Sermon for April 26

So,

When things are going well and everything is just coming up roses, we are usually pretty confident that God is with us and is blessing us.

We believe that God is smiling down and that is why everything is so good.

But what about when things aren’t so good?

I think the reality is for many of us, then aren’t quite as sure.

If things are bad for just a moment, then the feeling is often fleeting and easily dismissed. But what do we do with our understanding of our relationship with God when we are suffering?

This is really important stuff, because for some of us, we are only one tragedy away from really questioning our faith, and maybe losing it entirely.

Why?

Well part of the reason is because we have come to assume that God doesn’t want us to suffer, and that if we were God’s chosen, then we wouldn’t, even though the New Testament makes it abundantly clear that is not the case.

Suffering, struggling, persecution, difficulties, illness, financial disasters, and relationship problems are all part of the life of a follower of Jesus.

Jesus even reminds his followers in a passage I’ll be preaching about in two weeks, that “blessed are” those who are struggle, in what is called the beatitudes in Luke and in Matthew.

Because in weakness, God’s power is revealed!

Like in these two stories of resurrection power told in Luke 5 about a man with leprosy and about another man with really cool friends who was paralyzed!

In the first Jesus is busy traveling early in his ministry, preaching the good news, and folks had begun to realize that Jesus was an amazing speaker and that he was really something much more.

Entering a town Jesus is recognized by a man with leprosy.

Leprosy is a disease that causes nerves in the extremities to stop working. Because of that, people with untreated leprosy often cause injury to themselves without knowing it, which then results in infections, the death of parts of the body, and then disfigurement.

Leprosy was also a bit of a broad category in biblical times for any skin disease that could cause the skin to go bad and so in the Old Testament book of Leviticus, there were rules about how to treat people with the disease.

One of the requirements was that people considered to have leprosy were to live outside the villages, stay away from everyone, announce their own presence by shouting “unclean”, and only go to the priest to be declared “clean” if the skin disease left them.

But this man, somehow realizing who Jesus is, approaches, doesn’t shout “unclean” falls on his knees and tells Jesus, “Lord, you have the power to make me well, if only you wanted to.”

While being safe, and healthy, and financially well off can make us complacent, sometimes suffering can propel us into the presence of God.

Because in weakness, God’s power is revealed!

And then we see resurrection power at work, as Jesus declares, “I want to” and touches the leper, healing him, and sending him off to the priest to be declared clean.

Suffering is always an opportunity to see the power of God at work. It is also an opportunity for the people of God to bring resurrection power to bear on the needs of suffering people.

I know you have heard that our Deacons fed 163 people through our food pantry last month. That number is going to go up, and our Deacons could use your support. Go to Tithe.ly and make a donation to the Deacons. Write a check and send it in. Do your part to put resurrection power to work.

Together, we can do this.

It is not something we can do alone. It’s not something Jesus did alone, empowered by prayer, and by a community of disciples all learning how to apply resurrection power.

The second story isn’t about a man who recognized Jesus and asked to be healed, but rather about a man whose friends recognized Jesus and wanted the paralyzed man to see Jesus.

Oh my, isn’t that the gospel in a package tied up with a bow! Individuals and communities so desiring the healing of friends, and family, and the community and the world that they are literally willing to do anything to get them into the presence of Jesus!

While Jesus was debating with the Pharisees their understanding of the law and how holy people need to be to come into God’s presence (they thought they were holy enough, but the paralyzed man was not), the man’s friends climbed onto the roof of the house, cut a hole and lowered their friend down.

Wow! When was the last time you tried that hard to get someone you know and love or perhaps someone you don’t much like at all into Jesus presence?

And since Jesus knew that the Pharisees thought the man was paralyzed because he was a sinner and therefore unacceptable to God, Jesus forgave the man’s sins just like that, just like God does, so now he could hang out there all day with Jesus, God incarnate!

Suffering, struggles, pain, sadness are the very places God is, always. In those times we are in God’s presence. We are not suffering because God has abandoned us! God has chosen to join us in our suffering through Christ.

But, just in case some were unclear about it all, Jesus told the paralyzed man to get up and walk.

O, dear Pharisees, thinking your holiness is so amazing that you could walk right into God’s presence (and in this case not even recognize God) and that another man’s struggles are evidence of his sin, look again!

He is rolling up his mat and going home. His friends are rejoicing. They all believe in a God of joy, of miracles, and healing, and resurrection power.

They see right here God’s presence. How about you?

Do you see God’s presence in the trials and tribulations?

Do you see Jesus in your suffering?

Do you understand that our calling as followers of Christ is to find every person laid low and bring them to the master, the one who walked out of the tomb?

Are you ready to stand up, roll up your mat, and follow him?

Can you see in the troubles that surround you, the incredible presence of Him who is risen, risen indeed?

Come, grab a corner of the blanket, and we will take our friends, our family, our world to see him who knows our troubles and loves us, and forgives us, and promises us eternal life.

Because in weakness, God’s power is revealed! Amen.