God Calls Everyone - repreach of 8/27/10

August 25, 2019 (repreach of 8/27/10) God Calls Everyone Year C Jeremiah 1:4-10 15th Sunday after Pentecost Children’s Time Text: Jeremiah 1:4-7 The word of the Lord came to me saying: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." "Ah, Sovereign Lord," I said, "I do not know how to speak, I am only a child." But the Lord said to me, "Do not say 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I commend you." Materials: There are no materials required; however this sermon has been designed for presentation by two people (designated I and II), if desired. Message: I. Today we are going to talk about the things we do as we start to get older. We thought we would start by asking how old all of you are. II. That's right. When I say your age I want you to raise your hand. We are going to start with the youngest ... How many of you are three years old? How many are four or five years old? Is anyone here six years old? And how many of you are seven years old or even older than that? I. You were all really great at that. Before we move along I want you to take a close look at each of us and tell us how old you think we might be. (Encourage numerous guesses, but, of course, there is no need to disclose ages.) II. One of the things we all know is that as you become older you get to do more and more things. When you were a baby you slept in a crib, but now you have a bed. Your moms and dads used to push you in a carriage, but now you can ride a tricycle or a bike. And it won't be too long before you all start to go to school. I. And as you get even older, you will do even more things in grade you will begin to take communion. And when you reach grade you will be confirmed. And when you get to be sixteen you can even start driving your parents' car! II. So the bigger you become the more you get to do. But we were wondering how old you need to start telling other people about how great Jesus is. Do you have to be ten or fifteen or even a grown up before you can talk to people about God? I. Not at all! In fact the book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament tells us that God chose Jeremiah to tell people about God when he was only a young boy. And each of us can do the same! CSS Publishing Company, FROM A MUSTARD SEED, by Mark A. Hultquist Jeremiah 1:4-10 Common English Bible (CEB) Call of Jeremiah 4 The LORD’s word came to me: 5 “Before I created you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart; I made you a prophet to the nations.” 6 “Ah, LORD God,” I said, “I don’t know how to speak because I’m only a child.” 7 The LORD responded, “Don’t say, ‘I’m only a child.’ Where I send you, you must go; what I tell you, you must say. 8 Don’t be afraid of them, because I’m with you to rescue you,” declares the LORD. 9 Then the LORD stretched out his hand, touched my mouth, and said to me, “I’m putting my words in your mouth. 10 This very day I appoint you over nations and empires, to dig up and pull down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant.” Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible Our Creativity as a child Gordon McKenzie worked for the Hallmark company for over 30 years, one of his ways of giving back to the community was to go into the schools and to give creativity workshops. Over the years he says that he noticed a pattern that never seemed to change. He would work with the first graders and ask who was an artist – and every hand would go up. He would go to the second grade and notice that when he asked that same question, only about half of the kids would raise their hands – by third grade it was down to ten, and in the six grade only about 2 would be brave enough to raise their hand just because they asked.
I would think that there is just something about life, about peer pressure, about the way we relate to one another that holds down our creativity. Once we start to get rational an dto think- we also start to limit ourselves and our opportunities. We start to think that we have an obligation to do somethings, so we put aside that creative side, that exciting side of ourselves, the side that is willing to take risk and to step out of our comfort zone.
Because that spirit of stifliness is not just in the schools – it is in the church. If I were to ask you all how many of you are called by god – I would get the same response. We have made up in our minds that those words mean something specific, and whatever it means it does not apply to me How many of you feel that you have a calling from god on your life? Every hand in the room should go up- but it doesn’t for some reason. Why is that?
Mr Makenzie concluded that there was a time in our lifes, perhaps when we were very young when each of us believed that we could do anything. We were geniouses at everything and we were not afraid to show it. We were also not afraid to be wrong, to make a mistake, for someone to tell us that we did not know what we were talking about. We were willing to take risk at what we wanted to believe we were called to do. But something happened in life.
He said that were were waiting for the authority figures in our lives to validate us – to tell us that we were the best, that we could indeed make our dreams come true – and for some reason the validation never came- no one cared, no one patted us on the back and we gave up on our dreams. We assumed that maybe we were not a geniious, and that perhaps the world did not need us – and we gave up on our call. That is devastating for that to happen to anyone in the schools – and perhaps that is a wonderful back to school message to think of as our children go back to school – to do everything that we can to encourage them, to tell them that they are genious – and that the world does indeed need them. We need to give all of the opportunities that we can to express their creativity and their willingness to grow and to learn.
