“DO Believe In Resurrection”
Today, we begin a short series, three sermons on belief. Three weeks to ground us on three crucial beliefs that we hold in common in the larger Christian church – resurrection, the vital role of Holy Spirit as we celebrate Pentecost next week, and then the mystery of Trinity as we together ponder Trinity Sunday, the following week.
As we begin to talk about our belief as a church in resurrection we find ourselves wondering how to articulate the theological concept. It reminds me of a story about a Baptist preacher sharing a children’s sermon. During the sermon, pastor asked the children if they knew what the resurrection was. These are children who apparently had plenty screen time. Now, asking questions during children’s sermons is always vital and a bit dangerous. Having asked the children if they knew the meaning of the resurrection, a little boy raised his hand… The pastor called on him and the little boy said, “I know that if you have a resurrection that lasts more than four hours you are supposed to call the doctor.” (1)
After the resurrection of Jesus, the disciple stuck close to Jesus. The wanted to make sure he would hang around for a while. So, they were hanging onto to his every word. Each story was like a greatest hit that they could sing along to when it was that Jesus ascended to heaven on that day. It is Luke’s Gospel who gives us the image of the disciples staring at the sky, as it continues in the book of Acts. Luke and Acts have the same author. Just as the death of Jesus took the disciples by surprise, so did resurrection throw them for a loop, and then did ascension leave them agog. But now, the disciples had all the pieces of the theological puzzle in order to understand. And put it together – they could do!
Shifting focus from the heavens to the earth was learning Jesus is Lord now and here as well for always and forever! For the earliest believers to proclaim that Jesus was Lord, meant radically that Caesar and Herod were not Lord. This is not only religious in meaning, but intentionally political. In the same way, that when we proclaim Jesus is Lord, we are choosing allegiance to Jesus over all else. Also, ascension reminds us that with resurrection, Jesus is not bound in time, place, or space. In the historical place and time of Nazareth, Jesus was. However, Christ is not. In Ascension, we are reminded that God is here and now as well as then and there. (2) Jesus breaks through our expectations and limitations, caring for us in any way.
These declarations of faith slowly began to find their way into creeds for groups of followers. Creeds are the agreed upon faith statements of the body of believers. “I have heard of your faith,” writes the author of Ephesians. What does that faith include, we wonder? As we ponder what we believe as a church, we acknowledge that sometimes personally, we find ourselves throwing our hands in the physical or figurative air in frustration or confusion about what we perceive God or God’s people has or has not done. Creeds developed, shaped, and affirmed by the church give us some form and sense of what the church understands the God and God’s people have and have not done. They speak to our shared understand about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the role of the church, humanity, life, death, and much more. Shared language is a benefit, even when the conclusion is not shared.
Interestingly, the Methodist church, from her beginnings has never been a creedal church. What that means is that when you join the church, whether through baptism or membership vows, you are not obliged or required to recite or adopt a statement of faith or creed as a prerequisite to membership as is the custom of other traditions. Why unlike other mainline or non-denominational church is the Methodist church non-creedal? Historians will point you to the pragmatic nature of the Methodist movement, mission over theology, or even Wesley’s own experience of a maternal grandfather was a non-conformist pastor in Britain. (3)
While creeds are not obligatory, traditionally this congregation utilizes the Apostles Creed to ground the congregation in our historical faith tradition at times of baptism, membership, confirmation, and other liturgical celebrations. The Apostles Creed was developed in the 2nd century as loosely agreed upon short list of essentials to confess ahead of baptism. Many of the later church intricacies and conflicts are not alluded to in the Apostles Creed. (4)
Part of our faith is ration and reason that we can articulate and explain in clauses, and parts are emotion with mystery and intuition. Each of us find our preference in difference pieces of that spectrum. In our worship, personal and corporate, faith draws us back to God and God invites back into relationship. In our creeds and articulated faith, we glimpse all of these parts of who we are and whose we are in relationship.
Mother’s Day has a deep history in the Methodist church as day to honor your mother by working for justice for issues the most affect women and children. On the strength of belief in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting, we understand that the work of here and now is as important as the reward of then and there. We give thanks to God for those who biked in our second annual Bike Southern Chester County bike run yesterday to benefit Family Promise and work to alleviate and eliminate homelessness here and around the world. We pray for all those who work each and every day to make our world more welcoming and hospitable through the ministry of presence and kindness. We pray for all those who share the gospel of Jesus with those they know and those that they are just meeting so that all may know Christ.
On this day developed by Ann Jarvis’ insistent petitions to Woodrow Wilson on behalf of women and particularly the social changes needed for working mothers, we think not only young mothers chasing sleep and young toddlers. We pray for all those who are mothering and have mothered both their own children and the children of the village across years. We pray for all those who have mothers and are mothers. Perhaps especially on this Ascension Mother’s Day, we think of those who are remembering Mothers who have already moved into the more immediate presence of Jesus. Those who wish their Mother’s Day might include another conversation or another good belly laugh with mom or nana. May each of us know peace that passes understanding and the hope of resurrection.
When we live as people who believe in the resurrection, we live differently in the here and now. We live as people who care well for one another to alleviate suffering and increase joy. We care about our loved ones are treated as well as those loved ones, we’ve yet to meet are treated. We live as those who know that the resurrection of the body is necessarily connection to the future in life everlasting. We anticipate the future with joy and excitement. We live lives that honor God in all ways possible. (5)
Additionally, we live as those who look for resurrection and hope around us, we also look forward to the day that is coming some in which we will know incredible healing and restoration. In gathering many creeds, there was contention and dissention, division and heartache. These truths – Jesus rose from the death and ascended to heaven – have stood long against time and division.
The preacher asked the kids – what do you know about resurrection. The church should say – It is here and now and eternal – then and there!
This is the Good news of our Lord Jesus Christ, thanks be to God, Amen.
(1) http://churchoflaugh.com/resurrection-defined-by-a-child/
(2) Borg, Marcs. Jesus: The Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary, 2015.
(3) Wesley, John. Journal of John Wesley, 1951.
(4) Hamilton, Adam. Creed: What Christians Believe and Why, 2016.
(5) Wright, N.T. Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, 2008.
New Testament Lesson: Ephesians 1:15-23
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Gospel Lesson: Luke 24:44-53
Then Jesus said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
Meditations For Your Week
Sunday, May 13 ~ Saturday, May 19
Sunday: “I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.” Ephesians 1: 15-16. Pause today for pray for all who have mothers, have been mothers, remember mothers, and will be a mother.
Monday: “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.” Ephesians 1: 17-19. Where is God calling you today to have the eyes of your heart opened?
Tuesday: “God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.” Ephesians 1: 20-21. Consider the mystery of resurrection here and now as well as then and there in the age to come.
Wednesday: “And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:22-23 Take time to today to give praise to God who is God of all in heaven and earth!
Thursday: “Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Luke 24:44-47. Pray today that God opens the scriptures to you.
Friday: “You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so, stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’” Luke 24: 48- 49. As God’s witnesses, with whom will you share God’s promises?
Saturday: “Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.” Luke 24: 50-53. At Ascension, Jesus prepares the disciples for what comes next. How are you being prepared for what comes next?