Jehovah Jirah

“Jehovah Jirah”

Rumc-October 17^th 8:30 am service

Are you a worrier?

Of the things people worry about a recent study found

40% -- things that will never happen

30% -- things about the past that can't be changed

12% -- things about criticism by others, mostly untrue

10% -- about health, which gets worse with stress.

8% -- about real problems that will be faced

That means if you worry for an hour- 55 minutes is wasted on things that cannot be changed or never happen.  That doesn’t seem very efficient does it?

Worry is kind of like fog.  Weathermen say that the densest fog covering 7 city blocks- that is like the area between here and downtown between West Street and Blackhawk Street.  The densest fog covering 7 city blocks 100 feet deep contains enough water to only almost fill a water glass about 6 ounces.  That means that same dense fog over the town of Reinbeck would not quite fill a pitcher. 

Worry is like that.  It seems to consume us and will completely obscure our vision, but if we collect it up in one place and look at it, it really doesn’t amount to much.

Let me tell you a couple of stories from the Bible.

There was once a man named Abraham.  He loved God and worshiped God all the time.  Abraham had no children until he was very old.  He was very anxious to have a child.  Finally Isaac was born.

One day God said to Abraham.  “Abraham, I want you to come worship me on a mountain I will show you.  And I want you to bring your son Isaac as a sacrifice.”  Now that was very hard for Abraham because he loved Isaac very much.  He didn’t want to do anything to hurt him.  God had never before, however asked Abraham to do anything that would hurt anyone so Abraham listened to God.  He got the donkeys, the wood, and his son Isaac and went off to the wilderness.  As they arrived, Isaac asked, Father, “We have the wood and you have the fire, but we have no goat.  What will we offer to God today?”  Abraham told him not to worry.  That God would provide.  They got off the donkeys, took the wood, and went to make their offering.  Abraham took Isaac and tied him up and placed him on the altar and was just about to offer him to God when God said “Abraham!  Stop.  Stop!  Do not offer your son.  You have shown that you are faithful and there is a goat in the bushes right in front of you.  Use it.”  Abraham stopped, gave thanks to God, and called the place Jehovah Jirah- God will provide. Because God took care of him. 

How many of you would have spent the whole trip to the wilderness worrying about what you were going to do when you got there?  Maybe even being mad at God for putting you in such a predicament?  I think I might have even packed an extra sacrificial goat in case I could figure a way out of this mess.

One day Jesus was in the countryside with a crowd.  Actually it was a pretty big crowd about, 5000 people.  It was suppertime and the disciples told Jesus he should send the people away because there wasn’t enough food for them.  Jesus asked for all the bread and fish they had with them. It wasn’t enough.   There was a little boy with some lunch leftovers but even with that they didn’t have enough food for 5000 people.  Jesus sat down, gave thanks to God, and had the disciples distribute the bread and fish.    When everyone had eaten what they wanted and were full, the disciples picked up the leftovers . . . yes there were leftovers enough o fill 12 baskets!

Right then and there I think someone should have stopped to call that place Jehovah Jirah- God will provide. Because God took care of them.

How many of you would have shooed the crowd away?  I probably would have said, this is crazy- gotten up and left.  And I would have missed the whole show. 

A year ago Brandi got sick again and she and her mom have had to drive 4 hours – 3 days a week for dialysis just to keep Brandi alive.   For a while we didn’t think she would be allowed to have a new kidney.  Then she would be allowed if one were available.  Then someone was willing to have an operation to give one of his or her kidneys to Brandi.  After many ups and downs it happened.  Think about the fact that without the kidney Brandi would have to be on dialysis for the rest of her life.  Think about finding someone willing to donate part of their body, and they were a match and it all worked out.  Much to her mother’s consternation, she named it Fred- well I think she renamed it Fiona, now.  But Fred or Fiona—whatever-- is doing very well.   Except I think she should have named her new kidney Jehovah Jirah.

 I think that little kidney should be named Jehovah Jirah- God will provide. Because God took care of Brandi.

