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Video For the Easter Season video will be available of Kolleen leading worship, reading scripture, and sharing a message based on the resurrection passages throughout the New Testament, based on the devotional book This Risen Existence by Paula Gooder. Thanks to our tech, Mike, for setting up recording and editing to video You can watch the worship video by clinking on it. You can also expand it to full screen. Or just listen and follow along reading the text below.
Video SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY - April 26, 2020, Third Sunday of Easter PRELUDE *WORDS OF WORSHIP from Psalm 9:1-2, 10-11, NLT I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you. Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Jerusalem. Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds. GATHERING PRAYER Lord renew and strengthen our trust in you this day, that we may abide in a sure and certain hope of your resurrection. Make us so aware of your presence and blessings that we abound with stories to share as encouragement to others. CONFESSION AND PARDON We confess our sins and shortcomings to a God who loves us beyond our comprehension. Let us come before the Lord our God who offers us mercy and grace. God of all love, we place our trust in you. We seek your forgiveness for the hurtful things we may have done, For the good we failed to do and the nudges we ignored. We seek your forgiveness for words spoken harshly Or encouragement withheld. We seek your forgiveness for the kindnesses we haven’t returned And the blessings we failed to pay forward. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. I’m reminded of the song that says, “Jesus knows our every weakness.” This is why we can bring everything “to the Lord in prayer.” Jesus has already made the ultimate sacrifice for our sin And rose to remind us that we live a new life in him. We are forgiven, and we are made new. Thanks be to God! PASSING THE PEACE May the peace of Christ be with you. EASTER HYMN Thine is the Glory #122 Word PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION May we be reminded of your great love for us and of the assignment you have given to us to share your good news. May we be filled once again with hope and faith and obediently share it to encourage others. SCRIPTURE LESSONS Matthew 28:1-8, CEB 28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the tomb. 2 Look, there was a great earthquake, for an angel from the Lord came down from heaven. Coming to the stone, he rolled it away and sat on it. 3 Now his face was like lightning and his clothes as white as snow. 4 The guards were so terrified of him that they shook with fear and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here, because he’s been raised from the dead, just as he said. Come, see the place where they laid him. 7 Now hurry, go and tell his disciples, ‘He’s been raised from the dead. He’s going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.’ I’ve given the message to you.” 8 With great fear and excitement, they hurried away from the tomb and ran to tell his disciples. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.” SERMON The Resurrection According to Matthew There are some big differences between Mark’s gospel and Matthew’s when it comes to telling the story of the resurrection. Mark is brief. Matthew has more detail. Among these details you may have noticed the earthquake, the description of the angel, the guards, the instructions for the disciples, and the completion of the assignment by the women. I read only ten verses of the last chapter of Matthew and last week only eight from Mark. That’s all there was to Mark. The remaining verses in your Bibles were later additions that gave us alternate endings. But in Matthew, we actually get more of the story as we read the remaining verses, and the final verses are quite well known as the Great Commission. If we look back to the final verses of the crucifixion scene just as we did with Mark, we get even more details. Mark noted the tearing of the curtain and the Centurian’s declaration. Matthew gives us another curious story that we often miss. Let me read it to you. I’m in Matthew 27, beginning at verse 50. 50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. 54 The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!” Matthew is the only gospel that tells us of an earthquake as Jesus died and another as he rose. I have always thought an earthquake to be an appropriate response to Jesus’ death and the cause behind the tearing of the temple curtain. I also connected the movement of the stone in my mind with the earthquake on Easter. This means I did hear the earthquake version of the story as a child. But what about those who were released from their tombs to roam about Jerusalem. How many of you remembered hearing that part of the story? Again, only Matthew includes it. Paula Gooder points out that “the very thing Matthew knew his readers needed to convince them of the importance of what had happened, is precisely what makes it hardest for us – a modern audience – to believe.” (p. 30) She settles it in her own mind deciding that Matthew wants his readers to know that God is up to something new. Gooder writes that this is “a detail that reinforces as clearly as it can that Jesus’ death is about to change the world significantly, the end times are about to begin – though not completely; for that we must wait until the end of all times.” (p. 30) While I don’t know what to make of it myself, I do see it as the beginning of the promise that we will all live again, because of Jesus’ death on that cross and his resurrection that first Easter. When I took a second look, I noticed that the tombs broke open on Friday, but the dead did not come out of their graves until Jesus was raised to life. Hence as Paul wrote to the Corinthians “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep…Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.” (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23) We’ll look more at Paul’s thoughts on the resurrection in May. The opening of tombs along with the splitting of rocks, the earthquake, are all signs that things have irrevocably changed. While the earth shook that day, the events of that day also shook the world. Just as an earthquake shifts our planet’s foundations, there was a major shift beginning from that day for how much of humanity would think about God, themselves, the world; there was even a split in how many of us mark time. In the few hours that encompassed Jesus’ death and resurrection, a shift occurred that would change the world for millennia to come. To appreciate how Matthew used the earthquakes and other details, we need a better understanding of Matthew’s first century audience. Note that Matthew was a Jew writing to Jews. That’s his target audience. This is the reason he included more quotes from the Old Testament (the Hebrew scriptures) than did the other three gospel writers. You need to know your Old Testament to appreciate the references Matthew has included. Let’s move to the details of the Easter story itself. Gooder writes, “Throughout the Old Testament, the presence of God was signaled by natural phenomena such as wind, lightning, thunder, hail, fire and earthquakes.” (p. 32) Isaiah 29:6 gives us an example, “I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will act for you with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and storm and consuming fire.” I also note the genuine surprise in Elijah’s story that God was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, which means there was an expectation that God’s appearance would be accompanied by such things. So the earthquake is an expected sign that God is on the move. The next phenomenon in the Easter story is the appearance of the angel. A white robe and shining bright light could easily indicate a messenger sent by God or the Ancient One himself. In Daniel’s visions we find, “I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like purest wool.” (Daniel 7:9) In another vision, “I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. His body looked like a precious gem. His face flashed like lightning, and his eyes flamed like torches...” (Daniel 10:5-6) In Matthew we have a similar vision of God’s glorious presence in the Transfiguration scene “As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.” (Matthew 17:2) Either at the Transfiguration or Easter, Matthew’s readers know from that description that God’s glory has broken through into their world. Another detail in Matthew missing in the other three gospels is the reaction of the guards. They are not mentioned in Mark, Luke, or John not as being present on Sunday nor having received such an assignment on Friday. Given the volatile situation with the crowds and religious leaders, I find it quite reasonable that Pilate might have placed such an order for the tomb to be guarded the first few days. Later, however, it is the priests to whom these guards made their report. So these were temple guards not Roman soldiers. That puts a different spin on things. The goal of the religious leaders that week was to get Jesus killed by the Roman government, but there were rumors of Jesus’ claiming to rise in three days. These leaders needed Jesus to stay dead. The guards were there to be sure the body stayed in the tomb, not stolen by his followers. I can’t think of a good reason for Matthew to make up such a detail, so I assume the others just didn’t find it important enough to include. Matthew’s narrative places the details in this order. 1) There is an earthquake. 2) An angel appears. 3) The angel rolls the stone away. 4) The angel is described with a face that shone like lightening and a robe white as snow. 5) Seeing the angel, the guards were so filled with fear their bodies shook. 6) The guards fainted as if they were dead. Gooder plays with the irony. “Jesus who was dead, had now come alive; the guards, who were alive, became as though they were dead.” (p. 33) She goes on to say, “In the face of overwhelming, transformative life, the guards became like corpses.” In the Greek literally “lifeless, breathless bod[ies]” (p. 33) This observation and the details from Matthew’s account allow Gooder to ask a significant question we wouldn’t get from the other gospel versions. “Overcome by fear, do we become lifeless and unresponsive to the whirling, challenging, inspiring presence of the risen Christ” Or can we allow ourselves to be open to the transforming – albeit unsafe – demands of the God who brings the dead to life?” (p. 33) Her devotion puts the question in a form that is hard for me to ignore. Just what does it mean to me to say, “Christ is risen!” Before I try to give my 2020 answer to that question, I have to admit there are many in the world who doubt, and once upon a time I might have been counted among them. I remember the classic concept I read in college from Paul Tillich that doubt is essential to faith. Gooder takes time to consider doubt in her devotions, and I found her comments useful. “It is a word that stands precisely between belief and unbelief…It simply marks a lack of sureness.” (p. 34) That might describe my reaction to the dead released from their tombs on the first Easter, but for many it describes their response to Jesus’ resurrection. Those who grew up in the faith heard the story many times and may have simply accepted it as children. We did that with many stories as little kids, but at some point, we began to doubt their reliability. With regard to the claims of Christianity this often happens in the teens or twenties. It’s hard to predict what direction one will take from there: perhaps a fuller faith, perhaps denial of the whole thing, perhaps continued doubt in between. The scene of doubt Gooder refers to in her devotional isn’t the empty tomb itself. It comes when the disciples meet with Jesus later. But first a side note about those guards. When they came to, I’m sure they also had some doubts about what they experienced. It might have been recognizable to them as Jews that God was acting that morning. I can picture them talking it over as they prepared to make their report to the religious leaders. If you read further, we hear the result of that report. They were given “hush money” not to tell the story, but to lie instead saying that the disciples had stolen the body. Since we have their story, someone must have had enough doubt, enough openness to the possibility, that he eventually told the story. How else would Matthew have it? The disciples faced a similar time of questioning or doubt when they met with Jesus in Galilee as directed by the women based on the angel’s message. They were aware of Jesus’ horrendous death. John had witnessed it for himself. They knew of the earthquake and heard the women’s story after the empty tomb. In Matthew this is the first time they see Jesus face to face after he is risen. Matthew tells us, “17 On the mountain they saw Jesus and worshiped him, but some of them did not believe it was really Jesus.” (Matthew 28:17) They really hadn’t had time to process it all yet. Gooder writes, “in these circumstances doubting is a good option – not disbelieving but keeping a mind open, unclosed, working on it until clarity arises.” (p. 34) I especially like that openness and waiting for clarity. It is an appropriate response in the midst of sorting through things. It’s like the clearness committee John Ortberg talked about as we explored his book “If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get out of the Boat. (See January sermons) Actually Gooder refers to the same Bible story from Matthew 14 and compares the doubt of the disciples in Matthew 28 to the doubt Jesus recognized in Peter when his attempt to walk on water sank. She points out that in both stories one of the responses after the expression of doubt was to worship. That’s not what we expect, but perhaps that is the best response when we need clarity, because our human brain can’t wrap itself around the Mystery that is God and God’s actions in our world. If I worship God as mystery, I acknowledge both God and my human inability to understand God. It makes sense to me that the disciples also experienced Jesus in that way. I need to go back the question raised earlier: what does it mean to me to say “Christ is risen!” In spite of any lingering doubts or my inability to grasp the Great Mystery that is my God, I still claim that this is my God. I choose to believe among many things that God certainly could raise Jesus to life. I choose to believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah awaited by the Jews and that Jesus’ resurrection completes the meaning of the cross. I choose to believe that in raising Jesus to life, God extends the promise and offer of new life to us. I choose to believe that in times of uncertainty or doubt, such as the global crisis we now face in 2020, that God is still in charge and in spite of loss God will somehow bring new life out of death. This much I choose to belief and to trust in faith. We have one more aspect of Matthew to cover. The women at the empty tomb received an assignment as did the women in Mark’s version. “Go and tell the disciples.” Actually in Matthew it is, “go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead” as well as instructions for what the disciples are to do, to meet Jesus in Galilee. (Matthew 28:7) Unlike Mark’s version the women, according to Matthew, quickly obey running with joy and fear. Unlike Mark, they meet the risen Christ enroute, and Jesus repeats his instructions for what they are to tell the disciples. So, in Matthew, the women see Jesus first, not just Mary Magdalene, but all of them. At the very end of the gospel, the disciples are given an assignment. It’s one we know as the Great Commission. “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Of course their assignment is still our assignment. Whether we are like the women calling the faithful to act on their faith, or like the men who were sent out to invite others to join that faith, we are still called to keep telling the story. Like the disciples we may not feel ready to do this. We are still in training; so were they. The thing Gooder points out, I know to be true. We learn by doing; our faith grows through teaching others. I started sharing stories of Jesus and the rest of the Bible in a formal setting to little ones when I was in 8th grade and continued through my High School years. To one age group or another I have taught the Bible and faith most of my life. I still learn as I prepare and as I teach. My faith isn’t allowed to go stale. Some of my Bible study friends enjoy watching my excitement as I learn a new aspect of Bible culture and how that affects an understanding of the lesson or when I get a new insight in the midst of our conversation. The more I teach the more I learn, and the more I learn the more I have to share. Having all the answers isn’t a requirement of sharing Jesus or the Bible or faith with others. Jesus accepts trainees as long as we have an openness to learn and grow. As Gooder puts it, Jesus will “send us out just as we are to carry on the task he began among the disciples, before we feel anything like ready. In the midst of our fragile, half-glimpsed understandings of God, in the midst of our doubting and uncertainty, Jesus still calls us.” (pp. 36-37) Perhaps her most important point regarding the commandment in Matthew to “make disciples” is the reminder of how Jesus did that. It happened as they did life together. They talked, yes, but they also ate together and traveled together. Jesus asked them questions, but they could also ask their questions. They could express their faith and their doubts. They had a front row seat to how Jesus interacted with others in spite of social stigmas or boundaries. They witnessed Jesus’ relationship with God on a day to day basis, that it was a real living conversation not just static ritual. It did not deny tradition, but it was not limited by traditional views either. Jesus knew God’s heart, and he lived it, every day, in every situation. Being side by side with this day by day, that’s how disciples were made. If you think about it, that’s doable. Live your faith, and others will notice. Be honest in how you share it. That is still the assignment to Jesus’ followers post resurrection. Ready or not, doubts, imperfections, and all, we deliver the message as we live it! How are you doing this right now? Are you reaching out to others stuck at home? Are you finding ways to thank those still going to work? Are you praying for those affected hard? Are you counting on God to bring new life out of this crisis and the deaths we can barely imagine? God is still counting on us to share the hope and good news of Easter with all nations, to live out our faith in a risen Lord! AFFIRMATION Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version p. 14 I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. PRAYERS Almighty God we pray for: Those fighting for their lives with COVID-19, Those fighting to find a cure. Those diagnosed or exposed who have been denied testing as yet, Those working to make testing more available for all. Those who have to go to work risking their lives for us. Those who are without work, especially if funding is not running out. Those making decisions about when to re-open Those whose economic future is at risk And those whose health is at risk by these decisions. Prayers for clarity and discernment Wisdom and increased knowledge. Patience and charity for all. Prayers for those who are grieving, Especially the families of the victims and the shooter in Nova Scotia. Prayers for all of us seeking safety and new ways of doing things. PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING We thank you for: Health care workers, lab techs, rescue workers, Sanitation departments, grocery and pharmacy workers, Truck drivers and delivery services, Restaurants that stayed open Food, supplies, a safe home, the outdoors, Family and friends, Your presence in our lives. And the gift of life itself. THE LORD'S PRAYER *CHARGE & BLESSING The God of the resurrection offers us new life, each and every day. We ask as the Psalmist wrote, “Fill us full every morning with your faithful love so we can rejoice and celebrate our whole life long.” May the grace and peace of our Lord, Jesus Christ be with you each day. Amen. POSTLUDE Messages this season are based on This Risen Existence by Paula Gooder. For the Easter Season video will be available of Kolleen leading worship, reading scripture, and sharing a message based on the resurrection passages throughout the New Testament, based on the devotional book This Risen Existence by Paula Gooder. Thanks to our tech, Mike, for setting up recording and editing to video Video
