Friday, April 24, 2015

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Fourth Sunday in Easter - 04/26/15 Sermon - “I am the good shepherd” (The "I" series: Part 1 of 5)

Sunday 04/26/15 Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s

Sermon Title: “I am the good shepherd”                      
(The “I” series: Part 1 of 5)

Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 23
                                            
New Testament Scripture: 1 John 3:16-24

Gospel Lesson: John 10:11-18                   

          Welcome again, my friends, my brothers and sisters, on this the Fourth Sunday of the Easter Season. This season of resurrection, of hope, of renewal, of newness of life, and of death and darkness being defeated by life, light, and love. For what is God, but life, light, and love?
          As we continue in this Easter Season, I have decided to start a five week preaching series this morning. This series is called the “I” series. It is called the “I” series, because I will be preaching on five “I” statements that Jesus Christ made. Some of these “I” statements are things that Jesus said about himself, things that he promised to his disciples, or things that we need to do as his followers. The reality is, Jesus said many things about himself, Jesus said many things about how we are supposed to live, and about the kingdom of God. Jesus taught many truths, made many claims, and instructed us in many ways.
          With this is mind, the first “I” statement that I want to look at this morning, is when Jesus said to the disciples in the gospel according to John, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11a, CEB). This is definitely a unique thing to say. Further, he isn’t saying that he is just a shepherd, but that he is “the good shepherd” (John 10:11a, CEB).
A shepherd, generally speaking, is the title for a person that herds and cares for sheep, or perhaps other animals. The title shepherd was then put into a Christian context from the beginnings of the Christian faith, in that clergy are sometimes seen as shepherds for the people, or “the flock.” That we have been called by God, to lead the people, to protect the people, and to serve the people. That we are called to instill the truths of God, of Jesus Christ, and to call upon the life changing power of the Holy Spirit. This is also why we sometimes see bishops processing with a shepherds staff or a crozier. This is a curved staff that is designed to grab a sheep at the neck if need be.
          Now in the time period that Jesus lived in, being a shepherd was a common job, as people used the wool from the sheep for clothing, and as people would sometimes eat the sheep, as well. We certainly still have many people who raise sheep today, but in the time period that Jesus lived in, being a shepherd was as common as a person who worked in an office building or a department store.
          In 2015 then, the average American probably knows very little about the actual shepherding of sheep or other animals. Yet Jesus’s disciples and other followers in Ancient Israel and Palestine knew exactly what a shepherd was. Likely they saw and talked to shepherds all the time, and because of this, when Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd,” they understood him much more in this way, than we might understand him today (John 10:11a, CEB).
          The disciples would have likely understood more the importance of a shepherd, and how the shepherd made sure that the sheep were protected, that the sheep were fed, and that the sheep were safe. The Shepherd was even willing to risk their lives to protect the sheep from predators and other threats. For their flock was their life, their livelihood, and a strong part of their identity. To survive, the flock needed a shepherd, and likewise, the shepherd needed the flock.
          This morning though, Jesus is not only saying that he is the shepherd, but that he is “the good shepherd,” in that he will die for the love, the protection, and the care of his sheep (John 10:11a, CEB).

          I have a video clip that I want to show, that explains being a shepherd really well.
~ Show Video Clip ~
So as you can see, Jesus often said things, and spoke truths that had deep and far reaching meanings. That he was saying that while some people and some leaders will lead their people astray, that he would not do this. That he was and is trustworthy. That he was and is the fullness of truth, love, and life, and that he would lead the disciples and us, to life, to love, to grace, and to salvation.
          In Psalm 23 that we read from this morning, it says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake” (Ps. 23:1-3, NRSV).
          You see God shepherds us and leads us, and Jesus this morning says “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11a, CEB). That Jesus, the fullness of God, and the fullness of a human, is God in the flesh. That he, the Lord, leads us. That God leads us. For he is “the good shepherd.” (John 10:11a, CEB).
          The Psalm goes on to say in Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me” (Ps. 23:4, NRSV). That God is our source of love, of life, and light, not this world, not wealth, not possessions, not power, but God and God alone. Jesus then says, “I am the good shepherd,” as he was and is the shepherd of us all (John 10:11a, CEB).
          In the Apostle John’s first epistle or letter from this morning, John reminds us that through an act of great love, “Jesus laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 Jn. 3:16).
          John then says, “But if a person has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need and that person doesn’t care—how can the love of God remain in him” (1 Jn. 3:17). If we allow ourselves to be led by God, to be led by Jesus Christ, “the good shepherd,” then we stay on a good path (John 10:11a, CEB). A path the leads to life and truth, not to death and darkness.
          John then says, “Little children, let’s not love with words or speech but with actions and truth. This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts in God’s presence” (John 10:18, CEB).
          John encourages us to trust God, to follow Him, and to follow his Son, Jesus Christ. To do this, John says that we must, “believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love each other as he commanded us” (John 10:23b, CEB).  That “the good shepherd,” Jesus Christ, says to love each other, as he loved us (John 10:11a, CEB).
          In looking more closely at our Gospel of John reading for this morning, Jesus says first, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11, CEB). To then offer a comparison of what He means, Jesus then says, “When the hired hand sees the wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away. That’s because he isn’t the shepherd; the sheep aren’t really his. So the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them” (John 10:12, CEB). Jesus then says, “He’s only a hired hand and the sheep don’t matter to him” (John 10:13, CEB).
          Yet Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep and they know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I give up my life for the sheep” (John 10:14-15, CEB). Jesus then says that his sheep know his voice, and they follow his voice. Jesus lastly tells his disciples that he will give up his life willingly, and will take it back up willingly, as well.
          We certainly then, have some powerful language spoken to us this morning, by Jesus Christ. In the midst of our own lives, of our own struggles, of our own trials, do we see the hand, and hear the voice of “the good shepherd” (John 10:11a, CEB)? Do we realize our need for God, and our need to follow Christ? Do we see, do we hear, and do we trust?
I want to share a very short story with you, called “Oswald Golter and Unconditional Love.” Here is how it goes: “Oswald Golter was a missionary in northern China during the 1940’s. After ten years of service he was returning home. His ship stopped in India, and while waiting for a boat home he found a group of refugees living in a warehouse on the pier. Unwanted by anyone else, the refugees were stranded there. Golter went to visit them. As it was Christmas-time, he wished them a merry Christmas and asked them what they would like for Christmas.”
“We’re not Christians,” they said. “We don’t believe in Christmas.” “I know,” said the missionary, “but what do you want for Christmas?” They described some German pastries they were particularly fond of, and so Oswald Golter cashed in his ticket, used the money to buy baskets and baskets of the pastries, took them to the refugees, and wished them a merry Christmas.”
“When he later repeated the incident to a class, a student said, “But sir, why did you do that for them? They weren’t Christians. They don’t even believe in Jesus.” “I know,” he replied, “but I do!”
You know, it is so amazing to me that Jesus Christ knew that his own disciples would lose heart. That they wouldn’t “get it” right away. That one of his handpicked disciples Judas Iscariot, would betray him for thirty-pieces of silver. Yet Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, was and is “the good shepherd” (John 10:11a, CEB). So no matter if the sheep are loyal or deceiving, Jesus Christ protects them, feeds them, and lays his life down for them, to show us his love and his truth.
I would like to close this morning with a scripture from the Gospel of John 21:15-19. Now if you remember, the Apostle Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, and the rooster crowed upon the third denial. Here is what this scripture from the gospel of John says though, “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, 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.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me” (John 21:15-19, NRSV). You see even after Peter, one of Jesus Christ’s flock denied Him, Jesus then said to him, “feed my sheep” (John 21:17c, NRSV).

