Who's First?

Read Matthew 21: 23-32

“What Comes First”

Do any of these phrases sound familiar to you? 

I just want to fit in. Why don’t they like me? Why can’t I be like them? I want to be noticed. I just want people to recognize me. I want people to see me. What about me do people not like. Am I different? Are they different? Is it the clothes I wear? Is it the way I talk? Do I smell bad? I wish I had friends. I wish people would hear my voice. They might like me if they would get to know me. Is it something I said? Maybe I am different. Maybe God made me different. God, why did you make me different? Please just give me a chance. 

Or, can you recall using any of these phrases? 

You don’t fit in. People just don’t like you. If you would change and be a little different people might like you. Just go somewhere else. I would rather not see you. You don’t belong. You are not a likable person. You’re just different; you’re not one of us. You are weird. You are not like the rest of us. You smell bad. You don’t have friends for a reason. Nobody cares what you have to say. Nobody wants to get to know you. You are not right for this group, you’re not proper material. It’s not God’s fault; it’s your fault. Just leave because you are not wanted. 

Have you felt excluded or separated from everybody else? It's likely that you can recall some of these thoughts or feelings from grade school or high school. Some of you might have heard or had them as adults. Some of you might have heard these things in church or from a church. Believe it or not, that is far more common than it should be. There are churches in the world that believe some people just don’t belong in their sanctuaries and faith communities. Forgive me for twisting the knife a little more, but there are churches in our communities that believe some people just do not belong among them. Do you remember what it felt like in school when someone told you that you just didn’t fit in to a certain group? Now, can you imagine what it would feel like if God told you that you just didn’t fit in? If a person is excluded from a church, that is how they feel. Though, exclusion of any type is not the will of heaven, it is the will of human. 

The religious people knew one way and Jesus knew another. The religious leaders walked the streets looking down on people that were different from them. They completely disenfranchised themselves from the people that were not “blessed”. Surely, they noticed the poor, the sick, and the less fortunate subjected to the streets. Surely they noticed the beggars that could not drag themselves out of the slums they lived in. Surely, they saw them. But, they believed the “less blessed” were also cursed. They believed that God put them there because they did something to make God mad. Perhaps, it was something their families did and they were paying for it. The religious leaders did not see them to be fit for the temple worship. I mean, if they couldn’t tithe why should arrive. As far as the religious leaders were concerned, if they did not pay the temple dues they were disrespectful to God. To them, it was best that these disenfranchised people just kept their distance. They believed that if you didn’t have money, you were not welcome. So, the way these people saw it, the only people connected with God were the wealthy Jews. Of course, they kept a close relationship with the Roman Empire. This relationship was kind of under the table. They did not want other Jews to know about this relationship with the Romans because they were the enemy. But, the Roman coin allowed them to live luxuriously. The Romans filled their purses. They collaborated to further oppress God’s people. 

“What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority?” They asked Jesus when he not only invited numerous people into the temple, but he started teaching them and contradicting the Jewish leaders. Jesus had quite a following and when he went into the temple his followers saw him and they went with him. And he started teaching them this radical way that God loved all people: poor people, sick and diseased, marginalized, sinners, tax collectors, zealots, prostitutes, and they were all welcome in the temple to worship. The religious leaders were in a fit of rage! They thought Jesus was just another radical false prophet trying to challenge the status quo. So, what they needed to do was kill him. He did not belong. He was just a poor carpenter from the north. 

“I will tell you what kind of authority I have if you answer a question for me. Where did John the Baptist get his authority, heaven or human?” Many of the people that followed Jesus loved John the Baptist. Like Jesus, John accepted them. He not only accepted them but he cleansed them of their sins and invited them to be part of God’s kingdom. If these priests rejected John’s authority, Jesus’ followers would probably cause a riot. Let us not forget that the Jewish leaders had recently killed John. 

Jesus told a parable, a story, of two sons that worked in their father’s vineyard. The father called the sons to go work in the vineyard. One of the sons did not want to work; he fumbled around and complained. He knew the work was hard because the harvest was large. He knew he had his work cut out for him. But he eventually went to work because he loved his father and he was aware of the work that needed to be done in his father’s vineyard. 

The other son said, “Yes sir! I will go to work in the vineyard. You can count on me. I will harvest and make the vineyard great. I am a hard worker; you can count on me!” But he never did anything for the father. He just said he was going to do it. In this parable Jesus identifies two types of people. There are people that might seem like they are not fit to work in the vineyard. They are the people that might not appear to be God’s servants. They are people that might not be who you expect God to call. On the surface they are the sinners, the unpleasant folks that just don’t fit in and, simply put, the most unlikely people. But, they have compassion in their hearts. They recognize the need in vineyard. They are the people that see the need in the world and they serve God; they serve people. They are the people that follow Jesus, the father in the vineyard. 

Then there are the people that just pretend like they get it because they think they are pleasing the father of the vineyard. They are actually blind to the needs of the people. They are far more interested in what the vineyard looks like and not the need to harvest from it. They are the people that boast about the idea of being obedient, but never take action. They make people believe they are obedient by lying to them. They say they serve but never follow through. 

Jesus used this parable to illustrate to the religious leaders that those who are obedient to God, even if they are sinners come before those who pretend to be obedient to God. Essentially, the prostitutes and tax collectors that believed in John the Baptist are far more obedient than the religious leaders. Jesus’ mission was a bold, upside-down move that empowered the people that were not accepted by the church.  

There is a clear parallel between the culture during Jesus’ day and the culture of our day. Some things change in time; but some things do not. John and Jesus’ followers did not fit in the temple because they were different. They did not meet the standard for worship, they could not tithe or pay the taxes, but they were compassionate with a love for God. The religious leaders rejected them because they were different and they did not fit in. 

Many churches and religious institutions require people to meet a standard before they can be part of the congregation. If a person does not fit, they are not allowed. If a person doesn’t look a certain way, live a certain way, or tithe a certain amount they do not meet the standard; they are rejected. However, on the surface those churches and religious institutions just lead an audience to believe they upholding the mission of Christ. They are blind to the needs of the world or the needs in their own backyards. They are so interested in their institution and their purses that they miss the need. They are the son in the vineyard that God called to work and they replied, “Yes, sir.” But, didn’t go. 

In God’s will there is no exclusivity. All people are included. There is no separation, there are not people that don’t fit in, and all people are invited to work in the world’s vineyard. God was satisfied with those that served even if they were sinners. They were obedient to God despite how the world treated them. Those are the ones that will be first in the kingdom. Then there are those who are blind to the needs of the world. The ones that pretend and fail to be obedient to God’s will. Who are you? The father calls his sons and daughters to work and serve in the vineyard of the world. God calls us to go out and reap a harvest for God, to show people God’s work through our hands.

Jesus made a difference. He changed the course of time and history because he stood against the people that were not obedient to God. For that reason, the religious people of his day killed him. But, they did what he knew they would do. He made a sacrifice for the world. Not only did he make a sacrifice for the people that believed in him but also for the people that did not. At that moment, time stopped and everything was made new. All things were made new. His sacrifice is still making a difference and renewing everything in the world. It is still being shown through people. Are you one of those people? In all that you do, let the love, compassion, and mission of Christ be seen in you.

Peace

      

Brick and Mortar

Read:

Romans 13:8-14

Debt can be a terrible thing. Now, there are many kinds of debt but when I say the word “debt” I think most of us think of the same thing. We think of credit cards, home loans, student loans, car loans, business loans, or such types. Some of us might think of the money we owe a friend or family member. Some us might think of the money someone else owes us. We might consider the damage that we did with our first credit card and the lessons we learned with that little devil (no pun intended). Maybe it has nothing to do with money. Perhaps there is a debt you owe a friend for doing a great favor. Perhaps someone owes you a debt that can’t be paid with money; it can only be paid the same way that it was made. Perhaps you have incurred debt because of something someone else has done. You might have used or heard the phrase, “You owe me because of what (he/she) has done.” Or, “I owe you because of what (he/she) has done.” At any rate, I think we all have some kind of understanding of debt. 

The early Christ followers in Rome knew a very similar debt as we do, but Paul challenged it. Paul flipped it over and made it something very different. The Roman church was quite different from some of the other Christian groups. Before Paul’s great reversal of life with Christ, he was an employ of Rome and he was very familiar with them. He knew the way they lived and the influence of sin that hovered over this city. It was very Hellenized, meaning that it was immersed in Greek culture. There was a large influence of pagan worship. The use of gymnasiums and public bathing houses were very common in Rome. This was a contrast to the Jewish lifestyle but many Jews were being influenced by this Greek way of living. Criminal activity was common by both sides of poor peasant criminals and systematic criminals. This was the environment of the church in Rome and it was the environment that Paul presented his letter. This letter was an urge to protest against the evil influences of the Roman people. Despite what the empire was offering, Paul was trying to quietly influence the people that had dedicated themselves to a Christ-like lifestyle. 

Among this culture, debt was very common. It was a weapon commonly used for oppression. It was a tool for the Romans and the Jewish aristocracy to manipulate and enslave the lives of the poor. Much of the sin that Jesus preached against can be contributed back to debt collection and high interest rates. Much of the oppression that Jesus preached against can be contributed back to debt collection. Many of the authorities, including the Roman and the religious governments, would use debt collection to control much of the poor population. Doesn’t that sound suspiciously familiar? There are so many well-known organizations in this world today that use debt to enslave people. The primary source of income for major credit companies does not come from the fees they charge for businesses to use their machines. It comes from the interest rates and over limit fees they charge cardholders. I digress. Jesus preached against this and Paul echoes the Lord’s sentiments. But, he uses this form of evil to teach his listeners in Rome about one of the greatest contrasts to evil. He uses their knowledge about debt and its oppressing aptitudes to teach his listeners about love. Now, if you are thinking what I am thinking, you are saying to yourself, “This oughta be good.” 

When Paul mentions debt to these Christ followers in Rome, the thoughts that come to mind are tools of oppression. Debt was like a plague. But he says, “Do not hold debt over people and do not accumulate debt with others. The only debt you should owe or ask of people is love. The only thing you should owe people and the only thing people should owe you is love.” Whoa... For the people in this culture, this was completely upside down. How would love make anyone any money? It doesn’t. At least it does not allow people to accumulate riches. Christ presented the idea of not accumulating riches but the wealthy class providing for the poor class with love. What a radical idea. Paul wanted this radical idea to resonate with the church in Rome. He wanted them to simply love one another selflessly. Paul preached this message because his people in Rome were not living up to a love standard. They were showing false love for one another. This false love was culminating hate. These people were trying to live up to the Jewish commandments but in the process, they were not considering the one commandment all of the others were summed up with, the commandment to love your neighbor as you would yourself. These people lived by the Law in the Torah but Paul teaches that love is the essential ethic in the Torah. This ethic must be very carefully and critically applied to the life of the Christ follower. 

Paul follows up this lesson on love with encouragement for his listeners. He tells them that the time has come to make Christ apparent. These people were citizens of Rome. They were people that were influenced by Hellenistic culture. They were known to stay drunk all the time, sleep around, obsess over each other, treat each other badly, fighting and bullying one another, and the influence of the sovereign God was not very present. He tells them to not partake in these common Hellenistic activities. But rather, partake in the activities that present Christ. He instructs them to find, show, invite, introduce, present, and be an ambassador for Christ and do this with selfless love for one another. 

I think it is safe to say that we, as Christ followers, are familiar with the instructions to love one another without biases and selfishness. If you have heard or read only a few of my sermons (and you are still listening) you should know that by now. But, I think we sometimes don’t consider what it means to love your neighbor as you would yourself. Do we actually consider those implications? Or, do we just carry on with our lives thinking, “Oh yeah yeah, I do enough of that.” If you think you do enough of it, you might be missing something. That would imply that there is an end to it; this love has no end. The love that Paul is urging these Christ followers is the same kind of love that we can use to present Christ to one another. That is the ultimate mission: to present Christ with our lives. We do that with this radical type of love. This type of love is far more than just an emotional state. This love is active all the time and promotes the good of someone else. It illuminates the good in other people. It works to present the good in a person and to never harm them. It is present for the good and well-being of a community of people. It is completely selfless. It holds people together and it doesn’t separate people. To quote Pink Floyd, “All in all we are all just bricks in the wall.” Love is the mortar or the cement that holds us all together. If there is no mortar we will fall apart. If the wall is weak it will fall down. But if our love is strong and we all stick together, there is no wind, storm, evil, hate, or catastrophe that will pull us apart. 

Another way that you can identify this type of love is that it is difficult and challenging. It is a no brainer that I love my family, church, and my friends. But, loving the people that have betrayed me is difficult. Loving the people that have shown a reflection of hate in the world is challenging. This type of love takes time and patience to develop. This kind of love loves what the world might call “unlovable”. But, that is the kind of debt that Paul is talking about. It is a debt that is hard to pay. It is a love debt. I am sure there are times that God has a hard time loving the world, even loving you and me. But, we are left with the reminder that God so loved the world that God made a very significant sacrifice.

Since we are Christ followers, we all owe a certain kind of debt to one another and to people that are different from us. We owe them selfless love. Why? Because that is part of the life we live; that is what God commands of us. But, the more we show disgust or hate for each other, the more we force ourselves into debt, the more love we owe. 

We strive to live by God’s commandments. Of course, God’s commandments can be manipulated and used against people or to hurt people. This has been done for centuries. For ages church-going Christians have used God’s commandments to force people away from God. This is one thing about our faith that hurts my inner being. Our bible has been used to separate and destroy communities. It has been used to kill millions of people. It has been used as a tool for self-righteousness. It has been used to make money. It has even been used to justify hate. So, one might ask the question, if this thing has been used to say one thing by one person but something completely different by another, how do I determine what is right or wrong? There is one way to determine if our bible, God’s commandments, and the gospel message are being used correctly. We can find this written throughout the text. Paul recites it in our text today. Love God with everything you have. Then, love your neighbor as you would want to be love. All of God's commandments can be summed up with those two. If something is in opposition of those two commandments, it is not God’s will.  

We are the bricks in this world and love is the mortar that holds us together. How can you strengthen the love between us all? How can you show the world with your selfless love that God is here with us, holding us together?   

Confidence in Battle

Read: 1 Samuel 17:41-49 

What gives you hope? What gives you hope in people? Much of the time I feel like we need a good dose of restoration to maintain and develop our faith. That's not just our faith in God but our faith in people too. I feel like we need to feed the soul routinely so that we can be optimistic during doubtful times. Restorative moments are nutrients for the spirit and I think they are just as quintessential as nutrients for the body. 

When I see people helping people it gives me hope. When I see the underdog make come out on top it give me hope. When I see government policies helping and accommodating people I receive hope. When I see church groups serving people it gives me hope. I am often revived with an amount of hope when I witness young people doing volunteer work with zeal and excitement. (Especially when they are not told to). I receive hope when I see God’s work through the most unlikely person. It gives me hope when I witness God’s work making a difference in people. These things not only give me hope but they give me confidence. And, I am not talking about confidence in myself. I am talking about confidence in God. 

