Scripture: Exodus 3:1-6; Hebrews 12:1-2; Matthew 28:18-20 Series: 2022
Continuing a series on the Apostles’ Creed, this sermon expounds ‘I believe in the communion of the saints.’ A saint is simply one who is holy and set apart, not a Catholic honoree. Using Exodus 3—where God names himself the God of the living Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—and Hebrews 12’s cloud of witnesses, the preacher argues that the Christian community is not limited by time and space: we commune really with those who came before and will influence those who come after. This is a two-way street and a blessing, not a burden. Believing it means accepting the responsibility to be a witness and role model, fulfilled through the Great Commission (Matthew 28): discipleship, sacrament, and proclaiming good news rather than merely plastering ‘Jesus fish’ on everything. The closing call presses listeners to consider their legacy, whom they are discipling, and how their life proclaims the gospel, since the burden is a life of no impact.
Illustrations: lone-ranger-tonto-we, ten-commandments-film, bob-dylan-serve-somebody, after-the-bucket-list
January 15
I Believe in the Communion of the Saints
“Moses was taking care of the flock for his father-in-law Jethro, Midian’s priest. He led his flock out to the edge of the desert, and he came to God’s mountain called Horeb. The LORD’s messenger appeared to him in a flame of fire in the middle of a bush. Moses saw that the bush was in flames, but it didn’t burn up. Then Moses said to himself, Let me check out this amazing sight and find out why the bush isn’t burning up. When the LORD saw that he was coming to look, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” Moses said, “I’m here.” Then the LORD said, “Don’t come any closer! Take off your sandals, because you are standing on holy ground.” He continued, “I am the God of your father, Abraham’s God, Isaac’s God, and Jacob’s God.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.” Exodus 3:1-6 CEB
There’s an episode of the Lone Ranger where the Lone Ranger and his trustee sidekick, Tonto, are riding their horses and they suddenly find themselves surrounded by Native Americans who are yelling with spears and guns raised. And the lone ranger says, “Tonto, what are we going to do about it? And Tonto says, “What do you mean by we, kemosahbe?”
This is an important and unexamined question in almost any context, especially in the context of the church. What do we mean by we?
Series Intro
My friends, we are continuing our series on the apostles creed, that historic doctrinal statement of the faith. We are going to look at how the creed encapsulate scripture and offers it to us in a way that shows us what has been revealed from God about who God is, how the world is, why we are in need, how Jesus saves us, and what we should do about it.
Today, I believe in the communion of the Saints.
First off, we need to be clear about the word saint. Saint means holy. Saint means set apart. Saint doesn’t mean Catholic or belonging to an approved, big list. A saint is someone who is holy; they are sanctified in some way. They are revered as holy.
The communion of the saints, on the other hand, has had a few meanings over the years. Some see it as the current church. Others as all those who are currently in the presence of God.
Some make this distinction between the church militant and the church victorious. The church militant is the church in the world, struggling against the brokenness of sin, the forces of wickedness and evil temptation versus the church victorious, the church in the presence of God, those who have passed before us to life eternal. These are not the same.
Does the communion of the saints include those who have already died or are the saints only those currently living? This question is pertinent to a lot of scripture. Hebrews 12 is a great example.
“So then, with endurance, let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter.”
a cloud of witnesses, in Greek, really, a cloud of martyrs. Since we are surrounded by this cloud of martyrs, we should continue to run the race. And like with the lone Ranger and Tonto, there are two ways of being surrounded. One, you’re surrounded by allies who uplift you; the other, you’re surrounded by enemies. They threaten you. What are we left with? What should we do?
