Easter 2016, 3/27/16

Easter 2016 version 2  Jn 20:1-18 bb

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. 11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

It is easter.  

Typical easter sermon.  Proofs of the resurrection or X the victor over death

Im fine w that.

But that really doesn’t matter

I can tell you a,b,c but it doesn’t matter unless it matters to you

Too many Christians want to leave Jesus in the tomb

We want Jesus, but we want him on ice

No proof of the resurrection will matter as long as we keep him sequestered

Question isn’t did it happen, question is has it happened for you

Have you let him out of the tomb

Many ways to keep him still in the tomb

I believe in love, but I cannot give it to others

I believe in generosity, but I spend it all on myself

I believe in going the second mile, but I just don’t make myself do it

Believe in forgiveness but do not forgive

Believe in hearing the call, but will not hear the call.

I believe in Believe in the power, but don’t turn it loose in life

If this your story, then he might as well not have risen, you’re keeping him on ice

People today don’t believe

Today:  jesus rose, so what

Why don’t people believe?

Our Jesus is still in the tomb

1-People don’t believe our message because -Christians can have an arrogance

People are not allowed to ask questions

          You must just take it by faith

2-People don’t believe our message because -Christians don’t love

          They point the fingers at people instead of pointing to God

3-People don’t believe our message because -Christians Don’t forgive others

4-People don’t believe our message because -Christians are just as guilt laden as I am.  They don’t really believe that they are forgiven

When we act like this, Jesus is still in the tomb.

Friends.  There is an alternative.

Jesus talked about an abundant life.  In the abundant life we can know that we are loved.

And because we are loved, we can know that we are forgiven and we can forgive others.

Jn 3:16  God so loved the world

God loves you.  Believe it or not

You cant forgive yourself?

Maybe you need a special crucifixion just for you……

Friend, the work of jesus on the cross is a once and for all time action

And because of it, We are free from Fear and guilt…………

we no longer have to live in them.  romans 5.  No condemnation to those who are in Christ

Story of the sheeply lion

We are free from retribution and from living a life based on getting even. 

The payback is over.  The resurrection means that the cross has put an end to this.  you can live as a forgiver.

To err is human to forgive is devine

It is human for us to want to hurt back

     When u get hurt – what do you do?

1. You might hold back- less likely the next time to step out.   We are artists is k-garten

2. We start making lists-labels…. They hurt me because they are _________.  We protect ourselves by shutting off people that we think might hurt us

3. Revenge- sometimes w hurt back

Because we are forgiven

We can learn to forgive

 Christians should not be  just student s of forgiving, you have to get really good at it

Forgiveness means refusing to make them pay for what they did

To refrain from lashing out at someone when you want to do it with all of your being is a form of agony

In forgiveness, you are absorbing the debt. Taking the cost of it completely on yourself .

You completely absorb the pain instead of lashing out at the other person.  It feels like a kind of death - a kind of suffering

Parker Palmer

   “The cross says, the pain stops here.”

    The cross is a way of absorbing pain,  not passing it on.

“Father forgive them, they don’t know what…”

The way of the cross is a way that transforms pain from destructive impulse into creative constructive transforming power

You see, you are a Christ follower, you do have great power

When Jesus accepted the cross, his death opened up a channel for the redeeming power of love.

This pattern unleashes amazing power in this world- and you get to play.

Any experience of life can be turned for the good.

You will be hauled before magistrates and it will be an opportunity for a testimony. Everything that happens to you in this life, good or bad, a Christian can use. You can transmute anything that comes to you and bring some good. A testimony of God’s grace, rescuing some good out of everything that happens to you.

Yes we can turn pain into joy.  That is the resurrection message.  Bad news to good.  Death into life.  Worry into hope.

Life is stormy.  Relationships are stormy.  You have a chance to bring calm to the storm

As jesus did it, so you too can be used by god to end hostility

God so loved the world

We are free from rejection……he welcomes us.  He embraces us.  Prodigal sons welcome home…….this is how Jesus sees Gods love

Victory………. although we sense the struggle from time to time, but the battle has been fought and the victory is ours in Christ. 

