Sidney UMC - Maundy/Holy Thursday - 04/14/22 - 7:00 PM - Sermon - “Communion, Foot Washing, and the Mandate!”

Maundy/Holy Thursday 4/14/22 - 7 pm - Sidney UMC 

Sermon Title:     “Communion, Foot Washing, and the Mandate!”

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

So, in the past couple of weeks, I have had a few people ask me, “Pastor Paul do you all have a Maundy Thursday service or a Holy Thursday service at the Sidney UMC during Holy Week?” To one person, I said, “We have both.” They then said, “You have two church services that night!” I said, “No, we only have one, but I call it a Maundy/Holy Thursday service.”

Some Christian Churches or denominations have what they call a “Maundy Thursday” service, and some have a “Holy Thursday” service, during Holy Week. You have probably heard both names before, but the question is why are some services called “Maundy Thursday,” and some services called “Holy Thursday?” Well, I will hopefully clarify tonight why this is the case, and then explain why I have “Maundy/Holy Thursday” service every year.

First let me explain why some churches have “Maundy Thursday” service. According to a source that I researched it said this of “Maundy Thursday”:

It is the fifth day of Holy Week, preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday. "Maundy" comes from the Latin word mandatum, or commandment, reflecting Jesus' words "I give you a new commandment" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maundy_Thursday).

          So, the Latin word “mandatum” means “mandate.” On this night Jesus gives us a “maundy” or a “mandate” to love each other. It is quite a big night in what would become the Christian faith. For on this night, in that Upper Room in Jerusalem, the holy city, we have three big things that occur. In fact, this is the title of my sermon for tonight. What are these three big things that occur tonight? They are “Communion or the Lord’s Supper, Foot Washing, and the mandate to love each other.”

          At a “Maundy Thursday” service during holy week, you may celebrate communion, foot washing, and are remined of the “maundy” or the “mandate to love each other. In some Christian Churches and Christian denominations however, this night is called “Holy Thursday.” I do not think that there is a right or a wrong way to label this day, and this night. Yet, I have always felt that term “Maundy Thursday” places great emphasis on the “maundy” or the “mandate” to love each other. This is an important mandate indeed, but by calling tonight Maundy/Holy Thursday is emphasizes everything that happened tonight.

          Tonight, on this Maundy/Holy Thursday we are given from Jesus Christ, the sacrament of Holy Communion, the ordinance or practice of foot washing, and “maundy” or “mandate” to love each other. I would say that for one night of Jesus’ three-year earthly ministry that we get quite a lot from this one evening. So much so, that Christians have been partaking in Holy Communion of the Lord’s Supper for nearly two-thousand years, foot washing has occurred in Jesus’ name for nearly two-thousand years, and the “maundy” or “mandate” to love each other was given to us by Christ this night nearly two-thousand years ago.

          Now the events of this night, this “Last Supper” as we have come to call it are in all four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, but there are some differences in some details among the gospels. The Apostle Paul also discussed Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper in our read from 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 for tonight, once again.

Further, 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 they then receive 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 that night, and thus death would “Passover” there first born (Ex. 12:1-14, NRSV).

During Jesus’ life the Passover happened only in Jerusalem, because this is where the great temple of God was. The Jews, therefore, had been celebrating Passover long before and Jesus and his disciples walked on this earth. 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 for a night, 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. So, Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper, as our communion altar says, is something we do, as Jesus said, “In Remembrance of Me.”

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, or “maundy,” or a “mandate,” 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.

          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,” or the “mandate” to love each other. So, when we share the peace of Christ with each other tonight, after we do foot/hand washing, we will then be practicing the “maundy” or the “mandate” to 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 “mandate,” or the commandment to love each other. As my sermon title says, tonight we were given “Communion, Foot Washing, and the Mandate!” Friends this is why today and this night matters and is so significant. Amen.

