Otis C. Edwards, Jr. - Sermon Untitled (May 19, 1996)

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	(solemn organ music)	0:00
-	Grace and peace to you	2:09
	in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,	2:11
	and welcome to this service of worship	2:13
	at Duke University Chapel on the seventh Sunday of Easter.	2:15
	Our preacher for today is the Rev. Dr. O. C. Edwards,	2:19
	chaplain and scholar in residence	2:23
	at the College of Preachers in Washington, D.C.	2:24
	Dr. Edwards has been a visiting professor	2:28
	here at Duke Divinity School this semester,	2:30
	and he is a well known author	2:33
	and conference and retreat leader.	2:35
	We are delighted to welcome him back to our pulpit.	2:36
	I'd also like to thank Mr. James Jirdle	2:40
	for his musical offering in today's service.	2:41
	James is no stranger to us here at the chapel	2:44
	having performed on a number of different occasions.	2:47
	We are always deeply appreciative of his contribution	2:50
	to our worship.	2:52
	He and his family are also members	2:54
	of the congregation in Duke Chapel.	2:55
	The Duke Chapel Summer Choir is open	2:58
	to all interested singers without audition.	3:00
	Their first rehearsal will be held	3:03
	this Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM.	3:05
	And now would you please stand for the call to worship?	3:08
	Sing praises to our God.	3:18
	Sing praises.	3:20
Congregation	Sing praises to our Lord.	3:23
	Sing praises.	3:25
-	For God reigns over the nations.	3:26
Congregation	Sing praises of the psalm.	3:30
	Hallelujah.	3:32
	(solemn organ music)	3:35
	(organ music overpowers singing)	4:18
-	Everlasting God,	7:34
	we are seldom moved by the sound of great words	7:37
	or visions of fire and clouds,	7:40
	our doubts are often more compelling than our faith.	7:43
	Yet You break through our reservations	7:47
	to baptize us with the Holy Spirit	7:50
	and we are surprised by joy.	7:54
	In this hour, we would look up to know You	7:57
	and then go out to serve all whom You love.	8:01
	In Jesus' name we pray.	8:05
	Amen.	8:07
-	Let us pray the prayer for illumination.	8:21
	Open our hearts and minds, O God,	8:26
	by the power of Your Holy Spirit	8:29
	so that as the word is read and proclaimed,	8:32
	we may hear Your message with joy this day.	8:36
	Amen.	8:41
	The first lesson is from 1 Peter 4:12 through 14,	8:44
	and 5:6 through 11.	8:51
	Hear the word of the Lord.	8:56
	Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal	9:00
	that is taking place among you to test you	9:05
	as though something strange were happening to you.	9:09
	But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ's suffering	9:13
	so that you may also be glad and shout for joy	9:19
	when His glory is revealed.	9:23
	If you are reviled for the name of Christ,	9:27
	you are blessed,	9:31
	because the spirit of glory which is the spirit of God	9:33
	is resting on you.	9:36
	Humble yourselves therefore	9:40
	under the mighty hand of God so that God	9:43
	may exalt you in due time.	9:46
	Cast all your anxiety on God because God cares for you.	9:50
	Discipline yourselves.	9:58
	Keep alert.	10:00
	Like a roaring lion, your adversary, the Devil,	10:03
	prowls around looking for someone to devour.	10:06
	Resist the devil.	10:11
	Steadfast in your faith for you know	10:13
	that your brothers and sisters in all the world	10:16
	are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.	10:19
	And after you have suffered for a little while,	10:23
	the God of all grace who has called you	10:27
	to God's eternal glory in Christ	10:31
	will restore, support,	10:35
	strengthen and establish you.	10:38
	To God be the power forever and ever.	10:42
	Amen.	10:46
	This is the word of the Lord.	10:47
All	Thanks be to God.	10:50
-	The second lesson is from	10:54
	the Acts of the Apostles 1:6 through 14.	10:56
	Hear the word of the Lord.	11:04
	So when they had come together, they asked him,	11:09
	"Lord, is this the time when you will restore	11:12
	"the kingdom of Israel?"	11:15
	He replied,	11:18
	"It is not for you to know the times or periods	11:21
	"that the Father has set by his own authority.	11:24
	"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit	11:28
	"has come upon you and you will be my witnesses	11:31
	"in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Sumeria,	11:34
	"and to the ends of the Earth."	11:39
	When he had said this, as they were watching,	11:43
	he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight.	11:48
	While he was going and they were gazing up	11:55
	toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes	11:58
	stood by them.	12:01
	They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand	12:04
	"looking up toward heaven?	12:08
	"This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven	12:10
	"will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."	12:14
	Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount	12:20
	called Olivet which is near Jerusalem,	12:23
	a Sabbath's day's journey away.	12:26
	When they had entered the city, they went	12:30
