Luke 7:11-17
Soon afterwards he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a
large crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the town, a
man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother's only son,
and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town.
When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, "Do
not weep." Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers
stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, rise!" The dead man
sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized
all of them; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen
among us!" and "God has looked favorably on his people!" This word
about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.
‘Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And
he said "Young man, I say to you, RISE!" The dead man sat up and began to
speak. And the masses proclaimed their allegiance and glorified God,
spreading his word.....’
AHHH - If only it were so easy. I am jealous of the people of Jesus' time,
getting to experience his love and healing first hand, in the first person, with
him right there to talk to and touch.... Hold that thought for a sec.
“I SAY TO YOU, RISE!”
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© Shawn Hillman
We've been in Luke's Gospel for a few weeks now, and as you may remember
last week we took a look at the preceding verses to what we just heard here.
Jesus' popularity is growing, and he is on a bit of a tour of the countryside,
building a crowd with him as he spreads a little God-love, touches some lives,
heals, and revives. I like this story better than last week though. Rather than a
powerful centurion sending for Jesus to heal a slave, then kind of playing it cool
when they meet; Jesus has a chance encounter at a funeral-in-progress with an
everyday woman who has lost her son. I like the visual of Jesus reaching out,
touching the man, bringing him back to life, and empowering the woman to be
a mother once again. No matter the example you prefer – one of these two, or
the countless others that are cited the biblical times - the stories of Jesus, or
other vessels before him, and the many second chances he offers God's people
are comforting and inspiring.
Second chances are a funny thing. The highs and lows of emotion that are
brought about by about a second chance - the agony of a defeat, the feeling of
despair or lost hope, followed by the elation of getting a do-over - certainly can
take their toil on of a person, both physically and mentally.
***
Our family had an interesting encounter with a second chance just this week.
“I SAY TO YOU, RISE!”
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© Shawn Hillman
The week marked the end of our boys' spring soccer season, and this year that
culminated in a round-robin tournament all week to see how teams would
place. Unlike the regular season in soccer, ties are not acceptable in a
tournament or playoffs. Someone has to win, and someone has to lose. Lo
and behold Julian's team had a tie Tuesday night, and because of time
constraints and limited daylight, the match immediately went to a Penalty Kick
shootout. This is where you have one kicker, the ball, and the goalie. The
referee blows the whistle, and the kicker takes their shot. The goals
themselves in soccer are pretty big, and this scenario tends to favor the kicker as long as they put speed on the ball, get it to a corner, and the goalie doesn't
read the play right.
You don't have to have played soccer to know or imagine the heightened
emotions that everyone involved in this go through: The kicker as he mentally
lines up his shot, the positioned goalie as he tries to read the kicker and make
his move in time, and the other players, coaches, and parents as they stand by
watching with hearts in throats. As all parties prepare to play their part in this
2-second scenario for 5 or more rounds, we all run through that gamut of
emotion brought about by the second chance to win the game.
One by one, our team and our opponents took our rounds. They made a shot,
then we'd miss ours. They'd make another, we would miss again.... and slowly
and quickly all at the same time, the possibility of a win escaped our reach and
was gone in a flash…
“I SAY TO YOU, RISE!”
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© Shawn Hillman
With tears in our eyes, we lined up and gave the winning team their due kudos
and handshakes. It was an awesome game, a fitting end, but we came up a bit
short. My post game speech was the toughest I've ever had to give as a coach how do you implore 8 and 9 year olds with tears in their eyes to 'RISE, and live
another day. There will be another game soon and you will have learned and
been better from this experience'? The words are sometimes hard to find, and
the reception is half-hearted at best, as the kids still sting with defeat. Losing a
tournament game in this fashion is devastating. But I gave it the best I had reminding them how proud they should be of their play and the efforts that
got our team within reach in the first place.
I had to break the harsh truth of life to them: that things aren't always going
to go as you have planned. No matter the preparation, sometimes you come
up short. The important thing is to appreciate and learn from the experience,
and be ready for the next match. No more difficult was it to say to the kids
than it was to face my own son, who missed one of the shots, who was as
crushed and hurt as I've ever seen him.
And then there is the SECOND second chance! In recreation league soccer,
once you get to the 8 or 9 year old levels, the league as a whole starts to feel
like a bit of a family. Many of the coaches, players, and families know each
other and have been around for a few years. Most of the kids have been
“I SAY TO YOU, RISE!”
