The People behind the Palms RUMC Palm Sunday 2015

The People behind the Palms

RUMC Palm Sunday 2015

·        Imagine you were in Jerusalem that day.

·        Imagine the press of the crowds.

·        Imagine the noise of people haggling over prices, meeting old friends, laughing and talking loud over the commotion of the crowd.

·        Imagine children playing everywhere, because Passover was a family event.

·        Imagine animals in the streets looking for a bit of grass or a puddle of water, some of them lambs searching for their last meal.

·        Imagine the smells, of people who have been traveling for a long time, sweaty animals, and pots of food all mixed together.

It might have been like Times Square on New Year’s Eve, or maybe like RAGBRI puling in to some of these little towns and swelling the population by tenfold for one night.

Josephus, the notable Jewish historian, says that 256,500 lambs were slain at one Passover. That’s a lot of blood isn’t it? Each lamb represented at least ten worshippers. That would work out to at least 2.5 million people. That is 4 times the normal population of Jerusalem at the time.

 Teeming throngs from all over the world were flooding into the city to observe the great festival of Passover. Can you imagine the logistics of housing and feeding such a mass of people? 

In the midst of this, Jesus makes his entrance. Who would even notice the rabbi among the millions of bodies? How many of the international crowd would have ever heard of him? On a road packed with people and animals I wonder who was interested enough to stop and wave palms for the rabbi. I wonder what those who had never heard of him thought. I wonder what the officials thought.

For a variety of reasons, people noticed Jesus and it was a significant enough event that all four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record the events on the road. It is rare that all four gospels record the same event in Jesus’ life. Sometimes one or two gospels record an event; some events in Jesus’ life are found in three gospel accounts. What happens on this day in Jerusalem, however, was so important that all four of the gospels record the story with only minor variations.

A crowd gathers as Jesus rides into the city on the colt of a donkey and they begin to wave palm branches and shout their welcome to Jesus. Now we should not imagine that everyone stopped what they were doing and joined in. There were branch wavers and there were those who laid down their cloaks. There were skeptics, and there were enemies. Who are these people and what were they thinking. Who are the people behind the palms?

First, we know the disciples were there. What do you suppose they would be doing? Well, we know that two of them went in to town to get a donkey. The others had been busy making dinner and lodging arrangements. You might think that they were the instigators. I am sure they were there, but I don’t picture them leading the parade.

The disciples had to have Jesus’ prediction about what would happen to him in Jerusalem on their minds.

Mark 10, just one chapter before the Markan story of Palm Sunday, Mark writes, “ Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. “ We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”[1]

How could the disciples NOT have that on their minds? They must have been thinking, "why are we going, then?” Let’s head back to Galilee. I think the disciples would have been right beside Jesus while he was riding on the donkey, scared to death. I think they would have been trying to quiet things down. I think they might have been trying to calm the people.

Anyone who knew anything,  knew that the Romans brought a huge contingent of soldiers to the Jerusalem Passover celebration in order to keep the peace. I am guessing that the disciples were thinking it would be better to not make a huge scene and get their attention. Not to mention raising the ire of the chief priests, whom Jesus predicted would be his demise.

But we have people like that today. Even here today, there are folks who want to be close to Jesus, but they’d rather not make a big scene. They come to church, they go home, and they think it’s better if they just don’t talk about it, or be seen with those dangerous folks who they think get a little too excited about Jesus. Like the disciples, they like the status quo so they think it is better if the church just doesn’t stir things up. Are any of you a little like that?

Second, there were the crowds who often followed Jesus. Many of them might have been interested in a good show. This was after all kind of like Mardi Gras.

Immediately before the triumphal entry story in John, there is a note about why people were coming to see Jesus. It says, “They came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.”

 These people there for a good show. They wanted to see a miracle. They were thrill seekers.

They were the kind of people who would have gravitated to the parade as it started, saying, “Let’s see what happens here.” They were the kind of people who might have gathered a little ways off from the cross hoping that Jesus would jump down and strike the chief priests with lightening.

