Grace Church NOLA

John 14:15-21:  Jesus said to the disciples:  “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and the Father will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.  This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees the Spirit nor knows the Spirit. You know the Spirit because the Spirit abides with you, and the Spirit will be in you.“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.  In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live.  On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.  They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”

A message based on John 14:1-14:  Jesus said to the disciples:  “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God; believe also in me.  In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.  And you know the way to the place where I am going.”  Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going.  How can we know the way?”  Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you know me, you will know my Father also.  From now on you do know my Father and have seen the Father.”Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”  Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me?  Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?   Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?  The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does God’s works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, but if you do not, then believe because of the works themselves.  Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.  I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”

A message based on John 10:1-10: Speaking to the Pharisees, Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from the stranger because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

A message based on John 24:13-35:  Now on the day of Christ’s resurrection, two disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.  While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them,  but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.  And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?”  They stood still, looking sad.  Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?”  He asked them, “What things?”  They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him.  But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.  Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place.  Moreover, some women of our group astounded us.  They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find Jesus’s body there they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that Jesus was alive.  Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.”  Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared!  Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?”  Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.  As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on.  But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.”  So he went in to stay with them.  When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.  Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight.  They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?”  That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together.  They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road and how Jesus had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

A message based on John 20:19-31: When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After Jesus said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

A message based on John 20:1-18:  Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb.  She saw that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance, so she ran off to Simon Peter and the other disciple—the one Jesus loved—and told them, “The Rabbi has been taken from the tomb!  We don’t know where they have put Jesus!”  At that, Peter and the other disciple started out toward the tomb.  They were running side by side, but then the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.  He didn’t enter, but bent down to peer in and saw the linen wrappings lying on the ground.  Then Simon Peter arrived and entered the tomb.  He observed the linen wrappings on the ground, and saw the piece of cloth that had covered Jesus’ head lying not with the wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.  Then the disciple who had arrived first at the tomb went in.  He saw and believed.  As yet, they didn’t understand the scripture that Jesus was to rise from the dead.  Then the disciples went back to their homes. Meanwhile, Mary stood weeping beside the tomb.  Even as she wept, she stooped to peer inside, and there she saw two angels in dazzling robes.  One was seated at the head and the other at the foot of the place where Jesus’ body had lain.  They asked her, “Why are you weeping?”  She answered them, “Because they have taken away my Rabbi, and I don’t know where they have put the body.”  No sooner had she said this than she turned around and caught sight of Jesus standing there, but she didn’t know it was Jesus.  He asked her, “Why are you weeping?  For whom are you looking?”  She supposed it was the gardener, so she said, “Please, if you’re the one who carried Jesus away, tell me where you’ve laid the body and I will take it away.”  Jesus said to her, “Mary!”  She turned to him and said, “Rabboni!”—which means “Teacher.”Jesus then said, “Don’t hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to Abba God.  Rather, go to the siblings and tell them, ‘I’m ascending to my Abba and to your Abba, my God and your God!’”  Mary of Magdala went to the disciples. “I have seen the Teacher!” she announced.  Then she reported what the savior had said to her.

A message based on Matthew 21:1-17:  As they approached Jerusalem, entering Beth-Phage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent off two disciples with the instructions, “Go into the village straight ahead of you, and immediately you will find a tethered donkey with her colt standing beside her.  Untie them and lead them back to me.  If anyone questions you, say, ‘The Rabbi needs them.’  Then they will let them go at once.”  This came about to fulfill what was said through the prophet: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Your Sovereign comes to you without display, riding on a donkey, on a colt— the foal of a beast of burden.’”  So the disciples went off and did what Jesus had ordered.  They brought the donkey and her colt, and after they laid their cloaks on the animals, Jesus mounted and rode toward the city.  Great crowds of people spread their cloaks on the road, while some began to cut branches from the trees and lay them along the path.  The crowds—those who went in front of Jesus and those who followed—were all shouting, “Hosanna to the Heir to the House of David!  Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Most High!  Hosanna in the highest!”  As Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred to its depths, demanding, “Who is this?”  And the crowd kept answering, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee!”  When Jesus entered the Temple, he drove out all those who were selling and buying there.  He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves.  He said to them, “Scripture says, ‘My house is called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of thieves!”  Those who were blind or couldn’t walk came to Jesus in the Temple, and he healed them.  When the chief priests and teachers of the Law saw the wonderful things Jesus did, and heard the children shouting “Hosanna to the Heir to the House of David!” throughout the Temple area, they became indignant.  “Do you hear what the children are shouting?” they asked Jesus. “Yes,” Jesus replied.  “Have you never read, ‘From the mouths of children and nursing babies, you have brought forth praise’?”  After leaving them, Jesus went out to Bethany to spend the night.

