Sermon Psalm 4 “When You Can’t Sleep”

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Presbyterian Church of Easton

Sermon Psalm 4 “When You Can’t Sleep”

April 18, 2021

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We have all had nights when we cannot sleep.  We go to bed but our minds keep on working.  We continue to think over the day’s events, the troubles that befell us, our worries and concerns.  We close our eyes and try to go to sleep, but we can’t.  So we toss and turn, go to the bathroom, get some cold chicken from the refrigerator to eat, watch late-night television, turn on the radio, or get dressed and go for a walk.  We do all of these things hoping that we will become drowsy and go to sleep, but nothing seems to work.  The Psalmist was having one of these nights when he wrote Psalm 4.  But before we look at this wonderful Psalm will you pray with me?  

Father in heaven, open our hearts this day to receive that grace you have for us.  Bless us with the gift of understanding as we hear your word read and proclaimed.  Bless me with the gift of preaching as I proclaim your word to this church.  And help us on those nights when we can’t get to sleep with your assurance, peace, and love.  We pray this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Psalm 4 To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

1 Answer me when I call, O God of my right!

    You gave me room when I was in distress.

    Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.

2 How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?

    How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? Selah

3 But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself;

    the Lord hears when I call to him.

4 When you are disturbed, do not sin;

    ponder it on your beds, and be silent. Selah

5 Offer right sacrifices,

    and put your trust in the Lord.

6 There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!

    Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!”

7 You have put gladness in my heart

    more than when their grain and wine abound.

8 I will both lie down and sleep in peace;

    for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.

King David has written a psalm about sleep.  David was an expert on sleep.  In our first reading today David helped King Saul who was having trouble sleeping.  Saul was plagued by an evil spirit that kept him awake at night.  David would play the lyre which had the effect of helping Saul get to sleep.  So in a way, David is an ancient authority on getting to sleep and his wisdom on this subject is contained in the fourth Psalm.

I usually get to sleep pretty well, but occasionally I toss and turn and just can’t get to sleep.  My favorite way of dealing with sleeplessness is by drinking some warm milk and then going back to bed.  This usually works, but when it doesn’t I turn to prayer and then to some late-night television.

Sometimes I have trouble getting to sleep on Sunday nights. After meeting people all day Sunday and praying for them I sometimes find it hard to fall asleep.  The day’s events keep replaying in my mind.  I am in a continual conversation with God about those things that are happening to people coming to our church.  So sometimes I toss and turn and find that sleep comes much later than normal.  Monday mornings often require a second cup of coffee.

When David couldn’t sleep he turned to God in prayer.  He reminded God of times past when God had relieved him and gave him rest.  So he asked God to calm his fears and settle his mind so that he could get some rest.  And David was confident that God would listen to his prayer and give him the rest he needed.  So let’s look closely at how David got to sleep.

1 Answer me when I call, O God of my right!

    You gave me room when I was in distress.

    Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.

This is where we should start when we can’t get to sleep.  We remember how God has cared for us in the past.  We remember how God has graciously blessed us.  And so we join our voices with David and ask God to settle our minds and help us to sleep.  But even though we pray for sleep we still can’t sleep.  We toss and turn and think about all the things going on in our lives.   Listen as David describes what he is going through, all that is bothering him.

2 How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?

    How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? Selah

People are slandering David.   They are telling lies about him.  And David is tossing and turning in bed worrying about this.   But with the assurance that God does hear the prayers of the faithful, David returns to prayer.

3 But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself;

    the Lord hears when I call to him.

So David was convinced that during his sleepless night he could turn to God and find relief.  As he turned to God he remembered all the things that he has done to displease God.  He remembered his sinfulness.   

4 When you are disturbed, do not sin;

    ponder it on your beds, and be silent. Selah

David knew that there were some concrete things that you could do to keep yourself from becoming emotionally upset to the point of disturbing your sleep.   The first step is to refrain from sinning.  Sin will keep you up at night.  If you drink too much, or cheat on your spouse, or lie, or steal or do any of the things we know are sinful our consciences will warn us by keeping us up at night.  Most of our worries are that our past sins might be catching up with us.  But if we refrain from sinning we will sleep better at night because we will not be tormented by what we have done.  If we have sinned then a sleepless night is an indication that it is time for us to confess the sin and repent.  Then when we have experienced the forgiveness of God we can simply be quiet, lay our heads on the pillow and get the rest we need.  And then there is something else we should do.  We should be in worship regularly.

5 Offer right sacrifices,

    and put your trust in the Lord.

David tells us about one way of getting to sleep is to always put our trust in the Lord.  If we depend solely on our own abilities and resources we will surely fail and this concern will keep us up at night.  But if we trust in God to care for us this relieves us from the burden of depending on ourselves and allows us to get a good night’s sleep.  We trust that God will provide for what we need and will guide us in the right paths.  All we have to do is to follow God.  By following God we can get to sleep. 

Sin separates us from God, and that separation is also there when we pray.  So prayers are not always answered by God the way we hope. David realized the problems his own sin had caused.  He knew that to get a good night’s sleep you have to stop sinning and honestly confess your sin to God.   Only with the assurance of forgiveness can we once again get a good night’s sleep.  And forgiveness can be found in worship.   In worship, we confess our sin and received God’s pardon.   So regular attendance in worship will help you to sleep.  

I have found that a daily habit of prayer is a great way to ensure a good night’s sleep.  I can also get the rest I need knowing that I will have the opportunity to talk with God about anything bothering me the next day.  This cuts through my worries and lets me get to sleep.  By praying every day, by meditating on scripture every day, or by reading a devotional every day we form a habit of bringing all our concerns to God.  And once released from the burden of carrying our own concerns we can get to sleep.  

So I urge you to start a daily practice of worship. Join us for prayer services during the week or find something that is right for you.  Daily worship will free your minds from your concerns because you would have given your concerns to God.  Once David was assured that God had forgiven him he started to remember all the blessings that had poured down on him from heaven.

6 There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!

    Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!”

7 You have put gladness in my heart

    more than when their grain and wine abound.

So on those sleepless nights when you toss and turn in bed, honestly confess your sins to God and ask God for forgiveness and a good night’s sleep.  Remember all the ways God had blessed you.    As the old-time pastors used to say, “Count your blessings”.  Then close your eyes and get some sleep.  Here is how David put it.

8 I will both lie down and sleep in peace;

    for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.

When we toss and turn and can’t get to sleep at night when the events of the day keep us awake, what should we do?  Start with prayer.  Confess and repent your sin.  Begin a daily practice of worship and prayer.  And count all the blessings you have received from God.    Then you will be blessed with the rest you need.

Psalm 4:1 Answer me when I call, O God of my right!

    You gave me room when I was in distress.

    Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.

2 How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?

    How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? Selah

3 But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself;

    the Lord hears when I call to him.

4 When you are disturbed, do not sin;

    ponder it on your beds, and be silent. Selah

5 Offer right sacrifices,

    and put your trust in the Lord.

6 There are many who say, “O that we might see some good!

    Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!”

7 You have put gladness in my heart

    more than when their grain and wine abound.

8 I will both lie down and sleep in peace;

    for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.

Lord Jesus, as we follow you we ask that you forgive our sins and help us to lead new lives.  Help us to become the people you created us to be.  Help us to trust that God will provide for us all that we need.  Take all of our cares and concerns on your shoulders and help us to get the sleep we need. Amen.

Grace and Peace Episode 31

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Grace and Peace Episode 31
Presbyterian Church of Easton
April 18, 2021

Watch Grace and Peace Episode 31

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Heidelberg Catechism

58Q.  How does the article concerning “life everlasting” comfort you?

 A. Even as I already now experience in my heart the beginning of eternal joy, so after this life I will have perfect blessedness such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human heart has ever imagined: a blessedness in which to praise God forever.

Revelation 7:13 Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes-- who are they, and where did they come from?"  14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  15 Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple, and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.  16 Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.  17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

We will enter heaven clothed in white robes.    These robes may be the clothes we died in:  the hospital gown covered in vomit, the tee-shirt and jeans covered in blood after the car wreck,  the wet bathing suit after the drowning.  But our clothes will be clean having been washed in the blood of Jesus, our sins will be forgiven, and we will be ready to receive eternal lives.    

In our eternal lives, we will have bodies to wear the clothes.  We will have noses that smell the incense, the animals, and the blood of the lamb.  We will have ears that hear the voices of the elders, the angels singing “Holy, holy holy”, the harps, the trumpets, and the prayers in every language on earth. We will feel the shaking of the earth, the palm branches in our hands, the shade of the tent shielding us from the scorching sun,  and the satisfaction of having plenty to eat.  We will have tongues that taste our own tears and the cool spring living water.  And we will have eyes to see the glory of heaven, God sitting on a throne, his Son to his right, the 144000 children of Israel, the 24 elders, the 7 blazing lamps, the four horses and their riders, the sun turning black, the moon turning red and the stars falling from the sky.   There will be no hunger or thirst.  The weather will be perfect.  Eternal life in heaven will be the most joy-filled time you will ever have.   And it will just be the beginning.  It will get better and better.

This is the promise made to all who believe in Jesus Christ.  And Jesus will be with you, caring for you, like a good shepherd.  Let’s pray.

Holy Spirit we ask that you assure us of this glorious promise of eternal life.   Fill us with saving faith, comfort and strengthen us as we move toward that day of eternal bliss and happiness.   This we pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.  

Grace and Peace Episode 30

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Grace and Peace Episode 30
Presbyterian Church of Easton
April 11, 2021

Watch Grace and Peace Episode 30

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Heidelberg Catechism

57Q.  How does “the resurrection of the body” comfort you?
A. Not only will my soul be taken immediately after this life to Christ its head but also my very flesh will be raised by the power of Christ, reunited with my soul, and made like Christ’s glorious body.

Five centuries before Jesus Christ, there lived in Athens a great philosopher. His name was Socrates. Socrates had been sentenced to death. While awaiting his execution he thought about what happens after we die. Socrates believed in an immortal soul, a soul that lives forever. He thought that this soul inhabited his body at birth and would leave it a death. This immortal soul contained all of his thoughts, memories, and personality. So his identity would continue after death when his immortal soul left his body behind to decay in the ground.

This idea of an immortal soul was very attractive to early Christians because Christians believe that Christ defeated death so that our souls will live on even after we die. But there was a problem with this. And this problem was with the word, “immortal”. Christians believe that only God is immortal, not us. We are limited and finite. We are not immortal. Therefore we do not have immortal souls.

The Christian idea is that we are created by God. And we believe that our existence is sustained by God every moment. Without God, we would instantly cease to exist. Therefore our souls, to live on after we die, can only do so by the grace of God. And in Jesus Christ, all believers are promised that our souls will live forever. So when we die God preserves our souls, our thoughts, our memories, and our personalities. Saved souls will be in heaven living in perfect joy in the presence of God. Other souls will be in hell enduring a refining fire. 

But this is not the end of the story. The Bible is very clear about this. One day our bodies will be resurrected from the dust of the earth and will be reunited with our souls.

After Jesus' death, his soul did not go to heaven as a disembodied spirit. Instead, Jesus' physical body was resurrected from the dead. People saw and touched his living body with mortal wounds. They heard him speak and ate with him. Jesus was alive in a physical body, and his soul, his thoughts, memories, and personality, were there too. So the church, In the Apostles’ Creed affirms its belief that God created both body and soul, and in the resurrection body and soul will be reunited. 

Our souls go to heaven after we die until one day when our bodies will be resurrected from the dead and reunited with our souls. We, body and soul, will live together in a restored creation in the presence of Jesus Christ and with our loved ones. forever.  Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the blessing of eternal life.   We thank you for the blessings of the resurrection from the dead.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

Sermon Psalm 133 “How Good and Pleasant It Is”

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Presbyterian Church of Easton
Sermon Psalm 133 “How Good and Pleasant It Is”
April 11, 2021

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    I am beginning today a sermon series drawn from the Book of Psalms.  For many people the Book of Psalms is their most favorite book in the Bible because it has such beautiful poetry and tells us so much about God.   Listen to the words of the psalmist.  
  
Psalm 133
How very good and pleasant it is
    when kindred live together in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
    running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
    running down over the collar of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
    life forevermore.

    Before we begin looking at this psalm let’s pray.   Heavenly Father, we thank you for blessing us with so many very good and pleasant things.  We praise you for creating a world that is perfect for us, your people.   Help us to always be grateful for all the blessings we receive from you.  Amen.

Psalm 133 is a Psalm of Ascents.  This means that it was sung by pilgrims making their way to Jerusalem to worship in the temple.   Psalm 132 tells us that the context is that they are going to Jerusalem for the coronation of a king, a descendant of David.   So there is great joy and anticipation as the pilgrims approached Jerusalem.  They cry out, “How very good and pleasant it is”.  
    

I am certain that every one of us can think about things, places and times that we remember as being good and pleasant.   I can remember my wedding with Grace.  I can remember times with my family when we had family meals with visiting relatives.  And I can remember many times in church in fellowship.   All of these were good and pleasant.   And we can all add many, many more examples.
The psalmist wants us to know about four times that were good and pleasant for her.    The first was a time of unity among brothers and sisters.   The second was a time of the anointing a high priest.   The third was a time of experiencing the dew of Hermon.  And the fourth is the blessing of eternal life.   Let’s look at each of these.

