Last night's Ash Wednesday Service was a powerful service that marked
the beginning of the Lenten season. Based on 1 Samuel 7:4-6, in the
sermon I talked about how repentance is for all of us. It is plural.
What does our church need to repent from? What do we need to turn away
from as a church? To turn toward as a church? I sense we are
repenting, we are changing and transforming. I have heard about more
than one experience recently when a need arose and right then, on the
spur of the moment, right here on our campus, people prayed together
for God to intervene. I wasn't involved. Other priests were involved.
Each of you is a priest of God. You don't have to have a minister to
intervene to God for yourself or someone else. This is the meaning of
the Reformed understanding of the priesthood of believers. We are to
challenge one another because we care about one another. We are to
hold one another up in prayer. Lent is not just about Jesus and me.
Lent is about Jesus and us. It is about our relationship with one
another and with God. Lent reminds us that repentance is in the
plural.
Repentance is for all of us. It is plural. What does our church need
to repent from? What do we need to turn away from as a church? To turn
toward as a church? I sense we are repenting, we are changing and
transforming. I have heard about more than one experience recently
when a need arose and right then, on the spur of the moment, people
prayed together for God to intervene. That happened right here on this
campus. I wasn't involved. Other priests were involved. Each of you is
a priest of God. You don't have to have a minister to intervene to God
on your behalf.
We are to challenge one another because we care. We are to hold one
another up in prayer. Lent is not just about me and Jesus or Jesus and
me. Lent is about us. It is about our relationship with one another
and with God. Lent reminds us that repentance is is in the plural.
Repentance is a "y'all" or a "you'se guys" and not just a singular
"you." May this Lenten season be a time of self-examination for us as
a congregation. May we be transformed as a church. May we, like Israel
at Mizpah, put away the Baals and the Astartes, and serve the Lord
only. (See 1 Samuel 7:4-6,) The Baals and the Astartes are the things
that cause us think team is spelled with an "i". There is no "i" in
"team." Repentance is a plural, y'all. So let's repent of our sins.
Let's turn ourselves back to God's way. Let reorient our common life
together.
I closed the Ash Wednesday sermon with a story about Jimmy Durante
which was cited by Tim Hansel in his book "Holy Sweat." You may recall
that Jimmy Durante one of the great entertainers of a generation ago.
He was asked to be a part of a show for World War II veterans. He told
them his schedule was very busy and he could afford only a few
minutes, but if they wouldn't mind his doing one short monologue and
immediately leaving for his next appointment, he would come. Of
course, the show's director agreed happily. But when Jimmy got on
stage, something interesting happened. He went through the short
monologue and then stayed. The applause grew louder and louder and he
kept staying. Pretty soon, he had been on fifteen, twenty, then thirty
minutes. Finally he took a last bow and left the stage. Backstage
someone stopped him and said, "I thought you had to go after a few
minutes. What happened?"
Jimmy answered, "I did have to go, but I can show you the reason I
stayed. You can see for yourself if you'll look down on the front
row." In the front row were two men, each of whom had lost an arm in
the war. One had lost his right arm and the other had lost his left.
Together, they were able to clap, and that's exactly what they were
doing, loudly and cheerfully. Friends, each of us is broken in our way
but together we are strong. It's time for this church to clap
together. I'm starting to see that here and there in this church and I
like the way it looks. So does God.
Lenten peace of Christ to you all,
Jon B.
--
The Rev. Dr. Jonathan L. Burnham
St. John's Presbyterian Church
5020 West Bellfort Ave, Houston, TX 77035
Phone 713-723-6262 | sjpresby.blogspot.com
--
St. John's Presbyterian Church
5020 West Bellfort / Houston, TX 77035
T. 713.723.6262 / F. 713.723-4015 / Email: office.sjpc@gmail.com
Worship Service: Sunday, 10:30 am / Sunday School: 9:00 am
