Two Sermons- One on the Cross and the Other is Resurrection
What should I say on Crucifixion? At the cross we learn about true power.
The two processions- Roman and Jesus. True power is humble love.
He was beaten, mocked, tortured- many have suffered similar deaths or worse- the point is not that Jesus suffered the worst death in the history of humankind- the point is that this is not a normal guy getting tortured and executed here- this is the Son of God in the flesh. This prince of peace who rode into town on a borrowed mule had buried his teachings deep into the hearts of many followers- so much so that the religious leaders and the Roman authorities thought he was a threat- worthy of punishment and execution.
Jesus was executed- they thought- to keep peace between Rome and the Ruling Authorities- his teachings were upsetting the industry of religion that built up- [describe the roman coin- Mark 12:13-17- turn to it and the money changers in the Temple Mark 11:15] commandment- no graven images- “Caesar is Lord”- He had just flipped the tables over- drove out money changers in the table- He was upsetting the status quo- He was preaching a way of life- of following God that had everything to do with loving God and Neighbor- and very little to do with the religion and power structures of the day.
He was punished for telling people that the most important thing in life- is to love God and neighbor. Sounds strange doesn’t it. Well it’s a strange story. The very Son of God born into the world- fully human, fully God= suffered at the hands of His own creation- and somehow- mysteriously- but in all reality- the death of the Son of Living God- the end of his existence in time- caused a rip in time- an earthquake of love- that has the power to crush all sin and evil through history. The death of the Son of God, meant to end a movement of God living with people- made it possible for God to live with the people in an even more amazing way. What they meant for evil God used for an amazing good. Through death God said I will give you a life that never ends. He said, “I wasn’t kidding- I am serious about this love and forgiveness thing. I will forgive you all even from the cross.” He still says to us I will forgive you- even though you have cast me aside in your family, or in your home- On that cross he knew that you wouldn’t be ever faithful to Him- and yet he wants so much to have his presence in your life.
At the cross we learn about true power. We must be humble and admit we need the cross- admit it even if you don’t understand. Submit to it, even if you are proud. We are made alive by that death. Submit to it- even if you are hurting.
When we are powerless- when we have given up pretending- we can be most filled with God . God is not distant- God is right here- breathing life into this room- offering comfort from the suffering of life- offering a way into life in God’s presence. God is right here- he wasn’t stopped by the violence of the cross, time won’t stop him, hurt won’t stop him, our guilty feelings won’t stop him, He loves us and is breathing love here now- hoping that we’ll breath in with faith and believe that the execution one Friday was not the Last Word.
...and the resurrection Sermon...
Mark 16:1-8, “The Empty Tomb Experience”
Christ is risen- He is risen indeed.
What a human story we have here with these disciples finding Jesus. And I shouldn’t let it go without mention that they are female. Two Marys and Salome- grieving, hurting, waking up early- grieving +not thinking clearly
When they came to the empty tomb- What they expected did not happen. God does not meet our expectations- God often shifts them. Where we expect death- God makes new life.
Where we see an end of a story- God says I can write a new story.
The Power of God Rolls away the STONE- THEN and NOW
Why was the stone rolled away? Think about it:
John 20:19-20- Tells us that the resurrected Jesus could show up on the other side of locked doors.
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
The Stone Was rolled away for us to enter in- to see the empty tomb. Jesus could have risen and not rolled away the stone- but that’s not the story we are told
God rolls the stone out of our Heart- So that we can truly see the resurrection- The truth is we come to take care of God and we find that God is there to take care of us
The resurrection is about letting God- roll the stone out of your heart- making a way to enter in and see the empty tomb
The empty Tomb experience- Entering into the tomb- we find a messenger that says, ‘He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'”- The light bulbs are coming on for the ladies- Oh- my goodness- he is not just a wonderful teacher- he is not just a possible political messiah with crowds following him- He is actually- master of life and death. All of their memories and experiences with Jesus would flash before them- they had been in the presence of God. Like faithful Jews- the became very afraid- Their utter devotion and respect for God- for Yahweh- and here we have killed His very son- and now He has risen- what is next- what will he do? Afraid- duh!- Afraid is an understatement. The presence of God was apparently headed to Galilee- would there be a battle- would the risen Jesus wipe out his attackers and doubters and deniers-
NO- not by a longshot
Jesus was raised Not for Revenge but for Redemption- Not for Fear- but to give people Faith
God had come to earth- taught us great truths- and was killed for it- And the worst crime possible was committed the killing of the one who gives life- but out of this great wrong- Comes an even greater love for us- God’s love for us will not be stopped by our denial of him, our betrayal of Him- God will love us even if we seek to kill him in our lives
Jesus was raised- and we know that God will love us no matter what.
