GENESIS 1:1-2:3

PSALM 150

2 CORINTHIANS 12:11-14

MATTHEW 28:16-20

Sermon – 5/26/02

This morning’s readings include the opening words of the entire Bible – and the final words of Jesus to his disciples, according to St. Matthew. From the magnificent, poetic creation story at the start of Genesis, we learn that God is the Creator of the Universe, that as God made the universe it was “very good”, and that all human beings are made in the image of God and given both great authority and great responsibility as the crown of creation.

From our own experience as well as the biblical narrative between Genesis 1 and Matthew 28 we learn that we human beings misused our God-given abilities by putting each of ourselves first instead of God, and the result is a world that is broken, afflicted with sin and beyond redemption by human effort alone. We learn that God did not give up on us but came to our help in Jesus Christ, who took all the brokenness and sin on his own shoulders and broke their power over us by “taking the rap” which humanity richly deserved. We also learn that, after breaking the power of brokenness, Christ also broke the power of death, busting out of the prison of death to a resurrected state of unquenchable life, and inviting all whom he saves to follow him.

Ultimately, to follow him to extraordinary, unending new life. But in the meantime, here and now, he tells us in today’s Gospel, we have work to do.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”, Christ says to his closest followers. This is good news – to them and to us. They and we both know what happens when we human beings act as if we have God-like authority over the lives of others: catastrophe and tragedy. Only God is God; all true Christians, Jews and Muslims recognize that. When mortals “play God”, disaster follows.

Gathering his followers like a head coach gathers, instructs and directs a team, Jesus, using his authority, tells them – and us – what to do:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

That’s the game plan – for us and well as for the eleven disciples who first heard it. If they hadn’t followed it, we would never have heard of Jesus Christ, we never would have experienced the Good News of hope, love and new life, we would now not be facing the challenges of daily life strengthened and guided by what St. Paul refers to as “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit.”

And if we Christians in this new century don’t follow the same game plan, untold numbers of our fellow struggling, suffering, yearning inhabitants of planet earth will never experience the joy and strength which comes from knowing Christ.

The Christian Church, right now, is one generation away from extinction.

It always has been, for 2,000 years.

It is up to each generation to answer the high calling to live these words of Jesus, called The Great Commission, to experience the faith in its awesome depths and beauty, to stretch ourselves in the service of God and our fellow creatures of God, and, yes, “to make disciples of all nations”, baptizing and teaching.

The people of St. Barnabas take these words of Christ both seriously and joyously – and because of that, we are part of an extraordinary story. Eighteen years ago, some devoted members of our church were worried that we might close. Attendance had declined for eight years in a row, despite increases in the population of our community. Since then, we have tripled in average Sunday attendance, welcomed newcomers from every inhabited continent on earth, and are on the brink of opening a million-dollar addition to our building.

Just shows what can happen when we follow our Head Coach’s directions, and really believe.

And this is just the beginning.

Our growth and our new building are most exciting for what they will enable us to do, not as ends in themselves. As we say in every service leaflet, “The purpose of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church is to bring people together in Jesus Christ, to know him personally and to strengthen the love of God and man.”

With more space, it will be easier to “bring people together in Jesus Christ”; Yogi Berra won’t be able to say of us, “Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.” But more space also will vastly enhance our ability to increase our programs which enable more people “to know him personally.” Once we move into the new worship space, this room will be used for Sunday school classes from kindergarten through eighth grade. That’s right – Junior High School students will have their own place to learn how Christ can help them in those uniquely challenging years of their lives, and all classes will be able to have room to empower a higher quality education experience.

Downstairs, we’ll have a Pre-school classroom, a far bigger toddler classroom, and a real nursery with room for playpens and cribs! And room to provide childcare during adult education offerings during the week in the new multi-purpose room.

Our ministries of “Inreach” to those already in our congregation and “Outreach” to those beyond it have further potential as well, as key parts of living out our purpose “to strengthen the love of God and humanity.”

Now is the time to dream further dreams about what we can do together. And let us continue to dream with the confidence in God, the excitement and expectancy which has gotten us this far. For not only is Christ our Head Coach, but the Holy Spirit is our team’s General Manager, sending potential stars in our doors for the first time nearly every week. Every person of whatever age or circumstance in life has colossal spiritual potential, by the grace of God, and it’s exciting wondering who the Holy Spirit will nudge next into walking in the doors. Every Sunday there are, you could say, open “try-outs” here: imagine a soccer team having open try-outs and Mia Hamm showing up, or a baseball team having open try-outs and Pedro Martinez says “Do you have room for me?” It’s like that in any church, every week. And we don’t know who these stars are by looking at them. Or even by having them speak – especially since, after all, some of them, like this morning’s “draft picks”, Anthony and Connor, can’t talk yet! (And you thought the NBA drafted people at young ages.)

No one is too young – or too old – or too anything to join Jesus’ team. No one is beyond hope or unable to develop further spiritually.

So, on this Trinity Sunday, let’s complete our sports analogy of Jesus as Head Coach and the Holy Spirit as General Manager to think of God the Father Almighty as the owner of the team.

Who else would you rather play your heart out for? So, team, let’s go!

(The Rev.) Francis A. Hubbard

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church