From the Pastor |
2 Samuel 6: 1-15
Today we have a story that seems a little strange. In our Old Testament reading we are told about how the Ark of the Covenant was being returned to the Israelites. During the reign of King Saul, the Ark of the Covenant was used as a talisman. The Israelites often carried it into battle to ensure a successful outcome. Like a very big good luck charm. However on one occasion, it was taken to battle and lost to the Philistines who remained in possession of it for 20 years. One of David’s first acts as king was to see that it was returned. Thirty thousand men of Israel were assembled for this purpose; only instead of suiting up for war, they went on a holy pilgrimage. They retrieved the Ark and placed it on a new cart accompanied by a procession of Israelites celebrating the Ark's return. This was the beginning of trouble, because there were rules in place… the Ark was to be carried, by designated people, on poles threaded through the rings on its side as stated in the law. As a result a man dies along the way. David gets angry, and then scared, and he leaves the Ark behind for 3 months. Then David hears how the house where the Ark was left has been blessed, and David overcomes his fear and remembers that it was God’s blessings he wanted for all the people of Israel. So he went back and brought the ark into Jerusalem and with it the power of God. Now, history had demonstrated that the presence of God was so powerful that lives were at stake. There was supposed to be specific protocols of respect for the Lord… This had been forgotten. David forgot about the rules that said to treat the ark with the utmost respect, to not touch it, to carry it in a certain way, with poles, with reverence, not on some cart. But not the second time around. This time… When he retrieved the Ark… David did it right. And not only did David worship and celebrate… but David danced before the Ark with all his might. What David remembered, and what we need to remember too, is that the presence of God is a blessing and is to be celebrated, even in the midst of all of its power. “David danced before the LORD with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.” David was King but there was no private, quiet, dignified worship for him. NOOO… He led the way with trumpets and dancing. In fact, the verses that follow this reading tell us that it was such a spectacle that his wife reprimanded him for it telling him that it was an embarrassment that a king would act in such a manner. But David simply reminded her that he was celebrating before the Lord who had chosen him to be king. When was the last time you worshipped the Lord by truly celebrating… with joy and exuberant praise? When was the last time you jumped to your feet… cried out Alleluia and danced before God? Can you even imagine dancing before the Lord… let alone with all your might? Definitely seems like a strange concept considering the debates we have simply over what music is “appropriate” in church. Classic traditional hymns vs. contemporary selections, pipe organ or praise band. But Dancing? That would make so many people in our churches cringe like David’s wife… its inappropriate… undignified… unheard of. Maybe the problem for us is that we have forgotten that when the community gathers together for worship, we gather in the very presence of the Holy and Living God. Instead of celebrating this amazing fact, we play it safe… we restrain ourselves and become spectators instead of full-fledged participants. We tend to turn worship into a routine event… one that fills an hour and maybe even entertains us a bit. The problem is that when we do this… it makes our time of worship about US… NOT about celebrating and praising God. We fail to connect with the God who created us, loves us and sustains us. We need to spend time truly worshiping God in spirit and in truth. We live in our heads much of the time these days... there are times we need to just let loose… to let the problems of this world slip away as we rejoice and celebrate in the Lord. Our God is amazing and more powerful than we can ever imagine… God is mighty and is to be feared… we stand in awe of this powerful deity… the Lord of all creation… and yet, this is the God of love and grace… worthy to be praised… the God of mystery to be worshipped and celebrated. Like David we need to dance before the Lord with all our might. We need to come before the Lord with an air of celebration and joy. Now I am not suggesting we all get up and do the Hokey Pokey, but worshipping God is more than coming to church and sitting (sometimes sleeping) in the pews. We need to joyfully, exuberantly praise God with our whole selves. Our celebrations reveal the God of love and joy to the world around us… and as we celebrate and rejoice before God we pass on the inheritance of our faith to the generations yet to come. We are to celebrate the love and grace we have received through Jesus the Christ. We are to express our gratitude because the Christian life is a life of joy and celebration. When our lives are touched by the love of God, God’s grace flows into our hearts and enable us to better demonstrate God’s love to the world around us through our acts of compassion and grace to others... providing a channel for love and healing. It is through our worship of God that we can become a visible symbol of God’s presence to others outside these walls. Let is remember that life is a gift from God… a joyous dance and Jesus our savior is the Lord of the Dance!! If our hearts are moved, so our bodies, our lips, our voices and our very lives will be. So “Dance, then, wherever you may be, I am the Lord of the Dance, said he, And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be, And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said he” Dance and Let all the world see God within you.
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Deuteronomy 10:12 –13, 17–21 & Galatians 5: 1, 4-6, 13-15
The Pentateuch… the 1st 5 books of our Old Testament, contain the Torah… the Law of God revealed through Moses to the Hebrew people. The book of Deuteronomy is basically a final listing of God’s Laws. Moses gives this final listing as the people, who have been delivered from their time of oppression and slavery in Egypt, are poised to finally enter into the Promised Land. Through the grace and mercy of God, they have been granted their freedom and have entered into a covenant with their God… their deliverer. “So now… what does the Lord your God require…” of the people who would become Israel? Now that they have their freedom and have agreed to be God’s chosen people? After all… the Lord your God is God of gods… mighty and awesome… impartial and fair. The God who will not only elevate Israel to the status of “chosen” and blessed, but will deal with all nations fairly and equally. The God who has promised to execute justice for widows and orphans and strangers… in other words the least and lowest of society… the God who is caring enough to provide for their needs… whose people are called to do the same. So what does God require of them? What requirements does freedom bring? Only this… “Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord your God…” Simple right? Except that the Torah contains over 600 laws. 600! That seems a bit daunting to me. It proved to be difficult for the people of Israel as well. We see this throughout the remainder of the Old Testament… Especially from the prophets. They tried… but time and time again they failed to follow even the basic command to love and worship ONLY the God of Israel. And they paid the price. If that wasn’t bad enough, by the times of Jesus, the laws had been twisted … the religious leaders had imposed so many rules, restrictions and regulations around them that had made it very difficult for the people to succeed in following them. It was like they were set up to fail. They became, what Paul referred to as slaves to the law… They were bound and chained to the letter of the law. But thankfully, Jesus did come… Jesus taught the word of God… he preached the ways of God and he demonstrated through his living what it was to truly follow the commands of the Lord. He revealed a God who was not scary and looking to condemn… but a God who was Love. A God who was looking to reconnect with all people and save all the people. This is why when he was asked which command was the greatest he replied: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” [Matt. 22: 37-40] See… Jesus came to break the chains that bound the people to the strict letter of the law… from what Paul refers to as the “yoke of the law.” Jesus simplified things for us… he put the laws into the proper perspective. You see… when we look at those 600+ laws… they can all be broken into 3 categories. 1. Loving and Worshiping God 2. Loving and caring for yourself 3. Loving and caring for your neighbors… It is in following these simplified commands that freedom can be found. After all… the law was never meant to bind people in chains… the law was meant to set them free. Free to live… free to love… free to serve God and others. Jesus came to provide freedom. But it is not the kind of freedom that implies personal independence; the ability to do whatever we want, whenever we want. That is not the freedom that Jesus promised. Think about it… Jesus did not come to end the oppression of the Roman Empire… he did not drive out the enemy… Yet Jesus came to bring True Freedom. Jesus was not setting us free to do whatever we wanted; He was freeing us to do what we ought to do. After all… Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” [John 8: 31-32] The truth Jesus taught was the truth of love, compassion, justice and mercy… Christ’s truth calls his followers to share love, light and life with others… to Love God and Neighbor and one another and even the enemy… because the only thing that matters is faith working in love. That is the message Paul provides… “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” [Gal. 5:13] So now that we have been set free… what does God requires of us? What does our freedom require? Only that we “fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord your God.” That has not changed… what has changed is that we are no longer chained by the letter of the law… “the only thing that counts is faith working through love”. To be truly free, to experience the freedom Christ brings, is to be able to move beyond the self… beyond the idea of me, me, me… and instead to focus on love and service to others. True freedom is what you get when you live your life in loving service to others. The only way to truly find freedom is to give yourself away in love. For “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…. [so] serve one another humbly in love” utilizing the “fruit of the Spirit… love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 2 Samuel 1: 17-27 & Mark 5: 21-43
Have you ever noticed how much “us versus them” thinking has affected our world? Our society? Our churches? It seems to be a part of who we are as human beings. We love our friends and hate our enemies. We are accepting of those who are like us and separate ourselves from those who are different. We draw lines… creating boundaries… across racial, socio-economic, political, national, religious, sexual, and generational lines… withholding dignity, respect, compassion and generosity… preferring to “save” those things for people who are like “us”… not “them”. These divisions… this “us vs. them” mentality is what leads to so many of the problems in the world. It leads us to becoming violent against those we perceive as enemies. It causes us to celebrate the downfall of those we oppose. It can cause us to dent grace and service to anyone we may feel does not deserve or warrant it. We exploit… neglect or outright ignore those who are different or who cannot offer anything in return. The problem for us, as Followers of Christ, is that the Gospel message, and our readings for today, not only speak out against this behavior… but challenge us all to change. And you know how much we all love change! C.S. Lewis, is said to have been one of the intellectual giants of the early 20th century and was a very influential writer and theologian. One Day, he walked in on an academic discussion about what made Christianity distinctive from other religions of the world. The men present could not decide what truly set it apart from the rest. So, they asked Lewis what he thought. He paused only a moment and said, “That’s easy, it’s grace.” Grace is what truly sets the Christian religion apart from all others. Grace is unmerited favor… it is being granted something we simply do not deserve. Grace reveals the goodness of God, and the only condition of grace is that we show up and accept what God is giving. And Grace is what is we see in our readings today. You see… in our reading from 2 Samuel, David mourns the passing of Saul and Jonathon. Now it is not at all surprising that David mourns Jonathan. The two shared a close, loving relationship, but he also grieves for King Saul… the man who has persecuted and drove him from his home, but who spent years trying to kill him. His lament over Saul’s death is shocking. David even goes so far as to remind the people that Saul was their king… God’s chosen… even if he had fallen from God’s ways. He orders then to learn the song he sings and honor Saul. TO remember that his leadership had not been all bad. Talk about compassion… talk about Grace. Saul did not deserve David’s forgiveness… most of us would agree his actions did not deserve honor and respect. Yet he received these things from David. And that is the thing we need to remember. There are 2 dimensions to grace: 1. There is Vertical Grace. That is the grace that we receive from God… Grace that comes down from God to you and me. 2. There is Horizontal Grace. That is the grace we extend out to others. That’s right… we are not only recipients of grace… we are givers of grace as well. But WHO are we to offer grace to? That is where the Gospel comes in because Jesus demonstrates grace in our healing stories. These are not two simple stories of healing… one imbedded within the other. No, Mark has carefully assembled this dual story to make a point. That God’s grace is available to all people. Let’s look at both the women who received healing. The daughter of Jairus is a young… 12 years old… she is the daughter of a prominent leader of the synagogue. Her father is rich and powerful… and he comes to Jesus begging for him to bring healing upon hus daughter. She is a child of privilege who has her whole life ahead of her. Going to heal her at the father’s request is within the bounds of social propriety. However, when we look at the story tucked in the middle of this one… we see a completely different scenario. Here we find a woman who has been bleeding for 12 years. All of Jarius’ daughter’s life this woman has suffered. “She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.” Now we have to remember that a, under the Jewish law, a woman is considered unclean for about 2 weeks of every month, the week of her menstrual cycle and the week following needed for purification. Any man who came into contact with her or anything she touched would also be rendered “unclean”. So this nameless woman is alone, destitute AND an outcast… and she is DESPARATE. She hears about Jesus and decides to take matters into her own hands… breaking the bounds of what was socially and religiously appropriate by daring to reach out in faith to touch the hem of Jesus’ robe. She had to be terrified when Jesus noticed and called her out for doing so. I mean… she could be stoned for such a transgression and she had no one to plead her case. He was not angered by this woman who, by the religious laws, had just made him “unclean” by touching him… instead “He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” Then he went on his way and healed to daughter of Jarius. You see, Jesus… well… Jesus defied convention… he crossed every cultural boundary… he was a friend to women and honored children. He spent time with outcasts and sinners… with Samaritans and lepers. He offered grace to everyone who needed it no matter their background, status or position in society. Remember… grace is getting what we do not deserve. And as Christians we are called to offer grace to others… underserving though they may be… just as we have received grace from God… underserving though WE be. Grace is what makes us who we are as followers of Jesus. Grace is what motivates us to respond with love and joy and hope. However, Grace is dangerous. It pulls us away from business as usual. It goes against the status quo. Grace looks beyond our success, our appearance, our race or ethnicity… it ignores our accomplishments, and our failures… even our politics. Grace recognizes there is more to you and who you are than what you have done or left undone. Grace seeks unity and inclusion. Showing grace to others is about showing love and kindness and forgiveness to others even when they don’t deserve it. It is forgiving and mourning the death of one who has persecuted you as David did. It is offering help and healing to all even if society deems them unworthy. This is exactly the grace God has shown us. We are called to show grace to one another… especially to those who are undeserving. Our scriptures encourage us to put our trust in God. The God who offers salvation and forgiveness… mercy and love… even though we certainly do not deserve it… Our God who offers grace freely despite our tendency toward unfaithfulness, sin and rebellion. We are called to live with generosity, forgiveness, care and concern for others… no matter who they are or what they deserve. Called to share God’s grace, and love. Unfortunately, the truth is that our failure have led to so much division, suffering and insecurity in our homes, communities, and countries. By focusing on “us” and failing to offer grace, love and forgiveness to “them”… we have failed to live as Disciples of Christ… because Grace seeks unity and inclusion for all people. However, when we are willing to look past the differences and offer love, acceptance, forgiveness, generosity and understanding to those who are different, or unworthy… we offer grace and a glimpse of the loving, peaceful Kingdom of God. If we can be more like David and honor and respect those who have wronged us… when we act like Jesus and treat both rich and poor, deserving and undeserving with equal grace and dignity… when we are willing to share what we have with others… the world becomes a friendlier, more compassionate, more gracious, and more secure place for all. Just as we don't deserve God's grace, love and forgiveness, someone you know probably does not deserve yours. But that doesn't matter… offering grace, love and forgiveness is what we are commanded to do. Loving enemies, strangers and outcasts is never easy, but it remains a central call of the Gospel message, and a central mark of the truly Christ-centered life. SO… who needs your grace today? Amen. 1 Samuel 8
Have you ever said something along the lines of “But everybody else is doing it!” As a parent I heard it many times over the years… at least in one variation or another… “But everyone else’s parents let them do…” whatever it is my children wanted to do. This is the issue Samuel was facing in our scripture reading this morning. After the people of Israel entered and settled in the Promised Land, Joshua served as the leader until his death. Then certain people were chosen by God and anointed with the Holy Spirit to serve as judges… leaders. The judges were called to serve… not only as the presider over legal disputes like our judges today… but they also served as military leaders and as someone who would lead the people back into a right relationship with God when they strayed as well. The judges were chosen by God to rescue the people from their enemies… establish justice, and restore the practice of the Mosaic Laws. Samuel was the last of these judges… However… Samuel was getting old and the people were nervous about who would succeed him. It seems like they did not like the idea of leaving it to “chance”… They did not want to wait until God decided who would be next. In fact, oddly enough… this included Samuel who had been grooming his own sons to take over… even appointing them as judges. “But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.” [1 Sam. 8:3] This is where our story picks up today. The elders all get together and go to speak with Samuel. They said “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” [vs. 5] There it is… did you catch that? “Appoint a king… like all the other nations…” Samuel is distressed by this demand so he turns to God in prayer. God… though… is not surprised by this. God has had to deal with the lack of trust and faith of the people many times before. I think God finally decided to give up (just a little bit.) Like God threw up his hands and said… “Fine! Do what you want!” God tells Samuel to go ahead and set them up with a king saying: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king… Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.” So that is exactly what Samuel does… in fact he goes into great detail of what will happen once they establish a monarchy in Israel. “But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations.” And there it is again… “Then we will be like ALL the other nations!” They seemed to believe that a king would bring them the power and authority… the justice and community they desired. I can almost see them stomping their feet declaring “But everyone else is doing it… we want to be like everyone else.” Instead of living differently… they wanted to blend in… But that is the thing… they were not supposed to be like everyone else. They were God’s Chosen People… God was their king… their ruler… which is why God declared that their demand of an earthly king was a rejection of God. This call for a king is just another case of misplaced allegiance. They were putting their faith in the things of this world… willing to pledge allegiance to a king OTHER than God. Unfortunately… history has shown that Samuel’s predictions were pretty accurate. The reign of kings eventually led to ungodliness and the worship of idols as the people continued to strive to be like everyone else all of which nearly obliterated the nation of Israel. SO what does this ancient history have to do with us today? Well… we too are in dire need of this warning. We need to consider where our allegiances are. The Dictionary defines “Allegiance” as being devoted to or giving loyalty to a person, group, country or cause. And where our allegiance lies… our loyalty… our devotion… might just be part of the problem. Think about it… one of the reasons there is so much suffering and injustice in this world is because human beings… yes… even Christians… far too often find themselves pledging their loyalty to people and things that do not bring justice, peace, life and equity. We live in a world that provides more than enough resources for everybody, yet we tend to give our focus our lives around consumerism… materialism and greed. We devote more time, energy and money to shopping… than to serving God. We spend more time watching TV or scrolling through Social Media that we spend with Our Lord and King. We offer our allegiance to candidates, political parties and people in power… and instead of working together for peace and justice… taking care of one another, we offer our allegiance the people and ideas that bring divisiveness, exclusivity, self-protection, and power trips. Even in our faith communities… even in our churches… it is far too easy to turn away from the love and inclusiveness that the gospel demands… instead we exclude those who are different or “unworthy”… those not like us. We focus more on legalism and ritual… offering judgement and hypocrisy instead of love and compassion and grace. We focus so much on our “personal” relationship with Christ that our faith leads to selfishness instead of love for our neighbor. This is why Jesus teaches that we cannot serve two masters. It does not work, and the truth for us… the truth for those who proclaim Jesus is Lord… is that God is our King. The only master we are to serve is God! The things and the people of this world might appear to promise life, happiness, and security, but those are false promises. They steal life from us by moving us further and further away from the presence of God. Like the people of ancient Israel, we have been called to be different… set apart… to NOT be like everybody else! We have to determine where and to whom we have pledged our allegiance… where do our daily loyalties lie? Then we must shift our allegiance away from the “kingdoms” of the world and pledge our devotion… our loyalty to the kingdom of God… grasping onto the hope and love found in Christ in order to bring justice and life to all of creation. If we are to live as true citizens of the kingdom of God… if we are to pledge our allegiance to our Lord… we must strive to follow the laws of the ‘king’… we need to live as Jesus lived… loving and serving… teaching and healing… caring for the weak… the needy… the outcast… working tirelessly until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like and ever-flowing stream. Until the day… we… like Joshua can declare with a bold – loud voice: “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” [Joshua 24:15b] I love receiving gifts. Don’t you? It is such fun to open and find out what someone else has thought to give to you. But… have you ever had that embarrassing moment when you’ve been given a beautifully wrapped gift… you open it while the giver is watching you, anticipating your joy-filled reaction… and you look at it… and… have absolutely no idea what it is?
