Sunday After Ascension Year B, 2009

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26; Psalm 1; 1 John 5:9-13; John17:6-19

Over the last weeks we’ve focused on some of the things that are at the heart of the life of Faith Church.

Dorothy Eaves shared about being an older member of this community.

About being welcomed to be a part of and to do what she can to keep this church strong and healthy.

She described being in the line of people…young and old…coming forward to receive communion or a blessing.

Dorothy said that was for her an unmiss-able moment when the everyday and the eternal touch.

The next week we celebrated children and children’s ministries.

We had the kids process in with balloons at the beginning of the service.

And Kent talked about the original vision of Faith as a place where children and families are welcomed and supported.

Last week Dawson McNew talked to us about pastoral care in this community.

He talked about how Faith Church supported him and his family when his wife Susan died suddenly and tragically.

He said a very true thing…trouble will find you.

Life is like that.

But he also described how we can be carried in our times of need by community when we have invested of ourselves in that community.

And now we’ve heard Mary share a little bit about how Faith Church was a part of her Christian path of outreach and servanthood.

Kent has been talking over these last weeks about the capital campaign that we are in the middle of.

He shared a story about his last trip to Honduras when he questioned why he was raising money for us here in El Dorado County and not for the poor in Honduras.

He talked about hearing and singing a song there that reoriented him.

The song is “To Look with the Eyes of Jesus”.

In those words Kent found that his vision and calling were rekindled for this local church.

As hard as it is to do a capital campaign, and it is hard work for Kent and for staff…

Partly, like he said, because we want to be liked.

And capital campaigns, asking people to give money, can stir up people’s deepest and most conflicted feelings about church and about giving their money to the church.

But this is a place where Christians are being nurtured.

Christians young and old who are hearing the call to serve the poor and those in need.

Faith Church is helping to shape healthy Christians who want to serve Jesus by serving others.

We talk over and over again about the spiritual foundation of giving and generosity.

When Tim and I give to the local church we are not making a payment for services rendered to us.

It’s not like paying the doctor bill or the grocery bill.

We are giving to God a tenth or more of what God has given us because we are in awe of God’s love for us.

Now I was not here 18 years ago when Faith Church started in Kent and Kathy’s living room and then had its first public service on Easter 1992.

Like most of you I was not a part of that original visioning or those early meetings.

Tim and I came here in the fall of 2000.

We give money for the operating budget and for the building fund to pay the mortgage for two reasons.

The first is because we want to live out our gratitude to God in that tangible, money way.

The second reason is that we see that Faith Church is a place where healthy Christians are being nurtured and challenged to live beyond themselves.

Faith Church is not a country club.

Faith Church is a safe harbor, a place to find healing and solace.

Faith Church is a place to be challenged to grow as a Christian with Bible study and small groups and prayer and Sunday School and VBS and Club Faith and Sunday morning worship.

Faith Church is a place where people, young and old, can find doors opening for them to serve others.

SHARE food closet, Rebuilding Together, Senior Work Days, trips to Honduras, Sierra Service Project…the list goes on.

You can say that you don’t want to give your money to help pay the church’s mortgage, which is what we’re asking you to do.

But see how much beyond that this giving really is.

As Kent keeps telling us…look with the eyes of Jesus.

This physical place has a single purpose…

To nurture and to challenge us to follow Jesus and to live out our Christian faith by loving God and serving others.

I suppose we could do that without a building, but we haven’t quite figured out how that would work.

So here we are with a building and a mortgage and a house full of people of all ages longing to make their lives matter.

In our Gospel lesson today we hear Jesus praying for us.

Keep in mind that Jesus is not talking to the disciples.

Jesus is praying for the disciples, for us.

In his last days and hours, when Jesus is facing death on the cross…

Jesus takes the time to pray for us.

As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

In his final hours, Jesus longs for us to go out into the world.

In a sense, Jesus is longing for us to see the world, to see people, to see the needs around us with his eyes.

And when we do see with the eyes of Jesus, how can we say no to reaching out and serving others?

Do we tell ourselves we don’t have time or energy or skills to serve others?

Do we tell ourselves we’re not solid enough Christians yet, that we need to wait until we’re a little more together, until we know the Bible better?

I was really struck by this lesson from Acts today when they were casting lots to fill Judas’ spot.

Two things.

First, Judas served others while he was among the twelve.

Yes, he did betray Jesus.

But he also, went out and preached and prayed for others when everyone else was doing that.

You don’t have to be perfect to serve others.

Even Judas did.

And you don’t have to be perfect to have your life matter.

Second, when the group was praying to discern who should fill that spot, they said this.

Lord, you know everyone’s heart…

How seriously do we take the fact that Jesus knows our heart?

I don’t think there is any kind of lead shield to keep Jesus from knowing what is going on inside of us.

So, on the one hand we may think that means that Jesus will be easy on us because he knows how crazy, busy we are.

But on the other hand consider this.

Jesus actually knows our hearts.

Jesus knows the ways in which we hold back because of pride or anger or shame or bitterness or indifference.

Reaching out and serving others isn’t just one more thing to add to your to do list.

It is our second commandment, right after loving God with all your heart and mind and soul.

Can you pray, make a phone call, write a note, cook a meal, drive someone to the doctor, watch someone’s kids, mow someone’s lawn, help someone move, bring food for the food closet, go to Honduras, go on an SSP project, go to Africa?

Yes, you can.

You can serve others in your home, your school, your office, your neighborhood, your community, your state, your country, your world.

When you hear that still small voice, calling you, nudging you to do something… know that Jesus will give you the strength to do it.

It may be hard, you heart may be changed which can be scary, but you will find the strength to serve others.

You don’t have to wait until the kids are older or you’re healthier or you’re not working so many hours or you have less homework.

Now is the time to serve others.

And Faith Church, the local church, is a place to be shaped and to find ways to do just that.

This church is worth investing in to help us and to help all who will be here in the future... to love God, to serve others, to live lives that matter in eternity.

Please be praying over these next days about what you or your family will be offering back to God as a pledge for this capital campaign.

If you’re struggling financially we don’t want you to feel guilty.

But if things are going OK we want you to make a pledge and be a part of the sacrifice and investment that will keep us healthy and strong.

Next Sunday we’ll be having one big Sunday service to celebrate Pentecost and to celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit here at Faith.

Pray for us as a local church.

Pray for yourself to hear the voice of God, to follow Jesus, to let the Holy Spirit work in you and through you.

And may we all be praying to see the world around us with the eyes of Jesus.