First Lesson: Acts 3: 12-19
Responsive Reading: Psalm 4
Second Lesson: 1 John 3: 1-7
​Gospel Lesson: Luke 24: 36b-48

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
Dorothy Dandridge Payne was born in North Carolina in 1768[1].  Dolley, as she came to be known, would eventually see her family move to Philadelphia.  At the age of 21, Dolley would get married to a lawyer with whom she would have two sons.  By the age of 25, Dolley would become a widow after her husband died of Yellow Fever. 

Shortly after this, Dolley would be introduced to a congressman from Virginia named James Madison.  They would marry shortly after that.  Within fifteen years, Madison would be elected the fourth president of the United States[2].

Dolley’s presence upon Washington D.C. was a revelation.  Dolley was often credited with bringing high society to the previous swamp known as Washington D.C.  Madison was known as witty and charming with a seemingly photographic memory to remember other people.  The War of 1812, would see Dolley exhibit great courage for her continual outreach to D.C.’s fellow residents even as her White House residence burned to the ground.   Dolley Madison would leave the White House as one of the most popular first ladies in American history.  In fact when Dolley Madison died in 1849, her death was mourned by the entire country similar to that of a President.

In the years after Dolley’s death strange reports started to surface.  Dolley was frequently seen roaming the halls of her residence accompanied by the smell of her favorite flower Lilacs[3].

Nearly seventy years later during President Woodrow Wilson’s term, a proposal was made to dig up the Rose Garden[4].  Dolley Madison’s Rose Garden.  A work crew arrives to begin to dig it up, only for what they believed the ghost of Dolley Madison to appear, the men were terrified and refused to continue working, the project was quickly dropped, and even Today long after her death Dolley Madison’s Rose Garden continues to bloom. 

Dolley Madison and the Rose Garden raise a fascinating conversation for us as Christian people.  Do ghosts such as Dolley Madison exist within our lives?

A while back I was visiting with a congregational member.  The member raised a problem to me that Seminary classes didn’t prepare me to address.  The member believed her house was haunted.  Things would seemingly vanish without explanation, worst of all money couldn’t occasionally be found.  The member would get perpetually madder at the ghost shouting for it to leave her alone.  She began to claim that she didn’t want to live in a haunted house anymore.

Once upon a time, there was an author of a theological library where they possess books for Seminary students[5].  The library was quite old and allegedly haunted by the ghosts of a former librarian.  Reports of the ghost’s activity were numerous: chairs being moved without explanation, books knocked off shelves and loud, scary unexplained noises throughout the night[6].  

The ghost question is a tough one to wrestle with as Christian people.  Books, movies, T.V. shows, and personal experiences tend to give ghost sightings a degree of authority that we struggle to sort out[7].

Today we hear perhaps the scripture’s most famous ghost story[8].  The Disciples are gathering on Easter evening.  The Disciples had probably heard rumors of Jesus’ appearing before others.  They didn’t believe such a thing like a ghost sighting could be true.  Jesus seemed unlikely to appear on this night.  The Disciples were more consumed with their fear of Jesus enemies who had put him to death that they locked the doors to where they were out of fear.  Suddenly, Jesus appeared before them like an uninvited ghost.
The reaction was much different than Mary Magdalene at the Tomb; the Disciples were terrified at what they saw. 

I was sixteen years old; My great-grandfather had just died.  I remember attending the visitation.  Another kid I knew showed up.  We began talking; he then dared me to touch the body of the deceased.  I had never done such a thing, so I got nervous.  I had seen my great-grandpa just a few days prior, touched him many times before, but I just couldn’t believe on that night that I would actually be touching “him.”

So as soon as the Disciples see Jesus, they react no different than they would seeing a ghost.  They are startled and terrified. 

Jesus decides he needs to calm their fears.  “Peace be with you. Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have[9].”

Jesus then proceeded to take the necessary steps to point out the true nature of his flesh and blood.  He eats broiled fish in the Disciples presence.  The Disciples know that ghosts by nature don’t eat.  One question that our text doesn’t answer has to do with the reality of Ghosts within our world.

So what should Christians say about Ghosts?  It would be helpful to define what Ghosts are and aren’t. 

Ghosts are supernatural entities[10].  Jesus within our lesson draws the contrast.  Ghosts are entities that we cannot see, hear, touch, or weigh in the same way we can with human beings.’ Ghosts would fall outside the realm of modern science.  As Christian people, we believe in supernatural forces.  We believe in a God who lives outside this world, who created it and all that exists.  We believe this God is good.  We also believe in Devils, Demons, and other supernatural beings because the scriptures declare it to be so.  There is even a story of a Witch in the Bible when Saul enlists the help of the Wicked Witch of Endor[11]. 

Here’s something interesting about our passage from Luke 24.  Martin Luther preached on this passage for All Saints Day.  Luther did believe in Ghosts or Wandering spirits[12]. 

Luther makes an interesting point about our passage.  Jesus does not deny that Ghosts appear.  Jesus seems to confirm it when he contrasts his post-Resurrection being with that of a Ghost as he points out “A spirit does not have flesh or bones[13].”

So if there are these Ghosts who are they? Luther points out that Ghosts aren’t the souls of the dead who have previously walked this Earth.  Luther’s reason was the scriptures never give examples of the dead returning as Ghosts to walk among the living.  Luther makes the point that the fate of the dead who have walked among us, is to await the Resurrection which is to come[14]. 

So who are Ghosts according to Luther? Ghosts are rather minions of the Devil sent to frighten, terrify, and drive people to all sorts of despair.  So the Devil, in theory, could operate by creating the likeness of the formerly living to haunt the currently living[15].

So Luther would have believed that it wasn’t the deceased spirit of Dolley Madison that appeared in the Rose Garden rather that if anything was seen it would have been demonic forces meant to terrorize and frighten the innocent workers.  So we can believe that ghost-like appearances possibly take place, without believing that when people die that they become Ghosts.

At the same time, even though we believe in a well-defined supernatural realm.  We acknowledge that various people’s ghost encounters can be viewed as hoaxes or deceptions[16].  In other words, while Ghosts are possible, not all ghost stories are necessarily true.  I have a friend who considers himself a “free-thinker,” he denies God and all supernatural forces such as Ghosts as not existing due to lack of “verifiable” proof.  I do not doubt that he would be able to point to all sorts of “ghost” stories that would later prove to be nothing more than hoaxes.  As Christian people, we rather merely acknowledge the “unseen things above (or below) which possess power within this world, even if we can’t explain or conclusively prove their existence at any given moment. 

Earlier I told you the tale of the library that was haunted by Ghosts.  The librarian would always be asked the question whether there are really ghosts within the Library, his answer is instructive for us Today“ I don’t know…But if you want my opinion on ghosts in general, I will tell you this—I believe in God, and if there are ghosts, I am not afraid of them, because God is stronger than any ghost[17].”

Today’s Gospel lesson further drives home this point.  The Disciples were afraid because when they see the post-resurrected Jesus, they believe they see a Ghost.  Jesus takes the time to show the Disciples the realness of his flesh, how he returned in flesh and blood not merely as a ghost.   The point of our lesson is maintaining peace in the presence of death, maintaining peace in the presence of ghosts, believing that Our Lord and Savior can ultimately triumph over any forces of death and the devil that the world ultimately throws at us[18]. 

It is true that in many ways we are haunted in this life.  These hauntings don’t take place though, in the form of evil spirits, they take place in the form of unresolved sins and our spiritual despair.  What the appearance of Jesus reminds us of Today is because of the Resurrection things will be different, sins will be forgiven, and the grave shall ultimately haunt us no more.  Amen
 
               
               
 
 
[1] “Dolley Madison”. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 3.Apr.2018. Web. Apr.10.2018. 
[2]“Dolley Madison.” . Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 
[3] Lamkin, Virginia. “The Ghost of Dolley Madison.” Seeks Ghosts. Blogspot. 11.July.2010. Web. Apr.10.2018. 
[4] “Famous Ghosts in American History.” History Channel. Web. Apr.10.2018. 
[5] Stier, Leon. “Ghost Stories (a).” Email Meditations 14. Aug.2017. Web. Apr.10.2018. 
[6] Stier, Leon. “Ghost Stories (a).”
[7] Stier, Leon. “Ghost Stories (a).”
[8] Stier, Leon. “Ghost Stories (b). Email Meditations 15. Aug.2017. Web. Apr.10.2018
[9] Luke 24:36b, 39. 
[10] Stier, Leon. “Ghost Stories (b).
[11] 1 Samuel 28.
[12] Dawn W. “Luther on Ghosts.” Concordia Publishing House Blog. Saint Louis. 31.Oct.2015. Web. Apr.10.2018. 
[13] Dawn W. “Luther on Ghosts.”
[14] Dawn W. “Luther on Ghosts.”
[15] Dawn W. “Luther on Ghosts.”
[16] Stier, Leon. “Ghost Stories –C) Email Meditations. 16. Aug.2017. Web. Apr.10.2018
[17] Stier, Leon. “Ghost Stories –C) Email Meditations.. 
[18] Vitalis-Hoffman, Mark. “Commentary on Luke 24:36b-48.” Working Preacher. Luther Seminary. 15.Apr.2018. Web. Apr.10.2018.  

First Lesson: Acts 4: 32-35
Responsive Reading: Psalm 133
Second Lesson: 1 John 1: 1 - 2:2
​Gospel Lesson: John 20: 19-31

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
Elisha Graves Otis was born in Vermont in 1811[1].  His younger years did not bring much success as businessman overseeing multiple failed mills.  Otis eventually takes over as the manager of a bedstead factory.  Otis was plagued with a problem of getting debris from lower levels to upper levels of his factory. 
In 1851, many American buildings had elevators[2].  The problem was they didn’t work very well.  Ropes and pulleys would pull platforms up shafts.  The problem was the cables often would snap causing crashes to the ground which would destroy all the elevator’s contents.  Humans getting inside of an elevator would have been considered as dangerous as trying to fly by gripping onto the wings of an airplane.  The risk was beyond foolish in 1851. 

Otis wanted to find a different solution to his factory than a crude hoisting platform.  Elisha Otis by the age of 40 had become a skilled craftsmen.  Otis develops the idea to install a ratchet bar inside the elevator shaft, so even if the ropes did snap, a break would prevent the elevator from plummeting[3].  Otis initially didn’t think much of the invention.  He didn’t pursue a patent.  Nor did he have any interest in selling his newfound elevator.  He proceeded to keep working at the bedsted factory.  The bedsted factory goes under.  Otis decides he needs to try to convince a doubting, skeptical public that they can actually trust in elevators as a source of transportation.

The World’s Fair took place in New York City in 1853.  Otis rented out the main hall.  He decided to reconstruct an elevator platform and shaft[4].  He was going to give an elevator demonstration.  Otis on this day climbs on the platform, asks an assistant to hoist him three stories off the ground.  Otis then stared at everyone in the convention hall.  Then Otis proceeds to shock onlookers by instructing an axe man to cut the rope while Otis is suspended in mid-air. The audience gasped in amazement. The audience’s first thought is Otis is suicidal.  The platform began to drop, only to be rescued by Otis’s safety break[5]. 
The world would never be the same after Elisha Otis’ presentation on this day.  Within thirty years because of Otis’ invention, skyscrapers would come to major American cities[6].  Doubt had been turned to faith before a roomful of skeptical onlookers.   

Today we hear a similar story[7].  A story where a very skeptical man named Thomas has his whole world changed forever.  Thomas was not present when Jesus first appeared to the other Disciples.  Thomas was a nonsense sort of a man.  Thomas was bold enough even to interrupt Jesus during an earlier sermon when he said: “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way[8]?”  Only to hear Jesus reply “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me[9].” Thomas wouldn’t understand what Jesus truly meant though until the day of our lesson.

