THE KILLER BE's -- Be Real with God (February 13, 2011)

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Matthew 5:21-37

Psalm 119:1-8

This past week, I came to realize something.  As I grow older, I become more and more out of touch with reality.  Now it is not because I don’t read the papers or stay up to date with current affairs or world events.  I do.  I pay attention to the news.  Because of 24 hours news and internet articles, I know what is going on around the world about as well as anyone can. But it still seems as if reality is slipping away.

For the most part, the news stays the same: politics, finances, wars…and people.  The first three seem to stay the same.  No one agrees on politics.  No one has enough finances.  And no one seems to win in a war.  It is the fourth thing mentioned that seems to be changing more rapidly than ever before…people.  Specifically over the past 20-30 years, people have changed because values have changed.

I was born in 1970.  During the time I was in high school and college, I kept hearing about this group of people called Generation X.  I had heard that they were mostly slackers.  They were a generation of people who did not value hard work.  I used to think, “What a shame.  I sure hope that doesn’t happen to me and my generation.” 

Oops!  I am part of Generation X.  Generation X, we are the children of the baby boomers, and what marks my generation as truly different is that we picked up the scattered and various values of the Baby boomers before us.  Gen X’ers are kind of like fingerprints, no two of us are alike.  Ideals, values…things that used to be consistent generation after generation…just weren’t there as much.

And today’s kids are taught such a hodge-podge of values, standards, and beliefs…if they are taught any at all.  I was talking with a person, and some of you know this person, who works for a local company.  She is in charge of employment, hiring people to work in the factory, usually young men.  The starting wage is just under $12/hour.  After a 90 day probation period, they get benefits and a raise up to near $13/hours. Not too shabby. 

She told me of a young man who was 60 days into his 90 day probation period.  He had called off work 4 times.  When he was fired, he could not understand why.  Another young man needed a job because his girlfriend was pregnant and hew other 2 kids were living with them too.  A third young man, having passed his tests and interview was told that he would need to pass a drug test.  At that point he told her that he was no longer interested in the job.

I am a part of a generation of slackers, but even when I was not a Christian, I knew that I had to work, and I had to behave myself.  Now, I was no angel, and I know that my behavior frequently bothered my parents and saddened my grandparents. But I can see that as a world, our values have slipped.  They have, in my mind, diminished.  These constantly shifting values have changed our ideas of what reality is…is as varied as the people themselves.  We all have our own lives.  We all have our own values.  We all have our own realities.

This is in SHARP contrast to what we see in the Bible.  In the Old Testament context, there was really only one reality.  There was God’s Law.  The people were expected to learn it, to know it, and to live it.  There were some very definite standards.  Do not steal, do not murder, do not bear false witness, and do not commit adultery…pretty simple and straight forward. 

But over time some of these laws were followed by the letter, but not in their intent.  The teachers of the law, taught the laws to the people, but no longer taught them WHY to follow them.  BECAUSE GOD SAID SO.  These teachers forgot that God loved his people.  He created them, cared for them, and even saved them out of Egypt.  These laws were given to the people to help care for the people, to give them a good life in the land the Lord had provided for them.

Jesus is his teaching in Matthew 5:21-37 is trying to get to the heart of the matter by getting to the heart of man.  

21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca, 'is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

The people who heard Jesus’ words would know of God’s commandment not to murder, but would think nothing of verbally tearing another person apart.  Jesus is saying that anyone can obey the law not to murder, but we let anger live in our hearts in lesser measures.  Just as long as no one dies, we believe that our anger is OK.  But Jesus tells us that our anger can be destructive in the smallest measures if we let it stand between us and others. 

23 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Jesus knew that anger usually gives way to hatred, and a little anger now…can have dire consequences later.  Be reconciled.  Be open to your brother or sister with whom you are angry. We need to address our anger in the here and now, so that we are not judged for it in the hereafter.

Adultery.  Does anyone here believe that adultery is a good idea?  Does anyone here think that adultery is beneficial to a marriage relationship?  If any of you is thinking “yes”, I might be able to schedule some counseling time this week.  Adultery is a basic and destructive violation of the covenant of marriage.  Every wedding vow I have ever heard includes “forsaking all others, keeping yourself only for” the person to whom you are marrying. But Jesus said there was something more.

