First Place in Everything
Sunday, November 25th, 2007
Twenty-sixth after Pentecost (Christ the King Sunday – last of the Church year)
Jerusalem Baptist Church, Emmerton VA
Colossians 1:11-20
Theme: Making Christ Lord of all
Let’s take stock.
Liturgically, today is the last day of the year. Next Sunday, being the first Sunday of Advent, marks the first Sunday of the NEXT church year. Although I love church history, and have read through the process whereby we came to HAVE a Church year and a secular year, I’m not sure I can explain to you why the Church year and the Calendar year differ, except to say that the Calendar year that is generally observed – the secular year – dates back to Roman times, is connected somewhat to the seasons of the year and the harvest cycles, and at least insofar as the names of the months go, is an essentially pagan construct, since they were named after various gods of the Roman pantheon or in honor or memory of one or another Caesar. Conversely, the Church year is based on events that mark for us events in the life and ministry of Christ.
All that being said, it simply bears noting that it’s not necessarily a BAD thing to be “out of sync” with the rest of the world on certain fundamental aspects of marking our existence. We are meant to march to the beat of a different drummer. We are called to be in the world but not of it. We are SUPPOSED to be something like square pegs in round holes.
We are and have been celebrating the fact that Jerusalem Baptist church has been IN existence as a congregation since August 5th, 1832 throughout this year.
We’ve had ample opportunity to reflect on and explore what that means over the last 11 months, we’ve made note of that passing of time by welcoming back former pastors; we had a model of what that first building may have looked like presented to Jerusalem; we have put together a scrapbook with pictures and notes that evoke memories of decades past; we have invited everyone to participate in a dress-up Sunday to remind us of what we used to wear when coming to church. We have welcomed Pastors and choirs of churches that were once a part of this congregation but which, for one reason or another, formed congregations independent from us. Just as we were formed out of what we call a ‘mother’ congregation, they also were born out of us. In some instances that birthing was painful, in others, joyful. We welcomed former members to our homecoming celebration that in some cases we had not seen in just a couple of years, and in other cases, we’d not seen in decades.
In each of those events, what has been quietly underscored, what has been brought to our attention, perhaps more on a subconscious level, but not focused on in an outright manner, has been the fact of change. To look around is to recognize the changes Jerusalem has been through – not just in the last few months or years, but over her lifetime as a congregation.
It is something that we are aware of in our own lives, certainly on a yearly, but also on a monthly and even on a weekly basis. We have said goodbye to members of our congregation and extended family who had been a part of us since our earliest memories. We’ve given welcome to precious little new lives that plant themselves in our hearts and give us reason to continue to work towards the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God on earth.
We have welcomed new members into our family who have expressed a desire to walk alongside, to put their hand to the plow, to join with us as we figure out what it means to say we are Christ-followers and to live that answer out together.
So, just as we sometimes find ourselves doing around our New Year’s celebrations on the ‘general’ calendar, we can also take time to reflect on the past year and what it has meant for us as a church family.
We have just celebrated a day of Thanksgiving, which is an observed CIVIL holiday, but which allows our nation as a whole to pause and give thanks – whether directly to God or simply in the spirit of gratitude – for what we have, and what we count as blessing, and for what we are anticipating becoming.
This past Wednesday, at the community Thanksgiving service, Michael Dawson, the host Pastor, offered a time in the service for anyone there to express THEIR thank for something in particular.
Thanks were expressed for freedom, for a place to gather, for a community with which TO gather, and for family – more than anything, almost, for family – both immediate family and that family that reaches beyond – the greater family that we belong to—the family that made the way for us and the family that follows behind, the family that surrounds and strengthens, that comforts, that consoles, that celebrates and rejoices.
The traditional ‘name’ for this Sunday is ‘Christ the King’ Sunday. It is the culmination – the peak – of the Church year. Calling it “Christ the King” Sunday reminds us of that fact – that ultimately, Christ IS to reign over all. It is what we proclaim, it is what we believe, it is what we struggle to work out on a daily basis, first and foremost in our OWN lives, and as we live it out, in the life of our community and our world.
So on this morning that marks the end of this year, I’d like to open the floor to anyone who would like to voice something for which you are grateful to God.
Since I’m already talking, I’ll go ahead and start: :-)
I’m grateful to God for a faith family that is engaged in the practice of faith – that really DOES consider it important – consider it CENTRAL to their life AS A CONGREGATION – to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. For recognizing disagreements and yet joining together to worship and ‘do church’ despite those differences. For faithfulness that is a clear reflection of God’s faithfulness to us – in giving, in praying, in presence, in friendship, and in standing beside each other in times of loss and sorrow as well as in times of joy and celebration.
(Voices of the congregation)
Amen, and amen.
Let’s pray.
Sunday, November 25th, 2007
Twenty-sixth after Pentecost (Christ the King Sunday – last of the Church year)
Jerusalem Baptist Church, Emmerton VA
Colossians 1:11-20
Theme: Making Christ Lord of all
11May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
Let’s take stock.
Liturgically, today is the last day of the year. Next Sunday, being the first Sunday of Advent, marks the first Sunday of the NEXT church year. Although I love church history, and have read through the process whereby we came to HAVE a Church year and a secular year, I’m not sure I can explain to you why the Church year and the Calendar year differ, except to say that the Calendar year that is generally observed – the secular year – dates back to Roman times, is connected somewhat to the seasons of the year and the harvest cycles, and at least insofar as the names of the months go, is an essentially pagan construct, since they were named after various gods of the Roman pantheon or in honor or memory of one or another Caesar. Conversely, the Church year is based on events that mark for us events in the life and ministry of Christ.
All that being said, it simply bears noting that it’s not necessarily a BAD thing to be “out of sync” with the rest of the world on certain fundamental aspects of marking our existence. We are meant to march to the beat of a different drummer. We are called to be in the world but not of it. We are SUPPOSED to be something like square pegs in round holes.
We are and have been celebrating the fact that Jerusalem Baptist church has been IN existence as a congregation since August 5th, 1832 throughout this year.
We’ve had ample opportunity to reflect on and explore what that means over the last 11 months, we’ve made note of that passing of time by welcoming back former pastors; we had a model of what that first building may have looked like presented to Jerusalem; we have put together a scrapbook with pictures and notes that evoke memories of decades past; we have invited everyone to participate in a dress-up Sunday to remind us of what we used to wear when coming to church. We have welcomed Pastors and choirs of churches that were once a part of this congregation but which, for one reason or another, formed congregations independent from us. Just as we were formed out of what we call a ‘mother’ congregation, they also were born out of us. In some instances that birthing was painful, in others, joyful. We welcomed former members to our homecoming celebration that in some cases we had not seen in just a couple of years, and in other cases, we’d not seen in decades.
In each of those events, what has been quietly underscored, what has been brought to our attention, perhaps more on a subconscious level, but not focused on in an outright manner, has been the fact of change. To look around is to recognize the changes Jerusalem has been through – not just in the last few months or years, but over her lifetime as a congregation.
It is something that we are aware of in our own lives, certainly on a yearly, but also on a monthly and even on a weekly basis. We have said goodbye to members of our congregation and extended family who had been a part of us since our earliest memories. We’ve given welcome to precious little new lives that plant themselves in our hearts and give us reason to continue to work towards the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God on earth.
We have welcomed new members into our family who have expressed a desire to walk alongside, to put their hand to the plow, to join with us as we figure out what it means to say we are Christ-followers and to live that answer out together.
So, just as we sometimes find ourselves doing around our New Year’s celebrations on the ‘general’ calendar, we can also take time to reflect on the past year and what it has meant for us as a church family.
We have just celebrated a day of Thanksgiving, which is an observed CIVIL holiday, but which allows our nation as a whole to pause and give thanks – whether directly to God or simply in the spirit of gratitude – for what we have, and what we count as blessing, and for what we are anticipating becoming.
This past Wednesday, at the community Thanksgiving service, Michael Dawson, the host Pastor, offered a time in the service for anyone there to express THEIR thank for something in particular.
Thanks were expressed for freedom, for a place to gather, for a community with which TO gather, and for family – more than anything, almost, for family – both immediate family and that family that reaches beyond – the greater family that we belong to—the family that made the way for us and the family that follows behind, the family that surrounds and strengthens, that comforts, that consoles, that celebrates and rejoices.
The traditional ‘name’ for this Sunday is ‘Christ the King’ Sunday. It is the culmination – the peak – of the Church year. Calling it “Christ the King” Sunday reminds us of that fact – that ultimately, Christ IS to reign over all. It is what we proclaim, it is what we believe, it is what we struggle to work out on a daily basis, first and foremost in our OWN lives, and as we live it out, in the life of our community and our world.
So on this morning that marks the end of this year, I’d like to open the floor to anyone who would like to voice something for which you are grateful to God.
Since I’m already talking, I’ll go ahead and start: :-)
I’m grateful to God for a faith family that is engaged in the practice of faith – that really DOES consider it important – consider it CENTRAL to their life AS A CONGREGATION – to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. For recognizing disagreements and yet joining together to worship and ‘do church’ despite those differences. For faithfulness that is a clear reflection of God’s faithfulness to us – in giving, in praying, in presence, in friendship, and in standing beside each other in times of loss and sorrow as well as in times of joy and celebration.
(Voices of the congregation)
Amen, and amen.
Let’s pray.
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