Sermon – An Easter Chicken Church Rev. Sandy Lacey April 27, 2025
Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Yes, Easter Sunday was last Sunday but remember that Easter is a season, not just a day. In the church we celebrate being in the Easter season all the way to Pentecost, the first Sunday in June. So, you have my permission to keep out your Easter decorations and wear your bonnets, because we have just begun! Always at this time of the year I am reminded of a story from one of my favorite authors Will Campbell, a Southern Baptist preacher from Tennessee. I love a good storyteller and he was definitely that. Similar to the Acts passage today, Preacher Will’s autobiographical book, Brother to a Dragonfly, has a great story about Easter that we all need to hear: My friend P.D. referred to the Church as ‘the Easter chicken.’ Each time I saw him he would ask, ‘And what’s the state of the Easter chicken, Preacher Will?’ I knew he was trying to goad me into some kind of an argument and decided to wait him out. One day he explained. ‘You know, Preacher Will, that Church of yours and Mr. Jesus is like an Easter chicken my little Karen got one time. Man, it was a pretty thing. Dyed a deep purple. Bought it at the grocery store.’ I interrupted that white was the liturgical color for Easter but he ignored me. ‘And it served a real useful purpose. Karen loved it. It made her happy. And that made me and her Momma happy. Okay?’ I said, ‘Okay.’ ‘But pretty soon that baby chicken started feathering out. You know, sprouting little pin feathers. Wings and tail and all that. And you know what? Them new feathers weren’t purple. No sirree bob, that chicken wasn’t really purple at all. That chicken was a Rhode Island Red. And when all them little red feathers started growing out from under that purple it was a sight. All of a sudden Karen couldn’t stand that chicken anymore.’ ‘I think I see what you’re driving at, P.D.’ ‘No, Preacher Will. You don’t understand any such thing for I haven’t got to my point yet.’ ‘Okay. I’m sorry. Rave on.’ ‘Well, we took that half-purple and half-red thing out to her Grandma’s house and threw it in the chicken yard with all the other chickens. It was still different, you understand. That little chicken. And the other chickens knew it was different. And they resisted it. Pecked it, chased it all over the yard. Wouldn’t have anything to do with it. Wouldn’t even let it get on the roost with them. And that little chicken knew it was different too. It didn’t bother any of the others. Wouldn’t fight back or anything. Just stayed by itself. Really suffered too. But little by little, day by day, that chicken came around. Pretty soon, even before all the purple grew off it, while it was still just a little bit different, that thing was behaving just about like the rest of them chickens. Man it would fight back, peck the ones littler than it, knock them down to catch a bug if it got to it in time. Yes sirree bob, the chicken world turned that Easter chicken around. And now you can’t tell one chicken from another. They’re all just alike. The Easter chicken is just one more chicken. There isn’t anything different about it.’ I knew he wanted to argue and I didn’t want to disappoint him. ‘Well, P.D., the Easter chicken is still useful. It lays eggs, doesn’t it?’ It was what he wanted me to say. ‘Yea, Preacher Will. It lays eggs. But they all lay eggs. Who needs an Easter chicken for that? And the Rotary Club serves coffee. And the 4-H Club says prayers. The Red Cross takes up offerings for hurricane victims. Mental Health does counseling, and the Boy Scouts have youth programs.'[1] Of course, the implication is that the church has become so enmeshed with the culture around it that one cannot tell the difference between the church and the culture. It is an interesting question, don’t you think? Isn’t there supposed to be something unique and inspiring, even threatening about the Church (if we are actually followers of Christ)? Let’s remember that the followers of Christ in early Christianity were so countercultural that several members were put to death. Jesus was put to death and every one of the disciples were eventually put to death. How about us? Are we countercultural or are we an Easter Chicken church? Who cares if we are useful? We are called to be faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What is so special about the church that makes it different from the Rotary Club? What can the Church do in the world that no one or nothing else can do, and are we doing it? It is a hard question in which we need to spend a few moments to reflect. Our Scripture passages for today are striking. It was only last week that we heard of fearful, cowardly disciples, disciples who would deny knowing Jesus; disciples who would stay away during Jesus’ arrest, torture, and crucifixion; disciples who would huddle together in a room after his death in fear for their lives; disciples who would consider the women’s good news of Jesus’ resurrection an idle tale; doubting disciples confused and full of grief – these disciples are the very same who would risk all in today’s text in Acts by speaking out in the Temple of their love for Jesus, defying the religious authority’s demands to keep quiet. What can account for their change in courage and conviction? What could inspire them to say, “we must obey God rather than any human authority?” Where did they get the courage to defy the cultural norms of the day to keep the peace, keep quiet, and maintain the status quo? What could inspire them to instead, proclaim the radical message of a Messiah crucified and resurrected? Friends, never underestimate the power of the Spirit when disciples are willing to listen for the Spirit’s voice and then choose to follow where the Spirit leads. The disciples claimed to be witnesses