Jeremiah 1:4-10

Jeremiah 1:4-10

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

August 22, 2010

Well – school has started back – and along with it the fine art of writing notes to excuse students from classes or other school activities.

Growing up I had to have my parents write “excuse notes” for me when I was sick – but at other times I was tempted to beg my parents to write excuse notes for me when  I did not want to do something in school or did not have an assignment completed.

I remember one occasion when the University of South Carolina was playing in the ACC Basketball Tournament (that tells you how long ago it was) in Charlotte and my family had tickets for the Thursday night game. Charlotte was only 30 miles from where we lived in Rock Hill so it was not a hard trip at all – except for the fact that we got home late and I had not finished reading a book and writing a book report that was due the next day.  The next morning at breakfast I made the mistake of asking my dad to write me an excuse to give my teacher for not having the report done.  I knew that South Carolina had lost the night before and that dad would be in a foul mood – but I had to ask.

You know what? Not only did Dad not write the note – he also gave me a lecture about taking responsibility. He pointed out to me that I knew when the report was due and when the game was so I should have prepared and had the book read and the report ready well in advance. But he did not stop there. He continued by asking me if I thought the client he was defending in court that day cared what he had done the night before – and as dad did so many time he answered his own question before I had a chance to respond and pointed out that no – all the client cared about was whether or not dad was ready to represent him. But even that was not the end of the lecture as he then asked if I thought he could give the Judge a note asking to be excused from court since he had been at the game the night before – and again before I could answer he exclaimed that no – he could not get out of his responsibilities that day because of the he had gone to the game the night before and he would not help me get out of mine either.

When he finally said “Case closed. End of discussion.” I knew it was better for me to face my teacher without the report than to try to talk any more to Dad about writing an excuse.

Well, I went to school that day without a book report and without an excuse note.  One of my friends and his family had gone to the game also – and he did not have his book report done either. He, however, brought an excuse note from his father.  When our teacher saw his note, she looked at him – and looked at me.  She had been to the game also and had seen both of us there – and knew that my dad had refused to write me an excuse.  She looked at my friend and explained that she would have to talk to his dad about this. She did, and he took back the request.  Both my friend and I made a 0 on the report.

Excuse notes can run rampant in schools. Any teacher or school administrator can tell you how silly some of these notes can be – and how creative some students can be in “faking” excuse notes. Just listen to some of the more humorous excuses parents have written – or that students have turned in claiming they be from their parents:

-Teacher, please excuse Mary for being absent. She was sick and I had her shot. Mary’s Mom.
- My son is under doctor’s care and should not take P.E. today. Please execute him.
- Please excuse my son’s tardiness. I forgot to wake him up and did not find him until I started making the beds.

The problem is that a lot of us are really good at making excuses for why we don’t do things we know we should – and some of the excuses we give are just as silly as some of the excuses I just read.

The Bible is filled with stories of God calling folks to do things for Him – and the excuses they gave. Here are just some of them:

-         Moses tried to use the excuse that he couldn’t speak well.

– Jonah tried to run away – then tried to use the fact that he didn’t want to do what God was calling him to do as an excuse.
- Isaiah tried to use the fact that he felt unworthy as an excuse.
- Elijah tried to tell God that no one was listening and there was no use in even trying to tell people about God – but God showed him that was a poor excuse.

– Ezekiel tried to act like he could not speak and use that as an excuse.
- Paul tried to use his “thorn in the flesh” – probably some type of physical problem – as an excuse.

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses.

We try to make excuses from time to time – but that does not change the fact that God does not want to hear our excuses – or that God can overrule our excuses – or that God can strengthen us so we can overcome our excuses.

Our passage for today is an example of the excuses we make – how God does not want to hear them – and can overrule them and give us strength to overcome them. Here is Jeremiah – a young boy probably minding his own business – when suddenly he is called by God to be not just a priest – but a prophet. Jeremiah probably knew that the life of a prophet was difficult and even dangerous. Jeremiah probably knew that his message would not be popular and at times people would want to “shoot the messenger” – at least figuratively if not literally.  Not surprisingly, Jeremiah did what most prophets of God before him had done. Jeremiah protested, he made up and excuse, saying that he was no great speaker. He pointed out his age and inexperience. But the Lord did not want to hear Jeremiah’s excuses. God promised to be with Jeremiah and told him not to be afraid. God touched Jeremiah’s mouth and gave him words to speak. And speak them Jeremiah did. He became one of God’s most eloquent spokesmen.

God was not interested in hearing Jeremiah’s excuses – and overruled them.

God then strengthened Jeremiah so that his excuses didn’t matter.

God needed Jeremiah – not his excuses.

You know — the Bible is filled with the most astounding, incredible, powerful demonstrations of God’s involvement in this world and in human lives — but for me perhaps the most amazing miracle that Scripture reveals is not that God created everything, or that God brought a tremendous flood to the earth, or that God helped the Hebrews escape from Pharaoh, or that God rescued Israel through feats of supernatural power. No, I think that — even more remarkable than all these occurrences — is an overwhelming, indeed daunting, realization that all of Scripture reveals that God needs us.

The Lord needs you!

The Lord needs you?

The Lord needs me?

