Ministry Matters...supporting Christian ministry with resources, community, and inspiration for Tuesday, 22 April 2014
Preach. Teach. Worship. Reach. Lead
Leadership for the Timid by Dave Barnhart
I was never a big fan of business books on “leadership.” They always seemed full of military and sports metaphors, and told stories of how, through grit and hard work, tribe A triumphed over tribe B and rose to the top of the pyramid of power and victory. Full of chest-thumping, self-congratulatory language and “leaderspeak” catchphrases, they would rattle off a list of characteristics of great leaders while inviting you to emulate them. Sure, they might include references to character traits like “integrity” or “humility,” but even when they wrote about “servant leadership,” it always seemed like an exclusive club. I had the sense that these author-leaders didn’t actually know what they were doing aside from just being themselves.
Some of this is my own baggage. Although I’ve sought out and been placed in leadership positions most of my life, I’ve spent a lot of time living in my head, where I am still the kid who is picked last for kickball and who is still anxious about sitting alone at lunchtime. For me, “leadership culture” reminds me of a particular gym coach who yelled like a drill sergeant: “Are you going to be a leader? Or,” he spit, “a follower?” When he talked about leadership, I did not feel inspired. I felt inadequate.
This should have been a clue: Good leadership doesn’t make ten-year-olds feel inadequate.
I began to think differently about leadership when I learned that there is more than one way to be a leader. The world is not neatly divided into “leaders” and “followers,” or aggressive and timid. Instead, there are many different leadership styles. It turns out that my geeky attributes are some of my best leadership qualities: I lead primarily by learning and teaching. But I also lead with empathy and relational skills: I have a tendency to seek out other kids sitting alone at lunchtime. My strength is in building communities in which I would feel welcome.
There are as many ways to lead as there are personalities. Some people lead by networking and connecting skills and needs. Some people lead by organizing and diligently completing tasks. Some people lead by charisma and persuasion. And yes, some people lead by shouting like a drill sergeant (although that’s not going to be effective by itself).
The most helpful book I’ve read on leadership is probably Gallup’s “Strengths Based Leadership,” by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie. It includes an inventory that lets you discover your top 5 Strengths, but the thing I found most enlightening is that its authors look at leadership not from the perspective of the leader, but from the perspective of the group. They asked people in organizations, “What do you want most from the person you follow?” Surprisingly, they didn’t talk about competence or charisma. Their responses fell into these categories:
Trust: Do your followers feel they can trust you? Competence might play a role here, but it seems the more important issue is if they feel they can rely on you to do what you say. Gallup found that successful teams seldom had to talk about trust, but in struggling teams, trust dominated their conversations.
Compassion: Do they believe you care? When I was a TA in graduate school, I found that the most damning student criticism on evaluations was that a professor “didn’t care.” Those students would rate their professor bad at everything. How people feel about your compassion toward them colors everything else.
Stability: Can your followers count on you? Preachers in the itinerant Methodist system have to work especially hard to create stability. People need to know that we will be there when they need us. Financial transparency, a consistent schedule, and regular checking-in are ways to create a sense of stability.
Hope: Do you offer hope? This should be every preacher’s wheelhouse, especially if you get to preach every Sunday! But people often leave a sermon feeling beaten up. It’s important not only for pastors to inspire individuals, but to “cast a vision” (here’s the leaderspeak) for their churches so that people have hope for the future.
My own spiritual growth has been helped by simply acknowledging my own leadership style. Oddly, knowing my leadership style allows me to think less of myself as a leader and more about what my group needs. I feel less pressure to live up to someone else’s image of the ideal leader if I can be true to my own God-given strengths. If I’m less focused on my image, I can be more focused on the image of God in Jesus Christ, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead me as I lead others.
Dave Barnhart is a Ministry Matters contributor and the pastor of Saint Junia UMC in Birmingham, Ala. He blogs at DaveBarnhart.net.
Are We Expecting Too Much or Too Little from the Church? by Erik Raymond
As a pastor I meet a lot of people who are looking for a church. One of the most helpful questions I can ask is, “What are you looking for in a church?” In one sense I hate this question because of the way it can reinforce our American consumer mindset. At the same time it gets right to the point. They are looking for something.
Then there is the other side of the spectrum: people who leave a church. It is basically the back door answer to the front door question, “What were you unhappy about in this church?”
What I have found is that most people do not filter what they looking for in a church through the Bible as much as through their previous experiences or personal ideals. Some of the most common things that I’ve seen in the last 10 years of pastoral ministry include the following:
Besties: People are looking for other people that they have a lot of common with.
Youth Ministry: People are looking for the church to provide a Christian network of friends for their kids.
Children’s programs: People often look for the church to be the catalyst for family discipleship.
Mercy Ministry: Some people want to be a part of a ministry to meet the physical needs of the community.
Music: People look for a musical experience during the singing time of service.
But what if none of these things were actually the church’s job? What if we are expecting far too much and far too little from the church?
The church’s job is to preach, teach and apply the Bible. We are to be faithful in preaching, discipleship, evangelism and service. There are not directives in the Bible for various programs for children or certain types of music. None of these things are bad, however, we should be careful to place the same level of emphasis on these things as the Scriptures.
Consider also the pursuit of good friends at church. It is very good to have close friends, particularly from your fellowship. In fact, most of my closest friends are from our church family. But how do we pursue them? What is the basis for making friends? How are friendships sustained?
Many people think of friendships as those relationships where we have a lot in common with the other person. This is true, but what is the basis for this commonality? Some people will leave a church saying, “I can’t find people that I have a lot in common with.” This is a staggering and revealing statement. It could mean, “There are no Christians here.” It could also mean, “I am not a Christian.” And it could mean, “I don’t chiefly value my identity as a Christian as the basis for relationships.”
As Christians, it should be that identity that serves to be our chief identifying feature and basis for friendship. You have so much in common with other Christians. You have the same story (saved from sin and death), passion (the glory of Christ), struggles (sin), hope (coming kingdom), authority (the Word of God), etc. There is so much in common here! The problem is we often promote worldly things to the position that only the gospel should hold. Then we wonder why the church cannot deliver. In fact, she should not deliver worldly pursuits.
I am convinced that many professing Christians are simultaneously expecting too much and too little from the church. We are now in something of a “tail wagging the dog” scenario. Many people have expectations, so church leaders aim to accommodate them. If one church won’t meet their preferences they can go to another. This becomes a significant long-term problem.
The church’s role is really quite simple: to make and train disciples. If we do this, then we will create a culture where friendships grow out of the gospel rather than in spite of it. Other programs will see their rightful place in the life of the Christian. As Christians, if we all work together to raise the gospel flag above the other markers of identity and heartily salute it, then we will be well on our way.
This post was originally published on Erik's blog, Ordinary Pastor.
The Church: It's Where Christ Lives by Chris Andrews
Acts 2:42-47
No one can make the case that the Christian faith is theoretical. It is not a system of thought, a bank of words, or a collection of ideas. Ultimately the Christian faith is about living in relationship and community. The Easter legacy is the church of Jesus Christ.
