From the Pastor’s Desk
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:26)
With these words our Lord Jesus Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit to us as a teacher. This promise was fulfilled on Pentecost Sunday, just fifty days after Easter, when the Holy Spirit began its teaching ministry. We will be celebrating this wonderful event on May 23 with a special Pentecost service.
Christian education is vitally important for people of all ages. Children need to learn the stories in the Bible. Adults need biblical advice for leading complex lives. The Holy Spirit works through this education to bring people to faith. The teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit is very active in our two churches. Donna Hardin and Mary LaCurts teach adults on Sunday mornings. Linda Holland and Chris Palmer teach our children and youth. And many volunteers help these teaching ministries throughout the year. This is clear evidence that the Holy Spirit is alive and actively working in our churches.
One new way that the Holy Spirit has found to teach the world about Jesus is through the internet. There are many very valuable sources to biblical education online. Both Beaver Dam and Pitts Creek have new websites. You will find Beaver Dam at www.beaverdampresbyterianchurch.org and Pitts Creek at www.pittscreekpresbyterianchurch.org. Both websites list our times for worship and Christian education; and have maps and directions to our churches. Much more is needed on the websites to inform the community about what we do so send me an email or a Facebook message about what your group is doing and include some pictures.
Also on your church’s website you will find a link to my blog where you can read and hear all of my sermons. So if you miss church some Sunday, and I hope that you never do, just visit your church’s website, click on my blog, and you will find what I had to say as well as many other useful links.
The Holy Spirit is doing the wonderful work of teaching in our churches. Take advantage of the Sunday morning Christian education classes, our daily Sunrise Prayer Service, weekly men’s group, and our monthly groups for women: Women’s Association, Helping Hands and Willing Workers. There you too will find the Holy Spirit teaching about Jesus and bringing you to faith.
Blessings,
Pastor Jeff Howard
Blog: http://www.jeffhowardblog.blogspot.com
Podcast: http://jeffhoward.podbean.com/
Email: jeffrey_howard@yahoo.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rev.jeffrey.howard
410-957-0817
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Sermon– Acts 9:32-43 – Tabitha, Get Up
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon– Acts 9:32-43 – Tabitha, get up
Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches
April 25, 2010
Listen to this sermon.
Good morning and welcome to Beaver Dam Presbyterian Church. I am continuing today with my series of sermons on the reaction to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We are looking at what happened in the days, month and years following the event to see if there is evidence that the resurrection truly happened or if it was some type of conspiracy hoax. Over the last two weeks we looked at what happened to the lives of two people, Peter and Paul. We applied a test from the first century rabbi, Gamaliel, that if the resurrection was true then we should see transformation in the lives of Jesus’ followers, but if it was a hoax then we should see the followers of Jesus scatter return to their old lives and become irrelevant to history. We saw that the lives of both Peter and Paul where transformed in such an extraordinary way that the only explanation was that the resurrection of Jesus was the cause of their transformations.
Today we will continue to look at the reactions to the resurrection, but our test of the validity of our belief in the resurrection will be different. Instead of using the Gamaliel test that we used the last two weeks we will be using a test that Jesus proposed early in his ministry. You heard this read to you earlier. Some messengers came to Jesus from John the Baptist asking if Jesus was truly the messiah they had all been waiting for. Jesus’ reply was that the truth of his identity could be found in what he was doing. The test that Jesus was suggesting was that if he was the messiah we should see him perform miracles such as healing the lame and bringing the dead back to life. If we see these things happening, according to Jesus, then we know to believe that he is truly the messiah. Today we will be using this same test and applying it to the followers of Jesus after the resurrection. If the resurrection is true then we should see the apostles healing the sick and raising the dead to new life. We will apply this test to another one of Jesus’ followers. This one is a woman, a disciple of Jesus Christ, named Tabitha. But before we get to all of this please pray with me.
“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy Heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)
Acts 9:32-43 32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years. 34 "Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat." Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!" 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
Tabitha had died and the widows were crying. This was a horrible tragedy for the widows. Not only had they lost their husbands, but no one in their families would take care of them. There were no sons, or brother-in-laws, or aging fathers who would take them in a care for them. In an age before women were accepted in the work place and before they became eligible for Social Security benefits widows who had no family to care for them became destitute. They were homeless begging for food. Widows were the poorest of the poor.
Tabitha was a disciple of Jesus Christ who had followed Jesus’ example of caring for the poor. Her ministry was to the widows. She made clothes for them. So when she died the widows had nothing but their grief and their tears.
But the widows remembered something that Tabitha had told them when she was alive. They remembered the stories she had told them about Jesus, and how he had brought sight to the blind, healed the sick, and even brought the dead back to life. Maybe, just maybe, they though if they contacted some of Jesus’ followers, they could bring Tabitha back to life. At least it was worth a try so they decided to send a letter to Peter asking him to please come at once. And since no Hebrew man was likely to pay any attention to widows they sent the letter by a couple of Christian men hoping that Peter would be persuaded to come.
When Peter arrived he was taken upstairs to the room where Tabitha’s dead body had been placed. The widows were in them room, crying. Each one came over to Peter and through their tears they showed him the garments that Tabitha had sown out of her great love for them. Surely, they thought, if the resurrection of Jesus Christ and promise of eternal life are true then Peter should be able to raise their beloved Tabitha from the dead and restore her to live.
At this point Peter must have remembered that day when Jesus sent him out as an apostle. Let me read to you what happened that day.
Matthew 10:5-23 5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.
Remembering that Jesus had given him the power to raise the dead Peter cleared the room, bowed his head and prayed. He asked the risen Jesus to restore Tabitha to life. And after his prayer he looked over at the dead woman and said, “Tabitha, get up.” And so it happened. Proving that the resurrection did happen and assuring us of the promise of eternal life Jesus Christ raised Tabitha from death to life.
I’ll leave it to your imagination to see the scene when the widows returned to the upper room and saw that Tabitha was alive. What I can tell you is that belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead spread throughout Joppa that day.
So Jesus raised Tabitha from the dead. This is the proof that we need to belief that Jesus, himself, rose from the dead to new life. And if we believe this the promise is that we will live beyond death as well.
What about today, is Jesus still living and at work in our world? I think the answer is “yes”. But, shouldn’t we expect some signs of this. If Jesus is alive today shouldn’t we see the lame walking and the dead returning to life? I don’t know about you but I have attended many funerals and I have yet to see a Pastor, after prayer, to tell a dead person to get up and have that person rise up from the casket. If something like that ever happened here in Pocomoke, we would by buying a farm and erecting a building to accommodate the tens of thousands
of people who would come to the Eastern Shore to worship with us.
There are those who believe that miracles, like raising people from the dead, stopped sometime in the first century when they were no longer needed to prove Christ’s resurrection and establish the church. They see support for their view in the writings of Paul who said,
1 Corinthians 13:8-11 8 …But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
From this it appears that we should no longer expect miracles to occur. But consider these words also from the Apostle Paul.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
So it seems to me that if the Holy Spirit is with us, and I believe that it is, we should be receiving spiritual gifts of healing and miraculous power. And we exercise these gifts, as Peter did, through prayer. Scripture tells us that Jesus healed the sick and gave this power to us to heal in his name. Jesus simply spoke a command and people were healed. For us we heal by praying in Jesus’ name. And when we pray in confidence for Jesus to heal us or a loved one we are filled with hope.
When we pray for healing we must first understand the God desires healing for all who experience illness. This understanding allows us to anticipate that our prayers will be heard and acted upon. We must also have compassion for those for whom we pray. Our prayers for healing will only be effective if we truly desire for someone to be healed. When we pray for someone who is ill we become vulnerable, but we take the risk because the reward is so great. And finally we must always remember that when we pray for healing we are not doing magic. There is no direct cause and effect relationship between prayers and healing. Many times our prayers do not have the desired result. But we should not be discouraged because God heals in many different ways; our job is just to pray for healing and to trust God to act.
Lord Jesus, just as Peter bowed his head to you in prayer we bow our heads in prayer. We asked that you heal us and our loved ones of our illnesses and diseases. We trust that your presence and love will be with us no matter what happens. And we believe that even though our loved ones may die in this life that you will one day raise them to new life in the presence of you, God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sermon– Acts 9:32-43 – Tabitha, get up
Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches
April 25, 2010
Listen to this sermon.
