Genesis 12:1-4(a), John 3:1-17

Genesis 12:1-4(a)

John 3:1-17

Making A Change

Lent 2

March 20, 2010

We continue our journey with Jesus through the Season of Lent today.

As we have noted, Lent is the most important time in the Christian year.  This six week season of the Church year before Easter — 40 days to match the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness — is designed for us to spend time reflecting on the death of Christ for our sins – what that means for us – and how we can respond to it and live our lives differently because of what God has done for us.

Lent is a good time for us to focus on the things that God might be calling us to do – things that we can do any time but may need a special time – or a special push – to get us started and keep us on track.  On our Sundays during Lent this year we are looking  at some of the Gospel passages and other passages of scripture that help us focus on Christ – what He has done for us – how He calls us to live — and how we can respond to Him.

What does following Christ mean for us?

We are looking at 2 passages of scripture today that help us understand how following Christ means that we have to make changes in our lives.

Listen to God’s word in Genesis 12:1-4(a) and John 3:1-17.

As a kid I used to enjoy watching ABC’s Wide World of Sports with my dad on Saturday afternoons.  We loved watching the show – wondering what sport Jim McKay would bring our way every week.

Even if you don’t particularly remember the show you probably remember the weekly intro – especially

“the thrill of victory – and the agony of defeat”.

And – you may remember the video clip that accompanied “the agony of defeat” — a painful ending to an attempted ski jump. The skier appeared in good form as he headed down the jump, but then, for no apparent reason, he tumbled head over heels off the side of the jump, bouncing off the supporting structure down to the snow below. I still grimace each time I see the clip.

Why did he fall?

Well, the truth is that he chose to fall. He chose to fall rather than finish the jump.

OK – but why? Why did he choose to fall?

As the jumper, Vinko Bogataj, later explained, he fell to save his life. He changed his course in the middle of the jump because if he had not done so, he would have probably been killed. You see — a light snow had begun falling at the start of the event, and by the time he was ready for his third jump, the snow had become quite heavy. Midway down the ramp for the jump, he realized that the conditions had made the ramp too fast – and if he continued the jump he would land on the level ground beyond the safe sloping landing area, which could have been fatal.  He chose instead to stop the jump by lowering his center of gravity, even though he realized he would lose his balance. As all of us who have seen the famous film clip know, he began flipping wildly and crashed. Despite the ferocity of the crash, he suffered only a mild  concussion.

So – he changed his course so he could save his life.  He made a necessary change to save his life.

You know – to change your course in life can be a dramatic and sometimes painful undertaking, but a change is better than a fatal landing at the end.

Letting God make a change in your life may not be easy, but it will save you.

I think the whole idea of making a real change in your life – especially when we start talking about letting God make a real change in your life – a change that is not easy but will save you – is a problem for a lot of us.

What do you think?

Maybe you know you need to let God make a change in your life — but you look at the clip of Bogataj tumbling down the ski ramp after making a change in his jump – or think about the changes God will have to make in your life — and grimace  and think “I think I’ll just take my chances with the way things are going right now – and worry about the end later.”

Maybe the idea of letting God make a real change in your life is something you are struggling with.

I think that was what Nicodemus was struggling with in our Gospel reading for today.

Jesus lets Nicodemus know that he is facing a fatal landing if he does not change his life. Nicodemus, however, knows only one way to go and that is the way he is going. Nicodemus hears the words “You must be born again” but is confused – and asks: “How can a person go back into his mother’s womb and come out again?”

It does not make sense to Nicodemus.

You might be surprised that Nicodemus is so confused by what Jesus is saying. You might think that Nicodemus is a religious leader and should understand the spiritual lessons Jesus is teaching. I believe, however, that Nicodemus realizes he is missing something in his life that Jesus might be able to help him with – and that’s why he came to Jesus. Maybe Nicodemus had seen Jesus clear the money changers out of the temple – the story the previous chapter in John relates – and wondered about this teacher who seemed to have such authority. Maybe Nicodemus has an inkling that Jesus might be able to provide some missing detail that can help him live his life in a better way – so he comes to Jesus – but not in the open daylight but under the cover of night.

But then – Jesus tells him that he is heading in the wrong direction in his life and that has to change his course to keep from meeting sure disaster.

Maybe Nicodemus knows that he needs to change his course in his life — but he’s hesitant. Maybe he’s uncertain about making a drastic change in his life – or letting God make a dramatic change in his life. What would happen if he let God make a change in his life – a real and dramatic change?

It could be painful!

So – as far as we know – Nicodemus checks out and says – in effect:

“Thanks Jesus – but I think I’ll just take my chances with the way things are going right now – and worry about the end later.”

Now – you may ask —

What makes this religious leader turn away from Jesus?

Well –Nicodemus clearly had some problems with taking Jesus at His word and letting God make the change in his life that was necessary if he was going to follow Jesus – and save his life from the destruction that was coming his way if he did not let God change him.

Maybe his problem was that he was such a religious man.

How – you ask — could being a religious man be a problem?

Well, as a Pharisee Nicodemus would have known the law by heart. He would have been one of the ones people would have depended on to know and teach  the truth about God and God’s people.

So – where’s the problem?

Well, for all of his religiosity, maybe Nicodemus was a man who knew about God but did not let what he knew about God touch his heart. Unfortunately, it is possible to be a religious person and still miss the real point of what it means to follow Christ and let God change your life. It is possible to be a “religious person” – to come to church every Sunday – to sit in the pew and pray the prayers and sing the hymns and listen to the sermon but never really understand the difference God wants to make in your life.  Maybe that was Nicodemus’ problem. Maybe his religion was in his head but not his heart. Maybe he believed in God but never had a life changing, heart changing relationship with God. Maybe he knew all the right things, but did not want to allow God to change him – to change the direction his life was going –which was the only way to avert disaster in his life.

Maybe that was Nicodemus’ problem.

Maybe he was like Vinko Bogataj – speeding down that ski ramp and knowing that continuing in the direction he was going meant death – but unlike Bogatai he was unwilling to make the necessary changes to avoid the destruction waiting for him.

Poor Nicodemus.

But – you know what? It’s real easy for us to sit here and point fingers at someone named Nicodemus who lived over 2,000 years ago. That is not hard to do at all. But like my Dad used to remind me – when you point a finger at someone else you have 4 pointing back at you.

So – how about it?

All of us are like Vinko Bogataj – speeding down that ski slope – and headed for sure death.  The only thing that can help us is – like Bogataj – making a change in our direction.  Really – the only thing that can save us is letting God make a change in our lives – a change in our direction.

But – are you like Nicodemus?

Do you know a lot of things about God – but not really have a life changing relationship with God?

Do you come to Church – but not really let God make a difference in your life?

If so, you are in desperate need of a change – God’s change.

Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that he was not going to be saved from the death and destruction that was waiting for him by his knowledge of the Old Testament or his knowledge of things about God.  Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that He was not going to saved because he was a Pharisee.  Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that he was not going to be saved because he was a leader in the community. Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that he was only going to be saved when he let God change him. Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that he was only going to be saved when he let himself have a life changing relationship with God. Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that – if he wanted to be saved – he would have to be born again.

Friends – that was Jesus’ clear message to Nicodemus – and it is still God’s clear message to you.

If you want to avoid the death and destruction that awaits you, you have to make a dramatic change in the course of your life – you have to make a dramatic change in the direction you are going.  Actually, you have to let God make a dramatic change in your life – and let God change the direction your life is going.

Just coming to Church isn’t enough. Just attending Sunday School isn’t enough. Just coming on Wednesday nights isn’t enough. And just doing these things when it suits or when it’s convenient or when you feel like it definitely isn’t enough.

Don’t misunderstand me — all these things are good and important – but they will not get you salvation – they will not save you from the death and destruction waiting for you.  Only taking Jesus as your Lord and Savior — letting God change you and change everything about you – will do that. Only having a life changing relationship with God will do that.

Nicodemus may have thought that being a learned leader of his people would save his life. Maybe you think that coming to Church when it suits you is enough to save your life. Friends – Jesus told Nicodemus that the only way for him to be saved was to be born again – and to let God change His life. That message has not changed. The only way for you to have salvation is for you to let God change your life – and follow where God leads.

Our Old Testament passage for today shows us someone who knew what it was like to hear God’s call to change – and respond.

Just like Nicodemus, Abram heard God’s call to let God change his life. The difference between Abram and Nicodemus is that Abram responded and followed God in a new direction. Abram obeyed the call of God to change. Abram can be compared to Vinko Bogataj – knowing that he needed to change the course of his life – knowing that he needed to let God change the course of his life – and doing so – letting God do so.

So – who are you like?

Are you like Nicodemus – maybe thinking God will save you because you are a good person or because you know a lot about God or because you are an important person or because you attend Sunday School and Church sometimes? If that describes you, God is not going to save you.

Or – are you like Abram – trusting in God – having a life changing relationship with God – letting God make the necessary changes He needs to make in your life – and following God? If that describes you, God will save you.

Remember I said that just coming to Church isn’t enough. Just attending Sunday School isn’t enough. Just coming on Wednesday nights isn’t enough.  These are true statements. Until you let God change you these things don’t matter. But – once you let God change you – they do matter – and are important responses to what God has done for you.

Nicodemus may have thought – “I’m going to be a leader and learn all I can about God and be an important person – and I hope God will save me because I’m doing these things.”

Jesus pointed out to him that he was wrong.

You may think: “I’m going to go to Church and Sunday School and Wednesday nights and I sure do hope that I’ll be good enough for God to save me.”

If that’s how you feel, let me point out to you that you are wrong.

The only way God is going to save you is for you to have a life changing relationship with God – and let God make the changes that need to be made in your life.

Once you ask God to make the changes that need to be made in your life, you are saved.

Then you will think: “Wow! God has changed me! God has saved me! I’m going to go to Church and Sunday School and on Wednesday nights and whenever else I can because God has changed my life! I’m going to do all I can for God and for others – because of what God has done for me!”

See the difference in those 2 ways of thinking?

Once you let God make the necessary changes in your life – once you take Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior — you don’t do what God calls you to do because you are hoping that God will save you – you do what God is calls you to do because God has saved you – and you want to give praise to God and serve Him in every way you can.

There’s a big difference – isn’t there?

So – how about it?

Have you let God make the changes He needs to make in your life?

Have you taken Jesus as your Lord and Savior and let Him change your life?

If you have, you have found salvation – and I celebrate with you.

If not, you need to.

Not someday and sometime – but here and now.

If you’ve never made that decision, you need to do it.

Don’t be like Nicodemus – straddling the fence and not wanting to commit all the way to God.  Be like Abram – going where God calls you to go and doing what God calls you to do.

I pray that we all will use this second Sunday in Lent to look at our lives – see if we have let God make the changes He wants to make in our lives – and commit our lives to truly being the changed people God wants us to be. Amen.

Genesis 2:15-17, 25-3:7; Matthew 4:1-11

Genesis 2:15-17, 25-3:7

Matthew 4:1-11

Free To Choose

March 13, 2011

Lent 1

We begin observing the Sundays in Lent today.

Our order of worship remains the same – but we have some differences in that the songs were chosen ahead of time, we had a written responsive Call To Worship, a written corporate Prayer of Confession and a written responsive Assurance of Pardon.  All these things are done for a reason – Lent is a special time in the life of the Church and requires special attention and special worship.

Lent is truly the most important time in the Christian year.  This six week season of the Church year – 40 days to match the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness — is designed for us to spend time reflecting on the death of Christ for our sins – what that means for us – and how we can respond to it and live our lives differently because of what God has done for us.

Different Christian traditions observe Lent in different ways. Some use it as a time to give up things they are doing that they know are wrong or not good for them. Others like to use it as a time for increased attention to the spiritual disciplines of the study of scripture, prayer, worship, service, and – for some — even fasting.

