Easter Vigil Challenges
"In the beginning God....." Isn't that where it all begins? Isn't that where it all ends? We began this evening with the fire – fire a gift of God – a gift of creation – a gift of destruction – but a gift that purifies and brings new life. "In the beginning the Spirit, the FIRE of God was moving, hovering, suspended over the chaos of the stuff this world is made of --- The first challenge this evening – HOW DOES GOD AND HOW DOES HIS SPIRIT HOVE OVER THE CHOAS WE EXPERIENCE IN OUR LIVES. THINK OF THE CHOAS OF THOSE FIRST DISCIPLES AS THEY WATCHED THEIR BELOVED JESUS ON TRIAL FOR TREASON, FOR BLASPHEMY, FOR HIS RADICAL BELIEF IN THE COMING DOMINION OF HIS GOD. And yet, their Jesus ultimately won.... How does the FIRE of God's Spirit burn through the darkness of our lives.... Tonight – Jesus in the darkness of the tomb recreated for you and for me NEW LIFE.....he won us liberation and freedom for our lives and spirits and souls. As you listen this Easter Eve to the creation story retold through the poetry of James Weldon Johnson – THINK about your beginning in God and the fire of God's light that shines within you....that begs to shine forth.... Tonight – our first candle is a red candle representing FIRE....the FIRE of God's Spirit that gave birth to our world and gave birth to our lives...
Tonight, we will hear in a moment, the liberation story of the Hebrew people. The Hebrew people crossing the Reed Sea to liberation and freedom, away from slavery, bondage and oppression in Egypt. I have 2 verses contained within this tradition that have always been a favorite and a word from God that I have returned to when I sensed a need for LIBERATION. It is a word Moses speaks when the Hebrew people are full of fear because of the approaching Egyptian army.... The people cry out....so Moses, were their not enough graves in Egypt that you needed to take us out to the desert to die! Moses, it would have been better for us to continue in our slavery to the Egyptians than to travel out to the desert to die! Moses responds with these words: "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance God will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today will never see you again. The Sovereign will fight for you; you need only be still."
The challenge for me, throughout my life, in the midst of my own personal tombs or oppression and slavery.....has been to stand firm....to stand still and to listen for and be open to the LIBERATING power of God....knowing that the battle doesn't really belong ultimately to me...the battle belongs to God. God is the one who liberates – you and I, we merely bring the message. Be challenged this evening as we await the LIBERATING power of our God......Stand firm, be still, and you will see the LIBERATION God will bring you TODAY! God will fight for our LIBERATION!
In a moment we will hear the words: "The Spirit of the Sovereign is upon me.....because the Lord has anointed me.... This is our justice making challenge this evening. The Spirit of the Sovereign is hovering over and living in these bodies of flesh and spirit......you and I....we are the anointed ones. The one's anointed to bring the message of LIBERATION.... .....the message of good news to those living in poverty........ We are the ones who have been anointed to bring a message of healing to those whose hearts have been crushed and broken We are the one's who have been anointed to offer our comfort to those who mourn and grieve loss. We are the one's who have been anointed to speak forth for the Holy One.... ....to speak of freedom ....release ....that the year of the FAVOR and GOODNESS of the Holy One has finally arrived! ....and that the year of FAVOR and GOODNESS of our Holy gives to those who are in need of liberation and freedom a crown of beauty...the oil of gladness....and PRAISE rather than despair and pain!" The challenge this evening is that in the face of the empty tomb – that give us LIBERATION we are now to move forth from that tomb as those ANNOINTED to bring the message of liberation to a world in need!
In Galatians 3:26-29 we will hear that we are all on equal plane – that in Christ there is no male nor female, rich or poor, gay or straight or Bi or transgender, old or young, slave or free, black or white, German or Irish or British or Jamaican or Somalia or South American or....that in the resurrected power of our God we are all children of God on equal plane. And the challenge is to live that complete equality out in the body of Christ. Loving and celebrating our those things that make us different and the faith we hold that makes us ONE!
....Liberation after bondage! ....Praise and joy to after mourning and weeping! ....a new life in exchange for the old one! ....a new community of faith – we are the living resurrected Body of Christ to each other, to our partners, to our family of birth and our family of choice. We are the Living Resurrected Body of Christ to the WORLD in which we live! |