Building blocks of Christian family: Presence (Family Sabbath) First UMC Carroll 4/28/19

Building blocks of Christian family

Sabbath First UMC Carroll 4/28/19

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 Did you ever think about this? A God who never sleeps, who is all-powerful and ever-present, decides to take the day off and commanded his people to do the same. God rested!

How strange!  I mean what does God do on God’s off day? Bake cookies? Do a little gardening?   Play a round of Golf?

The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew verb for STOP.   God knows that in this hamster wheel we call life we would never stop if it were possible. The truth is if we don’t stop we will be stopped by exhaustion, illness, or ultimately death. God knows that people need to take time to STOP.

 This series of sermons is called “Building blocks for Christian families.” Is there anyone here who was born without a family? Not likely. And even if your family is far away or you never knew them, you had a family and you have a family of some configuration today.  The principles I will be teaching over the next two months apply to all families, of all configurations, of all ages. Grandparents, we have a chance to do even better with your grandchildren than you did with your children.  Single folks still have all the dynamics of parental and sibling relationships. Knowing a lot of single parents, you have a very challenging family configuration.  Of course, there are families with 2 parents, or no children, or sandwich families caught between parents and kids and so many more.  And if you think that you don’t have any kind of family out there… you have us. The family of God. And many of the things I am talking about apply to the church family as well.  I will try to use all kinds of families in my illustrations, but if it doesn’t seem like I’m talking your family, please take out your google translator and translate my illustrations to fit your “family.”

 The message of Sabbath is that time is a gift from God. In the beginning, there was only eternity, which is unimaginable to us. Genesis 1:3 says, “God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.” Time was born. Six days later ‘God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.” To “hallow” something is to set it aside as special; to make it holy. God gave the gift of time and particularly the Sabbath as a holy gift to be used for our joy and God’s glory.

After freeing the people from slavery where they worked long hours 7 days a week, God reminded them, “Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy… the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it.”  Notice, this does not come from the 10 suggestions. This is a commandment. In other words, “STOP.”

One more biblical passage Exodus 34:21 is intriguing. The first part is familiar: “You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest.” However, we often overlook the second part: “Even during plowing time and harvest you shall rest.” In other words, no matter how busy we are or how long the “to do” list is, we need a regular break.

God takes Sabbath so seriously that Exodus 31:14 says “You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you; everyone who profanes it (OR DISRESPECTS IT) shall be put to death.”  While it is unlikely this happened often, Numbers chapter 15 tells of a man stoned to death for carrying sticks on the Sabbath.  Apparently, to God, Sabbath is serious business! Serious enough that God created a stop sign called the Sabbath.

The consequence of running God’s stop sign is high blood pressure, heart attacks, sleep deprivation, poor eating habits, and broken relationships.  Is that what you want to be for your family? Of course not. But I’ll confess that I have been there from time to time and maybe you have too.

Working 80 hours a week… been there done that. 7 days a week… been there done that.  Running from meeting to ball game to the grocery store… oops forgot to pick up the grandkids better go back. When you get home, you collapse and fall asleep or worse you take your exhaustion out on the family. Been there done that too. Wish I hadn’t because I want more for my family. I’m guessing that you want more for your family too.

So, what is the answer?  You know as well as I do, but we have to be told don’t we.

The first building block for Christian families is presence… just taking time to be present for one another. I’m calling that family Sabbath.

Our children and spouses need a lot of things, but time and presence are at the very top of the list.

Singles, your and siblings want you to be successful and happy, but more than anything they would love a gift of your time.

Instead of sticking a little money in the birthday card, what if you add a gift of time by taking your grandchild out to spend the money together? 

Let me tell you, the last thing I want to do is another “ought” our “should” to squeeze into your schedule. I don’t want family Sabbath to be just an item on your to-do list. But I do want to impress two things on you.

Time is a gift from God to be used wisely.

One of the greatest needs of families is the gift of time.

 So, how do we do it? That is simple. Commit to it, set a time, and do it faithfully regularly, ideally weekly. If you wait until you have time, you will not do it. If you wait until the kids are older you will never get these years back. If you wait until you are more stable in your job, you are losing precious years with your mom or Grandma and time is a cruel thing.  If you wait for your adult kids to have time, you may sit at home forever.  If you are separated from your family by miles, Skype, Facebook, or even a phone call might be the best you can do.  It is important to you and to them, set time and do it faithfully every week.  That is the only way family Sabbath will happen. 

