Featured Reading: Mark 16:1-8
I know for many folks it’s probably not considered proper for a pastor to say he or she has a favorite telling of a story in the Bible. That’s especially true if we’re talking about one of the stories concerning Jesus that’s contained in all four of the Gospels. We’re supposed to treat them equally, right?
Well, if you know me at all, you’ll know I’m not someone who is overly concerned about being proper. With that in mind, I can say that this morning’s telling of the Easter story from the Gospel of Mark is by far my favorite version.
It’s my favorite telling of the Easter story for two reasons. The first reason is that most biblical scholars consider the text to be the oldest of the four written accounts. And as someone who loves history, that fact has obvious appeal.
The second reason I love the passage so will take me just a little longer to explain, so hang in there with me. You see most biblical scholars believe that Mark’s telling of the Easter story originally ended where Carol stopped reading – with verse 8. They believe that the remaining 12 verses that appear in the 16th chapter of Mark in our bibles today were added much later - in either the late 2nd Century or sometime in the 3rd.
So what’s significant about that?
Well for me, it means that the very first recorded Easter story didn’t wrap things up neatly for us. It actually left us hanging. In other words, instead of defining Easter FOR us, it actually invited us into the story to experience it for ourselves. That’s what I love about the text.
As I was going on and on about my love of the passage with an old friend this week, my friend challenged me by saying, “Craig, how on Earth can you preach on a text that ends by telling us the women at the tomb were stunned and said nothing to anyone? It doesn’t exactly make for an inspirational Easter sermon!”
“Well, I like a good challenge,” I said as I smiled over my cup of coffee.
Almost as soon as those words left my mouth, my mind turned to one of my favorite theologians who I knew could help me find an inspirational message buried in the text. Now before I tell you the name of that theologian, you need to know something about me. You see most folks evaluate their theologians by the number of letters behind their name (letters like PhD or DMin), or by the number of books they’ve written. I don’t. I use a different criterion. I evaluate them by the life experience they bring to the table. That’s why Olivia Newton-John is one of my favorites!
Olivia is a woman who has lived through much. She took a successful career in the 1970’s and risked it all in an effort to redefine herself in the 1980’s. And following the painful end of her first marriage, Olivia met the love of her life in the 1990’s – only to tragically lose him in a boating accident in 2005. And on the day Olivia’s father died, Olivia received a call from her doctor telling her that the results of her biopsy had come back. The results indicated she had breast cancer. If ever there was a person who understood what those women at the tomb must have felt – feelings of fear and dislocation – it was Olivia.
In 2006, Olivia released a song of hope and inspiration that I believed captured the essence of what Easter is all about. The title of the song was “Stronger Than Before”; and the lyrics went like this.
I’ve survived so many things
From broken hearts to shattered dreams;
In every wall I found an open door.
I’d miss a step, I’d learn to dance;
Come back again with half a chance.
Stronger than before.
There were times I couldn’t see;
Beyond the blue inside of me.
A thousand miles away from shore.
But every moment, every day;
With every step I find my way.
Stronger than before.
I believe in miracles.
I believe in dreams.
Through the pain I’ve come to know.
How far the heart can reach.
A spark of hope, in sorrows place;
Will shine with such amazing grace.
Stronger than before.
Friends, for many of us the past year has been a year full of pain and loss. We have faced things like periods of prolonged unemployment, threats of foreclosures on our homes, the death of parents and loved ones, broken relationships, and bouts of depression. Like those women at the tomb, we know what it is to stand stunned in the midst of circumstances that we have no way to interpret, much less understand.
The good news of our Gospel is that in that space of Mark’s open ended story we have permission to experience the risen savior for ourselves: in ways that defy description. For if there’s one thing I believe about Easter, it’s this: Easter is not simply an event, it’s an experience.
As we move beyond this Easter into another year – a year that will present its own set of challenges that might shake you to your core - go forth carrying Olivia’s three word summary of Easter with you. And trust that no matter what may happen to you in the days ahead, God will leave you the same way he left Jesus and those early disciples: stronger than before.
Amen.
Help support the vision of Woodland Hills Community Church!
For those of you who would like to support the vision & ministry of Woodland Hills Community Church (the faith community I serve that continues to encourage me to minister outside the box), please click on the link just above.
