Go Happy
I don’t remember much from when I was in kindergarten. The only two things I remember are a big rug we all had to sit on and my teacher’s name was Ms. Spivey, but there was a song that came out that year that will forever be in my memory banks…and as soon as I mention it, it might get stuck in your head for the rest of the day…I apologize.
The song was released in 1988, after a guy named Bobbie McFerrin saw a poster of an Indian guru named Meher Baba that simply showed his smiling face with the words, Don’t Worry, be Happy. And this song went on to become the only a capella song that ever cracked the top ten in the charts. This startling philosophy, along with a catchy tune, shows in stark detail how happiness had become a choice. And, as soon as happiness became a choice, it became marketable.
It used to be subtle…If you buy this car, or this product, or eat at this restaurant, you will have this better life and beautiful girlfriend was the subtle message you heard in advertising. But now it seems that happiness is everywhere, nothing subtle about it.
CS Lewis wrote a book about heaven. It was called The Great Divorce. At the beginning of the story people are milling around a bus stop. The bus comes and whisks them away to heaven. But heaven is not what they expect it to be. It is hard to walk, and it is hard to see. The blades of grass hurt to step onto.
An angel who is there to help them decide on whether to stay or to go back home tells them that they are struggling because they have never experienced “real” before. Everything they experience in heaven is “more real” than it is on earth. But the angel promises them that they will figure it out, and the more real life is, the better it is. Some people choose to enter heaven, and some people choose to get back on the bus and decide to open, buy, or eat their happiness rather than truly rest in God’s arms.
Compare that scene with advertisements you may have seen recently:
Coca-cola: Open Happiness
Best Buy: You. Happier.
Wal-Mart: Life’s Better, with Wal-Mart.
IHOP: Come Hungry, leave happy.
Howard Johnson: Go Happy.
It’s the same message each time. Life got you down? Buy this, and it will be better.
And so, it is no surprise that “stuff” has been equated with joy. This attitude filters into every part of our lives. The bigger the better; more is always better than what you have; never be satisfied.
It filters into everything, until we read Psalm 34. Psalm 34 flips this attitude on its head.
This “Revolutionary” response is: everything we have is from God. God hears us. God enters into our lives with us. We ask, and God answers. We praise because of who God is, not because of what God can do for us, but because of what God has already done for us in the beautiful creation of life, and in the saving us by grace.
To truly be in heaven, we need to instead take refuge in God, and stop groping after fruitless things that we are told will make us happy.
We are invited by God to do so, every second of every day.
Here is what God’s “real” looks like, and here is where I am going to steal a line from Coke, We can open happiness, but it doesn’t mean that we reach for a bottle or magic lamp. We open happiness when we open our minds.
Open our minds to the hopes and possibility in God’s world. The possibility of our church. We can open our minds to the fact that poverty in the world CAN be eliminated. We can open our minds to the possibility of what our church can do to help make the elimination of poverty and loneliness a reality. And, when we open our minds we imagine all of the possibilities of who God is calling us to be.
We can open happiness when we open our hearts. When we take the focus off of ourselves and focus on God and others. Strive not for our own needs, because of our faith that God will provide. Open our hearts to the friend and the stranger. Forgive as well as be forgiven. Give, as well as receive.
When I was driving into work on the first Monday after my family leave for the birth of Georgia, it was a day when my heart was wide open. I’ll confess, that I had been in a routine for a while. Work at the church was just that, work. I went, I did what needed to be done, and I used it to support myself. But in holding that little girl in my arms, and after tearing myself away from the house, I drove to work with a new purpose. I am so happy that my job makes such a positive impact on the world. And that it is what I am called to do. Make the world a better place for her, and for all of God’s children. My work became my praise. Open happiness by opening our hearts.
We can open happiness when we open our doors. Invite people to come into our lives. Welcome and embrace each other. Hollman Hunt is probably the one person who singlehandedly has created an image of Jesus in our minds. He was the first artist to paint the picture of Jesus with the beard, and blond hair. You’ve seen it in every church everywhere. One of his paintings is one I’m sure you have seen before. It is a take on “Behold, I stand at the door and knock!” It shows Jesus knocking on a door with no handle because it can only be opened from the inside. I truly believe that if we didn’t have so many closed doors in our lives, Jesus wouldn’t have to keep standing there knocking, but would be living in our hearts. We need to open happiness by opening our doors, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sharing what we have, giving.
Heaven, for CS Lewis was the “really real.”
For the writer of Psalm 34, God was so real, he could taste it. See God and hear God. Touch God, and smell God. The Psalmist met Jesus.
Yet there are those who still say, no, thank-you, and open their coke that continue to search for happiness elsewhere.
Because it’s not easy. It’s not easy to look with love at a hurting world. We are in the middle of Stewardship Sundays. It’s not easy to give away our money. Its not easy to give away our time and volunteer. It’s not easy to praise God.
When it becomes easy to take refuge in God, and become truly happy, then we have met Jesus, just as the Psalmist did. When we taste the “really real,” God’s praise will continually be in our mouth.
The chaplain of Wofford College was named Talmadge Skinner. I worked for him, which basically meant that I made copies for the religion department and took naps on the couch in his office. It always makes me feel good that there is a plaque above that couch that reads, and this is how I know I made an impression at Wofford College, the plaque reads, The Nap Couch, in honor of Jordan Thrasher.
We had a communion service every week on Tuesday nights, and Rev. Skinner used candles, real wine, and incense. The room was intimate, and the people going were regular. Those communion services meant so much to me because they were so vivid. The taste of the wine. The smell of the incense, the light of the candles. I could taste and see that the Lord is good.
Somehow, we have gotten away from tasting God. We love to hear about God, we love to listen to someone else talk about God. We love to sing songs to God. But to actually listen, see, touch, and taste God, that is where we run into some trouble. And its one of the reasons we came to worship out here. To get out from behind walls, and get out into God’s world. So you can feel God in the wind on your face, the heat you feel, and hear God all around you.
The Israelites had this same problem of not wanting to taste God. When God invited them to Mt. Sinai to converse with God, they didn’t want to go.
Let’s just send Moses. He has formal training in speaking with God, let’s just send him on our behalf. When Moses came down, his face was radiant and shone like the sun, so much that he had to put a veil on his face. Now why wouldn’t the Israelites want this? Because they were afraid of the change that would take place in their lives. They were afraid to meet God.
We try to do so many things for our own happiness. We get to know people so we can figure out what they can do for us. We put our self-worth in things and possessions and judge people accordingly. We exploit God’s creation for our own gain. All in the name of Happiness.
But Psalm 34 shouts to us, Happiness and Joy is in God. Taste God in the food that God has given you. Touch God in a warm handshake and embrace. See God in the work that is going on around you, with neighbors caring for one another, and the good that is going on in your lives. Hear God in the voices witnessing to everything God has done for them. This is our redemption when, as Mark Twain says, we meet the Author face to face. Our faces will shine like Moses’. And people will wonder, what in the world is going on with them? And we can boldly say, “I tasted God, and know what true happiness is.”
It is my prayer, that every moment in our lives is a praise to God. That it is “really real.” That I breathe clean air and thank God for every gasp. That I am happy with what I have, and what I give. That I know all things come from God, and God hears the prayers that I didn’t even know existed.
And for our church, it is my prayer that you find happiness in giving. We have been talking a lot about giving recently, with the new building, and we are about to begin budget talks again, as well as all of our ministries cranking back up once again. And a lot has been and will be asked of you. I hope you find joy in it. That you find joy in your worship. Too often, I hear grumbling about “having” to do ministry. Caring for our church, giving to our church. I hope you find joy in your giving.
Happiness isn’t found at a Howard Johnson, or at an IHOP, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, or even in a Coke bottle. Happiness is found in God.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Value. Micah 6:1-8
I decided to change my plan a little bit today. Because I don’t think I’ve given you enough credit.
I don’t think I need to keep trying to convince you that this Community Life Center we are going to build is a good idea. You all are smart people, and we have discussed it. We have talked about what we love about this church. We have mentioned the added budget costs that this building will require, because of the additional ministry opportunities that this building will make possible. We know all of this.
So, this building is a good idea. Lets put that sentence on the shelf for a little while.
I think the question that is a little bit more pressing on my mind and your minds are:
Should we do this?
And:
Can we do this?
Should we do this?
With everything going on in this church and in our lives, is undergoing a big project like this a good idea? Should we do it? I mean, I would say we are doing okay. We are meeting our budget. Giving is steady and reliable, why risk it to build something? Because in order for this to happen, the leadership of this church is asking that you give beyond what you are already giving to this church. You are going to make a pledge to give, and this pledge will be in addition to what you already give.
Sure, it would be nice, but is it necessary?
Franklin County Schools started on Friday. And so many people have talked to me about how odd it is to start school on a Friday. Why go one day, and then have the weekend after? I remember that is how we always started college. We would come in, and go over the course requirements.
How many papers, tests, quizzes, books, etc, etc.
What was going to be required of us if we wanted to pass the course, how many absences, that kind of thing.
And I know that this is what they do on that one day when school starts, and then they give you a weekend to get your things in order, so that you can come in on Monday, fully understanding and expecting what is required of you.
And I began to think about the word “requirement.” It’s a word that many people run away from. Other people wholeheartedly embrace it. There are some people that when you put a requirement on something, balk at it, claiming that outside forces are trying to gain too much control. There are other people who thrive when there are requirements, because they know that if they meet them then they will be successful. The guesswork is taken out of life when there are requirements.
And in the church, especially, it seems that people don’t want requirements.
Its my theory why megachurches thrive, because they don’t put requirements on people. You can miss worship, and no big deal. You can just come again another time. You can skip giving your offering, and no collecting agency is going to call you demanding that you pay or they are going to ruin your credit score or anything like that. You can ignore the request of a special offering, because another one is always going to come around.
In Micah, God presses charges against the people of Israel. I can imagine them walking into a courtroom, with the Plaintiff being God, and the Defendant being God’s people. And basically what God says throughout the book is that they didn’t fulfill their requirement. They broke the covenant that they made.
It seems to me, that whenever we don’t fulfill a requirement in some aspects of our lives, it has much larger implications than if we don’t fulfill a requirement in others.
I always tend to look to sports. I know a lot of you play and coach or have family members that are involved in sports. When I played soccer in college, we were required to run 3 miles in 18 minutes. If we didn’t, we didn’t play. Period. It was a huge struggle for me. I sacrificed time and sleep to get to the point where I could run three miles in 18 minutes because I wanted to play. It was a requirement.
Or in class, what if you decide to just not turn in a paper? You fail the course. You didn’t meet a requirement.
Those are just a few examples, but what God is bringing up against the people of Israel in Micah is a much larger issue. They are failing to meet their requirement to God. So while many people think requirements don’t belong in the church, I would venture to say, that failure to meet our requirements makes for a lazy faith. And that has bigger implications for our lives, for our everlasting life, than not being able to play in a game or failing a class. And isn’t it sad, that to play in a game or a tournament, we will sacrifice time, sleep, and money; but we won’t do the same for God? We become so satisfied with where we are, that the meaning behind what we are doing is lost, and so we don’t think there are any requirements of us.
It seems that the stronger the implications are in the things that we value most for failure to meet a requirement, the more effort we put in.
So God spells it out for us. He reminds us why our relationship with him is such a big deal. I brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery. Remember that you had enemies, and I saved you from them. Remember what I gave you in your life. Remember what I continue to give you. Remember that I saved you. Remember that I called you into existence. Remember that I continue to call you to life. Remember that I lift you up.
And because of this story. Because this is such a big deal, and the implications are enormous if you fail to meet the requirements of our covenant. Let me remind you.
You see, the Israelites confused the requirements. You may think, that this was one of the times described in judges or Kings where the people followed other gods, but that’s not the case. In fact, the temple was thriving when Micah was written. But people began to think that their faith was a transaction.
That they could give to the temple, and depending on what they gave, they could almost receive “sin credit.” As long as they sacrificed a certain kind of animal, they could continue to exploit the poor for their own financial gain. As long as they poured enough oil or said enough prayers, they could live their lives however they wanted. As long as their sacrifice was big enough, they were protected and didn’t have to worry about anybody else.
They could buy their relationship.
In my line of work, it is all about relationships. And one thing I have learned in my few years in ministry is that relationships can never be bought. It is never a transaction. When it becomes a transaction, is when the essence of the relationship is lost.
I’ve seen it a few times especially in the naming of people in wills. When you put a dollar amount on how much someone loves is when your relationship is lost. And those that operate that way make me very sad.
Christmas gifts can become that way too.
But when you are in a relationship with somebody, and it becomes a transaction, you aren’t fulfilling your requirements.
