{"id":1498,"date":"2004-04-11T15:03:33","date_gmt":"2004-04-11T15:03:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/?p=1498"},"modified":"2020-12-02T17:41:31","modified_gmt":"2020-12-02T17:41:31","slug":"time-to-wake-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/time-to-wake-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Time to Wake Up!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

1 Corinthians 15:12-26<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 11, 2004<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sermon preached by Rev. Donald Ng at the First Chinese Baptist Church in San Francisco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We know we are sleep deprived when we doze off behind the wheel in the middle of the day or you doze off when I start preaching! We are all looking for a good night sleep! This week certainly hasn\u2019t helped. Last Saturday night, we lost an hour with Daylight Saving Time and for some of us; we got up two to three hours earlier today to attend the Easter Sunrise Service at 7:00 AM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wish I was a baby. In this past Monday\u2019s newspaper, it reported that even babies today are not getting the recommended number of hours of good sleep. The National Sleep Foundation surveying American households found children, from newborns to fifth graders, are getting one to two hours less sleep every 24 hours than is recommended. Infants, age 3 to 11 months, were getting 12.7 hours of sleep daily while experts suggest 14-15 hours. For toddlers, age 12 to 35 months, the poll found that the average child slept 11.7 hours, while 12 to 14 hours is the recommended amount of daily sleep. Now for preschoolers to 6-year-olds in kindergarten, it was only 10.4 hours when the recommendation is 11-13<\/a> hours. Forget the recommendations, I think all of us would be happy to sleep the number of hours the babies are having already!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later this evening, I will take a red-eye flight to Boston so that I can spend a couple of days observing how much sleep our 18-month granddaughter Evi is getting while I\u2019ll try to stay awake with only a few hours of sleep on the plane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wouldn\u2019t it be wonderful if we can all get a good night sleep?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides car commercials that come on TV late at night, you would see a lot of mattress commercials: Sleep World, Mancini Mattress, European Sleepworks and many others. Mattress companies are now advertising what they are calling, \u201csleep numbers.\u201d It\u2019s a gimmick by the mattress manufacturers to say that its sleeping system mattress  promises to reduce pressure points, provide for proper spinal adjustment, lets you sleep on a hard surface while your spouse sleeps on a soft one, and such a sleep system can be yours for an enormous amount of sleep number dollars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you fell for this gimmick, you can tell me later whether it works or not. And if you say it does but you are one of those who I see falling asleep during my sermons, I won\u2019t believe you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Metaphor for Death<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1 Corinthians 15<\/a>, that we read today, we see that sleep is a metaphor for death, and the sleep\/awakening cycle is a metaphor for resurrection. We read, \u201cBut in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have \u201cfallen asleep\u201d in the NIV or \u201cdied\u201d in the NRSV. Earlier in this same chapter in verse 6, Paul uses the same metaphor: \u201cAfter that, Jesus appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even Jesus spoke of death as being asleep. Speaking to his confused disciples, he said, \u201cOur friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.\u201d The disciples said to him, \u201cLord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.\u201d Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, \u201cLazarus is dead.\u201d (John 11:11-14<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This past week with Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, we remembered that Jesus, too, died. His body took on the appearance of sleep. They laid him in a tomb, on a slab of rock. There was no soft mattress, no sleep numbers that contoured to his broken body. But on Easter morning, we are reminded that no mattress, no soft pillow, no tomb, no grave could keep Jesus, the Son of God, asleep forever!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the gospels, we read that it was still dark when the women came to the tomb\u2014still dark enough to not get up yet\u2014still time to sleep some more before the sun rises in the horizon. So the women with their burial spices believing that Jesus was not going to get up this morning, found the stone to the tomb rolled away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking inside, they found no body and became perplexed. Two men or angels suddenly appeared and told the women, \u201cWhy do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, he has risen. (He is not asleep anymore; he got up!\u201d) And when Peter and the other disciples wouldn\u2019t believe in the women\u2019s report, they too ran to the tomb, stooped down and looked in, and discovered that it was true. Jesus is not asleep anymore, he got up!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clearly the women and the disciples had no doubts that Jesus Christ, the same one who was crucified and buried, has left sleep and death behind and is now our risen Lord. Again in 1 Corinthians 15:20<\/a>, \u201cIn fact, Christ has been raised from the dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conquering Sleep<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Friday night, Jesus slept pretty good to get up on Easter Sunday morning. If Christ is our risen Lord, then we can take this as a guarantee that we, too, though we die, shall live. These were Jesus\u2019 very words to Martha while his good friend, Lazarus, still lay in the grave: \u201cI am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.\u201d (John 11:25-26<\/a>) The body may take on the appearance of sleep, resting as it will in the grave, but the soul will not die.