May we now choose to live as Easter people

Winston Churchill had planned his funeral, which took place in Saint Paul’s Cathedral. He included many of the great hymns of the church, and used the eloquent Anglican liturgy. At his direction, a bugler, positioned high in the dome of Saint Paul’s, intoned, after the benediction, the sound of “Taps,” the universal signal that says the day is over. But then came the most dramatic turn: As Churchill instructed, as soon as “Taps” was finished, another bugler, placed on the other side of the great dome, played the notes of “Reveille” - “It’s time to get up. It’s time to get up. It’s time to get up in the morning.” That was Churchill’s testimony that at the end of history, the last note will not be “Taps,” it will be “Reveille.” The worst things are never the last things.

death is not the end.  Depression is not the end.  Hurt is not the end.  Anger is not the end.  The resurrection wakes us up to new life………

Because of the resurrection of jesus we have the promise of new life.

Yes life eternal, but also life now. 

Life filled with love, life filled with hope.  Life filled with joy.

We All Have a Story to Tell: Transformation: What About You?, 4/5/15

Easter sermon 2015   Apr 5      Jn 20:1-18

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalenewent to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” ³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) ¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. ¹¹ Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb ¹² and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. ¹³ They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” ¹⁴ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). ¹⁷ Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

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Its easter what will we talk about?

Usual sermon are about jesus being raised.  Yeah jesus.  What we believe.

Sometimes they are aobut proofs of the resurrection.  Why we believe.

These are good topics, but we will save for another year.

Today, what does it all mean for you.  Do you ever feel like you need a resurrection?

Does religion seem irrelevant

When the guru sat down to worship each evening, the ashram cat would get in the way and distract the worshipers. So he ordered that the cat be tied during evening worship.

After the guru died the cat continued to be tied during evening worship. And when the cat died, another cat was brougt to the ashram so that it could be duly tied during evening worship.

Centuries later learned treatises were written by the guru's disciples on the religious and liturgical significance of tying up a cat while worship is performed.

Do you ever feel like you need a resurrection?

We are running running running in this life

Do you run?

Have you ever run?

Some story about track and wanting to quit.

There is a lot of running around on easter.  From the tomb.  Back to the tomb. Back and forth.

Are you exhausted from a busy life? Working, cooking, fixing, driving kids around

Most of us are

Playing whack a mole - picture

Yes Jesus rose [tell the story]

What a morning it must have been for the women who found the empty tomb!  What a morning, what a day for the disciples.  Their understanding of everything changed with one bit of news - He is no longer here, he is risen from the grave.

Easter =

Resurrection

Renewal

Do over

Start over

New life

Clean slate

We can rise too

Not just in eternity,

But now today – maybe you are tired, maybe you came here skeptical

Rise to the life that god has given you

Jesus brings joy – hope - meaning

Find renewal

Find new life

Find joy

How to do this

1pray- not asking for things but getting to know god

The Jews of a small town in Russia were eagerly awaiting the
arrival of a Rabbi. This was going to be a rare event, so they
spent a lot of time preparing the questions they were going to
put to the holy man. When he finally arrived and they met with him in the town
hall, he could sense the tension in the atmosphere as all prepared
to listen to the answers he had for them.

He said nothing at first; he just gazed into their eyes, and
hummed a haunting melody. Soon everyone began to hum.
He started to sing and they sang along with him. He swayed
and danced in solemn, measured steps. The congregation followed
suit. Soon they became so involved in the dance, so
absorbed in its movements that they were lost to everything
else on earth; so every person in that crowd was made whole,
was healed from the inner fragmentation that keeps us from
the Truth. It was nearly an hour before the dance slowed down and
came to a halt. With the tension drained out of their inner
being, everyone sat in the silent peace that pervaded the
room. Then the Rabbi spoke the only words he pronounced
that evening; "I trust that I have answered your questions."

2 find a place of renewal – redwoods.   Lake jacomo, your deck. A quiet place

You find renewal when it helps you be grounded in  the present

Most of us are worried about the future or tortured by the past.

We go to some cool place and we don’t even see it because we are taking selfies

The Japanese general finally goes to sleep

Where is the place that you must go to see that where you are is wonderful?

Live in the present - Japanese warrior

A Japanese warrior was captured by his enemies and thrown into prison. That night he was unable to sleep because he feared that the next day he would be interrogated, tortured, and executed. Then the words of his Zen master came to him, "Tomorrow is not real. It is an illusion. The only reality is now." Heeding these words, the warrior became peaceful and fell asleep

3. find people. A church. a group.  A mission. A friend

When this you see remember three

My daughter has been asked to join a small group

Introverts don’t join small groups very well

To see the good in the gift of the people around you

In Budapest, a man goes to the priest and complains, "Life is unbearable. There are nine of us living in one room. What can I do?"

