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The Second Week in April

Writer's picture: Jason BuckwalterJason Buckwalter




We Read…

In today’s readings, we see two themes closely tied together: Jesus’ suffering and his life, death, and resurrection's impact on humanity. Have you ever taken time to think about the fact that Jesus suffered when he was crucified? It’s sometimes very uncomfortable to think about, but hopefully, today’s readings shed some light on why Jesus suffered and what it means for God’s people. First, if we look at today's passage in Luke 24, we see a story of Jesus with his disciples after his resurrection. We see Jesus explain that the Old Testament reveals to God’s people that the Messiah, the Christ, would suffer and be raised again in three days and that the truth of Jesus being the source of transformation and forgiveness of sins must be preached to all nations! Jesus himself reminds his followers that his suffering was necessary and that it was the first step in making the forgiveness of our sins possible. Today’s passages in 1 John 3 and Acts 3 affirm what Jesus was saying by reminding us that Jesus’ suffering made a way for us to be in a right relationship with God! Because of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, we now get to be children of God, and our lives have the opportunity to be transformed! No matter our circumstances and the sin we find ourselves in, Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection have the power to bring the healing and salvation that humanity needs.


Our final passage reminds us that pain and suffering aren’t unique to Jesus’ life. Have you ever experienced painful seasons? Psalm 4 shows us that we are seen in our struggle, in our challenging circumstances, and our pain - But more than that, it reveals to us that God is the source of our security and peace! What we read today shows us that we serve a God who knows the full human experience and looks at us with love and compassion through every season in life.



Psalm 4

    1 Answer me when I cry out, 

     my righteous God! 

     Set me free from my troubles! 

      Have mercy on me! 

      Listen to my prayer! 


    2 How long, you people, 

     will my reputation be insulted? 

    How long will you continue 

     to love what is worthless 

     and go after lies? 

         Selah 

    3 Know this: the LORD takes 

     personal care of the faithful. 

    The LORD will hear me 

     when I cry out to him. 

    4 So be afraid, and don’t sin! 

     Think hard about it in your bed 

     and weep over it! 

         Selah 

    5 Bring righteous offerings, 

     and trust the LORD! 


    6 Many people say, 

     “We can’t find goodness anywhere. 

     The light of your face has left us, LORD!”

    7 But you have filled my heart with more joy 

     than when their wheat and wine are 

      everywhere! 

    8 I will lie down and fall asleep in peace 

     because you alone, LORD, 

      let me live in safety.



Acts 3:12-19

Seeing this, Peter addressed the people: “You Israelites, why are you amazed at this? Why are you staring at us as if we made him walk by our own power or piety? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of our ancestors—has glorified his servant Jesus. This is the one you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, even though he had already decided to release him. 14 You rejected the holy and righteous one, and asked that a murderer be released to you instead. 15 You killed the author of life, the very one whom God raised from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 His name itself has made this man strong. That is, because of faith in Jesus’ name, God has strengthened this man whom you see and know. The faith that comes through Jesus gave him complete health right before your eyes. 


17 “Brothers and sisters, I know you acted in ignorance. So did your rulers. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he foretold through all the prophets: that his Christ would suffer. 19 Change your hearts and lives! Turn back to God so that your sins may be wiped away.



1 John 3:1-7

See what kind of love the Father has given to us in that we should be called God’s children, and that is what we are! Because the world didn’t recognize him, it doesn’t recognize us. 

2 Dear friends, now we are God’s children, and it hasn’t yet appeared what we will be. We know that when he appears we will be like him because we’ll see him as he is. 3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves even as he is pure. 4 Every person who practices sin commits an act of rebellion, and sin is rebellion. 5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and there is no sin in him. 6 Every person who remains in relationship to him does not sin. Any person who sins has not seen him or known him. 


7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you. The person who practices righteousness is righteous, in the same way that Jesus is righteous.



Luke 24:36b-48

While they were saying these things, Jesus himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 37 They were terrified and afraid. They thought they were seeing a ghost. 

38 He said to them, “Why are you startled? Why are doubts arising in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It’s really me! Touch me and see, for a ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones like you see I have.” 40 As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 Because they were wondering and questioning in the midst of their happiness, he said to them, “Do you have anything to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of baked fish. 43 Taking it, he ate it in front of them. 


44 Jesus said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law from Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled. 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 46 He said to them, “This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and a change of heart and life for the forgiveness of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.



We Think…

  • What stands out to you in these verses?

  • Does anything confuse you or not make sense?

  • How do these verses compare to your own experience in life or the church?

  • What are you considering?

  • What questions come to mind?



We Feel…

  • What emotions are you experiencing today? How are you making space for these feelings?

  • Where have you seen God today or this week?

  • What is pointing you to God (maybe it is something in creation, a friend or adult that cares for you)?

  • What has God made new in your life? In your heart?

  • Have you gone through times of suffering or pain? How does it feel to know that Jesus also suffered in his lifetime?

  • How does it make you feel to know that Jesus suffered, knowing that it would bring you the salvation you needed?



We Believe…

As Christians, we believe that Jesus was fully human and fully God. The math is sometimes a little tricky; 100% human + 100% God still equals 1 Jesus, but it’s what we believe! Knowing that Jesus fully experienced life as a human, as one of us, means that he can completely relate to our lives. He felt human feelings, had important relationships, and his suffering was very real. Jesus didn’t join us on earth for only the good parts of life; he came to be with us in all of life. 


  • How would you feel if Jesus avoided all the negative emotions of being a person? 

  • What does it mean for us that God truly knows us, truly knows what it feels like to suffer as a human, to live a human life?



We Practice…

Take some time today to reflect on the suffering Jesus endured for you so that you could be in right relationship with him. Take some time today to reflect on your life experiences with pain and suffering, remembering that we serve a God who knows what it means to live as a human through the good and the bad.  


  • Think of someone in your life who may be going through a painful season; how can you extend compassion to them as Jesus has extended to you?



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