11 Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; ¹² the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; ¹³ let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴ Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

When it comes to shopping, I am the consummate guy: the less time that I have to spend trying on new and different stuff the better. After all, in my head those clothes that are still in my dresser or my closet, you know, the clothes that I have had for the last 10 years (and yes, they do look like I have had them for 10 years), those clothes are just fine. Holes? Stains? It doesn’t matter, because they’re the clothes that I know and am comfortable with. I’ll stick with those.

The truth of the matter is, many of those cloths need to be donated, or even thrown out, so that new clothes can take their place.

In so many ways, this passage feels like Paul is asking the members of the church in Rome to reassess what is in their closet. It’s like he’s saying, "I know that you think what you are wearing is alright…but trust me, you can and should wear better. But that’s okay, because I have the perfect outfit for you, so come and try it on! It’ll look great!"

Of course what Paul is referring to is not clothing that was actually worn, but instead, the lifestyle characteristics that were exhibited. The 10 Commandments are one way to define the lifestyle of a believer in God. But in and through the words and example of Jesus Christ, as we reiterate every week, those 10 commandments can be boiled down into two: Love God, and love your neighbor. Paul is telling us that if we do those two things (which we all know means so much more than a simple two things), then we are putting on those new clothes, that armor of light, and stepping out into the world showing what it means to live for God, and not for ourselves. Putting on the clothing of loving your neighbor is exhibiting a life that is unselfish, and instead recognizes that in God’s define providence, if we care for others, if we love our neighbors as God first loved us, then we will be supported in all the areas of need that will come upon our doorstep. You’ve got to put on those new clothes. You’ve got to put on that armor of light.

So what does that mean for us, here at St. John’s in the here and now? This is where the whole dreaming theme becomes part of the equation. Dreaming through the Holy Spirit, having the courage to articulate those dreams, and then the dexterity to follow through and implement the dreams that have been placed upon our hearts is an amazingly wonderful way to put on that armor of light, to love our neighbors, to focus, not on ourselves, but instead upon God.

So for those of you who haven’t read the Kerk or don’t have a photographic memory, let me read the list that I put out there for you to digest a week or so ago.

Have at least 12 small groups (6 to 8 people each) in place by spring of 2010 (for a total

of 72 to 96 people connected through small groups)

Employ an Associate for Youth Ministry who will lead weekly youth group gatherings

for both middle school and high school age children

Implement a weekly Christian ‘story time’ play group (both day time and evening

Host support group meetings for various needs

Identify appropriate Office for the Aging programming for our space and invite them to

start new sessions

Develop a concert series that offers uplifting spiritual music of all sorts (at least 4

performances per year)

Develop and offer a worship service that utilizes more contemporary music and may be

offered in an evening setting

Videotape worship services for congregational use and for use on PANDA

Develop a group to write to all of our family of faith who are in the military or college at

least 3 times per year

Daily Devotional written by our congregation and sent through email to the greater

family of faith

Monthly senior luncheon with program

Positive Christian presence in Community through volunteerism

Host a Youth Workcamp by summer 2011

Congregational Retreat in 2009

Let me assure you, that the dreaming list that I have put before you, is not some sort of a list where I, or the pastoral staff, or other segments of the congregation, are going to try and bring all of these ideas into fruition just to say that we are doing them, or tried to do them.

Instead, they are ways to try and reach out in love to our neighbor, put on that armor of light and live the sort of life that we are called to live as disciples of the risen Christ. Look at that list through the lens of loving your neighbor. What you will see are ideas that are attempting to allow the light of God’s love to be felt by everyone, whether or not they consider themselves to be a part of this family of faith.

Now I have no problems admitting that some of these ideas will never come to fruition. I’m okay with that and here’s why. As this list has begun to circulate, some of you have heard variations of the dreams that have had placed upon your heart. You’ve begun to share those dreams and as those dreams begin to come to the surface, as that armor of light is being tried on, the will of God is being done. As Christians our goal should be to live a life that allows the will of God to be done. We say it in the Lord’s Prayer every week, "Thy will be done". When we put on that armor of light, when we begin to dream and allow God’s Spirit to bring those dreams into reality, the will of God is done.

This past Thursday, I sat down with the Ladies of the Scudder Circle and I talked about the Dreaming List. When I was done, Evie Seils spoke up and said, "I’ve been having a dream too. I was dreaming and thinking that we, as a Scudder Circle should write the kids who have headed off to college." She mentioned how she wasn’t able to see off some of the kids who started their freshman year a few weeks ago.

She continued by saying, "then I read your Kerk article", (in reference to writing the college and military members of the family of faith three times a year) "and I thought, that’s even better! We should do that!"

When I caught up with her later that afternoon, she told me that Scudder was going to spearhead that writing effort beginning in October.

And that’s just one example. I’ve already had three other people talk with me both about how they were resonating with one or another of the dreams that I wrote about, or dreams that they have been having in regards to how St. John’s might be able to reach out, and love our neighbors by putting on the armor of God’s light. I cannot fully explain to you how exciting it is to feel that kind of momentum beginning to take shape.

My prayer is that each of us will look into our hearts and ask the question, "how is God calling me to put on the armor of light? How is God calling me to love my neighbor?" Some of you may find your answer in that dreaming list. Others of us will begin to articulate new and even greater dreams. Whatever the case may be, put on the armor of light that Paul has called for us to put on. Try it on! It will look great on you! And that doesn’t even take into consideration all the ways that the world will be lifted up when you do.

It’s time to dream. It’s time to love our neighbor and do so in new ways. It is time to put on the armor of light!

O most holy and blessed God, You have called for each one of to take on the armor of light, to love our neighbors as You have first loved us. We know that this can be scary, we know that it can be hard, but we trust and know that in You, the dreams that You have put upon our hearts can begin to grow into Your will being done. Lord, let it be so. It is in Jesus’ name that we do pray. Amen.