Good morning and welcome to Beaver Dam Presbyterian Church. I am continuing today with my series of sermons on the reaction to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We are looking at what happened in the days, month and years following the event to see if there is evidence that the resurrection truly happened or if it was some type of conspiracy hoax. Over the last two weeks we looked at what happened to the lives of two people, Peter and Paul. We applied a test from the first century rabbi, Gamaliel, that if the resurrection was true then we should see transformation in the lives of Jesus’ followers, but if it was a hoax then we should see the followers of Jesus scatter return to their old lives and become irrelevant to history. We saw that the lives of both Peter and Paul where transformed in such an extraordinary way that the only explanation was that the resurrection of Jesus was the cause of their transformations.
Today we will continue to look at the reactions to the resurrection, but our test of the validity of our belief in the resurrection will be different. Instead of using the Gamaliel test that we used the last two weeks we will be using a test that Jesus proposed early in his ministry. You heard this read to you earlier. Some messengers came to Jesus from John the Baptist asking if Jesus was truly the messiah they had all been waiting for. Jesus’ reply was that the truth of his identity could be found in what he was doing. The test that Jesus was suggesting was that if he was the messiah we should see him perform miracles such as healing the lame and bringing the dead back to life. If we see these things happening, according to Jesus, then we know to believe that he is truly the messiah. Today we will be using this same test and applying it to the followers of Jesus after the resurrection. If the resurrection is true then we should see the apostles healing the sick and raising the dead to new life. We will apply this test to another one of Jesus’ followers. This one is a woman, a disciple of Jesus Christ, named Tabitha. But before we get to all of this please pray with me.
“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy Heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)
Acts 9:32-43 32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years. 34 "Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat." Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!" 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
Tabitha had died and the widows were crying. This was a horrible tragedy for the widows. Not only had they lost their husbands, but no one in their families would take care of them. There were no sons, or brother-in-laws, or aging fathers who would take them in a care for them. In an age before women were accepted in the work place and before they became eligible for Social Security benefits widows who had no family to care for them became destitute. They were homeless begging for food. Widows were the poorest of the poor.
Tabitha was a disciple of Jesus Christ who had followed Jesus’ example of caring for the poor. Her ministry was to the widows. She made clothes for them. So when she died the widows had nothing but their grief and their tears.
But the widows remembered something that Tabitha had told them when she was alive. They remembered the stories she had told them about Jesus, and how he had brought sight to the blind, healed the sick, and even brought the dead back to life. Maybe, just maybe, they though if they contacted some of Jesus’ followers, they could bring Tabitha back to life. At least it was worth a try so they decided to send a letter to Peter asking him to please come at once. And since no Hebrew man was likely to pay any attention to widows they sent the letter by a couple of Christian men hoping that Peter would be persuaded to come.
When Peter arrived he was taken upstairs to the room where Tabitha’s dead body had been placed. The widows were in them room, crying. Each one came over to Peter and through their tears they showed him the garments that Tabitha had sown out of her great love for them. Surely, they thought, if the resurrection of Jesus Christ and promise of eternal life are true then Peter should be able to raise their beloved Tabitha from the dead and restore her to live.
At this point Peter must have remembered that day when Jesus sent him out as an apostle. Let me read to you what happened that day.
Matthew 10:5-23 5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.
Remembering that Jesus had given him the power to raise the dead Peter cleared the room, bowed his head and prayed. He asked the risen Jesus to restore Tabitha to life. And after his prayer he looked over at the dead woman and said, “Tabitha, get up.” And so it happened. Proving that the resurrection did happen and assuring us of the promise of eternal life Jesus Christ raised Tabitha from death to life.
I’ll leave it to your imagination to see the scene when the widows returned to the upper room and saw that Tabitha was alive. What I can tell you is that belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead spread throughout Joppa that day.
So Jesus raised Tabitha from the dead. This is the proof that we need to belief that Jesus, himself, rose from the dead to new life. And if we believe this the promise is that we will live beyond death as well.
What about today, is Jesus still living and at work in our world? I think the answer is “yes”. But, shouldn’t we expect some signs of this. If Jesus is alive today shouldn’t we see the lame walking and the dead returning to life? I don’t know about you but I have attended many funerals and I have yet to see a Pastor, after prayer, to tell a dead person to get up and have that person rise up from the casket. If something like that ever happened here in Pocomoke, we would by buying a farm and erecting a building to accommodate the tens of thousands
of people who would come to the Eastern Shore to worship with us.
There are those who believe that miracles, like raising people from the dead, stopped sometime in the first century when they were no longer needed to prove Christ’s resurrection and establish the church. They see support for their view in the writings of Paul who said,
1 Corinthians 13:8-11 8 …But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
From this it appears that we should no longer expect miracles to occur. But consider these words also from the Apostle Paul.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
So it seems to me that if the Holy Spirit is with us, and I believe that it is, we should be receiving spiritual gifts of healing and miraculous power. And we exercise these gifts, as Peter did, through prayer. Scripture tells us that Jesus healed the sick and gave this power to us to heal in his name. Jesus simply spoke a command and people were healed. For us we heal by praying in Jesus’ name. And when we pray in confidence for Jesus to heal us or a loved one we are filled with hope.
When we pray for healing we must first understand the God desires healing for all who experience illness. This understanding allows us to anticipate that our prayers will be heard and acted upon. We must also have compassion for those for whom we pray. Our prayers for healing will only be effective if we truly desire for someone to be healed. When we pray for someone who is ill we become vulnerable, but we take the risk because the reward is so great. And finally we must always remember that when we pray for healing we are not doing magic. There is no direct cause and effect relationship between prayers and healing. Many times our prayers do not have the desired result. But we should not be discouraged because God heals in many different ways; our job is just to pray for healing and to trust God to act.
Lord Jesus, just as Peter bowed his head to you in prayer we bow our heads in prayer. We asked that you heal us and our loved ones of our illnesses and diseases. We trust that your presence and love will be with us no matter what happens. And we believe that even though our loved ones may die in this life that you will one day raise them to new life in the presence of you, God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sermon - Acts 9:7-21 - “My Chosen Instrument”
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Pitts Creek Presbyterian Church
Sermon - Acts 9:7-21 - “My Chosen Instrument”
April 18, 2010
Listen to this sermon.
Good morning and welcome to Pitts Creek Presbyterian Church on this glorious Spring Day, our Lord’s Day and this third Sunday of Easter. I am continuing my series of sermons on the reactions to the resurrection. Our method of study comes from the first century Jewish scholar, Gamaliel, who suggested that if the resurrection was true we would see God’s transformative effects on the followers of Jesus and they would be successful in bringing people to faith in Jesus Christ. But if the resurrection was a hoax then we would expect the followers of Jesus to scatter go back to their old lives and live in obscurity. So by looking at what happened to the followers of Jesus we can determine whether or not the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is true. And we know that belief in the resurrection is crucial for our eternal lives. So let’s get to this important work, but first please pray with me.
“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy Heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)
Seven years ago I attended two weddings just a couple of weeks apart. Old friends were getting married. There was great joy and celebration those days. Each couple loved each other very much and there was great hope for both of these marriages. But this past week I learned that both of these couples have separated. The passion that once brought them together has turned into anger which has pushed them apart. This has caused me to reflect this week on the relationship between passion and anger.
I have seen new Christians come to faith in Jesus Christ with great passion. This passion is shown in their strong desire to worship, pray and study scripture. But sometimes, after a while, when their expectations of the faith are not met their passion turns to anger and they leave the church. Sometimes this happens when they pray for healing for loved one, healing that never comes. Sometimes they pray for a job that they never get. Sometimes they expect to always experience joy as a Christian and are shocked when they still experience pain, grief and guilt.
So it occurs to me that both marriages and faith start with great passion and expectations, but these passions can turn to anger if our expectations are not met.
We can see all of this in the Apostle Paul. Paul was a Jew growing up in Turkey in a small city called Tarsus. He was named after the first king of Israel, Saul, his Hebrew name. He was passionate about his faith. As a young man he was sent to Jerusalem to study with the great rabbi, Gamaliel. He was so passionate about studying and obeying scripture he became a Pharisee. He was passionate about keeping his faith pure and this required that everyone obey God’s commands.
But his passion turned to anger whenever he thought that his faith was being corrupted. He was angered by Greek and Roman influences on Judaism. And when a Jewish sect, call the Way, began proclaiming their crucified leader as God his anger turned violent. Paul formed a group of thugs to harass these heretics. And one incident led to the death of one of the leaders of the Way, Stephen. As a result of Paul’s gang-like activity the followers of Jesus Christ went underground. Many of the Way fled Jerusalem while the leaders went into hiding. It appeared that Paul’s violent efforts were successful.
When Paul heard that a group of heretics had fled to Syria he received diplomatic permission to go to Damascus to arrest the heretics and bring them back to Jerusalem to be thrown in jail. And it was while Paul and his thugs were on their way to Damascus that Paul was stopped by a bright light which blinded him.
Just as God had appeared to Moses in a burning bush, the risen Jesus Christ appeared to Paul in that bright light. And Paul began to realize that he was not persecuting heretics; rather he was persecuting his own God. And this brings us to today’s scripture lesson.
Acts 9:7-21 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. 10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. 11 The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." 13 "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord-- Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here-- has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?"
These are legitimate questions being asked. What happened to Paul to transform him from a violent thug into a great evangelist? Let’s take a look.
As a result of the experience of blindness Paul was given an opportunity to rest from his anger and think deeply about his faith. We are told that he spent three days praying. We know that Paul then went back to Jerusalem where he continued with daily prayers in the temple. And it was prayer that caused his anger to dissipate so that he could accept the reality that Jesus had been raised from the dead. It was through prayer that Paul experienced the reality of the Holy Spirit to help him pray as he should and reveal to him the wisdom of God. He found out that through prayer his faith would be perfected. Paul offered prayers every morning and evening. And it was through prayer that Paul found the ability to boldly proclaim the good news that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead.
Through prayer the great persecutor of the church became its greatest evangelist. Paul set for himself the goal of bringing faith in Jesus Christ to everyone living around the Mediterranean. Paul taught in synagogues and setup churches in people’s homes. The letters he wrote to these churches are the earliest writings in our New Testament. It is through the Apostle Paul that we understand what faith in Jesus Christ means.
So let’s apply our test from Gamaliel. Do we see the kind of transformation in Paul that would lead us to believe that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead was an historical fact? There is no doubt to the answer to this question. By his encounter with the risen Jesus, Paul was transformed from a persecutor of Christians into a passionate evangelist bringing many people to the faith. It was through Paul’s efforts that gentiles, non-Jews, began coming to faith in Jesus Christ is large numbers. This transformation in Paul’s life indicates that something extraordinary had happened. And we know that what did happen was nothing less that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
So what do we do if, like Paul, our passion has turned to anger? What should we do if we begin to hate the ones we once loved? What should we do if our passion for the faith turns to anger? The promise of scripture is that if you pray your anger will be transformed into passion and love. And this is why we worship the way we do. Worship gives us time for prayer. Just as Paul needed three days of blindness to have time for prayer we need time set aside each day for prayer. And that is why we have our Sunrise Prayer Services and our worship on Sundays. It carves out time in our busy days for prayer. And this prayer will transform our lives.
If our lives are transformed the people of Pocomoke will notice that something has happened to this church just as the people of the first century noticed that something had happened to Paul. If others see that we are transformed they will want to join with us in that transformation. So pray that passion for the faith will return to our hearts and that this passion will attract others into our fellowship.
So we have seen in the transformation of Peter and Paul that the resurrection of Jesus Christ must be true and that through the work of the Holy Spirit and through the practice of daily prayer we too will be transformed as proof of the resurrection. This transformation will remove our anger and restore to us our passion for the faith. And all of this is a gift of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Lord Jesus, we pray today asking that you remove our anger and restore to us our passion. Bless us with this transformation as proof of your resurrection from the dead. And use it to bring new people to our church. This we pray in your glorious name. Amen.
Pitts Creek Presbyterian Church
Sermon - Acts 9:7-21 - “My Chosen Instrument”
April 18, 2010
Listen to this sermon.
Good morning and welcome to Pitts Creek Presbyterian Church on this glorious Spring Day, our Lord’s Day and this third Sunday of Easter. I am continuing my series of sermons on the reactions to the resurrection. Our method of study comes from the first century Jewish scholar, Gamaliel, who suggested that if the resurrection was true we would see God’s transformative effects on the followers of Jesus and they would be successful in bringing people to faith in Jesus Christ. But if the resurrection was a hoax then we would expect the followers of Jesus to scatter go back to their old lives and live in obscurity. So by looking at what happened to the followers of Jesus we can determine whether or not the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is true. And we know that belief in the resurrection is crucial for our eternal lives. So let’s get to this important work, but first please pray with me.
“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy Heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)
Seven years ago I attended two weddings just a couple of weeks apart. Old friends were getting married. There was great joy and celebration those days. Each couple loved each other very much and there was great hope for both of these marriages. But this past week I learned that both of these couples have separated. The passion that once brought them together has turned into anger which has pushed them apart. This has caused me to reflect this week on the relationship between passion and anger.
I have seen new Christians come to faith in Jesus Christ with great passion. This passion is shown in their strong desire to worship, pray and study scripture. But sometimes, after a while, when their expectations of the faith are not met their passion turns to anger and they leave the church. Sometimes this happens when they pray for healing for loved one, healing that never comes. Sometimes they pray for a job that they never get. Sometimes they expect to always experience joy as a Christian and are shocked when they still experience pain, grief and guilt.
So it occurs to me that both marriages and faith start with great passion and expectations, but these passions can turn to anger if our expectations are not met.
We can see all of this in the Apostle Paul. Paul was a Jew growing up in Turkey in a small city called Tarsus. He was named after the first king of Israel, Saul, his Hebrew name. He was passionate about his faith. As a young man he was sent to Jerusalem to study with the great rabbi, Gamaliel. He was so passionate about studying and obeying scripture he became a Pharisee. He was passionate about keeping his faith pure and this required that everyone obey God’s commands.
But his passion turned to anger whenever he thought that his faith was being corrupted. He was angered by Greek and Roman influences on Judaism. And when a Jewish sect, call the Way, began proclaiming their crucified leader as God his anger turned violent. Paul formed a group of thugs to harass these heretics. And one incident led to the death of one of the leaders of the Way, Stephen. As a result of Paul’s gang-like activity the followers of Jesus Christ went underground. Many of the Way fled Jerusalem while the leaders went into hiding. It appeared that Paul’s violent efforts were successful.
When Paul heard that a group of heretics had fled to Syria he received diplomatic permission to go to Damascus to arrest the heretics and bring them back to Jerusalem to be thrown in jail. And it was while Paul and his thugs were on their way to Damascus that Paul was stopped by a bright light which blinded him.
Just as God had appeared to Moses in a burning bush, the risen Jesus Christ appeared to Paul in that bright light. And Paul began to realize that he was not persecuting heretics; rather he was persecuting his own God. And this brings us to today’s scripture lesson.
Acts 9:7-21 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. 10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. 11 The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." 13 "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord-- Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here-- has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?"
These are legitimate questions being asked. What happened to Paul to transform him from a violent thug into a great evangelist? Let’s take a look.
As a result of the experience of blindness Paul was given an opportunity to rest from his anger and think deeply about his faith. We are told that he spent three days praying. We know that Paul then went back to Jerusalem where he continued with daily prayers in the temple. And it was prayer that caused his anger to dissipate so that he could accept the reality that Jesus had been raised from the dead. It was through prayer that Paul experienced the reality of the Holy Spirit to help him pray as he should and reveal to him the wisdom of God. He found out that through prayer his faith would be perfected. Paul offered prayers every morning and evening. And it was through prayer that Paul found the ability to boldly proclaim the good news that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead.
Through prayer the great persecutor of the church became its greatest evangelist. Paul set for himself the goal of bringing faith in Jesus Christ to everyone living around the Mediterranean. Paul taught in synagogues and setup churches in people’s homes. The letters he wrote to these churches are the earliest writings in our New Testament. It is through the Apostle Paul that we understand what faith in Jesus Christ means.
