Subject: Weekly Words From Randoon ... Easter 2007 From: "Dr. Randy L. Rowland" Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2007 20:09:53 -0700 To: "Dr. Randy L. Rowland" HE IS RISEN, INDEED! Happy Easter one and all and welcome to the Weekly Words NEWS FROM SANCTUARY – Monday 4/9 – movie night: AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH – 7pm @ The Green Bean 210 N. 85th. Discussion will be led by Dr. Tom Ackerman from the Joint Institutes for the study of Atmosphere and Oceans. Small Groups forming. Easter Sunday Worship: 120 kids: 11 Offering: $1,000 PRAYERS – Lord, be with Thomas and Lorrie in jail in San Diego. Keep them safe, help them cope and bring justice soon, we pray. Jesus, your resurrection reminds us of your great love and power, by that same power, we pray you would end all wars in our world. Father, hold those close who are mourning this Easter season. Holy Spirit guide those who are looking for work, housing and solutions to health issues. REFLECTIONS – on Matthew 24:28-52 “You can haul butt, but you can’t outrun Easter.” Happy Easter! We are here to proclaim the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead and celebrate the death of death…We rally around the resurrection on Easter in a very organized way. we have two thousand years of Christian history and tradition about Easter. We come to pre-arranged and worship-specific places to celebrate Easter. The thought of Jesus dying on the cross and rising from the dead three days later are “givens” of the Christian faith. BUT – imagine what it must have been like for those very first Christ-Followers. They weren’t gathering, they were running for their lives. The death of Jesus did not necessarily add to their confidence in him, like it does us. The first Easter was most likely lived in a bundle of harsh emotions ranging from PARANOIA to PANIC to DEPRESSION to RAGE to CONFUSION….to deep SORROW. You and I have found ourselves at different times in the throes of similar emotions. These are not the times the promote clear thinking. These are not times where we feel stable and free to be our best and do our best. Luke 24:28-52 I am going to share part of the Easter story from the Gospel of Luke this morning. imagine if you will, a group of pilgrims who were friends and fans of Jesus. Also, picture this group emotionally overwhelmed and fleeing Jerusalem, the city where Jesus was executed. The pilgrim-group now become refugee-group hooks up with another traveler. This fellow traveler happens to be the Resurrected JESUS, himself. let’s follow Luke’s story of Jesus and the travelers who don’t recognize him… [28] As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. [29] But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. [30] When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. [31] Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. [32] They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" I often read this text with wonder. So many times when I feel myself overwhelmed with all of life – maybe even on the run – THE RISEN LORD shows up. The Risen Lord pursues us, walks with us … attempts to get our attention. “OUR HEARTS BURNED WITHIN US…” we are all spiritually hungry. we are all seeking truth. we are seeking God. we all can open ourselves to these heart-burning encounters with the Risen One. It is fascinating to me to study the response of these-refugee disciples to the Resurrection. Encountering the Living God causes a radical course-correction… [33] They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together [34] and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." [35] Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. [36] While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." [37] They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. [38] He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? [39] Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." [40] When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. [41] And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" [42] They gave him a piece of broiled fish, [43] and he took it and ate it in their presence. Jesus proves his bodily resurrection from the dead … this is no phantom, no mass-hallucination…this is JESUS, back from the dead. Jesus shows his physical body and eats a piece of fish – reminding all of them about the time they watched him turn a few fish and a loaf or two of bread into a meal for 5,000. This is the LIVING God. None other. None less. I have to say that as a person who has been struggling away at being a follower of Jesus Christ for nearly 30 years, that I have had numerous experiences where JESUS has proved himself to me. He proved himself to me when He led us into starting Sanctuary. He proved himself to me when he saved Nancy and my life in a wicked car crash on March 25, 1975. He’s proved himself to me when I have taken risks to live in new ways and he has helped me. IF you find yourself unconvinced of the Christian faith, or if you are a Christian who is struggling, ask JESUS to make himself real to you and I am convinced HE will…experiments as simple as “help me feel your presence”…praying a risky prayer for help with a problem. Or, asking God to change your heart or attitude toward a person or a situation. I know that you will meet a very REAL and very LIVING Jesus in those acts of faith. Let me stick with Luke’s Easter story here. As the disciples are all gathered together with Jesus, He goes on to remind them who he is and who they are – [44] He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." [45] Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. [46] He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, [47] and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. [48] You are witnesses of these things. [49] I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." Jesus connects His story to our story. our destiny as followers of Jesus is to live in the power of His resurrection and to proclaim the reality of Jesus in words and actions. Easter is an invitation to a new way of life for you and me – a life that is undergirded and powered by the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. If you’ve been running scared and distracted, overwhelmed by life, Easter is a GRAND PERSONAL INVITATION to come to JESUS the Risen Lord and discover new power to live and be all that you and I are meant to be. The invitation to renew our connection with Jesus at Easter is an invitation to Blessing – Luke’s Easter story continues -- [50] When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.[51] While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. [52] Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. The blessing of Jesus restores frightened hearts, re-centers chaotic lives…like mine and yours. And…the great response to Easter is not some journey to a far off land and a “separate place”…it’s an empowered return to JERUSALEM. as we experience the Risen Lord today, he gives us the passion and the power to return to – West Seattle and be a teacher. Return to Ballard and be a lawyer. Return to Bellevue and work in the High Tech world. Return to Shoreline and be a mom or dad to some really special kids. Return to Queen Anne and be actively retired…busily engaged in the life of our community and working for its well-being. Let’s pray …Lord Jesus, you are risen, indeed. You meet us in our running away from you…in our running toward you…you meet us in the power of your Resurrection in our hopes, our fears, our dreams, our nightmares, our suffering and loss, our successes and triumphs. Lord, I pray that you would meet each person here today RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE AT. Lord, I pray that you would bless each person here with your presence…that they would recognize you as the Lord and Giver of life. And, Jesus, I pray that you would hold us all close and fill us with your Holy Spirit so that our very lives will proclaim to our world that JESUS IS RISEN INDEED. It’s in your name we pray, Lord Jesus. Amen. Much Easter Love, Dr. Randy L. Rowland Sanctuary 2854 NW 59th Street Seattle, WA 98107 USA www.sanctuarycrc.org 206.953.0909 Dr. Randy L. Rowland Sanctuary 2854 NW 59th Street Seattle, WA 98107 USA www.sanctuarycrc.org 206.953.0909