St. James' Episcopal Church
Goshen, Indiana

Our 164th Year


Wednesday, March 26, 2008

 

Sermon from Farther Hadley




Sermon for March 30, 2008
Second Sunday of Easter
Epiphany Church, Kingsville TX
Arthur Hadley

Hurray for St. Thomas. I really like folks who say wait a minute. Let’s not get stampeded into mass hysteria. What is really going on. Thomas heard that Mary Magdalene thought she had seen and talked with the risen Jesus, he also heard about the two fellows walking toward Emmaus who recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread and from the ten apostles that they had seen the risen Jesus the evening after the resurrection. But Thomas was not convinced and would not be moved to any quick totally illogical conclusions; he would not believe in the resurrection unless he saw and touched the risen body of Jesus of Nazareth.

And then the next week the Apostles including Thomas were gathered in a room with the door shut and Jesus appeared. Jesus told Thomas look see for yourself. Touch the wound in my side, the proof of my death. Touch, see, and believe.

Thomas was willing to question, to doubt what others had told him. Mary Magdalene was obliviously in great grief and hysterical about the apparent theft of the dead body of Jesus. We do not know who the two fellows were on the road to Emmaus, and Thomas was not willing to believe those strangers, and the ten apostles were talking nonsense and trying to pull one-upmanship on him. Thomas needed some real proof And he got it. See and touch Now believe, and through believing you may have life in his name.

Thomas, the doubter, the one who questioned, is the first to acknowledge that Jesus is My Lord and My God.

Thanks be to God.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

 

Sermon for Easter from Father Hadley


Sermon for Easter, 2008
Epiphany Church, Kingsville TX
Arthur Hadley

Alleluia, He is risen. He is risen, indeed, Alleluia

We have again heard the Easter story. Jesus died on the cross. The Roman soldiers confirmed the body of the cross was dead. Just to be sure they stuck a spear into his chest, and both blood and water flowed from the fifth wound in the body of Jesus crucified with nails through both hands and feet, his dead body wounded a fifth time to prove the body was dead. Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, two high ranking Jewish leaders, took the dead body down from the cross and placed in a new tomb, perhaps owned by Nicodemus. The place of the crucifixion was outside the walls on the main road to Jericho, the same road that Jesus would have used coming down the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem the week before. The tomb was in a garden near the place of the crucifixion. The Garden tomb was in the old stone quarry depleted of all the good stone in order to build the Jerusalem Temple just inside the gate in the wall. Jesus was buried in stone rejected for the building of the Temple.


Psalm 118:21-24
I will give thanks to you, for you answered me and have become my salvation. The same stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing and it marvelous in our eyes.
On this day the Lord has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Jesus dead and buried in the depleted stone quarry raised to new life. Mary Magdalene, and other women came to the tomb and discovered that the large stone used to cover the cave like tomb had been rolled away. Peter and John heard from Mary that the tomb was open; they ran to the tomb and discovered that the tomb was empty. Mary Magdalene saw and heard Jesus speak to her: Do not be afraid.
The same stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

Alleluia He is risen. He is risen indeed Alleluia.

 

Sermon for Maundy Thursday from Father Hadley

Sermon for Maundy Thursday, 2008
Epiphany Church, Kingsville TX
Arthur Hadley

No body likes to do it, but it just has to be done. Jesus and the Apostle were having a dinner party. Some knew, other suspected, and all wanted it not to be so, but this was the last supper with Jesus. They walked through the streets of Jerusalem to go to the place for the dinner.

Walking in Jerusalem is not easy; crowed, noisy, dirty. But back at the time of Jesus it was even dirtier. Donkeys, horses, camels, sheep, chickens all used the same streets as the apostles, all cleaned up wearing the best clothes. So even if you started all clean, by the time you got to the party, your feet had walked the streets of Jerusalem.

Anyone hosting a party would have some child or servant ready at the door of the house with a bowl and fresh clean water to wash the feet of incoming guest.

Jesus did the job of the lowliest servant or child; he washed the feet of each of the apostles, saying I the Lord, your teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. A servant is not greater than their master… Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Being a follower of Jesus, being a part of the risen body of Christ does have expectation We are to love one another, and we are to be like the child or servant at the door welcoming guests to the table. What ever needs to be done, we do it, even washing each other’s feet. No body really likes being a servant. Some of us do not like having another being a servant for us…We would rather do it ourselves. But part of being Christian is being a servant and allowing others to minister to us.

Tonight, we remember Jesus at the Last Supper, and we do as we are commanded. Maundy Thursday- command Thursday. We come, we have our feet washed to be rid of the dirt of the roadway of life, and we take, bless, break and give the bread of life and the cup of Salvation.

Thanks be to God.

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