Child of Blessing- Child of Promise

“Child of Blessing, Child of Promise”

July 31, 2011

RUMC

How many of you have been to a family reunion this summer?  <<ß--à>>> Actually, my Mom’s side of the family has their reunion today.  Family reunions are one of those things that are often stranger than fiction. 

·        No one would find a character named “uncle frog” to be believable.  But I have one.

·        No one could script grandpa taking out the garbage after the reunion and losing his pants as he set the garbage can down on the curb.  But one of my aunts snapped a picture as proof.

·        No one could fabricate some of the tricks cousins play on one another or the silly arguments and competitions that are perpetuated from year to year.

·        And who could make up someone carrying a grudge because of the great potato salad debate.

Family reunions are wonderful and strange things.

As we gather in the park today it kind of feels like a family reunion.  And in a theological sense, every time we gather for worship we are having a family reunion.  We are the family of God.  Like any family, we have our oddballs.  We have our lovable characters.  We have our family stories and our family traditions.  One of our great traditions is this weekly family reunion that we call worship.

Today, as we gather for our reunion, we have a special guest.  This is Alex’s first family reunion, at least his first reunion with the family of God.  So I want to welcome him.

Welcome to the family reunion, Alex.  You don’t know most of these people, but over there is cousin <<ß--à>>>.  Here is Aunt <<ß--à>>>.  Grandma<<ß--à>>>.  Cousins <<ß--à>>>and <<ß--à>>>.  Here are brother <<ß--à>>> and Sister<<ß--à>>>.

One of the things you will see, ALEX, IS THAT we like music.  We sing a lot.  There is a song that is not all that familiar to us, when you can read you will find it at number 611 in our hymnal.  I thought I would share the words to that hymn and some thoughts about baptism today.

“Child of blessing, child of promise, baptized with the Spirit’s sign; with this water God has sealed you unto love and grace divine.

Back in May in the University Hospital, you were baptized with the spirit’s sign.  The water is the sign of the spirit.  You won’t remember that.  But those of us, who do, know that what happened that day changed your life forever.  That day you became part of this family; and no matter how hard you try, you can’t get away from that. 

You see our birth family and its DNA influence us more than we would think.  Just as you hair and eyes and skin and even your heart defects were determined by your DNA

In 1980, the Smithsonian magazine ran a story about the Jim Twins.

This pair of twins was separated at birth and raised by different families.  Strangely enough, they were both named Jim.  But that is only the beginning.  After meeting at the age of 39, they discovered that both had childhood dogs named Toy.  Both had been nail biters and fretful sleepers.  Both had migraines.  Both had married first wives names Linda, second wives named Betty.  They both named their first son James Allen.  For years, they both had taken vacations on the same Florida beach.  Without being aware of the other’s existence, both drank the same beer, smoked the same brand of cigarette, loved stock car racing, and disliked baseball.  They both left regular love notes to their wives, made doll furniture in their basements, and had added circular white benches around the trees in their backyards.  Their IQs, habits, facial expressions, brain waves, heartbeats, and handwriting were nearly identical.  The Jim twins lived apart but died on the same day, from the same illness.

How’s that for spooky?  The lesson is, our DNA has a tremendous influence on who we are.  Our spiritual DNA, being born part of God’s family makes us who we are.  It shapes who we are and influences who we will become.  The song says, “God has sealed you.”  Remember that.  God has sealed you- In Baptism God places his DNA inside of you; inside of each of us.  That DNA identifies us as children of God and joint heirs with Christ.  In a spiritual sense, we are each identical twins with Jesus.  Alex, your spiritual DNA has been set.  Your spiritual identity has been sealed.  God sealed you with the DNA of his son and our savior Jesus the Christ.  Now it is your families’ job- both you biological family and your church family. . .   It is your families’ job to help you grow up to live, and love, and look like Jesus.

The second verse of the song says “Fresh from God refresh our spirits, into joy and laughter lead.”  Let me tell you a secret, ALEX.  Your baptismal DNA is not sad and sober.  It is not serious and somber.  It is not dull.  This is a place - this family of God is a place to love and laugh; it is a place to experience joyfulness and happiness and peace.  Today, you have no worries (well, except your bottle and your diaper) but basically you have no worries.  I pray that you will stay that way. 

