|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
A sermon is a manner of oral communication and therefore words and sentence structure/order would be added, altered, or deleted at the moment of delivery. + In Nomine Jesu + The Rev. Evan Gaertner Ash Wednesday “Ashes to Ashes” Today we celebrate Ash Wednesday, which with the imposition of ashes becomes a public act of the church and of individuals. The receiving of ashes upon the forehead is an extension of our self-examination of who we are. We are sinners. God created us with wisdom, delight, and rejoicing, but through forefather Adam we have inherited sin. We have inherited death. Adam was formed by God out of the mud of creation. Adam and Even were given the Garden of Eden, but through their own selfish desires they did not follow the wisdom of God but tried to stand on their own wisdom. The serpent came and tempted them to consider themselves to be as wise as God and determine for themselves whether God was right or not. When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit that had been forbidden they forfeited the delight of the Garden. From dust Adam was formed and because of sin it was to dust that Adam returned. When we have ashes placed upon ourselves we visible make real the truth that we from dust and to dust we shall return. We cannot escape death. In the graveside service you may have heard these words, “We now commit the body of our brother _________ to the ground; earth to earth ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subdue all things to Himself.” This statement at the grave reminds us of two very important points. One, we are at the grave observing a body that is dead. The remains of our dear brother are placed into the ground. We cannot by our words command that body to come out. We cannot through collective meditation escape the reality that this person has died. Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Death is not pretty. I know some of you have experienced being at the bedside of someone dear to you that has died and you know the truth that death is ugly. A funeral home through love and care will present a body with an open casket and people will comment on how real he looks. The evidences of death and disease are attempted to be hidden. But unfortunately no makeup hides the truth that we are gathering to grieve. The ugliness of death is not to be avoided by Christians. Today on Ash Wednesday as we have placed on our foreheads this dark smudge of ash we are bringing forward to the realty that death is ugly. No one is made more beautiful by placing ashes upon the forehead. Ashes are not a recommended beauty aid. They are ugly reminders of the truth that because of sin we all fall short of the glory of God and we will die. But now going back to those words at the grave side I want you to observe that we are not only reminded that we come from and go back to earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. We place that person into the grave with quote, “the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subdue all things to Himself. With the cross death is defeated. Mary and Martha experienced a foretaste of this victory when Jesus came to them in their grief. Reminded them that all who live and believe in him, even though they die, will never die. He then walked over the tomb and even after being reminded that Lazerus had been dead now for four days, ordered the stone to be removed. He called out to Lazerus, saying, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out. We trust on the last day when the trumpet will blast the dead will be raised and the perishable will be clothed with the imperishable. We believe in the resurrection of the body. We believe that we, like Adam, are dust and to dust we shall return. But with confident faith we wear these ashes trusting in the victory of Jesus Christ. This lent prepare with me as we go towards the cross. We are just beggars at the foot of the cross with no privilege for mercy. But we trust that by God’s amazing grace we will be showered in his love and care. This lent repent of your sins and trust in the Lord to guide your paths with understanding and wisdom. He will lead you from death to life, he will lead you from the cross to the empty tomb. We are dead in our trespasses but he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cloth us in his righteousness. Even as we are reminded today that we are clothed in ashes, he clothes us in his love and mercy. Soli Deo Gloria |
