who deny…

That same day Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Jesus. They asked, “Teacher, Moses said, If a man who doesn’t have children dies, his brother must marry his wife and produce children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married, then died. Because he had no children he left his widow to his brother. The same thing happened with the second brother and the third, and in fact with all seven brothers. Finally, the woman died. At the resurrection, which of the seven brothers will be her husband? They were all married to her.” Jesus responded, “You are wrong because you don’t know either the scriptures or God’s power. At the resurrection people won’t marry nor will they be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like angels from God. As for the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read what God told you, I’m the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He isn’t the God of the dead but of the living.” Now when the crowd heard this, they were astonished at his teaching. (Matthew 22:23-33, CEB)

Did you catch that at the beginning of the reading?

The Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Jesus. They came to ask Jesus about the resurrection. Because Levitical law says that if a man marries a woman and they do not have any sons, and the man dies, the man’s brothers must marry the woman to carry on the family name and to help protect the woman. Now they concocted a grand story where seven brothers all married the same woman because none of them could produce a son. They wanted to know whose wife she would be in the resurrection, which they did not even believe in.

It was merely a trap for Jesus. They were worried they were losing their place and power and so wanted to get rid of the person who was going to take that from them. Rather than see the love and grace Jesus was showing the world, they were more concerned with what they were losing, not what the world was gaining.

How are we focused on ourselves and not on the world and sharing God’s love?

live our lives

At one time you were like a dead person because of the things you did wrong and your offenses against God. You used to live like people of this world. You followed the rule of a destructive spiritual power. This is the spirit of disobedience to God’s will that is now at work in persons whose lives are characterized by disobedience. At one time you were like those persons. All of you used to do whatever felt good and whatever you thought you wanted so that you were children headed for punishment just like everyone else. However, God is rich in mercy. He brought us to life with Christ while we were dead as a result of those things that we did wrong. He did this because of the great love that he has for us. You are saved by God’s grace! And God raised us up and seated us in the heavens with Christ Jesus. God did this to show future generations the greatness of his grace by the goodness that God has shown us in Christ Jesus. You are saved by God’s grace because of your faith. This salvation is God’s gift. It’s not something you possessed. It’s not something you did that you can be proud of. Instead, we are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives. (Ephesians 2:1-10, CEB)

We once were a people who lived for our own desires and wants. We followed after what would make us happy.

Then Christ came in, and we were saved by grace through the faithfulness of Jesus, not our own doing, so we can boast, but by the grace of God. It was not our doing, but Jesus’ faithfulness that brought about God’s grace.

And this happened so we might be God’s love in the world. As verse 10 says, “Instead, we are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives.”

We are God’s accomplishment through Jesus to do good things in the world. Things God planned for us to do and to be the way we live our lives.

God planned for us to live our lives doing good for others. So let’s do what God planned.

Long sermon

On the first day of the week, as we gathered together for a meal, Paul was holding a discussion with them. Since he was leaving the next day, he continued talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we had gathered. A young man named Eutychus was sitting in the window. He was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell from the third floor and died. Paul went down, fell on him and embraced him, then said, “Don’t be alarmed. He’s alive!” Then Paul went back upstairs and ate. He talked for a long time—right up until daybreak—then he left. They took the young man away alive, and they were greatly comforted. (Acts 20:7-12, CEB)

Paul preached so long that someone fell asleep, fell out a window, and died. Then Paul took a break and went down to see the person who had fallen, and fell on him, and brought him back to life. Went back upstairs and ate, then went right back to preaching.

That my friends is a long sermon.

But that is the power of the teaching of God.

