Message - Karen Lackey Ryan - April 5, 2026
​Luke 24:6-7: He is not here; he has risen! That’s the message. Hallelujah! That said, we can go directly to the coffee and chocolate! Of course, not so fast! Like our celebration of the birth of Jesus at Christmas, which is overshadowed by the secular frenzy of Santa Claus and shopping, Easter is hard to explain in ten words or less. Let me dig a little, under the decorated Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies, to get to the deeper meaning. How to explain the hope of the resurrection as if I was talking to a youth or unbeliever? As        1 Peter 3:15 tells us: to Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 
I think of the book, Where’s Waldo? In which the young face of Waldo is hidden on page after page of densely pictured images, the purpose of which is to find Waldo in the midst of all of the colorful, illustrated chaos. Likewise, the women who went to the tomb looking for Jesus must have been shocked and surprised at the emptiness. After years with him, witnessing miracles and kindness, and a new way of thinking, the question Where’s Jesus? was likely uppermost in their minds. Finding Jesus was imperative. Where is Jesus today, in the midst of the world’s chaos?
Growing up in a Christian community the presence of Jesus and the symbols of Easter are familiar, even a bit banal, one option among others. Yes, the cross is gory, unwarranted death is ugly, but the same evil drama is played out every day at one place of the world or another. If I had been born into a poverty-stricken, oppressed society where I had no rights, meeting Jesus and learning about the hope and mental freedom that Jesus provides would surely be mind-blowing and life changing; As it is for us, as we learn, as we hold to what is sacred, safe, and sure in our anxious human lives.
We live in an affluent and so-called secular society, where people pretend that they have no need of the “supernatural” or even any need of the sacred. Well, I need Jesus, the world needs the resurrected Christ, to save us from ourselves. So many of the rights, assurances and freedoms that we enjoy are the result of attitudes, beliefs, and the organization of society that are derived from a monotheistic belief in a loving God, all of which we so often take for granted.
There is a cynical saying, which is, “Life is a B..tch/horrible, and then we die.” We can be overwhelmed with the burden of being human; dealing with physical and social challenges that seem to happen randomly, that overwhelm us, and that we cannot avoid even though we try. We fear death; we are attached to our lives, even when we are not content.
We say, “Jesus conquered death.”  What does this mean? As a result of the crucifixion Jesus made the transition from a physical presence to a spiritual essence. What the death and resurrection of Jesus gives us, gives me, is meaning. Physical Death does not signal the end of meaning of our life. That holding to truth and justice, even the loss of our material presence and capacity, is not the end of the significance of our actions. The Roman authorities robbed Jesus of a continued full life. Jesus robbed the Roman and Jewish authorities of having the last word. The tomb could not contain him. It was not the end. What was perceived to be a grief filled, hopeless empty space now fills our needy hearts with joy and hope and the Holy Spirit.
One definition of passion is, the willingness to suffer for what you love. As John 3:16 states so clearly: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. This is the Passion of Christ; To defy   the hopeless idea that death is the end; To assert that the foundation of the universe is love; To manifest love in an example that all can know, and that life consists of love and meaning even in the face of insurmountable odds. A recent earthly example of this Passion is the example of those two pilots seeing the firetruck, their doom, on the runway, and doing their best in the ultimate moments, doing the right thing to save lives.
John 15: 13:  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  Even humans give their life for what we love, either in a sudden incident, or by the daily sacrifices that are made to meet the needs of those we love and care for. This was the biggest surprise for me of motherhood, the realization that I could kill or die for my daughter, and endure the daily needs with patience! That the love and care of that special bundle would be the motivation and meaning for much of my adult life.
So where is Jesus now? When I had my accident, over 20 years ago now, I was asked by a minister, Where did I think Jesus was in that event? My reply was that Jesus was in all the people who treated me, all those who got up early to be at work early to care for others. That I could no longer think that I was alone getting up in the dark, commuting in rain and snow and hail, or whatever challenge was required to be met, in efforts to be reliable and caring; that we are surrounded by countless others who get up every day and do their passionate, humanly best for others.
