Sermon for the 90^th Anniversary Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church  Watonga Oklahoma  September 19, 2023

The small son of a Baptist Minister was in church one morning when he saw, for the first time, the rite of baptism by immersion. He was greatly impressed. The next morning, he decided to imitate his father. The only subjects he could find were the three family cats. He filled up the bathtub, then got the cats. He had a kitten, the kitten’s mother, and the old family cat all lined up, ready to go.

The kitten took it very well, calmly taking the immersion with trust, scampering off after a good shake. And, so did the middle-aged cat, who had always been more than patient with children. But the old family cat was a different story. It never did like to be held, and it was even worse if water was involved. It struggled with the boy, clawed and tore at him, and, struggling, finally broke away. With considerable effort, the boy caught the old cat again and tried to have another go at the ceremony. But the old cat was really upset now and acted worse than ever. It was clawing, spitting, hissing, and scratching his hands and face. Finally, after barely getting her splattered with a little bit of water, he dropped her on the floor and gave up. In disgust and said, “Fine, be a Lutheran.”

I once had someone remark to me that everyone in this part of the country is Baptist unless someone’s been messing with them. Evidently about 90 years ago there was some messing going on in this neck of the woods. That brings us to this day with Thanksgiving and Praise and maybe a little laughter as well.

While I do recognize some familiar faces from my time here with you almost 40 years ago now, some of you would not know me from Adam. But it was my honor and privilege to serve as the pastor of this congregation from August 1984 until January 1988, which means I got here right after you celebrated your 50^th anniversary as a congregation. I was one of the many pastors who came to you right out of the seminary. I consider it a pleasure and an honor to be speaking to you as you now celebrate 90 years as a congregation.

The theme I chosen for this message is A Lasting Legacy. Most people want to make their mark, to leave something by which they will be remembered. Some want to be remembered for their contributions, others for things they have made, still others for acts of heroism. Just about everyone wants to be a part of something lasting, something that will be remembered. What is the legacy of this place, Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church here in Watonga, Oklahoma?  I know that when I first heard those words at the seminary placement service, I had never heard of this place and had to look it up on a map. But this congregation was established by people 51 years before I arrived to provide a ministry of Word and Sacraments in this place. There was already a legacy in place.

As you think about that, consider a line from the prayer of Solomon when He dedicated the first Temple in Jerusalem

1 Kings 8:57 May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us.

An anniversary is a time to reflect on the past with praise and thanksgiving. If you can think of nothing for which to be thankful, you have a poor memory. An anniversary is a time when you reflect on memories for which you can praise and thank God.

You all have your memories of this place and this group of believers. They are not all the same. Those of you who have been here your entire lives have more memories than the newcomers, but they are all important. This is a good time to reflect on what you have been through together. Some of you may not have been here very long, so your memories have to do with more recent history. You have different memories, but a common link. This congregation has been a part of all of our lives. An anniversary is a time for remembering, a time for celebrating. But lets keep our focus in the right place. Memories are good and part of who we are, but the real thing we celebrate today is a common heritage, a lasting legacy! That legacy is that God has been with this congregation.

Something that happened before I was here and while I was here and that has continued since I have been away from this place is that the message of God’s love in Jesus Christ has been proclaimed here. God’s grace and mercy, His love and forgiveness for Jesus’ sake were made real for people in this place. You have heard the message of God’s Law, which shows just how sinful you are and deserving of His wrath and punishment. But you have also heard the message of God’s love in Christ, which took care of the problem of your sin by offering His perfect life as payment for them all. That is the message that has been shared in this place, in this congregation. That is the message that has flourished in your midst, that has provided new birth through the proclamation of God’s Word and the administration of His Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. Sharing that life-giving message of God’s Word is the reason this congregation exists. God has been here with you in this place through His means of grace, His Word and Sacraments. Truly God was with those who came before us, and He is with us still.  The hymn we just sang drives that home.

