When the last bit of turkey and dressing is gone and the last piece of chocolate cream pie is eaten and the final football game is over, where will we find ourselves this Thanksgiving day? I am not talking about our physical location, but instead about our spiritual place in life. We have probably all had those quiet moments during a holiday season when we ask ourselves, "Where am I?" or "Who am I?" If you find yourself with these questions, I believe that God is placing on your heart a longing for Him. We all have a God-shaped void within us that gnaws at our heart and mind to be filled. At times we mistakenly fill it with our career or family or even a hobby that brings us happiness. But in the end those are temporary solutions that may make the symptoms go away for a season while the underlying cause still exists.
This past week was Christ the King Sunday in the Church. It signals the end of the Christian calendar and the turning of attention to the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which we call the season of Advent. What a great time for you and I to re-look at our spiritual lives. What a great time to re-commit to studying God's Word, praying, and being in worship. The Apostle Paul gives this charge in Philippians "3:13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, 3:14 with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." I encourage you to join with me in making this the goal of Advent. If we do, I believe we will find the answers to the questions on our heart. And that my friends will be time well spent!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sermon Manuscript: Christ's Promises
TEXT: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
The world is really good at making promises. We remember them and are moved by them. Who can forget MacArthur's promise to the Philippines, "I shall return"? Yes that was General MacArthur and not Governor Schwarzenegger who made that promise originally who changed it to "I'll be back!" There are many less moving promises. Advertisers realize that promises are effective in burning images and brands into our heads that we eventually act upon. Tom Bodette promises that "we'll leave a light on for you" at Motel 6. Diet Dr. Pepper promises "all the taste without the calories." I am sure you have your favorites as well. There are of course family promises like, "if you are good, I will get you a new corvette." How I wished that was the promise my parents used with me to get me through High School.
Why are promises made? When I was younger they were to help align my behavior with that of a good citizen. Don't duct tape your brother in the closet or you will be grounded. A bit older, promises were made to get me to do the right thing that was best for society and me. Study hard and you will get good grades which will lead to great success in life. Even now, promises help determine my behavior, if you want to get out of the doghouse, you will ________(fill in the blank)! At the heart of the matter, promises are given to move our eyes from our current circumstances to a future possibility. The are most effective when either our current circumstances are horribly unbearable, or the future possibility is overwhelming positive. On the other hand, if the promise-maker has a track record of being unable or unwilling to deliver, the promise is nothing more than hot air.
Today, we begin a new sermon series for Advent entitled, "Let us go to Bethlehem and find..." Over the course of the next four weeks, we will be journeying together to Bethlehem in order to view the Messiah. Our tour guide for the next month will be the prophet Isaiah whose name means " Yahweh saves" who spoke to a people experiencing their own season of Advent particularly in the second part of the book. King Nebuchadnezzar had carried off the Israelites to exile in Babylon in 586BC after he destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple. The prophet was writing therefore to assure the exiles that God had not forsaken them and had every intention of bringing them back to the Promised Land. Their season of advent therefore was the period of waiting to return. Isaiah clearly communicated that this would come to pass and so it did by King Cyrus' edict in 539BC. What makes Isaiah so important to our time of advent is that he so clearly illuminated the person and ministry of Christ throughout his writing. Of all the prophets from Old Testament, Isaiah was given the message of the Messiah by God.
So with this backdrop, let us turn our attention to our passage this morning and begin our journey together. The first thing we realize about this passage, is that we have heard it someplace before. It has a familiar ring to it that is unmistakable. This is the passage that Jesus read on that fateful day in the Synagogue in Nazareth given to us in Luke 4. Upon conclusion of the writing, Jesus closed the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and then after what I believe would have been a long pregnant pause declared, "this passage has been fulfilled in your presence today." Jesus was saying that the spirit of God was upon him and that he was being sent to fulfill all that God had for the world. For them that day, they were not interested in the promises that followed in the passage. They could not get past their familiarity with Jesus, the hometown boy, to even hear what good news was being proclaimed in their midst that day. In fact, they drove him out of town. Will we be the same today? Is our familiarity with each other, this passage, the Christmas season, or church itself standing in the way of what God is trying to speak to us?
Oh, we cling to promises, don't get me wrong. We long to have the promises fulfilled in our midst. The promise of a retirement free from financial worries and/or health worries. A marriage or relationship that ends in happily ever after. A future that is brighter than our past. The promise that our children will turn out to be productive people since we raised them right. The promise of loyalty from our friends, co-workers and even employers to whom we have been loyal. The promise of our church without struggles and conflict and hurt. We long to have these promises and so many more fulfilled in our sight. And we also realize that these may not be true promises, but false hopes created out of our desperation. Remember, a promise is null and void if the person with whom the promise is held is unable or unwilling to deliver it is simply false hope. It does not lift our eyes off of our current circumstance and onto a future. It simply mires us in the middle of what are awful circumstances.
The passage details two categories of promise: 1) what He will do for us, 2) what His actions will allow us to become and do. First, what He will do for us.
He has commissioned3 me to encourage4 the poor, to help5 the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners, 61:2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance,6 to console all who mourn,
61:3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy,7 instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise,8 instead of discouragement.9
To those in exile this passage spoke directly to their plight. Carried off into bondage, they longed for the day to control their own destiny again. How good it was when we could practice our own religion. Celebrate Passover and the other festival times. Freely go to the Temple or synagogue to hear teaching and bring our offerings. Come and go to see family and friends as we please. Work hard for a future for our own people instead of building up a kingdom for the Babylonians. In one sentence, albeit run-on sentence, those who believed had their eyes lifted from their current circumstance to a new and bright future. How much easier must it have been to suffer the injustices? How much easer to carry-on and move forward? The days of their suffering became numbered. Justice became assured. Hope was given. And that is the best of all consequences of any promise. Hope instilled.
Not only was God going to act on their behalf, but also the anointed One was going to change the very people He came to save.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,10 trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor.11
61:4 They will rebuild the perpetual ruins and restore the places that were desolate;12
they will reestablish the ruined cities, the places that have been desolate since ancient times.
61:513 “Foreigners will take care of14 your sheep;foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards.
