In the name of the Father, Son +, and Holy Spirit,
Amen. The text for this mission festival
weekend is recorded for us in Acts 16:6-15. This is the Word of the Lord.
The
prophet Isaiah reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways, nor are our
thoughts His thoughts. The Bible is
replete with accounts of the Lord doing the unexpected in unusual situations. Paul, Silas and Timothy determined to bring
the Gospel to Phrygia, Galatia and Bythinia.
They were prevented from doing so by the Holy Spirit. A vision of a man from Macedonia calling for
help motivated the apostle to cross the Dardanelles. For the first time
intentional evangelistic work took place on the European continent. It began in
the Roman colonial city of Philippi.
On
the Sabbath day Paul’s entourage went outside of the city to a place along the
river where people gathered to pray. The
number included Jewish women married to Gentiles who retained the faith they
received in childhood. Timothy came from
such a household in Lystra. He could
relate to these faithful Jewish women and their children. The number also included Gentile women. Among
them was Lydia, a woman from Thyatira.
The Lord blessed her mightily through Paul’s preaching.
The
Psalms remind us that unless the Lord builds the house, the laborers build it
in vain. Unless the Lord watches over
the city, the watchmen stay awake in vain (Psalm 127:1). Without God’s blessing
we can do nothing that lasts. Jesus
says: “I am the Vine; you are the
branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in
him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. You
did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to bear fruit and that
fruit should last” (John 15:5, 16).
These words are humbling. We cannot come to faith on our own. It is the Lord who opens ears to hear, eyes
to see, and hearts to believe. It is the
Lord who works through His Word to accomplish His purposes in those who hear
the Gospel. God alone receives credit
for what happens with Lydia. “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention
to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14).
Lydia
was deeply moved by the Word of God. She learned that Jesus Christ is the
Savior of the World. He gave His life into death for the forgiveness of her
sins and the sins of all people. His
resurrection opens the kingdom of heaven to all who believe. Lydia and her household were baptized into
Christ’s death and resurrection. Immediately she invites Paul, Luke, Silas and
Timothy to stay at her home. She
expressed gratitude through hospitality.
Lydia generously shared her resources for the spread of the Gospel. Her home became the first house church in
Philippi.
One
hundred and fifty years ago German Lutherans were intent on bringing the Gospel
to Ethiopia. In the days before the Suez
Canal they had to travel three fourths of the way around Africa to reach the
nearest port to their destination. The
emir favored Islam over Christianity and refused to allow the Lutheran
missionaries to disembark. The ship set
sail, retracing their original route.
The first port that opened to them was Durbin in the British province of
Natal on the southern edge of the continent.
The Lutheran missionaries moved inland and began evangelism among the Zulu
people. Progress was slow. The Zulus were a strong and powerful
nation. They are proud and reluctant to
adopt the way of outsiders.
One missionary spent twenty years preaching the Gospel. Twice his home was burned to the ground as tensions erupted between the British and Zulus. In that time he could count one baptism among the natives. The Germans persisted. Today we have Lutheran brothers and sisters in Africa. We share one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Together we are recipients of God’s mercy, grace and blessings through His pure Word and blessed Sacraments. God is faithful. His word will not return to Him empty but will accomplish the purpose for which it is sent. The Holy Spirit creates faith where and when He wills in those who hear the Gospel. It is the Lord who opened the minds of the apostles so that they could understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). The nineteenth century missionaries who initially saw little return from their labors sowed seeds that have matured thirty, sixty a hundredfold and more.
St.
Mark’s Lutheran Church and School have been serving the people of Steeleville
for almost as long as Lutherans have been evangelizing in Southern Africa. At times the work flourishes and prospers. At
other times such as Word War I, a German speaking congregation was not popular
when the United States was at war with Germany.
Your forefathers remained faithful to the Word of God even as they
adjusted to preaching and teaching it in English during the next two decades.
Word is at work in both circumstances.
Faith takes God at His promises and trusts that He will keep everyone of
them. Anyone can steer a boat on a
clear, warm, sunny day. Under a dark sky
with wind and waves buffeting the boat and obscuring vision one must trust the
compass and follow the chartered course even if every muscle and fiber in their
being screams otherwise. To give into temptation
may result in serious injury and even loss of life.
The
front line of mission work is wherever God plants His church. Mission work continues in South Africa,
Botswana and Swaziland. It takes place
in Steeleville, Randolph County and Southern Illinois. The Word that changed Lydia’s heart in
Philippi changes hearts wherever it is heard and believed. Each person is different. Some come to faith
and mature rapidly. Others are much
slower to grow and bear fruit. Like the
missionary in Natal with only a single convert one does not give up but
persists in doing the very things the Lord has given us to do. This is faith at work and faithfulness in
duty.
Americans
are fascinated with large numbers and demonstrable growth. It is presumed that success depends on these
outward and visible dynamics. The Lord
uses a different metric. He calls His
pastors, teachers and churches to be faithful. Faithful in attending the Divine
Service, receiving the Lord’s precious body and blood, hearing the Word of God
and talking about it with our families when we rise and retire, eat and
travel. The Word works. It did in Philippi. It does in South Africa. This is the Word that has been preached to
you (1 Peter 1:25). Lord, I believe,
help my unbelief, Amen.
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