We need to do that in the schools and in the homes, but more importantly we need to do it in the churches Our calling in the church – where else can you encourage a relationship with the divine, the unknown, the new, the ultimate creator. Where else do we get our inspiration to do anything in the world, if we don’t get it from God. Where else do we get our instructions from God to go out into the world and do anything – unless it comes from God? That’s what I want to talk about this morning – is being called by God – exactly what does that mean anyway? What special qualities do you have to have in order to have that relationship with God? What qualities do we need in order to do the special work of God – to perhaps be a prophet? Jeremiah the prophet Jeremiah was a prophet of god – I like him the best, because he seems to be the most grounded. Prophets did a lot of strange things in order to get the attention of the people – hosea gave his kids strange names like – bad luck or something really unfortunate, Isaiah was willing to die by being stretched apart, amos constantly criticized the government. People even criticized John the Baptist for wearing strange clothes. Jeremiah got the attention of others, by living with them, by addressing the issues of his time, and by giving hope to the people. I mentioned a few weeks ago that jeremiah considered himself to be a prophet of the people, his message was not to the leaders, but not the people, it was not his job to preach gloom and doom to a sinful people who did not listen – but to preach walk with a people in trouble an distress and to give them hope by encouraging them to stand strong until things changed. Most prophets were concerned with only saving the chosen people. Jeremiah realized that in order to save them, that he had to save everybody – he reached out to the rest of the world. Many of the prophets and others talk about how they came to be “called” by god – how god gave them a special task to reach out. Many didn’t start thier jobs until they became adults, some as children, only jerimiah says that his story started way before he was born. That his relationship with god started with god, and not with his awareness that there was a god. We will be able to read and listen to what jerimiah has to say to the people of god for the next nine weeks. But today, we start with chapter 1 – how he came to have this special relationship. He didn’t do anything t was given to him.
He talks of being that young boy – full of ideas and creativity waiting for an adult to validate his call – he talks of being too young to really make a difference in the world. He also talks of god’s response to him and his need and his fear – that he was not to be afraid of what people would say to him, how they would shoot him down and tell him that he was too young to make a difference. God says that if I give you something to do you are not too young to do it, as a matter of fact- you have an obligation to listen and to respond God calls all of us to do something. We have a calling to do something – to be a prophet, or a writer, or a teacher, or a carpenter, a bus driver, or a preacher or something to further the world and the kingdom of God. But as Christians, we also have a calling to be something in the world – something that the world needs. A doctor speaks of god calling him to be a plastic surgeon, why a plastic surgeon – changing your appearance, what does that have to do with building the kingdom ? most of his clients could care less about God. But he was also called to pray and to start prayer groups for those who worked in the hospital and to reach out to other plactice surgeons to encourage them to live a life of faith. In his call to be a faithful Christian in the workplace – he made a difference in the lives of others.
To be called could mean doing a specifc job, but it can also be to respond in a Christian way to life, it can be to encourage and support others in what they are trying to do, most importantly it means being willing to listen to God at all times in all circumstances. That is our biggest and more important calling – to obedient to the will of God.
And we are all a part of that. Everydbody is called, not everyone has the ears to listen attentively. If we listen, we may not get that validation from the world – but we always get it from god. The call of Willie Borden The borden family is from Chicago – the company that makes milk and other products. I do believe that the factory is on the Westside. But anyway – William borden was being groomed to take over the family fortune. He worked hard, he went to school, and a graduation present was a trip around the world. But as he went around the world and learned the conditions of most of the people in the world – he wrote a letter to his parent explaining that god was leading him to be a missionary to those in need. He wrote two words in his bible – no reserves. Through prayer he realized that he wanted to go to china to work with people there. His parents convinced him to go to graduate school and get more aeducation – he went to yale and started several bible studies. He was offered several high paying positions, but turned them down. He needed to in china - he wrote in his bible – no retreats – and he left.
