This is how the Book of Job begins. According to the first verse of the first chapter, Job lived in the land of Uz. That information is important for one reason. Uz was a large piece of land to the east of the Jordan River. That means, Job lived outside of Israel, so the story of Job was not just written for Israelites. The story of Job was written for everyone’s benefit. Yet, there is more to his story than location. The same verse also tells us he was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil. Don’t misunderstand those words. Job was a good man, but Job was a sinner, like us, at heart. Job was a good man with a good life. Verse two tells us he had seven sons, the perfect number. Plus, he had three daughters. Verse three tells us he has seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and numerous servants. What all that means is that Job was rich. Verse three tells us Job was the greatest man of all the people in the East. However, Job wasn’t just rich in resources, he was rich in relationships. He maintained and valued all the relationships in his life. Job was a good man and Job had a good life. Never forget the next line. We are good people and we have good lives too.

This is a historic day in the life of this congregation. Last week, I completed my twenty-fifth year of service here at Western Reserve. That means, today I begin my twenty-sixth year. This church has changed a great deal over the years. Some have asked why I didn’t move on. Some wish I had moved on. When I first came here, I came for my parents. They lived in Warren and I wanted to be close to them. When my parents died, I stayed for my children. This is a great community in which to raise your family. When my children moved out, I stayed for me. I had become part of this community. The truth be told, I had opportunities to move on to other more exciting churches, where I would have made more money, but I refused. I shunned those attempts to be moved by the United Methodist hierarchy, because this is where God wants me to be. That is fine with me, because you are good people and we have good lives. I like to think I lost nothing by not moving and gained a great deal by staying. Those of us who have lived our lives here in the Mahoning Valley are hard on ourselves. We don’t say it very often, but we, like Job, have good lives. Just think about it for a moment.

You have a good life because you have your health! Did you know, according to Medicare and Medicaid sources, 52% of people turning 65 will need long term care in their lives. Long term care means five years or longer. Did you know, according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, 4.2% of Americans live in nursing homes at any given time. Those figures do not surprise me. I can fill my calendar with visiting the institutionalized. Those are exhausting visits.

The picture is always the same. The resident is always in bed and the television is on in the background. No one is is watching. A tray with half-eaten food is on the side. The words are awkward, as I look for common ground. We visit the past for a couple of minutes, and I end with a prayer. When the prayer is over, the resident looks at me and says, “Russ, I wish I could come back to church one more time.”  You have a good life because you are here today. You have a good life because you have your health!

You have a good life because people are a big part of your life! Sometimes those people are family members. Sometimes those people are friends. Regardless, the people in your life bring you happiness. A recent Harvard study tells us, having strong relationships in our lives promotes brain heath. Friends help us relieve stress, make better choices, and recover from health problems. Can I ask you a question? How many friends do you have? How many friends do you have at this church? Those friendships are extremely valuable because you share the same core values. You have a good life because you have friends!

You have a good life because you live in a true community! Community has nothing to do with economic opportunity or growth. Community has nothing to do with weather. Community has everything to do with a sense of belonging. Webster defines a community as a group of people who live in the same place or have a certain thing in common. We live in a great community because we care about one another. How many fundraisers have you attended for someone who was injured in an accident, or struck with a disease? How many silent auctions have you entered? It would be nice to win the basket, but it really doesn’t matter. The only thing that really matters is that you helped someone in this community. You have a good life because you live in a true community!

You have a good life because you live in the United States of America! Did you know, according to the United Nations, there are 196 countries in the world today. 194 of those countries are members of the United Nations. (The two countries who are not members of the UN are the Vatican City and Palestine.) The UN exists to tackle global issues. According to US News and World Report, the world considers Germany the greatest country in the world to live in, followed by Canada and Great Britain. The United States is number four. Did you know, according to the Pew Research Group, 85% of Americans believe America is the greatest country in the world? It is hard to disagree with that fact. I love visiting other countries, but I am always ready to come home. You have a good life because you live in the United States of America!

You have a good life because you are a disciple of Jesus Christ! This is the sad truth: On the day you die, your American citizenship is revoked. You have a good life because you are a disciple of Jesus Christ. When you die, your American citizenship ends, but your citizenship in the Kingdom of God continues. Your time in heaven is eternal. Never forget it: You are not saved by your good works. You are saved by grace, and by grace alone!

If only we could end the story of Job after the fifth verse of the first chapter, it would be a good thing. The problem is, the story of Job continues. Next week, we discover the source of all human suffering. Let me give you a teaser, it isn’t God. The problem is, the story of Job does continue and all the good things in his life are taken from him. Yet, Job prevails in the faith and he continues to worship God. If it is true of Job, then it is true of us. When hardship comes to your life, how will you respond? Will you prevail in the faith, or will you walk away and curse God? It is a question you must answer for yourself. Chuck Swindoll is an evangelical Christian. He is an author, preacher and radio host. He founded Insight for Living, which is now broadcasted on over 2000 station in fifteen different countries around the world. He once said, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”  Let me end with this daily scene from my home.

Every day, I wake between 6:00 and 7:00. The house is quiet because my children are gone, and Kathryn is still down. I start the coffee, check the weather, and log into my bank account to make sure everything is accountable. Then, I walk my dog and call a good friend. Then, I sit down and work on my sermon in the quiet. It is during those quiet times that I begin to worry about some minor details in my life. There seems to be an endless supply. My dog Macy, the world’s best dog, is getting older and that bothers me. My granddaughter is getting older and I worry I haven’t spent enough time with her. My daughters are transitioning and that worries me. There is only so much I can do for them. I worry about my Aunt Phyllis. She is eighty-six and the family matriarch. She is completely healthy, but I worry she won’t make it to the big family wedding next summer. I begin to worry about my refrigerator, because it is sixteen years old and is making a funny noise. I worry about my wife, and I worry about the strain she will be under when she leads the next mission trip to the former Soviet Union. I worry about myself. Maybe my allergies aren’t allergies. Maybe they are masking a more serious problem? Life is moving fast and there are so many things I still want to do. I am not saying my worries paralyze me, but I will admit they weigh me down. Then, I take a shower and go to work.

In my job, every day is different, yet every day is the same. Every day, I connect with all kinds of people. Some communication is by text. Some communication is done face to face. Some is done by phone or email. I have asked the question a million times: what is happening in your life? Usually, what is happening in your life is not good. People tell me they spend too much time going to funeral homes. People tell me they spend too much money at the doctor’s. People tell me about some major problem in their home. People tell me about the broken relationships in their lives, or in their children’s lives. I can field your problems easily, because they are your problems. However, it is my problems that stagger me. However, in all those discussions a transition takes place. Hearing everyone else’s problems minimalizes my problems. At the end of the day, I walk into my home, look at my wife, and say, “We have good lives.”  That is what I want to tell you. We have good lives. We are American Christians who worship together; how much more can you expect?

I love this old preaching story. In Spain, a father and son had become estranged. The son ran away, and the father set off to find him. He searched for months to no avail. Finally, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in a Madrid newspaper. The ad read:

Dear Paco,

Meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you.

Your Father.

On Saturday, 800 Paco’s showed up, looking for forgiveness and love from their fathers. Don’t tell me the relationship between a father and their children isn’t important! With this story in mind, let us look at this morning’s scripture lesson.

We find ourselves in the eighth chapter of Luke. Jesus and the disciples are in Galilee. That fact is important because the Master was extremely popular there. The crowds followed him everywhere. One of the people in the crowd on that day was a man by the name of Jairus. In his little corner of the world, he was a significant man. Luke tells us he was a ruler in the local synagogue. What does that mean? Not being a member of the clergy, his position was not liturgical in nature. He acted more as an administrator or trustee. Sometimes, the position was paid. Sometimes, it was volunteer. Regardless, the position was always held by a respected, good man in the congregation. Jairus was a good man, yet hardship does not discriminate. This good man was facing his greatest nightmare. His only daughter, twelve years old, was dying. Emotionally and physically exhausted, Jairus fights his way through the crowd to ask Jesus for a miracle. Jesus is his only hope.

I read verses 40-42 countless times this week. With every reading, I was more moved by the emotions of the father. It isn’t just Jairus’ nightmare. It is every parent’s nightmare: the death of their children. I do not know how you can read this story and not be moved. She was twelve years old and her life was just beginning. However, the story is not so much about death. In the end, the girl lives. It is a story about parenting. There is no other way to say it: This story reminds us that parenting is hard. If you want to be a good father, then you had better be prepared to give more than your sperm. You’d better be prepared to give your life. This story gives us three divine truths about fatherhood. They are as true today as they were in his day.

Important

There is an old story about a young man standing in front of a judge. He was about to hear his sentence. It was an awkward moment for the judge, because he had known the young man since childhood, for he was well acquainted with his father – a famous legal scholar and the author of an exhaustive study entitled, “The Law of Trusts.” “Do you remember your father?” asked the magistrate. “I remember him well, your honor,” came the reply. Then, trying to probe the offender’s conscience, the judge said, “As you are about to be sentenced and as you think of your wonderful dad, what do you remember most clearly about him?” There was a pause. Then the judge received an answer he had not expected. “I remember when I went to him for advice. He looked up at me from the book he was writing and said, ‘Run along, boy; I’m busy!’ When I went to him for companionship, he turned me away, saying “Run along, son; this book must be finished!’ Your honor, you remember him as a great lawyer. I remember him as a lost friend.” The magistrate muttered to himself, “Alas! Finished the book, but he lost the boy!”

First, fatherhood is important. In other words, your children must be the top priority in your life. Fathers do much more than pay the bills. Mothers may love their children unconditionally, but fathers add a sense of security and stability to the home. That is extremely important. A father’s presence makes a great difference in the life of a child. These statistics are a few years old, but they still ring true. They come from the U. S. Department of Justice.

1. 43% of US children live in fatherless homes.
2. 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes.
3. 80% of rapists come from fatherless homes.
4. 71% of pregnant teenagers come from fatherless homes.
5. 63% of youth suicides come from fatherless homes.

Don’t tell me fathers aren’t important. If you want to be a good father, then make your children your top priority. Do your children know they are your top priority? Fatherhood is important.

Challenging

Second, fatherhood is challenging. One of the most intimidating things in life is bringing a newborn home from the hospital. Babies don’t come with instruction books. The truth is, you just do the best you can. It isn’t just true of newborns; it is true at every age. Most of the time that is good enough. The truth is, just when you grow comfortable with newborns, they are no longer newborns. They are toddlers. Just when you get used to toddlers, they become preschoolers. Then, they go to school. Then they start taking all those classes and joining all those teams. Then comes middle school and high school. Then they try to figure out what they are going to do with their lives. Are they going to go to college or a trade school? Then, they get married and you have to learn how to be an in-law. Then, you must learn how to be a grandparent. All these changes make parenting very challenging. Do you know what I have observed? There are no instruction books for any of those stages of life. You just do the best you can. Can I tell you the truth? I always felt one stage behind.

In the Bible lesson for today, Jairus is trying to help his twelve-year old daughter. I have been the father of a twelve-year old daughter twice and it isn’t easy. Enjoy your children at the stage they are right now but be prepared. It is going to change soon. They will change, so your relationship with them must change. That is so challenging.Fatherhood is important. Fatherhood is challenging.

Eternal

Third and finally, fatherhood is eternal. In the story, the twelve-year-old girl dies. Her life ended just as it was about to begin. Her life would have been over, if not for Jesus. He resurrects her. In other words, he brings her back to life. She is one of a select few in the Bible who were resurrected. Do you remember the others who were resurrected in the Bible? There were nine in all; 3 in the Old Testament and 6 in the New Testament. Except for Jesus, do you know what happened to the other eight? They all died again in time. However, their resurrections were just the foreshadowing of eternal life. The girl lived because her father introduced her to Jesus.

Fatherhood is not just paying the bills. Fatherhood is not just being a positive role model. Fatherhood is not just getting the person ready for life. Fatherhood is getting the person ready for eternity. Children have so many wonderful options today. They can take lessons and join teams. They can take advanced classes and go to camp. There is nothing wrong with any of those things. However, none of those things are preparing them for eternity. If you want your child to live for eternity, then be like Jairus. Introduce your children to Jesus. How could you enjoy heaven without them? Fatherhood is important. Fatherhood is challenging. Fatherhood is eternal.

Fred Craddock (1928-2015) taught homiletics at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta. No one has influenced my preaching more than he has. In my opinion, he is one of the greatest preachers of the twentieth century. No one can tell a story like him. This is one example.

One summer Fred and his wife decided to get away for a few days. They went to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. One night they found a quiet little restaurant and looked forward to a private meal—just the two of them. While they were waiting for their meal, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting guests. Craddock whispered to his wife, “I hope he doesn’t come over here.” He didn’t want the man to intrude on their privacy. But the man did come by his table. “Where are you folks from?” he asked amicably. “Georgia.” “Splendid state, I hear, although I’ve never been there. What do you do for a living?” “I teach homiletics at a seminary.” “Oh, so you teach preachers, do you? Well, I’ve got a story I want to tell you.” And with that he pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with Craddock and his wife. Dr. Craddock said he groaned inwardly: Oh no, here comes another preacher story. It seems everyone has one.

The man stuck out his hand. “I’m Ben Hooper. I was born not far from here across the mountains. My mother wasn’t married when I was born, so I had a hard time. At the time, that was shocking. When I started school, my classmates had a name for me, and it wasn’t a very nice name. I used to go off by myself at recess and during lunchtime because the taunts of my playmates cut so deeply. What was worse was going downtown on Saturday afternoon and feeling every eye burning a hole through you. They were all wondering just who my real father was.”  

“When I was about 12 years old, a new preacher came to our church. Because of my past, I would always go in late and slip out early. But one day the preacher said the benediction so fast, I got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. I could feel every eye in church on me. Just about the time I got to the door, I felt a big hand on my shoulder. I looked up and the preacher was looking right at me. ‘Who are you, son? Whose boy, are you?’ I felt the old weight come down on me. It was like a big black cloud. Even the preacher was putting me down. But as he looked down at me, studying my face, he began to smile a big smile of recognition. ‘Wait a minute,’ he said, ‘I know who you are. I see the family resemblance. You are a son of God. You come from a great legacy. Go and claim it.’” The old man looked across the table at Craddock and said, “That was the most important single sentence ever said to me. Those words changed my life.” With that he smiled, shook the hands of Craddock and his wife, and moved on to another table to greet old friends. It was at that moment Craddock remembered something. The good people of Tennessee had elected Ben Hooper, that illegitimate boy, to be their governor.

This is the point: You may have had the greatest dad in the world, or your dad may have been a complete loser. It doesn’t really matter, because you come from a great legacy. Never forget it. You are a child of God! George Herbert (1593-1633) was a Welsh-born poet, orator and priest in the Church of England. He once said, “One father is worth more than a hundred schoolmasters.”

The date was May 24, 1738. You may know the story. John Wesley (1703-1791) was born in Epworth, England. His father, Samuel, was an Anglican priest. His mother, Susannah, was a stay-at-home mother, who set the standard high for all parents. She taught John and his siblings how to survive in this world and be prepared for eternity. John Wesley had everything he needed to be successful, but he didn’t have a clue. Until he was thirty-five years old, he only knew failure. He failed as a pastor and he failed as a missionary. Tired of defeat, John Wesley went on a great spiritual quest. That quest ended on May 24, 1738 on Aldersgate Street. There is no other way to say it, John Wesley was touched by the Holy Spirit. We call it his sanctification experience. He was touched by God for a divine purpose. The only thing he ever wrote about that day was a simple phrase in his personal journal, I felt my heart strangely warmed. Those words are not impressive, but his life after that experience was. From that point on, he only knew success. He took the whole world on as his parish and changed history. When he died in 1791, he left behind 135,000 followers, plus another 541 itinerant preachers. Today, there are millions of people around the world who claim the title Methodist. If we could resurrect John Wesley, then he would tell you that the Holy Spirit changed everything! Let me state the obvious.

