<html><body><div>Part 2, still unproofed!</div><div><br></div><div>Bob</div><div><br></div><div>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>What difference does today make?</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Sometimes there <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal"><u>ARE</u></b> people in our midst who look, who see all sorts of
regulations formulated on faulty human premises. Sometimes there ATE people who
have not only the insight to see how Jesus’ life, how Jesus’ death, how Jesus’
resurrection change our attitudes. We’re brought to examine all the
regulations, all the laws, all the rituals and customs that would try to
control us, but which do not have a solid moral grounding. Sometimes not only
are there people with such clarity of insight into the meaning of the death of
Jesus and His resurrection, insight about God’s law, but also some of these
same people have, like Franz Jägerstätter, the courage to hold on to their
convictions, being empowered by the way that God raised Jesus, and promises to
do the same for us.</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Jägerstätter
looked at the way that Jesus faced down death and overcame it. He wrote, “God’s
love for us human beings is so great that we can never comprehend it with our
human understanding. Although we often offend him and even seriously offend
him, God still persistently loves us. Otherwise, God would not time and again
forgive us. Could you imagine a greater love? … Therefore, love of our
neighbors is the greatest act of gratitude that we can show God for his love.” <sup>2</sup></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>In
the midst of military tension in the 19302, Jägerstätter was able to see how
all the accepted political and social standards and opinions had to be measured
against the Power and Desire of God to give us strength and courage. And not
just political and social matters, similarly in terms of health and disease, in
terms of economics, in terms of relationships and attitudes, the Power and
Desire of God to give us Life is exemplified perfectly in the resurrection of
Jesus for us. Whatever it is that would be a blight and a danger to our lives
and times, that has been dethroned.</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>So
often we’re tempted to think and talk about the death of Jesus and not to
concentrate on the resurrection of Jesus, the way in which God recreates over
and over again for us and in us.</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>What
is it that tries to restrict us, to frighten us, to take from us the ability to
use our God-given skills and gifts? Who is it who injects artificial rules and
tries to prevent us from living to the fullest? Who, through human
manipulation, tries to prevent us from experiencing the joy of making a
difference and turning lives around?</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Two
thousand years before Franz Jägerstätter, Mary Magdalene, despite her grief,
her pain, her loss of a deep relationship; two thousand years ago, Mary went to
the tomb, showing the sort of courage that Franz Jägerstätter did. She held on
to her beliefs, no matter how shaken she’d been, no matter who tried to
convince her of her foolishness in thinking that she was important, that she
had a role to play which was based on an authority and power far greater than
others seemed capable of imagining.</span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;vertical-align:
baseline"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>A commentator wrote, “that among
Lakota people it is that that ‘The people is never defeated until the hearts of
women are on the ground.’ The (heart of the woman) in this scene (is) clearly
not on the ground. That means that the Jewish followers of Jesus are not
defeated, despite Roman power and cruelty. Jesus is dead, and (Mary still holds
her heart) steady. (Her) strength is admirable.” <sup>3</sup></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Mary sees the emptiness and, in
wonder, runs to tell the leaders of the disciples. The three of them run back
and only John begins to get the picture, not of absence, but of presence. But
it is only Mary who actually sees Jesus after the other two had left. “… in the
face of the resurrection of Jesus who had been tortured to death,” she saw how
God turns everything around, to overcome our fear.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>What difference <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal"><u>DOES</u></b> this day make? It gives us the hope, it gives us
energy, it gives us the insight to examine all of creation in the new Light of
Easter. It gives us renewal. It speaks to those for whom we prayed on Friday
night: the hungry, the homeless, the destitute, the oppressed, the sick, the
wounded, the crippled, the lonely, the fearful, the anguished, the tempted, the
doubting, the despairing, the sorrowful, the bereaved, prisoners, captives,
those who have never heard this Good News, the contemptuous, the scornful.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>This day makes a difference for
everyone. No longer are there isolating and debilitating boundaries and
restrictions, for only God’s Law matters. And God embraces us with power. So</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><em><span style='background: white; margin: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Rise heart: thy Lord is
risen. Sing his praise</span></em><i><span style='background: white; margin: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><br>
</span></i><em><span style='background: white; margin: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal;'> <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Without delayes,</span></em><i><span style='background: white; margin: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><br>
</span></i><em><span style='background: white; margin: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Who takes thee by the
hand, that thou likewise</span></em><i><span style='background: white; margin: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><br>
</span></i><em><span style='background: white; margin: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal;'> <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>With him mayst rise:</span></em><i><span style='background: white; margin: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><br>
</span></i><em><span style='background: white; margin: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>That, as his death
calcined thee to dust,</span></em><i><span style='background: white; margin: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><br>
</span></i><em><span style='background: white; margin: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>His
life may make thee gold, and much more just. <sup>4</sup></span></em></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>NOTES:</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style='margin: 0px; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>[1]</span></span></span></span></span><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'><span style="margin: 0px;"><font size="2"> </font></span><font size="2">David
Hansen for </font><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><font size="2">“Lent Madness”</font></i><font size="2"> at </font><a href="http://www.lentmadness.org/2017/03/sarah-vs-franz-jagerstatter/"><font color="#0000ff" size="2">http://www.lentmadness.org/2017/03/sarah-vs-franz-jagerstatter/</font></a></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'><font size="2"> </font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'><font size="2">2</font></span></span><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";'><span style="margin: 0px;"><font size="2"> </font></span><font size="2">David Hansen for </font><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal"><font size="2">“Lent Madness”</font></i><font size="2"> at </font><a href="http://www.lentmadness.org/2017/03/sarah-vs-franz-jagerstatter/"><font color="#0000ff" size="2">http://www.lentmadness.org/2017/03/sarah-vs-franz-jagerstatter/</font></a><font size="2">
and </font><a href="http://www.lentmadness.org/2017/04/for-the-golden-halo-franz-jagerstatter-vs-florence-nightingale/"><font color="#0000ff" size="2">http://www.lentmadness.org/2017/04/for-the-golden-halo-franz-jagerstatter-vs-florence-nightingale/</font></a><font size="2">
</font></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>3</span></span><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Dr.
Martin Brokenleg, quoted <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></b>in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">“<span style="margin: 0px;">A Provocation: Easter Sunday: April 16, 2017:
Matthew 28:1-10’ </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0in; border: 1pt windowtext; border-image: none; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.75pt;"><a href="https://provokingthegospel.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/a-provocation-easter-sunday-april-16-2017-matthew-281-10/"><span style="margin: 0px; text-transform: none;"><font color="#0000ff">April 12, 2017</font></span></a></span></span></i><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0in; border: 1pt windowtext; border-image: none; letter-spacing: 0.75pt;"> by </span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0in; border: 1pt windowtext; border-image: none; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.75pt;"><a href="https://provokingthegospel.wordpress.com/author/richardwswanson/"><span style="margin: 0px; text-transform: none;"><font color="#0000ff">Richard W.Swanson</font></span></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal"> </b></span></span><span style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><a href="https://provokingthegospel.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/a-provocation-easter-sunday-april-16-2017-matthew-281-10/comment-page-1/#comment-126"><font color="#0000ff">https://provokingthegospel.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/a-provocation-easter-sunday-april-16-2017-matthew-281-10/comment-page-1/#comment-126</font></a></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>4<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'>“Easter”</span></i><span style='margin: 0px; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;'> by George Herbert <a href="https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2012/03/discovering-poetry-george-herbert-and-the-meaning-of-easter/"><font color="#0000ff">https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2012/03/discovering-poetry-george-herbert-and-the-meaning-of-easter/</font></a>
</span></p>
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