Children of God

The Sermon uses scripture 1 John 3:1-7.  It was preached on April 15, 2018 at Falkland Presbyterian Church in Falkland, NC.

 

 

Children of God
 

Love is at the center of the message of the New Testament:

          some of the language used…

‘beloved’:   it is a term used through-out the Bible,

          the apostle John uses beloved in all 3 of his letters,

 as he addresses the readers…

“beloved, I am writing to you no new commandment…”

“beloved, we are God’s children…”

“beloved, let us love one another…”

The apostle Paul is well known for using kin-ship language

          such as

          “brothers and sisters in Christ…”

John also uses the language of kin-ship to define us as

          “children of God”

So who fits into the category of “children of God”?

“Children of God” is meant to unite us as one,

          a phrase of unity;

          no matter our differences whether they involve

                   race,            gender,       nationality,

age,             background,

political views, or life’s circumstances;

we can all come together as each of us is a child of God.

Unity is both a gift and an obligation for the church.

A couple of years ago at seminary,

there was a discussion about diversity on campus,

some thinking that there was not enough.

But I did see diversity present. 

Each individual brought their own unique experiences

to the collective. 

There were opportunities to learn from each other;

and push ourselves beyond our own comfort zones.

As I looked around the seminary campus

I saw many “children of God”…

Many from other countries…

          Korea Ghana         Kenya         Germany              Hungary

each a          “Child of God”;

Men and Women, Gay and Straight,

Married,      Divorced,             Single,         Engaged

each a          “Child of God”;

all ages from 20-something and just out of college to

          those over 50, either retired

or searching for a new beginning with a second career

each a          “Child of God”;

different denominations

          Presbyterian Baptist        Lutheran

          Methodist   Episcopalian

each a          “Child of God”.

 

Categories that divide us change

as you and I do not look for the differences

but look at each other as Children of God.

So we may come together in the grace of God’s light

to see each other as brothers and sisters.

Take a moment to look at your neighbor and

do not see the differences…

          Republican or Democrat,

          East Carolina, Chapel Hill, or Duke,

          different generations, marital status, or backgrounds;

see them with God’s love as another child of God.

So what does the phrase “children of God” mean?

It is a term for the faithful, those believers who

          know God’s love and

the experience of God’s grace in Jesus Christ.

          “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not perish,

but may have eternal life.”

God’s gracious love;

          -the gift of God’s Son in life and death.

One commentary on First John proclaims…

          “The consequence and proof of the love of God

                   is being and being called,

                   children of God.

The love of God is described as a gift,

                   which means that we do nothing to merit it.”

Since being called children of God is a gift of God’s love,

          since we did nothing to earn it,

          you and I should not boast about it.

In his institutes John Calvin puts it this way…

          “Boasting about the merits of works

     destroys our praise of God for having bestowed righteousness

    as well as our assurance of salvation.”

God’s grace, God’s mercy, God’s light, is God’s love.

God’s love is God’s gift to us through Christ.

In understanding what God wants for us,

the apostle John’s words give hopeful expectation

Beloved, we are God’s children now;

what we will be has not yet been revealed.

 What we do know is this:

when he is revealed, we will be like him,

for we will see him as he is.

There are those 2 words in there that seem contradictory:

          now and not yet.

What we are now and what we will be but are not yet.

Look at it this way, in human terms…

          When we are young, we know we are children and

                   experience parental care and love; yet,

          you and I do not understand what it means

 to be children until we are grown.

From First Corinthians chapter 13:

          “When I was a child, I spoke like a child,

 I thought like I child, I reasoned like a child;

when I became an adult, I put an end to my childish ways. 

For now we see in a mirror dimly,

 but then we will see face to face. 

Now I know only in part; then

I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

I do love that scripture…

For now we see in a mirror dimly,

 but then we will see face to face. 

          Face to face, up close and personal;

                   in the Greek…

          prosopon pros prosopon.

God’s love for us is personal, God knows us.

We do not yet understand the full meaning

of being God’s children until the time is fulfilled,

in eschatological terms, the coming of

God’s heavenly kingdom.

