April 25, 2010

Blood Stains

Psalm 100: 1-5 and Revelation 7:9-17

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ April 25, 2010

Baptism of Faith Ellison and

Dedication of the Food Pantry addition

Open house and potluck dinner after worship

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE


Psalm 100 (read responsively)
The psalms were written over many centuries, stretching from the days of Solomon's temple (about 950 BC) to after the Exile (about 350 BC.) There are five types psalms but sometimes they are a blending of hymns of praise, laments, thanksgiving, royal hymns, and wisdom. This particular psalm may have been used for the Festival of Booth at the time of harvest so a song of Thanksgiving is most appropriate on the day we give thanks and dedicate our Food Pantry.

1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come into his presence with singing.
3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.
5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Revelation 7:9-17
Theologically, the book of Revelation addresses human suffering in the world, the mystery of divine providence, judgment of evil, and victory. In other words, this apocalyptic text speaks a word about tribulation (trouble) in the world, but in John’s vision a great multitude to numerous to count stands before the throne as a witness that trouble does not always last. Trouble does not have the last word!


9After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. 10They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”


13Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” 14I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. 16They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; 17for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”


SERMON
Have you ever tried to get dried blood out of your clothes? It is one of the toughest stains to remove. The graphic artist, Paul Lee created a design which is a Tide box with the words "Blood of the Lamb" on the front.  To me it speaks to the mind bending idea that clothes rolled in blood would come out white as snow. John’s revelations have an obsessive fix on blood and how it represents not only death but life as well. Of course, the blood he is talking about is the blood of Christ.

Presbyterians have a Book of Order and a Book of Confessions. In the Confessions there is an ancient catechism of the Reformed Faith. The Heildelberg Catechism was written 1592. It has some simple questions about baptism in which Christ’s blood figures predominately.

Of Holy Baptism

Question 69. How art thou admonished and assured by holy baptism, that the one sacrifice of Christ upon the cross is of real advantage to thee?
Answer: Thus: That Christ appointed this external washing with water, adding thereto this promise, that I am as certainly washed by his blood and Spirit from all the pollution of my soul, that is, from all my sins, as I am washed externally with water, by which the filthiness of the body is commonly washed away.


Question 70. What is it to be washed with the blood and Spirit of Christ?

Answer: It is to receive of God the remission of sins, freely, for the sake of Christ's blood, which he shed for us by his sacrifice upon the cross; (a) and also to be renewed by the Holy Ghost, and sanctified to be members of Christ, that so we may more and more die unto sin, and lead holy and unblamable lives.


Question 71. Where has Christ promised us, that he will as certainly wash us by his blood and Spirit, as we are washed with the water of baptism?
Answer: In the institution of baptism, which is thus expressed: "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost", Matt.28:19. And "he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned.", Mark 16:16. This promise is also repeated, where the scripture calls baptism "the washing of regenerations" and the washing away of sins.


Question 72. Is then the external baptism with water the washing away of sin itself?
Answer: Not at all: for the blood of Jesus Christ only, and the Holy Ghost cleanse us from all sin.


Question 73. Why then does the Holy Ghost call baptism "the washing of regeneration," and "the washing away of sins"?
Answer: God speaks thus not without great cause, to-wit, not only thereby to teach us, that as the filth of the body is purged away by water, so our sins are removed by the blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ; but especially that by this divine pledge and sign he may assure us, that we are spiritually cleansed from our sins as really, as we are externally washed with water.


Question 74. Are infants also to be baptized?
Answer: Yes: for since they, as well as the adult, are included in the covenant and church of God; and since redemption from sin by the blood of Christ, and the Holy Ghost, the author of faith, is promised to them no less than to the adult; they must therefore by baptism, as a sign of the covenant, be also admitted into the Christian church; and be distinguished from the children of unbelievers as was done in the old covenant or testament by circumcision, instead of which baptism is instituted in the new covenant.


You can see the powerful connections the church has affirmed between the blood of Christ and baptism. Faith today was washed in the blood of Christ. Not because there was blood in the font, but because of the intention of her parents and the church is that she be part of the family of God. The blood stain that comes with baptism is not red but white. Because of her baptism, Faith will have access to Christ’s redeeming action in his death and resurrection for all of her life and into eternal life, where God will wipe away every tear from her eyes. Amen.

See: Lewis Brogdon, Jr., Guest Lectionary Commentator, Ph.D. Student in Renewal Studies at Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA Sunday, November 1, 2009
See: The Book of Confessions, published by the Presbyterian Church (USA) or see: http://www.reformed.org/documents/heidelberg.html which shows all the Scripture references for each answer.

April 18, 2010

Worthy Is The Lamb

Psalm 30 read responsively and Revelation 5:11-14

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ April 18, 2010

SCRIPTURE INTRODUCTION

Psalm 30 read responsively

The author of this psalm has been through a terrible trial by relying on God’s grace, in praise of God’s answer to prayer we can all say, “I will give thanks to you forever.”

1 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me.

2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.

3 O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.

4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name.

5 For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”

7 By your favor, O Lord, you had established me as a strong mountain; you hid your face; I was dismayed.

8 To you, O Lord, I cried, and to the Lord I made supplication:

9 “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?

10 Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper!”

11 You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

12 so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

Revelation 5:11-14

Some would say it takes a very brave preacher or a very foolish one to preach on the Book of Revelations. After all it is one man’s dream or vision of an encounter with the Holy Other, with God. Bill Loader writes that:

John's vision pictures God in the context of a royal setting, as for many, the greatness of God is best portrayed using such images. God sits on a throne. People bow before the throne. They acclaim God with songs. Power and glory matter most. It is what one might imagine in an eastern royal court transported into the heavenly realm. How do we express awe now? How does one acknowledge the god-ness of God? Some might do so with color; others with images taken from nature; others with experiences drawn from intimacy and love. Here we have the most common: the imagery of rulers... There is something impressive about pageantry and the grand style of opulent monarchs and their courtiers, but there are modern equivalents. Huge numbers impress. For some of us the nearest we come to receiving such indelible impressions is in massive sports stadiums or the openings of Olympic Games.

So with trepidation let us enter the vision of John.

11Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12singing with full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

SERMON

Presbyterian Women are blessed with a wonderful magazine called Horizons which seeks to provide information, inspiration and education from the perspectives of women who are committed to Christ and the church. Each year it sponsors a Bible Study. This coming year’s study, written by Barbara Rossing is on the Book of Revelations. She points out that there are over 15 songs in Revelations. So perhaps I should sing my sermon, but I would not want you to suffer such torment! But here we are in the middle of a warm spring and we can understand that all of creation is singing a song of joy to its Creator.

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain… to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

Such words recall much of Handel’s Messiah. Especially the “Hallelujah” Chorus that Andrea played so beautiful as the postlude last week. This may be one man’s dream or vision but it has through the centuries spoken powerfully to believers about worship that strips us of our own worries and leaves us with awe. Who would not want to be there? Worthy indeed is the Lamb of God who was slain for our sins. King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

We get so sucked up into the mediocre of daily living that we can easily forget the wonder of God’s sacrifice for us. It is never about owing God worship. Such acts out of obligation are offensive to our beloved, Holy One. Worship is love that can only be given freely. It lays our very souls bare, but our God does not take advantage of our vulnerability. Instead we are given a place at the table with the Lamb who has taken our very sins upon him and this has wounded him unto death, but that is not the end of the story. “Despised and rejected, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief,” sits in the highest place of heaven and opens the doors of heaven for us to come in. In communion with God and one another we transcended this earthly realm of suffering to enter a place beyond time and space. Who would not want to be there?

“And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.”

April 11, 2010

Faith and Doubt

Psalm 150 sung as a psalter #258 and John 20: 19- 31

Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ April 11, 2010

INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE READING
John 20: 19- 31
John has woven the great commission of being sent out into the world of Matthew’s Gospel and the giving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost from Luke’s writing of Acts into a single scene of peace and beauty. Through the person of Thomas, John strikes a discord into this harmony.