So let’s apply our test from Gamaliel. Do we see the kind of transformation in Paul that would lead us to believe that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead was an historical fact? There is no doubt to the answer to this question. By his encounter with the risen Jesus, Paul was transformed from a persecutor of Christians into a passionate evangelist bringing many people to the faith. It was through Paul’s efforts that gentiles, non-Jews, began coming to faith in Jesus Christ is large numbers. This transformation in Paul’s life indicates that something extraordinary had happened. And we know that what did happen was nothing less that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
So what do we do if, like Paul, our passion has turned to anger? What should we do if we begin to hate the ones we once loved? What should we do if our passion for the faith turns to anger? The promise of scripture is that if you pray your anger will be transformed into passion and love. And this is why we worship the way we do. Worship gives us time for prayer. Just as Paul needed three days of blindness to have time for prayer we need time set aside each day for prayer. And that is why we have our Sunrise Prayer Services and our worship on Sundays. It carves out time in our busy days for prayer. And this prayer will transform our lives.
If our lives are transformed the people of Pocomoke will notice that something has happened to this church just as the people of the first century noticed that something had happened to Paul. If others see that we are transformed they will want to join with us in that transformation. So pray that passion for the faith will return to our hearts and that this passion will attract others into our fellowship.
So we have seen in the transformation of Peter and Paul that the resurrection of Jesus Christ must be true and that through the work of the Holy Spirit and through the practice of daily prayer we too will be transformed as proof of the resurrection. This transformation will remove our anger and restore to us our passion for the faith. And all of this is a gift of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Lord Jesus, we pray today asking that you remove our anger and restore to us our passion. Bless us with this transformation as proof of your resurrection from the dead. And use it to bring new people to our church. This we pray in your glorious name. Amen.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Sermon – “The Transformation of Peter” – Acts 5:27-32
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon – “The Transformation of Peter” – Acts 5:27-32
Beaver Dam and Pitts Creek Churches
April 11, 2010
Listen to this sermon.
Good morning and welcome to this service of worship on the second Sunday of Easter. Last week we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today we will begin a look at reactions to the resurrection. Taking a lesson from the first century rabbi named Gamaliel we will be testing whether the resurrection was a miracle from God or a hoax perpetrated by a group of people who had followed Jesus. Gamaliel suggested that we test this in the following way: Acts 5:38-39 if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." So if the resurrection is false we would expect the disciples of Jesus to scatter and return to their old lives. But if the resurrection is true then it is from God and we would expect transformation and new life. Our study today is on the disciple Peter and his reaction to the resurrection. What happens to Peter will show us if the resurrection is true or if he was a part of a conspiracy to plan a hoax.
But before we get to all of this please pray with me. “Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy Heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)
Ten years ago I was staying with a Christian family living in a Palestinian village. They had several large locks on their front door. I asked the owner of the house why there were so many locks. He responded with a story I will never forget. One day, he was walking home from work as a librarian as a major Palestinian university. A group of Israeli soldiers picked him up and drove him home. They forced their way into his house and pointed automatic weapons at his young children. The soldiers then searched the house for the nonexistent terrorists they thought might be inside. The owner of the house put locks on the door to keep the soldiers out because he was afraid. And fear makes you live inside locked doors.
A year later I was back home in Northern Virginia driving around the Beltway to a sales call in Laurel Md. I was listening to the radio when I heard a report that an airplane had crashed into a building in New York. I was listening to a report from the Pentagon which was interrupted by an explosion. When I arrived in Laurel I saw the collapse of a skyscraper on a small grainy black and white television. Then I got back in the car, saw smoke rising from the Pentagon and drove home. I went inside and locked the door.
In the scripture that you heard earlier from the twentieth chapter of the Gospel of John, Peter and the other disciples were hiding in an upper room. The doors were locked because Peter and the others were afraid. Peter became afraid that awful night when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus. He thought that he could hide behind a sword, but found that there was no place to hide. Later that night Peter thought that he could hide behind a lie and denied that he was a follower of Jesus. And now Peter thinks he can hide behind locked doors.
But there is one thing that locked doors cannot keep out, Jesus. Jesus, somehow, came through the locked doors with a gift, the gift of peace that shattered their fears. Jesus knew that the fear that Peter and the others were experiencing was preventing them from leaving the locked room and boldly proclaiming his resurrection from the dead to the world. So Jesus gave them the gift of peace that removed their fear by breathing on them the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers us to respond to God’s call by calming our fears and sending us outside our locked doors. So if the resurrection is true we would expect Peter and the other disciples to leave the locked room behind and boldly go into Jerusalem to declare resurrection to the world. If it was not true then we would expect Peter to remain in fear and eventually to return to obscurity as a fisherman. What happened to Peter?
The Book of Acts tells us that Peter and the others boldly left that room; went straight to the temple and proclaimed for all to hear that Jesus, whom the religious and political leaders had arrested and crucified, had defeated death by rising from the grave. The religious leaders, who had had Jesus executed, saw what Peter and the others were doing and arrested them to make them stop. But that night God sent an angel to the jail, which freed Peter and the others, and commanded them to return to the temple and continue preaching as they had been doing. The religious leaders were surprised when they heard that Peter and the others had return. So they had Peter and the disciples arrested and brought in for questioning. And that brings us to today’s scripture.
Acts 5:27-32 27 Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." 29 Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead-- whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
Could this be the same Peter we were talking about earlier? That Peter was hiding under the table in a locked room afraid to admit to being a follower of Jesus Christ. But this Peter boldly proclaims his faith directly to the High Priest who has ordered him to shut up. What has happed to Peter to make this sort of transformation in his behavior in the span of couple of months? Clearly Peter’s fear is gone and he has become most courageous. What has caused this transformation? How do we explain all of this?
The Bible is clear. The transformation in Peter’s behavior, and the loss of his fear came about because of his encounter with the risen Jesus Christ. Peter knew that since the followers of Jesus were promised resurrection, death was no longer something to be fear. On the night of Jesus’ arrest Peter was afraid that he might die. There in the upper room Peter was afraid that he would be arrested and executed. But after his encounter with the risen Jesus he knew that death was no longer something to fear. And this emboldened him to proclaim the resurrection of Jesus Christ to everyone in Jerusalem including the people who had put Jesus to death. His encounter with the risen Jesus Christ transformed his life and this transformation is the evidence we need to know that the resurrection is true.
So how was it that Jesus transformed Peter from being a scared fisherman into a courageous evangelist for the faith? Jesus did this by breathing on him. Just as God had breathed life into Adam so too did Jesus breathe courage and new life into Peter. And this breath or spirit of Jesus is still with us. We know it as the Holy Spirit. So it is the Holy Spirit who calms our fears so that we might exit our locked rooms and boldly proclaim the good news that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead.
So what happened to Peter after he defied the High Priest and the religious leaders in Jerusalem? Was he arrested again and crucified like Christ? No, because the Holy Spirit blew across the Sanhedrin that day. The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Gamaliel to the religious leaders and told them to let Peter go with a test. If Peter was doing God’s work he would be successful, but if the work Peter was doing was not from God then if would fail. Peter passed this test. The church grew adding thousands of people. Peter became an evangelist to the gentiles bringing non-Jews to the faith. And tradition tells us that Peter later became the first Bishop of Rome.
Next week we will look at the amazing transformation of one of Gamaliel’s prized students. His name was Saul of Tarsus. Saul’s fear was so great he hid behind violence. But as we will see the transformative power of an encounter with the risen Jesus is even greater than we thought.
So is the resurrection of Jesus Christ true? Have we experienced the risen Christ? The world is watching as we take the test. Will the Holy Spirit calm our fears and make us courageous proclaimers of our faith in Jesus Christ? Or will we hide in fear behind locked doors? The world will know whether the resurrection is true or not by the transformation of our lives. If we live in fear the world will know that God is not with us and they will disbelieve the resurrection. But if we live as disciples of Jesus Christ they will know that the risen Jesus lives in our lives and that his resurrection must be true.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. Calm our fears. Lead us out of our locked doors. And help us to proclaim the good new which we have heard with boldness. Glory to you Christ, our risen Lord. Amen.
Sermon – “The Transformation of Peter” – Acts 5:27-32
Beaver Dam and Pitts Creek Churches
April 11, 2010
Listen to this sermon.
