Welcome to our
April 30
online worship service!
Athens First UMC
2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701
[Live-Stream Begins @ 10:25 AM]
(Nee'-kos) Biblical Greek Word for "Victory"
Sunday, April 30, 2023
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Monday, April 24, 2023
Sermon (April 23) by Rev. Robert McDowell
Maybe the reason why I have always aspired to preach above average sermons is because the very first post-Pentecost sermon that we find in the New Testament was not only above average, it was an A+. Peter set the bar extremely high for all preachers who would come after him.
Now, I know that Luke, who is describing this first Book of Acts sermon might be giving us a more idealized version of what happened, but still, this was some really, really good preaching by Peter. Did Luke round up the worship attendance to 3,000 people? I don’t think those early disciples had ushers to fill out an attendance cards and get it back to the church office so we’ll take their word for it.
And how did they have time to print out all of those baptism certificates for those 3,000 people? So many questions! I know, I’m overthinking this as I tend to do!
But never-the-less, my goodness, whether this is a rounded-up attendance number or not, that’s a lot of people who responded favorably to that sermon. And the good news is that somebody remembered what Peter said in that sermon and it eventually got passed down to where Luke records it for us here.
Communication experts say that even if you preach a really good sermon on Sunday, by Wednesday, most people will only end up remembering about 10% of it. I was also reading some other research that says professors and teachers have a similar challenge in making their classroom lectures memorable.
That retention percentage goes up to 90% if the people who listened tell others what they heard. And if they practice what they heard, that means they will have remembered 75% of it. It’s 50% if they discuss what they heard in a small group which is what our small groups are designed to do. But it’s only 5% if they don’t do any of those things.
Maybe what makes a sermon above average isn’t so much how it is carefully crafted and delivered although that is very important, but in how people respond to it. If people continue to think about it, wrestle with it, share it, discuss it, and practice it, chances are that the sermon will have a lasting impact.
There are several reasons why Peter’s sermon was way above average on that Day of Pentecost. First and foremost, the Holy Spirit was present in a very powerful way that day. Peter and the other disciples had just been filled with the Spirit and now they were ready to share the good news of Jesus with those around them.
The second reason this sermon was so powerful was because Peter was offering the good news that Jesus who had been crucified on a cross, had risen from the dead. And because of this, God’s Holy Spirit has been poured out upon the whole world. This is good news for everyone regardless of nationality, culture, age, race, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, economic status, or physical or mental ability. This good news of Jesus is meant for everyone!
And then, I would say what made that sermon above average is that according to our scripture reading, the people who heard that sermon were very open to receiving that message of hope and good news. When you have a sermon that highlights the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection AND is delivered in the power of the Holy Spirit to people who are hungry to hear that message of hope and good news, that’s going to make for at least an above average sermon, if not, dare I say, a solid “A.”
For the past 35 years, I have been in search of preaching the elusive perfect sermon. I haven’t preached it yet, but I sure do love trying! But the good news for us preachers is that any sermon, even the clumsy ones that we preach, as long as it is preached in the power of the Holy Spirit and includes the hope and new life that we can have in Christ, those sermons will still preach and lives will be changed.
This is why the church calendar wants us to celebrate Easter not just one day, but for a whole season. These great 50 days, as this season of Easter is known is a time for us to continue to hear this amazing and life-changing message that Jesus is risen.
If Jesus is risen, then maybe my sleeping soul can come alive. If Jesus is risen then maybe I don’t need to carry around my guilt and shame anymore. If Jesus is risen then maybe I don’t have to live in despair and negativity. If Jesus is risen then maybe he can help me overcome my drug or alcohol addiction. If Jesus is risen then maybe that broken dream can give way to a new future.
If Jesus is risen then maybe my old destructive habits can give way to a healthier and more positive lifestyle. If Jesus is risen then maybe that means I’m not alone, the Risen Christ is always by my side. If Jesus is risen then maybe God can use me and my limited resources to make a positive difference here in my community. If Jesus is risen then maybe the God who raised Jesus from death to life can take my heart of stone and set it ablaze!
When preachers offer that kind of good news, yeah, they’ll be people responding to that. They’ll be people hungry to hear that. There will be people who will give church another chance.
Above average sermons are what remind us week after week after week that as the hymn says, “Because he lives, I can face tomorrow, because he lives all fear is gone. Because I know he hold the future. And life is worth the living just because he lives.”
Here’s something that I have observed over my years of pastoral ministry. Some of my best sermons have been preached at funerals and memorial services. I always feel an extra sense of the Holy Spirit whenever I move to the pulpit to not only provide care and comfort for the friends and family of the loved one, but to also remind all of us that death is not the last word. We are an Easter people!
John Chrysostom who lived during the 4th century is known as the best preacher who ever lived. He was so good at preaching that he was given the nickname, “golden tongue.” Isn’t that great! He is also known as the Patron Saint of Preachers.
He once told his congregation, “When I begin to speak, weariness disappears; when I begin to teach, fatigue too disappears. Thus neither sickness itself nor indeed any other obstacle is able to separate me from your love…For just as you are hungry to listen to me, so too I am hungry to preach to you.”
Chrysostom was so good at preaching that there would often be standing room only to hear him. During the time he lived, people didn’t attend church and sit in pews. They would often stand and the people could get unruly at times. The people were also very interactive during the sermon so they were known to applaud, or boo, or hiss.
