“Building a Spiritual Foundation”

Confirmation Sunday

May 7, 2023 

Mechanicsburg, PA
Rev. Lisa Strong Chase
All Rights Reserved.

Before I read our passage from 1 Peter, I wanted to point out that the first reading in his majesty, King Charles III’s Coronation yesterday was our Colossians passage Bill just read. About being chosen and called to serve. The Colossians passage was not part of the lectionary, but I chose it for today’s sermon, interestingly enough.

Our second reading is from 1 Peter 2: verses 2-10. Please listen now for God’s word to you.

Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  For it stands in scripture:

“See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
    a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

 This honor, then, is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the very head of the corner,”

 and

“A stone that makes them stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,[d] in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

 Once you were not a people,
    but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
    but now you have received mercy.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

In our series on First Peter, we’ve learned that what Christ desires for us, is for us to live  rooted in faith and love. Today, Peter reminds us that as believers, we are a chosen people, God’s own people, as we have been called out of darkness to live in Christ’s light. Each of us, with our time, talent, treasure, and personality, form a “living stone, each of which is part of the foundation of a spiritual house that will live on for all eternity. Not a physical structure, but surely one that will live on in the lives of the present and in future generations. Those wonderful saints who have gone before us and joined the heavenly realm have made an indelible mark on us too.  Their generosity through time, talent, treasure, and their personalities have made living stones, precious and chosen. They have been a part of our own spiritual foundation and helped make us the people we are today. 

1 Peter is addressed to early Church members living in what is modern day Turkey. They are considered to be the “elect” of God. This letter was written to strengthen and encourage the Saints in the “trial of [their] faith.” These readers are called a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God ‘s own people. And as Christ’s followers, we claim these descriptors too, which should encourage us, when we are afflicted by the world’s challenges.

Much like the predicament of first Peter’s readers, Christianity today has become an increasingly alienating pursuit, as we strive to live in this world, but not be of it. Challenges such as our truth, faith and testimonies being erased or stymied in our cancel culture, seeing worldly wealth and status being rewarded, instead of those Christ-like people who go out and make a positive difference in the world – in the lives of children, adults and marginalized communities. While we may not be in danger of being persecuted physically as many of our Christian siblings in nations hostile to Christianity, at least not yet, sometimes our mercy, love and compassion may be objects of ridicule and misunderstanding.

As we take encouragement from these identifiers – a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s chosen, as thoughtful Christians, we must understand that what substantiates our faith and what others should see, is our Christ-like love for others, compassion, mercy, and a commitment to work for peace and justice for all, in addition to claiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. As the hymn goes: “They will know we are Christians by our Love.” 

As Christ’s followers, we have fed on spiritual milk and have grown spiritually to need more sustenance. What were at first basic needs now give way to our becoming building blocks – those living stones that lay a foundation for the challenges sure to follow. A solid foundation gives way to an eternity that will not shrivel up at the first sign of trouble. The challenge before Christians is to proclaim something of what we know about God to the world - is no small feat. (from Feasting on the Word, for Year A).

But friends, I am thrilled to say that we have reinforcements! Today, we are confirming four wonderful youth who have been warmly and lovingly nurtured in the faith by their family and by Silver Spring Presbyterian Church. They are joining us, bringing their personalities, abilities, and energy to us here at Silver Spring Presbyterian Church, being new living stones to add to the foundation of our spiritual house, where generations have worshipped and will continue to worship for years to come.

Through Bible Study (reading and keep a journal on the Gospel of Mark), learning about the Christian Faith, the Presbyterian Church, the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostles Creed, and exploring how to articulate their own faith, hopefully Brayden, Lilly, Matthew, and Max have tasted the Lord, and found that the Lord is Good! They’ve been fed spiritual milk, but now we hope they are encouraged to dig deep and be guided by Biblical and Godly wisdom on how tackle meatier subjects and challenges– how to handle peer pressure as people of faith, how to use prayer to help them make good decisions, and to be beacons of hope and light to their peers, their communities, and in serving this church.

They are already doing this.

One confirmand helps friends’ study for tests, plays sports with siblings, and helps to take out the trash, (mostly without being asked.) Another shows incredibly positive sportsmanship on the basketball court with their team mates and those of the opposing team, and is showing excellent skills at conflict resolution with love and compassion at a tender age, another helped to organize prayer groups with peers when they learned about classmate Jaron Li’s tragic accident last month, and another noticed, during lunchtime, a lonely boy sitting all by himself. This confirmand and friends began to sit with this boy, talking to him, befriending him, so that he would have friends he could count on.

It’s been a big weekend – here with Confirmation, and yesterday’s Coronation in Great Britain. At his majesty King Charles’ coronation, the new king sat on a throne that contained the ancient stone of Scone, which has been used coronations for centuries. A stone. Also, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby began his homily with “We crown a King to serve.” But that is about an earthly king.

As sons and daughters of a Great King, King Jesus, members of a royal priesthood, we take the practice of confirmation and membership in the church seriously, as we are called to renounce sin, and serve the lord with love, joy, and faithfulness with the power of the Holy Spirit. As siblings in Christ, let us continue to pray for our newcomers here and for each other, continually asking God to fill us with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that we will be those lasting, living stones, bearing good fruit, growing in the knowledge of God, and being strengthened with all power according to God’s glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience, building a lasting Spiritual home.

And May it Be so. Amen.