My Family Prayer Book

   2024-Mar-31: Easter Sunday Acts 10:34-43 The book of Acts is an epic tale of how a small group of Jesus followers develops into “the church.” In a book that describes miracle after miracle and takes its readers on adventure after adventure, it is in these few verses that Peter declares the complete gospel. Jesus of Nazareth was anointed and chosen by God. He received the Holy Spirit and with its power he goes around doing good and healing those who were oppressed. He was put to death, dying on a tree. God raised him on the third day and he appeared to a chosen few. Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins. The good news or gospel is simple: it is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  But it is the context of this declaration that is important. Peter begins his homily by saying: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, anyone who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to God.” If we read this declaration with...

  Second Sunday of Easter Acts 4:32-35 Who is my neighbor? This passage is to challenge us, to shake us and poke us when we have become too unquestioning and comfortable about our own way of living our faith. Do we even stop to think that people are not created to serve the economy but rather the economy should serve the people. Psalm 118 The cornerstone is sometimes translated to mean the capstone which is the very center stone at the top of an arch; it is truly what holds all the other pieces together. Without it, the arch would definitely fall. And so it is with us. Jesus is so crucial for our lives today. Without Him we would surely fall. John 5:1-6 This is a pastoral letter to churches in conflict––written to address the conflict of some who denied the Incarnation and the deity of Jesus and to prevent its spread. They could not accept that Jesus (the man) is the Christ (the messiah, the spiritual entity). They could accept that Jesus (the man) was “born of God the Father.” . I...

  Easter Sunday Acts 10:34a, 37-43 In this passage from Acts, Peter proclaimed the Good News to the household of Cornelius, a Roman centurion who was a righteous Gentile, observant of Jewish practices but a non-convert due to his position/rank in the army. Cornelius did not convert; conversion to Judaism meant resigning his commission in the Army, since military service required offering incense to an image of the Emperor as a sign of allegiance. Offering incense to the Emperor's image was considered to be idolatry to Jews. And the message from the apostles as personal witnesses to the death and resurrection of Jesus was clear, 'those who believed (regardless of nation, class, color or culture) in Christ (i.e., his "name") would receive the forgiveness that God offered to all.' Psalm 118 Christ is risen, Alleluia! But do we today bear witness “with great power” to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus  Colossians 3:1-4 After the resurrection of Christ believers shoul...