Try as we might to clean up Christianity, this faith of ours always brings us back to the same place—the church. What Jesus leaves on this earth to continue his work is the church. I know people who like the idea of religion, but they don’t want the church. Some folks enjoy the warm, pleasant feelings that come from spiritual thinking, but they don’t want the church. Some are excited by the idea of love, but they don’t want the church. Some people certainly want heaven for eternity, but they don’t want the church for today.
That is a problem because, like it or not, if we are going to follow Jesus, we are going to be involved in the church. The church is often called the “bride of Christ.” Someone said, “I love Jesus. I just wish he wouldn’t bring his leprous bride every place he goes.” But church and Jesus go together like “love and marriage” or “horse and carriage.”
So just pause and reflect for a moment. Easter has come. The tomb has been emptied. The Lord has appeared to his disciples, and the announcement has gone forth: “He is alive!” Jesus is alive! Where do we find him for ourselves? Where do we experience his aliveness in personal ways? The answer is through the fellowship of the redeemed, in the quarters of the church, in the embrace of the manifestation of the body of Christ.
What I am saying elevates the church to a status that some may not appreciate. In Acts 2, we get a glimpse of the church in its earliest moments, and it is a beautiful thing to behold. The people are united, everyone is attentive to the teaching of the apostles, no one misses a service or a Bible study, there are enough volunteers for every task, folks are giving generously to support the church, and people are lining up to join. This is going to be a megachurch!
If you know your Bible and the story of the church, though, you know this way of life does not last. Soon the church will be dealing with all sorts of unpleasant matters. For example, today’s text is from the second chapter of Acts. By the fifth chapter, folks are dropping dead in the church for lying about their financial support. We’re talking about lying about their pledge. Hello!
Is this the church? Yes, this is the church. This is the “holy, catholic church” we affirm and believe in. This church is the aftermath of Easter. Do you want to experience the living Christ? Go to the church. Oh, I know there will be frustration. The church likes to “major in the minors,” quarreling over the most foolish things. It seems, at times, to enjoy poor health and to love complaining. I know all this. But I also know that if you want to find Jesus, it will be in his church.
I think of my own life. Both my parents were alcoholics, both died by their own hands through suicide. We lived from day to day in a volatile world of economic uncertainty—and the church came. The local Methodist church showed up with food, clothes, and, most of all, kindness. They welcomed me into their fellowship. They made me part of their choir. They said I was important to them. I had nothing to offer in return, but they did not care about that. They offered a new economics, the economics of grace. All I knew was that I was one lost young fellow, and these good people put the arms of Jesus around my life and sent me in a new direction of hope and meaning and purpose. I had found Jesus, or Jesus had found me, and life was forever changed.
The Christian faith is never theory. It is not about religious thinking. The Christian faith is about relationship. In the midst of the comings and goings of our lives, the risen Christ appears, community happens, and the church takes shape. Easter has come, and Easter continues. Easter continues in the imperfect, grace-filled community we call church. Remember this the next time you are tempted to give up on church. If you want to experience Jesus, this is the place and the people, for in spite of their imperfections and idiosyncrasies, the church is where the living Christ lives.
When Can We Stop Calling Marriage an 'Institution'? by Tom Fuerst
Something in me dies every time I hear someone talk about marriage as an institution. The word “institution” seems to take all the spirit out of the word “marriage.”
When you prod me to protect or challenge me to change the “institution of marriage” I feel like you’re asking me to invest in a company or cast my vote as a board member. I feel like you’re asking me to institutionalize myself, like in the “Shawshank Redemption.”
For me, calling marriage an institution feels like desacralizing and degrading it.
When Jesus attended that wedding in Cana, if we were to go up to him and ask him, “What do you think about the institution of marriage,” he’d probably first ask us if we’ve been drinking too much of the fresh wine he’d just made. I don’t even think those words would belong together in an ancient person’s vocabulary. The Bible certainly never refers to marriage as an institution.
I find the use of “institution” especially interesting in an American church — liberal or conservative — that is trying so desperately to re-evaluate contemporary marriage. The conservatives are concerned that not enough or not enough of the “right” people are joining the institution. And the liberals are concerned that not enough of the “right” people are allowed to join the institution.
In fact, the more I think about it, the less surprised I am that Americans would choose such a word to describe marriage. Leave it to a group of post-industrialized capitalists to institutionalize love and family. Leave it to a bunch of people who see corporations as the backbone of society to talk about family like it’s one of those corporations.
But what I have with my wife — regardless of who is included or excluded from the married club — is not an institution. I am not an 11-year-institutionalized man. My wife and I are not two CEOs on the board of a family corporation. Marriage is not a prison we are surviving or a company in which we are investing stock. And in this, I think I speak for everyone who loves their spouse, regardless of their political position.
I understand I probably have a generational bias here. I understand I’m part of an anti-institutional generation. And I understand that almost no one is going to call marriage a “corporation.” But we need to see that when we talk about marriage like this, we are undercutting the personal, loving, relational aspects by rhetorically dehumanizing it.
And no matter one’s position on marriage, the last thing we need to do is dehumanize it. The last thing we need to do is talk about it like it’s just another cog in our capitalist machine. Spouses are human beings. Soon-to-be spouses are human beings. Wanna-be spouses are human beings. Marriage is a highly relational, highly human experience. Calling it an institution just doesn’t seem to do it justice.
Okay, your turn. What do you think? Some have chosen the word “covenant” instead. Others refer to marriage as a “contract.” What word would you choose? What are the implications of your word choice?
This post originally appeared on Tom's blog, Tom1st.com. Subscribe to his blog to receive new posts via email.
Just Say Something by Tina Fox
When someone is hurting, we don’t always know what to say to them. So, we say nothing. Just say something.
I’ve read so many blogs (and written some myself) about what NOT to say to grieving people, about how we often hurt people with our well-meaning words. That may be true. However, silence hurts more.
I remember when my husband and I were undergoing IVF (in vitro fertilization) to have a baby. We had been very open with friends, family and our church about the process and what we were going through. People were so loving, supportive, helpful, prayerful, etc. I was on bed rest for a few days after our embryos were transferred into my body. During that time, my cell phone constantly buzzed with texts, emails and calls from people consistently checking on me to see how I was doing and how I was feeling.
Then came the day of my blood test, to determine whether or not the embryos (our two microscopic babies) had implanted. Negative test. No babies. Followed by a phone call from our doctor a few days later confirming that ur remaining five embryos had disintegrated. No possibility of frozen embryo transfer. Seven lost children. Death and despair.
Sadly, my cell phone was heartbreakingly quiet after that. People stopped checking in with me once they got the word that it hadn’t worked. The silence hurt… maybe not as much as the actual loss I was going through, but it was a close second. Deafening silence. I felt abandoned and alone.
One dear friend came up to me at church the following week and said, “I don’t know what to say. I didn’t know if you’d want to talk about it or not so I wasn’t sure what to do”. That helped me. She “named” what was happening. People didn’t know what to say. I get that. But it hurt. A LOT.
