Sermon from May 12, 2024 by the Rev. Dr. Tara W. Bulger

Our sermon is called generation to generation. We've been looking at the things of the church that have sustained us and will sustain us into the future. And, today, we're looking at you, the people in the pews.

Ephesians 4: 1-7, 11-16 

 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

At least once a week, I try to find time to come sit in the sanctuary when no one else is here. It was yesterday morning that I was able to find that time. I sat in a pew and prayed about Sunday's worship service. Part of my prayer is that I try to imagine what you are bringing into this worship service with you, what you might have on your heart and mind as you sit in the pew. 

Maybe you have joy in your soul, maybe you've got your family with you, or there are dear friends in this congregation. Life is going well and so you come with this sense of joy. 

Or maybe you come with some pain. Maybe Mother's Day brings you some grief and loss, and maybe you are grieving a lost loved one or a broken relationship. Maybe you come into this place with pain, and I hold those in my mind and pray for them, too. 

I imagine a lot of us come to the pew with worries about money, our lives, and our children and grandchildren. We bring all those worries with us, and still others come in hope, remembering the promises of Jesus and taking some solace in our time together. I pray for whatever you might bring to this worship service. I pray for our worship and the sermon, and I always remember what the theologian Karl Barth said, which is that everyone comes to the sermon with only one question. And that question is, is it true? 

We all in some way come to this place asking the question, is it true? Is it true that God loves us? Is it true that in the person of Jesus Christ, we have been offered grace and, salvation and redemption? Is it true that the Holy Spirit is still with us here in this place, building us up and guiding us? Is it true that God cares about all of those things that are in our hearts and minds? And to that, I say yes. The truth of the Gospel is that God's love for you, the love we find in Christ, and the Holy Spirit is unrelenting. Jesus Christ is with you and for you. And if you remember nothing else, take that into your heart and soul today. 

The apostle Paul, in our passage from Ephesians, is writing to an early church, and he's writing to remind them, first of all, that they have been called to the Gospel and that it is true that Christ, out of Christ's love for the world, has called to them. They have heard the good news of who Jesus is. And out of that love and grace, they have responded. And so Paul reminds them that, more than anything else, this calling of the Gospel is true, and it has changed their lives. 

Be true to the calling that you have, worthy of the calling of the Gospel. May you never forget that Jesus Christ is true and with us and for us. 

And then Paul says that we should change who we are because we are the church. Paul says, you all should be united--speaking to that church in Ephesus. But let's face it, speaking to us today, too. And when Paul talks about the church, he's not just talking about Presbyterian churches, he's not just talking to Protestant churches. Paul is saying that all of us who call on the name of Jesus Christ are brothers and sisters, and we must remain united because a hurting world needs the message of Christ's love. And so I'll tell you what my preaching professor told me. You don't have to like everybody in the church, but you certainly have to love them. 

Paul reminds us that a hurting world will never hear the true good news of Jesus Christ unless we are united together to be the church. Paul also goes on to say that not only are you the church, not only do you have this calling, but you will be given gifts that can be used for the good of the church. Paul gives this list here of prophets, apostles, and evangelists. That's not the only list Paul gives--in other places, he expands upon those gifts. But the bottom line is this: in your baptism, you were given gifts to use for the good of the church so that we continue to be witnesses to the world. And so when I sit in that pew during my quiet time, I also like to think of all the people who have come to this place for over 200 years and have kept this church alive and thriving, and they tried to use their imperfect gifts for the good of the church in this place for generations. 

There have been teachers, ushers, greeters, and dishwashers for a Sunday dinner. All of those people who have used their gifts for the good of the church. And I remember that we are also a community that continues those gifts. You know what one of the greatest parts of my job is? I get to see you use your gifts. I see you when someone dies, and all these people from the church come together to prepare food and care for that person--that is holy work. And I get to see it. It is the work of the church. And I see you as you meet in the committees of the church, doing the hard work. You are there trying to be faithful to who God has called us to be, using your gifts for the church. And every time I am at the bedside of someone who is dying, I know that the church is there with me and that they love and care for that person and will love and care for them until the end. I see you church. And I look forward to the next generations who will come, and they'll bring all of their care, worries, and hopes. And they, too, will sit in a pew, and they will ask, is it true? And we will respond with yes, it is true. It is the most beautiful truth. Let us be the church together, and they will use their gifts for the future. That's what a church is. 

You know, I came here about six and a half years ago, and I met with a lot of small groups so that I could get to know people, and y'all had been without a senior pastor for a while. And so when I came, I heard this comment a lot: "Oh, thank heavens, our church is complete now that you are here." And I would have to lovingly remind them that the church isn't complete until we have grown into the full stature of Christ, and the church is not complete until all of the world calls on the name of Jesus Christ and knows his love and goodness. Friends, I don't think the church is going to be complete until our Lord and Savior comes again. But the church is complete because of you, because pastors come and go. But you will be the church in this place for generations. And I'm grateful to know that my daughters will get to bring their children here and worship 

The living God, full of grace and love, is true. So we'll give our pledges for this capital campaign, and we will hopefully do some renovations and make our sanctuary more accessible. But more than that, let us stay true to our calling. Let us be worthy of it, and let us be the church of Jesus Christ to the world. May it be so. And thanks be to God. Amen.