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What we choose to do with the story of our lives, paints the window of influence for others, some of whom we may never get a chance to meet. The world often, for the disciple, doesn't offer any comfort or encouragement yet alone definition... The Truth is however, that we need direction. We need to hear, crave to hear, that voice calling out to our soul... where to next, God? Where do you truly need me to be? More often the world clouds out that inner light: What should we do, will it really matter? It takes opening that pulled down shade that is covering our hopefulness, shielding our hearts, to let the light of Christ paint over the grey of those dismal clouded skies, that bleak outlook and restore, renew it with a boundless blue.....
A couple of years back, there was a great TV series on
called Smallville. If anyone recalls it, it featured this song with the person
singing out: "Somebody save me!" We all need someone and God truly,
is the one who does the saving, though we often find ourselves lost in coming
to see, realize God's work right under our very noses! I’m sorry, but Peter was
hardly a rock and hardly someone we should have put on any kind of leadership
pedestal to carry on the mission of the Gospel. In my book, St. Paul is
the one who has truly proved to be that underdog "super hero" of the early
church.... His whole self, experienced God's call from his Old Natured role
into his New Nature reality!
The Apostle Paul was the first church planter. That’s something that perhaps we haven’t
spent enough time grasping the magnitude of his evangelical accomplishments in
that role. Church planting is tough
work. People have a hard time taking you
seriously. Some will say: “Oh, it’s a personal enterprise or your own business…”
Try dealing with those horrible online job applications… They make it near
impossible to “explain” your efforts… It
may not be said right to your face, but that’s what a lot of people think. This goes back though, to the chicken or the
egg theory. How can you have an
established community if it was never initially planted in the first place? Ok, let your jaw drop to the floor. That little church down around the corner was
started a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far way… NO not really, but it
had to begin somewhere?!
We have lost touch on appreciating the past yet alone
encouraging the efforts in this “post-modern” evangelical landscape those who
need to learn and experience planting a real, actual “church!” I’ve experienced church planting 3 times so
far, but how often is that appreciated yet alone for the fact of my being a
woman? Sadly, we’re supposed to be in
the early years of the 21st century, but, truth be told, there isn’t
even any funding available to a church planter, who is a woman… Trust me, I looked…
I sometimes wonder, if I put on a fake mustache and lower my voice… how would
that “enhance” and specialize or “legitimize” my ministry efforts?! This is just one reality of stumbling blocks
faced for those seeking to serve within the communal Body—Christ church.
All of today’s lessons weave a beautiful message of
reminder and encouragement that we are ALL called—internally and externally to
serve. Christ Jesus Himself, taught us that the path to true leadership is service
to others. John the Baptist, perhaps one
of my favorite “voices” to preparing our path to ‘coming to see’ the Lord said—“it
wasn’t about him that drove me to do what I needed to—it was God’s call upon me,
period.” In essence He felt in his heart
that God indeed planted objective and purpose in his soul for the mission to
evangelize… This gave his life true
meaning and purpose!
Speaking of meaning and purpose; Jesus saw potential in
us. This was because He could truly see
inside someone’s heart—that 1st church and how active and faithful
it is! That’s why those around Him at
the time as well as many of us today marvel that He renamed and encouraged
Peter to be and become the “rock” to His church. Let’s just say that, Peter was
not necessarily “ideal material” to become an evangelist yet alone as our Roman
brothers and sisters have honored him with—the 1st head of the
church in the world for the Gospel! His
three-time denial alone, would’ve gotten him crossed off the short list… Could you just imagine today, if any of the
disciples had to fill out one of those online application forms? I think most
of them would’ve gotten the algorithm’s ax! But this proves the magnificent
love of God to give everyone the chance and capacity to become a light to the
nations—out into that graceless wilderness of hostility and
misunderstanding! A graceless wilderness
that is in spiritual exile from daring to “blurt out” the Truth—we need someone
to save us!
We need someone to save us from ourselves—from our
politicking, grand-standing, violence and anger over a world we cannot control…
What we think we want to do, more often, is wrapped around the self, and
carries no true light outward into the world for a purpose God is seeking for
us to realize—one that is, beyond the self!
