Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Graduate Sunday/Father's Day - 06/18/17 Sermon - “Salvation vs. Sanctification"

Sunday 06/18/17 Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC’s

Sermon Title: “Salvation vs. Sanctification”

Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19
                                            
New Testament Scripture: Romans 5:1-8

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 9:35-10:1-23

          Welcome again my friends, my sisters and brothers in Christ, on this (Graduate Recognition Sunday - Freeville UMC only), and this Father’s Day Sunday.
          (On this day we recognize and celebrate all those who are graduating from high school, college, or from some other level of education and or training. We also have people who have retired this year, or perhaps have retired in recent years that have not been recognized. Today we also honor you. Freeville UMC only).
          In addition to this, today we also honor our fathers, our grandfathers, and all of the men who have made a positive impact upon our lives. Whether these men were or are our fathers, our grandfathers, a neighbor, an uncle, a teacher, a mentor, and etc., today we honor all of those men who have and continue to shape us. So with this said, happy Father’s Day to all the men here. Whether you have your own children, or whether you have loved someone, or whether you have cared for animals, all of the men here have been a father to someone or something. So today we honor you, and your roles as fathers and father figures. I also have a little gift for you, to honor you on this day.
          You know, it seems hard for me to believe that it is nearly the end of June. I can imagine that for high school and college graduates though, who have or will be graduating, that many of them probably thought that their graduations would never come. All of the work, all of the stress, and all of the fun, while looking to that light at the end of tunnel. This light at the end of tunnel is graduation, and for some, that light seemed miles and miles away. Yet in this season, graduates have reached the end of that tunnel, or are very soon to do so.
          In light of this continued season of graduation and also change and transition, my sermon title this morning is called “Salvation vs. Sanctification”. Now when you read that title or hear that title, you might think, “Here Pastor Paul goes again with his big seminary vocabulary words”. I promise you that this was not my intent with this sermon title!
          So “Salvation vs. Sanctification”. Well what does this have to do with this season of graduations, change, and transitions?
          Perhaps some of you have heard, or have read, that we are now exactly 500-years, in this year of 2017, after Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation in 1517. For those of you that don’t remember, Martin Luther, who was a Roman Catholic Priest at the time, found elements of greed, corruption, and vice in the Roman Catholic Church. Being a good Roman Catholic priest, Martin Luther, sought to address these problems, as to help the church to become more holy and more Godly. This year, 2017, marks 500-years after Martin Luther nailed those famous 95-Theses on the church door at Wittenberg Castle Church. In hoping to create reforms for the church, Martin Luther was instead excommunicated or kicked out of the Roman Catholic Church.
          It was during this time period that the Lutheran Church formed, and with this, the doctrine of Justification by faith. This doctrinal idea of “Salvation,” is that God’s love, the salvation of Jesus Christ is a free gift to all of God’s children.
          This then, in part, is why my sermon today is called “Salvation vs. Sanctification”. For this sermon specifically, I am looking at our reading from Romans 5:1-8 from this morning. The first and second verse of this reading were heavily influential in Martin Luther’s belief in salvation, and even to this day, most Protestant Churches believe in the doctrine of Justification by faith. This is to say, by faith alone, or in Latin “Sola Fide”. The first and second verse of Romans 5 shows us very specifically what this doctrine is. Romans 5:1-2 says:
“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God” (Rom. 5:1-2, NRSV).
          So what does this idea of faith in Christ, repenting our sins, and trusting Jesus as our Lord and Savior have to do with this season of graduation, change, and transition?
          The connection is this, that graduation, retirement, a move, or some other major change in our lives is a doorway. Salvation in Christ, is a beginning point, but not the end of our faith journeys. Graduation, retirement, a move, or some other change in our lives is not the end of our story, but is instead, is a doorway. A doorway that leads into a massive house. This house has many rooms, and there is much in there that we have no idea about, until we cross into that front doorway.
