Genesis 45: 1-15
Romans 11: 1-2a, 29-32
I was reading one of the Grimm’s Brothers fairytales the other night and there was this lady who had been taken up into heaven to be raised by the Virgin Mary. When she’s about 14 years old she does something she’s not supposed to and then she lies about it. She lies three times straight to the Virgin Mary’s face and is then cast down to earth. While on earth she eventually meets a man who happens to be a king and they get married and have a son.
On the night of his birth the Virgin Mary appears to the woman and asks her again to tell the truth or she would lose her son. The woman lies to her again and Mary takes her son away. The next year she gives birth again, and again Mary comes to her in the night and again the woman lies so Mary takes her second son up into heaven. The third year she gives birth to a baby girl and Mary comes to her. Once again, the woman looks Mary full in the face and lies to her so Mary takes her daughter too.
Now the Kingdom is up in arms thinking this woman is a baby killer and so they take her out to kill her. As she is about to die she looks up to heaven and cries out, “Yes Mary, I did it!” Immediately, the Virgin Mary saves her, giving back her three children and tells her, “She who repents her sin and acknowledges it, is forgiven.”
Why do our children and why do we lie to others about the truth of our actions? We fear the consequences of telling the truth way more than we fear the consequences of telling a lie. Perhaps the reason for that is because we do not think of the afterlife enough. We do not think or dwell too much on the idea that one day Jesus will judge us and depending on what he decides we will be given eternal life or we will be cast out of heaven.
The young lady who lied to the Virgin Mary six times was more afraid of what would happen if she admitted the truth than if Mary took her children away. I think that is why the ending of this story is even more amazing. The young lady never would have been cast out of heaven if she would have admitted her guilt right away. As soon as she owned her sin, she was forgiven instantly.
There are many times when we would rather lie and cheat than face the consequences of our actions. Here on earth, we sometimes even get away with it. However, there will come a day when we will not be able to hide our sinfulness from the world or from God. We fear punishment and that is why we hide our faults and sins, but Jesus does not need to be our punisher. As often as pastors preach it, we quickly forget the most important part of the Gospel.
Why did Joseph forgive his brothers when they repented their actions against him? Why did Jesus forgive the sinners and the tax collectors? Why did Jesus die for us on the cross? Paul tells us in Romans that “God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.” In other words, God knows we are not perfect. God knows we will fall well short of the ten commandments. God knows we have flaws and guilt and anger inside of us. God knows our every thought and our every sin. And yet, God still sent Jesus, his only son, to die for us so that we might have eternal salvation.
Martin Luther once said to “Sin boldly”. Sin boldly and know that the Lord has compassion on the sinner. Compassion and forgiveness are what set God apart from human beings. We fear punishment because we know that other humans are never as forgiving as God. When we are wronged, we want justice. When we are hurt we want vengeance. When our friends are hurt we want the perpetrators caught and punished. Therefore, we know when we do something wrong that other people will feel the same way. Not many of us turn the other cheek. Not many of us can accept a simple apology. Not in the same way that God accepts us and loves us despite our guilt.
Perhaps that is the model we need. Jesus loves us despite what we have done. God forgives us even knowing tomorrow we will do the same thing again. We need to love people not for how great they are but for all their flaws as well. We need to forgive even knowing tomorrow they will do the same thing again because we are no different. It is when we try to elevate ourselves and pretend we are not full of sinfulness that our pride makes us unbending. We try to tell ourselves and the world that we are better than the person who wronged us. We refuse to see their side of things and we hold contempt in our hearts for people who have hurt us.
But does God think that way? Can God forgive a murderer? Will God let a thief go to heaven? Will God let a liar enter the pearly gates and break bread? I sure hope so, because we are all guilty of doing something wrong in God’s eyes. Perhaps that is the key to forgiveness. We understand that none of us are worthy of being forgiven, but God does so anyway. If we are forgiven for the many things we have done against others, then why can’t we forgive those who have hurt us? It’s not easy, but we should make an effort.
When we try to forgive, the Holy Spirit sees our hearts trying to soften and perhaps the Spirit will help us to bend where our pride has made us unbending, to help us to forgive what we thought was unforgivable. After all, isn’t that what we pray to God for every day? Forgiveness for all the things we have done, that after awhile seem unforgivable because we know how much God loves us and it does not seem to stop us from being sinful. It does not seem to stop us from not listening to God. But the moment we own our sin, the moment we confess it to God, we realize it has been wiped away and will never be brought up again.
As forgiven Christians, we should try to follow God’s lead. Take a moment today to think of those who have hurt you, those whom you harbor anger or contempt against. Think about them and think about God. Allow God’s love for your sinful, sorry self to help you love another person the same way, to forgive them for what they have done to you and those you care about. True forgiveness is the kind that never brings up the past again.
Amen.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Sinful Hearts
Zechariah 9: 9-12
Romans 7: 15-2
The NT passage we read today reads like a teenager’s mind. There’s indecision, confusion and personal angst. The truth is that when it comes to sin, all of us experience what feels like a hormonal imbalance which is depicted so accurately in this passage. We struggle, we fight ourselves and we fight the people around us. There is a war being raged inside each of us and according to this passage, although we want God to win, if we are completely honest it is sin that holds the upper hand.
So what do we do about this? The writer of Romans is Paul. He writes quite a bit of the NT and here he is freely admitting that sin holds the upper hand in his body and mind even though he struggles to free himself. Paul was a Jewish man who once persecuted Christians before being converted. Some people think he was a Jewish rabbi because from his letters we can tell he was extremely learned. If anyone knew about God and Jesus Christ it is definitely Paul who was the only one to have seen the Risen and Ascended Jesus, but Paul admits that the law of sin holds him captive even as he tries to follow God’s law.
We too, work hard to follow the laws of God. We teach our children not to steal or curse in God’s name, to believe in only one God, to honor their father and mother and to not be jealous of what others have. Some of us even try to follow the laws of Leviticus and Deuteronomy by eating kosher foods, eating fish on Fridays but not shellfish, and not mixing synthetic fibers. But eventually, we all slip up in following the letter of the law.
It’s hard work, trying to be good all the time. We’re constantly thinking of what Jesus would do in this situation or thinking about God shaking his head when we say things like curse words or petty and sarcastic comments about people. Sometimes all that hard work and then failing to actually be a good person 24/7 can burn us out. We become disheartened, and disillusioned. We make excuses for why we say Gosh darnit or we stop noticing we said it at all. We explain away our petty comments about people by saying that person really IS a jerk that no one likes and you’re just telling it as it is. Sometimes we can even explain away worse things like stealing and adultery.
For example, in today’s economy everyone is concerned about the deficit and the government’s excessive spending. We see Fox News and CNN telling us that Molly Housewife knows that if you make a hundred bucks a month then spending two hundred and fifty is not going to work. Then the next thing we see is the wars America is involved in and how much they cost to fund. Not only are we tired of our children, husbands and wives sacrificing their lives for a war we don’t understand anymore, but we’re tired of not having money to give our children and grandchildren better education, after school programs and health care not to mention better roads and open parks.
So, when something like the situation in Libya happens, no one wants to make it our fight. We have two wars already and a deficit that’s climbing. We have social injustice here in the U.S. let Libya fight its own war. This weekend we celebrate the Independence day. We celebrate a group of people, our ancestors, who were willing to break away from a government and a leader that was treating them unfairly. That was suppressing what they considered their God-given rights. Freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There was lot of countries that were against the colonies fighting England because England was the head honcho. They were the superpower and they promised retribution to many if America continued.
Christians are called to fight injustice. Not when it is easy or convenient or inexpensive. We understand the arguments people make against the US helping Libya, we understand the frustration Americans feel with our government and our own social injustices, but we also know that rarely does the chance to make a difference happen on our own time table. Maybe all we are supposed to do to help Libya is pray for those people that have been abused and oppressed. Maybe our job is a lot more than that. It’s a fight we have to figure out - an internal one inside our hearts to do what we know is right and what we feel is easier.
That is what Romans and St. Paul are speaking of. That internal struggle we all face to do what we know is right and fighting the desires we have of doing what is easier. It’s easier to walk away from injustice. It’s easier to ignore our sins. But what Paul tells us is that when we ignore our sinfulness, when we stop fighting that inner battle, sin has won and we are lost. So then we get back to the exhaustion of a constant fight. The exhaustion of two wars a decade long and another on the horizon. We want to duck and cover. We want to hide and pretend we do not see any of it so that we can concentrate on ourselves.
Paul tells us that is not going to work. At least, not for long. We’re concentrating on the law, we’re concentrating on the black and the white. The truth is not found in the law, the life of a person, of a society is not black and white. Instead, Paul tells us, “Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” There is where the truth lies, not in the law but with God.
When we look at the world through the lens of the law, we can justify many things as well as condemn ourselves for our sins. But when we look through the lens of Jesus Christ, the world is a different place. There is a kaleidoscope of colors and each situation has a different shape and feel to it. Each person means something different to Jesus.
