“Confidence in Christ Brings Joy”

          Over the past several weeks, we have been reflecting on the “Joy of Christ.”    At Christ United Methodist Church, where I serve as Senior Pastor, “The Joy of Christ” has always been an important theme.  For instance, it is proudly displayed on the inside wall of our Family Life Center (gym).  We began this series of reflections by exploring how we can experience the Joy of Christ through serving others.  Last week, we discovered that the Joy of Christ can lead to an abundant life, when we strive to live our lives in a manner that reflects the teachings and ministry of Christ.  This Sunday, we will conclude the series of reflections by reflecting on ways in which the Joy of Christ can give us confidence for the future.

            Everyone experiences fear and anxiety from time-to-time.  As unique, individualized persons, we experience fear and anxiety in very personal ways.  We are a unique, individualized species with varying dreams and commitments.  Yet, despite our differences, almost all persons experience some fear and anxiety about one common thing:  our individual death.  Each of us knows that ultimately, we will each die someday.  And, we know that there is nothing to prevent our ultimate death.  So, the typical human live must be lived with shadows of our ultimate death lurking off on the horizon.

            Yet, Christians are not typical.  Although we certainly live with the reality that our death remains lurking ahead of us, we also live with the promise of Christ that he will never abandon us; that we will one day be resurrected, just as he was on Easter Sunday.  For we have this promise that God’s love for each of us is so deep and that God wishes to be in relationship with us, forever.  This promise is guaranteed by God through the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Christ’s Resurrection offers the guarantee and promise that God’s love for us will not be broken; that one day, we too will be resurrected and transformed as children of God.

            So, the Joy of Christ should always include the confidence that through the love of God, we do not have to fear or be anxious about death because of Christ’s promise of life eternal. 

The Apostle Paul elaborates on this confidence in his letter to the Christians in Corinth:

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.  We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished.  If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being…”  (1 Corinthians 15:12-21)

            Although twenty-first century Christians tend to ignore or overlook it, the truth is that many people who were living at the time of the early church doubted the resurrection of the dead.  Greek and Roman views ranged from believing that resurrection was impossible to allowing that perhaps resurrection could occur in isolated miraculous events, such as the resurrection of a deceased monarch.  Similarly, within Judaism, there were divided opinions.  On the one hand, the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead, while the Sadducees rejected resurrection.  Among the Corinthians, it seems likely that a great many of them doubted the possibility of a general resurrection of the dead.  At the same time, it appears that all of the Corinthians believed in the possibility of resurrection in some sort of miraculous manner, including the resurrection of Christ.

            As a former Pharisee, the Apostle Paul deeply believes in the general resurrection.  Further, the Apostle Paul believes that the Resurrection of Christ marks a cosmic tipping point in the history of the universe.  The Resurrection marks the in-breaking of God’s Reign here on earth.  Obviously, when we look around at our world today, it is sometimes hard to discern the reign of God.  Yet, for Paul, we can be confident that the reign of God has begun and will eventually come to fruition.  God continues to be active in the world, creating, re-creating, and redeeming.  At the end of time, when Christ comes again, God will transform us and all of the world into a New Creation, existing in a new and deeper relationship of love with God.

            So, in his letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul wants to convince them of the reality of a general resurrection which will occur when Christ comes again and God’s Kingdom is fully established.  To convince the Corinthians, Paul begins at a point in which they all agree:  the Resurrection of Christ.  He begins this passage by arguing that if Christ has actually been resurrected, then it must follow that there will be a generalized, physical resurrection of all his disciples.  As the Biblical scholar, Paul Sampley, writes:

“For Paul, the two claims–that Christ has been raised and that others will be raised–are inseparable. The one leads ineluctably, but only later, to the other; the latter is simply the yet-to-be finishing of what God has begun in the former. So the future resurrection of the dead is a consequence of Christ’s having been raised. God’s faithfulness assures that.”[i]

For Paul, the Resurrection of Christ marks this cosmic tipping point.  In his resurrection, Jesus gives the faithful a foretaste of what is to come for them; that they will experience a physical resurrection.  At the same time, the Resurrection is also God’s cosmic guarantee that God’s work of redemption will ultimately prevail and all of Creation will be transformed into a New Creation.