A message based on Mark 12:13-17:  Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent after Jesus to catch him in his speech.  The two groups approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, we know you are truthful and unconcerned about the opinion of others.  It is evident you aren’t swayed by another’s rank, but teach God’s way of life sincerely.  So:  is it lawful to pay tax to the emperor or not?  Are we to pay or not to pay?” Knowing their hypocrisy, Jesus said to them, “Why are you trying to trick me?  Let me see a coin.”  When they handed Jesus one, he said to them, “Whose image and inscription do you see here?”  “Caesar’s,” they answered.  Then Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to God what is God’s.”  This reply took them completely by surprise.  

A message based on John 10:1-18: Jesus said, “The truth of the matter is, whoever doesn’t enter the sheepfold through the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber.  The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep, the one for whom the keeper opens the gate.  The sheep know the shepherd’s voice; the shepherd calls them by name and leads them out.  Having led them all out of the fold, the shepherd walks in front of them and they follow because they recognize the shepherd’s voice.  They simply won’t follow strangers— they’ll flee from them because they don’t recognize the voice of strangers.”  Even though Jesus used this metaphor with the Pharisees, they didn’t grasp what he was trying to tell them.  Jesus therefore said to them again: “The truth of the matter is, I am the sheep gate.  All who came before me were thieves and marauders whom the sheep didn’t heed.  I am the gate.  Whoever enters through me will be safe— you’ll go in and out and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy.  I came that you might have life and have it to the full.  I am the good shepherd.  A good shepherd would die for the sheep.  The hired hand, who is neither shepherd nor owner of the sheep, catches sight of the wolf coming and runs away, leaving the sheep to be scattered or snatched by the wolf.  That’s because the hired hand works only for pay and has no concern for the sheep.  I am the good shepherd.  I know my sheep and my sheep know me, in the same way Abba God knows me and I know God— and for these sheep I will lay down my life.  I have other sheep that don’t belong to this fold— I must lead them too, and they will hear my voice.  And then there will be one flock, one shepherd.  This is why Abba God loves me— because I lay down my life, only to take it up again.  No one takes my life from me; I lay it down freely.  I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it up again. This command I received from my Abba.”

A message based on Luke 6:17-36:  Coming down the mountain with the apostles, Jesus stopped in a level area where there were a great number of disciples.  A large crowd of people was with them from Jerusalem and all over Judea, to as far north as the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon—people who had come to hear Jesus and be healed of their diseases, and even to be freed from unclean spirits.  Indeed, the whole crowd was trying to touch Jesus, because power was coming out of him and healing them all.  Looking at the disciples, Jesus said: “You who are poor are blessed, for the reign of God is yours. You who hunger now are blessed, for you’ll be filled. You who weep now are blessed, for you’ll laugh. You are blessed when people hate you, when they scorn and insult you and spurn your name as evil because of the Chosen One.  On the day they do so, rejoice and be glad: your reward will be great in heaven, for their ancestors treated the prophets the same way. But woe to you rich, for you are now receiving your comfort in full.Woe to you who are full, for you’ll go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you’ll weep in your grief.Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in the same way.“To you who hear me, I say: love your enemies.  Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.  When they slap you on one cheek, turn and give them the other; when they take your coat, let them have your shirt as well.  Give to all who beg from you.  When someone takes what is yours, don’t demand it back.  “Do to others what you would have them do to you.  If you love those who love you, what credit does that do you?  Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them.  If you do good only to those who do good to you, what credit does that do you?  Even ‘sinners’ do as much.  If you lend to those you expect to repay you, what credit does that do you?  Even ‘sinners’ lend to other ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full.  Love your enemies and do good to them.  Lend without expecting repayment, and your reward will be great.  You’ll rightly be called children of the Most High, since God is good even to the ungrateful and the wicked.  “Be compassionate, as your loving God is compassionate.