           

Let me suggest three things.

 Make the time HOLY- if you are going to practice family Sabbath, find a way to make it HOLY.  I think regular worship attendance is essential for family health, but maybe you Sabbath time is Tuesday night, though.  You can find a way to make any time HOLY.

Share what you are thankful for

Share something about each person that you really like.

Spend some time (appropriate to the ages of your family) in silence just together. You might pray, you might have each person look into the eyes of every other person.

Maybe you could sing a favorite hymn together.

The family Sabbath sheet I provided has more ideas for you. Make it simple but let your Sabbath be a holy reminder that this time and these people are a gift from God and by having family Sabbath time, you are not wasting time, but actually making holy the time God has given us.

 Make it RESTFUL – second make it restful. This will mean something different for each family and maybe for each person. One thing we do is we don’t cook. Robyn sometimes makes something on Saturday. Sunday after church we picked up the picnic she prepared on Saturday and went to Swan Lake Park.  Many weeks we plan to eat out on Sunday noon. Sunday evening is every person for themselves; popcorn, cereal, a sandwich something easy.  As the summer gets going it might be cooking brats over the firepit or something.  Maybe you take a family nap. Maybe you read a book. Maybe you go for a slow walk with grandma. Last 4th of July we picked up Casey’s subs, took our chairs to a park and sat and read. Whatever it takes to provide some rest and rejuvenation to everyone. There are more ideas on the 40 ideas sheet I gave you.

 Finally, make it SPECIAL – Maybe you shut off the electronics and put the phones away and play an old-fashioned board game. Maybe you have grandma show you how she bakes those special cookies or grandpa show you how to catch the really big fish.  When our kids were small everyone, including the kids,  took turns deciding what to do on what we called “family night” you never knew what we would be doing, more than once Richie chose to play hungryh-hungry hippo… but everyone did what that person wanted. The possibilities are endless and again you will find more ideas on the family Sabbath sheet.

 Once again, I am not suggesting that you make your life harder or more complicated. I am suggesting that the family that doesn’t spend time together has very little reason to stay together.  They can become strangers that live in the same house.

And frankly you are all smart people and maybe you already do this. AJ Swoboda Suggests in Subversive Sabbath that we try renaming something we already do as Sabbath and see how that changes our attitude. Calling family time Sabbath reminds us why we do it and makes the whole thing holy.

Fundamentally Sabbath is Being truly present with each other. That is the first building block of a Christian family whether you are a single person and your family is your siblings and parents, or a single parent, or partnered, or couple with children or teens, or a family with grandkids who may live a far away, or a widow or widower with one sibling left, or maybe you consider the church your family. We need to make a habit of giving our families priority time in our week.  The first building block if family Sabbath, simply being present.

God bless your family in your Sabbath.

 

40 IDEAS FOR FAMILY SABBATH

(Bulletin insert)

HOLY:

Attend church or stream it. (Even if your Sabbath is not Saturday or Sunday)

Connect with family: in face, facetime , a meal together

Invite someone who has been on a mission trip, been in the service, faced a difficult time, or is a respected elder to share stories.

Sponsor a child and use Sabbath to connect with a sponsored child.

Pray together.

Use meal times to really talk. Maybe have some intentional questions like what was the most significant part of your week? What are you most looking forward to in the week ahead? How is God growing in you right now?)

Do a “random act of kindness” together or help someone you know.

Read the story about Jesus washing feet and have a “foot washing ceremony.” Kids really enjoy this!

Have a special time of encouragement. Share why you are thankful for one another.

Play a Bible memory game.

Make a family story book. Everyone picks a memory, draws a picture and writes a short story.

Write a list of everyone’s fears and pray about them.

SPECIAL:

Have the kids make special placemats to be used ONLY use on Sabbath. Break out the good dishes.

Eat dessert first!

Spend time in nature or pick flowers to reflect on the beauty God created.

Go for a walk and pick up litter.

Write a thank you note to the mail carrier or garbage collector and leave it where they will find it.

Have a set apart time to have or even make a favorite snack even if it isn’t on mom’s diet.

Read aloud or listen to an audio book together.

Make a craft together or color adult coloring pages.

Have a special baking time! And enjoy the fruits of your labors with a neighbor.