Do other people give you hope? Does that hope build confidence in God’s presence? Perhaps your confidence strengthens the faith in other people. David’s confidence in battle developed a lot of hope and faith in the people of Israel. It was hope they needed. You see, there hope was starting to diminish. They had little confidence in themselves and they had nearly forgotten about the Living God. They had put themselves in a position that could have been a means to an end. There was only one direction they could go; there was no turning back. And, that road was uncertain and dark. At the end of that road stood a large and powerful Philistine army ready to crush king Saul and the Israelites (God’s people).   

Saul was the king of Israel. He was the king that seems like God didn’t want them to have. Before Saul there was not a king. Yahweh was the King of Israel. God protected them and met all of their needs. But for Israel, it wasn’t enough. They wanted a king so that they could be like the other nations. Reluctantly, God gave them one. They did not realize that they could not have God's rule over them and a king to rule over them. Since they wanted to take matters away from God and into their own hands, problems emerged. Before, the Philistines were unsuccessful at attacking Israel. But, now that God turned control over to their new king, the Philistines were coming to take over. 

As Samuel promised the elders of Israel years before this event, they were suffering from the spoils of war. Men were dying in battle and the women were becoming slaves of war. To make matters worse, they were losing. The significance in them losing to the Philistines is much greater than just losing any war. You see, when a nation is defeated, everything about them is defeated, even the god they worship. The enemy knew the Israelites worshiped the Living God and if they defeated them it would show that God was either weak or not on their side. 

On the lines of battle the Israelites stood frightened, worried, anxious, and alone because they did not feel like God was with them. They were facing what seemed to be definite defeat. To make matters worse, a large intimidating leader of the Philistine army emerged to the battle line and started taunting them. Many of us know the story. Goliath tells them to send their best warrior and he will defeat him to prove his strength. But, there’s much more to it than that. He knows that the Israelites are vulnerable. He knows that there is a chance that God is no longer with them because he sees his chance of victory. He knows that they are wounded physically, emotionally, and spiritually so he throws salt on the wounds because he knows he has the opportunity to hurt them even more without lifting a finger. He does this by defying the one thing they have left to hold onto. He defies God. He says, “You’re God hates you and forsakes you. Who cares because your God can’t even defeat my army. Your God is weak. Look at this! How much stronger are my gods than yours? Your God has run from battle because of fear. Since your God is too weak to fight me, send me the best warrior you’ve got. I will defeat him too.”

The Israelites placed a lot of trust in their king, Saul. But, Saul was failing as a leader. He was not allowing God to rule. But, God knew this would happen. God warned them of it, but they did not listen. Saul had become Israel’s problem. He was overzealous and eager to lead but he had no concern for his people. For that, they were at the brink of destruction. They had lost hope in their king and they were losing hope in God.

Isn’t it easy to lose hope when everything around us is crumbling down? Isn’t it hard to have confidence in what God is doing or will do when it feels like God is not doing anything for us? Then, of course something or somebody comes along and damages our spirit. You might hear something along the lines of, “I am doing fine without God.” “Why waste your time with it?” “Where is your God now?” Or, “What good is prayer when your prayers aren’t answered?” It is like salt on a big gaping wound. They are those big giant challenges that make us lose hope and confidence. That is the enemy. It’s our own personal giants that we have to face, the ones that scare us, the ones that haunt us, the ones that break us down. When we witness the enemy closing in and making advances we become even more fearful, we question whether or not we are on the right side, and at times we feel like we won’t survive. Do you know that feeling? Have you been there? I am not talking about physical battle; I am talking about the emotional ones we fight regularly. And, doesn’t it always seem like the enemy knows when to attack, when we are the most vulnerable. To make it even worse, the enemy is not afraid of the best warrior.         

But, there is good news. The enemy might be powerful, smart, and know a little something about God’s people; but the enemy assumes too much.

David was just a shepherd, a young boy full of God’s zeal. A man after God’s own heart, they called him. His love, trust, and ambition for the Living God were greater than anyone he knew. He wanted to represent God in all that he did. 

During the battle between the Philistines and the Israelites David was just an extra hand. He, along with all of the other men and women transported food, supplies, and munitions to the front lines for the soldiers. David wanted to fight but he was too young and not strong enough according to the military standards. Despite his size and age, while delivering supplies he worked his way up to the battlefront and witnesses something that really stirred him. He saw something that created fire and anger in him. He witnessed a man defying and insulting his beloved God, Yahweh. A Philistine, the enemy stood and insulted the God of Abraham and there was nothing in this world that could have angered David any more. To make matters worse, the Israelites, David’s people stood and watched and did nothing while this man cursed God. They did nothing! Though a young shepherd boy, David grabbed the attention of Israel’s army and with the rhetoric of a king in charge stood up for his God with confidence. He said, “Wow, can you believe the balls on this guy? Who does he think he is? I’ll say this; he got some nerve insulting the Living God like that! He has no idea what's about to happen to him and his entire army. He has no idea that they are about to fail miserably! Obviously he does not know that God is about to put an end to his life and this whole battle” This young boy's confidence continues by reprimanding his people for not moving forward with faith. He tells them, “Why do you let this guy say these things? Where is your faith?” 

David’s older brothers were among the people fighting for Israel and they heard what their younger sibling was saying. They became angry and told him to go back to tending his sheep in the wilderness. Someone reported to king Saul about this young boy stirring up the battlefront so he sent for David. David requested that Saul allow him to fight the giant but Saul did not grant his request. The king told him that he was too young and the Philistine was too strong. But David knew that Saul's love for God and his people was failing and the only way to reverse these problems was for God to show them that God is present and for them. Let me remind you, Israel’s failure would be a sign that God turned away from them. David would not have it. Finally he persuaded the king to allow him to fight the Philistine. If Saul was going to let this boy go into battle he wanted the enemy to see that he was sending a soldier, not a shepherd. So, he loaded him up with armor, mail, and weapons and sent him on his way. David was so confident in God’s armor and protection, he knew he did not need the armor of the world. Upon leaving the king, he dropped all of the weapons and ornaments that the king gave him. He picked up his shepherd staff, grabbed a few rocks from a creek, and made his way to the front lines of battle. 

The giant philistine laughed at him. He cursed David by his own pagan gods but David stood tall and proud that he was there for one purpose, to show all those who witnessed the strength of the Living God. He said, “You come here with sword, shield, and thick armor. I come here with something much greater, the Living God. You are unprepared for battle. You will be defeated.” Goliath advanced and David pulled a stone from his pocket, launched it at the giant, and killed him. 

This was not just a battle won by the Israelites. This was not simply a battle. This was God’s stand and outcome in the face of the enemy. When all hope was failing, when the people of Israel were losing hope, when the enemy was gaining ground, when their king, Saul was losing hope and evil was coming over him one young boy’s obedience, confidence, and trust manifested God’s rule. He was just a young shepherd with no experience in government, war, or politics. What he had was simple--confidence that God would deliver. 

The David and Goliath story is not really a “David and Goliath story”. In other words it is not simply the story of an underdog winning. This is a “God verses God’s people” story. God’s people were losing touch with God. Saul, the king of Israel that the leaders insisted that they have was losing touch with God. They did not put faith in God that God would deliver them from the enemy. They wanted to do it themselves. By doing this they nearly failed. But, God gave them the chance to experience God’s power. To give them a better understanding of it, God let them witness it through a young shepherd boy. God used the least of them to represent the best warrior. God used David to restore hope for God’s people. God used David’s confidence to restore hope, faith, and trust in God for God’s people. 

What restores your hope, your faith, and your trust in God’s will? Perhaps it is God’s work through God’s people. Perhaps it is a believer’s full confidence that God will protect and lead us through the most difficult circumstance such as when we have to face giants. Of course, I am not talking about actual giant people, but the things that truly intimidate us. I am talking about the things that challenge our faith in God. But, when we have confidence in God to deliver us, what is there to fear?

