This sermon was delivered at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on the 4th Sunday of Easter, April 19, 2007.
Acts 9:36-43
Psalm 23
Revelation 7:9-17
John 10:22-30
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
The Jews wanted a word from Jesus. Oh, a quick note on the structure of John’s Gospel, when John’s gospel refers to “the Jews” what it refers to is the leaders of the Jews, the Pharisees.[1] It would be like saying “the Presbyterians” and meaning the leadership in Louisville.[2] Let me begin again. The Pharisees wanted a word from Jesus, “If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” They wanted a word, a special word from Jesus telling them explicitly who he is.
Oh Jesus of Nazareth, who are you? “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Asking the question says more about the Pharisees asking it than about Jesus answering it because the Pharisees all ready have the answer. The answer, the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, the Word became flesh is standing right in front of them, and they ask if he is the Messiah.
Now, it’s not as if Jesus hasn’t been saying who he was. In the preceding verses from this chapter, Jesus tells all who were present, including the Pharisees, “I am the Good Shepherd” who keeps his sheep. He says “I am the gate” and the only way to enter is past him. The sheep who know him and know his voice have a place with Jesus, but the predators who would take the sheep do not.[3] In another example, Jesus tells those who have ears “I am not of this world, I am from above.” Jesus even tells the Pharisees “I am not like you; you were born from below.”[4]
Then in John 8:24, Jesus makes an “I am” statement which makes the others pale by comparison. Jesus says, “You will die in your sins unless you believe that I am.” If all of these “I am” statements remind you of something familiar from the Old Testament, if it reminds you of the Lord telling Moses that he is the I AM, it is because this is exactly what Jesus intended.
The Pharisees want Jesus to give them a private word. They want Jesus to tell them who he is in words they can understand. What’s funny is that Jesus has used the words of the Law and the Prophets. The words the Pharisees know. He has told the world who he is in ways the Pharisees are better equipped to understand than anybody else on earth; and they didn’t get it.
When asked to “speak plainly,” Jesus answers the Pharisees by saying “I have told you, and you do not believe.” Jesus has told them exactly who he is using words they are best qualified to understand. He has told them “I am.”
There are a number of stories and legends behind Missouri's nickname “The Show-Me” state. According to Missouri’s Secretary of State, the slogan is not official, but is common throughout the state. It is even found on automobile license plates.
The most widely known legend attributes the origin of the phrase to Missouri's U.S. Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver, who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1897 to 1903. While a member of the U.S. House Committee on Naval Affairs, Vandiver attended an 1899 banquet in Philadelphia. In a speech there, he declared, “I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.”
An earlier version of the “Show-Me” legend places the slogan's origin in the mining town of Leadville, Colorado. There, the phrase was first employed as a term of ridicule and reproach. A miner's strike had been in progress for some time by the mid-1890s, and a number of miners from the lead districts of southwest Missouri had been imported to take the place of the strikers. The Joplin miners were unfamiliar with Colorado mining methods and required frequent instructions. Pit bosses began saying, “That man is from Missouri. You'll have to show him.” So while Vandiver didn’t coin the phrase, he helped popularize it and make a complement.[5]
So it’s not uncommon to the human condition that if words don’t get the point across, use actions. So Jesus reminds the Pharisees that has not only used words, he has used actions.
Jesus tells the Pharisees “The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me.” He provides the finest wine for the wedding banquet in Cana[6] and feeds the five thousand.[7] He heals the son of the royal official[8] and the beggar at the pool of Siloam.[9] Jesus feeds the people and heals the sick. Knowing the Law and the Prophets, the Pharisees should have been able to see that Jesus is the Messiah, but they don’t.
The Pharisees were told in words, and they were shown in acts. Comparing this to the Show-Me story, the Pharisees were mining engineers stuck in the Colorado lead mines that can neither follow the Pit Boss’ directions nor his example. They were experts without the ability to recognize or follow the wellspring of their knowledge. Even the Missouri Miners would see they were clueless.
Jesus tells the Pharisees that what his Father has given him is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. God the Father has given Jesus all of creation. There is nothing and no one outside of the saving grace of Christ. If the Pharisees knew this; they didn’t understand it or what it means. Jesus’ presence with them should have been a time of rejoicing and celebrating. Instead it became a threat to all that they knew and understood. They would come to know that because of Jesus, the little niche they have carved out and secured in this life would be tossed tea kettle over spout. And they deserved to feel that way because they were right.
So what does this mean to us? There are two very important things to take from this reading.
The first is that we are called to believe. Believing we become the sheep of Jesus’ pen and are able to hear Jesus’ words. More than just hearing, we are called to abide in and respond to the shepherd in faith and in love.
The second thing to take from this reading is a caution: don’t follow the example of the Pharisees. They wanted the plain word of the Lord for their agenda. In the final verse of our reading they get the answer to their question when Jesus boldly changes the I AM into the WE ARE.
So what do they do with their answer? They accuse Jesus of blasphemy and gather stones to kill him. Funny how they get the plain answer they beg for and respond by taking up arms when they get the answer they don’t want. Jesus gave them the Good News, but they did not understand. He gave them what they asked for, but not what they wanted. The Pharisees wanted their own word, not knowing the word was with them and all around them. Don’t make their mistake. The Pharisees got the truth, truth that did not meet their expectations.
So how do we respond? How do we respond to the Good News of Jesus Christ? Engage the Lord; through the Word, through prayer, through work, engage the Lord. When John’s people engage the Lord, they come in praise.
Find how the Lord is engaging you. When Jesus engages others he asks, “What do you want?” In John’s gospel, more often than not, people want healing. Sometimes the healing is for their wounds, sometimes it is for another. Wounds are healed. And with this physical healing comes deeper healing, there is a joy and peace which comes with the grace of our Lord. Even for the people who do not receive direct healing, those who ask for healing for others, they are lifted in the word and the work of Jesus.
We are called to believe in Jesus and find how our life intersects the work of the Lord, how work connects to eternal life. There are places in all of our lives where we connect with the eternal: It comes when we touch the lives of children. It comes when we meet our obligations to loved ones. It comes when we visit the sick and the elderly. The Pharisees of every age forget is that the Lord is not contained by our expectations. The Lord is found with the sick, the poor and the unclean. This was true two thousand years ago and is true today. Looking at our reading from Acts today, the widows in Joppa were an impoverished group of women, castoffs from decent society. Jesus was pleased with Peter’s actions when he went to be with them. Jesus was pleased when Peter prayed for Tabitha’s healing. Jesus showed this by Tabatha’s healing.
In a world that says “Show-Me,” Jesus says look around and see. The word and the work of the Lord is around us. The grace and peace of God has enveloped us like the air that we breathe. The Holy Spirit dwells in us to teach us what we need to know so that we can respond in a way pleasing to God and God’s good creation. We don’t need a special word, we need to discern the word around us and respond to it. We need to find where the Lord is working in this life and join. In a world in the state of Show-Me, the Lord says I am here, follow. The Lord says I am here, share. The Lord says I am here, respond. The Lord says I am here, come unto me. And as we are fed at the table today, we are invited by the Lord to come, taste, and see; the Lord is good.
[1] Excursus from The New Interpreters’ Study Bible, “I am” sayings
[2] Louisville is the site of the Presbyterian Church (USA) national offices.
[3] John 10:7-14
[4] John 8:21-30
[5] State of Missouri Secretary of State Web Site, “Why Is Missouri Called the “Show-Me” State?” http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/history/slogan.asp accessed April 28, 2007. This site resources: Rossiter, Phyllis. "I'm from Missouri--you'll have to show me." Rural Missouri, Volume 42, Number 3, March 1989, page 16. This can also be found in Why Do We Say It? Edison, NJ: Castle Books 1985, page 166.
[6] John 2:1-12
[7] John 6:1-15
[8] John 4:43-54
[9] John 9:1-12
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Three
This sermon was presented on the 3rd Sunday of Easter, April 22, 2007 at the First Presbyerian Church in Berryville, Arkansas.
Acts 9:1-6
Psalm 30
Revelation 5:11-14
John 21:1-19
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
Three is a magic number. Those of you who know me know my fondness for ABC Television’s “School House Rock.” So you won’t be surprised when I tell you that the pilot episode of “School House Rock” was the episode where viewers learn to multiply by three titled “Three Is a Magic Number.” Our gospel reading this morning plays into this magic in many different ways. It can be divided into three parts, it deals with Jesus’ third appearance to the disciples, the net contains 153 fish, Jesus examines Simon Peter three times and then commissions him three times, and finally Jesus prophesies Simon Peter’s fate in three steps.
But these are not the only three’s found in scripture, theology, and polity. In the beginning, the creation story in Genesis is split into three parts. On the first day, God created the light and differentiated it from the dark, on the second the waters of the earth were separated from the waters of the sky, and on the third the earth’s water is ordered and dry land created. Then God repeats this trio of miracles beginning when the Sun is created to govern the light and the moon and stars are created for the night. The next day flying creatures are created for the skies and sea creatures for the water. Finally, the land was populated by animals and everything that creeps on the ground. On the same day, the sixth day, God created humanity to serve as stewards over it all. Then on the seventh day, God rested. If you will, the creation story can be expressed as a triad: formation, population, and Sabbath.
In a historical setting, the gospel’s penetration into Ireland has been attributed to the three-in-one nature of God. Long before the days of St. Patrick, the Irish had a complex view of their cultural reality and ultimate reality.[1] Their fascination with rhetorical complexity and the number three opened the Irish to the concept of one God presented in the trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Patrick’s famous illustration of the shamrock showed them how a plant can be three and one without compromising either the individual leaves or the single flower. Then he used this image to represent the Triune God as three persons yet only one God. This triune view of God soon saturated Irish invocations, blessings, and lullabies.[2]
Our gospel’s three parts are the fishing story, the meal, and the commissioning of Simon Peter. There is no indication about how much time had passed between Jesus last appearance and this one. It could have been days, weeks, or longer. It has been long enough that Peter decides it is time to cast his nets again. There is almost a sense of resignation in their voices. “Oh well, I’m going fishing.” “Yeah, we’ll go too.” So the men make their way to the boat, they tend their nets, and they set off from the shore. And it’s a long night. They cast their nets again, and again, and again without success. It’s like every fish in the sea knows to avoid them.
Then there is a voice from the shore, “Children, have you caught anything?” You know, it’s one thing to work and get nothing for your effort, but it’s another to be called “children.” This guy on the shore calls seven grown men prepubescent. On the bright side, the term is one of affection.[3] It is a term Matthew’s gospel uses to describe those who will get into the kingdom of heaven,[4] and that’s not all bad. Jesus blesses the little children saying the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are like them.[5] When considering what the Lord thinks of the little children, this man on the shore could surely call them something worse.
