Scriptures for April 15

Acts 5:27-32
Psalm 150
Revelation 1:4-8
John 20:19-31

Acts 5:27-32
When they had brought them, they had them stand before the
council. The high priest questioned them, saying, "We gave you
strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled
Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this
man's blood on us." But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must
obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our
ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on
a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior
that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit
whom God has given to those who obey him."
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When have you felt pressure to deny your own experience, your own convictions?
What happened?
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Psalm 150
1 Hallelujah!
Praise God in his holy temple; *
praise him in the firmament of his power.

2 Praise him for his mighty acts; *
praise him for his excellent greatness.

3 Praise him with the blast of the ram's-horn; *
praise him with lyre and harp.

4 Praise him with timbrel and dance; *
praise him with strings and pipe.

5 Praise him with resounding cymbals; *
praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath *
praise the Lord.
Hallelujah!
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When have you felt moved by music?
How do you find it most comfortable to express your praise of God?
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Revelation 1:4-8
John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and
who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his
throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the
firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood,
and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father,
to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Look! He is coming with the clouds;
every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.
So it is to be. Amen.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is
and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
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How do you relate to the earthly Jesus of the gospel stories and the exalted Jesus as pictured by John's vision?
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John 20:19-31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and
the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked
for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said,
"Peace be with you." After he 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 he 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,
which are not written in this book. But these are written so that
you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,
and that through believing you may have life in his name.
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When have you ever felt different because your experience or belief was different?
Was your group able to include you as the disciples included Thomas?
What does this story say about grief and healing? ...about doubt and belief?
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Lowell

The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, AR