Christ also suffered

Haiku responding to 1 Pt 3:13-22

Can anyone harm

you if you eagerly do

those things that are good?

But if you suffer

for doing what is right, you

are blessed. Do not fear.

Live out Christ's lordship,

being always ready to

account for your hope.

Speak with gentleness,

keep your conscience clear; then none

can abuse your name.

Better to suffer

for good deeds than for evil.

God will be with you.

Christ also suffered;

the righteous for unrighteous,

bringing us to God.

He died in the flesh,

came alive in the spirit,

proclaimed hope for all.

Only eight were saved

by the ark through the waters;

baptism saves all.

It's not the cleansing

that saves; Christ's resurrection

achieves God's favour.

© Ken Rookes 2026 

But God raised him

Responding to Acts ch.10

Haiku of witness

The ancient witness

from the book of Acts; Peter,

once frightened, speaks out.

God, Peter declares,

does not take sides, all nations

are treated the same.

If you do what's right

God will accept you, listen

to what God's saying.

Jesus came preaching

peace with God, for all nations,

not merely his own.

Anointed by God

and filled with Spirit power,

Jesus came to heal.

We, his witnesses,

were with him in Judea

and Jerusalem.

They put him to death

on the tree, God restored him

day three; we saw him!

Chosen witnesses,

we ate and drank with Jesus

when he rose to life.

Commanded to preach,

we declare, through Jesus' name,

sins are forgiven.

© Ken Rookes 2025

The empty tomb

Haiku of surprise

Mark gives us terror,

confusion, with the women

fleeing from the tomb.

Mary Magdalene,

much maligned, was there for him,

in life and in death.

The first day, early,

both Marys and Salome

went to anoint him.

We have the spices,

but who will remove the stone

that we may enter?

They came to the tomb;

the stone had been rolled away.

A man in white spoke.

No need for alarm!

You seek Jesus who was killed;

he’s not here, he lives!

Tell his disciples,

Peter too; they will find him

there, in Galilee.

They were terrified,

the women. They fled the scene

and spoke to no one.

© Ken Rookes 2024

Peter, once frightened.

Haiku for witnesses

Peter, once frightened,

no longer fearing to die.

stood before the crowd.

I speak of Jesus,

who came among us with signs

he was sent from God.

You ignored his words

and killed him. But it goes on:

God raised him to life.

Full of life and love;

why should we be surprised that 

death could not hold him?

He was crucified;

now God has raised him from death.

We are witnesses.

© Ken Rookes 2023 

Postscript

 Haiku of commission

John writes his postscript.

Some disciples go fishing.

The fish elude them.

Daybreak. A man stands

upon the shore: Cast your nets

on the other side!

The nets are weighed down.

So many fish. They struggle

to haul them on board.

It must be the Lord!

Fisher-disciple Peter

jumps in, wades ashore.

A charcoal fire

with bread and fish. The stranger

offers them breakfast.

None ask, Who are you?

Strange observation; must be

different, somehow.

Thrice Peter is asked

Simon, do you love me? He

is hurt. Lord, you know.

You know I love you,

Peter affirms. Feed my sheep;

follow where I lead.

Risen Jesus, Lord:

give us courage to follow,

even unto death.

© Ken Rookes 2022

The Sabbath had passed

Haiku of the rising

The Sabbath had passed.

The women came to the tomb

with spices of love.

The tomb was empty.

The stone had been rolled away.

Much bewilderment.

Two men appeared, bright,

shining with eternity.

The women trembled.

Why look here, among

the dead. The one whom you seek

is with the living.

These things that happened,

death giving way to rising;

a purpose divine.

They sought out the men

with their unlikely story.

They were not believed,

Resurrection’s proof

remains elusive. Made real

only by a few.

© Ken Rookes 2022

Locked doors

Haiku of the first day

They were filled with fear.

They had seen their Master killed,

so they locked the doors.

In the evening

Jesus came; even locked doors

could not keep him out.

His appearances,

as one raised from death to life,

are strange, like in dreams.

Why should we expect

things to be straight forward, when

death is upended.

What really happened?

We are left to speculate,

and to imagine.

Thomas can’t believe.

Why should he? These things defy

rationality.

In time, he enters

the collective belief, that

their Lord is risen.

He breathes his Spirit

upon them. My work goes on;

Forgiveness must rule.

Evangelist John

writes his book to persuade us:

Life is in Jesus.

© Ken Rookes 2021

The tomb

Haiku of surprise

Stories of wonder

seeking to give shape and form

to deep mysteries.

