Sunday, April 21, 2019

Sometimes God Meets Us In Unexpected Ways

• Resurrection Sunday
with John 20
www.FirstChurchBville.com    @FirstUMCBville   @kerrfunk
A video of the worship service was posted on Facebook 4/21/19 https://www.facebook.com/FUMCWV/videos/410587569725192/

• The year was 1969, the nation was in moral decline and it seemed best days were in the past, and a young pregnant couple was apprehensive. Was it right or good to bring child into this world?
Then one spring day like today, Bill’s father George pointed out something extraordinary in an ordinary thing: a blade of grass, poking up from a small crack in the pavement in a parking lot. Pushed aside layers of dirt, rock, and concrete to reach the sunshine of the world above. It had such a strong will to live, it overcame all odds to fulfill its destiny.
Became a beautiful symbol of hope and new life, and the couple found that in that single blade of grass, God had touched them.
Sometimes God meets us in unexpected ways.
• The year was 30, and the events of the past few days left their heads spinning, it had all happened so quickly. For a few years hope had been building up because of the life and teachings of Jesus, who so deftly exposed the false teachings of the religious leaders. Just a week ago they had been on top of the world, but they were still trying to figure out how and when things changed. A couple of nights ago Jesus had been arrested in the dark and tried in secret and illegally sentenced to death. Crucified dead and buried before we could even do it properly. Now that the sabbath was over there was at least the hope that they could properly care for the body.
Mary went early. Sees the stone gone. Runs to tell Peter.
Peter and John run to see. They see the grave clothes lying there.
They see and believe, though they still don’t understand.
Mary looks in again, sees angels.
Jesus appears behind Mary, and speaking her name, she recognizes him. She worships, and she tells the disciples I have seen the Lord.
Sometimes God meets us in unexpected ways.
• The year is now. We’ve all experienced loss. 20th anniversary of a particularly memorable school shooting. 900-yr-old church burned last week. This morning’s news of bombs set off amidst Easter services in Sri Lanka, death count over a hundred forty. Untold abuses and injustices.
And I would venture to say we’ve all had a friend tell us about meeting God in an unexpected way, a way that quickened them, gave them hope where there was none before. I daresay some of us have had God meet us in unexpected ways. God continues to call people and be present.
• If you have experienced the living God, tell.
If you have not, listen. Trust.
God is real, giver of hope and life, of grace and power.
There is no power greater,
and no darkness that can quench God’s light.
• The year was 1970. George pointed out a single blade of grass to Bill and Gloria, and Gloria wrote a poem about her renewed hope.
How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride, and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance,
this child can face uncertain day because He lives…
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
and life is worth the living just because He lives.
- Bill and Gloria Gaither

• Affirmation of Faith 888, then communion liturgy

John 20:11-18 (CEB)
11 Mary stood outside near the tomb, crying. As she cried, she bent down to look into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels dressed in white, seated where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and one at the foot. 13 The angels asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
She replied, “They have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they’ve put him.” 14 As soon as she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn’t know it was Jesus.
15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabbouni” (which means Teacher).
17 Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold on to me, for I haven’t yet gone up to my Father. Go to my brothers and sisters and tell them, ‘I’m going up to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene left and announced to the disciples, “I’ve seen the Lord.” Then she told them what he said to her. ò


An Easter letter from Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball
Dear West Virginia Conference, The Lord is Risen!! Christ is Risen!!
What a wonderful blessing. What a wonderful proclamation for this Easter morning!
“I have seen the Lord!”- Mary Magdalene proclaimed on that first Easter morning. (John 20:18) It was unbelievable! It was unexpected! God broke into this world in an unexpected way. It was exciting! It was life-giving, not just for the moment but for generations to come.
Since the time that Mary Magdalene ran to meet the disciples exclaiming these words, Christians have proclaimed this good news: Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed! Hallelujah! – year after year, after year.
Throughout the centuries, across all human barriers, God’s power to bring resurrection—to bring new life, to heal what is broken, to mend what seems irreparably torn, to forgive what seems to be unforgivable, to redeem those whose lives appear to be unredeemable — is unexpected, exciting, powerful, hope-filled and indeed life-giving!
Over and over again, we who follow Jesus proclaim this good news because the story of salvation, of new life through Christ is not over! The Easter message, the Easter sighting, the Easter proclamation needs to be declared again and again for the people who still need to hear, whose lives still can be changed by this good news – In Christ - new life can be ignited, birthed, begun!
We have seen the Lord! We proclaim on this Easter Sunday! Come and see him—he will make all things new!
As Christians gather today and throughout the Easter season, may we carry this hope of Christ to all who need it—in our families, in our schools, our communities, at our jobs, in our work, in our play, and beyond—so that all might come to know the life-changing Easter proclamation of the love of God!
On this Easter Sunday and in this Easter season and beyond, I invite you and your congregation to recommit yourselves to spreading this very good news and Christ’s invitation to salvation and eternal life.
Hallelujah! Christ is risen! May we all be the conduits for others to also see the Lord so that they along with us might receive Christ’s life raising, lifesaving power!
Peace,     Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball

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