February 28-March 6
Hymn Verse: CHRIST’S LIFE, DEATH, & Rising
I bind this day to me forever,
by power of faith, Christ’s incarnation,
his baptism in the Jordan river,
his death on cross for my salvation,
his bursting from the spiced tomb,
his riding up the heavenly way,
his coming at the day of doom,
I bind unto myself today.
Scripture: Acts 2:22-24, 32-33, 36-39
“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,[a] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. […]
God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. […]
“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
Practices
PRAY: Jesus Prayer
In the second chapter of Acts, a Spirit-filled Peter stands before the crowd and delivers a scintillating summary of the Christian faith. On this week when the hymn leads us to focus on the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, the traditional Jesus Prayer can provide an answer to the question Peter stirred up in his listeners: “What shall we do?”
Try praying this prayer several times in a row, matching your breath to your words:
[inhale] Jesus Christ, Son of God,
[exhale] have mercy on me, a sinner.
FAST: from shopping
In a consumer culture, we’re tempted through very effective advertising to create security for ourselves in the owning of more and more things. But there’s no bottom to that well: it’s God who ultimately fills us. Go through this week without buying anything except groceries staples.
GIVE: a tithe
Tithing—the practice of giving 10% of your income—is a Christian tradition from the Hebrew Bible…but not a common one. If you are one of the 95% of churchgoers who don’t tithe, try it for one week. Figure out your weekly income, and give 10% of it away to the church or to charity.