Sidney UMC - Fourth Sunday of Easter - 04/30/23 - Sermon - “Jesus According To Peter”

                            Sunday 04/30/23 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “Jesus According To Peter”                                  

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 23                                      

New Testament Scripture: 1 Peter 2:19-25

Gospel Lesson: John 10:1-10

          When you think back upon your life, who would say is the greatest person that you have ever known? This means that person who you would say was the best human being that you have ever met. I am sure that some of us can think of human beings that would not be in this category, but who is the best person you have ever met. This can be a tough question as there might be several people you can think of.

          When thinking of this person or persons what about them puts them in the category of the best person you have ever known? Is it because they were so kind and so loving? Is it because they helped you when you needed it? Or was it something else? What was or is so great about this person or persons that they are the greatest you have ever known?

          A big part of our Christian faith is aspiring or growing to be better than we are right now. I hope and pray that I am holier and more righteous than I was 10-years ago. Certainly 20-years ago! I hope and pray though that I will continue to become holier, more righteous, and more loving as I get older.

          In the journey of my own life, I have been blessed with many Godly, kind, hardworking, and good people in my life that have and continue to do so much for me. I have met people that after leaving their presence it was as if I was talking with Jesus himself. I had a great visit this past week with Marion Yerger, who attended this church for a number of years before her health declined. Whenever I see her, she is always full of the love of Christ, and is a true inspiration to me. In every church that I have attended or have pastored I have meet people who are truly Godly and extraordinary. This church is no different.

          Early on in my ministry I was actually foolish enough to think that I was coming to a church to teach the people of the church. Perhaps some of this has taken place, but I have found that it is always a two-way street. The people of God, with all of there gifts and graces have so much to offer one another. It has been very heartening since I have been the pastor here to hear how some people in the church tell me how grateful they are for there church family, and the love that the people experience here. Maybe we can think of someone in this church in the past or the present that is one of the greatest and Godliest people that we have ever met.

          I have had family members, such as the late and great Grandpa Winkelman that showed me through word, action, and deed what it meant to live a Christian life. What it meant to work hard, be honest, love God, love neighbor, and make the world better. I have also met and have been ministered too in different times in my life when I have been in dark valleys. I have also been blessed to minister to others when they have been in dark valleys in their life.

          We are reminded of this in our Psalm 23 reading for this morning, which is probably the most well know of all the Psalms. I tend to read this Psalm at every funeral, celebration of life, or memorial service that I do. We hear in Psalm 23, once again:

¹ The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. ² He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; ³ he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. 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. 23:1-4, NRSV).

 

          This Psalm has been read for centuries, even before the birth of Christ. Maybe the person or person that are the greatest we ever met walked with us through dark times in our lives.

          This morning, in our New Testament reading from 1 Peter 2:19-25, Peter tells us about the greatest person that he has ever met. It is not his wife of his mother-in-law, although they were probably right up there. The greatest person that Peter ever met was Jesus. Peter was lucky enough to have know and interacted with Jesus on earth, and none of us here have been able to do this.

          Peter tells us that the radical message Jesus’ love, hope, peace, and salvation is a message that many in this world want to silence and eradicate. Peter tells us that some Christians will suffer for Christ, as Christ suffers for us. Peter tells us that Christ is our ultimate example of how to live on this earth. Peter tells us that the greatest person that he has even met is Jesus Christ, and as a result, Peter wants to be like Jesus (1 Pt. 2:19-25, NRSV). I want to be like Jesus. I have seen the love of Jesus in various people in my life, that have and continue to point me to being more like Jesus.

          I tend to be a slow learner sometimes though, but as I go through life I hope to be more and more like Jesus. This is why my sermon for this morning is called “Jesus According To Peter”. Who was Jesus according to Peter? If Jesus was the greatest person that Peter had ever met or known, than what was good about him. Looking once again at 1 Peter 2:21-24 it says:

²¹ For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. ²² “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” ²³ When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (1 Pt. 2:21-24, NRSV).

          What as so great about “Jesus According To Peter?” Peter tells us that Jesus committed no sin, and that there was no deceit found in his mouth, as he was fully God and fully human. I joke some months before we say the prayer of confession before partaking of Holy Communion that I might sit this prayer of confession out. I cannot though, as we all probably have committed sins since our last prayer of confession. Peter says though, that Jesus committed no sin. Some of us might get angry and say things about another person or something else bad. Peter says that no deceit was found in Jesus’ mouth.

