Sunday 11/03/13 Freeville/Homer Ave
UMC’s
Sermon Title:
“A sermon that changed the world”
Old Testament Scripture Lesson: Psalm 149
New Testament Scripture Lesson: Ephesians 1:11-23
Gospel Lesson: Luke 6:20-31
Good morning my
brothers and sisters, and greetings once again in the name of the risen Christ on
this All Saints Sunday. While the actual day of All Saints Day was this past
Friday November, 1st, many churches choose to celebrate this holiday
on Sunday, like we are doing this morning. On this day of celebrating the holiday
of All Saints, we take time to remember not only the past and the more present
saints of this local church and local area that have gone on to be with the
Lord, but we remember all those saints who have went before us.
On this All
Saints Day, we remember then, the Apostles of Jesus Christ, we remember all of the
saints from all throughout history that have lived all over the world. We honor
there sacrifice, there dedication, and there devotion to building the kingdom
of God everywhere. We of course have also taken time the time this morning in
worship to remember those specific saints from this local church and this local
area. Imagine how churches all over the world are doing this very same on this
morning. As I continue through this message then, and as we continue through
worship this morning, and as we continue throughout our days and weeks, let us
remember those saints who have gone on to glory before us.
In remembering
those saints who have gone before us, we must remember that we are all still
here and now. The Lord still has plans for each and every one us, and he is
still using us every day. God has gifted us all for the good work of building
his kingdom, and we are still here on this earth then, because we are still in
the mission field of Jesus Christ. So, while we remember those who have gone
before us this morning, let this morning’s worship empower us to consider what
is still in front of us. Let us consider that we serve the risen Christ, and
let us remember that Lord is still using us in the here and the now. Let us
consider that one day from pulpits like this, our names will be read to
generations of believers that are yet to come.
One day, they will say your name and
my name, and some will remember us, and some won’t. As time goes on in fact
even less people will remember those who have gone before us. As time goes on, cemetery
head stones fad, and people can easily forget someone who lived in it this area
200-years ago. Yet we will all be in glory. We all will be sitting at that
heavenly banquet table of the Lord, and all the saints will be united. My
brothers and sisters, this is why we remember, so that we know where we are from,
and yet were we are going.
In this way,
we are all saints in training here this morning. We are those people that God
has called to be saints, even though we have not yet gone to be with the Lord.
What does this mean then?
This means
that our course in labor is not done. While the saints in heaven are with the
Lord, they are no longer here to change to world here on earth. We all are
still here though, and we all have the power of the Holy Spirit in us to change
this church, this community, and the world. While God is the one that uses us,
when we say “yes” to the Lord, we are empowered to do amazing things with God
working through us.
With this
said, I want to share some inspiring quotes of what All Saints Day is. Here is
one: "For centuries the church has
confronted the human community with role models of greatness. We call them
saints when what we really often mean to say is 'icon,' 'star,' 'hero,' ones so
possessed by an internal vision of divine goodness that they give us a glimpse
of the face of God in the center of the human. They give us a taste of the
possibilities of greatness in ourselves." This is from Joan D. Chittister, in her
book in A Passion for Life. Here is
another All Saints Day quote: "I am reminded of the biblical use of
the term saint in the book of Acts. That it applies to each of us. All who are
attempting to imitate the Christ in their lives merit the title of 'saint.'
Some do it more fully than others and are willing to let go of more to get the
job done." This is from Matthew Fox, in his
book Confessions. Here
is one last All Saints Day quote: "All of the places of our lives
are sanctuaries; some of them just happen to have steeples. And all of the
people in our lives are saints; it is just that some of them have day jobs and
most will never have feast days named for them." This is from Robert Benson in his
book in Between the Dreaming and the Coming True.
When looking at our Psalm reading from
this morning, the Psalmist encourages us to “Praise the Lord!” We are
encouraged to praise God, to dance for God, and to be with God. As the people
of God, we go on to glory together. We are united in Christ, and this unity
defies all time and space.
