Today’s Scripture

Psalm 67         Acts 16:9-15    Revelation 21:9-14, 21-27       John 16:23-33

 

            When Immanuel formed nearly 136 years ago, this congregation borrowed the constitution from St. John in Elk Grove, now Mount Prospect.  St. John is known as our mother congregation.  In the early years of Immanuel, Pastor Detzer led the establishment of Immanuel in Glenview, St Paul in Skokie, and St. John on Montrose.  In that regard are the mother-congregation to those congregations.  (Pastor Detzer is known for establishing several new congregations as he later served in Ohio).  Messiah Lutheran in Sterling, Illinois, started new congregations in neighbor city Rock Falls, nearby Dixon, and in Walnut, Illinois where Pastor Fedder served after his retirement from Immanuel.  Messiah is known to be “mother church” those congregations.  Immanuel Lutheran in Wichita, Kansas, has photographs on its walls of the half dozen congregations it branched out and started in the 50’s, 60’s and early 70’s.  Immanuel in Wichita is known as the mother congregation for all of those.  We find it interesting today that instead of striving to become “mega-churches,” those congregations formed new congregations and often-times strong alliances among those congregations.

 

            We affectionately refer to the church at large as the “mother church.”   As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we know that one is only a mother at the time she “gives birth” to a child.  We also have adoptive mothers, those who have adopted children and those who informally adopt children as their own such as an aunt, neighbor or good friend.  The church becomes our mother through an adoption process.  That is through faith and in baptism.  In your faith in Jesus, in baptism you are given new life, adopted as God’s dear child.  He has marked you as his own.  You are a member of the church through baptism, the confession of your faith in the Triune God, in Jesus as your savior. 

 

            The church in its purest sense is not an earthly institution.  Yes, we see its presence in earthly institutions such as our own congregation, the synod, specific church buildings, and the like.  But the family of all believers is an “invisible” church.  It is the congregation or assembly of all believers joined in this common faith.  We can see evidences of God’s children in their works and the public profession of faith.  We can see evidences of the church in congregations where God’s word is properly proclaimed, saving faith is publicly professed, and the sacraments are administered as God commands them. 

 

            Inn today’s passage in Revelation, the church in its spiritual sense is the “Bride” of the “Lamb,” [v. 9].  The community of faithful believers is joined in a marriage with Jesus Christ.  We are made one with him in the forgiveness of sins and adopted as God’s dear children.  God uses this relationship as bride and husband to portray how intimately and intricately he joins you with himself in this body, the church.  The church is the entire community of believers described as the “holy city of Jerusalem,” [v 10].  In the holiness of heaven, there is no political and social strife as in an earthly city, but the prefect community God intends as we are restored to his image again for eternity.

 

            As our spiritual mother, God institutes the church to nurture his children in the Word and sacraments.  We come to faith and grow in that faith through hearing the word.  This occurs of course in our worship services, in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, in Bible Studies and related fellowship, and at congregations as Immanuel, through our day-school.  More directly, people are brought to faith through the personal, one-on-one witness of one believer to another person.  This happens as parents bring their children up in the word at home and attending the activities of the church.  This happens as children witness their faith to classmates in schools and friends in the neighborhood and their recreational activities.  This happens as one invites a neighbor by sharing individual faith and the hope that Jesus brings us in this life and the next.  This happens as co-workers witness the love of Christ to each other at the water cooler and in informal gatherings “after hours.”  This happens as business men and women use different means of witness in their establishments and activities with others in their community.

 

            The church is made up only of those who believe in Jesus Christ.  One cannot believe in Jesus Christ unless another tells him about Jesus.  The Holy Spirit works faith only in the heart of one who hears the word of Jesus Christ.  When one comes to faith, he desires baptism and the Lord’s Supper through which he receives the forgiveness of sins.  When one lives in the joys of faith, he/she willingly displays that faith in the good works that God has prepared for him to do in witness of God’s love in that person’s life.

 

            The church, the mother church will continue to produce offspring as long as this earth exists.  You are the church.  You are the offspring of the church.  You are not alone in the church as you are joined together in communion with all other believers in this world.  And, at the end of time and the beginning of eternity, all believers, the church, the bride of Christ, will be gathered as revealed to John in this passage. 

 

            At that time we will not see a specific church building because God himself is the temple.  There is no need for sun or moon or lights of any kind because God himself is the light, a pure and holy light that never dims, never goes out, but is always there.  John writes that the gates will never be shut because there is no night there.  Night is darkness and darkness is evil.  In heaven, we will not need to be wary of Satan and his deceptions because all of that will be separated completely and eternally.  The only ones there are those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.  All believers names are recorded there. 

 

            As a mother the church continually gives birth to new believers.  As a mother the church nurtures her children through teaching God’s word and through the sacraments.  As a mother the church loves her children as in the fellowship of all believers the members of the church love, forgive, and encourage each other in the faith.  As a mother, the church grieves the loss of children.  As a mother, the church rejoices when her children share the joys and love they have received to others, bringing new souls to faith. 

 

            A mother’s greatest adornment is faithful children.  Likewise, the church’s adornment is the faithful saints.  Like precious jewels, faithful believers reflect the love of our heavenly Father, sharing in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  His radiance shines on believers, glorifying them before men, protecting from the darkness of an evil world and making his people holy in this world.  God’s people shine as light in this world, “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that we may proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light,” [1 Peter 2:9]. 

 

            Happy Mother’s Day to all who celebrate their children.  Happy Mother’s Day as the church celebrates through her faithful children, all believers in witness of God’s perfect love in Jesus to all in this world.

 

In Jesus undying love.                        Amen.

 

And this peace that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.   [Phil 2:7]