Say you have a friend that only calls you. And you never initiate contact. Eventually, that person is going to stop calling. Because what are the requirements of friendship. Trust, respect, effort…all of those things and more. And when someone loses this, and it becomes a friend transaction, the relationship is broken.
I’ve seen it happen in marriages. Where time spent with one another, or chores done in the house, or time spent with each other’s families becomes a transaction rather than a relationship.
And I think it comes down to what we value.
Because we give to what we value. We fulfill the requirements of the things that have the most value to us. We put effort in the things that we value.
Last Saturday, Doug and Linda took me over to Athens to do the watermelon cutting for the Georgia football team. It was a lot of fun, I got to meet and talk to the players and had a take pictures and all kinds of things. But we also got to tour the new football training facility.
And I want to tell you, it is impressive. The weightroom is beautiful, with every weight marked with the iconic Georgia “G.” Every fourth quarter comeback victory is prominently displayed on the columns throughout the room.
Every position meeting room has huge murals of past Georgia greats. The Defensive End room has David Pollack looming over it. The Defensive Backs room has Champ Bailey sprinting past, with Jermaine Philips ready to take your head off as you enter. The running backs doorway sends chills down your spine as big number 34, Herschel Walker, lets every player who enters that room know that you are stepping into the tradition of Georgia football.
And adorning the walls are the trophies, the names of guys who made it in the NFL, the championships won. Inspirational quotes.
And also prominently displayed are plaques…or businesses and individuals who gave money to have the place built.
And I looked at those plaques and wondered how much money was given to get a plaque up there. Thousands? Millions?
The names of the businesses and individuals on those plaques value Georgia football. So they give and try their hardest to fulfill the requirements that it takes to be a supporter of Georgia football.
And what Micah is telling us, by bringing God in to charge us with what is required of our relationship with God is simply this, “value your relationship with God.”
What does the Lord value? Justice, Kindness, and Humility. So what is our requirement; to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God.
So should we do this? Should we pledge to give to this project? To this community life center? Can we do it?
And I think we can answer those questions with another question, “what does the Lord require of you?”
Does this building help us put value in this place, in this church? Does this project help us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God? We will do justice by welcoming all of God’s children into this place. We will show that we love kindness by being hospitable and welcoming to all, and seeking ways to be in mission for God’s people. And we will walk humbly with God, walking in faith that God will bless us in our giving to this project, and we will walk with God trusting in his promises.
If the answer is yes, and for me, it is, then that is all we need. We will meet our requirement, because it is what has value and worth for us. That is our faith. It is not a transaction, but it is a relationship. A relationship that calls us to give to what we value the most; justice, kindness, and humility. As we walk with God, and receive life.
I believe God is calling us to something here. And if we follow up our words with action, when we promised to be God’s disciples. We will listen to God, and do what is required of us.
I don’t think I need to keep trying to convince you that this Community Life Center we are going to build is a good idea. You all are smart people, and we have discussed it. We have talked about what we love about this church. We have mentioned the added budget costs that this building will require, because of the additional ministry opportunities that this building will make possible. We know all of this.
So, this building is a good idea. Lets put that sentence on the shelf for a little while.
I think the question that is a little bit more pressing on my mind and your minds are:
Should we do this?
And:
Can we do this?
Should we do this?
With everything going on in this church and in our lives, is undergoing a big project like this a good idea? Should we do it? I mean, I would say we are doing okay. We are meeting our budget. Giving is steady and reliable, why risk it to build something? Because in order for this to happen, the leadership of this church is asking that you give beyond what you are already giving to this church. You are going to make a pledge to give, and this pledge will be in addition to what you already give.
Sure, it would be nice, but is it necessary?
Franklin County Schools started on Friday. And so many people have talked to me about how odd it is to start school on a Friday. Why go one day, and then have the weekend after? I remember that is how we always started college. We would come in, and go over the course requirements.
How many papers, tests, quizzes, books, etc, etc.
What was going to be required of us if we wanted to pass the course, how many absences, that kind of thing.
And I know that this is what they do on that one day when school starts, and then they give you a weekend to get your things in order, so that you can come in on Monday, fully understanding and expecting what is required of you.
And I began to think about the word “requirement.” It’s a word that many people run away from. Other people wholeheartedly embrace it. There are some people that when you put a requirement on something, balk at it, claiming that outside forces are trying to gain too much control. There are other people who thrive when there are requirements, because they know that if they meet them then they will be successful. The guesswork is taken out of life when there are requirements.
And in the church, especially, it seems that people don’t want requirements.
Its my theory why megachurches thrive, because they don’t put requirements on people. You can miss worship, and no big deal. You can just come again another time. You can skip giving your offering, and no collecting agency is going to call you demanding that you pay or they are going to ruin your credit score or anything like that. You can ignore the request of a special offering, because another one is always going to come around.
In Micah, God presses charges against the people of Israel. I can imagine them walking into a courtroom, with the Plaintiff being God, and the Defendant being God’s people. And basically what God says throughout the book is that they didn’t fulfill their requirement. They broke the covenant that they made.
It seems to me, that whenever we don’t fulfill a requirement in some aspects of our lives, it has much larger implications than if we don’t fulfill a requirement in others.
I always tend to look to sports. I know a lot of you play and coach or have family members that are involved in sports. When I played soccer in college, we were required to run 3 miles in 18 minutes. If we didn’t, we didn’t play. Period. It was a huge struggle for me. I sacrificed time and sleep to get to the point where I could run three miles in 18 minutes because I wanted to play. It was a requirement.
Or in class, what if you decide to just not turn in a paper? You fail the course. You didn’t meet a requirement.
Those are just a few examples, but what God is bringing up against the people of Israel in Micah is a much larger issue. They are failing to meet their requirement to God. So while many people think requirements don’t belong in the church, I would venture to say, that failure to meet our requirements makes for a lazy faith. And that has bigger implications for our lives, for our everlasting life, than not being able to play in a game or failing a class. And isn’t it sad, that to play in a game or a tournament, we will sacrifice time, sleep, and money; but we won’t do the same for God? We become so satisfied with where we are, that the meaning behind what we are doing is lost, and so we don’t think there are any requirements of us.
It seems that the stronger the implications are in the things that we value most for failure to meet a requirement, the more effort we put in.
So God spells it out for us. He reminds us why our relationship with him is such a big deal. I brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery. Remember that you had enemies, and I saved you from them. Remember what I gave you in your life. Remember what I continue to give you. Remember that I saved you. Remember that I called you into existence. Remember that I continue to call you to life. Remember that I lift you up.
