Saying Goodbye Luke 24:44-53 5/29/11

Sermon 5-29-11 Luke 24:44-53 saying goodbye
44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Apologize for the title of this sermon
Saying goodbye
Point of sermon is jesus ascends, disciples say goodbye
Saying goodbye.
I hope to get there in a bit but we have several things to discuss today

Today we are saying goodbye to The beacon
The beacon umc, our new church start has closed.
This was not what we were hoping for, but we just did not generate what the conference refers to as self sustainability.
I apologize for the sadness that this brings
But I celebrate the efforts of pastor dave and so many of you.
I also celebrate that our church is willing to take risks for the kingdom
Pastor dave will be appointed june 1 to Ohio stree t umc in butler
We will continue to work on ways to reach out and make disciples

Today we need to talk about the tornado in Joplin
One week ago today our friends in Joplin were having Sunday services.
Later that day, a big tornado moves thru

How we will help st pauls
Collecting goods
Special giving
Weekly trips

why
Why does the tornado hit Joplin?
What can our brains do with that?

God is in control, but not controlling
We are not in charge
We are not promised a rose garden
Life has suffering
God stands with us in our pain
Calamity gives us the change to be the hands and feet of Jesus

Psalm 103
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. 15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. 17 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him

We are not in charge. This world will always bring us challenge. But God is not against us. God is with us. God is for us. God stands with us. These terrible things, as terrible as they are, can cause us to trust him. We have nothing else in this life ultimately to trust. No promise of health, wealth or comfort. The only promise that we have is that our God is with us. His love in fills us.

May 21 and the end of the world
Quiet time and the whole world reflected
Just for a moment people said, what if. What if it all ended. Who am I trusting.

Memorial day
Read scripture passage………..
Post resurrection stories - Jesus leaves

Saying goodbye to those you love
To friends and loved ones
To marriages, homes and friends
Plenty of grief to go around

To savor the good
To focus on what was, or what is

Saying goodbye when it is your turn
When we are saying goodbye our selves.

American culture tells us that everything can be bought. Can be stabilized.
Everything is permanent
But noting in this world is permanent. We all fade like the flower

Once we accept the transitoriness of everything in life, be can simply relax and enjoy the day
When we come to understand that nothing of this world is trustworthy, we can start to trust God

Is your God a scary God that you aren’t sure isn’t going to catch you on a technicality
Or will you die in full assurance of faith, believing in a god of love and trusting in jesus
Going home- should feel like going home.
Spending time with a friend
What a friend we have in Jesus

What are the beliefs that you have chosen about death
Death will rip me away from my family
Death will strip away all that I have worked for in life
Death will force me to stand in front of this God that I barely know
Or do you believe that
Death is a natural part of human life
Death is an opportunity for us to love our families and teach them how to die
To tell them that I am entering into the hands of a loving god
Death is a going home, to be with my jesus
What are your beliefs about death?

A group of nuns named their members for attributes of Jesus and Mary
The tower of wisdom
The cause of our joy
The virgin most afflicted
What will be the words written on your tombstone

Her life taught us how to live. Her death taught us how to die.

Jesus left them bodily, but he was always with them. To the extent that we understand and believe that jesus is with us, we can live in joy and die in peace.