My brothers and sisters, we are all called to be priests, pastors, and shepherds, not just me, and not just the clergy in general. We have a world that is spiritually hungry for life, love, and light. “The good shepherd,” laid his life down for us, and now he tells us all, “Feed my sheep” (John 10:11a, 21:17c, NRSV). For this is the command of the “King of Kings,” the “Lord or Lords,” “the good shepherd” (John 10:11a, NRSV). Amen.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Third Sunday in Easter/Native American Ministries Sunday - 04/19/15 Sermon - “Peace be with you!”

Sunday 04/19/15 Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s

Sermon Title: “Peace be with you!”                    

Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 4
                                            
New Testament Scripture: 1 John 3:1-7

Gospel Lesson: Luke 24:36b-48                   

          Brothers and sisters, friends, welcome once again on this our Third Sunday of this our Easter Season. This is the season that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that we proclaim that in all things, that God gets the final world, not death, not violence, and not oppression. As “Easter People,” we often worship on Sunday, as every Sunday is a “mini-Easter,” or a mini-celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
          This Sunday on the United Methodist Church calendar, is also Native American Ministries Sunday. This is a Sunday that we honor and we lift up our Native American brothers and sisters, who are part of our United Methodist Church, or who are part of other churches. In addition to this, the church has a special offering that is taken on this Sunday, to support Native American ministries, and Native American education. In this way, we have churches in our Upper New York Annual Conference that are largely Native American in there make up. We also have pastors and students that are Native American. Due to this, we want to uphold and value the ministries and work for Jesus Christ that our Native American brothers and sisters are doing.
          So during our collection time this morning, if you would like to give towards Native American Ministries Sunday, feel free to indicate this on your check or funds, and we will make sure that this gets to the conference office, and then to those folks who it is designated for.
          With this said, I want to talk to you this morning about peace. The word peace is word that we hear often. We say things like, “I wish we had more peace in the world.” We might say, “I wish those kids would just stop fighting and just have peace.” We might say, “Can’t people just love each other and live in peace?” Yet what is peace? What does peace mean?
Well according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, peace is many things. Let me read all of the things that are definitions of peace. Here they are:  “a state of tranquility or quiet: freedom from civil disturbance: a state of security or order within a community provided for by law or custom: freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions: harmony in personal relations: a state or period of mutual concord between governments: a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity.”
          Wow! Did you get all that? Well in the gospel according to Luke from this morning, Jesus, the “Prince of Peace,” says “Peace be with you!” (Luke 24:36b, CEB). Jesus doesn’t just say “Peace be with you!” in this one scripture either, but he says it a few times in the gospels of Luke and John (Luke 24:36b, CEB). Jesus also uses the term peace in different ways, in all four gospels. Further there are many biblical references, to peace.
Some might say though, “So what Paul Pastor, Jesus said, “Peace be with you!,” what’s the big deal?” (Luke 24:36b, CEB). You might say, “I say hello to people all the time, but I don’t go and write a sermon about it!” Some might say, “Are you really talking about Jesus’ greeting to his disciples?” My answer is, “yes, I really am.”
          Yet, in some of the gospel accounts, before saying anything else to his disciples, Christ sometimes said, “Peace be with you!” (Luke 24:36b, CEB). Now if this is the first thing to come out of the risen Christ’s mouth, before anything else, there must be some sort of significance to this, right? Further, as per my list of Merriam-Webster dictionary definitions, just what did Jesus mean when he said, “Peace be with you!” (Luke 24:36b, CEB).
          Specifically, which one of these definitions was he talking about? What sort of peace was he giving to the disciples and his other followers? Further, why do churches like ours share the peace or the love of Christ with a hug or handshake? What’s the deal with this peace thing?
          Well I think that when Jesus says various times, “Peace be with you!,” I don’t that he directly is talking about the definitions of, “a state of security or order within a community provided for by law or custom: a state or period of mutual concord between governments: freedom from civil disturbance: or a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity,” to quote a few of the Merriam-Webster online dictionary definition (Luke 24:36b, CEB).
I do think that when Jesus said, “Peace be with you!” though, that he meant, “a state of tranquility or quiet: freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions: and harmony in personal relations.” (Luke 24:36b, CEB).
You see within all of us humans there is brokenness, there are things that are unsettling, that can make us all uneasy. Jesus says this morning though, “Peace be with you!” (Luke 24:36b, CEB). Through such peace, such love, such light, and such life, we can then accomplish the peace that is needed in the world. We can then transform the world in Christ’s image.
When we surrender to God, to Jesus Christ, when we enter into prayer, meditation, the reading of scripture, and other spiritual disciplines, we can have greater peace. When our inner turmoil is turned down like a volume knob on a stereo, we are then furthered freed up to change the world. We can then achieve peace not just within ourselves, but we can create all of the definitions of peace that we read. Our inner peace then, should become the physical and tangible peace that we sow and create all around us.
You see, Christ came to offer a spiritual transformation, and internal peace, so that we can “make disciples of Jesus Christ, for the transformation of the world.”
So as the man who portrayed the Apostle John in the video that we saw from this morning said, “Turn away from hate, turn away from violence. Jesus is the light of the world.” To that I say, “Amen brother John!”
You see if we try to live by our rules, if we rage in our hearts, if we decide we can do and handle anything on our own, it can be hard to have peace. Jesus this morning, says before saying anything else to the disciples, “Peace be with you!” (Luke 24:36b, CEB). 
Sometimes though, we don’t have peace, sometimes we have internal turmoil. Perhaps past life hurts, or inner struggles cause us sleeplessness, or anger, or frustration. Maybe we have heart ache over the loss of loved ones, or failed relationships, but through our repentance, our forgiveness, and our reliance on the love of God, we can achieve a great sense of peace.
There are even days, that I as your pastor struggle with peace. Sometimes I tell Melissa, “You know, maybe I am not that great of a pastor. Maybe I could do better. Maybe I am failing my brothers and sisters.” Melissa then usually reminds me, who am I, and who it is that has called me to be a pastor.
That even the disciples who fled on the day of the crucifixion had no peace. That Judas Iscariot, when he betrayed Jesus Christ, clearly had no peace. That when the disciples were caught in the storm on the Sea of Galilee, that they clearly had no peace. Having peace isn’t always easy, but when we turn to God, when we surrender to Him, when we repent and forgive each other, the God of the Universe changes us. This change doesn’t just occur only between ourselves and God either, it also occurs through all of us together and God. In all of these ways, we can have peace.
I know that for me, that I can relate some days to the Psalm 4 reading from this morning that says, “Answer me when I cry out, my righteous God! Set me free from my trouble! Have mercy on me! Listen to my prayer!” (Ps. 4:1, CEB). How many of us, have ever felt like this? Yet how many of us can say that eventually though, at some point, that God showed up, and we had peace?
In the reading from the Apostle John’s first Epistle or letter for this morning, he says, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us in that we should be called God’s children.” The essence or the core of what the God of the Universe is, is light, life, and love. Through God, through Jesus Christ, we can have peace, and have it abundantly.
In looking more closely at our Gospel according to Luke reading for this morning, as I have said, “Jesus himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” (Luke 24:36b, CEB). At this point, the disciples still having their doubts about Jesus, his resurrection, and him being the Messiah, “were terrified and afraid. They thought they were seeing a ghost.” (Luke 24:37, CEB). Jesus then asked the disciples, “Why are you startled? Why are doubts arising in your hearts?” (Luke 24:38a, CEB).
Going even farther, Jesus then says, “Look at my hands and my feet. It’s really me! Touch me and see, for ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones like you see I have.” (Luke 24:39, CEB).
When Jesus finished showing the disciples his wounded hands and feet, he then asked them, “Do you have anything to eat?” (Luke 24:41, CEB). The disciples then gave Jesus some fish, and he “ate it front of them.” (Luke 24:42, CEB).
Jesus then told the disciples, “that everything written about me in the Law from Moses, the Prophets, and Psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44, CEB). Jesus then proceeded to further explain through the scriptures, why he is the Messiah, why he is the Son of God.
What Jesus then says next, I think, is at the heart of finding peace. Jesus said in Luke 24:47, “and a change of heart and life for forgiveness of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:47, CEB). That we must repent, forgive, and change our hearts, to find peace.
Jesus lastly says, the disciples “are witnesses of these things,” and then he tells them to say in Jerusalem and await the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.” (Luke 24:48-49, CEB). The next thing for the disciples then, is the day of Pentecost, when they experience an outpouring of the Holy Spirt.
I would like to share a story about finding peace with you. This story is called, “My Son’s Friend,” by author unknown. Here is how it goes: “After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit, and gave a very brief introduction of the friend he had known since childhood. With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit to speak, "A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific Coast," he began, "when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright, and the three were swept into the ocean."
The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story. He continued, "The father, being a good swimmer, was able to make it back on the boat. Grabbing a rescue line, he then had to make the most excruciating decision of his life, ­to which boy would he throw the other end of the line. He had only seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was a Christian, and he also knew that his son's friend was not. The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the father yelled out, "I love you, son!" he threw the line to his son's friend. By the time he pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beyond raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered."
By this time, the two teenagers were sitting straighter in the pew, awaiting the next words to come out of the old man's mouth. "The father," he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus, and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus. Therefore, he sacrificed his son. How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us." With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room.”
Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side. "That was a nice story," one of the boys politely started, "but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian." "Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied, glancing down at his well-worn Bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face, and he once again looked up at the boys and said, "It doesn't sound very realistic, does it? But I'm standing here today to tell you that that story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up His Son for me." He paused for a moment, and then continued, "And you see, I was that father and your pastor is my son's friend."

