Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Third Sunday in Lent - 03/04/18 - Sermon - “Jesus proclaimed his own resurrection" ("The Power of the Resurrection" Series: Part 1 of 5)

Sunday 03/04/18 Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC’s

Sermon Title: “Jesus proclaimed his own resurrection”

(“The power of the Resurrection” Series – Part 1 of 5)

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 19

                                            

New Testament Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: John 2:13-22

          Friends, sisters and brothers in Christ, welcome again on this our Third Sunday in this season of Holy Lent. This season where we are called by God to prepare our hearts, our minds, our souls, and our bodies for the trial, crucifixion, death, and then resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord.

          With this said, I am beginning a new sermon series this morning that will last for the next five weeks, ending on Easter Sunday. This sermon series is called “The power of the Resurrection,” as the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ has always been central to the Christian faith.

In fact, the Apostle Paul was so emphatic about the power of Christ’s resurrection that he said in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19:

^“Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Cor. 15:12-19, NRSV).

          So according to the Apostle Paul, the Christian faith, the faith that we have shared for the last 2,000 years is an illusion, if Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead on that first Easter morning.

          While in this season of Lent we are preparing our hearts, our minds, our souls, and our bodies for the coming trial, death, and crucifixion of Christ, Lent leads to Easter. Easter is when Jesus is raised to new life, and thus our faith and our new life in him is cemented.

          What is resurrection though? What was the resurrection of Jesus Christ? How do we define the word resurrection? In defining the word resurrection, according to www.dictionary.com, the word resurrection means:

1. “the act of rising from the dead”.

2. “the rising of Christ after His death and burial”.

3. “the rising of the dead on Judgment Day”.

4. “the state of those risen from the dead”.

5. “a rising again, as from decay, disuse, etc.; revival” (http://www.dictionary.com/browse/resurrection?s=t).

          It would seem that word resurrection can be defined as rising from the dead, revival, or rising to new life.

As we are all projecting towards Easter Sunday then, what did the resurrection of Jesus Christ look like? By this I mean, did Jesus spiritually rise from the dead only? Did he not rise, but his followers had a spiritual epiphany of him being alive, without any actual resurrection? Did his followers steal his body and bury it, and then claim that he rose from the dead? Or did Jesus Christ literally and physically get up and walk out of the grave, talking with him his body, soul, and divinity?

          I believe that that on that first Easter morning that Jesus Christ physically got up, was alive again, and then physically walked out of the grave. When Jesus Christ raised Lazarus from the dead, Lazarus came back to life, and physically walked out of his grave. In looking at the translations of Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, most often the translations of the word resurrection or its counterpart, were and are understood as being a literal bodily resurrection. Some folks however have different understanding of Christ’s resurrection.

          Beyond the nature of how Christ’s resurrection happened and or occurred, why should we believe that this event of resurrection happened at all on Easter morning? While there are many reasons to believe that Jesus rose from the dead on Easter, I have picked five of many reasons that I believe show that Jesus was resurrected. All of these ideas are gleaned from the scriptures and the faith of the first followers of Christ and the early Christian Church. Each week, each one of my sermons will be on one of these five reasons for the resurrection.

          The first reason that I want to present as a reason to believe that Christ was resurrected on Easter Sunday, is that Christ himself predicted his own resurrection in the gospels many times. Last Sunday, I discussed the crucifixion of Christ, and how Christ himself in the gospels predicted and proclaimed his own crucifixion. Christ in the gospels explained that he would be crucified and resurrected, and he explained why all of this would happen. He also said this well before he arrested, tried, and crucified. I mean, how could he have known such things so far in advance? This is why the title of my sermon this morning is called “Jesus proclaimed his own resurrection”. So you know my perspective on the resurrection of Christ, and this morning Jesus says that this is what will happen. This is what will come to pass.

In diving into our gospel of John reading for this morning, generally people preach on this reading around the main subject of this text. The main subject of this text is generally seen as Jesus cleansing the temple. This is the gospel narrative where Jesus displays righteous anger at the injustices that occurring at the temple in Jerusalem during the Jewish Passover. Every year at this time, it was customary for Jews from near and far to come to Jerusalem on the Passover, and in doing so, offer a money donation to God in the temple, in the currency of the Israelites. It was also customary to offer an animal sacrifice to God in the temple. Often weary travelers however, lacked Israelite currency and or an animal to sacrifice. These folks were then severely gouged by the money changers, and the folks selling animals to sacrifice to God at the Temple steps. Essentially, these people were being exploited and ripped off in order to fulfill their annual religious obligations. Once again, this is how the gospel of John reading begins for this morning:

“The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me” (Jn. 2:13-17, NRSV).

In this scene, Jesus again has righteous anger, passion, as he is defending the poor and exploited people of God, protecting the integrity of the house of worship that is the temple, and is showing the people looking on and listening how we are to regard God, the creator. This scene is also used frequently by people in my experience for a variety of things.

Perhaps we lost our cool, got angry, and flew off the handle about something, and then just said, “Well, you know Jesus flipped tables at the temple”. Or someone gets angry at a sports game and starts of fist fight, and as we are watching we just say, “Well, you know Jesus flipped tables at the temple”. Someone cuts us off in traffic and we get angry and frustrated. Then we say, “Well, you know Jesus flipped tables at the temple”. So you can see how people can use this story in just about every way and situation.

Now after this scene of Jesus’ righteous anger and passion, Jesus is then challenged on his credentials. Basically, the onlookers are saying, “and who are you to come here, do this, and say these things to us? As the gospel says once again of Jesus:

“The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken” (Jn. 2:18-22, NRSV).

So while this gospel of John lesson for this morning is usually focused on Jesus “cleansing the temple” and doing the chasing and flipping the tables, there is more.

After this happens Jesus says that the temple will be destroyed and that it will be raised up in three days. The listeners of this thought that Jesus meant that he would destroy the actual physical stone worshipping temple in Jerusalem and then rebuild it in three days. The gospel once again ends with speaking of Jesus, however:

“But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken”

(Jn. 2:21-23, NRSV).

So in this season of Lent, we are preparing ourselves for the trial, death, crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. We are promised on Easter Sunday though, as Jesus himself said this morning his resurrection. For this morning in the gospel of John, “Jesus proclaimed his own resurrection”.

As we continue to move through this Lent together, and as we prepare for all that will lead to Good Friday, let us remember “The power of the Resurrection” of Jesus Christ.

It is my hope and my prayer for you and for me as we move through this season of Lent that we have hope. I pray that we live hope, share hope, and practice hope. I pray that we have the hope that so many had and have in Jesus. I pray that we will have the hope of redemption, and that we have the hope of the resurrection. It has often been said that as Christians we are “resurrection people,” as we believe in what is possible with God.

May we on this day, during this Lent, and always, live out this coming hope of resurrection with our neighbors, and in community. Sure, we will all have our “Good Fridays” of life, our days of pain and suffering, and what seems like death, but in this season of Lent, let us have hope. Let us have hope in coming “power of the Resurrection”. For with God, life wins, love wins, mercy wins, hope wins, and resurrection wins. Amen.

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Second Sunday in Lent - 02/25/18 - Sermon - “Must undergo great suffering"

Sunday 02/25/18 Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC’s

Sermon Title: “Must undergo great suffering”

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 22:23-31

                                            

New Testament Scripture: Romans 4:13-25

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: Mark 8:31-38

          Sisters and brothers in Christ, friends, welcome again on this the Second Sunday in this Season of Holy Lent. This season where we prepare our hearts, our minds, our souls, and our bodies for the coming crucifixion, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

          On Easter every year we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and every other Sunday of the year can be seen as a “mini-Easter”. We celebrate on Easter and every Sunday that Jesus Christ overcame sin, death, pain, and hardship. Before his triumphant resurrection on Easter however, Jesus suffered.

          Most people that I have met in my life do not like suffering. Does anyone here like suffering? The recent Florida school shooting shows us how terrible and heart wrenching suffering is. How suffering can really almost destroy us.

Maybe this is why so many of us don’t like going to the doctor or to the dentist. It will be uncomfortable, and what if we have a cavity or a health problem? If we have a cavity, then we will need Novocain and there will be some pain involved. In going to the doctor, if we hear news that we don’t want to hear, there could be pain and discomfort involved. Most of us, if we are honest don’t like to suffer.

          In general, I think that we live in a culture that does everything that we can to avoid pain, suffering, hardship, and or loss. I have even heard and have even read that as of recent years that less and less people go to funerals or memorial services. You see, to go to a funeral or a memorial service is to potentially enter into pain, suffering, and mourning. In our culture, I believe that many of us do everything we can, at all costs, to avoid pain, suffering, and discomfort. Any sign of pain or discomfort is something that many just avoid or reject.

          Due to all of this, and for some other reasons, some people in our culture have in more recent years struggled with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. I don’t mean that most people, whether they are people of faith or not, deny that the crucifixion of Jesus Christ happened. What I do mean, is that some have shifted their theological or otherwise view of Christ’s crucifixion.

          I have in more recent years heard some people lament on how brutal, harsh, and or inhumane that the passion and the death narrative of Jesus Christ is, in the gospels. I have heard questions such as, “Why couldn’t God have just forgiven us? Why did God need to come down to earth and be brutally tortured, crucified, and mocked? I just doesn’t seem fair or right.”

          Has anyone here ever heard similar questions or statements to these? Why did Jesus have to die a horrible, painful, and inhumane death? Some would also argue that Christ’s death on the cross was not for our sins, but rather it was because He was showing his love and his solidarity with humanity. That he died as a symbol of love for the oppressed, down trodden, and the broken, but not for our sins.

          I believe though, that Jesus Christ had to be brutally tried, sentenced, crucified, and resurrected. Among some of the many reasons that I will present to convey the historical view of Christ’s crucifixion, is that Jesus Christ himself said that this had to happen. So if the gospels have any truth to them, which I believe they do, then what is contained in them are the words, the teachings, the life, and the ministry of our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ. As I said last Sunday, I believe that gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are accurate accounts of Jesus’ life.

          Since I believe this, I believe that what Jesus said in the gospels is true, and that what was recorded about Jesus is also true. With this said, this morning once again, Jesus says in our gospel of Mark reading speaking of himself:

“Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly”

(Mk. 8:31-32a, NRSV).

          So Jesus Christ, in his own words, if you believe that he said this, which I do, explained why he had to be crucified. Remember in this gospel of Mark reading, he is also saying this prior to the events of his crucifixion and the resurrection. This is to say, that he is accurately predicting his own death and resurrection before it happened. In addition to this, which is the title of my sermon for this mornings, Jesus says:

“the Son of Man must undergo great suffering” (Mk. 8:31a, NRSV).

          Why did Jesus have to come to earth and die a brutal and a violent death? The answer is, because this was God’s plan from day one. It was prophesied in Hebrew Bible or Old Testament in books like Isaiah. In fact, the prophet Isaiah said many years before Christ’s birth this prophetic statement in 53:5:

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed” (Isa. 53:5, NRSV).

Throughout the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament there are many other prophetic statements and words about the coming Messiah, the coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus’s death that we will remember on Good Friday next month, was brutal though. It is not something that we greatly enjoy. Yet I believe that this was God’s plan from day one. Could God have decided another way to reconcile Himself to us? Perhaps, but this is what God chose to do. Believe me, it got humanities attention. This morning Jesus Christ himself, God in the flesh, said once again:

“the Son of Man must undergo great suffering” (Mk. 8:31a, NRSV).

          Even though Jesus said this publically, many did not want to hear this, as so many of us like to steer away from violence and suffering. This reality of Christ’s crucifixion is also reaffirmed in our reading from Romans for this morning.

In looking further at our gospel reading, it would seem that the Apostle Peter got a little angry, as he didn’t want to hear this from Jesus either. Once again Peter says to Jesus:

And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things”

(Mk. 8:31b-33, NRSV).

While I personally think that Peter was a “loose cannon”, I believe that he meant well here. He didn’t want to see his Lord and his friend suffer. Yet Jesus said, but this the plan.

          Jesus goes on to say in this gospel reading:

“He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mk. 8:34-38, NRSV).

Jesus says, follow me, I am teaching you, leading you, guiding you, and I will even lay down my life for you. In the gospel of John 15:13 Jesus says:

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn. 15:13, NRSV).

In his letter to the church in Rome or the Romans, the Apostle Paul says in 5:8 of Jesus Christ:

“But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8, NRSV).

          How many of us here would be willing to suffer and even die to save the ones that we love? I remember seeing a young student on the news during the recent Florida school shooting. This student was remarking emotionally on how her teacher saved her from being killed. Unfortunately this teacher ended up being killed protecting this student.

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn. 15:13, NRSV).

Jesus is the ultimate expression and embodiment of God’s love, and He had and has so much love for us all that he even died for us. Every year when I prepare for our Good Friday service I get a little emotional in reflecting on the fact that Jesus would have died for me. Me who is so unworthy.

In John’s gospel that famous line of scripture says it so perfectly:

“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”

(Jn. 3:16, NRSV).

