The Wrong Question

It was early Sunday morning,

I imagine it was a morning much like today --- foggy and the air heavy

the Sabbath was over

          Mary Magdalene decided to go to the tomb to honor the dead body of Jesus

But as she arrived --- to her surprise she noticed that the stone covering the tomb that Jesus body had been placed in had been moved.

She ran at once to Simon Peter and breathlessly called out, “They took the Master from the tomb. We don’t know where they’ve put him.”

Mary, Peter and another disciple ran back to the tomb. 

          The boys went inside but didn't find Jesus

Mary stood outside the tomb weeping.

As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus’ body had been laid. They said to her, “Woman, why do you weep?”

“They took my Master,” she said, “and I don’t know where they put him.”

She then turned away and saw someone standing there.

But she didn’t recognize the person.

The man spoke to her, “Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?”

Mary, in her confusion and grief thought that he was the gardener, said, “Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him.”

The stranger said one word: “Mary.”

Turning in the midst of her tears, she said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” meaning “Teacher!”

Jesus then said, “Don’t cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: “I saw the Master!” And she told them everything he said to her.

I love that story --- it is my favorite of all the resurrection morning stories.

I have tried over and over again throughout the years to try and explain just what happened that Easter morning.

          Trying to bring the disparate versions into some sense of harmony

Earlier this week, as I was preparing a presentation for those who are traveling to Israel next January.  I was looking at some of my pictures that I have taken over the years I was struck by one in particular.

It is a photo taken outside one of my favorite churches in Jerusalem --- it is a church built by donations given by 12 nations following the end of World War One in the hope and prayer that this was the dawn of a new age.  --- It is known as the “Church of All Nations.

The church is adjacent to the Garden of Gethsemane and the alter is build around a rock where Jesus is believed to have prayed before being arrested.

          It is truly a remarkable place

But what caught my attention in this picture was a very large sign at the entrance to the church --- it was a clear warning to every visitor. It said:

          NO EXPLANATIONS INSIDE THE CHURCH.

Obviously this was there to discourage overzealous guides who wanted to lecture inside the church and disrupt the prayerful setting.  But on this particular day, it was speaking to me.

Easter is one of the most challenging Sunday's to preach. 

What can one say that hasn't already been said?

And yet, confronted by a room full of people who spend most of their time in secular ways of thinking, where the dead stay dead and God—if there is one—does not intervene in the natural order --- I have often found myself trying to explain what happened on that first Easter in a way that might make sense to the modern mind.

There is nothing wrong with addressing people’s doubts, or wondering what facts might lie behind what Rowan Williams calls the “painfully untidy stories” of the Easter narratives.

          But I have concluded --- that is work for another day.

Easter Sunday is for proclamation, not explanation.

Easter is a time to meet the One who changes everything.

Mary, as she came to the tomb that first Easter morning didn't ask --- "what happened?"

Instead, we find Mary weeping

          She is distraught over the death of her beloved friend Jesus

                   She --- like the rest of his followers expected great things

I am not sure they fully understood what those great things would be

But they surely did not expect him to die at the hands of the Romans on a cross

And while she was looking for his broken and very dead body

          Mary encounters someone whom she assumes is the gardener

Now I have never seen a resurrected body

But if my brother Stewart was to all of a sudden show up at my door --- and remember he died 34 years ago --- I would be willing to bet that I would recognize him

But Mary --- who the Gospel writers tell us was at the crucifixion just three days earlier --- Mary does not recognize this person who is standing in front of her and actually having a conversation with

I have a hard time understanding that

I have often said --- that if you are I were there on that first Easter morning with our I-Phones ready --- I don't believe that we would have been able to capture or record the event

          I do not believe it was a Kodak moment

But what was it then???

          I don't know

                   And I really don't think it matters

                             That is the wrong question --- but the one we often want to answer

What I do know is:

Mary --- standing outside the tomb weeping does not know who she is talking with --- UNTIL --- do you remember what changed everything?

                   Until he calls her by her name

Something about the way that Jesus called her name --- Mary --- was transformative

At that MOMENT the resurrection became real for Mary

And not only did Mary recognize Jesus in that moment

          Jesus recognized something in her

                   He saw in her what she was created to be

And this moment becomes so transformative --- so real --- that Mary breaks all the rules of first century society

Do you remember what happens?

Jesus said, “Don’t cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.’”

Do you realize what just happened?

In a world and society in which women were third rate citizens

          A world in which the author of 1st Timothy is going to write in a few short years

I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing, provided they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty.

Did you hear that?

          GO, Jesus said, AND TELL THEM

The first preacher of the Gospel --- selected by Jesus himself to tell the news of his resurrection was not Peter, or John --- the first preacher of the Gospel was Mary!  A WOMAN!

Is that crazy or what!