2 weeks ago I was told that the supper offering for LIGHT was not covering our expenses.  In order to make this work for the rest of the school year the church needed about $1260 in addition to the offering in the supper basket.  I didn’t know how it was going to work.  But I believed that it would.  I went that same afternoon to visit someone from the church.   We were just visiting about the exciting things that happen here.  I told them the problem I had learned about and never expecting anything.

Guess what happened? 

The man said “go get the check book and write him a check for $1500 so they don’t have to worry about that.”  Now with the supper offerings and that check we don’t have to worry about how to pay for supper.    I named that check.  Do you know what I named it?  Jehovah Jirah- God will provide. Because God took care of us.

It happens over and over again.

I want you to notice something though.  Because I struggled with it this week.  It doesn’t always seem that God provides. 

·        Look at the hungry children with distended bellies- tell their mothers “God will provide”

·        Look at the wars in the world—the Israeli Palestinian conflict for instance- hasn’t God had plenty of time to provide a solution for that?

·        Consider how many young people die of cancer every day.  Why didn’t God provide a cure- or remission- or another day for them?

·        This week I became aware of two more marriages in Reinbeck that are in trouble.  Why doesn’t God provide a solution for them- especially so the children don’t get caught in the middle?

You see what I mean?  For me it is not just as easy as saying, “Oh don’t worry.  God will provide.”  There is nothing easy about these real human hurts and needs.  There is nothing easy about trusting God. I’m sorry but

·        God’s track record for the hungry in Darfur is not all that great.

·        God has had plenty of time to solve the Palestinian-Israeli problem.

·        Though God provides healing for some, many die of terrible diseases.

·        Try as we might- some marriages end in terrible hurtful- destructive battles.

I almost didn’t write this sermon because I got stuck on those questions. But then in my study and struggle- God provided.  God provided two important pieces of information.

First. Notice that Abraham didn’t do nothing and wait for God to do it all.  He got the donkeys, and the wood and the stuff to make the trip and set off faithfully.

Notice that Jesus didn’t magically “poof” a 12-course dinner- complete with waiters and entertainment- in front of the crowd.  He certainly could have, but instead asked, what do you have- and said, let’s share that.

It seems that God could have healed brandy or multiplied the money in the offering basket to solve those problems too, but instead provided willing generous people who reached out in their own way to solve those problems.

Saying God will provide does not free us of the responsibility to do everything we can.  As God’s people, God demands that we work our fingers to the bone to love and care for those around us.  God calls us to do everything in our power to reach out and change the world around us whether that is feeding a neighbor, having an aid and assistance fund,  donating a kidney, voting for the candidate of your choice next month, teaching children about Jesus, leading a committee in its work, donating to missions, or praying for peace.  Trusting God does not relieve us of our responsibility to be kingdom workers. 

And second- ultimately we have to trust that God is God, because we are not.

What do I mean by that?  I mean the bottom line is we worry about a lot of things and remember what percentage I said we actually face?  8%.  Remember that dense that fog over Reinbeck? And how much water is really there?  Less than 2 quarts.

Bottom line, we can’t even figure out what is worth worrying about and what is not worth worrying about.  Who are we to judge God or tell God what to do?

As I said, we must do everything in our power to change the world, but when we come to the end of what we can do we simply have to trust.

·        When you go bowling, you can’t hang on to the ball and steer it down the lane.  You have to let go before you cross the foul line.

·        As parents we eventually have to let our children walk, ride bikes, and drive on their own.  Will they fall, maybe but we can’t hang on to them forever.

·        As a carpenter, there was always one more thing I would have liked to change or do differently, but eventually I had to walk away and let the owner move in.

·        As a preacher I can study all week, write and rewrite the sermon, pray and practice and work, and make the best presentation I am able, but come 9:15 Sunday morning I have to let go of that message and trust that you will take it from there.

Where will you take this message?  You might say that was a nice message on trust, but hand me the steering wheel because I am in charge around here.  If that is your response the message in reality might as well have stayed on the paper.