It’s a pretty intimidating proposition.

What does a statement like “the Lord needs you” really mean?

The Lord needs you.

What for? The God who created the universe, the almighty and eternal God, has need of little ol’ me? The God who created at least 200 billion, billion stars? The God who created this galaxy — a galaxy so big that it takes a light ray 100,000 years to pass from one end to another? And how many galaxies did God create?     Countless.
And the Lord needs me? He needs you?

Yea – the Lord needs you.
Paul taught us never to say to one another, “I have no need of you” (1

Cor.12:21). But to say that God needs us is another matter. In one sense, of course, God doesn’t need anything. God is God, period. But God has chosen to work in certain ways that make you and me absolutely critical. As someone has put it:

“Without God, we can’t do anything. Without us, God won’ do anything .”

You don’t think the Lord needs you?

Jeremiah tried to convince the Lord that he was too young and inexperienced to be a mouthpiece for God. He tried to tell God that He really didn’t need him that He needed someone who knew the ropes, had some clout, could brandish an already established reputation. Jeremiah cannot imagine the Lord “needing” a young, inexperienced priest such as himself for anything. The concept of the Lord “needing” anything is strange enough to us and Jeremiah, but if that is the case, surely God only “needs” the best – right?

Wrong.

The Lord Needs You!

Jeremiah could not avoid his direct call from God any more than Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, Paul, or so many others who tried to give God excuses instead of giving God what He wanted – He wanted them.

For God, “strength made perfect in weakness” makes the perfect servant. Zechariah 4:6 says it all, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord.”
So – the Lord needed Jeremiah – not his excuses.
The Lord needs you – not your excuses.

Just as God overruled Jeremiah’s objections and strengthened him for what God called him to do, God can strengthen you and give you what you need for doing His work in the Church and in the world.

God doesn’t need your excuses – He needs you!

Last week I challenged our students beginning school to be witnesses for Christ in their schools. How did that go? Did you witness for Christ to your friends and classmates – or do you just have excuses for why you didn’t?

I also challenged those of you who work every day to share Christ at your job. How did that go? Again – do you have stories of how you did this – or just excuses?

I also challenged those not working to share Christ with others in the community. Do you have stories of how you did this – or just excuses?

God needs you to see how you can serve Him in your daily life – whatever you are doing every day.

He does not need your excuses.

What about the work of the Church?

God needs you to see what you can do to get His work done in the Church.

What specific thing does God need you to do?

That depends on your gifts and talents – but I am sure that there are more folks who can sing – teach – serve on the Session – attend worship – attend Bible Study – attend service and fellowship times – and do so many other things here at the Church — than currently do these things. It’s not that we don’t have wonderful choir members – teachers – Session members – worship attenders – and folks that come to Bible Study and fellowship times – but I really think we can make room for one more in any of these groups if you feel called to do any of these things – or other things – and quit making excuses.

What’s God calling you to do?

What excuses are you giving?

Do you feel that you’re too busy?

Do you not want to get involved?

Or are you afraid it would take up too much of your time?

Or has no one asked you to do something?

Friends – these are excuses – and God does not need your excuses.

God needs you.

God needs your gifts.

God needs your talents.

God needs you.

Jeremiah listened and heard God’s call to do God’s work in the world.

If you listen hard enough, I believe you can hear God’s call also.

Listen – listen to what God is saying – listen to how God is calling you – listen to what God is calling you to do.

God needs you.

Listen to Him – and quit giving excuses.

Amen.

Luke 12:49-56

Luke 12:49-56

Decide!

August 15, 2010

Our Lord was a Lord who turned

things upside down and inside out

A man who dined with sinners

A man who befriended prostitutes and tax collectors

A man who was called a heretic

A man who broke the Sabbath rules

A man who changed water into wine.

And He bids us to follow Him

To turn things upside down and inside out

To go where the hurting is

To change water into wine

To change who we are into the kingdom of God.

Weems Searching For Shalom p. 66

So writes the poet Ann Weems.

You know – these are strange words — but not nearly as strange as the words in our Scripture lesson for today.

We look at words like:

I came to bring fire

I did not come to bring peace — but a sword

and we want to say:

“Did Jesus really say that?”

“Are you sure?”

But — there it is:

fire – stress — division

No – it’s not at all what we might expect from Jesus.

You might be thinking –

Wait — hasn’t Jesus come to bring peace — personal peace as well as peace with others?

Yea — we are used to talking about Christ the peacemaker — not Christ the home-breaker – but as we look at these words we see things like families being divided.

Indeed –  when we look at this passage we might wonder —

Did Jesus really say that?

Are you sure?

Well, Jesus indeed said these words –  if you haven’t done so already you can look them up — so we are left to decide 2 things —

First – what did He mean by them — and second – how are we going to respond to them?

What did Jesus mean when He said:

I came to bring fire – and I did not come to bring peace — but a sword

Fire –s tress – division — what do these things have to do with the ministry of Christ?

Maybe the words of Ann Weems’s poem make more sense now.  Listen to it again:

Our Lord was a Lord who turned

things upside down and inside out

A man who dined with sinners

A man who befriended prostitutes and tax collectors

A man who was called a heretic

A man who broke the Sabbath rules

A man who changed water into wine.