WORDS OF WORSHIP from Psalm 33:20-22 We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone. GATHERING PRAYER We come before you, O God, in uncertain times, just as the women approached the tomb with some uncertainty. We are apprehensive just as the disciples were after Jesus’ death on the cross. We are living into new times, just as Jesus’ followers did even with the good news of his resurrection. Teach us in these times to continue to trust in your unfailing love which still surrounds us. Remind us to put our hope in you. Amen. CONFESSION AND PARDON Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. We come to you wanting to be your faithful people, but confessing that some days our faith is really put to the test. We want to be faithful in caring for others, but we admit that some days it is all we can do to take care of ourselves. We come knowing that you are our life and our salvation, but confess that as we listen to the news and the numbers related to deaths and unemployment, our fears and frustrations may overwhelm us. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers, know our hearts, forgive us our weakness. The whole message of Easter is that Christ died, and with him our sin was put to death. We are forgiven. Christ rose on Easter offering us new life to be a new person in him. Thanks be to God! *PASSING THE PEACE May the peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Lord, open not only our hears and our eyes, but our hearts, our minds, and our spirits to receive your Word for us this day. Amen. I invite you to get your Bibles or open a Bible app on your phone, and read along with me. SCRIPTURE LESSONS Mark 16:1-8, GW 16 When the day of rest—a holy day, was over, Mary from Magdala, Mary (the mother of James), and Salome bought spices to go and anoint Jesus. 2 On Sunday they were going to the tomb very early when the sun had just come up. 3 They said 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 had been rolled away. It was a very large stone. 5 As they went into the tomb, they saw a young man. He was dressed in a white robe and sat on the right side. They were panic-stricken. 6 The young man said to them, “Don’t panic! You’re looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been brought back to life. He’s not here. Look at the place where they laid him. 7 Go and tell his disciples and Peter that he’s going ahead of them to Galilee. There they will see him, just as he told them.” 8 They went out of the tomb and ran away. Shock and trembling had overwhelmed them. They didn’t say a thing to anyone, because they were afraid. SERMON The Resurrection According to Mark That’s not the ending you expected, is it? If you did open a Bible in front of you to Mark 16, you probably wondered why I didn’t keep reading. Why did I stop where I did? That’s not the end of the story! Ah, but in the earliest documents of Mark’s gospel found so far, that is exactly where it ends. It’s a shock to us that it doesn’t go the way we expect to hear the story. We know that the four gospels don’t tell it exactly the same way, but we don’t often hear or read this version. The lectionary allows for John or Matthew in year A, John or Mark in year B, John or Luke in year C. I suspect most lectionary preachers choose John most years. We seem to be the most familiar with Mary’s conversation with Jesus outside the tomb. That’s what I expect to hear on Easter, and perhaps so do you. Our lack of familiarity with the other gospel versions is one of the reasons I was pleased with the book I found for Easter season this year. We are going to hear all four! But for now, back to Mark 16. When it ends so abruptly with “They didn’t say a thing to anyone, because they were afraid.” We might react with, “What? No way!” Some Bible translations show us a shorter ending and a longer ending to Mark, but you have to know that the church added these much later. Scholars are convinced they weren’t part of the original document. I don’t know about you, but when I watch a drama or read a novel, my overall opinion is affected by whether or not it does a nice job of tying up the loose ends in the last episode or last chapter. I want each character, not just the main characters to have a happy ending. If there isn’t going to be a happy ending, then I at least want to understand why it ends with a tragedy. Bare minimum I want to have a realistic sense of closure; I want a pretty good idea of what happened to everyone in the story. I notice if the writer left someone out of that closure. I want an idea of what happened in the immediate future, whether or not there is an epilogue. If it was a good story, I like recognizing a window of opportunity for a sequel. Perhaps some of you know that if you are watching a Marvel movie in the theater, you want to sit through the credits, because after that you will get one more scene that suggests whose story will be told in the next movie. I like that! Mark doesn’t do any of this. It doesn’t tie up the loose ends. It doesn’t give me a satisfying understanding of the crucifixion or fully express the resurrection. We don’t get to see Jesus for ourselves; we have to take some young man’s word for it that Jesus is risen from the dead. Mark doesn’t even identify the young man as an angel. We guess that because of the white robe. I can imagine some readers not believing this person was even real. Mark doesn’t give us any hint of a sequel, of a next chapter, yet for many of us that is the whole point, that there is more to come. Hold that thought…. Let’s go back to Mark’s gospel. Actually, in Paula Gooder’s devotional, This Risen Existence, she takes a look at the previous episode or chapter. So, turn back a page and look at Mark 15:37-39, NLT “Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!” The scenes of the trials and crucifixion have been heavy and dark. But with these verses, Gooder says, “a glimmer of light appears.” She continues, “Imagine a beam of sunshine breaking through heavy, black clouds on a stormy day.” (p. 20) The torn curtain is a hint that something has indeed broken through, broken through our traditions and restraints, broken through the separation we experience from God; something new is happening. The proclamation of the centurion echoes what God spoke at Jesus’ baptism and at the Mount of Transfiguration, “This is my beloved Son.” This Roman soldier who was not a Jew, not a friend to the Jews, a man whose job it was to oversee Jesus’ death, gets a glimmer of what the religious leaders couldn’t see, that this man was indeed the Son of God. Here is where the foreshadowing takes place, in the rending of the curtain that has hidden God’s presence and in the Words of a foreign enemy. I can only wonder who caught that hint. Gooder writes, “We travel with Jesus down to the very pits of despair, but then, when all seems lost, a beam of sunshine gleams, temporarily, through the gloom, suggesting that this is, perhaps, not all there is to see: the despair is no less acute, the hopelessness still hangs in the air but perhaps, just perhaps, there is more. It is this sense of something beyond the hopelessness that is, for me, a vital part of our faith. It doesn’t necessarily make the despair any less bleak, but it does give us a reason for trudging on.” (pp. 21-22) We really need those words in our world today. I think what Gooder writes applies not only to the foreshadowing glimmer in Mark 15, but also the rest of the story in Mark 16. Even without a satisfying ending, I find that hope in the empty tomb and the young man’s words. In the same way, there is a bleakness to our empty sanctuary this Easter season, but there is a glimmer of hope in the fact we are still able to share worship through this technology or by mail. I can’t hold my usual Bible studies, but so many other people are reading the one I post on Facebook. The couple whose wedding would have been next Saturday have replanned for April 2021. I’m realizing I may not have much time back in the pulpit or the office before my retirement. But on the other hand, I have been interested in online ministry for about 20 years, and I’m enjoying the creative challenge. I wondered more than 20 years ago what church would look like in the 21st century and honestly didn’t think I would get to be part of the changes I knew would have to come. I’m genuinely excited that I get to participate in exploring new forms of doing ministry and being church for this brief bit before I retire. I see that glimmer of hope for my own future participation in something new. Besides my personal glimpses of light and hope for the future, we all need that as the world continues to deal with COVID-19. We are only beginning to admit that this is going to last longer than any of us would like. We are only beginning to adjust to the necessary changes. We are only beginning to realize that our futures will look different; we won’t be able to go back to the way things were nor in some cases should we. We are only beginning to consider that we have to think globally not nationally or regionally if we are going to survive. To be honest we have a long way to go on that train of thought. Many of you have lived through other turning points: The Great Depression, WW2, Space travel, 9/11. These also changed our world and our world view. This is also what happened with Jesus’ resurrection. For his followers the world changed and would never be the same. They could not go back to the way things were, nor would they want to once they were convinced he was alive. The Spirit would lead them to new challenges and a new way of life that has had a ripple effect even down to our own day. When Jesus was buried, it was hurriedly, because the Sabbath would soon begin, a time of rest. The women came when it ended to complete the task. The one obstacle they had anticipated, the heavy stone, was not there. The tomb that should have been sealed was open. Imagine coming home and finding the door you had locked when you left was open. That would make you very nervous and afraid. I think that’s how the women must have felt. Gooder says, “The Greek word has the resonance of being so utterly amazed that you actually feel disturbed or alarmed.” (p. 22) But the young man tells them, “Don’t be alarmed.” “Don’t be afraid.” I like the God’s Word version, “Don’t panic!” (verse 6) Many times those are also the words we need to hear. Gooder writes, “If the women spent too long in a state of amazement and alarm, the all-important message would remain unproclaimed, unannounced to those who needed to hear it most.” (p. 23) Once they have experienced the empty tomb, they are given an assignment. “Go and tell…” Go and tell the others what you have seen and heard. Earlier in Mark the disciples were told to keep quiet about Jesus’ identity or what they had seen. In Mark 9:9, the transfiguration story ends like this, “9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone about what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.” Well, now is the time. The empty tomb and proclamation that Jesus is alive, these are the signals that now is the time to tell the world about Jesus. The disciples need to be silent no longer. But Mark 16:8 ends the Easter story with the women’s fear. “They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.” What if we say nothing to anyone about our faith because we are too afraid? We might be afraid of what others will think or that we don’t have the right words or that it isn’t politically correct, etc. But those women must have eventually said something or else how did Mark’s story get this far to include their experience of the first Easter? The Christian faith depends entirely on that story. How are others going to be encouraged if we don’t share our faith? How will anyone be curious enough to consider Jesus or God for themselves if no one shares their own trust or belief? The story can’t be passed on if no one shares it. Gooder refers us to Romans 10:14 which asks, “14 So how can they call on someone they don’t have faith in? And how can they have faith in someone they haven’t heard of? And how can they hear without a preacher?” Someone has to tell the story, so others can hear and find that faith to call on the Lord in their time of need. The world today offers plenty of reminders that we need something to believe in, someone to call upon in our need. Therefore, it is a time to keep sharing the story, and keep sharing our faith. The way Mark 16:8 ends the story leaves us asking, but what happened next? We can see 2,000 years later that the story did survive. It occurs to me that it’s okay that Mark doesn’t tie up all the loose ends, because Easter was not the end of the story. It was actually just the beginning. It was the opening scene of the sequel. History has written more chapters, more episodes. We are still adding more to the collection. Gooder writes, “the good news of Mark has not yet ended. Mark’s gospel is simply the prologue to the ‘good news of Jesus Christ, son of God’ [as the gospel introduced itself in Mark 1:1], the story rolls on, borne out in the lives of each of us.” Our story is part of that ongoing story of Easter. The choices you make, the ways you reach out to others, the encouragement you receive as well as give, your faith and your hope for the future in spite of what you may hear today in the news, all of this is how you are continuing to write not only your own story but that of your family, your circle of friends, your community, your church, your world. This is how the Easter story continues to unfold in the lives of those who believe and the lives of those who will dare to believe because of you. AFFIRMATION Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. PRAYERS God, in faith we pray for the needs of our world. We pray for those who are sick and for those who grieve. We pray for those who are still going to work, sometimes with long hours, And we pray for those whose jobs are on hold. We pray for those fighting this virus and those dealing with other disasters. We pray for those who are feeling stuck at home And for those who wish they could get home And those who have no home to go to. We pray for those who are afraid and those who are anxious. We pray for a better understanding of the needs and creative solutions to meet them. We pray for more compassion with one another And a recognition that we are all in this together Not just in one nation but as a global family. May we learn to work together for everyone’s well being And not just be in competition for our own welfare. May we have faith and hope to survive And to work toward a better future for all of us. PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING We give you thanks for food and shelter. For doctors and nurses and support staff. For means of communicating with each other at a distance. For signs of Spring in spite of this week’s snow. We give you thanks for being with us even when we feel alone. We thank you for caring for our families when we cannot be there ourselves. We give you thanks creative solutions to unprecedented challenges. The thank you for life and health as long as we can enjoy it. We give you thanks for the hope you give us in the life yet to come, And for the witness of faith in generations and stories of the past. Remembering those traditions of faith, we offer the prayer you taught your disciples… THE LORD'S PRAYER OFFERING My thanks to those of you who have sent your offerings by mail. They are safe in the vault until we are able to make a deposit. Please continue to make your offerings in this way. CHARGE & BLESSING God of grace be with us: Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, abide with us and grant us your peace. Amen. Messages this season are based on This Risen Existence b For the Easter Season video will be available of Kolleen leading worship, reading scripture, and sharing a message based on the resurrection passages throughout the New Testament, based on the devotional book This Risen Existence by Paula Gooder. Thanks to our tech, Mike, for setting up recording and editing to video You can watch the worship video by clinking on it. You can also expand it to full screen. Or just listen and follow along reading the text below.