	to the room upstairs where they were staying.	12:32
	Peter and John and James and Andrew,	12:35
	Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,	12:40
	James, son of Alpheus, and Simon the Zealot,	12:44
	and Judas, son of James.	12:49
	All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer,	12:53
	together with certain women including	12:56
	Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.	12:59
	This is the word of the Lord.	13:05
All	Thanks be to God.	13:08
-	Please stand as we join in reading responsibly	13:17
	selected verses from Psalm 68.	13:19
	Let God arise.	13:27
	Let God's enemies be scattered.	13:30
	Let those who hate God flee.	13:33
Congregation	(mumbles) as wax melts before the fire,	13:37
	may the wicked perish before God.	13:38
-	But let the righteous be joyful.	13:47
	Let them exalt before God.	13:50
	Let them be jubilant with joy.	13:52
Congregation	Sing to God, sing praises in God's name.	13:56
	We extol Him, the one who rides upon the clouds.	14:00
	Rejoice before Him, His name is the Lord.	14:04
-	In the Holy Habitation, God is father of orphans	14:08
	and protector of widows.	14:13
Congregation	(mumbled response).	14:16
-	Oh God when You went forth before Your people,	14:27
	when You marched through the wilderness.	14:30
Congregation	The earth quaked,	14:34
	the heavens poured down water,	14:35
	in the presence of God, the One of Sinai,	14:38
	in the presence of God, the God of Israel.	14:41
-	Reign in abundance, Oh God, You shed abroad.	14:46
	You restored Your heritage as it languished.	14:50
Congregation	Your flock found a dwelling in it;	14:54
	in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.	14:57
-	Sing to God, oh kingdoms of the Earth.	15:02
	Sing praises to the Lord.	15:05
Congregation	Who ride in the heavens,	15:07
	the ancient heavens;	15:09
	thunderous is His voice, His mighty voice.	15:11
-	Ascribe power to God whose majesty is over Israel	15:15
	and whose power is in the skies.	15:20
Congregation	Wondrous God in His sanctuary,	15:24
	the God of Israel.	15:27
	He gives power and strength to the people.	15:29
	(organ music overpowers singing)	15:42
	♪ Little Lamb who made thee ♪	16:52
	♪ Dost thou know who made thee ♪	16:58
	♪ Gave thee life ♪	17:05
	♪ And bid thee feed ♪	17:08
	♪ By the stream and o'er the mead ♪	17:11
	♪ Gave thee clothing of delight ♪	17:21
	♪ Softest clothing wooly bright ♪	17:28
	♪ Gave thee such a tender voice ♪	17:36
	♪ Making all the vales rejoice ♪	17:46
	♪ Little Lamb who made thee ♪	17:57
	♪ Dost thou know ♪	18:05
	♪ Who made thee ♪	18:09
	♪ Little Lamb I'll tell thee ♪	18:17
	♪ Little Lamb I'll tell thee ♪	18:27
	♪ He is called by thy name ♪	18:35
	♪ For he calls himself a Lamb ♪	18:44
	♪ He is meek and he is mild ♪	18:53
	♪ He became ♪	19:03
	♪ A little child ♪	19:09
	♪ I a child ♪	19:18
	♪ And thou a lamb ♪	19:24
	♪ We are called by his name ♪	19:32
	♪ Little Lamb God bless thee ♪	19:44
	♪ Little Lamb ♪	19:57
	♪ God bless thee ♪	20:02
-	The gospel reading is from John 17:1 through 11.	20:30
	Hear the word of the Lord.	20:38
	After Jesus had spoken these words,	20:43
	He looked up to heaven and said,	20:45
	"Father, the hour has come;	20:50
	"glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you,	20:53
	"since you have given him authority over all people,	20:58
	"to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.	21:01
	"And this is eternal life, that they may know you,	21:07
	"the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.	21:12
	"I glorified you on earth by finishing the work	21:18
	"that you gave me to do.	21:21
	"So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence	21:24
	"with the glory that I had in your presence	21:29
	"before the world existed.	21:32
	"I have made your name known to those whom you gave me	21:35
	"from the world.	21:39
	"They were yours, and you gave them to me,	21:42
	"and they have kept your word.	21:48
	"Now they know that everything you have given me	21:52
	"is from you; for the words that you gave to me	21:55
	"I have given to them, and they have received them	22:01
	"and know in truth that I came from you;	22:04
	"and they have believed that you sent me.	22:08
	"I am asking on their behalf;	22:13
	"I am not asking on behalf of the world,	22:15
	"but on behalf of those whom you gave me,	22:19
	"because they are yours.	22:22
	"All mine are yours, and yours are mine;	22:25
	"and I have been glorified in them.	22:29
	"And now I am no longer in the world,	22:34
	"but they are in the world, and I am coming to you.	22:37
	"Holy Father, protect them in your name	22:43
	"that you have given me, so that they may be one,	22:48
	"as we are one."	22:54
	This is the word of the Lord.	22:58
All	Thanks be to God.	23:01
-	The name of the Father, and of the Son,	23:14
	and of the Holy Spirit.	23:17
	There are some passages of Scripture that seem to expect	23:21
	that sermons on them will be on one topic	23:26
	and one alone.	23:29
	My old bishop down in Louisiana once told me	23:32
	that the during the Civil Rights Movement in the late '60s	23:35
	it took no more than reading	23:40