And He bids us to follow Him

To turn things upside down and inside out

To go where the hurting is

To change water into wine

To change who we are into the kingdom of God.

Weems Searching For Shalom p. 66

Jesus’ ministry did not leave things as they were.

Jesus had a way of turning things upside down and inside out.

Dining with sinners — befriending tax collectors and prostitutes — doing and saying things that seemed heretical — breaking the Sabbath rules — showing God’s gracious, forgiving love to all people

He certainly did things differently from anyone else — and not only did He do things differently than anyone else — He called on those who followed Him to do things differently, also.  He called on them to do the different things that He did.  He even said that these new and different things were God’s will for His followers — and for the world.

So — those who saw and heard Jesus do and say all these different things had to decide — were they going to follow Jesus — or not?

Instead of leaving things the way they were or blessing the status quo Jesus’ ministry had a way of turning things upside down and inside out.

You see — in Jesus Christ something new was happening.

God’s love — grace — and power were being shown in a new way.

The Kingdom of God — with all its glory — was breaking into the world.

God’s will to change people’s lives was breaking into the world.

God’s will for justice — healing — and peace was being proclaimed and fulfilled in new ways — and those who saw and heard all this were forced to decide if they were going to follow Christ in these new and different ways or not.

Maybe it was going to mean leaving their family — maybe it was going to mean being cast out of the Synagogue — maybe it was even going to mean being killed — but they had still seen and heard marvelous new things — and they had to decide what they were going to do about it.

So – yea — Jesus’ ministry indeed brought fire — stress — and division.

There was indeed a fire — a fire that completely changed people’s lives. There was indeed stress — the stress of having to decide whether to let Jesus really make a difference in their lives and have their lives turned upside down by Him or not. There was indeed division — as some decided to let Jesus change their lives and have their lives turned upside down by Him and some decided not.

Can you imagine how it must have been for a family when a son or daughter burst into the house one day and announced they were going to follow a wandering teacher named Jesus?  It may have not been a peaceful conversation.

Jesus’ ministry turned things upside down. Jesus’ ministry brought fire — stress — and division.

Ok —   but that was then.

Wasn’t it?

This is now.

Well do you think that following Jesus any easier today?

Let’s listen one more time to what Ann Weems writes:

And He bids us to follow Him

To turn things upside down and inside out

To go where the hurting is

To change water into wine

To change who we are into the kingdom of God.

Weems Searching For Shalom p. 66

You see — the fire — the stress — the division — that Jesus’ ministry brought into the world is still just as destructive — just as stress-filled — just as divisive — today as it ever was.  The ministry of Christ still turns things upside down — it still goes against what we might expect — but He still calls us to be a part of His ministry and be His people in the world – and what that means is that you still have to decide.

You have to decide if you are going to let Jesus make a difference in your life — or not.

You have to decide if you are going to let Christ change who you are — how you live –what you think — what you do — what you say — or not.

You have to decide if you are going to follow Jesus with wholehearted commitment — or not.

You have to decide if the things of Christ are going to be important to you — or not.

You have to decide if you are going to follow Christ instead of the things of the world — or not.

You have to decide if you are going to be the loving, caring, forgiving person God calls you to be – or not.

You have to decide if peace and security is more important to you than taking risks for the Kingdom of God — or not.

You have to decide if you are willing to reach out to those that others may not want to have anything to do with — or not.

Deciding to let Jesus make a real difference in your life — to let Christ change who you are — how you live — what you think — what you do — what you say —

Deciding to follow Jesus with wholehearted commitment —

Deciding to let the things of Christ be important to you –

Deciding that you are going to commit yourself to doing what God wants you to do regardless of what others may want you to do —

Deciding that you are going to follow Christ instead of the things of the world —

Deciding to be the loving and forgiving person God calls you to be —

Deciding to show God’s love to all people –

Deciding to get involved in ways to show God’s love to others and that you are going to get involved in the Church and use the gifts God has given you for His glory –

Deciding that you are going to tell others about Christ and show Christ to others —

Deciding to do all these things – well – it won’t be easy – and it may not make us very popular.

People may not be able to understand why you let Christ change you — or  why you are making such a wholehearted commitment — or why the things of Christ are more important to you than anything else — or why you follow Christ instead of the things of the world — or why we are so loving and forgiving — or why we go out of our way to reach out to folks that they don’t want to have anything to do with – or why you step up and get involved in Church or do what Jesus calls you to do in school or at work or in the community when no one else will.

Some may condemn you or laugh at you or take advantage of you or even ostracize you. Even your family may not understand.

But – here’s the thing – you will be following God’s will — and that is more important than anything else or anyone else’s opinion of you or approval or disapproval.

So –

Can you decide?

Can you decide that God’s will is more important to you than anything else?

Can you decide to let Jesus make a real difference in your life — to let Christ change who you are — how you live — what you think — what you do — what you say?

Can you decide to follow Jesus with wholehearted commitment?

Can you decide to let the things of Christ be important to you?

Can you decide that you are going to follow Christ instead of the things of the world?

Can you decide to be the loving and forgiving person God calls you to be?

Can you decide to show God’s love to all people?