So when they answer his question, the man on the shore suggests they cast their nets to the other side of the boat. This reminds me of those V8 vegetable juice commercials, “Wow, we could have cast from the other side of the boat. Why didn’t we think of that?” The disciples may have had sarcasm but they didn’t have objections when they cast their nets to the other side of the boat. There they are rewarded with a catch of many fish. Then and only then does the disciple Jesus loved recognize the Lord.
Did you notice the three elements of this story? First, the Lord is ever present. Even when the disciples did not recognize him he is present. He is there and he is attentive to them. He knows what they have and he knows what they need. He offers guidance, direction, and suggestion. Second, when the disciples are obedient, when they cast their nets to the other side of the boat, they receive the blessings of the Lord. When they follow his directions they catch the multitude of fish. They had to follow directions. They still had to work. They had to get the fish to shore. These are not miracles, this is work. There is one miracle, the presence of Jesus on the shore and in their lives. Third and finally, when they are obedient, the Lord allows his presence to be revealed. Our reading doesn’t mention a blinding light or any sort of transfiguration happening between the disciple and the Lord, Jesus simply reveals himself to them.
There’s that three again, it’s a magic number. These steps of God’s ever presence, our obedience, and God’s revelation still pertain today as they did in Jesus’ day… and albeit in a different order, as they did for Paul in Acts.
In the second act of our gospel reading, Jesus feeds his disciples again, this time a simple breakfast of fish and bread. If you have ever had fresh lake carp in the morning, you will know how light and sweet it tastes. With fresh bread it must have been wonderful. This had to remind them of the fateful last supper they shared together, the meal we call the Lord’s Supper. They break bread with the Lord they love, the Lord who loves them. Through their experience, I imagine the elements of the sacramental meal dancing together; the bread, and the wine. Jesus participates in the sacrament. He didn’t just say do this, he did these things himself. In his actions, he sanctifies these common elements of everyday life for use in the life eternal.
After sitting down and after breaking the fast, the third act of our reading begins. Jesus calls to Simon Peter. Simon Peter whom Jesus called the rock of the church. Simon Peter to whom Jesus cries “Satan, get behind me.” Simon Peter whom Jesus said would deny him three times before the cockcrow. Jesus calls to Simon and asks “Do you love me more than these?” Simon responds, “Yes Lord; you know that I love you.” So Jesus commissions him, “Feed my lambs.”
Jesus then repeats this question. “Do you love me?” Simon again responds, “Yes Lord; you know that I love you.” So Jesus commissions him, “Tend my sheep.”
Jesus repeats this question one more time, “Do you love me?” By now it’s like hearing that old knock-knock joke and Simon is hoping to hear Jesus finally say, “Orange you glad I didn’t say banana again?” Simon is upset. He is angry, offended, and insulted. He is saddened, grieved, and distressed[6] that his Lord, Jesus the Christ would feel like he had to ask him three times if he loved him. “Surely Lord you know everything,” he says, “you know that I love you.” Simon Peter then gets his commission. He receives his mission. He is given his marching orders. He is told by his Lord and Messiah one more time, “Feed my sheep.” But that’s not all.
Jesus warns Peter about the death he will face. He is told that he will face the most horrible, painful, disgraceful death the empire has learned to inflict against its enemies. His arms will be stretched out on the cross. He will be hung from a tree. Jesus even reminds Peter he will not wish to go. He won’t deny Jesus, but he won’t volunteer for this death either.
Then, in a post script to this three act play, Jesus tells Peter, “Follow me.”
Follow me. When Jesus says this, scholars say he is telling Peter to follow him on the cross. I can’t disagree with years and years of scholarship, but I believe the Lord is asking more of Peter than just to die. I think, I hope, and I pray Jesus is telling Peter how to live.
The wondrous love of our Lord calls Peter to build the church; the church which is to be—and is still today—Christ’s body on earth. The church has always been the people of God, and not some structure. Buildings rot, decay and are forgotten, but as the people of God we still speak and act as the body of Christ today. From the songs of David found in the Psalms, to the Acts of the Apostles found in scripture, to the Gospel of John and the Revelation the Lord shows John on Patmos, theirs are the words we speak when sharing the word of God. From the One Great Hour of Sharing to the Loaves and Fishes Food Bank to Project Self Esteem, we continue to act, to do God’s work today. We share the word. We feed his lambs. We tend his sheep. We truly become God’s people when we remember the people God calls us to be and act in obedience.
We remember that like Simon Peter, we are sent to be God’s reconciling people to the world. We are called by our Lord to serve the creation healing the wounds that separate us from God and from one another. In this mission we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit, God who walks beside us and guides us as we do God’s will. And though our obedience we are one with the church eternal. We are called yesterday, today, and tomorrow to gather and welcome the broken people of the world and through God’s love make us one.
[1] Hunter, III, George C., The Celtic Way of Evangelism. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2000, page 20
[2] Ibid, pages 33-34.
[3] padia entry from the electronic edition of Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third Edition. Copyright © 2000 The University of Chicago Press. Revised and edited by Frederick William Danker based on the Walter Bauer's Griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch zu den Schriften des Neuen Testaments und für frühchristlichen Literatur, sixth edition, ed. Kurt Aland and Barbara Aland, with Viktor Reichmann and on previous English Editions by W.F.Arndt, F.W.Gingrich, and F.W.Danker.
[4] Matthew 18:3
[5] Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14, Luke 18:16
[6] lupeow entry from the electronic edition of Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
Acts 9:1-6
Psalm 30
Revelation 5:11-14
John 21:1-19
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
Three is a magic number. Those of you who know me know my fondness for ABC Television’s “School House Rock.” So you won’t be surprised when I tell you that the pilot episode of “School House Rock” was the episode where viewers learn to multiply by three titled “Three Is a Magic Number.” Our gospel reading this morning plays into this magic in many different ways. It can be divided into three parts, it deals with Jesus’ third appearance to the disciples, the net contains 153 fish, Jesus examines Simon Peter three times and then commissions him three times, and finally Jesus prophesies Simon Peter’s fate in three steps.
But these are not the only three’s found in scripture, theology, and polity. In the beginning, the creation story in Genesis is split into three parts. On the first day, God created the light and differentiated it from the dark, on the second the waters of the earth were separated from the waters of the sky, and on the third the earth’s water is ordered and dry land created. Then God repeats this trio of miracles beginning when the Sun is created to govern the light and the moon and stars are created for the night. The next day flying creatures are created for the skies and sea creatures for the water. Finally, the land was populated by animals and everything that creeps on the ground. On the same day, the sixth day, God created humanity to serve as stewards over it all. Then on the seventh day, God rested. If you will, the creation story can be expressed as a triad: formation, population, and Sabbath.
In a historical setting, the gospel’s penetration into Ireland has been attributed to the three-in-one nature of God. Long before the days of St. Patrick, the Irish had a complex view of their cultural reality and ultimate reality.[1] Their fascination with rhetorical complexity and the number three opened the Irish to the concept of one God presented in the trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Patrick’s famous illustration of the shamrock showed them how a plant can be three and one without compromising either the individual leaves or the single flower. Then he used this image to represent the Triune God as three persons yet only one God. This triune view of God soon saturated Irish invocations, blessings, and lullabies.[2]
Our gospel’s three parts are the fishing story, the meal, and the commissioning of Simon Peter. There is no indication about how much time had passed between Jesus last appearance and this one. It could have been days, weeks, or longer. It has been long enough that Peter decides it is time to cast his nets again. There is almost a sense of resignation in their voices. “Oh well, I’m going fishing.” “Yeah, we’ll go too.” So the men make their way to the boat, they tend their nets, and they set off from the shore. And it’s a long night. They cast their nets again, and again, and again without success. It’s like every fish in the sea knows to avoid them.
Then there is a voice from the shore, “Children, have you caught anything?” You know, it’s one thing to work and get nothing for your effort, but it’s another to be called “children.” This guy on the shore calls seven grown men prepubescent. On the bright side, the term is one of affection.[3] It is a term Matthew’s gospel uses to describe those who will get into the kingdom of heaven,[4] and that’s not all bad. Jesus blesses the little children saying the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are like them.[5] When considering what the Lord thinks of the little children, this man on the shore could surely call them something worse.
So when they answer his question, the man on the shore suggests they cast their nets to the other side of the boat. This reminds me of those V8 vegetable juice commercials, “Wow, we could have cast from the other side of the boat. Why didn’t we think of that?” The disciples may have had sarcasm but they didn’t have objections when they cast their nets to the other side of the boat. There they are rewarded with a catch of many fish. Then and only then does the disciple Jesus loved recognize the Lord.
Did you notice the three elements of this story? First, the Lord is ever present. Even when the disciples did not recognize him he is present. He is there and he is attentive to them. He knows what they have and he knows what they need. He offers guidance, direction, and suggestion. Second, when the disciples are obedient, when they cast their nets to the other side of the boat, they receive the blessings of the Lord. When they follow his directions they catch the multitude of fish. They had to follow directions. They still had to work. They had to get the fish to shore. These are not miracles, this is work. There is one miracle, the presence of Jesus on the shore and in their lives. Third and finally, when they are obedient, the Lord allows his presence to be revealed. Our reading doesn’t mention a blinding light or any sort of transfiguration happening between the disciple and the Lord, Jesus simply reveals himself to them.
There’s that three again, it’s a magic number. These steps of God’s ever presence, our obedience, and God’s revelation still pertain today as they did in Jesus’ day… and albeit in a different order, as they did for Paul in Acts.
In the second act of our gospel reading, Jesus feeds his disciples again, this time a simple breakfast of fish and bread. If you have ever had fresh lake carp in the morning, you will know how light and sweet it tastes. With fresh bread it must have been wonderful. This had to remind them of the fateful last supper they shared together, the meal we call the Lord’s Supper. They break bread with the Lord they love, the Lord who loves them. Through their experience, I imagine the elements of the sacramental meal dancing together; the bread, and the wine. Jesus participates in the sacrament. He didn’t just say do this, he did these things himself. In his actions, he sanctifies these common elements of everyday life for use in the life eternal.
After sitting down and after breaking the fast, the third act of our reading begins. Jesus calls to Simon Peter. Simon Peter whom Jesus called the rock of the church. Simon Peter to whom Jesus cries “Satan, get behind me.” Simon Peter whom Jesus said would deny him three times before the cockcrow. Jesus calls to Simon and asks “Do you love me more than these?” Simon responds, “Yes Lord; you know that I love you.” So Jesus commissions him, “Feed my lambs.”
Jesus then repeats this question. “Do you love me?” Simon again responds, “Yes Lord; you know that I love you.” So Jesus commissions him, “Tend my sheep.”
Jesus repeats this question one more time, “Do you love me?” By now it’s like hearing that old knock-knock joke and Simon is hoping to hear Jesus finally say, “Orange you glad I didn’t say banana again?” Simon is upset. He is angry, offended, and insulted. He is saddened, grieved, and distressed[6] that his Lord, Jesus the Christ would feel like he had to ask him three times if he loved him. “Surely Lord you know everything,” he says, “you know that I love you.” Simon Peter then gets his commission. He receives his mission. He is given his marching orders. He is told by his Lord and Messiah one more time, “Feed my sheep.” But that’s not all.
Jesus warns Peter about the death he will face. He is told that he will face the most horrible, painful, disgraceful death the empire has learned to inflict against its enemies. His arms will be stretched out on the cross. He will be hung from a tree. Jesus even reminds Peter he will not wish to go. He won’t deny Jesus, but he won’t volunteer for this death either.
Then, in a post script to this three act play, Jesus tells Peter, “Follow me.”
Follow me. When Jesus says this, scholars say he is telling Peter to follow him on the cross. I can’t disagree with years and years of scholarship, but I believe the Lord is asking more of Peter than just to die. I think, I hope, and I pray Jesus is telling Peter how to live.
The wondrous love of our Lord calls Peter to build the church; the church which is to be—and is still today—Christ’s body on earth. The church has always been the people of God, and not some structure. Buildings rot, decay and are forgotten, but as the people of God we still speak and act as the body of Christ today. From the songs of David found in the Psalms, to the Acts of the Apostles found in scripture, to the Gospel of John and the Revelation the Lord shows John on Patmos, theirs are the words we speak when sharing the word of God. From the One Great Hour of Sharing to the Loaves and Fishes Food Bank to Project Self Esteem, we continue to act, to do God’s work today. We share the word. We feed his lambs. We tend his sheep. We truly become God’s people when we remember the people God calls us to be and act in obedience.
We remember that like Simon Peter, we are sent to be God’s reconciling people to the world. We are called by our Lord to serve the creation healing the wounds that separate us from God and from one another. In this mission we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit, God who walks beside us and guides us as we do God’s will. And though our obedience we are one with the church eternal. We are called yesterday, today, and tomorrow to gather and welcome the broken people of the world and through God’s love make us one.
[1] Hunter, III, George C., The Celtic Way of Evangelism. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2000, page 20
[2] Ibid, pages 33-34.
[3] padia entry from the electronic edition of Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third Edition. Copyright © 2000 The University of Chicago Press. Revised and edited by Frederick William Danker based on the Walter Bauer's Griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch zu den Schriften des Neuen Testaments und für frühchristlichen Literatur, sixth edition, ed. Kurt Aland and Barbara Aland, with Viktor Reichmann and on previous English Editions by W.F.Arndt, F.W.Gingrich, and F.W.Danker.
[4] Matthew 18:3
[5] Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14, Luke 18:16
[6] lupeow entry from the electronic edition of Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Blowin' in the Wind
This sermon was delivered at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on the Second Sunday of Easter, April 15, 2007.
Acts 5:27-32
Psalm 118:14-29
Revelation 1:4-8
John 20:19-31
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
One of the several jobs I held while in seminary was as a teaching assistant for New Testament Greek. I was a Greek tutor for a group of ten students. I wasn’t a language geek, on the contrary. The other teaching assistants were all planning to go on to Ph.D. programs and becoming professors. Me, I was just a guy going into parish ministry who loved the New Testament in Greek. I even told my students on the first day that if they needed to take the class for a grade (most students took language classes pass/fail) or if they were looking at going on to a doctoral program, then going to a different tutor it might be a good idea and wouldn’t hurt my feelings. I knew I wasn’t going to be their professor; I was going to be their tutor, their guide, and their pastor.
I knew I had to be pastoral with these students. You see, they had a horrible experience with Hebrew, their first seminary language. Their experiences, or rather their wounds, were still fresh. They were like deer in the headlights that only five months earlier had been hit by a big truck. So on the first day, I spent about an hour getting to know my students.
To break the ice, I asked them some questions about their aspirations, and what they hoped to get from Greek, things like that. The last thing I asked them to do was share their favorite word from Hebrew. Just one word. I knew they had an awful experience, but I hoped if they could remember one Hebrew word that they liked, it might give them that one little toe hold that would begin to let light shine from their terrible experience. I hoped if they were able to make one connection, just one, then the entire Hebrew experience might not be so bad. I hoped this bridge could help them begin to forgive the professor and the seminary for their horrible Hebrew experience.
I started by sharing my favorite Hebrew word, ru-ach.[1] Please, say it with me, ru-ach. How’s that, you’re speaking biblical Hebrew! I love this word. In Genesis 1:2, this is the word our bibles translate as “the Spirit”[2] or “the wind.”[3] Listen to the word again, ru-ach. It sounds like wind and spirit. There is a breathy, otherworldly quality to this word that mystifies me, ru-ach.
In Genesis, this breath of God, this spirit is imparted just before the light is created. It is the breath that blows across the chaos, across the darkness, across the void. This is the breath that precedes life. This is the breath that gives life to all creation.
This is the wind that comes off of the water in the morning. It’s the cool breeze that brings the dew to fall on the grass. It’s the summer breeze that rustles the leaves in the trees and tells us that all is right in the world. It is the Spirit that reminds us that God is in charge and regardless of the chaos of the world around us, it is the Spirit that says Emmanuel, God is with us.
This is the same breath, wind, Spirit received by the disciples in our reading today. This reading picks up where we left off on Easter Sunday in John’s gospel. It is probably a week later since Peter and the disciple Jesus loved had returned and Thomas had left. The disciples are together in a room and the doors had been shut because they were afraid of the Jews. Then, suddenly, Jesus appears in the room standing in their midst and offers his blessing, “Peace to you.”
Jesus offers his peace to them, the peace which surpasses all understanding. He shows them the wounds to his hands and his side. Such violence which would be so grotesque gives reassurance to the disciples. They recognize their Lord and they rejoice in his presence. Then he repeats his blessing, “Peace to you,” then gives them their commission.
“Just as the Father has sent me I send you.” As the Father sends the Son, the disciples are now sent as sons of the Lord. The disciples are no longer helpers or assistants. They are not servants, or slaves, or hired men; they are brothers and sons of the Lord. With this honor, they receive great responsibility. After receiving their commission, they receive their authority. “If you forgive someone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you retain them, they are retained.” This is an awesome responsibility given to the disciples. The power and authority to forgive sin, authority which belongs to God alone, is now shared with them.
But because of the “retain” phrase, it is often assumed that the disciples are given the authority to judge others. But the story of Thomas gives us insight about how to interpret this part of the passage.
Thomas, of course, wasn’t with the other disciples the first time Jesus appears in this reading. So when the others tell him that they have seen the Lord, he tells them that unless he sees Jesus’ hands, unless he sees the marks of the nails, unless he puts his finger into the marks of the nails, and unless he puts his hand in Jesus’ side, surely he will not believe what he has been told. Thomas says “show me.” He must have been from Missouri.
So eight days later with all of the disciples present, Jesus returns to their midst, Jesus invites Thomas to examine his hands and the marks of the nails. He invites Thomas to put his fingers in the holes of his hands and a hand in the hole in his side. The Lord invites Thomas to do the very things he had asked to do. Then the Lord says to him, “be believing, not unbelieving.” Thomas proclaims, “My Lord and my God.”
Jesus then tells Thomas, “Since you have seen, you have believed. Blessed are the ones who are not seeing yet believing.”
This saying is often thought to imply that Thomas is not as blessed as those who will come later because he had to see to believe. But this leap is not found in the text. Thomas had to see Jesus before he believed. The other disciples had to see Jesus before they believed. But Jesus does not say that the disciples are more or less blessed than any other believers. They are blessed differently, but all are still blessed. Jesus’ actions are not about Thomas’ unbelief. Jesus’ actions are rooted in his grace and peace and sovereignty. And this interpretation can help us interpret the forgiveness passage.
In this passage when the disciples forgive sin, the sins are forgiven; sin forgiven is robbed of its power. And when the disciples retain the sins of any, the sin is retained, but scripture does not say who retains it. When the disciples do not forgive the sins of others, they keep the sins themselves. Sins are not kept on behalf of others. When the Lord forgives the repentant, others cannot be forced to retain their sins. That forgiveness is about Jesus’ action, not the disciples.
Both passages accent the sovereignty of Jesus as he blesses and forgives. The disciples’ forgiveness does not overwhelm God’s sovereignty. God’s ability to forgive sin is not dependent upon the choices of the disciples, or any body else. The disciples’ ability to forgive and retain sin affects their relationships with others and with God, not the other’s relationship with God.
It is the responsibility of the disciples to share what they have seen, and heard, and learned from the Lord. It is their responsibility to share the gospel. But it is not the responsibility of the disciples to judge how the listeners respond. “Those who hear are judged by how they respond to the offer of life.” [4]
Wonderfully, gloriously, we are given this same blessing, commission, responsibility, and authority. As the disciples passed these blessings onto the church, we continue this ministry today. Through the breath of God that blew across creation in the beginning, we continue to receive the blessing and power of the Lord’s Holy Spirit.
We are called to take the disciples vocation and make it our own. We are called to do as they did. They were called to receive, believe, and respond. Likewise we are called to receive the Holy Spirit. We are called to believe in the word and the power of the Lord. And we are called to share the word of God; God’s loving words of grace and forgiveness.
Many of us are familiar with the old Bob Dylan song from 1962, Blowin’ in the Wind. It has been covered by folk singers, country singers, blues singers, jazz singers, and even a punk band over the last 45 years. The lyrics themselves ask questions, questions that have no real answers. The song asks things like:
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
While these questions are not answered in the song, Dylan teaches the listener where to find the answer to these questions:
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.[5]
I am here to tell you that it is true; the answer to these questions is blowin’ in the wind, the same wind that blew across the void in Genesis and began all of creation. It is the wind that blew across the chaos, across the darkness, across the void. It is the breath that preceded life, the breath that gave life to all of creation. It is the breath that still comes from God and is still imparted on creation. It is the wind that comes from the breath of God, given to the disciples which we still receive today. It is the breath that calls us to believe. It is the breath that calls us to share the word, sharing the breath of God. It is the breath that calls us to forgive.
And still, it calls us to listen and believe. Because when we stop listening to the word of God, when we quit feeling the breath of the Lord blowing across our faces, across our lives, we are not able to respond according to the word. We instead pay attention to the words we hear from other voices. When we stop listening to the voice of God, we stop forgiving and start retianing other’s sins. When we hear other voices, we do not hear the blessing of the Lord, “Peace to you.”
Listen and believe. Listen, and receive the Lord’s blessing. Listen, and forgive. Listen, and read the word of God. Listen, and let us worship together. Listen, and respond to the sick and the poor that surround us. Listen, and be filled with the breath of God. Listen and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
[1] To pronounce this word the accent is on the first syllable and the “ach” in the second is soft.
[2] Jerusalem Publication Society, New American Standard Bible, New International Version, New Living translations
[3] New Revised Standard Version
[4] Cousar, Charles B., Gaventa, Beverly R., McCann, Jr., J. Clinton, Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching, A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV, YEAR C. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994, page 282.
[5] Dylan, Bob, “Blowin in the Wind.” From “The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.” Music and lyrics published April 1962, song released 1963. Publishing information unknown.
Acts 5:27-32
Psalm 118:14-29
Revelation 1:4-8
John 20:19-31
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
One of the several jobs I held while in seminary was as a teaching assistant for New Testament Greek. I was a Greek tutor for a group of ten students. I wasn’t a language geek, on the contrary. The other teaching assistants were all planning to go on to Ph.D. programs and becoming professors. Me, I was just a guy going into parish ministry who loved the New Testament in Greek. I even told my students on the first day that if they needed to take the class for a grade (most students took language classes pass/fail) or if they were looking at going on to a doctoral program, then going to a different tutor it might be a good idea and wouldn’t hurt my feelings. I knew I wasn’t going to be their professor; I was going to be their tutor, their guide, and their pastor.
I knew I had to be pastoral with these students. You see, they had a horrible experience with Hebrew, their first seminary language. Their experiences, or rather their wounds, were still fresh. They were like deer in the headlights that only five months earlier had been hit by a big truck. So on the first day, I spent about an hour getting to know my students.
To break the ice, I asked them some questions about their aspirations, and what they hoped to get from Greek, things like that. The last thing I asked them to do was share their favorite word from Hebrew. Just one word. I knew they had an awful experience, but I hoped if they could remember one Hebrew word that they liked, it might give them that one little toe hold that would begin to let light shine from their terrible experience. I hoped if they were able to make one connection, just one, then the entire Hebrew experience might not be so bad. I hoped this bridge could help them begin to forgive the professor and the seminary for their horrible Hebrew experience.
I started by sharing my favorite Hebrew word, ru-ach.[1] Please, say it with me, ru-ach. How’s that, you’re speaking biblical Hebrew! I love this word. In Genesis 1:2, this is the word our bibles translate as “the Spirit”[2] or “the wind.”[3] Listen to the word again, ru-ach. It sounds like wind and spirit. There is a breathy, otherworldly quality to this word that mystifies me, ru-ach.
In Genesis, this breath of God, this spirit is imparted just before the light is created. It is the breath that blows across the chaos, across the darkness, across the void. This is the breath that precedes life. This is the breath that gives life to all creation.
This is the wind that comes off of the water in the morning. It’s the cool breeze that brings the dew to fall on the grass. It’s the summer breeze that rustles the leaves in the trees and tells us that all is right in the world. It is the Spirit that reminds us that God is in charge and regardless of the chaos of the world around us, it is the Spirit that says Emmanuel, God is with us.
This is the same breath, wind, Spirit received by the disciples in our reading today. This reading picks up where we left off on Easter Sunday in John’s gospel. It is probably a week later since Peter and the disciple Jesus loved had returned and Thomas had left. The disciples are together in a room and the doors had been shut because they were afraid of the Jews. Then, suddenly, Jesus appears in the room standing in their midst and offers his blessing, “Peace to you.”
Jesus offers his peace to them, the peace which surpasses all understanding. He shows them the wounds to his hands and his side. Such violence which would be so grotesque gives reassurance to the disciples. They recognize their Lord and they rejoice in his presence. Then he repeats his blessing, “Peace to you,” then gives them their commission.
“Just as the Father has sent me I send you.” As the Father sends the Son, the disciples are now sent as sons of the Lord. The disciples are no longer helpers or assistants. They are not servants, or slaves, or hired men; they are brothers and sons of the Lord. With this honor, they receive great responsibility. After receiving their commission, they receive their authority. “If you forgive someone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you retain them, they are retained.” This is an awesome responsibility given to the disciples. The power and authority to forgive sin, authority which belongs to God alone, is now shared with them.
But because of the “retain” phrase, it is often assumed that the disciples are given the authority to judge others. But the story of Thomas gives us insight about how to interpret this part of the passage.
Thomas, of course, wasn’t with the other disciples the first time Jesus appears in this reading. So when the others tell him that they have seen the Lord, he tells them that unless he sees Jesus’ hands, unless he sees the marks of the nails, unless he puts his finger into the marks of the nails, and unless he puts his hand in Jesus’ side, surely he will not believe what he has been told. Thomas says “show me.” He must have been from Missouri.
So eight days later with all of the disciples present, Jesus returns to their midst, Jesus invites Thomas to examine his hands and the marks of the nails. He invites Thomas to put his fingers in the holes of his hands and a hand in the hole in his side. The Lord invites Thomas to do the very things he had asked to do. Then the Lord says to him, “be believing, not unbelieving.” Thomas proclaims, “My Lord and my God.”
Jesus then tells Thomas, “Since you have seen, you have believed. Blessed are the ones who are not seeing yet believing.”
This saying is often thought to imply that Thomas is not as blessed as those who will come later because he had to see to believe. But this leap is not found in the text. Thomas had to see Jesus before he believed. The other disciples had to see Jesus before they believed. But Jesus does not say that the disciples are more or less blessed than any other believers. They are blessed differently, but all are still blessed. Jesus’ actions are not about Thomas’ unbelief. Jesus’ actions are rooted in his grace and peace and sovereignty. And this interpretation can help us interpret the forgiveness passage.
In this passage when the disciples forgive sin, the sins are forgiven; sin forgiven is robbed of its power. And when the disciples retain the sins of any, the sin is retained, but scripture does not say who retains it. When the disciples do not forgive the sins of others, they keep the sins themselves. Sins are not kept on behalf of others. When the Lord forgives the repentant, others cannot be forced to retain their sins. That forgiveness is about Jesus’ action, not the disciples.
Both passages accent the sovereignty of Jesus as he blesses and forgives. The disciples’ forgiveness does not overwhelm God’s sovereignty. God’s ability to forgive sin is not dependent upon the choices of the disciples, or any body else. The disciples’ ability to forgive and retain sin affects their relationships with others and with God, not the other’s relationship with God.
It is the responsibility of the disciples to share what they have seen, and heard, and learned from the Lord. It is their responsibility to share the gospel. But it is not the responsibility of the disciples to judge how the listeners respond. “Those who hear are judged by how they respond to the offer of life.” [4]
Wonderfully, gloriously, we are given this same blessing, commission, responsibility, and authority. As the disciples passed these blessings onto the church, we continue this ministry today. Through the breath of God that blew across creation in the beginning, we continue to receive the blessing and power of the Lord’s Holy Spirit.
We are called to take the disciples vocation and make it our own. We are called to do as they did. They were called to receive, believe, and respond. Likewise we are called to receive the Holy Spirit. We are called to believe in the word and the power of the Lord. And we are called to share the word of God; God’s loving words of grace and forgiveness.
Many of us are familiar with the old Bob Dylan song from 1962, Blowin’ in the Wind. It has been covered by folk singers, country singers, blues singers, jazz singers, and even a punk band over the last 45 years. The lyrics themselves ask questions, questions that have no real answers. The song asks things like:
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
While these questions are not answered in the song, Dylan teaches the listener where to find the answer to these questions:
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.[5]
I am here to tell you that it is true; the answer to these questions is blowin’ in the wind, the same wind that blew across the void in Genesis and began all of creation. It is the wind that blew across the chaos, across the darkness, across the void. It is the breath that preceded life, the breath that gave life to all of creation. It is the breath that still comes from God and is still imparted on creation. It is the wind that comes from the breath of God, given to the disciples which we still receive today. It is the breath that calls us to believe. It is the breath that calls us to share the word, sharing the breath of God. It is the breath that calls us to forgive.
And still, it calls us to listen and believe. Because when we stop listening to the word of God, when we quit feeling the breath of the Lord blowing across our faces, across our lives, we are not able to respond according to the word. We instead pay attention to the words we hear from other voices. When we stop listening to the voice of God, we stop forgiving and start retianing other’s sins. When we hear other voices, we do not hear the blessing of the Lord, “Peace to you.”
Listen and believe. Listen, and receive the Lord’s blessing. Listen, and forgive. Listen, and read the word of God. Listen, and let us worship together. Listen, and respond to the sick and the poor that surround us. Listen, and be filled with the breath of God. Listen and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
[1] To pronounce this word the accent is on the first syllable and the “ach” in the second is soft.
[2] Jerusalem Publication Society, New American Standard Bible, New International Version, New Living translations
[3] New Revised Standard Version
[4] Cousar, Charles B., Gaventa, Beverly R., McCann, Jr., J. Clinton, Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching, A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV, YEAR C. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994, page 282.
[5] Dylan, Bob, “Blowin in the Wind.” From “The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.” Music and lyrics published April 1962, song released 1963. Publishing information unknown.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Now and Not Yet
This sermon was delivered at the regular 11:00 worship service on Easter Sunday at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas.
Isaiah 65:17-25
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1 Corinthians 15:19-26
Luke 24:1-12
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
One of the main attractions of funny video TV show is the pet video. It doesn’t matter whether you’re watching “The Planet’s Funniest Animals” or “America’s Funniest Home Videos” or even “Country Fried Home Videos,” the pet clip is a staple. One that has made a splash lately could be called “the obedient dog.”
These videos begin with a dog sitting. The pup’s owner puts a dog biscuit on its snout. Then on command the dog snaps its head, flips the biscuit into its mouth, and eats. It’s a pretty cool trick. The dog has to be well trained to balance a Milk Bone on its nose and agile to flip it off and into its mouth without it hitting the floor. But that’s only half the trick. The other half of the trick is the dog patiently waiting for the command to eat the treat. That’s what makes this an obedience trick. The dog knows the treat is coming. It’s right on the end of its nose. But there is no snacking on the tasty treat, at least not yet, not until the voice of the master is heard and the command is given. Frankly, if you put a biscuit on my nose, my only impulse is to eat it, not to wait on a command. Obedience is what makes this trick special.
But what puts this trick on the funny video shows is a touch of owner cruelty. Sometimes the owner teases the dog with an extra long wait before giving the command to eat, extending the not yet.
And then like Pavlov has taught psychology students since the early 1900’s, like any good dog, you put a treat on its nose and because of the anticipation of getting to eat the thing you get a salivating dog. So the dog on the video begins to salivate. But that won’t get you on the funny video program. What gets you on the show is the dog not just salivating, but drooling. Soon the dog’s snout is dripping with slobber. There is a pool of drool spilling at the paws of the pup. The dog just gets this forlorn look on its face. It knows the biscuit is there now, but it can’t eat it, not yet, and the wait is excruciating. So when the command is given, there is a sense of joy and relief that the reward for obedience is finally given.
Our reading begins with several of Jesus’ women disciples going to the tomb at early dawn with spices to prepare his body for the grave. He has been in the tomb since the crucifixion, and he has been there with only the most rudimentary of preparation. I don’t know what they imagined they would find in the tomb. But they came prepared. They came with the spices. They came with devotion. They came with fortitude. They probably came with fear. And looking at the passage, I don’t know how they expected to move the massive stone from the mouth of the tomb, but I imagine they came prepared to take care of that too.
So they arrive and we are presented with the most glorious words in Christendom, “they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body.”
He is risen! He is risen indeed! These are the words of an ancient liturgy of the church. He is risen! He is risen indeed! Jesus has risen from the grave. Jesus lives. Death has been conquered. The devil is on the run. He is risen! He is risen indeed! But consider this; we say this with joy and relief because we know what follows. But this rising has a twinge of uncertainty for the women at this point in our gospel reading. He is risen, the tomb is empty, but where is he? Was his body stolen? What happened here? They were perplexed.
He is gone, he is not there now, and they don’t know where he is, not yet.
Then the voices of two men ask “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, he is risen.” They were then reminded by the men that this was just as Jesus said it would be. He was handed over to sinners, crucified, and on the third day he is risen again from the dead.
This is tougher than Matthew’s or John’s gospels. In those gospels, Jesus is at the tomb and he reveals himself quickly. The whole “not yet” element of waiting is very short. The tomb is empty and Jesus is present. The anxiety of “not yet,” the anxiety of “where’s Jesus” is gone. But in contrast, Luke’s gospel is like asking “Where’s Waldo?” Luke gives us all of the news of the Lord’s resurrection without any physical appearance. He is risen now, but we do not see him, not yet.
As difficult as this is, the women recognize the command. They know what they have been told is the truth. They have faith. They have faith in Jesus. They have faith in the two messengers. They have faith in the words Jesus spoke.
Then they respond to the word of God. They respond in faith. And they share the good news of the resurrection of Jesus with the apostles and the disciples. They share the good news with the friends of the Lord.
And how was their word taken? Well, the translation I read this morning calls the news of the resurrection of Jesus the Christ an idle tale.[1] Other translations call it nonsense.[2] Either way, everyone thought that what the women said was devoid of anything worthwhile.[3] They completely disregarded the women and everything they had to say.
The only exception to this was Peter, Peter who toddles to the beat of a different drum. He might have thought these were just idle words like everyone else, but he wanted to see for himself. Then, coming to the tomb, he sees the linen cloths by themselves. Jesus is gone, he is not here. Did Peter believe the women? Maybe, maybe not. He was amazed, but was he amazed by what his eyes showed him or was he amazed by what the women said and his eyes confirmed. Truly, scripture doesn’t say what amazed him. In the end, we can all guess for ourselves and be just as well informed as the most famous bible scholar.
What is interesting is how the people react. He is risen! He is risen indeed! These words ring through the sanctuary today as they rang in the room with the apostles and the disciples. The women took the word they received and shared it with the world. Most of those who heard the word sat like a bump on a log. Peter went, investigated, saw that at least part of it was true, and went home. These three reactions are not so different from how many deal with the news of the gospel today.
Some will leave services just like this one and think that what we testify today is so much foolishness. We’ve seen the news on the “Today Show,” we’ve seen the Discovery Channel. We know there’s an ossuary, a bone box with the names Yoshua bar Yosef and Mariamne and Yehuda bar Yoshua carved into them. And if Jesus has bones and a family, then the story of the resurrection is just nonsense. Others will leave worship services today thinking that’s interesting. Some may even read over their bulletin, or a church newsletter, or even holy writ amazed at what happened, and then go home not to be bothered by the church again until Christmas. The trick is to not just hear the word. The trick is to be obedient to the word.
As the reconciled people of God, what we are reconciled to is life and life in the Lord through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. This work begins with his existence, it continues through his birth, it is shown through his life, is completed in his death and resurrection, and continues through his ascension. Since the day of the first Adam, we have been separated from the Lord by sin. Since that day, it has always been the intention of the Lord that we would be brought back to life in God through the work of God in the person of the second Adam, Jesus. And we wait for the day that Jesus will return again in glory. And as the reconciled people of God it is our duty to respond by gathering and welcoming the broken people of the world and through God’s love make us one. This is our call. This is our vocation.
We testify that Jesus is risen and death is conquered. But in the now of this reality, our world shows that it is not realized in creation, not yet. I would be blind to tell you that the work of the Lord is finished on earth. We don’t have to look deep into the past to see the way God’s people have been treated. We do not have to look far to see people acting unjustly toward one another. Looking at the news, we can see the big examples—genocide in Darfur, war in the Middle East, unrest in Indonesia, drug abuse on the streets. Looking at the paper we find evidence of violence and abuse in our community. We see the effects of poverty and hunger. We see the response of a helpless and hopeless world, we see it in our community and we see it all around us.
But the nightmare of Good Friday is transformed into the Easter miracle. The way has been opened for all of the nightmares to be swallowed by the dreams of Easter. The resurrection allows us to dream of plenty in the midst of poverty; compassion in the midst of violence; justice in the midst of inequity; holiness in the midst of hell; love in the midst of hate.[4] All around us is the cold reality that Jesus is risen, but the world is not able to follow his lead.
Jesus is risen, this is the truth. The victory over sin and death is won. This is what we know now. But the world is still mired in the mindset of loss and hopelessness. He is risen, but like the apostles and disciples, the world hasn’t seen him, not yet. Friends, we need to dream the dreams of the women, the ones who have seen and heard and believe and responded. We need to take the good news with us and share the love with the world. It is our right. It is our duty. It is our greatest joy.
This is the trick. In the midst of a world of temptation, we are called to be obedient. We have been given the command. Now let’s get that dog bone; taste and see that the Lord is good.
[1] Luke 24:11, New Revised Standard Version
[2] Luke 24:11, New International, New American Standard, and New Living Translation
[3] Theological Dictionary of the New Testament
[4] “Easter Dreams” from HomileticsOnline.Com, published April 16, 1995, accessed March 26, 2007
Isaiah 65:17-25
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1 Corinthians 15:19-26
Luke 24:1-12
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
One of the main attractions of funny video TV show is the pet video. It doesn’t matter whether you’re watching “The Planet’s Funniest Animals” or “America’s Funniest Home Videos” or even “Country Fried Home Videos,” the pet clip is a staple. One that has made a splash lately could be called “the obedient dog.”
These videos begin with a dog sitting. The pup’s owner puts a dog biscuit on its snout. Then on command the dog snaps its head, flips the biscuit into its mouth, and eats. It’s a pretty cool trick. The dog has to be well trained to balance a Milk Bone on its nose and agile to flip it off and into its mouth without it hitting the floor. But that’s only half the trick. The other half of the trick is the dog patiently waiting for the command to eat the treat. That’s what makes this an obedience trick. The dog knows the treat is coming. It’s right on the end of its nose. But there is no snacking on the tasty treat, at least not yet, not until the voice of the master is heard and the command is given. Frankly, if you put a biscuit on my nose, my only impulse is to eat it, not to wait on a command. Obedience is what makes this trick special.
But what puts this trick on the funny video shows is a touch of owner cruelty. Sometimes the owner teases the dog with an extra long wait before giving the command to eat, extending the not yet.
And then like Pavlov has taught psychology students since the early 1900’s, like any good dog, you put a treat on its nose and because of the anticipation of getting to eat the thing you get a salivating dog. So the dog on the video begins to salivate. But that won’t get you on the funny video program. What gets you on the show is the dog not just salivating, but drooling. Soon the dog’s snout is dripping with slobber. There is a pool of drool spilling at the paws of the pup. The dog just gets this forlorn look on its face. It knows the biscuit is there now, but it can’t eat it, not yet, and the wait is excruciating. So when the command is given, there is a sense of joy and relief that the reward for obedience is finally given.
Our reading begins with several of Jesus’ women disciples going to the tomb at early dawn with spices to prepare his body for the grave. He has been in the tomb since the crucifixion, and he has been there with only the most rudimentary of preparation. I don’t know what they imagined they would find in the tomb. But they came prepared. They came with the spices. They came with devotion. They came with fortitude. They probably came with fear. And looking at the passage, I don’t know how they expected to move the massive stone from the mouth of the tomb, but I imagine they came prepared to take care of that too.
So they arrive and we are presented with the most glorious words in Christendom, “they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body.”
He is risen! He is risen indeed! These are the words of an ancient liturgy of the church. He is risen! He is risen indeed! Jesus has risen from the grave. Jesus lives. Death has been conquered. The devil is on the run. He is risen! He is risen indeed! But consider this; we say this with joy and relief because we know what follows. But this rising has a twinge of uncertainty for the women at this point in our gospel reading. He is risen, the tomb is empty, but where is he? Was his body stolen? What happened here? They were perplexed.
He is gone, he is not there now, and they don’t know where he is, not yet.
Then the voices of two men ask “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, he is risen.” They were then reminded by the men that this was just as Jesus said it would be. He was handed over to sinners, crucified, and on the third day he is risen again from the dead.
This is tougher than Matthew’s or John’s gospels. In those gospels, Jesus is at the tomb and he reveals himself quickly. The whole “not yet” element of waiting is very short. The tomb is empty and Jesus is present. The anxiety of “not yet,” the anxiety of “where’s Jesus” is gone. But in contrast, Luke’s gospel is like asking “Where’s Waldo?” Luke gives us all of the news of the Lord’s resurrection without any physical appearance. He is risen now, but we do not see him, not yet.
As difficult as this is, the women recognize the command. They know what they have been told is the truth. They have faith. They have faith in Jesus. They have faith in the two messengers. They have faith in the words Jesus spoke.
Then they respond to the word of God. They respond in faith. And they share the good news of the resurrection of Jesus with the apostles and the disciples. They share the good news with the friends of the Lord.
And how was their word taken? Well, the translation I read this morning calls the news of the resurrection of Jesus the Christ an idle tale.[1] Other translations call it nonsense.[2] Either way, everyone thought that what the women said was devoid of anything worthwhile.[3] They completely disregarded the women and everything they had to say.
The only exception to this was Peter, Peter who toddles to the beat of a different drum. He might have thought these were just idle words like everyone else, but he wanted to see for himself. Then, coming to the tomb, he sees the linen cloths by themselves. Jesus is gone, he is not here. Did Peter believe the women? Maybe, maybe not. He was amazed, but was he amazed by what his eyes showed him or was he amazed by what the women said and his eyes confirmed. Truly, scripture doesn’t say what amazed him. In the end, we can all guess for ourselves and be just as well informed as the most famous bible scholar.