We do not have to earn God’s love, yet, as children of God,

          we do have responsibilities.

There is more than just being called children of God,

it is in the being children of God.

The spiritual awareness of what God wants for us;

          living as children of God.

Our responsibility is the way we live.

Doing right and avoiding sin is the mark of God’s children.

Everyone who does what is right is righteous.

Avoiding sin, we do our best,

          however, because of our human frailty you and I do sin.

Even though we are sinners and sometimes

turn away from God, we are loved.

Believers should never intend to sin, or

make a habit of sin;

          what you and I can do -acknowledge sin and renounce it.

And all who have this hope in him purify themselves,

 just as he is pure.

The impurity John speaks of is the pollution of sin;

          if we are purified, we are cleansed of sin.

From the beatitudes,

          “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

God has cleansed us through Jesus,

          Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

Being cleansed, leads me to thoughts about baptism.

You and I are blessed by the sacraments

of baptism and the Lord’s Supper;

they draw us into unity as brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Baptism welcomes us into the community of faith;

it is a sign and seal of God’s grace in the forgiveness

of our sins and the covenant in Christ. 

Whether as a child or an adult, baptism welcomes

each of us into the family of faith,

to be called a child of God;

we are made clean of sin.

As Paul says in the Letter to the Galatians:

          “…in Christ Jesus

you are all children of God through faith.”

So, going back to those words of now and not yet,

          Beloved, we are God’s children now;

what we will be has not yet been revealed.

God’s work is not yet complete.

You and I are welcomed into the family of faith,

          called children of God,

          our sins forgiven,

          assured of God’s love,

          and live with hopeful expectation of what is to come.

God’s work is not yet complete.

You and I still have a lot of growing to do.  

Always changing,

always learning,

always becoming,

always reforming,

always hoping…

Love is the commandment of the new covenant,

          the good news,

          redemption and salvation.

By being children of God, we know love;

          by living as children of God we know

God’s love for us leads us to love one another.

 

 

Benediction from yesterday's sermon Invitation to Witness

Benediction from yesterday's sermon Invitation to Witness.

This week as you go out in the world, remember

you have been invited to be a witness;

put aside your fear and doubts,

God will be with you,

God will protect you,

God will bring you home.

And we end with a few words from Martin Luther King Jr.

on having faith that God is good and just…

“When one believes this, he knows that the contradictions of life

are neither final nor ultimate.

He can walk through the dark night with the radiant conviction

that all things work together for good for those that love God.

Even the most starless midnight may herald

the dawn of great fulfillment.” *

*MLK quote is from his book Strength to Love.

Invitation to Witness

The Sermon uses scriptures Samuel 3:1-10 and John 1:43-51.  It was preached on January 14, 2018 at Red Spring Presbyterian in Red Springs, NC.

 

Invitation to Witness

 

When I began looking at the scriptures for today,

I had a couple of questions…

First, how do these scriptures relate to the season of Epiphany?

And what do we know about Philip and Nathanael,

          some of the lesser known apostles?

Andrew and Philip were originally disciples of John the Baptist;

Philip was likely a fisherman like Andrew and Peter.

Both Andrew and Philip introduced others to Jesus;

some scholars believe this Philip is the same Philip

mentioned in Acts, the one who led the

Ethiopian eunuch to Christ.

Nathanael is only mentioned in John’s gospel,

in the synoptic gospels he is known as Bartholomew.

He is skeptical at first,

 but then moves from doubt to strong belief.

Jesus calls these first disciples with an invitation.

In the previous verses, Jesus says to Andrew

“Come and see”.

Andrew then went and found his brother Simon (Peter)

          and said to him…

          “We have found the Messiah.”

When Jesus found Philip, he said to him “Follow Me”.

Philip finds Nathanael and says…

“We have found him….”

So after reading through these call stories

and the Old Testament scripture about Samuel,

I thought ‘these are about being called to follow’;

(my original title for this sermon).

well, yes there is a definite call in Samuel and in the gospel.

“Samuel! Samuel!”