Sidney UMC - Palm/Passion Sunday - 04/10/22 - Sermon - “New Life Is Entering In” (“New Life Is Coming” Series: Part 6 of 7)

                               Sunday 04/10/22 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title:                 “New Life Is Entering In!”                                              (“New Life Is Coming” Series: Part 6 of 7)                         

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29                                    

New Testament Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11 

Gospel Lesson: Luke 19:28-40

          Five weeks ago, I started a new sermon series called the “New Life Is Coming Series.” We are currently in the season of spring, and we are currently also in the season of Lent. These are both seasons of growth and new life. In this season of Lent, we have new life in Jesus’ resurrection on Easter morning, we have new life in renewing our faith in Christ, and we have new life in coming out of the fog of this pandemic.

          How are you noticing and seeing “New Life” in this season of Lent? Are you hoping that we are moving to our new normal, post pandemic? Are you giving up, giving away, and turning to Christ in this season? Are you looking not just to the cross, but to the empty tomb in this season of “New Life”?

          So where have you seen new life entering in, in this season of spring and in Lent? Where have you seen signs of hope, joy, grace, love, and the light of Jesus Christ? I have seen many of these in many different ways, have you?

          As I mentioned last Sunday, when we had the funeral or the celebration of life service for Wayne King, I said that I had some grief last Saturday. Sometimes I am just so busy, and I go and go and go. I am getting better about taking time to “smell the roses,” but sometimes we just do not take enough time to process emotionally and spiritually what is going on in our lives and in the world.

          Last Saturday, Melissa was at a youth event, and I had some time to spend alone at home with our dog Sally. As I sat in my recliner with Sally for about 1-2 hours, I suddenly found myself tearful. I felt grief and sorrow. At first, I could not understand why I was feeling the way I was, but then it hit me, we have been through a lot of loss in the past couple of years. In those 1-2 two hours, I thought about the people from this church who have passed on to glory in the last two years. It just hit me, as well as the over one million people from this country that have died from COVID-19, as well as the war in Ukraine.

          You see, there is much suffering in this world, in this country, and in this very community. Yet, we are in a season of new hope, and as Christians we are children of resurrection. We are children of hope and “New Life,” even it seems like sometimes that there is precious little to go around. The reality is, is that suffering is real, but that the power of God in Jesus Christ is real, as well.

          Despite all the odds, despite all the factors, Jesus will rise from the dead next Sunday, on Easter morning. Despite all of the suffering and the carnage that we have lived through during this pandemic, we are hopefully beginning to get to a new normal. Hopefully, we are seeing and experiencing signs of “New Life” and joy. For all of these reasons, this is why my sermon series is called, “New Life Is Coming!”

          This morning, on this our Palm or Passion Sunday, my sermon is called “New Life Is Entering In!” This Sunday is called Palm Sunday, because as Jesus’ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey or a colt, on this day, as people waved palm branches and shouted Hosanna! It is also called Passion Sunday, as some churches read what is often called the “Passion Narrative.” This is the gospel reading from today through Good Friday, and Jesus’ death on Good Friday. The reason I generally do not read the whole “Passion Narrative” on this Sunday, is because we tell the story of this week gradually as the week progresses. We tell the story of this Holy Week more this Thursday night at 7:00 pm, on Maundy or Holy Thursday. We tell this story more this Friday night at 7:00 pm on Good Friday, and we cap this story off on Easter Sunday with the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

          So, this morning Jesus enters into the holy city, or “Zion” as it sometimes called in the Old Testament, to shouts of “Hosanna!” Palm branches were waved, as the savior of the world and the Lord of all enters in. It would seem that nobody knew that Jesus was going to do this on this day. Or if they thought that he might do this, they did not know when or how he would do this. It was a surprising display of “New Life Entering In.” Perhaps some people during the coming Passover festival in Jerusalem were broken and grieved. Maybe they had a moment like I did a week ago where all the suffering and loss just seemed so heavy.

          Sometimes friends when we least expect it, “New Life Enters In!” Sometimes this is also literal, not just things we see or experience. In the past handful of weeks for example, millions of people have been displaced in Ukraine. Millions of people have left their homes for other places in the country, and millions have fled the country altogether. There are about 2.5 million Ukrainian refugees in Poland, and hundreds of thousands in other nearby countries. Despite the war, the carnage, and the suffering, “New Life” and new hope is being offered too so many. How can we offer new life and new hope to others on this Palm or Passion Sunday, and during this whole Holy Week?

          On this our Palm Sunday, Jesus enters into the Holy City of Jerusalem in simplest of ways, riding on a donkey or a colt to the shouts of “Hosanna!” Maybe over the course of the past couple of years of this pandemic you could have used a new and real Palm Sunday. Maybe you could have used the triumphant entrance of Jesus Christ to show us hope, faith, and love.

          It is comforting that the Psalmist reminds this morning in 118:1 that:

¹ O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!    (Ps. 118:1, NRSV).

          God’s love is eternal, but war is not. God’s love is eternal, but pandemics are not. God’s love is eternal, but earthly suffering is not. This is why when Jesus entered Jerusalem this morning there were shouts to Jesus of as it says in Psalm 118:26:

²⁶ Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord (Ps. 118:26, NRSV).

          There is hope in suffering, there “New Life Entering In” when we least expect it. The Apostle Paul reminds us in our reading from Philippians 2:5-11 for this morning that we should have the same mind in us, as Jesus had. Paul tells that even though Jesus was God on earth, he was still humble and kind, that he took the form of a slave, and that he died on cross for us all (Phil. 2:5-8, NRSV). Due to all of this, Jesus is exalted above all people and over all the earth. Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess one day that Jesus is Lord (Phil. 2:9-11, NRSV).

          While forgiveness and salvation is a free gift in Jesus Christ to all who ask for it, if we live wickedly and do not repent, we will have to answer for it. If dictators and people that harm others do not repent, they will have to answer to Jesus for the harm that they have caused. Jesus calls all the world unto himself, and we are all called to live, love, and be like Jesus.

          So just how, once again, did “New Life” enter into the Holy City of Jerusalem on this day nearly two-thousand years ago? Let us look at our gospel of Luke reading for this morning from 19:28-40 for this morning, once again. Starting in 19:28 it says:

²⁸ After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, ³⁰ saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” ³² So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. ³³ As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴ They said, “The Lord needs it”               (Lk. 19:28-33, NRSV). 

          Imagine if someone told you to walk into Sidney and that you would find a colt or donkey tied up? Imagine further if this person then told you to take this colt or donkey and bring it to them. So just steal the thing! Further, if anyone asks you about stealing it, just say that “The Lord needs it.” Wow! I guess we can assume that after Jesus’ rode into Jerusalem this day, on Palm Sunday, that the donkey or the colt was returned to the owner.

          After bringing this colt or donkey to Jesus, the gospel of Luke then says once again starting in 19:35:

³⁵ Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. ³⁶ As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. ³⁷ As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, ³⁸ saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” ³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” ⁴⁰ He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out” (Lk. 19:35-40, NRSV).

          Jesus rides into Jerusalem on this day in the humblest of ways offering new hope, “New Life,” and light to the world. This event is recorded in all four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which is where we get the differences of mentioning Jesus riding a donkey or colt, which is a young horse. A king would ride a horse, but a donkey is a symbol of peace, that surely the prince of peace would ride. Luke’s gospel does not mention the palm branches being waved, but other gospels do.

          The real question is how can something as simple as Jesus’ riding into Jerusalem on a donkey or a colt, a young horse, to the shouts of “Hosanna” with palm branches waving be such a bid deal? I mean we have been telling this story for two-thousand years, and Jesus’ entry was not anything grand or fancy. It must have been so transformative however, that it made it into all four of the New Testament gospels. As a result, “New Life” can enter into our live in simple or magnificent ways. What happened this day, nearly two-thousand years ago was profound and life changing enough that we still tell and celebrate this story even today.

          As we enter into this Holy Week, this week that leads to Easter Sunday, be on the look out for the simple and the magnificent ways that “New Life Is Entering In.” Also, be aware of the possibilities where we can offer “New Life,” new hope, and new love to those around us. It can be grand and magnificent, or it can be as simple as us riding in on a donkey, with palms waving to the shouts of “Hosanna!” Amen.

Sidney UMC - Fifth Sunday in Lent - 04/03/22 - Sermon - “Enjoy the Journey!” (“New Life Is Coming” Series: Part 5 of 7)

Sunday 04/03/22 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title:                 “Enjoy The Journey!”                                            (“New Life Is Coming” Series: Part 5 of 7)                                    

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 126                                  

New Testament Scripture: Philippians 3:4b-14

Gospel Lesson: John 12:1-8 

          So, I remember about 3-4 years ago I saw something on TV and on Facebook that just said, “YOLO”. It was in all capital letters, it was the letter Y, the letter O, the letter L, and another letter O. I thought, “YOLO,” well what is that? Well, I had to look this up. The fact that I had to look this up meant two things though my friends. One, I was no longer cool and with it, because I had to look this up, and two I was getting older. When I did look this up, I discovered what the famed “YOLO” meant.

          Does anyone here know what “YOLO” means? It means “You Only Live Once.” Before I knew what this meant, I thought “YOLO” was a World Cup Soccer player who played for Brazil. I was wrong.

          For us Christians we would say that yes, we live only one earthly life, and then we live one eternal life with God. So, on some level, yes, we all already know “YOLO.” This expression however, “YOLO” is not designed to just tell us a commonsense fact, it is designed to tell us to essentially not worry about tomorrow.       

          If understand the meaning of “YOLO” or “You Only Live Once,” we should not really worry about the future, or save or plan ahead. Instead, we should just live for today, as tomorrow is promised to no one.

          Well, as nice as “YOLO” might sound in the moment, most of us know that if we lived every day of our lives with a “YOLO,” or a “You Only Live Once” mentality, we might end up making some poor choices. Further, we might not have planned much for the future, as every day we lived only for the moment and never planned ahead. You see the bible does not tell us not to consider the future, only to not worry about it. It is a fine line and a balance for sure. Should we be consumed with the future? No. We also should be foolish and unwise either.

          The reality my friends is that whatever we have here on earth, we are but stewards of. We are caretakes of all that God allows us to have, to possess, and to own. We have what we have in part because of our God given gifts and graces, and we should remember that we are, but caretakers of what God has given us.

          Am I saying that we should never have any fun then? No, I am not saying this at all. We have a “YOLO” example in our gospel of John reading for this morning. As a result, I want us to think about extravagant kindness, generosity, and giving. Is it ever proper, is it ever fitting, to do something extremely generous, over the top, and kind for someone once and a while? I would say yes, and that such extreme generosity from time to time is a good thing. Periodic extreme generosity though, is much different than “YOLO.”

          For those of us that have been participating in our Lent Study, called “Why Easter Matters,” by Pastor Andy Stanley, we heard in session 2, in part, about our gospel lesson for this morning. Pastor Andy Stanley talked about the story of Mary anointing Jesus’ feet with a bottle of costly perfume. Mary pours a pound of costly perfume made of nard of Jesus’ feet and anoints his feet using her hair. The whole house and likely beyond was filled with fragrant perfume that was often used to anoint the body of someone who died. Such a bottle of perfume made of nard was quite costly. Imagine spending an entire year of your income on such a bottle of perfume. Imagine just spending an entire year of income on something else?

          I mean “YOLO” right? What would make you spend that kind of money, so quickly, if you had it spend? What special circumstance would have to exist to be moved to such unbelievable generosity?

          Before diving into this morning’s gospel lesson more specifically, Psalm 126 for this morning, once again reminds us about God restoring our fortunes, our hope, our joy, and it reminds us of what is possible through God (Ps. 126, NRSV). What would make us spend a years’ worth of income though?

          In looking at our reading from the Book of Philippians for this morning, the Apostle Paul said that he was a person from a great family, who had great faith, and had great social standing. Yet, the Apostle Paul says none of these things compare to Christ, as all he has, all he has done, and all he has accomplished is rubbish compared to Christ (Phil. 3:4b-9, NRSV). The Apostle Paul, therefore, is putting the value of everything he is and has, below the value that he has in Jesus Christ (Phil. 3:10-14, NRSV).

          In looking more deeply at our gospel of John lesson for this morning and thinking of this idea of “YOLO” or “You Only Live Once,” lets talk about Mary pouring a bottle of perfume worth a year’s wages on Jesus’ feet. Remember that the bottle of perfume, once again, which included a pound of perfume made from pure nard, cost about a year’s wages. This was a sign of extravagant generosity.

          In looking at the gospel of John reading for this morning, it says starting in John 12:1, once again:

12 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ² There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. ³ Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume (Jn. 12:1-3, NRSV).

          So, six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Lazarus’ house in Bethany for a dinner party. Lazarus, the one that Jesus raised from the dead, he invited Jesus over, and Mary and Martha were there. At this dinner, Mary decided to take a pound of costly perfume, break it open, and anointed Jesus’ feet with it. Mary used her hair as the applicator for anointing the oil. The fragrance filled the house and likely poured out of the house. This perfume was costly, and usually used, again, to anoint a dead body. The fact that it was used so quickly and so excessively was shocking. It we the equivalency of someone buying a new car or even a house. Can you imagine such extreme generosity?

          I would like to share a very recent story of such generosity. This story is actually about the retired NBA player Shaquille O’Neal. Here is the story dated February 24, 2022:

“Shaquille O'Neal's generosity knows no bounds. Shaq is one of the wealthiest players in the NBA, having amassed a small fortune during his career in the NBA as a superstar. On top of that, he made a lot of smart business decisions and investments and is reaping the reward for that these days” Shaquille O'Neal is clearly a very wealthy man. But unlike a lot of wealthy people, Shaq uses his money to give back to the community. O'Neal has been very generous on numerous occasions. When he once bought a bike for a young kid, he explained that every time he leaves the house, he wants to bless someone and help the needy. His latest endeavor in that vein is truly remarkable. Shaquille O'Neal visited a family of 11 to take them out to dinner. Not only that, but he also bought dinner for another family at the restaurant. After the dinner, he took them to a Mercedes-Benz showroom and bought them a new car. And as if that was not enough, he spent a lot of time with their children, teaching them about the value of family and love. When he saw that the family also had a damaged mini-van, he took them to a Ford dealership and bought them a new mini-van so that they wouldn't have to struggle with their old one. Shaq's generosity is truly the stuff of dreams. He once saw a kid at a store who was upset because his parents couldn't afford his shoes, so he bought the kid 2 pairs. And another time, he generously tipped a server at a restaurant $4000 simply because they asked him for it. O'Neal's willingness to give back to the community is a true inspiration to us all. And it also serves as a reminder that we should all strive to help those who are in need. If there were more people like Shaquille O'Neal in the world, it would surely be a much better place (https://fadeawayworld.net/nba-media/shaquille-oneal-bought-a-family-of-11-a-new-15-passenger-mini-van-a-new-truck-and-took-the-entire-family-out-to-dinner-thank-you-shaq-a-million-times-you-have-been-such-a-blessing-to-us-in-so-many-ways).

          Now most of us are not capable of the level of extreme generosity that I just read regarding Shaquille O’Neal, but we are capable showing our own signs of extreme generosity. Yet, some may always question our motives.

          Specifically in our gospel lesson for this morning, once again, Judas Iscariot, the one who sold Jesus out for thirty pieces of silver, was shocked and appalled by Mary pouring the perfume on Jesus’ feet. In fact, the gospel of John reading picks up once again in 12:4 saying:

⁴ But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ⁵ “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” ⁶ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) ⁷ Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. ⁸ You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me” (Jn. 12:4-8, NRSV).

          So, it is “YOLO” or “You Only Live Once”? Or is it good, biblical, and Christian to sometimes show excessive measures of generosity, love, and giving? I say that it is. How we do this and when we do this, well this is between us and God. When we do such things on different levels though, it changes people, and it also changes us. When I was given a too scale model version of this church, built for me, I felt that was extreme, excessive, and extravagant generosity. I treasure my own personal Sidney United Methodist Church.

          Can such things change the world, even if they only happen here or there? Well, if they did not, would I be preaching this story about Mary anointing Jesus’ feet with perfume this morning? If it were not so out of the ordinary and so extreme, would it have even made it into the bible? We do not hear about what food was served at this dinner, or what people drank in this story this morning. We do hear about the perfume on Jesus’ feet though, and this extravagant generosity continues to change the world.

          In this season of “New Life,” we are offered new life in Christ daily, Christ will

 raise from the dead, on Easter, and we are coming into “New Life” as this pandemic

 winds down. As we work hard, as we toil, let us remember once and awhile my friends,

 to “Enjoy the Journey!” Amen. 

Sidney UMC - Fourth Sunday in Lent/UMCOR Sunday - 03/27/22 - Sermon - “Who Deserves New Life?” (“New Life Is Coming” Series: Part 4 of 7)

Sunday 03/27/22 - Sidney UMC

Sermon Title:              “Who Deserves New Life?”                                      (“New Life Is Coming” Series: Part 4 of 7)                                    

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 32                                      

New Testament Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Gospel Lesson: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

          Some of us may remember that as kids we played various sports and games. We played them sometimes formally on teams or in leagues. Some of these sports had coaches that would tell us what position we were playing, what number we were batting, etc. Sometimes though, many of us had pick up games. Maybe we played basketball, soccer, dodge ball, kick ball, etc.

          Sometimes we even picked team captains. In fact, in organized sports, the captain of the team sometimes has that “C” on there jersey, so that everyone knows that they are indeed the team captain. Sometimes in Phys. Ed. class we picked team captains, but it often seems that in organized sports that the team captain had already been chosen. For those of us that chose team captains, or if the teacher choose team captains, we then know what will happen. We might think, “Will I get picked last?” or “I hope I do not get picked last!” Maybe we were an athlete that was the team captain, or maybe we got picked immediately. We all know though that there were always a couple of kids that got picked last.

          It was not that we necessarily disliked these kids, but we wanted to win. To win, we needed the best people, and the few last kids chosen, in our determination anyway, would not help us win. It could easily become a reality though that the last few kids chosen could begin to be seen as less important by others. I mean if we were to “pick so and so, or so and so,” well, we will probably lose. So, did the kids that got picked last then, did they begin to feel less important to the other students that were already chosen?

          When we try to see the world through the eyes of God, through the eyes of Jesus Christ, who are the few kids picked last? Meaning, if God was a team captain, who does he pick first? The scripture indicates to us that through His son Jesus Christ, he picks us all. This reality runs contrary to our culture and to who we are sometimes as humans.

          For example, I have never seen an Olympic event where the reporters were flocking to the person who came in fifteenth, after the race. The first, the second, and the third-place winners have distinctive elevations on the victory podium, and distinctive medals. Do not misunderstand here me, I do not think that competition is bad. I think that competition is a good thing, and it is what makes a market economy grow, it is what makes products improve, it is what make teams get better, and it is what pushes us to get better. This being said though, is the person who came in fifteenth place, just as important as a person, as the athlete that won the gold medal?

          From the standpoint of the Olympic event, obviously the gold metal winner is indeed the best, and the best athlete in the world at that event. Does God love the gold metal winner more than the person that placed fifteenth, however? In sports and in other facets of our lives, people who perform the best, get more recognition, and beat out the competition. Yet, we are all equal as people in the eyes of God.

          My late Grandpa Winkelman said it best, “Don’t forget who you are and where you have come from.” If you go great places in this world, and if you achieve great things, be humble. Remember that we are created in God’s image, and that our earthly successes are made possible by our God given gifts, graces, and talents, and through the love and the support of our families and friends. So, are there winners and losers in many things in the earthly sense? Yes, of course.

          Be assured though, that God loved the person who came in fifteenth just as much as the person who won the gold medal. It is important sometimes for us to remember that our earthly success does not make us better than others, in the sense of being a child of the living God. We are all equal to God.

          This morning, we have one of my favorite parables or stories from Jesus in the gospels of Luke. This parable or story, once again, is the parable of “The Prodigal Son.” There are two sons, and one, the oldest son, stays loyal to his Father, but the other son, the youngest son, runs off, blows his inheritance, and dishonors his father, family, and community.

          So far in our “New Life Is Coming” sermon series, we talked about dealing with trial and temptation, we talked about the need to stay strong in our faith, even when things are hard. Last week we talked about how we all need to repent of our sin and wrong doings, as we are all works in progress. We all can improve, and we all, especially in this season of Lent, are called to draw closer to Christ. In this season of Lent, we will have “New Life” in Jesus’ resurrection on Easter morning, we are invited to have “New Life” in drawing closer to Christ, and we pray for “New Life” in the form of this pandemic coming to manageable close.

          This morning however, in talking about the parable or the story of “The Prodigal Son,” my sermon is called, “Who Deserves New Life?” Who deserves to be picked for the dodgeball team, and who does not?

          We are remined this morning in Psalm 32:1:

¹ Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered                (Ps. 32:1, NRSV). 

          There are winners and losers in various capacities here on earth but are all equally loved by God. We are all offered forgiveness, and we are all offered the opportunity to have our sin covered, through Jesus Christ.

          We are reminded in this vein from the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, for this morning once again, starting in 2:17 that:

¹⁷ So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself,  not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us (2 Cor. 5:17-19, NRSV).

          Here on earth, there are different levels of achievement and success, but at the end of the day, we are all God’s children. God loves the small child in Ukraine just as much as the small child in Sidney. God loves the older faithful brother of the father, just as much as the younger “Prodigal Son” of the father. Are there consequences for our actions? Absolutely, but God loves us all the same. First place, last place, faithful son, wayward son, God loves us all the same.

With this said, let us look at our gospel of Luke reading for this morning once again. Starting in Luke 15:1 it says:

15 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. ² And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Lk. 15:1-2, NRSV).

          Jesus is treating everyone the same, even the outcasts, the people who are rejected, and I would imagine even those chosen last for the dodgeball team. Why? The answer is because God loves us all equally.  

          To better explain this point, Jesus then tells us the story or the parable of “The Prodigal Son” once again. Picking up in Luke 15:3, this is what it says of Jesus:

³ So he told them this parable:  “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. ¹³ A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. ¹⁴ When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. ¹⁶ He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. ¹⁷ But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! ¹⁸ I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands”’ (Lk. 15:3-19, NRSV).

          The youngest son of the father foolishly took his whole inheritance early. The youngest son went to a distant country and blew his inheritance on dissolute living. After he spent everything, a famine hit the land, and he was hungry and with out food. The youngest son began to feed pigs, which in Judaism is an unclean animal to be avoided. He is feeding animals that his faith says are unclean and should not be eaten. He has no food, he is homeless, broken, and penniless.

          He decides therefore, that we will go home and beg his father’s forgiveness. At this point though, we will return home not as the son of his father, but as a servant or an employee. You see, the youngest son, “The Prodigal Son” no longer feels worthy to be his father’s son, or to have his father’s love.

