June 13, 2010

What Would You Do?

Luke 7:36-50

This is one of those great stories in the Bible that requires us to reconstruct it to understand it.

There are three principle people in the story. The heart of the story is found in the first 3 verses. Simon a Pharisee invites Jesus to dinner, Jesus accepts and while dinner is underway a woman of questionable reputation enters the courtyard where the dinner is taking place. The story tells us that Jesus was reclined at the table. There was no sitting at the table as we know it but you reclined meaning you would lay down leaning on your left arm, your elbow with your body stretched out. She goes directly to Jesus, kneels down beside him, removes his sandals and she begins to cry; her tears are so many she is able to wash his feet. She lets down her hair and dries his feet with her hair; taking the perfume she has brought she kisses his feet while putting the perfume on them.

The dinner took place in the courtyard of the house. Present at this dinner were the disciples, Simon's friends, the servants and many others who wanted to hear what this young Rabbi named Jesus has to say. There were those invited to the dinner and those who came just to hear this new Rabbi speak. This was not an uncommon or unusual gathering of people; with the exception of the woman.

It is apparent that everyone knew who and what she was. Most scholars concur that she was a prostitute. More importantly she was a sinner and having anything to do with her would make one a sinner too. She has crashed Simon's party.

I want to make this an interactive story and not some academic discussion which we do so well. I want you to close your eyes and imagine you are the host of such a party. The fastest rising star in your religious world is your personal guest of honor. Imagine this person to be the Jesus you know and love. You have invited your friends and business associates and other religious leaders. Your courtyard or living room is packed with people you invited and even some you didn't invite. Can you see them and can you feel how proud you are for they have all come. Into this event comes a woman that everyone knows is prostitute. Many of the men at your dinner party may even know her in a personal way. Can you see her?

What would you do? Would you welcome her or reject her; forgive her or judge her? There are no gray areas here, there is no "it all depends" answer, just yes or no. Would you welcome her, yes or no; reject her, yes or no; judge her, yes or no; forgive her? When I read this story I couldn't get past the gross self-righteousness of Simon until I saw that self-righteousness in my own heart.

Now let's go back to the story. When an honored guest entered your home three things were always done. The host placed his hand on the guest's shoulders and gave him the kiss of peace. That was a mark of respect which was never omitted in the case of a distinguished Rabbi, as Jesus was. Always cool water was poured over the guest's feet to cleanse and comfort them. Always a drop of sweet smelling oil was placed on the guest's head. Simon did none of these things. Our story begins with Jesus reclined at the table. The woman, in spite of her reputation, had the right to be there. What she did certainly drew attention to her.

What did Simon do about the woman? Vs. 39 says, "When the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him--that she is a sinner." Notice he didn't say it out loud, "he said it to himself." He judged her in his heart.

Go back to our imaginary story I invited you to participate in. Remember what you thought you would do? Would it make any difference if I told you it took all the courage she had to crash the party and express her love for Jesus? Would it make any difference if you knew she knew how despicable she was too you? Would it make any difference if you knew she was willing to accept your indifference and judgment of her?

This time in our imaginary story, imagine you are the woman. What would you do? Would you crash the party to come to Jesus if you knew you could find hope? Would you willingly humble yourself to share your most intimate appreciation for Jesus? Would you be willing to endure public humiliation and judgment as she did? What a courageous woman.

Her love for Jesus and who he was, was so intimate she didn't care what others thought. In all reality the intimacy she displayed in that moment was so intimate she didn't even know others were present. Is it any wonder Jesus said, "Woman your sins are forgiven, your faith has saved you." When it comes to expressing our personal faith are we as courageous as this woman?

What might we understand about Simon? He may have been the most respected man in town; he may have been a very nice guy. However in this moment he had no concern for this woman's plight, no desire to lift her from her sinful life or to help her become a better Jewish woman. In a manner of speaking he was indifferent to her circumstance but judged her to be the sinner. It has been said and I would concur, "The opposite of love is not hate but indifference."