So when the Other Disciples say to Thomas they have seen Jesus, Thomas was skeptical like every single audience member of the 1853’ World Fair was skeptical as Elisha Otis elevated on a platform.  Thomas didn’t so much doubt only he was going along with what would have seemed like an exaggerated story without proof.  Jesus “Rose from the Dead!” He walked and talked among you, Thomas needed to see for himself.

For our friends aren’t always reliable arbiters of truth.  It might be a movie, a book, a restaurant or whether the Vikings are a better football team than the Packers.  We all know that just because our friends say something doesn’t make it true[10]. 

So Thomas makes his point known: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”[11]

Thomas does eventually have his Resurrection moment when Jesus appears before him eight days later and says to him. “Peace be with you!... Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe[12].”

John’s Gospel highlights Thomas to make an important point.  Thomas’ story is written to a world of skeptics, doubters, and scoffers.  A world that often believes Jesus rising from the dead sounds way too good to be true.  “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands… I will not believe.” We often proclaim.   Here’s the thing signs of Resurrection often exist within our own lives even when we don’t believe it to be so. 

Louie Zamperini (Zamp-Er-Re-NI) was born in 1917.  He grew up in Torrance, California.  He was frequently bullied as a child as he only knew how to speak Italian[13].  As Zamperini became a teenager, he got in trouble all the time: smoking, drinking, fighting, skipping school, running away from home, and stealing[14].  Everyone in town knew to be on the lookout for Louie Zamperini; he was as skilled a thief as there could be.   Louie’s penchant for stealing discovered a hidden talent, he was a gifted runner.  He was so gifted in fact that he qualified for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin[15].  He was so good in fact there was talk that he would be the first man to break the 4-minute mile.  Zamperini would have run at the 1940 Olympics in Tokyo[16] only to see them canceled due to the outbreak of World War II. 

Louie enrolls in the Air Force.  Louie soon becomes decorated[17].  Eventually, though his plane goes down over the Pacific, Three of the nine members of Louie’s crew survive.  Louie’s crew was adrift in the ocean for 47 days with the Americans unable to find them; they are eventually captured by the Japanese[18].  Louie would spend the next two years of his life as a POW.  Conditions were harsh: hunger, disease, torture, forced labor, and random beatings.  Louie barely survived his time as a Japanese POW.
Louie returned home a hero.  He would eventually find the liquor bottle to be his most constant companion.  Louie was married, but the marriage was in trouble.  Louie could not find steady work because his mind was consumed with thoughts of revenge against the Japanese[19].

Louie’s wife eventually leaves him for a time.  She eventually comes across a preacher named Billy Graham.  She invited Louie to go along.  Louie’s heart at this point was as hard as a man’s could be.  Louie had grown up in the depression where food was hard to come by, Louie had seen his dreams as a runner crushed because of the war, Louie had two years of torment in a Japanese prison camp and now Louie was out of work with a marriage falling apart.  Louie seemed to be the most unlikely person on the planet to be converted to the cause of Jesus.   Louie like Thomas had all sorts of good reasons to doubt what he heard about God’s place in the world. 

Louie’s wife eventually convinces him to hear Billy Graham.  Graham during his sermon starts talking about forgiveness.  Louie starts to storm out because of Graham’s foolishness[20].  Billy Graham certainly hadn’t spent years a Japanese POW, Graham’s talk was nothing but foolishness.  Louie was ready to exit the door of the revival meeting. 

Louie then, almost as if the Lord touched him just like he touched Thomas, had a flashback.  Louie remembered after his plane went down over the Pacific.  Louie remembered calling out: “Lord if you save me, I will spend the rest of my life serving you[21].”  Louie’s promise was no different than Martin Luther’s caught up in a thunderstorm on the Road to Erfurt in 1505.  Louie drops down to his knees.  His reaction is similar to Thomas in our Gospel lesson “My Lord and my God.”   The Lord had touched now Louie like Thomas touched Jesus so long ago.  Louie on this night turned from doubter to believer.

Louie would eventually return to Japan only this time to proclaim forgiveness to his prior captors[22].  Louie would return in 1998 to carry the Olympic torch not far from the POW Camp in Nagano where he was previously held[23]. Zamperini would have a bestselling book and film made about his life titled Unbroken.   Despite living a life as remarkable as few individuals within the twentieth century, the defining mission of the last sixty-five years of Louie Zamperini’s life was proclaiming that the Lord Jesus had indeed risen from the dead.  Louie had experienced this Resurrection first hand in his own life as the greatest of doubts had become the strongest of faiths.   

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”- John 14:27

The point of Thomas’ story isn’t don’t be like Thomas.  Like Elisha Otis and Louie Zamperini, we will all have our experiences which creep doubts into our minds: whether they be history, personal struggle, broken dreams, or an uncertain future.  Life will have its share of elevators, yet Our Lord promises there will be no crash from which we cannot recover.  What our Lord says to us on this day is this.  Signs of the Resurrection that has come and the Resurrection that will come are in the world all around you[24].  Doubt like in the case of Elisha Oats, Louie Zamperini, or the Apostle Thomas will soon turn to faith before our very eyes. 

The story of Thomas during Holy Week is he had every imaginable emotion pass before his eyes: the triumph of Palm Sunday, the turmoil of Jesus’ arrest, the sadness of Jesus’ crucifixion, the uncertainty regarding the rumors of Resurrection.  Thomas would soon see standing before him the one to whom he truly belonged[25].  Thomas in spite of all turmoil in his life would hear words directly from Jesus of forgiveness and ultimately promise.

“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed[26].”  Amen 

 


[1] “Elisha Otis.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 10.Mar.2018. Web. Apr.3.2018. 
[2] Pink, Daniel H.. To Sell is Human. Riverhead Books/Penguin Publishing. 2012.  Print. P.153. 
[3] Pink, Daniel H.. To Sell is Human.P.153. 
[4] Pink, Daniel H.. To Sell is Human. P.154
[5] Pink, Daniel H.. To Sell is Human. P.154
[6] “Skyscrapers.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 2. Apr.2018. Web. Apr.3.2018. 
[7] John 20:19-31
[8] John 14:5. 
[9] John 14:6
[10] Hinkle Shore, Mary. “Commentary on John 20:19-31.” Working Preacher. Luther Seminary. 8.Apr.2018. Web. Apr.3.2018.
[11] John 20:25.
[12] John 20:27. 
[13] “Louis Zamperini.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 31.Mar.2018. Web. Apr.3.2018. 
[14] Stier, Leon. “Billy and Louie: part one of three” Email Mediations. 14.Mar.2018. Web. Apr.3.2018.    Taken from a March 11th, 2018 sermon.
[15] Stier, Leon. “Billy and Louie: part one of three.”
[16] “1940 Summer Olympics.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 23.Feb. 2018. Web. Apr.3.2018. 
[17] Stier, Leon. “Billy and Louie: part two of three” Email Mediations.15.Mar.2018. Web. Apr.3.2018. 
[18] Stier, Leon. “Billy and Louie: part two of three.”
[19] Stier, Leon. “Billy and Louie: part two of three.”
[20] Stier, Leon. “Billy and Louie: part two of three.”
[21] Stier, Leon. “Billy and Louie: part two of three.”
[22] Stier, Leon. “Billy and Louie: part three of three” Email Mediations.16.Mar.2018. Web. Apr.3.2018. 
[23] Stier, Leon. “Billy and Louie: part three of three.”
[24] Lewis, Karoline. “When Seeing is Believing.” Working Preacher: Dear Working Preacher Column. Luther Seminary. 1.Apr.2018. Web. Apr.3.2018. 
[25] Molin, Steve. “Elated…Deflated.” Sermon Writer. 2008. Web. Apr.3.2018. 
[26] John 20:29. 

First Lesson: Acts 10: 34-43
Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11
Gospel Lesson: John 20: 1-18

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
The date is October 14th, 2003.  The place is Wrigley Field in Chicago.  The Chicago Cubs had a World Series title drought now in its 95th year.  Things were looking good though for the Cubs.  They were leading the Florida Marlins three games to two and led the sixth game three to zero with one out in the eighth inning.  Five outs and the Cubs were going to the World Series with the long-standing supposed Curse of the Billy Goat in danger of being broken. 

A Marlins batter hits a foul fly out towards the left field stands, Cubs outfielder Moises Alou possibly has a play on the ball.  Several spectators extend their hands trying to catch the foul ball interfering with Alou[1].  One man a financial analyst and lifelong Cubs fan named Steve Bartman reaches for the ball and deflects it away from the Cubs outfielder.  Ball touches the ground, Moises Alou slammed down his glove in anger and began shouting at Bartman.

Reaction towards Bartman from the other fans was swift (he was called vulgar names, pelted with both beer and other debris, and even threatened death).  Fans tried to strike him as he was being escorted from the stadium.  The Chicago Cubs go on to lose the game 8-3.  They would also lose to the Miami Marlins the next night thereby ending their 2003 season.

Steve Bartman would go into hiding as the worst person in the City of Chicago.  Even the Governor of Illinois suggested Bartman needed to go into the witness protection program[2].  Steve Bartman would seemingly forever be known as the person who ruined the Chicago Cubs season.  What eventually happened to Steve Bartman, we’ll get back to his story in a bit. 

I want to tell you a similar story this morning.  This woman had like Steve Bartman been a front-row witness to the harshest of defeats.  Mary Magdalene had seen her life changed by Jesus early in his ministry.  Jesus had cast a demon out of Mary Magdalene, and her life was never going to be the same[3].  Now, a few days prior Mary Magdalene had received word that Jesus been had arrested.  She then journeyed out to Mount Calvary along with Mary the Mother, Mary the Aunt, and John the Disciple[4].  She was a witness as Jesus took one last sip of sour wine, proclaimed “It is finished,” [5]and dropped his head as he breathed his last breath.

Death was undefeated since the time of Adam.  People could try to run as far away from this as they could.  But the scriptures say it best: “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people because all sinned[6].”

Mary Magdalene stuck around about the final breath; she stuck around when everyone else exited Mount Calvary, she stuck around when the Roman Soldiers cleaned the site of the crucifixion to get ready for the next one.  It was almost like Mary Magdalene stuck around because she had nowhere else to go, regardless of the outcome.  Mary Magdalene was there when Joseph of Arimathea buried Jesus[7].  She even brought spices along to “anoint” Jesus’ body[8]. 

So fast forward, two days, Mary Magdalene gets up Sunday morning to visit Jesus’ tomb.

Sunday morning though was different, as soon as Mary arrives on the scene, she notices the stone guarding the tomb had been rolled away.  To do such a deed would have been no easy feat for grave robbers as the stone probably weighed a ton.

She decides to track down the Disciple Peter and another Disciple so that they can find evidence of the stolen body.  Peter walks into the tomb; they see the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head two days earlier lying on the ground.  The burial cloth lied before them with no body inside it.  As they searched and searched, still no sign of Jesus’ body could be found.  Peter and the Other Disciple eventually travel home. 

Mary Magdalene still didn’t want to leave Jesus’ tomb.  She begins to cry.  She grieves over the loss of her spiritual leader.  She grieves over death’s pain and separation.  She cries over the pain of defeat.  She figures she’ll cry until she can gather the strength to walk home.

Pretty soon, she sees two figures standing right at the spot where Jesus’ body had been.

“Woman, why are you crying[9].”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.[10]”

Mary then hears a voice behind her. “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for[11].”

Mary assumed this was just a nosy gardener, getting all up in her business.  She demands to know where the gardener had taken the body[12].

She then hears words that would change her life forever, words that wouldn’t change just her life but the lives of countless people after her. 

