The love of God is our light.
Let it shine, says Jesus.
Let your light shine … for all the world to see … so that the world will see your good works, and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Let it shine.
Bright and clear.
Pure and beautiful.
Let it shine.
Let it shine for all the world to see.
It’s your light …Covenant Presbyterian Church!
Let it shine.
Covenant, you stand tall for justice.
You have open the doors to all.
You welcome without question.
You are gracious and kindly.
You are loving and gentle.
You are forceful in righteousness.
Thoughtful in faith.
Positive in outlook.
Prejudice and discrimination have never found a home here.
Narrowness and fundamentalism have never taken root here.
You’ve are serious about the things of God.
If I may be personal for a moment, I can only express to you my gratitude … what a joy it’s been for me to be your interim pastor … and how good it’s been for my family – Rachel and Cy and Josh and Donna. We have all found a spiritual home here in Covenant on the Corner.
Your light shines bright and clear.
As for the future, who knows?
The future is not ours you see.
The future belongs to God.
What belongs to us right now is our light.
The light of our faith.
The light of our love.
The light of our hope - because Christ is risen from the dead!
The future is not ours.
What is ours, is here and now.
The present moment!
Right now.
Here and now, today!
And that’s enough.
That’s enough for God to get the job done.
That’s enough for the blessing.
That’s enough for the light.
Our light belongs to us.
Because it’s given to us by God.
And Cathy’s light, as well.
Cathy’s light will join your light in just a few more weeks.
Cathy brings a lot of experience, good credentials, good ideas and a good heart.
Her track record is clear: Cathy’s a hard worker!
But, please, please do me a favor.
Whatever you expect of Cathy, expect of yourself, as well.
Live with high expectations.
But don’t’ impose those on Cathy, all by herself.
Or on anyone else, for that matter.
Whatever you expect of another, expect it first, of yourself.
In the early 70s, when I was looking at moving to a new church, there was still a question in the church information form – “What do you expect of the minister’s wife?” …
One church said, “We want her to be an expert in Presbyterian polity, to lead the Women’s Association and be an extravert.”
Donna said to me, “If you go there, you’ll go without me!”
Well, that took care of that.
And then, one day, we read a church information form that answered the question well: “The ministers wife has the same responsibilities as any member of the church.”
Just like any member of the church.
I like that.
Because no one is more or less important than any one else.
We all have the same responsibilities … to be thoughtful and kind and wise and merciful, and to keep on learning and growing … you’ve heard me say it ten thousand times, we’re all in this together.
Cathy can only be Cathy.
True for any of us – we can only be who and what we are … as God has created us, as life has shaped us.
Colleen is Colleen.
Pam and Willie are Pam and Willie.
Dan and Ruth are Dan and Ruth.
Emily is Emily.
Some of us sing and some of us dance.
Some of us relate to God through our heads.
Some of us relate to God through our hearts.
Some of us relate to God through our hands.
Heads, hearts and hands.
We need all of it, and then some!
As you think about Covenant, think about yourself.
Everyone here is vital to the life of the church.
Be pro-active in you neighborhood.
Has your light been shining as of late?
What do people see when they see you?
What do people hear when you speak?
What do people see of God when they watch you?
Of course, no one is perfect.
But Jesus says, Let your light shine.
Be pro-active with your neighbors, families and friends.
Invite people to church.
It won’t work with everyone.
Some folks aren’t ready when you invite them.
But you can help them along the way.
Invite them to church every now and again.
And one of those days, they’ll say yes to you.
And then go out to lunch with them afterward.
And then do it again.
Invite them over to your home.
And do it again.
And, who knows, they may find Covenant to be a spiritual home … or maybe they won’t Covenant at all.
If someone is hyper-conservative, they won’t be comfortable here.
If someone is fearful of gays and lesbians, they won’t be comfortable here.
If someone wants a church that agrees with everything they already know and want, they won’t be comfortable here.
If someone wants a church that loves glamour and glitter, they won’t be comfortable here.
If someone wants a church to preach Jesus without justice, and a Christ without compassion, they won’t be comfortable here.
If someone wants a church that preaches hell-fire and damnation and eternal punishment, they won’t be comfortable here.
Covenant is a good and faithful church.
Covenant bears witness to the power of the gospel … and God is doing fine things in our midst, just as we are.
Who knows what the future holds?
But this much we know, we hold the light in our hands.
Let it shine, says Jesus.
Let it shine!
Somewhere along the line, as you keep inviting people, working with them, praying for them, you’ll find a connection growing …
You’ll see the light of faith emerge in someone’s life …
You’ll see the hand of God at work.
And that always takes time.
No one becomes a Christian in a moment.
Perhaps in a moment, we make the decision.
But it’s takes a life-time, and then some, to become a Christian – to grow up into the grace of God, and to learn how to carry our cross.
And always the mystery – the great mystery - God brings people TO the church.
From outta the blue.
Folks move here from Timbuktu …
They drive by the church one day.
They see a message title on the marquee.
A bell goes off in their mind.
Something goes “click” in their heart.
And the next Sunday they’re here.
God draws them here.
God fills their heart.
God says to them, Here is your spiritual home.
If someone is progressive, they’ll find a home here.
If someone looks for authentic Christians, they’ll find them here.
If someone wants good preaching, they will hear it here.
If someone seeks peace of mind and spiritual healing, they will find solace here.
If someone is looking for a place to get to work to make this a better world, they will find a spiritual at Covenant.
And more than that, we’re a connected church.
We’re Presbyterians.
We have the Presbytery of the Pacific on our campus.
And a whole denomination spread across the country and wrapped around the world.
We do a million great things because we’re connected.
Connected to a vast network of life and love.
Let your light shine, says Jesus.
And the world will see your good works.
And will give glory to your Father in heaven.
Covenant Presbyterian Church.
Covenant on the Corner.
You have much light.
It shines brightly.
The world see your good works.
And gives glory to your Father in heaven.
You have done well, dear friends.
You will continue doing well.
Let your light shine.
Amen and Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment