Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

I have read these verses many times, the ones from Romans 6, the second lesson. They are a part of the funeral liturgy that we use. These words of Paul are certainly words of comfort when the reality of death is all too close, all too present. We need those promises of new life. We need those promises resurrection. We need those promises of victory over death. In times of mourning, times of grieving we want to hear the word of the Lord in all of its beauty and all of its power and all of its promise. 

That is a feeling which is being felt very strongly by many these days. There is certainly grief which is being felt. It has been since March that we were able to gather together here in the building at 402 Kansas City Street and offer our worship and celebrate our fellowship. In that time there have been deaths, deaths of key members of our congregation whose lives should have been celebrated with large gatherings here in the building. We have not been able to gather for two of the major festivals of the church year, Easter and Pentecost. Those great Easter hymns should be sung together with a great host of witnesses. There have been significant events such as graduations which have happened but not been celebrated as they should have been. We missed opening day. Weddings have been postponed. Family visits have not happened. Lutheran Outdoors of South Dakota as well as many other camping organizations have cancelled their summer season. Youthworks will not be coming by this summer and that first cookout would have been this past week. No Family Camp with our Lakota relatives this summer. Illness has touched many in our country, and the fear of it is strong. Is that enough to grieve? Then there is the unrest because of racism in our country and a wondering of what the future will be and can we shape it in a way that does away with the inequities of our society. Maybe there is also grieving what part I have played or not played in this struggle which has been going on for far too long in our country. There is more of course for we all are grieving, saddened, disappointed in our own ways over real issues. To some they might seem small when compared with whatever, but they are real and they cause grief. As the specter of this virus continues there is much to grieve. Simple things, ordinary things, just aren't happening because of the virus and the caution which needs to be exercised. 

It is okay to grieve, to mourn any and all of that. It is okay to mourn, to grieve what you would put on your own list. Turn to Jesus in prayer for he bears our burdens. Find those words in scripture which comfort. Talk with someone. Find someone you trust and speak of the grief, name it with someone who will listen well. Listen well to the hearts of the family and friends in your world. Allow the speaking of pain to happen. It is time and past time for us to bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. 

That is one of those odd things about we who follow Jesus. The life of faith is often described as a journey. It is a good description. As we journey there is much with which we journey. We journey with grief either our own, for many things in life cause grief, or the grief of those we love and we find ways to help them bear their burdens. We also journey with joy. For there is much in this world for which we rejoice. There is much to celebrate. Sometimes those emotions coexist. In the midst of our grieving we see that which calls for rejoicing. In the midst of our rejoicing we carry the sorrow and the grief with us. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 

The gospel lesson for today is a continuation of Jesus talking to his disciples as they are being sent into the world. Again, this sounds like more of a warning than anything else. It is almost as though there is this collection of hard sayings which Matthew wanted to include in the gospel and decided this would be a good place for them. So in this reading, those who follow and serve Jesus are going to be maligned, possibly being called Beelzebul. It sounds like there are those out there who just might kill the body, but don't fear them. Denying Jesus means you will be denied in heaven. Jesus is not a peace bringer but a sword bringer. Family members will be set against other family members. Loving your family more than loving Jesus makes you unworthy of Jesus. Oh and there is a cross for you in the bargain as well. 

Do you hear good news in this passage? Where do you hear the good news in this passage? Fear not, is that it. Easy to say but so hard to do. What is Jesus up to with all of these hard words? What sort of mission trip training is going on here? For me it is a stark reminder that we as followers of Jesus are not followers of our culture. We who follow Jesus are the ones who live contrary to much of what the world around us, much of what our society tells us is the way to live. Jesus is the one who comes to bring freedom, light, and life, and healing. 

When we go in the name of Jesus we bring the same. We bring that good news so that souls may find their worth. We bring that good news which shatters structures which work to make people less than people. Such structures have been a part of our nation for far too long. Change needs to happen. As followers of Jesus, as the ones sent by Jesus we bring light into dark places. We bring freedom to those who are bound. We bring life, life abundant to those who know nothing of such a thing. Songs and prayers are flung at the darkness knowing the power of our songs, knowing the power of our prayers. 

There will be resistance of course. Look around and you can see those who resist. You can see those who work against the kingdom of our God, the values of the kingdom of our God, and they resist. So we keep singing. We keep praying. We keep working to make this world the kingdom God intends it to be. We keep working to help all people live the lives God intends them to live. We walk with Jesus. We live with Jesus as our guide. We serve and care for and bless and love our neighbor, because then we are being the body of Christ, and there we find Jesus. When we walk with them we walk with Jesus. That walking, that serving, that struggling of course is reason for grieving as well as for rejoicing. The struggle is hard and real and full of much to grieve. The joy is real as we connect with brothers and sisters who have so very much to give us. The joy is real when we know we are at work working for our God. 

As we live, as we serve, as we work for the kingdom joys and comforts may die, but still our savior lives. It may seem night comes early and often, the darkness falling around us, still we are given songs in the night. So we sing, how can we keep from singing. We sing, knowing that even the hairs on our heads are numbered. We sing knowing that great love of God, the amazing abiding love of God is ours always. Let lose ourselves in that love. Let us lose ourselves in the song we have been given to sing. Let us lose ourselves for the least and the lost. It our calling. It is our joy to live and serve as God's people. Together we are the body of Christ. Together we are the people of God. Let us lose our lives. Let us lose ourselves.