What do we really want? Another way of saying that might be what are we aimed at? The fancy term here is teleology. What completes us? Such questions typically fascinated most peoples. We are strange in that we’ve ruled out thinking about ends/goals in anything other than temporal and vague ways. And it is that refusal to think seriously about such things that I think puts all kinds of anxiety on our hearts. Jesus’ words in this gospel passage are a direct balm. “Let not your hearts be troubled.” Why? Believe. The rest is in the sermon.
This is “Good Shepherd Sunday” in the three year lectionary, although I’m not completely sure why the appointed text cuts off early. I’m guessing it is because in the fuller passage Jesus has two other “truly, truly” passages that preachers would almost find impossible to proclaim if “I am the good shepherd” was sitting there. And honestly the two earlier “amen, amen” sayings are just as important if not more so. This sermon attempts to grasp the image of the sheepfold. It is a picture of the people of God. It is also a picture of the Christian life. There are some hard truths embedded in the image. Like: there are false shepherds and not everyone in the sheepfold might recognize the voice the shepherd. There is also the clearest gospel that Christ himself knows our name and has come to give us life abundantly. This sermon is an invitation to ponder the image of the people of God that Jesus gives us and to think of our place within that image.
The Road to Emmaus is a unique resurrection appearance text. This sermon gets into this a bit. It’s main point is how do we recognize the risen Christ among us. As in the Thomas story, for the original Apostles recognizing Christ was seeing him. Although the Thomas story hints at the change coming. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” But after that blessing we might see wonder how we are to recognize Christ who promised to be present. This text, an appearance to two who were not of the 11 or the Mary’s, give us the answer. It is first in the Word, which is the preaching of the Scriptures, by which hearts are set on fire. It is second in the breaking of the bread, in the Sacrament. We recognize Christ in all ages in Word and Sacrament. Which is an important point in these latter days as the conclusion of this sermon will talk about.
At the word cloud would tell you, this is “Doubting” Thomas Sunday. But there are really two things in the text. The Thomas story is one of unbelief to belief and the things that stand in the way. The biggest of them I think is simply shame. The sermon goes into that in the 2nd half. The first half is the commissioning of the disciples. We believe, how then do we live? Jesus gives some directions here. The first half of the sermon looks at what it means to be sent as Christ was sent and the role of the Holy Spirit.
I love the Easter story in Matthew. It is just such a living memory. Not that the other Gospel aren’t, but as this sermon starts out, the meaning you attach to a story changes, deepens, layers, over time. The resurrection in Matthew is such an early memory. The meanings haven’t really started to accrue. It’s just bragging, let me tell you what happened. That’s what this sermon attempts to do. Tell the story. Invite you to the meaning slowly.
Good Friday service as I typically do it is a full reading of the passion story from the Gospel of the Year by the members of the congregation. It is broken up into seven segments or scenes. Each scene gets a meditation. After which a candle is doused. So, the recording hasn’t been edited. It includes the hymns sung. It’s a service that never fails to move me.
Biblical Texts: Exodus 24:3-11, Hebrews 9:11-22, Matthew 26:17-30
Maundy Thursday is the night where Christ gave his disciples the meal we celebrate as the Lord’s Supper. It is also the night that he washed his disciples feet and gave them a new command. That new command was to love one another and is where the Maundy comes from, the latin Mandatum (think mandate.) There are other Christian traditions that focus on those latter two, but I’ve always titled to the sacrament. In the full service I pull out the full versions of some elements that get compressed or skipped in a regular service. We do a confessional address and a long form of confession and absolution. It is a full examination of ourselves before we receive. We “pass the peace” which is not just some hippy leftover (although it is usually that), it stands at the place where Jesus would say if you have something against your brother leave your sacrifice and go make peace with him. Then come back. We make peace with our brothers and sisters before receiving. And at the end of the liturgy we strip the altar and it is left there cold and bare in an empty upper room. So what you have recorded here is the readings and the sermon, but it is one of those nights where the liturgy carries more of the story. That isn’t to say the work is not put in or that the preaching is unimportant. It is. It is just to say that Holy Week services are something different. Something you can’t even begin to capture digitally.
Capturing this sermon in a simple paragraph is hard. The driving question is why would the Christians remember Pontius Pilate in the creed? And it is a question that has some maybe surprising contemporary impact. It has been one of those weeks where I feel that years have passed. This sermon directly addresses some of those things, because with Pilate as the source, they are appropriate.
This is the conclusion of the six week Lenten Mid-Week series. The self-examination ends with a couple of practical questions. For the believers it ends with both a reminder of why we desire the sacrament and the encouragement to seek it frequently. The final question is more perplexing in that it addresses the situation where maybe the prior 19 have fallen on deaf ears. What if I don’t feel the need? The answer is something has captured your soul. This is your chance to free it.
The text is one of the most famous in all of scripture – Ezekiel’s Dry Bones. It’s famous, because of how it works on the heart if you allow it. If this field of scattered bones is the whole house of Israel, if the chosen people can come to this, what about us? And you’ve got to think about it because the Spirit takes you there and places you in the middle of it. And God asks you the question, “Can these bones live?”
Ezekiel has a reply, not an answer. The answer is God’s. But it is not the easy triumphalism we want. Nor is it a counsel of despair. It is a promise. It’s the Word proclaimed. This sermon hopefully opens the heart and lets that work on it.