In Italy, there is a company that looks at the world in black and white. Italy has been a patriarchal society for a long time and it has created an imbalance of power between men and women. This is an industrialized, 21st century country that treats its women like second class citizens. So the company in Italy that sees women as second class workers and providers, decided when they were having financial difficulties to lay off all of the women workers and none of the men. They said, "We are firing the women so they can stay at home and look after the children. In any case, what they bring in is a second income."
This is the danger of only seeing in black and white. These women are not secondary. They are not a lower class to the men. But because it has always been that way and because it suits this company’s purpose to see them that way, they keep the injustice alive and well because it is easier. We too, do this in our own lives because we try to look at the world through the eyes of the law. We look at our lives in terms of sinful and good.
Jesus takes all of that away. In Jesus there is no sin, there is only good. With eyes turned toward God our hearts will soon follow. With hearts that follow Jesus, our actions will be Godly actions. Are you seeing how this works? The internal struggles will cease. The wars we fight inside of ourselves, the wars we fight as a country and as a society will cease. With Jesus as our leader we forget about petty things like what a person wears, what side of the tracks they grew up on, and even gender.
With Jesus in our hearts, we will not struggle against injustice because injustice will be no more. I know it sound idealistic, but if just once we make this change, if just one of us stands up and says no more – it really will make a difference. We saw it when a group of people in Boston decided to throw English tea into the water and said no more taxation without representation. We saw it when a group of people said no more slavery and then no more segregation. We saw it when a group of people in Egypt said no more to an unjust dictator and now more people and more countries are realizing they can change the world by standing up for what is right. With Jesus Christ, all things are possible.
Amen.
Romans 7: 15-2
The NT passage we read today reads like a teenager’s mind. There’s indecision, confusion and personal angst. The truth is that when it comes to sin, all of us experience what feels like a hormonal imbalance which is depicted so accurately in this passage. We struggle, we fight ourselves and we fight the people around us. There is a war being raged inside each of us and according to this passage, although we want God to win, if we are completely honest it is sin that holds the upper hand.
So what do we do about this? The writer of Romans is Paul. He writes quite a bit of the NT and here he is freely admitting that sin holds the upper hand in his body and mind even though he struggles to free himself. Paul was a Jewish man who once persecuted Christians before being converted. Some people think he was a Jewish rabbi because from his letters we can tell he was extremely learned. If anyone knew about God and Jesus Christ it is definitely Paul who was the only one to have seen the Risen and Ascended Jesus, but Paul admits that the law of sin holds him captive even as he tries to follow God’s law.
We too, work hard to follow the laws of God. We teach our children not to steal or curse in God’s name, to believe in only one God, to honor their father and mother and to not be jealous of what others have. Some of us even try to follow the laws of Leviticus and Deuteronomy by eating kosher foods, eating fish on Fridays but not shellfish, and not mixing synthetic fibers. But eventually, we all slip up in following the letter of the law.
It’s hard work, trying to be good all the time. We’re constantly thinking of what Jesus would do in this situation or thinking about God shaking his head when we say things like curse words or petty and sarcastic comments about people. Sometimes all that hard work and then failing to actually be a good person 24/7 can burn us out. We become disheartened, and disillusioned. We make excuses for why we say Gosh darnit or we stop noticing we said it at all. We explain away our petty comments about people by saying that person really IS a jerk that no one likes and you’re just telling it as it is. Sometimes we can even explain away worse things like stealing and adultery.
For example, in today’s economy everyone is concerned about the deficit and the government’s excessive spending. We see Fox News and CNN telling us that Molly Housewife knows that if you make a hundred bucks a month then spending two hundred and fifty is not going to work. Then the next thing we see is the wars America is involved in and how much they cost to fund. Not only are we tired of our children, husbands and wives sacrificing their lives for a war we don’t understand anymore, but we’re tired of not having money to give our children and grandchildren better education, after school programs and health care not to mention better roads and open parks.
So, when something like the situation in Libya happens, no one wants to make it our fight. We have two wars already and a deficit that’s climbing. We have social injustice here in the U.S. let Libya fight its own war. This weekend we celebrate the Independence day. We celebrate a group of people, our ancestors, who were willing to break away from a government and a leader that was treating them unfairly. That was suppressing what they considered their God-given rights. Freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There was lot of countries that were against the colonies fighting England because England was the head honcho. They were the superpower and they promised retribution to many if America continued.
Christians are called to fight injustice. Not when it is easy or convenient or inexpensive. We understand the arguments people make against the US helping Libya, we understand the frustration Americans feel with our government and our own social injustices, but we also know that rarely does the chance to make a difference happen on our own time table. Maybe all we are supposed to do to help Libya is pray for those people that have been abused and oppressed. Maybe our job is a lot more than that. It’s a fight we have to figure out - an internal one inside our hearts to do what we know is right and what we feel is easier.
That is what Romans and St. Paul are speaking of. That internal struggle we all face to do what we know is right and fighting the desires we have of doing what is easier. It’s easier to walk away from injustice. It’s easier to ignore our sins. But what Paul tells us is that when we ignore our sinfulness, when we stop fighting that inner battle, sin has won and we are lost. So then we get back to the exhaustion of a constant fight. The exhaustion of two wars a decade long and another on the horizon. We want to duck and cover. We want to hide and pretend we do not see any of it so that we can concentrate on ourselves.
Paul tells us that is not going to work. At least, not for long. We’re concentrating on the law, we’re concentrating on the black and the white. The truth is not found in the law, the life of a person, of a society is not black and white. Instead, Paul tells us, “Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” There is where the truth lies, not in the law but with God.
When we look at the world through the lens of the law, we can justify many things as well as condemn ourselves for our sins. But when we look through the lens of Jesus Christ, the world is a different place. There is a kaleidoscope of colors and each situation has a different shape and feel to it. Each person means something different to Jesus.
In Italy, there is a company that looks at the world in black and white. Italy has been a patriarchal society for a long time and it has created an imbalance of power between men and women. This is an industrialized, 21st century country that treats its women like second class citizens. So the company in Italy that sees women as second class workers and providers, decided when they were having financial difficulties to lay off all of the women workers and none of the men. They said, "We are firing the women so they can stay at home and look after the children. In any case, what they bring in is a second income."
This is the danger of only seeing in black and white. These women are not secondary. They are not a lower class to the men. But because it has always been that way and because it suits this company’s purpose to see them that way, they keep the injustice alive and well because it is easier. We too, do this in our own lives because we try to look at the world through the eyes of the law. We look at our lives in terms of sinful and good.
Jesus takes all of that away. In Jesus there is no sin, there is only good. With eyes turned toward God our hearts will soon follow. With hearts that follow Jesus, our actions will be Godly actions. Are you seeing how this works? The internal struggles will cease. The wars we fight inside of ourselves, the wars we fight as a country and as a society will cease. With Jesus as our leader we forget about petty things like what a person wears, what side of the tracks they grew up on, and even gender.
With Jesus in our hearts, we will not struggle against injustice because injustice will be no more. I know it sound idealistic, but if just once we make this change, if just one of us stands up and says no more – it really will make a difference. We saw it when a group of people in Boston decided to throw English tea into the water and said no more taxation without representation. We saw it when a group of people said no more slavery and then no more segregation. We saw it when a group of people in Egypt said no more to an unjust dictator and now more people and more countries are realizing they can change the world by standing up for what is right. With Jesus Christ, all things are possible.
Amen.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Enter the Gate
Acts 2: 42-47
John 10:1-10
Picture in your mind a very tall fence with a gate, one that is meant to keep people out of whatever it is protecting. Shape it in your mind, is it built in such a way that everyone can see what is inside or does it protect the place from prying eyes as well? Is it made of wood or concrete or steel? Are there spikes on the top of it or barbed wire or perhaps an electrical current to really shock people away? Now picture the Gate’s door. Does it open up by swinging outward or does it swing inward? Do people only come in or only go out?
Many Christians believe in a heaven that is exclusive. It is exclusive because we believe only a certain kind of person gets into those heavenly gates. We tend to think of those people as good, honest, kind and generous. Those are the kind of people in heaven, the people that no one would ever say a bad word against. We reassure ourselves that Aunt Mabel and Grandpa Jack have to be in heaven because they were the greatest people on earth. The longer they have been gone, the greater they seem to us in retrospect.
Yes, heaven is an exclusive place where only the best of the best get in. The ones who tithe their 10% or even more, they are on all the church committees and help at the local SPCA. They are the ones that go to every ballgame and ballet their kids ever had and knew how to do the puzzling Algebra problems when their children asked for help with their homework.
