From the Pastor |
1 Corinthians 3:5-11
I have to admit… I truly felt that Paul’s words, from 1 Corinthians, were very appropriate tjis week. Not because he was writing to a church that was divided and bickering, but because we are in a time of transition… a time of change when one pastoral leader leaves and another will soon arrive. This is… as you probably know… my last Sunday with you all. After this week, I will be moving on to a new appointment and Pastor Yeon Shin will be taking over as pastor for the Olivebridge & Samsonville churches. It is this reason that I chose Paul’s words for today. You see… Pau had received distressing news that the church in Corinth was being divided and was fighting amongst themselves: For it has been made clear to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” [1 Cor. 1:11-12] It seems that the believers in Corinth had divided themselves by whose teachings they followed and then considered all others to be wrong… It did not matter who they followed… Paul, Apollos, Cephas or even Jesus… if you thought another teacher’s viewpoint took precedence… you were wrong. In fact… it had gotten so bad that Paul devotes the first 4 chapters of this letter to THIS very issue… and as the letter progresses it seems the biggest divisions are between those who belonged to Paul VS. those who belonged to Apollos… and that my friends is the problem… but we will get to that in a minute. Paul and Apollos… a Christian teacher who came AFTER Paul… have become the flashpoint of the conflicts… Two pastoral leaders who have been elevated to a “pope-like” status. Paul writes: “What then is Apollos? What is Paul?” and then he answers his own questions: “Servants through whom you came to believe…” [vs. 5] Paul calls for the people to reevaluate how they view these two teachers… What are they? SERVANTS! They are not masters… not saviors… not the source of power… THEY are NOT the gospel! They are servants! “Through whom you came to believe…” He reminds them that the power that brought them to the Christian faith... the message of salvation… did not come from either Paul OR Apollos… it does not reside in them… It FLOWS THROUGH them. They did not create the faith, they simply delivered the message given to them… “as the Lord assigned to each.” They were both successful in their ministries… Some came to the faith through Paul… others through Apollos, but neither man was the source… the power, grace or salvation. “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” [vs. 6] God alone is the source of the message and the power… the reason that the seeds planted and cared for were able to take root and grow. This is what we need to remember during this time of transition. Our teachers… our pastoral leaders are given various and varied gifts and messages… assigned by the Lord… called to plant the seeds of faith wherever they need to be planted and ALSO to water those seeds previously planted. Paul reminds them… and us… that it was never about Paul… or Apollos… or Peter… or any other preacher throughout history. It has been and always will be about God. The biggest mistake the Corinthians made was believing they belonged to one of their teachers… they belonged to the Lord… this is what they had forgotten. Spiritual growth falls upon God. It is God alone who will make the seeds grow and flourish. This this does not mean that Paul and Apollos did not have a purpose… they certainly did… but their purpose was the same. “The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose…” [vs. 8] They were 2 very different teachers… with different methods, but they were still One… united by Christ for one purpose… to share the Christian faith… the glorious Good News… planting the seeds of faith… and when appropriate… watering the seeds previously planted. They were united in their dependence on the One Spring of Life that flowed through them both. They were united in their care for and love of the people. They were united in their basic message that Jesus died and rose again for the salvation of all who believe. Their words might not have been identical… their actions might have varied… but God would use them both to do the work God set them to do. We are reminded today that WE are all God’s co-workers… WE belong to God… not to Paul or Apollos or to any other pastor… but solely to the Lord. It is God that provides the seeds… it is God who enables the seeds to grow. It is when we work together… building upon the foundation that is Christ Our Lord… that God’s power flows through us. Bishop Bickerton, Our DS Rev. Dr. Karen Monk and the cabinet faced immense difficulties this appointment season as they found a large shortage of pastors able to serve. Through a LONG discernment process and a LOT of prayer… they have decided that it was time for a change to come to our little charge. Change is hard… and it is often unwelcome… but it is also necessary for growth to occur. Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us that “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…” Without the change of seasons the fields and forests around us would not flourish… change brings life and growth that would not exist if things remained stagnant… and change brings with it opportunity… an opportunity for New Experiences that also lead to new growth. Isaiah 43:18-19 reminds us that we are not to dwell on the past: “Forget the former things…” the prophet writes… “do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” God is always creating and re-creating… every single day. New life… new growth all come from change. Although we have struggled over the years with shrinking congregations, I truly believe that our missions and ministries have… indeed… planted seeds in our churches and our community. As Paul said… “I laid a foundation…” [vs. 10] and now it is time for someone else to build upon it. It is time for another… with different gifts and graces… different ways assigned by God to come among you to not only plant her own seeds, but to water the seeds we have planted together these last 10 years. Then… I pray… the through her leadership… with prayer and faith… we will be able to watch as God’s power will cause the fields of faith in Olivebridge & Samsonville to grow. I ask… simply… that you work with Pastor Yeon… welcoming and embracing her as you have me for so long. Remember that we are all different and we need to let each builder choose with care HOW to build upon the foundation that has been laid… the foundation that is Jesus Christ! Amen.
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Today is another beautiful spring day. The birds are singing… the sun is shining… life flows on… yet it is hard to find joy today. Yesterday, it seemed the world… once again… came to a screeching stop with the horrific news of another senseless tragedy… this time in Texas.
A young man, Salvador Ramos, entered the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas and opened fire with an AR-15 Semi-automatic rifle (he had apparently legally purchased 2 of them just after his 18th birthday). As of this morning, 19 children, 2 teachers, and Ramos himself have been reported as killed. At least 15 others were injured as well. Think about this for a minute… 19 elementary school age children. My heart is breaking. This is the 27th school shooting this year alone… and it is only May. Not to mention the terrible shooting in Buffalo 10 days prior. I am sorry to say, but I truly believe this supposedly “Christian” nation has wandered so very far from the path of Christ that all we are left with is this violence, turmoil and pain. A terrible toll has been paid for our failure to live and to love as Christ did… evil has been able to gain some more ground in this nation as a result. Not the evil of the Democrats… Not the evil of the Republicans, but the evil that has arisen BECAUSE of our divisions… our pride… our prejudice and judgements against the other… our fear…. Our anger and our hatred… all those things that have seemed to fill the hearts of so many in this nation… Christians included… When tragedies such as this happen it causes many people to question why? Why would a just and loving God allow… or worse yet, cause–such suffering? Can’t God prevent such tragedies? And if God can, why doesn’t he? Why bother praying if God can’t protect even those poor, innocent children? Why should we bother to believe at all? Well… All I can tell you is what I believe; that a God who would cause such indiscriminate suffering is not the same God we see revealed in Christ Jesus. I believe… no let me change that, I know in my heart that God did not cause this. It was not God’s “plan”! God did not wake up Tuesday morning and say “I think today is the day to have a young man go to that school in Texas and brutally shoot down so many young children. Yeah, that will serve my purpose. That will teach them a lesson.” That is not our God. Our God is an awesome and loving God. God, our Creator, did not cause this event to happen. This happened because of the misguided actions of a very disturbed young man. A man who was open to the influence of evil. He was a man who had not given his heart to God. If he had God would have filled it and then the evil that was influencing this man’s actions would not have been able to take hold. This is the curse that could be viewed as the flip side of the blessing we have been given of “Free Will.” It is our choice to allow God into our hearts, into our lives. Just as every one of us has the choice to accept God into our hearts, we also have the right to say no. But that still leaves us with the question of why. Where was God in the midst of this horrible tragedy? Well... I can tell you that... God was there… think of it this way… If you had been