When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” 24But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”


26A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” 28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” 30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

SERMON
Here we have the purpose statement of John’s Gospel


“…written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.”

So why does he chose to tell a story of doubt? If you continue to read the final chapter, it is Jesus who seems to doubt Peter’s commitment. Paul Tillich said that “Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is one element of faith.” But Tim Parker of Oxford writes: “Until God works in the heart of a sinner, that heart is hard and closed to Christ and it will not be evidence but the Holy Spirit ministering the word that will bring about change.


So which is true? Is doubt an element of faith or just a barrier?


Questioning is a form of doubting and the biblical laments, especially Jeremiah’s, indicate that questioning God is an aspect of faith. If one is asking God questions or seeking answers from God, there has to be some kind of faith that God exists and can respond. Thomas' questioning and his desire to be sure, can then be commended as an aspect of faith in God. But that is not very satisfying. Surely if we have faith, doubt has no place in our lives.


Sheila N. McJilton suggests that “…it is out of pain and darkness and doubt and deep wounds that deep faith is born. It is easy to have faith when times are good… But when you hurt, and your wounds are fresh and raw, and you are shrouded in dark, fear, pain, despair or doubts, faith is sometimes elusive. You want answers. Clear, definitive answers. And you don’t always get answers. Often, you get more questions.”

So I wonder where was Thomas that first night when Jesus appeared to the disciples? Had his own personal struggle with doubt and the terrible tortured death and betrayal of his beloved teacher sent him to retreat alone where his questions, pain, darkness, and doubt seemed to over rule his understanding of Jesus’ role as the longed for Messiah? The good news is that, somehow, he finds his way back into the community to share his questions, pain and doubt. And it is there, in the midst of his community, that the Lord appears. It almost seems that Jesus is waiting for Thomas to return, to leave his own lonely hiding place. He must be willing to see that he is not the only one who is hurting. Just because he cannot see the wounds of his friends does not mean they do not have them. Others have questions and pain and darkness and doubt. It is only when all of them come together to support each other in their common life that the pain subsides even a little. It is only when they are together that they can first remember the one who changed their lives so dramatically by the witness of his life. It is only in community that they can pray prayers and break bread to remember the Holy One who was wounded, then raised to new life. Thomas knows about betrayal, pain, darkness and doubt and the wounds they leave behind. Yet through the faithfulness that happens within community, and the risen Lord who appears in the midst of community, Thomas experiences healing and love.

Because of Thomas’ story of doubt and faith, shared with his brothers and sisters down through the centuries, our own stories of pain, darkness and doubt take on new meaning. Check out the painting by Jean Granville Gregory called “Still Doubting.” It is a modern rendition of Caravaggio “Doubting Thomas.” There are two main differences between the two. Thomas is looking at the scar in Gregory’s work and Jesus has a scar not an open wound. Having just hear Dr. Kohr’s horrific yet accurate description of what Jesus would have suffered and how his body would of looked after his crucifiction, I lean toward Gregory’s work but I understand the need of Caravaggio’s too. We all carry scars, but sometimes we have open wounds that still need to heal. Sometime we even hold on to our woundedness as badges of courage. Yet like Thomas, God calls us to come out of our lonely, despair where doubt breeds into the welcome light of community. A community which gathers to pray together; to weep and laugh together; to break bread together; In the midst of such community, we may finally be able to find the healing, the love and the hope that heals our wounds.

As this text reminds us, Jesus appeared to Thomas, even when Thomas’ faith had all but vanished in his doubt and despair at seeing his savior crucified on the cross. Like Thomas, even in the midst of our disbelief and misgivings, God shows up, God is there for us, God doesn’t abandon us. Today and every day, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God still comes to us that we might believe and have life and life abundant in Jesus Christ.