What is interesting is how the people react. He is risen! He is risen indeed! These words ring through the sanctuary today as they rang in the room with the apostles and the disciples. The women took the word they received and shared it with the world. Most of those who heard the word sat like a bump on a log. Peter went, investigated, saw that at least part of it was true, and went home. These three reactions are not so different from how many deal with the news of the gospel today.
Some will leave services just like this one and think that what we testify today is so much foolishness. We’ve seen the news on the “Today Show,” we’ve seen the Discovery Channel. We know there’s an ossuary, a bone box with the names Yoshua bar Yosef and Mariamne and Yehuda bar Yoshua carved into them. And if Jesus has bones and a family, then the story of the resurrection is just nonsense. Others will leave worship services today thinking that’s interesting. Some may even read over their bulletin, or a church newsletter, or even holy writ amazed at what happened, and then go home not to be bothered by the church again until Christmas. The trick is to not just hear the word. The trick is to be obedient to the word.
As the reconciled people of God, what we are reconciled to is life and life in the Lord through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. This work begins with his existence, it continues through his birth, it is shown through his life, is completed in his death and resurrection, and continues through his ascension. Since the day of the first Adam, we have been separated from the Lord by sin. Since that day, it has always been the intention of the Lord that we would be brought back to life in God through the work of God in the person of the second Adam, Jesus. And we wait for the day that Jesus will return again in glory. And as the reconciled people of God it is our duty to respond by gathering and welcoming the broken people of the world and through God’s love make us one. This is our call. This is our vocation.
We testify that Jesus is risen and death is conquered. But in the now of this reality, our world shows that it is not realized in creation, not yet. I would be blind to tell you that the work of the Lord is finished on earth. We don’t have to look deep into the past to see the way God’s people have been treated. We do not have to look far to see people acting unjustly toward one another. Looking at the news, we can see the big examples—genocide in Darfur, war in the Middle East, unrest in Indonesia, drug abuse on the streets. Looking at the paper we find evidence of violence and abuse in our community. We see the effects of poverty and hunger. We see the response of a helpless and hopeless world, we see it in our community and we see it all around us.
But the nightmare of Good Friday is transformed into the Easter miracle. The way has been opened for all of the nightmares to be swallowed by the dreams of Easter. The resurrection allows us to dream of plenty in the midst of poverty; compassion in the midst of violence; justice in the midst of inequity; holiness in the midst of hell; love in the midst of hate.[4] All around us is the cold reality that Jesus is risen, but the world is not able to follow his lead.
Jesus is risen, this is the truth. The victory over sin and death is won. This is what we know now. But the world is still mired in the mindset of loss and hopelessness. He is risen, but like the apostles and disciples, the world hasn’t seen him, not yet. Friends, we need to dream the dreams of the women, the ones who have seen and heard and believe and responded. We need to take the good news with us and share the love with the world. It is our right. It is our duty. It is our greatest joy.
This is the trick. In the midst of a world of temptation, we are called to be obedient. We have been given the command. Now let’s get that dog bone; taste and see that the Lord is good.
[1] Luke 24:11, New Revised Standard Version
[2] Luke 24:11, New International, New American Standard, and New Living Translation
[3] Theological Dictionary of the New Testament
[4] “Easter Dreams” from HomileticsOnline.Com, published April 16, 1995, accessed March 26, 2007
Finders Keepers
This homily was delivered at the Berryville Alliance of Churches annual Easter Morning Celebration at 8:00 AM on Easter Sunday. This service is usually held in Pioneer Park in Berryville, Arkansas but because of the weather this year it was held in the First Presbyterian Church.
Acts 10:34:43
John 20:1-18
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
It’s early on the first day of the week. The sun has just begun to come up so it is still dark. This is as early as Mary dares leave, any sooner she will violate the Sabbath. So literally at the crack of dawn, she leaves the house and goes to the tomb. When she arrives she sees that the stone that had been placed over its mouth has been removed. I suspect she looked into the open tomb, for just a moment. Maybe she didn’t look in, but instead had a sinking feeling in her heart. Either way, she had come to the correct conclusion. Jesus’ body was not there.
Mary sees the open tomb, overwhelmed by grief, or maybe by panic. The Lord is not there, how can this be? Mary runs to Simon Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved to tell them. He has been taken from the tomb and we do not know where they have laid him.
Mary’s panic is shared by the two disciples. They run together, Peter falling behind as they race to the tomb. The other disciple arrives first, looking in he sees only the linen that had been wrapped around Jesus. Peter arrives on his heels and we read that he is the first who dares to enter. Peter too sees the cloths that had been wrapped around his body and set aside by itself the wrapping that had covered his head and face.
After the other entered the tomb, they saw and they believed. They believed that he was gone. Simon Peter, the rock upon which the church would be built, and the disciple who Jesus loved; they had entered the tomb of their Lord and Master, and his body was gone. Scripture is silent, but would I be wrong to think they were devastated? He is taken, he is tried, he is crucified, and now he is gone.
Peter had cut off the ear of the High Priest’s slave Malchus. The other disciple was the one Jesus loved. If Jesus’ body was missing, logic says it was taken. If the authorities thought that they had done this, if they thought these two disciples had taken this rabble rouser’s body to cause more religious unrest, then they would be next on the Pharisees’ and Pilate’s list of political enemies.
They did not understand what had happened. They did not understand the scripture. So they did what seemed sensible. They needed to sort out what was happening. They needed to mourn. They may have needed to hide. So they went home.
Mary remains weeping at the tomb. Her Lord is dead and missing. The two people she shares her worries with have abandoned her. She is alone again. She is lost. She is distraught. She weeps and she looks into the tomb. What else can she do?
Suddenly she is found by two angels who ask why she is crying. She repeats her lament, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Can you hear her heart breaking? Flowery speeches are unnecessary. “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Then, just as suddenly she turns and sees another man standing before her. Who is this man? Did he take the body of the Lord?
He breaks the momentary silence repeating the question of the men in the tomb, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Scripture tells us Mary supposed he was the gardener. But she may have also thought he was a thief or a fool.
Only a fool wouldn’t know what had been going on in Jerusalem over the past week. The Passover was only a part of what was happening now. The Nazarene, Jesus came into Jerusalem triumphantly on the back of a colt. Later, he was tried as an enemy of the state or of the church depending on the accuser. Then he was crucified with two criminals. This was his crypt, and if this man was the gardener either he was oblivious to the events of the last week and the responsibilities of his job or he was the one who moved the body.
She answers his question without contempt toward its foolishness, but she is not above suspecting this gardener of taking Jesus. “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away.” How Mary is going to carry the dead weight of a man is irrelevant. If this gardener knows where the body is, she will retrieve it and return it to its proper resting place.
It’s the least she can do. The Lord has delivered Mary from her life in the world to life with him. The gospels tell different stories about Mary and her history, but there is one thing that is certain. Jesus finds Mary and then she becomes actively useful to the ministry of the Lord. Carrying him to his final resting place is the least she can do.
Her world is shattered. Being useful in this small way is all she can think to do. It is all she dares to believe she can do. What else is there?
Jesus then calls her by name. “Mary!” Recognizing him, she turns and calls out to him “Rabboni.” She is flooded with emotion. The warmth must be amazing. Her tears of sorrow and anxiety and fear become tears of joy and relief. The Lord reveals himself to her again. She has found him and the world is turning anew. She rushes to him, she clings to him. Jesus tells her this is not the time, she is to go and tell the brothers what was happening, and what would happen. Jesus tells Mary “I am ascending to my Father.”
Mary does as she is told. She goes to the disciples. Such a difference a moment makes in our lives. Her world has been turned over three times in the last three days, the twice within the last hour or so. If she is running she is skipping. If she is walking she is walking on sunshine. Life is never going to be the same. Her Lord lives. And she is trusted to take these things to the others. “I have seen the Lord,” and life, which had all ready been turned on its ear, is turning again and again. “I have seen the Lord.”
We all remember the childhood taunt, “finders keepers losers weepers.” What’s even stranger is that this edict comes from Scottish law meaning just what it says. It is also maritime common law, when a shipwreck reaches a certain age, the original owner of the cargo no longer has claim over it. Anyone who finds the wreck can file a salvage claim, place a lien on the vessel, and mount a salvage operation.[1] It can be said that Mary had lost Jesus and wept. Then Jesus was found and she rejoiced. But this would not be entirely true.
This summer, the sequel to the 2003 movie “Bruce Almighty” is being released. Titled “Evan Almighty,” Steve Carell reprises his role as Evan Baxter. Where Evan was Bruce’s foil in the first movie, this time it is Evan who hears the voice of the Lord. The movie trailer begins like this:
“Through history, the Almighty has appeared unto a very few: Moses, Abraham, Joan of Arc, Bruce. [This] summer he will choose a new prophet to bring his message to the world.” This is where the trailer cuts to the “Evan talking gibberish” scene from the movie “Bruce Almighty.” Back to the trailer, “But God only knows why He chose Evan.”[2]
This actually shows us something important. We don’t find God, God finds us. Jesus, God incarnate, God crucified, God resurrected, finds us, and like with Mary, he finds us where we are. He finds us when we are useless to him and to the world and makes us useful. He finds us when we are our most vulnerable and shows us his presence. He takes us, melds us, molds us, and makes us the people we are called to be.
Today as we cry the words of the ancient liturgy, “He is risen, He is risen indeed!” we cry that he lives and continues to live in his world and in our lives. Jesus finds us and keeps us. None are lost to the Lord; in him there is no reason to weep. Mary took this news and shared it with the disciples. They took this news and shared it with the world. Take it, and share it with the world. He is risen, He is risen indeed!
[1] “Finders Keepers,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finders_keepers, accessed April 7, 2007.
[2] “Evan Almighty” trailer, http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mid=23571&mode=0&pmmsid=1755739 accessed April 7, 2007.
Acts 10:34:43
John 20:1-18
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
It’s early on the first day of the week. The sun has just begun to come up so it is still dark. This is as early as Mary dares leave, any sooner she will violate the Sabbath. So literally at the crack of dawn, she leaves the house and goes to the tomb. When she arrives she sees that the stone that had been placed over its mouth has been removed. I suspect she looked into the open tomb, for just a moment. Maybe she didn’t look in, but instead had a sinking feeling in her heart. Either way, she had come to the correct conclusion. Jesus’ body was not there.
Mary sees the open tomb, overwhelmed by grief, or maybe by panic. The Lord is not there, how can this be? Mary runs to Simon Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved to tell them. He has been taken from the tomb and we do not know where they have laid him.
Mary’s panic is shared by the two disciples. They run together, Peter falling behind as they race to the tomb. The other disciple arrives first, looking in he sees only the linen that had been wrapped around Jesus. Peter arrives on his heels and we read that he is the first who dares to enter. Peter too sees the cloths that had been wrapped around his body and set aside by itself the wrapping that had covered his head and face.
