SERMON NOTES FOR PENTECOST
IV
May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable in thy sight, my Strength
and my Redeemer.
In the reading today from
Isaiah, they saw God’s provision under the imagery of a mother’s milk that
would extend peace as freely flowing as a river (vv.11-13). These verses speak
of the maternal images of nursing and nurturing which, on the large scale of an
overflowing river, can console even a nation. “For thus says the Lord:
I will extend prosperity to her
like a river,
and the wealth of the nations
like an overflowing stream;
and you shall nurse and be
carried
on her arm,
and dandled on her knees” (v. 12)
As a mother comforts a
child, so God promises to comfort the people. And this will take place within
In Psalm 66, we read of
joyful thanksgiving, deliverance, and hope: “you are the hope of all the ends
of the earth, and of the farthest seas” (v. 5). We, too, give thanks for the
Divine faithfulness, because God stands ever ready to listen to believing
hearts. Believing hearts are listening hearts.
In all of his letters, Paul
declares to his converts that their salvation is a gift to them from God. This
is especially true in Galatians. He then tells what people must do about the
gift they have received. Part of what must be done occurs in relationships
within the community. Verse 2 speaks of “bearing one another’s burdens”.
Christians must take responsibility for themselves. “A man reaps what he sows”
(v. 7). So believers must not tire of doing what they are called to do; they
must show helpful care for everyone, especially for fellow Christians. This is
Christ’s way.
In today’s Gospel from
Luke, Jesus is sending out disciples in a wider group of seventy. There is a
sense of urgency, for there is an abundant harvest, but the laborers are few.
They are told that any village which refuses their message brings God’s
judgment upon itself. Whether a place accepted or rejected the disciples, the
message was to be the same.
In verse 18, Jesus’ vision
of Satan being ejected from heaven represents God’s liberating mercy that,
through the power of Christ, delivers humanity from the effects of sin,
disease, and death that had held them captive. This assurance carries forward
to our own time. Whenever the Christian community as a whole genuinely directs
Divine power to human need, evil is driven from its strongholds and deprived of
its power to enslave.
The need for laborers means
that all of Jesus’ followers must
share in preparing the way of the Lord. That is what is called the Ministry of
the Baptized. Thus the Gospel for today may serve as a charter for the ministry
of the laity. As a deacon, my mission is to bring the love of Christ to “those
among whom I live, and work, and worship” and “to interpret to the Church the
needs, concerns, and hopes of the world.” I am to do this by “word and
example.” (BCP p. 543) These are my ordination vows.
We affirm that the power of
the Holy Spirit which we received in
Baptism and Confirmation is given us for a purpose. Have you ever noticed where
the service of Holy Baptism is placed in the Book of Common Prayer? It is
directly in front of the service of
Holy Eucharist. I believe there is a reason for that. Within the Baptismal
Covenant, we are each asked, “Will you proclaim by word and example the Good
News of God in Christ?” (I will, with God’s help); “Will you seek and serve
Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?”; “Will you strive for
justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?” Just as the disciples carried with them the Spirit of Christ, so we are
commissioned to follow him. Thereby we allow him to work in us in such a way
that his voice becomes audible to the world, in saving power and love.
Evangelism is often seen as
the sole responsibility of the clergy. We cannot do it alone for if so, the
masses will be deprived of the good news. The eager witness and service of all of the Lord’s disciples is required
before those to whom they are being sent will believe that there is a
Our Presiding Bishop,
Katharine Jefferts Schori, in her best seller, “A Wing and a Prayer: A Message of Faith and Hope”, talks about
total ministry. “Ministry grows out of the Body of Christ…If it’s going to be
effective ministry, it has to recognize the connectedness of that Body, and
express that awareness in collaboration.” She emphasizes that we “need leaders
in the church-and I insist that every baptized person is a Christian leader
somewhere- who know how to lay down their lives for others.” I love her
statement, “We need people who know how to give themselves and their ministries
away.” She describes an old theological term, kenosis, that means emptying…”often used in reference to God becoming
human.” She believes “If we are made in the image of God, it should
characterize our being as well. Our ministry needs to be kenotic.” I believe
she wants us to empty ourselves by giving ourselves to others in service.
The genuine witness that we
give of Christ and Christ’s work is proclaiming the truth as it has been
distilled through the experience of the believing community, or as it has been
given to us directly through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This witness
(work) is not simply a matter of words, or even of others hearing what we say.
Our chief witness is always who we are.
It involves the living of our lives in such a manner that others can see the
reality of Christ, even while we ourselves are unaware of the full power of
that reality and its effect.
From Romans 12, “Just as
each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have
the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member
belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace
given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his
faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it
is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of
others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern
diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully” (vv 4-8). And
from verse 12-14 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” We are all part
of the same body of Christ, each with different gifts to offer.
Today after we receive the
Body and Blood of Christ, we will say together one of the post communion
prayers, “Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and
courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart.” or “And
now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and
serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.” After the blessing by the
priest, the deacon dismisses the congregation, “Go in peace to love and serve
the Lord.” Now your work as the laity is just beginning; to serve Christ
through others during the week until
we gather together again.
Our ministry to serve is
where there are needs in a hurting world; our ministry is outside the church’s
walls away from Nativity. I now ask you, “How are you personally called to
“proclaim by work and example the Good News of God in Christ” as expressed in
our Baptismal Covenant in our Book of Common Prayer?
A Prayer for the Church in
Its Visiting Ministry
Father, you sent forth your
Son saying, “Comfort ye, Comfort ye my people.” Your Son sent us forth saying,
“In as much as ye have cared for the least of my brethren, you have done so
unto me.”
Teach us to take your
presence within our lives seriously. Teach us that when we walk beside those
who would otherwise be alone, our feet leave your footprints. Teach us that you
wish to touch with our fingertips, and use our voices to carry your comforting
words.
Make us so that when in the
presence of sorrow or need, we feel compassion well up within like deep waters
seeking the surface of a dry land, aware that the fount of that well is your
own searching love. You care within our caring. Now remind and encourage us to
take that care into the lives of those who need it most.
Amen
(The Rev. Clifford S.
Graves, taken from Bedside Manners: A
Practical Guide to Visiting the