	the Parable of the Good Samaritan to cause some people	23:42
	to walk out of church.	23:46
	So confident were they that the sermon would inevitably be	23:48
	on Christian racial relations.	23:53
	Our gospel for this morning is the same sort of passage.	23:57
	It is taken from the prayer that Jesus prayed	24:01
	at the Last Supper.	24:05
	His High Priestly Prayer as it is called	24:07
	which is written in the 17th chapter of the Gospel of John.	24:11
	The portion we hear ends with our Lord praying	24:17
	for His followers and saying, Holy Father,	24:21
	protect them in Your name that You have given me	24:26
	so that they may be one, as we are one.	24:30
	So that they may be one, as we are one.	24:37
	Thus it appears to be almost inevitable	24:47
	that sermons preached on this passage will be exhortations	24:51
	to Christians of all denominations to involve themselves	24:56
	in unity negotiations.	25:01
	As devoted as I am to the cause of Christian unity,	25:05
	I nevertheless must confess that such sermons	25:09
	often show a serious misunderstanding of the text.	25:14
	In calling for greater human effort to overcome	25:20
	our separation into several hundred Christian bodies,	25:25
	preachers fail to notice that their motto	25:29
	that they all may be one is a prayer.	25:33
	Thus our Lord is not looking for reunion to result	25:37
	from the increased activity of Christians,	25:42
	rather he seems to recognize that such a difficult	25:45
	and blessed accomplishment can only come about	25:50
	through a gift of God.	25:55
	At the supper, He has told His chosen band	25:58
	that He is going to prepare a place for them.	26:03
	And the unity prayed for is ultimately that	26:07
	of the heavenly city.	26:10
	Indeed it is the unity of the Godhead itself,	26:12
	what later theologians would call the perfect society	26:17
	of the Holy Trinity.	26:22
	And our gospel for today seems to expect that the unity	26:28
	of the heavenly city, participation, and the inner life	26:33
	of the Godhead is something that our Lord's followers	26:37
	to begin to enjoy right then	26:42
	and that it would be enjoyed by others	26:47
	who were to come later.	26:50
	Jesus said to the Father, I ask not only in behalf of these	26:53
	but also in behalf of those who believed on Me	26:59
	through their word.	27:03
	Thus we appear among those prayed for.	27:06
	Among those for whom the gift of unity is besought.	27:10
	The fact that the unity prayed for is to be a gift of God	27:16
	rather than a human achievement does not mean,	27:20
	however, that it should be preached about.	27:24
	It only means that the unity should not be treated	27:27
	as something that human beings could achieve	27:31
	if only they worked a little harder.	27:34
	I would therefore like to spend some of our time	27:38
	together this morning sketching in a little of the history	27:40
	and the present state of the ecumenical movement	27:45
	telling you how far it seems to me that God has gone	27:49
	in restoring unity to Christ body, the church.	27:55
	The great turning point seems to have occurred	28:00
	about a century ago.	28:03
	If I am correct in remembering that centrifugal	28:06
	means movement away from the center	28:11
	and centripetal means movement back toward it.	28:14
	We can say that church history had a centrifugal movement	28:19
	before 1900 and has had a centripetal movement since.	28:22
	For most of the first two millennia of the Christian Era,	28:30
	it seems like we were growing farther and farther	28:35
	and farther apart, breaking into progressively	28:39
	more numerous sects.	28:45
	At first glance that pattern may seem like a bad thing.	28:48
	Why can't the followers of the Prince of Peace	28:53
	get along with one another?	28:57
	And it is certainly true that human arrogance,	29:00
	greed, lust for power, envy, pride, and uncharitableness	29:04
	have had far too large of share in the development	29:12
	of this pattern of splendoring.	29:18
	I don't believe, however,	29:22
	that that's all there's been to it.	29:23
	A great representative of my own tradition,	29:27
	Frederick Denison Maurice once said a very wise thing.	29:29
	He said that people are generally right	29:36
	in what they affirm and wrong in what they deny.	29:39
	I think that principle can be observed in the reasons why	29:47
	the Christian church spent its first 2,000 years	29:51
	in dividing into more and more denominations.	29:55
	Each group which split away to form a new body	29:59
	generally had one value they were trying to pursue,	30:04
	an aspect of the glory of God that they felt	30:09
	called to explore.	30:15
	This value to which they were committed the principle	30:18
	they wish to affirm was usually something real and valuable.	30:24
	Where they went wrong was in the negative implication	30:32
	they drew from the truth that they wish to assert.	30:36
	They assumed that if their values were true	30:41
	then the values of those who disagreed with him	30:45
	had to be false.	30:49
	And so they were right in what they affirmed	30:51
	and wrong in what they denied.	30:54