They enjoy a good show. We have folks like that here today too. You have to admit that the procession, and the choir, and the stripping of the sanctuary later on make a pretty dramatic impact. Maybe it is the music that entertains them. Maybe it is the stories. They might even have a side bet on how long it takes the preacher to fall over himself. They are not likely to be changed (after all it is just a show.) They aren’t likely to serve because there isn’t much entertainment value in that. Worship is not a show, however. Worship is lifting our hearts to God because God deserves to be worshipped. There is drama in remembering, and ritualizing the salvation story, but that is not the reason for doing it. Yet there are those who go to church for a little bit of a show. Are any of you a little like that?

Third, the Roman soldiers were there.

As the crowd begins to honor Jesus, I’m sure it got the attention of the Roman soldiers. They were there to keep the peace. During the annual Passover feast, it was not uncommon for some of the Jewish zealots to try to arouse the people to fight back against the Roman occupation. Maybe they thought this parade was that kind of an event. Maybe they were expecting to have to quell a riot.

Then here comes Jesus, riding on a donkey’s colt. I imagine that some of the Roman soldiers must have smiled at the “Triumphal Entry,” because it was nothing like their own triumphal celebrations back in Rome.

Whenever a Roman general was victorious on foreign soil, the general would ride into the city in a gold-covered chariot with white stallions pulling it, a symbol of a warrior. The general would display the trophies he had won. The enemy leaders he had captured would be paraded in chains down the street behind the general. The parade ended at the arena where some of the captives entertained the people by fighting wild beasts. 

Yes, I bet some of these soldiers probably laughed at the antics of the Jerusalem crowd that day, and at the sight of this so-called “King.” What real king would ride on a dumb donkey? What powerful leader would stoop so low? They probably found it amusing. Compared to a “Roman triumph,” our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem was nothing.

We don’t have roman soldiers, but we have people like that, don’t we? People who think this is all pretty boring or silly. To those who have never experienced the power of faith in their lives this is all kind of silly. After all, what educated person really believes some of the things that people say Jesus did? Make the blind to see. The lame to walk. The deaf to hear. Walk on water. Calm storms with a word. Feed 5000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish! Who in their right mind would believe such things? Are any of you a little like that?

Fourth, the religious leaders were there at the triumphal entry. “The Pharisees said to one another, ‘See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!’ “[2]

These were power people. They wanted the power. They wanted the prestige. They wanted the praise. They wanted the glory. They wanted to be looked up to and they wanted to be the ones who had all the influence. They were fine as long as they were the center of attention, but look out if someone else received the praise.

People were beginning to come to Jesus and follow Him. And the Pharisees felt threatened. They were afraid that this Jesus might get too powerful. They watched suspiciously with fear building up inside of them with every shout of ‘hosanna.” Fear and more fear.

We all know people who live in fear.

And sometimes because they are afraid, they lash out.

·        They are afraid in their homes so they riot against the police.

·        They are afraid of  those who are different, so they behead them on a beach in Africa.

·        They are afraid of losing power so they stonewall any progress in congress.

·        They are afraid of any change in their communities, so they lash at neighbors out with terrible words and threats.

·        They are afraid to forgive so they wallow in bitterness and rehearse the hurts.

Are any of you a little like that?

Finally, there were those who wanted to see Jesus.

Again just before the disciples are sent to get the donkey, we are told, “Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”[3]

“We would like to see Jesus.”

Oh, that we would all say that.

·        Oh that the whole world would come to say, “We would like to see Jesus.”

·        They wanted to see Jesus, not to quiet him in order to keep from making a scene.

·        They wanted to see Jesus, not for a good show like others in the crowd.

·        They wanted to see Jesus, not to for a good laugh like the roman soldiers.

·        They wanted to see Jesus, not to destroy him, like the Pharisees and chief priests.

·        They wanted to see Jesus, Just to worship him. Just to be with him. Just to love him.

Oh what a difference it would make in our lives if we would say, “We would like to see Jesus.” For no other reason other than to worship him. No ulterior motive. No hidden agenda.

What a difference it would make in our lives if we just came to see Jesus because he is the king of kings and the Lord of Lords.

What a difference it would make if we came for no other reason than  to worship the one who is above all names, “at whose name every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

·        What a difference it would make if we came not to fence Jesus in, but to set him free in our lives to change our hearts and open our eyes so that we can experience the Kingdom of God for the first time ever.

·        What a difference it would make if we came not for a good show like others in the crowd. But to worship.

