Sermon Easter Day Yr A

Easter Day Yr A, 23/03/2008
Col 3:1-4
Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson
Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, &
Chaplain of The Good Samaritan Society’s
South Ridge Village, Medicine Hat, Alberta

"Raised with Christ"

A grouchy husband made it into heaven along with his wife. However he was still rather glum. "What’s wrong now?" the wife asked. "Can’t you see, we’re in heaven? This is beautiful—the music is great, the food is out of this world, the mansion has everything and more we’d ever dreamt of, the golf course is the best we’ve ever seen, there’s no fees, no taxes, our health is fantastic, why aren’t you happy? What’s wrong with you?"

The husband replied, "If we hadn’t eaten that miserable oat bran, we could have been here ten years ago."

The punch line of this joke compliments the words of our second lesson today. In this passage, the Christians at Colossae, which was a town of Phrygia in Asia Minor, close to Ephesus, were exhorted to focus on heaven. Earlier they had been told that through the entrance rite of Christianity; through the sacrament of Holy Baptism; they had died and risen with Christ. Now, continuing with that line of thought, they are instructed: "So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

In other words, they are to live, to act like Easter people. They are to live and act as resurrection people. This is true, because for the writer of this letter, the resurrection is something that has already been accomplished in the past, the writer reminds them and us: "you have been raised with Christ," an action, a fact that has already occurred—not "you shall be raised with Christ" in the future. The resurrection is an accomplished action; a victory won; a fact that has now become part of Christian salvation history, says the writer of Colossians with utmost confidence.
Pastor and professor, Donald Deffner tells the following story: An atheist who served as a custodian at a seminary enjoyed baiting the young theologians. He told one who was reading a book about eternal life, "If you ask me, that’s so much hogwash. When you’re dead, you’re dead." The student replied, "You’re right, George. When you’re dead, you’re dead." The janitor walked away, wondering what in the world that young man was doing at a seminary. The student’s point was that hope of eternal life comes only after one has faced the reality of eternal death—which the janitor had not.1

Our second lesson reminds us that hope of eternal life comes only after we have faced the reality of eternal death. We have all done that when we were baptised. In baptism we were buried with Christ in his death and in baptism we were raised with Christ to new, resurrection life. Therefore, the writer exhorts the Colossian Christians to focus on this new reality of resurrection. Resurrection, says the writer, is to be the Christian’s entire orientation in life. Resurrection is the key, the guide, the reason for living life now in this world. Resurrection is the Christian’s life focus. What does that mean? Does it mean that we’re so heavenly minded that we’re no earthly good? No, not at all! That is to misunderstand the message of our passage. Rather, it is to live life on earth in light of the reality, the accomplished fact that Christ, through his death and resurrection has won the victory for us and for everyone—that is why he is now "seated at the right hand of God." This picture of Christ being exalted, by sitting at God’s right hand is a Jewish concept of future reward in heaven; it is giving Christ the ultimate honour as the Messiah. It reminds one of a winner, victor after a great battle. Christ is the Victor, Christ is the Winner, and Christ is the Ultimate Conqueror. Hence militant Easter hymns like "The Strife Is O’er, the Battle Done," and "Thine Is the Glory" are most appropriate as we celebrate the truth of Easter Sunday and the power of the resurrection. Christ has defeated the powers of sin, death and evil. If that is true, says our second lesson, then the way we live as Christians each day points to that reality of the resurrection.

One of our magazines carried a cartoon of a pastor addressing an overflow congregation on Easter Sunday and asking, "Are you not just a little curious as to what goes on here between Easters?" Regardless of the motivation, what does Easter mean to you? Or rather, what does Christ mean to you? Do you reckon him a notable historical personage like Socrates, Buddha, Gandhi? Do you reverence him as the sublimest ethical teacher of all time? Or do you believe that he overcame the sharpness of death, that is to say, he is not only the Jesus of history but the Jesus of experience, alive and at work in the world here and now? If you incline to shy away from that last question, dismissing it perhaps as sheer mysticism, take another look at the facts. Christianity is something more than hero-worship. It is not just the perpetuation of a great memory. It is a relationship to and a fellowship with a Christ who is "alive for evermore." Everything in Christianity depends on the reality of the resurrection of Christ, on the fact that he rose from the grave, appeared to his disciples, made his presence felt in their lives, and still makes his presence felt, is in our generation as great an actuality as he was to his first followers.
"Shall I tell you," David Livingstone asked the students of Glasgow University on his return from sixteen years spent in Africa, "what sustained me amidst the toil and hardship, and loneliness of my exiled life? It was the promise, ‘Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end.’" For multitudes this is life’s most precious conviction. When they speak about Christ, they use not only the past and future tenses but the present tense as well. "Lo, I am with you always." That is the heartwarming, heart-gladdening fact we celebrate this morning.2