Video Gathering Welcome to our online worship for Easter 2020. Today’s liturgy comes from One Great Hour of Sharing Worship Resources written for PC(USA) by Rev. Chip Hardwick. WORDS OF WORSHIP This is the day the LORD has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Do not be afraid; Jesus was crucified but he is now risen. He is risen indeed! In Jesus Christ God has loved us with an everlasting love. God has continued to be faithful to us. Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Let us worship our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! GATHERING PRAYER (adapted from Jeremiah 31:1-4) O Lord, you are God of all Israel, and God over all the earth. You have shown us grace in the hope of our risen Savior. You appeared to us when we were yet far away, and you have loved us with an everlasting love. We will dance and sing because of our love for you—the One who repairs the breach, and who calls us to serve at the side of your risen Son our Lord, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen. CONFESSION AND PARDON (adapted from Psalm 118) With the psalmist, we pray that God would open the gates of righteousness to us-- gates that we cannot open ourselves. We can only enter through them with Christ’s forgiveness. Let us confess our sins now, with confidence in the grace of our Triune God. Lord Jesus Christ, you have risen from the dead and given us the gift of new life. Forgive us for living as if we had no hope. We struggle to leave behind our limited perspectives and our dogged despair. Slow us down today, that we would be resurrection people who know and share your Easter joy throughout the world. Once again, send us your forgiving Spirit, who brought you back from the dead and who strengthens us to serve you in the world you love so much. Wipe away our sin, risen Lord, out of your great love for us. Amen. The Lord is our strength and our might; God has become our salvation. You have answered us and have become our Savior. The great good news of the gospel is that our sin is forgiven! This is the Lord’s doing: it is marvelous in our eyes. Thanks be to God! Word May the peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION May we hear once again in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments that God offers us hope for restoration even in the midst of adversity, and may we be reminded in the Easter Story the Good News that Christ our Lord has conquered both sin and death so that we might live free. Amen. SCRIPTURE LESSONS Scripture Readings First Reading: Jeremiah 31:1-6, NLT 31 “In that day,” says the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people. 2 This is what the Lord says: “Those who survive the coming destruction will find blessings even in the barren land, for I will give rest to the people of Israel.” 3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. 4 I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel. You will again be happy and dance merrily with your tambourines. 5 Again you will plant your vineyards on the mountains of Samaria and eat from your own gardens there. 6 The day will come when watchmen will shout from the hill country of Ephraim, ‘Come, let us go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord our God.’” Psalter: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24, NLT 1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Let all Israel repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.” 14 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. 15 Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things! 16 The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things! 17 I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done. 18 The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not let me die. 19 Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the Lord. 20 These gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there. 21 I thank you for answering my prayer and giving me victory! 22 The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. 23 This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see. 24 This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-4, GW 3 Since you were brought back to life with Christ, focus on the things that are above—where Christ holds the highest position. 2 Keep your mind on things above, not on worldly things. 3 You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 Christ is your life. When he appears, then you, too, will appear with him in glory. Gospel Reading: Matthew 28:1-10, NLT 28 Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. 5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” 8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.” This is the word of the Lord, Thanks be to God! SERMON Resurrection and the Hope of Restoration In a recent online worship service, Adam Hamilton said what has been on my mind preparing for the Easter season, that this year the world needs Easter more than ever. The God Sighting Gals and I agreed on Palm Sunday that it feels very strange to have Holy Week without going to church. It feels strange to be planning for Easter Worship without lilies or music. But it is a reminder that the message of Easter is more important than the decorations. Even in the midst of worldwide isolation and social distancing, the message and hope of the resurrection is still valid, but we need to find something within it that applies to our here and now. I think more than ever it is important to find a message in Easter that isn’t just about what one author called life after life after death. We need a message of restoration for this life on this earth in this time as well as the hope of resurrection beyond the grave. Through the Great Fifty Days of the Easter season to Pentecost, I’m going to be basing the weekly message on a devotional book by Paula Gooder, This Risen Existence which looks at the Easter story as told by each of the gospels, in the letters, and then the stories of Ascension and Pentecost. In the Introduction she writes of the resurrection, “On the simplest of levels Jesus’ resurrection is straightforward good news – Jesus was dead; now he is alive…but there is more to it than even that. Jesus’ resurrection points us to a new way of looking at the world, a new way of being that changes who we are and how we live in the world.” (p. {2}) I think that is even more true this year as COVID-19 has forced us to think about new ways of doing things, new ways of living. What does it mean to live a resurrection life in the midst of that? We are accustomed to paralleling the new life of Spring with Easter. Green grass, flowers beginning to bloom, buds on the trees, animals from chicks to butterflies. I can still see grass, trees, birds, and squirrels from my window. A rabbit and I watched each other in the backyard one night. Gooder suggests the newness “gives us a sense of hope, of life beyond the grim realities of the everyday, of a future.” (p. {3}) I know I especially need that this year. I couldn’t wait to get past the gray days to sunshine and past the snow that won’t let go; I needed to see the robins return and hear the birds through open windows or while sitting in my backyard. But beyond that treasured symbolism of butterflies and Easter lilies, Gooder reminds her readers that Jesus’ resurrection is more than that. It is even more than other Bible stories of people raised from death. This year’s flowers will fade and wilt. Lazarus was brought back to life, but eventually he would die again. Yet “Jesus rose to new life and will never die again.” (p. {3}) That’s a big difference, but I never really thought much about it before. Gooder goes on to say, “Jesus rose not to the same life – as Lazarus did – but to a different life in which death no longer features.” (p. {4}) Some Jews in Jesus’ day did believe in resurrection at a future time when God would raise the dead and usher in a time of prosperity and peace. (p. {5}) You can imagine that those in Jesus day living under Roman domination certainly looked forward to this. We get the hint that Martha believed this in her conversation with Jesus after her brother, Lazarus’ death in John 11. In verse 24, she says “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” This anticipates an end-times and new era. Gooder speculates that Jesus’ resurrection confused the disciples, because they were also looking for a last days’ resurrection for those who had died. They may have wondered why only Jesus was raised if “For them the ‘something more’ of Jesus’ resurrection was the belief that the end times had already started.” (p. {5}) Gooder adds that “The end times had begun, but not in their entirety; new creation sprang forth but still waited for fulfillment.” (p. {5}) This fits with my understanding of the Kingdom of God that is here now in part but not yet complete. Part of my take on the kingdom is that we are to live it now daily even as we look toward that fulfillment. I think this is akin to Gooder’s concept of living the resurrection here and now. For Gooder and for us, “the world is as it always was with wars, heartache, poverty and oppressions.” (p. {6}) We would add disease as that is on our minds right now. But she sees “glimmers of end-times perfection” breaking through. Where do we see that right now? If I’m thinking about perfection, I like best a definition of what it means to “be perfect” as God is perfect; that definition involves loving as God loves with all the mercy, compassion, and grace that I associate with the Greek work agape, unconditional love. I do see that breaking through right now in the ways people are finding to care for and encourage one another. I see kingdom compassion in those who are going to work every day yet at hospitals and grocery stories and delivery services and elsewhere to meet our needs in spite of the dangers to their own health. I see it in the emergency responder Adam Hamilton interviewed who is going out on 911 calls expecting to get sick himself or the grocery deli manager working overtime to keep her shelves stocked and attractively tidy so those coming for food would feel encouraged. I see the kingdom breaking through in the stories of Italians singing to each other from their balconies or the hearts in our windows. I see the kingdom breaking through in signs to thank hospital staff and those sewing masks. I see the kingdom of God breaking through when neighbors check on my parents or a young man offered to bring something if I need it. I see the kingdom of God breaking through when churches offer worship in new ways, or I learn to do Bible study online. With every act of kindness, and every time we choose not to give up, the kingdom of God is at hand. Gooder says, “Belief in the resurrection is an act of rebellion against the evil, corruption and oppression that can so easily swamp us.” (p. {7}) Let’s add that belief in the resurrection stands up to the chaos and grief and overwhelming desperation of our times. Belief in the resurrection still admits the great loss, but trusts that somehow God will bring our world beyond this time. The world will survive and learn and grow and be restored. Our Old Testament reading today is a reminder that God’s people have gone through other desperate times. The New Living Translation subtitles Jeremiah 31, “Hope for Restoration.” Those in exile in Babylon, those who escaped back to Egypt, and the remnant in Judah all needed to hang onto that hope, that one day God would restore the land and bring their people home. I want to hear some of those promises right now for us as much as they needed them back then, “Those who survive the … destruction will find blessings even in the barren land, for I will give rest to the people.” I want to hear God say again, “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. I will rebuild you. You will again be happy.” (Jer. 31:1-4) In part, what Jesus’ resurrection means to me, is that God is at work to continue keeping those promises, that restoration was not just for the exiles in the Old Testament; it’s also for a world wearied by pandemic today. I believe restoration is the ongoing work of God and that resurrection is part of that promise. The Psalmist also echoes this theme. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” (Psalm 118:1) Christ is risen indeed, because God’s steadfast love endures forever. Therefore, not only on Easter but every day we dare proclaim, “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” As an Easter people, we don’t rejoice, because the day is good, or everything went as planned. We dare to say it, because God is good, and we choose to shout that back at the circumstances that threaten to undo us. Faith in the resurrection doesn’t mean life will be rosy. You can’t get to Easter without going through Good Friday; you don’t get to a resurrection without experiencing death. Resurrection faith is in spite of the dark days. Resurrection faith refuses to give up on the life God gives. Colossians 3 tells us to live focused on the things of God, not giving in to the temptations of the world, to live a new life in Christ. It’s not about the here-after, it’s about the here and now. The King James Study Bible describes it this way, “not only have the Colossian believers been freed from sin, they have also turned to a new life, leaving behind old ways, habits, values, vices, interests, and sins.” That is also true for us. It is about “the attainment of Christian maturity, and all the spiritual benefits God has for His people during their days on earth.” (KJV Study Bible Notes for Colossians 3:1) When Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus laid Jesus in the tomb, and it was sealed, all who loved and followed Jesus thought their world had come to an end. All their hopes and dreams for a new life drained away from them. It wasn’t just their personal futures, but what they wanted for their families, communities, nation, their people. The women came to the tomb to complete a respectful burial, to do one more thing for this teacher they had loved and helped. What they found was not what they expected; Jesus’ body was gone, and an angel told them he had risen from the dead. They were to go and share that message with the rest of the disciples. Matthew says, “They were very frightened but also filled with great joy.” (Matthew 28:8b) Their mixed emotions make sense to me! As we continue through the days ahead, there will be more pain and loss. We are not over this pandemic yet. But I hope that even as you are aware of the statistics, the hospitals, and the graves, I hope you will also have your eyes open for signs of God’s love breaking through and that you will be that sign of God’s love to someone else who really needs to see it. Like the women, you will have mixed emotions, but may you also be able to carry encouragement to others. May your resurrection faith sustain you as we await restoration. May you be filled with Easter hope! May the resurrection of Christ make a difference in how you live today and every day. AFFIRMATION Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. PRAYERS *THE LORD'S PRAYER Sending *CHARGE & BLESSING Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you now and always. Amen. Messages this season are based on This Risen Existence by Paula Gooder. For the Easter Season video will be available of Kolleen leading worship, reading scripture, and sharing a message based on the resurrection passages throughout the New Testament, based on the devotional book This Risen Existence by Paula Gooder. Thanks to our tech, Mike, for setting up recording and editing to video You can read the worship service in power point version here. If it moves too fast, click pause.
Video The Palms *WORDS OF WORSHIP (from Psalm 118) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the Lord. These gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there. Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. *GATHERING PRAYER We praise you, O God, for your redemption of the world through Jesus Christ, who entered the holy city of Jerusalem in triumph and was proclaimed Messiah and king by those who spread garments and branches along his way. Let these branches be signs of his victory, and grant that we who carry them may follow him in the way of the cross, that, dying and rising with him, we may enter into your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen. SCRIPTURE Matthew 21:1-11, NLT As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.” 4 This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said, 5 “Tell the people of Jerusalem, ‘Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey-- riding on a donkey’s colt.’” 6 The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it. 8 Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, “Praise God[d] for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise God in highest heaven!” 10 The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked. 11 And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” *HYMN Hosanna, Loud Hosanna #89 1 Hosanna, loud hosanna, The little children sang; Through pillared court and temple The joyful anthem rang. To Jesus, who had blessed them Close folded to His breast, The children sang their praises, The simplest and the best. Passing the Peace Christ is our peace and bids be at peace with one another. May the peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. The Passion PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Christ, as we hear once again the story of your passion, may we be reminded that you gave yourself out of love for us, and may we not only receive forgiveness for all our sin, but may we also be encouraged to forgive others and offer your compassion to all. Amen. SCRIPTURE Philippians 2:5-11 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. *AFFIRMATION Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. SCRIPTURE Matthew 26:14-25 14 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests 15 and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. 17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?” 18 “As you go into the city,” he told them, “you will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover meal there. 20 When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” 22 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?” 23 He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. 24 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!” 25 Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?” And Jesus told him, “You have said it.” SCRIPTURE Matthew 26:26-30 26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” 30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. PRAYERS OF CONFESSION Let us begin our confession: Lord Jesus Christ, you are always faithful, even when we betray you. Lamb of God, have mercy on us. Lord Jesus Christ, you clothe us in your righteousness, even when we give you a crown of thorns. Lamb of God, have mercy on us. HOLY COMMUNION INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE John 6:35 Jesus said: I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. GREAT THANKSGIVING The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. It is truly right and our greatest joy to give you thanks and praise, O Lord our God, creator and ruler of the universe. In your wisdom, you made all things and sustain them by your power. You made us in your image, setting us in your world to love and serve you and to live in peace with your whole creation. From generation to generation you have guided us, sending prophets to turn us from wayward paths into the way of righteousness. Out of your great love for the world you sent your only Son among us to redeem us and to be the way to eternal life. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with the choirs of heaven and with all the faithful of every time and place, who forever sing to the glory of your name: we lift our hearts in joyful praise: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might; Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest. You are holy, O God of majesty, and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. As one of us, he knew our joys and sorrows, and our struggles with temptation. He was like us in every way except sin. In him we see what you created us to be. Though blameless, he suffered willingly for our sin. Though innocent, he accepted death for the guilty. On the cross he offered himself, a perfect sacrifice, for the life of the world. By his suffering and death, he freed us from sin and death. Risen from the grave, he leads us to the joy of new life. On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took the bread, Gave thanks to you, O God, broke the bread And gave it to his disciples saying; “Take, eat, this is my body give for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” After supper he took the cup, gave thanks to you, O God, And gave it to his disciples saying, “Drink from this all of you, for this is the blood of my covenant, Poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink of it, in remembrance of me.” Remembering all your mighty and merciful acts, we take this bread and this wine from the gifts you have given us, and celebrate with joy the redemption won for us in Jesus Christ. Accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving as a living and holy offering of ourselves, that our lives may proclaim the One crucified and risen. As we proclaim the mystery of faith. Dying, you destroyed our death; rising, you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory! Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these your gifts of bread and wine, that the bread we break and the cup we bless may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ. By your Spirit unite us with the living Christ and with all who are baptized in his name, that we may be one in ministry in every place. As this bread is Christ’s body for us, send us out to be the body of Christ in the world. Lead us, O God, in the way of Christ. Give us courage to take up our cross and, in full reliance upon your grace, to follow him. Help us to love you above all else and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, demonstrating that love in deed and word in the power of your Spirit. Give us strength to serve you faithfully until the promised day of resurrection, when, with the redeemed of all the ages, we will feast with you at your table in glory. Through Christ, all glory and honor are yours, almighty God, with the Holy Spirit in the holy church, now and forever. Amen. *THE LORD'S PRAYER As our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. AMEN SCRIPTURE Matthew 26:31-35 31 On the way, Jesus told them, “Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, ‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.” 33 Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.” 34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” 35 “No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the *HYMN Go to Dark Gethsemane #97, v. 1-2 1 Go to dark Gethsemane, All that feel the tempter’s power; Your Redeemer’s conflict see, Watch with Him one bitter hour; Turn not from His griefs away, Learn from Jesus Christ to pray. 2 Follow to the judgment hall; View the Lord of Life arraigned; O the wormwood and the gall! O the pangs His soul sustained! Shun not suffering, shame, or loss; Learn from Christ to bear the cross. SCRIPTURE Matthew 26:36-46 36 Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” 42 Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. 44 So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!” Prayers In Christ Jesus, we have a great high priest who knows our weakness and suffering; therefore, with boldness, let us seek God’s grace. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer… (intercessions) To you, O God, we entrust these prayers, knowing that you alone can provide grace to help in our time of need; in the name of our great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus Christ, our Sovereign and Savior. Amen. CRIPTURE Matthew 26:47-56 47 And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. 48 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” 49 So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss. 50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51 But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear. 52 “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. 53 Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? 54 But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” 55 Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. 56 But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled. PRAYERS OF CONFESSION Let is continue our confession: Lord Jesus Christ, you reach out to us in love, even when we reject and despise you. Lamb of God, have mercy on us. SCRIPTURE Matthew 26:57-68 57 Then the people who had arrested Jesus led him to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of religious law and the elders had gathered. 58 Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and came to the h igh priest’s courtyard. He went in and sat with the guards and waited to see how it would all end. 59 Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find witnesses who would lie about Jesus, so they could put him to death. 60 But even though they found many who agreed to give false witness, they could not use anyone’s testimony. Finally, two men came forward 61 who declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” 62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your verdict?” “Guilty!” they shouted. “He deserves to die!” 67 Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him, 68 jeering, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who hit you that time?” *HYMN Ah, Holy Jesus #93 1 Ah, holy Jesus, how have You offended, That mortal judgment has on You descended? By foes derided, by Your own rejected, O most afflicted! 2 Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon You? It is my treason, Lord, that has undone You. ’Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied You; I crucified You. 3 For me, dear Jesus, was Your incarnation, Your mortal sorrow, and Your life’s oblation, Your death of anguish and Your bitter passion, For my salvation. 5 Therefore, dear Jesus, since I cannot pay You, I do adore You, and will ever praise You, Think on Your pity and Your love unswerving, Not my deserving. SCRIPTURE Matthew 26:69-74 69 Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. 71 Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said. 73 A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.” 74 Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed. PRAYERS OF CONFESSION Let is continue our confession: Lord Jesus Christ, you claim us as your own, even when we deny you. Lamb of God, have mercy on us. SCRIPTURE Matthew 27:1-26 Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. 2 Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor. 3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.” 5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself. 6 The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.” 7 After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. 8 That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood. 9 This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says, “They took the thirty pieces of silver— the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel, 10 and purchased the potter’s field, as the Lord directed.” 11 Now Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor. “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked him. Jesus replied, “You have said it.” 12 But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent. 13 “Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?” Pilate demanded. 14 But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise. 15 Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted. 16 This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas. 17 As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 (He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.) 19 Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.” 20 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. 21 So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?” The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!” 22 Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” 23 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!” 24 Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!” 25 And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!” 26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. HYMN Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed #78 1 Alas! And did my Savior bleed, And did my Sovereign die! Would He devote that sacred head For sinners such as I! 2 Was it for crimes that I had done He suffered on the tree? Amazing pity! Grace unknown! And love beyond degree! 3 Well might the sun in darkness hide, And shut its glories in, When Christ, the great Redeemer, died For human creatures' sin. 4 But drops of grief can ne’er repay The debt of love I owe; Here, Lord, I give my self away; ’Tis all that I can do. SCRIPTURE Matthew 27:27-31 27 Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. 31 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. PRAYERS OF CONFESSION Let us continue our confession: Lord Jesus Christ, you clothe us in your righteousness, even when we give you a crown of thorns. Lamb of God, have mercy on us. Lord Jesus Christ, you bless us with your word, even when we mock and curse you. Lamb of God, have mercy on us. *HYMN Oh, Sacred Head Now Wounded #98, v. 1-2 1 O sacred head, now wounded, With grief and shame weighed down; Now scornfully surrounded With thorns, Thine only crown; O sacred Head, what glory, What bliss till now was Thine! Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine. 2 What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered Was all for sinners’ gain: Mine, mine was the transgression, But Thine the deadly pain. Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve Thy place; Look on me with Thy favor, Vouchsafe to me Thy grace. SCRIPTURE Matthew 27:32-44 32 Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it. 35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. 36 Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37 A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40 “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!” 41 The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. 42 “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way. PRAYERS OF CONFESSION Let us conclude today’s confession: Lord Jesus Christ, you pour out your grace for us, even when we give you sour wine. Lamb of God, have mercy on us. Lord Jesus Christ, you give your life to save us, even though we crucify you. Lamb of God, have mercy on us. Holy God, when Jesus cried and breathed his last you tore away the ancient curtain between heaven and earth, life and death. As we turn to face the cross, show us Jesus, in his suffering and glory, that we may believe and have eternal life; through Christ, our Son, our Savior. Amen. SCRIPTURE Matthew 27:45-56 45 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” 47 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 48 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. 49 But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.” 50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. 54 The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!” 55 And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. SCRIPTURE Matthew 27:57-66 57 As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who had become a follower of Jesus, 58 went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. 59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. 60 He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. 61 Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching. 62 The next day, on the Sabbath, the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. 63 They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ 64 So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.” 65 Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” 66 So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it. *HYMN OF THE CROSS Were You There? #102 1 Were you there when they crucified my Lord?(Were you there?) Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (Were you there?) 2 Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree? (Were you there?) Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree? Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree? (Were you there?) 3 Were you there when they pierced Him in the side? (Were you there?) Were you there when they pierced Him in the side? Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they pierced Him in the side? (Were you there?) 4 Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb? (Were you there?) Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb? Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb? (Were you there?) *CHARGE & BLESSING As you go through these sacred days of Holy Week, even in the midst of social distancing, I encourage you to walk with Christ through the events of his passion by rereading the story in any of the Gospels. I encourage you to talk with Christ often by prayers of confession, prayers of surrender, and prayers of intercession for the many needs of the world. I invite you to take your meals reverently as if Jesus were sitting down to eat with you, just as he sat with his disciples. I ask you to remember not only the sacrifice Christ made for us, but also the sacrifices of many workers in your community and around the world right now. I beg you to remember, that the Gospel story didn’t end here and neither does ours. Since you already know the next chapter of the Gospels is the story of Easter, hold on tight to that hope and know that life is still God’s gift to us. As you walk through the Passion of Christ or the pandemic of our present day, look forward to Easter. May the peace of Christ that passes all our understanding be with you. Amen This service will take you through the scriptural message of Holy Week beginning with Palm Sunday. Prayers and hymn text will enhance the journey. We only used hymns that are not copyrighted. Many prayers come for the PC(USA) Book of Common Worship. Scripture is from the New Living Translation. Images are from our subscription to Church Art Online. . *WORDS OF WORSHIP John 3:14
