Christian and Human

Ordinary 19B – sermon based upon Psalm 130 & Ephesians 4:25-5:2

 

Good morning.  It’s wonderful to be with you this today and I’ll be with you next week as well.  So, I hope to catch up on some of the happenings in your lives and chat during coffee hour and such.  Regardless, I want you to know that you’ve remained in my heart and prayers.

 

Well, I’m sure you won’t find this surprising but I’m enthralled by today’s scripture passages.  They have so much to offer.  Both of them tell us so much about what a lived faith looks like… full of faults and yet hopeful.

 

In fact, on Monday when I submitted my part of the worship planning, including the sermon title, what stuck out to me was this notion of being so deeply flawed yet so full of faith and hope in God’s love, grace, and forgiveness.  From that I submitted the title in your bulletin of “Christian and Human.”  But if I was titling what this sermon has evolved into as I completed it, I might have titled it, “A Guide to Christian Dialog.” 

 

In this passage we get a glimpse into the early church and how they related.  All the Pastoral letters in the New Testament are quite wonderful in that way.  They show us a way of talking with and relating to people that is concerned primarily with the relationship between people instead of drawing lines between them.

 

In just the first few lines of this passage, we find out that lots of people’s flaws and sins are out there in the open for all to see.  So much so that the writer of the letter knows there to be thievery, dishonesty, resentfulness, and bitter backbiting in that church.  You see, the early church was made up as much or more so by people living on the edges of society like criminals as it was by people engaged in more respectable forms of theft like tax collectors.  And resentfulness… well, there isn’t a group or person on this planet that hasn’t been plagued by that one. 

 

So this young church in Ephesus needed guidance on how to live and the writer of this letter, being a good pastor, was offering them such help.  But we can learn a lot more from this than who was in the early church and how they were helped.  In this day and time, we don’t need someone to tell us that stealing is wrong.  We know.  And we don’t need to be reminded that anger chips away at our relationships if we don’t handle it appropriately because we’ve lived it for too long already.  And most of us know that bitterness destroys us, even if we have a hard time recognizing when we’re feeling or being that way.

 

So rather than a guided to do’s and don’ts, the lesson most of us need from this passage is a guide to being Christian together… to walk, and talk, and live together.  Whether it’s us that struggles with how to talk and deal with one another or if we’re on the receiving end other’s struggles, the fact remains that we all need help supporting our relationships with Christian sisters and brothers.

 

Now before you say to me, “But Pastor Lavender, the people I really struggle talking to are people of other faiths or no faith at all…” let me say that what this passage teaches is good for all relationships.  If you’d like to take the lessons out in the world, go right ahead. I’m sure Jesus would approve.  But because the writer of this letter focused on the Christian community I am too.  And it’s good to start close to home because if we as a church can’t figure out how to love and live with one another, then we have no witness for the world.

 

So let’s look at this passage.  We’re still the same resentful, dishonest people today as humanity was then.  But most people in the church today hide it better which makes us act even more indignant when one of our members gets caught for cheating on taxes, reneging on a promise, or treating another badly.  In some ways, we’ve gotten so good at hiding our faults that our biggest fear is being found out.  Deep on the inside, we think to ourselves, “if they really knew how much I struggle to be honest or faithful or generous, they wouldn’t like me very much.” 

 

So, the first big lesson this scripture reminds us of is that we are all deeply flawed.  Not a one of us isn’t constantly struggling with how to be more loving, generous, honest, nurturing, forgiving, and grace-filled.  We are all sinners and I don’t think I need to beat that one into the ground too much because I suspect that most of us beat ourselves over the head enough already.  But what does deserve a reminder is that forgiveness is a gift from God and also a gift we should extend to ourselves and others.  I suspect that we can start from a place of remembering how much we fear the judgment of others and struggle, then maybe our dealings with one another can be a bit more gentle and loving as well. 

 

This brings me to the second lesson from this passage.  The writer is definitely naming right and wrong ways of being but he isn’t wagging his finger in any one person’s face.  His primary concern is with cultivating a relationship and being connected with other members of the body of Christ.  He knows judgment belongs to God.  His job is to love first and the guidance, nurture, and teachings will fall into place later.  Which is our second takeaway: We are to love each other first and foremost.  If something like an ideal or judgment stands in the way of loving someone else, it isn’t their sin that’s the problem.  And when others see us only as a circumstance in our lives or a problem we’re facing rather than as a beloved child of God, the problem isn’t with our situation.

 

This pastor knows as it says in verse 29 that when judgmental or harsh talk comes out of our mouths, relationships are destroyed.  He reminds us to say “only what is useful for building up… so that [our] words may give grace to those who hear.”  Even his own way of talking to them puts their wellbeing and relationship first above ideals and judgment.  And in later verses he reminds us to “Put away… all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander… and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven [us].”

 

When I was researching this sermon I read a commentary by Rev. Mary Ricketts that struck me in some pretty powerful ways.  She wrote, “We might think this is obvious since we believe that God is present in and a part of all of our relationships, but it is amazing how often we speak as though God is nowhere near us… I find it odd how often faith communities want to argue about ‘what the Bible says,’ while ignoring these types of texts that encourage straight talk, forgiveness and extravagant love. Perhaps we should care more about the words we said and how we said them than whether we agreed with one another.”

 

And if you think about that, isn’t it the truth?  How many of us have been sucked in by all the arguing and dialog around Chick-Fil-A lately?  I venture to guess most of us have at least had 1 conversation in the past 3 weeks about it.  But in case you missed it, here’s the rundown:  Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy said with the same consistency that the company has always held that they honor and uphold the “biblical definition of the family unit.”  We can discuss at another time what might be right or wrong or nuanced or complicated with that statement but what is more noteworthy is the vile social eruption this has created.  Of even greater note is the fact that some of the most hateful statements have been said by Christians on various sides of this issue.