There’s just one thing I have to say about this idea so many of us have about Heaven. I don’t think there is anyone in heaven if that is what is required for us to get there. You see, the problem with all of us thinking about heaven as the place where the good people go, is that none of us are good people. Oh, I know, we like to tell ourselves we’re good people. We tell ourselves that all this hard work we have been doing will earn us brownie points with God. All that time I’ve spent helping the homeless and giving money to poor people has to endear me to God eventually, right? No, not right.
None of us are good enough for heaven. By thinking only good people go to heaven, we put all of our trust in ourselves rather than in God for our eternal life. We put all of our eggs into the basket marked with our name rather than Jesus’ name. The truth is that none of us are going to get to heaven if Jesus is not accompanying us to those heavenly gates. It doesn’t matter how big the gate is or what it is made of or how it opens up because if Jesus is not by our side, there will be no admittance. You will be turned away and told that no one knows you there if Jesus isn’t accompanying you. So it doesn’t matter if you’re a good person because the only thing that matters is whose company you’ve been keeping.
This is great news. Oh, I know some of you are thinking, “Pastor Audra, this is terrible news. I’m worried about Aunt Mabel and Grandpa Jack and now about myself too!” The reason this is great news is because you are no longer in charge of whether you get to heaven or not. The weight and worry has been lifted! The only way you get to heaven is if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus tells us in John 10 that the only way to enter that gate is through Him because he is that gate. All those who enter through Jesus will be saved. They will come in and go out and find a home waiting for them.
So who are Jesus’ sheep? Who are the lucky ones who get to enter the gate and be accepted into heaven? Are Jesus’ followers just the good people? I sure hope not because the good people I talked about earlier are very, very rare. Has no one ever spoken bad about you or been mad at you? Have you never said an angry word to anyone or lied to someone you cared about? Do you always tithe your 10% and tirelessly help the homeless? Well, even if these questions can be answered in a positive way, we need to remember it is not by our deeds that we get to heaven, it is Jesus’ actions that save us. It is Jesus’ faithfulness and belief in God that save his followers, and their faith is a byproduct of Jesus’ faith.
All of these things I’ve mentioned are noble and wonderful deeds that we do, but they do not pay your way to heaven. Only Jesus can do that. And he has paid the way for his followers; those who are willing to love him and be loved by him will find the gates opened to them.
We are back to who are Jesus’ sheep? Who are the ones that get to walk through that narrow gate? Let’s take a look at Mark 2 where the Pharisees are incensed that Jesus was eating with certain people. “While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
The people that have been called to follow Jesus are not just the righteous, but the sinners. He has come for those who have a less than sterling character according to society. Jesus’ three years of ministry were filled with moments where he ate, slept and laughed with the outcasts of society. These were the people no one wanted to associate with; they were the ones that the good people wouldn’t be caught dead laughing, eating, and sleeping with. But Jesus called these social pariahs his friends. These were the people who Jesus wanted to save.
Take heart, brothers and sisters. Jesus came not for those who were pure and good, but for those who were weak and downtrodden. Jesus came not for the mythical good people, but for the reality of who we really are as human beings. God did not send Jesus to save the perfect humanitarian, but for those people who always fall short of perfection without Jesus by their side. Jesus came for you, and he came for me.
Do not try to be perfect because it isn’t possible. Do not try to always have the answers because only God has all of them. Do not worry about your life or the life of your family. Make sure they know who Jesus is, make sure you know who Jesus is so that when you hear his voice, like the sheep in the parable, you will follow only him. Because Jesus will come one day and escort you through those heavenly gates, as long as you are a sinner who has known God’s perfect love – in other words, as long as you know Jesus Christ. Amen.
John 10:1-10
Picture in your mind a very tall fence with a gate, one that is meant to keep people out of whatever it is protecting. Shape it in your mind, is it built in such a way that everyone can see what is inside or does it protect the place from prying eyes as well? Is it made of wood or concrete or steel? Are there spikes on the top of it or barbed wire or perhaps an electrical current to really shock people away? Now picture the Gate’s door. Does it open up by swinging outward or does it swing inward? Do people only come in or only go out?
Many Christians believe in a heaven that is exclusive. It is exclusive because we believe only a certain kind of person gets into those heavenly gates. We tend to think of those people as good, honest, kind and generous. Those are the kind of people in heaven, the people that no one would ever say a bad word against. We reassure ourselves that Aunt Mabel and Grandpa Jack have to be in heaven because they were the greatest people on earth. The longer they have been gone, the greater they seem to us in retrospect.
Yes, heaven is an exclusive place where only the best of the best get in. The ones who tithe their 10% or even more, they are on all the church committees and help at the local SPCA. They are the ones that go to every ballgame and ballet their kids ever had and knew how to do the puzzling Algebra problems when their children asked for help with their homework.
There’s just one thing I have to say about this idea so many of us have about Heaven. I don’t think there is anyone in heaven if that is what is required for us to get there. You see, the problem with all of us thinking about heaven as the place where the good people go, is that none of us are good people. Oh, I know, we like to tell ourselves we’re good people. We tell ourselves that all this hard work we have been doing will earn us brownie points with God. All that time I’ve spent helping the homeless and giving money to poor people has to endear me to God eventually, right? No, not right.
None of us are good enough for heaven. By thinking only good people go to heaven, we put all of our trust in ourselves rather than in God for our eternal life. We put all of our eggs into the basket marked with our name rather than Jesus’ name. The truth is that none of us are going to get to heaven if Jesus is not accompanying us to those heavenly gates. It doesn’t matter how big the gate is or what it is made of or how it opens up because if Jesus is not by our side, there will be no admittance. You will be turned away and told that no one knows you there if Jesus isn’t accompanying you. So it doesn’t matter if you’re a good person because the only thing that matters is whose company you’ve been keeping.
This is great news. Oh, I know some of you are thinking, “Pastor Audra, this is terrible news. I’m worried about Aunt Mabel and Grandpa Jack and now about myself too!” The reason this is great news is because you are no longer in charge of whether you get to heaven or not. The weight and worry has been lifted! The only way you get to heaven is if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus tells us in John 10 that the only way to enter that gate is through Him because he is that gate. All those who enter through Jesus will be saved. They will come in and go out and find a home waiting for them.
So who are Jesus’ sheep? Who are the lucky ones who get to enter the gate and be accepted into heaven? Are Jesus’ followers just the good people? I sure hope not because the good people I talked about earlier are very, very rare. Has no one ever spoken bad about you or been mad at you? Have you never said an angry word to anyone or lied to someone you cared about? Do you always tithe your 10% and tirelessly help the homeless? Well, even if these questions can be answered in a positive way, we need to remember it is not by our deeds that we get to heaven, it is Jesus’ actions that save us. It is Jesus’ faithfulness and belief in God that save his followers, and their faith is a byproduct of Jesus’ faith.
All of these things I’ve mentioned are noble and wonderful deeds that we do, but they do not pay your way to heaven. Only Jesus can do that. And he has paid the way for his followers; those who are willing to love him and be loved by him will find the gates opened to them.
We are back to who are Jesus’ sheep? Who are the ones that get to walk through that narrow gate? Let’s take a look at Mark 2 where the Pharisees are incensed that Jesus was eating with certain people. “While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
The people that have been called to follow Jesus are not just the righteous, but the sinners. He has come for those who have a less than sterling character according to society. Jesus’ three years of ministry were filled with moments where he ate, slept and laughed with the outcasts of society. These were the people no one wanted to associate with; they were the ones that the good people wouldn’t be caught dead laughing, eating, and sleeping with. But Jesus called these social pariahs his friends. These were the people who Jesus wanted to save.
Take heart, brothers and sisters. Jesus came not for those who were pure and good, but for those who were weak and downtrodden. Jesus came not for the mythical good people, but for the reality of who we really are as human beings. God did not send Jesus to save the perfect humanitarian, but for those people who always fall short of perfection without Jesus by their side. Jesus came for you, and he came for me.
Do not try to be perfect because it isn’t possible. Do not try to always have the answers because only God has all of them. Do not worry about your life or the life of your family. Make sure they know who Jesus is, make sure you know who Jesus is so that when you hear his voice, like the sheep in the parable, you will follow only him. Because Jesus will come one day and escort you through those heavenly gates, as long as you are a sinner who has known God’s perfect love – in other words, as long as you know Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Revelation on the Road
1Peter1: 17-23
Luke 24: 13-35
As the two men were traveling with Jesus on the road to Emmaus they did not recognize him as Jesus. The two men were not his disciples so perhaps it is not so strange that they didn’t realize who he was. However, as he began to speak with them and told them of all the things the Bible said about the Messiah, both in the Old and New Testament, you would think two followers of Jesus Christ would recognize not only his voice, but his teaching style. But they didn’t. Why do you think that is? Why does the scripture tell us that they were kept from recognizing him? Are we sometimes kept from the answers we seek and is there a good reason for it?
