Sermon for 2nd Sunday after Easter, 2020

CTK Easter 2

4/26/2020

The Easter Propers, comprised of our Collects, Epistle, and Gospel lessons, and masterfully crafted by the framers of the Prayer Book, hold out for us a powerful theme centered on our new life in Christ who, through the ultimate Passover sacrifice wrought redemption and healing for His people.. If you have a BCP I encourage you to turn to the 1st Sunday after Easter…. and follow along with the propers as we talk through them.  We’re confronted here in the 1st Epistle and Gospel with the truth that Christ did indeed rise from the dead…that he was witnessed by his disciples, that he bestowed upon us the Power of God to accept that witness in the form of the Holy Ghost and that the life giving power of the Holy Ghost only comes through a personal acceptance of that witness that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, has overcome the world, and is the Son of the Living God. And so, we acknowledge this in the prayer of the Collect, and we ask that we may put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, the old sinful self, that we may serve God in pureness of living and truth.

The Epistle for the 2nd Sunday after Easter, today, reminds us of the truth that Jesus gave to his disciples the eve before his Crucifixion, that because we have accepted this witness, the world will hate us and we will suffer….but that such suffering is also an acceptable offering to God. We should expect it…and it follows after the example of Christ’s suffering, by whom we were healed. We’re provoked in both the Epistle and Gospel to remember that we’re like sheep…dumb and senseless, following blindly the ways of the world just like sheep will follow each other off a cliff…yet we have been rescued by our Great Shepherd, Jesus, who loved us despite our helplessness and wayward wandering. In light of this, our Collect directs us to acknowledge his example of Godly life and we pray for “grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit, and also daily endeavor ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life.”

The 3rd Sunday after Easter prompts us to concede that we are at odds with the world. The context of the Gospel lesson from John 16 is Jesus’ final discourse with the disciples. He’s telling them that the world will see his death, and theirs as a good thing…but we’re not to see it that way. We’re different…and our worldly sorrow in His death becomes our heavenly joy. The Epistle from 1 Peter 2 reinforces this by calling us strangers and pilgrims in this world…We’re not part of it…we’re at odds with it. It doesn’t understand us…and so we must live differently than the world. We are to abstain from fleshly lusts and maintain honest conversation, so that by our good works God may be glorified. Instead of being loud and overpowering elitists who know that we’re saved, we’re called to be submissive and by our well-doing we can put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.  And so we pray in that Collect that God may help us to live out our calling to this different life…that “we may avoid those things that are contrary to our profession and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same.” …for it is by such examples of living that God shows to those in error the light of His Truth.

In the 4th and 5th Sundays after Easter, the Epistles are both taken from James and the Gospel Lessons are once again taken from Jesus discourse in the 16th Chapter of John’s Gospel. We cannot escape Jesus’ words about the tribulation that the world brings to those who follow him…but we’re also convinced of the fact that Jesus has overcome the world and that His going away was expedient for us in that the Great Helper, the Holy Ghost would then come and convict the world of sin and righteousness in light the judgement of our ancient foe.  We’re reminded that we have an advocate with the Father and can lay before Him our cares and concerns and He will hear us and answer our plea.  Borrowing the words of St. James in the collect for the 4th Sunday after Easter, this is our perfect gift from above which the Father has bestowed upon us.  And our required response is made clear by James throughout the 1st Chapter of his Epistle from which both the 4th and 5th Easter Epistle lessons are taken… That we “be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” That we “lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save [our] souls.”  That we be “doers of the word, and not hearers only.” …that we may practice pure and undefiled religion…by our deeds,… such as visiting the fatherless and the widows. 

….And so once again we pray in the collects for these two Sundays that we may “love the things that [He] commands, and desire that which [He] does promise us” and that by “[His] holy inspiration we may think those things that are good, and by [His] merciful guiding may perform the same.” 

The entire theme of the Easter Sunday Propers is evident. Christ has overcome the world of darkness, of which we are no longer a part….He has empowered us with the guiding help of the Holy Ghost, and because of this, we are called to practice true religion…demonstrated actions … DEEDS… that flow from our living, breathing faith.  It really is that simple…. 

….And so the one question that naturally follows this is, “how am I living out and demonstrating the life giving power of Christ that planted the seed of faith in me?”  Do those in darkness around me see the Father of light in my words and deeds?” How are we, as the rescued flock of the Great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls proving this witness of Christ’s work to be true?  ……This is where it doesn’t seem so simple. This is where doubts and fears and anxiety come into play. How am I going to do this? Where and when do I do this?  I don’t know what to say… I’m afraid I won’t be able to handle those conversations and I’m concerned about offending, anxious about potential conflict, fretful that I’ll do a poor job of representing my belief…. Isn’t that really the truth when we strip away all of the justifications we fabricate in those moments when we know we’ve fallen short of demonstrating our profession as soldiers in Christ’s army and members of His flock?   Who am I to confront, I’m not a conflict person? Who am I to witness…I’m not an evangelist? Who am I to speak out when no one else will?...I’m not one to be involved in any controversy or take an unpopular stand…..

This is why we pray such prayers as we find in our Collects for the Easter Season. To help remind us of our profession, to focus us on our duty, to remind us that Jesus said, “Fear not…I have overcome the world!.....and I have sent you help!” So be doers….and not just hearers. 