	But a result of all the splitting up	30:58
	has been that Christian bodies have been available	31:03
	for devoting their corporate lives	31:07
	to the exploration of different aspects	31:10
	of the glory of God.	31:14
	What each group will be able to bring to the reunited church	31:17
	is the value that it has come to know intimately	31:22
	during the years of its separated existence.	31:28
	The rest of us need to know what each other group	31:33
	has spent its life learning.	31:37
	Thus I think we will all be enriched,	31:41
	our horizons will be stretched,	31:44
	our blessings will be multiplied	31:47
	when we all get back together and each group	31:51
	brings its gift to the rest	31:54
	what it has learned about its aspect of the goodness	31:57
	of the God we all worship.	32:02
	That's why I believe that the first two millennia	32:05
	of growing farther and farther apart were not all bad.	32:08
	Nevertheless, I rejoice that just about 100 years ago,	32:14
	the centrifugal movement seemed to stop.	32:19
	The cream separator was shifted into reverse	32:23
	and a centripetal movement was set on operation.	32:27
	It began in the foreign mission field.	32:32
	Representatives of different denominations there	32:35
	were told by the people they wish to convert	32:38
	that there was so many kinds of missionaries in the field	32:42
	the people didn't know who the real representatives	32:46
	of Christianity were.	32:49
	Christians were told in effect that they had to get	32:52
	their act together if they wanted to be believed.	32:55
	Thus the first efforts in Christian cooperation	32:59
	were in the area of missions.	33:04
	Soon, however, it was seen that when Christians	33:07
	address society about moral issues,	33:10
	they would be better heard if they spoke with one voice.	33:14
	This realization was the occasion of conferences	33:21
	on the life and work of the churches.	33:26
	Next it was seen that churches needed to discuss	33:30
	their differences and what they believed in the ways	33:33
	in which they were organized.	33:36
	Meetings to discuss these issues	33:39
	were called Faith and Order Conferences.	33:42
	Gradually, these impulses were given institutional form.	33:46
	The federal council of churches which is now called	33:53
	the National Council of Churches was formed in this country	33:56
	early in this century as a vehicle for enabling churches	34:01
	to cooperate on practical projects.	34:06
	Then a few years after World War II,	34:10
	the World Council of Churches was formed as a great umbrella	34:14
	under which the life and work and the faith and order	34:18
	programs could be continued more efficiently.	34:22
	During all this time there were also	34:27
	denominational mergers going on.	34:29
	For instance, in 1939,	34:32
	three of the largest American Methodist denominations,	34:36
	the Methodist Episcopal Churches, north and south,	34:40
	and the Methodist Protestant Church got back together.	34:43
	Then in 1968, this reunited body joined with	34:47
	the Evangelical United Brethren	34:53
	to form the United Methodist Church.	34:56
	At this point we need to say something about the major	35:00
	families of Christians to help clarify later developments.	35:03
	Often people are willing to sort everyone into two heaps,	35:09
	Catholics and protestants and let it go with that,	35:16
	but the reality is really much more complex than that.	35:21
	For instance there are two major Catholic communions,	35:27
	the Eastern Orthodox, who are not under the pope,	35:32
	and the Roman Catholics, who are.	35:36
	To make it even more complicated there are some	35:40
	Eastern Catholics who have communion with the pope	35:42
	and some others who are not on the network of either	35:47
	Rome or Constantinople.	35:51
	And then there is my own anomalous tradition, the Anglicans	35:55
	including Episcopalians in the Church of England	36:00
	who claim to be both Catholic and protestant.	36:03
	The term protestant refers first and foremost	36:09
	to the churches of the Reformation.	36:12
	Mainly all varieties of Lutheran and all the heirs	36:14
	of John Calvin including the Presbyterians,	36:19
	the United Church of Christ, and the Dutch Reform.	36:23
	To these must be added the churches	36:27
	of the Radical Reformation in Europe, peace churches	36:30
	like the Mennonites and the Brethren,	36:34
	and others who do not really fit the pattern	36:37
	of what we call mainline protestants.	36:40
	They tend to be more counter-cultural than that.	36:43
	Yet on the other hand there, there are the Methodists	36:48
	who do not go back to the 16th Century Reformation	36:50
	but instead broke away from the Anglicans	36:54
	about the time of the American Revolution	36:56
	who are very mainstream.	36:58
	In addition to protestants, however,	37:02
	we must also take account of those	37:04
	who are called evangelicals.	37:07
	This is a very diverse group with roots in many traditions	37:10
	including most of the protestant churches	37:16
	but American-born churches as well.	37:19
	The necessity to consider them separately	37:23
