Sermon

Itches and Challenges

Acts 5: 33-39

Many of us have witnessed unbelievable historic changes in this country over the years. Even the young have witnessed seismic changes. Some witnessed a great depression, wars around the globe, troubled economies, a scary day of airplanes being flown into the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon. We also witnessed civil rights legislation that empowered the children of former slaves to finally become full citizens of their country. We see women breaking many of the glass ceilings that always treated men better than women and kept women as second class citizens.

We have seen administrations come and go at the national level. We saw an impeachment vote for a President for only the second time in history. We saw a President resign in shame following a scandal called Watergate.

We have seen movements that shook history and shaped our world. Certainly the civil rights movement changed the country forever. Years earlier a movement by women to gain the right to vote addressed another inequality that we had tolerated even as we proclaimed all people are equal.

In many instances the church was in the forefront of those historic movements. Our prophetic voice kept calling to a nation to live out the reality we so proudly proclaimed in our documents.

So this week history will be made again. Just think, years ago – a black preacher took up the cause of a woman who was denied a seat on a bus. He kept calling for the nation to address its ills, pleading for non-violence, pleading for a day when all of us would catch a vision of the new Jerusalem, calling for church people to live faithfully in the world.

In truth, God invites us to begin a new journey of faith every day. We are constantly being invited to see what possibilities God might have for us both as individuals and as a nation. It is an exciting and challenging time in history.

Watching all of the events on television reminded me of the evening of my high school baccalaureate service. The guest speaker was the president of a church-related college. He was well-known and greatly respected and when he stood up to speak it was obvious we were fortunate to have this college president address our high school class.

“Students,” he said, “you stand at the threshold of a new age, with possibilities that once were only dreams.” I felt the excitement. After all, I was soon to step out into the world and see for myself all these possibilities.

“The future is unlimited. You can be and do whatever you will. The world waits to see some philosopher, mathematician, or scientist.” I felt sort of “itchy” as I saw all the acclaim awaiting as I stepped into the world.

“Within this class,” he went on, “is perhaps some future president who will save us from wars and destruction; some future scientist who will unlock keys to the universe. The stars await your conquest.”

By now, my friends, I was in all truth so itching that I could hardly sit still.

There is a reason I remember that event so well. You see, when I went in to take off my senior robe, I found that I was indeed itching. During that service, wearing that hot robe, I, a graduating senior had broken out with the measles.

A lot of years have passed since that evening in that high school auditorium. The measles were soon gone, but not the itch to be involved in the issues that confront us. It is an itch that keeps itching. It is a longing to be a part of the answers to the hurts and pains of humankind and, hopefully, not to be a part of making the hurts and pains worse.

I wonder, what are the dreams of this generation? What are the deep down in their guts hopes and fears? I believe we must dare to dream boldly. We who know the certainty of death must dream of those things (and do them) which give life meaning and purpose.

The world cries for justice and peace; people long to be reconciled across the lines of race and nationality and political differences. Humanity cries out against powers and principalities that constantly tiptoe on the high wires of nationalism and colonialism, not seeing the world as one large community.

Christians – for God’s sake – what shall we say and what shall we do?

In the book of Acts the apostles were imprisoned for teaching in the name of Jesus. And when they were brought to trial the council wanted to put them to death because Peter and the others refused to stop preaching. But a man named Gamaliel reminded the court, “if this plan or undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them – in that case you may even be found fighting against God.”

I have always believed that the church is called to be a channel through which the word of God is made known to the world. We are always being challenged to speak to the world of the possibilities of the way things can be if we put our faith in a living God, and then live that faith out in the world.

We will have our week of national celebration and, in all probability be stirred by words of hope and vision. The truth for the church, however, is that after all of the speeches and parties, we are still called by Christ to witness to a world where millions are starving; a world where water and air are too polluted to drink and breathe; a world gone mad with weapons of mass destruction; a world where people lock themselves in their houses in fear of strangers. What word of hope can you and I bring as messengers of a God of love?

In a society that has become bitter and harsh and uncaring, you and I have something fresh and free and loving to speak. Where science has become God and the government has become omnipotent, you and I are to call people back to a redeeming love which can offer salvation from the Caesars of the world.

As we watch and participate in this dramatic week, let us dream of nations at peace; of the whole family of God gathered at table with plenty to eat; of the day when indeed justice prevails; of a day when the wolf and the lamb lie down together and the lamb is able to sleep securely; a day when the fresh innocence of childhood shall reveal to all of us how we are to receive the realm of God into our own lives.

It is breath-taking what we can do if we are willing to take the risk of serving a God who constantly calls us away from whatever was “back there” and leads us into a future open to new possibilities.

Martin Luther King once said in a sermon words that still resonate today. King said, “So I say to you, seek God and discover him and make him a power in your life. Without (God) all of our efforts turn to ashes and our sunrises into darkest nights. Without him, life is a meaningless drama with the decisive scenes missing. But with (God) we are able to rise from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope. With (God) we are able to rise from the midnight of desperation to the daybreak of joy. St. Augustine was right – we were made for God and we will be restless until we find our rest in him.”

Amen.

Jim Bell 1-18-09