61:6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests, servants of our God.’15
You will enjoy16 the wealth of nations and boast about17 the riches you receive from them.18
61:7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion;19 instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive.20
Yes,21 they will possess a double portion in their land and experience lasting joy.
"They will be called oaks of righteousness." A strong people who will not be easily shaken. What a transformation that would be; outsiders to insiders, servants to rulers, shaken to unshakeable, humiliated to splendor, unable to provide for themselves to rebuilders of ruins, places, cities, and places long considered desolate. They would be the people through whom the nation of Israel would experience rebirth and revitalization. Partners with the Lord most High. Their entire life was about to be turned upside down for the good. What they had lost, they would gain back. What they needed would be provided. They would again become the people God wanted to use to change this world.
Let's face it. Many of us are just as much in exile in our lives as the Israelites. We have had our dreams taken from us and replaced with nightmares we wouldn't wish on anyone else. What we thought would be the result of our life has slowly faded away into just a distant memory. We are in the midst of mourning for our loved ones, our careers, and the security of a home, our finances. The world around us in the midst of as much change as we have seen in this generation as well. Many of the assumptions we based our lives upon have been deconstructed in front of our very eyes. Who would have ever of thought that Ford, GM and CitiBank would need significant bailouts to just continue? Who would have ever thought that the cold war would be over and we would live in even greater fear. But this time, it is not a nuclear warhead, but a car bomb, or explosives strapped to a young person that are detonated in a mall. Who would have ever guessed that the legacy we would leave to our children wouldn't be better than the one we inherited?
We share much in common with the intended original readers of Isaiah. And I mean that in the most positive way. Let us go to Bethlehem and find, the one who God chose, anointed, and commissioned to bring us encouragement in the midst of our poverty, help for our hurts, and a release from what holds us captive. Jesus came to announce the year of the Lord when his favor will be poured out upon those in great need. And we too can move from a group in exile to one who is called "oaks of righteousness". Jesus is still in the business of helping us rebuild that which is ruined in our lives. He is still capable of restoring the places in our lives that we deem desolate and without hope.
Where do we place our hope? What promises are we clinging to this day? My prayer is that we would place our trust in the One who is able and willing to deliver for us each time and not things of this world which are bound to disappoint us. Let us go to Bethlehem and find...Christ's Promises again this day.
The world is really good at making promises. We remember them and are moved by them. Who can forget MacArthur's promise to the Philippines, "I shall return"? Yes that was General MacArthur and not Governor Schwarzenegger who made that promise originally who changed it to "I'll be back!" There are many less moving promises. Advertisers realize that promises are effective in burning images and brands into our heads that we eventually act upon. Tom Bodette promises that "we'll leave a light on for you" at Motel 6. Diet Dr. Pepper promises "all the taste without the calories." I am sure you have your favorites as well. There are of course family promises like, "if you are good, I will get you a new corvette." How I wished that was the promise my parents used with me to get me through High School.
Why are promises made? When I was younger they were to help align my behavior with that of a good citizen. Don't duct tape your brother in the closet or you will be grounded. A bit older, promises were made to get me to do the right thing that was best for society and me. Study hard and you will get good grades which will lead to great success in life. Even now, promises help determine my behavior, if you want to get out of the doghouse, you will ________(fill in the blank)! At the heart of the matter, promises are given to move our eyes from our current circumstances to a future possibility. The are most effective when either our current circumstances are horribly unbearable, or the future possibility is overwhelming positive. On the other hand, if the promise-maker has a track record of being unable or unwilling to deliver, the promise is nothing more than hot air.
Today, we begin a new sermon series for Advent entitled, "Let us go to Bethlehem and find..." Over the course of the next four weeks, we will be journeying together to Bethlehem in order to view the Messiah. Our tour guide for the next month will be the prophet Isaiah whose name means " Yahweh saves" who spoke to a people experiencing their own season of Advent particularly in the second part of the book. King Nebuchadnezzar had carried off the Israelites to exile in Babylon in 586BC after he destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple. The prophet was writing therefore to assure the exiles that God had not forsaken them and had every intention of bringing them back to the Promised Land. Their season of advent therefore was the period of waiting to return. Isaiah clearly communicated that this would come to pass and so it did by King Cyrus' edict in 539BC. What makes Isaiah so important to our time of advent is that he so clearly illuminated the person and ministry of Christ throughout his writing. Of all the prophets from Old Testament, Isaiah was given the message of the Messiah by God.
So with this backdrop, let us turn our attention to our passage this morning and begin our journey together. The first thing we realize about this passage, is that we have heard it someplace before. It has a familiar ring to it that is unmistakable. This is the passage that Jesus read on that fateful day in the Synagogue in Nazareth given to us in Luke 4. Upon conclusion of the writing, Jesus closed the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and then after what I believe would have been a long pregnant pause declared, "this passage has been fulfilled in your presence today." Jesus was saying that the spirit of God was upon him and that he was being sent to fulfill all that God had for the world. For them that day, they were not interested in the promises that followed in the passage. They could not get past their familiarity with Jesus, the hometown boy, to even hear what good news was being proclaimed in their midst that day. In fact, they drove him out of town. Will we be the same today? Is our familiarity with each other, this passage, the Christmas season, or church itself standing in the way of what God is trying to speak to us?
Oh, we cling to promises, don't get me wrong. We long to have the promises fulfilled in our midst. The promise of a retirement free from financial worries and/or health worries. A marriage or relationship that ends in happily ever after. A future that is brighter than our past. The promise that our children will turn out to be productive people since we raised them right. The promise of loyalty from our friends, co-workers and even employers to whom we have been loyal. The promise of our church without struggles and conflict and hurt. We long to have these promises and so many more fulfilled in our sight. And we also realize that these may not be true promises, but false hopes created out of our desperation. Remember, a promise is null and void if the person with whom the promise is held is unable or unwilling to deliver it is simply false hope. It does not lift our eyes off of our current circumstance and onto a future. It simply mires us in the middle of what are awful circumstances.
The passage details two categories of promise: 1) what He will do for us, 2) what His actions will allow us to become and do. First, what He will do for us.
He has commissioned3 me to encourage4 the poor, to help5 the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners, 61:2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance,6 to console all who mourn,
61:3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy,7 instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise,8 instead of discouragement.9
To those in exile this passage spoke directly to their plight. Carried off into bondage, they longed for the day to control their own destiny again. How good it was when we could practice our own religion. Celebrate Passover and the other festival times. Freely go to the Temple or synagogue to hear teaching and bring our offerings. Come and go to see family and friends as we please. Work hard for a future for our own people instead of building up a kingdom for the Babylonians. In one sentence, albeit run-on sentence, those who believed had their eyes lifted from their current circumstance to a new and bright future. How much easier must it have been to suffer the injustices? How much easer to carry-on and move forward? The days of their suffering became numbered. Justice became assured. Hope was given. And that is the best of all consequences of any promise. Hope instilled.
Not only was God going to act on their behalf, but also the anointed One was going to change the very people He came to save.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,10 trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor.11
61:4 They will rebuild the perpetual ruins and restore the places that were desolate;12
they will reestablish the ruined cities, the places that have been desolate since ancient times.
61:513 “Foreigners will take care of14 your sheep;foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards.
61:6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests, servants of our God.’15
You will enjoy16 the wealth of nations and boast about17 the riches you receive from them.18
61:7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion;19 instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive.20
Yes,21 they will possess a double portion in their land and experience lasting joy.
"They will be called oaks of righteousness." A strong people who will not be easily shaken. What a transformation that would be; outsiders to insiders, servants to rulers, shaken to unshakeable, humiliated to splendor, unable to provide for themselves to rebuilders of ruins, places, cities, and places long considered desolate. They would be the people through whom the nation of Israel would experience rebirth and revitalization. Partners with the Lord most High. Their entire life was about to be turned upside down for the good. What they had lost, they would gain back. What they needed would be provided. They would again become the people God wanted to use to change this world.
Let's face it. Many of us are just as much in exile in our lives as the Israelites. We have had our dreams taken from us and replaced with nightmares we wouldn't wish on anyone else. What we thought would be the result of our life has slowly faded away into just a distant memory. We are in the midst of mourning for our loved ones, our careers, and the security of a home, our finances. The world around us in the midst of as much change as we have seen in this generation as well. Many of the assumptions we based our lives upon have been deconstructed in front of our very eyes. Who would have ever of thought that Ford, GM and CitiBank would need significant bailouts to just continue? Who would have ever thought that the cold war would be over and we would live in even greater fear. But this time, it is not a nuclear warhead, but a car bomb, or explosives strapped to a young person that are detonated in a mall. Who would have ever guessed that the legacy we would leave to our children wouldn't be better than the one we inherited?
We share much in common with the intended original readers of Isaiah. And I mean that in the most positive way. Let us go to Bethlehem and find, the one who God chose, anointed, and commissioned to bring us encouragement in the midst of our poverty, help for our hurts, and a release from what holds us captive. Jesus came to announce the year of the Lord when his favor will be poured out upon those in great need. And we too can move from a group in exile to one who is called "oaks of righteousness". Jesus is still in the business of helping us rebuild that which is ruined in our lives. He is still capable of restoring the places in our lives that we deem desolate and without hope.
Where do we place our hope? What promises are we clinging to this day? My prayer is that we would place our trust in the One who is able and willing to deliver for us each time and not things of this world which are bound to disappoint us. Let us go to Bethlehem and find...Christ's Promises again this day.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Devotional Thought
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7.
I make no secret that this is one of the key verses I try to bend my life around. We all have worries, troubles, anxieties, and problems that seem at times insurmountable. And it has been my experience that they compound upon themselves at the most inopportune time. Paul encourages us to pray more, worry less. He states that the act of giving thanks is the proper attitude to take no matter our life's circumstance. Paul promises that God's peace, and not an escape, is available to those who place their cares with God.
Hear my heart and love for you when I say that this afternoon's Church Conference is an important event in the life of this congregation. Many of you have told me that you are fearful and anxious. Some of you have told me you are tired and weary. I know that I am. But let me be clear about one thing. At the conclusion of the Church Conference, no matter the "vote", "outcome", or "side" you may find yourself, God will still be sovereign. Christ will still be our Lord and Saviour. Our mission as a church will not waiver. And we will still be children of God united in our belief in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as the single most important event in the history of the world and the basis of hope.
Perhaps the Philippians 4:5 is a good reminder for this day when Paul says, "Let your gentleness be evident to all. For the Lord is near." Do not be anxious friends, do not be anxious.
I make no secret that this is one of the key verses I try to bend my life around. We all have worries, troubles, anxieties, and problems that seem at times insurmountable. And it has been my experience that they compound upon themselves at the most inopportune time. Paul encourages us to pray more, worry less. He states that the act of giving thanks is the proper attitude to take no matter our life's circumstance. Paul promises that God's peace, and not an escape, is available to those who place their cares with God.
Hear my heart and love for you when I say that this afternoon's Church Conference is an important event in the life of this congregation. Many of you have told me that you are fearful and anxious. Some of you have told me you are tired and weary. I know that I am. But let me be clear about one thing. At the conclusion of the Church Conference, no matter the "vote", "outcome", or "side" you may find yourself, God will still be sovereign. Christ will still be our Lord and Saviour. Our mission as a church will not waiver. And we will still be children of God united in our belief in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as the single most important event in the history of the world and the basis of hope.
Perhaps the Philippians 4:5 is a good reminder for this day when Paul says, "Let your gentleness be evident to all. For the Lord is near." Do not be anxious friends, do not be anxious.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
sermon Manuscript: Extravagant Generosity
Text: Mark 12:38-44, Mark 7: 7-13
We are currently in a sermon series that coincides with our stewardship campaign entitled, "Upon this rock". I have been using the passage from Matthew 16 where Jesus says to the disciples, "upon this rock I will build me church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." We have been exploring "how" the church goes about growing its foundation on solid bedrock. We have said that it starts with intentional faith development and not just left to chance. Last week we talked about how important it is for a church to be filled with people who are willing to take risks in terms of their mission and service work. This week we move onto the third pillar of our foundation and that is extravagant generosity. Churches who are solidly built have within them a group of people who are willing to give of their time, talents, and resources. Now I am fully aware that using the words "extravagant generosity" immediately sends up signals and causes hands to reach to protect their wallets and purses. And I want to tell you that I am sensitive to the baggage that goes with any stewardship campaign. Some people say, "all the church does is ask for money." For the decade of the 90's that was the most common reason used by non-church goers as to why they did not go to a church. Let me encourage us to have an open heart as we explore what it does and maybe just as importantly what is does not mean to be extravagantly generous.