Two beloved friends from out of town texted me and said, “We are coming down to be with you. Just tell us which night is best this week. We will take you to dinner or we will just come sit with you. We can talk or we can be silent. It’s up to you. But we are coming. You pick the day.” That memory will stick with me forever. During a difficult, painful time, I had friends who came and sat with me. They didn’t know what to do or say. Heck, I didn’t know what to do or say. But they showed up. They said something. They were there.
I’ve done it, too. I’ve said nothing because I wasn’t sure what to say, because I was scared of saying the wrong thing, because I didn’t know if they wanted to talk about it or not. How much unintentional harm did my silence cause?
I won’t be silent anymore. I will say something. Sometimes, I say the wrong thing. I did it this past Sunday. A man in our church recently buried his father-in-law. I have been praying daily for their family. I sincerely care about their pain. Clumsily, in the after-church greeting line, I heard these words escape my mouth: “How are you doing?”
You aren’t supposed to say that to a grieving person. I know better. How could he possibly answer that question in an adequate or easy way in the after-church greeting line? Of course he wasn’t doing well. He’d probably watched his wife cry herself to sleep every night, not to mention his own pain. When your whole world has catastrophically changed, it’s not easy to answer: “How are you doing?”
Not the best question to ask. Hopefully, I rectified that faux pas as the conversation continued. But at least I said something. At least he knew that I remembered and cared. Silence hurts people. The last thing grieving people need is more pain.
If you don’t know what to say, it’s entirely appropriate to name that: “I don’t know what to say, but I want you to know that I care about you." Just say something.
When in doubt, just say something!
Tina Fox blogs at TinaFoxTalk.com.
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The Social Justice Issue the UMC Doesn't Want to Deal With by David F. Watson
Imagine that there was a pre-natal test, commonly recommended by medical personnel, to identify children who would experience depression throughout their lives. Upon receiving a positive test, parents were counseled: You know, you might not want to go through with this pregnancy. You’re headed down a very difficult path. You may very well see your son or daughter descend into misery. His or her quality of life will likely suffer greatly. This could lead to all kinds of other problems, including various forms of self-medication. Plus, this nation spends billions of dollars every year on mental health costs. Think of all the good we could do with that much money! Therefore, terminating this pregnancy is a reasonable option. It may be best for you and for all involved.
This would never happen, right? Don’t be so sure. It’s already happening, not with people who will experience depression, but with children with Down Syndrome. According to an ABC News article, 92% of women who receive a pre-natal diagnosis of Down Syndrome terminate the pregnancies. Right now, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that all pregnant women be offered a Down syndrome screening test. Why should this test be offered as routine? The obvious answer is that children with Down Syndrome are not understood to be as valuable as “typical” children.
By the way, there’s a word for this kind of thing: eugenics. What we’re talking about here is the elimination of a people group. Many of us are uncomfortable talking about this matter because it relates to topic of abortion. Yet regardless of how we may feel about abortion, can we not say that the selective termination of pregnancies based upon genetic characteristics is unethical and unacceptable? If we think, moreover, that we can limit this kind of thing to Down Syndrome, we’re fooling ourselves. As genetic testing becomes more sophisticated, will we act in the same way toward children with other forms of cognitive impairment? Children with autism? Children who are blind, deaf, or missing limbs? We can imagine a host of other traits that could be considered “undesirable.”
I have a son with Down Syndrome. His name is Sean. He is seven years old. He loves to jump on his trampoline, play Angry Birds, and watch Veggie Tales. He loves dogs. He doesn’t always want to go to school. He idolizes his big brother and sometimes drives him crazy. In other words… he’s a kid. He’s just a kid, pretty much like any other kid, but with a set of challenges brought about by his having an extra chromosome. Sean, however, is no less valuable to this world than I am, or you are, or anyone else is. He’s a person, created in the image of God. He matters. Kids like him matter. They matter just as much as any other kid.
Many people don’t see things in this way. More and more commonly, people are regarded from a utilitarian perspective. What can they produce? How smart are they? How good-looking are they? A particular understanding of utility determines the value of a person. Christians, however, cannot adopt this perspective. As Paul writes, “From now on, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Cor 5:16-17). Is Paul specifically addressing what I’m calling a utilitarian perspective? No, but it is inescapable that if you are part of God’s new creation, your perspective changes. You no longer view others from a human point of view. God changes the way that you see.
Why is my denomination largely silent about the fact that our culture is eliminating a people group, one to whom people like Sean belong? We have no problem speaking loudly about homosexuality. Some of our bishops have been arrested in immigration protests. The General Board of Church and Society has a long list of legislative priorities for this year. We talk about social justice more than we talk about God. Why, then, are we silent?
Unlike many other minority groups, people with Down Syndrome cannot always speak up for themselves effectively (particularly because this minority is being removed from the conversation in utero). Although some go to college, are quite articulate, and hold down good jobs, others have more difficulty articulating their thoughts, and particularly abstract ideas. Other minority groups have an abundance of articulate and savvy spokespeople who can speak on their behalf. Who will speak up for these folks with Down Syndrome? If not the Church, then who?
My wife and I will be presenting on the topic of raising a child with Down Syndrome at United’s upcoming Light the Fire! conference. I hope you can attend this event, not just to hear us, but to learn more about what churches can do to welcome and be in ministry with people with disabilities.
This post originally appeared on David Watson's blog.
Review: Giving Blood by Eric Van Meter
Never one to hold back from provocative statements, Leonard Sweet lays out a bold proposition in the subtitle of his latest book. With Giving Blood: A Fresh Paradigm for Preaching, Sweet aspires to “a fresh paradigm for preaching”—and mostly succeeds in offering one (Zondervan, 2014).
Sweet, an educator, best-selling author, and founder and president of SpiritVenture Ministries, uses the metaphor of blood to frame his philosophy of preaching. In the social media age of Twitter, Google, Instagram, and Facebook (TGIF, a la Sweet), a sermon is not a presentation, much less an argument. Rather, it is an interactive enterprise in which Christ lifeblood is transfused between preacher and participants, who become co-creators in a preaching event rooted in shared encounter with the divine.
Preaching in the TGIF context must be EPIC. That is, it must travel through an experiential medium (E), allow for participatory interaction (P), use biblical stories and images (I), and connect the congregation to Jesus (C). Toward that end, preachers need to pay careful attention to semiotics, the ability to point to one thing as a sign of another.
Central to Sweet’s notion of EPIC preaching is a juxtaposition of story and symbol, a mixture he refers to as “narra-phor.” While linear, point-by-point preaching may have been favored in the modern era, postmodern minds hunger for encounters with God that go beyond rationalistic thought. Narrative embraces the transformational power of story. Metaphor allows us to swerve in our journey to encounter God’s truth, taking us on a tangent in order that we may, paradoxically, arrive faster at our destination. When the two combine, narraphor is a powerful tool for reshaping our lives according to God’s activity among us.
As he plays out his narraphor of preaching as giving blood, Sweet tackles many of the same topics that any book on sermon preparation and delivery might address. He delves into ways of approaching scripture, keys to good preparation, left-brain/right-brain understanding, matters of presentation, and various miscellaneous considerations. Taking his own advice, however, he presents these at a slant, with chapter titles like “Blood Bank,” “Blood-Enriching Nutrients,” and Blood Donors.”