Frankly, there are a lot of Christians walking around looking like they are always wearing a messy diaper.  Some even smell like it.  Don’t let them fool you.  They are not like that, because they are Christian.

There are a lot of reasons people loose joy and laughter.  But God is not one of them.  God is the creator of Joy, the inventor of laughter.  God enjoys a good belly laugh.  Why else would he make blob-fish and hairless cats? 

Alex, the Bible says, “Rejoice in the lord Always, and again I say rejoice-“that is the way to live.  Whatever life may bring you.  God fills us with joy, may that joy come bubbling out of every poor and orifice in your body- today and always.

In the third verse, the song we sing, “Back to God we humbly give you, Live as one who bears Christ’s name.”  You already have three names- Alexander- Nicholas- and Mohlis.  Historically we call the first name, Alexander, your Christian name.  At one time people didn’t officially get their first name until they were baptized.  Alexander Nicholas is a fine name, but when I baptized you, I gave you a third name.  One that does not appear on your birth certificate.  One that won’t appear on your driver’s license.  However, it is important.

 The name I gave you is the name that is above all names.  When I baptized you, I baptized you in the name of . . .  everybody together <<ßfather son and Holy Spirit ->>>. 

That new name is one that you bear all your life.  Some people are named after parents, or grandparents, or uncles or respected friends.  When we are baptized, we are named after Christ.  You are named after Jesus Christ himself. 

Bishop Palmer used to say that his mother always had the same thing to say to him when he left the house.  Gregory, remember who you are.  She meant remember you are a Palmer and don’t embarrass the name.  Today I want to say Alex- in all you do remember who you are.  Wherever you go remember who you are- in every decision you make, in every word you say, every action you make or don’t make you are reflecting the one after which you were named. 

I frequently hear stories about people who are turned off Christianity because of the behavior of one or two people.  “If that is the way Christians behave I don’t want anything to do with them,” is the attitude.  Or maybe it is an excuse. 

But either way, it serves to remind us that someone is always watching, so live knowing that you have been named after Jesus the Christ and remember who you are.

Finally the song says,”Grow to laugh, and sing and worship, trust and love god more than all.”

You are just tiny now.  Look around at all the big people.  Look how much bigger my hand is than yours.  You will grow. 

I am interested when I have occasionally seen people hang tomato plants upside-down.  It amazes me that they grow, but what is really interesting is to see the stems twisting and turning up to face the sun.  That is the way they are made- whether they are right side up or upside down they seek to face the sun for maximum light.

That is the way you are made too.  Sometimes we get upside down in our lives.  Our thinking, our behavior, our decisions, our character, our values just get upside-down.  Always remember, you were not made for that.  None of us are.

They used to say, if people were meant to fly God would have given them wings.  Today I tell you- if you were meant to live without God, you would be all powerful and all knowing.  You are not.  You might think you are.  Sometimes we all make the mistake of thinking that we are God.  But I am not and neither are you.

You are made to stand on your feet with your hands and face raised up to the one who made you, the one who keeps you, and the one who will guide you forever.  “Trust and Love God more than all.”

Alexander Nicholas, you are a child of Blessing, you are a child of promise.  Your baptism means that you are a child of God, along with each and every baptized person here, in all places and in all times.  Bless you and thank you for blessing us with your presence today.

AMEN

"Quiet God Working" RUMC sermon 7/24

 “Seeing God’s vision”

RUMC 7/24/11

Life just is not fair… who ever promised that it would be?

But don’t worry.  “All things work together for good to them that love God.”

•A little baby is born with no brain, only a brain stem. The doctors tell the parents that she has no chance of surviving. Somehow she stays alive for sixteen months. The parents struggle to take care of her. When she gets sick, the doctors tell the parents “Don’t bring her to the hospital. There is nothing we can do for her.”

Someone said, don’t worry.  “All things work together for good to them that love God.”

•A young youth went with his church youth group on a Saturday outing. That night he came down with a fever. The next morning he had trouble breathing and his mother called the doctor. By the time the ambulance got there, he has stopped breathing. The doctor did everything he can but the boy was dead on arrival. He died from a strange bacterial infection.

Someone said, don’t worry.  “All things work together for good to them that love God.”

•A man felt the call of God to go into the ministry. He left his good job and moved to a distant city to enter seminary. His wife took a job to help him make it through. He was in his last year.  Soon he would take a church and become the pastor God had called him to be. But one day his wife came in to announce, “I’m leaving you. I don’t want to be a pastor’s wife.” She walked out and never came back.

Someone said, don’t worry.  “All things work together for good to them that love God.”

• One day a policeman stopped a man known to be a drug dealer. It happened on a busy downtown street and a crowd gathered to watch the unfolding drama. There was a struggle and somehow the drug dealer grabbed the officer’s gun. Someone in the crowd yells, “Shoot him, man.” And he did, at point-blank range, in the face. The officer was in his early twenties.

Someone said, don’t worry.  “All things work together for good to them that love God.”

We have all heard it; most of us have said it. 

In the face of tragedy- in the times when we are dealt the cruelest blows, in the times when we hurt the most and understand the least, someone inevitably says “All things work together for good to them that love God.”

Most people hear this in one of two ways.

1.       Some feel discounted.  Like their sufferings are not important- it will all work out.    

2.      Others feel condemned- they hear “If you loved God,” as the verse says, all this would have turned out differently.  In other words, it is their fault.

Even though people who say this are always well intentioned, I have to wonder if we could be any crueler.  To tell a suffering parent that their suffering is not important?  A grieving parent that if they or their son had loved God more their son would still be alive. To tell the seminary student that being abandoned by his wife is not all that important to tell the police man’s family that if he had loved God more, it would have worked out better. . .  I can hardly think of many things crueler than minimizing or blaming the victim.

This great verse that in what I think might be the greatest chapter in the bible can be the softest most comforting pillow in times of trial.  I am afraid that the way it has sometimes been used and interpreted can also be the hardest kick in the stomach we’ve ever had.

I don’t have to tell you that this is one of the most beloved passages in Scripture. We are certainly not going to abandon it.  So let us examine it in a better light and see what treasures it holds.

FIRST: Compare two translations of this beloved passage.

The King James Version on your left is the one that is usually cited.   “All things work together.”   Where is God in that translation?  At the very end. Now there is nothing wrong with that translation.  When you translate from one language to another, there are often choices to be made about word order and grammar.  For technical reasons having to do with Greek grammar, Theon - or God can be placed in a couple of different places in the sentence.

I notice, however that in the Greek the word Theon is the 7^th word out of 17.  It is much closer to the beginning of the sentence than it is to the end.   I also think that in this context Paul is placing the emphasis on God and Spirit, as opposed to the trials of the world.  Just 10 verses earlier Paul wrote “I consider the sufferings of the present age are nothing compared to the glory to come.”

I think the New International version on your right does that a little better than the King James or the New Revised standard that we usually read in worship.  It says “And we know that in all things God works. . .   IN ALL THINGS GOD.

In all things God.  Not in some things, not in most things.  Not just in the good things.  Not just in bad things.  In all things. All things good and bad; bright and dark; sweet and bitter; easy and hard; happy and sad; prosperity and poverty; health and sickness; calm and storm; comfort and suffering; life and death.” (McGee, J V)  God is in all things.  The truth is, rather than being at the beginning or the end of the sentence, the message of this chapter is that God is at the beginning AND the end AND the middle AND everywhere else.  IN ALL THINGS GOD.

In the 139^th Psalm we read this same truth

Where can I go from your Spirit? 
   Where can I flee from your presence? 
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there; 
   if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 

IN ALL THINGS GOD.

And Paul continues in the 8th chapter to reiterate this same truth IN ALL THINGS GOD.

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There is nothing that can separate us from Christ because Christ is in all things.  There is nothing beyond God’s reach, there is nothing beyond God’s care, and there is nothing beyond God’s love.

IN ALL THINGS GOD.  That is the first thing we need to hear in this passage. IN ALL THINGS GOD.  If that was all we said or heard wouldn’t that be enough?  IN ALL THINGS GOD. 

But let’s keep going. . .

IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD.

Notice God works for the good.  Paul does not say that everything is good.  He does not say that everything will be OK.  He does not promise that we won’t have bad times.

Where is the good then in the death of that baby I told you about?

Where is the good in the death of the youth, the police officer or the breakup of the marriage?

Where is the good in Grant Schellhorn’s struggles, or anyone else struggling with cancer? 

Where is the good is the tragedy of war- the calamity of natural disaster the heartbreak of an embattled and broken family- the suffering of a long sickness?

Here we come to an interesting theological question.  Is God the chess player, moving this piece, and that piece, strategizing and setting us up for failure or success?  Many people think of God micromanaging every event of every day.  That’s where we get in trouble with this passage. Our vision is too small.    Our vision of God’s vision is too small.  For Paul and for me, God is not the chess player that manipulates us like pawns.  NO. . . God is not just the player.  Make your vision bigger.  Bigger than the player, bigger than the board, bigger than anything you can imagine--- Because is the owner of the chessboard, all the pieces, the table on which the board sits, the chairs on which the players sit and the players themselves.  God is master of each of our chess boards, master of all of creation, master of the galaxy, and master of all the universe.  God is not the micromanager that causes good and bad.  God is the God of creation that makes everything out of nothing, brings, light out of darkness, and life out of death.

The word Paul uses that we translate “works”-  as in all things God “works” is a compound word made up of the Greek word for “with” and the Greek word for “work.” I think the best word is that in all things ---in all things God synergizes. In other words works with.  Brings his goodness to work with all the circumstances of our lives.  It In other words Paul is not saying God makes everything good, but God works with the circumstances of our lives-  good or bad, caused by us or caused by others, manmade or natural, God works with all those circumstances seeking to bring about God ultimate goodness.

He does not say everything will be OK, it isn’t always true.

He doesn’t say bad things won’t happen, or happen again, that isn’t true.

He doesn’t say that God gives us these things in order to turn them around; that would just be cruel.

He doesn’t say that God will fix our problems, or rescue us from our problems, but that God will work with the circumstances; work with us to try to bring about ultimate goodness of God’s vision for us, our lives and the world.

IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD.

Remember, that good is not necessarily short term.  Remember God is eternal, God is forever, God is ultimately good even if we don’t see the good today, tomorrow, this year, or in 20 years doesn’t mean that God is not working for good.

  The kingdom of God is like a cake.  Cakes don’t just appear on the counter beautiful, frosted and ready to eat.  They take time, starting with the growing of the ingredients, the measuring and mixing and baking and frosting.  No one looks at the eggs and says “mmm” good cake.  No one licks the measuring cup after the oil is poured out.  It takes time and all of the ingredients working together with the baker and the heat of the oven in order for the goodness of the cake to become evident.  The same is true for God’s kingdom.  What happens today, or tomorrow.  The tragedies of this week or the chaos of any of our individual lives may not be good.  But God works with all those ingredients, and his son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in order to reach ultimate and eternal, divine good.  

Is Paul saying, "Whatever happens is good?" No.

Is he saying that suffering and evil and tragedy are good? No.

Is he saying everything will work out if we just have enough faith? No.

Is he saying that we will be able to understand why God allowed tragedy to come? No.

What, then, is he saying? Paul is erecting a sign over the unexplainable mysteries of life— a sign which reads "Quiet. God working”

How? We're not always sure. To what end? We are not always sure, but we know that God is seeking good, and not evil. That's what Romans 8:28 is saying...

Quiet. God working

It’s not fair we cry- as our call to worship said- we cry because we don’t get what we want, we cry because we don’t get what we think we need.  We cry because we don’t get what other people get.  It’s not fair!! We cry.

We weep It’s not fair. Because young people die in war. 

We weep It is not fair. Because good people die young. 

We grumble it’s not fair. Because God’s ways are not our ways. 

We ask where was God when I needed him?

Where was God when I felt so alone?

Where was God when I didn’t know where to turn?

Where was God when the doctors ran out of treatments?

Where was God when that child was being abused and assaulted?

Where was God when spouse was sneaking around behind my back and stashing away money preparing to leave me?

Where was God… it isn’t fair!!!

Ray Pritchard tells the story of a father whose son was killed in a terrible accident. He came to his pastor and in great anger said, "Where was God when my son died?"

The pastor thought for a moment and said, "The same place he was when his Son died."

That's the final piece of the puzzle. God knows what we are going through for God, too, has been there. He watched his own Son die.  God has watched his children kill one another.  God has watched his creation ignore his teachings.  God has been rejected and denied and forgotten and blasphemed, and mocked, and cursed.  Do you hear God crying it’s not fair?

NO- God says” in all things . . . in all things. . . . In all things I work for Good for those who love me.”

Through thick and thin and sin-- “in all things I work for Good for those who love me.”

Through good and sad and bad --- “in all things I work for Good for those who love me.”

Through highs and lows and the lowest of the low-- “in all things I work for Good for those who love me.”

When you see me and when you don’t… when you understand and when you won’t… ”in all things I work for Good for those who love me.”

“In all things I work for Good …for good for you.   And you.  And you.  And you.

Quiet-- whatever today or tomorrow may bring, God is working.  God is working here and now for good. 

Reverend Terry Plocher 7/24/2011

The power of the spirit RUMC 7/10/11

The power of the spirit

RUMC 7/10/11

How many of you were here last week?

Do you remember last week we started with you reading nine promises-?

·        I am going on a diet,

·        quit smoking,

·        resist temptation,

·        Not get angry and others? 

I spent the rest of the teaching time pointing out to you that you have no power on your own to fulfill those promises.  No matter how well intentioned you  are, no matter how strong you are, no matter how good you think you are… you have no power to be good in God’s eyes!

Paul said, “The Evil I hate, I do.  And the good I would do, I do not do.”

We know better, but we are no better!

I hope you felt the impossibility, and frustration and the powerlessness this week.  We need to understand that we are literally and completely incapable of doing good or being good under our own power.  Our batteries are dead, our tires are flat, our blocks are cracked, and we are out of gas in the wilderness of sin.  We are completely and hopelessly powerless to overcome sin on our own.

Now, how many of you read the upper room?

Did you see the story about the little boy who was playing in the yard and trying to cross the briar patch?  It made me think of the sand burrs that grew in our yard in Muscatine.

 (Slide)  He writes, One day, I attempted to cross one of the briar patches.  I tiptoed and hopped around, trying to avoid the thorns and thistles.  After a few moments, I realized that I had made it only to the middle of the briar patch.  My tender toes and I were surrounded.  I felt trapped and afraid.
When I read that this week, I thought, “That’s exactly what I was talking about in the sermon!  Stuck in the middle of the painful thorniness of sin, trapped and afraid!”  The devotion continued,
Then I did the only thing I knew to do.  I cried out, "Daddy!”  Soon, I saw my father running through the backyard toward me.  He picked me up and set my feet back on the soft grass.

We find ourselves today standing in the middle of the briar patch, or sand bur patch, or poison ivy, or if you’re Indiana Jones a snake pit.  There we stand anxiously with no ability, no strength, no hope--- except to cry out, “Daddy help me."

That’s where Paul comes in today in this 8^th chapter of Romans He starts out saying, don’t worry- “There is no condemnation.”  

Actually, it is stronger than that.  The Greek sentence starts out with the word NO! 

NO, don’t worry.

 NO, don’t be afraid.

NO, don’t give up.

NO, don’t give in.

NO there is no condemnation.  Don’t worry; God in Jesus Christ will pluck you right out the middle of that briar patch.  Don’t worry God is in the business of saving people who have gotten themselves in trouble.  “There is no condemnation” because   (click slide) the cross of Christ is the answer to the thorny problem of sin

Does he say there is NO sin?  NO

Does he say there is NO guilt?  NO

Does he say there is NO hurt?  NO

Does he say there is NO accusation?  NO 

Does he say there is NOthing that deserves condemnation NO!  because there is sin and sin deserves to be condemned. 

But that is an important distinction. . .  Paul says Jesus condemned sin in sinful man- but for us there is no condemnation!  For us there is no condemnation because Jesus came to set us free from sin and free from condemnation.

