October 28, 2007 "Humility"
A GOOD MAN LOST AND A BAD MAN SAVED
(Luke 18:9 NRSV) He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt:
(Luke 18:10 NRSV) "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
(Luke 18:11 NRSV) The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
(Luke 18:12 NRSV) I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.'
(Luke 18:13 NRSV) But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'
(Luke 18:14 NRSV) I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted."
Here is an interesting poem that I found in my files this past week. It is called, “Being Sure.”
In an airport one night
With several long hours
Before her flight.
She hunted for a book
In an airport shop,
Bought a bag of cookies
And found a place to drop.
She was engrossed in her book
But happened to see,
That the man sitting beside her,
As bold as could be,
Grabbed a cookie or two
From the bag in between,
Which she tried to ignore
To avoid a scene.
So she munched the cookies
And watched the clock,
As the gutsy cookie thief
Diminished her stock.
She was getting more irritated
As the minutes ticked by,
Thinking, "If I wasn't so nice,
I would blacken his eye."
With each cookie she took,
He took one too,
When only one was left,
She wondered what he would do.
With a smile on his face,
And a nervous laugh,
He took the last cookie
And broke it in half.
He offered her half,
As he ate the other,
She snatched it from him
And thought....ooh, brother!
This guy had some nerve
And he's also rude,
Why he didn't even show
Any gratitude!
She had never known
When she had been so galled,
And sighed with relief
When her flight was called.
She gathered her belongings
And headed to the gate,
Refusing to look back
At the thieving ingrate.
She boarded the plane,
And sank in her seat,
Then she sought her book,
Which was almost complete.
As she reached in her baggage,
She gasped with surprise,
There was her bag of cookies,
In front of her eyes.
If mine are here,
She moaned in despair,
The others were his,
And he tried to share.
Too late to apologize,
She realized with grief,
That she was the rude one,
The ingrate, the thief!
How many times have we absolutely known that something was a certain way,
only to discover later that what we believed to be true....was not? We call such things misperceptions.
Here was a well-meaning Pharisee who thought that he was good enough. He avoided the things he should and did even beyond what was expected. His problem? He was full of himself, which left no room for mercy or compassion for another. His religion, then, was a failure, for it was a religion that excluded instead of included. He was a good man lost. He was self-reliant. He didn’t need a savior.
Then there was the bad man saved! How, you might ask? Because he saw himself for who he was – a sinner! He was not full of self. He was utterly reliant on God to forgive him and to restore him. He needed a savior. He was truly humble!
There are 5 things that you and I must exhibit in order to be truly humble.
Ground yourself in God’s love
Let me share something with you from the book that the Ladies’ Bible Study is reading. It is Max Lucado’s 3:16. Susan read part of Chapter 4 to me this past week. In that chapter you will find the story of George Matheson:
George Matheson learned to depend on his [God’s] love. He was only a teenager when doctors told him he was going blind. Not to be denied, he pursued his studies, graduating from the University of Glasgow in 1861 at the age of nineteen. By the time he finished graduate seminary studies, he was sightless.
His fiancée returned his engagement ring with a note: “I can not see my way clear to go through life bound by the chains of marriage to a blind man.”
Matheson never married. He adapted to his sightless world but never recovered from his broken heart. He became a powerful and poetic pastor, led a full and inspiring life. Yet occasionally the pain of his unrequited affection flared up, as it did decades later at his sister’s wedding. The ceremony brought back memories of the love he had lost. In response, he turned to the unending love of God for comfort and penned these words on June 6, 1882:
O love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee; I give thee back the life I owe, that in thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be. (Lucado, pp. 35-36).
You will find the complete text of this hymn on page # 480 in our hymnal. George was a man who understood God’s love, even in the midst of a painful rejection, he relied on the God who loved him without condition. That same God loves you and I the same way. We can’t win God’s love. We can’t lose God’s love. We can resist it, but God still loves! We must immerse ourselves in such a love.
Admit your mistakes
We are all sinners. We continue to sin after we become believers. We are not perfect, but we are perfecting! Admit your mistakes, identify with them to the point that you dare not judge another, because, when you point a finger, you’ve got 3 pointing back at you! This helps us to keep an open mind and an open heart.
Remember, "Always Keep An Open Mind And An Open Heart, Because - You Just Never Know - You might be eating someone else's cookies!”
Learn from your mistakes
Admitting your mistakes is the start, but not the end. If you admit them but never do anything about them, then you are what the Bible calls a “Fool.” A fool never learns from his or her mistakes. A wise person does learn from his or her mistakes. Proverbs 16:21 says, “The wise of heart is called perceptive. Verse 22 continues: “…folly is the punishment of fools…”
Mistakes show us our continuing need of a savior. Mistakes show us what needs perfecting. Mistakes help keep us humble. Remember our marquee: “Be humble or stumble.”
Boast of the things of God – not the things of self!
The Pharisee was stuck on himself. How much better to be unstuck on self and stuck on the power of God. Really, God is the only one worthy of praise. It is God that enables us to have, do or be anything!
Finally serve with dignity – not out of fear
Serve, Baby, serve. That should be our motto. But serve out of love for a God so great, not our of fear of punishment or fear of failure. Serve with dignity.
John Fischer writes for “The Purpose Driven Life” daily devotionals, which can be accessed online (purposdrivenlife.com/devotionals; you can sign up to receive one everyday, free, by email). Back in February, he wrote the following article named “Someone Else’s Problems.”
Evangelicals often put being saved and going to heaven in the same sentence, as if heaven were the only goal of our salvation. But the truth is, we are saved to serve. Heaven is important, but heaven can wait. God saves us because he has a job for us to do in his Kingdom here on earth. If heaven is the whole point of our salvation, then what do we do while we wait? Change the channel on our Christian entertainment?
It’s amazing how many of our own problems dissipate when we begin caring about other people’s problems instead of focusing on our own. We’ve picked up some very bad habits from our culture. We have a tendency to be preoccupied with our own needs and constantly trying to fulfill them. Advertising plays into this self-indulgence, promising that one more product will be the thing that will finally satisfy us. The truth of the matter is: Getting will never come close to the satisfaction that giving affords.
Think of someone you know who is truly happy and I venture to guess you will find that someone busy serving others. If, in fact, our troubles will never go away (and I don’t believe they ever will in this life), then to focus on them and try to solve them is going to be nothing but a broken record. Make one problem go away, and watch another one crop up immediately. To give ourselves to the task of attending to the problems of those around us may not make our own problems go away, but it will make them less of a drag. Focusing on our own problems can lead to anxiety, frustration, and even depression. Focusing on other people’s problems leads to usefulness and a greater sense of health.
So today, when we are tempted to look in, to our own needs, let’s look out, instead, to the needs of those around us and see if our own needs diminish by comparison. Who knows, we may even forget about ourselves in the process.
Jesus hung on a cross and thought of those who were putting him there, and even pleaded their case before his Father, because he knew they didn’t realize the full impact of what they were doing. Can you imagine having even a fleeting thought about someone else if you were in that much pain yourself? But that’s just the thing about Jesus: He was always thinking of someone else.
Jesus came to serve. He did it by thinking of you and me. He served with dignity, even when he hung on the cross in the most undignified manner of torture. That is true humility. Only a humble man could do that. That is the power of humility grounded in God’s love. And we have access to that same love through Christ – available to the best of us and to the worse of us! Praise be to God.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
October 14, 2007 - "Thankfulness"
Scripture: Luke 17:11-19
"While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; and they raised their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
When He saw them, He said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they were going, they were cleansed.
Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine--where are they? "Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?"
And He said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has made you well."
A golden anniversary party was thrown for an elderly couple. The husband was moved by the occasion and wanted to tell his wife just how he felt about her. She was very hard of hearing, however, and often misunderstood what he said. With many family members and friends gathered around, he toasted her: “My dear wife, after fifty years I’ve found you tried and true!” Everyone smiled approval, but his wife said, “Eh?” He repeated louder, “AFTER FIFTY YEARS OF MARRIAGE, I’VE FOUND YOU TRIED AND TRUE!” His wife shot back, “Well, let me tell you something – after fifty years of marriage, I’m tired of you, too!”
Speaking of older age, I have come across a top ten list about older age. Here are the top ten ways to know that you are getting old:
10 – You get winded playing chess.
9 – Everything hurts, and what doesn’t hurt doesn’t work.
8 – The gleam in your eyes is from the sun hitting your bifocals.
7 – Your little black book contains only names ending with M.D.
6 – You finally reach the top of the ladder, only to find it leaning against the wrong wall.
5 – Your favorite part of the newspaper is “25 Years Ago.”
4 – Your knee buckles and your belt won’t.
3 – You start burning the midnight oil at 9:00 p.m.
2 – You sink your teeth in a steak and they stay there.
1 – "drum roll please" – Your back goes out more than you do!
Now that is a top ten list that is hard to forget. There is a lot of truth to that one. Jesus encountered a top ten list of his own, one day. It was a top ten list of the most sick people. These particular ten people had the very same disease – leprosy!
Leprosy, the most dreaded disease of the day. As a matter of a fact, it was so feared, both because of the symptoms it caused as well as the ritual uncleanness associated with it, that people who had it had to yell, “Unclean, Unclean” when others were getting too close. They were not allowed to mingle with the populace. They were quarantined and they were isolated. They were left out. They no longer belonged to society. They lived together in leper colonies in the middle of nowhere. They were located, in this instance, between Galilee and Samaria – no man’s land.
Can you think of some diseases today in which people are ostracized? Could you imagine what it would be like for them if they had to advertise their situation, even yelling it out before they got too close: “Aids. Aids.” Or, “Typhoid. Typhoid”? Well, then you could begin to imagine how bad it was for the leper.
To make matters worse, their disease was extremely debilitating. A leper lost the sense of touch wherever it occurred on the body. The disease destroyed the bodies nervous system ending in death.
How then, could it be, that only one leper came a leaping? Jesus marveled, “Were there not 10, and only 1 returned? And at that, a Samaritan?” The Samaritans were not liked by the Jews. But when it came down to showing gratitude, the Jews did not, but the Samaritan did. The Jews should have known better. The Samaritan could have made a case not to return, as he well knew how the Jews felt. But his restoration was more important than age old prejudices. His life was given back to him. He saw the work of God. He was beside himself with joy. He could not wait to find Jesus!!!
What is it about people that they would not bother to say “thanks” for such great a thing?
Well, I have another top ten list to share with you today. It is one of my own doing - the top ten reasons, I think, people fail to give thanks to God:
10 – Many don’t care about giving thanks (because of apathy or too much a bother)
9 – Many don’t know how to give thanks. (haven’t been taught)
8 – Some don’t think they have anything to be thankful for. (common among those who are most negative)
I like what Matthew Henry, the famous Bible Commentator, wrote about being robbed. He found several reasons to be thankful:
“Let me be thankful first because I was never robbed before; second, although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, although they took everything I had, it was not much; and fourth, it was I who was robbed and not someone else.”
Attitudes can be changed with a little practice. Matthew Henry practiced looking for the good in the midst of bad.
7 – Some believe that giving thanks doesn’t do any good. (tried it before, didn’t seem to make things better)
It may not change circumstances, but giving thanks does change people – if practiced regularly.
6 – Some believe they deserve God’s blessings, so why give thanks?
I can see this being the stance of the 9 who did not return. They were the Jews, the chosen ones, who felt they deserved it just because of who they were. This is an “I’m entitled” mentality. It is also a “better than thou attitude” which is very condescending.
5 – Some say, “I didn’t get what I really wanted, so why say thanks?"
This is selfishness for sure. This also assumes that we know what we need better than God does.
4 – Some deny the miraculous or rationalize a miracle as something else. (skeptical about the divine – true gratitude must first admit that “God Is.”)