In this season of Holy Lent, we are called to prepare our hearts, our minds, our souls, and our bodies for the coming trial, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Some of us in this season might be giving up something for Lent. Yet, if Christ did truly come to earth to teach us how to love, heal, and forgive, and if we believe in him, how can we live this out during this season of Lent and always. What can we give up in our lives, what can we give up that is separating us from God, and what can we give away to show the great love of Jesus Christ. God loves you so much, that Christ went to the lengths that He did on Good Friday. So I invite us all this day to come to the lifesaving cross of Jesus Christ.  

My hope is for me and for us all, is that this great love in Jesus Christ changes us, so that we may live lovingly and sacrificially for others. May we do as Christ said in in the gospel this morning, deny ourselves, and take up our crosses and follow him. For as Jesus said once again:

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn. 15:13, NRSV).

Amen.

Freeville UMC - First Sunday in Lent - 02/18/18 - Sermon - “The Trinity in real time!"

Sunday 02/18/18 Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC’s

Sermon Title: “The Trinity in real time!”

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 25:1-10

                                            

New Testament Scripture: 1 Peter 3:18-22

                                                   

Gospel Lesson: Mark 1:9-15

          Welcome again my friends, my sisters and brothers in Christ, on this our First Sunday of the season of Holy Lent. In this season of 40-days, minus Sundays, we are called to prepare our hearts, our minds, our souls, and our bodies, for the coming trial, crucifixion, death, and then resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord.

          This season of Lent began this past Wednesday on Ash Wednesday, and for many of us it is a practice or a tradition to give up something for Lent. Giving up something, or giving away something, isn’t supposed to be a punishment though, but rather it should be something that draws us closer to God, to Jesus Christ. Maybe we will give up chocolate, or ice cream, or anger, or jealously, and maybe we will give away things we don’t need. Maybe we will give and love more generously. All in all, this season of Lent is about drawing closer to Jesus Christ. For me, I have decided to give up soda for Lent. I thought about giving up coffee, but then I came to my senses. So no soda for this kid until Easter.

          With this said, since the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated on Christmas, and since his death and his resurrection are remembered and celebrated before and on Easter Sunday, these two are really the biggest annual holidays of the Christian Church. Due to this, and due to many other factors, one can easily conclude that Jesus Christ is central and significant to the Christian faith. I mean we have pictures of him everywhere. In fact, one of the main historical teachings about Jesus Christ, is that on earth he was the full embodiment of God. Meaning that he was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died for our sins on the cross, rose from the dead, and on earth was the fullness of God and a human.

          Yet, from very early in the Christian Church until today, there are people that profess to be a Christian, yet either do not believe in the historic view of Jesus Christ, or believe it differently. This also goes for the belief in the Holy Trinity, of God being one God in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

          In fact, I have heard and I have read some Christian scholars say that the “Holy Trinity” was a creation of the Christian Church. Within this argument, some of these scholars have said that the early Christians never agreed on the belief in the Trinity, or on who Jesus Christ was, and rather that this belief in the Triune God was imposed on them.

          From my study of the history of the church, the bible, theology, and so on, the reality to me is this: that from day one, I believe that the apostles and the early church not only believed in Jesus Christ, but also believed that he was fully God and fully human. This is to say that I believe that they believed that God was and is a Trinity, one God in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

          As I said though, we have religious entities, even today, that either reject the historic Holy Trinity altogether, or do not believe in it in its historic form. Perhaps they believe that Jesus was only human, or that he was of a lesser form or power and divinity of God the Father.

          What is 100% true though, is that word itself “Trinity” is not in scripture. It is true that the word “Trinity” was developed by the church. Did the early church and most Christians up until today believe in the Holy Trinity though? The answer is yes. The word “Trinity” itself though, was just the word used to package the Triune God.

          From the early days of the Christian Church, or the Christian Movement however, and even today, there were sects or groups of people, like the Gnostics, the Arians, the Pelagians, and so on that believed different things about the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ, and the scripture. Yet, the vast majority of Christians, I believe, have always believed that God was in three persons.

          So where I am going will all of this about Jesus Christ and Trinity? Here is where, some scholars would say that Jesus was crucified and resurrected about the year 30 AD. This morning we have a gospel reading from the Gospel of Mark. In the order in which the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were written, the vast majority of biblical scholars believe that the gospel of Mark was the first written gospel. In dating the gospel of Mark, according to one of my sources, it was written between the years 66-70 AD (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Mark). So the first of the four gospels that were written, most scholars would argue is the gospel of Mark, and it was likely written between the years 66-70 AD.

