Sermon: All Saints’ Day (1 November 2009)
A Service of Confirmation
(Josh 24:1-2a, 14-18/Ps 1/ Eph 1:15-23/Mt 16:24-27)
Markers
Blessed be God who has made us worthy to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Amen.
This sermon is for Hayleigh and Mary Kathleen on the occasion of their Confirmation. But, you are welcome to “ eavesdrop” if you’d like.
_____________________________________
Moses is dead. The devil wanted his body, but the archangel Michael contended with the devil and defeated him, not with sword or might or legion of angels but with the power of the word: “The Lord rebuke you!” is all Michael said (cf Jude 9), and that word spoken in the name of the Lord was enough. And now Moses lies buried in a valley in the land of Moab, in a grave known only to God (cf Dt 34:6).
Now, Joshua leads Israel – Joshua, chosen by God and ordained by Moses; Joshua, full of the spirit of wisdom. God has given Joshua his marching orders, literally:
[T]he LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: 2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess’” (Josh 1:1b-11, NKJV).
This much is clear: Israel’s possession of the land rests on the promises of God – promises past and promises future. “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you;” it “shall be your territory;” “no man shall be able to stand before you.” But this is equally clear: Israel’s possession of the land is contingent upon the strength, courage, and obedience of Joshua and all the people. “Be strong and of good courage;” do according to all that is written in the Law – then you will have good success. This is your salvation story writ large in the pages of Israel’s history, for the salvation that is ours in Christ Jesus rests solely upon the promises of God – promises past and future. But our salvation is also contingent upon our strength, courage, and obedience – all energized by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the faithful. So the church charges you this day as God charged Joshua that day: Be strong and very courageous. Keep the faith; do not turn from it to the right or to the left. God who has promised is faithful, and you will have good success.
There are yet many obstacles in Israel’s way: the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites; walled and well-defended cities; treachery, seduction, disobedience, and faithlessness. But none of these obstacles are as immediate as the Jordan River. It is harvest time and the Jordan is at flood stage, overflowing all its banks. Israel is camped on the east bank; Jericho and the main body of Israel’s inheritance lie across the Jordan to the west. God commands the people to cross, a first test of their strength, courage, and obedience.
7 And the LORD said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.’” 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. 13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.” 14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), 16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan (Josh 3:7-8, 11-17, NKJV).
This, too, is part of your salvation story: the mighty hand and outstretched arm of God miraculously led you down into, through, and out of the baptismal waters – from the old life (and death) of slavery and wilderness wondering to the new life of inheritance and kingdom.
Hayleigh and Mary Kathleen, this is your story. You stand today on the far side of the Jordan; you’ve come up out of the baptismal waters. Your inheritance as children of God lies before you. One thing remains yet to do before you go forward with strength and courage and obedience to seize it. Listen again to the ancient story.
1 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying: 2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’”4 Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” 8 And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the LORD had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day (Josh 4:1-9, NKJV).
Before Israel moves forward, Israel – at God’s command – sets up markers, stone altars of remembrance and thanksgiving. One stands in the middle of the Jordan River, under torrents of water, seen only by God: This is where we were, it proclaims. One stands on the far side of the Jordan, seen by all for generations to come: This is where God has brought us, it proclaims. Draw a line from the marker hidden in the Jordan through the marker on dry ground and it points westward, into the land of promise, toward Israel’s inheritance. Follow this line, God says; do not turn from it to the right or left. And be strong and of good courage, for I have promised to be with you wherever you go.
Mary Kathleen and Hayleigh, it is time for you to build a marker, an altar of remembrance and thanksgiving – not with stones, but with faith and vow and proclamation. That is the nature of Confirmation. It looks back toward your baptism – to your own Jordan, through which God brought you. In those waters you were born and named and sealed as Christ’s own forever. Never forget your baptism. When doubts arise, when temptations come, when sin besets you, look back to that marker and proclaim, “I have been baptized. I am God’s beloved.” And though that marker is hidden beneath the water, it is seen by God, for he knows his own.