3 – Some believe that if they give God thanks then they will be obligated to do something for God in return (God doesn’t bless in order to get something from us. It is simply God’s nature to give, period. God wants us to serve Him, but not out of obligation. God wants us to serve Him out of love)
2 – Some believe that they do not deserve God’s blessings, so it would do no good to give thanks (this comes from guilt - believing that one is not good enough. Remember, it is God who makes us “good enough” based on what Christ has done. That is why we must invite Christ into our hearts. Christ had done the work and we get to benefit if we believe)
1 – Many are just too busy. (too many distractions, too much stuff in the way)
Maybe this was the condition of the nine who did not come back. Maybe they had to get to their families, or get their jobs back, or pay on their loans, or get to the stadium to redeem their season tickets to the chariot races. You see what I mean? In every age, time is an issue. Just taking the time to say thanks is the key here. Pause - a comma during the day. It can be before a meal, in the car, on the bus, in the checkout line, before bed, or as we rise. We should plan to use our pauses better than we do. And we should plan to take charge of our schedules so that we can honor a wonderful lord!
Jesus’ last words to the one leaping leper were, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well." The last three words “made you well” carry a deeper meaning in the Greek. They carry the idea of salvation. In effect, Jesus was saying, “…your faith has saved you.”
The nine who did not return did not have the privilege of hearing these words. I can’t help but wonder if gratitude is not a link in the chain of salvation. You can’t give thanks for something that you do not have or do not know about. The one leaping leper knew he met the Lord God. His life was forever changed. His thanksgiving was a proof of receiving this salvation. His faith finalized his healing – even the very healing of his soul!
Scripture: Luke 17:11-19
"While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; and they raised their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
When He saw them, He said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they were going, they were cleansed.
Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine--where are they? "Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?"
And He said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has made you well."
A golden anniversary party was thrown for an elderly couple. The husband was moved by the occasion and wanted to tell his wife just how he felt about her. She was very hard of hearing, however, and often misunderstood what he said. With many family members and friends gathered around, he toasted her: “My dear wife, after fifty years I’ve found you tried and true!” Everyone smiled approval, but his wife said, “Eh?” He repeated louder, “AFTER FIFTY YEARS OF MARRIAGE, I’VE FOUND YOU TRIED AND TRUE!” His wife shot back, “Well, let me tell you something – after fifty years of marriage, I’m tired of you, too!”
Speaking of older age, I have come across a top ten list about older age. Here are the top ten ways to know that you are getting old:
10 – You get winded playing chess.
9 – Everything hurts, and what doesn’t hurt doesn’t work.
8 – The gleam in your eyes is from the sun hitting your bifocals.
7 – Your little black book contains only names ending with M.D.
6 – You finally reach the top of the ladder, only to find it leaning against the wrong wall.
5 – Your favorite part of the newspaper is “25 Years Ago.”
4 – Your knee buckles and your belt won’t.
3 – You start burning the midnight oil at 9:00 p.m.
2 – You sink your teeth in a steak and they stay there.
1 – "drum roll please" – Your back goes out more than you do!
Now that is a top ten list that is hard to forget. There is a lot of truth to that one. Jesus encountered a top ten list of his own, one day. It was a top ten list of the most sick people. These particular ten people had the very same disease – leprosy!
Leprosy, the most dreaded disease of the day. As a matter of a fact, it was so feared, both because of the symptoms it caused as well as the ritual uncleanness associated with it, that people who had it had to yell, “Unclean, Unclean” when others were getting too close. They were not allowed to mingle with the populace. They were quarantined and they were isolated. They were left out. They no longer belonged to society. They lived together in leper colonies in the middle of nowhere. They were located, in this instance, between Galilee and Samaria – no man’s land.
Can you think of some diseases today in which people are ostracized? Could you imagine what it would be like for them if they had to advertise their situation, even yelling it out before they got too close: “Aids. Aids.” Or, “Typhoid. Typhoid”? Well, then you could begin to imagine how bad it was for the leper.
To make matters worse, their disease was extremely debilitating. A leper lost the sense of touch wherever it occurred on the body. The disease destroyed the bodies nervous system ending in death.
How then, could it be, that only one leper came a leaping? Jesus marveled, “Were there not 10, and only 1 returned? And at that, a Samaritan?” The Samaritans were not liked by the Jews. But when it came down to showing gratitude, the Jews did not, but the Samaritan did. The Jews should have known better. The Samaritan could have made a case not to return, as he well knew how the Jews felt. But his restoration was more important than age old prejudices. His life was given back to him. He saw the work of God. He was beside himself with joy. He could not wait to find Jesus!!!
What is it about people that they would not bother to say “thanks” for such great a thing?
Well, I have another top ten list to share with you today. It is one of my own doing - the top ten reasons, I think, people fail to give thanks to God:
10 – Many don’t care about giving thanks (because of apathy or too much a bother)
9 – Many don’t know how to give thanks. (haven’t been taught)
8 – Some don’t think they have anything to be thankful for. (common among those who are most negative)
I like what Matthew Henry, the famous Bible Commentator, wrote about being robbed. He found several reasons to be thankful:
“Let me be thankful first because I was never robbed before; second, although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, although they took everything I had, it was not much; and fourth, it was I who was robbed and not someone else.”
Attitudes can be changed with a little practice. Matthew Henry practiced looking for the good in the midst of bad.
7 – Some believe that giving thanks doesn’t do any good. (tried it before, didn’t seem to make things better)
It may not change circumstances, but giving thanks does change people – if practiced regularly.
6 – Some believe they deserve God’s blessings, so why give thanks?
I can see this being the stance of the 9 who did not return. They were the Jews, the chosen ones, who felt they deserved it just because of who they were. This is an “I’m entitled” mentality. It is also a “better than thou attitude” which is very condescending.
5 – Some say, “I didn’t get what I really wanted, so why say thanks?"
This is selfishness for sure. This also assumes that we know what we need better than God does.
4 – Some deny the miraculous or rationalize a miracle as something else. (skeptical about the divine – true gratitude must first admit that “God Is.”)
