UFCC - Sermon Dec 30, 2007 (EXCERPT)

Pastor Tom Colburn

"After the dust settles"

Good Morning! Once the battle is over, and the dust settles the air gives way to clear vision, to the conflict's aftermath and to what lies before us and beyond. A time such as this is ripe for loss of heart, stumbling, fading and dispersion. But that same ripe time equally affords a rebirth, a renewed effort, a clearly defined purpose and opportunity for explosive growth.

One of the most significant days in history had occurred. The savior of the world, that perfectly obedient son of God, master and king of kings had been crucified. He hung there between two common thieves and was in many ways very much alone.

At last he lifted his eyes toward Heaven and cried, "Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani." Translated, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? He cried out a second time and released his spirit.

God had not forgotten this holy man. But in the end Jesus was very much deceased,. There was no life in him at all. Matthew 27:51-54:

And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to botton; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very firghtened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God."

Joseph, a wealthy man from Arimathea, a disciple of Christ, petitioned Pilate for the body of Jesus. It was granted to him. So he laid the lifeless body of his savior in the tomb he had carved for himself.

The Bible records that Joseph then rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. A climatic battle had been waged and was finished. The dust was settling.

Can you imagine how the disciples felt at that time? A short while earlier, when talking about the difficulty of a rich man entering the kingdom, Peter responded to Jesus, "We have left everything to follow you. What then will be left for us? (Matt 19:27)

The Apostles had put all their eggs in this one basket named Jesus, and now this prophet, this king, this messiah was dead. And they still didn't get it. They were downcast. Their dream had not come to fruition.

. . .

What could the future possibly hold for these downtrodden disciples? Nothing remained but their dashed hope. Where were their lives headed? Maybe some would have truned to crime. Perhaps others would have become rededicated  to the Jewish Leadership. Maybe one or two would have taken their own lives in desperation. The future looked cloudy and grim. But we know the rest of the story.

A time such as this is ripe for loss of heart, stumbling, fading and dispersion. But that same ripe time equally affords a rebrith, a renewed efffort, a clearly defined purpose and explosive growth. And so it was...

(more later)