Easter 3

May 8, 2011

the Rev. Ken Kroohs

(Acts 2:141, 36-41; Ps. 116:1-3 & 10-17; I Peter 1:17-23 Luke 24:13-35)

WE ARE JUST LIKE THE ORIGINAL DISCIPLES ! == WHICH IS NOT GOOD.

St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, High Point, NC

MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH ... AND THE MEDITATIONS OF ALL OUR HEARTS ... BE ALWAYS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU --- OUR STRENGTH AND OUR REDEEMER AMEN

What a great sequence of scripture stories! They are great because they mirror each of us so closely. Or maybe, we mirror them.

Consider how close we are to those two disciples on the road. Like them we had been told the tomb was empty — that Jesus had risen from the dead — but like them we wonder about it. Is it true? Does it matter?

Like the disciples we have had moments of awe and wonder about this Jesus. We too can tell stories about Him ... about His impact on our lives .. He did have an impact once, or twice.

Like them we had wondered .... was He the ONE? Was He the one who would change our lives? In many ways that is what “redeem us means” to change our lives. Is He the one who would make it possible for us to live more fully in ways ..... ways we want ... but find hard to describe. We know we want a more satisfying life ... a more fulfilling life ... a life more full of love for God and each other but ..... we are not sure what all that means.

I was once at scenic overlook I knew had a beautiful view .... but it was a foggy day and I could not see very far. The rest was hazy and blurred.

Our wonder about Jesus is a little like that. Somewhere in our being we know that beautiful, wonderful future is there .... but when we look it is hazy and blurred and uncertain.

And now we have been told – reminded – that the tomb is empty and that makes us wonder again. So what? Does it matter to us?

After the disciples hearts are opened and they leap for joy they .... crowd back into the hidden room and do nothing. .... I suspect we are like the disciples. We have those moments of having our hearts opened and leap with joy! Then, He disappears from our lives ... or we disappear from His.

For the next 50 days, 7 weeks, the disciples hide until the Holy Spirit comes on Pentecost like tongues of fire and drives them out into the world!

Is that what it will take for us? Will it take God the Holy Spirit physically driving us out into the world? Physically making us change our lives? Pushing us into the wonderful, joy filled future we say we want?

God leads us to the new life ... the wonderful, joyful new life, and like the disciples we hesitate, question, doubt. What are we afraid of? Why are we afraid to start this new life?

Bit strange isn’t it? I have this image of God looking down on the world, looking at us and quietly saying: “You can lead a horse to water ... “

After the disciples were driven out of their hiding place Peter began to explain it all to the crowd. There is a bit of humor here ---- Peter, the one who denied Jesus, one of those who cowardly hid for 7 weeks, tells them and us what to do!

But, maybe that background makes Peter better able to speak to us than anyone else. After all, have we not denied Jesus on many occasions? The other person says something very unChristian and we keep quiet — we deny Jesus. The need is made known for some form of help and we close our ears and eyes and spirits — we deny Jesus. For some reason the lonely person comes to mind, and we manage to forget them again — we deny Jesus.

If you have not denied Jesus 3 times THIS WEEK, you’ve had a good week.

And have we not all hidden from Jesus at times? Managed to avoid the prayer time? The worship time? The Bible study? Have we not hidden from Him?

So it sounds like Peter is the right one to speak to us! And Peter says it is easy; repent and be baptized. Most of us have gone through the sacrament of baptism. I suggest that although we do not need to experience sacramental baptism repeatedly, we do need the internal baptism ... the acceptance of the baptismal vows on a daily basis.

In this context I suggest we hear “baptism” as “making a commitment to Jesus”. That is not a bad, if partial, definition of the sacrament! ..... Making a commitment to Jesus and we need to make that commitment over and over and over again.

To repent means to turn around, to start a new path.

The letter from Peter we heard today has more detail in it. Peter said: “love one another deeply from the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.”

Whether the apostle Peter wrote those words or not is unimportant – “You have been born anew” – baptized in other words. Taken on a new life.

We don’t have to get into original sin theology to understand the “new life”. Who among us believes their lives are fully and completely Christian? Even if we believe our parents did a wonderful job teaching us, the fact remains that none of us are completely followers of Jesus Christ – or ever will be.

So the “new life” means to leave behind the old life of our pride, our focus, our ambitions, our desires and begin a new life where our pride is in Jesus, our focus is on Jesus, our ambition is to serve Jesus, our desire is to obey Jesus.

Let’s stop right there and address that condition. To be focused entirely on Jesus and not on ourselves sounds .... boring? Painful? Not very pleasant?

Here is where I differ from the preachers who shout “do what I say or burn in hell”. They might even argue that focusing entirely on Jesus is not wonderful – in this life, but would argue it is the only way to avoid an eternity of real pain.

I disagree with them because I believe, and can testify for at least brief moments of my life that a focus on Jesus is the height of joy! We focus on Jesus astonishingly NOT to be selfless but because it is the most selfish thing we can do. It is the way we will be the happiest at the deepest level of our being. We may not have the material goods we desire. We may not have as much ‘respect’ from our peers. We may not be known as the most successful person in our business world.

BUT we will be joyful and fulfilled at a level those other things cannot approach.

But still ... what is this “born anew” stuff? Yes it means baptism in the sense of making a true commitment to God but that seems a bit .... incomplete. How do we link Jesus death and resurrection into this being “born anew”.

I will give you what I believe, and firmly believe is only a partial answer. I believe because of Jesus we have a revised opportunity or pathway to God. Remember, for Peter’s audience this happened during their life so it really was a new thing. For us it is harder to understand and accept – but no less important.

Whether you believe Jesus released us from original sin or ‘just’ released us from the influence of the world at large does it matter. We have been released so we can begin that new life.

........ OK, this is the point where some of the “shouting preachers” would tell you to say a certain prayer and then you are saved. No problem with that prayer of dedication. No problem at all. It is good. It is very similar in many ways to our baptismal vows.

The problem I believe is what happens afterwards. The Book of Acts records that 3,000 persons were baptized that day! Fantastic. But if you read on it appears many of those people were baptized, went home, and continued living just as they had before. Later in Acts it says their numbers increased day by day but .... there is no record that society changed and you know that if thousands of people were sincerely and deeply following Jesus their society would have changed in a way history would have recorded. But when we look at the scriptures written a bit later, or secular history accounts there is no indication of such a change.

Will that be true in our lives? Will we come to church today, or any day and have a conversion moment that will be like a light in our hearts or a shot of adrenalin to our souls and then forget it before we reach the parking lot?

One frequent criticism of mainstream Protestant preaching is that we do just that .... we encourage the congregation in general terms but give little specific advice that can be followed.

Feel free to make a note on the bulletin about how you wish to respond to Jesus. Doesn’t matter the specifics – what matters is doing something. Walk the prayer walk around the church once this week.

Attend the next Christian Caring Ministry Team meeting and find a way to serve God by serving God’s children.

Attend the buildings and grounds Ministry Team meeting and find a way to serve God by keeping God’s property maintained.

Attend the next Bible study class or one of the ones on-going.

Join one of the small groups which are intended to help us keep our lives focused on God.

Ask me for information about any of those.

Suggest another way to re-orient your life. When I have the opportunity to have coffee or lunch with people I always try to end the session by asking: how can the church help you deepen your life with God? Most people do not have an immediate answer. Well think about it and ask for what would help you. If we cannot provide it I will try and find a community that can.

In other words, stop hiding and make a change in your life.

We have previous sermons on our website. To read an earlier recent sermon just enter: www.st-christopher.org/sermon.html.

CLICK HERE TO RESPOND: I would enjoy reading your comments about this sermon. Please feel free to discuss content or presentation. (If you wish to use another email system send your comments to: ken@st-christopher.com)