Like the centerpiece at your dining room table, so is this picture of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Today is the center-Sunday of the Easter Season.

Jesus as the Good Shepherd was one of the very first images that early Christians used to express the comfort and protection they found in their Risen Lord.  Drawings of the Good Shepherd are found on the walls of the Catacombs, ancient underground cemeteries in the city of Rome. We pray in Psalm 23, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I feel no evil, for you are with me.” Christians who died for their faith were buried there.  They are called martyrs. 

Many countries search out Christians to do them harm, just because they are preaching about Jesus’s love and forgiveness.  Sometimes these persons are killed for their faith. Whenever we experience anything mean, we can always turn to Jesus, our Good Shepherd who will lead us to spiritual places of peace, even in the midst of pain.

John 10:11-18 

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
“My shepherd is the Lord God.”

Sundays are dedicated to the Gospels from the Revised Common Lectionary
During the Easter Season, are read from the Gospel of John.

These Firestarters are from a new edition of The Bible Through the Seasons being developed for families with children. For the Firestarters in the original edition, I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet! Check the menu options at the site for more information.

For the Hebrew people, the priests were also considered as medical doctors.  They were the ones to diagnose illness. One of the diseases was called leprosy—a very serious skin disease.   If a priest said that a person had the disease, that person had to completely stay away from others, calling out “Unclean, Unclean!” so that no one would touch him or her. How sad!  Here there is a sickness and to top it all off, no one was to come near the person to offer care and comfort. 

There’s a story in the Gospels of Jesus coming right up to a leper and touching the person, and the person was healed (Matthew 8:1-14). It is the touch of Jesus that comforts and heals us.  Spend some time praying and inviting Jesus to come near you and touch your heart and ask you to make you whole and happy. If there is some sickness you have in your body, or you are just plain sad, ask Jesus to come and give you a hug so that that can feel better again.

Leviticus 13:45-46 

Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example from today’s reading:
“You touch me and I am healed.”

The Saturday passages follow the reading list that Jewish people use in their synagogue worship
throughout the world. They are taken from
“The Torah,” the first five books of the Bible from Genesis to Deuteronomy
that are read each year beginning with autumn.

These Firestarters are for families with children. For the Firestarters in the original edition, I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet! Check the menu options at the site for more information.

As you read today’s passage, count how many times the words “remain in” are used.  Sometimes the phrase is translated as “abide in,” as Jesus says that he is going to make his home inside of us and our spiritual home inside of God.  

Jesus offers the image of a vine and its branches as a way to understand the very great closeness that Jesus wants us to have with him, the Father and the Holy Spirit. As close as are the branches to a vine, that is how close we are to be to Jesus.  In fact, a whole bunch of branches IS the vine, isn’t it?  All of us together in our love and trust of Jesus, make up the risen body of Jesus, the true vine.

Today, look about you and find plants that are all connected together.  You might begin by simply looking at trees!  As you look, think of yourself as part of the very Body of the Risen Jesus. 

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example from today’s reading:

John 15:1-17
“You in me and I in You” v. 4

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels. This year, we generally read from the Gospel of Mark,
except during most of Lent and Easter when we read from the Gospel of John.

These Firestarters are for families with children. For the Firestarters in the original edition, I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet! Check the menu options at the site for more information.