there and saw those people… those children… lying there what would you have done? Would you hold them and whisper words of comfort? Would you push the hair from their eyes and tell them not to worry… everything will be all right? Well, I have no doubt that is exactly what God was doing Tuesday morning in Texas. I can see it clearly in my heart and my mind. God, the Father, was there... gathering all those who were shot in His loving arms… cradling them gently and with tears streaming down His face as He whispered to them: “Don’t worry; it will be all right… I’m here with you…I’ll never leave you! I am here!” God wasn’t allowed into the heart of the young man who wielded the gun… God is not One who forcibly imposes His will on us… but God was there bringing comfort and peace to those who needed Him most at that moment. God was there in that school with those who were in hiding. God was with the teachers helping to keep their students calm and quiet. Now God is present to help bring support and comfort to those who are left behind. As we wonder why? As we get angry and shake our fists at God wondering how God could allow this to happen… I think we need to look inward. How have WE allowed this to happen? After Columbine… we should have worked together to ensure it never happened again… As Disciples of Christ, it is time we look beyond ALL that divides us and focus our eyes on what is important… the love of the Lord. God is with us through it all, and if we but open our hearts and minds to God… if we put our trust in the Lord… then the fear and anger and hatred would find no home within us. The change needs to start within US! We need to let the Lord in… we need to stop trying to change Jesus to fit our own narrative and politics, and allow the Spirit of Christ to take up residence and CHANGE US! Take the time to open your heart and mind today and let Jesus… the Love of God revealed to fill you and change you… eliminating all that keeps you from sharing God’s great love with all the world. Hold onto the Hope of Christ even as the world seems to crumble around us. Focus your eyes on Jesus. Pray for the families of those lost to this world. Let us help God to shine light in the darkness, to bring hope, peace, joy and love to those around us. Acts 9: 1-19
The Acts of the Apostles is a fascinating book. Written by the same author, it is the sequel to Gospel of Luke. Acts is a narrative written for mixed communities made up mostly of Gentile believers, and the intent was not to be a history lesson as much as a revelation of the nature of God and a study of faith and the experience of others that would uplift and inspire those young churches who were now facing persecution. The book begins with Christ’s Ascension to Heaven and the Day of Pentecost… the day when the Christian Community… the church in Jerusalem began. From there Luke shows the progression of the mission Jesus placed before his Disciples… to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” [Acts1:8] That is the exact path we see for the spread of the Christian faith in the Book of Acts. Chap. 2-7 show us how the faith rapidly spread throughout Jerusalem and Judea… Chapter 8 tells us of the persecution that arose and how the church was scattered and the message spreads to Samaria… Today, we are at Chapter 9… the beginning of the final phase… to witness to the ends of the earth… to the Gentiles. If fact… today we meet the unlikely one chosen to be instrumental in spreading the Gospel message from the Middle East… through modern day Turkey and Greece… all the way to Rome. Paul became one of the most well-known Apostles of Christ Jesus. However, it is not until he begins his travels out into the Gentile world that he is referred to by his Greek name… Paul. Here, in Israel, he is known as by his Hebrew name Saul of Tarsus… a faithful Jew… a young, zealous Pharisee… and ironically… a total enemy of the Christian community. Today we heard about his sudden and miraculous transformation from enemy to disciple. But I want to take a look at someone equally important to this story. The second, lesser known character: Ananias. Ananias is virtually unknown. This chapter is the only time we encounter this disciple. In fact, we know almost nothing about him. We know he was a disciple who had been in Damascus long enough to be well respected “by all the Jews living there” as Paul later reveals. [Acts 22:12b] So there he is… living in Damascus when suddenly he has a vision of the Lord… and Jesus calls him by name… WOW! And as a faithful disciple he answers right away “Yes, Lord!” Ananias is given a clear message… there is no doubt or question of what Jesus wants him to do… no ambiguity. Jesus tells him straight out “Get up and go where I tell you… there you will find…” “a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying... place [your] hands on him to restore his sight.” Now… by identifying Saul as from Tarsus… Jesus left no doubt in Ananias’ mind as to whom he was speaking of. As we see from his reaction to this mission… Saul’s reputation has proceeded him to Damascus. Saul was a member of the Pharisees and was there when Stephen, the first martyr was stoned. Acts 7:58 tells us that they laid their coats at Saul’s feet so they could stone Stephen which implies he was in a leadership position that day. Chapter 8 begins saying “And Saul approved of their killing him… On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and … Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.” [Acts 8:1-3] And in case you need a reminder of WHY Saul was on the road to Damascus in the first place, remember our 1st verses today. “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.” This was the man Jesus was asking Ananias to go seek out! Ananias KNEW WHY Saul was coming there. Talk about unnerving! I can picture Ananias sitting there… eyes bugging out… in shock… as the name Jesus tells him registers. It is clear that Ananias is not so sure about this plan. He says “Hey Lord…I have heard of this guy… I know ALL about the terrible things he has been doing to ‘your holy people in Jerusalem’ [vs.13b] and I know he was coming here to do those same things to us.” But Jesus IS sure. “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles... I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” [Vs. 15-16] So Ananias gets up and goes where the Lord told him to go. There he finds Saul… blind… just sitting there fasting and praying… and he greets him “Brother Saul, the Lord… has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” [vs. 17b] “Brother Saul!” He greets him… no trace of fear or animosity or anger for what Saul had done or had been planning on doing. Can you imagine? Not only being sent to help someone who was coming to arrest you and your friends and possible lead you to unwarranted imprisonment or execution… but when you get there you recognize that person as your Brother in faith? Jesus had not revealed much of his plan for Saul to Ananias but those words were enough: “This man is my chosen instrument” Talk about faith. How many of us could say with honesty that we could do that? Could we answer Christ’s call to GO and minister to our enemy… to someone bent on our destruction? And even if we do answer that call… how easy would it be to let go of the grudge we might hold in our heart against that person and welcome them with the warm greeting “Brother or Sister?” But as a result of Ananias’ faithfulness… Saul’s blindness was healed… he was baptized and became one of those people he had been coming to persecute. Saul was completely transformed and Jesus indeed used him as a great “instrument to proclaim [his] name to the Gentiles…” Paul also later suffered greatly for Jesus’ name. We never do learn anything else about Ananias… he has faded into obscurity. His role in the drama of Acts is very small, and yet very significant. He heard Christ’s call, and despite his initial hesitation he was faithful and obedient. While I have no doubt that he was afraid to do what Jesus asked of him, he did it with kindness and compassion. The Lord used Ananias to further God’s plan to launch the ministry of inclusion and mission of one of the most influential apostles. Ananias’ small act of obedience led to a great things for the kingdom. The Lord did not give him an assignment to change the world… The Lord gave Ananias one task… a task that would help to change the world for one person…and later, that one person would change the world for countless others. This is the lesson of Ananias that we need remember today. Small acts of obedience that are based on the Word of God… even when they seem contrary to reason, and even when they seem to challenge our own self-preservation… even when they scare the heck out of us… These small acts can have great significance. The scriptures invite us all to hear the call which comes to us in Christ’s name: the call to worship… the call to be transformed into true followers of Jesus… and the call to minister to others in Christ’s name even to death. We don’t just live the resurrection life, we also pass it on by embracing others with the love, grace, healing and compassion of Christ. When we recognize and answer the call of Christ in our lives, the result… no matter how small it may seem, is a powerful contribution to the kingdom of God. We do not know if Ananias ever knew ALL that Saul… AKA Paul accomplished because of HIS own faithful actions… I mean… We may never see the true effects of our service to God. Our perspective is so small, so limited, but we need to remember that God’s perspective is wide. God alone sees the bigger picture. So, we need to rely fully on God… listening for God’s Word, God’s voice, and most of all trusting that through it all, God will never lead us astray. So when God calls… Answer “Yes, Lord!” and when God says “Go!”… Go! For God has a plan and no part is too small… your individual part is significant… even when we cannot see the BIG picture! Acts 5: 27-32 & John 20: 19-31