The Lord of life is lifted up! Let us look to Christ and live. *GATHERING PRAYER Gracious God, in order that the children of earth might discern good from evil you sent your Son to be the light of the world. As Christ shines upon us, may we learn what pleases you, and live in all truth and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. *HYMN How Great Thou Art #467 *CONFESSION AND PARDON In the name of Christ, I urge you: be reconciled to God. Accept our repentance, O God, for the wrongs we have done. For our neglect of human need and suffering and our indifference to injustice and cruelty, have mercy on us, O God. For our waste and pollution of your creation and our lack of concern for those who come after us, have mercy on us, O God. This is the proof of God’s great love: that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God! *SONG OF PRAISE Gloria Patri #579 *PASSING THE PEACE Christ offered us peace through his own sacrifice. Therefore, we are called to live in peace with one another. May the peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. Word PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Gracious God, our way in the wilderness, guide us, by your Word, through these forty days, and minister to us with your Holy Spirit, so that we may reformed, restored, and renewed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. SCRIPTURE LESSONS Mark 4:30-32, GW 30 Jesus asked, “How can we show what God’s kingdom is like? To what can we compare it? 31 It’s like a mustard seed planted in the ground. The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds on earth. 32 However, when planted, it comes up and becomes taller than all the garden plants. It grows such large branches that birds can nest in its shade.” SERMON Mustard Seeds I have mustard seeds in the cupboard at home and in the drawer at work. As much as I love a variety of mustards (my favorite condiment), I do not cook with mustard seeds. But I keep buying the seeds to share whenever I teach this parable. Trust me, if we had been able to worship in person today, you would have gone home with a mustard seed to lose in your pocket or purse. However, here we are worshipping online, so let me share instead a couple of pictures of black mustard seeds and yellow mustard seeds. The first two images come from online stores that sell these items. (coloelde.com and spiceology.com mentioned not to advertise but in the interest of crediting the photos.) The last is from gardenindelight.com. It gives you an idea of the size. While mustard seeds are not the smallest in the natural world, they are still small, and the black mustard seed reportedly the smallest among them. This parable starts with a seed. Seeds are a beginning. A seed of thought or an idea can grow into a movement. A seed of sedition can start a rebellion, but a seed of kindness paid forward can begin a very different revolution. Something as microscopic as a virus has turned our world upside down. Something as simple as washing our hands and staying home can slow down it’s disastrous effects. Seeds are small yet powerful. What else belongs in this parable? To answer that question let me share that this is found in three of the gospels, but of course they are all a bit different. Let’s compare. 31 He told another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in his field. 32 It’s the smallest of all seeds. But when it’s grown, it’s the largest of all vegetable plants. It becomes a tree so that the birds in the sky come and nest in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32) 18 Jesus asked, “What is God’s kingdom like? To what can I compare it? 19 It’s like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in a garden. It grew and developed into a tree and the birds in the sky nested in its branches.” (Luke 13:18-19) 30 He continued, “What’s a good image for God’s kingdom? What parable can I use to explain it? 31 Consider a mustard seed. When scattered on the ground, it’s the smallest of all the seeds on the earth; 32 but when it’s planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all vegetable plants. It produces such large branches that the birds in the sky are able to nest in its shade.” (Mark 4:30-32) The above are all from the Common English Bible. You can do this like one of those games where you stare at the pictures to spot the difference. Do you find them? Here are the hints: where is the seed planted and how, what does it grow into, where do the birds rest? But of course none of these are the point. Look again and find what is the same in all three versions of the story as retold by three different evangelists, possibly even retold by Jesus to three different audiences. Did you find a mustard seed, that is planted, that grows into something much bigger, and provides a resting place for birds? All three gospels have this much in common, so these are the points to which we will pay attention. First let’s note that a seed, no matter how small, contains a great deal of potential. It has within it the possibilities of life and growth. Mustard may be only a condiment to you, but when I work through dietary restrictions for various health reasons, I’m grateful that I like mustard. It’s one I have never had to give up. When I google mustard and health this was the first pop-up. “Mustard seeds also contain calcium, dietary fiber, iron, manganese, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, protein, zinc, and selenium—a trace mineral that is an antioxidant that may offer protection against asthma, heart attacks, and some cancers.” There’s a tiny pharmacy in there! Now I’m wondering how to use those bottles of mustard seeds I already own. Clicking on the question, “Can you eat mustard seeds?” gives me this response, “All parts of the mustard plant are edible, including the seeds, leaves, and flowers; it is in the same genus as cabbage and turnips and is an annual plant. Brassica nigra is the plant that produces black mustard seeds.” Oh yeah, I forgot about mustard greens. I didn’t know the rest. Pliny, Roman author and naturalist writing in the first century said this about mustard, “extremely beneficial for health … [and in treatment of] snake and scorpion bites, toothache, indigestion, asthma, epilepsy, constipation, dropsy, lethargy, tetanus, leprous sores” and more. (quoted by Levine in Short Stories by Jesus, p. 177) So among the points to be made about this parable, note that mustard seeds are a good thing. We are talking about planting something good regardless of some careless interpretations in earlier centuries. Mustard seeds: small, full of nutrition with potential for more benefits. Got it! But second, let’s note that for the seed to grow into its potential it must be planted. There is human action involved in this parable. I consider it a matter of our intended partnership with God. Even back in Eden’s garden, humans were assigned the task of tending what God gave them. Levine suggests, “anyone who “plants” a seed might be expected to tend the garden.” (p. 177) Seeds are meant to be planted. That is part of the mysterious workings of seeds. Planting them leads to more. Sometimes the planting of seeds and tending of plants is shared by more than one person. Paul used this to illustrate a fundamental in the growth of the Church in 1 Corinthians 3, “6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God made it grow. 7 Because of this, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but the only one who is anything is God who makes it grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together, but each one will receive their own reward for their own labor. 9 We are God’s coworkers, and you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-9) Jesus told a lot of parables about planting seeds. In fact there are three in a row in Matthew 13. The Mustard Seed story follows two others, The Parable of the Soils, and the Parable of the Weeds as the CEB translation names them. Perhaps you know the first of these parables the best. The sower sows seed and some lands on the path to be eaten by birds, some on rocky soil too shallow to sustain growth, some among thorns only to be choked out by them, but the seed that lands on good soil yields a hundred-fold crop. In the second parable, a farmer plants good seed, but an enemy comes at night and plants weeds in the same field. As the plants grow the difference is obvious, but what to do? They must grow side by side until harvest; then they can be sorted. We learn that it matters what is planted and where it is planted. Mark 4 also puts these three together in the same order. John’s only reference to seeds focuses on the fruitfulness when planted. “I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24) Perhaps you are already speculating on the meaning of the seed and its planting. Matthew and Mark record Jesus giving his disciples explanations for the Soils and for the Weeds parables, but NOT for the Mustard Seed. By now we have learned enough from Levine’s take on the parables to know church leaders and scholars added more layers of interpretation over the centuries, some of which we still hear and others we have never heard in our own day. This parable is no different. I read the allegories and find myself asking Where did they get that idea? Levine would not make this parable an allegory. “Sometimes a seed is just a seed, a bird is just a bird, and a tree is just a tree.” (p. 180) That said, on to trees and birds. Item three, whether the seed grows into a vegetable, a shrub, or a tree (all three are speculated by the gospel writers), the mature plant is much larger than a seed. This is no surprise, and hence probably not the point or challenge of the parable. We observe this throughout nature. You’ve likely heard the proverb, “mighty oaks from little acorns grow” that originated in an essay by D. Everett in The Columbian Orator, 1797. You may have also seen the humorous version, “The mighty oak was once a little nut like you.” I like this version, “The mighty oak was once a little nut that stood its ground.” But back to mustard seeds, a black mustard seed can grow a plant as tall 8 – 10 feet though yellow mustard is usually much shorter. (Levine, p. 170) In any case, growth is one of the themes of this parable, and that growth is into something useful. Item four, a shelter for birds. In her own translation, Levine says “birds of heaven” in all three gospel translations. This would be similar to saying “birds of the air” in the creation story. She says that in the Hebrew scriptures this phrase appears nearly 50 times. While I cannot find it so in English translations, I did find “birds in the air” 15 times in the Complete Jewish Bible. She also writes of the association in Old Testament scriptures of trees sheltering birds. One set of examples can be found in Psalm 104 which praises God’s providence for creation. Vs. 12 “Overhead, the birds in the sky make their home, chirping loudly in the trees.” Vs. 16-17 “The Lord’s trees are well watered—the cedars of Lebanon, which God planted, where the birds make their nests, where the stork has a home in the cypresses.” Without resorting to giving allegorical meaning to birds or trees, we can agree they are often together not just in scripture but in our own backyard. The mustard plant of our parable is also a gift of God to shelter the birds. We’ve identified the common stuff of which Jesus’ parables are usually made. In this case a seed, planting, a matured plant, and birds finding rest. But these common ingredients do not in and of themselves reveal the meaning. Levine has another way of approaching the parable laying it alongside the parable of Leaven which Matthew and Luke also do, and the parable of The Seed that Grows Secretly as Mark does. Mark 4:26-29, CEB “26 Then Jesus said, “This is what God’s kingdom is like. It’s as though someone scatters seed on the ground, 27 then sleeps and wakes night and day. The seed sprouts and grows, but the farmer doesn’t know how. 28 The earth produces crops all by itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full head of grain. 29 Whenever the crop is ready, the farmer goes out to cut the grain because it’s harvesttime.” The parable of The Mustard Seed follows immediately after this in Mark 4. Matthew 13:33, CEB “33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through all the dough.” Luke 13:20, CEB “20 Again he said, “To what can I compare God’s kingdom? 21 It’s like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through the whole.” In both cases the parable of Leaven (or Yeast) follows immediately after The Mustard Seed. Now here are the parallels Levine perceives looking at these combinations. First, there is the growth from small to large as we have noted before. Second, something is happening in secret. Seeds grow without letting us see what is happening within or underground; we see the results later above ground. Yeast is at work in a batch of bread without letting us see the chemical process in action. Third, Levine sees both the mustard seed and leaven parables as being “about the necessities of life: bread and shelter.” (p. 174) Fourth, she claims, “each shows that a single person’s actions have a possible impact on life outside the immediate context.” (p. 174) As the bread feeds others and the grown plant shelters birds that result is in part thanks to the person who mixed the leaven in the dough to bake the bread and the person who planted the mustard seed in the first place. What does this suggest? Let me make my own interpretation based on Levine’s points here and elsewhere. The Kingdom of heaven, which is already present among us here and now, is like an ordinary person taking a small action in cooperation with God’s work in our world. But that simple seemingly insignificant action involving the ordinary stuff of our world can take on significant proportions when allowed to progress naturally according to the mysterious sometimes invisible processes built into creation or built into human nature. One small thing done by any one of us may make a difference meeting the need of another person or creature or any part of creation. This is how God intended his kingdom to work and how we partner with God for God’s work to be done. What is the challenge of this parable then? Actually I am seeing it as a picture of hope. It asks me what seeds I can plant, in partnership with God, that might yield results beyond my limited perspective. For myself in March 2020, one answer is the Bible Studies I have started on Facebook and on my blog site connected to the church web site. What seeds might you plant meeting the need of someone around you? You might be calling a person to live alone for safe interaction in the midst of mandated social distancing. You might send cards to family and friends. You might help deacons and elders reach out to church members. You might donate to a food pantry. You might find a way to send thank yous to those who do have to work in the midst of this crisis. For Levine the parable offers a variety of lessons. She notes from Klyne Snodgrass, Stories with Intent that “one of the markers of the seed is its insignificance” by pointing out that Jesus’ ministry began as a small unrecognized ministry among his fellow Jews but spread to include Gentiles. (pp. 181-2) The church had a small start in Jerusalem, but has grown to include followers throughout the world. While she does not believe the parable was intended to be about Jesus himself or the church, this is another example of something small and seemingly insignificant having much broader ultimate effects. Likewise small actions may yield greater results. She refers to the action of mixing leaven in the dough or planting a seed in the ground. “Even small actions, or hidden actions, have the potential to produce great things.” (p. 182) However (and I find her next point important), after the human action there may be a need for refraining from human interference. At certain points in the process dough and seeds must be left alone to the natural courses of nature if you want the intended results of bread or plants. I am recognizing this in the process of preparing the church for my retirement. I planted a lot of seeds and had the privilege to nurture some, but for the most part now, I need to stay out of the way and let God bring the growth. As Levine looks at the shelter provided for birds she notes “the ability of God’s creatures – feathered or flesh - to survive, to make do with whatever is available.” (p. 181) I find that very hopeful in our current world scenario dominated by COVID-19. I also affirm its message with the family motto of my childhood, “Make do with what you’ve got.” Her final analysis, similar to what I gathered from reading her chapter, gives me hope for our future. “The kingdom is present when humanity and nature work together, and we do what we were put here to do – to go out on a limb to provide for others, and ourselves as well.” (p.182) To that I can say a hearty Amen! *AFFIRMATION Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version p. 14 I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. PRAYERS Creator God, remind us that you are indeed King of the Universe and sovereign over all things. Teach us to cooperate in partnership with you whether it is growing a garden or fighting a virus, cleaning up from floods or fires, recovering from illness or surgery, locusts, tornadoes or earthquakes. We have experienced it all in recent weeks, and we need encouragement. Remind us that you are still with us in the midst of it all, and that with you we can face anything. Hold us in the midst of loss that must be grieved. Let us find creative ways to take advantage of the time we must spend at home and ways to reach out to others even though we cannot do so face to face. Inspire us with positive ways to move forward in our new realities as well as in the more mundane and routine changes of our daily lives. We put our hope and our trust in you for all things are possible with you. Amen. *PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING Gracious God, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our redeemer, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory now and forever. Amen. *THE LORD'S PRAYER BLESSING May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13) For the Sundays in Lent, our messages will focus on Jesus' parables using primarily a resource from Amy Jill Levine Short Stories by Jesus. Toward the end of each service we turn to the cross, extinguish one candle, hear a reading about the disciples and sing a hymn of the cross. *WORDS OF WORSHIP John 3:14