A message based on Matthew 4:1-11: Then Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit, to be tempted by the Devil.  After fasting for forty days and forty nights, Jesus was hungry.  Then the tempter approached and said, “If you are the Only Begotten, command these stones to turn into bread.”Jesus replied, “Scripture has it, ‘We live not on bread alone but on every utterance that comes from the mouth of God.’”Next the Devil took Jesus to the Holy City, set him on the parapet of the Temple and said, “If you are the Only Begotten, throw yourself down.  Scripture has it, ‘God will tell the angels to take care of you; with their hands they will support you that you may never stumble on a stone.’” Jesus answered, “Scripture also says, ‘Do not put God to the test.’”The Devil then took Jesus up a very high mountain and displayed all the dominions of the world in their magnificence, promising, “All these I will give you if you fall down and worship me.” At this, Jesus said to the Devil, “Away with you, Satan!  Scripture says, ‘You will worship the Most High God; God alone will you adore.’” At that the Devil left, and angels came and attended Jesus.

A message based on Matthew 17:1-9: Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves.  And Jesus was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light.  Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.  Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”  While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”  When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear.  But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.”  And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”  

A message based on Matthew 5:13-20: Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything but is thrown out and trampled under foot.“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

A message based on Matthew 5:1-12: When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he began to speak and taught them, saying:“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.“Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

A message based on Matthew 4:12-23:  Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.  He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles— the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.”  Immediately they left their nets and followed him.  As Jesus went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.  Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

A message based on Matthew 3:13-17:  Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.  John would have prevented Jesus, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”  But Jesus answered John, “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.”  Then John consented.  And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and Jesus saw God’s Spirit descending like a dove and alighting on him.  And a voice from the heavens said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”  

A message based on Matthew 2:1-15: After Jesus’ birth—which happened in Bethlehem of Judea, during the reign of Herod—astrologers from the East arrived in Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the newborn ruler of the Jews?  We observed his star at its rising and have come to pay homage.”  At this news Herod became greatly disturbed, as did all of Jerusalem.  Summoning all the chief priests and religious scholars of the people, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they informed him.  “Here is what the prophet has written: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,  are by no means least among the leaders of Judah,  since from you will come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”Herod called the astrologers aside and found out from them the exact time of the star’s appearance.  Then he sent them to Bethlehem, after having instructed them, “Go and get detailed information about the child.  When you have found him, report back to me—so that I may go and offer homage, too.”After their audience with the ruler, they set out.  The star which they had observed at its rising went ahead of them until it came to a standstill over the place where the child lay.  They were overjoyed at seeing the star and, upon entering the house, found the child with Mary, his mother.  They prostrated themselves and paid homage.  Then they opened their coffers and presented the child with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They were warned in a dream, not to return to Herod, so they went back to their own country by another route. After the astrologers had left, the angel of God suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph with the command, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt.  Stay there until I tell you otherwise.  Herod is searching for the child to destroy him.”  Joseph got up, awakened Jesus and Mary, and they left that night for Egypt.  They stayed there until the death of Herod, to fulfill what God had said through the prophet:  “Out of Egypt I have called my Own.” 

