Congregation is asked to observe social distancing and wear masks. Please stay home if ill or uncomfortable in attending.
Worship Service 11:00 am.
Sunday school (all ages) and Bible study will resume soon.
That Way There Be Dragons
Pastor Sherry’s Message for May 10, 2020
Scriptures: Acts 7:51-60; Ps 31:1-5, 14-16; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14
I understand that some current historians argue against the authenticity of this, but apparently maps dating from the middle ages would often include the inscription, “That way there be dragons.” Often accompanied with colorful illustrations of these fearsome creatures, this warning was meant to alert folks of uncharted territories, especially oceans, which might contain terrifying dangers. The phrase indicates peril. It is intended to caution people to either avoid an area entirely, or to proceed with great care. It arises from fear, not faith. Fear is a kind of faith, but it is a faith in a negative outcome. As Jesus tells us in our Gospel lesson today, John 14:1 Do not let your hearts be troubled [fearful, anxious]. Trust in God; trust also in Me. The antidote to fear is faith or trust in God.
The context of our Gospel passage is Jesus’ desire to comfort His disciples prior to His crucifixion. He wants them to understand several important points prior to His death and resurrection:
(1) What is to come will be of no surprise to Him: (v.2) In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not true, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. Eugene Peterson, in his modern paraphrase of scripture, The Message, puts it this way: (vv.1-3) Don’t let this throw you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust Me. There is plenty of room for you in My Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. He wanted them not to fear his death sentence and execution. He knew that when the crisis arrived, they would cut and run. He also knew that death would not hold Him. He had other things to accomplish for their sakes, and for ours, and He would rise up to complete them. He wanted them to be encouraged, to believe in what He had taught them and had demonstrated for them for 3+ years. He wanted us to believe in what we’ve learned about Him in Bible readings and studies, and from sermons we had heard or read in our Christian journey.
(2) Jesus is trustworthy because He is God. Technically, He is God’s Son, but fully God (as well as fully man). Jesus states this very clearly (vv.9-10), Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father….Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? We could say He is the face of God the Father (who exists in spirit-form). Jesus and His Father were in constant communication as He traveled, preached, and healed in the cities and towns of 1st century Palestine. He took His “marching orders” directly from His Father. As Jesus says in John 5:19-20, I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. So, if God the Father is trustworthy—He says what He means and means what He says—then so too is Jesus, His Son.
(3) We access God the Father solely through Jesus. Jesus tells us (v.6), I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. He is our intercessor; He is the Way, our gate, our entrée, the only way for us to gain admission to Heaven or to a relationship with the Father. Years ago, I heard a story (that has since been memorialized by Nicholas Sparks in one of his novels):
A wealthy man and his son collected rare works of art together. Over the years, they had developed a large collection, including priceless paintings by Picasso, Renoir, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Monet. Father and son enjoyed finding and purchasing them; they delighted in looking at them and discussing them. When the Vietnam War broke out, the son volunteered for service. Sadly, this courageous soldier died saving another. His father grieved deeply as this young man had been his only child.
Just before Christmas that year, the fellow his son had saved knocked at the father’s door. He shared with the grieving man how his son had saved his life and then presented him with a portrait he had painted of the young soldier. The portrait was not excellent, but it did capture his son’s personality, and especially his eyes. With great love and gratitude, the father hung it over his mantle, and came to value it more than all his other, finer paintings.
The wealthy man died months later and his will provided that his extensive collection of paintings would be sold at auction. Art collectors from all over the world gathered to bid. The first work offered was the favored painting of the son. “Who will bid for this picture?” the auctioneer invited. But the art connoisseurs only moaned; they considered this work substandard and were anxious to get to the masterpieces. The auctioneer again asked, “Who will take the son?” Again, no one responded as the collectors grew more and more agitated. Someone in the crowd called out, “We’re not interested in this amateur painting. Bring out the master works!” But the auctioneer insisted that someone must bid on the initial painting before the others could be offered.
Finally, a former servant who had also loved the son, bid $10, all he had on him. The auctioneer tried for more, but the crowd was becoming impatient and angry. So the auctioneer slammed down his gavel and announced, “Sold for $10.00…That concludes this auction!” This declaration was met with a stunned silence which then exploded into general outrage: “But what about the great works of art?” The auctioneer then explained that such was the stipulation of the will: Those seeking only the fine art work lost out; whereas the one who valued the portrait of the son got it all!
We cannot come to the Father without loving and accepting His Son. The only way to the Father is through His Son.
(4) Finally, Jesus assures them that whatever they ask, in prayer, of the Father—consistent with Jesus’ name and character—God will grant to them. Now this does not constitute “carte blanche.” Verse 15 (just beyond today’s reading) gives us an additional condition: If you love Me, you will obey what I command. Jesus is telling us that the Father will answer our prayers provided (a) they are requests for what Jesus would approve (not for revenge or for selfish motives like winning the lottery), and that (b) the petitioner—the one praying–lives a life submitted to Christ. If we have wondered why God hasn’t answered our prayers at times, we might want to consider how (dis)obedient we have been as we have done the asking. Sometimes our lack of submission to Christ serves as an impediment, a roadblock, to receiving from God what we have asked of Him.
In sum, we do not need to fear dragons—or anything else, including the Wuhan Coronavirus!—if we trust in Jesus. He is trustworthy and true. Faith in Christ is our antidote to fear.
The psalmist, King David, stresses the same theme: trust in God. Given that King Saul chased David about the wilderness trying to kill him, for roughly 15 years, he clearly knew that godly believers can and do experience troubles. It’s true, isn’t it, that our faith in Christ does not exclude us from experiencing tough times. But David exclaims (vv.1-2)àIn You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. David knew and trusted that the God who anointed him King would protect him. Even still, our God does protect us and is with us during our darkest moments. You probably recognize verse 5 as one of the statements Jesus made from the Cross: Into Your hands I commit [some translations say commend] My spirit…. He was trusting that He would be with the Father in His death. So too have many Christian martyrs quoted this very passage at the instant of their deaths. John Huss, one of several Protestant Reformers burned at the stake in 1415 for “heresy”–against what he considered the erroneous teachings of the Catholic Church of the time–is reported to have forgiven his enemies as they lit the fire, to have sung the Psalms as the flames engulfed him, and to have given his spirit to the Lord, quoting this verse, as he died. I believe that just as the pre-incarnate Christ walked in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3:19-27), so too will our Lord be with us believers as we face death. This kind of trust is the way of safety and eternal security.
This was certainly true for Stephen (Acts 7:51-60), the first Christian martyr. Arrested by the Sanhedrin for teaching and preaching Christ and His resurrection, Stephen, a deacon in the infant Church, confronted his accusers with their unbelief in a masterful sermon. Just as they began to stone him, he attested to seeing heaven open and Jesus standing to the right of God the Father (considered the position of power). The Sanhedrin was bound up by belief in their religious traditions and on their lust for power and influence. They had followed Jesus about and had witnessed His miracles and heard His authoritative teachings. Nevertheless, they failed to believe He was/is God. That way—their way—there be dragons.
