December 12, 1999 John 1:6-8,19-28
Sermon by Rev. Dr. John K. Luoma
Last Sunday afternoon was an
amazing experience. If you missed it, you missed out on an incredible
experience. After meeting and listening to Pastor Laurel Bobb,
we extended a call to her as our associate pastor. She has signed
the letter of call and will begin her ministry here on January
4th. She will preach for the first time on January 9th.
As I've said, it was a wonderful experience. It was especially meaningful to me because it powerfully reminded me of why I love you folks so much: You are a welcoming people who have a deep desire to do God's will. What more could a pastor ask for than people like you? You help people believe in themselves. To be around you is to become a better person. I know you have brought out the best in me and I know you will do the same for Pastor Laurel.
I think another way of talking about last Sunday is that Jesus was present. And when Jesus is present amazing things happen-people are transformed and faith is strengthened. I think our job description is pretty simple. It is to direct people to Jesus and the community in which Jesus promises to be present. We are reminded of this purpose today as we read the story of John the Baptist. Our purpose is to witness to Jesus, and John reminds us of this as he uses this word, witness, six times in relation to Jesus. And the whole Gospel of John makes our purpose clear by using the word, witness, thirty-seven times. The word used for witness denotes the simplest act of witness, but it also is the word we use for "martyr". So, the word signifies every action by which we direct others to Jesus from the very smallest to the greatest act of being willing to lay down our life.
The Gospel of John tells us that our calling as disciples is simply to direct people to Jesus. Our calling is to point people to Jesus, the one who can transform their lives. We don't have to know everything about Jesus, because as the Son of God he is so incomprehensibly wonderful that we will never fully appreciate him or understand him. But each of is capable of directing people to Jesus as the one who can transform them.
Let's think of this for a moment in terms of what happened last Sunday, because this process of calling an associate pastor was a process of experiencing the transforming power of Jesus, the one who makes the impossible possible. It began on March 25th when four of us got together to begin the first serious discussion. Drinking soft drinks and eating paninis at the Stow Café, we began to talk and pray about what this would involve. Though we four were convinced of the necessity of it, we were also aware of the obstacles in the way of attaining it. But we prayed, and we trusted, and we began the process of involving as many people as possible in the process of praying and envisioning. Now, through the transforming power of Jesus, we have achieved our goal. In January we begin a wonderful new phase in the ministry of our church.
Through faith in the transforming power of Jesus we have been transformed. And last March, when we began this process, how many actually believed that it was possible? Be honest now! How many of us harbored doubts that this could ever take place? I'm a pretty faithful person, but I certainly had my doubts along the way as many of you did. But we trusted in the transforming power of Jesus, and we moved ahead in spite of our doubts, and what seemed impossible has become possible. It kind of makes you wonder what other wonderful things could happen in our lives and in our church if we dream big and keep on trusting Jesus.
We need to keep this in mind as we enter into the season of Christmas, because what is Christmas about except to point to the gift of the Son of God as the one who can transform us? Unfortunately, in many ways we are losing touch with what should be the central activity of Christmas-witnessing to the transforming power of Jesus. Dave Barry, the humorist, talks about the experience of his children during the Christmas holidays. He says that his children learn to sing about the weather rather than Christmas. They sing songs like "Winter Wonderland," "Frosty, the Snowman," and "Suzy Snowflake". He remarks that if a visitor came from another planet, he would assume that our children belong to the Church of Meteorology. He suggests that Christians need to unite and get out the good word about this holiday before it is reduced to nothing, i.e. the word of the tremendous power of this one who was born to us in a stable.
Well, regardless of how you feel about religion and the public schools, I think his basic point is well taken-we need to get the word out and point to Jesus. This should be our primary function, especially during Christmas. He can transform even the darkest of situations.
A woman named Charlene Elizabeth Fairchild gives witness to this as she shares her own experience of Christmas just one year ago. She says that her first Christmas decoration was a mustard seed. A lowly mustard seed taped on a sheet of white paper and attached to the mantle of the fireplace. It was a symbol of the smallness of her faith that Christmas. It was small because she did not "feel" like Christmas. How could she sing the Lord's song in the strange land of grief? Her transformation began in this way.
On the first Sunday of Advent she and her husband were sitting at the table over coffee. He very carefully brought up the subject of Christmas, knowing that she was immersed in grief. Her mom died only a few weeks before, and this was the first Christmas without her. She knew that she was being too self absorbed, but how could she smile and pretend joy in the midst of pain?
She remembered what they had read from Romans that Sunday morning: How the night is far gone, and the day is near, and the call is to put on Jesus Christ. The season of celebrating his birth and looking for his coming again was upon her, and she was being called to participate. But, she says, it was beyond her to rejoice.
As she said these things to her husband, he remarked that God is able even if she was not. He mentioned the Parable of the Mustard Seed. God could take the little mustard seed and make of it something worthy. Just so, God could take the tiny seed of her faith and grow it into an abundance of hope.
In that very moment she felt moved. She went to her spice cabinet, rifled through it for the bottle of mustard seeds, got one and taped it to a small piece of note paper. She marched triumphantly into the dining room saying, "I've got it. I can celebrate this year!." Her husband suggested that they put it on the mantle as the first Christmas decoration. Up it went and every time she looked at it, she was reminded of the hope it symbolized. She couldn't do it on her own, But God could.
The mustard seed ornament became a powerful symbol in their household that year. Many asked about it and she developed a growing joy in sharing what it meant. This Christmas the mustard seed once again graces their mantle piece. It is a symbol of hope in the promises of God in the midst of despair, the light that shines in the darkness, the transforming power of Jesus.
Well, I suppose that we could say that Pastor Laurel is our mustard seed Christmas ornament this year. She is a symbol of what happens when we point people to the transforming power of God in Jesus. What many thought was impossible has become possible. And the big question that all this raises is this: What other wonders might God perform if we are faithful in our witnessing to his power in Jesus? What kind of transformation might occur in our lives if we intently witness during this festival of Christmas?
One way to find out is to try. So, I invite you to join me this morning in "A Christmas Pledge." You will find this pledge at the end of my sermon outline on the insert in the bulletin.
"Believing in the power of Jesus to transform human lives, I commit myself to at least one of these witnessing activities:
1. I will invite someone to worship.
2. I will make a contribution to the needy.
3. I will express my love for my family and friends in more direct ways than presents.
4. I will rededicate myself to the spiritual growth of my family.
5. I will examine my holiday activities in light of the true meaning of Christmas.
6. I will initiate an act of peacemaking within my circle of family and friends.
Copyright 1999 by Rev. Dr. John K. Luoma