How very good and pleasant it is
    when kindred live together in unity!

As the Hebrews approached Jerusalem for the coronation of a new king they must have remembered how good and pleasant it was when David and Solomon governed a united kingdom.   David united all twelve tribes of Israel into one powerful nation.   This led to an extended period of peace and prosperity through the reigns of David and his son Solomon.   But after Soloman, Israel had a series of bad kings and the kingdom was broken in two.   This led to constant war, destruction and exile.  So the pilgrims going to Jerusalem would pray for unity by singing Psalm 133.  They prayed for Mount Hermon in the Northern Kingdom and they prayed for Jerusalem in the Southern Kingdom, hoping to bring the kingdoms together.

    Augustine, a 5th century bishop,  said that unity could be found in the early church. He said that they were united by their faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, by the work of the Holy Spirit in them after Pentecost,  and by their caring of the poor and needy in their communities.  Augustine commended the monks in monasteries for their desire to serve God in unity.

    John Calvin, a 16th century protestant reformer, lamented the loss of unity in the church.   Calvin and others had been trying to reform the church and return it to biblical practices and beliefs.  But the reaction from Rome to their efforts resulted in protestant reformers being excommunicated from the church they so dearly loved.  

    Five hundred years ago, on April 16, 1521 Martin Luther, a protestant reformer appeared before the Diet of Worms.   On May 25, 1521 Emperor Charles V declared Luther to be a heretic.

    Calvin wanted unity in the church and said this about Psalm 133, “There can at the same time be no doubt; that the Holy Ghost is to be viewed as commending in this passage that mutual harmony which should subsist amongst all God’s children, and exhorting us to make every endeavor to maintain it.”
Many of us remember how good and pleasant it was when most people went to church every Sunday.  But now we lament the loss of unity in the church.   We are divided into so many denominations, worship styles, and theological beliefs.   And as a result of this division, we now find that less than 50% of Americans belong to a church.  Wouldn’t it be good and pleasant if we were all united as faithful Christians?

    Let’s turn to the second thing that the Psalmist considers good and pleasant, the anointing of a High Priest.

How very good and pleasant it is...
It is like the precious oil on the head,
    running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
    running down over the collar of his robes.

As the people of God made their way to Jerusalem for the anointing of a new king, they remembered a good and pleasant time when the High Priest was anointed.   Olive oil was poured over his head as a sign of God’s blessing upon him.   And the High Priest would wear a breastplate with twelve semi-precious stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. As the oil was poured over his head it also covered the twelve stones representing the blessing of God being poured out on all twelve tribes of Israel.  

Moses said that the tabernacle and its furnishing should also be anointed with oil.  Anointing set these objects aside for God’s use.  And Moses gave us the recipe for making the anointing oil.
Exodus 30:23-25 “Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane, and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil.

The Apostle James told us that if anyone is sick they should come to the elders of the church for prayers and anointing with oil.  James said that those who pray in faith will be richly blessed.

Augustine pointed out that the oil was first poured out on the head.  This would be the anointing of the head of the church, Jesus Christ.  Then the oil covered the beard.  The beard would be the anointing of the apostles and martyrs of the church.   And the oil covering the collar would refer to the Holy Spirit anointing us to do God’s will today.

    Calvin pointed out that the anointing of the head, the beard, and the collar indicated that the anointing is spread over the entire church.  This is an indication of God’s blessing of the church, helping us to repent and leading us to a new life of obedience in Christ.   Calvin said, “We maintain, therefore, that men (and women) are to be united amongst themselves in mutual affection, with this as the great end, that they may be placed together under the government of God.”

    Here, the Presbyterian Church of Easton, we have prayer services on Tuesdays at 2, and Wednesdays and Sundays at 7.   At these services, we anoint people (with a very small amount of oil) representing all the blessings God is pouring down on us, our families, and our church.  I hope you will come to pray with us.  If you do I believe that you and your family will be richly blessed.  Let’s turn now to the Dew of Hermon.

How very good and pleasant it is...
It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion.

When Grace and I lived in California we experienced a weather phenomenon that is not seen here in the east.   It is called “June Gloom”.   The summers in southern California are very hot.   Temperatures routinely exceed 100 degrees!   Thankfully, the humidity levels are very low.   But for much of the month of June, we experienced natural air conditioning.  Here is how it would happen.

In the early morning hours, God would send a marine layer from the Pacific Ocean over southern California.   It would contain cool, moist air.   It was very good and pleasant.   But as June got closer and closer to July this marine layer would disappear earlier and earlier each day.  Finally the intense heat would return.

The Dew of Hermon is similar to June Gloom.   Mount Hermon sits just east of the Jordan river in the midst of a desert.   But in certain times of the year it picks up moisture from the Mederitainian Sea and that moisture makes the desert bloom.   How good and pleasant it must be!

The Hebrew word “hermon”  comes from the same root as the Hebrew word  “haram”.   “Haram” means to separate things permanently.  So when God in creation separated the waters from the dry land this was “haram” a permanent separation.

The word “haram”  also has the sense that we cannot know what is beyond the separation barrier.  We live on dry land, and cannot know what happens is the waters beyond.   This concept was applied to death.   Death is a permanent separation.   And we cannot know what happens after we die.  So death is a “haram”.   And this brings us to the fourth thing the psalmist wants us to know is good and pleasant, life forevermore.

How very good and pleasant it is...
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
    life forevermore.

    The surprising conclusion of Psalm 133 is that death is not a “haram”.  Death is a separation.   But we know what goes on on the other side.   We enjoy the blessing of eternal life.   And we know a little about what life is like after we die because we have the experience of Jesus Christ after his resurrection from the dead.   

Augustine wondered about the phrase, “For there the Lord ordained his blessing.”   And he asked to where the word “there” was referring.   Augustine answered his own question by saying that the blessing resides in the unity of believers.  He said, “Where did He command it? Among the brethren who dwell together. There He enjoined blessing, there they who dwell with one heart bless God.”   So as we come together as church in unity to worship and bless God we receive the blessing of eternal life.

Calvin answered this question differently.   The place where the Lord ordained his blessings was in the Dew of Hermon.  Here is what he said, “It is evident that Mount Hermon must have been rich and fruitful, being famed amongst places for pasture. Mountains depend principally for fertility upon the dews of heaven, and this was shown in the case of mount Zion. David adds in the close, that God commands his blessing where peace is cultivated; by which is meant, that he testifies how much God is pleased with concord amongst men (and women), by showering down blessings upon them.”  Again the blessings of Almighty God pour down upon the faithful as they worship together in unity.

How very good and pleasant it is
    when kindred live together in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
    running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
    running down over the collar of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
    life forevermore.  Amen.

Grace and Peace Episode 29

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Grace and Peace Episode 29

Presbyterian Church of Easton

April 4, 2021

Watch Episode 29

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Heidelberg Catechism

56Q.  What do you believe concerning “the forgiveness of sins”?

A. I believe that God, because of Christ’s satisfaction, will no longer remember any of my sins or my sinful nature which I need to struggle against all my life.  Rather, by grace God grants me the righteousness of Christ to free me forever from judgment.

The reason for forgiveness is that relationships are important to God. God forgives us so that we can be in a relationship with him. And God wants us to forgive others to repair broken relationships.  The Apostle Paul called this the ministry of reconciliation. Here is what he said:

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

So how are we to reconcile relationships that have been broken? How do we forgive someone? First, someone has to take the initiative, a first step. The person taking the initiative must acknowledge that the relationship is broken, recall how important and precious the relationship was, and reaffirm their love and concern for the other. If the other refuses to acknowledge this and receive your forgiveness there is nothing you can do, the broken relationship will remain unaltered. Only if both parties agree to restore the relationship will reconciliation occur. 

The ministry of reconciliation is the ministry of the church. We are called to proclaim that the sins of all who profess that Jesus is Lord, confess their sins, and amend their behavior will be forgiven.  And we are to embody this ministry by forgiving one another so that relationships within the church may be reconciled.  The good news in all of this is that forgiveness is not up to us. God forgives us not because we are not deserving of judgment, but because he sees Jesus when he looks at us. Likewise, when someone hurts us and we want judgment, the Holy Spirit enables us to see the image of God in that person. Let’ pray.

Heavenly Father we ask for forgiveness for anything we have done or left undone.  Help us to amend our lives and lead lives pleasing to you.   And help us to forgive those who have wronged us.   Just as you see Jesus when you judge us, help us to see the image of God in those whom we judge.  All this we pray in Jesus’ glorious name.  Amen.