Can you decide to get active in doing God’s work in the Church – using the gifts and abilities God gave you for His glory?

Can you decide to live differently than others – and show Christ to others – instead of letting them dictate how you are going to live and what you are going to do?

Some of you are starting a new school year this week. Can you decide to be an example for Christ for your classmates instead of letting those not following Christ pull you down? Yea – you might stick out like a sore thumb – but you’ll be doing God’s will.

Teachers — can you decide to be an example for Christ to the students and staff at your school?

What about those of you who work? Can you decide to start being an example for Christ at work instead of keeping your faith a secret? Again – you might stick out like a sore thumb – be laughed about – made fun of – taken advantage of – talked about – but you’ll be doing God’s will.

Can you decide?

I heard a story of a Law School student in the 1960’s who began to feel the call into the ministry.  Before he could begin Seminary, however, he was drafted into the army — and had to do a years stint in Viet Nam.  Before he left he anounced to his family that he felt the call to go into the ministry when he returned from Viet Nam.  His family could not accept this.  They had dreams of his being a successful and influencial lawyer and possibly a politician.  His father wrote him — and told him he never wanted to see him again.  His mother persuaded all her friends that he was Missing in Action in Viet Nam.  He, however, remained faithful to his commitment — and returned home — attended Seminary — and became a minister.

His family never accepted him again.

He had made a decision. He had decided to follow Christ — even though his family disowned him.

Can you decide?

Friends – it’s time to decide!

It’s time to decide that God’s will is more important to you than anything else!

It’s time to decide to let Jesus make a real difference in your life — to let Christ change who you are — how you live — what you think — what you do — what you say!

It’s time to decide to follow Jesus with wholehearted commitment!

It’s time to decide to let the things of Christ be important to you!

It’s time to decide that you are going to follow Christ instead of the things of the world!

It’s time to decide to be the loving and forgiving person God calls you to be!

It’s time to decide to show God’s love to all people!

It’s time to decide to be active in the work and ministry God can do in the Church – and use the gifts and talents God has given you for His glory.

Yea –following Jesus can sometimes bring with it fire — stress — and division — but it can also brings God’s will. It means being the changed person God calls you to be – it means being a person who makes God’s will more important to than anything else!

It means being a person who lets Jesus make a real difference in your life — who lets Christ change who you are — how you live — what you think — what you do — what you say!

It means being a person who gets involved in the work and ministry of God in this Church and the community – making a difference at your school – or at your work – or wherever you might be.

Yea – it means taking Jesus’ call to be His disciple seriously – and following  Jesus with wholehearted commitment!

Indeed — as Ann Weems writes – -

He bids us to follow Him

To turn things upside down and inside out

To go where the hurting is

To change water into wine

To change who we are into the kingdom of God.

Weems Searching For Shalom p. 66

Friends – it’s time.

Decide. Amen.

Isaiah 1:1-3, 11-10

Isaiah 1:1-3, 11-20

“RSVP”

August 8, 2010

A few months back Sally and I got an invitation to a family reunion. It was the reunion of my grandmother’s family – my Dad’s mom – the Drennan family.   They always have a big gathering on the last Saturday in June at a lake house on Lake Wylie outside Rock Hill. When I was a kid we would go every year and I would have a great time playing with my cousins and going on boat rides and having a wonderful day. We always looked forward to it. Even after my Grandmother died Dad always wanted to go.  But – after Dad died – my sisters, their families, Mom, Sally and I quit going. It just wasn’t the same – we really didn’t feel like a part of that family any more. The ones we had known and grown up with weren’t there any more – and it just wasn’t the same “fun day” we had remembered it being.

On the bottom of the invitation Sally and I received in the mail were the letters “RSVP” – and we knew we had to let them know if we were coming or not.  I glanced at my calendar and found a convenient excuse – I would be with the young people at the Work Camp in Kingstree that day – so I told Sally to write a nice note to let them now we couldn’t come.

“And whose family is this?” she looked at me and asked.

I knew what she was inferring – it was my Dad’s family – so my responsibility to let them know we couldn’t come.  I glanced at the invitation again and noticed there was an e-mail address to send the RSVP to – so I composed a nice e-mail declining the invitation and sent it on.

RSVP – the letters refer to French – “respondez, s’il vous plait” – or “respond, if you please”. We put these letters on invitations so folks will let us know if the are coming to the event we are inviting them to – and we know that it’s polite to respond to an RSVP so the people inviting us will know how many will be at the event we are invited to.

Our scripture passage for today is a wonderful invitation – it’s the greatest invitation you will ever receive because it’s an invitation to have a personal relationship with God. But it’s an invitation with a RSVP.  You have to respond to it.

But it’s a surprising invitation to say the least – much different from any invitation we might send or receive.

We usually send invitations to parties or events we are hosting to folks who are our friends – or who we might think might be interested in coming. This invitation from God is surprising in that the people who were invited weren’t showing any interest! There is nothing in this passage to indicate that they wanted a closer relationship with God at all! In fact, in the first seventeen verses of this chapter, God sounds like He’s getting pretty angry at them. He doesn’t sound like he’s in the mood to give an invitation to them – at least not an invitation to a relationship with Him! In verses three and four, God says:

`           “The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand. Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evil doers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord, they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him.”

