July 18, 2010

Pentecost VIII
Richard Holmer
First Reading: Genesis 18:1-10a
Second Reading: Colossians 1:15-28
Gospel: Luke 10:38-42
Being and Doing
There’s an old one-line joke about Christ’s second coming: “Jesus
is coming – look busy.” It surely wouldn’t do to be found napping
or slacking when Jesus returned! Prudent individuals definitely
would want to present the appearance of active and faithful
discipleship. The notion that faithfulness is demonstrated by
“busy-ness” has a long history. In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees and
other devout persons kept very busy observing all the dictates of
the law, down to the most minute details. In more than one parable,
Jesus commends those servants whom their master finds hard at work
upon his return.
In our
own time we tend to define busy congregations as faithful
congregations. A congregation where there’s a lot going on – a full
calendar of activities and programs – is generally seen as more
faithful than one without so much going on. When asked to describe
their own congregation, most people tend to talk about all the
things they are doing. Every congregation values its members who
are “doers” – the ones who are always willing to roll up their
sleeves and do whatever it is that needs to be done. Pastors tend
to validate their ministry by describing how busy they are.
Martha
was by all measures a “doer”. When Jesus comes to the home she
shares with her sister for dinner, Martha zooms into action. She
practices some heavy-duty hospitality, doing her utmost to make sure
everything is just right for their dinner guest. We can picture
Martha, whipping up a tasty meal, setting the table, offering Jesus
something to drink and perhaps an appetizer.
Meanwhile, her sister Mary doesn’t lift a finger. Mary simply sits
at the feet of Jesus, hanging on his every word. Martha is finally
overcome with exasperation and says to Jesus:
“Lord, don’t you care?”
“Are
you paying attention?”
“Two
of us live here, but one of us is doing all the work!”
“Why
don’t you tell my sister to get up and lend a hand?!”
But
instead of commending Martha for all her ambitious efforts, and
chastising Mary for her lazy negligence, Jesus says this:
“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things;
there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part,
which will not be taken from her.”
It
would be interesting to know how the rest of that evening went – and
who did the dishes after Jesus departed. But the story ends with
these words Jesus speaks to Martha.
What
are we meant to learn from this story? One lesson is that busy-ness
should not always be equated with faithfulness. Martha is described
as “distracted by her many tasks.” Jesus says to her, “You are
worried and distracted by many things.” It doesn’t matter how fast
you are pedaling if you have lost your sense of direction. A
faithful person should be neither worried nor distracted. Busy-ness
for its own sake is not necessarily fruitful.
As a
church, our mission is not to have lots of programs and to keep
everybody busy. We can be very busy doing things that have little
or nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our busy-ness can
distract us from what is of first importance. The urgent becomes
the enemy of the important.
But
let’s be careful not to be too hard on Martha. Sometimes this story
gets interpreted as a choice between being like Mary or like Martha,
between contemplation and action, between being and doing. If you
read the whole gospel of Luke, it is readily apparent that Jesus is
not presenting an either/or choice, but rather a both/and.
Just
last Sunday we heard the parable of the Good Samaritan, which comes
right before today’s gospel in the 10th chapter of Luke.
In that parable, Jesus emphasizes the necessity of active,
compassionate care on behalf of our neighbors. Jesus is by no means
undercutting the value of genuine hospitality or dedicated service.
Instead he is giving equal value to the place of contemplation in a
faithful life. The pattern of his own life demonstrates the
importance Christ placed on both action and contemplation. He
worked tirelessly in ministry to those in need. Jesus also took
time to withdraw to a quiet place to meditate and pray.
There
is a kind of rhythm and balance to a faithful life. Last week, the
emphasis was on action – today it is contemplation. Mary is
commended for giving Jesus her complete and undivided attention.
This is harder to do than it seems. Many people would rather be
busy doing something – anything – than sitting still in rapt
contemplation. It takes no small amount of concentration and
discipline to focus entirely on Jesus. People get uneasy at worship
with extended silence. Yet who is more worthy of our contemplation
than Jesus?
Our 2nd
reading from Colossians reminds us of exactly who it is who is
sitting in Mary and Martha’s living room.
*
“Jesus is the image of the invisible God.” Consider this
awesome reality. The Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, the
One who is, who was, and who will forever be – is embodied in the
modest frame of this Jesus from Nazareth. Jesus is the best picture
God ever took!
*
“All things have been created through him and for him.”
Jesus is no Johnny – come – lately. He was present at the
Creation. He is the Word God spoke which called all things into
being. He is that word now made flesh.
*
“In Him all things hold together.” The grace of God in
Jesus Christ is the force that holds everything together. He is the
essential, irreplaceable glue of existence. Without Jesus,
everything falls apart, nothing makes sense, there is no lasting
hope. With Jesus, things come into focus, there is a living center
to the universe, it is possible to make sense. Which is why Jesus
gives a peace that this world cannot give.
*
“In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.”
There’s the mystery in all its majestic complexity: Jesus is both a
flesh and blood Palestinian Jew and the Son of the Living
God. Not half man/half God, not God disguised as a man, not a man
with many godly qualities – but true God and true man. It can’t be
explained – it can only be believed and contemplated. What might
this mean for you and for me?
*
“Through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all
things.” Did Mary have some deep intuitive sense of this? That
Jesus had in himself the divine power to make right all that had
gone wrong in this world, to overcome the yawning gap between sinful
humanity and a just and righteous God? To transform enemies into
friends and bring hope to a despairing world?
If
Mary had any inkling of this, is it any wonder she couldn’t be
bothered with setting the table or making the salad?
* * * *
Before
we get busy with our action plans and our to-do lists, you and I
would do well to contemplate who it is who has come among us in
Jesus.
®
Job one is to receive the Living Word of God into our hearts and
minds.
®
Before concerning ourselves with “What” and “When” and “How”, we
need to take time to contemplate the “Who”, the One is also the
“Why” behind all our activities.
Time
spent in prayer and worship and study and meditation – all aspects
of contemplation – makes the time we spend in serving and loving and
teaching and witnessing truly vibrant and fruitful and worthwhile.
Amen
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July 11, 2010

Pentecost VII
Richard Holmer
First
Reading: Deuteronomy 30:9-14
Second Reading: Colossians 1:1-14
Gospel: Luke 10:25-37
Doing Likewise
A moral that
could be drawn from the story of the Good Samaritan is this: “Avoid
getting in a position where you must depend on the kindness of
strangers—or even the kindness of people you know. The fact is
people are notoriously undependable!”
It was common
knowledge that the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was a dangerous
place to travel. Muggings and robberies occurred there on a regular
basis. A sensible person would not travel that way alone. Some
better planning might well have prevented this calamity.
Many of us have
taken this lesson to heart. We practice self reliance: Don’t expect
anyone else to pull your chestnuts out of the fire! We learned in
Boy Scouts: BE PREPARED! Learn the necessary skills. Have the
necessary resources readily available. We learned in Driver’s
Education to “drive defensively”--anticipate what other drivers may
or may not do, don’t assume everyone else will obey the rules of the
road, always have a safe escape route in mind. In the same way we
learn to “live defensively:” think ahead, have a back-up plan, avoid
unnecessary risks, have good insurance.
There are great
advantages to being self-sufficient. It protects you from a lot of
vulnerabilities and dependencies. There’s an insurance company that
promotes itself as the solution to “the ‘ifs’ in life.” It’s a
clever campaign—life is full of ifs (and not just the word).
So most of us
place a high priority on achieving security and self sufficiency.
We’ll do a lot to avoid being helpless or in dire need. Isn’t that
the main purpose of accumulating wealth: to become increasingly
self-sufficient, dependent on no one else?
*
The
robbers who mugged the man on the road to Jericho had learned a way
to be self sufficient. They preyed on the weak and defenseless.
They picked off the easy targets. They helped themselves to the
goods and money of those foolish enough to wander into their
ambushes.
*
Likewise, the priest and the Levite had attained a level of
self-sufficiency. Their religious standing conferred permanent
status in that society, and a comfortable standard of living. They
were secure in their knowledge of the law-and confident in their
track record of adhering to it. They were well-practiced at living
defensively.
*
For
all we know, the man lying bleeding in the ditch may have been quite
self sufficient himself—up until this unfortunate incident.
And yet that’s
exactly the point, isn’t it? Sooner or later, despite all our best
efforts and well laid plans, each of us ends up being in need.
*
Your new car breaks down unexpectedly.
*
You
find out you have cancer.
*
Your position is terminated, and you are suddenly unemployed.
*
Someone you love dies.
*
A
trusted friend betrays you.
*
Your house burns down.
*
The
stock market dives, wiping out most of your assets.
*
Someone steals your identity and plunders your accounts.
*
You
lose your eyesight.
*
You
get mugged.
*
A
drunk driver plows into you.
*
You
get old and feeble.
At some point,
each of us has been or will be that guy lying by the side of the
road: caught off guard and in serious need of help.
In that moment of
uncertainty and vulnerability, who will come to your aid? Who do
you hope will come along to help you out in your time of
need?
What if the
person who shows up to help is not your pastor, or a police officer,
or a doctor, or a family member, or a good friend?
What if your
rescuer turned out to be
-
an
illegal immigrant?
-
a
Hell’s Angel on a Harley?
-
Sarah Palin/Nancy Pelosi? (choose your poison)
-
a
skinhead in black leather?
-
someone you’ve always ridiculed?
Could you accept
a helping hand from someone like that—someone you would otherwise
ignore or even despise?
That’s
what Samaritans were to the Jews. They were loathsome, contemptible
creatures. The term “good Samaritan” would be an absolute
contradiction to any self respecting Jew—like “kindly terrorist” or
“beautiful ogre.”
The twist
in this parable is that it turns out to be a most unlikely person
who acts as a true neighbor. The hated outsider, the Samaritan, is
the one who is moved to show compassion. The one who had every
reason to pass on by and go his own way is the one who provides
generous assistance.
* * * *
Now the
victim in this story never utters a single word. Nevertheless, we
can safely assume that his perception of “Samaritans” was forever
altered. Perhaps from then on, even a Samaritan could be considered
a neighbor—one whom God’s people are called by God to love.
What’s
more, it is the experience of being shown mercy in a time of great
need that can be life-changing. When someone else saves your life,
it can occur to you that your life is not entirely your own—that
your ongoing existence is not the result of your own tenacity and
ingenuity, but rather of another person’s kindness and mercy—a mercy
you may have done nothing to deserve.
The Good
Samaritan is probably the most familiar of all the parables of
Jesus. We have heard it so many times, that we are not at all
surprised by the story. If we take it as a moral fable, the message
is clear: be a good neighbor. In our day, legislatures have
actually passed so-called “good samaritan laws” that require
individuals to help others in an emergency. We all know what it is
that we are supposed to do.
“BE
LOVING!!” OK, I get it!
Yet
Christian faith isn’t a matter of knowing what we are supposed
to do. It’s a matter of what we are able to do (and are moved
to do) because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. Like the man
in the ditch, you and I have experienced great mercy from one who
was despised and rejected by all. We nailed him to a cross.
Yet
Christ is the one who meets us in all our brokenness and neediness.
It is Christ who binds our wounds (self-inflicted and otherwise) and
restores us to life. Jesus doesn’t just tell us to love our
neighbor; he shows us the love and mercy that he requires.
Having
experienced such great mercy, you and I are now free to go and do
likewise.
Amen
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July 4, 2010
Pentecost V
Richard Kaeske
First Reading: Isaiah 66:10-14
Second Reading: Galatians 6:1-16
Gospel: Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Today on our
nation's birthday, Pastor Richard Kaeske delivered the sermon.
All were blessed by his wit and wisdom.
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June 27, 2010

Pentecost V
Richard Holmer
First Reading: 1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21
Second Reading: Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Gospel: Luke 9:51-62
To Follow Christ
Last Monday night we welcomed the newly elected members to
the church council. By way of team-building, we took time for an
exercise at getting better acquainted. We paired off, and each
person responded to a series of questions. The partners then
introduced each other to the rest of the group. One of the
questions was: “What is the first thing you would tell someone about
our congregation?” A number of persons answered in similar
fashion. The said the first thing they would share is that we are a
“friendly congregation.” There was consensus around the table that
this is true about St. James—that we are a warm-hearted community.
Personally, I find this to be the case—and I certainly hope
newcomers have this experience when they visit. It’s good to be
friendly and welcoming.
I thought more about this conversation as I read today’s
gospel and started working on this sermon. It surely is a positive
thing to be friendly—yet this is true not only for the church. It’s
true for just about any organization or enterprise. Every club or
business is improved by an atmosphere of warmth and friendliness.
Reading this story from Luke, it struck me that Christians
are called to be more than friendly. Friendly is good—as far
as it goes. Jesus was a friend to all—yet he was also more than a
friend. Remember: Jesus didn’t get in trouble for being overly
friendly (even though some thought he befriended some rather
questionable types.) Jesus generated major opposition because he
said and did things that were troubling, because he challenged and
confronted people, because he made ultimate claims about himself and
upon people’s lives.
Consider today’s gospel. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem,
on his way to be arrested and crucified, and he invites a man,
saying, “Follow me.” The guy is willing, and he makes what seems
like a reasonable request; “First let me go and bury my father.”
Jesus says to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead.”
How friendly is that?
Jesus invites another to come with him, and this one
replies: “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to
those at my home.” (He just wants to say goodbye and let his family
know where he’s going.) Jesus says: “No one who puts a hand to the
plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God.” Not what you’d
call a warm welcome!
* * * *
This gospel text underscores that the ministry of
Jesus isn’t just about making friends, it’s about making disciples.
Jesus didn’t invite people to be his buddies, but to be his
followers.
If “friendliness” means keeping things light and
convivial, never making anyone uncomfortable, not challenging
anyone—then friendliness will have trumped faithfulness. Actually,
true friends do: challenge us, hold us accountable, speak the
truth to us, expect the best of us.
Jesus is a true friend—and in addition he is
both Lord and Savior. As such, Jesus commands more from us than any
friend ever could. He has authority to command our undivided
attention, loyalty and commitment.
We should never mistake the graciousness of Christ
for low expectations. Jesus is loving and compassionate—he’s
not casual or easy-going, certainly not laissez-faire!
The gospel message that Jesus brings is straight
forward—even simple—but it’s not easy. It’s not that it’s hard to
understand what Jesus asks of us. What’s hard is actually doing
it. I find it a whole lot easier to talk about the gospel
than I do actually living it.
“Follow me,” Jesus says. When we pay attention, we
can see the path pretty clearly. Walking that path is something
else.
What is it, then, to truly follow Christ? You know
the answer:
*
It’s to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and
strength—and your neighbor as yourself.
*
It’s to seek first the Kingdom of God.
*
It’s to deny yourself, take up a cross, and go where Jesus
goes.
*
It’s to practice downward mobility, to become a servant to
all.
*
It’s to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with
God.
Again, this is much easier said than done. And in the
church, when all is said and done, usually a lot more is said than
done.
“Following Christ” is the first charge in our mission
statement. How is that going for you? We would all agree that a
person can’t follow Christ by standing still or staying the same.
So how are you changing and growing as a follower of Jesus? What
are you leaving behind? What have you had to relinquish in order to
follow? What is the real cost to you to be a disciple?
That’s the paradox, isn’t it? It costs nothing to be a
Christian—because Christ paid the price in full on the cross. And
at the same time it costs everything: Jesus said: “Those who lose
their life for my sake and for the sake of the gospel will find
it.”
A Christian life is known by the fruit it bears, and Paul
lists some of these fruits in our reading from Galatians:
love patience faithfulness
joy kindness gentleness
peace generosity self-control
All these are the work of the Holy Spirit
in our lives—they are gifts of grace. Yet these gifts also require
much of us. Consider, what does it cost in terms of energy,
devotion, concentration, sacrifice and discipline: to love another
person
to stay
patient
to show
kindness
to be generous
to remain
faithful
to maintain
self-control?
Paul announces the wonderful news that Christ has
set us free—and then he adds: “only do not use your freedom as an
opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to
one another.” SLAVES!! Too often we Americans have presumed that
freedom means self-indulgence. Paul says we are free to
become slaves to one another.
This tension between the freedom of the gospel and
the demands of the gospel led Soren Kierkegaard to observe: “It is
hard to believe because it is so hard to obey.”
So what’s your excuse? When Christ calls to come
and follow, what do you have to say? First let me bury my father?
Let me go and say goodbye to my spouse? I have children to raise?
I have a mortgage to pay? I just got accepted to college?
The real question is: Are we trying to fit
following Christ into our lifestyle—or are we trying to let
following Christ become our lifestyle? I repeat: Are we
trying to fit following Christ into our lifestyle—or are we trying
to let following Christ become our lifestyle?
Or another way to put it: Are you willing to live
without excuses? Forgiveness is another gospel paradox: It’s a
great blessing because it forever removes the burden of guilt and
recrimination. Forgiveness is also a challenge because it removes
all our old excuses. We can no longer say, “I’m not good enough to
follow Christ,” because Christ’s forgiveness now makes us new and
fresh and good enough. We have no valid excuse!
Frederick Buechner gets to the heart of this matter
of following Jesus Christ: Jesus didn’t say that any particular
ethic, doctrine or religion was the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
He said that he was. He didn’t say that it was by believing
or doing anything in particular that you could ‘come to the
Father.’ He said that it was only by him—by living, participating
in, being caught up by the way of life that he embodied, that was
his way...A Christian is one who is on the way.”
So I ask you: Are you “on the way?”
Are you “caught up by the way of life Christ embodied?”
I hope we will always be seen as a friendly church.
How we answer such questions will determine if we
are also a faithful church.
Amen
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June 20, 2010

Pentecost IV
Richard Holmer
First Reading: Isaiah 65:1-9
Second Reading: Galatians 3:23-29
Gospel: Luke 8:26-39
All of Us
It’s easy to get intimidated by some of the big words in
the bible. The person assigned to be the reader on Pentecost Sunday
can break into a sweat in anticipation of the challenges contained
in Acts 2: Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Phrygia, Pamphylia. Some words
are hard to pronounce, others are hard to understand, big,
theological terms like: justification, sanctification,
resurrection, apocalypse. And yet sometimes it’s not the big,
many-syllable words that challenge us, but little, simple,
single-syllable words – like the word “all.”
Listen again to these verses from our second reading today,
from Paul’s letter to the Galatians: “. . . you are all
children of God through faith . . .” “There is no longer Jew or
Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or
female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” So much for
all the distinctions and boundaries we have learned to draw! So
much for the way we have grown accustomed to seeing other people!
It’s time to open our eyes and start seeing the way God sees. God
doesn’t see Gentile or Jew, male or female, Lutheran or Catholic,
Republican or Democrat, rich or poor, white or Hispanic, American or
Iranian. God sees persons he created in his own image. God sees
people he sent his Son to save.
Paul urges the Galatians (and all of us) to see all
people with new eyes. His aim is not some form of political
correctness, but rather a change of heart. As Paul’s heart was
changed to see Gentiles as equal members of the covenant, so he
calls for a change in our hearts and minds. The good news is not
just for some of the people but for all the people.
And in order to fully participate in this good news- to live the
gospel – you and I need to see with new eyes.
When we look at other people, instead of focusing on
differences and distinctions, we need to see what we have in common,
our shared condition. That little word “all” shows up in lots of
places in the bible.
“All go to one place; all are from the dust,
and all turn to dust again.” Ecclesiastes 3:20 We are
all mortal. We all breathe the same air, and one day we all
will breathe it no more.
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God.” Romans 3:23 Sin is a universal human condition All of
us know what it is to do what we should not do, and to fail to do
what we should. Any talk of “bad people” and “good people”
blatantly ignores the reality that no one is truly good but God.
All are sinners.
“The eyes of all look to you, and you give them
their food in due season.” Psalm 145:12 We are all dependent.
None of us created our lives and none of us can sustain our lives.
All God’s creatures depend on their Creator. So the simple truth
is, we’re all in the same boat. And we’re all in steerage.
There’s no first or second class on this cruise. No one has any
special claim to privilege or status. As has been said, at the foot
of the cross the ground is very level – we all share an equal
footing.
Seeing that we all share a common condition, it’s important
to see that the grace of God is for all of us. God doesn’t
play favorites. God’s mercy isn’t just for some of us. We need to
see each and every person as one for whom Christ died.
*
“For as all die in Adam, so will all be made alive in
Christ.” I Corinthians 15:22
*
“The death he died, he died to sin, once for all.” Romans
6:10
*
God has made all people prisoners of disobedience, so that he
might show mercy to them all.” Romans 11:32
You see, God doesn’t love some of us all the time, or all
of us some of the time. God loves all of us, all the
time. God began with his chosen people, the children of Abraham and
Sarah. But from the very start, God’s plan was to bless all
people. Genesis 12:3 “through you I will bless all the
nations.”
Seeing with new eyes, seeing as God sees, seeing all people
as mortal, dependent sinners, seeing all people as loved by God –
changes the way we behave.
*
“If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one
member is honored, all rejoice together with it.” I
Corinthians 12:26. It’s no longer every man for himself. Instead,
there is an organic connectedness. We’re all part of one body. We
share both joys and sorrows. If anyone is enslaved, then none of us
is truly free.
*
“So far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
Romans 12:18. Jesus bluntly tells us there’s no gain in loving only
those who love us in return. We are to love all people, even
our enemies. This doesn’t mean approving or condoning the hurtful
things that others may do. It means loving them despite those
hurtful things.
*
“He died for all, so that those who live might live no longer
for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.” 2
Corinthians 5:15. This is the transforming insight. Once we see
that Christ died for all of us, we see everyone in a new
light. Recognizing that all are made worthy by the love of
God in Christ, we can no longer see ourselves or others the same
way. And we can no longer live for ourselves only.
*
It’s for this reason that Lutheran Social Services serves all
people – not just Lutherans.
*
Lutheran World Relief provides care for all kinds of people –
different nationalities and different religions.
*
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services settles refugees from
all backgrounds. (Mr. Pejman was a Kurdish Muslim).
That little word “all” compels us to widen our vision, and
to open wide our arms in compassionate care.
* * * *
Now, it must also be said: seeing as God sees doesn’t mean
overlooking or in any way condoning human sinfulness, cruelty and
depravity. Not at all. God’s love is not blind. To see with God’s
eyes is to see people as they are. Seeing that God’s grace is for
all people doesn’t mean “anything goes.” What it means is seeing
that no one is beyond the reach of God. No one is ineligible
for love and mercy. Seeing with new eyes doesn’t mean that
differences no longer exist. It does mean that God’s grace
transcends all differences, overcomes all barriers.
* * * *
Paul knew as well as anyone that, this side of heaven, our
vision will always be imperfect. We aim to see as God sees, to love
all people, all the time. But we fall short of this ideal. For now
we see “as in a mirror, dimly,” “as through a glass, darkly.” I
Corinthians 13:12. For now, we keep encouraging and reminding one
another to see with the eyes of Christ – and to live our lives for
his sake.
* * * *
A rabbi once put a question to his students: “How can you
recognize the time when night ends and day begins?”
“Is it when, from a great distance, you can tell a dog from
a sheep?” one student proposed.
“No,” said the rabbi.
“Is it when, from a distance, you can tell a date palm from
a fig tree?” another suggested.
“No,” said the rabbi.
“Then when is it?” they asked.
“It is when you look into the face of any human creature
and you see your brother or sister. Until then, it is still night.”
Let us pray.
Gracious God and Father of us all, you are above all and
through all and in all. Give us eyes to see as you see, so we
recognize all people as fellow sinners for whom Christ died.
Change our hearts, so that instead of seeking to draw boundaries
that exclude, we become instruments of your transforming grace. We
ask this in the name of the one in whom all things hold together,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
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June 13, 2010
Pentecost 3
First Reading: 2 Samuel 11:26--12:10, 13-15
Second Reading: Galatians 2:15-21
Gospel: Luke 7:36--8:3
Today was our
annual Youth Service. High School Youth filled our servant
positions: acolyte, greeters, ushers, communion assistants and
lectors. Amanda Beacham delivered an insightful Children's
Sermon on forgiveness. Recent high school grads, Allison
Beacham, Rachel Cotey and Megan Moore, delivered faith stories at the
sermon time. They touched our hearts with their honesty and
sincerity. During the offering, Rachel Cotey moved all with her rendition of "Draw
Me Close to You." It was a blessed morning!
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June 6, 2010

Pentecost 2
Richard Holmer
First Reading: 1 Kings 17:17-24
Second Reading: Galatians 1:11-24
Gospel: Luke 7:11-17
Life Meets Death
Back in 1965 I was a freshman in high school.
That was the time when the war in Vietnam began to escalate.
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers were sent into combat. And,
inevitably, hundreds – and then thousands- of them came home in
flag-draped coffins. The televised coverage of that war made the
violence and devastation especially vivid. I was well aware that
the soldiers who were dying were just a few years older than I was.
Their lives were cut short when they were really just beginning. It
was all very sad- and also intimidating because back then there was
a military draft system. In my freshman English class that year we
did a unit on poetry. A poem, by Carl Sandburg, who was born in
Illinois, made a lasting impression on me. The poem’s simple title
belies its potent message:
Grass
Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo.
Shovel them under and let me work—
I am the grass; I cover all.
And pile them high at Gettysburg
And pile them high at Ypres and Verdun.
Shovel them under and let me work.
Two years, ten years, and the passengers ask the conductor:
What place is this?
Where are we now?
I am the grass.
Let me work.
These days soldiers are fighting and dying in another war.
There always seems to be another war. Of course, war is not the
only cause of death. Death is as relentless in peacetime as in
war. Just about all of us have experienced the death of someone
very close to us- someone who shaped our days, someone who once
exuded goodness and vitality. Just yesterday we had a memorial
service here for Sven Jorgensen, who lived a rich and full life for
75 years.
Our readings today tell the sad stories of two widows: the
widow of Zarepath and the widow of Nain. The burden of each of
these widows was compounded by the death of her only son. Imagine
the grief and pain of losing first a husband, and then your only
child. Death is heartless and cruel.
Death is also relentless. The mortality rate is the same
today as it ever was: 100%. We know all too well that death
doesn’t happen to some of us – it happens to all of us.
Yet this is not all we know.
We also know that in Christ, God, who creates life, redeems
and restores life. Jesus did many things in his time here on
earth. He was a generous friend, a wonderful teacher, a powerful
preacher. Yet his central focus, his prime purpose is to bring
life.
John 3:16 has been called the gospel in miniature, the
whole mission in a single verse: “For God so loved the world that he
gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not
perish but may have eternal life.”
Jesus said quite explicitly: “I came that they may have
life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10.
The Easter season is over, but as followers of Christ we
never get too far away from the resurrection. We worship on the
first day of the week because this is the day Christ rose victorious
from the grave. We are an Easter people – every Sunday is a
celebration of life and victory over death.
* * * *
Today’s gospel is the story of an encounter that took place
before Christ’s resurrection – yet it is an Easter story because it
tells of an encounter between the powers of death and the power of
Christ. It’s a story of two processions – try to picture this
scene. Jesus and his disciples are headed for the town of Nain. A
large crowd followed along behind them. As they approached the city
gate, this large and lively procession was met by a funeral
procession, heading out of the city for a burial. The procession of
life runs smack into the procession of death. Jesus sees the
grieving widow, on her way to bury her only son next to her husband,
and he has compassion for her. He says to her, “Do not weep.”
(Which also has the spirit of Easter about it.)
Then Jesus does something extraordinary. Jewish ritual
laws forbade touching a corpse or even the funeral bier. To do so
would make a person unclean. Their understanding was that death
would contaminate and diminish any living thing that came in contact
with it. Actually, we have this same instinctive reaction to dead
things, whether animals or humans. We are reluctant to touch them.
So what does Jesus do? He reaches out and touches the
funeral bier! He defies the ritual conventions and turns the
prevailing wisdom on its head! Jesus says: “Young man, I say to
you, rise!” - as if it was the most natural thing a person could
say or do. Instead of being defiled by the contagion of death, life
flows from Christ to the dead son, and he restores the life that had
been lost. That day, Jesus saved not only the son, but also the
mother, because in that culture without a living male relative, she
would have been doomed to poverty and destitution. Life meets death
– and life is triumphant.
We hear such stories, and something within us says, “Yes,
but...” Yes, but what about my son, my mother, my husband, my
friend???
