First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa
“Coming Attractions”
Rev. Bill Trump
September 8, 2013

It is hard to believe that our first year together in ministry has passed, and it has been an amazing year for me. Every area of ministry in this church has impressed me . . . I hope that, during this first year, I have told you how impressed I am and what a fine example you set for other churches. If someone had come up to me a few years ago and showed me a preview of the coming attractions in my life, I would never have believed them. As we drove those 2,000 miles from Los Angeles to Milwaukee, I did some wondering about what’s next.

How can we in the church see what is ahead? What are the coming attractions in this church, and in our world? As we begin a new church year, what will our future be like?

Where do we look for our answer? I believe that our greatest ally, as Christians facing an uncertain future, will be our vision. It will be a vision, as led by God, which will help us to look forward, and move forward, as individuals, and as a church family. Our vision will help us to journey forward with hope . . . with anticipation . . . and with excitement. Perhaps our vision, as Christians, can give us a preview of “coming attractions.”

First: what do I mean by vision? The biblical word which is probably most synonymous with vision is revelation. A vision is a revelation from God. Visions were the guiding light and force for many leaders and prophets found in the bible. Visions in the scripture were a way of communicating God’s interaction and guidance to his people.

Now, I have told you, before, that one of the most familiar examples of vision in the bible is The Christmas Story. It’s full of visions and dreams, as God choose Mary and Joseph for very special roles. The visions helped Mary and Joseph to see what was ahead with their infant child, Jesus. They didn’t understand it all –– by any means. But this vision for the future, and their deep faith, sent them forward, scared and alone, but filled with a deep hope, and faith in God.

There were times, in the bible, when visions were not plentiful. This was the case during the beginning of Samuel’s ministry. This section of scripture falls between two major high points in the history of the Jews. One high point was the Exodus . . . and the charismatic leadership of Moses, guiding the captive Jews out of Egypt, to the Promised Land. The other high point was when David was the King of Israel. It was during David’s reign that Israel, as a nation was at its strongest. During these high points, visionary leadership was very apparent. The visions of leaders such as Moses and David helped to lead and shape the people of Israel.

But this time between Moses and David was a very dark and bleak one. There were a few charismatic leaders, known as judges, who led the people of Israel through specific crises; but for the most part, Israel dealt with a great deal of discord and confusion during this era. The last verse in the Book of Judges sums up the mood of the time period. “In those days, there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

This was the setting for our lesson today. Visionary leadership was rare; “And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.” Without vision, Israel was unable to grow, or to prosper, or even to function.

In our lesson, Samuel received a vision. It wasn’t a good thing; Samuel was told that Eli –– the high priest and Samuel’s mentor –– and all of his household, would be punished, and that The Ark of the Covenant, THE symbol of Israel’s identity, containing the remains of The Ten Commandments, would be captured by the enemy. But by heeding this vision, Israel began to rebound, and to move forward as a people.

Vision from God hasn’t stopped . . . I don’t think God stopped giving us a vision for the future when the bible was canonized. And yet, in today’s world, I do think people today are less sensitive to God’s voice. Vision is not something that always comes when we want it; vision comes to us according to God’s grace –– not by our works and efforts. Sometimes, vision comes in the most inconvenient and inopportune times. For Samuel, the vision from God came “out of the blue.”

There are ways to make us receptive and ready to catch the visions that God may give to us –– visions which will make us stronger as people, stronger as a church, and as community.

FIRST, I BELIEVE THAT VISION REQUIRES COMMITMENT. The commitment is centered on Jesus Christ. Only when there us commitment, behind a vision from God, will people listen and will people respect what is being said. Each time, a couple brings a baby to be baptized, they have a kind of vision for the future of their child, a vision of a Christ-like life. But for that vision to have meaning, the parents must be committed to the ways of Christ. It is so very hard, especially in today’s fast-paced world, to commit yourself to really living the Christian way. But true, deep-down commitment to learning and to sharing the ways of Christ, is a starting place for gaining vision for the journey ahead.

SECOND, OUR VISION REQUIRES COMPETENCE. People will listen to our visions of a world ruled by love if it is backed up by solid education and knowledge. Samuel’s visionary leadership was respected because he was perceived to be competent. His competence was based on solid biblical and religious training. People will best perceive visions from God when there is some understanding of God’s ways as we learn from the bible and from tradition. Now: this doesn’t mean that must become a biblical expert; but it does mean that vision will come to those who are willing to study and explore the Christian Faith.

THIRD, VISION REQUIRES PASSION. As suburban Congregationalists, we are not known for being passionate people. As Midwesterners, we are more likely to be reserved. But passion for what we believe in will help others to hear our vision. Passion lives for truth. A passionate person is dedicated to something much bigger and better than they, themselves, are. We are called to be passionate people, as Christians. Visions of The Christian Way will best be received from God, and shared with others when there is fervor, and intensity, and yearning, and passion.

Now is the time to catch the vision, with our own commitment and competence and passion. As we begin a new church year, let’s work together to catch visions from God –– and then, to share them with the world.

. . . AMEN