Today is Heritage Sunday. Heritage Sunday is observed by The United Methodist Church each year on the Third Sunday of May. It corresponds with Aldersgate Day, May 24th, the day when the founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley experienced his “heart strangely warmed.” This experience occurred at a religious meeting on Aldersgate Street in London, of which he wrote:
“In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s ‘Preface to the Epistle to the Romans’. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” [1]
And today, we as the church, are reminded that like John Wesley, we are called to a life of connection and relationship with God, and with one another, as the Holy Spirit touches our heart and move us. It is in our being connected in faith and by love that the church sustains its heritage and faith traditions, passing them down from generation to generation. And almost every generation has made an attempt to preserve its traditions, its beliefs, and its history for future generations.
So why is this important? Our heritage helps us to understand who we are and what our role in this world is. While our heritage does not determine who we are or who we may become, it provides an idea of what we have the potential to for, as individuals and as the church. Knowing where we came from can help shape our vision for the future, as we live into the present, reflecting the character of Jesus Christ by our words and actions. This is a tradition traced back to the early church, as the apostles and disciples traveled and shared the Good News of Jesus Christ. Later this morning when we read from the Book of Acts, we will hear about how both men and women have been faithful to the Lord since the early church, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, and making disciples of the Lord.
Today, I ask you, are you willing to accept the call to be a part of something bigger than yourself? Are you willing to accept the call to carry on Christ’s work here at Richmond Community United Methodist Church? Through our heritage we remember our past, live into faith in Jesus Christ today, and prepare our children and grandchildren to carry on this tradition.
Would you please join with me in a responsive prayer:
Almighty God, you have raised up servants to proclaim the gift of redemption and a life of holiness.
For our spiritual forebears, Susanna, John, and Charles Wesley; inspired by your Spirit, we give thanks.
In their ministry, through their difficulties, and in spite of their weaknesses, you were their hope and their salvation.
You led them and their followers to create the heritage that is ours.
We praise you for the women and men, young and old, who followed them, who gave themselves unselfishly for the welfare of the Church, whose commitment and vision encouraged and supported the Church.
Their talents, enthusiasm, idealism, and dedication infused the Church with energy.
Their outstanding gifts and witness have shaped our thoughts and lives.
We praise you for the countless members of your Church,
whose names we now remember.
Let us take a moment of silence to remember the names of the saints who have gone before us.
Silence is kept to remember the names of saints.
And we give you thanks for the place of our rich tradition among the churches which comprise the Body of Christ.
God, with all your people throughout creation, give us a new vision, new love, new wisdom, and fresh understanding, that we may serve you more fully; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [2]
[1] W. Reginald Ward and Richard P. Heitzenrater, eds. The Works of John Wesley: Journals and Diaries, vols. 18-24 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1988-2003), 18:249-50 (Hereafter: Works).
[2] Adapted Prayer: Copyright: “Heritage Sunday,” Copyright ©1992 UMPH. Note: Introduction edited, 2013, by The General Board of Discipleship to reflect subsequent General Conference action locating Heritage Sunday on the third Sunday in May, in proximity to Aldersgate Day (May 24).
Scripture Reading:
New Testament: Acts 16:9-15
“Faithful to the Lord”
Let us Pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer.[1] Amen.
Today, we will explore what it means to be “Faithful to the Lord.”[2] One defection can be found in Ephesians chapter 4, verse 1. It tells us that faithfulness means “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling” to which each of us “have been called.”[3] In accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, each person receives their own personal calling to partake and participate in sharing God’s love and the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are called in different ways to serve, and equipped to fulfill our calling by the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the edification of Christ’s church here on earth.
And in today’s reading, we see Paul and Lydia being “faithful to the Lord,”[4] each in the manner to which they have been called. As we look together at this passage, may we be encouraged to think about how God is calling us to participate in God’s Kingdom building, in God’s mission to bring love and light into the world.
This passage from Acts helps us to see that we are invited to live in ways which are “faithful to the Lord.”[5] Let us first look at Paul and how he walked in a manner worthy of God’s calling upon his life.
