Sidney UMC - Memorial Day Sunday/Ascension Sunday/7th Sunday of Easter - 05/29/22 - Sermon - “Carried Up Into Heaven!”

Sunday 05/29/22 - Sidney UMC 

Sermon Title: “Carried Up Into Heaven!”                                           

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 47                                       

New Testament Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23

Gospel Lesson: Luke 24:44-53

          In the past two weeks, between the mass shooting at the Buffalo Tops Supermarket, and the mass shooting at the Elementary School in Texas, 31 people have been killed, and more counting the wounded. The United States is not at war with another country, even so we are aiding the Ukrainian Army to fight the Russian Army, as are our NATO or North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies.

          For those of us that have seen the horrors of the Buffalo and the Texas mass shootings on television, and the horrors of the war in Ukraine on television, we know that war, killing, and violence are awful. In fact, the United Methodist Church is against war and believes that war is incompatible with Christian teaching.

          Throughout history however, war and violence has happened, and likely it will unfortunately continue to happen. We can create more laws, more restrictions, and more rules, but we also have to look at ourselves. We all, I included, have to grapple with and repent of own sin. We can have laws, we can have regulations, and restrictions, which we need some of, but we also have to try to live like Jesus. We need to teach our children how to live, how to love, and how to treat others. We also need to address the mental health crisis that is affecting many people in this country. So, it is not a one or the other, it is both and. Laws and legislation have no meaning if people will not follow them. We have to be changed spiritually, so that laws and legislation have a chance of working.

          My stepfather Mike Therio retired from the United States Air Force National Guard as an E-7 or a Master Sergeant. Mike retired as a Chaplain’s Assistant, or a military pastor, or sorts. He is a man of God, and like me does not like war. My stepfather, like me, does not like violence. Yet, we have police departments and a military to protect the people of our country. The history of our country is not perfect, as we all know, but until Jesus Christ returns, we will always have sin on this earth. Can we make Sidney and the world much better, however? Sure, we can, but we are naïve if we think that we can make the world perfect. Through Christ, we can make it much better, but we also have to be transformed through Jesus Christ our Lord. The church is called to shine light, hope, love, and mercy, so that the community and the world can be transformed. Yet, we all, I included, still need grace and forgiveness.

          So, hear me clearly, laws, legislation, and some regulations are good, but we need to be changed through Jesus Christ. We cannot fully legislate morality. With this said, today in part we are celebrating Memorial Day Sunday. We are not celebrating war, but I am declaring unapologetically that freedom is not free. I am declaring that men and women from this country died in the armed services. Whether we think a certain war was just or not, it is right and a good thing to honor those who have served. Since we live in a fallen and a broken world, violence happens, and unfortunately wars happen to. Soldiers are sometimes drafted or sometimes volunteer. Sometimes they are wounded, scarred for life, or even die. I am proud to be the pastor of church that honors those who serve, have served, and those who paid the ultimate price in serving. As the slogan goes, “All game some, some gave all.” So, for those who serve in the armed forces presently, have served in the armed forces, or are with the Lord and did not make it home while serving in the armed forces, we honor you and your service today, tomorrow, and always.

           As I have also said, honoring our men and women who served in the armed services is something that every country does. It must be unimaginable for a family to lose child, a husband, a wife, an uncle, a parent, etc. in the armed forces. It must be hard to lose them in any capacity. Every time I have the privilege of officiating a military burial, I get to see the flag folded, the knee bent, and the flag presented. I also remember the first time that I went to Washington D.C., and I saw that great wall of the names of those men and women who never came home from the war in Vietnam. So many names. Some of these men and women are still declared missing. The families never got the body or the remains of there loved one back. All that remains then, is a named etched on that wall in Washington D.C. At our Veteran’s Park here in Sidney, we have a terrific display that honors all of the people that served in the armed forces from Sidney. They deserve are respect.

          With this said, here is the question that I have for us all to think about this morning. This is the question, if someone dies in a foreign war, or while in the armed services in general, who remembers them? Who tells their story? Who retells the story about who they were, what they did, and why they had to be so brave? As I have said many times in this church my friends, we stand in a line of heroes, and we stand on the shoulders of giants. Ever placard, every name on a stained-glass window in this church, is more than just a name. These are our brothers and sisters in faith that have gone before us.