27 "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Again, the heart of the matter is…the heart.  Our hearts cannot be led into adultery even at the simplest, most basic levels.  Adultery of the eyes is still adultery.  Better to reach heaven without an eye or an arm, than to engage in adultery on earth.  We cannot let our hearts be led into sin by what we see.  And I wish that I had time to tell you of just how destructive pornography is to young men and women.  Because each generation has less of a problem accepting it as ok.  We need to guard our hearts and our eyes.  Guard the eyes of your children.

Divorce.  No one likes to talk about this one because it is all around us today.  Marriage was meant to be one man and one woman forever.  Marriage is to be an eternal covenant between GOD…FIRST AND FOREMOST…and the man and the woman.  In Jesus’ day, there were lots of divorces. 

31 "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

If a man didn’t like his wife for any reason, he would just give her a certificate and send her packing.  See you later.  The officials allowed this to happen, but Jesus reminded them that this is not to be.  Something that God has given to them to be special, separate, and holy cold be just thrown away on a whim with just a piece of paper to tear apart what God has created.  To divorce in such manner had and still has destructive effects on everyone involved.

The one last lesson that Jesus touched on in this passage was worthless vows and oaths.  I can’t say it any better than Jesus did.  37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”  Be truthful.  Do not make an oath or a vow to impress someone into letting you have your way.  We should all be truthful enough that we do not need them.  We should all be truthful enough that when we say yes or no…people know it will be done.

Despite the shifting values of society and the world, the only advice I can give is that we must be real.  We must be real with ourselves, with others, and most importantly, with God.  Be real.  Being real is an attitude and an action of the heart.  Issues that we have with anger, lust, or keeping our word to God and others is a matter of our integrity.  These are the values of our hearts.  And as Christians there can only be one standard when it comes to matters of the heart.  Jesus.  Being real with God is not just keeping the laws or playing by the rules.  Being real with God is the process by which we are in continual communication with God, not only sharing our concerns but embracing Jesus’ cal to take up our crosses and follow him.

I think that this is something the world needs to see.  People being real with God.  People who have sold out totally for Jesus Christ.  When values shift and the worldviews constantly change, we need to be a Church completely open to and in tune with God.  We need to be the bearers of divine reality.  This is the reality that God can and does change the world through his people.  But we can only make a difference in the world, when God has made a difference in us.  It starts with us.  It starts with you.  It starts with me.  Right here…right now.  Are you willing to let that happen in you today?

I'm a loser.

I grew up in a "car family". Growing up, my dad worked at a Chrysler plant outside of Cleveland, Ohio. Today, he sent me a link of a Chrysler commercial that aired during the Super Bowl.  I watched the game, but I somehow missed the commercial.  It showed a run down city of Detroit and spoke of how although the city might not seem like it, they can and do build good cars.

Growing up in a "car family", I always believed that.  My dad was an electrician.  I believed that my dad would not give less than 100% to keep things running at the plant.  I believed that my dad would not work for a company that did not build good cars.  So I drive Chryslers and Dodges.  Always have. The thing is...other people do not believe as I believe.  There is the perception that Chryslers and other American cars are junk produced by lazy overpaid American workers.  No matter what I say or do, people are ready to believe in that perception, rather than the truth.  And that makes me a loser.

Growing up in NE Ohio, I learned to become a fan of Cleveland sports teams...Indians, Cavs, and Browns.  The Indians don't have any talent.  The Browns don't have any luck.  The Cavs don't have LeBron.  I have been on sports chat boards.  I have tried to defend these teams, and what it means to be a fan.  I have learned that the internet is a great place to be verbally abused by people who superior to you simply because they cheer for a better team.  I still root for my losing teams.  And that makes me a loser.

I am a United Methodist pastor.  It took me 26 years of my life to even become a Christian.  Then I became a pastor.  First, I pastored in a smaller denomination that simply did not have enough churches for its pastors.  Now I am an Elder in the United Methodist Church.  I lead a small congregation in rural Ohio with fairly conservative beliefs.  I believe that the Bible is God's Word.  It demonstrates God's redemptive love to the people of the world through Jesus Christ, his son.  The Bible is our guide and standard for faith and life and truth.  I believe that the Holy Spirit is alive in surrendered, repentant hearts. I believe that marriage is simply one man and one woman.  I believe that sin is real and ignoring sin on our lives because speaking out against it is painful or unpopular is doing no favors to those bound by its curse.

I know that many people do not agree with my views of society, theology, or the Church.  My views are too literal, conservative, or foolish for some.  Yet others view my beliefs as not going far enough.  I am squeezed in the middle ground of theology and thought and a pastor in an ever shrinking denomination. .  And that makes me a loser.

It was a few years ago, that a realization came to me.  I never seem to take the easy path.  Every path I have taken, and every path I have followed is usually fraught with danger and littered with casualties.  At times I have been one of them.  I am a loser.  Yet I have great hope.  I cannot explain it.  I think that a lot of people in my shoes would have either quit, given up, or wound up in a grave.  But I cannot stop what already started because God is with me. 

I feel as if things will never go right for me, but they are not supposed to.  I am travelling the path less travelled, facing dangers instead of fleeing, forgetting what is behind and looking for my next encounter to which God has called me.  There have been times in which I wished, even prayed for more finances, more success, or more power.  But I realize that these are neither mine to ask for nor mine to give.  I have taken hold of Paul's meaning of contentedness.

(Philippians 3:10-12, NIV) I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

I am a man who simply wants to know the fullness of Christ in my life.  Again, to many, that makes me a loser.  But I'm OK with that.  How about you?

THE KILLER BE's -- Be Spiritual (February 6, 2011)

Psalm 112:1-9 (10), Matthew 5:13-20, 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16)

In a few weeks, I am going to have a birthday, but it is not what you think. On March 17^th, I will be 15 years old.  Now, looking at the gray hair and remembering that you all threw me a 40^th birthday party last year, you might be scratching your heads and looking at me kind of funny.  But it is true.  That was the day, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and savior.

Most of you know my story.  Fifteen months later, I was a pastor of youth and children in Akron.  From sinner to saint to servant of God in fifteen months is pretty quick, but I know that God can do that sort of thing when we get out of his way and let him work.  As I have shared before, I kind of grew up in the Church, going to Sunday school and Wednesday night children’s programs when I was 9, 10, 11, 12 years old.  But I left the church in my early teens.

Why?  You would have figured that in those years, I might have learned a few things about God, and I did.  I knew that he was powerful and performed miracles.  I knew that he was loving and good.  I also knew that I really didn’t want to go to church on Sunday mornings.  Despite what I had learned about God, I really didn’t know him.  Don’t get me wrong.  The people in the church were great and loving toward me.  God was working on me, and I could feel something stirring in me.  But I didn’t understand it, and I just didn’t know him.

I pretty much broke off all ties with the church in my early teenish years, and did not go back until I was 26.  That first Sunday back, I knew I was in trouble. I cannot remember anything the preacher said, but I felt convicted.  Something was digging around in my soul telling me that this isn’t working.  My way of life was no life at all.  It was the third Sunday bakc to church…the third Sunday of feeling like someone was crawling around in my heart, that I went forward during an Altar call and gave my life to Christ.  Case closed…end of story.

Well…not quite.  It felt to me like someone threw a bucket of water on me.  It was as if I had been asleep all my life, and for the first time I was opening my eyes.  I can’t explain it, but things changed.  Actually, it was me.  I was the one who was changed.  No one came up to me saying you have to do this, or you have to do that.  Things just made sense.  I knew that I had to be baptized.  I knew that I had to start praying.  I knew that I had to start reading my Bible.  I had to find a new job.  Issues that really didn’t matter to me before became important, and things like drinking and partying, just fell away. Again, no one told me these things…I just knew…because for the first time in my life, I knew God.  God was no longer a thought, a belief, or an ideology.  God was real, and he was living in…of all place…me.

Romans 10:15 says that “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”  This is what Paul is talking about in 1 Cor. 2.  When Paul came to the people at Corinth he says that he did not come with great earthly wisdom or persuasive speech, but simply with the message of Christ crucified.

4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

Paul tells us that no one has seen or heard God.  At the most basic level, no one can even comprehend God.  He is beyond weak, fallen, human understanding.  But God has revealed his message…his will for our lives through the Holy Spirit.  Only the Spirit of God can transcend the darkness of our hearts and bring the light of truth within.us.

1 Cor. 2:13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

In Methodist theology, there is a term called prevenient grace.  In fact, why don’t you all write it down in your notes.  Prevenient grace.  Prevenient grace is the grace of God which comes before.  Even before you ever decide to follow Jesus, before you become a Christian, God is at work in your heart.  Through his Spirit, he is calling you to him.  I know of this grace in my life firsthand.  I believe in this grace because I have seen it firsthand.  I have known it in my heart as God called me to him.  Only by the spirit of God can anyone know God.  If you are going to become a Christian, you need to be spiritual.