Good morning and welcome to this service of worship on the second Sunday of Easter. Last week we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today we will begin a look at reactions to the resurrection. Taking a lesson from the first century rabbi named Gamaliel we will be testing whether the resurrection was a miracle from God or a hoax perpetrated by a group of people who had followed Jesus. Gamaliel suggested that we test this in the following way: Acts 5:38-39 if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." So if the resurrection is false we would expect the disciples of Jesus to scatter and return to their old lives. But if the resurrection is true then it is from God and we would expect transformation and new life. Our study today is on the disciple Peter and his reaction to the resurrection. What happens to Peter will show us if the resurrection is true or if he was a part of a conspiracy to plan a hoax.
But before we get to all of this please pray with me. “Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy Heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)
Ten years ago I was staying with a Christian family living in a Palestinian village. They had several large locks on their front door. I asked the owner of the house why there were so many locks. He responded with a story I will never forget. One day, he was walking home from work as a librarian as a major Palestinian university. A group of Israeli soldiers picked him up and drove him home. They forced their way into his house and pointed automatic weapons at his young children. The soldiers then searched the house for the nonexistent terrorists they thought might be inside. The owner of the house put locks on the door to keep the soldiers out because he was afraid. And fear makes you live inside locked doors.
A year later I was back home in Northern Virginia driving around the Beltway to a sales call in Laurel Md. I was listening to the radio when I heard a report that an airplane had crashed into a building in New York. I was listening to a report from the Pentagon which was interrupted by an explosion. When I arrived in Laurel I saw the collapse of a skyscraper on a small grainy black and white television. Then I got back in the car, saw smoke rising from the Pentagon and drove home. I went inside and locked the door.
In the scripture that you heard earlier from the twentieth chapter of the Gospel of John, Peter and the other disciples were hiding in an upper room. The doors were locked because Peter and the others were afraid. Peter became afraid that awful night when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus. He thought that he could hide behind a sword, but found that there was no place to hide. Later that night Peter thought that he could hide behind a lie and denied that he was a follower of Jesus. And now Peter thinks he can hide behind locked doors.
But there is one thing that locked doors cannot keep out, Jesus. Jesus, somehow, came through the locked doors with a gift, the gift of peace that shattered their fears. Jesus knew that the fear that Peter and the others were experiencing was preventing them from leaving the locked room and boldly proclaiming his resurrection from the dead to the world. So Jesus gave them the gift of peace that removed their fear by breathing on them the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers us to respond to God’s call by calming our fears and sending us outside our locked doors. So if the resurrection is true we would expect Peter and the other disciples to leave the locked room behind and boldly go into Jerusalem to declare resurrection to the world. If it was not true then we would expect Peter to remain in fear and eventually to return to obscurity as a fisherman. What happened to Peter?
The Book of Acts tells us that Peter and the others boldly left that room; went straight to the temple and proclaimed for all to hear that Jesus, whom the religious and political leaders had arrested and crucified, had defeated death by rising from the grave. The religious leaders, who had had Jesus executed, saw what Peter and the others were doing and arrested them to make them stop. But that night God sent an angel to the jail, which freed Peter and the others, and commanded them to return to the temple and continue preaching as they had been doing. The religious leaders were surprised when they heard that Peter and the others had return. So they had Peter and the disciples arrested and brought in for questioning. And that brings us to today’s scripture.
Acts 5:27-32 27 Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." 29 Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead-- whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
Could this be the same Peter we were talking about earlier? That Peter was hiding under the table in a locked room afraid to admit to being a follower of Jesus Christ. But this Peter boldly proclaims his faith directly to the High Priest who has ordered him to shut up. What has happed to Peter to make this sort of transformation in his behavior in the span of couple of months? Clearly Peter’s fear is gone and he has become most courageous. What has caused this transformation? How do we explain all of this?
The Bible is clear. The transformation in Peter’s behavior, and the loss of his fear came about because of his encounter with the risen Jesus Christ. Peter knew that since the followers of Jesus were promised resurrection, death was no longer something to be fear. On the night of Jesus’ arrest Peter was afraid that he might die. There in the upper room Peter was afraid that he would be arrested and executed. But after his encounter with the risen Jesus he knew that death was no longer something to fear. And this emboldened him to proclaim the resurrection of Jesus Christ to everyone in Jerusalem including the people who had put Jesus to death. His encounter with the risen Jesus Christ transformed his life and this transformation is the evidence we need to know that the resurrection is true.
So how was it that Jesus transformed Peter from being a scared fisherman into a courageous evangelist for the faith? Jesus did this by breathing on him. Just as God had breathed life into Adam so too did Jesus breathe courage and new life into Peter. And this breath or spirit of Jesus is still with us. We know it as the Holy Spirit. So it is the Holy Spirit who calms our fears so that we might exit our locked rooms and boldly proclaim the good news that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead.
So what happened to Peter after he defied the High Priest and the religious leaders in Jerusalem? Was he arrested again and crucified like Christ? No, because the Holy Spirit blew across the Sanhedrin that day. The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Gamaliel to the religious leaders and told them to let Peter go with a test. If Peter was doing God’s work he would be successful, but if the work Peter was doing was not from God then if would fail. Peter passed this test. The church grew adding thousands of people. Peter became an evangelist to the gentiles bringing non-Jews to the faith. And tradition tells us that Peter later became the first Bishop of Rome.
Next week we will look at the amazing transformation of one of Gamaliel’s prized students. His name was Saul of Tarsus. Saul’s fear was so great he hid behind violence. But as we will see the transformative power of an encounter with the risen Jesus is even greater than we thought.
So is the resurrection of Jesus Christ true? Have we experienced the risen Christ? The world is watching as we take the test. Will the Holy Spirit calm our fears and make us courageous proclaimers of our faith in Jesus Christ? Or will we hide in fear behind locked doors? The world will know whether the resurrection is true or not by the transformation of our lives. If we live in fear the world will know that God is not with us and they will disbelieve the resurrection. But if we live as disciples of Jesus Christ they will know that the risen Jesus lives in our lives and that his resurrection must be true.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. Calm our fears. Lead us out of our locked doors. And help us to proclaim the good new which we have heard with boldness. Glory to you Christ, our risen Lord. Amen.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Sermon – John 20:1-18 – “I Have Seen the Lord”
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon – John 20:1-18 – “I Have Seen the Lord”
Beaver Dam and Pitts Creek Churches
April 4, 2010
Listen to this sermon.
Happy Easter! This is the joyful day when we remember the amazing events one Sunday morning two thousand years ago. We have been preparing for the celebration for six weeks by walking with Jesus, step by step, to the cross. We have watched as a disciple of Jesus, Judas, walked away from the Light of the World into darkness of unbelief. This darkness blinded the religious and Roman authorities in Jerusalem who arrested Jesus and executed him on a cross. This darkness continued as Jesus’ dead body was placed in a tomb sealed by a large stone. And in the scripture that you heard earlier this darkness continued until the first day of the week when Mary Magdalene woke up and made her way to the tomb. Today we will finally see the light shining in the darkness that the darkness cannot overcome.
But first please pray with me. “God of mercy, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead, for he is alive and has become the Lord of life. From the waters of death you raise us with him and renew your gift of life within us. Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ, and help us to grow as your people toward the fullness of eternal life with you, through Christ our Lord.” Amen. (Book of Common Worship p. 316)
Mary woke up before dawn on the first day of the week. She had a hard time sleeping. Jesus had died just three days before and her grief seemed to get worse every day. She just couldn’t stop thinking about Jesus and the awful things that happened to him, the humiliation and being executed on a cross. She just couldn’t wait any longer. She had to get to the tomb. Ordinarily she would be afraid to walk the streets of Jerusalem alone, especially at night. Jerusalem was a dangerous place especially during the Passover feast. It just wasn’t safe for a woman to be wandering about alone in the dark of night. But her grief overwhelmed her fears and she ventured out into the darkness alone.
When she arrived at the tomb she was confronted with her worst nightmare. The stone sealing the tomb had been moved away. Jesus’ body must have been stolen, she thought. So Mary, now terrified, ran back to where she was staying screaming at the top of her lungs for help. The disciple that Jesus had told to care for Mary came running to see what was wrong. Peter was with him and they ran all the way to the tomb. On arriving at the tomb he bent over gasping for air and peered inside the small opening. Peter, right behind, crawled into the tomb. Then other disciple crawled in. And they saw that it was empty. The burial cloths had been neatly folded. So they knew that this was no grave robbery. Something else had happened. But what was it? What happened to Jesus’ body? Where was it? Frightened by all of this the two disciples ran home and locked the doors leaving behind, alone, in the dark, at the tomb, a frightened woman, Mary Magdalene. And this brings us to today’s scripture.
John 20:11-18 11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.
“I have seen the Lord!” These are the words that an excited Mary Magdalene said to the disciples when she returned to the upper room. How can this be? Jesus was dead, crucified. The Bread of Life fed no more. The Light of the World had gone out. The Living Waters had dried up. The Gate for the Sheep was closed. Or so everyone thought in the darkness of unbelief. But when The Good Shepherd called the name of one of his sheep we discovered that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. That morning as Mary looked in the tomb the light of belief pierced the darkness of doubt and she believed what Jesus had been saying all along that he would be lifted up on a cross to die, and then would be resurrected to new life and ascend to his father in heaven. And now, the promise was complete.
What is this promise? In the third chapter of John the sixteenth verse we read, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” So the promise is that if you believe you will walk in the light and receive the blessing of eternal life. And now we know what it is that we must believe to receive this blessing. We must believe what Mary Magdalene saw and reported to the others that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. Believe in the resurrection in your hearts and receive the blessing of eternal life.
Peter, who had denied that he was a disciple of Jesus on that fateful night of darkness and unbelief, listened to what Mary said. And after listening to her testimony and remembering all that he had seen and heard, Peter began walking in the light of belief that promises eternal life. Later he confessed his faith in this way:
Acts 2:22-36 22 "Men and women of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. … 29 "Brothers and Sisters, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear … 36 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
So I urge you to believe in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Some of you, like the beloved disciple, will see an empty tomb and some folded up grave clothes and that is all you need to believe. Others, like Peter, need to hear from all the witness and evaluate what they say. Study the Bible and hear the voices of all the witnesses to the resurrection. And others, like Mary Magdalene, will need to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd calling your name. Pray that Christ will call you to belief. The way you come to belief is not important. What is important is that you do belief, because if you believe in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead then you will be blessed with eternal life.
As a result of Mary’s testimony the followers of Jesus Christ did not scatter. They began meeting on Sunday mornings, the first day of the week, a working day, to here the stories about Jesus and his resurrection. These groups became churches and the stories they heard were written down in the New Testament. And we are still here, two thousand years later, listening to the same stories and coming to belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
We don’t know what happen to Mary Magdalene after that morning. She was the first to see the risen Jesus Christ. And she had the courage to tell others what she had seen and heard. Her testimony was included in all the gospel accounts of the resurrection. It is possible that like an earlier Mary, Moses’ sister, that Mary Magdalene was a poet. And so, maybe, she wrote the poem that begins the Gospel of John.
John 1:1-14 NRS John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. Amen.
Sermon – John 20:1-18 – “I Have Seen the Lord”
Beaver Dam and Pitts Creek Churches
April 4, 2010
Listen to this sermon.
Happy Easter! This is the joyful day when we remember the amazing events one Sunday morning two thousand years ago. We have been preparing for the celebration for six weeks by walking with Jesus, step by step, to the cross. We have watched as a disciple of Jesus, Judas, walked away from the Light of the World into darkness of unbelief. This darkness blinded the religious and Roman authorities in Jerusalem who arrested Jesus and executed him on a cross. This darkness continued as Jesus’ dead body was placed in a tomb sealed by a large stone. And in the scripture that you heard earlier this darkness continued until the first day of the week when Mary Magdalene woke up and made her way to the tomb. Today we will finally see the light shining in the darkness that the darkness cannot overcome.
But first please pray with me. “God of mercy, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead, for he is alive and has become the Lord of life. From the waters of death you raise us with him and renew your gift of life within us. Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ, and help us to grow as your people toward the fullness of eternal life with you, through Christ our Lord.” Amen. (Book of Common Worship p. 316)
Mary woke up before dawn on the first day of the week. She had a hard time sleeping. Jesus had died just three days before and her grief seemed to get worse every day. She just couldn’t stop thinking about Jesus and the awful things that happened to him, the humiliation and being executed on a cross. She just couldn’t wait any longer. She had to get to the tomb. Ordinarily she would be afraid to walk the streets of Jerusalem alone, especially at night. Jerusalem was a dangerous place especially during the Passover feast. It just wasn’t safe for a woman to be wandering about alone in the dark of night. But her grief overwhelmed her fears and she ventured out into the darkness alone.
When she arrived at the tomb she was confronted with her worst nightmare. The stone sealing the tomb had been moved away. Jesus’ body must have been stolen, she thought. So Mary, now terrified, ran back to where she was staying screaming at the top of her lungs for help. The disciple that Jesus had told to care for Mary came running to see what was wrong. Peter was with him and they ran all the way to the tomb. On arriving at the tomb he bent over gasping for air and peered inside the small opening. Peter, right behind, crawled into the tomb. Then other disciple crawled in. And they saw that it was empty. The burial cloths had been neatly folded. So they knew that this was no grave robbery. Something else had happened. But what was it? What happened to Jesus’ body? Where was it? Frightened by all of this the two disciples ran home and locked the doors leaving behind, alone, in the dark, at the tomb, a frightened woman, Mary Magdalene. And this brings us to today’s scripture.
John 20:11-18 11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.
“I have seen the Lord!” These are the words that an excited Mary Magdalene said to the disciples when she returned to the upper room. How can this be? Jesus was dead, crucified. The Bread of Life fed no more. The Light of the World had gone out. The Living Waters had dried up. The Gate for the Sheep was closed. Or so everyone thought in the darkness of unbelief. But when The Good Shepherd called the name of one of his sheep we discovered that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. That morning as Mary looked in the tomb the light of belief pierced the darkness of doubt and she believed what Jesus had been saying all along that he would be lifted up on a cross to die, and then would be resurrected to new life and ascend to his father in heaven. And now, the promise was complete.
What is this promise? In the third chapter of John the sixteenth verse we read, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” So the promise is that if you believe you will walk in the light and receive the blessing of eternal life. And now we know what it is that we must believe to receive this blessing. We must believe what Mary Magdalene saw and reported to the others that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. Believe in the resurrection in your hearts and receive the blessing of eternal life.
Peter, who had denied that he was a disciple of Jesus on that fateful night of darkness and unbelief, listened to what Mary said. And after listening to her testimony and remembering all that he had seen and heard, Peter began walking in the light of belief that promises eternal life. Later he confessed his faith in this way:
Acts 2:22-36 22 "Men and women of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. … 29 "Brothers and Sisters, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear … 36 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
So I urge you to believe in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Some of you, like the beloved disciple, will see an empty tomb and some folded up grave clothes and that is all you need to believe. Others, like Peter, need to hear from all the witness and evaluate what they say. Study the Bible and hear the voices of all the witnesses to the resurrection. And others, like Mary Magdalene, will need to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd calling your name. Pray that Christ will call you to belief. The way you come to belief is not important. What is important is that you do belief, because if you believe in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead then you will be blessed with eternal life.
As a result of Mary’s testimony the followers of Jesus Christ did not scatter. They began meeting on Sunday mornings, the first day of the week, a working day, to here the stories about Jesus and his resurrection. These groups became churches and the stories they heard were written down in the New Testament. And we are still here, two thousand years later, listening to the same stories and coming to belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
We don’t know what happen to Mary Magdalene after that morning. She was the first to see the risen Jesus Christ. And she had the courage to tell others what she had seen and heard. Her testimony was included in all the gospel accounts of the resurrection. It is possible that like an earlier Mary, Moses’ sister, that Mary Magdalene was a poet. And so, maybe, she wrote the poem that begins the Gospel of John.
John 1:1-14 NRS John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. Amen.
Meditation “Intro Thy Hands” Luke 23:46
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Meditation “Intro Thy Hands” Luke 23:46
Adapted from C.H. Spurgeon “Our Lord’s Last Cry from the Cross”
Pocomoke Ministerial Association - “Seven Last Words of Christ”
April 2, 2010
Listen to this sermon.