Jesus ordains Mary --- he commissions her to go tell the Good News

          Not because she recognized Jesus

          But because Jesus recognized her

The question is NOT what happened on that first Easter --- but where is Jesus now!

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Where is Jesus?

The rest of the Gospel tries to explain that to us.

Jesus --- the Christ --- is here RIGHT NOW

          He sees YOU!

                   He is inviting you

                             To see Jesus --- the Christ --- in everything

There is a powerful scene in all three of the synoptic gospels during the crucifixion that we often let slide by unnoticed

At the moment that Jesus dies --- all three Gospel writers want to make sure we know that the world is forever changed.

And they do that by telling us that the earth began to shake and rocks were split into pieces --- but they throw in this seemingly unimportant statement

          "At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom."

What does that have to do with anything?

Who cares if the curtain of the temple is suddenly torn in two?

It would be important if you were a first century Jew who worshipped at the temple.

The temple was made up a series of more and more restrictive spaces.

          The further in --- access becomes more and more limited

And at the center of the temple was the most restrictive space of all: The Holy of Holies.

          Only the High Priest was allowed to enter the threshold of God

For the Temple worshipping Jew ---The Holy of Holies was THE dwelling place of God

          It was where God lived

And what separated the Holy of Holies from the next space in the temple was --- yep you guessed it --- a curtain

The Gospel writers are wanting us to know that God has been released into the world

          No longer is God dwelling in that one spot

But through the death and resurrection of Jesus

          --- God is now EVERY WHERE

On this Easter morning --- the question should not be: What Happened?

But rather: How is the Risen Lord transforming our lives as he calls us by name and is inviting us into Kingdom life.

Jesus is calling YOU by your name

Hear his voice and respond to the Kingdom call.

According to John: Do This

John 13:34-35

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

I am preaching from the same section of John that Matt did last week.  A section known as Jesus' final discourse. 

Jesus is giving his friends, their final instructions before his arrest, trial, crucifixion and resurrection take place.

This is a busy part of John's Gospel.

Matthew, Mark and Luke condensed the events before Jesus’ arrest into just a few verses, while John takes almost five chapters to tell us about this final evening.

The evening begins very differently in John --- it starts not with the 12 gathered around the table that we call the last supper on a Thursday night --- but rather in John, this final night takes place on Wednesday (so that Jesus can die at the same moment as the Passover lambs on Thursday). 

It also begins with Jesus doing something that most of us find uncomfortable --- he washes the disciples' feet.

Have you ever been to a foot washing service and allowed someone to wash your feet?

Most people find the idea of allowing someone to wash their feet intimidating.

                   Even Peter in the story doesn't want Jesus to wash his feet

Foot washing is:

          Very intimate

          It requires us to be vulnerable

          It requires us to give up control

                   All things that we like hate to do

I once asked my worship leaders about doing a foot washing service for Maundy Thursday and instead one of them came back with a hand washing service

          I am sorry --- it is not the same!

But that is the backdrop to these chapters in John's gospel.

Jesus is setting the stage for his final instructions

Following the foot washing, there is a brief, if spotty story of the last supper, in which Jesus announces that one of the disciples is about to betray him

Judas departs the scene --- to go and betray Jesus --- and John wants to make sure we know that it is night --- darkness has settled on Judas

The story continues:

John 13:31-33    (CEB)

When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Human One has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify the Human One in himself and will glorify him immediately. Little children, I’m with you for a little while longer. You will look for me—but, just as I told the Jewish leaders, I also tell you now—‘Where I’m going, you can’t come.’

This glorification will be realized in Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection.

Through these events God will be glorified in the Christ.

And in this moment, Jesus wants to prepare his disciples for the reality of what is about to take place and to command them to love one another.

I have shared with you many times the other "love" passages that are found in the New Testament.  Many of those echo Leviticus 19:18 .

Matthew 22:37-39     (CEB)

“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.

But here in John, Jesus gives us a new commandment --- and yet it really isn't new. 

          It is present throughout the Hebrew Bible and the Jewish tradition

          It is present in the emerging Greco-Roman world

          It is a theme of virtually every religion

John 13:34-35

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

But what does it mean to love?

In our biblical text there are four words for love.

          Eros is the word for sensual or romantic love.

          Philia means brotherly love or friendship.

          Storge describes the love between family members.

Which of those do you think was being used in these passages?

None of them!

John uses the word agape

Agape is the term that defines God's immeasurable, incomparable love for humankind.

God gives this love without condition, unreservedly to those who are undeserving and inferior

The best definition that I have found for agape is this: "Agape is a sacrificial love that voluntarily suffers inconvenience, discomfort, and even death for the benefit of another without expecting anything in return."

Listen to that again: "Agape is a sacrificial love that voluntarily suffers inconvenience, discomfort, and even death for the benefit of another without expecting anything in return."

I am not sure I really like that kind of love.

          It seems impossible

Loving people who agree with me, or whom I like --- is pretty easy.

It is trying to agape those others -- that is where this Christianity stuff becomes pretty difficult.

There is a tradition that says that John, in his old age, would remind those around him to love one another. When questioned why he told them this so very often, his reply would be, “Because it is what our Lord commanded. If it is all you do, then it is enough.”

For Jesus, love did not mean a sweet sentimental feeling.

          It meant action.

          It meant actively loving -- putting one’s love into real world activities.

Last week I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico at a conference lead by Father Richard Rohr.  I know that you are familiar with the name because any Sunday that Matt is preaching you are certain to hear him quote Father Rohr in some fashion.

It was a very different conference than any I have ever been before.

          Generally I go to these continuing education events for a couple of reasons.

1.    Because I am required to do continuing education each year

2.    Hoping that I can learn something that will be useful for the church

But this was different --- I quickly realized that this was not going to put things into my "church" toolbox --- but that this had the potential to add growth and significance to my personal toolbox.

                   

The focus was on how we experience the Christ in our lives.  And along with teaching time --- a majority of our time was in worship and practice.

During one of the worship services early on, Rev. Jacqui Lewis from Middle Collegiate Church in New York City challenged us to identify the justice issues that we struggle with and are passionate about. 

As we did that the question that she asked was: "what are you willing to die for?"

I have been asked that question numerous times throughout my 35 years in ministry --- but for some reason --- in this setting --- in the midst of all that is going on in our denomination and culture --- it seemed different.

And as I wrestled during our "sit" --- fifteen minutes or so of silent contemplation --- the word agape kept coming to me.

"Agape is a sacrificial love that voluntarily suffers inconvenience, discomfort, and even death for the benefit of another without expecting anything in return."

Do I do anything centered in agape love or am I always expecting something in return?

          Am I willing to live a truly sacrificial life?

Does my love --- or the love I ascribe to God come with strings attached?

John 15:12-14    (CEB)

This is my commandment: love each other just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than to give up one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

I have so much work to do in my life.

But the good news is --- while Jesus calls on us to agape one another --- God promises to continue to agape each of us. 

And not only that --- through the Holy Spirit we will know God's abiding presence

None of us have loved like Jesus call us to love --- yet we are invited, despite ourselves to come to God's table.  To be linked to God's family.

When we gather at the table, what Jesus is really saying to us when he says "Do this" is not simply come up for the Eucharist --- but to come in unconditional love and invited others unconditionally to come as well.

Let me close with these words from Psychology Today (6/25/16) in an article called: "These Are the 7 Types of Love"

Agape is universal love, such as the love for strangers, nature, or God. Unlike storge, it does not depend on . . . familiarity. Also called charity by Christian thinkers, agape can be said to encompass the modern concept of altruism, defined as unselfish concern for the welfare of others. Recent studies link altruism with a number of benefits. In the short term, altruism leaves us with a euphoric feeling—the so-called ‘helper’s high’. In the longer term, it is associated with better mental and physical health, as well as longevity. . . . More generally, altruism, or agape, helps to build and maintain the psychological, social, and, indeed, environmental fabric that shields, sustains, and enriches us. Given the increasing anger and division in our society, and the state of our planet, we could all do with quite a bit more agape.

We have been blessed with God’s agape love

Are we willing to extend that love to others?

"Agape is a sacrificial love that voluntarily suffers inconvenience, discomfort, and even death for the benefit of another without expecting anything in return."

Do this! --- Jesus says

According To John: I Am

John 8:56-58  --- The Message

Jesus said, “If I turned the spotlight on myself, it wouldn’t amount to anything. But my Father, the same One you say is your Father, put me here at this time and place of splendor. You haven’t recognized him in this. But I have. If I, in false modesty, said I didn’t know what was going on, I would be as much of a liar as you are. But I do know, and I am doing what he says. Abraham—your ‘father’—with jubilant faith looked down the corridors of history and saw my day coming. He saw it and cheered.”

The Jews said, “You’re not even fifty years old—and Abraham saw you?”

“Believe me,” said Jesus, “I am who I am long before Abraham was anything.”

Moses was tending the sheep of his father in law Jethro in the Sinai desert at least 1,200 years before Jesus. 

          Do you remember the story?

While he was doing this he came upon a bush (Exodus 3:2-5 The Message)

The angel of God appeared to him in flames of fire blazing out of the middle of a bush. He looked. The bush was blazing away but it didn’t burn up.

Moses said, “What’s going on here? I can’t believe this! Amazing! Why doesn’t the bush burn up?”

God saw that he had stopped to look. God called to him from out of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

He said, “Yes? I’m right here!”

God said, “Don’t come any closer. Remove your sandals from your feet. You’re standing on holy ground.”

God said to Moses that he was to return to Egypt (which he had fled from for he had murdered an Egyptian) and lead the Israelite people to the Promised Land.

Moses, like most of us, when we are called to stand up for God --- was --- well to put it mildly he was a little hesitant.

He tries to beg off.

                    But God is having no part of it.

In one last attempt to get out of it Moses says:

Exodus 3:13-15 --- The Message

 “Suppose I go to the People of Israel and I tell them, ‘The God of your fathers sent me to you’; and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ What do I tell them?”

God said to Moses, “I-AM-WHO-I-AM. Tell the People of Israel, ‘I-AM sent me to you.’”

God continued with Moses: “This is what you’re to say to the Israelites: ‘God, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob sent me to you.’ This has always been my name, and this is how I always will be known.

God identifies God's self with one of the most fascinating and perplexing answers ever given.

Tell them, God says --- Tell them --- "I Am" sent you

What kind of a name is that?

This Hebrew word is four consonants long (ancient Hebrew did not have vowels)

Y H W H

And using the consonants Y H W H and the vowels in Elohim (another name for God) we get the word Yahweh and JEHOVAH (J is a Y in German)

Whenever you see LORD in small caps in your bible it is because the writers were using the word YHWH

But what does it mean?

The name is from the Hebrew verb Hawah — to be. In a world where there were thought to be dozens of deities — gods of the moon, storms, death, the sea, the sun —

God says to Moses, “I am being or existence itself. Everything that exists derives its existence from me, is contingent upon me, exists because of me. I am the Source and Essence of life, being, existence itself!” (Hamilton)

My systematic theology professor was a student of Paul Tillich, and his understanding of theology has greatly shaped my own.

Paul Tillich described God as "the ground of all being."

In other words, God IS. 

Everything exists because of God and is infused with God

Everything!

The conference that I am attending this week is called The Universal Christ: Another Name for Every Thing

Our passage this morning, Jesus is in a conflict with the religious leaders (as he often is in the fourth Gospel) and they are arguing over what it means to be a descendant of Abraham.

And Jesus says to them     (John 8:58-59)

“Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

In John's Gospel there are seven "I Am" statements in which Jesus uses a predicate to complete the sentence.

In studying these it is obvious that John's goal is to help us understand how faith in Jesus affects our lives.

My hunch is most of us are pretty familiar with these.

1.    I Am the bread of life. (John 6:35)

2.    I Am the light of the world. (John 8:12)

3.    I Am the gate of the sheep. (John 10:7)

4.    I Am the good shepherd. (John 10:11)

5.    I Am the resurrection and the life. (John 11:25)

6.    I Am the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:6)

7.    I Am the true vine. (John 15:1)

The seven I Am statements form the distinctive core of Jesus’ language of self-revelation in the fourth Gospel.

Jesus used common symbols of his age to help let the people know that not only their religious needs, but also their human longings are met in him.

The I Am statements tell us a number of things about Jesus

·         Jesus is more than meets the eye

No one title or tradition can contain the totality of Jesus’ identity

                             Thus the use of metaphor to fill us with lots of images of Jesus

·         Jesus is available and welcoming to all

o   Bread

o   Light

o   Gate

·         The religious authorities (nor do we) like the welcome that Jesus wants to give away.  The authorities want strict rules and guidelines and Jesus constantly knocks them down

So they (and we) plot ways to get rid of Jesus and his followers who continued to proclaim this agape love

GOD IS --- I AM --- there is no asterisk by it

          God is all --- and is responsible for all of creation

God created Charlotte who receives baptism this morning

God created you and me as we struggle to be open and accepting of God’s grace

Jesus is light and life that is bestowed on everyone

And everyone --- whether we agree with Jesus or each other --- is invited to his table

          It is big enough for all

What the "I Am" statements teach us more than anything is that all people need for life is available in Jesus

According To John: Signs of Jesus

John 5:2-11, 16-18 

Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.” Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.

Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, “It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” But he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’”

Therefore the Jews started persecuting Jesus, because he was doing such things on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, and I also am working.” For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.

Can you imagine a President of the United States that did not believe that Jesus was God?

A President who didn’t believe that the miracles of Jesus were authentic but rather were myths?

A President devoted to the teaching of Jesus — but not always agreeing with how Jesus was interpreted by the biblical sources?

         

Can you imagine a President who saw the four gospels as "untrustworthy correspondents?"

Thomas Jefferson struggled with the Biblical account of Jesus --- so he created his own gospel by taking a sharp instrument, perhaps a penknife, to copies of the New Testament and pieced together his own account of Christ’s philosophy.

Much of the material Jefferson elected to not include related to miraculous events, he rejected anything that he perceived as “contrary to reason.”

          Including the resurrection stories

Thomas Jefferson did what many of us want to do at times —- excise from our minds things that don’t make sense or cannot be proven.

Last week, I had the privilege of teaching the re-confirm class. 