And because of this story. Because this is such a big deal, and the implications are enormous if you fail to meet the requirements of our covenant. Let me remind you.
You see, the Israelites confused the requirements. You may think, that this was one of the times described in judges or Kings where the people followed other gods, but that’s not the case. In fact, the temple was thriving when Micah was written. But people began to think that their faith was a transaction.
That they could give to the temple, and depending on what they gave, they could almost receive “sin credit.” As long as they sacrificed a certain kind of animal, they could continue to exploit the poor for their own financial gain. As long as they poured enough oil or said enough prayers, they could live their lives however they wanted. As long as their sacrifice was big enough, they were protected and didn’t have to worry about anybody else.
They could buy their relationship.
In my line of work, it is all about relationships. And one thing I have learned in my few years in ministry is that relationships can never be bought. It is never a transaction. When it becomes a transaction, is when the essence of the relationship is lost.
I’ve seen it a few times especially in the naming of people in wills. When you put a dollar amount on how much someone loves is when your relationship is lost. And those that operate that way make me very sad.
Christmas gifts can become that way too.
But when you are in a relationship with somebody, and it becomes a transaction, you aren’t fulfilling your requirements.
Say you have a friend that only calls you. And you never initiate contact. Eventually, that person is going to stop calling. Because what are the requirements of friendship. Trust, respect, effort…all of those things and more. And when someone loses this, and it becomes a friend transaction, the relationship is broken.
I’ve seen it happen in marriages. Where time spent with one another, or chores done in the house, or time spent with each other’s families becomes a transaction rather than a relationship.
And I think it comes down to what we value.
Because we give to what we value. We fulfill the requirements of the things that have the most value to us. We put effort in the things that we value.
Last Saturday, Doug and Linda took me over to Athens to do the watermelon cutting for the Georgia football team. It was a lot of fun, I got to meet and talk to the players and had a take pictures and all kinds of things. But we also got to tour the new football training facility.
And I want to tell you, it is impressive. The weightroom is beautiful, with every weight marked with the iconic Georgia “G.” Every fourth quarter comeback victory is prominently displayed on the columns throughout the room.
Every position meeting room has huge murals of past Georgia greats. The Defensive End room has David Pollack looming over it. The Defensive Backs room has Champ Bailey sprinting past, with Jermaine Philips ready to take your head off as you enter. The running backs doorway sends chills down your spine as big number 34, Herschel Walker, lets every player who enters that room know that you are stepping into the tradition of Georgia football.
And adorning the walls are the trophies, the names of guys who made it in the NFL, the championships won. Inspirational quotes.
And also prominently displayed are plaques…or businesses and individuals who gave money to have the place built.
And I looked at those plaques and wondered how much money was given to get a plaque up there. Thousands? Millions?
The names of the businesses and individuals on those plaques value Georgia football. So they give and try their hardest to fulfill the requirements that it takes to be a supporter of Georgia football.
And what Micah is telling us, by bringing God in to charge us with what is required of our relationship with God is simply this, “value your relationship with God.”
What does the Lord value? Justice, Kindness, and Humility. So what is our requirement; to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God.
So should we do this? Should we pledge to give to this project? To this community life center? Can we do it?
And I think we can answer those questions with another question, “what does the Lord require of you?”
Does this building help us put value in this place, in this church? Does this project help us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God? We will do justice by welcoming all of God’s children into this place. We will show that we love kindness by being hospitable and welcoming to all, and seeking ways to be in mission for God’s people. And we will walk humbly with God, walking in faith that God will bless us in our giving to this project, and we will walk with God trusting in his promises.
If the answer is yes, and for me, it is, then that is all we need. We will meet our requirement, because it is what has value and worth for us. That is our faith. It is not a transaction, but it is a relationship. A relationship that calls us to give to what we value the most; justice, kindness, and humility. As we walk with God, and receive life.
I believe God is calling us to something here. And if we follow up our words with action, when we promised to be God’s disciples. We will listen to God, and do what is required of us.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
The Risks of Discipleship: Matthew 14: 22-33
I believe miracles still happen in the world.
I believe that miraculous things that cannot be explained outside of the grace of God happen all day every day.
And, I believe that miracles that mirror the miracles that Christ performed throughout the four gospels still happen.
And I know for sure, that there are evangelists and preachers throughout the world who claim to have the power to do such miracles. Who claim to have the power to heal. Who claim to have the power to bless people financially. Who claim to be able to draw demons out of people.
People claim all kinds of things through the power of God. They claim to have seen heaven in near-death experiences. Actually stood in the presence of the power of God, and we even had a woman here in georgia who talked to Mary, and could predict people's future and help them out of confusing times.
But I have never heard of anyone who has ever walked on water. You would think that would be more common than visiting heaven and telling others about it. There is water everywhere in our world, you would think someone would walk on it!
I tried to think back, and the only instance I could think of ANYTHING walking on water is the Jesus Lizard, called that precisely because it can run across shallow pools of water. We know it can do that because it is running very fast and distributes its weight over its large webbed feet. If it stopped moving, it would sink.
I even tried to google it. And apparently the magician Kriss Angel performed a trick where he walks on water, but its just that, a trick. There were plexiglass walkways at the pool where he performs. And all the swimmers are actors.
Walking on water is one of those things that we remember most about Jesus, its printed on t-shirts and things like that, but its one thing we CANNOT understand. Because we have never seen it again, and I have never heard of anyone actually doing it.
Have any of you? By a show of hands? See, I was really hoping. Then, you could just come up and tell us about it rather than me just venturing some guesses.
Maybe its our lack of faith, as Jesus says as he pulls a very soggy Peter out from the crashing waves. Oh, you of little faith.
I want that faith! I want the faith Peter had to even get out of the boat!
This is known as a 'nature miracle.' because it is a miracle where God shows his control over even the laws of nature and physics. Stretching our idea of what is possible in life. And that is good to have in our lives, to know that nothing is impossible with God.
It's similar to last week, when the disciples took a look at a hillside covered with people like someone had just kicked over an anthill, and thinking that there was no way they could feed all of the people there with the meager fish and bread. And Jesus reminded them...nothing is impossible with God. Go give them something to eat.
I've never been in a storm out at sea, but I have been caught in some pretty violent storms, and I've done storm cleanup after disasters have wrecked homes and lives, so I know what storms can do.
Storms, like Katrina or the tsunami or the tornadoes we had in April are the most stark reminder of our lack of control in life. They give credence to Robert Burns poem 'to a mouse.' the best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry. The power of water has always inspired fear in us due to its inspiration of chaos.