Jesus was raised- and we know that despite all that has happened God- still wants us with him forever.
Resurrection is available Now and Later
NOW- we have stories that end in our life. Relationships break. Friends leave. Loved ones die. Tragedies happen. Bad news comes. But God comes and says there is more life available. God is going ahead of us. Now it is our normal reaction to tremble and be afraid when our life expectations are switched. When we thought we knew the end of the story, but then we turn the page and it is blank- and we don’t know what’s next, we can’t control in any way what is coming. I tremble when life is at its most open. Though the opportunity for growth is there- there is fear- and trembling. Vulnerability is scary.
Can you imagine some of their thoughts that day- Jesus was not there- in fact he was not dead, but alive. Great- that’s great- but I was just starting to realize he was dead, I was just getting okay with the fact that I would bury him and now the facts of the story change. What does it mean that Jesus is alive? How will this change my life? How will the Romans react?
Resurrection is a big deal- We need to make a big deal out of the big deals in our life. So much of life is spent majoring on the minors- of understanding things that don’t mean all that much.
The resurrection is for NOW
We take the empty tomb for granted or we set aside as a nice story- but we do not let it confront our reality- to influence our everyday motivations- our everyday life. We love Jesus and all- but lets not get fanatical I don’t see how a empty tomb should change my life- NOW.
What resurrection is not- it is now and later-
Eternal life is not just an extenuation of this life- it is even better.[Fetus example]
It is not just a life of the soul- it is even better
God has ripped open access to eternity- to life in the very presence of God- and all we have to do get there- has been done for us by God- to live in that reality- in God’s reality we only need grab the pierced hand of Christ and walk by His side- believing that we His death and Resurrection have changed not only our story- but the story of the whole universe.
The two processions- Roman and Jesus. True power is humble love.
He was beaten, mocked, tortured- many have suffered similar deaths or worse- the point is not that Jesus suffered the worst death in the history of humankind- the point is that this is not a normal guy getting tortured and executed here- this is the Son of God in the flesh. This prince of peace who rode into town on a borrowed mule had buried his teachings deep into the hearts of many followers- so much so that the religious leaders and the Roman authorities thought he was a threat- worthy of punishment and execution.
Jesus was executed- they thought- to keep peace between Rome and the Ruling Authorities- his teachings were upsetting the industry of religion that built up- [describe the roman coin- Mark 12:13-17- turn to it and the money changers in the Temple Mark 11:15] commandment- no graven images- “Caesar is Lord”- He had just flipped the tables over- drove out money changers in the table- He was upsetting the status quo- He was preaching a way of life- of following God that had everything to do with loving God and Neighbor- and very little to do with the religion and power structures of the day.
He was punished for telling people that the most important thing in life- is to love God and neighbor. Sounds strange doesn’t it. Well it’s a strange story. The very Son of God born into the world- fully human, fully God= suffered at the hands of His own creation- and somehow- mysteriously- but in all reality- the death of the Son of Living God- the end of his existence in time- caused a rip in time- an earthquake of love- that has the power to crush all sin and evil through history. The death of the Son of God, meant to end a movement of God living with people- made it possible for God to live with the people in an even more amazing way. What they meant for evil God used for an amazing good. Through death God said I will give you a life that never ends. He said, “I wasn’t kidding- I am serious about this love and forgiveness thing. I will forgive you all even from the cross.” He still says to us I will forgive you- even though you have cast me aside in your family, or in your home- On that cross he knew that you wouldn’t be ever faithful to Him- and yet he wants so much to have his presence in your life.
At the cross we learn about true power. We must be humble and admit we need the cross- admit it even if you don’t understand. Submit to it, even if you are proud. We are made alive by that death. Submit to it- even if you are hurting.
