Introduction: Did you hear it on the news? He said to the Mideastern country and its despotic ruler, you'd better change your ways by the deadline, or certain destruction will follow. Did you hear it in the news? No, you heard it in the First Lesson. We're not talking about George, we're talking about Jonah. That was a turning point. Judgement was pronounced on Ninevah, the people repented, and they were spared.

Life has those times; history is full of them. If William the Conqueror would have lost the Battle of Hastings in 1066, you'd be speaking German! That was a turning point.

At the Battle of Waterloo, if the Prussians hadn't gotten there, at the very end of the battle, Napoleon would have won, Wellington would have lost, and maybe you'd be speaking French today. That was a turning point.

If Woodrow Wilson had talked England and France in being kind to Germany at the end of WWI, perhaps there would never had been a Hitler. That was a turning point.

And if D-Day had been a failure, maybe the French would now be speaking German! D-Day was a turning point.

I remember one Friday morning in the early '60's, when a bunch of us fourth graders sat with our teacher, discussing the Russian missiles in Cuba. Kennedy had given Krushchev an ultimatum the night before. We sat for a couple hours and discussed what the chances were that we'd have school the next Monday. Of if we'd have a school by the next Monday morning! That was a turning point. And if that had turned out a different way... maybe none of us would be speaking... anything!

I) The Turning Point in our Texts and Us!

One day, one moment, and all the world changes. It's a turning point. It happens to families by hospital beds, in a law court or wonderfully at the birth of a baby.

That's what's going on in the Jonah story. A turning point. Our Gospel story is a terrible turning point. Judas betrays Jesus. Jesus gives himself into their hands. The stage is set for the crucifixion.

And there is another turning point, at the end of our Second Lesson: (Col. 1:21-22) [21] Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. [22] But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--

Each of you who believe have had a turning point. None of us are born as believers. That covenant comes to us as promises come to us in Baptism as God creates that covenant, which faith fulfills. God always creates covenants, and God's people respond. That's what it was with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and David.

Covenant- that's a turning point. Or that covenant is established when the Word breaks in before baptism and creates the response of faith. Each one of us comes into a relationship with Christ through the power of his Gospel, by his innocent suffering and death. Baptism, the Lord's Supper, hearing and responding- those are all turning points. Something 'gives.' Something snaps, it changes. Faith is a violent thing, as Matthew says, (Matthew 11:12) From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and people of violence take it by force. We are people of a spiritual violence; faith is always about a turning away, a new birth, a turning point, a struggle, of surrender and repentance. Faith is about turning points. It's as natural to faith as seeds sprouting.

This is a hard thing to talk about in a church that has become institutional, and comfortable, with people who have been Christians so long they can't imagine anything else. But that faith in you was once bright and new. It had come with struggle. It had cost you something. It had sharp edges. There was once a fear of turning back. Do you remember those turning points in your faith? You were there. God was there. God was faithful.

I would guess that in every life there have been other turning points. We go through those 'snapping' times; in an instant everything changes. That happens when somebody dies, or we're unemployed, or we face divorce, or life is suddenly uncertain. We don't like those times, but in virtually every life, those painful, very difficult times teach us more about God than any other times. Those very points, those difficult times are the times we remember the grace of God and his deep love the most. They become our own personal 'Old Testament' of stories of God's faithfulness. These become the learning times, the points we experience the powerful presence of God in the midst of times that are the hardest. I remember having felt God's presence in the most miraculous ways when I've been in the most difficult of circumstances, like struggling with God's call, like the death of my father or like times of personal attack or even unemployment. I did not enjoy those times, and I never, ever want to go through them again. But in those times God was closer to me than at any other time in my life. His grace was sufficient. Those were turning points. We remember the turning points.

Do you remember anything about December 6, 1941? Or November 21, 1963? How about September 10, 2001? The turning points shape us. And spiritually, when we go through the struggles, they shape us.

