April 20, 2025 – Easter Text: Isaiah 65:17-25

Dear Friends in Christ,

One of the top episodes, as voted on by fans of “The Andy Griffith Show” is called “Man in a Hurry.” A businessman’s car breaks down outside of Mayberry, but he can’t get anyone to fix it because it’s Sunday. He doesn’t understand the slow pace of this small town. He finally has had it when he can’t make a phone call because the line is tied up by two sisters. He blurts out, “outrageous, sheer idiocy a public utility being tied up like this. You people are living in another world. This is the 20th century, don’t you realize that? The whole world is living in a desperate space age. Men are orbiting the earth. International television has been developed. . . and here a whole town is standing still because two old women’s feet fall asleep.”
Our last soap opera in our Lenten sermon series is “Another World.” It was broadcast on NBC from 1964-1999. It was the first soap to go to one hour. The show in it’s later years had a theme song by Gary Morris and Crystal Gayle entitled, “You Take Me Away To Another World.”
What a beautiful theme for our Easter. Christ is Risen. He is Risen Indeed and that means when we die we can look forward to . . . .
“ANOTHER WORLD”
I feel like Mr. Tucker on the “Andy Griffith Show.” I’m living in Another World. We don’t get mail service every day. College sports is unrecognizable. I have been in places where they won’t take cash for a $3 bottle of water. We get a bill in the mail that the company charges us $3.49 for them to send us a paper bill. We are the consumer! Don’t get me started with cash, it’s ridiculous. Are we trying to push people into debt? It is like I am in Another World. What is going on? And now AI wants to give me a synopsis of an e-mail. People took the time to write me, I want to read the whole thing. Do you see the point? So-called advancement is no advancement when it disrupts lives.
Why is the music of the 70’s and 80’s still played in stadiums? Why are nostalgia businesses doing so well? Why are young Catholics and young Lutherans fighting so hard for the historic liturgy of the church? Because sometimes life does move too fast in Another World.
The prophet Isaiah lived in a world he was questioning. Good times. Bad times. The Lord’s people had it good, but it led them to depravity. Folks had things come to them much too easy. Isaiah was called into this world to call people to repent. In this hostile world he was reminding the people to stay faithful. Sin and death surrounded them.
You see the world never changes, it just takes a different look. Only once did it look different. Creation had another world. Perfection. No depravity. No entitlement. Two people got along at least for a while. You think your marriage is difficult? Shortly after Adam and Eve were united by God in marriage, they fight. I ate and shouldn’t have . . . my wife gave it to me. Thanks a lot you two. You had a whole world, couldn’t one of you run off to cool down? Naked – we see sin. Pain it’s coming. Death that too. No living forever. Couldn’t you go to any other tree?
See what I just did there? Blamed them. Yep, guilty. See how easy it is to go to the wrong place or be with the wrong people or let the devil invade our thoughts? We can’t reform our sinful ways. We can’t create another world here on earth. Ain’t gonna happen.
What does Isaiah see? A new heaven and new earth. No more weeping. No more crying. Wolf and lamb together. No hurting. Another world. I want that world. Do you want that world? I’ll have cash but it will do no good. You can’t pay to get in. An advance team, made of three in one, one in three has already paid the entrance fee. It took blood, and sweat, and tears on a cross. It was death that would pay for my death. It was a death that would pay for your death. “He is not here, but has risen.” He lives and you will live. He ascended to the right hand of the Father, where he reigns over Another World. Death does not have a final say in this world. Christ has promised you will never be abandoned.
He comes alive today in the small town and the big city. He comes for the debit carders and the cash lovers. He comes with intelligence and grace and mercy and all things good. Nothing is artificial. You can smell the flowers and see the non-potholed golden roads. The center of attention is no longer you, it is Him. You surround His throne. You worship the Holy of Holies. It is grand. It is glorious. Frankly, it is indescribable, but it awaits you because of Easter. Christ has won your salvation. He waits . . . for you . . . in
ANOTHER WORLD.
Amen.

April 18, 2025 – Good Friday Tenebrae Texts: Psalm 103:1-4, John 5:21-24
Dear Friends in Christ,
Just like last night, tonight we have another ABC soap opera that was very popular in its heyday. It was broadcast from 1968-2012. It showed ethnically and socioeconomically diverse characters. It was a soap that had very strong male characters. It settled before going on the air to be titled, “One Life To Live.” The original proposed title though was: “Between Heaven and Hell.”
Isn’t that a great way of looking at Good Friday? As Jesus was on the cross, he was between heaven and hell. He was obedient in his calling from the Father in heaven, but he was suffering hell on behalf of us because of it. He would even traverse to hell after his death to declare victory over the forces of evil. He entered our world to save the world. He could accomplish this because he had . . .
“ONE LIFE TO LIVE”
This one life affects the life of every other human being. It moved King David to write, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, and heals all your diseases.”
We are diseased people, are we not? Suffering from justifying ourselves. Somebody eats a whole pizza but wants to tell you they will take a walk later. A friend buys a great piece of clothing but reminds you it was on sale. We lie to keep up the façade that we got everything under control. But do we?
This cannot be escaped. Yes, you use bad language, but you recycle. You cheated on your spouse, but you don’t smoke. You manipulated your neighbor, but you gave a contribution to “Citizens Saving the Salamander.” Everyone knows self-justification.
John writes, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” How did this promise come about? Jesus taught the resurrection before there was a resurrection. He had one live to live as this man who could have justified himself, but he chose not to. He went to trial.
He wasn’t here to change the political scene. He believed in paying taxes and not injuring others. He taught and healed and did so in a peaceful manner. Why is he even here? Because the hateful, evil people got their way. This is where mob mentality was born. “Crucify him, crucify him!” Their self-justification overwhelmed them.
A crime has been committed. A crime against God. Jesus was getting what was coming to him – one life to live. Jesus allowed this travesty to continue – one life to live. He is keeping his mouth shut in the face of accusations – one life to live. He doesn’t justify, he doesn’t lawyer up – he has one life to live – and he is taking that life to a hill on Golgatha, to be crucified between two convicted criminals.
One of the hallmarks of the soap opera is the close-up shot. Right in there close. Getting the emotion on the face. They love to do this right before they fade to black and go to a commercial. I want you to picture the close-up of the face of Jesus as he suffers and dies for you. What do you see? It is going to fade to black in the middle of the day, the earth will shake, the temple curtain will reveal God and man coming together. Self-justification fades away in the darkness of the moment. Don’t look away. This one life may suffer death but he is going to live. A character enters the scene sensing this same thing, “Surely he was the God.” Let’s update the script: “Surely he is the Son of God.”
Jesus suffered this one life to see you with Him forever. We leave here somber as we await the good news. The show is not over.
Join us Easter Sunday on this same station for . . . “Another World.”
Amen.