As Peter makes clear (1 Peter 2:2-10), the safe way is obedience to Christ, the foundation stone of our faith. Our faith in Jesus builds us into (v.9)à…a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Lack of faith in Jesus is ultimately fatal. That way there be dragons. But faith in Him is actually the safe route and the only highway to God’s mercy and His eternal blessings.
As Easter people, we embrace the Risen Christ! We put our trust in Him. Our hearts swell with love for Him. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for saving us! Thank you for being the Way, the Truth, and the Life! We appreciate You. We are grateful to You. We bless Your holy name! Alleluia! Amen!
©2020 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams
Lord Knows We Need a Shepherd
Pastor Sherry’s Message for May 3, 2020
Scriptures: Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:19-25; John 10:1-11
Recently, I became aware of a Christian blogger named Tim Challies. I was impressed with his writing, his research, and his sense of humor. (You can look him up on the internet and read for yourself.) On August 26, 2013, he posted his thoughts on sheep in an article he titled, “Dumb, Directionless, Defenseless.” This warranted my interest as today’s lessons are on the “Good Shepherd,” the “Great Shepherd,” and the “Chief Shepherd,” our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Challies makes the points that the Bible refers to Israel—and by extension, to those of us who believe in Jesus—as sheep. It also says that God is the Great Shepherd of the sheep. He cares for us, leads us, protects us, and provides for us. The religious and political leaders of ancient Israel were supposed to have been good shepherds as well, but they often enriched themselves at the expense of the sheep. God really takes them to task in Ezekiel 34, and says He will remove them from their positions of power and replace them (vv.23-24) with a much better shepherd. Somewhere between the years 593-571 BC, the prophet Ezekiel, speaking for God the Father, foretells the first coming of Jesus in this chapter. Jesus was meant to be this honest, compassionate, loving, protective shepherd.
Challies goes on to write that sheep need a good, caring shepherd because these animals are essentially defenseless, cannot survive on their own without guidance and protection, and if unguarded, can stumble into deadly calamities. He cites a news event of the week of his post, 8/2013, in which careless shepherds in eastern Turkey failed to keep an eye on their sheep while taking a break to eat a meal. Left to roam, 400 sheep fell to their deaths into a ravine; another 1,100 animals survived the same fall by landing on the soft cushion created by the first fatalities. The economic loss was estimated at $74,000. Apparently, as sheep tend to do, each followed the one in front of him or her, even as it meant going over a cliff! Needless to say, it is no compliment to us that God sees us as sheep!
The 23rd Psalm (probably outside John 3:16, the best known passage in the Bible), was written about 400 years before Ezekiel’s prophecy, but it too can be understood as another early prophesy of Jesus. Composed by an aged King David, also a shepherd both of his father’s sheep and of his people, the king reviews what he has learned about God’s role as shepherd in his own experience: He is clear that God has functioned as the Shepherd King of the shepherd king. God has provided for David (vv.1-2, green pastures, still waters), as well as for us. I know He has always done so for me personally. Even when money has been scarce or “tight,” the Lord has ensured that I have never gone hungry nor have I been unable to pay my bills. I thank Him and praise Him for this. Perhaps you have had the same experience? He has certainly provided rest and restoration when I have been worn out and in need, and He has offered guidance when I have been wise enough to seek it from Him (vv.3-4). We may need to get to heaven to learn of all the times He has protected us from bad relationships, poor investments, unwise actions, and even from death! Maybe you can think back to such times, now recognizing and appreciating God’s protection of you then. I can, I do, and I praise Him. God used His rod and His staff with King David, and may have done so with us as well. The shepherd’s rod, a symbol of his authority, was used to count, guide, rescue, and, as a weapon, to protect his flock from predators. The shepherd’s staff was intended to help support the shepherd when tired or when trudging up a steep path, but also to give direction to the sheep. Verses 5-6 refer to David’s gratitude for times the Lord has redeemed him from harm, defended him, and showered him with blessings, as well as the King’s desire to remain in God’s pocket all the days left to him. Wouldn’t we all do well to think of times God has rescued us, blessed us, and even vindicated us? Shouldn’t we all want to walk alongside Him, tucked up under His protective arm as a child with a loving parent or grandparent? I know that’s where I want to be!
In our lesson from 1 Peter, the apostle is still extolling the great redemptive virtue and value to us of Christ’s death and resurrection. In 2:23-24, he writes, When they [the mob, the Romans, and the religious establishment] hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly [God the Father]. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree [remember, the Hebrew language considered any part of a tree, including a single stick or even a cross composed of two beams, as “a tree”], so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed [a quote from Isaiah 53:3]. In keeping with today’s theme of shepherds and sheep, he goes on to say (v. 25), For you were like sheep going astray [think of those Turkish sheep blithely walking off the cliff], but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Peter is exhorting us to follow hard after Jesus, instead of adhering to our own wills or the poor examples or seductive encouragement of misguided others. Oh, may that be so for each and every one of us!
In today’s Gospel lesson, John 10:1-11, Jesus identifies Himself as the Good Shepherd, the one indicated both by King David in Psalm 23 and by the prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel 34. I have heard people protest that Jesus never identified Himself as God. These critics do not seem to comprehend that whenever Jesus made an “I am” statement—and there are plenty of them in the Gospel of John–He was essentially claiming that He was and is God—after all, God the Father had told Moses that His name was/is I am (Exodus 3:13). He goes on to describe shepherding practices, images widely known to the people of that day, distinguishing what He does for us from what evil doers do–especially the Evil One. The shepherd would go into the sheepfold, where all the village flock would have spent the night, by way of the gate. Only those intent on wrong doing, thieves or robbers, would jump the fence. Since the Shepherd is legit, He enters through the doorway. He would then call his own sheep out, by name, from among those of the other shepherds. He would lead only his own out to the day’s pasture and water, and his particular sheep would respond to his voice and follow him. They would not respond to someone else’s voice. Furthermore, Israelite shepherds led their sheep instead of driving them from behind.
Now, in using these familiar images, Jesus was pointing out how His leadership, His Kingship, His shepherding differs from imposters and from evil doers. He knows us, intimately, by name. He calls us by name. His first “I am” statement in this passage is contained in verse 7àTherefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. And again in verse 9àI am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. In other words, the only way into Jesus’ flock or Jesus’ Kingdom is by believing in Jesus. Cultural wisdom tells us that there are many routes into heaven. But Jesus is here telling us He is the only actual entrance to heaven, our one and only means of salvation. Later, in John 14:6, Jesus clarifies, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
There is another image here worth understanding: In the Ancient Near East, a shepherd often slept across the gateway at night. There may have been a watchman posted about, but often shepherds took turns being the guy who actually slept in the gateway to the sheepfold. His duty was to protect the several flocks gathered in for the night with his own body. Evil doers could only get in over his dead body (this is probably where that expression originated)! Additionally, no sheep could foolishly escape, unprotected, wandering off into the danger and darkness. Jesus is clearly alluding to His protective shepherding of us. During this Wuhan Coronavirus season, I truly have not worried about contracting it. I have taken social distancing seriously, have washed my hands often, and have worn a protective mask into the grocery store, but I have not really sweated getting it. I believe the Lord desires to protect us and will do so if we trust in Him. In verse 11, He identifies Himself as the Good Shepherd: I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. Jesus Christ has given His life so that you and I might have life and …have it to the full (other translations read, …have it more abundantly) (v.10).
Finally, notice that Jesus condemns His religious predecessors as thieves and robbers (v.8) probably because the Pharisees and Chief Priests of Israel taught a form of religious ritual instead of the importance of having a personal relationship with God—and, most importantly, because they missed the fact that Jesus was the promised Messiah. They saw Him and heard Him preach, they observed the miracles He performed, but they did not rightly perceive that He was their Lord and their God. May we have eyes to see and ears to hear, and minds that rightly perceive the Truth when we are exposed to it.
In this post-Easter Season, I have been writing about how we might live out being an Easter People. How do we demonstrate being folks who believe in the Resurrection of Jesus? We wisely recognize Him as the Good Shepherd of Psalm 23, Ezekiel 34, and John 10. We agree with the writer to the Hebrews (13:20) that He is…our Lord Jesus, that Great Shepherd of the sheep. And we believe, with St. Peter, (1 Peter 5:4) that he is…the Chief Shepherd. As Challies writes, we may at times be dumb, directionless, and defenseless; but hopefully, as believers in Jesus, we are more often guided, cared for, protected, defended, loved, healed, and saved! Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Alleluia! Alleluia!
©2020 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams
E-Mouse Walks
Pastor Sherry’s Message for April 26, 2020
Scriptures:
Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19; 1 Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35
Some years back, I heard of a gruff, burly, no-nonsense, German, Lutheran retreat leader who organized and ran 3-day retreats. He was (in)famous for two things: (1) He would gather all the people who had arrived to begin his retreat and proceed to rummage through their luggage, confiscating all cell phones, I-pods, Kindles, laptops, and blackberries, as well as any cigarettes, wine, or alcohol. (2) Next, he would divide folks into pairs and send them out into the woods to experience an “E-Mouse” walk–this was the way he pronounced “Emmaus.” His hope was that those attending the retreat would begin their experience by having an encounter with Jesus, just as did the two described in today’s Gospel lesson (Luke 24:13-35).
Now clearly we can and do stumble upon Jesus in nature. Psalm 19:1 tells us, The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the works of His hands. How many of us have marveled at God’s majesty and creativity as we have gazed at a beautiful, starry night sky! Paul reiterates this truth in Romans 1:20, where he asserts that God has revealed Himself to all persons through His creation: For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men[and women] are without excuse. In other words, Paul is saying no one can legitimately deny God’s existence as His works all about us in nature demonstrate that He is real. Truly, we can encounter Christ in His creation.
The authors of our Scripture passages today, however, emphasize other ways in which we can and do encounter our Lord. Peter, in the continuation of his sermon in Acts 2:36-41, underscores the importance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. In this speech, Peter insists that we all bear responsibility for Jesus’ execution: Therefore let all Israel [and by analogy, all the rest of us] be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. He is making the point that Jesus died for their sins and for ours. These words of his were so moving at that time that 3,000 persons in Jerusalem felt sufficiently convicted of their sins to repent, to submit to being baptized, and–under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit—to walk away from their Jewish faith to become Christ-followers. We encounter Jesus when we realize both our need for a savior and His willingness to die to redeem us from our sins.
Peter very consistently stresses this same point in his epistle, 1 Peter 1:18-19àFor you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. The whole idea behind the sacrificial system of the Old Testament was that there must be an atonement or payment for sin. Our holy God established the principle that the one who sins is responsible for his or her actions and pays with his or her life (see Leviticus 17:11; Deuteronomy 12:23; and Ezekiel 18). We may not like it or agree with it, but this is a foundational principle that God Himself instituted. However, in His love and mercy, He had also provided a method by which those who believed in Him could avoid the death penalty for their sin: They could sacrifice a perfect, unblemished male lamb, goat, or bull in their place. The fact that atoning for sin required some sacrifice (time and money to raise the animal, as well as losing any revenue the animal may have provided) was meant to impress upon sinners the cost to them (and to the animal) of their sin. The life-blood of the animal covered, or made restitution for, the sins of the person who offered it. But because they (and we) sinned so often, daily—even numerous times in one day—this system was frustrating, expensive, and did not ultimately solve the human sin problem.
Peter asserts that, essentially, there is nothing that we can do on our own that would redeem us from our sins. Instead, we are redeemed by Jesus’ “precious blood.” Isn’t it interesting that a hardened, practical fisherman would use such an expression? That fact alone tells us how much he valued Jesus and His willingness to take upon Himself our sin-penalty. He then refers to Jesus as a “sacrificial lamb.” He is referencing the Old Testament sacrificial system as well as building on John the Baptist’s prophetic assertion that Jesus was and is (John 1:29)à…the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world. The writer to the Hebrews dedicates an entire chapter (10) to explaining how Jesus eliminated the Old Testament sacrificial system by becoming the once and for all, perfect sacrifice for our sins. The shedding of His blood was sufficient to make up for all or our sins, past, present, and even future. How profound! How incredibly generous and loving! It puts me in mind of that old hymn:
What can take away my sins?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Oh precious is the flow …
That makes me white as snow.
No other fount I know…
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Additionally, Peter wants us to comprehend—and remember he was an eye-witness—that Jesus was sinless and therefore “perfect.” He then goes on to say (verses 22-23, from Peterson’s The Message) Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the Truth [Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life], love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God Himself! Peter keeps reminding us of Christ’s resurrection power. He wants us to know that we encounter Jesus when we recall that He paid the price for our sins. He wants us to know encounter Jesus when we realize that He put His life on the line for us. As a result, we owe Him our love and our gratitude. As a result, we want to live life differently; we want to be more loving toward God and more loving toward others.
The psalm appointed for today, Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19, can be viewed as a kind of love song to God. It invites us to praise God for delivering us from the finality of death. It also encourages us to realize that God considers as having great value. I often tell people who worry that they are of no consequence to God, that even if they had been the only person alive, Jesus Christ would still have gone to the Cross to redeem them. That’s how important we are to our God! This is why we want to offer to Him not a blood sacrifice, thank goodness, but a “sacrifice” of praise. The writer to the Hebrews says in chapter 13:15àThrough Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess His name. Like offering compliments to relatives or friends, it takes some time and our intentional effort to praise God. He is worthy of our praise! We encounter Christ as we lift up praises to God.
Finally, our Gospel lesson recounts the experiences of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (not E-mouse). They are disheartened because their hopes that Jesus was the longed for Messiah had been dashed by His death on the Cross. Apparently all of Jerusalem had been abuzz, talking of Jesus’ arrest, trials, crucifixion, death, and reported resurrection. Some women claimed they had seen Him but as yet no others had. In other words, they are walking the 7 miles home from Jerusalem, on Resurrection Day, without having believed that Jesus had overcome the grave. So, Jesus, in His mercy, appears to them. He listens to their despair, then chastises them (v.25): How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! He then “takes them to school.” Without revealing His identity, He explains how all the Old Testament prophesies are fulfilled by the Christ. What a Bible study that must have been! Here is the in-the-flesh Word of God revealing Himself through God’s written word. Wouldn’t you have loved to have been there listening to this vibrant and powerful teaching? Wow! Later, they get just Who He is when He prays and has a meal with them. Notice that He does not show them the nail holes on His hands and feet. From our perspective, this side of the Cross, we can say instead that He made Himself known to them in Word and in Sacrament.
