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This past Sunday we celebrated the coming of the Spirit by commemorating the day of Pentecost. When the Spirit came upon the people gathered in Jerusalem (see Acts 2:1-21), it came like the rush of a violent wind, filling the whole house. This was no “calm” Spirit that came in like a gentle breeze. This was a forceful Spirit that interrupted everything going on. Given the intensity of this moment, it would’ve been challenging for anyone present to not pay attention. And given the momentum of this moment, it would’ve been challenging for this interruption to not interrupt – and change – everyone involved. 

Looking back on the story, it might be easy to recognize that this was a significant moment for those people, signaling the birth of the church. But when we bring this story to ourselves, and when we think about the coming of the Spirit in our lives, and in the world today, I have to wonder how we’d respond to the Spirit working in us, and through us, in the same way.  For when we think of ourselves, are we willing to be interrupted by the Spirit? And, are we willing to be transformed by the Spirit? 

Plain and simple: the Spirit has the power to change our lives, our world, and our church. But that change is not just for change sake. Rather, the power of the Spirit that comes among us interrupts us to foster growth, flourishing, and life. 

Think of those little plant seedlings you see at greenhouses this time of year. Once you purchase those seedlings, it’s likely those little guys have already been exposed to extra wind in the greenhouse, making ’em bend. Now, if I were those plants, I’m sure that wouldn’t feel great. But all that wind causes the seedlings to establish deeper and broader root systems, and it causes the seedlings to grow a thicker, stronger base rather than being thin and spindly. 

In the same way, when the Spirit interrupts us, while it may feel as though it’s making us bend this way and that, that wind of the Spirit is for our growth, our flourishing, and our life. 

So as we go forth from the Day of Pentecost into the long season of Pentecost, consider for yourself: are you willing to be surprised – even interrupted – by the Spirit? It might feel a bit uncomfortable at times, but it is that wind of the Spirit that longs to blow through you – filling you with life, and ushering you forth to live in the hope of God’s Kingdom. 

Whether as a kid, youth, or adult, you’ve likely experienced a relay in some fashion. The point of a relay is to complete a task (often a race) by involving multiple people. Though it may be possible for one person to complete the entire task on his/her own, a relay demands the involvement of multiple people, and a relay demands that the “baton” (whether literal or figurative) needs to be passed off. 

So with that analogy in mind, what would you say if I were to suggest that you – as the living body of Christ today – have received the baton from Christ to continue his work in the world?

At first, it might sound like a pretty important handoff. And, it might sound like a very, very valuable baton that you wouldn’t want to drop. But why would Jesus hand off something so important to people like us? Couldn’t Jesus just run the entire race of God’s mission in the world and keep us out of it? 

Jesus could. But upon Jesus’ return after his resurrection, virtually every documented appearance to his disciples was preparing them to take up the baton of his mission in the world. So when Jesus ascended to his Father, it was then that Jesus gave his disciples one final handoff, promising them that they wouldn’t have to run the race on their own. Instead, the Holy Spirit would come upon them, giving them all they needed to continue the race. 

From generation to generation, this baton of continuing Christ’s work in the world has been passed along…being passed all the way down to you. And now you, dear Shepherds, are the ones holding this valuable charge in your hands to further God’s Kingdom on earth. So how might you do so this week? For some insight, listen in to the sermon from this past weekend to get some pointed guidance. And even more than that, take some time in prayer, to listen that what and where God may be leading you to continue Christ’s work in the world. Each and every day, we have the opportunity to be agents of God’s redemption in the world, making all things new. In small ways and big ways, the Spirit is ever moving through us to accomplish God’s purposes. 

So this week, will you take up the baton? And, will you join the race? 

Try telling a young child to do something (or not do something) and you might be met with a response of “why?” As kids learn and grow, over time, they want to know “why” they are encouraged to do some things and not others. 

In the same way, when we hear Jesus command us to do certain things (and not others), we might intially respond with a similar response of “why”? Why love? Why bear fruit? Why abide in Christ? Many of us likely “know” that it’s a “good thing” to follow these commands. But really…why do we do these things?

