The lessons for each Sunday in the church year proclaim God’s grace in Jesus Christ. Also derived from a Sunday’s texts are lessons for the Christ-inspired and Christ-like life of God’s people. The comments here will help you find hunger-related threads –sermon starters – among the themes of this day’s texts. (We're presuming you have already done your exegetical work on the texts.) God bless your proclamation (and teaching) of what is most certainly true!

This passage from Isaiah offers a beautiful depiction of God’s promised redemption. The rich imagery reminds us that hunger is not God’s ideal. You can use the imagery to remind your congregation of God’s desire for all to be fed, that doing God’s work with our hands includes feeding people. You could also use the imagery to reflect on how God (thus also we) still have so much to do to make this a reality. Covenantal language featured prominently in Lent, and here there are tones that the fulfillment is already at hand, and indeed a reality waiting to be experienced by God’s people.

There is an excellent reflection written by George Johnson (former director of World Hunger) on this passage in the Bread for the World lectionary resource, Hunger for the Word, edited by Larry Hollar. The book is available at www.bread.org, in the Lectionary Resources section of the Web site. There are links to reflections from the past three years that com from this book, look at first Sunday of Easter 2009 where Johnson offers a powerful reflection on change, a great Easter message.

Mark’s enigmatic ending is open to all kinds of fruitful reflection. The hope of the resurrection, of redemption can sometimes be difficult to maintain. The disciples were told earlier to expect Jesus resurrection, but they did not believe (see Mark 14:28). They simply fled (Mark 14:50). The angel reminds the women of Jesus’ promise in 16:7 (“just as he told you…”) but they were gripped by terror and amazement, they said nothing because they were afraid. This was the response of the disciples and the women, what will our response be? Can we hope? Can we act on that hope?

What are our fears that keep us from holding on to God’s promises and from acting in faithful response to the call? In this economic climate, when many are hurting, why is it so difficult to live out of our abundance?

One final note about the women: I find incredible their lack of belief in spite of their outward expression of piety and devotion. They clearly were committed to Jesus, acting in a very pious way. Yet when they were called to action, they simply refused. Is it somehow similar for us? On this most holy day, with beautiful pageantry and music and flowers, when we are called by God to go and proclaim God’s promises, will we be faithful?

L: Let us pray. God of our salvation, through the waters of the sea you rescued your people from slavery and through the baptism of death Christ freed us from death’s hold. Let us who have passed through baptismal waters know ourselves to be blessed with power and grace,

L: Risen Lord, victorious over death: in compassion for your troubled friends you appeared in many places that they might dare again to trust. In a world of dire hunger and shattered faith, strengthen us, also, with signs of your presence;

L: Lord Jesus, hidden traveler along the road: at your companions’ request you stayed for supper, and they recognized you in the breaking of bread. Open our hearts to the words of those who walk beside us; move us to ask new friends to table,

L: God, whose will is well-being and life: you gave your apostles power to heal and to witness boldly before the rulers of the age. Inspire us also to speak with power for the sake of those who are hungry and poor,

L: Gracious God, whose mercy is everlasting: your followers in Jerusalem acted with one heart and soul, owning all things in common and dividing their goods that none might need. As we gather like them for the breaking of the bread, give us freedom toward our belongings and glad and generous hearts,

In Acts 4:32-35 Luke offers an idyllic picture of the early church. Historical accuracy aside, this passage nonetheless gives us a picture of Christian values—a community in which there is “not a needy person among them.” A community such as this gives testimony with great power (v. 33). Many audiences may find this vision of community life impractical and dismiss it. But how might it speak to us who have good news of Jesus’ resurrection?

As has been noted frequently in these sermon starters, I think it is a worthwhile question to ask “In what are we unified?” This week we repeat the refrain, “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” What will we be unified towards? The early church was renowned for its care of orphans and widows. They were unified in their care for those who were most vulnerable. Can we follow their example today?

In our modern context sometimes we can find it uncomfortable to speak of sin. In this passage, John forcefully asserts that all of us have sin, and we deceive ourselves if we think otherwise. This invites an opportunity to both acknowledge (confess) our complicity in systems and structures that inhibit human flourishing, in practices that exacerbate poverty and hunger. In the U.S., the true cost of goods is often hidden. A good example of this is our cheap groceries (though you could really talk about any of our consumer products). The average U.S. household spends about 12.7% of their income on food, compared to about 30-40% in other industrialized nations. Those cheap groceries come at a cost—to the migrant workers who are paid low wages and suffer through less than ideal working conditions, to the environment that is struggling with overproduction, to our own health being impacted by additives such as high fructose corn syrup. This line of thinking could be further developed with more facts and figures from the ELCA World Hunger fast facts.

Once we acknowledge our complicity and sin, we can confess and repent. We can ask God for help to break through these systems and look for ways to live differently. God is gracious to forgive. This is the good news.

Two points are useful in reflecting on hunger. First, as expressed in verse 21, just as God sent Jesus, so too Jesus sends us into the world to be his agents. The things that Jesus was about in his public ministry (healing to sick, welcoming the stranger, feeding the hungry, and so on) he now commissions us to do. But we are not sent without any help. In verse 22, Jesus breathes on the disciples and gives them the Holy Spirit. It is by God’s grace and power that we can do God’s work of looking after those who are poor and vulnerable.