Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43. The weeds and the wheat might seem cut and dry.

Matthew 13: The parable of the weeds and the wheat

            I spent a lot of time with this parable. It was one of my projects in a class that I took on parables. One thing we learned about parables was that some were open ended; meaning, there was not a full explanation for the parable and that gave us a way to look at how the parable reaches out to the least, last, lost, and lonely. There are many parables that are like that. But, then there are the parables like this one. In this parable there is not a lot of reaching out or being creative; because, in this parable, just when you think there is room for creativity; Jesus comes along and spoils the whole thing by explaining what the parable means. I was a little bummed out that this parable I got for my project was so cut and dry.

            As I read through this parable this week, something popped into my mind. “Is this parable really as cut and dry as I think?” Yes Jesus explains to us that everything in this parable has a role to play; the ground is the world, the wheat is the children of the kingdom, the weeds are the children of the evil one, the sower was the devil, and the angels are the reapers. What happens is that Jesus tells us that the Son of Man will send angels to gather the weeds and they will be thrown out and my favorite line is “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” It does seem pretty cut and dry, doesn’t it? I don’t think so.

            It is not so cut and dry because there can be a lot of questions: Who are the weeds? Who are the wheat? Those seem to be what I would call the “bottom line” questions. Meaning, I don’t need to know anything else other than those two questions to go on in my life and I will be fine. Therein lies the problem. We think we are supposed to know or decide who are the weeds and who are the wheat. That is a problem because it is NOT for us to decide who plays which part.

            Jesus tells us that the Son of Man will send the angels to do the reaping. This parable- Jesus-tells us that this is all up to God. It is not for us to decide who is good, who is bad, who are the insiders and who are the outsiders? When we start assuming that that is our job, we start to turn away from God and from the Good News of Jesus Christ. We do that because we assume that we know better than “the Son of Man” or that we have been given powers by God to make that determination.

            Believe it or not, that is Good News! I don’t know about you but I feel a sense of relief knowing that I don’t have to determine who are the good, the wheat, and who are the weeds, the bad. I don’t have to worry about who is in and who is out; because don’t we all have enough to do in our own lives and worry about rather than having to make decision that big? I mean, one of the things that we realize from this parable is the question “are we, ourselves, wheat or weeds?” That’s right! We have to check who we are in this whole picture. We are not immune from this parable because we read it on a Sunday morning or simply because we attend church.

            God gave us the ability to think and evaluate situations. We have the ability to gather information and look at goals, agendas, abilities and then go and make a decision based on the information that we have gathered in the direction or path to take. Sometimes we make good decisions and sometimes not so good decisions. The point is that we cannot be sure that we are weeds or wheat at any given time.

            While we may not know for sure at this point in time, we can still live in the hope of being wheat. We can still live in the hope of being children of the kingdom. The big question is “How do we do that?” One of the ways that we do that is by looking to our scripture readings more than just on Sundays. We begin, if you have not already started, on a journey through scripture. Read a part of the bible that interests you, if not the whole scripture. Look at what these faithful people have written about their experiences with God. Read God’s Word and hear those words speak to you.

            Next is to pray about God’s word. Pray for God’s word to enter your ears and into your hearts. It is one thing for the words to appear in front of your eyes, but to hear them and taste them is a whole different thing. When you hear Jesus words that “this is my body, given for you” and “this is my blood shed for you” those very words can change your life and I most certainly hope they do. I hope and pray they tell you that you are a worthy child of God given the gift of Christ; and, I hope it causes us all to live our lives differently. Lastly, God’s word is to be shared.

You don’t have to walk up to someone and say “I am here to share God’s word with you” and then proceed to quote scripture. Sharing God’s word can be as easy as listening to someone that is hurting. Offering to keep someone in prayer as they struggle, inviting people to church or letting them know that there are people that care.

Our world is being turned upside down with all the things that are going on. Wars, planes being shot down, and children fleeing and showing up seeking help. There are all kinds of people screaming angry and hateful things at one another in the newspaper, on radio, and on television. Not once have I heard the words and maybe this is where pastors come in. Maybe it is the pastor’s calling to ask the question “what does scripture tell us to do with the stranger, or alien, or in the wake of tragedy? It is an appropriate question because that can help us try to live as wheat…to live as children of a loving God who invites, as Jesus says, “all who have ears to listen.”

The point is that in order to be wheat, we will never know that answer until we meet the God who created us. What we have been doing in this community is hearing the Word of God by feeding the hungry, sending first aid and school kits, clothing, household items, and prayer shawls into the community and the world. We have been sharing our blessings with others.

Today we celebrate Connie as she ends one chapter of sharing her blessings to begin another chapter. We give thanks to God that we have had the blessing of her being with us for so long and sharing her gift of music and leadership with us. Through her gifts she has brought the gift of worshipping God through the gift of music and with choirs she has brought a sense of God’s presence to our time together and for that we give thanks and praise to Jesus.

Today, this parable calls us to look at ourselves. Reflect on who we are as children of God and what we are called to do in this, earthly and broken world. We are called to seek God’s guidance in our words and in our actions.
AMEN!

John 21:15-19 "Can I get a Witness?"

            This morning we celebrate the lives and ministry of two very prominent disciples. Peter and Paul may be considered the most famous of the disciples. They just might be the two most written about disciples. We are always hearing about Peter or Paul in the New Testament. We know Peter is at the heart of some important moments of Jesus life and Paul is one of the most controversial people after Jesus Crucifixion and resurrection.

            Peter is that most famous Peter who is always answering questions. When Jesus asks in our Gospel, “Simon Peter, do you love me?” What is his answer? “Yes” and he does this three times. He even gets to the point where he feels hurt but still answers, “you know everything.” He is telling Jesus, “of course I love you! You should know this by now!” I could almost hear the anger in Peter’s voice; couldn’t you? This guy who put his whole life on hold and is sticking by Jesus, following Jesus, and now Jesus has the nerve to ask, “Do you love me?” That could be really hurtful.

            Peter, sometimes, seems to have some easy answers. There was another time when Peter came to what we might think as an easy answer. Although it is not in our Gospel readings today, Peter answered another question of Jesus; “who do you say that I am?” I can imagine Peter saying, “that is easy, you ARE the Messiah.” Our Gospel of Matthew brings the powerful response of Jesus “you are Peter and upon this rock I build my church.” It is one of my most favorite passages in the bible.

            There is one little problem with this picture of Peter’s easy answers and Jesus declaration. The problem is that Peter does not realize how complicated that this will become. It sounds good to have those kind of answers because they are just answers. It is a problem for Peter and us because just before this crucifixion of Jesus, Peter did not answer an easy question so easily. It was not so much a question as a statement. When it came to declaring that he followed Jesus, Peter gave a very different answer. His answer was “I did not know him.” In fact he stated it three times.

            Yet God still called to Peter to follow Jesus. Jesus appeared to Peter and called him to continue proclaiming the Good News of God’s love through Jesus Christ. Paul, again, after seeing all that had happened answered “yes” to God. Paul knew that the road of discipleship would not be easy from all that he, himself, had witnessed. And this is a key word that I want you to hear “WITNESS”. Peter had been with Jesus all along and seen all that Jesus had done and had taught. Peter found out in our reading of Acts that witnessing to the love of God was not so easy.

            Let’s look at Paul. We know Paul’s story. He was originally a Roman soldier. He felt that his calling was to go out and round up those people that believed in Jesus and persecute and punish them for not bowing down to the Roman ruler of the time; for not worshipping the Roman emperor as a God. He would hunt them, track them, and even help kill them.

            But something happened when he was on the road. God had had enough. The flash of light came up and knocked Saul (as he was called then) off the horse and asked “Why do you persecute me?” Literally, in the flash of a light AND with Jesus voice, Saul is now Paul. Paul who would persecute the Son of God is now a witness to God. Paul witnessed that God chose him to speak the truth to who Jesus is and who God is. Paul’s witness became was very personal and his heart was transformed; from someone who went after the people who believed in Jesus Christ to a person who was changed by the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, changed by the love of Christ, and called in that love and forgiveness to serve God.

            In both of these disciples is the gift of witness. They experienced, first hand, the love of God. They were able to be a witness, despite their brokenness and their human failings, to see and know the love of God and the power of God’s forgiveness. Brothers and Sister’s in Christ, that is exactly what we are called to do and who we are called to be. Despite our human brokenness and our shortcomings, we are loved by God – not as a form of get out of jail free card but as something we can be a witness to for ourselves and for others. It is the chance for us to look at our lives and see where God is in our lives and we can be witnesses to the glory of God.

            It is not all about being broken either. It is about witnessing those good times in our lives and in the world as well. This past week, at Chapel, and two weeks ago, we had Vacation Bible School. Some of us got to witness the youngest people in our community interacting together and making friends. It didn’t matter what church they came from…some did not come to church here at all. They witnessed to me about where they saw God; and we did it by seeing some of their favorite movies. We could all learn some valuable lessons from these young voices.

            Where else do we witness God’s love, forgiveness, and kindness? It comes through all the ministries that we do in the church. It comes from reaching out to the least, the lost, and the lonely in this community and in the world; the person that may not feel worthy of God’s love. Part of our witness is in words AND in action because when we say and when we do, that is when we become a witness to others in hopes that their lives may be changed and God is revealed to them. The funny thing is that even when I say God being revealed to them, God has a way of bringing God’s blessings revealed back to you and me.

            SO, God calls us to witness and be a witness. For that we can all say Thanks be to God: AMEN!

John 14:15-21 The Holy Spirit, active in our lives

            In the Gospel of John, Jesus is about to be arrested and he tells his disciples that He asked God and God is going to give them another to be with them, an advocate. “This is the spirit of truth,” Jesus says. Not everyone can receive him because they cannot see him. So, this invisible person will be with them. The disciples know who this is because they have seen this being and the being will be in them.

            So who is this being that Jesus speaks of? This advocate, the person that is called the Spirit of truth may be better known to us as the Holy Spirit. What do we know about the Holy Spirit? If you listen to our Liturgy then you know very little about the Holy Spirit. Of course we gather in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…we are blessed in the same way, and our creed says, I believe in the Holy Spirit and then we move on. We don’t sit and give the Holy Spirit its rightful due. Sometimes it feels like the Rodney Dangerfield of the Trinity. If you don’t know who he is, he was a comedian who always claimed he did not get any respect.

            We in the Lutheran Church as most other Christian denomination believe in the trinity. We believe that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are co-equal, God in three distinct forms in one being. There was quite a battle over this when the churches first came together during the time of Constantine. They almost went to war over this Trinity issue. It was a hot topic that is still noticeable in the most obvious way and I will tell you the secret to how public this debate is. When you look at the Nicene Creed there is an asterisks right beside the portion that says “who proceeded from the Father and the Son. This was all part of the Trinitarian debate almost 1900 years ago.

          So, today, the Holy Spirit is going to get his day in Worship. Today, we hope to get a better understanding of who this Holy Spirit is. First, it is not someone that we can see. That’s a help! The disciples know who this is because they have been taught about the Holy Spirit by Jesus. Jesus says they will know the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will be in them. So how is this advocate or Holy Spirit going to be in them?

          That is where we, the reader, have the edge over the disciples. We know how the story turns out. We know that Jesus will return after his crucifixion. We know that three days later he will rise and be among the living. It is because of this advocate being with the disciples and with the followers of Jesus that they will be able to see Jesus. It is this advocate that will help them through this time of human understanding…when death seems to be the end, this advocate is in the follower’s so that they see the risen Jesus and that they KNOW that Jesus has been raised and that God will not let death have the last word.

          This advocate stays with them the rest of their days. Jesus says they will not be orphaned. This Holy Spirit will be with them throughout the rest of their days because it is the Holy Spirit that continues to be with them when they venture out into the world teaching of the risen Son of God. This Holy Spirit will be with them when they face dangers and persecution for believing in the risen Christ. The Holy Spirit is with them to see the promises of God fulfilled through God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

          Today we are witnesses to the promise of Jesus. Jesus promises us the gift of this advocate this person to be with us in our days. We witness with the disciples the last night of our Lord and Savior Jesus. We are allowed to feel that his leaving might leave us feeling orphaned or alone without someone that cares for us; and so Jesus asks for the Holy Spirit to be given to us so that we know that we are not alone. So that we know that God continues to care about us throughout all the days of our lives.

          So who is this advocate, who is this Holy Spirit? I believe it is that part of God, that active part of God that reminds us about who we are. It is that active part of God that comes to us in the waters of Baptism and tells us that we are no longer bound by sin, death, and the devil; but we are claimed children of God. I believe it is that active part of God that active part of God that puts people, family and friends, in our lives to remind us that we are important, special, and loved.

          There is a more modern phrase used in some circles when speaking of the Trinity. For Father = Creator, Son= redeemer, and Holy Spirit = sustainer. I think that is one of the best names for the Holy Spirit. It is that part of God that sustains us when we struggle, the Holy Spirit rejoices with us in good times, and comforts us in our challenges. It is that part of God that calls us to bring our broken selves to the foot of the cross and lay our burdens and to seek God’s grace and mercy when we have done wrong.

          The Holy Spirit is also that active part in God that calls us into service for one another. Several months ago, I do believe it was the Holy Spirit…that active part of God that called on a fifth grade class to look to those in need. The Holy Spirit called them to hold a fun run with all kinds of food and activities and raise money for the ministry of Community Partners. I can tell you that those students were tired after putting it all together but they admitted it was a good kind of tired because they got to help people.

          I also believe that the Holy Spirit is that active part of God who called some of the bravest men and women in our country to give their all in service. Today and this weekend is the time we remember the men and women who gave their last full measures in service to their country. We all remember our family member with warmth and thanks and we are called to remember, on this Memorial Day weekend, that it was because of what they gave and we give thanks for their service and their lives. I can tell you that I have a lost a few good friends and remember them this Memorial Day because they helped shape my work ethic and character; they were mentors and friends.

          The Holy Spirit calls us all in many different ways and speaks to us in many different ways. The one thing that is common is that the Holy Spirit is active in our lives. I pray that we all look and listen for the Holy Spirit to call us in God’s service. I pray that we all see God’s Holy Spirit active in our own lives and may we all be sustained by God’s Holy Spirit now and forever: AMEN

John 14: 1-14. Pot holes, Twists, and Turns

            I am sure many of you have heard this reading before. This is quite a popular reading for those occasions when we lose a family member or friend. I have read this passage quite a bit in the last year. But, today, we hear it in a whole different way.

            Today, I want to break this Gospel reading down into two sections. So let’s look at the first section of the Gospel. Jesus is telling his disciples “let not your hearts be troubled.” Jesus is trying to put them at ease because Jesus knows what is about to happen the next day; he is about to be handed over to the authorities. We all know what happens then. Jesus goes on to tell the disciples that he is going to his Father’s house and there are many dwelling places. Guess what? Jesus is telling us about the end.

He is telling us about going to heaven and telling us that there is enough room for everybody. He is also telling us that he is coming back to take us to himself; and where would that be…heaven! So Jesus is telling us what is at the end. It is like seeing the end of the race first or reading the last 10 pages of the book before reading the beginning of the story (and I have heard that some people read books that way). So here we have the ending first.

So what is the second section of the story? The second portion of this Gospel is about how we get to the ending and it comes very quickly in the second section. Thomas, we all know about him, wants to know how do we get to that ending…how do we get to the glorious place, heaven, that is Gods house? Thomas says they don’t know where he is going and How can these disciples know the way?

Jesus responds “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” And that is where we all take the proverbial or literal sigh and say AMEN! So let’s do it…let’s say AMEN! But now I want you to think about these words that Jesus says Jesus is the way the truth and the life. That is the way to get to the father’s house. That is the way to get to heaven. But what does that mean? Does it mean that Jesus speaks the truth about God’s love for us? Are we supposed to listen to everything Jesus says and if we just listen then everything will be alright? I we have to do is do what Jesus tells us to do and everything is gonna be sweet because we know where we are going? We know how it is going to end. Are we just supposed to believe that Jesus died and is risen for us to give us that eternal ending?

The simple answer is yes. It is easy to say yes and be done with it. I have said yes to those questions so now I get the happy ending. I want you to close your eyes. Imagine a pathway. It is a dirt pathway and there is this long trellis that goes up and arches over the pathway. They are covered with your favorite flowers and at the end of this path there is a light and listen to these words “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Sounds good doesn’t it? Now open your eyes.

You are in reality. How many of you have had a path as easy as that? Some of us, if not all of us could equate the journey OR the path of our faith as more of a Rocky road with many twists and turns; I bet there would be some pot holes, boulder, hills, and valleys. Our lives don’t go as smoothly as the vision we created. Our lives are full of rough patches when it comes to employment, the beginning or ending of relationships, loss of loved ones, addictions, good and bad choices; and those questions we said yes to; if it is so easy to say yes to Jesus then why do we constantly say...I think I know better?

We all do this at some point because we want our lives to turn out the way we want them to. We want that glorious kingdom on our terms and THAT IS WHERE WE GO WRONG! When Jesus says “I am the way, the truth, and the life” he is saying that even his road was not some lovely path with trellis’ and beautiful flowers. There were people all around that mocked him, scolded him, conspired against him, and flat out rejected him. There were people that made his life so difficult that, maybe we all would just want to give up and quit; say it is not worth all this trouble.

But Jesus did not do that. He did not give up because his calling was to bring God to the earth, to show people how much they were loved by God. He came to show THEM and US to have faith in the God who delivered Abraham, Moses, and all the people of God into a new life; that despite the bad things and the sad things that happen in our lives, there is a loving God here beside us. Jesus came to show us that God’s love brought crucifixion, death, and resurrection to GOD’S ONLY SON so that we all will be transformed and have that glorious ending in our Father’s house with many dwelling place.

Jesus does not promise us an easy way in our faith lives or our daily lives. We all have potholes, winding turns, bumps, bruises, and forks in the road and worst of all we are human. We will make bad choices, Good choices, we will say and do hurtful things to ourselves and others. God calls us in our turning and twisting paths to be transformed by the gift of Jesus; his teachings, his words, and his actions…by his death and resurrection; so that we think about the choices we make, the words we say, and our actions; and we try harder to keep Christ at the center of all that we do: AMEN!

A collaboration Sermon with Robin Litton for Sunday, May 4, 2014

Grace, mercy, and Peace to you from God, our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: AMEN!

 John's Gospel and the road to Emmaus story

            Where do you find yourself today, right now, on your journey of faith?

            What, if anything is different about your life now than two weeks ago? If we are Easter people like we claim to be…people of the risen Christ as we profess and sing about in our anthems and hymns, then what have you been experiencing since meeting the resurrected Christ for these past 14 days?
            Scripture tells us that for Mary Magdalene and the other ladies there were going to the tomb to prepare the body for a proper burial. This was a body in which ALL life was gone; a sad but necessary act of respect, a defeated and mournful task that needed to be done.
            For the disciples, they were locked in that upper room where we heard last week that nothing gets in or out of that room. They were afraid that someone would try to come and kill them. Confusion and loss was the feeling of the day. Where would they go and what would they do? What was the point? What was the purpose? What now? They were confident that this would turn out differently than it has. What went so wrong?
            For these guys walking on the road to Emmaus, scripture tells us they were sad, feeling low, maybe depressed, discouraged, or even hopeless. There was nothing more to be done but to give in to the old system, the old beliefs, the old ways of oppression and pain, loss and fear. Same old, same old and existence would continue in the way its always been.
            But every time there was a new encounter with the resurrected Jesus, fear and awe led the way as scripture tells us their “eyes were open.” See, even as they stood in front of the risen Christ, they still didn’t recognize him at first. These pilgrims, we read, tell Jesus the whole story. Jesus even answers back, “how foolish you are,” he says. But the hopelessness and despair continue with them until the breaking of the bread. Then we hear those powerful words that their eyes were opened and they recognize him. All of a sudden, there he was, right before their very selves…standing right in front of them! Everything for them changed at that moment! Hope was restored and everlasting life has triumphed! Love has won!
            Something like this happened to my wife and I this week. My cousin and her husband and son came from Oklahoma to visit. I had not seen my cousin in, roughly, 30 years almost. My cousin and my uncle, her father, have done a lot of work on the genealogy of our family. I always asked my father who our ancestors were on his side of the family. He always responded that we were related to horse thieves and it would be left at that. I always wondered about it. I had heard some stories about my mother’s side of the family but never my father’s.
            Well, I had one of those eye-opening moments. In our conversation about MY family history, I learned that while my father made a comment to put an end to the questions I had, two of my uncles were doing lots of work to find out who they were; and by association, I could find out who I was. We spoke of how these two uncles would spend countless hours verifying and re-verifying the proof to match family members together and put our family history together.
            And that is when it happened…then came my eye-opening moment. Donna, my cousin, asked if I knew that I was related to a very prominent person. Some might call him a villain and some might call him a patriot…and no IT IS NOT Benedict Arnold. But it is someone, a few people actually, involved in Scotland’s struggle to be independent from long, long ago. I guess now when my step son asks again if I would wear a kilt when he gets married, I will say with pride…YES! But this moment changed what I thought about myself. It changed what I thought about my family. We were not a bunch of horse thieves as I was once told. I suddenly felt a sense of knowing, elation, and I looked at my entire family in a whole new way.
            All this week I have been wondering if this is, basically, how Mary felt when she came to the tomb and encountered Jesus, the disciples as they saw Jesus appear, or these men on the Emmaus Road as they sat at the table and ate and drank with him.
            I wonder if this was the same experience through the Holy Spirit that we feel when we share our struggles with one another, when we pray for help from God, when we pass the peace of God’s love with one another.
            You know, sometimes Jesus does not just meet our expectations. I really wish that Jesus, the carpenter, would come and fix all the things that need fixing. I mean, we have a list; I wish Jesus would heal the people who I know are sick and hurting and lonely. I wish Jesus would swoop in and show his power; eliminating power struggles, bullying of our young people and show them all who’s boss. I am frustrated with people not caring about the lost, the poor who need help just so they can have a decent meal, and people who do not have a voice. I want fairness in the world and I want my God to charge in and lead the way…take no prisoners!
            But that doesn’t seem to be the way God wants to work…and we ARE better for it; because you see that it is in the mystery of our faith that we see God clearly. God didn’t come to Mary only when she was happy, He met her in her vulnerability, in her fear and he comforted her. God met the disciples not in a palace, but he met them in the dark locked room where they were in fear for their lives; where they were broken and in need of Good News f God’s love. God, through Jesus Christ, met the men on the Emmaus Road when they were not just sad, not just disappointed or let down, but utterly and completely hopeless…where there was no hope, no future, no life.
            It is difficult sometimes for us to wrap our heads around the mind of God. That is where our faith comes in. It is where we strive to do the will of God, even when the world tells us that we are going in the wrong direction; that we are the ones out of touch and in need of fixing. God comes to us where we need, in the secret, dark, lonely places of our lives. That’s where we see the risen Christ’s strength and power. It is when we move from the relative comfort of our lives as we know it, to touch the lives of others.
            So what does this resurrection proclamation mean for us? It means EVERYTHING! See, Easter is not the end of the road, not the end of our journey, not the end of the story. Scripture doesn’t stop there…it continues on. Because each and every day we get up and proclaim resurrection, is a new beginning. It is a new chance for us to experience the risen Christ and the myriad of possibilities that God lays out for us.
           It is through this mutual love that the Holy Spirit is unleashed. It is this burst of spiritual energy that we feel from the risen Christ It is so much more powerful that the feeling I had finding out who some of my relatives were; because, friends, it is the risen Christ that open new possibilities that we have only to dream.
            I pray that we all see the risen Christ, proclaim God’s love and experience new hope made sure through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Don’t waste another minute! Search for yourselves; look in the places deepest in your heart. Feel God’s love poured out for you…take the risk. Do not fear, but believe!

So let us live as the Holy Spirit wills of us for indeed we are Easter people…thanks be to God: AMEN!

John 20:19-31

John 20:19-31

Grace, Mercy, and Peace be to you from God our Father and from our Risen Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ: Amen!

So it has been seven days since this Good News that Jesus has risen. Has it sunken in yet? Have you gotten over the excitement? Sometimes I think this reading should be read on Easter Sunday rather than seven days after the News that Jesus has risen. I do believe that it is Good to have God’s news and the immediate shock of seeing Jesus and having him identify the people he was close to see that he is indeed alive. It gives us the chance to be shocked as well. It gives us all the chance to experience the tomb being empty as the new beginning.