          Salvation, or faith in Christ, like graduation, retirement, a move, or some other major change in our lives, is a doorway.
          For Christians that accept the free gift of faith in Christ, they sometimes have great joy, and they feel the great mercy and grace of God, in that moment of conversion. In a similar way, a graduate or a retiree might feel a sense of joy, accomplishment, and excitement upon that life milestone.
For these reasons, my sermon is called “Salvation vs. Sanctification”. Salvation in the Christian faith, is what is beyond the doorway that we walk through into our houses of faith. In walking through this doorway, we pursue Jesus Christ, the Christian faith, and the transformation of the world.
          For those who are or will be graduating, for those who are or will be retiring, or making some other life transition this could be your version of a salvation or a change moment.
          Sanctification then is the process of becoming. The moment of Christian salvation, the moment of graduation, retirement, a move, or a major life transition, is that of walking through the door. Sanctification is going through the house of faith and life.
          I am trying to overwhelm you this morning with thinking about everything that you will encounter as you walk through the door of faith and life, but Sanctification is the process of going through that big house of faith and life.
          So as you have walked through your door, or will soon, it is my hope and prayer, as well as the hope and prayer of this church, that you find great joy in the massive house of your life and faith.
          In the reading from the Book of Romans for this morning, the Apostle Paul tells us a little about this sanctification from a Christian point of view. The scripture reading says:
“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Rom. 5:3-5, NRSV).
          So while the houses that we will walk through a doorway to get into will be great, there will also be struggles and times of trial. You see, we live in one of the most divided times that I have ever seen in the United States. Within this though, we have a great opportunity to create and to enact real change in this country, and in this world. These are divided times, but we have a great opportunity to make a big difference.
          One of my bible commentaries, the “Africa Bible Commentary,” written by African scholars says it like this:
“Therefore, believers must never give up in the face of suffering; God will fulfill his promises. This brings consolation to those of us who are suffering the pains of injustice, war, hunger, HIV/AID and many other evils. We can have hope if we believe that we will share in God’s glory” (Africa Bible Commentary).
          So now that you have faith or salvation, and now that you have graduated, retired, and etc., you are called to continue to be sanctified. There is a big world out there, full of all sorts of problems, pains, and sufferings. How will you walk into those rooms in the house you are or will soon be walking into? The reality is, is that the world needs you now more than ever.
          In our gospel reading that I read from this morning, Jesus tells us, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few, therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Mt. 9:37-38, NRSV).
          Jesus then sends out his twelve disciples to preach and to serve (Mt, 10:1-7, NRSV). Jesus tells his twelve disciples to “Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast our demons” (Mt., 10:8, NRSV).
          Friends, sisters and brothers, Jesus sent his friends through the doorway of the house, to serve, love, and minister to all people.
          So for those of you who are in a season of graduation, or retirement, or change, I pray that you walk into your house of faith and life, seeking to love, help, and serve others. We all have different gifts and graces, but it is my hope and prayer that we walk through the doorway of our houses of faith and life, ready to serve and care for a hurting and a broken world.  
          I hope that this summer will be a restorative time for you, and that you will continue to grow closer to God. I also hope that you will continue entering into your houses of life, discovering, dreaming, and reaching upward.
          May we also honor and remember this day, all of the men that have been so influential in our lives. Let us remember them, and the great impact that they have had and continue to make in our lives. Perhaps some of these men walked through the doorways of life with us, and have been with us as moved through the house?

