Last Thursday was Ascension Day.  On that day, we remember that after appearing for 40 days as the risen crucified Lord, Jesus bodily left this earth and took his place in the heavenly realm.  His place is at the right hand of God the Father -- the seat of authority over heaven and earth.

 

Why did Jesus do this?

 

The answer to that question has to do with Christmas.  At Christmas, we celebrate God coming into our realm bodily, as a baby named Jesus.  Jesus is the incarnation of God.  His human body is the body of God here on earth. Jesus is God walking around -- Immanuel.

 

Then Jesus was killed.  His body hung on the cross and died, it was buried, and on the third day, he rose from the dead.  By rising from the dead, Jesus destroyed death in his body. But here's the kicker -- he didn't do it for himself.  He did it for the whole human race. He did it for all people. He did it for you and for me.

 

At Christmas, God dwelt in our body in our realm. At Ascension, Jesus takes our body to dwell in God's realm.  Jesus' bodily ascension is the pathway for our bodily resurrection to eternal life.  But there's more.

 

During his earthly ministry from Christmas to Ascension, Jesus could only be in one place at a time.  The body placed the limits of time and space on him.  But at Pentecost, he poured out the Holy Spirit upon many bodies -- over 500 the first day and then thousands after that. (Acts 2)  Now, Jesus -- God walking around -- is present everywhere! His life is multiplied. His love is spread among many. His Gospel can be everywhere at once.

 

If Jesus had remained one body here on earth, we could not have had the joy of sharing the heavenly realm with him. As it is, not only are we promised that, but we are free to live as those whom Christ has already called into the kingdom. We are free to live without fear, holy and righteous all the days of our life.

It’s been a busy week for Christians.  On Thursday, we gathered for the Lord’s Supper and received our commission from the Lord to love one another as servants of the Lord.

 

Yesterday, Good Friday, the Lord,  Jesus of Nazareth was bound over for trial, convicted by a jury of peers, and nailed to a cross. With many watching, he took his last breath and was certified as dead.  He was removed for burial and his body sealed in a tomb and placed under guard. Christians believe that for this man, death was an injustice but that this man’s death was justice for everyone else: The Sinless One taking upon himself the death penalty for all sinful humanity.

 

But what about today?  While we are cleaning and cooking and shopping and putting last-minute touches on our Easter plans, what is Jesus doing?  It is the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath.  On this day, God rested from creating.  Is Jesus resting in the tomb?  Perhaps.  But he has given us a clue to the nature of this rest.  In John 12:24 he says ²⁴ I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. [NLT]  So today, Holy Saturday, being that grain of wheat buried in death, Jesus is being transformed from death to life so that many will live because of him.  And as Life beyond death, he is destroying death and Satan in the depths of their realm. The transformation of a kernel into a new plant is a battle – the sprout must resist the hard shell of the kernel and break it open, destroying it forever. So it is that Jesus destroys the hard shell of sin, death and the devil in a battle of Life against death.  Life and Light are victorious. The new creation has begun. The first harvest of this new creation is those imprisoned in death and hell, as we say in the Creed, “he descended into hell (or to the dead).”  So it is that traditional Easter icons portray the risen Lord pulling Adam and Eve from their broken-open graves.

Then tomorrow – Easter Day, the first day of the week, the first day of the new creation – what God has been up to in the grave is revealed to us: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

February 2 marks the halfway point of the winter season.  We begin to see the increasing light and give thanks for the gift of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

It is 40 days after the Nativity of our Lord. Jewish Law required a period of purification for all mothers following childbirth and a visit to the temple with the baby and a sacrifice of atonement.  For male children, this presentation was to occur on the 33rd day following the circumcision, that is, on the 40th day. (Leviticus 12:1-4) On this particular occasion, Simeon and Anna were there.  They had been told that they would see the promised Messiah before the end of their days -- and both were old. When Simeon saw Jesus in Mary's arms, he recognized this child as the one he had longed for.  His recognition was confirmed by Anna the prophetess.  Simeon cradled Jesus in his arms and blessed God saying: "Lord, now you let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." (Luke 2:29ff) 

 

Since Jesus is the Light of the World, this day became a day in the church for the blessing of candles to light the darkness, hence the name "Candlemas".

 

There is no mention in either the Old or New Testament of groundhogs, though the ordering of planting and reaping and the rise and fall of empires according to natural phenomena is acknowledged.  At this midpoint of winter, we know that light is increasing, but we don't know when the ground will thaw sufficiently to till and plant.  Clear winter days are generally colder than cloudy ones, since clouds trap the heat. Therefore to suggest that a groundhog seeing his shadow means 6 more weeks of winter may have some basis in God's wondrous creation.

 

Nonetheless, it is the presence of the Lord Jesus in our world for the purpose of giving us life in God's kingdom that is the focus of this day.

 

Go ahead -- light a candle.

 

 

The Epiphany of our Lord was the public revelation of God's visitation of this world.  Now, as then, there are skeptics. Did these events really mean what the evangelists said?  Was it really God who opened the heavens?  Was it really the Spirit of God who descended upon Jesus of Nazareth? Did God really speak?  If Jesus' ministry were not so public -- if he had started a secret society, a clandestine sect -- we might be able to comfortably doubt and sink back into the careless easy chair of eating, drinking, and being merry for as long as we live.  But his was a public ministry -- and there were many witnesses of everything he did.  So we are left with Jesus' answer to the disciples of John (Luke 7:22ff): "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me."

Today is the commemoration of Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan and yesterday was the feast of Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. Both of these notable church leaders lived, worked, and died in the 4th century, just after Christianity was legalized (325) and in the midst of the lively theological time when the creeds were shaped as the Church's confession of the faith.

 

St. Ambrose was the first western church leader to be raised and educated as a Christian. He began a life in politics and government, seated in Milan.  When he settled the violence between the Arians (heretics) and Catholics (orthodox), both sides urged him to become the city's bishop. Finally giving in to pressure from both Church and state, he was baptized, ordained a priest and consecrated a bishop all on the same day -- December 7, 373 or 374. He continued to defend orthodoxy against the claims that Jesus either was not fully human or that he was not fully divine, and wrote many hymns and books. He baptized St. Augustine of Hippo at the easter Vigil in 387. Augustine is the Church father who most influenced the development of the Lutheran theological tradition.

 

St. Nicholas was bishop in Myra, on the Meditteranean seacost of what is now Turkey.  Facts recorded about him are few, but legends abound. He is noted for helping the poor, being a friend to children, and saving three poor virgins from prostitution with three bags of gold.  He attended the Council of Nicaea and boxed the ears of the heretic Arius.  His feast day is still observed on December 6 in many parts of Europe, where a man in a white beard in bishop's garb distributes candy, fruit, and nuts in the shoes of children. Sometimes he is accompanied by Knecht Ruprecht, who gives spankings (or coal) to naughty children. When America became the melting pot of traditions, the Germanic Sankt Niklaus or Dutch Sinter Klaas, Nordic Christmas Man (Thor), and English Father Christmas were meshed together and popularized in the poem "The Night before Christmas". The celebration was shifted to December 24 and became secularized.

 

The Bishop of Myra is still remembered in Christmas carols such as "I saw Three ships come sailing in on Christmas Day", referring to the ships that brought his remains to the basilica of San Nicola in Bari, Italy, where they remain to this day.

 

Source:Philip Pfatteicher,  New book of Festivals and Commemorations,Minneapolis:Fortress Press, 2008.

 

The refrain from the Journey song calls to the mind of the believer the challenge of faith in times of trial and tribulation.  It is easy to believe when things are going well, when we have what we want, and when life is generally secure.  At other times, we tend to waver or even downright question our faith.  The question most of us don't want to admit is this: Can I trust a god who would let X, Y, or Z happen? (e.g. a child die, thousands starve, my spouse lose a job) The premise for this doubt is that a trustworthy god would not allow any evil or tragedy to overshadow our bliss in this time and space.  It assumes that we define what is good and that a god's purpose is to please us.  For Americans, this is typically understood as god paving the way for our entitlement to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

 

The problem is that such a faith begins with us -- and ultimately ends with us.  When pushed, we find that we trust only ourselves or a pale image of ourselves we call a god.  But is such trust well-placed?  Can any of us save ourselves?  For what, exactly? More of the same?