Dead Ringer…

A certain man, Lazarus, was ill. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (This was the Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was ill.) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, the one whom you love is ill.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This illness isn’t fatal. It’s for the glory of God so that God’s Son can be glorified through it.” Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. When he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was. After two days, he said to his disciples, “Let’s return to Judea again.” The disciples replied, “Rabbi, the Jewish opposition wants to stone you, but you want to go back?” Jesus answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours in the day? Whoever walks in the day doesn’t stumble because they see the light of the world. But whoever walks in the night does stumble because the light isn’t in them.” He continued, “Our friend Lazarus is sleeping, but I am going in order to wake him up.” The disciples said, “Lord, if he’s sleeping, he will get well.” They thought Jesus meant that Lazarus was in a deep sleep, but Jesus had spoken about Lazarus’ death. Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died. For your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there so that you can believe. Let’s go to him.” Then Thomas (the one called Didymus) said to the other disciples, “Let us go too so that we may die with Jesus.” When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was a little less than two miles from Jerusalem. Many Jews had come to comfort Martha and Mary after their brother’s death. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, while Mary remained in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. Even now I know that whatever you ask God, God will give you.” Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, the one who is coming into the world.” After she said this, she went and spoke privately to her sister Mary, “The teacher is here and he’s calling for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Jesus. He hadn’t entered the village but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were comforting Mary in the house saw her get up quickly and leave, they followed her. They assumed she was going to mourn at the tomb. When Mary arrived where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” When Jesus saw her crying and the Jews who had come with her crying also, he was deeply disturbed and troubled. He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They replied, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to cry. The Jews said, “See how much he loved him!” But some of them said, “He healed the eyes of the man born blind. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?” Jesus was deeply disturbed again when he came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone covered the entrance. Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said, “Lord, the smell will be awful! He’s been dead four days.” Jesus replied, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you will see God’s glory?” So they removed the stone. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. I know you always hear me. I say this for the benefit of the crowd standing here so that they will believe that you sent me.” Having said this, Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his feet bound and his hands tied, and his face covered with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” Therefore, many of the Jews who came with Mary and saw what Jesus did believed in him. (John 11:1-45, CEB)

Dead ringer is a term we use in English that means someone or something is an exact copy of someone or something else. The two things look alike. There is a story that during the 18th century, a person would be asked to be buried with a string tied on their finger and attached to a bell on the surface, so if they were accidentally buried alive, they could ring the bell and be saved. Thus being a dead ringer.

An interesting tale that has no one ever being saved by ringing a bell after being buried.

But our story today has Jesus going to see Lazarus after he had been dead and in the tomb for four days. Four days is important.

It was the understanding of the day that a person could wake up after 3 days and still be alive. But four days meant you were dead.

Four days in the tomb meant Lazarus was dead. And as Martha said, the smell will be awful.

But Jesus showed them that when God wants to move the world, They will move the world!

Nothing is impossible for God, not even a truly dead ringer.

Live like the world needs you and spread love like it will never run out.

Taken up

Jesus said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law from Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. He said to them, “This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and a change of heart and life for the forgiveness of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. Look, I’m sending to you what my Father promised, but you are to stay in the city until you have been furnished with heavenly power.” He led them out as far as Bethany, where he lifted his hands and blessed them. As he blessed them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem overwhelmed with joy. And they were continuously in the temple praising God. (Luke 24:44-53, CEB)

This is the scene at the end of Luke. The ascension where Jesus is taken back into heaven after His resurrection. He promises to send the Spirit, which will be God’s presence with Their people for all eternity. God is always with us.

The 11 watched and listened as Jesus explained what happened Holy Week from the scriptures and that they would not be alone. To wait in the city until the promise had come.

So they stayed in the Temple worshiping until Pentecost when the Spirit came.

Know you are never alone. God is always with you.

worship

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying,
“The kingdom of the world has become
    the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ,
        and he will rule forever and always.”
Then the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshipped God. They said,
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
    who is and was,
        for you have taken your great power and enforced your rule.
        The nations were enraged, but your wrath came.
The time came for the dead to be judged.
The time came to reward your servants, the prophets and saints,
            and those who fear your name, both small and great,
            and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the chest containing his covenant appeared in his temple. There were lightning, voices, thunder, an earthquake, and large hail. (Revelation 11:15-19, CEB)

God will be the light for all eternity, and all will worship Them constantly.

We will give thanks and praise to the One who created all of us and live together in community and harmony for all eternity.

What a wonderful scene of Worship!

