3rd Sunday Easter
Luke. 24:13-35
"Eye Openers"
13* That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,
14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.
15* While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.
16* But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
17* And he said to them, “What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad.
18* Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19* And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
20* and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.
21* But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened.
22* Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning
23 and did not find his body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.
24* Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see.”
25* And he said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26* Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
27* And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
28* So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further,
29* but they constrained him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them.
30* When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them.
31* And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32* They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?”
33* And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them,
34* who said, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. RSV
Grace and peace to you from our risen saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. amen
Our gospel lesson this, morning is the well known story of the two followers of Jesus who journey to Emmaus on Easter evening discussing the events of the 3 previous days. As one reads this lesson, one is struck with how different moods are in this .story.
In the beginning of story, the mood of these two men is one of being downcast and of being in despair. When the stranger approaches them and asks them what they are talking about, the text says they stand still, and,looking sad they explain to this stranger what has happened. These men were sad because of friend of theirs, Jesus ~ Nazareth had been crucified and lay moldering in a tomb, they believed.
'They were sad because they believed this man was a special person; one who might have come from God. I imagine they thought about all the miracles Jesus did, all the people he healed, all the perplexing ,questions he confronted the scribes and pharisees with, all the statement he made about being the Son of Man. They were sad because they had traveled with this man for some 3years, they got to know.. him real well. They saw him cry when a mutual. friend Lazarus ,died.
They saw him enjoy himself at a party for a bride and groom. He even made more wine for the party so that the groom would not be feel bad because he had not planned ahead for so many people. 'They saw him become angry, with a righteous angry at the deplorable things that were going on in the temple in God's name. He.became so angry at all the corruption, that he threw over tables and chased out those who were cheating the people. Yes, these men were sad because their friend who they had come to know real well was dead, they would not have his friendship any longer.
They were sad because they had heard some confusing news as they were ready to leave Jerusalem that morning Some news that the body cf their friend, Jesus, was
missing from the grave. They were .sad because they could not understand who would want to take his body, for what purpose. Yes these men were sad, so sad in fact that they walked slowly, with heads bowed down, with their eyes looking down, walking in a hunched over position, like they were carrying all the weight o the world on their shoulders. .
As they talked to this stranger who approaches them out of what seems to be no where, this stranger can sense in their conversation a sense of despair,
especially when they say, "But we had hoped' that he was the one to redeem Israel." 'These two men were in a state of despair, because they had hopes dreams for this leader, this friend of, theirs. They had hoped they had dared to. believe, this might be one man to bring their nation out of slavery, out of bondage, out of the hands of the Romans. They believed this might be the man to restore to the nation of Israel to its own destiny. They had hoped he would be the Messiah, the one whom they had been waiting for,to come from God for years, for centuries. But, after they saw him die. on the cross, after they helped put him in the tomb, after they saw the large boulder rolled in front of the opening to the tomb, all of these hopes, all of these dreams were dashed to bits, dashed to pieces.So yes they were in a state of despair, in a state of hopelessness.
This stranger who walked with these two men, could see their sadness, feel their despair, could sense in their conversation their.hopelessness, their sense of failure, their confusion, their grief about their friend, this Jesus of Nazareth.
Then this stranger begin to..talk he tells them they are foolish, because they don't understand about the-ways of God that was. explained in Moses and the prophets. He tells them that the Christ, the Messiah, should suffer all of these things because that. was the only way he could enter into his glory. He explains the plan of salvation that God laid out in scripture, which is the Old Testament. He.explains I would imagine, that all was not lost, there is still hope. He must have done a convincing job, because when they drew near to the village, the two me ask this stranger to stay with them to stay and have supper and to stay with them the
night.
Their mood of sadness and despair were changing because of this man and what he had said to them. they wanted more, they wanted to understand more about what
he was talking about. So they asked him to stay.
Then it happened They went into an inn to eat supper, they sat down together, and Jesus taking the common ordinary elements of most meals into his hands bread and wine, broke the bread and was ready to bless the wine, when these two men discovered who He was, their friend, Jesus. Their eyes had been opened. They would now see. Jesus had broken bread gave it to them and now they could see. The text says that they could now even understand all he was telling them as they walked with him. Their mood changed from one of sadness and despair, to one of joy, to one of hopefulness, to one of excitement, to one of amazement, to one of excitement. The text said they arose that same hour and. went back to' Jerusalem. I imagine they didn't walk, back slowly, with heads bowed and eyes fixed upon the ground, they walked, almost ran back to tell their other friends about what had happed,to tell the others that Jesus had risen, that Jesus had done what he promised. They went' back with a complete different mood. They were now happy, they were excited, they were hopeful.about the future, they knew they were no longer alone, their friend, their teacher their Saviour was alive and with them. They were now excited, happy and amazed. .They had their eyes opened
Our eyes can be opened too. When come to worship with all brokenness of this world shutting our eyes to 'God's love, we .can come here to have them opened, to see again his great love for us. Many of us enter God's house with the same kind of sadness and despair that the men who walked the Emmaus way did. We are sad because of grief, pain, hurts, broken relationships that we encounter everyday in our lives. We come in a state of despair because of our failure to live up to our own expectations or those of others. We come in despair because life has not gone the way we wanted, or the way we expected. We come with all the weight of the world on us, not fully knowing if we can bear up or if we want to bear up.
To all of this Jesus comes to us through the scripture and explains to. us each Sunday that he is our God, he is the one who suffered and can release us from our burdens, can help us carry our loads, can lead us down the path of life. He opens our eyes to the miracle of Easter that says he is risen for us, he is. with us, we are not alone in this world, but we have a Saviour who walk with us, who cares about us who loves us very much.
Yes, Jesus opens our eyes, puts a burning feeling in our hearts as we listen to his words and the stories about him each time we come to, his house to worship him.
But he doesn't stop there. He comes to us in a meal like he came to the men at the inn in Emmaus. He comes to. us with the breaking of bread and drinking wine assuring us that he is risen that he has conquered death, that he is with us, that he is in our very bodies and souls.
As we come to eat and drink this- morning, Jesus is opening our eyes to his presence with us, he is showing us in a very dramatic way, in a very physical way that he is the risen lord of our lives'. Jesus is opening our eyes this morning-to the reality of the resurrection. He is changing our moods .from the sadness and despair of' this world, to the joy and excitement that we have a, risen Lord who cares I loves and comforts his children with not only his words but with his very presence. Today we encounter
,our Saviour who brings joy and love into our lives.
He comes and tells us and shows us we.are not alone, we have him, we heed his invitation to participate in this meal, to partake of his presence, to partake of his 'body to drink his blood, to take his very being into our bodies and souls. We 'take him with us 'into our everyday world, to take him with us into our reality of pain, suffering, guilt, broken relationships and our hurts and to our sorrow.Yes our eyes are open this morning to the .excitement ,of the risen Lord in our lives.
Jesus comes to us this morning and assures us he is our risen lord, he is with us in our everyday world, he is the lord of our everyday life.
amen
Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Easter Sermon
Easter Sunday
Matthew 28:1-10
It is Easter today, and next Sunday
1* ¶ Now after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher.
2* And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it.
3* His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.
4* And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.
5* But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
6* He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.
7* Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Lo, I have told you."
8* So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
9* And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Hail!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.
10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the risen Christ. Amen
' A preacher was telling the story about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ to a group of children. He asked, "What did Jesus say when he came forth from the grave"? He was trying to make the point that he didn't need to say anything, that his wondrous miracle said more than words could ever say. A young lady however insisted that she knew what Jesus said. The preacher finally asked her to tell him what Jesus said. She smiled widely and said, "Ta Dah!"
Now I don't know that Jesus actually said, if anything at all, but from a human standpoint I can imagine the excitement of just defying death and just perhaps Jesus doing something like that, (in part because I believe that Jesus had a human side as well as a sense of humor).
We are entering into a time of the year at which most of the religious world celebrates "Easter". It might surprise some of you to know that our church doesn't do that. I know that it is hard for you to imagine someone claiming to be a Christian and yet not celebrating this very special day. Yet for us, it is no different than any other Sunday.
You see, the Bible tells us to come together the first day of each week to worship God. The early church did just that, Jesus told the early church to remember his death, burial and resurrection through the partaking of "The Lord's Supper" or "Communion" whenever they met that way, (Matthew 26:26-29). The early church is seen coming together on the first day of every week to "break bread" or to partake of the Lord's Supper, (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 11:23-30, 16:1-2).
In other words, we don't need one special Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of the "Savior of the World". We do it each and every "First day of the Week", every "Sunday". I know that some of you may ask the question, "Won't doing that make it something that is no longer special? My answer is no, not at all, it is a continual reminder of the sacrifice Christ on our behalf. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:26, "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he comes." Not only his death, but his resurrection, because that is part of what the Gospel is all about, (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
I don't know about you, but remembering "The Great Ta Dah" every week is great thing and a great comfort to me. My prayer is that you will see past the "pomp and circumstance" that so many heap upon this one special day of the year and understand that it is something you can participate in every Sunday with the same sense of awe.' (1)
This is Easter Sunday the special day that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, but at the same time it is like any other Sunday as each Sunday we come to this place to celebrate the risen Lord. For each Sunday is special in that regard. The first day of the week we come to celebrate the resurrection, the good news of the gospel that Jesus Christ as risen from the dead. For that is the good news we proclaim each Sunday. There is no other reason for us to gather together than that good news of the gospel that Jesus broke the bond of death and gives to each one who believes in him the hope and the power of the resurrection.
We celebrate that TA Dah power of the resurrection each time we come here to worship. Today is special because it is Easter Sunday, but it not very much different from nest Sunday and the next and the next. The Ta Dah moment of Jesus resurrection is the only reason we come to worship each Sunday. The glorious good news of the gospel is celebrate each Sunday in a different message but with the same proclamation of the good news that Jesus Christ has risen.
Jesus Christ has risen. He has risen indeed.
Can you imagine what was going on the depth of hell as Jesus lay on that stone bed on Saturday following Good Friday? Can you imagine what the devil was saying to Captain Sepulcher as they try to hod Jesus in the bond of death.
Listen: I hear terrible Captain Sepulcher and his standard bearer Corruption talking over the situation on the night that Jesus Christ was buried.
Listen: Corruption says to Sepulcher,"Hold fast to that Man in Joseph's tomb. There is a rumor that He proposes to break forth, break out from the grave; do not let Him go until I can securely lay a hold of Him.
But Corruption fails to touch Him during all those hours in the tomb.
Listen: Hell cries out, "Hold fast to that Man. Hold Him, if he comes out He will make a hole in the walls of death through which all prisoners of Hell will escape. Hold him Captain Sepulcher, if you let this man go, you are not Satan's friend.
Listen: I hear the seal break, I hear the watch of death slip away ! I hear the grip of death breaking it's hold. I hear the door of the tomb open.
Listen: I hear terrible Captain Sepulcher try to tighten his grip upon this man, but he cries out in vain, "I cannot hold him, I cannot hold him. "
Listen: I hear a rustling, a moving, I hear the sounds of new life, I hear the sounds of death moved aside for the eternal sounds of life, wholeness. I hear the sounds of the Easter Resurrection, I hear, I see, I am convinced that Jesus is alive !!
JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN.....HE IS RISEN INDEED!!
Captain Sepulcher and the death could not hold Jesus that Saturday night. He broke the bonds of death and rose that Easter morning just as he said he would.
Jesus rose and we celebrate that fact each Sunday when we come and worship. There is no other reason for us to worship than to celebrate the fact that Jesus broke the bond of death that Captain Sepulcher could not hold him in that tomb. Jesus broke that grip and tells us that we too an break the bond of death in our lives.
We become changed people because of Easter resurrection. Because of the resurrection we no longer fear death but wait for the reward of eternity that Jesus gave to us through his resurrection.
We are like the butterfly in the following:
Two butterflies - colorful and majestic monarchs - sat side by side on a tree limb. Beside them was the ruptured cocoon from which they'd just emerged. "Come fly with me," said the one.
"Caterpillars can't fly,"said the other.
"But we're not caterpillars anymore," said the first, flexing his new wings, stretching then their full span till they looked like magnificently crafted stained glass windows.
"Those caterpillar days are gone forever."
"Don't be silly," said the other. "We were born caterpillars and we'll always be caterpillars. That's the way it is."
"Well, then, why did the Maker see fit to give us there wings?" said the one.
The other butterfly thought for a moment and then replied,"I don't know. Some sort of cruel joke, I suppose. He did the same thing to the ostrich, you know."
"Nonsense!" said the first. "Look at all the other butterflies. They're fly-ing. What do you say to that?"
The second butterfly looked out over the meadow and said, "They're not flying. they're just being blown about by the wind. Stupid of them,too. Can't they see it's dangerous? Easy prey for hungry birds and, when they land, mischievous children as well. I'll stick to crawling and climbing, thank you very much. It may be slow, but it's safe and sure."
"it may be slow and safe and sure but it's.....well, it's unnatural. Butterflies fly!!!
That's the way the maker made us. That's our role, our function, our fit: to dance on the wings of the air; to play tag with dandelions seeds; to soar; to dart; to float; to light on a single blade of grass to the delight of all who see;to inspire awe and wonder; to fascinate; to add a note of grace to this world's dreary song." (2)
In a sense we were born to be caterpillars, to crawl upon th earth, but through the power of the resurrection, we become like that butterfly free to fly, free to be all that God intended us to be. Through the resurrection we celebrate each Sunday, we become changed people, people who are free from the bonds of death, free to feel the power of the resurrection in our lives.
Each time to come here to celebrate the resurrection, each time we come here to partake in the bread and wine, we feel for a moment, a brief moment the power of the resurrection in our lives. For it is here we receive a foretaste, nibble of what the resurrection will be like when we leave this earth and join Jesus in the heavenly mansions.
Each time we come here to celebrate the resurrection, each time we hear the word proclaimed, we have that foretaste of what the resurrection will be like.
We are butterfly people, people flying in the hope and the assurance of the resurrection to come as we believe in the power of Jesus resurrection.
"An elderly woman made her living selling artificial fruit. One day a customer complained the fruit she sold was not realistic enough. She pointed to an apple, saying it was too red, too round, and too big to be a real apple. At that point the artificial fruit lady picked up the apple and proceeded to eat it.
Jesus is the real McCoy. He really did rise from the grave. He is alive. He is listening to our prayers. He is always open for business when that business deals with the human heart in need of a shepherd's guidance and love.
George Bernard Shaw, the famous playwright, was handed a newly written play by a fledgling playwright. Shaw was asked to give the young man a criticism of his work a few days later. "How do you like it?" asked the author. "I fell asleep reading it," said Shaw. "Sleep is my comment on your work."
No one fell asleep or yawned that night when the Prince of Peace, the Prince of Power and the Lord of Love appeared in their midst. Christianity is real. Christianity is alive. Christianity is anything but boring. Let us all wake up and smell the roses. Let us resolve to live our lives as if Jesus were a guest in our homes, workplaces and businesses. The truth is that the Lord is here, there, and everywhere. He is alive. His is our Risen Lord to whom we offer our discipleship with love.
The song goes, "They'll know we are Christians by our love." Let us be about our Father's business as we serve him with joy. Let us show and tell others the good news of the gospel.
It is God to whom and with whom we travel, and while He is the End of our journey, He is also at every stopping place. "(3)
It is Easter today and next Sunday and the next and the next!
Jesus Christ is risen, He is risen indeed.
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale March 17, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1) Russ Lawson
Messages From The Heart (http://www.mfth.net)
from thought for the day
(2) Mark Radecke in "In Chirst: A New Creation"
(3) Elisabeth Elliot from Living Life God's Way
"You can't always beat what is difficult in your life. Sometimes you have to let it win and shout hallelujah anyhow."
Bebe More Campbell
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"You can't always beat what is difficult in your life. Sometimes you have to let it win and shout hallelujah anyhow."
Bebe More Campbell
Matthew 28:1-10
It is Easter today, and next Sunday
1* ¶ Now after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher.
2* And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it.
3* His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.
4* And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.
5* But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
6* He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.
7* Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Lo, I have told you."
8* So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
9* And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Hail!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.
10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the risen Christ. Amen
' A preacher was telling the story about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ to a group of children. He asked, "What did Jesus say when he came forth from the grave"? He was trying to make the point that he didn't need to say anything, that his wondrous miracle said more than words could ever say. A young lady however insisted that she knew what Jesus said. The preacher finally asked her to tell him what Jesus said. She smiled widely and said, "Ta Dah!"
Now I don't know that Jesus actually said, if anything at all, but from a human standpoint I can imagine the excitement of just defying death and just perhaps Jesus doing something like that, (in part because I believe that Jesus had a human side as well as a sense of humor).
We are entering into a time of the year at which most of the religious world celebrates "Easter". It might surprise some of you to know that our church doesn't do that. I know that it is hard for you to imagine someone claiming to be a Christian and yet not celebrating this very special day. Yet for us, it is no different than any other Sunday.
You see, the Bible tells us to come together the first day of each week to worship God. The early church did just that, Jesus told the early church to remember his death, burial and resurrection through the partaking of "The Lord's Supper" or "Communion" whenever they met that way, (Matthew 26:26-29). The early church is seen coming together on the first day of every week to "break bread" or to partake of the Lord's Supper, (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 11:23-30, 16:1-2).
In other words, we don't need one special Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of the "Savior of the World". We do it each and every "First day of the Week", every "Sunday". I know that some of you may ask the question, "Won't doing that make it something that is no longer special? My answer is no, not at all, it is a continual reminder of the sacrifice Christ on our behalf. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:26, "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he comes." Not only his death, but his resurrection, because that is part of what the Gospel is all about, (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
I don't know about you, but remembering "The Great Ta Dah" every week is great thing and a great comfort to me. My prayer is that you will see past the "pomp and circumstance" that so many heap upon this one special day of the year and understand that it is something you can participate in every Sunday with the same sense of awe.' (1)
This is Easter Sunday the special day that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, but at the same time it is like any other Sunday as each Sunday we come to this place to celebrate the risen Lord. For each Sunday is special in that regard. The first day of the week we come to celebrate the resurrection, the good news of the gospel that Jesus Christ as risen from the dead. For that is the good news we proclaim each Sunday. There is no other reason for us to gather together than that good news of the gospel that Jesus broke the bond of death and gives to each one who believes in him the hope and the power of the resurrection.
We celebrate that TA Dah power of the resurrection each time we come here to worship. Today is special because it is Easter Sunday, but it not very much different from nest Sunday and the next and the next. The Ta Dah moment of Jesus resurrection is the only reason we come to worship each Sunday. The glorious good news of the gospel is celebrate each Sunday in a different message but with the same proclamation of the good news that Jesus Christ has risen.
Jesus Christ has risen. He has risen indeed.
Can you imagine what was going on the depth of hell as Jesus lay on that stone bed on Saturday following Good Friday? Can you imagine what the devil was saying to Captain Sepulcher as they try to hod Jesus in the bond of death.
Listen: I hear terrible Captain Sepulcher and his standard bearer Corruption talking over the situation on the night that Jesus Christ was buried.
Listen: Corruption says to Sepulcher,"Hold fast to that Man in Joseph's tomb. There is a rumor that He proposes to break forth, break out from the grave; do not let Him go until I can securely lay a hold of Him.
But Corruption fails to touch Him during all those hours in the tomb.
Listen: Hell cries out, "Hold fast to that Man. Hold Him, if he comes out He will make a hole in the walls of death through which all prisoners of Hell will escape. Hold him Captain Sepulcher, if you let this man go, you are not Satan's friend.
Listen: I hear the seal break, I hear the watch of death slip away ! I hear the grip of death breaking it's hold. I hear the door of the tomb open.
Listen: I hear terrible Captain Sepulcher try to tighten his grip upon this man, but he cries out in vain, "I cannot hold him, I cannot hold him. "
Listen: I hear a rustling, a moving, I hear the sounds of new life, I hear the sounds of death moved aside for the eternal sounds of life, wholeness. I hear the sounds of the Easter Resurrection, I hear, I see, I am convinced that Jesus is alive !!
JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN.....HE IS RISEN INDEED!!
Captain Sepulcher and the death could not hold Jesus that Saturday night. He broke the bonds of death and rose that Easter morning just as he said he would.
Jesus rose and we celebrate that fact each Sunday when we come and worship. There is no other reason for us to worship than to celebrate the fact that Jesus broke the bond of death that Captain Sepulcher could not hold him in that tomb. Jesus broke that grip and tells us that we too an break the bond of death in our lives.
We become changed people because of Easter resurrection. Because of the resurrection we no longer fear death but wait for the reward of eternity that Jesus gave to us through his resurrection.
We are like the butterfly in the following:
Two butterflies - colorful and majestic monarchs - sat side by side on a tree limb. Beside them was the ruptured cocoon from which they'd just emerged. "Come fly with me," said the one.
"Caterpillars can't fly,"said the other.
"But we're not caterpillars anymore," said the first, flexing his new wings, stretching then their full span till they looked like magnificently crafted stained glass windows.
"Those caterpillar days are gone forever."
"Don't be silly," said the other. "We were born caterpillars and we'll always be caterpillars. That's the way it is."
"Well, then, why did the Maker see fit to give us there wings?" said the one.
The other butterfly thought for a moment and then replied,"I don't know. Some sort of cruel joke, I suppose. He did the same thing to the ostrich, you know."
"Nonsense!" said the first. "Look at all the other butterflies. They're fly-ing. What do you say to that?"
The second butterfly looked out over the meadow and said, "They're not flying. they're just being blown about by the wind. Stupid of them,too. Can't they see it's dangerous? Easy prey for hungry birds and, when they land, mischievous children as well. I'll stick to crawling and climbing, thank you very much. It may be slow, but it's safe and sure."
"it may be slow and safe and sure but it's.....well, it's unnatural. Butterflies fly!!!
That's the way the maker made us. That's our role, our function, our fit: to dance on the wings of the air; to play tag with dandelions seeds; to soar; to dart; to float; to light on a single blade of grass to the delight of all who see;to inspire awe and wonder; to fascinate; to add a note of grace to this world's dreary song." (2)
In a sense we were born to be caterpillars, to crawl upon th earth, but through the power of the resurrection, we become like that butterfly free to fly, free to be all that God intended us to be. Through the resurrection we celebrate each Sunday, we become changed people, people who are free from the bonds of death, free to feel the power of the resurrection in our lives.
Each time to come here to celebrate the resurrection, each time we come here to partake in the bread and wine, we feel for a moment, a brief moment the power of the resurrection in our lives. For it is here we receive a foretaste, nibble of what the resurrection will be like when we leave this earth and join Jesus in the heavenly mansions.
Each time we come here to celebrate the resurrection, each time we hear the word proclaimed, we have that foretaste of what the resurrection will be like.
We are butterfly people, people flying in the hope and the assurance of the resurrection to come as we believe in the power of Jesus resurrection.
"An elderly woman made her living selling artificial fruit. One day a customer complained the fruit she sold was not realistic enough. She pointed to an apple, saying it was too red, too round, and too big to be a real apple. At that point the artificial fruit lady picked up the apple and proceeded to eat it.
Jesus is the real McCoy. He really did rise from the grave. He is alive. He is listening to our prayers. He is always open for business when that business deals with the human heart in need of a shepherd's guidance and love.
George Bernard Shaw, the famous playwright, was handed a newly written play by a fledgling playwright. Shaw was asked to give the young man a criticism of his work a few days later. "How do you like it?" asked the author. "I fell asleep reading it," said Shaw. "Sleep is my comment on your work."
No one fell asleep or yawned that night when the Prince of Peace, the Prince of Power and the Lord of Love appeared in their midst. Christianity is real. Christianity is alive. Christianity is anything but boring. Let us all wake up and smell the roses. Let us resolve to live our lives as if Jesus were a guest in our homes, workplaces and businesses. The truth is that the Lord is here, there, and everywhere. He is alive. His is our Risen Lord to whom we offer our discipleship with love.
The song goes, "They'll know we are Christians by our love." Let us be about our Father's business as we serve him with joy. Let us show and tell others the good news of the gospel.
It is God to whom and with whom we travel, and while He is the End of our journey, He is also at every stopping place. "(3)
It is Easter today and next Sunday and the next and the next!
Jesus Christ is risen, He is risen indeed.
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale March 17, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1) Russ Lawson
Messages From The Heart (http://www.mfth.net)
from thought for the day
(2) Mark Radecke in "In Chirst: A New Creation"
(3) Elisabeth Elliot from Living Life God's Way
"You can't always beat what is difficult in your life. Sometimes you have to let it win and shout hallelujah anyhow."
Bebe More Campbell
Home pages
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main sermon and illustration page
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St Olaf Lutheran Church Fort Dodge (where I am a member)
Join my yahoo group
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"You can't always beat what is difficult in your life. Sometimes you have to let it win and shout hallelujah anyhow."
Bebe More Campbell
Monday, February 11, 2008
2nd Sunday in Lent Sermon
Second Sunday in Lent
John 3:1-17
"The crib and the Cross were both made of Wood"
3:1* ¶ Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2* This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”
3* Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4* Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5* Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6* That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’
8* The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit.”
9* Nicodemus said to him, “How can this be?”
10* Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?
11* Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.
12* If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13* No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.
14* And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,
15* that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
16* For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17* For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
Our gospel lesson this morning is the well known story of Nicodemus and being born again. It is a passage of scripture that has been troubling many for years. What does it mean to be born again?
But today we are going to side step that question of being born again and concentrate on the last 4 verse of this gospel lesson where the text says: 14* And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,
15* that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
16* For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17* For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
These verses are the gospel of Jesus Christ in a nutshell. It speaks about the cross and the resurrection. As we are in the Lenten season it is fitting that we focus our attention this morning on the cross of Christ.
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness to protect the nation of Israel, so Jesus will be lifted up on a cross to bring salvation to the world.
I would like to tell you the story about three trees and how God used them to bring salvation to the world.
The Legend of the Three Trees
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone w ill feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down."
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.
The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.
Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill.
But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had
changed everything. It had made the third tree strong.
And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.
God used three trees to bring his salvation into this world. The tree of the manger, the tree of the boat, and the tree of the cross.The tree of the manger was proud that the birth of the king of kings was with him and the new born baby laid in his manger. The tree of the boat knew that Jesus was the king of kings when he calmed the waters even if the disciples did not know who Jesus actually was. And the third tree was the cross where Jesus hung to bring salvation into the world.
God used wood for his purposes. At the Conference Convention in Exiria, a banner hung from the church ceiling which caught my eye, it said, "The crib and the Cross both were made of wood," God gave through a tree both times, a tree was used to make the manger to bring the Christ child into this world, and a cross from a tree was made to take this Christ, this messiah from the world. The tree of God was also a giving tree. It gave life through the manger to the Son of God, and the Cross, the tree of death brought life life through the body and blood of Jesus, shed and given for our live, for our salvation, our eternal glory.
The Son of God was lifted up as Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness to give life to those who had been bitten. The cross, the symbol of death, came to be a symbol of life, the symbol of giving, the symbol of sacrifice, the symbol of true and gracious love. As you gaze at the cross before you today, do you see it as a symbol of life for you? Do you see it as the only way to your salvation? Do you see it as your cross, your only way to gain the salvation which is ours as God's children?
The crib and the cross were both made of wood is an apt phrase for us to dwell on today. The crib gave us Jesus the babe and the cross gave us Jesus the crucified and risen Lord. The wood of these two thing, the crib and the cross gave us God plan for salvation.
God was the great architect who designed the bridge for our freedom, but he not only designed it, he built it, and he built it out of materials that no one would of thought of, he built it out of a cross and the body and blood of his son He didn't ask anyone else to do the work, he kept it in the family, and then he shared the completed work with all people who would believe that he did the work, he shared it with all who would believe that the work was done for them. Yes, God used the cross of Calvary, the old rugged cross to build a bridge between himself and us.
As John says, '"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son." Gave his only son. God was willing to sacrifice part of himself, he was willing to give up his son to death, so that you and I could be liberated from the chains of death, so that you and I wouldn't be prisoners of death any longer, but we might be free people who have the freedom of God's love.
The crib and the cross were both made of wood reminds us of God's plan for salvation. God gave us his only son through the crib as he loved us enough to do that, but at the same time He used the wood of the cross to bring victory out of death. For Jesus hung on that cross for your and mine salvation.
Through the crib and the cross God gave salvation to us. He gave then and he continues to give now to use each time we repent and believe in the salvation which is ours through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God gave and continues to give.
I would like to close with a story about a tree that gave and gave as it reminds of the the giving tree of the cross.
From Shel Silverstein comes the following:
"The tree gives the little boy her apples to pick and her branches to climb. The boy and the tree love each other and are happy in their life together. As the boy grows older, however, his interest in the tree becomes less. The tree is very lonely until one day the boy returns as a young man. The tree offers her apples and branches, but the boy claims that he is too old to climb and play. He is more interested in money.
'Can't you give me some money?' he asks the tree.
The tree has not money, but she does have apples. Why doesn't the boy pick the apples and sell them then he will be happy. The boy picks the apples and sells them, then he will be happy. The boy does this and the tree is happy. But then the boy stays away an even longer time and the tree is sad.
Years later the boy returns. The tree is overwhelmed with joy as she invite the boy to swing from her branches. But the boy is too busy to play. What he really wants is his own family and a house to keep him warm.
Can the tree give him a house? No, but the boy can cut her branches and build a house with them, suggests the tree; then he will be happy. The boy does this and the tree is happy.
Many years pass before the boy, now middle-aged returns. The tree, overjoyed, invites the boy to play. But now the boy is too old to play. all he wants is a boat which will take him far away. 'Can you give me a boat?' the tree invites the boy to cut down her trunk and make a boat so he can be happy. The boy does this, and the tree is happy--but not really, for now only a bare stump remains.
When, years late, the boy returns, he is hunched-over, old man. The tree apologizes for having nothing to offer any longer, no more apples to eat or branches to climb, only an old stump.
But the old man says his teeth are too weak for apples, and he is too old to climb. All he needs is a quiet place to sit and rest for he is very tired.
'Well,' says the tree, straightening herself up as much as she can, 'an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, boy sit down, sit down and rest.' And the boy does. The tree is very happy."
The tree gave and gave as the crib and the cross of Christ gives and gives today.
The crib and the cross were both made of wood.
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale February 11, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
John 3:1-17
"The crib and the Cross were both made of Wood"
3:1* ¶ Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2* This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”
3* Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4* Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5* Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6* That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’
8* The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit.”
9* Nicodemus said to him, “How can this be?”
10* Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?
11* Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.
12* If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13* No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.
14* And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,
15* that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
16* For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17* For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
Our gospel lesson this morning is the well known story of Nicodemus and being born again. It is a passage of scripture that has been troubling many for years. What does it mean to be born again?
But today we are going to side step that question of being born again and concentrate on the last 4 verse of this gospel lesson where the text says: 14* And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,
15* that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
16* For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17* For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
These verses are the gospel of Jesus Christ in a nutshell. It speaks about the cross and the resurrection. As we are in the Lenten season it is fitting that we focus our attention this morning on the cross of Christ.
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness to protect the nation of Israel, so Jesus will be lifted up on a cross to bring salvation to the world.
I would like to tell you the story about three trees and how God used them to bring salvation to the world.
The Legend of the Three Trees
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone w ill feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down."
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.
The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.
Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill.
But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had
changed everything. It had made the third tree strong.
And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.
God used three trees to bring his salvation into this world. The tree of the manger, the tree of the boat, and the tree of the cross.The tree of the manger was proud that the birth of the king of kings was with him and the new born baby laid in his manger. The tree of the boat knew that Jesus was the king of kings when he calmed the waters even if the disciples did not know who Jesus actually was. And the third tree was the cross where Jesus hung to bring salvation into the world.
God used wood for his purposes. At the Conference Convention in Exiria, a banner hung from the church ceiling which caught my eye, it said, "The crib and the Cross both were made of wood," God gave through a tree both times, a tree was used to make the manger to bring the Christ child into this world, and a cross from a tree was made to take this Christ, this messiah from the world. The tree of God was also a giving tree. It gave life through the manger to the Son of God, and the Cross, the tree of death brought life life through the body and blood of Jesus, shed and given for our live, for our salvation, our eternal glory.
The Son of God was lifted up as Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness to give life to those who had been bitten. The cross, the symbol of death, came to be a symbol of life, the symbol of giving, the symbol of sacrifice, the symbol of true and gracious love. As you gaze at the cross before you today, do you see it as a symbol of life for you? Do you see it as the only way to your salvation? Do you see it as your cross, your only way to gain the salvation which is ours as God's children?
The crib and the cross were both made of wood is an apt phrase for us to dwell on today. The crib gave us Jesus the babe and the cross gave us Jesus the crucified and risen Lord. The wood of these two thing, the crib and the cross gave us God plan for salvation.
God was the great architect who designed the bridge for our freedom, but he not only designed it, he built it, and he built it out of materials that no one would of thought of, he built it out of a cross and the body and blood of his son He didn't ask anyone else to do the work, he kept it in the family, and then he shared the completed work with all people who would believe that he did the work, he shared it with all who would believe that the work was done for them. Yes, God used the cross of Calvary, the old rugged cross to build a bridge between himself and us.
As John says, '"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son." Gave his only son. God was willing to sacrifice part of himself, he was willing to give up his son to death, so that you and I could be liberated from the chains of death, so that you and I wouldn't be prisoners of death any longer, but we might be free people who have the freedom of God's love.
The crib and the cross were both made of wood reminds us of God's plan for salvation. God gave us his only son through the crib as he loved us enough to do that, but at the same time He used the wood of the cross to bring victory out of death. For Jesus hung on that cross for your and mine salvation.
Through the crib and the cross God gave salvation to us. He gave then and he continues to give now to use each time we repent and believe in the salvation which is ours through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God gave and continues to give.
I would like to close with a story about a tree that gave and gave as it reminds of the the giving tree of the cross.
From Shel Silverstein comes the following:
"The tree gives the little boy her apples to pick and her branches to climb. The boy and the tree love each other and are happy in their life together. As the boy grows older, however, his interest in the tree becomes less. The tree is very lonely until one day the boy returns as a young man. The tree offers her apples and branches, but the boy claims that he is too old to climb and play. He is more interested in money.
'Can't you give me some money?' he asks the tree.
The tree has not money, but she does have apples. Why doesn't the boy pick the apples and sell them then he will be happy. The boy picks the apples and sells them, then he will be happy. The boy does this and the tree is happy. But then the boy stays away an even longer time and the tree is sad.
Years later the boy returns. The tree is overwhelmed with joy as she invite the boy to swing from her branches. But the boy is too busy to play. What he really wants is his own family and a house to keep him warm.
Can the tree give him a house? No, but the boy can cut her branches and build a house with them, suggests the tree; then he will be happy. The boy does this and the tree is happy.
Many years pass before the boy, now middle-aged returns. The tree, overjoyed, invites the boy to play. But now the boy is too old to play. all he wants is a boat which will take him far away. 'Can you give me a boat?' the tree invites the boy to cut down her trunk and make a boat so he can be happy. The boy does this, and the tree is happy--but not really, for now only a bare stump remains.
When, years late, the boy returns, he is hunched-over, old man. The tree apologizes for having nothing to offer any longer, no more apples to eat or branches to climb, only an old stump.
But the old man says his teeth are too weak for apples, and he is too old to climb. All he needs is a quiet place to sit and rest for he is very tired.
'Well,' says the tree, straightening herself up as much as she can, 'an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, boy sit down, sit down and rest.' And the boy does. The tree is very happy."
The tree gave and gave as the crib and the cross of Christ gives and gives today.
The crib and the cross were both made of wood.
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale February 11, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
Monday, February 4, 2008
1 Lent Sermon
1st Sunday in Lent
Matthew 4:1-11
"To be tempted"
"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'" Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! for it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him." Matthew 4:1-11, RSV.
Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the tempted Christ. Amen
A little boy was once forbidden by his mother to go swimming, but she permitted him to go out for a walk. When he came back, it was quite evident that he had disobeyed her and had gone in the water. When asked why, the little fellow answered,
"Well, Mother, I happened to have my swimming trunks with me, so I decided to go in."
As you can guess our gospel lesson this morning is about the temptation of Jesus. We are going to look at this word temptation this morning.
In our story at the beginning of the sermon, the boy planned to be tempted by the water as he had his swimming trunks with him. So it was easy to give in to temptation as he found himself by the swimming hole. There he was standing by the water, trunks i hand. What was he going to do? He gave in and went swimming even though his mother told him not to.
We are all like that little boy. Sometimes we plan to be tempted, sometimes it just happens.
Guess who wrote the following about temptation:
"I often find I have the will to do good, but not the power. That is, I don't accomplish the good things that I set out to do, and the evil things that I don't want to do, I find I'm always doing. Yet, if I do the things that I don't really want to do, then it is not I, repeat, it is not I that do them, but it is my own nature in which I am a slave to sin and death. It's an agonizing situation, a constant conflicts and who on earth can free me from the clutches of my own sinful nature?" That was St. Paul writing to the Romans about his own struggle with sin.
Paul says it best. We are tempted to do sin or tempted not to do something. For sin is doing something wrong and as well as not doing something we should be doing. In our order of confession at the beginning of the service we say those things we have left undone to acknowledge those thing we should have done, but didn't do.
I think Paul said it best, sin is something that affects a person's whole being. It is not something that can be brushed off very easily. It doesn't work that way. You know it and I know it. Everyone of us labors under the terrible weight of guilt and sin. We feel guilty about the wrongs we have done, the hurts we have caused others, and at the same time, we feel guilty about those things we should have done, but didn't do. For example, maybe we needed to apologize to someone, but were too proud. Or, maybe, we couldn't express forgiveness to another, because of the hatred that filled our heart. Or maybe, it was the hurt we said to a loved one and after realizing what we had done, we couldn't or wouldn't say we were sorry. Or maybe we are guilty of not including the stranger, the new person to town in our circle of friends.
Temptation and sin are all around us. And temptations also has consequences for our lives.
A mother wrote:
When my daughter, Danna, was about three years old, she became fascinated with electrical outlets. One of her favorite activities was working the childproof cover off of the outlet and sticking various objects in it. I was not thrilled with this little game of hers, repeatedly taking her to the outlet and firmly warning, "No! No! It will hurt you!"
She would then look up at me with her beautiful brown eyes and dimpled smile. After several trips to the outlet I thought, "She's got it!" She did - for two whole days.
I was putting groceries away when I heard her scream from the family room. By the time I reached her, I found a sobbing toddler holding up a tiny burned finger for me to kiss and make better. Even at her young age, Danna had acquired a nugget of wisdom and has never touched an outlet again.
When we give in to temptation the result is always sin. Attached to that sin is the price tag of consequences. Every choice we make - every action that we take has consequences. We can learn from those consequences, hear the message God assigned to them and gain the wisdom that they hold(.1)
As we look at the temptations that Jesus faced we can see what the consequences were for him and us.
After Jesus had fasted for 40 days, the devil comes to him and says: "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."
The devil was hitting Jesus were it hurt. Jesus had just fasted for 40 days and was bound to be hungry. So the devil tells him to make these stones into bread.
That does not sound so evil. Making bread to eat. Making bread not just for himself, but for all the hungry of the world. That is not so bad is it?
The devil wanted to Jesus to upset the order of the creation. Sure Jesus did that when he healed people, or when he feed the 5000 with a loaf of bread and 2 fish, but this was not a necessary thing to do. the devil was tempting Jesus to take the easy road, to work outside the natural order of things, to become a hero to all the starving people of the world.
But Jesus said no to that, He said "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
Jesus is saying that there is more to live than this simple miracle. We are to live by the word of God. And that words says to each of us that we are to reach out an help our neighbor. We are to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to visit those in prison to bring a measure of grade into the brokenness of this world.
The consequences to the first temptation was for Jesus to do something outside the natural order of life. Don't plant seeds so they grow into wheat which can be made into flour which then can be baked into bread. No don't do that just change the stones into bread. And don't just make enough for you to eat Jesus, but for the whole world. The devil was asking Jesus to work outside of the natural order, the natural law that God set in motion when he created this world. If Jesus had given in the natural order of creation would have suffered.
The second temptation was for Jesus to jump off the temple and let the angels of God catch him.
The text says: "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'
A pastor wrote explaining this second temptation like this:
"The second temptation is the temptation to be irresponsible and let God pick up the pieces from our dumb decisions. I can jump off the temple roof and God will catch me. The world is full of well-meaning Christian folks who jump off roofs and then complain to God that they are paralyzed for life. At this level we are tempted to become the spoiled children of God, expecting that God will pick up all our messes, even if we spend the whole day watching TV. "(2)
The consequences of this temptation are to live life in a reckless manner hoping and praying that God will deliver us.
This temptation wants to put the burden of life on God and not on us. If things don't work out, it God's fault, if things do work out then I did something right.
God is not a puppet master controlling our lives, but as Luther says we have free will to follow the words of grace we read and hear to make our live full and meaningful. But the consequences of this temptation for Jesus was to mock God's power, to play games with God. God does not want us to play games with him, but to allow him to be in control of our lives.
And the final temptation is as the text says: Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."
The devil wanted Jesus to worship him and then all the kingdoms of the earth would be Jesus'. But Jesus says we are to worship only God.
The consequences for Jesus in this temptation was to acknowledge that Satan was the master of His life and not God.
I don't know too many people who worship the devil now a days. But I do know many people who get their priorities mixed up. They worship things, or wealth, or status, or self pride, or so many of things and not God first through His son Jesus Christ. The consequences for our life is that we tend to worship other things God. We place a priority on other things than our worship of God.
It is easy for us to toy with the devil with this temptation. We like to be in control of our lives so we allow the devil room to come close to us.
It is like the fox in the following:
It is easy to be come comfortable with Satan. At first, the believer fears Satan because he knows the nature of Satan opposes the children of God; but if believer toys close to Satan, he becomes comfortable and lets his guard down. Aesop's Fable “The Fox and the Lion” is a good illustration of becoming comfortable with danger.
When first the Fox saw the Lion he was terribly frightened, and ran away and hid himself in the wood.
Next time however he came near the King of Beasts he stopped at a safe distance and watched him pass by. The third time they came near one another the Fox went straight up to the Lion and passed the time of day with him, asking him how his family were, and when he should have the pleasure of seeing him again; then turning his tail, he parted from the Lion without much ceremony.
The fable ends at this point but most understand that one day the fox will turn his back and the lion will bounce on him because lions are lions and foxes are foxes. Playing with Satan can also be deadly. (3)
These temptations of Jesus remind us that as we face temptations in life, there are consequences to all these temptations.
May we with the power of God in our lives resist temptation and live for God and others.
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale February 4, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1) Author: Gladys M. Hunt
(2) Mike DuBose SermonCentral
(3) Source: Net 153 Publications, Pastor Jim
"You can't always beat what is difficult in your life. Sometimes you have to let it win and shout hallelujah anyhow."
Bebe More Campbell
Home pages
http://www.dodgenet.com/~tzingale/SermonIllst.html
main sermon and illustration page
http://www.dodgenet.com/~tzingale/St_Olaf.html
St Olaf Lutheran Church Fort Dodge (where I am a member)
Join my yahoo group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tzingalesermons
Matthew 4:1-11
"To be tempted"
"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'" Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! for it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him." Matthew 4:1-11, RSV.
Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the tempted Christ. Amen
A little boy was once forbidden by his mother to go swimming, but she permitted him to go out for a walk. When he came back, it was quite evident that he had disobeyed her and had gone in the water. When asked why, the little fellow answered,
"Well, Mother, I happened to have my swimming trunks with me, so I decided to go in."
As you can guess our gospel lesson this morning is about the temptation of Jesus. We are going to look at this word temptation this morning.
In our story at the beginning of the sermon, the boy planned to be tempted by the water as he had his swimming trunks with him. So it was easy to give in to temptation as he found himself by the swimming hole. There he was standing by the water, trunks i hand. What was he going to do? He gave in and went swimming even though his mother told him not to.
We are all like that little boy. Sometimes we plan to be tempted, sometimes it just happens.
Guess who wrote the following about temptation:
"I often find I have the will to do good, but not the power. That is, I don't accomplish the good things that I set out to do, and the evil things that I don't want to do, I find I'm always doing. Yet, if I do the things that I don't really want to do, then it is not I, repeat, it is not I that do them, but it is my own nature in which I am a slave to sin and death. It's an agonizing situation, a constant conflicts and who on earth can free me from the clutches of my own sinful nature?" That was St. Paul writing to the Romans about his own struggle with sin.
Paul says it best. We are tempted to do sin or tempted not to do something. For sin is doing something wrong and as well as not doing something we should be doing. In our order of confession at the beginning of the service we say those things we have left undone to acknowledge those thing we should have done, but didn't do.
I think Paul said it best, sin is something that affects a person's whole being. It is not something that can be brushed off very easily. It doesn't work that way. You know it and I know it. Everyone of us labors under the terrible weight of guilt and sin. We feel guilty about the wrongs we have done, the hurts we have caused others, and at the same time, we feel guilty about those things we should have done, but didn't do. For example, maybe we needed to apologize to someone, but were too proud. Or, maybe, we couldn't express forgiveness to another, because of the hatred that filled our heart. Or maybe, it was the hurt we said to a loved one and after realizing what we had done, we couldn't or wouldn't say we were sorry. Or maybe we are guilty of not including the stranger, the new person to town in our circle of friends.
Temptation and sin are all around us. And temptations also has consequences for our lives.
A mother wrote:
When my daughter, Danna, was about three years old, she became fascinated with electrical outlets. One of her favorite activities was working the childproof cover off of the outlet and sticking various objects in it. I was not thrilled with this little game of hers, repeatedly taking her to the outlet and firmly warning, "No! No! It will hurt you!"
She would then look up at me with her beautiful brown eyes and dimpled smile. After several trips to the outlet I thought, "She's got it!" She did - for two whole days.
I was putting groceries away when I heard her scream from the family room. By the time I reached her, I found a sobbing toddler holding up a tiny burned finger for me to kiss and make better. Even at her young age, Danna had acquired a nugget of wisdom and has never touched an outlet again.
When we give in to temptation the result is always sin. Attached to that sin is the price tag of consequences. Every choice we make - every action that we take has consequences. We can learn from those consequences, hear the message God assigned to them and gain the wisdom that they hold(.1)
As we look at the temptations that Jesus faced we can see what the consequences were for him and us.
After Jesus had fasted for 40 days, the devil comes to him and says: "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."
The devil was hitting Jesus were it hurt. Jesus had just fasted for 40 days and was bound to be hungry. So the devil tells him to make these stones into bread.
That does not sound so evil. Making bread to eat. Making bread not just for himself, but for all the hungry of the world. That is not so bad is it?
The devil wanted to Jesus to upset the order of the creation. Sure Jesus did that when he healed people, or when he feed the 5000 with a loaf of bread and 2 fish, but this was not a necessary thing to do. the devil was tempting Jesus to take the easy road, to work outside the natural order of things, to become a hero to all the starving people of the world.
But Jesus said no to that, He said "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
Jesus is saying that there is more to live than this simple miracle. We are to live by the word of God. And that words says to each of us that we are to reach out an help our neighbor. We are to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to visit those in prison to bring a measure of grade into the brokenness of this world.
The consequences to the first temptation was for Jesus to do something outside the natural order of life. Don't plant seeds so they grow into wheat which can be made into flour which then can be baked into bread. No don't do that just change the stones into bread. And don't just make enough for you to eat Jesus, but for the whole world. The devil was asking Jesus to work outside of the natural order, the natural law that God set in motion when he created this world. If Jesus had given in the natural order of creation would have suffered.
The second temptation was for Jesus to jump off the temple and let the angels of God catch him.
The text says: "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'
A pastor wrote explaining this second temptation like this:
"The second temptation is the temptation to be irresponsible and let God pick up the pieces from our dumb decisions. I can jump off the temple roof and God will catch me. The world is full of well-meaning Christian folks who jump off roofs and then complain to God that they are paralyzed for life. At this level we are tempted to become the spoiled children of God, expecting that God will pick up all our messes, even if we spend the whole day watching TV. "(2)
The consequences of this temptation are to live life in a reckless manner hoping and praying that God will deliver us.
This temptation wants to put the burden of life on God and not on us. If things don't work out, it God's fault, if things do work out then I did something right.
God is not a puppet master controlling our lives, but as Luther says we have free will to follow the words of grace we read and hear to make our live full and meaningful. But the consequences of this temptation for Jesus was to mock God's power, to play games with God. God does not want us to play games with him, but to allow him to be in control of our lives.
And the final temptation is as the text says: Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."
The devil wanted Jesus to worship him and then all the kingdoms of the earth would be Jesus'. But Jesus says we are to worship only God.
The consequences for Jesus in this temptation was to acknowledge that Satan was the master of His life and not God.
I don't know too many people who worship the devil now a days. But I do know many people who get their priorities mixed up. They worship things, or wealth, or status, or self pride, or so many of things and not God first through His son Jesus Christ. The consequences for our life is that we tend to worship other things God. We place a priority on other things than our worship of God.
It is easy for us to toy with the devil with this temptation. We like to be in control of our lives so we allow the devil room to come close to us.
It is like the fox in the following:
It is easy to be come comfortable with Satan. At first, the believer fears Satan because he knows the nature of Satan opposes the children of God; but if believer toys close to Satan, he becomes comfortable and lets his guard down. Aesop's Fable “The Fox and the Lion” is a good illustration of becoming comfortable with danger.
When first the Fox saw the Lion he was terribly frightened, and ran away and hid himself in the wood.
Next time however he came near the King of Beasts he stopped at a safe distance and watched him pass by. The third time they came near one another the Fox went straight up to the Lion and passed the time of day with him, asking him how his family were, and when he should have the pleasure of seeing him again; then turning his tail, he parted from the Lion without much ceremony.
The fable ends at this point but most understand that one day the fox will turn his back and the lion will bounce on him because lions are lions and foxes are foxes. Playing with Satan can also be deadly. (3)
These temptations of Jesus remind us that as we face temptations in life, there are consequences to all these temptations.
May we with the power of God in our lives resist temptation and live for God and others.
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale February 4, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1) Author: Gladys M. Hunt
(2) Mike DuBose SermonCentral
(3) Source: Net 153 Publications, Pastor Jim
"You can't always beat what is difficult in your life. Sometimes you have to let it win and shout hallelujah anyhow."
Bebe More Campbell
Home pages
http://www.dodgenet.com/~tzingale/SermonIllst.html
main sermon and illustration page
http://www.dodgenet.com/~tzingale/St_Olaf.html
St Olaf Lutheran Church Fort Dodge (where I am a member)
Join my yahoo group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tzingalesermons
Monday, January 14, 2008
Sermon for the Second Sunday afer Epiphany
2nd Sunday after the Epiphany
I Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1: 29-42
"Concern your calling"
1:1* ¶ Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,
2* To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
3* Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4* I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,
5* that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge--
6* even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you--
7* so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ;
8* who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9* God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
29* The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.’
31* I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32* And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.
33* I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
35* The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples;
36* and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
37* The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
38* Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
39* He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41* He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).
42* He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
,
"When I have a poor case," said an attorney,"I prepare an eloquent speech, when I have a good case, I simply call the witnesses."
The gospel of Jesus Christ simply needs to call its witnesses.
Our gospel lesson and our second lesson about people being called by Christ. Peter, James and John were called to be disciples in our gospel lesson. In the lesson from 1 Corinthians, Peter speaks about his calling.
Peter was called to 'be an apostle, called to change his life, called to serve the Lord Jesus w as a witness to God"s grace in his life. Paul's watchword became, 'Not I, but Christ. His only concern was to be sensitive to the voice of God who had called him.
As members of the body of Christ, we have been called by God to be his people, called to be saints, called to be his church, called to be the ones who bring God's grace into this world. We think of God coming to us in his means of Grace, his word and the sacraments of baptism and holy communion. But the other means which we often ignore is ourselves. We are called by God to be his means of grace in this world. We are called by God to be sacramental, to be a means by which his love, his forgiveness is brought into this world. Have you ever thought of yourself as a sacrament of God?? You are, you are a holy temple, a means by which God comes to those who are hurting, a means by which God comes to those who need to be forgiven, a means by which those who need love are loved. God works through people, we see that every Sunday morning as he works through the brokenness of this person to bring his grace to you. God uses me to bring his forgiveness to you at the beginning of the service when I.declare that your sins are forgiven, it is my words, my body, my arm in the air, but it is God's action working through these things that makes you not guilty, that forgives you of your sins.
I have been called by God to be an apostle, as one sent forth, just as all of you are called by God to be sent; forth into this world, just as Paul says in our first verse from I Corinthians that he was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. We are sent, we are not kept safe in these four walls, we are not kept safe in our homes, at our jobs,but we are called to be sent out into the world to be with those who do not know the love of God in their lives, to be with those who. are hurting, to be with those who need forgiveness, to be with those as they are in their everyday lives, as they struggle with all the brokenness of this world.
As we see in these two lessons, the church is not these four walls, but the people inside who are called by God through Christ and his spirit to be the church.
"A little boy had fallen asleep in the nursery and as the pastor was shaking hand at the doorway, an usher brought him out of the nursery into the church. It seemed like his parents had forgotten about him. As the lad woke up in the church, he looked around and saw that the church was empty and he said, where did the church go.
Where did the church go is an apt phrase as this little boy knew it was the people inside the church's four walls that made up the church. He knew that the church was people, people called by God through Christ and the Holy Spirit to be followers of Jesus. This little boy understood what the church was all about and I wonder why do adults see the church only as a building, or as the pastor or as a location? I wonder.
Our lesson from I Corinthians tells us we have also been called to be saints, called to be believers in God, called to be ones who believe the promises of God are true for our lives. We know that the covenant we have with God is a covenant between a greater party and a lesser party, God being the greater and we-being the lesser. God has called us to live in his covenant, called us to be his people because he wills it for our lives. We don't seek God, He seeks us. God claims us to be his because he wills it for us who are inferior to him. Why?? That is the unanswerable question of time. Why would God call people who reject him, who would rather believe in their own selves, in their worth, in their own pride? Why would God call people who have only selfish motives in life, people who cannot see beyond themselves, why God calls that kind of people to be his we will never know. But he has, that is the amazing grace in which we live. God bas called us to be his, called us to believe in the promises he has made for us, called us to be his children. He calls us not when we can respond, but as Ryan will find out this morning in the Baptismal service, he calls us as babies, as those who have no choice, as ones who do not even understand what is happening. God calls us to be his, to believe in his promise for our lives.
Paul says further that the promises we are called to believe in enrich our lives with every spiritual gift. Paul says that the grace of God gives direction, gives purpose, gives meaning, gives vocation to ones life. We are called by God to give honor and glory to him in all areas of life. All of us have been given gifts by God with which we support our families, take care of our homes, or learn knowledge for future use.What ever we do, we have been granted that skill, that ability by God in our lives. With that gift comes a responsibility, to use these gifts to a worthwhile end, to use those gifts for the honor and glory of God and in service to our neighbor.
Finally Paul says we are called into fellowship by the grace of God. We are called into the church, we are called into this place so that we might receive support, encouragement, forgiveness, love and respect one another. It is within the church that we are to care for one another. It is a feeling that needs to be kept alive in our church. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our selves, that we cannot see the hurt, the frustration, the loneliness, the sorrow, the pain, the despair, or the anger in the heart of our brother or sister in Christ.
But the Christian community is a place, should be a place, where brothers and sisters can come and share their brokenness, where they can come and gain peace and comfort from a brother and sister, where one can tell to another the pain of live and know there will be support, concern and compassion. The church in its beginning was a very compassionate entity, but I wonder if we have lost some of that compassion through out the centuries. I wonder if the members of the church have turned more inward, more concerned about themselves than about their brother or sister in Christ?
Paul says we are called by God to be sent forth to be witnesses in this world for the grace of God. He says we are called to believe, to be saints, to trust in the promises of God for our lives. He says further that we are called into a fellowship, called into the church, called into the body of Christ to care for one another. We are called to be compassionate, to be loving people to our brother and sister in Christ. We are called to reach out to others in this world who need to feel the grace of God through us.
What we are talking about this morning can be summed up in one word, discipleship. We are called to be disciples, or followers of Jesus as members of the body of Christ.
Discipleship isn't what you do. Being a disciple is who you are-it changes everything. Being a disciple of Christ changes you from the inside out.
A closing story sums this all up for us as we contemplate what it means to be a disciple of God.
Let’s imagine that you want to learn to dance. Being the rational, cerebral person you are, you go to a bookstore and buy a book on dancing. You take the book home and get to work.
Finally, you think you’ve got it, and you invite your wife to come in and watch. You hold the book open and follow the instructions step by step. You even read the words aloud so she’ll know that you’ve done your homework. “Lean with your right shoulder,” and so you lean. “Now step with your right foot,” and so you step. “Turn slowly to the left,” and so you do.
You continue to read, then dance, read, then dance, until the dance is completed. You plop exhausted on the couch, look at your wife, and proclaim, “I executed it perfectly.”
“You executed it, all right,” she sighs. “You killed it.”
“What?”
“You forgot the most important part. Where is the music?”
Music?
You never thought about music. You remembered the book. You learned the rules. You laid out the pattern. But you forgot the music.
“Do it again,” she says, putting in a CD. “This time don’t worry about the steps; just follow the music.”
She extends her hand and the music begins. The next thing you know, you are dancing-and you don’t even have the book.
We Christians are prone to follow the book while ignoring the music. We master the doctrine, outline the chapters, memorize the dispensations, debate the rules, and stiffly step down the dance floor of life with no music in our hearts. We measure each step, calibrate each turn, and flop into bed each night exhausted from another day of dancing by the book.
Dancing with no music is tough stuff.
“Let God have you, and let God love you-and don’t be surprised if your heart begins to hear music you’ve never heard and your feet learn to dance as never before.”(1)
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale January 14, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1) as seen in Max Lucado’s weekly email devotional. From “A Gentle Thunder: Hearing God Through the Storm,” © 1995, Max Lucado
from firstIMPRESSIONS
by Senior Pastor Timothy Satryan
I Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1: 29-42
"Concern your calling"
1:1* ¶ Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,
2* To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
3* Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4* I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,
5* that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge--
6* even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you--
7* so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ;
8* who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9* God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
29* The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.’
31* I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32* And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.
33* I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
35* The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples;
36* and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
37* The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
38* Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
39* He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41* He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).
42* He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
,
"When I have a poor case," said an attorney,"I prepare an eloquent speech, when I have a good case, I simply call the witnesses."
The gospel of Jesus Christ simply needs to call its witnesses.
Our gospel lesson and our second lesson about people being called by Christ. Peter, James and John were called to be disciples in our gospel lesson. In the lesson from 1 Corinthians, Peter speaks about his calling.
Peter was called to 'be an apostle, called to change his life, called to serve the Lord Jesus w as a witness to God"s grace in his life. Paul's watchword became, 'Not I, but Christ. His only concern was to be sensitive to the voice of God who had called him.
As members of the body of Christ, we have been called by God to be his people, called to be saints, called to be his church, called to be the ones who bring God's grace into this world. We think of God coming to us in his means of Grace, his word and the sacraments of baptism and holy communion. But the other means which we often ignore is ourselves. We are called by God to be his means of grace in this world. We are called by God to be sacramental, to be a means by which his love, his forgiveness is brought into this world. Have you ever thought of yourself as a sacrament of God?? You are, you are a holy temple, a means by which God comes to those who are hurting, a means by which God comes to those who need to be forgiven, a means by which those who need love are loved. God works through people, we see that every Sunday morning as he works through the brokenness of this person to bring his grace to you. God uses me to bring his forgiveness to you at the beginning of the service when I.declare that your sins are forgiven, it is my words, my body, my arm in the air, but it is God's action working through these things that makes you not guilty, that forgives you of your sins.
I have been called by God to be an apostle, as one sent forth, just as all of you are called by God to be sent; forth into this world, just as Paul says in our first verse from I Corinthians that he was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. We are sent, we are not kept safe in these four walls, we are not kept safe in our homes, at our jobs,but we are called to be sent out into the world to be with those who do not know the love of God in their lives, to be with those who. are hurting, to be with those who need forgiveness, to be with those as they are in their everyday lives, as they struggle with all the brokenness of this world.
As we see in these two lessons, the church is not these four walls, but the people inside who are called by God through Christ and his spirit to be the church.
"A little boy had fallen asleep in the nursery and as the pastor was shaking hand at the doorway, an usher brought him out of the nursery into the church. It seemed like his parents had forgotten about him. As the lad woke up in the church, he looked around and saw that the church was empty and he said, where did the church go.
Where did the church go is an apt phrase as this little boy knew it was the people inside the church's four walls that made up the church. He knew that the church was people, people called by God through Christ and the Holy Spirit to be followers of Jesus. This little boy understood what the church was all about and I wonder why do adults see the church only as a building, or as the pastor or as a location? I wonder.
Our lesson from I Corinthians tells us we have also been called to be saints, called to be believers in God, called to be ones who believe the promises of God are true for our lives. We know that the covenant we have with God is a covenant between a greater party and a lesser party, God being the greater and we-being the lesser. God has called us to live in his covenant, called us to be his people because he wills it for our lives. We don't seek God, He seeks us. God claims us to be his because he wills it for us who are inferior to him. Why?? That is the unanswerable question of time. Why would God call people who reject him, who would rather believe in their own selves, in their worth, in their own pride? Why would God call people who have only selfish motives in life, people who cannot see beyond themselves, why God calls that kind of people to be his we will never know. But he has, that is the amazing grace in which we live. God bas called us to be his, called us to believe in the promises he has made for us, called us to be his children. He calls us not when we can respond, but as Ryan will find out this morning in the Baptismal service, he calls us as babies, as those who have no choice, as ones who do not even understand what is happening. God calls us to be his, to believe in his promise for our lives.
Paul says further that the promises we are called to believe in enrich our lives with every spiritual gift. Paul says that the grace of God gives direction, gives purpose, gives meaning, gives vocation to ones life. We are called by God to give honor and glory to him in all areas of life. All of us have been given gifts by God with which we support our families, take care of our homes, or learn knowledge for future use.What ever we do, we have been granted that skill, that ability by God in our lives. With that gift comes a responsibility, to use these gifts to a worthwhile end, to use those gifts for the honor and glory of God and in service to our neighbor.
Finally Paul says we are called into fellowship by the grace of God. We are called into the church, we are called into this place so that we might receive support, encouragement, forgiveness, love and respect one another. It is within the church that we are to care for one another. It is a feeling that needs to be kept alive in our church. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our selves, that we cannot see the hurt, the frustration, the loneliness, the sorrow, the pain, the despair, or the anger in the heart of our brother or sister in Christ.
But the Christian community is a place, should be a place, where brothers and sisters can come and share their brokenness, where they can come and gain peace and comfort from a brother and sister, where one can tell to another the pain of live and know there will be support, concern and compassion. The church in its beginning was a very compassionate entity, but I wonder if we have lost some of that compassion through out the centuries. I wonder if the members of the church have turned more inward, more concerned about themselves than about their brother or sister in Christ?
Paul says we are called by God to be sent forth to be witnesses in this world for the grace of God. He says we are called to believe, to be saints, to trust in the promises of God for our lives. He says further that we are called into a fellowship, called into the church, called into the body of Christ to care for one another. We are called to be compassionate, to be loving people to our brother and sister in Christ. We are called to reach out to others in this world who need to feel the grace of God through us.
What we are talking about this morning can be summed up in one word, discipleship. We are called to be disciples, or followers of Jesus as members of the body of Christ.
Discipleship isn't what you do. Being a disciple is who you are-it changes everything. Being a disciple of Christ changes you from the inside out.
A closing story sums this all up for us as we contemplate what it means to be a disciple of God.
Let’s imagine that you want to learn to dance. Being the rational, cerebral person you are, you go to a bookstore and buy a book on dancing. You take the book home and get to work.
Finally, you think you’ve got it, and you invite your wife to come in and watch. You hold the book open and follow the instructions step by step. You even read the words aloud so she’ll know that you’ve done your homework. “Lean with your right shoulder,” and so you lean. “Now step with your right foot,” and so you step. “Turn slowly to the left,” and so you do.
You continue to read, then dance, read, then dance, until the dance is completed. You plop exhausted on the couch, look at your wife, and proclaim, “I executed it perfectly.”
“You executed it, all right,” she sighs. “You killed it.”
“What?”
“You forgot the most important part. Where is the music?”
Music?
You never thought about music. You remembered the book. You learned the rules. You laid out the pattern. But you forgot the music.
“Do it again,” she says, putting in a CD. “This time don’t worry about the steps; just follow the music.”
She extends her hand and the music begins. The next thing you know, you are dancing-and you don’t even have the book.
We Christians are prone to follow the book while ignoring the music. We master the doctrine, outline the chapters, memorize the dispensations, debate the rules, and stiffly step down the dance floor of life with no music in our hearts. We measure each step, calibrate each turn, and flop into bed each night exhausted from another day of dancing by the book.
Dancing with no music is tough stuff.
“Let God have you, and let God love you-and don’t be surprised if your heart begins to hear music you’ve never heard and your feet learn to dance as never before.”(1)
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale January 14, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1) as seen in Max Lucado’s weekly email devotional. From “A Gentle Thunder: Hearing God Through the Storm,” © 1995, Max Lucado
from firstIMPRESSIONS
by Senior Pastor Timothy Satryan
Monday, January 7, 2008
Baptism of Jesus Sermon
First Sunday after the Epiphany
Baptism of Jesus Sermon
Matthew 3:13-17
"Baptism as Life"
"Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."" Matthew 3:13-17, RSV.
Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
The following is from a sermon by Richard Jensen: "The call sounded urgent. It was Pam Weatherby. "Pastor Washington," she said breathlessly, "you've got to come to the hospital right away. Nathan just had a heart attack."
Pastor Washington rushed to the hospital. He met Pam in the hall on the way to Nathan's room in intensive care. "This is all so sudden," Pam said. "I don't know what to think." Pastor Washington tried to comfort her the the best way he could.
Soon they were ushered into Nathan's room. Nathan didn't look good at all. He was terribly pale and looked very tired. Pam and Pastor Washington stepped to his bedside. No one said a word. They could see that Nathan wanted to say something. Finally he blurted it out. "I don't want to die," he said in desperation. "I want to live. I want life."
It was always on Tuesday afternoons that Harriet Mead got her hair fixed at the beauty parlor. She looked forward to it. It was one of the few pleasures she had left in life. Life had been hard on Harriet Mead. Her husband had left her a few years back; left her to raise the three kids. Now the kids were causing her all kinds of problems. But here, in the beauty parlor, she could sit back, relax and enjoy being cared for.
Harriet always had the same woman fix her hair. Sheila Stone had been doing her hair now for several years. Harriet and Sheila had become quite good friends over the years. "Things will turn out right yet," Sheila said to Harriet, "just you wait and see. Life has a way of correcting these things."
"Ha," Harriet replied. "What life? You call what I'm living life? This is no life, I tell you. This is not living at all."
The teenagers gathered in silence. Most of them had never even been to a funeral before. Now one of their classmates was dead; dead at 16. He had taken his own life. Mourning draped itself over their gathering. No one really knew what to do or what to say. They just followed along with the service. Soon the pastor spoke. He read from a note that their classmate had left behind. "I can take life no longer," the note began, "I choose death over life."
"I want to live. I want life," Nathan Weatherby said.
"This is no life I tell you. This is not living at all," said Harriet Mead.
"I can take life no longer. I choose death," the teenager's suicide note declared.
Each of these people made statements about life. Life is tough. Life is difficult. Life is in jeopardy. Life is not worth living. What do you say about life? Most of us, I think, do experience many difficulties in life. Life can be hard. Life can be tough. We long for a better life. Would that it could be!"
Life can be tough. Life can be difficult. But in that toughness, there is a bright spot. That spot is knowing and believing that we are children of God through our baptism. Baptism reminds us "whose" we are. We are Christ's children. Baptism reminds us of who we are, children of God.
Our lesson this morning is the Baptism of Jesus. Jesus was baptized by John in the river Jordan not because he needed his sins forgiven, but because he needed to know that he was God's special child.
In Jesus' Baptism, this was a sign for Jesus as well as John that God had indeed chosen Jesus to be his incarnate presence in this world. Jesus' Baptism was an Epiphany event, or a manifestation, or a light, or a revelation of God's presence in this world.
Jesus as he grew up in his father's carpenter shop must have been looking for a sign from God to tell him when he was to go about his public ministry. John's preaching, John's baptism was just that sign. Jesus came to John not because he needed to be forgiven of his sins, but as a sign, a revelation to all people and a revelation to himself that he was to begin his public ministry. He received conformation in a physical way what he knew in his heart to be his task. God's voice, the coming of the spirit on him all confirmed for Jesus he was indeed God's chosen one, the one who would bring the good news to all people.
In Baptism, we too become God's chosen ones. In the pouring of the water and in the saying of the words, we become God's children in Baptism. We are chosen by God. He acts, he comes to us through the water and the word to make us his. A baby might be either sleep or cry during Baptism, but that is all it will do. The baby will have no active part, that is because God is the one who acts. God comes to the baby and claims it for his own. God does all the action in Baptism. God claims it's life for eternity.
"Let us turn our eyes back to our own baptisms, and recognize that it was God's act, not ours or the church's,We can do nothing outside of the Grace of God to affect our own salvation. Our Baptismal birth into the family of God is a gift FROM God.
Reverend Dr. Gregory S. Neal" (1)
This gift from God enables us to life with all the brokenness of life. Through that gift we have the Spirit of God walking with us through life.
As we experience the "toughness" of life, remember that there is a bright spot, you are a child of God. As a child of God, you have his presence with you as you face life. He will walk besides you, or carry you through the rough spot of life.
Luther knew and lived for and in that "bright spot" of life. Luther lived in his Baptism and wants us to do the same.
"Martin Luther lived in his baptism. When confronted by the devil, he did not try to turn him away with words or reject him by his own power. When we are faced by temptation, we usually claim our own strength, "I can avoid this" or "I can make it go away." No, Luther knew he had no power over sin by his own will. He answered the temptation with "I am baptized." He knew that it was only by the power of the Holy Spirit, by the mercy of God, that the devil could be turned away. The devil has no power over us when we are covered by the grace of God.
Luther lived in his baptism by remembering it daily. Luther taught that all Christians should wake to the remembrance of that moment when they became children of God and that we should go to sleep with that same thought. In his small catechism, Luther writes that as soon as we get out of bed in the morning we should make the sign of the cross and say, "Under the care of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen." We should do the same in the evening before we go to bed. Living under such a remembrance helps us to realize that God is with us daily, walking with us" (2)
We must learn to wake to the realization that we are a child of God and fall to sleep in the peace and comfort that we are a child of God. And as we live each waking moment, we can have the assurance and peace that God through the Spirit is with us. It is that spirit of God that we received at Baptism that allows us to fight off the devil, to bring our cares to God through Christ, to find hope and peace in this life.
We must remember that we are a child of God and thus being that child, we have direction and purpose in life.
A closing story speaks about which way we must go as we follow Christ in this life.
"During one of the busiest times at Houston's Hobby Airport, a flight was delayed due to a mechanical problem. Since they needed the gate for another flight, the aircraft was backed away from the gate while the maintenance crew worked on it. The passengers were then told the new gate number, which was some distance away. Everyone moved to the new gate, only to find that a third gate had been designated. After some further shuffling, everyone got on board. As they were settling in, the flight attendant made the standard announcement, "We apologize for the inconvenience of this last-minute gate change. This flight is going to Washington, D.C. If your destination is not Washington, D.C., then you should 'deplane' at this time."
A very confused-looking and red-faced pilot emerged from the cockpit, carrying his bags. "Sorry," he said, "wrong plane." What happens when the pilot does not know where he is headed?
There are people today who are very confused because they have looked to the wrong persons to help them find the meaning they seek. There are hundreds of Religions in today's world. New ones are born every year. Many people are blindly accepting strange theologies --- theologies that will not help them find the life that Jesus offers to you and me ."
Do you have life where you know where you are going and who you are going with? Do you have such a life through your Baptism?
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale January 7, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1)from SermonNuggets
(2) from Midweek Oasis Peggy Hoppes
(3)Author Unknown -- the Living Bread of God. 93
Baptism of Jesus Sermon
Matthew 3:13-17
"Baptism as Life"
"Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."" Matthew 3:13-17, RSV.
Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
The following is from a sermon by Richard Jensen: "The call sounded urgent. It was Pam Weatherby. "Pastor Washington," she said breathlessly, "you've got to come to the hospital right away. Nathan just had a heart attack."
Pastor Washington rushed to the hospital. He met Pam in the hall on the way to Nathan's room in intensive care. "This is all so sudden," Pam said. "I don't know what to think." Pastor Washington tried to comfort her the the best way he could.
Soon they were ushered into Nathan's room. Nathan didn't look good at all. He was terribly pale and looked very tired. Pam and Pastor Washington stepped to his bedside. No one said a word. They could see that Nathan wanted to say something. Finally he blurted it out. "I don't want to die," he said in desperation. "I want to live. I want life."
It was always on Tuesday afternoons that Harriet Mead got her hair fixed at the beauty parlor. She looked forward to it. It was one of the few pleasures she had left in life. Life had been hard on Harriet Mead. Her husband had left her a few years back; left her to raise the three kids. Now the kids were causing her all kinds of problems. But here, in the beauty parlor, she could sit back, relax and enjoy being cared for.
Harriet always had the same woman fix her hair. Sheila Stone had been doing her hair now for several years. Harriet and Sheila had become quite good friends over the years. "Things will turn out right yet," Sheila said to Harriet, "just you wait and see. Life has a way of correcting these things."
"Ha," Harriet replied. "What life? You call what I'm living life? This is no life, I tell you. This is not living at all."
The teenagers gathered in silence. Most of them had never even been to a funeral before. Now one of their classmates was dead; dead at 16. He had taken his own life. Mourning draped itself over their gathering. No one really knew what to do or what to say. They just followed along with the service. Soon the pastor spoke. He read from a note that their classmate had left behind. "I can take life no longer," the note began, "I choose death over life."
"I want to live. I want life," Nathan Weatherby said.
"This is no life I tell you. This is not living at all," said Harriet Mead.
"I can take life no longer. I choose death," the teenager's suicide note declared.
Each of these people made statements about life. Life is tough. Life is difficult. Life is in jeopardy. Life is not worth living. What do you say about life? Most of us, I think, do experience many difficulties in life. Life can be hard. Life can be tough. We long for a better life. Would that it could be!"
Life can be tough. Life can be difficult. But in that toughness, there is a bright spot. That spot is knowing and believing that we are children of God through our baptism. Baptism reminds us "whose" we are. We are Christ's children. Baptism reminds us of who we are, children of God.
Our lesson this morning is the Baptism of Jesus. Jesus was baptized by John in the river Jordan not because he needed his sins forgiven, but because he needed to know that he was God's special child.
In Jesus' Baptism, this was a sign for Jesus as well as John that God had indeed chosen Jesus to be his incarnate presence in this world. Jesus' Baptism was an Epiphany event, or a manifestation, or a light, or a revelation of God's presence in this world.
Jesus as he grew up in his father's carpenter shop must have been looking for a sign from God to tell him when he was to go about his public ministry. John's preaching, John's baptism was just that sign. Jesus came to John not because he needed to be forgiven of his sins, but as a sign, a revelation to all people and a revelation to himself that he was to begin his public ministry. He received conformation in a physical way what he knew in his heart to be his task. God's voice, the coming of the spirit on him all confirmed for Jesus he was indeed God's chosen one, the one who would bring the good news to all people.
In Baptism, we too become God's chosen ones. In the pouring of the water and in the saying of the words, we become God's children in Baptism. We are chosen by God. He acts, he comes to us through the water and the word to make us his. A baby might be either sleep or cry during Baptism, but that is all it will do. The baby will have no active part, that is because God is the one who acts. God comes to the baby and claims it for his own. God does all the action in Baptism. God claims it's life for eternity.
"Let us turn our eyes back to our own baptisms, and recognize that it was God's act, not ours or the church's,We can do nothing outside of the Grace of God to affect our own salvation. Our Baptismal birth into the family of God is a gift FROM God.
Reverend Dr. Gregory S. Neal" (1)
This gift from God enables us to life with all the brokenness of life. Through that gift we have the Spirit of God walking with us through life.
As we experience the "toughness" of life, remember that there is a bright spot, you are a child of God. As a child of God, you have his presence with you as you face life. He will walk besides you, or carry you through the rough spot of life.
Luther knew and lived for and in that "bright spot" of life. Luther lived in his Baptism and wants us to do the same.
"Martin Luther lived in his baptism. When confronted by the devil, he did not try to turn him away with words or reject him by his own power. When we are faced by temptation, we usually claim our own strength, "I can avoid this" or "I can make it go away." No, Luther knew he had no power over sin by his own will. He answered the temptation with "I am baptized." He knew that it was only by the power of the Holy Spirit, by the mercy of God, that the devil could be turned away. The devil has no power over us when we are covered by the grace of God.
Luther lived in his baptism by remembering it daily. Luther taught that all Christians should wake to the remembrance of that moment when they became children of God and that we should go to sleep with that same thought. In his small catechism, Luther writes that as soon as we get out of bed in the morning we should make the sign of the cross and say, "Under the care of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen." We should do the same in the evening before we go to bed. Living under such a remembrance helps us to realize that God is with us daily, walking with us" (2)
We must learn to wake to the realization that we are a child of God and fall to sleep in the peace and comfort that we are a child of God. And as we live each waking moment, we can have the assurance and peace that God through the Spirit is with us. It is that spirit of God that we received at Baptism that allows us to fight off the devil, to bring our cares to God through Christ, to find hope and peace in this life.
We must remember that we are a child of God and thus being that child, we have direction and purpose in life.
A closing story speaks about which way we must go as we follow Christ in this life.
"During one of the busiest times at Houston's Hobby Airport, a flight was delayed due to a mechanical problem. Since they needed the gate for another flight, the aircraft was backed away from the gate while the maintenance crew worked on it. The passengers were then told the new gate number, which was some distance away. Everyone moved to the new gate, only to find that a third gate had been designated. After some further shuffling, everyone got on board. As they were settling in, the flight attendant made the standard announcement, "We apologize for the inconvenience of this last-minute gate change. This flight is going to Washington, D.C. If your destination is not Washington, D.C., then you should 'deplane' at this time."
A very confused-looking and red-faced pilot emerged from the cockpit, carrying his bags. "Sorry," he said, "wrong plane." What happens when the pilot does not know where he is headed?
There are people today who are very confused because they have looked to the wrong persons to help them find the meaning they seek. There are hundreds of Religions in today's world. New ones are born every year. Many people are blindly accepting strange theologies --- theologies that will not help them find the life that Jesus offers to you and me ."
Do you have life where you know where you are going and who you are going with? Do you have such a life through your Baptism?
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale January 7, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1)from SermonNuggets
(2) from Midweek Oasis Peggy Hoppes
(3)Author Unknown -- the Living Bread of God. 93
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