Of course, all these things are good things. We can always benefit from giving up things that are wrong or not good for us – and we should do this.  God can even strengthen us to do this.  And – you know what? We don’t have to wait until Lent to do it! We also can always benefit from paying more attention to our spiritual disciplines of study of scripture, prayer, worship, and service.  God can even give us strength to do this.  And again — we don’t have to wait until Lent to do it!

Lent is a good time, though, for us to focus on the things that God might be calling us to do – things that we can do any time but may need a special time – or a special push – to get us started and keep us on track.

On our Sundays during Lent this year we are going to look at some of the Gospel passages and other passages of scripture that help us focus on Christ – what He has done for us – how He calls us to live — and how we can respond to Him.

What does following Christ mean for us?

That’s the question we are going to be considering for the next six weeks.

As we begin Lent today we are going to look at 3 passages of scripture that will help us understand how following Christ means that God forgives us when we make wrong choices and strengthens us to make better choices.

Listen to God’s word in Genesis 2:15-17, 25-3:7 and Matthew 4:1-11.

In classical Greek mythology, The Fates are three goddesses who determine world events by spinning supernatural threads that determine people’s individual destinies. If you believe in fate, then you accept the fact that you have no real choices to make in life – it’s all predetermined for you. Just stay on the path that has been predetermined for you and everything will be ok.

I understand that there is a pretty good action movie – The Adjustment Bureau — with Matt Damon and Emily Blunt – playing at the Swamp Fox Theaters over by the mall this week.  I have not seen it but I understand that it raises some fascinating questions about fate and the limits of human freedom. I have read several reviews and seen one of the trailers online and on TV.

“Life is a series of events,” says the movie trailer.

“This man. This glance. These moments. All happened according to plan. … Their plan.”

Whose plan? you might ask.

The Adjustment Bureau’s plan is the answer the movie gives.

Matt Damon plays a Senate candidate from New York who has a chance meeting with Blunt, sparking a romance. This isn’t what’s planned for his life, however, and suddenly a group of mysterious men from the Adjustment Bureau step in to put him back on the planned path for his life. Damon rejects them, and he and Blunt begin to run for their lives, under and through the streets of New York City.

“We are the people who make sure things happen according to plan,” says one of the members of the Adjustment Bureau. “We monitor the entire world.”

These master manipulators show Damon a book with the plan for his life and tell him they’re determined to use their considerable power to keep him on his pre-determined path.

“You can’t outrun your fate,” another one tells Damon.

Or can you?

The film raises interesting questions of how much freedom we have — and whether there are unseen forces like The Fates in ancient Greek mythology or The Adjustment Bureau in the modern film who control and manipulate our lives.

Actually, the second and third chapters of Genesis, with the story of the garden of Eden, raise similar questions.

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it,” says Genesis 2:15.

“And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die’” says Genesis 2:16-17.

So — on the one hand, God appears to be like a member of the Adjustment Bureau, placing Adam and Eve in the garden and giving them a task. God seems to be a supernatural force, exerting control over the first human beings.

But on the other hand, God gives Adam and Eve considerable freedom, saying they may “freely eat of every tree of the garden” … except one. They can make a range of choices about what they will eat within the lush and fruitful abundance of the garden. There is only one tree that is off limits: “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” That tree will lead to death for Adam and Eve.

But even though the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is prohibited to Adam and Eve, they are given the freedom to choose to eat of it.

They are free to choose.
How different this is from the world depicted in The Adjustment Bureau or played out by The Fates ancient Greek mythology.

“If you believe in free will,” says the trailer to the movie, “if you believe in chance, if you believe in choice … fight for it.”

Genesis, however, reveals a very different truth.

According to the Bible, you don’t have to fight for free will at all. God gives it to you, and gives it to you freely.

Instead of controlling and manipulating us like the men of the Adjustment Bureau, God grants us freedom. God allows us to make choices.

God creates us to be individuals who are free to choose.

What a wonderful gift God has given us!

But – the gift presents a problem – doesn’t it?

God does not manipulate us and force us to do what He knows is right and good for us. God lets us have choices. God lets us make choices.  But – with each choice – there is a consequence – isn’t there?

We are free to choose – but what happens when we make bad choices – or choices that are not the choices God would have us make?

Genesis 3 tells us what happens when we use our freedom to choose to make bad choices.

The serpent appears and begins to tempt Eve. He begins to raise questions in her mind about what God really said about that tree in the middle of the Garden – that tree that God said they needed to not eat from. Eve chooses to doubt God and what God said – or why God said it. She eats the fruit God had said to not eat – and so does Adam.

Yea – we are free to choose – but – what happens when we choose to doubt God and go against God?

The expression “all hell breaks loose” might be used to describe what happened to Adam and Eve when they chose to doubt God and go against God’s will for them. They go from living in a beautiful, trusting relationship with God and each other in a beautiful garden where they have everything they need to living in sin – not able to trust God – not able to trust each other – having to work hard to survive – and having to worry about death.

Their choice to doubt God and go against God had serious consequences. God had given them the freedom to choose and had explained the consequences – and they chose to doubt God and go against God’s will for them – and had t accept the consequences.

So – it is true that we are free to choose – but it is also true that when we make choices that go against the ones God wants us to make we have serious consequences we have to deal with.

We are free to choose.

Or – are we?

A lot of times it may seem that we are not really free to choose. It may seem like someone – somewhere – call it The Fates or The Adjustment Bureau – is pushing us to make certain choices. We may look at our lives and see the options that are before us and it may seem that we always tend to make the wrong choices. We may know what the right choices are, but the wrong ones are so tempting and seem so good – so like Adam and Eve we may choose the more attractive option, even though we may know that it is not the one God wants us to choose. And we have to pay the consequences.

Do you ever feel that way?

Do you ever look back on decisions you have made and have had bad consequences for you and asked yourself “Why did I make that decision?” or “What was I thinking when I made that choice?”

Or – here are some more questions for you —

Do you ever feel stuck in making wrong choices – or stuck in habits that you know are not good for you and that you wish you could break but can’t seem to do it – or stuck in relationships that are destructive and not good for you but you can’t seem to break them – or stuck in relating to people in ways that don’t build them up but tear them down – or stuck in doing what you know is the wrong thing – but you continually do it anyway?

I think that if we are honest with ourselves we all can identify with wishing we could make better choices.

What causes us to make the wrong choices we make – and feel stuck in making them? What causes us to feel stuck in bad habits or destructive relationships or relating to people in ways that hurt them or making wrong choices?

Are The Fates spinning their cords and predetermining what we will do – or do the folks from The Adjustment Bureau have their map we have to stick to in living our lives?

No – the answer to that question does not lie outside of us with things like The Fates or The Adjustment Bureau. What causes us to make wrong choices is not what someone or something else has predetermined for us. The thing that causes us to make wrong choices is sin – and sin is in each of us.

Adam and Eve were the original human beings. They were also the original sinners. Sin is deeply imbedded in who we are and affects everything we do. It’s what makes us feel stuck in making choices that we may know are wrong, but we make them anyway. It’s what makes us feel stuck in bad habits or destructive relationships or relating to people in ways that hurt them or making wrong choices or all the other things we find ourselves doing that are against what God wants us to do.

So – we have freedom of choice.  We are free to choose – but sin keeps us from consistently making the choices God wants us to make. Sin even keeps us from making the good and right choices we might want t make. Sin keeps us from being the people God created us to be and from making the good choices God created us to make — and sin keeps us from being the people we might try to be or make the good choices we might want to make.

So – what’s the answer?

How can we break the cycle of sin and the cycle of wrong choices?

Can we break the cycle of sin and the cycle of wrong choices?

Praise God that God has provided a way for us to break the power of sin and has provided a way for us to make the choices He wants us to make.

Praise God that God has provided a way for us to truly have freedom of choice – to truly be free to choose – free to choose His ways and His will.

Praise God that God sent His Son – Jesus Christ – into the world.

Praise God that Jesus had choices to make in His life – but chose God’s ways instead of the ways we might have chosen given the same options Jesus had.

Our Gospel passage for today shows how Jesus had choices to make in His life. Like us, He was free to choose. He was free to choose what God wanted Him to do or what the devil wanted Him to do – just as Adam and Eve were – just as we are – just as you are. The difference between what Jesus chose and what Adam and Eve chose – what we choose – what you might choose – is that Jesus chose to follow a path of obedience to God. Jesus made the right choices.

So – Adam and Eve were free to choose – made wrong choices – sinned — and paid the consequences.

We are free to choose – but make wrong choices – sin – and pay the consequences.

You are free to choose – but make wrong choices – sin – and pay the consequences.

Jesus – on the other hand – was free to choose – and made right choices – and did not sin.

But – Jesus still paid the consequences for sins and wrong choices.

That doesn’t make sense, does it?

How could someone who made right choices and did not sin pay the consequences for sins and wrong choices?

Praise God that – on the cross – Jesus paid the ultimate consequence for sin and wrong choices – the consequence of death – and that was not because He had sinned and made wrong  choices—but because we have – because  I have – because you have – because we all have.

Praise God that Jesus paid the consequences for our sins and our wrong choices.

And – you know what – because of the choices Jesus made and the death Jesus died on the cross – we can be truly free to choose. Because of the choices Jesus made and the death Jesus died on the cross you can be truly free to choose. You can be truly free to choose the ways of God – the good ways God created you to live in – and break the pattern of destructive habits and destructive relationships and bad choices that you might feel stuck in.  Because of what Jesus freely chose to do for you, you can be truly free to choose to live for Him.

Praise God that we are truly free to choose!

Praise God that we can indeed truly make good and right choices – truly be free to choose to break habits that we know are not good for us – truly be free to choose to live in relationships that are good and loving – truly be free to choose to relate to people in ways build them up and don’t tear them down – and truly be free to choose to do right things and not wrong things.

Praise God that we are indeed free to choose – through Jesus Christ.

So — how do you exercise that true freedom – that true freedom God gives you through Jesus Christ to choose to live in His ways?

First — you have to confess to God that you can’t choose to live in His ways on your own. You have to confess to God that sin keeps you from making the choices He wants you to make.

Then – you can claim the death of Christ – the choice Christ made to die for your sins – and ask God to forgive you for your sins – your destructive choices. And you know what? God will forgive you! He will forgive your sins and forgive you for your destructive choices.

Then – you can ask God to help you exercise that true freedom He can give you — that true freedom to choose to live in His ways.

Friends — use this first Sunday in Lent to examine your life and your choices. Use this time to look at the choices you make and see if they are the choices God wants you to make. Use this time to look again to Christ – who chose to die on the cross for your sins – confess your sins and wrong choices to Him – and be forgiven.

That’s the only way you will ever be truly free to choose.   Amen

Genesis 11:1-9, Acts 2:1-21, John 14:8-17

Genesis 11:1-9

Acts 2:1-21

John 14:8-17

Make A Name For Yourself

May 23, 2010

Pentecost / Graduates Sunday

The Walt Disney animated film classic Fantasia is a wonderful and spellbinding combination of animation and classical music that has been loved by young and  old alike for 70 years.  Since it first came out in 1940, Fantasia has been one of the most beloved animated films ever.  It was one of my favorites as a child – and it still is!

If you have seen it, you might remember the final scenes.

As Mussorgsky’s Night On Bald Mountain plays a bat – winged Devil directs dead bodies and skeletons that dance around the mountain. It seems the Devil is in complete control of the chaotic scene — until Church bells ring for morning prayers.  The Devil frowns and disappears and the dead go back to their graves.  As dawn approaches there is a procession of flickering lights going up mountain.  To the music of Schubert’s Ave Maria the same mountain the Devil had ruled from seconds before is transformed into a holy place. It is as if the world is transformed.  It is as if the Spirit brightens the world – – not only by the rising sun but by the “tongues of fire” as it were from the individual lanterns, carried by those who are filled with a desire to worship and share God with others.