First of all, the two men were not expecting Jesus to be walking and talking with them on the road to Emmaus because in their minds, Jesus was dead. After all, that was what they were discussing on that road as they walked along, the death of the one who they thought could redeem Israel. They never expected someone who is dead to be walking around and having a discussion with them. It is safe to say that their presumptions kept them near sighted; they could not see him for who he really was because they knew that Jesus was dead. Have you ever noticed how shortsighted we can be when we are absolutely sure of our beliefs?
There was a man who had fallen overboard in Lake Erie. He was beginning to drown and he yelled out “Help me, Lord,''.
Just then, a fishing trawler comes by. ''Climb on board'' yells the skipper.
''No, no, no,'' says the drowning man. ''The Lord will save me.''
''OK, we will be on our way, then,'' replies the captain.
Two minutes later a rescue helicopter landed along-side the poor guy, and the pilot threw a rope into the fierce waves. ''I do not need any help,'' cries the breathless man, ''The Lord will come and rescue me.''
Moments later the guy drowns, and finds himself in heaven. On meeting God, the man weeps: ''Lord, I was waiting for you to rescue me from my watery tomb. Why did you not save me?''
God replies: ''You blind fool! I sent you both a boat and a helicopter!''
The second reason that the men did not recognize him was because God is made known to us through sacred acts. The two men needed to experience the sacred act of sharing the Communion Meal to understand the full truth of what Jesus has done for them and for us. In the giving thanks to God and then the breaking of the bread and eating the food, the Spirit of God fills them. Every broken part of them and Jesus is healed in those moments – at that time they are in God’s presence. The same thing happens to us. When we share the Eucharist, we pray for the Holy Spirit to be present in the bread and wine so that are hearts and eyes are opened. With eyes, ears, and hearts opened we are able to experience God in new ways and for that brief moment we shine with the light of God’s grace.
Those two men were now able to experience God in new ways. They were the first to discern that Jesus is our Risen Lord through the sharing of Communion. This is why it is so important for us to celebrate Communion together. It is the celebration of togetherness in the presence of God, the celebration of Jesus’ sacrifice and the acceptance of the Spirit that helps fortify us.
After Jesus breaks the bread, the two men’s eyes are opened and they finally recognize Jesus. They look at each other and say, “Weren’t our hearts burning as he spoke to us on the road?” It was so easy for them to look back and say, “Of course that was Jesus!” but at the time they never even considered it was him.
Could Jesus be appearing to us in different ways and different forms, but because we have certain ideas about him, we do not recognize him? Is God trying to break through our mundane and ordinary lives, but because we put up blinders we do not hear God speaking? We should ask ourselves these questions often because if you think God is not still working in this world, you’re wrong. God is still speaking to us, God is still helping us and God is still listening to us.
Perhaps you are asking how to recognize when God is speaking or trying to help you. This passage can assist you to see when this is happening. Think of God as the tingling sensation you get when your hand or foot has fallen asleep and the blood rushes back into it. It’s uncomfortable, but a good uncomfortable because the blood is moving and the foot that felt like a dead weight is starting to have some life again. God does the same thing with us; he takes the dead weight of our lives and brings renewal to them.
And have you noticed that uncomfortable feeling in our foot often makes us stand up and move around – we can’t stay still. Well, God also does that as he cuts off those dead weights in our lives, those things that deaden us inside. God does not let us sit still or grow stagnant in our faith. Jesus wants us to grow and change and sometimes it is uncomfortable and we resist it.
Another way we know if God is working within us is that burning sensation the two men speak of after Jesus leaves them. God makes us burn; it is a gift to us, the gift of the Holy Spirit. We begin to get restless and want to know more about the bible and Jesus and we ask questions about God because the Spirit has moved us. We get thirsty for words, but not just any words – we want the ones that tell us more about the character of God and what God feels about us. This burning or tingling sensation can happen at any moment and any time of our life. We could be in a business meeting and something that is said sparks it. We could be driving down the highway and something we see or some song we are listening to sparks that sensation. The key is recognizing when it happens, tuning your spiritual ears and eyes toward the Holy Spirit.
The only way to know if it is God speaking is to test the fruitfulness of the thought. God tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is abundant and they are: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness and faithfulness. If the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, these fruits will be the result of your faithful discernment.
The most important thing we need to remember is what happens at the beginning of this story. Does Jesus come up to them and yell, “SURPRISE! IT’S ME!” ? No, he doesn’t. On top of that, he begins to ask them questions and allows them to tell him the answers. These are not things he doesn’t know, but still he allows the two men to tell him what is going on. Never at any point in this passage does Jesus say it’s him they are speaking of. He allows them to come to the realization on their own.
As soon as they understand the truth, he disappears. This is the most important part of the story because it tells us how Jesus operates. Jesus is not going to give you the easy answer you’ve been praying for. Jesus is not going to hand you a new job on a platter, you’re not going to wake up one morning and discover the Twinkie diet helped you lose 20 lbs, you’re not going to find out tomorrow that everyone who is sick that you’ve been praying for have all been miraculously healed. This is not the way God works.
When we want something from God, God makes sure we do some work for it. You’re not going to get a job if you’re not out pounding the streets looking for one. You’re not going to lose weight if you’re not willing to change your diet and exercise more. I don’t care that the grapefruit diet helped Cindy Crawford lose 10lbs, I’m telling you right now the woman also works out to look that good. You’re not going to be healed of your illness if you’re not going to the doctor to be treated for the problem. God uses other people and the resources available to us to help answer our prayers. Even then, sometimes our prayers are not answered. That is God’s will.
There are some things that God does not show us until we find the answer on our own. Sometimes, it is in the breaking of the bread that we finally see Jesus and understand our role in the world. The answers we seek can be found. Those two men walking down the road wanted answers. Jesus made them reevaluate everything they thought they had known and then even when he explained to them why the Messiah had to suffer and die, it wasn’t until Jesus gave thanks and broke the bread that they could see how sometimes we should even be thankful for the brokenness of our lives and thankful for the unanswered prayers. Jesus was broken and he overcame. We are broken, and with Jesus, we too will overcome.
Amen.
Luke 24: 13-35
As the two men were traveling with Jesus on the road to Emmaus they did not recognize him as Jesus. The two men were not his disciples so perhaps it is not so strange that they didn’t realize who he was. However, as he began to speak with them and told them of all the things the Bible said about the Messiah, both in the Old and New Testament, you would think two followers of Jesus Christ would recognize not only his voice, but his teaching style. But they didn’t. Why do you think that is? Why does the scripture tell us that they were kept from recognizing him? Are we sometimes kept from the answers we seek and is there a good reason for it?
First of all, the two men were not expecting Jesus to be walking and talking with them on the road to Emmaus because in their minds, Jesus was dead. After all, that was what they were discussing on that road as they walked along, the death of the one who they thought could redeem Israel. They never expected someone who is dead to be walking around and having a discussion with them. It is safe to say that their presumptions kept them near sighted; they could not see him for who he really was because they knew that Jesus was dead. Have you ever noticed how shortsighted we can be when we are absolutely sure of our beliefs?
There was a man who had fallen overboard in Lake Erie. He was beginning to drown and he yelled out “Help me, Lord,''.
Just then, a fishing trawler comes by. ''Climb on board'' yells the skipper.
''No, no, no,'' says the drowning man. ''The Lord will save me.''
''OK, we will be on our way, then,'' replies the captain.
Two minutes later a rescue helicopter landed along-side the poor guy, and the pilot threw a rope into the fierce waves. ''I do not need any help,'' cries the breathless man, ''The Lord will come and rescue me.''
Moments later the guy drowns, and finds himself in heaven. On meeting God, the man weeps: ''Lord, I was waiting for you to rescue me from my watery tomb. Why did you not save me?''
God replies: ''You blind fool! I sent you both a boat and a helicopter!''
The second reason that the men did not recognize him was because God is made known to us through sacred acts. The two men needed to experience the sacred act of sharing the Communion Meal to understand the full truth of what Jesus has done for them and for us. In the giving thanks to God and then the breaking of the bread and eating the food, the Spirit of God fills them. Every broken part of them and Jesus is healed in those moments – at that time they are in God’s presence. The same thing happens to us. When we share the Eucharist, we pray for the Holy Spirit to be present in the bread and wine so that are hearts and eyes are opened. With eyes, ears, and hearts opened we are able to experience God in new ways and for that brief moment we shine with the light of God’s grace.
Those two men were now able to experience God in new ways. They were the first to discern that Jesus is our Risen Lord through the sharing of Communion. This is why it is so important for us to celebrate Communion together. It is the celebration of togetherness in the presence of God, the celebration of Jesus’ sacrifice and the acceptance of the Spirit that helps fortify us.
After Jesus breaks the bread, the two men’s eyes are opened and they finally recognize Jesus. They look at each other and say, “Weren’t our hearts burning as he spoke to us on the road?” It was so easy for them to look back and say, “Of course that was Jesus!” but at the time they never even considered it was him.