“Mary[13].” Mary hearing Jesus speak her name changed everything.  Mary’s world had been flipped upside-down.  Death’s verdict had been overturned.  Death was undefeated no more, regardless of the outcomes of century after century before.  Resurrection had proclaimed to Mary Magdalene that things were never going to be the same again. 

What the Resurrection that Mary Magdalene saw says to us is this “The worst moments of our lives do not inevitability write our story even unto the grave itself.”

You might wonder what exactly happened to Steve Bartman who I told you about earlier.  The man who supposedly cursed the Chicago Cubs to a further generation of misery.  The Chicago Cubs win Baseball’s World Series in 2016, after a 108-year drought.

August 2017, The Chicago Cubs decide to reach out to Steve Bartman with the most unusual of offers. 
The Chicago Cubs decided to offer a World Series Championship Ring to the same Steve Bartman who years prior heard chants of “ Rot in Hell” “Everyone in Chicago Hates You” “We’re gonna kill you[14].”

What were the Cubs’ reason for giving Bartman a ring, let me read from their statement:
“We felt it was important Steve knows he has been and continues to be fully embraced by this organization[15].”

What Mary Magdalene encounters at the Tomb on Easter Sunday is a message that her burdens of sin, shame, and all the other ways that the devil has tried to defeat her, have been rolled away.  The one-ton stone is gone, her story and our stories will now be different every day of our lives.  She will be embraced by her savior even beyond the grave!  The power of our graves will soon be no more!

William Franklin Graham, Jr. was born in Charlotte, NC in 1918[16].  Graham was an early proponent of racial integration.  He even once bailed his good friend Martin Luther King, Jr. out of jail. He would serve as a spiritual advisor to every President from Harry Truman to Barack Obama.  Graham’s preaching would become so famous that he ended up being heard by estimates of upwards of 2 billion people[17].  Graham would frequently be on Gallup’s Most Admired Americans list.

Max Lucado summed up Graham well: “He had convictions without being divisive, and he never took himself too seriously despite all his fame[18].

Perhaps the best story of Billy Graham comes from an encounter between him and musician Michael W. Smith when Graham was a ripe, young man of 94.  Graham wanted to discuss with Smith his funeral.  Graham’s one wish was as follows “That my name not be mentioned.”…” I hope only that the name of the Lord Jesus be lifted up[19].”

For despite every personal accolade that Billy Graham had every achieved, Billy Graham understood what the Empty Tomb that Mary Magdalene encountered truly meant. 

The great hope confronting us Today is we are not the source of our salvation, we do not walk out of own tombs, for only by the grace of God do we experience the forgiveness and hope given to Mary Magdalene on Easter Sunday. 

Billy Graham died in February. Graham was 99 years old.  Graham described his death quite well in a statement years prior.

“Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.”

Steve Bartman thought he was destined for a lifetime of public shaming until one great and dramatic act after 108 long years changed the whole narrative of his life!

Mary Magdalene thought there was no life after death until she encountered her Resurrected Lord. 

Billy Graham saw the stone had been rolled away; the tomb is now empty, tears will soon be no more, your savior will soon stand before you!

He is risen! He is risen indeed! Amen
 
 
 

[1] Duke, Annie. Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts. Portfolio/Penguin Publshing. New York. 2018. Print. P.98.
[2] “Steve Bartman Incident.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 10.Mar.2018. Web. Mar.12.2018. 
[3] Luke 8:2. 
[4] John 19:25. 
[5] John 19:30
[6] Romans 5:12. 
[7] Mark 15:47. 
[8] Mark 16:1. 
[9] John 20:13. 
[10] John 20:13b.
[11] John 20:15. 
[12] John 20:15. 
[13] John 20:16. 
[14] Duke, Annie. Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts.P.100. 
[15] Steve Bartman Incident.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
[16] “Billy Graham.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 8.Mar.2018. Web. Mar.12.2018. 
[17] Lucado, Max. “Farewell Mr. Graham.” Max Lucado.com. 21.Feb.2018. Web. Mar.12.2018. 
[18] Lucado, Max. “Farewell Mr. Graham.”
[19] Lucado, Max. “Farewell Mr. Graham.”

Responsive Reading: Psalm 118: 1-2, 19-29
​Gospel Lesson: Mark 11: 1-11

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
“Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things– and the things that are not– to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”-1st Corinthians 1:26b-29. 

“Jesus plus nothing equals everything; everything minus Jesus equals nothing[1].”–Tullian Tchividjian

Shortly after graduating from Seminary I worked as a substitute teacher.  One day I was filling in for 9th Grade math class.  On this day, there was one kid who I’ll call Alfred that was short and small with red hair and freckles who proceeded to interrupt me at every opportunity.  So I sent Alfred out in the hall.  As soon as I did this the other kids were aghast; they couldn’t believe I would be so foolish to do such a thing.  The kids explained that Alfred had a really bad habit, whenever he was out in the hall.  Alfred would always run his mouth to passing seniors.  Alfred’s mouth would get him in trouble to the point where fights would quickly break out.  As I pictured Alfred, I couldn’t believe the other kids.  Alfred was giving away several inches of height, all sorts of weight, and probably a good deal of muscle to the average senior at North Branch High School.  Ten minutes, later I hear a ruckus brewing in the highway.  Open the door, and there is Alfred surrounded by a group of senior boys with unfriendly intentions, because his pride just couldn’t help itself.   

Now I want to tell you a similar story that ties into our Palm Sunday Gospel lesson.  Wayne Rice tells the following story[2].  Once upon a time, there was a donkey.  The donkey woke up the day after Palm Sunday.  The donkey had given a ride to a man they call Jesus.  The donkey for the first time in its life felt the cheers of an adoring crowd.  Never before had the donkey felt such pleasure.

So the donkey figures Monday morning is going to be the same.  So the donkey wanders into town, sees a group of people by the well. “I’ll show myself to them,” he thought.

The people see the donkey and just mind their own business.   The donkey gets mad.  “Throw your garments down, don’t you know who I am.”

The people are dumbfounded by the lip on this donkey.  Someone slaps him on the tail and tells him to move along.

The donkey stormed away angry.  “Miserable heathens, I’ll just go to the market where the good people are.  They will remember me[3].”

The scene is just the same at the market.  The donkey strutted around like he owned the place, only to be ignored, again.

The donkey gets mad at this point and begins to lash out. “The palm branches!  Where are the palm branches!” “Yesterday, you threw palm branches down for me to walk on[4]!”

The donkey’s feelings were really hurt at this point.  The donkey walks home to see his mother.  The donkey describes what happened and how foolish the people were. 

The donkey’s mother finally sought to set him straight.  “Foolish child, don’t you realize that without Him (Jesus), you are just an ordinary donkey[5]?

So if the donkey isn’t at the center of our story, how does the donkey fit?

For years and years, the people of Judea where Jesus walked on Palm Sunday were awaiting a conquering hero, a larger than life figure to drive the Romans off the land[6].  The Romans were known for their impressive war horses.  You saw a Roman war horse; you knew you were coming face to face with an imposing solider.
Donkeys were just like Alfred, short, small, and slow seemingly unable to match Roman might.  If Jesus wanted to make a dramatic entrance, he’d find a war horse. Instead, he found a donkey.

You see donkeys were the symbol of servanthood.  Rich people owned horses; poor people owned donkeys[7].   Kings certainly would never ride into town on a donkey, especially a young one. 

Centuries before Jesus marched on Palm Sunday the prophet Zechariah had predicted the following: “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey[8]!”

The donkey would serve as a reminder to the people that Jesus over the course of Holy Week was about to turn the whole world upside down.   Donkeys triumphing over stallions would seem ridiculous.  The seemingly wise would look foolish and the seemingly foolish look wise.   

 David Letterman was born in Indianapolis in 1947.  Letterman soon rose to fame as one of the most famous television stars in the country.  Letterman also was known for being one of the most difficult T.V. Stars around a man whose fame like the silly donkey easily got to his head.  Letterman though several years back was interviewing a reality T.V. Star regarding all the drama within her life. 

Letterman made the following observation. “For a long time, I thought ‘geez people are idiots.’  Then it occurred to me, ‘Is it possible that everybody’s an idiot? Maybe I’m the idiot, and it turns out that I am.[9]”  

For we are broken people in this world, left in continual search of answers about both sin and salvation, yet perhaps these answers always point in the same direction of a cross. 

To quote the Apostle Paul: “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.- 1st Corinthians 2:2-3

Let me close with the following story to illustrate how one very wise King had learned differently from the Silly Donkey or David Letterman when it comes to knowing your place and the source of your hope within this world.

King Canute of Denmark was one of the greatest kings of the Middle Ages sitting on the thrones of England, Denmark, and Norway all at the same time[10]. Canute was known for rebuilding English churches in the wake of previous Viking plunder, while he was king he oversaw the continual Christianization of his native Denmark.   King Canute like Solomon was not a perfect man, yet he was a wise man!

King Canute had an extensive court.  The court would praise Canute at every opportunity[11]. 

“You are the greatest man that ever lived…You are the most powerful king of all…Your Highness, there is nothing you cannot do, nothing in this world dares disobey you.”

Canute eventually grew tired of such foolish flattery, for he was a mere mortal.  Canute decides to teach his court a lesson.

“So you say I am the greatest man in the world?”- Canute said.

“O king, there never has been anyone as mighty as you, and there never be anyone so great, ever again.” They cried.

‘And you say all things obey me?”- said, Canute

“Yes, sire…“The world bows before you, and gives you honor.”

“I see,”’ In that case, bring me my chair, and place it down by the water[12].”

The servants go and get Canute’s royal chair and place it at the water's edge. 

Canute sits down and looks at the ocean before proclaiming “I notice the tide is coming in. Do you think it will stop if I give the command?”

“Give the order, O great king, and it will obey,”- cried out his court.

“Sea. I command you to come no further! Do not dare touch my feet.”

Next thing you know, a wave touches Canute’s feet. 

“How dare you! Ocean, turn back now! I have ordered you to retreat before me, and now you must obey! Go back[13]!”- Canute cried out.

Another wave touches Canute’s feet.  Canute kept sitting on his throne all day, shouting at the sea, pretty soon Canute’s throne was completely soaked with water. 

Finally, Canute realizes his point has been made,  Canute then turns the crowd and gives the following speech: “It seems I do not have quite so much power as you would have me believe. Perhaps now you will remember there is only one king who is all-powerful, and it is he who rules the sea, and holds the ocean in the hollow of his hand. I suggest you reserve your praises for him[14].”

Holy Week is coming, pretty soon all our foolish pride will be put to death.  We will soon see that we are not quite as tough as our mouths make us be.  No different than the silly donkey, our role in the salvation story is often inflated.  As the very wise King Canute makes us know.  A great king journeyed into Jerusalem on this day, the king may not have looked like much riding in on a slow, small donkey, yet this king is mighty enough to command the sea and soon to triumph over the grave.  Holy Week reminds us as Our Lord is soon to be put to death, a new creation shall soon emerge.  A world of forgiveness and hope.  A world that will shout “Hosanna!” in the very direction of the one who deserves it. 

