So I did something a little nontraditional for a sermon on Sunday. I knew writing my sermon that it would be a low attendance Sunday since it was the 5th of July and multiple people told me they would not be there due to trips to visit family in other states or things of that nature. So with that in mind, I decided to start with a very traditional sermon but then lead the group into a breakout session to discuss where they see mission in our community, and what are some missions, or at least some problems that they see everyday, and would possibly like to address. Three out of the four groups discussed various issues due to housing being ridiculously expensive. Below is the traditional part of the sermon. I didn't write out the discussion leading portion since that would vary depending on who showed up and what those discussions were. I'll let you know what feedback I get from that style of sermon, good or bad - either way it was something different.
We are a mission congregation! We are a mission congregation! Our congregation, all of us, are called to mission. As Christians each and every one of us is called to mission, just like those disciples.
Jesus called them, the disciples, sent them out in sets of two to preach his message, proclaim repentance, cast out demons, and heal the sick. But just like us at Bethlehem or any small church, the mission is not easy. There is not enough money, not enough people, not enough resources. The disciples were told not to bring money, food, or extra clothing with them along their journey. They had what they had on them, which I’m sure many of the disciples did not think was enough. If they had more money they could stay at an inn and shower and at least look presentable to the people they were preaching to. Or with more money they could build fancy displays or buildings to attract people. If they went in larger groups they could gather larger crowds. With extra clothes they could have both traveling clothes and preaching clothes so that they can look the part.
Does any of this sound familiar? With more money we could fix up the church (even though a new roof was just put up this week), get a better Sunday school curriculum, afford more staffing, the list goes on and on. With more people we could attract more visitors and grow, or have an actual property, education or service committee and those responsibilities would not fall to just one or two people.
But regardless of how much money is in the bank or how many people are in the pews to some there will never be enough money or enough people to do all that their hearts desires. The disciple thought they did not have enough time, money, people or resources to preach Christ’s message but yet large crowds gathered with them to see Jesus. And as we have celebrated our nation’s birth this weekend, it is easy to forget that many of this country’s founding leaders thought they did not have enough time, money, people or resources to fight the British, to fight for democracy and freedom that we hold so dear today.
But to God with the __ of us gathered here today and with what ever resources we have, whether they you consider us under funded, over funded or adequate, to God we are perfectly suited and capable to do God’s mission in this world. We are called to love, serve and care for our neighbors. We are called to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and support the orphaned and widowed. We are called just like those disciples to go out and preach Christ’s message to all the world. We called to do these things not because we want to win souls for heaven, or so that we can gain brownie points with God to make sure we are able to go to heaven. No we are called to do these things, we want to care love and serve our neighbors, because Christ’s message of love and grace is so overwhelming that it becomes abnormal not to share Christ’s love and grace with others through our actions.
We are part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Evangelical means to preach, to share, to spread the good news. It is the good news of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection that we are called to share. It is the good news about God’s unending and undeserved grace and mercy that has been poured out upon us through the waters of baptism and delivered to us through the bread and wine of communion. It is the good news about the Holy Spirit who lives inside all of our hearts and minds and is with us every day, every hour, every minute, every second of our lives.
We all are called to share this message with our community, with our neighbors, both in our backyard in Georgetown and throughout the world. We are called to share this message though caring, loving and serving those in need. And Bethlehem does just that, through the various collections for Redding Social services or backpack and health care kits sent to Lutheran World Relief. Through sending money to the synod and churchwide offices, we have helped people in need through the world, that money has gone towards feeding people in Africa and South America, childcare for family in need, seminary, college and elementary educations, and the list of how that money has helped people goes on and one.
But we can do more, we are called to do more. So I have a challenge for you. I know there are needs that many of us see each and everyday of our lives. We see people who are sick, hungry, dying, homeless, uneducated, or otherwise in need. People who are on the margins of society, who have been left behind or held back by society while the rest of the world has gone on around them. There are members of the congregation who have seen those needs yet are reluctant to speak up for fear. Fear that there is not enough money, people or resources in order to meet the needs of others. So here is my challenge, right now in worship, let us take some time to address those missions. What are we being called to do? How do you hope that we can love, care for and serve our neighbor?
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