Tony Pagliarullo

Scripture Reading Matthew 28:1-10 The message of Easter is that out of utter darkness God gave life and light. At Easter we often have Easter lilies in our homes or at church. A lily begins as a flower bulb that is kept in a cool, dark place. Out of this dark place a beautiful flower grows. "Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light things that are now hidden in darkness" (1 Corinthians 4:5). In the same way, God turned the darkness and despair of Christ's death on the cross into something beautiful. This season of Lent that we have committed ourselves to, we have been preparing for today. Today is the day we have awaited.  We have touched the ashes in repentance over our sins, we have remembered the Last Supper that Christ had with his disciples, we have been reminded of the servanthood of Christ by seeing his example of washing the disciple's feet. We mourned on Good Friday as we recalled the events of Christ's suffering and death. Finally, today we come...

Scripture Reading Matthew 27:62-66 The Jewish religious leaders wanted to make sure that Jesus' death was final. They knew the dedication and commitment of the disciples. The religious leaders believed that the disciples would even try to steal Jesus' body so that it looked like he had risen from the dead. Pilate agrees to have extra protection against such a thing from happening. The details of the security of the tomb are included in Matthew to illustrate the supernatural event of the resurrection. Jesus did NOT faint or go into a coma while he was on the cross, he really died. His heart stopped. His life expired. He stopped breathing. Jesus' death was as real as your life. His resurrection wasn't something that humans could have accomplished, it was completely and totally the work of God. How can we do anything but believe it? Prayer: God, thank you that the resurrection was not a trick by the disciples but was the most real and amazing thing that could ever happen....

Scripture Reading John 19:23-30 Imagine that you were there. You are one of Christ's followers and you are there at the foot of the cross. Can you hear the crying, the moans of Christ's pain? Can you see him as he gasps for air and struggles to speak? Do you see his mother weeping and the crowds around her cheering his death? The stench of hatred and death are around you and the one that you love and believe to be the Messiah is hanging on a cross before you? Now...someone tells you that this is "good." It seems unreal that anything good could come from what is around you. You want to believe, but how can it be good?  The Christian life at times is hard for us to understand. Throughout scripture we are told things that on the surface do not make sense. If we give up our lives, we gain life. The poor in spirit will inherit the Kingdom of God. The meek will inherit the earth.  And the death of Christ is good. On that Friday, it must have been unimaginably difficult to b...

Scripture Reading Matthew 26:26-29 The words of our Lord Jesus as he instituted the Lord's Supper are so precious to my heart. We have all participated in the Lord's Supper many times. The question for each of us is, "How often do we really worship God as we participate in it?" Do we just take it in a ritualistic way not remembering the significance of Jesus' death on the cross? As you reflect on these words, remember that the bread and the cup represent the body and blood of our Savior who suffered immeasurable agonies on a hill outside of Jerusalem so that we might have a relationship with God.  The Lord's Supper is called several different things: The Lord's Supper, Communion, the Eucharist. Whatever we choose to call it, it reminds us of the love of God stretched across the sky for you and for me.  There are many theological understandings of how the bread and the cup function as we participate in the Lord's Supper. Some Christian's believe it ...

Scripture Reading Matthew 26:14-25 Have you ever betrayed someone? Betrayal...even the word evokes horrible images. Betrayal can take the form of unfaithfulness to a spouse or love one, lying or telling partial truth. It can take many different forms. Have you ever spoken cruelly about someone behind their back or have you chosen to not stand up for someone who is the punch line of an ugly joke? Have you ever broken a promise to a friend or family member? I am guilty of all these things. We are quick to cast stones at Judas. Obviously, with good reason, he betrayed Christ into the hands of those who would crucify him. Judas was a part of God's plan for the world's redemption. I have to ask myself, in what ways am I like Judas? What in my life, in words, in heart and in actions, is betraying my devotion and love for God? What am I willing to "sell" my relationship with God in exchange for something else? There is always something that competes for our loyalty to Christ...

Scripture Reading Mark 14:1-9 This is an interesting passage because it clearly points out the role of the messiah that Jesus had come to fulfill. What would it have been like to be present at the meal when this happened? If you have time read John 12:1-8. In John's account of Jesus being anointed at Bethany we learn the name of the woman, Mary. Evidently Mary truly recognized the significance of Jesus as the long-awaited savior of the Jews. It was customary for people to have servants wash the feet of their guests as a sign of welcome because of how nasty their feet would have been from walking everywhere in sandals. Mary goes a step further and anoints him with expensive perfume. Remember in Israel's history a sign of kingship and leadership was having one's head anointed with oil. John says that she poured the perfume on his feet and wiped them with her hair. In both cases it is symbolic of Jesus' death. The custom of the time was to anoint kings with spices, oils, a...

Scripture Reading John 12:27-38 This passage reminds us of the importance of the death of Christ while at the same time reminding us of the lack of belief in Jesus' day and ours. The crowd had witnessed several miracles, most recently hearing a voice from heaven (vs. 28-29). The crowd still refused to believe in Jesus and his coming kingdom.  When we speak of the death of Christ we must understand that Christ's death was the way in which God chose to make peace between us and him. God could have chosen another way to restore our relationship with him but he did not. He chose to offer his son as a sacrifice, so that we might experience the wonder of a relationship with God.  Jesus promised that through his being lifted up, meaning his death by crucifixion, that he would draw people to himself. The violence of the cross brings peace to all who desire to lose their life for Christ's sake and follow him. God has shown the world how much he loves us by sending his son to die for...

Scripture Reading Matthew 21:1-9 Today is Palm Sunday, the day that we prepare for Easter by celebrating Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Some churches celebrate Palm Sunday by having children enter the sanctuary waving palm branches as a reminder of this sacred day. Other churches will have people waving palm branches lining the center aisle of the church as someone dressed as Jesus enters the sanctuary. In both instances, what is happening is a visual reminder of the majesty of Jesus Christ who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  The reaction of the crowd represents their acknowledgement of Jesus as the long-expected Messiah. The greeting that Jesus received (vs.9) was used in Psalm 118 to greet pilgrims as they entered Jerusalem during the Feast of the Tabernacles. Hosanna essentially means "save," but was probably used here as an exclamation of praise to Jesus. The phrase Son of David describes Jesus' fulfillment that the Messiah would be a descendant ...

Scripture Reading Isaiah 52:13-53:12 The fourth and final Servant Song is one that we are most familiar with because it is often quoted in the New Testament. It presents an image of the Servant of God as one who must suffer hardship and persecution and ultimately death. This is contrary to what Israel believed about God and his servant. The Jews were expecting a mighty, majestic Messiah who would come and defeat their enemies and rule with strength and force, but that is not the picture that Isaiah gives us here.  We learn in this passage that the Servant of the Lord was not really anything special or impressive, he was rejected by men, and he was all too familiar with suffering and pain, and "he poured out his life unto death" (vs. 12). Our Savior suffered and died for us, not just for us, but because of us. Jesus endured the cross because it was the Lord's plan to save the world through the redemptive death of his son. Could God have chosen another way to forgive us and...