	goes back to changes that have been taking place	37:26
	in Protestantism over the course of the last century.	37:29
	Through most of the 19th century,	37:33
	American religious life was characterized	37:38
	by literal interpretation of the bible	37:40
	and emphasis of the conversion experience.	37:44
	Since then mainline churches have drawn back	37:48
	from both of these emphases using historical critical	37:52
	interpretation of the bible and stressing baptism	37:57
	and nurture rather than born again experience	38:02
	as the normal entry into the church.	38:06
	Evangelicals then could be defined negatively	38:09
	as Christians who have resisted both of these trends.	38:13
	One way in which their resistance has been manifested	38:18
	has been their unwillingness to join either	38:22
	The National or The World Council of Churches.	38:25
	Instead they have formed	38:29
	the National Evangelical Association	38:30
	and The World Evangelical Fellowship.	38:33
	Finally there is another major Christian family,	38:37
	the Pentecostals.	38:41
	The Modern Pentecostal Movement traces itself	38:44
	to the Revival on Azusa Street in Los Angeles	38:47
	and to other outpourings early in this century.	38:52
	Often identified too exclusively	38:57
	in terms of speaking in tongues these charismatic Christians	39:01
	insist on all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit	39:06
	as being available today including prophecy and healing.	39:11
	As young as the modern Pentecostal Movement is,	39:17
	it has grown very rapidly not least in Latin America	39:21
	but in this country and elsewhere as well.	39:26
	Well, that concludes this taxonomy of major Christian	39:29
	families that should enable us to carry on our story.	39:34
	The first point to be made is that the Councils of Churches,	39:37
	both national and world, already included more than one	39:42
	of these families.	39:47
	In addition to the Protestants	39:49
	they included both Orthodox and Anglicans.	39:51
	Nevertheless, the absence of Roman Catholics	39:55
	meant that half of the world's Christians,	39:59
	half of the world's Christians were not represented.	40:03
	While Roman Catholics do not yet belong fully	40:10
	to these councils of churches,	40:14
	they have been much more involved since	40:16
	the Second Vatican Council in the early '60s.	40:20
	Indeed, Vatican, too, seemed to give the ecumenical movement	40:25
	as a whole a new lease on life for a while.	40:29
	Many bodies seemed to feel the thrill	40:34
	of new possibilities then.	40:36
	It was during that period of euphoria for instance	40:39
	that the ColCU, the Council on Church Unity,	40:42
	union, was begun.	40:46
	This was a plan for achieving Ante-Communion between	40:49
	the Presbyterians, the Methodists,	40:53
	the United Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ,	40:56
	Episcopalians, and several of the historic black churches.	40:59
	Many bilateral dialogues,	41:05
	dialogues between two denominations,	41:08
	were also begun at that time	41:11
	between a wide variety of traditions,	41:14
	both on national and international levels.	41:17
	During the Pontificate of John Paul II, however,	41:22
	Roman Catholic ecumenical enthusiasm seemed to wane.	41:26
	And indeed the struggle of most churches	41:31
	with loss of members, loss of money,	41:35
	and internal dissension, seemed generally to have reduced	41:39
	everybody's priority for ecumenism.	41:45
	There are, however, hopeful signs.	41:49
	Let me call your attention to just a few.	41:52
	One has to do with the way that	41:55
	it is now being recognized that the ecumenical dialogue	41:57
	must be brought to include the full spectrum	42:02
	of Christian families.	42:06
	It started out dealing chiefly with mainline protestants.	42:09
	But recently both Conrad Riser and John Campbell,	42:13
	general secretaries respectively of the World	42:18
	and National Councils of Churches,	42:22
	have begun to hope for what Campbell has called	42:25
	the far horizon of ecumenism	42:28
	which will provide a forum in which their councils	42:32
	can meet with Roman Catholics, evangelicals,	42:37
	and Pentecostals, so that they can all make together	42:40
	a common Christian witness to the world.	42:45
	Another international development involves	42:51
	two documents of world faith and order,	42:54
	one called "Confessing to One Faith",	42:57
	and the other called "Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry",	43:00
	to which the response has shown a far greater agreement	43:05
	on major doctrines than anyone would have imagined.	43:09
	But let me speak of a couple of personal experiences	43:14
	that have cheered my heart with ecumenical hopes.	43:19
	One has to do with my serving as an episcopal delegate	43:24
	to the American Faith and Order Commission.	43:27
	There I've had the opportunity to get to know well	43:31
	representatives of traditions that I would not	43:35
	ordinarily have come in contact with,	43:38
	especially evangelicals and Pentecostals.	43:41
	And here I have to confess to my shame	43:46