And if you read further, you can see that the tension between God and Israel escalates higher and higher. In verse sixteen, God says:

“When you raise your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong! Learn to do right! Seek justice! Encourage the oppressed!”

Yea – it sounds like God is ready to “give them the boot” instead of extending  to them an invitation to have a personal relationship with him.  And then all of a sudden, in the middle of this thunderous message from God, there is the invitation to have a personal relationship with Him. These people had done nothing to deserve it – had shown no interest in having more than a casual knowledge of God – had done nothing but gone against God – and yet God reaches out to them with an invitation to have a personal relationship with Him.

Listen to God’s invitation in verse 18:

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

There are three things I want you to notice about God’s invitation here.

First – this is an invitation to reason

This is not an invitation to a debate.

God is not saying:

“Let us argue together” or “Let us fight together.”

No. This is an invitation to reason. This is an invitation to think things through. This is an invitation to discover the wonders of God, the truth of God, and the grace of God!

God’s saying:

“You’ve spent enough time going through the motions of religion. You’ve spent enough time resisting me and rebelling against me. I want you to think about what your life could be like if you repented of your sins. I want you to consider how much more wonderful your existence could be if you decided to love me with all your heart, soul, mind and strength!”

That’s God’s word to Israel.

That’s God’s word to you.

Think about what your life could be like if you would let God really touch your life and make a real difference in your life.

Think about what your life could be like if you took God’s invitation seriously – and really tried to live in God’s ways.

Really think about it.

Think about your relationship with God.

How often do you really think about your relationship with God? I am amazed at how many people go through life without ever stopping to think about their relationship with God. They have time to work 50 or more hours a week. They have time to go on family vacations. They have time to raise their kids and have fun and play games, but they don’t have time for the most important person in the whole world! They don’t have time for God! And God is saying:

“Come on now, let’s talk about this! Let’s put aside the sins and the mistakes of the past! Let’s talk about the future. Let’s talk about the things that are truly important!

And God doesn’t say that we can come and reason with Him tomorrow, or we can come next month or next year. Verse 18 says “Come now…!”

“Come now and let us reason together!”

I’ve lost count of how many people have said to me:

“Bill, someday, I’ll give my life to Christ. Someday, I’ll make my peace with God. Someday, when my life isn’t so crazy and hectic, I’ll go back to church.” But more often than not, “someday” never comes.

You know why?

I believe it’s because people who procrastinate about their relationship with God have their priorities out of whack. They want to “live it up” for just a while longer – but the truth is that God doesn’t invite you to have a personal relationship with Him “someday” – He invites you to have a personal relationship with Him now! Today!

God’s promises are not for “someday” – they are not like the mail that you can stack up and look at later – God’s promises and God’s invitation is for right now – today.

I’ve never read anywhere in the Bible where God says “you can come back to me someday.” No – later in Isaiah it says “Seek the Lord while He may be found” – that’s in Isaiah 55:6. The implication is that if you don’t turn to God now, you might not find Him later! And 2 Corinthians 6:2 says “Today is the day of salvation!” – not tomorrow – not next week – not next year – not someday – but today.

You may remember the “Rocky” movies that made Sylvester Stallone a star. There’s a scene in Rocky III where Apollo Creed is training Rocky for his return fight with Mr. T. Well, Rocky is having a hard time training for the fight. His mind is on a million different things. Apollo says to him, “What’s the matter with you? This guy will kill you to pieces! We’ve got to get down to some serious training!”

And Rocky responds, “I can’t today, Apollo. Maybe tomorrow.”

And Apollo gets in his face and says, “There is no tomorrow! There is no tomorrow!”

That’s what God is saying here: “There is no promise of a tomorrow. There is no guarantee that you’re going to get a second chance at this. So take me up on this invitation today!”

You don’t know if there will be a tomorrow or not. You don’t know what will happen in your life. You may not have another chance to think about your relationship with God and how your life can be with God.

Sally and I had a friend in North Carolina who was raised in the Church and knew about God – but didn’t live like God wanted her to live.  She partied way too much and treated people horribly – thinking only about herself and how she could advance her career. We knew that she lied to get ahead in her career and lied about other people to make herself look better.  Every time we would try to talk to her about how she was living she would say:

“O – I know I’m not living right – but someday I’ll talk to God about it and start living like God wants to me.”

The last time we talked to her, that’s what she said.

Last year we heard that she had gone into the hospital with pneumonia and died three days later.

We don’t know if she ever took the time to “talk to God” about her life or not.

If you haven’t taken God up on His invitation to think about your life and how your life could be with Him, do it – today. Again — 2 Corinthians 6:2 says “Today is the day of salvation” – so you need to accept God’s invitation – respond to God – today.

So – the first thing about God’s invitation is that it is an invitation to reason – to think about how your life could be with God – how it could be if you began letting God really make a difference in your life.

The second thing is that it is an invitation to redemption.

Verse 18 says:

“though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.”