You know — that is much like what the Spirit did at Pentecost – is it not?

The image our passage from Acts 2 gives us of:

“what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.”

transforms and changes the disciples. The Spirit touched them – and their lives were transformed and changed — and before long the city of Jerusalem was transformed and changed – and in time the surrounding countryside was transformed and changed – and in time the world was transformed by folks who were filled with the Spirit and filled with a desire to worship and share God with others.

God – working through the power of the Holy Spirit – worked through His people and the world was changed.

This passage from Acts teaches us some things about the Holy Spirit.

First of all – the Spirit restores unity from diversity and conflict.

In our passage from Genesis God uses language to confuse people because they are striving to do too much and are striving to serve themselves.  God confuses the people trying to “make a name for themselves” as the passage has it by making them speak in different languages. Chaos breaks out – and they disband and scatter. In the Acts passage, however, God gives the disciples the ability to speak different languages so others can understand about His love. The Spirit brings together those who had been separated – and God’s love is made known. Unity is restored.

Second – the Sprit changes lives.

The disciples were transformed from a scared and frightened group who did not dare tell others they were following Jesus to a group brave spokespeople who would not shut up about what Jesus was doing for them.

The Spirit completely changed their lives.

Third – the Spirit strengthened the disciples so they could do Jesus’ work in the world – just as Jesus promised the Spirit would do in our passage from John.

The work of God through the power of the Holy Spirit was working through His people and transforming the world.

That can still happen today!

The Spirit can still work through the people of God to transform the world!

But this can only happen if we – as God’s people — let the Spirit change us and use us.

The world desperately needs to be transformed.

Are you willing to let the Spirit change you – so God can use you to be His instrument of transformation in the world today?

We are honoring our graduates today – and with good reason. You have accomplished much – and I congratulate you.

But – I also want to challenge you today.

I want to challenge you to not buy into what the world might be telling you to do – but to buy into what God wants you to do.

I want to challenge you to let the Spirit make a difference in your life – so you can make a difference in the lives of others.

Many of you stand on a threshold today. You have accomplished much, but you will accomplish more in your life. Some or you are going into careers that will change peoples’ lives.  Some of you are going to college and will learn how to make even a greater difference in the world. One of you is going to serve our country – and will make a difference as you do so.  As you enter into the next phase of your life you are going to be making a name for yourself in whatever endeavor you choose.

You are going to make a name for yourself!

My question for you is — how are you going to do that?

How are your going to make a name for yourself?

In what ways are you going to make a name for yourself?

Since the beginning of time people have been trying to make a name for themselves – and have tried a lot of ways to do that. Our passage from Genesis for today shows how some of the most ancient people tried to make a name for themselves. They say:

“Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

They want to make a name for themselves by doing something that is bigger and better than anyone else had ever done.

A lot of people still feel that doing things “bigger and better” than anyone else – and amassing wealth and power – is the way to make a name for yourself.

As you go through life – and whatever life may hold for you – people will probably try to tell you that doing things “bigger and better” than anyone else – and amassing wealth and power – is the way to make a name for yourself.

But that only leads to confusion and – while you may make a name for yourself for awhile – it won’t last. It won’t make a real difference. The people who tried to “make a name for themselves” at Babel by doing something “bigger and better” than was ever done before only ended up confused and separated from each other. If you try to “make a name for yourself” by doing things “bigger and better” than anyone else — and by amassing power and wealth – you might be known for awhile – but it won’t last.

The poet Shelley wrote a poem – Ozymandius – that speaks to this.

Shelley wrote:

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

You see — whether you try to make a name for yourself by building the greatest tower of all time – as in Genesis – or building a great statue – as in Shelley’s poem – or whatever other way you want to do it – it won’t last – unless you try to make a name for yourself God’s way – the Spirit’s way.

You can make a name for yourself and truly make a difference in the world – but you have to let God’s Spirit change you and use you.

Are you willing to do that?

Are you willing to make a real name for yourself – and make a real difference in the world – one that will last – by letting God’s Spirit use you and work through you?

Are you willing to be one of those who work to transform the world from the chaos it is in to the world God would have it be?

God — through the power of the Holy Spirit — can work through His people can transform the world.

The Spirit can still work through the people of God to transform the world — but this can only happen if we – as God’s people — will let the Spirit change us and use us.

The world desperately needs to be transformed.

Are you willing to let the Spirit change you – so God can use you to be His instrument of transformation in the world?

Are you willing to make a name for yourself that will last and make a difference – and be a part of the work of God through the power of the Holy Spirit that works through His people and transforms the world?

If you are, you will make a true name for yourself – and be a truly great person.

Make a name for yourself – and don’t let that name be that you strove to build things “bigger and better” than anyone else – or strove to amass wealth and power for yourself – but let your name be that you strove to be a person who used the gifts God gave you to show God to others and make a difference in the world.

That’s the name for yourself that will last.

How can you make this name for yourself?

I see that it takes 4 commitments:

First — commit to serving God and learning about God.  You were given Bibles today – I challenge you to use them! Use them to learn about God and what God wants you to do.

Second — commit to giving of yourself for others.

Third — commit to finding ways to use what God has given you to make a difference in the world.

Fourth — commit to letting the Spirit of God change your life – as it did the lives of the disciples – so the Spirit can change others lives through you.

These commitments can help you truly make a name for yourself.

Albert Schweitzer was a brilliant doctor, author, theologian, musician, and philosopher.  He had a brilliant mind and used it in brilliant ways. He is noted for many things – but I believe he should be most noted for being a stellar example of a brilliant person who put his brilliance to brilliant work for God.  He was a person who made a name for himself in many ways – but the most notable way was that he desired to be known as a person who was committed to using the great gifts God had given him to do God’s work in the world.

At the age of 30 he was known worldwide as a great doctor, author, theologian, and musician and everyone knew he had a brilliant career ahead of him.  He gave up what most considered to be the ‘typical” career of teaching, writing, and practicing medicine, however, when he went to Africa to be a medical missionary. When asked why he did this, he replied:

“I thought I could argue for a better world without really doing something to make a difference, but then I decided to make my life my argument”

Make your life your argument.

Make your life your statement of faith – your commitment to making the world a better place for the glory of God.

Schweitzer once said:

“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.”

Schweitzer did make a name for himself – his books are still read today – but the greatest name he made was that of being a person who served God and others – and tried to make a difference in the world for God’s glory.

Albert Einstein admired Schweitzer so much that he and had a photograph of Schweitzer hung in his study. When asked about it, Einstein would reply:

“We all need a role model.”

That we do.

Let those like Schweitzer be yours.

Make a name for yourself

Let your name be that you are one of those folks like in Fantasia – transforming the world with light – because you are filled with the Spirit and filled with a desire to worship and share God with others.

Let your name be that you are like that of Albert Schweitzer – letting your life be your argument and evidence for God.

Let your name be that you are one of those who – as Schweitzer says – learns how to serve God and others.

Make a name for yourself. Amen.

Genesis 15:2-12, 17-18; Luke 13:31-35

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Luke 13:31-35

Who’s Afraid?

February 28, 2010

Lent 2

We are 2 weeks into the season of Lent — the most important Season of the Church year as we reflect upon what Christ has done for us and what God calls us to do for Him.  Since the very early days of the Church Christians have observed the 6 weeks before Easter as a time for solemn reflection, greater commitment, and prayer.  The early Church used the 6 weeks before Easter as a time for teaching those who wanted to join the Church what it meant to be a Church member, much as we continue to do today as we hold Confirmation classes during Lent.

Lent is indeed an important time for us as we seek to become better followers of the One who calls us to follow Him in lives of love and service.

Last week we looked at one of the things that keep us from being better followers of Christ – that being how we respond to temptation.

Today we are going to look at another thing that sometimes keeps us from being better followers of Christ – that being fear.

Fear is one of the things that can keep us from following Christ and trusting Christ. It is one of the obstacles we face to being a better follower of Christ.

How many times have we known the things God wanted us to do – known what it meant to be a follower of Christ in a specific situation in our lives – but let fear keep us from stepping out and doing what we knew God wanted us to do?

How many times have we had to face situations in our lives, and feared that God would not give us the strength we needed?

Fear is indeed one of the things that can keep us from truly following Christ, and truly living the life of faith God wants us live.

My Dad tells a story of an incident in World War II.

The best German fighter plane was the Focke Wulf .  It was a terror in the skies for Allied planes.  Dad was a Bomber pilot in Europe — and tells this story of how one day in the Mess Hall of his home field in southern Italy there was a sign sporting a picture of the Focke Wulf  with this caption:

WHO’S AFRAID OF THE BIG FOCKE WULF?

Without much of a thought Dad took out his pen and wrote under the picture and caption:

I am

Billy D. Hayes

Before long, most of the other pilots at his home field had done the same.

Who’s Afraid?

Fear may be good at times — it at least keeps us from being too rash or too foolish or overconfident.  But — at other times — fear is not so good!

Who’s Afraid?

Aren’t there times in our lives when we let the circumstances of our lives scare us?

Aren’t there times when the things happening in our lives strike fear in us?

Aren’t there times in our lives the “big, bad wolves” of our lives intimidate us?

Aren’t there times when the circumstances of our lives cause us to doubt God’s plan for us?

Don’t we – maybe — like Abram — look around sometimes and wonder if God and God’s plan for our lives can be trusted?

Yea – a lot of times we understand how Abram may have felt — simply because we’ve been there ourselves.

Who’s afraid?

If someone were to put a poster somewhere that read:

“Who’s Afraid?”

There are many times I would have to write n it:

“I am.

Bill Hayes.”

Quite honestly there are times in my life that I am afraid.

Many of you may have times that you are afraid also.

What are some of the things that scare us?

What about the present economic situation?

That’s indeed scary.

What about poverty — hunger — homelessness?

Problems we used to think were  “out there somewhere” have come close to  home — and can indeed scare us!

What about debilitating illness?

The thought of getting a debilitating illness can scare even the most healthy of us — and those who have debilitating illness can be very scared at times.

O – here’s one for you —

What about the fact that so many church members seem so apathetic to the things of God and the things of the church?

Now that’s one that scares me and keeps me up at night – what about you?

What about when God calls us to try something new – either as individuals or as the Church?

That can truly be unsettling and scary!

These are just some of the things that can scare us — and there are many, many more.

Many circumstances of life do indeed scare us — and sometimes we are so scared we want to throw up our hands and say:

“Lord — don’t you see what’s happening?”

“Can’t you tell what we’re up against?”

“Don’t you care?”

“Aren’t you with us?”

Who’s afraid?

Our Old Testament and Gospel lessons for today are about — among other things — fear.

“O Lord GOD, what will you give me,

for I continue childless”

You can almost hear the fear in Abram’s voice.

Our Old Testament lesson is about one of the times God came to Abram — whose name, of course, was eventually to be changed to Abraham — and promised him that his descendants will inherit the land on which he is standing.

Abram wants to believe this — but there is one problem — God promised him this years before — but after many years he is still without children.

How could Abram’s descendants inherit the land if he had no descendants?

Had he followed and trusted God — all for nothing?

Had he given up his family and fortune and followed God — for no reason?

He had no descendants to inherit the land.

Could God be trusted?

Fear that God would not — or could not — make good on His promises must have gripped Abram.  There must have been some fear on Abram’s part that the circumstances of his life were going to keep God’s promises from being fulfilled.

Could God be trusted?

Was God really in charge?

These questions may have crossed Abram’s mind – and caused him to be fearful.

Who’s afraid?

“Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.”

You can almost hear the fear in some of the Pharisees voices – and maybe their attempt to strike fear in the hearts of Jesus and his followers.

