Bethel Presbyterian Church
Pastor Finn's Corner
Pastors Corner
Meditation for
Sunday, 15 January 2006
"Visions of Greater Things"
We who claim to be Christian, that is to say, we who try to walk in the footprints that our Lord left for us to follow on this Earth, sometimes feel that our lives are so difficult and hard. We wonder how we can just make it through the day with our minds and bodies at peace with this hard, hard world in which we live. I have come to believe that one of the main purposes for coming into this fellowship is to find something onto which we might hold that makes the strife and the struggle of life worthwhile. And, sometimes even in here, we find that things are not always as PEACEFUL as we might expect them to be. In spite of such disappointments, we continue to come, because we hold onto our belief that there IS light, at the end of the tunnel. We have faith that the promises that God has given us are worth the wait for their fulfillment.
My Christian brothers and sisters, that is the what is at the base of the teachings of the great man whose birth we celebrate today. Martin Luther King, Jr., our leader in the epic battles and struggles that were the civil rights movement, was FAITHFULLY committed to the belief that we who believe the gospel MUST know that it is the place, the ONLY place, where we may stand on promises. He knew that promises had been made, down though the years, and he knew that the promises had always been broken. He knew that we, people of African descent, had long suffered in this strange land, and that we had to depend on just ONE set of promises to make freedom and equality for all people in this strange but promise-filled land a reality.
Since the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday weekend came upon us, the talk shows on the radio and on television stations have played and replayed their favorite memories from the great March on Washington, D.C. I have heard "I Have a Dream" so many times in the last few days that I have memorized the parts that are repeated, AGAIN.
Those of you who were here the last time we celebrated Dr. King's birthday may recall that we remembered that the way in which his great ministry to the world was formed. A little time was spent recalling that he was a product of the Black church. We noted that the greater community thought that, because his answers to their questions were usually put in terms that they might understand, that he was inspired by the Western Civilization-type theologians to which he made reference. But, we recalled, Dr. King was definitely a product of the Black Church and its traditions. THIS is what gave impetus AND strength to his vigorous leadership of the Civil Rights Movement. He knew the tempo, he knew the tenor, he knew the stride that was necessary to galvanize his people into a mighty force for JUSTICE-for everybody. But, more than all of that , my Christian brothers and sisters, he knew the Lord, and he trusted the Lord, and, he-stood-on-the promises that the Lord would see him-would see US-through! Amen? This is the reason he could stand in the Lincoln Memorial, LONG after major promises to us had been abandoned and trashed, and still say to the world, "I have a Dream!"
If the Lord it pleases, we will examine the ways in which we must continue to work to keep his dream alive. Gracious God, we come again, seeking to understand the Way you want us, your people, to live. As you did inspire certain messengers in days of old, now give an inspiration to your servant here, that your Living Word might truly be present. Make him a messenger of your truth for your people here gathered. Let the words of his mouth, and all of our meditations, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Strength and our Protector! Amen!
Dr. King knew the Bible, because he was nurtured by MLK, Sr., a Baptist preacher. We may be certain that when he spoke of having a dream, he FULLY understood ALL the BIBLICAL implications of his declaration. Dr. King was a YOUNG man-he was still only 39 years old, when he was assassinated, almost FIVE years after the famous speech. He knew that the prophet had said that OLD men would dream, and yet-"I have a Dream!"
Dr. King had faith in the Word of God, and he was faithful to the words of God. He made no mistake, because he understood that he was speaking, in obedience to God, of things that were yet to come. He surely knew that, in the chronology of Old Testament prophetic standards, he was, indeed, old. He surely knew that in the Gospel, according to St. John, in the first chapter at verse 50, we would find a young man being told by Jesus, "Thou shalt see greater things than these." Joel prophesied that YOUNG men would "see visions." Dr. King prophesied----that we would continue the dream, with OUR visions!
Church, this is, as the old commercial used to say, where the rubber meets the road! We are in dire need of young men and young women to have a vision. We have, according to an enterprising elder of our church, only SIX members under 55 years of age. We will be extinct, in just a little while, if our mortality continues at the present rate. Not a pleasant outlook, it is, however, the TRUTH. And, as St. John tells us, "the TRUTH shall make you free."
We ARE free--to do something--to change this to a NEW truth. It may not be easy, but I believe that a congregation that has the Holy Spirit will, in obedience to the Word of God, do what is necessary to continue life as a member of the body of Christ. I believe that when a situation is as clear as ours is now, action will take place that will save our life as a congregation. The only action that will help with OUR situation is getting new young people, young families, to join the few that we have now.
I believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I know that there are members of this congregation who believe like I do, so that we have a core to start a renewal of the Bethel family. I think that if we dedicate our efforts to making this a priority for the Bethel, the Holy Spirit will assure our success.
The efforts that we make together will be in continuation of the dream of freedom. We begin our renewal this day, remembering the legacy and the work of Dr. King. We know that when we work together in this way, he will join us, in the spirit, and he will know that his living has not been in vain. When we all work together, in the Lord, God will provide the increase, and OUR living will not have been in vain!
Let us pray-Merciful God, hear our fervent prayer for renewal. Give to each of us an inspiration so that we might find our way into your Way. Guide our steps, that we may follow, faithfully, the road you would have us trod. Keep us forever following your will, into holiness and peace. Amen!