Sermon Series: The Apostles’ Creed Amen Sermon Delivered on July 27 By Rev. Donna L. Martin

Perhaps you have heard the story of the Methodist circuit riding preacher who sold his horse. When a prospective buyer came to look at the animal, the preacher explained that his horse was not like most horses. It didn’t respond to the normal commands of “Whoa”, “Giddyup”, “Gee”, and “Haw”. Being a preacher’s horse, it would only obey biblical commands! He explained to stop the horse, the rider needed simply say, “Amen.” A full gallop would follow a hearty “Praise the Lord.” “Hallelujah” meant turn right and “Glory! Glory!” meant turn left. Before the buyer took the horse out for a ride, he reviewed the commands until he was sure he had them mastered. Horse and rider took out down the dusty road and took a sharp “Hallelujah” into an open field where he put the horse through its paces. Finally, he decided to see how fast the horse really was. He gave the appropriate command and the horse took off at a full gallop. As the ground became rougher and rougher, the rider decided he had enough. He pulled on the reigns and instinctively yelled “Whoa!” Nothing happened. He tugged harder. Still nothing! By now, he was hanging on for dear life as the horse bounded down a gully and up the other side, across fallen trees, and through thick brush. He looked up! The horse was heading straight for the edge of a huge cliff! It would be certain death for both horse and rider. He yelled and tugged and screamed, but nothing happened. Finally, fearing for his life, he prayed, “Lord, help me! Save me. Amen!” No sooner had he uttered the last word than the horse came to a screeching halt not six inches from the edge of the precipice. Shaken but relieved, the rider wiped his brow, leaned back in saddle, and let out a grateful and hearty, “Praise the Lord” (http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/let-all-gods-people- say-amen-roger-thomas-sermon-on-lords-prayer-69214.asp?Page=1 ). Today we have come to the end of our galloping journey through the Apostles’ Creed. And the last word we say when we recite the Creed is? Amen. Amen is a word used so frequently in the Church that you would think that most Christians would know its meaning. However, many do not and use it rather carelessly. Many think amen (ah-men) or amen (ay-men) - it doesn’t matter how you pronounce it - is simply a punctuation mark at

1 the end of a prayer or some other piece of religious liturgy, like saying “the end.” But Amen is, in and of itself, an affirmation. Interestingly, amen is practically a universal word, having been adopted directly from the Hebrew into Greek, Latin, English, and many other languages. For this reason if you are listening to a person praying in Chinese or Japanese, or Swahili, or French, or German, you will probably know when they have concluded their prayer because you will hear the familiar, “Amen.” Although generally it means “so be it,” amen is found in the Old and the New Testaments (a total of 78 times – 27 in the Old, 51 in the New) and depending on the context, it is translated in various ways. For instance, in the New Testament it was apparently used in Christian gatherings to signal agreement or approval. Kind of like when someone shouts, “Amen, Sister!” when the preacher says something they believe to be true. It was also used to end prayers and doxologies just like we do. And Amen could also be used in normal conversation at the beginning of a statement to signal the importance or truth of what was about to be said. Jesus often used it in this way when he was teaching and it is sometimes translated as “verily” or “I tell you the truth” For instance in the third chapter of John when Jesus says to Nicodemus “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again,” the Greek text begins, “Amen, Amen” (http://www.sanfernandochurchofchrist.com/SermonView.aspx?ID=655 ). But regardless of how it is used, it is derived from the Hebrew root “aman”, which means to be firm, faithful or true, so whenever we see the word Amen used in scripture, it is affirming truth. Thus, in Isaiah amen is used as a title for God, illustrating His faithfulness to His promises: Isaiah 65:16 - "16 Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth; he who takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth.” (NIV) In this passage, both of the words translated as truth are the Hebrew word amen, saying that God alone is the Amen, the God of truth (“What Does Amen Mean” by Tony Warren http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/faq/amen.html ). It is also in this vein that the Apostle Paul uses the word amen in our passage today when referring to Jesus. He says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.” Christ is God’s affirmation to all God has promised. He is the Great Amen. Then Paul says, 2