Saturday, April 11
Today’s Readings: Psalm 46; Isaiah 55:1-11; Genesis 1:1-2:4a; Psalm 16
Featured Reading: Isaiah 55:1-11
One of my favorite aspects of our faith is the way it is filled to the brim with paradoxes. Death brings new life; those who want to save their life must lose it; the last shall be first… the list could go on and on. Today’s reading from Isaiah starts with yet another paradox (or should I say paradoxical situation). The prophet is quoted as saying, “Are you penniless? Come anyway – buy and eat” (Isaiah 55:1 from The Message). My first response when I read those words was to say, “Hey Buster, pay attention! What part of ‘penniless’ don’t you understand?!” Just as I started getting worked up, I remembered a straightforward truth of our faith: the currency we people of faith deal with isn’t cash. So what currency do we deal with? Well, for me – someone raised in a Wesleyan tradition – I would say grace. It’s that very grace that allows us to secure things that at first glance would seem out of our so-called price range. As we await news of the resurrection that will burst forth out of our communities of faith tomorrow, I would ask you to consider this question: “What form of currency do you deal with in your life?” Til next time…
Featured Reading: Isaiah 55:1-11
One of my favorite aspects of our faith is the way it is filled to the brim with paradoxes. Death brings new life; those who want to save their life must lose it; the last shall be first… the list could go on and on. Today’s reading from Isaiah starts with yet another paradox (or should I say paradoxical situation). The prophet is quoted as saying, “Are you penniless? Come anyway – buy and eat” (Isaiah 55:1 from The Message). My first response when I read those words was to say, “Hey Buster, pay attention! What part of ‘penniless’ don’t you understand?!” Just as I started getting worked up, I remembered a straightforward truth of our faith: the currency we people of faith deal with isn’t cash. So what currency do we deal with? Well, for me – someone raised in a Wesleyan tradition – I would say grace. It’s that very grace that allows us to secure things that at first glance would seem out of our so-called price range. As we await news of the resurrection that will burst forth out of our communities of faith tomorrow, I would ask you to consider this question: “What form of currency do you deal with in your life?” Til next time…
Friday, April 10
Today’s Readings: Psalm 22; Isaiah 52:13-15; John 18:1-19:42; Hebrews 10:16-25
Featured Reading: John 18:1-19:42
Every once in a while, my partner Mike and I find time to get our two Italian Greyhounds out to what’s called a play date. A play date is a gathering of other Italian Greyhounds (and their owners) for a time of fun and fellowship. The play dates usually occur in a kennel or boarding house where there is plenty of room for the dogs to run around. There are usually between 20-30 Italian Greyhounds running around. The very first time we went, I wondered how on earth we would be able to tell the dogs apart from each other since members of the breed look a great deal alike. I also wondered how we would get the dogs to respond to our commands since the breed is notoriously hyperactive and prone to what we human beings would label ADD (meaning their attention span is all of about 2 seconds). When we gathered together, however, my fears were immediately laid to rest - for while our dogs did look similar to some of the other dogs, it was easy to tell our two apart from the others. It was also easy to command our dogs’ attention because they were strongly tuned into our voices. Having spent day after day, month after month, and year after year together; the dogs not only recognized our voices but came when called. What a rush! I was reminded of this experience by today’s Gospel reading – for in the passage, the author quotes Jesus as saying: “I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice” (John 18:37 from The Message). Those words make a great deal of sense for me – for if we spend day after day, month after month, and year after year in the presence of Christ, we are undoubtedly going to grow in our ability to recognize and follow that voice: even if it takes us to our own version of the cross on days like this Good Friday. While you might have many voices in your life clamoring for your attention, I would invite you to spend precious moments each day listening for the voice of God as revealed in Jesus. The more time you spend listening for that voice – the more likely you will be to recognize it: especially at those critical moments of your life when you so desperately need to hear it. Til next time…
Featured Reading: John 18:1-19:42