So, if it takes God’s work through God’s people to restore hope, faith, and trust in God’s will what does that mean for us? It means God uses us. We are not just the fearful Israelites; we are also the confident Davids. God calls us to the battlefront to show God’s strength. We must be courageous and confident in what God does through us because God uses those attributes to restore and recreate faith in people. Yes, we restore faith in humanity. We stand with our neighbors against the things that intimidate them. We show the world what God can do through people. We show confidence as a representation of God. We are God’s means for change and restoration. 

If you noticed, God chose the least for the greatest task. That tells me that God calls all. No believer is too young or too old. God’s sovereignty has no bounds. 

Our Living God is greater than all. There is nothing greater. When we trust in that power and have confidence in it, it becomes present. In the end, when we overcome our giants, the world will see and the world will know that God is great than anything that intimidates us. The world will know through your faith.   

They Won't Listen To Me

Read:

1 Samuel 8:4-20

“They Won’t Listen To Me”

If you are a parent I am sure you will agree that kids don't listen well, particularly in the early years of their lives. Am I right? I don’t know what it is. I can remember when I was a kid and my mom and dad told me to do something, or better yet, not to do something I became more curious in what would happen if I did or didn’t do it. What’s that saying? Curiosity killed the cat. It didn’t kill me but it certainly got me in a lot of trouble. I feel like a child’s disobedience has a lot to do with curiosity and negative influence. Kids see certain role models acting a particular way and they marvel at what their life would be like if they lived that lifestyle too. Sometimes they will seek that lifestyle even if they have to disobey parents and/or authorities to do it. And, it drives parents crazy when they do it. We just don’t understand why in the world kids would want to disobey when we give them everything they need. We give protection, nourishment, education, love, and the list goes on. But, but for some reason they just don't listen. I mean what do parents know? They’ve never been kids before, right? 

Often times when a parent realizes that their child is not going to listen, they seek other routes of instruction. One particularly is through another influence such as an aunt, uncle, grandparent, teacher, preacher, or friend. It might be suggested, “They won’t listen to me; but they will listen to you.” Have you ever said that? I can remember when I was younger and a parent of a friend of mine told me, “Will you try to talk to him? He listens to you better than he does his mom and I. See if you can talk some since into him.” I knew there had to be problem when the parent was asking me to influence them. 

Yes, talk some since into them. They listen to you better than they listen to me. The prophet, Samuel was given some instructions that sounded much like that. The Israelites were in good hands. They were in God’s hands. God was the King of Israel, the King that led them out of Egypt. God was the ruler and protector of the people. But, fear was starting to grow in them. There were other countries that began to notice the growth and wealth of Israel. Since Israel had no human king to govern them and only judges and prophets to direct them, other countries saw them as vulnerable. The Philistines acted on this temptation and failed. They could not defeat Israel. Why did they fail? Because God protected Israel. This should have been a lesson to God's people. But, fear still raged in many of the elders of Israel. They saw other countries with large armies of men and weapons. They were going to war and defeating other countries and they were gathering land and expanding. The other countries had wealthy systems of governance and slaves and land used for making money. The Israelites also noticed that these other countries worshiped particular deities, other gods, and they were very strong and wealthy. So, needless to say, many of them forfeited the worship of Yahweh to worship other gods. Israel was different from other countries because God wanted them to be different. But, the people of Israel did not want to conform to this different way of governance. They wanted to be like others: wealthy, powerful, militant, and feared by their enemies. They wanted a new king. 

Samuel was a prophet, judge, and a leader for Israel in his older age. The Israelite elders assembled and approached Samuel for some guidance on a matter they had been contemplating. They decided that they needed a King to rule over them like the other countries had. They trusted Samuel’s judgment so they asked him to appoint them a king. But, they were not fooling him. He knew what was going on. He knew they were losing their trust in God. So, he prayed to God for direction. Essentially God said, “It’s obvious they will not listen to me; maybe they will listen to you. Comply with them and appoint them a king. But, before you do, warn them and tell them what they are getting into.” 

Samuel told the elders, “I will get you a king and he will govern you this way: your sons will be soldiers and they will be killed in war. If they do not become soldiers they will be slaves making the weapons and plowing the kings fields. He will take your daughters and they too will become slaves for the king. The king will take your best fields and your land for himself. He will make you pay taxes. He will take one-tenth of everything you own and share it with his officials. He will take your best livestock, your workers, and you will become slaves.” Whether they believed Samuel or not, they still wanted a king. Samuel went on to appoint them a king as the Lord requested him to. 

As it would seem, the Israelites might have made some bad decisions. They were God’s children, the chosen people of Jacob. Yet, they did not always obey God. From what we can gather by these inspired writers, the Israelites seldom obeyed God. They were just as good at making mistakes as anybody. They were as good at it as we are. 

We all know that we, the people in our context, in our culture, Christians, Americans, twenty-first century humans, boy…we can make some mistakes. No one person, government, community, religion, group, here, there, or anywhere else is free of some good mistake making. Right? What’s even funnier is how we don’t like to admit it. If we make a mistake and we find a way to hide it you better believe we’re going to do it. If we make a mistake and we can find a way to cover it up, we’ll do it. We don’t like to admit that we are wrong. When we can’t cover our mistakes we’ll just make excuses that we couldn’t help it. I mean we are just humans right? 

Let me explain… Christ followers know what the mission of Christ is. Christ followers know how to be obedient. We know what is good and bad, love and hate, pious and evil. We get those things. Even if a person has never read or studied the Bible they know a little something about living Christ-like. We know it's really not that hard to understand. But, people still fail at it. We read the parables in the gospel writings that describe Jesus’ commandments such as the King and the least of these, the Good Samaritan, the Lost Sheep, loving your neighbor, and we know these stories. But, do Christians live these stories? Not always… We make the mistake of not living the Christian standard and if nobody notices it, we hide it. If they do, we make excuses. “I am busy.” “I don’t have time.” “I just don’t care much for those people.” “My contribution will not help.” “It’s too dangerous.”

It’s pretty obvious that we do not listen to God. We do not live out what we know are God’s commandments. God gives to us, God shows us, God blesses us, God leads us, God forgives us but we still seek other means of fulfillment. It is quite familiar to the Israelites of Samuel’s day. They were led by God, blessed by God, delivered from slavery by the hands of God but they still sought out other means of fulfillment. 

So, God says, “If they won’t listen to me, maybe they will listen to each other. Maybe the ones that listen to me will be inspired by the ones that do not.” Have you ever thought about that? When you see another person that is being disobedient do you avoid them and think about how you are different from them; or do you inspire them to be different? I feel like God calls us to Samuel’s position. Some people do not know God. There are others that know God but do not live like they do. Then, there are some that know God but do not know God’s commandments. Perhaps our role is to inspire those who will listen to us and not God. Even though the Israelites wanted to change their ways away from God, God did not want to do it. God basically told Samuel to try and talk them out of it because they were doing well without a king. 

Perhaps God wants to use you to inspire a Christ-centric ethic in your community. When people will not obey or listen to God, perhaps they will listen to you. Perhaps there is a time that people are not standing up for someone but God needs you to inspire them to do it. We are servants of Christ; we are the hands and the voice of Christ today, inspiring people for Christ. 

Or, perhaps there is a voice speaking to you right now, trying to influence you. Perhaps it is God’s voice speaking through someone else when you will not listen to the Spirit. Perhaps you are like the Israelites being manipulated by desires of the mind, trying to follow what seems to be the right way by the worlds standard; but it is not right by God’s call. I have been there. I have heard God speak to me through other people and I really did not want to listen. It was not what I wanted to hear but, it was God’s voice. God speaks to us through people and God speaks to people through us.

