WEBVTT 00:00:55.859 --> 00:00:59.299 I speak to you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 00:00:59.620 --> 00:01:00.259 Amen. 00:01:00.740 --> 00:01:02.179 Please be seated. 00:01:06.500 --> 00:01:13.140 Well, in case you are gonna miss what I'm gonna say, I'll let you know my point right now. 00:01:13.700 --> 00:01:17.060 And then if you want to go to sleep, you can go to sleep. 00:01:20.579 --> 00:01:33.379 My main point for this sermon is that fear creates confusion, competition, and conflict. 00:01:34.979 --> 00:01:41.939 Fear creates confusion, competition, and conflict. 00:01:43.939 --> 00:01:55.139 But the peace of the reason Christ creates collaboration, communion, and sharation. 00:01:59.379 --> 00:02:15.460 My friends, this Easter tie, I want us to reflect on this truth: that the way of love drives out fear and makes room for peace. 00:02:18.740 --> 00:02:27.860 So when we hear the Easter story, we often rush past Good Friday too quickly. 00:02:28.419 --> 00:02:34.099 But Good Friday, but Good Friday was traumatic. 00:02:34.979 --> 00:02:41.539 Jesus was tortured, humiliated, and killed publicly. 00:02:42.900 --> 00:02:51.060 That kind of violence was meant to do more than just kill Jesus. 00:02:51.539 --> 00:02:56.180 It was meant to terrify his followers. 00:02:56.900 --> 00:02:59.299 It was meant to scatter them. 00:02:59.939 --> 00:03:04.739 It was meant to make them afraid. 00:03:06.659 --> 00:03:17.699 And so when we arrived at John 20, we should not be surprised that the disciples are behind locked doors. 00:03:19.139 --> 00:03:25.939 Jesus tells the John tells us plainly that they were there for fear. 00:03:27.859 --> 00:03:32.099 Fear had shut the doors. 00:03:33.060 --> 00:03:36.739 Fear had shut down their courage. 00:03:37.459 --> 00:03:42.019 Fear had shut down their imagination. 00:03:43.859 --> 00:03:48.900 And fear still does that to us. 00:03:50.500 --> 00:03:53.299 Fear creates confusion. 00:03:54.340 --> 00:03:56.579 It creates competition. 00:03:57.379 --> 00:03:59.939 It creates conflict. 00:04:01.219 --> 00:04:07.139 Fear makes people to compare themselves to one another. 00:04:14.180 --> 00:04:16.340 You remember John and Peter? 00:04:17.060 --> 00:04:19.139 They were outrunning each other. 00:04:20.100 --> 00:04:23.540 As someone who runs, I know how that feels. 00:04:24.019 --> 00:04:28.100 Like if I beat you, I will let you know. 00:04:29.699 --> 00:04:31.780 So imagine Peter and John. 00:04:32.420 --> 00:04:33.939 They had that conversation. 00:04:34.180 --> 00:04:36.420 I was first, then you. 00:07:21.540 --> 00:07:24.500 So this peace is real peace. 00:07:24.740 --> 00:07:32.740 It is shalom, wholeness, restoration, and healed relationships. 00:07:33.699 --> 00:07:43.219 It is the peace Jesus promised in John 14, 27, when he said, Peace I live with you. 00:07:43.620 --> 00:07:46.180 My peace I give it to you. 00:07:46.899 --> 00:07:51.540 Do not, do not let your hearts be troubled. 00:07:52.259 --> 00:07:55.060 And do not let them be afraid. 00:07:57.699 --> 00:08:04.819 The reason Christ stands before them as a wounded Savior. 00:08:06.099 --> 00:08:12.339 That means resurrection does not erase suffering. 00:08:13.459 --> 00:08:15.219 It transforms it. 00:08:16.019 --> 00:08:17.620 It changes it. 00:08:19.779 --> 00:08:23.300 Jesus' wounds are not hidden. 00:08:24.019 --> 00:08:26.819 They become signs of love. 00:08:28.740 --> 00:08:31.060 That matters to us, church. 00:08:31.139 --> 00:08:32.740 That matters to us. 00:08:34.180 --> 00:08:38.019 Because the church is a wounded body. 00:08:39.460 --> 00:08:41.700 We are people with scars. 00:08:44.580 --> 00:08:46.580 We are people who are craving. 00:08:49.060 --> 00:08:51.300 We are people with questions. 00:08:52.019 --> 00:08:52.899 Where is God? 00:08:53.139 --> 00:08:54.340 What is He doing? 00:08:54.580 --> 00:08:56.420 Why is it taking so long? 00:08:58.420 --> 00:09:07.940 Yet we belong to a raising Lord who says, in the midst of all that, peace be with you. 00:09:09.860 --> 00:09:17.379 And once that peace is spoken, everything begins to change. 00:09:18.180 --> 00:09:20.020 Accept the peace. 00:09:23.220 --> 00:09:26.420 Fear had locked the doors. 00:09:26.820 --> 00:09:28.740 But peace opens them. 00:09:29.379 --> 00:09:33.140 Fear had isolated the disciples. 00:09:33.460 --> 00:09:38.180 But peace forms them into community. 00:09:38.580 --> 00:09:41.620 Fear had them hide. 00:09:42.180 --> 00:09:45.460 But peace, stand them on mission. 00:09:45.620 --> 00:09:51.460 Jesus said, as the Father has sent me, so I send you. 00:09:52.420 --> 00:09:56.980 In other words, peace is not just a feeling. 00:09:57.940 --> 00:10:01.860 Peace is what makes mission possible. 00:10:02.740 --> 00:10:06.020 Fear makes people to compete. 