The Sixth Day

 Genesis 1: 26-31

“26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” 27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” 29 God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

God created humankind in His image and gave them dominion over every living thing on earth, plants and animals, seeds and fruits.  

Being created in His image meant that we were capable of love, grace, mercy, kindness, goodness, forgiveness, patience, wisdom, righteousness and justice, truthfulness and faithfulness.

God gave us free will so that we could choose the path of love, grace, mercy, etc. over other options.    After all, none of these attributes would mean anything if we could not freely choose them.

Dominion meant that humankind was to choose to manage God’s earth with the attributes of His image (love, grace, mercy, etc.,).

Instead, because of humankind’s bent to sin and fallenness, we have twisted the definition of dominion to mean dominance and control.  As a result, the earth is suffering under our dominion.

Almost a year before he died, Professor Stephen Hawking, a world renowned physicist, wrote that, in his estimation as well as other scientists, humankind has 100 years to find another planet and move to it before the earth becomes uninhabitable.

If we move to a new planet in a 100 years or so, will our basic nature as humans remain the same?  Will we manage the new planet in a different way that we managed the one God created for us?  

Will we choose to manage it as God would manage it?  

Will we manage it in His image?

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Fifth Day

Genesis 1:20-23

“20 And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” 21 So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.”

God’s creation is a creation of abundance the breadth of which we are just beginning to realize.  According to the latest estimates there are 100 billion galaxies in the universe containing 200 billion trillion stars. There are 3,200 solar systems in our galaxy alone.

On our earth, scientists estimate that there are 8.7 million species of animals, but the vast majority of them are unknown to us and it could take us up to 1,000 years to identify them all.

Humankind knows only a small fraction of the knowledge that is available to know in the universe.

God’s creation speaks His name to us.  The whole of the universe sings out, saying,

“God is truly great and wonderful.”

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is humankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” (Psalm 8:3-4)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Fourth Day

 Genesis 1:14-19

“14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.”

Since the beginning of time, people have valued light.  We learned to guide ourselves by the stars and the sun.  We have used fire as a source of heat and light.  Because very few of us like to sit in a dark room, we invented artificial light so that we could light up our houses at night.

We are a people of light.  Light gives us good physical and mental health.  The sunrise brings a new day and a new beginning.  Light gives us hope.

The God of creation is the God of new days, new beginnings, new hope.

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Third Day

Genesis 1:9-13

“9 And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.”

Have you ever stood on the top of a mountain and looked across the horizon in front of you and below?   Or stood in front of the Grand Canyon feeling its depth and power rising out of its depths?  

Have you ever watched a sunrise or sunset on the beach?  Or listened to a mountain stream while you drifted off to sleep?

No picture, poem or song has ever been able to capture the beauty and power that we feel when we experience God’s creation first hand.

And when we, God’s creatures, stand before such wonders, we know that there is a God…

and we know that He is a good and loving God.  

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Second Day

Genesis 1: 6-8

“6 And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8 God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.”

God put structure to the waters and caused the atmosphere to come into existence on earth.  Without water or air, life on earth would have been impossible and the earth would have been a desolate, empty planet.

The normal human has a blood oxygen level of 95%.   Our bodies are composed of 60% water, with the brain and heart composed of 73% water, and the lungs about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even our bones are composed of  31% water (Journal of Biological Chemistry, 158).

Life on earth was not a random act.  God meant for the earth to be full and abundant, teaming with life,...

and filled with His presence.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

Each Day Offers the Promise of Hope

Genesis 1: 3-5

“3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”

Early in the morning of my first day of summer vacation from school, I would ride my bicycle to the top of the street and look out on the brand new day and feel the promise that the beginning of summer vacation always brought.  This promise seemed limitless and full of hope. 

I can just imagine God on that first day, looking over His creation, watching the sun rise and set.  There was so much promise, so much hope, so much love.  

God’s creation of the universe was an act of love, designed to fill the formless void with the hope of a bright future; a future to be spent with God.  As the sun set on that first day, so much lay ahead.

For Christians, each day is a fulfillment of that first day.  Each day holds the promise of a new start.  Each day God extends His hand to us .  

Each day God offers us the promise and the hope of salvation.  

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

Even in the Darkness

Genesis 1

“1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.”

God, the creator, was active and creating, although the earth was without form and covered in darkness.  God had a vision for the heavens and the earth and he swept over them with His spirit, shaping them, giving them form and beauty.  

God was everywhere present, even in the darkness.  Even in the darkness, His vision of light, and order shone forth; his vision of love and hope took shape.

Even in the darkness, God is present, working His will.  Taking the darkness and the void, filling it with His presence and shaping it into something beautiful, filled with love and hope.

Even in the darkness.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Living Christ: Part 6

John 21: 4-14

“4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. 9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.”

The first time Peter, James and John encountered Christ they had a similar experience, with the exception that Christ was in the boat with them.  He asked them to cast their nets after they had already fished all night and caught nothing (Luke 5:1-11).

This time, Christ was on the shore, but they did not recognize him.  He told them to drop their nets on the right side of the boat, and even though they had already fished all night and caught nothing, they did as he told them. 

Both times they caught an abundance of fish.  In the Gospel of Luke, there were so many fish that they almost sank the boat.  In the scripture above, there were so many fish they could not haul it in.  

And in each case, this is how they recognized the Lord, by the abundance of fish they caught.  The promise of abundance was not that they would become great and prosperous fishermen.  They were promised an abundant spiritual life.  The nets full of fish were a sign of the abundant life Christ promised them as fishers of men.

The abundance of Christ is not found in money or material things; not in power; not in any worldly things.  

Christ offers us an abundance of Himself; his love, his teachings, his life.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Living Christ: Part 5

Luke 24: 36-43

“36 While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate in their presence.”

This is not the first time that the disciples mistook Jesus for a ghost.  When Jesus walked on water, He was mistaken by the disciples to be a ghost.   But this time was different.  

They knew Jesus had been crucified. They knew he had been stabbed in the side.  They knew he had been taken down and placed in a tomb.  If Jesus was standing in front of them now, He must be a ghost.  There could be no other explanation. Unless…unless the reports of his resurrection were true.

To show them He was not a ghost, Jesus showed them his hands and feet.  He let them touch Him to show them he was solid flesh and bone.  He ate solid food in front of them, something no ghost could do.

He showed them these things in order that they would be credible eyewitnesses to the resurrection.  They would be able to say that they saw Him, they saw the scars, they touched him and he was certainly not a ghost or a figment of their imaginations.

We are His witnesses today.  Through His love, His presence, and His teachings we can say that we know Him, that we have felt His love, that we have experienced His presence, 

and that we have heard Him call our very names.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Living Christ: Part 4

Luke 24: 13-21, 28-32

“13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place...  28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?”

Tradition has it that Cleopas is the same man a Clopas.  As you may recall, Clopas was married to a woman named Mary who was one of the three Marys who were witnesses to the crucifixion.  It could be that it was Clopas and Mary who were walking on the road to Emmaus that day.

Neither of them recognized Christ as they strolled along talking about the crucifixion, trying to process everything they had seen and heard.  They did not recognize Christ until he broke the bread at their table, something they must have seen Him do hundreds of times before at meals.

As Christians, we believe that Christ is present in our worship, in our prayers, in our scripture study, in our rituals, and in our sacraments, and that through these things we can know and experience Him.

It is through these things that our eyes are opened and our hearts are made to burn within us for our love of Christ.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Living Christ: Part 3

John 20:11-18

“11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.”

Mary Magdalene was heartbroken.   She thought someone had stolen Jesus’ body from the tomb.  The angels inside the tomb asked her why she was weeping.  Behind Mary, stood Jesus, and I suppose the angels could see Him.  Then Jesus asked her why she was crying.  

Mary turned and, not recognizing Jesus, assumed that He was the gardener.  But, as soon as He called her name, she knew Him and reached out to hold Him.

There is a familiar way that the people you love speak to you or say your name.  Many times it is the way we know they are in the house, or near us in a dark or crowded place.  We know their way of saying our name.

Even though Mary was deep in shock and grief, even though she thought Jesus’ body had been stolen, even though she did not recognize Him in his risen form, when Jesus spoke her name, she knew it was him.

In the world of today, there are many voices calling our names.  But we have the assurance that if we love Him, we will know the voice of Jesus.   

When Jesus speaks our names, wherever we are, whatever our circumstances…

we will know Him.

“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” (John 10:14)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Living Christ: Part 2

John 20: 1-10

“1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.”

Everyone in these verses is described as running; first Mary Magdalene ran from the tomb to Simon Peter.  Then, Simon Peter and John ran to the tomb (actually raced) to see things for themselves.  

Mary Magdalene told the two disciples that Jesus’ body had been removed from the tomb.  Peter and John, entering the tomb saw the linen wrappings and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head.  This cloth had been rolled up and placed separate from the linen wrappings.

From this evidence, Peter and John were able to surmise that Jesus had risen, that his body had not been stolen.  Someone stealing his body would not have taken the time to unwrap it from the linen wrappings, and take the face covering, roll it, and place it gently in a corner.

Because of the resurrection, the disciples were taken from their despair and given hope.  Their Savior, their Lord, their Messiah had conquered death.

This same hope is offered to us today.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Living Christ: Part 1

Luke 24:1-7

“1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5 The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. 6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again?” 

The women who followed Jesus, followed Joseph of Arithmathea to the tomb where he placed the body of Jesus after he had taken Him down from the cross.  They had followed Joseph so that they would know where to go to anoint the body with spices.  They had waited until the day after Passover to do this.

What they found when they arrived was the stone of the tomb rolled away, an empty tomb, and angels who told them that Jesus had risen.  

The women of the tomb were looking among the dead for the living Christ.  They had gone to the tomb to visit and anoint  the dead body of Christ.  Their minds were on the things of death, not on the things of life.

The women had been present throughout Christ’s crucifixion and seen his brutal death.  How could anyone survive such a death?  And they had seen His dead body; they had seen Him entombed. 

It is wonderful to know that as we read scripture today and study the teachings of Christ, that we do not look among the dead for our faith.

We read the living word, we drink the living water, we worship the living Christ, and through our living faith in the living Christ, our lives are everlasting.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)