You Can’t Go Forward by Looking Backward
Sermon by Father William Forester
(240519) Ezekiel 37:1-14, Acts 2:1-21, John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15
In the name of God, the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Years ago, I was in discussion with a bishop. It was a positive discussion about where I was and where I wanted to be.
He said, "Bill, where do you see yourself in three to five years?" He asked me about my experiences in the church up to that time and asked me to project what I would do in a different parish.
My answer was, in essence, that I would recreate in a new parish the same things I had done in my previous and present situations.
"All well and good," the bishop said, "But always remember that each church offers different challenges." He then said something that I will never forget: "Bill, you can't go forward while looking backward."
What wisdom. You can't go forward looking backwards. Now, both the church and society have changed considerably in the 50-plus years that I have been ordained. Churches that understand societal changes and plan accordingly will make an impact. And churches that continue to do the same things they did 40 years ago will not. A glaring example of the church failing to understand societal changes occurred in 1917 when the Russian Orthodox Church was having a heated discussion about the color of robes to be worn on Palm Sunday, two blocks away from Red Square on the day the Bolshevik Revolution began. You can't go forward looking backward; and Jesus is calling St. Albans to go forward. St. Albans will have a new Rector in the foreseeable future. Based on a history of strong clergy leadership and committed lay involvement, this church is ready for a new and wonderful adventure. Prepped by the successes of the past, St. Albans is ready for its next challenge; and the church will have the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Today is a day of Pentecost called the Feast of Weeks in the Old Testament. It's the day the Holy Spirit is released on the church in a spectacular way. In Acts 1, Jesus says, "When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power to be my witnesses to the ends of the earth."
The Greek word for power is dunamis. it's the word from which we get the word dynamite. That's the kind of power God will have on the human condition, and the Church, in going towards the end of the earth. In today's lesson from Acts 2, the apostles are in one place in Jerusalem when a loud rushing wind and tongues of fire alight on each of the apostles. When the apostles speak, people from all around the empire hear the good news of Jesus in their native language from people who did not speak their language. The message is that God's love is for every person in every region, even to the ends of the earth. There's excitement. There is amazement. It was wild and it was explosive.
The Holy Spirit given at Pentecost empowered and equipped the apostles and the early church to go forward as witnesses with the message of Jesus. And there were skeptics.
"It's nine o'clock in the morning," skeptics say, "Those apostles have had too much wine," …like a group of Episcopalians, I'm sure.
Peter jumps up and says, "Amethyst”. Amethyst in Greek means not drunk. “We are not drunk. We are full of the spirit. Amethyst, we are not drunk we are full of the spirit."
Over the centuries, many bishops have placed an amethyst in their pectoral cross, signifying “We're not drunk. We are full of the spirit.” The spirit directed the early church forward and outward and will do the same for St. Albans today.
Drawing on the strengths and successes of the past, St. Albans is poised to embark on a new adventure, not recreating past successes, but building on them. How will we respond? One word: Welcome. The greatest need in society today is the need for friends, fellowship…a place where I can go, where I know that I matter. When people walk through the doors of the church for the first time, most are usually looking for friends and community. And in many cases, they are looking for opportunities to serve. What is our response? Welcome. Welcoming people, befriending them, and offering them opportunities to serve in the church's worship, ministry, fellowship, and outreach is critical. In this day and age, the church, which will positively respond to the needs of people looking for friends and opportunities to serve, will reap a bountiful harvest.
In his book, The Purpose Driven Church, Rick Warren says, "In every growing and healthy congregation, you will find a common denominator. They have figured out a way to meet the needs of people. A church will never grow beyond its capacity to meet needs." And as I've said many times before, love draws people like a magnet. A lack of love drives people away.
The bishop asked me years ago, "Where do you want to be in three years, five years?" I see a bright and productive future for St. Albans in the next three to five years. The Holy Spirit will empower and guide St. Albans in the search for a new rector in relevant worship, ministry, fellowship, and outreach. You are called to be a part of that and how do you know if you were called? Two questions: Are you breathing? Is your heart beating? If the answer is yes to at least one of those, you are called.
Come Holy Spirit, come to this place now. Take us where we are and guide us to where you want us to be.
Stay positive, work hard, and make it happen.
Amen.
