04.02.2023 - Palm Sunday - Humble Grace

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11

Philippians 2:5–11 NRSV

5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Humble Grace

Herrnhut to St. Thomas

Those seeking their own glory may carve it in stone that will eventually erode. But those who seek God’s glory can leave a living legacy.

Several weeks ago, I read about a carpenter who changed the world. His name was David Nitschmann. He was born in Moravia, in Eastern Europe, as part of a group of early Protestants persecuted for their faith. In 1724 he moved into a new community, much like a refugee settlement, owned by a Count who was trained and ordained as a Lutheran pastor and moved in with the people. It started with three families and grew steadily over the next few years.

These people, called Moravians, had no land of their own and were cast out by all the nations around them because they gave their allegiance to Christ rather than any nation or political leader. They were stressed and persecuted by everyone and needed to be more organized. I think they just wanted to be left alone in peace.

But they didn’t even have peace among themselves. They argued and bickered and could not get along. Finally, in 1727, 24 men and 24 women decided to take this small community to the Lord in prayer. They covenanted together to pray 24 hours a day, one hour each, interceding for each other, their community, and the world - much like we experienced two months ago in our community. Their 24-hour non-stop prayer vigil lasted over 100 hundred years!

The community experienced a revival, and the people became passionate about sharing the gospel outside their community. David began traveling Europe and met an enslaved person named Anton. Anton was born on St. Thomas, an island in the Caribbean — probably the biggest slave market in the world at that time. He told them he wanted his family to hear the gospel as well. God got a hold of David and Leonhard, and they decided to go to St. Thomas to share the gospel with Anton’s family.

They had no money to buy passage to the Americas, and Oversea trips were treacherous. Everywhere they went, the Christians they met called them fools for even considering such a mission to risk their lives to preach to a family of enslaved people. Eventually, even Anton told them he had changed his mind and did not want them to go. But they persisted. They told the people they would sell themselves into slavery if it would get them to St. Thomas.

Finally, they found passage aboard a ship that agreed to take them in exchange for their labor. They prayed when the captain tried to change course and take them to another island instead. But God sent a storm that delivered them right to St. Thomas. God worked through a lady in Denmark who sent a letter ahead of them that provided them a place to sleep and set up a church, and when they met Anton’s sister and younger brother there, they shared with her the letter from Anton.

Anton quoted in his letter the Scripture,

And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. - John 17:3

“Yes, for you too,” they said, “Jesus conquered death to save you and give you eternal life, and this is why we have come here, to make this known unto you.”

Up to this point, the people of St. Thomas believed you had to be white to be a Christian. They became believers and set up a mission church that led thousands to Christ over the following decades.

David continued his missionary work in England, Greenland, and, eventually, the American Colonies. On one particular passage to America, their ship ran into a storm. While everyone around him was hiding and terrified of losing their lives, David gathered his people around them and led them in singing hymns in praise to God. I imagine he had already been through many hymns like this before. Hearing them sing brought a strange peace to the boat during this storm, and it captured the attention and convicted the heart of one young man, huddled in a corner trembling. That young man was named John Wesley, and the friendship he gained from David Nitschmann and the Moravian people would set his spirit aflame, and the world would never be the same.

Those filled with grace do not seek their own glory. Instead, they give glory to God and lift up those around them.

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The song about Jesus

We know the story of another carpenter who changed the world as well. He knew of enslaved people in a far-off land dying in their sins. He traveled from heaven and moved in with us, taking on the form of a slave, and we did not recognize Him for Who He truly was. We wanted His help but not His heart. We wanted His wisdom, but we didn’t want to follow it. We wanted his provision, but we didn’t want to eat the spiritual food He provided us - the words from the mouth of God. In the end, we wanted His place in heaven, and He gave it to us as we hung Him out to dry and to die on that cross with the guilty and condemned.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians reminds them of Who Jesus was before He came into our world. He was God Most High, with everything in the palm of His hand and every honor bestowed upon Him. Jesus gave up every bit because God loved us and did not want us to perish. There was nothing He held back as He cast his life down to lift us up.