 

Christian faith begins with God, our Creator and Redeemer. We exist at God's bidding -- an act of his love. The heavenly Father has claimed us for life; Jesus the Son has secured our life with his blood; and the Holy Spirit gives us vision to see our future in God. Christian faith sees God as light in the darkness.

 

When we begin with God, we acknowledge that there is more to the picture than what we see and that God is doing more about tragedy and evil than we comprehend. We understand that we exist for God, not the other way around. And finally, that it is God who defines good.

 

Knowing that we belong to God who raised Jesus from the dead means that we focus on God -- not on what we see and understand in the limitations of time and space-- and base our faith on the Resurrected Lord who gives us life.   The living God is worthy of our trust because he has kept every promise and already demonstrated his victory over everything that ails us.  The cross of Jesus is the sign.

 

Because Christ lives -- in and through us -- we can indeed, no matter how bad the circumstances -- keep on believin'.

Protest movements are increasing in the USA.  The surface issues are the receding of our economy and the loss of jobs.  Side effects are loss of health, increases in addictions (the less money we have, the more we spend to self-medicate), and more domestic violence.

 

We have only to go back to Genesis to discover that as soon as humanity wanted to have its own way, Sin insisted on having the front seat.

 

What would happen, I wonder, if collectively we would focus our energy on doing what God wants? If instead of Wall Street, we would live in order to occupy (in the basic sense -- to take our place) heaven. 

 

Would greed give way to the common good?  Would the entitlement mentality give way to personal responsibility? Would we take care of our neighbors in need and help the poor to access goods and services? Would we be willing to live with less so that everyone might have what they need? Would we be willing to work harder and save longer for what we want?

 

it is not my purpose here to take sides on the "Occupy..." movement or to espouse any particular political or economic view.  I do, however, want to pose the question of priority: Which is more important -- this life or the life to come?

 

They are connected, to be sure. We cannot have the one without the other. But do we even have both in view?

 

When we believe God, we live in this world as citizens of the next. Our citizenship in heaven shapes how we live as citizens of earth. God acts in our world through us.

 

 

 

 

That's the reminder on the Christ Lutheran, Spry church sign.  It is true. Seasons come and go. Events -- weddings, graduations, floods and terrorist attacks -- come and go. Even when the aftermath of such a season lingers -- as with the flooding of storms Irene and Lee--there is still an end to it. Death puts a limit on all human history.

 

Autumn leaves -- God doesn't.  God doesn't leave because death cannot limit God. God is eternal.

 

There is another reason God doesn't leave: He loves us. He wants us to share his eternity.  So God took on the limitations of human time and space in the person of Jesus Christ.  As God and humanity in one body, Jesus walked this earth with us. And Jesus died the death that was our final -- and impenetrable -- limit.

 

But Jesus did not stay dead. He destroyed Death and rose from the dead to new life. He appeared to witnesses who shared the news.

 

Because of Jesus, God-in-the-flesh, we are no longer limited by Death.  It is a gateway to God's eternity.

 

So no matter how the seasons pass or what time gives us to experience, God does not leave us, because Jesus himself is leading us into eternal life.

 

 

I don't know about you, but I really appreciate summertime.  Okay, maybe not so much the humidity that comes with it, but certainly the bright sunshine, fresh fruits and vegetables, and opportunities to marvel at God's creation. For me, it's a time to connect in a special way with the Lord who made me and all things. Taking time to thank God is good stewardship of these blessings.

 

One of the highlights of summertime is a mission trip with our youth.  Not only do I get to serve the Lord "hands on" with grungy clothes and paintbrushes, but I get to share the faith of young people and be blessed by their insight and energy. Another highlight is Vacation Bible School, when even more energy from younger children inspires me. These opportunities are part of the stewardship of the congregation.