He went to china, he also went to the middle east to learn Arabic to talk with the muslims. A few months later he contracted spinal meningitis. He died from it at age 25 – a few months before is death he wrote in his bible – no regrets. No reserves, no retreats, no regrets. That was his answer to gods call in his life. What are your responses to gods call on your life? The question is not have you been called, the question is are you listening? Jeremiah want us to know that the need to be creative starts way before we are in the first grade.- it starts before you were born, it starts in the circumstances that you were born into, it starts in your willingness to listen and to say yes. The good news is that when god calls, he commissions – he tells us what we have to do and why – he tells us what we are up against and what we have to overcome. We are also always given validation – an assurance that you can do this, an assurance that others recognize gods call in you. A test that in the midst of circumstance, your work will not be in vain. No reserves, no retreats, no regrets. So what is it that you need to do now? Let is pray…..Amen.

Sign of the Times

August 18, 2019 Luke 12:49-56 Sign of the Times Pentecost 15 Year C Exegetical Aim: Winter and cold as symbols and signs of the world's darkness and the need for God's intervention. (This Children's Sermon is a bit more symbolic than usual, but so is the scriptural text.) Props: A branch with enough green leaves for each child to tear one off. Lesson: As you were coming to church this morning perhaps you noticed the weather. What was the weather like? (response) What kind of things did you see? What kind of sky was there? (response) What was the temperature like? Was it hot, cold, or nice outside? (response) Summarize the weather conditions and then add to the end of your description: But weather can change quickly, can't it? (response) How do you know when it's going to rain? (response) That is right. It can be sunny outside, the sky nice and blue, and the sun shining brightly, and then you see some dark clouds coming, and you hear the thunder in the distance, and that means it's going to rain. Hold up the branch. What do I have this morning? (response) What color are the leaves? (response) They are green because it's still summer. What is going to happen to the leaves in a few weeks? (response) If they don't know: Are the leaves going to change? (response) What colors? (response) All those colors are a sign that something is on the way. What is on the way? How is the weather going to change? (cold, winter) And when it gets cold what happens? (response) It snows. Hold up the branch. And how do we know that winter is on the way? (response) Application: I want everyone to come up and take a leaf. Take one leaf. Take them off at the branch slowly so you don't tear the leaves. Okay, sit back down. When they are seated: Take a look at your leaf. Soon millions and millions of leaves like the one you're holding will change color, turn brown, die, and fall to the ground. And then the cold will come. And when it gets cold in the world we need God very much to warm our hearts and make us feel love again. You see, the cold not only kills the leaves, but it deadens our hearts, and God wants very much to come into our hearts and warm them with his love so they don't die and fall to the ground. Let's Pray: Lord, keep our hearts warm. Keep us from being cold-hearted. Amen. CSS Publishing Company, Children's Sermons A to Z, by Brett Blair Luke 12:49-56 Common English Bible (CEB) Conflicts brought by Jesus 49 “I came to cast fire upon the earth. How I wish that it was already ablaze! 50 I have a baptism I must experience. How I am distressed until it’s completed! 51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, I have come instead to bring division. 52 From now on, a household of five will be divided—three against two and two against three. 53 Father will square off against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” Learning and practicing good judgment 54 Jesus also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud forming in the west, you immediately say, ‘It’s going to rain.’ And indeed it does. 55 And when a south wind blows, you say, ‘A heat wave is coming.’ And it does.56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret conditions on earth and in the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret the present time? Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible The old weather adage often stated is: "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in the morning, sailor's warning." Therefore, a red sunset is supposed to result in dry, sunny weather the next day. This saying has been in existence for over 2000 years. The saying is based on the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:1-4 Demand for a sign 16 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus. In order to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 But he replied, “At evening you say, ‘It will be nice weather because the sky is bright red.’ 3 And in the morning you say, ‘There will be bad weather today because the sky is cloudy.’ You know how to make sense of the sky’s appearance. But you are unable to recognize the signs that point to what the time is. 4 An evil and unfaithful generation searches for a sign. But it won’t receive any sign except Jonah’s sign.” Then he left them and went away. All of this time, people have thought that saying was true. But in reality, it is only true in parts of the world. For much of the world, weather travels from west to east. For instance, the rain that we are getting today, was 400 miles west just yesterday. Wind and clouds tend to travel with a storm, so if the wind comes out of the west, you know the storm is on its way. If the wind comes out of the east, then most likely the storm has already passed. Red sky in the morning or night are a reflection on the clouds in the sky. But there are many other ways to predict the coming of a storm. The direction of smoke – up everything okay, swirls down a storm is coming. If you feel a calmness in the air, calm before the storm. Smell dampness, feel the humidity, many people can feel it in their body. Once again Jesus mentions these signs of a coming storm in Luke 12. This scripture caught my attention – living out here in open space, much more concerned about weather then in the city. Think about Jesus words – can see the signs of the times, just like you can see the coming of a storm. What does that mean? I think that all of us would agree that these are interesting times that we are living in. This is a time of tension in our world. There is a lot of bickering and finger pointing. This is a time of polarization. In our society in general, but also in our community, in our church and even in our families. And right here in the book of Luke – Jesus says that he is the reason for that tension and for the divisions that are so prevalent in our world. This scripture is considered one of the tuff sayings of Jesus. One of the teachings that challenges us to our core. I first read through the gospels as a new Christian as a freshman in college. Christian Navigaters had sponsored bible studies on campus. Through a bible study on our dorm floor, I became intrigued with Christianity, and wanted to read more about the teachings of Jesus. The first time that I read Matthew – I was actually scared by most of what I read. I thought Jesus was very mean and that it was impossible to really be a true Christian. That verse about the red morning sky as a sign of a storm always stood out to me. Here that concept is again in Luke of predicting weather based on the clouds and the wind. But then Jesus goes on to say that he is not here to bring peace, but division. That he is here to turn families against one another, - father against son and mother in law against daughter in law. What kind of gospel is that? How is that good news. What kind of Jesus does that? Everything that we hear about Jesus is that Jesus brings peace. He is called the Prince of Peace. The messiah is predicted to be one who brings peace, Jesus even says my peace I give to you not as the world gives you. And here in this scripture he says that he brings division. We don’t need anymore division. Somone asked a rabbi, why Jews don’t believe in Jesus. He said because the messiah is supposed to bring peace to a hurting world – where is this peace that Jesus supposedly brought into the world. 2000 years later we are still at each other’s throats. What’s interesting is Jesus case in point is in that saying. Many of us are asking the same question why is there so much tension in our world today? Where is the peace? Jesus came into the world, into the jewish community because there were a society that have gotten comfortable with the status quo – with tradition and the way things were. The message of all of the prophets was that the status quo tends to hide a lot of sins. Jesus brought the presence of God into a world that needed to change. The problem is that the presence of God brings honesty and truth. And when the truth gets told – people get uncomfortable. The presence of God being clarity – when you get clear about your feelings and your actions, someone is always going to disagree with your position. The presence of the messiah being commitment – commitment to one thing means a lack of commitment to everything else. All of these things together – truth, clarity and commitment – create tension, disagreement, polarization and division. Following Jesus always means having to take a stand for what you believe in – Making Decisions A teenage girl at summer camp was torn between two sets of friends. Some of them were sunbathing on the dock, saying to her “stay with us.” But her other friends were in a rowboat saying “no, come with us.” There she stood, one foot on the dock, the other foot on the edge of the boat, and the boat was moving. Trying to appease everyone, trying to not decide, she ended up falling into the water; and worse, her hair got wet! But I think this is exactly what Jesus is addressing in the gospel lesson today. He is warning us that there will be times when following him will require us to turn away from something else. There will be times in this life when we will be required to say “yes” to one thing, and therefore “no” to the other. And of course, the action we most often take is the same one that girl did on the swimming dock. We try to go in both directions. We try to say “yes” to it all, and we end up falling in between the seams, and being miserable. Steven Molin, Flashing Yellow Lights The problem is that we don’t like to live in tension. We would prefer to live in silence. And yet Jesus challenges each of us that only in that tension can there be real