Chrysostom didn’t like the unruliness of his congregation so after one of his sermons, he made an announcement to the people that from now on all applause should henceforth be forbidden. After he said this, the people ended up giving him a rounding applause.
Some of his sermons lasted two hours, and often times the people cried out for him to continue! He was known to be such a gifted preacher, that his audiences had to be warned to not have large sums of money on them because of pick-pocketers who were known to roam the crowd and rob people without them even knowing since they were so enthralled while listening to Chrysostom’s sermons.
One of the reasons he was such an impactful preacher was that he encouraged his congregation to reflect on the sermon over dinner later that day. His greatest desire was for people to allow the good news of Jesus to stay with them long after his sermons had ended. For him, the end of an above average sermon, was only the beginning for it to really sink in over time.
When I was in college and made the decision to become a pastor, a college friend of mine who had stopped attending church offered me this wonderful advice, “What ever you do, just don’t have boring sermons.” That was probably the best preaching advice I have ever received! “Just don’t have boring sermons.”
I’ve discovered that boring sermons really aren’t difficult to avoid as long as we preachers preach about the good news of Jesus and how Jesus can make a difference in our lives.
We Methodists are known for our emphasis on preaching. Here’s a famous painting from our Methodist history that you’ll find in many United Methodist Churches. The painter was the artist, Kenneth Wyatt who passed away just a little over a year and a half ago.
It’s a scene where John Wesley, the 18th century founder of Methodism in England was nearing the end of his life. He knew that in order for Methodism to grow in America, they needed ordained clergy. And so Wesley commissioned one of his Methodist leaders, an Anglican Priest, Thomas Coke to go to America and ordain Francis Asbury and others into the ministry. This is what led to us becoming what we know as today as The United Methodist Church.
[“Offer Them Christ” Painting by Kenneth Wyatt, 20th Century]
Wesley stood at the pier and as the boats departed, offered these words to Coke, “Offer them Christ, Thomas… Offer them Christ..”
And that he did, to the point where Methodists here in America grew and grew and grew all because those preachers offered them Christ. And when you offer people Christ, the Holy Spirit will take it from there, and lives will be changed.
So if anybody asks you how was the sermon today, just tell them it was above average because the preacher offered us Christ.
An Above Average Sermon
Sermon Discussion Questions
Acts 2:14a, 36-41 & Luke 24:13-35
April 23, 2023
We continue to be in the Season of Easter which is known as “The Great Fifty Days.” This is important to remember when approaching our Acts, chapter 2 because Peter preached his “above average” sermon on the 50th day following the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was on this day that the God poured out the Holy Spirit in very powerful way upon the disciples and the crowd of people who listened to him that day. In other words, there was a lot of momentum when Peter preached this sermon with 3,000 becoming believers and joining the church!
Why do you think that was important that the Holy Spirit was present not only empowering Peter to preach his sermon, but was also present with the crowd who listened to him and responded in such a favorable way? How might we be more open to the Holy Spirit as we go about our ministries and sharing our faith with others?
Pastor Robert shared that communication experts have documented that most people will only remember 5 to 10% of a presentation like a sermon, lecture, etc, after only a couple of days! However, if the listeners discuss what the heard, live out what they heard, or share what they heard, that retention level jumps to between 50 and 90%!
Have you found this to be true in your life? What helps you to remember a lecture, sermon, or some other presentation? How much of the effectiveness of a presentation lies with the presenter vs. the listener?
Our Acts scripture reading tells us that 3,000 responded favorably to Peter’s sermon and led them to being baptized and joining the church.
Why is the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection a powerful message that would lead people to respond in such a positive and powerful way? What is it about that message of good news that resonates with your soul?
John Chrysostom was an early 4th century Church Father who was given the nickname, “Golden Tongue” because he was known as the greatest preacher of his time. One of the reasons he was such a gifted preacher wasn’t just in his oratory skills but in how he encouraged his listeners to discuss his sermon later that day over dinner. Chrysostom knew that what makes “above average” sermons is when people have an opportunity to continue to reflect on and think about the sermons throughout the week. This is what our small groups and these sermon discussion questions are intended to do. Give each of us the opportunity to reflect, discuss, wrestle with (and yes even disagree with) parts of the sermon that was delivered on Sunday morning!)
How has talking about a sermon you heard helped you to have a more growing faith?
Offer this prayer from Sunday’s worship service to help you remember the theme of the message and how it can continue to help you grow in your faith:
O Lord, thank you for this Easter season in which we continue to celebrate how you won the victory over sin and death through the cross and the empty tomb. We confess that too often we take the good news of our faith for granted. We hear your message that offers us salvation and new life, but we do not always respond with grateful hearts. Lead us today to join the psalmist in responding to your many blessings by offering to you our praise and thanksgiving. Praise the Lord! Amen.
Sunday, April 23, 2023
Online Worship (April 23) Athens First UMC
Welcome to our
April 23
online worship service!
Athens First UMC
2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701
[Live-Stream Begins @ 10:25 AM]
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Monday, April 17, 2023
Sermon (April 16) by Rev. Robert McDowell
Some of you might know that Penny and I have two dogs. If you follow me on Facebook, you probably know that 80% of my posts are something about one or both of our west highland terriers.