What does God want you to hear? That voice maybe shouting through people all around you. It might be God’s influence on you through another person. It might be a friend, relative, preacher, teacher, parent, spouse, coworker, your kids, and list goes on. Or, maybe God needs you to be the voice of the Spirit. Maybe God is saying, “They will not listen to me, but they will listen to you.” Perhaps if we act as God’s voice and listen to God’s voice we might avoid some very bad decisions.

A Father's Day Sermon

Read:

John 3:9-17

“Overlooking the Details”

I was talking to my mom and sister the other day about how I needed some new short sleeve shirts to wear because it was just way too hot to wear long sleeves. My sister asked if she could take me out to purchase some new shirts for Father’s Day. I said, “Sure. But, I’m not really a father.” She told me that I was a father and she would be doing the favor for Polar Bear (my dog). Of course, that makes perfect sense. 

I guess I am a dad to some degree. When I started thinking more about the idea I was inspired for a sermon idea, thanks to my sister and Po. I sometimes wonder what would have happened to Polar Bear or where he would be had I not adopted him seven years ago. If you don’t know the story, he popped up on my porch one day while I was living in Memphis. He was about 6 months old, malnourished, and happy to see someone with food. I have no idea where he came from but when a malnourished pitbull is running loose in midtown Memphis your mind starts to wonder. So, when I found him I decided to take him in even though my circumstances were not conducive to it. It wasn’t practical and I knew that I would have to make some sacrifices. About seven years later and here we are. 

I am sure he doesn’t think much about the fact that I adopted him. I am certain that he doesn’t think about what might have been had I not made some sacrifices. (At least I don’t think he does.) But, what he does recognize are the little things I give him. He loves the small gifts. He loves going to the dog park. I can pull up to our local running trail with him in the car and he starts whimpering as to say, “Hurry up so we can run!” He loves a good belly rub and he really likes it when I chase him around the house or around the yard. His favorite time of the day is when I sit down on the couch in the evening and he sits on the ottoman with his favorite toy with my feet beside him. Yes, I am sure to some degree Polar Bear loves the fact that I adopted him but what means the most to him are the little things, the small interactions that he experiences everyday. 

I know what you’re thinking, “But, it’s just a dog.” You’re right; it is. But, I have found that we can learn a whole lot from our four-legged companions. Polar Bear loves the small gifts he receives. But, don’t we all? The small daily consistent acts of love are what nourish us the most. Am I right? Don’t believe me? Fellas, randomly give your lady a flower and tell her you love her and see if she doesn’t, all of a sudden, have the best day of the week. It is the little things that stand out. Of course, there are those huge acts of love by our loved ones that are permanently tattooed on our hearts. Those pinnacle moments are often triggered and we are reminded of what we mean to that person. Often memories can trigger thoughts about that pinnacle moment. But, the small acts of love often cast a bright light on the bigger ones. That is how we come to know and understand a person’s love. 

There were many cases that Jesus tried to explain God’s love. We can read those stories in the Gospel writings and the letters to numerous faith communities. However there is one story that we hear a phrase that echoes through time and still many years later gives a believer chills when he or she hears it. It was a conversation with a man named Nicodemus. Jesus needed him to know the truth about God’s love. It was so important that this man come to understand God’s love because he was a Pharisee. Need I remind you that Jesus and the Pharisees (the Jewish leaders) did not have a stellar relationship. However, Nicodemus was very interested in Jesus. He might have believed in him but he had some questions. He was ready to listen to this man a little more because he was on board with the movement that Jesus supported. He noticed the miracles and he believed that he was a teacher from God. But, he didn’t quite understand the whole reborn idea. He did not quite understand the whole idea of adoption by the creator God. This was not the God that Nicodemus was taught about. This idea of God adopting the whole world by means of Spirit was a little too much for Nicodemus to understand. And the idea that God’s Spirit blows here and there like the wind was a little too much for him to comprehend. Jesus was offering him an explanation of God that did not align with the theology that he was taught growing up, that he had learned as a religious leader. Jesus wanted to explain to Nicodemus that God loved the entire world, socioeconomic status aside. God did not offer favor to the pious priests, pharisees, or lawyers in the temple. Jesus wanted him to know that God’s love was far greater than that; it was much bigger than he assumed. God loved them all. 

To better illustrate his point Jesus used a story from the Torah to help Nicodemus understand this love. In the book of Numbers, chapter 21, verse 4 the story tells that the Israelites became unruly and they questioned God and Moses. Many of them rebelled against their leader. The story tells that God’s response was to send poisonous snakes among them. Many of them died or became sick. Moses prayed for God to save the people and God commanded Moses to create a bronze statue of a snake. When an infected person looked at the snake they would be healed. The significance in this is the people became sick because they had been infected by poison. They were poisoned and there was only one way to be healed. A poison had also infected the people of Jesus’ day. The sin of the world was the poison and it had infected them. But, there was no need for a bronze statue for them to be healed. God sent something much more valuable. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life. God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

God so loved the world that God wanted them to all be healed from the sin of the world. God so loved the entire world; that means the ones that hated God, the ones that used God, the ones the world hated, the ones that we hate. God loves them all. This is what Jesus needed for Nicodemus to know. The Gospel writer that recorded the story needed us to know it too. But, the way I see it, the writer left something out. Perhaps Jesus didn’t feel the need to explain this to Nicodemus or perhaps the writer did not get the details of the interaction or didn’t feel like it was necessary. You see God so loved the world that God made the ultimate sacrifice. We know God’s love because we know Jesus Christ. We know how big that sacrifice is, at least we like to think we understand it but perhaps we do not. You see God made this sacrifice with intentions of adopting the whole world. I think that is far bigger than what we can fathom. But, here is the part that we miss. If God so loves the whole world that God would make this unfathomable sacrifice, can you imagine all of the little things along the way God does for the world. You see, Jesus told Nicodemus about the big thing; he didn’t talk about the little things. What did I say earlier? It is the little things that cast a light on the big ones. 

Today is a day (Father's Day) that we can be reminded of God’s love through the love of our fathers. It is also a day that we can be reminded of our father’s love by the way God loves us. My dad fought for this country, went to college and med school, and built a foundation for my family and I. It was a huge sacrifice in his life. He showed us unconditional love in doing that. But, the small acts of love over the years are what truly remind me of his unconditional love for his family. A father’s love can be found in the foundational moment that makes him (or her) a father. That is like the roots and the trunk of the tree. But, the acts of love over many years create all of the branches and leaves that cover it.  

God made a huge sacrifice so that we could all have eternal life. We just think we know God’s love but we have no idea. This is one of those huge acts of love that is permanently tattooed on our hearts. It is the foundation of our faith and it is summarized by Jesus when he said, “God so love the world that he gave the only Son.”But hear me; let us always recognize the little things that remind us of God’s love. Let us not forget about the small blessings that show us God’s love every day. Those small blessings are just reminders, small acts that cast a light on God’s true love. They are overcoming obstacles when we did not think we could. They are the sunsets on a fall evening or the sunrises on a spring morning. They are the miracles that we marvel over. They are the friendships we make or remake in our lives that persevere through the test of time. They are also the things we feel in our hearts. It might be something we witness like a stranger giving attention to someone in need. Or they might be something first hand like a hug, a smile, or an “I love you” with a flower. Acts of love in any shape or form are acts of God. 

Let us be thankful in every way possible that God so loved the world that God made such a sacrifice through Jesus Christ. But let us also be thankful for all of the small gifts that we are blessed with day by day.   

        

Faith Nourishment

Read: John 20:19-31

I like to go to a park in Columbia, Tn called Chickasaw Trace. I ride my mountain bike there regularly. I meet my friend, Alex,  on some mornings and we will ride a quick lap before our daily routines begin. Out of all of the places I ride, I ride Chickasaw more than anywhere else. It is my home trail (since it is the closest one from my house). It is a very challenging trail, so it is always a great workout. And, I learned how to mountain bike there so it is close to my heart. 