What I am asking you to do is much simpler.

Take that steering wheel and do the very best you can.

Be responsible, loving, generous, and helpful.  Speak prophetically, vote hopefully, pray diligently, but when you have done all you can- know that you have done all you can.  Step back and let God. 

I have never been a big fan of the saying “let go and let God.”  It is too passive for me.  But once we have given our very best.  It is time to “let go.” Let go of our need to control- Let go of our need to be in charge- Let go of our need to fix things- Let go of our need to be God. And trust God to be God.

It is time to let go of ourselves and place our lives in the hand of Jehovah Jireh.  The one who provides. 

 AMEN

10/10/10 10 fold

10 Fold

Visit. . . . 10 Fold

On January 12, 2010, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake shook the impoverished nation of Haiti, causing widespread destruction and loss of life.

UMCOR’s chief partner in both immediate relief and long-range recovery in Haiti is L’Église Méthodiste d’Haïti (EMH), the Methodist Church of Haiti. UMCOR reopened a field office in Port-au-Prince and is collaborating with EMH in the development of cash-for-work programs for survivors, demolition and debris removal, and strengthening and developing the church’s human resources.

The UMCOR work plan anticipates three phases of recovery: emergency, recovery, and rehabilitation. The emergency phase addressed the most immediate needs of access to food, clean water and sanitation, temporary shelter, and emotional and spiritual support.

During the recovery phase, which is expected to run through the first-year anniversary of the disaster, UMCOR is responding to needs for increasingly permanent homes, schools, clinics, and churches; livelihood restoration; and income generation, among other concerns.

The third phase, rehabilitation, will likely stretch through January 2015, and will offer assistance for both physical reconstruction and economic development, as well as rebuilding systems, such as health and education.

With thousands of US-based volunteers anxious to lend a hand in Haiti, UMCOR worked with EMH and United Methodist Volunteers In Mission to establish an arrangement for US volunteers to serve in Haiti without displacing Haitian workers in need of a recovery job. Under the arrangement, for every US volunteer on a project, two Haitians are at work.

Support will continue to be needed, as tents give way to temporary shelters, and ultimately, to permanent homes, schools, places of worship, and small businesses.

Haiti Emergency, UMCOR Advance #418325

To make an additional donation and learn more go to www.umcorhaiti.org

Quick Facts

• UMCOR participates in a roundtable in the Dominican Republic with the Église Methodist d’Haiti (EMH) and an international coalition of Methodist and ecumenical church groups to discuss short-term and long-term priorities for the EMH in areas such as education, reconstruction, health, and long-term development. Partners included the Dominican Evangelical Church, Methodist Church of Britain, United Church of Canada, Church World Service, Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas, and Global Ministries (Women’s Division, Mission and Evangelism, and Mission Volunteers)

• UMCOR collaborates with Église Methodist d’Haiti in the development of cash-for-work programs for survivors in demolition and debris removal and in strengthening and developing the church’s human resources.

• UMCOR meets with more than 25 leaders of the Église Methodist d’Haiti to strategize on long-term development in Haiti. The three-day workshop focuses on Haiti’s future and is attended by circuit superintendents, lay members, church leadership as well as representatives from Global Ministries, United Church of Canada, and The Methodist Church of Great Britain. Health, education, microenterprise, and agriculture are among the priorities identified as priorities in recovery.

• UMCOR supports Grace Children’s Hospital’s effort to continue providing services.

• UMCOR sets up school tents in Corail settlement site and Tabarre Issa community schools so schoolchildren can return to normal activities.

Visit. . . . 10 Fold

Contentment in God... September 26, 2010 RUMC

Contentment in God

RUMC 9/26/10

"How are you today?"

I asked someone that question this week and they said, “Pretty good, under the circumstances.”  I wanted to say “I’m sorry you are under the circumstances.” The Lord calls us to be above the circumstances.

What does that mean? To be “above the circumstances.”

