Saturday, April 21, 2012
“All God’s Creation” sermon based on 1 John 3:1-7 Humber United Church, April 22 2012 Earth Day
See what great love God has lavished on us, so we are called children of God! That is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known; but we know that when Christ appears again, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness; but you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins, in him is no sin. No one who lives in Jesus keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen him or known him.
Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.
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I want to tell you two experiences which stand out in my memory. One is from my early childhood in southern Saskatchewan. I was about four years old, living in a tiny town called Canora, in the southern part of the province. In the summer, the wheat seemed to grow to about eight feet tall - or so it seemed to a child. The skies were clear deep blue, and the wheat was golden, and when one was able to stand on a small hillock and look over - it looked like the ocean and waves. Those were the days when Monsanto didn’t claim it owned patents on seeds, and didn’t sue farmers when stray seeds popped up fifty miles away in their ditches. The grain was planted and grown as part of creation - not as part of a company’s attempt to patent crops and control farming.
My second outstanding memory is just a few years ago, outside Tampere in Finland, sitting by the shore of Lake Nasijaarvi. In the summer in Finland, the sun doesn’t set. As I watched, the sun gradually descended to the horizon, and there were all the deep red and gold colours of a sunset on the left. As it dipped partway below the horizon, it began to rise, and there were the pale pinks and golds of a sunrise.
Steve Whitney is a professional environmentalist. He tells a story of writing his first sermon on Earth Day - sitting in a pub with a Bible and a couple of books, and asked the waitress if she thought it was improper to write a sermon while sitting in a tavern. She replied by asking where he went to church. When he responded "St. Stephen's Episcopal" she chuckled and said "Oh, don't worry about it, they've all been here." Well, said Steve, that’s OK - because the Anglican tradition openly celebrates God's creation in all of its manifestations. The forests that blanket the landscape, the clear water that flows from the mountains, the bald eagles and killer whales, the flowering shrubs that paint our neighborhoods with flashes of pink and yellow, the diversity of human life, and yes, even the hops for our beer in a pub on an afternoon, writing a sermon. For all that we have, and all that we are, we owe thanks to God.
Christians centuries ago knew this well. They set aside a few days a year during planting time, called Rogation Days, to offer their prayers for blessings. Not only Christians, though, and we err if we think it is only us. The early Israelite peoples celebrated the “Feast of Weeks” - the time from the giving of the Torah, to the time of the first harvest, and the giving of thanks. Native peoples in North America celebrated the “first fruits” in the spring, by picking and sharing strawberries, and giving thanks to the Creator. The Book of Revelation talks about the Tree of Life, and the River of the Water of Life; and this is echoed in the Druid beliefs, the great tree Yggdrasil, whose branches went straight up to heaven, whose roots went down into the earth - and the trunk of the tree connected heaven and earth. Incidentally, I’ve put that on my business card - Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life.
Creation isn’t just about rocks and trees, and lakes and harvests, though. In the story of Noah, God set a rainbow in the skies to demonstrate a covenant with all creation, which included people. "I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the Earth."
What does God think of our modern attitudes toward the diversity of life, where value is measured not in terms of the secrets the creatures may hold, but in dollars and cents. We treat the earth like an ark in reverse. Rather than march the animals two by two up the ramp of survival, we march them faster and faster down the gang-plank of extinction. "They are taking our property rights" we say, "just to save the spotted owl or the wild salmon." But I think we need to start asking ourselves the question, whose property is it, really? On whose authority do we use private land to the detriment of God's creation?"
When our ancestors first left Europe, they discovered lands on this side of the ocean when people had no concept of land ownership. The land belonged to the Creator, and we were allowed to use it. An Ojibway friend told me that in traditional North American aboriginal cultures, it is common to give thanks to the animals for giving up their lives to be food on our tables. Everything needs to be respected.
Are people of faith doing enough to ensure Creation is a blessing for everyone? It’s easy for us to give thanks, to say that we feel close to God when we are out at the lake, or sitting in awe watching icebergs, or walking in the woods in Bowaters Park. What about the children of Somalia, whose creation consists of nothing more than sand; little or no shelter, no food, subject to violence, rape and disease. What would they think, hearing us talking about the beauty of the world?
