Sunday 11/07/21 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title: “Becoming a Saint”
Old Testament Scripture: Isaiah 25:6-9
New Testament Scripture: Revelation 21:1-6a
Gospel Lesson: John 11:32-44
Since I was very young child, I
remember hearing the word “Saint.” I don’t just mean the song “When the Saints Go
Marching In,” or the NFL team from New Orleans, but I heard the word “Saint,”
periodically. In fact, growing up in a family that was mostly Roman Catholic, I
would hear the word “Saint” a lot in reference to a church. I was baptized at
St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Woodstock Illinois, as a baby, for
example.
I have also heard some people say of someone, “He
is a Saint,” or “She is a Saint.” Not knowing fully what the word “Saint” meant
when I was a kid, I did know that the word “Saint” was a good thing. In fact, I
never heard the word “Saint” in a bad way. I mean after all, there are churches
that have names starting with the word “Saint.” The obvious question on this All-Saints
Sunday then, is what is a “Saint”?
Here is one definition of a “Saint”
that I found:
“In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term saint depends on the context and denomination”. “In Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Oriental Orthodox, and Lutheran doctrine, all of their faithful deceased in Heaven are considered to be saints, but some are considered worthy of greater honor or emulation;” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint).
In the history of the
Methodist Movement, we would generally agree upon the following around “Saints”:
“While Methodists as a whole do not venerate saints, they do honor and admire them. Methodists believe that all Christians are saints, but mainly use the term to refer to biblical figures, Christian leaders, and martyrs of the faith. Many Methodist churches are named after saints—such as the Twelve Apostles, John Wesley, etc.—although most are named after geographical locations associated with an early circuit or prominent location. Methodist congregations observe All Saints' Day. Many encourage the study of saints, that is, the biographies of holy people” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint#Methodism).
So, in the Methodist view, all Christians are “Saints,” or
as I like to say, “Saints in training.” We who love Jesus Christ will one day
live and reign with him forever in glory. In some Christian traditions and
denominations certain exemplary men and women are made “Saints” of the church,
and these saints are basically the “best” of the “Saints.” These “Saints” are the
ones that we see some churches, schools, and or other organizations are named
after. In some Christian traditions and denominations some saints are in a
special category, but I believe that we are all “saints,” all “saints in
training”.
This past Monday on November 1st, we had All
Saints Day, as a day to recognize the saints of the church. Some churches, like
ours tend to celebrate this day as “All Saint Sunday,” as “All Saints Day” generally
falls on a weekday. We generally do not have a lot of weekday church services. To
define All Saints Day or All Saint Sunday, let me read to you this:
All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Feast of All Hallows, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas, is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honour of all the saints of the church, whether they are known or unknown (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Day#Protestant_observances).
Today then, amidst worshipping God, amidst
growing closer to Christ, and calling upon the Holy Spirit, we are honoring the
saints of this church, and saints in general. The reason that I read out
the names of the saints of this church, is that I think that it is good to
remember those men and women that have gone before us. Those men and women that
are now part of what the Book of Hebrews 12:1 calls “a great cloud of witnesses”
(Heb. 12:1, NRSV).
As you look around this church and
most churches you see names. You see names on metal plaques, you see names on stained
glass windows, and in other places. While they might be just names to some,
they are much more than that. They are the names of just some of the saints
that were a part of this church. Names of men and women who loved Jesus, and
gave their blood, sweat, and tears to ministry and mission of Jesus Christ. Is
it right then on All Saints Day and All Saints Sunday to remember those saints
that have went before us? Absolutely, our churches would not be here without
them. As many of you have heard me say many times, as Christians “we stand in a
line of heroes, and we stand on the shoulders of giants.” We are where are,
because of those who have gone before us. Our congregations, our churches are
all here, because of those that have went before us.
This fact will hopefully embolden our
faith, and truly reveal to us that we are all indeed part of something much
greater than ourselves. This is not just a church building, but is place where
countless baptisms, marriages, confirmations, worship services, and people
giving there lives to Jesus Christ have happened. This is place where countless
lives have been changed. We who are on this side of the curtain of heaven have
the time that we have been given here on earth, to strive to one day become part
of “a great cloud of witnesses.”
As I have also said before, as I look
around and see all of these names, not having known any of them, I have no
problem telling you that I want them all to be proud of me. I want them to be
proud of you. I want the saints that have went before us to see us, and I want
them to be proud that we have kept the faith, that we are serving Christ, and
that our churches are strong because of our love for Jesus and one another.
This is why me sermon for this morning is called “Becoming a Saint.” We are all
saints, and all saints in training. The saints that really stand out in history
however, like St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta and St. Augustine where people that
had great challenges here on earth. Just because your name and life might be
elevated to an extremely prominent level, you are being raised to that level
likely because your life was not easy. Mother Teresa’s life was hard, as served
a Catholic Nun in India for several years. She worked among the poorest of the poor.
To be saint then is not personal glorification. Being a saint is becoming a
servant of all and following Christ. Some in the world may glorify you, but
sometimes your days are filled with sacrifice and hardship. People may admire
what you do, and the impact of what you do, although they themselves would not
want to make such sacrifices. To be a saint is to be willing to sacrifice,
willing to suffer, and willing to be the last, the least, and the most
unimportant. We often admire such people, but do not want to be such people.
This is what is means in “Becoming a Saint.”
The role of a United Methodist Pastor
is to the preach the gospel and the scriptures, administer the sacraments of
the church, which are Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper, and Baptism. The
pastor is to care for the church and the community and order the life of the
church. Part of this is equipping the saints, all of us for ministry. A good
pastor is helping you to become even more of a saint. A good pastor is encouraging
and helping you to grow in your faith, so that you can better pursue the ways
that God is calling you to love, serve, and share the love of Jesus Christ with
the world.
I really like our New Testament scripture
from Revelation 21:1-6a for this morning. This scripture talks about the return
of Christ and all the saints of heaven. Once again, this scripture says:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Rev. 21:1-2, NRSV).
This glorious
image of Jesus returning to earth, as all the angel and saints rejoicing. That
great heavenly banquet feast of the Lord.
The scripture then continues on to
say:
3And
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“See, the home of God is
among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and
God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe every tear from
their eyes.
Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the
first things have passed away” (Rev.
21:3-4, NRSV).
When Jesus
our Lord returns to dwell with us, he will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
Death will be no more, and there will also be no more crying and pain. Saints
on earth, saints in training are working to make this earth as much like heaven
as possible, until Christ returns and finally makes it fully a reality.
Our scripture
from the Book of Revelation for this morning ends once again saying:
5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end (Rev. 21:5-6a, NRSV).
God is eternal, God is on His
throne, and when it is all said and done, God “the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning
and the end” will make all things new.
In our gospel of John lesson for this
morning, we once again have the story of Jesus resurrecting Lazarus from the
dead. Mary and Martha and many were greatly grief stricken over the death of
Lazarus, and Jesus wept over Lazarus’ death (Jn. 11:32-37, NRSV). Jesus then
raised Lazarus from the dead, after being dead for four days (Jn. 11:38-44,
NRSV). Jesus shows us that he has power over sin and death. Having this saving
knowledge of Jesus, we as saints, or saints in training ,can live freely and
boldly for Jesus Christ.
In closing this message for this
morning, I want to share with you some scriptures on saints, in light of this
our All Saints Sunday. It says in 1 Corinthians 1:2:
2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: (1 Cor. 1:2, NRSV).
It says in Romans 1:7:
7 To all God’s beloved in
Rome, who are called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:7, NRSV).
In Philippians 4:21-22:
21 Greet every saint in
Christ Jesus. The friends
who are with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, especially those
of the emperor’s household (Phil. 4:21-22, NRSV).
In the Book of Daniel, it says in 7:22:
22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. (Dan. 7:22, NKJV).
One last scripture is Colossians 1:12 that says:
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light (Col. 1:12, NRSV).
So, what is a Saint once again? A saint is:
“is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God”.
We are all saints, we are all saints in training. This means we are called live holy and righteous lives, knowing full well that we will all at times fail at this. We know that we have made mistakes, and that we all have done some pretty bone headed things in our lives. We are forgiven, if we turn to Christ, and when we fall and stumble, which we all will, we turn to Jesus and keep going. Saints are not perfect, but they are striving for holiness, righteous, and yes perfection. May we all strive to be saints. Happy All Saints Day. Amen.
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