First Lutheran Church
July 11, 2021
The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Ephesians 1:3-6 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”
Sermon “In Christ”
Pastor Greg Ronning
Have you ever been “in trouble?” I don’t know about you, but when I hear that phrase,it always takes me back to my childhood. I can picture myself back on the playground at school, when that kid, you know the one I’m talking about, comes up to you and says, “You’re gonna be in trouble when teacher finds out what you did.”
Being “in trouble” was never a good thing. Do you remember waiting for your parents to come home, and for whatever reason, you were “in trouble?” Waiting around “in trouble,” fearfully anticipating the consequences of being “in trouble,” was never a good place to be!
And of course, being “in trouble” doesn’t end at childhood. No, in many ways that’s when trouble really begins! It’s not a good place to be, no one wants to be “in trouble” at work, with a friend, with a spouse, with money, or with the powers to be. Yet life is filled with troubles, big ones and little ones, and being in a “state of trouble,” anxiously waiting on “trouble” to play itself out is unnerving, exhausting, and unsettling.
“Trouble”
Cat Stevens
Trouble, oh trouble set me free
I have seen your face and it's too much, too much for me
Trouble, oh trouble can't you see
you're eating my heart away and there's nothing much left of me
I've drunk your wine, you have made your work mine
so won't you be fair, so won't you be fair
I don't want no more of you so won't you be kind to me
just let me go where, I have to go there
Trouble, oh trouble move away
I have seen your face and it's too much for me today
Trouble, oh trouble can't you see
You have made me a wreck now won't you leave me in my misery
I've seen your eyes and I can see death's disguise
Hangin' on me, hangin' on me
I'm beat, I'm torn, shattered and tossed and worn
Too shocking to see, too shocking to see
Trouble, oh trouble move from me
I have paid my debt now won't you leave me in my misery
Trouble, oh trouble please be kind
I don't want no fight and I haven't got a lot of time
Yes, unfortunately life is filled with trouble, and being in a “state of trouble,” anxiously waiting on “trouble” to play itself out is - unnerving, exhausting, and unsettling. “Trouble, oh trouble can't you see, you're eating my heart away and there's nothing much left of me.”
However today we are reminded that we are not alone “in our trouble,” we are reminded that God in Christ Jesus has powerfully descended into our world of troubles, and in the grace, mercy, and love of that descent, we are no longer ultimately “in trouble,” we are firmly and forever “in Christ!” St. Paul proclaims, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us ‘in Christ’ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”
So, what does it mean to “in Christ,”and what are the blessings of being “in Christ?”
The first thing we need to remember is that being “in Christ” does not remove us from this world, being “in Christ” is not some kind of magic trick that makes us immune to this world and its troubles. Christ does not take us away, - Christ joins us! Jesus is our companion and our guide, the Word made flesh that dwells among us. The direction of the Gospel is downward into the midst of our life, down into our troubles.
So it is that to be “in Christ” is to remain human and practice humanity. After his death and resurrection, Jesus urged us to wait on the coming of the Spirit, and upon its arrival to join in its movement, - the creation of the church. To be “in Christ” is to allow yourself to be gathered up into the faith community, into the Body of Christ, into the presence of Christ in this age, into that place where blessings flow and good things happen. Spiritual and heavenly blessings do not belong to some kind of supernatural realm but are found in this realm where two or more are gathered “in Christ,” where faithful people are doing faithful things, in that place where heaven is emerging on earth, in Jesus’ prayer lived out, “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
And it is in this place, in the faith community, “in Christ,” that trouble’s power over us is diminished and ultimately vanquished. “In Christ” trouble, fear, and death no longer have that powerful last word. “In Christ” we gather around the waters of baptism, and we are reminded that we are the beloved of God. “In Christ” forgiveness is announced and practiced. “In Christ” the scriptures are read aloud, and a living word comes to life, a word that inspires us, lights our way, and fills us with the power of love. “In Christ” a diverse community is formed and sustained in a simple yet profound meal that brings the Body of Christ to life, “do this to re-member me.”“In Christ” we become the hands and feet and voice of God’s love mightily present for each other. And “in Christ”peace is shared; a peace that fills the heart and a peace that summons us to a life of meaningful service. And in all these things, “in Christ,” in the practice of being “in Christ,”even in the face of “trouble,”- healing, transformation, and peace fill our hearts and our minds.
Trouble is here to stay, it ain’t going anywhere, it’s part of this life. But thanks be to God so is Christ! May the Spirit continue to draw us together, so that “in Christ,” “with Christ,” and “through Christ,” we may rest assured in the confidence of God’s great love for each and every one of us. May our eyes, our ears, and our hearts be drawn fully “into Christ.”
“Open My Eyes”
Greg Ronning
Open my eyes, that I might see
You revealed in each and every way
Open my eyes, that I might see
You standing beside me every day
And when my eyes are open wide
Fill the emptiness inside
Open my ears, that I might hear
The sweetest sound ever made
Open my ears, that I might hear
You calling me by name
And when my ears are open wide
Fill the emptiness inside
Open my heart, that I might believe
And stand on promises true
Open my heart, that I might believe
And find myself only in you
And when my heart is open wide
Fill the emptiness inside
Open my eyes
Open my eyes