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May 10, 2020New Thing – You Know The WayJohn 14:1-14Rob MillerWELCOME:PRAYER: (picture) Almighty God, you provide the way for life now and forever. During these uncertain times, we are thankful for Jesus who came bringing peace into the troubled world. He taught us the way to live our lives to the fullest. Empower us to be peacemakers too. So that we might live every day acording to your will, trusting in your mercy, through Christ Jesus your Son, our Lord. Amen 35814046990You know the way…READING:John 14:1-14“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.?2In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you??3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.?4And you know the way to the place where I am going.”?5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”?6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.?7If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”?8Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”?9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’??10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.?11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.12Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.?13I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.?14If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.MESSAGE:(Inspiration for this message comes from Bishop Mike Rinehart of the TX-LA Gulf Coast Synod)Grace, mercy, and peace be with you from Jesus, who travelled the countryside healing?people with diseases and proclaiming the good news of God breaking into our world.These are strange times. We are living with a global pandemic and therefore we are encouraged to continue sheltering in place. It’s been a tough adjustment for all of us. And it appears as though we have a long way to go.Three weeks ago - we heard how the disciples were also sheltering in place, not because of an epidemic, but because of fear. They were afraid of being crucified like their leader was. They were hiding in the upper room, when Jesus walked through their doors of fear. The first words Jesus said to them was -- Peace be with you. Jesus offered his disciples a word of hope, along with his presence, turning those frightened disciples into world changing missionaries -- willing to give their lives for the vision Jesus had for the world. How might Jesus be walking through our locked doors of fear today?Two week ago - we heard about two troubled disciples on the road to Emmaus.?Jesus walked with them and talked with them, but they did not recognize him. I wonder if maybe Jesus is walking on the road of life with us too – right now, even though we may not recognize him – as the stranger who walks into our lives or maybe someone who turns to us in need.Last week - we heard about Jesus as our Good Shepherd. He said to us, I have come that you might have life, and have it abundantly. What does that abundant life look like for you? This week we hear Jesus say,?Do not let your hearts be troubled.Somewhere in my pastoral care experience I was told that you should never tell someone not to be afraid. We should not tell people how to feel. Doing so does not help. Fear is a normal response in a difficult situation. It’s okay to be afraid. I also learned somewhere that fear can a be a great motivator. Unfortunately, it can cause us to make really bad choices too. And bad choices always make the situation worse. Every time an angel appears in the Bible - the first words spoken by the angel are usually the words, Be not afraid.”Jesus preached saying, Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, drink, wear. God knows what you need. Consider the lilies. Consider the birds of the air. God provides… The mini message Jesus preached in our reading today was this, Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust God, trust me. In other words, Jesus is saying – “I’ve got this. I’ve got you. Even if the sky is falling, I’ve got you.”It’s normal to be worried and afraid right now… Will I get sick? Will I die? Will someone I love get sick? Will someone I love die? Will we have enough food? Will we have enough toilet paper? Will we get through this and be okay?We’ve never been through anything quite like this. It’s all new. it’s a whole new world. The Coronavirus is with us to stay in one way or another. And unfortunately, it determines the schedule. The last global pandemic anything like this was the misnamed Spanish flu of 1918, over a hundred years ago. That flu broke out in January, but the three deadliest months were September, October, and November. That’s because people became complacent during the summer. There is a lesson to be learned. It’s normal to be afraid. But whatever we are going through Jesus says to us, Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. Trust in me. I got you.?You already know the way.Thomas… Thomas – who perhaps speaks for all of us said, “Um excuse me.?We do?not?know the way.” Jesus responds, “Yeah you do. I am the way.”“Ummmmm – What?!?!”In essence Jesus said – How can you not know the way? You heard me preaching about God breaking into our world and seeing how it changes lives. You followed me through the years of my healing ministry and say - you don’t?know the way.Ummmmm – ‘cuz we don’t know what you are talking about.Our modern world has been introduced to what the ancient world lived with every day - the oldest traveling companion of human history: a life-and-death disease over which we have no control.This global plague may be new to us, but it isn’t new to the Bible. In Exodus we read about ten plagues.It may be new to us, but it isn’t new to Jesus. He healed lepers everywhere he went. It may be new to us, but it isn’t new to Christianity.In the 2nd?century the Antonine plague spread throughout the Roman Empire killing one fourth of the population - and Christianity spread just as fast - as Christians cared for the sick, and preached not about an angry God punishing people with a disease, but a loving God who walks with you in the midst of a broken creation.In the 3rd?century during the Plague of Cyprian?(probably Ebola). A bishop named?Cyprian?told Christians not to grieve for the dead in heaven, but to care for the living on earth. Bishop?Dionysus?described the work of churches, who, “Heedless of the danger… took charge of the sick, attending to their every need.” And why not? Jesus’ own ministry among the sick was an important part of his life. If we are going to follow Jesus, then we follow Jesus.We feed the hungry.We welcome the stranger. We care for the sick.?We do know the way.?And, when we do - the church grows. The church has often grown the most during times of distress.In the 4th?Century,?the Roman Emperor?Julian?complained that the “Galileans” as he called them (Christians), cared not only for their own, but even for non-Christians. Church historian Rodney Stark said because of that caring approach - the death rate in Christian cities during the 4th Century was half that of non-Christian cities. How interesting.When the Bubonic Plague hit Wittenberg in 1527, Martin Luther said,We die at our posts. Christian doctors cannot abandon their hospitals, Christian governors cannot flee their districts, Christian pastors cannot abandon their congregations. The plague does not dissolve our duties: It turns them to crosses, on which we must be prepared to die.I?shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others…Those are powerful words for us to consider today. Stay home. If you need to get out, go for a walk. Call a friend or family member. Care for one another from a safe distance.This is the first time you and I have traveled down a road like this, but it’s not God’s first time. It’s not the church’s first time. The church has often thrived and been renewed during plagues and social upheavals. Jesus says, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. You know the way. I am the way.”We, the church, know what to do during a pandemic. We may wander off track from time to time, but we have a long history of walking in the footsteps of Jesus. Jesus is the way.But what if I get sick? You might. And yet - 97.5% of those who do get sick recover.But what if I don’t? Our faith reminds us that with Jesus - the worst thing is never the last thing. You are loved with an everlasting love – a forever love – a love that is stronger than the grave. So, be not afraid, let not your hearts be troubled. You know the way. Jesus is the way. Amen.SONG: ForeverPRAYER & LORD’S PRAYER:BLESSING/BENEDICTION: ................
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