A+ in Jesus’ School of Prayer RUMC 5/31/15

A+ in Jesus’ School of Prayer

RUMC 5/31/15

#1 AbbaOne of Jesus’ disciples said, "Lord, teach us to pray.” And He said to them, "Pray like this: “Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”[i]

·                     Jesus prayed and he prayed often.

·                     Jesus prayed aloud and Jesus prayed quietly.

·                     Jesus prayed for himself, for the disciples, and for others

·                     Jesus prayed alone and with others

·                     Jesus prayed against evil and for God’s will

·                     Jesus prayed to heal, to cleanse, and to understand.

·                     Jesus prayed through his fears and his trials

One of the most obvious characteristics of Jesus’ ministry was prayer. One of the most basic and obvious mark of a Christian Disciple is prayer. One day the disciples asked, “Lord Teach us to pray.” And at that, Jesus opened up “JESUS’ SCHOOL OF PRAYER.”

So, welcome to “JESUS’ SCHOOL OF PRAYER.” Together, we will be exploring the depths of Christian prayer. By the time we take a week off for annual conference, and the mission trip, and vacation, it will take a good deal of the summer. That’s OK, because the practice of prayer is so fundamental to growing in our discipleship, that it will be worth whatever time it takes. Besides, in prayer, as in so many other things, there are no rewards for speed.

This is not going to be another survey of the Lord’s prayer. I am not interested in picking apart the theology or the history of the most famous prayer in the world. Smarter people than I, have written those books already. What I want to do is look for the lessons in the prayer. Look for practical, usable, advice that will help us to grow in our prayer life as disciples of Jesus Christ. I often say that prayer is the greatest power in the universe. Talking about prayer is not prayer. So in order to be part of that power, we cannot just set prayer on the mantle and admire how beautiful it is. We must get down on our knees, open our hearts to God, and take the risk of unleashing that power in our lives and our world

I want this to be practical, and I want it to be real. Therefore, if you have not already, I would appreciate it if all of you would fill out the survey I distributed this morning and return it to me or to an offering plate. Even though I know what themes I want to talk about, I will use that survey to help me make this series as realistic and practical as I can. And I’ll warn you… this is, after all, school... there will be homework each week. But of course the final exam will be between you and God for the rest of your lives.

So, let’s get started with the first lesson.

When the Disciples asked Jesus, “Master teach us to pray, Jesus started with, “Our father who art in heaven.” That doesn’t seem very remarkable, but let me tell you this is the one most fundamental lesson upon which all prayer rests.

Let’s be honest. The popular picture of prayer in the United States, and I don’t think the church is immune, is that prayer is like a great big vending machine. We drop to our knees to toss a couple of prayers in, select the answer we want; and with a poof, or with a clatter and a clunk (like a pop machine) out pops whatever we asked for.

That is not how Jesus pictures prayer.

Jesus used a very special Aramaic word when he said, “Our father” He used the word  “ABBA.” Do you know what “ABBA” is? --other than a Swedish rock band from a day gone by.-- <<<   >>>that’s right usually we say ABBA means “DADDY” or “PAPA.” In the middle of the 20^th century  (Yo-a-chim Yere-mias) argued that the word “Abba” was fashioned after the first babblings of an infant,  like “DADA.”

Most scholars agree that this was probably a poor interpretation, and ABBA should be translated as a word of intimate respect.[ii] In other words something between Daddy and Sir. (Both intimate and respectful)

I stress that because prayer begins not with the mere babbling of an infant, but the innocent trust of a child fully confident that when the world is scary, she can always rely on ABBA. That she can crawl up in his lap and feel his big arms wrapped around her to keep her safe. It begins with the assumption that ABBA’s love is strong enough to chase away every bully and bandage every skinned knee.

That is the kind of intimate relationship God wants with his people.

The passage we read this morning says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”[iii] To abide is to live in, and is connected to the word  abode, which is your home. Jesus is talking about “Living in Jesus.” Making our house in him. Not beside him. Not near him. Not within earshot of him. But in him.

In one of Jesus most beautiful prayers in John 17, he prays,

 “I ask not only on behalf of these disciples, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word,  that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us…  I in them and you in me,.[iv]

That is abiding in God. That is intimacy with God

James 4:8 promises, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”

Psalm 139 says “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.”

It doesn’t get any more intimate than that. God wants you to be just as intimately connected to him.