 

This is exactly what the pastor writing this letter was talking about.  What we say and how we say it sometimes hurts more than what we believe.  And we can’t even get to the point of talking about what we believe when we’re too busy hurling stones or ducking from ones being hurled at us.

 

If you’ve been one of the handful of people that have actually had meaningful dialog as a result of this Chick-Fil-A brouhaha, I’m glad.  But I’ve been busy dodging the boulders being hurled as people I love say mean things about other people I love… Christian sisters and brothers putting belief about one particular issue ahead of loving each other first.  It’s been hard.

 

Look, y’all know me and know that I spend most of my time wondering how to get it right and if we got it right.  I rarely stand firmly and say that I know fully the will of God because God is just so much more than I can fully comprehend.  But this is one of those times that I will take such a stand.  I know with absolute certainty that the minute I let the ideas in my head stand in the way of loving you as a person is the minute I’m on the wrong side of God’s will.

 

And lest you think I’m judging harshly the folks who have been passionately debating this issue and even the ones who’ve hurled stones, I’m not.  I understand the conviction, earnest faith, and fears that underlie these types of debates gone wild.  In fact, it’s from a position of compassion for just how hard it is to be “imitators of God” like the scripture says that I bring it up.  And I only bring it up here with you because I know you and you know me so we have the relationship to talk about this without fearing the judgment of one another.  I would never mention such a controversy if I were preaching in a church unknown to me for fear of being misheard.

 

Which brings me to the final lesson for us to take from this passage.  This entire pastoral letter to the church in Ephesus would never have been written if people weren’t hungry to continue to grow in faith.  And that’s where we still are today.  No matter how we struggle with sin… no matter which people we struggle to love… no matter where we are in our faith journey as individuals or as a community, as long as we continue to be open to God’s outpouring of love, we will grow in faith.

 

Sisters and brothers, this is our calling: love God, love one another, love ourselves.  Gracious, extravagant, forgiving, nurturing, abundant love… if that’s what we’re seeking or if that’s our starting place with one another and God, then we can’t go wrong.  Amen.

A Brief Encounter

Ordinary 22A – A sermon based upon Exodus 3:1-15

Good morning.  It is a true blessing to be back with you and I’ll be here for the next few weeks.  I’ve missed you but you’ve remained in my prayers.  And you’re never far from my heart, either.

Well, today’s scripture from Exodus is another one of those treasure troves of God’s wisdom.  I have chewed on it all week and kept hearing more revelation from God even though I knew I needed to narrow the focus.  So who knows, maybe I’ll preach this text again in a few weeks with a different focus.  But for now, we’ve got enough to chew on.

It’s that amazing story of Moses and the burning bush.  Moses was on his way to work and worried that he would be late but he turned to see what was happening up the hillside.  What was this fire that burned but did not consume the bush?  It turns out it was a message from God and a calling to do something remarkable.  God had heard the cry of the Israelites and wanted Moses to help in the work of spreading God’s liberation and justice.  Moses insisted that he would be too afraid to do this task.  He protested and told of reasons he could not do it but God’s call was still the same.   He wanted to know how this could be done.  And you know what?  God was not explicit on how this would happen even when asked.  God never offered a detailed roadmap of how to overthrow an empire.  But God’s promise to be with Moses through it all was loud and clear.

It’s a great story isn’t it?  It has all these amazing ways of thinking about it.  For example, we could ask what can we learn about God through this story.  What about what we can learn about Moses or human nature?  We could even ask about what we can learn about the life of people 3500 years ago.  But for this day, I think we might be well served by asking what we can learn about our lives today through this story.

What is it that we need to know so that we to can experience a life changing moment with God?  For Moses, this was just a brief encounter but it definitely changed the whole direction of his life.  So what are a few of the take-a-ways for our lives?

Well, for today, we’re going to focus in on three… how very three point sermon of me.  First, there are all kinds of burning bushes.  Second, we just might be missing some burning bushes around us already.  And third, following God’s call on our lives is not about having all the answers or always being fearless.

First, are there all kinds of burning bushes?  I know we read the stories of the bible and often wonder why doesn’t God light up a bush and talk to us sometime?  It would be much easier to have faith if God just spoke more loudly and clearly.  But even though we might like a burning bush or at least a nice email from God, God has already filled our lives with life changing messages that came in all kinds of forms.

For those of you who have felt the call to be involved in some sort of ministry or cause, how did you know that was the right thing to do?  Or when you were looking for a church home, how did you know this was the one?  And when you were struggling to find meaning, direction, or vocation, what led you down the path the fulfillment? 

See, I doubt it was a burning bush.  The answers to any one of those questions are going to be so varied among us.  It could have been a series of seemingly unrelated events that collided that made you see a certain direction… providence, if you will.  It might have been a still small voice that kept whispering the same thing to you over and over.  Perhaps it was a large event that happened long ago that changed you in a way that has altered your decision making ever since.  Regardless of what it looked like, if it was the right decision, it was God. 

God speaks to us in all kinds of ways.  God used Moses to speak to the Israelites and encourage them to believe that they would not always have to suffer.  God used passersby to tend to the wounds of an injured person.  God speaks through moments and whispers and people and God speaks to us in this time and place. 

It may not be a burning bush but unlocked, this bible has set lives on fire.  Social time between services may consume more donuts than a non-consuming flame but lives are transformed and the face of God is seen.  Vacation bible school, reaching out to one another as neighbors, community events, meals with loved ones, and ALL the countless ways we “hear” and “are” God’s voice in the world… oh yes, there are all kinds of burning bushes in our lives that set us on a path and guide us all the way.


Second, are there already burning bushes around us that we may have missed?  Well, let’s see.  There is a tale told by rabbis about why the bush was burning but not consumed.  I mean, for the purposes of delivering a message, does it really matter if the bush is left in ashes or not?  Well, as the story goes, the rabbis argued about this until one of them said, “The bush was burning but not consumed so that one day when Moses passed by he would finally notice it!”

If we re-read this passage, stopping to think that Moses might have missed it before, suddenly some of the language makes sense.  God put out this sign waiting for Moses to turn away from what he was doing long enough to notice it.  So, this bush needed to not be burned up by the flame.  It needed to last.

Now, whether or not the bush had been burning for years or just that afternoon doesn’t really matter. The point is that God did not put it right in front of Moses but rather it was off to the side and took some intentionality on Moses’ part to go to it.  The scripture says he had to turn aside from what he was doing to go over to the bush.

So, coming back to the idea that there are already burning bushes in our midst, how often are our lives like this? (walk past communion table in a hurry) Or this? (walk past communion table reading) Or this? (walk past communion table meandering) Or this? (walk past communion table on phone) Or this? (walk past communion table with a hurt back) Or this? (walk past communion table laughing) (Turn and finally notice the communion table)

The joys, the tears, and everything in between are always going on in our lives.  How often do we walk past the same thing and then finally one day see it?  I venture to guess, quite a bit.  And God knows that too.  Sometimes we probably do miss out on a message.  But for the big stuff, God keeps a bush lit for us.  That bush may have to be moved from place to place or time to time to keep up with us but it stays lit.

What do I mean by this?  Well, what would happen if we all took a bit to talk about the direction of this church?  I bet that conversation would end with some pretty amazing ideas about invigorating existing relationships or maybe starting new ministries.  It’s not that these are new ideas.  It’s just that we didn’t stop to notice them before now.

It only takes pausing for a bit and being willing to see something new or different to realize that God has set fire to a bush near each of us.  Maybe the message we’ve been missing is that of embracing something we weren’t sure we could handle.  It could be a message to forgive someone.  It might even be a calling to do something entirely different in our lives.  But the point is that when we are intentional to pause, look, and change course even a little, we always find a place God is speaking to us that we didn’t recognize before. 


So, to the final point, following God’s call on our lives is not about having all the answers or always being fearless.  If we know anything about Moses’ story, we know that he was plagued by repeated doubts, fears, and was nearly always asking God to “Prove it.”  And repeatedly God addressed the doubts, fears, and pleas to prove it with the reply “I will be with you.”

God’s greatest gift to Moses and to us is that we are never alone.  We are going to have fears and we are most definitely going to have doubts.  We are even going to be dissatisfied with the unclear plan we have in front of us and ask God to show us more of the road map.  But God’s constant answer is “I am with you.”  And then in due time, more is revealed.

So what does that mean in practical terms for us?  We need to keep our focus on what God has called us to do today and not let our anxiety and fear about the how all this is going to work out distract us.  And how does that happen?  We keep living as the body of Christ, watching and responding to burning bushes as they appear. 

Consider what the Pastor Nominating Committee does.  They join together seeking the voice of God each week.  Now I am positive they might prefer an obvious burning bush but the fact of the matter is that their ongoing relationship with one another makes them more and more aware of God’s presence and work in this place.  Their work is hard and produces a lot of fear and anxiety. I bet every one of them worry “what if we get it wrong?”  Have they missed a few burning bushes?  In this case, I doubt it.  But I am absolutely sure that God is with them.  They need only keep on the path before them until a new burning bush illuminates God’s way.  And we need to support them by offering encouragement and reminding them that God’s guidance will be present in this church, no matter what.

But the practical part of knowing God is with us even though we fear doesn’t end there.  When John Karins died last month, the presence of God was felt by his family because this congregation responded with love and support.  When the church needs juice boxes for vacation bible school, we bring them in.  When a hurricane strikes the east coast, we donate to the Red Cross.  When there is a new birth in our midst, we celebrate with one another. 

All of these things we do as the body of Christ, Emmanuel… God with us, are a constant reminder that we are not alone.  Our fears will find comfort in God and one another.  The path we should take will be made known if we hold together as a body.  Even the future of this church, it’s members, and it’s leadership are secure in the workings of God.  Our job is to keep moving forward as a body and being ever watchful for that next burning bush.  Amen.

Fearlessness

Ordinary 16A – Sermon based upon Isaiah 44:1-8

Good morning. Today’s scriptures from Isaiah and Romans are an interesting complement to one another. On the one hand, we have God speaking in Isaiah about being the One true God so there is no need to fear. The core of those verses are 6-8 which read, “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I'm first, I'm last, and everything in between. I'm the only God there is. Who compares with me? Speak up. See if you measure up. From the beginning, who else has always announced what's coming? So what is coming next? Anybody want to venture a try? Don't be afraid, and don't worry: Haven't I always kept you informed, told you what was going on? You're my eyewitnesses: Have you ever come across a God, a real God, other than me? There's no Rock like me.’”

From the reverse perspective, we have Paul in Romans telling us to not fear because God’s resurrection and release from bondage live boldly within us. The core of those verses, 15-16, read, “This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike ‘What's next, Papa?’ God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children.”

So we have this message to live without fear and to live boldly at that. But is that how we experience our lives? Is it possible to be fearless? Are there things we should fear? Does the repeated counsel of the bible to “fear not” mean that fear is bad? Well, we can’t possibly begin to unravel those questions during this time, but I think God has a message for us nonetheless.