It's this way in the Bible too. The world, in the beginning is chaos and covered with water until God breathes on it. The world is flooded. The Israelites must pass through the red sea that God separates for them to escape Egypt. And again must pass through the swollen Jordan river to enter the promised land.
Water is chaotic.
And inspires fear.
So when a squall comes upon the disciples when they are in a boat, they are standing in chaos.
And Jesus walks to them. Showing that even in chaos, God is still in control, and nothing is impossible.
Now, I think what this says to our faith is not that Jesus walking on water proves anything to us. It doesn't provide proof to our faith. Rather, it tells us something, so that we might respond in faith. As Peter does. He wasn't sure about himself, but he gets out of the boat.
So many people say that a big problem we have in the world right now is a crisis of faith. If people would just believe, then things would be better.
Former pastor of riverside church Ernest Campbell said, maybe the reason we seem to be lacking faith in our age is that we dont do anything that requires it.
And what this miracle teaches us about faith is that it comes with risk. The risk of doing something that requires faith.
First, the risk of belief. Because while so many people try to prove why they have faith, it inherently involves risk. It involves getting out of the boat. It involves benign in the chaos, and knowing that with God nothing is impossible.
And second, there is a risk that God is going to ask you to do something when you have faith.
Faith in Jesus guarantees that you are going to be asked to get up and follow him, not sit and watch him do everything.
Where is the chaos and risk in your life? It is there for each of us. We all go through times when we don't know what to do.
I feel it every day. That I don't know what to do, but have faith that God is going to lead me to and through the chaos.
In our church, you all are asked to do a lot. And sometimes it is risky for you, because it would be a lot easier to just say you were a part of this church and never come and do nothing. That is a lot easier. But I know you all don't do that.
You know that being a part of this church means something, and that while asked to do a lot, you know that is what faith truly is and requires of us.
I know that there is going to be risk in my faith and in being a disciple. We see it time and time again in Scripture and in life. And we will have the same doubts that Peter had when he realized what it was he was actually doing when walking on water.
I don't know if I can do it. I don't know if it will be successful. I don't know if I have the energy. I can't know for sure that the storm won't come.
And the good news is...Jesus picks us up out of those waves of doubt and fear. Smiles and laughs. O, you of little faith. But remember what I said about those with little faith, you can move mountains. So keep putting yourself in places that require faith. I will be there too.
I hope you all have weighed the risk of faith, and have found that that is where life is. I hope you make the decision to follow knowing that the risk is there. If you haven't, our doors are open to help you get out of the boat and to lift you up. And there is no better time to start, than right now. Invite your friends and neighbors too, we would love for them to experience the life of Christ.
So maybe we have never heard of anyone walking on water. But we did see 60 kids here for VBS and had new teachers working with them who were nervous, but they got out of the boat and found God was with them.
Maybe we can't walk on water. But we can collect school supplies and give them to kids who might need them. We can serve meals together. We can be the church for those celebrating life, and remembering those who have passed. Maybe we are called to something bigger than ourselves, but Jesus is with us, lifting us from the waves of doubt, and calming the storm. Telling us, keep following. You will walk on water someday. For now, follow me and listen for my call.
I believe that miraculous things that cannot be explained outside of the grace of God happen all day every day.
And, I believe that miracles that mirror the miracles that Christ performed throughout the four gospels still happen.
And I know for sure, that there are evangelists and preachers throughout the world who claim to have the power to do such miracles. Who claim to have the power to heal. Who claim to have the power to bless people financially. Who claim to be able to draw demons out of people.
People claim all kinds of things through the power of God. They claim to have seen heaven in near-death experiences. Actually stood in the presence of the power of God, and we even had a woman here in georgia who talked to Mary, and could predict people's future and help them out of confusing times.
But I have never heard of anyone who has ever walked on water. You would think that would be more common than visiting heaven and telling others about it. There is water everywhere in our world, you would think someone would walk on it!
I tried to think back, and the only instance I could think of ANYTHING walking on water is the Jesus Lizard, called that precisely because it can run across shallow pools of water. We know it can do that because it is running very fast and distributes its weight over its large webbed feet. If it stopped moving, it would sink.
I even tried to google it. And apparently the magician Kriss Angel performed a trick where he walks on water, but its just that, a trick. There were plexiglass walkways at the pool where he performs. And all the swimmers are actors.
Walking on water is one of those things that we remember most about Jesus, its printed on t-shirts and things like that, but its one thing we CANNOT understand. Because we have never seen it again, and I have never heard of anyone actually doing it.
Have any of you? By a show of hands? See, I was really hoping. Then, you could just come up and tell us about it rather than me just venturing some guesses.
Maybe its our lack of faith, as Jesus says as he pulls a very soggy Peter out from the crashing waves. Oh, you of little faith.
I want that faith! I want the faith Peter had to even get out of the boat!
This is known as a 'nature miracle.' because it is a miracle where God shows his control over even the laws of nature and physics. Stretching our idea of what is possible in life. And that is good to have in our lives, to know that nothing is impossible with God.
It's similar to last week, when the disciples took a look at a hillside covered with people like someone had just kicked over an anthill, and thinking that there was no way they could feed all of the people there with the meager fish and bread. And Jesus reminded them...nothing is impossible with God. Go give them something to eat.
I've never been in a storm out at sea, but I have been caught in some pretty violent storms, and I've done storm cleanup after disasters have wrecked homes and lives, so I know what storms can do.
Storms, like Katrina or the tsunami or the tornadoes we had in April are the most stark reminder of our lack of control in life. They give credence to Robert Burns poem 'to a mouse.' the best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry. The power of water has always inspired fear in us due to its inspiration of chaos.
It's this way in the Bible too. The world, in the beginning is chaos and covered with water until God breathes on it. The world is flooded. The Israelites must pass through the red sea that God separates for them to escape Egypt. And again must pass through the swollen Jordan river to enter the promised land.
Water is chaotic.
And inspires fear.
So when a squall comes upon the disciples when they are in a boat, they are standing in chaos.
And Jesus walks to them. Showing that even in chaos, God is still in control, and nothing is impossible.
Now, I think what this says to our faith is not that Jesus walking on water proves anything to us. It doesn't provide proof to our faith. Rather, it tells us something, so that we might respond in faith. As Peter does. He wasn't sure about himself, but he gets out of the boat.
So many people say that a big problem we have in the world right now is a crisis of faith. If people would just believe, then things would be better.
