St. Paul Lutheran Church, Minden, Nebraska
Sunday Sermon – Second Sunday of Easter – April 11, 2010
“A New Thing: What IS Going On!”
Text: John 20:19-21
Over the years, how many parents raising children and having their children’s friends over to play or to stay for the night can say, “Been there! Done that!
Those are the times when children go to bed but pretty soon, they are not quiet but up talking, giggling, in bed, out of bed, bumping, thumping. Mom/dad look up from whatever they’re doing & say “All right, what’s going on? Settle down! Be quiet! Go to sleep!”
Maybe it happens in the family room. Kids fussing, complaining, poking each other. There’s arguing over what program to watch on TV or whose turn is it to play what video game. Mom’s in the kitchen but she’s heard enough. Into the room she comes: “All right, what is going on in here? What’s the problem? Can’t you kids get along?”
What’s going on? We ask it all the time! What’s going on with that noise under the car? What’s going on with all these bills to pay? What’s going onwith these plants dying? What’s going on with these feelings I have, these doubts, these fears, these highs, these lows?
In the Gospel reading for this Second Sunday of Easter there is a what’s going on. Only it is an all-together different kind of “What’s going on?” It’s not a question, but it’s a statement, an affirmation, a strong “yes” to God’s plan for His People as believers in God’s crucified & risen again Son to be a people in mission.
On that first Easter evening, the risen Jesus appears in the midst of his disciples but He does not say to them, “What’s going on here? What’s with you guys? Why are you hiding? Shame on you!”
No! Jesus says to His disciples not once but twice, “Peace be with you. . . Peace be with you! . . As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
What IS going on is the risen Lord Jesus announces, declares, offers, peace, “Shalom”. “Shalom” is a beautiful Hebrew word which means wholeness, wellness, fullness, safety, tranquility, rest, harmony, prosperity, the absence of agitation or discord. Or as one commentator puts it, “Shalom” is having everything you need to be wholly & happily yourself without being selfish or self-righteous (Buechner,p.69)
Remember what IS going on with Jesus’ disciples just a few days after Jesus was crucified, dead & buried is not self-pity, not feeling sorry for them-selves. The disciples are hiding behind locked doors because they fear for their lives. Are the Jewish leaders looking for them? Are they going to be the next to suffer & die?
What is going on with Jesus’ disciples is indecision, uncertainty, weakness, waywardness, guilt, feeling ashamed, at loose ends with themselves. But Jesus appears to them and speaks with a most reassur-ing voice: “Look! He says! See! My hands! My side! It’s me! I am alive, really alive! . . Peace be with you.”!
What is also going on is that Jesus breathes on His disciples meaning Jesus breathes into them the Holy Spirit. “Receive the Holy Spirit,” says Jesus. The word the apostle John uses for Jesus breath-ing on, breathing into His disciples is the same word used in Genesis 2:7, where it says, “the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”
Add it all up and what is going with Jesus’ disciples in that room with the doors locked is that Jesus appearance to His disciples, His reassuring presence, His Word of Shalom, His gift of the Holy Spirit all points to a new thing, points to a new creation, new life, the beginning of a new community, a new, Christ-like community of God’s people; ordinary people, Jews & Gentiles, slaves & free, moms & dads, brothers & sisters; God’s new people, filled with the Spirit, alive in Christ for the purpose of proclaiming XP the risen Savior & Lord to a world in need of forgiveness, life, and salvation. We have seen & heard a little of that again this morning!
“Alive! Alive! A Simple Easter Musical for Kids” turns out to be SS & PS children, teachers, helpers, celebrating and participating in the mission of Christ’s church to sing, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ risen from the dead.
“Alive! Alive!” Given all the rehearsing, all the repetition, all the commotion, all the extra work; given the second-guessing & hoping & praying & wondering what’s going on and will it all come together? Lo and behold, it does!
It did in the Gospel for this Sunday. Jesus appeared to His disciples to assure them His resurrection did not mean no more things to be afraid of. Jesus resurrection from the dead did not mean the end of uncertainties & frustrations & failures & distractions & arguments & disagreements & doubts about God that are ever so much a part of the broken & sinful world we live in.
Instead what is going on in the Gospel for this Sunday is that Jesus announces, offers, makes real, makes personal, the gift of His Shalom, the promise of His presence, and the power of the Holy Spirit -- to this end that disciples & followers of Jesus, children & adults are enabled, empowered to continue the mission that Jesus Himself has begun through His life, death, and resurrection.
Are there not anti-Christian, anti-religious, anti-Easter, anti-church, anti-family forces at work in our society that make us as Christians want to curl up and keep to ourselves?
Are there not feelings of guilt and shame, feelings of defeat, discouragement, that sweep over us from time to time and leave us feeling vulnerable and useless, or taken advantage of?
Humorist that he is known to be, Garrison Keillor has said in a more serious vein, “We always have a backstage view of ourselves . . We don’t parade ourselves in front of people, we parade our children.” We let people see only what’s out front on a neatly arranged stage. But behind the curtain, behind what’s going on out front, are all kinds of things lying around; old failures, fears, hurts, pet sins, weakness and guilt and shame.
But along comes Easter. Easter is not only a new thing; holding on, but Easter is a new thing, look, see, what is going on! The risen Lord Jesus appears to His fearful disciples behind locked doors He’s Alive! Alive! Shalom! Shalom! I am sending you; I am sending you. Rejoice! Rejoice! Forgiven! Forgive!
What’s going on with God’s good Word & Sacraments; what’s going on in good Easter teaching, good Easter preaching, is God reconciling the world unto Himself through Jesus Christ not counting our sins & short-comings, our fears & failures against us.
What’s going on is that all who believe & receive the Holy Spirit through Word & Sacrament, all who look to the risen Lord Jesus for Shalom, for forgiveness, for oneness & newness & fullness & fellow-ship & unity with each other in Jesus have life, eternal life in Christ, they have it more abundantly.
So when by the grace of God, what’s going on is we are alive in Christ; alive to participate in the sending & going, the singing & growing, the worshipping & the working together as God’s people to share the love of Jesus with others, may we say, “Been there, Done that!” and may we continue to be here and do that.