First of all, we do fear, whether or not we want to. There are all kinds of biblical stories of fear and the way that fear either did them in or helped them out. We still have the same stories today. In my job as a chaplain, I meet families who receive unspeakable news of their child’s illness and an uncertain future. There is no way for them in that moment to not feel fear because in that moment, they are keenly aware of all they can’t control and the depth of what they could lose. And what about when we are at risk of losing or actually lose our job? Fear is a natural response that reinforces our understanding of how vulnerable we are. And when we are walking down a stretch of street that is dark and unfamiliar, can we get rid of that fear that wells up in us? No, we cannot. That fear heightens our ability to engage our most primal instincts by becoming ultra-aware of our surroundings and also the resources within and around us that we may tap into should something dangerous happen.

So I would never stand here and say that fear is a bad thing nor do I think God is saying such a thing. Fear can be a true gift that brings out the very best in us by reminding us what is important to us and connecting us to resources that we wouldn’t have recognized before. So maybe that is the point. Fear is a response that God pretty much hardwired into us for our own good. But the trick is to take that moment of fear and move forward with new hope rather than being mired in it.

See, I think these passages are about just that. Of course we are going to fear otherwise God, Jesus, and so many prophets and disciples would not have addressed it. Just as the examples from earlier speak to how fear can help us, fear can also hurt us if we are in bondage to it. Just this week, I met a patient’s mom who was so locked up by the fear of what might happen that it kept her from experiencing all the love around her and the child. That love could have been so healing for all of them. Or what about when someone loses their job or is walking down that dark road and becomes too paralyzed by fear to make any decision? They become a victim of their circumstances rather than empowered by the learning fear gave them and the hope of such strength. But what do we do to keep from getting mired in it and becoming a slave to fear?

Well, I think we all know from experience that letting go of fear is easier said than done. So what do we do? I think this is a place where scripture has much to offer us. These passages tell us something that we can keep with us to help us move from fear to fear-usefullness and maybe even fearlessness.

The Isaiah passage reassures us that God is true and with us so we are never alone no matter what happens or is to come. Romans tells us that when we keep our focus on what is Holy by listening to that inner calling, we will always find meaning and direction. Both of these passages tell us that fear need not bind us if we receive the reassurance found in scripture and live by it’s guidance.

But still, this is easier said than done. So, I want us to pause for a few minutes and think in some really practical ways about how we already do use this guidance and how we might use it better and more fully to let go of the fears that bind us.

First, what ways to we use trust in God and focus on the Holy to help us move past fear? Well, prayer is a common one. Prayer is a ritual that creates comfort because we believe in its power or find it familiar. Another way we let go of fear is by seeking the refuge of our holy community. Fear also often dissolves when we engage in actions which we know will produce goodness and love. By working for love, we forget the fear and feel stronger. What else works? Reading scripture or other texts that cultivate the Holy, opening ourselves to the body of Christ as it reaches out to us, immersing ourselves in creation whether it is a sunset or our families… all these things are practical ways we seek to let go of fear and move forward with hope.

What ways might we adopt that we aren’t already doing to help us shed the chains of fear? Maybe it’s watching out for others who are struggling and reaching out to them. We’ve mentioned rituals that are familiar but perhaps sometimes letting go of an old fear is about trying something new. What might that be in each of our lives? What if letting go of a fear is about redoubling our efforts? Maybe it’s a matter of focus. Could it be about listening to the yearnings God implanted in us as Romans suggests? The important thing is that we find what will help us take the fear that wells up in us, use what it has to teach us, and move forward without being caught in its bondage.

Now, what fears bind us? Think about what specific fears make your chest tighten and pulse rise when you think of them? Most of us have many fears but for now, let’s just trust that what comes to each of us is what God wants us to look at in this moment. Some of us are afraid of losing people close to us. For others it is being left. Still others of us fear being out of control while some of us fear pain and suffering. No matter what is coming to our minds, God wants us to find a way from fear to hope.

So, how can we use God’s calling and find release from these fears? Where is our comfort? What steps do we need to take to find release and healing from the things that bind us now and the fears that will come along later? It’s hard work and takes intentionality on our part. How will we find stamina to do this? Our desire alone for release and healing from fear just isn’t enough. What steps will we take to live the life of expectancy and hope that God is calling us to?

Sisters and brothers, these few minutes of looking at our fears and our resources are just a beginning and we can’t begin to answer these questions but the questions are worthy and need to be challenged. Nevertheless, one thing is for certain. The bible would not address fear so frequently if God didn’t know we would need extra support to find a path through it.

But we are not helpless. We have the body of Christ to help us along the way, God’s Spirit with us to give us stamina and hope, and God’s promises to guide and hold us along the way. May God guide our path, heal our wounds, and lead us in a more excellent way each and every day. Amen.

Risen and Still Rising

Easter Sunday - Risen and Still Rising <–- Audio file link - A sermon based upon Matthew 28:1-10

Good morning and welcome to the resurrection! I’ve you’ve not been with us all week, you’ve missed the celebration of a remarkable life in Jesus on Palm Sunday. On Maundy Thursday we heard the call of Jesus to be servants to one another and make deeper relationships with one another even in the midst of difficulty. Good Friday, watched in horror as those in religious and political power used their authority to have him brutalized and killed. And Yesterday, we sat vigil in prayer grieving and still reeling from the horror. And this morning at sunrise, we greeted the empty tomb where we saw that Christ seeks to involve us in his resurrection and does so with grace and compassion.

But now, we are in the thick of it all. Jesus is risen. Mary and Mary have the task of telling others. And Jesus even comes to them personally to tell them that he will come to them in Galilee. In each of the Gospels, this story unfolds slightly differently but they all have certain things in common. Christ promises to reveal himself again and does.

So, what do we make of all this? I think the first thing that must be said is that we have a hard time making sense of resurrection. It’s no wonder people both inside and outside of the church fight over whether it’s a myth or real event or even a hoax. But not understanding isn’t the real problem here.

