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“Where there is no vision, the
people perish,” (Proverbs 29:18) is found in the Old
Testament book of Proverbs. Having a clear sense of
vision and mission propels us and keeps us focused on
ministry. That verse also reminds us that without a
clear sense of vision or mission people are led astray,
lose their focus, and begin allowing petty annoyances to
consume too much time and energy.
Vision and mission statements should be clear and to the
point, and easy to remember. Everyone should be able to
understand and share the church’s vision and mission
statement with others.
Our Mission statement is easy to remember, “To
experience and share God’s love.” Each week we come to
worship to experience God’s love in our lives and we
depart sharing that same love to all people. Believing
that we are loved by God for who we are, enables us to
go forth showing that same love to all we meet.
Our Vision statement includes, “to know Jesus and follow
in His ways, to grow in God’s grace, to reach out in
service and ministry, to open our doors to the community
by providing a variety of programs” and finally “to
welcome and accept everyone.”
Those statements define who we are as a church, and keep
us focused and on task.
The United
Methodist Church’s mission statement is to “Make
disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the
world.” As a church our goal is to make disciples of
Jesus who in turn will help change their community and
ultimately the world. A vision and mission statement
denotes both effort and action on our part. How are you
personally bringing the mission of the church to
reality?
In
recent years people have developed their own personal
vision and mission statements that define them. Some
quote scripture verses in their personal mission
statement. Think for a moment what your own personal
mission statement would include.
In
this morning’s gospel lesson we find Jesus in his home
synagogue, declaring his own personal mission statement
that would define his ministry.
It
was evident that Jesus was full of the Spirit when he
returned to his hometown. At his baptism the Holy
Spirit descended upon him. Next he was driven out into
the wilderness where he was tested by the devil for
forty days. If anything his time in the wilderness
strengthened his resolve to be about God’s will. Jesus
did not limp out of the desert but did so with a new
found inner strength, full of the Spirit, ready to begin
his ministry in earnest.
“Filled with the power of the Spirit,” Jesus “returned
to Galilee.” This early stage of ministry found Jesus
teaching in local places of worship, in synagogues.
There was something about both the way he spoke as well
as what he said that caught the people by surprise.
Luke reports that word about Jesus’ teaching spread
throughout the region. The impression I get is that
people eagerly wanted to hear what he had to say.
Perhaps people made an extra effort to be in attendance
knowing that Jesus would be speaking. We sometimes
forget that the good news is spread from one person to
another by word of mouth. The most effective evangelism
is one person sharing with another their experience.
The day came when Jesus returned to his hometown
synagogue. This was where Mary and Joseph took Jesus as
he was growing up to worship. We know that both Mary
and Joseph were devout in their faith and attending
worship was a priority for them. Luke claims that Jesus
went to the place of worship “as was his custom.” Making
worship a priority in our life is important. It is here
in worship that the scriptures are read and proclaimed,
where we sing the hymns of our faith and where we are in
community with each other.
No
doubt this must have been a special day for Jesus. The
people had watched him grow up, they knew him, and as
Jesus looked out over the congregation he recognized the
faces of most all of the people. There were neighbors
and maybe relatives, aunts or uncles, cousins present
that day. Having heard the reports of Jesus’ teaching
they were looking forward to hearing him. They might
have felt proud; one of their own is making positive
waves throughout the region.
Jesus stood up to read, was handed the scroll of the
Prophet Isaiah. Jesus found the words he wanted to read
from the prophet. This was not just a randomly selected
passage, but words that would define his ministry. What
Jesus read would become his mission statement. “The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed
me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to
proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight
to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.”
People whom others tended to ignore were important to
Jesus. From the very beginning of his ministry he
showed concern for the poor. As an extension of Jesus
ministry today the church continues caring for the poor
providing basic human needs, food, clothing, shelter.
Churches provide other services such as job training,
and inner-personal skills. Jesus brought wholeness to
those who were suffering. Only Jesus is able to see what
a person is capable of becoming.
Jesus knew that people were hurting and viewed his
ministry as helping those people. Our faith is not
about privilege but about serving others in the name of
Jesus. From time to time we need to be reminded that
faith is not all about us and meeting our needs but
rather serving and helping others following the example
of Jesus.
The congregation was captivated listening to Jesus read
the scripture. It does not happen often, but there are
those moments of clarity in worship where everyone
recognizes the holy moment. “The eyes of all in the
synagogue were fixed on him,” as Jesus returned the
scroll and sat down. “Today this scripture has been
fulfilled in your hearing,” Jesus told them.
Like Old Testament prophets there was a sense of urgency
in Jesus’ words, “Today,” he told them, “this scripture
has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Today is the day,
and not some vague day in the future. Today, not
tomorrow, or next week but today! Today, this scripture
has been fulfilled. Today, the Spirit of the Lord is
upon me. Today I bring good news to the poor. Today I
proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight
to the blind. Today I let the oppressed go free to
proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
We
in the church have lost that sense of urgency; we tend
to put off what we should be doing in the name of Jesus
until it is convenient for us. There are people who are
hurting, who need someone to listen to them, to offer
support, to gently give advice, to pray with. We
continue to measure the effectiveness of our ministry by
the yard stick Jesus gave us—care for the poor, down and
out.
Linda Graham believes in miracles. Recently her faith
was stretched beyond her wildest imagination when she
along with three other women from North Carolina arrived
in Haiti. They were participating in what they thought
was a routine mission trip to deliver blankets,
clothing, and medical supplies to an orphanage. The
women had no idea that they were walking into one of the
worst natural disasters in modern history.
As
the women were leaving the airport the earthquake hit.
At first Linda thought people were pushing the car until
she noticed the trees were shaking too. Unable to drive
to the orphanage they were dropped off at a church where
about two thousand people were singing and praying.
Later the women were relocated to a soccer field where
people were sleeping on sheets under the stars. “I’ve
never felt the presence of God in such a tangible way as
I did that night,” Linda says.
The next morning wounded people lined up in front of the
four women assuming that they were nurses. Linda admits
feeling inadequate knowing that she would not help the
injured. Then she remembered that they had medical
supplies in their luggage. The women sprung into
action.
The biggest test of the women’s
faith came later that morning when two Haitian women
went into labor. Linda was asked to deliver the babies
in an abandoned hospital without electricity or running
water. Linda prayed seeking the Lord’s guidance. A
healthy baby girl was born followed by a baby boy. The
overjoyed father of the baby boy asked Linda to name his
son. “I told him to name the boy Judah which means
‘praise’” Linda replied.
In
the midst of unimaginable horror and pain many Haitians
cried out to Jesus when everything they knew crumbled.
And he has been answering them in a million different
ways. (1)
As
we go forth may we do so with a greater sense of
compassion as well as urgency, today is the day as we
follow in the footsteps of Jesus living out our faith
each day.
Amen.
1.
“Miraculous Praise Amid Haiti’s Destruction” J. Lee
Grady, Jan. 19, 2010 www.charismamag.com
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