After the other entered the tomb, they saw and they believed. They believed that he was gone. Simon Peter, the rock upon which the church would be built, and the disciple who Jesus loved; they had entered the tomb of their Lord and Master, and his body was gone. Scripture is silent, but would I be wrong to think they were devastated? He is taken, he is tried, he is crucified, and now he is gone.
Peter had cut off the ear of the High Priest’s slave Malchus. The other disciple was the one Jesus loved. If Jesus’ body was missing, logic says it was taken. If the authorities thought that they had done this, if they thought these two disciples had taken this rabble rouser’s body to cause more religious unrest, then they would be next on the Pharisees’ and Pilate’s list of political enemies.
They did not understand what had happened. They did not understand the scripture. So they did what seemed sensible. They needed to sort out what was happening. They needed to mourn. They may have needed to hide. So they went home.
Mary remains weeping at the tomb. Her Lord is dead and missing. The two people she shares her worries with have abandoned her. She is alone again. She is lost. She is distraught. She weeps and she looks into the tomb. What else can she do?
Suddenly she is found by two angels who ask why she is crying. She repeats her lament, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Can you hear her heart breaking? Flowery speeches are unnecessary. “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Then, just as suddenly she turns and sees another man standing before her. Who is this man? Did he take the body of the Lord?
He breaks the momentary silence repeating the question of the men in the tomb, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Scripture tells us Mary supposed he was the gardener. But she may have also thought he was a thief or a fool.
Only a fool wouldn’t know what had been going on in Jerusalem over the past week. The Passover was only a part of what was happening now. The Nazarene, Jesus came into Jerusalem triumphantly on the back of a colt. Later, he was tried as an enemy of the state or of the church depending on the accuser. Then he was crucified with two criminals. This was his crypt, and if this man was the gardener either he was oblivious to the events of the last week and the responsibilities of his job or he was the one who moved the body.
She answers his question without contempt toward its foolishness, but she is not above suspecting this gardener of taking Jesus. “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away.” How Mary is going to carry the dead weight of a man is irrelevant. If this gardener knows where the body is, she will retrieve it and return it to its proper resting place.
It’s the least she can do. The Lord has delivered Mary from her life in the world to life with him. The gospels tell different stories about Mary and her history, but there is one thing that is certain. Jesus finds Mary and then she becomes actively useful to the ministry of the Lord. Carrying him to his final resting place is the least she can do.
Her world is shattered. Being useful in this small way is all she can think to do. It is all she dares to believe she can do. What else is there?
Jesus then calls her by name. “Mary!” Recognizing him, she turns and calls out to him “Rabboni.” She is flooded with emotion. The warmth must be amazing. Her tears of sorrow and anxiety and fear become tears of joy and relief. The Lord reveals himself to her again. She has found him and the world is turning anew. She rushes to him, she clings to him. Jesus tells her this is not the time, she is to go and tell the brothers what was happening, and what would happen. Jesus tells Mary “I am ascending to my Father.”
Mary does as she is told. She goes to the disciples. Such a difference a moment makes in our lives. Her world has been turned over three times in the last three days, the twice within the last hour or so. If she is running she is skipping. If she is walking she is walking on sunshine. Life is never going to be the same. Her Lord lives. And she is trusted to take these things to the others. “I have seen the Lord,” and life, which had all ready been turned on its ear, is turning again and again. “I have seen the Lord.”
We all remember the childhood taunt, “finders keepers losers weepers.” What’s even stranger is that this edict comes from Scottish law meaning just what it says. It is also maritime common law, when a shipwreck reaches a certain age, the original owner of the cargo no longer has claim over it. Anyone who finds the wreck can file a salvage claim, place a lien on the vessel, and mount a salvage operation.[1] It can be said that Mary had lost Jesus and wept. Then Jesus was found and she rejoiced. But this would not be entirely true.
This summer, the sequel to the 2003 movie “Bruce Almighty” is being released. Titled “Evan Almighty,” Steve Carell reprises his role as Evan Baxter. Where Evan was Bruce’s foil in the first movie, this time it is Evan who hears the voice of the Lord. The movie trailer begins like this:
“Through history, the Almighty has appeared unto a very few: Moses, Abraham, Joan of Arc, Bruce. [This] summer he will choose a new prophet to bring his message to the world.” This is where the trailer cuts to the “Evan talking gibberish” scene from the movie “Bruce Almighty.” Back to the trailer, “But God only knows why He chose Evan.”[2]
This actually shows us something important. We don’t find God, God finds us. Jesus, God incarnate, God crucified, God resurrected, finds us, and like with Mary, he finds us where we are. He finds us when we are useless to him and to the world and makes us useful. He finds us when we are our most vulnerable and shows us his presence. He takes us, melds us, molds us, and makes us the people we are called to be.
Today as we cry the words of the ancient liturgy, “He is risen, He is risen indeed!” we cry that he lives and continues to live in his world and in our lives. Jesus finds us and keeps us. None are lost to the Lord; in him there is no reason to weep. Mary took this news and shared it with the disciples. They took this news and shared it with the world. Take it, and share it with the world. He is risen, He is risen indeed!
[1] “Finders Keepers,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finders_keepers, accessed April 7, 2007.
[2] “Evan Almighty” trailer, http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mid=23571&mode=0&pmmsid=1755739 accessed April 7, 2007.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
All the Best Cowboys...
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Philippians 2:5-11
Luke 19:28-40
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
As a congregation, we have been together for nearly two years. In that time I am sure you have noticed that I tend to look at life a little differently. When I was a kid, I used to thumb through the encyclopedia. When I had my first apartment I didn’t keep magazines in the bathroom, I kept an almanac. I never had the time to read an entire article in the bathroom, so I would just scope out some facts. Today I still cruise an online encyclopedia to find new little mental diversions.
This has never been particularly useful, but it does add spice to conversation. Once, my older sister and I were heading to Downtown Kansas City from her house north of the river. We were crossing the Armor-Swift-and-Burlington bridge, the ASB as it’s known in KC, and she pointed over to an old rail bridge and asked me, “Do you believe they are putting a piece of that in the Smithsonian?” “Sure,” I replied, “After all it is the oldest swing type rail drawbridge in America.” This is my sister, she’s known me all my life, she knows me well, and she was dumbstruck. “How in the world do you know that?” I was a little embarrassed to tell her, “Well, it’s in the almanac.”[1]
So you won’t be too amazed that when reading today’s gospel, I was reminded of the name of a 1982 record album by Pete Townshend, the lead guitar player for a British Invasion rock band called “The Who.”
Reading the gospel, I just get this image of Jesus riding into town on a colt that hadn’t been broken. If you have ever tried to ride or even seen someone try to ride an unbroken colt, you would know that nothing will throw you faster, especially bareback. Throw in the spectacle of people shouting and throwing their cloaks in their path and the degree of difficulty and danger increases drastically. Yet scripture tells us Jesus is placed on the colt and it’s calm, cool, and collected. Together they ride into town.
Anyway, I remember hearing an interview with Pete Townshend on the radio in the early 1980’s.[2] When asked about the title of his new album, he says in his British accent, “When you watch these old Western pictures, you see John Wayne (now imagine if you will a man with a British accent going into a John Wayne imitation), and he’s riding out on the range, and he looks like a bloke, just like any other man. Well, it figured that if you spent all this time out on the range looking off into the sunset like the Western heroes do, you’d spend a lot of time squinting, so I always thought (and here’s the name of the album) ‘All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes’.”
So here’s Jesus, riding into town, on the back of a colt that had never been ridden. He’s working it like all the best cowboys. He has spent a lot of time on the roads between villages, spending time in the fields and plains with the people, and he doesn’t have a big Stetson hat, or Oakley sunglasses, so, for some unknown reason, I sort of wonder if Jesus has “Chinese Eyes,” you know, just like all the best cowboys. Or is it just me?
The striking thing about this text is that it is so simple yet so lush. There is so very little written here, but it is so full of detail and imagery. Listen to the word of the Lord…verse 31 reads, “If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying this colt?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it’.” This is so simple. The Lord needs it. Is there any more subtle piece of scripture?
With a simplicity and richness Jesus brings to the event, he rides into town on the back of a colt. The people are expecting a king. They want a king. They cry, “Blessed is the king!” Putting cloaks in his path is one way kings are greeted,[3] but Jesus does not enter like the political or military king the people wanted to end Roman oppression. He does not enter Jerusalem on the back of a war horse leading an army and bringing the conquered and vanquished enemy to his capital. He does not come in a chariot like the Egyptian Pharaohs, Assyrian Kings, and Roman Caesars of Israel’s past and present. He comes on a colt. The colt is nimble. The colt is sturdy. These qualities make the colt the preferred mount of the Jewish kings since it could move through the hill country far better than a war horse or a chariot could.[4]
So this simple gesture reveals Jesus comes humbly. He is a Jew come to his people during their most important celebration, not a conquering hero. He comes as one who serves, not one who is served. He comes with humility, but he also comes with knowledge. He comes knowing his place in the past, the present, and the future.
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” The Pharisees knew if the crowd did not, there would be consequences. The Romans want order in the territories, and this would not do. Jesus knew better. He knew “if the people were silent, the stones would shout out.” Nothing was going to stop Jesus. Nothing was going to stop his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Nothing was going to stop the Word of the Lord, his Word, from being shouted out to a world desperately needing to hear it.
The Swiss theologian Karl Barth once said, “The Word became flesh—and then through theologians it became words again.”[5] It’s all right to laugh. This may not be very funny, but it’s pretty funny. After more than three years of seminary, nearly two years of sermons, and countless reports to various Presbytery groups and agencies, I can say with no reservation that I am able to make the Word become flesh become word again. After looking at the Book of Confessions and reading such truly wonderful statements as, “I ought properly to acknowledge the only true God, trust in him alone, in humility and patience expect all good from him only, and love, fear and honor him with my whole heart.”[6] And as wonderful and glorious as this is, next to “The Lord needs it,” and “the stones would shout out,” it just seems so very wordy.
Jesus comes simply. He comes knowing who he is and what he has come to do. He comes with integrity, something sorely lacking in our world today. There has been a lot of talk about the circumstances surrounding former pro football player and Army Ranger Pat Tillman’s death in Afghanistan; and how the government has chosen to handle what happened to him on that fateful day. Former Arizona State University head football coach Bruce Snyder was Tillman’s coach from 1994 to 1997. Coach Snyder summed up the government's handling of Tillman’s death perfectly. In a recent interview, he said that things like war and religion are complicated, but accountability is not. He was very upset with the way the military and the government have handled things and thought Tillman would be too.[7]
Integrity forces us to tell the truth. Integrity allows us to say war is hell and horrible things happen in war and in war time. Integrity makes us face the fact that this is especially true in wars that need to be fought. Integrity does not let us cover up the harsh parts of reality with a glossy sheen that looks pretty but hides flaws. With this same integrity, we are called to know who we are and find our place in the world. We are called to tell the truth. We are called to tell the truth in business. We are called to tell the truth at home. And we are called to tell the truth to the world.