The priest answers, "Take your goat into the room with you." The man in incredulous, but the priest insists. "Do as I say and come back in a week." A week later the man comes back looking more distraught than before. "We cannot stand it," he tells the priest. "The goat is filthy." The priest then tells him, "Go home and let the goat out. And come back in a week."
A radiant man returns to the priest a week later, exclaiming, "Life is beautiful. We enjoy every minute of it now that there's no goat -- only the nine of us."

Choosing to live a different life

The book, the Survivors club

Interviewing those who forgot to pull the ripcord.

I froze.

In a moment of difficulty some people freeze

Those who survive take a different path

They look for hope.  They cling to light.

They know where the exit is on the plane.

They drive defensively.

They make a conscious decision to live.

Running.  There is a lot of running around at easter.

Are you running yourself into the ground

Or are you running for joy

Change the world by changing me

I was a revolutionary when I was young and all my prayer to God was "Lord give me the energy to change the world."
"As I approached middle age and realized that half my life was gone without my changing a single soul, I changed my prayer to "Lord, give me the grace to change all those who come in contact with me. Just my family and friends, and I shall be satisfied."
"Now that I am an old man and my days are numbered, my only prayer is, "Lord, give me the grace to change myself. "If I had prayed for this right from the start I would not have wasted my life.

Conclusion

What a morning it must have been for the women who found the empty tomb!  What a morning, what a day for the disciples.  Their understanding of everything changed with one bit of news - He is no longer here, he is risen from the grave.

A day that began in worry and fear quickly gave way to joy and celebration.

Easter should still have this affect on us.  We may rise in the morning with despair and gloom, but the moment we think of Jesus, our outlook can change. 

Lean to get lost in the amazingness of God.

Find a place that renews your heart.

Get connected to people of the soul.

The bad news is not the last news.  worry is temporary, the joy is eternal. 

Don't simply rise to the day.  Awaken to the day!  Jesus is alive, Jesus is with us!

Easter is god's reminder that you can live life with him.

Just as jesus called marys name and everything changed…. Jesus calls your name today and every day.  Easter isn’t just for jesus.  Its for all of us. Lets pray 

RUN FOREST RUN

Opening the Door to Hope: Easter Sunday, Matthew 28:1-10, 4/20/14

Sermon Easter Sunday 4-20-14 Mt 28:1-10

 

28:1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. ² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. ⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” ⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

 

Easter Sunday….what should we talk about?

The resurrection of Jesus

It is talked about so much, do we even recognize the significance?

 

Legend of the Touchstone

According to that ancient legend of the touchstone, if you could find the touchstone on the coast of the Black Sea and hold it in your hand, everything you touched would turn to gold. You could recognize the touchstone by its warmth. The other stones would feel cold, but when you picked up the touchstone, it would turn warm in your hand.

Once a man sold everything he had and went to the coast of the Black Sea in search of the touchstone. He began immediately to walk along the shoreline picking up one stone after another in his diligent and intentional search for the touchstone. However, after several days had passed, he suddenly realized that he was picking up the same stones again and again. So he devised a plan... pick up a stone; if it's cold, throw it into the sea. This he did for weeks and weeks.

Then one morning he went out to continue his search for the touchstone. He picked up a stone; it was cold... he threw it into the sea. He picked up another stone - cold! He threw it into the sea. He picked up another stone... it turned warm in his hand, and before he realized what he was doing... he threw it into the sea!

this can so easily happen to us. We can come upon a miraculous moment like Easter... we can feel it turn warm in our hands... but then (so dulled by the routine) before we realize what we are doing... we throw it away. Absentmindedly, mechanically, nonchalantly... we toss it aside and miss the miracle of Easter.

 

Easter should never be approached, mechanically or routinely.

Easter is a miracle.

 

Easter is about power

Power to live this life in a way that matters and

Power over death

 

All of us have power in this life

I’m not the boss, I have no power.

You have power over many things.

How you spend your free time, how you spend your money, how you speak to people, how you drive, who you love, who you forgive, who you don’t. 

We all have power.

 

Jesus message is verified by his resurrection

And it provides us with a chance to live a life of meaning

Had he not risen, everyone could say, oh, he was a nice guy

By rising from the grave, Jesus declares what message will be told

History belongs to the victors..  To the victor goes the spoils.