Today’s gospel reading is a familiar story. After his resurrection, Jesus appears… 1st to Mary Magdalene and some women. Then to a couple of disciples along the road to Emmaus. Finally, that evening Jesus comes and appears to a group of his closest disciples… well 10 of them anyway. For some reason… we don’t know why, but Thomas was not with them and will now… forever… be referred to as “Doubting Thomas” even though… let’s face it… NONE of the 11 top disciples believed until they also had seen... But, I don’t want to talk about that today… not about Jesus’ appearance or wounds or Thomas’ doubts… Nope! Last week, I talked about how the Resurrection changed EVERYTHING…. How Easter marks that moment in time when God raised to new life the body of Jesus… marking the beginning of the new creation promised by the prophets… bringing to light the ministry of inclusion… by opening the door for women… for Gentiles and for the many people regarded by society as unworthy… sinners. I spoke about how the challenge for us is to embrace those changes that Resurrection brings. Today, I want us to consider how we do that. There is so much bad news in our world… I mean… Back then… the world was a dark place… full of bitterness, oppression and violence. The effects of anger and hatred were seen everywhere. Distrust, discord, disunity… all those “dis’s” were prevalent. Hatred and distrust of anyone who was different was common place. Wait a minute… I just described our world today, didn’t I? It seems that not much have changed in 2000 years. But something did change… the resurrection brought change… bringing wonderful Good News for all people… However… that Good News MUST be shared. The word must be spread… Who will do that? Well… After Jesus was crucified and laid in a tomb, the male disciples were in hiding. John tells us that “the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked” because they were afraid. The women had come early that day and told them the news… the Lord is Risen… but they did not believe… Luke tells us they thought it was “nonsense” even though Jesus himself had told them he would rise from the dead. Why? Because they had lost all hope when Jesus died on the cross. So they were afraid for their own lives and hiding behind locked doors when suddenly Jesus appears! “Peace be with you” he says. When they see it is really him… they rejoice!! Their hope is back! CHRIST IS ALIVE!!! Now John tells us that when Jesus appeared, he provided the disciples with more than just hope… he gave them a directive… a mission: “As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” They were to continue Christ’s mission… they were being sent out just as Jesus was sent by God to serve, preach and share Christ’s identity with the world… making God and God’s great love known to the people… to make known the forgiveness offered. They were given the great and powerful gift of the Holy Spirit to strengthen and empower them to complete this mission… Or as Acts 1:8 puts it “… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” You see, before they believed that Jesus had risen from the dead, the disciples were hopeless… in hiding… weak and afraid. After appearing to them and showing he was not a ghost but flesh and blood… alive again… that all changed. The disciples themselves changed. The disciples saw Jesus and believed… they were given the Holy Spirit… the presence of God, of Christ himself inside of them… Then oh, how things changed. Fast forward to the reading from Acts which tells us that Peter and the other Apostles had been arrested by the Temple leaders and put in prison for healing and teaching in Jesus’ name. They miraculously escaped their cells but they do not run away… no! ... Instead, they simply returned to the Temple courts and continued to preach and teach about Jesus. They are no longer hiding, but are doing exactly what Jesus had done… openly teaching their message to all who would listen. As a result they are arrested yet again, and brought before the Sanhedrin…The chief priest says “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching...” I can almost see Peter shrug and give that “Yeah… so?” look as he says “We must obey God rather than human beings… we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” These men who had once cowered in fear, refused to keep silent… WE are told that after they are released “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. (Acts 5:42)) The verbal threats and physical abuse only strengthened their resolve to teach and proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior. They would not keep silent. They were empowered by the Holy Spirit and had been given a mission by their Lord. They WOULD NOT keep silent. They had seen what the religious leaders failed to recognize… God was at work in all that had been done. The Resurrection brought change… especially changing the people who had come to believe and accept the hope, faith and power the resurrection brings. The disciples, Peter, James, John and the rest were transformed from scared, weak, hopeless people… to bold, strong, hope-filled people who refused to be ruled by fear. Most of them willingly gave their lives for their faith as have countless others through the ages to this very day! What a CHANGE!! That is how it should be for us. Christ is alive… the flame of hope is burning around the world because of the Resurrection. When we accept the truth, the hope and the love of Christ… when we accept his very presence, the Holy Spirit inside of us… it is US who change. This is the change that the Resurrection brings… a change that begins inside and spreads outwards. As we are transformed in our hearts and minds… the effects of the transformation works outside into our very lives changing our thoughts and actions. We, too, should become strong, bold and hope-filled even in the face of suffering and fear… refusing to keep silent. For we too are called to continue all that Jesus began… to bear witness to the Resurrected Christ as Peter did… no matter what. After experiencing the presence of the Risen Lord, the disciples felt compelled to share all they had seen and experienced with everyone who would listen… The Resurrection changed their lives more than they could have ever imagined… empowering them to preach, teach and heal in Jesus name… giving them the courage to face whatever came for them… even death. The Resurrection SHOULD do the same for us… The Resurrection brought in… and continues to bring in a new age… where God’s people are sent out just as Jesus was sent… to share the Good News… to reveal the truth and love of God with all who will listen… bringing healing, justice, love and mercy. Even if we face opposition… ridicule… threats of harm… “We must obey God rather than Human Beings!” The Gospel of John reminds us that God’s love for this world was revealed when God sent Jesus into the world… Because of all that God has already done in Christ, we have been made a part of the new creation that is God’s Kingdom. And as citizens of God’s Kingdom, we are called to be faithful witnesses to all God has done… done in and through Christ… done in and through our lives. When our hearts are filled with Christ’s love and light, we become the living examples of his light and love in the world today. It is this change within each and every Disciple of Christ that can bring about real change in the world. So rejoice in the Resurrection… rejoice in the Lord… For Christ is Risen! Then… Go into the world and share the story… tell the Good News… be faithful witnesses. This is the calling of EVERY Disciple of Christ Jesus… so let us go “Day after day, in the churches and from house to house, let us never stop teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah” [paraphrased] Amen! Acts 10: 34-43 & Luke 24: 1-12
One Easter Sunday, a preacher stood at the pulpit and held up a stack of papers. He told the congregation: “Good people… I hold in my hands three sermons: I have a $100 sermon that is 5 minutes long! I have a $50 sermon that is 15 minutes long! And I have a $20 sermon that that is 30 minutes long… Then he said: “The ushers will now take up the offering… and we will see which of these sermons I deliver this morning.” The bad news is that I only have one sermon! Because… to be honest… it is hard to preach on Easter. We are here because we know the story… somewhere along the line we have already heard the Good News… Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed! Everything about this morning testifies to that fact: the music, the scripture readings, the Easter Lilies… this is a very special day. Yes, the Lord is risen, he is risen indeed. Today… like every year on Easter Sunday… our focus turns to the empty tomb… to the Resurrection of Christ Jesus… but this morning, I really want us to consider what resurrection means for us… here… today. Easter is more than a day of remembrance… it is more that remembering the events that happened almost 2000 years ago… it is certainly more that parties, food and chocolate bunnies. The Resurrection of Jesus did more than bring 1 man back from the dead… it changed the lives of everyone who knew and followed Jesus… ultimately changing the way they saw and interacted with the world around them. The Resurrection changed EVERYTHING. All 4 Gospels share the Resurrection story, and all tell it differently… from different perspectives for different audiences… but they all have 3 three things in common: 1. It happened early Sunday morning. 