Just Say "Yes" to the Inheritance

SCRIPTURE TEXT:  1 Corinthians 3:5-9, Rev. Monte Marshall

This morning is the third Sunday of our four-week emphasis on stewardship.  The theme is Just Say “Yes.”  Today’s focus is Just Say “Yes” to the Inheritance.  This is an especially appropriate topic for All Saints Sunday which is a special time in the church year for remembering and celebrating those people who have gone before us and who have been as beloved saints to us.  Let’s pray.  PRAYER

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:  From those who have gone before us, we have received a precious gift—a glorious inheritance—Travis Park United Methodist Church.  This community of faith is a gift of grace passed on to us by the saints who have gone before us.

And when I say “saints,” I’m not referring to people who reach a level of perfection in their faith that qualifies them for canonization as in the Roman Catholic tradition.  When I say “saints,” I’m referring to all of the ordinary human beings who have followed Jesus from generation to generation, with varying degrees of faithfulness.  I’m talking about people like you and me—people who know what it is to say both “yes” to Jesus and “no” to Jesus.  I don’t know about you, but I’m amazed that such ordinary saints left us with such an incredible inheritance in Travis Park United Methodist Church.

Now if we’re wondering how this happens, Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth gives us a clue.  First of all, Paul addresses his letter to “the church of God in Corinth” and to all of the followers of Jesus wherever they may be.  He says that all of us are “called to be saints”—not just some of us—but all of us. 

In this morning’s text, Paul goes on to write of people like him who plant seeds, and others like Apollos who do the watering.  Apollos, by the way, was a well-known and popular teacher in the early church who also did work in Corinth.  

Paul emphasizes that one worker’s job in the field is not of greater value than another worker’s job in the field.  This is an important point to make for Paul because there were those in the Corinthian church who were pitting Paul against Apollos.  Some said, “’I belong to Paul’” and others said, “’I belong to Apollos.’”   

But Paul would have none of this competition and contentious behavior.  Paul underscores that the work of both laborers is essential, but that it’s God who gives the growth—it’s God “who makes things grow.”  In Paul’s understanding:  The seed comes from God.  The water comes from God.  The crop belongs to God.  Even the laborers are called to the task by God.  And it’s God “who makes things grow.” 

Paul then concludes that all workers—the planter and the waterer— “are coworkers with God.”  He then shifts metaphors to say that we are also the farm.  All of us are the field.  He then changes metaphors once again to say that we are “God’s building.” 

Over the past 170 years, there have been countless saints have been laborers in this field that we now call Travis Park United Methodist Church.  Each laborer, in his or her own way, has said “yes” to God and “yes” to the work.  Each laborer became a co-worker with God.  Some have planted.  Others have watered.  But God has given the growth.

Let me share with you a case-in-point.  During the Great Depression, a woman named Frances Craig planted a seed.  Frances was a member of Travis Park Church and the teacher of the Philathea Sunday School Class.  In those trying times, she saw the need to encourage people to turn to God daily for strength.  She and others in her class tapped the Spirit’s power through the practice of daily prayer and Bible reading. 

In 1934, Frances was elected as a delegate from the West Texas Conference to the General Board of Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.  She served on the Committee on Devotional Literature.  As a member of this group, Frances shared her idea and suggested that a quarterly devotional booklet be published.  Her idea was accepted in December, 1934, at a meeting in Nashville, TN.  Others were beginning to water the seed she had planted.

When Frances returned to San Antonio, she enlisted her 100-member Philathea Class to pray for the devotional idea.  Meanwhile, back in Nashville, Dr. Grover Emmons was appointed as the editor of the new publication.  He established the format for the magazine’s entries—a scripture verse, a suggested scripture reading, comments, a prayer, and a closing thought.  This remains the magazine’s format to this very day. 

When the first issue of the devotional guide was ready to print in early 1935, it still had no name. But then Dr. Emmons was inspired by a sermon extolling the power of God that descended on Jesus’ disciples as they prayed in an “upper room” (Mark 14:15 KJV). In an amazing show of faith, Dr. Emmons ordered a printing of 100,000 copies. The issue sold out.

Interest in “the little book” soon soared as readers embraced the daily habit.  From the start, everyday people submitted meditations they had written. At first The Upper Room editors chose not to include them in the magazine. But then, in 1938, they recognized the importance of diverse voices and opened submissions to all. Within the next year, the magazine was translated into three additional languages and circulation reached an astounding one million copies. 

Today, The Upper Room daily devotional guide is a familiar item on kitchen and bedside tables around the country. Over the years, that little, beloved magazine has sparked a global ministry that now reaches millions around the world in 100 countries in 35 languages.

A larger entity has also emerged.  Upper Room Ministries now include magazine and book publications, a museum and chapel in Nashville, and program ministries like The Walk to Emmaus, The Academy for Spiritual Formation, and The Living Prayer Center.  Frances Craig planted, others watered, but God gave the growth.[1]

So, dear saints, this is our inheritance!  Some have planted; others have watered; but all have been co-workers with God—and God has given the growth.  In this tradition, I invite us all to continue the work—to plant and water.  In so doing, we say “yes” to our inheritance.  And may that “yes” guide our giving into the new year so that the inheritance we’ve received is passed on to the next generation of saints with value added through our own faithfulness. Thanks be to God!  Amen.

REMEMBRANCE OF THE SAINTS

Poet and artist, Jan Richardson, offers this prayer:

“For those who walked with us,

this is a prayer.

For those who have gone ahead,

this is a blessing.

For those who touched and tended us,

who lingered with us while they lived,

this is a thanksgiving.

For those who journey still with us

in the shadows of awareness,

in the crevices of memory,

in the landscape of dreams,

this is a benediction.”[2]   

Amen.