Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 40:1-11
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1:29-42
“I will make you as a light for the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”(Isaiah 49:6)
In verse 31 of today’s gospel reading in the gospel of John chapter 1, John remarks: “ ..for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
that he might be revealed
This is the mission of the church
-- to reveal Christ, the light for the nations, the salvation reaching the end of the earth.
John’s whole prophetic ministry is centered around this function --
that he might be revealed.
John spoke --
that he might be revealed
John baptized --
that he might be revealed
We see in John’s words and actions an embodiment of Christian mission,
a mission that we’ve all become a part of through baptism.
that he might be revealed
Tomorrow we celebrate the life of a man who gave his life for this very purpose. On February 4, 1968, at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a sermon that would be his last at that church.
In it he expounds what J. Wallace Hamilton, a methodist preacher of that time, had called “the drum-major instinct.”
to seek greatness and prestige among others.
to have reasons to boast of themselves and their own accomplishments
to lead the parade to be first among all
Christ reversed our notions of greatness with one fell swoop:
whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Every now and then I guess we all think realistically about that day when we will be victimized with what is life's final common denominator—that something that we call death. We all think about it. And every now and then I think about my own death and I think about my own funeral. And I don't think of it in a morbid sense. And every now and then I ask myself, "What is it that I would want said?" And I leave the word to you this morning.
If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. And every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize—that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards—that’s not important. Tell them not to mention where I went to school.
I'd like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others.
I'd like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody.
I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question.
I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry.
And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked.
I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison.
I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.
Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. And that's all I want to say.
If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
If I can show somebody he's traveling wrong,
Then my living will not be in vain.
If I can do my duty as a Christian ought,
If I can bring salvation to a world once wrought,
If I can spread the message as the master taught,
Then my living will not be in vain.
Yes, Jesus, I want to be on your right or your left side, not for any selfish reason. I want to be on your right or your left side, not in terms of some political kingdom or ambition. But I just want to be there in love and in justice and in truth and in commitment to others, so that we can make of this old world a new world.
King marched, spoke, and served so that Christ, not King, might be revealed
“Sudden loss causes us to look backward -- but it also forces us to look forward, to reflect on the present and the future, on the manner in which we live our lives and nurture our relationships with those who are still with us. We may ask ourselves if we've shown enough kindness and generosity and compassion to the people in our lives. Perhaps we question whether we are doing right by our children, or our community, and whether our priorities are in order. We recognize our own mortality, and are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame -- but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in bettering the lives of others.”
what will the stories that are our lives tell the world?
what are our stories telling the world?
Great work Joel! I'm so proud of you and your intelligence, honesty, and integrity. I will continue to pray that you will be placed where God wants you! Keep it up!
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