          Some of us might believe that if we are harmed, that we should harm back. You know “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth”. Peter says not Jesus, for when he was abused, he did not abuse back. If someone has harmed us, maybe we have threatened to harm those harmed us, of have even harmed them back. Peter says that even though Jesus suffered, he did threaten. Instead, Jesus entrusted himself to God. Jesus prayed for his persecutors, showed care and concern for his mother, and showed love and compassion without fail.

          Peter than says not only this, Jesus took all of our brokenness on him with his death on the cross. Even though we keep missing the mark, even though we keep falling short of Christ, he died for us. Peter tells us that “by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pt. 2:21-24, NRSV).

It can be hard for people of faith to keep failing, as I sometimes do, but know we can keep being forgiven. Becoming like Jesus is the journey of a lifetime, and I hope and I pray that I am more like him than I used to be. Jesus was the greatest person that Peter have even met, and Peter wanted to be just like him.

          This isn’t just “Jesus According To Peter” either, as we are all invited to follow and be like Jesus Christ. I have never encountered anyone like Jesus, which is why I have devoted my life to preaching his gospel, to serving him, and to try to be like him in every way, except the long hair. My hope is to not only help lead people to Christ, but for as a entire community to live, love, and reach out more and more as Christ did.

          Jesus offers the constant invitation to us to follow him. He loves us unconditionally, he died for all, and he desires for us all to walk with him. In fact, in our Gospel of John 10:1-10 reading for this morning, we have one of Jesus’ famous “I Am” statements. Similar to when Moses asked God’s named in the burning bush in the Book of Exodus, and God said, “I Am who I am,” Jesus had “I Am” statements. This morning Jesus likens himself to a shepherd of sheep and as gate or a door. Beginning in John 10:1 it says once again:

10 “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them                       (Jn. 10:1-6, NRSV).

          If we are going to follow or be like someone then, who will it be? There are plenty of people in my life or have been in my life that I want to be more like. The reason for this though, is because these elements of these great people that I know or have known are elements and attributes that are like Jesus. Jesus is inviting us to follow him as our shepherd. If we are sheep, do follow Jesus and his voice, or do we follow someone else? I think we are all bound to follow or be someone. Peter said this morning that he is devoted to being like Jesus. I am devoted to living like and being like Jesus.

          Coming to Christ as Lord and Savior is like walking through a door or a gate. After we walk through, we have been forgiven, given salvation, and we can follow Jesus for the rest of our lives. Peter said that Jesus was the greatest person that he had ever met, and I agree with Peter. Jesus continues and ends our reading for this morning from John 10:7-10 saying:

⁷ So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who came before me are thieves and bandits, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (Jn. 10:7-10, NRSV).

          Jesus invites us into relationship and deeper relationship with him. We are likely going to model our lives and live our lives based upon someone or something. I know that I have made my share of mistakes in my life, but when I went into ministry, I reaffirmed my call to be “yoked to Christ for life, and life eternal”. I am convinced that the best we can live and love is like Jesus Christ, and this why I preach his gospel of love, hope, justice, and forgiveness. This is why is gospel is often called “Good News,” because the world needs to know about Jesus, for who is better than Jesus?

          One of the ministries that seemed to occur when I went into ministry was what I call a “wounded sheep ministry”. I have met people who have been harmed or hurt by a church, a pastor or priest, or people in the church. I probably at some points have been guilty somewhere of not being 100% like Jesus, as well. Yet, I am continuing to try, and continuing through the power of the Holy Spirit to build with you all a community of faith that looks like Jesus. Sometimes I fall short, but I want to be more like Jesus, and hope you all do to.

          Some of you have heard me say many times that some people have had problems with Christianity, but not Jesus. The problems have generally been with the church and some of the followers of Jesus. One of my favorite quotes comes from Mahatma Gandhi, who helped liberate India from British rule in the 1940’s through non-violence. When asked about Jesus Christ this what Mahatma Gandhi said:

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ” (https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/22155-i-like-your-christ-i-do-not-like-your-christians).

            Gandhi was saying that clearly Jesus is worth living and loving like. Yet, the problem over the past two-thousand years of our Christian faith has never been Jesus, but it has been some of us. Maybe it has been me at times, and maybe it has been you. I know this though that “Jesus According To Peter” was the greatest person he had ever met. I met Jesus, and I agree with Peter.

          So how do we make disciples and grow our church? Jesus. How to we make Sidney, the Tri-Town area, and the world better? Jesus. The goal of Christian faith to become just like Jesus in every way. For “Jesus According To Peter” was the greatest person he had ever met, and I hope and pray that Jesus is that for you too. He is for me. Amen.

Sidney UMC - Native American Ministries Sunday/Third Sunday of Easter - 04/23/23 - Sermon - “The Walk To Emmaus!”

                                Sunday 04/23/23 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “The Walk To Emmaus!”                                     

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19                                     

New Testament Scripture: 1 Peter 1:17-23

Gospel Lesson: Luke 24:13-35

          So, this has happened to us all. You know that moment when you are at the grocery story, the mall, or somewhere else. Someone excitedly comes up to talk to you, and you have no idea who they are! They of course seem to know you very well, however!

          This has happened to me more than once, despite my best efforts to learn names and faces. In those moments, which are rarer than they used to be, I definitely do not want the person to know that I have no idea who they are. I mean that would just be embarrassing! Even worse is when you know you have met or seen them before but you just cannot remember where or who they are.

          The person you don’t know in my case might say to me, “Hello Pastor Paul, how are you?” I then might say in response, “Hello, I’m very good, how are you?” To which they might then ask, “How is your wife and your dog?” Uh oh, now I am a little stuck. So, I might just ask “How is your……. Pause,” and sometimes the person goes, “You mean my husband and kids?” Then I, still not knowing who this woman is, says “yes how are they doing?” Then she tells me. This is all in front of a box of Captain Crunch in the cereal aisle, by the way.

          Then she might say, “I am still so upset that he is in the hospital.” Uh oh. Then I might say “It’s terrible that he is in the hospital…….Pause.” Thankfully she then says, “I just love my uncle Bill.” Well maybe at this point, I realize that this is the woman that came to a Sidney UMC Christmas Eve service four years ago, and whom I met once for 30-seconds. In this hypothetical case it worked out though.

          I have had instances though, where I finally just say, “I am sorry and feel bad asking, but how do we know each other again?” Has this ever happened to anyone here? Isn’t it the worst?

          Or how about when you see someone somewhere and you think it is someone you know. So maybe you shout and wave “Hey Lucy how are you?” Unfortunately, the person that turned around is not Lucy, but she might approach you a month later at the grocery store in cereal aisle, in front of a box of Captain Crunch and ask you how you are doing. In those situations, I have said things like, “I am sorry, you look just like my friend Lucy,” “Or sorry wrong person.”

          To take this a step further, when Melissa’s maternal grandparents were alive, we went to the grocery story with them one summer day in Canton, NY. Well, we drove her grandparents to the grocery store in my 2002 gold colored Dodge Neon. Here grandparents were in front of us in the grocery store line, and then headed out of the store to our car while we checked out. Unfortunately, though they had gotten in the back of the car, but a gold-colored Mercedes, because you know a 2002 Dodge Neon looks just like a gold-colored Mercedes. Boy did they get out of that car quick!

          I tell you all of this, this morning, because this morning in our gospel of Luke reading, we have the story of “The Walk To Emmaus”. Last Sunday in our gospel of John 20:19-31 reading, Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection. Jesus says “Peace be with you” to encourage and calm them. The Apostle Thomas wasn’t present and would not believe until he saw the rise Christ. Thomas saw and believed.

          This morning, in the gospel of Luke, it is literally the day of Jesus resurrection. It is Easter Sunday, in fact, it is the first Easter Sunday. The tomb of Jesus had just been found empty and those who witnessed the empty tomb were amazed. Shortly after this, Jesus appears on the road to Emmaus, but the two people walking cannot tell that it is Jesus. They see the man, but it is as if Jesus’ true identity was hidden, just like that person in the grocery store that comes up to you and thinks that they know you!

          Let’s look once again at our reading from Luke 24:13-35 for this morning. Beginning in Luke 24:13-35 it says:

¹³ Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, ¹⁶ but their eyes were kept from recognizing him         (Lk. 24:13-16, NRSV).

          Maybe the next time I am in Price Chopper and someone comes up to me that knows me, but I don’t seem to know them, I can use this excuse. “Pastor Paul I can’t believe that you don’t recognize me!” I can then say in response, “Sorry Jesus must have been keeping my eyes from recognizing you, like the walk to Emmaus!” Like me though, the two disciples keep talking with the person, even though they no idea who it is that they are talking to. To “Cleopas” or Peter and the other disciple who was talking with Jesus having no idea who he was, I want them to know that I stole that idea out of their play book the next time this happens to me.