This kind of intimacy is rare in our culture. In our digital society we don’t use bank tellers because we can go to an ATM. In our impersonal culture we don’t have to see a clerk to rent a video from Redbox or Netflix. In our disconnected world we might not even know our neighbor’s name. In a day and age when we are accustomed to pushing 1 for this and 2 for that, real personal intimacy is a radical idea.

ABBA expresses a kind of intimacy that we rarely experience. Maybe a few times in a lifetime of human relationships, can we say that we are so close it is as though we are one. Hopefully husbands and wives, perhaps brothers and sisters, and maybe that once in a lifetime friend. Jesus invites us to abide in him...live in him… be so close to God in him that anyone else looking at us would not be able to tell but what we are one.

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”[v]

Prayer is first and last- an intimate relationship with God. Believing that God is a personal being is critical to prayer. 

If you believe that God is no more personal than an ATM, or a customer service system, than payer is useless. But if you experience a personal God. If you believe that  God is so personal that he knows our thoughts, counts our hairs, and has a plan for us. Then we can personally connect  with God’s power, and unleash it in our lives and the world around us.

As C.S. Lewis put it, “God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on (gasoline), and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way… God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself.”[vi]

So what is prayer? Prayer is a relationship, wherein we humbly communicate, worship, and seek God's (will), knowing that He hears us because he loves us[vii]

Let me say that again Prayer is a relationship

Let me say that again Prayer is a relationship

Do I need to say it again… Prayer is a relationship

So. How do we get there? Here is the practical part.

When I came 7 years ago, did you know me? Not really. You graciously welcomed me into your church, but we were really strangers; acquaintances at best. This is the end of my 7^th year here. We have been through some things together; we have invested in each other’s lives, and know each other pretty well. Why? because we have spent TIME together.  I know some of you better than others because we have spent MORE time together.

It has been reported that the average American spends 6 hours in prayer[viii]… that sounds pretty good… until you realize that is over the course of a year.  That is less than a minute a day. That’s not enough to develop an intimate relationship!

So how do we develop that intimate relationship with God that is prayer? Spend TIME with God.

The more time you spend in prayer, the more intimately you will be related to God; and the more intimately you become connected with God, the more time you will want to spend in prayer.

A famous story about John Wesley says that he was feeling particularly unworthy one Sunday when he was supposed to preach, Peter Böhler counseled his friend “Preach faith till you have it, and then, because you have it, you will preach faith.”

Let me say a similar thing about prayer. “Pray until you are intimately connected to God ;and then because you are intimately connected, you will want to pray.”

The first lessons in prayer then are really pretty simple.

Prayer is relationship. Relationships require an investment of time.

So the homework is pretty simple too. Just do it. Give time to prayer.

If you don’t know what else to do

·         I suggest you start by reading in the Bible. That is after all God’s Biography.

·         Then say, “Hello God,” and share whatever makes your heart flutter today, then share whatever weighs your soul down.

·         Then listen. Spend some time in silence listening for God to speak.

·         Read your scripture again and oftentimes God will speak to you through that.

I guarantee that will take more than a minute and you are raising the national average.

And then tomorrow, do it again . And the next day, and the next.

Your homework for the SCHOOL OF PRAYER this two weeks while I am at annual conference is to spend more time in prayer each day than you used to. Spend more time getting intimate with God than you did this last week. Spend more time letting God become intimate with you than you did last week.

I can almost guarantee you… you will feel closer to God and feel God’s closeness to you growing day by day. By day.

“Pray until you are intimately connected to God; and then because you are intimately connected, you will want to pray.”

AMEN

---

[i] Matthew 6:9-13 (RSV)

[ii] The NT itself gives quite a different reading of αββα. Each of the three occurrences of αββα in the NT is followed by the Greek translation ο πατερ, “the father.” This translation makes clear its meaning to the writers; the form is a literal translation — “father” plus a definite article — and like abba can also be a vocative. But it is not a diminutive of “babytalk” form. There are Greek diminutives of father (e.g., παππας [pappas]), and the community chose not to use them.

–Mary Rose D’Angelo. Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 111, No. 4 (Winter, 1992), pp. 615-616

[iii] John 15:7

[iv] John 17:20-24

[v] John 15:7

[vi] ― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

[vii] Adapted from  Robert Velarde is author of Conversations with C.S. Lewis (InterVarsity Press), The Heart of Narnia (NavPress), and primary author of The Power of Family Prayer (National Day of Prayer Task Force). He studied philosophy of religion and apologetics at Denver Seminary and is pursuing graduate studies in philosophy at Southern Evangelical Seminary.

