Our text from the Book of Acts conveys the story of how the Apostles went

about replacing Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus, who obviously could no

longer be counted among the "faithful twelve." They proposed two men as

worthy witnesses:

". . .Joseph called Barsabbas (Bahr-suh-buhs), who was also known as Justus,

and Matthias.

Then they prayed and said, 'Lord, you know everyone's heart.

Show us which one of these two you have chosen. . .

And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias

and he was added to the eleven apostles."

What an appropriate passage on which to preach during this presidential

election year!  Considering the way that political campaigns are conducted

today, it makes you wonder how the two candidates for the one, vacated

"apostle position" conducted themselves during that first major election in

the church's history.  Were there posters that declared, "There's no bias

when it comes to Matthias?"  Did reporters make an issue over why Joseph was

also known by at least two aliases?  After all, was he trying to hide

something? Were ridiculous campaign promises made? Were babies kissed and

hands shaken? Were the latest poll results continuously reported by "town

criers?" Fortunately, this passage spares us the answers to those questions.

Instead, our text from the Book of Acts tells us that, after the two men were

nominated, the church looked to God for the final decision. By means of

casting lots, the first Christian community took the choice out of their

hands and placed it into God's hands. Skeptics would, no doubt, say they

allowed "pure chance" to replace "real choice."

During this presidential election year, what if we did the same thing? 

Instead of voting for the candidates, whom we think will personally benefit

us the most, what if we simply allowed those political parties having

respectable, firmly established numbers, say at least 25% of eligible voters,

submit their candidates for President and Vice-President to a lottery.

Next, some highly respected individual, Billy Graham perhaps, would put the

names in a hat and, in full view of a television audience, draw one out of

the hat. Would you accept the result as indeed determined by God, as our text

suggests, or would you contend ---as would most skeptics, that the result was

a matter of chance? 

John Calvin, among others, believed that public office was the highest of 

all callings, exceeding even the calling to ordained ministry. What a

startling thought! And yet, because of the abundance of scandals and broken

promises, Americans have come to look at elected officials with such destain;

they might welcome divine intervention in some form or another.

Perhaps the time has come for "voters" (whether Christian or Jew, Muslim or

Buddhist) to take more seriously God's will and, once again, leave the

selection of who will govern to "prayer" and "providence."

Discerning the will of God by our own is not easy!  It is a highly spiritual

matter! Which is one reason why the eleven disciples resorted to the

time-honored system of praying and then casting lots. At the very least, we

should care enough to ask ourselves what the will of God might be while, at

the same time, continue to be wary of anyone who claims to know the will of

God absolutely!

Who knows what changes might come about in government if the "religious

faithful," like you and like me, helped create a new vision among our elected

officials? A vision that says that political leadership rightly belongs not

to the highest bidder but to the person whom God has chosen and, that

political leadership rightly belongs to those persons who listen to and try

their best to obey the voice of God.

It may very well be that many of our present elected officials set their

standards low only because they figure that the public's expectations of them

are low; ---that they are only acting according to what they believe the

populace expects of them.

Well. . .all of this talk about the "divine selection" of public officials

may be inappropriate and foolhardy in a democracy like ours; but, what about

the church?---our church-wide, synodical and congregational offices? Think

about it for a moment. Did you know that we, here at St. James, have often

selected committee chair persons by lottery with excellent results?

I believe God is always ready to call forth from obscurity some of the

world's best people if they are but willing to be open to his "call." Both

Joseph and Matthias had been anonymously on the sidelines. We don't hear a

single word about them in the Gospels, but we are told they had been there

from the baptism of John to the ascension waiting to be called. And, although

Joseph sinks into obscurity again, something within me says that he continued

as a faithful follower of Jesus and the Word awaiting another "chance" or

"choosing."

In God's kingdom, "chance" and "choosing" are at the very center of our faith

and faithfulness. We can never be sure when opportunity will knock---when the

Gospel of Jesus Christ will confront us with the clearest possible call to

discipleship. Regardless of how "faithless folk" choose to observe the world

we live in, this is a very spiritual world. All that is required of the

"believer" is an openness to that which is continually coming right at us!

For instance, in spite of what you may hear on television and radio or read

in the newspaper, there was more to Friday and Saturday's Metro Chicago Synod

Convention at the College of Du Page than two controversial resolutions.

There were "coming right at us" wonderful opportunities to focus sharply on

one's own spirituality. There were "focus groups" that caused Betty Albrecht,

Doug Moore, Pastor Gazzolo and I to realize what it really means to be the

"the body of Christ."

When the Church gathers in assembly and all has been said and done (by

leaders and followers). When resolutions have been presented, debates held,

and ballots cast, we, as individuals and as a Church, are left with the

challenge to recapture the truest possible vision for the Church;---a vision

which is dependent not on structure or governance---be it hierarchical or

congregational---but on the promises of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and

the presence of His Spirit.

Let me say that my hope for a recaptured vision of Christian mission and

ministry is given an annual boost as I am privileged to instruct each new

class of 5th graders for their "First Communion!" I never cease to be amazed

at how the young are captured by the mystery of it all. Their deep sense of

wonderment as their hearts are filled with Christ's promise to be truly

present in, under, over and all around the bread and the wine; ---present to

forgive their every sin, to strengthen them in faith, and to bring them to

eternal life!

 

Trust me, our children and their children will find their rightful places in

the Church's future---not all in the same way, not all at the same time, not

all for the same reasons but, trust me, they will discover their rightful

places and they will recapture the vision. 

Recapturing a vision for the Church is a necessary task if we are to remain

faithful to Christ and his call to spiritually authentic discipleship.

Heightened spirituality can be illusive, but when it comes. . .you are

certainly aware of its presence, you do not shy away from it, and you praise

God that you have been so blessed (if only for a moment or two)---say in the

midst of the monotony of doing the church's convention business. A thankless

job at best!

As Christians, we are in an "in-between time," poised not only between the

First and Second coming of Jesus Christ but also between the 20th and the

21st centuries.  Between a century that, at least in its first 50 years, had

a very clear vision of its mission and ministry, and a century which seems to

have a somewhat cloudy vision of that same mission and, therefore, grave

doubts about the future of the Church. 

As we await the promised fulfillment of that vision, clear or cloudy, there

is yet much to do. We must not only witness to the Risen Christ, but we must

strive to put the Church, as "institution," in order. Intra and

inter-denominational squabbling does not move the work of the kingdom forward

any more than does a naïve reliance upon structure alone. Always of primary

importance are "the people of God"---you who do the difficult work of mission

and ministry.

By the grace of God,

may our house be in order

and

may we be ready to go

when, like Matthias,

we are called from obscurity to opportunity.

                                                                             

                     AMEN.