In Mark’s Gospel we read about a father whose child is suffering with convulsions and possessed by a demon. The disciples are unable to cast it out and the farther, deeply wounded by his child’s suffering says:


“… if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.” 23Jesus says to him, “If you are able! —All things can be done for the one who believes.” 24Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (9:24)

Alone or in the midst of such community, we cry out with that father, “I believe; help my unbelief!” As surely as we believe in Christ Jesus and are supported by a loving community which is unafraid to name our pain, our doubts, our wounds, we too are confronted by the truth that Thomas touched and with all who have doubted we kneel and proclaim, “My Lord and my God.” Amen!

Easter 2010

“He is NOT Here! He has RISEN!”

Isaiah 65:17-25 & Luke 24:1-12

Preached by Linda Jo Peters at Sunrise Service

Easter ~ April 4, 2010 ~ 7:30 AM

SCRIPTURE INTRODUCTION
Isaiah 65: 17-25
Isaiah is always writes with rich symbols and images. Commentator Anna Grant-Henderson points out that Isaiah 65 is built around images that has proclaimed “ I was available to my people, I was rejected and I shall create new heavens and a new earth for those who are faithful".


God desired a relationship with his chosen people, Israel. But, when God said, "Here am I", the people continued to turn away. There is a sense of both sorrow and indignity that is expressed by the repeated "when I called, you did not answer" which is found in the first part of this chapter, compared with the feeling of hope when God announces he will answer the faithful before they call in our reading for today. Today we remember that in Jesus Christ we have God’s answer to the call which often remains silent until we meet him and realize what has truly been absent in our lives.


For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. 19I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. 20No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. 21They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord— and their descendants as well. 24Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. 25The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on my holy mountain, says the Lord.


Luke 24:1-12
For grieving family and friends, it would have been painful not to be able to attend to the body of their beloved straight away. But Jesus had been buried just as the Sabbath began so the women wait till the Sabbath is past and the light of the new day is dawning – so that they can see what they would be doing - before coming to the tomb. They came together doing what women often feel called to do, support one another, and say their final good byes to Jesus who they loved and admired. Some would of cried themselves to sleep the the night before. Others had no tears left. Some were young and new at this caring for the dead. Others had done far too many. Listen you can almost hear them walking up the path to the tomb. They are talking quietly together…


But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they went in, they did not find the body. 4While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. 6Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” 8Then they remembered his words, 9and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.


HOMILY
The women came expecting what usually happens; they do an unpleasant but necessary task and expect no one to notice. Like mission work all over the whole, quiet simple service often goes unnoticed and we can feel we are not making any difference. But I was struck by


Rev. Kearns writes about his work with our denomination’s Self-Development of People, which is one of three areas that receive assistance through our giving to One Great Hour of Sharing. He writes:

One of the most vivid images associated with Good Friday is the image of darkness… Darkness conjures up an ominous image that easily elicits emotions like fear and dread. The wonderful thing about the story of Christ is that it neither dwells on nor concludes with the theme of darkness because, thanks be to God, darkness is highly susceptible to light. Indeed, the darkness of the crucifixion is utterly shattered by the light of Jesus’ resurrection, and as a result, the power of darkness is lost, lost in the redeeming light of God’s love.

I learned firsthand about the magnitude of darkness in our world. I learned about the murder and intimidation the Guatemalan people faced at a dark moment in their history; I learned about the darkness that encompassed the people of South Carolina’s Sea Islands, where the descendants of former slaves struggled to maintain dignity and sustenance in the face of the powerful forces of encroaching development; I learned about the darkness of displacement as urban dwellers fought to hold on to a place to live in the face of rising costs and growing homelessness.

Miraculously, the powers of darkness did not overcome the spirit of the people in these situations. Their knowledge of the resurrection infused them with strength and hope, and the church, through its mission, helped fuel the light that broke the darkness in their lives. Mission is a vital element of the light the church brings to a world frequently immersed in darkness; it is the church’s active response to the initiative God takes in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

We are children of the light in all that we do and say. As we come to this feast of celebration we remember the cost and when all seemed lost, and we each know our own times of darkness and loss, but the light the breaks through because he is not in the tomb, HE HAS RISEN! Amen.

