Jer 29:1-14. Preached at Waterloo, Ont, Jl 4 2001

Sartison, Telmar G.

English

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 32Issue 2 Cultural Reception of the Gospel Article 85-1-2008For surely I know the plans I have for youTelmar G. SartisonFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Sermons is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationSartison, Telmar G. (2008) "For surely I know the plans I have for you ," Consensus: Vol. 32 : Iss. 2 , Article 8.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol32/iss2/8HISTORICAL SERIES, 13For Surely I Know the Plans I Have For YouTelmor G. SartisonNational Bishop (Ret.),Evangelical Lutheran Church In CanadaCalgary, Alberta(The Rev. Telmor G. Sartison was the second National Bishop of theEvangelical Lutheran Church in Canada [ELCIC], serving in thisministry from 1993 to 2001, when he retired. This sermon waspreached at the Opening Service of the Church’s eighth biennialconvention on 4 July 2001, held in Waterloo, Ontario, and thus hislast official address to the Church. Prior to this ministry he had beenthe first Bishop of the Saskatchewan Synod of the ELCIC, 1986 to1993.)Text: Jeremiah 29: 1-14Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord JesusChrist. It has been a marvellous eight years in this office, and beforethat, eight years in the Saskatchewan Synod. I have enjoyed this callimmensely. I have been pushed to the limits of my endurance; attimes I have been pushed past the limits of my ability. I thank God forthe whole experience.Over the period of nineteen years in Synodical and National calls,the travel loses its shine, but the people and the events at the other endof each journey always makes it worthwhile. You, dear sisters andbrothers in Christ, make it worthwhile. Thanks be to God! What aprivilege you have given me to serve as your Bishop.But there is a turn in the road. I look forward to that turn. It is gift.It is opportunity. It is time to exercise my life and my vocation inanother direction.Where to from here? We have talked and prayed about that. TheHoly Spirit will lead, as in the past. We have heard and lived with thepromise: For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.It’s interesting to discover the words and advice that come yourway when you set your mind to retire. A friend sent these words by111Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2008email a couple of weeks ago. It is called, “Everything I need to know,I learned from Noah’s Ark.” Here is some of the advice:• Plan ahead – it was not raining when Noah built the ark.• Stay fit – when you are 600 years old, someone may ask youto do something really big.• When you are stressed, float a while. • Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic wasbuilt by professionals.As for me, though, I think I must stick to the promise fromJeremiah: For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.That is the word of God spoken to the people of God byJeremiah. It is our text for this assembly.Unlike us, the people hearing the word from Jeremiah are inexile. They are the leaders and the main movers of the chosen peopleof God. They are in exile. They have been moved out of their countryby the enemy to a place a long way from home. All the furnishingsand vestments of their life are sacked, stolen, and abused. All thatthey held dear, from land and home to temple and worship, are in thehands of the enemy.Home for these people is today’s Israel, but they are in Babylon.They are anxious to get back home. They press their cause with tearsand prayers and outrage and hopelessness. They feel abandoned.“Where is God?” “Cannot God act against the infidel?” “Where is ourprotector?”Listen to their life in exile: They have set themselves apart fromthe society around them. They will be different. Being different willpreserve them and identify them. But the word of God to them is socontrary to this action of separation and hiding! Listen to that wordof the Lord:Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens in your exile and eatwhat they produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters.Multiply where you live. Even in exile. Seek the welfare of the citywhere I have sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for that city, for inits welfare you will find your welfare.To these people, these hopeless, displaced, and frightened people,these people turned in on themselves, these people who live in aghetto of self-concern and self-interest, Jeremiah brings a word from112 Consensushttp://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol32/iss2/8the Lord: For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future withhope.They are crying, they are hurt, and they are afraid. Can they trustthis word? Lord, how about some action now?! We want to seesomething happen. Where are you? Not just a promise, please. Action!Jeremiah continues. Here is the word from God:When you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.When you search for me, you will find me. If you seek me with allyour heart, I will let you find me. I will restore your fortunes. I willgather you from all the nations where I have driven you. I will bringyou back to the place from which I sent you into exile.Note the words: I will hear you; I will let you find me; I willrestore; I will gather; I will bring you back. Promise, promise. Forsurely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for yourwelfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.No fretting. No stewing. No driven into hiding by fear. Instead,“Call upon me, I will hear you.” “Pray to me, I will listen.” “Searchfor me, you will find me.” “Seek me with all your heart, with all yourfears, with all your doubts, with all your questions, with all your sins,with all your honesty. I will let you find me; I will restore; I willgather.” “I will bring you back.”Promise, promise.We are gathered here for many reasons. But this year is more thanan ordinary convention. For one thing, we celebrate the ordination ofwomen in our Church, a gracious, decisive, and hope-filled leap intothe future that was taken by our Church late in the last century. Iremember the discussions and the debate. We heard the call to changedirection. We heard the words, and in faith we acted. I know the plansI have for you, says the Lord.We celebrate a relationship long in progress: the relationship offull communion with the Anglican Church of Canada. This is not amerger. This is the table of the Lord open to one another’s members,a recognition of ministries, confirmations, and ordinations. This is thefirst of what I hope will be many agreements between ourselves andother denominations to commune together and to work together.It is a bold step in our expression of unity in Christ, but acarefully worked through step. It is new to us. But we have heard thecall to exercise our unity in Christ and in faith to act.For Surely I Know the Plans 113Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2008I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.Through prayer, conversation, and decision we will elect a newBishop. There is excitement in the air. We all have our ideas aboutwho the person should be. People are willing to let their names stand.One will surface in what can be for others a painful process ofselection and call. Some candidates will express relief. Some willexperience pain. Some will ask, “Where to from here, Lord?”For this whole Church and for all the candidates, God’s wordfrom Jeremiah is a good word to us today: I know the plans I have foryou, says the Lord. You see, we begin this journey with promise.We are Christ’s body, the church. We conduct our business in theall-too-human ways we understand, and trust in the promise of God.It is God who in Christ created and gives life to the whole creation. Itis God who in Christ created and gives life to the church. It is Godwho through Christ paints such variety in this magnificent and savedcommunity of sinners. Why should we ever bother to be afraid?We are the people of hope. We hope in the promises of God. Forsurely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for yourwelfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.Call. Search. Seek. I will hear. I will let you find me. I willrestore, gather, and bring you home. Amen.114 Consensushttp://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol32/iss2/8

