June 12, 2022

Holy Trinity Sunday

Romans 5:1-5Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Sermon

“A Great Hope”

Pastor Greg Ronning

Martin Luther loved Paul’s Letter to the Romans.  He writes, “This letter is truly the most important piece in the New Testament. It is purest Gospel. It is well worth a Christian's while not only to memorize it word for word but also to occupy themselves with it daily, as though it were the daily bread of the soul. It is impossible to read or to meditate on this letter too much or too well. The more one deals with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes.”

And one of his favorite chapters in the book of Romans was chapter five, the source of today’s appointed epistle .From today’s reading, “Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.” 

In this lesson we have some of the great themes of Luther’s theology; the gift of faith made possible by grace; Christ on the cross - revealing God’s unconditional love for the world; producing in us - a great hope!

In this “secular age” in which we live, hope has become a rare commodity.  Amid so much bad news, conflict and division, economic difficulties, and societal unrest; people are struggling to find hope in their everyday life.  Theologian Walter Taylor connects this loss of hope to our cultural loss of the transcendence of God. Simply put, we no longer expect or look for God to be present in our daily life, we no longer look to God for identity, meaning and purpose.

Instead, we look to the more imminent things, the things that we can see, the things we can grab hold of, the things that our society values and celebrates.  And eventually, inevitably, all these things disappoint us.  At some point we wake up and discover that all the stuff we have collected has no great meaning, and we wonder what import our careers, our hobbies, our relationships, and even our lives have. Taylor concludes, “What previously satisfied us, gave us a sense of solidity, seems not really to match up, not to deserve what we put into it.” Life without a sense of transcendence, life without a living connection to the presence of God; becomes a life without meaning and purpose, and thus a life without hope.

St. Paul begins the fifth chapter, the chapter that leads to a profound understanding of hope, by pointing to “faith.” 

The ironic thing about faith is that God has given all of us the capacity for faith.  To have faith is to trust, to have confidence, to rely, or to depend on “something. ”Ultimately, we all end up trusting and depending on “something ”The question is thus not about having faith but, where you place your faith? And I must confess, that even though I want to place all my faith in Christ, even though I am a believer; I struggle in this secular age and often misplace my faith in the things of this world. It’s so easy to put your faith in your money, your worldly identity, your heritage, your weapons, all the things we think make us more secure in this world, the concrete things that you can see and hold.  So it is that we must ask, in what do we really trust?

Paul reminds us that “faith” is connected to “peace.”  “Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, …”  Peace is the result of faith, faith placed in the right things, the transcendent things of God.  Peace, that state of being in which you feel really good about who you are, the life you are living, - and the way that life - your time, talents, and treasures- intersects with the Kingdom of God making a difference in the world around you.  Peace is finding that place where your life’s unique passion impacts the world’s greatest needs. Peace happens when all that comes together in your life.  Peace is being in a right relationship with God, with your neighbor, and with creation.  St. Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  …  and the God of peace will be with you. ”If we don’t know and experience such a peace, perhaps our faith is being placed in the wrong things.

Paul continues in today’s reading from the fifth chapter of Romans, reminding us that “faith” and “peace” are connected back to “grace!”  “Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; …”I’m reminded of the old hymn, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

The foundation of our great hope comes from “grace. ”Grace declares that God loves us because God loves us.  Paul proclaims later in chapter five that God died for us while we were yet sinners, reminding us that our identity as the beloved children of God is not based upon our ability to somehow be righteous, to somehow fulfill the lofty expectations of the law, to somehow earn the love of God.  No, grace is freely given, a gift of love. 

And this is the foundation of our great hope.  In the eighth chapter of Romans Paul gets really excited about this love, the amazing grace of God. He writes, “If God is for us, who is against us?”  “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. ”Great hope belongs to those who know they are loved by “a great love. ”So it is, that we are a people of faith, overflowing with that peace which surpasses all understanding, standing on the solid rock of grace, and filled with “a great hope.”

And this hope is very real, it’s not just the kind of hope that belongs only to the promises of heaven, but a hope that transcends with the God that is transcendent! Paul continues in today’s reading, “And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. ”A great hope is one that is present even in our sufferings and our struggles.

Lutheran Theologian David Lose writes, “If God’s greatest revelation was made manifest in and through the struggle and suffering of a man hung on a tree, (Christ on the cross) then what suffering of ours can ever truly be God-forsaken. Hence, God promises to be with us amid suffering, and even work through that to build character and endurance and increase our capacity for hope”.

