“A Relationship We Call Faith”   2013

Jeremiah 17:5-8           1 Corinthians 15:12-23

 

Jeremiah 17:5-8

5Thus says the Lord: Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the Lord. 6They shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when relief comes. They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. 7Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. 8They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.

 

1 Corinthians 15:12-23

12Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 15We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. 19If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. 21For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; 22for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. 23But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

 

When I served a church,

            a new church development, along the North Carolina coast,

                                         we got slammed by at least

                                                one hurricane every year  for 5 years straight …

            … and unless you have ever lived by the ocean

                        and have gone through such storms,

                                    it is hard to understand what that’s really like.

 

Once the hurricane downs the power lines,  phone and water cut off.

      It’s hour after hour of feeling the house shake in the darkness,

              while listening to the howling winds rage and destroy,

                   as you anxiously watch the flood waters rising around you…

  … and wonder,  when is this storm finally going to blow through,

            and how much destruction will this one leave in its wake?

 

The next day it is also difficult; shocking and even disheartening

            to see all that has been carried away and damaged by the storm

 

                      … and then face the overwhelming task of clean-up and repair

                                    once the roads are clear and utilities are back online.

   Recovery is exhausting, and can go on for weeks, even months.

 

            And just living amid such traumatic loss and devastation

                        of storm after storm    left our whole community à

                                 feeling discouraged,   defeated and stretched weary.

 

    I was at a Synod meeting for new church development pastors,

            and we started sharing how things were going in our churches.

When I described what we had endured over the last few years,

            one of the other pastors asked,

                        ‘how could a new church development stay on track,

                             manage all that trauma of loss and devastation,

                                   and expect or even hope to survive and function?’

 

And as I thought about his question, I realized that we had become

            a much more caring, connected and compassionate congregation

                    through the experience of our shared struggles and losses.

 

    As a church, as a people of faith,

       we had been stretched way beyond our own strength and endurance,

                   which had forced us,   and helped us believe and learnà

                        to trust and depend on God, and not rely on our own selves…

 

            … and our church had never been stronger or more faithful,

                        more hopeful, unified, energized and committed

                             then when we endured all our difficulties together…

 

    … and had learned to look and recognize God at work,

             always present to those in need,    

                   and visible through the eyes of faith of those who trust God-

 

          -- and it was the faith we shared   that made all the difference…

 

… which causes me to wonder,  how people who do not live in faith,

            who do not trust or have an authentic relationship with God

                        possibly endure all the trials, losses and troubles of life?

 

    I can’t imagine

            trying to face the demands and challenges of this world

                            without the truth and assurance

                                    of God’s love, grace, promises and purpose…

 

…  the hope that there is something more and better does await us,

          something beyond the limitations of our mortal lives.

 

When I speak with a family grieving over the death of a loved one,

          what hope is there to declare

                   except for the truth of God’s promises, love and mercy?,

                                 and the sure certainty of our resurrection,

                                      the promise of eternal life in the Kingdom of God?

 

Or even life’s ordinary and frequent disappointments and problems,

            all the many things and issues that just don’t work out in life,

                        or the undeniable injustices and unfairness of this world…

          … how do people live   without the relief of knowing that

                 God does indeed have something far more and better for us?

 

If the contents and the boundaries of our one lifetime as we know it

            and if the limits of our mortal lives   were all that there is --

-- what a horrible and cruel fate to be born poor, sick or feeble,

            and how unfair to live out your one life  maimed or disabled…

                  … if there really is nothing more than just this mortal life…

 

… for if there really is no resurrection beyond the grave,

            what is the point of showing compassion, mercy, or generosity,

                   or even trying to follow the truth and teachings of Jesus?

 

   Those were the issues at stake that the Apostle Paul raised

            with the resurrection-questioning Christians in Corinth.

vs. 12, 17-19

            Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead?  If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

 

In Corinth many of the new converts were Hellenist gentiles,

    steeped in Greek culture and philosophy,

                   which viewed the body as a corruption entrapping the soul…

            … so the bodily resurrection of Jesus made no sense to them,

                            and the promise of our resurrection when Jesus returns

                                    was also rejected as foolish nonsense.

 

But Paul was adamant,

            that Jesus really did die a physical death,

                        and that God really did resurrect Jesus from the grave …

                               … though it goes against the world we see and experience…

              … but if that is not true, then the hope and claims of

                     Christian faith topple over like a house of cards.

 

Paul explains that the promise of our future resurrection

          is an absolute,  an essential truth of the Christian faith.

   Yet God does not give us scientific proof that it happened.

               God doesn’t come with irrefutable evidence

                   but  in the relationship of trust  we call faith.

 

              When we do have faith, our eyes are opened,

                    and our world is full of resurrection light.

