God’s Word is a magnificent treasure that we have inherited. This treasure is not one to be relegated to a dusty shelf but is to be shared, illuminating the path for countless generations. This is our primary mission, our noble endeavor. Now, this Word is far more than a mere collection of instructions or a manual. It is our steadfast guide through the journey of life. When the seas of life grow turbulent, and the storms rage fiercely, it is this Word that serves as our anchor, providing us with unwavering stability and strength. Thus, we turn to God with a humble-yet-urgent request: “Keep us steadfast in your Word.” For this mission transcends the present. It’s about safeguarding a legacy that will endure forever. We are speaking of maintaining the essence of this Word, spreading its wisdom and light to all generations, as long as the world continues to turn—both on its axis and from the truth of God’s almighty will. This is our vision, our enduring hope, and with unity and determination, it’s a vision we can bring to fruition through the doggedness of the Holy Spirit. How in your daily lives do you strive to uphold this sacred duty? How do you contribute to keeping the light of God’s Word burning brightly for all who follow?
Let us pray. May the Words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.
So, a little checkup, if you will.
Raise your hand if you read the bulletin last week. The whole bulletin. It’s okay. It’s not a test. I’m going to reference the Worship Matters part of the bulletin today.
But first—a plug.
Read the bulletin. It has lots of good stuff in it that gives context to what we’re doing in worship each week and why. The Worship Matters blurb each week connects something going on during worship and tells you why it’s important. Even if you think you know already, maybe you’ll learn something new to add to what you already know.
Last week, our second lesson talked of the inheritance of the saints, and the Worship Matters blurb included a quote from a theologian named Jarsoslav Pelikan. That quote said, “Tradition is the living faith of the dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.” What does this mean? We have an idea about what tradition is, but let’s delve deeper.
Today, we have a very special story from the Gospel, one that appears in all four of the canonical gospels. It’s the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, and it’s a story that’s very important to us.
Many people think of this story as an example of God providing for our bodily needs. And that’s true, it certainly is. But there’s even more to it. This story shows us the essence of tradition—as nourishment. When Jesus fed those five thousand people with just five loaves of bread and two fish, we see how even the simplest gifts can be transformed into abundance through God’s grace. This miracle, passed down through generations, is one of the cornerstone stories of our Christian faith, nourishing our understanding of God’s compassion. This story of the feeding of the five thousand isn’t just a historical event, though. It’s a living testament that continues to inspire and sustain our faith today. It’s part of our tradition.
Tradition, when seen as the living faith of those who came before us, provides us with a deep well of wisdom and spiritual insight. The apostles’ actions—gathering around Jesus, sharing their experiences, and following his command to feed the crowd—reflect a strong tradition of community, service, and active faith. This tradition is not fixed. It grows and adapts. It gives us continuous nourishment. It guides us. By engaging with these traditions, we connect with the faith of past generations and gain strength and insight for today’s challenges.
On the other hand, traditionalism, which is the dead faith of the living, turns these vibrant traditions into empty rituals or burdensome hangovers. This can happen in the church when we follow certain practices or hold onto theological ideas without understanding their true meaning or relevance. Sometimes, our insistence on doing things a certain way can create barriers rather than connections and make the church feel distant and unwelcoming. For instance, take the debates over issues like women in leadership or marriage for same-sex couples. These debates, often rooted in sincerely held faithfulness to tradition, drive others away from a community, from the church, whose faithfulness isn’t to be adhered to tradition or a historic understanding, but to God and his revelation of radical love that shakes our traditionalism.
In our own church, here at Emanuel, traditionalism rears its ugly head when committees and events become routine and lose their original joy and purpose. Annual events that used to bring people together feel like chores if we forget why we started them in the first place. Policies meant to guide us become frustrating if we stick to them too rigidly without considering current needs. These so-called traditions can drain our energy instead of nourishing us.
The disciples’ first reaction to send the crowd away to find food shows how traditionalism can limit our vision. But Jesus’ instruction to feed the crowd themselves calls us to go beyond traditionalism and embrace a living tradition of faith in action. This living tradition challenges us to act with compassion and trust in God’s abundance. It keeps our relationship with God vibrant and impactful—not just for us, but for those God charges us to serve, to nourish.
Tradition, as nourishment, empowers us to fulfill our calling. Just as physical nourishment gives us energy for daily tasks, spiritual nourishment from tradition equips us to carry out the mission Jesus entrusts to his disciples. Jesus feeding the five thousand satisfied both physical and spiritual hunger—preparing the disciples for their ministry in body and soul. Tradition should be seen not just as a set of doctrines or practices, but as a vital source of strength and inspiration for real, meaningful, concrete, effectual action.
The church speaks of “apostolic tradition,” which means the teachings and practices passed from Jesus to the apostles to us. This tradition emphasizes being sent out to share Christ’s message. The apostles weren’t just learners. The apostles were active participants in Jesus’ mission, tasked with spreading the gospel. The very title “apostle” comes from the Greek word for someone who has been sent. We, too, are sent out as apostles, nourished by Jesus to nourish others.
It’s easy for a church to become a place where we just come to hear the old comforting story. But the true purpose of church is to equip and send out disciples to continue Jesus’ work. The miracle of the loaves and fishes, followed by Jesus walking on water and healing the sick, shows the continuity of this mission and the need for active engagement. Tradition nourishes us so we can nourish others. It puts skin and muscle on a living faith that moves us beyond our church walls into the world.
The greatest tradition we have is the Word of God. The Word reveals truth and shows us the nature of our reality and God’s desire. More importantly, it shows how our nature and God’s intersect in our relationship with God, made real in Jesus’ love. This Word, shared by faithful forefathers and foremothers, tells the story of God’s love. It’s our story and our tradition. God nourishes us with this Word and sends us out to feed those who hunger for mercy, grace, and love.
But the Word of God isn’t just a text to be read. It’s the living tradition that breathes life into our faith and actions. The truths in Scripture help us understand ourselves and our relationship with God. This relationship, made real in Jesus, is where God’s desire meets our reality. By passing down this sacred story, our forebears gave us a rich source of spiritual nourishment.
As we’re nourished by the Word, we’re also called to act on it. The tradition of the Word isn’t an end in itself but a way to fulfill our mission as Jesus’ disciples, even as apostles ourselves. Just as Jesus’ teachings and miracles brought hope and healing, we are sent out to share mercy, grace, and love. Our congregation, Emanuel is a place of empowerment, where we’re fed by the Word and inspired by the Holy Spirit to carry God’s peace and love with us into the world. When embracing this tradition, we fulfill our apostolic calling and help ensure that the living faith of the past continues to nourish lives today and in the future.
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Rev'd Daniel W. Spigelmyer, Jr. 