Could Jesus be appearing to us in different ways and different forms, but because we have certain ideas about him, we do not recognize him? Is God trying to break through our mundane and ordinary lives, but because we put up blinders we do not hear God speaking? We should ask ourselves these questions often because if you think God is not still working in this world, you’re wrong. God is still speaking to us, God is still helping us and God is still listening to us.
Perhaps you are asking how to recognize when God is speaking or trying to help you. This passage can assist you to see when this is happening. Think of God as the tingling sensation you get when your hand or foot has fallen asleep and the blood rushes back into it. It’s uncomfortable, but a good uncomfortable because the blood is moving and the foot that felt like a dead weight is starting to have some life again. God does the same thing with us; he takes the dead weight of our lives and brings renewal to them.
And have you noticed that uncomfortable feeling in our foot often makes us stand up and move around – we can’t stay still. Well, God also does that as he cuts off those dead weights in our lives, those things that deaden us inside. God does not let us sit still or grow stagnant in our faith. Jesus wants us to grow and change and sometimes it is uncomfortable and we resist it.
Another way we know if God is working within us is that burning sensation the two men speak of after Jesus leaves them. God makes us burn; it is a gift to us, the gift of the Holy Spirit. We begin to get restless and want to know more about the bible and Jesus and we ask questions about God because the Spirit has moved us. We get thirsty for words, but not just any words – we want the ones that tell us more about the character of God and what God feels about us. This burning or tingling sensation can happen at any moment and any time of our life. We could be in a business meeting and something that is said sparks it. We could be driving down the highway and something we see or some song we are listening to sparks that sensation. The key is recognizing when it happens, tuning your spiritual ears and eyes toward the Holy Spirit.
The only way to know if it is God speaking is to test the fruitfulness of the thought. God tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is abundant and they are: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness and faithfulness. If the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, these fruits will be the result of your faithful discernment.
The most important thing we need to remember is what happens at the beginning of this story. Does Jesus come up to them and yell, “SURPRISE! IT’S ME!” ? No, he doesn’t. On top of that, he begins to ask them questions and allows them to tell him the answers. These are not things he doesn’t know, but still he allows the two men to tell him what is going on. Never at any point in this passage does Jesus say it’s him they are speaking of. He allows them to come to the realization on their own.
As soon as they understand the truth, he disappears. This is the most important part of the story because it tells us how Jesus operates. Jesus is not going to give you the easy answer you’ve been praying for. Jesus is not going to hand you a new job on a platter, you’re not going to wake up one morning and discover the Twinkie diet helped you lose 20 lbs, you’re not going to find out tomorrow that everyone who is sick that you’ve been praying for have all been miraculously healed. This is not the way God works.
When we want something from God, God makes sure we do some work for it. You’re not going to get a job if you’re not out pounding the streets looking for one. You’re not going to lose weight if you’re not willing to change your diet and exercise more. I don’t care that the grapefruit diet helped Cindy Crawford lose 10lbs, I’m telling you right now the woman also works out to look that good. You’re not going to be healed of your illness if you’re not going to the doctor to be treated for the problem. God uses other people and the resources available to us to help answer our prayers. Even then, sometimes our prayers are not answered. That is God’s will.
There are some things that God does not show us until we find the answer on our own. Sometimes, it is in the breaking of the bread that we finally see Jesus and understand our role in the world. The answers we seek can be found. Those two men walking down the road wanted answers. Jesus made them reevaluate everything they thought they had known and then even when he explained to them why the Messiah had to suffer and die, it wasn’t until Jesus gave thanks and broke the bread that they could see how sometimes we should even be thankful for the brokenness of our lives and thankful for the unanswered prayers. Jesus was broken and he overcame. We are broken, and with Jesus, we too will overcome.
Amen.
A Powerful Witness
Acts 2: 14a, 22-32
John 20: 19-31
Many of you have probably heard the words “Doubting Thomas” used to describe someone who is pessimistic. It comes from this passage we read in John 20. People tend to think a doubting Thomas is a bad thing and therefore the original Doubting Thomas was wrong to not believe without seeing Jesus, but let’s look at this passage and decide for ourselves.
Jesus appears to all the disciples, but Thomas. They were in a locked room, in fear of their lives because they thought the Jewish Council would next come after them. A man appears in front of them. Is it a ghost? Are they dreaming? Are they all so tired that they are now seeing things? And then, the man speaks and says “Peace be with you” and immediately he shows them his hands where the nails were pounded through his palms and his side where the spear sliced deep into his stomach.
The disciples were probably in shock, and also overjoyed when they realized it was Jesus standing there before them. There is no doubt that they would have believed everything they had just experienced was real - for the length of time that it took Jesus to be with them, and then the shock would wear off and they too, probably doubted what they had seen and experienced. Have you ever been in a car accident and the reality of it is so harsh and scary that the more you remember the accident, the less clear the details become? The same thing could have also happened to the disciples.
As sure as they were that they had all experienced the same thing and that it was real – it had to have seemed surreal as well. Then Thomas arrives and they all begin to talk at once. Picture it – ten men yelling and gesturing at the same time to this other man. He’s not getting the full picture, just bits and pieces of words and as he looks around at all their faces he sees a mixture of feelings. Some are excited, some are scared, some are confused and still others have no expression at all because they have not fully processed it all.
If you were Thomas, what would you say? What would you do?
Well, Thomas probably told them to quiet down and then called out for one person to explain everything. He probably asked a few questions, made them repeat it all a couple times. And then his response was, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
John does not record the reaction the disciples have to what Thomas says, but I’m sure a few of them were probably hurt that he did not believe. But there were probably more that nodded their heads and thought, “Boy, I’d sure like to see him again too and touch his hands and side just to make sure I didn’t dream all of this. I miss Jesus so much, I feel like we wished him into existence!”
Thomas wanted to believe that Jesus was Risen, but he was afraid to believe and therefore he was willing to put himself out there to get the answers he NEEDED to have. This was not just any old story that he needed proof about, this was about a man rising from the dead – this was life changing and completely overwhelming! Thomas wasn’t afraid to put his neck out to help himself in his faith. He was willing to be the bad guy and fight for what he felt was a logical request. “I need to touch his hands and side, to see him too so that I can believe.”
And when Jesus appeared and showed him his hand and side, he told him to stop doubting and believe. Not only did Thomas believe, but he said the most amazing sentence, “My Lord and My God!” This is the first time that Jesus is called God in John’s gospel and it is THOMAS that points out Jesus is no ordinary human being, but God in the flesh. Thomas’ doubting words lead to a revelation of the greatest proportions.
If Thomas had not been willing to say what no one else wanted or was willing to hear, this revelation would not be written down for us to read about today. Thomas helped to shape our beliefs by fighting for what he wanted to see for himself.
Jesus does not require much of us as His people. Jesus asks us to be faithful and loving which we all know and understand. Most of us even try to be that way. However, Jesus also asks us to speak about Him and be willing to fight for our beliefs. Fight to be heard and not cower behind fear of persecution. We are told that whoever is least shall be first in heaven so do not worry if someone spits on you or mocks you. Jesus was spit upon and mocked and sits at the right hand of God. God respects people willing to share Jesus’ story no matter what the consequences are or if someone doesn’t want to hear it. Our job as Christians is to make the story relevant. To make Jesus’ story one that everyone WANTS to hear.
Sometimes that means we don’t get to have a good day. Sometimes it means going to the homeless shelter even though work was crappy and we have a raging headache. Sometimes it means making dinner for the kids even when you just want to relax because you promised your spouse it was your turn this week. Sometimes it is deliberately bringing up church and Jesus in front of someone you know is an atheist. It is hearing them derail your faith and coming back with a response. Sometimes it means sacrifice and hard work and is no fun at all. Being a Christian doesn’t mean going to church on Sundays and enjoying potluck dinners is the only thing required from us. It requires a bit more of a commitment than that.
For example, Peter stood with the other disciples in Acts and told all of their followers that they had killed the Messiah. Peter wasn’t afraid to state the obvious truth – they had all screwed up. However, he didn’t allow this mistake to hinder what needed to happen next. Peter went on to talk about the glory of a Risen Lord and how all who believe in Jesus will have eternal life. Peter stood up and spoke the truth about the mess they had all made (disciples included) and then he witnessed to God’s glory. He shared the Gospel with the people just as Jesus commanded. How often do you share the Gospel with those around you?
Do you pray when you are out in public? A quick bowing of your head before a meal in a restaurant or a casual, “Thanks be to God” when something goes well at work? Do you talk about what you learned in Sunday School class this week or about the potluck coming up to your friends or coworkers? Do you invite people to join you at church or ask to go to someone else’s church? These things require all of us to speak up about our faith. It requires a little more effort than just coming here on Sunday. We need to be aware of God more than just at the end of the week. We need to talk about God more than just on Sunday mornings.