How quick we are to judge! We make judgments of others as if they are not human; as if they do not have any personal feelings. We suffer from an inability to see the bigger picture. We feel impotent in our ability to help and we become like Simon; indifferent to them as a person. In our indifference we don't see the person, we just see their sin and we don't we see ours.

Before we judge the woman in our story or judge Simon we need to examine ourselves. We have a tendency to be very nearsighted when we need to see the bigger picture. Simon could only see his world but even in his world he forgot the proper way to greet an honored guest. Did he forget or was he indifferent to Jesus as well? Does it make us feel any better that this story is 2000 years old and that human nature hasn't changed? If we adopt that attitude we too are guilty of indifference to Jesus and all he taught.

We become indifferent to the world around us when we are not connected to that world. For example; since I am not disabled and not connected to the world of disabilities I can and do become indifferent to their plight in the world. It is not that I don't care I just don't involve myself. Since I don't live on the Gulf coast it isn't on my radar and while I care about the people what can I do so I become indifferent to their tragedy. Since I don't have a son or daughter, nephew or niece in Afghanistan it is easy for me to become indifferent to the war, not that I don't care but what can I do?

Our world today is dying because of human indifference to each other. Our indifference is dehumanizing our understanding of the world. We have a tendency to be fixated on our personal agenda and when someone or something crashes our party we tend to do what Simon did and in our heart judge without knowing the circumstance.

I am not an environmentalist because if I were I would act in a more responsible manner recycling and being more green. I am grateful we have those persons who make us step back and examine what might be the consequences of our actions. Just because we can do something doesn't mean it is the right thing to do. The Gulf of Mexico will remind us of this truth for generations to come. We become very self-righteous in our views when we are not willing to do self-examination. When we cannot see beyond our nose, our world becomes very small.

The sin of indifference is toxic, contagious and tragic beyond our understanding. Jesus said the Pharisees were blind because they refused to see beyond their understanding. This is true in the church as much as it is in the world. When we are not connected and using our God given gifts to help the church achieve its purpose in this world we have become indifferent to the plight of the church. It is easy to become Simon and judge from our heart but in truth the one we claim to love knows our heart.

How might we rise above the sin of indifference? It is simple, care enough to get involved.

Let us pray!
 

June 6, 2010

"Rising Above Discouragement"

Luke 7:11-17

11Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."
14Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." 17This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. NIV


This is a most intimate and dramatic story. It is intimate because we are invited to experience and understand the grief of a mother in the death of her son. Death is always a very intimate experience to those who share the loss. It's a dramatic scene because the funeral procession was halted and the trip to the cemetery was interrupted. Of course it was not anything as we know funeral processions today -- a black Cadillac hearse, followed by one or more black Cadillac limousines, followed perhaps by several cars, lights on.

No, this scene was at once more primitive and personal. No city traffic to contend with in this procession. No indifferent motorists disturbed that they were delayed a few minutes for the funeral. No, this is a village scene, people on foot, following the widowed mother who is following the professional mourners with their cymbals, flutes and high-pitched shrieking and wailing.

It is a Palestinian village scene in Nain, just a short distance from Nazareth, and a day's walk from Capernaum. The pallbearers are carrying the body of a young man in a long wicker basket covered by a shroud for burial outside the city. Except for very important people, ancient Jews buried their dead outside the city, usually on the day of death or the next day. Embalming was not practiced.

Even for our modern and indifferent eyes the scene was dramatic enough by itself. The dead man was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. The sorrow of the ages is contained in understanding this. In a patriarchal society orphans, such as this young man, and widows, like his mother, were regarded as vulnerable, weak and without much opportunity for economic support. Nonetheless, a great crowd followed the procession, indicating sympathy and support at least for the time being.

It is important we understand what is happening. This woman had already lost her husband, and here her only son was dead--her last means of support. The crowd of mourners would go home, and she would be left penniless and alone. The widow was probably past the age of childbearing and would not marry again. Unless a relative would come to her aid, her future was bleak. In the first century, it was very difficult for a woman to earn her own living. Without anyone to provide for the widow, she would be an easy prey for swindlers, and she would likely be reduced to begging for food.

