The Diocese of East Tennessee
Sermons

Feb. 6, 2000
Epiphany V
Delivered at St. Francis, Ooltewah

Sermon: The Pattern for Christian Living
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

I want to thank the people of St. Francis Church for your warm welcome of Annie and me on my first official visitation here as bishop. We are indeed grateful to you, and we already look forward to many happy returns. In addition, I want to say publicly how much I appreciate all the work done by your vicar. Father Robbins does a fine job on behalf of this congregation and in serving the Diocese of East Tennessee as well. I am grateful to you, sir, for all that you do.

As children, we probably all heard certain instructions quite often. And, children today hear many of the same things. "Be a good boy or a good girl." "Don't do anything that your parents wouldn't do." "Remember that others will be watching you." Then, there are also comparable words of instruction and wisdom for adults. "We just don't do that." "The person in your position used to do it this way." "What will the neighbors think?" Often it seems that the only time we are not setting an example for someone is when we are observing another person's example.

From prominent professional people to everyday next door neighbors, from presidents to big brothers and sisters, from parents to neighborhood gang leaders, from distinguished citizens to family matriarchs … these all serve as examples for others - and in some cases, for many others.

As I reflected this week on people who have served as examples for me, I realized that these people were kinds of heroes to me. Thinking further about the examples of such heroes, I discovered one common characteristic in my responses to them. In following anyone else's example, at some point I had to go my own way - a way unique to me and separate from that of my examples and heroes.

This awareness actually came to me early in life, when I realized I couldn't use a sword like Zoro or ride a horse like the Lone Ranger or hit a home run like Duke Snider. I had to find my own way … a way appropriate to who I am and for what I can do.

This is true of us all. Finally - after looking at examples and emulating heroes - we all must chart our own course in this life. Perhaps the best we can gain from others by way of example is a pattern, which may be applicable to our lives. It is important to recognize that those patterns, which our examples and our heroes give us, are very important. They provide maps on which we may chart our course, even though the course will indeed be our own.

As I read the Gospel lesson for today - particularly in the context of confirmation - I saw there a pattern for the Christian life. Sometimes the examples that Jesus sets may seem far removed from our own experience and, therefore, difficult to relate to. After all, his life situation was very different from ours in many ways. However, there are aspects of his example that are fundamental to our Christian lives. Further, Jesus offers us patterns to life which are invaluable. As some of us today come forward as candidates for confirmation and as all of us reaffirm our baptismal covenant with God, it surely is appropriate to consider the pattern of life that Jesus offers.

The pattern in today's Gospel reading is a very basic one for Christian living, it seems to me. We might outline its steps in these three points: prayer, service, and fellowship.

The first step in Jesus' pattern is prayer. We read in today's Gospel, "In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed."

You will remember that before Jesus began his public ministry, he spent forty days in the wilderness. That was a period of being tempted by Satan, of encountering evil and of looking that evil in the face. But, it was also a time of contemplation, of reflection, and of prayer - and, it was the way that Jesus started his ministry.

Jesus was a man of prayer. He gained strength, as well as direction, from praying. In the pattern Jesus gives us for our Christian lives, the first step to follow is to pray. How we use that pattern will vary. For some of us, prayer may mean going to a lonely place, being in a situation of solitude. For others, prayer may be accomplished with a group, aware of unity in spirit. Or then, for others, prayer may be one part of everyday and familiar activities. Indeed, for many of us, prayer includes all of these understandings and habits. The important characteristic of prayer is the conscious communication with God - and that happens in many settings and at various times.

Secondly, in the lesson today, we read of Jesus living out his commitment through service. He ministered to others; he gave of himself. Jesus showed concern for Simon Peter's mother-in-law, and then, Jesus healed her. In addition, Jesus performed other healings, as well as exorcisms. And finally, he went throughout the region, preaching the word of repentance and salvation. In that one, brief passage, we see several examples of Jesus serving other people.

According to Jesus' pattern, the Christian life includes service to others. Again, Jesus gives us a pattern rather than an exact example to follow. However, clearly, service is an essential piece of the pattern.

In our lives, we indicate our commitment to Christ and to the pattern of life he offers in part by our service to others. The fact that there are many ways to serve does not give us the license to do nothing, however. Jesus' pattern for us falls apart without this middle piece, Christian service.

The final piece in the pattern from today's Gospel is fellowship. Indicative of the fellowship among Christians in our reading was Simon's mother-in-law. After she was healed, she served the others gathered at her home.

There is something special and unique about Christian fellowship. It has to do with allowing each person to minister and to be ministered to. Such is the nature of fellowship within the context of Christian community. In our reading, Jesus did not accomplish his healing and then fuss incessantly over Simon's mother-in-law … nor did he do his thing and then leave quickly to find another sick person to heal. Rather, he allowed this woman to respond in gratitude. We read, "He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them." Giving and receiving are both important aspects of Christian living and of all Christian fellowship.

Thus, in summary, these are the three parts of Jesus' pattern for Christian living - prayer, service, and fellowship. How we follow this pattern in our lives will vary. Each of us is a special and unique child of God. However, all the pieces must be there if we are leading Christian lives following the pattern of our Lord - prayer, service, and fellowship.

Copyright © 2000 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee