MORNING
OF JOY!
EASTER
©Rev. Thomas
B. Cundiff
Luke 23: 50-24:12
--- The Burial of Jesus
50 Now there was a good and
righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, 51had not agreed to their plan and
action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea kingdom of God Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb
and how his body was laid. 56Then
they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the
commandment.
The
Resurrection of Jesus
24But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came
to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2They found the stone
rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they went in, they did not find the body.* 4While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in
dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5The women* were
terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men* said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living
among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.* 6Remember how he told
you, while he was still in Galilee, 7that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be
crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ 8Then they remembered
his words, 9and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven
and to all the rest. 10Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of
James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11But these words
seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12But Peter got up
and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves;
then he went home, amazed at what had happened
I.
Important things in
life do not change! Family and friends. Country and home. Our love for God and God’s love for us. Our love for the living Christ who rose from
death so that we can be worshipping, free and forgiven, in this beautiful
church today.
Important things in
life do not change! Jesus is here.
Believe it! He is here! Jesus is in and with all who are sitting
around you. He is in and between us – in
the smiles. Jesus is in the music and
liturgy.
Important things in
life do not change! Baptized in Christ, Jesus is our Lord and our
Savior. Jesus is also our friend! Believe it!
“What a Friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and grief’s to bear.” Jesus
us our friend as we are his. Believe it!
Important things in
life do not change! Through Jesus death and resurrection, the
power of sin has been defeated. Hope in
eternal life is our anchor—an anchor that holds us steady—and anchor to be
embraced. I know this in my heart to be
true. The beautiful Easter flowers
remind us of the living spirit of loved ones who are with us today saying in
spirit and truth: Halleluiah! Christ is
Risen! God’s will forever surround and
embrace us with love. Believe it!
Important things in
life do not change! We are the living, vibrant, ‘Body of Christ.’ We are Christ’s church! We live as the incarnate Body of
Christ. We are not just representing
Christ in the world. We are Christ in
the world! Believe it!
But this
question: Do we really, truly believe
these things? Deep within our hearts,
what do we believe?
II.
The Warren Avenue Presbyterian Church, as in the past, will continue to be a faithful witness to Jesus’ life and death and resurrection and ascension to live with God in heaven. As in the past we will continue to embrace God’s call to adapt to changes in our world as cultures change and the world is transformed all around us. From generation to generation, this church has been a source of strength and support for tens of thousands of women and men who have entered this sanctuary for one purpose alone – to give glory and honor to God for all in life God has given us! From all walks of life, this church has been a diverse, inclusive and welcoming presence of God in this community. This will not change.
n Hundreds if not thousands
of children, your children, have been baptized in this sanctuary. Many of you were baptized in this church!
n Many of you shared your
marriage vows in this church!
n Mournfully, the souls of
many a beloved friend and neighbor or spouse or son or daughter or mother or
father -- has been commended to God’s eternal home in the name of the living
Christ – and in this church.
n In significant ways, at one
time or another, Jesus Christ has entered our lives and shaped / molded our
lives in this place – in this church – in the name of the living, risen
Christ.
We are here today, to continue this legacy, of
passing our faith in the Risen Lord onto others.
In addition to your personal contributions in
building the legacy of this church, there are several pillars that have held us
together --
WORSHIP
being the first and most important pillar.
From
Christmas to Easter and all the weeks in between we gather to worship Almighty
God. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Golden
Member Sunday, Pentecost, Advent and Lent, World Communion Sunday, Martin
Luther King Sunday, Fourth of July Weekend…..the list goes on….each and every
Sunday is a gift.
Psalm 150:
Praise
the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty firmament!*
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his surpassing greatness!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty firmament!*
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his surpassing greatness!
Everything we do and all we are about as
Christ’s church revolves around and emerges from worship and our giving glory
to God for all the many blessings we have received from the hands of God.
FELLOWSHIP
is the second pillar. From the Westminster Catechism, “What is
at is the Chief End of Man or Humankind? Our
chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy God forever”. We celebrate our togetherness through various
fellowship groups, meetings, and special church dinners. Together and in fellowship, we enjoy doing
Christ’s work. Even when we gather to do
things nobody really likes doing:
washing windows, painting, cleaning gutters, patching leaking roofs --
it is the fellowship in giving glory to God, enjoying being in the presence of
God -- that makes us a cohesive fellowship of believers.
EDUCATION
is the third pillar. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! We study scripture. In mind and heart, we discern God’s will for
us as educated servants of Christ. We
are serious when it comes to learning from God’s Word what our Lord calls us to
do and be in the community and world around us.
In mind and heart, God takes us to some wonderful places in serving
others…..which leads directly to the next pillar:
IV. CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED
So
our Easter Challenge? Let’s join in thoughtful prayer to discern God’s will for us as we strive to be relevant in
the context of this neighborhood and world around us! Let’s continue to embrace what it means to be
Christ’s church in this community -- active and engaged in serving Christ; implanting Jesus’ values in what so often
seems to be a ‘valueless’ world. Let’s
continue to adapt and change as cultures—as the world around us change. Let’s continue to ask: What would Jesus have us do? Let’s grow and adapt and change as the world
around us changes.
As we have pioneered a close relationship in
this community for nearly a century and a half, we pray that God will find ways
to continue using us and the gifts entrusted our care to move this church
forward for years to come.
For things of first importance have not changed. God holds us and loves us as his own. We are Christ’s church. Jesus Christ is alive in our midst. In every sphere of life, God known to us
through the living Christ, is with and in and all around us.
On this Easter morning, may God bless each and
every one of you – and your family and friends.
May God bless this church. May God
bless us all!
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