3 – Some believe that if they give God thanks then they will be obligated to do something for God in return (God doesn’t bless in order to get something from us. It is simply God’s nature to give, period. God wants us to serve Him, but not out of obligation. God wants us to serve Him out of love)
2 – Some believe that they do not deserve God’s blessings, so it would do no good to give thanks (this comes from guilt - believing that one is not good enough. Remember, it is God who makes us “good enough” based on what Christ has done. That is why we must invite Christ into our hearts. Christ had done the work and we get to benefit if we believe)
1 – Many are just too busy. (too many distractions, too much stuff in the way)
Maybe this was the condition of the nine who did not come back. Maybe they had to get to their families, or get their jobs back, or pay on their loans, or get to the stadium to redeem their season tickets to the chariot races. You see what I mean? In every age, time is an issue. Just taking the time to say thanks is the key here. Pause - a comma during the day. It can be before a meal, in the car, on the bus, in the checkout line, before bed, or as we rise. We should plan to use our pauses better than we do. And we should plan to take charge of our schedules so that we can honor a wonderful lord!
Jesus’ last words to the one leaping leper were, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well." The last three words “made you well” carry a deeper meaning in the Greek. They carry the idea of salvation. In effect, Jesus was saying, “…your faith has saved you.”
The nine who did not return did not have the privilege of hearing these words. I can’t help but wonder if gratitude is not a link in the chain of salvation. You can’t give thanks for something that you do not have or do not know about. The one leaping leper knew he met the Lord God. His life was forever changed. His thanksgiving was a proof of receiving this salvation. His faith finalized his healing – even the very healing of his soul!
Sunday, October 07, 2007
October 7, 2007
Faith
[First Service: Video Clip from "Hook." Initially, only one child believes that Robin Williams' character is Peter Pan. As his little friend looks him over, he discovers that there is something inside of Peter that identifies him as Peter Pan. He himself had forgotten - even buried - his former life as Peter Pan. He needed a refresher course in faith; so do we.]
[Second Service: begin with following illustration] A man fell off a cliff, but managed to grab a tree limb on the way down. The following conversation ensued:
"Is anyone up there?"
"I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?"
"Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can't hang on much longer."
"That's all right, if you really believe you have nothing to worry about. I will save you. Just let go of the branch."
A moment of pause, then: "Is anyone else up there?" (Bits & Pieces, June 24, 1993, p. 3.)
Have you ever felt like that? Not too happy with God's answer to your request? Anyone else up there? The issue in this cute illustration is faith. That is what I am going to preach about today. The sermon title is "Mustard Seeds and Mulberry Trees. Hopefully the connection between the two will make since in a minute.
Scripture: Luke 17:5 - 6 NRSV
"The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith!'
The Lord replied, 'If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you."
The apostles make a valid request. It is one that I think most of us have made: "God, Give me more faith!"
Jesus' reply to the apostles is a surprising one. He effectively says, "You don't need much. Just a little."
Jesus uses a mustard seed as an example of how much faith one would need - a mustard seed - one of the smallest of seeds. If you were not specifically looking for a mustard seed, you would miss it.
The Mulberry tree was probably an aspen tree or a type of poplar tree. It would have looked a lot like a weeping willow and was about the same size.
Jesus was saying, "You just need a little bit of faith to see big results." Faith the size of a mustard seed faith could move a pretty broad tree like a mulberry tree.
As a kid I used to think that if I had enough faith I could literally move a tree. When I tried to exercise such a faith and could not move a tree I felt like I did not have enough faith. As I have put a bit of age on myself, I have come to see that faith in Christ puts us into the plain where, with God, all things are possible. The key is, once we believe in Christ, to develop the faith that we have. A little faith will open doors to great things.
One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll catch you." He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was flame, smoke, and blackness. As can be imagined, he was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling: "Jump! I will catch you." But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can't see you." The father replied, "But I can see you and that's all that matters."
Key # 1 to developing mustard seed size faith and beyond: understand that faith enables us to face life or meet death, not because we can see, but with the certainty that we are seen by God; not that we know all the answers, but that we are known by God.
Ron Butterfield once taught a class of mentally impaired teenagers. Looking at his students' capabilities rather than their limitations, Ron got them to play chess, restore furniture and repair electrical appliances. Most important, he taught them to believe in themselves. Young Bobby soon proved how well he had learned that last lesson. One day he brought in a broken toaster to repair. He carried the toaster tucked under one arm, and a half-loaf of bread under the other. (Edna Butterfield)
Key #2 to developing mustard seed size faith and beyond: if you believe in it, then live like it!
One of my favorite devotional writers is Oswald Chambers. He is probably known best for his book My Utmost for His Highest. Here is what he says about faith: "Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace." (Oswald Chambers in Run Today's Race.)
George Mueller echoes the same thing: "God delights to increase the faith of His children...I say, and say it deliberately--trials, difficulties and sometimes defeat, are the very food of faith...We should take them out of His hands as evidences of His love and care for us in developing more and more that faith which He is seeking to strengthen in us."
Key #3 to developing mustard seed size faith and beyond: trials and tribulations are faith builders. They test the quality of our faith, and they grow our faith when seen from the light of God's overall plan. God is not out to get us. Got is out to grow us. Without trial, there is no way to gage or to grow our faith. If everything were hunky dory, faith would not even be necessary. The fire of trial is meant to refine, causing us to depend even more on God. In such a dependence, we can grow intimate and more trusting. If we choose to be bitter and angry, then we will find ourselves opposed to God's plan of growth. We then begin to short-circuit the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
If we could only hang in there a little longer in trial, trusting God for the outcome, how our faith would grow - from mustard seed size - to mulberry tree - and beyond!
Holy Communion helps to develop our faith. The act itself is full of faith, for faith is the belief in that which we can not see. We do not see Christ, yet Christ is present in Holy Communion in a real and wonderful way. Let us partake together.
Faith
[First Service: Video Clip from "Hook." Initially, only one child believes that Robin Williams' character is Peter Pan. As his little friend looks him over, he discovers that there is something inside of Peter that identifies him as Peter Pan. He himself had forgotten - even buried - his former life as Peter Pan. He needed a refresher course in faith; so do we.]