Have a bonfire! Roast hot dogs, make s’mores, and talk around the fire.

Eat by candlelight! Talk about the Jesus being the light of the world!

Shut off the electronics and play a board game.

Make handmade personalized birthday cards.

Make a family mailbox to fill with sweet notes to each other.

Invite another family to come over for ice cream sundaes.

Write a group story. Everyone adds a sentence.

RESTFUL

Put sweats or pjs at noon to remind you to relax. If you have small children, it is also one less step in the bedtime.

Take a nap together

Pre-prep your food!

Do a big clean sweep the night before so the house is neat and comfortable for the Sabbath.

No regular chores. Don’t even make your bed.

Decline outside activities and especially meetings. Really protect this time.

Either eliminate screens or use screen time in a special way like to watch a family movie.

Don’t watch the news.

 A special soak in the tub is a very restful activity – for kids or adults!

Paint your elderly mother’s fingernails if it is hard for her.

Pull out the photo albums and share wedding pictures, baby pictures, or vacation pictures.

Turn on REAL 102.1 to listen to music.

ADULT AND OLDER CHILDREN’S NOTES PAGE

What does the root of the word Sabbath mean in Hebrew?

________________________________________________________

Where does Sabbath come from? (read Genesis 2:1-3)

________________________________________________________

Do we have to practice Sabbath? (Read Exodus 20:8-11)  

 Yes      No

Can we skip Sabbath if we are busy? (Read Exodus 34:21)

 Yes      No

What does your family want from you more than anything?

________________________________________________________

Why not call it family time? ___________________

________________________________________________________

Name one way you can make Family Sabbath HOLY

________________________________________________________

Name one way you can make Family Sabbath SPECIAL

________________________________________________________

Name one way you can make Family Sabbath RESTFUL

________________________________________________________

What is your plan for celebrating family Sabbath

________________________________________________________

________________________________________

 

KIDS NOTES PAGE

DRAW GOD RESTING

What does Sabbath mean?

Who started Sabbath?

What does the word HOLY mean?

UNSCRAMBLE THE WORDS:

FSERTLU                       LHOY               LSECAIP

_____________     _____________    _____________

What would you like to do with your family?

When God calls your name: Mary “when it happens to you” Carroll first April 21 Easter

When God calls your name: Mary “when it happens to you”

            Carroll first April 21 Easter

 Shakespeare wrote "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

Let me ask you. Does it make a difference to you if I call you “Hey you” or it I use your real name? Of course it does. In his famous book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie made an important observation. He said: “Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

“What’s in a name?” I’ll tell you what’s in a name? Everything! A name is something very intimate, at the very core of our identity and our being. Which is why it’s so sweet when your spouse whispers your name. Or when an old friend calls you on the phone and speaks your name. We know the power of our parents using our names (especially our middle name). Those of us who were not very athletic, we know the relief at hearing our name called by a captain when there are still other choices.  Salespeople are taught to use a person’s name often because we are more likely to buy from someone who knows our name. The importance of our name is also a major reason why identity theft is such a traumatic experience. Not just for the financial and legal problems it can cause. But because by stealing your name, that person has violated you as much as if they had broken into your home.

We all like to be called by name by the right person, for the right reasons. It communicates that they know us, they recognize us, and they value us. We matter to them.  That is why name tags are so important to us here. We want every person to know that they matter.

 We have been working our way through a series of sermons I called “When God calls your name.” This is the last sermon in that series.  It almost goes without saying that when God calls us, God uses our name.  I don’t know of any call stories in the Bible where God got the name wrong or called “hey you, I need you to be a prophet.”

Today, we look at a perfect example. Mary doesn’t even recognize Jesus until he uses her name. Let’s look at that story.

It was Sunday morning after the darkest week in Mary’s life. Her teacher and mentor and the Jesus she believed to be the messiah, was tortured and cruelly killed by the Romans. It was the third day since they sealed the grave and Mary is itching to get back to the tomb to show her respects.