No wonder when the Lord saw this sad sight and the tearful woman, his heart went out to her. In fact, as Luke repeatedly emphasized, Jesus cares about people's deepest needs. As Jesus' crowd met the crowd of the mourners. Remember Jesus had his own procession of people, the disciples and those wanting more from Jesus. So as his crowd met the crowd of mourners, Jesus went to the woman and gently said, "Don't cry." This would be a meaningless request under most circumstances; however, Jesus, was going to change the circumstances.
Jesus has the power to bring hope out of any tragedy.

We must capture the drama and the intimacy in this encounter. We have the widow with tears for her son no doubt now intermingling with the endless tears shed for her husband. Jesus reaches out, touches the basket, the coffin and possibly the body, and the procession comes to a halt.

Can you see the modern setting -- someone halting the hearse, opening the door of the limousine, telling the widowed/mother in mourning black, "Don't cry." Going to the back of the hearse, removing the coffin so it might be opened and then opening the coffin and saying, "Young man, I say to you, get up." It would get our attention wouldn't it? It got their attention even in first century Palestine which had a tradition of miracle stories of great prophets like Elijah and Elisha raising widows' sons from the dead. And the young man sat up and began to speak. Jesus, the new great prophet "gave the son back to his mother."

Talk about rising above discouragement! Talk about overcoming the greatest obstacle to human fulfillment. Talk about overcoming life's defeats: this was it.

He didn't raise everybody physically from the dead, just as he didn't heal everybody. But what he did then and still does today is help us to rise above discouragement. And that's where we focus today -- rising above discouragement. You see this miracle isn't about obedience, it isn't about worthiness, it isn't about social favor; it is simply about Jesus' compassion. Out of his compassion for you and me Jesus comes to us today to help us rise above our discouragements.

Let me suggest three things from this story that would be well for us to apply in our lives to rise above our discouragements. First we have to be willing to face reality. You would be surprised how many people today cannot see the obvious simply because they are in denial about their circumstance. Unless we accept the reality of our circumstances we cannot move ahead. For the widow the reality was even more than the loss of her son; the reality was she was alone. Can you begin to feel her discouragement, her sorrow, her loss? It would not have done her any good to deny her reality.

We need to examine the alternatives available to us. In the words of Jesus we need to count the cost of the choices we make in rising above our discouragements. Sometimes in our discouragements we make unwise and unholy decisions. If we want to rise above our discouragements we need to be honest with ourselves. Count the cost of holding on to our discouragements or letting Jesus have them, which is higher?

When we have been real and honest about our circumstances comes the most important choice we must make. We must allow ourselves to be touched by Christ. In that context we need to give him our hurts. In her grief she could have rejected this intrusion into her sorrow. She could have sent Jesus away thinking he was a crazy man. She could have attacked Jesus blaming God for her circumstance. Grief does all these things. Grief denies the reality of the moment, it blinds us from the help God wants to provide and grief can and does make us angry and bitter if we let it.

The widow chose to let herself and her grief be touched by Jesus, figuratively and practically. As Luke tells us in doing so Jesus did a wonderful thing, he gave her son back to her. In our story Jesus raises him back to life and the dreams of the widow are restored. We don't see a lot of people being raised from the dead today but we can have our dreams restored. Unless we allow ourselves to be touched by Christ grief takes away our dreams.

In many ways we are a nation grieving our losses. The tragedy in the Gulf is manifested in losses people will experience. The loss of 11oil workers, the loss of a way of life for some people living in the Gulf, the loss of homes, security and more; the people are grieving. As a nation we are grieving the loss of security, the loss of men and women in uniform, the loss of homes, the loss of financial security and the list goes on. We as a church grieve the losses around us. When our hearts are focused on the loss we are blinded to the help.

Jesus gave the widow back her son symbolizing he gave her back her dreams and hopes. We cannot go back in time and there is no magic to wipe away the tragedies of life. No matter how much we seek to blame others for the discouragements in life we can only move forward or die.