[Second Service: begin with following illustration] A man fell off a cliff, but managed to grab a tree limb on the way down. The following conversation ensued:
"Is anyone up there?"
"I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?"
"Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can't hang on much longer."
"That's all right, if you really believe you have nothing to worry about. I will save you. Just let go of the branch."
A moment of pause, then: "Is anyone else up there?" (Bits & Pieces, June 24, 1993, p. 3.)
Have you ever felt like that? Not too happy with God's answer to your request? Anyone else up there? The issue in this cute illustration is faith. That is what I am going to preach about today. The sermon title is "Mustard Seeds and Mulberry Trees. Hopefully the connection between the two will make since in a minute.
Scripture: Luke 17:5 - 6 NRSV
"The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith!'
The Lord replied, 'If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you."
The apostles make a valid request. It is one that I think most of us have made: "God, Give me more faith!"
Jesus' reply to the apostles is a surprising one. He effectively says, "You don't need much. Just a little."
Jesus uses a mustard seed as an example of how much faith one would need - a mustard seed - one of the smallest of seeds. If you were not specifically looking for a mustard seed, you would miss it.
The Mulberry tree was probably an aspen tree or a type of poplar tree. It would have looked a lot like a weeping willow and was about the same size.
Jesus was saying, "You just need a little bit of faith to see big results." Faith the size of a mustard seed faith could move a pretty broad tree like a mulberry tree.
As a kid I used to think that if I had enough faith I could literally move a tree. When I tried to exercise such a faith and could not move a tree I felt like I did not have enough faith. As I have put a bit of age on myself, I have come to see that faith in Christ puts us into the plain where, with God, all things are possible. The key is, once we believe in Christ, to develop the faith that we have. A little faith will open doors to great things.
One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll catch you." He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was flame, smoke, and blackness. As can be imagined, he was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling: "Jump! I will catch you." But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can't see you." The father replied, "But I can see you and that's all that matters."
Key # 1 to developing mustard seed size faith and beyond: understand that faith enables us to face life or meet death, not because we can see, but with the certainty that we are seen by God; not that we know all the answers, but that we are known by God.
Ron Butterfield once taught a class of mentally impaired teenagers. Looking at his students' capabilities rather than their limitations, Ron got them to play chess, restore furniture and repair electrical appliances. Most important, he taught them to believe in themselves. Young Bobby soon proved how well he had learned that last lesson. One day he brought in a broken toaster to repair. He carried the toaster tucked under one arm, and a half-loaf of bread under the other. (Edna Butterfield)
Key #2 to developing mustard seed size faith and beyond: if you believe in it, then live like it!
One of my favorite devotional writers is Oswald Chambers. He is probably known best for his book My Utmost for His Highest. Here is what he says about faith: "Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace." (Oswald Chambers in Run Today's Race.)
George Mueller echoes the same thing: "God delights to increase the faith of His children...I say, and say it deliberately--trials, difficulties and sometimes defeat, are the very food of faith...We should take them out of His hands as evidences of His love and care for us in developing more and more that faith which He is seeking to strengthen in us."
Key #3 to developing mustard seed size faith and beyond: trials and tribulations are faith builders. They test the quality of our faith, and they grow our faith when seen from the light of God's overall plan. God is not out to get us. Got is out to grow us. Without trial, there is no way to gage or to grow our faith. If everything were hunky dory, faith would not even be necessary. The fire of trial is meant to refine, causing us to depend even more on God. In such a dependence, we can grow intimate and more trusting. If we choose to be bitter and angry, then we will find ourselves opposed to God's plan of growth. We then begin to short-circuit the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
If we could only hang in there a little longer in trial, trusting God for the outcome, how our faith would grow - from mustard seed size - to mulberry tree - and beyond!
Holy Communion helps to develop our faith. The act itself is full of faith, for faith is the belief in that which we can not see. We do not see Christ, yet Christ is present in Holy Communion in a real and wonderful way. Let us partake together.
Friday, October 05, 2007
September 30, 2007
"CONTENTMENT or The Life that Really is Life "
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Timothy 6: 1 - 19 NRSV
"Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time--he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life."
Before movie companies were careful about Swahili translations--assuming no one in the U.S. would understand--a director needed an African messenger who was to gasp out a sentence to the big chief, collapsing as he delivered his message, since he had run for days with his vital news. A local Englishman who spoke Swahili was asked to write an urgent-sounding sentence in the language. He did, tongue in cheek. An American actor played the part beautifully. All went well until the movie was shown in Nairobi (where everyone spoke Swahili, of course). The drama of the moment was reduced to high comedy. What the messenger actually said as he threw himself, exhausted, before the chief was, "I do not think I am getting paid enough money for this part." - (B. and J. Leslie-Melville, Elephant Have Right of Way. )
How many of us often feel this way. I don't get paid enough for all this work, all these headaches, all these responsibilities. How do we find contentment?
An interesting poll took place in the 90s reversing data gathered at the beginning of the 80s during the Reagan era. In polls at the onset of the Reagan era, 2 of every 3 respondents said they expected to be better off than their parents. Almost three fourth of the 1,000 people who answered a Roper poll for Shearson Lehman Brothers say the American Dream is "harder to attain" than a generation ago. And 60 percent say achieving the dream requires more financial risk than it did for their parents. The poll also finds that some of the values held most dear during the 1980s -- like wealth, power and fame -- are those that Americans are now most likely to deem "unimportant." The most important elements of today's American Dream center on family and friends. But money remains something to dream about. For Americans with household incomes under $25,000, it would take $54,000 a year to fulfill the American dream. Those who make $100,000 plus crave an average of $192,000. In other words, the American Dream usually lies nearly twice the distance away. - (Amy Bernstein, U.S. News & World Report, July 27, 1992, p. 11.)
The American dream is not the answer. Money, possessions, fame, power - they don't bring lasting contentment.
In the fifth century, a man named Arenius determined to live a holy life. So he abandoned the conforms of Egyptian society to follow an austere lifestyle in the desert. Yet whenever he visited the great city of Alexandria, he spent time wandering through its bazaars. Asked why, he explained that his heart rejoiced at the sight of all the things he didn't need. Those of us who live in a society flooded with goods and gadgets need to ponder the example of that desert dweller. A typical supermarket in the United States in 1976 stocked 9,000 articles; today it carries 30,000. How many of them are absolutely essential? How many superfluous? - (Our Daily Bread, May 26, 1994.)
So, do we give up our jobs or schooling and go to the desert? Maybe join a convent or monastery to find contentment, holding all things in common? Not necessarily. There is value in the monastic life, but that is impractical for most of us.
Paul gives us the answer in the first two verses of our passage! You have to have a wedding! You have to wed together personal salvation and spiritual growth! That is what godliness and contentment combined look like. Too many stop at the belief - Not too many give themselves to God's drawing board!
So, what does a growing person look like? [Allow congregation to answer] A growing person will be doing four things: attending corporate worship, pray on a regular basis, study the Bible regularly and serve God in some way. I would go as far as to say that if you show me a discontented person, I will show you someone who is not growing spiritually.
Second, we have got to think about our end more than we tend to. I began to contemplate my end while in the hospital. What a sobering thing to do.
Show picture of a hearse hauling a U-Haul.
Even though this is impossible, many of us live like we can take it with us. You can't get much further from the truth if you believe you can. So why do so many of us put such a focus on our things here instead of our heavenly life? Perhaps we have missed Jesus teaching: store up treasures for yourself in heaven, where moth and rust can not corrupt. The only way to improve our heavenly reward is to not get so caught up in our earthly rewards. And there is no way to have contentment with godliness unless you enhance your relationship with Christ while you have time to do it. If you love someone, you want to be with them and to nurture the relationship. A growing spiritual life requires the same. You have to spend time with him - in his word, in worship, in prayer and in service. There is no other way to do it.
Paul wrote that he was content in any situation: (Phil 4:11 - 13 NIV)
“…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
Jesus was the very source and focus no matter what Paul faced - plenty or want. If your job stinks, focus on working for Christ, not your boss. If your car is on its last leg, focus on Christ: if you need a car to live, he will supply. If you can't stand your teacher, be a student as if you were a student of Christ. These things change the focus and bring contentment.
At last, don't forget what you do have: “I had no shoes and complained until I met a man who had no feet.”
Now, understand that I am not saying that improving your circumstances is not important. James Mackintosh put it well: “Be content with what you have, never with what you are.” Self-improvement is a great thing, but only as it relates to fulfilling God's call in your life.
I'll close with this poem written by a person who greatly influenced the lives of John Wesley, Phillip Otterbein and Martin Boehm - John Bunyan.
He that is down needs fear no fall;
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble, ever shall Have God to be his guide.
I am content with what I have,
Little be it, or much;
And, Lord, contentment still I crave,
Because Thou savest such. - (John Bunyan, quoted in Anthology of Jesus.)
Contentment is the life that is really life!
Brian
Rev. Brian Seders
"CONTENTMENT or The Life that Really is Life "
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Timothy 6: 1 - 19 NRSV
"Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time--he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life."
Before movie companies were careful about Swahili translations--assuming no one in the U.S. would understand--a director needed an African messenger who was to gasp out a sentence to the big chief, collapsing as he delivered his message, since he had run for days with his vital news. A local Englishman who spoke Swahili was asked to write an urgent-sounding sentence in the language. He did, tongue in cheek. An American actor played the part beautifully. All went well until the movie was shown in Nairobi (where everyone spoke Swahili, of course). The drama of the moment was reduced to high comedy. What the messenger actually said as he threw himself, exhausted, before the chief was, "I do not think I am getting paid enough money for this part." - (B. and J. Leslie-Melville, Elephant Have Right of Way. )
How many of us often feel this way. I don't get paid enough for all this work, all these headaches, all these responsibilities. How do we find contentment?
An interesting poll took place in the 90s reversing data gathered at the beginning of the 80s during the Reagan era. In polls at the onset of the Reagan era, 2 of every 3 respondents said they expected to be better off than their parents. Almost three fourth of the 1,000 people who answered a Roper poll for Shearson Lehman Brothers say the American Dream is "harder to attain" than a generation ago. And 60 percent say achieving the dream requires more financial risk than it did for their parents. The poll also finds that some of the values held most dear during the 1980s -- like wealth, power and fame -- are those that Americans are now most likely to deem "unimportant." The most important elements of today's American Dream center on family and friends. But money remains something to dream about. For Americans with household incomes under $25,000, it would take $54,000 a year to fulfill the American dream. Those who make $100,000 plus crave an average of $192,000. In other words, the American Dream usually lies nearly twice the distance away. - (Amy Bernstein, U.S. News & World Report, July 27, 1992, p. 11.)
The American dream is not the answer. Money, possessions, fame, power - they don't bring lasting contentment.
In the fifth century, a man named Arenius determined to live a holy life. So he abandoned the conforms of Egyptian society to follow an austere lifestyle in the desert. Yet whenever he visited the great city of Alexandria, he spent time wandering through its bazaars. Asked why, he explained that his heart rejoiced at the sight of all the things he didn't need. Those of us who live in a society flooded with goods and gadgets need to ponder the example of that desert dweller. A typical supermarket in the United States in 1976 stocked 9,000 articles; today it carries 30,000. How many of them are absolutely essential? How many superfluous? - (Our Daily Bread, May 26, 1994.)
So, do we give up our jobs or schooling and go to the desert? Maybe join a convent or monastery to find contentment, holding all things in common? Not necessarily. There is value in the monastic life, but that is impractical for most of us.
Paul gives us the answer in the first two verses of our passage! You have to have a wedding! You have to wed together personal salvation and spiritual growth! That is what godliness and contentment combined look like. Too many stop at the belief - Not too many give themselves to God's drawing board!
So, what does a growing person look like? [Allow congregation to answer] A growing person will be doing four things: attending corporate worship, pray on a regular basis, study the Bible regularly and serve God in some way. I would go as far as to say that if you show me a discontented person, I will show you someone who is not growing spiritually.