2. Mary Magdalene was there… and 3. The tomb was empty and the women were told to share the news. Luke’s Gospel, which was written for a Gentile audience, focusses on the elevation and inclusion of women in Jesus’ story… from the very beginning with Elizabeth, Mary and Anna… various women throughout this Gospel are given prophetic roles and today is no different. The verses today include more women than the other gospels. In fact, Luke tells us that these women… Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them… were not simply messengers tasked with taking the news to the disciples… NO! These women were themselves Disciples of Christ. The “two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning” [vs. 4] reminded them of how Jesus told them all this would happen… and “they remembered his words.” [vs. 8] They were not simply groupies… They did not come along simply to cook the meals and do the dishes… Like the male disciples… They had followed Jesus from Galilee… They too had heard him preach the word of God… they too witnessed the miracles he performed… they too believed him to be the Messiah. They too… WERE DISCIPLES! The women’s role in the Resurrection story is a great moment of inclusion in the history of God’s people… another is from the reading from the Acts of the Apostles. These verses might seem strange for Easter Sunday, but the book of Acts is Luke’s sequel… the continuation of Luke’s story that tells us of the days and years that followed the Resurrection and how the events of the 1st Easter Morning changed everything. The Easter message is one of inclusion and this is the realization Peter makes in today’s reading. The message that Jesus was the savior who had been raised from the dead was what the early church in Jerusalem shared with all who would listen. They lived out the good news that they proclaimed by extending God’s grace and acceptance to one another... they listened to the words of the Apostles and worshipped God and prayed often… After all, the story… Christ’s story has Jewish roots: Proclaimed by the prophets, Jesus came as the Messiah for the Chosen People of God. His central sphere of influence and activity was in Israel… primarily in Jerusalem and Galilee… However, thanks to a vision and message from God… Peter came to a new understanding that God was extending the offer of salvation to ALL people… to ALL of creation. God has opened Peter’s eyes to a new reality, and he accepts the invitation to visit Cornelius the Roman centurion… Cornelius was a successful Roman officer, and we are told that “He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly…” [Acts 10:2] But Cornelius was a Gentile. All his life, Peter had been taught to avoid Gentiles, to have as little to do with them as possible for they were unclean… however, now the Lord was telling Peter go to Cornelius and his household and share the Good News of Jesus with them. For in the vision, God showed Peter that no longer should other people be considered impure or unclean So, Peter obeys… and it truly was an Easter sermon that Peter shares with all who were gathered there. . He begins by sharing his new revelation that “God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” [vs. 34b-35] Then the sermon begins… Peter shares the truth of Christ with all gathered at Cornelius’ house… stressing that he was a witness to all Jesus had done… he told of his death and glorious resurrection and declared that Jesus “… is Lord of all.” [vs. 37] and had been appointed by God “… as judge of the living and the dead.” [vs. 42b] and how “EVERYONE who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” [vs.43b] The evidence of this inclusivity is then seen as the Holy Spirit comes upon “ALL who heard this message… poured out EVEN on Gentiles.” [vs. 44b, 45b] Easter marks the moment in time when God raised to new life the body of Jesus… marking the beginning of the new creation promised by the prophets… bringing to light the ministry of inclusion… opening the door for women… Gentiles and the many people regarded by society as unworthy… sinners. Jesus IS Lord of ALL! This is the Good News of the Resurrection… the very essence of the Christian faith. Our world… yea… even us… has the tendency to divide and separate people into categories proclaiming who is in and who is out… we divide one another along lines of race, gender, age, nationality, politics, religion… and so much more… We make judgements about who is worthy and respectable… who is a disgrace… who is good and who is bad … who is a saint and who is a sinner… Resurrection is not simply about life after death… about going to heaven some day after we die… It is the doorway that has opened offering new life and inclusion for all people… especially those who were typically on the outside. You see… Jesus sought to break down the barriers that divide us… he became a friend of those considered unworthy. Love, Compassion, Respect and inclusion for all people is the legacy that Jesus has given to his church. There is so much bad news in the world today… but the resurrection brings wonderful Good News for all people… through Christ we have seen the sustaining power of God that brings life out of death… reconciliation out of conflict The Christian faith is all about love: God’s love for us, our love for God and for one another, and this is exactly what Peter preaches in Acts… Jesus came preaching peace, healing, loving, doing good. God raised Jesus from the dead and refused to allow the brutal, divisive, death-filled ways of the world win. Instead… through Christ’s death and resurrection, God lifts us up… offering new life centered in love. The Resurrection calls us to align our lives with God… letting go of selfishness, anger and greed and taking on love and generosity. The Resurrection shows us that life is about mercy and justice for all of creation… not brutality and oppression. The Resurrection calls us to live in the way of Jesus… the way of compassion, love and care… the way of help and healing, especially to the less fortunate and needy. The Resurrection changes everything… it change us and everything about us. The challenge, then, is to embrace the changes Christ’s Resurrection brings… living each day as those enlivened by God’s loving grace… in the face of the violence, oppression, injustice and death of our world… becoming Easter People who share the love and power of the resurrection with those around them… through service, welcome, generosity, compassion, unity, dignity and love. As long as the resurrection is only an event in our history that we remember once a year, it has no real value for us. But, when it becomes a reality that infiltrates our lives… our hearts and our very beings, it transforms us into the new creation Paul spoke of as our every thought, word, action, and attitude celebrates and releases God’s love and new life into our world. Christ is Risen… he is risen indeed… Alleluia! Amen. Lent 3C - Luke 13:1-9
In today’s reading, some people come to Jesus with news… apparently some Galileans were preparing animals for sacrifices and were killed… It was said that Pilate mixed their blood with the blood of the sacrifices. We don’t know why they came to Jesus with this… Maybe they were seeking to arouse his anger are so that he would rise up and lead the rebellion so many longed for. Or maybe they were hoping to trap him by getting him to speak out against the atrocity… offering a word of sedition so that he might get in hot water with the Romans. But I think that maybe… Maybe… they really were curious to know what Jesus would have to say about this terrible event. After all, Jesus has spoken often about judgement… and the Jews did believe that calamity and suffering were the result of sin. They did hold onto the idea that bad things happen to good people. When bad things happened… There must be a reason. Those it happens too must a deserved it even if others did not know why. Jesus, plainly states that this is just not the case: “He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you….”” Jesus then goes further relating this story two another known tragedy, and again states that the tragedy is not a result of the victims being worse sinners than others. They did not die because they were sinners… They were no worse than those who did not die. This was not some punishment from God… Calamity does not pick and choose so cleanly. As Jesus points out in his Sermon on the Mount “… [God] makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the on righteous.” [Matt. 5:45] In fact there are many times in scripture where Jesus contradicts the theory that suffering is caused by some perceived sin… whether the victims or their parents’. He says that’s not the case… the unfortunate reality is that bad things do, in fact, happen to good people. Sometimes the good suffer… Sometimes the bad prosper. Jesus made his statements, and then refused to debate the idea any further. Instead, he turns the subject from those who perished to those who were still there… He offered an urgent warning… Not once but twice… he warned his listeners that “unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.” You see… Last week, we heard how Jesus offers a lament over Jerusalem and their failure to heed the word of God told by prophets. Jesus recognizes that, while Israel was the chosen people of God, they were heading for disaster… They had it wrong… He did not come to lead a rebellion … To overthrow the Roman Empire… He came, offering grace and revealing the fullness of God’s love for all of creation. He came to lead God’s people in their mission. Israel was privileged… they were the people who knew the Lord and were in a covenant relationship with God. But their privilege came with responsibility. They were