   When we walk with Christ, we experience the Spirit’s presenceà

          and know by faith that Christ was raised from the dead,

                   and we can know that our faith is not futile or in vain.

 

    It is our faith, our trust and hope in the resurrection – eternal life

            that enables us to see beyond this life’s tribulations,

                           and to perceive that God

                                    is at work on our behalf to build and bless us,

     and to know that the promise of God’s Kingdom is certain and sure.

 

            One of our elders had a near-death experience one time,

                  and he told me about his amazing vision of heaven’s promise

                          and I noticed afterward,  how it changed his perspective.

He endured years of terrible pain and endless health problems,

       but his gentle spirit, his courage and faith never once wavered,

          for he never questioned the glorious kingdom that awaits us.

 

When I was younger, I rode a  motorcycle instead of driving a car.

            I learned to keep a sharp eye on all the traffic around me,

                        but also  always be paying close and constant attention

                             to what was up ahead and further on down the road.

 

For the Christian, of course we care deeply, and we’re attentive

            to the events and situations of this life in this world,

                    but our perspective is also guided by what’s up ahead,

                             as through the eyes of faith we see there is more

                                       that God has promised us something even better…

 

   … it is the promise and hope of resurrection through Jesus Christ

         that most defines and guides every aspect of the Christian  life.

                                   

So to help the Corinthians  understand what was really at stake

      if they really were going to deny the resurrection of the dead;

                                    Paul reversed the argument and says,

                                                “OK, suppose we do assume that you are right.”

 

If so,

            then your faith means nothing, it accomplishes nothing. vs. 13-14

                        If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised;  and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.

 

       … which means, that when we die, we’re just dead,  and that’s it;

                        and there really is no hope or help in times of trouble.

 

But Paul is absolute and confident, when he writes,  vs. 20

            But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

 

“First fruits”  is an important  Old Testament theological term.

                It was the first harvest portion that belonged to God,

                        given in trust, that the larger crop will follow.

 

          Jesus is the first fruit of resurrection,

                   God’s promise, our hope of the resurrection yet to come.

 

As we know   through Scripture, by our own faith and experience,

            in fact Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead,

                        he is the first fruits of those who have died…

… and we also know    that God still comes to us in his risen Son,

            who speaks to us by the Spirit, his word and our walk with Him.

         

So what does this message of resurrection mean in our lives?,

          and what difference could some long-ago event make for us?

 

It means     being so certain of God's love, promises and purpose

               that we don't feel lost, powerless, abandoned or unlucky

                        even when life does go awry, and we struggle and flail.

 

It’s being able to trust that God's wisdom is greater than ours,

            that God does see and know beyond the obvious and immediate

                 further ahead to the deeper and greater good & growth for us.

 

It’s a confidence   that God is good, compassionate and powerful,

        that God does sustain his beloved children through all things

                   including all our life's seasons of struggle and drought…

 

… as Paul explains in Romans 8:28

            We know  that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

           

   The hope and promise of resurrection

          means that we can live nurtured and constantly refreshed

                   by an ever-flowing fountain of living water of grace,

                             and know for sure that God will never abandon us…

 

     … and that alone gives us all the courage and strength we need

            to face any trial or tribulation in this life, or even death.

 

It is as we read from Jeremiah about the stark contrast between

            those who trust mostly in themselves and this world

                        and rely upon their own strength and understanding;

            and those who walk in humility and faith with God

                        and who place their trust and reliance in the Lord.

 

vs. 5-8

            … those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the LORD.  They shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when relief comes. They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.

            … those who trust in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.  They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.

 

I am reminded of a Barbara Walters interview when she asked,

            “If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?”

                   I wonder if she knew that same question is asked in Scripture?

 

Which one are we?,    those who turn away from Godà

            and are like a those little desert shrubs   without water;

                           or are we those who trust in God 

                                    like    fruit-bearing trees planted by streams of water?

 

So, if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?

            If this church were a tree, what kind of tree would we be? …

 

… the question is what feeds our roots, what is our foundation?,

                    or have we been seduced by the untruth and canard

                        of human will, self-sufficiency, and our understanding?

 

Because Jesus was raised by God from the dead, 

            we can experience, receive and rest assured

                        within God's forgiveness in Christ  as our daily sustenance.

 

We live in hope    by God’s promise of the coming eternal kingdom,

            where evil and pain, greed and injustice, tears and dying,

                        and sorrow, sadness and disappoint are gone forever…

 

… which is hope and promise, comfort and guidance for today,         

            as our souls are fed and our lives are sustained by God’s grace.

 

Because in fact the resurrection is true as promised,

            it is the one truth upon which we can build our lives,

                        and the one fact that most makes our lives worth living…

 

… as Paul explains it,    2 Corinthians 4:16-17

            So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.   For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure.

 

That is the Good News, for which we wait in hope with confidence.