First, let me say I am not talking about complacency. I am not talking about being above the circumstances of life by being merely resigned to letting them happen. A complacent baseball player might be one who stands with his hands in his pockets and his glove laying on the ground hoping the ball will fall into the glove. It just doesn’t happen. That is no way to win a ballgame and that is no way to live.

Second, let me say being above the circumstances is not being so self-righteous that we believe the circumstances don’t matter. You have probably heard people say “Give thanks in all things.” That might be a wonderful sense of thanksgiving; but it could also be sticking our nose in the air and saying that what happens does not matter to God or us.

God is actively and intimately involved in the events of this world. God is actively and intimately involved in the events of our lives. Our lives and our problems matter enough to God that God became flesh and dwelt among us, lived, died and was raised for us. Who are we to say that they don’t matter? That is just a smug, self-righteousness.

Third, let me say that I am not talking about denial or repression. I am not talking about going through life with rose colored glasses, assuming that what you don’t see won’t hurt you. That is not really being above the circumstances. Those who deny the harsh realities around themselves; those who act as though the circumstances simply don’t matter, belittle the pain and struggle of others around them as they face these same circumstances.

Finally, I want to say that being above the circumstances is not an approval of the world. Being above the circumstances does not mean that we are satisfied with the circumstances of the world. It does not mean that we are pleased with everything that is happening. Who could be pleased with widespread hunger, wars and hatred? I don’t want us to say that the world is just fine the way it is. Because the truth is… it isn’t.

God would not call us to be complacent, or self righteousness. God does not call us to stick our head in the sand or to be satisfied with all the difficult circumstances that surround us.  Yet the author of 1Timothy says “there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment.”

It is the word “contentment” that caught my attention this week.  It caught my attention because contentment is so rare in our society. We live in an utterly discontent culture. We are brought up to seek more. More skills, more education, more money, more house, more car, more beauty, more fitness more sex appeal, more …more …more. Enough is never enough.

There is a whole industry built to brainwash us into thinking that what we have is never enough that we need the new shampoo, the better car, the more expensive clothes, the higher paying job. It is called the advertising industry. Their motto should be more …more …more.

Even our economy is built on the premise that we need more. If consumers aren’t buying new and better things then spending is not going up, and we are in a recession. By definition if the economy isn’t growing it is in recession-holding its own is not enough. If heaven forbid we put too much money away in savings, the retailers and economists push the panic button.  More …more …more.

Our currency should not be inscribed with “in God we trust.” It should be inscribed with “bigger, better, more.”

Paul, however, rejects that motto. He says there is great gain in Godliness combined with contentment. He continues in the message translation “Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough.

 But if it's only money (we want, we’ll) self-destruct in no time. Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.

Paul says it isn’t about “bigger, better and more.” That just brings all kind of trouble and nothing but trouble. There is, however, great gain in Godliness combined with contentment.

Let’s start with godliness.  Not a word we use much. A few verses later Paul writes, ¹¹ But you, man of God, perhaps right there is our definition of Godliness.  Godliness is being a person of God. But let’s go on.... But you, Man of God flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

A Godly person, a person of God, then is one whom we would call “faithful.” They turn their back on the greed and one-up-manship of this world. They reject the way everyone else wants them to live. And do what?

·         Paul says pursue righteousness -- that is right relationship with God and others.

·         Pursue Godlikeness- that is living like God. Pursue faith- that is a deep abiding confidence in God.

·         Pursue love- that is the greatest gift.

·         Pursue endurance- that is steadfastness- not giving up- not giving in to the pressures of this life.

·         And pursue gentleness- that is a quiet tenderness of spirit.  

Who does that sound like? Righteous, God-like, faithful, loving, enduring. It sounds like Jesus to me.  Jesus is after all the perfect manifestation of God in human skin and bones.  I don’t know that I can accomplish that but I pray that my life will be at least a dim reflection of Jesus. That is what I think it means to be Godly. To live our lives as a reflection of the life Jesus gave for us.

·         When we live our lives as a reflection of Jesus we experience God’s presence and God’s power in our lives on a daily basis. ..