Luke 23:46 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
These were the dying words of our Lord Jesus Christ, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” This teaches us resignation. Yield all things. Stand still, and make a full surrender to the Lord, and let this be you watchword from the first even to the last, “Into your hands, my Father, I commend my spirit.”
It is very noteworthy that the last words that our Lord used were quoted from the Scriptures. He probably memorized them as a child. It is taken from the thirty-first Psalm, and the fifth verse. Let me read it to you. “Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.” Now, beloved, the Savior altered this passage, or else it would not quite have suited him. Do you see, first, he was obliged, in order to fit it to his own case, to add something to it? What did he add to it? Why, that word, “Father.” David said, “Into your hands I commit my spirit;” but Jesus says, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Jesus knew that he was the Son of God and was retuning home to his Father’s loving hands. But then Jesus takes something away from David’s psalm. It was needful that he should do so, for David said, “redeem me, O Lord”. Jesus had no need for redemption because he was the redeemer.
Learn from this that dying is going home to our Father. Where else should we go? When we grow grey, and our day’s work is done, where should we go but home? He has finished his earthly course, and now he will go home to heaven. Just as a child runs to its mother’s bosom when it is tired, and wants to fall asleep, so Christ says, “Father,” as he falls asleep in death.
Our duty seems to me to be resignation. Whenever anything distresses and alarms you, resign yourself to God. Say, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Learn from this the duty of prayer. When you are in the very anguish of pain, when you are surrounded by bitter griefs of mind as well as of body, still pray. Drop not the “Our Father.” Let not your cries be addressed to the air; let not your moans be to your physician, or your nurse; but cry, “Father.”
Let us enjoy the high privilege of resting in God in all times of danger and pain. The doctor has just told you that you will have to undergo an operation. Say, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” There is every probability that that weakness of yours, or that disease of yours, will increase upon you, and that by-and-by you will have to take to your bed, and lie there perhaps for many a day. Then say, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Do not fret; for that will not help you. Do not fear the future; for that will not aid you. Give yourself up (it is your privilege to do so) to the keeping of those dear hands that were pierced for you. Amen.
Meditation “Intro Thy Hands” Luke 23:46
Adapted from C.H. Spurgeon “Our Lord’s Last Cry from the Cross”
Pocomoke Ministerial Association - “Seven Last Words of Christ”
April 2, 2010
Listen to this sermon.
Luke 23:46 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
These were the dying words of our Lord Jesus Christ, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” This teaches us resignation. Yield all things. Stand still, and make a full surrender to the Lord, and let this be you watchword from the first even to the last, “Into your hands, my Father, I commend my spirit.”
It is very noteworthy that the last words that our Lord used were quoted from the Scriptures. He probably memorized them as a child. It is taken from the thirty-first Psalm, and the fifth verse. Let me read it to you. “Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.” Now, beloved, the Savior altered this passage, or else it would not quite have suited him. Do you see, first, he was obliged, in order to fit it to his own case, to add something to it? What did he add to it? Why, that word, “Father.” David said, “Into your hands I commit my spirit;” but Jesus says, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Jesus knew that he was the Son of God and was retuning home to his Father’s loving hands. But then Jesus takes something away from David’s psalm. It was needful that he should do so, for David said, “redeem me, O Lord”. Jesus had no need for redemption because he was the redeemer.
Learn from this that dying is going home to our Father. Where else should we go? When we grow grey, and our day’s work is done, where should we go but home? He has finished his earthly course, and now he will go home to heaven. Just as a child runs to its mother’s bosom when it is tired, and wants to fall asleep, so Christ says, “Father,” as he falls asleep in death.
Our duty seems to me to be resignation. Whenever anything distresses and alarms you, resign yourself to God. Say, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Learn from this the duty of prayer. When you are in the very anguish of pain, when you are surrounded by bitter griefs of mind as well as of body, still pray. Drop not the “Our Father.” Let not your cries be addressed to the air; let not your moans be to your physician, or your nurse; but cry, “Father.”
Let us enjoy the high privilege of resting in God in all times of danger and pain. The doctor has just told you that you will have to undergo an operation. Say, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” There is every probability that that weakness of yours, or that disease of yours, will increase upon you, and that by-and-by you will have to take to your bed, and lie there perhaps for many a day. Then say, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Do not fret; for that will not help you. Do not fear the future; for that will not aid you. Give yourself up (it is your privilege to do so) to the keeping of those dear hands that were pierced for you. Amen.
Sermon – John 19: 14-30 – Lifted Up
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon – John 19: 14-30 – Lifted Up
Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches
March 28, 2010
Listen to this sermon.
We have arrived Palm Sunday, the final Sunday of Lent and the beginning of Holy Week. Each Sunday, for the last six weeks, we have been accompanying Jesus on his journey to the cross. Today we arrive at our destination as Jesus is lifted up on a cross. This is the type of death Jesus had told his disciples he would have. And we know that his hour has come to be glorified in his death, resurrection and ascension. Today is the climatic scene in the Gospel of John as the people we have met over the last few weeks come together for one last appearance in John’s gospel at the foot of the cross.
But before we look at all of this please pray with me. “Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy Heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)
John 19:14-30 14 It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. "Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews. 15 But they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" "Shall I crucify your king?" Pilate asked. "We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered. 16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others-- one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews." 22 Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written." 23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24 "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did. 25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. 28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
At the end of play the actors usually come forward for a curtain call. Each character comes though the curtain to the applause of the audience. This continues until all the characters are on stage. If the acting has been really good the audience rises for a standing ovation and the loud clapping continues until the audience is exhausted. A description of a curtain call seems to be what John has described here in the middle of the nineteenth chapter.
All of the major characters we have been reading about for weeks, Jesus, Pilate, the religious authorities and the disciple that Jesus loved make appearances. But missing from this group are Judas and Peter. Both of these have walked out of the light into the darkness of unbelief, Judas by his betrayal of Jesus and Peter by his denial of being a disciple of Jesus. For the moment both of these remain in the darkness. Peter will soon return to the light of belief and eternal life. But Judas will always remain in the darkness of unbelief and death.
This gives us great hope that even though we or our friends or our families may walk out of the light of Christ and into the darkness of death, the return to faith is possible. Just keep praying for those who have lost their faith that they will one day return to the light and receive the gift of eternal life.
Pilate is present at the foot of the cross. And he is speaking the language of belief. He calls Jesus the “King of the Jews” and proclaims this in three languages on a sign for all to read. But, even though he confesses his belief with his lips he does not believe it in his heart. He continues to put his faith in the Emperor of Rome, not in the King of Israel. While speaking the language of faith with his lips his heart is still in the grip of darkness. This is a warning for all of us. Although confessing our faith with our lips is good, it is not good enough. We must believe in our hearts what we say with our lips. Only by believing in our hearts do we enter the light and receive the gift of eternal life.
The religious authorities are also there at the foot of the cross. These are the leaders of God’s people. They know the scripture better than anyone else because they are the teachers of Israel. They lead worship and perform the sacrifices. But we see in John that they are hypocrites. They proclaim in worship that God is King, but they believe that Caesar alone is their king. They serve the Emperor of Rome, not the God of Israel.
This also should be a warning for us. We must not put our trust in the number of Bible studies we have taken and taught, our church membership and ordination, or our education and titles. These things are important, but will not give us eternal life. Only our faith in Jesus allows us to walk in the light of faith and receive this wonderful gift.
The disciple that Jesus loved is also at the foot of the cross. He was with Jesus’ mother and two other women named Mary. Since this disciple is unnamed we can fill in the blank with our names. We are the disciples whom Jesus loves. We are the one who believe and walk in the light. And we have been given the responsibility of caring for God’s people. This is our task in life: to love others just as Jesus loves us.