          I cannot imagine what is like to be President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine, but the Russian Army invaded his country. President Zelensky, our president, and our NATO allies tried to stop the Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine, but he did anyway. What were the Ukrainians to do? Sit and be killed? Become slaves of another country? Or defend their freedom, there land, and the weak and the innocent?

          After the meeting in Munich, Germany in 1938 when Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler told some European leaders that he only wanted the Sudetenland, which is part of the present-day Czech Republic, and nothing else. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the time Neville Chamberlain declared they had achieved “Peace for our time.” A year later however, Hitler invaded Poland, and we had a world war. The world can be a challenging and an unpredictable place, but Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

          When soldiers die then, when they do not return home, who remembers them? There have already been about 30,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine. Who will remember them?

          I want to connect question for Memorial Day, to this Sunday, which is also our Ascension Sunday. This past Thursday was Ascension Day, and some churches like ours celebrate the Ascension of Christ today. This ascension is Jesus ascending into heaven, and we will only see him again in the flesh when he returns in glory.

          We are told once again in our reading for this morning from Psalm 47 to sign and shout to God, for his goodness, as we are all called to do (Ps. 47, NRSV). Even so, a war rages in Ukraine, and two mass shootings have happened in this country in about two-weeks. As Christians we are called to love Jesus and to live differently, so that the world might look more like Christ. When we are filled with God’s love and the hope of Jesus Christ, we are living differently. Friends this is how we change Sidney and the world.

          In our reading from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians for this morning, Paul thanks them for there faith in Christ and love of each other. The Apostle Paul prays that God will give the church in Ephesus wisdom and revelation, and reminds them that Jesus ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God, is the head of the church, and the ruler of all (Eph. 1:15-23, NRSV).

          In our gospel of Luke reading for this morning once again, Jesus tells his disciples that he is the messiah. He tells them that has fulfilled the scriptural prophecies of old, and Jesus opened their minds to understand the scripture. He reminded them about his resurrection, and to proclaim his gospel to Jerusalem and all the world. Then Jesus said in Luke 24:48:

⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things (Lk. 24:48, NRSV).

          Jesus was telling the disciples and us, that he was about to ascend to heaven. As a result, he would not be here with us until his second coming. This meant that if the disciples did not tell the world about Jesus, then who would? The gospel would not move forward unless the disciples and us told the world about Jesus. Here we are nearly two-thousand years later because someone told us about Jesus.

          In a comparable way, when I went to Washington D.C. many years ago now, I did not know even one name on the Vietnam War Memorial Wall. It is not that the names where just names, but I did not know who any of them were. Of course, I did not read all of the nearly 60,000 names, but I read a good amount.

          You see, if we are not careful all the names in this church, on the Vietnam, World War II, Korean War, etc. memorials will just be names. What if though, someone continued to tell that story of that soldier who never made it home? What if someone continued to honor that soldier that never got to live a long life, who was made in God’s image, and who otherwise might have had a bright future?

          In same way friends, what if the disciples of Jesus, after he ascended, decided to keep the life of Christ and the gospel of Jesus Christ to themselves? Maybe the disciples would be recorded in history, as certainly Jesus’ was, but would they just be names in history? Would they have no meaning at all?

          Next Sunday on Pentecost Sunday, we will celebrate the Holy Spirit moving in the Upper Room in Jerusalem, and this will be the day that the Christian Church officially begins. Jesus tells the disciples that on that day, the Holy Spirit would fill them, and then they would really get it. On that day they would have the courage, the confidence, and the faith to preach the gospel and the build the church. Nearly two-thousand years later, I have been called by God to tell you and the world about Jesus and his gospel. You have also been called to this mission in different ways to.

          The name and the gospel of Jesus Christ continues, because Jesus said:

⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things (Lk. 24:48, NRSV).

          Who then tells the story of the young soldier who died in the trenches in 1918 in France? Who tells the story about the sailor who died in the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941? Who tells the story about the US soldier killed in South Korea in 1952? Who tells the story about the soldier in South Vietnam who was killed in the Tet Offensive of 1968? Who tells the story about all of these men and women?

          Jesus said to the disciples this morning before he ascended to heaven:

⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things (Lk. 24:48, NRSV).

          If the disciples had not started preaching on the on the day of Pentecost next Sunday, none of us would be sitting here today. In the same way, if we stop remembering all of those men and women who served in armed forces and never made it home, then who will remember them? Once again friends, we stand in a line of heroes, and we stand on the shoulders of giants. We do not like war, we hope all war and violence ceases, but until that day, let us honor those who serve, have served, and died while serving in the armed forces, and all those who suit up and protect us every day. Freedom is not free, and we need to honor the sacrifice borne by so many. Happy Memorial Day Sunday, and happy Memorial Day tomorrow. Amen.

Sidney UMC - 6th Sunday of Easter - 05/22/22 - Sermon - “Keep My Word!”

Sunday 05/22/22 - Sidney UMC 

Sermon Title: “Keep My Word!”                                              

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 67                                      

New Testament Scripture: Revelation 21:10, 22-27, 22:1-5

Gospel Lesson: John 14:23-29

          So, I can vividly think of times in my life when I was told what I could and could not do. When I was in school, my teachers would say no talking in class, without raising your hand and being called on. Of course, no students ever violated this! We were told to not pass notes or to sleep in class, and we never did these either! We were told to do our homework and to be on time to class. I think you are getting the idea at this point.

          How often do we not want to do what we are supposed to do? How often have we consciously known that what we were about to do was wrong, but we did it anyway? Anyone here ever drive excessively fast because you were running late? You were asking God in those moments to not let you get pulled over, as you knew driving 85 Miles Per Hour was not good. How many of us have ever lied to a spouse or a member of your family? How many of us have done something else not good and gotten away with it?

          I think if we are honest, we all break the rules sometimes, and sometimes we do it over and over. The allure of sin sometimes is powerful. Sometimes we know full well that what we are doing or about to do is wrong, and yet we do it anyway. When we come to Jesus, repent of our sins, and put our trust in him, we still face the realities of this world every day.

          The Apostle Paul wrote about his struggle to do what God, what Jesus commanded him to do, but still struggling with his own sin. In fact, in his letter to the Romans, or the Book of Romans, the Apostle Paul says in 7:15-20:

¹⁵ I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ¹⁶ Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ But in fact it is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells within me. ¹⁸ For I know that the good does not dwell within me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do the good lies close at hand, but not the ability. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells within me                             (Rom. 7:15-20, NRSV). 

          So, what the Apostle Paul is telling the church and Rome and us, is that it is not always easy to do the right thing. Sometimes we do not want to, or sometimes we just sin anyway. In coming to Christ, in becoming a Christian, in being saved, we are forgiven of our sins and brokenness and offered eternal life through Jesus Christ. Yet, we are still people that have sin within us. All of us do. For the rest of our earthly lives, we are called to walk with Christ and each other, as we continue to become more like Jesus. As we walk with Christ and with each other over the course of our earthly lives, the hope is that we become less sinful and increasingly more like Jesus. While heaven, eternity with Christ is a free gift, while being for forgiven in Christ is offered freely, becoming like Christ is the process of a lifetime. Salvation, forgiveness, eternal life are offered to us all, but to become a mature Christian, to become more like Christ, well this is Sanctification. As we grow in our lives and in our faith, the hope is that we become holier and holier. In the scripture that I just read from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans in 7:15-20, the Apostle Paul is not doubting his salvation. The Apostle Paul is not doubting that he will spend eternity with Jesus. The Apostle Paul is admitting though that even though that he has been forgiven, even though he will spend eternity with Jesus, and has salvation in Jesus, that he is still struggling with sin and brokenness.

          One of the biggest problems in Christianity then, especially evangelical Christianity, the branch of Christianity that I grew up in, is that some Christians seem to think that salvation means you are now perfect. Being forgiven, being offered salvation, and spending eternity with Christ, does not necessarily mean that we will never struggle or suffer ever again. It is possible that God could make us fully like Christ in an instant, but for most of us it is a lifelong process. A lifelong process of meeting Christ and then trying to live and love like Christ.