·        What a difference it would make if we came not for a good laugh like the roman soldiers, but for forgiveness and grace.

·        What a difference it would make if we came not with fear, but with faith.

·        What a difference it would make in our lives if we didn’t come to achieve our own agendas, but to accomplish his.

·        What a difference would it make if we came not to keep Jesus to ourselves, but to join the parade of kingdom workers taking Jesus out of the church and into our world, or communities, our neighborhoods, our shops, our workplaces, and our homes.

·        What a difference it would make if we were to take the Jesus parade to the hearts and lives of the broken people, hurting families who so desperately need someone to save them.

Those people in the crowd that day… they were shouting something that was far more significant than they realized. 

Hosanna, they shouted. Hosanna. 

This Hebrew word means “he who saves” or “save us.”

They knew the power that rode before then that day. I think many of us have forgotten the power of the events we remember this Holy Week. I am afraid that many take for granted the saving power of the cross and the resurrection. I am afraid that for us a palm branch is just something to hide behind.

Let’s not just be people hiding behind the palms this year… Let’s get in the parade and follow the King of creation, the savior of the world, our Jesus, as he rides triumphantly into the kingdom of God.
AMEN

---

[1] Mark 10:33-34(NIV)

[2] . John 12:19 (NIV)

[3] John 12:20-21 (NIV)

“Is ‘obey’ a bad word?” RUMC Chapter 30 THE STORY 3/22/15

“Is ‘obey’ a bad word?”

RUMC Chapter 30 THE STORY

3/22/15

One day God said to all the folks in heaven , “I want the women to go with Saint Peter and the men to make two lines. One line for the men who wore the pants in the family and the other for the men whose wives wore the pants.”

With that said and done, the next time God looked, the women are gone, and there are two lines. The line of men who said their wives were in charge in their family 100 miles long, and in the line of men that said they wore the pants, there was only one man.

God was surprised and said, “You all failed the test- don’t you understand that marriage is supposed to be a partnership in which you share lives equally.” Then God turned to the one man who was in the line saying he was in charge. “I’m curious, though; tell me my son, how did you manage to be the only one in this line?”

And the man replied, “I really don’t know sir, my wife told me to stand here.”

Let me be the first to say I don’t like the words obey or submit. I don’t believe in husbands or wives dominating the other. And this passage has been misinterpreted and abused as much as any passage in the Bible.

One of my biggest problems is the word “OBEY.” To me it is a four-letter word in every possible way. I don’t like to be told to obey. It makes me feel like a dog being told to sit. It makes me feel like a child being told to do something “because mom said so.”

The only thing worse than “obey” is the word “submit” so when I read both “obey” and “submit” on page 455 of THE STORY I asked myself, why in the world they would include that? You know, Lucado and Frase chose what they believed to be the key passages that would be included in THE SOTRY to help us understand the story of God. Of all the great things Paul wrote, why did they include that passage from Ephesians 5?

As I mulled that one over in my head, and read the passage about 15 times, it struck me that the message here is bigger than marriage, bigger than my problems with authority, and more important than I first recognized. Let me see if I can communicate that message to you.

In the first century outside of Christianity, women were treated as nothing. There was a prayer that Jewish men prayed first thing in the morning to the effect of, “I thank you God, that I was not born a gentile, a slave, or a woman.” Women were property to be bought and sold. Marriage was cheap, and divorce was cheaper, simply consisting of handing the woman a divorce certificate drawn up by a rabbi.

The woman’s plight in the Greek or Roman worlds was not much better. Demosthenes wrote, “We have courtesans for our pleasure, concubines for companionship, and wives so we can have children legitimately.”

All of this was reinforced in household codes that specifically laid out the role of each person in the household. Those codes were widely known and widely circulated.

Keep that backdrop in mind and consider the role of women in the gospels. Think how the angel elevated Mary at the annunciation, how Jesus treated the woman at the well, how Jesus loved Mary and Martha, and who was it that was the first witness to the empty tomb? The women! Did you notice that the Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s writings are full of references to women who had both small and important roles in the early church?

It was scandalous! From the very beginning, Jesus and his followers exemplified the crazy idea that women had value and worth as individuals. (Well, it was a crazy in the first century.)

