Fr.Vladimir's Sermon Delivered on the 12th Sunday after Pentecost, September 7th, 2008:
Dear brothers and sisters, please allow me to begin today's sermon by expressing my deepest gratitude on behalf of the entire Taste Team to the over 90 volunteers that worked tirelessly to make the Taste of Serbia a very enjoyable event for all the guests. What I would like to point out the most at this point is that indeed we came together to work as a united parish, and that we certainly have enough volunteers to support our parish in the future. This is very encouraging to all of us as we are going forward with planning the future of our community.
Also, yesterday our parish hosted the 6th annual Church School Seminar. It was another wonderful, enjoyable and very enlightening event in our parish. Please allow me to express my deepest gratitude to our Church School team and the KSS who helped us represent our community in the best light. Our parish indeed has been very vibrant and active in the past couple of weeks and many responded to the call and needs of our community, and I hope and pray that we will continue with the same zeal and love to benefit our parish in all respects in the future as well.
Finally, I must mention the tireless team who spent one entire week cleaning, painting and getting ready all the class rooms, so that the children and all of us may enjoy our beautiful church building as we begin the church school. May God bless all of your good efforts and good work for the Church; for we truly are a family and remember that, God will not forget even the smallest effort that was done for His name's sake and to His glory.
Today, my dear brothers and sisters, I would like to share with you a few thoughts on the Christian life today within the Church, hoping that this will help you understand the problems that we face today as Christians, both in the Church and outside.
Namely, we have been repeatedly stating that the Christian life is a constant battle, both in the spiritual and physical sense. It is impossible to have a Christian life without battles. Also, we have said that the Church is the ship that carries us through the tempests of this life. Now, the question before us who call ourselves Christians is: "ARE YOU A CRUISE SHIP CHRISTIAN OR A BATTLE CRUISER CHRISTIAN?" Far be it from me to suggest that our community is one or another, yet I am firmly convinced that, we as individuals can certainly benefit very much by answering honestly the question to ourselves.
Have you ever been on a cruise ship or do you long to go on one? I have to confess to you that so far I haven't been, but I have seen many commercials and documentaries about them. It is something very desirable to go on a cruise ship.
What is it about taking a trip on a cruise ship that makes it so attractive?
The scenery
The accommodations
The food
Everything is done for you
The only responsibilities you have is to enjoy yourself
Its all about self, being happy and content
The whole purpose of the cruise line is to make you so happy and content that you will want to come again and tell others about your wonderful trip.
What is it about taking a trip on a battle cruiser that makes it so un-attractive?
The scenery
The accommodations
The food
Very little is done for you
The only responsibilities you have is to obey the captain
Its all about service to and for others
There are no passengers on a Battle Cruiser
The whole purpose of a Battle Cruiser is to defeat the enemy and bring victory at any cost.
How does the question, "Are you a cruise ship Christian or a battle cruiser Christian" have anything to do with our Christianity?
It has everything.
When we answer this question truthfully, it reveals what kind of Christian we are.
A Christian that is on a Cruise Ship is one who is only seeking to satisfy their own selfish desires, "The Bless Me" Christian
A Christian that is on a Cruiser is one who is seeking to fulfill the call of God in their lives
On a cruise ship, it is the responsibility of the Captain and the entire staff to satisfy your every legitimate desire.
On the cruiser, it is our responsibility to fulfill every desire of the Captain and to obey his orders.
NOW, LET US LOOK LITTLE MORE CLOSELY INTO THE CRUISE SHIP CHRISTIAN'S MENTALITY.
The Cruise Ship Christian is only concerned with themselves and how their needs are met. They want everything to go smoothly. The sun is always shinning. Everything is positive the sea is calm and only a gentle breeze is blowing.
The food: They only want the food they like. They want positive sermons telling them how God is going to bless them with material blessings, or how God will be nice to them despite their sinfulness. They want the latest programs to meet their personal needs.
NUMBERS 21:5 And the people spoke against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loathes this light bread.
IT'S ALL ABOUT SELF, BEING HAPPY AND CONTENT. THERE IS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR A CRUISE SHIP CHRISTIAN. THEY ARE ON A CRUISE SHIP BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT ANY RESPONSIBILITIES. CAPTAIN'S NAME IS BEHIND EVERYTHING, AND EVERYTHING IS DONE FOR YOU. A Cruise Ship Christian is totally self-centered and has no real concern for the needs of others if it doesn't affect them personally. On a Cruise Ship you can leave at any port if you wish too.
NOW, LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT A BATTLE CRUISER CHRISTIAN. A Battle Cruise Christian is all about service. They are constantly seeking way to please the Captain of the ship and others around them. That Battle Cruiser Christian is involved in war with the enemy.
A. THE SCENERY
The scenery from and around the Battle Cruiser is filled with war scenes.
B. THE ACCOMMODATIONS
They are cramped and meager.
You live in close proximity with other crewmembers and you must learn to get along.
For the Battle Cruiser to function properly each must do their part.
C. THE FOOD
You feed on what is served; you feed on the Word of God and drink from the Living Fountain.
JEREMIAH 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.
JOHN 6:53-58 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
ON A BATTLE CRUISER VERY LITTLE IS DONE FOR YOU. On a Battle Cruiser everyone has to carry their own load. If only a few carry their own assigned loads, the battle will be lost very soon, and the battle cruiser will sink down. Also, if there are those who try to work responsibly, but there are also those who behave irresponsibly in the war, the ship will sink down.
THE ONLY RESPONSIBILITIES YOU HAVE ON A BATTLE CRUISER IS TO OBEY THE CAPTAIN
The Captain receives His orders from headquarters-the Word of God-and than gives out the orders that when fulfilled will complete the mission that headquarters has sent the Battle Cruiser on.
JOHN 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
IT'S ALL ABOUT SERVICE TO AND FOR OTHERS
PHILIPPIANS 2:1-4 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
The battles we fight are not always for ourselves, they are more often for the salvation of others, for the benefit of the entire community.
THERE ARE NO PASSENGERS ON A BATTLE CRUISER.
MARK 8:34-38 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
CONCLUSION: On a Cruise Ship you can leave the ship at any port you wish and get on another, on a Battle Cruiser there are only three ways to leave the ship:
Desertion
Mutiny
With the blessings of the Captain
Dear Brothers and sisters, as Orthodox Christians, we are the salt of the world. We are the light of the world. We should be the example not only to the non-Christians, but to all other Christian denomination as well. The Orthodox communities should be exemplary in all respects. One is not Orthodox by definition, or by birth, or by nationality; rather one though baptized, cannot be Orthodox if he/she does not love Christ to the point of self sacrifice. On the other hand, one is/becomes Orthodox by his/her great effort to acquire virtues of the saints, given to us freely through the teaching of the One Church, through the grace, mercy and love for mankind of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
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