That is how Pentecost seems to be like to me… a beautiful gift that brings such a sense of uncertainty. Today is the festival of Pentecost and our reading the book of Acts, reminds us of what happened during the Jewish feast of Pentecost shortly after Jesus’ ascension. A great gift was given to the followers of Christ who were gathered there that day… given in a very dramatic way. The disciples and other followers of Jesus were all gathered in one place when suddenly there was the sound of rushing wind like a tornado (inside the house), then tongues of fire appeared resting on every head. These events brought to all gathered there a beautiful… wonderful gift that came directly from God. God gave them the wondrous gift of the Holy Spirit... just as Jesus had promised. It is the same gift God gives to all who come to believe… all who follow Jesus. However, when we look at this gift… when we open it up (so to speak)… we have to wonder… what is it, really? What is it for? Well, Jesus did tell the disciples, “When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you shall receive power.” So maybe, the gift we get at Pentecost is the gift of power, and God knows we need it. Strength, power… But one important question must be asked: what kind of power? …the awesome explosive power like we have seen in the Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Or is the quiet steady power you might find in a nuclear reactor? I think that perhaps… just perhaps… it is both! The Spirit can manifest power in spectacular… fairly explosive ways… just like on that Day of Pentecost so long ago. Creating howling wind, tongues of fire and instant miracles… Power that can shake buildings… heal the sick and cast out demons… even raise the dead… that’s the power of God that is more easily recognized… but if we are to be honest… we would have to admit… that type immense power is not the norm for most Christians. The Holy Spirit can and does bring power to God’s people but usually in more subtle and unexpected ways. First of all, it can ease our suffering, put our minds at peace and the power the Spirit often brings is the quiet strength needed to endure adversity… not simply escape it. A second unexpected power of the Spirit is the power to love. No wonder people are confused about the Spirit’s power… In the eyes of the world, loving and forgiving are measures of weakness not strength. Vengeance, not forgiveness, is the law of earthly power. However, Jesus taught his disciples something completely different. He commanded them to love their enemies, not just those who were kind to them. Going the extra mile, turning the other cheek, and forgiving without limit were to be the true signs of spiritual power for Jesus’ men and women. The Lord knew, as his modern disciples must learn, that real power never needs to hate or destroy only to love. But that is not all… The Spirit also provides the power to serve. Service is not often a mark of power in our fallen world. In fact, in our world a powerful person is to be served not serve. Ruling, controlling, and manipulating the lives of others… for our society… these are the marks of power. Not so with Jesus! On his last night with his disciples, Jesus demonstrated his radical attitude toward power. He removed his cloak, took up a towel, and washed his followers’ feet. Surely he had better things to do! Someone else could assume such a lowly role! However, Jesus insisted that the highest privilege one could have was to serve another. Strength to endure adversity, loving, serving… that’s the awesome power the Holy Spirit provides! And when we look at the drama of this story it seems that the gift of Pentecost is the gift of energy and excitement as well as power… The Holy Spirit is God's way of shaking off the moss, blowing away the cobwebs, and allowing electricity and excitement to reenergize the church. Well, that is a gift we do need… Some energy and some excitement in the church! Wouldn't it be nice to be lifted up and to have the life of the church flying like a flag, snapping in the powerful wind of the Spirit, with energy and excitement? However… When all is said and done, the gift that we get when the Holy Spirit comes upon us is not the superficial gift of energy and excitement; it is not merely power, and strength. The gift we get on Pentecost is the one gift we and the world most desperately need. Strangely enough, the true gift of Pentecost, of the Spirit, is the gift of having something to say, a Word to speak in the brokenness and tragedy of the world that is unlike any other word. Did you notice what happened when the Spirit was given to the disciples? They stood up… went out among the people… and spoke. They moved from hiding away to boldly speaking the Good News of Jesus. They talked and the world around them heard and understood the good news in its own languages. As the prophet Joel said, “In the latter days, I will pour out my Spirit on all of humanity. And your sons and your daughters will prophesy.” You and future generations will have a Word to speak… they will tell all who will listen that love is stronger that hatred, that life overcomes death; that hope is deeper than despair; that every tear will be dried, and that in the power of Christ's resurrection, death and pain will be no more. There's the gift at Pentecost: the Word to speak to the world; a word of good news and hope that is unlike any other word. After all, that is the task Jesus gave his disciples just before he ascended into Heaven. He said “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.” That was the task the disciples were commanded to do… to go to Jerusalem, to await the arrival of the Holy Spirit and then to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. That is how it was at that first Pentecost. They had become a group of unique individuals who were united for this great purpose… this task of truly being witnesses for Christ. That is what we are… followers of Christ in the world today… empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak the gospel… the Good news of Christ… witnesses to the ends of the earth. Followers of Christ in every church... every city... every nation are called to be united in this great task and we have all been given the Gift of Pentecost for this reason. So what is holding us back? Why are we so weak in this task? What are we afraid of? Are we afraid of ridicule? Of being labeled religious fanatics? Do we not want to disrupt the status quo? Do we think that we do not have the power? How many times have we heard ourselves say “Lord, if only I had more…?” “If only I had more power, just think of the great things I could do!” “If only we had more money, think of all the people we could help!” “If only we had…more people… more time… If only Lord!” The only problem with asking for more is that we will most likely get the response: “Why? Why should I give you more? What are you doing with the little bit of power I’ve already given you? If you aren’t using what I have already given… what would make me think you would use more?” Phillip Brooks must have understood this spiritual truth when he wrote these words, “Do not pray for easy lives, pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle but you shall be a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at yourself at the richness of life which has come by the grace of God.” On the day of Pentecost, God made available to all believers the most powerful force in the universe. So, let the gospel be preached and the Holy Spirit poured 1 John 3:16-24 & John 10:11-18