God made a covenant with “the Earth”, and all that is in it. That means there are certain things which are not negotiable. Every child, every person living, has a right to food, to shelter, to water, to education, to health care. Those are basic human rights which must not be denied. They also have the right not to live in fear, not to suffer from war or violence. To try to patent seeds and claim ownership, to modify foods without knowing the outcome, to perpetrate violence on others for whatever reasons we may use to rationalise being right - the truth is we do not respect God’s creation, nor all the creatures in it. Did you know that the population of North America eats 80% of the world’s food? And that Canadians produce more garbage per capita than any other nation?
Today I want us to pray that as children of God, we may be faithful stewards of your good gifts..." Faithful stewards. . . What does it mean to be a faithful steward of God's creation? Good question. Fortunately the bible provides guidance -- in Genesis 2 God placed the human creature in the garden "to till it and keep it." So we have the responsibility, to till the Earth in order to make its productive powers flourish. This does not mean we are to plant and harvest all of it. We are also called to sustain it, conserve it, perpetuate it -- to "keep" the Earth by protecting its God- created life systems and life forms.
Christians have a calling, and that calling is to a life in Creation. We cannot preach any kind of message if we do not strive, in whatever way possible, to live that message. May we see with new eyes and hear with new ears, as we walk through this world - and may we find ways to be good co-Creators with God’s ongoing creation - the Tree of Life.
Let us pray.
God, we thank you for the opportunity to reflect on your creation, your covenant with all living things, and our calling to be good stewards of the gifts you have provided. Help us to understand that each of us has an important role in Caring for Creation, by the choices we make and by the actions we take. Give us the strength to stand up when we see wrong being done in the name of so-called advancement; to speak when we see others being ill-treated; to make our voices heard in as many ways as we can. Give us the wisdom to choose thoughtfully, and to act with care, in accordance with your will, and your love of this good Earth, our island home.
Sources:
1. Steven Whitney, preached at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Earth Day Sunday, April 21, 1996.
Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness; but you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins, in him is no sin. No one who lives in Jesus keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen him or known him.
Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.
**************************************************************************
I want to tell you two experiences which stand out in my memory. One is from my early childhood in southern Saskatchewan. I was about four years old, living in a tiny town called Canora, in the southern part of the province. In the summer, the wheat seemed to grow to about eight feet tall - or so it seemed to a child. The skies were clear deep blue, and the wheat was golden, and when one was able to stand on a small hillock and look over - it looked like the ocean and waves. Those were the days when Monsanto didn’t claim it owned patents on seeds, and didn’t sue farmers when stray seeds popped up fifty miles away in their ditches. The grain was planted and grown as part of creation - not as part of a company’s attempt to patent crops and control farming.
My second outstanding memory is just a few years ago, outside Tampere in Finland, sitting by the shore of Lake Nasijaarvi. In the summer in Finland, the sun doesn’t set. As I watched, the sun gradually descended to the horizon, and there were all the deep red and gold colours of a sunset on the left. As it dipped partway below the horizon, it began to rise, and there were the pale pinks and golds of a sunrise.
Steve Whitney is a professional environmentalist. He tells a story of writing his first sermon on Earth Day - sitting in a pub with a Bible and a couple of books, and asked the waitress if she thought it was improper to write a sermon while sitting in a tavern. She replied by asking where he went to church. When he responded "St. Stephen's Episcopal" she chuckled and said "Oh, don't worry about it, they've all been here." Well, said Steve, that’s OK - because the Anglican tradition openly celebrates God's creation in all of its manifestations. The forests that blanket the landscape, the clear water that flows from the mountains, the bald eagles and killer whales, the flowering shrubs that paint our neighborhoods with flashes of pink and yellow, the diversity of human life, and yes, even the hops for our beer in a pub on an afternoon, writing a sermon. For all that we have, and all that we are, we owe thanks to God.
Christians centuries ago knew this well. They set aside a few days a year during planting time, called Rogation Days, to offer their prayers for blessings. Not only Christians, though, and we err if we think it is only us. The early Israelite peoples celebrated the “Feast of Weeks” - the time from the giving of the Torah, to the time of the first harvest, and the giving of thanks. Native peoples in North America celebrated the “first fruits” in the spring, by picking and sharing strawberries, and giving thanks to the Creator. The Book of Revelation talks about the Tree of Life, and the River of the Water of Life; and this is echoed in the Druid beliefs, the great tree Yggdrasil, whose branches went straight up to heaven, whose roots went down into the earth - and the trunk of the tree connected heaven and earth. Incidentally, I’ve put that on my business card - Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life.
Creation isn’t just about rocks and trees, and lakes and harvests, though. In the story of Noah, God set a rainbow in the skies to demonstrate a covenant with all creation, which included people. "I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the Earth."
What does God think of our modern attitudes toward the diversity of life, where value is measured not in terms of the secrets the creatures may hold, but in dollars and cents. We treat the earth like an ark in reverse. Rather than march the animals two by two up the ramp of survival, we march them faster and faster down the gang-plank of extinction. "They are taking our property rights" we say, "just to save the spotted owl or the wild salmon." But I think we need to start asking ourselves the question, whose property is it, really? On whose authority do we use private land to the detriment of God's creation?"
When our ancestors first left Europe, they discovered lands on this side of the ocean when people had no concept of land ownership. The land belonged to the Creator, and we were allowed to use it. An Ojibway friend told me that in traditional North American aboriginal cultures, it is common to give thanks to the animals for giving up their lives to be food on our tables. Everything needs to be respected.
Are people of faith doing enough to ensure Creation is a blessing for everyone? It’s easy for us to give thanks, to say that we feel close to God when we are out at the lake, or sitting in awe watching icebergs, or walking in the woods in Bowaters Park. What about the children of Somalia, whose creation consists of nothing more than sand; little or no shelter, no food, subject to violence, rape and disease. What would they think, hearing us talking about the beauty of the world?
God made a covenant with “the Earth”, and all that is in it. That means there are certain things which are not negotiable. Every child, every person living, has a right to food, to shelter, to water, to education, to health care. Those are basic human rights which must not be denied. They also have the right not to live in fear, not to suffer from war or violence. To try to patent seeds and claim ownership, to modify foods without knowing the outcome, to perpetrate violence on others for whatever reasons we may use to rationalise being right - the truth is we do not respect God’s creation, nor all the creatures in it. Did you know that the population of North America eats 80% of the world’s food? And that Canadians produce more garbage per capita than any other nation?
Today I want us to pray that as children of God, we may be faithful stewards of your good gifts..." Faithful stewards. . . What does it mean to be a faithful steward of God's creation? Good question. Fortunately the bible provides guidance -- in Genesis 2 God placed the human creature in the garden "to till it and keep it." So we have the responsibility, to till the Earth in order to make its productive powers flourish. This does not mean we are to plant and harvest all of it. We are also called to sustain it, conserve it, perpetuate it -- to "keep" the Earth by protecting its God- created life systems and life forms.
Christians have a calling, and that calling is to a life in Creation. We cannot preach any kind of message if we do not strive, in whatever way possible, to live that message. May we see with new eyes and hear with new ears, as we walk through this world - and may we find ways to be good co-Creators with God’s ongoing creation - the Tree of Life.
Let us pray.
God, we thank you for the opportunity to reflect on your creation, your covenant with all living things, and our calling to be good stewards of the gifts you have provided. Help us to understand that each of us has an important role in Caring for Creation, by the choices we make and by the actions we take. Give us the strength to stand up when we see wrong being done in the name of so-called advancement; to speak when we see others being ill-treated; to make our voices heard in as many ways as we can. Give us the wisdom to choose thoughtfully, and to act with care, in accordance with your will, and your love of this good Earth, our island home.
Sources:
1. Steven Whitney, preached at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Earth Day Sunday, April 21, 1996.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
“Christmas and Easter” Easter Sunday April 8, 2012 1 Corinthians 15:1-7 Mark 16:1-8 (second ending).
Corinthians
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.....
Mark
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”When they looked, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were frightened. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. Go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Then they quickly reported all these instructions to those around Peter. After this, Jesus himself also sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.
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This morning we are singing two pieces of music that we normally associate with Christmas. I knew there were going to be some funny looks, wondering what on earth the minister was doing. Well, yes, the minister does know - once in awhile that happens....
