Isaiah 5.1-7                                                                                                                                            Carol A. Solovitz

Psalm 80.7-14                                                                                                                                        Pentecost 20A

Matthew 28.16-20                                                                                                                 Stewardship 1

2 Corinthians 5.17                                                                                                                              October 2, 2005

 

A New Creation

 

            “From now on, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way.  So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! “  2 Corinthians 5.16-17

In a world as old as ours, we seem to always be looking for something new.  It is exciting when there is a new breakthrough, a new discovery, a new diversion.  In 2 Corinthians 5, St. Paul talks of a new creation, brought about through Jesus Christ.  “Everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!”  That is an amazing claim.  It is exciting that everything has become new, and yet we are not quite ready to give up the old, either.

Two weeks ago, I was called to southeastern Missouri because my mother has suffered a mild stroke in addition to abdominal infections and other difficulties, some caused by forgetting to eat and take her medications.  She has been living alone since Dad died 2 ½ years ago, but it was clear that now she would need to move to a senior care facility.  This was a day we had been expecting at the same time that we dreaded it.  After seeing her in the hospital, I drove the 45 miles to her home and decided that when I got there, I would do something I’ve wanted to do my entire adult life… I would clean out her refrigerator.  Unlike my parents, who are children of the Great Depression and have never been able to throw out things (or my husband, who just likes to be surrounded by clutter), I am a pitcher.  If there is no compelling reason for keeping it, out it goes!

And did I have fun with Mom’s refrigerator!  In fact, there were two refrigerators filled with multiple containers of mustard and catsup and pickles, margarine and jams, moldy leftovers and flat soda pop.  In the kitchen refrigerator, I counted 9 open bottles of ranch salad dressing (plus one in the cupboard) and a whole shelf full of hush-puppy mix.  When I finished, there were piles of recyclable containers, compost, and fuel for a bonfire.  The next day at the hospital, I told Mom what I’d done, and she laughed, saying that she simply could not bring herself to do that.  Then I asked if I could tackle the two deep-freezers and shelves of home-canned food.  She gave her blessing, saying, “Those are jobs I’ve needed to do but just haven’t had the energy for.”  It was hard for even me to throw out thousands of dollars in meat, vegetables, and fruit, but some of it was dated 1978, and it was tossed.  I got 2 freezers down to ½ of one.  The coyotes and other carnivores dined on meat for several nights, and the deer and raccoons got lots of fruit and veggies.  Also, with the opened and expired dry foods I tossed, there was enough fuel for a four-hour bonfire.  Walking around with bucket and rag, I beamed with satisfaction.  Then I took a hot shower and got myself clean.  “Everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!”

It was a labor-intensive time – driving a 90-mile round trip to visit Mom daily, cleaning until past midnight each day, but it felt wonderful.  When Mom was discharged last Tuesday and moved to a care facility near St. Louis, she didn’t have to worry about the food in the house.  She only asked me, “You didn’t throw out all those pecans, did you?”  Mom won’t be going home again, and she was happy that we donated many good things to a food shelf.  Well, except for the pecans; we’ll use those for baking this Christmas.  J

Why does it feel so good to clear away the old stuff that clutters our lives?  Why does it feel so good to be clean?  Why should we celebrate when the old passes away and everything becomes new?  I think it is because the old things drag us down if we never use them anymore.  Why save 20 years worth of old margarine containers when there are only 1 or 2 people in the house?  Why keep 6 jars of mustard just because a relative left it at the family reunion?  Why keep size 8 dresses when I’ll never be that size again and they just make me feel guilty?  Why hang on to the memories of old sins when Jesus offers the gifts of forgiveness and reconciliation?

Jesus came into the world carrying a bucket and towel.  Jesus had labor-intensive days, teaching the disciples and the crowds.  He cast out demons and healed the sick – making new lives for people with old wounds.  He called 12 men and countless others to change careers – to leave the old behind and work for the Kingdom of God, preparing them to continue the ministry when he was gone.  All but one of the disciples was able to leave the old and embrace the new in Christ.  After his death and resurrection, the risen Jesus gave the Great Commission to the remaining disciples and gave them the power to forgive sins in his name.  He commanded them to share the meal of his body and blood, in remembrance of him, and he called upon them to go into all the world and preach the gospel, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  He commissioned his followers of all times and places to make the whole world new through the sharing of his Gospel and sacraments.

Martin Luther teaches in the Small Catechism that when you were brought to the baptismal font, God gave to you the gifts of forgiveness of sins, deliverance from death and the devil, and eternal salvation.  When you approach the altar today to receive the Lord’s Supper, you receive the gifts of forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation.  Luther says “for where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.” 

In Christ, we are made new creations.  We are reconciled to God and to one another.  We are cleaned up; the old, moldy stuff is thrown away.  We sparkle and shine like a Mr. Clean commercial.  It is a wondrous gift from God, to be freed from the old things that keep us in bondage and to be made new.  So come to the font, come to the table, everyone!  And celebrate!  Give thanks to God, for you are new creations in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Let us pray:  Gracious Lord Jesus, how good it is to be made new through you.  Help us to live as new creations, to put away our old ways and desires, and to desire only you and the carrying-out of your mission in the world.   In your holy name we pray, Amen.

           

Shall we stand to sing the Hymn of the Day, “In Christ a New Creation,” as printed in the bulletin?