          Either way, today we honor graduates, retirees, and also fathers. I pray that enjoy this day, and that after this day is over that you continue walking into your houses of faith and life. God bless, and Amen.

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC's - Peace with Justice Sunday/Trinity Sunday - 06/11/17 Sermon - “How should we treat each other?"

Sunday 06/11/17 Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC’s

Sermon Title: “How should we treat each other?”

Old Testament Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2:4a
                                            
New Testament Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 28:16-20

          My friends, my sisters and brothers, welcome on this Peace with Justice Sunday, and also this Trinity Sunday.
          We are also in a season of graduations, so congratulations to all the graduates who have worked so hard to get to this place of graduation.
          On this Peace with Justice Sunday, you are invited to give a special offering during our collection this morning, to support United Methodist Ministries that seek to create peace and justice both locally, and around the world. These peace with justice ministries are ones that seek to help the marginalized, and to help people who are in war and violence stricken areas, and other places. So, during our collection time this morning, you are invited to give to this special giving Sunday. Please indicate on the memo line of your check, Peace with Justice Sunday, or mark your cash donation in an envelope that says Peace with Justice Sunday.
          In addition to Peace with Justice Sunday, as I said, this Sunday is also Trinity Sunday, as we celebrate this Sunday and every day, our God great God, who is one God in three persons. Our God who is our great creator, our redeemer Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. One God in three persons, the Holy Trinity. Today we celebrate and worship the Triune God.
          We also are given some excellent scriptures readings this morning. We are given the creation story from the Book of Genesis. This story of our creator God, who made the heavens and the earth. The God who made us in His “image” (Gen. 1:26a, NRSV). The God who sent his son Jesus Christ to earth, to love, to heal, to forgive, and to die for us. The God who comes to us in the form of the Holy Spirit.
          We are also given a scripture this morning from the Gospel of Matthew. This is a great scripture, as it is the scripture of Jesus’ “Great Commission “for his disciples, and for us. In this scripture, Jesus tells the disciples, and tells us, to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age’ (Mt. 28:19-20, NRSV).
          In this scripture, Jesus is commissioning and telling his disciples and us to go forth and make disciples. To baptize them in the name of the Triune God, who we believe in and worship. This is why we baptize in the name of the “Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”. This is why I dismiss our worship services in the name of the “Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”.
          While we have these two great scriptures from this morning, that discuss a God who creates, the Holy Spirit or “wind from God” that “swept over the face of the waters,” and Jesus Christ, our savior, I have decided this morning to tackle the reading that we were given from 2 Corinthians.
          This reading we have from 2 Corinthians is short, as it is only three verses. One would think that preaching on the “Great Commission” from the gospel of Matthew reading for this morning would be the best and easiest sermon to preach on, but I chose instead to preach on the reading from 2 Corinthians.
          In this reading, the Apostle Paul comes to the church in city of Corinth, to the Corinthians. In doing so, the Apostle Paul is calling the Corinthians to repent of their sins, and turn to the abundant love of God. The Apostle Paul is doing this so that the Corinthians and us might rid ourselves of all that separates us from God, and to then free ourselves up to love more deeply.
          The title of my sermon this morning around this is called, “How should we treat each other?”
          Well according to the Apostle Paul’s final farewell message to the Corinthians that we are given this morning, he says the following, “Finally brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you” (2 Cor. 13:11-13, NRSV).
          Whether we are graduating from high school, college, or somewhere else, or whether we are in a variety of other places in our lives, we are called to love each other and to live in peace. The Apostle Paul tells us that in doing this, that the “God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Cor. 13:11b, NRSV).
          One of the greatest challenges in the times that we are living in though, is that we live in culture that is very divided politically, socially, and in a variety of other ways. It is so easy for us to simply write one group of people off, or decide one group of people is no good. Our graduates will have a strong role to play now and in the future, healing this brokenness.
          Within this, we are reminded in the reading from the Book of Genesis from this morning that we made in God’s “image” (Gen. 1:26a, NRSV). All of us then are creations of God. While this is true, we are all very different in many ways, yet we are all, each and everyone one of us, made in God’s “image” (Gen. 1:26a, NRSV). We are all broken, we all sin, and we all need the grace of God offered through Jesus Christ.