          This means that our first written gospel on the life, teachings, and events of Christ’s life was written about 35-40 years after his death and resurrection. Given all of this, can we trust the validity of this text, of this gospel? The Christian Church has long held that oral tradition or the telling and retelling of the gospel, the stories of Christ, were passed on intact to the gospel writers. This means, to me, I believe that the gospel of Mark we are looking at this morning is not only authoritative and true, but also is an accurate account of the life, teachings, and events of the life of Jesus Christ.

          Let’s look at our gospel of Mark reading for this morning again. Here is what it says again:

“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (Mk. 1:9-11, NRSV).

          Now the rest of this gospel reading is Jesus then going into the wilderness for 40-days to be tried and tempted, and then Jesus beginning his public ministry. This public ministry was his preaching, teaching, life, events, miracles, death, resurrection, and so on (Mk. 1:13-15, NRSV).

What I want to focus on briefly this morning though, is the baptism narrative part of our gospel of Mark reading. Remember that most scholars have argued that the gospel of Mark was the first of the four written gospels, and again it was likely written about 35-40 years after Jesus Christ’ death and resurrection. Again the gospel says:

“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (Mk. 1:9-11, NRSV).

To me, what is fascinating about this narrative and the reason is my sermon is called “The Trinity in real time,” is that in this baptism narrative we have God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all present at once. So John the Baptist baptizes Jesus, and as he is coming up out of the water, the Holy Spirit descends on him “like a dove” (Mk. 1:10, NRSV). In addition this, right then God the Father says once again:

“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (Mk. 1:11, NRSV). Even today when most Christian Churches have baptism, the pastor or the priest says, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, of the Son, and the Holy Spirit”.

There are only a few conclusions in my mind that one can draw from this baptism narrative in the gospel of Mark then. One, you could argue that you believe that this story never happened. Maybe you don’t believe in the credibility of this gospel. Two, you could argue that there were three separate Gods present. Three, you could argue that somehow God the Father and the Holy Spirit were higher in power than Jesus Christ. Four, you could argue that the story happened differently. Lastly, we could argue the historical belief that majority of Christians have always believed that in this scene we have “The Trinity in real time”. In this scene we have the fullness of the Triune God. We have the God who creates, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

In the fourth gospel, the gospel of John, it says in 1:1-2:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (Jn. 1:1-2, NRSV).

In John’s gospel, he says that God the Father is eternal, but also that Christ was and is eternal with him. He then says in 1:14:

^“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”

(Jn. 1:14, NRSV).

John says that the fullness of God in Jesus Christ became flesh and was amongst us here on earth. I could go on and provide various other examples of where in the New Testament where to me it clearly lays out not only the divinity of Jesus Christ, but also the reality of the Triune God. So what do you say? Is God a Trinity of three persons in one being? Is God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Or is God something else? Do we have “The Trinity in real time” in Mark’s gospel this morning, or do we believe that it is something else? Just who is this God that we believe in? To me, God is the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Freeville UMC - Ash Wednesday - 02/14/18 - Sermon - “Piety and Humility before God"

02/14/18 Freeville UMC – Ash Weds. Sermon

Sermon Title: “Piety and Humility before God”

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 51:1-17

                                            

New Testament Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

          Welcome again my friends, my sisters and brothers in Christ, on this our Ash Wednesday, which is also the first day of this the season of Holy Lent. The season of Holy Lent and the season of Holy Advent are not seasons that we are required to celebrate in the bible, but rather these are seasons that developed through the years of the church worshipping and living together. Like the story of Noah being on the sea in the Ark for forty-days, and like the Israelites wandering in the wilderness for forty-years, we have this forty-day season. It being forty-days is a biblical framework, but we did create the seasons of Holy Lent and Holy Advent. This is why some Christian Churches don’t celebrate Lent or Advent.

          So why celebrate these seasons? To me the annual liturgical calendar or church calendar of the Christian Church reflects the ebbs and flows of our lives, our spiritual lives, and at different times we are able to reflect, pray, and connect to God in various ways.

          In this being the first day of this the season of Holy Lent we are given a forty-day period, minus Sundays, to prepare our hearts, our minds, our souls, and our bodies, for the death and then the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is a season of holy preparation, reflection, repentance, love and goodwill, and a season where we can reflect upon our lives and how we live.

          I remember that in growing up in a mostly Roman Catholic family that my aunts, grandparents, and others would bemoan every year the tradition of giving up something for Lent. How many of us have ever given up something for Lent?