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me…” This is a common and well- known image of Jesus. I remember as a kid in Sunday School seeing a picture of Jesus gently carrying a lamb on his shoulders… I was taught that the message of this image was that Jesus loves and protects us and we are forever carried by that love. It is the image of God we get from the 23rd Psalm… Even if you cannot recite the whole thing by heart… I bet you at least know the opening line: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…” These are words of comfort and grace… often used during funerals or times of trial and distress, because these words remind us that we are never alone… that we are known by God. We know the shepherd and the shepherd know us each by name. Think about that for a moment… you are known… personally… by God. The Good News of John’s Gospel message is that even with all our flaws and shortcomings… even with all our sins we are known… we are loved and we are forgiven. What incredibly Good News! “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me…” But how well do we really know God? I mean… Jesus tells us that HIS sheep recognize and listen to HIS voice. Have you heard His voice lately? I think the real question for us today is NOT “Will God speak to me today?” but rather… “Will I hear and listen to God’s voice?” Unfortunately in this day and age it is easy to be distracted. Our world is noisy and we move at such a fast pace that sometimes it is hard to hear God’s voice speaking to us. We are called to listen… But not only listen, we are expected to hear. There are many instances in scripture where Jesus said “Whoever has ears, let them hear.” [Matthew 11:15] And he is telling us today that the sheep of his flock do indeed hear his voice. So… are you listening? Are you hearing what the shepherd is saying? Can you hear the voice of Jesus? Are you even listening for it? Most of us would probably have to confess that we are not very good at listening. It is easy to be distracted… to fail to hear Jesus’ voice calling to us amid the noise, the distractions and the hustle of our daily lives. And if we were to be honest… Sometimes we choose NOT to listen because that “still small voice” … is not telling us what WE want to hear. This morning… I would like you to ask yourself: What are the voices that you listen to? Who is speaking to you? Are they leading you to Christ, or away from Him? I truly believe that the best trick the devil ever played upon us was convincing so many people that he isn't even real. That way he works in the background without anyone giving him a second thought. Let’s face it… The devil is very good at pulling people away from the Lord… And the sad reality here in America, is that he doesn’t seem to have to work that hard to make his voice heard. The noise and voices of this world seem to make hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd difficult to hear, but the voice of evil… it is loud and strong. IT is the voice of selfishness and greed… of anger, fear and hatred and that voice is permeating our society… and even our churches. In Jesus’ parable of the good shepherd, he says that the sheep listen to his voice. But note in today’s reading… he is telling us that there are others… “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” Yet, so many Christians seem to believe that they are the only ones who truly hear Christ’s voice… that their way is the ONLY way… that those who do not believe as they do are damned… not worthy… NOT a part of Christ’s flock. So… Who are these others? The truth is… we don’t know, and it is NOT our job to decide who is in and who is out. That job belongs solely to the one who will sit on the Throne of Judgement… and that ain’t you or me. Our job is to invite others to come and get to know the Shepherd… to include everyone we can… to come and hear the voice of the Lord. In order to do that… however… we NEED to be able to recognize and hear the voice of Christ our Shepherd among all the different voices around us and within us… in the midst of the noises that tries to distract us… The problem is… how do we do that? … How do we hear his voice? … How do we decide what it is that the Lord is telling us? How do we know what is truly right and good? The first thing we need to realize is that God does, in fact, speak to us today. Don’t wait for the booming voice from heaven… or the burning bush… look around and open your hearts to the many ways that God not only makes God’s presence known… but speaks to us every day. God speaks to us all through Scripture. The Bible gives a great deal of guidance on the things we encounter in life, so reading and studying the word of God can result in the right verse and message coming to mind just when we need it. We can hear the voice of God during our times of worship. Through the prayers and songs… the scriptures and sharing we can hear the voice of Jesus speaking to us… About who we should be… what we should do… and the mission to which he has called us. When a concern moves us to pray… When we rejoice at a new birth, or mourn together a death… when we are reminded that the kingdom of God continues in the lives of those just coming into it and those who have moved on… when a song resonates with us… that is God speaking. God speaks through our own thoughts… that gut feeling we refer to as intuition. It can be thoughts and feelings that come to us during prayer, or out of the blue. You know… that strange thought that suddenly pops on in and won’t go away. Pay attention to that. We can hear God speaking through other people… sharing their thoughts and dreams and ideas. God speaks through books, letters, movies, art or music… whatever might grab your attention and move your heart and mind… bringing God into your focus. We can even hear the voice of God throughout the beauty and wonder of creation. There are so many ways that the voice of the Lord… Our Good Shepherd speaks to us… not just in church… but everywhere… every day of our lives. We just need to take the time to listen and to hear what God has to say. So, the question for us in not, “Does Jesus still speak to people today?” But rather, “What is Jesus saying to us this morning?” What is our Lord saying about the violence in our nation? About the blatant injustice and inequity and hatred? Are we called to do something to be his peace, his shalom, in this world? In our community? What is our Lord saying to us today about the poverty in our area? About those who do not have decent housing, or who go to bed hungry, or who are victims of domestic abuse? What is he saying to us about how we can be salt and light in this community? The important thing is not that we come up with “THE ANSWER” but that in listening… we live the answers that we already have been given by our faith: Live in peace with each other… lift up the down trodden, help the poor and the weak, be patient, loving and compassionate with everyone. Do not repay evil with evil but combat evil with love. Rejoice always; pray continually; and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Our Shepherd’s voice is clear about how we should live and act, it is clear about what our attitude should be to those who are both our friends and those who we might consider our enemies. We can’t go wrong by doing the things that the Shepherd has already told us to do in a very clear way. When we continue to listen to and follow the voice of our Shepherd in the little things… those things that relate to our loving of both God and neighbor, then we will discover that God’s voice will become clearer… more discernable… and we will discover what it is the God is saying and what God wants us to do. Amen. John 15: 1-8