Where is Jesus? He is not in the tomb. He is here with us, right now, right here. The love of Christ has left the tomb and gone out to the world at large. The love of Christ is available to all. The meaning of Christ’s resurrection is that He is in our hearts. He is in our daily lives as we care for ourselves and each other. The reality and idea of love as the highest value cannot be erased from the world’s consciousness, no matter how much death and destruction is rained down upon us; that love endures beyond fear and revenge. This is the revolution. This is the Good News that changes lives. This is the message upon which to secure our lives.
Easter is a time to celebrate the passion of Christ. That he gave his life, to assert the truth that Love is all. This is our foundation, the rock upon which we are able to stand with the full armor of God, 13 … so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6
Easter is a time to renew our faith, to take up our cares again with renewed strength and confidence in our own journey to the cross. Easter is a time to revisit our trust in the love of God for all of us and all of humanity. Now is the time for the new life of spring, the Easter eggs representing new birth, coinciding with our renewed hope and reassurance that love is the answer to our deepest questions.
What comes next, once we have encountered the risen Christ? Two things come to mind: The first is to face our emptiness, the mirror of the empty tomb, the agony of a meaningless life and fill our hearts with love. Next is to not cling to the physical Jesus, but to rejoice in his being, and take responsibility for the new life that meeting and following Christ entails, to become examples of the love of God in our own lives, here and now.
Two verses from the New Testament summarize it best: For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.  Colossians 1:13-14  
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Love is the answer.
Hallelujah! Thanks be to God.
Amen
 
 
 
 
                                         

Abram was a traveling man. He started from Ur, went to Haran, received a message from God to go where God had promised, spent time in Bethel, went to Egypt because of a famine, before ending up in Canaan. Many of us decide to move from our comfort zones, but do we hear a direct message from God to do so? At seventy-five we might be more reluctant than Abram to pack up everything and move away from all that is familiar. We may be reluctant to just get up and take a walk through the desert.  And there always is a desert to cross. Abram heads bravely and without question into the unknown because God told him to.
Maybe we are more like Nicodemus, full of knowledge, with great social standing, well established but unknowing, seeking answers from Jesus for life’s big questions.
What are the big questions? For Abram it might have been, Where is God leading me? For Nicodemus it was, What is missing from my life when I already have so much? Abram accepted God, and obeyed. Evangelicals might rightly say that Nicodemus was missing a personal relationship with Christ.
Right about now is when all who are born again sing out, Believe, only believe! This is also when the skeptics and philosophers start arguing. What is the definition of God? How to trust God? Is it really God’s voice that I hear? Is it blind faith that I must obey? What must I do to be saved? Is being a good person enough? This is the beginning of the debate between faith and works.
There are many verses that give contradictory messages about faith and works. From Ephesians 2 we learn that: 8 it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. James provides the apparently opposing view: James 2:24: "You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone".
There are those who say, I am saved, therefore I can do what I want, God has already forgiven me. But their behavior stays the same. Others may be full of doing Good Works, thinking that they will earn a place sitting at the right hand of God. We don’t like to admit that our works can never equal God’s Creation or God’s Grace. So which is it? Is it one or the other, or both?
The problem with works alone is that we cannot earn our way into God’s grace. Good works do not buy salvation. On the other hand, as Jesus explained to Nicodemus, faith changes us; we are “born again” in the sense that our thinking and our emotions change. We put God at the centre, and we prioritize a new spiritual start in life. We become followers of Christ. Belief comes before works, producing the changed hearts and minds which evolve into action for others.
I found a quote by John M. Frame (born 1939) a prominent American Reformed theologian, philosopher, author, and Presbyterian, who gives a Christian definition of a “justified” good work.
John Frame defines a righteous deed in the following way. A righteous deed is one that (1) obeys the proper standard, God’s law (James 4:11; 1 John 3:4); (2) seeks the proper goal, God’s glory (1 Cor) and the success of his kingdom (Matt 6:33), and (3) is motivated by true faith (Rom 14:23) and love (1 Cor 13:1-3).                                                        4John Frame, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief (Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R, 2013), 848-49. https://withallwisdom.org/2025/04/28/common-grace-good-works-and-the-unbeliever/
This is a perfectly good answer, and doesn’t refer to Christ directly. But, after reading this I was worried about the non-Christian who does Good. I was thinking of the expectation of proselytizing to the unsaved unbeliever, both far away and nearer home. Surely it is not only born again Christians who care for one another. I found the answer in the idea of Common Grace: the theological concept of God’s undeserved, non-salvific kindness extended to all humanity and creation, regardless of faith, (as religious affiliation.) Common grace is distinct from special or saving grace, which is the transformative work of God in the hearts of the elect for salvation. Still I wonder, Are we not all elect? Is the presence and motivation of love evidence enough? A willingness to follow where love leads?
This is where a probably mythical story comes to mind, a (non-Christian)/Muslim woman sharing with another of a different creed eg. Hindu (non-Christian): She divided the small portion of rice in half, putting it into two separate bowls. As she handed the bowl to the woman, she felt a profound sense of peace. When she went back to her pot to serve her own children, she found it still full, as if she had not taken any out at all. The rice fed everyone in her house, and there was even enough left over to send with the hungry neighbor to her home. (The Koran blesses the sharing of food). (Hospitality is a value in all cultures.)
Abram was not a Christian. Romans 4: 1, 2 13, 16 tells us, What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. Therefore the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring- not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
Hebrews 11:1 gives us our well-known definition of faith: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Abraham had faith. He trusted God and obeyed without hesitation, heading off into the unknown, holding the promise of God to “make his name great.” For Nicodemus knowledge was not enough, he lacked the simple belief in God and God’s direction for his life. This is always the starting point and the end point: Is God at the centre of our lives? Have we realized, as Nicodemus did, that he needed God to fulfill his heart? Does our faith transform and inform our daily lives so that we seek to follow God’s direction? Do our good works flow from this well of belief in God’s love and grace toward us all? Do we know and accept that we are loved unconditionally by God? Does that love now guide our behavior?
Matthew 7 answers my dilemma: Yes, works, but works informed by love.  9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. 15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
Let our works flow from being loved as children of God. May we act from a deep well of love and kindness.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
​Message - Karen Lackey Ryan - March 1, 2026
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Message - Frances Jones - Feb. 15, 2026
​ ​Who Am I?
         Today, as we mark the end of the Season of Epiphany, we celebrate the Transfiguration of Jesus on a high mountain.  What an unforgettable experience that must have been for any who were present, not only to witness it firsthand, but to have been invited, as well as involved, in this momentous event.
         All of the Scripture readings that were suggested for this particular Sunday are being read because there seemed to be a common thread that runs through them all.
         From Exodus, one of the Books of the Law, we read where Moses had been called by God to a mountaintop where he would receive the Law.  While there, he too heard the voice of God in a cloud and, because of the brightness that was emitted as God spoke, Moses, unable to look at its brilliance, was forced to hide his face.
         The Scripture reading from the General Epistles revealed Peter's words of encouragement to those Christians who were losing hope because of problems within their church.  Because of his first-hand experience, having witnessed the true majesty of the transfigured Jesus, Peter was able to bring reassurance and hope to those who might have otherwise been ready to give up.
         And then, from the Gospel of Matthew, we are able to experience this supernatural phenomena for ourselves through the words as recorded in the Scriptures.
         As we take a closer look at the significance of this event, we might ask ourselves what effect such an experience might have on you and me.  We might also wonder, 'why was I invited to witness Jesus being miraculously changed right before my eyes?    Might there be something about us that needs to experience the glory of our Lord for ourselves?
         We also might wonder why Jesus chose these three disciples in particular to follow him to the mountaintop.
         Simon Peter, his brother Andrew, James and his brother John were the first disciples that Jesus called to follow him.  As we have read, they were ordinary men who made their living from the fishing trade.  And each of them had his unique strength and weakness, just as we all do.  But, from the group of twelve followers, it was only these three – Peter, James and John – that Jesus requested to accompany him to witness this Transfiguration of their Lord.
         Do you think that Jesus had a closer relationship with these three disciples; possibly because they were the first to be called to follow him?  He had promised them that he would make them fishers of men.  And, it was to these three disciples in particular that Jesus gave nicknames.  James and John became known as the 'Sons of Thunder'.  Peter was called the 'Rock' – the rock upon which Jesus would build his church.  Could this have had anything to do with why Jesus invited them to join him on the mountaintop for this spectacular event in his life?  Was it particularly important for them to be there with him, and to experience it for themselves?
         Each of the disciples possessed very unique personal attributes.  Peter, as we know, possessed strong leadership skills, but was sometimes impatient with others.  He had much to learn about humility, restraint and about serving others with love.
         James and his younger brother John possessed zealous and ambitious attitudes.  They offered to bring fire down upon a group of individuals who opposed Jesus, and even believed that they deserved the right to sit on either side of Jesus when he would set up his kingdom.
         Knowing what we do about their personalities, how might this experience of witnessing Jesus' Transfiguration affect them?
         As we take a close look at our gospel reading today, we notice that this chapter began with the words, 'after six days'.  Six days after what?  Here again, as we have seen before, something must have happened that might have had an effect on what we are discussing today.
         By reading some of the previous chapter, we learn that Jesus posed a direct question to his disciples.  He asked them what others were saying concerning who he was.  After they replied with what they had heard people saying, Jesus then directed that same question to them, personally.  'What about you?  {Who am I?}  Who do you say that I am?'
         It seemed natural for Peter to speak up on behalf of the rest as he answered Jesus with assurance and confidence, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!'.
         There is one other statement that Jesus made during this time that always bothered me – probably because I didn't understand how this could be true.  Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom'.
         However, the more I pondered on Jesus' Transfiguration - the extreme brightness and the beyond-worldly brilliance and glow that was emitted from his appearance - Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets, standing on either side of Jesus, making him the bridge connecting the two; and then the voice of God declaring his love for his Son - I couldn't help but wonder if this was exactly what Jesus was eluding to when he said what he did about being able to witness his glory. Was this a glimpse of what will be?
         We can only imagine how 'all shook up' those disciples must have been after witnessing such a metamorphosis as Jesus glowed with brilliance before their very eyes. Just how shaken up would you and I have been under the same circumstances?
         So, on the way back down the mountain, Jesus felt the need to reassure his followers/companions.  Besides words of assurance, Jesus also gave them a serious and solemn order.  They were instructed to tell no one anything concerning what they had just witnessed - until after he had been raised from the dead.  'Raised from the dead!' Now there was something new on which to ponder.
         Would you or I be able to follow Jesus' instructions not to discuss this amazing and eye-opening experience with anyone until after a specific time?  I can imagine having a coffee with a friend and blurting out – 'You won't believe what happened to me today on the mountaintop!' 
         On that memorable day, three disciples trudged up to the mountaintop behind Jesus - each one with his individual strengths and weaknesses.  Coming down the mountain were three changed men.  No longer did they look at Jesus as a man from Nazareth.  They were now able to see Jesus in an entirely new 'light'.
         Replacing his zeal for stirring up trouble, James' passion became directed toward spreading the Good News of who Jesus really is.  John became known as the 'Beloved Disciple' whose main message focused on love and truth.          Peter, who at times was known to have argued with Jesus concerning what God had planned for him, learned submission and humility.  He also learned that leadership must be grounded in loving service.
         Like those followers of Jesus, you and I also have our individual strengths and weaknesses.  What if we were the ones witnessing the Transfiguration of Jesus?  What effect would it have on us?  Might we return from the mountaintop a transformed individual?
         Hundreds of years ago, Jesus asked the question - 'Who am I? Who do you say that I am?'.  Today, is he posing that same question to you and to me?  'Who am I?  Who do you and I say that Jesus is?
AMEN!

Message - Karen Lackey Ryan - Feb. 1, 2026
​What Are You Looking For?        