Our Scripture passage, Mark 12:38-44, is often used when talking about stewardship. Jesus is in the Temple in Jerusalem teaching as was his custom. In addition to teaching, he was being tested by the religious leadership who were trying to discredit Jesus. You see, much of Jesus' teaching was aimed at the failures of the current religious leadership to properly understand and appropriate the law within society. This was a battle that Jesus was clearly winning much to the dismay and anger of the leaders. As if driving another nail into their leadership coffin, Jesus says in verse 38,
“Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. 39 And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. 40 Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.”
Jesus, not known for being politically correct when it came to calling out religious leaders, makes the point that these leaders are not to be trusted for their motives do not match their public actions. They enjoy the notoriety that their positions give them and they abuse the people that God has called them to care for. Jesus says in Mark 9 and 10 that the "first shall be last, and the last shall be first." This truth is what the kingdom of God is built upon: servants not masters, humility not pride.
With this context in mind, hear these next verses.
41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.[a] 43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
Most likely Jesus was in the Court of Women where there were up to twelve large receptacles along the walls that were used as offering plates. People would come to the Temple and place their offering, most likely a free will offering, in the receptacles in this very public place. It would have been normal to find the religious leadership watching these receptacles in order to keep them safe and to encourage the giving of the offerings. These offerings were used, at least in part, to sustain the religious leaders and to provide up keep for the Temple itself. It is in the midst of this very public place, where large givers would proudly walk and place their offering into the receptacles with a loud clang to announce their generosity to everyone, that a widow comes forward. Rather than a large clang, her offering makes barely a noise. A gift of 2 mites would have been roughly 12 minutes worth of work, or worthless in other words. And yet Jesus notices what the others around him did not. He calls his disciples to him and makes sure they know that this woman had come and had given proportionally much more than all the others. For the others gave from their surplus, but she gave from her poverty ALL that she had to live on.
Now here is where the story gets confusing. This passage is often used to say that we are to give not from our surplus, but from everything. It is used to call the church into sacrificial giving. And while I refuse to throw any stones at this interpretation, I have come to realize that it might be shortsighted to think that Jesus was holding this woman up as a wonderful example of giving. It would be like you or me hearing about a person who sent their last few dollars to a TV Evangelist. We wouldn't be trumpeting that as a great act of giving, but rather a great act of shameful manipulation and eventually a gift going in vain. And that is what I believe Jesus was driving at in this circumstance.
Before we go any further, let's back up and gain some additional perspective from an earlier interaction Jesus had with the religious leadership in Mark 7:7-13. Again they are questioning Jesus' actions and teachings. In response, Jesus says,
'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce, for they replace God's commands with their own man-made teachings.' F28 8 For you ignore God's specific laws and substitute your own traditions." 9 Then he said, "You reject God's laws in order to hold on to your own traditions. 10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: 'Honor your father and mother,' and 'Anyone who speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death. But you say it is all right for peopole to say to their parents, “Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to God what I could have given to you.' F30 12 You let them disregard their needy parents. 13 As such, you break the law of God in order to protect your own tradition. And this is only one example. There are many, many others."
Notice that Jesus calls into question their placing traditions of humanity over God's law. As an example, Jesus juxtaposes the law "honor your father and your mother" with giving an offering. If by giving an offering, you have nothing left to support your parents, then that is not following the law of God. Okay, hang with me. If it is wrong to not support your parent, how much more it must be to give away your last penny you need to support yourself?
Now back to our original passage in Mark 12. Could it be that Jesus was looking with pity upon this woman and anger upon those who made her feel it was her duty to give away her last resources to support them? Could it be that Jesus was holding this out as a warning to me and all others in church leadership about "why" we ask for gifts of time, talent, and resources? In addition to this, the really sad part of this story takes place in the following verses of chapter 14 when Jesus predicts that the Temple itself will be destroyed which took place within a century of this prophecy. The foundation of the organization she was giving toward was set to crumble before the 1st century ended. Truly this woman's gift was made in vain.
The church's firm foundation is grown when there is a practice of extravagant generosity by its congregation. Generosity is the very fuel that fills our tank and propels us forward in making disciples for Jesus Christ. Extravagant Generosity is a sign of a life transformed. That has become clear to me by looking at the widow's mite story. Extravagant giving is not guilt giving. It is not manipulation giving. It is giving of ones time, talents, and resources from a life that has been changed. Extravagant giving is "want to" and not "have to" giving. It is giving of ourselves that may require re-prioritizing what we feel is important in our lives. The example of the widow tells us that there are distinct reasons to avoid giving. Not to support a budget or a building or a pastor. Not to fulfill some religious duty or obligation. It is not to free yourself from guilt or to win influence over the church leadership. The only reason we give is to support things that have an eternal purposes. Purposes that build the kingdom of God.
Last week we filled out index cards and brought them to the front stating what we "imagined" this place would look like, or our role in it, or how we as a congregation could minister to this community. I told you three weeks ago that I did not have a vision for this place, but rather was trusting that God would bring the right people with the right gifts and talents to Andover and we would all develop our vision together. That is what started last week. And here it is on this "imagine" board.
You have identified "kingdom" building eternal purposes that you want to see take place. You identified relationships that you want to foster in the community. You imagined how we as a congregation can grow together and become real family without the need for pretenses or fear of judgment. A nurturing place to raise your children. A close-knit community to share your burdens. I could go on, but you get the message. This is what I stand here before you this morning asking you to support. Will you support God's vision for this place as given through your hearts and evidenced in these notecards?
We are about to enter a time of communion that will also be an opportunity to make our commitment of our time, talents, and resources for 2009. This is a completely free will invitation to commit to give of your time, your talent, and your resources. This is between you and God alone. I do want to communicate a couple of things before we proceed.
1.) First of all, do not make a commitment until you have prayed about it. Take some time to allow God to speak to you about your commitment. If you are not ready today, don't commit. Wait until you have a clear direction from God.