I was not in the ministry on May 24, 1738. However, I was in the ministry two hundred and fifty years later, on May 24, 1988. I remember that year, because it was the first year I was under a United Methodist appointment. I was serving in the old Morristown Charge in the old St. Clairsville District in the East Ohio Annual Conference; the congregations in Morristown, Lloydsville and Bannock. As May approached, I was looking forward to the anniversary of the great Aldersgate experience. I was disappointed. Except for a few men riding on horses and dressed like circuit riders, there was no celebration. That year at Annual Conference, I expressed my disappointment to my District Superintendent. He was a spiritually mature man by the name of Abraham Brandyberry. He felt as I did. I asked him why the famous date was overlooked. He simply said, “Russ, there was no celebration, because no one in our time understands Wesley’s sanctification, because no one in our time understands the Holy Spirit.” There was no debate, because I knew he was right. Many are ignorant of the work and power of the Holy Spirit. Can I ask you a spiritual question?

Do you understand the Holy Spirit? It is a fair question, but it is a hard question to answer. Just think about it for a moment. Our understanding of the Holy Spirit is a little thin. We are much more comfortable with the other members of the trinity. We believe in a triune God: God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God the father is the creator. God created the entire world out of nothing. That is impressive. We seem to have a handle on God the Son. Jesus was the redeemer. Jesus died for the sins of the world. We are saved by grace and by grace alone. The Holy Spirit is different. God the Holy Spirit is much more elusive. It is hard to summarize everything the Holy Spirit does with a few words. So, let me ask you the question again. Do you understand the Holy Spirit?

On this Pentecost Sunday, I want to help you understand the Holy Spirit. Part of my job is to teach you theology. For this reason, don’t think of this message as a sermon. Think of this message as an academic lecture. It is not an advanced level course; It an entry level course. For this reason, I have called this message Holy Spirit 101. I have grouped my thoughts about the Holy Spirit around three questions. They are three questions you must be able to answer by the final exam.

This is question number one: Who is the Holy Spirit? The answer is simple. You can answer it with one word: God. The Holy Spirit is God. In order to completely understand that answer, that the Holy Spirit is God, consider this with me. The Holy Spirit was not created or revealed at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit has been present in this world from the very beginning. Genesis 1:26 says, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’”  The key word in that verse is the word us. The us in that verse is the trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is timeless because the Holy Spirit is God.

The deity of the Holy Spirit is clearly seen in scripture. If you do not believe me, then look at the life of Jesus. The Holy Spirit was a big part of Jesus’s life. The Holy Spirit was in Jesus’ forerunner, John the Baptist. The Holy Spirit was present when Jesus was conceived. The Holy Spirit was present when Jesus was born. The Holy Spirit was present when Jesus was baptized. The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted. You can’t tell me the Holy Spirit didn’t play a vital part in Jesus’s earthly ministry. When Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit became available to everyone.

The same great characteristics of God the father can be applied to God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the mind of Christ, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of adoption, of truth, of liberty; the Spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of might, of knowledge, of godliness, of the fear of God. This only begins to show how unlimited He is. Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God! Answer the question,“Who is the Holy Spirit?” The Holy Spirit is God!

This is question number two: What does the Holy Spirit do? You can answer that question with one word: change. The Holy Spirit brings godly change. It is as true today as it was on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit historically has made order out of disorder, clarity out of confusion. How many examples do you need?

Just look at the disciples. Prior to Pentecost, the twelve didn’t have a clue. I do not know how that was possible. They followed Jesus around for three years, but they didn’t have a clue. They were present for every miracle. They were there for every parable. They heard about the Kingdom of God from the Master himself. Peter, Andrew, James and John were even on the mountaintop when Moses and Elijah appeared, the great law giver and the greatest of the prophets. They heard their endorsement of Jesus, but they didn’t have a clue. Then, the Holy Spirit came into their lives and everything changed. The pre-Pentecost Peter who denied Christ three times was touched by the Holy Spirit and preached to the crowd. According to the text, 3,000 were saved that day. It wasn’t just Peter. The same thing is true of all the disciples. Each was changed or transformed by the Holy Spirit and went on to do great things for God. The disciples would tell you, the Holy Spirit changed everything! Historically, the Holy Spirit has made order out of disorder and clarity out of confusion. For this reason, the United Methodist Church needs a good dose of the Holy Spirit. What does the Holy Spirit do? It changes everything. Answer the question,“What does the Holy Spirit do?” This is the answer: The Holy Spirit brings godly change.

This is question number three: Why is the Holy Spirit important to us? You can answer that question with one word: revival. Sometime back the Associated Press carried this dispatch: “Glasgow, Ky.– Leslie Puckett, after struggling to start his car, lifted the hood and discovered that someone had stolen the motor.” That is the story of so many churches today! They own everything needed to be a church, but they lack one thing, the Holy Spirit. In other words, they don’t have a motor.

This is an incredible time to be in the ministry. I can honestly say it is not the same old thing. My job has changed completely in the last thirty-five years. Things are not getting easier. They are getting harder. The world has changed. We live in a post-Christian world. The church is no longer respected by society. How many local congregations are near the end? Every church seems to be looking for a quick fix, but there are no quick fixes. It isn’t just true of local congregations. It is true of entire denominations. It is certainly true in the United Methodist Church.

This is the first Pentecost since the special General Conference. You know the topic, sexuality. It is a debate with no winners. Some want the denomination to change their long-standing tradition of not officiating at gay weddings or ordaining openly gay individuals. After spending millions of dollars, nothing changed. In the months to follow, our denomination is struggling. It would be struggling if the vote had gone the other way. The unity of our denomination is in question. There are no simple answers to this problem. A special committee appointed by the Council of Bishops will not solve it. A slick advertising campaign will not solve it. A powerful sermon on love will not solve it. The only thing that will solve our disunity is a good dose of the Holy Spirit. Answer the question,“Why is the Holy Spirit important to us?” This is the answer: The Holy Spirit brings revival.

I want to end this message this morning not with a story, poem or quote. I end this message this morning with a challenge. I challenge you to go home and pray about the Holy Spirit. Pray that you not just understand the Holy Spirit with your mind, but that you experience the Holy Spirit with your heart. For once you do, everything will change. Never forget it, the Holy Spirit brings godly change. Billy Graham (1918-2018) was an American Baptist preacher and evangelist. He once said,“It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge and my job to love.”

We are in the fourth chapter of Joshua. After forty years in the wilderness, the people have just crossed the Jordan and entered the Promised Land. It must have been a great day. It was a day they had dreamed of for decades. Do you remember the first thing they did in their new home? No, they didn’t have a party. Instead, they built a memorial. God told Joshua to instruct the people to take twelve stones, one representing each tribe, from the middle of the Jordan (verse 2). The tribes do so, and God stops the water from flowing to make their task easier (verse 7).  (It is easy to stop a river after you have divided a sea.) The stones are taken to dry ground and piled up. That pile of stones was to act as a memorial to future generations (verses 6-7). There was nothing unique about that memorial. It is just a pile of rocks, but it served the purpose. It forced the people to remember what God had done for his people. Let me state the obvious. Memorials are important.

Memorial Day is important for that reason. It forces us to remember what is important. Our past is filled with people and events who (and which) need to be remembered. The past has shaped our present and will influence our future. This is the question you must answer today: Why is Memorial Day important?