Amen
           
           


[1] Stier, Leon. “A Foolish Donkey.” Email Mediatations. 21. May.2017. Web. Mar.19.2018. 
[2] Rice, Wayne. Illustrations for Youth Talks. Youth Specialities. 1994. Print. page.138. Taken from Leon Stier “A Foolish Donkey.” on Mar.19.2018. 
[3] Rice, Wayne. Illustrations for Youth Talks. Page.138. 
[4] Rice, Wayne. Illustrations for Youth Talks. Page.138. 
[5] Rice, Wayne. Illustrations for Youth Talks. Page.138. 
[6] Dale, Martin. “Palm Sunday and the Donkey.” Sermon Central. 29. Mar.2007. Web. Mar.18.2018. 
[7] Dale, Martin. “Palm Sunday and the Donkey.”
[8] Zechariah 9:9. 
[9] Duke, Annie. Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts. Portfolio/Penguin Publshing. New York. 2018. Print.p.120. 
[10] “Cnut the Great.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 2.Mar.2018. Web. Mar.18.2018. 
[11] Higgins, Scott. “King Canute.” Stories for Preaching. Web. Mar.18.2018. 
[12] Higgins, Scott. “King Canute.”
[13] Higgins, Scott. “King Canute.”
[14] Higgins, Scott. “King Canute.”

First Lesson: Jeremiah 31: 31-34
Responsive Reading: Psalm 51: 1-12
Second Lesson: Hebrews 5: 5-10
​Gospel Lesson: John 12: 20-33

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
Let me begin with a story.  Once upon a time, there was a bank president[1].  The man was no different than most bank presidents you know.  He was somewhat stiff and very formal in how he communicated.  The bank president seeking to be well-mannered had heard two bits of news in the past week.  Number one- a competitor bank had recently moved into a new building. Number two- a loyal customer and valued member of the community had recently passed.  The bank president decided that he needed to send floral arrangements to both the other bank and the customer’s family as a way expressing well-wishes.  He calls the flower shop; only the florist manages to get the card messages confused.  The bank president receives a call from the other bank president wondering exactly why he received a floral arrangement stating “With our deepest sympathy.”  The bank president upon hearing this turned white as a ghost.  He had never been more embarrassed in his whole life.  He knew his customer’s family was now going to receive at the funeral home a floral arrangement in their loved one’s memory that said “Congratulations on your new location!”
Now we hear this story and we sense the embarrassment felt by the bank president.  We know by instinct that death is something that is no laughing matter.  The pain, the separation, and the grief haunt those who encounter.  We should try to run from death with every fiber of our being.

Sarah Pardee was born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1840[2].  Sarah marries a gentleman named William Wirt Winchester.  Winchester was the primary heir to the Winchester firearms fortune.  William Wirt Winchester died young at the age of 43 from tuberculosis.  Becoming a widow left Sarah Winchester with all sorts of money.  Winchester inherited 20 million dollars which would be the equivalent of over 500 million dollars in 2018[3]. Besides this, Winchester received a fifty percent ownership stake in the firearms company, earning her 1,000 dollars a day or the equivalent of 25,000 a day in 2018[4].  Winchester was never going to have to worry about money the rest of her life.

In 1884, she decided to seek out advice moving forward after the recent death of her husband, a young child and father in law[5].  Winchester believes her family is cursed because of people killed by the family rifles.  She decides to consult a medium to contact her dead husband.  The medium’s advice was that she needed to build a home to honor her husband’s memory, as long as she was building this home that she would never die. 

So in 1884, Winchester buys a farmhouse on the other side of the country with eight rooms in San Jose, California[6].  She purchased the house on top of 161 acres.  She was going to spend every cent of her twenty million dollar inheritance expanding this house to ward off death.  So construction began shortly after, laborers worked twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a year, for nearly forty years as a way for Sarah Winchester to ward off death.

The house is like nothing you could ever imagine.  The house consists of 161 rooms, 40 bedrooms, two ballrooms, 47 fireplaces, 17 chimneys, and two special basements[7].  The house was built seven stories high.  The house contained numerous staircases and doors that lead to absolutely nowhere.  Winchester poured millions upon millions of dollars into this house, believing that she could ward off death. 

1922, Sarah Winchester dies in the middle of the night due to heart failure.  Here is the interesting thing about Winchester at the time of her death, she had purchased enough building materials that further construction of her home could have continued for an additional eighty years[8].

For plenty of people are like Sarah Winchester in fearing death almost to the point of it holding them bondage[9].  While Sarah Winchester took her fear of death to an extreme end, in some ways, she’s no different than many of us.    

Sarah Winchester’s story leads us into Our Gospel lesson for Today from John 12[10]. 

Our lesson takes place during the Holy Week of Passover.  So people from all over the world were coming to Jerusalem for religious pilgrimage.  In our lesson, a group of Greeks approaches Jesus’ disciple Phillip.  The Greeks were religious outsiders during Holy Week; they were not Jews because they did not descend from Abraham, they rather converted at some later point in time.  The Greeks have a request for Phillip “Sir; we wish to see Jesus[11].” 

Jesus’ response to such a request was interesting.  He tells a story to his disciples.  “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds.[12]” 

Jesus is making a point within our lesson to not only the Disciples, but also the Greeks, Sarah Winchester, and the Bank President.  The point has to do with the nature of death, specifically his death later that week. 

Daniel Habben describes it as such “Just as the purpose of a seed is to be buried into the ground where it can germinate and grow into something productive, Jesus wants us to know that the purpose of his coming into this world was to be buried[13].”

Upon his death, many new seeds will spring to life.  The point of this passage is through his death; many resurrections would soon take place. 

Death being the way to Resurrection is made even more clear in the next verse.  John 12:25: “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”

Jesus’ point here is that hope does come from where Sarah Winchester believes it comes.  Hope doesn’t come from money; hope doesn’t come from youth or beauty, nor does hope our best of deeds[14]. 

Once upon a time, there was an old man who made an agreement with the Grim Reaper[15].  He told the Grim Reaper that he would gladly accompany him when it’s his time to die, the only condition is the Grim Reaper give him sufficient warning.  The man and Grim Reaper agree on this deal.  The man doesn’t hear back from the Grim Reaper for years and years. 

Finally, one night the man is sitting at home when the Grim Reaper taps him on his shoulder, the man gets annoyed saying “You said, you would warn me.”

The Reaper responds “I’ve kept my part, look in the mirror, your thick black hair is now thin and white, look how you need to turn your head in my direction to hear me because your hearing has started to go.  Perhaps you’ve noticed how year after year, you need to stand slightly closer to the mirror to see yourself better.  I’ve sent plenty of messengers to warn you. Your time has come.”

We’ll often be like the man in this story, think of every way to deny death’s pending arrival. 

Jesus’ point is that to inherit eternal life; we need to die.  We need to die to our success, our failures, our sins, and our selfishness.  When we die we are reminded that we are no longer at the center of the universe, only when we come to this realization will we begin to anticipate inheriting eternal life[16]. 

Holy Week will soon be upon us.  The most real judgment of death will shortly be upon us.  Judas will hand Jesus over for money, the rest of the Disciples will fear and cower, Peter will deny knowing him.  The Disciples will display a discomfort in the presence of death no different than any one of us. 

Jesus doesn’t want to us to look at his death like this; Jesus wants the Disciples to know early in Holy Week that his death will be the means by which the many, many seeds of salvation will be spread throughout the entire earth.  Seeds to die to produce harvests[17].  The harvest to come will be one of forgiveness and eternal life. 

Let me close this morning with one final story, a preacher one time lost his wife[18].  He was driving his young children to the funeral.  On the way to the service, they saw a truck ahead of them stop at a red light.  The truck was the biggest truck  that dad or the children had ever seen in their life.  On this day, it was sunny.  The sun hit the truck at just the right angle, so a giant truck shadow shined upon a nearby field.
 The preacher pointed this out to his children by saying “Look children at the truck and look at its shadow.  If you had to be run over, which would you rather be run over by?  Would you rather be run over by the truck or the shadow?  The youngest child pointed out “The shadow couldn’t hurt anybody.”

To which the preacher nodded in agreement, to which he said to his children here’s the thing “Death is a truck, but the shadow is all that ever touches the Christian.  The truck ran over the Lord Jesus; Only the shadow is gone over (your) mother.” 

It was on days such as this one.  The Bank President’s words rang true.  The customer was indeed moving to be a better location.  Sarah Winchester would not be able to avoid death, yet she should not tremble because of it.  No matter how old we grow, we are reminded that life in this world merely paves the way to eternal life.  Resurrection spreads many, many seeds over the Earth. What we are reminded as we prepare for Holy Week to witness Jesus’ death and resurrection up-close.  The truck shall not touch you, but only its shadow.  Amen
 
 
 
 
 


[1] The following is taken from May 25th, 1992 edition of Daily Bread. The illustration was accessed on Sermon Illustrations.com on Feburary 20th, 2018. 
[2] “Sarah Winchester.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 19. Feb.2018. Web. Feb.20.2018. 
[3] Sarah Winchester.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
[4] Sarah Winchester.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
[5] “Winchester Mystery House.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 19.Feb.2018. Web. Feb.20.2018. 
[6] Winchester Mystery House.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
[7] Winchester Mystery House.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
[8] The following is taken from the April 2nd, 1994 edition of Daily Bread. The factoid was found on Sermon Illustrations.com on Feburary 20th, 2018. 
[9] Hebrews 2:15. 
[10] John 12:20-33. 
[11] John 12:21. 
[12] John 12:24. 
[13] Habben, Daniel. “What’s Eating Jesus?” Sermon Central. 20.Mar.2006. Web. Feb.19.2018. 
[14] Habben, Daniel. “What’s Eating Jesus?”
[15] The following illustration comes from the Feburary 29th, 1991 edition of Daily Bread. Illustration was accessed on Feburary 19th, 2018 from Sermon Illustrations/death. 
[16] Markquardt, Edward. “If a Seed Dies.” Sermon from Seattle. Series B. Lent 5.  Web. Feb.20.2018.   
[17] Haugen, Roger. “5 Lent B.” Sermon Central. 6. Apr.2003. Web. Feb.20.2018. 
[18] The following illustration comes from Donald Grey Barnhouse and was found on Sermon Illustrations under death.  Website was accessed on Feburary 19th, 2018.  

First Lesson: Numbers 21: 4-9
Responsive Reading: Psalm 107: 1-3, 17-22
Second Lesson: Ephesians 2: 1-10
​Gospel Lesson: John 3: 14-21

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
This morning I want to begin by telling you the stories of three unique individuals, who would seem to have nothing in common.  There is ultimately a common bond tying them together with Nicodemus the lead character from Today’s Gospel Lesson from John 3[1].

R.J. Palacio tells the story of Augie Pullman a ten-year-old boy born with a craniofacial disorder[2].  Things like swallowing and breathing that we take for granted were challenges for Augie as a young child.  Growing up Augie had numerous surgeries to live a normal life hopefully.  Augie because of his medical condition was never going to look normal.  Kids would make fun of him at the local park growing up.  Augie as a self-defense mechanism proceeded to wear a space helmet over his head in public for two years.  Augie was asked if his face was a result of being in a “fire.”  Augie was home-schooled because both kids and adults can be continually cruel.  Augie was quite bright and loved Star Wars.  The insults would sting Augie every time he’d be compared to zombies or various hideous looking Star Wars characters on account of his face.  Augie had grown up being left out by other kids[3].  Augie expected to be picked on when he started going to school.  Augie saw all the ways in this life he seemingly didn’t measure up, so he knew what exactly it felt like to be lonely and unloved. 