2.) If you are a visitor or new to Andover, do not feel obligated at all to fill out this card. The door is always open for you to make a commitment if you choose to make Andover your home and God so leads you.
2.) If you are struggling financially, I do not want you to feel compelled to make a financial commitment. Do I think God will honor your giving? Yes. But if we have learned one thing today, it is that guilt or obligation is not a reason to give. If you can't give, or give what you think God is calling you to give, then I want you to commit with me to make a plan to move in that direction. Maybe it is a debt-reduction plan. Perhaps re-prioritizing your spending. Perhaps getting signed up for the next Dave Ramsey course. There is an expression that goes, "God loves us where we are and loves us enough to not be content with leaving us there."
3.) If you are here today and you are in a position of abundance with regards to time, talents and resources and God has moved upon your life, I ask you be extravagantly generous. For it is upon extravagant generosity, giving from a changed life, that forms our foundation.
I want you to know that I trust you. I don't need to overdo this or make it emotional. I just simply need to place this request into the hands of people I have come to love and am so glad to be serving.
We are currently in a sermon series that coincides with our stewardship campaign entitled, "Upon this rock". I have been using the passage from Matthew 16 where Jesus says to the disciples, "upon this rock I will build me church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." We have been exploring "how" the church goes about growing its foundation on solid bedrock. We have said that it starts with intentional faith development and not just left to chance. Last week we talked about how important it is for a church to be filled with people who are willing to take risks in terms of their mission and service work. This week we move onto the third pillar of our foundation and that is extravagant generosity. Churches who are solidly built have within them a group of people who are willing to give of their time, talents, and resources. Now I am fully aware that using the words "extravagant generosity" immediately sends up signals and causes hands to reach to protect their wallets and purses. And I want to tell you that I am sensitive to the baggage that goes with any stewardship campaign. Some people say, "all the church does is ask for money." For the decade of the 90's that was the most common reason used by non-church goers as to why they did not go to a church. Let me encourage us to have an open heart as we explore what it does and maybe just as importantly what is does not mean to be extravagantly generous.
Our Scripture passage, Mark 12:38-44, is often used when talking about stewardship. Jesus is in the Temple in Jerusalem teaching as was his custom. In addition to teaching, he was being tested by the religious leadership who were trying to discredit Jesus. You see, much of Jesus' teaching was aimed at the failures of the current religious leadership to properly understand and appropriate the law within society. This was a battle that Jesus was clearly winning much to the dismay and anger of the leaders. As if driving another nail into their leadership coffin, Jesus says in verse 38,
“Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. 39 And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. 40 Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.”
Jesus, not known for being politically correct when it came to calling out religious leaders, makes the point that these leaders are not to be trusted for their motives do not match their public actions. They enjoy the notoriety that their positions give them and they abuse the people that God has called them to care for. Jesus says in Mark 9 and 10 that the "first shall be last, and the last shall be first." This truth is what the kingdom of God is built upon: servants not masters, humility not pride.
With this context in mind, hear these next verses.
41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.[a] 43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
Most likely Jesus was in the Court of Women where there were up to twelve large receptacles along the walls that were used as offering plates. People would come to the Temple and place their offering, most likely a free will offering, in the receptacles in this very public place. It would have been normal to find the religious leadership watching these receptacles in order to keep them safe and to encourage the giving of the offerings. These offerings were used, at least in part, to sustain the religious leaders and to provide up keep for the Temple itself. It is in the midst of this very public place, where large givers would proudly walk and place their offering into the receptacles with a loud clang to announce their generosity to everyone, that a widow comes forward. Rather than a large clang, her offering makes barely a noise. A gift of 2 mites would have been roughly 12 minutes worth of work, or worthless in other words. And yet Jesus notices what the others around him did not. He calls his disciples to him and makes sure they know that this woman had come and had given proportionally much more than all the others. For the others gave from their surplus, but she gave from her poverty ALL that she had to live on.
Now here is where the story gets confusing. This passage is often used to say that we are to give not from our surplus, but from everything. It is used to call the church into sacrificial giving. And while I refuse to throw any stones at this interpretation, I have come to realize that it might be shortsighted to think that Jesus was holding this woman up as a wonderful example of giving. It would be like you or me hearing about a person who sent their last few dollars to a TV Evangelist. We wouldn't be trumpeting that as a great act of giving, but rather a great act of shameful manipulation and eventually a gift going in vain. And that is what I believe Jesus was driving at in this circumstance.
Before we go any further, let's back up and gain some additional perspective from an earlier interaction Jesus had with the religious leadership in Mark 7:7-13. Again they are questioning Jesus' actions and teachings. In response, Jesus says,
'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce, for they replace God's commands with their own man-made teachings.' F28 8 For you ignore God's specific laws and substitute your own traditions." 9 Then he said, "You reject God's laws in order to hold on to your own traditions. 10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: 'Honor your father and mother,' and 'Anyone who speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death. But you say it is all right for peopole to say to their parents, “Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to God what I could have given to you.' F30 12 You let them disregard their needy parents. 13 As such, you break the law of God in order to protect your own tradition. And this is only one example. There are many, many others."
Notice that Jesus calls into question their placing traditions of humanity over God's law. As an example, Jesus juxtaposes the law "honor your father and your mother" with giving an offering. If by giving an offering, you have nothing left to support your parents, then that is not following the law of God. Okay, hang with me. If it is wrong to not support your parent, how much more it must be to give away your last penny you need to support yourself?
Now back to our original passage in Mark 12. Could it be that Jesus was looking with pity upon this woman and anger upon those who made her feel it was her duty to give away her last resources to support them? Could it be that Jesus was holding this out as a warning to me and all others in church leadership about "why" we ask for gifts of time, talent, and resources? In addition to this, the really sad part of this story takes place in the following verses of chapter 14 when Jesus predicts that the Temple itself will be destroyed which took place within a century of this prophecy. The foundation of the organization she was giving toward was set to crumble before the 1st century ended. Truly this woman's gift was made in vain.