·         When we live Godly lives we experience God’s faithfulness every single day. ..

·         When we live Godly lives we practice trust in God every single day. ..

·         When we live Godly lives we experience the overpowering love of God each and every day. . .

·         When living a godly life become enough for us…

·         Because God is enough for us . . . then we experience contentment.

Contentment is not happiness. Happiness has to do with how things are going in our lives.  Happiness has to do with having enough things and enough relationships and enough health and enough power inside of us. But what happens when we don’t have enough? What happens when we discover we are alone? What happens when our health fails or we discover that we are powerless? Happiness disappears along with the people and things on which that happiness was based.

Contentment on the other hand is not based on having enough things- I have met people who have virtually nothing who are more content than I can imagine. Contentment is not based on the relationships we have- some of the most content people in Christian history have been monks who go years without human contact. Contentment is not based on the health or the strength in our bodies. I have been deeply moved by the nearly perfect contentment I have occasionally witnessed at the deathbed of a godly man or woman.

Contentment comes from God. Godly contentment comes from the daily experiencing that the presence and power of God is enough for us.

In Philippians Paul writes I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Paul is not bragging. He is being totally truthful. He had been beaten, shipwrecked, jailed and worse—but in all that he says that he has learned contentment. By Godly living, he has learned Godly contentment- By living in God’s ways; we too can be given the gift of Godly contentment.

What makes you most discontent? What makes you most restless or worried? What is it that keeps you up, occupies your mind, or casts a shadow over all of your decisions?

In I Timothy, Paul is talking about being content whether you have many things or just a few.

But I know that some of you struggle with purpose and meaning more than things. “Now that I have retired, now that my children are grown, now that whatever . . . why am I here?” “Why get up in the morning?” “Why draw another breath.” Would you like to live above the circumstances of your life?

I know some of you struggle most with pain or lack of heath. Would you like to live above the circumstances of your physical condition?

I know that some of you struggle most with addictions. Wouldn’t you like to live above the circumstances of your cravings and needs? Wouldn’t you like to live above the agony of loving an addict?

I know that some of you struggle with mental health, like depression and anxiety. Speaking as one of you I would sure like to learn to live above the circumstances of my feelings and fears.

I know that some of you struggle with relationships (with children, siblings, parents, friends and neighbors.) Wouldn’t you like to live above the circumstances of the pain and struggle of those relationships?

I know some of you struggle with the difficulty of finding jobs, the stress of supporting a family, the anxiety of financial preparations for retirement. Some of you struggle with late bills, overdue mortgages, excessive debt, and ravenous credit card companies.  Wouldn’t you like to live above the red ink, financial stress and survival mentality?

Some of you struggle with the stress of raising children, providing discipline, guiding friendships, modeling moral values, and teaching life lessons. Wouldn’t you like to live above the circumstances of time outs, broken hearts and your own shortcomings?

You no longer have to live under the circumstances of your life no matter how difficult they may be.

You no longer have to live under the pains, and stresses, and troubles of your life.

You no longer have to live under the values and ideals of this world.

The world says “More, more, more.”

God says “More of me, more of my grace, more of my love.”

The world says “more, bigger, better.”

God says “I am sufficient for you.”

The world says, “Want more, get more, buy more.”

God says, “want me more, love me more, trust me more.”

“There is great gain in godliness combined with contentment.”  

Go.

·         Wanting God more.

·         Trusting God more,

·         Loving God more\

 AMEN

Connect with Christ: servanthood RUMC 9/5/10

 August 31^st 1997 Princess Diana died in a terrible car accident.  Do you remember?  You couldn’t turn on the TV or open a newspaper without reading about it.  That was 13 years ago last Tuesday.  Many of us, at least of my generation, remember where we were when we heard about Princess Diana’s death.

13 years ago today.  5 days after Diana died, someone else died.  I remember it quite clearly.  I remember watching the funeral procession.  I remember the flowers.  But I also remember thinking, that unless I was looking for this I would have thought that Princess Diana was the only person who died this week.

