Change the World#4

Change the World#4

Witness

RUMC 4/28

 

Put yourself in this man's place. In 1949 John Currier was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Later he was transferred to work on a farm near Nashville, Tennessee.

In 1968, (That's 19 years later) a new witness came forward and Currier's conviction was overturned. A letter bearing the good news was written, but was dropped behind a desk. No one in the department of corrections knew about the decision. John never saw the letter, nor was he told anything about it.

Ten years went by. Then a state parole officer learned about Currier's plight, and visited him, to tell him that a judge overturned his conviction. He was a free man.[1]

Did you put yourself in John's place? Now, let me ask you a question. How would you feel if someone sent you an important message -- the most important in your life -- and year after year, the urgent message was never delivered? How would you feel? Angry? Cheated? Deceived?

 

This sermon is not about the inefficiency of the government or mistakes at the postal service.

I am talking about the ineffectiveness of 98% of today's Christians. Most Christians tuck the most important message in the world away where no one can find it.[2]

I said 98% of Christians are ineffective in their witness for Christ because they almost never get around to delivering the message. That's what studies tell us. Maybe we are the exception, but I am not so sure.

Studies tell us that many people feel angry, cheated, and deceived by the church. Is it any wonder when we have the most important message anyone could ever receive, and act as though it is the world's biggest secret? Maybe the two are not connected. But what if they are?

Jesus was very clear with the disciples about their most important job. After the crucifixion and the resurrection, Jesus met the disciples in Galilee and announced, "All authority in earth and in heaven has been given to me."

Now, he could have said, "therefore I want you to go out and heal, build hospitals and invent robot surgery." He didn't.

Jesus could have said, "I have all the authority in the universe, so go out and feed hungry people, develop more efficient hybrids and eradicate hunger." He didn't.

Jesus could have said, "I have all authority in the universe, so go out and build great buildings to my name. Use them to worship, and invent pew cushions so I can be worshipped in comfort." He didn't.

Jesus could have said, "I have all the authority in the universe so go out and hold committee meetings. Establish boards and councils and hire consultants." He didn't.

What did Jesus say? "Go therefore and make disciples." Since you don't invent Christians, he said "Go therefore and tell somebody. Spread the word."

 

Here is an example of how the theology and liturgy of the church is alive. Today you will see Karlee will take her membership vow: Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service… and what is the new vow that was added 5 years ago now? WITNESS.

It didn't used to be there, until someone said, "You know what? We're missing something important here." They convinced General Conference that they were right. I believe they were. The problem is that changing one word in the hymnal does not change our behavior.

It is still true that the average United Methodist invites someone to church every 38 years.

Did you hear me right? Yes. Every 38 years And since that is an average we know there are a few on one end who regularly invite folks to church. There are, however an equal number of folks on the other end, who have never invited anyone to church. "Go ye therefore and fail to deliver the message."

I guess I should be clear that I do not equate an invitation to church and an invitation to accept Jesus as a personal lord and savior. Frankly, I'll take either one. For many people, it is easier to invite someone to church than it is to invite them to know Jesus. And that's OK. You get them here and I'll help you talk to them about Jesus. The point is, Jesus commanded us to invite. Our membership vows ask us to invite. For way too many people, however, witnessing, (which is just a fancy word for inviting) is just a message lost behind a desk.

 

Let's go back to that word "witness." What is a "witness?" Think about someone who is a witness at a trial. What are they doing? They are telling what they saw. Think about someone who witnesses a marriage or other legal act. What are they doing? They are saying, "If you need me I will tell what I saw." That is what I am asking you to do. Just tell your friends what you see God is doing in your life. Tell your friend what you see God doing in the church.

 

 I am not asking you to do anything hard. I am not asking you to stand on a street corner, or go door to door, or start a new church, or even meet a stranger very often. 

 I am asking you; first, do you have any friends? I am not talking about facebook friends, but they could be facebook friends. I am not asking about close confidants, though they could be. When I ask if you have any friends I am asking if you have people to whom you talk. They might be family members, they might be neighbors, they might be coworkers, they might be old school buddies. Do you have people to whom you talk?

·         Studies say the average American can say they know about 600 people.

·         In reality, we can only name about 150.