          At this point, Jesus, who’s identity is concealed says:

¹⁷ And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸ Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” ¹⁹ He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. ²¹ But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place (Lk. 24:17-21, NRSV).

          So “Cleopas” or Peter and the other disciple tell the person who do they not know is Jesus, what Jesus did. I have heard stories before of people having entire conversations with people who they actually thought that they knew, but didn’t. Luckily for me when this happens, they generally recognize me, but I don’t recognize them. Imagine telling a person all about themselves, not knowing that the person you are talking to, is actually that same person.

          So, Jesus has just been resurrected, the tomb is empty, and “Cleopas” or Peter and the other disciple encounter this man while making about a 7-mile walk to Emmaus. This was the distance from Jerusalem to Emmaus. We know that one disciple is Peter, and the jury is still out on who the other was. Scholars have debated this for years.

          The other example I will give, is if you want to say something about someone you might find it easier to say when they are not present. I have had moments where I have said to Melissa as she gets quiet, “There standing right behind me aren’t they?” Then I turn around go, “Oh I didn’t see you standing there!”

          Continuing on, our gospel of Luke reading picks up once again in Luke 24:22 with the two disciples explaining to this other man the resurrection of Jesus. Starting in 24:22 it says:

²² Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, ²³ and when they did not find his body there they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. ²⁴ Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him” (Lk. 24:22-24, NRSV). 

          At this point, Jesus, who Peter and the other disciple still doesn’t recognize says:

²⁵ Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” ²⁷ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures (Lk. 24:25-27, NRSV).

          The two disciples still don’t know it’s Jesus, as they get close to the village of Emmaus. The gospel says picking up in Luke 24:28 with disciples talking to this mystery man, who turns out to be Jesus. It says once again:

²⁸ As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them (Lk. 24:28-30, NRSV).

          This mystery man, who is Jesus stays with them, and even has Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper with them again to. Just imagine, Peter and the other disciple had the Last Supper with Jesus a few days earlier on Maundy or Holy Thursday, and now on Easter Sunday, Jesus blessed and broke bread with them again. Clearly Jesus was showing them the importance of not only eating together and spending time together, but the importance of Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper. 

          The gospel then goes on to speak of what happened when Jesus blessed and broke the bread, and then gave it to his disciples. Picking up in Luke 24:31 it says once again:

³¹ Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight. ³² They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” ³³ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. ³⁴ They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ Then they told what had happened on the road and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread (Lk. 24:31-35, NRSV).

          Like Jesus in our gospel of John reading from last Sunday appearing post resurrection to his scared and confused disciples saying “Peace be with you,” this morning Jesus walks with us, talks with us, and is present in the break of the bread. There is various theologies of Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper, but in the United Methodist Church we believe that Jesus Christ is present in Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper. When we bless and break the bread, and when we share the cup, Christ is present. We would say spiritually present, but present in us, in the bread, and in the cup. We call this the “Real Presence” of Christ.

          Even though the two disciples did not realize it until the end of there walk to the road to Emmaus, Christ was with them. Christ is with us, even when we don’t realize that he is there. Similarly, when Christ blessed and broke the bread in the scripture this morning the disciples saw him before he vanished. In a similar way then, Christ is with us when we bless and break the bread, and share the cup.

          A big take away from the Walk to Emmaus story is wherever we go and whenever are breaking bread in Christ’s name he is with us. Anywhere we are, Christ is with us, even if in the moment we can’t see that he is with us. On the Walk To Emmaus Jesus was with the two disciples even though they didn’t see him at first, and in our lives sometimes we don’t realize Jesus is with us. Then at some point we might realize that Jesus has been there the whole time.

          In fact, there is a 72-hour spiritual retreat sponsored through the United Methodist Church called “The Walk To Emmaus”. This retreat is for women, and there is a one for men. During this retreat we walk with Jesus, draw closer to him, and grow in our faith. This retreat changed my life, and these weekends still occur if anyone is interested in attending.

          For as our 1 Peter 1:17-23 reading for this morning says:

¹⁸ You know that you were ransomed from the futile conduct inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. ²⁰ He was destined before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the ages for your sake. ²¹ Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your trust and hope are in God (1 Pet. 1:18-21, NRSV).

          This hope in Christ is with us here, was and is on the road to Emmaus, and is with us every minute of every day. Amen.

Sidney UMC - Second Sunday of Easter - 04/16/23 - Sermon - “Why We Pass The Peace of Christ”

                                  Sunday 04/16/23 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title: “Why We Pass The Peace of Christ”                                  

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 16                                      

New Testament Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-9

Gospel Lesson: John 20:19-31

          I remember one Sunday morning in December, probably 8-10 years ago now. I hadn’t been in ministry very long at this point, only a few years. I remember a mother of I think three kids came into church on Sunday, and she looked just exhausted. This mother and her husband both works, the kids were in all kinds of activities, and with Christmas coming things were just crazy in their lives.

          Shopping needed to be done, gifts needed to be wrapped, the house needed to be cleaned, etc. As I talked with this fairly young mother, I wanted to just tell her to “go lay down on a coach in the church and take a nap, and we will make sure your kids are looked after during church”. I never did tell this mother this, and maybe I should have.

          I do remember asking her though, amidst all she was doing and telling me, “What do you want for Christmas”? I guess I was trying to find some way of being more supportive, or finding the “silver lining”. I really had no idea how she would answer. Would she say a new car, some clothes, or something else. After a few second though, she said, “Peace Pastor Paul. I want one day of peace and solitude”. She then said, “I want one day where I don’t have to work, I don’t have to cook, I don’t have to clean, I don’t chase after my kids, drive anywhere, wash any clothes or dishes, etc.”

          Clearly this mother just needed a break. Luckily, in chatting with her husband, he got her a “Spa Day” for Christmas. What this included was a day where she completely got to herself, where she could go to the spa, get pampered, no phone calls, and nothing but relaxing and recharging. I think one of those places where they put cucumber slices on your eyes. She was very happy that she got this gift, and was happy that her husband and kids realized her need for this gift. We need peace in our lives. Sometimes we don’t have peace. Anyone here ever not have peace?

          Now why do I tell you this story this morning? I tell you this story this morning because in our gospel of John 20:19-31 reading, Jesus tells his disciples not once, not twice, but three times “Peace be with you” (Jn. 20:19-21, NRSV). Over the centuries this notion of Jesus saying “Peace be with you,” and perhaps a couple of other scriptural references, as well, is where we get the tradition of “Passing the Peace of Christ” with one another. Some churches don’t “Share the Peace of Christ” formally in worship, but I would suspect they do this by how they love and interact with each other in other ways. Some “Share the Peace of Christ” in different places in the worship service, or perhaps after and or before worship.

          This is a tradition of the church, and it is not something that we are required to do by scripture, but over the centuries of the worshipping life of the church we added it in. You see, like that mother who was stressed out and tired out, she needed peace and rest. When Jesus appears to his disciples after his resurrection this morning, they are still scared, confused, and hiding for fear of persecution. Certainly, they are not at peace, and if anything, they are stressed, anxious, maybe tired, and worried. How many of us ever lose our peace?

          The risen Christ enters into the place where the disciples were staying and says, “Peace be with you”. When the husband of the story that I just told you about, gave his wife a day long spa day and time to herself, he was saying “Peace be with you”. Jesus desires for us all to have peace, but we live in a stressful and a busy world. Jesus desire for us all to have peace in us and amongst us, but there are so many things that can take our peace from us if we are not careful. So much so, that many churches on Sunday morning have a special time in the worship service where we “Share the Peace of Christ” with each other. In doing this, we are saying “We love you, and that we are glad that you are here," and we are saying “I hope that the Peace of Christ fills you”.

          When we “Share the Peace of Christ,” we are essentially doing what the risen Christ did for his disciples this day, as he offered them peace. I have told people before who were really stressed, “Just settle down for a moment and take a deep and a slow breath”. Jesus wants us to have peace, and part of the reason that Christ went among his disciples and hundreds of others after his resurrection was to show them that he was truly God in the flesh, to grow their faith, and to encourage them in their doubt and disbelief. 

          This morning the Apostle Thomas doubts Jesus’ resurrection. He is likely afraid of persecution, is hiding with the other disciples in what can be compared to a safe house, and he probably is not in good place emotionally or spiritually. Jesus then enters and offers all the disciples his peace (Jn. 20:19-23, NRSV). Yet, the Apostle Thomas is not present when Jesus comes, and thus be doubts the reality that Christ is risen and has appeared to others (Jn. 20:24, NRSV). This has led many Christians over the centuries to call Thomas “Doubting Thomas”.

          Why would Thomas think that other disciples lied to him about seeing the resurrected Christ? I have no idea. Maybe Thomas was just so overcome with grief that his Lord and Savior was crucified and put in the tomb that nothing would convince him. It seemed that Thomas just wanted to see Jesus again. I mean I don’t blame him. When we lose someone that we love, we can be told over and over again that the persons love is still with us, and other such things. Yet often what we really want, is to the see the person that we lost.

          Some have painted the Apostle Thomas as a bad guy because of our gospel of John 20:19-31 reading for this morning, but I would submit we are all “Doubting Thomas’s” sometimes. Sometimes grief and loss can just be so deep that very little to anything can show us hope or light. Maybe we have had times in our lives where it was hard for us to see the possibility of good things happening or new possibilities. Maybe then Thomas telling the other disciples regarding there visit with the resurrected Christ:

“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe” wasn’t so extreme                          (Jn. 20:25, NRSV).

          This might seem extreme, but I think that Thomas was grieving, was scared, maybe tired, and maybe needed a spa day. Words and promises were not enough in this moment, Thomas needed something more concrete.

          Jesus Christ our Lord, never disappointing though appears to Thomas a week later. Our gospel of John 20:19-31 reading, ends with John 20:26-31 saying once again:

²⁶ A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” ²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” ³⁰ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. ³¹ But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name                               (Jn. 20:26-31, NRSV).

          Unlike Thomas, I have never seen Jesus in the flesh, and yet I believe in Jesus. I believe in Jesus because I have experienced the love of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit through Jesus. The power of the Holy Spirit in worship or in other places in our lives, offers us peace, hope, restoration, and dare I say, “a spiritual spa day.” Jesus wants his people and his church to have peace, joy, love, and mercy.

          Due to this, I am blessed to be the pastor of this church. I believe that this church for so many is a place of peace. I hope and pray that you can come to this church to be recharged, spiritually filled, lovingly challenged, and that you feel welcomed here. I have said this before, but to me the church is a hospital, and we all have our cuts, scars, and wounds. This is place where we come to grow spiritually, and to get spiritually well. This is place that we come to not only find peace, but we have a time in our worship service where we can “Share the Peace of Christ”. This is a place for you, and hopefully is loving, accepting, and joyous place of peace.

          Some people that I know however, grew up in churches that might have had mean or hurtful elements within them. Some maybe have grown up in a church that was not friendly, not inviting, and not a place that you looked forward to going to. Friends, what I love about the Sidney UMC, is that we are different from those kinds of churches. We are church where everyone is welcomed, we all come closer to Christ, we all continue to repent of our sins and try again, and we come here to grow in faith, love, joy, mercy, and peace.

          We “Share The Peace Of Christ” then not just as a mere ritual, or just a tradition, instead we are creating, through the Holy Spirit, a culture of “Christlikeness”. We are creating a worshipping community that continues to grow in perfect love, continues to love others like Jesus, and continues to be a loving, caring, and open doors church to all people. We all need Jesus, we all need hope, and like the exhausted mother that I encountered that Sunday in church 8-10 years ago, we certainly all need peace.

          I wanted to also briefly touch on our reading from 1 Peter 1:3-9 for this morning. In this reading we hear of the promise Christ gives us not only here and now, but a promise for eternity. The scripture says picking up in 1:3 once again:

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead ⁴ and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, (1 Pet. 1:3-4, NRSV).

 

          There are days on this earth where maybe we don’t have the amount of peace, hope, joy, love, and mercy that we want, but Peter is telling us this morning we have a future with Jesus. We have a future in good and loving churches like this one. Beyond just striving to have peace, hope, joy, love, and mercy today, we have an eternal promise of this, as well.

          In fact, in the same way that the Apostle Thomas did not see the risen Christ the first time, Peter ends this scripture with 1:8-9 saying:

⁸ Although you have not seen him, you love him, and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Pt. 1:8-9, NRSV).

 

          Sometimes we lose our peace, we lose our balance, our center, and our joy. Anyone here ever feel that way? Maybe some of us are feeling this way right now. The risen Christ came this morning among his disciples to give them faith, hope, love, and yes peace. So important is the “Peace of Christ” that we share it with each other every Sunday. If you have “Peace like a river” this morning then, then praise God! If you don’t have peace this morning though, then we will keep striving after it together, with Jesus’ help and through the power of the Holy Spirit. So, friends, this is “Why We Pass The Peace Of Christ”. Amen.

Sidney UMC - Easter/Resurrection Sunday - 04/09/23 - Sermon - “The Head Cloth Is Separate!” (“The Journey to the Empty Tomb” Series: Part 7 of 7)

                                     Sunday 04/09/23 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title:             “The Head Cloth Is Separate!”                               (“The Journey to the Empty Tomb” Series: Part 7 of 7)                  

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24                                       

New Testament Scripture: Acts 10:34-43

Gospel Lesson: John 20:1-18

          He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! Happy Easter everyone!

Not only do we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on this day, but we are offered new life this day and always through Jesus Christ. The reality of and the belief in something miraculous can change us all. In this way, there is the resurrection of Christ, as a historical event, and there is the impact of the resurrection of Christ on the world both then and now. What happens to people when they believe and hope in something new and powerful? What happens we have hope and believe in something greater than ourselves?

          The feeling of resurrection is one of new life, new hope, and spiritual power. It is funny that I say spiritual power, because as I sat down to write this Easter sermon this past Wednesday, the power went off at the church. It actually went on and off a few times, but when I sat down everything was dark. Luckily it was only about 3:45 PM, and it was light outside my office window. The power came back on a little after 5:00 PM, so it worked out!

          While this was a coincidence, it made me think of the darkness of Jesus’ tomb, before the light of Easter. It did not last long in retrospect, as the power went back on around 5:00 PM, as I said, but sometimes darkness can seem forever. I can imagine that Jesus’ friends from Good Friday to this morning felt internal darkness, the loss of hope, the loss of peace, and loss of what their future would hold for them. Maybe we have had events in our lives where we have lost hope, felt darkness, or even despair.

          Having new life and having a new sense of hope is powerful. Maybe some of us can relate to this. As I said, maybe some of us have had times in our lives where we thought everything was lost, that there was no hope, and that there was no way forward. If you or someone you know has ever felt this way, then are not alone, as many people have felt this way, or still do. Jesus’s friends and disciples no doubt felt this way, until this morning of Jesus’ resurrection.

          In fact, we are reminded of this in our Psalm 118 reading for this morning, as we hear in Psalm 118:1-2 once again:

¹ O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever! ² Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever” (Ps. 118:1-2, NRSV).

 

          Sometimes though if someone is overcome with grief, or is really struggling in can be hard to see new life, to see resurrection. Imagine then the hope and power of that first Easter Sunday at the empty tomb, and the power this day still has for so many.

          So much power that the majority of Christians now have their main day of worship and rest on Sundays, versus the Jewish Sabbath from Friday night to Saturday night. Over the centuries, we began to call these two days the weekend. So, if you get weekends off, you thank the Judeo-Christian traditions.

I would submit on this Easter Sunday 2023 then that the power of belief can change the world, but it can also destroy the world. The power of believe can cause us to create, to sow seeds of peace, and to flourish. It can also be twisted into hate, war, violence, and destruction.

          The hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ this day, is not just merely a historical event, it is the idea that Jesus fulfilled his mission. He walked this earth, fully God, fully human, lived a sinless life, taught us a radical new way of loving, living, and caring, and even died for us on a cross out of love beyond all comprehension. The power of Easter, the power of resurrection is us embodying this truth in our hearts and our souls. The fullness of Easter, is us living and loving all people like Jesus.

          It is the belief as Christians that things can be better, and that God can use us to make things better. When we give up on resurrection, we give up on hope itself. If death wins, then hope died. Today reminds us though that hope wins, love wins, joy wins, kindness wins, justice wins, and mercy wins. Beyond just a historical event and toy set that Pastor Paul owns, today is hope itself for the Christian. For if Jesus was the embodiment of everything that is holy, righteous, pure, just, and good, then him overcoming evil, darkness, death, hatred, and cruelty, should give us all hope that we can also do the same. As hymn “Because He Lives” says, “Because he lives, I can face tomorrow. Because he lives, all fear is gone”.

          For the Christian, if our Jesus can overcome all that the world is, if our Jesus stay kind, loving, merciful, caring, and hopeful, then maybe through him so can we. The founder of Methodist Movement John Wesley said, we “Are going on to perfection”. Going to be make perfect in the love, hope, and life of Jesus Christ.

It can be very easy though to become discouraged with many of the things that are going on in the world, and yet today death has been defeated. One would think that even if someone was not a person of faith that they could see how the belief in Jesus’ resurrection is transformative. As Christians we believe that the highest ideal that we can have in this world is to live and love like our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For if he was the greatest person to cross the horizon of this world, and if we can be more like him, what a world we would have indeed.

          After Jesus ascended into heaven, we have the story of the early Christian Church in the Book of Acts, or also called the “Acts of the Apostles”. We have a reading from this morning from Acts 10:34-43. Once again in this reading it begins in 10:30 with the Apostle Peter saying:

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, ³⁵ but in every people anyone who fears him and practices righteousness is acceptable to him. ³⁶ You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. ³⁷ That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him (Act 10:34-38, NRSV).