          I really think that one of the reasons that people leave the church and sometimes even abandon their faith, is feeling like that they just cannot be a good Christian. Being forgiven and being offered eternal life in Christ, is offered to us all, but we will all continue to struggle sometimes. There is no perfect Christian or perfect person, but we do serve a perfect God, and a perfect Jesus. After we come to faith, we still live on this earth, we still experience the pain and the brokenness of this earth. Does this make us bad Christians? No, it makes us human.

          I have discussed a few times in church the idea of living and loving like Jesus and comparing our faith to an Olympic high jump bar. The bar is high, and Jesus has set the bar high. The bar should be and needs to be high though. You might ask though, “But Pastor Paul how can I ever get over that bar?” Many of us feel like this sometimes. Maybe we feel like that we will never truly be the Christian that we should be. Friends, as the founder the Methodist Movement John Wesley said, “We are going on to perfection.” We are become more like Christ, as we pursue Christ. This pursuit, this spiritual growth is lived out individually, in our churches, in our small groups, at work, with our families, in reading the Bible, in praying, and in drawing closer to Christ.

          I say all of this, because this morning in our gospel of John reading, Jesus tells us “Keep My Word.” Jesus tells us to keep and obey everything he has said and told us. Yet, the Apostle Paul tells us in the Book of Romans, that sometimes he failed to follow and obey some of these words and teachings. Jesus tells this morning to “Keep My Word,” but sometimes we fall short. When we do, we ask Jesus for forgiveness, we get up and clean ourselves off, and we keep moving forward.

          Faith in Christ, being a Christian, is not just about salvation and going to heaven one day, it is also about bringing heaven to earth, until Christ returns to perfect earth. We are called to live and grow, as we fall and stumble, until we go to be with Christ, or until Christ returns in victory to restore us and the earth. So, if we ever fail or struggle to keep Christ’s words and teachings, then we are not alone. That high jump bar of being completely made completely into the image of Christ can seem high and out of reach. Keep walking, keep reaching, for Jesus is with us, as we rise and as we fall.

          In our reading for this morning from Psalm 67, we are reminded, once again, in 67:1-2:

¹ May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah ² that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations                        (Ps. 67:1-2, NRSV).

          Knowing God, knowing Christ, feeling God’s love and blessings, and sharing it on the earth among all nations. We will fall short at times though, and we will fail at times. Yet, we are pursuing Christ, and becoming increasingly like Christ. That high jump bars is getting a little closer and closer. As we go on, we can sense God’s love and grace in our lives more, and this helps us to be better equipped to share the saving power of Christ on the earth, to all nations.

          In looking at our reading for this morning from the Book Revelation once again, we are towards the end of the twenty-two-chapter book, and we hear about the eternal reign of Christ. We heard about this in last week’s Book of Revelation reading, but now hear even more about the coming kingdom of Christ.

          Starting in Revelation 21:10 the Apostle John writes:

¹⁰ And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God                              (Rev. 21:10, NRSV).

          The Apostle John is being given this part of the revelation of Christ’s eternal kingdom. Imagine no war, no pain, no suffering. The Book of Revelation tells us of this coming kingdom of Jesus Christ, and in eternity this is what it will be like.

          As Jesus is compared to the Passover Lamb in the Old Testament we hear, continuing on in Revelation 21:22-27:

²² I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. ²³ And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. ²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. ²⁵ Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. ²⁶ People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. ²⁷ But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Rev. 21:22-27, NRSV).

          In this eternity with Christ, there is no church or temple, as Christ is the church or the temple. There is no sun or moon, and God is the light. The lamp of God is Jesus Christ. The people of the earth will live in harmony, will praise God, and there will never be darkness. Nothing unclean will enter the city, and sin and harm will cease, and the people of Christ will live in love and harmony forever.

          Lastly, our Book of Revelation reading for this morning says in Revelation 22:1-5 again:

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. ³ Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; ⁴ they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever (Rev. 22:1-5, NRSV).

