Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - June/87

Contributor - Ruth Wilson

Title - For Such A Time As This

Topic - Discipleship

The word "inheritance" brings to mind joy as well as sorrow. Usually someone dear to us must die in order for one to receive an inheritance, but there is also joy as a legacy of memories is shared.

When my father died we had to divide Dad's worldly possessions. I remember that we had a wonderful day with just my brothers and sisters present. It was a day when our pasts flashed across our minds and memories, and our childhood experiences were recalled with laughter and tears. Mom and Dad did not have many valuable possessions so the thought of a sale Or an auction didn't appeal to any of us. In fact, my parents were poor, and all those old things represented happy memories, and memories are not for sale. Instead, we decided to draw numbers. Whoever had number one would have first pick and so on down the line. In the second round, the person with the number two had first pick, etc. With seven children we had a wonderful day of choosing our "inheritance".

My first pick was an old trunk which had belonged to my father. During my childhood, it had been used to hold wonderful treasures that were never used but always saved. it was kept in an out of the way place and finally had ended up in the attic. However, when that old trunk was brought to my house, it was mine and now it was placed in a very prominent spot in our living room. it was part of my inheritance which symbolized memories of a wonderful childhood. But that trunk symbolized more. it symbolized all that my parents had taught me and all that I had become because of who they were.

My mother had died three years earlier and though there was no dividing of an estate, I received an inheritance at that time also

Several days after the funeral, we received a card from a wonderful friend who had been a teacher to all of us. It was a most unusual card. one of the things it said was, "Your mother lived long enough and had a wonderful life. She is at peace. Now you must take the responsibility of teaching all that she taught you and pass it on to your children." It was dis-comforting! It was upsetting! First of all, I didn't agree that my mother had lived long enough. But secondly, I didn't think I was really ready to teach my children all that my mother had taught me. There was so much I still had not learned. I didn't even know how to bake bread. However, as I thought back on her life, I realized it wasn't skills my mother had taught, but an attitude about life that she had taught by example.

- She was always a student and always ready to learn new things.

- She had a wonderful sense of humor and was able to laugh at herself.

- She accepted the lonely person, the ugly duckling you might say. She was able to look beyond the disability and the unlovely and see a wonderful person.

- Her home was open to everyone. Once, she gave water to a robber and we even had coffee with a travelling gypsy who happened by.

- She was honest and fair and faithful. She lived her Christianity right where she was, every day.

- She taught us one more thing, that is, if God calls you to do something, He must think you can do it, that you can depend on Him to be there through all the pain and struggle.

- To her, motherhood was more than childbirth and the responsibility for upbringing. Motherhood was seeing that life was nurtured and lived in its fulness.

- Whatever God calls you to do, He has wonderful plans for you.

- It was not important to be the best, it important to be the best you can be.

That was my inheritance. Now I not only had to claim it, but I was charged that day with a responsibility to live it and to share it.

My parents were poor materially, but they had all that was needed, so they had wealth beyond measure. My father often said he was the richest man in the world because he had all that he needed.

As Christians, our inheritance is Christ's peace which leaves us rich beyond measure. With His death, we not only received forgiveness for our sins, but inherited everlasting life as well. In John 14:26 - 27 He says, "The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you. Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid."

How does Christ's peace differ from the world's peace? Peace to the world means serenity, quiet, comfort, safety. The peace which the world offers us is the peace of escape, the peace which comes from the avoidance of trouble, the peace which comes from refusing to face things. The peace, the security of the world is insured with money and material possessions, guns and bars on windows, and with military might.

Christ's peace - shalom - means everything which makes for our highest good. It is God's will being done. His peace is the peace of conquest, conquest over evil. It means justice being one all people.

Christ's peace has a catch in it! His peace is not a peace of worldly comfort and security. It means to dare, to risk, to work, to love. To claim this inheritance you must be willing to take a stand. it also means you are called to be faithful.

I am fascinated with history and enjoy reading the history found in the Old Testament. One of the things I find very interesting is how technology changes but human nature remains the same.

