He's Risen - Now What?

[ashling]

Another sermon by John Shuck. This might get to be a habit.

http://www.shuckandjive.org/

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Jesus didn’t die of old age. He didn’t die of cancer. He didn’t get trampled accidentally by a runaway horse. Jesus was bullied to death. Not only Jesus, but thousands of people were tortured and executed methodically in a spectacle of brutality and control. We have covered over this story with so much theological gobbledy-gook that we miss the main plot. Jesus was a victim of imperial terrorism.

The Easter acclamation, “Christ is Risen!” meant what? I think it meant that they, the people, those who told and wrote the stories about Jesus had had enough. They had had enough of Rome’s bullying. They said,

“Every time we gather for a meal of bread and wine we will remember. We are Christ's body. Christ is alive with us. We will continue to remember and to resist. We will show hospitality to those who are victims of imperial bullying, to the outcast, to the slave, to the stranger. We will lean on and support each other. We will remember and tell the stories of the victims. And we will dream, hope, and work for the day in which the kingdom of God, the empire of God, the empire of justice and peace will be realized on Earth.”

Obviously, Christianity evolved and moved in all kinds of directions and embraced many different mythologies and interpretations, and some of them quite good and helpful. But it is important not to lose sight of our roots. The earliest interpretation of the death and resurrection of Jesus is this:

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As we all know, bullying doesn’t only happen in school. It happens in the workplace. It happens in the family. It happens in the church. It happens in our government. It happens at the hands of corporations.

To say ‘Christ is risen’ means we stand with those who are bullied.

* We find our courage. Courage is not feeling brave. It is pretending to be brave even when we don’t feel it.
* We stand together. We don’t suffer in silence. We don’t suffer alone. We find our strength in each other.
* We use our voices. We name those institutions that exert power over others or are complicit in their silence.

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[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Now this is a Priest I could listen to

:-)

Thanks, this guy is good. And it matters little if you believe in God or not. EXCELLENT POINTS.

[ashling]

3. Exactly.

If you haven't gone to his blog yet, you will get a kick out of some of the things his "fellow" clergy have to say:

Our denomination refuses to deal with heretics like John Shuck. We abandon the truth of Holy Scripture, and we tolerate unbelievers in pulpits. Where is the Committee on Ministry in Holston Presbytery? Are they in agreement with this nonsense?

No wonder so many of our stronger churches have left the PCUSA, and that so many of our pews have emptied.

Rev. John R. Kerr, pastor of First Presbyterian Church
Jacksonville, N.C

[pinboy3niner]

2. Bullying--and standing up--seems to be the hot topic du jour:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8088382

[Sherman A1]

4. Interesting

I will save this one for later reading!

[deutsey]

5. Thanks for posting...I was wondering what his Easter sermon would be

after last week's "No More Crosses."

If I'm not careful, this guy may lure me back into being a Christian. :-)

[stjohndoe]

6. When I discovered Pastor Shuck, I came back

after 30 years of being away from the church. Luckily, I live close by and have started attending. The sermons are only a small part of the wonderful things this ministry is involved in.

[Kablooie]

7. I think it's odd that Christ has risen but his bread is unleavened.

[Ready4Change]

8. I suppose now he wants coffee.

That's the first thing I want when I rise in the morning. ;)