When we are powerless- when we have given up pretending- we can be most filled with God . God is not distant- God is right here- breathing life into this room- offering comfort from the suffering of life- offering a way into life in God’s presence. God is right here- he wasn’t stopped by the violence of the cross, time won’t stop him, hurt won’t stop him, our guilty feelings won’t stop him, He loves us and is breathing love here now- hoping that we’ll breath in with faith and believe that the execution one Friday was not the Last Word.
...and the resurrection Sermon...
Mark 16:1-8, “The Empty Tomb Experience”
Christ is risen- He is risen indeed.
What a human story we have here with these disciples finding Jesus. And I shouldn’t let it go without mention that they are female. Two Marys and Salome- grieving, hurting, waking up early- grieving +not thinking clearly
When they came to the empty tomb- What they expected did not happen. God does not meet our expectations- God often shifts them. Where we expect death- God makes new life.
Where we see an end of a story- God says I can write a new story.
The Power of God Rolls away the STONE- THEN and NOW
Why was the stone rolled away? Think about it:
John 20:19-20- Tells us that the resurrected Jesus could show up on the other side of locked doors.
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
The Stone Was rolled away for us to enter in- to see the empty tomb. Jesus could have risen and not rolled away the stone- but that’s not the story we are told
God rolls the stone out of our Heart- So that we can truly see the resurrection- The truth is we come to take care of God and we find that God is there to take care of us
The resurrection is about letting God- roll the stone out of your heart- making a way to enter in and see the empty tomb
The empty Tomb experience- Entering into the tomb- we find a messenger that says, ‘He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'”- The light bulbs are coming on for the ladies- Oh- my goodness- he is not just a wonderful teacher- he is not just a possible political messiah with crowds following him- He is actually- master of life and death. All of their memories and experiences with Jesus would flash before them- they had been in the presence of God. Like faithful Jews- the became very afraid- Their utter devotion and respect for God- for Yahweh- and here we have killed His very son- and now He has risen- what is next- what will he do? Afraid- duh!- Afraid is an understatement. The presence of God was apparently headed to Galilee- would there be a battle- would the risen Jesus wipe out his attackers and doubters and deniers-
NO- not by a longshot
Jesus was raised Not for Revenge but for Redemption- Not for Fear- but to give people Faith
God had come to earth- taught us great truths- and was killed for it- And the worst crime possible was committed the killing of the one who gives life- but out of this great wrong- Comes an even greater love for us- God’s love for us will not be stopped by our denial of him, our betrayal of Him- God will love us even if we seek to kill him in our lives
Jesus was raised- and we know that God will love us no matter what.
Jesus was raised- and we know that despite all that has happened God- still wants us with him forever.
Resurrection is available Now and Later
NOW- we have stories that end in our life. Relationships break. Friends leave. Loved ones die. Tragedies happen. Bad news comes. But God comes and says there is more life available. God is going ahead of us. Now it is our normal reaction to tremble and be afraid when our life expectations are switched. When we thought we knew the end of the story, but then we turn the page and it is blank- and we don’t know what’s next, we can’t control in any way what is coming. I tremble when life is at its most open. Though the opportunity for growth is there- there is fear- and trembling. Vulnerability is scary.
Can you imagine some of their thoughts that day- Jesus was not there- in fact he was not dead, but alive. Great- that’s great- but I was just starting to realize he was dead, I was just getting okay with the fact that I would bury him and now the facts of the story change. What does it mean that Jesus is alive? How will this change my life? How will the Romans react?
Resurrection is a big deal- We need to make a big deal out of the big deals in our life. So much of life is spent majoring on the minors- of understanding things that don’t mean all that much.
The resurrection is for NOW
We take the empty tomb for granted or we set aside as a nice story- but we do not let it confront our reality- to influence our everyday motivations- our everyday life. We love Jesus and all- but lets not get fanatical I don’t see how a empty tomb should change my life- NOW.
What resurrection is not- it is now and later-
Eternal life is not just an extenuation of this life- it is even better.[Fetus example]
It is not just a life of the soul- it is even better
God has ripped open access to eternity- to life in the very presence of God- and all we have to do get there- has been done for us by God- to live in that reality- in God’s reality we only need grab the pierced hand of Christ and walk by His side- believing that we His death and Resurrection have changed not only our story- but the story of the whole universe.
posted by Palouse Fed. Church at 11:48 AM
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