·         Let's give ourselves a break, for the sake of argument, and cut that number is half. We'll start with 75 people to whom we could talk: family, neighbors, friends, coworkers, members of clubs and teams and more…

·         Statistically, 32 of the 75 say they go to church regularly. Leaving 43 who do not go to church to whom you could talk.[3]

·         Of those 43 people, research tells us that 82% of the unchurched say they would be somewhat likely to attend church if someone invited them.[4]

·         That's 34 people

o    to whom you could talk

o   who don't go to church,

o   Who, if asked, would be likely to come to church.

 

Step 2… Do it. I don't mean make a list and systematically talk to each and every one of the 34 non-churched people, to whom you could talk, who would likely come to church if invited.

What I do mean is talk to someone. Nothing risky, just talk about family, and work, and even politics. Find connections. Develop the relationship. Get to know them. Not for any purpose, but just because they are one of God's children and both of your lives will be richer if you are in relationship. Connect with them as

·         one father or mother to another,

·         One golfer to another.

·         One volunteer to another.

When you are talking about family, and work, and politics; don't forget you can talk about faith too. Obviously, your faith is important to you, or you wouldn't be here. So don't be afraid to talk about faith, and church, and Jesus. If you are comfortable, your friends will be too. You'll know when it is right. Actually, it takes your conversation and your relationship to a new depth.

I am just asking you to take Jesus outside of the church. Jesus met unbelievers wherever they were. According to one count,

·         Jesus talked to 132 people in the gospels.

·         Six were in the Temple,

·         four in the synagogues and

·         122 were out with the people in the mainstream of life. In other words, 92% of Jesus' relationships happened outside the doors of the church. [5]

Therefore, I am just asking you to talk to your friends. You don't have to preach, or teach, or convert them, or argue with them, or know everything. You just have to be a friend who is honest enough to … what's the word… witness. Tell what you have seen and experienced with Jesus in your life.

We used to talk about techniques and methods and processes for witnessing… phooey on that. Just be a friend. Be a witness to God's love, and let God steer things from there.

 

It's really that simple. Sure there are opportunities such as new neighbors, when someone has a baby, experiences a death, changes communities, or jobs or experiences other life changes … those are natural times to ask, "do you go to church?" By all means, do that. Those are great opportunities. Fundamentally, however, I am asking you to be a friend. A friend who is not so selfish that you keep the best news in the world to yourself.

 

And you know what? Sharing your faith with an unchurched friend does something else. Just might change the world for that friend. Jesus has a way of doing that. Just hearing about Jesus has a way of changing our world. Exploring the breadth and depth of God's love in our lives changes everything.

Think about it… If the world changes for just one of your friends, they just may witness to one of their 34 people. Just suppose, Jesus changes their world, and they witness to someone. And they witness to someone. Pretty soon, there is a wave of life changing, church changing, community changing, world changing sweeping across the globe. But not to get ahead of ourselves. We'll say across Reinbeck.

 

It is great to confirm you Karlee, in a way I wrote this message for you, because you missed the class in which we talked about our witness. In a bigger way, I wrote it for you and all the rest of your fellow members. Today, we will all renew our vow to support the church of Jesus with our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness.

 

·         Speak up people. In the midst of a generation screaming for answers, Christians are stuttering.[6]

·          In the midst of a world aching for healing, Christians are withholding care.

·         In the midst of a world starving for hope, Christians are hoarding hope.

·         In the midst of a world desperately in need of a savior, we are keeping Jesus to ourselves.

·          In the midst of a world frantically searching for something better, we are keeping the one who makes all things new locked up inside our church. Open the doors and take your faith in Christ out to change the world.

Now, you have heard four sermons on changing the world.

·         Change the world with LOVE

·         Change the world with SERVICE

·         Change the world with JUSTICE

·         Change the world with WITNESS

In the next two weeks we will talk about change the world with generosity and change the world with prayer.

But I have some news for you… It is time to get up off or pews and start changing the world. The world will never change because I preach about it. I twill only change when we do it.

May 18-19^th is called change the world weekend. But our world needs a lot more than a weekend of changing. So I am declaring May change the world month.

I am sending you out to find a way to change the world each week for the next month.