[Blu & Tipsy]
A couple of months ago, someone gave me this helpful tip when walking the dogs. I already knew this about dogs, but it was a good reminder for me anyway. And the tip was that when you take a dog for a walk, let them stop from time to time because they enjoy sniffing and picking up the many scents that are on the ground.
This person said, it’s kind of like how we like to scroll through social media posts. They’re curious about what has been recently happening in people’s lives and in this case, the lives of other dogs. They love scrolling through the scents that critters and other dogs have left behind thanks to their incredible sense of smell.
I did a little research on this and found out that dogs have 100 million sensory receptor sites in their nasal cavity compared to just 6 million in people. And the area of the canine brain devoted to analyzing odors is about 40 times larger than the comparable part of the human brain. It has been estimated that dogs can smell anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 times better than people.
And when dogs sniff other dogs that helps them to know what the other dogs likes to eat, what gender they are, if they’re happy or aggressive, and if they are healthy or ill. And if they meet that same dog again even if they have been separated for a long period of time, they are able to remember who that other dog is.
I’m glad this person reminded me of this dog walking tip, because a lot of times, I just want to take our dogs for a walk without stopping along the way. I really do need to remind myself to stop and let them use their powerful sense of smell.
So, I say all of this because I think we as humans also need to remember to use our senses as well. We have a sensory faith where we can encounter God in very meaningful ways if we take the time to do so.
One of the common ways that we encounter God is through listening to sermons. This is why I have dedicated my life to making sure that on any given Sunday, you’re going to hopefully hear a sermon that is engaging, thoughtful, challenging, biblically based, and spiritually enriching.
During a typical worship service here at Athens First, the sermon time takes up about a third of the entire worship service. Even if it’s an above average sermon, I still want us to encounter God through the other 2/3 of the worship service.
In some churches, the sermon takes up over half of the service time. Not everybody is going to connect with God by listening to a sermon. It might be through an inspiring choral anthem, a solo, a hymn, a spoken prayer, a call to worship, the benediction, and yes, even through the sharing of announcements. I have also heard some of you tell me that just by sitting in this beautiful and spacious sanctuary, you often feel God’s peace and presence in a very real way.
And these are just the spoken and visual parts of how we can connect with God through worship. We also can encounter God’s presence when we share in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, when we actually taste God’s goodness by partaking of the bread and the cup. As one child who received communion for the first time said, “Jesus tastes so good!”
Several years ago, a member of a church I was serving went on a mission trip to Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world. When she got back from her ten-day trip in which she cared for the dying and saw people eating out of the garbage just to have something to eat, it gave her a totally new perspective on the scriptures, especially the prophetic books of the Old Testament that talk so much about not forgetting the poor and those who are in need.
That multi-sensory mission trip experience was transformative for her. I remember when she called me on the phone after returning from Haiti. There were deep sobs on the other end of the phone as I listened to her tell me how her trip to Haiti gave her a totally new perspective in what it means to live out her faith. Her experience is very similar to the people who participate in our summer Honduras mission trip that we will be resuming this summer.
Encountering God by remembering that we have a sensory faith might provide a new perspective on this story of Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples. Thomas was the disciple who had refused to believe what the disciples had told him that Jesus had risen from the dead. Thomas needed more proof than simply believing what the others had told him.
[Doubting Thomas & the Risen Christ]
This story is why Thomas has been given the name, “Doubting Thomas.” But I wonder if we have given way too much attention to Thomas in this story and we have forgotten to appreciate what Jesus does for him. Jesus allows Thomas to touch his wounds to help him come to an Easter faith.
Jesus recognizes that even one of his own disciples needed something more than taking someone else’s word for it. Thomas needed to physically touch the Risen Christ before he came to faith. And at the end of this story, Jesus says, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
You get the feeling that when Jesus says this to the disciples, he is actually turning toward the people who are listening to this story, people like us who do not have the advantage of seeing the Risen Christ face to face as Thomas was able to do. We get this special blessing from Jesus since we cannot do what Thomas was able to do which was to actually see and touch the Risen Lord.
But there were others who needed something more than this physical encounter with the Risen Christ. For example, last Sunday, we heard how Mary had gone to the tomb early on that first Easter morning and she found that it was empty. Even when the Risen Christ appeared to her a little later that morning by the tomb, Mary didn’t recognize that it was Jesus. She thought it was the gardener, we were told.
It wasn’t until Jesus said her name, “Mary,” that she realized that this stranger was actually the Risen Christ. For Mary, she needed to hear her name said out loud before she was able to come to an Easter faith.
Next Sunday, our Gospel reading will be the Emmaus story when the Risen Christ appeared to two of Jesus’ disciples who were walking to the village of Emmaus. They didn’t recognize that it was Jesus until at the very end when Jesus broke bread with them. That’s when we are told that their hearts burned within them because they realized in that moment that it was Jesus who was now alive. It was when Jesus broke the bread that these two disciples remembered when Jesus broke the bread during the Last Supper.
Our I Peter scripture reading this morning also recognizes those who do not have the advantage of actually being in the physical presence of the Risen Christ. In I Peter 1:8, we are told, “Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy…”
This letter was was written to Christians who became believers after the Risen Christ had ascended to heaven. They came to faith not only by hearing these stories of faith that we find in the gospel accounts, but also by worshiping and fellowshipping together. We help each other to believe through all of these ways which include using all of our senses.