LSB733  O God, Our Help in Ages Past
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come,
Our Shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal Home!

The hymn writer speaks of God being our “shelter from the stormy blast” and “our Guard while troubles last.”  Those are realities in our lives. But our God is also with us through the good times and celebrations, like today.

Listen again to the text I chose for today

1 Kings 8:57 May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us.

Solomon remembers the past, but he also has an eye on the future. It is good to celebrate what God has done here through faithful members and pastors, but you are not done. There is more to do here. With Praise and Thanksgiving you anticipate God being with you in the future as well!

God wants you to face the future with the confidence that He will be with you every step of the way. What Solomon expresses as a prayer is stated as a certainty elsewhere in Scripture: God says “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” We just need to remember that He is with us and keep Him in first place. He needs top billing in every aspect of your life. If God us, who can be against us? You have the opportunity to draw upon God’s strength as you continue this ministry of His Word and Sacraments, because He is with you.

One of the challenges you face is that old evil foe, Satan. He will work feverishly to give the impression that a little faith goes a long way, that is all you need. He will tell you that is is not necessary to have faith nourished and fed regularly. He would like nothing better than for you to become complacent and lax in your efforts for Jesus. Friends, don’t listen to him. If the present day deterioration in ethics and morality are any indication of what the future holds, you are going to need God’s presence with you more than ever in the days to come. And the way to be certain God is with you is to go where He promises to come to you. His Spirit works in your heart when you are in His Word. When the Law and Gospel are proclaimed in this place, God is at work. You witness His power when you see people baptized at that font – my youngest daughter was one of them! Each time you see this font, each time you witness a baptism here, remember your own Baptism, God’s Word working through water to produce a real cleansing from sin. And you get refreshed in that forgiveness each time you approach this altar to receive the body and blood Jesus used to earn your forgiveness. Those are the things that make a lasting legacy. God has worked through those means in your past and will continue to do so in your future.

For 90 years now, that is what Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church has been all about. 90 years of striving to live as God’s people, 90 years of living under the assurance of His love and mercy and grace and forgiveness, 90 years of sharing that message through Word and Sacraments. That is why you are here. And God is here with you.

Your lasting legacy is that God will continue to work through this place as long as you continue to proclaim His Word. A favorite hymn of mine is just one stanza long –  may unfamiliar to many of you, but I love the words. Speaks about God’s Word being part of your lasting legacy. (TLH283)

God’s Word is our great heritage And shall be ours forever;
To spread its light from age to age Shall be our chief endeavor.
Through life it guides our way, In death it is our stay.
Lord, grant while worlds endure, We keep its teachings pure Throughout all generations.

Proclaiming God’s Word is part of your legacy, along with sharing his love and mercy and forgiveness through the Sacraments. As you move ahead in this ministry here, may your prayer be the same as the one offered by Solomon.

1 Kings 8:57 May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us.

He will not.

It seems like congregations always ask an old guy to preach at an anniversary service, someone who has been around for a while, and I fall into that category. That is all well and good. But as you celebrate your past, you need to be looking to the future. How will you reach out to the people of Blaine County with the Good News of Jesus in the days and weeks and months and years to come. Taking care of each other is all well and good, but our calling is and always has been to make disciples of all nations – including the folks around here who don’t yet know Jesus. As you look to the future, what lasting legacy will you have?  How can you share God’s care and concern and love and mercy and grace with your neighbors?

One stanza of that hymn we sang says:

Time, like an ever-rolling stream, Soon bears us all away;
We fly forgotten as a dream Dies at the opening day.

Unless our Lord returns first, we will all die and be forgotten. But we can leave a lasting legacy by pointing people to Jesus. If you keep your eyes fixed on Him, trusting in Him as Your Savior, following Him in your daily life, others will see that. And you can tell them about our wonderful Savior, allowing the Spirit to lead them to faith as well. That is the lasting legacy we strive for as the disciples of Jesus.