The second character I want to tell you about is one of the most remarkable men in American history.  John Quincy Adams was born in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1767 the son of Abigail Adams and future president John Adams[4].  At the age of 26, the Ambassador to the Netherlands.  At the age of 36, he would be elected to the United States Senate.  He served as a Professor at multiple Ivy League schools in Harvard and Brown.  His later career would see him serve as Ambassador to Russia, Secretary of State, he served as the sixth President of the United States, and afterward went on to serve an additional nine terms in the U.S. Congress until his death in 1848.  Perhaps no person in American history has served in more varied and important offices than John Quincy Adams.  In the years before his death, Adams sat down reflecting on his life with the following observation “My whole life has been a succession of disappointments.  I can scarcely recollect a single instance of success in anything that I ever undertook[5]. “

The third character is remarkable in some ways, unremarkable in many others.  There was no finer Christian at Saint Martin’s Lutheran Church than Mildred[6].  Mildred would be the first person to let you know of this.  Mildred could quote her Bible better than many a minister.  Mildred had never smoked, nor ever touched alcohol. Mildred would skip “Hollywood” movies because they glamorized sin.  Mildred wouldn’t even touch a deck of playing cards.  No one had ever heard Mildred utter a cuss word.  Mildred’s family life though was a mess.  Mildred’s son didn’t speak to her over her continual shaming of his sinful, hedonist ways.  Mildred barely talked to her daughter after her interference ruined her marriage[7].   Mildred’s husband had not felt joy the last thirty years of their marriage.  Mildred’s gossip had wounded people far and wide within her community.  Here’s the thing about Mildred she was good at avoiding sins in which she didn’t have much interest, Mildred though was unable to recognize the true nature of sin within her life.

So what do Augie Pullman, John Quincy Adams, and Mildred have in common?  They all struggled in their unique ways with perfectionism.  They all see their world as ruled by harsh judges, demanding taskmasters, and rules over how they’re supposed to look, succeed, and behave. 

Into their stories comes a similar story in our Gospel lesson for Today from John 3.  Nicodemus was one of the biggest religious big-shots in Jesus’ day.  He was a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin or the religious ruling council that would eventually sentence Jesus to death.  But Nicodemus was also curious about the nature of Jesus’ ministry.  Nicodemus approaches Jesus at night because it wasn’t safe to be seen talking with Jesus because of building tensions between Nicodemus’ fellow Pharisees and Jesus[8]. 

Nicodemus was pious like Mildred with the power of John Quincy Adams.  The Pharisees took how they lived seriously; they weren’t satisfied with Ten Commandments, so they expanded them by 613.  They prayed at every meal, and never worked under any circumstances on the Sabbath day[9]. 

So Nicodemus needed to know how Jesus’ differed from all this.  Jesus speaks to Nicodemus his famous words “Unless a man is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God[10].”

Nicodemus can’t initially make sense of Jesus’ words.  How exactly do you choose to get born?

So Jesus sums it all up to Nicodemus in our lesson for Today: “For God so loved the world,[i] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life[11].”

When you consider Nicodemus’ background until meeting Jesus, he is a highly unlikely convert much like Saul who became Paul.  What Nicodemus hears about being “born from above” presents him with a new understanding of grace then he had previously ever heard.

Nicodemus appears later in the Gospels as evidenced by his new “birth from above[12].” In John 7[13], when the Council wants to arrest Jesus, Nicodemus speaks in his defense.  In John 19[14], Nicodemus along with Joseph of Arimathea helps arrange for Jesus’ burial. 

Nicodemus moved on from perfectionism to grace.  Nicodemus came to believe that his God was not a harsh judge nor a stern taskmaster, but rather a God of love and forgiveness who welcomes sinners like Nicodemus or Mildred into his presence[15]. The point of our lesson is whether you’re Augie Pullman, John Quincy Adams, Mildred or Nicodemus you will not be excluded from the love of God given in Christ Jesus.  Jesus’ promises are big enough to overcome your lack of perfection.   Nicodemus saw how God reaches down to us in the midst of our imperfection.  Nicodemus’ new conviction was the meaning of him being “born from above.”

So what does Nicodemus’ story mean for our story?  Homer Simpson is a member of the First Christian Church of Springfield.  Homer certainly has his share of faults: he’ll have his many moments of being both selfish and lazy.  One time, Homer fell asleep in church.  It wasn’t just any snooze though; it was a mouth-wide open, drool coming out of it snooze.  The following Sunday: the Church puts on the bulletin a picture of Homer sleeping, big belly on display asking the question “Jesus died for this[16]?”

Before meeting Jesus, Nicodemus would have been appalled at seeing such a picture.  After meeting Jesus, Nicodemus came to believe that Jesus came into the world for failed believers no different than Homer Simpson or even himself. 

The meaning of Nicodemus’ rebirth is he was never going to understand God the same after his eyes were opened to the realities of God’s grace.

Let me close with one final story for this morning, Oliver Sacks is a professor of Neurology at Columbia and a best -selling author[17].  Oliver Sacks tells the story of a man named Virgil. Virgil had gone blind in childhood when he was fifty years old, he undergoes surgery and is given the gift of sight.  New eyesight would seem to be a joyous occasion for Virgil, yet in the initial days after his surgery life was quite awkward. 

Virgil had to be escorted up to the walkway to his house, be introduced to each chair[18]. Virgil had been born-again his body was fifty, but his eyes scanned the world trying to make sense of it no different than an infant.  For what we do thousands of times a day without a second thought, was seemingly next to impossible for Virgil to do.  

Virgil could identify colors and movements, but figuring out patterns was next to impossible because of prior lack of experience. 

Virgil eventually gets better with these tasks over time, as he grows more and more used to conditions of what he has now come to know. 

Dr. Sacks concluded: “One must die as a blind person to be born again as seeing person[19].”

Seeing, hearing, and experiencing the world in a new way takes time to adjust. 

“You don’t give yourself birth; Christ does it for you.” 

Your various imperfections whether they are sleeping in your pew,  a deformed face, a seeming lack of accomplishment, broken relationships with everyone around you, or being so scared of the consequences that you have to visit with Jesus in the secret of night. 

God gives, we receive.  God forgives, we heal. Christ dies, we are resurrected.  No matter how different Augie Pullman, John Quincy Adams, Mildred, Nicodemus, or any of us might be, it is the same Gospel message that we all receive.

“For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life[20]”- Amen.


[1] John 3:14-21. 
[2] R.J. Palacio’s book Wonder was published by Knopf Books in 2012. 
[3] Kooi, Nickolas. “You Aren’t Left Out.” Sermon Central. 13.June.2017. Web. Feb.19.2018.  
[4] “John Quincy Adams.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 16.Feb.2018. Web. Feb.19.2018. 
[5] Sell, Charles. Unfinished Business. Multnomah Publishers. 1989. P.23 found on Sermon Illustrations website under perfectionism.
[6] Mildred is based on an woman described by Tim Zingale in his Feburary 19th, 2002 sermon titled “The Giving Tree.” The sermon was accessed on Sermon Central on Feburary 15th, 2012. 
[7] Zingale, Tim. “The Giving Tree.”
[8] Stier, Leon. “The First Saint Nick (a.) Email Mediatations. 18. Aug.2016. Web. Feb.19.2018.
[9] Stier, Leon. “The First Saint Nick (b).” Email Mediatations. 19. Aug.2016. Web. Feb.19.2018. 
[10] John 3:3. 
[11] John 3:16. 
[12] Stier, Leon. “The First Saint Nick (b).”
[13] John 7:50
[14] John 19:39. 
[15] Molin, Steve. “The Night Visitor.” Sermon Writer. 2006. Web. Feb.19.2018. 
[16] The following scene takes place in The Simpsons season 14 episode 10 “Pray Anything” originally airing on Fox Network on Feburary 9th, 2003. 
[17] Michaud, Jon. “Eighty-Five from the Archive: Oliver Sacks.” New Yorker. 22.Feb.2010. Web. Feb.19.2018. 
[18] Michaud, Jon. “Eighty-Five from the Archive: Oliver Sacks.”
[19] The following was sent into Sermon Illustrations under Born Again by Terry Seufferlein of Norman, Oklahoma. The website was accessed on Feburary 19, 2018. 
[20] John 3:16.  

First Lesson: Exodus 20: 1-17
Responsive Reading: Psalm 19
Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 1: 18-25
​Gospel Lesson: John 2: 13-22

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
“Speak when you are angry, and you make the best speech you’ll ever regret.”-Laurence J. Peter

Let me begin by telling a story about Grandma.  One day, I was visiting Grandma at the nursing home.  Grandma asked me a question “How come no one from the church comes to see me?”  Now Grandma’s church has a good size membership perhaps 1500 plus.  The Visitation Pastor is going to be quite busy.  Everyone in town knows Grandma for being opinionated both appropriately and inappropriately.  Now assuming the church’s good intentions, I told Grandma to call the church office then call back in two weeks if she hadn’t received a response.  Grandma didn’t care for the patience involved with my suggestion!

She asked that I instead track down a piece of paper and a pen.  Grandma was going to fire off a letter.  Grandma’s strong suits have never been subtlety or diplomacy.  Grandma writes the pastor declaring she no longer considers herself a member of the Church.  She accused the pastor of caring more about more a paycheck than saving souls.  Grandma then concludes that if Jesus met the pastor, then Jesus would demand the white collar back.  Now, this letter was amazing, as someone who writes all the time I was impressed that Grandma was able to fire off the letter in one draft without edits.  As someone who is occasionally called to encounter difficult people, Grandma’s letter contained more high drama than most other people could even imagine with the angriest of their insults.  It probably didn’t help things that nothing gets Grandma angrier than woman preachers. 

Now here’s the thing about Grandma, she was right the church should have been making more of an effort to visit her.  It doesn’t matter if Grandma wasn’t the most regular church attendee or the most opinionated ninety plus-year-old woman in Chisago County.  Grandma was right to be irritated if not angry.  So the question about Grandma and the Preacher this morning for us to consider is “How should we handle our anger as Christian people?” Should we just fire off angry letters and hope they solve all our problems.  Or does our anger in many cases ultimately cause more destruction than we can imagine?

Second story for this morning, In the spring of 1894, the Baltimore Orioles were playing in Boston versus the Beaneaters who would come to be known as the Braves[1][2].  The game started off as normal.  In the third inning everything changed[3].  On a seemingly routine play, Orioles first baseman Tommy Tucker known as “foghorn” for his loudness on the field slid into Beaneaters third baseman John Mcgraw who would come to be known as “Little Napoleon[4].” While tagging Tucker, McGraw managed to kick Tucker in the head.  Tucker wasn’t going to take this from the smaller McGraw without retaliating, so he gets up to punch him.  Punches start to fly between Tucker and McGraw with the whole crowd cheering the hometown McGraw.

In all this distraction, a group of children sets a fire underneath the right field bleachers.  The fire quickly spread throughout the whole ballpark[5].  Seats are soon on fire and the stands began to empty.  Tucker and McGraw only stop fighting because the blaze threatens to consume them.  Pretty soon, Boston’s South End Grounds ballpark is destroyed.  The fire continues to spread though engulfing several city blocks.  The fire which would become known as the “Great Roxbury Fire” would end up destroying upwards of 170 buildings in South Boston[6]. 

Tucker and McGraw’s fight makes an important point about Anger that it doesn’t merely affect us, but instead everyone else with whom we come into contact and even those who we don’t meet.
The following stories of Anger’s dramatic effects bring us to our Gospel lesson for Today from John 2[7].  The lesson contains the famous Gospel story of Jesus in a fit of anger overturning the money-changers tables.   It’s the most notable example of Jesus showing anger throughout the Gospels. Here’s some background on what took place. 

Every Jewish male over the age of 20 was required to attend Jerusalem during the Passover which Christians now know as “Holy Week.”[8].  This trip had two requirements.  Number one, they were supposed to pay their annual Temple tax.  Number two, pilgrims were required to bring Animals to the Temple as a way of atoning for past sins.   These things would not have been unusual occurrences within 1st Century Judaism, Jesus is instead critiquing something else.

