Easter 2024

Worship Themes for Eastertide: Practices for Christian Living

April 7: The Walk To Emmaus

Luke 24:13–35

The Easter message is that even death cannot stop God’s redemptive activity from continuing. In the gospel according to Luke, there are three stories about the resurrection, beginning at the empty tomb and ending back in Jerusalem where the community had gathered. In between we have the story of Jesus coming alongside two disciples as they are trying to make sense of all that has happened. He joins them, teaches them, is persuaded to accept their hospitality, and then gives them the sign of his presence: “he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.”  

The story gives us a model of our life together in Christ. We ponder, we study, we gather together, we practice hospitality and we recognize that Jesus is with us. At the same time, he goes ahead of us, into the world that God loves and calls us to serve.  

April 14: The Sound Track of Our Lives

Exodus 15:20–21; Psalm 22; Luke 1:46–56; 2 Corinthians 5:15–17; Revelation 21:1–4

One of the important ways that we open our minds and hearts to God is through music, and especially through singing together. The psalms and hymns and spiritual songs that we sing together give us a frame for our lives, words that call us back to our faith, and a connection to that wordless presence that reminds us who and whose we are. We sing about God’s call to freedom, we sing in lament when life is hard, we sing our dreams of a transformed life, and we sing our hopes for a new creation, made possible by God’s grace.  

What music forms a part of your soundtrack? Are there particular songs or pieces that carry you in hard times, or that help you give voice to joy?

April 21: Fasting — Pastor Becky preaching

Matthew 6:16–18; Isaiah 58:1–12

Fasting has been a part of the Christian tradition from its beginning and even going back to our Jewish ancestors. Many stories from both the Old and New Testament tell of people of faith entering into a time of fasting and prayer. Moses fasted on Mount Sinai while meeting with God. Jesus engaged in a time of fasting and prayer before his ministry. Paul took time to fast and pray when he encountered Jesus on the Damascus Road and was blinded. But we also hear in the Old and New Testaments how fasting can be offensive to God. This week we will look at the practice of fasting, why it was done, the pitfalls to avoid, and why many still find it a fulfilling spiritual practice today.

April 28: Keeping Sabbath: Relationship and Resistance

Exodus 20:1–11; Luke 12:13–31

Keeping the sabbath is the first of the commandments that God gives to God’s people at Sinai, and it is the basis of everything that follows. God has brought God’s people out of enslavement and into a world where they can live differently: from a condition where their value is in their productivity to a place where value is found in relationship. Every relationship needs commitment and attention to thrive, and the sabbath is intended to be the time in which we return our attention and our commitment to God. It is also the model and the basis for every other relationship: with our families, our communities, and the whole created order. 

May 5: Tithing as a Spiritual Discipline

Deuteronomy 6:10–12; 1 Peter 1:13–16

There are over 100 verses in the bible that refer to tithing, but not a lot of information about why Christians should practice tithing and what it means for our lives. A tithe is ten percent; the practice refers to making conscious, disciplined choices to set aside part of your income and investments for the service of God. Today’s scripture readings tell us why it matters: like the practice of Sabbath, it is intended to help us pay attention to God’s place in our lives and what God is calling us to do and be. It is also a form of clarifying our relationships, as we make choices about what our priorities are and what we choose to invest in, not just with our hearts and minds but with our talents, time, and money.

May 12: Looking up, Looking in, Looking out: Practicing Prayer

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18; Acts 1:6–11a

Observant Jews pray at least 3 times every day; observant Muslims pray 5 times every day. Christians are instructed to “pray constantly,” but what does that mean? Without specific instructions about when, where, and how to pray, it can feel awkward and clumsy to begin a prayer practice. And yet prayer is how we learn to be open to God in every part of life, to see what God is doing, and to be aware of God’s presence. This week we will look at varieties of prayer and consider how to create and maintain a regular life of prayer.