One thing that I love about my regular visits to Chickasaw Trace is how I get to witness the changes it makes through the year. I was riding there a lot earlier in the year while it was cold and there were no leaves on the trees. I could stop in the middle of the ride and the wilderness was soundless. There was not a lot moving around. If a person were unfamiliar with the cycle of the seasons, it would be hard to convince them that everything would come back to life in only months. 

During March and April I was unable to ride at Chickasaw much because of all of the rain that we got. Technically, you are not supposed to use the trails when they are wet and muddy. Too much use while wet will cause long-term damage. Since we had no rain last week I was good to go for a little ride Friday morning. I met with Alex and when we started to ride we both noticed that the trail had completely changed since the last ride. Everything was green and the woods were alive! The squirrels were jumping from tree to tree; rabbits were running around everywhere; and, the grass was grown over some sections of the trail. It only took those few weeks of rain and a little bit of sunshine to nourish everything back into strength. I always get excited about this time of the year because I love to witness God providing just enough nourishment to the natural world for sustainability. 

I will spare you from my hippy, tree-hugging speech about the environment and how we all play a key role in being God’s hands and protecting the gift of nature. But, have you ever thought about how every living thing needs nourishment? If it is living, it has to have sustainability. As far as I know, I cannot think of a single living thing that does not need nourishment of some sort. When it dies, it no longer needs nourishment. In the fall and winter when the trees lose their leaves they do not die, they simply rest for a while. But, in the springtime with the Lord’s nourishment, they come to life and produce life for other organisms. For some reason, I find that very exciting. It gives me an example of God’s life-giving process. It makes for a great illustration of God’s process of life, of death, and of renewal.   

God is well aware of each individual living organism that needs nourishment to live, breathe, and flourish. I think that we can agree that in the life of a living organism, as it takes in nourishment, it grows and becomes stronger. God provides that nourishment so that these organisms can be alive and grow. Much like a living organism, our faith requires the same. Our faith constantly requires nourishment to be alive, active, and to grow. Just like God provides nourishment for all living organisms, the Lord provides nourishment for our faith. The way that I see it, our faith is a living organism in itself. It needs nourishment, it needs to be healthy, it needs to be active, it needs to face challenges, it needs exercise, and it constantly needs to grow. Let’s face it; our faith is by far the most important part of our bodies. Our faith doesn’t just give us life; it gives us eternal life. 

On the other hand, if one’s faith were not alive and active, why would it need nourishment? Why would God provide for something that is dead? If something is not active, it doesn’t need nourishment. 

Before we go any further, let’s take a detailed look at John's story as he witnesses the living Christ. In this text we can witness a story of God’s life-giving nourishment not simply for living organisms but the faith of those that carried on the legacy of Christ and the bestowment of the ever-present Holy Spirit. 

In the first section of this story we find the disciples hiding and locked behind closed doors. These Christ followers were in fear for their life because they knew that the road that Jesus took them on was full of risks. They were in fear of the consequences of following Christ. Therefore, they locked themselves behind closed doors. Let’s talk about this for a moment. Since the first Christ followers, for centuries Christians have been locking themselves behind closed doors. For these early Christians, hiding was the easiest option. Hiding was the safest option. That idea has carried on to our current disposition. Locking ourselves behind walls is the easiest option; it is the safest thing to do. But, just as these early Christ followers failed to understand, we fail to understand that the need is on the other side. The need is on the other side of the wall. The need is on the outside of the church. Jesus did not hide or lock himself inside the wall to avoid those on the other side. Jesus was on the other side. These Christ followers were in fear of what might happen if they unlocked the door and ventured into the unknown. Their faith was weakened by what the world showed them. But that is not what Christ commissioned them to do. After they locked themselves inside due to fear, Jesus came to them, offered them peace, and sent them outside of their enclosed place. Before he sent them he gave them the tools they needed to be courageous. The text tells us that he breathed the Holy Spirit on them and sent them to show the world the Spirit so that they might receive it too. There were needs on the outside and Jesus sent them out to meet those needs. 

My friends, Jesus is on the outside of our enclosed safe places, sending us to go out with him. He is sending us to face our fears and to have courage. And, Jesus equips us with the tools we need to be courageous when we do this. This is the heart of the mission of Christ. Christ gives us the courage, nourishment, and the Holy Sprit to share with the world. To deny this opportunity is to deny the mission of Christ in the world. 

When Jesus came to these disciples, to prove to them that he was real, he showed them his scars. Scars tell stories. I think we all have a scar or two and a story to tell. We have stories to tell in regard to how we got them. Jesus’ scars also tell a story, but not just his story; they tell our story too. Jesus’ scars tell us that his pain was essential to his life on earth. They are marks of a lived experience that affect our lives today. They, too, tell a story of his life and they tell a story of our life. For those that were present to see Jesus’ scars they knew that the Lord was there to fulfill a promise and a mission. But of the eleven disciples remaining, there was one that was not present. Thomas was not present. Now, we refer to Thomas as the one that doubted the return of our Lord. But, let us not demonize this disciple for his skepticism. First, the text does not tell us why he was not present. The text does not tell us why he was not there with the others hiding behind closed doors. He was the only one not hiding, which tells me that he might have had a little more courage than the rest of them. We can speculate that he might have skipped town but we don’t know that. There is a good chance that he continued to serve the poor or the people in need despite what his comrades were doing. But, when the others tell him that they have seen the Lord, he says the same that anyone would say. He says, I need to see it for myself. I mean, come on! Thomas was just a straight shooter. He was a no nonsense kind of guy. He needed to know for sure; he needed the nourishment that the others had received. He needed proof. Thomas, along with all the others present, witnessed the brutal death of his friend, Jesus. He saw him beaten, humiliated, the wounds, the blood, and he saw Jesus take his last breath. I feel like we would all do the same.

Second, I believe Thomas had a lot of faith in Christ. But, his faith was slowly weakening. His faith needed nourishment. He needed to see those wounds, he needed to witness the risen Christ, and he needed the breath of Christ just as the other disciples needed it. Thomas’ faith was becoming weak and it needed some nourishment. 

Last year my mom gave me a large healthy tomato plant to put on my back porch. I put it out on my porch so that it would get some sunshine. I went out of town for a few days and I assumed it would be fine until I got back. When I returned I noticed that the wind had blown the plant over and some of the dirt had dumped out. When I tilted it back up I noticed that it had started to wither. Some of the leaves had started to turn yellow and it was drying out. I packed some dirt back in it, watered it, put some fertilizer on it, and put it in the sunlight. In a matter of a day the plant branched back out, the leaves perked up, and some blooms came out. All it needed was a little nourishment and the touch of a gardener. With this little bit of encouragement it came back to life. I have a feeling that if my tomato plant had the ability to think it would have thought that there was no hope for growth or prosperity. It might have thought that hope was lost. But, with the nourishment of the gardener it started growing and serving a purpose. 

When Thomas’ faith was starting to weaken Christ gave him the nourishment that he needed to grow. Jesus came to Thomas like a gardener and gave him strength and affirmation of hope. He strengthened his faith and gave him sustainability to move forward with the mission of Christ. 

Much like plants, trees, nature, life, weak disciples, and Christ followers, we all need nourishment; our faith needs to be strengthened. Active faith needs to be nourished. The disciples had locked themselves away from the world and the things that they feared the most. If they had kept themselves locked away their faith would have withered and eventually died. But, Christ came to them and led them to be active with their faith. Christ has come to us and commanded that we be active in our faith. Christ has commissioned us to step beyond our walls and be courageous. Just like when trees, plants, and the life around us becomes active, God strengthens it with the proper nourishment. When we step outside of these walls and become active we receive an abundance of nourishment. Christ has given us the same breath of life that he gave his disciples. Now, we must go and share it with the world around us. When we do this we will find nourishment and growth. 