But that’s not all, in fact, it is only the beginning.  The Spirit also cleanses and makes new.  It is not enough that the Spirit calls you to God and you believe, the Holy Spirit remakes, renews, and restores what was destroyed by sin.  The new birth, being born again.  Folks, it is not just a phrase that is thrown about by holy rollers or old school Christians.  The new birth, the forgiveness of sins, being made right and just in the eyes of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Cor. 2:15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Many people will say that you cannot and should not be spiritual in public.  Christians need to hide their faith because Christianity is so judgmental…and the Bible says “do not judge”

Matthew 5:15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. The Spirit of God…the Holy Spirit does not only draw us to God and allow us to know him in our hearts…it empowers us to live for him.

Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Oh no!  You can’t be spiritual.  You cannot live some sort of Godly life.  You’ll come off as arrogant, and when you fail, you will be made to look a fool.  If you hear that voice in your mind or in your heart, you better start praying.  You better start praying right now, because that is not the Spirit of God speaking, but the spirit of the enemy, the Devil.  Do NOT listen to him.   The devil does not have your best interests at heart, but his own. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Or as Pastor Mark says, tell the devil to go on back to hell where he belongs.

The Holy Spirit strengthens, purifies, and sanctifies.  If you hear a voice telling you to hide your faith, it is NOT God who is speaking.  Jesus tells us to be the “salt of the earth”.  Salt was a valuable commodity.  It was used to preserve food, but if it were contaminated or became dirty, it was worthless.  It was to be thrown out… no good.  Jesus tells us that we are the “light of the world”.  The light that burns within us is not to be hidden. 

Throughout the course of our Christian lives, the Holy Spirit is making us more like God…holy.  Not that we are already there, but we strive to be salty, we desire to be bright and filled with God’s light, and that can only happen as we surrender control…as we yield to the power of the Spirit.  As this happens, we become saltier and more useful.  We become brighter, shining with God’s grace and light.  We must be spiritual.

We must live for God the father, through the forgiveness of the Son, Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Our spirituality must be evident in our words, prayers, and deeds, by our living, our giving, and our devotion to God.  We cannot allow our hearts to be ruled by human wisdom or the affections of our fallen hearts. Every facet of our lives must be dripping with the evidence of God’s Spirit.

Matthew 5:20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

THE KILLER BE's -- Be Blessed (January 30, 2011)

Micah 6:1-8, Psalm 15, Matthew 5:1-12

This morning’s passage out of Matthew 5 is best known as The Beatitudes.  The Beatitudes are a collection of blessings.  Everyone likes the idea of blessings, and everyone has an idea of what it is to be blessed.  We ask for blessings.  We offer blessings.  We say, “God bless you” when we sneeze, and we ask for blessings on things such as marriages.

But the key to any blessing is the direct involvement of God.  Only God can bless, and only God can bring his providence and power to bear on a person, place, or circumstance.  So whenever we offer our blessing or ask for blessing, we are calling upon God’s divine power to bring about a positive outcome for whomever or whatever we bless.

That’s why I wonder if we ever truly understand what a blessing really is.  I think that our society and the postmodern church has a fairly skewed idea of what it means to be blessed.  In Genesis 35, Rachel gave Jacob a son, but she was dying.  In her dying moments, she named her son, Ben-Oni…son of suffering.  But Jacob saw things differently.  Rachel was the wife that he loved very dearly.  This son would be his last and would be the living remembrance of the deep love he had for her.  Jacob changed the boy’s name to Ben-Yamin…the son of the right (hand).  Benjamin…the son of blessing.

So often we view blessings as a kind of a Christmas list.  "Lord, give me a good life and a good job and a good marriage.  I want a good spouse, and I want a nice house and I want a cool car.  No…make that two nice cars, and oh yeah…a couple of cute, well-spoken, well-behaved children who will require a minimum of care.  I’ve been a good boy, Santa…I mean…Jesus.  So please bless me.  Oh yeah…and bless all the other people while you’re at it."

Now…I don’t have a problem with praying for our lives.  I think we should be praying in advance for the Lord’s presence and involvement in our futures.  I think that if we continually prayed to God for our long-term welfare, then our present circumstances might be better than they usually are.  But asking for God’s blessing in our lives is more about our willingness to yield to God’s wishes, than it is about asking God to fulfill our wishes.

The people in Jesus’ time were well aware of the Old Testament system of blessings.  A first-born son would receive his father’s blessing.  A father could call upon the Lord to bless this son in order that he might be fruitful in family, possessions, and life. But in the Beatitudes, Jesus turns this notion of blessing upside-down.

Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Many people know what it is to be financially poor.  Most people understand that we are spiritual creatures/  However, the phrase “poor in spirit” draws a blank in the minds of most people.  To be poor in spirit is to understand the state of your own spirit, the state of your own heart and realize that something is wrong.  To be poor in spirit is to realize that although we are created in the perfect image of God, that our hearts are fallen and broken beyond repair.  It is to realize that our hearts need to be made anew.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the people who see the darkness in their hearts and the hearts of others…and they cry, they weep, they mourn.  They cry out for help in the hopes that someone…the one who created them…can bring healing.  The promise of Jesus is that they will be comforted.  Their cries will not fall on deaf ears.

5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.  We are human.  We all have feelings.  We can experience great joy and suffer through tremendous agony.  The meek are not the doormats of society, tread upon by the strong.  The meek are those who keep the feelings in check.  John Wesley referred to the meek as, “They that hold all their passions and affections evenly balanced.”  The meek are those who speak the truth in love, who honor those who fear the LORD, who keep their oaths even when it hurts.  These are the people who will gain the real power in this life.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  Blessed are the people who truly seek and find God.  They find the one and only God and discover his holiness.  In their poverty of spirit and emptiness of heart, they can be made into new creations, jars of human clay filled with the Spirit of God. They seek what is right, not in their own eyes, but in God’s eyes.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. The forgiveness and mercy by which God has restored them, must be extended to those around them.  The truly merciful are those who "'Love the Lord (their) God with all (their) heart and with all (their) soul and with all (their) strength and with all (their) mind'.  Not only that, but they also 'Love (their) neighbor as themselves.'" To be forgiven, they must be willing to forgive, and to be merciful, they must extend mercy to those around them.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Those who are pure in heart are those who have felt the poverty of spirit, cried aloud for forgiveness, and received the mercy of the Lord.  They have sought God’s righteousness and surrendered their will to him. Their hearts have been drawn near to God, and the more they empty themselves, he fills them with his spirit.  By the power of the Holy Spirit, these persons have made the transformation from poor in spirit to pure in heart.  These are the people who will someday abide in God’s tent and dwell on the Lord’s holy hill.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Of the peacemaker, John Wesley said, “out of love to God and man (they) do all possible good to all men. The peacemakers are the people who do everything possible to bring peace to the earth.  Remember, peace on earth is not the absence of war.  It is when the people of God live at peace in their own lives.  Peacemakers live by the attitude that although the forces of this world are constantly at work against us, we will keep God’s peace in our hearts.  We will keep bitter words in our mouths, and helpful hands will not be turned into angry fists.  By our peace, God will be known to the world.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.   As we go about our work and our time in this world, we will be persecuted.  God has called us to greatness, not by worldly standards, but his own.  Because of this, Christians are often misunderstood.  Instead of allowing us to help them in their own lives, they would rather bring us down to their levels of sadness, hatred, and loathing.  But whatever persecution or punishment we endure will lead to celebration someday in the hereafter.  We are to endure a temporary persecution, so we may celebrate eternal joy.

11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

So many people get their blessings mixed up.  We often do not recognize the blessings right before our faces.  And then we pray that God gives us something different.  We don’t like suffering.  We do not enjoy persecution.  We don’t wish to alienate anybody, and we would like to keep our friends.  We would prefer to have it easy here on earth.  But to do so would most likely mean giving up on some part of our faith.  It would mean burying and hiding who we really are…what God intends us to be.  It would mean seeking the praises of men but forfeiting the blessing of God.  It would mean living a watered-down faith, preaching watered-down gospel, and being a watered-down church. 

Still, I feel that there are people who would be OK with that.  A lot of people in the Church these days are looking to just get by.  Do just the minimum to sneak into heaven someday.  We live in a time and age in which most people only wish to do what is absolutely required.  OK…fine.  Where is that bottom line?  What is that minimum that we can do or be to be called a Christian?  What is required of me?

Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Sometimes it is difficult to recognize the blessings right in front of our faces.  I had to remember that this morning when Ben woke me up at a little before 5AM this morning.  That is life living with a child who has autism.  Ben has taught me more about meekness, humility, mercy, and peace.  I have had people tell me that they are praying for his healing…that he might be made normal or fixed right.  They don’t see him as I see him.  He is a great blessing in my life and in the life of our family.  Is it tough…yes.  But with a name like Benjamin, he was born to be a blessing.