Early on day one,

still dark, the Magdalene came,

to visit his tomb.

The large stone employed

as a door had been removed.

Mary is distressed.

She ran to tell them:

They have taken his body;

we do not know where.

It was as she said;

the tomb was empty, only

the linen remained.

Mary, weeping, stayed

at the tomb. Two angels asked:

Why are you weeping?

My Lord is taken.

I know not where he lies, or

what’s been done to him.

A stranger enquires:

Why do you weep? She asks him:

Tell me where he is.?

The man speaks: Mary!.

Her weeping eyes are opened.

Rabbouni! Teacher!

As per instructions

Mary found his disciples

I have seen the Lord!

The resurrection

reports begin; a woman

and an empty tomb.

© Ken Rookes 2021

Questions

Haiku of entrapment

Questions to test him.

Two to cause him to stumble,

one that shuts them up.

Sadducees bowl up

marriage and resurrection.

He hits them for six!

He quotes the scriptures,

affirming resurrection:

God rules the living!

A lawyer enquires:

Which commandment is greatest?

The answer is Love.

For God and neighbour,

love is the first requirement.

All else is detail.

Asks his own question:

How is David’s son the Christ?

They have no answer.

Questions that challenge,

call, confuse and confound. We

ask, and we answer.

© Ken Rookes 2020

Where is your sting?

Haiku of hope

Paul, persecutor

of the church, born out of time,

met the risen Christ.

I proclaimed to you

the good news about Jesus

and you received it.

I passed on to you

what I received; that Christ died,

was buried, and rose.

Christ appeared to them;

Peter, the twelve and many.

Finally to me.

He lives, don’t doubt it

and we all shall live, sharing

resurrection life.

Death, where is your sting?

Jesus looked you in the eye:

you’ve been defeated!

© Ken Rookes 2020

Posted in response to the Narrative Lectionary, 7th Sunday in Easter.

Recognition

Haiku for opened eyes

They did not know him

the perplexed pair as they walked

home, to Emmaus.

They’d heard the reports

from the women at the tomb;

struggled to believe.

The stranger listened,

then spoke to their confusion;

The Christ must suffer.

They pressed him to stay,

Come in and share some tucker.

They passed him some bread.

The recognition!

Then he was gone. They raced back

to Jerusalem.

Jesus, let us see

and recognise your presence

as we share the bread.

Let us see your face,

Lord; and journey as comrades

towards your kingdom.

© Ken Rookes 2020

The purpose

Haiku of peace

John does it better!

His Jesus comes through locked doors.

Well, why shouldn't he?

Imparting Spirit,

Jesus ensures the mission

goes on without him.

Make forgiveness real,

so that all folk are made free,

capable of love.

No room for doubting!

Even Thomas is sorted,

leaving me alone.

Doubt is not opposed

to Faith; that’s the role of Fear.

Doubt and Faith are friends.

My Lord and my God!

Hey, followers of Jesus,

get on with the task!

The book is written,

John asserts, to convince us;

so that we might live.

© Ken Rookes 2020

The tomb's emptiness

Haiku without limits

The tomb’s emptiness,

underlined by an earthquake.

Still confounding us.

Two faithful women,

don’t need spices as a prop,

visiting the tomb.

Its all a bit much!

An angel is sent to clear

away confusion.

The stone has been rolled

and the guards have all fainted.

Do not be afraid!

Instructions follow.

Come and see, then go and tell:

Your Lord has been raised!

Fear mixes with joy,

strangeness and uncertainty.

What are we to think?

Suddenly he’s here.

Do not fear! Go, tell my friends

We will meet again.

© Ken Rookes 2020

Love's duty

Haiku of the dawn

The Sabbath had passed.

They came to tend to his corpse,

to confront their pain.

The three: Salome,

the Marys, women of faith,

doing love’s duty.

As the sun rises

they bring their aching sorrow,

their baskets of spice.

Who will roll the stone?

One more barrier to face

and to overcome.

Look! The stone is gone!

Come inside the dark unknown,

discover the truth.

A youth dressed in white

greets them, Do not be alarmed!

Not much chance of that!

The tomb is empty.

What are we to make of this?

Does he really live?

Mark leaves us with doubt,

bewilderment and terror

as they flee in fear.

© Ken Rookes 2020

One for the Narrative Lectionary, responding to Mark's story of the empty tomb.

We are born, we die.

Haiku of joy and sorrow

Near Jerusalem,

Bethany, place of welcome;

Martha and Mary.

Brother Lazarus

is ill. They send for Jesus.

He doesn’t hurry.

Twelve hours of daylight,

nobody needs to stumble

if they see the light.

Lazarus is dead.

Much grieving with many tears;

Jesus weeps with them.

Your brother will rise.

I am the resurrection.

Trust in me, and live

Yes, Lord, I believe

that you are the Messiah,

the Son sent from God.

Mary comes and kneels.

If only you were here, Lord,

he would not have died.

We are born, we die.

Cycles of joy and sorrow;

we all must face death.

It’s overrated,

bodily resurrection;

there’s a time to die.

Jesus prefigures

his own dying and rising,

raises Lazarus.

© Ken Rookes 2020

No resurrection?

Haiku for questioners

No resurrection?

Not the way Jesus saw it.

Does that make him right?

Sadducees say no,

life is finite. We live once,

end of the story.

Myself, I waver;

does that mean I’m lacking faith?

Please don’t condemn me.

Should that day arrive

and we stand before God’s throne,

all must trust in grace.

The Sadducees bring

their convoluted question:

whose wife will she be?

Jesus laughs them off;

marriage has no purpose then,

in the life to come.

Offering his own

complex logic, Jesus proves

that the dead are raised,

God rules the living,

that is what really matters;

serve the living God.

© Ken Rookes 2019

Going fishing

Going fishing

Piscatorial Haiku

Seven disciples

decided to go fishing:

found themselves a boat.

They went out at night

hoping that the fish would come

but they caught nothing.

Standing on the shore

the stranger shouted advice:

Try the other side!

The nets are breaking;

It must be the Lord! they shout.

Peter heads ashore.

A lakeside fire,

a breakfast of bread and fish

with their risen Lord.

Jesus asks Peter:

Simon, do you love me more?

Lord, you know I do.

Simon, feed my lambs.

Twice more Jesus questions him:

How do you love me?

Eventually

even Simon must get it;

love made real by deeds.

He said, Feed my sheep,

take care of my little lambs.

It’s all about love.

© Ken Rookes 2019

Not unless I see

Haiku of growing hope.

Sunday evening.

The disciples locked the doors,

fearing they were next.

The women’s stories

which might have brought them some hope

went disregarded.

Jesus came and stood

before them: Peace be with you!

His friends were perplexed.

He shows them his hands

to help put their minds at ease.

Yeah, right; that’ll work!

There is rejoicing

along with bewilderment.

The stories were true‽

He sends his friends out,

breathing his Spirit, charging

them to forgive sin.

The absent Thomas,

could not believe that he lives.

Not unless I see!

Seven days later,

so John tells us, Jesus came,

to meet them once more.

Here I am, Thomas!

See the nail-marks in my hands,

touch my wounded side.

Falling to his knees

Thomas cries: My Lord, my God!

Finally convinced.

You see and believe?

Blessed are those who believe

who don’t get to see!

Jesus did much more.

Were the stories written down

they would fill volumes.

© Ken Rookes 2019

Sunday. The first Day

Sunday. The first day.

Haiku for upending

Sunday. The first day.

The sun returns from beyond;

light chases darkness.

They come to the tomb,

the women, aching, faithful,

to honour their friend.

Bringing their spices

they come to prepare his corpse;

their duty of love.

The stone had been moved.

The open entrance calls them;

Come, see my surprise!

The tomb is empty,

His broken body is gone,

spirited away.

Two men, shining bright

in robes that dazzle the eyes,

come and address them.

Why look in a tomb?

The one you seek is alive!

Remember his words.

The women returned,

(there were at least five of them),

but they weren’t believed.

Peter, however,

wanted to see for himself,

and ran to the tomb.

Only the grave-clothes

were there to be seen. Peter

returned home, amazed.

A tomb that’s empty,

a man no longer present:

should we doubt or hope?

How shall we respond

to this story of wonder,

and to he who lives?

© Ken Rookes 2019

An elusive figure

Haiku for us sceptics

The risen Jesus

is an elusive figure:

now you see him. . .

From behind closed doors,

according to the story,

he appeared to them.

His greeting of peace

was not quite enough, so he

showed his hands and side.

He breathed upon them.

Receive the Holy Spirit:

go out and forgive.

Thomas was absent,

didn’t believe the reports.

I must see his wounds.

What is there to see;

what evidence sufficient

to bring us to faith?

Thank you, man of doubts,

Thomas with your questioning;

you speak for me, too.

Risen Lord Jesus,

present with those who question,

be patient with me.

What more can I say?

Should ev’ry story be told

they would fill volumes.

These have been written

that you might know God, have faith,

and life in his name.

© Ken Rookes 2018