Those who win the war, write the story

The message of selfishness&hate has been beaten by the message of love

Humans often use their power to hurt others

When we hurt others, we only hurt ourselves

When we hurt others, we never quite get it right

I am stuck on the irony of The white supremacist who visited the Jewish community center and killed 2 Methodists

          Reat underwood and his grandpa William corporon

Rhets mother, mindy corporon…..refused to let hate have the last word

Normally a quiet person, she decided to meet the press.  To tell her story

The story of hate cannot be the dominant story

There is a story of love, of faith

 

Jesus’ Power is expressed in love

Every time we express love we are walking in the path of Jesus

1 jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. KJV

 

The story of some friends in mark 2 who would not have someone be left out

Ken woodruff and his group went to great lengths to reach a distant friend

It is a picture of love

God sends Jesus to the ends o f the earth to find us and restore us

It is a message of love

He uses his power to love

 

Jesus comes out and meets the women. In John 20 he meets Mary

He doesn’t say, now that I am raised, I am large and in charge

Now that I am powerful I am going to act like the Pharisees………….

Did you ever know someone who got the promotion and it changed them?

Jesus does not use his power to hurt people

He sets the culture…..

He loves them

To Mary he says……… Mary

His candor is the same after the resurrection as it was before.

No pretense – just love

God is love

And so the movement of love is victorious

It is not a movement of who is good and who is bad

It is not a movement of who is right and left or right and wrong

It is a movement of love

 

And so followers of Jesus can step out on to the stage of life w the most powerful weapon ever created………the love of god

with love as his only weapon,  Gandhi liberated India from the British empire

with love as a Guide mother Teresa overcame personal depression and gave her life to the least of these

by the power of love, martin luther king jr changed the face of America

by the power of  love Jesus saved the world

Finish this sentence for yourself………

By the power of love, I _______ [did what?]

Friend you have power to create culture.  To create an atmosphere in your family

 

Finally, Easter means power over death

The grave is not the last chapter of the story for we humans

There is hope

on may 23^rd 1939, a navy submarine the uss squalis had a mechanical problem and sank to the  bottom - 243 feet.. It seemed that all was lost. There was no electricity and the oxygen was quickly running out. In one last attempt to rescue the sailors from the steel coffin, the U.S. Navy sent a ship equipped with Navy divers to the spot on the surface, directly above the wounded submarine. in command was  Lieutenant Commander Charles B. "Swede" Momsen, using the new McCann Rescue Chamber. When the sailors trapped in the sub heard the diving bell land,. In the darkness they tapped in Morse code, "Is there any hope?"

The diver on the outside, recognizing the message, signaled by tapping on the exterior of the sub, "Yes, there is hope."
The kids in the south Korean ferry

 

Some of you walked in the door today hoping to find hope.

Some of u have lost a loved one in the past and you miss them on holidays

Some of you have lost a loved one recently

Some of you have been diagnosed with something dreadful

This is not the last chapter of the story

There is a resurrection. 

 

its easter- conclusion? Yes its easter

we all dress up and everything looks good on the outside

shoes, dresses.  food.  family. 

Is that all there is?

 

For some it is enough.  Life is joyful and carefree. If so, im happy for you

But many need more because there are real concerns in this world.

 

Flight 370 is still missing

Russia - Ukraine

We humans still deal with fear, worry, financial concerns and illness

 

Easter is a story of power- of victorious power

What ever is going on in this world, God is bigger

he is the ruler over nations

 

what is going on in your life

God is big enough to handle it --he reigns

 you can cast your cares on him/ you can trust him

you can rely on him

we will still suffer in this life /but we are not alone

 

whatever is going on in your life, this is a great day because we all wake up to hope.

the brokenness of this life is not the final story
He is risen. 

In this life and in the next,

We have hope

Resurrection Stories Peace Be With You John 20:19-23 5/15/11

Sermon 5-15-11 resurrection stories peace be with youu

John 20:19-23

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

A couple of things
Musical, gina k, iris, change the world, end of the world may 21

If you forgive their sins they are forgiven, if you don’t…
How will we do this?
Are you forgiving people their sins?
Are you forgiving yourself?