	prejudices that I used to have.	43:50
	I had assumed that these traditions were not	43:52
	very sophisticated and that they could not	43:55
	have learned theologians.	43:57
	I am happy to say that I could not have been more mistaken.	44:00
	In fact, time and again I have pointed out to me	44:05
	my own naivety, ignorance, and faulty logic	44:08
	by some of them.	44:14
	At least as important, I have discovered	44:17
	in these friends a depth of faith	44:20
	and holiness of life that have made me	44:22
	yearn to become closer to the and more like them.	44:26
	A result has been that I at any rate	44:34
	can never be ultimately satisfied with any plan of union	44:37
	that does not include these traditions.	44:42
	as long as they are missing from the table,	44:45
	I know that God will still have wonderful gifts for us	44:49
	that we have not yet been ready to receive.	44:53
	The other experience is very simple.	44:58
	The episcopal church in Newton, North Carolina	45:01
	is between priest right now,	45:04
	and I agreed to go over and take the service	45:06
	for them on Palm Sunday.	45:08
	I'd been told, however, that I wouldn't have to preach.	45:11
	Three congregations in the neighborhood	45:14
	had a tradition of celebrating the liturgy	45:16
	of the palms together	45:18
	before going to their own churches for the parts	45:21
	of the service that they could not share.	45:24
	When I got to Newton, I discovered	45:27
	that the three churches were the only buildings	45:29
	in one block and that the service would begin	45:32
	out the doors and that we would process	45:35
	with our palms into our church	45:39
	for the bible readings and sermon	45:42
	before going our separate ways.	45:44
	There was a wonderful spirit to the joint service,	45:47
	and members of all three groups told me	45:51
	that they thought that this was the best thing	45:54
	their church did each year.	45:57
	What amazed me was that one of the other churches	46:00
	was Roman Catholic, and that other	46:03
	was Southern Baptist.	46:07
	I don't think I ever expected to see a service	46:10
	in which three local congregations	46:14
	of such different traditions	46:16
	would worship together so naturally and so joyfully.	46:19
	This shows me that the cause of Christian unity	46:24
	is alive and well in North Carolina.	46:27
	I could go on, but this is enough to remind you	46:32
	of how Christ's prayer that his followers may be one	46:38
	is being answered in our time.	46:43
	The conclusion I draw from this	46:47
	is that the Holy Spirit has the church by the tail,	46:51
	and God is going to reunite us	46:55
	whether we want God to do that or not.	46:58
	Therefore to this only wise God we ascribe	47:02
	as is most justly due all might,	47:05
	majesty, dominion and power both now and forever.	47:07
	Amen.	47:12
	(solemn organ music)	47:15
	(organ music overpowers singing)	47:55
-	You may be seated.	50:54
	Gracious God, You hear our prayers before we speak	51:04
	and answer before we know our need,	51:08
	though we know not how to pray,	51:13
	may Your spirit pray in us.	51:15
	Forgive us when we behave as though Your presence in life	51:19
	were a past event rather than a contemporary encounter.	51:22
	Help us when we envision our task as preserving	51:28
	the status quo rather than taking risk for Your sake.	51:32
	Empower us, the church, to follow Your call	51:38
	to be one in Christ.	51:41
	Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.	51:44
	Let us pray for all who cry out for healing	51:49
	that You will give patience, courage, and faith	51:54
	to all who are disabled by injury or sickness,	51:59
	that you will comfort those who endure continual pain,	52:03
	that you will provide for those who suffer	52:09
	from inadequate food, clothing or shelter.	52:11
	Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.	52:16
	Let us pray for all suffer mental and emotional distress	52:20
	that You will abide with all who are depressed	52:25
	or despondent, that You will comfort those	52:27
	who mourn the loss of loved ones,	52:31
	that You will reassure those who are paralyzed by anxiety,	52:35
	that You will draw near to all who are required to live	52:41
	within institutions.	52:44
	Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.	52:46
	Let us pray for all those charged	52:51
	with the responsibilities of governing,	52:53
	that You will grant them the wisdom to discern	52:56
	what is right and the strength to do it,	52:59
	that You will restore a sense of respect and meaning	53:03
	to our political processes,	53:06
	that You will make our elected officials mindful	53:09
	of their calling to serve with integrity.	53:11
	Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.	53:14
	Let us pray for our enemies,	53:19
	not by naming their sins but by remembering our own.	53:22
	Save us from resignation to violence.	53:27
	Forgive us from becoming hardened	53:30
	to the suffering of others.	53:32
	Remind us that we are all created by the same Lord	53:34
	and have children for whom we have	53:39
	the same high hopes.	53:41