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© Shawn Hillman
teammates at one point or another, and are pretty familiar – it’s actually really
cool to experience this community in the raw sense of the word.
Being a rec league, there is no hard and fast rule against borrowing players for
games if your team is short. If you’ll indulge a parent to shamelessly brag for
just a minute, I must say Julian is somewhat of a superstar out on the fields, so
when a coach sees him available he is almost always immediately drafted for
another game. Since this week was a year-end tournament in the summer,
some families are long-gone to summer vacations and other adventures, and
teams are looking for help. Such was the case Tuesday immediately following
our crushing defeat. My friend John's team was short a few players, so Julian
played…. And wouldn’t you know it – the WHOLE scenario played itself out
again! Julian's team took the regulation time into a tie, it went to a penalty kick
shootout, and although Julian did miss his own shot again - this time his
teammates came through and they WON!!
THANK YOU JESUS! I was NOT ready to give that speech twice!
***
Members and friends of Plainfield Congregational United Church of Christ, it is
no secret we have had some tough luck lately. A year ago when we wished
Pastor Nancy well and she was off to new adventures, we were hopeful of our
coming 'second chance' for a fresh start in many ways.
“I SAY TO YOU, RISE!”
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© Shawn Hillman
There is NO WAY we could have envisioned the challenges and adventures we
were about to face. Having an interim Pastor come and go, losing another staff
member as well as some old friends along the way, dealing with a short
budget, and doing our best to understand each other in the process and clear
up any communication challenges leaves us feeling tired, I don't know about
you, but often I feel my heart in my throat, and faith and hope sometimes
harder to come by.
Over the past 6 weeks - as it happened last year - we've been picking up the
pieces from a departed Pastor. This year our challenges have been more
complex than last. In some ways, it felt like we were just figuring out how to
navigate our second chance when the game ended and we didn't feel like we
were on the winning end.... Now I don’t think there was a winning or losing
end to our challenges, not as a church – when you’re with God, you always
win. What we need to remember is that our newest adventure is beginning. It
is our SECOND second chance - our Jesus chance - where will pick up and get in
the game again.
Our saving grace has been our people and those steadfast in their ministries,
stepping in help pick up and begin again; but most of all, our Youth Minister
Emmy, who with a nod and a smile put her best foot forward and LED - and
continues to lead - us along our second chances. My dear, I know you graduate
“I SAY TO YOU, RISE!”
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© Shawn Hillman
next week with a Masters but did they ever take into account the credit hours
you have learned here? How about a doctorate to go with it!
Remember what I said earlier in this conversation - that I was jealous of the
people in Jesus' time because they got to experience his power first hand? No
doubt you're picking up on my cynicism now, and hopefully you came to a
conclusion that I should have a long time ago. This IS Jesus' time. God's power
is with us ALWAYS. It is with us every day, working through vessels - EACH OF
US - that touch us and lift us when we are weary, or ill, or when our hope or
faith have expired and we want to throw them a funeral.
For a time yet, we may still very well leave each day with more questions than
answers when it comes to this church. I think that is okay (for a while).
Questions are not bad.... as long as you're okay with knowing we may not have
all the answers yet.... It is FAITH and HOPE and WORK, it is holding our heads
up and holding each other's hands.... it is our fearless and wise-beyond-heryears spiritual leader, it is reliable staff that deal with chaos, it is people on our
ministry teams, and a steadfast board that pushes ahead because 'ahead' is the
best direction to go, that will get us through.
We HAVE the vessel. We ALL ARE the vessel! In the terms of faith and hope I'll make you all a deal: I'll stop your funeral and bring you back to life if you'll
do the same for me.
“I SAY TO YOU, RISE!”
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© Shawn Hillman
Life is full of second chances... now they usually they don't happen
IMMEDIATELY behind one another, but the SECOND second chance is the one I
like. It’s the Jesus chance. When you miss your shot, when your team comes
up short, when the game does NOT turn out like you had dreamed about the
night before - do NOT be down, do not give up, do not hang your head or blur
your vision with tears for too long....
"I say to you, RISE!" Lift your head. Dry your eyes. Clear your throat. There is
another game and a second chance awaits us around the corner, and we need
every player.
AMEN
“I SAY TO YOU, RISE!”
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© Shawn Hillman