God communicated with Paul, instructing him to go to Macedonia to proclaim the good news to others. During the night Paul had a vision. And like Paul, we too, may have visions or dreams during the night. We all dream. Yet interpreting the meaning of our dreams is often challenging. As sometimes, we many not remember what we even dreamed about. For the memories of a dream often quickly fade away after we wake up.[6]
Are you aware that dreams have long been a source of intrigue for many people? For years, scientists have been trying to understand why we dream and what is the significance of our dreams. In the 1950’s, Sigmund Freud, who was a neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, “introduced dream interpretation.”[7] And while experts in the field of psychological study “have never been able to substantiate his claims,” they do admit that there is “far more to learn” in regards to dreams and having visions.[8] Sigmund Freud “regarded dreams as a royal road to the unconscious.”[9] Raised in a Jewish family, his background likely influenced in his intellectual formation as well as his moral outlook on life.[10]
But think about what he said, “dreams are a royal road.” Could he have been pointing to the fact that God sometimes communicates with people through their dreams or through visions? And is it possible that dreams go beyond our trying to cope with problems which our minds struggle with? In his scientific studies, Freud often asked the questions “what are the materials of a dream and how do these materials work together?”[11]
Throughout the Bible there are many instances when God or angles have communicated with human beings through dreams and through visions. And we see these people take action to fulfil God’s will, being “faithful to the Lord.”[12] Here, the materials of the dreams, manifest in the actions taken, in working together between the spiritual realm and the earthly world.
In today’s reading from Acts, remembering his dream – his vision from the night, Paul is convinced that God has called him, along with Silas and Timothy to set out for Macedonia. And being “faithful to the Lord,” [13] they set sail on a journey, and eventually arrive just where they were supposed to be.
It was here that Paul along with Silas and Timothy met and spoke to a group of women. It is here where Paul meets Lydia of Thyatira, a worshiper of God. And as she listens to what Paul is saying, the Lord opens her heart, and communicates to her, inviting her to come and follow, to accept the salvation offered by our Lord. So, here in this passage, may we recognize that through hearing the Good News, some people are touched by God, and brought to Christ. And it is not just Paul, or pastors who have this gift. God can use anyone for God’s purposes to connect and build relationships. For God may choose to speak through any of you, to touch the heart of another.
When we are open to being “faithful to the Lord,” [14] wonderful works can be accomplished. Think about how you were brought to the Lord. Perhaps you were raised in the traditions of the church. Or, was it someone who crossed your path and introduced you to Jesus?
Maybe you had a spiritual or mystical encounter, a dream or a vision that led you to the Lord. There are many ways God communicates with people. God is always reaching out to us, inviting us into relationship through His love and grace freely given.
And when we accept Christ as our Savior and receive the gift of Baptism, as did Lydia, being baptized with the rest of her household, we too become “faithful to the Lord.”[15] From this passage we see that the Christian faith is communal. It incorporates all believers into the body of Christ. And our faith is relational, just as the Holy Trinity is relational.
We on our own cannot be a true Christian. Being isolated from the community of followers does not exemplify what God desires for us. Becoming a follower of Jesus Christ invites us into relationship with God and one another as believers. And through the many unique gifts distributed among His believers, we are able serve the needs of one another, support each other in hard times, and rejoice together when one is blessed.
As Lydia, became a follower of Christ, she gave Paul and those accompanying him the gift of hospitality, inviting them to stay in her home, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.”[16] And they were persuaded to do so. Yet this act of hospitality is not the only gift she gave freely. Lydia was a wealthy woman. She was a merchant who sold valuable purple cloth, dyed from the extraction of sea shells. And from her wealth she supported the mission of spreading the Word of God to the world.
We too can offer our gifts, our talents, our resources to continue God’s mission in this world. The time is coming near when our Lord will return, and we have a mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. So, think about how God is calling you. Will you be faithful to the Lord,[17] in participating in God’s Kingdom building here upon this earth?
Let us Pray:
Lord God Almighty, you sent your only Son into the world so that we might be rescued from our ways, and be set forth on the path of righteousness – the path of life. May we be vessels to bring others to you through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. May we be to the world your faithful followers, able to say Yes Lord, when you call upon us. And may we “walk in a manner worthy of the calling” to which each of us “have been called.”[18] Amen.
[1] Psalm 19:14
[2] Acts 16:15, NRSV
[3] Ephesians 4:1, NRSV
[4] Acts 16:15, NRSV
[5] Acts 16:15, NRSV
[6] Ibid.
[7] “Why Do We Dream? A Sleep Expert Answers 5 Questions” Cleveland Clinic, September 13, 2019, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-do-we-dream-a-sleep-expert-answers-5-questions/.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Wei Zhang and Benyu Guo, “Freud's Dream Interpretation: A Different Perspective Based on the Self-Organization Theory of Dreaming,” Frontiers in Psychology, 9, no. 1553 (2018): doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01553.
[10] “Sigmund Freud Bibliography,” Wikipedia, May 19, 2022, https://eb,wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Freud
[11] Wei Zhang and Benyu Guo, “Freud's Dream Interpretation: A Different Perspective Based on the Self-Organization Theory of Dreaming,” Frontiers in Psychology, 9, no. 1553 (2018): doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01553.
[12] Acts 16:15, NRSV
[13] Acts 16:15, NRSV
[14] Ibid.
[15] Acts 16:15, NRSV
[16] Acts 16:15, NRSV
[17] Acts 16:15, NRSV
[18] Ephesians 4:1, NRSV
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