Then add to this respect for the dignity of a woman, Paul is preaching that we are set free from the law like in Romans 8.

I suspect that there was pressure from outside the early church to control those “uppity women.” Well, that’s the way they would have been perceived. Going to church, taking on leadership roles, even preaching and teaching. That was a complete overturning of those household codes, and they may have told Paul to keep the women in their place.

I can see Paul using the opportunity to teach something very important to the Christian faith. I think he took this opportunity to redefine submission and obedience. That’s why he starts with verse 21 and writes “submit to one another out of reverence to Christ.” He could have just as easily written “serve one another out of reverence for Christ.” In Christ, we are all called to live lives of servanthood, submitting to those around us: not just wives serving husbands, but also husbands serving wives. Not just children obeying fathers, but also fathers not exasperating their children. Not just slaves obeying masters, but masters caring for their slaves. Everyone living lives of servanthood, and submission, and obedience, mutually with those around them.

 The Christian life is a life of serving others.

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. The meeting ran late and in their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table that held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding.

All but one. He paused, took a deep breath. He motioned for his buddies to go on an he would catch a later flight. Then he turned the apples that were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did.

The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the applies, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears.

He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister..." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?" He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"

This mutual servanthood, mutual submission, and mutual obedience is our way of reflecting Jesus, showing love to God.

Paul wrote Wives submit to your husband (which the traditionalists loved)… but he also wrote HUSBANDS LOVE YOUR WIVES. That was crazy talk to most of his contemporaries, unless you understand that we are to mutually submit to one another out of reverence to Christ.

Paul wrote Children obey your parents (which the traditionalists loved)… but he went on to say FATHERS DON’T EMBITTER YOUR CHILDREN. That’s foolishness to the traditionalists, but not to those of us who understand that we are to mutually submit to one another out of reverence to Christ.

Paul wrote, Slaves obey your masters… but he also wrote MASTERS PROVIDE FOR YOUR SLAVES! That’s silliness to most people, unless you understand that we are to mutually submit to one another out of reverence to Christ.

Jesus spent his whole life serving others. The Christian life is one of mutual servanthood.

 Mark 10:43 says, “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.”

Matthew 25:40. When you have done it unto the least of these (be they women, children or slaves) … when you have done it to the least of these …you have done it to me.

Jesus example is very clear. He loved his enemy, gave to the poor, fed the hungry, clothed the naked, accepted the unacceptable, ate with tax collectors, and died for sinners. Jesus modeled this kind of mutual servanthood in every relationship he had.

The Christian life is one of mutual servanthood because Jesus became a servant. The Christian life is a life lived on our knees because Jesus knelt down to wash the feet of the disciples. The Christian life is one of carrying our cross, because he “humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Phil 2:8) The Christian life is one of submission, obedience, and service to those around us. The Christian life is the life of a servant.

  Remember verse 21 “Submit to one another.” Paul tells us why we serve one another. He writes “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

In Philippians chapter 2 Paul wrote

Have this mind among ourselves that was in Christ Jesus.

Who, being in very nature God,

 did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing

 by taking the very nature of a servant.

Jesus made himself nothing, taking on the form of a servant. Not for the sake of those he served, but because he loved God. Jesus lived a life of service and obedience as a way of loving God.

I know, you don’t like the word “obey” any more than I do, but Paul teaches us that we submit to others as a way of submitting to God.

 Deuteronomy 11:26–28 sums it up like this: "Obey and you will be blessed. Disobey and you will be cursed." To the Deuteronomist OBEY was not a four-letter word.

 1 Samuel 15: 23 says , “But Samuel replied, Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. To Samuel OBEY was not a four-letter word.

 John 15:10 “If you love God you must obey Him.” To Jesus, OBEY was not a four-letter word.

 1 John 2:3–6And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, "I know God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.

  But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. To John OBEY was not a four-letter word.

 It comes down Loving our spouse is loving God. Serving our spouse is serving God.

 Loving our parents or children is loving God. Serving our parents or children is serving God.

 Loving those in authority over us or those over whom we have authority is loving God. Serving those in authority over us or those over whom we have authority is serving God.

  Loving our neighbor is loving God. Serving our neighbor is serving God.

Loving and serving others is obeying God.

