“Finding Tomorrow”
Sermon: Nov. 1, 2009
Rev. Kathie S. Pownall
The word “tomorrow” is used in many expressions and phrases. Can you think of
one? Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.~ Spanish Proverb; Boast not
thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Biblical[ Proverbs
27: 1]; Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today; and Today is the tomorrow
you worried about yesterday.
Regardless of how many “tomorrow’s” we each have between this very moment
and the realization of God’s kingdom in the future, we as Christians, should have a
positive impact upon them. We should be the people of God.
So this morning we will focus on “Tomorrow.”
There is a small town in Ohio named Morrow; whose name came from one of its
early governors Jeremiah Morrow. The name provides grounds for confusion and that
confusion was depicted in a song back in the 60’s, recorded by folk singer Bob Gibson,
by Peter, Paul and Mary; Simon & Garfunkel, and the Kingston Trio.
Here are the Gibson lyrics:
I started on a journey, about a year ago To a little town called Morrow in the state of
Ohio.
I’ve never been much of a traveler so I really didn’t know That Morrow was the hardest
place I’d ever try to go.
I went down to the station for my ticket and applied For tips regarding Morrow, not
expecting to be guyed.
Said I, “My friend, I’d like to go to Morrow and return No later than tomorrow for I haven’t
time to burn.”
Said he to me, “Now let me see, if I have heard you right. You’d like to go to Morrow and
return tomorrow night. You should have gone to Morrow yesterday and back today, For
the train that goes to Morrow is a mile upon its way.”
“My friend,” said I, “It seems to me you’re talking through your hat. There is a town called
Morrow on the line, now tell me that.”
“There is,” said he, “But take from me a quiet little tip To go from here to Morrow is a
fourteen-hour trip. If you had gone to Morrow yesterday, now don’t you see,
You could have gone to Morrow and returned today at three. For the train today to
Morrow, if the schedule is right, Today it goes to Morrow and returns tomorrow night.”
I was so disappointed, I was mad enough to swear!
The train had gone to Morrow and had left me standing there.
That man was right in telling me that I was a howling jay. I cannot go to Morrow, so I
guess in town I’ll stay.
The song demonstrates that getting to tomorrow can sometimes be difficult.
Prophets have written about “tomorrow” for centuries – especially during depressing
times. The people of the Old Testament listened to such prophets who wanted to keep
their faith alive.
In Christianity it is the same. Simply stated: when you take on the way of Christ
you enter the kingdom of God, which is already partially here. You inherit a hope in
God’s eternal kingdom where there will be no suffering and all wrongs will be made
right. In the meantime you are in this kingdom.
Isaiah and Revelation’s this morning both represent those thoughts. The day is
coming,” says the Lord, “when there will be no more mourning or crying or pain, for the
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first things have passed away.” That would be the decisive tomorrow, but it is quite
mysterious to us mortals. At times, its promise seems so far off that it can feel like little
more than wishful thinking.
During WW II, there was a popular British singer named Dame Vera Lynn
nicknamed "The Forces' Sweetheart". She had many popular songs, one of which was
“The White Cliffs of Dover,” which stated, “There’ll be joy and laughter / And peace ever
after, / Tomorrow / when the world is free ... Tomorrow / Just you wait and see.” Some of
you here this morning may remember those words. Thy referred to a “tomorrow” within
that era.
In the dream speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. he envisioned the reality of God’s
Kingdom achieved. Some of those pieces of his dream are now a reality. As a matter of
fact, in Obama’s campaign he referred to the “Yes, we can…” of tomorrow.
In the Lord’s Prayer this morning we will pray for God to give us our daily bread
while also praying that God’s kingdom would come. In God’s time all will be achieved,
but in the meantime it is a mystery to us.
At the turn of the century people believed that the world was becoming more just.
Their vision was that of Jesus Christ’s. Not only did they work to “save” souls but also to
actively engage in solving the problems of society. They saw themselves as helping to
establish a new social order - a place of peace, justice and well-being — what we would
expect in God’s kingdom. Some people went so far as to say the world was about to
enter a century that would be Christianity’s own.