          Another scene of eternal beauty, peace, abundance, light, love, and life. Yet, Jesus this morning tells his disciples and us, that we are to love Jesus and keep his word. We all continue to stumble and fall at times, but we can be forgiven and keep “moving on to perfection.”

          Throughout history various leaders have tried several types of economic systems and systems of government to achieve a perfect society or world similar to one laid out in out Book of Revelation reading for this morning. I think that we can make the world much better than it is now, but only when Christ returns will it be truly perfected. Why is there still so much hurt, pain, suffering, war, and struggle in the world? I truly think that a lot of it happens because of us. Again, it is not that we are evil, but sometimes some people can do evil things. If we continue to try to live and love like Jesus Christ though, then we will continue to get closer and closer to that Olympic High Jump bar of being like Jesus Christ.

          In this way, we continue to strive, grow, learn, love, and move towards holiness and righteousness. Or we walk away and are consumed by darkness. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the hope of the world, and it is indeed a very high, high jump bar. What is the alternative though? Souls will be saved, lives will be changed, and we will continue to walk in love and light. In doing this Sidney and the world will change for the better.

          In looking at our gospel of John reading more closely, it says starting in John 14:23 once again:

²³ Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴ Whoever does not love me does not keep my words, and the word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me. ²⁵ “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. ²⁸ You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur you may believe                    (Jn. 14:23-29, NRSV).

          Is this gospel lesson, Jesus tells his disciples that he will soon ascend into heaven, and Jesus also tells us that Holy Spirit or the Advocate will show up soon to reveal even more to us, as we will celebrate the Holy Spirit moving through the disciples on Pentecost Sunday.

          Jesus once again this morning, tells us to keep his word and his teachings. Like the Apostle Paul admitted in Romans 7:15-20, he fell short of that sometimes. We all do to, but remember meeting Christ can happen in moment, but becoming like Christ is the process of a lifetime. Do not be discouraged, as we all seek to be like Jesus, as Jesus said, “Keep My Word!” Amen.

Sidney UMC - 5th Sunday of Easter - 05/15/22 - Sermon - "See, I Am Making All Things New!"

Sunday 05/15/22 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title:        “See, I Am Making All Things New!”                             

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 148                                        

New Testament Scripture: Revelation 21:1-6 

Gospel Lesson: John 13:31-35

          How many of us can remember the challenging times in our lives? How many of us have ever felt like we were at an impasse, or at a fork in the road in our lives? How many of us have ever felt like we were in a pit? How many of us have ever felt like that our lives were missing something? How many of us have ever felt that we just needed a change or something different? What is it like to feel this way?

          Perhaps for some of you, at some point in your life, you had some relationship struggles, work struggles, personal struggles, financial struggles, felt that something was missing in your life, that your daily routine had become common and lack luster, that your health was or is in question, or that you lost someone you loved. What is like to feel stuck, in a pit, or at an impasse?

          I am sure that in different ways that we have all felt this way before. If have been through some things in my life, which we all have. Hopefully, we now can look back and see and reflect upon how we got through various challenging times in our lives. We hopefully now can look back and see where God was present, and how God has been faithful through the ups and downs in our lives.

          I bring all of these ideas up in conversation this morning, to bring us back to the core reality that we all need Jesus. I do not mean just a mental understanding of who Jesus is. I do not mean just a mental understanding that Jesus was born, was crucified, was resurrected, and will one day return in glory. Instead, I mean knowing Jesus personally and spiritually. Many of us, or all of us here can say that our lives are much better with God in them. I can also personally say that because I know Jesus that my life is way better.

          One of the things that has gotten me through challenging times in my life, is Jesus. My relationship with God is very much the core of who and what I am. Having Jesus in our lives, having God’s love in our lives, does not mean that we will not struggle or that we will not have challenges. You can be a person of faith and still have challenges and hardships. In fact, if you know Jesus and if you never struggle ever, well this is a new one for me. It is the knowledge that Jesus is always with us. What is like then to go through something hard, and to not have in God, to not believe in Jesus or the power of the Holy Spirit?

          For me, I cannot imagine going through some of the challenges I have gone through in my life without Jesus. We will all struggle and suffer and times, but God is with us, and we have each other. We heard over and over this morning in our reading from Psalm 148, how we should Praise the LORD (Ps. 148, NRSV).

          It is interesting that the great King David, who is considered by many scholars to be the author of many of the Psalms, was in various Psalms sometimes crying out to God, and sometimes praising God. The great King David who had strong faith in God, who had times of great struggle, great triumph, and great sin. Yet, God was always with him.

          Knowing God, having a relationship with Jesus Christ is the bedrock of the Christian faith. This does not mean that every day of our lives will be perfect or easy, but I believe that my life is much better with Christ in it. By reaching out to Christ, he will reach out to us, even if things are hard and challenging. Having a relationship with Jesus is great, and we get to share that together as a community. The Jesus who offers hope and love to everyone and brings us together in love.

          A scripture that has sustained me in challenging times, and one of my favorites is Romans 8:38-39 that says:

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord                  (Rom. 8:38-39, NRSV).

          Yet, what about when hard times or struggles come? The Apostle Paul tells us also in Romans 5:3-5:

³ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Rom 5:3-5, NRSV).

          Having God in our lives, knowing Jesus is amazing, but we still live in the realities of this earth. Sometimes we also grow closer to Christ in our times of struggle, not in our times of triumph.

          This leads me to the core of my message for this morning, drawing from our reading from Revelation 21:1-6. In this scripture reading once again, we are in the second to last chapter in the Book of Revelation, and the Bible itself. At this point in the narrative, evil, hatred, and suffering has been destroyed on earth, and Christ returns to reign on earth. In this scene, humanity comes together, there will be no more suffering, no more hatred, and no more pain. Really a beautiful scene that we have in our scripture for this morning from the Book of Revelation. In looking at our reading from Revelation 21:1-6 more closely for this morning it says starting in 21:1:

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ² And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Rev. 21:1-2, NRSV).

          In this scene in our Book of Revelation reading, evil and hatred has been destroyed, and Jesus comes to the holy city of Jerusalem to reign as the king and the lord of all. This will be city and a world with no pain, no suffering, no hatred, and perpetual peace and harmony. The scripture gets more specific picking up starting in Revelation 21:3 saying:

³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and be their God; ⁴ he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away” (Rev. 21:3-4, NRSV).

          Jesus, the Lamb of God, the King of Kings, come to earth to rule in peace, harmony, love, prosperity, with war, pain, or hatred. This is a beautiful scene indeed. For those of us that know Christ, we have his love with us always, and as we are reminded in our Book of Revelation reading for this morning once again, we have his love for eternity. For Christ and his kingdom of mercy, justice, hope, peace, and love will reign eternal.

          The scripture once again tells us God will again be among us, will dwell with us, and that Christ will wipe every tear from our eyes. The days of death, mourning, crying, and pain will be gone. For Christ makes all things new. In fact, picking up in Revelation 21:5 it says, once again:

⁵ And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ⁶ Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life (Rev. 21:5-6, NRSV).

          Jesus is saying that he makes all things new. When we come to Christ in this life, we are made new spiritually. We are new creations, even as we continue to struggle, to grow, have victories, and have failures. Christ can be a present reality, comfort and hope in our hearts today, knowing that one day we will fully be in his presence. One day we will be with Christ and there will be no more suffering, no more pain, and Jesus will wipe away our tears.

          In coming to know Jesus, we are on a journey with him and with each other. We are called to live out our faith daily, as we draw closer to Christ, closer to each other, and as God uses us to make Sidney and the world better. Our faith, our church, our friendships, our community strength, and Jesus in our lives is very important.

          It is interesting to me that have a gospel reading for this morning from John 13:31-35, which is actually part of our Maundy or Holy Thursday reading, during Holy Week, leading up to Easter. In our gospel lesson for this morning once again, Jesus is giving a new commandment to love each other. The Last Supper has just ended, Jesus has washed the disciples’ feet, and then he give the disciples and us the “Mandatum” in Latin, or “Mandate” in English. In this command, or mandate, Jesus tells us to love each other.

