Posted on 12/31/2005 10:02:35 AM PST by sionnsar
For an unusual Christmas sermon, the Rev. William Klock of Christ Church REC in Oregon takes the prize. His sermon, Get thee out of Gath, is based on 1 Samuel 27:1-2, which is not usually a passage one would think about as relating to this season. But Rev. Klock has crafted a fine sermon which indeed does address this season. To get the full effect, you will need to read the entire sermon, but I liked this portion:
We’re a nation full of cultural Christians who acknowledge that there is a God, but most of us want nothing to do with him. Even when we die our popular view of heaven has little to do with God. We certainly aren’t interested in his calling to be salt and light, really and truly serving him with our lives here.There is much to consider for us in this sermon both because of the season and because of the time and place in which we live. Again, read the whole sermon--well worth your time.
And we, the Church, have to live surrounded by all this. The danger is that over time it tends to take its toll on the saints. The Devil and the World wear us down and wear us thin and many of us reach that point where we want to give up, where we want to give up our calling – we just want to retreat to where it’s safe and where it’s quiet, where we can hang back and let the rest of the army move forward into the fight. The problem is that while we all have different jobs to fill in God’s army, we’re all called to be a part of the fight, we’re all called to do difficult work, and if we give up, we’re not being faithful to God and we’re not faithfully using the gifts that he’s given to us. When we run from the battle it’s because we’ve forgotten God’s promises. You can’t serve God with your mouth only – you have to put your whole self into his service. There aren’t any sidelines in this battle. You can’t sit in the bleachers and cheer the team on – every one of us is called to join the battle – we might all have unique gifts and callings, but we’re all called to get up and do something, to actively be a part of God’s army.
When we retreat we’re thinking like David did, not like the Son of David. In our Gospel lesson we read how the Word that was there at the creation of the world became incarnate. God became man to bring light into a dark world.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. I'm really surprised - this is an Episcopal church and it actually sounds like a Christian sermon...
REC, not ECUSA. Different denomination.
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