New life

Exodus 15:1-11, 19-21; John 20:19-31

We Christians may be unaware of how the joy of the Exodus matches the joy of the resurrection of Jesus. The text from Exodus is a song created by Moses’ sister Miriam and added to over the centuries as the people told and retold the story of the first Exodus from slavery in Egypt.

I hope you can imagine the experience of being told by the leaders of the community to:

-           - Eat a lamb

-            - Spread its blood on the doorways

-            - Get what you can from wealthy friends and masters

-            - Load up and leave in the morning

Then, on the road, you:

-            - Travel until you reach water

-            - Notice the army behind you

-            - See the waters part and walk or ride through

-          -  And see the waters cover the Egyptian army before they could reach you

This is cause for pure joy, because it leads to new life, where the people are no longer enslaved. They can worship the God they choose to worship, in the way they choose to worship. The memory of this event is key moment of divine blessing throughout Israelite/Jewish culture.

… In quite the same way, the cross and empty tomb brings joy for Christians, giving us new life in our faith in the risen Jesus. We are so accustomed to knowing this, we are surprised by Thomas’ reluctance to believe.

I want to give him a break. I think Thomas processes events and stuff the way I do. I often find I can’t give a quick answer to a question or problem. I need time to allow for my brain to process the possible responses, the way my response will be received by people, how I feel and think about whatever it is.

So, here’s what I think happened with Thomas.  He was so distraught at Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion that he needed time and space to think about it. He needed to be alone to do this. He considered the death, and what it meant. It could be the end of all their hopes and dreams for the future, and he needed to grieve that.

On the other hand, Jesus had said this would happen, and he would rise again. What if that were true? That would mean that Jesus is really the Son of God! And that means, he needs to get back to the disciples!

With these thoughts in mind, the contrasting images race through Thomas’ mind when Jesus appears again in the midst of them all. And finally, it all makes sense, and he makes the profession of faith: “My Lord and my God!” And still today, we feel his joy and his reverence.

We are filled with joy because of this good news of the empty tomb and the risen Jesus. We know now that there is something beyond death, and it is good, it is where Jesus is, even if we don’t know just what it is.

The good news leads us to new life. That’s something major, but I got to thinking about smaller things that seem like new life to us. These events and more give us a different perspective on life. It’s like looking at our life circumstances through God’s eyes. First, a quick list, then some stories.

-            - The birth of a baby

-            - Graduation

-            - A new job

-            - A marriage

-            - A divorce

-            - Moving to a new home, of just the right size

-            - Finding a church that fits our faith

I was talking with a friend the other day about dementia and the process of diagnosing it. This friend had someone in her life who saw a neurologist for dementia. This person also had been struggling with walking; their gait was off. The doctor began with testing, and discovered through a spinal tap that fluid was leaking. It was this leak that was causing their gait to be off, and the dementia symptoms cleared up. They are leading a new life and thanking God for good doctors!

My Franciscan sisters Roz and Jeanie talk freely about the new life they found in recovery from their addictions to alcohol and drugs.

For many years now, this bell has symbolized the end of chemotherapy and new life for those who have been battling cancer. However, some patients and families have expressed concerns, because they may never get to the end of treatments, and will never get to ring the bell.  

So the bell is taking on new meanings, expressed in new signage. Anyone may ring the bell, for any reason. So, folks ring the bell because they reached a milestone in treatment, because the new treatment seems to be working, or even because they are having a good day. Today, the bell symbolizes small and large celebrations of new life, one event, one day, or even one moment at a time.

… I certainly hope you enjoyed the Easter Sunday celebrations that reminded us of the new life we have in Jesus and the cross and empty tomb. I also hope you recognize those moments and events that are life-giving for you, and that you give thanks to God for them. Amen

 

Surprise!

Colossians 3:1-4; Matthew 28:1-10

 I enjoy coloring pictures on my tablet. Some of them start with the outline of the image, and I choose the picture because it looks interesting. Other images begin with a blank screen and the image appears as I fill in the colors. The other day I laughed as I colored this picture and bunny ears appeared from behind a bush. It was a fun surprise.

… Mary and Mary Magdalene were finally able to go to the tomb, the morning after the sabbath ended. They had gone just to be there to grieve, as many of us do when our loved ones die. From a distance, everything looked normal. There was the tomb with the stone in place to keep grave robbers and animals out. There were the guards the leaders insisted on posting.

Suddenly, the earth shook as an angel rolled the stone away to expose the tomb. The guards were stunned to silence, frozen in place with fear.  Then the angel spoke to the women, “Don’t be afraid. Jesus is not here, he has been raised, just as he promised.”  In other words, I know you are surprised, but Jesus did tell you many times that he would rise after his suffering and death.

The angel continued, “Go and tell the disciples what you have seen and heard. And to head to Galilee, where he will meet with you.” So, Mary and Mary turned and ran to find Peter and the other disciples. As they were on the way, Jesus appeared and spoke with them. Once again, it’s “Surprise!” The women bow to the ground to worship him.

Jesus speaks words of reassurance, “Don’t be afraid. And then he gives an assignment. “Go and tell the disciples that I will see them in Galilee.” I’m sure there was more conversation, but this is all Matthew reports.

This short story of two Marys encountering the angel and then the risen Jesus is filled with surprises.

-            The Easter surprise that Jesus has been raised/is risen. The tomb is empty!

-            The women – who are not permitted to be legal witnesses without their husbands or fathers to authorize their message – are the first to see the risen Jesus.

-            The women obey – given good news, they are sent to share it with the rest of the disciples.

-            Peter and the other disciples won’t know about the risen Jesus until the women tell them so.

-            The women are filled with conflicting emotions – both fear and joy.

We may be tempted to think that this resurrection of Jesus is a one-and-done event. But - surprise! – with our baptism into the life of Christ, resurrection is a renewing, forever happening. We are called by faith to have the mind of Christ, to live by standards based on a divine perspective. We make choices in life, in our relationships, in our behavior, based on this baptized relationship with Jesus/God.

When we live a resurrection life, we are Jesus’ hands and feet and voice in our present world, in our daily life, in every contact we have with people. And because we live in a resurrection world, we can be on the lookout for divine surprises.

… For example, I recently reconnected with a friend who lives in California. She had a new Facebook page, and I sent her a message saying I had been wondering about her safety with all the fires. We gave life updates and now pray for each other, and she has a ministry of sending cards – snail mail! -monthly to several folks on her prayer list. Her blessing always comes as a wonderful surprise for me.

… It was a divine surprise for me when I saw this message from the crew of Artemis II. Mission Pilot Victor Glover, the first African American to travel to the moon, said, “From up here you all look amazing and beautiful. And you look like one thing. Homo sapiens is what we all are, no matter where we come from or what we look like. We are one people. This mission gives us something to hold on to and say: look what we did. We call the great human achievements moonshots for a reason: because they unite us and prove what we can accomplish together.”

It is wonderful to hear about unity in the current atmosphere of division in the country and around the world. It’s a reminder that we are not all fighting with each other, and that God is present in many ways with us. We just have to be on the lookout for God’s surprises.

…  Today we celebrate the surprise of God’s power over death with the empty tomb. We rejoice at this good news. And let’s follow with the obedience of the Marys – let’s go quickly to tell the others that Jesus will meet them, often in surprising ways.  Amen

 

 

For all

Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35

When I was a child, we had one TV, it was in the living room, and we watched it together. There were 3 channels to choose from, ABC, CBS, NBC. Then FOX came on and now there are more channels than we can ever watch. And more ways to watch them than ever. There is something for everyone, children, women, sports enthusiasts, just music with notes about the artist, and so forth. And for those who still can’t make a choice, there is the power button. Something for everyone.  

… By the time the story of the Exodus was written down, some parts of it had already become ritualized, made easy to memorize. This passage is one such story. It’s familiar to us because it forms the basis of the Jewish Passover meal, at which the story of the first meal and its importance of the event have been celebrated for 3,000 years.

I assume you know the story, so I want to focus on one aspect of it: the animal which is slaughtered and consumed. The instructions are to have no leftovers; the animal must be totally consumed at this meal. Families are instructed to sacrifice a lamb for the household. If the family is small, two families can join to share in eating the meal. And if the family is poor, the animal can be a goat kid instead of a sheep lamb. Apparently, a kid is less expensive than a lamb.

