Come and See! Go and Tell!

...the angel said...."Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead...'" Matthew 28, parts of verses 6 and 7.

Matthew's version is, at least in my mind, the most terrifying description of the resurrection of Jesus. Is it any wonder that the first words the angel says to the two women who came to look at the tomb are: "Be not afraid"?
It is really a terrifying moment for those two women, the two Marys - Mary Magdalene and the other Mary who get up on that Sabbath day and go to see the tomb. Maybe they were trying to make sense out of what they had witnessed and experienced, namely the loss of Jesus. His brutal death, his sudden departure, the end of his earthly ministry....maybe they were trying to make sense of it all and to find some closure to these events; these powerful and profound events. And what happens to them at the tomb is terrifying.

First, the earthquake. Second, an angel rolls away the stone - an angel whose face is like lightning. Third, the guard faints from fear.

No wonder these women are afraid. Who wouldn't be? "Do not be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus. He is not here. He has been raised." There it is the Easter message. The one who was dead is now alive.

Do not be afraid. Words of comfort given to the terrified. Words of hope given to those who grieve and mourn.

But also, words of courage.

Do not be afraid. Come, see the place where he lay. Then Go, quickly and tell his disciples.

The message of the angel is one of courage in the face of death and uncertainty.

I'm captivated by the verbs in these message from the angel. Come and See. For many, we come to church on this Easter Sunday to see what God is up to, to see what God is doing, to see what our family of faith is all about. We come to see if the story is true. We come to be fed and to be filled. We come. We come because we have doubts and we come because we have faith. We come because we want to see the work of the risen Lord - some sure sign for our faith. But we cannot stay here. We must also Go! and Tell! all the world what Jesus has done for us. We must go and tell the story of the one who is not here - but is risen from the dead.

This is exactly what the two Mary's do. They come into the tomb and see that it is empty. And then they go to tell the disciples the news - the good news that Jesus has been raised. Their obedience to the angels message is described as a mixture of fear and joy.

Fear and Joy. This is also how we live out our discipleship, is it not? Fear and joy. We live in a world with a little bit of both, don't we? A little bit of fear - that this world is not always easy or right - and joy that this world is blessed beyond measure.

For example - fear for our children as they grow up in a world that is rapidly changing and whose values seem to be shifting and dangerous. And joy at what a blessing they are and what a blessing they might become.
Or...fear for our health as we struggle with the unknown, and joy in all that life has to offer us.
Fear for our jobs - are they secure? Will they be there? And joy at worthwhile work and colleagues along the way.
Fear of loved ones who struggle with illness - fear that we might lose them. That they might lose the fight. And joy in the gift that others bring us.
Fear about the future as the world changes. And joy about living in the present and enjoying each day; each time; each moment.
Or even - fear about Community Presbyterian Church and our outreach in the community and joy in our call to proclaim the gospel to our neighbors. Joy to come and see. Joy to go and tell others.
For the women at the tomb that day and for us - the announcement or resurrection doesn't take away their fear. Rather the announcement enables others to keep faith amid their fears.
My friends, we are called to share the good news about who we know and believe Jesus Christ to be in spite of our anxiety, in spite of knowing all the answers, in spite of our doubts and disbelief. This is the courage that our faith gives us - to see beyond sight.
The good news of our faith in Jesus Christ is this: Belief in Jesus Christ smooth out the rough places of your life - after all there was an earthquake that shook the very ground the women were standing on when they reached the tomb. Rather the good news is this - that faith in Jesus Christ gives us the courage to keep our feet firmly on the ground even as the tremors and turmoil of life threaten us. Our faith enables us to not just persevere - but also to thrive even when...especially when life is hard and challenging.
Today is a day of great joy. Look around you at this full church. The beauty of the sanctuary with the lilies up front. The smells of the pancake breakfast in the basement are still present. You all look good - in your Sunday best. It brings me joy to see this family of faith gathered here this day to hear the story again of Jesus being raised from the dead.
But I know that beneath the surface of the Easter dresses and new bow ties there are doubts and challenges for each of you. I know that just because it is Easter and you dressed up to celebrate today that the pain and suffering and doubt that you might harbor and hide doesn't go away. It is still there beneath the surface, beneath the Easter joy we project on a day like today. I know that life doesn't get any easier just because it's Easter Sunday.
But Jesus says to those who meet him today: "Be not afraid." And so I say to you, "Be not afraid."
For God's promise of life is stronger than death; God's promise of life is greater than hate; God's promise of mercy will overcome judgement. And all the sufferings of this world - as real and as painful as they are - do not have the final word this day.
Do not be afraid. Jesus is not here today. Come and See - the lilies, the church, the family of faith. Come and see signs of faith at work; signs of God's faithfulness to us in the past. But don't stay here, my friends. Go! Tell! Have courage to not be afraid in telling the world that Jesus lives. He has been raised. Go! Tell!