It is a class for adults who want to go over the same material that the youth are learning in confirmation.

It was my first chance to teach the class and I found it fascinating.

What I realized is that:

·         They have the same questions that the youth have — they just have better tools to articulate those questions

·         They are not always sure what to do with the things that don’t make sense

But what fascinated me the most was an explanation given why our youth struggle so much with accepting what they read in the Bible

What was shared was that students today are taught in school that they must prove things.

          Papers are written with the need to PROVE a position

                   How does one PROVE what is written in the Bible?

Even John understood this in his conclusion to his Gospel in Jesus’ encounter with Thomas — when he said (20:29)

“Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

It is understandable how Jefferson could then conclude that we should remove all those un-provable stories from the Bible —

but then again — maybe he was missing the point

John has only seven miracle stories in the Gospel while the Synoptic Gospel's have over 30 different ones

John not only excludes many of the miracles in the synoptic Gospels, but he sees them as having a very different purpose

          In the synoptics they are there to win people to Jesus

                   That is not John’s purpose

John does not even call them miracles

          He sees them as SIGNS

Let me elaborate a little

          In John there are 7 Signs — in biblical times numerology was very important

                   7 = wholeness or completeness

          In John there are 7 "I Am" sayings

                   I don’t think it is a coincidence

Bart Ehrman says:

Jesus does not do as many miracles in John as he does in the Synoptics, but the ones he does are, for the most part, far more spectacular. Indeed, unlike in the Synoptics, Jesus does nothing to hide his abilities; he performs miracles openly in order to demonstrate who he is. 

Jesus performs miracles openly in order to demonstrate who he is

What do these signs say about who Jesus is?

          For John —- there is always more than what is visible to the eye

I find the first sign in John’s Gospel fascinating — It is the story of Jesus and his mother attending a wedding together in the small community of Cana

It is the elements of the Cana story that are so intriguing.

Jesus and his disciples, who have been down in the Jordan valley with John the Baptist, return to the Galilee to join a wedding celebration.

Jesus’ mother Mary and his brothers are already there (2:12), so it seems to be some kind of “family affair.”

Indeed, Mary seems to be at some level officially involved in the celebration as a kind of co-hostess since she takes charge of things when the wine planned for the occasion, unexpectedly runs out, indicating either that the crowd was larger than expected or that things became quite festive, or both.

Mary turns to Jesus and tells him take care of the problem

Jesus finds nearby six stone jars (not the typical clay jars) that could hold 20 or 30 gallons of water and he told the servants to fill the jars to the brim.

After filling the jars, he instructs them to draw off some of the water and take it to the headwaiter

John 2:9-10 (The Message)

When the host tasted the water that had become wine (he didn’t know what had just happened but the servants, of course, knew), he called out to the bridegroom, “Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap stuff. But you’ve saved the best till now!”

In some ways this is one of the strangest stories in the Bible surrounding Jesus.

We all know the point of the story isn’t that Jesus is the life of the party and if you run out of wine Jesus will bring the good stuff

          But what is John trying to tell us?

What is hidden beneath the surface that a literal reading won't tell us?

I believe there are a couple of key concepts here

·         John seems to imply that if we do as Jesus tells us to do — then our ordinary lives can become extraordinary

·         Jesus took stone jars, not clay ones, because stone jars were used for ritual cleansing.  Jesus seems to be saying that he will cleanse us of the impurities in our life if we will follow.   Or as Hamilton put it: “life in Christ is richer and more joyful than the ritualistic religion of first century Judaism.”

·         This full extraordinary life is available right now — not just in the future

What is amazing, is these same concepts are found in the second “Sign” story that I want to look at

This is one of my favorite of the "Sign" stories in John

Jesus has made his way back to Jerusalem for his 2^nd (of three visits)

          This is one of the big differences between John and the Synoptic Gospels

In the Synoptic Gospels Jesus only goes to Jerusalem once (at the end of his ministry)

                             In John, Jesus travels to Jerusalem three times

Jesus is near the sheep gate — near the modern Lion’s Gate (or St. Stephen’s gate)

It is the Sabbath — and that will become an important detail

The location of this sign is the Pools of Bethesda the remains of which are still visible today

It was believed that this was a place where one could experience healing — thus people would gather in the hope that they might be the next one healed.

The Pools of Bethesda are described as having five porticoes — a puzzling feature suggesting an unusual five-sided pool, which most scholars dismissed as an unhistorical literary creation.

Yet when this site was excavated, it revealed a rectangular pool with two basins separated by a wall—thus a five-sided pool—and each side had a portico.

This story about Jesus’ miracle suggests a long history of healing at the site.

Roman medicinal baths constructed at the Bethesda Pool only a century or two later reflect this continued tradition.