for the resurrection. What does that look like? There are a few things I think of when I look at this text. It means refusing to be silenced and being willing to get into some trouble – some “good trouble” – as the late John Lewis used to call it when you speak truth to power. To be witnesses for the resurrection means speaking out even if you are afraid and even if it sounds subversive. It means being willing to cause a ‘holy disruption’ as you work to not only make God’s people more faithful, but also work to transform this world into God’s desired kingdom. To be a witness for the resurrection also means that you recognize that there is still a word after death; that life continues and is larger than anything we can imagine. To be a witness for the resurrection is our vocation as a follower of Jesus. It means that we look farther than our present difficulty, that even when we live in a bomb shelter in a war-torn country like Ukraine and when other countries abandon us, we can still say God is alive and working to make all things new. We may not see it right now, but we trust that evil will not have the last word. Peter and the other disciples had already been arrested once and in today’s passage, they were arrested again. They appear fearless and bold, quite willing to suffer physical punishment. So, what changed them from their hiding, timidity, and fear? The only thing that can explain it is a powerful encounter with the risen Lord. It made all the difference for them, and it can make all the difference for any of us who are feeling timid, fearful, and hopeless. The other thing the disciples had is each other. They loved and supported one another, called one another out when needed, argued with one another, encouraged one another, and even were arrested with one another. It is hard to silence a group voice, compared to a single voice. The Church, like the disciples, is good about banding together, in spite of our differences, to love and support one another, to argue with one another, and to encourage one another. You may be asking, what is so wrong with our culture? We do not have any Roman oppressors or religious elite in collusion with those in power, right? Most of us will admit that our American culture does a number of things right. We have a history of providing opportunities for people to explore their dreams, to receive an education, to be self-sufficient and independent, to make a living at something they enjoy or choose, to become financially independent, to elect our own leaders. Many individuals – no matter their race, age, sex, economic status, faith, or sexual orientation – have been granted rights to help guarantee those opportunities. That is great news for many of us. But then there are always those who want to dial it back so that power is concentrated in a few, rather than in the whole, and who are willing to put some down while they elevate themselves and a few others. Additionally, this culture seems to value consumerism, so much so, that it is often the suggested cure for what ails us. Our economy is determined to be thriving when we are spending a lot, as opposed to saving a lot. Also, consumerism that primarily benefits those at the top is not healthy, according to the early Christians who shared everything in common. In addition to consumerism, for the past several years, individualism and personal liberty has also become its own (g)od in our country, elevated far above what is best for all. For instance, my personal freedoms are more valued than what is best for the community around me. So, while there are many good things about our culture, there are some challenging things as well, which means the Church must use its critical and prophetic voice/life when we recognize problem areas in our culture. We are witnesses. The question is what kind of witness are we giving? Do we have an alternative voice from our culture, a voice that lifts people up, recognizes God’s image in all, regardless of whether they look and act like me? Or do we look and act like all the other chicks out there, picking and pecking the heck out of each other, pushing others down to make sure we get ours? The culture may say it is just healthy competition and the thing to do, but Jesus tells us something different. And the once timid disciples remind us this morning, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” Now what does obeying God and following Jesus look like, you might ask. Well, it might look like advocating and voting for laws and policies that do not elevate the rights of a few over and above the rights and safety of the many. It might look like a church choosing to side with the marginalized in a march for justice and equal opportunity. It might look like feeding the hungry and helping financially strapped families because we know that helping them benefits not only them, but our community as a whole. It might look like suspending political rhetoric long enough to reach across the political aisle and find common ground that will benefit all of us. And to not leave our children and youth out, it might look like something so simple as leaving your comfortable seat in the school library or cafeteria and going to sit with someone who is sitting alone. Kindness and generosity, putting someone else’s needs above our own is always a sign of God’s Kingdom; it demonstrates the engaging love of Jesus. We are asked to make a difference in the world around us, not just be like everyone else. Opportunities abound for us to listen to the Spirit’s leadership and to care for our neighbors. We just need each other for support and encouragement. May we together discern the Spirit’s voice and have the courage to follow, no matter the cost. AMEN.
[1] Will D. Campbell, Brother to a Dragonfly. (New York, NY: Continuum International Publishing Group, 1977.) pp. 218-220.
Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Yes, Easter Sunday was last Sunday but remember that Easter is a season, not just a day. In the church we celebrate being in the Easter season all the way to Pentecost, the first Sunday in June. So, you have my permission to keep out your Easter decorations and wear your bonnets, because we have just begun! Always at this time of the year I am reminded of a story from one of my favorite authors Will Campbell, a Southern Baptist preacher from Tennessee. I love a good storyteller and he was definitely that. Similar to the Acts passage today, Preacher Will’s autobiographical book, Brother to a Dragonfly, has a great story about Easter that we all need to hear: My friend P.D. referred to the Church as ‘the Easter chicken.’ Each time I saw him he would ask, ‘And what’s the state of the Easter chicken, Preacher Will?’ I knew he was trying to goad me into some kind of an argument and decided to wait him out. One day he explained. ‘You know, Preacher Will, that Church of yours and Mr. Jesus is like an Easter chicken my little Karen got one time. Man, it was a pretty thing. Dyed a deep purple. Bought it at the grocery store.’ I interrupted that white was the liturgical color for Easter but he ignored me. ‘And it served a real useful purpose. Karen loved it. It made her happy. And that made me and her Momma happy. Okay?’ I said, ‘Okay.’ ‘But pretty soon that baby chicken started feathering out. You know, sprouting little pin feathers. Wings and tail and all that. And you know what? Them new feathers weren’t purple. No sirree bob, that chicken wasn’t really purple at all. That chicken was a Rhode Island Red. And when all them little red feathers started growing out from under that purple it was a sight. All of a sudden Karen couldn’t stand that chicken anymore.’ ‘I think I see what you’re driving at, P.D.’ ‘No, Preacher Will. You don’t understand any such thing for I haven’t got to my point yet.’ ‘Okay. I’m sorry. Rave on.’ ‘Well, we took that half-purple and half-red thing out to her Grandma’s house and threw it in the chicken yard with all the other chickens. It was still different, you understand. That little chicken. And the other chickens knew it was different. And they resisted it. Pecked it, chased it all over the yard. Wouldn’t have anything to do with it. Wouldn’t even let it get on the roost with them. And that little chicken knew it was different too. It didn’t bother any of the others. Wouldn’t fight back or anything. Just stayed by itself. Really suffered too. But little by little, day by day, that chicken came around. Pretty soon, even before all the purple grew off it, while it was still just a little bit different, that thing was behaving just about like the rest of them chickens. Man it would fight back, peck the ones littler than it, knock them down to catch a bug if it got to it in time. Yes sirree bob, the chicken world turned that Easter chicken around. And now you can’t tell one chicken from another. They’re all just alike. The Easter chicken is just one more chicken. There isn’t anything different about it.’ I knew he wanted to argue and I didn’t want to disappoint him. ‘Well, P.D., the Easter chicken is still useful. It lays eggs, doesn’t it?’ It was what he wanted me to say. ‘Yea, Preacher Will. It lays eggs. But they all lay eggs. Who needs an Easter chicken for that? And the Rotary Club serves coffee. And the 4-H Club says prayers. The Red Cross takes up offerings for hurricane victims. Mental Health does counseling, and the Boy Scouts have youth programs.'[1] Of course, the implication is that the church has become so enmeshed with the culture around it that one cannot tell the difference between the church and the culture. It is an interesting question, don’t you think? Isn’t there supposed to be something unique and inspiring, even threatening about the Church (if we are actually followers of Christ)? Let’s remember that the followers of Christ in early Christianity were so countercultural that several members were put to death. Jesus was put to death and every one of the disciples were eventually put to death. How about us? Are we countercultural or are we an Easter Chicken church? Who cares if we are useful? We are called to be faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What is so special about the church that makes it different from the Rotary Club? What can the Church do in the world that no one or nothing else can do, and are we doing it? It is a hard question in which we need to spend a few moments to reflect. Our Scripture passages for today are striking. It was only last week that we heard of fearful, cowardly disciples, disciples who would deny knowing Jesus; disciples who would stay away during Jesus’ arrest, torture, and crucifixion; disciples who would huddle together in a room after his death in fear for their lives; disciples who would consider the women’s good news of Jesus’ resurrection an idle tale; doubting disciples confused and full of grief – these disciples are the very same who would risk all in today’s text in Acts by speaking out in the Temple of their love for Jesus, defying the religious authority’s demands to keep quiet. What can account for their change in courage and conviction? What could inspire them to say, “we must obey God rather than any human authority?” Where did they get the courage to defy the cultural norms of the day to keep the peace, keep quiet, and maintain the status quo? What could inspire them to instead, proclaim the radical message of a Messiah crucified and resurrected? Friends, never underestimate the power of the Spirit when disciples are willing to listen for the Spirit’s voice and then choose to follow where the Spirit leads. The disciples claimed to be witnesses for the resurrection. What does that look like? There are a few things I think of when I look at this text. It means refusing