Sermon 1/2/11

1st reading:Jeremiah 31:7–14 2nd reading:Ephesians 1:3–14 Gospel: John 1:(1-9) 10-18

When I left for Iowa State a year and a half ago one of my biggest worries was that would never find a church family like the one at St. Petri. I received my first communion at this alter; I gave my confirmation belief statement from this pulpit. Many of you have shepherded and mentored me, encouraging me through the good and the not so good times. I have been blessed to grow up here.

Even though Ames is only 15 minutes away I was concerned that I would never find the community, the family, that I had found here. So once school started I jumped at every opportunity to get involved with Christian ministry I could find.

One of the first ones I got involved with was The Navigators. A nice woman knocked on my door and asked me if I was interested in being in a Bible study and I said yes. She invited me to join a study and handed me a packet of materials on the Kingdom of God.

This Bible study was amazing. What I loved about it was how much Bible there was in the study. We searched through the Bible for answers to our questions not just settling for presumptions. During this time I really started to realize how much sin had a grasp on me, on all of us. Even when we seem to be good in comparison to “bad” people we still have sin. It is like an addiction that we don’t have the power to break. Thankfully we don’t have to do it alone. In the first lesson from Jeremiah it says “For the LORD has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.” God has ransomed us too. He sent Jesus to break the grip of sin; he paid the price for us. The reading goes on to talk about God turning mourning into joy, giving them gladness for sorrow, and the people being satisfied with the LORD’s bounty. When we feel broken, alone, and hopeless, God is there. Out of his bountiful goodness he will, in his time, turn our sadness to joy.

Another wonderful ministry I’ve had the opportunity to get involved with is Lutheran Campus Ministry, the pastor there, Scott Johnson preached here a couple times this summer while we were waiting for an interim pastor. ISU’s Lutheran Campus Ministry is a small group, but the number of pews filled at a Sunday service doesn’t determine the amount the Holy Spirit moves in a community. We are a group of students hungry to understand God. We have small groups that look like open forums, there is a lot of discussion, and no topic is off limits. One of my favorite groups there is called Theology for Lunch. It is a group of students from Lutheran Campus Ministry as well as some retired adults from Bethesda, another Lutheran church in Ames. This semester we read a book by Bonheoffer and another one about Johnny Cash’s affect on the America’s Christianity and culture. It has been incredible to hear the opinions and stories of the diverse people in the group. I’m pretty bummed that I can’t attend this small group next semester because I have Biochemistry at the same time.

Faith unlike science is not always black and white. The gospel reading from John exemplifies that perfectly. John’s account of Jesus is different than the others, he doesn’t give a chronology or a manger scene, he starts with poetry. The mystery of God is revealed in an unusual way, our Creator and King is outside of time, space and history.

I really like this introduction because it uses the familiar imagery of family. John says “To all who received him, who believed in his name he gave the power to become children of God, who were born not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.” God chose us to be his children not because we deserved it, but because he loves us, with his perfect love. This love is sometimes referred agape which is unselfish love. One of my favorite Christian authors, Rob Bell, says this on the topic: "Agape doesn't love somebody because they're worthy. Agape makes them worthy by the strength and power of its love. Agape doesn't love somebody because they're beautiful. Agape loves in such a way that it makes them beautiful." What Rob Bell says is so true, God is transforming us and raising us to new life.

One of the most unexpected things to come out of my college experience so far has to do with Catholicism. Last year I became really good friends with some catholics we had a lot of discussions about the differences and similarities of Protestants and Catholics. We have a lot more in common than I previously thought. Every few days I would ask them a question about baptism or priesthood, in hopes of understanding their religion. They graciously answered all my questions and soon invited me to go to mass with them.

I started going to Thursday Night Liturgy which is mass for students. It was extremely interesting. Most of the liturgy is the same, just to a different tune. Things got different at the Eucharist, or communion. We kneeled around the alter and bowed as the priest said the words of institution. The amount of reverence for Jesus in the Eucharist is incredible. My favorite words they say before receiving the bread and wine is: “I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” These words are not empty; they are a public confession of our unworthiness and God’s holiness. Through the sacrament of Holy Communion for Catholics and Lutherans God is there. He is giving us a foretaste of the feast to come, redemption through his blood.

In my year and a half of college I have seen and experienced God in many ways. I saw him in the compassionate bus driver who waited to shut the doors on the bus 10 seconds so I could run in out of the cold winter, I saw him in amazing carbon bonds of organic chemistry, he is even working in the Catholics. I have learned a lot about the character of God both in my time here at St. Petri and at college. I have stumbled along the way, but God has been there to pick me up every time. As the gospel reading from John said “From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.” Praise God for his grace and peace that pass understanding. Amen.