Listening to Jesus

    As I thought about this week’s lesson in relationship to last week’s lesson, I began to wonder what kind of response Jesus would receive on our current social climate.  I mean, if Jesus were to bring a great crowd together and say, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me.  If anyone wants to save their life, they will lose it; and if anyone loses their life for my sake and the sake of the Gospel, they will find it.  For what does it profit a man to gain the entire world but lose his soul?  Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels,” what do you think people would do?

    Honestly, I think the reaction would be very, very diverse.  People would have all sorts of reactions.  You would have those who would hear what Jesus said and think He was crazy–they would scratch their heads in bewilderment because they have never been taught that denial of self is a manner of life.  For many in our society have been taught to embrace themselves just the way they are, and there is a strong thread which runs through our society that says, “Do not do anything to crush another person’s ego.  For the crushing of egos is the worst thing we can do to a person.  Let people be free to express themselves and be who they consider themselves to be without fear.”  Another group might hear Jesus’ words and believe they actually are accomplishing them in full.  They will latch on and believe they indeed have denied themselves; they are carrying their crosses; they are following Jesus, and it is the rest of the world with the problem.  Everyone else needs to become just like them or Jesus will be ashamed of those heathen and send them to hell.  Others might hear Jesus and seek clarification from religious authorities.  “What does this man mean?” they would ask.  Then, depending upon how the religious leader interpreted the words, they might agree with Jesus or they might not.  Again, others might simply look at Jesus and say, “That’s just your opinion.  There are others who teach a very different understanding, and if this works for you, fine.  It doesn’t work for me, so I will find someone who teaches me what I think works.  Our current society and culture is so very diverse that the reactions to such a teaching would be just as diverse; just as messy, and no one would agree on the significance of that teaching. 

    I would like to submit to you this morning that it wasn’t all that different in the ancient world when Jesus actually made this proclamation.  For you see, the Roman Empire was a very, very diverse place.  Roads had been built throughout the empire making travel relatively easy for that time and place.  People from various cultures were meeting and coming into contact regularly.  Rome had established a wide list of accepted religions–generally one’s that didn’t cause sedition–embracing religious pluralism.  As long as people submitted to Roman rule, things were okay. 

    Now, let’s bring things down even further to Israel and what was happening amongst the Jews.  The Jews themselves were broken down into different factions.  There were the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Essenes, the Zealots, the chief priests and the scribes.  All of these constituted different veins of thought within the religion.  Each had particular teachings, and the groups argued amongst themselves.  Not only this: at the time Jesus spoke these words, it was the height of the Rabbinical tradition.  What does that mean?  Well, there were teachers, rabbis, who were teaching all throughout Israel.  These men would gather students and teach those students their understanding of the Law.  The rabbis taught very, very diverse things, and we actually have some of those teachings recorded in the Mishnah and Talmud–a body of Jewish literature interpreting the Jewish Bible.  So, it was not uncommon for people to argue about scripture by saying, “Rabbi so and so said this, but Rabbi so and so said this.  The Pharisees say this.  The Sadducees say this.” and so on and so forth.

    I hope that you can see at this point a very muddy puddle of understanding.  I hope that you can see that things were not clear cut by any means when it came to understanding what religious faith and belief was all about.  While there was indeed some general agreement about certain aspects of faith–as I said last time, those who believed that there was going to be a Messiah had three agreed upon points–there was no such thing as a broad overwhelming consensus.  People were essentially free to choose the teaching that best meshed with their own understandings.

    I think there were those among Jesus’ followers who might have thought to do just this thing.  After Jesus told them to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him, I can imagine they very much wondered if they were following the right Rabbi.  After Jesus taught them that He must be handed over to the elders, chief priests, and the scribes, to suffer many things, to die, and on the third day rise, I can imagine them thinking they had hooked up with a crazy man.  For it was unheard of that the Messiah would suffer.  It was unheard of that there would be an individual resurrection apart from the final resurrection, and there were even many Jews who did not believe in a final resurrection!  As one of my commentaries said, the disciples had no categories to even begin to make these things fit!  And so, I think, there was an awful temptation to abandon Jesus and find someone who would make more sense–at least to their ears.