Professional cleaners will tell you that that scarlet and crimson dye are the only two dyes in the world that cannot be bleached out of a fabric without ruining it. If you get red dye on your shirt or on your pants, even if you scrub it by hand until the material becomes threadbare and worn, the fibers that remain will still be red. There is no scientific method that can successfully remove a scarlet or red dye stain. And God is saying that the same thing is true with your sin. No matter how hard you try to remove it or hide it or dismiss it or downplay it, there is nothing you can do to eliminate the scarlet stain of sin from your life. But God is saying that:

“if you come to me now and reason with me, I can do for you what no man can do for you! I can wash away your sin so effectively, it will be as if there was never anything there to begin with! I can make your life as white as snow.”

There’s nothing we have to do to make pure snow or pure wool look white.  That’s the way they look in their original form. And God is saying that if you come to Him, He will make your life the way He intended it to be!

You know – you can hide your sins from people. You can hide what you do when no one is looking from others and can disguise those thoughts that you are thinking and no one will ever know they are there. You can look to others like you’ve got your life under control and you can even fool yourself into believing it – but you can’t hide your sins from God. Others might think your life looks pretty clean – but God sees the stain of sin. But – here’s the thing – God offers you a way to have your sins forgiven and your life made clean to you can have the salvation He offers.

God’s saying:

“I will redeem your life and make you into the beautiful and awesome and unblemished person I have always desired you to be.”

“if you come to me now and reason with me, I can do for you what no man can do for you! I can wash away your sin so effectively, it will be as if there was never anything there to begin with! I can make your life as white as snow.”

There’s nothing we have to do to make pure snow or pure wool look white.  That’s the way they look in their original form. And God is saying that if you come to Him, He will make your life the way He intended it to be!

Thirdly – it’s an invitation to a rich reward.

Verse 19 says that

“if you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land!”

That’s the richly rewarding life God offers you.

God’s invitation to you is to reason – to think about what life with Him could be like. It’s also an invitation to redemption – to have your sins forgiven by Him and have your life cleansed by Him. It’s also an invitation to a life that has a rich reward.

I love Psalm 103 because it lists all of the rich rewards we have in this life when we give ourselves to the Lord.

Verse two says, “forget not all his benefits”  – and then it goes on to list the benefits of following God:

God forgives all your sins

God heals all your diseases

God redeems your life from the pit

God crowns you with love and compassion

Then verse five says that God

“satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s”

And verse six says that “The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

Those are the blessings that God wants to give to you.

But do you know what will happen if you reject the Lord and His rich rewards? Look at the last verse in our passage for today:

“if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

So there you have it.

You can respond to God’s invitation and reason with the Him – find redemption in Him – and experience the rich blessings He offers you.

Or you can resist and rebel against the Lord, and pay the price.

So – let us reason together for a moment.

If you are living a life of sin and rebellion against God, do you really think that it’s in you best interest to continue living that way?

If you’re running from God – do you think it’s in your best interest to keep running?

Do you think it’s in your best interest to just walk out the door after Church and not think any more about God’s invitation to you for redemption and blessings?

Do you think it’s a good idea to turn away from all of the tremendous blessings that God has in store for those who love Him and give Him their lives?

Or – do you think it would be a better idea to read the Bible more carefully?

Do you think it would be a better idea to give God an opportunity to speak to your heart and change your life?

God’s invitation is to reason and think about His offer of redemption and rich blessings. But – God’s invitation needs a response. You need to respond to God’s invitation and take Him up on that offer of redemption – salvation – and rich blessing.

If you’ve been putting off making that response to God – there is no better time than right now to come back to the Lord – and no better place to do it than right here.

Remember, there is no guarantee of a tomorrow.

Now is the time to make things right.

Now is the time to give your life to Christ.

Now is the time to make your peace with God!

Though your sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow — though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.

Don’t put off God’s invitation.

Pray your RSVP – your response to God – here and now.

Here and now discover the redemption and rich blessings God has in store for you – the blessed life God has prepared for you.

Here and now let God change your life.

Amen.

Hosea 11:1-11

Hosea 11:1-11

Choices

August 1, 2010

In the movie 1987 movie “Wall Street” Martin Sheen plays Carl Fox, a mechanic at Bluestar Airline and a leader of his union. Carl is disappointed when his  ambitious son Bud, played by Marin Sheen’s son Charlie Sheen, decides to move beyond his small stock firm and attach himself to Mr. Greed himself, the ruthless Gordon Gecko – played by Michael Douglas. Carl feels that Gordon Gecko creates nothing – but makes millions  buying up companies, stripping them of their assets which he resells at a high profit, and leaving the ruined company behind as he advances to new conquests. His ruthless intelligence has made him one of the richest men on Wall Street. Carl correctly sees that Bud, by adopting Gordon Gecko as his mentor and passing on insider information to him, is in danger of selling his soul.

At one point Carl urges his Bud:                                                                          “Stop going for the easy buck and start producing something with your life. Create, instead of living off the buying and selling of others.”

This advice falls on deaf ears – and the hurt and furious Carl has to let Bud find out about life the hard way. When Bud tells Gordon Gecko information given him by his father about the future of Bluestar Airline, Gecko pounces upon it and begins a takeover of Bluestar that will ruin the company. At this point Bud finally realizes that he has helped Gordon Gecko ruin the company his father works for, and that he has betrayed his father’s trust. At last he comes to his senses and enters into a fierce struggle with his Gecko. After a fierce fistfight with Gecko Bud is fired – and goes to his Dad – broke and embarrassed.  He apologizes for what he has done.  Carl forgives him – and although they both are broke at the end of the movie – you get the sense that Bud and Carl have each other – and have more than all Gordon  Gecko’s money can give.

