Dear Caldwell,
In these 40 days of Lent, we’ve had the chance to sing “Were you there?” twice – a hymn that is profound in its simplicity and evocative imagery. One commentary I read this week points out that all who are baptized can say “yes” to the question of ‘Were you there?” His claim is rooted in John 20:1-18, in which Paul explores how, in our baptism, we participate with Christ in both his death and his resurrection. That’s also a profound idea – and life changing when we get our heads around it. Come to church for lots of reasons – to say thanks for grace, to greet your friends in Christ but also to explore that claim and how it can allow us to enjoy even more the fact that we have four – yes, that’s FOUR — baptisms as part of our worship on Sunday. Say it with me … Thanks be to God!
We will also continue one Easter tradition and start what might become another. At 10:15 a.m. or so, all are invited to bring fresh cut flowers to help decorate the cross out front. Then, at 10:30 a.m., all interested are invited to participate in a Centenniel church bell ringing, tolling 100 years of life for Caldwell.
Thanks to those who stepped up to help with Caldwell House lunch on Sunday – and thanks also to those who will help provide Caldwell House breakfast.
But … because we are not yet to Easter, I share two more of the series of antique “Magic Lantern” glass slides that we’ve uncovered in the church archives along with the scripture that accompanies them.
John 18:28-19:17
28 Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters.* It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters,* so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover.29So Pilate went out to them and said, ‘What accusation do you bring against this man?’30They answered, ‘If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.’31Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.’ The Jews replied, ‘We are not permitted to put anyone to death.’32(This was to fulfil what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.)
33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters* again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’34Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’35Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’36Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’37Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’38Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?’ Jesus Sentenced to Death
After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, ‘I find no case against him.39But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’40They shouted in reply, ‘Not this man, but Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas was a bandit.
19Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.2And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe.3They kept coming up to him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ and striking him on the face.4Pilate went out again and said to them, ‘Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him.’5So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, ‘Here is the man!’6When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.’7The Jews answered him, ‘We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God.’
8 Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever.9He entered his headquarters* again and asked Jesus, ‘Where are you from?’ But Jesus gave him no answer.10Pilate therefore said to him, ‘Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?’11Jesus answered him, ‘You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.’12From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, ‘If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.’
13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat* on the judge’s bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew* Gabbatha.14Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, ‘Here is your King!’15They cried out, ‘Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!’ Pilate asked them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but the emperor.’16Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus;17and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew* is called Golgotha.