Third Sunday of Easter
Worship Theme: The Cross and Resurrection Explained
Acts 3: 12-19 NRSV Bible
1 John 3: 1-3 NRSV Bible
Luke 24:35-48
Explain it, please!
A reading from the Gospel of Luke. . . Chapter 24 . . . verses 35-48. Listen to and for the word of God...(read scripture). . . here ends the reading from the gospel of Luke.
One of the TV shows I like to watch is CSI. I love how they investigate murders after they happened and find the “who, what, where and when’s” of the event after it happens. It brings into focus things that I may not have seen or understood in the beginning of the show. We all want to know the who's, what's, where's and when’s of our everyday life. . . especially when the situation doesn’t make sense to us. We want to know and understand the whole picture, not just part of it. And, like the end of the TV show, when we have all the facts we feel that we are in the “know” and it all makes perfect sense to us.
I am sure that first disciples and the Disciples of Christ today were very confused. Jesus died on the cross; they saw it, and now Jesus was alive, much to their and our delight and confusion. The Cross and Resurrection two of the greatest events in history but they and we at times are confused by these events. . .
1. How do you explain what happened?
2. Who was responsible for these life giving events?
3. How does and did the Death and Resurrection benefit us and them?
(Sort of the how and why did we become Christians in the first place. . . ?)
My prayer is that after we look at the three scriptures from this morning we might have a clearer understanding. . . maybe a different view. . . of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
The Luke scripture this morning tells about God’s part in this mystery. God knew that humanity needed a Savior but not just any savior humanity need a savior that could restore the relationship that God had with creation in the beginning. . . a renewing of that relationship that was forged in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. The prophets, Law Moses and the Psalms talks about a savior that must suffer and die but that was not the end of the story. . . This Savior would rise from the dead in three days fulfilling all that was written for the forgiveness of sin as well as allowing repentance for humanity. We are “witnesses” for God about this event and we are to proclaim the Savior’s name to all the nations. (God is responsible for these life giving events. Humanity couldn’t do it on its own so God stepped in. . . once again. As He did so many times throughout the Old Testament)
The Acts scripture talks about how and what humanity’s part is in the story of the Death and Resurrection. We must repent and turn to God so that our sins, yours and mine, may be forgiven. . . wiped out. . . a clean slate. We too are commissioned to share this Good News about these events so that others can also understand and believe. (Sort of like I told the children in the Children’s Message this morning. . . when you share the good news with one person and they share it with another, you get that domino effect and someday every tribe, tongue and nation will hear the good news. This is part of the how and why we became Christians)
Now. . . how does this all affect us as it affected them? The scripture from 1st John tells it all. We are now called children of God. . . we have been adopted through and in the Cross of Jesus. We may not know what we will be in the end but we have the promise that all who hope in God through Christ is purified. We have a hope and a future. We have a purpose and a mission. We have forgiveness and redemption. What better benefits can we ask for? To be redeemed, esteemed and called beloved children of God is more than we, you and I, could ever hope for. What major company can give you benefits like that?
We may never fully understand or be able to explain the events of Christ’s Passion but there is one thing that we do have and that is the hope within us and this hope. . . will never let us down. It is this hope that we are called to share with the hopeless. It is the light within us that we are called to shine in the darkest places of the world around us. It is the joy that goes beyond all understanding we have. . . that joy that wells up within us that runs through and out of us onto and into the broken world in which we live. . . that we are called to share.
Like in the CSI TV show, we know the who, what, where and why of our faith that we are called to share.
1. God
2. The Cross of Calvary
3. On Golgotha’s Hill
4. For the salvation of humanity
We are all like those domino’s and as we touch the lives of those around us we start a chain reaction that goes further than we will ever know. It’s like the ripple effect of dropping a rock into the water and the ripples it makes all the way to the shore. We may not see the ripple but when the reaction begins there is no end to it until it reaches its destination. Let us begin a chain reaction today, let us have that domino effect on the world around us. ‘you never know how many dice will fall just from one tender word, just one listening ear, just one outstretched hand. Just imagine the kingdom that will come as we share the news that can spread like wild fire. Christ is risen for you and for me. . . He has risen in deed.
AMEN!
April 23, 2012
Luke 24:35-48
1 John 3:1-3
Acts 3:12-19
Worship Theme: “The Cross and Resurrection Explained”
Call to Worship (Abington Worship 2012)
Hymn, “Without Seeing You”, (Psalm 23:1-2, 1 Peter 1:8) TFWS #2206
Unison Prayer (Abington Worship 2012)
Prayer of Dedication (GBOD Psalm 4)
and sermon, “Explain it, please!”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
April 22, 2012
Third Sunday of Easter
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