But God

March 31, 2013

Easter Sunday Luke 24:1-12 Acts 10:34-43 I Corinthians 15:19-26

Have you ever been in a situation where you seemed to have come to the end of your rope, where there was no one to turn to, no one to call, no help in sight and you have very nearly resigned yourself to whatever fate was about to drop on your head when suddenly everything changed? This week I read a story about a man in California who went for a walk in the park with his dog, something that he does all the time, but this week it all turned out differently. This week as they were in the middle of the woods in the park, his dog stopped, refused to go further, began whining, and pulled him off the trail. There, under a tree, was a hole the size of a dinner plate and, as the dog sniffed the hole and the man looked down into it, he realized that there was a pair of eyes looking back at him from the hole and a faint voice that asked for water. In the hole was a homeless man who had gone under the tree looking for some shelter and fell in the hole. He had been trapped there for four days. He would have died but there was this dog. Not every situation of this kind is a life or death struggle. Sometimes younger workers are spared in a cycle of layoff because a few of the older guys decided to retire. Sometimes a new contract comes through just before the money runs out. Sometimes we hold on by a thread through the generosity of our family, friends and church. Whatever it was, many of us have been through times when we though we couldnt make it, but we did, thanks to the intervention of another person, or through the grace of God himself. In all of history, in all of the works of literature, there is no word that heralds the unexpected greater than the word but. There is no word that prepares us to expect change, like the word but. After being trapped for four days the man in the hole thought that he was going to die, but there was this dog. If we connect this amazing and powerful word, but, and we connect it with the creator of the universe, this becomes an earth shattering, world changing combination but God. Baby Moses would have died but God prepares a way out. Moses was a shepherd in the wilderness, happily minding his own business but God has other plans. Israel was trapped against the Red Sea but God makes a way forward. David was a cheating, wife stealing, murderer but God uses him anyway. Gideon was a coward from a family and a town almost no one ever heard of but God calls him mighty warrior. That is the story that we remember at Easter. No matter what is happening in your life, no matter where you have been, no matter what you have done, no matter what others think of you, when you add the words, but God, everything changes. Let us begin on this Easter morning with these words from Luke 24:1-12 1

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again. 8 Then they remembered his words.
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When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. Jesus had died on the cross on Friday and buried before the Passover holiday began at sunset. The tomb had been sealed and a guard had been posted to keep disciples, zealots, and grave robbers away. The women, friends and followers of Jesus, go to the tomb on Sunday morning to do what could not be done on Friday evening; they go to the tomb expecting to find everything the way that they left it but God. Whenever we say that, the world changes. Jesus was dead, but now he isnt. The tomb was full, but now it isnt. There used to be a bunch of Roman guards, but now there arent. Everything has changed in an instant because of those two words. Peter wonders to himself what had happened, but over the course of the next few weeks, he begins to understand. Peter and the rest of the disciples meet the risen Christ, speak with him, eat with him, touch him, even placing their hands inside his wounds, and they begin to understand. In Acts 10:34-43, Peter explains to the world what has happened
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Then Peter began to speak: I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
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We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosenby us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. Peter says You know what happened. You know what Jesus did. We are witnesses of everything that he did. They killed him by hanging him on a cross but God. There it is again. There are those two words that change the world. Jesus was dead but God. Peter says that he and his friends used to be 2

fishermen and tax collectors and ordinary men and women but God has now made them all teachers and preachers and missionaries. Witnesses are called upon to testify and so, all of those who are witnesses of the miracles and the teaching of Jesus Christ are commanded to tell the world what has happened. But as wonderful as this news is, it isnt the end. Remember I said that those two words change everything. In I Corinthians 15:19-26, the Apostle Paul writes this:
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If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

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But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. Jesus was dead and buried but God. The world changed, and Paul reminds us that it isnt just the world that we live in that has changed. It isnt just the seventy or eighty years that we are allowed to live on planet Earth that have changed. Human beings, as a group, and as individuals, tend to be a sorry bunch. We make mistakes and do stupid stuff a lot. Not one of us can claim a life that even remotely approaches perfection, but that is exactly the standard of a perfect God. Every one of us has committed offenses against God that require us to pay the penalty of death. We deserve to die but God. Because of what Jesus did on Friday evening and on Easter morning, death itself has been destroyed. Every one of Gods children has fallen short of perfection but God has made a way for us to be made perfect. We were all doomed to pay the penalty for the things that we have done but God has allowed Jesus Christ to pay that penalty for us. That is the story that we remember at Easter. No matter what is happening in your life, no matter where you have been, no matter what you have done, no matter what others think of you, when you add the words, but God, everything changes. In Ephesians 2:12-13, Paul says, remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Whatever it is that makes you think that you are separate from God, whatever it is that makes you think that you dont belong, whatever it is that makes you feel like an outsider, whatever it is that makes you feel like youre not good enough, whatever it is that makes you feel like you are without hope and without God that thing is exactly what Easter is all about. 3

In Colossians 3:7, Paul says, You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. You used to be separate, you used to be an outsider, you used to but God changed everything. Now, because of the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you dont have to be any of those things. You are a new creation. As long as we keep doing what witnesses do, as long as we testify to others about the miracles that we have seen and the teaching that we have heard, we will continue to change the world one life at a time. Those two words, but God have changed the world and they can change your life. You used to be separate; you used to be an outsider but not any more. Jesus says: Welcome to the family.

You have been reading a message presented at Trinity United Methodist Church on the date noted at the top of the first page. Rev. John Partridge is the pastor at Trinity of Perry heights in Massillon, Ohio. Duplication of this message is a part of our Media ministry, if you have received a blessing in this way, we would love to hear from you. Letters and donations in support of the Media ministry or any of our other projects may be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church, 3757 Lincoln Way E., Massillon, Ohio 44646. These messages are available to any interested persons regardless of membership. You may subscribe to these messages, in print or electronic formats, by writing to the address noted, or by contacting us at subscribe@trinityperryheights.org. If you have questions, you can ask them in our discussion forum on Facebook (search for Pastor John Online). These messages can also be found online at http://www.scribd.com/Pastor John Partridge. All Scripture references are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.