This was a sermon preached at Capitol Hill United Methodist Church for Confirmation Sunday on June 3, 2018.
Before this sermon, we honored four young people who have participated in Confirmation this Spring.
Did you take Confirmation classes as a young person? I did. In all honesty, I don’t remember any content. I remember going to eat at McDonald’s during a one-day “seminar” held at our church. A few weeks later, we went on a retreat to Lake Texoma with kids from a couple of other churches, but I really only remember the sleeping accommodations. The closest thing to content that I remember was watching on an old-fashioned film projector this claymation video produced in the early 80s about the history of the UMC in America. Even then, I didn’t remember content. I just remember that we watched a claymation video.
I hope that our confirmands will remember more than this video (though I still make them watch all 4 minutes of it)! But in watching it again (and again), I’m both amazed at the many great things United Methodists have done throughout our history, but as the video explicitly reminds us, there is still work to be done – on many fronts.
Using the Scriptures below for inspiration, I hope this sermon helps us think through our role in bringing the light of hope to a world in need.
Listen to the sermon here:
Right-mouse-click this link to download the audio.
This sermon was inspired by Scriptures such as:
2 Corinthians 4:5-11
5For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. 6For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.
8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. 11For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. (NRSV)
Matthew 5:14-16
14“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (NRSV)