In this way, the observance of the Passover is made as inclusive as possible. It’s suitable for large or small families, and for wealthy and poor families. And as the observance took shape over the centuries, it’s designed to include all ages. Since the 200’s CE, the youngest child able to do so asks the four questions that invite the storytelling.  In this way, all are included in the celebration of the Passover.

… Our Monday night Bible study class has been reading and discussing 1 Corinthians, and we just got to the portion leading up to tonight’s text. Paul writes in response to some letters he has received, and some stories he has heard, about practices in the church.

It’s a good news, bad news situation. It’s good news that some of the folks are wealthy with large homes, and are able to host the weekly gatherings for worship. It’s good news that the congregations were having holy communion as part of their worship. It’s good news that the Corinthians were gathering for a meal before worship.

But it’s bad news that there were economic divisions in this meal. It’s bad news to learn that the wealthy folks had sumptuous meals in lavish settings, while the poorer folks had simple meals in simple settings.

Paul writes to the church that status is meaningless in God’s eyes, and the communion meal is intended for everyone, regardless of wealth or status. The easy solution, Paul instructs, is to not include a dinner with worship. Those who are hungry should eat before coming to the house for worship.

… The holy communion meal is of course based on the last supper Jesus had with the disciples. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke it’s a Passover meal. But in John, there is no mention of the Passover at the last supper. As John writes the story, he shifts the timeline, so that Jesus is on the cross, a final sacrifice, just as the lambs and kids are being slaughtered for the Passover meal. In this way, Jesus is the Lamb, slain and offered for us.

Instead of the Passover, John tells us that Jesus used this meal together to get the disciples ready for his death and resurrection. I am leaving you, he says, and here’s how I want you to carry on when I am gone.

He demonstrates this by inviting them all to let him wash their feet. Probably their feet are clean, because a servant would have washed them when they entered the house. But Jesus wants to make the point. He is no better than the lowest servant in the household. And he wants them all to think of themselves that way, too.

Peter, of course, represents us. No, Lord, I am not worthy of having you wash my feet. I don’t want you to smell them, or see them in all their brokenness and imperfections. It’s been a long time since they looked brand new. It’s humiliating for someone as grand as you to stoop to see and touch the shamefulness of my feet.

We know Jesus persists, and Peter succumbs. Jesus’ point is that we are all equal in God’s eyes. Whether we get foot massages and pedicures and our feet are pretty good looking, they are no better than the feet of those who don’t even have water for bathing. If he were here today, Jesus would wash all our feet.

But since he’s not, you will have an opportunity to wash each other’s feet, or allow me to do so. Because we want all to be included, in recent years, the option of washing hands has been added.

… It’s clear from the Bible stories that God intends for all to be included in the blessings. In Genesis 12, God tells Abram that the whole world will be blessed through him. Moses and the Prophets regularly proclaim, announce, that all should be welcome and treated kindly.

Tonight, Jesus teaches the disciples that they are sent out as servants, humble enough to wash the feet of anyone they are trying to reach with Jesus’ love. We, too, are Jesus’ disciples, sent out to proclaim, announce, Jesus’ love through our own humble efforts. In this way, all are blessed by God through us. Amen

Unbind him

 John 10:40-11:46

Last week, I commented that the Gospel of John has these lengthy stories, in contrast with the parables of the other Gospels. Someone asked for clarification, so here’s my way of thinking about the difference.

Many parables are only a few verses long: the shepherd went looking for the missing sheep until it was found; a farmer filled his silo and decided to build another to hold the excess, but he didn’t know he was about to die; a vineyard owner paid everyone the same, no matter how long they worked.

In these stories, we get only glimpses of the person at the center of the story, and sometimes we wonder which person in the story is Jesus or God. The stories in John’s Gospel have more personal details so we get a fuller sense of who the main character is, and who Jesus is as he interacts with the person. So, we know that Nicodemus the Pharisee was curious; the Samaritan woman was intrigued about this prophet who knew her so well; and the blind man encountered congratulations as well as doubt and ridicule after his healing. John lays out the stories to build one on another to demonstrate that Jesus is the Son who is one with the Father.