	Empower us to pray without ceasing for peace	53:44
	and for reconciliation in our community and our world.	53:47
	Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.	53:52
	Let us pray for our families.	53:57
	Awaken us to the times our careless words	54:00
	or thoughtless actions inflict hurt or pain.	54:03
	Renew us when exhaustion and preoccupation blind us	54:07
	to the needs of our loved ones.	54:11
	Help us when stubbornness and inflexibility	54:14
	prevent us from forgiving.	54:18
	Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.	54:21
	Oh Lord, our God, accept the fervent prayers of Your people	54:27
	in the greatness of Your mercy.	54:31
	Look with compassion on us and all who turn to You for help	54:33
	for You are gracious, O lover of souls,	54:39
	and to You we give glory now and forever.	54:42
	Amen.	54:47
	As a generous child one brought forth loaves	54:51
	and fishes to feed the multitudes,	54:54
	so Christ calls us to give what we have,	54:56
	and so do we, we are made instruments of His peace.	55:00
	Therefore let us offer our gifts and ourselves to God	55:03
	with thanksgiving.	55:07
	(solemn organ music)	55:23
	♪ I came forth from the mouth of the Most High ♪	55:33
	♪ And covered the earth as a mist ♪	55:39
	♪ I dwelt in high places ♪	55:46
	♪ And my throne is in a pillar of cloud ♪	55:51
	♪ Alone I compassed the circuit of heaven ♪	56:05
	♪ And walked in the depths of the abyss ♪	56:13
	♪ In the waves of the sea ♪	56:19
	♪ And in all of the earth ♪	56:24
	♪ And in every people and nation ♪	56:30
	♪ I got a possession ♪	56:37
	♪ With all these I sought rest ♪	56:44
	♪ Rest ♪	56:53
	♪ Rest ♪	56:58
	♪ And I took root in a people that was glorified ♪	57:04
	♪ In the portion of the Lord's own inheritance ♪	57:10
	♪ I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus ♪	57:16
	♪ And as a cypress on the mountains of Hermon ♪	57:23
	♪ I was exalted like a palm tree on the sea shore ♪	57:29
	♪ And as a fair olive tree ♪	57:35
	♪ In the plain ♪	57:41
	♪ And my branches are branches of glory and grace ♪	57:47
	♪ And my flowers are the fruit of glory and riches ♪	57:53
	♪ Come unto me ♪	58:04
	♪ Ye that are desirous of me ♪	58:10
	♪ And ye be filled ♪	58:16
	♪ Filled with my fruits ♪	58:24
	♪ And I came out as a stream from a river ♪	58:32
	♪ I said, I will water my garden ♪	58:38
	♪ And will water abundantly my garden-beds ♪	58:43
	♪ And lo, my stream became a river ♪	58:53
	♪ And my river became a sea ♪	59:00
	♪ For my thoughts are filled from the sea ♪	59:08
	♪ And my counsels ♪	59:14
	♪ From the great deep ♪	59:21
	♪ I came forth from the mouth of the Most High ♪	59:39
	♪ And my throne is in a pillar ♪	59:49
	♪ Of cloud ♪	59:57
	(solemn organ music)	1:00:18
	(organ music overpowers singing)	1:00:42
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	1:01:16
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	1:01:19
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	1:01:22
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	1:01:26
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	1:01:29
	Ever living God beneath whose rule we live	1:01:43
	and in whose grace we stand,	1:01:46
	with all that is within us, we bless Your holy name.	1:01:48
	We thank You for all that is constant in our life,	1:01:53
	that day follows night, that the seasons march	1:01:57
	in predictable succession, that the gates of mercy	1:02:00
	are ever opened to us in our need.	1:02:03
	So, too, we thank You for all that is new	1:02:06
	and changing in our life,	1:02:09
	for the voices of people too long silent,	1:02:12
	for life-giving discoveries in the sciences,	1:02:15
	and experimentation in the arts,	1:02:18
	for new people whom we meet at home, at school,	1:02:20
	or at work, and for the challenge of accepting change.	1:02:23
	O thou whose ways are of old yet whose works are ever new,	1:02:28
	make us grateful for our past yet open toward the future.	1:02:33
	Teach us the truth of Your word	1:02:38
	and grant us the gift of Your spirit	1:02:40
	that we may know you and make Your name known	1:02:43
	throughout the Earth.	1:02:46
	These things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord,	1:02:47
	who taught us boldly to pray.	1:02:51
All	Our Father, who art in heaven,	1:02:54
	hollowed be thy Name,	1:02:57
	thy kingdom come, thy will be done,	1:02:58
	on earth as it is in heaven.	1:03:02
	Give us this day our daily bread	1:03:04
	And forgive us our trespasses,	1:03:06
	as we forgive those who trespass against us.	1:03:08
	And lead us not into temptation,	1:03:12
	but deliver us from evil.	1:03:14
	For thine is the kingdom, the power,	1:03:16
	and the glory for ever.	1:03:19
	Amen.	1:03:21
	(solemn organ music)	1:03:24
	(organ music overpowers singing)	1:04:01
	And now go forth in peace and be of good courage.	1:08:07
	Hold fast that which is good, rejoicing in the power	1:08:10
	of the Holy Spirit.	1:08:13
	And may the blessings of God, Father, Son,	1:08:15
	and Holy Spirit be with you and remain with you always.	1:08:17
	Amen.	1:08:22
	(solemn organ music)	1:08:26