Finding peace my brothers and sisters, my friends, isn’t always easy, but Jesus comes to us and offers us peace. When we pursue God, when we pursue Christ, when we love each other, we find peace. When we surrender to the God of the Universe, we are offered peace, love, light, life, and grace. So do we have peace on this day? Do we know the source of all peace” Do we know God? Do we know Jesus Christ? For on this day, Jesus say to his disciples, and to us all, “Peace be with you!” (Luke 24:36b, CEB). Amen.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Second Sunday in Easter - 04/12/15 Sermon - “There were no needy persons among them”

Sunday 04/12/15 Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s

Sermon Title: “There were no needy persons among them”                    

Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 133
                                            
New Testament Scripture: Acts 4:32-35

Gospel Lesson: John 20:19-31                   

My friends, my brothers and sisters, welcome again on this our Second Sunday of the Easter Season. This season that is post, or after the resurrection of Jesus Christ! For He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! The grave has been overcome, and through Christ we can have our own spiritual resurrections. Through Jesus Christ, our hearts and our souls can be mended, can be filled, and we can be spiritually restored. While some of us might mourn a loss or a hardship, we are reminded in this Easter season that God gets the final word in everything. For death does not get the final word, but instead God gets the final word. For “Death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:54, NRSV). For the grave could not hold the king!
          While our salvation and our spiritual renewals are closely tied to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and while through Christ we have the newness of life, freedom, and eternal life, we also have much work to do here on earth, until the day comes when we go to be with the Lord.
We are first and foremost called, as Jesus said in the gospel according to Mark 16:15, to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15, NRSV). In addition to bringing people to Jesus Christ, we are also called to build the kingdom of God in the here and the now, as we await the kingdom to come. By this I mean, Jesus calls us to love each other, to have compassion for one another, and to remake the world in His image.
          Some people might say, “Well pastor, this is all well and good, but exactly how are we supposed to remake the world in Christ’s image?” This is certainly a good question. To me, I say this is accomplished by preaching the life giving gospel of Jesus Christ, by loving our neighbors, by pursuing justice, and by doing everything that we can do to make sure that everyone on earth has enough.
          For we are called by Christ to care for the poor, the hungry, the widows, and to clothe the naked. In addition then, to a transformation in Jesus Christ, in addition to salvation in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we need to build His kingdom in the here and the now, as we await the kingdom to come. For as it says in the Book of James 2:14-16, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it” (James 2:14-16, NRSV)?
          Due to this, I am saying that we who are Christians, that we who follow and have faith and trust in the risen Christ, must seek to remake our communities and the world as He has taught us to do. In this way, I am focusing this morning on our reading from the Book of Acts. For those that don’t know, the Book of Acts is the book of the New Testament that tells us the story of the very early Christian Church. It is the book that give us the Pentecost story, the story of the Apostle Paul’s conversion, and some of the activities of the early Christian Church. In all of these ways then, the Book of Acts, plus the Apostle Paul’s letters and others letters in the New Testament, are a major part of we know about the early Christian Church. Further, we also have early church historians and early church leaders that have writings that have given us at least some more of this background.
          Recently in fact, the desire to know more about the early Christian Church, after Christ rose from the grave and ascended to heaven, has come forth in shows like the one on NBC called “AD.”
          So while the birth of Christ, the life of Christ, the death of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, and etc. is important and vital, while it is central to our Christian faith, many still say, “Well what happened after that?”
          This morning we have a small piece of scripture from the Book of Acts that helps us to answer this very question. You can also watch the show “AD” on NBC to see more of the story on the early Christian Church.
In this story, we find that after Christ was resurrected and ascended into heaven that his disciples, who all but one abandoned him on the day of his crucifixion, will soon turn into amazing evangelists and pastors. They will soon begin preaching the gospel of Jesus of Christ that has so transformed the world, that today Christianity makes up roughly one-third of the world’s population.
          In fact, did you know that the mostly highly read book in human history is the Christian Bible (James V Chapman, 10 Most Read Books In The World). That in the last 50-years of human history, 3.9 billion copies of the Christian Bible have been sold (James V Chapman, 10 Most Read Books In The World). The Bible is the story of our Jewish brothers and sisters, and the story of us as Christians. This is also pretty impressive considering that Christianity began with Jesus Christ, 12-disciples, and the handful of other women and followers. From that, we have the largest faith in the entire world.
          In seeking to connect the Old Testament to the New Testament, let us look first this morning look at the reading from Psalm 133. In this Psalm, the Psalmist writes, “Look at how good and pleasing it is when families live together as one” (Psalm 133:1, CEB). This scripture then give us some context and basis for the Book of Acts reading for this morning.
          In the Book of the Acts or actions of the Apostles, or just the Book of Acts, it says in 4:32, “The community of believers was one in heart and mind. None of them would day, “This is mine!” about any of their possessions, but held everything in common” (Acts 4:32, CEB). This scripture from the Book of Acts then says speaking of the apostles that followed Christ, “The apostles continued to bear powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and an abundance of grace was at work among them all” (Acts 4:33, CEB).
          The next verse, which is very much my focus this morning says, “There were no needy persons among them. Those who owned properties or houses would sell them, and bring the proceeds from the sales, and place them in the care and under the authority of the apostles” (Acts 4:34, CEB). This scripture from the Book of Acts for this morning then concludes by saying in 4:35b of the money collected, “Then it was distributed to anyone who was in need.”