    Which is where our lesson for today comes into play.  Mark chapter 9 begins with the following teaching by Jesus, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”  Now, there are some who think that Jesus’ statement here is wrong because obviously, when we look around our world, we do not see the perfect kingdom of God established.  We don’t see peace and harmony and a new heaven and a new earth.  Jesus must have been mistaken because all of those who were around Him when He spoke these words are now dead.  However, you’ve got to put this statement in context.  You have to put it into the midst of what Mark is communicating to us, and Mark is setting us up to see a vision of that Kingdom–a vision that will take place on a high mountain, which is where we are taken.

    Jesus takes Peter, James and John to the top of a high mountain, and when they get to the top, Jesus is radically changed before them.  Jesus’ clothes become dazzling white–whiter than any sort of bleach.  Imagine that advertising campaign–Clorox Bleach, not quite like Jesus, but pretty darn close!  Following on the footsteps of Mark’s report that Jesus called Himself the “Son of Man” it is not a stretch to once again see that the Scriptures from Daniel are being fulfilled.  As Craig Evans says in the Word Biblical Commentary, “Mark’s depiction of Jesus is also reminiscent of Daniel’s vision of the “Ancient of Days,” whose “clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool” (Dan 7:9) The one “like a son of man” approaches the Ancient of Days (i.e. God) and receives authority and kingdom.  Perhaps in his transformation we should understand Jesus, as the “son of man” in the presence of the Ancient of Days, has taken on some of God’s characteristics (much as Moses’ face began to shine with God’s glory).”

    We are then told that Moses and Elijah come and stand with Jesus.  These are two momentous figures from the Old Testament.  There is no shortage of disagreement about what they represent.  For our purposes this morning, let’s just leave it at the place of an awestruck experience–the getting to see heroes of the faith.  Peter is overwhelmed.  He doesn’t know what to say because he is so awestruck, so he blurts out, “Lord, it’s good for us to be here.  Let us build three tabernacles.  One for you.  One for Moses, and one for Elijah.”  Now, this statement isn’t as dumb as one might expect.  It totally makes sense, but it is the wrong statement.  You see, Peter was still transfixed upon Jesus as the powerful Messiah instead of the suffering servant.  As William Lane says in his commentary, “Peter is anxious to find the fulfillment of the promised glory now, prior to the sufferings Jesus had announced as necessary.”  Peter sees the three booths as God dwelling once again with the people of Israel with Moses, Elijah, and now Jesus.  It makes sense, but it is the wrong thought.

    And that thought is rebuked by the arrival of another party.  We are told that a cloud envelopes the mountaintop.  Let me read to you what Mark Edwards says about this because it is extremely helpful.  “According to Mark, the cloud “enveloped” or overshadowed (Gk episkiazein) them.  This verb occurs only rarely in the Greek Bible, but it is used in Exod. 40:35 to describe the cloud that filled the tabernacle with the glory of God and in 1 Kings 8:10-11 to describe the cloud filling Solomon’s temple...The cloud is the impregnating presence of God, symbolizing that in Jesus, even more than in the tabernacle of old, God dwells bodily with humanity.”

    This affirmation that God dwells bodily with humanity is solidified with the statement from the cloud, “THIS IS MY SON, THE BELOVED, LISTEN TO HIM!”  Suddenly, when the disciples looked around after this statement, they saw only Jesus.  Twofold thing here: God affirms that the disciples should listen to Jesus.  The absence of Moses and Elijah passes along the message: don’t listen to Moses.  Don’t listen to Elijah.  Listen to Jesus.  The focus is on Jesus.  The message issues forth from Jesus.  The message is Jesus.  Listen to Him!  Period.  Drop the mic and leave.  Listen to Jesus.

    Now, I could go further with this text and go through the remaining teaching by Jesus, but let me simply say two things before addressing what I started my sermon off with.  First, Jesus tells the disciples not to tell anyone with a qualifier: until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.  Jesus didn’t want Peter, James and John caught up in the moment proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah when they still didn’t understand fully what that meant.  Peter already showed once again that he had no clue about the suffering servant and the cross.  Jesus still needed to open their eyes.  Secondly, Jesus then teaches them and clarifies Elijah’s role and links John the Baptist to Elijah.  This is a teaching moment by Jesus, and I apologize for giving it only a cursory comment.  However, we need to move on to some very weighty things–things of massive importance in our culture and society.

    For the transfiguration of Jesus brings out two very important things that we have to grasp as the church.  First, God’s instruction from the cloud.  “Listen to Him!”  Listen to Jesus.  Keep your focus on Jesus.  It almost pains me to say this to you, but I have to.  When it comes to the Christian faith; when it comes to trying to figure out what things are all about, do not listen to me.  I wish I didn’t have to say that, but it’s true.  Don’t listen to me.  Don’t listen to Joel Osteen or Ed Young.  Don’t listen to the Pope or the Bishop.  We are not the ones you are following.  We are not the ones who understand God most fully.  We are not the ones who understand Christianity most fully.  We are all sinful, broken, people who are deeply affected by our own assumptions and biases.  When we preach and teach, our own sinfulness clouds our ability to grasp and to proclaim the Law and the Gospel.  It is my job, and the job of anyone who preaches and teaches to get you to Jesus.  It is the job of the Church to proclaim Jesus and Him crucified.  It is the job of the Church to say, “Listen to Jesus!” 

    Ah, but that raises another important point.  How do I know what Jesus says?  We don’t have clouds enveloping us with God’s voice telling us to listen to Jesus.  We don’t have Jesus walking next to us bodily explaining Scripture to us and helping us understand the world around us.  We don’t have the luxury of having Jesus videotaped or audiotaped.  We have a book.  A very old book.  A book that we do not have any of the original copies of the text.  A book that is written in two “dead” languages.  A book that some say is embellished–that has undergone much editing and is more the stuff of legend than it is reality.  How can we be certain Jesus said and did what is recorded in this book? 

    The question really is one of credibility.  Do you trust the accounts written in the Bible?  Do you trust the witnesses who first recorded what is included in Scripture, and do you trust the process of how things were handed down?  You see, the Christian faith is a historical faith.  It is built upon historical events.  Historical events aren’t like scientific experiments.  You cannot replicate them.  You are literally forced to choose whether or not you believe the witness of those who report them.  For instance, I can report to you this morning that Wednesday night, there was a small group of us who gathered to hear a presentation of what it was like to care for an aging parent given by James and Karen Tiner.  Now, you weren’t there.  You don’t know if it happened or not.  You have my report.  Am I trustworthy?  That is the question.  There were other witnesses to the event.  You could talk to them as well.  You have to judge if they are trustworthy.  If things fit in a coherent picture, and they help explain why there were cars up here at the church on Wednesday, why the lights were on from 6 to about 8, and so on and so forth, you can conclude that, yes, I am a credible witness.  Yes, this makes sense.  Yes, indeed there was a group that met to hear a presentation by James and Karen Tiner.  You didn’t scientifically prove it.  You relied upon eyewitness testimony that you deemed credible.

    There are some very good arguments that indeed present the Bible as such credible testimony.  There are some very good historical reasons to accept the Bible as credible testimony like: the Bible is written closer to the events surrounding Jesus than is the histories we have written about Alexander the Great.  Did you know that one?  It’s true.  There are others as well.  I do not have time to go into them this morning, but the question still comes down to you this morning.  Do you trust the witness of Scripture?  Do you trust this witness that has been handed down to you through the generations?

    And if you trust this witness, then you can indeed listen to Jesus.  You can indeed hear His words.  You can indeed know of His actions.  You can indeed come to know Him and what He teaches.  And you can know why you should listen to Him.  In the myriads of voices that swirl around our culture, that try to tell you how to live and what to do, His voice will stand alone.  His voice will carry more weight because as you come to know Him, you will see that His is the only voice who truly knows who you are.  His is the only voice who truly knows deep down your true identity–all of the good things about you, and all of the bad.  He alone knows the recess of your heart where your fear and anxiety and selfishness dwell.  He knows your motives and motivations.  He knows your flaws and failings, and He doesn’t let you try to hide them or escape them.  He forces you to stand before Him fully known and fully vulnerable.  And if you know yourself as you should, this should terrify you.

    But instead of condemning you, He loves you.  He stretches out His arms and dies for you when you don’t deserve it.  He does not falsely tell you you are okay just the way you are.  He doesn’t mandate that you change to satisfy Him.  Instead, He dies for you and invites you to die to yourself.  He invites you to take up your cross and meet Him at the place where He poured out Himself for you.  He invites you to look at the cross where He showed the greatest love possible.

