Giving Thanks for the "If" and the "Though" Church

Rev. Robert P. Travis

Sermon for Thanksgiving Day 2013 - 10am service

There are so many reasons to give Thanks this Thanksgiving.

Being part of a big, wonderful church like Ascension

it is easy to find ways to return Thanks to God.

For example, while we are worshipping God,

others in our congregation at the very moment,

are returning thanks by serving people

at the Fish Hospitality Pantry.

I am so thankful that they are doing that,

while still others are preparing for a house full of

guests of family and friends,

and while we are doing the important work of praying,

and worshipping the God who makes all the giving,

and sharing, and hospitality possible.

Sometimes it feels like we are part of a very big family,

where each does her or his own part,

and when we are at our best,

we can actually,

as part of that family that lives in unity,

we can actually do multiple things at the same time.

And not just that, we can do them well.

It is important to recognize,

that, that we are all doing these things together,

even when we are physically doing them separately,

because that goes against the grain

of what society pressures us to do.

In this country, this blessed and wonderful country,

the ideal of rugged individualism has often been held up

as the highest ideal.

And there are great things about being an individual,

and about taking responsibility for ones self.

But because of this ideal,

many people live very isolated lives,

separate from anyone who really cares about them,

and separate from anyone for whom they can really care.

And that isolation is a plague that challenges

the very communities that make our country great.

The societal pressure to take care of yourself,

and to make sure you have your own stuff together,

before you invite others into your life,

make this isolation happen.

And this isolation goes against the very nature of the Christian Church.

In the church we share our lives with one another,

in good times as well as bad,

when we have our stuff together,

as well as when we don't.

When we're presentable,

as well as when we're not,

and that is in part what makes the church like a family,

and also what makes it great.

Like people's own families,

when we are at our best,

we can do many things at the same time,

and have a powerful effect on the world around us.

And like families, when we're at our worst,

our fights get in the way of us even caring about each other,

much less having any positive effect on the world around us.

Recently I heard a sermon from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in which he talked about the “if” faith and the “though” faith.

To paraphrase his sermon that esteemed man said that the if faith, says that if everything is going well,

if I am making money at my job,

and if my family is healthy,

and if I am healthy,

and if I have enough of what I want,

then I will have faith that God is good.

“There is a though faith though.” (MLK Jr.)

And the though faith says,

that even though things are not going so well,

and even though I have lost my job,

and even though my family is sick,

and even though I am sick,

and even though I do not have what I want,

I still will believe that God is good.

I believe that can be said about the church as well,

and about thankfulness.

It is easy to thank God for our church,

because things are going so well for us right now,

here at church of the Ascension,

But if I were not careful,

I could easily be lulled into being Thankful for the church only if things are going well.

And so I could say that if there are lots of activities going on,

and if people are serving the poor in various places,

and if the church is given enough money to hold beautiful and awe-inspiring worship in a beautiful building and pay the salaries of the staff,

and if people are not fighting with each other,

and if most people are healthy and well,

then I will be thankful for the church.

And there are many Christians today,

who are happy to say that they are thankful for the church.

Because all of these desires are met.

But there is a though thankfulness too,

and that kind of thankfulness recognizes

that even though there are not many activities going on,

and even though people are not out there serving the poor,

and even though the church does not have enough money to hold beautiful and awe-inspiring worship in a beautiful building and pay the salaries of the staff,

and even though people are fighting with each other,

and even though people are sick and dying,

I will still be thankful for the church.

Some of you may have been in churches in which

you needed a though faith, or though thankfulness,

more than the if faith.

I certainly have been.

And I can honestly say,

that it is still worth it,

in a big way,

it is still worth it, to find how to be thankful even though,

things aren't great.

The church that we are baptizing Lillian into today,

the body of Christ that she is about to join,

is not perfect,

but it is still worth being thankful for.

Much like you and I are not perfect,

but we're each worth being thankful for.

It's hard to imagine what she will face her in life.

It's hard to imagine that this precious child,

will be anything but wonderful and perfect

as she seems today.

But I can assure you she'll struggle,

and her family will struggle,

But it's in struggling together,

that they will find that deeper level of thankfulness and joy,

that only comes through going through

struggle together.

And what we are promising these parents,

who came to this church to be married,

and now offer their child to become a member of this church, and what we are promising her in her baptism,

is that we will go through the struggle of growing up with her.

That we will do all in our power,

to support her in her life in Christ,

even though it may be difficult,

and even though her parents might not be able to come

every Sunday.

And I hope, no, I expect Katie and Andy

to hold us accountable to that promise.

Because the greater promise that is being made,

is the promise that God makes to each of us.

In the gospel we hear Jesus say,

don't worry about all of these things,

what you will eat, or what you will wear. . .

(you know, the things that everyone worries about,

and has worried about since the beginning of humanity)

God knows you need all of those things.

But seek first the Kingdom of God,

and His righteousness,

and all these things will be given to you as well.

God promises us that he will supply our needs,

if we but first seek Him, his kingdom,

his righteousness.

I am grateful today, to be a part of a great church,

in which things are going very well.

And I'm so thankful to be given the honor of baptizing another child into that same church.

But I pray that I will still be thankful

even in those times when things are not going well,

and I pray that the same spirit of gratitude,

can be bestowed upon this precious child,

as she grows up in this unsteady and confusing world.

Amen