Our Gospel lesson tells of the time some of the Pharisees told Jesus of Herod’s plot to kill Him.  This message may have been intended to strike fear in Jesus — and it probably did strike fear in the hearts of some of his followers.

Could it be that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem — but was not going to make it?

Could it be that Herod was going to kill Him on the way?

Jesus was talking about going to Jerusalem and dyeing — yet rising again.  But — could it be that His death was now immanent at any moment — and at the hands of Herod?

And if Herod killed Jesus — what would happen to them?

Jesus said they were going to Jerusalem — where — yes — He would die — and yet rise again — but — what if He never made it to Jerusalem?

What if Herod killed Him before He got there?

It may have looked like that the circumstances of life were going to keep Jesus’ promises — any of them — from coming true.

Was God really in charge?

Could Jesus be trusted?

Who’s afraid?

So – what does God say to Abram?

Yes — God says to Abram — I am in charge — and I can be trusted. Do not be afraid. God repeats His promise of descendants to Abram — then in a vivid picture of an ancient covenant ceremony God commits Himself to fulfill that promise.  God commits to keep God’s word.  God says — in effect — that it doesn’t matter what the circumstances of life may look like — God and God’s promises can be counted on.  God is in charge of Abram’s life — not the circumstances of being childless.

Have faith, Abram.   Despite the way things look — God can be trusted.

How does Jesus respond to the Pharisees?

“Go and tell that fox for me,

‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures

today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.’”

Jesus responds to the Pharisees.

In other words, Jesus says that it doesn’t matter what Herod wants to do to Him — what matters is God’s plan for Him.

Herod can’t interfere with God’s plan.

No matter how intimidating — or scary — or “foxy” Herod might be — Jesus is not going to be deterred from what He knows He must do.  He goes to Jerusalem — unafraid — because He knows God is in charge.  He stays in control – - regardless of how things may look — or who may oppose Him.  He doesn’t let the fear of Herod or anyone else for that matter keep Him from His mission.

Who’s afraid?

When we might be tempted to sign “I Am” to a poster asking “Who’s Afraid” we can hear again God’s words.

Hear again the words of God to Abram.

Hear again God’s promise to be with him — that the circumstances of childlessness did not mean that God’s promises would not be fulfilled.

Hear again God’s promise that God was in charge of Abram’s life — regardless of how desperate the situations of Abram’s life may look.

Hear again Jesus’ words that regardless of what Herod may do or want to do — He knew God was in charge.

Who’s Afraid?

The things of life don’t have to strike fear in us — or at least they don’t have to take away our conviction that God is with us — regardless of how desperate our circumstances may appear.          In prayer — Bible Study — and Worship we can get another vision of our circumstances — especially those circumstances of life that scare us.  We can get God’s vision.            As Abram worshipped God he received a new vision of God’s presence and God’s promise to be with him.  As we pray — study — and worship we can get a new vision for the fact that regardless of life and how it may appear – regardless of how scary things may become – regardless of how afraid we may become that God is not with us — God is with us – and God strengthens us.

God is with us to strengthen us to cope with and overcome the things that scare us.

God is with us to help us overcome our fears – step out ijn faith – and follow Him.

Jesus did not let foxy old Herod stop Him.

We can’t let whatever things there may be in our lives take away our commitment to God or make us doubt God’s presence in our lives.

Regardless of how scary the circumstances in our lives may be — God is with us.

God was with Dad as he flew against those scary Focke Wulves.

God was with Abram as he journeyed on in faith.

God was with Jesus as He journeyed to the cross.

There’s another expression from World War II.

When planes would get damaged by the enemy — but the pilot successfully landed the plane — they sometimes said they flew home “on a wing and a prayer.”

God’s wings hold us up and sustain us when we face the hard and scary times of our lives.

In prayer we can give our problems and troubles to God — and let God strengthen us and sustain us.

The author Max Lucado writes:

“Jesus is not afraid of the things that cause us fear.  He never said ‘Don’t bring your fears to me.  I’m too busy.’  Instead, He says: ‘I’m not afraid of the things that cause you fear.  Bring your fears to me.”

We can take our fears to Jesus.

The one who wasn’t afraid of foxy old Herod is not afraid at all of the scary things in our lives — but strengthens us to cope with them.

Who’s afraid?

Because of Jesus, we don’t have to sign the list of those who are afraid and live in fear.

Because of Jesus, there is an answer to our fears.

We need to stop spending so much time focusing all our attention on our fears — and know that God is with us – and by God’s glorious grace, we don’t have to be afraid.

If we bring our fears to Jesus, He will strengthen us so that we can more faithfully follow Him.

Amen.

Genesis 45:1-15

Genesis 45:1-15
Treating Mistreaters
August 17, 2008

This summer we are spending some time looking at stories from the book of Genesis that make up a valuable part of our faith tradition. These are stories of folks like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph – folks who were called by God and touched by God in certain ways – and – while they were not perfect – were used by God to bring His will and His love into the world.

As we look at these stories I believe we are discovering that God is at work in our lives and in our world – and that God can use us – as imperfect as we may be – to do His work and will in the world – if we will let Him use us.

We have looked at Noah — and how he was obedient to God – even when it was costly and messy to be obedient – and discovered a blessing for himself and his family – and all people – because of his obedience to God.

We have seen the story of Abraham – and seen how God – many times –
calls us to do new things –
calls us do away with things we may be comfortable with –
calls us to do things we have never done before
or –
calls us to do old things in new and different ways –
and – even though we may not know exactly what will happen when we try doing new things as individuals or as a Church –
or we may not know exactly what will happen when we try – as individuals or a Church — doing old things in new ways –
we need to step out in faith and follow God.

We’ve also seen in Abraham’s story that God keeps His wonderful promises – when we trust in Him – and how at times we have to have faith in God and God’s will for our lives.

We’ve seen as we’ve looked at Jacob – Abraham’s grandson how God does not call us or choose us because of what we have done – but because of who God is – and we’ve seen how we might be able to run from God’s love – but can not hide – and we have seen how he dared to let God change him – make a difference in his life – and how he changed to be a person who made a difference in the lives of others – how God is always with us – even in the midst of our problems and troubles.

Last week we looked at one of Jacob’s sons – Joseph — and saw how God gives us dreams – and how we need to dare to dream and follow the dreams God gives us. Today we are going to continue looking at Joseph – and how he treated those who mistreated him. As we look at Genesis 45, I believe we can learn how to treat those who mistreat us.

Read passage
In our passage from Genesis 37 last week we began the story of Joseph – the dreamer – the daddy’s pet – the young man who his dad loved so much he gave him a special coat to wear – the young man who dared to dream that the rest of his family would bow down to him. We saw that his brothers finally had enough of his attitude – his coat – and his dreams — and one day when he had come to check on them in the fields they beat him up and sold him to some merchants on the way to Egypt.
Well – the chapters between Genesis 37 and our passage for today from Genesis 45 tell how Jeoseph was taken to Egypt and purchased as slave to Potiphar, a high-ranking official in Pharaoh’s government. The Bible says…
Genesis 39 opens telling us that:
The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned…the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. (Genesis 39:2-5)
It sounds like Joseph landed on his feet, doesn’t it?
Well, things eventually took a turn for the worse. Genesis 39 continues …
Now Joseph was well built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he refused. (Genesis 39:7-8)
He was determined to do the right thing. But his rejection offended her, so she framed him and accused him of making advances towards her. When Potiphar heard of this, he became furious and threw him in jail.
But – Genesis 39 goes on to say:
But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. (Genesis 39:20-21)
Yea – even in prison – God was with Joseph – and it wasn’t long before Joseph was running the prison for the warden.
While in prison, he meets 2 of Pharaoh’s officials he had become angry with and had thrown in jail. While in prison, these men had some strange dreams that they didn’t know how to interpret – but Joseph interpreted each one — telling one official that he was about to be set free, and the other that he was about to be executed. Sure enough, that’s what happened – but the one who was released did not remember his friend Joseph – who stayed in jail another 2 years. It was not until Pharaoh began having dreams that he didn’t understand – and the official remembered about the prisoner who could interpret dreams – that Joseph was brought to Pharaoh and interpreted his dreams. Joseph advised Pharaoh to appoint someone in charge of preparing for the famine God told Pharaoh through his dreams was coming — and Pharaoh took his advice – making Joseph second in command in the country.
So – here is Joseph — at the age of 30 – a former slave and former prisoner — now the second most powerful man in the most powerful nation of the world at that time. For the next seven years he did his job well, storing enough food to help the entire nation prepare for the years of famine. And sure enough, after seven years, famine struck – but the country of Egypt was ready.
But – what was going on in Canaan with Joseph’s family during this time?
The famine in Egypt affected their country, too. His father – Jacob — heard that there was plenty of food in Egypt — so he sent his sons on a journey to buy grain. Now, Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all of its people – so when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. He recognized them – and probably thought about the dream he had years before – but they did not recognize him. He finally gets them to bring his youngest brother to Egypt – and this is where we pick up the story in chapter 45 today as we see Joseph make himself known to his brothers – forgive them for mistreating him when he was younger – and seeing God’s hand in his life.
It’s an incredible story, isn’t it?
Who ever came up with the idea that this book is boring? Not only is this a great story, but today, thousands of years later, there are lessons to be learned from these events.
As a young man, Joseph was on the receiving end of some rather cruel treatment, from his brothers — but he never gave in to despair, and he never gave in to bitterness. Instead, he made the most of every situation he faced, even when he was treated unfairly. And when the opportunity came for him to reconcile with his brothers, he received them with open arms instead of trying to punish them for what they had done to him.
You know – our stories may not be as sensational as Joseph’s, but we share something in common with him:
We are all, at some time or another, treated unfairly. We all know what it’s like to be given worse than we deserve. We’ve all been mistreated at sometime in our lives. Maybe it was by a parent, or sibling, or employer, or coach, or spouse, or child, or friend — regardless of who it was – we all have had times we have been mistreated – and will probably continue to have these times in our lives.
I believe we can all learn from Joseph’s story how to treat a mistreater. When we look at the events in Joseph’s life, we can see the significance of his reconciliation with his brothers here is chapter 45. I believe that there are 4 things we can learn from the way Joseph treated his brothers:
First of all, if you’ve been mistreated…
1. Recognize how God has adapted the situation for good.
Notice what Joseph said to his brothers…
(v. 5) “…it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”
Even though the events of his life had been challenging, to say the least, Joseph recognized God’s hand in the details. Listen to what he says in verse 8:
(v. 8) “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.”
Regardless of where you may feel you are in your story – you can know that God has not abandoned you. Do you remember how the Bible said that the Lord was with Joseph when he was a slave, and the Lord was with Joseph when he was in prison, and the Lord was with Joseph when he served before the Pharaoh? In the very same way, the Lord is with you – whatever your situation in life may be. Maybe today you can see how God has worked out negative events in your life for good, or maybe that yet hasn’t been made clear to you. Either way, God is at work in your life – just as He was in Joseph’s.
Obviously, Joseph’s brothers didn’t have his best interests in mind when they sold him into slavery. They didn’t mistreat him with the idea that it would help him become a high-ranking official in Egypt. They intended to hurt him, but their intentions backfired, because God was with Joseph. For you, God can and will turn your curse into a blessing. He can turn the times people mistreat you into times of blessings.
Here’s the second thing we can learn about treating those who mistreat us:

2. Release the Offender
Joseph reveals his spiritual depth in the words he speaks to his brothers…
(v. 5) “And now, do not be distressed, and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here…”

Joseph could have given his brothers a long speech about the terrible things they had done to him. He could have said, “Now it’s your turn; you will suffer as I have suffered.” But Joseph wasn’t interested in revenge. He just wanted to let the offense go. Joseph understood that when you release the offender, you release yourself. As long as you hang on to your bitterness and resentment, you will never be free, no matter how much success you achieve.

