ONE Lutheran Sermon Helps
JANUARY 11, 2008
Justice
Background
ONE Lutheran Campaign: What’s Vocation Got To Do With It?
Working to end poverty is a central part of our call, or
vocation, as Christians. Vocation is defined as “a summons
or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action;
especially: a divine call to the religious life.” For
more than 30 years the ELCA has encouraged Lutherans to work
toward the end of poverty through advocacy, service and giving,
as part of their vocation.
The ONE Lutheran Campaign challenges Lutherans to live out
vocation in a variety of ways, including: 1) through prayer
and solidarity with the poor; 2) through learning
more about extreme poverty in our world today; 3) through
organizing efforts in our congregations and communities, and
4) through advocacy, like writing or speaking to our
elected representatives concerning poverty-related issues.
Scriptural support
2 Corinthians 5:20 - We are all “called” to be
ambassadors for Christ and ministers of reconciliation.
John 21:15ff - Jesus calls us to work for justice: “Do
you love me?...Tend my sheep.”
Story
Hildegard von Bingen, a 12th century visionary and author,
had known of her prophetic calling from the time she was five
years old. She felt that she could not live her prophetic
witness because it was too strange, too bold and audacious for a
weak woman to proclaim the words of God. She held it in so long
it eventually literally made her sick. And so, at the age of 42,
she finally “gave in” to the call and began to write. Centuries
later, Christians continue to be inspired by her words. Let each
of us be brave in honoring the vocation that is ours.
Quotations
Martin Luther once said that we are “all alike consecrated
priests and bishops, and every one by means of his (or her) own
work or office must benefit and serve every other, that in this
way many kinds of work may be done for the bodily and spiritual
welfare of the community…” One could argue that Luther would
affirm an understanding of every Christian’s vocation to include
advocacy on behalf of the poor.
ELCA social statement support
Sustaining Vocation:
- The ELCA commits itself to sustain and support its
members in their baptismal vocation to serve God and the
neighbor in daily life.
- Through its congregations, synods, and churchwide
organizations, and affiliated institutions and ecumenical
relationships, this church therefore shall:
- Foster in its members a faith that is active in
love, a love that seeks justice, and an insight that
strives to discern what is right, good and fitting;
- Support its members in their callings to love their
neighbor, to mend the creation, to advocate justice and
mercy in situations of brokenness, and to seek peace
where there is conflict;
- Join with others to remove obstacles of
discrimination and indifference that prevent people from
living out their callings;
- Promote sound, critical and creative citizenship and
public service among its members;
- Work to further democratic processes in our country
and throughout the world, and to redress the persisting
social and economic inequalities that prevent many from
participating effectively in these processes.
- Encourage its citizen-members to join in the public
deliberations at all levels, particularly through
organization that mediate between personal and public
life, and to engage in prophetic actions.
-Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective social statement
Suggested hymns
“Great God, Your Love Has Called Us” (ELW, #358)
“We are Called” (ELW, #720)
“Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service” (ELW, #712)
(Others found in the ELW topical index under “Vocation”
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