St. David's Episcopal Church | The Rev. Frank Allen | June 11, 2015
Words and Deeds

 

"For you have been saved by grace, not by works . . . but created for good works . . ."                                                          Ephesians 2:8,9

 

Dear People of St. David's,

 

I hope this note finds you and yours well and enjoying these beautiful, longer days. I love this time of year for so many reasons, but the longer days seem to give more time to work and play, to rest and finish a project or two. It's rarely a perfect balance, but I like it.

 

I've been thinking about balance this week in terms of our Christian life and specifically the balance between our words and our deeds. I received a lovely, but slightly challenging letter from someone who attends another church last Thursday. The writer shared her deep concern for St. David's and for my ministry in particular. Over the years, the writer states that everyone she has talked to who belongs to St. David's could not explain the source of their salvation, but could only speak to being a good person and doing good for others. Please understand it was not a hurtful letter in any way. It was a love letter expressing something that concerned the author at a very deep level and got me pondering how the Christian life is about words and deeds. We all have moments when we are called upon to express our faith. We all have moments when we are called to act on our faith. It is a balance.

 

So, if our Prayer Book and Hymnal, our readings, our sermons and teachings have been less than clear allow me to tell you or remind you of the word part. We are saved by the love of God revealed in Christ Jesus who laid down His life for our sins and rose from the dead to break the hold and power of death forever. You and I had nothing to do with this saving act. You and I did and can do nothing to earn our salvation. In fact, it was all God. We are saved because God loves everyone so much that He came for us to save us from sin and death and from a life of selfishness and loneliness.

 

But it doesn't end with the words of faith. Because we have been saved, we have work to do - not to earn our way into God's good graces for we are already there. We have work to do in thanksgiving, in response to God's saving love. We have work to do in every area of our lives that reflects the serving, gracious, open-minded, open-handed love of God that we are coming to know. God saves us because He loves us. God calls us to actions or deeds because God wants us to live lives that have value and that can make a difference in the lives of others and the life of the world.

 

The next time an opportunity arises when someone asks about the source of our salvation or is truly interested in what the Christian life is all about, use your words. The source of our salvation is Jesus the Christ, who loves us and loves them without measure. The next time an opportunity arises for you to respond to God's saving love, do something about it. Do something not because you're trying to earn God's love, but because you are so loved.

 

Word and deed, both matter. Keep the letters coming.

 

Grace and Peace.

 

Frank Allen

 

 WORSHIP SCHEDULE

 

   Sunday, June 14, 2015

8:00 am and 5:00 pm in the Church  

10:00 am in the Chapel

 

                            

St. David's Episcopal Church | 763 South Valley Forge Road | Wayne, PA 19087
610-688-7947