Luke 24:1-9 Easter Sermon Reflection

"Shock and Awe"

Discovery: The term "shock and awe" is one that I associate with the 1st Gulf War. Even though it is a military term, I believe that it could also be used to describe the emotions and feelings of that 1st Easter. In our passage, we see Luke's account of that 1st Easter morning. What stands out to me in this text is the progression of emotions of the women who went to prepare Jesus body.

1. Grief: The fact that they brought the burial spices to the tomb meant that they truly believed that He was dead.

2. Confusion: Why was the rock that covered the tomb moved? Where were the guards that were suppose to guard the tomb? Where was the body of Jesus?

3. Fear: Who are these men dressed in dazzling clothes? What do they want? What will they do to us?

4. Remembering: These men ask a simple question: "Why do you look for the living among the dead?" (verse 4). Don't you remember what Jesus said: "The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again?" (verse 7).

5. Emboldened: vv. 8-9 indicate that they not only understood and remembered but they went back to the Eleven and many others and told them of what they had experienced.

Application: The resurrection of Jesus is shocking, awe-inspiring and ultimately life changing. It is shocking and awe-inspiring because it points to the supernatural reality of God's involvement in human history and it demonstrates His power over the things of this world (including death itself). But as we can see from the example of the women at the tomb, it is also life changing. God takes our grief, despair, confusion, anger, worries, and fears and calls us to grow in faith. I love how the transaction is so simple. The messengers of God simply remind the women to remember what Jesus had told them all along and as they did so, their lives changed.

I tend to forget things all to quickly. My faith is so often confronted with the "real" problems of this world that I get easily discouraged, fearful, and confused in my faith. I need to remember what Jesus had told me all along. Whether it be in ministry, family, friends, or personal witness, I need to remember to trust in Him rather than the forces around me. Similar to these women here in this passage, I hope to be emboldened as well to testify to others what He has done in me.

Prayer: Lord, help me remember when I forget. Lead me from those places of fear, sorrow, and confusion to places of strength, comfort, and faith. Amen.

2 Corinthians 2:5-11 Sermon Reflection

"No Future Without Forgiveness"

Discovery: I reread Desmond Tutu's book "No Future Without Forgiveness" in preparation for this week's message. I was a sophomore in college when the first general elections were held in South Africa in 1994. I was oblivious to the historic nature of that event at the time and it was only years later did I realize and understand the full significance of the fall of apartheid in South Africa. It was (and is) only by the power of forgiveness that a people so deeply divided by race and color could stand any chance of having a future together. This is the backdrop of today's passage.

Paul acknowledges that there is a measure of grief in regards to his relationship with the church in Corinth. Apparently there was a particular brother who was the main culprit behind the questions about Paul's character and commitment regarding this second visit to Corinth (vv.5-8). However, Paul makes it clear that he isn't upset at this individual. In fact he states in v. 10 that he has already forgiven him. Paul is now upset at the church with their actions and attitudes toward this brother. Church discipline had simply been punitive and not restorative.

Application: When it comes to conflict, there is a spectrum in which we all fall into. For some, we avoid conflict and shy away from any sort of confrontation. This is especially true when we see people do things that we don't agree with. It is extremely hard being the "first responders" to speak up and call out sin, evil, and other misdeeds. For others, conflict is something that people are quite comfortable with. When they see injustice (real or perceived), there is no hesitation in calling it out and directly challenging it. Most of us fall somewhere in between and have a mix of both.

What is interesting about the Corinthian church's response to this particular brother was that they initially didn't do anything to stop him from slandering Paul. The only reason why they confronted him was because Paul set a letter challenging this rumor that was spreading about the integrity of his word (v. 9). But afterwards, the church continued in their "discipline" of this poor brother until Paul wrote again in 2 Corinthians 2 telling them to stop this behavior. It had became really easy for the members of the church to simply "pile on" once the ball got rolling.

I am afraid that I tend to be like these people in the Corinthian church. It is really hard being the "first responder" and calling out things that are clearly wrong. I am sure that I would have received a letter or two from Paul as well identifying my own shortcoming. However once the issue is out in the open, I can also imagine myself being a part of the crowd that is "piling on" and calling for more discipline and correction. Paul reminds us that church discipline is for the restoration of a fallen brother and not a place for personal or corporate vengeance.

Paul ends this section by warning us against Satan's schemes. v. 11: "In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes." Spiritual warfare has many battlegrounds. Interpersonal relationships just happens to be a common one and arguably one of the most devastating.

Prayer: Help me be mindful of my actions. Let me be aware of the spiritual battles that happen in everyday relationships with people and help me not be caught off guard and ensnared by the schemes of the Enemy.

“If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you.”