God is willing to turn the curses of your life into a blessing. Don’t waste it by clinging to the past. Let it go. Release the offender.

Augustine said, “If you are suffering from a bad person’s injustice, forgive him, lest there be two bad people.”

When you are mistreated, don’t hang on to the hurt. Don’t cling to the past. Forgive whoever you have to forgive. Release the offender. In fact, more than just forgiving the offender, you need to go to the third step –
3. Repay Them With Kindness.
This is what Joseph did for his brothers. He said…
(v. 9-11) “Come down to me; don’t delay. You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me…I will provide for you there…”
In spite of the fact that he had been sold as a slave for 20 shekels many years before, when he had the opportunity, he repaid his brothers with kindness.
It may seem outrageous to do good to someone who has gone out of their way to do harm to you, but that is exactly what God has called us to do. And remember that God leads by example — Jesus was beaten, mocked, and spat upon, though he had done nothing to justify such treatment – but while he was hanging on a cross he didn’t deserve to bear, he said, “Father, forgive them.”
If you’ve been mistreated, look for an opportunity to repay the mistreater with kindness.
When Norman Vincent Peale wrote The Power of Positive Thinking, he was lambasted by many theologians and religious leaders. One leader, the Methodist Bishop of New York State, was particularly outspoken in his criticism of Peale, to the point of publishing mean-spirited articles about him. Dr. Peale was also a featured book reviewer for a national magazine, and a book by this hostile Bishop came across his desk. Here was his chance to get even, to say everything back to this man that had been said about him. So, how did Peale review the book? Peale said, “It was a fine piece; accordingly I wrote a favorable review.”
Repay mistreaters with kindness.
For example, your parents may have mistreated you as a child — but don’t withhold your kindness from them now. Your brother or sister may have made life difficult for you in the past — but if you have the ability to do good for them now, do it. Your neighbor may have offended you or taken advantage of you — but if you now have the opportunity to do them a favor, take advantage of it. Repay them with kindness.
The fourth way to treat a mistreater is…
4. Re-invent the Relationship.
Listen to how Joseph reinvented the relationship with his brothers:
(v. 14-15) Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterwards his brothers talked with him.
It’s as if Joseph was saying, “Let’s start over, and let’s do it right this time.”
Some of you are probably asking, “Does this mean I should let my abusive husband back in the house, as if nothing has happened? Are you saying I should re-hire a dishonest employee and make my business vulnerable again?”
No. I didn’t say “resume the relationship”, I said “re-invent” it. Make it the way it should have been all along, with the proper boundaries and the proper understanding of each other.
Reconciling with someone who has hurt you in the past doesn’t mean that you’re setting yourself up to be hurt all over again. Change the terms of the relationship. Make it the way it should have been all along. This is what Joseph did with his brothers.
It’s inevitable that you will be mistreated. Maybe in big ways, maybe in small ways, but it’s sure to happen.
The thing is that mistreatment can be the catalyst for God doing something great in your life, or it can be the catalyst of your undoing. How you respond to mistreatment will determine whether or not you experience God’s peace and joy in your life.
Here are 4 tings we can learn from Joseph – and apply to our own life – so can learn how to treat mistreaters:
1. Recognize God’s hand in your life and trust him to turn the curse into a blessing;
2. Release the offender, because in doing so you release yourself;
3. Repay them with kindness when the opportunity presents itself;
4. Re-invent the relationship to make it what it should have been all along.
Good advice – no – make that God’s advice – for how to treat mistreaters.
Amen.

Genesis 37

Genesis 37

Dare To Dream

August 10, 2008

This summer we are spending some time looking at stories from the book of Genesis that make up a valuable part of our faith tradition. These are stories of folks like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph – folks who were called by God and touched by God in certain ways – and – while they were not perfect – were used by God to bring His will and His love into the world.

As we look at these stories I believe we are discovering that God is at work in our lives and in our world – and that God can use us – as imperfect as we may be – to do His work and will in the world – if we will let Him use us.

We have looked at Noah — and how he was obedient to God – even when it was costly and messy to be obedient – and discovered a blessing for himself and his family – and all people – because of his obedience to God.

We have seen the story of Abraham – and seen how God – many times –

calls us to do new things –

calls us do away with things we may be comfortable with —

calls us to do things we have never done before

or –

calls us to do old things in new and different ways –

and – even though we may not know exactly what will happen when we try doing new things as individuals or as a Church –

or we may not know exactly what will happen when we try – as individuals or a Church — doing old things in new ways –

we need to step out in faith and follow God.

We’ve also seen in Abraham’s story that God keeps His wonderful promises – when we trust in Him – and how at times we have to have faith in God and God’s will for our lives.

We’ve seen as we’ve looked at Jacob – Abraham’s grandson how God does not call us or choose us because of what we have done – but because of who God is – and we’ve seen how we might be able to run from God’s love – but can not hide – and we have seen how he dared to let God change him – make a difference in his life – and how he changed to be a person who made a difference in the lives of others – how God is always with us – even in the midst of our problems and troubles.

Today we are going to start looking at one of Jacob’s sons – Joeseph – and how God gives us dreams – and how we need to dare to dream and follow the dreams God gives us.

Listen to God’s word from Genesis 37

Dream on!

When do you hear that expression?

Probably when someone talks about wanting something that is so far out of reach that it seems it will never be achieved.

Dream on!

You want to win 10 million dollars?

Dream on!

You want a job with lots of money but little responsibility?

Dream on!

You want politicians to campaign by making positive statements of what they are going to do – without slinging mud at their opponents?

Dream on!

You want t a world where there is peace – where there is no poverty – where every person knows and experiences the love of God?

Yea – yea — I know – dream on!

You know — dreams are important parts of our lives.

We may try to suppress them – we may try to be realistic and not dreamy –

we may try to squelch dreams and deal only with reality — but dream can be important.

Dreams can lead to hope.

Dreams can help us look past what is to what can be.

Dreams can help us see the world in a different light.

Dreams can help us see God’s will for our lives.

Dreams can give us a new perspective on life - God’s perspective.

Dream on!

Dream on!

But – even though dreams can come to us almost suddenly –

although they may come to us in ways we are unaware of –

and even though dreams may come upon us when we least expect it –

have you ever tried to keep a dream alive – or make it become a reality - when it seemed impossible and useless to even try?

Have you ever tried to keep a dream alive or make it come true when it seemed that everyone is working against that dream and doing all they can to the kill the dream?

Have you ever felt like Don Quixote – the man from LaMancha – dreaming the impossible dream – daring to believe that dreams can come true?

A lot of times our dreams get us in trouble.

There are times when dreamers are not very popular people.

The problem with dreams is that – too many times – they go against reality – the way things are – and those who like things the way they are become opposed to the dream and the dreamer that threatens their status quo.

There are times when dreamers and their dreams are not very popular.

Take Joseph for example.

Loved by his father Jacob.

Loved so much he gives him a luxurious, beautiful coat.

Loved so much his brothers become jealous of him.

Joseph – the daddy’s pet!

Joseph – the dreamer!

Young Joseph – audacious enough to dream that his older brothers and his parents would bow down to him.

Young Joseph – audacious enough to flaunt his fathers love for him by wearing his beautiful coat.

They didn’t have coats like that!

The older brothers may have reacted to the beautiful coat in much the same way a bull reacts to a red cape!

And when he dared to tell them his dreams – well – it seems that may have been the straw that broke the camels back.

When they see him coming into the fields – what do they say?

“Here comes the dreamer!.”

“Here comes the one who dares to believe that our power will not last!

“Here comes the one who is not happy with the way things are — and wants to change things!”

“We’ll show him a thing or two!”

But – before they kill him – they decide to sell him to some traders on the way to Egypt.

Either way – he’s out of their way.

Now what will become of his dreams?

They seem to be meaningless hallucinations.

It seems that “the way things are” has destroyed another dream of how things can be.

But – guess what — the last verse in our lesson for today lets us know we have not seen the last of this dreamer – or heard the last of his dream.

In the end – his dreams come true!

His whole family does bow down to him.

Now — that’s next week — but for today — let’s look at Joseph and his audacity to dream dreams.

Joseph dared to dream.

God gave him dreams – - visions for how the world could be - visions for what could be done - - visions for what God willed. Joseph dared to dream those dreams – and even when it seemed impossible – - they finally came true.

So — what about you?

Do you dare to dream?

Do you dare to question the way things are?

Do you dare to let God give you a dream – a vision for how things can be – -

a dream – - a vision for a better world –

a dream – - a vision for a better community –

a dream - - a vision for a better church –

a dream - - a vision for a better way to live?

Do you dare to dream?

Do you dare to dream – or – are you satisfied with the way things are?

Do you dare to dream – or do you let reality take away whatever vision for how things can be different that you may have?

Dare to dream!

Dare to dream!

Dare to see how things can be – regardless of how impossible it may seem!

Dare to let God give you a vision – a dream of a world where His love is known and experienced by all and shared with all –

Dare to dream!

Dare to dream!

Dare to let God give you a vision – a dream of a community where all work together for the good of all – where neighbors that have joyously help those who don’t have – where all people are treated with respect.

Dare to dream!

Dare to dream!

Dare to let God give you a vision – a dream of a church where our worship and our fellowship is what defines who we are – and where our love and our commitment to reach out to others with the love of God in Jesus Christ is the witness we give to the community.

Dare to dream!

Dare to dream!

Dare to let God give you a vision – a dream of a life where you live in God’s ways – experience God’s love – and share God’s love with those around you!

But wait —

What’s that you say?

Dream on — Preacher?

Dream on!?

You know what — I couldn’t agree more!

Yea — Dream on!

Dream on!

Even when it seems that everything is going against the dream – dream on!

Even when it looks like the world will never change – the community will never change – the church will never change – your life will never change –

don’t give up!

Dream on!

Dare to dream!

Dare to dream!

Dare to let God give you a dream – a vision – for how things can be – and the courage to work to make that dream – that vision – a reality – no matter how difficult or how impossible it may seem.

But — of course – the big question is –

How do we dare to continue to dream when the dream of a better world – a better community – a better church – a better life – may seem impossible?

First — we dare to dream by faith.

Faith in the vision God has given us – and the God who has given us the vision.

Faith in the vision – and in God – regardless of how things may look.

Second — we dare to dream by obedience.

Obedience to the vision – the dream – to God – and how God calls us to live. Obedience to the vision – the dream – to God – regardless of how things may look.

Third — we dare to dream by action.

We act on the vision – the dream – God has placed within us for a better world – a better community – a better church – a better life. We act on the dream – the vision – regardless of how things may look!

We dare to have faith in God – and in the dreams God places within us.

We dare to live in obedience to God – and to the dreams God places within us.

We dare to act in obedience to God – and to act out the dream God places within us.

Here’s the challenge that is before you —

Let God give you a vision.

Let God give you a dream.

Let God give you a vision – a dream – of His will for the world – the community – the Church – your life – and commit to that dream.

Let God give you a vision for how He wants the world — the community – the Church – your life – to be – and commit to making that dream a reality.

Here are some dreams I believe God has for this Church:

I believe God has a dream for this Church to make it a point to reach out to community – and include all people in the community into our ministry and fellowship.

I believe God dreams for this Church to be dedicated to Great Commission – reaching all people with the message of Jesus!

Jesus does not call us to stay within our walls – but go into all the world and show His love to all people. I read recently that Jesus spent more time at parties – meeting people where they were – than he did in the synagogues. We can’t expect people to come to us – and come to Jesus – unless we – the people of Christ – go to them.

I believe God dreams for this Church to be dedicated to growing in God’s spirit – and doing God’s will!

These are things I believe in – and dream of.

These dreams can be powerful – but they may not be popular as working to fulfill them may go against “the way things are” – but they can point us towards “the way things can be”.

