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A comprehensive job description
Recapping the five preceding Friday Lenten lessons, the Rev. Sam Williams, rector at St. Alban's Episcopal Church, challenged Lenten listeners with the question, "So what?"
Reading from the Gospel of Luke, 13:10-17, Williams told the story of a woman who was healed by Jesus of a physical infirmity that had plagued her for 18 years.
Explaining that this was quite likely the last time Jesus would appear in a synagogue and that the religious authorities were just looking for an excuse to come down hard on him, Williams shared the significance of this healing.
"It took place on the Sabbath," explained Williams. Down through the centuries rules and regulations were developed to prevent the breaking of the Fourth Commandment. Among those regulations was one preventing a person from going outside in sandals with nails because "the nails were considered a burden, and you weren't allowed to bear a burden on the Sabbath."
Healing on the Sabbath was restricted to life-saving interventions only. "If you broke your arm on the Sabbath, it could not be set because a broken arm was not considered to be a life-threatening injury," Williams further explained
This episoe clearly demonstrates Jesus' perspective that the welfare of an individual was more important than satisfying Sabbath legislation.
When challenged by the religious leaders, Jesus responds heatedly, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for 18 long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"
Speaking from the pulpit at McCook First Church of the Nazarene, Williams then detailed the lessons and conclusions drawn by the Lenten speakers who preceded him and delivered a lesson on the responsibility born by the people of God.
"We learned from Charles Hooton that there are a lot of contaminated people out there," Williams said, referring to the story about the woman who was afflicted with "an issue blood" lasting 12 years. According to Levitical law, the woman was unclean and though she had sought treatment and healing at the hands of any number of physicians, nothing worked.
In desperation, she came to Jesus, because she had no where else to turn and in turning to Jesus and touching him, she was delivered.
Many times, Williams shared to a chorus of amens, when approaching someone who has been avoiding church attendance, he's been told, "First, I have to get my life in order."
With a wry chuckle and a shake of his head, Williams stressed, "People need to come to Christ -- the way that woman came in a posture of worship and humility."
Steve King spoke about the Syro-Phoenician woman, Williams continued, who approached Jesus on behalf of her demon-possessed daughter.
"Another desperate person who didn't know where to turn," explained Williams. She had discovered that her gods could not do her any good and so she took a chance.
"People out there are desperate," Williams said emphatically. "They turn to false gods. They need to turn to the one true God, the one that can really bring them healing and relief."
Clark Bates spoke about "extravagant love" Williams continued, reintroducing the 133 in attendance to the woman with the alabaster jar of ointment she poured on Jesus.
Reminding the listeners of Mary Martin's experience when she heeded Oscar Hammerstein's advice about giving love away, he asked, "Are you willing to give away the love we have experienced in Christ?"
Jeff Thurman revealed the class of people that Jesus chose to be his disciples.
"Not one of Jesus' followers was a rabbi," said Williams, which brought him to the challenge issued to each believer in attendance.
"So what?" Williams asked again. "So, what are you going to do with this man Jesus?"
Looking to Scripture, Williams provided a job description to believers since the time of Jesus. "... you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
"We are his witnesses. We have a responsibility to tell what we have experienced -- what we know about this Jesus."
Williams further explained that many today believe that this testimonial responsibility belongs only to the ministers, the priests and the pastors.
Sharing that since his primary contact, day-to-day, is with people of the church, fellow believers, Williams has little opportunity to meet with people who don't know Christ.
"You," he said emphatically, "you are in the best position to let people know that this man Jesus is the Son of God, that he died on a cross to save all of us from our sins, and that he has promised eternal life."
The Rev. Jeff Thurman, pastor at Memorial United Methodist Church, served as worship leader. The Rev. John Strecker-Baseler, pastor at Our Savior's Lutheran Church was the soloist, giving an impassioned acapella rendition of "Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross."
Virginia Brown was the organist and the women of St. Alban's served a delicious tuna noodle casserole, a variety of salads and a delectable variety of cakes.
The annual Lenten series, sponsored by the Red Willow Area Ministerial Association concludes Friday with the traditional "Cross Walk" which will leave St. Alban's Episcopal Church at 11:15 a.m., travel through downtown with frequent stops for prayer and meditation at the various stations of the cross, then arriving at McCook First Church of the Nazarene in time for the reading of The Passion Gospel.
No meal is served following the Good Friday service.