Crack the Code

Jon Burnham preached this sermon from Ephesians 1:15-23

at St. John's Presbyterian Church on May 4, 2008.

Before performing a baptism, the pastor approached the young father and said solemnly, "Baptism is a serious step. Are you prepared for it?"

"I think so," the man replied. "My wife has made appetizers and we have a caterer coming to provide plenty of cookies and cakes for all of our guests."

"I don't mean that," the pastor responded. "I mean, are you prepared spiritually?"

"Oh, sure," came the reply. "I've got a keg of beer and a case of whiskey!"

As the sheriff said in the movie, "What we got "he-ah" is a "fail-ya" to communicate." The pastor is speaking on one level and the young father is hearing on another level. If only we could crack the code, transformation would be possible. For the "heavenlies" as described in our text today is not so much a location as a symbol of the transformational power of God through Christ. Never doubt the power of God to transform a person or a congregation.

Christopher Flett wrote a book called What Men Don't Tell Women about Business: Opening Up the Heavily Guarded Alpha Male Playbook. There he describes the two ways to make partner at a law firm. One may make partner by generating a ton of money for the firm thereby making one's departure painful for the bottom line of the firm. Or one may make partner by being a strong ambassador or the company so that one's leaving would have a negative impact on the company. If you want to make partner, make yourself indispincible at St. John's, generate new members or significant income for the church.

In his book, Transforming Church, Kevin G. Ford claims we need to crack the code of St. John's. Here are some clues. This church does not have a nice little women's parlor with antique furniture. We've got serviceable rooms with simple chairs and tables. There is no fancy Session Room here. The Session simply uses a Church School classroom with no frills. In fact, this is a no frills congregation. We are more interested in giving away than holding back. We are more interested in helping others than helping ourselves. We have a reputation among those who know us as an unselfish congregation. Unselfish giving is part of the code of St. John's Presbyterian Church.

On January 7, 2002, Walt Kallestad suffered a nearly catastrophhic heart attack. His treatement set a record at a Phoenix hospital: the first six-bypass surgery. His doctors were stunned he survived. As Walt came back to consciouness from a morphine dream, he understood what was to become a defining metaphor of his new journey: His heart needed to be miraculously healed. (Ford, 36) Now that is transformation. Or, as the author of Ephesians put it: " ... With the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which God has called you." The challenge we face in the church today is a challenge of the heart, not the head. We do not need more facts. We need more compassion. We do not need more studies. We need more commitment. We do not need more statistics. We need more tears. Tears of disappointment. Tears of joy. We need more tears. We need more passion. With renewed passion we will rediscover the hope to which God has called this congregation.

Some churches have cracked their own code and have experienced transformation. What is the code of St. John's? Who are the heroes of this church? One hero of this church is the founding pastor, Rev. McPhail. He got out in the community and recruited members to join this church in the early days. So part of our hero's code of conduct involves bringing people into the church. Be an ambassador for St. John's. Invite people to worship. Tell them what this church has done for you.

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson went on a camping trip. After a good meal and a bottle of wine they lay down for the night, and went to sleep.

Some hours later, Holmes awoke and nudged his faithful friend awake. "Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see."

Watson replied, "I see millions and millions of stars."

"What does that tell you?" Holmes questioned.

Watson pondered for a minute.

"Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.

Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo.

Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three.

Theologically, I can see that God is all powerful and that we are small and insignificant.

Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.

What does it tell you?"

Holmes was silent for a minute, then spoke.

"Watson, you idiot. Someone has stolen our tent!"

That is the problem in the church. Someone has stolen the tent of our joy. To find our tent, to rediscover our joy, we need to dream again, to have a vision for the church. Flett's advice to women in business is good advice for the church:

A. Have a main plan.

B. Have a Plan B!

That is what your Session is working on.

The Session's Ministry Teams are dreaming up a "Vision Budget for 2009." The vision budget may be introduced to the church in the early Fall. The Session will challenges the congregation to support the vision budget. That is the main plan. If the congregation doesn't respond to the Vision Budget then we go to Plan B. Plan B is to scale back our vision to what we can afford to do. The good news here is that we are beginning to dream again! We may have misplaced our joy but we have not lost our hope!

Today we have remembered Rev. McPhail as a symbol of our need to invite others to worship here. We have heard about some dreams that are being birthed by the Session. We have faith for the present moment. We have hope for the future. Going forward, we will find the joy! As the Proverb wisely proclaims: "Without a vision the people perish." This is fun stuff. Let's acknowledge our excitement instead of working against it. Today is the day to ascend into the heavenlies. Today is the day to participate in God's transformation of this congregation. We will cooperate with God in the transformation of this congregation. That is our pledge to God and to one another on this Ascension Sunday. We have begun to crack the code of St. John's Presbyterian Church. We will continue until the job is done.