 I think that helps us to make sense of this passage doesn’t it? It deep meaning is not about marriage or parents or slaves.  Those are the applications.  The deep meaning is a call to Love, serve and obey God in all things.

The upper story vision is nearly complete. It’s about time… we have been working on it for 19 months. The upper story vision of God is nearly complete. God’s upper story vision of the world as I have said all along is that more than anything God wants us to live in love with him and in service to each other.

Are you ready then to chase God’s upper story vision by loving, serving, and obeying God in all things?

Why not? What’s your excuse for not loving, serving, and obeying God?

Noah got drunk, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Abraham was too old, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Isaac was a daydreamer, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Jacob was a liar, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Leah was ugly, yet she loved, served, and obeyed God.

Joseph was abused, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Moses had a stuttering problem, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Gideon was afraid, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Samson had long hair and was a womanizer, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Rahab was a prostitute, yet she loved, served, and obeyed God.

Jeremiah and Timothy were too young, yet they loved, served, and obeyed God.

David had an affair and was a murderer, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Elijah was suicidal, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Isaiah preached naked, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Jonah ran from God, yet in the end he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Naomi was a widow, yet she loved, served, and obeyed God.

Job went bankrupt, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

John the Baptist ate bugs, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Peter denied Christ, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

The Disciples fell asleep while praying, yet they loved, served, and obeyed God.

Martha worried about everything, yet she loved, served, and obeyed God.

The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once, yet she loved, served, and obeyed God.

Zaccheus was too small, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Paul was too religious, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Timothy had an ulcer, yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

Lazarus was dead! yet he loved, served, and obeyed God.

What’s your excuse?

Go, Go love, serve, and obey God in all that you do.

God’s Team (All for One and One for All) Chapter 29 of THE STORY RUMC 3/8/15

God’s Team (All for One and One for All)

Chapter 29 of THE STORY  

RUMC 3/8/15

 A man approached a pastor and told him he wanted to join the church but he didn’t think he had a lot of time to devote to serving. He said, “I have a very busy schedule and can’t be called upon to do any teaching or cleaning in the church or really serving in any way. I can’t help with special projects or with the youth ministry...all my evenings are tied up. And besides I did my part when I was young and my kids were young and I had lots of energy.”

The pastor thought for a moment and then said, “I believe you’re at the wrong church. The church you’re looking for is 3 blocks down the street, on the right.” The man left and followed the pastor’s directions.  He soon came to an abandoned, boarded up church building that had been closed for years.

Finally, he found a church filled with people just like himself.

Using Paul’s image of the body of Christ for the church, if the hand cuts itself off, the church will bleed. If two or three appendages are amputated, it will hemorrhage. When enough gifts go unused, the lifeblood will be gone and the body will become a corpse. Graphic… but true.

 Paul starts the 12th chapter of First Corinthians saying, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.”   We should not be uninformed about spiritual gifts either.

Paul goes on to describe the church as the body of Christ: the variety of gifts that contribute to the body, the common goal of the body, and the importance of each member of the body.

We are all pretty familiar with that image. I want to try a different image today: the team. We can all connect with teams. We watch with pride at the great football, speech, and basketball teams GR has produced this year, and we thrill at UNI’s success. Whether you are a basketball fan or not, “March Madness” is in the air. Today, therefore, I want to use the image of the team to say the same thing Paul is saying about gifts.

1.         First, EVERY POSITION IS IMPORTANT. There are a variety of positions, but the same goal of winning the game. The center doesn’t say to the point guard,”I don’t need you.” At least he doesn’t if he wants to win a game. The quarterback doesn’t say to the wide receiver, “I don’t need you,” if he wants to have any kind of passing game.

The preacher doesn’t say to the teacher, “you aren’t very important.” Likewise, the treasurer doesn’t say to the EOM chair, “We can get along without you.”

Paul says, “Those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.” 

A concert violinist had a brother who was a bricklayer. One day a woman began talking to the bricklayer about his famous brother the musician. Not wanting to insult the bricklayer, she added, "Of course, we don't all have the same talents, and even in the same family some just seem to have more ability than others."

The bricklayer replied, "You're telling me! That violinist brother of mine doesn't know a thing about laying bricks. If he wasn't able to make some money playing that fiddle of his, he couldn't hire a guy with know-how like mine to build his house. If he had to build a house himself, he'd be ruined."

