The Pastor’s Words

Text:  Acts 9:1-22
25 January 2009
Topic:  Ministries of Word and Deed
 
Life has a way of throwing us some curves.  Saul, a devout Pharisee, was busy rounding up Christians and delivering them to be tortured and killed, when one day, the Lord Jesus came to him in a vision saying, “Saul!  Saul!  Why are you [being] so cruel to me?”  (Acts 9:4b CEV) 
When this vision came to Saul, bright lights flashed, he fell down to the ground, and he must have closed his eyes.  Jesus then told Saul to get up and go into a city where he would be told what to do next. 
No doubt Saul thought, “This is a joke!  I’ll do no such thing!”  After all, he was a really powerful person and nobody messed with him.
And then, he opened his eyes.  But he couldn’t see.  This man, who earlier that day had people running away from him, now had to depend upon others to lead him around. 
By the grace of God, Saul allowed himself to be led into Jerusalem, and there, came to see and believe that Jesus was indeed the Son of God, and that Jesus had a plan for his life that would change the lives of countless others.
Today, we are remembering and giving thanks for Violet May Brenner, member of Good Shepherd her entire life.  Vi died ten days ago at Harrison House where she had been living for the last eight years. 
Vi was born in Coatesville, studied to became a nurse at the old Coatesville Hospital, went to live in Philadelphia where she worked at Lankenau Hospital as a nurse anesthetist.  And then, because of family concerns, moved back to Coatesville and worked at Embreeville State Hospital from which she retired in 1981. 
When she was able, Vi regularly worshipped with us and was the first one to show her appreciation for children who sang in choirs.  Violet, herself, sang in our adult choir, but she had a special place in her heart for children and she showed it.
In talking with Vi over the years, it was clear she had a strong faith, a faith that went with her to nursing school, a faith that went with her to Philadelphia, and a faith that sustained her when she returned to her home town. 
Violet prayed every day.  In my visits I would bring her the daily devotional, Christ in our Home, and if I didn’t get it to her on time, she told me about it.  In that devotional booklet, there is a scripture reading, a few paragraphs about the text, and a prayer.  She wanted that devotional by her side at all times.  And, at the end, she was content, and free, to go home to her Lord.
At her request, she didn’t have a funeral.  She said, “I’d just like to be remembered on a Sunday morning.  I only have a few cousins left who live in York.”  And so, today, we are remembering Vi.
Violet’s faith came to her because Saul, who became Paul, allowed himself to be lead by the Spirit of God.  Vi’s faith was given to her from those who had heard and received the Gospel message from those who had given it to them.  Our faith is the result of others who have willingly shared it.
When Saul was made blind, he was led to a house in Jerusalem, where for three days, he did not see, and did not eat, and did not drink. 
His entire life was changing, and he didn’t know it until Ananias came to tell him, “God has chosen you to tell foreigners, kings, and all kinds of people about God.”    “God also wants you to know that you are going to suffer because of your work.”   And, “God wants you to be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  (Acts 9:15-17  CEV)
To his credit, Saul listened.  To his credit, Saul gave up his IN-dependence, and became DE-pendent upon the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  To his credit, Saul believed in the God who gave His only Son to die on the cross. 
Scales fell from his eyes, he could see once again, and he began telling others about Jesus, the Son of God.
To reflect this drastic change in his life, Saul’s name was changed to Paul, and he became a missionary to the entire Mediterranean world.  His missionary endeavors took him all the way to Syria, to the towns of Ephesus, Colossae, and Thessalonica in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey), to Athens and Corinth (modern day Greece), to Sicily and Rome, and back to Jerusalem.
He worked day and night.  He encountered people who ran him out of town.   He was ship-wrecked and thrown into prison.  His life was threatened more than once.  And, still, he was able to say, “Jesus was kind to me and chose me to be an apostle so that people of all nations would obey and have faith.”  (Romans 1:5  CEV) 
His work and ministry almost 2000 years ago spread to Europe and Asia, and eventually across the seas to places like Coatesville, Pennsylvania.  Because of St. Paul, Violet May Brenner, and folks like you and me, have come to a life changing, life-renewing relationship with Jesus Christ and the Church.
St. Paul’s mission was to TELL people about Jesus, God’s Son.  But there are also OTHER WAYS to reach people with the Good News of Jesus Christ. 
Today, in the Czech Republic, in addition to the congregations which are already established, they have made a conscious decision to spread the Word of God through the servant ministries of the church.   In their post-communist society they have decided the best way to spread the Word of God to those who do not believe, or have never believed, is to serve them, show them the love of God through caring ministries and, if they ask, to tell them about the love and saving power of Jesus Christ.
Lutherans, in the Czech Republic where we visited earlier this month, believe their mission is to serve first, let the Spirit work through their diaconal work, and then, build a faith community around that.
Three weeks ago, we visited a home for battered women where the Lutheran church is reaching out to women who have been thrown out of their homes or had to flee for their lives from men who have hurt them badly.  Prayer is offered, but not made a prerequisite.
We visited a home for mentally challenged adults, people who otherwise wouldn’t have a home in which to live.  They give these people a chance at life.  They teach them rudimentary skills like rug making, pottery making, reading and cleaning skills.  Worship is offered, but not made mandatory.
We heard of their work with children who need love and care.  They serve these children and pray that through their serving, parents and others who see them love so unconditionally, will see the love of Christ and begin to see that God is real, God is active, God is alive and well, living in those who are serving without asking people for anything.
There is one message that the Church has been given, God loves us unconditionally.  It is a message that can be conveyed in a variety of ways.
Because of St. Paul, Violet Brenner heard the Good News of Jesus Christ through those who had been touched by the Spirit of God.  That same Spirit is working today in the servant ministries of the Lutheran Church in the Czech Republic.  And, by God’s grace, those who are being touched by those ministries will one day also come to a life renewing, life changing relationship with Christ and the Church. 
May God continue to bless all those who tell the Good News through word and deed.  AMEN
 