[viii] http://jameshartlinereport.blogspot.com/2010/03/2009-statistics-for-average-american.html

Are you a ‘lite’ Christian or a ‘LIGHT’ Christian? RUMC 5-17-2015

Are you a ‘lite’ Christian or a ‘LIGHT’ Christian?

RUMC

5-17-2015

 "The “LITE” CHURCH: 24% fewer commitments, home of the 7 1/2% tithe, 15 minute sermons, 45 minute services; we have only 8 commandments—your choice Everything you’ve wanted in a church…& less.”

If you walk down the grocery aisle, or watch TV commercials you know that you can get almost anything in a “LITE” version these days. It might have started with Miller “LITE,” but it caught on big time. “More of what you want, less of what you don’t.”

The Food and Drug Administration says that in order to be considered “LITE,” a food has to have 1/3 fewer calories, or half the fat, or half the sodium than a comparable product. In other words, something is left out, and invariably the manufacturers claim that you can’t tell the difference. They claim that the “LITE” version tastes just as good as the original. That leads to the question, “If the “LITE” tastes just as good, and is better for us, why have the original at all?”

One might also ask:

•           Why have the original version of the food when the “LITE” version leaves out ½ the salt and ¾ of the flavor?

•           Why have full service airlines, if there is a “LITE” version where everyone just sits on the floor?

•           Why have full service banks, if there is a “LITE” version down the street that offers more interest at just ½ the security?

•           Why have full service mechanics, when you can get a “LITE” version that offers brand new old parts for 1/3 the price?

NO ONE WOULD DO THAT

So why have full discipleship churches when we can go around the corner to a “LITE” church that promises all the salvation at half the commitment? It caters more to me and less to God.

A Lot of people do, you know!

They call themselves Christian, but they have their own idea of what Christian means with cherry picked commandments, a proof texted Bible, a pew that looks an awful lot like a bass boat, and a tithe that only counts the income they don’t want. They can call themselves whatever they like, but I just don’t think Jesus would say that qualifies as discipleship. At best, it is the “LITE” version of Christianity.

 Jesus has another word for people who claim to be something they are not. And it is not a very nice word… “Hypocrite.” A hypocrite is someone whose actions don’t match his or her words. They might look good from the outside, but there is nothing good on the inside.

The Queen Mary was the largest ship to cross the oceans when it was launched in 1936. Through four decades, and a World War, she served until she was retired, anchored as a floating hotel and museum in Long Beach, California.

During the conversion, her three massive smokestacks were taken off to be scraped down and repainted. But on the dock, they crumbled. Nothing was left of the 3/4 inch steel plate from which the stacks had been formed. All that remained were more than thirty coats of paint that had been applied over the years. It looked good from the outside, but there was nothing good on the inside.

That is hypocrisy is. All paint and polish, none of the commitment or discipleship.

One of Jesus’ most stinging critiques is launched at the hypocrites in Matthew chapter 6.

“Beware of practicing your piety before others  in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets,   so that they may be praised by others. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

 “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners,  so that they may be seen by others. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room, shut the door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Notice what Jesus was criticizing…He was not criticizing the practice of faith. He was criticizing those who go through the motions of faith IN ORDER TO BE SEEN BY OTHERS. Jesus is not criticizing “practicing your faith before others.” He is criticizing trying to look good from the outside, when there is really nothing on the inside. He is criticizing anything we do when the motivation is to puff ourselves up before others.

•           Notice he says: “do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others.”

•           Notice again: “they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others.

Doing faith in order to be praised by others is hypocrisy. Religion on the outside and nothing on the inside is one kind of hypocrisy. That is a form of LITE Christianity.

Frankly, this particular form of “LITE” Christianity doesn’t concern me too much in this congregation. I’m not saying that we are immune, we are not, but I think we tend to lean away from that particular “LITE” faith. Toward the other end.

I think we lean that way because somewhere along the line we have had “go into your closet and pray” drilled into us. Perhaps it is the German heritage in this area. I don’t really know.

•           Somewhere you have had that drilled into you to the point that some of your are afraid of doing anything that might appear remotely religious.

•           Others are more than willing to do the right things, but don’t want anyone to know why you do it.

You have, “Jesus said, ‘Go into your closet and pray’ ” down pat. But he wasn’t saying what is what DISCIPLES should do. He was saying that’s what the HYPOCRITES should do.

Did you notice that Jesus was TO the disciples, ABOUT the hypocrites? He was not describing the behavior of a disciple, but warning that those who are empty on the inside would be better off locked away in a dark closet?

This is the counter point in Jesus’ description of kingdom life.

 The Sermon on the Mount starts describing kingdom behavior in chapter 5.

There are the beatitudes, the passage about salt and light that we read today, and Jesus instruction to go beyond what the law requires.

The whole of chapter 5 is Jesus’ description of kingdom life, or discipleship including, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way,   let your light shine before others,   so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

Then as chapter 6 opens, Jesus turns to the crowd and says, BUT if you are only doing these things to impress me or anyone else, we are all better off if you just lock yourself in the closet and hide in the dark.

Jesus FIRST choice is for us to let our light shine for him, but he essentially says, “If you can’t shine for me, get out of the way”

 The kingdom life, then, is to shine because of Jesus.

The Disciple’s job then is to shine because of Jesus.

The Christian’s job then is to be a light in this dark world because of Jesus.

One kind of Hypocrite pretends he has it when he doesn’t. But the one who pretends he doesn’t have it when he really does, is just a hypocritical.

•           The Christian who hides the light of Christ under a basket, is no better than the one who stands in the dark closet.

•           The Christian who is afraid to let others know why she acts the way she does, might as well be doing it in a dark closet.

•           The Christian who lives the kingdom life, but is embarrassed for people to know that he did it because of Jesus, may very well be a nice guy, but he brings no more light to the world than the one who sits in the dark by himself.

•           You might be all love, and generosity, and service, and forgiveness, and compassion, but if others don’t “see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” you are missing the boat. Basically, Jesus is saying, the light doesn’t shine for the light’s sake. The Light shines so the world can see God.

I know that rubs against your grain. I know it may take some time for you to get used to letting your light shine for others. But that’s OK. We are on this journey together. That is why we changed the sharing time last week. We need to start thinking, not just in terms of what has God done for me this week, but what I have done because of Jesus. What have we done because of Jesus?

I am not trying to get o you brag. What I am trying to do is to get you to take the basket off your light. The Light of Jesus shines so brightly in you… but so many of you want to keep that a secret. Let’s take the basket off and shout it from the mountaintops. NOT TO BRING ATTENTION TO OURSELVES! BUT TO BRING ATTENTION TO GOD.

 

I’m not saying that we beat people over the head with our bibles. I’m talking about simple things,

•           How about wearing a clearly Christian t-shirt when you serve?

•           How about when they thank you, replying, “Your welcome, we do it because of Jesus.”

•           How about putting the church banner up in front of a project we are doing?

Not very hard, not very risky, certainly not offensive. It’s really pretty easy to let our lights shine for Jesus.

Did you know that color does not really exist? Color is really just a trick of the eye. You see, light is in fact made up of energy in varying wavelengths. That is why we have rainbows. When light hits an object, that light will either be absorbed or reflected.

If, for instance, an object absorbs every wavelength except for blue, and it reflects the blue light, that object will appear to be the color blue.

If it absorbs every wavelength in the light but red, and it reflects the red light, it will appear red, and so one. Get the picture?

If an object absorbs all the light waves, and reflects none, it appears to be black.

That is the person who lives in the light of Christ but never lets it shine so others can see it and glorify God. If you absorb the light of Christ (for yourself) but don’t reflect it back, you might as well be under a big basket or be a dark closet because no one can see Jesus in you.

BUT if the Light of Christ shines on you, and you reflect the light of Christ in what you do… People will see Jesus in everything you do. If people see Jesus in you… if people know that you do what you do BECAUSE OF JESUS. You are a light to the world.

GO- “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

Go, have a light faith. Go light our world.

AMEN

(Straight into video)

MY STORY May 10, 2015 RUMC (Followup to THE STORY)

M Y STORY

May 10, 2015

RUMC

           

Let’s Pretend. Let’s pretend that the bishop realizes that the Reinbeck UMC is a great congregation. (It’s true-- whether he notices or not) Realizing that, let’s pretend he has assigned me to go all over the state to start new churches just like this one. I make plans to hit the road for 6-8 months, and I leave you in charge of the church. I tell you that I will write you regularly and give you directions and instructions. And I leave.

Months pass. A steady flow of emails arrives in your inbox. I spell out all my expectations very specifically in each letter.

Finally, I return, and I am stunned. Grass and weeds have grown up high. A few windows along the street are broken. I walk to the office Dian is listening to the radio and surfing the web for cute shoes. I look around and notice the wastebaskets are overflowing. The floor hasn’t been swept for weeks. I walk to the sanctuary and notice that it looks just as I left it, except for the thick layer of dust on the seats. Obviously, no one has been in here for months, and nobody seems concerned. I finally find you off in the family room playing cards with your buddies.

Disturbed, I ask you to step into my office, which has been temporarily turned into a television room for watching afternoon soap operas. "What in the world is going on here?" "What do you mean?” You ask.

"Well, look at this place! Didn’t you get any of my emails?"

"Emails? Oh, yes! Sure! I got every one of them. As a matter of fact, Terry,

•           We have had a study on them every Friday night since you left.

•           We have even divided the congregation into small groups to discuss many of the things you wrote. Some of the things were really interesting.

•           You will be pleased to know that a few of us have actually committed to memory some of your sentences and paragraphs. One or two memorized an entire email or two - Great stuff in those letters."

•           Jim made videos about them and we have watched them over and over.

"OK. You got my emails. You studied them and meditated on them; discussed and even memorized them. But what did you do about them?"

"Do?” you ask, “We didn’t do anything about them."

Let me say, I am under no illusion that I am that important around here, but it makes my point.

•           We do it all the time. We read article after article about cutting down on carbs, or processed sugars, or whatever the evil of the day is… we read the articles then we head off to the freezer and get a bowl of ice cream.

•           We do it all the time. We open the box cut open the plastic bags of nuts and bolts. We pick up the directions that say, “READ THIS FIRST.” We toss those aside and start doing it our own way. 

So, the question of the day is, “what do we do now? What do we do now that the story is over? We listened, we took notes, we watched, we studied, we learned, some might have even memorized, we analyzed, some of us even enjoyed THE STORY … so now what…  we put the book on the shelf to collect dust?

We could do that….

 James says however, “Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.”

In other words LIVE THE STORY

LIVE THE STORY. Be doers of THE STORY and not only hearers and studiers who deceive themselves

LIVE THE STORY. Be doers of discipleship, not just watchers of worship who deceive themselves.

LIVE THE STORY. Be doers of God’s will, not just a bag of hot air giving lip service to the kingdom of God.

LIVE THE STORY. “Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.”

The message puts it this way, “Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other.” In other words, LIVE THE STORY. 

We are like children learning to read. Reading is a complicated process. There is learning the alphabet and the letter sounds, learning the concept of words and learning sight words, decoding, understanding punctuation and capitalization, and finally comprehension. But some educators, like Jessica Fries-Gaither, at Ohio State University say that comprehension is not enough. We have to teach our children to synthesize their reading. Synthesis goes beyond mere comprehension to “combining ideas and allowing an evolving understanding of text.”  That evolving understanding of synthesizing what we read begins to shape and mould our thinking, beliefs, our view of the world, and our behavior.

In the church, we are in the business of making disciples for Jesus Christ. We are in the business of changing people, how they think, how they act, what they believe, and how they view the world so that they will be more Christ-like. That’s what THE STORY WAS ABOUT. Spending enough time on THE STORY, we gave everyone the opportunity to synthesize THE STORY and grow as disciples. If you went through the motions - without synthesizing –without letting it get inside of who you are,  how you think, how you act, how you believe and how you view the world—you missed the point. Pouring scripture into someone who isn’t synthesizing it and expecting them to grow in discipleship is like (excuse the image-- but it makes the point) it is like eating a can of alphabet soup and expecting War and Peace to come out the other end.

James says don’t just hope for the best-be “DOERS” OF THE WORD and not just hearers. In other words, digest it, process it, synthesize it, and let it make a difference in your life.

We have spent months talking about the upper story and the lower story. And that has been helpful for a lot of us. That is an image that I will probably use for the rest of my preaching career and personal discipleship. But when we synthesize what we have read and done into how we think, how we act, how we believe, and how we view the world. We are transformed from the inside out and  THE STORY becomes MY STORY. THE STORY becomes YOUR STORY.

I know that everyone is in a different place in their walk with Jesus. I know that for some of you it has made a little difference. For others it has made some difference. For others, for those who worked on synthesizing God’s word into their lives I know it has been life changing.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, God’s story is where it all starts. This is the book around which our church and out lives revolve. This is God’s living word intended to shape us as a church and change us as individuals. And we want GOD’S STORY to become MY story and YOUR story.

