Sunday, April 5, 2015

The Lord's Feast

• Resurrection Sunday / Easter
With Isaiah 25:6-9 and Matthew 28:1-10

• We meet again. Resurrection Sunday (aka Easter) is on the one hand the holiest of days (it set the standard) and yet should be like other days. Or rather other days should be like Easter.
• Today’s message is not your typical Easter message. If today weren’t Easter I might talk about what’s been going on in Indiana or Kenya or Iran, offer some reflection about where God is and how might God be working in these events but you’ll just have to ask me directly ;) (or maybe I’ll talk about that next week. Come back!)
No, today’s is not your typical Easter message… I’m not dwelling centrally on the gospel text, rather on the Isaiah text that Jesus himself was likely familiar with, from 700 years before Christ.
Likely his disciples were familiar with it, too. Put yourself with them in Holy Week, in the highs and lows of the week culminating with the death of Jesus just before the Sabbath day and during the week of Passover…
Listen to the text, let it speak your hope…
On this mountain, the Lord of heavenly forces will prepare for all peoples a rich feast… (v.6)
A rich feast, yesss, now we’re talkin!…. And Oh, that God speaks to all peoples!
We like to think of God inviting others to the feast, the like-minded, yes, and those who have died… How good to feast again with them!
Who do you want to see at the Lord’s feast?
Yet, as Religious Freedom Restoration Act of Indiana has shown, there is much diversity and disunity among those who call Jesus “Lord” … they might be at the Lord’s feast, too.
If Jesus embraces one you oppose, what will you do?
The Lord will swallow up the veil that is veiling all peoples… swallow up death forever. (v. 7-8).
Instead of Death swallowing up everything (as we generally hold)… it is reversed!
Oh, that by the power of God, fear & sorrow would be wiped out, and divisions cease because God’s kingdom priority is the celebration of God and not “what’s in it for me?”
The Lord will remove his people’s disgrace from off the whole earth. (v.8)
Oh, that God would remove disgrace. Isaiah’s talking about how the people have been shamed, but I also hear it as God removing how shameful the people have been. Removing the shame I’ve endured, and the shame I’ve inflicted.
The Lord will restore right relationships.
• In the life and death of Jesus (life & death & resurrection) (recall children’s sermon, in which Jesus chooses to become incarnate to demonstrate life as God intended, in spite of the possibility of being rejected and killed)
God says I remove disgrace and death and disunity
In the midst of your darkness confusion and chaos
I make all things new, I restore & reconcile, inspire & complete.
• Oh it sounds good…
This is our God, and he has saved us… Let’s be glad and rejoice in his salvation! (v.9)
It sounds good. And it’s true. Will you be a part of it?


• into Holy Communion

Isaiah 25:6-9        (CEB)        Resurrection Sunday                                                                                               04/05/15
On this mountain,
    the Lord of heavenly forces will prepare for all peoples
        a rich feast, a feast of choice wines,
        of select foods rich in flavor,
        of choice wines well refined.
He will swallow up on this mountain
       the veil that is veiling all peoples,
    the shroud enshrouding all nations.
He will swallow up death forever.
The Lord God will wipe tears from every face;
    he will remove his people’s disgrace from off the whole earth,
        for the Lord has spoken.
They will say on that day,
“Look! This is our God,
    for whom we have waited—
    and he has saved us!
This is the Lord, for whom we have waited;
    let’s be glad and rejoice in his salvation!”



Matthew 28:1-10        (CEB)        Resurrection Sunday                         04/05/15
28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the tomb. And there was a great earthquake, for an angel from the Lord came down from heaven. Coming to the stone, he rolled it away and sat on it. Now his face was like lightning and his clothes as white as snow. The guards were so terrified of him that they shook with fear and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He isn’t here, because he’s been raised from the dead, just as he said. Come, see the place where they laid him. Now hurry, go and tell his disciples, ‘He’s been raised from the dead. He’s going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.’ I’ve given the message to you.”
With great fear and excitement, they hurried away from the tomb and ran to tell his disciples. But Jesus met them and greeted them. They came and grabbed his feet and worshipped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go and tell my brothers that I am going into Galilee. They will see me there.”

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