Love others to help them see the future that is to come.

ears will hear…

Then I saw another powerful angel coming down from heaven. He was robed with a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet were like fiery pillars. He held an open scroll in his hand. He put his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. He called out with a loud voice like a lion roaring, and when he called out, the seven thunders raised their voices. When the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and don’t write it down.” Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. He swore by the one who lives forever and always, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, and said, “The time is up. In the days when the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God’s mysterious purpose will be accomplished, fulfilling the good news he gave to his servants the prophets.” Then the voice I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the opened scroll from the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel and told him to give me the scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will make you sick to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth.” So I took the scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. And it was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I swallowed it, it made my stomach churn. I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.” (Revelation 10:1-11, CEB)

I read the words here, and thought of Jesus saying let those with ears hear.

Sometimes we hear, and we do not understand. Sometimes the words enter our ears and bounce around our head and make no sense. And so do we really hear?

Here, John hears the Seven Thunders and is about to write it down, but is told not to. We are not to know what is to happen. We need to step out in faith and understand the plan is not for us to know, but for us to believe in and trust the one making the plan.

Trust God. Step out in faith.

Listen and hear.

Do you believe?

As Jesus departed, two blind men followed him, crying out, “Show us mercy, Son of David.” When he came into the house, the blind men approached him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, “It will happen for you just as you have believed.” Their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly warned them, “Make sure nobody knows about this.” But they went out and spread the word about him throughout that whole region. As they were leaving, people brought to him a man who was demon-possessed and unable to speak. When Jesus had thrown out the demon, the man who couldn’t speak began to talk. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He throws out demons with the authority of the ruler of demons.” (Matthew 9:27-34, CEB)

What would you say to Jesus if he asked you if you thought he was able to heal you?

Do we have the faith for God to be God?

Do we believe God does the best for us?

Sometimes healing does not come the way we picture it, but the way God needs it to.

Do you have the faith for God to be God?

What would happen?

Because of this, since the day we heard about you, we haven’t stopped praying for you and asking for you to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding. We’re praying this so that you can live lives that are worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way: by producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God; by being strengthened through his glorious might so that you endure everything and have patience; and by giving thanks with joy to the Father. He made it so you could take part in the inheritance, in light granted to God’s holy people. He rescued us from the control of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. He set us free through the Son and forgave our sins. (Colossians 1:9-14, CEB)

What would happen if we did this?

When we hear of someone, we pray for them. That God would move in their life. That they might be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding. That they would live a life worthy of God and pleasing to Them. That they might produce fruit of good works and spread the light of God’s love in everything they do.

What would happen if we prayed for all people to be lights of love for God?

all people

Meanwhile, Saul was still spewing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest, seeking letters to the synagogues in Damascus. If he found persons who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, these letters would authorize him to take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. During the journey, as he approached Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven encircled him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice asking him, “Saul, Saul, why are you harassing me?” Saul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus, whom you are harassing,” came the reply. “Now get up and enter the city. You will be told what you must do.” Those traveling with him stood there speechless; they heard the voice but saw no one. After they picked Saul up from the ground, he opened his eyes but he couldn’t see. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind and neither ate nor drank anything. In Damascus there was a certain disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He answered, “Yes, Lord.” The Lord instructed him, “Go to Judas’ house on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias enter and put his hands on him to restore his sight.” Ananias countered, “Lord, I have heard many reports about this man. People say he has done horrible things to your holy people in Jerusalem. He’s here with authority from the chief priests to arrest everyone who calls on your name.” The Lord replied, “Go! This man is the agent I have chosen to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites. I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” Ananias went to the house. He placed his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord sent me—Jesus, who appeared to you on the way as you were coming here. He sent me so that you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly, flakes fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptized. After eating, he regained his strength. He stayed with the disciples in Damascus for several days. Right away, he began to preach about Jesus in the synagogues. “He is God’s Son,” he declared. (Acts 9:1-20, CEB)

Saul is Paul. The great planter of congregations and epistle author, we all still read and adhere to for our faith.

Paul is still Saul.

Yes Jesus met him on the road, but Jesus did not erase Paul’s past. He is still Saull as is seen in Ananias hesitation to go and see him.

Our pasts do not change when we meet Jesus, our future does.

We should not hold anyone to their past, because every person is a sinner and a saint and every sinner has a past and every saint has a future.

Live into the love that God gives, and love like Jesus.