Choose You This Day Whom You Will Serve

November 9, 2014 Joshua 24:14-28 Choose Who You will serve Year A Joshua This is one of the most important lessons in the bible for me. Moses of course was the leader who led the Isrealites out of Egypt. But it was Joshua who had to take them to the next level. Joshua led them to the promisedland, and it was Joshua who helped them to understand what it meant to be a child of God. God requires something of us all – we all have work to do. The isrealites had started to get comfortable in the promisedland, but along with being comfortable, they seemed to forget about God’s place in their life. It was God who led them out of Egypt, It was God that provided manna for him, It was God who led them in timesof trouble, It was God who provided a place for them. But now that all of those promises has been fulfilled, life was about them, and what they did, how hard they worked, and what they depended on to get through every day life. What do we depend on besides God? Today, we may not have quite reached the promisedland in our lives, but we all do have a life routine. We all have people, practices, and things that we rely on to get through every day life. What things do you rely on to get through your life? Some of us depend on our jobs, or a monthly check in order to pay our bills, some of us depend on a friend or family member to get us through hard times. Some of us depend on our car – to get us where we have to go. We all depend on somebody to get us through. What are the things that you depend on every day? There is nothing wrong with depending on something to get through life. The problem comes when we forget that all of those things, those people are agents of God’s grace in our lives. The problem comes when we put the things that we depend on first, and God last. God should always be first. If we depend on the Lord to get us through, then everything that we need will fall into place That is what Joshua was trying to get the children of the promise to realize. They had gotten comfortable in their life. But in their comfortableness, they started to rely on themselves, and not God. So Joshua calls them together and challenges them. - choose you this day whom you will serve, Will you serve the gods of the past, or the God of the present. When we set others things in our lives as more important than our relationship with God – those things become our god – with a little g. The Choices we make Choose ye this day whom you will serve? Are you going to serve God, or are you going to choose other things. Eleanor Roosevelt once said that you can tell a lot about a person from the choices that they make. BILLY GRAHAM: CHOICES Billy Graham said, "The strongest principle of life and blessings lies in our choice. Our life is the sum result of all the choices we make, both consciously and unconsciously. If we can control the process of choosing, we can take control of all aspects of our life. We can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of our life. So start with what is right rather than what is acceptable. "If you don’t make a decision, then time will make it for you, and time will always side against you." Where do we put God in the midst of our choices. There were a lot of people who constantly reminded Joshua of how wonderful things were in Egypt. They did not have to worry about anything, life was easy. They did not have to make any hard choices. Remember how you used to make a choice when you were a child? Suppose you had to chooses between wearing the red shirt or the blue shirt – and you couldn’t decide – you would go eeny meeny miny moe – catch a tiger by the toe if he hollers let him go, eeny meeny miny moe. And wherever your finger was pointing – that was the choice that you made. Choosing to serve God is not a eeny meeny miny moe choice. It is much deeper than that. Joshua says – choose ye this day whom you will serve. If we don’t make a choice, a choice makes us In Egypt life may have been easier, but you were a slave – a slave to every day life. That things that you depended on to get you through life became your master. But the things that hold us in bondage – do not always have our best interest at heart. People who hold us hostage – don’t have our best interest at heart- they only care about themselves. Former president Ronald Reagan once had an aunt who took him to a cobbler for a pair of new shoes. The cobbler asked young Reagan, "Do you want square toes or round toes?" Unable to decide, Reagan didn't answer, so the cobbler gave him a few days. Several days later the cobbler saw Reagan on the street and asked him again what kind of toes he wanted on his shoes. Reagan still couldn't decide, so the shoemaker replied, "Well, come by in a couple of days. Your shoes will be ready." When the future president did so, he found one square-toed and one round-toed shoe! "This will teach you to never let people make decisions for you," the cobbler said to his indecisive customer. "I learned right then and there," Reagan said later, "if you don't make your own decisions, someone else will." Today in the Word, MBI, August, 1991, p. 16. colored divine was once asked to explain the doctrine of election. Said he, “Brethren, it is this way: The Lord he is always voting for a man, and the Devil he is always voting against him; then the man himself votes, and that breaks the tie!” Choose ye this day whom you will serve – will you serve the gods of your life, or will you serve the living God who loves you, who supports you – who led you through the wilderness – who promised you a fulfilling life, and who never goes back on his choices. Rechoice a recommitment Joshua offers this time of decision, just as he is about to die. This is his last conversation with the people. But he reminds us that sometimes when you make a choice –you will find in life that you will have test in your life, when you will have to make that choice over and over again. When you get married, if the relationship last for a long time, you will have to make a choice to marry that person all over again, and again, again. When we choose to follow God – we will have to make that choice again, and again. When we choose to join a church, we will have to make that choice again and again. When we make a decision to have faith- there is no guarantee that things will turn our well. We will all come to those times when we have to ask ourselves if me made the right choice. Choosing God does not mean everything will be perfect. As a matter of fact, most of the time it makes things worse. And yet when we choose god we cant go wrong. God has no policeman to pass around and grab us by the neck and say you must read your Bible, or you must go to Church, or you must give to Missions. When God created man, He made man superior to all other creatures. He gave man the power and privilege of CHOICE. Up to now the Lord respects that privilege. He will not force us. With that privilege of