The church is also referred to as, “The Body of Christ.” What a powerful name to help us remember that the Risen Christ is present with us just by being God’s community of faith. Jesus had told the disciples, “whenever two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
There are so many times that I feel the presence of the Risen Christ through the life of our church family, like when we gather around someone who is being baptized or when we wrap Christmas presents for our Angel Tree families, like when we share in covered dish meals together and have a time of fellowship and fun, and yes, especially when we worship together, especially last Sunday when the beautiful Easter lilies were decorating our altar.
We aren’t simply known as a church located on 2 South College Street. We are the Body of Christ, the presence of the Risen Lord here in our community.
Deep down, I believe that we are all spiritual beings who want to encounter something that is beyond ourselves; something or someone who can show us the way to experiencing life in all of it’s fullness, to have hope in times of despair, to find comfort when our hearts are grieving, to be lifted up when we are feeling down, to receive and to offer forgiveness, to feel loved and to be loved, and to be able to offer all of our questions and thoughts about the mysteries of life.
Throughout my own life, the Risen Christ has filled this spiritual longing for me.
Sometimes it is a sermon in which God speaks to me in a very real way. Sometimes, it’s just by dipping some bread into a chalice and hearing someone say to me, “The body and blood of Christ given for you.”
Sometimes, it’s a hymn lyric that I’ve sung a million times but for some reason, a verse or a phrase captures my attention in a way I had never before noticed . Sometimes, it’s the smell of Easter Lillies reminding me of new life in Christ. Sometimes, it’s a church member, simply saying to me, “hey, I just want you to know that you’ve been in my prayers.” Sometimes, it’s when I’m walking to my car following a late night Christmas Eve service. It feels so quiet and peaceful and I find myself still singing the words from that beautiful candlelight service, “All is calm. All is bright.”
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I need all of these ways to nourish and feed my soul and be reminded that the Risen Christ is with me. Seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling are all ways that we can fill our deepest spiritual longings.
No wonder that Jesus said “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
When we use all of our senses, we can experience the presence of the Risen Christ in new and fresh ways, and these moments lead us to join the disciple, Thomas in saying, “My Lord and my God!”
Sermon Discussion Questions
I Peter 2:2-10 & John 14:1-14
April 16, 2023
The appointed Gospel reading for the 2nd Sunday of Easter always offers us the story of Doubting Thomas. He needed to physically touch the Risen Christ before he could have an Easter faith. This story reminds us that we have a sensory faith in which we can experience the Risen Christ through all of our senses including our sight, touch, taste, and smell.
Which of these senses do you rely on the most in your daily living? Or, another way to ask this question is which of these would you miss the most if you didn’t have them?
In the story of Jesus’ resurrection, there are a variety of senses that are used to lead people to an Easter faith. For example, Thomas needed to touch the physical body of the Risen Christ. It was only when Mary heard Jesus speak her name that she came to an Easter faith. The disciples who were walking to the village of Emmaus following Jesus’ death and resurrection, only recognized that the stranger who was walking with them was the Risen Christ when he broke bread during the meal reminding them of when Jesus’ broke bread at the Last Supper.
Which of the senses to you rely on the most to help you experience the Risen Christ in your life? The sermon through listening? The visual of symbols of our faith like the cross in the front of our sanctuary? The smell of the Easter lilies on Easter Sunday that remind you of new life? The taste of the bread and grape juice when you receive the Sacrament of Holly Communion? The touch of water in the baptismal font when you are baptized or renew your baptism? What are some other ways you encounter the presence of the Risen Christ through your senses?
Pastor Robert shared the story of a church member who went on a mission trip to Haiti. That experience of people living in extreme poverty and seeing people eating rotting garbage just to survive gave her a new awareness of the scriptures that talk about God’s concern for the poor. That sensory experience of attending a mission trip was one of the most transformative spiritual events of her life.
Share an experience that you had in which you become more aware of God’s presence and love for all people.
Our appointed New Testament reading from I Peter 1:8 says, “Although you do not see him (Christ), you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an in describe and glorious joy…” And in our Gospel reading, Jesus tells Thomas and the disciples, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” These verses remind us that there is a special blessing for those who are open to experiencing the Risen Christ through the use of our senses.
Close with this prayer from Sunday’s worship service and invite God to help you to use all are your senses in experiencing the Risen Christ in your life:
God of resurrection, you know our doubts and our many questions. How can it be that Jesus rose from the dead? How can it be that the Risen Christ is present with us today? How can it be that you can make us alive in Christ? Moments of doubt and disbelief sap our strength. Forgive and restore us. Remind us to be open to the mysterious ways that you make your presence known to us. We pray this in the name of Risen Christ who offers us peace and assurance. Amen.
Sunday, April 16, 2023
Online Worship (April 16) Athens First UMC
Welcome to our
April 16
online worship service!
Athens First UMC
2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701
[Live-Stream Begins @ 10:25 AM]
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Monday, April 10, 2023
Sermon (April 9/Easter Sunday) by Rev. Robert McDowell
For the season of Lent we’ve been focusing on the theme, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” The inspiration for this 7-week sermon series comes from the hymn with that title.
This hymn was written by Isaac Watts, one of the most recognizable of all the hymn writers. He was born in England in 1674. His hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” was published in 1707.