Then came World Wars, the Depression and the Holocaust, and such and
Christians began to doubt the reality of God’s Kingdom occurring at all. The went back
to “soul” saving and waiting for God to bring in the new world order without help from us.
But there was still hope, as reflected in the New Deal legislation of 30’s - a Social
Gospel that gave society things such as Social Security checks.
Now our faith is balanced in belief and in work. Most Christians believe that we
who follow Jesus can and should have a positive impact on the tomorrows of our world.
Wherever there are people, there is work, which comes and goes. Earthquakes,
tornadoes, and the like occur in places where reconstruction has occurred – only to be
needed again. People are fed who become hungry again. The church moves in over and
over to help people where they are. The work of God’s people is not in vain.
Ultimately, we are on a journey to find Tomorrow. Tikkun olam, in Hebrew
means "repairing the world" or "perfecting the world." There is an inward part, which
refers to the Jewish community modeling God’s world, and there is a second part that
looks outward for the benefit of society.
Looking forward and finding tomorrow means in essence two things – helping people to
find God and helping to repair the world.
God’s kingdom is the ultimate tomorrow – the ending goal of history and reward
to the faithful. It will only happen in God’s time. But between today and that tomorrow are
those other tomorrows. We who follow Jesus have the duty to make sure that the doors
of justice and society’s benefits are open for all for those tomorrows and that the path to
spiritual fulfillment is well marked.
To do the work of God we have to first be the people of God. That means having
a lot of spiritual presence in the world. We shouldn’t wait for tomorrow to get started. We
can get there from here. AMEN.
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Psalm 24
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The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in
it;
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for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.
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Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?
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Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls
to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
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They will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of
their salvation.
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Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God
of Jacob. Selah
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Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King
of glory may come in.
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Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in
battle.
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Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King
of glory may come in.
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Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah
John 11:32-44
INTRODUCTION: Lazarus, Mary’s brother has died. When Jesus has said to
her, “Your brother will rise again”, she has thought that he is referring to
the general resurrection Jews expected at the end of time, but Jesus has
said “I am the resurrection and the life”.
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When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet
and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have
died.” 33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also
weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34He said,
“Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35Jesus
began to weep. 36So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37But some of
them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept
this man from dying?” 38Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the
tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39Jesus said, “Take
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away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord,
already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” 40Jesus said
to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of
God?” 41So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said,
“Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me,
but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they
may believe that you sent me.” 43When he had said this, he cried with a loud
voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet
bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to
them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
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Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what
Jesus did, believed in him.
Isaiah 25:6-9
INTRODUCTION: In accounts of the Last Supper, Jesus says that he will
not drink wine again “until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of
God." Chapters 24 to 27 of Isaiah are a prophecy about the end times. Our
reading describes the celestial banquet to be held on that day
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On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast
of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of
well-aged wines strained clear. 7And he will destroy on this mountain the
shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations;
he will swallow up death forever. 8Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears
from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the
earth, for the Lord has spoken.
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It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so
that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be
glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Revelation 21:1-6a
INTRODUCTION: The book of Revelation is “the revelation of Jesus Christ”
made through John. It is prophecy, which reveals secrets of heaven and
earth. John has seen the destruction of the old city and of the old heaven
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and earth. Now he sees the new creation, of divine origin and free of evil
forces – for ultimately God’s love will prevail.
21Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and
the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the
holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared
as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the
throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with
them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with
them; 4he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have
passed away.” 5And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am
making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are
trustworthy and true.” 6Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and
the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a
gift from the spring of the water of life.
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Isaiah 25: 6
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a
feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with
marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. 7And he will destroy on this
mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread
over all nations; he will swallow up death forever.
Rev. 21:1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and
the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the
holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared
as a bride adorned for her husband.
Isaiah 25: 8
Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his
people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.
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And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of
God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his
peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4he will wipe every tear from
their eyes.
Rev. 21: 3
Isaiah 25:9 It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that
he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his
salvation.
Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.”
Rev. 21:5And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making
all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy
and true.” 6aThen he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega,
Rev. 21: 4b
Beccy: Isaiah
Kathie: Revelation
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