The Lord of life is lifted up! Let us look to Christ and live. *GATHERING PRAYER Gracious God, in order that the children of earth might discern good from evil you sent your Son to be the light of the world. As Christ shines upon us, may we learn what pleases you, and live in all truth and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. *HYMN How Great Thou Art #467 *CONFESSION AND PARDON In the name of Christ, I urge you: be reconciled to God. Accept our repentance, O God, for the wrongs we have done. For our neglect of human need and suffering and our indifference to injustice and cruelty, have mercy on us, O God. For our waste and pollution of your creation and our lack of concern for those who come after us, have mercy on us, O God. This is the proof of God’s great love: that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God! *SONG OF PRAISE Gloria Patri #579 *PASSING THE PEACE Christ offered us peace through his own sacrifice. Therefore, we are called to live in peace with one another. May the peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. Word PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Gracious God, our way in the wilderness, guide us, by your Word, through these forty days, and minister to us with your Holy Spirit, so that we may reformed, restored, and renewed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. SCRIPTURE LESSONS Mark 4:30-32, GW 30 Jesus asked, “How can we show what God’s kingdom is like? To what can we compare it? 31 It’s like a mustard seed planted in the ground. The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds on earth. 32 However, when planted, it comes up and becomes taller than all the garden plants. It grows such large branches that birds can nest in its shade.” SERMON Mustard Seeds I have mustard seeds in the cupboard at home and in the drawer at work. As much as I love a variety of mustards (my favorite condiment), I do not cook with mustard seeds. But I keep buying the seeds to share whenever I teach this parable. Trust me, if we had been able to worship in person today, you would have gone home with a mustard seed to lose in your pocket or purse. However, here we are worshipping online, so let me share instead a couple of pictures of black mustard seeds and yellow mustard seeds. The first two images come from online stores that sell these items. (coloelde.com and spiceology.com mentioned not to advertise but in the interest of crediting the photos.) The last is from gardenindelight.com. It gives you an idea of the size. While mustard seeds are not the smallest in the natural world, they are still small, and the black mustard seed reportedly the smallest among them. This parable starts with a seed. Seeds are a beginning. A seed of thought or an idea can grow into a movement. A seed of sedition can start a rebellion, but a seed of kindness paid forward can begin a very different revolution. Something as microscopic as a virus has turned our world upside down. Something as simple as washing our hands and staying home can slow down it’s disastrous effects. Seeds are small yet powerful. What else belongs in this parable? To answer that question let me share that this is found in three of the gospels, but of course they are all a bit different. Let’s compare. 31 He told another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in his field. 32 It’s the smallest of all seeds. But when it’s grown, it’s the largest of all vegetable plants. It becomes a tree so that the birds in the sky come and nest in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32) 18 Jesus asked, “What is God’s kingdom like? To what can I compare it? 19 It’s like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in a garden. It grew and developed into a tree and the birds in the sky nested in its branches.” (Luke 13:18-19) 30 He continued, “What’s a good image for God’s kingdom? What parable can I use to explain it? 31 Consider a mustard seed. When scattered on the ground, it’s the smallest of all the seeds on the earth; 32 but when it’s planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all vegetable plants. It produces such large branches that the birds in the sky are able to nest in its shade.” (Mark 4:30-32) The above are all from the Common English Bible. You can do this like one of those games where you stare at the pictures to spot the difference. Do you find them? Here are the hints: where is the seed planted and how, what does it grow into, where do the birds rest? But of course none of these are the point. Look again and find what is the same in all three versions of the story as retold by three different evangelists, possibly even retold by Jesus to three different audiences. Did you find a mustard seed, that is planted, that grows into something much bigger, and provides a resting place for birds? All three gospels have this much in common, so these are the points to which we will pay attention. First let’s note that a seed, no matter how small, contains a great deal of potential. It has within it the possibilities of life and growth. Mustard may be only a condiment to you, but when I work through dietary restrictions for various health reasons, I’m grateful that I like mustard. It’s one I have never had to give up. When I google mustard and health this was the first pop-up. “Mustard seeds also contain calcium, dietary fiber, iron, manganese, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, protein, zinc, and selenium—a trace mineral that is an antioxidant that may offer protection against asthma, heart attacks, and some cancers.” There’s a tiny pharmacy in there! Now I’m wondering how to use those bottles of mustard seeds I already own. Clicking on the question, “Can you eat mustard seeds?” gives me this response, “All parts of the mustard plant are edible, including the seeds, leaves, and flowers; it is in the same genus as cabbage and turnips and is an annual plant. Brassica nigra is the plant that produces black mustard seeds.” Oh yeah, I forgot about mustard greens. I didn’t know the rest. Pliny, Roman author and naturalist writing in the first century said this about mustard, “extremely beneficial for health … [and in treatment of] snake and scorpion bites, toothache, indigestion, asthma, epilepsy, constipation, dropsy, lethargy, tetanus, leprous sores” and more. (quoted by Levine in Short Stories by Jesus, p. 177) So among the points to be made about this parable, note that mustard seeds are a good thing. We are talking about planting something good regardless of some careless interpretations in earlier centuries. Mustard seeds: small, full of nutrition with potential for more benefits. Got it! But second, let’s note that for the seed to grow into its potential it must be planted. There is human action involved in this parable. I consider it a matter of our intended partnership with God. Even back in Eden’s garden, humans were assigned the task of tending what God gave them. Levine suggests, “anyone who “plants” a seed might be expected to tend the garden.” (p. 177) Seeds are meant to be planted. That is part of the mysterious workings of seeds. Planting them leads to more. Sometimes the planting of seeds and tending of plants is shared by more than one person. Paul used this to illustrate a fundamental in the growth of the Church in 1 Corinthians 3, “6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God made it grow. 7 Because of this, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but the only one who is anything is God who makes it grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together, but each one will receive their own reward for their own labor. 9 We are God’s coworkers, and you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-9) Jesus told a lot of parables about planting seeds. In fact there are three in a row in Matthew 13. The Mustard Seed story follows two others, The Parable of the Soils, and the Parable of the Weeds as the CEB translation names them. Perhaps you know the first of these parables the best. The sower sows seed and some lands on the path to be eaten by birds, some on rocky soil too shallow to sustain growth, some among thorns only to be choked out by them, but the seed that lands on good soil yields a hundred-fold crop. In the second parable, a farmer plants good seed, but an enemy comes at night and plants weeds in the same field. As the plants grow the difference is obvious, but what to do? They must grow side by side until harvest; then they can be sorted. We learn that it matters what is planted and where it is planted. Mark 4 also puts these three together in the same order. John’s only reference to seeds focuses on the fruitfulness when planted. “I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24) Perhaps you are already speculating on the meaning of the seed and its planting. Matthew and Mark record Jesus giving his disciples explanations for the Soils and for the Weeds parables, but NOT for the Mustard Seed. By now we have learned enough from Levine’s take on the parables to know church leaders and scholars added more layers of interpretation over the centuries, some of which we still hear and others we have never heard in our own day. This parable is no different. I read the allegories and find myself asking Where did they get that idea? Levine would not make this parable an allegory. “Sometimes a seed is just a seed, a bird is just a bird, and a tree is just a tree.” (p. 180) That said, on to trees and birds. Item three, whether the seed grows into a vegetable, a shrub, or a tree (all three are speculated by the gospel writers), the mature plant is much larger than a seed. This is no surprise, and hence probably not the point or challenge of the parable. We observe this throughout nature. You’ve likely heard the proverb, “mighty oaks from little acorns grow” that originated in an essay by D. Everett in The Columbian Orator, 1797. You may have also seen the humorous version, “The mighty oak was once a little nut like you.” I like this version, “The mighty oak was once a little nut that stood its ground.” But back to mustard seeds, a black mustard seed can grow a plant as tall 8 – 10 feet though yellow mustard is usually much shorter. (Levine, p. 170) In any case, growth is one of the themes of this parable, and that growth is into something useful. Item four, a shelter for birds. In her own translation, Levine says “birds of heaven” in all three gospel translations. This would be similar to saying “birds of the air” in the creation story. She says that in the Hebrew scriptures this phrase appears nearly 50 times. While I cannot find it so in English translations, I did find “birds in the air” 15 times in the Complete Jewish Bible. She also writes of the association in Old Testament scriptures of trees sheltering birds. One set of examples can be found in Psalm 104 which praises God’s providence for creation. Vs. 12 “Overhead, the birds in the sky make their home, chirping loudly in the trees.” Vs. 16-17 “The Lord’s trees are well watered—the cedars of Lebanon, which God planted, where the birds make their nests, where the stork has a home in the cypresses.” Without resorting to giving allegorical meaning to birds or trees, we can agree they are often together not just in scripture but in our own backyard. The mustard plant of our parable is also a gift of God to shelter the birds. We’ve identified the common stuff of which Jesus’ parables are usually made. In this case a seed, planting, a matured plant, and birds finding rest. But these common ingredients do not in and of themselves reveal the meaning. Levine has another way of approaching the parable laying it alongside the parable of Leaven which Matthew and Luke also do, and the parable of The Seed that Grows Secretly as Mark does. Mark 4:26-29, CEB “26 Then Jesus said, “This is what God’s kingdom is like. It’s as though someone scatters seed on the ground, 27 then sleeps and wakes night and day. The seed sprouts and grows, but the farmer doesn’t know how. 28 The earth produces crops all by itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full head of grain. 29 Whenever the crop is ready, the farmer goes out to cut the grain because it’s harvesttime.” The parable of The Mustard Seed follows immediately after this in Mark 4. Matthew 13:33, CEB “33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through all the dough.” Luke 13:20, CEB “20 Again he said, “To what can I compare God’s kingdom? 21 It’s like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through the whole.” In both cases the parable of Leaven (or Yeast) follows immediately after The Mustard Seed. Now here are the parallels Levine perceives looking at these combinations. First, there is the growth from small to large as we have noted before. Second, something is happening in secret. Seeds grow without letting us see what is happening within or underground; we see the results later above ground. Yeast is at work in a batch of bread without letting us see the chemical process in action. Third, Levine sees both the mustard seed and leaven parables as being “about the necessities of life: bread and shelter.” (p. 174) Fourth, she claims, “each shows that a single person’s actions have a possible impact on life outside the immediate context.” (p. 174) As the bread feeds others and the grown plant shelters birds that result is in part thanks to the person who mixed the leaven in the dough to bake the bread and the person who planted the mustard seed in the first place. What does this suggest? Let me make my own interpretation based on Levine’s points here and elsewhere. The Kingdom of heaven, which is already present among us here and now, is like an ordinary person taking a small action in cooperation with God’s work in our world. But that simple seemingly insignificant action involving the ordinary stuff of our world can take on significant proportions when allowed to progress naturally according to the mysterious sometimes invisible processes built into creation or built into human nature. One small thing done by any one of us may make a difference meeting the need of another person or creature or any part of creation. This is how God intended his kingdom to work and how we partner with God for God’s work to be done. What is the challenge of this parable then? Actually I am seeing it as a picture of hope. It asks me what seeds I can plant, in partnership with God, that might yield results beyond my limited perspective. For myself in March 2020, one answer is the Bible Studies I have started on Facebook and on my blog site connected to the church web site. What seeds might you plant meeting the need of someone around you? You might be calling a person to live alone for safe interaction in the midst of mandated social distancing. You might send cards to family and friends. You might help deacons and elders reach out to church members. You might donate to a food pantry. You might find a way to send thank yous to those who do have to work in the midst of this crisis. For Levine the parable offers a variety of lessons. She notes from Klyne Snodgrass, Stories with Intent that “one of the markers of the seed is