… In today’s story of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, we learn a lot about them and even more about Jesus plans. Jesus has been in the city of Jerusalem, and begins to encounter some interference from the leadership. He and the disciples have moved across the Jordan to avoid being arrested too soon.

It appears that Lazarus and the sisters are good friends with Jesus. Martha’s message says, “Lazarus, whom you love, is ill.” I believe that Lazarus is the one Jesus is talking to from the cross when he says, “Here is your mother, and here is your son.”

Jesus makes plans to use Lazarus’ illness to demonstrate divine power and God’s plans for us all. So, instead of hurrying to Bethany to heal Lazarus, Jesus stays where he is. He spends the time as usual, teaching and healing people in the safety of their camp across the river.

Lazarus dies, and still Jesus delays. Finally, after he has been in the tomb for three days, Jesus goes to see the family. “Now,” he says, “this death will reveal God’s glory.”

He’s not even in Bethany yet and Martha rushes to meet him. There is anger and pain and trust in her words. “I know you could have healed him. Why did you delay?” Then, “Even so, I believe he will be resurrected in the last days.”

Jesus responds with “I am the resurrection and the life. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord, I do believe that! I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” In John’s Gospel, Martha is the first person to make this profession of faith.

Mary uses the same words, but she had to deal with her anger first. She refused to leave the house to see Jesus, because she couldn’t understand why Jesus would have delayed in coming to heal Lazarus. Eventually, the folks with her convinced her to go talk with him. I think there was more anger than faith in her words, which parallel Martha’s.  “You could have healed him! Why didn’t you come when we asked the first time!?” Mary’s emotions catch Jesus, and he is moved to tears.

It’s when they go to the tomb that we see what Jesus has planned all along. Practical Martha says there will be a strong odor since the body has been in the tomb for three days. Still, Jesus tells the men to open the tomb. He prays aloud intentionally, so all can hear. “Father, hear me now, as you always do. Reveal your glory in this moment, so all present can know that you sent me.” And he calls for Lazarus to come out.

Different videos and images treat this moment differently, as we would expect. One video shows Lazarus emerging, but apparently not sure just what has happened. The crowd, too, is stunned into inaction, staring at the walking corpse. So, Jesus has to offer some instruction. “Unbind him.” And they do.

While the family and friends are celebrating, some go to the Pharisees. “You won’t believe what Jesus of Nazareth has done now.” While it’s all joy in Bethany, it’s an important witness against Jesus, and Jesus knows it. It’s been his plan all along.

… What does this mean for us? First of all, before Jesus has died and been raised, we know that God has the power over life and death. It’s almost a spoiler alert for the end of Jesus’ story according to John.

Second, we know that since God is stronger than death, God is also stronger than all the evil powers in the world. When bad things are happening, we know that God will ultimately win over evil.

Third, we know that God knows what it feels like to be human, so when we are feeling particularly human, we can count on God to be present with us, not just as a powerful deity but as a companion who feels what we feel. When we laugh, Jesus laughs with us; when we weep, Jesus weeps with us; and when we are ill, instead of delaying his return, Jesus is right at our side keeping us company.

And so, we can trust that God will be with us, whatever we do in Jesus’ name. We can support one another through whatever challenges are happening, and we can walk with the bound and seek to unbind them to let them go.

Lazarus’ tomb is empty, for now. He will die again, but in the meantime, he will live a very full life, knowing that death is not the last word for God’s people. Let’s all live like we believe that the tomb is empty. Amen

 

Open our Eyes

 

2026 03 15 Sermon

Today’s Gospel reading is about vision, something that is important to us all. When I was in 3^rd grade, I remember going to the gym for an eye test. It wasn’t long before I found myself in Dr Flood’s office. I remember he had drawers full of frames and asked me which ones I liked. I decided I liked the light blue ones best. After getting my new glasses, I was stunned to look at the chalkboard and see that the lines of chalk were quite clear, not fuzzy.  Since that day, I have focused on getting the best sight I could.