It’s a powerful movie about a father’s love and a son’s having to learn about life the hard way – but I find in it a statement about the choices that we make – and the choices God makes towards us.

You see—Carl had to make the choice to let Bud find out about life on his own – even though it hurt him because he know where it would end up.  Bud made a choice to follow his desires and his search for money and fame instead of following his father’s advice—but when he saw where that was leading him he made the choice to return to his dad. Carl then chose to forgive him for what he had done and show him love.

We all make choices.

So does God.

We make choices every day that have a bearing on our future – both in this life and the next. God makes choices that have a bearing on our future also – but too many times we disregard God’s choices for us and God’s advice for our lives.

Our scripture passage for today speaks eloquently of God’s choices for you  –  and your choices. Hosea 11 is indeed about choices — God’s and yours. You see — God has choices.

God has a choice to save you – or not save you. He has a choice to show His love – or His anger. He has a choice to give you salvation – or leave you in your sins and make you pay the consequences – which leads to eternal separation from God in hell.

How do I know that?

Well, the Bible tells me that.

Hosea tells us that God made a choice to save the people of Israel from being captives in Egypt. The people of Israel were in trouble and needed God to save them – and in His love God chose to save them. The first four verses of this passage are filled with images of God’s love and concern for His people much like a parent shows love and concern for their child.

Listen again to verses 1-4:

God is a loving parent — teaching them to walk — taking them in  His arms — healing them — leading them with “cords of tenderness” and “ties of love”

This is one of the most tender, compassionate, loving pictures we have of God in all of scripture. God – a loving parent – makes a choice. He chooses to love and save His people from their captivity and slavery in Egypt.

So — God has a choice.

Out of His great love, God chooses to save Israel from slavery.

God has a choice.

This passage is not just about God’s choosing to save Israel from their slavery in Egypt – it’s also about God choosing to save us – to save you – from slavery to sin.

What – you don’t believe you’re in slavery to sin?

Just try to give up the things you love and want and have a desire for – just for awhile – and see what happens.

Just try to live without saying things that hurt people – and see what happens.

Just try to not get mad at others — and see what happens.

Just try to live the life God wants you to live – on your own and without help from God – and see what happens.

See how long you can live without the material things in your life that you are so accustomed to – be it your television or your computer or your cell phone or your home or you car – or whatever.

We’ve become slaves to these things.

We are slaves to our emotions – slaves to our feelings – slaves to the things we want and desire in the world – slaves to the things that give us pleasure. True – these things may not rule over us like Pharaoh did over the slaves in Egypt – but we are slaves nonetheless.

Are these things sin?

Not necessarily – but if we use them to hurt others or put them first in our lives instead of putting God first in our lives or if we use them to separate ourselves from God then they are leading us to sin. It’s not the things that our sinful – but the way we use them.

And we all use things sinfully from time to time – sometimes more than others and some things more than others. If you don’t think you’re a slave to sin – your are wrong.

Paul tells us in Romans 3:23:

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

That means everybody.

That means you.

That means me.

That means everybody.

Everybody sins.

Everybody is a slave to sin.

So what? you might ask.

If everybody does it – what’s the big deal?

Well, here’s the big deal. The big deal is that sin separates us from God and from others. The big deal is that sin keeps us from being the people God created us to be. The big deal is that sin leads to death and yes – to hell. The big deal is that sin is a big deal.

Paul puts it this way in Romans 6:23:

For the wages of sin is death

OK – those of you who know your Bibles may know that I only read part of the verse – but I want to make a point.

The wages of sin is death – destruction – and hell.

If you are a slave to sin – and remember Paul in Romans 3 says that you are – you are on the road to death and destruction – and the road to hell.

So – what can get you out of this mess – this slavery to sin – this road to death and destruction and hell?

Only God can do that.

Your parents can’t do that for you. Your friends can’t do that for you. I can’t do that for you. Only God can do that. But – here’s the wonderful – glorious – news.  Here’s the Gospel. (That word “Gospel” is Greek for “Good News”)

The Good News is that God has a choice.

The Good News is that – in His infinite love – God chooses to free you from your sins – to save you from your slavery to sin – to love you –to give you a better way to live – to give you salvation. Just as God chose to free the captive Israelite slaves from Egypt, God chooses to save you from slavery to sin.

You know what?

The slaves in Egypt did not do anything to deserve God’s love – that love and compassion the Hosea uses the images of a loving parent to describe. God chose to show His love and compassion to them and free them from slavery simply because He wanted to. It was His choice – and it was His choice.

In the same way you have not done anything to deserve God’s love. You have not done anything to make God love you and choose to save you from your slavery to sin. God has chosen to show you His love and compassion and to save you from sin simply because He wanted to. It is His choice – and it is His choice.

This is how Paul describes it – and this time I’m going to read the whole verse in Romans 6:23:

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Yea – your slavery to sin leads to death and hell – but God chooses to give you eternal life.