Today, the Gospel of John gives us another metaphor Jesus provides… “I am the true vine”. Jesus uses these metaphors to reveal…not only his own identity, nature and character, but to also reveal aspects of the covenant relationship of God with God’s people. “I am the true vine” Now this would have been a powerful statement for those listening to Jesus speak. This was a metaphor they understood. Vineyards were not uncommon and the care of vineyards was well known. Every year those who tended the vineyards would prune the vines… cutting off the dead wood and trimming the living branches so the yield would be more plentiful. On top of that… the Hebrew Scriptures were filled with references to vines and vineyards. The Psalms and the prophets all use the image of Israel as the Lord’s vineyard. The people were the vine God had uprooted from Egypt and replanted in the Promised Land. A vine that withered because it became disconnected from the source of nourishment and strength. So for Jesus to say, "I am the true vine", was an astounding revelation. As the Messiah, Jesus declares that he has become the true point of connection… of strength and life for God’s people. Jesus is the true vine and God’s people are the branches. God is the one who tends the vineyard and like any grape grower… God expects for the branches to bear fruit. Today… WE are the branches. However we need to understand a few things about branches. Branches do not grow of their own accord. It is not something the branches can control… as the vine shares its nourishment and life… the branches begin to grow. There is actually something very passive about the branches… they just kind of sit there. Soaking up all the life the vine provides. And yet… even with being passive, branches manage to do what they were created to do… They soak up the life the vine provides and then they bear fruit. Over and over again. This is where the metaphor breaks down a bit… because let’s face it… we are human beings… not branches. Unlike a ‘branch,’ we are not very good at being passive…in fact, human beings have a tendency to believe that we know what is best for us… that we are smarter, and stronger on our own. We forget that we were given the gift of life… created by God. We are easily bored and distracted and begin to think that our life and power comes from the things of this world… As a result we end up cutting ourselves off from the vine… from the source of life itself. We wither away… becoming filled with things like indifference, apathy and hate. Those are not the fruit we are called to bear… but these days they seem like the easiest to find. The fruit we are called to bear is, first and foremost, love…caring, compassion, mercy, forgiveness… Paul even gave us a list of what he referred to as “fruit of the Spirit”: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. How do we successfully bear such fruit? What must we do? Where to begin? Jesus gives us the answer… clearly… boldly… What must we do? “Abide”… Abide in him. There you have it! Now we just need to figure out what that means. Jesus tells his disciples to abide in him… but he tells them this on the eve of his death. He knows he is leaving them and he is trying to prepare them… so this was his command… Abide in me! Jesus says to Abide… now and always abide in me. He was leaving but he was not leaving them alone. Jesus promised to be with them always… connected to them through the Holy Spirit. That is what ‘abide’ means… to remain in… stay near… connected. When we abide in Jesus, we remain connected to his life-giving, sustaining, strengthening presence. “Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.” [vs.4] This is so much more than good advice… it is more than an invitation… it is a promise that no matter what happens… Jesus will be with us through it all. The vine is grounded… set… it doesn’t go anywhere. The vine patiently provides what is needed for the branches to life and grow… supporting and strengthening them… allowing life to flow through the branches so that they will bear fruit. This is all about relationship. Jesus spoke often about how he and God were connected… “I am in the Father… the Father is in me” [John 14:10] When we abide in him… we too are brought into relationship of mutual indwelling… We live in Christ and Christ lives in us. And just like the vine metaphor… we are united together through him... We are connected and intertwined… the One Body of Christ. Even the best of us… the most faithful… can find that there are times when our spiritual energy seems to wither… when our connection to Christ… the vine… does not feel very strong. Times when doubts and fears can take hold. The truth of the matter is that as human beings, it's easy to get disconnected from the vine… complacency, apathy, fear… anger, greed… laziness and even busyness… these things pull at us… drawing us away from Christ. In fact… it's far too easy to let the things of the world get hold of us causing us to separate ourselves from the true source of life, light and love. Those who abide in Jesus' word don't give up when things are difficult or allow their fruitfulness to be choked by the "weeds" of worldly pressures. We need to consciously remain connected to Christ. It is not automatic, but it is necessary. We can do that by studying God’s word… through our times of worship, communion and praise… through frequent prayer and intentionally taking the time to commune with God. It is our connection to Christ… that enables us to be fruitful… then our lives will reflect that mutual indwelling of Christ’s life in ours and our life in his. We need that connection… the life and power… the love that comes through Jesus. For as John’s letter reminds us: “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.” [vs. 12-13] The greatest fruit we can bear are acts of love… Our love for God revealed in the ways we treat one another, and others. It is love that is shown when we abide in Christ… who abides in us through the Holy Spirit. We must remain connected to him. Otherwise we become like a branch that cannot produce fruit any longer… that branch is thrown into the fire… This is why Jesus says “Abide in me, and I will abide in you.” We can’t do it on our own. Just as the branches must be connected to the vine before they can produce fruit, you and I must stay connected to Jesus to produce the good fruit that God expects of us. Amen.
