The Pastor’s Words

Reformation Sunday 2009
Text:  Romans 3:19-28
25 October 2009
Topic:  Salvation is a Free Gift
 
My father grew up in the farmlands of Nebraska and attended Bethany Lutheran church just outside Axtell, Nebraska.  The worship services were conducted in Swedish since that was the heritage of that community.
My father graduated from high school, went off to college in Minnesota, to Gustavus Adolphus College, a college started by a Lutheran Swedish immigrant pastor.  Upon graduation he felt a call to the ordained ministry and sought to enroll in – you guessed it – the Swedish Lutheran Augustana Seminary in Rock Island, Illinois. 
But he had a problem.  As a child, in the 1920’s, back in rural Nebraska, he had attended the funeral for baby that had not been baptized and observed that the baby was not allowed to be buried in the Lutheran Church cemetery located next to the church.  He couldn’t understand why.  The deceased baby was buried instead, outside the fence of the cemetery, or, in the words of my father, “The baby was buried in the dingleweeds beyond the fence.”
So, when he visited the seminary in Rock Island in 1938, he asked the question, “Is it still the policy of the Swedish Augustana Synod to bury unbaptized people outside the consecrated ground of an Augustana synod church’s cemetery?  And the answer he received was, YES.  He was told, “Unbaptized people are outside the grace of God and are at the mercy of God.”
That settled it.  My father decided to attend a Methodist seminary instead and became a Methodist pastor and served for 15 years before he eventually returned to the Lutheran church and became a Lutheran pastor for another 15 years.
Just for the record, this law about burying unbaptized people outside consecrated Lutheran cemeteries no longer applies.   Enlightened people, who didn’t think churches should be limiting the grace of God, saw the error of this policy and changed it.
My point in telling this story is that history is important, and church history is especially important, particularly on this Sunday, Reformation Sunday.  Because, sometimes, really important issues need to be addressed.
This was the case in the days and times of Martin Luther, a Roman Catholic monk, who lived in the 16^th Century in the country we now call Germany.  But at the time it was part of the Holy Roman Empire and was governed by princes and dukes who were civil servants owing their allegiance to the Pope in Rome.
This “marriage” between Church and state created a very difficult circumstance for the administration of Holy Baptism.  It was the Church’s teaching that there was no salvation for anyone who was not a member of the Church.  Therefore, it was the law that every child born in the Empire was required to be baptized as soon as possible, as early as eight days after birth.  And this law had the support of the civil authorities.  The punishment for NOT having your child baptized was to be ostracized by not only the Church but also by the townsfolk who would surely keep themselves away from anyone who was breaking the “law of the land,” and clearly not “of God.”
Martin Luther questioned these teachings about salvation and these practices with regard to baptism.   He questioned the teaching that the Church held the keys to both heaven and hell.  And he questioned whether the Church could even make any pronouncements about who was going to heaven or hell anyway.  Wasn’t that God’s decision?  Wasn’t salvation a gift from God, free from anything or anyone who might encumber it on earth?
Luther was convinced, through his reading of Holy Scripture, that we are saved by God’s grace through faith alone.  When he read the book of Romans, and in particular our second lesson for today, he read, “We see that people are acceptable to God because they have faith, and not because they obey the law.”  (Romans 3:28 CEV)  And earlier in that same chapter, Luther had read, “God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins.”  (Romans 3:24 CEV).
Luther noted that nothing was said about the Church in these texts.  From this, Luther concluded, we are saved by grace through faith alone.  Nothing was said about baptism or being a member of the Church.  Salvation, he read, is a free gift from God.  This put him at odds with the Church and ultimately led to his excommunication, and the beginning of a “protesting” or protestant church.
In Luther’s quest to understand how we are saved, he was led to study baptism. 
He read what Jesus said about baptism in Matthew’s gospel.  On his last day on earth, Jesus said, “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.”  (Matthew 28:20)  So, Luther concluded, baptism is essential.
He also read in Romans chapter 6, “When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ.  We were baptized , so that we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father.”  (Romans 6:4 CEV)    
And so, because Christ died and was raised to new life as a free gift from God, Luther was able to say, “To be baptized in God’s name is to be baptized not by human beings but by God….Although [baptism] is performed by human hands, it is nevertheless truly God’s own act.”  (Luther’s Large Catechism - Baptism)  It is God’s pure grace bestowed upon us, freely and abundantly.
Luther’s quarrel with the Church in his day was not with baptism per se, but with the Church’s teachings about salvation.  The Church said you cannot be saved without being a member, and the only way that could happen was through a Holy Roman Empire baptism. This kept people thoroughly within the grasp of the Church and the civil authorities because baptism was mandated for everyone – whether they wanted it or not. 
Luther argued that our relationship with God is between us and God.  The Church’s role is to point us to God, to show us God’s grace, to be a vessel for God, to administer the sacraments, but not to pretend to be the gatekeepers of heaven and hell.  That’s God’s job. 
And the civil authorities?  Well, they should stay out of it altogether which made Luther one of the earliest proponents of the separation of church and state.
History tells us that the Church, at one time, held too much power over people, and, in some cases, still does.  History tells us that Lutheran churches, like the one my father grew up in, and Roman Catholic churches, like the one Martin Luther grew up in, sometimes got in the way of letting God’s grace to flow freely. 
History urges us ask important questions about church, about faith, about salvation, about baptism, and how we put all of it into practice. 
And so today, when we look at our church, at our faith and what it teaches, sometimes we need to change some things, to make it more real, to make it more faithful, more accessible, less restrictive.  History would urge us to pay attention to the details of life and faith, because it all matters.
Thank God for a monk named Martin Luther who helped us see that our salvation was won freely for us by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a gift that is marvelously, abundantly, and freely demonstrated for us in the gift of Holy Baptism.   May we come to learn more fully what it means to be buried with Christ in baptism and freely raised to new life.  AMEN
 

Text:  Mark 10:35-45
18 October 2009
Topic:  Free Lord and Dutiful Servant
 
There are some in life who just do their job and don’t look for any special recognition.  And then, there are others who do one good thing and expect the world to stop and take notice.  We are drawn to the first and repulsed by the second.
This past week, Becky Sweigart, at age 50, died and was laid to rest.  Cancer took her life, but that didn’t stop her from continuing to give to others, right up until the end.
Last Sunday, the day before she died, a friend of hers from school stopped by to say goodbye.  Becky wasn’t very strong and couldn’t really respond so very well.  So, he began by telling her what a wonderful person she was, how she had helped so many people, how the cheerleaders at Coatesville High School had benefited from her coaching, that the people with whom she worked really liked being around her. 
Becky didn’t react to a thing he was saying.  The friend couldn’t quite figure it out.  He thought she’d like to know that her life had counted for something, that her life had really mattered to others.  But then he realized, Becky didn’t do anything for recognition.   She didn’t do all those wonderful things he had just mentioned because she wanted some kind of prize.  No, she was just Becky being Becky and her life was devoted, purely and simply, to caring for others.
Just then, her friend broke down and started crying.  With that, Becky became alert, her eyes caught his eyes, and, from her death bed, expressed concern for him.  She reached out to comfort her friend, and he was changed.  He realized the real secret to her life, that her joy was found in giving to others.
About 500 people came to Becky’s viewing on Wednesday night here at church.  And then, about 300 more people showed up for her funeral the next day, again at church.  Becky did simply her job in life, didn’t look for any recognition, just kept giving and caring and sharing.  And people took notice.
In the gospel for today, James and John, two of Jesus disciples asked Jesus if, when Jesus got to heaven, they could have special recognition given to them.  I’m not sure what James and John thought they’d done to deserve this special recognition.  There’s nothing in scripture to suggest they had done anything more than all the others.  But, obviously, in their minds, they thought they deserved special recognition and were brazen enough to ask for special places in heaven from Jesus.
Now, what’s curious is that when the other ten disciples heard what James and John had done, they were furious with James and John.  It doesn’t say why they were furious.  It could have been because they thought they were brazen and should have been more humble.  But, I wouldn’t put it past the other ten to have been upset because they didn’t think of asking Jesus before James and John did!
We’ll never really know what was on the minds of the other disciples, but, we DO know what Jesus said to James and John.  He said, “It’s not for me to say who will sit at my right side or at my left.  That is for God to decide.”  (Mark 10:40  CEV) 
And then, he went on to say, “You know, if you want to be great, you must be the servant of others, and if you want to be first, you must be everyone’s slave.”  He went on to say about himself, “The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue many people.”  (Mark 10:43-45 CEV) 
Jesus gave the disciples and us a pattern for how to live as Christians.
500 years ago Martin Luther wrote a treatise on Christian liberty called “The Freedom of the Christian.”  In that document, he said that human beings have two natures, one spiritual and one bodily.  The spiritual nature is our soul, renewed and saved by Christ’s body and blood shed for us.  Our spiritual nature is made whole and free, saved for all eternity as a gift from God, prompting Luther to say, “The Christian is a free lord of all, subject to no one.   As Christians our soul is free.  Our future is assured.
On the other hand, Luther observed that human beings live bodily on this earth.  We are mere mortals and are subject to all kinds of stress and distress.  We are prone to follow our fleshly desires and care only for ourselves, and the good things we do on this earth are sometimes done only because we are trying to get some kind of recognition.
To counteract our fleshly desires of caring only for ourselves, Luther said, “A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to everyone.”  As Christians, he said, we should celebrate our freedom in Christ by serving others.
I am reasonably certain that Becky Sweigart would not want us to put her on some kind of pedestal and talk of her in glorified terms.  That would be contrary to her nature. 
But, there is a reason why so many people came to her funeral.  Becky understood that humbly serving others, humbly caring for others, and humbly giving to others was THE way to live.  James and John, in the gospel reading, just couldn’t fathom this, and sadly, many others don’t either. 
Today, eight of our young people are receiving their first Holy Communion.  In that meal, they will be receiving the forgiveness of sins, the presence of Christ throughout their lifetime, and the promise of eternal life.  They will be assured of their place in heaven.  And so, they are free in Christ to enjoy their special status in the eyes of God making them “perfectly free lords of all, subject to no one.”
They will also come to realize that Christ, in the waters of baptism, calls them into loving service of others.  They will come to realize that Christ, who truly comes to them in, with, and under the forms of bread and wine, will fill their lives with opportunities to care for the needs of others.  They will learn what James and John learned in our gospel today, “If we want to be great, we must be servants of others.”  Again, as Luther said, while on this earth, “A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to everyone.”
As baptized children of God, we are free lords of all, saved for eternity.  And, as baptized children of God, we are servants of all, doing the work of God with our hands.   AMEN
 

