Some years back a variety of members of my family loaded our suitcases and headed to Las Vegas.Among the number were my parents whom we chose to take along in order to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.As usual my procrastinating family came through.We finally did something for them on their 50th anniversary just a little after their 55th anniversary.It was a marvelous trip and now after the passing of both parents it stands as a fine memory of a good time shared before both of them showed signs of the illnesses which were part of their lives for a number of years.
I have to make the disclaimer above because when the normal, better said, the average person goes to Las Vegas it is to spend money in a specific way.I am not saying we didn’t spend money, we certainly did our part to add to the financial strength of “sin city,” however I for one did not gamble, or have any interest in gambling.The only risk taking I chose to experience was the choice to rent a car and drive around town.Some in the family did choose to gamble.We did a few of the shows, including one featuring Tommy Tune and sat in amazement while watching and listening to the basic presentation of Cirque du Soleil.
Actually for me the most interesting thing about Las Vegas was a sport more basic than even gambling, a whole lot less expensive, not as risky, and even fun when done with a keenly observant eye.The sport of which I speak is what my mother called “people watching.”Yes spending time walking around, or sitting somewhere in a congested area and doing exactly what it sounds like, watching people as they pass.This really isn’t an exact science.The real trick is to be able to do so in a nonchalant fashion without the person or persons being observed catching on.This is nothing like stalking because the subject of the study is on the move in public places and there is no repetition nor involved her than observation.
There are actually several places to go where people watching is a fine thing.Major sporting events are such times and places.Anything in the New Orleans French Quarter qualifies.I can do this you see because the French Quarter was the place of my grandmother’s birth.She was born on what is now known as Pirate’s Alley before it was a fashionable tourist attraction.
Actually “people watching” is a good way to pass any moment in which there is little else to do.It is not a sport which requires preparation or a lengthy amount of time.You all probably don’t know it but I’ve been involved in people watching while I am standing up here at this very moment.The neat thing about people watching is there are no reports required and no competition.
And one more thing, there is always the chance for extreme spontaneity and for serendipitous exploration.Back late last year Susan had her gall bladder out.It was an unexpected thing, but necessary.Because of the timing I had the unexpected pleasure of driving home from St. Luke’s Hospital at about 10:00 p.m. on October 31st.My people watching senses went well over the top as I drove to I-10 straight north on Montrose.I enjoyed it so much I did it twice.
Whether we you are aware of it or not all of you, all of us, have times when the “sport” is part of what we are.Consider, for example, the passage which is before us today, I Corinthians 15.Now you may be wondering why this is here on Easter Sunday when there are at least four excellent Gospel’s lessons which could be shared, all of which tell the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and the blessing of resurrection.A fair thought if in fact it is one to which you subscribe.
The answer is simple.I chose this text out of the lectionary because of the people involved in the story.I am doing what I enjoy doing, people watching.This time it isn’t visual but is mental.As I read through the scripture last week I pictured in my mind not the faces of the individuals but the character and the responses of each individual.And there is more.People watching in the case of those in the scripture, includes considering their motivation and reactions of those under watch.
In this passage there are several people who are remembered.Two in particular are worth “watching.”The first one is Cephas, whom we know as Peter.The second is James.It is assumed the James spoken of here is James the literal, flesh and blood, brother of Jesus.We also can do a fairly good people watch of the Letter’s author, the one we know as the Apostle Paul.Let’s take these one at a time and see how they were affected by the resurrection.
First there is James the brother of Jesus.What we know about James prior to this time we can surmise from the hints offered about how Jesus’ family reacted to his call to do the work of God. We remember, for example, how Jesus came back home to Nazareth and made the choice, as a traveling rabbi had the right to do, to speak, to preach we would say, in his home synagogue.We don’t know exactly what transpired except for the fact the family members came to try to do what we would call “talk some sense” into him.The challenge given in our language might have been something like, “give up this foolishness and come home.”
Back in the day there were many people who did not receive the message of the Lord.Truth is there are many today.For the family members and the people of Jesus’ day it was because they didn’t understand.For our times those who don’t receive Jesus do so in part because they haven’t had witness enough to understand, nor come into contact with people who are contagiously Jesus based.
Fortunately there is for our world always the opportunity to receive and to believe.What is our motivation?It is the resurrection.Without the resurrection we would have nothing amazing to share or speak of.Without the resurrection we wouldn’t understand the true depth of the love or God, nor understand the power of the Holy Spirit.Without the resurrection we would not understand the life God has to give.We are fortunate because we have such a truth within our faith’s portfolio.