II) A Congregation Goes Through Turning Points

This congregation was forged in struggle. This congregation marks and remembers many turning points. Immigrants came, and before they could afford to buy a house, or even speak English, they came together and bought a tiny church, made of boards. There were stone churches being built here at the same time. Our people couldn't dream of affording to build with stone. When our baby congregation was just 16 years old, undoubtably some of our members passed by this building as it was being built, and must have wondered at what type of wealth these Americans had that they could build such a magnificent stone building! Finally, in the mid-1920's our people bought a used stone building--just before the Depression set in! That was a double turning point. They struggled, they dreamed, and God brought them through.

In series of crises they made it through the 30's and 40's, and those hard years shaped St. Paul's. There were many turning points. In the midst of the very hardest of times, first with many unemployed, and then as their sons were sent off to die around the globe, St. Paul's helped build LBI, put on multiple radio programs, aggressively held tent meetings and sent out Philip Hanson as our traveling evangelist. One congregation did all that. Sometimes they had to pass the offering plate several times in one service, until enough funds were gathered for the week!

Then the 50's came, the freeway took our building, and you took on the challenge of giving a new life to this magnificent old building. You decided to stay in the city. I think the most significant event in our history was the march to this site, on Palm Sunday, 1965. That was a turning point. God brought you through.

So many changes since 1965. The struggle about which synod to joint in 1987; then it looked like the freeway would take the building again; in the mid-90's we lived through the 'Crack Wars.' In the last 20 years, we've had several turning points. Over and over again, we've seen God's faithfulness, and he has brought us through. Today once again we're involved in a lot of education, with Luther Seminary, Bethany College of Missions, the Associated Free Lutheran Bible School and our own School of Urban Ministry. God is opening doors as fast as we can run through them. Our congregation is joyously coming to a turning point.

Today our country faces a turning point. We live in a time when we wait to see what these upcoming weeks will bring. We pray for peace, but we hear the preparations for war on every news broadcast. Allies are turning their backs and pundits warn of terrorists hitting us at home. This week I've heard long discussions on dirty bombs, suitcase nuclear weapons and biological attacks. We're beginning to face anxiety. We don't like anxiety.

The world will change. This crisis will be followed by many more, as has been true for every generation in human history.

III) You Go Through Turning Points

The key to these turning points is faith. You have no other weapon. What is your greatest fear? Whether you fear the death of a loved one, or unemployment or cancer, or a nuclear attack - whatever your greatest fear, in these things you are virtually helpless. But our God isn't, and he is not going to let you go. We look toward a good future, an optimistic future, because we know who holds the future.

I am not a Pollyanna, who believes everything will always be 'just wonderful!' Life is not always wonderful! I've buried far too many friends. Life is full of pain and disappointment, because sin is universal, and none of us are going to get out of this life alive- unless Jesus comes back. But we face our future in this world and our eternity with great optimism because we have a Lord who will never let us go. Period. We have great hope and optimism because we have seen time and time again how our Lord provides, protects and comforts.

Our country is coming to a turning point. Our neighborhood is coming to a turning point. Our congregation is coming to turning point. Maybe you are coming to a turning point. We don't have to fear. Turning points are a time for faith. Turning points are the key time for growth in faith. This is when God really works. We can be wildly optimistic about our Lord, because he keeps his promises. We have great, optimistic hope. Because our Lord is alive. As Philip Hanson said so often, "Isn't it good we have a living hope." We don't just have hope, our hope is a living hope, because we have a living Lord!

All the human history we study is the list of turning points. Those are the times we remember. The same is true turning points in faith. We remember, because we learn Jesus remembers us.

Maybe today is a turning point for you. Maybe you've been struggling with what it means to trust Jesus Christ. Maybe you're struggling in some area of your life today. Maybe you're struggling with trusting him with your future, trusting him with your family, trusting him with your past; trusting him with surrendering your life to him. Today's the day. Today can be your turning point of letting that go. He calls you to follow him. He calls you to let go. He calls you to trust him in the midst of your turning points. He's really good at that. Amen.

Tzaruch shemirah hasof eah