The first half of John’s gospel focuses on laying out the story of who Jesus is, like peeling the layers of an onion, a bit at time. Some of the stories are labeled signs, the equivalent of miracles. But signs point to something, and that’s John’s (ahem) point. We learn that: 

-            Jesus is God, through whom all was created

-            Jesus can change water to wine, and is obedient to his mother Mary

-            When Jesus speaks with people, he uses metaphors, not parables.

-            The Spirit of God is an active part of Jesus’ ministry, and in the lives of believers

-            Jesus brings life, like living water, and it’s even better than a well in our own backyard

-            Jesus brings the dead back to life – next week’s story

-            So: Jesus the Son of God, given divine powers, temporarily inhabiting a human body

 

Today, we learn that Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth, not just restoring lost sight, but giving sight where there was none. It always amazes me that when Jesus heals people, he gives not just the physical ability, but the knowledge to use what is given. In this case, this man who has never seen anything, knows that he is seeing people and places, and clothing, and animals, etc.

I wonder what it must have been like for this man. First, let’s give him a name – how about Daniel. He is an adult, though we don’t know his age. His parents are still alive, so probably 25-30.  Daniel has spent his life being guided by others to get from place to place, and his ability to earn a living is limited, so he spends his time begging. He has been accused of being a sinner, simply because of his blindness, because in those days, it was believed that sin caused disability and financial ruin and childlessness.

 People witnessed his healing and were amazed at it. Yet, the authorities question the authenticity of it. In a scene that seems rather like good cop, bad cop they agree it’s possible – What if this Jesus really did do this? – but not very likely. In addition, this healing occurred on a Sabbath! Finally, they bring in the parents. They don’t want to risk the consequences of telling the truth, so they deflect the question. Yes, he’s our son, but ask him what happened. He’s old enough to answer for himself.

In the end, Jesus returns, learns what has happened to Daniel and affirms him with a blessing. He also has a conversation with the folks who doubted the healing. Because you refuse to believe, your sins remain.

Open our eyes, Lord.

Lest we think that only happened in Jesus’ time, we may need to have our own eyes opened. Yesterday, I had a call from a polling company. The questions were about a potential upcoming vote to add a penny to our sales tax, with the funds to repair roads, increase infrastructure like widening roads, and protect natural lands and water.

The questioner had several options to answer most of the questions: very much agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, very much disagree. While I mostly said that I very much agree that the money must be raised and spent, I know that there are folks who disagree with me. They probably weren’t in the bottleneck that occurred when a car broke down on a curve leading up to a bridge on the two-lane highway just north of Inverness.

Our society has become very divided on lust about every issue, whether it’s money, education, health, defense, or whatever. There is a general refusal to see the benefits of the other side, whatever the other side is. It’s often a refusal to compromise to craft a deal that works for everyone, especially for the people in need. We need Jesus’ help to open eyes and hearts.

In 2008, I heard this song by Brandon Heath on the radio, and it has stuck with me. He asks God to give us the eyes to see what we have been missing, especially God’s love for all humanity. It’s a reminder for me that it’s too easy for us to judge people, to be blind to their humanity beneath whatever shell they have covering their true selves.

We see people on a street corner with a beggar’s sign and think, “I’ve heard they make $200 a day that way. Why should I give to them?” and “Why don’t they get a real job?” When Covid first shut down the world, Mike and I ordered food from a local restaurant. The delivery person wore a suit. I wondered where he used to work, and if this was his new way of feeding his family. Open our eyes, Lord.

Let’s pray:

Open our eyes, Lord. Help us to see your presence in worship, in our daily lives, in our friends, and in our not-friends, in our broken family relationships.

Open our eyes, Lord. Help us to see the gifts you have given us, including those that we have ignored, that we have not used lately, that you can use for your purposes in our congregation or community.

Open our eyes, Lord. Help us to see the way forward for this congregation. We don’t always like change, but help us see how it can lead to good things. Help us be open to your many surprises, even when we can’t see how they can be possible.

Open our eyes, Lord. Amen 

The power of water

Exodus 17:1-7; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42

Our texts today are about water, in wells, or gushing or splashing or flowing living water. The Israelites are thirsty, and not happy about it. Moses asks God what can be done. God responds, “Go to this place, touch the rock with your trusty staff, and I will make water flow out.”