*
We know that Jesus did not raise all who died in his time.
Nor did he heal all who were sick. Full disclosure is that even
those whom Jesus did heal and did raise would all eventually die.
*
In our own time, we know very well that God does not
intervene to rescue all who are in peril.
*
You and I are living in the between time – the time between
Christ’s rising and his second coming, when all will be raised to
life. We experience Christ’s promise of abundant life as an
“already” and a “not yet.” We are already alive in Christ, touched
by his grace, filled with the Spirit. At the same time, we are not
yet free from the reality of death, not yet resurrected.
The
reaction of the crowd in this gospel story is instructive. They are
at first scared by what happens (who wouldn’t be?), but ultimately
they are thankful. We don’t hear any one saying to Jesus: “Why her
son and not mine?” “Why not my wife or my father?” Instead what
they say is: “God has looked favorably on his people.” (Note: not
“this widow” but “his people”) The crowd sees this miracle not as a
particular, individual blessing, but a shared blessing – a gift to
all the people, a sign of god’s grace which will finally encompass
us all.
* * * *
So it is for us. We trust the promise that in Christ, all
will be made alive. Our resurrection to eternal life is still to
come, but meanwhile we experience renewed and redeemed life as God’s
faithful people, living together in peace and joy.
The compassion of Christ that gives life and hope is
evident in this congregation – especially in the face of death.
Christ was alive here yesterday at the service for Sven and the
luncheon that followed. I’m not being sentimental. The powers of
death are met squarely by the powers of life in Christ. The love,
the peace, the compassion, the hope that are shared here are more
than mere wishful thinking. They are the expression of vibrant,
abundant life.
I have seen this time and again in this congregation, in
the aftermath of devastating and tragic deaths. There’s more to it
than nice people being polite. It is the resounding “nevertheless”
of the life we share in Jesus Christ.
* * * *
You and I live together by faith, encouraged and supported
by the life of Christ. We don’t hide from death or deny its
presence. But we also refuse to be intimidated or overwhelmed by
death. Yes, we are all mortal creatures. We know we are dust and
to dust we shall all return. Yet we are also children of God – and
so we are heirs of eternal life. We learned to sing this truth as
children: “We are weak, but he is strong.”
Death says: Shovel them under. I am the grass. Let me
work.
Jesus says: I am the Lord of Life. Let me work.
The day will come when Jesus will speak to us as he did to
the widow’s son: “I say to you, rise.” And we shall.
Thanks be to God!
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May 30, 2010

Holy Trinity
Richard Holmer
First Reading: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
Second Reading: Romans 5:1-5
Gospel: John 16:12-15
Goodness That Endures
This world never lacks for troubles. Crude oil continues
to gush into the Gulf of Mexico – an environmental catastrophe on a
frightening scale. On this Memorial Day weekend, soldiers and
civilians continue to die in Iran and Afghanistan, in wars that have
no end in sight. Hundreds of thousands are still homeless in Haiti
in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. The global economy is
still on a shaky footing, still coping with the fallout of a major
recession. The State of Illinois is billions of dollars in debt –
unable to meet obligations to social service agencies and
universities. Of course we have personal struggles as well:
illness, grief, unemployment, stress, disappointment. Despite any
outward appearances, nobody lives a life totally free of burdens and
pain.
In order that troubles do not overwhelm us – and our
disappointments devolve into despair – we need to remember the
good news. And today, St. Paul is the man with an encouraging
word. In the opening verses of Romans 5, Paul reminds us that amid
all the things going wrong in our world and in our lives, there are
some things that are both very right and very good. Can you stand
some good news?
For starters, “we are justified by faith.” - not might be
/ could be / will be – we are justified. That is, we are
right with God. The burden of sin and guilt is lifted from us. We
have been transformed from enemies of God into friends of God. We
have been declared “not guilty,” “fully pardoned.” There is no long
“to do list”, no make up work, no hoops to jump through for any of
us. We are not obliged to find excuses for our shortcomings, or to
rationalize our mistakes, or to somehow justify our existence.
There is nothing that you and I have to do or accomplish to be
deemed worthy of being loved by God.
The wonderful news is that we are loved by God –
right now. And his love covers a multitude of sins. God has shown
his love for us, emphatically and unequivocally, in the life, death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our faith in Jesus, our trust in
his love and forgiveness, opens our lives to this blessing of
justification. What a relief to realize we are blessed not because
of who we are – but because of who God is. And there’s more
. . .
“We have peace with God.” People will often say, “I just
want to be happy.” This longing for happiness is quite natural. No
one has to teach you to like ice cream, or compel you to enjoy a
beautiful summer day. Yet we know happiness can be fleeting –
because happiness depends on pleasant circumstances (money for ice
cream, good weather). Peace isn’t quite like happiness. Peace may
not be as exciting as happiness – yet what peace lacks in ecstasy it
more than makes up for by its endurance. Peace abides through all
the peaks and valleys, all the triumphs and tragedies that come our
way. Happiness can be fickle – peace is constant. Ultimately, is
not peace what our spirits crave? God gives us a peace this world
cannot give – a peace that is ours to enjoy, and also a peace we can
share (as we do here at worship).
Furthermore, we stand in the grace of God. Grace is our
solid foundation. What we could never expect to earn or deserve is
God’s free and gracious gift: life itself, and all that makes life
worth living. None of us made the sun come up this morning, or kept
our hearts beating while we slept, or caused a single flower to
bloom. Grace is the sheer giftedness – not only of salvation – but
of life itself. This is the truth that sets us free – free from
guilt and fear, yes – and also free from the need to impress anyone
or prove our worth. We’re free, instead, to enjoy the goodness of
creation, to love others as we are loved, to be a blessing.
And, we have hope. Where would we be without it? We hope
for many things in the near term: to get home safely, to get over
an illness, to get a job or a promotion. Yet the great hope we have
in common, the hope that sustains us over the long term, is the hope
Paul speaks of as “our hope of sharing the glory of God.” What
exactly is that all about?
Certainly the hope of sharing the glory of God is an
anticipation of being at home in heaven forever with God. This is
the resurrection promise of ultimate victory over sin and pain and
death. It is this hope that upholds us in times of suffering and
grief. This hope was like life-giving water to me during my
mother’s decline and death. At the same time, our hope is not only
for the life to come. Way back in the second century, Irenaeus
observed: “The glory of God is a human being fully alive.” The
hope that invigorates us is this hope of being fully alive – as
alive as Jesus was here on earth: vibrant in body, mind and spirit
– alive to the goodness of God around us and within us. We don’t
have to wait until we die to share the glory of God.
What makes our Christian faith credible to me is the way it
blends the joyful promise of the Gospel with a consistent realism.
Christianity is not merely a religion of optimism and positive
thinking. Consistent with what we find in the Bible, Christians are
honest about the realities of suffering and sin and death. Faith is
not and invitation to pretend that I’m OK, you’re OK,
everything’s OK. Yet faith is that assurance, that confidence, that
because God is good, suffering does not have the final word – or the
power to quench God’s spirit in our lives.
Instead, as Paul tells it, suffering produces endurance.
It’s been said, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” That’s
not exactly Paul’s point, but he does assure us that running the
race, persevering, builds stamina. Seeing our suffering in light of
what Christ suffered gives reason to carry on. Paul continues:
“endurance produces character.” I appreciate a phrase Pastor Eugene
Peterson uses to describe the life of discipleship: “a long
obedience in the same direction.” Christian character is formed and
deepened over the long haul.
Paul concludes: “and character produces hope.” Elsewhere,
Paul describes hope as a spiritual gift, bestowed by God. Yet here
he reminds us that hope also has the quality of a virtue – a human
capacity that’s developed over time. It’s as though you and I need
to learn to make room in our lives for the blessing of hope. Hope
is an essential quality of mature, Christian character.
And, as Paul emphasizes: this “hope does not disappoint
us.” All our human wishes and dreams don’t come true, but our hope
in Christ is not like that. We aren’t being set up for a big
let-down! Christ is already risen! He has overcome the world and
its injustice, corruption and contradiction. You and I have already
received the Holy Spirit, the Spirit Paul once described as God’s
down payment on all his promises. “God’s love has been
poured into our hearts” – this is not a possibility, but a reality.
You and I have been given the greatest of gifts: faith, hope and
love – blessings that will endure when everything else turns to
dust. This trio of blessings is brought to us by the God who is so
great he comes to us in Three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
– the living Holy Trinity.
On this Trinity Sunday, I remind you that the Trinity is
not an abstract doctrine to be explained – it is a holy mystery to
be embraced and celebrated. The wondrous mystery is that this great
and glorious God loves us – and is determined to have us as his own.
Therefore, let us be at peace
be hopeful
be joyful
be grateful.
In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Amen.
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May 23, 2010

Pentecost
Richard Holmer
First Reading: Acts 2:1-24
Second Reading: Romans 8:14-17
Gospel: John 15:8-17
To Speak for God
The
events of Pentecost are a powerful reminder that God will not be
silent. A vital aspect of our faith is that we believe in a God who
speaks. The bible begins with the story of how God spoke the whole
creation into being. “God said, ‘Let there be light.’, and there
was light.” God spoke words of judgment and justice, as well as
words of compassion and mercy through his prophets: “Thus says the
Lord...” Then God spoke most clearly and powerfully through his
Son, Jesus Christ – the Word made flesh.
Some
presumed that God’s Word could be silenced by nailing him to a
cross. But God raised Jesus from the dead, and he came to his own,
speaking the blessing of “Peace.” Even as Jesus was about to return
to his Father in heaven, he assured his disciples that the Holy
Spirit would come to them, the Spirit that would “teach them
everything and remind them of all that he had said to them.” Ten
days after the Ascension, God sent the promised Holy Spirit on the
Day of Pentecost.