Item Info

Title:

Otis C. Edwards, Jr. - Sermon Untitled (May 19, 1996)

Description:

Sermon start time: 23:14. Sermon end time: 47:14.
In the first two millennia of the Church's existence, it fragmented into further divisions and denominations. However, in the past century, the ecumenical movement has begun to pull those distinct pieces back together. This is, however, all a gift of God working through the Holy Spirit. (Abstract created by Duke Divinity School staff.)
Key quotation: “The Holy Spirit has the church by the tail, and God is going to reunite us whether we want God to do that or not.”

Permalink:

https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/r4xw48b16

Date:

May 19, 1996

Speaker:

Edwards, Otis C., Jr.

Biblical Book:

Chapter and Verse:

Subject:

Contributor:

Duke University. Chapel

Identifier:

UA.17.01.0003 VHS-0476
ref9741_95c
uachapelsermaud
duke:321340
dcrmv001451
ark:/87924/r4xw48b16
3e43448c-226c-4ca6-ae93-2a5c4dc89f90

Digital Collection:

Duke Chapel Recordings

Source Collection:

Duke University Chapel recordings

Language:

English

Location:

United States
North Carolina
Durham (N.C.)

Format:

Provenance:

The Duke University Chapel Recordings were transferred to the Duke University Archives beginning in 1970.

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No Re-Use

In Copyright

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