Introduction: We Are An Easter People
Jesus said…“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” - John 11:25-26a
Siblings in Christ, we find ourselves in the season of Easter - the 50 days celebrating the resurrection of Christ - celebrating his defeat of the grave, his victory over death, his triumphant act of salvation.
To us, Easter is more than a day. And Resurrection is more than a one-time event. Because we are an Easter people, we see Resurrection all around us. Because we are an Easter people, we know that Resurrection is a theme throughout our Scriptures. Because God weaves the ultimate Good News through the story of our faith and the story of our lives - that Love is Stronger than Death. That Christ is the Resurrection and the life and everyone who believes in him, even though they die, will live.
Let us proclaim this Good News this morning. May we sing alleluia, may we boast over the grave, may we be Resurrection people.
Let us sing, “Easter People, Raise Your Voices” - UMH 304
A Grain of Wheat
“Jesus said: ‘Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.’” - John 12:24-26
The Good News of the Resurrection is woven throughout our created world - especially in the springtime. We see it as bulbs, long buried under the ground, bursting forth as tulips and daffodils. We see it as the decay of compost, dead leaves, table scraps, and even the flesh of animals, becomes soil for new buds and shoots to come forth. We see it as butterflies emerge from cocoons, remade and beautiful. The cycle of death and life in nature, the turning of the seasons, the fresh air of Spring - they all serve as reminders from our Creator that we are part of a bigger story - a story of life and of Resurrection.
Let us sing, “Hymn of Promise” - UMH 707
A Ruler’s Daughter, A Widow’s Son, and a Good Friend
There are three times in our Gospel narratives where we see Jesus command life for the dead - resurrecting others.
In Matthew 9 we see Jesus resurrect a leader’s daughter: “While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader came in and knelt before him, saying, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.’ And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples…When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, ‘Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread through all of that district.”
In Luke 7, Jesus resurrects a widow’s son: “As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow, and with her was a large crowd from the town. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with compassion for her and said to her, ‘Do not cry.’ Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stopped. And he said, ‘Young man, I say to you, rise!’ The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.”
And, more well-known, in John 12, Jesus resurrects his friend, Lazarus: “Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ‘Take away the stone,’ he said. ‘But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.’ When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’”
Each of these stories has mourners - loved ones, friends, families, mothers, whole communities weeping at loss. Jesus himself wept at the death of Lazarus.
In each of these stories, Jesus is directly and intimately involved - he takes the girl by her hand, he comforts the mother, he says to the young man “rise” and to Lazarus “come out!”
Jesus speaks and at the sound of his voice and his will, death recedes.
And in each story, the crowd is amazed - who is this who has power over life and death?
In our world, we are surrounded by grief and mourning. We are in death - it is all around us and a part of our lives. Even though we are in death - may we hear and feel Jesus intimately reaching out to us - reminding us that we are never alone in our grief, he has compassion for us, and it is he who holds the keys to life and death. Therefore, even when we are in death, we are in the midst of Life.
Let us sing “Thine Be The Glory” - UMH 308
Easter Morning
As we come to the story of Jesus’s resurrection, Easter Morning, this morning, we will let the Scriptures speak for themselves - please stand in body or spirit as we receive the Good News of Christ’s Resurrection, brought to us in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 24, verses 1-12:
“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.’ Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.”
Let us remain standing in body or spirit as we sing “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” - UMH 302, vs. 1, 2, 5
Peter Resurrects Tabitha
Siblings in Christ, we find ourselves in the season of Easter - the 50 days celebrating the resurrection of Christ - celebrating his defeat of the grave, his victory over death, his triumphant act of salvation.
To us, Easter is more than a day. And Resurrection is more than a one-time event. Because we are an Easter people, we see Resurrection all around us. Because we are an Easter people, we know that Resurrection is a theme throughout our Scriptures. Because God weaves the ultimate Good News through the story of our faith and the story of our lives - that Love is Stronger than Death. That Christ is the Resurrection and the life and everyone who believes in him, even though they die, will live.
Let us proclaim this Good News this morning. May we sing alleluia, may we boast over the grave, may we be Resurrection people.
Let us sing, “Easter People, Raise Your Voices” - UMH 304
A Grain of Wheat
“Jesus said: ‘Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.’” - John 12:24-26
The Good News of the Resurrection is woven throughout our created world - especially in the springtime. We see it as bulbs, long buried under the ground, bursting forth as tulips and daffodils. We see it as the decay of compost, dead leaves, table scraps, and even the flesh of animals, becomes soil for new buds and shoots to come forth. We see it as butterflies emerge from cocoons, remade and beautiful. The cycle of death and life in nature, the turning of the seasons, the fresh air of Spring - they all serve as reminders from our Creator that we are part of a bigger story - a story of life and of Resurrection.
Let us sing, “Hymn of Promise” - UMH 707
A Ruler’s Daughter, A Widow’s Son, and a Good Friend
There are three times in our Gospel narratives where we see Jesus command life for the dead - resurrecting others.
In Matthew 9 we see Jesus resurrect a leader’s daughter: “While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader came in and knelt before him, saying, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.’ And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples…When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, ‘Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread through all of that district.”
In Luke 7, Jesus resurrects a widow’s son: “As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow, and with her was a large crowd from the town. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with compassion for her and said to her, ‘Do not cry.’ Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stopped. And he said, ‘Young man, I say to you, rise!’ The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.”
And, more well-known, in John 12, Jesus resurrects his friend, Lazarus: “Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ‘Take away the stone,’ he said. ‘But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.’ When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’”
Each of these stories has mourners - loved ones, friends, families, mothers, whole communities weeping at loss. Jesus himself wept at the death of Lazarus.