•           You want to know where we came from read those wonderful words “God created them in his own image.”  Read “I knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb.”  That’s OUR STORY!

•           You want to know why the church exists read I Corinthians “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”  That’s OUR STORY!

•           You want to know what our job as the church is? “Go make disciples”  Right here! That’s OUR STORY!

•           You want to know why I keep telling you to grow closer to Jesus? Jesus says “4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.”  That’s OUR STORY!

•           You want to know why I keep telling you that you need to read your Bible, study your, Bible, join a Bible study? “Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”  That’s OUR STORY!

•           You want to know why I keep on you about praying? I Thessalonians says “Pray without ceasing!”  That’s OUR STORY!

•           You want to know why it is important to come to corporate worship? Hebrews 10:25 says, “Do Not neglect to worship together, as is the habit of some” That’s OUR STORY!

•           Do you want to know why I keep harassing you to join Ministry Action Teams? “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ”  No one of us has all the gifts necessary to do the work of the church, but together we have all the gifts we need if we get off the pews and use them. It’s all right here! That’s OUR STORY!

•           Do you want to know why I keep telling you to change the world? “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”  That’s OUR STORY!

•           You want to know why I keep telling you to love? “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; …. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect (in love), therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  That’s OUR STORY!

•           Do you want to know why I keep harping on inviting others and being hospitable to them? “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.”  That’s OUR STORY!

 It’s all here. It’s all right here. But it only becomes our story when we get it from here (Bible) to here (head)… and here (head) to here (heart)… and it is about getting it from here (heart) to here (hands). That’s what Jesus’ mission was about getting the upper story of God’s vision to become not THE STORY… but MY STORY. YOUR STORY. OUR STORY.

 In simple words, discipleship is getting it through our head and heart and hands that it is all because of Jesus. Everything we are, everything we do is because of Jesus. 

Listen again discipleship is getting it through our head and heart and hands that it is all because of Jesus. Everything we are, everything we do is because of Jesus. 

Were you listening?

•           Why do we worship? <<<because of Jesus>>> That’s right. That’s YOUR STORY

•           Why do we have LIGHT and teach the children? <<<because of Jesus>>> That’s right. That’s YOUR STORY

•           Why do we have Bible studies? <<<because of Jesus>>> That’s right. That’s YOUR STORY

•           Why do we give money to Banyam Theological Seminary? <<<because of Jesus>>> That’s right. That’s YOUR STORY

•           Why do we give food to the postal carriers to take to the food pantry? <<<because of Jesus>>> That’s right. That’s YOUR STORY

•           Why do we have help your neighbor days? <<<because of Jesus>>> (When is the last time you old someone that? -- Oh, you’re welcome, we do it because of Jesus.) That’s right. That’s YOUR STORY

•           Why do we organize rides for people to go to chemotherapy or the doctor? <<<because of Jesus>>> (How many of you who have done that told them why we do it?) That’s right. That’s YOUR STORY

•           Why do we take May baskets, and thanksgiving baskets, and plates of valentine cookie walk cookies, to home bound friends” <<<because of Jesus>>> (I almost guarantee every single one of them says thank you… how hard would it be to say , “You’re welcome. We do it because of Jesus.”   

That’s what happens when THE STORY… GOD’S STORY… becomes OUR STORY …MY STORY!

 That’s the connection we need to make from here (Bible), to here (head), to here (heart), to here (hands)!! Is called discipleship and we do it because of Jesus. That is what discipleship is. Taking this story and making it the story of your thinking, taking this story and making it the story of your heart, taking this story and making it the story of your hands, taking the story and making it the story of your discipleship. GOD’S STORY BECOMES THE DISCIPLES’ STORY… GOD’S STORY BECOMES MY STORY.

One more story today…

As (Jesus) was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’” He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” (In other words,…I know God’s story inside and out, I go to church on Sunday, and I am a good person)

             Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

Jesus told the rich young man to leave the WORLD’S STORY behind and be a disciple… make Jesus HIS STORY. 

            We all know that the Bible says the rich young man went away sad…

            But I want you to write your own ending “You know God’s story inside and out, you go to church on Sunday and your am a good person… so…

             Jesus looks at you with love and says, “You lack one thing come, follow me.” Will you Make GOD’S STORY the STORY OF YOUR LIFE?

What do you say?

Will you make God’s story into MY story?

AMEN