Hymn writers are the poets of the church. Their lyrics are often beautifully written and they help us to not only sing our faith but to remember our faith through their creative poetry.
Even if the sermon is below average which hopefully doesn’t happen that often, we always have the great hymns of faith to penetrate the depths of our souls. Watt’s hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” is definitely a hymn that doesn’t disappoint.
His first three words of this hymn have always stood out for me. “When I survey…” And it just made sense to me that the Season of Lent would be the perfect time of year for us to do some surveying of our relationship with God.
Based on the appointed scripture readings for these past several Sundays, we’ve been surveying the temptations that come our way based on when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness when he began his ministry and overcame those temptations.
We’ve been surveying our faith with the Old Testament story of when Abram and Sara responded to God’s calling to begin a new nation even though they were beyond child-bearing years.
We’ve been surveying our spiritual thirst by focusing on Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well and when Jesus offered her living water that will never leave us thirsty.
We have been surveying our hearts by focusing on another Old Testament story of when the prophet Samuel chose David to be the next king of Israel based on his heart and not on his physical attributes
We have been surveying our grief based on the story of Jesus and Lazarus from John, chapter 11 when Lazarus had died and Jesus wept at the loss of his friend.
And of course, we’ve also been surveying the wondrous cross which we looked at last Sunday which was Palm Sunday, the day that marks the beginning of Holy Week and the events that led to Jesus dying on the cross on Good Friday.
And today, we conclude this series by having this wonderful opportunity to survey the wondrous empty tomb. What does it mean for us to survey the wondrous empty tomb and Jesus’ resurrection?
Now, I know that Mr. Watts didn’t include any mention of Easter in this great hymn of faith but it is certainly implied because the reason it is a wondrous cross is because of the good news that the tomb was empty on that early Easter morning. And notice how John, the Gospel writer creatively begins his telling of that first Easter morning in a very subtle but powerful way. In verse 1 of our Gospel reading, he writes, “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark…”
I believe that John is giving us more than just a time stamp in describing that first Easter morning. John tells us it was still dark. We often think of Good Friday, the day that Jesus died on the cross as a very dark day, a day of tremendous sadness and tragedy. This past Thursday for our Maundy Thursday service, we held a funeral service for Jesus here in our sanctuary because that’s exactly what the disciples were facing when Jesus died on Good Friday.
Placing Jesus in a tomb on Saturday was part of that 1st century funeral process. Bringing spices to the tomb on Sunday morning to pay last respects to Jesus was also part of that funeral and grieving process. The disciples were in a funeral mode following Jesus’ death. They were beginning the hard and difficult journey of grief that we all face from time to time.
“While it was still dark.” Those words remind us that Mary was still in full funeral mode early on that Easter Sunday morning. But we also know to never count out God when we hear those words, “While it was still dark,” because we all know how the Lazarus story ended. That was just 9 chapters earlier in the Gospel of John.
I’ve shared this with you before but remember that John is known for how he creatively tells the story of Jesus by tying it in with the creation story from the Book of Genesis. You may remember that John began his Gospel with the words, “In the beginning.” Those same words begin the Book of Genesis when God created the world. “In the beginning.”
And from there, the Book of Genesis says how “the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep.” There’s that word again, “darkness.” But then the Book of Genesis tells us how God said, “let there be light and there was light.” Even in just those first few verses of the Bible, we learn that God is more than able to bring light out of darkness! God can overcome any darkness we may be facing!
Jesus came to what appeared to be a funeral for Lazarus, a very dark day of grief for Lazarus’s sisters, Mary and Martha, and Jesus himself. But remember, God can overcome any darkness in our lives. There at Lazarus’s tomb, Jesus says a quick prayer, tells them to remove the stone from Lazarus’s tomb, and calls Lazarus to come out! And Lazarus emerges from that dark tomb to new life.
I believe that in telling us this story of Lazarus in the middle of his Gospel, John was preparing you and me for this moment when Mary came to Jesus’ tomb on that Sunday morning, “while it was still dark.” We hear this story and we’re wondering, can God do it again, overcome the darkness of Good Friday?
The Lazarus story and today’s Easter story in John’s Gospel remind us that you can’t really talk about the wondrous empty tomb without also acknowledging the darkness of grief, pain, disappointments, and brokenness that we all experience from time to time. The wondrous empty tomb doesn’t have near the impact if we weren’t also there at the foot of the cross just 3 days ago on Good Friday.
In the sporting world, we sometimes hear the phrase, “The Great Comeback” to describe how a team came back from what looked like a sure and certain defeat and end up winning the game.
How many fans leave a football or a baseball game early, thinking that their team can’t possibly come back and win. And by the time those fans make it to the parking lot, they hear the stadium erupt in a thunderous cheer because of a fumble recovery in the closing seconds that led to a score or a grand slam home run in the bottom of the 9th!
The empty tomb was the greatest comeback in all of human history. Jesus who was crucified, dead, and buried was now alive and greets Mary there at the empty tomb with these surprising words, “Mary, why are you weeping?” The comeback of Jesus Christ was a victory over death, the grave, and sin.
Many of Jesus’ disciples left from Good Friday thinking, “game over.” But there were some that lingered at the cross on that dark Friday. And then we have Mary who was still willing to visit the tomb on that early Sunday morning while it was still dark and she was the first to see the Risen Lord.