to be silenced and being willing to get into some trouble – some “good trouble” – as the late John Lewis used to call it when you speak truth to power. To be witnesses for the resurrection means speaking out even if you are afraid and even if it sounds subversive. It means being willing to cause a ‘holy disruption’ as you work to not only make God’s people more faithful, but also work to transform this world into God’s desired kingdom. To be a witness for the resurrection also means that you recognize that there is still a word after death; that life continues and is larger than anything we can imagine. To be a witness for the resurrection is our vocation as a follower of Jesus. It means that we look farther than our present difficulty, that even when we live in a bomb shelter in a war-torn country like Ukraine and when other countries abandon us, we can still say God is alive and working to make all things new. We may not see it right now, but we trust that evil will not have the last word. Peter and the other disciples had already been arrested once and in today’s passage, they were arrested again. They appear fearless and bold, quite willing to suffer physical punishment. So, what changed them from their hiding, timidity, and fear? The only thing that can explain it is a powerful encounter with the risen Lord. It made all the difference for them, and it can make all the difference for any of us who are feeling timid, fearful, and hopeless. The other thing the disciples had is each other. They loved and supported one another, called one another out when needed, argued with one another, encouraged one another, and even were arrested with one another. It is hard to silence a group voice, compared to a single voice. The Church, like the disciples, is good about banding together, in spite of our differences, to love and support one another, to argue with one another, and to encourage one another. You may be asking, what is so wrong with our culture? We do not have any Roman oppressors or religious elite in collusion with those in power, right? Most of us will admit that our American culture does a number of things right. We have a history of providing opportunities for people to explore their dreams, to receive an education, to be self-sufficient and independent, to make a living at something they enjoy or choose, to become financially independent, to elect our own leaders. Many individuals – no matter their race, age, sex, economic status, faith, or sexual orientation – have been granted rights to help guarantee those opportunities. That is great news for many of us. But then there are always those who want to dial it back so that power is concentrated in a few, rather than in the whole, and who are willing to put some down while they elevate themselves and a few others. Additionally, this culture seems to value consumerism, so much so, that it is often the suggested cure for what ails us. Our economy is determined to be thriving when we are spending a lot, as opposed to saving a lot. Also, consumerism that primarily benefits those at the top is not healthy, according to the early Christians who shared everything in common. In addition to consumerism, for the past several years, individualism and personal liberty has also become its own (g)od in our country, elevated far above what is best for all. For instance, my personal freedoms are more valued than what is best for the community around me. So, while there are many good things about our culture, there are some challenging things as well, which means the Church must use its critical and prophetic voice/life when we recognize problem areas in our culture. We are witnesses. The question is what kind of witness are we giving? Do we have an alternative voice from our culture, a voice that lifts people up, recognizes God’s image in all, regardless of whether they look and act like me? Or do we look and act like all the other chicks out there, picking and pecking the heck out of each other, pushing others down to make sure we get ours? The culture may say it is just healthy competition and the thing to do, but Jesus tells us something different. And the once timid disciples remind us this morning, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” Now what does obeying God and following Jesus look like, you might ask. Well, it might look like advocating and voting for laws and policies that do not elevate the rights of a few over and above the rights and safety of the many. It might look like a church choosing to side with the marginalized in a march for justice and equal opportunity. It might look like feeding the hungry and helping financially strapped families because we know that helping them benefits not only them, but our community as a whole. It might look like suspending political rhetoric long enough to reach across the political aisle and find common ground that will benefit all of us. And to not leave our children and youth out, it might look like something so simple as leaving your comfortable seat in the school library or cafeteria and going to sit with someone who is sitting alone. Kindness and generosity, putting someone else’s needs above our own is always a sign of God’s Kingdom; it demonstrates the engaging love of Jesus. We are asked to make a difference in the world around us, not just be like everyone else. Opportunities abound for us to listen to the Spirit’s leadership and to care for our neighbors. We just need each other for support and encouragement. May we together discern the Spirit’s voice and have the courage to follow, no matter the cost. AMEN.
[1] Will D. Campbell, Brother to a Dragonfly. (New York, NY: Continuum International Publishing Group, 1977.) pp. 218-220.
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[1] Will D. Campbell, Brother to a Dragonfly. (New York, NY: Continuum International Publishing Group, 1977.) pp. 218-220.