Our scene ends with Jesus’ death on the cross and we are introduced to a new character whom we have not seen before. This character comes into John’s story at the moment of Jesus death, and remains with us even till today. It is the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ final gift for us given at the moment of his death. The coming of the Holy Spirit is the culmination of Jesus’ ministry on Earth, his glorification. Jesus had realized that the hour had come for his death, resurrection and ascension because this would unleash on the world the power, the love and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
And this is where we are today. We have assembled at the foot of the cross. We confess with our lips and believe in our hearts that Jesus is the Son of God. And the Holy Spirit is here with us in worship to help us see Jesus in the reading and proclamation of God’s Word. The Holy Spirit is here to comfort us in our own times of trouble. And the Holy Spirit is here with us to empower us to love as God loves us and to incorporate us into the holy family of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
As so the scene that John has described has come to an end. Jesus is dead. His body nailed to a cross. Pilate and the religious authorities have gone home to the darkness of unbelief. The disciple that Jesus loved has taken the women home to care for them in the light of faith. But John has two more characters he wants us to know about. These are Jews who have been walking in the darkness of unbelief. But as a result of Jesus’ glorification and the coming of the Holy Spirit they now believe and have come into the light. Here is what John says about these two Jewish leaders, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus.
John 19:38-42 38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus like the other religious authorities at the foot of the cross walked in the darkness of unbelief. But they saw Jesus’ miracles. They recognized Jesus in scripture. They were empowered by the coming of the Holy Spirit to become disciples of Jesus Christ, walking in the light of his glorification, and believing that Jesus is God. And they loved Jesus so much that at the risk of their own lives they removed Jesus from the cross, anointed his body for burial and placed him in a tomb.
This is an example for us to follow: to be filled by the Holy Spirit with so much love for Jesus that we care for Jesus body, the church. And this love for Jesus is why believers contribute their time and money to build up the church by inviting more and more people to believe in Jesus Christ.
And all of this leaves us alone at a tomb. Jesus is dead and buried. It is a tradition in Israel to place stones, instead of flowers on graves. So this Thursday evening at 6:30 PM we will gather in at Pitts Creek to share in the Lord’s Supper and place a stone on Jesus’ grave. On Friday at noon we will gather with all the Pocomoke churches at Bethany Methodist to remember the last words that Jesus had spoken. And next Sunday as the sun rises over Pocomoke at 6:30 in the morning we will gather at Cypress Park, and later at Beaver Dam and Pitts Creek, to hear the exciting and surprising conclusion to this story in the Gospel of John.
Lord Jesus. We thank you for permitting us to accompany you on your journey to the cross. We thank you for the gift of your spirit and your love. Prepare us this week for the wonderful news we will receive next Sunday. We pray this as your faithful disciples. Amen.
Sermon – John 19: 14-30 – Lifted Up
Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches
March 28, 2010
Listen to this sermon.
We have arrived Palm Sunday, the final Sunday of Lent and the beginning of Holy Week. Each Sunday, for the last six weeks, we have been accompanying Jesus on his journey to the cross. Today we arrive at our destination as Jesus is lifted up on a cross. This is the type of death Jesus had told his disciples he would have. And we know that his hour has come to be glorified in his death, resurrection and ascension. Today is the climatic scene in the Gospel of John as the people we have met over the last few weeks come together for one last appearance in John’s gospel at the foot of the cross.
But before we look at all of this please pray with me. “Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy Heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)
John 19:14-30 14 It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. "Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews. 15 But they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" "Shall I crucify your king?" Pilate asked. "We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered. 16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others-- one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews." 22 Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written." 23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24 "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did. 25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. 28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
At the end of play the actors usually come forward for a curtain call. Each character comes though the curtain to the applause of the audience. This continues until all the characters are on stage. If the acting has been really good the audience rises for a standing ovation and the loud clapping continues until the audience is exhausted. A description of a curtain call seems to be what John has described here in the middle of the nineteenth chapter.
All of the major characters we have been reading about for weeks, Jesus, Pilate, the religious authorities and the disciple that Jesus loved make appearances. But missing from this group are Judas and Peter. Both of these have walked out of the light into the darkness of unbelief, Judas by his betrayal of Jesus and Peter by his denial of being a disciple of Jesus. For the moment both of these remain in the darkness. Peter will soon return to the light of belief and eternal life. But Judas will always remain in the darkness of unbelief and death.
This gives us great hope that even though we or our friends or our families may walk out of the light of Christ and into the darkness of death, the return to faith is possible. Just keep praying for those who have lost their faith that they will one day return to the light and receive the gift of eternal life.
Pilate is present at the foot of the cross. And he is speaking the language of belief. He calls Jesus the “King of the Jews” and proclaims this in three languages on a sign for all to read. But, even though he confesses his belief with his lips he does not believe it in his heart. He continues to put his faith in the Emperor of Rome, not in the King of Israel. While speaking the language of faith with his lips his heart is still in the grip of darkness. This is a warning for all of us. Although confessing our faith with our lips is good, it is not good enough. We must believe in our hearts what we say with our lips. Only by believing in our hearts do we enter the light and receive the gift of eternal life.
The religious authorities are also there at the foot of the cross. These are the leaders of God’s people. They know the scripture better than anyone else because they are the teachers of Israel. They lead worship and perform the sacrifices. But we see in John that they are hypocrites. They proclaim in worship that God is King, but they believe that Caesar alone is their king. They serve the Emperor of Rome, not the God of Israel.
This also should be a warning for us. We must not put our trust in the number of Bible studies we have taken and taught, our church membership and ordination, or our education and titles. These things are important, but will not give us eternal life. Only our faith in Jesus allows us to walk in the light of faith and receive this wonderful gift.
The disciple that Jesus loved is also at the foot of the cross. He was with Jesus’ mother and two other women named Mary. Since this disciple is unnamed we can fill in the blank with our names. We are the disciples whom Jesus loves. We are the one who believe and walk in the light. And we have been given the responsibility of caring for God’s people. This is our task in life: to love others just as Jesus loves us.
Our scene ends with Jesus’ death on the cross and we are introduced to a new character whom we have not seen before. This character comes into John’s story at the moment of Jesus death, and remains with us even till today. It is the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ final gift for us given at the moment of his death. The coming of the Holy Spirit is the culmination of Jesus’ ministry on Earth, his glorification. Jesus had realized that the hour had come for his death, resurrection and ascension because this would unleash on the world the power, the love and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
And this is where we are today. We have assembled at the foot of the cross. We confess with our lips and believe in our hearts that Jesus is the Son of God. And the Holy Spirit is here with us in worship to help us see Jesus in the reading and proclamation of God’s Word. The Holy Spirit is here to comfort us in our own times of trouble. And the Holy Spirit is here with us to empower us to love as God loves us and to incorporate us into the holy family of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
As so the scene that John has described has come to an end. Jesus is dead. His body nailed to a cross. Pilate and the religious authorities have gone home to the darkness of unbelief. The disciple that Jesus loved has taken the women home to care for them in the light of faith. But John has two more characters he wants us to know about. These are Jews who have been walking in the darkness of unbelief. But as a result of Jesus’ glorification and the coming of the Holy Spirit they now believe and have come into the light. Here is what John says about these two Jewish leaders, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus.
John 19:38-42 38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus like the other religious authorities at the foot of the cross walked in the darkness of unbelief. But they saw Jesus’ miracles. They recognized Jesus in scripture. They were empowered by the coming of the Holy Spirit to become disciples of Jesus Christ, walking in the light of his glorification, and believing that Jesus is God. And they loved Jesus so much that at the risk of their own lives they removed Jesus from the cross, anointed his body for burial and placed him in a tomb.
This is an example for us to follow: to be filled by the Holy Spirit with so much love for Jesus that we care for Jesus body, the church. And this love for Jesus is why believers contribute their time and money to build up the church by inviting more and more people to believe in Jesus Christ.
And all of this leaves us alone at a tomb. Jesus is dead and buried. It is a tradition in Israel to place stones, instead of flowers on graves. So this Thursday evening at 6:30 PM we will gather in at Pitts Creek to share in the Lord’s Supper and place a stone on Jesus’ grave. On Friday at noon we will gather with all the Pocomoke churches at Bethany Methodist to remember the last words that Jesus had spoken. And next Sunday as the sun rises over Pocomoke at 6:30 in the morning we will gather at Cypress Park, and later at Beaver Dam and Pitts Creek, to hear the exciting and surprising conclusion to this story in the Gospel of John.
Lord Jesus. We thank you for permitting us to accompany you on your journey to the cross. We thank you for the gift of your spirit and your love. Prepare us this week for the wonderful news we will receive next Sunday. We pray this as your faithful disciples. Amen.
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