“Rolling Stones Away”

Psalm 118:14-17 and Matthew 28:1-8

Preached by Linda Jo Peters

Easter Service April 4, 2010 ~ 10:30 AM

Psalm 118:14-17 (read responsively)
Last week we read the end of this psalm which was probably an entrance liturgy to the Temple, and apply fits the celebration of Palm Sunday. Today we return to this Psalm to read the middle section. Martin Luther had a passion for the whole of 118. While in hiding in the Coburg Castle during 1530, he wrote an extensive commentary on Psalm 118. On the wall of the room where he worked verse 17 was written. "I shall not die, but live, and recount the deeds of the Lord" (118:17). Luther saw this as the central message of the Psalm. It applies to Jesus and, through him, to all believers.


14The Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
15There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly;
16the right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.”
17I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.

Matthew 28:1-8
I don’t know about you but Easter is when the ordinary and expected news that good people are persecuted and killed by powerful people, became the extraordinary and surprising news of resurrection. So when Judy Brett came to me and shared Marcrina’s poem and that the choir would sing her anthem of that poem, I was delighted. Because every time we share our gifts, a little bit of heaven breaks through in this world. Each Gospel writer shares the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection out of their own gifts. Matthew’s is the most dramatic and fit well with the poem. Because there are stones hiding our gifts that the world needs to hear and share.


After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. 4For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.


SERMON
Jesus makes use of flawed people in his mission. He wants the disciples to know that they will meet him in Galilee. What is so amazing about that is that Jesus thereby forgives them for their betrayals. He even calls them his "brothers," though they had deserted and denied him at the time of his trial and death. But now he restores them as his emissaries and trusts them once again to represent him. And so it is with us. We are like the disciples. We are flawed persons and have failed him often as individuals and as a church. But Jesus continues to call his us to follow him into the world and to represent him. May the stones continue roll away!

What are our tombs made of? There the obvious ones of hate and fear. Those keep us locked away from others and even from God.
But tombs can also be made of our very being. Tombs can be formed of our gender, finances, race or health. We say to ourselves because I am a man, I cannot show my emotions. Or people just like me, just because I’m wealthy. Or my skin color means there are fewer jobs for me. Or I cannot walk up a flight of stairs; therefore I cannot see my grandson’s ball game. Do you hear the stone rolling closed over the tomb? Something radical has to happen to roll away these real heavy stones. If disciples had let the tombs of prejudice, fear, envy even illness stop their witness to Jesus Christ, we would not be worshipping today. We would never have heard the good news. But over and over disciples find ways to roll the stones that keep us from our God given mission to proclaim the good news.

One commentator noted that the actual resurrection had already taken place, while the tomb was still sealed. By the time the women get there the tomb is empty. The transformation of the physical body to the spiritual body has taken place apart from human view. That has to happen to each of us. Apart from human view, we have to let the power of the Holy Spirit into our tombs to transform us from death to life. It has to happen to our congregation as well. When did the food pantry become so vital to our ministry? Can you remember when it was transformed from something a few people were working on, to something we are all committed to doing? It became part of who Unity is. What happened? The power of the Holy Spirit happened.

Our small group has been watching RightNow Conference DVDs. One of the speakers is Matt Chandler pastor of The Village in Highland Village, Texas. I was struck by his comment about the drastic change that comes over the disciples after Pentecost. These have been very frightened people hiding from the authorities. Now they are out telling the news of Jesus, fearlessly facing ridicule and persecution. He asks, “What happened?” The power of the Holy Spirit happened. Their tombs where broken open. Let the Spirit into your life. Pray for it to fill you and our congregation.

As Macrina Wiederkehr wrote, as our choir so beautifully sang:
“Easter is standing at your door again, so don’t you see that stone has got to go?” AMEN!