    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that all those who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through Him.

    Jesus did not come into the world to condemn you, but to save you.  And He did.  On the cross.  As he died for you.  Certainly a good reason to listen to Him.  Amen.

Ah, to Have Seen...

    How do you know your family’s history?  I am not talking about your recent history–the history you have been a part of.  I am talking about the history which predates you.  I am talking about your great-grand parents; your great aunts and uncles; your ancestors who lived a hundred years or more ago.  How do you know what they did?  How do you know their stories?  How do you know their personalities and the things that were important to them?

    You were told.  Plain and simple, someone shared those stories with you at some point and time in your life.  This record was given to you either orally or in written form so that you now bear some of that history in the recesses of your mind, in your heart, or stored away on your bookshelf.  These witnesses have given you something very, very valuable.  But here is an interesting question for you to answer: could you prove the accuracy of the history that was given to you?  Could you, prove to a complete stranger that your great, great, great grandfather crossed the Atlantic Ocean as a stowaway to escape the Crimea War?  That he landed in Galveston and then migrated through Texas to settle near Seguin?  What evidence could you provide to prove this story to be true?  By the way, this is the story of one of my great, great, great grandfather’s.  I use it as an example because it would be difficult if not impossible to prove it–at least by rigorous, historical standards.

    In fact, much of what goes on in the world, we are unable to prove by rigorous historical standards.  Much of what goes on in the world is not covered by newspapers or historians or scholars.  Much of what goes on in the world escapes notice and is passed over in light of those events deemed much more important and newsworthy.  In light of this, we are forced to answer the question: why do we believe things that we are unable to see?  Why do we believe things happened even though we were not present for those things? 

    In a word: we trust those who shared those stories with us.  We trust our sources.  At some level, everyone must trust the truth of something that has not been seen: whether it is science, or history, or just chatting about the day with one’s spouse or significant other.  We trust, dare I say, we have faith in the one who tells us of such events.

    Such trust is an important topic for Christians to address, for we often get accused of believing without seeing.  We often get accused of having blind faith–a dogged belief that has absolutely no evidence to back it up.  I could not disagree more.  Our faith indeed has a foundation–just like Simeon’s faith had a foundation.

    Our Gospel lesson this morning has several different foci.  We could focus our attention on Mary and Joseph’s intention to follow God’s laws and commands.  We could focus our attention on Anna the prophetess and her faithfulness, and we could focus on Simeon and his faithful witness.  This would be too long of a sermon, however, so I will focus on one of these things: Simeon. 

    We only know a little bit about Simeon.  Some assume that he is an old man, but we don’t get that from the biblical record.  We don’t know if he is a priest, a peasant, a craftsman, a farmer, a merchant, or any other occupation.  We don’t know what social circles he mingles in or whether or not he has any status at all.  All we know is that he is righteous and devout; he is seeking the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit has told him he would see the Messiah.  This is all the text reveals to us.  It’s not much, but it is important.

    For Simeon is righteous and devout.  This means he works diligently to be in right relationships with others and with God.  Righteousness in the Greek can also be translated as justice which suggests he seeks to follow the command of loving one’s neighbor as one’s self.  Devout means he seeks to maintain his relationship with God and follow God’s commands of worship and sacrifice and holiness.  While maintaining these important things, Simeon also seeks the consolation of Israel–this means he is holding out hope for God’s promised restoration of the Kingdom.  Simeon trusts, believes, has faith in the witness of the prophets who spoke long, long ago.  Simeon does these things not because he has a blind faith.  He is not doing all of these things because he is just being obedient expecting a reward at the end of all things.  He is not a dog sitting up to get a treat for doing what was expected.  No.  There is no hint of reward–instead, there is hint that this is simply who Simeon is as a person.  He trusts the witness of the prophets.  He trusts the Torah which points to the things God intends.  He believes these things are true and just.  Therefore, he puts them into practice.  And somewhere along the line–in his devotion, the Spirit spoke to him giving him a word of promise, “You will see the Messiah before you die.”  Simeon knew the Spirit had spoken through the prophets of old.  Would this promise come true?  Would it be for him as it had been for the prophets? 

    On this particular day, the Spirit spoke to Simeon once again.  Heeding it’s call, Simeon headed to the Temple.  Was the journey blindly taken?  I doubt it.  He knew the promises included in the Law in the Prophets.  He knew the Spirit had spoken before.  He had a history.  He had evidence.  He had witnesses who had gone before, and all of them lined up.  All of them pointed in this direction.  He went to the temple and beheld Mary, Joseph, and their child Jesus.  “This is the one!” Simeon must have said to himself.  “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,   according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles  and for glory to your people Israel.”

    Ah, what it would have been like to see such a thing.  Wouldn’t it have been great to hold Jesus in our hands and look upon His face?  Wouldn’t it have been great to be there to hear Him preach and teach?  Wouldn’t it have been great to have had Him appear to us after His death and resurrection and tell us “Now, go and make disciples of all nations.”?  Of course it would have.  It would have been great to see such a thing.  It would also be great if Jesus could do such a thing now.  It would be great if He could come stand among us this morning and offer a word to each of us.  It would be great for Him to suddenly appear and remind us why we worship; why we celebrate Christmas; why we seek to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. 

    Seeing would be believing, wouldn’t it?  Seeing would convince your heart and your mind?  Ah, but here is the crux of the issue: if Jesus did such a thing, and you went to tell others, would they believe you?  Would they trust you?  Would you be credible?  And how would you react if people did not believe you when you told them what you had seen?  Would their reaction cause doubts to arise within you, or would you proclaim all the more?

    The earliest witnesses to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection faced tons of opposition.  They faced tons of rejection.  They had more than a few people scoff at their witness, but they didn’t stop.  They didn’t quiet down.  Something radical had happened in their lives.  Something had changed them to their very core.  They had encountered the risen Jesus, and their hearts and minds were at peace.  They knew what God had done through Jesus, and they trusted in Jesus’ promise with their whole being.  They had faith in Him, and so despite the opposition; despite what others did to them, they kept telling about what God had done.  They persevered in living out this new faith.  They worked to be trustworthy and honest and upright.  They made no bones about their shortcomings and their brokenness.  They were not afraid to share their frailties and failings.  For Jesus did not accept them and love them because they were perfect.  Jesus did not die for them because they were holy or just or righteous.  Jesus did not call them because they were the religious elite; the smartest intellectuals; or the highest on the social totem pole.  No.  It was exactly the opposite.  It was a radical departure from everything the world had taught and has taught since then.  The first apostles knew the good news.

    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that all those who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world but so that the world may be saved through Him.

    And Jesus accomplished this by dying when we were unlovable and then rising to new life to show us that our unlovable nature will be transformed.  The disciples saw it.  And they passed it on.  To you and to me.  They passed this history to us and have asked us to trust their witness.  They want us to trust in Jesus like they trusted in Jesus so that our lives may be transformed.

    I stand before you today as one whose life has been transformed by faith in Jesus.  I stand before you today as one who has had his life turned upside down in a very good way because of understanding just what it means to have God enter into our world and die for us when we were unlovable.  I stand before you today as one who still is not perfect; who has failed to be a perfect example of morality and justice; who still says the wrong things and does the wrong things; who has upset people even when I did not intend to; who at times is overcome with self-interest and selfish desire; and yet, despite all of this know that God is working in my life to transform me–to transform the way I view the world; to transform the way I love you and others.  As the great hymn writer John Newton–who wrote Amazing Grace-- once said, “I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am.” 

    And I am what I am because God so loved the world that Jesus died for me while I was broken and there were those who were willing to pass this history down.  There were those who trusted this promise who helped me trust this promise, and now I invite you to trust it as well.  It will have the same effect on you.  Amen.

Passing On the Faith

Jesus loves me, this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.

A number of years ago, I stumbled on a recording of me singing that song when I was just a little tyke.  I might have been three or four years old; I don’t know for sure, but I do know that someone taught me that song.  Someone helped me learn those precious words that even now are burned into my heart, and I need absolutely no music to sing them by.  Just like another song learned long ago.

