Sidney UMC - Second Sunday of Easter - 04/11/21 - Sermon - “Acts 4:32-35, Then and Today"

Sunday 04/11/21 - Sidney UMC 

Sermon Title:             “Acts 4:32-35, Then and Today”

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 133                                      

New Testament Scripture: Acts 4:32-35

Gospel Lesson: John 20:19-31

          So, I remember when I was a little boy in the mid-1980’s, and I saw a commercial on television for the first time. I found out later that this commercial came out in 1971. It was a Coke Commercial, or Coca-Cola. This commercial was called, “I’d like to buy the world a Coke”.

          As I watched this commercial, I saw a beautiful summer day, and saw all manner of people. I saw people of all different races, nationalities, and probably even different religions, standing on a hill, each holding a bottle of Coke. This commercial was released during the challenging years of the Vietnam War, and it seemed to portray this almost Utopian, perfect, and united world. Apparently, the marketing behind this commercial assumed that if we all had a Coke, world peace and harmony would ensure. I am guessing their sales went up. Or at least, it was a very feel-good message.

          When I went off to SUNY Potsdam in 1999, commercials like “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” seemed to me at 17 years old to be a good ideal for the type of world we all should aspire to build. I mean would it not be great to have world peace, a perfect society, no crime, no suffering, and no problems?

          As I completed my studies and as I began working different jobs, I began to see a world that was quite different than the 1971 Coke commercial “I’d like to buy the world a Coke”. It seemed like while this commercial and other things like this were aspirational, but not built on facts or real life. As a result of this, I want to challenge this morning the idea of building a perfect flawless society here on earth.

          Do not get me wrong, it is not that I do not want this, I just do not think it is possible. Humanity, all of us, are broken, and we have tendency towards sin. If this is true, how can we ever build a perfect world devoid of the reality of our human nature? From 1917-1991, the Soviet Union, attempted to build a massive communist society, devoid of God, built on human reason, that would be perfect and flawless. Yet, this society was far from perfect or flawless. Would I like to live in an “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” world? Sure, who wouldn’t? Yet, we are far from this ideal, and while we can come much closer to this, do we really believe that we can build a perfect world?

          I say all of this, and give these examples, as I will be discussing in part our reading from Acts 4 for this morning. Before getting into this reading, let us look once again at our reading for this morning from Psalm 133. Once again it says in 133:1:

¹ How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!                   (Ps. 133:1, NRSV).

          So, the “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” world can definitely be seen as a Biblical ideal, but will we ever achieve this ideal here on this earth? I do not think we will until the Lord Jesus Christ returns fully heals this world. We can come closer, but we are sinful by nature. How can we a society that is completely, 100% perfect then? I do not think that we can.

          Before jumping into our Book of Acts reading, just to give some preliminary information, we have a scene in our Book of Acts reading for this morning from the early church in Jerusalem. In this scene, the very first Christian Church, lead by the Apostles is growing like wildfire. Perhaps by Acts 4, we are looking at 10,000-20,000 Christians. People that have given their lives to Christ and have been baptized. This was a new and very infantile Christian Community. The Book of Acts 4:32-35 says once again of the first Christian Church in Jerusalem:

³² Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. ³³ With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. ³⁴ There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. ³⁵ They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need          (Acts 4:32-35, NRSV).

          This a beautiful snapshot of the earliest days of the first Christian Church in Jerusalem. People were coming to Christ, the Apostles were preaching and bearing witness to resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. So devoted were these first converts to the Christian faith, that there were united doctrinally, spiritually, and in heart and soul. Everyone sold their property, and all possessions and wealth were held in common. During this snapshot of the early church there were no needy people, everyone was cared for, and all wealth was laid at Jesus’ original disciples  or Apostle’s feet.

          So, all was sold and shared, people came to Christ in droves, people were baptized in droves, and everything was shared and owned by all. Given this early snapshot in the life of the Christian Church, is it possible to build a world like this? First off by the way, this scene in Acts 4:32-35 was not all of Jerusalem, or even all of Israel, it was just the 10,000-20,000 Christians. Can we build a world like this? If we all sold everything we had and gave it away, would this solve the world’s problems? What would happen when everything that was sold or given away was used or consumed? Presumably, we would have to work, produce, manufacturer, and build?

          In this beautiful scene in Acts 4 we have a spiritual awakening as people come to Christ. Everything is shared, everyone is united, and everything seems perfect and almost heavenly. It does not last though. Why is this? Well let us look at what Acts 5 says, starting in verse 1:

5 But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; ² with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³ “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? ⁴ While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!” ⁵ Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it. ⁶ The young men came and wrapped up his body, then carried him out and buried him                         (Acts 5:1-6, NRSV).

          Sin then enters the first very infantile church, as Ananias wanted to keep some of his money for himself. He did not want to give it all. The reality of this, and the grief of this causes Ananias to literally fall down dead. Within no time then, sin enters the church, as it entered the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.

          Some people, in this time that we are living in, want to attempt to rebuild the scene we have this morning from Acts 4:32-35. I wonder though, if we all here sold everything that we had and gave it all to the church, and trusted the leaders of this church to ensure that everyone would have everything they need through the church, would it work? I would hope so, but I also think that sin would find its way in, as it always does. We then can make the world so much better, but there will always be sin.

          Is it possible then to have a world with no sin? If everyone in the United States sold and cashed in everything they had, and we put it in one big pot of money, could we be trusted to all share everything? Or would someone lie, cheat, steal, etc.? I think we know the answer to this.

          What we do have though, is the opportunity to build a great, loving, and authentic, Christian Community. A community of broken people, saved by the grace of God in Jesus Christ. None of us are perfect, as we all make mistakes, but together we can seek Christ, love each other, and make Sidney and the world better. Will we fix it all? No, we will not, but we can make it much better. We cannot make it perfect, but we can shine the light of Christ into darkness. This is what we are called to do, as we have been saved the grace of Jesus Christ.

          In looking at our gospel of John reading again for this morning we are given two of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances. In fact, it says once again:

¹⁹ When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (Jn. 20:19-21, NRSV). 

 

          Jesus appears to his disciples, offers them his peace, or the peace of Christ, shows them his hands and his side, and then tells them to go forth doing everything that he had taught them to do. Jesus will then breathe the Holy Spirit on them and tells them take upon the mantle and the authority that he gives them to lead the church. These Apostles will not be perfect, but Christ will be with them, and as they walk with Christ they will become more like Christ.

          The Apostle Thomas however does not believe that Jesus appeared to the disciples, as he was not present for this post-resurrection appearance from Jesus. Jesus then appears to Thomas and shows him his hands and his side. Jesus tells him to believe, and the Apostle Thomas does. Jesus then goes on to show Thomas and others signs, and he tells Thomas that those who have not seen him, but believe in him, will be blessed.

          I have always found it interesting that Jesus appeared to his disciples and hundreds of people after his resurrection. Why would he do this? I think because Jesus knows who we are. We are people that long for God but are still broken and sinful by nature. As result, Jesus came back to encourage them, and the let them know that his gospel was the hope of the world.

          On the day of his crucifixion, Peter denied Jesus three times, and all but the Apostle John fled. We as humans have such potential, but we are all broken, but can be made whole through Jesus Christ. While I do not think that we can ever build a perfect world, I believe that we can work to make the world much better. While Jesus will not physically appear to us again until he returns, he is with us.

          Every day when we wake up, we have the choice to trust Christ, to serve him, and to live like him. Or we can do the opposite. This world will never perfect until Christ returns, but we can make it much better. This church, I believe, is a gift to this community and the world. Together, we can do great things through Jesus Christ, even though we are not perfect. Every day we can strive after the one who is perfect, as we become more like him, we will continue to be changed, as God uses us to continue to change Sidney and change the world. Amen.

Sidney UMC - Easter Sunday - 04/04/21 - Sermon - “New Life, New Hope, New Light, New Love!" ("The Journey to New Hope and New Life" Series: Part 7 of 7)

Sunday 04/04/21 - Sidney UMC 

Sermon Title:       “New Life, New Hope, New Light, New Love!”

       ("The Journey to New Hope and New Life"- 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!

          So, for over a year now, as we all know, we have been living through this Global COVID-19 Pandemic. It is hard to believe that this has gone on for months, as what started as a strange and scary time, is now how we are living each and every day. We are wearing masks, taking temps, social distancing, going up and down grocery aisles, in one direction only, etc. Over these many months, we have all lost a lot, we have all suffered, some have lost jobs and loved ones, and we have all struggled with the realities of this pandemic. In addition, we have our own struggles, our own challenges, and other things in our lives that we have and continue to struggle with.

          As of Good Friday, we ended the 40-day season of Lent. The 40-day season of Lent was created by the early Christian Church, to be modeled after Jesus’ 40-days and 40-nights of trial and temptation by Satan in the wilderness. During his 40-days and 40-nights, Jesus was tried, tempted, fasted, and suffered. The season of Lent, therefore, is a call for us to be reflective, to look inward, to give up, to give away, and to draw closer to Christ. The season of Lent is a season to sacrifice and lessen our desires and to focus more on God.

For the past 6-weeks I have been preaching a sermon series called “The Journey to New Hope and New Life”. This sermons series during the season of Lent, culminating this morning on Easter Sunday, focused on how Jesus struggled for 40-days in the wilderness. In the same way, many of us have struggled for months during this pandemic. This pandemic has been a time of trial, and we have suffered and lost so much. Yet, many are being vaccinated, and many of us can see the light at the end of the tunnel of this pandemic. Like Jesus’ 40-days and 40-nights of trial and temptation coming to end, so will this pandemic.

In coming to the end of this pandemic, we must change and re-group so that we can prepared to enter and join our “new normal”. We must be ready for resurrection, as we are resurrection people. Jesus left the wilderness and rejoined the world, and soon we must as well.

During this time of pandemic, we have still been able to live out our Christian faith, the love that we bear for each other, knowing that eternity with Jesus will come one day. We also know that Jesus triumphantly and yet humbly came into Jerusalem this past Sunday on Palm Sunday. We had palms, we shouted hosanna! Already, those same palms that were green and fresh on Palm Sunday this past Sunday, have already started to dry and to wither.

This past Thursday night, we gathered to tell the story of the Last Supper. We discussed the final Passover Seder meal between Jesus and his disciples. We talked about how Jesus instituted Holy Communion on this night, or the Lord’s Supper. We talked about how Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, and how he gave them the commandment, or the Maundy, to love each other.

Two days ago, on Good Friday, we gathered to tell the story of Jesus’ arrest, trial, torture, and crucifixion. By sundown on Friday night, Jesus was entombed in tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Of all of Jesus’s original 12-disciples, only John was at the crucifixion, as the others scattered. I can imagine how hopeless it must have felt when Jesus died, and the disciples did not know what would happen next.

In this “Journey to New Hope and New Life” maybe we can relate to this darkness.? This loss, and not knowing what is coming next. These months of pandemic have been hard, and sometimes they seemed like that they would never end. The good news though, is this morning the tomb of Jesus our Lord is empty. Jesus is not there, for he has risen. He has risen, indeed! Alleluia!

As Christians, by our nature, we are a people of “New Life, New Hope, New Light, and New Love!” As Christians we are a people that believe resurrection is coming. It might be hard to see it, it might be hard to understand it, and it certainly it can be hard to know when it is coming. Yet, as Christians we are resurrection people, and we believe in what is possible through Jesus Christ. This is why we know today that the tomb of Jesus Christ is empty, and this is why on this day that we know that this awful pandemic will come to an end.

Today on this Easter Sunday, we can declare that through the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have “New Life, New Hope, New Light, and New Love”. Jesus is risen, he is alive. The dark waiting period from Good Friday to know is over, and we now have renewed purpose, hope, and new life. Like the resurrection of this Easter morning the darkness and pain of this pandemic will end, and we will have a resurrected world. We are already hearing and seeing the sings of new life all around us. All around us we hear birds, we see flowers growing, and have had some rather good weather many days lately.

Today Jesus rises from the dead, and soon, very soon, we will be resurrected to our “New Normal,” as the darkness of this pandemic comes to an end.

In our gospel account from John 20:1-18 for this morning once again, we hear of the resurrection of Jesus. The disciples were skeptical about it, and they did not know what it would look like. Likewise, some of us are skeptical about the end of our pandemic, yet it will end, and new life will begin, as it is already happening all around us.

In our Book of Acts reading for this morning, the Apostle Peter give us the gospel. He speaks of the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter explains that through the resurrected Christ we are offered new life, and new life abundantly.

In looking again at our gospel of John reading for this morning once again, let us look at the text one more time. Beginning in John 20 it says:

“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”

(Jn. 20:1-4, NRSV).

          Imagine for a moment, if early tomorrow morning, a woman in your family ran to your house and knocked on your door. When you open your door, she is on cloud 9, and she is thrilled. You say to her, it is really early, and what are you so excited about? She then says, I just found out that the Global COVID-19 Pandemic is over! All of it is over. No more masks, no more virus, and life is back to normal! 

          If this actually happened tomorrow, and if you got the knock on the door early in the morning, and you received this message, would you believe it? Would you actually believe that this long and extended time of trial and struggle actually has just ended? You mean Jesus is alive, or you mean that the body has been taken? This pandemic is over, or it just seems over? Imagine the excitement that we would have knowing that this pandemic is over? Imagine the excitement we would have knowing that when Jesus died for our sins of Good Friday that it was for keeps, as he was risen to new life this morning. This would mean that Jesus was exactly who he said he was, and that he is indeed the true and risen lord of life.

          So, John and Peter run to Jesus’ tomb on this morning nearly two-thousand years ago, and the gospel then says:

^“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. ¹⁰ Then the disciples returned to their homes”         (Jn. 20:5-10, NRSV).

          It is noticeably clear that John and Peter see that burial tomb of Jesus Christ is empty. Further we are told of the linen wrappings there that were on Jesus’ body. Specifically, we are told that the linen wrappings that were on Jesus’ body were laying where his body was laying. Yet, the cloth that was placed on Jesus’ head was not with the linen wrappings that were on Jesus’ body, instead the cloth that was Jesus’ head was rolled up in a place by itself.

          It is remarkably interesting that when John and Peter enter Jesus’ empty tomb that we hear that the linen wrappings that covered Jesus’ body were laying on the surface Jesus’ body was place on, but that the cloth that was on Jesus’ head was rolled up and place in a place by itself. Why would John give such special attention to the where the body coverings were, and were the head covering was? Further, why would John mention that head covering was rolled or folded up?

          Before jumping into that, our gospel of John reading for this morning ends saying:

¹¹ But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; ¹² and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. ¹³ They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” ¹⁴ When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). ¹⁷ Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her” (Jn. 20:11-20, NRSV).

 

          Jesus us indeed and resurrected. He is the risen Lord. He is risen, indeed. Alleluia! Again, why Jesus’ face covering in a place by itself, and why was it rolled up or folded neatly. Let me tell you a story about this in closing. Here is the story:

“Do you know anything about the following Hebrew tradition?”

“John 20:7 tells us that the napkin that was placed over the face of Jesus was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin. Is that significant? Absolutely!”

“In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the master and servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition”.

“When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table until the master was finished. If the master was done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, “I’m done.” But if the master got up from the table, folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table because the servant knew that the folded napkin meant, “I’m not finished yet.” The folded napkin meant, “I’m coming back!” He (the master, Jesus) is coming back! Hallelujah!” (https://www.jerusalemperspective.com/3878/). 

“New Life, New Hope, New Light, and New Love” has come this morning through the empty tomb of Jesus Christ. We are offered new life, we can be spiritually resurrected, and we can know that Jesus is with us. Further, we know the mater, Jesus, is coming back.

Today Christ is alive, and he is alive in us. “New Life, New Hope, New Light, and New Love” is breaking in, and like Jesus rising from the dead, so this pandemic of death will end, and new life is coming. A “new normal” is coming, and Jesus is alive. With this, again I say, “He is Risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Happy Easter, and amen.

Sidney UMC - Good Friday - 04/02/21 - Sermon - “Why This Day Matters!”

Good Friday 4/02/21 - 6 pm - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title:           “Why This Day Matters!”                              

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 22                                       

New Testament Scripture: Hebrews 10:16-25

Gospel Lesson: John 18:1-19:42

          Every year has 365 days. Well actually 365.25 days to account for leap year every four years, but essentially, we all have 365 days a year. Some of these days are more important than other days to us. Days like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and etc. tend to be the most important days to many of us. I do not know many families that have there whole extended family over on July 10^th every year unless that day is important to the family.

          Do not get me wrong, every day is important, but most people have days that feel more important than others. I for example, love July 4^th, but I would not say that July 4^th in anywhere near the same as Christmas or Easter. If we think about it, while I am talking, we can think about various days each year that are extremely important. I think of days like Thanksgiving, Labor Day, my wedding anniversary, etc. I have never heard anyone say though that the most important day of there year is Good Friday, but this day is significant. This is why my sermon title for tonight is called, “Why Today Matters!” Is Good Friday more important than a random day of the summer where nothing important is going on? Yes, I would say so. We all have days that seem like a regular ordinary day, and days that are massively important. Yet today, Good Friday matters.

          Why does Good Friday matter? Today matters because on this day almost two-thousand years ago, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, God’s only son, died on a cross for our sins and the sins of the whole world. On this day nearly two-thousand years ago Jesus paved the way for us to be forgiven four our sins and reconciled to God. We are incapable of living on earth without sin, and we are incapable of being like fully like God, and as result, God sent to son to earth to die for us, so that we might be reconciled to him. This was God’s plan to redeem humanity from before time itself.

          After making a covenant with Abraham and others in the Old Testament, and after sending one prophet after another, like Isaiah and Ezekiel, God finally fulfilled his ultimate will on earth through Jesus Christ. On this day, Jesus is arrested, mocked, spit on, whipped, scourged, nailed to cross, and dies an agonizing death. Was God required to this? No, this is what God wanted to do to offer us the way to be reconciled for our sinful and fallen nature. It must break God’s heart to see us, his humanity that continues to be so wicked to each other. It must break God’s heart to see the sin, the pain, the cruelty, and the suffering of this earth.

          Yet in God’s infinite love, mercy, and grace, he sent his only son to earth to take all of our guilt and all of our shame upon himself. On the cross Jesus bore our every mistake, and our every wrongdoing. We do not deserve it, and yet God’s love and grace is so abundant, and God’s desire to be in relationship with us is so abundant that he would send his only son to die for us. Jesus, in being God in the flesh on earth, was the only one who ever walked this earth that was sinless. It is for this reason that Jesus was and is the only one qualified to be an all-sufficient savor. Jesus was and is the only person that ever walked this earth who was eligible to die for our sin. Since we all have sin, how can we die for the sins of others? Only God can do what he did through Jesus Christ. God did not have to do this, but he planned before time to this, so that humanity could be reconciled to him. This is “Why This Day Matters!”.

          As I have mentioned in some recent sermons, recorded human history goes back about 6,000 years, and for that whole time and beyond, humanity has never been able to live right. There have been examples that were much better than others, but never have we as humans been able to live the way that God wants us to live fully. So, do we need a savior? Do we need Jesus? I believe that we do, because are not able to live fully the way God wants us to live and love. As a result, God spoke to Abraham and many others, God spoke through the prophets of old, and ultimately sent his only son to earth do for us that which we cannot do for ourselves.

          This day does not mean that we are awful, but it does mean is that we need the grace of God through Jesus Christ. In repenting and turning from our sin, and in turning to Christ, we are forgiven. All of our guilt, all our shame, all our sin, and everything that we have ever done is gone, and washed clean. Does this change our human nature toward sinning? No, it does not, but everyday that we walk with Christ, follow him, and seek to be more like him, we will continue to be made in Christ’s image. As we draw closer to Christ, we become more like him, and God continues to make us more holy and more righteous. When we are more holy and more righteous, we are more like God, and so we are then less sinful, and God can use us to transform the world.

          Today, when Christ dies, the scripture tells us that veil in the temple in Jerusalem was torn. The veil that separates everyone but the high priest from the most holy place in the temple, the holy of holies, is torn when Christ dies. This means that we are able to fully be reconciled to God. On this day, Jesus died for the sins of the world, past, present, and future. This is “Why Today Matters!”

          Until Jesus’ resurrection on Easter, his death does not official offer us full forgiveness and reconciliation with God, as Easter Sunday proves that Jesus is who he said he was. The great love of God this day was on full display for us, as he gave everything for us. The Apostle Paul says it well of Jesus in Romans 5:8 however, where he says:

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

Further, today’s events of Christ’s death and crucifixion were also prophesied in the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible scriptures, as well. For example, in our reading for tonight from Psalm 22, we hear once again in 22:1a:

 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Ps. 22:1a, NSRV).

          According to the gospel of Matthew, Jesus said these prophetic words in 27:46, shortly before he died on his cross.

In our scripture reading for tonight from Hebrews 10:16-25, it says once again in 10:19-22:

“Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:16-25, NRSV).

 

          The Apostle Paul says that we can approach God, and the “Holy of Holies,” only through the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus Christ. This is “Why Today Matters!” This is why every year we read the large Good Friday Gospel of John reading, and we go over all the details of this day. Every year we tell this story, of how God sent his son Jesus Christ to earth to teach us to love, heal, and forgive, and to die for us all, nearly two-thousand years ago.

          Even though for the past six-thousand years of recorded human history that we have not been able to fully live right, we can have hope through Jesus Christ, that every day we can become more like Jesus. We will we make a perfect world? No, I do not think so, but we can certainly make it much better than it is right now. We can turn to Christ, we can love others, we can change Sidney, and God cans used us to change the world, until we go to be with Christ, or he returns in glory. This is “Why Today Matters!” Happy Good Friday friends, for today is a good day for you, for me, and all of humanity. Amen.

Sidney UMC - Maundy/Holy Thursday - 04/01/21 - Sermon - “2,000 Years Later!”

Maundy/Holy Thursday 4/01/21 - 6 pm - Sidney UMC 

Sermon Title:            “2,000 Years Later!”                          

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

New Testament Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Gospel Lesson: John 13:1-17, 31b-35

On this night, almost two-thousand years ago, Jews from all over the then Roman Empire were in Jerusalem. These Jews and others from all over the then Roman Empire were in Jerusalem for the Jewish holiday or festival of the Passover. The holiday of the Passover is the one where the Jews in the Book of Exodus celebrate leaving slavery under Pharaoh in Egypt through the Red Sea, and then receiving of the Law of God, including the 10-Commandments.

The Passover holiday traditionally goes on for a week. During the Passover holiday Jews celebrate a Seder dinner. This dinner includes various things such as egg, bitter herbs, lamb, and etc., as explained in the Book of Exodus. The Passover holiday commemorates when death “passed over” the houses of the Jews while in slavery in Egypt, as well. The Jews were instructed to kill a pure, white, spotless lamb, and to smear the blood of that lamb over their doorposts and lintels. The blood of the lamb would save their first-born child, and thus death would “Passover” there first born (Ex. 12:1-14, NRSV).

Further, during Jesus’ life the Passover happened only in Jerusalem, because this is where the great temple of God was. Further, the Jews had been celebrating Passover long before and Jesus and his disciples arrived on this earth. Tonight, we pick up with this Holy Week on this our Maundy or Holy Thursday. On this night we are in the Upper Room with Jesus and his disciples sharing what we still call almost two-thousand years later, “The Last Supper”. This Last Supper is a Jewish Passover Seder. We have every reason to believe that Jesus and his disciples ate the other Passover foods, as well, but we tend to hon in on what Jesus does at this supper with the bread and a cup of wine.

In fact, the Apostle Paul tells us specifically of this night in the Upper Room, this Last Supper. In our reading for tonight from 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, it says of the bread and cup:

^“For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes”                            (1 Cor. 11:23-26, NRSV).

On this night almost two-thousand years ago, Jesus sits with the disciples, his friends, and he tells them that he is the new Passover. The lambs that were slain in Egypt, so that death would Passover there first born, have now all turned into him. He is the new sacrificial lamb, and his body, like the bread, and his blood, like the cup will be broken and poured as an offering for all of humanity. This new covenant or agreement is not like the old covenant or law of Moses, as this covenant is established through the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Christ dying on the cross, tomorrow on Good Friday, protects not just the first born for a night, but all of humanity past, present, and future, forever. All we need to do is repent of our sins and turn to Jesus Christ, and eternal death will pass us over.

What Jesus is telling his disciples almost two-thousand years ago on this night, is that the bread and cup represent what will happen to him tomorrow on Good Friday. I do not think at this point that his disciples fully understand this, or fully understand why Jesus took bread and wine and said this to them. Yet they soon will understand this sacrament, this gift of the Lord’s Supper, or Holy Communion. In fact, as my sermon title says, “2,000 Years Later” we will still celebrate Holy Communion or the Lords Supper.

So, as we see once again in our Gospel of John reading for tonight, Jesus is in the Upper Room with his disciples. Yet our Gospel of John reading does not mention the Last Supper, but the other three gospels do. This gospel does talk about how Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, and Jesus still offered him communion.

While our Gospel of John reading once again does not talk about the Last Supper itself, it is implied as the scripture says that Jesus got up from the table. Clearly this table, was the table of the Last Supper. Jesus then washes the feet of his disciples, and Peter wants no part of this initially. Jesus then gives his disciples a new commandment, to love each other. Jesus says that the world will know that we are his disciples by the love that we have for one another.

This day of Holy Week is generally either called Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday. I generally call today Maundy/Holy Thursday. Why do I do this? The term Maundy Thursday connects to the end of the Gospel of John reading for tonight, where Jesus once again gives his disciples a new commandment to love each other.

In fact, in Latin the word “Mandatum,” means commandment or mandate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maundy_Thursday). In English “Mandatum” translates to Maundy. So “Maundy Thursday,” emphasizes Jesus’ commandment or mandate that we should all love each other, as Jesus modeled for us.

Holy Thursday, however, historically more emphasizes Holy Communion and the washing of the feet. I call today Maundy/Holy Thursday, as I think that this whole night and its events are important. The Last Supper or Holy Communion is important. The washing of the feet and the commandment or the Maundy to love each other is important to.

          On this night, this Last Supper, we receive Holy Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, we receive the example of the washing of the feet, and commandment, mandate, or Maundy, to love each other.

          One of the reasons that we have our Sharing the Peace of Christ portion of our church service after the washing of the feet or hands in this case, is because that’s when Jesus gave us the commandment or the Maundy to love each other. Normally during the sharing of the peace of Christ we can shake hands, hug, etc. Right now, because of the Pandemic all we can do is stand and wave, but we can still love each other.

          So tonight, on this Maundy/Holy Thursday, Jesus and his disciples eat the Passover Seder, Jesus institutes Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper with the bread and wine. Jesus washes the feet and gives us the Maundy or the commandment to love each other. As my sermon title says, even “2,000 Years Later” will still tell this story, we still partake of Holy Communion, we still do the washing, and we still love each other. Friends, Happy Maundy/Holy Thursday! Amen.

Sidney UMC - Palm/Passion Sunday - 03/28/21 - Sermon - “New Life is Entering In!" ("The Journey to New Hope and New Life" Series: Part 6 of 7)

Sunday 03/28/21 - Sidney UMC 

Sermon Title:                  “New Life in Entering In!”

       ("The Journey to New Hope and New Life"- Series: Part 6 of 7)

Old Testament Scripture: Isaiah 50:4-9a                                        

New Testament Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11 

Gospel Lesson: Mark 11:1-11

          For the past five Sundays in this season of Holy Lent I have been preaching a sermon series called, “The Journey to New Hope and New Life”. The season of Lent developing out of the worshipping tradition of the early Christian Church, and it was created to model Jesus’ 40-days and 40-nights of being tempted by Satan in the wilderness. As such this season of Lent developed so that during this season we can give up, give away, pray, be more generous, more loving, and seek to become more like Jesus Christ. We should do this all year, not just during Lent, but this season reminds us of who we are as Christians.

          Some people that have grown up celebrating the season of Lent or have just started celebrating it in more recent years know that it is season of self-reflection, spiritual growth, generosity, compassion, and us becoming less, so that God can become more. This season culminates on Good Friday, which is this Friday April 2^nd. On Good Friday we will re-tell the story of Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, his trial, mocking, torture, and crucifixion on a cross for the sins of the world. Jesus will remain entombed until next Sunday, Easter morning, when he will be raised to new life, and our forgiveness and faith in him will be cemented forever.

          For those of us who have lived through many seasons of Lent, or a few, or maybe this is your first-time observing Lent, I have been saying the past five weeks that this season of Lent 2021 and part of Lent 2020 was vastly different for us all because of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

          In the past five weeks I have talked about the great trials, suffering, isolation, fear, anxiety, anger, and the loss that we have all experienced through this time of pandemic. Like Jesus being tempted by Satan in the wilderness for 40-days and 40-nights, we have been through our time of trial for over a year now. We have suffered and have all been through a lot. I am convinced that we all know someone close to us that has died from this COVID-19 pandemic, or we know of someone who has died from it in general. To date over 550,000 Americans alone have died as result of COVID-19. It has been a trying time indeed. So, trying in fact that our church has shut down for in-person worship and has reopened twice now.

          Yet, millions of people are getting vaccinated every day, and probably some of you have been vaccinated to. Recently New York State has allowed all people 50 years old and over to now get vaccinated for this virus. Likely in the coming weeks that number will drop to 45 or 40 years old. This time of pandemic is coming to an end and our “New Normal” is emerging. As I said a few weeks ago, we need to “Change and Re-Group”. We cannot live in fear forever, but we still want to be safe. We need to start planning to, or actually rejoining this thing we call life. Many of us have missed out on a lot over the past year, but “New Hope and New Life” is coming. An empty tomb on Easter is coming, and like having new life in Christ, we will have a “New Normal” very soon.

          Through this time that some of us were locked away we might have thought that the world was coming to an end. The past two Sundays I have been talking about the need to live out our faith on earth, to love and care for each other, and to know one day we will be in eternity with Jesus. I talked about this eternity last Sunday in fact, but I also encouraged us all to “Not be so heavenly minded that we are useless here on earth”. Preach and live your faith, “Change and Re-Group”, and one day we will be in eternity, but probably not today.

          On this Sunday, the first day of what we call Holy Week, we have Palm or Passion Sunday. Palm Sunday is telling the story of Jesus entering into the holy city of Jerusalem on this the first day of the Jewish Passover. Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, our savior, will enter the holy city this day not on a golden chariot, not with and army, or with pomp and splendor. God in the flesh, the savior of the world, Jesus Christ, who will die for us all on Good Friday, enters into Jerusalem today humble on a donkey, to the shouts of “Hosanna,” which means save us.

Passion Sunday is a tradition of reading the story of much of this whole week’s events around Jesus. We tend to celebrate Palm Sunday in this church though, as we will pick up on Thursday night at 6:00 pm with Maundy/Holy Thursday, and on Good Friday at 6:00 pm with more of this week’s events.

So, on this historic and celebratory day in the life of the church, we celebrate Jesus Christ our savior entering on this the second day of the Jewish Passover holiday. The people greeting Jesus were regular everyday folks like us and saw Palm Trees as Jesus got close to the city. Wanting to have some celebration, they cut palm branches waved them and laid them down on the path that Jesus entered in on, and they also laid down their cloaks or their outer garments. I guess this was their version of the red-carpet entry.

During this time of pandemic, especially when it was at its worst with riots, buildings burning, protests, people getting killed, and all the social upheaval, some people asked me, “Pastor Paul are we getting closer to the day that Jesus is coming back”? None of us know when Jesus will return to make this earth perfect, as Jesus said in Matthew 24:36:

“³⁶ But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mt. 24:36, NRSV).

          So only God the Father knows when Christ will return, but during the deep depths of this pandemic I had some people asking me if this was all sings of Christ’s return. Most people that I know that believe in the return of Christ would love it if he returned anytime, but this morning he is present in Jerusalem. This is why my sermon is called “New Life is Entering In”.

          I remember distinctly, in 2014 when there was an upheaval and a revolution in the country of the Ukraine. What happened was, if you remember, some Ukrainians were worried that Russia was going to take over all or part of the Ukraine. The country was split between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian factions, and there was a lot of violence, riots, protests, and killing.

As I was writing this sermon, I thought back to watching and reading about this period of time in the Ukraine. I remembered seeing a few times one or more Ukrainian Orthodox Priests walking out in the middle of the two fighting two factions, and often they stopped protesting and fighting immediately when priest or priests came out.

The presence of these Orthodox Priests reminded all the people that were God’s children of what they were doing. In the slide show for this morning, we see two pictures of this period of time in Ukraine. The priest or priests walked out, and the violence could explode at any minute, and it stops. Imagine the presence of one or more people being able to stop violence. What would be like to see someone who was loved and respected, and to see people take a breath and lower their weapons?

During this time of Pandemic, during this time of trial, people asked me, if Jesus was going to come back and set all of this right. This made me think of these scenes from the Ukraine in 2014.

The reason again that my sermon for this morning is called “New Life is Entering In” is I wonder what it was like to see Jesus entering into the city of Jerusalem this day? Jesus entered not just a pastor or a priest, but as God himself. Some of you might be thinking, it would have been good if Jesus entered into this this city or that city during the upheavals that happened during the month of the pandemic, or that it would have been nice if Jesus came back and destroyed COVID-19.

Whatever we felt in the depths of this pandemic, it certainly would have been better if Jesus showed up, in a similar way to the Ukrainian Orthodox Priests in our slides this morning. We also heard the scripture that I read a few minutes ago about Jesus’s return, and we also know that the pandemic is coming to an end to. Perhaps our Ukrainian brothers and sisters looked heavenward in 2014 and shout to God, “Where are you in all of this”! As we no doubt might have done the same during this Pandemic.

The good news friends is this pandemic is coming to a close, and soon Jesus’s life on earth will end, but “New Hope and New Life” are coming. What we are called to, every day, until we enter eternity, or until Christ returns, is share the good news of Christ, love and serve each other, and live our faith out. To be more specific, you do not need to be an ordained United Methodist Pastor or a Ukrainian Orthodox Priest to bring hope, love, light, life to the world. God worked through the Ukrainian Orthodox Priests that we saw in the slideshow pictures for this morning, but they are not God. God will work through us if we let him.

In our reading from this morning once again, we hear in our Isaiah 50:4:

“The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens—wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught” (Isa. 50:4, NRSV).

          We are not Jesus Christ, but we are called every day to live and to love like He loved. When Christ is in us through the power of the Holy Spirit, maybe you could walk out in between two mobs about to kill each other, and God’s presence in you will make them stop, take a breath, and put their weapons down.

Our reading from Philippians 2:5-8 for this morning says once again:

“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, ⁷ but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, ⁸ he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross”                   (Phil. 2:5-8, NRSV).

          May we try to live and love like Jesus, who was God in the flesh, who became like us, and died for us.

          In briefly looking at our gospel of Mark reading for this morning, once again it says:

“11 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ² and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. ³ If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” ⁴ They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, ⁵ some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” ⁶ They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it.” (Mk. 11:1-6, NRSV) 

          The gospel of Mark lesson then concludes once again saying:

“⁷Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. ⁸ Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. ⁹ Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! ¹⁰ Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!” ¹¹ Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve”(Mk. 11:7-11, NRSV).

          As powerful and as transformative as it must have been to watch Jesus literally live and in person come into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, today we just celebrate the memory of this. Maybe when things were really bad during this pandemic we were asking or even begging Jesus to come into these situations. Until Christ returns though, he will continue to work in us and through us. It is because of this, that Ukrainian Orthodox Priests by the presence of Christ in them can stop violence and fighting.

          We have all suffered through this pandemic, we need to change and re-group as we are coming out of this pandemic. We need to live and love like Christ, as we know one day that we will be with him in glory. Lastly, until Christ physically comes back, do not be shocked if he asks you to be his love and his grace in certain situations. We need to be the church and live our faith, so that a regular person like you or I, because people see Christ in us, can literally cause people to point their guns down, and stop fighting. Amen.