Second Week of Easter

April 27 - May 3

Books of Exodus and Gospel of Luke

“Go away from me, Lord, because I am a sinful man.” Peter was unclean, and he knew it. The man at whose feet he had fallen had performed yet another in a string of miracles that were astonishing people all over Israel. Only someone with true divine power could do what this rabbi had been doing. Their ancestors probably felt something similar at the foot of Sinai. Beholding the terrifying cloud, lightning, and thunder on the mountain, it was clear that they were dealing with the true, holy God, before whom they could not survive.

Sadly, our recognition of uncleanness dissipates and self-righteousness takes over. Peter would later deny that he even knew Jesus. The Israelites, after promising to do all that that God commanded them from the mountain, grew impatient and were led into open idolatry. This is true of us, too. We may enter church each week and encounter Jesus in his Word and in the sacrament, but in the days that follow, our words and actions are anything but clean.

This is why Jesus’ reply to Peter is so telling: “Do not be afraid.” Before revealing the role Peter would play in his kingdom, Jesus’ first admonition is not to fear - not because who Peter is, but because of what he has come to do in his great mercy and love.

We need not fear, either. We have brought our sins before Jesus, and he has paid the price for them. His death and resurrection is ours, too - first at the baptismal font, then at the last day. The season of Easter is a bold and joyous reminder. So, whatever he has called us to do, we can go on confidently doing it as sinners remade, holy sons and daughters of God, straining ahead toward the day when we can finally stand before our Lord in the glory he has won for us.

Easter Week

April 20-26

Books of Exodus and Hebrews

The Israelites are stuck with their backs to the sea, facing a furiously advancing Egyptian army that will violently force them into resubmission. But God has a much greater plan for his people. He parts the waters, allowing the Israelites to cross over on dry ground, while the Egyptians perish under the collapsing walls. At first glance, this doesn’t sound much like an Easter story, but it is. It is a story of regeneration, of our baptism.

What God uses to save his people, he also uses to destroys his enemies. Much like that great army, he crushes our sinful nature in a deluge of baptismal water. But he does more. Beyond that watery graveyard lay our former life, lived under the weight of idolatry and sin. As the waves close in, our deliverance is sealed. There is no need to ever return to that place.

And yet, despite this great miracle, we want to. When our LORD leads us into a seemingly uncertain wilderness, we complain. Our physical needs get the best of us, and we convince ourselves it was better in the old world, where our hearts were heavy, but our bellies were full. The LORD hears this complaint and resets our priorities. One day, we will feast. But for now, we eat the manna he gives us with hopeful hearts. And at Easter, why shouldn’t they be? Our Lord is risen! Death itself can no longer loom; what physical pain or worry can overwhelm us?

So the LORD leads us on toward the promised land, but the journey is long. How do we follow? The writer of the book of Hebrews answers. We live by faith: the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen. We have not seen heaven, but God has supplied us with a cloud of witnesses throughout Scripture that testify to it, and teach us to believe and trust in our Savior.

Easter is a time when we stand on the other side of the sea, free from sin and death, knowing full well how the story will end. So we rejoice and declare as God’s people:

The LORD will reign for ever and ever. (Ex. 15:18)