It’s so easy for us to dismiss the fact that we are special….chosen people and especially empowered to do things that are contrary to the way of this world. Let me share with you something to demonstrate this…a little letter written from the world’s perspective entitled,

“Jordan Management Consultants’ Assessment of Jesus’ Disciples”

To: Jesus, son of Joseph
Woodcrafter, Carpenter’s Shop
Nazareth, Galilee

Dear Sir,

Thank you for submitting the résumés of the 12 men you have picked for managerial positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken a battery of tests and we have run them through our computers. It is the staff’s opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, educational and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the team concept. We would suggest that you continue your search for persons with experience and proven capability.

Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper. Andrew has no leadership skills at all. The 2 brothers, James and John, place personal interest above company loyalty. Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale. We feel that it is our duty to inform you that Matthew has been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau. James and Thaddeus have radical leanings and registered high manic-depressive scores. Only one of the candidates shows great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness who meets people well and has a keen business mind. He has contacts in high places and is highly motivated, ambitious and responsible. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your controller and right-hand man. We wish you every success in your new venture.

Sincerely yours,

Jordan Management Consultants
Jerusalem, Judea

Now…that, is how the world thinks!!!  But I say to you that is not how God thinks….I say to you that is NOT how Christ was thinking when he chose the disciples who would become the pillars of His Church. He chose ordinary men….working class, every day people…fishermen…even someone from the IRS of their day who were notorious and perhaps still are notorious for extorting others and taking more than their fair share. They weren’t politicians, men of extreme business renown, celebrities, nobel prize winners, and the like. They were ordinary men….just like Joseph, just like Moses, just like Joshua, just like Gideon, just like David, just like Esther, just like you, and just like me. That is what God’s Church is built upon with Christ as the cornerstone…. And this shouldn’t surprise us at all…for He tells us in Psalm 147 of His Word that He “delights not in the strength of a horse nor takes pleasure in the legs of man”...rather, “he delights in those that fear him and hope in his steadfast love” ….hence, He tells St. Paul that “His power is made perfect in weakness.”  And so we ought not hide behind our weaknesses and the anxieties that sin would have us fear. Instead, St. Paul tells us that we should boast in them, for despite these weaknesses, through us, He accomplishes amazing things and enables us in His Name to claim a world that He has already overcome. ….

So where do I really begin in order to follow after the example of Christ? …It’s probably a valid question… to which I have 3 simple responses. First, ….we must be sure that we are taking time to read the Scriptures. Are you doing that? Are you setting aside some time in the busy-ness of your life to nurture the roots of your faith by feeding it with the Word, through reading and Bible study, catechesis, etc?  If not, then I encourage you now …resolve to do so.  Schedule it into your life, just like we do in getting up and going to our worldly professions every day….just like we do our football games, our social events, celebrations and the like.  …………Second, are you sharing your anxieties and fears with the body of Christ so that you may be encouraged and strengthened in your heart? If not, then I implore you to open up to your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and to your appointed ministers, bearing each others’ burdens and working to understand how God would use you in furthering the work of His Kingdom. Third, make sure that in your dealings with those outside the Church, your deeds are in alignment with how Christ would have you behave. I know this one sounds really simple but it’s often one the hardest things for many to do. We’re called to look and behave differently, …to be at odds with the conventional ways and wisdom of the world.  So start simple…if you’re around co-workers who use coarse language, don’t be one who is engaging in it. You must still interact with them and get to know them but standing out as one who doesn’t condone such behavior by not being just like them. Fairly quickly, they’ll see that difference in you and by your steady resolve and kindness you can win many over who will then question why you’re so different, and then doors begin to open to share with them who you really are. Practice the admonition of James and be swift to hear and slow to wrath.  Don’t let your temper get the best of you, even though the world is filled with people in high places who climb the ladder with bullying tactics, and abrasive natures. Be trustworthy. When you give your word, keep it. And perhaps one the most powerful demonstrations of who you are to the world and yourself is to pray…Start every day with the Lord’s Prayer and thank your God for carrying you through the dangers of the night and allowing you to serve in his Kingdom for another day. Ask for His help that you might glorify His Holy Name that day. Like drinking coffee or tea in the morning, make it a habit. When you sit down for lunch or go to a business dinner, or enjoy brunch with neighbors and friends…take a moment, bow your head, and give thanks for the daily bread placed before you. People will see you and start to respect you for it…. And those that may have fallen away and are wandering around in the world or those of weak faith, some of them will be encouraged by it and may even follow after you. Lastly, look for the simple moments in time that God creates for you to lean into the lives of others as you interact with them. Don’t let the fear of the old man rule your heart, for by His death and resurrection, Christ has made all things new and given you a new heart shaped to share His love with a lost and dying world. 

If these seem too simple, it’s because the message of the Gospel is simple …..and too often we foolishly dupe ourselves into thinking that following after Christ’s example is such a monumental feat that we don’t even begin to take action or we place self-imposed limits on what we think we can actually do, rather than truly surrendering to the life-giving power of the indwelling Holy Spirit…. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. 

Our Easter Season Propers lay before us the powerful yet incredibly simple message that Jesus’ promise came true….He died, He rose, He sent us the power and help of the Holy Spirit to carry out the work of His Church. I encourage you to read and think on these lessons this Easter Season and to realize that Christ came to save you….a lost sheep, and He restored you to His fold. We have before us the witness of that truth and we celebrate that here in just a few moments as He strengthens you by the reception of these heavenly gifts from above. So come, taste and see that the Lord is good. Be joyfully strengthened in your inner man, celebrate your freedom in Christ, renew your commitment to serve, and then go and honor him in the simple steps of your daily life. Fear not my friends, for truly He has overcome the world.

ALMIGHTY God, who hast given thine only Son to be unto us both a sacrifice for sin, and also an ensample of godly life; Give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit, and also daily endeavour ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his

most holy life; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.