Sermon – Ephesians 1:11-23 – Marked with the Seal

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Beaver Dam Presbyterian Church
Sermon – Ephesians 1:11-23 – Marked with the Seal
All Saints Day – November 7, 2010

In the ninth century Pope Gregory IV declared that the first day of November each year would be celebrated as the Feast of All Saints. Originally this was a time to remember a relatively small list of Christian celebrities. As the Middle Ages progressed more and more people were canonized as saints by the church. The biggest Christian celebrities had their own feast days leaving all the minor celebrities to be lumped together in the Feast of All Saints. The Protestant Reformers considered this to be dreadful and abolished most of the feast days. The Feast of All Saints was all but forgotten.

In recent years, however, we have rediscovered our need to remember those who have served the church during their lives. We have realized that the word “saint” does not refer to just Christian celebrities, but to all those who believe in Jesus Christ. Today we are participating in this new tradition by remembering the saints who have served Beaver Dam Presbyterian Church for over 300 years. So let’s bow our heads and close our eyes for a moment and remember those who have gone before us.

Picture in your minds families putting on their best clothes and going down to the river to ride the current and tide up the Pocomoke and Pitts Creek to come to church on Sundays. Picture in your mind families riding in their carts and buggies, and imagine their slaves climbing the stairs to the balcony in this church. Think about the men felling trees and sawing lumber to construct this building. Consider the women cooking meals and quilting together. Picture all the children learning Bible stores right here. Generation after generation we have inherited the gift of faith and the blessings of heaven. Let us pray.

Holy God, Lord of life and death, you made us in your image and hold us in your care. We thank you for your saints, for the gifts they shared with our church, and for the love and mercy they received from you and gave to us. Especially we praise you for your love in Jesus Christ, who died and rose from the grave to free us from evil, and give us life eternal. Grant that when our time on earth is ended, we may be united with all the saints in the joys of your eternal home, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Adapted from The Book of Common Worship p.907)

Ephesians 1:11-23 11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-- to the praise of his glory. 15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

I once heard a story about a small country church in rural England. This church had an afternoon worship service where the tradition was that all who remained would be giving the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. One Sunday the pastor of this church looked out on the congregation. There were so few people in attendance he wondered if he should even bother with administering communion tonight. He decided to do it anyway and while reading the communion liturgy he saw these words, “with the angels and archangels and all the company in heaven.” He paused for a moment realizing that a much bigger crowd was attending worship than he thought. All the people of faith for two thousand years come together in worship. He apologized to God for not realizing what was happening in worship. And he continued the communion service conscious of the presence of all the saints. So we are here in worship at Beaver Dam Presbyterian Church in the presence of God and all the saints who have served this church since it began.

We have been using the word “saints” a lot this morning and you may be wondering what it means. This word is a translation of the Greek word hagio which means “holy ones”. We are talking about the “holy ones” of Beaver Dam church. So, how does someone become a “holy one” or a saint? Scripture is clear on this: God is holy. Holiness is a characteristic of God. We become holy by being in the presence of God. God’s holiness rubs off on us. In ancient times people thought that God lived in the temple in Jerusalem. So the temple was a holy place. And within the temple was the most holy place, the Holy of Holies, where God was. Pilgrims approaching the temple became holier and holier as they got closer to God. And the entire nation of Israel was considered holy because they all lived in the vicinity of the temple and thus near the presence of God.

Holiness is not just defined in terms of geographic proximity to God. It also has the meaning of something being set aside for God’s use. The temple could only be used for the worship of God and anything else would defile it. So too with people approaching God, they would be set aside for God’s use; everything they did would be for God’s glory.

As Christians we believe that whenever we come to worship we too are in the presence of God and are made holy. Worship that consists of the reading and proclamation of the word of God and the proper administration of the sacraments brings us to faith in Jesus Christ and assures us of God’s blessing of eternal life. And so those who attend worship are saints who live forever and join with us whenever we come here to Beaver Dam church in worship.

So you might be wondering where you can get some of this holiness. Maybe you want to be closer to God. Maybe you have a special concern that you want God to know about. Maybe you need help with finances or finding a job. Maybe you need healing for yourself or a loved one suffering from a serious illness. Maybe you are just lonely and want to know that there is a God who listens. So you long to be closer to God and you wonder what to do. Scripture is also very clear about this. It is God who chooses to whom will be given the gift of holiness. And it is God who calls us to worship were we can receive the gift of faith, the assurance of eternal life, and come, each week, into the presence of God which makes us holy.

So, why are all of you here today? I know that I wrote a letter and people of the church mailed it out. I also know that many telephone calls went out to family and friends. But I suspect that a letter and some phone calls would not be enough to get many of you out of bed this early on a Sunday morning. Also there are many things you could do on Sunday mornings rather than come here. You could be reading the paper and drinking a latte at McDonald’s this morning. You could be sleeping in or taking a long walk through the woods or along the river. You could be out on a boat fishing or hunting dear in the woods. You could be doing any of these things, but you’re not. You have come here instead. Why?

I think that all of you are here today because God wants you here. God called you to be here though the voices of the members of this church. God wants you to be in his presence. God has chosen all of you to be holy. Through this church God has offered you an inheritance of faith in Jesus though the reading and proclaiming of God’s holy word. And you, all of you, have responded to this call from God and come. You have come into the presence of God. You are sealed with Holy Spirit. You are now holy. You are all saints.

As saints you have all been called by God to worship today and next week and the week after that and every week for the rest of your lives. Then you will join the saints who have preceded you in heaven. I urge you to respond to that call from God. If you are already belong to a church I urge you to go back there next Sunday. But if you are not active in another congregation I urge you to find a church where the word of God is faithfully read and proclaimed each Sunday. There you will find the God who is calling you and wants you to be near. And if you live near Pocomoke I invite you to come here next Sunday at 9:30am and be a part of our fellowship. Beaver Dam Presbyterian Church is a fellowship of saints who gather every Sunday to be in the presence of God, listen to proclamation of God’s word, are sealed with the Holy Spirit and become holy. Come join us.

So All Saints’ Day is a time for rejoicing with all the saints, the holy ones, who through the ages have faithfully served the church. This day reminds us that we are part of one continuing, living communion of saints. It is a time to express our gratitude for all who build and preserved the church so that it could be and continue to be a place where God is present in the reading and preaching of God’s word. To rejoice with all the Saints of every generation expands our awareness of the great company of witnesses that surrounds us like a cloud. It lifts us up from our preoccupation with our own worries and the discouragements of the present. In the knowledge that others have persevered, we are encouraged to endure against all odds. Reminded that God was with the faithful of the past, we are reassured that God is with us today, moving us and all creation toward God’s end in time. In this context, it is appropriate for us on All Saints’ Day to commemorate the lives of those who died over the last fifty years here at Beaver Dam Presbyterian Church. (Paragraph adapted from Companion to the Book of Common Worship p.151)

Eternal God, we bless you for the great company of all those who have kept the faith, finished their race, and who now rest from their labor. We praise you for those dear to us whom we name in our hearts before you. … Especially we thank you for the saints of Beaver Dam Presbyterian Church whom you have received into your presence.
Help us to believe where we have not seen, trusting you to lead us through our years.
Bring us at last with all your saints into the joy of your home, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Adapted from Book of Common Worship p.916)