00:10:06.180 --> 00:10:07.300 I've said that. 00:10:07.860 --> 00:10:15.379 But peace, peace helps us, helps people to see what we need to collaborate on. 00:10:15.620 --> 00:10:16.500 The mission. 00:10:16.660 --> 00:10:18.340 We are sent by God. 00:10:18.580 --> 00:10:20.500 We are people of God. 00:10:22.020 --> 00:10:27.220 Fear says, oh, protect yourself, protect yourself. 00:10:27.540 --> 00:10:29.620 That's what fear says. 00:10:30.500 --> 00:10:32.980 Oh, no, no, friends, no, no. 00:10:33.379 --> 00:10:38.660 Peace says, receive the spirit, receive the spirit. 00:10:39.060 --> 00:10:41.700 Fear says, there is not enough. 00:10:41.860 --> 00:10:43.460 This is only for me. 00:10:44.740 --> 00:10:47.379 No, no, don't believe that lie. 00:10:48.420 --> 00:10:50.420 Peace says Christ is enough. 00:10:50.580 --> 00:10:52.660 There's enough for all of us. 00:10:52.980 --> 00:10:56.020 There's abundance in this world. 00:10:57.060 --> 00:10:58.420 And then there's Thomas. 00:10:58.500 --> 00:11:00.340 I don't know what to do with him. 00:11:01.379 --> 00:11:05.140 Thomas was not there the first time. 00:11:05.540 --> 00:11:07.060 He missed the moment. 00:11:08.180 --> 00:11:12.260 And that maybe that's another form of fear. 00:11:12.900 --> 00:11:15.220 The fear of missing out. 00:11:16.100 --> 00:11:22.180 The fear that everyone else got the blessing you did not get. 00:11:24.420 --> 00:11:28.180 But when Jesus comes again, he does not exclude Thomas. 00:11:28.500 --> 00:11:30.820 He does not shame Thomas. 00:11:31.300 --> 00:11:33.780 He offers Thomas what? 00:11:34.020 --> 00:11:37.940 The same gift of peace. 00:11:38.820 --> 00:11:41.220 That is good news for us. 00:11:42.020 --> 00:11:57.140 Because peace makes room even for those who are always late, who are always doubtful, who find themselves craving. 00:12:06.580 --> 00:12:10.740 Peace does not divide us to say, oh, you have more faith. 00:12:11.540 --> 00:12:12.260 No, no, no. 00:12:12.500 --> 00:12:18.340 Peace does not divide us and say, oh, there's insiders and outsiders. 00:12:18.660 --> 00:12:19.460 No, no. 00:12:19.780 --> 00:12:22.260 Peace gathers everyone. 00:12:22.420 --> 00:12:23.700 I mean everyone. 00:12:23.860 --> 00:12:26.580 When I say everyone, I mean everyone. 00:12:27.060 --> 00:12:30.660 As Episcopalians, that's who we are. 00:12:31.700 --> 00:12:35.140 We know this liturgically too. 00:12:35.220 --> 00:12:37.140 You're gonna say it soon. 00:12:37.460 --> 00:12:39.060 Every Sunday. 00:12:39.379 --> 00:12:40.980 We pass peace. 00:12:41.700 --> 00:12:44.820 That is not just like, oh, how are you? 00:12:45.140 --> 00:12:46.980 It's not a great thing. 00:12:47.860 --> 00:12:49.379 It's more than that. 00:12:50.020 --> 00:12:52.980 It is a holy, holy practice. 00:12:53.220 --> 00:13:00.100 It is the bridge between hearing from God's word and coming to God's table. 00:13:00.260 --> 00:13:10.580 It is a way of saying, in Christ, we seek wholeness with God and with one another. 00:13:10.820 --> 00:13:15.780 If you have a problem with me, please let me know before I leave here. 00:13:18.420 --> 00:13:20.900 That's what we're doing. 00:13:22.260 --> 00:13:29.060 As a prayer book says on Monday, Thursday, peace is my last gift to you. 00:13:29.379 --> 00:13:32.340 My own peace, I now live with you. 00:13:32.580 --> 00:13:35.620 I give you a new commandment. 00:13:35.940 --> 00:13:39.860 Love one another as I loved you. 00:13:40.660 --> 00:13:44.340 Peace and love belong together. 00:13:44.660 --> 00:13:47.540 That is the way of love. 00:13:49.460 --> 00:13:55.940 So in this Easter season, the question is simple. 00:13:58.020 --> 00:14:02.100 Will fear rule us? 00:14:03.140 --> 00:14:09.700 I hope you will respond in saying, no, fear will not rule us. 00:14:11.220 --> 00:14:14.660 Peace, peace will form us. 00:14:16.500 --> 00:14:19.060 Will we live by confusion? 00:14:23.460 --> 00:14:26.100 Will we live by competition? 00:14:28.180 --> 00:14:30.740 We will live by conflict. 00:14:34.100 --> 00:14:45.140 Or we will receive the peace of Christ and become people of collaboration, communion, and teamwork. 00:14:46.180 --> 00:14:50.980 Because this is the message of Easter. 00:14:52.020 --> 00:14:58.260 Fear locks doors, but peace opens those doors. 00:14:58.820 --> 00:15:00.180 Fear divides. 00:15:00.660 --> 00:15:01.700 No, no, no. 00:15:02.020 --> 00:15:05.620 Peace gathers us, it brings us together. 00:15:06.500 --> 00:15:11.780 Fear competes, but peace collaborates. 00:15:12.820 --> 00:15:22.420 So may the risen Christ enter every locked room in our lives, every lock room in our lives. 00:15:22.740 --> 00:15:26.100 May He meet us in our fear. 00:15:27.379 --> 00:15:31.620 May He breathe his spirit upon us. 00:15:32.340 --> 00:15:35.700 May His word become our way.