A message based on Luke 2:21-40: When the eighth day arrived for the child’s circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.When the day came for them to be purified, as laid down by the Law of Moses, the couple took Jesus up to Jerusalem and presented him to God. For it is written in the Law of our God, “Every firstborn heir is to be consecrated to God.” They likewise came to offer in sacrifice “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accord with the dictate of the Law of our God.Now there lived in Jerusalem a man named Simeon. He was devout and just, anticipating the consolation of Israel, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. She had revealed to Simeon that he wouldn’t see death until he had seen the Messiah of God. Prompted by her, Simeon came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child, Jesus, to perform the customary rituals of the Law, he took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Now, O God, you can dismiss your servant in peace, just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the peoples to see— a light of revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.”As the child’s mother and father stood there marveling at the things that were being said, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, the mother, “This child is destined to be the downfall and the rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that is rejected, so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare. And a sword will pierce your heart as well.”There was a woman named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who was a prophet. She had lived a long life, seven years with her husband, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple, worshipping day and night, fasting and praying. Coming up at that moment, she gave thanks to God and talked about the child, Jesus, to all who anticipated the deliverance of Jerusalem.When the couple had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the Law of God, they returned to Galilee and their own town of Nazareth. The child grew in size and strength. Jesus was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was with him.

A message based on Luke 1:57-80:  When the time came for Elizabeth to deliver, she gave birth to a son.  When her neighbors and relatives heard that God had been merciful to her, they shared her joy.  When all had assembled for the circumcision on the eighth day, they intended to name the baby after his father Zechariah.  But Elizabeth spoke up, “No, he is to be called John.”They pointed out to her, “But no one in your family has this name.”  Then they made signs to the father to find out what he wanted the child to be named.  Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.”  They were all astonished.  Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.  Their neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea, people were talking about these events.  All who heard the news stored it in their hearts and said, “What will this child turn out to be?”  For God’s hand is with him.  Zechariah, John’s father, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: “Blessed are you, the Most High God of Israel— for you have visited and redeemed your people.   You have raised up a mighty savior for us of the house of David, as you promised through the mouths of your holy ones,  the prophets of ancient times: salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all our foes.   You have shown mercy to our ancestors by remembering the holy Covenant you made with them,  the oath you swore to Sarah and Abraham,  granting that we,  delivered from the hands of our enemies,  might serve you without fear,  in holiness and justice,  in your presence all our days.   And you, my child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,  for you’ll go before our God to prepare the way for the Promised One,  giving the people the knowledge of salvation through forgiveness of their sins.   Such is the tender mercy of our God,  who from on high will bring the Rising Sun to visit us,  to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”In the meantime, the child, John, grew up and became strong in spirit.  He lived out in the desert until the day he appeared openly in Israel.  

A message based on Luke 1:39-55:  Within a few days Mary set out and hurried to the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  But why am I so favored, that the mother of the Messiah should come to me.  The moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy.  Blessed is she who believed that what our God said to her would be accomplished!”Mary said: “My soul proclaims your greatness, O God,  and my spirit rejoices in you, my Savior.    For you have looked with favor  upon your lowly servant,  and from this day forward  all generations will call me blessed.    For you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,   and holy is your Name.    Your mercy reaches from age to age  for those who fear you.    You have shown strength with your arm;  you have scattered the proud in their conceit;  you have deposed the mighty from their thrones  and raised the lowly to high places.    You have filled the hungry with good things,   while you have sent the rich away empty.    You have come to the aid of Israel your servant,   mindful of your mercy—  the promise you made to our ancestors—  to Sarah and Abraham  and their descendants forever.” 

A message based on Matthew 3:1-12:  At this time John the Baptizer appeared in the desert of Judea, proclaiming, “Change your hearts and minds, for the reign of heaven is about to break upon you!” It was John that the prophet Isaiah described when he said, “A herald’s voice cries in the desert:  Prepare the way of our God, make straight the paths of God!’”John was clothed in a garment of camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist.  Grasshoppers and wild honey were his food.  At that time, Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him.  John baptized them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. When John saw that many of the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming to be baptized, he said to them, “You pack of snakes!  Who told you to flee from the coming wrath?  Give some evidence that you mean to reform!  And don’t pride yourselves on the claim, ‘Sarah and Abraham are our parents.’  I tell you, God can raise children for Sarah and Abraham from these very stones!Even now the ax is laid to the root of the tree.  Every tree that is not fruitful will be cut down and thrown into the fire.  I will baptize you in water for repentance, but the One who will follow me is more powerful than I.  I’m not fit even to untie the sandals of the Coming One!  The One who is Coming will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire, his winnowing-fan will clear the threshing floor.  The grain will be gathered into the barn, but the chaff will be burned in unquenchable fire.” 