Jesus comes on a colt as the Lord and Messiah. He is more than a victorious military leader. He is more than a skilled politician. He is the anointed one who comes in power, and in authority, and in humility. He comes to lead us and all of creation into Jerusalem. But humanity can be just as unruly as a colt that has never been ridden. But the Lord does not lead by force or coercion. He calls us with a whisper we hear at a level we don’t understand from a place we cannot deny. The colt can give us insight to these whispers. This description comes from the movie The Horse Whisperer:[8]
“A million years before man, [horses] grazed the vast and empty plains, living by voices only they could hear. They first came to know man as the hunted knows the hunter, for long before he used horses for his labors, he killed them for meat. The alliance with man would forever be fragile, for the fear he’d struck into their hearts…was too deep to be dislodged. Since that Neolithic moment, when a horse was first haltered, there were those among men who understood this. They could see into the creature’s soul…and soothe the wounds they found there. The secrets uttered softly into troubled ears. These men were known as the whisperers.”
Jesus will not be deterred. What he does he does for one of us and for all of us. His disciples cry out “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” Yet, even if they were not able to cry out, the stones would cry out in their stead. Today we celebrate the triumphant entry of the King of the Jews into Jerusalem. Today we celebrate His triumphant entry into a kingship the people did not understand. We are called to cry "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven.” We are called to do this because the Lord sees into our souls and soothes the wounds he finds. We are called to do this because the Lord needs it.
[1] The World Almanac and Book of Facts, I believe I am referring to the 1987 edition.
[2] I believe this was from Redbeard’s radio show probably from 1982.
[3] http://homileticsonline.com/subscriber/printer_friendly_installment.asp?installment_id=3237, accessed March 26, 2007, and see 2 Kings 9:6-16, the inauguration of Jehu
[4] Ibid.
[5] http://homileticsonline.com/subscriber/printer_friendly_installment.asp?installment_id=93000055, accessed March 26, 2006.
[6] Office of the General Assembly, The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Part I, The Book of Confessions. The Heidelberg Catechism, Question 94. Louisville, KY: Geneva Press, 1996, page 30.
[7] http://www.jimrome.com/home/jungle/interview.html, Bruce Snyder Interview, accessed March 28, 2007.
[8] Touchstone Pictures presents, The Horse Whisperer. Written by Eric Roth based on the novel by Nick Evans. 1998.
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Philippians 2:5-11
Luke 19:28-40
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
As a congregation, we have been together for nearly two years. In that time I am sure you have noticed that I tend to look at life a little differently. When I was a kid, I used to thumb through the encyclopedia. When I had my first apartment I didn’t keep magazines in the bathroom, I kept an almanac. I never had the time to read an entire article in the bathroom, so I would just scope out some facts. Today I still cruise an online encyclopedia to find new little mental diversions.
This has never been particularly useful, but it does add spice to conversation. Once, my older sister and I were heading to Downtown Kansas City from her house north of the river. We were crossing the Armor-Swift-and-Burlington bridge, the ASB as it’s known in KC, and she pointed over to an old rail bridge and asked me, “Do you believe they are putting a piece of that in the Smithsonian?” “Sure,” I replied, “After all it is the oldest swing type rail drawbridge in America.” This is my sister, she’s known me all my life, she knows me well, and she was dumbstruck. “How in the world do you know that?” I was a little embarrassed to tell her, “Well, it’s in the almanac.”[1]
So you won’t be too amazed that when reading today’s gospel, I was reminded of the name of a 1982 record album by Pete Townshend, the lead guitar player for a British Invasion rock band called “The Who.”
Reading the gospel, I just get this image of Jesus riding into town on a colt that hadn’t been broken. If you have ever tried to ride or even seen someone try to ride an unbroken colt, you would know that nothing will throw you faster, especially bareback. Throw in the spectacle of people shouting and throwing their cloaks in their path and the degree of difficulty and danger increases drastically. Yet scripture tells us Jesus is placed on the colt and it’s calm, cool, and collected. Together they ride into town.
Anyway, I remember hearing an interview with Pete Townshend on the radio in the early 1980’s.[2] When asked about the title of his new album, he says in his British accent, “When you watch these old Western pictures, you see John Wayne (now imagine if you will a man with a British accent going into a John Wayne imitation), and he’s riding out on the range, and he looks like a bloke, just like any other man. Well, it figured that if you spent all this time out on the range looking off into the sunset like the Western heroes do, you’d spend a lot of time squinting, so I always thought (and here’s the name of the album) ‘All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes’.”
So here’s Jesus, riding into town, on the back of a colt that had never been ridden. He’s working it like all the best cowboys. He has spent a lot of time on the roads between villages, spending time in the fields and plains with the people, and he doesn’t have a big Stetson hat, or Oakley sunglasses, so, for some unknown reason, I sort of wonder if Jesus has “Chinese Eyes,” you know, just like all the best cowboys. Or is it just me?
The striking thing about this text is that it is so simple yet so lush. There is so very little written here, but it is so full of detail and imagery. Listen to the word of the Lord…verse 31 reads, “If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying this colt?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it’.” This is so simple. The Lord needs it. Is there any more subtle piece of scripture?
With a simplicity and richness Jesus brings to the event, he rides into town on the back of a colt. The people are expecting a king. They want a king. They cry, “Blessed is the king!” Putting cloaks in his path is one way kings are greeted,[3] but Jesus does not enter like the political or military king the people wanted to end Roman oppression. He does not enter Jerusalem on the back of a war horse leading an army and bringing the conquered and vanquished enemy to his capital. He does not come in a chariot like the Egyptian Pharaohs, Assyrian Kings, and Roman Caesars of Israel’s past and present. He comes on a colt. The colt is nimble. The colt is sturdy. These qualities make the colt the preferred mount of the Jewish kings since it could move through the hill country far better than a war horse or a chariot could.[4]
So this simple gesture reveals Jesus comes humbly. He is a Jew come to his people during their most important celebration, not a conquering hero. He comes as one who serves, not one who is served. He comes with humility, but he also comes with knowledge. He comes knowing his place in the past, the present, and the future.
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” The Pharisees knew if the crowd did not, there would be consequences. The Romans want order in the territories, and this would not do. Jesus knew better. He knew “if the people were silent, the stones would shout out.” Nothing was going to stop Jesus. Nothing was going to stop his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Nothing was going to stop the Word of the Lord, his Word, from being shouted out to a world desperately needing to hear it.
The Swiss theologian Karl Barth once said, “The Word became flesh—and then through theologians it became words again.”[5] It’s all right to laugh. This may not be very funny, but it’s pretty funny. After more than three years of seminary, nearly two years of sermons, and countless reports to various Presbytery groups and agencies, I can say with no reservation that I am able to make the Word become flesh become word again. After looking at the Book of Confessions and reading such truly wonderful statements as, “I ought properly to acknowledge the only true God, trust in him alone, in humility and patience expect all good from him only, and love, fear and honor him with my whole heart.”[6] And as wonderful and glorious as this is, next to “The Lord needs it,” and “the stones would shout out,” it just seems so very wordy.
Jesus comes simply. He comes knowing who he is and what he has come to do. He comes with integrity, something sorely lacking in our world today. There has been a lot of talk about the circumstances surrounding former pro football player and Army Ranger Pat Tillman’s death in Afghanistan; and how the government has chosen to handle what happened to him on that fateful day. Former Arizona State University head football coach Bruce Snyder was Tillman’s coach from 1994 to 1997. Coach Snyder summed up the government's handling of Tillman’s death perfectly. In a recent interview, he said that things like war and religion are complicated, but accountability is not. He was very upset with the way the military and the government have handled things and thought Tillman would be too.[7]
Integrity forces us to tell the truth. Integrity allows us to say war is hell and horrible things happen in war and in war time. Integrity makes us face the fact that this is especially true in wars that need to be fought. Integrity does not let us cover up the harsh parts of reality with a glossy sheen that looks pretty but hides flaws. With this same integrity, we are called to know who we are and find our place in the world. We are called to tell the truth. We are called to tell the truth in business. We are called to tell the truth at home. And we are called to tell the truth to the world.
Jesus comes on a colt as the Lord and Messiah. He is more than a victorious military leader. He is more than a skilled politician. He is the anointed one who comes in power, and in authority, and in humility. He comes to lead us and all of creation into Jerusalem. But humanity can be just as unruly as a colt that has never been ridden. But the Lord does not lead by force or coercion. He calls us with a whisper we hear at a level we don’t understand from a place we cannot deny. The colt can give us insight to these whispers. This description comes from the movie The Horse Whisperer:[8]
“A million years before man, [horses] grazed the vast and empty plains, living by voices only they could hear. They first came to know man as the hunted knows the hunter, for long before he used horses for his labors, he killed them for meat. The alliance with man would forever be fragile, for the fear he’d struck into their hearts…was too deep to be dislodged. Since that Neolithic moment, when a horse was first haltered, there were those among men who understood this. They could see into the creature’s soul…and soothe the wounds they found there. The secrets uttered softly into troubled ears. These men were known as the whisperers.”
Jesus will not be deterred. What he does he does for one of us and for all of us. His disciples cry out “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” Yet, even if they were not able to cry out, the stones would cry out in their stead. Today we celebrate the triumphant entry of the King of the Jews into Jerusalem. Today we celebrate His triumphant entry into a kingship the people did not understand. We are called to cry "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven.” We are called to do this because the Lord sees into our souls and soothes the wounds he finds. We are called to do this because the Lord needs it.
[1] The World Almanac and Book of Facts, I believe I am referring to the 1987 edition.
[2] I believe this was from Redbeard’s radio show probably from 1982.
[3] http://homileticsonline.com/subscriber/printer_friendly_installment.asp?installment_id=3237, accessed March 26, 2007, and see 2 Kings 9:6-16, the inauguration of Jehu
[4] Ibid.
[5] http://homileticsonline.com/subscriber/printer_friendly_installment.asp?installment_id=93000055, accessed March 26, 2006.
[6] Office of the General Assembly, The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Part I, The Book of Confessions. The Heidelberg Catechism, Question 94. Louisville, KY: Geneva Press, 1996, page 30.
[7] http://www.jimrome.com/home/jungle/interview.html, Bruce Snyder Interview, accessed March 28, 2007.
[8] Touchstone Pictures presents, The Horse Whisperer. Written by Eric Roth based on the novel by Nick Evans. 1998.
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