          So, the broken, penniless, dirty, homeless, and hopeless “Prodigal Son” makes the long journey back to his country. “The Prodigal Son’s” father, having not heard from him for some time, thought him dead. I mean the country that “The Prodigal Son” fled too, had a famine, and he had not heard from his son. His youngest son must have died.

           “The Prodigal Son” begins his long journey home, and his father, with his home and land in elevated place can see far down the road from his house. The father one day sees a man walking down the road. Who is this tired, sad, and tattered man? Suddenly the father thinks, this man looks like my youngest son that has died. Then the father realizes that this man is indeed his youngest son. The gospel of Luke reading then picks up in 15:20 saying of “The Prodigal Son”:

²⁰ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. ²¹ Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; ²⁴ for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate. ²⁵ “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. ²⁷ He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ ³¹ Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found’” (Lk. 15:20-32, NRSV).

          So, what are the takeaways from the story or parable of “The Prodigal Son”? Well one, “The Prodigal Son” clearly made some poor choices. I mean how many of you here would give one of your children their share of their inheritance now. Further, “The Prodigal Son” did not come in first place in the Olympic event. Instead, the prodigal son came in dead last. He had disgraced his father, his family, his community, and the teachings of his Jewish faith. By all accounts, no one would flock to him, sure God loves him the same as his faithful older brother, but he is in trouble.

          “The Prodigal Son’s” father is man of great wealth and prominence. Men of this stature at this time composed and carried themselves in a very regal and very fancy way. For “The Prodigal Son’s” father to run barreling down the street at his disgraced son was not only frowned up but was inappropriate. For “The Prodigal Son” was ritually unclean, needed to repent of his sin, and deserved to live out the rest his days in shame and disregard. Jesus ate with sinners and went to the outcasts, the lesser than, and the people that society said were no good though. “The Prodigal Son’s” father, however, comes running to his son. He has a robe put on him, sandals put on his feet, and ring put on his finger. He triumphantly brings his disgraced “Prodigal Son” home, and orders that the fatted calf be slaughtered for a celebration feast. There was music, celebrating and excitement.

          Then the older brother of “The Prodigal Son” heard this noise and this commotion at his father’s house. As a result, the older brother came home and found his disgraced younger brother with a robe, sandals, a ring, and a feast being prepared.

          The older and loyal son was angry at the father, and asked him how he could treat his disgraced son this way? The older son that he had always been loyal to him, never disobeyed him, and has never even been given a young goat to have a feast with his friends. The father then told the oldest brother, but you have always been with me and have always had a share my bounty.

Or to put it another way, the father told his oldest son, we know you were the best, we know you won the gold metals. We know that your youngest brother came in last, but I love him just as much as I love you.

          In fact, the father said to the oldest brother, I know that you think it is unfair that I slaughtered the fatted calf to honor your brother, and that I have never even given you a young goat. Finishing in Luke 15:32, the father says to the oldest son:

³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found’” (Lk. 15:32, NRSV).

 

          Friends, on this earth, we may have winners and losers. We may have those win trophies and those that achieve great success, and those who do not. Even so, whether we come in first place or last place. God will run after us with everything he has.

          The world has winners and losers, but everyone to Jesus is worth a celebration, a feast, a robe, sandals, and a ring on the finger. For if we are lost, God will stop at nothing to reconcile with us, and whether we come in first or last, God loves us just the same.

          So, as my sermon title says, “Who Deserves New Life?” To be honest friends, do any of us truly and fully deserve the love of God? I mean who is truly the greatest and who is truly the worst? So “Who Deserves New Life?” Nobody, but who gets freely offered it? Everybody.

          God the Father will pursue us, even when we have made a mess of things. We will still have earthly consequences for what we do but make no mistake the father will pursue us all. For as “The Prodigal Son’s” father said once again this morning Luke 15:32:

³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found’” (Lk. 15:32, NRSV).

 

          Come home anew today to God, to Jesus Christ today. Amen.