Tag: Jesus

Teresa of Avila, “Christ Has No Body” [Poetry for Easter]

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Each week during Eastertide I am posting a poem that helps me engage more meaningfully with Jesus’ resurrection. Here is Teresa of Avila’s poem “Christ Has No Body.” Teresa was a 16th century Carmelite nun in Spain best known as a mystic, reformer, and writer who experienced divine visions. Her most important works include her Autobiography, The Way of Perfection, and The Interior Castle.

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

Previous poems in this series:

George Herbert, “Easter Wings”

Denise Levertov, “On Belief in the Physical Resurrection of Jesus”

Christian Wiman, “Every Riven Thing”

T. S. Eliot, “East Coker,” Stanza IV

Emily Dickinson, “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers”

R. S. Thomas, “Resurrection”

Bibliography for “I AM: Seven Identity Markers for Jesus”

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When I conclude a sermon series, I usually share resources I utilized in my study and preparation for sermons. Here is the bibliography for our recent series, “I AM: Seven Identity Markers for Jesus.”

Bibliography for “I AM: Seven Identity Markers for Jesus”

Kenneth E. Bailey. The Good Shepherd: A Thousand-Year Journey from Psalm 23 to the New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2014.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Christ the Center. New York: Harper & Row, 1960.

Raymond E. Brown. The Gospel According to John. ABD. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1966. Particularly Appendix IV: EGO EIMI “I AM,” pp. 533-538.

F. F. Bruce. The Gospel of John: Introduction, Exposition and Notes. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1983.

G. M. Burge. “‘Glory.” In Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, pp. 268-270. Edited by Joel B. Green, Scot McKnight, and I Howard Marshall. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992.

________. “‘I AM’ Sayings.” In Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, pp. 354-356. Edited by Joel B. Green, Scot McKnight, and I Howard Marshall. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992.

John Calvin. John. The Crossway Classic Commentaries. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1994.

D. A. Carson. The Gospel According to John. PNTC. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1990.

J. Ramsay Michaels. The Gospel of John. NICNT. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2010.

Eugene H. Peterson. Christ Plays In Ten Thousand Places. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2005.

________. The Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways that Jesus is the Way. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007.

G. F. Shirbroun. “‘Light.” In Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, pp. 472-473. Edited by Joel B. Green, Scot McKnight, and I Howard Marshall. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992.

Francis Spufford. Unapologetic. New York: HarperCollins, 2013.

M. M. Thompson. “John, Gospel of.” In Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, pp. 368-383. Edited by Joel B. Green, Scot McKnight, and I. Howard Marshall. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992.

N. T. Wright. “The Story of John.” In The New Testament and the People of God, pp. 410-417. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1992.

________. Simply Jesus: A New Vision of Who He Was, What He Did, and Why He Matters. New York: HarperCollins, 2011. 

Resources from the Bible Project:

“I am the True Vine”

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This past weekend at Eastbrook, we concluded our preaching series, “I AM: Seven Identity Markers of Jesus,” drawn from the Gospel of John, with Gabriel Douglas exploring Jesus’ statement, “I am the true vine” (John 15:1).

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” (John 15:1)

  1. Summary of John 15:1-11

a. God the Father is the gardener of our spiritual lives

b. Jesus is the true vine

c. Holy Spirit reveals to us ways we need to be pruned

  1. Jesus is the true vine
  2. Jesus wants us to remain in Him
  3. Jesus is pointing us to God the Father
  4. Jesus wants our joy to be made complete

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

  • Memorize John 15:1
  • Both this week and last week’s messages are drawn from the Upper Room discourse (John 13-16). Take time to read and ponder this entire teaching of Jesus in one sitting. What stands out to you from this passage? What do you learn about the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit? How would you describe the Jesus way from what you read here?

Eastbrook at Home – May 21, 2023

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Eastbrook-At-Home-Series-GFX_16x9-Title

Join us for worship with Eastbrook Church through Eastbrook at Home at 8, 9:30, and 11 AM. This weekend we conclude our preaching series entitled “I Am: Seven Identity Markers of Jesus” based out of the Gospel of John. This week we look at Jesus’ powerful statement: “I am the vine” (John 15:1).

Here is a prayer for Sunday after Ascension Day from The Book of Common Prayer:

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting.  Amen.

If you are able to do so, let me encourage you to join us for in-person services at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 AM this weekend at the Eastbrook Campus.

If you are new to Eastbrook, we want to welcome you to worship and would ask you to text EBCnew to 94000 as a first step into community here at Eastbrook.

Each Sunday at 8, 9:30, and 11 AM, you can participate with our weekly worship service at home with your small group, family, or friends. This service will then be available during the week until the next Sunday’s service starts. You can also access the service directly via Vimeo, the Eastbrook app, or Facebook.

If you are not signed up for our church emailing list, please sign up here. Also, please remember that during this time financial support for the church is critical as we continue minister within our congregation and reach out to our neighborhood, city, and the world at this challenging time. Please give online or send in your tithes and offerings to support the ministry of Eastbrook Church.

R. S. Thomas, “Resurrection” [Poetry for Easter]

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

Each week during Eastertide I am posting a poem that helps me engage more meaningfully with Jesus’ resurrection. Here is R. S. Thomas’ poem “Resurrection” from Selected Poems. Thomas was an Anglican priest and a leading Anglo-Welsh poet of the 20th century.

Easter. The grave clothes of winter
are still here, but the sepulchre
is empty. A messenger
from the tomb tells us
how a stone has been rolled
from the mind, and a tree lightens
the darkness with its blossom.
There are travellers upon the road
who have heard music blown
from a bare bough, and a child
tells us how the accident
of last year, a machine stranded
beside the way for lack
of petrol, is crowned with flowers.

Previous poems in this series:

George Herbert, “Easter Wings”

Denise Levertov, “On Belief in the Physical Resurrection of Jesus”

Christian Wiman, “Every Riven Thing”

T. S. Eliot, “East Coker,” Stanza IV

Emily Dickinson, “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers”