Posted on by Cheryl Norman

Christ the Lord is Risen Today!

Pastor Sherry’s message for Easter Sunday

Scriptures: Jer 31:1-6; Ps 118:1-2,14-24; Acts 10:34-43; Matt 28:1-15

We opened our worship service this morning with the hymn, “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” (p.251 of the new Global Methodist Church hymnal)

It was written by Charles Wesley, who lived from 1707-1788, and “was probably the greatest hymnwriter the Christian Church has ever known.”

(Robert K. Brown & Mark R. Norton, The One Year Book of Hymns, Tyndale House, 2024, p.88.) He was the youngest brother of John Wesley, the founder of our Methodist denomination. Both brothers were Anglican priests, serving the Church of England. Rev. John was known for the radical idea of preaching outdoors. Actually, the Church of England at that time was spiritually dead. John and Charles Wesley were both filled with the Holy Spirit and “on fire” for Christ. Their desire for revival, and their preaching aimed at winning souls to Christ, distressed many of their parishioners and the Anglican Church authorities, so they were put out of the Church! Then John and Charles simply took the Gospel to the people, preaching in city squares, and outside factories and coal mines. Their congregation became the poor and often illiterate agricultural, industrial, and mine laborers of the day.

Rev. John moved about the countryside on horse-back, and Charles often accompanied him. It is said that Charles wrote an average of two hymns a week as they traveled, from age 31 (the year of his conversion) until his death, 50 years later. His over 6,500 wonderful hymns were a brilliant way for those who could not read the Bible to learn about Jesus. Some of his most memorable hymns are “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing,”and, “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.”

Consider the lyrics of “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” a hymn about Jesus’ resurrection, including simple, but theologically sound lyrics, easy to remember:

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!

Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply. Alleluia!

Charles is teaching that all earthly and heavenly beings celebrate Christ’s resurrection.

Lives again, our glorious King, Alleluia!

Where, O death, is now thy sting, Alleluia!

Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!

Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

Why do heaven and earth celebrate?  Because Jesus defeated death and saved us  Death has dogged human beings ever since Adam and Eve. But the grave could not confine our Lord Jesus! He broke the bondage of death through His resurrection (echoing St. Paul, from 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 (NLT) who quotes from Hosea 13:14-→Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? For sin is the sting that results in death…But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. How beautiful that people who could not read, could learn this hymn and be reassured that the grave would not be their final end if they believed in Jesus!

Our Scripture lessons today all reiterate this truth:

A. In our Old Testament lesson, Jeremiah 31:1-5, God reassures us of His continuous, faithful love for Israel and for us. The Lord asserts through the prophet (v.3, NLT)-→”I have loved you, My people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love, I have drawn you to Myself.” He is saying to them and to us that—despite our sinfulness and despite how often we disappoint Him–He still loves us! He has not given up on us. He promises in this chapter that He will one day restore Israel, both so that they will again worship Him; but also, in God’s great scheme of things, they will also come to worship His Son, Jesus. The implication, then, is that we will be resurrected and in Heaven so we too can worship Him there.

B.  St. Luke, in Acts 10:34-43, affirms this when he writes that one result of the resurrection was that Jesus’ work on the Cross opened the way for us Gentiles to gain entrance into God’s Kingdom. As we have often noted, ethnic divisions were deeply ingrained in the Jews in 1st century Israel. For the Israelites, there were only two categories: Jews (God’s Chosen people) and Gentiles (everyone else). Knowing this, Peter is surprised to be summoned to the home of the Roman Centurian, Cornelius (He managed a troop of over 100 men). His household already knew about and believed in the Jewish God. Peter enters his home and announces: (v.34, NLT)–>I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation, He accepts those who fear Him and do what is right.

Peter’s sermon from vv.36-43 is truly a great summary of the entire Gospel. In short, (a) Jesus lived and walked among us, preaching, teaching, healing, and casting out demons; (b) He died on the Cross to satisfy the penalty for our sins; (c) And He rose again, demonstrating His power over sin and death. Cornelius and his family and friends wanted to be baptized and to become Christ-followers. Then the Holy Spirit fell on them all, validating what Peter had been told. All of us who are “in Christ” (have been born again) are going to heaven.

C. Scholars tell us that Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24, was sung by Jewish believers, from memory, at the Passover meal. Jesus, the true Passover Lamb, would have sung it with His apostles after they drank the final cup of wine at His Last Supper. The psalm is a song of salvation, celebrating the victory of a reigning king who had once been looked down upon. Several verses are particularly meaningful when viewed in the light of the resurrection: Verse 18, NIV–>I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord…He has not given Me over to death. Jesus was laid dead in a tomb; but He did not remain there as we know. Instead, He rose again, overcoming death! And verses 22-23, NLT–>The stone [the rock: Jesus] that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful to see.  Verse 24 summarizes it all beautifully (NLT)-→This is the day [Resurrection Day/Easter Sunday] the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Today, the universal Christian Church celebrates Jesus’ resurrection.

D. Our Gospel gives us John’s version of the events of Resurrection morning (John 28:1-15). He reiterates what the other Gospels attest to: women, not the men, were the first eye-witnesses to the Resurrection. This is important to note as women were not considered reliable witnesses in those days.

Remember, our God likes to do things “opposite the ways of the world.” I think He was also affirming that He valued women. So, the angel appears to Mary Magdalene and Mary (the mother of James and Joses/Joseph), 2 witnesses. They were greeted by a shining angel, following an earthquake and the supernatural opening of the tomb. The Roman guards are so shocked they faint away. This in itself is unlikely as these were hardened men. It seems the angel didn’t want them to overhear his conversation with the women. The angel tells the ladies that Jesus is alive! He has risen! They can look into the tomb and see for themselves that His body is gone. They are to go tell the disciples that Jesus has risen from the dead, and intends to meet them in Galilee.

Even better, as they are on their way to witness to the men, they encounter Jesus Himself! He tells them not to be afraid—don’t you love it?! And to tell the men to rendezvous with Him—away from Jerusalem—in Galilee.

Meanwhile, the guards revive and have to report they’ve lost the One whose body they had been assigned to guard. This could have resulted in capital punishment for each of them. However, the Jewish religious leaders concoct a convenient narrative: Despite the sealed tomb, and the contingent of battle-hardened soldiers, Jesus’ unarmed followers stole His body! They have to bribe the soldiers to agree to collude with them. And Matthew informs us that many Jews believe that false narrative, that hoax, to this day—proving yet again, at least regarding false narratives, that there is nothing new under the sun.

But John and Charles Wesley, like us, knew the true story, and Charles enshrined it in his hymn:

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!

Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!

Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!

Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

(Jesus is victorious over death.)

Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!

Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!

Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!

Ours the Cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

    (We too shall die to be raised again.)

Alleluia, the Lord is Risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen!

©️2026 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams

Posted on by Cheryl Norman

Worshipping the God of Love

Pastor Sherry’s message for 12/26/2021

Scriptures: Isa 61:10-62:3; Ps 148; Gal 4:4-7; Lk 2: 22-40

Does it matter which God-concept we hold to? Recent brain research by Dr. Newberg at the University of Pennsylvania has documented that all forms of contemplative meditation were associated with positive brain changes—but the greatest improvements occurred when participants meditated specifically on a God of love, our God, the One, True God. “Such meditation was associated with growth in the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain right behind our forehead where we reason, make judgments and experience Godlike love) and subsequent increased capacity for empathy, sympathy, compassion and altruism.”

“But here’s the most astonishing part. Not only does other-centered love increase when we worship a God of love, but sharp thinking and memory improve as well. In other words, worshiping a God of love actually stimulates the brain to heal and grow.”

Taken from The God-Shaped Brain, Timothy Jennings 2017, IVPress, Downers Grove, IL.

That’s pretty astonishing, isn’t it? It suggests that worshipping God keeps our brains sharp. In other words, worshipping God is scientifically good for us! But we already knew that worshipping God was a good thing to do, right?

Our Scriptures today, the day after Christmas, are all calls to, or demonstrations of, worshipping God.

A. Our Old Testament lesson comes from Isaiah 61:10-62:3. The prophet is speaking for the Messiah, who in Isaiah’s day, was not due to appear until a good 750 years later. Isaiah tells us (v.10) that the Messiah believes we have reason to be filled with joy as we worship our God. After all, all creatures and all believers are presently groaning and travailing (and have been for centuries) for His Kingdom to manifest on earth.

Messiah yearns to change that for us (62:1): For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. Verse 2: At Jesus’ 2nd Coming, those of us who believe in Him will have a new heart, a new situation, a new earth, and a new righteousness, all of which will deserve a new name. And Israel will have a new positon among the nations: (v.3)You will be a crown of splendor in the Lords’ hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

No wonder the Messiah is joyous—we should be too! He knows, way in advance, what God the Father intends to do for us. And Jesus, because He too is a God of love, is highly motivated to bring it all about.

B. Psalm 148 is a stirring invitation to all of creation to praise the Lord! In verse after verse, all of Heaven and earth is called to dynamically and energetically offer praise to our God—listen to Peterson’s paraphrase of the Bible into modern English (The Message, pp.1090-1091) You will be more impressed if you read it out loud to yourself:

Hallelujah! Praise God from heaven,

praise Him from the mountaintops;

Praise Him, all His angels,

praise Him, all you His warriors,

Praise Him, sun and moon,

Praise Him, high heaven,

praise Him, you morning stars;

praise Him, heavenly rain clouds;

Praise, oh let them praise the name of God—

He spoke the word, and there they were!

He set them in place

from all time and eternity;

He gave His orders,

And that’s it!

Praise God from earth,

You sea dragons, you fathomless ocean deeps;

Fire, and hail, snow and ice,

hurricanes obeying His orders;

Mountains and all hills,

apple orchards and cedar forests;

Wild beasts and herds of cattle,

snakes and birds in flight;

Earth’s kings and all races,

leaders and important people,

Robust men and women in their prime,

and yes, graybeards and little children.

Let them praise the name of God—

it’s the only name worth praising.

You would be hard pressed to discover any creature or category of created thing omitted from that list. All of creation should worship God because He created us out of His great love!

C. Our Galatians 4:4-7 reading adds to our reasons to celebrate God. Paul writes (v.4), in His perfect timing, God sent Jesus to redeem us so that we might receive the full rights of sons. We weren’t just set free and sent on our way, like prisoners let out of jail, You’re on your own now; stay clean and have a good life! They fail and land back in prison because they have become “institutionalized,” and don’t know how to make it outside prison walls. No, Paul tells us our God made us sons/daughters. He included us in His family. Additionally, He sent (v.6) …the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.”

We are to consider God our loving, heavenly Father. We can rely upon His Holy Spirit to teach us and guide us into right ways to live. And we can take heart in the fact that we are now His heirs, through Christ Jesus. I had a brother-in-law named George who used to joke about receiving his inheritance check– which never came. My father-in-law left my mother-in-law millions when he died, but by the time she passed away, she had spent it all. There was none left for the grown children to inherit. Unlike George, we don’t have to wonder if there is anything left for us to inherit. The God of love has promised that we are His heirs, inheritors of His Kingdom through Christ Jesus. We can rejoice in God’s gracious provision for us.

D. Our Gospel lesson, Luke 2:21-40, tells of two saintly, elderly folks who hung around the Temple, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Messiah. They trusted in the promises of God. The Holy Spirit told Simeon he would see the Messiah, the comforter or the consolation of Israel before he died. Mary and Joseph traveled to the Temple to both (1) see to the rites of purification required of Mary (40 days after giving birth, as per Leviticus 5. They could sacrifice either 2 doves or 2 pigeons because they were poor); and (2) to dedicate their first-born, Jesus, to the Lord (as per Exodus 13:13).

Simeon, alerted by the Holy Spirit, takes Jesus in his arms and prays over Him. He sings a song now called the Nunc Dimittis, or The Song of Simeon (which we sang almost daily in my seminary chapel services) 76:

Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace,

according to Your word.

For my eyes have seen Your salvation,

which You have prepared before the face of all people;

and to be the glory of your people Israel.

To be a light to lighten the Gentiles,

We directly followed this, in song, with The Gloria: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.

But back to Simeon: He rejoices that God has kept His promise, that he has seen Messiah. Now he can go on to his grave, satisfied. He recognizes Jesus as a light, a blessing to both Jews and Gentiles. Then he blesses the baby and warns Mary that people will be divided over how they see Him, savior or fraud or crazy man; and she will suffer (Joseph will be gone by then) deep anguish (at the Cross).

Anna was an 84 year old prophetess. She was a devout woman of prayer and fasting, who lived in a room on the Temple grounds. When she saw Jesus, she knew (through the Holy Spirit) who He was. She gave thanks to God for Him. She proclaimed to anyone who would listen His identity. Some may have listened and remembered later; but others probably dismissed her as an old nutcase.

These two elderly saints trusted in the promises of God and lived to see the baby Jesus. No wonder they both rejoiced in the God of love!

Christmas Day was yesterday, but we can keep it all year in our hearts if we remember we worship the God of love…The One who gifted us first with Jesus Christ. The One who presented us with a way to abide in His presence. Let us bring Him gifts of love in return: (1.) Our faithful trust in Him; (2.) Our obedience to His will; and (3.) Our deep desire to make Him known to others.

Come, let us adore Him!

©2021 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams