Easter Sermon 2011

[open ringing cell-phone]It’s Easter Morn. Who’s on my horn? Hello God!     

“It’s God.” “God says hello.”

What about the ban on cell phones in church? Well, we’ve been expecting to hear from you, so I waived it just for this Sunday. Yes, beginning next Sunday, no more cell-phones on while we worship you. Unless someone is on call for rescue, firefighting, or medical emergencies. Okay. We promise. Yes, you’re right, we don’t always keep our promises to you. You always keep your promises to us. Fair enough.

You know, we’ve been talking about you this morning. Yes. Of course you knew that.

Absolutely, we’ve also been talking about Jesus. Following him? Not just on Easter? Everyday? Agreed.

What’s that? Uh huh. Uh huh. No problem. I’ll tell them. Billions more to talk to today. We understand. Thanks God. We love you too. [close cellphone]

I’m supposed to remind you, that you don’t need a phone to talk with God. Prayer is still the preferred method. Oh, and at least daily. Nothing formal needed, any place, any time.

God is very happy to see us all in church today. We’re invited back to the House of the Lord every Sunday.  God says don’t be a stranger. Enjoy your Easter. You’re welcome.

We’re supposed to gather, together, and give thanks and praise, through bad times and good times, in sickness and in health, for better for worse. None of us exists in our own little world. We are a global community. We need each other.

Now, today we celebrate something you won’t find as an “app” on your cell-phone, or surfing the web on your laptop. You can read about on your Kindle and even see it portrayed in cinema and TV, but they won’t bring it home for you. You won’t find it through your house, your work, your MP3 or Play-station. Even though technology is a useful tool what we celebrate today is beyond earthly possessions or pursuits.

It’s found in the souls of those who believe, anyone willing to trust beyond themselves and this mortal coil. It’s the reason for the Easter Season – which only begins today.

We celebrate the risen Christ. From Christ crucified to a new life, the greatest love. That someone risks their life to save another life is a great act of love & service.

To give your life for everyone and anyone, to deliver the ultimate victory over death, that’s the greatest love of all. The God of the covenant who gifts the promise of grace, the Word of forgiveness, the promise of new life that spans eternity. That’s what we celebrate today, every Sunday, everyday.

For us this is Good News. Good News we have to share with the world. Good News that people can forgive one another – we understand, because we’ve experienced forgiveness through God. Good News that there is a justice above and beyond human law & national politics, real justice, and a pledge that we will act on God’s behalf and set the captives free.

Good News, in a world where hate flourishes we deliver a message that you are loved, people are loved by God, even when it appears no one loves them. We love even those deemed unlovable. In a world where people are hurt and lonely, the servants of God bring the Word of healing, that no one is alone, because God is always with you, rain or shine. We, the body of Christ as we are called, bring Good News of hope for the hopeless, we feed the hungry, we walk humbly with our God.

2 billion of us. We, the brothers and sisters in Christ, bring Good News of a great joy this day. Unto you, from the city of Jerusalem is risen a Messiah, a Savoir, who is Christ the Lord. There’s more to this story of Good News. Come back any Sunday and I’ll tell you more.

Χριστός ανέστη. Amen.

The latest Word - Glenn Beck

If you follow the Colbert Report/Daily Show or read the Christian Century, you’re aware of the Glenn Beck (Fox News) screed from March 2^nd 2010: “I beg you, look for the words ‘social justice’ or ‘economic justice’ on your church website. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social/Economic justice, they are code words 9ideas espoused by Nazis and Communists). Now,  am I telling people  to leave their church? Yes.”

Bread for the World, Jim Wallis (Sojourners) and other progressive Christians have renounced Glenn for his comments. He’s made numerous outrageous claims before and after this example. His past nonsensical tirades and rants have been fodder for a number of commentaries. He has elicited a backlash from progressive Christians for such diatribes. Now, as he has announced his resignation in 2011, it appears that his own colleagues at Fox are glad to disassociate themselves from Glenn. Falling ratings and advertisers still must not have been enough for Ruppert Murdoch to be rid of Glenn, as he still thrives in his time slot.

Glenn appears to have succumbed to his hyper rants and daily dire predictions that have little or no basis in fact (what he has purported as truths have been refuted time and again). While facts presented by other Fox News personalities have often been refuted by truth, Glenn had taken the step of presenting himself as a prophet – and in my opinion with a Messianic complex. Glenn will still preside on talk radio so his followers need not despair.

That’s the Word!