called not only to love the Lord their God … But they were expected to bear fruit… To be a light to all the nations. To make God known to the rest of the world by being the example of those who lived God’s ways. That’s why he goes on to tell the parable of the fig tree. He tells of a fig tree that is planted in a vineyard But it fails to bear fruit. The owner of the vineyard Decides to have a destroyed, but the caretaker asks for another chance … “Sir… leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.” Israel was the fig tree… the one that was failing to bear fruit. Instead of following God’s ways, Israel had turned to the things of this world: power, wealth, status, and had failed to bear the fruit they were meant to bear. So Jesus calls the people to repent… Not to spare them from any calamity that might be coming… Not as a guarantee of their safety and prosperity… Come on… The world doesn’t work that way… They needed to repent so they might live. They needed to repent… to change their ways and turn back to God. To live as God calls them to live, and bear the fruit that is their responsibility to bear. God is patient… but patience sometimes runs out… thankfully Jesus came and has acted as a mediator… A caretaker … Making the intercession not just for Israel, but for us as well . Requesting more time… saying “give me another year… Let me care for them and see if they bear fruit. “ Jesus tells the people that they must repent because Jesus knew that it was possible for a person… Even on nation… To turn to make a change and by an act of faith receive the power for creative, abundant life. So, let me ask you… How are we any different? How are we any better? If Jesus came today what would he say about our nation in this time? I don’t know about you, but that thought actually scares me… Would he look at us and tell us we are good … That we are right… That we are better than the other sinners of the world? The truth is we are not. We are now what Israel was then. We are the fig tree planted in God’s vineyard. We’re called … As children of God… As disciples of Christ Jesus… To live God’s ways. We’re called to follow God’s commands and God’s laws. We are called to be a light to the nations and show God to the world through our words and our actions… to not only love God, but to love our neighbors and our enemies… ALL of them… and yet far too often we find that we fail to bear the fruit and we’re meant to bear. We fail to shine the light of God’s love for the world to see… We fail to bear the fruits of the spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Just like the people of Jesus’ time… We look around this world today and see calamity and tragedy all around us. Sometimes we wonder if it’s God’s will for these terrible things to happen … Did the one who suffers do something to deserve it? But more often, we turn it around… we prosper and good things happened us because we believe… We have faith that are rewarded… But as Jesus said God “makes a sunrise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the on righteous…” [Matt. 5:45] … calamity and prosperity neither one is so picky… Neither one is that specific in choosing… Life is not Santa’s list of naughty vs. nice with the good receiving the great gifts and the bad receiving coal in their stockings. Are victims of tornadoes and earthquakes, accidents and wars any worse sinners than we are? No… We are all sinners. We all fall short. The problem is we often forget is that sin does not come in degrees. This sin is a small one… so don’t worry… That sin is great… so panic! WE act like since we don’t commit the “biggies” … murder, theft… etc. we are ok… we are better than others… but… Sin is sin. All sin is bad in the sight of the Lord and we all need to repent as Jesus warned us otherwise our fate will be like the innocent who perished… If we continue to sin we too will perish. If our lives are like the fig tree in Jesus’ parable… Fruitless, barren, a waste of space and good soil… There are only two choices; 1. To be cut down, destroyed or 2. To repent … To turn back to the Lord and begin to bear fruit. We are the fig tree. We were planted by God: created and cared for… and also responsible for bearing fruit. Jesus gave his life on the cross… Not for his sins… but for ours… Offering salvation, and giving us the time and ability we need to repent and live. The Holy Spirit is our caretaker. Caring for us… Fertilizing us (so to speak) … Helping, pruning, and guiding to enable us to bear fruit and live eternally. God has been patiently waiting. Giving human beings chance after chance after chance to be fruitful… but God’s patience is not without limits… Unless we repent… unless we turn back to God and change our ways… The justice of God will one day be visited upon us. The useless, fruitless person risks perishing. Lent is a time of pruning… It’s not meant to cause pain or sorrow, but to make our lives more productive for the fruits of the spirit. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to live fruitful lives… to learn and grow and become more and more like Jesus… becoming better human beings. This will not spare us from the calamities of life but fruitful lives will never be destroyed. Because as John tells us “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” [John 3:16] Amen Lent 2C – Luke 13:31-35
Our gospel reading for today is a tough one. Just prior to these verses, Luke tells us that Jesus is going from village to village, town to town… making his way towards Jerusalem. He is traveling along, healing, preaching and teaching about the kingdom of God. Some choose to follow him… many welcome him as he travels throughout the region. But not everyone is pleased by all Jesus is doing and saying. In fact, a group of Pharisees have come to warn him. They urge him to leave the area because Herod is looking to kill him. Now, we are not told why Herod wants Jesus dead… but this is no idle threat. Herod is a fairly powerful and dangerous political figure. I mean, he was the one who had imprisoned John the Baptist and later had him beheaded. If Herod Antipas wanted someone dead, chances are they would wind up dead. Soon! However, instead of heeding this warning and fleeing as most people would be tempted to do, Jesus refuses to go leave or go into hiding. He seems completely unafraid of the threat posed by Herod. Instead he replies “Go tell that fox… I am going to keep doing what I am doing until I reach my goal… after all surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!” While a fox is sometimes seen as sly, and intelligent… they are not known for physical strength. In fact, the Old Testament seems to point more to a fox being viewed as weak, easy to catch… but also destructive. Jesus knows that while Herod might be cunning and powerful… he does not have what it takes to make good on his threat. Herod cannot thwart the plans of God… Jesus was prepared. He knew what was coming for him… what he was called to do. He did not fear Herod because he already knew that his destiny lay ahead in Jerusalem. His time is running short, and Herod was not capable of altering the plans of God. So instead of fearing for his life, Jesus looks ahead and expresses his overwhelming grief for the beloved city of Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem might NOT be afraid, but Jesus strongly implies that they should be. Why? Not because of Herod. Not because of the Roman Empire or some other oppressive, violent force. They should be afraid because they are the city “who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you.” They should be afraid of themselves... Of their own habit of rejecting the messengers of God... Of their own blindness to the reality they face. They should be afraid because Jesus knows they are going to reject HIM. Jesus draws upon the metaphor of a hen seeking to gather up her chicks in order to provide for and protect them. What a wonderful image for Jesus’ relationship with God’s people. Hens tend to be fiercely protective of their chicks. After all, the hens have reason to be concerned. The chicks are defenseless and can easily fall prey to other animals, harsh weather conditions, and many other dangers. However, in spite of a hen’s best efforts, often the chicks will not obey. They wander off and the hen may have a hard time getting them to follow her or to remain in close to the safety of her wings. Much the way we human beings wander off and often refuse the protections and care offered by God. Like a mother hen, Jesus wishes to teach and heal the children of Israel, but they are unwilling. As a result, they are exposed to potential “foxes” that will hasten their destruction. Jesus is grieving because the people of Jerusalem are rejecting God’s loving protection. So when Jesus thinks of Jerusalem, he mourns. What was once the central place for worship to honor the one, true God is now filled with people rejecting this same God and his messengers. Jesus' heart is clearly broken by this; that holy city which had been the seat of God's presence since ancient times is the city that would soon reject him and claim his life. "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" These are the words spoken by the one who came to reveal God’s love… by loving others completely, but whose love has been thrown back at him. The one who will not only be rejected, but who will soon suffer and die because of that rejection. “How often I have longed… and you were not willing.” That pretty much sums up the story of God’s relationship with us, doesn’t it? From the Garden of Eden… to the great flood… to the Exodus. From the days of the prophets, and the days of Jesus… To this very day… God has longed… and human beings have not been willing. That is the