 

• You might change the world by loving someone radically,
• you might change the world by serving someone or an organization or community,
• You might change the world by standing up for a cause in which you believe by writing a letter to your congressman.
• You might change the world by inviting someone to church, telling a friend about Jesus, or beginning to intentionally develop a relationship with an unchurched person.
• You might change the world by praying your brains out.
• You might change the world by giving sacrificially. I don't care how you do it. I just want you to go change the world.

Then I want to know what you did each week. You can record it on the forms I will have here next week. You will also find the form on the website, and in upcoming emails. Just let me know somehow… I will share that complete list with you in order to give you ideas and celebrate the many ways you find to change the world.

Do you remember "Be the church Sunday"… this is like that… be the church … change the world month. So GO be the church. Lead by God, saved through Jesus Christ and empowered by the great spirit of holiness. AMEN

---

[1] George Sweeting, in his book The No-Guilt Guide for Witnessing

[2] Bill Bright, president of Campus Crusade for Christ, quoted in Why Christians Sin, J.K. Johnston, Discovery House, 1992, p. 140.

 

^[3]-  Dr Thom Rainer, The Unchurched Next Door

[4] – Dr. Thom Rainer, The Unchurched Next Door

 

[5] J.K. Johnston, Why Christians Sin, Discovery House, 1992, p. 142.

 

[6] Howard Hendricks.

 

Change the world #3

Change the world #3

Reinbeck UMC

4/21/13

I have some disturbing news that I must share with you this morning.

This week a sheriff named "Mic Ah" made his way back to the church office, asked for me and handed me these papers. Apparently, the church is being sued.

Let me read the charges directly from the text

GRUNDY COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

GRUNDY COUNTY IOWA

CIVIL DIVISION

	DEFENDENTS: REINBECK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH MEMBERS AND CONSTITUENTS COLLECTIVELY AND INDIVIDUALLY PLAINTIF: GOD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mountains, hear God's case;
 listen, Jury Earth—
For I am bringing charges against my people.
 I am building a case against Israel.

^3-5 "Dear people, how have I done you wrong?
 Have I burdened you, worn you out? Answer!
I delivered you from a bad life in Egypt;
 I paid a good price to get you out of slavery.
I sent Moses to lead you—
 and Aaron and Miriam to boot!
.. Keep all God's salvation stories fresh and present.[1]

 

Fortunately, the lawsuit is long ago forgotten by the courts because it was filed 8,000 years ago. UNfortunately, God's charges are still accurate. Maybe not all of us, but many of us have forgotten God's salvation stories. We have forgotten all that God did, and does, in our lives.

We have forgotten that God's concern is not JUST that we make it to church and Sunday School on Sunday morning or Wednesday night. God's concern is not JUST whether we participate in a Bible Study. God's concern is not JUST that we are giving 10% of our income into the offering plate. God's concern is not JUST that we know all the right places to sit and stand during the worship service. God's concern is not JUST that we sing loudly and pray eloquently. God is not complaining about that. God is suing us because we have not been world-changers.

Our defense is along these lines. "What was I supposed to do. What you do want from me? Should I bring an armload of offerings topped off with yearling calves? Would God be impressed with thousands of rams, with buckets and barrels of olive oil? Would he be moved if I sacrificed my firstborn child, my precious baby, to cancel my sin?"[2]

In other words, should we sing more songs? Take more offerings? Have communion more often? Maybe we aren't singing the right songs, or maybe we aren't singing them loud enough. Tell us, what do we have to do to get God off our backs?

Do you want to know? Do you want to know how to get the lawsuit dismissed? It is simple, friends, what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.^[3]

        What God is saying here, is that I brought you out of Egypt- I brought you out of oppression- I brought you out of slavery to sin and death to change the world, and you spend your time rearranging the pew cushions on the country club, which you call the church. God is saying true faithfulness is not contained in the church. True faithfulness is not restricted to one day a week. To be truly faithful we must become a church without walls 24x7.

        In the last 2 weeks, I have talked about changing the world with radical love and service. This week Amos says change the world by doing justice, and loving mercy. "Loving mercy" kind of overlaps with the love and service, so I am going to focus on DO JUSTICE today.

