Preached Sunday, June 8, 2003 by the Rev. Steven J. Lashbrook, Pastor

First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Manistee, MI

From time to time I am asked if I ever repeat sermons. Honestly, there are different answers to that question. One answer is, "No, never." But that would not be an honest answer. One of the realities of ministry and of preaching is that occasionally you find yourself faced with a lack of time and the Sunday morning deadline pressing down upon you. Another answer would be, "I suppose I could." A minister friend of mine did exactly that: he repeated a sermon word for word. The sermon, one he considered powerful, included a memorable personal story and in addition, had been his candidating sermon at the church he served. As he stood at the door after worship he wondered what would happen. What did happen was nothing at all. Not one person indicated to him that any of the sermon sounded familiar. Perhaps, taking a leaf from his notebook, a sermon is not repeated in order to maintain the illusion that it is unforgettable.

Still another answer to the question is "Not consciously. Not that I am ever aware." However, since I was taught in seminary that each minister has only seven original ideas throughout a lifetime of preaching, it seems inevitable that one way or another, sermons are going to be repeated.

And there is the answer I want to offer this morning, which is "Yes, I have repeated sermons," and today I am willing to admit that this sermon is familiar, at least to me. Today I want to repeat some words and thoughts I have offered throughout my ministry, and in settings other than worship, have shared with many of you. Some of them are ideas that have become clearer since coming to serve this church and some of them are becoming even more clear as I look to our future. They are dynamics, therefore, that have been at work in our lives. They have not just begun, but have grown and deepened through time and are critical directions that I believe we, as a congregation need to continue to pursue in months and years ahead.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak, as the Spirit gave them ability. I dare to believe that we are being filled with the Spirit. I believe more and more there are signs of God’s Spirit among us. I believe more and more that people are speaking out in faith about the movement of the Spirit in their lives. I believe something is happening that belongs to the work of the Spirit of God in our midst.

I believe first, that God has been working to show us that the foundation of the church is discipleship and not membership. In the past, a lot of what I have done, a lot of what this church has done has related to working and thinking and worrying about members. How many members do we have? How many new members are we getting? How many people are in worship, coming to the program or attending the group? What about our money? Do we have enough? Do we need more? How do we get more from more people?

When people unite with this church, it has been stressed that being a member includes finding a place, doing a job, volunteering and serving on a committee. But more and more I believe we are moving in the wrong direction. And I think many of you may believe it, too. In fact, I think many of you are already living in a different way. I think you want to talk not about members and numbers or participating in some activity. I think this congregation wants not to be merely members of the church, but disciples of Jesus Christ.

It is a different mindset that is taking over and it is one I hope becomes contagious for every person in this church. For in their heart, I think people are not so interested in finding an activity as they are discovering their life’s purpose as a disciple of Christ. I think people are not as interested in just doing something in the church, attending a program or committee or event as they want to do something through their lives that relates to their faith.

Discipleship is about the calling of Christ to us, and living the life Christ seeks for us to live. It is about recognizing that we are part of something larger than ourselves that calls us to be more than we are today. It is about growing in that understanding too. Membership is a static word and experience. It stresses finding the right place and then staying there. But discipleship understands that we are always growing and moving because we are always following Jesus Christ who is moving ahead of us.

Everything we do as a church, every activity, every service, every group in some way must point to discipleship. They must seek to strengthen our self-understanding as disciples. They must work to develop more faithful, more committed, more courageous disciples of Christ.

It is a sign of faithfulness for the church, for this church to see each one not as a member of the church, but as a disciple of Christ. We must see one another that way and we must see ourselves that way, too.

It is also a sign of faithfulness that we offer a message to everyone who comes to this church that if you join us, if you are a part of us, if you enter into our life, your life as a disciple will change. You will grow and you will be transformed as a disciple. Joining a church is not simply a matter of signing up. It is not only a question of giving an assent and then making some indication that you will do a few things in and for the church. It is a question of being changed through the church and in the Spirit of God.

For many of you, that is not a new approach. Anyone who has led a class, from preschool children to adult Bible studies knows it is true. You are changed when you give of yourself and allow the church’s life to touch you. Anyone who has served with Love for Children or at the Food Pantry, worked with our youth or sat with a family in grief knows it is true. You are changed when you bring your gifts to others and permit them to enter your lives, too.

Anyone who has come to the church yearning, longing, aching, hurting and has been drawn in and prayed for and prayed with and given words of welcome and a way to put the pieces of life back together knows that to be a part of the church is to be changed.

Although that all is happening, I think that often we do not speak enough about the change that can and might occur in us, through the church, in the Spirit of God. But, if we are serious about being disciples of Christ we need to say often and clearly to each other and to all who come here: we expect you will be different by being here. We expect your priorities will change, your perspective will be altered, your ideas transformed. We expect your faith will be stretched, strengthened, helped, pushed, prodded, created, recreated and sustained. We expect you may decide to live differently, act differently. Because as a disciple of Christ you will be asked – and the church will be helping you discover – what does God wants me to do with my life? It is the most important question you can ask and we intend for everyone – everyone who comes to join the church and everyone who is part of the church today – to ask that question, be diligent about finding answers and receive support in the discovery of those answers.

They began to speak, as the Spirit gave them ability. We return to those words because we really have no choice. The Spirit of God is at work bringing us to see and understand and act. The Spirit of God is bringing prayer alive every day as people ask for prayer and speak of unanswered prayer and commit their lives to prayer. The Spirit of God is bringing people to feel excited and fulfilled in reading scripture each day. The Spirit of God is reaching out to us through creative, energetic youth, who see a place and mission for themselves in the life of this church. The Spirit of God is bringing us to be open to new times and ideas and ways of being the church together.

The Spirit of God is working to make us new disciples, a new church, and a new world, with a new vision and faith and abundant life in Christ. And no matter what else may be said, that is a message worth repeating.

Thank you, God, for sending your Spirit so vibrantly and lovingly. Thank you for again allowing us to be disciples who see your presence, live in your love and are carried by your grace in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.