About 60 years ago, Karl Barth – a famous theologian- was quoted as saying, “We must hold the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.” And a lot of us, preaching in those days, quoted that line enough. But interestingly enough, that was not what Karl Barth said. What he actually said was, “Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.” (Time Magazine, May 1, 1966.) In other words, he was calling for “bifocal vision.”
Today’s version: Take your Bible and your news feeds and read both. But interpret the day’s news not through your political party, or your favorite cable news outlet, but through your Bible, especially the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
I’m keenly aware of the threatening political landscape of our country right now. But given the anniversary focus of this day, I’m choosing to leave a lot unsaid and unprayed in the interest of time. Our prayers need not include spoken words to be real. Unspoken prayer for myself and us all—that individually and together we can discern how to bear a faithful witness to Jesus in this dark and turbulent moment in our nation’s history.
In 2006-2007, during my tenure here as pastor, we were in the process of renovating this sanctuary. Before replacing the carpet, we invited folks to gather here one evening in January 2007 and write their prayers for this place on the floor. It was a holy night that I will always remember. I like to think that those hidden prayers are supporting all that happens here. Today, I’ll be including a part of the prayer I wrote that night in this prayer. Let’s pray.
Thank you, God, for calling the Church into existence some 2000 years ago.
Thank you, Jesus, for inspiring a few folks in this community to plant what would eventually become First Baptist Church, Winston-Salem over 150 years ago.
Thank you, Holy Spirit, for leading the brave members of First Baptist Church to complete the construction of this building of such beauty and grace 100 years ago this month.
We do not worship this building…our worship is reserved for you. But we are aware that this architectural marvel is a thin place, a sacred space where the veil between us and you is very thin. And we are deeply, deeply grateful for all those who came before us and sacrificed so we might worship here today.
None of us was here in 1925, and even if we were we wouldn’t know all that you’ve done in this place. But we do know that others before us and now we have been richly blessed in this sanctuary and surrounding space for a century now…let me name some of the ways:
The candles lit
The flowers arranged
The scriptures read
The sermons preached
The prayers prayed
The hymns and anthems sung
The offerings given
The lost saved
The saved baptized
The baptized discipled
The communion meals served
The Christmas greens hung
The couples married
The parents and children dedicated
The dead eulogized
The afflicted comforted
The comfortable challenged
The strangers welcomed
The lonely hugged
The hopeless inspired
The marginalized affirmed
The concerts performed
The handbells rung
The ministers ordained
The deacons ordained
The missionaries commissioned
The backpacks collected
The Sunday School classes taught
The meetings conducted
The fellowship meals served, including the one today
The movies shown
The dramas enacted
And through all this and more, the lives transformed. Little wonder this place shines with your presence!
And now Lord, as we look forward into our future, may your word be boldly proclaimed in all these ways, and in ways we cannot now imagine,
So that your word might not ring hollow, or return empty,
But cause us to have new minds that think your thoughts,
And new lives that accomplish what you desire
Giving God the glory,
Through Christ our Lord,
Who taught us to pray, saying…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.