Sweet’s insistence on incorporating narraphor into his own extended homily on preaching makes for a fluid argument that circles back on itself, at times threatening to lose its shape. To keep readers on line with him, Sweet uses other unifying devices, notably acronyms (TGIF, EPIC, MRI, fMRI, etc) and participatory “lab” exercises (personal reflections, YouTube links, visual images, and so forth).
Not surprisingly for a book of this length (368 pages), some glitches appear in the writing. The passion with which Sweet relates his thoughts on preaching is evident, although it occasionally devolves into sanctimony. His typologies of preaching appear as caricatures, from which his preferred “transductive” approach swoops in to save the TGIF day. The blood metaphor stretches at times, such as “blood thinners” to describe the use of humor.
Still, Sweet succeeds far more than he fails. His language is usually entertaining and almost always thought-provoking. Giving Blood does indeed offer many new insights into preaching and will prove a worthwhile read for preachers looking to infuse new life into their vocation.
This Sunday, 27 April 2014
Second Sunday of Easter — Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know, 23 him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed; 24 whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,
‘I saw the Lord always before my face,
For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.
26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced.
Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope;
27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades,[a]
neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.
28 You made known to me the ways of life.
You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’[b]
29 “Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was his soul left in Hades,[c] nor did his flesh see decay. 32 This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.
Footnotes:
a. Acts 2:27 or, Hell
b. Acts 2:28 Psalm 16:8-11
c. Acts 2:31 or, Hell
Psalm 16: A Poem by David.
1 Preserve me, God, for in you do I take refuge.
2 My soul, you have said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord.
Apart from you I have no good thing.”
3 As for the saints who are in the earth,
they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.
4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god.
Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
nor take their names on my lips.
5 Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup.
You made my lot secure.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places.
Yes, I have a good inheritance.
7 I will bless Yahweh, who has given me counsel.
Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.
8 I have set Yahweh always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices.
My body shall also dwell in safety.
10 For you will not leave my soul in Sheol,[a]
neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life.
In your presence is fullness of joy.
In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 16:10 Sheol is the place of the dead.
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you, 5 who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ— 8 whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory— 9 receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
John 20:19 When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, “Peace be to you.”
20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit! 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 After eight days again his disciples were inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the middle, and said, “Peace be to you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.”
28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me,[a] you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.”
30 Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
Footnotes:
a. John 20:29 TR adds “Thomas,”
Resurrection Reality by J. Michael Lowry
John 20:19-31
Do you remember how Walter Cronkite used to close his broadcast by saying, “And that’s the way it is”? Such is a world vision that reflects the painfulness of reality. It is an echoing of the somber words of agnostic Bertrand Russell: “Brief and powerless is Man’s life; on him and all his race the slow, sure doom falls pitiless and dark.”
Life on Easter evening for the disciples opens in a somber, fearful mood. John reports, “When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews.” Huddled behind locked doors, the followers of Jesus are struggling with the reality of the resurrection.
Today, we struggle with reality. In fact one of the biggest venues on television is the genre of so-called reality TV. I’ve got this great idea for reality TV. It would be the ultimate survivor show. Take a guy who is obviously a religious fanatic. So much so that he believes he’s the messiah, the savior of the world. Then you could have authorities who are out to get him. Let’s say they succeed and put him to death. But how’s this? He rises from the dead after three days. Now that is a survivor! His reality changes our reality. He didn’t just survive. He triumphed! Now that is real reality, resurrection reality. It is way beyond the survivor. Now comes the really great part; you can be a part of the show.
Resurrection reality takes us way beyond the survivor. “Peace be with you,” the Savior said. Jesus offers reality that is so much better than just struggling to survive. In resurrection reality, our Lord and Savior offers a spiritual peace that triumphs in the midst of the raging storms of modern living. Reality TV says that the purpose of life is to claw your way ahead, to do everything you possibly can to make money, to win in the end, to survive by being number one regardless of what happens to others. Resurrection reality with Jesus offers a purpose that is far beyond just looking out for number one or just advancing your career or just earning money.
Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Resurrection reality is about living your life to the mighty purposes of God. It is about advancing the kingdom of God through evangelistic witness and the deeds of love and mercy.
Reality television is about living life for insignificant goals. Resurrection reality is about the opposite—living life for the greatest goal of all, the advancement of God’s kingdom here on earth, the sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ by words and deeds. To what purpose are you living? Is it reality TV or resurrection reality?
One thing that strikes me is how powerless reality TV seems to be. People work hard to survive, but only one makes it. You can be voted off the island through no fault of your own. The only energy you have is your own energy; and when that is spent, when you’ve reached the end of your rope, you are out of luck.
Resurrection reality is just the opposite. It is not all up to you. Jesus “breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ ”
Many of us live with the functional atheism of reality TV. Resurrection reality is completely contrary to that. It is living in the conviction that God is not asleep or in a coma but will act with you and through you, empowering you to accomplish the impossible for God’s kingdom. We are not alone. God is with us, in history and in our lives, transforming them with a resurrection reality. “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Which do you choose? Will you live on your own power, exhausted and struggling, or will you open yourself to the mighty power of God?
Peace, purpose, power—three things we all desperately need. TV reality offers no peace, only the running of the rat race. It offers no purpose beyond the accumulation of money, place, or pleasure. It offers no power beyond your own limited resources. Resurrection reality offers peace for a purpose with power. It breaks through locked doors and banishes fear. This can be yours. You won’t be voted off the island but rather have reality shaped day by day and moment by moment through the risen Lord and Savior who, in the power of the Holy Spirit, stands in our midst this hour.
"Resurrection Reality" originally appeared in The Abingdon Preaching Annual.
Worship Elements: April 27, 2014 by Rebecca Gaudino
Second Sunday of Easter
Color: White
Scripture Readings: Acts 2:14a, 22-32; Psalm 16; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31
Theme Ideas
To those who have not seen the risen Christ, the three New Testament readings repeat the bold good news of Easter—that death could not hold Jesus in its power. Like Thomas and the other disciples, and like the readers of 1 Peter, however, we live in the midst of trials and suffering, doubt and fear. Jesus' resurrection invites us to a resilient, specially blessed faith (John 20:29b) that does not end with doubt or fear or suffering. Our readings proclaim that life is our ultimate end and God's aim for us, and we may rejoice even now in this "living hope" (1 Peter 1:3).
Invitation and Gathering
Call to Worship (Acts 2, Psalm 16)
My heart is glad!
My soul rejoices, and my body rests secure!
For you do not abandon me.
You give me counsel.
You are at my right hand.
You show me the path of life.
Your presence is sheer joy.
You are my God; apart from you, I have no good.
Blessed is your name!
Opening Prayer (Acts 2, 1 Peter 1, John 20)
Stand among us once again, risen Christ,
and bless us with your greeting:
"Peace be with you."
Stand among us once again, Exalted Brother,
and breathe upon us your promised Spirit.