When Christians controlled Jerusalem in the Byzantine and Crusader periods, they liked to mark the sites of Jesus’ miracles and other important events in his life, so they added a chapel and churches that now cover the Bethesda Pool complex.

The way the story is told it was understood that the first person to enter the pool when the waters were stirred up would supposedly be cured of his or her ailment

We are told that there was a man who had been ill for 38 years who had been coming to the pools for a long time hoping to be cured.

Jesus sees him and asks him a profound question: “Do you want to get well?”

The truth of the matter is, many of us don’t want to be made well

          We like our addictions, our illnesses, our whatever it is that ails us

But this man wants to be cured — he says to Jesus

“Sir, when the water is stirred, I don’t have anybody to put me in the pool. By the time I get there, somebody else is already in.”  John 5:7 (MSG)

The very next thing we see is Jesus — seemingly ignoring the superstition surrounding the water AND the man’s complaint as to why he’s still there after 38 years — telling the man to get up, pick up his mat and walk --- Notice, Jesus does not put him in the waters.

What’s lost in the translation from Greek is that Jesus’ words to the man carry the implication of an order — almost like that of a commanding General to a private.

Immediately the guy was on his feet — mat in hand — heading toward the Temple

It is at this point that we can begin to see the deeper meaning John has been leading us toward.

"DO YOU WANT TO GET WELL?”

With this question, Jesus meant to get both this ailing man’s attention and ours — to help us see a truth which is too often overlooked.

Jesus knew that healing and moving forward in transformation was going to require the paralytic man to move into territory he’d never known.

His circumstances were sad and unfortunate, and undoubtedly he’d wished, wanted, and even prayed to be able to walk thousands of times over the last 38 years.

But Jesus knew that not everything about being healed would be easy.

There would be some results of his healing that would be a challenge.

For instance, he was immediately going to be accused of being a sinner by the religious leaders.

          Why? Because he was breaking the law by carrying his mat on the Sabbath

Yet, when we read the story carefully, it appears that Jesus very intentionally picked a Sabbath to heal the man

We Jesus trying to make a point to the religious leaders?

          Was he trying to push their buttons?

                   It really seems so

Jesus is seems is trying to open the eyes of those who get wrapped up in the law and fail to see God's grace because of it.

          Sometimes we cannot see what it right in front of us.

Hamilton reminds us of this with a story about Vincent Van Gogh's masterpiece painting: Starry Night

The painting shows a town and a church at night --- I am sure you are familiar with it.

Above this beautiful scene is the most amazing sky: the moon and the stars whirl like pinwheels above the town.

Many see the lights in the sky representing Jesus --- the light of the world --- or maybe just the light of God's love (Van Gogh was a very religious man)

Most of the houses in the village have this light in them as well --- perhaps signifying the light of the Christ in the hearts and lives of the people.

But what is striking is that the church ---

the church which is at the center of the painting ---

the church has no light.

Many believe this is Van Gogh pointing out that the church of his day often seemed to lack the love of God --- so he painted it as a cold building without the light of Christ in it.

He suggests that the church is more concerned about following the letter of the law --- than being a conduit for the light and life of Jesus.

John seems to be asking us --- is the light of Christ shining through our lives, or are we so captivated by following the rules --- that the light and life of God is diminished.

And from that moment on, John tells us, the religious folk redoubled their efforts to get rid of this troublemaker

To get rid of the one who to them seemed to lessen God because he failed to follow all the rules.

And not just get rid of him --- to put him to death.

Because they could not hear the question Jesus was asking them: Do You Want To Be Healed?

Pick up your mat, Jesus says --- and be made well.

Grace Upon Grace

Gracious God, I kneel before you a sinner.

I know that I am not worthy to be called a child of yours.

Yet despite my sin, despite my continuing to sin and fall short of your glory --- forty years ago --- you called me into ministry.

Loving God, these past few weeks have been hard --- as we have wrestled over who is worthy to be a pastor in YOUR church.  And as I have studied the bible, I have become even more conflicted. 

Clearly in the few texts that spell out requirements of ministry I fall short. 

I have failed to live up to the ideal that the authors suggested.

And yet O Lord, I have been called by you, vetted and ordained by your church.

I thank you for accepting me --- for I kneel before your throne only by your grace.

Grace that is sufficient for me --- grace that is sufficient for all.

As we wrestle today --- put in our minds eyes other servants who have been called by you --- yet clearly by the ideal requirements stated in the bible are unqualified

·         every pastor who has been divorced or married a divorced person

·         every pastor whose children have not remained in the faith or have rebelled

·         every pastor who has not demonstrated self control at all times

·         every pastor who is a woman

Gracious God we have all fallen short of your ideal --- I have fallen FAR short of your ideal --- for my sins are legion --- and yet you have still called me and invited me to pastor your flock.

Thank you for your grace that enables me to stand before you and your people.  This I pray in Jesus name.  Amen.

