CELEBRATING:
SERMONS
"The Cost of Faith"
Aug 10th
Texts: Psalm 139; Luke
9:51-56 A sermon by Edith McLellan
When I began to write today's message I looked back
into the past to hear how Jesus spoke to his disciples
about their future, and the work they were to carry
on when he would no longer be with them. He spoke of
the cost of faithfulness, of decisions, and even danger
in their future work. I compared that time of decision
and tension to this church for here in our congregation,
we have known confusion, and change and what is most
important, we do have real hope for the future. The
past-as it comes to us in the Scriptures is useful to
remind us of what has gone before, to help us in our
future here at Shaughnessy.
Jesus began his ministry with a clear purpose in mind.
It was to share his vision of the Kingdom of God, and
he modeled that vision by his words, his actions, by
his whole life. It was his single-minded intention.
In Jesus we see a man who planned what he said and did,
deliberately. We are seeing a person who was to get
into serious trouble in Jerusalem- but a man who even
at a most dangerous, crucial turning point - " set his
face resolutely toward Jerusalem".
This is the only time Jesus spoke directly about tolerance-
a quality we each need as we make decisions for ourselves
and our futures. We read the story about Jesus and the
disciples travelling through the land of the Samaritans-using
the most direct way back to Jerusalem. Most Jews avoided
this route because of the centuries-old quarrels between
the two peoples- but Jesus did not. Once again Jesus
extended his hand in friendship to the Samaritans. When
the zealous brothers, James and John, saw that Jesus
was not offered any hospitality by the Samaritans ,
they were angry, and threatened to bring in divine help
to blot out the whole village!! We hear Jesus remind
them that they were to be tolerant toward any one who
thought differently than they did, as we must also be
tolerant, -for no person, no church, has a monopoly
on the truth. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism,
said "I have no more right to object to a man for holding
a different opinion from mine, any more than I have
to differ from that man because he wears a wig, and
I wear my own hair!
Surely Jesus would have been very sad. He was nearing
the end of his ministry with these followers - who had
traveled so far with him, and they still did not know
what Jesus meant- when "love of neighbor " had been
so often shown and taught! If Jesus could speak to us,
he would tell us to respond- to not lose that moment
to say something helpful, , to act when some reaction
or help is needed, to look ahead so we will not lose
some special opportunity . That insight is important
for us in the church- to be clear about our ideas, our
energies, our strengths and limitations, and our future
possibilities. The problem is not so much with our freedom
to make decisions, as it is with our faithfulness in
making our decisions!
And, for us here on West 33rd Avenue- there have been
crucial times. There are costs for us, important decisions
to make, changes to consider, just as there are costs
and decision times in our daily lives- in our relationships
within our families, with our partners, and our children,
where we need to talk and hear one another in order
to bring about tolerance and understanding .There are
costs when we decide how we use our time and energy
and money if we are to be involved in our church or
community. We all know about the costs of faith and
faithfulness in our own lives.
There are many stories of the people of Norway- as
they faced the invasion of that county in the l940's!
Danger everywhere, and things looked hopeless . One
story was about a member of the resistance, who asked
himself what to do- should he go underground to fight
the Nazis? He wrote to his Mother -"this is not the
time for me to desert my faith- this is a time to be
dangerously faithful!!"
We are fortunate people- we may have a great times
with good friends- a meal away from one's own kitchen-
a good game of bridge; a wonderful musical offering;
times of pleasure and joy. But do we ever think of the
joy that is here in our church when we gather together
here and can see what God has been able to accomplish
through faithfulness, where lives have been changed,
where healing has taken place? How will we, as a church
Family, take more seriously what discipleship means,
- what kind of servants are we to be here in this new
term to come- with new work to do; committees members
found to carry on the church's responsibilities; new
decisions to make; new relationships to build;- and
in faith, to allow the Holy Spirit to use every one
of us?
I often reread the passage from the 5th Chapter of
Galatians, which gives us the best measure for evaluating
our Spiritual life. Paul wrote "if we live by the Spirit
let us also be guided by the Spirit"- and he lists the
"Fruits of the Spirit" that may be ours- love, joy,
patience, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility
and lastly, self control. Paul also wrote that if the
love of God is present, all these nine gifts may be
ours as well, for they all are the colors in the rainbow
of love!.
Dr. Thomas Hilton -at one time at the Princeton School
of Theology, told a story about a Minister who wanted
to find a way to mark his Congregation's twenty-fifth
anniversary. At last he had an idea! One of his minister
friends had preached the longest sermon on record- so
why should he not preach the shortest sermon ? It sounded
easy, but it wasn't!
Making a sermon short was hard, even with all the suggestions
he received from his church members! He was snowed under
with suggestions! People stopped him on the street-
even a girl in the food market- not a member of the
church, had a suggestion. On "shortest -sermon" Sunday,
it was raining hard but that didn't keep the crowd from
packing the little church -to see him enter the pulpit
-to spread his arms to the gathered folk- waiting to
hear that single meaningful word! What was it? "LOVE".
For us, as we gather together, worship together, serve
together, may we go on together aware of the greatest
of those fruits of the Spirit- Love!
Amen
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Shaughnessy Heights United Church
congregation is a Christian faith community respecting
each other in our diversity and reaching out to all
who seek God’s love.
1550
West 33rd Avenue,
Vancouver, BC V6M 1A7
Canada SEE
MAP
Tel:
604-261-6377
Email: admin@shuc.ca
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