Dearest e-votees-
My apologies that this is coming out so late in the week. Between preparing to change houses, getting ready to be out of the office for 10 days and the general chaos of life (including our beloved boy who just had his half birthday) I have found it increasingly hard to stay on a regular writing and posting schedule.
I imagine one of these days I'll just put this project to rest but for now I am grateful for your patience and offer you a belated reflection on this week's appointed gospel text.
Peace,
Karl
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36b Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate in their presence.
44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.
John 24:36b-48, NRSV
Some Biblical texts are ones we read and ponder from afar. The stories, the characters and the events are alien to us. We may find revelation and guidance in the stories but it is not something we have personally experienced.
And then there are texts like this week's gospel text that even though it describes a particular happening in a particular place distant in location and time it speaks to us now. Even in our brokenness and our disbelief the Holy Spirit can give us, and does, entry ways into the story. I would submit that this appointed text has much to say about why we should continue to and what God helps us to experience in worship.
In honor of the soon retiring David Letterman we'll do this Top 10 style.
Top 10 Ways the Gospel is Experienced in Worship
(in order of experience in worship more than in order of importance)
Number 10: Jesus Stands Among Us Where two or three are gathered in Jesus' name he is especially present. We gather among many reasons to have an encounter with the crucified and risen Christ and the repentance and forgiveness available in his name that we cannot have alone.
Number 9: Message of Repentance and Forgiveness (with God) We have confession and absolution early in the service. We begin worship remembering that God comes to us offering forgiveness and right relationship. We are reminded and assured of God's unfailing love towards us and towards all peoples.
Number 8: Peace (with God) The first words out of Jesus' mouth in our gospel text are "Peace be with you." Jesus stands among us in worship and speaks that to us as well. We are reconciled and at peace with God. It seems to be one of the key messages from Jesus in many of his post-resurrection appearances.
Number 7: Moses, Prophets, Psalms and Gospel We hear from the Holy Scriptures of God's Law and God's Gospel. We are reminded of God's hopes and God's corrections for God's people. We are ultimately reminded of God coming in to do what we could not or would not through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The sermon hopefully conveys such things as well in an accessible form.
Number 6: Having heard the story we are a variety of responses: joyful, disbelieving, full of wonder, etc., etc. After having encountered scripture and the message we find ourselves in all sorts of places. We might be encouraged and renewed. We might find it all too good to be true and struggle with disbelief ("Lord, I believe help my unbelief"). We may find the message wonderful but the messenger untrustworthy. We may have many questions stoked and receive what was conveyed with wonder. There are a wide variety of ways that we can experience scripture and the proclaimed message and many of those are works of the Holy Spirit.
Number 5: Showing Scars, Intimacy, Trust and Recognition As the scripture does its work upon us and as we honestly respond we may have experiences of being laid bare before one another. Pretense and pure self-interest fall to the side and we are able to recognize Christ in one another. We can become aware of how we have done willful harm or thoughtlessly neglected one another.
Number 4: Repentance and Forgiveness (with each other) Jesus said that all of the Law and the Prophets could be summed up by loving God and loving neighbor. This is a place in our worship where we can realize we haven't loved our neighbor as ourselves and ask God to help us to do otherwise. We can also open our hearts to forgive those who haven't loved us as their selves as well.
Number 3: Peace (with each other) We share a sign of peace and perhaps proclaim "Peace be with you." The traditional understanding of shaking right hands is to demonstrate that no weapon is being wielded. As we reach our and touch and speak to each other with gestures of peace we affirm and live into what Jesus has worked for us. If we cannot love and forgive those immediately before us than it seems unlikely that we have truly experienced the full measure of God's love and forgiveness for us.
Number 2: Meal of Faith, Belief and Assurance Jesus ate broiled fish to demonstrate that he was alive and not some apparition. We gather at the table of communion to experience that same risen Christ. We gather with those with whom we may have been estranged. We gather with joy, disbelief and full of wonder. We are assured that this gift is "for us" and "for the forgiveness of sins" as Luther says in the Small Catechism. We welcome all who come to the table reserving judgment for we know, all too well, how unworthy we are to eat at the table save by God's grace.
And the number one (in sequence not in importance) way we experience the Gospel in worship:
Number 1: We are Equipped and Sent for Mission We are proclaimed and sent to be witnesses of the things we have heard, seen and otherwise experienced. The world needs what Jesus offers. We are beggars who have been fed and are invited to bring others to the meal. The church and the worship service aren't meant to shield and protect us so much as to equip and release us. Maybe our job is to go and share this Top 10 List with others just like some might recount Letterman's Top 10 at the water cooler at work. There are many, including us, who need what God brings to us in Jesus. Dare we tell them?
God, thank you so much for a gospel that we, at times, can taste, touch, hear and see. Strengthen our faith and our witness. Use us in ways that draw many to you. Amen.
My apologies that this is coming out so late in the week. Between preparing to change houses, getting ready to be out of the office for 10 days and the general chaos of life (including our beloved boy who just had his half birthday) I have found it increasingly hard to stay on a regular writing and posting schedule.
I imagine one of these days I'll just put this project to rest but for now I am grateful for your patience and offer you a belated reflection on this week's appointed gospel text.
Peace,
Karl
------------
36b Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate in their presence.
44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.
Some Biblical texts are ones we read and ponder from afar. The stories, the characters and the events are alien to us. We may find revelation and guidance in the stories but it is not something we have personally experienced.
And then there are texts like this week's gospel text that even though it describes a particular happening in a particular place distant in location and time it speaks to us now. Even in our brokenness and our disbelief the Holy Spirit can give us, and does, entry ways into the story. I would submit that this appointed text has much to say about why we should continue to and what God helps us to experience in worship.
In honor of the soon retiring David Letterman we'll do this Top 10 style.
(in order of experience in worship more than in order of importance)
Number 10: Jesus Stands Among Us Where two or three are gathered in Jesus' name he is especially present. We gather among many reasons to have an encounter with the crucified and risen Christ and the repentance and forgiveness available in his name that we cannot have alone.
Number 9: Message of Repentance and Forgiveness (with God) We have confession and absolution early in the service. We begin worship remembering that God comes to us offering forgiveness and right relationship. We are reminded and assured of God's unfailing love towards us and towards all peoples.
Number 8: Peace (with God) The first words out of Jesus' mouth in our gospel text are "Peace be with you." Jesus stands among us in worship and speaks that to us as well. We are reconciled and at peace with God. It seems to be one of the key messages from Jesus in many of his post-resurrection appearances.
Number 7: Moses, Prophets, Psalms and Gospel We hear from the Holy Scriptures of God's Law and God's Gospel. We are reminded of God's hopes and God's corrections for God's people. We are ultimately reminded of God coming in to do what we could not or would not through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The sermon hopefully conveys such things as well in an accessible form.
Number 6: Having heard the story we are a variety of responses: joyful, disbelieving, full of wonder, etc., etc. After having encountered scripture and the message we find ourselves in all sorts of places. We might be encouraged and renewed. We might find it all too good to be true and struggle with disbelief ("Lord, I believe help my unbelief"). We may find the message wonderful but the messenger untrustworthy. We may have many questions stoked and receive what was conveyed with wonder. There are a wide variety of ways that we can experience scripture and the proclaimed message and many of those are works of the Holy Spirit.
Number 5: Showing Scars, Intimacy, Trust and Recognition As the scripture does its work upon us and as we honestly respond we may have experiences of being laid bare before one another. Pretense and pure self-interest fall to the side and we are able to recognize Christ in one another. We can become aware of how we have done willful harm or thoughtlessly neglected one another.
Number 4: Repentance and Forgiveness (with each other) Jesus said that all of the Law and the Prophets could be summed up by loving God and loving neighbor. This is a place in our worship where we can realize we haven't loved our neighbor as ourselves and ask God to help us to do otherwise. We can also open our hearts to forgive those who haven't loved us as their selves as well.
Number 3: Peace (with each other) We share a sign of peace and perhaps proclaim "Peace be with you." The traditional understanding of shaking right hands is to demonstrate that no weapon is being wielded. As we reach our and touch and speak to each other with gestures of peace we affirm and live into what Jesus has worked for us. If we cannot love and forgive those immediately before us than it seems unlikely that we have truly experienced the full measure of God's love and forgiveness for us.
Number 2: Meal of Faith, Belief and Assurance Jesus ate broiled fish to demonstrate that he was alive and not some apparition. We gather at the table of communion to experience that same risen Christ. We gather with those with whom we may have been estranged. We gather with joy, disbelief and full of wonder. We are assured that this gift is "for us" and "for the forgiveness of sins" as Luther says in the Small Catechism. We welcome all who come to the table reserving judgment for we know, all too well, how unworthy we are to eat at the table save by God's grace.
And the number one (in sequence not in importance) way we experience the Gospel in worship:
Number 1: We are Equipped and Sent for Mission We are proclaimed and sent to be witnesses of the things we have heard, seen and otherwise experienced. The world needs what Jesus offers. We are beggars who have been fed and are invited to bring others to the meal. The church and the worship service aren't meant to shield and protect us so much as to equip and release us. Maybe our job is to go and share this Top 10 List with others just like some might recount Letterman's Top 10 at the water cooler at work. There are many, including us, who need what God brings to us in Jesus. Dare we tell them?
God, thank you so much for a gospel that we, at times, can taste, touch, hear and see. Strengthen our faith and our witness. Use us in ways that draw many to you. Amen.
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