 

To be a steward is to take care of things that belong to someone else. God has made us stewards of his world, our lives, and the Good News of his love in Jesus.  God has called us to this important work and equipped us with skills, talents, money, time, and faith to carry it out.  How will you answer God's call today? How will I?

 

Have you noticed how often the first words out of God's mouth are "Fear not!"? The disciples who discovered the empty tomb were afraid; the shepherds who encountered the angels were afraid; Peter catching more than his fair share of fish at the Lord's command was afraid. Rightly so. The power of God is fearful. God cannot and will not be tamed. Only God can put us at ease. So when his majesty has driven us to our knees, he says, "Fear not! I AM with you." Christ is risen -- Alleluia.

Most of the time we speak in terms of life and death.  From our human perspective, death is the end and avoiding it is life. In our best moments, we seek to preserve life at all costs.  Our human nature fears death -- we will not sever our relationships in this life.

 

God sees things from a different perspective.  God sees our welfare as a matter of death and life.  For God, death is not the end, but the beginning of life as God knows it.  And that is the life we are intended to enjoy.

 

Jesus said, "Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ^{(John 12:24-25)}

 

Today and tomorrow mark the halfway point in the Lenten journey of repentance as we prepare to celebrate the Holy Week. Today is Day 19, tomorrow Day 20 of 40.

 

On the one hand, it is good to consider how far we've come.  If your Lenten penitence was changing a habit, you are well on your way to a new behavior.

 

But I suspect many of us view Lent as a temporary season of self-denial that ends with self-indulgence at Easter.  My personal favorite: chocolate.

 

So what is the benefit of Lent? What are we halfway to? The end of suffering?  The end of sinning?  The end of our spiritual dedication? The end of a good habit?

 

I think of Lent as a hike up a mountain.  The going is hard, especially the higher you go.  The way can be steep, and backsliding makes the journey harder.  So we are halfway to the top.  And at the top, there is a vista.

 

From the top of the mountain, you can see far and wide.  At the halfway point, you can't see anything but the traili behind and before you. But from the top, you can see for miles.

 

Easter is the top of the mountain. There we see our future, our destiny, our horizon: our resurrection of the body and life everlasting revealed in Jesus Christ.

 

From the top, we see where we are going, how much there is yet to see and do; we see the vastness in which God has chosen us to live. It is breathtaking!

 

So we are halfway to new life.  Halfway to the Kingdom of God. Halfway to the vista of peace which brings joy and contentment.

 

Keep going. It is worth the journey.

 

 

We have just crossed the threshhold of 120 years in ministry as a congregation. Lutherans settling to the north of the city of York wanted a local place to worship. And so with courage and persistence, they started in a stable, grew into the schoolhouse, and then -- with great financial risk -- built a church building. Twenty seven years later -- again with great financial risk -- in 1929 -- they built the current building.  But even more important than the buildings were the people whose commitment and drive for the Gospel of Jesus Christ led them to keep growing in outreach and mission for all these years.

 

Our 120 years seem like a long time, but in the 2011 years of the Gospel, it is a blip. That is humbling. But at the same time, it is awe-inspiring to think that we are part of the church of Jesus Christ with the apostolic faith that has been handed down from generation to generation.

 

It is not simply the fortitude and courage of our forebears that is worthy of praise, it is the wondrous work of God in and through them that has accomplished so much. To God be the glory!

 

Now we plan for the future -- trusting God to work in us to accomplish all that he desires for us.

In Pennsylvania, we look forward to day to the presentation of a certain Punxatawny Phil, who determines by the presence or absence of a shadow whether or not Spring is near.

 

Of course, shadows require the sun, the created source of light for the earth.

 

In the Church, on this day, we rejoice that the uncreated Light of the world has come to herald the nearness of the kingdom of God.  Jesus-- Son of God, Savior of the world, Light for those in darkness and eternal Life for mortals-- was presented as a babe-in-arms in the temple and recognized by righteous Simeon as the Lord's Messiah and by the prophetess Anna as the promised Redeemer. J

 

esus is the Light that scatters the darkness and eliminates all shadows. In him was life and the life was the light of all people.

 

It is fun to watch the groundhog -- but I will stake my life on the Lord Jesus.