Every once in a while, my partner Mike and I find time to get our two Italian Greyhounds out to what’s called a play date. A play date is a gathering of other Italian Greyhounds (and their owners) for a time of fun and fellowship. The play dates usually occur in a kennel or boarding house where there is plenty of room for the dogs to run around. There are usually between 20-30 Italian Greyhounds running around. The very first time we went, I wondered how on earth we would be able to tell the dogs apart from each other since members of the breed look a great deal alike. I also wondered how we would get the dogs to respond to our commands since the breed is notoriously hyperactive and prone to what we human beings would label ADD (meaning their attention span is all of about 2 seconds). When we gathered together, however, my fears were immediately laid to rest - for while our dogs did look similar to some of the other dogs, it was easy to tell our two apart from the others. It was also easy to command our dogs’ attention because they were strongly tuned into our voices. Having spent day after day, month after month, and year after year together; the dogs not only recognized our voices but came when called. What a rush! I was reminded of this experience by today’s Gospel reading – for in the passage, the author quotes Jesus as saying: “I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice” (John 18:37 from The Message). Those words make a great deal of sense for me – for if we spend day after day, month after month, and year after year in the presence of Christ, we are undoubtedly going to grow in our ability to recognize and follow that voice: even if it takes us to our own version of the cross on days like this Good Friday. While you might have many voices in your life clamoring for your attention, I would invite you to spend precious moments each day listening for the voice of God as revealed in Jesus. The more time you spend listening for that voice – the more likely you will be to recognize it: especially at those critical moments of your life when you so desperately need to hear it. Til next time…
Thursday, April 9
Today’s Readings: Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19; Exodus 12:1-4; John 12:1-17, 31b-35; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Featured Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
When I was a child, the local church I attended had a long-standing tradition. On the first Sunday of each month we participated in the sacrament of Communion. That was by no means a bad thing. My only problem with the way we had Communion was that we did it exactly the same – month after month, year after year, decade after decade. I always knew when we were getting read to start the Communion liturgy because the pastor would say exactly the same thing: turn to page 14 in the hymnal and read along with me. As a result of this monotonous approach, Communion was a very dry spiritual experience for me. To use Paul’s language from today’s reading, I let “familiarity breed contempt” (1 Corinthians 11:26 from The Message). Over many years, however, I was able to find beauty and power in the liturgy. I came to see the Communion liturgy not just as something that we were obligated to do once a month whether we wanted to our not; rather, I saw it as a way to “reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master” (1 Corinthians 11:25 from The Message). All of this came to mind for me because today is Maundy Thursday – a day when we commemorate the institution of the Lord’s Supper. It’s one of my favorite services of the entire Christian year. I hope you’ll find an opportunity to participate in a Maundy Thursday service that can help you reconnect with the spiritual roots of the practice for yourself. And the next time you have the opportunity to participate in the sacrament of Communion, I hope Paul’s words will stay with you - so that you’ll be drawn not into a dry, repetitive act that you do simply because its that time of the month, but rather into a sacrament that takes you back into one of the formative moments of our faith. Til next time…
Featured Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
When I was a child, the local church I attended had a long-standing tradition. On the first Sunday of each month we participated in the sacrament of Communion. That was by no means a bad thing. My only problem with the way we had Communion was that we did it exactly the same – month after month, year after year, decade after decade. I always knew when we were getting read to start the Communion liturgy because the pastor would say exactly the same thing: turn to page 14 in the hymnal and read along with me. As a result of this monotonous approach, Communion was a very dry spiritual experience for me. To use Paul’s language from today’s reading, I let “familiarity breed contempt” (1 Corinthians 11:26 from The Message). Over many years, however, I was able to find beauty and power in the liturgy. I came to see the Communion liturgy not just as something that we were obligated to do once a month whether we wanted to our not; rather, I saw it as a way to “reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master” (1 Corinthians 11:25 from The Message). All of this came to mind for me because today is Maundy Thursday – a day when we commemorate the institution of the Lord’s Supper. It’s one of my favorite services of the entire Christian year. I hope you’ll find an opportunity to participate in a Maundy Thursday service that can help you reconnect with the spiritual roots of the practice for yourself. And the next time you have the opportunity to participate in the sacrament of Communion, I hope Paul’s words will stay with you - so that you’ll be drawn not into a dry, repetitive act that you do simply because its that time of the month, but rather into a sacrament that takes you back into one of the formative moments of our faith. Til next time…
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)