John 20: 1-18

Trey Ferguson preached on Holy Humor Sunday at RMC via Zoom. Editor's note- at the beginning of the sermon Trey played a CLIP - please click on the link to the left to watch- from a David Blaine street magic performance where he gets a person to pick a card and reinsert it into the deck. David throws all of the cards against a window and the person's card appears stuck to the BACK of the glass while the other cards fall to the ground. The audio of this illusion was deleted from the recording for copyright concerns and due to the visual nature of the trick not translating well to an audio format. Trey ponders in his sermon on the connection between the joy David Blaine took in instilling a sense of wonder in strangers and the real wonders that Jesus performed during his time on earth and how those around him struggled to interpreted their meaning and veracity. We know that some of the disciples were full of doubt, and others didn't believe Mary when she reported an empty tomb and a living Jesus. The biggest question for the disciples and followers wasn't can Jesus be raised from the dead, for they had seen Jesus do this, but who had the power to raise Jesus while he was dead. Of course Jesus knew this was going to be the Holy Spirit. But Jesus cared enough about Thomas's doubt to appear inside the locked room a second time, and took pleasure in turning doubters into believers, inviting them to experience shock, wonder, and awe. In turn we musk ask ourselves how we plan to share the whimsy of our faith with others who doubt. Jesus has sent us out into the world like God sent him to share this wonder.

John 20: 1-18

Happy Easter to all! Susan Scott preaches on the resurrection, of course, this Easter. God works a lot like springtime, making things that appear dead become suddenly renewed. With that in mind, what is Jesus when he comes back from the dead? He is embodied with scars, yet Mary mistakes him for a gardener until he speaks. Later he walks through a locked door later. Jesus's followers first had a hard time accepting that he was supposed to die at all since they expected him to usher in an end to Roman occupation, and thus had a hard time comprehending what his resurrection portended So what does the resurrection tell us? Jesus's resurrection foreshadows what will eventually happen to us, gives us hope in the face of our own mortality, and reframes our understanding of earthly suffering. Death cannot silence the power of God's love to manifest within us. In life, we receive hope in the fact that the good works we are called to do are all part of God's greater plan of redemption, and not done in vain. Join Susan Scott as she explores what we can learn from the resurrection of Christ.

Scripture: John 12:12-27, 19:16b-22

Ben Rudeen Kreider, pastor at Chapel Hill Mennonite Fellowship, provided the message on this Palm Sunday.

From the ubiquitous Buc-ee's billboards to the variety of incredibly creative signs seen at yesterday's No Kings rallies, signs are everywhere. A good sign grabs your attention in a short phrase with what a movement is about.

Palm branches waved while Jesus rides in on a donkey colt--both are symbols, or signs with meaning. Pilate had a sign for the world to see hung above Jesus when he was nailed to the cross: "King of the Jews." These words were meant to mock, deride and belittle. To send a message that anyone who dared cross or insinuate kingship was a threat to the Roman Empire. Yet we as followers of Jesus cling with faith to the truth of that sign posted above him.

The paradox of faith is that we believe that this man deserves all titles of honor and respect and admiration and gratitude, that he is indeed King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the very Son of God.