Jesus loves us. Most of us are probably comfortable with thinking we’ll get to heaven. However, I was just thinking yesterday how awful it would be to be a pastor and not get to heaven. What if the Lord looked at me at the heavenly gates and said, “I don’t know you”? What if the Lord said because you were afraid to speak of me to others because you could not recognize me outside of church, I will not recognize you now?”
What would you say to defend yourself? I have no idea what I would say to defend myself. Because I’m guilty of not speaking up at times about my faith. I let things slide or I take the easy way out by being silent when someone says something I know is not true in the Bible. I could use that moment to bring Jesus into the conversation and instead I quietly let it pass. What if Jesus decides to quietly ignore me or any one of us when we do the same thing when we approach those heavenly gates?
Two men faced God on the Day of Judgment. One looked beat and beat-up. His arm in a sling, and his forehead bandaged, his clothes were tattered and torn. He looked awful. Moreover, his life had been so hard, he felt a failure. Ashamed, he would not lift up his face to look upon the Lord.
The second man looked as if he just stepped off the tennis court after winning his morning set. Dressed smartly, he was tanned and fit. His teeth gleamed. He appeared to have been nipped-and-tucked in the right places. Relaxed, he smiled confidently at the Lord.
The Lord looked at the two men, then turned to the one who was tanned and tucked and said, "Where are your wounds? Was there nothing to fight for down there?" Amen.
John 20: 19-31
Many of you have probably heard the words “Doubting Thomas” used to describe someone who is pessimistic. It comes from this passage we read in John 20. People tend to think a doubting Thomas is a bad thing and therefore the original Doubting Thomas was wrong to not believe without seeing Jesus, but let’s look at this passage and decide for ourselves.
Jesus appears to all the disciples, but Thomas. They were in a locked room, in fear of their lives because they thought the Jewish Council would next come after them. A man appears in front of them. Is it a ghost? Are they dreaming? Are they all so tired that they are now seeing things? And then, the man speaks and says “Peace be with you” and immediately he shows them his hands where the nails were pounded through his palms and his side where the spear sliced deep into his stomach.
The disciples were probably in shock, and also overjoyed when they realized it was Jesus standing there before them. There is no doubt that they would have believed everything they had just experienced was real - for the length of time that it took Jesus to be with them, and then the shock would wear off and they too, probably doubted what they had seen and experienced. Have you ever been in a car accident and the reality of it is so harsh and scary that the more you remember the accident, the less clear the details become? The same thing could have also happened to the disciples.
As sure as they were that they had all experienced the same thing and that it was real – it had to have seemed surreal as well. Then Thomas arrives and they all begin to talk at once. Picture it – ten men yelling and gesturing at the same time to this other man. He’s not getting the full picture, just bits and pieces of words and as he looks around at all their faces he sees a mixture of feelings. Some are excited, some are scared, some are confused and still others have no expression at all because they have not fully processed it all.
If you were Thomas, what would you say? What would you do?
Well, Thomas probably told them to quiet down and then called out for one person to explain everything. He probably asked a few questions, made them repeat it all a couple times. And then his response was, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
John does not record the reaction the disciples have to what Thomas says, but I’m sure a few of them were probably hurt that he did not believe. But there were probably more that nodded their heads and thought, “Boy, I’d sure like to see him again too and touch his hands and side just to make sure I didn’t dream all of this. I miss Jesus so much, I feel like we wished him into existence!”
Thomas wanted to believe that Jesus was Risen, but he was afraid to believe and therefore he was willing to put himself out there to get the answers he NEEDED to have. This was not just any old story that he needed proof about, this was about a man rising from the dead – this was life changing and completely overwhelming! Thomas wasn’t afraid to put his neck out to help himself in his faith. He was willing to be the bad guy and fight for what he felt was a logical request. “I need to touch his hands and side, to see him too so that I can believe.”
And when Jesus appeared and showed him his hand and side, he told him to stop doubting and believe. Not only did Thomas believe, but he said the most amazing sentence, “My Lord and My God!” This is the first time that Jesus is called God in John’s gospel and it is THOMAS that points out Jesus is no ordinary human being, but God in the flesh. Thomas’ doubting words lead to a revelation of the greatest proportions.
If Thomas had not been willing to say what no one else wanted or was willing to hear, this revelation would not be written down for us to read about today. Thomas helped to shape our beliefs by fighting for what he wanted to see for himself.
Jesus does not require much of us as His people. Jesus asks us to be faithful and loving which we all know and understand. Most of us even try to be that way. However, Jesus also asks us to speak about Him and be willing to fight for our beliefs. Fight to be heard and not cower behind fear of persecution. We are told that whoever is least shall be first in heaven so do not worry if someone spits on you or mocks you. Jesus was spit upon and mocked and sits at the right hand of God. God respects people willing to share Jesus’ story no matter what the consequences are or if someone doesn’t want to hear it. Our job as Christians is to make the story relevant. To make Jesus’ story one that everyone WANTS to hear.
Sometimes that means we don’t get to have a good day. Sometimes it means going to the homeless shelter even though work was crappy and we have a raging headache. Sometimes it means making dinner for the kids even when you just want to relax because you promised your spouse it was your turn this week. Sometimes it is deliberately bringing up church and Jesus in front of someone you know is an atheist. It is hearing them derail your faith and coming back with a response. Sometimes it means sacrifice and hard work and is no fun at all. Being a Christian doesn’t mean going to church on Sundays and enjoying potluck dinners is the only thing required from us. It requires a bit more of a commitment than that.
For example, Peter stood with the other disciples in Acts and told all of their followers that they had killed the Messiah. Peter wasn’t afraid to state the obvious truth – they had all screwed up. However, he didn’t allow this mistake to hinder what needed to happen next. Peter went on to talk about the glory of a Risen Lord and how all who believe in Jesus will have eternal life. Peter stood up and spoke the truth about the mess they had all made (disciples included) and then he witnessed to God’s glory. He shared the Gospel with the people just as Jesus commanded. How often do you share the Gospel with those around you?
Do you pray when you are out in public? A quick bowing of your head before a meal in a restaurant or a casual, “Thanks be to God” when something goes well at work? Do you talk about what you learned in Sunday School class this week or about the potluck coming up to your friends or coworkers? Do you invite people to join you at church or ask to go to someone else’s church? These things require all of us to speak up about our faith. It requires a little more effort than just coming here on Sunday. We need to be aware of God more than just at the end of the week. We need to talk about God more than just on Sunday mornings.
Jesus loves us. Most of us are probably comfortable with thinking we’ll get to heaven. However, I was just thinking yesterday how awful it would be to be a pastor and not get to heaven. What if the Lord looked at me at the heavenly gates and said, “I don’t know you”? What if the Lord said because you were afraid to speak of me to others because you could not recognize me outside of church, I will not recognize you now?”
What would you say to defend yourself? I have no idea what I would say to defend myself. Because I’m guilty of not speaking up at times about my faith. I let things slide or I take the easy way out by being silent when someone says something I know is not true in the Bible. I could use that moment to bring Jesus into the conversation and instead I quietly let it pass. What if Jesus decides to quietly ignore me or any one of us when we do the same thing when we approach those heavenly gates?
Two men faced God on the Day of Judgment. One looked beat and beat-up. His arm in a sling, and his forehead bandaged, his clothes were tattered and torn. He looked awful. Moreover, his life had been so hard, he felt a failure. Ashamed, he would not lift up his face to look upon the Lord.
The second man looked as if he just stepped off the tennis court after winning his morning set. Dressed smartly, he was tanned and fit. His teeth gleamed. He appeared to have been nipped-and-tucked in the right places. Relaxed, he smiled confidently at the Lord.
The Lord looked at the two men, then turned to the one who was tanned and tucked and said, "Where are your wounds? Was there nothing to fight for down there?" Amen.
Jesus, Where are you? (Easter Sunday)
Jeremiah 31: 1-16
John 20:1-18
Why do we believe in God? Human beings, from the moment they are born, have searched for a higher meaning to life and existence than what our eyes can see and our ears can hear. All over the world we have evidence of people’s gods and their religious beliefs that date back thousands of years. Human beings need to believe in God. We need to believe that there is someone looking out for us, we need to believe there is a reason for our existence and that when we are at our happiest or saddest moments in life, there is a reason for it all.
More than that, human beings need to believe in a God that cares. The Greeks created gods that deal with specific disasters and situations in life for just this reason. We have Ares the god of war, Apollo the god of light and truth, Hera the god of marriage, and Poseidon the god of seas and water. In the period of the Israelites, there were gods just like this in surrounding areas. Gods like Baal who was supposed to bring rain to the crops when you prayed to them. These gods were supposed to protect the people and were to help them with their lives.
But more often than not, these gods never answered prayers and did not care about the fate of their people. Perhaps that is why Jesus is such a remarkable person. Jesus is nothing like these other gods. The Jewish God, the Christian God, the Muslim God is proclaimed to be the one true God. There are no gods of war or famine or marriage in these three religions. And the Christian God is even more unique than all the others because of Jesus Christ.