For us Christians, our ultimate security; our eternal home; our most healthy state of being is in heaven with God in Christ. That does not mean we are so heavenly minded that we’re no earthly good. Rather, that means living in light of the fact of our baptismal inheritance and covenant. That means living in light of the fact that, as our second lesson reminds us we: "have been raised with Christ." This is an accomplished fact that shapes all of our history, personally and collectively. In light of this fact, our life on earth can bring resurrection where there is death; hope to the hopeless; love to the loveless. In the face of all sufferings and failures—there is healing and ultimate victory thanks to our risen Saviour Jesus Christ. Yes, we "have been raised with Christ!" Alleluia! Amen.

1 Donald L. Deffner, Sermons for Church Year Festivals (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1997), p. 68.
2 Robert J. McCracken, "The Inevitableness of Easter," in: Paul H. Sherry, Editor, The Riverside Preachers: Fosdick McCracken Campbell Coffin (New York: The Pilgrim Press, 1978), pp. 99-100.

Sermon Palm/Passion Sunday Yr A

Palm/Passion Sunday Yr A, 16/03/2008
Matt 26:36-46
Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson
Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, &
Chaplain of The Good Samaritan Society’s
South Ridge Village, Medicine Hat, Alberta

“Gethsemane”

It was night. Jesus had just celebrated the Passover and instituted the Lord’s Supper. He had told them one of the twelve would betray him. He also had predicted Peter’s denial. Now they make their way to the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane. Here Jesus takes along Peter, James and John to keep vigil with him. He had been their source of comfort throughout his public ministry. Now, this night before his death, he seeks their comforting presence.

Matthew tells us at this point Jesus was: “grieved and agitated.” Telling the three inner circle disciples: “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” Here we have a picture of Jesus’ humanity; he could be grief-stricken, agitated and full of sorrow. This grief and sorrow is something that Isaiah described centuries earlier, saying: “He was despised and rejected…a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” (RSV, Isa 53:3) Composer G.F. Handel, in his Messiah, sets these words from Isaiah to music, which is hauntingly, yet tragically beautiful.

What was the root of Christ’s sorrow, agitation and grief unto death? Most likely it was a combination of many things. He knew that he was about to leave his disciples behind, whom he loved dearly. He knew that after his time of agonizing prayer in Gethsemane that his disciple, Judas Iscariot would soon betray him and Peter would shortly deny him three times before the rooster’s crow. He knew that as the drama of his Passion heightened and he was nailed to the cross his disciples would split the scene and abandon him. He knew that the devil, the powers of evil were at work on this night to try and prevent him from doing what he needed to do. He knew that he would be treated like the lowliest and hated of criminals. He knew that he was about to be tried, sentenced and executed like a criminal on the trumped up charge of insurrection. He knew the crowds would condemn him, slander him, mock him. He knew that some of his own people along with several of their religious leaders would reject him. All of this and more was almost too much to bear. In light of this all now Jesus hopes his three inner circle disciples will stay awake with him for a brief duration of companionship and comfort.

After he tells them to stay awake, he walks a little farther to be alone; to pray to his heavenly Father. Matthew tells us that in his extremely troubled state Jesus: “threw himself on the ground and prayed.” His throwing himself on the ground again suggests Christ’s humanity. He comes to God the Father with humility; this position of prayer epitomises humility; the pain is so great; carrying the sins of the world; he falls down to the ground in prayer.

It was French theologian Jacques Ellul who once said: “Whoever wrestles with God in prayer puts his (or her) whole life at stake.” Is that not precisely what Jesus did at Gethsemane, put his whole life at stake?

In his humanity, Jesus prayed: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.” Or as Eugene Peterson renders it in The Message: “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?” Here the deep inner anguish; the unbearable agony of having to do what he dreaded and feared most—dying on a cross for the sins of the world is the cup of suffering Jesus in his humanness; in his love of life asks God the Father to be spared of. However, each sin had to be atoned for; every human being, all of humankind from beginning to end had to be forgiven—thus his suffering was beyond our comprehension.