These same two kinds of encounters with Christ are available to us today. We encounter Jesus when we read, study, and meditate on Scripture. We encounter Jesus when we join with Him in table fellowship, by partaking in the bread and wine or grape juice of Communion.
Since Easter, I have been writing to you about how we live out being “an Easter people.” We can do this by focusing on (1) Jesus’ perfect, sacrificial, atoning death for our sins; (2) His glorious and powerful Resurrection; (3) His demonstration of God’s amazing love for us; (4) Our logical and heartfelt response of praise and gratitude to Him; and (5) Recognizing Jesus in Word and Sacrament. We can take “E-mouse walks” in the woods to encounter Christ, but we can also do so in our heads, and in our hearts, and in our spirits. This week, let’s resolve anew to study Scripture daily and—as we do so—let’s ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to us in new, robust, life-changing ways.
©2020 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams
Live Like Easter People, People of Hope
Pastor Sherry’s message for April 19, 2020
Scripture lessons: 4/19/2020, Acts 2:14a, 22-32; Psalm 16, 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20: 19-31
This week, in an on-line message meant to encourage us, our Methodist Bishop Ken Carter, quoted one of his early mentors, a fellow named Ken Callahan: “We are the people of the empty tomb, the risen Lord, the new life in Christ. We are the Easter people. We are the people of hope.” What does that mean to you and to me? To think of ourselves as “Easter People” and “People of hope?” On this first Sunday after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, these questions deserve our consideration. And, as usual, the Scripture passages appointed for today provide useful direction. Let’s check them out together.
You may have noticed that after Easter Sunday, the usual Old Testament reading is often replaced by a lesson from the Acts of the Apostles. This is because the book of Acts records the actions of the first Christian Church leaders. Shortly after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven, the new faith became known as “The Way.” The initial progress of “The Way”—its first 30 years–is recounted for us in Acts. Acts 2: 14a, 22-32 records a portion of Peter‘s first sermon. He is speaking to believing Jews only, Jews who have come from all over the Mediterranean world to Jerusalem, to celebrate Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus has left terra firma. The Holy Spirit has suddenly come upon 120 Christ-followers and has empowered them for ministry. At the Temple, they break forth into a jubilant and noisy celebration, speaking in many previously (to them) unknown languages, and those who hear them believe they may be drunk from carousing. After all, it is only 9:00 in the morning! But Peter launches into a Holy Spirit-inspired speech, boldly proclaiming Jesus’ identity as God’s Son, as demonstrated by His resurrection from the dead (vv.22-24): Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him. Peter is explaining to the crowd exactly what had happened to Jesus.
He goes on to recite a portion of Psalm 16 (8-11), a Song of the Resurrection. Again, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Peter interprets this psalm of David as pertaining to Jesus Christ. We don’t know if King David even realized at the time he composed it that he was foretelling the resurrection of Jesus; but—from this side of the Cross—we can comprehend that the lines he penned refer not to himself, but to our Lord: (8) I have set the LORD [God, the Father] always before Me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (9) Therefore My heart is glad and My tongue rejoices; My body will also rest secure, (10) because You [Father] will not abandon Me [Jesus] to the grave, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. (11) You have made known to Me the path of life; You will fill Me with joy in Your presence, and with eternal pleasures at Your right hand. Clearly King David is not referring to himself, as his bones were buried on Mt. Zion years before and had not made a reappearance since. Instead, Peter is referring to King David’s descendant, Jesus. In other words, Peter is saying verse 8 describes Jesus’ earthly life; verses 9-10, His death and resurrection, and verse 11, His ascension. Later on in (Acts 13:34-37), Paul quotes these same verses from Psalm 16, attesting to the fact that King David died and decayed in his grave, while Jesus was raised whole, neither deteriorated nor decomposed.
So, our first two lessons today reiterate the facts of the resurrection, both prophesied and fulfilled. Perhaps, then, our 1st lesson in what it is to be an Easter people, a People of Hope, is to tell others about Jesus’s death and resurrection (I recommend you first check with the Holy Spirit to determine if He is prompting you, as He best knows who out there is ready to listen and receive). The 2nd lesson, I believe could be derived from Peter’s life and example. When he walked with Jesus, Peter had been brash, impetuous, boastful, larger than life—all traits of someone who could have become a bully. Instead, having been chastened by Christ and realizing how he had failed his Lord, Peter assumes the mantle of leadership in “The Way” as a self-effacing, humble, obedient, but also confident servant of Jesus Christ. In the portion of his letter that we read today, 1 Peter 1:3-9, he celebrates our inheritance through Jesus and encourages us to hold up under our earthly sufferings [from Peterson’s modern paraphrase, “The Message”]:
What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have Him, the Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping a careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.
I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of His victory.
You never saw Him, yet you love Him. You still don’t see Him, yet you trust Him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you’ll get what you’re looking forward to: total salvation.
Easter People, People of Hope, do trust in God’s love for us and we love Him in return. We are people of faith who rely upon God’s care for us. We don’t have to fear the Wuhan Corona Virus, economic collapse, or the isolation our “sheltering at home” and “social distancing” have created for us. These things are transitory sufferings, or “every kind of aggravation.” These earthly threats and annoyances do not carry the value that eternal truths do. If we are to live as Easter People, People of Hope, we put our trust in God and in Jesus, not in newscasters or politicians or world events. This is not to say we remain ignorant. We want to stay informed, but we also want to be confident—like Peter—and calm. As Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7, For God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, of love, and of self-discipline.
Finally, our Gospel from John 20:19-31 provides us the example of Thomas. This is the Apostle Thomas who would not believe Jesus had been resurrected on the strength of the unanimous reports of his ten closest buddies. He insisted he had to see for himself before he would believe that Jesus was alive. So a week later, Jesus appears to all of them, Thomas included, and invites the skeptic to see for himself. Notice, Jesus doesn’t condemn him for his doubts. Jesus patiently granted permission to Thomas to put his fingers in the scars on His hands and in His side, to see the nail holes in His feet. The Bible doesn’t record whether or not Thomas actually felt Christ’s wounds. Thomas seems to have gotten it as soon as he saw the risen Jesus. That makes total sense to me. What is even more amazing–and reassuring–to me, however, is that Jesus doesn’t expect Thomas, or us, to park our intellect at the church door. Instead, He demonstrates in this encounter with Thomas that He is prepared to meet us where we are. And, if our hearts are willing, and our spiritual eyes are open, He will reveal to us that He is alive and victorious!
Easter People, People of Hope in the Risen Christ, believe Jesus Christ is alive—even if we have not seen Him with our physical eyes. We can experience Him through the pages of Scripture. We can and do come to hear from Him in our prayer life. We see evidence of His love and care for us in everything from locating a convenient parking place in a downpour, to realizing He has answered our specific prayer, to acknowledging He has shaped circumstances to protect us, to correct us, or to bless us. Easter People, People of Hope, see Christ at work in events and happenings around us. Recent research in Neuroscience tells us that our brain’s natural default process is to think negatively about most things. As a result, and if we want to be happy or content, we must intentionally practice thinking positively to overcome this natural, but unhealthy, tendency.
This week, let us try to focus on seeing God’s hand at work around us. Let’s look for evidence of His action in our lives with our “spiritual eyes”—eyes informed by His Holy Spirit rather than our own rods, cone, retinas, and optic nerves. Let us not allow the news or world events to drive us into fear or panic. Instead, let us place our faith in the God who loves us and who is alive and on the throne. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ! Alleluia! Alleluia!
*Addendum: Friends of mine (Dr. Sarah and Rev. Jon Hall) have just written and perform a song touching on today’s readings. If you like, you can go to the following YouTube link to listen to “If There Ever was Hope.” The singer and commentator, Sarah, attended seminary with me. She has a Ph.D. in Old Testament and met her husband, Jon, a Brit, while completing her studies in England. Jon is one of the two founding pastors of Incarnation Anglican Church near the Florida State University campus in Tallahassee, Florida. He is the one accompanying his wife on piano. May this wonderful music (and art) bless you!
©2020 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams
Alleluia, the Lord is risen!
Pastor Sherry’s Easter Message
Scriptures: Acts 10:34-43; Ps 118:1-2, 14-24; Colossians 3:1-4; Matthew 28:1-10
There is an old story that given our increasingly post-Christian culture–in which so many do not even know about Jesus—seems remarkably timely and all too accurate for some: A man was walking down a street when he noticed in a store window a beautiful painting of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He stood there gazing at the picture for the longest time, and then realized that a little boy was standing beside him. He patted the child on the head and said, “Son, what does that mean?” The little boy said, “Doncha know? That there man is Jesus, an’ the woman that’s crying is His mother, an’ them others is Roman soldiers. They killed Him.” The man nodded, smiled, and then started walking away. In a few moments he heard someone running, turned and saw that it was the little boy. He dashed right up to the man, out of breath, and said, “Mister, Mister, I forgot to tell you that He didn’t stay dead.” Or, as a 3 year old once told me, “Jesus busted off the Cross!”
That is the great good news of Easter, isn’t it? Today we celebrate that wonderful, that astonishing, and unique fact of the Gospels, that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. In my Good Friday meditation, I wrote that Jesus is the only leader of a major world religion who died to save His people. All other world religions report the death of their leaders, but Jesus Christ came back to life and lives to this day! Only Christianity attests to a resurrection! Only Christianity confirms that Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God is Himself living…(Acts 7:55), …standing at the right hand of God [The Father, in Heaven]. As Paul testifies in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7àFor what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day [which we celebrate as Easter Sunday], and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers [not counting the sisters] at the same time…Then He appeared to James [His previously unbelieving, half-brother], then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me [Paul]…. Scholars tell us there is actually more evidence of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection than there is of the existence of Julius Caesar. We can trust that our God lives!
Our Acts (10:34-43) lesson today reiterates this theme: After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into Heaven, Peter—at the urging of the Holy Spirit–has journeyed to the home of the Roman Centurion Cornelius, a man who believed in the Jewish God but was eager to learn more about Jesus. Peter delivers the Gospel message to Cornelius and his household, saying, We [Jesus’ disciples] are witnesses of everything He did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They [the Jewish religious leadership] killed Him by hanging Him on a tree, but God raised Him from the dead on the third day and caused Him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believed in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name. The same Peter who denied being a Christ-follower three times during one of Jesus’ trials, is now boldly and confidently telling a powerful and influential Gentile about Christ. Jesus’ resurrection is no myth! Please note that if you search through all of the book of Acts, you will find that every sermon recounted mentions the resurrection of Jesus. You see, the resurrection is the very heart of the Gospel. We worship a God so powerful that He can bring the physically dead—as well as the spiritually dead–back to life! Wow!
Psalm 118 is a “Song of Salvation,” praising God for saving His people. Written centuries before Jesus’ birth, death, and miraculous return to life, it refers to His resurrection in verses 17-18àI [Jesus] will not die but live, and I will proclaim what the Lord has done. The Lord has chastened Me severely, but He has not given Me over to death. The remainder of the psalm expresses the believer’s gratitude and praise to God for His goodness, His love, and His divine rescue.
The Gospel account of post-resurrection events reiterates the resurrection event from Matthew’s perspective (Jesus’ Kingship and His fulfillment of all Old Testament prophesy of the Messiah). Prior to the women’s arrival, there has been (v.2) …a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men [they fainted]. The resurrection had occurred earlier that morning. The angel did not have to let Jesus out. He had already miraculously left the tomb. The angel simply demonstrated the empty tomb for the benefit of these first witnesses, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and Joses. The angel testifies to Jesus’ resurrection—(v.5)àDo not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here. He has risen, just as He said—inviting them to see the now vacant tomb, and directing them to go tell the other disciples that Jesus has risen and that they are to meet Him in Galilee. Come, see, go, meet. It is a simple message, a directive from Christ Himself, delivered by a heavenly messenger. And the women obediently do as the angel directs.
The women’s faith in the resurrection is based on the evidence of their eyes and ears. They relay what they believe to Jesus’ disciples and a group of them do set out, in faith, to rendezvous with Him in Galilee. This is, I believe, a message for us as well. Our faith is developed by what we perceive—through sight, by reading the Bible, God’s word, and through hearing the testimony of others’ knowledge of and encounters with Christ. Then we are to go and share our personal experiences with others, helping them to come to a saving faith in Jesus as well. We meet Jesus in our Scripture readings and in prayer. We see evidence of Him all around us, if we look with our spiritual eyes and listen with our spiritual ears. He is alive and desires a persona relationship with each of us.
Finally, in our Colossians lesson (3:1-4), Paul exhorts us to Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. In other words, and in view of Jesus’ resurrection, we are to make Christ preeminent in our lives. He is the Creator, so He truly is supreme over all of creation. He is our Redeemer, eminently qualified to rescue us. He gave Himself up to death to save us from the stranglehold of sin and death over us, so we owe Him not only our gratitude, but also our obedience. You see, the most important thing in our lives right now is not the Wuhan Corona Virus, nor is it our being isolated or quarantined at home, nor is it the looming threat of economic collapse. These are all earthly concerns. Our God is sovereign over all earthly concerns, over all worldly events, over all history. If we can believe that He could come back from the grave, we can trust that He’s got this! We don’t have to worry. Our God rules and reigns!
Perhaps my favorite Easter hymn—especially if played on a big, booming pipe organ—is “He is Risen.” Written in the 1880’s, the lyrics are a bit outdated, but even so they summarize the theology of the resurrection so beautifully:
He is risen, He is risen! Tell it out with joyful voice:
He has burst His three day’s prison; let the whole wide earth rejoice;
Death is conquered, we are free,
Christ has won the victory!
Come, ye sad and fearful hearted, with glad smile and radiant brow!
Death’s long shadows have departed;
Jesus’ woes are over now,
And the passion that He bore-–sin and pain can vex no more.
Come with high and holy hymning, hail our Lord’s triumphant day;
Not one darksome cloud is diming yonder glorious morning ray,
Breaking o‘re the purple east,
Symbol of our Easter feast.
He is risen, He is risen! He hath opened heaven’s gate;
We are free from sin’s dark prison, risen to a holier state;
And a brighter Easter beam
On our longing eyes shall stream.
As we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, and the reality of our divine rescue, let us resolve this week—and always—to love Jesus above everything and to reach out to other people in Christ-like love. Easter blessings and the love of the Messiah to you all!
©2020 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams
Good Friday Meditation
Pastor Sherry’s Good Friday Meditation
Scriptures: Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; John 18:1-40.
This past weekend, I provided some psychological (as a licensed psychologist) and spiritual (as an ordained pastor) training at a nearby Christian, residential treatment center for those suffering from mental health issues or addictions. In response to something I said, one young man wanted to know what makes me think Christianity is superior to any other of the great world religions. The treatment center is avowedly Christian, so I was surprised that he appeared to believe that Jesus is just like any other religious figure, one among equals; I also realized he was less interested in discovering an answer and more committed to being provocative. I thought a minute and replied, “It is the only world religion in which the God chose to die for His people.” That answer seemed to have caused him to think. I hope it also opened a way for him to draw closer to our Lord.
On Good Friday, we commemorate the day our God died. We say, “Christ died for us,” and that is true. Over 2000 years ago, on a hill just outside the city of Jerusalem, Jesus Christ—God in the form of a man–died on a cross. As Revelation 13:8 tells us, He was…the Lamb slain from the creation of the earth. This was not a “Plan B,” devised by the Trinity when it became evident that people could not, on their own, sustain an intimate relationship with a holy God. It had always been God’s plan that His Son would die as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of all of us. At the Cross of Christ, we see our God at His most loving and at His best. We also see human beings at our worst.
Our Scripture passages appointed for today are all appropriately solemn. The Apostle John’s “Passion Narrative” (please read it now) takes us through Jesus’ arrest; His trials before the former high priest, Annas, the current high priest, Caiaphas, and the Roman overlord, Pontius Pilate; then finally to His actual crucifixion. What is stunning in John’s account is how calm Jesus appears to be. We know He had been so stressed earlier that, as He prayed, He sweated blood. Now that His time had come, however, as a huge detail of men arrives to capture Him, He seems to be firmly in control. Twice He tells them who He is, almost prompting them to proceed. Though the lynch mob was armed, Jesus would not allow them to become violent toward His disciples. He even chastised Peter for cutting off Malchus’ ear and heals the damage. One would think this might alert them that Jesus is who He says He is, but they are so bent on destroying Him that they ignore that evidence. Instead, they tie Him up and haul Him off to see Annas.
Now Annas had displeased the Romans, so, though legally out of power, he nevertheless still operated as the chief religious broker of Jerusalem. Biblical scholars say he was both brilliant and evil. Many credit him with the final plan to eliminate Jesus. He has his troops wait until the cover of night, when all those who loved Jesus would be home sleeping. Annas interrogates Him and an official of some sort strikes Jesus for what he interprets as insubordination. Jesus challenges them honestly (verse 23)àIf I said something wrong, testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike Me?ImHim The most just and honest person in the crowd calmly but firmly reminds them that they—and this kangaroo court–are out of line. By Jewish law, no court trial could begin or be held at night. Additionally, no one could legally strike a person on trial without a verdict. Finally, Jewish Law prohibited sentencing a man on the day he was brought to trial. Annas then sends Jesus to Caiaphas, the Roman’s choice for “high priest” and Annas’ son-in-law (an early example of nepotism).
John reminds us in 11:50, that Caiaphas had previously said to the Sanhedrin—when they were plotting how to eradicate Jesus—You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish. The puppet high priest did not realize then that he had spoken prophetically. Nevertheless, Jesus knew that by this point, He had totally recommitted to laying His life down for the sins of Israel and for us. Caiaphas and Annas find Jesus guilty of blasphemy because He honestly admitted He is the Son of God. They would have liked to have stoned Him, but the Romans forbade any other nation to invoke capital punishment but them. So Jesus is next sent to Pilate.
Pilate tries every which way to free Jesus: He knows the Jewish religious establishment is just jealous of Him. He has Jesus scourged (39 lashings with a whip), hoping this will satisfy their blood-lust. He offers to set Him free, but hands Him over to be crucified when the Jews threaten to report to Caesar that Pilate has let a man go who claimed to be the king of the Jews. And so, trading the sinless Son of God for a murderous insurrectionist, the Jewish leadership has their way and Jesus is crucified. Ironically, the sign on His cross identifies Him as King of the Jews in three languages: Hebrew, the language of religion; Greek, the language of culture and education; and Latin, the language of law and order. The Jews want it reworded, but ironically Pilate will not bend.
Notice that John does not tell us much about the crucifixion. The soldiers gamble over who will get His clothes, and John relates three statements Jesus makes as He is dying: (1) He asks John to care for His Mother, Mary; (2) He says He is thirsty; and (3) He asserts, It is finished (meaning the work of salvation He was set to do is complete). Lastly we learn that Jesus’ body was removed and buried just before the Sabbath began at sundown.
All four Gospel writers were all rather circumspect about Jesus’ six hours on the Cross. They each highlight His dignity, but they did not want us to focus on His agony. J. Vernon McGee says the Father deliberately made darkness come over the land from noon until 3:00pm so that curious observers could not witness Jesus’ intense suffering. He was of course suffering from extreme physical torment, but also because He had taken on all the sins of the world (spiritual torture)—past, present, and future—as well as experiencing, for the first time, being totally separated from His Father (emotional and cognitive anguish).
To get a sense of what the crucifixion was like, we have to turn to the Isaiah (52:13-53:12) and Psalm (22) lessons. The Isaiah lesson appointed for today (please read it now) is the 4th Suffering Servant Song. It is a Messianic prophesy, written about 700 years before the events actually transpired, but fulfilled perfectly by Jesus. It is a prediction of how Messiah would be treated prior to and during His execution. Isaiah tells us that Jesus will be raised high, lifted up (on the Cross), but also highly exalted (when it is all over). No one who viewed Him carrying His Cross would think this could ever be so. He will, in fact, startle the whole world—render them speechless—because it will be through the loss of all things that He gains all things.
To begin with, He looked ordinary, not model or movie star handsome. Isaiah foretold that He would be (v.3)à…despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering…. He was beaten beyond recognition; pierced, crushed, oppressed, afflicted; executed in the worst possible way, like a common criminal, hanged between two true felons; and he died childless, cut off—a condition the Jews would have regarded as evidence of a tragic, futile existence. People will think He got what He deserved, but He didn’t: (vv.4-5)àSurely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows…the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. Verse 9 tells us He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. The Father will richly reward Him (v.11)àAfter the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life [resurrection], and be satisfied…Therefore I will give Him a portion among the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong. In other words, God intends to reward Him as though He were a king sharing in the spoils of a great military victory. His rewards derive from having gone willingly to death and from having interceded with His body for our sins.