What I think what bears scrutiny is why is it we have such a hard time wrapping our minds around resurrection? If we could understand, we wouldn’t have such difficulty figuring out what it means to our faith. And I’m not talking about skeptics. I’m talking about people of earnest faith who believe that the resurrection is a gift from God to all people. And I am willing to bet that most of us in this room have a hard time with it in some way or we have at some point.

We have a hard time with it because it’s so often beyond our common experience. I mean we struggle to conquer the little habits and “lesser sins” in our lives so how can we truly connect to a story of a risen Christ who crushed sin and suffering? We try. We try a lot and we work hard to make sense of it but at the end of the day, we find ourselves struggling with the same old flaws and sorrows. So, if Jesus was raised as a triumph over death and suffering, why do we struggle so much to experience it ourselves?

And that’s where we’ll start today. This morning in the sunrise service, we looked at how Christ approaches us in resurrection. We said that even when we don’t understand or can’t recognize Christ in our midst, Christ is faithful and reaches to us, and calls us forward with grace and compassion. But it’s just still so hard to see him and internalize what he has to offer.

Maybe that’s just it. Maybe we don’t understand what he’s offering for us to receive it. Maybe we need to expand our understanding of what resurrection is if we’re going to experience it more fully and with less doubt and despair.

So what is resurrection? Well, it is a raising of a body from the dead. The bible offers many stories of such events. But it’s more than just that. In Jesus’ case, it’s the raising and being made whole after being violated and brutalized by those in power. Jesus’ death and resurrection is an event of triumph and says that those who would try to squash the truth and life cannot succeed! The truth and life found in God’s love are so abundant that they live on and on and on.

So another thing we need to hear about resurrection in Christ is that it’s ongoing. Now, ongoing can mean different things. It can mean that something changed and that change still holds or it could also mean that something started changing and the process of change is still happening. I raise this distinction because I think it has bearing on why we have such a hard time internalizing Christ’s resurrection and what that ongoing resurrection means in our own lives.

I think the tension between Christ’s resurrection and our own difficulty understanding it is because Christ’s resurrection is one where something changed and it will always be that way for him. However, because we still live in the brokenness of the world, our experience of resurrection is one where a change starts to take hold in our lives but it’s a process that doesn’t come to completion until we’re fully in God’s loving arms.

So, what am I getting at? Well, I think it means that when we look upon the raised Christ, we really should be in awe because what has happened and is still happening in him is amazing and beyond our reach to fully comprehend in this time and place. We only catch glimpses of it through the body of Christ in the world. The reason the body of Christ functions with such mystery and wonder and beauty is because it’s purity is beyond our reach even though we participate in it as we are.

But this also means that we are a people both fully redeemed and still being refined. We are in the process of resurrection and it’s an ongoing venture that takes time and work. Our savior serves as a model while we’re fast at work trying to put the pieces together.

In the reformed tradition, we say that we are always both “being and becoming.” I always liked that phrase. It says that we are God’s beloved children as we are and more than adequate yet we have far more we could become here and now if we’ll be open to the pathway of resurrection.

But what does this really mean to us? Well, I suspect that we are our own barriers to experiencing resurrection more than anything else. Because we are not experiencing the one time miraculous event of Jesus but rather a process of resurrection, we don’t see the bigger picture of what is going on in our lives. We lose patience or faith or energy or hope. And, simply put I think we have to have grace and love for ourselves here and now just like God does. And if we have grace and love for ourselves and others, we’ll hear the calling to grow further in the body of Christ and continue becoming that fully resurrected spirit in Christ.

But what does it really mean? It means that we all have those places we struggle, those flaws that haunt us. We all have wounds from experiences that have not healed and continue to make us vulnerable to reacting out of pain and fear. Those are the things we must have grace and compassion for in ourselves. God already does. But do we?

When we struggle with depression or other ailments of the mind and spirit, how gentle are we with ourselves? When the pain and fear that illness bring takes hold on us, do we stay open to the love that the body of Christ offers? When our security is threatened, do we keep our hearts open? When lose someone, do we let ourselves be vulnerable? When we fall on our face over and over and over again with the same struggle whether it’s dishonoring our body or having a self-centered spirit, do we keep looking to God or do we condemn ourselves, denying our value and worth in God’s eyes. And when the unknown is in our midst, do we stop to see if it might be Christ or do we look away in fear?

Do you want to know what Christ’s ongoing resurrection looks like? Ongoing resurrection is the person who bears the pain of an abusive past or maybe even the present and still gets up with hope that healing can happen. Resurrection is the person with cancer who says I’ll not go through this alone because the healing I find in those who love me equals or exceeds the healing I get from these treatments. Resurrection is the family that keeps growing and changing and dealing with everything that comes up because being a family is hard and takes daily renewal. Resurrection is the person who loses a loved one and honors the love they shared by carrying that love forward and sharing it with others.

Do you want to see the face of resurrection? Look around this room. Look at the faces of people around you. Look at this group of people who have lost several pastors in 10 years and been betrayed and wounded yet you still come here with faith and hope in the living Christ. Hope that healing will be yours. And faith that it’s not the pastor that makes this church, but the people. That, my friends is resurrection lived. It’s lived in a process that has ups and downs but new life woven into every part of it.

Sisters and brothers, resurrection is loving and hoping and living in the face of the brokenness. It is knowing that the risen Christ will keep working through and around us. It is being both redeemed and still being refined, being and becoming. Each and every day, we are taking part in the process of resurrection and new life

As we go from here celebrating our risen Lord, may we also seek and take part in the ways Christ is healing our lives into resurrected glory. May we claim God’s love and healing so that we can experience it. And may we live the resurrection each and every day. Amen.

Easter Sunrise - Why Are You Weeping?