 

DO JUSTICE--

When is the last time you stood up for something important? I don't mean supporting your team. I don't mean backing up a friend or family member, even though that could be a justice issue. I am talking about taking the risk of speaking out when you see the strong taking advantage of the weak. I am talking about standing up to be counted when it would be easier and more popular to remain seated with the crowd and watch the trampling of the poor, the condemnation of the innocent, the slander of those who are different, or the silencing of the powerless.

Every single one of us should have a just cause bigger than ourselves for which we would be willing to sacrifice and perhaps even die.

I'm not about to tell you what your cause should be. Robyn does a great job of lifting up justice issues before us, one of her favorite being religious persecution and her work with Voice of the Martyrs. One of mine is mental health advocacy.

Perhaps you have a heart for education, or welfare reform, or gun control, or stopping gun control. Perhaps you have a heart for advocating for adolescents, or at risk children, or single mothers, or abortion rights, or abortion prevention. Perhaps you have a heart for immigrants, or the elderly, or, minimum wage workers.

You name any situation where the weak are being abused, ignored, or victimized and you have a justice issue. If you can't think of any, here are a thousand pages of justice issues and the church's suggested position on each one that we publish every 4 years.

The catch is that you have to do more than just pick one… you must "DO JUSTICE." Micah doesn't say be interested in justice he says DO JUSTICE. Act on it. Be counted… stand up… protest… write letters... make donations…volunteer…take a mission trip… vote accordingly… be a voice for those who have no voice. That is DOING JUSTICE.

 

Justice is also closer to home... It might be far away, but it is also something we do in our daily lives. God says ACT JUSTLY.

How about the waitress, who doesn't provide tiptop service... are you like me and ding her on the tip? Or are you the bigger person who wonders how the preceding customer treated her, what is happening in her family, or why her day got off to a bad start, and responds by leaving a bigger than usual tip with a note of encouragement saying "I'll be praying that you have a better day tomorrow."

Are you one who gossips about the single mother who is having a hard time, or are you one who comes along beside her and offers to baby sit or gives her a gas card, or buys her something pretty because she deserves it?

Are you one who says I don't want "those people" next door, whoever "those people" might be for you… immigrants, homosexuals, noisy college students, democrats, republicans or any other "those people." Alternatively, are you one who says, "Who is my neighbor?" They are, so I will do justice and love mercy.

Are you one who says, "If the cashier was dumb enough to give me change for a 20 instead of change for a ten that is her or his problem?" Alternatively, are you the kind of person who will make a special trip back to the store to right the wrong even if the mistake was to your advantage?

Are you one who says I don't care whether coffee growers in Columbia are paid a fair price for their product as long as I get a good cup of coffee? Alternatively, are you one who will look for fair trade coffee to assure fair working conditions, fair purchase contracts, and a living wage to hardworking farmers who happen to live in Columbia rather than being lucky enough to live in Grundy county Iowa?

 

DOING JUSTICE it is the big issues like human trafficking, health care … AND it is the small things like treating our neighbors with respect, and being aware of how the little guy is being treated.

Big issues or small issues, Justice is a big deal. God's call to justice comes from God's very nature. God created all things, including the line between right and wrong. As much as our culture would like to say that there is no such line, there is. God always hates sin. God always abhors our wrong choices; especially (however)… God especially hates sin that harms the oppressed, the poor, the powerless, the outcast, and the stranger. What did Jesus say he came to do?

Proclaim good news to the poor.
To proclaim freedom for the prisoners
 and recovery of sight for the blind,
 and to set the oppressed free,

That is what God expects of us too.

 

God brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to change the world.

God brings us out of slavery to sin and death in order to change the world.

We have talked about changing the world by our Radical love. Love, however, that is kept inside the walls of the church, or our home, or our community is a pretty small love.

We have talked about changing the world by becoming servants. Service, however, that is kept inside the walls of the church, or our home, or our community is a pretty safe service.

 

God calls us to break out and reach across the road, and down the highway, and over the mountains, and across the oceans of cultural differences and misunderstanding with love, and service and justice. God calls us to reach out beyond 60 minutes, to be 24x7 Christians in love, and service and justice.