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red and yellow, black and white,
They are precious in His sight.
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Again, as I sing that song, my mind takes me back in time to sitting in the old parsonage in my home congregation.  Our Sunday School group met in what once was the living room, and Mrs. Kepler would lead our opening singing and playing the piano.  Actually, I was a little afraid of Mrs. Kepler.  She was an imposing figure, and when I was little, this intimidated me.  But as I grew, those fears abated, and now I realize those songs of faith that still reside within me because she was willing to play and sing with us little kids: This Little Light of Mine, Kumbaya, If I Were a Butterfly, and others.’

If I were a butterfly, I’d thank you Lord for giving me wings.
And if I were a robin in a tree, I’d thank you Lord that I could sing.
And if I were a fish in the sea, I’d wiggle my tail and I’d giggle with glee
But I just thank you Father for making me, me.
For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile.
You gave me Jesus and you made me your child.
And I just thank you Father for making me, me.

And I remember growing in faith through Vacation Bible School.  In those days, you didn’t have fancy snacks or anything.  We got one cookie and a little cup of Kool Aid, and we thought we were doing great.  We’d play games outside, and do arts and crafts, but eternally burned into my memory was the march.  At a certain time during the morning, the previously mentioned Mrs. Kepler would head to the piano.  We children were given little drums, bells, triangles, and sticks.  Mrs. Kepler would strike up “Onward Christian Soldiers,” and we would march around the building, making as much noise as we possibly could.  I think this is one of those reasons I still love that hymn even if at the time I could not possibly have remembered the lyrics.

Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war.
With the cross of Jesus, going on before.
Christ the royal Master, leads against the foe.
Forward into battle, see his banners go.
Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war.
With the cross of Jesus, going on before.

And as I grew there were other people who influenced my life of faith–who taught me about the greatness of God and depending only on Him.  There was the day my grandfather was meeting with an extension agent about spraying his cotton for an infestation.  They debated about when to spray.  Grandpa figured it was going to rain soon, and if they sprayed and it rained, it would wash the poison off, and his crop would be decimated.  If he delayed too long, the insects would destroy the crop.  It was a troubling situation.  The agent finally looked and grandpa and said, “Do you have crop insurance?”

    Grandpa, without a moment’s hesitation said, “No.  If the Good Lord wants me to have a crop, I will have a crop!”

    That was the final answer, and the extension agent simply looked dumbfounded.  And then and there, a young teen saw what true conviction really was.

    I also saw that conviction in what for me was a very scary moment.  We were painting the exterior of our house, and my dad had climbed a ladder to paint around where the electrical wires entered the house.  He proceeded to scare the living daylights out of me by telling me the danger he could face if he slipped and accidentally touched the wires.  Of course, I was in no mood to hear such talk.  I didn’t even want to consider the possibility of my dad dying.  But dad talked about it with such a matter of factness.  There was no evading the conversation.

    And as dad stood atop that ladder, painting around the electrical wires, talking about death, he said, “Kevin, that is one song I want sung at my funeral.  “What a Friend we Have in Jesus.”  I know dad said some more after that, but I don’t remember those words.  Those have long sense gone away, but the assurance my dad had with his faith remains to this day. 

What a friend we have in Jesus.  All our sins and griefs to bear
What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer.
Oh what peace we often forfeit. Oh what needless pain we bear.
All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer.

    As you can probably see, my faith formation took place over many years and was influenced by many people.  It continues to be formed and molded to this day and influenced by others.  While the Holy Spirit indeed brings us to faith, we are instructed in that faith in our relationships with one another.  St. Paul illustrates this beautifully in our second lesson this morning from 2 Timothy: 5I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline 8 Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, 9who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace.

    Timothy had a long history of faithful relatives: his grandmother and his mother.  Paul appeals to that history as he seeks to strengthen Timothy in his own faith as Timothy becomes a follower and proclaimer of Jesus Christ.

    Today, we as a congregation, celebrate the installation of our own youth and family director: Christa Klar.  She comes to help us do what Paul is doing to Timothy.  She comes to help us do what my relatives and church members did to me.  She comes to help us pass down our faith to another generation so that they may reach out with the good news of Jesus Christ.  She comes to help us rekindle the gift of God that is within each and every one of you.

    May God grant her grace and strength in this task, and may God grant the rest of us courage and a willingness to have our faith rekindled that we may gladly work in this endeavor as well.  Amen.