Acts 3:12-19 & Luke 24:36b-48
Centuries ago, William Shakespeare wrote his play Romeo and Juliet and in it he asked the question: “What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” What is in a name, indeed? Names are actually very important. A person’s name is their identity… their sense of individuality. Our name can carry deeply personal, cultural, familial, and historical connections… names can give us a sense of who we are, the communities in which we belong, and our place in the world. Some might say that our name is the most important word for each of us. Using a person’s name is the best way to get their attention… It is a sign of courtesy, recognition and respect. Today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles reveal how very important one specific name truly is. Our reading actually picks up mid story. Peter and John were going to the Temple at the hour of prayer. There they saw a man who had been crippled since he was born. He was carried to the Temple gate everyday so he could beg for money to survive. On this day he asked Peter and John for money. Peter told him that he had no money, but “what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.” [Acts 3:6b-8] The man was healed and jumping all around praising God. Needless to say this got the attention of all those in the area who were amazing and astonished by this turn of events. Which leads us to today’s reading. Peter lets the crowd know… in no uncertain terms… that HE nor John had the power to do this great thing. He makes it very clear that it was not HIS doing… but God’s. He said “Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus… By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.” It was not me… it was the power of God offered through faith in the name of Jesus that did this miraculous thing. Peter knew the power wasn’t his own. It was the power of the faith that Peter and John had. Where did that power come from? Our Gospel reading gives us a hint. When Jesus appeared to his disciples he spoke of this power. “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” We now know that this power is the Holy Spirit descended upon them all on the day of Pentecost. They were given the power through their faith… through their faith and trust in the man named Jesus. That power in truly in the name. Jesus of Nazareth… the Christ. Think about it… the name Jesus… יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshua) in Hebrew… means “Yahweh is salvation”… “The Lord is salvation.” What more fitting name could there be for our Savior? During his ministry, Jesus’ very name put fear into demons… it was the power of his name that drove the demons out of people… that healed and made whole… that called the stormy seas… and that power continues because Jesus is alive…he is not dead… The same power that was bestowed upon Jesus at his baptism was pour out upon all who put their faith in his Holy name… since the Day of Pentecost… the followers of Jesus have embodied the power of Jesus’ name… and it has enabled them to continue to carry out the work of Christ in the world. You see… That awesome power was not meant for them alone… that power was meant to be used… it was meant to be shared. Disciples of Christ… Followers of the Way were called to share amazing power… to do something with it. Peter and John used the power the found in their faith in the name Jesus Christ of Nazareth to heal a man who had been lame his entire life… throughout the New Testament they used the power granted to them to help others… to serve and glorify God through the work they did. In fact… throughout the sub sequent generations, people have continued to utilize the amazing power in Jesus’ name… the power that comes from the Holy Spirit when they put their faith in Christ Jesus… amazing, miraculous, wonderful things. Healing… caring… teaching… preaching… utilizing all the many gifts that come from the Spirit of God to bring glory to God. Even today… through his disciples… Jesus’ name and power are made known throughout the world. The power that can heal the body AND the soul… the power that forgives sins and offers salvation… The power that continues the work Jesus began on the cross in breaking down the barriers of division. The power that is in HIS name! We are called to do the same. You see… we too have the power that comes from our faith in the name ‘Jesus’. When we put our faith in Christ… when we hear God‘s holy Word and accept the truth in our hearts… when we “come to Christ” as they say… we too are granted that power. In our baptism… in our faith…. The Holy Spirit comes upon us… dwells within us… provides the power we need to do God’s will in the world around us. My friends… WE are the ones who embody the power of Christ our Lord in the world today, and like the apostles… like the early church… like the disciples throughout the ages… we are called! We are called to do something… to work… to serve… to care for and lift up those who are in need… to praise and worship… all to the glory of Christ our Lord. The problem is… do we? Do we even attempt to use the power of the Holy Spirit granted to us? Do we allow our faith in the name of Jesus to tap into the power that is in that name? Matthew West is a contemporary Christian singer and musician. He tells of meeting Andrea, a former college student who “had chosen to spend a semester abroad…in Uganda. While there, she happened upon an orphanage in critical condition. The children were being badly neglected and even abused. Her heart broke for these orphans who had no advocate. That’s when this college student decided to do something. She called her parents and said, “I’m not coming home.” She refused to leave these children until something was done to improve the conditions.” Andrea and her sister worked together to get the Ugandan government to fix the situation. The government in turn closed the orphanage leaving about forty children homeless turning them over to Andrea. She had “a new vision and desire to create a safe place for these children to grow and learn. Today, Musana (which means “sunshine”) is a thriving orphanage in… Uganda, housing over one hundred children! … When asked what it was that made her fight for these children she simply said, “I just kept thinking, ‘if I don’t do something, who will?’” Andrea’s story inspired Mr. West… he said “Today, so many of us Christians talk so much about being the hands and feet of Christ, but never really displaying what that looks like... It’s not about talking. It’s about doing!!! It’s time for us to do something!” [Matthew West] As a result he wrote a song entitled Do Something. (See video below) If not us, then who If not me and you... If not now, then when Will we see an end To all this pain Oh, it's not enough to do nothing It's time for us to do something As Christians, we are called to boldly proclaim the glory and power of Jesus’ name… not only with our words but with our actions… we are called to “do something”… If we have faith in the name of Jesus… then we have the power… Because Jesus is present in his name… and there is Power in His name… It is up to us to use it. Amen. Easter Story from the Gospel of John
That morning was not a typical morning for Mary... But it turned out to be quite different from what she imagined when she woke up that day. In fact… I doubt she had imagined how much exercise she would be getting. It was so early in the morning that it was still dark outside as Mary made her way to the garden. She was grieving… heart-broken… I can only imagine that the weight of her sorrow made the journey a slow, arduous one. There was no excitement… no joy… no “skip” in her step… The grief was too deep. After all… she had been there… through it all. She was among the women who had followed Jesus throughout Galilee all the way to Jerusalem. She was there when he was nailed to a cross… She watched him suffer in anguish. She had stood with his own mother and had heard the words he spoke… she saw him breathe his last breath… She personally watched this man… the one who had saved her… the one she followed faithfully… the one she loved… die. Matthew tells us that she was among the women who stayed around after his death and watched as he was taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb. She was there when the tomb was sealed. Now… the Sabbath was over. Mary goes back to that place… to the garden where the tomb is located. BUT… when she arrives… things are not at all as she expected. The stone has been rolled away from the entrance and the tomb is empty. Jesus’ body is gone. She is so upset that John tells us… she RAN to find help. She ran to Peter and John “and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” They, in turn, take off running back to the tomb with Mary not too far behind. That is a lot of running so early in the morning. How often are we running? (and I am not referring to exercise) Think about it… we are living in an extremely fast paced society… we spend so much of our lives basically running… chasing