Psalm 22 (please read it now) reveals to us Christ’s thoughts from the Cross. He feels forsaken by His Father—even though the Father had been present with Him as He was arrested, subjected to His ludicrous trials, beaten, and nailed to the Cross. But the Father turned His back on Him when He became sin for us, from noon until 3:00pm. He admits to feeling like a worm. This was a specific type of worm, called a “Coccus,” which emitted a substance used to make red dye—symbolic of Jesus’ blood poured out for us. From the Cross, He feels surrounded by His enemies: The soldiers are the many bulls…the strong bulls of Bashon; His tormentors from the foot of the Cross (Scribes, Pharisees, the hostile Jewish mob) resemble (v.13)àroaring lions tearing their prey; and (v.16)àdogs have surrounded Me; a band of evil men has encircled Me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. Nevertheless, He trusts in the love of His Father.
Biblical scholars tell us Jesus fulfilled 28 prophesies of the Messiah from the Cross. We can recognize them from our Psalm and Isaiah readings. The sinless Son of God laid down His life for us, paying the penalty for our sins, clothing us in His righteousness, and reconciling us to God the Father. These sacred writings prove to us that Jesus—and only Jesus–was and is the Messiah, the Son of God.
Psalm 30:5 says, Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. The only way to the joy of Easter is through the agony of Good Friday. In God’s economy, suffering often appears to precede satisfaction, trial comes before triumph, clouds before sunshine, rain before flowers. Today, let’s remember that salvation is free for humankind, but it cost God and Jesus everything! Let us remember our Lord today with gratitude and abiding love! Thanks be to God who gives us the victory—over sin and our death penalty–through our Lord, Jesus Christ! AMEN!
©2020 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams
Good Friday Call to Prayer
Pastor Sherry’s Message for April 10, 2020
The LORD tells us in 2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Based on these words, and given our present Covid-19 Crisis, we can safely assume we must (I) Humble ourselves, (II) Seek the Lord in prayer, (III) Confess our sins; (IV) Ask God’s forgiveness for our sins; and (V) Pray to Him to protect us and heal us from this terrible, deadly virus. Apparently the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA), the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), and the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA)—an estimated 550,000 faithful persons–have all agreed to pray and fast on Good Friday with these intentions.
If you would be willing to enter into a holy fast—a fast for holy purposes—simply remember that it is a spiritual discipline that has us deny ourselves of some or all food and drink. Please do what you can. If you cannot skip a meal, try fasting social media or TV or the news. Biblical fasting took place when a loved one died (2 Samuel 1:11-12), to prepare for special times of renewing one’s relationship with God (Numbers 29:7), to express sincere repentance for one’s sins and the sins of others (Ezra 10:6), and when the people of God desired to cry out for God’s special help in extraordinary circumstances—like the Covid-19 virus–(2 Chronicles 20:3) Throughout history, God’s people have sought His help in times of trouble through prayer and fasting.
If you would like to join in with these Christ-followers from other denominations in this time of prayer, please feel free to use the following prayers and/or add your own as you feel led:
(I-II) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his [her] own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6).
Let us pray: Almighty God, we beseech You graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and given into the hands of sinners and to suffer death upon the Cross; Who now lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(III-IV) Please take a few minutes to consider your sins. Remember what the apostle John wrote in 1 John 1:8-10àIf we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives
You might make a list of your sins to convey to God at this time, using this modern wording of an ancient prayer:
Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, maker and judge of us all: We acknowledge and lament our many sins and offenses, which we have committed by thought, word, and deed against Your divine majesty, provoking most justly your righteous anger against us. We are deeply sorry for these our transgressions; the burden of them is more than we can bear. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; for your Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may evermore serve and please You in newness of life to the honor and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Since we know our God forgives all confessed sin—and places them…as far as the east is from the west… (Psalm 103:12), we can accept this in faith. In thanksgiving and gratitude, and as an act of submission to God’s will, let us also pray the Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father, in heaven, hallowed be Your Name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our sins as we forgiven those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil—especially from the COVID-19 virus. Amen.
(V) These following are only suggested topics for your prayers: Again, pray as the Holy Spirit leads you:
(1) Pray that God, in His power and mercy, would end the Coronavirus Pandemic.
(2) Pray that all our government leaders will be protected from the virus and that they will have the patience, wisdom, civility, and compassion to deal with the many problems facing our country in this perilous time.
(3) Pray for the safety of all members of the medical community and pray that they will be able to care for the sick with wisdom, kindness, and stamina.
(4) Pray that the sick will be healed and restored and that the elderly, and others with preexisting vulnerabilities, will be protected.
(5) Pray that the medical community will have the medical supplies, drugs, testing kits, protective equipment, ventilators, hospital and ICU beds to take care of the sick.
(6) Pray for those who are grieving for lost friends and family.
(7) Pray for the poor and all those who have been hurt by the economic downturn: employees—especially those in the service industry–the self-employed, small business owners, big businesses, churches, and charities.
(8) Pray that all those who have lost jobs will be able to return to work soon.
(9) Pray to restore the economy.
(10) Pray that in these difficult times hurting people will not turn to drug abuse, alcohol abuse, other addictions, and/or domestic abuse.
(11) Pray for those confined by quarantine those who are sheltered in place, and those practicing social distancing that they might not despair in loneliness and isolation.
(12) Pray for our education system at every level that has broken down under the threat of this disease. Pray for the millions of children who are trying to keep up with their schooling at home. Pray for wisdom, understanding, and the self-discipline to actually pursue their studies.
(13) Pray for the health and protection of all those who work in jobs that still serve the public every day and have greater exposure to the virus.
(14) Pray for a vaccine to end this virus and that this plague might not return among us.
(15) Pray that n this time of great national distress our people will show patience, kindness, grace, and love to all, and not turn to panic, greed, hoarding, and mischief. Pray that those cast down will be raised up.
(16) Pray for single mothers, widows, orphans, aliens, and outcasts in their distress.
(17) Pray for the peace and safety of the Church universal around the world.
(18) Pray for people everywhere according to their needs and for all the special needs that you know about.
(19) Pray that our countrymen and women will realize the brevity and uncertainty of life and would turn to Christ in repentance and faith.
(20) Pray that the people of God will love what He commands and desire what He promises.
(21) Pray that God will be pleased with our prayers and answer themin His infinite grace and mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
©2020 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams
Palm Sunday, 2020
Pastor Sherry’s Message for April 5, 2020
Scripture Readings: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalms 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 26:14—27:66
Some of us are old enough to remember a book that came out in 1984 called Future Shock. In it the author, Alvin Toffler, cited a dizzying array of changes that had already occurred in the world back then, and proclaimed—accurately so—that the rate of change in the 20th century was increasing exponentially. He predicted that people would become overwhelmed by the rate of change and would have difficulty orienting ourselves, let alone feeling secure, in what amounts to a cultural whirlwind or earthquake. As I tune into the daily news reports on the Covid-19 virus, I am reminded of Toffler’s premise. One day the experts tell us one thing; the next day, given new information, the previous perception has changed and been replaced by something new. We can expect that our understandings of this pandemic will continue to modify as doctors and scientists gather more data and refine their predictive models. Meanwhile, we are left coping with the usual anxiety surrounding life as we know it, to which has now been added the stress of a serious health risk and the threat of potential death. How will we manage to maintain our footing, our balance, our sanity in these uncertain times?
As always, our God has some very useful, practical, and encouraging reminders for us in the Scriptures appointed for today. I recommend you read the passage as I attempt both to explain it and to share its relevance as a counter to our mounting anxiety:
Our Old Testament lesson is from the prophet Isaiah. Chapter 50 (verses 4-9a) contains the 3rd of 4 passages known as the “Suffering Servant Songs.” Between 750-700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet was describing—very accurately—what Jesus would experience and how He would behave as He faced and endured the Cross. Prior to His crucifixion, the Jews believed these passages may have described the predicted Messiah, but most did not agree that they referred to Christ. It is only from this side of the Cross that we realize they do refer to and were precisely fulfilled by Jesus. The point of this 3rd Servant Song is that Jesus came to earth determined to save us; that is, that He came into the world to pay the penalty for and to redeem us from our sins. To prepare Himself, He studied God’s Word, the Old Testament writings. During the 30 years before His public ministry, He steeped Himself in Scripture (vv.4-5). We would say He was a “student of the Word.” Verse 6 tells us that His trial by the Sanhedrin (the Jewish religious ruling body) led to significant suffering at the hands of His own chosen people. They beat Him, mocked Him, spit upon His precious face, and even pulled out the hair of His beard—all prior to appearing before Pilate. What sustained Him? What allowed Him to endure all this? He knew His purpose and He trusted in the Father to help Him: (vv.7-9) Because the Sovereign LORD [the Father] helps Me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set My face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame…He who vindicates Me is near…it is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Jesus is reassuring Himself, though the prophet’s words, of the Father’s presence and the Father’s love. This is what defines Him, not the attitudes, the condemnation, nor the despicable treatment of the religious authorities of His day.
Such a lesson for us, isn’t it? Do you see the trustworthiness of the Lord? Thank God Jesus Christ is the once and for all sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 7:6-27)! He paid the price for us! His atoning death set us free from the penalty we deserved. And Jesus did it believing in Scripture and trusting in His Father’s love. May we cling to the promises of the Old and New Testaments, and may we hold onto our faith in our God—despite accelerating rates of change and worldwide pandemics! May we exhibit faith like that of Jesus!
Psalm 31 was written by King David. It describes how he felt during his tough times, both prior to and after ascending the throne of Israel. But it also very aptly describes what Jesus probably suffered on the way to His crucifixion at Golgatha, and even as He hung suspended from the Cross: (V.9) Be merciful to Me, O LORD, for I am in distress… (v.10) My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; My strength fails….(v.11) Because of My enemies, I am the utter contempt of My neighbors…(v.12) …I have become like broken pottery. He is experiencing despair and grief. But He does not succumb to it. In verse 14, he reminds Himself, But I trust in You, O LORD. I say, “You are my God.” And He reaffirms for Himself, (v.15) My times are in Your hands. These truths hold true for you and me as well. I think it is safe to say that we hate to suffer. However, suffering seems, like death, taxes, and change, inevitable in this life. During times of suffering, we want to remember–like King David and like Jesus–that God’s got this! God was not surprised by the virulence of this pandemic. God knows that many of us are experiencing “cabin fever” while “sheltering in place.” He knows we are worried about our health and about the economy, and are perhaps even stress-eating. Yikes! We can trust in Him to sustain us through the most difficult times because He is only a prayer away (meaning He is present to us), He loves us, and He sent His only, beloved Son to die to save us.
St. Paul’s epistle to the Philippians (2:5-11) contains what the early Christian Church called “the Philippian Hymn.” It was probably a statement that newly baptized Christians had to memorize as it succinctly summarizes exactly what Jesus did for us, and how the Father regarded His saving work on our behalf. Paul wants us to be as humble and as obedient to the Father as Jesus was. He also desires that we appreciate the depths of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf: He gave up His heavenly prerogatives as King of the Universe, the One who spoke creation into existence, to be born in a stable, to a poor, young, homeless couple, in a ragtag and oppressed 2/3rds world nation. Instead of demanding respect and a wide following as a great and exalted leader, He humbly behaved as a servant to all. He obeyed His Father in everything, even up to and including His manner of death—totally righteous and holy, He died like a tortured, despised criminal. No wonder the Father has honored Him above all things, declaring that His name commands total obedience, from every being, in every sphere! Wow! This reminds me of the lyrics of a Chris Tomlin song from sometime back a while ago:
Amazing love, O what sacrifice,
The Son of God given for me…
My debt He paid and my death He died,
That I might live…that I might live.
How amazing is God’s love for us!
Finally, we have Matthew’s version of “the Passion of the Christ” (26:14-27:66), or what we know as the story of Jesus’ trials, crucifixion, and death. It’s a long passage, but well worth reading and meditating upon during Holy Week. It reminds us of the price our Lord paid for us, emotionally, intellectually, physically, and spiritually. He was “all in,” whereas Judas, Peter, the rest of the Apostles, the Jewish religious leadership, the mob, even Pilate all betrayed and abandoned Him. Simon of Cyrene helped Him carry His cross (voluntarily or coerced, it’s unclear), the hardened, Roman centurian on execution detail (a Gentile) attested to His true identity, and a few devoted women (plus John, according to his Gospel) remained with Him until He gave up His spirit. Notice that the Father registered His own grief with earthquakes, 3 hours of darkness, and splitting the heavy temple curtain (made of woven goat hair) from top to bottom. Additionally He commemorated the completion of Jesus’ work by opening tombs, and offering a preview of the Big Easter Event by resurrecting (v.52) …many holy people. The dead Christ was placed in His tomb, the stone sealed, and a detail set by Pilate to guard the grave. What a journey from the noisy, Hosanna celebration of Palm Sunday to the quiet grief and despair of Good Friday!
As Paul Harvey would have said, we know the rest of the story. We know it doesn’t end there, with death having the last word. Praise God! When Jesus cried out from the Cross, (John 19:30) It is finished! (tetelestai), He meant that He had accomplished the work of redemption the Father had given Him to do. All that is left is a kind of “mopping up detail” that we are living out today. Jesus has demonstrated the truth of His name, God Saves. Our God has done all the work of salvation for us. The battle is over. The victory has been won for us by Christ. Again, thanks be to God who gives us the victory over sin and death, through our Lord, Jesus Christ. All we have to do is say “yes” to Jesus. All we have to do is allow Him to sit on the throne of our lives. As we surrender to Him—just as He surrendered to His Father–He will bless us, guard us, protect us, and even resurrect us.
Yes, the world is changing at a hypersonic rate. Many things we used to depend upon are uprooted or overturned or no longer reliable or even available. In these anxiety-riddled and unstable times, Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:2-3). We can trust in our God, despite any threats to the contrary. This Holy Week, let us stand firm our faith that Jesus has the power to help us, to sustain us, and to keep us sane, safe, and secure. AMEN!
©2020 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams
Palm Sunday at WUMC
Wellborn Methodist Church--Wellborn, Florida 