The poor in spirit…those who mourn…the meek…who hunger and thirst for righteousness…the merciful…the pure in heart…the peacemakers…those who are persecuted because of righteousness

These are the ones who are truly blessed.  Are you? 

THE KILLER BE's -- Be United (January 23, 2011)

Isaiah 9:1-4, Psalm 27:1, 4-9, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

I remember hearing a story of how Satan had finally decided to pack it up and retire.  He was tired of the constant fighting back and forth between himself and God.  He was going to turn over the operations to some of his top demons and would auction off all of his weapons, tools, and tricks to the highest bidder.

Of course, all of Satan’s underlings gathered for the great auction.  As it took place, most of the items went pretty cheaply, until they came to the final auction.  It was a small plain wooden box. Inside it looked to be a shiny piece of metal like the head of an axe.  The bidding quickly took off…a thousand…ten thousand…a hundred thousand…a million.

As the bidding quickly spiraled upward, a small demon on the outskirts of the crowd, inquired of a larger, older one.  “What is that?” He hissed.  “Ah!  That this the master’s most prized and most powerful possession!” replied the older demon. “It doesn’t look like much of anything.  What is it?”  “That is the wedge that he uses to cause division.  Ever since the Garden of Eden, he has used it to split up friendships, relationships, and families.  But it has been the most effective in dividing the Church and splitting it into smaller powerless pieces.  If it weren’t for that wedge, our boss would have been out of business years ago."

Now of course this is just a story, but it speaks volumes to the state of the Church today.  In last week’s message, the call was for us to be empowered…to take a hold of the power that God has for our lives.  Through the blood of Jesus Christ and through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are given the power over of sin and death.  That personal relationship with Christ opens the door to a life empowered by God, if we are willing to accept it.

Last week, I mentioned that some people deny Christ.  Some deny his power, and others deny that his power is available to us.  But the Christian is not to be defined by the issues that he or she faces.  The Christian is known by the name of Christ and the power that God has given to him.  Christians are to yield to God’s power and allow it to lead him or her into whatever lies ahead.

But God was not finished at Calvary, and his work was not completed at the empty tomb.  It was the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came down and gave birth to the Church, that God truly set about to change the world.  It is one thing to have 300,000,000 individual Christians, but God’s work on earth is to be completed by his one Church.

In the the Old testament, and in the time of the prophets such as Jeremiah and Isaiah, the people of Israel were united.  They were one.  The problem was that they were disobedient as one people.  Their kings had been led away, enticed to worship false gods.  Then because of their position, they led the priests and the people away into disobedience.  Sin had struck the leader, and that sin quickly became the sin of the entire nation.  They were united, but they were united in disobedience, idolatry, and sin.

That is why they were sent into exile.  Split up and spread out, and without the kings and the priests to continue to misguide them, God would eventually put a new heart into these people and bring them back to the land of Israel.  But this time, God would not only seek the Israelites, but all people.

Isaiah 9:1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past (God) humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-- 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

Again, God would bring his people back to Israel, but the coming savior would unite all peoples in faith.  That is what the Church is to be…or at least what it is supposed to be.  Paul is dealing with problems of division in the Church from a pretty early point.  In verse 12, One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas (Paul)"; still another, "I follow Christ."

Remember, Paul’s writings and letters are some of the earliest writings of the New Testament.  The Church at Corinth has come about probably within the first 5-10 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus.  The Church is organizing.  Apostles, leaders, and teachers are going from Jerusalem out to the major cities and small of the world, spreading the good news, planting churches, establishing leaders.

The Church is spreading like wildfire, but in places like Corinth, there is confusion and division.  One teacher may say this about how Christians were to live.  A couple of months later, a different teacher shows up and tells them something different.  Factions are growing.  People are taking sides and joining teams. 

10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

Paul asks is this what he taught them?  Did he teach them that Christ was divided?  Did he baptize anyone in his name and not the name of Christ?  There is no sense in any of these arguments and quarrels.  They are in contrast to how Christ lived and what Paul taught.  The people are to live in the name of Christ, not Paul…not Peter…not Apollos. Put aside the differences and be one in Christ.

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel-- not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Paul is called to preach, but neither does he preach in his name nor by his own power or wisdom.  The message of Jesus Christ is foolish, mindless drivel to the people of the world.  Those people will all die, and they cannot save themselves, but for those who believe, that same message brings power…a power that heals…a power that saves and unites

I really believe that the Church today is under attack.  Not from grand armies attacking with weapons and military might, but from within.  I believe that our enemy is continually trying to drive that wedge into the Church, shaving off a few people here…a few people there.  Once they leave the Church, it is open season on them.  The enemy easily singles them out.  They are like the sheep that leaves the safety of the pack or the baby animal that gets away from the security of its parents.