Spiritual Heritage

Memorial Day is important because it forces us to remember our spiritual heritage! The Bible is filled with memorials. Joshua’s memorial is just one. The New Testament holds the most famous memorial in the Bible. You know the scene. The end of Jesus’s earthly ministry is near. Judas Iscariot has already agreed to betray him for thirty pieces of silver. It is Thursday of Holy Week and there is only time left for one more meal with the disciples, the Seder. That meal itself was a memorial. Everything on the menu reminded them of something that happened in their nation’s history. Jesus takes that scripted meal and changes everything. You remember, Jesus picked up a piece of bread and gave it to the twelve. He said the bread was his body. Later, he picked up a glass of wine and shared it with them. He said, it was his blood. Do you remember the last words the Master spoke? He presented the bread and the cup with the same line, “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25). It is impossible to come to the Communion table and not remember Jesus. Memorials are important. Biblical memorials remind us of how God wants to have a relationship with us. God wants to have a relationship with you! Because of the resurrection of Jesus, your relationship with God will never end. Our faith in Jesus makes us unique. Did you know 84% of our world has some find of faith? Did you know only 31.5% of our world is Christian? That means we are a minority. Your spiritual heritage is important. You are a disciple of Jesus Christ! If you are thankful for what Jesus has done for you, say, “Amen!”

National Heritage

Memorial Day is important because it forces us to remember our national heritage! You are a citizen of the United States of America. That makes you unique in our world. Did you know there are 30 national memorials owned and operated by the National Park Service? Five more are administered by other organizations but receive assistance from the NPS. The oldest national memorial is the Washington Memorial, built in 1884. The newest is the World War One Memorial, designed in 2014. National memorials are found in fourteen states and the District of Columbia. Nine national memorials commemorate U.S. Presidents, six commemorate historical figures, and five commemorate wars. The only national memorial in Ohio is at Put-in-Bay, the Perry Memorial. Don’t ignore those memorials. Did you know the population of the United States is approximately 325 million? Did you know the world population is approximately 7.7 billion? Do the math. That means Americans only make up 4.2% of the world’s population. Your American citizenship makes you unique. With all the challenges facing America today, only a fool would give up their American citizenship. We are still the land of opportunity. Your national heritage makes you different from the rest of the world.

Personal Heritage

Memorial Day is important because it is important to remember your personal heritage! One of my prized possessions is a copy of an old family photograph that sits on my dresser. I have told you about it in the past. The picture is faded, but I can still make out the images. I pick it up every day and look at it. My Aunt Phyllis, the matriarch of the family, told me it is a photograph of an Adams family reunion. The year must be about 1900. The picture is not unique. You may have one of your own family photographs. Everyone is sitting in front of a farmhouse. All the men have beards; all the women are wearing long dresses. The oldest are sitting on chairs in the middle. The youngest are sitting on the ground. There is a young boy sitting in front of the oldest man. That young boy is my grandfather, Roger Adams. He was the only one in that picture I ever met. Everyone else in that picture has been gone for years. However, I look at that old faded photograph every day because they are family. The blood that flowed in their veins is still flowing through my veins. Those strangers are my family.

I like to think the core values of the generation in that picture are my core values. Let me just speak the truth. Not a single Adams in that old photograph is extremely handsome or rich. Not a single Adams ever invented something that changed the world or wrote a book that made a single individual think. I came from a long line of hard- working farmers. However, that does not mean being an Adams is not important. Being an Adams means certain things. First, it means you are a good person. In other words, your word means something. Second, it means you are honest. Third, it means you are loyal – loyal to your spouse, children, friends and country. Fourth, it means you are a Christian. Adams’s have always been strong churchmen and believers. We understand Jesus is our only hope of salvation. We always have and I pray we always will. I am proud of my personal heritage, but that is not true for everyone. Sometimes our families inspire us, sometimes our families challenge us to do better. How will you be remembered when you are gone? Martial artist Bruce Lee (1940-1973) once said, “The key to immortality is living a life worth remembering.”  I don’t really have an opinion about Bruce Lee, but I do like that quote.

It must have been Memorial Day, 1970. It is the only Memorial Day that holds any memories for me. When I was thirteen years old, Memorial Day meant the beginning of the summer season. That meant the local swimming pools opened for the first time. I remember I was out at Willow Lake in Cortland, Ohio with a friend. We were excited because the school year was coming to an end and we were ready for an adventure. We decided to jump into the water and swim to the wooden raft in the middle of the lake. The wooden raft was more like an island. We could see others on that wooden raft enjoying the sun. On three, we jumped in and swam to our destination. We swam as fast as we could because the water was freezing. It was like it had just been melted off a glacier. After all, it was Memorial Day in Northeast Ohio. Only the air had warmed up, not the water. When we got to the raft, we jumped out of the water. We joined the others who were warming themselves in the sun. We swore we would never do that again. Then, it hit us. If we wanted to go home, we had to do it again. The only way back to the shore was to jump into the water again and swim. I must have, because I am here today. That is my only memory of Memorial Day. When I was thirteen years old Memorial Day meant one thing, summer! I am not thirteen anymore. Memorial Day means so much more. Memorial Day is about remembering the most important things in life, your national, spiritual, and family heritage. I am convinced Martin Luther King Jr. was right. The American Baptist preacher and activist once said, “In the end, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

This story has a happy ending. It happened just the other day. On May 14, 2019, in Kentwood, Michigan, an amber alert was issued for four-year-old Faith Martinez. You know the amber alert system. It began in the United States in 1996, to ask the public to help the police locate abducted children. Faith had last been seen with her thirty-year-old mother, Pettra Yahya. It was Pettra’s mother who called the police. She reported her daughter had threatened to harm herself and her four children. The other three children were located safely, but Faith was missing. Within fifteen minutes of the alert being issued, a citizen called the police and reported the location of the family vehicle. When the police arrived, they found Pettra and Faith in a nearby residence, both safe. The amber alert was canceled. Did you know, according to the Department of Justice, 957 children have been saved by the amber alert system?

This story has a happy ending too. It happened about two thousand years ago near Jerusalem in Israel. You can find the story only in one place, the second chapter of Luke. According to the text, Jesus was twelve years old (2:42). That was a significant year in the life of a young Hebrew man. For it was during that year that he would begin his studies to take his place among the men of the faith. Perhaps, that is why Mary and Joseph went to Jerusalem? Perhaps they went to Jerusalem every year for the Passover, as was required by the law. Or perhaps, they went to Jerusalem for the Passover to visit with family and friends. We really don’t know why they were in Jerusalem, but we do know they were returning home. The distance between Jerusalem and Nazareth was and is 63 miles as the crow flies. In reality, it is 68 miles, because no road is perfectly straight. You do the math. If you walk about 4 mph, then it would have taken 17 hours to get home. The journey was not done in isolation. The pilgrims returned home in large packs. They walked with family and friends, who filled the hours of traveling with various discussions. Jesus was twelve years old and twelve-year old boys are beginning to explore their independence. It would not have been natural for Jesus to travel with his parents. Mary and Joseph assumed their son was traveling with his friends. They assumed wrong. Jesus was missing. They sent out a first century amber alert. They asked everyone with ears the question, “Have you seen Jesus?” Everyone answered, “No!” With no other option, Mary and Joseph returned to the Golden City. (They had to go back! How do you tell God you have lost his son?) After three long days of searching, they found Jesus in the temple. They try to reprimand him, but their words seem to fall on deaf ears. They thought Jesus was lost, but he knew where he had been the entire time. He was in his father’s house. Listen to what I am about to say.

The story of Jesus at twelve years old is really our story. We are lost and we don’t even know it. Spiritually, we think we are doing fine, but we are not. This is the question I must ask you this morning: Are you making any progress in the faith? You are not going to make any progress in the faith until you do what Jesus did in the story. What did Jesus do? We find out in verse 46. It says:

After three days they (Joseph and Mary) found him (Jesus) in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

Did you hear what Jesus did to grow spiritually? First, Jesus listened. The Master didn’t talk, he listened. Second, Jesus asked questions. He didn’t ask sarcastic questions to criticize. He asked questions to expand his understanding. If we spent more time listening and more time asking probing questions, then we would grow spiritually too. That is the simple outline for this blog.