Former pastor of riverside church Ernest Campbell said, maybe the reason we seem to be lacking faith in our age is that we dont do anything that requires it.
And what this miracle teaches us about faith is that it comes with risk. The risk of doing something that requires faith.
First, the risk of belief. Because while so many people try to prove why they have faith, it inherently involves risk. It involves getting out of the boat. It involves benign in the chaos, and knowing that with God nothing is impossible.
And second, there is a risk that God is going to ask you to do something when you have faith.
Faith in Jesus guarantees that you are going to be asked to get up and follow him, not sit and watch him do everything.
Where is the chaos and risk in your life? It is there for each of us. We all go through times when we don't know what to do.
I feel it every day. That I don't know what to do, but have faith that God is going to lead me to and through the chaos.
In our church, you all are asked to do a lot. And sometimes it is risky for you, because it would be a lot easier to just say you were a part of this church and never come and do nothing. That is a lot easier. But I know you all don't do that.
You know that being a part of this church means something, and that while asked to do a lot, you know that is what faith truly is and requires of us.
I know that there is going to be risk in my faith and in being a disciple. We see it time and time again in Scripture and in life. And we will have the same doubts that Peter had when he realized what it was he was actually doing when walking on water.
I don't know if I can do it. I don't know if it will be successful. I don't know if I have the energy. I can't know for sure that the storm won't come.
And the good news is...Jesus picks us up out of those waves of doubt and fear. Smiles and laughs. O, you of little faith. But remember what I said about those with little faith, you can move mountains. So keep putting yourself in places that require faith. I will be there too.
I hope you all have weighed the risk of faith, and have found that that is where life is. I hope you make the decision to follow knowing that the risk is there. If you haven't, our doors are open to help you get out of the boat and to lift you up. And there is no better time to start, than right now. Invite your friends and neighbors too, we would love for them to experience the life of Christ.
So maybe we have never heard of anyone walking on water. But we did see 60 kids here for VBS and had new teachers working with them who were nervous, but they got out of the boat and found God was with them.
Maybe we can't walk on water. But we can collect school supplies and give them to kids who might need them. We can serve meals together. We can be the church for those celebrating life, and remembering those who have passed. Maybe we are called to something bigger than ourselves, but Jesus is with us, lifting us from the waves of doubt, and calming the storm. Telling us, keep following. You will walk on water someday. For now, follow me and listen for my call.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Economics of God 101: Matthew 14: 13-21
I never took economics in college. My wife majored in it. And we consistently have debates about economic policies of our county, state, and national government. And because she studied it and is smarter than I am…she usually wins those debates.
I took classes on the Bible. So that is usually where I land.
The more and more I read in Matthew, the harder it is. I always thought John was tough. Mark is basic, Luke specific, John hard to understand. But Matthew is tough to understand, first. Then, secondly, it puts demands on our lives that are tough to carry out.
I say this in comparing the four gospels because this story we read this morning is the ONLY miracle story that is present in all four, with slight variations. That’s important. Because the early stories of Jesus were passed down orally, this one story is the story to which ALL FOUR writers attest.
It is like if I had one on one interviews with all of you, and asked you what was important to you about this church. And you all said different things. Some say the children’s ministry, some say the work we do in the cemetary, some say heritage, some say youth, some say mission, some say Sunday School. But if ALL of you said the same specific thing, then I would know that while everything is important…that one thing is REALLY important.
If you remember, back on November 14 of last year, we all came together and I asked you a series of questions about this church while we were in small groups that you defined yourselves. That conversation was VERY fruitful to me, and I began to understand what was important here. And what I found was important is that here, you are family. And so I was able to reinterpret all of our efforts to make sure that, like the Olive Garden; when you are here, you’re family, no matter what your last name is or why you came here. When you are here, you are family, and I hope we convey that message tonight when we have guests here for our fifth Sunday night program.
So if this story is one that all four writers have in their gospels, we should invest a large amount of energy to it so we can better understand the gospel story.
The scene that we enter in Matthew is that Jesus has just been rejected in his hometown of Nazareth. He goes back to the place where he was from, and tells them who he truly is. And he tells them what he is doing. And the people laugh at him. Call him names. Aren’t you Joseph’s son? Yeah…you used to be a carpenter. You redid the cabinets at my house and now you are telling us that you are the Messiah?
That had to be hurtful to Jesus. The people he grew up with, knows, and loves…don’t believe him even though he is telling the truth.
Then, his best friend is executed by a corrupt government because he wasn’t doing things the government’s way. John the Baptist fought against the system, and lost.
So he wanted to go away for a while. By himself. And he went to a deserted place.
Being in a deserted place is very significant. A desert symbolizes that a big decision is to be made. It symbolizes wandering and new directions. It was in a desert that Jesus was tempted by Satan, and he goes to a desert once again to reorient his life because right now things aren’t going so well. The things he is saying aren’t accepted by the people he loves…so what does he do? Where does he go from here?
Yet, people follow him out there. And the desert becomes more than a symbol. It becomes what a lot of us think of as a desert. Dry, hot, without much hope of finding food or water anywhere. So he wants to be alone, yet people follow him because they are so spiritually hungry.
And he has compassion on them.
Throughout the book of Matthew, this is a theme that runs through whenever Jesus is about to perform a miracle. He has compassion on them. He shows them mercy.
Recently, the debates have been heated on both sides of the aisle in regards to our country’s debt ceiling. Some want compromise. Others don’t. Some want to raise it, others want to see what will happen if we don’t. And it is vicious. And, honestly, I don’t think anybody is going to win. Something will happen. That some will like and others won’t, but seeing what is happening to our country right now tells me that no one is going to win.
On Thursday, 11 people were arrested in the rotunda of the capitol building. They were protesting, which is illegal in the rotunda of the capitol building. They were called protestors, which I don’t think is a fair term. They were protesting the proposed budget, but I wouldn’t call them protestors. Advocates is more what they were. They were against the budget being proposed because they were advocates for the poor, which they felt the proposed budget neglects.
It was something that happened that was a blip on the radar. But what is most interesting about these advocates is that they were all clergy. Some United Methodist.
I’m proud of them. Because they show compassion. And compassion is something that is the first to be cut when it comes up against practicality. And I think that is backwards. When compassion and practicality are both in the conversation, my faith to tells me that practicality has no place being there.
And so does Jesus.
He has compassion on the people, and heals them. The day gets longer and longer and now people are hungry. Not just spiritually hungry, but physically hungry.