The idea behind this tradition was that Jesus Christ came to earth to teach us to love, heal, and forgive, and died for us, so in response we therefore should give up something we like to show our sacrifice and contrition. More specifically we should sacrifice something as Christ has sacrificed for us. Some Roman Catholic Christians and clergy in Medieval times would flagellate or whip themselves, or mortify there flesh in other ways, almost as punishment for what Christ has done for us.

          While we are invited to give up something for Lent, the idea was always supposed to be about drawing us closer to God. For example, if we give up chocolate, let us do it because it draws us closer to God, to Jesus, not just so that we can be angry and irritable for the next forty-days. Further, in this season of Holy Lent, we can also give things away. We can love others even more, we can give away things that we don’t need, and we can give generously. The goal of Holy Lent I believe however, while it has been altered and manipulated, has always been about us drawing closer to God, to Jesus Christ.

          The ashes that we will receive tonight, should not be a mark of shame and guilt therefore, but rather ones of repentance and victory. We are Christians, we are loved by an amazing and all-encompassing God. We are forgiven by Jesus Christ, and as such, the ashes that we will receive tonight remind us of our own brokenness, our own mortality, and our own need for the grace of Jesus Christ. Holy Lent is about making us more like Jesus Christ, and living into his image. In Ecclesiastes 3:20 it says:

“All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again”

(Ecc. 3:20, NRSV).

          This is a humbling verse of scripture that reminds us that only thing eternal is God and His kingdom. As Christians, we believe that when we die our earthly deaths that we enter into the warm embrace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. On this earth though, we are called to live this faith out in radical way, by teaching, loving, healing, forgiving, and by pursuing God’s justice. Yet we are all broken, and each and everyone one of us are sinners. In this season of Holy Lent, and especially on this Ash Wednesday, the ashes that we will receive tonight should remind us of our frailty, our humanness, our forgiveness, and our need for God’s grace. These ashes will indicate that we are followers of Christ, and that we seek to be more like him.

          So are we all broken people? Yes, we are. Do we all fall short of the glory of God? Yes, we do. Jesus Christ though offers us forgiveness and hope, and his gospel is Good News, not bad news.

          All of this then leads up to my sermon title for tonight taken from our Gospel of Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 reading. In this reading, we are instructed by Jesus Christ on how we are to be before the God of the universe. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that we need to tremble before God, but how should be before the living God. I believe on this Ash Wednesday, our ashes should represent “piety and humility before God”.

          According to www.dictionary.com one definition of “Piety” is:

1. “Reverence for God or devout fulfillment of religious obligations”.

So we should be reverent and devout before God. Also according www.dictionary.com one definition of “Humility” is:

2. The quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc.

          We are supposed to be not arrogant before God, but humble.

To me, being pious and humble before God, is really what the ashes we will receive tonight represent. They we tell the world who sees them, that we are God’s children, and that we are called to love, heal, and forgive, in the name of Jesus Christ.

     In looking more closely at our gospel reading from the gospel of Matthew for tonight, Jesus instructs us one again:

“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you”

(Mt. 6:1-4, NRSV).

          So do we serve others, go to church, give and love just to get praise from others on this earth? Or are we doing what we are doing to love and honor God?

Jesus then once again continues on and says:

“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Mt. 6:5-6, NRSV).

     How many of us sometimes display our faith and our religion, because we think it will be of benefit to us? Let us go before God with “piety and humility”.

Jesus continues on once again and says of fasting, or withholding eating as a spiritual disciple that:

“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Mt. 6:16-18, NRSV).

Lastly Jesus says once again:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt. 6:19-21, NRSV).

     What is fascinating to me my sisters and brothers, is how many people affix the label “Christian” to themselves. It would seem that a variety of politicians from various political parties, especially during the campaign season, find themselves being “pious and humble” about God and faith. We have seen many such elected officials with cameras rolling attending church services. To state that we are Christian for many gives them the idea that we not only believe in Jesus, but that we are also committed to living like Jesus.

     My point is, is this, many people can say that they are a Christian, but does our faith mean something? Does it look good to get ashes, or do we take our faith seriously? Do we believe in living and being more like Jesus Christ, in being “pious and humble” before God, or do we just like getting ashes on our heads.

     I have a friend say it best once at a men’s Christian retreat weekend. He said, “If we were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict us?” What he mean by this, is that many say they are Christians, but are we living faith out? If we are, there should be evidence for this, or fruit? It’s not a competition, but yes, there should be evidence. I think that it right and proper on this our Ash Wednesday to come here to worship, to receive ashes, and do all this with “piety and humility before God”. Amen.

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Transfiguration Sunday/Scouting Sunday - 02/11/18 - Sermon - “Transfigured!"

