painting by Carl Heinrich Bloch, 1881 via Wikimedia Commons
God, Creator, you planned from the beginning –
Transgressing our sense of power, your Son was born as the baby of a virgin.
When he died, he crossed the border of hell.
telling evil that the woman’s offspring would crush it.
You called to Abraham from his land on the margins to follow you.
He and three more generations relied on you to live in a strange land.
Later, you led the descendants of Israel out of Egypt, out of bondage.
You led your people with judges like Deborah,
with kings like David whose family included migrants,
and with prophets like Daniel who lived as minorities in strange lands.
In all these ways you remind us to focus our hope on your salvation
rather than in an earth-bound culture.
And when it seemed that you were absent, you sent your Only Son.
Transgressing our sense of power, your Son was born as the baby of a virgin.
Tempted in the ways we still are – riches, fame, and glory –
he chose a life of humble service, service to others even while he was betrayed.
He drank the full cup of suffering.
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice and tortured.
Jesus suffered outside the city gate to make people holy through his own blood.
When he died, he crossed the border of hell.
Three days later God raised him from the grave, exchanging death for life.
He appeared to Mary, Mary Magdelen, Salome, and Joanna;
he walked with Celopas and another disciple on the road to Emmaus
to those on the margins.
Then he appeared to Peter and the twelve,
Christ, raised from the dead, presents us with salvation.
complied by Claudio Carvalhaes, professor of worship in New York City
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Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them,
“This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem.”
prayer & verse 