And the disciples tell Jesus to let these people go get themselves something to eat.
And Jesus says, no, you get them something to eat.
The disciples protest and say that they only have five loaves and two fish.
To which Jesus takes, asks for a blessing from God, and distributes to all of them. And they collect twelve basketfuls at the end from the leftovers.
I never saw this until I read it this week in Matthew. But the disciples’ protest of giving them something to eat rather them going to fend for themselves had a familiar ring to it.
I read it again and again and again, because there was something there that sang out to me but I just couldn’t put my finger on it. Some other Gospel writers say that it is only because a young boy brought the fish and loaves, but not in Matthew. Its different.
Its like when you are watching a TV show and an actor comes on that you recognize, but you don’t know where it is from. The internet movie database has saved my sanity for this reason. I can look up anyone and find where I know them from. Its great. Just type something in, and all the connections are made for you.
And the disciples’ words, “let them go get themselves something to eat”…and “all we have are these five loaves and two fish”…sounded so familiar to me, but I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
And then, I suddenly realized where I had heard it before. I have heard it in church meetings, in school board meetings, and in talks around the dinner table.
The words of the disciples are the same words that I have told myself time and time again.
And those words or protest are…”but, we only have enough for ourselves.”
I have said these words when I think about giving to the church. When I feel that I should give more to the church I think, but, we only have enough for ourselves.
Or when I think about new forms of ministry that we can do and I try to think through all of the reactions I hear the protest…but, we only have enough for ourselves.
Or when I am asked to give more of my time to something…but, I barely have enough time as it is!
Or when I’m asked to help someone…but, I barely can do that for myself!
I have thought these words whenever I am faced with a need. And a need that is big. One that I can’t fulfill easily. I can’t do anything, I only have enough for myself.
It is the first line of defensiveness.
We can’t feed these people…let them go fend for themselves…we barely have enough food to eat, ourselves.
So if we are to carry out our mission. To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, we cannot let this defensiveness take root.
Because look what Jesus does with the amount of food the disciples were planning on having for a meal. He asks God to bless it, and it turns into a meal for 5000 people. More than 5000 people. Because 5000 is a conservative estimate, it doesn’t include women and children. In my family, that would mean only 1 in 4 of us would count in the 5000 people, so it may have been as many as 20000 people…maybe more!
AND…there are 12 basketfuls left over. One for each disciple. So while the disciples wanted to split five loaves and two fish 12 ways, they were instead given an entire basketful to eat.
That is what happens, when we give what we have to God, rather than worry that we aren’t going to have enough to feed just ourselves.
I’m talking about money. I’m talking about time. I’m talking about clothing. I’m talking about food. I’m talking about relationships. I’m talking about it all. All of the things we so jealously guard thinking that if we gave ANY of it away, we wouldn’t have enough for ourselves.
What Jesus does, is not the way our world operates.
Be practical, preacher, you might be thinking. Put it in the bank. Save it so that we can be sure we have enough for ourselves. Keep the closet full and the pantry packed so we can have enough for ourselves.
But my faith tells me that when compassion and practicality are in the conversation, practicality has no place.
I say, put it in the bank, keep the closet full, and have the pantry packed, sure. But do it so if 5000 people show up on your doorstep needing money, clothes, or food; you can do something about it.
And God will bless it. That is my faith and my hope.
If we stay attune with the direction God is leading this church, and acknowledge that all we have comes from God…our church will not only do great things that will significantly impact this community and the world…but more than we can ever imagine will be given for us.
Its not the way our world operates, but it’s the way God operates.
So let the debates continue of how we can make sure that we have enough for ourselves, first. That’s how economics works.
I, for one, am going to trust God that it is in giving that we are blessed. That’s how God’s economics works.
After all, I believe in Jesus Christ, who gives. And I believe in a giving life. I am where I am because I have been given so much. Our church is where it is because it has been given so much. So we must also give generously.
So, like I said. Matthew is first hard to interpret, and then it tells us to do things that are hard. Matthew is a hard book.
Because it doesn’t make sense in our world. Its not a transaction that we do with God, its trust. We don’t love God for a purpose or a resolution, we love God with purpose and resolve. We don’t care for our own, we care for God’s own. We don’t pity, we have compassion.
In which world would you rather live? One that is based on our economy? Or one based on God’s economy?
Because I’ll go ahead and tell you, whenever we see God’s economy, it isn’t fair based on our economy. And the feelings will be there that what people give and receive aren’t fair.
But we will know, that it is good. And as we continue to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our protest of just having enough for ourselves will go away, and we will be left with another basketful to give.
I took classes on the Bible. So that is usually where I land.
The more and more I read in Matthew, the harder it is. I always thought John was tough. Mark is basic, Luke specific, John hard to understand. But Matthew is tough to understand, first. Then, secondly, it puts demands on our lives that are tough to carry out.
I say this in comparing the four gospels because this story we read this morning is the ONLY miracle story that is present in all four, with slight variations. That’s important. Because the early stories of Jesus were passed down orally, this one story is the story to which ALL FOUR writers attest.
It is like if I had one on one interviews with all of you, and asked you what was important to you about this church. And you all said different things. Some say the children’s ministry, some say the work we do in the cemetary, some say heritage, some say youth, some say mission, some say Sunday School. But if ALL of you said the same specific thing, then I would know that while everything is important…that one thing is REALLY important.
If you remember, back on November 14 of last year, we all came together and I asked you a series of questions about this church while we were in small groups that you defined yourselves. That conversation was VERY fruitful to me, and I began to understand what was important here. And what I found was important is that here, you are family. And so I was able to reinterpret all of our efforts to make sure that, like the Olive Garden; when you are here, you’re family, no matter what your last name is or why you came here. When you are here, you are family, and I hope we convey that message tonight when we have guests here for our fifth Sunday night program.
So if this story is one that all four writers have in their gospels, we should invest a large amount of energy to it so we can better understand the gospel story.
The scene that we enter in Matthew is that Jesus has just been rejected in his hometown of Nazareth. He goes back to the place where he was from, and tells them who he truly is. And he tells them what he is doing. And the people laugh at him. Call him names. Aren’t you Joseph’s son? Yeah…you used to be a carpenter. You redid the cabinets at my house and now you are telling us that you are the Messiah?
That had to be hurtful to Jesus. The people he grew up with, knows, and loves…don’t believe him even though he is telling the truth.
Then, his best friend is executed by a corrupt government because he wasn’t doing things the government’s way. John the Baptist fought against the system, and lost.