I’m inviting you to join me in my dream – my vision for how this Church can be.

I invite you to dream on with me.

I invite you to:

Have faith in the dream.

Be obediant to the dream.

Act on the dream.

Yea — Dream on!

Dream on! Amen.

Genesis 32:22-30

Genesis 32:22-30

Trouble Happens!

August 3, 2008

This summer we are spending some time looking at stories from the book of Genesis that make up a valuable part of our faith tradition. These are stories of folks like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph – folks who were called by God and touched by God in certain ways – and – while they were not perfect – were used by God to bring His will and His love into the world.

As we look at these stories I believe we are discovering that God is at work in our lives and in our world – and that God can use us – as imperfect as we may be – to do His work and will in the world – if we will let Him use us.

We have looked at Noah — and how he was obedient to God – even when it was costly and messy to be obedient – and discovered a blessing for himself and his family – and all people – because of his obedience to God.

We have seen the story of Abraham – and seen how God – many times –

calls us to do new things –

calls us do away with things we may be comfortable with —

calls us to do things we have never done before

or –

calls us to do old things in new and different ways –

and – even though we may not know exactly what will happen when we try doing new things as individuals or as a Church –

or we may not know exactly what will happen when we try – as individuals or a Church — doing old things in new ways –

we need to step out in faith and follow God.

We’ve also seen in Abraham’s story that God keeps His wonderful promises – when we trust in Him – and how at times we have to have faith in God and God’s will for our lives.

We’ve seen as we’ve looked at Jacob – Abraham’s grandson how God does not call us or choose us because of what we have done – but because of who God is – and we’ve seen how  we might be able to run from God’s love – but can not hide – and we have seen how he dared to let God change him – make a difference in his life – and how he changed to be a person who made a difference in the lives of others.

Today’s passage is a wrestling match that Jacob engaged in with God – a match that changed who he was – but in the midst of the struggle he learned that when trouble happens – God is there.

Listen to God’s word in Genesis 32:22-30:

Read Scripture

Trouble happens!

I’ve seen bumper stickers and tee shirts with the same idea but a much cruder phrase – but it is the truth. No matter how carefully we prepare for it, trouble will come to us, often when we least expect it.

Long ago people would often made their plans and added the two letters, d.v. — –  deo volente — God willing. We have all heard the phrase, “Man proposes, God disposes.” Whether or not we would attribute life’s difficulties to God or just to the way things are in the world, trouble comes.

When I was growing up my Dad had a tape of the musical Fiddler On The Roof. He olayed it constantly when we were in the car. I remember one point in which Tevye, the lead character, expresses no doubt that God is behind the troubles in his life. He even muses:

“Sometimes I think things are too quiet up there, God. You say to yourself, ‘Let’s see, what kind of mischief I can play on my friend, Tevye ‘.”

The truth is that trouble happens.

The truth is that trouble can often come when we least expect it. Someone said to me not so long ago, “The fact that you imagine that everyone is out to get you when they really aren’t doesn’t mean some folks aren’t really out to get you.”

The truth is that trouble happens.

In life – trouble happens.

Jacob in lesson for today was in deep trouble.

He was on his way to meet his brother Esau. Remember, Jacob had tricked his brother – the red-haired, hairy, brother out of his inheritance. Jacob had put on a skin of an animal and told his father that he was Esau. So Isaac had blessed Jacob rather than Esau. Even his name, Jacob, meant ” Supplanter” — the one who takes something that is rightfully someone else’s.

But now Jacob is going back home.

He had run away from home – from a furious Esau who wanted to kill him – and had run to his uncle Laban. He had been tricked when Laban substituted the homely Leah for the beautiful Rachel as Jacob’s bride.

Jacob had been visited by the angels and told to go to home – but he was afraid. He was afraid Esau would kill him on sight. The setting of our story in our passage for today is the brook Jabbok, across the Jordan. Jacob sent Rachel and Leah and his concubines and eleven children and all his worldly goods across the brook. Jacob remained alone waiting for his brother:

“Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.” The passage tells us.

Unexpectedly a man comes to wrestle Jacob. Out of the blue, he is thrown into a battle that lasts the whole night.

Now – this was truly unexpected, unanticipated trouble!

Even though he did not expect this trouble to come — Jacob does not give up. Jacob does not know much about his unknown attacker — but it is seems that he is not an ordinary human being.

Fight or flight.

Jacob may have thought:

do I keep on wrestling and not give up

or do I try to run away?

Trouble happens.

Sometimes we may want to give up when we have troubles — throw in the towel and say: “enough is enough! “

It can be very difficult for us to not lose heart when trouble comes.

But – here is a secret we need to hear over and over again:

God is with us when bad things happen to us.

God is with us when trouble comes.

Joyce Rupp in her book, Praying Our Goodbyes, puts it this way:

“‘What might happen?’ is the secret question that always pummels our thoughts. We do not yet fully believe that God always desires our good and our happiness. We do not fully realize that God will be with us as a guiding power to love and sustain us through whatever hardships and headaches life will bring.”

Jesus tells us: “Fear not, for even the hairs of your head are counted.” Of course, that would not be a great comfort to folks like me – but for some folks, knowing that the hairs on their heads are counted and numbered by God can be a feeling of great comfort!

You see — God’s eye is on the sparrow — and Jesus reminds us:

“You are of more value than many sparrows.”

Trouble happens – but when trouble happens — God is with us.

The Psalmist reminds us that our help comes from the Lord the maker of heaven and earth. The Lord will preserve us; the Lord will keep us safe. We do not need to be afraid when trouble comes.

Trouble happens – but when trouble happens — God is with us.

In fact — it is just in the dark and troubled times that we are reminded of our need for faith.

Madeleine l’Engle, the noted children’s author, has written,

“When things go wrong, when the good things do not seem to happen, when our prayers seem to have been lost, God is most present. We do not need the sheltering wings when things go smoothly. We are closest to God in the darkness, stumbling along blindly.”

Trouble happens – but when trouble happens — God is with us.

Jacob did not give up.

He kept wrestling with this man and it was not an easy struggle. The man hurt Jacob:

“When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket: and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with   him.”

Jacob would always limp after this night of wrestling. He was wounded through the struggle and he would bear the scars for the rest of his life.

Trouble happens – but when trouble happens — God is with us.

We should not be surprised if we too are wounded and hurt in our struggles either. Jesus bore the marks of the nails and the pierced side even after His resurrection. Those scars did not vanish from His glorified body.

Many times when trouble comes in our lives the pain is real — the trouble is real — the scars and wounds we are left with are real. Yet — we can rejoice in our sufferings. We are being given the opportunity to follow our Lord who was despised and rejected. Trouble comes, but it can be an opportunity for us to witness to our faith and the hope that is within us. The long night of our wrestling with angels and demons can be an opportunity for us to confess that God is good and faithful.

Trouble happens – but when trouble happens — God is with us.

St Paul tells us in Romans 5:

“We rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

And not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings,

knowing that suffering produces endurance,

and endurance produces character,

and character produces hope,

and hope does not disappoint us,

because God’s love has been poured into our hearts

through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

Trouble happens – but when trouble happens — God is with us.

Jacob’s night of wrestling does not end with his being wounded but his being blessed. The man said to Jacob:

“Let me go, for the day is breaking” – but Jacob refuses to let him go. Jacob is asked his name. “And he said, ‘Jacob’” – the supplanter, the cheater, the deceitful one. Then he given a new name, “Israel,” the one who has striven with God and humans.

Jacob does not let the man go until he is blessed.

Trouble happens – but when trouble happens — God is with us.

Our passage ends with Jacob still limping. He names the place by the brook Peniel — “The face of God.”Jacob recognizes that he has wrestled with God – and declares:

“I have seen God face to face and yet my life is preserved.”

Jacob is limping and will for the rest of his life. The scars remain but are not worth comparing with the blessing. St Paul reminds us too, that our sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that is to come.

Trouble happens – but when trouble happens — God is with us.

Trouble comes and we should not be surprised. When trobule happens in your life –remember that in all things God works together for good to those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

Trouble happens – but in it’s midst – God is with us – blessing us – strengthening us – and making us the people He would have us be.

Trouble happens.

In the midst of trouble – even though we are wounded – we can have faith.

Amen

Genesis 29:15-28

Genesis 29:15-30

Dare To Be Different!

July 27, 2008

This summer we are spending some time looking at stories from the book of Genesis that make up a valuable part of our faith tradition. These are stories of folks like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph – folks who were called by God and touched by God in certain ways – and – while they were not perfect – were used by God to bring His will and His love into the world.

As we look at these stories I believe we are discovering that God is at work in our lives and in our world – and that God can use us – as imperfect as we may be – to do His work and will in the world – if we will let Him use us.

We have looked at Noah — and how he was obedient to God – even when it was costly and messy to be obedient – and discovered a blessing for himself and his family – and all people – because of his obedience to God.

We have seen the story of Abraham – and seen how God – many times –

calls us to do new things –

calls us do away with things we may be comfortable with —

calls us to do things we have never done before

or –

calls us to do old things in new and different ways –

and – even though we may not know exactly what will happen when we try doing new things as individuals or as a Church –

or we may not know exactly what will happen when we try – as individuals or a Church — doing old things in new ways –

we need to step out in faith and follow God.

We’ve also seen in Abraham’s story that God keeps His wonderful promises – when we trust in Him – and how at times we have to have faith in God and God’s will for our lives.

We’ve seen as we’ve looked at Jacob – Abraham’s grandson how God does not call us or choose us because of what we have done – but because of who God is – and we’ve seen how with God we might be able to run from God’s love – but can not hide.

Today we’re looking at Jacob again – and seeing how he dared to let God change him – make a difference in his life – and how he changed to be a person who made a difference in the lives of others.

Listen to God’s word in Geneses 29:15-30:

Read Scripture

The trickster is tricked!

So might the headline read if this were a story in The Florence Morning News.

Jacob – the one who had tricked his older brother Esau out of his birthright and blessing –

Jacob – the one who had deceived his dying father Isaac into blessing him instead of Esau –

Jacob – the ultimate trickster – is now tricked.

We smile when we read the passage – don’t we?

7 years of labor to marry his love –

then –

a dark night –

a veiled bride –

a shared bed –

then – in the light of morning –

Surprise!

Surprise, indeed!

The trickster is tricked.

The tables are turned.

We may think: “Turn about is fair play!”

It may be hard for us to feel sorry for Jacob.

We may feel he is only getting what he deserves.

We may feel he is only reaping what he has sown.

Maybe you think that’s the message of this passage.

You reap what you sow!

Maybe you think that God may forgive – but that we still have to pay for past actions.

While all this is true – it is also much too easy. Something else is going on here. Something below the surface. Something that may be more important than the first conclusions we easily jump to.

The answers to what else is going on here may be in the character of Jacob in this lesson.

Look at Jacob.

How is he acting?

Is he acting in the same old self-seeking, self-centered, self-serving –

I’m going to get my way even if I have to cheat you to get it – way he has acted in previous passages?

No.

Something is different about Jacob here.

What is it?

He’s letting himself be tricked.

He’s letting himself be taken advantage of.

He’s not just taking what he wants – he’s working for what he wants – and even working double the agreed upon deal.

The Jacob we have known from previous lessons may have just taken Rachel without even consulting Laban – or maybe tricked Laban into giving him Rachel without doing any work – especially after the way Laban tricked him.

But – he doesn’t!

He complies with Laban’s rules – even when Laban changed the rules in mid-stream.

This is not the Jacob we have seen in the past!

This is different!

This is new!

Jacob is different!

He’s not the “same old Jacob” we’ve seen before!

He’s different!

Why?

What has made the difference in Jacob’s life?

Is it love?

Yes.

Oh – so he’s different because of his love for Rachel.