The boy kicked his mother and was told the story about him growing up and they had to saw off his leg to get him into the casket
God never forgets

He gives them peace
He forgives them
Without a confession, without any begging on their part

I am not saying that we shouldn’t confess, we should
I am not saying we shouldn’t be sorry for our sins, we should be
But I am asking you to look at the picture in this story.

And I am realizing that it looks the same as in many other stories-
The prodigal son is not squeezed to get his pint of repentance
The thief on the cross is not given the spiritual third degree
Its like Jesus sees their hearts and responds to that
To the entire world -Jesus on the cross
Father forgive them

Paul on the road to Damascus did not confess his sins or say a prayer
He did it later……..maybe, maybe not
But the overwhelming picture given in the story is the amazing power of god

God just rushes in and says, Ive got this

Back to jesus and the disciples hiding in the room

Jesus doesn’t make them grovel
Got a nice note from someone this past week who is struggling with guilt
God loved the people so much that he is taking over and getting his work done.
The work is already done
Accept it

No time for sulking or groveling, I love you – lets go

Christians walk into the room and judge others as needing them
And we are not forgiving their sins.
Who are we to count someones sins agains them?
But we do it because we are still counting our own against ourselves

When you know that you are forgiven, you are much more forgiving to other

some people want me to tell them how bad they are.
why? What does that do to your daily living? Your confidence?
Do you think that Jesus wants you spending you life running around remembering how crummy you are? Is this how you want your children to live?
But this is what we do to ourselves
And what is the result.

We come up with nutty things like this…..
What happens if I sin before I die?
You have to be up on your forgiveness, if you aren’t, then you will go to hell.
Really. Is this what we believe? How did we learn things like this?
Is this what God is like?

Get off of your sin. God’s grace is bigger

We are not filled with the spirit because we are filled with doubt and fear.
2 timothy 1:7 7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Jesus says, receive the holy spirit, forgive their sins
Let them go. Free them. Welcome them. Heal them.
God walks in the room and speaks peace
man is that why they call this good news?

the spirit rushes into the disciples
as the father has sent me, so I am sending you.

We are not very comfortable about being sent
Why
Because we thought the message was - telling everyone how bad they r
Holding their sins against them

But Jesus says, you have to power to forgive them. Do it.

What if we can learn to deliver the message of forgiveness and love?
What if the message doesn’t address what is wrong with you but instead it rushes into you and fills you

You then are able to do this, be this to others
you rush into the room with the message of love.
Are you ok with being sent then?

This blows my theology out of the water.
He does not insist that they repent.
He does not give them any correction
There is nothing that they have to process to receive the blessing
They are simply given the spirit
The peace is imposed.

Is it possible that god’s love is so big that when it comes into the room, nothing else matters?

What kind of god were you taught about?
What kind of god do you follow?
What picture of god are you giving to others?
To your friends, your children?
• Watch out- god is going to judge you
• God is mad at you
• Come learn the secret knowledge of god that only I know
• May 21 end of the world
Or are you teaching them about the god who is love. Who comes into the room and gives the spirit

Conclusion

Jesus walks in the room and gives speaks peace.
What? Are you kidding? They just killed you. And I am glad you have risen as you said but are they going to do that to us?
Peace? Really?

Yes. You are going to live in a world of struggle. But I have overcome and so will you.
Love them, heal them, bless them.

Breath on them
Receive the holy spirit
As the father sent Jesus, so he is sending you
Receive and go carry his love into the next room you are in


Jeff Brinkman
Pastor
Woods Chapel United Methodist Church

You can read Jeff's blog at www.canyouhearthebirdssing.blogspot.com

Easter Luke 24: 1-12 4/24/11

Easter sermon 4-24-11 without and with the resurrection <>

Luke 24: 1-12
1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
Introduction
Good Friday - the same story keeps getting told over and over and it goes right down into our souls.

Into our lives that are so human, the story speaks in a super human way
This Jesus, the son of God, relates to the common person

No other life I n the history of the world has proved to be as powerful and enduring as that of Jesus

Is there anything to this following Jesus?
Following Jesus -it’s not fire insurance

I want to share with you to day that there are joys of being a Christian in this life, and in the world to come.

Let’s begin with a Story
Peter Rollins story about those who did not know about the resurrection
Love, forgiveness, and celebration
I fear that now instead of following him for the kind of life that he taught us, my children will follow him selfishly, because he has ensured their personal salvation and eternal home.

The gifts of the Christian life now
The Christian life is good.