Unfortunately at the time the Gospels recall, the moment when Jesus returned home after wandering away to become an itinerant preacher, there was no such thing as a resurrection.Even though Jesus tried to explain what was to be, those who listen were dumbfounded and unable to understand.Honestly they couldn’t understand.
But back to James.The possibility is there that James as the younger brother of Jesus followed as the family did what the family could do to try to bring Jesus to his senses.Just maybe James had in his heart a strong feeling of guilt and regret when Jesus went to the cross.But with the resurrection James had the motivation he needed to believe, even to believe in the holy gift of God’s love which his brother brought into the world.Simply stated with the power of the resurrection James life changed.His faith became exemplary.James was one of the first to write of the basic things of the practice of Christian faith, including the challenge to put faith into action. James is a good example of how those who might not understand can be changed when Christ of the resurrection is met in the midst of the challenges of life.James is our first people study.
Then there is Cephas.Remember again that Cephas is another name for Peter.Peter was also a good people study, what we might call an “extremely interesting case.”Unfortunately when the “early” Peter is considered there are several things which are troubling.Like many of the disciples Peter is described as one who just doesn’t get it.Peter is the disciple who is portrayed as one who acted first and then thought things through.At various times Peter spoke when he should have been silent and reflective.One example is the mountain top experience with James and John, on the day of “Transfiguration.”When Elijah and Moses appeared it was Peter who made the suggestion to build three booths.Under the circumstances his suggestion didn’t make sense, but he felt obligated to say something.
What is most amazing here is the comment Paul makes in remembering Peter.He shares how Jesus, immediately after the resurrection was quick to appear to Peter.Why was this so important?It was important because of all of the disciples Cephas was the one who at the moment was feeling the lowest and most full of guilt.Of course we remember how Peter had only a few days before denied Jesus not just once but three times.Peter knew shame and must have considered himself a failure for moving away when Jesus needed his support and love the most.We forget the disciples were human.Even Peter had moments.He also is a good people study.
Fortunately Jesus came to Peter and immediately Peter’s character changed.He found what we know.The resurrection tells us about the very power of God and assures us that what God promises, God delivers.Peter needed forgiveness and forgiveness he received even when he had done what he might well have considered an unpardonable sin.We all need the love and forgiveness God has to offer.We can benefit from walking with the resurrection Lord and viewing all that Jesus’ said and promised concerning the way of God.God’s challenge is for us to have that same “spring in our Spiritual steps,” and to know we are worthy, even worth enough for the cross.
The resurrection gave Cephas what he needed in order to go forward into the world with the message of the Gospel.It was Peter who addressed the people on the day of Pentecost.It was Peter who was among the first to travel all the way to Rome with the saving message of the Gospel.It was also Peter who we remember as the inspiration behind the creation of the church.Peter’s faith is demonstrated by Peter’s name which means “rock.”The resurrected Lord gave Peter the forgiveness which only he can.Jesus will do the same for us.There is no sin which cannot be addressed.There is no life which is so far away that God cannot grant newness.
So in our people study we have looked at two individuals of interest.In this section of the Bible we call I Corinthians 15 the Apostle Paul speaks of James the brother of Jesus.James needed to have his guilt addressed.Then he shared a brief thought concerning Cephas, or Peter.Peter needed and received forgiveness.Even though he must have felt himself chief among sinners, he received the blessing of inspired love.
Finally we come to Paul himself.Paul’s story is shared here in the text in the briefest of terms.He shares and we remember how Paul was called into Christian service by Jesus even after the resurrection and the ascension.Christ came in a vision, but came with an unmistakable voice and power, one which shook Paul to his core, and altered his life completely.Paul reminds the Corinthians about his previous life, how he was the persecutor of Christians.Paul gives testimony to the same truth known by the other two.Paul, when he met Jesus, knew great guilt which was born from his past choices and actions, but also knew, even before he realized he was a sinner, the promise of forgiveness delivered.
What I really like about this text is the phrase Paul uses here close to the end of the passage.He says; “But by the grace of God I am what I am.”In other words God worked a most amazing miracle in Paul’s life, literally turning him around.Paul became as zealous for Christ as he had been against Christ and Christians.He came to know what both James and Cephas knew.When Christ came from death into life he brought life along; new life which begins the moment the love of God is embraced, and Christ is accepted as the one who brings the whole weight of God’s power and love to life.
