People at the Brink
Deuteronomy 8:1-11
I Peter 1:1-9

Rev. Dr. George Hollingshead
October 14, 2007

In four years this congregation will be very much in its celebration of its one hundred and seventy-fifth anniversary of it founding. I am sure that there will be a great party. In the short time I have been in this post as short term interim pastor I have been thinking a lot about this congregation past, present and future. In contemplating the historicity of the congregation these two passages of the Scriptures have spoken a resoundingly helpful message to me and I hope also to you. Perhaps at first hearing you may think that they sound dissimilar yet I would ask that you view them as crucial writings to the people of God living at crucial times.

I

First, consider the reading from the Book of Deuteronomy. Whenever you think of the law of the Hebrew people think of Deuteronomy. These words are attributed to Moses. And the book begins like this: “These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan – in the wilderness…” Long before that Moses had convinced the Israelites that they should leave the relative comforts of slavery in Egypt and flee across the desert wilderness to some foreign place that the Lord God had in mind for them.

Our reading reflects that time when they were finally at the brink of entering into the Promised Land. Moses reminds the people of the fears that they once had in leaving Egypt. They did not know the place to which they were going. They had to go through the sea, and through the desert with  

These words of Moses remind them of how they survived through those years of their greatest fears. It was the Lord God who led them. It was the Lord God who gave them water out of the rock and manna to eat each day. Moses tells the people to remember who it was who had saved them.

In this portion of the scriptures we find this wonderful mix of stories of the past, commandments for the present and both promises and warnings for the future. The warnings are that they should not be proud of their past nor become self-righteous. They did not make it through those tests and trials on their own. And the glorious future would not be theirs if they would not remember what they Lord had done. The message is clear: take care that you do not forget the Lord your God.  

II

The reading from the letter of First Peter needs a little introduction also. Attributed to the Apostle Peter, this letter is called a General Epistle, written to a number of churches and soon accepted and circulated among all the churches of Asia Minor. It was a message to a suffering people who were forced to the brink.  

The very early Christian church had a remarkable positive relationship with the Roman authorities who considered Christianity merely as a sect of Judaism. In the days of the emperor Nero, however, a huge fire had broken out in Rome. It was both a tragedy and a scandal. Firefighters were hindered  

Tacitus, the Roman historian, wrote that in order to dissipate the rumor of Nero’s involvement, Nero falsely charged that the fire was started by Christians. He then ordered a savage attack on anyone who was a follower of Christ. Tacitus then reported that Christians were burned alive, fierce dogs were set upon others. Many were nailed to crossed, thousands were lynched. They the persecutions spread out of the city of Rome to the other cities of the Empire, to cities where small clusters of Christians worshipped and to whom this letter was sent.  

Like the other reading, this refers to the past with this wonderful doxology: “Blessed be the god and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he was given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” He is saying, “Remember the great event. Remember the hope that we have in the resurrection.”  

These people were on the critical edge to which faith often forces us. Could they continue to gather for public worship while living under murderous threats? Should they continue to declare their faith when hoodlums threatened to drag them into the streets and set them on fire? Children could not be left outside unattended for fear that gangsters would sweep them away and literally feed them to the animals. Many, many  

To them Peter writes: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection…” By reminding then of the past yet knowing their present sufferings, he then points them to the future by lifting up to them the glorious vision of “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven,” This inheritance is an exciting gift as was that of the Promised Land for the Israelites. This is their future possession. It is secure for them. No one can take it away. They can withstand anything because of what they are able to look forward to -- a magnificent and splendid inheritance. Whatever the fears were of the future the grace of God will enable them to over come all things and to reach the glories of the future.

III

With that as our background, we can acknowledge that we too stand at the edge. Certainly there has been some spiritual suffering. But there has not been any persecution. Nevertheless I say that we are about to step off into a glorious future.  

Over the last one hundred and seventy-one years there have been enormous changes in human civilization. A radical transformation has taken place. We have come from the time when the globe was huge. People in other places were largely unknown, and were altogether out of reach. Today we live when seemingly no one is hidden and nothing is private. In the late 1800’s steamships took fifteen days to cross the Atlantic now it is five days by ship and a mere seven hours by airplane.  

In the time of this church and since the Presidency of Martin Van Buren, 35 other Presidents have taken office and 11 territories have become states. We have seen two terrible world wars, a Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Storm and now the war in Iraq – all of which brought great horror, terrible lose of lives and incalculable drain on the resources of the nations of the world. We pray, “Never again, Lord. Never again.

Not so long ago in 1876 Alexander Graham Bell spoke those famous words “Mr. Watson, come here. I want you” on the first telephone and started a communications phenomenon that has grown beyond anyone’s imagination.

We are fortunate to live in this section of the world where we can take advantage of the medical technological revolution. Just think: no more exploratory surgery! Magnetic Resonance Imaging – the famous MRI – pinpoints brain tumors, bone decay, and a host of other internal disorders.  

And if you are over 50 years old you can chuckle over the mini-revolution the electric typewriter brought into business; but this can not compare to the major upheaval that the computer chip has thrust upon everyone which affects nearly every aspect of our lives. More and more might well be said in order to understand from where we have come as a society and a civilization. I would dare to say that we live in an age that well be known as a technological renaissance.

Not only has change come to our society but also it has come to this congregation. Consider that we it began and even into the early 1900’s the major means to transportation to worship was by way of horse and carriage. Somewhere on this property there had to be a shed for horses. Many people either walked or came on bicycles – even up the long hill of Sproul Road  

It has been said that when automobiles become more and more prominent a great many still walked to church – walked in all kinds of weather – they walked because in their understanding the automobile was improper and incompatible with their idea of the Christian Sabbath. One hundred and seventy years ago Sundays were much quieter than they are today – without telephones, radios, televisions, home fax machines, lap top computers, no I-Pods, and no Sunday shopping. Sunday was a day of much needed rest because so many worked very hard physically six days a week.  

We here at Marple are proud of nearly 173 years of history – of preaching the gospel, teaching the children, visiting the sick, and burying the saints. Yet it is not enough to look over our shoulders at the wonders of the past. We are people at the brink who need to look forward into the mist of a new day, and new kind of ministry and mission and one that we have not a clue as to what it will look like.  

In the 1950’s and ‘60’s church growth was all around. In this new century churches are challenged as never before. There is no model of success. Our society is doing everything possible to take our young adults’ hearts and minds away from having a sacred Sunday morning.  

This week I was talking with Dick Hogg and we recalled the day when congregations had Every Member Canvasses, knocking on the doors of congregants for their annual financial commitments and to find out why they are absent from the church. The more I think about it perhaps we need to be evangelists almost in the same way, not looking for pledges but telephoning our church absent friends and telling them about what is happening at here in this age. Want to show the vitality of the church then be sure to get photographed for the picture directory. Call your friends to join you. Just that simple thing is a step toward unity and community. Another is to sign up the Fall Work Day  

“By the great mercy of god he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heave for you, who are being protected by the power of god through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed … In this you (should) rejoice ….”

My friends, today the Lord God is calling us to act out our faith. Act with confidence, with joy, to do his will in this age and in the ages to come. And may all glory and praise be to him now and forever. Amen. 

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