So he wanted to go away for a while. By himself. And he went to a deserted place.
Being in a deserted place is very significant. A desert symbolizes that a big decision is to be made. It symbolizes wandering and new directions. It was in a desert that Jesus was tempted by Satan, and he goes to a desert once again to reorient his life because right now things aren’t going so well. The things he is saying aren’t accepted by the people he loves…so what does he do? Where does he go from here?
Yet, people follow him out there. And the desert becomes more than a symbol. It becomes what a lot of us think of as a desert. Dry, hot, without much hope of finding food or water anywhere. So he wants to be alone, yet people follow him because they are so spiritually hungry.
And he has compassion on them.
Throughout the book of Matthew, this is a theme that runs through whenever Jesus is about to perform a miracle. He has compassion on them. He shows them mercy.
Recently, the debates have been heated on both sides of the aisle in regards to our country’s debt ceiling. Some want compromise. Others don’t. Some want to raise it, others want to see what will happen if we don’t. And it is vicious. And, honestly, I don’t think anybody is going to win. Something will happen. That some will like and others won’t, but seeing what is happening to our country right now tells me that no one is going to win.
On Thursday, 11 people were arrested in the rotunda of the capitol building. They were protesting, which is illegal in the rotunda of the capitol building. They were called protestors, which I don’t think is a fair term. They were protesting the proposed budget, but I wouldn’t call them protestors. Advocates is more what they were. They were against the budget being proposed because they were advocates for the poor, which they felt the proposed budget neglects.
It was something that happened that was a blip on the radar. But what is most interesting about these advocates is that they were all clergy. Some United Methodist.
I’m proud of them. Because they show compassion. And compassion is something that is the first to be cut when it comes up against practicality. And I think that is backwards. When compassion and practicality are both in the conversation, my faith to tells me that practicality has no place being there.
And so does Jesus.
He has compassion on the people, and heals them. The day gets longer and longer and now people are hungry. Not just spiritually hungry, but physically hungry.
And the disciples tell Jesus to let these people go get themselves something to eat.
And Jesus says, no, you get them something to eat.
The disciples protest and say that they only have five loaves and two fish.
To which Jesus takes, asks for a blessing from God, and distributes to all of them. And they collect twelve basketfuls at the end from the leftovers.
I never saw this until I read it this week in Matthew. But the disciples’ protest of giving them something to eat rather them going to fend for themselves had a familiar ring to it.
I read it again and again and again, because there was something there that sang out to me but I just couldn’t put my finger on it. Some other Gospel writers say that it is only because a young boy brought the fish and loaves, but not in Matthew. Its different.
Its like when you are watching a TV show and an actor comes on that you recognize, but you don’t know where it is from. The internet movie database has saved my sanity for this reason. I can look up anyone and find where I know them from. Its great. Just type something in, and all the connections are made for you.
And the disciples’ words, “let them go get themselves something to eat”…and “all we have are these five loaves and two fish”…sounded so familiar to me, but I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
And then, I suddenly realized where I had heard it before. I have heard it in church meetings, in school board meetings, and in talks around the dinner table.
The words of the disciples are the same words that I have told myself time and time again.
And those words or protest are…”but, we only have enough for ourselves.”
I have said these words when I think about giving to the church. When I feel that I should give more to the church I think, but, we only have enough for ourselves.
Or when I think about new forms of ministry that we can do and I try to think through all of the reactions I hear the protest…but, we only have enough for ourselves.
Or when I am asked to give more of my time to something…but, I barely have enough time as it is!
Or when I’m asked to help someone…but, I barely can do that for myself!
I have thought these words whenever I am faced with a need. And a need that is big. One that I can’t fulfill easily. I can’t do anything, I only have enough for myself.
It is the first line of defensiveness.
We can’t feed these people…let them go fend for themselves…we barely have enough food to eat, ourselves.
So if we are to carry out our mission. To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, we cannot let this defensiveness take root.
Because look what Jesus does with the amount of food the disciples were planning on having for a meal. He asks God to bless it, and it turns into a meal for 5000 people. More than 5000 people. Because 5000 is a conservative estimate, it doesn’t include women and children. In my family, that would mean only 1 in 4 of us would count in the 5000 people, so it may have been as many as 20000 people…maybe more!
AND…there are 12 basketfuls left over. One for each disciple. So while the disciples wanted to split five loaves and two fish 12 ways, they were instead given an entire basketful to eat.
That is what happens, when we give what we have to God, rather than worry that we aren’t going to have enough to feed just ourselves.
I’m talking about money. I’m talking about time. I’m talking about clothing. I’m talking about food. I’m talking about relationships. I’m talking about it all. All of the things we so jealously guard thinking that if we gave ANY of it away, we wouldn’t have enough for ourselves.
What Jesus does, is not the way our world operates.
Be practical, preacher, you might be thinking. Put it in the bank. Save it so that we can be sure we have enough for ourselves. Keep the closet full and the pantry packed so we can have enough for ourselves.
But my faith tells me that when compassion and practicality are in the conversation, practicality has no place.
I say, put it in the bank, keep the closet full, and have the pantry packed, sure. But do it so if 5000 people show up on your doorstep needing money, clothes, or food; you can do something about it.
And God will bless it. That is my faith and my hope.
If we stay attune with the direction God is leading this church, and acknowledge that all we have comes from God…our church will not only do great things that will significantly impact this community and the world…but more than we can ever imagine will be given for us.
Its not the way our world operates, but it’s the way God operates.
So let the debates continue of how we can make sure that we have enough for ourselves, first. That’s how economics works.
I, for one, am going to trust God that it is in giving that we are blessed. That’s how God’s economics works.
After all, I believe in Jesus Christ, who gives. And I believe in a giving life. I am where I am because I have been given so much. Our church is where it is because it has been given so much. So we must also give generously.
So, like I said. Matthew is first hard to interpret, and then it tells us to do things that are hard. Matthew is a hard book.
Because it doesn’t make sense in our world. Its not a transaction that we do with God, its trust. We don’t love God for a purpose or a resolution, we love God with purpose and resolve. We don’t care for our own, we care for God’s own. We don’t pity, we have compassion.
In which world would you rather live? One that is based on our economy? Or one based on God’s economy?
Because I’ll go ahead and tell you, whenever we see God’s economy, it isn’t fair based on our economy. And the feelings will be there that what people give and receive aren’t fair.
But we will know, that it is good. And as we continue to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our protest of just having enough for ourselves will go away, and we will be left with another basketful to give.
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