Later, in this chapter, Paul takes up an objection to his claim of a bodily, physical resurrection, which he has undoubtedly already heard.  This objection concerns what we will look like, when we have been resurrected.  For instance, what will a man who lives to a ripe, old age look like, after his resurrection.  Will he look like he did as a young man?  Or, will he appear as he did in middle age?  Or, will he appear as he did at the moment of his death?  Paul responds:

But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?’ Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.  And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.

Here, Paul uses the metaphor of a seed being planted, to meet this objection, concerning what we how we will appear after our physical resurrection.  Yet, the seed metaphor goes even further than simply meeting an objection about appearance.  When the seed is planted in the soil and then germinates and sprouts, it has also been transformed into a plant.  Similarly, we expect that when God’s redeems the physical world at the end of time, that all of Creation will be transformed into a New Creation.

            As followers of Christ, we are called to live lives of joyful confidence, knowing that even death itself will be defeated by the love of God, and that we will be transformed into New Creatures through God’s work of redeeming the universe.  When we live with this confidence, then we experience the Joy of Christ at a newer, deeper level.  Experiencing the joy of Christ at this deeper level changes how we read the Bible and the world. 

When we read the Bible, we know and understand that no matter what happens, in the end, God’s love will prevail; all wrongs and injustices will be righted and all tears will be dried.  Further, when we come to accept that God’s plan for redeeming the world extends beyond just humans to include all of life, then we realize that God’s love is not restricted to just human life.  No, God loves all life.  But, it is only to human persons that God has also given the responsibility to care for all of Creation.  From this, it follows that Christian disciples should view all life as sacred and to be cared for.

If you live in the Lincoln, Nebraska area and do not have a place of worship, then I invite you to come and join us at Christ United Methodist Church this Sunday, September 1st, where we will conclude our series of reflections on the Joy of Christ, by focusing on what it means live with confidence in the love of Christ. 

Christ UMC is located at 4530 “A” Street.  We have three worship services on Sunday mornings at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00.  The 8:30 and 11:00 services feature a traditional worship format and the services are held in our Sanctuary.  “The Gathering” at 9:45 is held in our Family Life Center (gym), and it is more informal and interactive.   

Come, join us.  Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.

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[i] J. Paul Sampley, Commentary on 1 Corinthians in the New Interpreter’s Bible, vol 10, (Nashville, Abingdon Press, 2002), CD-ROM Edition.

“Abundant Living in the Joy of Christ”

            This Sunday, August 25th, we continue our three-sermon series on the “Joy of Christ.”  Last Sunday, we explored how we can experience the Joy of Christ through serving.  This Sunday, we shift our focus to reflect on how we experience the Joy of Christ through abundance.  To understand this joy of Christ, I have selected two parables which Jesus tells about sheep and their shepherd.  In the first of these parables, Jesus describes himself as “the good shepherd.”

“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.  They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.”~John 10:1-6

In this first parable, Jesus describes himself and his ministry as being “the good shepherd.” 

            During Jesus’ ministry here, most shepherds cared for a small flock of 10-20 sheep.  During the day, the shepherd would take his sheep out into the countryside to graze on grass.  When the day was over, the shepherd would frequently return to his home village with his sheep.  Each village had a common, fenced-in area where all of the sheep were kept overnight.  Usually, someone from the village spent all night watching the sheep and protecting them from human thieves or animal predators, such as wolves. 

When morning came, the shepherd would call out his sheep by name.  When he had assembled all of his sheep, the good shepherd would lead them back to the pastures, where they could continue grazing, under the watchful eye of the shepherd.  The sheep recognized the voice of their shepherd and trusted him.