Sermon Mark 16:1-8 “Moving the Unmovable Stone”

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Presbyterian Church of Easton

Sermon Mark 16:1-8  “Moving the Unmovable Stone”

Easter, April 4, 2021

Watch our Easter 10 AM Worship Service

Today we complete our journey through the last three chapters of the Gospel of Mark.  It has been an exciting journey with Jesus and the disciples.  The anointing in Bethany, the Passover dinner in Jerusalem, prayers on the Mount of Olives followed by the arrest, trial, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus.  And today we return to the tomb with the women to anoint Jesus’ body one last time.  As we walk with the women back to the tomb let us pray.  

Lord God, we ask that you roll away whatever stones block our paths and free us from guilt, grief, and fear with which we are bound in our own tombs.  Release us from the power of death to lead new lives in you.  We pray this is the name of our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen

Mark 16:1-8  When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him.  2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.  3 They had been saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?"  4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back.  5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him.  7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you."  8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Mary Magdalene, Salome, and the mother of James had experienced a long week:  a triumphal entrance into Jerusalem with all the excitement of the Superbowl,  then a side trip to Bethany to visit with some friends,  then back to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration.  It was that night when everything went wrong.  Jesus was arrested and then crucified and buried with the women watching from a distance.  At the sunset, the beginning of the Passover, the women went home for rest and prayer.  Then as the sun was rising on the first day of the week they quickly got dressed and made their way to the cemetery to do their obligation, to care for the body of Jesus.

While they were walking to the cemetery they worried about the large stone that prevented them from doing what needed to be done.  They knew they could push the stone as hard as they could but it would not move.  So they needed a power beyond their own ability to move the stone.

We all know what it is like to have a large stone in our way.  We push and push and push but it just doesn’t move.  Maybe it’s a family member who is on drugs and abusing you.  We push for that person to change and nothing happens.  Maybe it’s a health concern that is dragging you down.  You push the doctors but nothing can be done.  Maybe it’s the loss of a job that has left you frightened and penniless.  You push by sending out hundreds of resumes but still can’t find a job.  Maybe it’s the end of a relationship you thought would last forever.  You push by praying that your spouse will return but nothing happens.  Maybe it’s the sin that has stained your life and you need forgiveness.  So you push by working harder and harder to make up for what you have done but the guilt never seems to go away.  Maybe it’s the death of a friend or relative that has overwhelmed you with grief.  You push by reading the Bible and talking to the pastor about death but your grief remains.  No matter how hard you push on your problems you just can’t do anything about them.  So you need power beyond your own abilities to remove the stone that is in your way.

When the women arrived at the tomb they discovered that they had received a gift.  The large stone had already been rolled away.  They didn’t have to push.  God had moved the stone for them.  And God will move the stone for us too.  Whatever problems we are experiencing, guilt, fear, grief that keep us pushing and pushing and are beyond our abilities need a power greater than us. And the good news of Easter is that God moves those stones away as a gift for us.   This is called grace.

The women entered the tomb and expected to see Jesus’ body.  But there was no body in the tomb.  The tomb was empty.  They were afraid.  What kind of gift is this?  God rolls away the unmovable stone and nothing is behind it.  This is what we really fear, isn’t it?  If God removes our sin, our grief, our fear, our guilt will we have anything left?  Our fear and our guilt and our grief have become familiar companions.  We don’t want to give them up.  We have grown accustomed to their presence.  So we reject the offer from God to remove them from our lives and hold on to the problems we have rather than face an uncertain future without them.  So when the women saw the empty tomb they experienced the return of an old friend, fear.

But inside the tomb was a man dressed in white with a message from God, "Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him.”  God knew that the women were gripped with fear at that moment and sent an angel to tell them that there was no reason to fear anymore, because Jesus Christ, who had died and was buried, was now raised from the dead by God.  

So there was no longer anything to fear, sins washed away, guilt removed, no reason to fear even death because death itself was the stone that God moved away.  This is our great Easter gift, better than an Easter basket, or a chocolate bunny, or a colored egg.  God’s gift to us is that death is no longer the end.  Life goes on after death because God, moving the unmovable stone, raises the dead back to life.

But the women did not understand what God was doing.  The good news of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead was beyond their comprehension.  All they knew was that Jesus’ body was missing.  And this made them very, very, afraid.  

What does the news that Jesus was raised from the dead mean to us?  Do we believe that death is no longer the final act?  Or like the women are we afraid?  I suggest that we believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and let God remove the immovable stone called fear.  

We can believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead in four ways.  The first is that God has revealed the fact of Jesus’ rising from the dead to us through the angel.  This was a direct revelation to the women in the tomb and to us.  God has informed us that Jesus did rise from the dead and we can believe it.  

The second way we know the resurrection is true is because of our faith.  Jesus told the Disciple Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." (John 20:29)  Because we believe in the resurrection of Jesus that resurrection is true for us.  

The third way we know that the resurrection is true is because our faith would be meaningless without it. The Apostle Paul put it this way, “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:13-14)  The resurrection of Jesus from the dead must be true for our faith to be true.  

And the fourth way we know that the resurrection of Jesus is true is because the work of the church is motivated by our belief in our risen Lord.  The Book of Revelation says, “And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also, he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." (Revelation 21:5)  So our new lives in Christ are dependant on the truth of his resurrection.  For all these reasons we believe Jesus Christ was raised from the dead.

The messenger from God needed to get a message to Peter and the other disciples that the risen Jesus, once dead but now alive, was on his way back home to Galilee.  They were all to go back there to see him.  But all of this was just too much for the women.  They ran from the cemetery screaming in terror.  And this is the conclusion of the Gospel of Mark.

This is it?  How can Mark end the gospel in this way with so many questions unanswered?  Where is Jesus’ body?  Who rolled the stone away?  Who took the body?  What happened to Jesus? This ending of Mark has bothered many Christians, and some have attempted to fill in the final details.  In your  Bibles, at the end of Chapter 16, there will be a footnote with “The Shorter Ending”.  This was an early attempt to “complete” the gospel.  Also, you will see, in footnotes,  verses 9-20 also called “The Longer Ending”.  This too is an attempt to “complete” Mark by adding details from the other gospels and the Book of Acts.  And, of course, Matthew, Luke, and John all added their own endings to Mark’s account.  

But I believe that Mark ended his gospel in this way intentionally.  Mark wants us to know that the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is not a conclusion, but a beginning.  It begins, as all new things do, with fear.  But the initial fear we experience will dissipate and be replaced by joy.  We rejoice that death is no longer the end of life.  Rather we are recipients of new life, eternal life in the presence of Almighty God.

So as we leave here today remember that we have been reborn to new life in Jesus Christ.  Whatever stone you have been pushing has been rolled away.  The punishment for sin, death, has been annulled.  So you no longer have to fear death and can now enjoy your new life.  That new life begins today.  Just leave all of your cares behind in an empty tomb.  And celebrate your new life in the presence of our risen Lord Jesus. Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, on this Easter morning we have come here to this church to hear the familiar story of Christ’s resurrection from the dead.   Make this story real for us.   Help us to believe.   And we thank you that through this faith you grant us eternal life.   And so we pray in the name of our resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Sermon Mark 15:40-47 “The Kingdom of God”

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Presbyterian Church of Easton

Sermon Mark 15:40-47 “The Kingdom of God”

Maundy Thursday, April 1, 2021

Watch our Maudy Thursday Service

Our Lenten journey with Jesus is nearing completion.  The anointing that we witnessed at Bethany was an anointing for his death, which has occurred.  Judas’ plan to betray Jesus was successful.  Jesus’ talk of his broken body and spilled blood at the Last Supper has come to pass.  Jesus’ prayer that the cup may be taken from him was ignored by God whose will was accomplished through Judas, the Jewish leaders, the crowd, and the Roman Governor Pilate. Jesus has died on a cross.  

Tonight we will hear about those people who truly loved Jesus and stayed with him until the end.  But remember to come back next Sunday as we see the exciting and unexpected ending to the Gospel of Mark. 

But before we begin this final leg of our journey, please pray with me.  Father in Heaven we ask that your presence be with us here tonight.  Send your Holy Spirit into our hearts so that we may understand what you are speaking to us through the Gospel of Mark.  Help us as we grieve the death of our Lord whom we love so much, and prepare us for the Glory of Easter to come.  We pray this in the name of our crucified Lord. Amen.

Mark 15:40-47   40 There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.  41 These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.  42 When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,  43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  44 Then Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead for some time.  45 When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph.  46 Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.  47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was laid.

The crowd that has so enthusiastically supported Jesus as he entered Jerusalem is long gone.  Their Passover celebration is over and they are preparing for the Sabbath.  It is late Friday afternoon and it is getting dark.  All work must be done before sunset when families will gather for dinner and a day of rest.