Do you know who I am talking about?  Mother Teresa. But, for some reason, Mother Teresa’s death didn’t receive nearly the same level of coverage that Princess Diana’s did. Now the media pundits defended this by saying that Princess Di’s death was somehow more tragic and shocking because, at 37 years old, she was so much younger than Mother Teresa who was 87 years old when she died. They would say that Mother Teresa would definitely be missed, but that she lived a full life. But I think that there was something else going on there.

I think this is a typical example of the difference between the world’s definition of greatness and Jesus’ definition of greatness. I’m not trying to trample on the memory of Princess Diana.  But let’s be honest. It wasn’t like Cinderella It wasn’t a story of a young woman going from rags to riches. Di came from one of the riches families in Europe. It was more a story of a young woman going from one level of riches to slightly higher level of riches.

Mother Teresa, on the other hand, led a life that would never be considered “fairy-tale.”  She began her service as a nun at the age of 19. For her first twenty years as a sister, she served as a teacher in Calcutta, India; one of the poorest places on earth. On September 10, 1946 she heard what she referred to as a “call within a call.” She believed that God was calling her to renounce everything so she could follow Christ to serve in the slums, to serve the poorest of the poor. She said that in a quiet prayer she heard a clear and distinct message that she was to “leave the convent and help the poor while living among them.” She felt it wasn’t a request but an order.

When she left the comfort of her teaching job at the convent she ended up on Creek Lane in Calcutta with no shelter, no company, no helper, no money, no employment, no promise, no guarantee and no security. But she held tight to her faith. She prayed “God, You only, only You.  I trust in Your call, Your inspiration. You will not let me down.”

Before long, she had found a place to stay at the home of Michael Gomes. In 1952, she opened “Pure Heart,” the first of many homes for sick and dying street people. Former students of hers began to join in her work. By 1953, 28 had joined her. Here, along with her helpers, she cleaned maggots off the faces of leprosy victims, washed the emaciated bodies of the malnourished and held the hands of the dying. She continued the work of serving the poorest people of Calcutta that began in these humble beginnings the rest of her life. And the work that she began, continues today.

Now, I don’t want you to think that I am trying to over-exalt or detract away from either of these women’s memories. The point that I’m trying to make is that often there is a huge difference in what the world sees as greatness and what God clearly lays out as greatness in His Word.

Philippians chapter 2 says  

 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
 6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
 7but made himself nothing,
      taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
      being made in human likeness.
 8And being found in appearance as a man,
      he humbled himself
      and became obedient to death—
         even death on a cross!

Jesus came not as a king, not as a master; but as a servant.   When Jesus saw someone in need of healing he stopped what he was doing and healed them.  When Jesus met the hungry, he fed them.  When Jesus encountered the grieving he comforted them.  When Jesus saw outcasts, he loved them. When the disciple’s feet were dirty, he held up dinner to wash them himself.  Jesus made a habit of stopping whatever he was doing . . .  Setting aside the important tasks of the day in order to help those who needed help.  In mark 10:45 Jesus says For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."  His death on the cross was the ultimate act of servanthood.

In Matthew 23:11 The greatest among you will be your servant.

And again in mark Mark 9:35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

And so we come back to the Philippians passage:

 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
 6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
 7but made himself nothing,
      taking the very nature[b] of a servant, 

Jesus does not call us to a fairy tale life of power and riches.  He does not offer us promotions and raises.  He does not call us to a life of the rich and powerful as the world understands riches and power.  Jesus calls us to a life of servanthood.  And if we want to connect with Christ we are more likely to find Jesus in the weak and weary than then wealthy and wonderful.  We are more likely to find Jesus among the children and elderly than among the powerful of our day.  We are more likely to find Jesus in a food pantry, a hospital room, a nursing home, a soup kitchen, or a homeless shelter than with the powerbrokers in the halls of congress or the smoke filled rooms of wall street

You may wonder how I got here from Colossians. In this series of sermons we have been talking about how to connect to Christ.   We have talked about prayer, worship, Repentance, community and scripture.  Those are all ways to connect to the heart of Christ.   Today I want to talk about servanthood.  I read Chapter 3:

 18Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

 19Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

 20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

 21Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

 22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

I read that and I realized that  servanthood has to start in the home. If we can’t serve those we love and those to whom we are closest, how can we serve those who are hard to serve, and how can we serve Jesus?