Stand among us once again,
You Who Have Escaped Death,
and give us new birth
into your living hope. Amen.
Proclamation and Response
Unison Prayer (Acts 2, Psalm 16, John 20)
Jesus, Savior, Resurrected Messiah,
we come before you from different paths:
some of us certain
of your joyful presence in our lives,
some of us not so certain
of the hope of being touched by your joy.
Yet we are all here,
reaching out to you:
for understanding,
for hope,
for joy,
for all that is imperishable.
Meet us here, today,
in all your power and consolation. Amen.
Invitation to the Word (John 20)
God of sacred texts,
speak powerfully to us today
through what is written in your holy scripture.
Help us hear the witnesses
to Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,
and to the promises of life in his name.
Thanksgiving and Communion
Call to Prayer (1 Peter 1, John 20)
If we are the disciples, locked in a room of fear,
Jesus appears to us.
If we are Thomas, full of doubt,
Jesus turns to us.
If we bear trials and suffering,
God comes to us in power.
If we rejoice,
we do so in the presence of God.
So let us come, whoever we are,
to the God of hope and life.
Invitation to the Offering (1 Peter 1)
May we give out of the love
that we have for Jesus Christ,
so that others may share
in our imperishable and unfading inheritance
of hope and life.
Offering Prayer (1 Peter 1)
God of great mercy,
accept our offerings,
given out of what is more precious than gold—
our faith in you, giver of hope and life.
And through these gifts,
reveal the risen Christ
in acts of mercy, love, and joy. Amen.
Sending Forth
Benediction (Psalm 16, 1 Peter 1, John 20)
In great mercy, God has given us a new birth
into a living hope,
for it is the risen Christ
who stands in our midst and says,
"Peace be with you!"
We go forth to walk the path of new life
and living hope.
And may the peace of the risen Christ be with us!
Contemporary Options
Contemporary Gathering Words (Acts 2, Psalm 16, 1 Peter 1, John 20)
We come as we are:
doubting Thomases, fearful disciples,
sorrowing exiles, rejoicing psalmists!
You come as you are:
Risen Christ, Christ of peace,
Holy Spirit, Spirit of forgiveness,
God of life, God of new birth!
Show us the fullness of your joy!
Show us the path of life and living hope!
Praise Sentences (Acts 2, Psalm 16)
You show me the ways of life.
Your presence fills me full of gladness.
My heart is glad, my soul rejoices,
and my flesh will live in hope!
From "The Abingdon Worship Annual 2008," edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu, Copyright © 2007 by Abingdon Press
Worship Connection: April 27, 2014 by Nancy C. Townley
Second Sunday of Easter
COLOR: White
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Acts 2:14a, 22-32; Psalm 16; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31
Call to Worship #1
L: The joy of the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ is with us.
P: We rejoice in the blessing God has poured into our lives.
L: Even though we hear words of doubt, we are called to believe.
P: Even though the world would draw us back again into darkness, we focus on the Light.
L: Thanks be to Christ who gives us the victory
P: Alleluia! Amen.
Call to Worship #2
L Sometimes the news we receive is so good we have a hard time believing it.
P: That's true. Too often we are skeptical about positive happenings.
L: We're like Jesus' disciple, Thomas, who doubted the resurrection.
P: Actually we understand how he felt. It is hard to believe.
L: That's just where faith comes in - believing where we have not seen.
P: May God open our hearts and our spirits to receive with confidence the good news of Easter.
Call to Worship #3
L: Rejoice, friends, for the Lord has called us here.
P: We come joyfully, for we have heard the good news of Jesus' resurrection.
L: Open your spirits to receive all God's blessings.
P: May God shower blessings upon us so that we may in turn bless God by our service.
L: Alleluia!
P: Allelulia!
Call to Worship #4
L: What a great day this is!
P: It is a joy to be here today!
L: Jesus Christ is risen and is among us!
P: Praise God for the glorious gift of God's Son!
PRAYERS, LITANIES & BENEDICTIONS
INVOCATION / OPENING PRAYER
Generous God, we thank you for your presence with us in all our lives. As we gather this morning we are reminded of the many times we have doubted and feared. Today banish our fears with the memory of the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. Remind us again that through all our troubles, doubts, and fears, your power, mercy and love are with us. Amen.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Even though we have come through the joy of Easter and the triumphant Easter songs, yet we doubt, Lord. Like Thomas who walked the Judean countryside with Jesus, we still have trouble believing in the resurrection of Jesus. We easily slip back into the darkness of doubts. We move the joy of Easter into the past and continue in a downward path to confusion. Shine your bright light of joy upon us. Lighten our dark path. Help us to believe, even though we have not seen you, touched your hands and side. Help us to proclaim Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
Do not fear, dear friends. Jesus is among us, offering us new life and hope. Nothing can prevent God's love for us. Rejoice, for you have been made new in Christ. Amen.
COLLECT
Gracious God, who has always promised to be with us: Give us the depth of faith and hope that does not depend on proof, that we may offer your love and hope to others who feel as though they dwell in deep darkness, for it is in the name of the Risen Christ that we pray. Amen.
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Lord, we offer to you this day, token of our lives and our substance. Take these lives and these gifts and cause them to work in this world which you have loaned us, for the healing and reconciliation of all people to you. Amen.
PASTORAL PRAYER
Surprising God, we come to Easter through the long Lenten journey in which you have called us to examine our inner lives. Then on Easter, it is as though we have been freed from our darkness to walk in the Light with you. However, Easter and its celebration so quickly slide into the past and we again are tempted to move back into our doubts and fears. Surprise us again, Lord, as Jesus surprised his disciple Thomas who feared and doubted. Remind us that the signs of Jesus' resurrection are all around us.
As we remember this day our dear friends who suffer from illness and loss, Lord, help us to be a presence of comfort for them; for those who are lost and alone, alienated from family and friends, we ask that you empower us to reach out in compassion, offering appropriate help that will lift them into new life with you; for all anywhere who are in situations of danger, war, and strife, we pray that your peace will be with them and that the warfare and dangers will be vanquished by your good news; for our community, our nation, Lord, we ask that you give to the leaders compassion and wisdom, remembering that their lives rest in your care. And for ourselves, we ask for the extra measure of faith so that as doubts arise, we may meet them with confidence, and emerge as strong witnesses to your love. In Christ's name, we offer this prayer. AMEN.
LITANY
L: We've been in hiding for too long.
M: Perhaps we should open the doors of our lives to welcome whatever comes.
L: But suppose that destruction, fear, and death arrive at our door?
W: Jesus always said to us "Do not be afraid, I am with you."
All: Lord, help us to believe.
L: Why is it so difficult to believe?
M: We have been disappointed so many times.
L: Do we dare trust that this time will be different?
W: Everything is different when we trust in Jesus Christ.
All: Lord, help us to believe.
L: What will we do if we actually see the risen Lord?
M: Our fears will be banished and we will live in the truth of Christ.
L: What is the truth of Christ?
W: Christ has overcome the bonds of death. He is risen and goes before us.