In the book of Esther we find a story not unlike today. (My daughter referred to it as a "soap opera".) It is a story of sexism, racism, greed, conceit and a power struggle. it is also a story of faithfulness and a story of one who was a witness and advocate for peace and justice.

In order to save her people, Esther dares to risk her life, Because she is faithful, the Jewish nation is saved from annihilation. However, 75,000 enemies of the Jews are killed because Haman abused his power.

There are many stories of faithful men and women in the Bible. Some of them are famous and we know them by name, others are mentioned only once and still others are only known for their deeds. However, they are mentioned because of their faithfulness.

One of my favourite passages is found in Luke 8:1 - 3. You may have never heard a sermon on this passage, but this passage explains where th resources for Jesus ministry came from. When we think about Jesus and His disciples traveling around, the women who traveled with them are not mentioned except here in Luke. We know about Mary Magdalene. She was not a prostitute. She was healed by Jesus of seven demons. She is also the first person to whom the risen Christ appeared. She supported Him with her own money, as did Joanna, a lady of Herod's court and Suzanna and many women who used their own resources to help Jesus and His disciples.

In John 4 we are told of the Samaritan woman, who shared her belief in Jesus with those in her city. Because of her witness, because of her faithfulness, many believed.

Now what do stories of old trunks, Esther, and the financiers Jesus' ministry have to do with us? And how does it fit in with an inheritance of Christ's peace? God is still calling people today. He calls some who are famous and known by name, but most of the time He calls the least likely, you and me. If you want to lay claim to your inheritance, Christ's peace, there is a catch. You cannot claim it without living it and sharing it. You cannot hide it in an attic and use it to store unused treasures. He gave His disciples marching orders when He said, , Go into all the world and preach the gospel, baptizing them and making them my disciples." These are marching orders for us as well. These are action words. It means getting involved. It means getting our hands dirty and it means we cannot hide in our non-involvement.

How can we get involved? First we can dare to share out of our resources so that the ministry of Christ can be carried on. You may not be able to go, but you can make it possible for others to go and share the good news, by sharing your financial resources. The RCW has each year provided over one half million dollars for the RCA mission program. This comes from the Mission Service Fund, your conference offerings, your Partnerships in Mission. You also share when you share your membership gifts. With your membership gifts, you enable women to equip others for ministry. You and I may not be called missionaries but we are in ministry right where we are. Be generous with your resources.

But there is more. Look around at your communities. Read the newspaper. Where is God calling you to serve? Christ's ministry was one of service as well as saving. To follow Jesus means that we are to follow His example, to feed the poor, to heal, to mingle with sinners and to love our enemies.

We can no longer hide our treasures in the attic or refuse to go before the rulers on behalf of oppressed people. All around us there are the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, the naked, the sick and the imprisoned. Sexism, racism, greed and power over people is alive and well today. Unless we claim His peace for the least of these, we cannot claim it for ourselves. You were chosen to live at this time, in this place, for such a time as this. Do you dare to stand before the judge and claim your inheritance? Will He recognize you as His child?

The N.T. story is a curious story: God becoming incarnate in human flesh - flesh that is soft and vulnerable, that bleeds and dies, flesh that miraculously has the power within itself to heal. Flesh that is born a helpless child and dies powerless on a wooden cross. To become flesh is to become vulnerable to the wiles of the world.

To be peacemakers, God calls us to become vulnerable. A ship in port is safe, bu that is not what ships were meant to do. As Christians, we are safe as long as we stay in the church, in our sanctuaries, but that is not where Christians are meant to stay. The Benediction is our marching order. God has a purpose for your life. He is calling you, for such a time as this. He calls us to dare, risk, work, and love. (These are four-letter words.) His peace is out of this world.

We don't know where or how God will ask us to serve. Growing up I didn't know my sister would be serving in India. Little did I know I would be living in Detroit. Attending First Reformed in Orange City, Iowa, I never imagined being involved in a new church start as I was. Now I am in a church that is dying and the pain and work and despair are much greater.

For such a time as this. The pain is not only in the church. it is all around us. You are in ministry. 1 am in ministry. He doesn't ask us to be successful. He asks us to be faithful.

Jesus says to us, "My peace I give ... remember, the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. Go in peace."

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