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Honoring Christ

We sing songs about this love of Jesus and His humble grace that gave up all His glory to help teach us to glorify God instead of promoting ourselves. Indeed, this scripture passage today is considered one of the oldest hymns of the Church, sung by people centuries ago, praising Christ for His humility. Christ put God first in everything He did, and we praise Him for His righteousness and love. We honor Him for His humility and mercy. That is good and right and true.

But Paul reminds us that Jesus is not only our Savior, He is also our Lord. He is not just our teacher. He is our example to follow. Paul could point back to all the songs we sing about Jesus and says,

“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.”

The same attitudes, the same thoughts, the same motivations, the same love... Let the same things you honor Jesus for be in you. If you want to honor Christ truly, don’t carve his name in stone that will wear away with time. Instead, write it on your heart and soul and carry it into your eternal life. Let Who He is in you be known by who you are.

I want to invite Nan to share a song about another story of a life honoring Jesus.

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Work and Prayer

I told you last week I would share with you how to live out that daily Christian life today. You’ve heard stories about a carpenter who gave and lived his life in mission to Christ, a young woman who poured out her riches to glorify God, and Jesus, who left Heaven to come and serve us humbly. There are lessons to be learned in each of them.

But I think back to that little village of Herrnhut that grew to only a thousand people. In the first 50 years, they sent out 300 missionaries worldwide. John Wesley and many others came to visit that village and see how they lived differently, and few stayed because to become part of that revival movement, you had to change the way you lived. They were doing small groups before John Wesley was born. And they all took their turns praying.

So let’s start with our prayers. Do you pray with humble grace? Do we pray in such a way that recognizes the distance between heaven and us and with gratitude that Jesus crossed that treacherous way to take us home to live with Him? Do we acknowledge that He plunged Himself into the dregs of sin and death to reach our enslaved souls and lift us to new life? Do we pray with the knowledge that we are not standing on our own two feet but on the pierced hands of Christ?

Most prayer is not work. It is acknowledging our need for God. The Moravians had a rule among themselves that said:

“No one works unless someone prays.”

As we learn to pray with humble grace, God will move in us to serve with humble grace, and we can do that by praying through our work. Work divorced from prayer will stray from God’s will, but work done in prayer will keep us in step with Jesus. It doesn’t matter if you are building bridges or airplanes, making cheeseburgers or organizational charts, picking up the groceries, or picking up the garbage. It won’t matter if you hold a surgeon’s scalpel or a child’s hand. Your life will be changed if you do that work empowered by humble prayer.

That is a big part of what it looks like to deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Jesus. We give up our honor and point others to Jesus. And while your name may never be honored in stone, it will be written in the Lamb’s book of life if you honor God with the life He saved for you.

We follow the one who did not ask to be remembered by what we make but by how we live. So therefore, join me now as we celebrate this Holy Communion with Christ, our Savior, and our Lord.

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING FOR LATER IN LENT

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing,

always and everywhere to give thanks to you,

Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

In love you made us for yourself;

and when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death,

your love remained steadfast.

You bid your faithful people cleanse their hearts

and prepare with joy for the Easter feast,

that, renewed by your Word and Sacraments

and fervent in prayer and works of justice and mercy,

we may come to the fullness of grace

that you have prepared for those who love you.

And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ,

whom you sent in the fullness of time to redeem the world.

He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,

being born in our likeness.

He humbled himself and became obedient unto death,

even death on a cross.

He took upon himself our sin and death and offered himself,

a perfect sacrifice for the sin of the whole world.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection

you gave birth to your Church,

delivered us from slavery to sin and death,

and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread,

gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:

"Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.

Do this in remembrance of me."

When the supper was over he took the cup,

gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:

"Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,

poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,

we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving

as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us,

as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here,

and on these gifts of bread and wine.

Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,

that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

By your Spirit make us one with Christ,

one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world,

until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church,

all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and for ever.

Amen.