We’ve seen love for a woman change many a man.

But – Jacob’s love for Rachel is only part of the difference.

The difference is love – but to understand that love we have to go back to its source.

Back to last weeks lesson.

Back to God – who made himself known to the desperate fugitive Jacob.

God – who made his love known to Jacob.

God – who changed Jacob’s life!

This encounter with the love of God changed Jacob.

He is different.

He travels on to Haran – but it is a changed man who arrives there.

He’s a man who is no longer pre-occupied with himself – with what he wants – with what’s good for him – but is now concerned with others – with doing for others – serving others –

he is a completely different person with a completely different attitude.

He has been changed by God!

Now – instead of behaving in old – selfish ways – he dares to be different – to be loving – to be caring – even if it means others may take advantage of him – he dares to be different.

Dare to be different!

Dare to be different!

Jacob loves!

He sacrifices!

He cares!

He dares to be different.

Dare to be different!

Dare to be different!

So – there is much more going on here than just the trickster being tricked.

Much more.

This is not just a story of having to pay for past actions –

It is a story of the life-changing, difference-making love of God. This is a story of the love of God that can change us and make us different people. This is a story of God’s love that can change our lives and give us a new way to live. This is a story of how God can change us – and how we can

Dare to be different!

Dare to be different!

We don’t need to laugh too much at Jacob – the old trickster getting his due from Laban – as we need to look at the change – the difference – in Jacob’s life – and see how we can have such a change – such a difference – in ours.

Dare to be different!

Dare to be different!

God’s will was for Jacob to be a different person – one that was not self-centered but God-centered – centered upon God’s will and the good of others. God’s will was for Jacob to be a different person – one willing to do for others – even if it made very little sense – even when it may have meant being taken advantage of. God’s will was for Jacob to be loving – even if it meant risking looking like a fool.

God’s will was for Jacob to dare to be loving – to dare to be caring – to dare to be different –

Dare to be different!

Dare to be different!

And this is God’s will for us, too!

Loving.

Caring.

Different.

Dare to be different!

Dare to be different!

God’s will for our lives is not done if we worry only about ourselves – or what’s good for us – or what we want. God’s will for us is for us to be different from all of this.

God’s will is for us to make a difference in the world as we use our gifts and abilities to show God’s love to all people. Sometimes others will take advantage of us – as Laban did Jacob – but that’s OK -

God’s will is for us to be loving –

be caring –

be different!

God’s will is for us to

Dare to be different!

Dare to be different!

Jacob dared to be different.

Jesus dared to be different.

The Gospel – the Good News of Jesus Christ – is that we can be different people – we can let God make a difference in our lives — as Jacob let God make a difference in his life — then — like Jacob began to make a difference in the lives of others because God had mae a difference in his life — we can be people who are committed to make a difference in the lives of others — making a difference in our world — our families — our community — our church — because God has make a difference in our lives.

In other words, we dare to let God make a difference in our lives — then we dare to be different people because of the difference God has made in our lives – and make a difference in the lives of others.

Once God makes a difference in our lives — as He did in the life of Jacob — we can begin — as did Jacob — to

Dare to be different!

Dare to be different!

Being different.

Letting God make a difference.

Making a difference in the lives of others because God has made a difference in your life.

That’s God’s call to us as individuals – and as a Church.

As a Church we can dare to be different.

As a Church we can dare to do different things.

As a Church we can’t let our past hold us back – but strive into God’s future for us as we do things differently – showing God’s love in new ways.

As a Church we can dare to be different!

Dare to be different!

Dare to be different!

In a few minutes we are going to honor someone who let God make a difference in her life – then shared God’s love in ways that made a difference in the lives of those she touched.

The marker we will dedicate today is in honor of Lydia Gregg – a lady who truly let God’s love make a difference in her live – and made a diofference in the lives of others by sharing God’s love with them.

That’s the kind of folks God wants us to be.

Folks who dare to be different!

Dare to be different!

Dare to be different!

The poet Ann Weems wrote a poem entitled “Our Lord Is Called Hope.” She writes:

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 heretic

a man who broke the Sabbath rules

a man who changed water into wine.

And he bids us o 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

Go into the world.

Follow Christ.

Turn things upside down and inside out.

Go where the hurting is.

Change who we are into the people of God.

Jacob experienced God’s love – and he dared to be different.

Our calling is to experience God’s love — then

Dare to be loving

Dare to be caring

Dare to be different.

We are to follow Christ and make a difference with His love in the world.

We are to:

Dare to be different!

Dare to be different! Amen.

Genesis 28:10-19

Genesis 28:10-19

You Can Run – But You Can’t Hide

July 20, 2008

This summer we are spending some time looking at stories from the book of Genesis that make up a valuable part of our faith tradition. These are stories of folks like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph – folks who were called by God and touched by God in certain ways – and – while they were not perfect – were used by God to bring His will and His love into the world.

As we continue to look at these stories I believe we will discover that God is at work in our lives and in our world – and that God can use us – as imperfect as we may be – to do His work and will in the world – if we will let Him use us.

6 weeks ago we looked at the story of Noah in Genesis 6-8 – and saw how he was obedient to God – even when it was costly and messy to be obedient – and discovered a blessing for himself and his family – and all people – because of his obedience to God.

5 weeks ago we began the story of Abraham as we looked at Genesis 12:1-9 – and saw how God – many times –

calls us to do new things –

calls us do away with things we may be comfortable with —

calls us to do things we have never done before

or –

calls us to do old things in new and different ways –

and – even though we may not know exactly what will happen when we try doing new things as individuals or as a Church –

or we may not know exactly what will happen when we try – as individuals or a Church — doing old things in new ways –

we need to step out in faith and follow God.

4 weeks ago we continued to story of Abraham by looking at 2 passages in Abraham’s life and journey with God – Genesis 18:1-5 – where we saw how God gave Abraham an unbelieveable promise and vision for his future – and Genesis 21:1-7 – where we saw that God kept that wonderful promise He made.

3 weeks ago we concluded our look at Abraham by seeing how Abraham’s faith in God was tested – and how Abraham passed the test – as we looked at how God called on him to give up that promise and vision for the future God had given him when God called him to sacrifice Isaac. As we looked at this passage we saw how we have to have faith in God – and have to be willing to give up everything for following God’s will.

Last week we began looking at one of Abraham’s grandsons – the son of Isaac – the man Jacob – and as we looked at his birth in Genesis 25:19-34 – we saw that God chooses us – not because of what we deserve – but because of who God is – and that we are saved by God’s grace – and can share God’s saving, gracious love with the world.

We are continuing our look at Jacob today as we see how God was with him – even when he felt alone and desperate. As we look at the story of “Jacob’s Ladder” in Genesis 28:10-19 we are going to see that God is always with us – regardless of how desperate and alone we may feel – and loves us and stands ready to forgive and use us at all times of our lives.

Listen to God’s word in Genesis 28:10-19:

Read Scripture

Have you ever had one of those times when it seemed that everything is going against you –

that no one cares for you – and you feel desperate and alone –

but – suddenly - in the midst of that desperation and loneliness – something happens –

somehow you experience God in a new way - in such a way that it becomes clear to you that God is with you –

and suddenly – you no longer feel so alone - but feel a part of a community – a community that includes none other than God – God’s self?

Ever had an experience like that?

Possibly so.

Many of us can tell stories of times God has come to us – shown us His presence – His love – His care – just when it may have seemed to us that no one cared.

I have had several experiences of times like that.

I remember one time in my ministry when it just seemed that nothing was working right – and I felt very alone.

At that time both churches I served were in a 5 church youth group – and I went with a group of young people to a camp in Tennessee. The first night there I felt frustrated and very alone. As the opening worship service ended, a contemporary version of “Amazing Grace” was playing and the leader for the week was asking the campers to pray for their time at the camp.

Well, I started crying – feeling very alone. But – as I started crying – I felt a hand on my shoulder. One of the young people I had brought up there had their hand on me. The next thing I knew, all the young people I had met had their hands on me and were crying.

I had begun that night feeling alone – angry – and frustrated.

By the end of the service that night I knew that I was not alone – I had young people and adults praying for me – and – beyond that – God was with me.

I will never forget that night – and that feeling.

I learned that – no matter how desperate and alone I felt – God was with me.

Maybe you have gone through similar experiences – and have discovered God with you in the midst of them.

You know — if Jacob could be here today – what a story he could tell!

A story of loneliness.

A story desperation.

A story of feeling that no one cared –

but – in the midst of the loneliness and desperation – his was a story of God -

a story of God revealing God’s self to him –

a story of God’s love – care and promise –

just when he needed it the most.

Look at Jacob in our lesson for today.

He is a fugitive.

A loner.

He has just completed cheating Esau out of his birthright by tricking his father Isaac into blessing him – and now Esau is wanting to kill him.

He is running for his life.

Certainly he feels alone and scared.

He must feel desperate.

Indeed – he may feel that there is no one to care for him – and that especially God doesn’t care for him.

How could God care for a person such as he has turned out to be?

Yes – he had received the blessing from Isaac – but – was it true?

Will God really bless him – after all that he has done?

Indeed – as he travels toward Haran – we can imagine he feels alone – - uncared for – - guilty — desperate.

But – he can’t run 24 hours a day — can he?

No — he must stop and rest at night.

He stops at a place and rests his head upon one of the rocks.

But – his sleep is interrupted.

In his loneliness – his desperation – his running away from Esau and all he knows –

there isGod.

God come to him.

He dreams of a ladder connecting heaven and earth.

He is not alone.

His world is not simply a place of loneliness and despair – it is also a place of God – a place of God’s presence – a place of God’s promises.

God makes Himself known to Jacob.

God renews the promises he has made to Abraham.

Jacob may have been able to run from Esau – but he was not able to hide from God’s love – God’s care – God’s promises – God’s presence.

He awakens from his dream – and realizes that God was there all along – he just had not realized it.

In his despair – in his loneliness – in his feelings that no one cared – Jacob discovered God’s presence and God’s care.

He was not alone at all.

He was not uncared for at all.

God was with him all along – and he had not realized it.

He moves on in his life with a new perspective – the perspective that God was with him – caring for him – loving him – renewing promises with him – at all times of his life.

Yes – he could run –

but he couldn’t hide from God.

He learned a truth that night –

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

That’s Jacob’s story.

How about you?

How have you experienced God’s love – God’s grace – God’s presence in the midst of loneliness and despair?

How have you experienced God’s presence – especially at the very time you did not realize it?

Maybe in the midst of grief over a friend or loved one who has died.

Maybe in the midst of despair and guilt over something you have done – or something you may feel you should have done but haven’t.

Maybe in the midst of a debilitating illness – whether yours or someone you love.

Or – maybe one of those times when it seems everyone is against you.

But – in the midst of that grief – or that despair – or that guilt –

or that illness – or that loneliness – God in some way makes Himself known to you – letting you know that you are loved and cared for – letting you know that there is no place or no condition that is separated from His love – letting you know that you can run – but you can’t hide – from His love.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

It doesn’t matter how deep you pain is.

It doesn’t matter how desperate or how alone you feel.

You are not removed from God’s love and care.

There seemed to be no way God would care for Jacob – the lonely, guilty fugitive. God doesn’t love folk like Him - does He?

Yes1

God still loved him – still called him – still cared for him – still made promises to him.

God was still with him.

Wherever he went – whatever he did – whatever happened – there was God.

Indeed – he could run – but he couldn’t hide from God’s love – and neither can you – and neither can I.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can’t hide from God’s love – God’s care – God’s presence.

God is always there loving you – caring for you.

It is important to remember jut how guilty Jacob was. He had done wrong. He had cheated his brother and lied to his dying father. And yet – God was still with him.

