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Lent
4-A
2 March AD 2008
Marks of
a Disciple: Christian Service
Part four in a series
One of the
things I have noticed since our congregation returned to reading
the epistles in the Fall, has been the great variety of apostolic
exhortations to holy living. Last Sunday we heard that our being
justified by faith would enable us to handle the suffering that
periodically enters our lives. Today Ephesians 5, exhorts us to
walk and live as children of the light, letting Christ shine upon
us like a spot-light.
This week
I received THE LUTHERAN TRUMPET, spotlighting the work of Lutheran
Social Services of New York, and REACHING OUT from our own Lutheran
Social Ministries of New Jersey. Both of these organizations do
a marvelous job of help-ing the elderly with affordable housing
and retirement living, they work with people who have special
needs, they have provided adoption services, foster care for children
in crisis, they work with immigrants and refugees, and they provide
summer camp opportunities for inner city children. Both organizations
responded in the aftermath of 9/11 in ways that made the city
of New York take notice. And historically speaking, I have just
scratched the surface.
In the titles
of these two organizations is a familiar word, and it's not the
adjective Lutheran. In one it is service and in the other ministry.
The single Greek term from which both English words are derived
is (deaconia), we get the term deacon from it, one who serves
and ministers. "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only…"
(James 1:22) And so, genuine disciples of the Lord Jesus don't
just believe, they serve and they are involved in personal ministries,
they are active in works of service.
" Years
ago Arlene Wente collected scrap yarn. Color didn't matter; she
knitted it into small and colorful lap blankets distributed in
nursing homes. Carlyn does something very similar.
" There was a time when the ladies would gather scraps of
fabric and sew them together to make patchwork quilts for Lutheran
World Relief. These blankets were bailed in Maryland and sent
to war-torn countries or regions devastated by natural disasters.
" A mother at my wife's school has access to new and next-to-new
baby stuff. She gladly hands it off to Caren and I get to deliver
it to Today's Choice.
" A hotel closed up and eventually about twenty comforters
found their way into
my study and on to the Hospitality Network.
" Your gifts at Christmas help struggling families through
a social ministry in Franklin.
" Your continued gifts stock the food pantry in Franklin
and one of our faithful delivered many of them on Thursday.
" A few of you might remember in the aftermath of 9/11 our
narthex filling up with clothing, water, leather work gloves,
dog food, flashlights, etc… as we became part of the supply
chain moving stuff into downtown Manhattan. One of our members
made several trips with those supplies to ground zero.
The disciples
of Jesus have always been a people ready and eager to serve, to
minister to those in need. The early chapters of Acts (4-6) detail
for us how the poor of Jerusalem were cared for by the Christians
there, and how they funded that work. It is a good feeling to
know that Thrivent continues to encourage us in social ministry,
in Christian service. It is an active and involved supporter of
Habitat for Humanity. Their magazine tells about "Thrivent
Builds," providing homes for the poorest in Guatemala. Or,
you might be useful at Camp Restore where the work still goes
in cleaning up New Orleans.
"Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Dorcas. She was
full of good works and acts of charity." (Acts 9:36) The
women of our congregation used to run a thrift shop through which
they recycled clothing. It filled a need in our community and
from time to time people still ask me about that ministry and
the ladies who ran it. When I arrived at POP I found a cadre of
gentlemen active here, they were always ready to serve by repairing
a toilet, replacing a light bulb, filling the pot-holes or what
have you.
"Show
yourself in all respects to be a model of good works…"
(Titus 2:7) says the very apostle who taught us to live by "faith
alone." Works do not conflict with faith. Paul counsels his
young colleague, Timothy, encourage your people " to be rich
in good works, to be generous and ready to share..." (1 Tim.
6:18) Paul teaches that "there are varieties of service,
but [one] Lord;" who is honored in them all. (1 Corinthians
12:5)
Christian
service does not mean service at God's altar only. Some serve
in their community as volunteer firemen and EMTs, standing ready
to help at a moment's notice. They serve because it is right,
because volunteers are needed; they serve in their community and
by so doing also serve God. People are also needed to lead youth
through scouting and by coaching sports.
Very cautiously I would encourage your service on school boards
and in local politics; God-fearing men and women are sorely needed
in such avocations, but watch; remain above reproach and unstained
by the world. The Bible says you "are [God's] workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand,
that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) "Having
gifts that differ according to the grace given to [each of] us,
let us use them: if pro-phecy, in proportion to our faith; if
service, in our serving..." Romans 12:6-7
Disciples
of our Lord Jesus are needed in the neighborhoods where you live.
You serve as living sign of God's presence. "Offer yourselves,"
the Bible says, "offer your bodies, as living sacrifices,
holy and acceptable to God, this is your spiritual service (or
worship)." (Romans 12:1)
If we would
truly be his disciples-not just church members but disciples-we
must take up our crosses and follow him. In offering service,
you imitate your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who "came
not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom."
(Matthew 20:28) He taught us (Luke 22:27 et al) that the one is
greatest in the kingdom is the one who serves. Can you think of
a virtue to consider this Lent, than service?
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
Hamburg, NJ 07419
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