If we are going to rise above our discouragements personally, nationally or as a church we need to understand the reality of our circumstance. We need to evaluate the alternatives. And we need to allow ourselves to be touched by Jesus. Luke tells us in vs. 16, "They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." Listen to me, God hasn't forgotten us today, "God has come to help his people." Because he has we can rise above our discouragements.

Let us pray!

Pentecost Sunday
May 23, 2010

Acts 2:1-21

"Why Are We Afraid?"

Today is Pentecost Sunday. The date of Pentecost Sunday is determined by the date of Easter because it is 50 days after Jesus rose from the grave. Pentecost was also called the Festival of the Harvest. It was a festival of thanksgiving for the harvested crops. After Jesus rose from the dead Luke tells us he appeared to the apostles many different times to prove to them he was alive. As the days passed Luke tells us that Jesus met with the apostles just before he ascended into heaven and said, "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised. Remember, I have told you about this before. John baptized you with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 10 days later this is what happened.

Read Acts 2:1-21

Today is the birthday of the church. Why, what makes Pentecost the birthday of the church? What happened at your birth? You came alive to this world; you took your first breath of air. It is as if God breathed into you and you were alive. On Pentecost God breathed life into the followers of Jesus and the church was born. Without the Holy Spirit of God the church is dead. We, the church, are in need of a Pentecost experience. We need to come alive for the Lord. Can I get an Amen?

When you preach on the Holy Spirit or when you hear a sermon on the Holy Spirit you can't just sit there, you have to get involved. The Holy Spirit is not an experience, a feeling or an "it"; the Holy Spirit is a real person. The Holy Spirit is the living presence of God. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. When we speak of the Holy Spirit we are speaking of a person and personality that is real, alive and requires us to have a relationship with. The Holy Spirit is the living power of God and this is who Jesus said is coming to give Christians the power to be his followers.

I am going to tell you two stories from my personal experience to illustrate this reality. When I call on a patient as Chaplain in the VA I have some information about that person before I see them. I have their religious preference as they stated at the time of registering with VA Medical Care. It will show, Methodist, Baptist, Unknown, Protestant, Catholic, etc.

On this day I was visiting a man and his religious preference was Pentecostal. I am not uncomfortable with any faith and always look forward to visiting about their faith. Almost always a person whose preference is Pentecostal will have a solid Biblical foundation. This man had several members of his family in the room with him. I introduced myself, I asked him to confirm our records about his religious preference and he said, "Absolutely, we are members of Pastor-----Church." I visited more about the church, about how important one's faith is, about his health circumstance and then I asked if they would like me to offer a prayer.

He looked at me and asked, "You want to pray for me?" I replied, "Only if you would like me too." He said absolutely and without another word the family rose up as if on cue, gathered around, joined hands and we began to pray. Immediately I was in a Holy Ghost prayer revival and the more I prayed for the man the more they were uttering their prayers. I began to pray for them and they began to pray for me and tongues which I couldn't understand were uttered. When I said, "Amen," I felt I had been in the presence of God.

If you haven't had this experience I doubt you would know what I am speaking of. Do we genuinely believe God's presence is real and in real time, meaning right now? Do we genuinely believe God is here with us right now? I am here to tell you God is with us right now in the presence of the Holy Spirit; just as he was on that day of Pentecost.

I think this is one of the significant impacts of charismatic worship, or worship in the African-American tradition. They are hearing and responding to the word of God in real time. Prayer and worship is a participatory event. It is kind of annoying for those who enjoy coming to worship for their Sunday morning nap because it keeps them awake. I still get goose bumps when I think of that Pentecostal experience in a hospital room.

I still think the first Promise Keepers event we went to as a church was our best one. We didn't know what to expect but here was a van load of white, religiously uptight men going to Dallas. I watched the men and was interested to see how they might respond to some of the worship expressions taking place, expressions like raising hands to God. At first we were pretty uptight as were many others in the arena but as the event continue the shoulders began to relax but no one was going to raise their hands. When you are in a room of 65,000 men and the Spirit of God is alive amazing things happen. No one was going to raise their hands to sing and by the end of the event, the music started and the hands were up.