Sounds good, but how long do we have to wait?  I don’t know about you but I have kind of tender feet.  The thistles hurt my feet- the guilt is eating away at me.  I’m not sure I can stand in sin much longer.  Paul answers that too.  In the same sentence he says’ “There is therefore, (CLICK slide) NOW, no there is condemnation.”

Do we have to wait until we are perfect?  NO.

Do we have to wait until we are able to manage our sinful behaviors?  NO

Do we have to wait until we die and go to heaven?  NO

Salvation and new life are ours NOW.  There is therefore, NOW, no condemnation, no punishment, no need to die in sin.  No need to be locked into the power of sin.  No need at all.  Because there is, NOW no condemnation and that is a victory over sin.  That is a great victory over the terrible imprisoning power of sin in our lives.

Finally, there is one more thing in this sentence that we need to unpack.  “There is therefore, (CLICK slide) now… no condemnation . . . .  NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS.

·        Being delivered from the power of sin—being picked up out of that briar patch of sin and guilt and hate and fear is a great thing. 

·        Being delivered from the power of sin NOW—being picked up out of that briar patch of sin and guilt and hate and fear NOW is even better. 

But what do we have to do.  Nothing of ourselves.  It comes to those who are in Christ Jesus.

It comes to those who are “In Christ Jesus”

So what does it mean to be “in Christ Jesus?”  After saying in Christ Jesus once, Paul starts describing it as “living in the spirit.”  There is disagreement as to whether these are the same thing.  In this passage, I think Paul is using them synonymously.

Paul’s description of “life in the spirit” sounds pretty complicated.  Actually, the sentence structure is complicated- but the truth is very simple.

Look at it this way.  (CLICK slide)  There was a time when people believed that the earth stood still and all the universe revolved around the earth including the sun and the moon.  This geo-centric view of the universe is akin to living by the flesh.  .(CLICK slide)  To make it simple it is having a world view that makes you and your body the center of the universe and the rest of us are merely here to serve or entertain you.  We all know people like that. 

To be in Christ, however, is to have an entirely different worldview.  Just as Copernicus (and Galileo after him) straightened out the scientific community, taking the earth out of the center of the universe, Christ straightens us out teaching that we are not the center of creation. 

Strangely enough, the law places sinful human beings at the center of creation.  It depends on the goodness of sinners, the ability of the powerless.  That’s a little like putting the fox in charge of the hen house.

 (CLICK slide)  To live in Christ is to get ourselves out of the center of the universe and put Christ there.  It is a transformation of our worldview.  It is a conversion from me-centered living to Christ centered living. 

·        Instead of living for you, you live for Christ. 

·        Instead of satisfying you, you aim to satisfy Jesus.

·        Instead of putting your needs first, you first ask, what would Jesus have me do?

·        Instead of working for yourself- you work for Jesus.

·        Instead of loving the best you can, you love with the love of Jesus.

·        It’s just not about you- it’s not about you at all- it’s all about Jesus.

·        Get it- Everything revolves not around your petty needs, but around the kingdom of God.

To be in the flesh is to depend on the flesh

To be in Christ is to depend on the invisible love of God that became visible in Jesus Christ.  To be in Christ is to depend on the undefinable grace of God that was defined by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

 To be in Christ is to have faith in the unknowable depths of God’s heart that was made knowable by the depths to which God was willing to go on the cross.

To be in Christ is to place our lives in the hands of the one who is life itself. 

To be in Christ means not just to claim him, or believe in him, but also to live for him and walk every step of our lives with him. 

(Slide) And when we live in Christ- Live for Christ- Walk with Christ --- There is NOW  NO CONDEMNATION  ---  NOT ONLY IS THERE NO CONDEMNATION, but 

·        Where there was condemnation is grace.

·        where there was powerlessness- there is now Christ’s power

·        where there was sin- there is righteousness-- and

·        Where there were thorns, there is now grace.

·        And where there was death there is life. 

There is therefore, now no condemnation for those who walk with Jesus.

There is therefore, now no condemnation for those whose path is the path that Jesus walked.

There is therefore, now no condemnation for those who want more than anything to have a closer walk with Christ.

Let us walk together- toward Christ- with Christ – in Christ.