Amen? Amen.

Who Is This?

Dear Friends -

Yesterday's Gospel reading for Palm Sunday worship was Matthew 21:1-11. It tells the story of the festive parade that Jesus and his disciples experience as they enter into Jerusalem and officially kicks off holy week for the liturgical church.

In my sermon yesterday I focused on the crowd - especially those who are watching this palm-waving parade and see the country preacher on a donkey and ask, "Who Is This?" This is a question that all of us who claim to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior need to be able to answer. It is part of our story as a people of God.

Who Is This?

In the coming weeks I am going to be asking some of the members of Community Presbyterian Church to share their answers to this question during worship. But since I don't want to ask my people do to anything that I am not able to do myself, here is my answer.

Who Is This? This is Jesus, our Christ. He is my Lord and my Savior. He is my hope and my healer. Jesus is the one who has shown me - by his life and his death - about God and God's love. Because I know Jesus, I know how great and big and amazing is God's love. I know myself and I know just how short I fall from the glory that God intended for me. But I also know that in Jesus my past has been forgiven and redeemed. Because of Jesus my past does not shape my future - but my future belongs to God and I will follow (gladly and willingly!) into that future with God as my guide, leading me every step of the way. To know Jesus is to know how much God desires my life to be transformed into a life of love - where I am able to love, to forgive, and to share with others as Jesus has loved, forgiven, and shared with me.

Your turn. How would you answer the question - Who Is This?

Faithfully,
Pastor John

Transformative Community

Transformative Community. Is it possible?

It sounds pretty ambitious, but it's what I have been thinking about lately.
It started with a tweet I read (and I can't remember the source - but it stuck with me). I follow a lot of (surprising, I know!) clergy types and one of these folks tweeted something like: "Sermonizing at the local coffee shop and there are two church groups meeting. One doing a bible study, one doing a planning meeting. I know which church I'd rather be a part of!" The implication being that bible study is more appealing than planning/administration because it is intimate, more intentional, and discipleship making (and even transformative). Now don't get me wrong, I'm a Presbyterian Pastor so I love a good planning meeting...but, let's face it, those are seldom transformative and disciple-making, right?

I just concluded facilitating an adult bible study using a dvd called "Embracing an Adult Faith" that featured Marcus Borg reflecting and pontificating about his faith journey. I love Marcus Borg - but the adults attending the bible study were less than enamored with him! On the week we were talking about "Practices," Marcus Borg said something like - Christian practices at their best open us up to the deeper and broader reality of life in the spirit. And this opening leads to transformation. In other words, when we engage in the practice of prayer, we open ourselves to the realm of the Spirit, and this transforms us into something we weren't before. A new creation!"

Although I'm all for the practices of individual spirituality, I'm curious and excited to think about communal practices - practices done in a community of faith that open us up to the reality of God and the work of the Holy Spirit that transform us together - so that we are different - new creations - the church that God intends us to be.

And of course, Easter is fast approaching so I am thinking about that story again and trying to re-tell is in a way that makes us different. Jesus is alive - a new creation. How does this affect our communities? Our practices? How does this transform us?

To find out more, I guess you'll have to come to church on Easter.