God calls us to change the world by standing up for him. No matter where we are and no matter when we have the opportunity. Stand up for love, and service, and justice… and change the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

[1] Micah 6:1-5 (message)

[2] Micah 6:6-7 (message)

[3] Micah 6:8 (NIV)

Change the world #2

Change the world #2

Reinbeck UMC 4/14/2013

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

There must be a thousand ideas that would make the world a better place. There are probably a thousand ways to make each of those changes.

So what do you think… should we start with hunger this morning and tackle war this afternoon?

Or maybe since this is child abuse awareness month, we should start with child abuse this morning and hold off on hunger until this afternoon.

Maybe we split up and half of us take care of inter-religious conflicts and the other half take care of child abuse, then we can hook up to take on world peace this afternoon.

…Come on, if we are going to change the world we have to start somewhere.

Consider this:

·        Would you say that electricity has changed the world? The first electric light was so dim that you had to hold a candle up next to it to see its socket.

·        Would you say that steam engines changed the world? One of the first steamboats took 32 hours to chug its way from New York to Albany, at a speedy 4.6 miles per hour.

·        How about air travel? That was a world-changing event wasn't it. Wilbur and Orville Wright's first airplane flight lasted only 12 seconds.

·        Don't forget automobiles…they have certainly changed the world for every one of us. The first automobiles traveled 2 to 4 miles per hour and spent as much time being repaired as being driven. Carriages would pass them with their passengers shouting, "Get a horse!"[1]

Every world-changing event started with somebody taking one small step. You know the old saying "Every journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."[2]

Let's listen to the conversation between Noah and God in Evan Almighty.[3]

Morgan freeman says, "you want to change the world, son. So do I." Jesus doesn't quite say it in those terms, but how about these words,

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
 because he has anointed me
 to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
 and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

 

To my ears that sounds like, "I'm here to change the world! Ready or not here I come!"

There is no getting around it. Jesus came to change the world.

Jesus came to turn the world and it standards upside down.

Jesus came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

Jesus came to show us what it means to be world-changers.

How did he do that? Simple…

·        He invited friends

·        He loved

·        He challenged injustice

·        He reached out to people no one else wanted to see

·        He accepted the unacceptable

·        He taught about trust and faith

·        He prayed

·        He identified with ordinary people like farmers and shepherds

·        He resisted temptation

·        Encouraged the downcast

·        Empowered the powerless

·        Gathered people into true community

·        Told stories

·        Fed people

·        Learned from everyone he met

·        He forgave

·        He blessed

·        He Condemned abuse

·        And he was willing to die for his beliefs.

That's how Jesus changed the world. Tell me, is there one thing in that list that we could not do? (I intentionally left out saving the world and performing miracles.) No, we are capable of doing all those things. In other words, we are capable of changing the world.

 

So what is stopping us?… in the video clip, Noah tries to convince God that he has other plans. Do you remember how that goes for him?

 In today's scripture lessons the same thing happens

Peter says, "Jesus this doesn't' really fit into my plans here. I have fishing to do."

Jesus says, "When you were younger you used to fasten your own belt and go wherever you wished. But when you grow old… when you grow up in the faith… you will stretch out your hands and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." In other words

In the other scripture for today, Saul says, "Jesus, this doesn't really fit into my plans here I have Christians to persecute." Jesus replies,

And we say, "Jesus, this change the world thing just doesn't' fit into my plans. I have lots of things to do." Jesus laughs in our faces.

As disciples of Jesus our plans just don't matter… we are now part of HIS plan.

If the only thing stopping us from changing the world is following our own plans instead of God's plans; if the only thing stopping us from changing the world is trying to keep control of our own lives instead of letting Jesus have control, Then it is time to put down our pathetic little road map and follow the one who created the road an knows ever twist and turn.

As disciples of Jesus, we are now part of HIS plan. His plan is that we would

·        Invite friends

·        Love

·        Challenge injustice

·        Reach out to people no one else wants to see

·        Accept the unacceptable

·        Teach about trust and faith

·        Pray

·        Identify with ordinary people like farmers and factory workers

·        Resist temptation

·        Encourage the downcast

·        Empower the powerless

·        Gather people into true community

·        Tell stories

·        Feed people

·        Learn from everyone we met

·        Forgive

·        Bless

·        Condemn abuse

·        And be willing to die for our beliefs.

There is nothing so hard about any of that… if… if we can get our own plans… our own egos…our own need to control out of the way.

 

If we get ourselves out of the way, changing the world is easy. 

But where do we begin you ask…

Hollywood calls that one act of random kindness at a time. Do you know what we call that in the church? It is called SERVICE. It is called being a SERVANT!

 

Remember that last week I talked about LOVE. I asked you to love someone. Radically pour your love into them without regard for what you will get in return. How did that go? Did you try it? I hope so, because this week I want you to KEEP DONG THAT, and I want you put skin on that love … GO SERVE SOMEONE.

 

What do I mean? I am going to be concrete because I want you to be concrete. You can love someone without them knowing it. You can't serve someone without them knowing it.

·        Serve someone at home and do a chore than someone else always does. Like guys, you can wash the dishes!

·        Serve a neighbor and do something for them. Without pay, without strings, just do something for them. (make sure it is something that needs to be done) Pick up their sticks, clean out their gutters, offer to baby sit, give them a ride, take them food when they get out of the hospital, give them a Casey's gas card if they are financially stressed. Tell them that you will mow their yard for them this summer… for free.

·        Serve someone else in town who needs something. Give them a ride to church, the grocery store, or the doctor, leave an anonymous envelope of cash taped to their back door. Spend the afternoon visiting at Parkview and Westview. Go visit the Adairs in Traer. Volunteer to read to a child. Listen to a teenager. Carry groceries to the house. Pay for someone else's pizza at Nana Rosa's. Clean up trash in the back schoolyard. There are 1000 things you can do to serve someone right here in town. .

·        Serve the church. Clean something you notice that no one else notices. Help Dian with the newsletters. Visit some of our homebound people. Volunteer to head up the pork burger tent. Volunteer to help a committee with their next project. Pay for a child's summer camp. Teach vacation Bible School, run the computer for worship. Sing a solo. You can think of 1000 more things

·        Serve someone outside our community. Serve meals at a senior meal site, or the Salvation Army. Donate food to a shelter. Serve at the humane society, or a summer camp, or an after school program for low-income kids. Volunteer for Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, or 4-H. Work for the political party of your choice. Volunteer at the hospital, or blood center, or nursing home. Be a foster parent or big brother/sister. You can think of a thousand other ways to serve if you try.

·         Serve someone way outside of our community. Donate to UMCOR's current disaster, or better yet volunteer to help at the next disaster. Go on a mission trip. Sponsor a child. Go on an educational tour of a 3^rd world country. And I'll bet you can come up with even better ideas.

There is no end to the ways you can serve. But, if the world is going to change, we have to put skin on our love and serve somebody.

When Jesus tells peter "Feed my sheep.", he is telling him to take care of my people. Love my people. Serve my people.

That's what I am asking you to do. Feed Jesus' sheep.

Help me conclude the sermon with this litany from that story.

------------------------------------------

L: Jesus said to the People of the Reinbeck United Methodist Church, 'Brothers and sisters, do you love me more than yourself?'

P: 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.'

L: Jesus said to them, 'Feed my lambs.' A second time he said to them, 'Brothers and sisters, do you love me?'

P: 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.'

L: Jesus said to them, 'Serve one another.' He said to him the third time, ''Brothers and sisters, do you love me?'

P: 'Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.'

L: Jesus said to him, 'Serve my people, and change the world." 

---

[1] http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/b/beginning.htm

[2] Chinese proverb

[3] Stars: Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, Universal Pictures,2007   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80x9FmKsyg4

Change the world

Change the world

RUMC

4/7/13

"If Jesus died to change the world, he failed."

That is what the gentleman said when he met retired Bishop NT Wright. Although we don't like to admit it, we can all understand what the man was saying, can't we? Jesus has had 2000 years to change the world.

·        60% of Americans are not in church on any given Sunday[1]

·        Two out of 5 people describe Christians as being hypocritical, judgmental, and phony. [2]

·        Fewer of our children are following in our spiritual footsteps,

·        The hungry still have growling stomachs

·        The lonely still have broken hearts

·        We still have addiction and homelessness.

·        We can't seem to provide adequate treatment for mental illness.

·        And we are still surrounded with hate, violence, and crime.

 Need I continue? I think the gentleman has a fair question… If Jesus came to change the world, it would appear that he has failed.

