Faith In Action

  “I love the recklessness of faith. First you leap, and then you grow wings.”
                                                                                                    - William Sloane Coffin Jr

On this Lord’s Day, we will continue with our Sermonic Series “Great Expectations” as we study the Book of Nehemiah. The ethos of Nehemiah is extremely interesting to me. He is so committed to the task at hand that opposition and danger can not derail him from his purpose. There is something so remarkable, so inspiring, when a person is determined to live out the Divine destiny that God has designed for them no matter what the odds are. “Great Expectations” has literally consumed Nehemiah. He has “Great Expectations” for his people and their community even when they don’t yet have them for themselves. Attitudes are contagious. The question remains, “Is ours worth catching?”

The narrative of Nehemiah has a deep connectivity with African Diaspora. As a people of African descent, we have had to have “Great Expectations” in tremendously difficult existential realities. Through God’s power, our ancestors rebuilt the walls of lives, the ruins of their communities, and in the spirit of Nehemiah. This great history empowers our future. We have indeed come this far by faith.

From Nehemiah’s perspective, “Great Expectations” must have an impact on every facet of our lives. Nehemiah’s passion didn’t compartmentalize his life but connected his life in a real sense. The “Great Expectations” of Nehemiah made an impact on public policy, economics, education, and religious observation of his people. It is my prayer for the First Baptist Church of Wayne, PA., that we would be a people who put our faith in action. In closing, I leave you with the words of Rabbi Hillel, the first century teacher who once said, “The world is equally balanced between good and evil…your next act will tip the scale.”

Namaste.

Pastor Grove

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