Sermon Text 2025.04.20 — Another world
April 20, 2025 – Easter Text: Isaiah 65:17-25
Dear Friends in Christ,
One of the top episodes, as voted on by fans of “The Andy Griffith Show” is called “Man in a Hurry.” A businessman’s car breaks down outside of Mayberry, but he can’t get anyone to fix it because it’s Sunday. He doesn’t understand the slow pace of this small town. He finally has had it when he can’t make a phone call because the line is tied up by two sisters. He blurts out, “outrageous, sheer idiocy a public utility being tied up like this. You people are living in another world. This is the 20th century, don’t you realize that? The whole world is living in a desperate space age. Men are orbiting the earth. International television has been developed. . . and here a whole town is standing still because two old women’s feet fall asleep.”
Our last soap opera in our Lenten sermon series is “Another World.” It was broadcast on NBC from 1964-1999. It was the first soap to go to one hour. The show in it’s later years had a theme song by Gary Morris and Crystal Gayle entitled, “You Take Me Away To Another World.”
What a beautiful theme for our Easter. Christ is Risen. He is Risen Indeed and that means when we die we can look forward to . . . .
“ANOTHER WORLD”
I feel like Mr. Tucker on the “Andy Griffith Show.” I’m living in Another World. We don’t get mail service every day. College sports is unrecognizable. I have been in places where they won’t take cash for a $3 bottle of water. We get a bill in the mail that the company charges us $3.49 for them to send us a paper bill. We are the consumer! Don’t get me started with cash, it’s ridiculous. Are we trying to push people into debt? It is like I am in Another World. What is going on? And now AI wants to give me a synopsis of an e-mail. People took the time to write me, I want to read the whole thing. Do you see the point? So-called advancement is no advancement when it disrupts lives.
Why is the music of the 70’s and 80’s still played in stadiums? Why are nostalgia businesses doing so well? Why are young Catholics and young Lutherans fighting so hard for the historic liturgy of the church? Because sometimes life does move too fast in Another World.
The prophet Isaiah lived in a world he was questioning. Good times. Bad times. The Lord’s people had it good, but it led them to depravity. Folks had things come to them much too easy. Isaiah was called into this world to call people to repent. In this hostile world he was reminding the people to stay faithful. Sin and death surrounded them.
You see the world never changes, it just takes a different look. Only once did it look different. Creation had another world. Perfection. No depravity. No entitlement. Two people got along at least for a while. You think your marriage is difficult? Shortly after Adam and Eve were united by God in marriage, they fight. I ate and shouldn’t have . . . my wife gave it to me. Thanks a lot you two. You had a whole world, couldn’t one of you run off to cool down? Naked – we see sin. Pain it’s coming. Death that too. No living forever. Couldn’t you go to any other tree?
See what I just did there? Blamed them. Yep, guilty. See how easy it is to go to the wrong place or be with the wrong people or let the devil invade our thoughts? We can’t reform our sinful ways. We can’t create another world here on earth. Ain’t gonna happen.
What does Isaiah see? A new heaven and new earth. No more weeping. No more crying. Wolf and lamb together. No hurting. Another world. I want that world. Do you want that world? I’ll have cash but it will do no good. You can’t pay to get in. An advance team, made of three in one, one in three has already paid the entrance fee. It took blood, and sweat, and tears on a cross. It was death that would pay for my death. It was a death that would pay for your death. “He is not here, but has risen.” He lives and you will live. He ascended to the right hand of the Father, where he reigns over Another World. Death does not have a final say in this world. Christ has promised you will never be abandoned.
He comes alive today in the small town and the big city. He comes for the debit carders and the cash lovers. He comes with intelligence and grace and mercy and all things good. Nothing is artificial. You can smell the flowers and see the non-potholed golden roads. The center of attention is no longer you, it is Him. You surround His throne. You worship the Holy of Holies. It is grand. It is glorious. Frankly, it is indescribable, but it awaits you because of Easter. Christ has won your salvation. He waits . . . for you . . . in
ANOTHER WORLD.
Amen.