1/25 – Funeral in Memory of Wanita Aileen Pfeifer

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 65:17-19, 24-25

I will create a new heaven and a new earth. Past things will not be remembered. They will not come to mind. Be glad and rejoice forever in what I’m going to create, because I’m going to create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people to be a joy. I will rejoice about Jerusalem and be glad about my people. Screaming and crying will no longer be heard in the city.

Before they call, I will answer. While they are still speaking I will hear. Wolves and lambs will feed together, lions will eat straw like oxen, and dust will be food for snakes. “They will not hurt or destroy anyone anywhere on my holy mountain,” says the Lord.

Yet now Lord you are our Father. We are the clay and you are our potter. We are the work of your hands. Do not be too angry Lord. Do not remember our sin forever. Now look we are all your people.

Epistle Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26

If Christ is our hope in this life only we deserve more pity than any other people, but now Christ has come back from the dead. He is the very first person of those who have died to come back to life.^† Since a man brought death, a man also brought life back from death. As everyone dies because of Adam so also everyone will be made alive because of Christ.

This will happen to each person in his own turn. Christ is the first, then at his coming those who belong to him will be made alive. Then the end will come. Christ will hand over the kingdom to God the Father as he destroys every ruler, authority, and power.

Christ must rule until God has put every enemy under his control. The last enemy he will destroy is death.

Gospel reading: Luke 24:1-12

Very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb. They were carrying the spices that they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. When they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzled about this two men in clothes that were as bright as lightning suddenly stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed to the ground.

The men asked the women, “Why are you looking among the dead for the living one? He is not here. He has been brought back to life! Remember what he told you while he was still in Galilee. He said, ‘The Son of Man must be handed over to sinful people, be crucified, and come back to life on the third day.’”

Then the women remembered what Jesus had told them. The women left the tomb and went back to the city. They told everything to the eleven apostles and all the others. The women were Mary from Magdala, Joanna, and Mary (the mother of James). There were also other women with them. They told the apostles everything.