The church's firm foundation is grown when there is a practice of extravagant generosity by its congregation. Generosity is the very fuel that fills our tank and propels us forward in making disciples for Jesus Christ. Extravagant Generosity is a sign of a life transformed. That has become clear to me by looking at the widow's mite story. Extravagant giving is not guilt giving. It is not manipulation giving. It is giving of ones time, talents, and resources from a life that has been changed. Extravagant giving is "want to" and not "have to" giving. It is giving of ourselves that may require re-prioritizing what we feel is important in our lives. The example of the widow tells us that there are distinct reasons to avoid giving. Not to support a budget or a building or a pastor. Not to fulfill some religious duty or obligation. It is not to free yourself from guilt or to win influence over the church leadership. The only reason we give is to support things that have an eternal purposes. Purposes that build the kingdom of God.
Last week we filled out index cards and brought them to the front stating what we "imagined" this place would look like, or our role in it, or how we as a congregation could minister to this community. I told you three weeks ago that I did not have a vision for this place, but rather was trusting that God would bring the right people with the right gifts and talents to Andover and we would all develop our vision together. That is what started last week. And here it is on this "imagine" board.
You have identified "kingdom" building eternal purposes that you want to see take place. You identified relationships that you want to foster in the community. You imagined how we as a congregation can grow together and become real family without the need for pretenses or fear of judgment. A nurturing place to raise your children. A close-knit community to share your burdens. I could go on, but you get the message. This is what I stand here before you this morning asking you to support. Will you support God's vision for this place as given through your hearts and evidenced in these notecards?
We are about to enter a time of communion that will also be an opportunity to make our commitment of our time, talents, and resources for 2009. This is a completely free will invitation to commit to give of your time, your talent, and your resources. This is between you and God alone. I do want to communicate a couple of things before we proceed.
1.) First of all, do not make a commitment until you have prayed about it. Take some time to allow God to speak to you about your commitment. If you are not ready today, don't commit. Wait until you have a clear direction from God.
2.) If you are a visitor or new to Andover, do not feel obligated at all to fill out this card. The door is always open for you to make a commitment if you choose to make Andover your home and God so leads you.
2.) If you are struggling financially, I do not want you to feel compelled to make a financial commitment. Do I think God will honor your giving? Yes. But if we have learned one thing today, it is that guilt or obligation is not a reason to give. If you can't give, or give what you think God is calling you to give, then I want you to commit with me to make a plan to move in that direction. Maybe it is a debt-reduction plan. Perhaps re-prioritizing your spending. Perhaps getting signed up for the next Dave Ramsey course. There is an expression that goes, "God loves us where we are and loves us enough to not be content with leaving us there."
3.) If you are here today and you are in a position of abundance with regards to time, talents and resources and God has moved upon your life, I ask you be extravagantly generous. For it is upon extravagant generosity, giving from a changed life, that forms our foundation.
I want you to know that I trust you. I don't need to overdo this or make it emotional. I just simply need to place this request into the hands of people I have come to love and am so glad to be serving.
Monday, November 3, 2008
sermon Manuscript: Risk-taking Mission and Service
SERMON MANUSCRIPT
Text: Matthew 5: 43-48
Time Magazine pronounced that God was dead in 1966. John Lennon released the song "Imagine" in 1971 and pronounced that organized religion was harming the world by creating false ideas that cloud our judgment and lead the world into bondage. George Barna pronounced that the mainline denominations were basically dead in 2005. They have been hemorrhaging members and worship attendance for the past three decades plus. The United Methodist Church is a prime example having shrunk from 13 million members in 1968 to 8 million members in 2004. Remember that in Matthew 16 Jesus said, 'upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it." So what gives? It appears that we are being overcome by something.
I refuse to make excuses for our denomination. I also refuse to bury it! We do have issues that need to be addressed and people much smarter and more connected than I am, including our own Bishop Davis, are working on it. But I also believe with all of my being that we have the message for our generation. Our core theology based on God's unmerited grace is what this world needs. The world needs to hear this from our pulpits. Society needs to experience it in our relationship with one another. Each person needs to come face to face with the living God and receive forgiveness from sin, freedom from guilt, and healing from the brokenness that results from both sin and guilt. It was once said of the United Methodist Church that we are a sleeping giant. That is the view I cling to when it comes to our denomination. A people 8 million strong poised to be used by God. That is the picture I will give my last breath working toward.
We must continue to build our foundation upon the rock that Jesus talked about. That is what we are highlighting during our sermon series. Growing our foundation through intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, extravagant generosity, passionate worship and radical hospitality. It is these practices that will awaken our own souls and the sleeping giant known as the United Methodist church. Today we explore what is means to be a risk-taking congregation in terms of mission and service.
This is probably not a great time to be speaking of risk-taking given the current condition of the stock market and our global economy. Trillions of dollars have been lost and many people, including many in this place today, are shell-shocked about the prospects of the future. We measure our exposure, we protect our downside, and we undergird our positions with analysis until we become comfortable before we move. And during times like these, we are unable to get comfortable and therefore refuse to take action. Unfortunately, this analysis carries over in our spiritual lives as well and many times causes paralysis by analysis.
Today, I want to spend a few moments talking about how we grow our firm foundation through risk-taking mission and service activity. Let's first look at some biblical examples of risk-taking that will probably be familiar to you:
Moses was born into a Hebrew family but promptly sailed into the arms of one of Pharaoh’s daughters to be raised because of the political climate in Egypt of the day. Having grown up in Pharaoh’s house, Moses was seen killing a man and had to flee for his life from Egypt. He met up with God in the desert after decades of tending sheep for his father-in-law through a burning bush. God called Moses to go back to Egypt and go before Pharaoh to ask for the release of the Israelite people. And Moses reluctantly accepted the call even though he was a fugitive from the land, a poor public speaker, and an outsider to the people. The story is one of God's power and love as he was used by God to free His people from 400 years of slavery.
King David was the youngest of 8 sons born into the house of Jesse. David grew up in the field tending sheep and serving his father and brothers. Even at a young age David's life was set for him until the prophet Samuel arrived at the house and anointed David, and not one of his older 9 brothers. This was just the beginning for David as he continued to live in his father's house and tend sheep until one fateful day he was called upon to intercede in a battle with the Philistines and their champion Goliath. A boy verses a giant? Stuff that legends are made of. Refusing armor and other war material, David took his slingshot and a few smooth stones. God used David to slay the giant and defeat the enemy show God's power and love for the people.