One old pastor used to say, even if there is no eternity, I will choose the Christian life. There is no better life

The gifts of the Christian life here and now
1. Love

Easter reminds us that god loves ordinary and flawed people.
God can do extraordinary things through ordinary people.
Mary was a demon possessed woman, but Jesus healer her Luke 8:1-2

Luke 8:1-2 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;

2. Joy
3. Service

4. Celebration

Transformed the followers then, and continually transforms the lives of those who believe today.

The Christian life in the future
The gifts of the resurrection
This is amazing news –
We who die can live again
Do you believe in eternity? How could I simply cease to exist. The human body is such a miracle wrapped up with a soul.


1. Bible teaches that if we accept Jesus, our sins are forgiven;
Peter's last contact with the lord is the three denials. Now running to the tomb - he saw and believed. And how joyful it was for Jesus to welcome peter back, forgive him and commission him.

2. We spend eternity in heaven. Not to play the harp, but to enjoy the love.

Visiting with atheists about the God of love

3. Questions answered - propositional or relational Presence of God

4. For all of you who have lost a loved one..........see them again

5. No more tears quote revelation- 21:3-6

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.

Conclusion

For the gifts of following you in this life, and in the next, we praise you

We are more than we will ever understand. In Christ we find our completion. We find a place to land that feels right. It feels like home.

All enemies are conquered
Easter gives us hope because what appeared to have been the worst defeat imaginable, remarkably turned out to be the greatest victory of all.

Sin is defeated. Death is defeated. Broken ness is defeated.

Christ is the victor

Easter is god's I want u.

It’s the u r forgiven. Grace flows down. [from the hands and feet, that were nailed to the tree, grace flows down and covers you and me.]

Resurrectoin 4-24-05 John 21:1-18

Sermon John 21:1-18a 4-24-05
Opening:
This is one of the classic stories of resurrection. In the story, Jesus finds peter having returned to his trade. Although Jesus has already appeared to this disciples on earlier occasions, Peter is distracted from his mission and he is back to fishing. In this scripture today, Jesus asks Peter to recommit himself to feeding the sheep.

since this building opened in 1999 much has changed.
In 1999 when the building opened: There was no grace place in the gym. There was no youth room. That was no platform in the gym. There were no bathrooms in the gym and no showers. The fellowship hall was unfinished. There were no appliances in the kitchen. The choir room was not finished. The balcony and the 2nd floor area behind the balcony were a shell. In 1999 there were no elevators and there was no powerpoint in worship.

You have sacrificially gone the second mile. You have succeeded beyond my or anyone’s dreams. Who would have thought that this would happen? Yet in spite of this it is time for us to consider again the need to make room for others
[show slides-does any of this look framiliar?]

Our Foyer is packed with people every Sunday, our parking is woefully inadequate. We need more offices for staff. Our classrooms are packed and we need some large classrooms. My favorite… there is a line at the ladies room.

Because some of you had the foresight to see that these issues would arise, the building committee has been working for two years to be ready with a plan when we needed it, so that we could continue to feed Jesus’ sheep

Today I want to show you their ideas.
Master plan: second entrance, widening of Lakewood way, connecting wing, missions outbuilding, new sanctuary…..we will not tear down the old one…
Phase one: second entrance, widening of Lakewood way, connecting wing, missions outbuilding
Fellowship hall: remodel f hall for use by our children and youth programs. Small dinners, large dinners in gym
Main floor: expanded foyer, bookstore, coffee area, connecting area, new office area
Second floor: additional classrooms, one large enough for youth worship and our large SS classes. These plans are available for you in the foyer today.

Some may say….I don’t want to do this…..Of course we may all think this from time to time. Peter did… It is human nature.
But We must continue to work to create a church and a culture within our church that is about reaching out and feeding the sheep. As soon as we think we have arrived, then God’s ability to use us is over. Do you understand this? As soon as it becomes about us and our comfort, it will no longer be about connecting people to Jesus Christ.

In 1999 our building opened with 350 in attendance. Now we are averaging 950. Were not the 600 people won to Jesus Christ and his church worth the challenges of building? Of the children in our program last week ___ of the children, or / of their families were not here when this building was opened. Was the hard work worth it, seeing that so many have been won?

It is human nature to resist challenge. But Jesus continues to ask us to Take up our cross, feed his sheep and follow him.