A message based on Mark 13:24-37: Jesus said, “But in those days, after that time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will fall from the sky and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Promised One coming in the clouds with great power and glory; then the angels will be sent to gather the elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.”"Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the Promised One is near, right at the door. The truth is, before this generation has passed away, all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. "But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it—neither the angels of heaven, nor the Only Begotten—no one but Abba God. Be constantly on the watch! Stay awake! You do not know when the appointed time will come. "It is like people traveling abroad. They leave their home and put the workers in charge, each with a certain task, and those who watch at the front gate are ordered to stay on the alert. So stay alert! You do not know when the owner of the house is coming, whether at dusk, at midnight, when the cock crows or at early dawn. Do not let the owner come suddenly and catch you asleep. What I say to you, I say to all: stay alert!”

A message based on Luke 21:5-19: When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” They asked Jesus, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them. “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” Then Jesus said to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and plagues, and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.“But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance, for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and siblings, by relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.”

A message based on Luke 6:20-31:  Then Jesus looked up at his disciples and said:“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.  Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven, for that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.“Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.“Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.“Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.“But I say to you who are listening:  Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you.  If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.  Give to everyone who asks of you, and if anyone takes away what is yours, do not ask for it back again.  Do to others as you would have them do to you.” 

A message based on John 8:31-36:  Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”  They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone.  What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?”Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.  The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever.  So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

A message based on Luke 18:1-8 (NRSVue):  Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.  He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people.  In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my accuser.’  For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’”  And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.  And will not God grant justice to God’s chosen ones who cry out day and night?  Will God delay long in helping them?  I tell you, God will quickly grant justice to them.  And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” 

A message based on Luke 17:11-19:  On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee.  As Jesus entered a village, ten men with a skin disease approached him.  Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”  When Jesus saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”  And as the ten men went, they were made clean.  Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice.  He prostrated himself at Jesus’s feet and thanked him.  And he was a Samaritan.  Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean?  So where are the other nine?  Did none of them return to give glory to God except this foreigner?”  Then Jesus said to the man, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”

A message based on Luke 17:5-10: The apostles said to the Lord Jesus, “Increase our faith!” The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.“Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me; put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’”

A message based on Luke 24:44-53:  Then Jesus said to the apostles, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.”  Then Jesus opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in Christ’s name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things.  And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised, so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”Then Jesus led the apostles out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them.  While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.  And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

A message based on Luke 8:22-25: One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they put out, and while they were sailing Jesus fell asleep. A windstorm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. They went to Jesus and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And waking up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. Then Jesus said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were terrified and amazed and said to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water and they obey him?”

A message based on Luke 5:1-11: Once while Jesus was standing beside the Lake of Gennesaret and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. Jesus got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked Simon to put out a little way from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to burst. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’s knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For he and all who were with him were astounded at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.

A message based on Luke 14:1, 7-14:  On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely.When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable.  “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host, and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place.  But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you.  For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your siblings or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid.  But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.  And you will be blessed because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

A message based on Luke 13:10-17: Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.  And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years.  She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight.  When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.”  When Jesus laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.  But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured and not on the Sabbath day.”  But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites!  Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it to water?  And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day?”  When Jesus said this, all his opponents were put to shame, and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things being done by him.

A message based on Hebrews 11:29—12:2: By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned.  By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days.  By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace.And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,  who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,  quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.  Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection.  Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment.  They were stoned to death; they were sawn in two; they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented  of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and in caves and holes in the ground.Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised,  since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,  looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

A message based on Luke 12:32-40: Jesus said: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night or near dawn and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

A message based on Luke 12:13-21:   Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.”  But Jesus said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” And Jesus said to the crowd, “Take care!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”  Then Jesus told them a parable:  “The land of a rich man produced abundantly.  And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’  But God said to him, ‘You fool!  This very night your life is being demanded of you.  And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”  