          Now someone reading this scripture from the Book of Acts from this morning, could say, “Oh, so we should all sell everything that we have, and live in a big Christian commune together?” Well one, I am not advocating that, as the early church did this for survival, as they were being persecuted, oppressed, and killed, and secondly, I am not a socialist. I truly believe that we will always have some with more wealth than others. We will always have some with bigger houses, more assets, and etc. and etc. I am not opposed to different amounts of wealth, as this has been the story of human civilization from day one. I do struggle though, with a few people having so much money, and the majority us have so little. So what I am talking about is the reality that different jobs pay different amounts of money. Therefore, there will always be a different distribution of wealth among people.   
          So I am not advocating that everyone has to be the same, but I believe that as Christians we should take care of our people, and all people. I am not advocating socialism, but I would hope as Christians we would have a desire to make sure that all persons have food to eat, some sort of clothing on their backs, and a place to lay there heads at night. To me, this is reality is not socialism, it is fulfilling the gospel when Christ said, feed the poor, clothe the naked.
          The fact that we still have human starvation and homelessness in the world today, is certainly a big concern for me. Imagine knowing that even if you lost your home, that you would have a place to lay your head at night? So when we strive as Christians to get people the basics of food, clean water, clothing, and shelter, we better care for humanity. We do more fully what Jesus Christ called us to do. When humans have all of their basic needs met, then I think we are truly living the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For as it says in the reading from the Book of Acts for this morning, “There were no needy persons among them” (Acts 4:34a, CEB).
The challenge for us then, is how do we conquer hunger, homeless, and nakedness? Well, many of our Christian denomination are working around the clock to do just this, but we could all always do more. For as it says in the Book of Genesis 4:9, “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper” (Gen. 4:9, NRSV). Brothers and sisters, I don’t know about you, but I feel that I am my brother’s and my sister’s keeper. That then health and the wellbeing of others matters to me.
Also, while I am not preaching about the gospel according to John reading from this morning, I did want to mention it briefly. In this reading, Jesus after his resurrection appears to the disciples and says, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19b, CEB). Jesus then shows the disciples his wounds on his hands and side, and them Jesus breathed on them the Holy Spirit.
Now the Apostle Thomas was not present for this appearance of Jesus, and Thomas did not believe that the others had saw him. This is where we get the term “doubting Thomas” from. Thomas said that, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger in the wounds left by the nails, and put my hand into his side, I won’t believe” (John 20:25, CEB).
Jesus then appears to Thomas, and Thomas believes, as this story connects with own periodic faith doubts, and our own life struggles. As the faithfulness of Jesus Christ remains constant and unwavering.
With that said, I want to tell you story this morning that connects to my sermon title “There were no needing person among them” (Acts 4:34a, CEB). It also addresses the scripture that I mentioned from Genesis 4:9b, “Am I my brother’s keeper” (Gen. 4:9, NRSV).
So here is the story: Last year I had the blessing as many of you know, to travel to Israel and Palestine with my seminary, the United Theological Seminary. We had a large group of students, pastors, and professors, and we got see many amazing things. We got to see the commemorated place of Christ’s birth, at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. We got to see the commemorated place of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, and etc., and etc.
I also learned that the Israeli military doesn’t like it if you randomly take pictures of them, there weapons, or there bases, but that is another story.
One of the days of this trip, we went to Jerusalem, and while there, we visited the “Yad Vashem,” which is the national Holocaust history museum in Israel.
Now for those who have been to our National Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C., you know that it is hard thing to go through, as was this museum in Jerusalem. For I was in the Holy City, “Zion,” the city where Pontius Pilate allowed Christ to be crucified, standing in the Israeli National Holocaust museum.
So I shed some tears going through this walking history of World War II and the Holocaust, yet the Rabbi that accompanied us on a portion of this trip, then took us to another part of the museum. This part of the museum was specifically dedicated to the children who died in the Holocaust. Among other outdoor monuments was a large building. We were told by the Rabbi that accompanied us for this part of our trip that this building commemorated the children who died in the Holocaust. We were also told that the names of the children that we killed are read one by one, over and over, twenty-four seven.
When I went into the building with some of my classmates, there was circular walkway around a centralized large glassed in area. It was also glassed in along the outer perimeter of the walk way, as well. It was sort of dark, as I needed to grip that hand rail carefully to walk around the circular walkway. As I made my way slowly around this circular walkway, I heard one after the other, one child’s name, their age, and their country of origin. The glassed in areas in this building, were also filled with endless twinkles of light, as one light source at the base of this room was reflected by multiple mirrors. This causes us to see the room, as if we were looking at millions and millions of stars in the sky.
After being in this building for a while, I and other students exited this portion of the museum. As we went outside, we saw the Rabbi weeping. We all gathered around him, and then we was silent for a few seconds.
He then asked us if we remembered a child’s name, age, and country of origin spoken while were inside. He then asked us to make up a hobby for the child that we remembered. This was done to make us connect with the child that we remembered. He then said something that I will never forget. With tears in his eyes, quoting Genesis 4:9 he said, “Am I my brother’s keeper” (Gen. 4:9, NRSV).
My brothers and sisters, we read in the Book of Acts reading from this morning, that “There were no needy persons among them” (Acts 4:34a, CEB). Do we as Christians then, take human suffering, hunger, homelessness, and the oppression of innocent people seriously here this morning? Christ calls us to love and care for each other, and to transform the world in His image. So that one day it can be say of us and all the world, “There we no needy persons among them” (Acts 4:34a, CEB). Amen.    


