Lent 2009: Thank you -- live in the Easter promise of new life!

This is the last message that will go out this year on this Lenten Devotions Facebook group, blog, and email list.  I just wanted to thank everyone who read our Lenten Devotions this year.  I hope our devotions have helped you grow closer to God this Lent.  

We are now in the season of Easter, and we change our focus from the introspective contemplativeness of Lent, into joyfully living out the promise of new life found in the resurrection of Jesus the Christ.  

Also, check out the discussion of Easter and doubt at http://www.dcyoungadults.org/featured/easter/

For more information on our ministry:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University

  + Website: http://gmu.edu/org/lutheran 

  + Facebook group: GMU Lutherans 

  + Facebook profile: Mason Lutherans 

GMU747 Creative Christian Worship

  + Website: http://gmu747.org 

  + Facebook group: GMU747 

Additional thanks for those who helped me out by writing a devotion or few: Ben Masters, Chris Bergtholdt, and Katie Kane, Rev. Lisa Hufford, (and anyone I missed).  Thanks also to those who commented or otherwise provoked discussion.  ;-)

Grace and peace,

Ben Buss

Lutheran Campus Minister at George Mason University

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BAKE SALE: Today (4/13), Noon-2pm, JC East Plaza Sidewalk (to raise money for our Relay for Life team  to benefit the American Cancer Society).

THEOLOGY PUB: Join us as we eat, drink, and chat about life, theology, and God.  Brion's Grille at 5:15pm on Tuesday (4/14).  Rides from SUB1 room 207 at 5pm.  ALL ARE WELCOME!

SPECIAL INVITATION: This Wednesday (4/15), our "747" worship experience will be super exciting as students are planning and leading worship as a project for their class on "The Sacred and the Erotic".  Join us, and reclaim your body in light of the resurrection of Christ.  7:47pm in the JC Bistro.

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These devotions are provided by Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University.  Feel free to share them with your friends!  For more information on our ministry and events, see http://gmu.edu/org/lutheran  

Easter 2009

Mark 16:1-8 
1 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 They had been saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you." 8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

THOUGHTS:

These women walked toward the tomb worrying about problems the stone would cause them, yet when they arrived, it was already rolled away!  They were understandably disturbed, and even more confused when a man sitting in the tomb tells them that Jesus has been raised.  Some of the oldest copies of Mark end here at verse 8, with these women fleeing the tomb in terror and amazement, too scared to tell anyone about it.

We proclaim the Gospel:

HE IS RISEN!  HE IS RISEN INDEED!

ALLELUIA!  PRAISE BE TO GOD!

PRAYER:

Lord God, we fall on our knees in wonder, and we shout the Good News in joy: "Jesus is risen from the dead!"  May be dwell in the awe of that first Easter morning today.  In Jesus holy name we pray, AMEN.

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REMINDER: Carpool to worship with us TODAY (4/12) for EASTER worship services.  Meet at 10:25am for a ride from SUB 1 room 207.  

SPECIAL INVITATION: This Wednesday (4/15), our "747" worship experience will be super exciting as students are planning and leading worship as a project for their class on "The Sacred and the Erotic".  Join us, and reclaim your body in light of the resurrection of Christ.  7:47pm in the JC Bistro.

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These devotions are provided by Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University .  Feel free to share them with your friends!  For more information on our ministry and events, see http://gmu.edu/org/lutheran  

You can subscribe to these devotions by RSS or email from http://lentendevotions.blogspot.com