For surely I know the plans I have for you

Scholars Commons

Consensus
Volume 32
Issue 2 Cultural Reception of the Gospel Article 8
5-1-2008
For surely I know the plans I have for you
Telmar G. Sartison
Follow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus
This Sermons is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by an
authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.
Recommended Citation
Sartison, Telmar G. (2008) "For surely I know the plans I have for you ," Consensus: Vol. 32 : Iss. 2 , Article 8.
Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol32/iss2/8
HISTORICAL SERIES, 13
For Surely I Know the Plans I Have For You
Telmor G. Sartison
National Bishop (Ret.),
Evangelical Lutheran Church In Canada
Calgary, Alberta
(The Rev. Telmor G. Sartison was the second National Bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada [ELCIC], serving in this
ministry from 1993 to 2001, when he retired. This sermon was
preached at the Opening Service of the Church’s eighth biennial
convention on 4 July 2001, held in Waterloo, Ontario, and thus his
last official address to the Church. Prior to this ministry he had been
the first Bishop of the Saskatchewan Synod of the ELCIC, 1986 to
1993.)
Text: Jeremiah 29: 1-14
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. It has been a marvellous eight years in this office, and before
that, eight years in the Saskatchewan Synod. I have enjoyed this call
immensely. I have been pushed to the limits of my endurance; at
times I have been pushed past the limits of my ability. I thank God for
the whole experience.
Over the period of nineteen years in Synodical and National calls,
the travel loses its shine, but the people and the events at the other end
of each journey always makes it worthwhile. You, dear sisters and
brothers in Christ, make it worthwhile. Thanks be to God! What a
privilege you have given me to serve as your Bishop.
But there is a turn in the road. I look forward to that turn. It is gift.
It is opportunity. It is time to exercise my life and my vocation in
another direction.
Where to from here? We have talked and prayed about that. The
Holy Spirit will lead, as in the past. We have heard and lived with the
promise: For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,
plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.
It’s interesting to discover the words and advice that come your
way when you set your mind to retire. A friend sent these words by
111
Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2008
email a couple of weeks ago. It is called, “Everything I need to know,
I learned from Noah’s Ark.” Here is some of the advice:
• Plan ahead – it was not raining when Noah built the ark.
• Stay fit – when you are 600 years old, someone may ask you
to do something really big.
• When you are stressed, float a while. 
• Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was
built by professionals.
As for me, though, I think I must stick to the promise from
Jeremiah: For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,
plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.
That is the word of God spoken to the people of God by
Jeremiah. It is our text for this assembly.
Unlike us, the people hearing the word from Jeremiah are in
exile. They are the leaders and the main movers of the chosen people
of God. They are in exile. They have been moved out of their country
by the enemy to a place a long way from home. All the furnishings
and vestments of their life are sacked, stolen, and abused. All that
they held dear, from land and home to temple and worship, are in the
hands of the enemy.
Home for these people is today’s Israel, but they are in Babylon.
They are anxious to get back home. They press their cause with tears
and prayers and outrage and hopelessness. They feel abandoned.
“Where is God?” “Cannot God act against the infidel?” “Where is our
protector?”
Listen to their life in exile: They have set themselves apart from
the society around them. They will be different. Being different will
preserve them and identify them. But the word of God to them is so
contrary to this action of separation and hiding! Listen to that word
of the Lord:
Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens in your exile and eat
what they produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters.
Multiply where you live. Even in exile. Seek the welfare of the city
