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IDLE TALE? MIRACLE? MORE? - from Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016

3/28/2016

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The report to the disciples from the women at the tomb was met with derision - "nonsense" [NIV], "an idle tale" [NRSV]. We may accept it as an article of faith, but our understanding of Easter's meaning shows that there's plenty with which we still struggle.

To his credit, Peter is roused by this wild report of an empty tomb and rushes off to see for himself. He comes away from the tomb "wondering to himself what had happened." It's that wondment that gathers Christians together each spring at Easter as we should conitnue to wonder and wrestle with the meaning of all this.

The prophet Isaiah in ch. 65 shares God's vision, a new thing so stunning that all of the glory days of the bpast will be forgotten. the terms are spelled out as new life for God's despairing people now, not later, not in an afterlife. It means people gaining form their labor, eating the fruits of their harvest, living in the home sthat they build, enjoying vital health that extends their lives. It isn't later; the new life is to happen now.

We may forget how to wrestle with Easter's empty tomb, accepting the layers of tradition that conveniently fail to recall the controversial nature of all that p[receded that empty tomb. There is the dramatic challenge to the establishment leaders of riding into Jerusalem to cheers of "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord." There is the conniving behind Jesus' back while he teaches in the Temple. There is the nighttime arrest by the Temple guard. There is the torture and humiliation. There is Pilate's indiefference to his life. There is the agonizing execution by crucifixion, hours upon hours of slow death on a cross. Yet somehow, we think the empty tomb means something else for us.

Check out the sermon video for more, and note the downloads below the video panel.

03-27-16-ff-answers.pdf
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03-27-16-idle_tale-miracle-more-easter.pdf
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CELEBRATION OF DISRUPTION - from March 20, 2016

3/21/2016

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Palm Sunday is our celebration of Jesus' way of disrupting and confronting the Empire and its accommodating Jewish religious leaders. The shouts of praise, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord," are treasonous. Everything is contrasted: the Empire and the establishment vs. the Kingdom and the good news. It's totally dangerous, sure to bring an arrest, and yes, Jesus knows it.

Disruption itself is neither good nor bad - it's a fact of life. Sometimes it's just what's needed to achieve forward motion, to move things from a static idle. 

In Zechariah, the prophet outlines a vision that shows God disrupting everything that's expected and accepted, particularly in the political alignments. This vision shows the way that God will bless his people and fulfill God's promise. Zechariah's vision has the king entering Jerusalem on a donkey. It isn't as much about humility as it is a device to bring attention to God's fulfillment of an ancient promise.

Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is one conflict after another. It ends with his antagonists realizing that they'll have to wait for an opportune time to sweep him up and take him away. We should know that disruption is a key part of God's Kingdom agenda. Jesus' good news has a sharp edge to it, on full display on his entry to Jerusalem. It's a reminder that Christianity ought to always have that sharp edge to it. Otherwise it becomes a gooey amalgam of maudlin sentimentality, feel good spirituality, and happy talk. Jesus' good news challenges the Empire, always.

And yes, that's a depiction above of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem by an artist from Cameroon. Disruptive? Of course.

Check out the sermon video below and the downloads below the video panel.

03-20-16-ff-answers.pdf
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03-20-16-celebration_of_disruption.pdf
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REFLECTING GRATITUDE - from Sunday, March 13, 2016

3/15/2016

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​Gratitude should be easy, right? But what if we received something that we didn't really want or ask for? Then it's a bit tricky. In Sunday's scriptures, we find God's people ignoring blessings as they focus on what they want and expect versus what God has provided.

In Isaiah, God's new way is announced to God's people. While recounting the amazing way through the sea in the Exodus, God also says to forget about that. This is something new. Isaiah lays out a stunning vision of streams in the desert along a beautiful passage. It's so breathtaking and wondrous that even the wild animals sing their praise to God.

However, from God's people, there is silence. There are no sacrifices, no songs, no celebrations. In fact, the people expect God to serve them rather than them serving God. This is quite a mess as the sermon explains.

The familiar story of Mary's anointing Jesus with precious perfume is met by Judas scolding Jesus, throwing Jesus' own teachings back in his face. Judfas has his fair points to make, but there is another spirit at work in this. It may even be a spirit with which you're familiar....

Check out the whole sermon with the video below, or download the text with the link below the video panel.

03-13-16-ff-answers.pdf
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03-13-16-reflecting_gratitude.pdf
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REFLECTING GRACE - from Sunday, March 6, 2016

3/8/2016

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Grace is one of those things that is utterly confounding. While it seems to make no rational sense at all, it is completely necessary, a reflection of the divine that's most challenging.

We looked at Psalm 32 which understands the need for honestly and candor in confession. The psalmist laments the attempt to deny, hide, or obscure one's failings. There is recognition that nothing prospers and nothing progresses until confession reinstates a right relationship with God. The promise of God's gracious forgiveness is understood as the natural result.

That seems to spell it out. Know your sins. Confess your sins. Experience the grace of God's loving forgiveness. That's it, until we read the parable of the prodigal son.

The well known parable in Luke 15 shows the abject sinner, the younger son, being a total screw-up, who returns home a shameful failure. The father, like God, rushes to embrace the son who was lost but now is found. No confession, no nothing, just gracious forgiveness.

Then there's the elder son. That part of the story is for the righteous, like you and me who may not have identified with the scandalous younger brother. You'll have to read the sermon to find out what that's all about.

Sorry, there is no video this week. The video technician had a major technical difficulty. He forgot to bring the camera with him. I promise to do better next Sunday. You can still download the sermon text below and see if you have anything in common with the good and righteous elder brother.

03-06-16-ff-answers.pdf
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03-06-16-reflecting_grace.pdf
File Size: 169 kb
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