Easter A Sunrise - Why Are You Weeping? – A sermon based upon John 20:1-18

Good morning and welcome to Easter sunrise service. We’ve made it through Holy Week where we’ve seen Jesus triumphantly entering Jerusalem, him sharing in humble service and fellowship with his disciples, Christ being betrayed and brutally put to death. But now we’re here. We have made it to see our risen Christ! And not only is our Gospel passage one of that event, this Gospel account is one of the most moving accounts of the empty tomb. Reading this story always makes me aware of just how frightened and bewildered Mary Magdalene must have been that morning.

And it’s because of her experience that we congregate so early on this day. There’s something special about gathering at dawn that helps us take in what it must have been like for Mary Magdalene when she found an empty tomb on that sacred morning. So again, welcome! And welcome to the resurrection!


Sometime back when I started praying and thinking about what themes we needed to connect with during Holy Week, I never had any doubt that resurrection was where we needed to be today. Oh, I know there are lots of directions pastors can go with the Easter story and each year seems to call for something different. But this year, it felt like God kept whispering the word resurrection to my heart and mind.

So, even though it may seem obvious, that’s where we’re going this morning. In this sunrise service, we’re going briefly reflect on what this story is telling us about how we experience Christ and the resurrection. In the later services, the sermon will focus on what is resurrection and living the ongoing resurrection. So, I hope to see you there.

Well, let’s talk about what happened that morning. Mary Magdalene went to the tomb presumably to grieve or care for the body. But when she arrives, she finds no one. Jesus is gone. She was dumfounded by what was going on so she went to get the disciples. They didn’t know either. In Mary’s grief, she stayed at the tomb weeping. This is when Jesus spoke to her but she didn’t recognize him. Then he called her by name and she did. Jesus told her the truth of his resurrection and then she went to share it with the disciples.

This seems like a fantastic story in part because we have such a hard time wrapping our minds around what happened that morning. And they had a hard time too. What this resurrection meant would not become clear to them for some time to come. So all we have are the circumstances and the reactions. But I think those tell us something about resurrection too. And if we can deal with the jarring reality Mary encountered that morning, maybe we’ll be ready to deal with what the resurrection really means for us later.

So, I think the first thing we need to recognize about encountering resurrection is that when we’re in the throes of sorrow or some other overwhelming emotion, we have a hard time recognizing Christ in our midst. Mary Magdalene was there seeking someone she was close to and thought his body had been violated and stolen. She was absolutely grief stricken when Jesus first spoke to her so it’s no wonder she didn’t recognize him. But even though Mary didn’t recognize him, he still reached out with a question of caring and concern. “Why are you weeping?”

Let’s think of our own lives. When we’re at our lowest, how often do we not recognize the compassionate hand of the Body of Christ when it reaches out to us? I venture to say, more than we probably realize. Yet, that hand keeps reaching out to us even when we don’t see it. So, I think God’s message to us is the same as Jesus’ message to Mary. God is faithful even when we can’t see it and has abundant grace for us in those times.

The next thing I think we can learn about encountering resurrection is that we have to be open to what is being revealed to us. Mary suddenly recognized Jesus when he called her by name. Before she recognized him, she was so overwhelmed that Jesus could have continued to talk to her but she would not have really heard him. But by speaking her name, something so personal, he connected with her and she could take in what Jesus had to share.

I think our lives are the same way. Like I said before, the body of Christ reaches out to us and reaches out to us but sometimes we don’t or can’t recognize it. But God is intentional to speak to us. When God’s message isn’t getting through, God seeks to find what will connect with us personally so that we recognize and are able to hear. Take for example, struggling with illness. Pain and suffering can be overwhelming and even though there are people around us trying to help, we have a hard time receiving that help or recognizing that it’s there. But sooner or later, if we don’t completely succumb to the pain, that just right phrase or that just right moment comes to us that opens our eyes and then we can see God in our midst again.

The third thing I think we should recognize about encountering resurrection is that once we get our bearings and have recognized Christ in our midst, we must act. Resurrection is an action and one that we participate in. When Jesus finished talking with Mary, she went forward to tell others. And in the coming weeks, we’ll see that this going forward turns into a movement. It’s a movement that demonstrates the body of Christ alive in the world… resurrection in our midst.


So, I’ve pointed to three things from this passage about encountering resurrection. 1) Christ is faithful to us even when we don’t recognize him in our midst. 2) Christ reaches out to us in ways that connect personally so that we can recognize him. And 3) recognizing and hearing Christ calls us and connects us to the workings of Christ. So, why did I point these out?

I did so because this morning, we’re looking at an empty tomb and don’t always know what to make of it. Sometimes we’re doubtful. Sometimes, we don’t understand. Sometimes, we can’t see. But that’s okay because Christ will be faithful and reach to us and call us forward anyway with grace and compassion.

I shared this because we each need resurrection in our own lives yet often become trapped by sorrow and pain. But that’s okay because Christ will be faithful and reach to us and call us forward anyway.

I pointed to these things because resurrection is not just a one-time event. Christ comes to us each day with compassion, just as he did Mary, and says, “Why are you weeping?” There are moments and moments and moments that Christ takes what is dead and fills it with new life. Yet we struggle to see where it came from or how we can participate in it. And that’s okay because Christ will be faithful and reaches to us and call us forward anyway.

Sisters and Brothers, He is risen! We don’t say he has risen or did rise as if it was an event of the past. We say he IS risen because it is timeless. We may not know what to make of it yet, but something amazing has happened and will keep happening if we but hear his voice in those resurrection moments.

I hope you’ll stay around for a later service where we’ll look at what this resurrection is and how we can proclaim it each and every day. Amen.

Who Is This?

Palm Sunday - Who Is This? <–- Audio file of sermon
A sermon based upon Matthew 21:1-11

Good morning and welcome! Holy week is here! We’re emerging from the desert wilderness to see the gifts of Lent come into fullness. And today’s scripture passage brings us into the thick of holy week.