Bishop Wright doesn't tell us how he responded in the moment, but he writes later, "if there is an answer to this challenge it will not come in words, but in flesh and blood." The world will not be changed by what I say today, what we sing this morning, what you say this week. The world will only be changed by what Bishop Wright calls "words with skin on them, Words that hug you, and play with you, and love you, and rebuke you, and build houses with you, and teach your children in school"^[3]

Do you want the unvarnished version of that?... Here you go…Jesus hasn't failed. We have. (Sorry, but that's the way I see it.)

·        If the world has not changed, it is because we have not carried out his mission to which we have been called.

·         If the world is going to change, it has to start with us: We have to love someone. We have to touch someone. We have to feed someone. We have to risk for someone. We have to challenge the status quo. We have to speak up for the weak. We have to build a house for the homeless. We have to adopt that orphan. We have to invite a friend.

Please understand that I am not discounting the power of God to transform, but God saves each of us and then, just like the disciples, sends us out to change the world. Then Jesus holds us accountable for whether we behave like world changers. "Then He will answer them, "Whatever you did not do for the least of these you did not do for me…Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for Me." [4]

 

Friends Jesus hasn't failed, we have. We have failed to be the troublemakers Jesus needs us to be. That's right. What Jesus needs is some troublemakers. What we need in this church are some troublemakers! What we need in this world is a bunch of troublemakers to stir up the status quo, to afflict the comfortable, and to point us toward the world-changes that will bring us closer to the kingdom of God.

- Troublemakers? You ask. - Yes, Troublemakers I say!

- That's what the enemies of the early church called the Christians at Thessalonica.

- They accused them of "turn(ing) the world upside down" ^[5]or, "cause(ing) trouble all over the world. They were world changers." They were troublemakers because, instead of being content with the status quo, they sought to turn everything upside down and change the world for Jesus. They were troublemakers. They were world changers. They were just doing as Jesus instructed.

They were in good company because Jesus was also considered a troublemaker. He was crucified not so much for blaspheme, or jealousy, but because the leaders of the Jews considered him a troublemaker. They tried to warn him, but he insisted on exciting the people, saying controversial things, healing on the Sabbath, and forgiving sins. He was a troublemaker.

This church and this community needs troublemakers like that.

Therefore, in these coming weeks I am going to put out a call for all of you to be troublemakers and world changers for Jesus.

 

So where do we start?

I kind of feel like I did when we arrived in Haiti. After a 4 ½-hour drive past tent cities, open sewers, burning garbage, and abject poverty. I wondered how we could possibly make any difference at all. I think the solution is the same for us today as it was in Haiti. I finally said, "We can make a difference to this ONE family today. We can make this hour better for this ONE orphan." We start where we are and we make a difference for today and be thankful for the difference we made.

Therefore, we will start by making trouble in our own back yard; in our own church; in our own neighborhoods; and in our own families. We will start today and we will be thankful for even the smallest opportunity to make any kind of change no matter how insignificant. We will be thankful for any opportunity to be world changers and kingdom bringers.

-----------------------------------------

We spent the last 7 weeks seeking to change the world in our hearts and minds. By changing our habits and behaviors, we began to change the world. Do you sense the change? It is not a change I can see from up here. You will only see it in your heart. You probably did not solve all of your problems, break all of your habits, and reach perfection during lent. I know I did not, but I know I made some progress and I hope you did too. We will always need to continue our heart-work and habit-work in order to come continually closer to being the people Jesus wants us to be.

We do not, however, want to get stuck there. That would be like cleaning only one room of your house and letting the others decay into some sort of black hole.

We're not going to do that. It is time for us to get out of our own hearts and heads. It is time for us to get out of that one room on which we have been working… but not too far. We are going to start close to home and close to our hearts. This week I want us be world changers in our own circle of relationships; our family, our friends, co-workers, neighbors and acquaintances.

·        We cannot solve everyone's problems, but we can reconcile with one family member this week. That changes the world for both of us.

·        We cannot be friends with everyone, but we can make one friendship stronger this week. That one simple act changes the world for both of us.

·        We cannot be responsible for the hurtful things people do, but we can offer forgiveness to one person this week. That will change their world.