Almost 20 years ago, the United Methodist Church adopted a new slogan

          Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors

For many of us, we saw in this slogan a glimmer of hope that the church that we loved would truly open the doors to the many marginalized in our society.

The church that I was serving at the time was going through a long range planning session and as a result adopted a new vision statement stating that they saw their mission as "offering hope, unconditional love and meaning for life."

A couple of years ago, Discipleship Ministries of the UMC continued along this same vein when they encouraged each Methodist to "See All The People".

If you have been paying attention to the media these last few days --- from all the major outlets, to NPR and the religious news services --- the overwhelming majority suggest that --- with the action that we took in St. Louis this past week --- we closed the door to a majority of people, and are shutting our eyes and our hearts toward them.

There have been lots of emotions this past week

·         Some of you feel defeated

          "Kicked in the gut" was how someone described it to me

          "Asked to leave home" was another

·         Some of you feel as if God has been defended

          Satisfied to know that we didn't "give in" to culture

          Happy that the Bible was protected and held in high esteem

More than anything I just felt sad

          Sad that we made our church more and more exclusive and unwelcoming

And before you get angry with me --- I believe both points of view are real and authentic

Obviously I don't agree with the decision that was adopted in St. Louis

So what happened?

In 1972, the General Conference added to our social principles the sentence that we have wrestled with ever since.

"we insist that all persons are entitled to have their human and civil rights ensured, though we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teachings."

And I will be honest, if I had been asked my opinion on it in 1972, I probably would have agreed. 

          But I don't today.

My relationship with Jesus has moved from an idolatry of the Bible (thinking it was God) to hearing the voice of Jesus

Every 4 years since 1972, those words have been debated, argued over as we have sought to understand how we relate to a changing world.

In 2016, the General Conference decided to create a Commission on The Way Forward as it relates to this issue.

They were to study the issue and bring a proposal to the Council of Bishops and to a specially called General Conference, the one that just wrapped up in St Louis last Tuesday.

The Commission initially presented two plans, The One Church Plan and the Connectional Plan, and, after 2 1/2 years of study at the last minute the "Traditional Plan" was thrown in the mix.

The Council of Bishops received the plans and by an overwhelming majority recommended the One Church Plan which allowed each Jurisdiction, Conference and local Church to wrestle with the issues of sexuality in their individual context.

The plans, along with many petitions went before the elected delegates of the General Conference last week.

After much debate, the General Conference adopted issues around pensions for churches or pastors that wish to leave the denomination, an exit plan for churches to leave and a modified traditional plan.

To be honest with you, I do not know the exact language of what passed.  I am sure it is available somewhere, but I have yet to find it.

Regardless, what I can tell you is that the conference was hurtful to the body of Christ.  I witnessed that in statements made by persons on both sides of the issue.

We will not easily mend the hurt that happened.

Rev Tom Berlin from the Virginia Annual Conference said this about the Traditional plan

"it will be a virus that will make the American church very sick  Many pastors are going to leave, many annual conference will leave. … There will be trials, and they will be on the news. The only news about the church will be about people we don’t serve.”

In my mind, the saddest part is that many portions of the traditional plan will be ruled unconstitutional, as will the exit plan.

          In other words, we will be right back to where we started (or will we?)

Many believe that the traditional plan was put forth to scare the rest of the UMC and allow particularly our Southern Methodist Churches to leave with their property.

I would not be surprised if that isn't still the result.

But at what cost?

          And I am not talking about money

          At what cost to our mission of sharing God's unconditional love?

          At what cost to making --- not believers in Jesus --- but Disciples of Jesus?

70% of those under 50 support gay marriage

68% of those in mainline denominations do as well

What are they going to say to this harsh and mean spirited decision that has come out of St Louis?

          Well if my text messages, email and FaceBook are any indication, many will leave

We have been through this before ---

In 1939, the UMC was trying to figure out what to do with black people

At that GC, the segregationalist and racist Central Jurisdiction was voted into being. The late Bishop Thomas wrote that the white folks stood up and clapped, and the black folks sat down and cried.

From what I am witnessing we are at another stand up and clap, sit down and cry moment.

And the question becomes --- where do you find yourself?

Since last fall, Matt and I have been wrestling with this issue --- whether at information sessions, Bible Studies, various committees within the church or with you individually

We have tried to educate and share why we believe what we believe: that the One Church Plan made the most sense for the UMC and for Meridian Street in particular.

Through this process, Jesus has moved me, and given me a better understanding -- not only of scripture --- but more importantly, of my relationship to Jesus and others.

I will not be the same after this

I DO NOT BELIEVE that committed homosexual relationships are a sin --- any more than committed heterosexual ones are.

I do not believe that wearing more than one type of clothing is a sin.