In verses 22 and 23 the Lord tells his followers, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you don’t forgive them, they aren’t forgiven.” Friends, we have received the Holy Spirit and with it we have been given a great responsibility, to forgive people of their sins. They say, with great power comes great responsibility. We have been given a great power. With it we have a great responsibility. When we serve this request of Christ, we gain nourishment. Our Lord openly gives it to us. Receive this responsibility and serve the mission of the risen Christ. 

"Jenga"

(Read Acts 4:5-12)

Have you ever played the game Jenga? Or, are you familiar with the game? If you are not you have probably seen it played before. I have to be honest, I have never played it but I have seen it played several times by my friends. The game consists of a tower of pieces of wooden block stacked up to a certain height. Each participant in the game will take turns removing a block and placing it on top of the stack. If the stack falls while you are removing a block and placing it on top you lose or suffer the consequences or have to drink… I guess it depends on the variation of the game and the crowd you are playing with. It is funny that the word “jenga” is a verb from the Swahili language (used in several countries in Africa) that means “to build”. But, in the game you are doing just the opposite of building.   

Anyway, I have watched my friends play this game and they get a little brave with the blocks they remove. Sometimes they might go for a block that might possibly work for them and also destabilize the structure so that the next person taking a turn will topple the blocks and lose. It’s almost nerve racking to watch. I mean you can go through and knock out a block here and a block there but there is going to be that one block that you cannot remove. It is going to boil down to a block and someone is going to inevitably make it fall. You have to know going into the game that there are just some blocks that cannot be removed without failure. If you think about it Jenga is such a great metaphor for life. You have to know that there are just some things that cannot be removed from your life without failure. There are some elements of every construction that contain so much significance that when removed, it will eventually fall. Therefore we must be cautious of what we reject from anything. 

Simplifying life is a good practice. But, when a person over simplifies, the structure becomes vulnerable. For example: There are some parts we all need to remove from our diets. There are just some things we can do without. However, when we take away vital nutrition, we will start to fall apart. There are some people that might be good to remove from our lives (or maybe keep at a distance). But, there are also some people that are strategically placed and vital to our emotional growth. When you purchase a new car there are some extra options that you can go without. But, there are some vital pieces that are needed for the car to function. In our religious institutions and churches we have gained some practices, habits, policies, and protocols that we can definitely operate without. However, there are some things that cannot be removed from them without suffering detrimental consequences. Unfortunately, some churches and religious institutions have forgotten about the cornerstones that hold them together. Like a reckless Jenga player, they have started pulling blocks with disregard of the outcome. 

Peter tried to explain to the religious leaders that they had rejected the most significant block of the Jewish faith. He did this with a very bold attempt while witnessing to the same audience that killed Jesus. It was literally the same people that constituted the execution of Jesus. It was the High Priest, his sons, and the experts of the Law. It was Peter’s chance for redemption. When his Rabbi was brought before this group for trial, not too long before this event, Peter cowered behind the crowd rather than representing or defending his Master. This time something was different. This time Peter had the same Spirit in him that Jesus had as he stood in front of this court. Peter was full of the Spirit of Christ. It was a new and fresh feeling that he did not have in him before. With this Spirit and being one with Christ Peter fearlessly spoke out to the court. 

So, you might be asking why Peter and John were in front of this court in the first place? What crime did they commit to be arrested and set in front of the High Priest? Some of you might recall the story from Acts 3 when Peter and John were walking into the temple and a beggar disabled from birth was trying to make a few bucks. While many were looking the other way Peter and John approached him with empty pockets. They had no money to give. Instead of giving money they healed him in the name of the same person that challenged the High Priests and the Law experts. They healed the beggar in the name of the person that was executed for claiming to be the Messiah. When the religious leaders found out, they were a little disturbed because they thought they had snuffed out the flame of this radical that was stirring everything up. But, they are finding out that some flames cannot be snuffed out. There are some flames that only grow larger when you try to put them out. As Peter was standing in front of these persecutors he was holding that flame. 

The Priests said, “Now say again by what power or by what name you healed this lame beggar. Tell us! I dare you to say his name!” Peter stands proud and respectfully says, “Are we here because something good was done for a disabled man? Are we here because someone was saved? Because, the man that was healed stands here before you because of the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene. Do you remember him, the one that you crucified? You are the builders of our faith but you have rejected the most important building block of our faith. You have rejected salvation.” 

Peter made a bold but strong point for faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the most important building block of a believer’s faith, the most important building block of the religious institution, and the most important building block of the church. These Chief Priests and religious leaders arrested Peter and John for representing Jesus Christ through healing a man. They were persecuted for living out the mission of Christ. 

The mission of Christ was ministry. The mission of Christ was healing. The mission of Christ was showing inclusive love and extending it to all people. Those are the roots of the Christian mission. We serve our neighbors with inclusive love in the name of Jesus Christ. 

That is the cornerstone of our faith. Ministry is the most significant building block of faith. Ministry is what holds the church together. I am not simply speaking for one church but for the Church universal. When churches fail to place the ministry of Christ as the most significant building block, the church will fail. Some churches reject ministry. Or, they act only on the ministries that suit their personal biases. But, when there is a need in a community there is ministry to be done. When there is a place for healing, there is a need for the hands of Christ; there is a need for ministry. Acting on community needs, showing inclusive love, and serving our neighbors in various ways is the mission of Christ and it is ministry. That is the most important building block of the church. Without making ministry our priority, the church will become weak and it will slowly fall apart. As Christ followers it is essential to build on the foundation of ministry so that the church will gain strength. 

What if the Church universal, religious institutions, and all of its resources started treating ministry as the highest priority? What if we all started seeking tools to heal people? What if the ministry of Jesus was the most important building block of the church? Some people might argue that that is what churches do but I do not see it. It is hard for us to see the church making ministry the priority when there are people dying of addiction, homelessness, poverty, lack of healthcare, disease, predatory lending, and all of these issues are passed down to the next generation. However, we see churches building million dollar sanctuaries and extravagant decorations with all of these issues in their back yards. We see religious institutions investing money into areas to make more money but these issues still exist. It sounds to me that the cornerstone of the church has become money rather than the ministry of Jesus. The setting of the church does not have nearly as much significance as the plot. 

Do churches and religious institutions need to make changes? Yes, I think some of them do. We can always change for the better. Change is good for everyone and it constitutes growth in Christ. We can remove pieces and add pieces that will be healthy for the Church universal. The world needs to see the hands of Christ working in our communities and by making changes to the church and seeking the mission of Christ there is a chance they will witness it. 

The point of the game called Jenga is to remove pieces of the structure without it falling down. The game gets more difficult the longer it’s played because you start noticing pieces that cannot be removed. You start to notice pieces that must stay in tact for the building to remain. Ministry is like that building piece that has to stay in place. It is the block that is holding the whole structure together. When you remove the ministry of Jesus from a religious institution it will topple to the ground. 

I think the first question one must ask is are we using our resources the best that we can? Are we allocating our funds and endowments for the interest of Christ or our own interests? Do changes need to take place in your church? Perhaps God wants to use your voice for change. Perhaps God wants to use you to strengthen or uphold the building blocks of Christ in the church. Or, perhaps God is calling you to be the hands of Christ in the world and to reinforce the Cornerstone of our faith. Whatever it may be, may the fire of the Holy Spirit burn within you and be passed on to all those you encounter. 

