Overview
The great philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) once said about faith, “We are embarked.” He was referring to faith being a journey not a destination. It is the quest itself that marks our faith. The beginnings and ends of things are wholly different than the journey. Seeing faith split in this way makes us realize faith needs to be practiced and engaged. Like a crew tossed out on the waves, our faith has to be abled enough to adjust and learn and, most importantly, grow from mistakes. All good wayfarers have learned wisdom from time and scars, missed opportunities and precarious circumstances. The journey itself teaches us, and over time, we become more deeper versions of ourselves. This trajectory of growth . . . this journey of faith . . . is a rise in consciousness.
Over the last several years, this phrase, “Rise in Consciousness” has meant a lot to me. Not only does it signal a change, a more developed person, and more rooted and centered soul . . . it also mimics resurrection. Jesus literally rose. Earth literally experienced a rise of consciousness, and because of it, everything changed. We can’t go back to a pre-resurrected world.
Our consciousness (individual and collective) is forever changed. We now live in a world in which resurrection happens. And we have to have a faith abled enough to adjust and learn and grow, especially from mistakes.
So that's what we're going to step into together during this Easter Season. We'll look at John’s Doubting Thomas and the Campfire Breakfast and the scene with Peter and the Beloved Disciple. We'll study Matthew’s Great Commission and Luke’s Walk to Emmaus. We'll conclude with Luke’s version Great Commission just in time to see the connection to Pentecost in Acts 2. This sermon series looks at all these scenes that immediately surround Jesus’ resurrection and pays attention to the rise in the collective consciousness of the disciples and the people and the crowds because of it.
I can't help but see this connection on to situation today. The Coronavirus is causing a rise in the collective consciousness of our world. State and National boundaries matter far less. We are becoming aware of just how much we are a global community. Our faith can and should grow because of this. We’re all on a similar journey and our lives affect one another. If we’re abled enough, we may just notice how Christ is orchestrating in ourselves (and in the world) a rise in consciousness.
April 19 | Consciousness Rises: John’s Doubting Thomas | John 20:24-31
Thomas has to touch Jesus before he believes. Thankfully, Jesus meets Thomas in his doubt and we see Thomas character unfold in a way that mimics all of our lives. His faith deepens and we see a rise in his (and our) consciousness. Thomas’ doubt leads him to a deeper form of faith . . . ours can too.
April 26 | Raising Consciousness: John’s Campfire Breakfast | John 21:1-14
Jesus shows up in Galilee unexpected. The disciples are fishing on the Sea of Galilee and Jesus makes a charcoal fire awaiting their catch of fish. They catch nothing until Jesus calls out to them. What he says at that moment is a rise in the consciousness of the disciples are for all of us for all time. If you want a sneak peak into what he says, it’s verse five.
May 3 | Raising Consciousness: John’s Peter and the Beloved Disciple | John 21:15-25
The dynamic between Peter and the Beloved Disciple is something worth tracking in John’s Gospel. The two play a tit-for-tat game the whole gospel with the Beloved Disciple edging Peter out for most of the story . . . until John 21. There’s a rise in consciousness for Peter. Life is not about competition but rather about love. This lesson is for all of us.
May 10 | Raising Consciousness: Matthew’s Great Commission | Matthew 28:16-20
A lot of people call themselves Great Commission Christians. I get it. It’s the clearest, most direct understanding of Christian duty. Go make disciples. Baptize them. Go. Do it. It’s direct. Positive. Action-oriented. Consciousness rises when we realize we have work to do.
May 17 | Raising Consciousness: Luke’s Walk to Emmaus | Luke 24:13-35
“Were our hearts not burning within us?” This is the moment consciousness rises for the disciples meeting Jesus on the walk to Emmaus. The storyline that unfolds prior is one of the most well-known stories of the gospel. Hearing it in terms of our faith awakening . . . it changes everything for us.
May 24 | Consciousness Rises: Luke’s Great Commission | Luke 24:36-49
Like Matthew, Luke includes a fine commission, but his is a bit different. The energy is the same, but the command is different. Instead of ‘make disciples,’ Luke tells the world to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins. Becoming conscious to the needs of these two words in our lives . . . and helping others see it too . . . will raise the consciousness of our world and move us towards God.
May 31 | Raising Consciousness: Pentecost | Acts 2:1-20
Pentecost is an event that happens in real time way before it’s time. It signals a change in the outcome and the flow and the expectation of life. Jesus ascends to heaven replacing his presence with the Holy Spirit which enters into everyone. Because of Pentecost, we now know the Holy Spirit lives within us and through us and out from us. The collective consciousness can never go back because of this moment . . . we are also still discerning and pulling back the depth of meaning of what this moment means for us individually and as a church.