Choice, goes the terrible responsibility of abiding by the results or consequences of our choices. Perhaps you’ve heard about the man who died, then awoke in a splendid city of golden streets and fine homes. He was shown to one of thefinest, one with arolling front yard, lovely flowers, luxuriant shrubs. Wondering how to care for those things, hewastold that others would dothatforhim. So, he climbed in a hammock and spent the daycontemplating his happy state. Days passed, thenweeks. Finally,bored, he sought to do someyard work but was told that hecouldnot. He then inquired what kindofwork hecould do. He was told by thefellow incharge that he was not allowed to do anything butrest. Finally, theman complained. He said, I neverthought heavenwould bethisboring. The man in charge asked – whatmakesyou thinkyour areinheaven? Choose the Lord God requires something of us always – to make a choice and to live in that choice. I love Joshua’s final words so much, I have them on the wall in my house – as for me and my house – we choose to serve to Lord. Choose you this day whom you will serve. when I was a child, and played games with my friends we used to use the “Eenie, Meanie, Miny, Mo” method to make decisions concerning which game to play, or who would be in the game. And at the end of that ryhme we would say, “if he hollers let Him go... eenie, meanie, miny, mo.” Well... now that I’m grown, physically and spiritually, I realize that Jesus is the best choice for my life! AND CHURCH... I CAN’T LET HIM GO! I’ve made up my mind to be like Jacob, who wrestled with God all night long... I won’t let Him go until He blesses me! And guess what... He doesn’t have to holler... I’ll holler myself!! Somebody said, “When I think of His goodness and all that He’s done for me, my soul has to holler hallelujah, I think Him for saving me!” Let uspray…..Amen. Children’s Sermon…… Theme: Choosing to follow Jesus - Proper 18 (23) Year C Object: A soccer ball and a book of piano music. Scripture: "And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:27 (NIV) A soccer ball and a music book -- two very different things that play an important part in a story about Katy, a girl about the age of some of you. Katy faced a very difficult decision. Many of her friends had signed up to play soccer. Katy liked to play soccer too, and she wanted to be with her friends, but she also liked to play the piano and had been taking piano lessons for a couple of years. Soccer practice was at the same time as her piano lesson and playing soccer would take away from the time she needed to practice the piano. There was no way she could do both. What should she do? Should she quit piano and play soccer with her friends, or should she finish what she had started and continue with her piano lessons? Finally, Katy came up with an idea. She sat down with a sheet of paper and drew a line down the center of the page. At the top of the page on one side of the line she wrote, "Piano." On the other side of the line she wrote, "Soccer." Below the word soccer, she wrote all of the advantages of playing soccer with her friends. Below the word piano, she wrote all of the advantages of being able to play the piano. After she had considered all of the advantages and disadvantages of each choice, Katy made her decision. She decided to continue her piano lessons. After all, she could still see her friends at school, and playing the piano was something that she would enjoy for the rest of her life. We all face important decisions in life. The most important decision we face is whether we will follow Jesus or not. Perhaps you might say, "Oh, that is an easy decision. Of course I will follow Jesus," but Jesus warned that it isn't always easy to follow him. He said that we should sit down and count the cost. Will we choose to follow him if it means giving up friends who are making bad choices? Will we choose to follow him if it means moving to a far away place and leaving our family behind? Will we choose to follow him if it means we will never live in a big house or drive a fancy car? Jesus said, "Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." Where did Jesus carry his cross? He carried it to Calvary. It was on that cross that Jesus gave his life so that you and I could have everlasting life. When we choose to carry our cross, it means that we are willing to give up everything to follow Jesus. It is a choice we have to make. Dear Jesus, we thank you for being willing to carry your cross to Calvary. Help us to make the choice to take our cross and follow you. Amen. Text Illustration: THE BIG BLACK DOOR An Arab chief tells a story of a spy who was captured and then sentenced to death by a general in the Persian army. This general had the strange custom of giving condemned criminals a choice between the firing squad and the big, black door. As the moment for execution drew near, the spy was brought to the Persian general, who asked the question, "What will it be: the firing squad or the big, black door?" The spy hesitated for a long time. It was a difficult decision. He chose the firing squad. Moments later shots rang out confirming his execution. The general turned to his aide and said, "They always prefer the known way to the unknown. It is characteristic of people to be afraid of the undefined. Yet, we gave him a choice." The aide said, "What lies beyond the big door?" "Freedom," replied the general. "I’ve known only a few brave enough to take it." -- Don McCullough, "Reasons to Fear Easter," Preaching Today, Tape No. 116. FAITHFUL INSTRUCTIONS There was a man who got lost in the desert. After wandering around for a long time his throat became very dry, about that time he saw a little shack in the distance. He made his way over to the shack and found a water pump with a small jug of water and a note. The note read: "pour all the water into the top of the pump to prime it, if you do this you will get all the water you need". Now the man had a choice to make, if he trusted the note and poured the water in and it worked he would have all the water he needed. If it didn’t work he would still be thirsty and he might die. Or he could choose to drink the water in the jug and get immediate satisfaction, but it might not be enough and he still might die. After thinking about it the man decided to risk it. He poured the entire jug into the pump and began to work the handle, at first nothing happened and he got out he drank all he wanted, took a shower, and filled all the containers he could find. Because he was willing to give up momentary satisfaction, he got all the water he needed. Now the note also said: after you have finished, please refill the jug for the next traveller.” The man refilled the jug and added to the note: “ Please prime the pump, believe me it works”! We have the same choice to make, do we hold on to what we have because we don’t believe there are better things in store for us, and settle for immediate satisfaction?