Second, we have got to think about our end more than we tend to. I began to contemplate my end while in the hospital. What a sobering thing to do.
Show picture of a hearse hauling a U-Haul.
Even though this is impossible, many of us live like we can take it with us. You can't get much further from the truth if you believe you can. So why do so many of us put such a focus on our things here instead of our heavenly life? Perhaps we have missed Jesus teaching: store up treasures for yourself in heaven, where moth and rust can not corrupt. The only way to improve our heavenly reward is to not get so caught up in our earthly rewards. And there is no way to have contentment with godliness unless you enhance your relationship with Christ while you have time to do it. If you love someone, you want to be with them and to nurture the relationship. A growing spiritual life requires the same. You have to spend time with him - in his word, in worship, in prayer and in service. There is no other way to do it.
Paul wrote that he was content in any situation: (Phil 4:11 - 13 NIV)
“…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
Jesus was the very source and focus no matter what Paul faced - plenty or want. If your job stinks, focus on working for Christ, not your boss. If your car is on its last leg, focus on Christ: if you need a car to live, he will supply. If you can't stand your teacher, be a student as if you were a student of Christ. These things change the focus and bring contentment.
At last, don't forget what you do have: “I had no shoes and complained until I met a man who had no feet.”
Now, understand that I am not saying that improving your circumstances is not important. James Mackintosh put it well: “Be content with what you have, never with what you are.” Self-improvement is a great thing, but only as it relates to fulfilling God's call in your life.
I'll close with this poem written by a person who greatly influenced the lives of John Wesley, Phillip Otterbein and Martin Boehm - John Bunyan.
He that is down needs fear no fall;
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble, ever shall Have God to be his guide.
I am content with what I have,
Little be it, or much;
And, Lord, contentment still I crave,
Because Thou savest such. - (John Bunyan, quoted in Anthology of Jesus.)
Contentment is the life that is really life!
Brian
Rev. Brian Seders
September 2, 2007
"Relationships"
Hebrews 13:1 - 8 NRSV
"Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.
Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you."
So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?"
Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, five, and Ryan, three. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, he would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake. I can wait.'"
Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus."
We tend to think, "It's ok to play Jesus, as long as someone else will do it!" Yet, we are all called to be like Christ. Today's message is about mutual love - in marriage, in friendships, in church.
There were so many directions that I could have gone with this message. Verse 2 is a humdinger. Do not neglect to show hospitality, especially to those that you have not met before, because, since you do not know them, they may well be angels doing the bidding of God!
Verse three is a biggy: remember those in prison as if you were there in prison. Maybe you need to visit a prison to know what a prison is like. I went to jail - to visit - when I was a kid - in Weirton. Our elementary school took a field trip to jail. I went inside the jail cell. I have never forgotten the experience. From that, one could easily imagine losing the freedom of movement, independence, self-will. Those in prison have no such luxuries.
Remember the tortured as though you were being tortured. This might be a bit harder. I have read about the persecution of the Christian Church in a magazine called the Voice of the Martyrs. The Christian Church around the world is much less safe than is ours in the United States. There are many tortured and killed daily - because they say "I believe." I think of Casey who said, "I am a Christian." She lost her life at Columbine. We must pause at times and count the cost - to remember and to be thankful, because we never know when the tide will turn and Christianity here may be terribly persecuted.
Verse five - be free from the love of money. Money is not the evil; the love of money is. Gain greater security from the presence of God than from the presence of money, for God is everlasting. Money isn't.
Verse seven - remember the men and women of God who spoke the word of God to you: past pastors and Sunday school teachers and parents and grandparents and mentors. For those who have proven to be genuine, consider their lives, the example of their faith, and be like them. I think of my pastors: Bill Woods, Bob Johnson and Don Underwood, to name a few. I think of my Sunday school teachers: Susie Dalrymple and Mamie Starkey. These are folks who helped to form me. They left part of themselves with me. I hope I do them honor by putting to practice what they taught me. How about you? Do you live to honor those who loved and nurtured you? Do you honor God by being like them?
Verse eight - Jesus is God, and God is Jesus - a great mystery. That is what the author is saying here as he equates Jesus with the unchangeable God.
And finally, verse 4, let marriage remain pure - don't interrupt the relationship by allowing others to come into your life and ruin something that God intends to be sacred. Maybe the relationship is not where it is, but remember the vow you made. Live out that vow as long as you are together. This verse also applies to pre-marriage. Keep yourself for that right one - one of God's choosing. Pray for that person and for your ability to remain pure.
Love one another. I have often felt that if both husband and wife put the other first, the rest would take care of itself. Mutual love is making the sacrifices, especially the little ones, day in and day out for the other. Such action honors the other, building respect and trust. Of course, the same applies to friendships. And the same applies to how we treat our brother and sisters in the faith.
By the way, one way to be like Jesus is to seek the lowest position - in our marriage relationships or friendship relationships or church relationships. Let's try to do that this week. Put yourself last. Humble yourself. Let someone go ahead of you in line. Go to the buffet line last. Hold the door for someone. When someone forgets something, be the one to go get it. In so doing, you will emulate Christ, and then understand why he came!
Chuck Swindoll tells the story of a young boy who lived with his grandfather high in the Swiss Alps.
Often, just to hear the echo of his voice, the boy would go outside, cup his hands around his mouth, and shout, "HELLO!" Up from the canyons the reply reverberated, "HELLO...HELLO...hello...hello..." Then he would call out, "I LOVE YOU...I LOVE YOU...I love you...I love you..." One day the boy seriously misbehaved and his grandfather disciplined him severely. Reacting violently, the child shook his fist and screamed. "I HATE YOU!" To his surprise, the rocks and boulders across the mountainside responded "I HATE YOU...I HATE YOU...I hate you..." (Today in the Word, April 6, 1992.)
What we give away, the things we do and say, either come back to help us or come back to hurt us. The good helps. The bad hurts. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, "Do not waste your time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less" (Our Daily Bread, February 14.)