When we stand at the graveside of a loved one, we hear these words of hope and promise, “Almighty God, into your hands we commend this person in sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Those words are a power reminder to us that even in the midst of the darkness of our pain and grief, the game isn’t over.
I’ll never forget one of those times that I shared these words of hope at a graveside service for one of our church members. I’ve learned over my 35 years of pastoral ministry to never, ever underestimate the power of saying those words for loved ones who have grieving hearts.
It was a very cold and cloudy winter day. Everybody was bundled up. When the cemetery service had concluded, this elderly gentleman, now a widower continued to stay seated there by the grave of his wife.
By the look on his face, I knew he wanted to tell me and the family members who were near him something very important. After several moments of silence he looked straight ahead and said, “When you were saying that last prayer, the sun emerged through the clouds from behind you and it was shining so brightly. And it brought so much warmth.”
And I knew that by the way he told me this that he wasn’t giving me a weather update. He was experiencing a God Moment or as we like to call it, a Thin Place moment. For him, the clouds of death and grief had given way to an assurance of God’s presence at the top of that cold and blustery cemetery hill.
I nodded my head to indicate that I understood what he meant. And as he got up from his chair and slowly headed to his cars, he kept repeating to himself, “It was the strangest thing. It was the strangest thing.”
When we survey the wondrous empty tomb especially when we are going through a time of darkness and grief, that empty tomb sometimes leaves us saying, “It is the strangest thing.”
Penny and I were having a conversation with one of our elderly neighbors this past fall. She loves telling us about her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren. As she was telling us about them, she said something we will never forget.
She said that she was just starting to make arrangements to have her whole family go to Disney World this spring. She said that it might be her last opportunity to go to Disney World because of her age.
And I said, “wow, that’s really very generous of you. Isn’t that going to be really expensive to pay for everyone?”
And this great big smile came to her face, and she said, “It is, but you know how I’m going to pay for it? After I saw how much my burial plots are worth now compared to when I bought them, I decided to just go ahead and sell them to help pay for this one last big trip to be together with my family.”
The joy on her face was priceless!
Now, that’s what I call, surveying the empty tomb!
When I Survey the Wondrous Empty Tomb
Sermon Discussion Questions
John 20:1-18
April 9, 2023
So far during this series, we have surveyed our temptations (February 26), our faith (March 5), our spiritual thirst (March 12), our hearts (March 19), our grief (March 26), and the wondrous cross (April 2). For this Sunday which is Easter Sunday, we are focusing on surveying the wondrous empty tomb.
Which of these areas of our lives that we have been invited to survey stands out for you the most? How has surveying these areas helped you to experience new life and transformation? What are some areas that continue to be a challenge?
In our Gospel reading which describes that first Easter morning, John tells us about Mary who went to visit Jesus’ tomb early that morning, “while it was still dark.” This description that it was still dark reminds us of the darkness that started when Jesus was arrested, crucified on a cross, and placed in a tomb. John may also be alluding to the creation story in the Book of Genesis when we are told that “the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep.” And then we are told in that story that God said, “let there be light and there was light.” Based on this observation, Pastor Robert said, “The wondrous empty tomb doesn’t have near the impact if we weren’t also there at the foot of the cross just 3 days ago on Good Friday.”
In what ways do you see the wondrous cross connected with the wondrous empty tomb?
The wondrous empty tomb when Jesus rose from the dead is the greatest comeback in history. The good news of Easter centers on the belief that God raised Jesus from the dead. Another great comeback story was when Jesus raised his friend, Lazarus from the dead in John chapter 11, but he would eventually die again. The significant difference between these two incredible “comeback stories” was that Jesus’ resurrection meant that he would never die again! Because of the good news of Easter and the wondrous empty tomb, this is what gives us hope that one day God will raise his people to new life and this world will be made new again!
Share some ways that can help you to continue to survey the wondrous empty tomb and the good news of Easter.
Pastor Robert shared the story of a church member who continued to survey the wondrous empty tomb. During the graveside service for his dear wife, he felt the presence of the Risen Christ when the sun mysteriously started shining through the gray clouds and cold winter air when these closing words were shared, “Almighty God, into your hands we commend your servant in sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The husband could be heard saying upon leaving the graveside, “I could feel the warmth of the sun. It was the strangest thing. It was the strangest thing.”
Share when you have felt the presence of the Risen Christ in the midst of your times of darkness and grief.
Close your time by offering this prayer from Sunday’s worship service which ties in with Isaac Watt’s wonderful hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.”:
God of resurrection and new life, your wondrous cross has led us to a wondrous empty tomb! As we survey the good news of your victory over sin and death on this Easter Sunday, lead us to be your resurrection people. Lead us to claim the abundant and eternal life you have made possible for each one of us. Lead us from our tombs of fear and despair that we may walk as children of the resurrection. Lead us to share the good news of the empty tomb with others. Forbid it Lord that we should boast, save in the death and resurrection of Christ, our God. All the vain things that charm us most, we sacrifice them to Christ who lived, died, and rose again! Amen!
Sunday, April 9, 2023
Online Worship (April 9/Easter Sunday) Athens First UMC
Welcome to our
April 9 (Easter Sunday)
online worship service!