Sunday 02/11/18 Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC’s

Sermon Title: “Transfigured!”

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 50:1-6

                                            

New Testament Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Gospel Lesson: Mark 9:2-9

          My friends, my sisters and brothers in Christ, welcome again on this our Transfiguration Sunday, and this our Scouting Sunday.

          On this Sunday, we celebrate the Transfiguration story of Jesus Christ being upon the mountain and being changed, altered, transfigured in stunning white, light, and glory. To be a Cub Scout, a Boy Scout, or an Eagle Scout is a process. It is a process of going from a Cub Scout to an Eagle Scout, and this is a long and a transformative process. It is a process that takes a young boy and then equips him to be a good, loving, community centered, strong, courageous, and upstanding citizen. The Boy Scouts of America work with young men for years and years, to prepare them to be great men in their homes, their communities, their places of work, and in the world. Scouts and Eagle Scouts are gifts to us, and are gifts to the church.

          Today, on this Transfiguration Sunday, we therefore honor our scouts, both past and present, who are growing and transforming every day, like we are. We also honor this day scout leaders, both past and present, who working with our young boys to make them into good men and great citizens.

          So on this day in the life of the church, Jesus Christ our Lord is majestically transfigured upon the mountain, as all of us, including our scouts and leaders continue to be changed and molded.

          In focusing this morning on the Gospel Mark reading on the Transfiguration story, I want to first talk about the Transfiguration and then connect it again to us and to scouting.

          In looking at the story of Jesus being transformed into dazzling light, white, glory, power, and love, we have this story recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Luke, and Mark. The Transfiguration story is also mentioned in the Apostle Peter’s Second Epistle or letter in the New Testament. Some scholars try to connect the first chapter of the Gospel of John with the Transfiguration story, but that is still debated among scholars.

          So again looking at our gospel of Mark reading from 9:2-9, this is one of the stories of the Transfiguration, on this Transfiguration Sunday. Once again the gospel of Mark for this morning says:

“Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead” (Mk. 9:2-9, NRSV).

          So we have some really powerful imagery in this version of the Transfiguration story. Before this story was written in the Gospel of Mark, in chapter 8, we have Jesus predicting his own death and resurrection.

          After this, or specifically, six days later, Jesus goes up the mountain with three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John. Of these three disciples, Peter writes about this experience in his Second Epistle or letter in the New Testament.

          Now I understand that saying “the mountain” is rather vague, as most scholars think that this story occurred “somewhere in the vicinity of Caesarea Philippi, probable on Mount Hermon” (Africa Bible Commentary, 1211).

          Some scholars have argued that Peter, James, and John were the “inner-circle” of Jesus disciples, and perhaps this is why he took them up what we think was probably Mount Hermon.

          In getting up to the top of the mountain, the gospel once again says:

“And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus”

(Mk. 9:2-8, NRSV).

          After this, Jesus, Peter, James, and John, then come down the mountain and Jesus tells them to not tell anyone of this until he, Jesus, is resurrected from the dead. You see, Jesus knew ahead of time when we would be crucified and resurrected, so he told them this for these reasons.

          The imagery of what happened on likely Mount Herman is incredible. Jesus is just suddenly changed into dazzling white, and they see him in a way, with power, love, authority, and majesty, like they have never seem his before. He is transfigured, and majestically changes right in front of them. Not only this, Moses and Elijah appear and are talking with him. They are often portrayed in paintings of this scene as being below Jesus Christ. The great liberator of the Jews from Egypt, the receiver of Ten-Commandments and the Law, and the great prophet Elijah who ascended into heaven. All less than Jesus Christ. This is truly a scene of Christ’s beauty, love, power, and authority, and showing us that he is even great than Moses and Elijah.

          The Apostle Peter it would seem got a little nervous and terrified, and he offers to make “three dwellings” or tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. The voice of God the father then tells the three disciples in a great cloud to listen to His son, Jesus. Suddenly, it all just disappeared, and they were coming down the mountain after having seen all of that. Jesus then asks them to keep it to themselves until after his crucifixion and resurrection.

          Seeing the face of God, the beautiful Transfigured face of Jesus Christ is something that is life changing. As Christians, as followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to call on God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit daily. It is our hope, that every day with the reading of scripture, prayer, love, giving, charity, and etc. that we will become just a little bit more like that Transfigured Jesus Christ. Our faith is rooted in the repenting of our sins and accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, after this conversion we are continuing to move closer to God, to Jesus Christ. The way refiner burns the impurities off of fine silver, so God daily refines and purifies us.