All: Lord, we believe; help our unbelief. Amen
BENEDICTION / BLESSING/ COMMISSION
L: Go from this place in peace and joy to serve the Lord.
P: We rejoice in the good news we have heard and go to serve God in all that we do.
L: May God's blessing continue in and through you to others
P: May God's love also pour into your heart this day and always. Amen
ARTISTIC ELEMENTS
Traditional Color for the Season: White
WHITE FABRIC may be used on the worship center. "Puddling" the fabric is a very effective way to enhance the display.
CROSS: If you have a brass or wooden cross which you commonly use on the worship table, you may want to place it off center, either to the right or left, and drape it with a simple white strip of fabric.
CANDLES: A white pillar candle representing Jesus, and twelve smaller pillar candles or votive candles may be placed throughout the worship table setting. If you choose, the Christ candle may be on a tall candlestick or free-standing candle holder. It should be near the center of the worship table, if possible.
PLANTS/FLOWERS: If there are some plants left over from Easter, place them in front of the worship setting, preferably on the floor near the "puddled" white fabric, as an accent. Ivy, or ferns are attractive on the worship setting to add depth to the setting. The ferns should be placed behind the cross. Ivy may be intertwined between the candles. [Note: this is a reminder of the vine and branch analogy Jesus used with the disciples].
STONES: You may want to use small, polished stones near the candles to add texture to the display. [Being a disciple is a "rocky road" !] These stones are available in mesh bags as most craft stores, or if you are using stones from your yards or gardens, be sure to wash and dry them carefully before placing them on the white cloth.
[Note: if you are serving Communion on this Sunday and you commonly use the worship table as the site for the elements of bread and wine, make sure that ample room is provided in the display for these elements.]
Worship for Kids: April 27, 2014 by Carolyn C. Brown
From a Child's Point of View
Gospel: John 20:19-31. This text includes two resurrection stories—Jesus' meeting the disciples on Easter evening and Jesus' encounter with Thomas. It also includes a statement of the purpose of John's Gospel. The stories are interesting to children for several reasons. First, they give cues about what the resurrected Jesus was like. He was different. He could now appear inside a locked room. But he was also the same Jesus. His friends recognized him by sight. He showed his crucifixion wounds, and he was kind to Thomas. From this, older children learn not only interesting information about the resurrected Jesus, but also what our own resurrections might be like.
The second point of interest is that Easter is not the final chapter of Jesus' life. It is the beginning of a new chapter. On Easter evening, Jesus is looking ahead. He gives his disciples two gifts—his peace and his Spirit—and then sends them to work. Their task is to forgive people. Jesus insists that anyone they do not forgive will not be forgiven. While it is possible to interpret this as authority to sit in judgment, it is more in keeping with the gospel to interpret it as a challenge to be sure all people are forgiven—because we are their only chance. That makes forgiving an important Easter activity for Christians, and for he church.
Finally, children who were not present when something exciting and important happened appreciate the story about Thomas. Jesus' treatment of Thomas, who had missed out on Easter evening and had lots of questions, reassures children that (1) Jesus understandings their feelings when they are left out; and (2) no questions are too stupid or embarrassing to ask.
Epistle: 1 Peter 1:3-9. Both the message and the language of these verses make them somewhat remote for children. "Mercy," "living hope," "imperishable inheritance," and so forth are not in the daily vocabulary of most children and speak of concepts too abstract for their mental development. The writer's insistence that readers hold out through bad times in this life, for the sake of salvation in the next, has little impact on children, who live in the present and immediate future.
However, if they are told that this is a letter to Christians who were being tortured and killed for being Christians and that the writer of this letter wanted them to know that being a Christian was worth being tortured or killed, older children can explore the possibility that being a Christian is also worth whatever teasing or grief they take today. In other words, if being a Christian was worth being fed to a lion, then it also must be worth being called a sissy when you refuse to smoke a joint or join the gang in a cruel prank.
First Reading: Acts 2:14 a, 22-32. This section of Peter's Pentecost sermon focuses on the interpretation of Psalm 16. Peter's intricate exegesis and point are beyond the interest and mental ability of children. Older children may follow the description of Jesus' life and death in verses 22-24 before they get lost in the argument about David. Read this mainly for the adults.
Psalm: 16. This is the psalm Peter interpreted as being prophetic of the resurrection, but his interpretation means little to children. Furthermore, the psalmist uses such poetic images as "my cup" and God's "counsel" to speak of trusting God's plan, and the obsolete terms Sheol and the Pit to speak of death. Consequently, the psalmist's simple trust in God is lost in the verbiage.
Watch Words
Today's texts are filled with abstract theological terms such as salvation, mercy, and faith. Remember that this is a foreign language to children. Whenever possible, describe in concrete terms what Jesus said, did, and promised.
If you focus on Thomas, be careful about your use of believe. Children believe in Santa Claus, they clap during Peter Pan to show their belief in Tinkerbell, they believe their team will win the championship this year, and they believe in God. As middle-elementary children begin to sort out the realities involved in life, they often conclude that believe is a "less sure" form of think, or even a well-intended distortion of reality, and thus relegate their belief in God to the same status as their belief in Santa Claus.
So, redefine believe to be even stronger than think. What you believe makes a difference in how you live. For example, before he met the resurrected Jesus, Thomas did not know what to think about what his friends claimed. But when he finally met Jesus, he not only thought that it was true that Jesus had been raised from death, but he knew that fact would make a difference in what he did every day, from that day on.
Let the Children Sing
"O Sons and Daughters, Let us Sing" has one set of verses for Easter Sunday, and a second set related to Thomas's story, for the second Sunday of Easter. Its words are fairly simple and include a chorus of Alleluias for nonreaders. Sing it after reading the Gospel lesson.
"Breathe on Me, Breath of God" is a good choice if the service emphasizes Jesus' gift of the Spirit. Consider working through parts of it in the sermon.
"I've Got Peace Like a River" is a good response to Jesus' Easter-evening gifts of peace and the Spirit.
The Liturgical Child
1. The Gospel stories are the heart of today's worship for children. Like last week's stories, they need to be prestned in a way that leaves listeners free to "see" the events in their imaginations. Again, present the stories as radio dramas. Practice the way Jesus and Thomas speak their words, and how you will read the narrator's part.
2. Respond to Jesus' challenge to forgive. In a bidding prayer, offer worshipers opportunities to forgive a variety of people and groups. Include members of our families; friends who have wronged us; people we do not like because we need to forgive them so often, and we do not expect them to ever treat us any better; groups of people (cliques, other nations, other races) who constantly abuse us; and so forth. After describing each group, identifying its possible members, and offering a public prayer of forgiveness, invite worshipers to pray silent personal prayers of forgiveness.
3. If your worship regularly includes an Affirmation of Faith, point it out this morning. Explain why your worship includes this opportunity to say, "I believe. . . ." Challenge worshipers to think about what they are saying and what it will mean for them if they really believe these things. Many creeds follow each "I believe" with several statements. Today, repeat "I believe" before each one. Or, turn the statements into questions to the congregation, to which they are invited to respond, "Yes, we (or I) believe that."