In each of these stories, Jesus is directly and intimately involved - he takes the girl by her hand, he comforts the mother, he says to the young man “rise” and to Lazarus “come out!”
Jesus speaks and at the sound of his voice and his will, death recedes.
And in each story, the crowd is amazed - who is this who has power over life and death?
In our world, we are surrounded by grief and mourning. We are in death - it is all around us and a part of our lives. Even though we are in death - may we hear and feel Jesus intimately reaching out to us - reminding us that we are never alone in our grief, he has compassion for us, and it is he who holds the keys to life and death. Therefore, even when we are in death, we are in the midst of Life.
Let us sing “Thine Be The Glory” - UMH 308
Easter Morning
As we come to the story of Jesus’s resurrection, Easter Morning, this morning, we will let the Scriptures speak for themselves - please stand in body or spirit as we receive the Good News of Christ’s Resurrection, brought to us in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 24, verses 1-12:
“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.’ Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.”
Let us remain standing in body or spirit as we sing “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” - UMH 302, vs. 1, 2, 5
Peter Resurrects Tabitha
You may be seated.
The Book of Acts is the story of how the Church became the Church and the disciples continued the work of Jesus - including the work of Resurrection. Acts Chapter 9 brings us the story of Peter resurrecting Tabitha: “Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive.”
Peter, through the power of Christ, resurrects a woman from the dead. Peter - “get thee behind me, Satan” - sinking in the water - denying Christ three times - yes, THAT Peter, now has the faith of one who can resurrect a woman from the dead.
What changed Peter? He has experienced Resurrection first hand. He has seen the Risen Christ. Faith has become sight and Peter is forever changed in the light of the Resurrection.
Which makes me ask - how has the Good News of the Resurrection changed us? Has it changed us? How are we, empowered by Christ, praying and working to bring more life into our world every day? I am not saying we should start praying for miracles at death beds…But I am saying, we, as Easter People, as people of the Resurrection, have the ability to bring so much Love and Life into this world as long as we stay in the Light of the Resurrection, as long as we stay centered in our Risen Christ.
Let us sing “Go Forth For God” - UMH 670, vs. 1 & 4
Baptized into His Death & Resurrection
A Reading from Romans 6:3-11: “Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, so we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
Part of the powerful symbol of baptism, especially in full-immersion, although this metaphor is present in all methods, is that when the baptized is submerged under the water, they are in the tomb with Christ. They have died with Christ. Died to their sin, died to the earthly ways of this world, died to a life ruled by death. And when they emerge from the water, they are resurrected again into a new life - born of Water and the Spirit - sharing in Christ’s resurrection with him.
Siblings in Christ, each of you here who has been baptized, each of you here who claims the name of Christ, you share in Christ’s resurrection. In Corinthians and other places in Scripture, we call Christ the first fruit of the Resurrection - the first fruit, knowing that one day, there will be more fruit - we will bear fruit. One day we will all share in the Resurrection. That while our world is still ruled by Death - we are not of this world. We do not need to fear Death - clinging instead to the power and hope of the Resurrection - that one day we will all be Resurrected with Christ, all of creation will be restored, and death will be no more. This is the power and joy of the Resurrection - that we are Easter people.
Let us conclude our Resurrection Hymn Sing by singing one more hymn - Because He Lives, UMH 364.
The Book of Acts is the story of how the Church became the Church and the disciples continued the work of Jesus - including the work of Resurrection. Acts Chapter 9 brings us the story of Peter resurrecting Tabitha: “Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive.”
Peter, through the power of Christ, resurrects a woman from the dead. Peter - “get thee behind me, Satan” - sinking in the water - denying Christ three times - yes, THAT Peter, now has the faith of one who can resurrect a woman from the dead.
What changed Peter? He has experienced Resurrection first hand. He has seen the Risen Christ. Faith has become sight and Peter is forever changed in the light of the Resurrection.
Which makes me ask - how has the Good News of the Resurrection changed us? Has it changed us? How are we, empowered by Christ, praying and working to bring more life into our world every day? I am not saying we should start praying for miracles at death beds…But I am saying, we, as Easter People, as people of the Resurrection, have the ability to bring so much Love and Life into this world as long as we stay in the Light of the Resurrection, as long as we stay centered in our Risen Christ.
Let us sing “Go Forth For God” - UMH 670, vs. 1 & 4
Baptized into His Death & Resurrection
A Reading from Romans 6:3-11: “Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, so we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
Part of the powerful symbol of baptism, especially in full-immersion, although this metaphor is present in all methods, is that when the baptized is submerged under the water, they are in the tomb with Christ. They have died with Christ. Died to their sin, died to the earthly ways of this world, died to a life ruled by death. And when they emerge from the water, they are resurrected again into a new life - born of Water and the Spirit - sharing in Christ’s resurrection with him.
Siblings in Christ, each of you here who has been baptized, each of you here who claims the name of Christ, you share in Christ’s resurrection. In Corinthians and other places in Scripture, we call Christ the first fruit of the Resurrection - the first fruit, knowing that one day, there will be more fruit - we will bear fruit. One day we will all share in the Resurrection. That while our world is still ruled by Death - we are not of this world. We do not need to fear Death - clinging instead to the power and hope of the Resurrection - that one day we will all be Resurrected with Christ, all of creation will be restored, and death will be no more. This is the power and joy of the Resurrection - that we are Easter people.
Let us conclude our Resurrection Hymn Sing by singing one more hymn - Because He Lives, UMH 364.
No comments:
Post a Comment