On
that day God spoke loudly and clearly, not through a single voice,
not even in a single language – but through many voices and many
languages. All the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, and
what did they do? They began to speak! They began to speak, not
about themselves, but about God. What they began to tell the crowd,
in many languages, so all could understand, was:
“God’s deeds of power”
“the great things God has done”
“the mighty acts of God.”
They
announced to all who would listen the love of God made known in
Jesus Christ, the gospel of repentance and forgiveness, the truth
that sets us free. The words God gave them to speak were compelling
and persuasive. That very day of Pentecost 3,000 people became
baptized believers.
On
this anniversary of Pentecost, I remind you that God still calls and
empowers us to speak. The speaking that’s called for has nothing to
do with our personal views, preferences or opinions. This world is
filled to overflowing with things people have to say about
themselves. Consider the tidal wave of verbiage that is unleashed
on a daily basis through endless blogs, tweets, texts, emails and
voice messages. Today people have so many ways to say something –
and apparently very little worth saying.
This
world doesn’t need to hear more about us (or about Paris Hilton or
Donald Trump or Lady Gaga). But the world surely needs to hear more
of God:
-
more truly good news
-
more unvarnished truth
-
more reason to hope
What
people need to hear from you and me is not:
-
“Our God is better than your God.”
-
“I have something you don’t have.”
-
“Believe like I do – or else.”
Nor do people need to hear anything like:
-
“One god is as good as another.”
-
“Believe whatever works for you.”
Instead what needs to be said is things like:
*
There is a God above all the pretenders, above all the
false gods (including yours and mine).
*
There is a God who is the Creator of heaven and earth, the
author and giver of life.
*
This God is awesome and powerful – not to be trifled with –
and this God demonstrates his power chiefly in showing mercy, in his
infinite patience, his steadfast faithfulness.
*
Let us speak of a God who knows us intimately, because he
has lived on earth as one of us.
*
A God who cares for each of us personally, who is
acquainted with our joys and sorrows.
*
Let us tell others of a God who has high hopes for us – and
who, therefore, also has high expectations of us.
*
A God who thinks more highly of us than we think of
ourselves (as hard as that may be to imagine).
*
A God whose ways are higher than our ways, who does not
embrace our selfish priorities – yet encourages us to share his.
*
A God who can be trusted – who insists on being trusted
above all else (because to trust anything or anyone more than God is
a sure path to disappointment and despair).
*
Let us learn to speak humbly: as God’s ambassadors, not as
self-appointed authorities. Yet let us be sure to speak
unapologetically on behalf of God’s genuine wisdom and authority.
Let us never be ashamed of the Gospel. Let us not be embarrassed to
bear the name of Jesus Christ.
* * * *
Pentecost is a moving story about power – God’s power.
It’s not our power. St. Paul describes it this way: “We have this
treasure in earthen vessels to show that the transcendent power
belongs to God, and not to us.” It’s God’s power – yet it is shared
with us that we might be instruments of God’s grace and peace – and
power. The Pentecost story teaches us not to over-estimate
our own capabilities, and to never under-estimate the
power of God. God intends to speak – to make his will known. And
God wants to speak through us, his people.
Because of Pentecost, speaking for God is no longer the
vocation of a chosen few. God has now poured out his Spirit on all
believers, through Holy Baptism: on men and women, young and old,
rich and poor, the privileged and the oppressed.
Now, it’s not that everyone should start preaching
sermons. Yet every Christian has something to tell about
God. If you believe in God, if you know the story of Jesus, if you
have experienced the wonder of forgiveness, if grace has touched
your life, if hope is alive in your heart – you certainly have
something to say, good news to share. Every committed Christian has
a faith story. Pentecost is our commissioning to tell those
stories.
Over the past two years, about 20 of our fellow members
have shared some of their faith stories. These stories have been
very different in both form and content – yet each one has been a
powerful and moving testimony. The “Speaking of Faith” series is
one of the best things we are doing as a congregation. Each
offering is a blessing to those who do the telling – and to us who
get to listen in.
Our hope when we began this series was that, bit by bit,
members would (A) get comfortable with the notion that they have a
faith story of their own and (B) find an opportunity to share it
(not necessarily here at church, but perhaps with friends or family
– or even with someone who doesn’t know the goodness of God.)
God has a lot to say that people need to hear – yet how
will God be heard unless you and I open our mouths? This is serious
business! The world is flooded with information – yet what people
are thirsty for is news of a God who cares, who heals, who forgives,
who won’t forsake us. We can’t duck this responsibility because
we’re shy or because we’re Lutheran, or because we’re not good with
words. When Old Testament prophets like Moses or Amos or Jonah
tried to get out of speaking for God, they soon learned God wouldn’t
take no for an answer. Jesus assures us that when the time comes to
speak, the Holy Spirit will give us the right words to say.
Just as the Spirit of God opens our minds to understand
what we read in the pages of the bible, and opens our hearts to
believe and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior – so that same
Holy Spirit has power to open our mouths to speak of what God has
done and what God is continuing to do in our lives and in this
world.
The wonderful promise at Pentecost is that “everyone who
calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Isn’t that good
news! But how can someone call on a God whom they do not know, with
whom they are unacquainted, a God they’ve never heard of or heard
from? And how will they know God is for real, how will they hear of
God – unless you and I are willing to speak?
Faith comes through hearing, so we better start speaking of
God.
Amen
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May 16, 2010
Easter 7
First Reading: Acts 16:16-34
Second Reading: 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21
Gospel: John 17:20-26
Rev. Paul Hanson,
Director of the Fund for Leaders in Mission of the ELCA, was our
guest pastor today. He shared how we are all forgiven and
freed sinners.
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May 9, 2010

Easter 6
Richard Holmer
First Reading: Acts 16:9-15
Second Reading: Rev. 21:10, 22-22:5
Gospel: John 14:23-29
As a way of summarizing what they learned over the past
year, I asked our confirmation students to reflect on a series of
questions. One of the questions was:
“What difference does it make in your life to be a
Christian?”
There were a number of interesting responses, including
these three:
*
“I’m never alone – I always have God to back me up.”
*
“It makes me always feel comfortable in any situation.”
*
“The difference is Christianity gives me peace – peace of
mind.”
None of these is earth shaking news – yet they all point to
a significant blessing. They all describe a peace that this world
cannot give.
Today’s gospel reading comes from that long section in
John’s gospel called the farewell discourses. The scene is the last
supper Jesus shares with his disciples – where he tells them he is
going away and tries to prepare them for the days to come. Needless
to say, the disciples are very distressed at the thought of being on
their own, without Jesus. They had been together almost constantly
for three years, and now they feel they are about to be abandoned.
Who will look after them? Who will be their strength, their leader,
their teacher, their guide?
Jesus senses their growing sense of panic, so he goes to
great lengths to reassure them. Several times he says to his
friends: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” “Do not let them be
afraid.” He promises the blessing peace. Even as he is leaving,
Jesus tells of the Holy Spirit’s coming – the Spirit which gives the
peace the world cannot give.
As Jesus demonstrated in his own life, God doesn’t remove
all the troubles of the world – God doesn’t provide an escape from
stress and turmoil. Instead, God provides peace in the presence of
troubles. God’s grace enables us to keep our balance in this topsy
– turvy world. God strengthens us to stand when things are falling
down and falling apart around us. God gives a peace that is beyond
human understanding.
German pastor and theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
experienced the peace of God – even as he suffered in a Nazi prison
during World War II. Bonhoeffer was one of a group of German
conspirators who attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler – in hope of
ending the horrors brought about by his regime. When the plot
failed, Bonhoeffer was arrested and imprisoned. During his time in
prison, Bonhoeffer continued to write, and functioned as a kind of
unofficial chaplain to his fellow inmates. Toward the end of 1943,
he wrote a prayer/poem that has the quality of a psalm. He prays on
his own behalf, and for fellow prisoners. He thanks God for the
gift of peace, and asks God to keep giving this gift to sustain them
all.
“O God, early in the morning I cry
to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you;
I cannot do this alone.
In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace;
In me there is bitterness, but with your there is
patience;
I do not understand your ways,
But you know the way for me.
O heavenly Father,
I praise and thank you
For the peace of the night;
I praise and thank you for this new day;
I praise and thank you for all your goodness
and faithfulness throughout my life.
You have granted me many blessings;
Now let me also accept what is hard
from your hand.
You will lay on me no more
than I can bear.
You make all things work together for good
for your children.
Lord Jesus Christ,
You were poor
and in distress, a captive and forsaken as I am.
You know all man’s troubles;
You abide with me
when all men fail me;
You remember and seek me;
It is your will that I should know you
and turn to you.
Lord, I hear you call and follow;
Help me.
O Holy Spirit,
Give me faith that will protect me
from despair, from passions, and from vice;
Give me such love for God and men
as will blot out all hatred and bitterness;
Give me the hope that will deliver me
from fear and faint-heartedness.
O holy and merciful God,
my Creator and Redeemer,
my Judge and Saviour,
You know me and all that I do.
You hate and punish evil without respect of persons
in this world and the next;
You forgive the sins of those
who sincerely pray for forgiveness;
You love goodness, and reward it on this earth
with a clear conscience,
and, in the world to come,
with a crown of righteousness.
I remember in your presence all my loved ones,
my fellow-prisoners, and all who in this house
perform their hard service;
Lord, have mercy.
Restore me to liberty,
and enable me so to live now
that I may answer before you and before men.
Lord, whatever this day may bring,
Your name be praised.
Amen.
Surely, if a person can experience peace even as a captive of the
cruel and inhuman Nazis, you and I can know peace in whatever
challenging circumstances we may face. Peace is one of the fruits
of the Holy Spirit, along with love, joy, patience, kindness,
generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. God sent the
Holy Spirit to comfort the disciples in the absence of Jesus. God
sent his Spirit to sustain Bonhoeffer in that Nazi prison. God
sends the same Spirit to be our strength and our peace.
Here
is something intriguing to ponder: The Spirit that brings peace and
blessed assurance is also the Spirit that disturbs us and stirs us
from apathy – the Spirit that makes us hungry for justice and
empowers us to act on behalf of those in need.
You
could fairly say that it was the Holy Spirit that landed Bonhoeffer
in jail in the first place. When the Second World War was looming
on the horizon, Bonhoeffer was safe and out of harm’s way – teaching
at Union Seminary in New Your City. He could have safely stayed
there until the war was over – as several friends encouraged him to
do. Instead, he felt the Spirit calling him to return to his
homeland in its dark hour – and to try to be a light in the
darkness. When so many were intimidated into going along with
Hitler and his evil schemes, Bonhoeffer was led by the Holy Spirit
to resist. His resistance finally cost him his life.
To be
a Christian, to have the Holy Spirit, is to know a kind of peace and
serenity that this world cannot give.
It is
also to have a passion for justice and goodness that will not allow
you to sit idly by while others are abused, oppressed, neglected.
The
Spirit that gives peace to our souls is the same Spirit that speaks
in our conscience and causes us to move beyond our comfort zone to
do works of justice and mercy.
It is
the very Spirit that we have come to know and love in Jesus. Jesus
was always very grounded, confident, unintimidated and at peace –and
at the same time passionately involved in defying evil and showing
mercy to those who were oppressed. He was at once calm and
passionate- serene and zealous.
By
giving us the Holy Spirit, God provides what you and I need to live
as disciples. Through his spirit, Jesus gives us a peace like his
own – peace to enter into the troubles and difficulties of the
world, and yet remain balanced, calm, and focused. Jesus once told
his friends not to worry about what to say when they faced times of
trial, when they were put to the test. He assured them that when
the time came, the Spirit would provide the words they needed.
You
and I need to learn what those first disciples finally came to
understand: That following Christ is not so much a matter of will
power as it is TRUST: Trusting the Holy Spirit to provide what is
needed to do what we are called to do. In other words, the strength
for the journey isn’t given before taking the first step, but
as we actually start taking those steps.
St. Paul
calls it walking by faith, not by sight.
You
will recall, the Hebrews had no idea how they were going to cross
the Red Sea when they were fleeing from Pharaoh’s army. There was
no bridge. They had no boats. God provided a way. Likewise, they
didn’t have nearly enough provisions to make it through the
wilderness all the way to the Promised Land. They had to learn to
trust God to provide.
Fred
Craddock observes: “The Holy Spirit does for us what Jesus did for
the disciples.”
The
Spirit gives us peace to endure in a troubled and unpredictable
world. And the Spirit gives us faith and courage to work for peace
and justice for all God’s people in this world.
Amen
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May 2, 2010

Easter 5
Richard Holmer
First
Reading: Acts 11:1-18
Second
Reading: Revelation 21:1-6
Gospel: John 13:31-35
Known for Loving
What’s the public image of Christians these days? What
impressions does the average man in the street have of those who
follow Jesus? The results of a recent poll are not encouraging. A
majority of those polled describe Christians as:
intolerant
narrow minded
judgmental
self righteous
self serving
Of course public opinion can be inaccurate, but that’s the
perception that’s out there. Religion is viewed by many not as an
asset, but as the cause of many problems. Critics point to the
hostilities between Catholics & Protestants in Northern Ireland.
The suspicion & violent antagonism between Christians & Muslims.
Jonathan Swift, who wrote Gulliver’s Travels, once
observed: “We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not
enough to make us love.” History provides plenty of supporting
evidence.
We Christians have an image problem. It’s not just the
Pope or some disgraced televangelist. Many are dubious about
Christians in general.
Now our mission is not to get favorable reviews and
accolades. We don’t need some sort of high-powered public relations
campaign to restore our image. We can dismiss the perceptions of
outsiders as prejudiced or uninformed.
Nevertheless, it is Jesus who says: “By this everyone will
know you are my followers, if you have love for one another.”
Jesus makes love the standard by which you and I are to be
measured. The Beatles once sang: “All You Need Is Love.” Love may
not be all we need, but it is at the top of the list of essentials.
Love is not abstract. We know love when we see it, when we
experience it. We also know when it is lacking – when we or others
are unloved. In the news recently there was a sad story of a
Good Samaritan who became a victim. Surveillance cameras recorded
how a man attempted to rescue a woman who was being mugged on the
street. The assailant turned on this man and severely wounded him
with a knife. Subsequently, numerous individuals came upon this
man, bleeding on the sidewalk. They stopped to look & hurried on.
No one helped. No one even called 911. The man bled to death.
We learn from the story Jesus tells of a Samaritan that
love is a verb – an action word, love is an activity – something we
do. Too often, we turn love into an inactive, inert noun by
idealizing or romanticizing it. Just about everyone is in favor of
the idea of love: love as the gold standard, love as something
worthy & good, something to which we aspire.
Poet Ursula LeGuin reminds us of the true nature of love:
“Love just doesn’t sit there like a stone; it has to be made, like
bread, remade all the time, made now.” Ponder that image: love as
home-baked bread.
You can’t just buy it at the store.
You have to plan to make it.
You need the basic ingredients & the time.
You put in the effort that results in a shared blessing.
Both those who give and receive, those who bake and those
who eat are blessed. Is it any wonder Jesus said: “I am the Bread
of Life?”
For us as Christians, it’s not enough to “believe in love,”
to advocate love “as the best policy.” No one is going to argue
with that – or be very impressed by such belief.
To be worthy of the name Christian, you and I need to be
actively engaged in the serious, difficult, joyful, risky, ongoing
business of loving. Loving is not the same as “being nice.”
Nothing wrong with being nice, yet with Jesus as our model for
loving, it’s apparent that there’s more to it than being nice. The
story from our First Reading tells how Peter’s heart and mind were
stretched to include Gentiles in the Kingdom of God. Peter had to
go beyond what was comfortable and familiar to welcome those who had
always been viewed as unclean outsiders as brothers and sisters in
Christ.
On Friday we saw the production of “Les Miserables” at Lake
Forest High School. (great show) There’s a vivid tale of what love
is and what love costs – reminding us that to truly love someone is
to see the face of God.
* * *
As the poet says, love needs to be remade all the time –
made new. Fresh loaves need to be kneaded and baked. We all need
daily bread.
It is the nature and power of love to make things new – to
transform lives. The Lord says in our reading today from
Revelation: “See, I am making all things new.” The Book of
Revelation anticipates that time when love will finally rule in all
hearts – it will be the norm. All those thirsty for love will have
it in abundance.
You and I are meant to be heralds & signs of this promised
blessing. We are not supposed to just wait for God’s Kingdom to
come – we are called to do God’s will here on earth as it is in
heaven--by loving.
Why do we love? Because of Jesus. Jesus commands us to
love – but even more we love because he first loved us. We love
because we have experienced his goodness and grace. We have been
blessed.
If this is not true for you – we need to talk! You
can’t give what you have not received. Being commanded to love
without being loved is like being told to make bread without flour.
How do we love?
Like Jesus: love as I have loved you.”
Let’s be clear about what it means to say we are called to
be like Jesus. You and I are to be like Jesus:
*
not in saving the world (that’s his job)
*
not in working miracles
*
not by knowing all the answers
But by doing what we can do: by faithfully loving in
ordinary, everyday circumstances. Showing mercy, extending
compassion and forgiveness, walking the extra mile, paying
attention, taking the time to listen.
We are capable of great things – but that’s not all we
should look to accomplish. As Mother Teresa showed us, we can also
do small things with great love:
*
spending one afternoon a week with the kids at A J
Katzenmaier
*
being patient with your son our daughter – or with an aging
parent
*
driving a child to visit a mother who is in prison
*
reassuring your spouse of your love and support
*
visiting a fellow member in the hospital
*
making a phone call to let someone know you are thinking of
them.
* * *
Being a disciple, becoming like Jesus, is all about:
getting over yourself and all your issues and wishes and pet peeves,
and getting on with being a blessing to others--being a sign that
God really is good and God’s love is for real.
Here’s the truth: That which keeps us from our neighbor
keeps us from God. Are you feeling far from God? Out of touch?
Can’t seem to pray? Can’t feel the love? Try loving your neighbor.
Dorothy Day spoke the truth about us all: “I really only
love God as much as the person I love the least.”
This weekend I have the privilege of dog-sitting for the
Clemens golden retriever, Cooper. If you’ve met Cooper, you know
what a wonderful house guest he is. Hanging out with Cooper brought
to mind what a Christian monk said way back in the 4th
century: “a dog is better than I am, for he has love and does not
judge.”
Friends, if we can’t always be as good as Jesus – can we be
as good as a dog?
We will be known as Christ’s disciples by this: if we have
love for one another.
Amen
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April 25, 2010
Easter IV
Richard Holmer
First Reading: Acts 9:36-43
Second Reading: Rev. 7:9-17
Gospel: John 10:22-30
The sermon for this day was in pieces
throughout the worship service. Pastor Holmer explained parts
of the liturgy, which enrich our weekly Lutheran worship.
