Building blocks for Christian families: faithfulness First UMC Carroll, 5/5/19

Building blocks for Christian families: faithfulness

First UMC Carroll, 5/5/19

We’ll start with an easy question today. What is the purpose of your life? Really, why are you here?

That might seem like an impossible question, but I promise it is not.

Many times, there are assembly instructions or a user’s guide with a product we buy. It tells us how to put the parts together and what to do with it. Life does not come with assembly instructions or a user’s guide… or does it?

From a biological perspective, we are here to ensure the continuation of our line of DNA. But our life is not like that of a mayfly which is born, reproduces and in 24 hours is dead. There is more to us than that.

From an economic perspective, we are here to produce and consume goods and services. But we are more than our net worth which is the amount we produce minus the amount we consume.

From a political perspective, what do they call us? “Taxpayers.” That is exactly what we are. The sole means of support for government operations and programs. Except for every election cycle when we become “voters or constituents.”

From the perspective of a virus, like the one that got a hold of me this week, our purpose is to be a nice warm place to live for a few days until our bodies figure out how to fight them off. Come to think of it, we could look at our children the same way. We are a source of food, clothing, and housing until they are ready to leave and be a “host” for their own children.

But we are more than any of those things. We are more than all those things added together.

 The Levite, or Lawyer, in today’s scripture is asking essentially this same question trying to trick Jesus into saying something scandalous. He asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” In other words, “Why are we here?”

As a good Rabbi should, Jesus asked him a question back, “What does the law say?” Remember this guy was a lawyer. He knew the law inside and out. If there was any escape clause, or if there were any exceptions, he would know.

Then he recites part of the Shema from Deuteronomy 6, which we also read today. The Shema is considered by some Jews to be the most important prayer in all of Judaism. It is the centerpiece of morning and evening prayers. The first verse is recited with a hand shielding the eyes.

 She-ma yisrael, adonai eloheinu, adonai echad

Hear O’ Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One

He doesn’t say that part to Jesus.

What he does say, comes from Dt. 6:5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind”

 Then he adds on a passage from Leviticus 19:18 In total it says, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” The Lawyer, of course just said: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus said, “Is that your final answer?”

The lawyer said, “Final answer” and after a pregnant pause Jesus said, “Ding, ding, ding, you’re right, do that and you will win the grand prize of eternal life!”

I’m joking, but I do believe this is one of those final round questions that make the difference between going home a winner or going home empty-handed.

The purpose of human life then is to do two things” Love God and Love Neighbor.”

That kind of boils down what we have learned in Faith Exploration this year doesn’t it?

When you are confirmed you are signing up for a life guided by these two principles love God and Love Neighbor. If you boil down the confirmation vows, you get the same answer the lawyer gave. “Love God and love neighbor.” These three confirmands have all told me that they are ready to do that, right?

Confirmation should also remind us that there have been a lot of people involved in bringing these young people to this moment. Let’s try something.

•             If you have been a teacher, helper, snack person, game person, food server, craft teacher, youth leader, youth helper, served dinner to the youth or in any way been part of the ministry this church has provided to these youth please stand up.

•             If you remember when they were born or first started coming here, or have encouraged them or their parents, or supported them by going to games, or concerts or, Christmas programs, or youth dinners, or in some other way supported them or encouraged them please stand up.

•             Finally, if you have supported any of the ministries that bring them here today, including mini Methodists, UM Kids, Sunday school, youth, VBS, confirmation (which includes if you have helped pay the salary for the staff people who have helped like Jason, Suzi, Sherri, and me) or if you are here to support them today as they are confirmed, please stand up. Look around confirmands. They say it takes a village… no… it takes a church… a church dedicated to loving God and loving you to get you to this moment of confirmation.

OK Everyone but the family sit down.

You have played a special role in helping these young people get to this confirmation today. I can’t list for sure everything you have done that brings them to this time, but I know one thing. They come to profess their faith today promising to love God and love neighbor. And that didn’t come from an egg hatched last night. They don’t catch that by kissing the wrong girl or boy. They don’t pick it up off the streets. They don’t step on it in the yard and track it into their lives. No. somehow, on purpose or not, they have come to realize that the most important thing is to love God and love neighbor. Statistics tell me that most likely place they heard that message over and over and over is at home from you. Youth who grow up in non-Christian homes are pretty unlikely to be standing up front here today. I want to say thank you, and well done good and faithful servants.

You may be seated.

 However, let me qualify that… well done so far… because your job is not done. Faith building is a life long process that does not stop at confirmation. In fact, forming faithfulness in the family is one of the building blocks for Christian families.

This confirmation Sunday is a great reminder that Christian families must have a strong foundation of faithfulness. I am choosing to use “faithfulness” instead of “faith” because as I was writing this week, I did not want to leave any room for thinking that I am talking about an intellectual belief or an emotional choice. Faithfulness is not intellectual or emotional… faithfulness is a whole way of being. Faithfulness is making the love of God and love of neighbor central to your life.

Our First reading from Deut. 6 explains the way of life that is founded on faithfulness.

Although it is talking about the first half, “Love God” I think it is safe to apply this to love neighbor too. Deuteronomy 6 says,

•               “Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart.” In other words, get them inside of your and make them part of who you are.

•               “Recite them to your children” and your parents, and your brothers and sisters, and your roommate, and your partner, and your girlfriend/ boyfriend and everyone else. Share them with your family and make them the core value of your family.

 I recall a family where it was the 30 something-year-old single uncle who brought the whole family to church. He started coming, brought the nieces and nephews to VBS, then the Moms and dads (his brothers and sisters) and eventually his mom and they all ended being baptized. It doesn’t’ matter what kind of family you have, tell and teach other love God and love neighbor.

•               “Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away.” Faithfulness travels well at home or on the road, we live and teach love God and love neighbor. Anywhere and everywhere.

•               “When you lie down and when you rise.” Any time of the day of the year, it is not just Vacation Bible School, or Christmas or Easter, faithfulness is all day every day, any time way of living.

•               “Bind them as a sign on your hand.” Your hands are your actions… act as though you love God and love others. It is in your actions.

•               “Fix them as an emblem on your forehead.” Some Jews took this literally and tied phylacteries around their foreheads like sweatbands with the Shema inside. But I prefer to say let your thoughts be controlled by the principles of Love God and love neighbor.

•               “Write them on the doorposts of your house.” This is where the tradition of the mezuzah starts. You may have seen homes where there is a little brass or ceramic vial on the door frame? That also contains the Shema. But I think the point is whether the family is at home or away, what should guide their thoughts and actions? “Love God and love neighbor”

•               Finally, “on your gates”. The gates are the passage by which all the guests come and go. So, NO matter who you meet, what kind of person they are, what nationality, color, sexual orientation, whether they are a believer or not… you treat them by the principle love God and love neighbor.

 What is the main purpose of human life? Love God and love neighbor.

The family is the place where that starts and where we first practice. What is the primary value of your family? Things, money prestige, power, Being the Joneses to whom everyone else tries to keep up. Being the athletic family, the beautiful family, the busy family (strangely enough I think busy has become something people strive for), or are you known as the family who loves God and each other.

 Grandparents, do you know how many people I have talked to who credit their start in the faith to their grandparents? You make a difference. Help someone to love God and neighbor.

                Single folks, do you know how closely you are being watched by your nieces and nephews? I had a single uncle for a while… and we thought he was “the coolest.” You make a difference. Help someone to love God and neighbor.

Single parents, you have it hard. You might be the only example your kids have, but you don’t have to be… let them learn to love God and neighbor from your siblings, friends, babysitters and the church! You have a huge responsibility. You make a difference. Help your kids to love God and neighbor.

NO matter what your family configuration. No matter who you are you can influence someone. You make a difference. Help your family to love God and neighbor.

 I am not talking about anything difficult.

•             Make worship and church activities important. If they are important to you, they’ll be important to them.

•             Support the young folks in your family by attending programs, encouraging mission trips, and being there every step of the way.

•             Treat one another and others… yes, I begrudgingly say telemarketers too… treat others with respect and love.

•             Finally, find ways to show special love to some folks. Take toys to the hospital. Donate to the Christmas toy drive. Give to the food pantry. Rake the yard of an elderly neighbor. Show compassion to the poor and outcast. It is not that complicated.

 I learned the hard way that it makes a difference. When I left the ministry, I became just a little more frequent than a C&E Christian. Christmas and Easter. I still remember the day Robyn came to tell me that Richie decided he didn’t have to go because I didn’t go. If I didn’t love God neither would my son. I went back to church. I made a difference to my kids. I helped my family to learn to love God and neighbor.

You can too. Help your family to love God and neighbor by making faithfulness the second building block of your family.