Athens First UMC
2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701
[Live-Stream Begins @ 10:25 AM]
Thursday, April 6, 2023
Online Worship (Maundy Thursday/April 6) Athens First UMC
Welcome to our
April 6, 7 PM (Maundy Thursday)
online worship service!
Athens First UMC
2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701
[Live-Stream Begins @ 6:45 PM]
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Monday, April 3, 2023
Sermon (April 2/Palm Sunday) by Rev. Robert McDowell
There is a story about a young boy who had the annoying habit of speaking in rhyme. One day, his father who was a preacher grew exasperated and said, “Son, I am going to spank the poetry out of you!”
The young boy responded, “Oh father, do some pity take and no more poetry shall I make.”
Well, thank goodness the father couldn’t spank the poetry out of the boy because that boy was Isaac Watts, who would later write the hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” which has been our season of Lent focus for these past several weeks.
Watts who was born in England, wrote this magnificent hymn in 1707. Thanks to his incredible gift of poetry, he is probably the most well known of all the hymn writers.
During this Season of Lent, we have been using this hymn to help us survey the different spiritual areas of our lives. These have included surveying our temptations, our faith, our spiritual thirst, our hearts, and last Sunday we focused on surveying our griefs.
Today, we have finally arrived at the title of this hymn and on this Palm Sunday, we survey the wondrous cross. What does it mean to survey the wondrous cross?
We often refer to this day on the church calendar as Palm Sunday with an emphasis on the crowd who waved palm branches at Jesus as he rode a donkey into the city of Jerusalem. But really, the full title of this Sunday is “Palm/Passion Sunday” because this day marks the beginning of Holy Week, the last days of Jesus before he shared in a Last Supper with his disciples on Thursday, and was crucified on Friday, and then laid in a tomb on Saturday.
This is why our service begins with a parade where we wave palm branches in celebration of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, but around mid-way through this service, it transitions into a more somber and reflective mood. This last part of the worship service helps us to prepare for the difficult events that will be occurring later this week when we observe Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday when Jesus was placed in a tomb.
Several years ago in a church I was serving, we, along with several other churches in our community participated in a Good Friday service. It was the custom for the host pastor to offer a welcome before the service began.
I will never forget the one year that a host pastor greeted everyone before the Good Friday service was to begin. The organist had just finished a very somber, but beautiful prelude to help set the tone for the service.
The host pastor goes to the microphone and with a big smile on his face exclaims, “Welcome y’all! How are you all doing tonight?”
I wanted to respond to his cheery greeting with this snarky but honest comment, “Can’t you read the room?? We’re all really sad! Jesus died on the cross!”
All I could think about was that I sure hope he doesn’t begin his funeral services that way. “How are y’all doing?” What do you mean, how are you all doing?
Holy Week services are meant to help us enter into that very dark and sad time when Jesus was arrested, crucified on a cross and then laid in a tomb. This week is meant to be a time for us to survey the wondrous cross and what Jesus’ death on the cross means to us.
This is why our Maundy Thursday service this week will be more like a funeral service this year to help us appreciate even more the depth of sadness and fear that the disciples would have experienced when Jesus died on the cross. I invite you to join us this Thursday at 7 PM for this creative way to help us to survey the wondrous cross.
A while back, I was listening to a podcast that featured a noted New Testament scholar and he was asked the question, “What part of the Bible would you recommend for someone to read if they are curious about the Christian faith?”
It was an interesting question because in my mind, I could think of a number of different scripture passages that I might suggest to someone. But this scholar’s choice of scripture stood out for me. He recommended that the person read any of the crucifixion narratives that can be found in all four of the Gospels.
He then said, I would have that person not only read the story of when Jesus was crucified on the cross, but really let that story sink into his or her heart and mind of just how much God loves them. I remember thinking to myself, “Yes, that is so true. If only we would take time to survey the wondrous cross.”
We don’t really need to try to convince somebody that God loves them. All we really need to do is to point them to this very powerful and profound story of Good Friday. And then to simply point out that Jesus was willing to take upon his shoulders all of the evil and pain that the world could throw at him, and through his suffering and death, reveal the incredible depth of God’s love for us.
When we survey the wondrous cross, we are not simply reading about a horrible tragedy. We are witnessing the generous love of God for the world personified in the person of Jesus who is the embodiment of God. Do you want to know who God is like? Look to Jesus who emptied himself to the point of dying on the cross for our sake.
When you are feeling lonely and wondering if anybody cares, look to the cross and remember that this is how much God loves you. When you are in need of direction and guidance because you are facing a challenging situation in your life, look to the cross and remember that this is how much God loves you.
When you are feeling weak, confused and afraid, look to the cross and remember that this is how much God loves you. When you are carrying the guilt of past regrets and shame, look to the cross and remember that this is how much God loves you and forgives you.
When Jesus died on the cross on that Good Friday, God was saying, “I love you more than you can ever imagine, even to the point of absorbing all of the evil, pain, and suffering that the world can throw at you. I love you this much!”
Or copy and paste the poetry of this hymn writer and carry these words from verse 3 with you at all times:
“See, from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down. Did e’re such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown.” Thank you, Mr. Isaac Watts for putting into poetry what the cross of Jesus means for us. The cross is where love and sorrow met.
Love and sorrow. That’s what we get with the cross. This is why a large cross hangs in front of our sanctuary, to always remind us of the very heart and soul of our faith, God’s unconditional, overflowing, and abundant love for you and me made known to us through Jesus’ death on the cross.