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April 18, 2010

Easter III
Richard Holmer
First Reading: Acts 9:1-6
Second Reading: Rev. 5:11-14
Gospel: John 21:1-19
Show Me
Each week our worship service ends with a commissioning.
The parting directive is:
“Go in peace. Serve the Lord.”
Sometimes this directive is more specific:
“Go in peace to follow Christ, make
disciples and live the gospel.”
Yet the essential message is unchanged: “Go in peace and
serve.”
Now in response, we certainly do “go” – everybody leaves.
I’m often the last one out of here on Sundays, so trust me –
everyone goes somewhere. And I suspect that many, if not all, go in
peace. We go in peace: our sins forgiven, having heard God’s word,
having been fed at His table. We go, reassured of God’s grace,
reminded that Christ is alive and with us, supported by the
fellowship of believers, our friends in Christ. If we have been
paying attention, we can go in peace.
Do we go to serve the Lord? That is, upon leaving this
place, this blessed and gracious time of peace – do we actually
manage to:
follow Christ?
make disciples?
live the gospel?
We’d have to say: “Not exactly.” “Not completely.” Not
as we ought.”
If we managed to serve the Lord faithfully and completely,
we might never need to come back. Yet we know we will be here next
Sunday, admitting our shortcomings and failures: not loving God
with our whole heart, not loving our neighbors as ourselves. We
know going out the door that we will fall short. We realize
we won’t get it right 100% of the time. The question is, knowing
this to be so, do we even bother to try?
At the start of his ministry, Jesus commissioned four
fishermen to be his disciples. The orders were brief and concise:
“Follow me.” And they did. Not perfectly. Sometimes reluctantly.
Sometimes at a distance. Sometimes rather awkwardly. But they did
it. They followed Jesus. After three years of following, they came
to the whirlwind of that final week in Jerusalem. At the Last
Supper Jesus gave them a number of final instruction. He washed
their feet and told them to do likewise. Then in a span of less
than 24 hours, Jesus was arrested, abused, crucified and buried.
The disciples were left dazed and confused and grieving. Then on
Sunday they were stunned again by news of Christ’s resurrection.
Their heads were spinning!
* * * * *
After all this emotional commotion, Peter decides to get
out of town. He decides to go fishing. He wanted to do something
familiar, something ordinary, something he knew how to do, something
he was doing before Jesus first came and said, “Follow me.” Peter
had followed Jesus through many ups and downs. That last week had
been a serious “downer.” At the last supper, Peter had sworn his
allegiance to Jesus, saying, “I will never forsake you.” Yet before
the sun came up the next day, Peter denied three times that he even
knew who Jesus was. He failed miserably in the clutch.
By the end of that fateful week Peter had to be tired, both
physically and emotionally, confused and guilty. Is it any wonder
that he wanted to get away, to be left alone? So he went fishing
back home in Galilee. The fishing wasn’t great. In fact, after
trying all night, they had caught nothing. After getting skunked
all night, who could that be in early morning light standing on
shore and calling out to them? It was the Lord. Once again, Jesus
had come to the lake shore, seeking them out. He shows them where
the fish are. He fixes breakfast for the whole crew.
You know, we’re all familiar with the “Last Supper” – I
wonder why we never speak of the “First Breakfast?” That’s what
this was. This was the first day of the rest of their lives. Jesus
fixes breakfast, letting them know that the great adventure isn’t
over – it’s just getting started.
After breakfast, Jesus has a on-on-one with Peter. Peter
may want to be left alone, but Jesus has something else in mind.
Three times Jesus asks, “Do you love me?” And each time Peter
affirms that he does, Jesus tells him: “Feed my lambs – tend my
sheep – take care of my flock.” He calls Peter to serve. And he
goes on to explain to Peter what it will cost: “You will stretch
out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and
take you where you do not wish to go . . .” The price of
faithfulness will be the same for Peter as it was for Jesus. It
will cost everything. And then Jesus repeats the first words he
ever spoke to Peter: “Follow me.” – those simple and compelling
words.
For us, Peter is the sure reminder that God uses ordinary,
imperfect people. It seems that is who God prefers to use! We can
see ourselves in Peter’s mood swings, his failure to follow through,
his guilt and inadequacy, his desire to be left alone, to be done
with it all. Yet just as he came looking for Peter, Jesus seeks us
out:
-
He meets us as we are.
-
He prepares a meal for us.
-
He forgives us and gives us his peace.
-
He cares for us – and he commissions us to care for others.
-
He calls us to serve, by following him, making disciples,
and living the gospel.
And so we do. I’ve seen the many ways you answer the call to serve:
-
Visiting the sick.
-
Parenting your sons and daughters.
-
Giving generously.
-
Serving on council and committees.
-
Teaching the children here and at A.J. Katzenmeier.
-
Feeding the hungry.
-
Sharing peace and forgiveness.
-
Making this a community where people can see Christ is alive.
The challenge, of course, is to keep on serving:
-
even when we get tired.
-
even when we get it wrong.
-
even when we are criticized.
-
even when no one seems to notice
-
even when we have done more than our share.
-
even when we wonder if it makes a difference.
-
even when others don’t pitch in .
-
even when we’d prefer to just be left alone.
Truth is, you and I will never be done serving, because
there will always be: sheep that need feeding, young lambs that
need tending, lost sheep that need reclaiming, wounded sheep that
need healing, lazy sheep that need prodding, frightened sheep that
need encouraging, straying sheep that need guiding.
Jesus asks a simple, straightforward question: “Do you
love me?”
When we answer, “Of course we love you, Jesus.”
He says to us, firmly and lovingly: “Show me.”
Amen
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April 11, 2010

Easter 2
Richard Holmer
First
Reading: Acts 5:27-32
Second
Reading: Revelation 1:4-8
Gospel: John
20:19-31
Believing
As Christians
we don’t believe in the Apostle’s Creed or the Nicene Creed.
Likewise, we don’t believe in the bible. Instead, we believe in
God. We believe in the God who speaks to us and is made known to us
through the scriptures. We believe in the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit, as we say each week in the creeds. The creeds express our
faith – they are not the focus of our faith.
Christians
have been described as Easter people. There is a Christian Church
because of what happened on Easter – because of the resurrection.
Easter faith, however, is not faith in the doctrine of resurrection
– it is faith in a person: the person of Jesus Christ.
Now please
don’t misunderstand or misquote me! The scriptures and doctrines
and creeds are valuable and needed – but ultimately, our
faith is in a person with a story, not in an idea or a
theology or a set of rules. (There will be no bibles or creeds in
heaven – no need)
This is why
the apostle Thomas wanted to see Jesus in person – just as all the
others had seen him in person on that first Easter evening. His
faith depended on Jesus – not on what others said about
Jesus. And so when Thomas came face to face with the risen Lord,
his immediate response was not: “These propositions of resurrection
must be true.” No, he responds in worship and adoration, saying:
“My Lord and my God!” His faith is personal and passionate – not
abstract or conceptual.
Our faith is
also personal. We don’t believe in a set of doctrines about Jesus,
we believe in Jesus. We believe even without benefit of seeing
Jesus with our own eyes. In a way we are like the blind man whom
Jesus heals in chapter 9 of John’s Gospel. Before ever laying eyes
on Jesus, that man comes to believe he is God’s son.
Jesus commends
such faith in the words he speaks to Thomas: “Have you believed
because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not
seen and yet have come to believe.”
This is the
whole purpose of John’s gospel, the entire aim of telling the Christ
story: not to share information, but to stimulate faith formation.
John puts his cards on the table quite openly: “these are written
so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son
of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.”
John doesn’t say: “so that you have to believe”, but “so that you
may come to believe”, so you have the opportunity to believe.
The gospels
are the window through which we can see and hear Jesus, we can
experience the reality of Jesus. They are not biographies that tell
us about Jesus. They are the good news of Jesus, providing direct
access to the person Jesus. You and I are afforded the opportunity
to believe, not in a system or a philosophy, but in this person, who
is Lord and Savior, God’s own Son come down to earth. And the
direct consequence of believing is a new kind of life – life in his
name, abundant life full of goodness and mercy.
All the same,
believing in Jesus is no easy thing. Thomas is hardly the only one
who had a hard time believing. It was difficult for all the
disciples. Recall our gospel story from last Sunday. The women
came running from the empty tomb with exciting news of Christ’s
resurrection – but those disciples could not believe it, not at
first. They dismissed this report as an idle tale.
Even with the
benefit of 20 centuries of hindsight, it can be hard for us to
believe today. We live in an age of science and technology, where
facts need to be tested and proven. We struggle to believe what we
can’t see. Faith is challenged by all the pain and suffering and
injustice that are ever present in this world. In our time there is
a surge of Atheism. A number of prominent authors have published
books aggressively determined to deny the reality of God and Jesus
Christ. These cultured despisers are quick to mock anyone who would
believe in a living, loving God.
Actually, for
those of us who claim the name “Christian”, atheism is not a great
threat. Few are tempted to stop believing altogether. The real
challenge is: Can I believe the whole thing? Can I depend on
all God’s promises? It’s tempting to hedge our bets a bit – to
hang back a little – to go part way- to wait and see.
Which is why I
want to return to a statement I quoted last Sunday. Peter Vardy
lays out the alternatives: “Either Christianity is true or it’s
false. What it cannot be is a little bit true.” That’s a path some
would like to follow: “I believe some of this Christian stuff –
just not all of it.” That option isn’t available to us. Christ
isn’t partially raised from the dead. There isn’t a vague and fussy
middle ground where we can abide. It’s true or false. And Vardy
continues: “If it is true, then it demands that everything take
second place to living our relationship with God.”