our dreams… running from our fears… moving as fast as we can to get to the next level… the next success… the next chapter of our lives. We run toward things that bring happiness… we run from those things that scare us. Even our speech demonstrates just how fast we are moving… It is common to hear phrases like “I’m running to the store.” “I’m running some errands.” Even our thoughts are affected… “My imagination is running wild.” “My mind is racing.” I’m exhausted just thinking about it. We always seem to be running to … OR… running from something. We even spend a great deal of time running (like Jonah) from God… Yes… Even those of us who believe. We ignore God’s call to go… to do… and we run the other way. Not wanting to get involved… not wanting to go out of our way… not wanting to risk getting hurt or failing. Let’s face it… We spend a vast majority of our time… running… racing through life. That is why this past year hit many of us so hard. Living in a pandemic… living through extended lock-downs and quarantines… suddenly… we couldn’t keep running. We were forced to stop which means life changed for us in drastic ways. But maybe that is not such a bad thing. What happened when Mary stopped running? Stopped trying to ‘do’ things? After Peter and John left the tomb… Mary stayed behind. She was distraught… she did not know what to do. All she wanted was to know where Jesus was. It is then that she gets the greatest… most joyful surprise… She encounters Jesus… She sees him… Risen from the dead with her own eyes. She stopped running… she stayed there in the garden and her fears dissipated… her grief is turned to joy… she found what she was looking for and so much more. But receiving the news… obtaining that great joy was not the end for Mary… No! Jesus gives her an important job to do… “Do not hold on to me… Go instead to my brothers and tell them...” So she does as Jesus told her to do… she “went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them…” all he had said to her. Now… I bet you that if she was not running back to them with the news… she was moving pretty fast. She was filled with excitement and joy… nothing was gonna stop her from sharing this great Good News. So today… on this Easter Sunday… I want to encourage you to do two things. First… take some time to simply stop! Stop running… stop racing around… racing through the busy-ness of your day and simply be. Follow the words of Psalm 46 which instruct us to “Be still, and know that I am God…” [verse 10] Allow yourself to spend some time in the proverbial garden with the Lord. Give yourself the time needed to truly encounter Jesus. Let him remove your fears and your grief… your pain and your sorrow… and allow Christ to replace them with the joy of the resurrection. Then… think about why you are running so much of the time. What are you running to? What is the goal of your race? Is it success? Money? Or are you just chasing some unknown prize… trying to keep up with those around you? What are you running from? Is it your fears… your failures… your grief or shame? Are you running to the Risen Lord? This pandemic has thrown us all for a loop. We long for things to return to “normal”… but as Followers of Christ Jesus… “Normal” is not good enough. We weren’t created for normal. The Resurrection brings with it new life and transformation. We are not called to be ‘normal’… we are called to be better. To live as Christ lived… to love as Christ loved… to live our lives as Resurrection people… people who believe that we no longer have anything to fear. Because by the amazing grace and love of God… through Christ’s death and resurrection… death has been conquered and the doors have been thrown wide to eternal life in the Kingdom of God. We are called to run for God… not for the things of this world… We are to run with excitement and joy… not fear. All because “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” [John 3:16] Because of this glorious day we celebrate… we have nothing to fear… nothing to run from because the promises we heard from Isaiah have been fulfilled in Christ… the Risen Lord. And just like Mary… we have been given a wonderful task by our Lord… “Go and Tell…” For every disciple of Jesus… then AND now… is commanded to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” [Matthew 28:19-20] Amen Easter Account from the Gospel of Mark
That first Easter Sunday was filled with emotion. The Disciples were in hiding… filled with grief, shame and fear. The women… the women, Mark tells us, went through a myriad of emotions. For them… the morning began with grief and sadness… but also determination… The Sabbath was over and they were determined to go and properly care for Jesus’ body… to anoint it with the normal spices to demonstrate their respect and love. But they were also unsure… they knew the stone had been rolled in front of the tomb and they did not know who they could get to roll it away for them. They knew they could not do it themselves… so they were worried about the logistics of what they had planned. Then they reached to tomb and confusion strikes… the stone is already rolled away. Who would do that? … Why? Then “As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.” Think about how shocking that must have been. They enter the tomb and instead of Jesus’ body… they find a young stranger sitting there… like he was waiting for them to show up. Who is this guy? What did he do with Jesus’s body? Talk about disconcerting! Then this young man… whom we presume is an angel… a messenger of God proclaims what should have been good news: “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” This message was shocking… and they had to have been dazed and confused. Then Mark tells us that they ran off in fear. Now most Bibles now offer verses 9-20 which is a very quick rundown of how Jesus appears to his followers… however… The earliest manuscripts end here… without the appearance of Jesus. The rest were added later on. Not the Easter ending we are used to. Is it? With the women receiving the news and fleeing in terror. I mean… All the other Gospels tell how they actually encountered Jesus and how the eye witness accounts spread. They tell of the joy that came from those encounters. But not Mark. Mark is different… in Mark’s account, we are left standing at an empty tomb with a proclamation that Christ has risen… we are left with the task of going and telling others the news… without proof… without an eye-witness to the event. All the women are told is that Jesus has risen from the dead and will meet them all in Galilee… in the old familiar places. In other words… Jesus will meet them where they live. No offer of proof… no sign of the Risen Lord… just the stranger’s proclamation. “He has risen! He is not here.” Most people prefer John’s account, because Mark kinda leaves us hanging. We miss the joy Mary feels when she encounters Christ in the garden… her excitement in sharing this great good news. But this morning… Mark’s account seems oddly appropriate… because… let’s face it. That is our reality today. We are left standing on the proclamation of Jesus’ Resurrection. We have heard the news that Jesus rose from the grave… that he defeated death. But let’s face it… death we know… death we have experienced… but resurrection… eternal life… that’s something else… it is hard to grasp. Those women at the tomb… and even Peter and the other Disciples… they knew Jesus personally. They loved him and had heard his words and teachings… they heard him specifically tell them that he would die, but that he would rise again… yet THEY could not grasp the truth of that. How are we supposed to? The answer comes in what we are NOT told. Marks says that the women were so shocked by the news they fled in terror… in fact “They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.” That’s it… Mark’s tale is done… EXCEPT that we know that the angel’s words came true. Somehow… somewhere… they encountered the Risen Lord. Their shock and fear subsided and was replaced with resounding joy! How do we know? Easy… we are here! We have come here today… Almost two-thousand years later… believing and feeling the joy of a proclamation we have heard. How many of us have seen Jesus… in the flesh… risen from the dead? Have we seen his hands? Or touched his wounded side? So… why do we believe? How can we believe such a strange story? Because… like those women… like Peter, James, John and the other followers of Christ… we have all heard the proclamation… and we have all encountered the Risen Christ at some point… in some place in our lives. We may not have seen his face, but we have felt his presence… we have experienced his love… or we would not be here. Now… our mission is the same as theirs. As we stand here… hearing again of the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior… as fear dissipates and turns to joy… we too are called to go and proclaim the wonderful Good News… Christ is Risen… Alleluia! Amen! |
Yeon Shin
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