“And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God…. who anointed us…and put his Spirit in our hearts… guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 1:20-22 NIV) With these words, I tell you that as we come to the end of the Apostles’ Creed, the “amen” we say should not be an ending, a period or final punctuation mark on what we believe; it should a beginning, a living “so be it” that allows God’s Spirit to speak through our lives. Just as Christ is God’s “Yes and Amen” to all that God has promised and will bring to completion, we, who are the body of Christ, are meant to be the living Amen at work in the world. Now the term “a living amen” might sound a bit strange, but you are familiar with many of these Christians. People like William Wilberforce, who despite intense opposition introduced legislation in England that ultimately led to the abolishment of slavery in that country. Once God’s truth took root in his life, he could not stand by and do nothing to combat the injustice he saw. And maybe you have heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a minister who also lived what he believed. He once wrote “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die” and that was exactly what he felt Christ called him to do. When Germany came under the control of the Nazis, many pastors went along with Hitler’s efforts to control the churches, but Bonhoeffer could not. He left Germany to escape the madness, but wondered if true discipleship didn’t warrant standing up for Jesus, no matter the cost? So he returned to his homeland to teach seminary students and wrote his seminal work The Cost of Discipleship. In it he says, “Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of the church…We are fighting today for costly grace.” Though a pacifist, Bonhoeffer became part of the resistance. He participated in a plot to kill Hitler, but the plot was discovered and Bonhoeffer was arrested and hanged for treason. However, Bonhoeffer’s legacy lives on. And his written words and thoughts are all the more powerful because he lived what he believed (100 Bible Verses That Changed the World by William J. Petersen and Randy Petersen, Fleming H. Revell, Grand Rapids Michigan, 2001, pgs. 187- 188). Along with the likes of Wilberforce and Bonhoeffer are many other people who have been living amens. People like Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale, Albert Schweitzer, Corrie Ten Boom. But some lesser-known, modern-day living amens you might not have heard of include a woman named Christine Caine who is a antislavery crusader. 3

Caine was so moved by girls being bought, sold, and raped for profit, she awakened in the night five years ago with a drive to fight for their rescue. Caine and her husband founded the A21 Campaign to confront present-day slavery in Eastern Europe. The campaign works with churches and government authorities to prosecute traffickers, educate communities on prevention, and run shelters for victims. Her recent book, Undaunted: Daring to Do What God Calls You to Do (Zondervan), explores how God chooses the unlikely. "Jesus means for us to go and find and rescue the screaming because we are fearless and faithful," she says, "because we know what it is to be lost and found" http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/october/50-women-you-should- know.html?paging=off ). And Jordin Sparks who at 17, became the youngest winner of American Idol, continuing on in the mainstream as a pop and r&b recording artist. Although Jordan could be sitting back enjoying the fruits of her success, she has been involved in fighting malaria in Ghana and helping earthquake victims in Haiti. She's is also a VH1 Save the Music Foundation Ambassador, which advocates for music education in schools. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/october/50-women-you-should- know.html?paging=off Closer to home, one of the living amens I have had the privilege to meet is Scott Ackerson, the gentle, soft-spoken Vice President for Strategic Relationships for Haven for Hope. Scott has a heart for the homeless in San Antonio and their many needs. He considers his job of connecting the marginalized with life-sustaining and life-enhancing resources his ministry. I always apologize for calling Scot on the weekend when we need volunteers from Haven for the Cold Weather shelter and he always assures me it is not a problem because he is in God’s service 24/7. Without a doubt these are all gifted people, but what makes them truly remarkable is their willingness to live their beliefs regardless of the harsh circumstance they encounter and no matter what resistance they meet. These are all people that have chosen to say “Giddyup!” instead of “Whoa!” But I don’t want to leave you with the impression that to be a living amen you have to do something big; all you have to do is live what you say you believe. That means that what you hear, say, and do on Sunday in church, should impact who you are and what you do the other six days of the week at home, at work, and in the community.

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Can you image what this community would be like if we all consciously chose to do this? To live what we say we believe? Can you imagine what the world would be like if all who call themselves Christians chose to be living amens? My friends, the precipice in front of us is not one that leads to death or annihilation; it is a leap of faith that leads to life – ours and all our brothers’ and sisters’, our neighbors’ and our community’s. So, each time we say “Amen” at the end of the Apostles Creed, or a hymn, or a prayer, or a sermon, rather than letting it signifying an end or a stopping place, let it be a reminder to live out our beliefs with confidence in the Great Amen, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen. Or should we say, “Praise the Lord!”

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