This is the
truly hard part about believing: believing in God, believing Christ
is alive has consequences! John says that through believing we have
life in Christ’s name – which is a rich and tremendous blessing, a
life full of grace.
Yet to live in
Christ’s name is also a tremendous challenge.
*
Consider those first disciples. As they came to believe, they were
transformed. They took on the awesome responsibility of continuing
Christ’s mission: going into all the world to make disciples. Our
First Reading from Acts tells how Peter and John defied the
authorities – the same authorities who had Jesus crucified. Peter
and John say: “We must obey God rather than any human authority.”
Ultimately, such defiant faith cost most of the apostle’s their
lives. Christian history is filled with stories of those who were
willing to die for their faith.
*
You and I may not face any threats on our lives for believing, but
believing still means living against the flow. Believing means
going against the usual ways of this world.
Consider two instances from today’s gospel.
A.
The risen Jesus comes speaking Peace. Over and over Jesus seeks to
assure his followers that he comes not to reprimand them, but to
bring peace. You and I are called to believe in this peace that the
world can’t give. And believing means living our lives in that
peace. It means keeping our heads when everyone around us is losing
theirs. It means refusing to operate with the anxiety this world
generates. It means being willing to keep Sabbath – trusting that
it all doesn’t depend on what we are able to do, trusting God to
provide. It means refusing to buy into all the frivolous appetites
that this world proposes. It involves living as active instruments
of God’s peace, bringing light and joy where there is darkness and
despair.
B.
The other thing the Risen Jesus speaks of is forgiveness. “If you
forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them.” Getting
forgiveness is great – yet in order to truly receive it, we must
acknowledge that we need it: admitting our failures, in-
completeness, and self-centeredness. And we can only be blessed by
forgiveness when we are willing to extend it to others. Forgiving
is risky and costly business. It includes loving enemies, blessing
those who persecute us, setting aside all notions of getting even.
It is an absolute contradiction to say something like: “Oh I
believe in Jesus – I just don’t believe in forgiving everyone.” (We
may not ever say such a thing – we might just think it.)
Dietrich
Bonhoeffer reminds us of the responsibility that comes with
believing: “Only the one who believes obeys, and only the one who
obeys believes.”
It’s hard
alright!
Which brings
to mind one of Martin Luther’s crucial insights: That we can’t
believe by our own strength. That believing is not a matter of
intellectual assent or rational choice. “I believe that I
cannot by my own understanding or effort believe in Jesus Christ
my Lord, or come to him.” Faith is the working of the Holy Spirit.
Which is why Jesus gives the gift of the Holy Spirit as his parting
gift: “Receive the Holy Spirit.” You and I can’t believe without
it!
Believing is a
blessed and tenuous endeavor. Authentic faith can be a fragile
thing – just like love. It’s strong, yet vulnerable (like a finely
spun spider web).
To love is
always to expose yourself to disappointment.
To believe is
to step into the unknown, to break new ground.
Fortunately,
our faith is not in our faith or in ourselves. We are saved not by
our beliefs, but by the One on whom our faith depends: Jesus Christ
our Lord.
Amen
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Easter
April 4, 2010
Richard Holmer
First
Reading: Acts 10:34-43
Second
Reading: I Corinthians 15:19-26
Gospel: Luke
24:1-12
Ifs and Buts
“If Christ is
risen, then nothing else matters. If Christ is not risen, then
nothing else matters.” So wrote theologian and church historian
Jaroslov Pelikan.
Resurrection
from the dead is an iffy proposition. It is certainly an
appealing notion. (It beats the alternative.) Yet science,
experience and close observation lend no real support to it. Most
of us have attended many funerals – but none of us has witnessed
anything like resurrection.
St. Paul
understood the “iffiness” that arises when it comes to life after
death. He addresses this topic at great length in chapter 15 of 1st
Corinthians. In those verses Paul raises many “ifs”, including:
-
“if
there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been
raised” (15:13)
-
“if
Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain
and your faith has been in vain” (15:14)
-
“if
Christ has not been raised, then your faith is futile and you are
still in your sins” (15:17)
-
“if
the dead are not raised, ‘let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we
die.’” (15:32)
Quite simply,
if Christ has not been raised from the dead, then death is the last
word for us all. Our life then does begin to resemble “a tale told
by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” We keep
busy killing time before time finally kills us. At best, we look
for ways to distract our minds from the depressing truth that we are
food for worms.
If
there is no resurrection, then all those saints out there in the
memorial garden will never be more than ashes. And our prospects
aren’t any better. St. Paul draws out the implications of the
proposition “if Christ is not raised” through the first 19 verses of
chapter 15, where we pick it up today in our second reading. “if
for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people
most to be pitied.” (15:19)
But then Paul
can’t bear this mood of skepticism, this existential angst and
futility any longer. So he shifts gears abruptly at verse 20. From
being “of all people most to be pitied,” Paul leaps to: “But
in fact Christ has been raised from the dead; the first fruits of
those who have died.” Gone is any wavering, uncertain “iffiness”,
replaced by the unshakable conviction that Christ truly is risen and
alive – it’s a fact. It’s the whole truth – the essential truth.
What’s more, Paul refers to the risen Christ as the “first fruits” –
indicating that resurrection is in store for us as well. This is
just the beginning.
Now, the dead
being raised, life after death, the prospect of eternal life, all
may seem to rational minds unlikely, unnatural, improbable – even
impossible. But this changes everything! We may wonder how – but
in fact Christ has been raised!
This is the
good news that is the solid foundation for our faith – our sure and
certain hope. The resurrection of Jesus changes the whole ballgame,
it changes everything. Just when it seemed that all was lost, that
the devil finally had his way, that sin and death had prevailed –
God turned the tables in a definitive and lasting way.
After the
crucifixion, it was all over – our fate was sealed, BUT FOR GOD….
Paul recognizes the decisiveness of this shift, and so he
contradicts all the doubtful and desolate speculations with a
resounding: “But in fact Christ has been raised…”
Luke makes the
same sharp turn in his gospel narrative. Chapter 23 in Luke ends
with Jesus dead and buried, laid to rest in a borrowed tomb,
courtesy of Joseph of Arimathea. That could have been the final
chapter, the end of the story. However, there is a chapter 24 that
follows; and it begins with that significant word “but.” “But on
the first day of the week…” “Hold on, we aren’t finished yet…”
“Wait a minute, there’s more to tell…”
That little
three letter word “but” announces a change – and that word appears
six times in the opening twelve verses of chapter 24. All the usual
expectations keep getting confounded by God’s great and surprising
victory over death:
*
“
but when they went in , they did not find the body…” What in
the world? What now?? What’s going on here?
*
Luke
tells us the women were terrified and perplexed, “…but the
two men in the dazzling clothes said to them, ‘Why do you seek the
living among the dead?’” Good question! Of course, those women had
no idea that Jesus was alive.
*
The
heavenly messengers continue: “He is not here, but has
risen.” He’s not dead, but alive. There’s the first Christian
sermon ever preached. The first telling of the good news in all its
fullness. It’s short, to the point, and full of promise. “He’s not
here, but has risen.”
*
This is
news that must be shared. So the women rush to tell the grieving
apostles the amazing news – certain that they will be overjoyed. “But
their words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe
them.” Isn’t that just about right? Those thick-headed and slow of
heart apostles dismiss the news the women bring. The news of
resurrection is too wonderful, too implausible, too good to possibly
be true.
*
“But,
(wait a minute), Peter got up and ran to the tomb…” He had to see
for himself. And he finds that the women weren’t making it up.
Jesus really isn’t in the tomb! Just as they said.
Karl Barth
said: “The gospel is not a natural ‘therefore’ but a miraculous
‘nevertheless.’” That is, Christ’s resurrection is not the
expected, logical conclusion to this story – but a dramatic
reversal, a confounding contradiction to all we would expect. It’s
no surprise those apostles didn’t believe what the women had
to share. Who would?
Christ’s
resurrection is not like daffodils and tulips bursting into bloom
after a long, hard winter. Lovely as they are, they are not unexpected.
Even though Jesus had told his followers more than once that this
would happen, it simply did not compute.
-
It was
inconceivable.
-
It was
more unlikely than pigs flying, or a man breathing under water, or a
virgin giving birth.
But
it happened.
If Christ is
not raised, then nothing really matters. Then we’re all
doomed – it’s only a matter of time. In fact, we’d be wasting our
time here this morning.
BUT IF CHRIST
IS RAISED, but then nothing else matters nearly as much!
Nothing compares to this life changing blessing.
Peter Vardy
writes: “Either Christianity is true or it is false. What it
cannot be is a little bit true. If it is true, then it demands that
everything else take second place to living out our relationship
with God. If it is not true, then it is irrelevant.
On this Easter
Day, this Resurrection Day, we are filled with hope and joy. The
church is full, the flowers are gorgeous, the weather is great, the
music is glorious. On such a day it’s possible for us to actually
believe the good news.
Yet, let’s be
honest. Not all days are like this. We all know days that are much
harder – more like Good Friday.
There are days
when being a Christian can feel kind of like being a Cub fan. You
know what that’s about. Time and again, your hopes are raised, only
to be cruelly crushed. The recurring refrain is “wait till next
year.” The hoped for triumph never comes. Bart Giamatti: “Baseball
is a game designed to break your heart.” But not so our faith!
Yes, Christ
died a cruel death – it was awful.
If
that were the end, then we truly should all be pitied.
But
Christ has been raised – he is alive! We serve a living Savior.
And in Christ we shall all be made alive!
Thanks be to
God!
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