There are things that occur naturally in this world that you can read about in

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1 1 DATE: APRIL 22, 2012 SERMON TEXT: LUKE 24:36-48 SERMON TEXT: Seeing Is Believing There are things that occur naturally in this world that you can read about in books or see pictures of that do not do them justice. You have to see them to appreciate them. On Tuesday of this week the space shuttle Discovery made its final voyage perched on the back of a 747. The purpose of the voyage was to take the shuttle to its final resting place at the Smithsonian, but before landing at Dulles it flew low over the White House, the Mall and then down the Potomac River. I had greater appreciation for this story because many years ago I was at Dulles waiting for a flight when I saw one of the space shuttles riding piggyback on a 747 sitting on the tarmac. It was an incredible sight to see and I have not forgotten it. A 747 is a behemoth in its own right, but to see the shuttle sitting on top of it was a spectacular sight. And then to realize that these two things, joined together, actually fly was mind boggling. Pictures of the Grand Canyon are incredible in and of themselves. But until you stand on the rim and look down into and across the canyon you never can appreciate the wonder of this creation. The same is true for many of our natural wonders, for example Yellowstone, Zion, and Bryce Canyon. As you plan your

2 2 summer vacations perhaps a road trip might be in order. (With gas nearing $4.00 a gallon, maybe not!) Humanity has done some pretty creative things without the aid of Mother Nature. Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse are certainly worth the drive to see, not to mention sights in our major cities on the East Coast, such as Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, DC. I am sure all of you in your travels throughout the world have been impressed with the splendor of our world that you have witnessed firsthand. One of the reasons I think it is important for Sharon and me to lead trips to Ghana is so that people can experience the land and the culture firsthand. I can show you pictures and I can tell you stories, but it is not the same as being there, seeing, smelling, hearing, touching and tasting the culture. On this third Sunday morning in Easter, I want us to consider the importance placed on seeing, especially as it is related to the Easter story. The ministry of Jesus was a controversial ministry from the time of his birth up to and beyond his death and resurrection. The person of Jesus was clouded in mystery and suspicion. There were those who counted him as nothing more than a fraud. There were others who labeled him a heretic and a blasphemer. But amid all of the doubt and accusations there were a large number of people who embraced Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God.

3 3 An important method of telling the story and the truth about who Jesus was was dependent upon the testimony of the eyewitnesses, those men and women who actually knew Jesus in a deep and personal way. Luke, the Gospel writer, is one of those people, and in the writing of his Gospel he is so intentional about sharing the truth that he begins his Gospel with these words: 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled [a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4) In the formation of our faith, the truth about the death and the resurrection became a critical part in laying the groundwork of what would be the heart and soul of what defined Christianity. Jesus lived; Jesus suffered and died; Jesus was raised from the dead. The contemporaries of Jesus could say that, but it would not hold the same significance without the eyewitness testimony of those who actually witnessed the life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus.

4 4 When we think about the Gospels it is important to consider them as a whole and in the context in which they were written. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the compilation of the eyewitness testimony of those who saw with their own eyes what took place 2000 years ago. Their testimony became the very foundation theologically of what we say we believe to be true about Jesus. The challenge for the church today is this: how do the eyewitness accounts of the people 2000 years ago become part of our reality? How can we see and experience what the followers of Jesus saw and felt and touched and tasted 2000 years ago? I think there are a number of ways. The first and the most important is faithful study of the Word of God. Each and every one of us is responsible for reading the Bible, studying the Bible and hearing for ourselves what the Word is for us. And in doing so, the story becomes our story. I enjoy reading stories about the primitive period in our nation s history, especially stories about mountain people. I enjoy it because it is part of my past. I guess you could say that my ancestors were hillbillies. I know that comes as a shock when you consider how culturally and socially refined I am. But it is true. My paternal great-grandfather grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. He lived most of his life in the hills. My maternal grandfather lived at the base of the Massanutten Mountains of Virginia. All of their kin lived scattered along and

5 5 through and near the mountains. I think that is why stories about mountain people resonate with my spirit. It is part of my DNA. It is not hard for me to imagine what life was like in the late 1800 s, growing up in a cabin in the woods, growing your own food and living off the land. Connecting emotionally with scripture works the same way. When we read the Bible, particularly the Gospels, it should not be hard for us to resonate with what Jesus is teaching. We know what it s like to be sinful. We know what it is like to be rejected by others. We know what it feels like to experience physical pain. We have all encountered the sting of death. So when Jesus talks about forgiveness and grace and reconciliation and love and healing we are not that far removed from the story. In fact the story becomes our story. When we read the eyewitness accounts of the Gospels we are given the unique opportunity to peer into the life and the mission of Jesus Christ, and in doing so his experience becomes our experience as well. Another way that we are able to see through the eyes of others is through the repetition of church doctrines, specifically the Apostles Creed. Listen again to the words of the Apostles Creed: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy

6 6 Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen Why do we say the Creed practically every Sunday? We say it because it reminds us in a clear and direct way what the eyewitnesses experienced. And we say it over and over again so that it is as much our story as the story of our early church mothers and fathers. We believe in God. We believe Jesus is God s Son. We believe Mary was his mother. We saw him tortured by Pilate. We watched him be crucified. We saw him die. We were at the empty tomb. Jesus came to us in the Upper Room, not once but twice. We were fishing and he fixed us breakfast. We saw his hands and his side. We were there and we saw it. This is our story! And do you know what? People are able to see the miraculous presence of Christ even in our world today. When we are being church, when we are about doing the things the church is called to do, we are the living, breathing body of Christ.

7 7 Each week when I sit in my office and hear the voices of little children filling the halls and the classrooms of our church, I see the body of Christ, and I hear very plainly Jesus say, Let the little children come to me. When I hear the stories of our mission trip workers and when I see the smiles on their faces as they tell with great satisfaction the stories of the work they accomplished, I see the very body of Jesus Christ, and I can plainly hear his voice saying, I tell you the truth, my beloved, whatever you did for the least of these, my beloved, you did it for me. Whenever I gather with a family to remember the life of a loved one who has passed away, when I hear us sing, In the Garden or How Great Thou Art, I can hear the voice of Jesus saying, Come all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Whenever I see our children and our youth participating in worship, planning activities, and simply being in fellowship with one another, I see the very Body of Christ, and I hear Christ say, Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. When I see us visiting the sick in the hospital, when I see the parish visitors visiting the home-bound, when I hear of random acts of kindness perpetrated in Jesus name, I can hear Jesus saying loudly, Love one another as I have loved you.

8 8 And when we gather on the first Sunday of every month, we remember the stories of our ancestors, and when we take bread and wine we are seeing with our spiritual eyes the marvelous gift of Easter morning. Jesus, the Son of God: He is alive for I have seen him!