But Confirmation does not just look back; it looks around and establishes a second marker. Since your baptism you have grown in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man. You have grown in faith and understanding and grace. It is time to build another marker to proclaim, “Here I stand, by God’s grace, ready to renew my covenant with him, ready to take my place fully with the people of God, ready to shoulder the yoke of Christ, ready to take up the cross and carry it daily, ready to press on toward the high calling of Christ to which God has called me.” Are you ready to build this marker? Are you ready to confirm, as young adults, those holy words spoken for you in your infancy or spoken by you in your childhood? The church believes you are. So, the church will ask you to speak this day for yourselves, by your own choosing, and by speaking, to bind yourselves solemnly to the common faith and life of the church, to the way and the truth and the life found only in Jesus. Understand that it is a difficult way, but a glorious one. Understand that on this way much will be lost, but even more will be gained. Understand that persecution comes to those who walk this way, but great blessing and reward as well. Are you ready to set the marker stones?
Draw a line from the marker of your baptism through the new marker of your confirmation – a line of faith – and it points forward into eternal life in the Kingdom of God – eternal life that begins even now. There are many obstacles ahead that you must overcome, many battles that you must fight. Your salvation rests on God’s promise, remember, but it also depends on your courage, strength, and obedience. There are passions you must battle, temptations you must overcome, sin you must forsake. You must make repentance your constant companion, prayer your trusted ally, the Word of God your sword, and the body and blood of Christ your heavenly food. And remember: you are not alone; you are never alone. Jesus promised that he would never abandon or forsake you, and his promise is good. The Holy Spirit has made of you his temple, dwelling in you and cleansing you of all impurity. And, you are surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses we honor this day: the saints, the great body of the faithful throughout all time past and stretching into the eternal future. They are watching you, cheering you on, strengthening you by their faithful testimony and through their prayers. And they are beckoning you to join that great fellowship of the holy ones of God. The line drawn from your baptism through your Confirmation leads you through the saints and beyond to the One whom they worship.
19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. 21 Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; 23 for the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever” (Josh 4:19-24, NKJV).
Hayleigh and Mary Kathleen, place your twelve stones. Mary Kathleen and Hayleigh, place the marker of Confirmation firmly this day so that you may remember what the Lord has done for you, so that you may see the way ahead clearly, so that you and all the people whose lives you will touch may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, and that you may fear the Lord your God forever. Amen.
A Service of Confirmation
(Josh 24:1-2a, 14-18/Ps 1/ Eph 1:15-23/Mt 16:24-27)
Markers
Blessed be God who has made us worthy to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Amen.
This sermon is for Hayleigh and Mary Kathleen on the occasion of their Confirmation. But, you are welcome to “ eavesdrop” if you’d like.
_____________________________________
Moses is dead. The devil wanted his body, but the archangel Michael contended with the devil and defeated him, not with sword or might or legion of angels but with the power of the word: “The Lord rebuke you!” is all Michael said (cf Jude 9), and that word spoken in the name of the Lord was enough. And now Moses lies buried in a valley in the land of Moab, in a grave known only to God (cf Dt 34:6).
Now, Joshua leads Israel – Joshua, chosen by God and ordained by Moses; Joshua, full of the spirit of wisdom. God has given Joshua his marching orders, literally:
[T]he LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: 2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess’” (Josh 1:1b-11, NKJV).
This much is clear: Israel’s possession of the land rests on the promises of God – promises past and promises future. “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you;” it “shall be your territory;” “no man shall be able to stand before you.” But this is equally clear: Israel’s possession of the land is contingent upon the strength, courage, and obedience of Joshua and all the people. “Be strong and of good courage;” do according to all that is written in the Law – then you will have good success. This is your salvation story writ large in the pages of Israel’s history, for the salvation that is ours in Christ Jesus rests solely upon the promises of God – promises past and future. But our salvation is also contingent upon our strength, courage, and obedience – all energized by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the faithful. So the church charges you this day as God charged Joshua that day: Be strong and very courageous. Keep the faith; do not turn from it to the right or to the left. God who has promised is faithful, and you will have good success.
There are yet many obstacles in Israel’s way: the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites; walled and well-defended cities; treachery, seduction, disobedience, and faithlessness. But none of these obstacles are as immediate as the Jordan River. It is harvest time and the Jordan is at flood stage, overflowing all its banks. Israel is camped on the east bank; Jericho and the main body of Israel’s inheritance lie across the Jordan to the west. God commands the people to cross, a first test of their strength, courage, and obedience.
7 And the LORD said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.’” 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. 13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.” 14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), 16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan (Josh 3:7-8, 11-17, NKJV).
This, too, is part of your salvation story: the mighty hand and outstretched arm of God miraculously led you down into, through, and out of the baptismal waters – from the old life (and death) of slavery and wilderness wondering to the new life of inheritance and kingdom.
Hayleigh and Mary Kathleen, this is your story. You stand today on the far side of the Jordan; you’ve come up out of the baptismal waters. Your inheritance as children of God lies before you. One thing remains yet to do before you go forward with strength and courage and obedience to seize it. Listen again to the ancient story.
1 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying: 2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’”4 Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” 8 And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the LORD had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day (Josh 4:1-9, NKJV).
Before Israel moves forward, Israel – at God’s command – sets up markers, stone altars of remembrance and thanksgiving. One stands in the middle of the Jordan River, under torrents of water, seen only by God: This is where we were, it proclaims. One stands on the far side of the Jordan, seen by all for generations to come: This is where God has brought us, it proclaims. Draw a line from the marker hidden in the Jordan through the marker on dry ground and it points westward, into the land of promise, toward Israel’s inheritance. Follow this line, God says; do not turn from it to the right or left. And be strong and of good courage, for I have promised to be with you wherever you go.
Mary Kathleen and Hayleigh, it is time for you to build a marker, an altar of remembrance and thanksgiving – not with stones, but with faith and vow and proclamation. That is the nature of Confirmation. It looks back toward your baptism – to your own Jordan, through which God brought you. In those waters you were born and named and sealed as Christ’s own forever. Never forget your baptism. When doubts arise, when temptations come, when sin besets you, look back to that marker and proclaim, “I have been baptized. I am God’s beloved.” And though that marker is hidden beneath the water, it is seen by God, for he knows his own.
But Confirmation does not just look back; it looks around and establishes a second marker. Since your baptism you have grown in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man. You have grown in faith and understanding and grace. It is time to build another marker to proclaim, “Here I stand, by God’s grace, ready to renew my covenant with him, ready to take my place fully with the people of God, ready to shoulder the yoke of Christ, ready to take up the cross and carry it daily, ready to press on toward the high calling of Christ to which God has called me.” Are you ready to build this marker? Are you ready to confirm, as young adults, those holy words spoken for you in your infancy or spoken by you in your childhood? The church believes you are. So, the church will ask you to speak this day for yourselves, by your own choosing, and by speaking, to bind yourselves solemnly to the common faith and life of the church, to the way and the truth and the life found only in Jesus. Understand that it is a difficult way, but a glorious one. Understand that on this way much will be lost, but even more will be gained. Understand that persecution comes to those who walk this way, but great blessing and reward as well. Are you ready to set the marker stones?
Draw a line from the marker of your baptism through the new marker of your confirmation – a line of faith – and it points forward into eternal life in the Kingdom of God – eternal life that begins even now. There are many obstacles ahead that you must overcome, many battles that you must fight. Your salvation rests on God’s promise, remember, but it also depends on your courage, strength, and obedience. There are passions you must battle, temptations you must overcome, sin you must forsake. You must make repentance your constant companion, prayer your trusted ally, the Word of God your sword, and the body and blood of Christ your heavenly food. And remember: you are not alone; you are never alone. Jesus promised that he would never abandon or forsake you, and his promise is good. The Holy Spirit has made of you his temple, dwelling in you and cleansing you of all impurity. And, you are surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses we honor this day: the saints, the great body of the faithful throughout all time past and stretching into the eternal future. They are watching you, cheering you on, strengthening you by their faithful testimony and through their prayers. And they are beckoning you to join that great fellowship of the holy ones of God. The line drawn from your baptism through your Confirmation leads you through the saints and beyond to the One whom they worship.
19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. 21 Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; 23 for the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever” (Josh 4:19-24, NKJV).
Hayleigh and Mary Kathleen, place your twelve stones. Mary Kathleen and Hayleigh, place the marker of Confirmation firmly this day so that you may remember what the Lord has done for you, so that you may see the way ahead clearly, so that you and all the people whose lives you will touch may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, and that you may fear the Lord your God forever. Amen.
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