The Glory of the Heavens and the Muddiness of Earth

Sermons of Pastor Rob Myallis

Easter III (April 14, 2023)

This past week our nation was fascinated and delighted by the eclipse. It was a reminder of the glory of the heavens, the place where the beauty and complexity of the creation bears witness to the creator.

This past week our nation was heartbroken and afraid of violence and further escalation around the world, particularly in the Middle East. It was a reminder of the muddiness of life of earth, the place where the tragedy and complexity of human interactions bears witness to the power of sin.

Given this tension, it is easy to see why many develop a theology in which Jesus comes to lead an escape mission, to get us out of earth. But as the story of the risen Jesus shows (Luke 24:36-48), Jesus isn’t interested in giving up on earth; he offers his disciples no packing list for their trip to heaven. Jesus is not intending to an escape mission, but a reclamation one, as he wins back earth for God’s purposes. For you see, the fundamental constant of the universe isn’t the speed of light or the gravitation constant, but the faithfulness of God’s love.

This is true in our lives: God is faithful not just to creation, but to you as well. Therefore, we are to expect to see repentance and forgiveness into our lives. And…therefore…our job then is to share — much like we shared photos of the pictures of the eclipse — the stories of God’s faithfulness in our lives and in this world.

For more photos of the eclipse from space, you can check out NASA’s website.