Christ's resurrection

Good afternoon brothers and sisters,
First, I'd like to wish a big happy birthday to my brother Will. Our reading for today begins the discussion of a key idea of our faith that we don't talk about very often: the resurrection of the dead. In this reading he's laying the foundation for that discussion, but not actually beginning it. Paul describes how the heart of the gospel he proclaims is that Jesus died for our sins and rose again. When he rose he appeared to many witnesses, including all the apostles. Years later, he appeared in a vision to Paul. Paul confesses that he is unworthy, but that through Christ's grace he has been very effective in his apostolic ministry. It can sound like Paul is bragging, and maybe he is. The important thing to take away from that is that 1, Christ rose from the dead, and 2, even if we feel unworthy or inadequate, God's power is more than enough to strengthen us for ministry. That's the power of the resurrection.

God bless,
Sam

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, ²through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain. ³For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, ⁴and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, ⁵and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ⁶Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. ⁷Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 

⁸Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. ⁹For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. ¹¹Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

resurrection and the body of Christ

Good morning sisters and brothers,
First, a huge congratulations to everyone who helped make the dinner and talent show a success. A lot of hard work went into the evening, and it seemed like all our guests (and hosts) had a great time. Second, remember to set your clocks back and enjoy an extra hour this morning. Third, our readings for this morning are also our readings for the service. After worship, we'll have a sermon talk-back session to give us an extra opportunity to dig into these readings. Start thinking of questions and insights now to make the most of the opportunity.

We hear a lot about Jesus' disagreement with the Pharisees, but less about his interactions with the Sadducees, another major religious group of his time. The Sadducees and Pharisees both took scripture and Jewish faith very seriously during Roman occupation. The Pharisees were mostly teachers in the synagogue, and in addition to the clear teaching of scripture they also believed in additional revelations from God through angels and the resurrection of the dead in the future. The Sadducees were more associated with the Jerusalem temple and the priesthood. They did not believe in angels or the resurrection. They want to explore/challenge Jesus' views on the resurrection with a scenario based on levirate marriage, the tradition of a man marrying his brother's widow if his brother had died without having children. This seems like a creepy custom to us, but the purpose was to provide for the widow (since women didn't really have other economic options) and to preserve the brother's inheritance, land and name.

Our passage from Ephesians reminds us of the importance of prayer and of the amazing power of God. When we face struggles in our lives or in the church it can be easy to forget God's wonderful love and power. Paul reminds his readers that God's power raised Jesus from the dead and put him above every power (emperor, council, jailer) imaginable. We are part of Christ's body as the church, so in that power we can do anything through Christ. We have an important mission as Christ's body, to seek and save the lost, to heal the sick, to comfort the lonely. With the Spirit's power there's nothing we can't do.

God bless,
Sam

Luke 20:27-38

27Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him 28and asked him a question, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. 29Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; 30then the second 31and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. 32Finally the woman also died. 33In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her."

34Jesus said to them, "Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; 35but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. 37And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive."


* Sunday
Ephesians 1:11-23

15I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason 16I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.

20God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.