I was always taught that Christ is most profoundly present in the suffering of this world, in that place on the cross where heaven intersects with earth.  That’s where the love of God is revealed.  So it is, that God’s love for you is most intimately revealed to you in the midst of your pain and struggles. And so it is that we are called to live out the love of God in the midst of our neighbor’s pain and struggles. In our ordinary everyday life, in the many ways it is lived out; in our work, in our hobbies, in our volunteerism, in our relationships; the transcendent love of God – in, with, and through us - gives us meaning and purpose – creating hope. So it is that “a great hope” becomes alive in the midst of what seems like “a great hopelessness.”  Hope transcends and transforms!

Lose concludes, “Paul invites us into “a lot of hope” by tying our suffering to Jesus’ own and inviting us thereby to recognize God’s presence not only in the distant heavens but also, and even more, in the daily struggles of our lives, trusting – promising! – that this kind of hope does not disappoint.”

 On this Holy Trinity Sunday, may the peace of God, the grace of Christ, and the love of God poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, our faith in the living triune God; produce in us “a great hope,” a great hope for our own life, a great hope for our neighbor, and a great hope for all of creation. Amen.

Sermon on Acts 2.1-21

Pastor Jennifer Garcia

Focus: Just as the Holy Spirit helped the early Jesus followers communicate across difference, the Holy Spirit equips us to connect with others across difference.

Function: This sermon will urge hearers to be brave and loving as they connect with people who are different from them.

The musical Come From Away tells the true stories of the small town of Gander in Newfoundland on 9/11. The US airspace was closed, so a lot of international flights that were headed to the US got diverted to the airport in Gander—38 planes, in fact. And overnight a population of 9,000 people was taking care of 7,000 passengers.

After preparing every available space for their guests, the Newfoundlanders got the passengers off their planes and onto buses to be taken to their accommodations in schools, homes, and community centers.

The song "Darkness and Trees” describes the confusion and fear of those bus rides. Many of the passengers had been on their planes for more than 24 hours.

They didn’t have access to the news,

cell phones were few and far between,

they didn’t know where they were or where they were going.

          It was dark, and it was isolated, and they were afraid.

The song describes how a well-intended gesture caused a misunderstanding didn’t help the situation.

One of the buses had a bunch of people from Africa on it who didn’t speak English. They and the Newfoundlanders were unable to communicate. And the well-meaning Newfoundlanders had put on their Salvation Army uniforms as a sign of respect for their thousands of guests. But one of the African men exclaims, “There are soldiers everywhere!”

So, it’s 3 in the morning, they’re on a different continent in the middle of nowhere, they don’t know what’s happened or why they’re there, and they’re surrounded by people they perceive as soldiers.

I can’t imagine being much more confused and afraid than they must have been.

Jesus’ followers were probably pretty confused and afraid, too, after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension.

As much as Easter is a joyful season—Jesus is alive and appearing to the disciples, and we celebrate with flowers and triumphant music and alleluias—there must have been a lot of mixed emotions for Jesus’ early followers.

The whiplash from the depths of despair at Jesus’ death and being afraid of getting arrested to the overwhelming joy at his appearance must have been exhausting.

The grief, the fear, the joy, the confusion—they had a lot to process.

And Jesus tells them to stay put in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes.

That was probably pretty confusing, too, but I imagine the disciples were happy to take some time to wrap their minds around everything that had happened in the past few weeks.

So, Jesus’ followers (including the eleven disciples, plus Matthias who replaced Judas, and Mary and Jesus’ brothers, and some women—totaling about 120 people) were gathered together in a room in Jerusalem after Jesus ascended out of their view (yet another confusing event to process). They prayed and they waited.

They probably felt pretty lost: Jesus had risen from the dead only to leave again—what were they supposed to do next?

They were probably grieving all over again and were probably still confused and afraid.

And then, something amazing happened.

On Pentecost, which was a harvest festival and a celebration of God giving Moses the Law, God gave them another powerful gift.

The Holy Spirit rushed into the room, lit up each of their foreheads, and gave them the ability to communicate in different languages.

Holy chaos.

As is often the case in big cities then and now, there is a diversity of people—language, culture, race and ethnicity, religious practice, etc.

Those 120 or so Jesus followers crammed in a room wouldn’t have been able to communicate with large swathes of the population of Jerusalem, let alone all their known world.

Until now.

Forget Rosetta Stone, Duolingo, and college language classes—I want the Holy Spirit language program!