Why are we afraid of Pentecost? What is there about the Holy Spirit that frightens us? Are we afraid of loosing our control or are we afraid of giving God the control? When in a car we are required to put on seat belts, it is a law, why? It saves lives. When in a boat it is wise to put on a life jacket, why? It saves lives. Paul says it is wise for us to put on the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, why? Only the Spirit of God will save us for eternal life with Jesus Christ. Can I get an Amen?

Control is a big thing in our life, isn't it? Control is power and to loose control is to us a sign of weakness. This is why we don't let people know who we really are because we see it as giving up control. We speak of God's love and how approachable God is but in truth I think we are afraid of God. Our fear of God is revealed in our reluctance to let God have control of our daily living. In truth we put everything in life in a higher priority than our relationship with Jesus the one we call Savior. Oh, we are grateful for his sacrifice, his love for us and the gift of God's grace to us through Jesus but we treat that as an insurance policy for our death. We are agreeable enough to let him take us into eternity but not give him control of our lives. We are in need of a Pentecost experience! Is there an Amen?

While I was in seminary the Charismatic movement, the Holy Spirit was making his presence known in churches across the country. I must tell you many of us in the ivory tower of seminary were threatened by this. One day we cut right to the chase about this, asking our New Testament professor what he would do if it happened in his church. He replied, "I'd let it happen." The reality is you can deny the presence and power of God but you cannot stop God.

Here is what Paul said about the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:5-9
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
Paul divides people into two categories: those who let themselves be controlled by their sinful nature and those who let themselves be controlled by the Holy Spirit.
The choice lies with you and me, it always has.
Paul tells us in chapter 6:16, "Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master?"
We must understand; the choice is always ours to make.

6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
One way leads to death the other to life.
Why are we afraid of the Holy Spirit?
I have seen so many people who have destroyed their marriages, their careers, and their health by their choices and now blame God.
I have been asked many times, "Why did God do this to me?"
God didn't, it began with the choices we make.

7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
You can go to the drugstore and by a home pregnancy test.
Here is your home spiritual test.
Does your life reflect obedience to God in Christ Jesus?
Are we letting our sinful nature control us or the Holy Spirit?

9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.

Paul goes on to say when we accepted Jesus as our Savior we were adopted into God's family. Do we understand what that means? God is no longer some distant deity we are afraid of but we now call him Abba which means "Daddy" that affectionate intimate name we use for a loving father. God our Father is not going to put us into some form of slavery to Him but instead makes us heirs of his kingdom. Why are we so afraid of Pentecost?

Remember the story of Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones? Ezekiel was trying to bring hope to the people of Israel and he told them about a vision he had. The Lord carried him away to a valley filled with dry bones. The dry bones represented the people's spiritually dead condition. There was no hope, no vitality, no life but God said he would restore his nation. God breathed his breath into the bones and they came alive. Pentecost is our Valley of Dry Bones experience.

There are many among us who are worried about the future of Gage Park Baptist after Pastor Bob retires. I am worried about the future of Gage Park Baptist before I retire but it has nothing to do with me. Unless we have a Pentecost experience; giving the Holy Spirit control of the church which is us, it will not survive, even if I promised to stay longer. Satan wants us to be afraid because when we are afraid we do not trust God and we take measures into our own hands.

Why are we in need of Pentecost? Might I suggest we are in need of Pentecost that we might come alive for God! We need Pentecost that we might believe God is with us in real time, like right now. We need Pentecost that we might trust God with our lives in real time, not just for eternal life. God wants us to be filled with his spirit to dream God's dreams, to be encouraged, not afraid.

There is nothing that saddens me more than to hear talk of despair about God's church. This isn't Pastor Bob's church; it is God's church if we are God's people. If we are God's children filled with his Spirit it impacts our giving, our service, our prayer life and every aspect of who we are. If we are God's children filled with his Spirit we wouldn't let 20% of the body provide 80% of the budget needs. Fearful talk, negative talk, despair talk, arguments over money and all the things Satan would love to use to destroy this church and every church but Satan cannot prevail against the Holy Spirit of God. If we are afraid than let us not ignore the problem but get on our knees and invite the Holy Spirit to take control. We are in need of Pentecost.

Let us pray!
 

Mother's Day, May 9, 2010

"Let's Build a Home"

Luke 6:46-49

Welcome on this Mother’s Day. Someone has made a list of things a Mother would never say. See if your Mom would ever say these things:

1. “Yeah, I used to skip school a lot, too.”
2. “Just leave all the lights on . . . it makes the house look more cheery.”
3. “Let me smell that shirt--Yeah, it’s good for another week.”
4. “Go ahead and keep that stray dog, honey. I’ll be glad to feed and walk him every day.”
5. “Well, if Timmy’s mom says it’s OK, that’s good enough for me.”
6. “The curfew is just a general time to shoot for. It’s not like I’m running a prison around here.”
7. “I don’t have a tissue with me . . . just use your sleeve.”
8. “Don’t bother wearing a jacket--the wind-chill is bound to improve.”

Well, someone has to make sure we all survive childhood. And usually that task falls to Mom.

The mother of three notoriously unruly youngsters was asked whether or not she'd have children if she had it to do over again. "Yes," she replied. "But not the same ones."

Dr. Tony Campolo is a well-known and highly-respected, inspirational speaker. He has spent much of his time traveling around the world on speaking tours. His wife, Peggy, chose to stay home and give herself and all that she has to the "Bringing Up" of their two children. On those rare occasions when Peggy did travel with Tony, she found herself engaged in conversations with some of the most accomplished, impressive, influential, sophisticated people in the world.

After one such trip, Peggy told Tony that sometimes as she visits with these powerful people… she finds herself feeling intimidated and sometimes even questioning her own self-worth. Tony said to her: "Well, honey, why don't you come up with something you could say when you meet people that will let them know that you strongly value what you do and you feel that it is dramatically, urgent and crucial and important."

Well, not long after that, Tony and Peggy Campolo were at a party… when a woman said to Peggy in a rather condescending tone, "Well, my dear, what do you do?" Tony Campolo heard his wife say: "I am nurturing two Homo Sapiens into the dominant values of the Judaeo-Christian tradition in order that they might become instruments for the transformation of the social order into the kind of eschatological utopia God envisioned from the beginning of time." And the other woman said: "O, my, I'm just a lawyer."

I like that story because it reminds us that there are a lot of important jobs in the world today but not one of them is more important than the job of being a mother.  
Tony Campolo adapted by James Moore, Collected Sermons

The makeup of our present culture has changed from what it once was. Even as we gather today to celebrate Mother's Day it is important to understand we have different cultural experiences regarding our family history. We are not the Ingals family on "Little House on the Prairie," the Cleaver family on "Leave it to Beaver," the Partridge family, the Walton family or the Huxtable family are we? I think it is safe to say our culture of family is constantly evolving. As our culture of life changes so does that of family.

Having said that, it is important to note the culture of motherhood has changed as well. We have single moms by choice, single moms by divorce or widowed, adoptive moms, step-moms, foster moms, soon to be moms and the list continues to grow. We have working moms, stay at home moms, homeschooling moms, moms who volunteer at the school, etc. This is evidenced by the list of Mother's Day cards by Hallmark. You probably noticed this when you went to pick out your Mother's Day card. To all the women present today who have the heart of a mother, Happy Mother's Day.

What do I mean about the heart of a mother? A teacher asked a boy this question: "Suppose your mother baked a pie and there were seven of you--your parents and five children. What part of the pie would you get?" "A sixth," replied the boy. "I'm afraid you don't know your fractions," said the teacher. "Remember, there are seven of you." "Yes, teacher," said the boy, "but you don't know my mother. Mother would say she didn't want any pie."
Bits and Pieces, June, 1990, p. 10.