The problem with the Temple Tax was the political situation of Jesus’ day.  Jews were living under Roman rule, so all legal currency had the images of Roman emperors who considered themselves to be gods.  So because of this Roman money was banned within the Temple as a violation of the 1st Commandment “Thou shall have no other Gods before me.” So currency exchanges would take place outside the temple, where the Roman money would be exchanged for Temple money.  The problem is Temple money had no value, so the money-changers could claim what they wanted for themselves. The system was rife with abuse.   

The issues with animal sacrifice were similar.  People had the option of bringing their own animals to the Temple to be sacrificed, but in many cases, this required traveling hundreds of miles with sheep and oxen which wasn’t the easiest thing to do.  You couldn’t just bring any animals; the animals had to be inspected before the journey by a priest to make sure such animals were suitable for sacrifice.  Many animals that people brought would be disqualified because of minor blemish[9].  This background creates another financial opportunity for those associated with the Jerusalem temple.  So Temple authorities would sell animals within Temple grounds. 

Now I’m not a beer-drinker, but when I go to Vikings games, I can’t help but notice that beer sells for 9.50 for something like 16 ounces.  Any small-town bar would close if they tried such a thing since people couldn’t afford it.  Back to our lesson, when you’ve traveled hundreds of miles and can only get an approved animal inside the temple courts.  The price gets highly inflated and huge profits are made by religious authorities. 

So Jesus enters our Temple on the day of our lesson and hears an odd mix of commerce and religious ritual[10].  So Jesus gets mad just like Grandma, John McGraw or Tommy Tucker, he grabs a rope uses it like a whip and no different than the Great Roxbury Fire quickly empties the Temple.  Jesus then comes across the money-changers tables and flips them over knocking coins all over the place. 

Now back to My Grandma.  Grandma hands me the letter tells me to deliver the letter.  I figure I should give the letter to my Dad.  I get Grandma to agree to let my dad handle the letter.  Dad figures the letter is probably best not delivered.  Dad didn’t want to burn a lot of bridges at a Church where he had been a member for some sixty-five plus years and Grandma had belonged for ninety plus years.  Grandma never brought the letter up ever again. 

Now as the Disciples are witnessing this scene, they probably had a similar reaction they were worried about all the burnt bridges that such an outburst was going to cause. They were worried that Jesus like Grandma was just going to provoke the religious authorities of his day unnecessarily[11]. 

Jesus’ outburst though was more than him just getting steamed at the moment.  Jesus’ outburst was intended to make a very definite point about the nature of his kingdom. 

Jesus in Mark’s Gospel gives the reason “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations[12].”

Jesus’ outburst took place not because there were animals near the worship space, or even because of the nature of a temple tax.  Jesus’ outburst was driven by the fact that good religious leaders were profiting on making it more difficult to have access to God’s house.  Jesus got mad because such a system was made to exclude non-Jews and other assorted sinners from his house. 

To quote: Pastor Daniel Habben “God’s house was no longer a refuge (for sinners); it had been turned into a den of robbers) and Jesus was not going to put up with this[13].”

So Jesus got mad and flipped the money-changers temple’s because he saw the message of God’s grace being corrupted on Temple grounds.

So Jesus gets angry in our lesson for Today, we often get angry throughout our lives.  So is our anger one in the same?

Here’s where our anger is different.  We get angry when someone upsets us.  We get angry when we want something for ourselves that we don’t receive[14].  

I have a family member who is known for every time she goes to a restaurant, she finds something to complain about with the meal, with the wine, with the waiter, and people dining with her fear what minor flaw that she might point out next.  Anger in cases such as this one are all about us: our wants and our desires then turning around and claiming them as God’s. Anger in many cases is all about “What’s in it for me[15]?”  If I can lash out at someone else’s failings to make myself feel better, then all the better. 

Here’s what makes Jesus’ anger different.  Jesus’ anger was all about human sin.  Jesus knew of the destruction even worse than the Great Roxbury Fire that human sin causes day and day out.  Jesus’ anger was all about setting the world right again, anger at a restaurant waiter is not a good comparison.  The thing about Jesus’ anger is that it wasn’t fully taken out on this day, it would instead be taken out later on Holy Week as he journeyed to the cross. Jesus knew that imperfect religious authorities alone would not be enough, he knew a different answer was ultimately needed in response to our anger. 

So if Jesus flipping tables at the Temple the journeying to the grave is his response to anger, how should we respond to Anger within our own lives? We shouldn’t lash out in angry letters nor start brawls at Baseball games.  Perhaps instead, we need to take a step back look at anger’s destructive consequences in the world around us and see that Jesus does not endorse the anger which is too often in this world.  Jesus instead seeks to triumph over anger for our sake, no matter how opinionated my Grandma might be at any given moment.   Amen
                   


[1] Published in Daily Bread on August 13th, 1992.  Analogy was founded on sermonillustrations under anger on Feburary 12th, 2018. 
[2] Hill, David. “Braves History: Fight, Fire Mar Game Against Orioles.” Call to the Pen found on Fansided network of webblogs. The article was accessed on Feburary 12th, 2018 and published nine months prior according to website. 
[3] Hill, David. “Braves History: Fight, Fire Mar Game Against Orioles.”
[4] Hill, David. “Braves History: Fight, Fire Mar Game Against Orioles.”
[5] Hill, David. “Braves History: Fight, Fire Mar Game Against Orioles.”
[6] Hill, David. “Braves History: Fight, Fire Mar Game Against Orioles.”
[7] John 2:13-22. 
[8] Habben, Daniel “What's Eating Jesus?” Sermon Central. 20.Mar.2006. Web. Feb.12.2018. 
[9] Habben, Daniel “What's Eating Jesus?”
[10] Habben, Daniel “What's Eating Jesus?”
[11] Habben, Daniel “What's Eating Jesus?”
[12] Mark 11:17. 
[13] Habben, Daniel “What's Eating Jesus?”
[14] Graham, Billy. “I admit I get angry fairly easily, but why is anger supposed to be a sin? After all, the Bible says that God sometimes gets angry, doesn't it? And wasn't Jesus angry when He drove those moneychangers out of the Temple?” Billy Graham Association. 7.Oct.2016. Web. Feb.12.2018. 
[15] Habben, Daniel “What's Eating Jesus?”

First Lesson: Genesis 17: 1-7, 15-16
Responsive Reading: Psalm 22: 23-31
Second Lesson: Romans 4: 13-25
​Gospel Lesson: Mark 9: 2-9

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
The place is Mumbai, India[1].  Mumbai is the twelfth largest city in the world with a population of over 12 million people.  Mumbai is a small city with its square area 1/5 the size of Rhode Island, making it one of the most population dense cities in the world[2].  The time is 7:00 A.M.  A businessman leaves his home for the City Centre 19 miles away.  The problem with leaving the house at 7:00 A.M. is it’s too early to prepare a proper lunch that’ll stay fresh for six hours.  Few people want to eat from street vendors day after day.

In 1890, a lunchbox service was started where men would seek to deliver home-cooked meals to others while away from home.  The process seems to be impossible.  9:15 A.M. lunchboxes are picked up at residences throughout the outskirts of Mumbai[3].  The men that pick these boxes up are called walas.  The boxes are marked without smartphones, scanners, bar codes, or GPS or any other modern technology that would seemingly make the job easier.  Walas then load up to fifteen separate lunch bags on their bicycle.  They bike down to the nearest train station.  They then meet with other walas to sort and separate bags for delivery into separate sections of Mumbai.  Everything for the walas is dependent on getting onboard the 10:51 train[4].  Miss the train the whole system collapses, no lunch gets delivered during India’s normal 1-2 lunch hour.

The Walas upon sorting the bags then sit together in a luggage compartment, where they do their daily joking upon the train ride to Mumbai.  The train stops on the Southern Tip of Mumbai after a 40-minute train ride.  Walas from all over the city gather, they then hop on bicycles left behind by other Walas for them.  They then have to navigate the streets of Mumbai through cars, trucks, rickshaws, and even the occasional cow.  Most days traffic is at a stand-still.  Such a business seems like nothing but a recipe for chaos and disaster.  Present the following model as a business plan and you would be subjected to ridicule[5].

How accurate are the Walas.  Their error rate is reportedly 1 in 16 million[6].  Their efficiency is so renowned that they’ve been celebrated by Prince Charles of England and studied at Harvard Business School.  Walas have no special background most of them have what amounts to an 8th grade education.  Many of them are unable to read[7].  Here’s the thing about the Walas though which makes them so unique, they have managed to establish perfect timing in the midst of all chaos.  The Walas promise to deliver lunch by 12:45 every day and they seemingly never disappoint regardless of how long the odds. 
Today’s Old Testament lesson tells a similar story[8].  It’s a story where the timing seems to be impossible.  It’s a story of the most remarkable of promises being fulfilled in the life of Abraham. 

The story of Abraham’s life is one of God coming through on unbelievable promises given to Abraham.  Abraham’s story spans thirteen chapters of the Book of Genesis and in nearly every chapter, promises of some sort are given by God to Abraham[9][10]. 

The first major promise that God gives unto Abraham is in Genesis 12 where God promises Abraham a land where he would become the Father of a great nation[11]. Abraham is seventy-five years old at the time.  This promise seems unlikely to be fulfilled because Abraham is already getting up there in years.  Today’s lesson takes place twenty-four years in the future.  Twenty-four years after God’s original promise Abraham and Sarah are still childless. Abraham’s now ninety-nine years old to be exact.  Abraham’s wife Sarah not being a young woman herself is believed to be barren.  Within our lesson for Today, both Abraham and Sarah are promised by God that they would give birth to a child.  This child would be the fulfillment of God’s previous promises to Abraham to descend from his blood a great nation. 

Here’s what should be noted about God’s promise to Abraham.  God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah occur without conditions[12].  When Sarah hears she’s about to become pregnant at the age of 90, she laughs at God[13].  She believes such a thing is impossible.  God could have moved onto someone else at this point, yet what the story of Abraham and Sarah illustrates the nature of God’s promises is they are unconditional.  God’s response to us is more important than our response to God.  We call this Grace.  God’s ability to carry out his promises is stronger than our ability to run away from these truths. 

Here’s the thing about God’s promises to Abraham.  Abraham nor Sarah do not live to see all of God’s promises fulfilled.  The most important promise that God makes to Abraham is that through his family tree, a great blessing that will be received by not only Abraham’s family but all the families of the Earth.  God’s promises would eventually be fulfilled through Abraham’s descendant Jesus Christ.   The Cross of Christ which we look ahead to this Lenten season will be the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises given to Abraham many generations ago[14].  Eventually, all the nations of the Earth will be saved from their own sin and suffering.  The idea that a Savior would eventually overcome death seemed like nothing more than a distant dream during the life of Abraham.  Resurrection is no more impossible than a hundred-year-old man having a child with a ninety-year-old woman[15].  The thing about promises is the best promises seem foolish at the time they are given.  The thing about promises though is even if they seem a little unbelievable, there’s something sacred about a promise.

How one fulfills their promises speaks to whether their word is gold or garbage.  Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863[16].  The Emancipation Proclamation announced the freedom of three-million slaves within Southern states.  Among the three-million slaves, there was perhaps one man who was more remarkable than any other slave for how he understood this notion of promise.  Booker T. Washington tells the story of meeting a slave from Virginia[17].  The slave’s master had made a deal with him a couple of years before Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation; the slave would be able in effect to buy his freedom from his master[18].  The master set a price from freedom, with an understanding that the slave would be able to find work wherever he pleased.  The condition was the slave promises to pay the master back.  The slave eventually leaves Virginia for better wages in Ohio.  The slave works in Ohio for a couple of years; Lincoln signs Emancipation Proclamation making the slave have no more legal obligations for his master.  Now the Slave would have been justified in never returning to Virginia, yet the man’s promise meant more than anything that had taken place in the past.  Upon earning money to pay off his master, he walked all the way from Ohio to Virginia to place every dollar he owed to his master into his hand plus interest.

