“But you are a chosen
race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are God’s own
possession.”
1 Peter 2:9 (Common English Bible)
I am fond
of the work of John Andrew, formerly the pastor of St. Thomas Fifth Avenue, New
York City. One of his sermons delivered in that magnificent and admired church
provides a fresh and inspired look at this one sentence from 1 Peter; an
invitation to imagine that church from four vantage points: to suggest, to
remind, to invite, and to inspire.[i]
Now in the midst of our building campaign, to expand and update our church
facilities, I draw from three of Andrew’s words as we consider our heritage and
future.
Our church,
the First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach, is located here in this
beautiful spot, one block from the beach, to remind us of who we are and to
whom we belong. Andrew states it so well, “There is not one of us in the
Christian family who does not need the memory jogged on occasion about who we
are and whose we are.” Each member of this superb church has been entrusted
with a rich heritage of Christian witness in this location. This beautiful
church reminds us of that heritage and calls each of us to advance that witness
into the future. St Peter makes this point with force in these few words: “But
you are a chosen race…” Certainly that begs the question, chosen for what? All
of scripture is clear; we are chosen to participate in God’s continued work in
the world. This church reminds us of that continuing responsibility.
The second
task we are here to perform is to invite. We must identify winsome and
compelling opportunities to attract and convince people who move into this
community to join us. This is done by uplifting Christ in such a way that
people long to know more about him and, eventually, to love him and dedicate
their lives to him. A warm welcome on Sunday morning and a smile can work
wonders in a beautiful place like this. But this is then followed by the rich
experience of beautiful, traditional and compelling worship. More, people must
know that here prayers are spoken not only for our members but for those who
visit this beautiful community and make it their home.
Invited is
then followed by inspire. What I speak of here is not the natural inspiration
that touches the mind and heart following worship, though that is important.
What is demanded from those who would follow Christ is sacrificial generosity;
the compulsion to participate meaningfully in God’s unfinished work. Serious,
sacrificial and regular financial giving brings honor and integrity to our rich
heritage in this place, for an ungenerous Christian is a contradiction in
terms. When we commit ourselves to this kind of giving, we are doing no more
than what Christ did before us, for Christ gave his own blood for us that we
may have eternal life.
Joy,
[i] John Andrew, The Best of Both Worlds (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1991), 147.
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