Rev. Don Ng, Senior Pastor, First Chinese Baptist Church, San Francisco, Vice-President, ABCUSA (2012-2013)
Saturday, April 1, 2012
Nothing Happening
Psalm 88; Romans 8:1-11
The day between Good Friday and Easter morning, nothing happens. After perhaps a long and painstaking Seven Last Words of Christ service, Saturday is a pause. Here in San Francisco, we have a cemetery service since our ecumenical council manages a Chinese Cemetery but the graves don’t open. Saturday might be a time for you to visit Home Depot to buy Easter lilies and hyacinths to adorn your sanctuary—a typical annual errand. But nothing really dramatic happens like re-enacting the crucifixion or singing alleluias on Easter morning.
Traditionally, Saturday is the time when Jesus enters hell but doesn’t stay there. The Psalmist in chapter 88 speaks about being in the pit or hell where there’s death and we are remembered no more. He is cut off, cast away and is lying in the grave. When we are in the pit, nothing really happens.
On this day when we pause and our congregations are not expecting anything from us, we have an opportunity to reflect on our worth and purpose as church leaders. There may be times when we doubt our gifts and abilities when ministries are not going as we hoped. We might be so consumed by our busy schedules and things to do list that we may have forgotten that God has called you to be faithful and true to your call. We might even have succumbed to the newest quick success program that came across our desks. The Apostle Paul in Romans 8:1-11 mentioned about not living according to the flesh but set your mind on the Spirit that leads to life. When we lead our lives in the Spirit, this pleases God.
On this Saturday between Good Friday and Easter when nothing really might be happening for you and your church, pray that you may renew your call to ministry that even in times of utter despondency, Easter is coming.
My prayer is to trust God when it seems like nothing seems to be happening. Lord, your redemptive actions in the world through Jesus Christ have brought and are still bringing salvation to the whole world. Teach me to reflect my role however small or big to participate in your will for us believing all along that you are always redeeming us for your purpose. May this day when nothing seems to be happening leads me to understand that everything will happen according to your will tomorrow. I pray in the name of Christ Jesus who is in the pit today, Amen.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
The First day
Psalm 148; John 1:1-18 and 20:19-23
The first day of the New Year promises for us a new start. All the old things are now behind us and we are blessed with a new calendar to use, new promises to keep, and a sense that everything is fresh and new again.
Easter is the beginning of new life made possible by the resurrection of our Lord! It’s like the first day of a New Year. Growing up at the First Baptist Church of Boston, we would wear our new Easter clothes and after worship would walk down the Commonwealth Avenue greensward like many other families would be doing and ending up at the Boston Public Gardens where Easter and spring flowers would be in bloom. There would be the first flowers we would have seen after a long and usually cold winter. The first time we would be wearing our new Easter clothes will undoubtedly lead to wearing these threads until they are worn out. The new flowers will remain a delight to the eyes until they wither. Easter is the first day of a new life!
John’s Gospel begins with “In the beginning…” just like Genesis does because it’s the first day of a new creation. The world in Jesus Christ is beginning its first day. Jesus was there with God in the beginning and is starting a new reality by coming into the world and in his resurrection from death.
Like the disciples when we don’t fully understand what God is doing in the world, we find ourselves huddled together in fear. Even as church leaders, we can find ourselves uncertain and afraid of believing what the resurrection of the Lord means to what we preach and do. De we really believe in the resurrection of the body? Do we really understand what heaven is like? Are we sometimes locked in fear?
Easter is the beginning of the first day of a new time when death is defeated because of Jesus. It’s the first day of a new beginning of the Kingdom of God revealed in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. It’s the first day again of our ministry to “Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! (Psalm 148:1-2)
We pray to have the confidence and courage to preach Good News that begins the first day of a new life on Easter morning. May our messages this morning bring hope and the promises of a first day that offers to people hope and joy in their lives. Lord, bless and uphold our faithful ministries with the assurance that your will be done on earth as it is already in heaven. Amen.