peace. Only when we deal with the underlying issues in our world, our community, our church, our families – will we truly understand the meaning of peace beyond understanding. The tensions that we are struggling with today concerning racism, sexuality, generational difference. Have been a part of our life for years. The problem is that we have never truly faced those issues, because we didn’t want to deal with the tension. The sign of the times is not that a storm is on its way – the storm is already here – and it has battered us for years. The tension is not new – the tension and our uncomfortableness tells us that we do indeed have a savior who is alive and well. The Holy spirit is out there working to create a new world – a new understanding of peace. There is nothing wrong – everything is going just as it should be. A world where truth, clarity and commitment have a place at the table – is the world that Jesus came to create. Jesus is not asking us to have peace amongst our sisters and brothers, but to have peace within ourselves. To stay focused on our commitment, to be challenged to follow Christ into this brave new world. A Weird New Religious Cult A sociology professor every year begins his course on "The Family" by reading to his class a letter, from a parent, written to a government official. In the letter the parent complains that his son, once obedient and well-motivated, has become involved with some weird new religious cult. The father complains that the cult has taken over the boy's life, has forced him to forsake all of his old friends, and has turned him against his family. After reading the letter, the professor asks the class to speculate what the father is talking about. Almost without exception, the class immediately assumes that the subject of the letter is a child mixed up with the "Moonies," or some other controversial group. After the class puts out all of the possible conclusions they can think of, the professor surprises them by revealing that the letter, was written by a third century father in Rome, the governor of his province, complaining about this weird religious group called "The Christians." William H. Beljean, Jr., An Interesting Letter Let us pray…… Amen. Additional illustrations…….. Not Well Received A Baptist pastor fresh out of seminary was assigned to a small church in the hills of Kentucky. In his first sermon, he condemned gambling, especially betting on the horses. The sermon was not well received. "You see, Reverend," a parishioner explained, "this whole area is known for its fine horses. Lots of our members make their living breeding race horses." The next Sunday the pastor spoke on the evils of smoking, and again, his sermon was not well received – for many of his members also grew tobacco. The third week the pastor preached on the evils of drinking, only to discover after that a major distillery was one of the town's largest employers. Chastised for his choice of sermon topics, the frustrated pastor exclaimed, "Well, then, what can I preach about?" A kindly, older woman spoke up and said, "Pastor, preach against those godless Chinese communists. Why, there isn’t a Chinese communist within 4,000 miles of here!" There are some sermons people do not want to hear because they contradict their dearly held values or their comfortable life styles. Jesus earned a reputation for preaching these kinds of sermons – sermons that were challenging and demanding, radical and divisive. In our Gospel lesson for today we have just such a sermon – one that challenges our commitment to family values. Frank Rothfuss, Jesus’ Focus on the Family __________________________ Parable of a Good Climate "How are you feeling today, Joe?" "This lousy climate gets me down," said Joe. "I'm used to a warm climate that is dry and clear all the year around." "Well," said Bill, "I like the four seasons and the unpleasant days make the bright days better." It is true that climate conditions have some influence on health, but happiness depends more on the spiritual climate. Home is the place where your loved ones are and where the people you live with bring the most contentment and satisfaction. There can be real cause to smile in sunshine and in rain, if love and friendship bring the right spiritual climate. Some people seem able to laugh and face adversity with cheerful faith and courage. Some are busy in service of others and difficult times bring greater opportunities to be useful. "It makes me feel good," said Bill, "to note something special in each season and to look forward to those events, which are associated with the season. I like it here. I like the people here. It is the best location in the nation for me." Now is always the time for serving Christ! And Jesus said, "When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye see the south wind blow ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?" St. Luke 12:54, 55, 56 One day I asked a rabbi friend of mine why Jews didn't be¬lieve that Jesus was the Messiah. Without going into a long expla¬nation that the question undoubtedly required he replied, "Where is the peace? The Messiah is supposed to usher in peace and we didn't and still don't see evidence of that." Good answer, I thought. How do we reconcile that expectation with the reality we face? And while we're at it, how do we reconcile it with Jesus proclaim¬ing that he came as a fire starter, a division bringer?