Now let’s be clear. This is not Mary the Mother of Jesus. This is Mary Magdalene.  We really don’t know her last name because Magdalene just tells us that she is from a fishing village on the sea of Galilee called Magdala. You might have heard some rather scandalous things about Mary.  For the most part, don’t believe them. There is no biblical proof that she was a prostitute.  That was an assumption of a pope 500 years later. In spite of the fictional book “The DaVinci Code;” or the 80’s movie, “The Last Temptation of Christ” There is no Biblical evidence that Mary and Jesus had any romantic let alone a sexual relationship. That is a fiction created by the Gnostics several hundred years after the first Easter to discredit Christianity and some use today to titillate audiences.

What we do know is sparse.  Mary was from Magdala. Jesus drove 7 demons from her. She was among the women who supported Jesus and the disciples for three years.  And her name is mentioned almost as many times as Peter or John.

YET… as you will see it is to Mary Magdalene to whom Jesus appears first after the resurrection.

So, Mary got up early Sunday morning to pay her respects to Jesus and finish the process of cleaning, anointing, and saying goodbye to the body.

According to John, Mary got to the tomb only to find that the stone had been rolled back. Obviously, in her mind, the dead Jesus couldn’t have done that, so she concluded that the body has been taken. She ran to tell Peter what she saw.

Upon hearing the news, Peter and another unnamed disciple ran to the tomb.  The unnamed disciple got their first but did not enter. Peter arrived and went right in.  Notice how each character gets just a little closer to the truth than the previous one.

When Peter entered the tomb, he saw the grave clothes lying there with no body. No grave robber would do that.

When the unnamed disciple came in, they continued getting closer to the truth because he “saw and believed.”  He was the first person to believe in the resurrection.  But Peter and the other disciple went back to where they had been hiding.

Mary stayed at the tomb weeping. She looked in to see two angels who do not call her by name. Mary must have been in shock because the presence of angels is a dead giveaway that God is mightily at work in a situation, but that never dawned on her.

Then Mary saw a man she supposed to be the gardener. He initiated a conversation with her, but she still doesn’t recognize him as Jesus. I have always imagined that her eyes were so swollen and fuzzy from crying that she just couldn’t see him clearly. Finally, Jesus says her name…  Mary.

Or did he say (surprised) Mary as in… “what ate you doing here?”

Or did he say (impatiently) Mary as in… “what’s wrong with you?”

Or did he say (playfully) Mary… as in “surprise look over here.”

Or did he say it firmly to jolt her from her tears?  Mary… “don’t you know me?”

At any rate, she recognized his voice and called him Rabbi or Teacher.

 Jesus’ first instruction is a little obscure. Scholars don’t agree on why Jesus said: “do not hold on to me.” I tend to think that Jesus was telling her not to hold on to her image of the earthly Jesus because now he is so much more and soon he would soon ascend.

 The second instruction Jesus gives her the clearest and most important instruction in all the gospel.  Mary of Magdala, a woman, of whom we know almost nothing, who once had seven demons, who could not seem to grasp the reality of the resurrection like the “unnamed disciple.” … that much-maligned woman was the VERY FIRST PERSON CALLED BY CHRIST TO PREACH THE CHRISTIAN GOSPEL. “Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: She preached the first Christian sermon  “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.” 

Mary was the second Christian to believe, but the first person to ever be called into ministry by Jesus. 

I want you to notice three things about Mary’s call story

 First, I want you to notice who Mary was. Who was she?  A woman?  A widow?  That formerly possessed lady? None of those give her much social credibility in the first century.  It would make more sense if Jesus had called a man, maybe Joseph of Arimathea, or even one of those fishermen or tax collectors who followed him around.  Mary Magdeline was to be generous among the least of…  least of these. God seems to love calling unlikely people to do important things. Mary Magdeline was about as unlikely as they come. But then so am I. Yet, one night 40 years ago I heard Jesus call my name.

Let me go one step further.  Mary was a woman who had been healed of 7 demons.  We are not quite sure what Mary’s problem was, but it could quite possibly have been mental illness.  That was a common belief. Personally, I like to think that Mary’s demons may have been what we would call mental illness. I like to think that because I to have suffered from major depressive disorder and anxiety for 45 years. Both Mary and I answered the call of Jesus by the grace of God.

Whatever your demons might be… remember if God wants someone perfect to get the job done Jesus is going to have to come back to do it himself. But God calls ordinary people with our ordinary problems like  Mary and me and you to do the most important work of sharing God’s love with others.

 Second, I want you to notice that Mary didn’t grasp the call at first. She didn’t even grasp the resurrection at first. She saw and didn’t believe. She heard and didn’t understand.

Don’t be hard on her because it is hard for us to hear God calling our names too. We see what God is doing in our lives and we don’t believe. Maybe we write it off to a coincidence or fate.  We hear but we don’t understand with all the other messages in our lives, the voice of God can get lost… until he calls us by name, that is.

As a sheep can pick out the shepherd’s voice, and a mother can pick out her own child’s cry, and a mechanic or a musician or a cardiologist can hear things the rest of us don’t notice. There is something about our names that catch our attention. We may be able to deny God’s call on our lives for a while, but then Jesus stops us and calls our name. You may struggle to hear God’s call in your life, but listen carefully and you will hear Jesus calling your name.  Maybe with your ears on your head, maybe with the ears of your heart. Listen.  Listen…  Because surely Jesus is calling your name too.

 Finally, I want you to notice that when Jesus called Mary’s name it demanded a response. We know from our study of call stories these 6 weeks, that Mary’s response could have been doubting, making excuses, running away, asking for proof, trying to do it her way, or even being too afraid to respond. Mary may have had trouble letting go of the past. She may have had trouble letting go of her own grief baggage,  But somehow she moved past all of that to hear Jesus call her name  “Mary, don’t get stuck in the past, GO TELL.” “Mary Don’t wallow in your grief or fear, GO TELL.” “Mary don’t hold on to your own notion of how things should be. GO TELL” 

God’s call always requires a response. Sometimes God will call us with a specific known job like to miraculously defeat the Midianite army, but other times God’s call is harder to define like Abraham’s “go to a place I will show you.” But God always calls for a response. Do something. Be something. Tell someone. Love someone. Teach someone. Invite someone.  Help someone. Stand up for someone. Speak up about something. Take a risk for someone. Give ourselves for something. 

 Mary answered the call. And so can you.

God’s call may come in a burning bush or a burning in yrou heart, a miraculous sign or  a nagging feeling, a loud booming voice, or a gentle whisper in your ear.  _________(names) x 5.

Listen… Listen… I think I hear Jesus calling your name…  Listen … and respond.

When God calls your name.: Jesus “are you sure?” 4.14.19 First UMC Carroll

When God calls your name.: Jesus “are you sure?”

4.14.19 First UMC Carroll

 Holy week has been described as a roller coaster ride. 

Palm Sunday is just approaching the top of the first drop. For Jesus, it has been a 3-year climb “up” to Jerusalem. The disciples are along for the ride completely oblivious to what is on the other side of the hill.

From the top of the roller coaster, the triumphant entry It is a great day. Maybe the greatest day of all for the disciples seeing their master hailed as the promised one. Being vindicated in the eyes of those who thought they were crazy to walk away from their jobs and families to follow this vagabond, Jesus.

But from here on out, it is all downhill.

The days to come will be a 100 mile an hour plunge into darkness. They will include OUTRAGE when Jesus turns the tables on the money changers.   ANTAGONISM in the final arguments with the temple authority. The UNTHINKABLE betrayal of Judas. The OMINOUS words “This is my body. This is my blood.”  Then we pick up even more speed in the last 18 hours of Jesus life, ARREST, DECEPTION, PLOTTING, LYING, BEATING, MOCKING, CONDEMNATION, CRUCIFIXION, PAIN, SUFFERING…DEATH.

 But in the middle of this most dramatic ride of the Christian story, is a moment of tender intimacy. It is so different from the rest of the story that it might be overlooked: Jesus’ moments in prayer in the garden of Gethsemane.

After the last supper, Jesus took the 12 disciples to an olive grove on the mount of Olives. He took his three closest disciples a little further and asks them to pray. Then he goes on a little further by himself. What he must do now… and tomorrow on the cross, he must do alone.

“He threw himself on the ground and prayed, “Abba, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.”

Luke reports that as “he prayed more earnestly, his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Some say that he may have been so stressed that his capillaries began to burst, a condition called HE-MAT-O-HI-DRO-SIS, but also notice that Luke’s passage is a simile, “his sweat was LIKE drops of blood.” Whether he sweat blood or not, this was absolutely the most difficult thing Jesus has ever done.

He knows what God’s call on his life is. He has told the disciples several times that he would suffer, and die, and on the third day rise again.  He told them that there is a cross in his future.  He knows full well what is to come. And he never wavers from that. Even in the next passage in Matthew which is the arrest, Jesus chastises Peter for trying to defend him saying “it must happen in this way”

Jesus never wavered in doing God’s will.