Well, in our Gospel lesson this past Sunday, the answer was quite clear: we keep Christ’s commandments given to us because as we do so, we abide in God’s love. And even further, as we do so, our joy is made complete. 

Think about that and let it sink in: as we follow God’s command to love others, it’s actually our own joy that expands, and it is our own relationship with Christ that is transformed. 

So could we choose not to follow God’s command to love others and to bear fruit? Sure, but as we do so, we’ll be the ones missin’ out.

Have you ever tried pulling apart a mess of Christmas lights that haven’t been put away properly? That mess of cords can be just that…a mess! And in haste, it may be tempting to start pulling at whatever end you happen to find. But, as many of you likely know, to do so often just makes the problem worse. It creates even more knots in the cords that also has the potential to break wires and bulbs. 

There’s potential for damage when we just start yanking on an entangled strand of lights. And, in the same way, if we were to just start yanking on an interwined vine, the same would happen. Putting added stress on the vine, and trying to pull away from the other branches would actually damage the vine as a whole, and would inhibit the vine from bearing fruit. 

This past weekend, we heard Jesus use the illustration of a vine as he addressed his disciples on the eve of his death. “I am the vine, you are the branches,” Jesus said (John 15:5). Often, we focus on our connection to Jesus (which is completely valid!) But as people connected to Jesus, then we are also connected to one another. Like it or not, we are not the only ones on the vine. And, within the church, we aren’t the only disciples, or the only body of Christ, that is a part of God’s vineyard. 

So rather than pulling away from fellow believers, and rather than pulling away from other communities that proclaim the message of Jesus, what would it be like to lean into our interconnectedness? And what would it be like to rely on one another – putting our fate and our success into the hands of one another?

To connect ourselves in such a way might seem as though we’re becoming an entangled mess. But as people abiding in Christ, we are also called to abide with one another in the vine as we live out our shared purpose to bear fruit: fruit that will last. 

So this week, consider who is around you. How could you lean into the interconnectedness you share with others rather than pulling away? And, how might we as the church lean into our interconnectedness rather than trying to exist on our own? It might take a bit of practice, but in doing so, we might find life we might otherwise would’ve never known. 

This past Sunday we celebrated both the gift of baptism as Gracelynn was baptized, and we also commemorated Good Shepherd Sunday. On such a day, we recall that we have been gathered into God’s fold as sheep, and we are united with all in the flock of Christ. 

So are we sheep, or are we shepherds? 

Really, we’re both. First and foremost, Jesus Christ is our Good Shepherd and is the one who laid down his life for us so that we might belong to God, and so that we might have abundant life. And as such, as Psalm 100 tells us, “we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:3). But now, having been brought into the fold of Christ, we are also the ones sent to be shepherds by devoting ourselves to one another in community and by creating spaces of belonging for all God’s people. 

There’s no question about it: so many people in our society are longing for a place to belong. People want to seen for who they are, and people crave a “crew” to call their own. So what would it be like for us, in the way we live together as a community of faith (and as we live together across congregational lines) to model what it means to be devoted to one another in community? What would it be like for us live into our responsibility to each other as fellow sheep in God’s pasture? 

It may sound strange to hear that we have a responsibility to each other in a congregation, let alone in the body of Christ. But connect it for a moment to a family unit: in a family unit, it’s likely you have responsibilities that don’t only impact you, but impact others. And your commitment to those responsibilities won’t only positively or negativesly impact you, but will impact others in your family. 

In the same way, even in the church – in the body of Christ – we belong to each other. And because of that, we have a responsibility to each and every person in God’s flock, and a responsibility to each and every person who is not yet in this flock. 

So…are you a sheep or are you a shepherd? This week, I encourage you to be both. Be God’s sheep. And live as a fellow sheep alongside the other sheep of God’s pasture. And, live as a shepherd: upholding your responsibility to care and nurture those in God’s flock, and those who are still seeking the depth of God’s belonging. 

