"Sharing In The Inheritance"
(Colossians 1:11-20)
INTRODUCTION:
A husband and wife had been having a rather heated argument. They realized it wasn't going to solve anything so they agreed to stop and move on. The next day, the husband thought everything was fine but as they were discussing their son, the husband said, "Well, Junior must get his brains from one of us." And his wife said, "It must have been you, because I still have mine." (1)
We inherit a lot of things from our parents. Intelligence isn't always on the list. This morning we've gathered to celebrate a number of things. At first they don't seem to be related at all but they are. They're very closely related. This morning is Commitment Sunday at St. John the Apostle. This is the last Sunday in the Christian Year. It is known as Christ the King Sunday, the Sunday we celebrate the sovereignty of God in Christ. It's also Thanksgiving Sunday, a day to focus on the blessings of life.
Combine that with this passage from Paul's letter to the Colossians about the "inheritance of the saints" and at first glance they seem totally unrelated. But they're not. They're very closely related. Let me explain.
I. CHRIST THE KING:
A. Tradition has it that in 1743, at the premiere performance in London of Handel's Messiah, King George II rose to his feet during the performance of the majestic "Hallelujah" chorus. To this day it is customary for audiences to stand during this chorus, even though the "Hallelujah" chorus is not the last movement. Do you know why? Because even King George, king of England, knew there was a power higher than his and he stood to pay homage to his King, the King of Kings.
This passage from Paul reminds us of the sovereignty of God. And the Lordship of Christ Jesus, God's Son. "In him all things in heaven and on earth were created, . . . all things have been created through him and for him." If that's the case then in the Kingdom of God, Christ, the Son of God reigns supreme.
B. The wealthy English Baron, Fitzgerald, had only one son. The son had left home and died while away from home. Fitzgerald never got over the loss of his son, his only heir. As his wealth increased, Fitzgerald continued to invest in paintings by the masters. At his death, his will called for all his paintings to be sold. Because of the quality of the art in the holdings, a message was sent to collectors and museums. A great crowd gathered for what was to be an auction. When the day of the auction came and the large crowd was assembled, the attorney read from the will of Fitzgerald. It instructed that the first painting to be sold was the painting "of my beloved son." The painting was from an unknown painter and of poor quality. The only bidder was the old servant who had known the boy and loved him. For a small sum of money he bought it for its sentimental value and the memories that it held. The attorney again read from the will, "Whoever buys my son gets all. The auction is over." (2)
That's the way it is with Jesus. Whoever chooses Jesus, God's only Son, inherits all that God has to offer. Through loving the Son, God's gift to a broken people and a broken world, we are enabled "to share in inheritance of the saints". Through His love and our faith we have been "rescued and transferred into the kingdom of God's beloved Son," Jesus, the Christ.
II. THANKSGIVING:
A. However, a portion of the world is still waiting and looking for their Messiah. They are looking for a savior in money, politics, fame, power, drugs, alcohol, humanitarian efforts, clothes, sex, social position and all those other things which we have set up as idols in our society. We put them in direct competition with the true Messiah, not because they are, but because we have elevated them to a place of importance they really don't occupy in the God's grand scheme of things. But while some people search for their messiah, their savior; the true Savior, Christ Jesus, the Son of God, came in search of us.
Listen to the wonderful things Paul tells us that are part of our inheritance. We have been "rescued from the power of darkness."
We've been "transferred into the kingdom of God's beloved Son."
Through Christ "we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
"In him all things hold together."
"And through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross." (NRSV)
In other words, the one for whom and through whom all things were made, came looking for us. He came to bring us salvation. Because of this redemption because of the forgiveness and redemption that we've experienced, we "joyfully give thanks"
B. We give thanks because of the blessings God has bestowed upon us. And we give thanks in numerous ways. We give thanks through our prayers, both for ourselves and for others. We give thanks through our participation in the programs, ministries and mission of the Church. That participation might be by singing or ringing or helping in one the Choirs. It might be through teaching Sunday School or helping out with Youth. It might be expressed in our participation in Disciple Bible Study or Stephen Ministry. it might be expressed in chairing one of the committees or serving at the Night Shelter. Almost everything we do and are involved at Church is part of our giving thanks to God.
Today we come to make our financial commitment to the work and ministry of this church for another year. But it's not really a commitment to the Church so much as it is a commitment to God through Christ. It is a form of giving thanks. Granted it is a very sacred form of giving thanks, but that's what it is.
CONCLUSION:
In 1636, amid the darkness of the Thirty Years' War, a German pastor, Martin Rinkart, is said to have buried five thousand of his parishioners in one year, an average of fifteen a day. His parish was ravaged by war, death, and economic disaster. In the heart of that darkness, with the cries of fear outside his window, he sat down and wrote this table grace for his children:
Now thank we all our God
With heart and hands and voices;
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom his world rejoices.
Who, from our mother's arms,
Hath led us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today. (3)
That is our prayer today. "Now thank we all our God" for delivering us from the dominion of darkness and for bringing us into the Kingdom of God's own Son. "Now thank we all our God" for the blessing of life and the blessing of this Church.
This is the Word of the Lord for this day.
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Bibliography
1. Parables, Etc. (Platteville, Colorado: Saratoga Press), June 1992
2. Parables, Etc. (Platteville, Colorado: Saratoga Press), August 1992
3. From a sermon by Gary Wilburn, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles. Cited by Don Maddox, Leadership, Vol. 10.
Other References Consulted
Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series V, Cycle C, (CSS Publishing, Lima, OH, 1997) Christ The King Sunday: SermonPrep Version.
Preaching Magazine, September/October 1998, Volume 14, Number 2. (Preaching Resources, Jackson, TN)
The Clergy Journal, August:1998, Volume LXXIV, Number 9, (Logos Productions, Inc., Inver Grove Heights, MN)
Emphasis, November - December 1998, volume 28, Number 4. (CSS Publishing, Lima, OH)
Homiletics, November/December 1998, Volume 10, Number 6. (Communications Resources, Inc., Canton, OH)
Lectionary Homiletics, Volume IX, Number 12, November 1998, (Lectionary Homiletics, Inc. Midlothian, VA)