Saturday, April 4, 2015

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Easter Sunday - 04/05/15 Sermon - “Why the empty tomb is our hope”

Easter Sunday 04/05/15
Freeville/Homer Ave UMC’s

Sermon Title: “Why the empty tomb is our hope”                    

New Testament Scripture: Acts 10:34-43
                                            
New Testament Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Gospel Lesson: John 20:1-18

            Friends, brothers and sisters, “He Is Risen!” “He Is Risen Indeed!” I want to welcome you once again to this year’s Easter resurrection service. This is the service in which, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that we proclaim the truth that death does not have the final word in our lives! God has the final word in our lives!
          That with God, there is no death, for as it says in the Book of Revelation 21:5 “And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new” (Rev. 21:5, NRSV). With God, death is not final, rather with God, life is eternal. This is why most Christian Churches have most of their main weekly services on Sundays, as we celebrate the resurrection every Sunday. Making every Sunday morning worship service, a “mini-Easter.”
          For as it says in the Gospel according to Luke 20:36, “Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection” (Luke 20:36, NRSV). Christians, are “children of the resurrection” (Luke 20:36, NRSV). We are called to be people of life, of light, and of holiness. We are “Easter People.” We are “children of the resurrection” (Luke 20:36, NRSV).
          When looking at the fact that there is so much darkness, so much cruelty, so much violence, and so much intolerance within the world in which we live, we are called to be “children of the resurrection” (Luke 20:36, NRSV). In all of these ways, this is “why the empty tomb is our hope.” For in Christ raising from the dead, fully, and bodily, our eternal hope is cemented. Our reality then, is that death is not the final word, but that God is the final word.
For as the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:54  “When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: “Death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:54, NRSV).
          Today then, we the people called Christians, declare that life, that light, that truth, and that the living God, wins. We declare that in a world with so much pain and so much suffering, that in the end God will win. That this earth is not all that there is, that we will who believe will be restored to new life in God.
          Easter then, for Christians, is the hope of life, of love, and of God winning over darkness, evil, and suffering. It is our belief that Christ rose from the dead, fully, and bodily, and this resurrection is “our hope.” “Our hope” that goodness, love, and Jesus Christ will win over all known evils, over darkness, and over suffering. This is “why the empty tomb is our hope.”
          For without the empty tomb, we have a person named Jesus of Nazareth, who lived, taught, healed, forgave, and then died. If he was not resurrected, then the hope of new life, of death being “swallowed up in victory,” is just not there (1 Cor. 15:54, NRSV). This would mean that Jesus was just a human, and that the forces of darkness, that suffering and oppression won, and that God, that Jesus, lost.
          For these reasons, for Christians, this is “why the empty tomb is our hope.” For without the empty tomb, without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, then we have nothing. Everything he then said and did, would then be in vain, without the victory of the empty tomb.
Easter therefore, is our biggest holiday, it is our biggest celebration. It is our Super Bowl and our Kentucky Derby. It is a celebration off Jesus overcoming death itself, so that our sins would officially be forgiven. That through Jesus Christ, we can be spiritually resurrected into new life. That through Christ, we can be forgiven and restored to new life. That we don’t need walk in darkness, no, we are “children of the resurrection” (1 Cor. 15:54, NRSV).We are “Easter People.” We don’t believe that corruption, suffering, oppression, and evil win, no, we believe in the resurrected Christ. We believe that God has the last word, and that God will win over all known evils.
          So for these reasons, we who are called Christians, triumphantly shout on this day, “He is Risen!” “He Is Risen Indeed!”
          In looking at the Book of Acts reading from this morning, we can ask ourselves, who benefits from Christ? Who can be called “children of the resurrection” (1 Cor. 15:54, NRSV)? As the reading from the Book of Acts begins this morning in Acts 10:34-35, it says, Peter said, “I really am learning that God doesn’t show partiality to one group of people over another. Rather, in every nation, whoever worships him and does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34-35, CEB).
So God is for everyone, and Jesus died for the sins of not just some, but every single person, both past and present, without any exceptions. The Book of Acts reading for this morning then says of Jesus Christ, “He is Lord of all” (Acts 10:36b, CEB). The Book of Acts reading also says of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, “but God raised him up on the third day” (Acts 10:40a, CEB).
          In the Apostle Paul’s Epistle or letter to the church in Corinth, or the Corinthians for this morning, Paul says in 15:3-4, “I passed on to you as most important what I also received: Christ died for our sins in line with the scriptures, he was buried, and rose on the third day in line with the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4, CEB). The Apostle Paul is saying then, that Christ died for us all, and was indeed raised to new life. That death did not have the final word, but that God had the final word. The Apostle Paul then tells us that the risen or resurrected Christ, then appeared to the apostles and others, before ascending into heaven.
          So the “empty tomb is our hope.” As Christians then, as we continue to feed the poor, to push against violence, terrorism, corruption, the abuse of women and children, and all known evils, we believe that God has the final word. We believe that as “children of the resurrection,” that there is no death with God, but life, resurrection, hope, and eternity (1 Cor. 15:54, NRSV).
