ARE WE THERE YET?

   JEREMIAH 31:15-21a & 31-33

SO HERE WE ARE AGAIN, YOU----AND I,  IN PARTNERSHIP TO CHARTER THIS

PILGRIM SHIP THROUGH THE WATERS AHEAD WHILE AN INTENTIONAL  INTERIM

IS SOUGHT.  SUNDAY NIGHT I WATCHED 60 MINUTES AND SAW THE PIECE THEY

DID ON POPE FRANCIS.   YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT WHEN HE WAS PRESENTED

THE FIRST TIME AT ST PETER’S BASILICA HE CAME OUT, NOT IN THE TRADITIONAL

RED ROBES AND FURS, BUT IN A SIMPLE WHITE GARMENT. AND HIS OPENING

REMARK, SUCH A REVERSAL FROM WHAT FOLKS EXPECTED, WAS:  “LET US TAKE

A MOMENT FOR SILENCE WHILE YOU OFFER YOUR PRAYERS FOR ME.”

SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE SAME OF YOU.  WHILE I AM CERTAINLY NOT

OF THE SAME STATURE AS POPE FRANCIS, I OFFER MYSELF IN THAT SAME SPIRIT

OF HUMILITY.   LET US TAKE A MOMENT FOR SILENCE WHILE YOU OFFER YOUR

PRAYERS FOR ME:

(SILENCE)

O God, help me to be your faithful servant, to attend in a conscientious and loving way to the needs of this church.

“AND NOW MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATIONS OF

ALL OF OUR HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT, O GOD, OUR ROCK AND

OUR REDEEMER.”

I WILL ADMIT RIGHT UP FRONT THAT I AM NOT ESPECIALLY FAMILIAR WITH

THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH.   I KNOW THAT, LIKE MANY OF THE PROPHETS, HE WAS

NOT WELL RECEIVED.  OFTEN HE HAD  TO RUN FOR HIS LIFE.   THE

PARTICULAR PASSAGE I CHOSE WAS NOT THE ONE IN THE LECTIONARY, WHICH

WAS FROM THE FIRST SEVEN VERSES OF CHAPTER 31……WHEN THAT DIDN’T

SPEAK TO ME, I JUST KEPT READING, AND BECAME RATHER INTRIGUED WITH THE

STORY.

THE PORTION WE HAVE READ TODAY IS WRITTEN PROPHESYING THE

RESTORATION OF ISRAEL AND OF THE TEN TRIBES.  WE READ THAT A VOICE IS

HEARD WEEPING IN RAMAH, A TOWN ABOUT TWO HOURS’ JOURNEY FROM

JERUSALEM, AND THAT THE VOICE IS RACHEL’S   WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN.

 THIS REFERS TO RACHEL, JACOB’S BELOVED WIFE WHO DIED GIVING BIRTH TO

HER SON BENJAMIN.  TRADITIONALLY SHE WAS BELIEVED TO BE BURIED IN

RAMAH.     THE IMAGE WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT RACHEL FROM HER

GRAVE IS GRIEVED FOR HER DESCENDANTS, THE EPHRAIMITES, AND FOR THE

CAPTIVITY OF ALL THE JEWS, WHO ARE IN CHAINS IN RAMAH AWAITING THEIR

REMOVAL TO BABYLON.  

ALL OF THIS BACKGROUND IS TO GIVE YOU THE CONTEXT OF VERSE 21 IN

WHICH THE CAPTIVES ARE TOLD TO CONSIDER WELL THE PATH THAT THEY HAVE

TAKEN.  THEY ARE TOLD TO MARK THE ROAD BECAUSE THEY WILL RETURN BY

THIS SAME ROAD.   THANKFULLY, WE ARE NOT CAPTIVES HOPING TO FIND OUR

WAY BACK HOME.   BUT I THINK THERE IS MUCH TO PONDER HERE THAT MIGHT

WELL APPLY TO US.

CONSIDER THE PATH WE HAVE BEEN ON IN THE LAST YEAR:  WE HAVE HAD

A MARVELOUS YEAR OF CELEBRATION OF ONE HUNDRED YEARS AS PILGRIM

CHURCH IN CHATTANOOGA, INCLUDING FORMER PASTOR DAVID BEEBE’S FILLING

THE PULPIT AND FORMER MEMBER HELAN GASTON’S CHALLENGING US WITH

HER SERMON ON THE ROLE OF LIBERAL CHRISTIANITY.   WE HAVE HAD NEW

MEMBERS JOIN US, TO INCLUDE A LITTLE CHRISTMAS BABY COME TO US BY WAY

OF CHARITY AND DEANNA.  WE TRIED OUT A NEW FORMAT FOR AN EVENING

SERVICE THAT WAS WELL ATTENDED AND BY ALL REPORTS ENJOYED.    WE HAVE

GONE THROUGH SAYING GOOD BYE TO DAVE AND BARBARA AND GIVING THEM

A LOVING SEND-OFF.   

