: 'I'll have the love of Jesus please, but hold the keeping the commandments.'"

Easter 6
May 1, 2016
John 5:1-9, Alternate Reading B 
"Without Verses 11-20, we might not realize that Verses 1-9 are a high-stakes sign performed by Jesus to show the work that the Father is doing: WORK the Father is doing - even on the Sabbath day of REST."

Ascension Day
May 5, 2016
Luke 24:44-53 
"And as if to emphasize that this blessing of his disciples has not been finished - is still on-going - Luke tells us that: While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51) Might it not be that even in heaven Jesus-now-resurrected is still blessing his disciples?"

Easter 7
May 8, 2016
John 17:20-26 
"This fully devoted relationship is what John means by 'love.' It is by abiding in this love, and being completely one that outsiders may truly know that indeed Jesus was sent by the Father."

Pentecost Sunday
May 15, 2016
Acts 2:1-21  
"We might all hear the same words - each in our own language - but we will not all hear and understand exactly the same meaning. The problem with life, and faith, and following Jesus is always: What does this mean?"

 
John 14:8-17, (25-27)
"Those who are bonded into Jesus will know a Truthful Spirit who will (Verse 26): 'Teach you everything; and remind you of all that I have said to you.' We, who like Philip, have been with Jesus all this time, and still do not know him, should receive this promise with great joy and thanksgiving at Jesus' generosity. We have not been left alone." 

Welcome to Holy Textures

Holy Textures is a spot for my musings on the various Biblical texts that come our way through the Revised Common Lectionary.

My goal is to provide timely, short, easy to use and thought-provoking background commentary for your sermon or bible study preparation.

Please click on the heading of any post or "Continue reading" to see the full post.

Year B - Season of Easter - 2015

As usual with the Season of Easter, we get to spend time with the Gospel of John.

I like to think of John as like a good day at the spa: Soaking in the swirling eddies and quiet back pools of his repetitive, non-sequitur, images and stories.

John wants us to really GET the life that is Jesus.

What could be more refreshing than that?

Easter Vigil
April 4, 2015
Mark 16:1-8 
"It is women who witness the abject humiliation, degradation and torture of Jesus on the cross. It is women who hear him cry, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" It is women who witness his death. It is women who follow and witness where his body is placed. And so, fittingly, it is women who are the first witnesses of the empty tomb, and the first to receive the good news: He is risen!"

Easter Day
April 5, 2015
John 20:1-18, Alternate Reading A 
"As the Word descended from the Father and became flesh at the start of John's Gospel, Mary is experiencing the reverse process - of the flesh becoming Word."

Mark 16:1-8, Alternate Reading B 
"It is women who witness the abject humiliation, degradation and torture of Jesus on the cross. It is women who hear him cry, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" It is women who witness his death. It is women who follow and witness where his body is placed. And so, fittingly, it is women who are the first witnesses of the empty tomb, and the first to receive the good news: He is risen!"

Easter Evening
April 5, 2015
Luke 24:13-49  
"The details reported in Luke make it very clear that it was the same Jesus who was crucified who is now resurrected. And they are not seeing a ghost. However, Jesus-who-died-on-the-cross-and-is-now-resurrected has not come back simply to take up his old job. He now says: Over to you."

Easter 2
April 12, 2015
John 20:19-31 
"John doesn't care what we see with our eyeballs. He wants us to SEE with our inner eye who Jesus really is. That is why he has written these signs for us. That in SEEing, we might believe; and in believing, we might have the life that is in Jesus."  

Easter 3
April 19, 2015
Luke 24:36b-48 
"However, the Jesus-who-died-on-the-cross-and-has-been-raised has not come back simply to take up his old job. In effect the now-resurrected-Jesus says, 'Over to you.'"

Easter 4
April 26, 2015
John 10:11-18 
"Are you mourning today? Are you spiritually spent today? Are you afraid today? Is death nearby today? David and Jesus are here today inviting us to enlarge our frame and hold our grief, exhaustion and fear in a larger, deeper reality: God provides and guides and protects and restores."

Easter 5
May 3, 2015
John 15:1-8 
"When we love one another as Jesus loves us, we first learn from Jesus what love is. And having experienced being loved by Jesus – had that love heal, restore and renew the loving that was already in us – we then love others the same way."

Easter 6
May 10, 2015
John 15:9-17 
"So as we look around church on any given Sunday, we may see people that we know and like, know and don't like, or don't know at all. Whatever. Jesus is commanding us to regard each other as a friend, so that we might bear fruit, fruit that endures."

Ascension Day
May 14, 2015
Luke 24:44-53 
"And as if to emphasize that this blessing of his disciples has not been finished - is still on-going - Luke tells us that: While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51) Might it not be that even in heaven Jesus-now-resurrected is still blessing his disciples?"

Easter 7
May 17, 2015
John 17:6-19 
"Whenever we are offered a blessing in the Bible, we might be tempted to run and hide - because a blessing never comes without a God-sized mission. And God-sized missions never come without a cost."

Pentecost Sunday
May 24, 2015
Acts 2:1-21  
"We might all hear the same words - each in our own language - but we will not all hear and understand exactly the same meaning. The problem with life, and faith, and following Jesus is always: What does this mean?"

 
John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
"Whatever else we may want to say on this day of Pentecost about the Spirit, it is important to notice that Jesus always refers to the Spirit as the Spirit of truth. And in John truth is always the way, the life, the light, the joy, the friendship." 

John 20:19-23 - Updated

To be a spirit-filled community of peace requires that we learn and practice and experience the reality and art of repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Click here to read the updated Holy Textures explanation of John 20:19-23.

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials.
Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required.
Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."

 

Acts 2:1-21 - Updated

We might all hear the same words - each in our own language - but we will not all hear and understand exactly the same meaning. The problem with life, and faith, and following Jesus is always: What does this mean?

Click here for the updated Holy Textures explanation of Acts 2:1-21.

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials.
Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required.
Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."