When you hear the word “witness” what immediately comes to mind?

For some, the word “witness” is related to a courtroom setting in which a “witness” is brought to the stand and testifies to what they’ve seen and heard in a specific incident. Whereas for others, the word “witness” might carry a negative connotation in which someone is pushing another to be convinced of a certain way of believing, or a certain way of life. 

There’s a whole spectrum of what it means to “witness” and what it means to be a “witness.” So when Jesus tells us in our Gospel reading from this past Sunday that we are “witnesses” of these things, what does that mean? And, what have we witnessed? 

Well, going back to the courtroom analogy, to be a witness for Jesus is testify to what we have seen, heard, and experienced. That may be pointing to the story of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. But even more so, we are called to testify to how we, ourselves, have experienced God’s resurrection in our lives. That is, we are called to give voice to how Christ has freed us, how God has surrounded us with peace, and how the Spirit has liberated us to new life…perhaps in ways we can’t even imagine. In short: we are called to testify to the ways that God is still moving and working within us, within the church, and within the world. That is our witness today. 

So as we move into the season of Easter, I invite you to consider for yourself: what story would you share about how Christ has given you new life? Or, what experience might you share in which God’s faithfulness to you was palpable? And as an extension of your personal reflection, I also invite you to consider: what stories you would point to that illustrate God’s continued work through this congregation, Shepherd of the Cross. I am convinced that God is still moving among us, and is ever breathing new life into us. So, if that is the case, how might we witness to what God is doing, here in this place?

God is up to something, even when we cannot percieve it, and even when we cannot understand it. But guided by the Spirit, and drawn into the presence of Christ, we trust that we will be given language to articulate what it is that we’ve experienced and given language to articulate the impact of Jesus Christ on our lives. 

So what does it mean to be a witness? It means to testify. And what are we witnessing to? Sure, we are witnessing to Christ. But we do so by witnessing to the power of Christ within our lives, within the world, and within the church…ever moving and ever rejuvenating us, day after day. 

Since Easter Sunday, you likely noticed that our altar looks different than normal. Similar to last year, we transformed the altar to resemble Christ’s tomb, and on top of the altar we’ve placed our funeral pall. 

That’s right: on top of our altar is a piece of cloth that’s intended to drape caskets at funerals. Which, at first, it might seem like an odd thing to see in worship outside of a funeral…especially during the season of Easter. Because isn’t Easter supposed to be a season of resurrection and new life? Not a season that reminds us of death? 

Yes. But, without death, there cannot be new life. And, the funeral pall is a sign of new life. At the beginning of many funeral services, we hear these words (referencing Romans 8:4-5):

When we were baptized into Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life. For as people united with Christ in a death like his, and as people clothed with Christ, we shall certainly be united with Christ in a resurrection like his.

The pall that we place on caskets is physical act of draping our loved ones in their baptismal garments. It is not on our own merit that we receive eternal and abundant life. But clothed in Christ, God’s life becomes our life. 

So though it seems odd, to drape our altar with a funeral pall is actually quite appropriate. In the Eucharist, we believe that Jesus Christ – as our crucified and risen Lord – is present to us. And through his death and resurrection, the sacrament we receive offers us grace, hope, healing, forgiveness, and life everlasting. 

So next time you’re in worship, take a moment to reflect on our altar for the season of Easter. Reflect on how you have been united with Christ through his death and resurrection and how you have been clothed with Christ in your baptism. And as you receive the elements of communion, give thanks that God’s promises to you are not merely words…but a lived reality as we go forth forgiven, healed, and filled with life. 

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! This past Sunday we exclaimed with shouts of joy that God has triumphed over sin, death, and the devil. Nothing is impossible with God, and because of Christ’s life, death, and ressurection, we have been given new and abundant life. 

So now what do we do with this message? 

It’s a good question, because even the women who came to the tomb on that first Easter Sunday didn’t quite know what to do with what they’d seen and heard. Understandably, they were afraid and their terror paralyzed them. But eventually, eventually, they must’ve said something to somebody. Otherwise, we would not be telling the story of Easter still today. 