Paul was a Pharisee. A keeper of the law. Blameless per the law. Paul did not only defend it, he sought to destroy movements that would challenge it. Therefore Paul persecuted the New Testament church by carrying off its supporters to jail and participating in the execution of its leaders. All that changed one fateful day as Paul journeyed to Damascus. Jesus met him on that road and called him to turn from destroying to building the church. He of course faced a reluctant constituency in the church as they assumed he was trying to trick them in order to arrest them. God eventually worked in the hearts of the church and then called Paul to missionary journeys across Asia Minor to further the church with the Gentile people. Again God used Paul to show love and care for the people.
A close look at these three pictures of being used by God gives us some clues for us today as to how we too can move forward even if the task is overwhelming and the first response is to do nothing.
1.) Called by God...burning bush, prophet anointing, blinding light. All three had experiences which forever changed the trajectory of their life. All three of these callings came completely out of the clear blue without notice or rational reasoning.
2.) Not up to the task asked of them...Moses stuttered, David was outmatched physically, Paul was too far on the other side to be trusted. All three of these persons could not possible carry out what God was asking based on their own strength or ability. God will never calls us to go somewhere that God's power will not carry us through. As a matter of fact, I have not known God to ask us to do something that we can already do on our own strength. If it is a crazy idea, you can probably assume it is from God.
3.) Responded...All three responded to God by following God's call. This may be the most evident of all the clues for us but it is also the most important part for you and me. God is responsible for calling and equipping. And we are asked to join in by responding. We will never have all of our i's dotted and t's crossed. That is why it is called a "faith journey" and not a "walk in the park".
I believe that is one of the points Jesus was trying to make in our passage this morning. Let's read it again.
Matthew 5:38-48
Retaliation
5:38 “You have heard that it was said (R1), ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’45 5:39 But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer.46 But whoever strikes you on the47 right cheek, turn the other to him as well. 5:40 And if someone wants to sue you and to take your tunic,48 give him your coat also. 5:41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile,49 go with him two. 5:42 Give to the one who asks you,50 and do not reject51 the one who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
5:43 “You have heard that it was said (R1), ‘Love your neighbor’52 and ‘hate your enemy.’ 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemy and53 pray for those who persecute you, 5:45 so that you may be like54 your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 5:46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors55 do the same, don’t they? 5:47 And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? 5:48 So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.56
Jesus is saying that we must move beyond our personal understanding of righting wrongs, defending ourselves, and protecting our hearts. We must move onto another plain of understanding and care for those around us. This plain of understanding focuses on a greater good than simply our own personal needs. It takes into account a final victory that includes a victorious people who can give more of themselves in this life because of the life that lies ahead of them in eternity. That is why Jesus calls us to a risk-taking mission of following him. In Luke 9, Jesus says that following him means living a life of denial and cross bearing. And that is what the solid rock is built upon.
The fact of the matter is this: risk taking is about "what" and more importantly "who" we are placing our trust. Are we placing our trust in the resources of this world? Are we placing our trust in what we can understand, touch, feel, and control? If so, we are placing our trust in ourselves! What this passage is yelling at us from the top of this Mountain Jesus sits upon is this, "to be salt and light in my world; to really make a difference for my Kingdom; you must place your trust in me." And that means at times doing things that take us WAY out of our comfort zones. It may also mean doing things that seem every bit counter-intuitive to our understanding.
Churches who have solid rock foundations are made up of a group of people who have followed the pattern established by Moses, David and Paul. These places are full of individuals, Sunday School classes, choirs, ushers, studies, Women's groups and many others who are willing to respond time and again to what God places before them. It is filled with encouragement from the leadership and support from everyone. It is filled with persons who are willing to focus on solutions to problems inside and outside of the church and not spend their time simply defining the problems. A risk-taking church is made up of individuals, who know their giftedness and are ready to be employed by God to share love, heal hurts, and rescue the perishing as the old hymn says. Let me re-write Lennon's song for a moment.
IMAGINE
Imagine a people who are willing to give of themselves without conditions or expectation of reciprocity.
Imagine a clergy leadership more interested in encouraging and challenging the laity than building attendance, constructing pedestal pulpits and using their current appointment as a stepping stone to the next "bigger" and "better" place.
Imagine a place where people feel comfortable enough to express their deepest and darkest fears and hurts.
Imagine a place free from stereotypes and judgment based upon political affiliation, gender, race, and economic status.
Imagine a church that is more hospital and less formal living room.
Imagine the church as the hope of the world... because God does.
You may say that I am a dreamer, but I know I am not the only one...because I know you.
Text: Matthew 5: 43-48
Time Magazine pronounced that God was dead in 1966. John Lennon released the song "Imagine" in 1971 and pronounced that organized religion was harming the world by creating false ideas that cloud our judgment and lead the world into bondage. George Barna pronounced that the mainline denominations were basically dead in 2005. They have been hemorrhaging members and worship attendance for the past three decades plus. The United Methodist Church is a prime example having shrunk from 13 million members in 1968 to 8 million members in 2004. Remember that in Matthew 16 Jesus said, 'upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it." So what gives? It appears that we are being overcome by something.
I refuse to make excuses for our denomination. I also refuse to bury it! We do have issues that need to be addressed and people much smarter and more connected than I am, including our own Bishop Davis, are working on it. But I also believe with all of my being that we have the message for our generation. Our core theology based on God's unmerited grace is what this world needs. The world needs to hear this from our pulpits. Society needs to experience it in our relationship with one another. Each person needs to come face to face with the living God and receive forgiveness from sin, freedom from guilt, and healing from the brokenness that results from both sin and guilt. It was once said of the United Methodist Church that we are a sleeping giant. That is the view I cling to when it comes to our denomination. A people 8 million strong poised to be used by God. That is the picture I will give my last breath working toward.
We must continue to build our foundation upon the rock that Jesus talked about. That is what we are highlighting during our sermon series. Growing our foundation through intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, extravagant generosity, passionate worship and radical hospitality. It is these practices that will awaken our own souls and the sleeping giant known as the United Methodist church. Today we explore what is means to be a risk-taking congregation in terms of mission and service.
This is probably not a great time to be speaking of risk-taking given the current condition of the stock market and our global economy. Trillions of dollars have been lost and many people, including many in this place today, are shell-shocked about the prospects of the future. We measure our exposure, we protect our downside, and we undergird our positions with analysis until we become comfortable before we move. And during times like these, we are unable to get comfortable and therefore refuse to take action. Unfortunately, this analysis carries over in our spiritual lives as well and many times causes paralysis by analysis.
Today, I want to spend a few moments talking about how we grow our firm foundation through risk-taking mission and service activity. Let's first look at some biblical examples of risk-taking that will probably be familiar to you:
Moses was born into a Hebrew family but promptly sailed into the arms of one of Pharaoh’s daughters to be raised because of the political climate in Egypt of the day. Having grown up in Pharaoh’s house, Moses was seen killing a man and had to flee for his life from Egypt. He met up with God in the desert after decades of tending sheep for his father-in-law through a burning bush. God called Moses to go back to Egypt and go before Pharaoh to ask for the release of the Israelite people. And Moses reluctantly accepted the call even though he was a fugitive from the land, a poor public speaker, and an outsider to the people. The story is one of God's power and love as he was used by God to free His people from 400 years of slavery.
King David was the youngest of 8 sons born into the house of Jesse. David grew up in the field tending sheep and serving his father and brothers. Even at a young age David's life was set for him until the prophet Samuel arrived at the house and anointed David, and not one of his older 9 brothers. This was just the beginning for David as he continued to live in his father's house and tend sheep until one fateful day he was called upon to intercede in a battle with the Philistines and their champion Goliath. A boy verses a giant? Stuff that legends are made of. Refusing armor and other war material, David took his slingshot and a few smooth stones. God used David to slay the giant and defeat the enemy show God's power and love for the people.
Paul was a Pharisee. A keeper of the law. Blameless per the law. Paul did not only defend it, he sought to destroy movements that would challenge it. Therefore Paul persecuted the New Testament church by carrying off its supporters to jail and participating in the execution of its leaders. All that changed one fateful day as Paul journeyed to Damascus. Jesus met him on that road and called him to turn from destroying to building the church. He of course faced a reluctant constituency in the church as they assumed he was trying to trick them in order to arrest them. God eventually worked in the hearts of the church and then called Paul to missionary journeys across Asia Minor to further the church with the Gentile people. Again God used Paul to show love and care for the people.
A close look at these three pictures of being used by God gives us some clues for us today as to how we too can move forward even if the task is overwhelming and the first response is to do nothing.
1.) Called by God...burning bush, prophet anointing, blinding light. All three had experiences which forever changed the trajectory of their life. All three of these callings came completely out of the clear blue without notice or rational reasoning.
2.) Not up to the task asked of them...Moses stuttered, David was outmatched physically, Paul was too far on the other side to be trusted. All three of these persons could not possible carry out what God was asking based on their own strength or ability. God will never calls us to go somewhere that God's power will not carry us through. As a matter of fact, I have not known God to ask us to do something that we can already do on our own strength. If it is a crazy idea, you can probably assume it is from God.
3.) Responded...All three responded to God by following God's call. This may be the most evident of all the clues for us but it is also the most important part for you and me. God is responsible for calling and equipping. And we are asked to join in by responding. We will never have all of our i's dotted and t's crossed. That is why it is called a "faith journey" and not a "walk in the park".
I believe that is one of the points Jesus was trying to make in our passage this morning. Let's read it again.
Matthew 5:38-48
Retaliation
5:38 “You have heard that it was said (R1), ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’45 5:39 But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer.46 But whoever strikes you on the47 right cheek, turn the other to him as well. 5:40 And if someone wants to sue you and to take your tunic,48 give him your coat also. 5:41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile,49 go with him two. 5:42 Give to the one who asks you,50 and do not reject51 the one who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
5:43 “You have heard that it was said (R1), ‘Love your neighbor’52 and ‘hate your enemy.’ 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemy and53 pray for those who persecute you, 5:45 so that you may be like54 your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 5:46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors55 do the same, don’t they? 5:47 And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? 5:48 So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.56
Jesus is saying that we must move beyond our personal understanding of righting wrongs, defending ourselves, and protecting our hearts. We must move onto another plain of understanding and care for those around us. This plain of understanding focuses on a greater good than simply our own personal needs. It takes into account a final victory that includes a victorious people who can give more of themselves in this life because of the life that lies ahead of them in eternity. That is why Jesus calls us to a risk-taking mission of following him. In Luke 9, Jesus says that following him means living a life of denial and cross bearing. And that is what the solid rock is built upon.
The fact of the matter is this: risk taking is about "what" and more importantly "who" we are placing our trust. Are we placing our trust in the resources of this world? Are we placing our trust in what we can understand, touch, feel, and control? If so, we are placing our trust in ourselves! What this passage is yelling at us from the top of this Mountain Jesus sits upon is this, "to be salt and light in my world; to really make a difference for my Kingdom; you must place your trust in me." And that means at times doing things that take us WAY out of our comfort zones. It may also mean doing things that seem every bit counter-intuitive to our understanding.
Churches who have solid rock foundations are made up of a group of people who have followed the pattern established by Moses, David and Paul. These places are full of individuals, Sunday School classes, choirs, ushers, studies, Women's groups and many others who are willing to respond time and again to what God places before them. It is filled with encouragement from the leadership and support from everyone. It is filled with persons who are willing to focus on solutions to problems inside and outside of the church and not spend their time simply defining the problems. A risk-taking church is made up of individuals, who know their giftedness and are ready to be employed by God to share love, heal hurts, and rescue the perishing as the old hymn says. Let me re-write Lennon's song for a moment.
IMAGINE
Imagine a people who are willing to give of themselves without conditions or expectation of reciprocity.
Imagine a clergy leadership more interested in encouraging and challenging the laity than building attendance, constructing pedestal pulpits and using their current appointment as a stepping stone to the next "bigger" and "better" place.
Imagine a place where people feel comfortable enough to express their deepest and darkest fears and hurts.
Imagine a place free from stereotypes and judgment based upon political affiliation, gender, race, and economic status.
Imagine a church that is more hospital and less formal living room.
Imagine the church as the hope of the world... because God does.
You may say that I am a dreamer, but I know I am not the only one...because I know you.
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