Scriptures for Sunday, October 30th:
Sermon
Today we begin a four week journey where we explore baptism, the vows we take, the grace it provides, as a way to examine our own commitment as individual Christians and as a church. We are at the time of year where we are called to lay out a vision for the future of our congregation. We do this in several formats- through our charge conference, through a strategic planning meeting this Thursday, and through our commitment campaign that will culminate on November 20.
The fullness of that commitment can be found in two vows that we take during the baptismal process. The first is the vow we take as a congregation, and the second is the vow we take upon confirmation or upon joining the church.
Let's start with the congregational vow in baptism-
With God’s help we will proclaim the good news and live according to the example of Christ.We will surround these persons with a community of love and forgiveness, that they may grow in their trust of God, and be found faithful in their service to others.We will pray for them, that they may be true disciples who walk in the way that leads to life.
In other words, we make a significant commitment that should never be taken lightly- we are declaring that we hold ourselves responsible for creating the environment in which Elaina (the child we baptized during the service) here will grow. We are making a solemn vow to create the kind of loving atmosphere in our church, in our community, and in our world, that will enable Elaina to grow up trusting God so much that she too may seek to follow our Lord Jesus Christ in serving others.
Today’s scripture- of Joshua leading the Hebrew people across the Jordan, is one of the most important pivot points in scripture. The new generation of God’s chosen people are finally crossing into the promised land, but they can only do so because someone else has prepared the way.
I did not realize the significance of this story for today until I heard then Senator Obama speak in 2007 at the commemoration of the Selma Voting rights march. In 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led over 600 civil rights marchers to demand equal access to the ballot. The marchers were attacked by state and local police with billy clubs and tear gas.
So, on the 42nd anniversary of this “Bloody Sunday” march, Senator Obama said
“So I just want to talk a little about Moses and Aaron and Joshua, because we are in the presence today of a lot of Moseses. We're in the presence today of giants whose shoulders we stand on, people who battled, not just on behalf of African Americans but on behalf of all of America; that battled for America’s soul, that shed blood , that endured taunts and formant and in some cases gave -- torment and in some cases gave the full measure of their devotion.Like Moses, they challenged Pharaoh, the princes, powers who said that some are atop and others are at the bottom, and that's how it's always going to be. My very existence might not have been possible had it not been for some of the folks here today.”
That generation of civil rights workers endured considerable pain and even death to help to create the more just and kingdom centered world that we live in today. While we may not yet be at the promised land, we are significantly closer today because of their work.
The people of Israel made a very similar sacrifice for future generations. They dared to challenge Pharoah, to wander through the desert, to risk starvation to find a future in which their own children would be able to grow and blossom. But, as is often the case, they create a more just world through their blood, sweat and tears and pass long before they can ever experience it.
When that generation, and when Moses, passed away, it would have been almost natural for them to shrink back in fear and return to the desert. After all, who was this young upstart in Joshua, someone who had not paid his dues, to lead these people who had suffered so much? It had only been 30 days since Moses had died- how dare Joshua be so insensitive.
And really, was the desert so bad? They had survived for 40 years after all! And isn’t hanging on and surviving enough? Shouldn’t we be happy with that?
Have you ever seen a church, a family, or a person who has adopted that desert mentality? That all time, effort and energy is devoted to simply surviving? Of course, that is completely appropriate at times! If we cannot survive, how can we ever hope to be fruitful. A survival first mentality can help to preserve a person or a church through its darkest days. It ensures that there can be some vitality in the future when things improve.
The problem can come when its time to leave the desert. “Look- I survived this way for 40 years! Now you want me to change?!?! I know this works- I won’t die this way!”
That is sort of half true. You see, the Israelites had arrived at the Jordan before. And they got scared and turned back. And though that generation survived, they would die without seeing the promised land. Who knows what would have happened if they had refused to leave the desert once again. Eventually, even in survival mode, we all must pass away.
So, the people come face to face with the Jordan. And the river is raging. Scripture says it was overflowing the banks. Throughout the Hebrew Bible, water, especially raging water , stands in for chaos. So, the people who have survived in the desert must confront this teaming chaos to move forward. And they must do so led by this pip-squeek who has proved nothing!
And yet, they manage to shake their fears, to trust their new leader, to cross over! How do they do it?
They “Draw near and hear the words of the Lord your God.” We have a word for hearing the words of God- we call it prayer. Now that might seem a little odd, because we usually think of prayer as us saying things to God. But in its fullest sense, prayer is supposed to open us up to hear from God. That can come in many forms. For some, it might be a vision or an auditory message from God. This is what happens to Joshua. But, for most of us, this is not the form hearing from God takes. It is more subtle, it is the way that we feel calm after we make the right decision, it is the way we get excited about new ideas, and it is when we look back and can see in retrospect that the decision we made led to new life and new creation. For me, the most frequent way I feel like I can hear from God is in reading. Sometimes its scripture and I’m trying to train myself to read in such a way that I am more open to hearing from God in scripture, but often it is the works of other Christians who are sharing their understanding of God. That’s why we do the reading with the pastor series- I hope you get something out of it, but even more, I hope it creates a discipline through which I can learn to hear God.
How do you hear God? Is it with the Monday night prayer group? With a daily scripture reading? With a walk in the woods? With singing a favorite hymn? Its important, especially now, to try and determine how you best hear from God. Because today, we have an important commitment to make. We are declaring that we will listen to God to create the best place for Elaina here to grow and prosper. Its crucial that we listen to God as we try to envision this future, because after we hear from God- there is a second important step.
We need to get into the river and get muddy. Its orderly to keep surviving. Its messy to step into the chaos and seek new life. We are afraid we might get swept away. That we might sink into the mud. That rather than being filled with new life, that we might perish. But, my brothers and sisters, if we have truly listened to God, we can be assured that when we step forward in faith, we will find dry land. When you joined this congregation, you committed to faithfully participate in its ministries through prayer, presence, gift and service. As we remember our baptismal vows and as we commit to the future of the church, let us renew our commitment for listening to God through prayer. When we do that, we will find the dry land; we will find that God’s grace allows us to be reborn. And we will find that we are ready to nurture Elaina and all of the other members of her generation to create a world and a church in which they can prosper.
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