Sermon, "A Goodly Fellowship", by Pastor Ruth Foss, Suncook United Methodist Church, 4/15/2012

Sunday April 15, 2012
Second Sunday of Easter
Worship Theme: A Divine Fellowship
Acts 4:32-35 NRSV Bible
1 John 1:1-7 NRSV Bible
John 20:19-29 Message Bible
Psalm 133 Message Bible

A Goodly Fellowship

Psalm 133 says (Read the Psalm from the Message Bible). . . How very good and pleasant it is when kindred (the church) live together in community. . . How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along. . . blessings and ordaining eternal life.

Society today would have us believe that we need to do things on our own. It tells humanity that if they need to rely on someone else they are weak and have no real worth. But. . . it is so hard when we decide that we can “make it on our own.” With no one else there we tend to feel isolated and afraid. We were created to be in relationship with one another and with God. God said, after He created Adam, “It is not good for man to be alone. Let us make a suitable helper for him.” God wanted to His creation to be in relationship with each other as well as be in relationship with everything around it. All of creation needs each other in order to survive. . . be it the birds of the air, the fish that swim in the ocean . . . humankind need each other in order to continue to exist. So why do people think they can live life going solo. . . ?

We have now entered Eastertide in the Christian calendar. It is the time between Easter and Pentecost Sunday. During this time of waiting for the fulfillment of the promise of the Counselor. . . .the Holy Spirit. . . we are going to look at what Jesus’ followers were doing to get ready for that great day in the life of the church. . . the day when the church began. I pray that during this journey, we will catch a glimpse of what the first Christians did, how they acted and what happened on that day that changed humanity forever. . . and how we can be transformed by that very same Spirit.

Let’s begin by listening to what happened after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Let’s look at what the Gospel of John has to say about those days. (Read John 20:19-29 from the Message Bible). After Jesus’ death they gathered as a community to mourn the loss of their teacher and friend. . . the one they thought was the Messiah. . . and what happens? Jesus showed up in their midst (Where two or more are gathered together. . . ). But. . . Thomas wasn’t there. They told them about seeing Jesus but he wouldn’t believe until he saw and touched Jesus. (Is there a doubting Thomas in our lives that need to come and see?) When Jesus showed up the second time Thomas was there and he believed (An unbeliever changed! People are changed when Jesus shows up in their midst. . . ) Jesus then sent them out to heal the world around them. . .

The reading from 1 John this morning told us a little about how we are to go about spreading the Gospel. We are to share the Good News so that others can share in the Good News that was shared that very first Easter morning. Let’s see if you remember. . . Christ Is Risen. . . we want them to be in fellowship with us but not only with us. . . they will be in fellowship with Christ. But we can’t do this by still walking in the dark. . . in the old ways of life. . . we need to be walking in the light of God if we want the “doubting Thomas” to see the light of Christ and believe.

And now I am going to share something with you that will shock and amaze you. This is how the first church acted when it was initiated. . . you see, they didn’t have a big building to keep up, they didn’t have programs to fund. You ready. . . ? They shared everything. . . What! No way. No one claimed private ownership...Shut the front door...Really! No needy person because they gave to the Apostles to distribute. . . Today society may something like “No way am I trusting anyone with my stuff. . . Everyone wants my stuff. . . How can I know they would do the right thing with what I give. . . or we have the other side of the coin that would say I am now in control of it all. . . I have the power. . . (Insert maniacal laughter).They lived in community and shared with one another. . .

Sons and daughters of the King of kings. . . are made/created to be in relationship with each other and with nature itself. God did say, from the Garden of Eden, “It is not good for man to be alone. Let us make him a helper. . . ” Society tells us to “watch your back. . . to climb the latter of success you need to step on a few heads.” And yet we are lonely in a crowd. . .

Even some Christians consider themselves as a “Lone Christian.” They can worship God on their own. They don’t need the fellowship of other believers in order to be “Christ-like”. . . to follow Jesus’ carbon footprint. Well one way to follow Christ’s foot print is to be in fellowship with others. . . remember, even Jesus had fellowship with the disciples and it was them who first began to follow that footprint.

We were made to be helpers for one another. Within the church you and I can fellowship with other believers and with God. We have a fellowship with the saints both past and present. . . yes there are saints among us. . . I’ve seen them within this church. We have a fellowship with the Holy Spirit each time we gather together be it on Sunday for worship. . . OFT. . . Weds. Evening service. . . sacred dance. . . Spirit study. . . the list goes on and on. When we share communion with each other we are in fellowship with Christ and His resurrection. When we fellowship as a church we come together with our faith in Christ, love of God and we become the Church of Christ. . .

My question for us to ponder is this. . . Is there a doubting Thomas in our lives that needs to see the bright “Son-shine”? Are there places in our lives that we are still walking in the dark of night instead of the light of God? What kind of witness are we showing the world around us? Whose carbon foot print are we following? The world needs to change from one of solo-ness to one of solidarity and it begins within the church and flows out like the oil of gladness on the world around us. How very good and pleasant it is when kindred (the church) live together in community. . . are we, as Christ’s Church showing how pleasant it is to be a community or are we showing that it is the same “dog eat dog” way of living? How are we honoring the Cross and our Risen Lord Jesus Christ?

Amen.

April 22, 2012
John 20:19-29 (The Message)
1 John 1:1-7 (NRSV)
Acts 4:32-35 (NRSV)
Psalm 133 (The Message)
Worship Theme: “A Divine Fellowship”
Call to Worship (Abington Worship 2012)
Hymn, “Bind US Together” (TFWS #2206)
Unison Prayer (Worship Aids 2002)
Prayer of Dedication (GBOD John 20:19-31)
and sermon, “A Goodly Fellowship”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
http://www.facebook.com/pastorruthfoss
http://www.ahandmaidenofthelord.blogspot.com
http://pastorruth.posterous.com/
A Handmaiden of the Lord
http://www.suncookumc.org
Suncook United Methodist Church
http://facebook.com/groups/136632035559/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suncook-United-Methodist-Church/102221356487965
Suncook, NH
April 15, 2012
Second Sunday of Easter

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 17,650+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.