I was delighted the other day to be serving once again at the Blessing
Bench Pantry. I haven’t been able to engage in that ministry for quite a while. It was nice seeing friendly faces and catch
up on conversations. It was most
importantly empowering for me to be reminded about this 12 year plus journey of
answering God’s call. What was it that made me listen—to come and see; live
into a New Life Christ had planned for me? Was it because I didn’t feel
planted? My heart wasn’t fully grounded
in where I was before—I was lost, in that wilderness… Seeking someone to save me and give my life
New Meaning—LIGHT!
One of the joys I have had from my church planting
experiences is building those ministries.
I would love to create many opportunities for people to serve outside of
that “Sunday-only-mentality…” I would
love to have a food pantry in the next place God leads me to serve in. Not
having a building is a stumbling block BUT having the faith to move that
seeming mountain of challenges you need to work from and above—makes a world of
difference! That chicken before the egg
theory perplexes us here. How can you
plant a church if there is no “ground?”
That’s not true at all—there IS definitely ground there and the most
important one, as far as God is concerned: that ground is the heart!
Ministry can happen anywhere~ scary thought huh? Are we doing that? Have we been encouraged
to? Probably not too much… Facing the
facts of where the world is these days, things have to change, period. Human nature or the Old Nature hates change,
it’s unstable, insecure… let’s protest it instead. Let’s harbor judgment and anger towards our
neighbor instead of sitting down and working together—doing, accomplishing the
ministry of a life we were CALLED to lead!
Sometimes I don’t think we understand the whole purpose of community or “church”
at all. It is a place of sanctuary, or
sometimes seen as a place of “entertainment and feel-good activities…” It may been even seen as a ship passing in
the night, while we’re on the shores missing most of its message and motivation
upon us to BE and DO things together for a greater goal!
My friend and colleague in Finland amazes me, he, like I,
is engaged in the near full time ministry of “planting.” He unlike me, has the barrier of learning
Finnish to ground his missionary ministries over there. Speaking for myself, I want to take what I
have learned from creating, planting ministries (without the chicken or the egg)
and renew, restore churches abroad. Just
like John the Baptist though, the voice must never stop—gotta keep on preachin’
and teachin’ till all come and see the magnificence the Gospel has in store for
each and everyone of us, indiscriminately—internally and externally! God gave
each and everyone of us spiritual gifts to tap into—USE them! Incorporate them with that light needing to
break into your heart to empower you to serve! Here’s the “Epiphany” of this
week’s Gospel—the genesis of your New life is changing and challenging you to
grow and GO with the Good News.
I’ll leave you with one last reflection upon this past
week—where the Living Word reveals “little” but grand things to you… I was subbing for another spiritual caregiver
through Visiting Angels, the other day, who has shingles in her eyes…. Yikes! Anyway, the elderly man I was to watch over,
I came to find out, really just needs someone to help him come to church every
morning. He is a devout Roman Catholic.
Even before I was helping him to get ready to go, his daughter had a tablet set
up on the kitchen table for him to watch and listen to a church choir, while he
has his breakfast. In fact, throughout
their home, I was amazed how incorporated their lives were with their
faith. Beyond pictures of Jesus on nearly
every wall, there were books, videos and even lay ministry materials to be
found just about every surface you looked.
For this family, every day was incorporated with the Gospel! The more I came to know the family and their
grandfather, this was internal as well.
Not everyone has those same kind of markers that a pastor
dreams of seeing as the “fruits of their evangelism” to come and see—follow Jesus…
But when we truly begin to take those steps in coming to see, learn and grow
from Jesus, it’s a grand beginning. Even
if it seems just a very small step. What we do otherwise however, often places
measures, barriers, and judgments upon others. This is not how God sees the
world to transform in becoming. It is
not how God has called us. He has called
us to be His children of Grace and Promise, which is a two way street for our
response—our incorporation of His gifts into our everyday lives, which live
into our promise, through gracious behavior and ministry to our neighbor.
Let us Pray,
Loving and Gracious God
Help us to become lights of the Gospel’s truth to the
world
Save us from ourselves—our self-concerned objectives and
purposes
Help us to reap our spiritual gifts to bear gracious
fruit
Where we realize Your calling upon our hearts
And answer, finding genuine meaning—peace and Joy
For Your love and glory
AMEN
January 15th,
2017; Second Sunday after the Epiphany; Year A; SOLA Lectionary
Sermon by:
Reverend Nicole A.M. Collins
Psalm 40:1-11;
Isaiah 49:1-7; 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42
Below is the link to this sermon's delivery at the 8am Grace Hub's service
https://youtu.be/KPa-VlqdxVM
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