First, we’ve sung the last verse of “O Come, All Ye Faithful”.....”Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation, sing all ye citizens of heaven above. Glory to God in the highest! O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.”
We sang it as a response to “The Exultet”. The Exultet is the Easter proclamation, the proclamation of the resurrection. - and in the Exultet are the words “Sing, choirs of angels!”. What better piece of music to go with that???
As the closing hymn, we are singing “Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her king. Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing.” Interestingly, this was actually written as a hymn proclaiming the Easter message, and only became popular as a Christmas hymn in the 20th century. Isaac Watts, who wrote the words, was thinking specifically in terms of traditional theology, which said that Jesus would come again at the end of time. In traditional theological terms, Jesus was the Eschaton, the one who brought about the end-times. In his birth Jesus broke into the continuum of history, and pointed both forward and back in time. In tradition theology, history itself was suspended with the coming of Jesus. So Watts wrote “Joy to the World” as a hymn for Easter. It was literally the Easter Proclamation, and the proclaiming of the end of this reality and the coming of God’s Realm with the resurrection and expected “second coming” of Jesus..
There is a reality we forget, I think. Without Christmas, we would not have Easter; if Jesus had not been born, then there would have been no resurrection story; and if there had been no resurrection, there would have been no Christmas to celebrate either.
This is a story of birth, death and rebirth - a story of new creation - a parallel to the story of creation in Genesis. Jesus is buried in a cave in a garden, and suddenly he is not there any longer. Echoing in the background are the words of Jesus: A seed, unless it is planted, remains just a seed. But when it is planted and grows, it will bear much fruit.”
This morning we go to a cave in a garden, with three women who still believe traditional Jewish theology - that the dead will be raised when the last trumpet sounds. So they go, grieving, weeping, lost, the whole fabric of their lives ripped in half. They go expecting to have to struggle with a heavy stone. Who will roll away the stone? They don’t even seem aware that the body has already been properly prepared for burial, and they go with spices to dress the body of Jesus appropriately. They arrive in the garden to find that the stone is rolled back, the body is gone, and there is a messenger from God saying “He is risen, he is not here. Go and tell.” The angel provides them with the Exultet, the Easter proclamation.
This morning the words of Jesus are just as potent. Nothing rises to life unless it first dies. A seed remains just a seed, unless it is first planted.
At Christmas, the seed was planted. As it grew, it became the vine, and the followers became the branches. The “seeds” then had to be planted again, in order for new life to grow. So, to me, it makes all kinds of sense to sing the Exultet, to sing the song of new life, the song of the realm of God coming on earth. “Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her king! Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing!”
...and all heaven and all nature sing. We run away from the empty tomb, not afraid, but full of joy - in his rising into new life, we also rise to new life. Alleluia! Jesus is risen. Jesus is risen indeed.
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.....
Mark
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”When they looked, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were frightened. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. Go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Then they quickly reported all these instructions to those around Peter. After this, Jesus himself also sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.
***************************************************************************
This morning we are singing two pieces of music that we normally associate with Christmas. I knew there were going to be some funny looks, wondering what on earth the minister was doing. Well, yes, the minister does know - once in awhile that happens....
First, we’ve sung the last verse of “O Come, All Ye Faithful”.....”Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation, sing all ye citizens of heaven above. Glory to God in the highest! O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.”
We sang it as a response to “The Exultet”. The Exultet is the Easter proclamation, the proclamation of the resurrection. - and in the Exultet are the words “Sing, choirs of angels!”. What better piece of music to go with that???
As the closing hymn, we are singing “Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her king. Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing.” Interestingly, this was actually written as a hymn proclaiming the Easter message, and only became popular as a Christmas hymn in the 20th century. Isaac Watts, who wrote the words, was thinking specifically in terms of traditional theology, which said that Jesus would come again at the end of time. In traditional theological terms, Jesus was the Eschaton, the one who brought about the end-times. In his birth Jesus broke into the continuum of history, and pointed both forward and back in time. In tradition theology, history itself was suspended with the coming of Jesus. So Watts wrote “Joy to the World” as a hymn for Easter. It was literally the Easter Proclamation, and the proclaiming of the end of this reality and the coming of God’s Realm with the resurrection and expected “second coming” of Jesus..
There is a reality we forget, I think. Without Christmas, we would not have Easter; if Jesus had not been born, then there would have been no resurrection story; and if there had been no resurrection, there would have been no Christmas to celebrate either.
This is a story of birth, death and rebirth - a story of new creation - a parallel to the story of creation in Genesis. Jesus is buried in a cave in a garden, and suddenly he is not there any longer. Echoing in the background are the words of Jesus: A seed, unless it is planted, remains just a seed. But when it is planted and grows, it will bear much fruit.”
This morning we go to a cave in a garden, with three women who still believe traditional Jewish theology - that the dead will be raised when the last trumpet sounds. So they go, grieving, weeping, lost, the whole fabric of their lives ripped in half. They go expecting to have to struggle with a heavy stone. Who will roll away the stone? They don’t even seem aware that the body has already been properly prepared for burial, and they go with spices to dress the body of Jesus appropriately. They arrive in the garden to find that the stone is rolled back, the body is gone, and there is a messenger from God saying “He is risen, he is not here. Go and tell.” The angel provides them with the Exultet, the Easter proclamation.
This morning the words of Jesus are just as potent. Nothing rises to life unless it first dies. A seed remains just a seed, unless it is first planted.
At Christmas, the seed was planted. As it grew, it became the vine, and the followers became the branches. The “seeds” then had to be planted again, in order for new life to grow. So, to me, it makes all kinds of sense to sing the Exultet, to sing the song of new life, the song of the realm of God coming on earth. “Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her king! Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing!”
...and all heaven and all nature sing. We run away from the empty tomb, not afraid, but full of joy - in his rising into new life, we also rise to new life. Alleluia! Jesus is risen. Jesus is risen indeed.
“Women at the Tomb” - Mark 16:1- 10 Easter Morning Sunrise Service, Humber United Church
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were afraid. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’
First ending: Then they quickly reported all these instructions to those around Peter. After this, Jesus himself also sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.
Second ending: When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.
Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
The Gospel According to Mary Magdalene Chapter 5.
When Mary had said this, she fell silent, since it was to this point that the Saviour had spoken with her.
But Andrew answered and said to the brethren, “Say what you wish to say about what she has said. I at least do not believe that the Saviour said this. For certainly these teachings are strange ideas.”
Peter answered and spoke concerning these same things. He questioned the women about the Saviour: Did He really speak privately with a woman and not openly to us? Are we to turn about and all listen to her? Did He prefer her to us?
Then Mary wept and said to Peter, “My brother Peter, what are you thinking? Do you think that I have thought this up myself in my heart, or that I am lying about the Saviour?” Levi answered and said to Peter, “Peter you have always been hot tempered. Now I see you contending against the woman like the adversaries. If the Saviour made her worthy, who are you indeed to reject her? Surely the Saviour knows her very well. That is why He loved her more than us. Rather, let us be ashamed of ourselves, and put on the perfect Man, and separate as He commanded us and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Saviour said. When they heard this they began to go forth to proclaim and to preach.
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Jesus was put to death on a Friday, before sundown - because if it were later, the Sabbath would have begun and he would have hung on the cross through the three days. It was important that he be prepared for burial and moved. They knew he had been laid in a new tomb - Joseph of Arimathea had taken spices for burial, and he and Zaccheus made sure the body was prepared in the proper fashion. As was the custom, a huge rock was rolled across the mouth of the tomb, to prevent animals from getting in....
Three women who stood at the foot of the cross waited with incredible anxiety all through the Sabbath. They could not go on the Sabbath, so had to wait until the next day....as soon as the first tiny rays lightened the sky, they were up. They had not had time to say goodbye properly, so they made their way to the garden where the tomb was, to weep and to grieve the loss of someone they loved so dearly.
They arrive, to find the stone rolled away, the tomb empty, and a man dressed in white sitting where Jesus had been laid. And as in all appearances of messengers or angels, the man said “Don’t be afraid.” ....but they were, and in the first ending of the Mark story, they ran away and did not tell anyone, because of their fear.
The earliest manuscripts do not have verses 9-20 of Mark, hence those verses are know as the “second ending”. They were added later, by someone else. The first ending, in the first manuscript, simply states that they went back and told Peter, and then the disciples went out preaching and teaching, as Jesus had sent them
The second piece which I read this morning is from a book called “The Gospel of Mary”. This text is found in the Berlin Gnostic Codex (or Papyrus Berolinensis 8502. This very important and well-preserved codex was discovered in the late-nineteenth century near Akhmim in upper Egypt. It was purchased in Cairo in 1896 by a German scholar, Dr. Carl Reinhardt, and then taken to Berlin.
The book (or "codex") was probably copied and bound in the late fourth or early fifth century. It contains Coptic translations of three very important early Christian texts: the Gospel of Mary, the Apocryphon of John, and the Sophia of Jesus Christ. The texts themselves date to the second century and were originally authored in Greek. Unfortunately the publication of this codex was delayed until 1955 because of two world wars. By then the collection of writings at Nag Hammadi had also been recovered, and that the Apocryphon of John and the Sophia of Jesus Christ had also been preserved in that collection.
I’ve given you this little bit of history, because it adds a dimension to the story from a woman’s point of view. It is a legitimate document, written about the same time as the other Gospels - and it’s interesting that it dovetails with the second ending of Mark.
The story throughout this weekend has made a point that the people who stayed with Jesus to the end, were the women, and one man. Joseph of Arimathea and Zaccheus did take the body off the cross and look after the burial rites, but they were not at the crucifixion. The story tells us Joseph was afraid...
In every one of the stories, consistently, it’s Mary Magdalene who is there. She is there to pour ointment over Jesus’ feet, and wipe them with her hair. It was an incredibly intimate, and pastoral act - anointing for burial. Mary understood. It’s Mary Magdalene who stands near the cross with Jesus’ mother, and it’s Mary who is the one who goes to the tomb. In Matthew’s Gospel there are two women, in Mark’s there are three, in Luke three, and in John there are four. Mary Magdalene is considered to be the first believer and the first disciple.
In John’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene sees Jesus, thinks he is the gardener - and then recognises him, and he speaks to her. And Mary reports that she has had a conversation with Jesus.
In Mary’s story, she and Jesus have a conversation about the nature of life and death, and the life which comes after. He tells her of the journey of the soul, and the good news which accompanies the soul. She returns to the others and tells them the things Jesus said to her. - and what happens? Andrew says Jesus could not possibly have said these things, as they were just too strange to come from Jesus - hence they had to be Mary’s imagination. Peter accuses her of lying, of making up a story. How could Jesus possibly have said those things to her? He would surely have said them to the men first, wouldn’t he? In other words, why would he say anything to Mary when he said nothing to Peter or any of the others.
In one way or another, the Gospel writers have all focussed on the women, on Jesus’ willingness to treat women as people, not property as in Jewish law. So the very first recognition of resurrection is through a woman, the first words of new life are to a woman, Mary Magdalene. Mary was able to turn their minds and hearts to the good, and bring them together as a group once more. And once the disciples get over their little fit of pique that Jesus spoke to Mary first, they agree to divide up into pairs and go out into the world and tell the story.
...and the little group of first believers went into the world full of joy and thanksgiving.
First ending: Then they quickly reported all these instructions to those around Peter. After this, Jesus himself also sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.
Second ending: When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.
Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
The Gospel According to Mary Magdalene Chapter 5.
When Mary had said this, she fell silent, since it was to this point that the Saviour had spoken with her.
But Andrew answered and said to the brethren, “Say what you wish to say about what she has said. I at least do not believe that the Saviour said this. For certainly these teachings are strange ideas.”
Peter answered and spoke concerning these same things. He questioned the women about the Saviour: Did He really speak privately with a woman and not openly to us? Are we to turn about and all listen to her? Did He prefer her to us?
Then Mary wept and said to Peter, “My brother Peter, what are you thinking? Do you think that I have thought this up myself in my heart, or that I am lying about the Saviour?” Levi answered and said to Peter, “Peter you have always been hot tempered. Now I see you contending against the woman like the adversaries. If the Saviour made her worthy, who are you indeed to reject her? Surely the Saviour knows her very well. That is why He loved her more than us. Rather, let us be ashamed of ourselves, and put on the perfect Man, and separate as He commanded us and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Saviour said. When they heard this they began to go forth to proclaim and to preach.
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Jesus was put to death on a Friday, before sundown - because if it were later, the Sabbath would have begun and he would have hung on the cross through the three days. It was important that he be prepared for burial and moved. They knew he had been laid in a new tomb - Joseph of Arimathea had taken spices for burial, and he and Zaccheus made sure the body was prepared in the proper fashion. As was the custom, a huge rock was rolled across the mouth of the tomb, to prevent animals from getting in....
Three women who stood at the foot of the cross waited with incredible anxiety all through the Sabbath. They could not go on the Sabbath, so had to wait until the next day....as soon as the first tiny rays lightened the sky, they were up. They had not had time to say goodbye properly, so they made their way to the garden where the tomb was, to weep and to grieve the loss of someone they loved so dearly.
They arrive, to find the stone rolled away, the tomb empty, and a man dressed in white sitting where Jesus had been laid. And as in all appearances of messengers or angels, the man said “Don’t be afraid.” ....but they were, and in the first ending of the Mark story, they ran away and did not tell anyone, because of their fear.
The earliest manuscripts do not have verses 9-20 of Mark, hence those verses are know as the “second ending”. They were added later, by someone else. The first ending, in the first manuscript, simply states that they went back and told Peter, and then the disciples went out preaching and teaching, as Jesus had sent them
The second piece which I read this morning is from a book called “The Gospel of Mary”. This text is found in the Berlin Gnostic Codex (or Papyrus Berolinensis 8502. This very important and well-preserved codex was discovered in the late-nineteenth century near Akhmim in upper Egypt. It was purchased in Cairo in 1896 by a German scholar, Dr. Carl Reinhardt, and then taken to Berlin.
The book (or "codex") was probably copied and bound in the late fourth or early fifth century. It contains Coptic translations of three very important early Christian texts: the Gospel of Mary, the Apocryphon of John, and the Sophia of Jesus Christ. The texts themselves date to the second century and were originally authored in Greek. Unfortunately the publication of this codex was delayed until 1955 because of two world wars. By then the collection of writings at Nag Hammadi had also been recovered, and that the Apocryphon of John and the Sophia of Jesus Christ had also been preserved in that collection.
I’ve given you this little bit of history, because it adds a dimension to the story from a woman’s point of view. It is a legitimate document, written about the same time as the other Gospels - and it’s interesting that it dovetails with the second ending of Mark.
The story throughout this weekend has made a point that the people who stayed with Jesus to the end, were the women, and one man. Joseph of Arimathea and Zaccheus did take the body off the cross and look after the burial rites, but they were not at the crucifixion. The story tells us Joseph was afraid...
In every one of the stories, consistently, it’s Mary Magdalene who is there. She is there to pour ointment over Jesus’ feet, and wipe them with her hair. It was an incredibly intimate, and pastoral act - anointing for burial. Mary understood. It’s Mary Magdalene who stands near the cross with Jesus’ mother, and it’s Mary who is the one who goes to the tomb. In Matthew’s Gospel there are two women, in Mark’s there are three, in Luke three, and in John there are four. Mary Magdalene is considered to be the first believer and the first disciple.
In John’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene sees Jesus, thinks he is the gardener - and then recognises him, and he speaks to her. And Mary reports that she has had a conversation with Jesus.
In Mary’s story, she and Jesus have a conversation about the nature of life and death, and the life which comes after. He tells her of the journey of the soul, and the good news which accompanies the soul. She returns to the others and tells them the things Jesus said to her. - and what happens? Andrew says Jesus could not possibly have said these things, as they were just too strange to come from Jesus - hence they had to be Mary’s imagination. Peter accuses her of lying, of making up a story. How could Jesus possibly have said those things to her? He would surely have said them to the men first, wouldn’t he? In other words, why would he say anything to Mary when he said nothing to Peter or any of the others.
In one way or another, the Gospel writers have all focussed on the women, on Jesus’ willingness to treat women as people, not property as in Jewish law. So the very first recognition of resurrection is through a woman, the first words of new life are to a woman, Mary Magdalene. Mary was able to turn their minds and hearts to the good, and bring them together as a group once more. And once the disciples get over their little fit of pique that Jesus spoke to Mary first, they agree to divide up into pairs and go out into the world and tell the story.
...and the little group of first believers went into the world full of joy and thanksgiving.
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