Go! I Will Always Be With You – Matthew 28:8-10, 16-20
/Lectionary Readings for May 1, 2022 3rd Sunday of Easter, Year C
Psalm 30 v11-12 You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul[b] may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
Acts 9:1-6 The Conversion of Saul on the Road to Damascus
Revelation 5:11-14 v12 “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
John 21:1-19 Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples by the Sea of Tiberias
But this week we’ll look at Matthew 28:8-10, 16-20 as we spend the Easter season exploring Jesus’ life after the resurrection.
Peace through Leadership Quotes
“People change and forget to tell each other.” ~ Lillian Hellman
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~ Benjamin Franklin
If we live a resurrected life but don’t tell anyone about it, how else will people hear the joy and peace of the Good News of God’s love? For us to be disciples of peace and to nurture others in the way of peace, we need to continually be involved in peacemaking and invite others to join us. People notice when our words and our actions complement each other.
Any time I preach or lead a group, regardless of age, I start the same way. I’m going to say three short sentences. Please repeat each sentence, with enthusiasm.
God made me. God loves me. God has plans for me.
Preface to Today’s Scripture Reading
During this Easter season, let Steve Garnaas-Holmes’ thoughts on resurrection inspire us. https://unfoldinglight.net/2022/04/03/easter-april-17-2022/
“…For some folks [Resurrection and] Easter are some kind of victory party as if our team won the championship. Easter is about victory, yes, but not ours. It’s God’s victory over our [failings], over our judgment of others, over our injustice and violence. Resurrection is love’s victory over death and over our fear of it.
“Resurrection is not the same as bouncing back. There is no back to it. Resurrection is about being plunged forward, into a new life that’s not just more of the old one. Resurrection is more like an unexpected beginning; it is transformation that comes out of our brokenness, our failure, our surrender.
“Resurrection is not the doorway to the after-life. Resurrection is the doorway to Eternal life. Eternal life does not mean immortality nor life that’s long; it means life that’s infinitely deep. It means life with infinite life in it, with God in it. It means life that can’t be taken from us – not by what happens to us, not by our own actions, not even by death. Eternal life means harmony with the infinite love of God.
“Resurrection is also about the Divine Presence active in places we don’t see it, in situations we discount and in people we reject. Resurrection is about God’s justice that comes about even if we miss it.”
~ Steve Garnaas-Holmes, Unfolding Light
Let’s open our ears, minds, and hearts as we hear Jesus’ last words in Matthew’s Gospel.
Read Matthew 28:8-10, 16-20 .
This week, I find Steve’s comments about Resurrection both encouraging and challenging to embrace. As we celebrate the new life of healthy new grandbabies, we also continue to mourn the loss of loved ones. In our limited human experience and understanding, birth and death are perhaps the most absolute moments of our shared existence. Both have always been with us, yet, we never grown numb to either milestone.
Both are such emotional events, that we can easily let either consume our time and our energy. Such was my situation this past Thursday when I had to help our dog DJ meet Jesus. As I held him during his transition, it was difficult to imagine death as anything but an end and wonder, who will hold me when it’s my time?
As eager as we are to announce births, our culture is all-too-often almost equally reluctant to talk about death. But a huge part of Jesus’ resurrection story is the Good News that we are freed from any fears of death. But how are we to understand that freedom if we don’t talk about it? If we don’t wrestle with it… together. Once again, this is part of what it means to be in a community of faith with each other.
In today’s reading, Jesus told His disciples – who were still grieving His death WHILE they tried to process His resurrection – He told them to GO, “I am sending you into all nations to teach them how to walk the road with me. … Never forget, I am always with you, your invisible guide, walking beside you…”
During Tuesday night’s Bible Study, we talked about what it means to be a follower of Jesus, a disciple. Dennis observed that it means we are to continually be both a student and a teacher – we learn and grow as we help others learn and grow. Debbie added that a disciple wants to be led.
An obvious question is, exactly what did Jesus mean when He said, “teach them how to walk the road with me” (or “teach them to obey all I have commanded)? One theologian explained, “remember what it was that [Jesus] commanded them: Be reconciled to one another. Love your enemies. Do not retaliate against evil. Pray, fast, and give [financial support], but not in a way that draws attention to yourself. Deny yourself. Above all, love God, [love yourself], and love your neighbor” Cynthia A. Jarvis and E. Elizabeth Johnson. Feasting on the Gospels – Matthew, Volume 2 . Presbyterian Publishing Corp. Kindle 12710.
And I would add to that… teach others the spiritual, hope-filled beauty of both birth and death. Humanity seems to instinctively understand the great significance of birth and death. Our faith offers profound – and peace-filled – understandings of each. But we must make the effort to learn about our faith and to share it with others; this is what it means to GO.
As I think about the new people connected with our community of faith, from infants to seniors, I wonder what we are teaching them – intentionally and unintentionally. I wonder how we are discipling them.
Several questions are worth pondering as we seek to be better disciples of our faith’s beliefs and values.
Who are we following – both religious and non-religious – and what are we learning from them?
Who are we leading and what are we teaching them?
How can we be better students and teachers of the Good News of God’s love?
Much like Jesus’ disciples, the Kingdom of God is filled with people from all backgrounds. Let’s work on inviting others to walk with us in this unique and amazing community as we all learn and grow together.
Amen? Amen!