Gospel Lesson Plans
Easter – the unearned gift of grace. The reflective season of “going in” that Lent provided (no matter what disciplines we undertook, nor even how well we attended to them) explodes on Easter. Of course, we cannot “figure it out.” How comforting, then, to have these scriptures, showing first how the disciples struggled to grasp what had happened and then stories of Jesus before the crucifixion, which are written in the light of the Resurrection.
As Easter people we know, as Paul said, that nothing, not even death, shall separate us from the love of God. We are people who expect life out of death. And so, in Eastertide we celebrate the wonder and prepare ourselves to take the awesome message out into the world on Pentecost.
Acts Lesson Plans
During Eastertide, the Old Testament readings are replaced in the lectionary with passages from the book of Acts. Alleluia, Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Last week we celebrated the Resurrection of our Lord after emerging from the Lenten season of waiting and watching. We’ve walked with Jesus through the wilderness into Jerusalem and to the grave. But Easter isn’t over with just that one (glorious) festival celebration. No! Easter is a season of 50 days in which we name and claim our identity in Christ as an Easter People. Easter is a season of baptism and rebirth. Many of the scripture passages we will hear are about baptism or about Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Many churches use this as a season for baptisms and receptions into the church. It is the season when we reexplore our identity as Christians as it is the key to our faith tradition: that Jesus, the Son of God, died for our sins and rose to new life again from the grave. In doing so, Jesus has opened the pathway to everlasting life for all of us. Thanks be to God!
| Year B | Scripture | Gospel Lesson Plan | Acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easter Day | Acts 10:34-43 John 20:1-18 | We Are Easter People | Alleluia, Christ is Risen! |
| Second Sunday of Easter Intergenerational | John 20:19-31 | Peace | n/a |
| Second Sunday of Easter | Acts 4:31-35 John 20:19-31 | Peace Be with You | One Heart and Soul |
| Third Sunday of Easter | Acts 3:12-19 Luke 24:36b-48 | Seeing Jesus | I Believe |
| Fourth Sunday of Easter | Acts 4:5-12 John 10:11-18 | The Good Shepherd | What's in a Name? |
| Fifth Sunday of Easter | Acts 8:26-40 John 15:1-8 | I am the Vine, You are the Branches | Called to Teach |
| Sixth Sunday of Easter | Acts 10:44-48 John 15:9-17 | Abide in my Love | Baptism is for All |
| Seventh Sunday of Easter | Acts 1:15-17,21-26 John 17:6-19 | God’s Mission, Our Mission | Called and Counted |