SCRIPTURES: Proverbs 29:18 and Mark 10:17-23
"I have a dream that one day my four children will live in a nation where they won't be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
Of all the wonderful sermons and speeches that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave, none is more famous then his inspiring message given at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC on August 28, 1963. A message that inspired a generation to strive for a better future for all Americans. A message that expressed the dream and vision that Dr. King felt was part of God's call in his life, since his ordination as a minister of the gospel in 1947. A message that led to Dr. King being selected as Time magazine's Man of the Year in 1963 & also to be the youngest person ever to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. A message that certainly was part of the reason that this hero of our faith was assassinated in 1968. The Great Debaters is a popular film that is based on a similar dream of an earlier generation when a small, African American college in Texas had a teacher who dreamed about & believed in the possibility that one day a 3 person team of debaters would face the championship debate team of Harvard University. Yes, he had a dream the courage, faith, & fortitude to pursue that dream with his students.
Both of these true stories represent a powerful illustration of the Bible's message which is expressed in the verse we heard this morning 
in the book of Proverbs that tells us "Where there is no vision the people shall perish!" Yes, having a dream or a vision & the courage, faith, & fortitude to pursue it is a central part of our faith journey. Today, let us reflect upon this morning's scriptures & how they relate to the lives of Dr. King & The Great Debaters so that we can be inspired to pursue our dreams also!
Let's begin our reflection by admitting that pursuing our dreams is not always an easy task. Look at today's Gospel lesson about the rich young ruler who had a dream to be one of our Lord's first disciples. Yes, that's what this story is all about. He obviously had 
been a follower of Jesus. He had heard the message of the Gospel & had been inspired by it. Now came his moment of truth. What must I do to pursue my dream of being one of your first disciples, that was his question. He was so close. It seems that he had spent his life preparing for this moment but when he heard the response to his question, what must he do? The scriptures tell us that a look of sadness & gloom filled his face & he walked away from his dream. The cost was too high! Clearly, the cost for Dr. King t pursue his dream was even greater. Like our Lord, he had to die for his dream to be fulfilled. In the film The Great Debaters, there is no demand for them to give up their lives to pursue their dream of debating Harvard, but the film does honestly portray how difficult their journey was & how it would have been so easy for the students to walk away from their dream. How about us? Do we have a dream for ourselves, our loved ones, our Church, our career that we are really passionate about? I hope so because I believe the author of the book of Proverbs is right. "Where there is no vision the people shall perish!" It is our individual & collective dreams & visions that bring out the very best from us. This reality is also beautifully portrayed in the film The Great Debaters. For the commitment to pursue their dream of debating Harvard transforms the 3 students who at first seem so ordinary, but who grow so much they strive to fulfill their dream. One would become a lawyer. Another would be a founder of the Congress for Racial Equality and the third, who by the way was the wildest & most irresponsible of the three, would become a minister.
Let's consider that reality in terms of the main character in our gospel lesson. Yes, by walking away from his dream he was able to save a great deal of his financial resources but do you think his decision brought joy into his life? I think the scriptures provide that answer by including these words, "a look of sadness & gloom came over his face". Friends, dreams do come with a price but it is always a price that is well worth paying because our passionate response to the dreams & hopes we have for ourselves & our loved ones will transform our lives also! Today, we have ordained 4 well qualified people to serve on our Consistory as the spiritual leaders of this congregation. I hope for them & for all of us we understand that our role within this Church is part of the dreams & visions that God has blessed us to have! For isn't that the meaning of the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi which is on today's bulletin cover, "Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace". Whether it is a famous minister who had a dream to make our nation an even greater nation; or a group of young college students who felt they could debate the greatest known debate team in America; or a rich young ruler who could have been one of our Lord's first disciples, all of these characters & ourselves are called to be instruments of God's peace.
So, Consistory get ready for planning for a year of vision & ministry. Church family get ready to provide your time, talents and treasures. Parents get ready to do everything possible to bring out the full potential of your children. Business people; teachers; professionals realize that your daily labor is an opportunity to serve as an instrument of God's peace for the loved ones you provide for as well as the students & public you serve.
Pastor Stephen Giordano — January 20, 2008