Who did Jesus come to save? The answer is everyone, no matter who you are. Jesus came for, and love us all. We are all called to repent and follow him.
          We are all also called to love and care for one another. In the midst of a culture and a world with so many divisions, we are called to love each other. It doesn’t mean that everyone will agree on everything, but yet the Apostle Paul tells us this morning that the “God of love and peace” will be with us (2 Cor. 13:11b, NRSV).
          So often I have seen in our culture in recent years, people being identified by categories before their humanity. These categories could be conservative, liberal, vegetarian, libertarian, and etc. and etc. Categories, divisions, yet we are told in the Book of Genesis that we are all made in God’s “image” (Gen. 1:26a, NRSV). 
          The Apostle Paul leaves the church in Corinth, or the Corinthians this morning with his second and last letter. The Apostle Paul tells us to “Agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Cor. 13:11, NRSV).
          The Apostle Paul then says, “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (2 Cor. 13:12a, NRSV). Now I love you all, but I don’t know if I am going to kiss you though.
          This is the level of love that the Apostle Paul is advocating for though. For me, I see a country, and a culture that is ever more divided than I have ever seen it. It is divided between them and us. Yet, I try to see the “them” though, not as “them”, but as people made in God’s “image” (Gen. 1:26a, NRSV). 
          Do I believe that we need to turn from sin and darkness? Sure I do, but I also believe that each and everyone one of us has sin and darkness. This reality, I believe is true for everyone. I also don’t believe that any sin is worse than any other sin. Due to this, we are all broken, and we are all in need of the grace of God through Jesus Christ. Each and every one of us.
          When you look at this way, we begin to look at each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, not just as categories. We are called to love and care for each other, even when we disagree.
          When Jesus Christ assembled his dream team of twelve disciples, they didn’t all have the same stories, or the same jobs. I bet they might have had different political views, yet they were stronger together.
          I believe that the people of our country, and our church are stronger together. As a church, we are continuing to live into a deeper sense of God’s love, and the hope of Jesus Christ.
          How has Jesus Christ called us to treat each other?
          In John 13:34-35, Jesus says, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13:34-35, NRSV). We are called to love God and to love each other.
          When I participated and preached at the young adult service at Annual Conference last Saturday, I was preceded by a young pastor named Lynette Cole. Pastor Lynette said that we are called to love each other, which is hard because sometimes we don’t want to love the person sitting next to us. Yet we are called to love.
          We are also in need of the grace of God through Jesus Christ. We are also called to love everyone, even when we don’t like them.
          In Luke 6:35 Jesus says, “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked” (Lk. 6:35, NRSV).
          In 1 John 4:7 it says, “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (1 Jn. 4:7, NRSV).
          Ultimately, everyone will not agree on everything, but “How should we treat each other?” Jesus Christ tell us to love each other, even when we have differences.
          When I think of churches celebrating graduation Sundays, and when I think of all of the graduates and young people who are about to go forth in the world, I think about and pray about, how we all are called to bring healing, love, and hope into the world. How we are called to repent, follow Christ, and love each other.
          I want to share a story with you on loving your enemies: This story comes from Maxie Dunnam, The Workbook on Living as a Christian, pp.112-113. Maxie Dunnam, was the former president of Asbury Theological Seminary, and also one of founders of the Walk to Emmaus spiritual retreat weekend movement. The specific title of this story is called “Welcome Home Mr. President”. Here is how it goes: “Hubert Humphrey was a former vice-president of the United States. When he died hundreds of people from across the world attended his funeral. All were welcome, but one – former President Richard Nixon, who had not long previously dragged himself and his country through the humiliation and shame of Watergate. As eyes turned away and conversations ran dry around him Nixon could feel the ostracism being ladled out to him”.
“Then Jimmy Carter, the serving US President, walked into the room. Carter was from a different political party to Nixon and well known for his honesty and integrity. As he moved to his seat President Carter noticed Richard Nixon standing all alone. Carter immediately changed course, walked over to Richard Nixon, held out his hand, and smiling genuinely and broadly embraced Nixon and said “Welcome home, Mr President! Welcome home!”
“The incident was reported by Newsweek magazine, which wrote: “If there was a turning point in Nixon’s long ordeal in the wilderness, it was that moment and that gesture of love and compassion.”
          My brothers and sisters, may we seek to love and cherish each other in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.