In an instant, Jesus’ story went viral. From 120-ish predominantly Jewish folks to people of an overwhelming variety of cultures and languages—the story was out.

The book of Acts records that 3,000 people started following Jesus that day—that Holy Spirit moment was a gift to the 120 Jesus followers and the 3,000 that joined them.

The Holy Spirit helped communicate God’s love across many differences.

In Come From Away, God’s love was communicated in an unexpected way, too. Of course, the hospitality of the people of Gander was a huge gift and outpouring of love.

But for those confused and afraid people from Africa on that bus in the middle of the night, God’s word spoke comfort to them.

One of the Newfoundlanders was inviting them to get off of the bus so they could go to where they could rest, but they were too afraid to leave. The Newfoundlander was trying to figure out how to communicate that they were safe and that they would be taken care of, when he noticed one of them holding a Bible.

He says, “Now, obviously I can’t read it,

but their Bible — it’ll have the same number system ours does —

so I ask to see it

And I’m searching for something and then in Philippians 4:6.

I give ‘em their bible and I’m pointing, saying, look!

Philippians 4:6 — Be anxious for nothing. Be anxious for nothing.

And that’s how we started speaking the same language.”

The Holy Spirit communicated God’s love across difference that September day in 2001 just as the Holy Spirit communicated God’s love to those thousands of people in first century Jerusalem.

And the Holy Spirit communicates God’s love today across all kinds of difference. There is plenty to be afraid of and plenty to be confused about today. I often hear people bemoan the polarization that is happening in this country. And it doesn’t take much time reading news articles to start feeling afraid and confused.

But in the midst of chaos, fear, and confusion, the Holy Spirit kindles in our hearts the fire of God’s love. A love that no barrier can stop—not language, not nationality or skin color or culture or ability or age or sexual orientation or gender identity or anything else that we petty humans divide ourselves by.

Pentecost was a day to celebrate the harvest and the giving of God’s Law, a day to celebrate the gifts God gives that communicate God’s love and care for God’s people. On that particular Pentecost day, God gave the additional gift of the Holy Spirit to communicate God’s love and care for God’s people, which is to say: everyone.

9/11 was a day of tragedy, fear, violence, and death. And, still in a small town hundreds of miles from New York and DC, God’s word spoke comfort to people who were afraid and confused.

So, today, in the midst of confusion and fear, let’s see what the Holy Spirit has in store for us. In moments when you encounter someone different from you in whatever way, remember that the Holy Spirit can speak through that. You might be surprised and even blessed by a moment of holy chaos.

Let the Holy Spirit speak.

First Lutheran Church

May 29, 2022 – Ascension Sunday

Luke 24:44-53[Jesus said to the eleven and those with 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.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 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, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Sermon

“The Paschal Candle”

Pastor Greg Ronning

This past Thursday, Christians all over the world celebrated - “Ascension Day.”  Today many churches, including First Lutheran are celebrating “Ascension Sunday,” - the first Sunday after the Ascension.The Ascension happens on the fortieth day after Easter, on that day the resurrected Jesus reminds the disciples that the promised Holy Spirit will soon arrive, leads them out as far as Bethany, blesses them, and is carried up, ascends, into heaven.

In worship on this special day, the Paschal Candle, plays a central role, bearing witness to the Ascension and reminding us of the coming of the Holy Spirit.  The Paschal Candle has been a part of Christian Worship for hundreds of years.  Paschal comes from the Greek and Hebrew word for “Passover,” reminding us of the story of the Exodus, Moses leading God’s people out of slavery in Egypt into the Promised Land.  Later, in Latin, its meaning changes to include Easter, and the story of the resurrection of Christ.  Jesus becomes the Passover lamb, conquering death, and bringing life abundant and everlasting.

In many churches Easter begins with the lighting of this special candle.  During the past six years, The Table has gathered for an Easter Vigil, and as part of that service, at midnight, as Easter morning begins, the candle is lit and the first “alleluia” in Orange County is sung celebrating the resurrection of Christ.  The Paschal Candle is lit every time we gather for worship in the season of Easter, signifying the presence of the risen Christ among us.  We will also light this candle on days we celebrate baptisms and gather for memorial services, on those occasions the candle reminds us that in baptism we are connected to Christ in death and in resurrection, that we are the beloved of God, that in Christ we have life everlasting.

The Paschal Candle itself proclaims the Gospel. 

It reminds us, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

The candle has a cross on it, with “nails” that mark the wounds, the suffering, Christ endured for our sake, for the sake of the world, “for God so loved the world.” 