Booker T. Washington hears this story and is shocked.  The man said his word would never be broken and he could never be truly “free” until his promise was fulfilled[19]. 

The point of the story of Abraham is this God’s promises are gold.  They will come through, no matter how much the circumstances ultimately change around us.

One last story for this morning as told by Leon Stier, the story illustrates how God’s promises are fulfilled no matter what takes place in our life[20].

Cleo was sixty-two years old.  She and her husband John had just retired.  The future was looking bright.  Cleo and John had all sorts of friends, all sorts of money, and really big plans for the years ahead.  Cleo’s plans collapsed as she heard that she had cancer and it was terminal.  Cleo still struggled to get to church every Sunday even as her body got weaker and weaker.  She eventually calls the Pastor over to plan her funeral.  Cleo had all her hymns and scripture readings picked out.  Cleo had one special request for the pastor.  She asked if he wouldn’t mind preaching her funeral sermon on her favorite Bible verse[21].  The verse came from the very end of the Book of Joshua.  Whereas Abraham was the Father of a great nation, Joshua was the one who led them back into the promised land of Israel after the death of Moses. 

The verse that Cleo picked goes as follows:
“Now I am about to go the way of all the earth.  You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God have you has failed.  Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”- Joshua 23:14. 

God’s promises to Cleo did not include a long-life, nor a pain-free life, nor a life free of disappointment.  Here’s what God promised Cleo instead.  God promises to Cleo were instead eternal in nature.   God’s promises would not fail Cleo[22]. 

To quote the Apostle Paul: “Look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal[23].”

Consider how God’s promises work in our own life.  God’s promises were given to Abraham thousands of years ago in a land, far, far away from here.  The promises given to Abraham on this day, Christians believe are eventually fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ[24].  God’s promises have continually reached around the world since Christ rose from the dead.  These promises turned a small group of Disciples into a faith that reached our ancestors in Germany in the 8th Century[25], reaching Scandinavia shortly after that, and reaching nearly every corner of the world in the centuries that followed.  We gather here on this day because God’s promises that a 99-year-old man would become the Father of a great nation with his barren wife Sarah have come true.  No matter how long the odds of God’s promises seem to be.  The cross assures us that in his presence that any meals within his kingdom will be served on time regardless of schedule.  Amen
 
 
 


[1] Pink, Daniel. When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. Riverhead Books. New York. 2018. Print. P.177-200. 
[2] Pink, Daniel. When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. P.179
[3] Pink, Daniel. When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. P.178.
[4] Pink, Daniel. When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. P.187
[5] Pink, Daniel. When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. P.188. 
[6] Pink, Daniel. When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. P.188. 
[7] “Dabbawala.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 13. Jan.2018. Web. Feb.4.2018. 
[8] Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16. 
[9] Chapters 12-25. 
[10] Fretheim, Terry. “Commentary on Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16”. Working Preacher. Luther Seminary. 8. Mar.2009. Web. Feb.6.2018. 
[11] Genesis 12:1-9. 
[12] Fretheim, Terry. “Commentary on Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16”.
[13] Genesis 18:12. 
[14] Howard, Cameron. B.R. “Commentary on Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16.” Working Preacher. Luther Seminary. 1.Mar.2015. Web. Feb.6.2018. 
[15] Howard, Cameron. B.R. “Commentary on Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16.”
[16] “Emancipation Proclamation.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 29. Jan.2018. Web. Feb.4.2018. 
[17] Washingston gives the following example in his book Up from Slavery. 
[18] Moore. Douglas. E. “Promise.” Sermon Illustrations. Web. 4.Feb.2018. 
[19] Moore. Douglas. E. “Promise.”
[20] Steir, Pastor Leon. “Cleo and John (Part one of two).” Email Mediatations. 9.Apr.2015. Web. 4. Feb.2018. 
[21] Steir, Pastor Leon. “Cleo and John (Part one of two).”
[22] Steir, Pastor Leon. “Cleo and John (Part one of two).”
[23] 2 Corinthians 4:18. 
[24] Steir, Pastor Leon. “Abraham and Adamou (part one of two).” Email Mediatations. 26. June.2015. Web. Feb.4.2018. 
[25] Steir, Pastor Leon. “Abraham and Adamou (part one of two).”

First Lesson: Genesis 9: 8-17
Responsive Reading: Psalm 25: 1-10
Second Lesson: 1 Peter 3: 18-22
Gospel Lesson: Mark 1: 9-15

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
“Don’t sit near the fire if your head is made of butter.  The closer we are to temptation, the more it influences us[1].”- Martin Luther

Let me begin this morning with a story about Toad and his good friend Frog[2].  Toad one day decided to bake some cookies; they were the best smelling cookies that he had ever made.  Toad decides to eat one; he’s delighted as it’s the best tasting cookie he had ever eaten.  Toad decides he better share the cookies with Frog. 

Frog takes one bite and agrees with Toad that these are the best cookies ever.

Frog and Toad decide to eat cookie after cookie as their stomachs grow fuller and fuller.

Finally Frog figures perhaps they should stop, so they don’t get sick.

Toad agrees but asks Frog that they eat one last cookie before stopping.  They munch their cookies down in about three seconds.  They see the cookie jar is still full of cookies. 

They quickly decide one more last cookie won’t hurt, so they scarf their cookies down in about three seconds yet again.

Toad cries out “We must stop eating[3].”  Frog agrees but decides that they need the willpower to resist such strong temptation.

Toad asks Frog “What is willpower?”

Frog answers “Willpower is trying hard not to do something you really want to.”

Lightbulb goes on in Toad’s head “You mean like eating all these cookies?”

“Exactly,” says Frog.

Frog hatches a plan.  “We will put all the cookies in a box; then we will not eat any more cookies[4].”

Toad objects “But we can open the box[5].”

Frog agrees, but then says “Well we can tie some string around the box, then we won’t eat any more cookies[6].”

Toad points out “But we can cut the string on the box.”

Frog agrees. “We will then place the cookies on a high shelf[7].”  Frog decides to get a ladder to put the cookies away.

Toad points out “But we’re still able to climb the ladder to get the cookies.”

Frog decides there is one solution to the problem.  He brings the box of cookies outside, shouts for the birds to get the cookies.  Pretty soon, birds come from all around taking away every last delicious bite.

Toad sees the scene unfold and gets quite sad.  “We now have no more cookies to eat.”

Frog says “I know, but we actually used our willpower to resist temptation[8].”

Toad looks at Frog then says “You can keep all your willpower, I’m going back home to bake a cake[9].”

The story of Toad and Frog leads us into our Gospel lesson for Today from Mark 1[10].  It’s the story of Jesus journeying into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil for forty days.  The Devil presents Jesus with three temptations. 

The first temptation of Bread we can understand as the lust of the flesh or doing something because it feels good[11].  No different than eating cookies till your stomach aches.  Resisting this temptation was going to be a struggle as Jesus had been starving for the past forty days. 

The second temptation that Jesus faces deals with pride[12], The Devil takes Jesus to the highest pinnacle of the Temple with an offer to throw himself down to make him save himself.  Jesus rejects this temptation as an abuse of his powers.

The third temptation that Jesus faces deals with power[13].  The devil offers Jesus all the kingdoms of the world plus all the fame and earthly glory that go along with them.

The offers that the Devil presents Jesus with is quite enticing: Jesus can have all he ever wants in This life if he will bow down and worship the Devil[14]. 

Resisting these temptations wasn’t going be easy for Jesus. 

The point of our lesson is this.  We face similar temptations every day.  Giving in to such temptations has the power to destroy us. 

One of the most famous works of German Literature tells the story of Dr. Faust[15].  Dr. Faust’s story begins with a conversation between God and the Devil.  Similar to the story of Job, the Devil makes a bet with God that he can steal Dr. Faust’s soul.  Dr. Faust seems an unlikely candidate for such a bet; he was widely renowned as a brilliant scientist and a good man of faith.  The Devil though understands Dr. Faust’s cookies which he will be unable to resist.  The Devil presents Dr. Faust with an offer of everything he could want for the rest of his life; the only cost would be his eternal soul.  Dr. Faust thinks this is a wonderful deal as he was a young man with death way off in the distance. 

Dr. Faust from this point forward accepts the Devil’s deal. Dr. Faust explains his decision to God as such: “I am not indebted to you for the life you gave me, so I want to forget you, God, and live for myself[16].”

The Devil’s deal produces a wonderful life for Dr. Faust.  Towards the end of his life though, Dr. Faust began to realize something that the deal he agreed to so many years ago wasn’t good at all.  Dr. Faust stared at his upcoming death with nothing but despair.  Dr. Faust’s salvation seemed to be lost in a moment of seeking out pleasure years before.  

Here’s the thing about Temptation, we can have the best intentions to resist it, yet as in the case of Frog and Toad no matter what the rewards: Human willpower is quite weak.  As in the story of Dr. Faust, it’s really easy for us only to see how temptation benefits us today while being unable to see how temptation will damage you tomorrow. 

Tim Zingale tells the following story: Many years ago a king had a beautiful daughter[17].  Everyone within the kingdom wanted to marry the princess.  The princess didn’t care who she married as long as he loved her more than he loved anything else. The king and the princess one day devised a test to the courters’ love.  An announcement was made that on a certain day there would be a race.  The winner of the race would get to marry the princess.  Everyone rich or poor, tall or short, royal or common would be allowed to enter.  The only criteria to enter the race was you needed to profess your love for the princess above all else[18]. 

Race day comes the starting line is filled with every eligible bachelor in the kingdom.  They all intended to run many miles to win the princess’ hand in marriage.  They all hear that the princess would be waiting at the finish line.  Whoever grabbed her hand first, would take the princess as his bride[19].

Right before the start of the race, an announcement was made.  It was announced that the king was one of the wealthiest men in the world, and because he didn’t want anyone to come away from the race empty-handed, he had scattered a collection of his treasures along the course.  Each runner was free to take what he wanted[20].

The race begins; runners quickly get distracted with bags of gold and gems.  They would grab pendants and jeweled encrusted cups.  Runner after runner began to line his pocket with treasures.  Pretty soon, the princess was forgotten[21].

There was one man though who was different[22]; he didn’t run fast, in fact, he kind of limped a bit when running.  Yet the man kept pressing on regardless of the trinkets around him.  It was this man who would eventually grab the princess’ hand in marriage, and become a prince within the kingdom. 

The great hope for this morning is temptation as in the story of the princess has been overcome.  It wasn’t overcome by Frog, Toad, Faust, or any of the men of the kingdom.  The temptation was overcome by Jesus for forty days in the wilderness.  Christ defeated the power of the devil.  And Christ in just a few short weeks will overcome the power of death through his resurrection.  These are forces that we cannot defeat on our own, but Christ overcomes them for us, so our hope is that we look towards the day when His Kingdom shall eventually become our Kingdom. 

