Today's sermon at Faith United Church, UCC, International Falls, MN
preached by the Rev Sue Judson Hamly
Texts: Proverbs 22: 1-2, 8-9, 22-23 and Psalm 125
At first, today’s readings from Proverbs and Psalm 125 may sound rather harsh. And, indeed, some of it is. But they also contain great wisdom.
Have you been told before that your good name—or your reputation—is worth more than riches? It’s true. Being trustworthy and compassionate (that’s what “favor” actually means in this text) is so important in our interactions with others. And it doesn’t matter a bit to God whether we’re rich or poor. God made us all and God loves us all, no matter what!
Proverbs also tells us not to use the legal system to take advantage of those who are poor because God will always be on their side.
Psalm 125 seems to have similar things to say, but today I want to focus on one verse: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so God surrounds the people, from this time on and forevermore.”[i]
In ancient times, walls and mountains provided some safety and security for cities. You can get an idea from the picture on the screen.
So, as the mountains surround Jerusalem, in the same way God surrounds the people—now and always.
What good news that is!! Have you felt it? God’s love surrounds us, always and forever, whether we’re aware of it or not.
Yesterday afternoon I officiated at a wedding in the garden at the Holiday Inn. I told the bride and groom that they are surrounded by God’s love. As I said that to them I remember thinking to myself—“Gee, I’m already working on my sermon!”
But how true it is! We ARE surrounded by God’s love, everywhere and always. It’s like a safety net, reminding us that we’re never alone.
Today is a wonderful celebratory day—we have both of our sacraments in one service! We baptized two of God’s special children and in their baptism we are all reminded that God names and claims each one of us, surrounding us with God’s never-ending, never-failing love.
In a few minutes we will celebrate communion, the meal that symbolizes God’s love for us in the gift of Jesus Christ. At the communion table we remember that we are one body with all God’s people everywhere. This meal symbolizes God’s love through Christ who brought people together from all walks of life, abolishing classism, racism, sexism, discrimination and any other isms you can think of. Sadly, as human beings we’re not there yet, but God’s love calls us to keep trying until we DO get there.
At the communion table we are all equal, each receiving the same food as everyone else. What it means to us may be different, but we’re all beloved children in God’s eyes.
In baptism God claims us as God’s own—although we are already God’s much-loved children from the moment of our conception. But what is also happening in the sacrament of baptism is that the faith community—the local church—is surrounding the child and the parents with love and caring and a commitment to help each child grow in Christian faith. We pledge to love like God does, bringing these children into our family of faith, surrounding them with an outward and visible expression of caring, just as God surrounds them—and us—with an even greater love that can be felt if not always seen.
God integrates us all into Faith United Church, which is one expression of the body of Christ, called to love and serve one another as we love and serve God by loving and serving the world.
It’s so good to be surrounded—by our community of faith and by our loving, compassionate God!
May peace be upon us! AMEN.
1 comment:
Beautiful sermon; thank you for sharing it!
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