August 19, 2007

Proper 15C

Hebrews 11:29-12:2; Luke 12:49-56:
"God's Work...Our Hands, Feet, and Laps in El Salvador" ...

In today's scripture readings, we hear words that challenge us to lives of faithfulness, and also words that encourage and remind us that other people of God have gone before us, sustained by God's mercy and grace.

Here before us in Luke is a muscular Jesus on a holy tear, hurling images of purifying fire, clouds heavy with rain, and a scorching wind from the south. Hardly the gentle Galilean of our church school memories. Hearing Jesus talk of conflict, we are reminded that choosing to follow the Way of Christ over the way of the world is neither easy nor passive. A life of faith can be demanding and require us to change and grow... even suffer.

It was in the midst of a time of persecution that the writer of the letter to the Hebrews wrote to encourage the faithful. These second generation Jewish Christians had become disappointed and disillusioned that God's promised kingdom had not yet come; some of them may have begun to abandon the community of faith. "Remember our ancestors," the encourager writes, "those whom God delivered from slavery and saved at the Red Sea for the sake of the gospel you now hold in your cupped hands. Let them stand as examples of faithful human following AND God's faithful leading of God's people out of danger into the safety of his embrace."

The letter writer continues to call the roll of those whose faith in God is exemplary: among them, those who achieved power and fame and great military victories - the classic role models. But called out, too, are those who suffered at the hands of God's enemies, yet lived their lives not as victims but as survivors, standing up to the worst that humans can do to other humans. Those who came out of the fire of persecution, not annihilated by the evil pressed on them, but strengthened instead. The list of the evils they suffered is long and gruesome - lions, swords, torture, shaming, unjust imprisonment, the destruction of homes, abandonment in the desert... a list that sounds a lot like the headlines that pop up on our internet servers or the late local news.

This is the cloud of witnesses, the spectators in the bleachers cheering the Hebrews -- and us - on to victory as we chug along in our own footraces. We do not run alone: The community of faith journeys together...as we discovered in El Salvador, the fifteen of us from this Family of Christ who traveled there together earlier this month. We came to encourage our sisters and brothers, and came away deeply encouraged by the faith we witnessed in them.

Tonight/this morning, those you sent to be your hands, feet, and laps in El Salvador continue the roll call of those whose faith in God is a model and encouragement. The experience is still fresh for us, and we are eager to share with you the stories we heard, the faith we witnessed.

Now we'll hear from Minnetonka H.S. senior Jaime Borotz and Tess Baril, who agreed to give you part of their testimonies this morning.

[testimonies from student]

Chaska High School senior Jon Laven, assisted by his dad, Mark, one of the adult leaders on the trip, worked many hours to distill hours of video clips and sound bites, creating the photo/video essay we'll roll in just a moment. It gives you a flavor of what we experienced together - The fun we had...the many wonderful people we met and their amazing stories...The prophetic witness of the Lutheran Church of El Salvador as it brings hope to the poor... the ways we found to partner in God's work, acting as your hands and feet and laps.

[This DVD will be made available to FoC families and individuals soon.]

Speaking for the group, I want to thank you again, Family of Christ, for cheering us on from the bleachers. Thank you for all the ways you supported us in our mission adventure - your dollars, your words of encouragement, your trust, your prayers. When the creature comforts we take for granted at home were lacking, and the hardships of the people around us weighed heavily, we felt God's arms and your encouragement.

We know that God -- who doesn't waste anything -- used us to bring encouragement to our Salvadoran sisters and brothers in the faith. Their smiles and hugs, their stories and faithfulness have kindled a great fire within us...and we feel them cheering us on as we return to the arenas and relationships to which God has called us - at home and in our neighborhoods, at school and at work, to the farthest reaches of God's world. We return to you filled with wonder at all that we have seen and heard, passionate about staying connected and deepening our involvement with the beautiful, resilient people of El Salvador, who have stolen our hearts. We don't know just where God will lead, but we've got our running shoes on...and we invite you to join the race with us, for you too - everyone - are called, saved, empowered by faith to be God's hands and feet, God's heart and lap in this community...in El Salvador...and beyond.

Thanks be to God!

The Rev. Kristie Hennig
Chanhassen, Minnesota