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are all like Martha today, aren\u2019t we? Everyone here is grieving the death of someone whom you love. For some of you, your pain is still acute. Others fear for the time when death will come and wonder what it would be like. Others like me find that the ache of the loss gradually recedes. You get up, you go on, but still, at moments when you least expect it, grief grips you again and you realize there are not many days in this life without this feeling of loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1 Corinthians 15<\/a>, Paul tells us that Jesus who was dead is now raised and is the first fruits of those who have died. Jesus is like the first crop of springtime produce that arrives at the farmers market. The fruits are fresh and we know that it\u2019s a preview of what\u2019s to come. There will be more fresh fruit in an even greater variety. Christ is the first fruits but then all those who believe in him, will also come forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Christ has conquered every ruler, every authority, every power, put all his enemies at his feet, and the very last enemy is death and we know that death was defeated by Jesus this morning, and Jesus hands over the kingdom to God the Father, at that time, all the other fruits will be produced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that at the end, in God\u2019s time, the resurrection of Christ promises us that all of our loved ones who are now asleep will also be resurrected too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easter Celebration<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are celebrating many things. We celebrate his victory<\/strong> over sin<\/strong>. \u201cJesus has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself.\u201d (Hebrews 9:26<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We celebrate his victory over evil<\/strong>. \u201cHe himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.\u201d (Hebrews 2:14-15<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We celebrate his victory over death<\/strong>. \u201cDeath has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your glory? Where, O death, is your sting?\u201d (1 Cor. 15:54-55)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We celebrate his role as our advocate<\/strong> at the throne of God. \u201cI am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.\u201d (1 John 2:1-2<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We celebrate his presence in our lives<\/strong>. Before Jesus ascended, Matthew recorded, Jesus reassuring us, \u201cAnd remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.\u201d (28:20)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But here is the really good news for us today. Here is the reason that you and I got out of bed this morning. We are also celebrating for ourselves<\/strong>. If he lives, so do we! There is no sleep mattress that can offer that kind of good slumber! Jesus lives! We live! Forever. And ever. And ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good Morning!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of you probably have seen the movie, The Passion of the Christ. Some of you have told me how you cried during Jesus\u2019 suffering. There\u2019s a story about a family that was watching a TV movie version of the life of Jesus. Their 6-year old daughter was deeply moved as the moviemaker realistically portrayed Jesus\u2019 crucifixion and death. Tears ran down the little girl\u2019s face as they took him from the cross and lay him in a borrowed tomb. She watched as a guard was placed outside the tomb. And then suddenly a big smile broke on her face. She bounced up on the arm of the chair and said with great anticipation, \u201cNow comes the good part!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easter is the good part. The night has evaporated to allow the day to arrive. It\u2019s dawn. As the sun rises, we rise to see the day. God in the resurrection of Christ says, \u201cGood morning to us!\u201d It\u2019s time to wake up!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are all guilty of this at times\u2014we are going through our present lives as though we have found that perfect mattress and we don\u2019t want to wake up. We\u2019re comfortable, dozing off, napping through life\u2014through our vocations, through our careers, through our marriages and relationships\u2014as though we cannot hear the resurrection call of Jesus Christ trying to wake us up from our sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Christ has risen\u2014and he has\u2014then let us live as though we, too have been aroused from our slumber. Let\u2019s get up to get to work for the kingdom. Let\u2019s offer ourselves as blessings through the power of the risen Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s climb out of our old mattresses of convenience that are maintaining the status quo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s throw off those cozy blankets of apathy and isolation that keep us from helping our neighbors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s cast off the tear-soaked bed sheets of discouragement and despair that are filled with nightmares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s not hide underneath our bed spreads of fear of the death of our loved ones because we know in Christ that they are only sleeping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s instead go forth on this brand new morning\u2014filled with the promise of hope, of life, of service, of mission. For that is the calling of Jesus Christ whose awakening from sleep we now celebrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morning Person<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love the mornings. At night, when there is nothing to distract me, I think about all the deep night concerns. I waste a lot of emotional energy spinning from bad to worst case scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then the morning comes, and these ruminations lose their grip on me, in the face of sunlight, the smell of fog moisture in the air, the fresh opportunity to do things differently. Every morning reminds me of a time of resurrection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I travel overnight today, it will be night time in San Francisco. It will be mostly dark and night time across the country until I begin to approach Boston. The sky will lighten and soon the sunbeams will shine through the airplane windows. Then it will be morning and soon I will again be able to observe how much sleep Evi has and know that we will rise every morning to new life because Jesus Christ is risen!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us pray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almighty and ever-loving God, we are creatures who cling to the gift of life, yet know that we must die. Our lives slip gradually from us, and we know there is nothing that we can do about out mortality. What we need is some hope outside ourselves. What we need is a future not of our own creation. What we need is saving from the grip of sin and death. What we need is the resurrection of Christ Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On this great, bright day of days, you promise us to give us what we need. Jesus has burst the bonds of death and shown us the way from death to life. Jesus has gone on before us. Alleluia! Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1 Corinthians 15:12-26 April 11, 2004 Sermon preached by Rev. Donald Ng at the First Chinese Baptist Church in San Francisco. We know we are sleep deprived when we dozeContinue readingTime to Wake Up!<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[41,11],"class_list":["post-1498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-donald-ng-sermons","tag-corinthians","tag-fcbc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1498"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2421,"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1498\/revisions\/2421"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}