I also think that today is an important day for reading, maybe even on Easter morning. I believe it is important because we need to look at where the disciples are and what is their situation. So let’s do that this morning; let’s look at their situation. These 11 are sitting in a room and the door is locked. It is closed up; nothing gets in and nothing gets out. I wonder what that is all about? Several theologians have some ideas about the door being shut and I agree with their arguments.

The first one goes like this: They are locked in the room because they hung out with Jesus. They were Jesus disciples. They know all that Jesus taught and so they will carry on the teachings of Jesus. Remember, Jesus spoke out against the Pharisees and Sadduccees. He went around teaching that God is the one who makes people clean. He taught that the traditions that the leaders of the day were teaching was not according to God’s will. He taught that God’s forgiveness was offered to all who sought it; yes, there was God’s judgment but Jesus taught that it was never too late to seek and give forgiveness. Jesus went into the world proclaiming the Word of God. Basically, he was saying that God goes beyond a temple. Jesus taught all these things so there might be the fear, on the disciples part, that they would be sought out and they would be next to endure what happened to Jesus. You know, it’s the “Oh no! I am going to be next” thought.

Then there is this thought: After all that Jesus taught these 11 people, after all they had been through together – I mean, they saw Jesus heal, sit and eat with the unclean. Jesus taught them about God and God’s grace and mercy. They got to see, firsthand, the Son of God going into the world and doing all things that I just spoke of; they were witnesses to the power and Glory of God. They received the New Commandment to “love one another as I have loved you – after all that, when it came to the most difficult part of Jesus’ arrest what did they do? They scattered. They took off and left Jesus to fend for himself. Peter, who said he would never deny Jesus, did exactly what he said he would not do. Sure he followed but when it came to people noticing who he was, he swore an oath that he didn’t know Jesus. So, they could have been locked in this room, not out of fear, but out of shame. Shame for falling short with the Son of God.

Whatever reason they are locked up tight, there is one thing that is certain. Jesus comes to them. There are no doors that can locked or unlocked that keeps Jesus out of this room. There is nothing that Keeps Jesus from coming to them. Not only does he come to them, but he brings them peace. He brings God’s peace upon a room full of people that may have felt guilt or shame for their actions of fleeing. He brings God’s peace to a room full of people that might be in fear of being next to suffer the same fate as their beloved teacher. He brings God’s peace to once again be with those who knew him best, who listened to him, questioned him about God, followed his sending them out into the world by twos to proclaim the love and healing power of God.

I think we can relate to these disciples. I am sure that we have all had times in our lives where we were afraid, scared, or felt guilt from something that we said or did. Our lives are not perfect, which may come as a shock to some; we do make mistakes and sometimes we do things that are intentional. More clearly there are times when we put our wants and desires before considering others. There are times when we have to make tough decisions that are not popular; that may happen in our personal lives, in our jobs, and sometimes in our social lives. We may feel the guilt of feeling happy because we get to keep our job while a friend lost theirs. We may feel scared that our job may be next. Marriages may need to end because of abuse or neglect and there can be the double whammy of shame and guilt.

These are things that make us want to be like the disciples; we might want to lock that door to where no one can get in or out. It might be like a room where the only light that gets in is from a flashlight or candle. These feelings of fear and/or guilt can make us want to be lost or not visible to the world or to God.

But the Good News is that God still comes in that door. A door cannot keep Jesus, the Son of God, from coming into the room to offer us all the same peace that was offered to the disciples. It is that peace that with God, forgiveness, mercy, and love are possible and they are real. They are real because Jesus shows us that they are real. They are real in that Jesus comes to them to bring them peace and show them the scars that he endured through his crucifixion; and despite those nail wounds and the sword piercing his side, that God still offers new life to the disciples and TO US! Those scars don’t disappear, but because of Jesus on the cross and because of his resurrection, God shows us that the scars are not what define us but it is that mercy and love that God shows us and commands us to share with one another that help define us as children of the living and loving God.

I was speaking with someone this week about a friend who was invited to come to church. As he invited the person, the reason for not coming to church was that “I will come to church when I take it seriously.” When questioned as to what that means the friend explained that he still drinks and curses…Obviously he has not heard of the Lutheran Pastor Naida Bolz-Webber who wrote a book about how she curses and yet God called her to a thriving ministry. This person has not heard of a Lutheran Pastor who was a sailor and has seen some of the worst things that humans can do horrible things to one another…such as teenagers killing other teenagers for shoes.

This is not to put that person down. It is to show that we all do things that we may not want God to see. But God comes to us and is just waiting for us to ask God to be part of our lives. God’s message is to NOT let fear and guilt rule our lives. Let the Good News of the resurrected Christ and the teachings of Jesus define who we are and how we act as children of God.

I think this reading may just be in the right place. The excitement of finding the tomb empty may have long gone with the passing of the week. But my hope and prayer is that today’s Gospel sustains you in knowing that God is always there with us; in our good times as well as our worst times and may we all be comforted in knowing this.

Matthew 28: 1-10. God's Promises Kept

            Grace, mercy, and Peace to from God our Father and from our risen Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ: AMEN!

            It is a glorious day isn’t it? It does not matter what the weather; it does not matter if it is raining, snowing sleeting or sunny and warm it is a glorious day! Anybody care to guess why? Call it out loud; of course, because it is Easter.
            We spent the last 40 days leading up to this moment. We got our Ashes on Ash Wednesday, how appropriately named, and we began to follow Jesus; knowing that it was going to lead us to the place that some of us may not want it to lead. Jesus’ journey takes us into Jerusalem where he shares his last meal with the disciples and gives them the Good News that this is my body and blood given for you and he commands them to “do this in remembrance of me.” This past Thursday evening was the night where we were called to that upper room and share the body and blood of Jesus, the Son of God.
            It was in the act of that meal that we digest the gifts and blessings that Jesus taught and acted out in his words and actions and they are passed on to us. It was on that Good Friday where Jesus paid the ultimate price for our sin. He sacrificed himself on the cross for you and for me so that we would know that we are broken; that we make mistakes. We say and do things that hurt ourselves and one another. Jesus shows us that in that brokenness, there is still hope. Because of Jesus sacrifice on the cross there is hope, mercy, redemption, and forgiveness from almighty God.

            We know this because, just three short days later, we all wake up to find that the tomb is empty. Jesus who hung on the cross, was humiliated while hanging there is not where he was laid. There was a major earthquake when the two Mary’s got there. The angel came and told them that the Jesus they knew was gone. Not that the body was taken, but that he had been raised! He invited them to come and see that the Lord is no longer a lifeless body in a tomb BUT THAT HE IS ALIVE! For that we can say ALLELUJAH! It is, indeed something to celebrate! Then the angel tells them to “go quickly and tell his disciples.” They did not waste any time either. They got the word and they were off; no questions, no decisions to be made; they just went.

            Today is a glorious and blessed day because there is one thing that is certain on this day that the Lord has been raised; and that certainty is that God keeps God’s promises. God, through Jesus, foretold of the day that he would be handed over. He does this three times; and each of those times he tells how “the Son of man will be raised in three days.” Today, we see that keeps that promises in the raising of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
            We live in a world where promises are made and not often kept. We live in a world where products are sold with claims to make our lives better, machines to make lives easier, and sometimes people tell us what we want to hear. Today, we read, hear, and are witnesses to the empty tomb. We are witnesses to the promise of God that Jesus has been raised.
            In this promise of God, there is so much more than just a raising of a dead person. In this promise is the fact that God so loves each and every one of us that God sacrificed God’s only Son on the cross for you and for me. In this promise is that despite our brokenness and making mistakes, or doing something to hurt ourselves or someone else, God tells us that we are all valuable and that asking or giving forgiveness as always a possibility. In this promise is the fact that we are SO loved that God will not let death have the last word; in fact, God promises life eternal to all who seek it in living out God’s love for us by sharing God’s love, grace, and mercy with one another.
            Today is the day when God’s promises come to us in the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. It is not the only day that this promise comes to us, because it is in this Gospel of Matthew where Jesus tells us to “remember, I am with you until the end of the age.” God’s promises come to us each and every day.
            So now, that we know God’s promises are true and will last forever, because of this Easter Day. It is fair to say that this day is the new beginning for us in our lives as followers of Jesus Christ and as disciples of the living God. So how are we going to live out God’s promises in our everyday lives? How are we going to celebrate the new life we all have in the risen Christ?
AMEN!