very heart of sin. Too often we consider “sin” to be something big… something illegal… dark and evil. Murder for example. We almost never think of ourselves in those terms… as “sinners” I mean… we make mistakes but we aren’t evil… we certainly don’t go around stealing and murdering others. Sin… that is what “those bad people” do. But, sin is so much more than that. Yes, sin happens in large and very dark ways, but it also happens every time we turn away from God. Whenever we ignore the will of God… Sin, big OR small, is anything we do (or do not do) that separates us from God. We sin every time we turn away or reject the protection we receive from God’s loving Grace. Like the people of Jerusalem in Jesus’ day, we are invited to come and find the protection and care of the Messiah… the one who came to reveal God’s love and mercy… who wants to heal us and set us free from all that is evil. But also like the people of Jerusalem… We should be afraid… afraid of ourselves... Of our own habit of rejecting the messengers of God... Of our own blindness to the reality we face. Even though Jesus' lament was spoken about Jerusalem, we can be certain he grieves for us as well… because too often we reject him and turn our backs on him. But thanks to the loving Grace of God… the story is not over… It does not end with Christ’s rejection in Jerusalem… It does not end there for the disciples. It is not over for those who meant him harm. It is not over for either the faithful OR for those who rejected Jesus. It was not too late then and it is not too late now. In spite of the evil and dangers that surround us… We can trust in God’s love and protection. If we do not… then just like the city of Jerusalem… Jesus will continue to grieve over us and say “Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” And Jesus' lament is fitting. Even when we are at our best we tend to reject the promised protection and love of God. We try to live life on our own terms… our hopes turning to cynicism and our dreams of doing “good” dissolving under the stress and pain of the world. And when we are at our worst? Well… we know all too well what that looks like. For centuries, God has raised up men and women, filled with God’s spirit, who sought justice and spoke God’s message to the people… messages relevant to their time in history. And just like in ancient Israel… Jesus continues to cry out… “[Christians, Christians], you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you…” because all too often those messengers were rejected. In this time, when we are faced with the rising epidemic of violence and hatred… in this time of great division even within our own denomination… we need a messenger who will boldly speak the Word from the Lord. But we also need to accept that prophet… and to heed the message he or she brings. But Honestly… I believe what we really need is a revival… but not merely a revival to bring new believers into the church. We need a revival WITHIN the church. We need to be revived out of our complacency into a faith that is real and authentic… deep and personal… a faith that affects our daily lives… our actions and attitudes so that we do not run away from problems within our society or bury our heads in the sands. I mean… How many of us are really willing to follow Jesus WHEREVER he leads us? Or do we back down under the fear of uncertainty, opposition, rejection, or ridicule? Most of the time it seems we define our faithfulness in such a way that is does not put us at odds with society. Our Lord expects better from us! In this Lenten season, as we travel with Jesus to the cross, we need to remember that although the world resorts to violence and war… exerting power and dominion over others… the way of Christ is different. Christ calls us into hope and service… into a community that lifts one another up and cares for one another with compassion, kindness and mercy. .. to seek out a DIFFERENT way. As people of faith and hope living in a culture of fear and anger, we must be willing to speak the gospel truth in a world of lies; to preach love in a selfish world filled with anger and hatred. We need to stop simply being a congregation and become again Disciples of Christ. The church, each and every one of us, needs to strengthen and revive our own relationship with Christ Jesus, and then move OUT into the world, living as Jesus lived… loving as he loved… doing exactly what the Lord requires… working for justice, acting with loving kindness and walking humbly with the Lord. Luke 4:1-13
There was a young boy who was forbidden by his mother to go swimming in the local river on his way home from school. The next day his mother found him in his room, working very studiously on his homework I might add, with wet hair, and a damp swimsuit in the corner. She asked him “Did you go swimming after school today?” “I couldn’t help it,” he replied… “The devil tempted me!” “Well, how come you had your bathing suit with you?” she asked. “Oh,” said the boy, “I brought that just in case I got tempted.” Oh, the Temptations… so often the downfall of us all… and temptation is what our Gospel reading is all about. After coming out of the waters of the Jordan River… the Holy Spirit descends like a dove and Jesus knew that the time had come for his ministry to begin. But instead of hopping right to work… the Holy Spirit sends Jesus out into the wilderness for quite a long time. There Jesus fasts and prays… and experiences great temptations. Have you ever considered why? I think there were a couple of reasons for this sojourn into the desert. 1st, Jesus needed to fast and pray in solitude so that he could discover EXACTLY what it was God wanted him to do… He was human after all… and let’s be honest… anytime human beings try to discover God’s will for them on their own… the results are not great… We need to take some time to quietly pray and listen for God’s will to come to us. It would have been no different with Jesus. He needed this time to find the truth of his path. But he also needed to be confronted with his options… he needed to decide his path for himself. Like all human beings, Jesus had the ability to say ‘no’… he had free will. He needed to make the difficult decision to follow the path God put before him… or not… And that is exactly what happened. While fasting and praying in the wilderness… Jesus was tempted, in a variety of ways, to take a different route… an easier path. Our current bible study asked an interesting question in regard to the temptation story. The author asked which of the three temptations do you think was the most difficult for Jesus to reject? My first thought was the bread… I mean… I hate being hungry… and I cannot imagine… In fact… most of us actually have no idea what that feels like to be truly hungry… we have not known true hunger; the kind of gnawing hunger you would feel after not eating anything for so long. So the temptation to satisfy this most basic need would definitely be understandable. I mean… Jesus had the power… but he also knew that using his power for himself was not the will of God. Then we have to consider the 2nd temptation. This one HAD to be tempting to Jesus. He is shown “all the kingdoms of the world” and told that he could be Lord of it all… all he had to do is bow down before the tempter. I imagine this must have been a really tough one for Jesus because it certainly sounds preferable to the path God had laid out before him. Bow down… Be rejected… Bow Down… Die on a cross… The long, hard, painful road… or the quick and easy path. Like I said… FAR from an easy decision for any person. So maybe THAT was the hardest one. Then we look at number 3. This third one… at first glance… doesn’t seem that hard of a decision… I mean… he is told to throw himself off the highest peak of the temple. Seems like a no-brainer to me… except when we look at how this one is worded: “If you are the Son of God… throw yourself down from here.” After all… you won’t get hurt… For the scriptures assure us that his angels will guard you… “they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” In other words… if YOU really are the Son of God… prove it! Actually, over and over again Jesus was asked to prove it… do this so we might believe… do that and we will follow… even when he hung on the cross they told him… “Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” [Matthew 27:40b] How tempting it must have been… not just there in the desert, but throughout his ministry… for Jesus to just say “Heck with it!” and offer the proof they claimed they wanted… to give into their demands and prove his identity. But again… that was not God’s plan. A quick reading through our text makes it seem like it was easy for Jesus... The devil said "Do this." Jesus said "no... scripture says..." But it was certainly NOT that clear cut and simple... There is no doubt… Jesus struggled with this for 40 days… it was NOT easy, but he did not give into temptation. Instead, he focused on God and used the scriptures to help him in his decision making process… Each year, we begin our Lenten journey with Christ in the wilderness because, honestly, that is where we live. We live in the wilderness… faced with temptations both great and small on a daily basis. These 13 verses remind us that Jesus experienced what we experience… he struggled with the temptations of this world… just like we do… that in him we have a High Priest who “has been tempted in every way, just as we are…” [Hebrews 4:15b] In fact… we face temptations like these every day… the temptation to satisfy our personal needs and wants… the desire for power and influence… money and prestige… issues of identity, security, taking the easier, less painful road… Like us… Jesus was tempted to satisfy his own basic needs… to take the easier, less scary road… but this would require turning away from God’s plan… and that is what the temptations we often face do as well… they derail us from God’s path… causing us to trade God’s will for another… often our own… This world… Satan… the devil… the adversary… whatever you want to call it… offers us many shortcuts… many other ways… but often, the most powerful temptations are the most subtle… many may even seem ok when we look at the idea that the ends justify the means. It often makes rejecting temptations very difficult… Maybe you've heard this prayer. “Lord, thank you so much for being with me today. I have not gossiped, nor have I spoken a cross word. My thoughts have been on you and I am thinking of the people in my life with love in my heart. I have not been angry, sarcastic or impatient. Now, I ask that you continue to help me as I get out of bed this morning!” To live is to be tempted, but if those temptations do not embrace God’s ways… God’s laws and God’s love… they are just plain wrong. To God… the ends DO NOT justify the means. The biggest trick is recognizing that we are most vulnerable when, like Jesus, we are exhausted, hungry, weak, beaten down, stressed out by the demands of our lives that seem to pull us in multiple directions... When we are stretched to our limits. The good news is that we are not alone… Jesus is with us through it all. No matter the temptations we face, Jesus has been there… he knows what it is like… how hard it is… Jesus was tempted to follow a different path, but he choose to do God’s will and did, in fact, accomplish each of these “temptations” in a manner that was not self-serving... Instead of changing a few stones into bread to feed himself, he changed a few loaves of bread and some fish to provide food for thousands. Instead of bowing down to the devil, he offered the prayer “Not my will but yours be done” and gave his life on a cross in a demonstration of true love poured out for all... and has been lifted up by millions of people all around the world as Lord of all… Instead of proving his identity by throwing himself off the temple peak, he humbled himself as a servant to the poor and needy and walked the path of love and compassion… dying only to be resurrected once again… proving he was indeed the Son of God… and he did it all God’s way… The same choices confront the people of faith. God is calling each of us to do God's will… to live out a specific purpose now. Unfortunately, there are distractions and temptations all around us, things that would draw us away from the path of the Lord. But, how do we resist the many temptations that cause us to fail to do God’s will? We need to put our trust in God… and focus of God’s care and provision… immersing ourselves in God’s word… using the scriptures to guide us. And we need to keep our eyes on Jesus… on his example… his words… his love and his spirit… by allowing the Spirit to work within us sustaining, guiding, inspiring and strengthening us… helping us to overcome temptation and follow the way of God. So, this Lenten season, take a long, hard look at the temptations you are facing. Consider what it is that might be pulling you away from God. Then let God’s word and God’s spirit lead you along the way of Christ and wherever God’s will is directing you to go. Amen. 1 Cor. 15:35-38, 42-50 & Luke 6: 27-38
Have you ever noticed just how many movies and shows there are that deal with the idea of resurrection? Well… not in the religious sense… but in a manner that seems to have grabbed the attention of so many people. I’m talking about the fascination we seem to have (myself included) with zombies. Ever since Night of the Living Dead premiered in 1968… right up to the very popular The Walking Dead series now… zombies have become extremely popular… and terrifying. Now… I don’t know what the people in the church at Corinth were thinking about when they questioned the idea that the time of resurrection would come… maybe they were thinking of zombies… Maybe they were thinking as the Jews did that the dead would rise in the exact bodies they had in life… or like others who believed that people would rise as spirits… ghosts. They wanted to know “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” There was enough confusion around the subject that Paul felt he had to address it in this letter. So… what will the resurrection of the dead be like? Will we be raised up… exactly as we are? Reanimated? Or will we simply be spirits… incorporeal… like a ghost? Paul’s answer… neither! Paul says that we are like a seed that is planted. That seed is not in the same form… the same body as it will have when it is grown. As it grows, “God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.” That is how it will be when the time for resurrection of the body comes. Like the seed… our earthly bodies are sown and something new will rise. What is sown… is what we are now… perishable… weak… a mortal, physical body. What is raised will be imperishable, raised in glory and power… spiritual. Paul goes on to clarify that when the body is ‘sown’… planted… is not when we are buried after death… but at our birth. We know this because of his comparisons of the first and the last man: Adam vs. Jesus. Adam was created from dust… and earthly being… as Genesis 2:7 tells us “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” … a living soul! A soul planted in a mortal body… subject to decay and limitations of a physical existence… perishable. Contrast this with Jesus… the “last Adam.” Jesus was an earthly being… subject to change and limitations… but he was able to do amazing things because (unlike most of us) he was in tune with the seed that was planted in his mortal body… his spiritual self. However, it was when he was raised from the dead… that we can truly see what resurrection will be like. Jesus became a spiritual being… He had a physical form… the disciples could touch him… feel that he was real and NOT a ghost of some kind… yet… he was different… changed. He was recognizable to those who knew him… but it seems the change was enough that they did not immediately understand that it was Jesus they were talking to… Consider Mary Magdalene… she first thought he was a gardener until he spoke her name… the disciples on the road to Emmaus spent the day with him and did not recognize him until the breaking of the bread… Jesus’ body was changed but his personality and memories were still intact… and now he was truly free from the physical limitations of the mortal body. This is what Paul believes will happen for us as well… “And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.” Our mortal bodies will fail, but one day God will endow our resurrected spirits with a spiritual body… just like Jesus… Please note that this is NOT reincarnation… we will be gifted with bodies that will be changed, but recognizable… a bodies that will be appropriate to our new, glorified existence… maintaining our memories and personalities. Free from the physical pains and limitations of our earthly bodies. We were created as earthly beings just like Adam, but it will be spiritual beings… the ‘new creation’ in Christ that will be raised at our resurrection. If that is not glorious Good News… I don’t know what is. What we need to remember is that the seed was sown… our souls were planted at the time of our birth… This planting does not occur when we die and are buried… it has happened. What we are now… is NOT what we will be, but that transformation has already begun. One day we will all be like Jesus… perfected in love… living as spiritual being in God’s kingdom. But the transformation… the growing begins here in this world… Just like a seed planted in the ground that slowly grows into a plant or tree… we grow and change little by little as we follow Jesus. Accepting Jesus as Lord… being baptized and beginning the journey of discipleship is the start… but that journey… that transformation into the new creation is an on-going, lengthy process. It is not a matter of declaring you believe and… BAM… your done… your changed… just waiting to enter the kingdom. No! This transformation from what we are now to what we will be is a journey that does not end in this life. Like that seed… we continue to grow… we slowly mature as Disciples of Christ when we care for and tend our “seed” of faith… when we follow where Jesus leads us… when we strive to follow his commands and live as he lived. Our scriptures clearly tell us how to do this… by living out the Laws of Our God… the Laws of Love… summarized by Jesus: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” [Matt. 22:37-39] And today he greatly expands the meaning of the second command… Love your neighbor… to include even those we would rather not… “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you…” After all… Jesus reminds us that loving those who love us is easy… even ‘sinners’ do that… doing good for those who do good to us is easy… even our worst enemy can do that… That is no big deal… but followers of Christ… those striving to become a new creation in Christ… they are called to be different… better… “love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High…” Living God’s ways is definitely NOT easy. The ways of the world are much easier… tempting us to turn away from those who do us wrong… hating those who hurt us… allowing our anger to push aside the need to forgive... When someone hurts us, we want to respond in kind… When someone takes from us, we want to take back. But the ways Jesus, tells us something completely different… it calls us to see one another as God sees us… realizing that we are all flawed, we all experience brokenness, and we are all in the need of forgiveness and healing. Now… this