Jesus Listened

First, Jesus listened. Jesus is sitting in the temple with the teachers and he is listening to what they were saying. In other words, when Jesus was listening, Jesus was learning. You know it is true. We are not very good at listening. However, we are excellent at talking. Have you ever gone to church and tried to listen, but the person next to you won’t stop talking? There seems to be a national shortage of good listeners. If you don’t believe me then just google this question, “how can I become a better listener?” Everyone seems to have list a to help us. Even dumblittleman.com. This is their list of seven:

1. Remove all distractions
2. Be present
3. Wait for the other person to stop talking
4. Don’t assume anything
5. Look at nonverbal communication
6. Clarify
7. Ask questions

Do the people in your life consider you a good listener? When you come to church, do you spend more time listening or talking? It is my job to communicate the divine Biblical truth in a clear way. It is your job to listen to the divine truth. American author Bryant H. McGill once said, “One of the most sincere forms of respect is to actually listen to what another has to say.”  How much do you respect the people in your life? How much do you respect me? How much do you respect God? I don’t want to shock you, but you don’t know everything. People don’t come to church to hear what you think. People come to church to hear what God has to say. You may want to stop talking and listen.

 Jesus Questioned 

Second, Jesus asked questions. When I was young, I lived in a home that was built in the 20’s. If you lived in a home built in the 20’s, you know they weren’t built like homes today. Homes built during that decade did not have air conditioning or decks. However, they did have front porches. We never sat on the front porch, except when the weather grew hot. I have fond memories of those hot evenings because the entire neighborhood sat on their front porches at the same time. That is how we got to know our neighbors.

When I was young, I would journey to our neighbor’s front porch. Her name was Mrs. Ortmyer. I thought she was as old as the hills. (She was probably about 62 😊). She served me the same snack regularly, ginger ale and soda crackers. Every night, I would ask a mountain of questions. Why is it so hot in the summer? Why is it so cold in the winter? Why is the grass green and the snow white? How can birds fly and fish swim? Every evening our discussion ended the same way. She would cup her hands over her ears and say, “Russell, go home! When you get older you will have all the answers you want.” I have to say it: Mrs. Ortmyer was wrong! I am older, but I still have a mountain of questions. Why are some born with so much and some so little? Why are all my friends fighting the battle of the bulge, yet someone dies in our world every seven seconds from a lack of food? How can you raise two children in the same house, and they end up so different? Have you ever asked those kinds of questions? When I get to heaven, I have a mountain of questions for God.How many questions do you have for God?

There is nothing wrong with asking questions. Jesus asked questions. Look at verse 46 again. It says, “After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.”  There is nothing wrong with a sincere question. Asking God a sarcastic question just shows your arrogance. Asking God a sincere question means you are simply trying to understand. Look at it this way. If you don’t ask questions, it means you don’t care enough to try to understand. Ask God all the questions you like. Don’t worry, He can handle it! Jesus grew spiritually because he listened and asked questions.

This is confirmation Sunday, and on this day, we will confirm eight wonderful people. They have been working hard. They began this process back in September. I have no clue how many hours they have spent together listening about Jesus in the classroom and on various trips. I have no clue how many questions they have asked. I have no clue how many hours they spent with their mentors. I have no clue how many times they helped in worship. However, I do know this: I am proud of each one of them. For this reason, I almost feel bad saying the next line. Today is not the completion of anything. It is only the beginning! We have only planted a seed that will grow for decades to come. In just a few minutes, they will become one of us, people who are always striving for an impossible goal, to be like Jesus! Are you becoming a little more like Jesus every day? Or, are you satisfied with your present state?

Let me end this message with an illustration that haunts me late at night. I have told it countless times, because I hope it haunts you too. I originally heard it years ago at Lakeside. It was told by Tom Tewell, who was the pastor of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. It happened during his ordination interview. He was interviewed by a small group of Presbyterian ministers who had to approve him for ordination. He said they covered the various areas of systematic theology and church history. They talked about his personal life and his holy habits. They talked about his future dreams. Everything was going well, and there came a point when is felt like he was going to be approved. One of the interviewers said, “Tom, we only have one more question.” It was asked by the oldest man on the interview team. (He was probably 62!) He said, “Mr. Tewell, are you making any progress in the faith?” Tom said he opened his mouth, but no words came out. He didn’t know how to answer. It is an excellent question. How do you answer the question?

Are you making any progress in the faith? If you don’t know how to answer that question, then do two things. They are the same two things Jesus did when he was twelve years old. First, start listening and learn the divine truth. It is my job to communicate it clearly. It is your job to listen. Second, ask questions to expand your understanding. Do you care enough to ask a sincere question? Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) was a German pastor and theologian. He died on April 7, 1945 in a Nazi concentration camp. He once wrote, “Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost you the rest of your life.”

Her name was Susanna Wesley (1669-1742), the mother of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley (1703-1791). She knew a thing or two about motherhood. She set the standard high for the generations of mothers to come. She was born in 1669, the youngest of twenty-five children. At the age of nineteen, she married Samuel Wesley (1663-1735). They had nineteen children. However, nine died during infancy. She was no stranger to personal problems. There was never enough money and their family home burned twice. Yet, despite all of this, she is remembered as an outstanding mother. Each one of her children, both boys and girls, were home-schooled. Their education began on the day after their fifth birthday. Each one of them was required to know the complete alphabet after the first day. Once their education was complete, each one of her children knew both Greek and Latin, along with the classics. All this was done within the framework of sixteen house rules. They still speak to our world today. These are her sixteen rules for parenting:

1. Eating between meals is not allowed.
2. Children are to be in bed by 8 p.m.
3. Children are required to take medicine without complaining.
4. Subdue self-will in a child to save the child’s soul.
5. Teach a child to pray as soon as he can speak.
6. Require all to be still during Family Worship.
7. Give them nothing that they cry for, and only that when asked for politely.
8. To prevent lying, punish no fault which is first confessed and repented of.
9. Never allow a sinful act to go unpunished.
10.  Never punish a child twice for a single offense.
11.  Reward good behavior.
12.  Any attempt to please, even if poorly performed, should be commended.
13.  Preserve property rights, even in smallest matters.
14.  Strictly observe all promises.
15.  Require no daughter to work before she can read well.
16.  Teach children to fear the rod. 

That list is available upon request. I like those rules. They demonstrate that Susanna Wesley knew something about raising children. However, this is the Good News for today: This message does not have sixteen points. This message only has three. They are found in our Gospel reading for today.

We find ourselves in the second chapter of John. This story is only found in the gospel of John. The scene is a wedding reception. Couples didn’t honeymoon in those days. No one traveled to Mexico or the Caribbean.  However, they did hold receptions that lasted approximately a week. Jesus was invited because he was a respected rabbi. Over the generations, certain general rules of hospitality have remained intact. Running out of food or drink has always been a serious matter. In verse three, we discover that the wine had run out. Everyone looks for the guilty party, but Mary looks to Jesus.

She knew Jesus had the power to save the day. She believed in Jesus, when Jesus didn’t believe in himself. In verse four, we find Jesus making an excuse for his inactivity, “My time has not yet come.”  Mary does not listen. Instead, she instructs servants to bring him water. By the end of the scene, the party has resumed. Everyone had enough wine. Verse ten tells us it was the good wine. What does that mean? It means the wine Jesus produced had a kick. What grabs our attention today is not the quality of the wine, it is the relationship between Mary and Jesus.

Time is important in this story. The nativity was decades earlier. Jesus is no longer a newborn and Mary is no longer a young mother. In this story, Jesus is thirty years old and Mary is a veteran mother. Mary illustrates for us how relationships must change. You can’t treat your thirty-year-old child like a newborn. That will destroy any relationship. Mary illustrates for us three simple rules parents must follow when dealing with their adult children.

Rule #1: Know your children

This is rule #1: Know your children. There is no doubt about it: Mary knew Jesus. She was at the wedding reception with Jesus and this was not unusual. Mary spent most days with Jesus. Mary knew Jesus was different from the very beginning. She must have remembered many things. She must have recalled that visit from the angel years earlier, who told her that she had been chosen to be the mother of the Son of God. She must have remembered Jesus’ birth. She remembered the visitors, the shepherds and the Magi. She must have remembered how Jesus wandered off at the age of twelve and was found in the temple. Mary remembered it all because she was part of Jesus’ life for thirty years. She knew Jesus better than Jesus knew himself. How well do you know your children?