          In our gospel according to John reading for this morning, we have the narrative or the story of the empty tomb. The gospel reading begins by saying, “Early in the morning of the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb” (John 20:1, CEB). Now remember that Jesus was placed in the tomb before the sun went down, on what we now call “Good Friday,” as observant Jews could not work on the Sabbath. As such, Jesus was placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea in the late afternoon on Good Friday, before the sun went down, starting the Sabbath. This means then, that for all of Friday night, and all of Saturday, Christ lay dead, in a dark tomb. Mary Magdalene came to the tomb to likely pray, or perhaps to see if the stone could be rolled away as to further honor or anoint Jesus’ body.
          Yet when she arrived, the stone was gone, and she was startled by this. In fact she didn’t enter the tomb, but instead she went and got “Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him” (John 20:2, CEB).
          You see no one was expecting a resurrection, as Mary Magdalene at first thought that someone stole Jesus Christ’s body. So Peter, and the other disciple, who we think was John, ran to the tomb. John then bent down, but did not go into the tomb, as the gospel says that John “saw the linen cloths lying there, but he didn’t go in” (John 20:5, CEB). Peter then came into the tomb, and he saw the burial linens, and then saw that the face cloth that covered Christ. This face cloth wasn’t with the other burial linens, “but was folded up in its own place” (John 20:7, CEB).
          It took Peter, John, and Mary a little while to figure out that what happened to Jesus. Then the gospel says, that Mary who remained outside of the tomb “saw two angels dressed in white, seated where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and one at the foot” (John 20:12, CEB). The angels asked Mary why she was crying, and she said that they had taken her Lord away. Then she turned and saw Jesus, but at first she thought it was the gardener. When she realized that it was in fact the risen Christ, she said “Rabbouni,” which means teacher in Aramaic. Jesus then told Mary that she would be going to be with God soon, and she “left and announced to the disciples “I’ve seen the Lord” (John 20:17-18, CEB).
          So in an instant, the disciples, and Mary Magdalene, went from being heart broken, hopeless, and being dead inside, to being hopeful, excited, and restored. In these ways, when we are in darkness, when we think that there is no hope, this is often when God shows up and gives us our own spiritual resurrection. As we are “children of the resurrection,” and this is “why the empty tomb in our hope” (Luke 20:36, NRSV).
On this Easter or resurrection Sunday, I want to share a story with you about a resurrection. This story is called: “Phillips’ Egg,” by author unknown. Here is how it goes: “Philip was born with Downs Syndrome. He was a pleasant child, happy it seemed, but increasingly aware of the difference between himself and other children. Philip went to Sunday School faithfully every week. He was in the third grade class with nine other eight-year olds.”
“You know eight-year olds. And Philip, with his differences, was not readily accepted. But his teacher was sensitive to Philip and he helped this group of eight-year olds to love each other as best they could, under the circumstances. They learned, they laughed, they played together. And they really cared about one another, even though eight-year olds don’t say they care about one another out loud.”
“But don’t forget. There was an exception to all this. Philip was not really a part of the group. Philip did not choose, nor did he want to be different. He just was. And that was the way things were.”
“His teacher had a marvelous idea for his class the Sunday after Easter. You know those things that pantyhose come in . . . the containers that look like great big eggs? The teacher collected ten of them. The children loved it when he brought them into the room and gave one to each child. It was a beautiful spring day, and the assignment was for each child to go outside, find the symbol for new life, put it into the egg, and bring it back to the classroom. They would then open and share their new life symbols and surprises, one by one.”
“It was glorious. It was confusing. It was wild. They ran all around the church grounds, gathering their symbols, and returned to the classroom.”
“They put all the eggs on a table, and then the teacher began to open them. All the children gathered around the table. He opened one and there was a flower, and they ooh-ed and aah-ed. He opened another and there was a little butterfly. “Beautiful!” the girls all said, since it is hard for eight-year old boys to say ‘beautiful.’ He opened another and there was a rock. And as third-graders will, some laughed, and some said, “That’s crazy! How’s a rock supposed to be like new life?” But the smart little boy who’d put it in there spoke up: “That’s mine. And I knew all of you would get flowers and buds and leaves and butterflies and stuff like that. So I got a rock because I wanted to be different. And for me, that’s new life.” They all laughed.”
“The teacher said something about the wisdom of eight-year olds and opened the next one. There was nothing inside. The children, as eight-year olds will, said, “That’s not fair. That’s stupid! Somebody didn’t do it right.”
“Then the teacher felt a tug on his shirt, and he looked down. “It’s mine, Philip said. It’s mine.” “And the children said, “You don’t ever do things right, Philip. There’s nothing there!” “I did so do it right!” Philip said. “I did do it right. The tomb is empty!”
“There was silence, a very full silence. And for you people who don’t believe in miracles, I want to tell you that one happened that day. From that time on, it was different. Philip suddenly became a part of that group of eight-year old children. They took him in. He was set free from the tomb of his differentness.”
“Philip died last summer. His family had known since the time he was born that he wouldn’t live out a full life span. Many other things were wrong with his little body. And so, late last July, with an infection that most normal children could have quickly shrugged off, Philip died.”
“At his memorial service, nine eight-year old children marched up to the altar, not with flowers to cover over the stark reality of death . . . but nine eight-year olds, along with their Sunday School teacher, marched right up to that altar, and laid on it an empty egg . . . an empty, old, discarded pantyhose egg.” And the tomb is empty!”

Friends, brothers and sisters, we who bear the name Christian, are “children of the resurrection” (Luke 20:36, NRSV). We are people who believe that death, darkness, corruption, and pain, don’t get the final word in this world, but that God gets the final word. On this day we gather to celebrate the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ, and on this day and on all days, may we seek our own spiritual resurrections. May we grow closer to Christ, and may we walk with Him daily, as in Him, there is no darkness at all. In Christ we have hope, we have transformation, we have renewal, we have light, we have life, and we have resurrection. This is “why the empty tomb is our hope.” Amen.

Friday, April 3, 2015

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Good Friday - 04/03/15 Sermon - “Was there ever a love so great?”

Good Friday 04/03/15 Freeville UMC

Sermon Title: “Was there ever a love so great?”                    

Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 52:13-53:12
                                            
New Testament Scripture: Hebrews 10:16-25

Gospel Lesson: John 18:1-19:42

            Friends, brothers and sisters, welcome once again on this Good Friday. On this day that we remember, that we mourn, that we hope, and that we reflect upon the suffering and the death of Jesus Christ. We all can no doubt connect in various ways to this day, with our own sufferings, and with our own pains.
          I think some good questions then that we can ask ourselves on this Good Friday are: “What does the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on this day mean to me?” “How can I connect to the suffering and the death that Christ experienced on this day?” And, “What significance does Christ’s suffering and death have for us, and for others?”
          I remember watching a Rev. Billy Graham sermon once and he was talking about the suffering and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. What he seemed to do in this sermon, was first explain that Jesus died for the sins of humanity. Then he explained that this happened, because of the great love that Jesus Christ had for us all. In the sermon he said of Christ’s suffering and death, “Was there ever a love so great?”
          Now, the interesting thing about the story of the torture and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is that the majority of his followers fled. Peter denied him three times, Judas Iscariot betrayed him, and then hung himself. Overall, nine out of the ten of the remaining twelve disciples fled. The only one of the twelve disciples that remained was, we think, John. As Jesus said in John 19:26-27 “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home” (John 19:26-27, NRSV). So, many experts think that “the disciple whom he loved,” was John, and that all of the other disciples had fled, yet Jesus’ mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, and probably all or most of his women disciples remained to the end of his crucifixion. This also means that the story of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion came only from John and the women who remained, and these same women were the first ones to see the empty tomb on Easter morning.
          I paint this picture of these Good Friday events as written in the gospels, to show you how Jesus’s handpicked apostles scattered, say for John, and how he still suffered and died.
          Remember also that when Jesus went before the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate and King Herod Antipas that he could have conceded at any point. He could have said, “I just made the whole thing up!” Yet Jesus, the living God in the flesh, was to complete his mission and his task of redeeming humanity.
          To me then, this is what Christ’s suffering mean for us today, that Jesus Christ, the living God in the flesh, was determined to show us a love so great, and so powerful, that it would change the world forever. Not only this, it would open the doorway to eternal life and salvation, as this pure and spotless lamb named Jesus Christ, would die for us all.
          Now I am a person that has had many medical surgeries in my life, and I have had some experiences of pain. I can connect somewhat to Christ’s suffering and death today, but not fully. In some Christian traditions, on this day we have the fourteen “Stations of the Cross.” The step by step story of the torture and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. For some people, this story brings forth great emotions of great shame and guilt. They might say, “Because I am so awful and sinful, Christ had to do this for me.”
Yet, I view it like this, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16, NRSV). While we can identify and even connect with the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on this day, Christ ultimately came to love, to heal, and to forgive, not to condemn. Today is a story about love. In fact, “Was there ever a love so great?”
          I can only imagine what it was like to, for Jesus’ mother Mary, to watch her little boy be tortured and killed. Melissa and I don’t yet have any children, but I know that most parents would lay their lives down for their children. That if someone was about to fire a gun at one your children, or grandchildren, or one of your relatives, that you would jump in front of that person, and take the bullet for them. I would attest that what Jesus did today then, was so loving, was so radical, that even that vast majority of his disciples didn’t even get it. I say this, as almost all of them weren’t even present for the crucifixion.
To the third question that I have, to me the significance of this day, is what the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:54, “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:54, NRSV). So I of course hold the more traditional view that Jesus Christ’s torture and death was significant, in that it removed the sins of humanity, both past and present, and it allowed us an entry point into salvation and eternal life.
Yet at the heart of this day, is the love of God, the love of Jesus Christ. As Jesus said himself in John 15:13 “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13, NRSV). So while I say that Christ’s death was to redeem humanity, there is no debate about the love that Christ bore for his friends, and for us. This great love is what put him on the cross. It is what caused him to be whipped and scourged, to be mocked, to be interrogated, to have a crown of thorns thrust onto his head, it is what caused him to be nailed to Roman Cross, and to be stabbed in the side with a Roman spear.
 In an effort to better connect us with the events as recorded in the gospels for this day, I would invite you all to close your eyes for a couple of minutes.
I am going to ask that you trust me, and I want you to imagine in you minds, the events of this day. I want you to think about and imagine the suffering and the death of Jesus Christ. I want you to think it about from the perspective of Mary, Jesus’ mother. Of what it must have been like to watch your own son be tortured and murdered.
I would invite you in your minds to then come with me to the cross of Christ. Imagine that large wooden cross laying on the ground. It is laying there on the dusty, dry, and hot ground. Jesus, who has been whipped, beaten, scourged, and who is hardly recognizable as a human being, lays near the cross. Yet, he has been sentenced to death.
So the Roman soldiers, to the cheers of “crucify him” lay Jesus on the cross. First, they pull one of his beaten and bloody arms, and they pull it as far as they can. Then suddenly a soldier with a hammer and nail strikes the nail in one of Christ’s hands (strike the bowl). An explosion of pain, goes through Christ’s body.
Then the other arm is likewise stretched out, and pulled taunt. Again a Roman soldier lifts a hammer and nail, and hammers it into Christ’s other hand (strike the bowl). Another explosion of pain, goes through Christ’s body.
After this, the Roman Soldiers stretches out Christ’s feet, and overlap them together. Then a third time, they lift the hammer and the nail, and hammer the nail into his feet (strike the bowl).
The sign “King of Jews” is nailed above his head, and the cross is lifted into a dug hole in the ground, so that it may stand up right. Jesus hangs in pain and agony.
Please open your eyes.
We know then, that Jesus will continue to suffer on this cross, and then he will die. During which time he prays for those who are killing him, he regards the well-being of his mother Mary, and he forgives one of the criminals being crucified with him. I don’t know about you, but when I hear this story, I think of what the Rev. Billy Graham said, “Was there ever a love so great?”
In our lengthy reading from the prophet Isaiah for tonight, we get plenty of prophetic language, written hundreds of years before Christ. This language tells us of what the Christ, the Messiah would experience, out of His great love for us.
In our reading from tonight from the Apostle Paul’s Epistle or letter to the Hebrews, Paul talks about how through the blood of Jesus Christ, we are all forgiven of all of our sins. That we are offered liberty for our souls, and offered the opportunity to be made righteous, pure, and whole, through Jesus Christ.
Our gospel reading from the gospel according to John from tonight is the story that we hear every year from one of the gospels. Yet I come back to the three questions that I asked us to consider on this night: “What does the suffering and death of Jesus on this day mean to me?” “How can I connect to the suffering and death that Christ experienced on this day?” “What significance does Christ’s suffering and death have for us, and for others?”
So for me then, I don’t feel great guilt and shame on this day, rather I feel tremendous love, humility, and am overwhelmed by what Jesus did for me and for us all.
I would like to close this message with a story called “Who’ll take the son,” which was taken from the book Bible Windows, by Ivor Powell. Now I have told this story before, but I found that it was just so fitting for my message tonight, that I am telling it again in a different way.
So here is how it goes: “A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.” 
“About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.” 
“The young man held out his package. "I know this isn't much. "I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."
“The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.” "Oh, no sir. I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift." 
“The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.” 
“The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son.” 
“The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?" “There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings! Skip this one!" “But the auctioneer persisted. "Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?" Another voice shouted angrily, "We didn't come to see this painting! We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandt's! Get on with the real bids!" But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?" 
“Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.” "We have $10, who will bid $20?" "Give it to him for $10! Let's see the masters!" "$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?" The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.” The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!" A man sitting in the second row shouted, "Now, let's get on with the collection!" The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over." "What about the paintings?" 
"I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!" 
“God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, "The son, the son, who'll take the son?" Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.”
Friends, brothers and sisters, this is our Good Friday. This is the day that we remember the suffering and the death of Jesus Christ. Today is the day that ends in death, but be encouraged for God has the final word. For we don’t serve a God of death, but we serve a God of resurrection. I would challenge us all to be thinking, to be praying, and to be meditating on the events of this day, what they mean to us, why they are important, and how we can connect with Jesus Christ. The one who died, so that we may live. For, “Was there ever a love so great?” Amen.