2 Corinthians 1:12-2:4 Sermon Reflection

"Paul's Model of Leadership"

Discovery: In last week's sermon, I discussed how Christian suffering and comfort go hand in hand. The Christian life is not an easy one and thus we should not be surprised when difficulties and challenges come our way. In today's passage, we see that Christian leadership is also wrought with many potential dangers and pitfalls.

The verse that particularly stands out to me this week is v. 12: "Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace." Paul's confidence comes from his integrity and faithfulness to God which is allowable by His grace. This serves as the foundation of everything that he does in ministry and life.

Later in our passage, we see that people begin to question his commitments and character. Some in the Corinthian church saw his "slight" of not visiting them as an indictment against his character. vv. 15-17: "15 Because I was confident of this, I planned to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. 16 I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea. 17 When I planned this, did I do it lightly? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say, "Yes, yes" and "No, no"?"

This passage reveals a hard reality: one's best intentions can easily be misunderstood and misinterpreted. Worse, they can also be used against you.

Application: Simply put, as leaders we need to work on the principles found in v. 12 if we are going to weather the challenges like the ones we see in vv. 15-17. The apostle Paul's foundation of integrity and personal devotion to God allowed him to stand firm when the personal attacks and misunderstandings arose in his correspondence with the Corinthian Church.

The take away for me this week is so crystal clear. There are naturally times when I wonder what God has in store for me in life. I always have questions about the future, ministry, family, friendships, missions, etc... It is really easy to "dream big" about God's will for me as it pertains to the future but I need to remind myself to "stand firm" in my daily life.

Because without integrity and personal righteousness, this is all for naught. It is really humbling and downright scary. Years of respect and character building can all be flushed down the toilet with one error. This is obviously the most extreme of examples. But even in the general life of ministry and pastoral work, the problems that Paul faced with the Corinthian church resonant with my own experiences. As a pastor, I know that I am not always given the benefit of the doubt. In many ways this is a good thing (we are all sinners) but in other ways it can be unrealistic (expecting you to be perfect). It is particularly heart breaking to see my best intentions be misconstrued and occasionally twisted to represent something completely antithetical to what I intended. I have realized over time, that is just a part of ministry life.

v. 12 reminds me to strive to live my life in the light and to make the pursuit of integrity and personal righteousness my daily devotion. This is the most important thing that any leader can do.

Prayer: As always Lord, help me get back to the basic "bread and butter" of discipleship. Speak to me in my times in your Word, prayer, fellowship as well as in my daily "faith" steps that you lead me in.

2 Corinthians 1:1-11 Sermon Reflections

"Understanding Christian Suffering and Comfort"

Discovery: The main introductory comments in Paul's second letter to the Corinthian church can be found in vv.3-11. The first thing that he wants the church to understand is the true nature of Christian suffering. Paul clears up any misconception about the Christian life from his own personal experience:

vv. 8-9 "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death."

This merely echoes Jesus call to any would-be follower in Luke 9:23-24: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." Jesus never promised a life free of difficulties and suffering. The simple and harsh fact is that suffering is an integral part of our Christian discipleship.

The second thing that Paul wants the church to understand however is the true nature of Christian comfort.

v. 3 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort." Father of compassion... God of all comfort... what a beautiful description of the heart of God.

v. 4 goes on to say this: "who comforts us in all our troubles..." Notice that is says that God's comfort occurs "in" the midst of troubles. It doesn't say that God's comfort delivers us "from" troubles.

Application: The reason why we are "misinformed" about Christian suffering and comfort is because we don't see the connection between the two. Paul makes it clear that they go hand in hand.

v. 5 "For just as the suffering of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."

v. 7 "And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort."

Suffering merely points us back in the direction of God and reveals to us our need to depend on Him. v. 9 "Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God."

I know that I can be very hard headed and hard hearted. I have noticed that as I get older, I get more and more upset and frustrated when things don't work out the way that I would like them to. I used to laugh (and judge) my parents or older relatives whenever they would go on and on about how things aren't the way they used to be... I find myself in that same place. At the heart of this complaining attitude is a deeply held belief that things should work out for my benefit. The belief is that this world would be a much better place if people, things, and God himself would just do as I wanted. Thus it is shocking and surprising whenever God allows difficulties and challenges to come my way. It threatens the semblance of control that I have over my life.

But this passage clear points out that the suffering happens for a reason:

It allows me to experience His comfort anew.

It reminds me to depend on Him and not on myself.

It gives me a glimpse into the heart of God and compels to me share this same comfort to others in need.

It is God's way of getting my attention. Hopefully he is getting yours as well.

C.S. Lewis "Problem of Pain:" God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

Prayer: Wake me up Lord! Help me see my "sufferings" for what they are. Give me a proper perspective on life in light of world events and yet let me learn from each challenge and difficulty that comes my way.