Matthew 6:1-6,16-18

Thankfully, we are not dead yet, but are we truly living?

Hallelujah!

Ring bells!

Sing for joy!

Jump and shout!

Death loses. Sin is defeated. The powers of evil get their butts kicked. God wins. Light wins! Love wins! Jesus wins!

If our team just won the championship, we wouldn’t sit there silently, looking serious. We’d be jumping up and down with joy. The same should be true at Easter. It is a victory with a capital V!

But with his Resurrection, Jesus invites into a different kind of Victory. A victory unlike anything else in this world.

Easter means it’s time to start the party!

Our reading this week is Acts 10:34-43 and our music is the classic Easter hymn “Thine is the glory” performed by Spring Harvest.

Questions for reflection:

Where have you seen “new life” around you? Waar heb jij “nieuw leven” gezien om je heen?

If you’ve ever won a championship or a prize, what did it take to do that? What can that teach us about our faith in God. Als je ooit een kampioen bent geweest of een prijs hebt gewonnen, hoe is dat werkelijkheid geworden? Wat kunnen wij daaruit leren over ons geloof in God?

What are some of your favourite Easter traditions? Wat zijn sommige van jouw favoriete gewoontes of tradities met Pasen?

Here is an Easter prayer by Archbishop Desmond Tutu:

“Good is stronger than evil;

love is stronger than hate;

light is stronger than darkness;

life is stronger than death.

Victory is ours, through him who loves us.”

Sacrifices were used to try and remove their guilt and sin. They were also used to give thanks

Jesus is called the lamb of God and the true Passover lamb, we remember his sacrifice every time that we share in Holy Communion at Church. Which means that through his sacrifice each of us, regardless of who or what we are, are  called, welcomed, wanted in the presence of God.

Our sacrifice in response to what Jesus has done for us, is, with the power of the Holy Spirit, to live lives that reflect the love of Jesus onto those around us and to give praise and prayers at all times and in all places.

Our scripture this week comes from Isaiah 50:4-9a. The Reflection is provided by Jane Randells and our music is “When I survey the wondrous cross” by Kathryn Scott.

Parents often make sacrifices for their children. Why? And since we call God “Father” what can we learn about the sacrifices God makes for us? Ouders offeren vaak dingen op voor hun kinderen. Waarom? Aangezien we God ‘Vader’ noemen wat leren we dan over de offers die God voor ons maakt?

 What kind of sacrifices do you think God wants from us? What could we offer God? Welke soort offers denk jij dat God van ons wil? Wat hebben wij God te bieden?

What kind of stone gets rejected? A misshapen one? One that’s the wrong size? One that can’t be cut?

Is that what people thought about Jesus? That he and his message were misshapen, the wrong size or unbreakable?

Because they did the same thing to him that they would with a useless stone – rejection.

Our reflection this week considers how Jesus responds to this rejection? With forgiveness. And the music is “In Christ Alone” by Stuart Townsend.

When, or where, have you seen rejection take place? Why did it happen? Wanneer of waar, heb jij afwijzing zien plaatsvinden? Waarom is het gebeurd?

What do we need if we’ve experienced rejection? Wat hebben we nodig als we afwijzing hebben ervaren?

Who are people in the world today who have been rejected? How can we respond to them? Wie zijn de mensen in de wereld vandaag, die afgewezen zijn? Hoe kunnen wij op hen reageren?