10/1/61

Scripture: Acts 1: 6-12

Years ago, at a young people’s conference, I heard a leader read from the Book of Acts, the same portion of Scripture which has been used as our Scripture lesson this morning. As he came to the 8th verse in that first chapter, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,” he paused, looked up, and said, “This is the key to the whole book of Acts.” And I think it is true, that the astonishing accomplishments of those disciples of Christ stem from the power they received from God’s Holy Spirit as they committed their lives to His will.

This is the call to Christian disciples today, that we be committed to the will of God, as we understand it. And if any of us say, “Yes, but I haven’t the same kind of power that those fellows had,” let us not be so sure that we haven’t got it, or can’t have it. For God has a way of speaking to His people of every age and time.

Last September 20th, when our delegation met with the others of the Winnebago Association at Plymouth, Wisconsin, we were led in worship by the pastor of our church at Green Bay, the Rev. Dr. Charles L. Bagby. His meditation was from the same text, and a little bit more: “And you shall be my witnesses ----- why do you stand looking into heaven?”

It is not surprising that those early disciples were looking up, where they felt they had had their latest glimpse of their Lord. But the very next admonition that came to them was this: “Why do you stand, looking --” as if to say, “Now is the time to get on with the work for which you are called. You are to be the witnesses for Christ.”

And so they set about their work. They quickly chose another one to take the place of Judas who had turned traitor. They began, seriously, the business of spreading the good news wherever they went. They organized, and maintained the church wherever they went. If we are to look into the heavens at regular worship on Sunday, it is so that we may be the servants of our Lord all other days of the week. We speak of a “service of worship” here in this sanctuary. Actually, the “service” begins when we leave the sanctuary to serve all week at our several vocations.

But we render our Christian service in the measure that we are committed Christians. When we read the 37th Psalm responsively today, we read that 5th verse wherein are the words; “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”

The church should be made up of committed people. Our church should be an assembly of committed Christians. We rejoice whenever people determine to join us in the fellowship of the church. They have a right to expect of us that we be, as they expect to be, committed to Christian service. Within this fellowship there are obvious things to be done, that committed Christians will see to it are done. Each renders service according to the need, and his present or potential ability to meet the need. One of the obvious tasks of the church is its teaching work. When a child is baptized, the church takes that child in care, undertaking a joint responsibility with parents for the Christian nurture of the child. But the church is made up of Christian individuals and families. And Christian nurture is a family affair. The teacher and leaders of the church school must include not only those individuals who have, or can develop, a talent for teaching, but parents as well, who take that facet of responsibility for the nurture of their children. At least, many do, more should!

Like any other church, our church needs committed people who will cheerfully shoulder the work and privilege of church school administration and teaching. Right now, the Board of Religious Education is looking for more of such committed people!

We are lifted in spirit by the ministry of music in the church. Those who commit themselves to regular rehearsals, and regular Sunday singing in the choir, are rendering significant service to the Christian cause. The music committee, and the choir leader, welcome those who will dedicate their voices to this cause. More are needed -- both those who will sing as chorus choir members for the second service, and those who will serve as occasional or regular soloists at the early service of the church.

If our church sponsors Scouting, and it does, then parents of the boys who enjoy that program, and others, must give of their time and energy to make it effective. It was heartening to see that purpose evident in the organization meeting of the Cub Pack last Wednesday.

The young folk of our church have the opportunity to commit themselves to service through the Pilgrim Fellowship, through participation in the choir, through representation on the church council, and through regular participation in worship.

This church needs members who are committed to the mission of the church, local and world-wide, who will study it and implement it. We need to commit our substance to Christian service. Some worthy proportion of our incomes will be channeled in Christian giving by all who are faithful stewards of God’s gifts to them. But just as important is the stewardship of our time and talent.

We are approaching that season of the year when, at the end of this month, we celebrate the Reformation, which called forth the Protestant movement. One of the significant Protestant tenets is the “priesthood of all believers.” A church that had come to think of the priestly, serving, function of the church as belonging to a separate class, ordained solely for that work, was overdue for the reformation. It was overdue for the reminder that all Christians have a priestly function in life.

Now that great phrase “the priesthood of all believers” often becomes corrupted to mean, in the thinking of many, “every man is his own priest” or “We don’t need priests.” If this is our understanding, we have misunderstood the great idea for which so many suffered and died. What Luther and the reformers meant is that every person is a priest to his neighbor. Christian service is a privilege and a duty for all of us. It is a recognition that God calls all of his people to service. Luther frequently spoke of “the mutual ministry of all believers,” and again of “the priesthood of mutual help.” There is the heart of Protestant Christian teaching!

What does this mean as we look at the church? Well, it ought to mean that each of us is able to say, in a profound way, “I am the church; we are the church.” You are not just a congregation of members who do the bidding of the minister. The burden and the privilege and joy of Christ’s holy church is upon us all. It is right that all of us be committed to Christian belief; all of us be committed to Christian service; all of us be committed to Christian sharing and helpfulness in “the priesthood of all believers.”

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood! Commit your way to the Lord in service to, and through, His church. Dearly beloved, you are on the front lines of the Kingdom of God! May God bless all of us in our ministry!

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Dates and places delivered:

Wisconsin Rapids, October 1, 1961. (World Wide Communion Sunday.).

Wood County Infirmary, November 1, 1961.

Imiola Church, November 2, 1969.

Waioli Hiuia Church, January 14, 1973.