YET THAT GOODBYE REPRESENTS A LOSS, AND WE HAD OTHERS WE HAD

TO SAY GOODBYE TO IN THE LAST YEAR.  I AM STILL ASTOUNDED AT THE MONTH

OF JULY IN WHICH WE HAD FUNERALS THREE WEEKS IN A ROW.   AND, OF

COURSE, MOST RECENTLY WE LOST OUR BELOVED LOWELL BENNINGTON.   THESE

ARE THE MOST NOTABLE, MOST VISIBLE LOSSES.  BUT THERE ARE OTHER GRIEFS,

LESS VISIBLE, THAT SOME MEMBERS SUSTAIN EVEN AS WE SIT HERE THIS

MORNING.  WE ARE NOT SO UNLIKE RACHEL WEEPING.  

DO NOT FEAR!   I AM NOT CALLING ON US TO PUT ON SACK CLOTH

AND ASHES.   I AM ASKING US TO CONSIDER OUR PATH, THE ROAD WE HAVE

TRAVELLED AND ARE TRAVERSING NOW.    IN THIS TIME OF INCREDIBLE

CELEBRATION,  LACED WITH OUR LOSSES AND GRIEFS, WE HAVE ALSO

INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY.   

VERSES 31-33 OF OUR PASSAGE TODAY FOCUS ON GOD’S HAVING A

COVENANT WITH GOD’S PEOPLE, IN WHICH GOD’S LAW WILL BE PUT WITHIN

GOD’S PEOPLE,  WILL BE WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS, NOT ON TABLETS OF STONE

AS IN THE TIME OF MOSES.  WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS…………  WHAT IF WE PUT

OUR ENERGIES TOWARD DEEPENING OUR FAITH, TOWARDS PREPARING

OURSELVES TO BE THE MOST PASSIONATELY ENGAGED PEOPLE THAT ANY

PASTOR WOULD WANT TO BE CALLED TO LEAD?  …………BECAUSE THIS PROCESS

WE ARE EMBARKING ON IS NOT JUST ABOUT FINDING A WONDERFUL INTERIM

PASTOR, TO BE FOLLOWED BY A MARVELOUS SETTLED PASTOR.  THIS PROCESS IS

ABOUT US, FOLKS.  LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN:  BELOVED PILGRIMS, THIS PROCESS

IS ABOUT US, ABOUT OUR BEING READY FOR THAT PERSON WHO WILL LEAD US.     

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS WHERE WE ARE AND

RECOGNIZE OUR STRENGTHS AND OUR AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.     WE KNOW

WE ARE A WARM CONGREGATION.  WE KNOW WE HAVE SOME OF THE

STRONGEST LEADERSHIP  A CONGREGATION MIGHT EVER HOPE FOR---AND BY

THIS I SPEAK OF COUNCIL AND COMMISSION HEADS,  THE LEADERS YOU OFTEN

SEE HERE AT THE FRONT OF THE SANCTUARY IN WORSHIP, AND THE GENTLE

SOULS, THOSE SILENT SAINTS,  WHO QUIETLY UNDERGIRD PILGRIM’S LIFE.

 SOMETIMES THAT MAKES IT HARDER TO SEE WHAT COULD BE TWEAKED, WHAT

MIGHT NEED SOME ALTERATION.

THAT SPEAKS MORE TO OUR FUNCTIONING AS A CONGREGATION.  I

AM ALSO URGING US TO CONSIDER OUR PERSONAL LIVES.    WHERE IN OUR LIVES

ARE WE MAKING TIME AND SPACE FOR GOD?  WHAT ARE WE DOING TO

ENHANCE OURSELVES SPIRITUALLY?  WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE WE AVAILING

OURSELVES OF WITHIN OUR CHURCH’S OFFERINGS?  WHAT THINGS MIGHT YOU

NEED OR DESIRE THAT ARE NOT BEING OFFERED?   SPEAK UP!  

IN THIS, A NEW YEAR, A TIME OF REVIEWING ACCOMPLISHMENTS, OF

SETTING GOALS, OF LETTING GO OF SOME THINGS, AND TAKING HOLD OF

OTHERS, PILGRIM IS ON THE CUSP OF SO MUCH POSSIBILITY.   

