It is Empty, But Our Lives Are Not

There are some places you visit that you never forget.  One of those places for me is the Holy Land.   Though it has been 25 years since I was there, I still find meaning in that trip. Every now and then, I visit that place in my mind.  During the Lenten and Easter season, I go there often.    .  There are two sites around Jerusalem that are associated with the burial place of Jesus.   The first place is known as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.   It dates back to the 4^th century when Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine  the first Christian monarch, came to Jerusalem in search of the place where Jesus was crucified and buried.   Thousands of pilgrims daily visit that site believing it is the site where Jesus died and was buried.

Not very far away in the same city of Jerusalem is a site known as The Garden Tomb.   It was discovered by a British archaeologist in the 1940’s named Gordon.  It is  better preserved than the Church of the Holy Sepulchre because it has not been a tourist site for many centuries.  Every day, thousands of people also visit that site believing that perhaps that is the place where Jesus was buried.  

The bottom line is that Biblical scholars do not know for certainty where Jesus was buried and there is no universal agreement on the question.   But the best news is this:  it makes no difference for Christians.   You see, followers of Christ Jesus are the Easter people.   We know the good news that (as the angel said at a tomb long ago)  “He is not here, for he is risen”.    There is no question that Christ Jesus walked the streets of Jerusalem and the village of Israel long ago.  And for the Easter people, there is no doubt that Christ Jesus lives today!    The tomb is empty, but our lives are not.   Hallelujah, and amen!  Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

Prayer:   Living and loving God,  we celebrate with joy that Christ not only rose from the dead long ago, but that he lives now.   Thank you for Easter and for the resurrection.  Help us to open our hearts to your presence in us and through us daily; through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The Story of a Naked Rabbi

In Philip Yancey's devotional book, Grace Notes, he shares a story from a memoir written by Pierre Van Paasen of the years before World War II.   The story goes that one day an elderly Jewish rabbi is dragged into the headquarters of the Nazi storm trooper headquarters..   The storm troopers strip the rabbi naked and ask him to preach the sermon he had prepared for the coming Sabbath in the synagogue.   When the rabbi asked if he could wear his yarmulke, the Nazi grin and agree.  So, the rabbi proceeds to deliver his sermon about walking humbly with God before the hooting, hollering Nazis while one of his neighbors is beaten to death at the end of the room..   It is a sad and powerful story. 

I think of that story during  this week that Christians call “Holy Week”.   It is the week before Easter Day.  On Friday, Christians will head to a worship service or take a moment for silent reflection remembering that Jesus Christ was crucified and died  a criminal’s death on a cross outside of Jerusalem.

When I was in seminary many years ago, one of the faculty members at Duke Divinity School was Charles “Chuck” Robinson.   He was literally a “long tall Texan” who often would wear his cowboy boots to class.   What I remember most about Professor Robinson is that when he would talk about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, this tall  Texan would start crying. 

When you think about not only the death of Jesus Christ, but the events surrounding his crucifixion it is enough to make you cry even as the thought of a naked Jewish rabbi preaching his sermon before a group of jeering Nazis brings tears to my eyes.  Christ Jesus was betrayed by one of his own, Judas;  the one that Jesus said would be the “rock of the Church”, Simon Peter, denies him three times even as the other disciples run and hide.   His own faith leaders saw him as a “problem” and sought his execution.   He was stripped and beaten by soldiers and was the subject of their wrath.    And what is most touching to me is to think that Christ Jesus died there for people like you and me.  

Whatever busyness and activities this week holds  for you,  I encourage you as I encourage myself to stop and contemplate the horror of what Jesus faced in the events of the crucifixion long ago and the wonder of the fact that he faced it because of a holy love for you and I.  Have a joy-filled week.-   Pastor Randy Wall

Prayer:   God of all, we are in awe at the wonder of your love for us as we face another Good Friday and consider the death of Christ Jesus our Savior.    Thank you for your amazing grace and your redemptive love.  We yearn for the hope of Easter;  through Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

The Day You Were Saved

In Philip Yancey's devotional book, Grace Notes, he tells a story about a time when 20th century theologian Karl Barth was asked about when he was "saved".    After thinking for a moment, Barth replied,  " It happened one afternoon in A.D. 34 when Jesus died on the cross."    

There are a lot of folks who  point to a specific day, time, or month when they gave their life to Christ and were "saved".    Some share about it proudly, and others shared about it with great humility.     When you get right down to it,  it,  the day of our salvation was not a few months, few years, or few decades ago.  As Barth stated, the day that we were "saved"  was the same day for all of us.   It was that day  thousands of years ago when "while we were yet sinners Christ died for us."    That day is known by Christians as "Good Friday".   While   some perhaps wonder how folks can consider a day of death as  a "good day", it is a good day for all who know the forgiveness and grace that is found in Christ Jesus.  

I am aware that we live in a world where not everyone is a Christian or claims that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior.   I submit the idea  that they also were "saved" that day long ago when Jesus died on the cross.     The difference is that they have not accepted that fact.  Have you accepted the fact that you were “saved”?    Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

Prayer:   Lord God, we thank you for the forgiveness and grace that is found not in what we have done, but what Jesus did on the cross long ago when he died for the sins of the whole world.  Hear our prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving; through Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

The Power of One

One of the courses I took in my high school days at the suggestion of my mother as an elective was typing.  I was not a good typist despite the best efforts of Karen Brown, our teacher.  To be completely honest, my grade in typing was a “C”.  It was one of my lower grades in high school.  Though I was not a good typist, it was one of the most useful classes I took in high school with the advent of the personal computer.  I spend time daily at a keyboard (though not at a typewriter anymore).   Though I am a better typist than I was in my high school days, my fingers still  do not always type what I want to say.  If you are a regular reader of this blog, I am certain that you have seen some typing or spelling errors at times. 

I was looking over one of my sermons recently and I noticed a major typing error.   I had wanted to type the word “immortality” but mistakenly left out one letter:  the letter “t”.   So, instead of typing the word “immortality” I had typed the word “immorality”.     There certainly is a lot of difference between the word “immortality” and “immorality” isn’t it?  One letter in a word can make a lot of difference, can’t it?   The addition or the omission of one letter can give a word a totally different meaning, can’t it?    For example, most of us will say we “ate” lunch today.  However, add the letter “h” and it changes the entire word to the phrase “hate”.    If you say you “ate lunch today”  it means something totally different than saying you “hate lunch today.”  Oh, the power of just one letter.

During these days of Lent, we encounter the power of one in other ways.  Lent is a time that causes us to pause and look at our actions past and present.  Consider one thing you have done or not done. For example, one mistake can severely damage a relationship.  One act of unfaithfulness in a marriage can harm if not destroy the health of a marriage.   One outburst in anger to a friend or family member can leave wounds that last for years to come. 

At the same time during Lent as we look at ourselves in all our glory and in all our goofy attempts to love God and neighbor, we also look at the One who takes the sins of the world away, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Through his death for sins that One did not commit, there is grace and forgiveness for all who come to him with penitent hearts.  Oh, the power of One named Christ Jesus  to forgive us and restore us.  Have a joy-filled week.  --  Pastor Randy Wall

Prayer:   O God, forgive us for the many times along the path of our life where we have failed to reflect your love.  Offer us anew, O God, your grace that frees us and forgives us through the One that takes away the sins of the world, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.