“Sarah Laughed”

April 16, 2023         Holy Humor Sunday          St. Andrew Church            Rev. Anne McAnelly

First Lesson:                                  Psalm 126

¹When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. ²Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” ³The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced. ⁴Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb. ⁵May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. ⁶Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

Second Lesson:                               Genesis 18:1-15

¹The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. ²He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. ³He said, “My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. ⁴Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. ⁵Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” ⁶And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.” ⁷Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. ⁸Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate. ⁹They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” ¹⁰Then one said, “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. ¹¹Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. ¹²So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?” ¹³The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ ¹⁴Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.” ¹⁵But Sarah denied, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. He said, “Oh yes, you did laugh.”

Sarah laughed. Sometimes we laugh because we are nervous, or we don’t know what to say, or something seems impossible, so we laugh it off. We have all had those episodes of laughter just to get through an awkward moment. But here Sarah laughed in disbelief because she was old and beyond child-bearing years. Abraham was advanced in age as well. Yet as we look more closely, we see that Abraham had extended great hospitality to these three strangers before being blessed with the promise of a child, a son, no less. Then in great biblical ironic fashion the child is named Isaac, which literally means laughter. Yet this story is a turning point in the narrative because God had promised Abraham his descendants would outnumber the stars, and now a stranger is prophesying the fulfillment. Of course, God is faithful to the promise.
God is also faithful to the promise of death not having the last word, with the resurrection laughing in the face of death.
When Forest Gump died, he stood in front of St. Peter at the Pearly Gates.
St. Peter said, “Welcome, Forest. We’ve heard a lot about you.”
He continued, “Unfortunately, it’s getting pretty crowded up here and we find that we now have to give people an entrance examination before we let them in.”
“Okay,” said Forest. “I hope it’s not too hard. I’ve already been through a test. My momma used to say, ‘Life is like a final exam. It’s hard.”‘
“Yes, Forest, I know. But this test is only three questions. Here they are.”

1) Which two days of the week begin with the letter ‘T’?
2) How many seconds are in a year?
3? What is God’s first name?”
“Well, sir/’ said Forest, “The first one is easy. Which two days of the week begin with the letter ‘T’? Today and Tomorrow.”
St. Peter looked surprised and said, “Well, that wasn’t the answer I was looking for, but you have a point. I give you credit for that answer.”
“The next question” said Forest, ”How many seconds are in a year? Twelve.”
“Twelve?” said St. Peter, surprised and confused.
“Yes, sir. January 2nd, February 2nc\ March 2nd ••• ”
St. Peter interrupted him. “I see what you mean. I’ll have to give you credit for that one, too.”
“And the last question,” said Forest, “What is God’s first name? It’s Andy.”
“Andy?” said St. Peter, in shock. “How did you come up with ‘Andy’?”
“I learned it in church. We used to sing about it.” Forest broke into song, “Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me, Andy tells me I am His own,”
St. Peter opened the gate to heaven and said, “Run, Forest, Run!”
Humor about heaven is one that we circle aback around to often because it addresses both the joy of the resurrection and our fear of death. But that is why it is so appropriate to pause on this Sunday after Easter to see the humor in life, the way God had blessed us with laughter. How about some church humor?
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Lettuce. Lettuce who? Lettuce pray.
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Phillip. Phillip who? Fill up the plate as it’s passed to you.
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Rita. Rita who? Read a Bible if you want to hear the good news.

Knock, knock. Who’s there? Luke. Luke who? Look all around you at the smiles on your neighbors.
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Gladys. Gladys who? Glad it’s Sunday, aren’t you?
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Oliver. Oliver who’? All of our joys come from the Lord.
Laughter is a gift from God. And I believe God has a wicked sense of humor. One commentator writes, “Our image of God tends to be more serious, more stoic, more dignified than a God who rolls around giggling. And yet, over and over again, scripture tells us about a God who sends God’s people out with shouts of joy and jubilation. To be filled with such joy must mean that there is also a brightness and lightheartedness to God. And given the immense playfulness of the works of God’s hand, I would argue God has got a funny bone or two. Take a look at creation. From the aardvark to a colorful array of flowers, God has a creative touch that crosses over into whimsy or even ridiculousness” (Rev. Elizabeth Lovell Milford., God Still Laughs, April 8, 2018).
Laughter has the power to move our lives forward even in the midst of difficult times. In the story of Sarah, it is laughter that paves the way … to a son she names Isaac. I wonder if the same can be said about the Easter story. Last wee􀅋 we explored the two Mary’s experienc;ng fear and joy at the news of Jesus’ resurrection, and their courage to go and tell the disciples that Jesus is raised and they will see him. Easter is about us having the courage to experience to joy of the resurrection and the ability to share the good news.
One commentator writes, “It had to have been the joy of the good news of the resurrection, that spilled out and gave the women and disciples the courage to speak the unfathomabletruth that the one who was crucified now live even as they struggled with their own intense grief. . Such moments reminded them that they were not alone., and the appearances of the risen Christ recorded in other gospels provide additional help to move their story, our story, forward. This Sunday is marked with Holy Humor because we need to remember that on Easter morning, God was laughing. Laughing at those who thought death could contain Jesus Christ. Laughing at sin and evil in the world’s attempts to control it. On Easter morning, God declares that God will always have the last laugh. The greatest reversal ever – re-surrection – has been accomplished. It’s worth some laughter, because it borders on the ridiculous and absurd. And yet, at the same time, it’s true. It is the bedrock of our faith the hope to which we cling.
We, like the women at the tomb, like the disciples, like Thomas, whose story in John’s gospel is typically read on this Sunday after Easter, are caught between the tension of a story that is unbelievable and yet the one in which we ground our belief. It is good and right that we should laugh at the very idea of it. Not because we think it’s stupid, but because our laughter is the only way we can overcome our fear of what if it is true after all. Just like Sarah, laughter allows us to breathe into the possibility for just a moment and experience the raw joy it presents. And in our laughter, God shows up, ‘With that chuckle and nod that reminds us that with God all things are possible. And we laugh again, because it all seems too good to be true. The news of resurrection – the promise of eternal life and unmerited grace – it overwhelms us with joy and laughter, a deep, resounding laughter that ripples throughout our whole body. That joy is what leads us to praise and rejoicing, to worship, to a deeper love of God who created us and spun this whole crazy world into being.
So this morning, we laugh a little or a lot, in hopes of catching on to some of that divine joy that fills the empty tomb. And to remind ourselves, even when things get difficult or seem impossible, that God is with us, and God is still laughing at the face of that which would otherwise bind us. What good news of great joy, indeed! Amen’ (Rev. Elizabeth Lovell Willford, April 8, 2018).