Our society has become one that celebrates diversity.  We celebrate anything and everything that makes us different from each other.  But this celebration of diversity has led to an emphasis on diversity.  I am different.  We are all different.  Be different.  Who cares what anyone else thinks about you…be yourself.  Do your own thing. 

We have seen how our society has changed so much in the last 20-30 years, and now these differences and individual ideals have permeated the Church.  People come into the church, and believe that the Church should think, act, and behave like they do, instead of upholding any sort of biblical standards for life.  They come into the Church and demand that the Church bend to fit their desires, instead of letting God change their hearts and bend their will to His. As a result, denominations and congregations are splitting.

In recent years, the main topic has been homosexuality. Some states are now allowing same-sex couples to marry.  And we see the Presbyterian and Episcopal Churches giving way to these ideals as they marry same sex couples and even ordain homosexual ministers.  This has caused a great mess in both of these denominations, and it lay ahead as an obstacle for the United Methodist Church to address in coming years.

We must remember who we serve.  We must remember who we are to follow.  We cannot be led astray by false teachers offering us feel good teachings.  We must remain united with each other and with Christ. The message of salvation that he has given to us is essential.  It is the power of God, and we must remain united in that power. If we do, then we need not fear the world, the enemy or anything that they might throw at us.

THE KILLER BE's -- Be Empowered (January 16, 2011)

Isaiah 49:1-7, Psalm 40:1-11, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-42

When I first sat down to write this sermon, I had some kind of pithy comments or funny jokes to get things started. But they just didn’t seem right this time, because I feel that today’s topic is too important to be remembered by a joke. Power. We look at power in our world in many ways. Electrical power, political power, physical power. Because power is the ability to get things done, and let’s face it, there is always plenty of work to get done.

But I have noticed something. We are trying to use less power in anything we do. We are looking for efficiency. We are trying to save our energy, our strength…our power. Now, let me get things straight. I have no problem with energy conservation. We use fluorescent light bulbs and LED nightlights. Jen dries our laundry on the clothesline in the summer. In the winter, some of it she dries on drying racks in the guest room. Growing up, my parents always set their thermostat at 72. We set out furnace at 69 instead. I have no problem with using less fossil fuels, but I do it to be a good steward and to keep the church’s bills down. Perhaps if we use less energy at our house, we can do more ministry at God’s house.

But really, my purpose is not to talk about electric bills or pat myself on the shoulder for saving the church a few dollars. I want to talk about, and I want us to reflect deeply upon…God’s power. I believe that it is sorely missing in our denomination and our lives as well.

Since its founding in 1968, the United Methodist Church has been shrinking. This is certainly not news. Although the world’s population has grown by more than a billion people during this times, our membership has gotten smaller. We are an ever-shrinking church in a constantly growing world. For more than 25 years, the United Methodist Church has been wondering what to do? From the top down, there have been many ideas, plans, and decrees on what the church should do to reverse this trend.

There have been repeated calls for change. Let’s try this. Let’s do that. Over the decades, there has been so much effort but so little response. So much time, effort, and resources given, yet yielded so little growth. Plus there have been other issues. Issues that have not only affected us, but other major denominations as well.

Perhaps that is the main problem with the United Methodist Church. We have become a church defined by its issues and not by its power. Yes, there are attempts of the parent church to work some of its political power. But many times the issues supported by the parent church, do not align themselves with the beliefs of most of its people.

But that is not to say that everything in or about the church is dead. There is still a lot of life in the Church, but it is often happening in places, you might not hear much about. United Methodist congregations in Africa, South America, and China are growing. They are taking off in much the same way our North American churches did back in the 1800’s. Why? What do they have, that many of our churches seem to have lost? Power. The miraculous, healing, transforming, supernatural power that comes from God alone. The power that Isaiah knew in chapter 49:5

5 And now the LORD says-- he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength-- 6 he says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."