Sermon Resources
Celebrate questions. Review Thomas's questions about Jesus' body and recall the story of Jesus' questions in the temple when he was twelve years old. Point out that questions are not the opposite of believing, but are tools with which we build our beliefs. No genuine question is too stupid or silly to ask. We are to remember this about our own questions, and about the questions of others—especially those of younger children who ask many questions that may sound dumb to us. This is a great opportunity to push Sunday school attendance.
Sermon Options: April 27, 2014
WHEN YOU'RE CUT TO THE HEART
ACTS 2:36-41
What do you do when you've been cut to the heart? In this passage, we find ourselves in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Peter preached, and the people felt such guilt over their sin that they begged the apostles, saying, "Brothers, what should we do?" The focus of the Lenten season is understanding the depth of our sin and separation from God. As Easter came closer, we began to understand more about Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Perhaps, like Peter's hearers, you have come to realize your role in the death of Christ. You see, Christ didn't die just for people who lived two thousand years ago. It was for our sins that the Savior suffered, bled, and died. When we are cut to the heart by this realization, what must we do? Peter gives us direction in this passage.
I. Repent
The first thing Peter told his audience to do is repent. Peter is not simply saying that his hearers should feel sorry for their sin; he is calling them to a new way of life. Repent is one of those "church words" we often throw around without explaining. Repentance is much like the military term about-face. To repent is not to look over our shoulders and say, "I'm sorry, God." To repent means that we stop going in our own direction, turn around, and choose to live in obedience to Christ.
II. Receive Forgiveness
Something amazing happens when we repent of sin and ask God for forgiveness. The Bible tells us that the past is washed away and all things become new. We are given a new heart, a new start, a second chance in life. If you've ever wished that you could start all over again, free from the baggage of your past mistakes, God offers you that opportunity. Though physical or material consequences of your past may remain, in a spiritual sense, you are set free. There aren't many places in life where you get a second chance.
III. Be Baptized
Peter also called on his hearers to be baptized. While scholars seem to agree that Peter was not setting forth some ritual path to salvation, the rite of baptism was certainly emphasized in the early church. Baptism is an outward sign of an inward change in a person's life. The baptismal ceremony is symbolic of death and resurrection in Christ. The old person dies, and a new creature is born, emerging from the water to a new way of life.
IV. Receive the Holy Spirit
A person who is "born again" comes into a new realm of life. It is called "abundant life" in the Scripture. In addition to the Holy Spirit's role as a comforter, the Spirit provides direction and guidance in life. When the Holy Spirit takes up residence in a person's life, he or she begins to understand things from a different perspective.
The basic premise of Charles Sheldon's classic book In His Steps is that Christ has called us to do the things he would do if he were in our shoes and had our opportunities. As we learn to live the Spirit-filled life, we will find ourselves seeing, thinking, and acting differently from before. What do you do when you are cut to the heart? Repent, ask for forgiveness, be baptized, and receive the Spirit. Peter's audience heard him gladly, and the Bible says that three thousand were added to the church that day. Throughout the centuries, others have responded to this same invitation. There is room for you to come today. (Greg Barr)
REJOICE IN DIFFICULTIES
1 PETER 1:3-9
Peter sets the theme of the entire Epistle in this passage. In writing to Christians who face trials, persecutions, and difficulties, he reminds them that they have been birthed into a "living hope." So Christians live in circumstances identical to those of unbelievers (in the world), but Christians' life-view and perspective are qualitatively different because of this living hope—a hope not "of" the world. That difference is afforded to us by the Resurrection.
Christians rejoice in this life although we may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials (v. 6). All humans live in a world impacted by sin. Life in all its fullness, as God meant it to be, is lost in the reality of our broken human estate. Bad things happen to good and bad people. Believers face even more opposition in that faith is challenged on every hand because of its radical claims and resistance to society's "worldly" values. But in light of these difficulties, Christians have three promises and three characteristics that give more intrinsic meaning to the trials.
People with faith in Christ can find a purpose in the trials and grow from them in the context of these promises and personal characteristics.
I. Three Promises Worthy of Our Rejoicing
The first promise is found in Peter's exclamation of praise in verse 3. Christians have been shown God's mercy by being birthed into a "living hope." Christian hope is more than a faint possible dream. It is a "living" or vibrant hope resting squarely on the fact of Christ's resurrection. If Christ was not raised from the dead, our faith would be futile and our hope emptied of value to the point we should be pitied among all humanity. But the power of the Resurrection makes Christian hope a living reality.
The second promise is no less real than the historical fact of Christ's resurrection, but it is grasped only through faith. This promise is an inheritance that can never spoil but is kept in heaven for the believer (v. 4). The New Testament is not shy about speaking of rewards or awaiting an ultimate resolution and justice. This may not bode well in a contemporary Western society bent on instant gratification. However, the hope of the Christian's inheritance to be received after passing from this life is beyond human comprehension and well worth any time of waiting.
The third promise is that of protection in this life until the consummation of the believer's salvation in the afterlife. The believer is "protected by the power of God" (v. 5). The New Testament notes the enemy of God is the enemy of God's children. This promise is one of protection from Satan. The result of this promise is the release from fear and anxiety. The Christian resides in the protective power of God.
II. Three Characteristics of Our Rejoicing
The purpose of trials is that our faith may be proven genuine. Our faith has greater value than gold (v. 7). Christian rejoicing in trials proves and strengthens our faith. Many of us rebel against the thought of continuing in difficulties with a purpose of strengthening our faith. But here Peter says the ultimate result is praise, glory, and honor as Christ is revealed through us. We too often lose sight of the fact that our attitude and demeanor tempered by faith during trials and difficulties reveal Christ to unbelievers and bring praise to God.
The second characteristic of our rejoicing in trials is the joy that flows from our faith (v. 8). We love and believe in Christ, though we have not seen him. The result of such faith is being filled with "indescribable and glorious joy." How joyful are we? The verse seems to indicate the level of our joy acts as a barometer for the level of our faith. The intensity and singleness of our faith are directly proportional to the ecstasy of our Christian joy. Can individuals discern a qualitative difference in us as Christians when viewing our level (or lack) of unspeakable joy?
The third characteristic of rejoicing is receiving the goal of faith: salvation (v. 9). The process of redemption is nothing short of miraculous or glorious. The fruit of that redemption should be obvious in our lives. It should be demonstrable in difficulties because of our joy and faith through the living hope. (Joseph Byrd)
THOMAS—THE DOUBTER?
JOHN 20:19-31
Thomas, called Didymus, is the only disciple whose name has become a household word. "Doubting Thomas," the disciple from Missouri. He may also be the most mysterious of the Twelve. He is paired with Matthew, is there any significance to that? We have the Acts of Thomas and the Gospel of Thomas, and they aren't anything like the canonical writings. Some legends say Thomas was a twin of Lydia of Philippi, and others that he was a twin brother of Jesus. Some traditions say the Twelve divided up the world for evangelism, and Thomas got India. Tradition has it that Thomas was killed by a spear thrust while he prayed, and that a church was built on that spot. In the 1500s there was a group called Saint Thomas Christians in India.