If we want to build a house, we don't look up "violinist" in the yellow pages. If you need someone to play the violin in an orchestra, don't hire a bricklayer.

Paul reminds us in his letter to Corinth that there are different kinds of gifts but the same spirit. There are different kinds of service but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working but the same God works all of them in all men. They key word in this passage is the word “different.” It is mentioned 3 times.

•           We have different kinds of gifts,

•           there are different ways to serve and

•           there are different workings. Gifts are not one size fits all. There is not just one single gift that fits all believers.

That’s how the team works. Each and every member of the team has an important role that no one else can fulfill. Every color has a special place in the rainbow or there is no rainbow. Every person in the church has a unique set of God given gifts that are essential for the health and strength of the work of the church and the kingdom of God.

2.         Second, on a team, EVERYONE PLAYS TO WIN. Everyone works for the good of the team.

A well-known coach was once asked, “How much does college football contribute to the national physical-fitness picture?”

“Nothing,” the coach replied abruptly.

“Why not?” the startled interviewer asked.

“Well,” said the coach, “the way I see it, you have 22 men down on the field desperately needing a rest and 40,000 people in the stands, desperately needing some exercise.”

I am not saying that fans are not important to a sports team, but in the church, there is no room for fans. Every single one of us is on the playing field. Each person has to contribute his or her gifts to the strength of the body and the work of the kingdom.

Cancer is one of the most frightening diseases of our day. You know what cancer is? Cells that don’t work with the rest of the body. They are deviant cells that have their own agenda. Now, this would be just fine … if they would leave the body. The problem with cancer is that these deviant cells still want to hang out in you. They don’t want to go anywhere. Cancer cells still want blood, they still want to eat, and they still want oxygen because they want to grow. Not only do they want to grow, they also want to spread and metastasize. In other words, they want to suck life from the body, but they don’t want to contribute to it. Ultimately, unless addressed radically, the whole body is in trouble.

The body of Christ doesn’t need any cancer cells that suck up the lifeblood without contributing their spiritual gift to the work of the kingdom. Scripture teaches that each and every one of us has spiritual gifts   we just have to get up off the bleachers and use them

There was once a man who was a pretty good piano player. People came out just to hear him play. One night, a customer told him he didn't want to hear him just play anymore. He wanted him to sing a song. The piano player said, "I don't sing." The customer, however, was persistent. He told the bartender, "I'm tired of listening to the piano. I want that guy to sing!" The bartender shouted across the room, "If you want to get paid, sing a song." So he sang a song.

A piano player who had never sung in public did so for the very first time. Until that night, nobody had ever heard the song, "Mona Lisa" sung so beautifully …by Nat King Cole! One of the best-known entertainers in America might have lived the rest of his life as a no-name piano player in a no-name bar except for the fact that he was forced to get up off his piano stool and use his gift.

We are not here just for ourselves. We are not here to listen to great sermons and eat delicious cookies. We are not here to sit on the bench and wave our great big foam “Jesus is number one” fingers. We are here, to be the church, using our gifts that God has given us, building up each other and the church for the work of the kingdom of God. If any of you have slid into the habit of being a bench warmer- or should I say pew warmer, get up and get in the game. We all have to work together for the kingdom of God.

3.         Third, on a team each player has to PLAY THE POSITION THEY ARE ASSIGNED. In other words we have to use the gifts we are given.

We have all known people who thought they were a one-man team. The kind of person who hogs every ball in the volleyball game, or in the huddle says, “You guys do whatever you want just get the ball to me and I’ll score.”

To paraphrase Paul, “If the whole body were an ego, where would the teamwork be?”

A group of animals decided to improve their general welfare by starting a school. The curriculum included swimming, running, climbing, and flying. The duck, an excellent swimmer, didn’t need swim lessons, so he majored in climbing and flying, much to the detriment of his swimming.

The rabbit, a superior runner, was forced to spend so much time in other classes that he soon lost much of his famed speed.

The squirrel, who had been rated "A" as a climber, dropped to a "C" because his instructors spent hours trying to teach him to fly.

 And the eagle could no longer soar to the treetops because he had to learn how to swim.

What happened to this group of animals portrays what often occurs in our churches. People trying to be something that they are not, always hurts us all.