When my daughter, Anna, was young, she went to a babysitter several hours each week. Her babysitter’s name was Carol Bartlett. I have talked about Mrs. Bartlett in the past. She was a family friend, who watched children in her home. One of the children she watched was a little boy by the name of Bobby. He spent most of every day with Mrs. Bartlett. When his parents went away for the weekend, he stayed with Mrs. Bartlett. Bobby was always at Mrs. Bartlett’s. One day, I arrived to pick up Anna as Bobby’s mother came to pick up him. The adults were all talking, when Bobby suddenly fell and began to cry. With his mother standing there, Bobby got up and ran to Mrs. Bartlett to be comforted, not his own mother. I will never forget the uncomfortable look on Mrs. Bartlett’s face. All the adults in the room knew the truth. Bobby was spending too much time with Mrs. Bartlett and not enough time with his mother. How much real time do you spend with your children? How well do you know your children? Perhaps, this is a better question: How well do your children know you? Can you name three of your children’s friends? Rule #1 says, know your children.

Rule #2: Encourage your children

History tells us that Abraham Lincoln carried an old newspaper article with him regularly. Those who were closest to him say he read it daily. He couldn’t believe the words. The article said Lincoln was a great leader. The article was correct. He is remembered as being a great leader, one of our greatest presidents. However, Lincoln didn’t see himself that way. He was crippled with self-doubt. Lincoln illustrates for us a simple point. It doesn’t really matter what others think of you. The only thing that matters is how you feel about yourself. How do you feel about yourself?

This is rule #2: Encourage your children. I love this story because it shows the human side of Jesus. Jesus had an insecure side. Look at the story. The Master is at a wedding reception when the wine ran out. Jesus had the power to solve the problem, but he didn’t try because he was too insecure. It is his mother who gives him the nudge to try. Verse 3 says, “When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine.’”  In other words, Mary is telling Jesus to do something. She is encouraging him to do something. Has anyone here ever needed an encouraging word? The world reminds us regularly of what we can’t do. We need people in our lives to remind us of what we can do. It is not just true of the young. It is true of the not-so-young. We are often blind to our own abilities. It is impossible to receive too much encouragement. Rule #2 says, encourage your children.

Rule #3: Trust your children to God

This is rule #3: Trust your children to God. Mary knew Jesus and she encouraged Jesus. However, the third rule must have been the hardest one for her to apply. She knew God had something special planned for him. She remembered how she and Joseph took Jesus to the temple when he was only eight days old. On that day, they met an old man by the name of Simeon. He knew Jesus was destined for greatness. Do you remember his words? Mary did. Simeon said, “This child is destined for the raising and the falling of many in Israel” (Luke 2:34). Mary didn’t know what that really meant, but she must have asked the question a million times. Why does her son have to lead to the raising and the falling? Why not just the raising?

When she encourages Jesus to change the water into wine, she encourages Jesus to get on with his life. She was encouraging Jesus to fulfill his divine destiny. Jesus’ future was out of Mary’s control. She had done the best she could do. Now, she had to trust God with him. We only have our children at home for a short time. Most of their lives they are on their own. How far do you trust God with your children? This is rule #3, trust your children to God.

Several years ago, I watched Ken Burn’s documentary on World War II, The War. My father served during that war, so I felt some attachment. I found the interviews of the survivors interesting. That generation is dying quickly. In one episode, they interviewed a native-American soldier who was in the infantry. I will never forget it. I think about it every Mother’s Day. Years after the conflict, he cried about the day he took a German life with his own hands. Death did not come suddenly. The soldier died slowly. Before he passed, he called out. According to the man interviewed, he didn’t call out for a medic. He didn’t call out for his friends. He called out for his mother, twice. The man was a solider, but the man was a son.

Don’t tell me being a mother isn’t important. It is important to love your children when they are young, but it is equally important to love them today. Regardless of age, they will always be your children and you will always be their mother. Robert Browning (1812-1889) was an English poet and playwright. He was the most famous of the Victorian poets. He once said, “Love begins and ends with mothers.” He may be right.

We are in the ninth chapter of Acts, verses 36-43. According to verse 36, Peter is in the town of Joppa. That community still exists today. However, today it is called Jaffa and is considered a suburb of Tel Aviv. Like many communities in that part of the world, it has a rich history. Archaeological evidence shows it was inhabited generations before Christ. The reason for Joppa’s early inhabitance was her location. She is located along the coast.

When Peter arrives in Joppa, he is welcomed by long faces. One of the saints had just died, a woman by the name of Tabitha. Technology has changed the world, but human behavior remains the same. Just like today, the people were grieving because a loved one was lost. Tabitha’s death is so recent, her body has not yet been buried. It is upstairs, washed in accordance with the customs of the day. Verse 39 pierces my heart. It says the widows were crying as they told Peter about Tabitha. They knew the painful truth. They will never hear Tabitha’s voice again. They will never see Tabitha’s smile again. If death is nothing else, it is final. Any logical mind knows the truth. When you are dead, it is over. However, there is nothing logical about God. According to the text, Peter dismisses the grieving women. Alone, he gets on his knees and prays. A few seconds later, Tabitha is resurrected. In other words, just like Jesus on Easter morning, Tabitha has returned from the dead. Whenever I hear of a resurrection, I think of the resurrection of Jesus.Let’s dissect this story together.

There are three main characters in this story. The first character is Peter. He comes with a great deal of credibility. After all, he had spent all those years with Jesus. He is one of the great leaders of the early church. The second character is Tabitha. Her life’s testimony is impressive. She was always doing good and helping the poor. She was loved and respected by her peers. The third character in the story is the widows. The only thing we know about them is that they are grieving. However, that is enough. It is easy to relate to them in their broken state. I have walked in their shoes. This is the truth: you have walked in their shoes. I can’t relate to Peter, because he is so perfect. We can relate to the crying widows because they are so much like us. They were victims in a harsh world. Have you ever felt like a victim of this world?

Today, I want to transform you from feeling like a victim to a victor. After all, you are a child of God. Tabitha’s resurrection reminds me of Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus’ resurrection changed everything. Jesus’ resurrection is not just a point of theology reserved for scholars. Jesus’ resurrection is contemporary. Jesus’ resurrection is practical. Because of the resurrection, you should not feel like a victim; you should feel like a victor. Just think about it for a second. Jesus, the only son of God, died and was resurrected, for us, because God wants to spend eternity with you. How can you be a loser? How can you feel like a victim? How can you not feel like a victor?

One of the great frustrations in my life is my eyes. I am not exactly sure what to call it. It is a form of dyslexia. When I read, my eyes don’t focus on a single line. One eye focuses on the line above; one eye focuses on the line below. I have always struggled with this condition. I have painful memories of being in the fourth, fifth and sixth grade. When the teacher called on me to read my paragraph in reading class, I couldn’t do it. My classmates laughed at me and called me “dumb”. There were many days I felt like they were right.

I have spent my life compensating for this condition. I read and write in the morning when I am not tired. That is when my eyes work the best. I have someone else read the scripture because I struggle. I have others read the scripture on the screen at TOGGLE because I can’t see it. I have eliminated nearly all responsive readings because I cannot distinguish between your part and mine. I deliver sermons from memory for one reason. I cannot read them. I will be the first one to admit it: I have a great life! However, if I could change one thing in my life, it would be my eyes. However, our disappointments are often premature. In the end, God will prevail.

I interviewed to be the pastor of this church during the spring of 1994. I met with the Staff-Parish Relations Committee. They asked me many questions that evening. One question stood out: “When you preach, do you read from a manuscript?” I didn’t want to say that evening, “I can’t!” I wanted the job. Instead, I answered, “I can honestly say, ‘No.’” My first Sunday here was July 3, 1994. I remember walking out from behind the pulpit to show people I wasn’t reading to them. I couldn’t believe how people responded. Someone said, “When you left the pulpit you became one of us.” Some said, “By not reading your sermon you are more sincere.” “You preached from the heart, not a piece of paper.” I was humbled by those words because I can still hear those kids laughing at me in school. I am not Billy Graham, but I believe I am a better preacher because my eyes don’t work properly. My poor eyes made me a better preacher. Our disappointments are premature. In the end, God will prevail. What disappointments did you bring to church today?