In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the
church in Ephesus or the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul said, “In Christ we have
also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of
him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will.” When I read
this, I am always lifted up by the Apostle Paul and by the Lord. I realize that
this letter or epistles was written around the time of 62 AD. That this letter
was written almost two-thousand years ago, and we will still have this same
inheritance today. That the Apostle Paul was telling his brothers and sisters
at the church in Ephesus, that we have an inheritance and a promise through
Jesus the Christ. The Apostle Paul then continues on to say, “I have heard of
your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this
reasons I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.”
Being saint-like and living for God has always been our mission as Christians,
and this is why we do what we do.
This is why we seek “to make of
disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of world,” not just to help
lead people towards eternity with Jesus, but because its transforms the world.
The saints that have went before us, like Mother Theresa and many others have
made the world better amidst a world of pain and suffering. Our mission of changing
hearts, minds, and living united in the work of Jesus Christ, is what being a saint
is. It is what makes us children of light, children of hope, and as I will
discuss next week, Children of the resurrection.
So in this stewardship drive season
then, what does all of this mean for us? Why are we encouraged to give, and
give abundantly of our time, our talents, and of our resources? Here is why,
while some talk about all of the bad that Christian Church has done
historically, let me tell you a little bit of what the saints of Jesus Christ
have done. Here is a list of just some:
This list in entitled, “Good things
pioneered by the Church and committed Christians in modern society:”
• The Church is the largest single
provider of healthcare in the world
• The Church is the largest single
provider of education in the world
• The Church fathers successfully
campaigned against infanticide in society
• The first orphanages were churches
• Churches pioneered the first homes
for the elderly
• Churches pioneered the first homes
for the disabled in society
• Almost all schools were church
founded before the state took over
• 100 out of 110 US universities were
church founded (inc. Yale, Princeton and Harvard)
• Churches were World Literacy pioneers
• Churches were pioneers of education
for the deaf
• Churches fought for the first laws
to protect children from abuse
• YMCA - caring for young people in
society
• Salvation Army - pioneering radical
care for the poor and disadvantaged in society
• Alcoholics (and Narcotics) Anonymous
is connected to the church
• Churches have been pioneers of
international child sponsorship
• Churches were largely founders of
modern famine relief
• International Housing for the poor
- Habitat for Humanity, connected to the church
• Leprosy Mission - caring for those no-one
else wants, connected to the church
• The Imagine no Malaria campaign, the United
Methodist Church.
People
have said to me, “Paul why do you give so much to the church.” I have said, “Other
than the Biblical commandment to do so, other than the love of Jesus Christ,
other than the love of his church, this list is a good reason isn’t it?” This
my brothers and sisters, is why we give to the church. We also give to the
church, because historically we have cared for the people, and the problems of
the world, much better than any government ever could.
So
some of you might be saying at this point, “pastor, the sermon title for this
morning is a sermon that changed the world. So how does this sermon connect to
that?” Well, when looking at the gospel of Luke reading from this morning,
Jesus is speaking to his disciples and a crowd. In this time and place, Jesus said,
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate
you, when
they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because
great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the
prophets.”
You
see as Christians, we get weary sometimes don’t we. Sometimes we feel tired, we
feel rejected, and etc., yet we believe not only in the kingdom to come, but we
have seen what we can do here on this earth to. This sermon that changed the
world, this smaller version of “the Sermon on the mount,” from the gospel
reading this morning, was one where Jesus said things that changed the
world. For Jesus said, that if you have
everything and you do nothing for those who need, than “Woe to you” says the
Lord. In this “sermon that changed the world,” Jesus is teaching us to give
freely and abundantly, and then he is saying what will do about your obedience,
your faithfulness, your giving? For the poor will be blessed, the hungry will
be feed, the sad will laugh, because the saints here on earth have decided that
the ways things are out there are no long acceptable. This is why my brothers
and sisters, we are all saints in training, and in this “sermon that changed
the world” Jesus was teaching us to be the saints that we have been called to
be, since he walked this earth nearly 2,000 years ago.
I
would like to close this message with simple quote from Saint Augustine on
being saintly. Here is the quote: “What does love look like? It has the hands
to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to
see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That
is what love looks like.” My
brothers and sisters, today we remember those saints who have gone before us,
but let us never forget we are saints in training. I bring this message to you
in the name of the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit, All glory to be to him
who made us all, Amen.
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