11 October 2009
Topic:  Jesus Listens
 
Jesus listens.  That’s the theme of my sermon.  That’s the sum and substance of what I want to say.  It’s that simple.
In a time when people don’t listen, it’s very re-assuring to know that Jesus DOES!  At times, I am chief among the sinners who doesn’t do a very good job of listening.  There are people here this morning who will attest to this.  Truth be told, when I listen, I do a good job of listening, but, I am not ALWAYS a good listener.   Maybe you’re the same as me.
When you read the newspapers or watch TV we can see plenty of examples of people not listening to one another.  Over the last three months, Democrats and Republicans in Harrisburg spent 101 days not listening to one another.  Finally, when they did listen to each other, they were able to complete a budget and got it signed.  Now, a whole lot of people will get paid, state programs can be funded, and the pain caused by people not listening will be dissipated.
People are getting the H1N1 flu.  Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown has been closed because of it.  It is documented that people get the flu by not washing their hands and being around people who are coughing or sneezing into the air around them.   Do people listen?  Well, not always.  People don’t always wash their hands when they should, and we certainly see people not using tissues when coughing or sneezing.   If we don’t listen, there will be consequences.
In your home, and at your work, you can cite any number of times and issues about which people do not listen.  For a whole variety of reasons, people don’t always listen, or listen well.  And sometimes, the consequences for not listening are dire.
In today’s gospel reading, Jesus listened.  As he was walking down the road one day, a man ran up to him and asked Jesus a question.  Now, Jesus could have kept walking, ignored the man, and basically turned a deaf ear to him, but he didn’t.  He stopped his journey, engaged the man in a conversation, and listened to his concerns.
We’ve all felt the pain and separation that comes with being ignored, and not listened to.  When it happens it makes us feel unwanted, sometimes used, and even abused. 
Listening is a gift we can give to everyone.  Listening presumes the other people around us matter.  Listening can be a bridge between people.  Listening can be a healing agent.
For the man who had come to see Jesus, listening was his entrée into a deeper conversation with Jesus.  Now, as we read further in the gospel reading, the man may not have been too pleased with what Jesus said, but, he had to admit, Jesus listened to him.
In verse 21 of the gospel, it says, “Jesus looked closely at the man.”  It goes on to say, “Jesus liked the man.”  (Mark 10:21  CEV)  
We have every reason to believe that if we had been that man who came up to Jesus that day and asked him a question, Jesus would have stopped, looked us right in the eyes, and yes, he would have immediately would have liked us, because, he knows each and every one of us has been made in God’s image.  How could he not listen to one of God’s own children?  The really Good News is that Jesus loves us – each of us, all of us, and he listens.
Today, we are installing seven new Stephen Ministers.  They will be following the nine others from last year who were trained and installed at Stephen Ministers.  These folks have spent 50 hours learning how to listen, how to care for others, how to pray openly and out loud, and to be what Stephen had become in the Book of Acts, a layperson trained and set apart for a caring ministry to those who needed it most.  (Acts 6:1-7) 
Stephen Ministers are lay people, members like all of you, who normally sit in the pew and sing and pray just like you.  They have families and needs.  They have jobs and time constraints and bills to pay.  They are regular folks who also happen to have felt a call to ministry, a ministry to people who are experiencing grief, divorce, loneliness, job loss, hospitalization, and many of life’s other difficulties.
Stephen Ministers are going to do what Jesus did for the man in our gospel for today, they are going to listen, and listen, and listen, and respond with the Gospel as they know it and share it in the ways they have been trained to share.
Thank God for Jesus who listened.  Thank God for Stephen Ministers who listen.  Thank God for those who are already care givers, and for those who are being set apart as care givers, for there are a whole lot of people out there who are waiting to be care receivers.
Jesus listens.  Jesus wants to hear from us.  Pray.  Scream.  Cry.  Let Jesus know of your concerns.  He will listen.  That’s a promise.   And if you want a Stephen Minister, just let us know.  We have seven new people ready to listen.  AMEN