          A voice heard in the night.

“Follow me.”

          A summons to be a part of something new.

“We have found him…”

          An invitation to come and see.

Yet, there is more there than only a call to follow;

To follow can be defined as to engage in a calling or way of life;

          to follow a path or to accept an authority.

That makes sense…

Jesus says “Follow me.” as an invitation to the disciples.

Samuel and the disciples are called to follow,

          so why is the sermon title now ‘invitation to witness’?

It has to do with the season of Epiphany.

The season of Epiphany is the celebration

of the manifestation of the divine nature of Christ

to the gentiles (represented by the Magi);

celebrating God’s self-revelation to the world.

Jesus’ teachings are for all, Jews and gentiles.

The word epiphany has its Greek roots from the word

for sunrise or dawn;

a word referring to light, thus

light is a symbol of Epiphany:

          the light of God’s love,

                   “the light shines in the darkness

and the darkness did not overcome it”.

Just as the dawn’s light reaches out to all the earth,

          God’s divine covenant is extended to everyone.

The spreading of the good news of the Messiah

began simply with one person telling another:

                    Andrew telling Peter,

                    Philip telling Nathanael.

Epiphany with a small e is that sudden flash or recognition,

          or in other words revelation;

                   eyes being opened,

ears hearing,

                   heart and mind open to possibilities.

Revelation is not open or obvious to everyone,

          yet, it leads to witnessing

                   -witnessing to the revelation,

                   a confession of what one has seen and heard.

The Gospel of John can be seen as a series of revelations

that become accounts of witnessing:

witness to the revelation that Jesus is the Son of God.

From John the Baptist pointing to Jesus,

          John’s disciples turn to Jesus,

                   they come and see and then witness to others.

Testimony. Faith. More testimony.

When there is testimony, there is a response….

          “Here I am!”

                   Samuel, the boy with childlike faith;

          “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

                   Samuel responding obediently, enthusiastically,

and ready for a new beginning;

          “Rabbi, you are the Son of God!”….

                   Nathanael’s ultimate declaration.

However, Nathanael does not start there.

          “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Wow!

          Nathanael has doubts; he is judging on a preconception.

Is that a familiar response?

          You and I are guilty of jumping to conclusions

based on nothing more than where

someone is from,

where they live,

their occupation,

who they are related to,

their education,

how they dress,

and so many other superficial observations.

Where does that pre-judgmental response come from?

Our inner doubts and fears.

In Martin Luther King Jr.’s book Strength to Love he mentions

words of hope passed down through generations…

          “Fear knocked,    

Faith answered,

          There was no one there.”*

What can overcome fear and doubt? Faith.

Nathanael moves from doubt to faith.

How?

Philip’s testimony.

Philip does not argue with Nathanael;

He does not coerce him

or try to discredit his doubt.

Philip listens.

Philip replies with the simple words, “Come and see”.

Philip has confidence that if Nathanael will just

come and see Jesus,

he will see what Philip has said is true.

Nathanael does go, he meets Jesus, talks with him.

Testimony, Faith. More testimony.

“Rabbi, you are the Son of God!”

From doubt and fear to faith and hope:

          Once again quoting Martin Luther King Jr.:

                    “The faith transforms the whirlwind of despair

into a warm and revising breeze of hope.”*

Nathanael is transformed from skeptic to believer and witness.

Jesus has a lot in the in mind for Nathanael

as both disciple and witness.

In verse 51 Jesus says to him:

“you will see heaven opened and the angels of God

ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Heaven opening…

          as when Jesus was baptized by John:

          “I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove…”

Angels ascending and descending take us back to the image

of Jacob’s dream at Bethel, the ladder to heaven.

Jacob encounters God, he sees angels

and hears God’s words of promise;

the promise of God with him,

          God’s protection, and

          the promise of homecoming.

God is involved in and knows the individual…

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

    you discern my thoughts from far away.

          You search out my path and my lying down,

                   and are acquainted with all my ways. 

Even before a word is on my tongue,

O Lord, you know it completely.”