While this incomprehensible battle was raging within Jesus, the three disciples were overcome with stress and so chose to fall asleep and look after their physical need above their spiritual need to stay awake with Christ and suffer with him. Some comfort they were! Yet there is much truth in Jesus alone at prayer, struggling to accept God the Father’s will, not his will. We too face at times our Gethsemane. Sinners that we are, we struggle with doing God’s will rather than our own will—especially if God wills us to face suffering and a cross. We too, like Jesus, may think that we are carrying the world on our shoulders. We too, like Jesus may feel abandoned by our closest friends or family members. However, the example of Jesus is ours to follow—turning to God in prayer and asking him for help to do his will.

After his exhortation to the disciples to stay awake and pray not to fall into the time of trial; Jesus went to pray alone a second time. This time Jesus’ prayer is more resolved to accept his destiny: “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” Or as Eugene Peterson renders it: “My Father, if there is no other way than this, drinking this cup to the dregs, I’m ready. Do it your way.”

Once again Jesus went back to Peter, James and John only to find them fast asleep. This time he does not awaken them. Instead, he goes back a third time to pray the same prayer.

Prayer for Jesus at Gethsemane was extremely important. Prayer allowed Jesus to commune with his Abba his Loving Parent, just as a young child trusts her or his parent for everything. Prayer made it possible for Christ to pour out and hand over all of his fears, agony, agitation, sorrow and grief to God the Father. Prayer provided Christ with the single-mindedness of purpose to carry out the Father’s will. Prayer gave him the strength and courage to willingly accept the loneliness and God-forsakenness ahead of him. Prayer helped him face the events of the Passion—to endure and overcome them.

What about us? Do we believe that God is with us and is our only, our highest and best Source of help, comfort, guidance and strength when we face our Gethsemane? If Jesus turned to his heavenly Father three times in prayer in order to help him face his suffering and crucifixion—then how much more we imperfect sinners do we need to turn to God in prayer? This short verse of a an anonymous poem illustrates the point very well: “I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day,/I had so much to accomplish that I didn’t have time to pray./Problems tumbled about me, and heavier became each task./ “Why doesn’t God help me?” I wondered, and He answered: “You didn’t ask.”

Gethsemane teaches us that when we feel utterly alone; when we suffer betrayal or denial; when we are falsely or unjustly judged or punished; when we face obstacles and sufferings that seem unbearable; when we face our Gethsemane—then God promises to be with us as we commune with him in prayer; then, when we pray “thy will be done” he will supply the grace and everything we need to face life and accomplish his will. Jesus teaches us that all things are possible through prayer. Our heavenly Father provides everything we need and is always available and waiting for us to ask that his will be done. Amen.

Do you Lent?

Do you Lent? Yes, that's proper English, the word Lent here is a verb, not a noun. The people at Canadian Lutheran World Relief provide folks with help to Lent. Check out their 2008 Lenten Calendar Walking With Christ For Others, which you can download to your computer and read every day. There are three foci for each day: learn, pray, and act. It's a wonderful way to be in solidarity with the Two-Thirds' World. Give it a few seconds to download.

Thoughts about Preaching on the Revised Common Lectionary

First of all a confession: There are scores of far more brilliant and creative-minded and hearted scholars and preachers who have waxed eloquently on this subject. Here are a few of my thoughts on it, and I invite you to share some of your thoughts and insights too by leaving a comment.

The Revised Common Lectionary and its predecessors—e.g. the three year lectionary in LBW (for you non-Lutherans, that’s Lutheran Book of Worship)—have helped my preaching in countless ways. I know that without a lectionary, I’d likely grind my own axe far more than I do now (we all still do, you know, that’s the old sinful nature at work within us), and stay within the comfort level of my favourite biblical, theological and liturgical motifs. It, more often than not, can be a helpful thing to preach on appointed pericopes every week. The opportunity to expand one’s biblical, theological and liturgical horizons are immense thanks to the Revised Common Lectionary and its predecessors. It is a humbling journey to stand under the authority of pericopes that one would rather argue with ad nausea or even dismiss on the basis of one’s own logic. It is also a faith-expanding process when one is instructed by the Holy Spirit to preach on passages that are difficult or obscure or “go against the grain.” I deeply appreciate many appointed lections because they capture the ebb and flow, the salient and inspirational, nuanced motifs of the liturgical church year. The lectionary also creates and maintains a comfortable order and decorum for the worshipping community. Perhaps one of the most significant advancements in the long quest for Christian unity is that there presently is a sense of unity among mainline Christians who follow the RCL around the globe, and this unity has been inspired by the reading, study, preaching of the Bible, with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Christ himself has been and is present in the reading, study, preaching, hearing and doing of the Word. For all of this and more, I am most grateful to the folks who prepare lectionaries and to our Lord who inspired such folks to complete these projects.