​  Our reading from the gospel of John today started out with, 'the next day'.  Doesn't that make us curious about what happened just prior to this?          By looking back, we can discover that John, the preacher and baptizer, had been questioned by some priests and Levites concerning who he really was.  Was he the Christ?  Elijah?  Did he profess to be a prophet?  John's answer was the same to all of their questions.  'No'.  Finally, these inquirers got to the point and asked him directly, 'Who are you?' John's reply was simple and straightforward, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'make straight the way for the Lord'”.          It doesn't tell us in the Scripture that we read this morning, but I can't help but wonder if those priests and Levites who were questioning John were still around as he recognized Jesus walking nearby and bellowed out with his thundering voice, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!' If they were still there with John to hear and to see what he was talking about, do you suppose they returned rejoicing, eager to share this news with others?          This epiphany that John experienced certainly had a tremendous effect on him.  It seemed that every time he saw Jesus walking nearby, he couldn't help but shout about this miraculous discovery.  And, using his thundering voice of one calling in the desert, he would exclaim every time – Behold! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world'.          And those were the very words that John shouted out as he shared the news with a couple of his followers.  Noticing Jesus walking by, these two men – Andrew and a friend – immediately left John to follow along behind Jesus.  Had they too been searching for this promised Messiah?  Or, were they just curious?          Jesus, realizing that he was being followed, finally turned around and asked them a very direct question, 'What are you looking for?' (NIV) or 'What do you want?' (The Good News Bible).  When they replied with the question about where Jesus was staying, we notice the directness of his reply, 'Come and see'. Jesus' questions were direct, and his replies were short and meaningful.          Whatever it was that they discussed with Jesus that day certainly had a lasting effect on them.  Andrew not only shared his excitement with his brother, Simon, but brought him to meet Jesus face to face.          When Jesus revealed that he already knew Simon, and chose to change his name to Peter, what kind of a message do you think that sent? This was the beginning of discipleship.          Today, as you and I ponder on this very direct question from Jesus, what would our responses be? 'What are you looking for?'  or 'What do you want?'          In this new year of 2026, what are you and I looking for?  Is it different from what we were looking for yesterday?  Has it changed from what we were seeking at the beginning of 2025?  Are we still searching for the same thing that we were searching for as a young person growing up?          If what we are looking for now has changed, how has it changed?  Is it because of personal situations?  Does it have anything to do with what is happening in our relationships, or what is taking place in our own communities, or around the world?          What are you looking for?  What do you want?  Short, direct questions.  But just how easy is it to express exactly what it is we are looking for?  And, do we even know what it is we really want?  How many different things or ideas would come into our heads when asked these questions?          Many people might say they are wanting world peace.  Some could be seeking justice. There are those who will be looking for this new year to bring good news in the form of change – maybe a change that involves health or relationships.  Some might answer this question thinking about their New Year's resolution – eat healthier, exercise more, think before we speak, etc. Etc.          There are many things that people might be searching for – a true friend, someone who can be depended upon no matter what. It could be that we are seeking inspiration, so we seek out a motivational speaker, or we read a book or an article by an author known for their inspiring and uplifting ideas.  But how long does this newly-acquired motivation or inspiration last?  After we have listened to an inspiring message from a motivational speaker, we remember specific things or ideas for a while, but then, life gets busy, we get preoccupied and likely forget a lot of what was said.          If that question were asked to you and to me today, right now and without warning, do we even know what it is that we are looking for?  How would we respond to such a question?          Maybe we are not seeking anything in particular.  We're just trying to get through one day at a time, taking what comes along.  Can it be that we don't need anything - we have it all?          What are you looking for?  What do you want?  Do Jesus' direct questions have an effect on you and me?  Our answers would probably be as individual as we are.  One person might think about material items – a new house; a new car.  Another person might be seeking Truth.  Others could be looking for forgiveness, reconciliation and healing.          Some people like to have their fortunes told.  They want to know what the future holds for them.  Others rely on information or suggestions from someone else before making decisions.          Jesus' questions and comments, although short and to the point, give us something to ponder on.  What is it that is really important to us individually?  For the answer to his question, will I look outside myself, or will I search within?          In this new year of 2026, is Jesus still asking those same questions that he asked Andrew and his friend many years ago?  Like them, as we follow, always remaining a few steps behind, is Jesus asking us, 'What are you looking for?  What do you want          Is Jesus still asking those same questions in 2026? 'What are you looking for?  What do you want?'  Do you believe that his concise response would remain the same, even today? 'Come and see!'   AMEN

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