Far and Wide (A Nontraditional Easter Sermon)

Read: Acts 10:34-43

I often think about my past and how I would have done things different if I only knew then what I know now. Do you ever think that? When that phrase comes to mind I particularly think about high school (and maybe 4-5 years after high school). But, I particularly think about high school and how difficult it was to fit in with certain crowds. My high school, and I think this is pretty consistent with most high schools, was full of different cliques or various social groups. I remember groups such as the jocks, nerds, freaks, preps, band geeks, skaters, and that’s just to name a few. I feel certain there are many new groups that have emerged over the past 20 years. 

Your group was your people. It kind of defined you and it made an existential statement while you were in school. Ironically, when you graduate none of it means anything anymore. A lot of people have to figure out who they really are after high school.

If I knew then what I know now I would not have been part of any group. I wish I had befriended all of them. Yes, If I could go back and do anything different I would intentionally befriend people in every group or clique. Or, at least I would try. I am sure some would have rejected me. I am sure there would be some to think I was just a poser. Some people would likely call me names for being part of the less popular groups. Some people would probably try to convince me that those freaks are nothing but trouble. Or, those jocks are nothing but bullies. Or, don’t hang out with the nerds; they never do anything fun. 

When I think about these groups today it reminds me that inclusivity is a struggle. I am sure that trying to befriend every group would have been really hard because of all of the conflict it might cause. But, sometimes creating new friendships, unity, and inclusivity is worth any bit of conflict it might cause.

The disciple, Peter suffered for trying to include and unite groups of people. He made an attempt to show communities how far and wide God’s grace was. He wanted to include certain groups into the saving grace of the cross and that created some conflict. 

There was never a sound relationship between the Jews and the Romans. The people of Israel were under Roman occupation during the first century. The relationship between to the two factions was sour to say the least. Then, this new group manifested that created even more conflict. This new faction was a product of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and their relationship with the Romans was even lesser than that of the non-Christian Jews. They witnessed these other groups partake in Jesus’ death. So, it is safe to say there are separations in Israel’s central communities during this time.

Peter, being one of the twelve followers of Jesus felt that his purpose was to evangelize. He wanted to share the mission of Christ and he wanted people to come to know Jesus the Messiah. He had a purpose and it was to present the saving grace of the cross to all who wanted it. But even Peter didn’t know how big this saving grace was. Though he wanted to share this good news, his target audience was primarily the Jewish community. That is, until he met Cornelius. 

Cornelius was a Roman soldier, a centurion, which means he had command of a group of one hundred Roman soldiers. So, it's safe to assume that he was of importance. By Jewish standards Cornelius was a gentile--disliked, unclean... He was likely a person to avoid. But, he was a believer in God, the same God the Jews worshiped. However, to the Christian Jews and the non-Christian Jews he was just another gentile. To associate with gentiles was considered a violation of the Law. It was considered unclean for the Jews to share with gentiles in any way. 

Then there is the fact that the first factions of Christian Jews were kind of exclusive. They had to be to avoid persecution. Many of the original Christ followers were wanted for arrest or interrogation.   

Peter knew the implications of associating with a gentile. He knew the potential outcome of mingling with the wrong crowd. But he did it anyway. He did it because God led him to it. One day while Peter was on top of a roof praying and meditating he became hungry and had a vision. (I can level with him on this; when I get real hungry I start seeing stuff too.) In the vision he was offered a variety of food consider unclean by the Jewish faith. (It probably involved bacon because bacon was considered unclean by Jewish dietary laws and what do you think about when you get really hungry? Yep). A voice told him to eat the food. Peter denied it because it was not of his nature to partake in anything impure or unclean. The voice replied, “Never consider unclean what God has made pure.” After the vision Peter was a little confused of its meaning. Suddenly, two men summoned him. The Roman soldier, Cornelius, sent these two men to find Peter and bring him to his house. Peter went with them and upon arriving at the house he met Cornelius and a large group of people that gathered to meet Peter as well. As it would seem, God spoke to Cornelius, this “gentile”, and told him where Peter was so that Peter could meet he and the group to testify about Jesus the Christ.

Peter said to the group of people, “Look, you know I shouldn’t be here. But, I think God has led me here for a purpose. God has shown me that I should never call a person impure or unclean. That is why I am here. Now tell me; how did you find me?” Cornelius told Peter that God told him where he was staying and to bring him to Cornelius and these people. He said, “I sent for you and you were kind enough to come. Now, here we are, in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has directed you to say.”

Do you know what is weird about this story? Everything. There is no cultural explanation for this event. The Christian Jews did not associate with the Romans or the non-Christian Jews. The Romans, or gentiles didn’t associate with the Jews or especially the Christian Jews. But, God miraculously brought these people together. But wait, there is something else that we need not forget to notice. Cornelius was a relatively wealthy person and it is likely that all of the people he had gathered were his family and friends. So, they were probably well-to-be citizens too. Let’s be mindful that wealthy folks and poor folks didn’t associate either. Most of the wealthy folks thought that the poor folks were cursed for some reason. They were certain that there lives were chaotic because God or, in the polytheistic belief, gods had shamed them. And Peter, he was a just poor Galilean fisherman that had his world turned upside down and was currently avoiding as much of the law as he could. And, here he stands in front of a Roman officer. Then, here comes the part that blows me away. This wealthy Roman soldier bows to Peter’s feet and says, “We’re here to listen to everything you have to say.”

I wonder how long Peter stood in awe of the moment. I wonder how long it took him to wipe the tears from his eyes because the Spirit of Christ just had a moment in his presence. Nevertheless, his response is earth shaking, humbling, and compassionate. Peter’s response is probably my favorite sentence in the Holy Bible. He said, “I am learning that God doesn’t show partiality to one group of people over another.”

I have to wonder; is this a conversion story of a gentile, or is this a conversion story of an apostle? Was this story about Cornelius coming to Christ or Peter making the discovery of how far and wide the love of Christ extends? I think this is a conversion story of Christ follower coming to know his master more than ever before. This is story about a Christ follower that literally walked in the same footsteps as the Lord, a man that served the Lord first hand, a man that attempted to walk on water for the Lord, a man that failed at the Lord’s presence, a man that touched the Lord’s human body with his hands, and here he comes to know something about his master that he never knew. He discovers that the Lord’s grace is far greater than he thought it was. This is a message for us to be reminded that God’s grace is far greater than we can ever imagine.  

On Easter we celebrate the life, mission, and purpose of God in each one of us. We celebrate the death and sacrifice our God made because God so loved the world. And, we celebrate the empty tomb that represents Christ alive in us today. It is because of this event we have grace greater than any sin. 

We celebrate this every year. We celebrate our personal journeys and the idea that we are saved by grace alone. But, I have to ask this question. Do you ever celebrate the size of this event? Do you ever celebrate how far, wide, and deep this grace extends? Do you ever celebrate how this grace changes as the world changes? You probably do not because it is hard for us to imagine how big and vibrant it is.

God’s grace is dynamic. It is ever changing as the world changes. God’s grace evolves as the world evolves. God’s grace grows as the world grows. God’s grace loves even as the world continues to hate more and more. Our minds want to convince us that God’s grace is exclusive to certain people because other people outside of our circles are different than we are. We like to think, “Surely we are living the right way, the only way, and why would God’s grace extend to the people that we don’t want it to? I mean come on, they are different, they don’t live like I do.” But, you see, Jesus removed all of the barriers between God and humanity. Jesus made God’s love available and extendable to the whole world. When I say God’s love I am not just talking about the kind of love that humans share. At greatest our love is weak. God’s love is unconditional, unshakable, and it does not show partiality to one group of people over another.

As our world changes, God’s grace changes so that God can love us more and extend grace to more of God’s creation. Isn’t that exciting? On Easter we celebrate the day that it began. The next day, and everyday thereafter we can celebrate the day that it continues.