Living Beyond Our Divisions

August 2, 2019 Colossians 3:1-11 8th Sunday after Pentecost Year C Living Beyond our Divisions Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate that there is no partiality in Christ. Key verse: 11. Props: A bowl of plain M&M's. Lesson: Today I want to share with you some of my favorite candy. Show them the candy. What kind is it? (M&M's) Right! M&M's! Let's all say, yea! (response) I'm going to give each of you some of this, but first you have to tell me which color you like the best. (response) I personally like the brown ones. Who likes green? (response) Red? (response) Orange? (response) The new blue? (response) Well, here's what I want you to do. Each of you can get three. But when you get them, close your eyes or turn your head away and reach into the bowl and don't look at them. Keep them closed in your hand. Okay, come and get them, and remember, don't look at them. When everyone has their M&M's: Now on the count of three, without looking at your M&M's, open your mouth, and eat them. 1, 2, 3! Make sure everyone follows the instructions. After the children have eaten: What colors did you eat? Who ate a red one? (response) Who ate a green? (response) Keep asking until someone says, "We don't know," or "They all taste the same." Application: That's right. Inside the different shells they all taste the same. Did you know that in a way Christians are like those M&M's? That's what the Apostle Paul said. He said that when Christ is in you and you are in Christ, there are no differences between us. We're neither black nor white, rich nor poor, or even male nor female. It doesn't make a difference to God what kind of shell we have -- the inside is what counts to him. And it shouldn't matter to us either. We should treat everyone the same no matter what color their shell. Let's Pray: Dear God, thank you for loving us no matter the color of our shell, and thank you for Jesus Christ, who makes us all children of God. Amen. CSS Publishing Company, Children's Sermons A to Z, by Brett Blair Colossians 3:1-11 New International Version (NIV) Living as Those Made Alive in Christ 3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life,appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander,and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised,barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Footnotes: a. Colossians 3:4 Some manuscripts our b. Colossians 3:6 Some early manuscripts coming on those who are disobedient New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Three Kinds of Givers There are three kinds of givers: the flint, the sponge, and the honeycomb. Which kind are you? To get anything from the flint, you must hammer it. Yet, all you get are chips and sparks. The flint gives nothing away if it can help it, and even then only with a great display. To get anything from the sponge, you must squeeze it. It readily yields to pressure and the more it is pressed, the more it gives. Still, one has to squeeze it. To get anything from the honeycomb, however, one must only take what freely flows from it. It gives its sweetness generously, dripping on all without pressure, without begging or badgering. The honeycomb is a renewable resource. Unlike the flint or the sponge, the honeycomb is connected to life; it is the product of the ongoing work and creative energy of bees. If you share like a honeycomb giver your life will be continually replenished and grow as you give. When we share we freely give and we acknowledge that all we have is on loan and others have as much right to the things of God’s creation as we do. Keith Wagner, But, I Need It! It has been said before that we are not flesh and blood beings seeking a spiritual life, but that we are indeed spiritual beings seeking and earthly life. God made a point to come into our lives through Jesus Christ to remind us of who we really are. We are all children of God with enormous power, given an amazing gift to give to the world, and when we are done, we return to the spiritual realm. That is the point that Paul makes for us in the book of Colossians. Paul gives us two important messages in all of his writings. First there is a difference in the quality of life of those who think beyond this world and those who are convinced that this is all that there is. Paul says that when we follow Christ, we should be the first of these. Putting spiritual things before earthly things. The second message that Paul gives us is that Christ is our life. For some people their life may be baseball, or their life may be their job, or their family, or their appearance. And it is nothing wrong with being involved in any of those things – but they are not our life, being a Christian is an all encompassing life. it touches everything it affects everything, and ultimately it changes everything. Because when we follow Christ, we not act differently, we respond to life differently. It was popular in Paul’s time for teachers to give list of virtues to live by. The virtues that Paul list are carefully chosen, they are the virtues that were present in the life of Christ. He says that we shouldn’t be unfaithful to people or our task, and that we should not be greedy and think only of ourselves, how do our actions affect other people. Oh and we should not respond to people in anger, but in understanding. We should be pure, kind and true in all that we do. Sometimes it gets hard to preach on the letters of Paul. Paul has a poetic way of explaining some very lofty beliefs. He is a genius in the ways that he convinces us that Christ should consume our life. I always choose these Paul text, and then when I am writing the sermon I get stuck, because I can never find any good stories to demonstrate his points. Today was not any different. I searched all weekend, and came up with nothing. But sadly I think that the reality of our life – is the best story of Paul’s last point. The one I wanted us to focus on today. Paul says that Christ was radically inclusive – he made a point to include everyone in what started out to be an pretty exclusive circle. Paul’s last point is that the differences that we create amongst our earthly life, all disappear in the spiritual world. In our visioning session, our last conversation was about who was welcome in our church – we decided that we would welcome all races, genders, ages, sexual orientation,economic backgrounds – because these are the people who Jesus would welcome into the kingdom of God. we still have a little work to do before we can adopt that as its own, we want everyone to be aware of the statement – and to think about what it means to be an inclusive church. But I think that none of us would argue that we live in a divided world. The headlines seems to show our differences each and every day. We go to a divided church, we have divided families, we have a divided community. Divisions are every where. But Paul tells us that when we follow Christ, those divisions disappear. Christ is life for all of us. What would that world look like? Until we are all united in spirit – we pray. Amen.