The Jewish people always believed that God would send a Messiah to help free the people. They didn’t expect a poor carpenter who would rather teach in a temple than sit on a throne. They didn’t expect someone who would rather hand out indulgences and grace rather than punishment to those who have done wrong. They didn’t expect someone who could defeat death. In their minds, the Messiah was a mere man, a prophet like they had read about in the Old Testament, but still a man. They didn’t expect God to send His Son. They didn’t expect a glimpse of the divine every time they looked into Jesus’ eyes. It scared them. It unnerved them. They reacted by killing Jesus.
On Friday, that is where we stop speaking. We leave Jesus crucified on the cross and then buried in a tomb. But Thank God, that is not where the story ends. Jesus does not stay dead, but instead he rises from the dead after three days. The Jewish belief in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting becomes a Christian belief on that day. Because Jesus does not stay dead, neither do we. Jesus, who is God’s Son and who has died for all of us has given us a way out. Our Lord, who is God, cares enough about us to die on a cross and break the chains of sin that bound us to death.
That is the difference between all those other gods and our God. Jesus Christ. Jesus who took on human flesh and bridged the gap between God and humanity. Jesus who learned what it was like to be a child and could nothing for himself, to be a teenager struggling for his own identity away from his parents, who learned what it was like to have a calling but also needing to clothe and feed himself. Jesus, who knew what it was like to be friendless and alone and hurting. Because of Jesus, God knows what it feels like when we cry out in pain and fear and anger. Because of Jesus, God knows the hurts of life as well as the joys it holds. Our God is not an indifferent one. Our God does not turn away from us or become bored with our petty problems. Our God has empathy and compassion because Jesus has empathy and compassion.
Another difference between our Lord and other people’s gods is how revolutionary he really is. Jesus sees into a person’s heart. He sat with tax collectors and befriended prostitutes and even on the cross he has compassion for the sinner being crucified beside him. Jesus teaches us that there is more to a person than what we see on the outside. There is more to the person sitting three rows up or two rows back than you have seen so far. Not every person that goes to church is a good person, just as not every person in jail is a bad person. Sometimes life deals us a certain hand and the only choice we have is to play those cards we are dealt - even if the odds are totally against us.
I think that is why it was so important for Jesus to not be rich or someone very powerful. He was an outcast and we needed him to be exactly that. It is not hard for us to think of God sitting on a throne and casting judgment upon us. It’s how many society’s think of God, God is the head honcho, the highest power and has ultimate authority. But Jesus.. he had zero authority and was never given any power or money or status. What power and authority he had always seemed to amaze the people around him and they would marvel at his teachings because they thought of him as a nobody.
Imagine that, God knows what it is like to be insignificant. In response, Jesus never thought of anyone as unimportant. Two thousand years ago, women were considered completely insignificant. They were practically brood mares that could also cook and clean. And yet, from what the New Testament tells us Jesus’ ministry was funded by women; women who would take him into their homes and feed him and the disciples. Women who would give money to his ministry and followed him around. Mary Magdalene has often been considered a wealthy widow (not the prostitute some have called her) who was extremely influential in helping to further Jesus’ ministry before and after his death.
Matter of fact, the very first person to see Jesus after he rises from the dead is not one of the disciples, it is a woman. It is Mary Magdalene. None of us are beneath God’s notice. If there is any reason to celebrate our Lord’s resurrection from the dead, it is surely that reason. We are important to God. Everything about us, every detail of who we are is important to Jesus. What makes you tick, fascinates God. The proof is that God was willing to become a human. The proof is that God was willing to be persecuted and hung on a cross. The proof is that when Jesus ascended into heaven, he did not leave us alone but sent us the Holy Spirit to watch over and guide us.
Jesus took us into his arms a long time ago and he has never let go of us, and he never will. We belong to God because Jesus lived and died for us. He paid the price for our sinful ways so that we may be called God’s children. And just as any parent cares about their child and what happens to them throughout their life, God is fascinated and in love with each of us. Today, give thanks to Jesus who cemented the bond we have with His Father by giving up his life, but also for not leaving the story to end at his death. He brings new life to all of us in his resurrection, and because of Him we are God’s people, now and always.
Amen.
John 20:1-18
Why do we believe in God? Human beings, from the moment they are born, have searched for a higher meaning to life and existence than what our eyes can see and our ears can hear. All over the world we have evidence of people’s gods and their religious beliefs that date back thousands of years. Human beings need to believe in God. We need to believe that there is someone looking out for us, we need to believe there is a reason for our existence and that when we are at our happiest or saddest moments in life, there is a reason for it all.
More than that, human beings need to believe in a God that cares. The Greeks created gods that deal with specific disasters and situations in life for just this reason. We have Ares the god of war, Apollo the god of light and truth, Hera the god of marriage, and Poseidon the god of seas and water. In the period of the Israelites, there were gods just like this in surrounding areas. Gods like Baal who was supposed to bring rain to the crops when you prayed to them. These gods were supposed to protect the people and were to help them with their lives.
But more often than not, these gods never answered prayers and did not care about the fate of their people. Perhaps that is why Jesus is such a remarkable person. Jesus is nothing like these other gods. The Jewish God, the Christian God, the Muslim God is proclaimed to be the one true God. There are no gods of war or famine or marriage in these three religions. And the Christian God is even more unique than all the others because of Jesus Christ.
The Jewish people always believed that God would send a Messiah to help free the people. They didn’t expect a poor carpenter who would rather teach in a temple than sit on a throne. They didn’t expect someone who would rather hand out indulgences and grace rather than punishment to those who have done wrong. They didn’t expect someone who could defeat death. In their minds, the Messiah was a mere man, a prophet like they had read about in the Old Testament, but still a man. They didn’t expect God to send His Son. They didn’t expect a glimpse of the divine every time they looked into Jesus’ eyes. It scared them. It unnerved them. They reacted by killing Jesus.
On Friday, that is where we stop speaking. We leave Jesus crucified on the cross and then buried in a tomb. But Thank God, that is not where the story ends. Jesus does not stay dead, but instead he rises from the dead after three days. The Jewish belief in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting becomes a Christian belief on that day. Because Jesus does not stay dead, neither do we. Jesus, who is God’s Son and who has died for all of us has given us a way out. Our Lord, who is God, cares enough about us to die on a cross and break the chains of sin that bound us to death.
That is the difference between all those other gods and our God. Jesus Christ. Jesus who took on human flesh and bridged the gap between God and humanity. Jesus who learned what it was like to be a child and could nothing for himself, to be a teenager struggling for his own identity away from his parents, who learned what it was like to have a calling but also needing to clothe and feed himself. Jesus, who knew what it was like to be friendless and alone and hurting. Because of Jesus, God knows what it feels like when we cry out in pain and fear and anger. Because of Jesus, God knows the hurts of life as well as the joys it holds. Our God is not an indifferent one. Our God does not turn away from us or become bored with our petty problems. Our God has empathy and compassion because Jesus has empathy and compassion.
Another difference between our Lord and other people’s gods is how revolutionary he really is. Jesus sees into a person’s heart. He sat with tax collectors and befriended prostitutes and even on the cross he has compassion for the sinner being crucified beside him. Jesus teaches us that there is more to a person than what we see on the outside. There is more to the person sitting three rows up or two rows back than you have seen so far. Not every person that goes to church is a good person, just as not every person in jail is a bad person. Sometimes life deals us a certain hand and the only choice we have is to play those cards we are dealt - even if the odds are totally against us.
I think that is why it was so important for Jesus to not be rich or someone very powerful. He was an outcast and we needed him to be exactly that. It is not hard for us to think of God sitting on a throne and casting judgment upon us. It’s how many society’s think of God, God is the head honcho, the highest power and has ultimate authority. But Jesus.. he had zero authority and was never given any power or money or status. What power and authority he had always seemed to amaze the people around him and they would marvel at his teachings because they thought of him as a nobody.
Imagine that, God knows what it is like to be insignificant. In response, Jesus never thought of anyone as unimportant. Two thousand years ago, women were considered completely insignificant. They were practically brood mares that could also cook and clean. And yet, from what the New Testament tells us Jesus’ ministry was funded by women; women who would take him into their homes and feed him and the disciples. Women who would give money to his ministry and followed him around. Mary Magdalene has often been considered a wealthy widow (not the prostitute some have called her) who was extremely influential in helping to further Jesus’ ministry before and after his death.
Matter of fact, the very first person to see Jesus after he rises from the dead is not one of the disciples, it is a woman. It is Mary Magdalene. None of us are beneath God’s notice. If there is any reason to celebrate our Lord’s resurrection from the dead, it is surely that reason. We are important to God. Everything about us, every detail of who we are is important to Jesus. What makes you tick, fascinates God. The proof is that God was willing to become a human. The proof is that God was willing to be persecuted and hung on a cross. The proof is that when Jesus ascended into heaven, he did not leave us alone but sent us the Holy Spirit to watch over and guide us.
Jesus took us into his arms a long time ago and he has never let go of us, and he never will. We belong to God because Jesus lived and died for us. He paid the price for our sinful ways so that we may be called God’s children. And just as any parent cares about their child and what happens to them throughout their life, God is fascinated and in love with each of us. Today, give thanks to Jesus who cemented the bond we have with His Father by giving up his life, but also for not leaving the story to end at his death. He brings new life to all of us in his resurrection, and because of Him we are God’s people, now and always.
Amen.
Good Friday
Good Friday
Someone asked me the other day if Jesus is Risen and we all know that is what happens, why we need to celebrate Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Why should we dwell on the sad part when we know there is a happy ending? This is a good question and one that I have asked myself in the past.
No one likes to dwell on the negative, not many people like to revisit the past hurts and the moments where we have experienced our greatest sorrows. And yet, every year we do exactly that during Lent and Easter. We revisit one of the most awful moments in human history where humans killed God’s Son.
We gather together on the anniversary of his betrayal and the anniversary of His death to remind ourselves of our culpability. We remind ourselves that Jesus wouldn’t have had to die if we were not sinners. But we are sinners. Every single person in this room has done something that would make God turn him or her away from the Heavenly Gates. We cannot get into heaven on our own merit. There is nothing we can say or do which will give us eternal life. We need that reminder.
Human beings are often prideful and arrogant. We forget we are here because God made the earth and heavens. We forget that the car we drive and the house we own is made possible by God’s grace. We forget that we live because God breathed life into us. Everything we own, everything we think we possess by our own merits is God given. Jesus is the reminder we need to keep us humble. Jesus is the stark contrast of how we actually behave and how we should behave.
Jesus tells us if someone strikes us, not to hit him or her back, but to offer our other cheek as well to be struck. Jesus tells us that if someone wants our coat to also give them our shirt. Jesus tells us that when people spit on you and persecute you, say nothing and do nothing to hurt them. Jesus not only tells us these things, he shows them to us.
On Good Friday, Jesus is accused of awful things. People he has never even met come up and testify falsely against him. The people he grew up with turn away from him. His family is nowhere to be seen; those brothers and sisters who wanted to talk to him now have nothing to say to defend him. The disciples that have only a few short hours earlier sworn to die with him rather that desert him, have fled to escape the same punishment Jesus is receiving. Pontius Pilate knows that Jesus has done no wrong, but still he has him flogged and gives in to the crowd to crucify him. The guards beat him for fun, then play games to win his clothes. They mock him, spit upon him and beat him both emotionally and physically. And Jesus silently allows all of it to happen.
After he is betrayed, Jesus says in Matthew 26 when the disciples would fight their way to freedom, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” Jesus stays silent through all the torture and everything else because he knows this must happen. Jesus is faithful to God, who has sent him here to do something.
Jesus came to earth and died on that cross today so that we would not have to. Jesus died so that we would live. All those who believe in Jesus Christ will know eternal life. All those who accept the Holy Spirit into their hearts will be accepted into the relationship that Jesus has with His Father. That is why we worship on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. We worship a God that is never indifferent to our pain. We worship a God who cares enough to give everything for us. A God that willingly empties himself, a God that willingly humbles himself to take on human flesh and then willingly dies for all of us.
A mere human being cannot defeat death like Jesus did two thousand years ago. Jesus broke the bonds of death, the bond of sin that held captive our human souls. By breaking that bond of death and sin, Jesus allowed our hearts to be free to choose God. We can choose to be good, we can choose to love rather than hate. We are able to accept the Holy Spirit without guilt. That is what God wanted for all of us. That is why God sent Her Son to us.
So the real question is not why do we celebrate this awful time in human history, but how could we not want to remember what God has sacrificed for us? Jesus died for you. For every single thing you have ever done to hurt another person or yourself, Jesus paid the price for it. Jesus died for me and he died for the people sitting on the right and left of you. When we pass from this life to the next, we can do so with confidence that God will accept us because Jesus love us.
We must celebrate this day. The day that Jesus died. We must mourn on this day that what we have done has brought our Savior to the cross. But more than that, we must also join him on the cross and sacrifice our pride, our arrogance, our hate and jealousy and anger. We must put those on the cross and let them die. It is the only way that we can live. It is the only way to free ourselves from the sins of the past that hold us back from a life with Christ.
Today is about remembering to place our burdens at Jesus’ feet so that we are free to choose better things. We are here for a grander purpose than carrying around a load of guilt and sin. God created you for a reason and Jesus died for you for a reason. Do not let the past get in the way of your future. Go to the cross this day and let your sorrows be crucified so that on Easter day you too may Rise as our Lord Jesus has Risen. Let yourself be given a new purpose and be made a new creation.
Amen.
Someone asked me the other day if Jesus is Risen and we all know that is what happens, why we need to celebrate Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Why should we dwell on the sad part when we know there is a happy ending? This is a good question and one that I have asked myself in the past.
No one likes to dwell on the negative, not many people like to revisit the past hurts and the moments where we have experienced our greatest sorrows. And yet, every year we do exactly that during Lent and Easter. We revisit one of the most awful moments in human history where humans killed God’s Son.
We gather together on the anniversary of his betrayal and the anniversary of His death to remind ourselves of our culpability. We remind ourselves that Jesus wouldn’t have had to die if we were not sinners. But we are sinners. Every single person in this room has done something that would make God turn him or her away from the Heavenly Gates. We cannot get into heaven on our own merit. There is nothing we can say or do which will give us eternal life. We need that reminder.
Human beings are often prideful and arrogant. We forget we are here because God made the earth and heavens. We forget that the car we drive and the house we own is made possible by God’s grace. We forget that we live because God breathed life into us. Everything we own, everything we think we possess by our own merits is God given. Jesus is the reminder we need to keep us humble. Jesus is the stark contrast of how we actually behave and how we should behave.
Jesus tells us if someone strikes us, not to hit him or her back, but to offer our other cheek as well to be struck. Jesus tells us that if someone wants our coat to also give them our shirt. Jesus tells us that when people spit on you and persecute you, say nothing and do nothing to hurt them. Jesus not only tells us these things, he shows them to us.
On Good Friday, Jesus is accused of awful things. People he has never even met come up and testify falsely against him. The people he grew up with turn away from him. His family is nowhere to be seen; those brothers and sisters who wanted to talk to him now have nothing to say to defend him. The disciples that have only a few short hours earlier sworn to die with him rather that desert him, have fled to escape the same punishment Jesus is receiving. Pontius Pilate knows that Jesus has done no wrong, but still he has him flogged and gives in to the crowd to crucify him. The guards beat him for fun, then play games to win his clothes. They mock him, spit upon him and beat him both emotionally and physically. And Jesus silently allows all of it to happen.
After he is betrayed, Jesus says in Matthew 26 when the disciples would fight their way to freedom, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” Jesus stays silent through all the torture and everything else because he knows this must happen. Jesus is faithful to God, who has sent him here to do something.
Jesus came to earth and died on that cross today so that we would not have to. Jesus died so that we would live. All those who believe in Jesus Christ will know eternal life. All those who accept the Holy Spirit into their hearts will be accepted into the relationship that Jesus has with His Father. That is why we worship on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. We worship a God that is never indifferent to our pain. We worship a God who cares enough to give everything for us. A God that willingly empties himself, a God that willingly humbles himself to take on human flesh and then willingly dies for all of us.
A mere human being cannot defeat death like Jesus did two thousand years ago. Jesus broke the bonds of death, the bond of sin that held captive our human souls. By breaking that bond of death and sin, Jesus allowed our hearts to be free to choose God. We can choose to be good, we can choose to love rather than hate. We are able to accept the Holy Spirit without guilt. That is what God wanted for all of us. That is why God sent Her Son to us.
So the real question is not why do we celebrate this awful time in human history, but how could we not want to remember what God has sacrificed for us? Jesus died for you. For every single thing you have ever done to hurt another person or yourself, Jesus paid the price for it. Jesus died for me and he died for the people sitting on the right and left of you. When we pass from this life to the next, we can do so with confidence that God will accept us because Jesus love us.
We must celebrate this day. The day that Jesus died. We must mourn on this day that what we have done has brought our Savior to the cross. But more than that, we must also join him on the cross and sacrifice our pride, our arrogance, our hate and jealousy and anger. We must put those on the cross and let them die. It is the only way that we can live. It is the only way to free ourselves from the sins of the past that hold us back from a life with Christ.
Today is about remembering to place our burdens at Jesus’ feet so that we are free to choose better things. We are here for a grander purpose than carrying around a load of guilt and sin. God created you for a reason and Jesus died for you for a reason. Do not let the past get in the way of your future. Go to the cross this day and let your sorrows be crucified so that on Easter day you too may Rise as our Lord Jesus has Risen. Let yourself be given a new purpose and be made a new creation.
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