It’s a gift.

It’s God’s gift of compassion and love to you.

So – God offers you freedom from sin – - and the only way to escape your slavery to sin and it’s consequences.

God offers you a new way to live and new things to love and want and have a desire for – things that don’t separate you from Him and others.

God offers you a way to live without saying things that hurt people.

God offers you a way to live without flying off the handle and getting mad at others.

God offers you a way to live the life God wants you to live.

God offers you a way to use the material things in your life – be it your television or your computer or your cell phone or your home or you car – or whatever it might be – a way that does not harm your relationship with Him and others but can help it.

God offers you a way to be use your  feelings – the things you want and desire in the world – the things that give you pleasure – in ways that do not separate you from Him and others and are not sinful.

God offers you a way to be free from slavery to sin.

So – how do you respond to God’s love?

How do you respond to God – who loves you so much that He offers you salvation – the only hope for freedom from your slavery to sin – your only hope for life and not death – heaven and not hell?

God’s choice to love and save the people – bring them out of slavery in Egypt – and in the same way love and save you and bring you out of slavery to sin  — is part of the message here in Hosea 11. But – this passage is also about the choices we make – and the choice God has to make because of the choices we make.

In this passage the children of Israel chose to go against God. They knew God’s offer of freedom from slavery but chose to worship idols and do what pleased them instead of what pleased God – and God – who had chosen to save them – had to make another choice.  He had to choose to punish them. Like a parent who has to punish a disobedient t child, this was not God’s first choice -– but a necessary one because of child’s actions. Like Carl Fox had to decide to let Bud find out on his own in the movie “Wall Street” about the dangers of following Gordon Gecko – this was not his first choice – but a necessary one because of Carl’s actions and refusal to listen to him.

Because of their disobedience, God had to choose to send the people of Israel into captivity again to punish them. Because of their disobedience, God had to choose to punish them for their sins.

Listen again to verses 5-7:

The people had broken God’s heart – and God had to make the choice to punish them.

The people of Israel knew that God had freed them from slavery and they knew how God called them to live in His ways. They knew what to do – but decided to not do it. They knew how to follow God – but chose to not follow God. So God had to choose to punish them.

Here’s a question for you –

How many times do you choose to go against God?

Daily – a lot of days hourly – many days multiple times in an hour – you might choose to go against God. Sin pervades your life – as Paul writes:

“all have sinned”

You choose to go against God – and God has to choose to punish you.

God can choose to punish you when you sin – again remember that:               The wages of sin is death

Hell

That’s not God’s will for you  – but it is the punishment God has to choose to give you because of our sins. Time and time again in Hosea and throughout the Bible God’s anger over our self – destructive and sinful ways is expressed – here in our passage God is able to imagine leaving Israel to suffer for their sins — but that choice to punish is not the final word. This passage ends with God making another choice — God chooses to save – not destroy

How do I know that?

Listen again to Hosea 11:8-11:

God loved Israel enough to choose to redeem them. He loved them enough to bring them back to Him.

God loves you enough to choose to redeem you – and bring you back from a life of sin to the life He calls you to live. That’s what we call salvation. That’s what we call the work of Christ.

That’s what John is talking about in John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

God made a choice.

He chose to give you salvation instead of hell.

Even when you continue to sin and do things that separate you from Him, God chooses to save you.
It’s His loving choice.

But – you have to make a choice also.

You have to choose to come to God.

Hosea says that God will call and His people will come to Him – but that they will come trembling.

I think that means that God wants you to come to Him sorry for your sins – repenting – and praying for God to change you. If you will do this – you will be saved. If you do this – if you “come to your senses” – much as Bud Fox “came to his senses” and broke off his work relationship with Gordon Gecko – and if you will come back to God – as Bud came back to his father Carl – God will forgive you and help you live the life He wants you to live – using everything He gives you for His glory and not for your own needs.

Yea — God has a choice – and makes a choice.

God chooses to offer you a new way to live and new things to love and want and have a desire for – things that don’t separate you from Him and others.

God choose to offer you a way to live without saying things that hurt people.

God chooses to offer you a way to live without flying off the handle and getting mad at others.

God chooses to offer you a way to live the life God wants you to live.

God choose to offer you a way to use the material things in your life – be it your television or your computer or your cell phone or your home or you car – or whatever it might be – a way that does not harm your relationship with Him and others but can help it.

God chooses to offer you a way to be use your  feelings – the things you want and desire in the world – the things that give you pleasure – in ways that do not separate you from Him and others and are not sinful.

God makes a loving choice to save you – even though you have gone against Him

You can choose to repent and be saved.

You can choose to live in God’s ways.

You can choose to be active in the Church and the community – doing God’s will – taking part in God’s work and worshipping, fellowshipping, learning, and serving with God’s people – doing the things God wants you to do – and finding the new life God wants to give you – or you can choose not to do these things and go on worshipping yourself and not doing God’s will – coming to Church when you feel like it instead of when God calls you  – and – in the end – risking  not being the person God has called you to be.

So – we have God’s choices – God’s choices to love us and offer salvation – and we also have our choices – to go against God and be punished – or to return to God and be saved.

God has made His choice.

What is your choice?   Amen