Paul doesn’t specifically mention baptism, but it is through faith, symbolized by the water of baptism, that we are made righteous, right with God.

… Before we talk about the Gospel story, I want to give you a brief explanation of the Samaritans and the Jews. The Exodus was most likely either 1446 BCE or 1225 BCE, according to the experts. When the Israelites finally moved into Canaan, each tribe claimed a region of land. King David united them into one kingdom named Israel in about 1,000 BCE, but it didn’t last long. There were wars, resulting in two kingdoms, Israel in the north and Judah in the south.

The ten tribes in the north lived among people of many cultures, and they eventually intermarried with them. They believed only the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, were holy and claimed Gerazim as their holy mountain. Eventually, they became known as Samaritans.

 In the meantime, the two southern tribes, Judah and Simeon, called themselves Judah and still claimed Jerusalem as the holy mountain. They mostly avoided marrying outside the Jewish faith. For Judah, the holy scriptures included the Torah, the writings, and the prophets.

These differences made the Jews and Samaritans disrespect each other so much that they avoided contact with each other. By Jesus’ time, Judah was called Judea, and Samaria was a land mostly between Judea and Galilee. Jews walked longer distances to avoid traveling through Samaria. But, Jesus didn’t avoid it. Instead, he intentionally crossed boundaries to interact with Samaritans and other folks thought to be “other” at that time.

Today we have this story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well. When Jews hear this story, told later by the disciples and reported by John, they know something special is going to happen, because lots of things in their history happened at a well.

Isaac’s servant finds Rebecca at a well. Jacob meets Rachel at a well, at noon. Moses meets Ziporah at a well. In all these stories, a man travels to a foreign land, meets a woman at a well, and they discuss water. Once water has been drawn, the woman leaves the well to tell her community about the man. Her community offers hospitality to the man, and the encounter concludes with their marriage. … In another well story, Hagar and her son Ishmael meet God at a well. Such scenes set up expectations for what is to come. 

Tradition has given the woman a name – Photina in Greek, referring to her enlightened status after this encounter. I’d rather give her a name from the Torah, so let’s call her Miriam.

… Jesus sends the disciples on an errand so he can talk with the woman without their interference, and their disruptive presence as Jewish men. Miriam herself is stunned that a Jewish man wants to speak with her. She, too, knows the stories about women and men meeting at a well. She is cautious for many reasons!

Jesus approaches her respectfully, and asks her for some water. This gives her a chance to respond. Which leads to the surprising theological conversation: Miriam knows her stuff and shares with Jesus her beliefs and even challenges his beliefs. In response, Jesus offers her an even better answer. He tells her that he knows who she is and what her life has been like. And he offers her not just well water but living water.

It’s important to notice that Jesus doesn’t judge Miriam for being a Samaritan. He doesn’t judge her for her past and present life situations. He doesn’t insist she become a Jew. He simply invites her to accept what he offers, living water. With that, she runs to tell the people in the town all about Jesus.

The people in the town – likely a mixture of Jews, Samaritans and other Gentiles – heed her invitation. Jesus stays there for two days teaching them about the reign of God in their midst and his role in it. The townsfolk believe Jesus, and that he is the savior of the world. There is a legendary tradition that Miriam became a key evangelist, in Nero’s household and was martyred.  

… There is power in water. Water that moves, like rivers and creeks, is called living water, compared to still water in wells or swimming pools. The waters of Niagara Falls have mighty power. Over time, even creek water carves a new or wider pathway.

[This is not me! I love how the image shows the spray of water!]

There is power in baptismal water, too. When I throw it at you-all, you tend to either duck or reach out for it. When we remember we are baptized, we have divine power to do mighty things. Baptismal water is living water, and it never stops moving, giving us Holy Spirit power to do amazing things: We can dig deeper into our pockets. We can serve on council or a committee. We can invite a friend to an event, and introduce them to other members. We can dare to try new things – like the maracas that show up when we are moved by the music to add them! We can pray, and trust that God hears our prayers, even when the answer seems to never come. …

I wonder, how God’s living water will move through you this week. Amen