I am not talking about enslavement.  I am not talking about abuse.  So what am I talking about?

A servant is one who is under submission- under authority- under  the control of another.  As Christians, we are not servants of one another.  We are servants of God. As servants of God we place the needs of others before our own desires. 

·        You desire to read the paper, but you know that your wife has had a long day and needs to rest too, so you get up to do the dishes before she gets home from her evening meeting.  Servanthood.

·        You desire to go bowling with your friends, but you know that you husband hasn’t felt vey appreciated lately so you take him out for a nice quiet dinner for two. Servanthood.

·        You desire to play video games, but you know that dad needs to rest his back that he hurt playing softball with you so you get up and mow the lawn.  Servanthood.

·        You desire to eat the last piece of your favorite kind of pie, but you know that your brother or sister has just been dumped by their boyfriend or girlfriend, so you split it in 2 and enjoy it together. Servanthood.

o   Obey and love, not in order to gain favor of others, but in order to serve the Lord.

o   Have this mind among yourselves that was in Christ Jesus.  He did not count equality with God something to be guarded.  But took on the form of a servant.

When servanthood is practiced in the home, it will spread outside the home. 

It will spread to the church.

·        You will read the newsletter with an eye for things that need to be done.  And you do them. Servanthood.

·        You will start to read the prayer list and look at the person next to you in the pew thinking about their needs. And you decide to do something. Servanthood.

·        You will watch the parents with children and you see that you can offer to watch the child in the nursery for a while.  Servanthood.

·        This weekend’s need for chores to be done in the classrooms is a perfect example.  When I was painting that ceiling yesterday, I started to get grumpy because it was an unpleasant job.  Then I remembered what I was preaching today.  And it shone a whole different light on my day. Servanthood.

Servanthood is contagious.  From the home to the church to the world.  Servanthood is contagious.  That was the premise of the book and movie called “pay it forward”  Middle school students- who in the opinion of many in society are among the least of the least-were asked to do three good deeds.  They must be something the other person could not accomplish on their own.  The idea is that this servanthood will spread exponentially and change the world.

It certainly did in the movie, but in the real world, not so much. 

I think Jesus would have liked the idea of “pay it forward.”  

Our conspiracy of Kindness is along those same lines.  We, as the church serve in unexpected ways, in order to spread the love of Jesus to those we serve.   The truth is we are all the least of the least.  We are sinners among sinners.  We are servants. 

As we serve, two things happen.  We spread the love of Jesus, and we are consumed by the love of Jesus.

I have referred to the story before of the rose in the living room.  A social worker tried and tried to get a client to clean the house.  (These days we might call the client a hoarder).  Nothing seemed to work until one day she cleared off the coffee table and placed a vase with a  rose on it.   When she came back the coffee table was clear and so was the couch.  She put a fresh rose on the table.  When she returned the whole living room had been cleared out.  She placed another fresh rose on the table.  Then the kitchen and the bedroom were cleaned up in turn.  Each time she put another fresh rose on the coffee table. And as each part of the house became clean the need in the next area was made more obvious.  One day she went back with a fresh rose and someone had already purchased one and placed it in the vase.   The change was complete.

Jesus calls us to be servants.

I want to put a little twist on that today.  I want to call you to be roses.  Be a sweet smelling servant rose among the stinkweed of this world.  Be a beautiful servant blossom among the thorns of this life.  Be a servant for Jesus Christ in a world where people seem to  serve only themselves.  And you will discover that in serving the least of these- in loving the loneliest of these,  in caring for the overlooked and the overburdened-  you will find Jesus.  And you won’t have to look very far.

amen