 

          The Apostle Peter is saying that we live like and for Jesus. The highest goal of the Christian life, as I said, is to fully live like and love like Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

          The Apostle Peter then continues, and says this is not just mythology or midrash to us. Peter said that he, the other disciples and many other met and knew Jesus. They became convinced of who Jesus was not only by hearing, but also be seeing and experiencing. Church tradition holds that all but the Apostle John died brutal deaths for their faith and beliefs in Jesus, and only someone who was convinced that Jesus was Lord and Savior would be willing to go to this length to retain their faith.

          The Apostle Peter then explains, as I said, that he and many other witnessed Jesus’s life and all he did. Peter says that they put him to death, but that three days later, on this day, God raised him to new life. Further, Peter said that after Jesus’ resurrection that many saw and interacted with him. Peter said, we have been offered forgiveness, new life, and hope through Jesus. Easter Sunday for Christian then, is about much more than bunnies and jelly beans.

          In looking at our gospel of John reading, we have one of the narratives of Jesus’ resurrection. It is true to say that gospels present the resurrection story a little differently, as far as who arrived at the empty tomb first, and the events, their in. Yet all the gospels affirm an empty tomb. Since Mary Magdalene is often considered the first of Jesus’ followers to be at the empty, she is the first person to attest to and affirm the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sure, the men seemed to take all the credit, but Mary Magdalene was the first. Mary Magdalene is considered the first witness and preacher of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

          In revisiting our gospel of John account of the resurrection for this morning it says once again, starting in John 20:1:

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. ² So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” ³ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. ⁴ The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷ and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; ⁹ for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead (Jn. 20:1-9, NRSV).

          Now I have preached on Easter Sunday the resurrection story many times, but as many of you, I have always been fascinated about what Simon Peter and John saw when they got to the empty tomb. Again, in John 20:6-8 it says:

⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷ and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself.

          In the past I have read a story about wealthy Jewish men wiping their face and beards at there dinner table and wadding up or folding their napkins. The take away from this story, is that if the wealthy Jewish man waded up his napkin and threw it on his table he was done, but if he folded his napkin meant that the master was coming back. So, is the legend of the folded napkin in our gospel of John 20:1-18 story.                                                                                                                                  

Instead, though I wanted to know more deeply why this little detail was added in and only in the gospel of John resurrection account. Why mention on this Easter or resurrection Sunday that the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head in the tomb was not with his body linens, but in a place by itself. Seems like a simple detail. It would be like including that the bread at the last supper was too chewy, or that Jesus burped at the Last Supper. We don’t generally see those sorts of details in the scriptures.

The rest of this gospel lesson of course continues with Simon Peter and James returning to tell everyone that Jesus’ tomb is empty, and they did not know fully yet why the tomb was empty. Mary Magdalene stays behind though, and was weeping over the whole thing. Mary sees two angels, and then Jesus, but at first mistakes him for the gardener. After seeing Jesus, she triumphantly heads home to declare to the world that she has indeed seen the resurrected Christ. For Mary Magdalene is the first witness to resurrection of Jesus Christ.

          Back to my fascination with the face cloth though. Why would such a subtle detail as the location of Jesus’ face cloth be listed in the gospel of John, distinguishing where Jesus bodily burial linens were?

          So, we have the maybe Jewish tradition of the folded napkin, which I cannot historically validate. Another possible reason that Jesus’ face covering was: not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself, is to prove that Jesus’ body wasn’t stolen (Jn. 20:7b, NRSV). If Jesus’ body were stolen the body and all the linens could have taken in full, but why separate the head covering (https://www.aboutcatholics.com/blog/why-did-jesus-fold-his-burial-cloth/)? This could have been a marker of sorts. Or maybe this separated head covering was just a coincidence, as we are often looking for deeper meanings. Either way, it is a unique detail in John’s account.

          There is a still a strong argument for Jesus’ resurrection though, as he was not there this morning. So other than hearing the typical “He is Risen” routine on Easter, why is this day significant?

Here is why, Jesus is alive today, alive in us, and when we leave today may we offer new love, new hope, and new life to this world. This world needs you, and needs your gifts and your graces. Today we are reminded that goodness will win, that love will win, and when it is all said and done that God will have the final word. Live like resurrection power is within you! With this said, He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! Happy Easter everyone! Amen.