          I believe that scouting shares some similarities to the Transfiguration story for this morning. In the Transfiguration story from this morning, three of Jesus’ disciples see and experience him a new, powerful, and a glorious way that they never had before. Even though this is true, those disciples, and us continue to be changed by God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit. While they were changed that day, that continued changing after that day.

          The founder of the Methodist Movement, John Wesley, called this “going on to perfection”. For we are not what we once were, and what we are now is not what we will become. Through Christ we are changing, transforming, and dare I say maybe even Transfiguring.

          What is great about the scouting program, is the program begins with young and sometimes very rambunctious kids, and they end up with responsible, hardworking, community and civic minded Eagle Scouts. Scouting, like the Transfiguration story shows us what is possible, and how we do and will continue to change. This change from boys to responsible young men, Eagle Scouts, has resulted in men who fly space shuttles for NASA, men who get elected to government, who run massive corporations, and who are the leaders of tomorrow. The Scouting program produces leaders that are good and honest men.

          I don’t know about you, but this sounds a lot like what Jesus calls us to do in the gospels. So what is so great about being transformed by the gospel of Jesus and his love? Imagine what would have happened if Saint Mother Theresa was transformed, and changed, and molded? Look what God used her to do. Imagine if the Rev. Billy Graham wasn’t changed by Christ, molded, transformed, and stretched. What would the world look like if there were never a Rev. Billy Graham? What would the world look like without our first responders, and all those men and women who sacrifice, love their families and their communities, many of whom have faith in Christ, and believe in a better world. I believe that the scouting program prepares young men to enter the world and transform it, maybe even transfigure it. So is scouting so important? Why is becoming an Eagle Scout so significant? Well, I read this last year, but let me read it you again. These statistics comes from, http://therealtroop555.com/ScoutmasterMinutes/Scouting%20Statistics.pdf. Here it is again.

“For every 100 boys that enter scouts: 30 will drop out the first year. Only rarely will one appear before a juvenile court judge. 12 will be from families that belong to no church, 6 of these will be brought into contact with a church and continue. 3 will become pastors, 4 scouts will reach the rank of Eagle Scout. 45 will serve in the Military. 1 person will use scout skills to save somebody else’s live. 2 will report that they used scout skills to save their own lives. 17 will later serve as adult volunteers 8 will find their future life vocations from scouting 5 will receive church emblems. ….Only 4 out of 100 boys in the USA will become scouts but of the leaders of this nation in business, religion and politics, 3 out of 4 were scouts”.

“Only 4 percent of our nation’s youth were scouts, yet 65% of all college and university graduates were scouts. 26 of 29 of the first Astronauts in NASA’s program were Eagle scouts, and 133 of the 233 Astronauts were scouts at one time. A Nationwide survey showed that: Of Senior Class Presidents 89% were scouts. Of Junior Class Presidents 80% were scouts. Student Council Presidents 85% were scouts. School newspaper editors 88% were scouts. Football Captains 71% were scouts. Basketball captains 64% were scouts. 64% of Air Force Academy graduates were scouts 58% West Point Graduates were scouts. 70% of Annapolis graduates were scouts. 72% Rhodes Scholars were scouts. 85% of FBI Agents were scouts at one time. So, 4 out of 100, make Eagle Scout”.

“So what about the other 94 or 92 scouts who didn’t make it to Eagle. Is it just wasted time? The scouts have “Aims and Methods”. Things found in the Scout Oath and Law, the Patrol Method, Outdoors training, Personal growth, Leadership and So on. Advancement is certainly one of these, but only one. Just being part of the program gives the opportunity to “better and belong”. Sure we know some famous Eagle Scouts like Sam Walton, James Lovell, Hank Aaron, Gerald Ford, John Glenn Ross Perot and Steven Spielberg. But how about some “Not-Quite-Eagles” like John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Stewart, Harrison Ford, Merlin Olson, Richard Gere, Nolan Ryan, Jim Morrison, Joe Theisman, Bill Gates and not-quite British Scout’s Queen’s Scout – Paul McCartney. The list goes on and on. Scouting makes a difference!

          This morning my friends, my brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ our Lord is transfigured, changed in glorious white, light, glory, and love. We are called by Christ to be changed, and to continue that process. Our scouts are called and training to not just be who they were yesterday, and not stay who they are today, but to go forth and change the world. Today we honor God, serve Jesus Christ, and honor the work of our scouts and their leaders. Amen.