You might wonder this morning whatever happened to Dr. Faust[23]? The man who sold his soul to the Devil?  Faust dies, his soul would appear to be the Devil’s for all eternity.  Yet God’s forces intervene regardless of the darkest secrets within Faust’s past.  Even Faust receives God’s grace.  The final scene of Dr.Faust’s story has him carried into heaven for all eternity[24].  Faust’s weaknesses did not lead him to Hell as even he thought they would, victory had previously been won for him as Christ endured for forty days in the wilderness and three more days hanging upon a cross. Yet this story was not over.  Amen


[1] Crockett, Kent. The 911 Handbook. Hendrickson Publishers. Peabody, MA. 2003. Print. P.33 taken from kentcrockett.com. 
[2] Ortlund, Ray&Anne. Renewal. Navpress. 1989. Print. P.73-74 taken from sermonillustrations.com. 
[3] Ortlund, Ray&Anne. Renewal. P.73-74
[4] Ortlund, Ray&Anne. Renewal. P.73-74.
[5] Ortlund, Ray&Anne. Renewal. P.73-74.
[6] Ortlund, Ray&Anne. Renewal. P.73-74.
[7] Ortlund, Ray&Anne. Renewal. P.73-74.
[8] Ortlund, Ray&Anne. Renewal. P.73-74.
[9] Ortlund, Ray&Anne. Renewal. P.73-74.
[10] Mark 1:9-15. 
[11] Houdmann, S. Micheal. “What was the meaning and purpose of Jesus' temptations?” Got Questions.org.  Web. Jan.31.2018. 
[12] Houdmann, S. Micheal. “What was the meaning and purpose of Jesus' temptations?”
[13] Houdmann, S. Micheal. “What was the meaning and purpose of Jesus' temptations?”
[14] Stier, Pastor Leon. “Led by the Spirit… To Be Tempted (part one)” Email Mediations. 24. Feb.2015. Web. Jan.31.2018. 
[15] Stier, Pastor Leon. “Led by the Spirit… To Be Tempted (part one.”
[16] Stier, Pastor Leon. “Led by the Spirit…To Be Tempted (part two).  Email Mediatations. 25. Feb.2015. Web. Jan.31.2018. 
[17] Zingale, Tim. “To Tempt.” Sermon Writer. 2006. Web. Jan.31.2018.  Also found on Sermon Central. 
[18] Zingale, Tim. “To Tempt.”
[19] Zingale, Tim. “To Tempt.”
[20] Zingale, Tim. “To Tempt.”
[21] Zingale, Tim. “To Tempt.”
[22] Zingale, Tim. “To Tempt.”
[23] “Faust”. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation.  30.Jan.2018. Web. Jan.31.2018.  Plot twist taken from Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe’s story of Faust. 
[24] Faust”. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation.

First Lesson: 2 Kings 2: 1-12
Responsive Reading: Psalm 50: 1-6
Second Lesson: 2 Corinthians 4: 3-6
​Gospel Lesson: Mark 9: 2-9

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
Argentina and Chile have one of the largest shared borders in the world of 3,000 miles running alongside the Andes Mountains[1].  When both countries declared independence from the Spanish in 1810, the border immediately became disputed.  The primary source of the tension in this dispute is the Patagonia region along the Southern coast of South America[2].  Patagonia is considered some of the most beautiful land in the world.  After nearly a century of border disputes between the two counties, a local bishop decided to erect a statue on the country’s borders called “Christ of the Andes[3].”  The statue was to serve as a message of Christ’s call for peace between the two countries.  The statue’s completion in 1904 was initially a great cause for celebration.  Soldiers from both countries would fire gun salutes together such a thing would have been unheard of a few years prior[4].  Pretty soon trouble arose, the people of Chile noticed something about the statute; the statue was facing Argentina turning its back on Chile[5].  The people of Chile were ready to go to war over the slight produced by this statue.  A newspaper editor in Chile saw things much different from his fellow countrymen; he decided he needed to write an editorial about the statue.  He proceeded to write to the people of Chile not to worry about any slights regarding the statue because “The people of Argentina need more watching over than the Chileans[6].” The people of Chile saw their anger turn to laughter; the countries continued in the years ahead with relative peace and eighty years after the construction of Christ of the Andes, the two countries formally recognized their friendship with each other[7]. 

The border statue had two perspectives on one event; thankfully the newspaper editor’s perspective was ultimately the one that saved the day.

The second story for this morning told by D.L. Moody tells a similar tale of one event with two very different perspectives.  Once upon a time, there was a Christian woman who was bed-ridden because of an illness[8].  Here’s what made the woman remarkable: her attitude was one of perpetual optimism no matter how much pain she felt or how much sicker she ultimately got. The worst things got the woman seemingly got sunnier.  The woman had no earthly reason to celebrate.  Her apartment was on the fifth floor of the most rundown building any of you have ever seen, yet this didn’t bother her.  Not everyone saw things this way, one day a friend came to visit her bringing another guest in one of the wealthiest women around.  There was no elevator in the dark and dingy building, so the two women had to climb the steps from the first floor.  By the time they reached the second floor, the wealthy woman had commented “What a dark and filthy place[9]!"  To which her friend commented, “Don’t worry, it gets better the higher up, you go[10].”  When they reach the third floor, the wealthy woman comments “Things look even worse here."  To which her friend mouths the same reply “Don’t worry, it gets better higher up.”  Finally, the women get to the top floor.  The wealthy woman looks at the surroundings; the room was the drabbest and most run-down thing she had seen in her life.  The wealthy woman couldn’t for the life of her make sense of her friend’s words “it gets better higher up.”  The wealthy woman then proceeds to say to the sickly woman “It must be very difficult for you to be here like this[11]!”  A huge smile breaks out over the sickly woman’s face, “I’m happy here because it’s going to be better higher up[12].” 

The sickly woman and the wealthy woman saw the same room, yet they interpreted the room very differently.  The wealthy woman only saw things regarding what you see Today[13].  The sickly woman saw something much different at work; she knew that regardless of her present surroundings, her mountaintop was still to come. 

Both these stories tell the tale of one event with two different perspectives.  In the case of the Christ of the Andes statue, it’s the difference between war and peace.  In the case of the wealthy woman and sickly woman, it’s the difference between despair and hope. 

You see the human eye is one of the most remarkable organisms in the world.  Consider its complexity[14].  The human eye accounts for one/four-thousandths of an adult’s weight[15].  The eye processes about 80% of information that we receive in this lifetime.  The retina contains 130 million rod-shaped cells to detect light intensity[16], impulses are transmitted to the brain by nearly one million nerve fibers, and the eyes manage to be kept clean by self-producing just the right amount of fluid to clean eyes within one five-thousandth of a second[17].  The amazing thing about the human eye is despite the minor differences in function, the precision of similarities between every human eye out there. 

Here’s the most important thing about the human eye, people can come to very different answers to the same events which they witness out of them. 

In our Gospel lesson for Today[18], Jesus and Peter’s eyes despite being very similar come to two very different answers.  Our lesson begins as such, Jesus and Peter climb to the top of a mountain.  Peter witnesses a jaw-dropping scene, Jesus starts shining as bright as the sun, then appearing alongside Jesus are Moses and Elijah the two previous greatest heroes of Israel’s faith.   Pretty soon, something even bigger takes place than appearances of the long-dead heroes of the faith, a voice comes down from heaven proclaiming “This is my Son, whom I love; with him, I am well pleased.  Listen to him[19]!”  Jesus had been proclaimed by the heavens to be a bigger deal than even Moses or Elijah.  Peter and the rest of the Disciples are so amazed at this scene of transfiguration that they fall onto the ground in sheer awe.  Peter figures his life after witnessing such a dramatic scene will never be the same ever again. 

Peter’s first response is “Lord; it is good for us to be here.  If you wish, I will put up three shelters; one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah[20].”  Peter knew a thing or two about marketing having been a fisherman[21].  Peter knew how to sell fish and thought he could do the same here with religion.   Peter wanted to get the word out over a religious catch as he had never seen before.  Peter knew people would travel from far and wide to see Jesus, Moses, and Elijah together.  There would be no more denying among the people of Israel that Jesus was the one to follow. 

Peter thinks he finally has Jesus figured out, only for Jesus to tell Peter that nothing about this most dramatic of scenes will matter until Jesus rises from the dead.  In fact, Peter hears he needed to keep his mouth shut until then.

Here’s what Peter is reminded of on this day, in Jesus’ presence, we do not set the religious agenda.  Jesus continually finds ways to afflict the comfortable, and comfort the afflicted[22].  Jesus has a way of bestowing mercy upon the worst of sinners even when it seems not to be possible[23].  We are reminded that as we look at any one event of our lives from the border dispute of two neighboring countries to visiting a sickly old woman, Jesus’ perspective on what his eyes see is continually so much different from our own.  Where we might only see crosses laid before us, Jesus sees what’s on the other side of the cross. 

As we keep this in mind, let me describe one final scene for this morning, the year is 2018, the place is Silver Bay[24].  It’s a cold day in April, the wind is blowing, and rain is drizzling down.  A woman is gathered at Sawtooth Cemetery along her family plus a few select friends.  She’s staring at her husband’s coffin; her mind is consumed with the last days of his life as his body got more and more ravaged by cancer, till the point that he could not get out of bed.  She stares at the coffin, but she does not cry.  She sees the casket and believes that things will indeed be better higher up.  She sees a day where her husband’s body is strong once again, where he walks out of bed on his very power, where previous hospital visits are now a distant memory[25].  She sees a day when the two of them will eat dinner together again, where they embrace, where they walk, talk, and share laughs together[26].  She does not cry.  Some people only see a casket on this day, but she sees something more.  She sees not their separation on this day, she rather sees the day when they will be together again, and all things are made new once again[27].  Peter upon the Mount of Transfiguration, saw what he thought was the pinnacle of his faith, whereas Jesus knew the pinnacle of faith was yet to come.  Whereas many of us see caskets on days such as this, Jesus’ eyes see the empty tombs which are soon to come. Amen


[1] “Argentina–Chile relations.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 23.Jan.2018. Web. Jan.29.2018. 
[2] “Argentina–Chile relations.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
[3] “Christ the Redeemer of the Andes.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 13. Nov.2017. Web. Jan.29.2018. 
[4] “Christ the Redeemer of the Andes.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
[5] “Conflict” Bits & Pieces.  25.June. 1992. Web. Jan.29.2018.  Taken from Sermonillustrations.com. 
[6] Conflict” Bits & Pieces. 
[7] “Argentina–Chile relations.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
[8] Schultz, Don. “The Mountain Before The Valley.” Sermon Central. 27. Feb.2003. Web. Jan.29.2018. 
[9] Schultz, Don. “The Mountain Before The Valley.”
[10] Schultz, Don. “The Mountain Before The Valley.”
[11] Schultz, Don. “The Mountain Before The Valley.”
[12] Schultz, Don. “The Mountain Before The Valley.”
[13] Schultz, Don. “The Mountain Before The Valley.”
[14] Richardson, Taylor. “Seeing is Believing: The Design of the Human Eye.” Apologetics Press. 2004. Web. Jan.29.2018. 
[15] Blanchard, John. Does God Believe in Atheists?  2000.  EP Books.  Grand Rapids, MI. P.313. taken from Richardson, Taylor “Seeing is Believing: The Design of the Human Eye.”
[16] Blanchard, John. Does God Believe in Atheists? 
[17] Blanchard, John. Does God Believe in Atheists? 
[18] Mark 9:2-9. 
[19] Mark 9:7. 
[20] Mark 9:5. 
[21] Stier, Pastor Leon. “Not on the Same Page (b.) Email Mediataions. 1. Mar.2017. Web. Jan.29.2018. 
[22] Stier, Pastor. Leon. “Not on the Same Page (a).” Email Mediataions. 28.Feb.2017. Web. Jan.29.2018. 
[23] Stier, Pastor. Leon. “Not on the Same Page (a).”
[24] Based on “A Different Kind of Dream.” By Rev. Dr. Mike Graves published on Day 1 on Feburary 19, 2012. 
[25] Graves, Rev.Dr. Mike. “A Different Kind of Dream.” Day 1. 19.Feb.2012. Web. Jan.29.2018. 
[26] Graves, Rev.Dr. Mike. “A Different Kind of Dream.”
[27] Revelation 21:5.