Jesus’ disciples have fled.  We don’t know where they are.  A later account in John’s gospel puts them back in the upper room with the doors locked.  Their hope for the Kingdom of God was dashed when Jesus was arrested.  They now fear for their own lives.

But Mark tells us, here at the end of chapter 15, about some people who love Jesus so much they still have hope that the Kingdom of God will come.  And with the death of Jesus, this hope is all they really had.

When God interrupts our lives with the death of a loved one sometimes all we have left to cling to is hope.  I was in my twenties and just starting out in life when my mother died.  I remember the events as if they happened yesterday.  My mother fixed what turned out to be our last family meal.  Her mother, my grandmother, was visiting us for Christmas and we were planning to take her home after the New Year.  On the way to my grandmother’s house, we planned to visit my mother’s relatives, of which there were many.  That night my mother went to the hospital with chest pains, and I wished her goodnight in the Cardiac Care Unit.  The next morning I arrived at the hospital at 6 AM to find out that she had died.  My job was to call the relatives to say that our plans had changed and they were to go to their old hometown for my mother’s funeral.  

With this experience, I have a pretty good idea of what Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James the younger were feeling.  And I suspect that you know what they were feeling as well.  They had cared for Jesus for so many years and now he was gone.  Overwhelmed with grief all they could do was to silently watch what was happening, pondering all of it in their hearts.

Joseph of Arimathea was also dealing with grief, but Mark tells us that his hope in the Kingdom of God was greater than his grief.  Joseph, we are told, at risk to his own position on the Sanhedrin and as a leader of the Jews, went to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body.  He did not want the Roman soldiers to dump the body in a mass grave as they usually did.  So he asked Pilate for permission to bury the body himself before the sunset and the Sabbath began.  As soon as Pilate had determined that Jesus was dead Joseph took Jesus off the cross, wrapped him in a linen shroud, and placed him in a tomb fit for a king.  Joseph’s hope in the Kingdom of God was so great he risked his own life for Jesus.

The examples of both the women and Joseph of Arimathea show that the true followers of Jesus were not members of the crowd that saw Jesus’ miracles.  The true followers of Jesus were not even the disciples who had listened to his teachings and followed him from Galilee.   No, the true followers of Jesus are those who cared for his body.  And those who care for the body of Christ will enter the Kingdom of God.

We understand that the body of Christ is the church.  So those who care for the church, the body of Christ, are the true followers of Jesus and will inherit the Kingdom of God.  This means that you who serve the church are the followers of Jesus Christ and God’s Kingdom is for you.  

Serving the church means that you do what is necessary to help the church grow and thrive.  For some, that means taking care of the facilities.  We have a wonderful group in this church called the Trustees.  This week they will set up the chairs for this Easter 8 am service.   We also have Deacons who will carry a printed copy of this sermon to the homebound who cannot participate any other way.  We have singers, ringers, and a Taize ensemble who grace our worship with music.   All of these, and so many more, serve the church, not because of some material reward, but because of their hope in the Kingdom of God.

When my mother died I was only an occasional churchgoer. I stopped attending church regularly when I went to college and when she died some ten years later I was still avoiding church.  Shortly after her death I began to attend church regularly again and started to look for a church to join.  God used the grief I was experiencing to rekindle in my spirit love for Jesus and a desire to help his church.

So if you, this evening, are grieving over the death of a loved one, or the loss of a job, or the loss of a home, or the loss of your health then you have come to the right place because we are in the hope business.  We believe that God uses grief to bring us closer to Jesus Christ so that in our sadness we can find the love of Jesus Christ in our hearts. And when we experience this love, which can only come from God, then we develop a desire to love Jesus more by caring for his church.

As the sun was setting, Joseph of Arimathea and the women had done everything they could to care for the body of Christ.   So a stone was placed at the entrance of the tomb and they went home to observe the Sabbath.  So tonight when we turn off the lights and lock the doors of the church I urge you to go home to rest and pray.  You have been on a very difficult journey carrying Jesus’ cross for the last six weeks and you need a Sabbath rest.  On Sunday morning you will have ample opportunity to serve the body of Jesus Christ once again.  Just come back to this room on Sunday morning.  The doors will be open and the lights will be on, and we will celebrate our hope in the Kingdom of God.  

Heavenly Father, bless us with a Sabbath rest.  Comfort us as we grieve the loss of your son.   And fill us with hope in the coming Kingdom of God.   In Jesus name we pray. Amen.