Sermon Notes November
23rd : Changing the World
1) Video
The Miniature Earth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvTFKpIaQhM
2) Sermon
Notes
The text that originated this
webmovie was published on May
29, 1990 with the title “State of the Village Report”,
and it was written by Donella Meadows.
And although the numbers are
already 18 years old they are still valid. An updated version from 2007 shows that
almost nothing has really changed since then. On one hand this is good news
because Christians are still one third of the world’s population, and there is
still only one adult between 15 and 49 with HIV. On the other hand the sad
facts haven’t changed either. There is still the large number of poor people in
the world.
At the end of the movie it
says: Appreciate what you have. But even more important: Do your best
for a better world!
This world needs to be changed.
Now we may think: What can I
do about this? I cannot change the world! I am just a single person, I cannot I
make a difference.
As a response I quote
President Elect Barack Obama: “Yes we can!”
And this brings me to what the
Apostle Paul is telling the people in Ephesus
in his letter.
Paul is writing about faith,
love, hope and the power of God.
We are gifted with faith like
the people in the congregation in Ephesus were. We learn
about and experience God’s love through Jesus Christ. We have hope because we
have faith, and that will help us to realize how powerful God is. Faith, love,
hope and power, this is what it’s all about. We have the faith, God has the
power. We have the hope, God has the love.
With our faith, with our hope
and with God’s power, with God’s love we CAN change the world. We won’t be able
to change the whole world at once but we can do our little part in all of this.
We can start here in the community by helping the people in need, by sharing
and by serving. Yes, we can! We can transform lives.
We need faith in God’s love
for this world. We need faith in God’s transforming and life giving power. And
then we change the world. Step by step, one person at a time. Like Mother
Theresa said: If you can’t feed 100 people then feed just one. And this is
exactly how it works. You would be surprised what an impact our small tribute
has on the whole world. The one stranger you welcome in your home. The one
hungry person you feed. The one naked person you clothe. The one lonely person
you visit. The little more awareness you have about our environment – God’s
creation. Because we are not alone in this: One third of the world’s population
are Christians, who have hope and faith, who know the love and the power of
God, and who are making a difference – already. And if we all work together it
is suddenly very easy to feed 100 people – or more.
We can’t change the world? Yes
we can!
Maybe we have changed the
world already. So we can continue and change it a little more. It’s hard work
but we can do it. It makes it a whole lot easier though when we can say: I
believe!
The following story shows what
is possible when there is faith.
In February
1984, a former Marine sergeant by the name of Riley Arzeneaux, who was serving
a 25-year prison term for murder, escaped from Fort
Pillow State
Prison in Tennessee
along with four other inmates. After splitting off from the others, Riley
somehow acquired a gun and invaded the home of an elderly couple, Nathan and
Louise Degrafinied, threatening them with his weapon. Louise, a grandmotherly
black woman, responded by identifying herself as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
“Young man,” she said, “I am a Christian lady. I don’t believe in no violence.
Put down that gun and you sit down.”
Surprisingly, Riley obeyed, and told Louise that he was hungry and cold. Louise
sent her husband to get Riley some dry socks and started cooking breakfast. She
set the table using her best napkins. When the three sat down to eat, Louise
insisted on praying, and in her prayers, she gave thanks that Riley was safe.
After breakfast, Louise took Riley’s hand and asked him about his family, and
he told her about the death of his grandmother. He went on to say that no one
was left who cared about him. Louise then told him, “Young man, I love you and
God loves you. God loves all of us, every one of us, especially you. Jesus died
for you because he loves you so much.”
Shortly thereafter the police arrived, alerted by a neighbor who suspected
something was wrong at Louise’s home. Riley was afraid that the police would
kill him on the spot, but Louise told him to stay put. She went out and talked
to the police, telling them to put their guns away because she didn’t allow
violence there. When the police did as she asked, Riley surrendered and was
taken back to prison, and no one was harmed.
That was not the case with the other escapees. Two of them killed a man and
took his wife hostage. They were eventually recaptured. Another escapee was
killed in a shoot-out with police.
But that is not the end of the story of the life of Riley. Louise and Nathan
were asked to press charges against Riley for holding them hostage, but they
refused to do so, saying he had done them no harm, so those charges were
dropped. Riley did have several years added to his sentence for the escape, but
Louise began corresponding with him and visiting him in prison. On those visits
she prayed with him. She asked for his photo and put it in her family album,
and she began working for his release. Through her influence, Riley eventually
became a Christian.
Riley was freed in 1995, and in 1998, when Louise died, Riley was among those
who spoke at her funeral. He told the mourners that Louise was “real
Christianity.” He was also one of those, along with Louise’s family members,
who carried her coffin to its burial place.
Louise’s children have continued the relationship with Riley. And Riley has
stayed out of trouble since. He has a responsible job, is married and has a
son. Not long ago, he was the guest speaker at an elementary school where one
of Louise and Nathan’s children is the principal.
This is of course not an everyday story. Most of us will never find ourselves
in similar circumstances. But Louise embodied the power Paul was talking about:
Through Louise God was able to transform a
life. Not 100 lives, just one – this time. And this one life is part of the whole
picture. This one life is part of the world. She also managed to touch other
people with what she did: her children have continued the relationship with
Riley. And Riley himself as a changed person will have positive influence on
others. Such and experience is contagious. God’s power and God’s love are
contagious. They will spread eventually.
God has the power and God will give the power to those who believe.
That’s us. God will give us the power to change the world. And with God’s power
anything is possible. Yes we can!
And the world WILL change. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next year,
maybe not in 100 years. But eventually it will, with the power of hope, with
the power of love and with the power of faith.
I want to chime in with the Apostle Paul and pray:
God, we give you thanks for the fire of faith you have kindled in us.
Let this fire of faith be strong and let it enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
that we may see and experience the power of your love and forgiveness. Give us
hope, and encourage us to go out and make a difference. Help us to help change
the world in your name.
Amen