We may be able to understand God’s love and care when things happen to us that we are not responsible for – death – illness even those times people go against us for reasons that are not our fault. At the times we have done nothing to deserve the desperate feelings and loneliness it may be easy for us to understand and experience God.

But what about those times when we deserve to feel desperate – guilty – and alone?

What about those times when our actions have brought us to this lonely – desperate place?

Does God still care then?

Does God still love us?

Yes.

Regardless of how far away we may have wandered from being God’s people – God cares.

Regardless of what we may have done – how guilty we may feel – how much we may want to run and hide from God – regardless of how far down that road to hell we may have gone

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

God is there.

God still loves you.

God still cares for you.

God still saves you.

A friend once gave me a wise saying they got a great deal of peace and reassurance from. They suggested to me that I look at it every time I feel alone and unloved — regardless of why.

The saying is anonymous — but wise and true. I have lost the slip of paper I was given with the saying on it – but I remember the saying.

The saying states:

“These feelings — strong as they may be,

are not telling me the truth about myself.

The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now,

is that I am a chosen child of God —

precious in God’s eyes, called the Beloved from

all eternity, and held safe in an everlasting embrace.”

Regardless of how Jacob felt — the truth was that he was still loved by God.

Regardless of how you may feel at times — that truth is that you are still loved by God.

When you feel alone — desperate — that no one cares – you may not know why you feel that way — but God knows — and – God wants you to know that He is with you!

If it is because of the death of a friend or loved one — God is with you!

If it is because of guilt over things you have done or things you feel you should have done but didn’t — God is with you!

Is it because of illness — whether yours or someone you love – God is with you!

If it is that everyone is against you for whatever reason – God is with you!

God is with you – loving you – calling you – ready to make promises and keep promises to you.

If the feelings of despair and loneliness are brought on by things you had nothing to do with – God is with you.

If – like Jacob – they are brought on by your actions – God is with you.

Jacob’s life was changed by his experience of God. He still made mistakes – but began trying to live in God’s ways. He experienced God’s loving presence in the midst of his despair – it made a difference in his life – and he quit trying to run from God but began living in God’s loving ways. He saw that he could run – but he could not hide from God’s love.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

Whenever you feel lonely and desperate – whatever your reasons are – know that God is with you – you can claim God’s promises – you can live in God’s love – you are not alone!

You can run –but you can’t hide.

You can run –but you can’t hide.

Amen.

Genesis 25:19-34

Genesis 25:19-34

Called By Grace!

July 13, 2008

This summer we are spending some time looking at stories from the book of Genesis that make up a valuable part of our faith tradition. These are stories of folks like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph – folks who were called by God and touched by God in certain ways – and – while they were not perfect – were used by God to bring His will and His love into the world.

As we continue to look at these stories I believe we will discover that God is at work in our lives and in our world – and that God can use us – as imperfect as we may be – to do His work and will in the world – if we will let Him use us.

5 weeks ago we looked at the story of Noah in Genesis 6-8 – and saw how he was obedient to God – even when it was costly and messy to be obedient – and discovered a blessing for himself and his family – and all people – because of his obedience to God.

4 weeks ago we began the story of Abraham as we looked at Genesis 12:1-9 – and saw how God – many times –

calls us to do new things –

calls us do away with things we may be comfortable with —

calls us to do things we have never done before

or –

calls us to do old things in new and different ways –

and – even though we may not know exactly what will happen when we try doing new things as individuals or as a Church –

or we may not know exactly what will happen when we try – as individuals or a Church — doing old things in new ways –

we need to step out in faith and follow God.

3 weeks ago we continued to story of Abraham by looking at 2 passages in Abraham’s life and journey with God – Genesis 18:1-5 – where we saw how God gave Abraham an unbeliveable promise and vision for his future – and Genesis 21:1-7 – where we saw that God kept that wonderful promise He made.

2 weeks ago we concluded our look at Abraham by seeing how Abraham’s faith in God was tested – and how Abraham passed the test – as we looked at how God called on him to give up that promise and vision for the future God had given him when God called him to sacrifice Isaac. As we looked at this passage we saw how we have to have faith in God – and have to be willing to give up everything for following God’s will.

Today we are going to begin looking at one of Abraham’s grandsons – the son of Isaac – the man Jacob. As we look at Jacob – particularly today as we look at his birth – we are going to see that God chooses us – not because of what we deserve – but because of who God is – and that we are saved by God’s grace – and can share God’s saving, gracious love with the world.

Listen to God’s word in Genesis 25:19-34:

Read Scripture

Have you ever wondered why God calls who God calls?

Have you ever wondered why God loves all people – even those who don’t seem to “fit” – or “deserve” – God’s love?

How odd!

How odd of God to choose that person.

We might say that – if it were left up to us, we certainly would have never chosen that particular person to love – to call our own.

We like to make judgments about who God loves – who God calls – who God’s love and grace are extended to – don’t we?

Oh – certainly that person over there would never be loved or chosen by God.

Just look at the type of person they are!

Just look at how they’ve lived!

And when people change – when people say they’ve experienced God’s love and want to give their lives to God – we may wonder just what it is they are really up to –

We know how they’ve lived -

Surely God can’t love and forgive someone like them — why should we?

Why – we’ve tried to live in God’s ways all our lives – there is no way this person is going to come along and receive God’s love and grace – not after all they’ve done – not after how they’ve lived!

Ever had those kind of thoughts?

Maybe so.

It is a common way of thinking — isn’t it?

Thinking we know who God loves and who God doesn’t.

Thinking we know who God calls and who God doesn’t.

And yet –

God continues to surprise us – doesn’t He?

He continues to choose those we would have never thought He would choose.

He continues to love those we would have never thought He would love.

He continues to make His people those we would have never thought would be His!

How odd!

Indeed – God’s love and grace extends to those we would have never imagined.

Look at Jacob.

No one would have guessed that Jacob was going to be blessed by God in a special way.

First of all – he was the youngest – the second-born of the twins. Everyone knows its the first born who gets the inheritance – the birthright.

Surely Esau will be the one to carry on the promise God made to his grandfather Abraham – the promise of descendants and blessing.

Surely Esau – the firstborn – will carry on God’s promises.

And another thing – Jacob was much too conniving – much to tricky – much too dishonest to receive blessings from God.

There was no way Jacob was going to be blessed by God.

There was no way Jacob was going to be chosen to carry on the promise God gave to Abraham.

And yet –

What is that God says?

The older shall serve the younger?

No – God – that’s not the way it’s done!

You can’t choose Jacob – he’s not the oldest – he’s not “your kind of person.”

There must be some mistake.

And yet – what happens?

God – in His grace and love – calls Jacob.

God – in His grace and love – acts in a way that is completely against how we would expect God to act.

God – in His grace and love – blesses young, conniving, sneaky, Jacob – not older, more stable Esau.

Jacob is called by God – not because of his place in the family or even because of who he is or what he has done – but almost despite all these things.

Jacob is called because of God’s grace – God’s grace that extends to all people – no matter who they are or what they have done.

Jacob is called by God’s grace.

So are you.

So am I.

We are called – not because of who we are or what we have done – but because of who God is — and what God has done – and what God continues to do.

We are called by God’s grace!

We are

Called by grace.

Called by grace.

It is indeed odd –

it is indeed strange –

it indeed does not make sense –

but that’s how God’s love is!

We are all

Called by grace.

Called by grace.

God is free to love who God chooses — – free to choose whom His will - free to call whoever He will.

We are all

Called by grace.

Called by grace.

So – before we start questioning why God has chosen someone – maybe we should consider why God has chosen us!

Maybe we are not as perfect as we would like to think!

No – even though our sins may be different from others – they are still sins.

We aren’t perfect.

We haven’t done a thing to deserve God’s love – God’s grace – God’s call.

It is given to us – jut because of who God is!

We are all

Called by grace.

Called by grace.

A minister candidate was coming into a Presbytery in Alambama and was being questioned on the floor of a Presbytery meeting about his beliefs about God. The other ministers in this Alabama Presbytery wanted to insure that no one came into their hallowed ground that did not believe the right things.

One of the older ministers stood and asked him:

“Young man — I see from your statement you have provided for us that you believe that God calls all people into service. Now — surely you’re not saying that God calls all people — are you? Don’t you mean that God saves those who love God?”

The young candidate looked at the older minister and replied —

“I guess what I mean is that if God can save and call me to service — He can certainly save and call anyone else.”

Indeed — we are all

Called by grace.

Called by grace.

Now — we have to be careful at this point.

Even though we are called by God — loved by God — cared for by God — and forgiven by God purely and simply because of His grace and not because of anything we have done to deserve God’s love — acceptance — care — and forgiveness —

we can’t just take God’s love – acceptance – care – forgiveness – and call for granted.

You see — even though God’s love – acceptance – care – forgiveness – and call are for all people — we must respond to it.

We must respond to God’s love.

We must respond to God’s grace.

We can not think that it is ours without working to claim it and live in it.

Maybe that was Esau’s problem.

Maybe he just took it for granted that – sense he was the oldest – he would inherit the promise – the blessings God had bestowed upon his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac. Maybe he thought it was his – and he didn’t have to claim it and live in it – and let it change his life.

Maybe he was so confident that God loved – cared for – and called him that he actually traded away God’s call. Maybe God’s love and call was not important to him – or at least not as important as the things of the world – a bowl of stew – physical needs.

We may believe that Jacob cheated Esau out of his birthright – but actually it seems that Esau cheated himself.

He cheated himself out of God’s love – out of God’s grace –

God’s call to be God’s person – that call that was there for him just as it was there for Jacob – by not claiming it – by not taking it seriously.

Yes – we are called by grace – by a gracious – loving – caring – forgiving God – but we have to respond to that love – that care – that grace – that forgiveness. We have to respond to God.

When we don’t – we are only cheating ourselves.

Yes – we are saved by God’s grace – but it is up to us to respond to God’s grace!

We are

Called by grace.

Called by grace.

It is up to us to respond – to not let anything else matter as much to us as does God’s claim on our lives and call to us – and share that claim and call and love with the world.

Instead of questioning why God has loved and called others – we can celebrate that God has called and loved us – and others!

As sinful as we are – God has called us – not because of who we are – but because of who God is!

Celebrate your call by God’s grace!

Claim your call by God’s grace!

Let God know how excited you are that He has chosen you!

How?

How do we live as a person called by God’s grace?

By being God’s people!

By living in God’s ways!

By giving up our old ways of sins and beginning to live in Gods new ways of grace.

By sharing God’s love and grace with others.

We are all

Called by grace.

Called by grace.

Not because of anything we have done – but because of who God is!

Let that change your life!

Live in a new way because of God’s love for you!

Love and accept others – because God has loved and accepted you!

Show God’s love to others because He has shown His love to you!

Get excited about your call by God and the new life God gives to you!

Live as if you realize that we are all called by God’s grace.

Live as if you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you are

Called by grace.

Called by grace.

and you know that God’s gracious call is the most important thing that can or will ever happen to you!

God is a powerful – loving – caring – accepting – calling God who calls us to love – care for – and accept others in a powerful way. Instead of judging others – we can love them. Instead of choosing who we will reach out to with God’s love – we can reach out to all – as God has done.

We are all

Called by grace.

Called by grace.

We can be accepting – loving – caring people – we can be a church that reaches out to others and shows God’s love to all – because we are accepted – loved – and cared for by God.

We can be a church that is so excited about God’s love and gracious call that others see our excitement and want to be a part of it.

Several years ago the “Gasoline Alley” comic strip in our local North Carolina newspaper had the characters Slim and Clovia in the audiance at what was a take-off on the Jerry Springer show.

The audiance was chanting — “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!”

Clovia looked at Slim and said —

“would’t it be great if folks got this excited in church?”

Yes — indeed it would!

It’s exciting that we are

Called by grace.

Called by grace.

Let it excite you — and share that excitement with the world. Amen.