Text:  Mark 1:4-11
18 January 2008
Topic:  Inauguration
 
            As everyone already knows, the 44^th president of the United States will be inaugurated on Tuesday, January 20^th in Washington, D.C.  It will be a momentous day, not only for this nation, but for the entire world. 
While we were away, visiting family in France, friends in Norway, and Lutherans in the Czech Republic, in each of those locations, the people whom we were visiting, independently, and without any prompting on our part, offered, “We hope the very best for America, and for your new president.”
On Tuesday, along with the millions who will be gathering in the malls around Washington, D.C., and the millions who will gather in the warmth of their homes across America, the world will be watching with us.  There is great anticipation, hope and expectation for the man who will carry the title President of the United States of America in front of his name Barrack Hussein Obama. 
As the entire world has fallen victim to the recession – or is it a depression – the world is looking to the United States to remain a leader among all nations.  The world is looking to the president of the United States to be a positive force for peace and reconciliation in places where war is being waged.  The world is looking for someone who will stand up for justice, and side with those whose voice is barely heard.  The world is hoping someone will inspire confidence once again in the economy of this nation which in turn will feed the economies of the world.
And for a whole host of reasons, those hopes and dreams are falling upon the first African-American president this country has ever known.  To be sure, it is a huge burden, but a burden he is willingly accepting.
Let us pray for the safety of our new president.  Let us pray for his cabinet.  Let us pray for our congress.  And let us pray for good and righteous decisions to be made in the coming years. 
It is said, Mr. Obama will be inaugurated.  The definition of “inauguration” is to “induct into an office with suitable ceremonies, to observe formally the beginning….”  (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary ©1976 by Merriam) 
Our gospel reading for today features the inauguration of someone even more powerful, more influential, and infinitely more important than the president of the United States.  With very little ceremony and only a few bewildered spectators, Jesus was inaugurated as the Son of God.  With a voice from heaven, heard only by Jesus, but echoed in scripture for almost 2000 years, Jesus was proclaimed by God to be the Savior of the world.  It was an inauguration that surpassed anything we will see on Tuesday. 
It was an inauguration that literally changed the world.  Messiah had come.  The anointed One of Israel had arrived.  The Christ for all ages had entered human history.
Last Sunday, I was given the privilege of preaching to the Lutheran congregation in Karvina, Czech Republic.  Pr. Jan Cieslar presided over the worship.  His daughter, Esther, played the piano and organ, and led the congregational singing along with a vocalist and violinist.  It was a very upbeat service, with contemporary songs mixed in with traditional songs.  I recognized the tune of half the songs, but they were in the Czech language, so I could barely sing along.  Mostly, I hummed!
As I was worshiping in that small congregation last week, I had the following thoughts:  1) Only 20 years ago these very people were still dominated by the godless and officially atheistic Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, 2) The people who were worshipping in Karvina last week were old and young alike.  The older ones remember the communist days.  The younger ones have been told about it.  3)  All of them were there last week because they had chosen to be there.  And, they were free to do so!  4)  Their faith survived communism. 
Needless to say, I was moved by the experience of worshiping in a place where only a few short years ago it was professionally suicidal, if not personally dangerous, when you dared to worship with other Christians.
I preached about the baptism of Jesus.  I told them it is our baptism into Jesus Christ that makes us one with each other.  I told them we have people living in Coatesville whose ancestors came from villages where the mother tongue was Czech and Slovak, Russian and Polish, Italian and German, the English of Ireland, and more recently the English of Liberia. 
And that all of us, claimed and blessed in our baptisms into Christ, have found a unity in Christ that transcends our national origins.  That claimed and blessed in our baptisms into Christ gives us a mission and a ministry that enables us to reach out to those who are not currently baptized or enjoying the fellowship of Christians.  And they heard me say it is a mission there, even as it is a mission here.
The people of Karvina listened to me tell them we are one in Christ with them.  The people of Karvina heard me say that the Christians in Coatesville are united with them in knowing, living and sharing the Word of God.   They understood, that because of Christ, there is no dis-unity between or among us.
Barrack Obama is going to need the prayers of this nation.  If there is to be peace and justice in this world, he is going to need the support of all of us. 
But mostly, if there is to be peace and justice in this world, we are going to need the prayers and support of Christians everywhere, be that in Karvina, Czech Republic, in Soni, Tanzania, in Washington, D.C, or in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.  I can assure you, we have the prayers of Lutherans in Karvina.
God said, “Jesus, you are my own dear Son, and I am pleased with you.”  No greater affirmation can ever be given or ever received. 
You and I, in our baptism, received the title of CHRISTIAN.  It is a title greater than that of President of the United States.   Our title as CHRISTIAN is our affirmation, our foundation, our identity.  Our title as CHRISTIAN is our passport.  It is our visa.  It is our ticket home.
So, thanks be to God for the baptism of Jesus.  In it, God declared Jesus to be God’s Son.
Thanks be to God for OUR baptism.  In it, God declared us to be God’s child.
Thanks be to God for the affirmation we have from God who enables us to be bearers of peace and justice in the world. 
As we watch the inauguration on Tuesday, let us give thanks for all leaders, from all parties and all corners of this nation.  And let us pray that God will look kindly upon not only this nation, but the entire world, as together, we seek to care for all God’s children.  AMEN