Isaiah had depended on the Lord’s strength to carry out his duties, and still he felt incapable of carrying out what the Lord had called on him to do. Isaiah was to lead the tribes of Israel out of their Babylonian captivity. This would be more than a task for anyone, but God has promised to always be with Isaiah. With God’s strength, there will be nothing that Isaiah will be unable to do.  
Even then, Isaiah still feels inadequate. He doesn’t see what he believes to be good results. So he feels that all of his efforts are for naught. But God then tells him that Isaiah will do even greater things. Along with delivering the Israelites, Isaiah will even minister to the Gentile unbelievers. God will use Isaiah to reach the people who were considered untouchable and beyond help. Isaiah would not have to become stronger; he would need to rely even more on God’s strength than ever before.

In any day and age, this is no easy task. So often do we see…we know in our hearts what God wants us to do. He wants us to start a new Bible study, to reach out to people we love, or to minister to people we don't even know. God may be calling you, pointing you in what seems like a million different directions and telling you to go. And you know yourself. You know your abilities. You know your strengths and weaknesses. What it boils right down to…is that you have issues.

But just as the church should not be defined by its issues, you cannot be defined by yours. Your limited abilities…your limited strength…your limited powers are of little importance to God. He will give you what you need. The Apostle Paul in his letter to the church at Corinth said,

4 I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way-- in all your speaking and in all your knowledge-- 6 because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Word is getting back to Paul about the church at Corinth. Although that bunch of people has its share of issues, Paul knows that God is with them. God’s grace is evident within them. What Paul has taught them about Jesus has changed their lives. Their hearts have been made anew in Christ, and thus their way of speaking and acting have changed as well.

And though their gifts and graces are apparent, there are still questions in their hearts. How long can they do this? How long can they keep up the faith as they await Christ’s return? Paul assures them that they will make it. Paul assures them that the power that God has given them in their faith will sustain them in their lives and ministries together. Christ will keep you strong to the end. In his strength, you will not fall back but move forward to the day of Christ’s return. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

You see, we all have our issues. We all have our concerns. But do we define our issues, or do our issues define us? We cannot be held back by our issues. We must not let our worries and fears slow us down. We must take hold of the power which God has given to us through his Word and his Holy Spirit. But even then I know that it is easier said than done.

I think that there are three or four kinds of people…three or four ways of thinking when it comes to God’s power. There are people, unwilling to accept that God is powerful. To them, the only power is human power. I am the master of my life and destiny. Some people are unwilling to accept that God is powerful and has made his power available to us through his Son, Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit. God is up there and I am down here. I know that God loves me, but he has left us here to fend for ourselves. 
There are people who know that God is real. They know his power for their lives is infinite, but they are afraid. They are unwilling to yield that power. They are unwilling to trust what that power can do. They are afraid of what God might ask of them. They are afraid of where God might lead them, or the sacrifices he might ask them to make.

Finally, there are those who yield to God’s power. They may have their doubts, and they may have their questions from time to time. However, they are willing to take that chance, and they are willing to go out on that limb for God. Because wherever it is that God leads them, he will give them the strength to see them through. He will give them the power to do things greater than they would ask of themselves.

The United Methodist Church needs to regain this. We need to stop being a church defined by issues and once again be a church empowered by the God of power. But it will not happen until we become PEOPLE empowered by him. I know you have you issues, each and every one of you. That’s OK…I have my issues too. But we cannot let our issues stop us in our tracks.

I know that this may sound strange, but this is a problem for me too. I have issues of adequacy. I don’t feel gifted, talented, or able enough to be a pastor…to be your pastor. And I see God at work in you, and I feel unworthy. God could not possibly use me to glorify him. God could not possibly use me to draw people to him. But I see that he does. I have learned that I usually serve him best, when I try to serve him least. When I get out of his way, and let him work…when I stop depending on my abilities and lean fully on his strength…that is when I see God’s power moving. Trust him to give you that same power.

Three things I’ve learned in my life as a Christians. Don’t depend on your own wisdom. Don’t count on your own plans. Don’t use any other power, than God’s power. Be empowered by God to make you a new person and grow your faith. Be empowered by Him to give you abilities to serve and to empower you for service.

(Commissioning new leaders)

For those of you who were sitting down, you might be thinking that you got off easy. Oh no…not a chance. These people were commissioned to carry out specific ministries of the church. You. You have your own ministries to uphold. Whether in the church or out…whether to friends and family or to complete strangers…you have a ministry. Just as the Lord has called you to the church, he has called you to service and ministry. Just as he has called you, he has given you His Spirit, his gifts, and his power.

John Wesley once said, “The world is my parish.” The entire world is our mission field. You are the people, the tools, the ministries through which God will work to spread his good news across the earth. Because the world is our parish, the Lord is our power. Do not rely on your own, or else you will fail.