If we think Jesus is struggling with whether or not to do God’s will in the garden of Gethsemane, we are remaking Jesus in our image.  That would be OUR battle, but it was not the battle Jesus fought that night. 

Jesus was fully committed to doing God’s will, he never faltered on that matter. He knew he must die. He knew God would raise him from death. He never ever lost that conviction.

Jesus’ struggle was not with faithfulness or temptation, it was with fear. Does that seem too simple? I don’t think so.

Remember, Jesus was fully human. What human being, when facing horrendous torture, would not be afraid?  What human being, when faced with a cruel death, would not be afraid?

You might not want to think Jesus was afraid, you might say he was God how could he be afraid?  You are right, he was 100% God, but he was also 100% human. Any human being would be afraid in those circumstances. Let’s see how the story supports that.

 First, Jesus runs to his “papa.”  I don’t mean that tritely.  When we are small there is nothing more comforting than the arms of our parents. Now that my dad has died, there are times when I can’t think of anything that would be more comforting than hearing his voice.  Jesus does not pray “ALMIGHTY AND HOLY TRANSCENDENT GOD.”  No, he prays ABBA which means “daddy” or “papa.” The curtain is pulled back for just a peek at a most intimate moment between Jesus and his “papa.”

 Second, I think when Jesus says to the disciples that the “spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” he is speaking from personal experience. He is after as I said all human. He not only understood our struggles, but he also lived them.  I think Jesus was reflecting on the whole story when he said, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”  Jesus knew God’s will, he was dedicated to doing God’s will, but that doesn’t mean it was easy.  That doesn’t mean he wasn’t afraid. In this case, I think we could say “The spirit is willing but the flesh is afraid.”

 Third, both times Jesus prayed, “Nevertheless, not my will God, your will.” “Papa, I am terrified. Nevertheless, not my will, your will.” And in the end, do you know Jesus final prayer in this life…  “Into your hands, I commend my spirit”

We have been talking about God’s call and human response for 6 weeks now. We have seen amazement, excuses, running, asking for proof, trying to do it our way… and like me, you may see yourself in some of those responses.

But oftentimes we aren’t looking to get out of doing God’s will… we really, really want to be faithful. We really do want to follow what God says. We really do want to be obedient. But, like Jesus in today’s story, we are afraid.

Afraid of what others will think

Afraid of trying something that is way out of your comfort zone.

Afraid of doing something that might cost you dearly in time, energy, money, relationship or other ways.

 I do it too.  I want to be faithful to God’s call but over and over fear gets a grip on me. It may paralyze me for a while, but ultimately, I must resign my own fears and weakness to pray … “Nevertheless, not my will God, your will.”

The whole reason I preached this series is because I know for a fact that God calls each and every one of us to something. Most of you will not be called to full-time ministry, though some might. However, everyone is called to something…Maybe to teach, or serve, or lead, or share a talent, or give, or take a stand, or reach out, or encourage, or volunteer, or love someone, or do more of what you are already doing for God’s glory. I am praying that as we have spent 6 weeks now talking about God calling people in the Bible, that you have thought about God’s call in your life. I pray that you recognize the little nudge, hear a little whisper, see an opportunity, have identified a burning passion for something, or feel a tug toward something. That might be God’s call on your life.

I have been praying for you to experience God’s call. But I know how hard it is to take the next step. I know that for many of us fear will hold us back.

So, we take the first step by praying, “Nevertheless, not my will, God, your will.”

 Praying that prayer, still seems scary. It is giving up control, handing our free will over to God, so I suggest the other prayer I mentioned. “Father into your hands I commend my spirit.”  I suggest we pray, “Lord into your hands I trust my life.

We are no longer in charge of our lives, so we pray, “Lord into your hands I trust my life.

We are no longer going to let fear hold us back, so we pray “Lord into your hands I trust my life.”

We are not going to let anything keep us from following God’s will, so we pray “Lord into your hands I trust my life.

Pray that with me.

Reflect on God’s call as you hear it in your life.

What is holding you back? What resistance do you have?

Feel that resistance in the pit of your stomach. Tense up your abs and feel the resistance all right there in your belly.