A message based on two lessons:Luke 11:1-13: Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”  So Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say:Father, may your name be revered as holy. May your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread.And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”And Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’  And the man answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’  I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything out of friendship, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.  For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.  Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for a fish, would give a snake instead of a fish?  Or if the child asked for an egg, would give a scorpion?  If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask!”  Genesis 18:16-32:  Then the three men set out from there, and they looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to set them on their way.  The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?  No, for I have chosen him, that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring about for Abraham what was promised him.”  Then the LORD said, “How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin!  I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me, and if not, I will know.”So the three men turned from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD.  Then Abraham came near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?  Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it?  Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked!  Far be that from you!  Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”  And the LORD said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.”  Abraham answered, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to my lord, I who am but dust and ashes.  Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking?  Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?”  And the LORD said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”  Again Abraham spoke to the LORD, “Suppose forty are found there.”  The LORD answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” Then Abraham said, “Oh, do not let my lord be angry if I speak.  Suppose thirty are found there.”  The LORD answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.”  Abraham said, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to my lord.  Suppose twenty are found there.”  The LORD answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.”  Then Abraham said, “Oh, do not let my lord be angry if I speak just once more.  Suppose ten are found there.”  The LORD answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”

A message based on Luke 10:38-42: Now as Jesus and his disciples went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at Jesus’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, so she came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her, then, to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things, but few things are needed—indeed only one. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

A message based on Luke 10:25-37:  An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus.  “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law?  What do you read there?”  The man answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.”  And Jesus said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”But wanting to vindicate himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and took off, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw the man who had been beaten the priest passed by on the other side.  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw the beaten man, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came upon the man, and when the Samaritan saw the man who had been beaten he was moved with compassion.  He went to the beaten man and bandaged his wounds, treating them with oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  The next day the Samaritan took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of the man, and when I come back I will repay you whatever more you spend.’  Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”  The man who had tried to test Jesus said, “The one who showed him mercy.”  Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

A message based on Luke 10:1-11, 16-20: After this Jesus appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way; I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person, but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you;  cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” Jesus said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. Indeed, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

A message based on two lessons: Matthew 10:40-42 (Inclusive Bible): Jesus said, “Those who welcome you also welcome me, and those who welcome me welcome the One who sent me.  Those who welcome prophets just because they are prophets will receive the reward reserved for the prophets themselves; those who welcome holy people just because they are holy will receive the reward of the holy ones.  The truth is, whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of these lowly ones just for being a disciples will not lack a reward.”  Isaiah 25:6-10a (Inclusive Bible):  On this mountain, YHWH Omnipotent will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines, food rich and succulent, and fine, aged wines.  On this mountain God will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, the shroud covering all nations, destroying all death forever.  God will wipe away the tears from every cheek and will take away the shame of God’s people on earth, wherever they live.  YHWH has spoken.  On that Day it will be said, “This is our God, this is the One for whose liberation we waited, YHWH is the One in whom we had hoped! We rejoice exultantly in our deliverance, for the hand of YHWH rests on the mountain!”

A message based on Luke 8:26-39 (Inclusive Bible):Jesus and his disciples came to the region of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.  Jesus was stepping from the boat when he was met by a person from the town who was possessed by demons.  The demoniac had not worn clothes for a long time, and was homeless, living among the tombs instead.  Seeing Jesus, the individual cried out and fell at Jesus’s feet, shouting loudly, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Only Begotten of the Most High God?  I beg you, don’t torture me!”  – for Jesus was ordering the unclean spirit to come out of the person.  This spirit had seized the demoniac many times in the past, who then needed to be restrained with chains and shackles and kept under guard—yet every time, the possessed person would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into deserted places.  “What is your name?” Jesus asked.  “Legion,” it replied, because many demons had entered the person.  And they pleaded with Jesus not to order them to depart into the abyss.  A large herd of pigs was feeding nearby on the hillside.  The demons pleaded with Jesus to allow them to enter the swine, and Jesus gave them permission.  The demons left the person and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the hillside into the lake and drowned.  When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran to tell the story in town and throughout the countryside.  The local residents came out to see what happened.  And as they approached Jesus, they saw the exorcised person sitting at Jesus’s feet, clothed and of right mind.  And they were afraid.  Those who had witnessed it told the others how the possessed one had been made whole.  Panic overcame the whole population of the region of the Gerasenes, and they asked Jesus to leave them.  When Jesus had gotten into the boat to leave, the person who had been healed asked to go with Jesus.  But Jesus said, “No, go back home and tell everyone what God has done for you.”  So the one who had been made whole went off and proclaimed throughout the region what Jesus had accomplished.

