Ambassadors of Hope
Dr. James Mayfield
May 2, 2004 Text: II Corinthians 5:17-20 It takes no genius to be aware that the way things are, is not the way God intends them to be. As the hymn we sang declared: "Christ is our hope." The passage we read told us that all who follow Christ as to live as ambassadors of Christ, ambassadors of hope, regardless of our situation or circumstance. This is our mission, our purpose: to live as ambassadors of Christ, ambassadors of hope. As ambassadors of Christ and of hope, we are live loving others as God in Christ has loved us. Today is the day our congregation has set aside for each of us to make personal commitments to God and to ourselves regarding the ways we intend to be involved in ministries of service during the next 12 months. In the year ahead, in what specific ways are we going to be engaged as ambassadors of Christ, ambassadors of hope? Some of the ways will involve us in preparing ourselves so that we can be more effective ambassadors. We will involve ourselves in study groups and spiritual formation groups. Some of the ways will involve us in building up the Body of Christ that manifests itself in this congregation. We will involve ourselves in taking care of the routine details and chores that are part of being a congregation. Or we may serve on some committee or task force. Perhaps we will take leadership roles in teaching a class or visiting shut-ins. Some of the ways will involve us in works of service intended to benefit others beyond this congregation. Perhaps we will involve ourselves in repairing the houses of the poor or helping children learn to read or our ministry of service may take us to New Mexico or Honduras or Russia or Mexico or perhaps in some other way we will be in ministry to the needs of people in this neighborhood or in East Austin. Some of the ways we will be involved in ministries of service will be through our work or through our friendships or in caring out our civic responsibilities. Serving others is not an elective in the life of a follower of Christ. It is the fundamental and core curriculum of the life of faith. So, the question before us is: "To what ministries of service shall we commit ourselves?" What ministries of preparing? And what ministries of sharing or serving? Through this congregation, there are an abundance of opportunities. As I prepared this sermon, I counted the number of opportunities listed on the insert in today's bulletin. This congregation offers each of us a choice between 127 different ministries -- 127! And God only knows how many opportunities for ministries of service are available to each of us beyond this congregation. The question before each of us is: "In what ways am I going to be involved in ministries of service?" One the 127 ways people are involved in ministries of service this congregation offers is to work in our Lent Task Force. This group invests significant time and energy preparing materials and events to help us engage in spiritual growth during the season of Lent. Most of the time, they do their work unaware of the way their labors are being used by God in the ministry of reconciliation. But every once in awhile, we hear a story that reconfirms God is at work through their efforts. Just recently I learned that a year ago during one of the Good Friday services of worship a person who had gone through much pain -- and most of it self inflicted - became aware of God's soul healing, redeeming, merciful grace in a very personal experience of the presence of Christ. Unaware of the impact of their labors, the members of that Lent Task Force were ambassadors for Christ, ambassadors of hope, in the life of that person. Another of the 127 ways members are involved in service is as mentors or reading buddies in the public schools. A few days ago, this congregation was given the Mentor Program Of The Year award by the Austin Independent School District. When I first heard about our congregation being honored in this way, I assumed it was recognition for having so many members involved in the schools as mentors and reading buddies. And this was partly true. During the year we had approximately 40 of our members involved (probably no more than about 25 at any one time) helping individual elementary age children to improve their reading skills. Few if any of these children receive this kind of help at home. These numbers are impressive and appreciated, but what was really at the heart of the award is the fact that each of the children with whom our volunteers worked significantly improved their reading skills. In fact they had so improved that all of them passed the TAKS reading test on the first try. Just as Jesus, enabling the paralyzed to walk expanded the possibilities of their lives, these volunteers working with these children were ambassadors of Christ and of hope expanding the possibilities in the lives of these children, Another of the 127 ministry opportunities offered in this congregation is the prison ministry. Members of this congregation who have been involved in this ministry some time ago met and began a relationship with a young man who was in prison because of a variety of crimes. When the first met him, he was about to be paroled and understandably anxious about whether he could make it in the outside world after spending 10 years in prison. Members of this congregation have surrounded this young man with the kind of encouragement and help that have given him the opportunity to make it, and he has. In fact, he has even become engaged in some of our outreach ministries. Recently in one of these ministries that involved working with some boys who had troubled and troubling lives, this young man was there, and in is own quiet, personal way, he shared wisdom from his painful past with some of these boys. Ambassadors of Christ from this congregation, were used by God in the ministry of reconciliation with this young man and now this young man is also living as an ambassador of hope. Today is the day this congregation has set aside for each of us to make commitments to God and to ourselves about how we intend to be involved in ministries of service during the next 12 months. As we decide what we will do with this opportunity, it is well for us to remember the passage that was read this morning. We who call ourselves Christians are not to view life the way the world does. We are to live in the awareness of a deeper purpose. Regardless of our circumstance, in the midst of whatever situation we are in, we are to live as ambassadors of Christ, ambassadors of hope, so that through what we say and do God's ministry of reconciliation can be at work through us. God, help each of us make the commitments to ministries of service you want each of us to make. Amen. Pastoral
prayer:
|