Here we have Jesus about to enter Jerusalem for one of the most holy Jewish holidays, Passover. The story shows him as a calm and centered person but there’s a whole lot of frenzy going on around him. I mean picture the whole scene. Jesus has been teaching, preaching, and building up communities of faith all around Galilee, The Decapolis, Samaria, and Judea. He’s become this well-known traveling minister with a band of faithful friends and followers. They go places, share meals, fellowship, teach, heal, share… and people have responded. Wherever Jesus and his disciples go, people greet him now with recognition and adulation. There’s almost a sort of rock star status. And when a rock star comes to town, there are those who know the star and those who want to know. So, this triumphant passage ends with those who want to know “who is this?”

And I think that’s a great place to start here on Palm Sunday. Who is this? So, let’s take a few minutes to look back at this life that we celebrated coming into being at Christmas and soon will mourn on Good Friday. Who is this? Who is this that could cause such a stir and be treated like near royalty even though he seems to want to humble himself before humanity? Who is this that would make people drop everything and follow him?

Well, his name is Jesus. He was born in a very humble way. His family wasn’t homeless but they were between places without much means. And there were probably a lot of rumors going around about his family. Mary, his mother claimed the baby was God’s since she wasn’t married and Joseph, her soon husband stood at her side. Even in the most religious of families and communities, this is a story that would raise doubt.

But they went on anyway. And for those who did listen to God, Jesus’ birth was a cause for celebration. Also, I suspect that for a child raised by such parents, their model of faithfulness to God was a remarkable example for Jesus and their other children. But there were those for whom Jesus’ birth was a cause for fear. You see, even from birth, people in power, political power, feared Jesus. But others loved him.

By all accounts, Jesus was a very likable child, well-schooled in the Jewish faith and a great lover of God. Once when he went missing, his family found him studying in the temple with great learned people. We don’t know much about his youth and early adulthood but we can tell from the types of people mentioned that he was close to his brother James and his cousin John the Baptist. It seems that over and over whenever something big was happening, his loved ones were nearby and I think that says a lot about him. Having our loved ones near in our big moments always makes the occasion richer.

But this man was more than a well-liked guy in his community. As we talked about back on Ash Wednesday, we don’t know why Jesus decided to leave everything to start a ministry at age 30. In his time, that would have been well into midlife. But he did and that’s where we really start learning a lot about this man and what’s important to him… and important to God.

This is someone who ate meals and spent truly meaningful time with everyone from crooked politicians to widows without means. He reached out to the most oppressed of the oppressed. And he taught about how we should truly care about what happens to the people without someone to care for them… that we should be those people.

Jesus healed the sick and even resurrected the dead. He spoke of God’s love and of a world where God’s reign was clear. He challenged the status quo in the temple and on the streets. Jesus was pro-peace, pro-care for the oppressed, pro-justice, and pro-God. He proclaimed God as the only true ruler in the face of those who claimed Caesar as the only ruler of the world. He was an all-around rebel in many ways but people didn’t avoid him like a trouble maker. No… they flocked to him.

He reached out to people and struck at the heart of what they needed. A woman at the well who was shunned by her community was shown a way to healing and wholeness. A man overtaken by demons and mental anguish was released from his bondage and sent to share the good news. A group of children came to see this man named Jesus and he welcomed them unlike any adult had ever welcomed children before. A man seeking the kingdom of God was told how to get there if only he would let go of his earthly treasures.

Over and over again, Jesus shared a message of God’s love, love found in caring for one another, and the power of joining together as a people. He was secretive about proclaiming himself the son of God because he wanted the message of God to be clearer than the message of a man.

But he was actually more than a man. And those who watched closely knew it. He was Emmanuel, God with us. And as he continued to share and teach, God’s love shined so brightly through him that he really couldn’t hide it anymore.

That’s where we find ourselves in the Palm Sunday gospel passage. This is not a rock star of fleeting fame. This is God incarnate come to show us what we needed and to offer us a glimpse of a love so full that it transformed life after life after life.

You know, no matter how literally or symbolically we take the bible. No matter how we describe what is important about Jesus. No matter if we focus more on his death or his resurrection or his miracles or his birth… there is something remarkable and amazing about someone who can teach us something wonderful at every stage of his life.

And we’re talking about a full and abundant life here. One so full of purpose, guidance, meaning, and love that people knew it. They wanted to get close. They wanted to treat him with respect. They threw down their cloaks for him. They paved a way with palms. They heralded his presence to those ahead. And they took in everything he did and said.

You see, when we meet someone with infectious love, love so abundant that it streams from them, we just want to be a part of it. We want that glow that seems to come from inside of them for ourselves too. We try to get close and mimic or absorb some of this amazing goodness. It’s not empty adulation. We want it too.

And that’s what’s going on here. People are not just flocking because Jesus is famous. No, when I close my eyes and try to envision this scene, I see Jesus focused and calm and absolutely beaming with the love of God. I think I might have done anything to get close to him. I’d have thrown down my cloak or given up my donkey and cloak. I’d have done anything to get close to that kind of love.

Who is this? This is truly God with us, pouring out love and healing… and we’re on holy ground.



So, why did I just go through a retrospective on Jesus’ life? Well, we’re here at Holy Week. This week all that he said, all those lives transformed, all that love cultivated will fade into the background. We’ll hang onto it through most of Maundy Thursday but then we’ll get caught up in a betrayal and arrest. Then on Good Friday, we’ll be horrified by the atrocities humans can inflict on one another, even upon God. And by Easter Sunday, we’ll be in unspeakable awe at our resurrected Lord and completely caught up in all the glory.

And all that is appropriate but here we are right now gazing upon a man who if you ask me, has a life that is in some ways more miraculous than his death and resurrection. We have in Jesus the total package of a model and mentor, healer and transformer, a bearer of salvation in more ways than one. His birth and his death are always marked as miraculous but his life was nothing short of amazing.

So, when we gaze upon this man today, I find myself asking what our lives would look like if we dared break down our walls of fear. What would our lives both individually and as a church look like if we focused on releasing ourselves and others from the bondage of greed, shame, and sorrow? If we cared more about tending to the poor and the oppressed than keeping up with the Jones, what harvest would we reap? If we sought to cultivate love in our hearts and in others with the passion of Christ, what would the world look like?

Sisters and brothers, we are walking toward the horror of Good Friday and the glory of Easter but for now, we are gazing upon a remarkable life. It’s a life of calling and fullness and it’s a life that doesn’t end just because we get to Easter. Our calling is to live as the body of Christ. It’s a calling for us here and now and always.

As we seek to know what this life means for us, I leave us with the words of St. Teresa of Avila:

Christ has no body but yours,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

AMEN

A Moment, A Life

A Moment, A Life: <-- Audio file of Transfiguration Sunday sermon based upon Matthew 17:1-9.


Good morning. Today is transfiguration Sunday and if you’ve spent much time at church in your life, you’ve probably heard more than a few sermons from the gospel texts that recount this event in Jesus’ life. It’s a dramatic scene of Jesus, Peter, James, & John climbing to the mountain top. Then Jesus’ face shines with brilliant light and his well-worn robe suddenly glistens with a brilliant whiteness. As if this isn’t startling enough, suddenly Moses and Elijah appear and start talking with Jesus. Now, I don’t know how Jesus stayed so calm in the midst of all this but Peter, James, & John were filled with awe. Peter wanted to stay there and live in the glory of the moment forever. But he had barely said that before the voice of God booms from a cloud affirming Jesus as his son that he is so proud of. At this, Peter, James, & John were absolutely overwhelmed and fell to the ground. Then Jesus comforted them and led them back on their journey… and a remarkable journey at that.


So what is it we’re supposed to get from this story? What is transfiguration? Miriam Webster dictionary defines transfiguration as “a change in form or appearance; a metamorphosis; an exalting, glorifying, or spiritual change.” So transfiguration Sunday marks a moment of spiritual change in Christ. Something big happened on that mountaintop and we mark and honor it. But just as Peter wanted to stay and the moment and found out he couldn’t, we must also recognize that transfiguration Sunday is but a moment that points to something bigger going on. Transfiguration Sunday is about a moment in Christ’s life. But I think it tells us something about our lives as well.


To be transfigured is a moment in time that changes us. It’s a moment that stays with us in ways that we remember. It reveals something of who we are, who we’ll become, or sometimes even what we don’t want to be. To be transfigured is to be open to the moment and letting what that moment has touch us and leave us forever transformed. To be transfigured is but a moment in time but a moment that we can use to push us forward and compel us onward as we gather the energy and direction that it gives us. And I want to suggest that transfiguration happens in our everyday lives.


So as I thought about transfiguration this week, I spent some time looking thinking about how we’ve tried to capture this biblical moment, the transfiguration of Christ as well as how we experience transfiguration in our everyday lives. So, I want to share with you a PowerPoint of some images that capture the transfiguration in many different forms.


I could fill a whole afternoon with artwork where we’ve tried to capture the transfiguration of Christ. But here is just a sampling of a few… like this one from the 1300’s were we see the climax of the scene.

… or this one from the 1800’s

… or this one from a more modern time.

Even look at the cover of your bulletin. Artwork from this event has captured our minds and imaginations for a long time.


But capturing the transfiguration of Christ is only worthy if we can also capture it in our own lives. So here are some images that may resonate with you on a more personal level. Images of moments that transform and give our lives deeper meaning.


See, sometimes we have moments were we realize that we are but small players in something so much larger than us, yet we’re called to be a part of them…

we look on not sure what this moment will bring but we know it will forever change things.

Some moments speak for themselves.

There are moments we never imagined but once we’re there, we rise to the occasion

… there are the moments made in the midst of sorrow

… and the sorrow made better by a comforter.

There are the moments that a whole country will never forget

… and the moments that a family would not be the same without.

There are moments we could not have imagined

… and connections that will have meaning for a long time to come.

Transfiguration is about the experience, the understanding.

Some moments call us to something bigger and hold out a vision

… while others make dreams come true.

There are moments of liberation and pure joy

… and joy

… and joy

… and joy. Joy that takes hold of us and makes us the people we want to be, children of God.

There are moments of triumph to get where we’ve never been

… moments of getting back up when we’re down.

Moments made beautiful by the friends around us.

Moments of attaining what we always wanted

… worked for

… ran after.

Moments no one imagined for us

… moments only before held in our imaginations.

And there are times when no one thought it could be done.

And as we prepare to go into Lent, we should consider all the moments of self reflection where we see beyond the shadows into who we are

… We take who we are to God

… And we climb to new mountaintops literally but mostly figuratively.

We wait for new dawn to show us something new

… something amazing

… or sometimes something quiet yet bold.

And from those Lenten experiences we have new found curiosity about God’s creation

… we wonder what could be or become of our lives.

And we take these moments with us, setting out on a journey, not knowing what will happen and not always realizing that we’ve been in the midst of something transforming.

We journey not knowing what moments will come

… and not always having the answers in those moments

… but always knowing that those moments will forever be with us compelling and moving us forward.

Sisters and brothers, Jesus went to the mountaintop and was transformed in that moment but he came back down the mountain and used the blessing of his father and energy of the experience to compel him forward. We must also do the same. Our lives are filled with moments that impact us and change us spiritually. Our job is not to build houses and try to live in that moment but rather to make a life where the moments lead us and let God lead us to something even more extraordinary. Amen.