A Glorious Inheritance
All Saints
Ephesians 1:11-14 and 15-23
By Pastor Jane Shelton
Following my sermon today, we will remember and celebrate the lives of our loved ones, who are with our Lord in their eternal home, by lighting a candle in their name.
Traditionally, this has become a remembrance of loved ones lost, beautiful lives lived, and saints that have gone on before us, those who lived with us in this life, and those who we did not have the pleasure to know except through words and stories.
My sister-in-law’s husband, Norman, who I remember fondly was an incredibly quiet spirit, but a strong one. He lived a faithful, hard-working life. He loved those he met, and enjoyed conversations, and he really enjoyed listening. I remember his laughter as if he were seated on a pew here in front of me.
Norman served in the Navy and worked for the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C. He loved camping, hunting and canoeing. He liked being in nature, growing a garden and taking daily walks. He loved being with family and was a devout Catholic.
Norman rescued me, Dick and my young nephew from an overturned boat on the Alapaha River during one of their family visits to Valdosta. We had family in three boats, two of which swamped from strong current, Norman and his middle son were the only ones whose boat did not swamp, and they paddled back up stream against very strong current to rescue us as we sat perched atop a tree limb.
Norman’s oldest son had been in the boat with us and floated on down the river; however, being someone who had almost drowned at a younger age, I would still be perched atop that limb today if Norman had not come back for us.
From that day forward, we had a different bond as in-laws, and I will forever remember his kindness, generosity, and strength. He was without a doubt a saint.
When I look through our list of saints in our bulletin, I’m struck with the many different righteous traits of the ones that I knew.
I visited with Patti Amos in the Presbyterian Fellowship Home in Quitman after becoming interim pastor. She was a long-time member, although I never really knew her, there was a sweet spirit that was evident when I visited with her.
I enjoyed my visits with our other saints, too. Bion Williams, who I fondly referred to as my number one fan. Betty Ann George a joyous pleasure to know and visit. Betty Sanders, always full of news, stories and jokes that kept you laughing, and she always wanted to know what was going on at the church.
Sister Elliott who also had a great sense of humor and loved returning to worship whenever she was able. Carol Busch, a lovely spirit with a smile that would warm your day like sunshine.
I had the opportunity to meet Austin while picking up limbs after Helene with Flint River Presbytery folks at the Carters’ home. I remember his smile and his mama and his dog close by his side.
Ed loved taking Butch to breakfast, Jimmy loved walking and picking up cans to recycle and give money to his grandchildren, and Ellen raised three beautiful daughters, one of whom still volunteers for Break Bread Together.
I remember serving with Jud Rackley on the Valdosta Chamber Board, and his gentle spirit. He was a hard-working individual and had a discerning spirit.
I did not have the pleasure of knowing, Henry Cox, father of Bradley Cox; Sherry Cole, brother of Lamar Cole; or Rita Clark, aunt of Vickie Byrd, but I know Bradley, Lamar and Vickie, and I’m sure knowing these three, their family were also saints.
While we remember all of these named in our bulletin, there are many others that we have known throughout the years that have been lost that were saints in our lives.
Just last week we talked about the Reformers and the saints of old in the Bible.
It occurred to me when reading our scripture this week, that Paul and I have something in common. I would have never guessed that one day Paul and I would have something in common, but we do!
We both have led churches full of saints!
Year after year, we remember our saints that have passed, and I’m glad that we do; however, we fail to recognize the saints that are still living here among us.
This Sunday is titled ALL Saints, and you, my sisters and brothers in Christ, you also are saints living in the here and now.
As Paul told his saints in his church, I will remind you today, ‘In Christ, we have also obtained an inheritance.’
This inheritance is yours given by God through the belief, hope and faith in Christ Jesus, God’s son. You are ‘marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.’
We give thanks and praise and glory to God our Father, and Jesus Christ his Son for this beautiful inheritance, and in the same way as Paul with his congregations, I give thanks and praise for you saints as I remember you in my daily prayers.
I too, pray that through your faith in our Lord, that you will be given wisdom and revelation to know God more, and that you are enlightened through the eyes of your heart. I pray that you know to what purpose God has called you as a saint in this life.
As I was preparing this sermon today, one of my commentaries presented a question that I will also put to you.
“Do you realize that the same power of God that raised Christ from death, is the same power that lives within you.” WOW! That is one of those ‘in your face moments.’ It really makes you stop and put things into perspective.
Paul tells us in this scripture today in Ephesians, “and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power…. not only in Christ’s age, but in ages to come.”
We say all the time, we are the hands and feet of Jesus in this time, and we are called to carry on the work that Jesus provided for us as an example of how to care for God’s saints, and those still being called to sainthood.
The first retreat that I held with our session a couple of years ago, we talked about how we need to change our perspective from all the things we don’t have and trust in all the things we do have in God’s abundance.
We humans find it hard to look for the positive, and to remain positive because we are surrounded by negativity in the world. We are constantly bombarded with negativity in the news, and we have more news in our lives than ever before that is available to us at every moment of our lives if we want it.
Today, Saints, however, I want you to think about the fact that you carry within you the divine power of God that has been given to you as an inheritance to accomplish whatever purpose God puts before you.
When God called me to step forward in faith to study as a TRE, or Trained Ruling Elder, I had no idea that I would be standing here today as a CRE or Commissioned Ruling Elder. In fact, I denied it with every ounce of my being, and sometimes, I still feel as if I am having an out-of-body experience.
When I entered that program ten years ago, it was to learn more about the Bible. I remember thinking, if I could only remember Biblical texts like others in my Sunday School class, it would be wonderful. It wasn’t that I didn’t know many of the stories because I had grown up with them, but it was that I couldn’t recall them in the same manner, or I wouldn’t be sure that I was recalling them correctly to have confidence in what I was saying, and it seemed to come so easily for others.
Well, let me tell you, be careful of what you ask for, because there is nothing that helps you remember a passage better than having to prepare a sermon.
Then there was this nudging Spirit within me to do more for the church.
I entered that program, and I said, I’m just here to learn more about the Bible, I’m not going to preach. There were about ten of us in the class, and I distinctly remember two of us saying, we don’t know where God is leading us or how we will be used in the future, but we’re not going to preach.
Never underestimate the power of God! We are both now preaching.
If God has a plan for your life, you may deny it, you may run from it, you may try and hide from it, but God’s power wins in the end. I’m just going to go ahead and give you a head’s up on that fact if you haven’t figured it out already.
As we remember the saints today, count yourself among them, you who are here in front of me and those joining us via Facebook Livestream. You are Saints of God who have been given an incredible inheritance, not just of an eternity when you leave this world, but an incredible inheritance of God’s divine power to share here on earth as long as we live.
How would our life and others be different if we got up every morning, put our feet on the floor, and said to God, “Okay God, what’s the plan for today?” “What purpose do you have for me today to do your will?” “Where will the Holy Spirit lead me today, and who can I help?”
When Jesus ascended, he left the church, that is all of you saints and many other saints like you in many other places around the world, to continue his work. The church is called to be Christ’s body with Christ as the head, and the church has everything it needs; YOU have everything you need, to fulfill this awesome responsibility.
What a glorious inheritance indeed.