In the Gospel of Mark, the story of Jesus ends on a note of apprehension. Unlike other Gospels, we never hear about Jesus appearing to his disciples, and we never know for sure if the women did anything with what they heard. But I wonder if Mark intentionally wrote his Gospel that way as an invitaiton for us – for you – to join in the ongoing story of Christ’s resurrection. Yes, the ongoing story. Because Christ’s ressurrection is not just something that happened thousands of years ago. Christ’s resurrection is a mystery that, now, we are called to participate in as we become co-writers along with God (and Mark!) – writing the story of God’s resurrection in our lives, in the world, and within the church. 

So as we move away from Easter Sunday, take the mystery of the resurrection with you. And, take up the story of Christ’s life into your own life as you join with Christ in co-writing the story of God’s grace in the world. It’s not that God couldn’t write the ending of the story on God’s own. But it is God’s longing for us to discover this story for ourselves, and to add our own unique flair to this ongoing story…a story that will never grow old, and a story that will never be finished until Christ comes again. 

This week we’ll find ourselves with one another quite a bit in corporate worship. To dwell together in community as we hear the story of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection is important as we companion one another in faith. 

But in addition to your time in corporate worship, I also invite you to create a practice of your own devotion and prayer this week. Perhaps you already have a daily habit that needs some reinvigoration. Or, if you don’t have a practice that jives with you, consider downloading the Hallow app or the Lectio 365 app for daily readings and prayers. Or, pick up a copy of Christ in Our Home in our narthex, or follow along with the daily lectionary readings. 

However you choose to engage with this year’s Holy Week, I pray that you may experience God’s grace anew as the Spirit walks with you as your ever-present companion. Consider praying the following prayer with me this Holy Week as we prepare for the news of Christ’s resurrection this Easter: 

Dear Lord, your disciple Peter wanted to know who would betray you. You pointed to Judas but a little later also to him. Judas betrayed, Peter denied you. Judas hanged himself, Peter became the apostle whom you made the first among equals. Lord, give me faith, faith in your endless mercy, your boundless forgiveness, your unfathomable goodness. Let me not be tempted to think that my sins are too great to be forgiven, too abominable to be touched by your mercy. Let me never run away from you but return to you again and again, asking you to be my Lord, my Shepherd, my Stronghold, and my Refuge. Take me under your wing, O Lord, and let me know that you do not reject me as long as I keep asking you to forgive me. Perhaps my doubt in your forgiveness is a greater sin than the sins I consider too great to be forgiven. Perhaps I make myself too important, too great when I think that I cannot be embraced by you anymore. Lord, look at me, accept my prayer as you accepted Peter’s prayer, and let me not run away from you in the night as Judas did. 

Bless me, Lord, in this Holy Week, and give me the grace to know your loving presence more intimately. Amen.
-Henri J. Nouwen, from A Prayer for Holy Week 

Each year, we remember this story of our Lord’s death and resurrection: the only story that has the power to fill us to the brim. But why do we sing it every year? And why are we encouraged to observe each day of Holy Week?

Think of it this way: Holy Week is a song that we get to sing only once a year. We anticipate it. We relearn familiar parts. And from year to year, we may discover new harmonies to add. Though it is the same song, each time we approach this story, we find a new layer, a new dimension, a new way in which we are touched and filled with the fullness of God’s grace. 

And in this song, there are four distinct stanzas. Each are important, and each add thier own layer of meaning and purpose. Without the first stanza, the second stanza wouldn’t make sense. And without the second stanza, the third stanza wouldn’t make sense. The point being: without each unique stanza of the song, it would be as if we would be missing a key part of the song….a key part of the story. 

So this week, though it may seem odd to devote so much time to worship, I encourage you to dedicate yourself to worship on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Come and sing this song with us that we sing only once a year, and come discover a new layer or harmony as you once again experience the abundance of God’s grace.