“Our God Doesn’t Do Maintenance” 2012

Joel 2:25-28 Mark 10:46-52

Joel 2:25-28

25I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent against you. 26You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. 27You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other. And my people shall never again be put to shame. 28Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

Mark 10:46-52

46They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” 50So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” 52Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

Chestnut Street Presbyterian Church is a predominantly

African-American congregation in Wilmington, NC.

After the Civil War, the Freeman’s Board of Missions of the

northern Presbyterian Church helped finance and organize it

to be a church home especially for freed former slaves.

When the Northern and the Southern Presbyterian denominations

reunited into one single denomination in the 1980’s

the funds from the Northern church were cut-off,

which had a devastating effect on the budget

of many churches like the one on Chestnut St.

At Chestnut St., a college professor long served as their pastor.

But when he retired, their next pastor would have to be paid

at least the minimum amount set by Presbytery …

… which they couldn’t afford.

Just trying to survive, their Session asked the Presbytery

to let them hire a new pastor at less than the minimum,

since they didn’t have resources for a full salary.

I moderated our Presbytery’s Church Development Committee,

so the Presbytery Exec. and I met with their Session …

… and the church I saw was in serious decline.

The building was a 100-year old chapel in disrepair,

with the paint peeling, vandalism and general neglect,

and those at the meeting were quite old and feeble.

They talked about their past and how much they loved their church,

and had once served and made a difference in their community,

and how difficult, discouraging & desperate things were.

They were in a rough, neglected and dangerous neighborhood

and had few prospects of attracting families or new members …

… and almost in tears one the elders finally said,

“all we want to do, is survive a few more years.”

It was a poignant and sad moment,

their despair, defeat and hopelessness hung like a cloud …

… then I said to them,

“But I don’t think God wants you to survive.”

There was an immediate stunned and tense silence,

and some very angry expressions of shocked disbelief;à

then I continued:

"I can’t think of a single place in Scripture

where it talks about mere survival or just getting by—

- but there’s lots of places where God turns things around.

God calls his people and equips them to thrive and grow,

and never just barely survive…

… and if survival is the best we can manage, then I don’t see the point.

** Our God doesn’t do maintenance – Our God does abundance.

I explained to the elders,

"Surely God has way more in mind for you than just survival.

Surely in the city of Wilmington there ought to be

a vibrant African-American Presbyterian church.

I don’t think your real problem is

an aging congregation unable to attract younger new members,

a lack of money & resources, or even inadequate facilities.

It’s a vision problem, of failing to see expectantly by faith,

withered hope, and simply not dreaming large enough dreams.

I reminded them of Joel 2:28, 26

Then I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions…

You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.

* Then I got more explicit and pragmatic.

Instead of looking for ways to cut back and trim expenses,

find more ways that you can

connect and make a difference in your community…

… and I offered a 5 year plan of gradual declining presbytery support,

to help them find and fund a gifted pastor to lead them

and help them fulfill a more hopeful vision and dream.

When the prophet Joel wrote the words the text I quoted,

it was after the defeat, exile and captivity in Babylon,

and the people had been allowed to return home to Israel.

But they returned to a land and nation crushed and in shambles.

The rebuilding was a very slow and disappointing process,

they were hungry, discouraged and surrounded by enemies.

Yes they were back home again,

but they hadn't returned to the home they remembered.

God’s message given through Joel, don’t give up & don’t despair:

I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten,

You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you.

You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,

I will pour out my spirit; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

It was about vision, of failing to see expectantly by faith,

withered hope, and simply not dreaming large enough dreams.

We read in the Gospel of Mark about a vision problem, a blind man,

Bartimeaus, reduced to begging by the roadside in Jericho.

Bartimaeus had a hard and difficult life.  

    There was little sympathy in his day for those who were blind.                                      

It was generally assumed in that time and culture

               that suffering and sickness came as a divine judgment,

                               and that people got 

                                              whatever they deserved from the hand of God.

vs. 47-48

When he (Bartimeaus) heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Who was in the crowd? Disciples and others following Jesus…

… and they are trying to block Bartimeaus from Jesus.

This challenges me, as I wonder how I would react

if someone stood up during a worship service here

or even out in the parking lot, and started screaming,

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Then, at the insistence of Jesus they said to him, vs. 49-50

“… he is calling you.”

So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.

Earlier in this same chapter of Mark, Jesus called a man

to give up his wealth in exchange for treasure in heaven,

and to follow him, but he turned and sadly walked away.

In stark contrast,

Bartimeaus quickly threw off his cloak, all that he had;

he sprung up, and rushed to follow Jesus his Lord.

There’s a lesson in the difference between their two responses,

for the chasm is wide between how each reacted to their call.

Continuing: vs. 51-52

Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.”

Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

In contrast to the crowd and the disciples, or the rich man,

blind Bartimeaus sees with eyes of hope who Jesus is,

by faith he leaves all behind, is healed, and follows him.

It’s more than a miracle story, this is a call and response story.

Though Bartimeaus was blind to many things,

more than the disciples or the crowd of followers,

he clearly saw who Jesus was and answered his call.

Today Chestnut Street Presbyterian Church in Wilmington,

more than survival, is a wonderful and thriving congregation

that is making a real difference in their community.

The pastor they called after our meeting is still serving,

and their dreams and visions have continued to grow…

… the word of the Lord fulfilled.

In our world, disappointments in our own lives,

we can certainly recognize the prophet Joel’s stark image

of swarming locusts relentlessly consuming & destroying—

- but by faith we are called to renewed hope and trust

in God’s grace and promises

of restoration, joy, shalom and satisfaction …

… that surely God is with us to enlarge and fulfill

our Spirit-given desires, dreams and visions.

The prophetic message of Joel and the point of the story in Mark,

these are both calls to look beyond and through

the problems of our present situation or circumstance,

to trust and hope in the wonderful and mysterious

continuing work, healing and blessings of God.

Our church & congregation, we are at a significant crossroads ---

at the close of worship, we will elect new elders & deacons…

… may they be leaders with vision and courage to dream.

In a few weeks

we’ll make our financial pledges for the coming year ----

-- and depending on your level of support, the dollars we pledge,

our programs & ministries will continue to reach out & serve,

and we’ll make a difference for Christ in our community—

or we will focus on cutting back and trimming expenses

because all we’re willing to support is decline,

survival for a few more years.

It is a question, not of scarce resources, but of vision,

of choosing to see or failing to see expectantly by faith,

the courage of hope in choosing to dream a larger dream.

We all know this world's power to discourage and to disillusion,

but truly Jesus Christ is with us, among us, and for us;

and his question still hovers all around us,

"What do you want me to do for you?"

My friends, I believe we need to start dreaming bigger dreams:

for this is an incredible church, so many gifts and blessings,

and I’m convinced there is nothing that we cannot accomplish,

no problem that is too big for us to tackle and resolve,

for there's plenty of potential, so much that we can do.

I am asking for your prayer,

that each of us will pray each day for our church and mission,

that we will serve & follow in faith wherever God guides

… and mostly by listening and trusting the Lord,

let us begin dreaming much bigger and far grander dreams