DELIVERED BY Rev. Ellen Brantley

Sunday, May 11, 2008

SERMON:       Poured Out

TEXT: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13

 

 

          You’ve probably heard plenty of sermons that end with a poem.  Well, this one starts with a poem.  It’s titled:  Drinking from My Saucer.

I’ve never made a fortune and it’s probably too late now.

But I don’t worry about that much; I’m happy anyhow.

And as I go along life’s journey,

I’m reaping better than I sow.

And I’m drinking from my saucer

‘cause my cup has overflowed.

 

Ain’t got a lot of riches and sometimes the going’s tough.

But I’ve got family and friends that love me

And that makes me rich enough.

I just thank God for his blessings

 And the mercies he’s bestowed.

I’m drinking from my saucer

‘cause my cup has overflowed.

 

O, remember times when things went wrong.

My faith got a little bit thin.

But all at once the dark clouds broke

And that ol’ sun peeped through again.

So, Lord, help me not to gripe

About the tough rows that I’ve hoed.

I’m drinking from my saucer

‘cause my cup has overflowed.

 

And if God gives me the strength and courage

When the way grows steep and rough,

I’ll not ask for other blessings;

I’m already blessed enough.

And may I never be too busy

To help another bear his load.

Then I’ll keep drinking from my saucer

‘cause my cup has overflowed.

          If you’re at all familiar with the 23rd Psalm, you’ll recognize that this poem refers to the verse, “My cup runneth over.”  And today is one of those not uncommon days at Westminster when I feel like our cups are overflowing with blessings. 

 

          Look at all that we’re celebrating today.  I know you think we’re going to be here for two hours with all that we’ve got planned, but never fear.  My sermon will be shorter to allow time for everything else.  Perhaps some of you will count this as yet another blessing of the day!

 

First, we’re celebrating Pentecost; the day when we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit which was POURED OUT upon thousands of believers gathered in Jerusalem.  Because of this gift, sons and daughters would prophesy, the young would see visions, the old would dream dreams.  All would tell about God’s deeds of power, and everyone who called on the name of the Lord would be saved.  As the Spirit was POURED OUT that day, those who received it poured themselves out through their prophesy, their visions, their dreams, their testimony of God’s power and salvation.  Because they did this, the church was born, and we still celebrate the blessing today.

 

Of course, baptisms are always special, but the two we celebrate today are even more so because it is Pentecost.  Baptism, too, is a time when we receive the Holy Spirit.  Remember the baptism of Jesus, when he came up out of the water and the heavens were opened and the Spirit of God descended like a dove upon him.  As the water of baptism is POURED OUT upon us, we are cleansed of our sin, forgiven and set free from sin and death; we are given new life and the promise of resurrection; we become part of the body of Christ; we are strengthened and empowered to follow and to serve.  Though in the Presbyterian Church we only sprinkle the water, indeed it fills ours cups to overflowing with faith, that we may live a life of faith and be POURED OUT for others. 

 

Certainly, the waters of baptism have overflowed as we also celebrate new members who have joined us by letter of transfer or by reaffirmation of faith.  What a blessing it is to know that we have POURED OUT the water of hospitality in such a way that others would feel welcome and at home among us!  As Jesus taught his disciples, “If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”  

The Lord’s Supper is an event which unites Christians from every time and place and makes us one in the body of Christ.  As we celebrate communion, we remember that Jesus allowed his body to be broken and his blood to be POURED OUT “so that the world might be saved through him.”  As we eat the bread and drink the cup, we receive spiritual nourishment and strength to carry on Christ’s work in the world and to follow his command to “love one another as I have loved you.”

 

Finally, we celebrate mothers today and the women who have POURED OUT their love and blessings upon us.  Proverbs describes them well:  “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.  She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

 

Wow!  That’s a lot of celebration!  This is truly a day when we are “drinking from our saucers”!  But wait.  If our cups are running over with blessings abundant, instead of drinking the overflow, shouldn’t we be sharing it with others?  There’s something wrong with that sentence in the poem that says, “I’m reaping better than I sow”.  When the Spirit has POURED OUT gifts and blessings upon us, we are then called to pour ourselves out for others.  As Paul wrote to the church at Corinth:  “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

 

If we lived by these words, everyone would benefit.  Everyone would win.  Everyone would proclaim God’s deeds of power.  As we drink from the one Spirit and POUR OUT the blessings to others, the visions of the young will be realized.  The dreams of the old will come true.  And “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

 

It’s happening in this church on this day!  May it continue to be so!

 

To the glory of God!            AMEN.