Nor do I believe it is a sin to eat shellfish or pork

I do not believe a person who remarries and has been divorced is committing a sin

I do not believe that God's grace is limited to the people I accept, or who believe like I do

I do not believe that believing in the right things is enough --- we are to be actively engaged in following Jesus, seeking to transform the world with his unconditional love.  And that we are called to especially care for those who are marginalized in our society.

My intention this morning was to make the case why I believed the One Church Plan was the most grace filled.

I planned on doing that with the text that was read this morning. 

          The idea that God will separate the wheat from the chaff -- that it is not our job

And I fully believe that.

          Our job is not to be the gatekeepers for Jesus

                   Jesus opens the gate wide to all and Jesus can decide

          Our job is to welcome all into Jesus

I have been a Methodist my whole life. 

          I remember in 1968 when we merged and became United Methodists

I have served in ministry since my sophomore year in college, when I helped start a campus ministry --- which means I have been engaged in ministry for 40 years

The churches I have served have been committed to the United Methodist way -- promoting connection and that God's grace is available to all

Under the rules that just passed at General Conference; I doubt I would be approved for ordained ministry today. 

          I doubt most of the people I know who are clergy could get accepted either

While I find much of the legislation repugnant --- especially that which calls the “practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”

What bothers me more is that it went on to imply that same sex married couples who wish to be reconciled with the church need to divorce and break up their families (which often include children).

The legislation further added mandatory penalties for any pastor who performs a same sex wedding or even hosts one.

          Such a pastor would be suspended for 1 year without pay for a first offence

          And automatically defrocked for a second.

Bishops would also be under penalty if they disobeyed the Discipline.

Approximately two thirds of US delegates voted against the Traditional Plan

It was approved by a coalition of our global United Methodist brothers, and sisters

Adam Hamilton, pastor of the largest UMC in the United States wrote:

My hope is that the leadership of the WCA (Wesley Covenant Society) is re-evaluating what’s happened, and the legislation their coalition just passed.  They appear to have the votes to pass whatever they would like.  It is hard for many of us to see any future in a scenario in which the WCA and their supporters control the church and show disregard for the rest of the church.   US churches that disagree with this path backwards will not sit by quietly and watch as this takes effect.  They will protest, live in disobedience to the Discipline or leave, and the impact will be far greater than the leadership of the WCA ever imagined.   If the WCA leadership does nothing, I believe they will have won the battle and lost the church.   

My mentor in seminary was the former Dean of the Duke Divinity School Thomas Langford.  I served on staff at the church that Tom and his family attended, and he was not only a professor, but also my friend.

I remember while in seminary, Tom shared with a class an early draft of a book that he was working on --- I don't believe it was ever published --- but it was entitled GRACE UPON GRACE

It was his premise that God's grace is sufficient

          That God is big enough to defend God's self and it was our job to invite people in

One of the things that has always struck me is the notion that God's love is somewhat limited.  If God loves you --- there might not be enough for me.

But there is grace upon grace --- sufficient for all of creation --- our job is to humble accept it and to invite others to experience it.

In just a few moments, you are going to be invited to God's table.

          NO ONE HERE MERITS BEING INVITED

But just the same, God invites you.

But as long as I am pastor at Meridian Street UMC, this table will be open to ALL.

          Straight, gay,

          Married, single, or divorced

          Black, brown or white

          Citizen or alien

          Rich or poor

          Sinner or Saint

This table will always be open

And I will do everything that I can to open the doors of the church to all of God's children.

I will support those who believe they are called by God to ministry but also were created by God gay

I have never performed a same sex wedding --- it has always been my biggest fear.

I was afraid I would have to choose between what I knew was right --- and angering some of the members in the church I was serving at the time.

In the future ---I will do what God calls me to do

To all of our gay members here at Meridian Street Church --- I LOVE YOU, GOD LOVES YOU

And to all who are broken hearted over this decision --- let us make this our rallying cry

Don't leave; let us keep working for change.

God's table is big enough --- even if we disagree

No one --- regardless of which side of this issue you are on --- is being excluded from God's table

Someone shared a powerful story the other day and I hope that they are not offended if I share it

They talked about being on a youth retreat when the leader of the retreat, as they were sitting in a circle, turned to the person that they really disliked and said to them "I love you most of all (and then gave a reason).

As you can imagine, this young person was upset that their leader had made this affirmation to the one that they struggled with, because they thought they were loved most of all.  And for a time they sat their stewing in their indignation

But soon, the leader turned to them and said: "I Love You most of all . . ."

As we prepare to come to the table, I encourage you to think of the biggest sinner you know. 

          Can you see them?

          Put them in your minds eye

          If you can't see anyone, then just think of me

And listen as God says to them: "I Love You most of all . . ."

And unless you can hear them say that to the one you really struggle with --- I doubt you can really understand or appreciate it when God says to you: "I Love You most of all . . ."

Let us care for one another, and come together to God's table.  Amen.