In Exodus 3, God meets Moses in a burning bush. A voice speaks out to Moses. Most of the movie The Ten Commandments takes place before this moment. But we’re in just chapter three of Exodus. All of that stuff happened in two chapters. It is just a preface to this essential moment. Moses. Moses, Take off your shoes. For you are standing on holy ground. On ground that is different. On ground that is set apart, not ground that is stuck up. It is set apart. I am the God of your father’s Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Those three names, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Those names come back later. “I am the God of your forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God of the living. Jesus makes this point well. God doesn’t say I was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but I am the God. They are living still. They’re living with God. And to be a part with God is to be a part of the God of the living, not the dead. The communion of the saints is this radical faith claim that our community as Christians is not limited by time and space. We are in communion with those who have come before, not just in idea but in actuality, in a real presence. God was with us through those who came before and we in turn will be with those who come after us. This can be an intimidating thing. The influence of your life does not end at the end of your life. You will continue to impact people in concrete ways, not just in metaphor. In actuality, you make a difference. To say, I believe in the communion of the saints is a two-way street. It is to believe in the communion of those who’ve come before. As well, it is to believe that God will use us for those who come after. We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. This is a word of encouragement. We are also witnesses to others in this great cloud. You are a witness to others. And you will impact their faith journey. You will impact their experience of eternity. The pressure is on. How many of you have been a part of a baptism in the church and completely forgotten that experience? Do you remember how many of those promises you have made? Do you remember that this is part of the community of the saints?
What is the impact of your life after you die when you depart to be with the Lord, God willing. What is the legacy you’ll leave behind? People talk about their bucket list. What is your after-the-bucket list? What have you done to impact others after you die? Who have you served? What have you given? What will you give?
To believe in the community of the saints is a two way street. To believe that God is the God of the living, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of the saints in your life who have showed you what it means to be holy and good and loving. But is also that God calls you to be a saint, to be set apart, to live set apart, not on your own strength, but on God’s. And yet to not shirk that responsibility. To be a Christian is to be a role model. You cannot be a Christian without it. To receive the grace of Jesus Christ, to receive the mercy of forgiveness, is to accept the responsibility of witnessing to that in how you live your life. How you treat people, how you speak or don’t speak. How you use social media or don’t use social media. There’s not one square inch of this world where Jesus is not Lord. And there’s not one square inch of our life where Christ’s lordship can be hidden if we see him as Lord. Now, this doesn’t mean that you need to plant the Jesus fish everywhere.
Should we just have Christian political parties? Christian websites? Christian news? Christian universities? Christian auto body shops? The question is serious and must be asked.
It is answered with the Great Commission from Matthew 28
“I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.”
This is what we are committed to. This is what makes us set apart and holy. This is what the saints in our lives have done. It isn’t Jesus fishing everything. It is discipleship. It is sacrament. It is proclaiming the good news.
Who are you discipling? You don’t need a formal discipleship relationship to be discipling someone. As Bob Dylan says, you gotta serve somebody. It may be the devil. It may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Who are you leading to Baptism? You are leading people either towards God or away from God. There are no neutral positions.
How are you proclaiming good news? With your deeds? With your words? With neither? You are proclaiming news in your life. Your life is making an impact?
How we live matters and impacts the people around us. And we must accept that responsibility and walk with faith and a grace that God will be more revealed through our lives. Because not only are we surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses, we can be a part of it. And that is a blessing, not a burden. It is a blessing to be a part of the crowd of witnesses. This is a blessing to be a part of the communion of the saints, but it is an act of faith.
God is the God of the living; time and space do not limit this connection. May you remember that Christ has offered you an opportunity to transform the lives of others. This is a grace, a gift. It is not a burden. The burden is a life lived for yourself. The burden is a life of no impact. The burden is a life of no legacy. What is your legacy? How are you living now for that legacy? How are you giving now for that legacy? Is there something that you need to change? How you live, what you give, what you do to further honor God? Is there something that is holding you back from realizing that you are a witness to others, that you are are a role model, that you are included in the Us of God and that we are a part of what God is doing, so let’s do it boldly.
Let us pray, Heavenly Father, we thank you for the saints who have showed us how to love and follow you. Help us to to bring saints for others. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Children’s Message, love the Lord the with all your heart