By contrast, Jesus says that thieves and bandits would try to steal the sheep at night.  Since the one watching over the sheep would be stationed at the gate, thieves and robbers would not try to enter the sheep pen through its sole gate.  Instead, they would try to find a weakness in the sheepfold’s fencing and gain entrance to the pen in that way.

Jesus notes that sheep would be wary of strange humans who called to them in their pen.  So, the sheep would try to run away from thieves and bandits, but they come to their one, true shepherd because they recognize his voice and know that they can trust him. 

Jesus uses this metaphor of the sheep and their shepherd to describe what his relationship will be with the disciples after his death and resurrection.  Like the good shepherd, Jesus will reach out to us and call us, so that we may remain close to him, just as the good shepherd in the metaphor.  Also, as the good shepherd, Jesus will take care of his followers.  He will protect them from predators and other threats to their well-being.  Just as the shepherd in the parable finds fresh, green meadows for the sheep to graze, so also Jesus will provide spiritual nurture and sustenance to his followers. 

Unfortunately, the crowd does not understand the metaphor of the good shepherd.  So, Jesus provides a different metaphor:

“So again, Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.”  John 10:7-9

            In this second metaphor, Jesus switches his role.  Whereas in the first metaphor, Jesus is identified as the “good shepherd,” who loves and cares for his sheep, in the second story Jesus becomes the gate to the sheep pen itself.  Those who are to be reconciled with God and become his disciples enter through the gate.  By contrast, “thieves” try to compromise the fence by searching for a weak spot in the fencing. 

            Then, as a way of summarizing what he has tried to convey, Jesus says:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”  John 10:10

Whereas the thief comes in selfishness to steal, kill, and destroy, Jesus is the embodiment of the Divine, bringing life and abundance in our living.  That is to say, the transcendent Divine became incarnated in the human person, Jesus of Nazareth, so that everyone could have life and live abundantly.  The good shepherd provides his sheep with abundant life in three ways:

1.      Guiding the sheep along paths and keeping them headed for their destination. 

2.      Taking them to lush meadows and clear streams, so that they have plenty to eat and drink.

3.      Protecting them from predator animals in the field and keeping them secure in the village sheep pen.

Similarly, Jesus provides abundant life for his disciples.  In our loving discipleship with Christ,  we experience God’s guidance whenever we encounter a crisis—or, a crossroads—and need help.  Again, as with the good shepherd in the metaphor, Christ provides for us and our needs.  Finally, Christ watches over us, always present with us during the disappointments, set backs, and crises of life. 

When we become his disciples, we experience the joy of Christ.  Out of this profound joy, we experience abundant life, when we strive to live our lives in a manner that reflects the teachings and ministry of Jesus. 

If you live in the Lincoln, Nebraska area and do not have a place of worship, then I invite you to come and join us at Christ United Methodist Church this Sunday, August 25th, where we will continue our reflections on the Joy of Christ, by reflecting on abundance.  Christ UMC is located at 4530 “A” Street.  We have three worship services on Sunday mornings at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00.  The 8:30 and 11:00 services feature a traditional worship format and the services are held in our Sanctuary.  “The Gathering” at 9:45 is held in our Family Life Center (gym), and it is more informal and interactive.   

Come, join us.  Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.

“The Joy of Christ through Serving”

   

            I have been away over most of the past six weeks, co-leading a Volunteer in Missions team to Puerto Rico to assist with repairing homes that were severely damaged by Hurricane Maria—and, then taking some vacation time away. 

            This Sunday, I will begin a three-sermon series on the “Joy of Christ.”  “The Joy of Christ” has always been an important theme for Christ United Methodist Church, where I serve as Senior Pastor.  It is proudly displayed on the inside wall of our Family Life Center (gym).  But, what does it mean to experience the “Joy of Christ”? 

