"Life Uncorked;" Sermon for Easter Sunday 2016 by Rev. Nicole A.M. Collins, FODM

It is often said that preaching is the work of the people—Kerygma, which means to spread the Good News of Christ Jesus death and resurrection, throughout the world.  It is by no means an idle tale!  But more often than not we share our own story of faith with fear, that others may not believe and thus find our whole journey suspect and of idle drifting…

We’re not in an easy age of being bold witnesses for our injustice to the Good News has been our reinvention of it to revolve around us.  This is not in a humble and teaching way either, but one where the words of Alleluia do not connect to the soul for regeneration yet alone true renewal. What a sad fate on such a glorious day! We must hear St. Paul’s Words about Christ and our physical death to truly roll away that stone—un-bottle and unbridle our lives to be all things through Christ Jesus who indeed strengthens an undeserving wretch like me!

Hear this loudly literally as well as spiritually deep in that New Nature sanctuary—the heart: “⁵⁵Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” And I will add to this still, in saying—Thanks Be to God, Alleluia and Amen! 

Jesus Christ has risen indeed, Alleluia!  Yes it is 2,000 something years later…  Is there not something timeless and eternally hopeful about a place we have yet to truly know?  The Kingdom of God and all its righteousness is not an idle hope or a stone left unturned upon our journey of discovery as disciples of Jesus—it is a great and glorious New Beginning!  It is a process, one baptized by tears and one held in the loving and gracious arms of a loving and gracious God as we move forward!

What do you think Paul meant by saying that the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law?  I think it goes beyond pointing that finger back to Adam and Eve as well as it does go beyond the literal… We all fall short of the glory of God but do we give up? The Evil One and our enemies sure would like us to give up. For churches are closing across America faster than they are being built. For gaining the world and all its “idol glory” tramples over the soul making its very life irrelevant to the moment of vain victory!

Just the other day, actually Good Friday, I was caring for the elderly gentleman with advanced dementia.  Out of the blue, sometime around 11am, his pastor shows up not to necessarily bring tidings of Easter joy but to inform him that the church has voted to close! Yikes, what a lovely and hopeful Easter message that is to someone who can’t even remember the last time his frame or family darkened the doorway to this church!  Should he cry for the memories of brick and mortar or of the mission he never truly was shepherded to trod upon?

The soul is the mystery of life and that place of identity. Christ Jesus death upon that cross and resurrection restored our identity as children of Grace and Promise. Our lives are now the mercy seat of the Gospel’s work in the world, not of it. No one ever said it would never be a lonely road… It can be very lonely.  It is a path however, one in which we all must take for the sake and purpose so very far beyond ourselves!  How can we go forward though, if we don’t look inwardly to roll away that stone?

The stone, that imperishable aspect of ourselves we can’t completely be rid of since it is a part of our very humanness! Simul et Justus Peccator—or better known as simultaneously saint and sinner—we are, at the same time, both righteous and a sinner.  The Old Nature is never fully divested from who we are since it is literally a part of us. The Saving Grace Jesus gave us upon that Cross and released through the resurrection is needing to be reaped within us—it IS that New Creation, very Nature that Christ exampled in perfect form!

You’ve heard of the statement—having, harboring a faith that moves mountains!  The world may not want to hear about your spiritual formation but we are all called to share!  We all have wonderful gifts lying deep within ourselves being shaped by and through God’s Grace for His will and purposes for the world.  Heart Knowledge is that place of growth that can move those mountains, roll away that stone and gather a people together to love and live the Gospel “uncorked!”

Christ Jesus never taught us to be lawless but in fact live into a New law—one that is built and delivered by Love.  Love in complete fulfillment is the perfection of the Gospel we will never completely realize but Hope, Do and become the best who we can be for a glorious freedom—we taste through Christ: GRACE!

Today’s Gospel text has to be experienced.  In a sense about 7 years ago, I got to experience this text in delivering a larger portion of it through the scriptures by heart class I had at the beginning of my seminary journey. This experiencing went beyond the rudimentary of memorization and the physical gestures of putting myself in the place of those women looking into that tomb… I had to imagine myself there.

About a week of practicing nearly eating, sleeping and dreaming that text…  I felt that scripture come alive! Kind of surreal when you think about it because we just have too hard of a time taking the Gospel truly into our hearts.  It’s not all about book smarts, doctrinal or intellectual it is a spiritual education!  Early on in my journey, I was made to feel ashamed or embarrassed to talk about my conversion experience.  What a criminal disservice I was done!  Who knows as well how many future pastors out there were shunned as well to sharing what they genuinely experienced!

In fact, years later now, I still am made to feel uncomfortable about coming to faith through experiencing worship at that small little Chicago Lutheran church on the Northside.  But I DID hear God speak to my heart to begin a whole new life! From that very experience the summer of 2003 forward, I have been growing as that aspiring saint and sinner, to answer God’s call!  My past is still there, just as yours is… but Christ Jesus leads us to find a better way to work through faith and prayerfully to live into His mission, calling to us all.