The Candle bears the letters, “Alpha” and “Omega” Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega is the last. We are reminded that Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, that the love of God endures forever. 

And finally, the Paschal Candle is dated with the current year, “2022.”  Christ is present not just as “Alpha” and “Omega” but also today, present here and now, before us, behind us, beside us, above us, and deep within us; Christ is with us in this very present moment.

And today, on the day that we commemorate the Ascension, at the conclusion of the reading of Gospel reading, as we imagine Christ rising up into the heavens; we extinguish the flame, signifying the end of the presence of God incarnate among us in Jesus. 

Today’s Gospel tells us that after The Ascension the disciples returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy.  And while it must have been a glorious moment, I can’t help but imagine that they were also filled with some sadness, and that at some point, they must have been wondering, perhaps with some apprehension, what will come next?  Suddenly Jesus is gone, the light has gone out, the darkness, at lease for the moment - has returned.

This morning when I extinguished the flame, and as I watched the smoke rise up, and then disappear, I felt such a sadness.  This past week, and the week before, I felt it as our world plunged back into darkness.  The senseless violence in our world is overwhelming, racism that leads to the targeted shooting murder of black people - shopping for groceries; hatred that leads to the violent gunning down killing of fourth graders while sitting and learning in their classroom.  I can’t help but feel that we are plunging into a deep darkness.  The candle has gone out, and we don’t seem to know what to do about it, we don’t seem to be able to rise up and do something, do anything, that might make a difference.  I don’t understand why we can’t heed the word of the prophet Isaiah, “Beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks.”

And the Paschal Candle remains extinguished, but that’s the point, and believe it or not, that’s God’s response to the present darkness. The Paschal Candle remains unlit precisely to remind us just how God is now and still very present in the world today, present in a new and even more powerful way. 

Next Sunday we will gather to celebrate the Day of Pentecost.  On the day of Pentecost, the flame returns, not in the person of Jesus, not to the Paschal Candle, but this time it will descend upon the followers of Jesus, dancing upon their heads, setting their hearts on fire, and anointing “the faithful gathered” as the Body of Christ!  God is suddenly once again very present – but in a new way! And those early followers of Jesus, filled with the Spirit, united as the church, the body of Christ, - will change the world in their proclamation of the good news of the Gospel.

And that Sprit continues to come even now, in ever new and exciting ways, present anew for every time and place.  Just as it was present in the very first days of the church, so it is present in this current time and place. Present in you and me, and countless others, gathered together as church!  The Paschal Candle remains unlit to remind us not to look to heaven for Jesus, but to look inside and beside us for Christ, for Christ fleshed out again in our gathered unity around the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So, hear the good news, we are not alone, Christ has not left us alone, God has sent the Holy Spirit to gather us up, and open us up not only to the presence of God, but to be the presence of God; for each other, and with each other, for the sake of the world.

If you are feeling afraid and alone in this present darkness, calm yourself and listen for the spirit, listen for the invitation to gather together with faithful people doing faithful things, and discover the peace that comes from such belonging, the peace that comes with belonging and purpose, the peace that is yours as a child of God.

If you are confused and seeking clarity and direction, return to the scriptures and enter into a conversation in that holy place where the Word comes to life; in the midst of community, in the diverse community of the beloved of God.   Let us seek the Kingdom together.

If you are feeling frustrated, if you are feeling a call to act, if you want to make a difference; center yourself and listen for the spirit. And then gather up members of the body, abide in the word, abide in prayer, abide in such a way that these things might lead to action and not just “thoughts and prayers.”

Today, the Paschal Candle, unlit, proclaims that God is present here and now in us.  Today in our good old Gospel Hymns we are reminded that: “We” have been gathered up by the river, the waters of our baptism; that “Together” we are in the everlasting arms of Jesus, that “Together” we are the everlasting arms of Jesus for each other and the world; that in Jesus “We” have a friend, present in the burdens that we bear; that as we “break bread together,” as we “drink wine together,” in holy communion “We” become the “Holy Community,” the church, the body of Christ; that we are blessed by a tie that “binds our hearts in a unity” that is like that above; that a closer walk with thee, is a walk that “we do together;” and that while each of us may love to tell the story, the story is better told by a “community that lives out” the old, old, story of Jesus and his love.

In the midst of this present darkness, let us be reminded that in Christ we are the light, the light that shines in the darkness, the light the darkness cannot overcome.  May God open our eyes to the flame that surely still burns as bright as ever today!  Amen.