is not some excuse to let abusers off the hook. Those who have caused pain to others must be held accountable. However, this is about becoming the new creation… the inner transformation for ourselves… it is about letting go of the pain and anger that fills us and leaves little room for the love of God to grow… It is about not allowing the violence and pain to define who we are. When we follow the ways of Jesus… we choose differently for our own hearts and lives. The world wants us to conform… to respect and honor those with earthly power, wealth and authority… but the faithful listen to the Lord… doing the work of justice, healing, and restoration. For this is how the transformation from what we are to what we will be takes place… we allow God to begin the process of raising us to a new life of love, inclusiveness, understanding and grace. Here… now… today… in this life, we are embodied souls… souls sown in earthly beings… subject to the needs of the flesh… perishable… fragile… weak… imperfect. We are dim reflections of the Christ who lives in us. But when we are one day raised up… resurrected… we will be embodied spirits… free from the limitations of the earthly body… raised in glory and poser… perfected in love… we will see clearly and reflect the God who gives us life. Paul stresses the point that Resurrection is real… it is not about zombies or ghostly spirits… as real and wonderful as this life can be… Resurrection is even more so… But the real joy is that we don’t have to wait… the transformation is happening now… through Jesus, we have been given a glimpse of God… through our faith we have begun to grow and change… moving from what we are now… to what we will be… Amen Isaiah 6:1, 5-8, 1 Corinthians 15:3-10 & Luke 5:1-11
Today we had three very different readings, but while the circumstances and the people were all different… these verses all have a great deal in common. First, they all seem to remind us that God calls ordinary people and wants us all to trust in God and be able to say, “Here I am… Send me.” But what really stood out to me was that in all three cases… Isaiah, Paul and Simon Peter… when the call was heard… was their common reaction. Isaiah was a young man when he had this vision which has him enter into the very awesome presence of God. However… he isn’t elated by this turn of events… he isn’t awe struck or even afraid. NO! What he feels is shame… he is suddenly very conscious of his failures and brokenness. He falls to his knees… figuring he is going to die… and cries out: “Woe to me! ... I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” To say he felt unworthy of being in the presence of the Lord Almighty is an understatement. The same was true for Simon Peter. Simon was simply going about his business… cleaning the nets after a night of unsuccessful fishing when along comes Jesus. Jesus asks to use his boat so he can continue his teachings to the crowd that has gathered so that all might better hear him… then after he speaks he turns to Simon and says… “Let’s go fishing!” Well… they had spent all night out there fishing with no luck and now this man tells him to go back and try again. I figure something Jesus said must have convinced Simon that Jesus was a Holy Man, because… despite his misgivings… they do as Jesus said. The result was a catch so large they needed two boats to bring it in. This event… combined with Jesus’ presence seemed to make Simon very aware of his own shortcomings… he suddenly became very uncomfortable being in Jesus’ presence and falls to his knees and says: “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” Simon Peter KNEW he was unworthy. What about Paul? Our reading from 1st Corinthians doesn’t give us Paul’s call story… that we find in the Book of Acts… We are told that Jesus appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus and was literally knocked off his horse and blinded by the presence of the Lord… but we do have Paul’s continued reaction: “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” He too… freely admits to his unworthiness… still feeling… all these years later… that he does not deserve to be an apostle. Three powerful… amazing… pillars of our faith… all find themselves glimpsing the reality of the Lord… and all three are convicted by it… in despair… knowing that they were truly unworthy to even be in the presence of the Lord… let alone called to serve. They were all basically paralyzed by their unworthiness. Let’s face it… we have all sinned… we all fall short of God… we are ALL unworthy. WE cannot heal our brokenness… we cannot save ourselves… but that is where the Good News of these readings comes in. Let us look at them all again: 1st Isaiah cries out his unworthiness and one of the seraphim comes forward providing forgiveness and cleansing which is then affirmed by God who calls him into service. Next we see Simon Peter… on his knees telling Jesus to leave him… Jesus responds by lifting him up and inviting Simon to follow him. And let us not forget Paul who was forgiven for actually persecuting the followers of Christ and became the greatest evangelist the world has ever known. All three… though convicted and unworthy… were forgiven, cleansed and called by God. All three responded to that call by placing their trust in the Lord and dedicating themselves to God’s mission. We might feel unworthy, but God does not see it that way… God continues to call us by name… working to transform our hearts and our lives. No matter who we are or what we have done… Jesus calls us to put our trust in him and follow wherever he might lead us. It reminds me of a sign I have seen that reads: “When God put a calling on your life, he already factored in your stupidity… Most comforting thing I ever heard.” I like that because it is the truth. God knows us… God knows our hearts, our minds, our capabilities AND our weaknesses… God factors all these thing in when calling us to serve in the world today. When we repent and turn back to God… confessing our sins… we are forgiven and cleansed… we are sealed and commissioned to follow the Lord… bringing the Good News of Christ wherever we may go. It is our faith that lifts us up and heals us… calling us to work in love for justice and peace. As I thought about all this… I realized that there are a great many people in our world today who not only feel unworthy… but they are paralyzed by those feelings… They think there is no hope for them… they are weighed down by a sense of guilt… crying out “Stay away from me… I’m not worthy!” They do not allow anyone to lift them up… they do not answer God’s call because they cannot get past the shame and unworthiness. Sometimes it is a lack of faith and trust in God, but sadly, I think the church… throughout our history is to blame for it. For a long time, churches have focused on the confrontation of sin… proclaiming “Repent! Repent!” Bringing about a sense of guilt and not allowing faith to lead to freedom. Instead, it drags us down because all we can see is our faults and failures… our sin, but we fail to recognize and rejoice in the forgiveness. Isaiah, Simon and Paul were indeed confronted with their unworthiness and sin… but it was not the beginning. 1st they had an epiphany… an experience of being in the presence of the Lord… They were confronted… not with sin, but with God’s glory and righteousness… love and compassion. They immediately recognized what they were… unworthy sinners… but they were also offered a vision of what they could be… who and what they were created and called to be. Too often we forget that salvation comes… not in the conviction of our sins, but in the wondrous grace of God… through the vision of Jesus… reaching out his scarred hands in welcome and mercy… overwhelming us in grace, love and acceptance of who we are… as we are… unworthy though we might be. This is where the church… the community of faith must come in as well. We need to look at how WE respond to this message as a church… First of all… we need to actually be a community that accepts all… even… especially those who are broken… hurting… sinners. These are the people Jesus sought out. Jesus did not come for the righteous… he came for those in need of forgiveness, healing and mercy. If we are to be followers of Christ… we must do the same. We must be a community that enables all find the grace… the forgiveness, healing and growth that they need. And we also MUST be a community that enables people to hear the call of God… we must be willing and able to support them as they respond to that call… working together to lift up and support one another as we participate in serving God’s purposes in the world… helping each other discover and utilize our personal gifts, strengths and passions in service to God. When we hear the call of God… when we respond to the grace freely offered to us… we need to remember that we are all one in mission… our calling and tasks might be different, but we all serve together as the One Body of Christ… we are THE representative of the Lord in the world today… Whenever we feel unworthy… we need to put our trust in God and allow the burning fire of God’s love to cleanse away our sin and guilt… we need to allow ourselves to hear Christ calling… “Do not be afraid… Follow me!” WE need to stand up and respond “Here I am… Send me!” and then… forgiven, cleansed and renewed… we can start over… filled with the love of God and become agents of God’s light and love in ways we cannot yet imagine. Come as you are… unworthy though you may be… for God is calling you by name… God knows that you have the capacity to change, and the Lord can surely use you! This is the work of repentance and God’s Amazing Grace. Amen |
Yeon Shin
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