Paraphrasing the old Mac Davis song, Paul seemed egotistical, but his egotism was based in humility.He knew how his boldness and his strength were given birth.Without forgiveness, without the ability to have his guilt taken away, he would have died in sin and never would have known life at its best on earth, must less have received life with God in a more permanent fashion.
“People watching” is in fact an interesting thing.For example watching the people here is unique passage gives us some interesting insights into the things of God’s Kingdom and even into the very heart of God.James knew release of guilt.Peter knew forgiveness.Paul knew both.The resurrection gave us the assurance of the promises of God. May we be challenged to receive the life which Jesus gives and to go forward from here today because Jesus lives.We cannot explain how it all happened.All we can do is be thankful because God made it happen.
Before we move on there is just a little more “watching” we ought to do.In order to get to this group of people worth watching I want to go back to a question I ask myself on occasion, one which I know isn’t by any means unique to me.Here goes; “What proof do we have to confirm the resurrection?”Well, first off we can say, as I’ve heard many times stated before, how things of Jesus are primarily viewed with eyes of faith.And that is a true fact.However there is one area for certain in which we can get a glimpse of the actuality of the resurrection.
Let’s move our “people watching” back some time in history, say about two thousand years, minus just a couple of decades.Here we find people of all sorts who are devastated on a Friday afternoon because the one they had trusted and followed, the one who had made such great promises had been quickly and tragically removed from their midst and from their lives.Many chose to go away and hide in the Upper Room where the meal had been held with Jesus just the night before.In a short time others, those who made their lives with the nets, stated they were heading back home to go fishing again.At that point, there on Friday, and Saturday, things looked fairly bleak.Remember even those who came on Resurrection Day didn’t come expecting to find an empty tomb, they came instead to prepare the body of Jesus for burial in the proper way of the faith.
The proof of resurrection I believe is how the lives of these changed equally as drastically starting that Easter morning.Why else would they have been so excited?Why else would they have taken the steps which were taken to go from Jerusalem, from the comforts of home, or from the nets of the Sea of Galilee, and head off into the “four corners of the world?”Why else would so many literally lose their lives in order to gain life and become martyrs for the faith?It is my studied opinion we need to go no farther than to look at the early church and early Christians to come to know the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.Those whom Christ touches know he is with us in what the Bible calls spirit and truth.
I have an example here at the end.As I understand it when the time came for the new Russian nation to recognize religious groups there was a requirement made for the group to be considered for “licensing” to have been present back in the days before the Soviet revolution.There needed to be no only hearsay but also proof.Fortunately United Methodism found its place legally within the RussianRepublic.
The story goes, and I believe it to be true, how it all came to be was from some court records located in the city of St. Petersburg. Back in the early part of the last Century there were in the city some Methodists.Their religious faith caused them to be bold.They were concerned literally about the souls of people as well as the need for forgiveness of sin in each life.At the time they were focused upon one particularly difficult group of people.They may well have been “people watching” these folks for a while.The watched group consisted of members of the Russian Navy.Our Methodist fore-parents made a valiant effort to convert the sailors to Christian life.
Unfortunately the government didn’t want their fighting forces to be “kind” and “Christian” in the things that they had to do.These pesky Methodists continued to do good works and to evangelize the Seafarers.They were arrested and put on trial.Their faith in the resurrected Lord caused them to do what was uncomfortable in order to do what they knew their faith called them to do.We owe the creation of a new and growing UnitedMethodistChurch in Russian today to those who had such faith in the past.
When we look at those who went before us, especially those who knew persecution and even death for the faith, we have a glimpse of the true of the resurrection.Let us remember today about our friend James, the brother of Jesus.James may well have had guilt which consumed him.But he came to know the love of God which made him whole again.Then there was Peter.Peter was perhaps in his own thoughts the “chief among sinners” because he denied Jesus not once but three times.It is good news that Peter was forgiven and we can be forgiven of sin also.Then there is Paul.Paul was so far gone he didn’t know how far.His hatred and bitterness was blinding.He also found in his life the peace and direction James received as well as the forgiveness granted to Peter.
The resurrection gave us the fulfillment of the promises Jesus made.May we be open to receiving all of these gifts, and more, as we come today to celebrate Easter Sunday.As we come today let us be so challenged to join those who have come before in order to tell the world of God’s love and to present in our own way the joyous news that, as the old Russian prayer response says; “Christ he is risen, he is risen indeed.”!!
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