Now pray our two prayers, and let that resistance go little by little until it is gone.

 “Nevertheless, not my will, God, your will.” … “Lord into your hands I trust my life.”

Pray them out loud with me…  3 times

“Nevertheless, not my will, God, your will.” … “Lord into your hands I trust my life.” X 3

When God calls your name: Joseph “I’ll do it my way” FUMC Carroll 4/6 an 4/7 2019

When God calls your name: Joseph “I’ll do it my way”

FUMC Carroll

 How many of you are like me and consider it an insult to have to look at the directions to figure out how to put something together? You know I’m smart enough that, like a 2-year-old, I can do this myself!

 I’ll admit sometimes I get in a little over my head and get something like this.

 And then there is GPS.  Does anyone else ever think, “Oh, I know where I am, I’ll just ignore the GPS because ‘I can do it myself?’”  A lot of times that doesn’t work out so well does it?

 I never cut my own hair but did any of you try this as a child?  Did it work out well for anyone?  Probably not.

 We must come to grips with the fact that sometimes we do not know best. And we never know better than God. God is very clear about that. Isaiah 55 says, “‘My thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways’ says the Lord.”

The book of Proverbs says: “There is a way that seems right to us, but in the end, it leads to death.” (Prov 14:12, NIV). Now, contrast that Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Prov 3:5-6, NIV)

 In some ways I’m a “my way of or the highway” kind of guy.

I have never liked to do things the way everyone else did them. In school, a had a math teacher tell me, “You get the right answer, but boy you take the hard way to get there.”   Turns out my way is usually the hard way.

To this day, if I get an email that says this is a mandatory event all pastors are required to attend, I automatically dig in my heels and resist doing what I am told. I’ll be the first to admit that too often I still try to do things my way.

 But as I have grown in my faith I have come to see that there are two ways to do things, Not my way or the highway, but “My way OR God’s way.”   God’s way may not always be the easiest, but it sure creates fewer problems than my way.

 I take comfort knowing that I am not alone. The Bible is filled with examples of people who preferred their way over God’s way.

•            Adam and Eve? We all know what happened because they had to choose their own snack God forbade.

•            2 weeks ago, we talked about Sara and Abraham rushing God by a child through Hagar.

•            God told Moses to speak to the rock and water would come out. Moses thought if speaking was good, striking the rock would be better. He did, and water came out. But God told him because you couldn’t follow directions you will never enter the promised land.

•            God told King Saul, to wait for Samuel to offer the sacrifice on the altar. Since Samuel was late It seemed okay to the King to offer the sacrifice himself. He did. But God told him, I have now rejected you from being King over my people.

•            David thought he could ignore the law and follow his own urges with Bathsheba… his hole just kept getting deeper and deeper.

When God speaks our name, we must listen to all the directions. I vividly remember a test we were given in about 3rd grade. The instructions were to read the entire test before beginning. Those who did not, got an automatic “F” because the instructions at the bottom of the page read, “Write only your name on the top of the paper and turn it in.” We were taught an unforgettable lesson that day.  There is a good reason to follow the directions.

There is a way that seems right to us, but the Bible is very, very clear that it is GOD’S WAY OR THE HIGHWAY.

 Joseph was faced with a dilemma in today’s story.

Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel to announce to her that she would have a child.

Her fiancé, Joseph found out and he made plans to divorce her quietly.

It is hard for us to understand Jewish marriage customs. The bride and groom were not married until the groom took her to live in his house. The betrothal, however, as more than an engagement. If a man died before the wedding, his betrothed was still considered a widow. If a woman was unfaithful it was not fornication, or sex outside marriage, it was adultery for which Mary could be stoned to death.

The story says Joseph was a righteous man.  In other words, he knew and respected the law.  But it is also clear that he was a merciful man and cared for Mary very much. He did not want to publicly humiliate her, he did not want to expose her to public condemnation, he did not want to have her harmed in any way let alone stoned to death.

We are not sure what it would mean to “divorce her quietly” but it almost certainly means with as little fanfare and as little attention as possible. He just wanted to put this behind them and move on.

