Sermon Notes April 26, 2009

3rd Sunday of Easter Jesus became a sinner to pay for sins. At the resurrection he inaugurated a whole new creation. The power of the resurrection is at work in us and through us. Easter is not just a happy ending to a story but it is truly a happy beginning of a story. Jesus was resurrected at sunrise on the first day of the week--this began a new creation. Resurrection means this physical world--the whole created order is being renewed. Man was made out of the dust of the earth. People are living dirt--the destiny of man and creation are forever intertwined. Resurrection is the moment at which the whole creation is set free. Man and earth, the whole world will be re-born. The Bible gives us theology for the care of the creation. Christians have always been on the cutting edge of environmental stewardship. God is going to redeem the environment. The resurrection gives us hope for the cosmos. We expect new creation AND new culture. Isaiah 60:5 "Then you sall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you." God made man to re-shape culture into a mature fashion. The original creation of a garden is developed into a city. Eden becomes the New Jerusalem. All of history is about maturity. God put his hands in the dirt to make man. Now man must put his hands in the dirt to shape/create culture. Jesus engages in culture in his resurrection body. Jesus is the NEW Adam, the NEW gardener, the NEW caretaker. What are we going to be doing in our resurection bodies for eternity? We will have discontinuity and continuity. We will have jobs to do. There will be work to do in the new creation but there won't be anymore thorns and thistles. Our works follow us in the new creation. The new creation will include all that we accomplish in this life. All our life's work belongs to God. Karl Marx said that religion is the opiate of the people, meaning that religious people are so "other-worldly minded" that they are as if they are drugged and do not care about fixing the problems of this world....if religion is the opiate, resurrection is the smelling salt! Resurrection summons us to bring change to the world--it sets us ree to give up ourselves, our lives for the sake of the world. Death O Death, where is thy sting! We cannot be cynical about the condition of the world. The resurrection calls us to participate in God's triumph over evil. We must be governed by the standards of the Kingdom of God whih has already invaded the world at the resurection. The new creation will be free from sin and exploitation. It will be a place of peace, justice and love. Strive for such things NOW! The kingdom of God is at hand. Stand against tyranny and injustice NOW. Pull the future into the present. We are not polishing brass on a sinking ship. We can stand up for what is right in the face of death. Faith without works is dead! Faith that doesn't renew the culture is dead! Forward faithful ones!