Sermon June 1, 2008 - Hear These Words and DO Them
Pastor Wesley Howell

Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel, “the one who Hears these words…and Acts on them…that person is like a person who built on rock.” The solid building is the acting on them.

Do you know what the “official” name of our church is? Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church -- we are EVANGELICAL and LUTHERAN. Those are good words…but what do they mean? For years we've been saying that "institutional loyalty" is a thing of the past. How does that unpack? Well, institutional loyalty means you go to a store or restaurant, partly because you’ve had a good history with them; Fredrick and Nelson…huge loyalty base. But…sad isn’t it. They’re no longer around. Loyalty wasn’t enough.

In the church it meant you seek out Lutheran first and then find one that fits. It meant Lutherans being imported from Europe or being born into it… first/second generation. But that isn’t the world we find ourselves in anymore…it just isn’t.

So the question is: Can WE as a church actually make the shift and modify our practice/thinking to recognize that change? I've found that words like sin/sinner, justification, even Grace, need to unpacked for the person on the street. We take those words for granted. I think it means we need to be passionate and clear about what we believe, then able to translate that, touching people who have not had a long history in the Church where insider language and ideas are used. What does it mean to be Lutheran? Is there anything about that which people out there would value? Or does it drive us deeper. That we’re Christian first and Lutheran is our flavor.

Let me use an example: Sunday afternoon a while back Linda called as I was heading out of the church and asked me to stop at QFC and pick up some tomatoes. So there I was in Produce… I looked up and there was a young man there, 20 something… staring at me across the tomatoes. Actually he was staring at…this (collar), "You Catholic?" "Nope," I responded, "Lutheran" "Oh," said he "What do they believe?" Now I just wasn’t ready for that. I’d been up since 5 a.m., Worship, preaching, teaching confirmation, Sunday meetings…."Well", I said" at our core we believe in a God of Grace." Blank stare from him. I floundered on..."We believe in a God who loves us. Loves ALL of us. And yearns to be a part of our lives. Loves us so much he won't let our "stuff" get in the way." "Oh...cool" said he. Maybe my answer wasn’t the most eloquent…But he got it.

Why are we here? Are you contented or compelled? Each one of us, individually, as congregations, as church… need to continually make an honest assessment and then let it drive you to the core of what you believe.

It’s one thing to say we’re evangelical, Evangelical means we have good news…it’s another to live it out. I believe we want to be, to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ in word and deed. When we peel back the layers what you find is that we have a beautiful and wonderful gift…Jesus!

We have to care enough about other people to want to share. We have to be ready to REALLY listen to them so we can convey the message in a language...in words they’ll understand.

Everyone who hears these words AND DOES THEM. That’s what Jesus says.