·        We cannot be all things to all people, but we can help one neighbor today. That will begin to change their world

Do you understand what I am asking you to do?

 

We are going to change the world one relationship at a time, but we do not do it on our own. We have at our disposal the most powerful world-changing force known to God. Listen…

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.[6]

I have seen this passage hanging on the walls of many of your homes, and that's great, unless it just becomes part of the wallpaper. You know, it's there, but you don't really notice it. Let me help you to see how world changing it can be.

 

First, this passage calls us to real love.

Most of what passes for love in our world is one of two kinds of counterfeit love.

·        There is cheap and easy love, which is the warm fuzzy emotion that makes hooking up, cohabitation and easy divorce possible.

·        Or, on the other hand, it is we are bombarded with images of wild, intimate love. TV, movies, commercials, facebook, and your email spam folder are screaming it into your life.

The problem is that both of those "LOVES" are completely selfish. They are all about me: me being loved, me being accepted, me being satisfied. At best, they are a business transaction. As long as both parties profit from the relationship it is good. When one party no longer "profits" it is over. 

Real love, however, is radically focused on the other person. Paul writes, love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way. In short, it isn't about you!!

Love is always putting the other person first. How much would it change your relationships if you were to just love others… without concern for what you get out of it, without concern for fairness, without concern for yourself? Not with envy, or boastfulness, or arrogance, or rudeness- not at all for yourself? How world-changing would it be if you were to take one of your hardest relationships and just pour yourself out for that person? Not regarding what you can get out of it, but only what you can put into it.

One proviso- This does not apply to abusive relationships. Those relationships are sick and need other kinds of intervention. 

I can already hear someone saying … Pastor, So and so, should hear this. They are so stuck on themselves. If only they could love me the way I deserve to be loved….wrong! It isn't about you. You can't control them… when you are together; you treat them as though they are the most important person in the world because in the eyes of love they are.

·        There is no "so that they will."

·        There is no "then they will."

·        There is no "I wish they would." That turns it all back to being about you.

You want to really make some trouble this week, choose one person, and love them without qualification or reservation.

·        People will wonder what you are up to, but that's good. If they notice, you are probably doing something right. If they get suspicious, you are probably doing it right. They aren't used to seeing real love in action. However, let them wonder, and then stand back, because their world is about to change. 

·        Someone may try to take advantage of you. That's OK, that's probably because they have never really been loved and they don't know how to respond.  It's OK to draw your boundary or your limit so they don't take advantage of you.  But then go right back to loving them the very best you can.

·        Then keep doing it because Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. If you are like me, you might be afraid to ask what that means. You are only afraid, however, because you already know. It means love never ends. Paul says, Love never ends. prophecies, tongues, knowledge and every other gift will end . NOT LOVE! now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

 

A junior high youth group prepared a Palm Sunday passion play for their church.

The young man who portrayed Jesus had a lot of trouble with his lines.  He seemed to prefer to adlib his lines rather than memorize them. When He was playing the scene in the garden of Gethsemane in which Jesus leaves the disciples while he goes ahead to pray and then returns to find the sleeping twice he gave the disciples a stern look and said,  "Asleep again! Boy, they just don't make disciples like they used to!"

After the resurrection, after the shock and fear were passed, all of the disciples picked up where Jesus left off and went out to change the world.  They were accused of being trouble makers.  They took risks. They endured hardship.  But they changed the world.

The question is - "Do they still make disciples like that?"

I believe they do--and I believe that you can be one of them.

 

You can be a world-changer, a trouble-maker!...not because you are so smart, or because you know all the right things to say--but because God has empowered you to be a mighty force of love in His Kingdom, in this world, in our community, in this church and in every one of your relationship.

Go and make some trouble this week.

AMEN

 

---

[1] http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2007/03/01/how-many-americans-attend-church-each/  (National Opinion Research Center: 38%; Institute for Social Research's World Values: 44%; Barna: 41%; National Election Studies: 40%; Gallup: 41%.)

[2] Unchristian, David Kinnman and Gabe Lyons, Baker books 2009

[3] The Crown and the Fire,  NT Wright Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (September 30, 1997)

^[4] Matthew 25:45 International Standard Version (©2012) 

[5] Acts 17:6

^[6] 1 corinthians 13:4-7 (NRSV)