St. Paul once again makes his prayerful plea to the Corinthians to hear this deeply, he says: “²⁶The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is plain that this does not include the one who put all things in subjection under him. ²⁸When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put all things in subjection under him, so that God may be all in all.”  He continues to try to help them see the victory of Easter:  “²⁹Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? ³⁰And why are we putting ourselves in danger every hour? ³¹I die every day! That is as certain, brothers and sisters, as my boasting of you—a boast that I make in Christ Jesus our Lord. ³²If with merely human hopes I fought…, what would I have gained by it? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

It is more than amazing Grace that gives us New life… It is rolling away that indifference and opening the heart to what really matters. It is going to be a lot of work but what is relevant to the world’s survival is the Gospel of Christ.  Let us all go there…  Let us be those first witnesses, those women at the tomb not just our pastors, priests, and those we think should take the lead on this for us….  WE all need to go there, with those spices in hand anticipating the smell of death but arriving (in more ways than one) to a glorious discovery:  Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior has risen, He has risen indeed! Alleluia!  He has risen in our hearts as the Holy Spirit begins His work within us, for us and through us for the Kingdom of God! AMEN

Let us Pray,

Gracious and Loving God

Help to continue our hearts growth by and through

Your Living Words of Grace

For a greater purpose and loving Journey

One that divests us from our Old Ways

To one that invests our hearts

To live Alleluia

As Love, Peace, Mercy, Compassion, Kindness

And all fruits of Blessing You exampled for us to grow

All Glory, Laud and Honor be to You

Redeemer and King of Grace—

AMEN

March 27^th, 2016; Resurrection of Our Lord, Easter Day; Year C; SOLA Lectionary

Sermon By: Reverend Nicole A.M. Collins, FODM

Psalm 16; Isaiah 65:17-25; 1 Corinthians 15:19-58; & Luke 24:1-12

This morning's delivery at the Grace Hub Lutheran Orthodox Church:
https://youtu.be/3CaCHKD492I

"Coming Full Circle;" Sermon for Palm Sunday 2016 by Rev. Nicole A.M. Collins, FODM

The legend of St. Patrick has it that he drove out the snakes in Ireland into the sea. This was to be more or less in line with the Biblical account of Moses and Aaron turning their staffs into snakes to fight Pharaoh’s sorcerers and the story continues.  Well several centuries later we know St. Paddy’s day as more or less the celebration of over celebrating via libations and whatnot every March 17^th—this past Thursday.

What I think is interesting is that the initial contributing source of the fall of man was the snake in Adam and Eve and in Exodus the snakes were used to drive away evil and with the legend of St. Patrick we once again see a powerful image of the snakes being driven away to drown in the sea.  Getting to the core of these illustrations is the dynamics of good against evil.   Which when we think about the irony of Palm Sunday & Jesus’ being fully aware of His fate…  The irony and strangeness of it all for us human, earthly creatures is why did Jesus’ divest His Divine, perfect New Nature to eventually die for us on the brutal, bloody cross?

This past week, I read for the first time ever, a beautiful poem or creedal declaration that made up the breast plate prayer of St. Patrick.  Here are those words:

“I bind to myself today

The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:

I believe the Trinity in the Unity

The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today

The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,

The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,

The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,

The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind to myself today

The virtue of the love of seraphim,

In the obedience of angels,

In the hope of resurrection unto reward,

In prayers of Patriarchs,

In predictions of Prophets,

In preaching of Apostles,

In faith of Confessors,

In deeds of righteous people.

I bind to myself today

The power of Heaven,

The light of the sun,

The brightness of the moon,

The splendor of fire,

The flashing of lightning,

The swiftness of wind,

The depth of sea,

The stability of earth,

The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today

God's Power to guide me,

God's Might to uphold me,

God's Wisdom to teach me,

God's Eye to watch over me,

God's Ear to hear me,

God's Word to give me speech,

God's Hand to guide me,

God's Way to lie before me,

God's Shield to shelter me,

God's Host to secure me,

Against the snares of demons,

Against the seductions of vices,

Against the lusts of nature,

Against everyone who meditates injury to me,

Whether far or near,

Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues

Against every hostile merciless power

Which may assail my body and my soul,

Against the incantations of false prophets,

Against the black laws of heathenism,

Against the false laws of heresy,

Against the deceits of idolatry,

Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today

Against every poison, against burning,

Against drowning, against death-wound,

That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me, Christ within me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ at my right, Christ at my left,

Christ in the fort,

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today

The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,

I believe the Trinity in the Unity

The Creator of the Universe.”

Wow, powerful stuff, what an amazing thing to confess, lift as a prayer to living into Christ! This prayer struck me to be as powerful as today’s snippet from that beautiful Philippians passage from St. Paul.  Speaking from the heart of one who has experienced true conversion, Paul sees and expresses that Divine humility that of course, defies human logic but reveals the profound power of Christ’ actions for our behalf in being/ becoming fully human on that cross as the perfect sacrificial lamb.

Christ’ majesty and sovereignty comes from a place we still don’t really understand.  Much like missing the mark in how we view good and evil in the world.  Creeds, songs, declarations only begin to touch the tip of the iceberg of addressing how we are to realize what Christ gave to us through the Cross and what we must do.  We must die. In order for the Christ to reign in our lives and bear the fruits of Grace—our hearts must CHANGE.  This is not a doctrinal, intellectual change but inward and transformational.

The true power of the Gospel and our genuine Godly knowledge first begins in realizing Christ message and mission inwardly.  Only upon that taking place first, do we truly begin to see and know what the gifts are, that we can share.  The gifts of the spirit from a converting heart are genuine righteousness, mercy, peace, forgiveness and selflessness. They are also our greatest challenge that the Old Nature fights tooth and nail to avoid!

Continuing on that note of thinking prayerfully about the Old Nature, the irony beyond Jesus’ own realization of the sacrifice to come, is the reception he receives sojourning into Jerusalem to a wild and enthusiastic crowd who most likely just like those going to a super bowl party today, are just joining in the act of celebrating without really and truthfully knowing or caring who Jesus really is!

We have this problem today, as well, in understanding ourselves gathering as the Body. We often go through the motions of worship without contemplation and prayerful discernment.  We often do many things together without really stepping back and wondering why—Are we truly living into our discipleship calling?  Do we live into mission?  Do we harbor a goal—especially one beyond ourselves?!  Unfortunately today the Gospel and its calling is taken as a works righteousness, a transactional service to elevate the self but NOT CHANGE the self as Christ is calling us to DO and BE!

We are more or less exactly like those spectators at Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  The party and the celebration are only once a week and last maybe over an hour… Our lives are divided as well as divisive and not for the better mind you! Mind you—there is that old Saturday morning education cartoon from sometime in the ‘70’s where the character declares—the mind is a terrible thing to waste.  Yes the mind is a terrible thing to waste especially, as a disciple of Jesus!

As a disciple of Jesus—which you are, you know… the mind is that place that operates the actions of that internal church—the heart.  The heart as I’ve said countless times before, is that 1^st church where the New Nature has been planted by Grace and is THERE for us to reap.  The mind is the reaper—not grim, but joyous especially when we take Christ’ call to us seriously. Taking Christ seriously is revealed when we realize how radical the sacrifice truly was and how counter cultural Christ truly is to “our world.”

The mysteries of life aren’t there for us to try to justify and explain for often we naturally or simply elevate the self, period.  It’s like the whole notion of coming full circle within the journey of your life as a disciple of Jesus.  You’ve been down one road and are blindly casting out lines upon other paths… Letting go (of the line) and letting God (LEAD).  When maybe the path and journey Christ is truly calling you to walk down has been right in front of you, from the beginning!

This has been my reality recently in contemplating and applying to various ministries in order to answer God’s call to my heart to serve.  I am once again, experiencing an urban context of ministry with a new community in hopes for a potentially new future, horizon to serve in. It is looking through the past with a transforming heart.  There is no longer grief and sadness per say, but something NEW and calling me to grow even more!

We are wayward children, with perhaps attention deficit disorder to everything and anything except Christ Jesus, the Lord! The institutionalized church today has experienced a painful blow to gathering the flock together to witness and contemplate the whole of Holy Week…  Since many churches have had to eliminate Good Friday and combine it into Palm Sunday by referring to it as Passion Sunday.

It’s not only a matter of the fact that we can’t do the Gospel story justice by this truncation but that our wishing to avoid reflecting upon the crucifixion is frankly devastating to our spiritual growth!  Why do I consider it devastating? We can’t erase or sweep under the rug the things we don’t want to face… But we do it anyway and have even elaborated upon this avoidance by justifying it which is sin, period.

The matter of numbers in a pew or convenience to parishioners who feel they’re doing too much “church” is just plain and simply a grave injustice.  But hey, think about those spectators and supporters in the crowd in today’s Gospel, many of them may have even willingly participated in shouting a few days later for Jesus’ crucifixion! What?! Sounds completely ridiculous but welcome to being human.  This is no excuse but should be viewed through the eyes of prayer in asking God what can I do for the better?  Teach my heart the true meaning, purpose and accountability of love.

This reminds me of a favorite slogan of this full circle effort: Don’t put a period where God has put a comma.  God is and will always be speaking to us and most importantly through us while we conscientiously grow for the sake of the Gospel.

Come and Follow me wasn’t a suggestion, it is a command—commissioning our hearts for a glorious New path—the Kingdom of God.

AMEN

March 20th, 2016; Palm Sunday (Sunday of the Passion); Year C; SOLA Lectionary

Sermon by: Reverend Nicole A.M. Collins, FODM

Psalm 118:19-29; Deuteronomy 32:36-39; Philippians 2:5-11; John 12:12-19 

~Here's a video of this sermon delivered this morning at the Grace Hub Lutheran Orthodox Church's House service, 8am
https://youtu.be/m4v2W_P7iZI