What do we really know about Thomas? Aside from the lists of disciples in the New Testament, he appears in three passages of Scripture, all in the Gospel of John. In John 11:14-16, at the death of Lazarus, Thomas is willing to go with Jesus back to Judea, even if it means going to die with Jesus. That doesn't sound much like doubt, does it? In John 14:1-5, Thomas asks a question about the way to heaven, and it sounds more like confused ignorance of what Jesus is really saying than genuine doubt. Finally, in John 20:24-29, we read that when Thomas is told of the Easter evening appearance to the disciples at which he was not present, he responded by saying he would not believe Jesus had risen from the dead unless he, Thomas, could see the wounds of the Crucifixion and actually touch them. Now that sounds like doubt, doesn't it? Or shock at hearing what you desperately want to be true but cannot assimilate for joy?
I. Doubt Is Common to All
Have you ever doubted? Doubted God? Doubted your salvation? The typical response of an honest person is that "I often wonder about such things, but I try not to let myself." Every honest person has doubts. It is simply not given to human nature to have certainty in some areas of life. There are two kinds of doubting people and two kinds of doubt. There is dishonest doubt. It is rooted in the proud, sinful mind. This kind of doubt says it must have verification, in its own way, on its own terms, in order to accept and believe. The person harboring this kind of doubt really does not wish to believe.
Then there is honest doubt. For instance, consider the healing of the child at the foot of the Mount of Transfiguration and the father's honest doubt: "I believe; help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). And Jesus did not rebuke that man. Here we see the character of honest doubt; it is agony and yearns for light. There is something strong, something good, in honest doubt. It is not negative or neutral; it is actively seeking faith. Remember the words of Tennyson's In Memoriam, written upon the death of his friend, Arthur Hallam:
Perplext in faith, but pure in deeds,
At last he beat his music out.
There lives more faith in honest doubt,
Believe me, than in half the creeds.
He found his doubts and gather'd strength,
He would not make his judgment blind,
He faced the specters of the mind
And laid them; thus he came at length
To find a stronger faith his own.
Those who pass through the valley of honest doubt emerge with stronger faith than those who never dared face their doubts. Few things are more worthy to be despised, or of less value as a witness, than a pale, inherited, convictionless, untested faith. God grant us all doubt rather than such a faith.
II. Doubt Isn't the Problem—Discouragement Is
But Thomas's problem is not doubt. We have tied that label on him for being late once to church. If only Thomas had been there. And we speculate on why he was absent. Overwhelming grief? Some business or family problem? Meeting with some group of followers of Jesus? Checking out the rumors of Emmaus Road? I think Thomas's rash demand to touch the wounds of Jesus was born of regret that he was absent from that first meeting with the risen Lord and maybe a mixture of feeling that one should not joke about such things, if the other disciples were joking. We are all aware that when the proof was offered—when Jesus offered to let Thomas actually touch the wounds—Thomas didn't take him up on it. The problem is not doubt—we never should have labeled Thomas that way. We could equally well have labeled him "Thomas the loyal" in light of his willingness to go and die with Jesus. Or "Thomas the committed" as, on these weeks after Easter, Thomas fell on his knees without availing himself of the proof and declared, "My Lord and my God!"
No, Thomas has a problem shared by many other Christians; he is a melancholy, discouraged personality. He sometimes sounds like somebody who has been reading Ecclesiastes too much. His emotions were bigger than the rest of him. He illustrates a danger of the gloomy temperament, the hesitation to cast off for new and distant shores.
The cure for the gloomy spirit is the fellowship of the committed. Eight days after his absence he is back, surrounded by other personalities, and in the presence of the Lord. And all is well.
Here is what Jesus says to all those of Thomas's temperament and spirit. First, there is a higher form of faith than that based on sight (v. 29). Second, Thomas—and all who are his brothers and sisters in temperament—is important even if he is out of step. It is noteworthy that Jesus took seriously and followed through on Thomas's request, even if Thomas didn't! And, third, Thomas can move out of the shadows into the sunshine of a stronger, more robust faith. Surely, there is much truth in the traditions of his exciting ministry in India. And maybe the Lord is saying the same things to you. (Earl C. Davis)
COUNTING THE EVIDENCE
ACTS 2:14 a, 22-32
Do you enjoy those courtroom dramas on television or in the movies? The attorney skillfully accumulates the evidence and puts it on display in order to demonstrate the defendant's guilt or innocence. No courtroom ever held the drama of that remarkable day portrayed in the second chapter of Acts. The Holy Spirit has just been poured out on that band of Christian believers gathered in Jerusalem. As a result, they launched into the streets proclaiming the gospel, with each person miraculously sharing the message in his or her own native language. As you might expect, the entire scene created both questions and criticism.
Peter used the opportunity to speak to the crowd and to announce the reason for these strange events—the result was the first evangelistic sermon! Peter marshalled his evidence and demonstrated that Jesus was, indeed, who he said he was: the Messiah, God's Anointed One, sent to save his people from their sins. In our own day, living in a society more secular by the hour, people want to know if there is some message of hope. How can we know Jesus is actually who he said he was? Peter offers three different types of evidence.
I. There is the Evidence of His Life (v. 22b)
Peter's first level of evidence was the life Jesus led, particularly the "deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him." Many in Peter's audience had seen Jesus in action for themselves; they provided vivid confirmation of the evidence provided by his activities in their midst. One of the ways we can know Jesus is Savior is the evidence provided by his unique life: born of a virgin, sinless before men, compassionate and loving, one who can heal the blind and lame, even raise the dead, and can also "teach as no man taught before." It is a life unlike any other, because only Jesus Christ was the incarnate Son of God, Word become flesh.
II. There is the Evidence of His Death (vv. 23-24)
There is another form of evidence to confirm Jesus' identity: his death and resurrection. Unjustly accused and tried, Jesus was brutally executed on a cross, hanging among thieves. Yet on the third day, "God raised him up." Again, there were many in Peter's audience that could confirm such evidence, for they had also seen him following the resurrection.
What remarkable evidence of his divinity: even the grave could not hold him. As Peter said, "it was impossible for him to be held in its power." Every man and woman must ultimately face death—but Jesus is no mere man. He is fully man and fully God. His death and resurrection demonstrate it.
III. There is the Evidence of His Disciples (v. 32)
Do you remember Peter on the night before Jesus was crucified? Confused, shaken, angry—when on lookers recognized him as one who had been with Jesus, he denied it with curses. When Jesus went to the cross, Peter—"the Rock"—was not to be found.
Yet look at Peter now: bold, confident, willing to proclaim the gospel before all of Jerusalem. What happened? He had been transformed by the power of the resurrection and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Peter and his fellow disciples had seen the evidence for themselves, and made the difference in their lives. They would serve Christ with boldness and power throughout their lives. They would come when nearly all of them would lay down his life as a martyr for the cause of Christ. Only the most compelling evidence would justify such sacrifice.
The most compelling evidence of who Jesus is continues to be the difference he makes in the lives of those who have given their lives to him. If you have never experienced the transforming power of Christ in your own life, there is no better day than today. (Michael Duduit)
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