We all know that none of this is really about buildings, or who the preacher is, or how many people we have here…
It is all about connecting people to Jesus Christ. Are we doing this?

Think with me of the stories we could tell, of missions projects, and Sunday school growth. Of upwards basketball and the dance ministry. You have adopted children, and delivered tons of food to hungry people. You are learning to give yourselves away.

I have watched you invite your friends…
The first week that Johnny cross came to church, he received 5 mugs delivered to his door.
We are not trying to be smarter than other Christians, we are trying to learn to be Christians who are giving themselves away.

Two weeks ago, you gave your names and phone numbers to

Ken Anderson wrote…It was quite an experience standing up front after the 11:15 service last Sunday. I was blown away. Out of 99 names and numbers….35 he did not even know…It just proves again what kind of a congregation we have. Such a blessing. The Church started that way 28 years ago and all that is changed over the years is that we have grown larger. Thank you for giving people a chance to express their hearts.

Dan wrote….The Head count for the phone #'s was 167 - pretty good but not near as good as the buzz of chatter it created inside the Church walls and outside the walls at the Softball fields today. What an incredible group of people we have at our church. There was a tremendous amount of Joy in the hearts of those who came to me with their phone #'s…it was Very cool! My favorite phone # and note came from a young man who wrote: my phone # xxx-xxxx PS. I can't drive yet, I'm 12, but I have a bike with pegs.

CVV church wanted new land for a parking lot…..one of you bought that land for them

Our culture
I am looking for the words to describe this woods chapel thing.
We have been sharing something here. No it is not a perfect something. But it is a very special something.
We have enjoyed it, and we have invited our friends to share in this special fellowship. It is wonderful, but not in a churchy way.
It is wonderful in a supernatural way, we have the kind of spirituality that regular people seek……and Folks, we have a responsibility to keep this going.

I wanted today to give your hearts and minds a chance to catch up with the staff and the building committee.
There are copies of these plans for you to pick up in the foyer. There will be an all church conference in the future for you to consider and approve or reject these plans.

In order to move forward we must have three things
1. a clear sense of need
1. a strong sense of focus on our mission of connecting people to Jesus Christ.
2. the financial resources

The need for parking and additional bathrooms are clear. If you cant find a place to park, and you have to wait in line to use the restroom, pretty soon you will be looking for a new church.
> 1. Foyer> Expanding our foyer will give our folks more fellowship opportunities and> more ways to get connected. They will be able to visit a connecting point> which is a "booth" or a "designated area" and find out how to get connected within our church while they are there on Sunday morning. They will enjoy a fellowship atmosphere to meet friends by visiting the coffee bar and donut area.> > 2. Children Youth & adult program Areas> As we grow we are attracting more families with children and youth. We will expand these areas so we have the room to make our Sunday School program one of the best hours of our kid's week. We will be able have a children's worship area where video and drama are used to teach this generation about how to live the Christian life at home, school and the neighborhood. The Youth will be able to worship in an area that gives them more room to grow and actually use our church as a "place they want to bring their friends. Some of our larger adult classes will have enough room to meet in and to grow in.> > 3. Missions Building> The missions building isn't about what WE want or what WE need - it is> about reaching out into our community and helping those less fortunate. It isn't about making our church more beautiful, it isn't about making our life> more convenient - it is about "Connecting People to Jesus Christ" in one of the most wonderful and powerful ways ... serving Jesus by helping His less fortunate children. Also for the first time in any building campaign there is talk of giving a portion of the funds to help our sister churches around the world.
Conclusion
The question that Jesus asked peter, he continues to ask his followers today.
Do you love me more than these things that distract you….then feed my sheep. Peter did just that. He spent the rest of his life telling people about Jesus. He gave his life, literally, to the mission. At woods chapel, our mission is not over. There are still sheep to win

But These dreams will only happen if God speaks to your hearts and asks you to reach out to others, as others have reached out to you.

I invite you to be praying with me and the building committee as we seek to reach and win other people to Jesus Christ and his church.


Please stand for our scripture reading from John 21:1-18a

1Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias.[a] It happened this way: 2Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3“I'm going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We'll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5He called out to them, “Friends, haven't you any fish?” “No,” they answered.
6He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.[b] 9When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
11Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” 18Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.

This is the word of the Lord, may God send his Holy Spirit to bless it to our hearts as we gather in his name today. Please be seated.