its insignificance” by pointing out that Jesus’ ministry began as a small unrecognized ministry among his fellow Jews but spread to include Gentiles. (pp. 181-2) The church had a small start in Jerusalem, but has grown to include followers throughout the world. While she does not believe the parable was intended to be about Jesus himself or the church, this is another example of something small and seemingly insignificant having much broader ultimate effects. Likewise small actions may yield greater results. She refers to the action of mixing leaven in the dough or planting a seed in the ground. “Even small actions, or hidden actions, have the potential to produce great things.” (p. 182) However (and I find her next point important), after the human action there may be a need for refraining from human interference. At certain points in the process dough and seeds must be left alone to the natural courses of nature if you want the intended results of bread or plants. I am recognizing this in the process of preparing the church for my retirement. I planted a lot of seeds and had the privilege to nurture some, but for the most part now, I need to stay out of the way and let God bring the growth. As Levine looks at the shelter provided for birds she notes “the ability of God’s creatures – feathered or flesh - to survive, to make do with whatever is available.” (p. 181) I find that very hopeful in our current world scenario dominated by COVID-19. I also affirm its message with the family motto of my childhood, “Make do with what you’ve got.” Her final analysis, similar to what I gathered from reading her chapter, gives me hope for our future. “The kingdom is present when humanity and nature work together, and we do what we were put here to do – to go out on a limb to provide for others, and ourselves as well.” (p.182) To that I can say a hearty Amen! *AFFIRMATION Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version p. 14 I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. PRAYERS Creator God, remind us that you are indeed King of the Universe and sovereign over all things. Teach us to cooperate in partnership with you whether it is growing a garden or fighting a virus, cleaning up from floods or fires, recovering from illness or surgery, locusts, tornadoes or earthquakes. We have experienced it all in recent weeks, and we need encouragement. Remind us that you are still with us in the midst of it all, and that with you we can face anything. Hold us in the midst of loss that must be grieved. Let us find creative ways to take advantage of the time we must spend at home and ways to reach out to others even though we cannot do so face to face. Inspire us with positive ways to move forward in our new realities as well as in the more mundane and routine changes of our daily lives. We put our hope and our trust in you for all things are possible with you. Amen. *PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING Gracious God, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our redeemer, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory now and forever. Amen. *THE LORD'S PRAYER BLESSING May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13) For the Sundays in Lent, our messages will focus on Jesus' parables using primarily a resource from Amy Jill Levine Short Stories by Jesus. Toward the end of each service we turn to the cross, extinguish one candle, hear a reading about the disciples and sing a hymn of the cross. *WORDS OF WORSHIP Rom. 5:5
Through the gift of the Holy Spirit God’s love is poured into our hearts. *GATHERING PRAYER Eternal God, your kingdom has broken into our troubled world through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son. Help us to hear your word and obey it, that we may become instruments of your saving love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. *CONFESSION AND PARDON In the name of Christ, I urge you: be reconciled to God. For our anger at our own frustration and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves, have mercy on us, O God. For our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts, and our dishonesty in daily life and work, have mercy on us, O God. For our negligence in prayer and worship, and our failure to commend the faith that is in us, have mercy on us, O God. This is the proof of God’s great love: that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God! PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Gracious God, our way in the wilderness, guide us, by your Word, through these forty days, and minister to us with your Holy Spirit, so that we may reformed, restored, and renewed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. SCRIPTURE LESSONS Matthew 13:45-46, NCV the kingdom of heaven is like a man looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found a very valuable pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it. As last week, Levine connects today’s parable to the teaching in the following story. Matthew 19:16-30, NCV 16 A man came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to have life forever?” 17 Jesus answered, “Why do you ask me about what is good? Only God is good. But if you want to have life forever, obey the commands.” 18 The man asked, “Which commands?” Jesus answered, “‘You must not murder anyone; you must not be guilty of adultery; you must not steal; you must not tell lies about your neighbor; 19 honor your father and mother; and love your neighbor as you love yourself.’” 20 The young man said, “I have obeyed all these things. What else do I need to do?” 21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, then go and sell your possessions and give the money to the poor. If you do this, you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this, he left sorrowfully, because he was rich. 23 Then Jesus said to his followers, “I tell you the truth, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Yes, I tell you that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When Jesus’ followers heard this, they were very surprised and asked, “Then who can be saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “For people this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” 27 Peter said to Jesus, “Look, we have left everything and followed you. So, what will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, when the age to come has arrived, the Son of Man will sit on his great throne. All of you who followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And all those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or farms to follow me will get much more than they left, and they will have life forever. 30 Many who are first now will be last in the future. And many who are last now will be first in the future. SERMON A Pricey Pearl The more I read, the more I struggled with this parable. But that seems to be the case with many things this week. The more we read the news of COVID-19, the more we struggle as well. By Friday evening, I couldn’t help relating the two. First, the parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like…” Many of Jesus’ parables begin in this or a similar fashion. A traditional interpretation of this parable would focus on the pearl. There is still value in asking ourselves, what would be as precious to us as that pearl became to the man in the story. But if we look at the way the brief simile is worded, the subject is the man. Actually there is a double naming of the subject that most English translations ignore, but is clearly present in the original Greek. “The kingdom of heaven is like a man (anthropos), a merchant (emporos).” (Matthew 13:45) But what about the man is significant? As the verse continues, he is actively seeking or searching for fine pearls. In the second verse, there is a surprising twist to the story. Instead of fine pearls with resale value, he finds one exquisite pearl of the highest value and he gives up everything to obtain it. Don’t overlook, as I have in the past, what this means. He sold everything – not only his inventory of merchandise, but his own belongings and property. He is no longer a merchant, then, because he has nothing to sell. He doesn’t even have a home now. All he has is this one pearl. Levine quotes R. T. France, the man “is apparently impoverishing himself to acquire something extremely valuable which he could admire and display but could not live off unless he sold it again.” (quoted on pp. 150-151) Another aspect I did not realize previously is that a merchant was not necessarily approved in first century Israel. The Greek emporos is behind the English work Emporium. Now I think of that as a fantastical place where items of quality or mystery could be purchased. Amy-Jill Levine writes, “The Greek term has the connotation of a wholesaler, and perhaps one who markets through agents items consumers do not need at prices they cannot afford.” (Levine, Short Stories By Jesus, p. 142) This and related words have a negative use in the New Testament, and the same is true when it is used in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament; think clearing merchants out of the Temple or selling Joseph into slavery. Merchants (emporos) are involved in these stories. So, now we come to this question again. What is the parable telling us exactly that the kingdom of heaven is like? Is it like the man who is a merchant? Is it like the pearl he purchased? Is it like his active seeking and searching for something fine as part of his daily business? Or is it like the surprising twist that prompts him to give up everything else to obtain it? What do each of these things represent to you? I wrestled with my own response to these questions. In my marginal notes I wrote, “So the kingdom is like we humans seeking good things in life, but when we find the one thing that holds ultimate value beyond our worldly expectations, we would give up everything to have it.” That was Thursday, March 12, 2020. I think at that point for each of us, and even now, there could be multiple responses to what has ultimate value for us personally, as families, as communities, in businesses, in faith communities, in education, in governments, etc. Only you can answer what has ultimate value for you in your life at any given time. That was Thursday morning, but also that morning and throughout that day and Friday, I became increasingly aware that values around the world were rapidly shifting as COVID-19 (Novel coronavirus) demands our attention and response. I was aware of how it was affecting other nations and other states, but it didn’t feel close to home yet here in Midwest USA until I realized things were closing down that had never closed, canceled or delayed in my lifetime. Today is Saturday, March 14, and I spent the morning facilitating a Session meeting by email that voted to close the church for two weeks to protect the vulnerable members of our church family and make our contribution toward slowing the spread of this or any other virus right now. I’ve been making contacts and announcements to communicate that decision. As more and more of the world responds to this pandemic, I couldn’t help but notice that globally many are placing health as a top priority. We are giving up many things from concerts to public worship, from attending school to going to the office, all to fight this virus. I’m aware of celebrities donating money, landlords reducing rent, and companies offering assistance such as two months free internet or aid if you can’t pay utilities because of income loss. There is already much loss, and there will be more. The strict measures we take are not only for ourselves but for our “neighbors” at home and around the world. The encouragement and help we can offer are surely needed. We are in this fight together, and we must care for one another. This takes us back to our second gospel story, The Rich Young Ruler. In seeking eternal life, this young man has already done his best to live according to God’s laws. Yet Jesus encouraged him to find ultimate value taking it further, to give everything he had to help others in need. Sadly, he walked away, not ready to change, not ready to share, not ready to surrender present valuables to meet broader needs and ultimate value. With that in mind, the parable challenges us to continually evaluate our priorities. What is most important for myself and the well being of others may not be what I held dear yesterday. Life often has surprising twists and turns. COVID-19 is such a twist challenging us in 2020. Some of you have lived through other twists of varying magnitude – the Great Depression, World War 2, the polio epidemic, and many more on personal, national, or global scales. In the midst of such we must be willing to learn, to share, to change. We must care for one another and, as I said, continually evaluate our priorities in a shifting environment. Priorities can be identified by what is often on your mind, how you spend your time, your money, your efforts. This time at home may be an opportunity for you to reflect on your priorities, past and present. Levine writes, “Jesus, the historical Jesus, cared about prioritizing. … We are forced to act. We are forced to determine what we must do to prepare for this new reality. … [She suggests] Once we know that material goods will only collect rust or dust, and once we know that the only thing that counts is treasure in heaven, surely we must find a new way to live.” (p. 164) These are things to consider with each new challenge as well as ultimately regarding life in God’s kingdom which is both present and future. I like the following questions she goes on to ask. “What do we keep and what do we divest? How would we live if we knew ultimate judgement was coming on Tuesday? What are our neighbor’s ultimate concerns and what are ours?” (p. 164) I invite you take up the challenge of this parable and current world events by asking yourselves these questions in the days to come. As we move forward, and we will move forward, let us continue to love God with heart, mind, soul, and strength by caring for ourselves and for creation. Let us worship through devotionals, online worship, journals, music, etc. Let us continue to read our Bibles and ponder the message. Let us pray continually! May we also continue to love our neighbor as ourselves, not only through our prayers, but by reaching out with a phone call, a text message, email or card. Let’s encourage one another, cheer one another, and keep each other going. Is there someone you should check on – a neighbor, a family member, or friend – who might need help with food or supplies or in some other way? Perhaps in response to the current needs we can make this verse one of our priorities. 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “So continue encouraging each other and building each other up, just like you are doing already.” *AFFIRMATION Apostle’s Creed, Ecumenical Version I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. PRAYERS FOR THE WORLD Gracious God, in the midst of anxious times, we seek your peace as we put our trust in you. We seek your healing touch for a world overcome by disease, not only COVID-19 but all else that ails us. We seek your calm as we do our best to care for our neighbor and for ourselves. We seek your strength for those in the medical profession and others working hard to meet the needs of many. We seek your wisdom for those making decisions to close or stay open from business & houses of worship to borders. We seek your guidance for those searching diligently for a cure. We seek your discernment for those teaching us measures to prevent the spread of disease and understanding for those resisting those measures. We ask that other concerns not be overlooked, but all to be put in whatever perspective is most appropriate for now. We pray that those who cannot work will be sustained financially, that children home from closed schools will be okay, and that those most at risk will be protected. PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING God of all mercies, we give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all living things. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your boundless love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. Amen. CHARGE & BLESSING May the Spirit of the triune God strengthen and sustain you, all throughout these forty days of Lent and into the life that is to come. Amen. **Some of the prayers come from The Book of Common Worship. For the Sundays in Lent, our messages will focus on Jesus' parables using primarily a resource from Amy Jill Levine Short Stories by Jesus. Toward the end of each service we turn to the cross, extinguish one candle, hear a reading about the disciples and sing a hymn of the cross. PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Gracious God, our way in the wilderness, guide us, by your Word, through these forty days, and minister to us with your Holy Spirit, so that we may reformed, restored, and renewed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. SCRIPTURE LESSONS Leviticus 19:18,33-34,CEB 18 You must not take revenge nor hold a grudge against any of your people; instead, you must love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord. 33 When immigrants live in your land with you, you must not cheat them. 34 Any immigrant who lives with you must be treated as if they were one of your citizens. You must love them as yourself, because you were immigrants in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God. Luke 10:25-37, NIV 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” SERMON Good Sam It’s perhaps the parable we know the best, or think we do. It comes up in Sunday School curriculum every year and most years in Vacation Bible School, or at least that’s the way it always seemed to me. To be honest, as a child I got tired of this story. I’ve heard it, taught it, re-enacted it, re-written it, studied it, and preached it. So, imagine my delight learning new things about it reading Amy-Jill Levine’s research and perspective on this classic parable of Jesus. I’m learning a theme as she reviews these parables, that the traditional lessons we have been taught, developed over centuries by Christian teachers and preachers, “‘tain’t necessarily so.” At least they are not likely the way a first century Jewish audience heard them, nor necessarily what Jesus had in mind as he told them. For example, some Early Church Fathers viewed the parables including this one, as allegories. In an allegory each thing or character may stand for something else. In Revelation, for instance, the Beast is identified as Babylon but is code for Rome. One such allegory for The Good Samaritan as interpreted by Early Church Fathers would have the Priest and Levite signify the Law and the Prophets. They think the man in the ditch represents sinners and that the Samaritan stands for Jesus. They go so far as to say the two coins he gave to the innkeeper symbolize baptism and communion. I can see how this made a tidy sermon, but it makes no sense in terms of Jesus’ teaching. As Levine tells their version she writes that “commentators leave the road for detours into imagination.” (short stories by jesus, p. 95) I agree, their interpretation is imaginative but off track. The person in the ditch is unidentified. The Greek word anthropos is pretty generic, the same as the root for anthropology. We have a human male, but as Levine points out we don’t know if he is “rich or poor, free or slave, priest or lay, nice or naughty.” (p. 94) He was just an ordinary person, traveling a treacherous road, who fell victim to a violent crime. (p. 96) The Greek word lestai is translated robbers. It is used elsewhere for those whom Jesus cleared out of the Temple, for Barabbas who was set free the day Jesus was crucified, and for the two hung on crosses either side of Jesus. Levine suggests, “The basic meaning is ‘member of an armed gang.’” (p. 96) The road on which our victim traveled ran about 18 miles from Jerusalem to Jericho. In Jesus’ day it was a rocky path that descended from 2,500 feet above sea level down to 825 feet below sea level. It is the same road on which King David fled and King Zedekiah was chased. (Levine, p. 95) The road had its own biblical history related to struggling against one’s enemies. The original audience may have identified with that victim more easily than we do now. Some of them would have traveled that road and perhaps had their own fears as they did so. Perhaps some of them had their own experience of being robbed or cheated. Living under Roman domination, they knew what it was to have enemies. When you hear this parable, have you ever seen yourself as the man in the ditch? Have you ever been a victim? That may give you a very different perspective on this parable. If you have experienced a sense of helplessness in any situation, whether it is related to violence or justice or health or finances or something else, then you can imagine how the victim felt at any point of consciousness while lying on that road after the attack and how dearly he wished for someone to come and save him. The first two passersby were a priest and then a Levite. These were the first two possibilities for help to be received by the victim. All descendants of Aaron, Moses’ brother, were members of the priestly class. John the Baptist’s parents, both Zechariah and Elizabeth, were from this family line. Levine reminds us, “Priests and Levites may have had neither wealth nor status. In Judaism the priesthood is not a vocation; it is an inherited position.” (p. 98) The Hebrew term is kohen, and even today Jews with the last name Cohen may likely be descended from this line. Her own family name Levine traces back to the Levites, the tribe named for Jacob and Leah’s son, Levi. (also p. 98) Among the tribes the Levites were set aside to serve in the tabernacle. They were not given territory in the promised land but rather 10 cities of refuge. We can’t make any other assumptions about the Priest or the Levite in this story than their family background. I noted earlier that Christianity has often made inaccurate assumptions when interpreting the parables, especially when it comes to understanding the Jewish background of both Jesus the storyteller and his original audience. One major mis-teaching relates to the first two additional travelers on this road who passed by the wounded man in the ditch. As Levine puts it, “From both classroom and pulpit comes the claim that the Priest and the Levite pass by the man in the ditch, because they are afraid of contracting corpse contamination and so violating purity laws.” (p. 99) I. too, have also been taught and have passed on the teaching they may have avoided him, because they would become ritually unclean if they touched a dead body, and they couldn’t tell if he was alive or dead. Levine has thoroughly corrected me on this point. Let me summarize some of Levine’s reasons for refuting the contamination excuse made for the Priest and the Levite. First of all, the laws found in Numbers are about touching a corpse. In this parable the man is not dead though seriously wounded. Even if he were dead, the Torah would obligate them to bury the body. Both Priest and Levite should have checked to see if the man was dead, and if so, they should have covered the body. (the above comes from p. 100) Levine writes, “Burying the dead is one of the highest mitzvot, most important commandments in Judaism, for it is one of the few acts that cannot be repaid by the person who benefits from it.” (pp. 101-102) As an example she shares that after the attack on the twin towers in New York on 9/11 “Jews stood vigil at Ground Zero until every corpse was recovered.” (p. 101) Second, the concern of ritual cleanliness relates to priestly duties. These would take place at the Temple in Jerusalem. But the Priest was going in the opposite direction leaving Jerusalem. How do we know? The elevation difference at either end of the road I mentioned earlier and the phrase in the passage; the Priest was going “down the road.” (v. 31) Levine also lets us know that “one always goes ‘up’ to Jerusalem.” (p. 100) I suspect that is elevation of significance as well as geography. Third, even purity laws would not have been an excuse, because there is the priority of saving a life, that even supersedes Sabbath observance. (Levine, p. 102) Levine cites other Jewish texts and commentaries to make this point. So, given the expectations of Torah, and especially the words of Leviticus 19:18 which Jesus considered the second greatest commandment, to love one’s neighbor as oneself, the Priest and the Levite have no excuse, they simply failed to do the right thing. They should have checked to see if the body in the ditch was alive or dead. If alive, they should have provided aid. If dead, they should have seen to burial. They kept going. At this point I have to ask myself about the times I have driven by someone stranded on the road and not stopped to check or at least in the age of cell phones made a phone call. I know all too well what it feels like to be the stranded individual when someone else drives by, even someone I knew. I was so grateful when someone else did stop to check on me, or pulled up nearby to wait and stand guard until AAA arrived. The parable is bracketed by a conversation between Jesus and a lawyer. The story is Jesus’ response to one of the lawyer’s questions. We need to also see that context. The Greek word nomikos translated in English as lawyer has no direct antecedent in Hebrew. The connotation is one “learned in the Law [meaning Torah or first 5 books of scripture].” (Levine, p. 83) The Jewish audience would have no problem with that, but Levine suggests that Luke seems to take issue with this lawyer at least in the way he interacted with Jesus. The main issue I see is that the lawyer asked a question to “test” Jesus. He asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (v.1) It is a trick question. Levine claims, “The question presumes eternal life is a commodity to be inherited or purchased on the basis of a particular action rather than a gift freely given.” (p. 85) Jesus refers him back to the Law. Here’s the significant point that might not occur to you but fits so well with everything I believe and strive to teach about grace. Levine states, “Jews followed Torah not to earn eternal life; this was already part of the covenant. They followed Torah in response to the gracious gift of the covenant that God gave them, because to do so prevented sin and because to do so showed how love of God and love of neighbor were to be manifested.” (p. 86) How I carry this concept into Christianity is that we do our best each day not to earn salvation (also tied to our concept of eternal life) but in response to the grace and mercy Christ offered us on the cross. In words from John’s letters, “We love, because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:7) I cannot earn God’s grace, but I can live my life everyday in ways that express my gratitude for God’s grace. In another passage, Luke 18, a rich young ruler asks the same question. Jesus refers him back to the Law. This young man has done his best to keep God’s commandments, not only the Ten we think about, but the whole of the Torah from Genesis to Deuteronomy. Levine sums them up this way, “Not murdering, stealing, or bearing false witness along with the positive act of honoring parents are relatively easy laws to follow (avoiding greed, envy, and lust; loving the neighbor and the stranger; and caring for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the alien are the more difficult ones).” (p. 86) I think we might agree with her assessment, but that is the challenge made to us. The lawyer in Luke 10 is looking for an easy way to earn eternal life. But Jesus wants him to understand and wants us to understand, that it isn’t about a check list to earn anything. Instead, our focus should be on how we live our day to day lives here and now. Jesus asks how the lawyer, so familiar with the Law, reads it. The lawyer’s summary comes from the same two commandments Jesus quoted back to the Rich Young Ruler in Luke 18. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength” adding mind to the list from Deuteronomy 6, and “Love your neighbor as yourself” from Leviticus 19:18. If you live these diligently you will fulfill the spirit of the rest of the Law. But the lawyer is persistent. “Who is my neighbor?” What do you think so far? Is it the robbers? The wounded man in the ditch? The priest or the Levite? I might challenge you to consider this week in what way each of these is your neighbor. But for now let’s go with the lawyer’s answer. “The one who showed mercy.” Though he refuses to name the designation himself, we have at last come to the Samaritan who took the time, made the effort, sacrificed his own convenience, and paid to assure that the man was indeed alive and received the help he needed to fully recover. If you remember the “rule of three” from last week, the first two passersby have set us up for a twist. Help didn’t come from either of them. Help will come from the third one to see the man in the ditch by the side of the road. Who did the first century Jewish audience anticipate would be that third person? Here’s what Levine expects, “Mention a priest and a Levite, and anyone who knows anything about Judaism will know that the third person is an Israelite.” (p. 103) Why? Passages in Ezra and Nehemiah both list the three in that order. (p. 103) It is a cliché from that culture we would entirely miss. But she goes on to say, “However, Jesus is telling a parable, and parables never go the way one expects.” (p. 103) The one who helps is a Samaritan. In a provocative statement Levine suggests it would be similar to how many of us would finish the naming of Larry and Moe with Curly, but the third was instead Osama bin Laden. (p. 103) To a first century Jew, for the one who helped to be a Samaritan was that radical a twist. You may already know something of the enmity between Jews and Samaritans back then from John’s telling of the Samaritan woman Jesus met at a well. The history goes back to the division of the Northern Kingdom with ten tribes from the Southern Kingdom of Judah which also embraced the tribe of Benjamin after the time of King Solomon. The Northern Kingdom of Israel made Samaria, formerly Shechem, its capital. Ahab and Jezebel were among the royalty in the northern line. Assyria conquered Israel in 722 BCE. The population were exiled just as many from the Southern Kingdom would later be taken to Babylon. But Assyria had a resettlement program to keep their annexed territories in line. People from other nations were brought into the north to occupy and work the land. They took the name Samaritans. When some of the southerners were allowed to return to Jerusalem and Judah to rebuild the walls under Nehemiah, it was Sanballat the governor of Samaria who tried to get in the way of that rebuilding. The temple was rebuilt in Jerusalem, but the Samaritans built their own temple at Mt. Gerazim. These and other incidents added up to major disagreement between the two nations and how they practiced their faith, each claiming to be the true keepers of the Law and covenant with God. But in addition to theological differences, the two nations also periodically engaged in violence against one another. (taken from Levine, pp. 105-109) Shechem, later called Samaria, was related to other violent acts in the Old Testament, stories that would be known by a Jewish audience. In Genesis 34 Jacob and Leah’s daughter Dinah was raped, and her brothers took violent revenge against the town. In Judges 9 Abimelech convinces seventy men of his mother’s clan at Shechem to make him king, then kills them all to keep the throne. In 2 Chronicles 28, men from Samaria took 200,000 captives from Judah as well as plunder back to Samaria. A prophet named Obed told them to send the captives home. Any Jew in the first century still saw a Samaritan not just as a foreigner with the wrong faith but as an enemy. In similar reactions today, a friend wrestling with his gut reaction to Middle East Muslims reached the point where at least if he saw someone stranded by the side of the road he might stop to help. But I realized reading this study, that the more appropriate question is this, What if a Muslim from Iran stopped to help you, when you were the one stranded by the side of the road? That’s the twist this parable offers us. Or you can try Levine’s similar take on it. I’m going to quote her modern retelling after reminding us that Samaria today is the “West Bank, Occupied Palestine, or Greater Israel” depending on who you ask. (p. 114) She writes: Suppose “I am an Israeli Jew on my way from Jerusalem to Jericho, and I am attacked by thieves, beaten, stripped, robbed, and left half dead in a ditch. Two people who should have stopped to help pass me by: the first, a Jewish medic from the Israel Defense Forces; the second, a member of the Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. But the person who takes compassion on me and shows mercy is a Palestinian Muslim whose sympathies like with Hamas, a political party whose charter not only anticipates Israel’s destruction, but also depicts Jews as subhuman demons responsible for all the world’s problems.” (pp. 114-115) Or she suggests that if Jesus told the story today it might be the “’Good Jew’ told in the streets of Ramallah.” (p. 115) It is in the twist that we are fully challenged in terms of our attitudes and actions. Levine’s favorite interpretation comes from a sermon by Martin Luther King, Jr. on this parable. She quotes him as follows: “I’m going to tell you what my imagination tells me. It’s possible these men were afraid…And so the first question that the priest [and] the Levite asked was, ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?...But then the Good Samaritan came by, and he reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?” (Levine, p. 102) Go back once again to the commandments in Leviticus 19. What does it look like to love your neighbor as you love yourself? Your neighbor includes immigrants living in your land according to Leviticus 19. Jesus takes it even further when he teaches, “You have heard that it was said, You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who harass you.” (Matthew 5:43-44) As you go through the week ahead, look around with the lawyer’s question, “Who is my neighbor?” and prayerfully answer it as honestly as you can with Jesus’ help. It will include people who are different from you. It will include strangers. It may even include people you don’t think you trust. What does it mean to be a good neighbor to them? For the Sundays in Lent, our messages will focus on Jesus' parables using primarily a resource from Amy Jill Levine Short Stories by Jesus. Toward the end of each service we turn to the cross, extinguish one candle, hear a reading about the disciples and sing a hymn of the cross. |
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