Passionate about Service
Conclusion to Three part Sermon series on Being Presbyterian
Scripture: Proverbs 19: 17, Matthew 25:38-40 & 28:18-20
Preached by Linda Jo Peters ~ July 24, 2011
Unity Presbyterian Church ~ Terre Haute, Indiana
INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURE
Throughout the Bible we find messages that God stands on the side of the marginalized, the lost and lonely. God expects the people (the priesthood of God) to care for those in need. Here is a proverb and reflections by Jesus on these same subjects:
Proverbs 19: 17
17Whoever is kind to the poor
Lends to the Lord,
And will be repaid in full.
Matthew 25:38-40 & 28:18-20
25: 38And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’
28: 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Sermon
I am concluding this three part sermon series on being Presbyterian with a close look at why mission is so vital to our life together.
Isaiah was sent as a prophet to challenge and rebuke the powerful. His message was sever concerning any who took advantage of the weak:
Ah, you who make iniquitous decrees, who write oppressive statutes, 2to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be your spoil, and that you may make the orphans your prey! (Isaiah 10:1-20)
Combine this prophetic challenge with Jesus’ demand to care for the least among us and you have the marching orders for missions. Many denominations have taken to heart that as a Priesthood of Believers we are called to serve those less fortunate than we are. Among Presbyterians this has become a hallmark of who we are. Just look at our Mission Yearbook of Prayer and Study discover the thousands of missions and missionaries all over the world that we support. Presbyterians have built colleges and hospitals in response to this call to serve. In the area of financial giving Presbyterians are very generous. The annual statistics for 2009 show total contributions of over 2 billion dollars. We even believe we need to make provisions for times of hunger and disaster like Joseph did with the abundance of Egypt. So we have our oldest special offering received on Easter. It is called One Great Hour of Sharing. Its main focus is disaster assistance and long term recovery. It also encourages the self-development of people. But the Presbyterian passion for service does not just mean missions far away, it is feeding the hungry right in our neighborhood. It is making sure a member or friend has a ride to the doctor or church. It is writing to a student in a school far from home and letting them know someone is praying for them.
We like to joke about being the frozen chosen because with our worships style, focus on education of the whole church and leadership that is thoughtful and deliberate we can seem controlled rather than passionate. But there is a fire that burns in the Presbyterian heart that says, "Come this is a safe place out of the dark and cold. Here you will find rest and hope." We are so passionate about keeping the fire of welcome burning. Some of you have met Tom Logan who vision and drive has created the Marion Medical Mission or our friend William Seo who while serving as an Army medic began a mission of helping Afghans. I have served in mission fields after terrible flooding and shared a meal with a family in their new home. I have worked a small part of new church construction after an arsonist thought they had the last word, but God always has the last word and it is a word of passion to serve. I have seen this passion in an eighty year old still heading to Mexico to help and in a child picking up debris after a tornado. Rob and I have been serving on a Administrative Commission of the Presbytery. Usually that is a pretty thankless job; such commissions are usually formed where there is conflict between a congregation and its pastor or allegations of wrong doing by leadership. But this commission has been formed to come along side a small congregation in Monroe City and its Lay Pastor. The church’s membership has so dwindled it can no longer function. But in their mission work they created a place of refuge called the Lord’s Warehouse. It is a food pantry and clothing bank and various other resources are available for people in need in one of the poorest counties in Indiana. The church’s resources come from a farm that was given several years ago. The Presbytery is working with the church to pass on these resources so the mission of the Lord’s Warehouse will continue even though the church is closing. It seems so right because we Presbyterians are passionate about service.
Now I ask you what are you passionate about. God has placed a passion for service in every heart. Some of us like to move in quickly and then go on to something else. Presbyterians are in the for the long haul. So consider ways that your passion can start small like Barb's food pantry here at Unity which began in just a little cabinet. Now it is housed in a two car gargae size space. From her passion others with a passion for gardening, began to suppliment the food pantry with produce from our garden. Once you can name your passion find a few others who have a simular passion and watch God work to make your passion grow into an amazing reality. Amen.
