VIDEO: Online Service – May 10, 2020

 

First United Methodist Church Stafford Springs, CT

5/10/2020 – 5th Sunday of Easter Mother’s Day 

Hymn-#2146—His Eye is on the Sparrow Good Morning Everyone, 

Call to Worship: Welcome home, people of God. 

We have come to find refuge in the shelter of God’s care. Come and sit down. There is room for everyone in God’s house. 

We have come to be nourished by God’s word. We are God’s own people, and are precious in God’s sight. 

We have come to give thanks for God’s faithful love. 

Let us begin with pray: 

We gather today O God, our guide and guardian, remembering those who have nurtured us, protected us, and helped us to grow. We give thanks for homes that accept us and affirmed us as your precious children. In the shelter of your healing love, fortify us as living stones, and build us into a spiritual home where all are welcome. In the name of Christ, our foundation and cornerstone, we pray. Amen. 

Today’s Scripture: John 14: 1-14 

“Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms,” (Many Mansions-KJV), “if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you maybe also. And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would have known the Father also; henceforth you know Him and have seen Him.” 

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the father and we shall be satisfied”. Jesus said to him, Have I been with so long, and yet you do not know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the father in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. 

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me will also do the works that I do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorify in the Son; If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” REVISED STANDARD VERSION 

From my book—Christ-centered Exposition—Introduction to John 14 

The book begins this way: I died on January 18, 1969. Paramedics reached the scene of the accident within minutes. They found no pulse and declared me dead. They covered me with a tarp so that onlookers wouldn’t stare at me while they attended to the injuries of the others. I was completely unaware of the paramedics or anyone else around me. 

Immediately after I died, I went straight to heaven. While I was in heaven, a Baptist preacher came on the accident scene. Even though he knew I was dead, he rushed to my lifeless body and prayed for me. Despite the scoffing of the EMT’s, he refused to stop praying. 

At least 90 minutes after the EMT’s, pronounced me dead, God answered that man’s prayers. 

I returned to earth. This is my story. (Piper, 90 minutes, 13) 

The following 192 pages chronicle Don Piper’s tragic car accident and long, painful recovery, but the focus of the book is his story of visiting heaven for the ninety minutes between when he was pronounced dead and when he, in his words, “returned to earth.” In the book he describes what God has done in his life since the accident and how his account of heaven has provided hope for so many. He writes, “I’ve changed the way I do funerals. Now I can speak authoritatively about heaven from first-hand knowledge” (ibid.,129). 

Our hope is not supposed to be in the words of Don Piper. Our confidence about eternity doesn’t come from someone else’s experience. What he says is dangerous. He’s replaced faith in the words of Jesus with faith in his own words. Pipers book ends with him recounting a number of times he has given hope to someone who has lost a loved one or was on the brink of death by telling of his experience in heaven. When we think about death, where are we supposed to look for hope and comfort? 

The disciples are being forced to deal with the coming death of Jesus. The night before Jesus’s crucifixion has been set aside for him to prepare them for life after the cross. He tells them He’s leaving, and they cannot follow where he is going. They are confused. Simon Peter in chapter 13 and Thomas and Philip in chapter 14 pepper Him with questions, trying to cut through the haze that has descended on them. His departure is also met with resistance. Peter proclaims his undying allegiance to Jesus, in effect saying Jesus is wrong and they will follow Him wherever He goes. 

The overwhelming response is not confusion or resistance. It’s anxiety. Jesus begins chapter 14 by acknowledging the disciples’ feelings. He understands His announcement is causing their hearts to be “troubled” (v. 1). Earlier in the Gospel of John, the same word troubled is used to describe what happened to a pool of water; it’s translated “stirred up” (5:7). The disciples’ hearts are stirred up. Like ingredients in a mixing bowl, doubt, confusion, uncertainty, and fear are being stirred around inside their hearts. This potent mixture of emotions is motivated by Jesus’s departure. How can He leave them? Why can’t they follow them? You take those questions and add them to the fact that one disciple will betray Him, and another will deny Him, and you have a recipe for anxiety strong enough to paralyze the most mature disciple. 

In this emotionally trying moment, Jesus comforts the disciples. It’s remarkable He can even think of them at this time. Here He is about to take upon Himself the sin of the world. He’s on the verge of experiencing the wrath of God for our sin. Yet He compassionately reaches out to comfort His disciples. 