where I have sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for that city, for in
its welfare you will find your welfare.
To these people, these hopeless, displaced, and frightened people,
these people turned in on themselves, these people who live in a
ghetto of self-concern and self-interest, Jeremiah brings a word from
112 Consensus
http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol32/iss2/8
the Lord: For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,
plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with
hope.
They are crying, they are hurt, and they are afraid. Can they trust
this word? Lord, how about some action now?! We want to see
something happen. Where are you? Not just a promise, please. Action!
Jeremiah continues. Here is the word from God:
When you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.
When you search for me, you will find me. If you seek me with all
your heart, I will let you find me. I will restore your fortunes. I will
gather you from all the nations where I have driven you. I will bring
you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
Note the words: I will hear you; I will let you find me; I will
restore; I will gather; I will bring you back. Promise, promise. For
surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your
welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.
No fretting. No stewing. No driven into hiding by fear. Instead,
“Call upon me, I will hear you.” “Pray to me, I will listen.” “Search
for me, you will find me.” “Seek me with all your heart, with all your
fears, with all your doubts, with all your questions, with all your sins,
with all your honesty. I will let you find me; I will restore; I will
gather.” “I will bring you back.”
Promise, promise.
We are gathered here for many reasons. But this year is more than
an ordinary convention. For one thing, we celebrate the ordination of
women in our Church, a gracious, decisive, and hope-filled leap into
the future that was taken by our Church late in the last century. I
remember the discussions and the debate. We heard the call to change
direction. We heard the words, and in faith we acted. I know the plans
I have for you, says the Lord.
We celebrate a relationship long in progress: the relationship of
full communion with the Anglican Church of Canada. This is not a
merger. This is the table of the Lord open to one another’s members,
a recognition of ministries, confirmations, and ordinations. This is the
first of what I hope will be many agreements between ourselves and
other denominations to commune together and to work together.
It is a bold step in our expression of unity in Christ, but a
carefully worked through step. It is new to us. But we have heard the
call to exercise our unity in Christ and in faith to act.
For Surely I Know the Plans 113
Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 2008
I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.
Through prayer, conversation, and decision we will elect a new
Bishop. There is excitement in the air. We all have our ideas about
who the person should be. People are willing to let their names stand.
One will surface in what can be for others a painful process of
selection and call. Some candidates will express relief. Some will
experience pain. Some will ask, “Where to from here, Lord?”
For this whole Church and for all the candidates, God’s word
from Jeremiah is a good word to us today: I know the plans I have for
you, says the Lord. You see, we begin this journey with promise.
We are Christ’s body, the church. We conduct our business in the
all-too-human ways we understand, and trust in the promise of God.
It is God who in Christ created and gives life to the whole creation. It
is God who in Christ created and gives life to the church. It is God
who through Christ paints such variety in this magnificent and saved
community of sinners. Why should we ever bother to be afraid?
We are the people of hope. We hope in the promises of God. For
surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your
welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.
Call. Search. Seek. I will hear. I will let you find me. I will
restore, gather, and bring you home. Amen.
114 Consensus
http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol32/iss2/8


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For surely I know the plans I have for you

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