MY EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER PASTORS SUGGESTS THAT WHAT CAN REALLY

GET A PASTOR EXCITED IS A CHURCH THAT HAS A VISION FOR ITSELF!  IMAGINE IF

YOU WILL FOR A MOMENT OUR CHURCH FIVE YEARS FROM NOW:   (I COULD

PROBABLY USE THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO JOINED IN ON THE SERMON SOME

WEEKS BACK!  I BET THEY COULD TELL US A THING OR TWO ABOUT OUR FUTURE

CHURCH!) …..WHAT DO YOU SEE?   WHAT DO WE NEED TO REACH THAT VISION

YOU IMAGINE?  WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT

VISION?  

THESE ARE NOT RHETORICAL QUESTIONS.   THESE ARE SERIOUS,

SEARCHING INQUIRIES.  I THINK THERE IS NO DOUBT AMONG US THAT DAVE

ENCOURAGED US AND BROUGHT A MORE PEACEFUL ATMOSPHERE INTO OUR

CONGREGATION.  IT IS EASY TO MISTAKE THAT AS DAVE’S ACCOMPLISHMENT

ALONE.  I IN NO WAY DIMINISH THE LEADERSHIP DAVE PROVIDED.   BUT PLEASE

RECOGNIZE THAT THIS CONGREGATION ----YOU----CHOSE TO FOLLOW HIS

LEADERSHIP AND TO CONTRIBUTE FROM ALL YOUR VARIOUS GIFTS TOWARDS

OUR GROWTH AND VITALITY.  

THIS IS NO TIME TO SIMPLY AWAIT THE NEXT LEADER WHO WILL COME TO

US!   THIS IS A TIME OF PREPARATION, OF CONTINUING THE PATTERN OF

GROWTH WE HAVE ESTABLISHED.   

SO I CHALLENGE YOU:  THIS IS PRECIOUS TIME!  LET US NOT WASTE A

MOMENT OF IT!  FOR WHATEVER TIME I AM IN THIS CAPACITY,  I INTEND TO HELP

US FOCUS ON CONTINUING

TO GROW AND DEVELOP AS GOD’S PEOPLE WITHIN THE CONGREGATION OF

PILGRIM AND BEYOND THE WALLS OF THIS CHURCH TO THE BROADER

COMMUNITY OF WHICH WE ARE A PART.   

SO CONSIDER WELL THE PATH WE ARE ON.  IN RESPONSE TO THE

QUESTION POSED IN THE TITLE OF THIS SERMON: “ARE WE THERE YET?” I GIVE A

RESOUNDING “NO!”  WE AREN’T ‘THERE’ YET!  MAY WE NEVER,  EVER, EVER

TAKE OUR EASE, BELIEVING WE HAVE ‘ARRIVED.’   AS WE HAVE RECORDED

FROM THE APOSTLE PAUL, MAY WE “ STRIVE TOWARD THE MARK OF THE HIGH

CALLING OF GOD…..”   STRIVE TOWARD THE MARK OF THE HIGH CALLING OF

GOD!   HAVE WE ARRIVED?  INDEED NOT!  GOD FORBID THAT WE SHOULD EVER

THINK SO!

ARCHBISHOP OSCAR ROMERO OF EL SALVADOR, SHORTLY BEFORE HIS

ASSASINATION IN 1980, WROTE:  “WE ACCOMPLISH IN OUR LIFETIME ONLY A

TINY FRACTION OF THE MAGNIFICENT ENTERPRISE THAT IS GOD’S WORK.  

NOTHING WE DO IS COMPLETE, WHICH IS ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING THAT THE

KINGDOM ALWAYS LIES BEYOND US…….WE PLANT THE SEEDS THAT ONE DAY

WILL GROW…..WE LAY FOUNDATIONS THAT WILL NEED FURTHER

DEVELOPMENT.”

REMEMBER THOSE PRAYERS I ASKED FOR AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS

SERVICE?  WELL, I NOW RETURN THE FAVOR.   LET US HAVE A MOMENT OF

SILENCE AS I PRAY FOR YOU, AS YOU PRAY FOR YOURSELVES:

(SILENCE)

DEAR GOD, BLESS THIS YOUR PEOPLE.  ENLARGE OUR HEARTS AND FILL THEM TO

OVERFLOWING WITH LOVE THAT SPILLS OUT EVERYWHERE.

MAY YOU PLACE WITHIN THESE HEARTS OF OURS THE WILL TO SEEK YOU, THE

GRACE TO FOLLOW WHERE  YOUR SPIRIT LEADS……..AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAID:

AMEN!