          If we want to know how far we have come in our faith and how much closer we have drawn to Christ, the biggest way that we can measure this is in our love. Looking at our gospel of John 13:31-35 reading for this morning, it says once again:

³¹ When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. ³² If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³ Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ ³⁴ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

          So, friends, despite the slings and the arrows of this world, despite the war in Ukraine, if we turn to Christ, he is with us. He is with through this life, and we are with each other. We walk with Christ and each other through thick and thin. To come to Christ is to be made new, or a new creation. Christ tells us this morning, “See, I Am Making All Things New!.” He can make us new now, we can continue to walk with him and become more like him. Further we have the promise that we will be with for eternity, for Christ makes all things new. Amen.             

Sidney UMC - Mother's Day/4th Sunday of Easter - 05/08/22 - Sermon - “Moms And All Women!"

Sunday 05/08/22 - Sidney UMC 

Sermon Title:        “Moms And All Women!”                                                

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 23                                         

New Testament Scripture: Revelation 7:9-17

Gospel Lesson: John 10:22-30

          Today, once again, is Mother’s Day. So happy Mother’s Day to all women, as all women are mothers to someone or something. Some women raise and care for children, some mothers care for animals, other children, or something else. Some women care for plants or other things. All women, in their own right, are mothers to someone or something.

          This is why my sermon title for this morning is called, “Moms And All Women!” Being a mom though, I can imagine, is not always an easy job. Kids do not always listen, and sometimes are not always thankful. Some of us have heard the famous phrase from our mothers, “I brought you into this world, and I can take you out of this world!”

          In truth, everyday should be Mother’s Day, but I am glad that we have this day every year in the church calendar and the secular calendar. I do not know if this is still true, but when I was in seminary, we were told that Mother’s Day was quickly becoming one of the most attended church Sundays every year. Why? Well, when mom and grandma were asked what they wanted for Mother’s Day, many would say, “I don’t want anything, but can you come to church with me?” Then mom or grandma would get taken to lunch after church.

          For many of us in fact, we might be in church right now, in part or completely, because of the women in our lives. Many of our grandmothers and mothers took us to church, and sometimes dragged us. I was one such child that sometimes did not want to go to church. Many of can say though that we are who are, have the faith we have, and were taught what we were, in large part because of our mothers, grandmothers, and or other women in our lives.

          You know when I spent four years in seminary, I learned all kinds of things. I read books from some of the great historical saints of the church, I read books from some the best theologians and Christians minds to ever walk this earth over the past two-thousand years. With all of this great learning though, I still learned an incredible amount about the Christian faith from my mother. In fact, I still do.

          The founder of the Methodist Movement, John Wesley, who was an incredible pastor and theologian said this of his mother Susanna Wesley:

“I learned more about Christianity from my mother than from all the theologians in England” (https://quotefancy.com/quote/1464473/John-Wesley-I-learned-more-about-Christianity-from-my-mother-than-from-all-the).

          John Wesley, a man who attend the University of Oxford in England, one of the best universities in the world. One of the sharpest and best Christian minds in history, but he learned more about Christianity from his mother than all the best religious experts of his own country.

          Maybe some of us do not or did not have mothers that were loving, holy, and kind, or maybe we do or did. I am sure though, either way, that there are or were some women in your life that loved and cared for you. This reality, this sharing of faith, this making us better, is what women like John Wesley’s mother Susanna did.

          For many of us, our mothers, our grandmothers, and others, were or are people that were sources of encouragement, strength, faith, hope, and love. These were or are people that had or still have an incredible impact on our lives. It is interesting that when soldiers are on the battlefield, suffering in pain, or when maybe we are struggling that some many want their mother. The love of a mother, a grandmother, and the sacrifices they make, is what we are honoring this morning.

          It is so timely this morning that we have been given our reading from Psalm 23. Many of us know this Psalm, as I read it at just about every funeral I officiate. It is a Psalm about God being with us in the hardest and the most difficult of times in our lives. For some of us, in addition to God, our mothers and our grandmothers where with us in those times. For as the Psalm 23:4 says once again:

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).

          Now this verse from Psalm 23, and Psalm 23 itself is, once again, talking about God being with us in our darkest moments, but for many of us our mothers, grandmothers, or some other women in our lives were there for us when we were walking through the valleys of our lives. The founder of Methodist Movement, John Wesley, learned more about God from his mother than from all the Christian theologians or experts in all of England.

          In our reading for this morning from the Book of Revelation 7:9-17, we once again have the beautiful scene of the great heavenly multitude gathered before our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. This scene is full of countless people that love Jesus. Once again, our reading from Revelation for this morning begins in 7:9 saying:

⁹ After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev. 7:9-10, NRSV).

          All of God’s people standing before the risen Christ, enthroned as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. All of the followers of Christ gathered, robed in white, the color of purity and holiness. I sometimes where a robe, as this is what it historically represents. In this scene, the countless multitude of the followers of Jesus Christ are waving palm branches, just as many did on that first Palm Sunday.

          Further, the scripture continues, picking up in Revelation 7:11 saying, once again:

¹¹ And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” ¹³ Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” ¹⁴ I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:11-14, NRSV).

          What a scene of unity, of the love of Christ, and the mercy of God. Maybe your mother or grandmother read these words to you. Maybe your mother, your grandmother, or other women in your life showed you love and grace like this. For as John Wesley said:

“I learned more about Christianity from my mother than from all the theologians in England” (https://quotefancy.com/quote/1464473/John-Wesley-I-learned-more-about-Christianity-from-my-mother-than-from-all-the).

            This beautiful and visual narrative of Jesus Christ on his throne, ends for this morning with Revelation 7:15-17 saying, once again:

¹⁵ For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. ¹⁶ They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; ¹⁷ for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

          I know about the love of Jesus, I know about scriptures like this, because of people like my mother. I would not be standing here today literally, or as a pastor without my mother. Fathers and grandfathers are very important to, and I will talk a lot about them on Father’s Day. Today though is mother’s day. As our Book of Revelation reading ends this morning with God wiping away every tear from our eyes, maybe our mothers and grandmothers do or did things like this for us too.

          I also find our gospel of John 10:22-30 reading for this morning interesting, as I think it is just so appropriate for Mother’s Day. You see, Jesus had a problem with some people doubting him or just plain not listening to him. I am sure that no mothers or grandmothers here have ever had kids or grandkids that do not listen to you. I am sure that you have never had to talk to them over and over before they “get it.” Yes, I am being a little sarcastic!

          With this said, let us look at our gospel of John reading for this morning once again, picking up starting in John 10:22. It says:

²² At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. ²⁴ So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” ²⁵ Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; ²⁶ but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep (Jn. 10:22-26, NRSV).

          So, the religious leaders are questioning Jesus, and they are asking him if he is in fact the Messiah, the savior. If he, is they say, then just tell them plainly? Jesus then said, that he had told them, but that they do not believe him. How many mothers or grandmothers have had to tell us something over and over? They tell us over and over, but it is just not sinking in.

          This morning, Jesus is telling the religious leaders that he has told them over and over, but they are not listening. Maybe your mother or grandmother did or still does tell you over and over, and we just do not listen. In fact, our gospel of John lesson concludes this morning with Jesus saying picking up in John 10:27:

²⁷ My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. ³⁰ The Father and I are one”                      (Jn. 10:27-30, NRSV). 

          When I think of the devotion that Christ has for us, for his flock, I sometimes think of the devotion that mothers and grandmothers have for so many. Sometimes mom or grandma are the very glue that holds our family together. Jesus loves us all, and nobody can change this. The love of a mother or a grandmother for their children, is also an amazing thing. It is so powerful in fact, that soldiers in pain on the battlefield often cry out for there mother, we often want our moms or our grandmothers when we are struggling. Once again, the founder of the Methodist Movement, John Wesley said of his own mother:

“I learned more about Christianity from my mother than from all the theologians in England” (https://quotefancy.com/quote/1464473/John-Wesley-I-learned-more-about-Christianity-from-my-mother-than-from-all-the).

            Today we honor mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, great great grandmothers, and all women. We would not be the people we are today without them, and we should show them our love and our devotion today and always. So, who do we honor today? “Moms And All Women!” Amen.