The passage of scripture I selected for today is not about mothers but it is about what I would call the heart of a mother. Jesus is teaching the people how important it is to have a strong foundation in faith and in life principles. He will go on to say he is that foundation. On this Mother's Day I suggest we look at what is important in building the foundation of a home. I didn't say the foundation of the house, the structure, but of the home, the heart of the house.

Jesus wasn't speaking about mothers in this parable but I have to say from my experience as a counselor, pastor, chaplain, it is more often the mother who laid down the foundation of the home. Often times when speaking with a veteran and we don't have any indication of religious preference I will ask what faith they claim. Most often they will say, I don't go to church. I will rephrase the question, "When you were a young boy or girl, what church did your mama take you to?" Than I get, "I was baptized a Methodist, Baptist, etc." Now we can talk about faith.

Jesus shared a story illustrating the importance of building life on the principle of a strong foundation. A life without a foundation is left to the ever changing influences of the world. This parable he shared can be applied many ways but let's apply it to building a home, not a house, but a home. I know again from years of experience the home is not a place of security for many children today. Our western culture continues to change and the home and the stability it once provided is eroding. Life has become more complicated in a very demanding world. The insecurities of the world are brought into the home and the foundation of the home is damaged to say the least. Without a solid foundation Jesus said the house cannot stand against nature's threats and neither can a home stand against the world's influence.

Jesus compared a house built on a strong foundation to a house built on the sand or directly on the ground. Why would people build a house directly on the ground? Perhaps to save time and avoid the hard work of preparing the stone foundation. Possibly the waterfront scenery is more attractive or beach houses have higher social status than cliff houses. Perhaps they are joining their friends who have already settled in sandy arenas. Maybe they haven't heard about the violent storms coming, or they have discounted the reports, or for some reason they think disaster can't happen to them. Whatever the reason, sand-builders are shortsighted, and they will be sorry. When we find ourselves listening to words of Jesus but not obeying, what are our reasons?

Obeying God is like building a house on a strong, solid foundation that stands firm when storms come. When life is calm, our foundations don't seem to matter. But when crises come, our foundations are tested. Be sure your life is built on the solid foundation of knowing and trusting Jesus.

Building a strong foundation is hard work but without it whatever is built will not last. A strong foundation in the home is what brings security to the children. To all the women today who have the heart of a mother I salute you. If you have the heart of a mother as God provided you have been the foundation on which the home is built. I am not saying we men haven't had a part. "Legally, a husband is the head of the house and a pedestrian has the right of way. Both are perfectly safe and within their rights as long as they do not try to confirm it!"
George E. Bergman

I want to close by reading you part of a prayer I found for this day. "O God, we are grateful for the women in our lives who nurtured us, raised us in the faith, taught us right from wrong and helped us learn the basic skills we need to succeed in life. We are blessed by the women who made your love tangible for us. For some, these were our birth mothers, for others the mothers who adopted us or stepped in where they saw a need. They helped shape us into the people we are today.

We know this day is not one of joy for everyone. We ask your blessing on those who yearn to be mothers, those who recently lost a mother and those mothers who mourn the loss of a child. Enfold them in your tender maternal embrace and comfort them in their time of sorrow. Bring reconciliation to those mothers and children whose relationships are broken. Create a space in mother and child for healing and forgiveness."

We pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
 

May 2, 2010

"Choose Wisely"

John 13-34-35

"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

This morning I have a question for you to answer. I will not ask your response but I must ask you to answer this question for yourself. It doesn't matter how others answer it, how your friends answer it or how mom and dad answer it. Imagine you are faced with a choice in your life, you have three choices love, wealth or success, which will you choose to be your guiding principle? Remember it is a rhetorical question, do not reveal your answer but keep your choice in mind as I tell you a story.

A woman comes out of her house and sees 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She doesn't recognize them. She says to them, "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat." They ask her, "Is the man of the house home?” "No", she said. "He's out." "Then we cannot come in", they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened and that the three men were still there. "Go tell them I am home and invite them in!" The woman went out and invited the men in. "We do not go into a House together," they replied. "Why is that?" she wanted to know. One of the old men explained, pointing to his friends he said, "His name is Wealth, he is Success, and I am Love." "Now go in and discuss with your husband and family which one of us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said, and that their home will be filled with whomever they invite. (Which one did you choose before the story began?) The husband was overjoyed, "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let Wealth come and fill our home with wealth!"
His wife disagreed. "Why don't we invite Success?"

Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion, "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!" The husband said, "Let us agree to our daughter-in-law's advice, let us invite Love to be our guest."

The woman went out and asked the three old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest." Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other two also got up and followed him. Surprised, the wife asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?" The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success we would've stayed out, but you invited Love. Wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!!!!!!"

How did you do with the question I asked, what was your choice? Do you agree with the story? I think Jesus would have loved the story because it is a parable that prompts considerable thought and discussion. I think Jesus would have loved the story for the truth it reveals. "Wherever there is love, there is also Wealth and Success." The world can and does debate this but it doesn't change the truth.

Jesus knew his time on this earth was drawing to a close and he was busy teaching the disciples what he wanted them to do. They were confused and didn't understand all he was saying so in vs. 34 he simplifies what he is asking of them and of us, "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another."

To love others was not a new commandment. It was as old as the Hebrew faith. In the third book of the Old Testament, Leviticus 19:18 it says, "Never seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord." NLT This was a direct word from God.

The dictionary says a command is to direct authoritatively. The commandment to love one another comes from the highest authority. Jesus doesn't say to them, "May I suggest to you an idea you might put to work." To them and us today he says, "I give you a new commandment, I command you to love one another." Just a few verses later in John 14:15 he again says to the disciples and us, "If you love me, obey my commandments."

In military terms a command is an order. The commandment in Leviticus says to love as you love yourself. Being a student of human nature I understand how we haven't been real obedient about following God's order. We have debated for almost 5000 years what it means to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. I am sorry to say we are no further ahead today than when God first gave the command. History has repeatedly put wealth and success ahead of love and only death and destruction have followed. If we won't follow the command of Jesus can we not learn from history? That is why our modern parable can and will be debated rather than follow the truth it reveals.

While it was not a new commandment; to love others as Jesus loved them was revolutionary. Jesus takes loving one another to a new level. Now we are to love others not just as we love ourselves but based on Jesus' sacrificial love for us. We are too love others as he loved us. Such love will not only bring unbelievers to Christ but it will also keep believers strong and united in a world hostile to God. When we put wealth and or success ahead of loving God's people and God's creation we are being hostile to God.

When we do not obey God's commands we are going against God; we are being hostile to God. Jesus was a living example of God's love and we are commanded to be living examples of Christ's love. To love as Jesus loved is to invite love into your life first instead of wealth and success. There is nothing wrong with wealth and success but Jesus didn't command us to be wealthy or successful. He knew those rewards would come when we obey the command to love.

How can we love others as Jesus loves us? This isn't difficult to understand because we all know this is what we want, but it is difficult to do.
We love others as Jesus loves us by helping when it's not convenient.
We reply, my time is important isn't it?
We love others as Jesus loves us by giving when it hurts.
In a world where we can have it all giving till it hurts is not desirable.
We love others as Jesus loves us by devoting energy to others' welfare rather than our own.
We reply, what about my needs?
We love others as Jesus loves us by absorbing hurts from others without complaining or fighting back.
We reply, what about my rights?
This kind of loving is hard to do.

That is why people notice when you do it and know you are empowered by a supernatural source. Jesus said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." I have told you before, the greatest advice I received about ministry was this, "Love the Lord and love the people." When you love the Lord you reach up to Him; when you love the people you reach out to them and you have the cross in action. Where you find the cross of Jesus you find love.

We do live in a broken world. It has always been broken because of sin and it will always be broken until God reclaims it. But, in that brokenness there is a whisper of hope that can heal us and help us to live successful lives in a broken world. That hope is love. The Apostle Paul said when all is said and done three things remain, faith, hope and love; the greatest of these is love.
Our modern parable for today asks us to choose love, wealth or success into our homes and hearts as our guiding principle in life.

I pray you choose wisely.

Let us pray!