Reverend Raymond Osborne, O.S.L., Pastor

Please Note That Most Messages Follow
The Revised Common Lectionary

About a year ago I had the opportunity to lead a workshop with Henry Blackaby. The name probably escapes you but Dr. Blackaby wrote a small group Bible Study called “Experiencing God.” Experiencing God became an almost overnight success. Why? Because people in this day and age really want to experience God!

This past week I participated in “Career Day” at Wesley Chapel School. I think some were afraid that I might evangelize the school! I began each class presentation by teaching them how to say “Good morning boys and girls” in both Greek and Hebrew. Then I spoke of the importance of having a good education – even for a minister! I concluded each presentation with the song, “If you’re happy and you know it!” I was absolutely surprised by how many actually knew the song! I was delighted as they joyfully joined in! It was no problem getting those guys and gals to sing let me tell you! I went there to teach them something about the importance of education and the diverse tasks that a minister performs. I came away with an education myself. I learned that many of those children at some point in their lives had already been introduced to church, however they might define it. Most of those second graders knew exactly what a minister is and what he or she does. I also found myself wondering how many of those second graders would someday actually experce the resurrected Jesus!

My thesis is that while many people are dutiful in church attendance, few there be that actually have an encounter with the resurrected Jesus and the power that comes with that encounter!

If you have read my article in “The Herald” this month, it will clue you in a bit to this morning’s message. When I come here each Sunday I come excited about what is going to happen! I come enthused about seeing the smiles on your faces. I can’t wait to walk through that door because I know without one iota of doubt that I am about to experience God!

Mary lives in Michigan and grew up attending church and Sunday school. In her teen years, she became friends with the other youth. She continued attending church on and off through her adult years. By the time Mary was 31, she had two small children. A friend from another church invited her to attend a crusade. Mary isn't sure why she agreed, but she did. Mary heard the gospel message and learned what it means to be a follower of Jesus. It struck her as though she were hearing it for the very first time. Many have had such an experience.

The next day, Mary attended another service with her friend. It was a beautiful experience to see her faith come alive. Following the second service, Mary had some questions for the guest preacher. She shared with him, "I've just realized I've been playing religion all my life," she said. She told how she was active at her church and how she even served on committees. "I've heard about the Crucifixion so much since I was a child that I've been numb to it," she explained. But then it struck her, "I realized today," she admitted, "that I don't have a relationship with Christ. I don't want to play church anymore! I don't want to play any more games."

Paul is saying, “Look, I have been through all the ritual. I’ve been through all the motions, jumped through all the hoops. I’ve done it all. There is no substitute for experiencing the power of the resurrection!”

The truth is that we can be members of the church, regular in our attendance, faithful in our giving, and still we have never known what it is like to experience the power, the true power of the resurrection.

A few years ago, one of America's biggest department stores tried marketing a doll in the form of the baby Jesus. The advertisements described it as being "washable, cuddly and unbreakable," and it was neatly packaged in straw, satin and plastic. To complete the package, the manufacturer added biblical texts appropriate to the baby Jesus. To the department store executives, it looked like a sure-fire winner, a real moneymaker. But they were wrong. It didn't sell. In a last-ditch effort to get rid of the dolls, one of the store managers placed a huge sign in a prominent display window. It read:

Jesus Christ
Marked down 50%
Get him while you can.

I’m afraid many have a “model” understanding of the power of the resurrection. You know what a “model” is don’t you? A small imitation of the real thing! A few years ago my wife and I started a Southern Gospel group and when searching for a name we thought of the name “Souled Out.” We wanted everyone who heard us sing to know that we were completely “sold out” to Jesus.

About now you should be beginning to ask just what this resurrection power is. Resurrection Power is knowing without a shadow of a doubt that your eternal destiny is Heaven. Resurrection Power is that which gives the confidence that if we were to die this very instant we’d be partying in the presence of Jesus! Someone said, “partying? Pastor did you say, ‘partying?’” You bet I did! I don’t believe heaven is a rest home for the aged, but a place of partying with the Lamb of God! A place where the angels sing and all who never could will! A place where the lame walk, the blind see, the deaf hear, the mute speak. Where children who never took one step in their life get to run and jump and leap! I believe heaven will be a place of partying down with the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, the Lamb and the Lion of Judah, the one and only begotten Son of God!

I don’t know about you, but I tend to get a little excited when I think about heaven! It’s Resurrection Power that has caused heaven to come into existence. Without the resurrection we would be lost without hope and without confidence and without a cause and a purpose. Someone said, “Pastor are you ready to go?” No!

Everyone who deals in data knows the old maxim "knowledge is power." The corollary of that law insists that crucial knowledge -- like power -- should never be shared. In stories about organizations like the FBI or the CIA, agents are always being curtailed by the power structure's biggest safety net -- the old "need-to-know" rule. If you can perform the task at hand without having any real information about the whole operation, then you have no "need-to-know." Only those in charge, those with all the power, "know it all" and see the big picture.

Those who "know Christ" operate under a completely opposite mandate. All who genuinely "know Christ" are also those who cannot wait to "make Christ known" to everyone else. There are so many out in our communities, our neighborhoods, our households, who do have a "need-to-know." It is up to those of us who "know Christ" to reveal his love to them.

On Easter morning, Mary Magdalene was reduced to tears by the sight of the empty tomb. The angels confronted Mary and asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" She replied, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know ...."

There are too many "theys" out there -- conglomerates of faceless, hostile "theys" whose job it is to make it hard for us to "know" and easy for us to "not know."

- There are the "theys" of materialism -- urging us to invest in possessions instead of treasures.

In - There are the "theys" of intellectualism -- advising us to trust only our heads and never our hearts.

- There are the "theys" of commercialism -- persuading us to spend the contents of our wallets instead of extending the power of our hands.

- There are the "theys" of politicism -- dividing us into factions instead of joining us into teams.

- There are the "theys" of racism ,sexism, and ageism -- frightening us into hiding in enclaves instead of gathering us into communities.

- There are the "theys" of presentism -- narrowly fixating us on what we want today instead of what our children will need tomorrow.

What you don't know can hurt you -- if what you don't know is the resurrection power of Jesus Christ.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

***The “they’s” were from Homiletics Online.