St. John’s Episcopal Church
Tallahassee, FL
Hebrews 10:11-25 Mark 13:1-8
Today’s service began
with one of the oldest
and most famous collects
in the Book of Common Prayer.
It dates all the way back to 1549,
to the very first English prayer book,
and it’s the one that says
that we gather here each Sunday to
“hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest”
all holy Scriptures.
But on days like today,
with readings like these,
“digesting” these Scriptures
can feel more like indigestion,
amiright?!
Y’all, these readings are a doozy!
Destruction!
Distress!
Sacrifice!
But as I often say whenever we read scripture together,
if you look for God and look for grace,
something good is bound to come up.
So let’s see if we can dig up something hopeful
to carry with us into our lives.
* * *
To help us find that message of hope,
I want us to focus in
on a line from Hebrews:
“Let us hold fast to
the confession of our hope
without wavering,
for he who has promised is faithful.
And let us consider
how to provoke one another
to love and good deeds,
not neglecting to meet together…
but encouraging one another.”
What you need to know
is that the writer of the letter to the Hebrews
was speaking to a community
who, perhaps like many of us,
needed reassurance in challenging times.
But if you’ve been paying attention
the last many weeks,
the message of Hebrews is not about
more striving,
more sacrifice,
or more achieving.
It’s about resting in the assurance
of something already done.
What the writer of Hebrews
wants you to know
is that Christ’s work is complete . . .
“for by a single offering
he has perfected for all time
those who are sanctified.”
In other words,
Jesus has done everything needed
to plop us squarely and securely
into the love of God,
and there is no going back.
There is no return policy on you.
God is never going to look at you and say,
“Mmmm I don’t know about this one.
This one’s defective,” or
“I want a newer, better model.”
Not gonna happen.
We are fully forgiven,
fully embraced,
and wholly beloved.
And just to prove the point,
look at the imagery here,
because it’s actually kind of striking.
In verse 12,
it says that Jesus—
having finished the work of love and sacrifice—
sat down at the right hand of God.
He sat down.
He is seated.
This is something we say in the Nicene Creed
every Sunday:
“He is seated at the right hand of the Father” . . .
but blink and might miss the meaning of it entirely.
When do you get to sit down?
You sit down when your work is done . . .
and
his
work
is
done.
Nothing more is required.
Jesus has reconciled us to God;
forgiveness is ours;
reconciliation is ours;
hope is ours.
This is the great “done deal” of our faith:
thanks to Jesus, our great high priest,
we are held secure
by a God who is faithful and true,
and there is no going back.
* * *
In just a little while,
we’re actually going to be given a chance
to see this promise alive
in a beautiful, tangible way.
You see, earlier this week,
our parishioners Johnny and Darla
and their beautiful children Aaron and Ariana
officially finalized their adoption
and became a family in a big new way.
And you might not know this,
but our prayer book even has a special liturgy
for celebrating this joyful occasion.
Think of the power of this moment:
two children welcomed into a family
that has waited for them,
chosen them,
and loved them long before this day.
Johnny and Darla’s commitment
reflects God’s own faithfulness toward each of us—
a love that says,
“You are mine.
We are one another’s.
We will love each other
through thick and through thin,
fully and forever.”
Today,
as we witness the love that surrounds
Johnny and Darla,
Aaron and Ariana,
God’s presence is all around us,
reminding us that this is exactly what God’s love looks like.
* * *
And that’s not all we’re celebrating.
Later in the service,
we’ll also bring our stewardship campaign
to its joyful climax
as we bless our pledges for 2025,
the financial offerings that we all make
as a sign of our trust in God’s faithfulness.
When we pledge to give to St. John’s,
we are saying,
“God, I believe you are working here,
and I’m committing my resources to join in that work.”
It’s a way of responding to the love we’ve been given,
of joining in a story that God is still writing
through this church and this community.
In both of these unique acts of worship,
we glimpse as a church family
what it looks like to live in light of
God’s complete and faithful love.
* * *
There’s that wonderful line
at the end of today’s Hebrews reading
that says, “Let us consider
how to provoke one another
to love and good deeds.”
I love this word, “provoke.”
It’s almost mischievous,
like a divine spark
that inspires us to go out and live the Good News.
It’s an invitation to lift each other up,
to be a bit bold and creative
in the ways we support and encourage one another in love.
Today,
Johnny, Darla, Aaron and Ariana
are “provoking” us to see love in action . . .
love that chooses,
that commits,
that says, “You belong.”
Today, just by giving us the privilege
of sharing in this moment,
they remind us of what it looks like
to hold fast to hope,
even in times of uncertainty.
And as we bring our pledges together today,
we’re “provoking” and encouraging one another
to ensure that this church remains
a place of welcome and belonging for all.
Together, today, all we’re really doing
is participating in God’s already completed work . . .
in a love that is seated and settled,
safe and secure.
* * *
The world around us can often feel unsteady.
Hebrews speaks to a people who, like us,
sometimes find their faith tested,
who know what it is to live in uncertain times.
And yet,
the promise here is one that never fails:
God’s work is done.
God’s love is secure.
Jesus has made the way,
and there is nothing more to earn or achieve.
This is the grace for you today;
this is the very heart of our faith:
we are held by a God who is faithful,
who has chosen us,
claimed us,
adopted us,
forgiven us,
blessed us,
loves us,
and walks with us.
So as we celebrate Aaron and Ariana’s adoption,
as we bless our pledges,
and as we hold fast to our hope,
you get to rest today
in the promise that God’s love for you
is complete and unchanging.
Whatever you may ever face—
whatever stones may fall
or changes may come—
God’s faithfulness
is going to keep on carrying us.
God has claimed you and claimed us.
God has adopted you and adopted us.
God has blessed you and blesses us.
And with him, you can rest easy,
because he is not about to let go now.
Amen.