All Saints Sunday, 2004:

A little four-year old boy found a dead squirrel in front of his house and he cried for a couple of hours over it. His father, seeing that a car had hit the squirrel, seized this moment to teach his son a gentle lesson. He talked to the boy about the mysteries of life and death. Then he mentioned that the same thing could happen to him if he was not careful when he crossed the street. Then, together, they buried the little animal and said a prayer.

That evening, his mother came to check on him at bedtime. She wanted to remind him of the lesson he had learned about not playing in the street. She asked, "Honey, what did you learn from your talk with Daddy today?"

The boy thought for a moment and said, "I learned that when you die, you turn into a squirrel."

On this All Saints Sunday we remember with love and fondness those who have been our gentle teachers, those who have made great sacrifices for us, particularly those who have lived the sermons that made the greatest impact on the way we live our lives in this upside down world.

It must be said of the Christian faith, that it is not intended to make life easy but to make life great. All Saints Sunday is the time to remember those who have, by their example, shown us how to live great lives. Many of those we recall this day went far beyond the call of duty, many did without in order that we would not have to do so.

One of the outstanding qualities of Jesus the Christ was his sheer honesty in issuing the call of discipleship. Being a committed follower would cost. Those who have gone before have given us examples of paying the cost. I remember the story that was told about President Eisenhower. He was in Walter Reed Hospital recuperating from the second of his heart attacks. He would call and ask his aides to bring certain pressing work from the White House to the hospital. Finally, one of his younger cardiologists said, "Mr. President, you really need to rest. Don’t you realize that you do not feel well?"

The President replied, "Young man, don’t you realize that most of the work done in the world is done by people who do not feel well?"

In our culture, where it is the socially acceptable thing to go to church and to use the Christian faith to sale any and everything and to collect votes, we can learn something by looking at the first followers of the one called Jesus the Christ. For most of them, every area of life, every relationship, every day was disturbed when they took the call to discipleship seriously.

Many times their work was affected. The stone mason who had the big contract to build the pagan temple had to make a decision. The tailor who had been making the robes for the heathen priests had to look for other uses for the bolts of material. The teacher or tutor whose job was to pass on the important moments in the history of the people and the culture had to decide what lessons could be taught without denying the newfound faith.

All Saints Sunday 2004 is a good time to ask ourselves if our work sometimes puts us in compromising positions between the thing that tears down and belittles others and the thing that builds up, liberates, and seeks full legitimacy for all of God’s children? Being a follower of Jesus the Christ reminds us that if it comes to a choice between loyalty to discipleship or earning a living, the dedicated Christian must never hesitate to choose loyalty.

Those first converts to the Christian faith very often found their social life disrupted. Feasts were held in pagan temples to gods other than the God who had sent the Son into the world to reconcile the world. Meat offered to those pagan gods would be distributed to those in attendance. Could a Christian eat meat offered to idols and still be true to their calling to love God and serve only God? A toast would be made to one of the Greek or Roman gods kind of like a grace before mealtime. Would it be okay to join in such a toast?

Are there times and places in the exercise of our Christian freedom that we have given allegiance to a false god and denied the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? Jesus very often reminded his followers that a disciple had to be prepared to be alone in order to be a Christian. It was that commitment to radical discipleship that would cause Martin Luther, in the heat of his trial, to say, "I am the Church!" It was faith that he held as crucial in our relationship with God in Christ. No amount of works, no repetition of ritual prayers, and no almsgiving could take the place of faith.

Those first followers of Jesus the Christ also very often found their home life disrupted. One member of the family might convert to the Christian faith. Other members would not follow suit. One would worship in a house church; the other would continue to go to the pagan temple. Conflict very often resulted from this encounter with the living God.

Our homes may be places where one person truly wants to become active in the life of the church while another sees Sunday as the day of recreation and play. Children may well receive mixed messages about the importance of Christian formation. One member of the family may wish to work toward tithing while another may have other priorities for the family money.

Jesus very often reminded his followers that discipleship requires an allegiance beyond those made in this world.

All Saints Sunday, 2004. We celebrate the witness to the faith of those who have been our patient teachers. It is a good time to ask if our faith causes some tension in our work, our extended relationships, our social life, or our home life? If it does not, we may need to ask why not?

We remember those who are not a part of the "great cloud of witnesses." We call them to remembrance and thanks Almighty God for their companionship along the way and we thanks them for joining us for worship this day, along with the angels and archangels, and the whole company of heaven. Ask God to help us continue that legacy. Amen.