Riley Short is a United Methodist pastor who serves in Florida. He talks about always having a special love for the crucifix. When he was a child, he had a neighbor who was a very committed Roman Catholic. She shared what the cross meant to her and her words had a powerful impact on his life.
She simply said to him, “Jesus died on the cross for you.” That’s all she said! “Jesus died on the cross for you.”
Riley then shares how later, he had a seminary professor who taught a course entitled, “Doctrines of the Redemption” and even that course didn’t come close to explaining the cross the way his neighbor did for him when he was a little boy.
“Jesus died for you.” Those were words that he has never forgotten to this day and it’s what has made a profound difference in his life even to this day.
He goes on to say that there is a world of people who want to hear that message and who need to hear that message. There are hurting, confused, and lost people who want to experience the love of Christ shown so dramatically on the cross. This is what happens when people survey the wondrous cross.
When God created the world, he said at the end of each day’s creation, “It is good.” And notice that in John’s Gospel account of Jesus’ crucifixion, that his last words before he died were, “It is finished.”
“It is good. It is finished.”
When we survey the wondrous cross, we are surveying a God who not only created us but who also sent us Jesus who redeems and saves us from our sins. When we survey the wondrous cross, it leads us to sing, “love so amazing, so divine.”
Several years ago, a man is getting ready to head off for the day. He is anxious about many things and on top of that, he’s already late for work. And as he stands in front of the mirror in his bedroom and puts on his necktie, he can’t help but notice, as he looks over at his closet, that his little three year old daughter has been taking the shoestrings out from several of his shoes.
All he can think about is how this will make him even more late for work. As he continues to put on his tie, he then feels a tug on his pant leg. Annoyed and still in a hurry, he says, “Sweetie, daddy doesn’t have time for this. We’re going to be late getting you to day-care.”
She tugs again at his pant leg and again he says, “Please, not now, honey.” She taps him on the leg again, and this time, she points toward the middle of the bedroom floor and with her eyes beaming she says, “Look what I made, daddy! It’s Jesus’ cross!”
And sure enough, there in the middle of the floor were two of the several shoestrings she had taken out of his shoes. She had one over top of the other, forming the shape of Jesus’ cross.
Thanks to a little girl who reminded her daddy of the importance of Jesus’ cross, somehow, all of those many distractions and worries didn’t seem as important anymore. In that unexpected holy moment, that shoestring cross reminded him of love so amazing, so divine.
And you know what? That day ended up being one of the best days of my life.
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Sermon Discussion Question
John 19:16a-30
April 2, 2023
During this Season of Lent, our sermon series is based on the hymn “When I Survey the Wondrous” cross written by Isaac Watts in 1707. He based this hymn on Galatians 6:14, “May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to, and I to the world.” This is usually sung during Lent and Holy Week because it emphasizes the importance of dying to things that are keeping us from having a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
What are some things that you would like to “die to” in this Season of Lent so that you can grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ?
So far during this series, we have surveyed our temptations (February 26), our faith (March 5), our spiritual thirst (March 12), our hearts (March 19), and our grief (March 26). For this Sunday which is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week, we are focusing on surveying the wondrous cross.
Since the cross is closely associated with Good Friday when Jesus was crucified, what feelings and thoughts do you have about this day during Holy Week?
A podcast that featured a noted New Testament scholar was asked the question, “What part of the Bible would you recommend for someone to read if they are curious about the Christian faith?” Without any hesitation, this bible scholar recommended that the person begin by reading one of the crucifixion narratives that are found in all four Gospels. He then said to have the person not just read the story of when Jesus was crucified but to all this story to sink into his or her heart and mind of just how much God loves them.
Take some time and read John 19:16-30, the Good Friday story as described in the Gospel of John which was our appointed gospel reading this past Sunday during worship (see the scripture reading below.) As you read it, reflect on what this story means to you.
So they took Jesus, 17 and carrying the cross by himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’ ” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” 23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. 24 So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it but cast lots for it to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill what the scripture says, “They divided my clothes among themselves,and for my clothing they cast lots.” 25 And that is what the soldiers did. Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.”27 Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. 28 After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
This past Sunday, Pastor Robert shared the story that happened to him several years ago when he was getting ready for work one day and he was feeling anxious about the day ahead. As he was getting ready for work, he noticed that his preschool age daughter was in his closet removing all of the shoe strings from his shoes! Later, as he continued to get ready for work, she came over to him and said, “Daddy, look what I made on the floor! I made Jesus’ cross!” And sure enough, she had placed one shoe string over another forming the cross. Pastor Robert said that day ended up being one of the best days of his life and he will never forget how his daughter helped him to survey the wondrous cross of Jesus.
What are some ways that help you to survey the wondrous cross and know just how much Jesus loves you unconditionally and abundantly?
Pray this prayer from Sunday’s worship service as you reflect on the wondrous cross during Holy Week:
O God, we wave our palm branches in praise of Jesus! We love a good parade and we are all praising you! You are the long awaited Messiah; the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! We confess that we do not want this parade to end. We are reluctant to follow Jesus to Good Friday because we know that this will lead to pain, suffering, and death. Give us the strength we need to continue you to follow you this week. May the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died lead us to say, “love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all!” Amen.
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