Contemporary Christians live at an interim period between the Resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday and the final victory of Christ, when God’s Reign is fully established, at the end-of-time.  In this interim period, God’s Reign has been established, yet it is not yet fully completed and we catch only glimpses of  God’s coming reign.  As disciples of Christ, we are called to be a Resurrection people, filled with joy because we know that ultimately God will prevail. 

For me, this cosmic interim time is somewhat akin to watching a televised recording of my favorite sports team—after checking the final score beforehand and knowing that my team won.  So, as I sit watching the pre-recorded game, I can be happy and confident, knowing that, no matter how badly my team is doing at the moment, ultimately, they will win the contest. Similarly, as a Resurrection people, we are called to live lives filled with the Joy of Christ because we are confident that, ultimately, God will prevail and God’s Reign will be established completely.

 In this series, I will look at the “Joy of Christ” from three perspectives: 

1.      Service (August 18)

2.      Abundance (August 25)

3.      Confidence (September 1)

We begin this series from the perspective of the joy of Christ through serving.  To ground our reflections on service, I will be preaching from a portion of the Apostle Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians:

“We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints— and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us…”. 

This passage of the Letter occurs at a point when Paul is shifting his focus to discuss the special offering which he is collecting for the church in Jerusalem.  Paul had a vision for the new churches which he was establishing.  It was a vision in which the various churches were in solidarity with one another; sharing and caring for one another.  One central component of his vision was a collection of money, which his Gentile churches would collect for poor Christians in Jerusalem.  For the Apostle Paul, this collection was a way for the Gentile churches to express their appreciation and solidarity with the Jerusalem church which had welcomed them as brothers and sisters in the faith.

 Paul begins his discussion with the Corinthians by sharing what the churches of Macedonia have already done.  He begins by noting that the Macedonian Christians have already contributed joyously and generously to the offering despite “a severe ordeal of affliction” and their extreme poverty.  Biblical scholars are uncertain precisely what the Macedonians’ “affliction” was.  Most likely, it was ill treatment at the hands of non-Christians in their communities.  At several other passages in other letters, Paul refers to hostile treatment suffered by the Macedonia Christians at the hands of non-believers. See Philippians 1:29-30; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2:14; and 3:3-4:4.

Yet, despite their “ordeal of affliction” and an extreme poverty that was probably greater than was typical for the early church, the Macedonians contributed joyously and generously to the offering.  Paul continues by noting that the Macedonians contributed beyond their means; beyond what Paul himself had expected.  This generosity brought joy to Paul’s heart. 

For the Macedonians, the offering was not a sacrifice.  No.  Instead, it was a privilege.  Paul observes that the Macedonians gave so joyously and generously because they had already dedicated their whole lives and their hearts to Christian discipleship—to following and serving Christ.  Thus, their generous donation was an inevitable expression of their whole attitude of love and devotion to Christ.

The Macedonian Christian provide not just a model for the Corinthians, but for us twenty-first century American Christians as well.  Serving is all about our attitude.  When we offer our entire lives in faith and active devotion to God through our Christian discipleship, then we, too, can experience the Joy of Christ through serving.  The forms of that serving may vary:  it can be serving through making a financial donation, as the Macedonians; or serving by going on a Volunteers-in-Mission trip to Puerto Rico; or serving by helping out with flood relief in Nebraska; or serving by preparing a meal for the hungry in Lincoln.  Growing out of our deep love for God, we experience the love of Christ through serving.

If you live in the Lincoln, Nebraska area and do not have a place of worship, then I invite you to come and join us at Christ United Methodist Church this Sunday, August 18th, where we will begin this short worship series on the Joy of Christ, by reflecting on serving.  Christ UMC is located at 4530 “A” Street.  We have three worship services on Sunday mornings at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00.  The 8:30 and 11:00 services feature a traditional worship format and the services are held in our Sanctuary.  “The Gathering” at 9:45 is held in our Family Life Center (gym), and it is more informal and interactive.   

Come, join us.  Everyone is welcome and accepted because God loves us all.