However, that said, I still have some concerns and critiques of our present Revised Common Lectionary. For starters, we Lutherans really do need to get our act together. In North America at least—I cannot speak for other Lutherans—we have far too many variant pericopes to regard it as a common lectionary. For example, I am in an ecumenical lectionary study group. More often than not, our ELCIC lectionary has more in common with Canadian Anglican, Presbyterian and United Church lectionaries than we do with our sister church, the ELCA. For a lengthy portion of the church year, ELCIC and ELCA first lessons are not the same. Moreover, when I extended an invitation to our local LCC—Lutheran Church Canada (Missouri Synod)—pastor to join our ecumenical lectionary group, he told me that he was following another lectionary used I believe in Germany, which is not on a three year cycle.

Another critique I have is that of late, it seems we Lutherans are moving away from the tradition of providing the number of the Sunday after Pentecost to the mundane “Time after Pentecost—Lectionary 23,” which is actually the 17th Sunday after Pentecost (although one can still go to the ELCIC Lift Up Your Hearts web site and download a version of the RCL with the older nomenclature); why all of this confusion and disorder? If we Lutherans really want to change from “17th Sunday after Pentecost” to some nomenclature more common ecumenically, then why not go with providing the number plus “Sunday in Ordinary Time,” which is familiar to several mainline denominations? Although theologically, there may be some fine reasons to keep the old numbering system plus “Sunday after Pentecost.”

Another criticism I have of the RCL is the reading of lengthy pericopes—I have noticed this especially during this year’s cycle A Lenten Gospels. I don’t mind hearing or, for that matter, reading these pericopes, most of which are marvellous stories. However, for practical purposes as a chaplain worshipping with seniors in a normally one-half hour time frame, it is very difficult to keep many of my people attentive for such readings and it usually means that the sermon is more brief—I know, that may not always be a negative thing! In the congregation I serve, also mainly consisting of seniors, it is very difficult for them to remain standing for such lengthy Gospel readings, so I encourage them to remain seated—actually I am of the opinion that there should be more consistency concerning when we sit and stand, if we stand for the Gospel, then why not for the other lections as well? Or perhaps we could remain seated for all of the lections—this is the tradition I know in some Danish Lutheran congregations and it makes sense to me, this indeed is the practice in the home where I serve as chaplain. Even in the congregational setting, especially during Holy Communion Sundays, when lengthy lections are read, I suspect the preaching suffers and it is often more difficult for pastors to prepare and deliver brief sermons—although I do admit this can be a fine discipline for us at times, since the act of preaching often invites us to say more with less words rather than the other way round!

I shall now end as I began, with a confession: During the longest season of the church year, “Sundays after Pentecost,” I often do not follow the RCL. Rather, I choose to prepare and preach a thematic series of sermons on e.g. the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, etc. I have found this quite challenging and enriching; congregants have also expressed their appreciation for such sermons and have, on occasion, offered their suggestions for the future. If you are a preacher, what do you think? Please leave a comment. Thank you and God bless you in your preaching!

Blog Roll

A few comments on the blog roll links. A Peculiar Prophet is the blog of American Methodist bishop, homiletics scholar, and author-Wil Willimon. GENEralities and GENEralities, too are the blogs of my Anglican friend and colleague, the Reverend Gene Packwood, who also is a gifted artist and musician. Lutheran Blog Directory, as the title suggests, is an excellent reference blog for Lutherans of all kinds, and you can leave your blog link in the directory. textweek is the blog of Jenee Woodard, who also has a wonderful web site-The Text This Week, both blog and web site contain a wide variety of Revised Common Lectionary resources. Tyndale Tech is a blog the provides electronic resources for biblical studies. Garth's Place is my old web site, where you can also read many of my old sermons from 1998-2004.

Welcome to Dim Lamp Two!

Hello world! After nearly two weeks of technical troubles and not being able to access my http://dimlamp.wordpress.com/ blog, I've decided to, along with an Anglican friend and colleague of mine, the Reverend Gene Packwood (check his new blog out at http://kiwirev.blogspot.com/ ), create this new blog, which I've called Dim Lamp Two. Here you will be able to read some of my sermons--mostly based on the Revised Common Lectionary--as well as my other more eclectic writings.