Sermon: The Promise of Heaven My Thoughts: 

Every time I read the Gospel of John in the 14 chapter; I am transported back twenty year ago when I had bladder cancer. 

A very good parishioner, friend of mine, got cancer in his whole body. I would go every morning to help Katie get him up and going. At the same time, I was beginning to get very sick. So, in the morning I would ask Lee how he was doing and if he had seen Good the night before? He would ask me how I was doing. Finally, one day the doctor’s office called and announced I had bladder Cancer. When I went to see Lee, he looked at me and said, “oh by the way—you have cancer”. I answered yes This gave me the opportunity to ask about what he had seen or heard from God. After many days of me asking, finally one day he said yes. I asked what he had seen, he said he didn’t know if he could tell me. I answered did Jesus tell you not to? He said no and began to explain he was looking through a long tunnel and saw a light at the other end. In the middle of that light he saw Jesus. He stopped again and said he didn’t know if he could say anything more. To which he remarked no. And he finished his vision by telling me that I was standing next to Jesus in the light. This blew my mind—–does it mean I going to die from the cancer? What does it mean? 

Day after day I got sicker, I was in bed all the time except Sunday morning to do Sunday worship. About thirty days later I was in bed and woke-up in bed, so I thought, and on my right side of the bed stood my Grand-Father, and my aunt and uncle. I heard a little voice behind me saying this was heaven 

to which I replied—can’t be, my grand-mother Richardson isn’t here. At that split moment on my left side of the bed stood my grandmother Richardson. And the little voice told me that I would be alright. 

They treated my cancer two months later, in September and by Christmas that year I was given the news the cancer was gone. 

The night I had that vision, the very next day I got out of bed and went to the office. I worked 8 hours that day. But in the middle of the day I picked up the Bible and put it down on the table, Bible roulette it is called. And it opens up to John 14. When I got to the 3 verse, I couldn’t get my eyes of it. When I go, I will come again and take me to myself. The little voice came back and said—Roy this is why you were able to see your relatives. For wherever I am They are also. When I draw near, they are there also. I have never thought of that passage and not received the peace that I believe Jesus was trying to give His disciple that night. But they like us still struggle to understand. 

We all hope and believe there is a heaven. If not, what is this life all about? We believe Jesus in dying on the cross has ascended to heaven to ready a place for us. The fortunate ones know the way! Jesus is the only way, the only true, and the only eternal life! And the way to the door where Jesus stands is only through a relationship with Him. Prayer, Bible reading and all ways of focusing on Him. So, today’s question is have you received the Promise of Heaven? Or are you looking for something else such as Philip was. Lord show us the Father and d we’ll be satisfied. I’ve always thought that Philip was the only American in the Group—He came from Missouri—the show me state. 

Jesus says the same thing to us that He said to Philip, If you’ve seen Me you’ve seen the Father, how can you say show us the Father, do you not believe I am in the father and the Father in me. 

Jesus constantly reaches out in the times of our anxiety and grief to offer peace—to help understand why, just like He did for the disciples, and yet we like they sometimes just don’t comprehend. 

During this time of covid, I’ve come to realize how much I don’t know about all this, but I’m not worried—if I got covid and went to heaven, if this is the way God chooses to take me home—-It is alright, because I know heaven waits—God said so and I believe Him 

The promise of Heaven—That Jesus has made the way to heaven, and he is the true life, and that He is the only doorway—from last week’s sermon—He is the only doorway to the sheep pen we call heaven or eternal life. Have you found the Promise of Heaven—One way is to ask yourself how much peace you have?–Amen–Pastor Roy? 

Let Us Pray: 

Our heavenly Father guide us to the way, the truth and the life that only comes through your Son and bring to us this day your peace and may it abide in us always and forever. Amen. Amen. 

Please meditate and pray for all the prayer concerns on the list included—Amen. 

Please recite Lord’s prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. 

Hymn # 701—When We All Get to Heaven 

Benediction: Once we weren’t a people. 

God’s face shines on us. God’s faithful love saves us. This news is too good to keep to ourselves. 

Everywhere we go, we will share the good news of God’s grace.