In the scripture lesson for today, the widows had been on an emotional roller coaster. Death is the end of a long ride. I do not know if Tabitha’s death came at the end of a long illness. It may have come suddenly. The only thing we know for sure is that she was dead. She may have been in a better place, but her loved ones were left behind. Those who were closest to her felt the worst. So to say the least, they were disappointed. Without the resurrection, it is over. However, with the resurrection, the story continues. In the Christian faith, disappointments are always premature. You are a victor because the resurrection reminds us that our disappointments are premature. In the end, God wins!

Paul Allen (1953-2018) will always be remembered as the co-founder of Microsoft, along with Bill Gates. They had a complex relationship. Allen and Gates became rich. However, his net worth grabbed the attention of many. He was worth $21.7 billion at the time of his death. If he wanted it, he bought it. He owned two professional sports franchises, a yacht the length of a football field, a submarine and various properties around the world. However, there are some things money can’t buy. Money couldn’t buy health. Paul Allen battled Hodgkin’s lymphoma for 26 years. The disease took his life in 2018. Billionaire Paul Allen died alone. Money can’t buy love. Those closest to Paul Allen said one of his greatest disappointments in life was his loneliness. He regretted never marrying. Just think about it for a moment. He battled cancer alone. If you were battling for your life, what would you want? A person next to you, or a submarine?

Tabitha’s resurrection is great because the relationship between her and her friends continued. Jesus’ resurrection is better. It shows that God wants to have a relationship with you. The one thing that makes Christianity different from all the other world religions is the word ‘relationship’. The storyline of the Old Testament is God trying to have a relationship with his Chosen People, the Jews. The storyline of the New Testament is God entering the world in the person of Jesus to have a relationship with all people. Jesus died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice. Sin no longer stands between us and God. You are a winner because the resurrection reminds us that God wants to have a relationship with you! There has never been a moment in your life when you have been orphaned. God has been with you every step of the way!

You are a winner, because the resurrection reminds us that God wants to have a relationship with you for eternity. On that day, Tabitha was resurrected but she could not escape death forever. At some point down the road she died again. Jesus’ resurrection was God’s final answer to the problem of death. There was a mansion waiting for her in heaven. Let me say this clearly. There is a mansion waiting for you too. Never feel like a loser. Why? Because God wants to spend eternity with you! One of the perks of being a disciple of Jesus Christ is that you will never die. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, so that whoever believes in him may not perish, but have eternal life.”

I spent last week on Fort Myers Beach, in Florida. One afternoon, I sat at a bus stop waiting for a ride. Waiting with me and Kathryn were hotel maids. I tried to speak to them, but they spoke Creole, from the island of Haiti. I remembered my trip to Haiti and the desperate people I met. Haiti is a desperate nation. No, money can’t solve every problem. Haiti is a country of no’s. There is no postal system. There are no street addresses. There is no public-school system. There is no health care system. There is next to no electricity or clean drinking water. The Haitians themselves have no hope for a better future, and I have no clue how to fix the mess. Haiti is like a giant campground, where no one gets to go home. We, as Americans, take so much for granted. There was only one difference between me and the Haitian hotel maids. I was born in America and they were born in Haiti. If I won a cosmic lottery to be born here, then they were the losers. The Haitians are victims of life itself. Can I ask you a question?

Do you know any victims? You don’t have to go to Haiti to find them. They are right here. Their lives are hard. Sometimes, it is because they are forced to live with a poor decision. Sometimes, they have done nothing wrong. Something just happened. Could it be you feel like a victim today? You have a broken relationship in your life. You have bills that will never be paid. You have a past story that will never be forgotten. You are squeezed between your aging parents and your growing children. You are battling a disease and you will lose. Does anyone here feel like a victim? If so, then stop whining and accept the truth: You are a child of God! That fact changes everything. John Stott He once said, “We live and die. Christ died and lived.”

We find ourselves in the twenty-eighth chapter of Matthew. Much has already happened. Jesus was executed Roman style on Friday. He was crucified between two common criminals. The picture was not pretty, but in a certain way Jesus was lucky. First, Jesus died quickly. Second, it was not uncommon for the crucified to be taken down and thrown into a pile of lifeless corpses; their bodies would be eaten by buzzards or wild dogs. Not so with Jesus. Arrangements were made by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus that Jesus’ body would be taken down and placed in a new tomb. A large stone was rolled in front of the entrance to protect it from thieves. The Roman government was persuaded by Jesus’ enemies to place guards in front of the tomb to eliminate any future problems. This was all done by dark on Friday, because the law prohibited any burials on the Sabbath. Once this was completed, Jesus’ loved ones grieved because Jesus was dead! On Saturday, nothing happened because the law did not permit anyone to touch the dead on the Sabbath. There was just more grieving. That takes us to our reading for today.

According to our story, early Sunday morning, Jesus received his first visitors, two women with the same first name. There is Mary Magdalene and another Mary. They had no clue what was about to happen. The miraculous is woven into the story. Several miraculous things happened. The first is the great earthquake. Only Matthew mentions this earthquake, but this earthquake is worth mentioning because it reveals to us that God has done something truly special. The second miracle is that the giant stone has been rolled away. The third is the announcement of the resurrection. According to verse three, it is made by an angel, whose clothes were white as snow, symbolizing purity. The angel tells the women about the resurrection, but the women experience the resurrected Jesus for themselves in verse nine. In time, Jesus would appear to others. It is important that at some time in your life you have experienced the resurrected Jesus.

Jesus was not the only one to be resurrected in the Bible. There are stories in both the Old and the New Testaments about others being resurrected. There are no fewer than eight, Lazarus being the most noteworthy. However, Jesus’ resurrection is different. The others had human fathers. Jesus was the son of God. The baby in the manger at Christmas and the man on the cross on Good Friday are the same. Jesus was the incarnation of God, who not just became one of us, but died for us. He was the sacrificial lamb for your sins. How can you question God’s love for you? Never forget it! Your salvation can’t be earned. You are saved by grace.

Your belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not optional, it is indispensable. Many believe Romans 10:9 was the first creed in the history of the church. Do you remember that verse? It says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  If that is true, then the opposite is also true. If you don’t believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, then the fires of hell are waiting for you. The early church understood the significance of Jesus’ resurrection. They worshipped on Sunday morning because every Sunday morning is a little Easter, or resurrection day. (It would be much easier if Jesus had been resurrected on a Thursday afternoon.) This is the question you must answer: Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Remember, your belief in the resurrection is not optional, it is indispensable. Consider these three things with me.

Because you believe in the resurrection of Jesus, your mistakes are forgiven! Without the resurrection of Jesus there is no hope for the forgiveness of sins. How many people do you know who are constantly reviewing their past mistakes? The resurrection liberates you from your past. Ephesians 1:7 says it clearly, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the richness of God’s grace.”  On the moment Jesus walked out of that tomb you had the opportunity to forget your past mistakes and have a relationship with God. Because you believe in the resurrection of Jesus, your mistakes are forgivenP

Because you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, your life has purpose! The resurrection demonstrates God’s power and is the source of our own salvation. You are not saved by your good works. You are saved by grace. It is a gift, and with any gift you want to express appreciation. You express your appreciation to God by the life you live. The focal point is no longer yourself. It is others. Do you remember Philippians 3:13-14? It says, “But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind me and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  What are you doing today to express your appreciation to God? Because you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, your life has purpose.F

Because you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, your future is bright! Without the resurrection there is no hope of going to heaven. There would be no hope of a great reunion with loved ones who have passed away. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.”  On the day I die, don’t cry for me. I am going to heaven, not because I am a good person. I am going to heaven because I worship and serve a perfect and resurrected Jesus.