A message based on John 16:12-15 (Spark Bible): Jesus loved his disciples. He knew he was going to heaven soon and wanted to make sure they weren’t afraid. Jesus and his friends sat down on the soft grass. Jesus said, “It’s important to remember all I’ve taught you. Love God. Love other people. Help each other. Remember, God is most important. God will always love you.” Jesus looked at each of his friends’ faces. He cared so much for each of them! “I promise I’ll always love you and everyone who comes after you. I won’t be here much longer. But don’t worry! God’s Holy Spirit will be with you always. The Holy Spirit will help you and God’s children forever.” The disciples trusted Jesus and the promise he made.

A message based on Acts 2:1-21 (Inclusive Bible): When the day of Pentecost arrived, they all met in one room. Suddenly they heard what sounded like a violent, rushing wind from heaven; the noise filled the entire house in which they were sitting. Something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each one. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as she had enabled them. Now there were devout people living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled. But they were bewildered to hear their native languages being spoken. They were amazed and astonished: “Surely all of these people speaking are Galileans! How does it happen that each of us hears these words in our native tongue? We are Parthians, Medes and Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya around Cyrene, as well as visitors from Rome—all Jews, or converts to Judaism—Cretans and Arabs, too; we hear them preaching, each in our own language, about the marvels of God!”All were amazed and disturbed. They asked each other, “What does this mean?” But others said mockingly, “They’ve drunk too much new wine.”Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed the crowd: “Women and men of Judea, and all you who live in Jerusalem! Listen to what I have to say! These people are not drunk as you think—it’s only nine o’clock in the morning! No, it’s what Joel the prophet spoke of: ‘In the days to come—it is our God who speaks—I will pour out my Spiriton all humankind. Your daughters and sons will prophesy, your young people will see visions, and your elders will dream dreams. Even on the most insignificant of my people, both women and men, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. And I will display wondersin the heavens aboveand signs on the earth below:blood, fire, and billowing smoke. The sun will be turned into darknessand the moon will become bloodbefore the coming of thegreat and sublime day of our God. And all who call upon the nameof our God will be saved.’”

A messaged based on John 17:20-26:  [Jesus prayed:] “I ask not only on behalf of these but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one.  As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.  Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.“Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you, and these know that you have sent me.  I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I in them.”

A message based on John 5:2-9: Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, Jesus said to the man, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.” Jesus said to the man who was sick, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.Now that day was a sabbath.

A message based on John 13:33-35:  Jesus said, “Little children, I am with you only a little longer.  You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’  I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.  Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

A message based on John 10:22-30:  At that time the Festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem.  It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon.  So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense?  If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”  Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe.  The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me, but you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep.  My sheep hear my voice.  I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.  No one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, in regard to what God has given me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  The Father and I are one.”  

A message based on John 21:1-19:  After Jesus appeared to his followers in Jerusalem, he showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he showed himself in this way.  Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.  Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.”  They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?”  They answered him, “No.”  He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”  So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish.  That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he had taken it off, and jumped into the sea.  But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.  When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread.  Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”  So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them, and though there were so many, the net was not torn.  Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”  Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord.  Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them and did the same with the fish.  This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”  Simon Peter said to Jesus, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”  Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”  A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”  Simon Peter said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”  Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”  Jesus said to Simon Peter the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”  Peter felt hurt because Jesus said to him the third time, “Do you love me?”  And Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.  Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished.  But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.”  (Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.)  After this Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Follow me.”  

A message based on Luke 24:1-12: On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,  but when they went in they did not find the body.  While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them.  The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?  Jesus is not here but has risen.  Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,  that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.”  Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.  Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.  But these words seemed to the eleven an idle tale, and they did not believe the women.  But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.