God has knowledge of the worshiper;

          heaven is connected to earth.

There is a gateway to heaven,

          whether it is a vision of angels ascending and descending,

                   a promise of the kingdom of God at work,

                   or the sky opening and

the Holy Sprit coming to earth as a dove.

God’s word made flesh which reveals God’s glory,

                   and this message is that Jesus,

the Son of God, is the gateway to heaven.

The words Jesus speaks to Nathanael are not just for Nathanael:

          “you will see heaven opened and the angels of God

ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

That you is plural;

Jesus is speaking to all,

                   including the one reading the gospel.

Jesus opens Nathanael’s eyes and ears

 to understand things more clearly.

The Gospel of John includes the reader in the revelation

          and in the invitation to also be a witness;

Jesus can open our eyes and ears, our hearts and minds.

Nathanael is voicing the community’s faith

and the reader is part of that community.;

the hope is that the reader

will make the same confession as Nathanael:

Jesus is the Son of God!

 How do we follow Jesus in our daily lives?

Do you and I witness to others?

Witnessing, evangelism:

          those can be big scary words, but they do not have to be;

Witnessing is an expression of mission and discipleship,

          reaching out to others by sharing God’s love.

That should be one of the easiest things you and I can do.

Through the Holy Spirit, we are given the blessing

of discipleship,

the ability to reach out to others,

and to share the gospel.

Think about it this way…

          who has said to you ‘come and see’?

a family member,

a teacher, a mentor,

a friend, a neighbor?

To whom have you said it?

          You and I can say it with words….talking to a co-worker,

or an acquaintance, or even someone who we have just met.

We can let it shine with our actions in our daily life…

          what you and I  do, how we do things.

Remember people tend to make pre-judgments on

          superficial observations,

          so our actions reach beyond these church walls

          into our 24/7 world.

Be a follower;

be a disciple;

          be a witness.

One person telling another.

Testimony, Faith. More testimony.

Spread the good news…as Nathanael proclaimed:

“Rabbi, you are the Son of God!”

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

*MLK quotes are from his book Strength to Love.

Being Creative

Being Creative

 

What are some of your desires for the New Year?

I am not thinking about those familiar resolutions…

                   lose 10 pounds,

                   eat healthier,

                   save more, spend less.

What I am wondering about is what might bring real joy into your life…

          To be more at peace,

                   have more patience,

                   feeling of calm and completeness,

                   enjoying life’s little pleasures.

In other words…

          how might you and I experience spiritual growth?

Our lives are so busy, so filled up with

          commitments and obligations,

          distractions,

          finding ways to fill an emptiness.

So where is that time for self-care?

          for renewal?           for prayer?

          for spiritual growth?

Just as we need food and water for our bodies to live and grow,

          we need to feed our souls, our spirit, our inner light.

 

Creation.

Creation is what fills me;

          being in God’s creation and embracing my own creativity.

Have you ever walked in the woods alone (but not alone)?

Have you been in that moment

where all you hear are birds chirping or a bullfrog croaking?

Have you sat by a stream or pond and watched the light play on the water?

These are the times I listen; listen to God’s voice.

Whether it’s the sound of the wind, the flow of the waterfall,

or an inner voice guiding me,

this is when God answers prayers.

 

Creativity

God’s creation is there to inspire our own creativity.

What wonderful things God has created

          -earth, sea, sky, creatures, nature, humankind.

Our response to God, the Creator is

          growing into what God desires for us to be,

          using our talents and gifts,

          living a life that glorifies and praises God.

Look at the creativity that is within each of us…

                    the imagination and play that began in childhood

                    matures into being productive, being artistic, being poetic:

the moment mere words become poetry;

the moment you take a brush in hand and begin making

                    ‘happy little trees’ upon a once blank canvas;

the feeling of kneading and molding clay into bowls or jars.

God has gifted us with talents, blessed us with time,

          encourages us with guidance from the Holy Spirit.

 

So, the hopes for the new year...

          embrace the creativity within you;

          let your inner child play;

          listen to the silence in nature;

          share your gifts;

          be creative!