Now, I want to be clear that no one is asking you to do something you are not capable of doing. No one is going to ask you to fly like an eagle or swim like a duck, because you are neither a duck nor an eagle. You are you. You are the "you" that God created, and you have a special set of gifts that neither the duck nor the eagle can even dream of having.

Ability is not a problem in this church. I have never seen a more gifted collection of people in my ministry. God has provided every kind of person we could possibly need to build each other up and build up the church to do the work of the kingdom.

Someone is going to say I don’t know what my gift is. Excuse my bluntness, but that is just a cop out. You know the things you do well. You know what you love to do. You know the things on which people compliment you. Go use it for Jesus.

Sure, if you are interested I have put a stack of spiritual gifts inventories in the back, take one, and complete it. It is actually a pretty interesting exercise. Do you want to know, however, what you will learn? You will learn that you already pretty well knew what your gifts were. You know the thing you do well. You know what you love to do. You know the things about which people compliment you. Go and use them for team Jesus.

•           If God made you a teacher or gifted you with wisdom --be a teacher. Study diligently and do your best.

•           If he has given you the gift of mercy or serving, serve cheerfully and don't expect others to do what you do.

•           If he has given you the gift of hospitality or encouragement, bake your heart out or open your arms wide to build people up for God.

•           If he has given you the gift of sharing your faith with others, I want to see you hanging out with our unchurched neighbors looking for an opening to share.

•           If God has given you the gift of generosity, lead the way in tithing.

•           If God has given you the gift of faith, get down on your knees and start praying for us.

•           If God has given you the gift of healing or miracles, I want you beside my bed in the hospital or leading a grief support group.

•           If God has given you the gift of administration or leadership, gather up a group of folks and get something done.

•           If God has given you the gift of tongues, or interpreting tongues, speak up and give us a holy word.

Accept your spiritual gifts. Cultivate your capabilities. Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop worrying that you might be doing more or less than the person next to you in the pew. Use what God has given you! Enjoy being the "you" God created.

The lessons we gain from this image of the team, therefore, are:

-Every position is important

-Everyone plays to win

-Play the position you are assigned

Once upon a time, there was a famous homebuilder. This craftsman always designed, built, and painted the homes all by himself. One of the amazing things about him was that he didn't even need drop cloths. He had a steady hand, and he was finicky about using good brushes and quality paint, so there were no drips, just tight trim lines.

As I said, he always worked by himself. Then one day he had remarkable idea. As he was standing by one of his houses, he saw a bunch of kids walking home from the local elementary school. They were minding their own business, laughing and carrying their backpacks, until he shouted, "Hey, kids." When they looked up, startled and awestruck (because everyone in town knew about his amazing skills), he asked them a surprising question: "How would you like to do some painting?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you what," he said, "I'll give each of you a bucket of paint and a brush, and you can paint my new house. Do you want to give it a try?"

"For real?" they squealed with delight.

The painter nodded as he said, "Yep, for real."

"Cool!" the kids said.

He opened up the back of his truck and pulled out a load of brushes and a rainbow of paint cans. He pried open the cans. They started splashing paint on his garage door. They got paint on the sidewalk, too, and some on each other. However, they also got a lot of paint on the house—all different colors, especially on the parts of the house that were under 4 feet high.

As other kids came by on the sidewalk, they asked, "Can we do that, too?" And they joined in. In about an hour most of the first floor was covered with paint.

The house painter's neighbors came over after dinner and took it all in. "What is going on?" they asked. Another blurted out, "Look, I gotta be honest, your house looks like a tornado ripped through Sherwin-Williams. What were you thinking?"

"Well," the house painter said, "of course I could have painted this house all by myself, but I've always built and painted houses in order to bring joy to others. So based on that goal, this is the most beautiful house I've ever made. The kids will always remember this as their house, because they contributed to its beauty. They will want to show their friends, who will show their friends and each one will say, 'This is the home of the master painter and builder, but it's also our house.'"

 In the same way, when God the Father, the master creator and painter of the world, pours out his Holy Spirit on his followers, he hands every single one of us a can of paint and a brush, and he says, "Go to work. Use your gifts and let's paint a beautiful kingdom for the world."

Go Paint God’s world.