Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy

Due to our circumstances, we are encouraging Holy Week attendance at either St. Andrews Anglican (English) or the Lutheran Cathedral (Russian). We look forward to returning the Sunday after Easter. Blessings!

https://www.lutherancathedral.ru/

https://moscowanglican.org/

Lenten Devotional
Pastor Bradn, United States

Jn 18.28-19.5

If the killers of Jesus were selfish, petty and cowardly, Jesus was the opposite – focused on others, unflappably committed to the most important things, and brave with a courage that renounced all violence. The last verse of our reading ends with the words: "This Man." Indeed, the one who was hanged on the cross was a Human with a capital “H”, a model and example for all people.

Jesus, as the Truth in the flesh (Jn 3.37), could continue to bear witness to the truth even in times of danger. When others were afraid, Jesus was able to keep his composure because thanks to relying completely on God and God’s holy will. While others used violence to remove that which felt threatening, Jesus could forgive because Jesus knew God's love.

The path that the Lord took is very difficult. But only such a path will bear the most wonderful of fruits - resurrection from the dead. Dear sisters and brothers! Lent is coming to an end. We will soon reflect again on the mystery of death on the cross for the sake of our forgiveness and the resurrection of the Lord for the sake of a new life for us. But there is still time for questions.

Unlike Pilate's questions, these questions must be sincere. They concern not only those people who surrounded Jesus 2000 years ago. They are questions about you and me: Where in our life do we show traits similar to those of Pilate and the spiritual leaders of the people? Where are we being cynical? Selfish? Petty? When and where do we show contempt for other people? Cowardice? Renunciation of self-responsibility? How can I rely more on God's will? How can I learn to respond to threats with their flight nor fight, but with calm composure? Where can we, by our actions, words, or even our silence, better testify to the One who went to the cross for all of us?

May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lenten Devotional
John 3:16-21
Rocky, Bangladesh

16 “For God so loved ithe world,9 that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not kperish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world mto condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because stheir works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true wcomes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

A greedy person gets blind from selfish desires. But a true believer in God never performs any misdeeds. For a person with absolute knowledge, the world is of little significance. Evil people cannot see the light. They can't feel heaven. May sunshine light our lives and may we believe in God. Amen.