Don't Worry Be Happy

November 2, 2014 All Saints Day Matthew 5:1-12 Don’t Worry Be Happy There seems to be a lot of talk this morning on the news about the spaceship crash on Friday. For $250,000 you can take a personal flight to the moon. And people are signing up, in spite of the accident that happened. I wish them well, me I prefer to keep my feet grounded here on earth. But as I was thinking about the meaning of All Saints Day - the founder of the Virgin company – Richard Branson said something that made me think. He said that we stand on the shoulders of giants, and yet we have failed. I think that we all stand on the shoulders of giants – that is why we are here. There is someone in our life who believed in us, someone who always gave us words of encouragement. Some of the very people that we honor today – made a difference in who we are. There was a rabbi who also said words of wisdom to me this morning and made me think – He said the only direction that God gives us to go is forward. The only thing we can do in life is to go on. There are times when we would like to be able to go back, and yet God does not give us that choice. No matter what we may be dealing with in life – we have to move on, we have to go forward. I think that is why the words of Matthew 5 – stood out to me this All Saints Day. Blessed are those who…. Says the King James version of the bible, and the New revised standard version says happy are those who….. This is the sermon on the mount. Where Jesus goes up to the mountain, the disciples follow him. And he gives them this special message. Be happy when you are hopeless, when your mourn, when you are humble, when you are hungry, when you are harassed for righteous sake. For your reward is in heaven. But how can you be happy, when you are hopeless, or hungry, or grieving, or treated unfairly? That is the question that plagues us all throughout this life. No matter who we are, no matter how long we go to church, no matter how much family we have, no matter how much money we have – there are going to be times when life causes us despair. This is one time when I feel that the later translations of the bible, don’t do justice to the meaning of the text. The first blessing in the NSRV says – Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Yet the King James says blessed are the poor in spirit, for your shall inherit the kingdom of God. The difference. The original greek word for poor – tochos – means a person who is dirt poor and has nothing but God to depend on. Who has ever been in a situation in life when you felt that you didn’t have nothing. You could not depend on anything or anyone. And yet it was at that moment that you realized that in the midst of your nothingness – you still had God. And God was all that you needed to get through. Into every life sadness will fall. And Jesus says that it is okay to mourn, to mourn the loss of our people, to mourn the loss of situations in life. But when you believe in God, it is in those times of sadness, when you invite a special kind of joy to come beside you and give you comfort. It is not the joy of getting a something new, or winning the lottery. It is a joy of knowing that in times of sadness that you are not alone. And that the holy spirit will come to you in ways that you did not expect, and give you the strength to move forward. To help us understand that the only direction that we can go is forward. I like this verse for All Saints Day – because as I look at the blessings, the blessings are not just for those who have passed on – they are for all of us. Those in our lives who have gone on before us have had their hard times, but so have we. Those that we honor today have sacrificed so that we can have, but so have we. They are children of God, but so are we. And Jesus says that the now have their reward in heaven. And yet the struggle continues. Life is still hard for us. Jesus says that there will be times when you will be harassed, just because you are a Christian. And yet you are guaranteed comfort in the midst of the struggle. The only way that we can go is forward. Dr. Earl Palmer is a biblical scholar. And he says that Jesus got his inspiration for the sermon on the mount from psalm 1. Psalm 1 starts out by saying blessed are those who do not walk in step with the wicked, or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers. But who delight in the law of the Lord and meditate in his law day and night, they are like a tree planted by streams of water. Like sermon on the mount, Jesus takes a blessing and turns it into a story. He says that the word that Jesus uses for the word blessing is Ashur. Ashur means headed in the right direction, or on the right journey. Remember, the only way for us to go in this life is forward. When we know that we have God in our lives, we are headed in the right direction. The key is – just that – we have to believe that God is with us in the midst of our struggles. Only then can we truly be happy, - when others are stuck in sorrow. Dr. Carlyle Marney once remarked that a person can be understood as being similar to a house. We have our living rooms, where we entertain, and our basements, where we hide the trash. The way to observe All Saints’ Day, he suggested, is to walk out into your front yard and salute the people on your balcony. The balcony people in our lives are those who have gone before us, who have been our encouragers, who have left a legacy. (1) That’s what we do on this Saints’ Day. We salute all the saints who have gone before us, whose faithfulness provided us with the faith we have today. Amen