Sermon 19th April 2020 – 2nd
Sunday of Easter:
Text: John 20:19-31 – God is in
control – even if you don’t see it.
Over the Easter period I spoke at
length about the effects of the Pandemic and its effects on us particularly the
isolation that has been placed on us as we quarantine ourselves to try and stop
the spread.
So I thought I would perhaps focus on
something else.
But when I read the Gospel reading
today – a reading that we have every first Sunday after Easter, I felt that
this was such an opportunity to speak into exactly what we are experiencing at
present.
When it was evening on that day, the
first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met
were locked for fear of the Jews.
How similar to what we are
experiencing at present.
The Disciples of Jesus locked away
behind closed doors in fear.
Gathered in fear and confusion, they
lock the doors, and wait.
And that’s just what we are doing.
Gathering in fear and confusion and
waiting.
Waiting to be told it’s safe to go
back out and be with people.
Be with our families.
Be with loved ones.
Be with our brothers and sisters in
Christ and worship.
But what this Gospel reading also
reminds us is that as we wait, Jesus is waiting with us.
Despite the locked doors – despite
the fears – Jesus breaks through them and announces his Peace with them.
Jesus came and stood among them and
said, "Peace be with you."
Where are you finding your peace at
the moment?
Where are you taking your comfort
from?
The disciples were taking their
comfort from hiding behind locked doors.
But for how long could they do that?
Eventually they will have to brave
the outside world.
Then where will they find their
strength – their comfort – their peace?
At the moment a lot of people are
feeling the pressure of the uncertainty of not knowing when this is going to
end.
And the uncertainty of when it ends
what it will look like as we are told that there will be a new normal.
Will our churches be allowed to have
unlimited numbers in them?
Or will they have to follow the
previous rules and limit the amount of people.
Will we be discouraged from shaking
hands?
Will we automatically go into
lockdown this time next year.
Again, we don’t know.
But what we do know is that God is
and always will be in control.
But it’s a question of – what does
that mean?
What does it mean that God is in
control?
When we have trust in God in times of
uncertainty and believe in him – then God is in control.
St Peter tells us what that means in
our 2nd reading.
He says:
Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living
hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an
inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for
you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time.
A lot of words to take in but note
the particulars of what Peter is saying:
God has given us an inheritances that
is imperishable and kept safe in heaven.
We are protected by the power of God
through faith.
Peter is writing into a time of
uncertainty also.
Christians were being persecuted and
had to flee for safety so their future was unknown.
So in his opening he addresses his
letter to - God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces.
Peter knows that the times are
difficult for them, just as they are difficult for us as we live under
directions that don’t just affect our family lives but also our churches that
remain shut.
And so Peter encourages to trust God
and to do so by asking them to:
Show proper respect to everyone, love
the family of believers, fear God, honour the emperor or Prime Minister or
Premier in our situation.
Like everyone else, I am struggling
to come to terms with what is going on.
I miss seeing my family and friends
in person.
I miss going to the gym at 3.30 in
the morning.
I miss giving and receiving Holy
Communion.
I keep asking myself, what is God
doing about this.
But then I read what Peter says about
this in our 2nd reading:
In this you rejoice, even if now for
a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness
of your faith … may be found to result in praise and glory and honour when
Jesus Christ is revealed.
That’s how God remains in
control - when we continue to give him praise
and glory and honour in these times of uncertainty
Sometimes I feel a bit like “doubting
Thomas”.
Sometimes I feel like God is not in
control unless I can see him and touch him.
But as Peter says - even though you do not see him now, you
believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are
receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
And no one can take that from us –
the salvation of our souls is guaranteed and that’s all that matters.
In fact this is what Jesus challenges
us to do in these circumstances – to trust and believe even though we see no
reason to do so.
When doubting Thomas is granted
permission to touch and see so that he can believe that Jesus is really there
with him Jesus responds:
"Have you believed because you
have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to
believe."
Friends, this is what we have been
asked to do in these circumstances.
To trust and believe in what we
cannot currently see – that God is and always will be in control.
Is fear holding us back from
witnessing to our faith before the world today?
Is fear keeping us locked inside with
feelings that Jesus is not with us?
Then let Jesus break down those
locked doors of fear and join you to give you hope.
Hope that God is with you.
Hope that God is in control.
Hope that God will get us through
this.
While our restrictions can keep us
behind doors only we can allow fear to reside with us.
Fear is what replaces faith when we
take our eyes of God.
And it is easy to take our eyes off
God when it seems like he is not in control.
God is in control and will always be
in control.
Whenever we're afraid and lock
ourselves away in fear, God comes to us in the midst of our fear and says,
"Peace be with you."
We will get through this and once we
are able to again venture out again, we are sent to bring Good News of God’s
presence with all.
Because once this is over there will
still be fears by the general public.
Fears of standing on our own 2 feet
once the Government assistances ends.
Once the banks and other institutions
start removing their amnesties and want to be paid.
As God sent Jesus, so God sends us to
bring Good News.
And that Good News can begin today
despite our lockdowns.
If you’re out for a walk – greet
people with a smile of hope.
Share these or other sermons with
them.
Maybe even greet other people with
“God bless you” or offer to keep them in your prayers.
Many I saw last weekend greeted me
with a Happy Easter – what an opportunity.
While there is still that uncertainty
let us focus on the certainty that was declared on Easter Sunday
Christ is risen – he has risen
indeed. So let us go in the peace of the Lord.
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