The thing is, don’t you suppose Mary had told Joseph about what happened? Undoubtedly when she told him she was pregnant she explained that she had not been unfaithful. She explained that this was an act of God through the Holy Spirit, but Joseph couldn’t hear that. If he heard it, he couldn’t understand it. She explained that she had never been with a man, but he couldn’t hear that either. She explained that the angel had come. She explained that this was a child of the Holy Spirit. She explained that this was God’s doing. She explained that this child would be named Jesus because “he would save his people.” She explained all of that, but Joseph couldn’t get around the thought that she had been with another man. I don’t blame him.  I can’t imagine that any of us would that thought differently.

Apparently, Joseph was not angry with Mary. I would think anger would have been natural. I kind of think that if he didn’t believe her, he might have been harsher with her, but maybe he believed what she said (at least on some level). If he believed her, it would explain why he didn’t want to humiliate her.  So, he made his own plan. He would quietly divorce her. 

OK, that’s the plan and he could wash his hands of the whole thing.

Or maybe not. Remember Joseph was a righteous man. He was a good man.  He was a faithful man. He knew that God spoke through dreams so when the angel came to him in a dream he listened carefully. “Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.”

The angel said, “She’s telling you the truth and are to be part of this.”

Joseph had a decision to make. This is where we often find ourselves. 

•            His heart said divorce the girl, the angel said marry her.

•            His head said there was no explanation besides her infidelity, but he kind of believed her and in his heart, he wanted to believe that the angel was right. 

•            His head knew that marrying Mary would mean that Joseph himself would be subject to public disgrace… you know, “Poor Joseph couldn’t even handle Mary before they were Married. Or maybe he did and maybe HE made up the crazy story to cover up the consequences of his decision to be with Mary before they were married.” Under these circumstances, that would have essentially amounted to rape. 

•            In public opinion, he was either a gullible doormat or a lying horndog.

 Which will it be?  When the voice of God calls your name… what is your response?

“Don’t worry God, I’ve got this under control.”

“No thanks, God, I have other plans for tonight?”

Maybe a whiney, “but God… I really want to do it my way.”

Maybe a stand your ground response… “Leave me alone, I can do it myself.”

When God changes your plans, it can be hard…

•            I have had some weeks when practicing the sermon on Saturday night it became painfully obvious that this was not the message God wanted the next day.  That’s hard to swallow.

•            I have known people who have their lives all planned out and God calls them into pastoral ministry. They were teachers, doctors, stay at home parents, and retired people who have all felt that call. It can be hard to say “no” to what we have in order to say “yes” to what God has for us.

•            I have known people who are quite comfortable sitting on their couch reading the newspaper while the kids are in Sunday school, but I’ll never forget the dad who came in and said, “I’ve never done anything at the church, but if you need help, let me know.” Little did he guess he was just the ticket for a hard to handle middle school class. Sometimes we don’t have any idea why we open ourselves up to something.

•            I remember every bone in my body telling me I couldn’t take a chance on this troubled kid begging to go on the mission trip. Thank goodness there was something about him that convinced me. Because God was working in him to call him into ministry.  Now he is a wonderful pastor.

 It comes down to a question. “Are we going to GET in God’s way or DO IT God’s way.” Are we going to insist on our way?  Are we going to submit to God’s way?

A Sunday school was putting on a Christmas pageant which included the story of Mary and Joseph coming to the inn.

One boy wanted so very much to be Joseph, but when the parts were handed out, the part was given to a boy he didn't like, he was assigned to be the inn-keeper instead.

He was pretty upset about this, but he didn’t say anything to the director.

He came up with a plan of what he could do to get even with Joseph.

Finally, it was the night of the performance, and here came Mary and Joseph walking across the stage. They knocked on the door of the inn. The innkeeper opened the door and asked them gruffly what they wanted.

Joseph answered, "we’d like to have a room for the night.

Suddenly the inn-keeper threw the door open wide and said,

"Great, come on in and I’ll give you the best room in the house!"

 For a few seconds poor little Joseph didn’t know what to do. But thinking quickly on his feet, he looked inside the door past the inn-keeper and then said, "no wife of mine is going to stay in a dump like this. Come on, Mary, let’s go to the barn."

And once again the play was back on track!

In a small way, the innkeeper tried to do things his way… but Joseph wouldn’t have anything to do with it.  He wanted to stick to the story the way God wrote it and he was flexible enough to stay faithful to the story.

How about you? Whose story will you act out? Whose sign will you follow? What will be your answer when God says, “Here do things my way?” 

Will you stand in God’s way or do things God’s way?