Speaking of giving of oneself, William Gladstone, in announcing the death of Princess Alice to the House of Commons, told a touching story. The little daughter of the Princess was seriously ill with diphtheria. The doctors told the princess not to kiss her little daughter and endanger her own life by breathing the child's breath. Once when the child was struggling to breathe, the mother, forgetting herself entirely, took the little one into her arms to keep her from choking to death. Rasping and struggling for her life, the child said, "Momma, kiss me!" Without thinking of herself the mother tenderly kissed her daughter. She got diphtheria and some days thereafter she went to be forever with the Lord. Real love forgets self. Real love knows no danger. Real love doesn't count the cost. The Bible says, "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it" (Source Unknown.)
Christ came for love. He put himself last. He came knowing he would die for others. We are here today because of that fact. Christ set the example. Go and live likewise. How? Give yourself away - give a hand, give some time, give away your ego when overlooked or unappreciated. Say "Yes" to pray about a church position. Give a ride. Be a chaperone. Be a mentor. Be a friend. Listen. And in so doing, mutual love continues…
Brian
Rev. Brian Seders
"Relationships"
Hebrews 13:1 - 8 NRSV
"Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.
Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you."
So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?"
Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, five, and Ryan, three. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, he would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake. I can wait.'"
Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus."
We tend to think, "It's ok to play Jesus, as long as someone else will do it!" Yet, we are all called to be like Christ. Today's message is about mutual love - in marriage, in friendships, in church.
There were so many directions that I could have gone with this message. Verse 2 is a humdinger. Do not neglect to show hospitality, especially to those that you have not met before, because, since you do not know them, they may well be angels doing the bidding of God!
Verse three is a biggy: remember those in prison as if you were there in prison. Maybe you need to visit a prison to know what a prison is like. I went to jail - to visit - when I was a kid - in Weirton. Our elementary school took a field trip to jail. I went inside the jail cell. I have never forgotten the experience. From that, one could easily imagine losing the freedom of movement, independence, self-will. Those in prison have no such luxuries.
Remember the tortured as though you were being tortured. This might be a bit harder. I have read about the persecution of the Christian Church in a magazine called the Voice of the Martyrs. The Christian Church around the world is much less safe than is ours in the United States. There are many tortured and killed daily - because they say "I believe." I think of Casey who said, "I am a Christian." She lost her life at Columbine. We must pause at times and count the cost - to remember and to be thankful, because we never know when the tide will turn and Christianity here may be terribly persecuted.
Verse five - be free from the love of money. Money is not the evil; the love of money is. Gain greater security from the presence of God than from the presence of money, for God is everlasting. Money isn't.
Verse seven - remember the men and women of God who spoke the word of God to you: past pastors and Sunday school teachers and parents and grandparents and mentors. For those who have proven to be genuine, consider their lives, the example of their faith, and be like them. I think of my pastors: Bill Woods, Bob Johnson and Don Underwood, to name a few. I think of my Sunday school teachers: Susie Dalrymple and Mamie Starkey. These are folks who helped to form me. They left part of themselves with me. I hope I do them honor by putting to practice what they taught me. How about you? Do you live to honor those who loved and nurtured you? Do you honor God by being like them?
Verse eight - Jesus is God, and God is Jesus - a great mystery. That is what the author is saying here as he equates Jesus with the unchangeable God.
And finally, verse 4, let marriage remain pure - don't interrupt the relationship by allowing others to come into your life and ruin something that God intends to be sacred. Maybe the relationship is not where it is, but remember the vow you made. Live out that vow as long as you are together. This verse also applies to pre-marriage. Keep yourself for that right one - one of God's choosing. Pray for that person and for your ability to remain pure.
Love one another. I have often felt that if both husband and wife put the other first, the rest would take care of itself. Mutual love is making the sacrifices, especially the little ones, day in and day out for the other. Such action honors the other, building respect and trust. Of course, the same applies to friendships. And the same applies to how we treat our brother and sisters in the faith.
By the way, one way to be like Jesus is to seek the lowest position - in our marriage relationships or friendship relationships or church relationships. Let's try to do that this week. Put yourself last. Humble yourself. Let someone go ahead of you in line. Go to the buffet line last. Hold the door for someone. When someone forgets something, be the one to go get it. In so doing, you will emulate Christ, and then understand why he came!
Chuck Swindoll tells the story of a young boy who lived with his grandfather high in the Swiss Alps.
Often, just to hear the echo of his voice, the boy would go outside, cup his hands around his mouth, and shout, "HELLO!" Up from the canyons the reply reverberated, "HELLO...HELLO...hello...hello..." Then he would call out, "I LOVE YOU...I LOVE YOU...I love you...I love you..." One day the boy seriously misbehaved and his grandfather disciplined him severely. Reacting violently, the child shook his fist and screamed. "I HATE YOU!" To his surprise, the rocks and boulders across the mountainside responded "I HATE YOU...I HATE YOU...I hate you..." (Today in the Word, April 6, 1992.)
What we give away, the things we do and say, either come back to help us or come back to hurt us. The good helps. The bad hurts. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, "Do not waste your time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less" (Our Daily Bread, February 14.)
Speaking of giving of oneself, William Gladstone, in announcing the death of Princess Alice to the House of Commons, told a touching story. The little daughter of the Princess was seriously ill with diphtheria. The doctors told the princess not to kiss her little daughter and endanger her own life by breathing the child's breath. Once when the child was struggling to breathe, the mother, forgetting herself entirely, took the little one into her arms to keep her from choking to death. Rasping and struggling for her life, the child said, "Momma, kiss me!" Without thinking of herself the mother tenderly kissed her daughter. She got diphtheria and some days thereafter she went to be forever with the Lord. Real love forgets self. Real love knows no danger. Real love doesn't count the cost. The Bible says, "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it" (Source Unknown.)
Christ came for love. He put himself last. He came knowing he would die for others. We are here today because of that fact. Christ set the example. Go and live likewise. How? Give yourself away - give a hand, give some time, give away your ego when overlooked or unappreciated. Say "Yes" to pray about a church position. Give a ride. Be a chaperone. Be a mentor. Be a friend. Listen. And in so doing, mutual love continues…
Brian
Rev. Brian Seders
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