Several years ago, I was visiting someone in the hospital. I had known this individual for almost twenty years. He was a person of integrity, and I respected him at every level. It still pains me to say it. His future in this world was not bright. He was fighting the brave fight, but the disease was winning. When I walked into his room, I was pleased he was awake. He spent most of his time sleeping. He was weak, so I prayed with him before he dozed off again. After I said, “Amen!,” he looked at me and said, “Russ, I have had enough. I am ready to go home.” In other words, he was ready to die. I looked at him and responded, “I am sure you are.” Without the resurrected Jesus, there is no journey home. Without the resurrected Jesus, there is no great reunion. Without the resurrected Jesus, there is no hope of heaven. Because you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, your future is bright! Who is the first person you are going to look for when you get to heaven?

It was on Monday afternoon when we received the sad news. The great Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was on fire. If you can mourn for a building, I did. At first, we feared the entire structure would be destroyed. I was fortunate to have been there two times. Once with my parents as a teenager, and once with my wife, Kathryn, on our anniversary. I am not the only one. They say on an average week 12,000 tourists visit Notre Dame daily. During Holy Week, that number swelled to 30,000. Notre Dame is a piece of history. Construction began in 1163 and took two hundred years to complete. It has been the backdrop of French history for generations. I was moved by the emotions of the crowds who gathered to watch the blaze, some praying, some singing, some crying. I know those damaged sections will be rebuilt, but it will never be the same again. I mourned for the building and the history, but not the faith.

The Christian faith can’t be contained to a building. The Christian faith lives in the hearts of men and women who believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That belief in the resurrection is not optional, it is indispensable. The resurrection of Jesus Christ changed everything. John Ortberg (born 1957) is a Christian author, speaker and pastor of Menlo Church in Menlo, California. He once said He once said, “At the very heart of the Christian faith is the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection.” The question is, do you believe?

We find ourselves today in the twenty-first chapter of Matthew. Like visiting an old friend, we find these words to be comforting. According to the text, a great crowd had gathered in the city of Jerusalem. The size of the crowd can’t be overemphasized. Matthew calls it a very large crowd (Matthew 21:8). Mark says many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut palm branches from nearby fields. Some people followed Jesus; some people ran ahead of Jesus (Mark 11:8-9). Luke says the crowd was so great the religious leaders encouraged Jesus to rebuke them (Luke 19:39). John tells us a great crowd had gathered for the festival (John 12:12). You can’t question the size of the crowd. It was great.

They had all come to celebrate the Passover, a time to remember their proud past as God’s Chosen People. The law required the people to attend, but no legislation was necessary. Everyone wanted to be part of the great holiday. It was a time to do three things. First, they made their annual animal sacrifice at the temple. Second, they paid their annual taxes. Third, it was a time to reconnect with family and friends. It is for that reason everyone wanted to be in Jerusalem for the Passover. It has been estimated that the population of Jerusalem swelled to 2,500,000 on that Passover, and the name on the lips of everyone was “Jesus”. What was on the mind of everyone was revolution.

They had grown tired of foreign domination. They had grown tired of Roman ways and laws. They longed for independence, and Jesus seemed to be the best person to lead a revolution. He seemed to have it all. He had the power to heal the sick. He had the power to control nature. He had the charisma to win over any crowd. The crowd seems to be trying to draft Jesus for this military position. Don’t ignore the next line. The crowd did political things. Just like for their ancestors who experienced military victories, they spread cloaks and palm branches on the ground. Others waved palm branches and yelled, “Hosanna to the son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” They did all they could do to enlist Jesus, but there is something wrong with the picture. Two thousand years later, we see the imperfection clearly. Jesus wasn’t interested in the political scene of that generation. Jesus was only interested in eternity. That is why Jesus rode in on a humble animal and not a mighty steed. That generation was nearsighted and missed the reason why that day was so important.

I hope you don’t miss the significance of that day. Palm Sunday is not just the Sunday before Easter. Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week. During Holy Week we remember what Jesus did each day. It is a spiritual pilgrimage. If you just show up next week and celebrate the resurrection, then you have cheated yourself of an opportunity to draw near to Jesus. For this reason, I want to challenge you to take time out of your busy schedule and remember what Jesus did during the Holy Week. So let me ask you this question: what do you remember?

Do you remember what happened on Holy Monday? According to the Bible, two significant things happened on that day.  The first event of Holy Monday was the cleansing of the Temple. It had nothing to do with fundraising to help some good cause. It had everything to do with using the faith for personal gain. The Temple was a place of prayer, not profit. The church is a place of prayer, not profit. The second significant event of Holy Monday is the cursing of the fig tree. It was the only thing Jesus ever cursed. Like the bald eagle symbolizes America, the fig tree symbolized Israel. The cursing of the fig tree was an act of judgement upon Israel. God was doing something new.

Do you remember what happened on Holy Tuesday? According to the Bible, Jesus went back to the Temple, where he was challenged by the Pharisees and the Sadducees. It was also there he taught about the Kingdom of God. Two great stories came from that day. He taught about paying taxes to Caesar and he noticed a widow’s slim donation. He also told the parable of the two sons, the parable of the tenants and others. Then, he went to Bethany, near Jerusalem, where he was anointed. He was being prepared for death.

Do you remember what happened on Holy Wednesday? Some call it Spy Wednesday. It was on that day the plan to trap Jesus was conceived. One of his own, Judas Iscariot, betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Some say, he did it because he was greedy. Some say, he did it because he he had grown tired of being an outsider. He was the only non-Galilean of the twelve. Some say, he did it to force Jesus’s hand. He never dreamed Jesus wouldn’t fight back. We don’t really know why he did it, but he did it. In the end, Judas Iscariot regretted his betrayal and committed suicide. There is nothing else to say.

Do you remember what happened on Holy Thursday? We call it Maundy Thursday. That was the day Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, showing true servant leadership. Then, they observed the Seder. It was a meal with a message. Everything they ate and everything they drank reminded them of their people’s past. After all, they were God’s Chosen. During the meal, Jesus changed the words and created a new memorial, Communion. The bread was his body and the wine was his blood. After the meal was completed, Jesus comforted the disciples and went to the garden to pray. It was in the garden Jesus was arrested.

Do you remember what happened on Holy Friday? We call it Good Friday. It was good for us, but bad for Jesus. He had two trials on that one day. The first trial was in front of his own people. It was a “kangaroo” court. Jesus never had a chance. He was found guilty. They wanted to execute Jesus, but they lacked the legal authority. For this reason, they sent him to the Roman Governor, Pilate. He knew Jesus was an innocent man, but he feared the mob. The order was given that Jesus must die. First came the whipping. Then came the crown of thorns. Finally came the cross, a Roman way to execute. Jesus was not tied to the cross; he was nailed to the cross. He hung between two common criminals. His death came quickly, and they put his body in a tomb. His family and friends cried, because he was dead, and their dreams were gone.

Do you remember what happened on Holy Saturday? Some call it Silent Saturday. Others call it Black Saturday or Easter Eve. There is nothing to remember about that day, because Jesus was dead. The people who loved Jesus, both family and friends, struggled with his death. Some of them were in shock. Some of them were in denial. Some of them cried. Their great dreams of a bright future were over. Jesus was dead! You know what happened on Sunday. It is the worst secret in the history of the world. It is also the very foundation of our faith.

One of the most beautiful places in the world is the cathedral in Milan, Italy. Worshippers are welcomed by three magnificent doorways. Over the first one is carved a beautiful wreath of roses, and underneath it is the legend, “All which pleases is just for a moment.” Over the second is a sculpted cross, and the words, “All that troubles is just for a moment.” But underneath the great central entrance to the main aisle is the inscription, “Only the eternal is important.” The message is clear. We should live for the permanent and the eternal. How much time do you spend worrying about the temporary? How much time do you spend worrying about the eternal? The only things that really matter are those things that will matter in 100 years. What matters in 100 years? The only thing that will matter in 100 years is Jesus. Do you remember the quote from Pope Benedict XVI? He once said, “But Palm Sunday tells us that… it is the cross that is the tree of life.”