Living in the World as a Christian Part 2

Colossians 3:1-11 Living in the world as a Christian Part 2 8th Sunday of Pentecost Year C Opening Song Welcome Call to Worship One: Our Loving God gathers us from the east and the west, from the north and from the south. Many: The Holy One is in our midst. Let us say so! One: We cried out to our God in the time of trouble and eased our distress. Many: The Holy One is in our midst. God leads us on right paths. One: Our Provider satisfies our thirst and meets our needs. Many: The Holy One is in our midst. Consider God’s steadfast! (United Church of Christ Worship Ways – Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsay) Invocation Holy Love, we worship you as your people. You tether us to you in righteousness and covenant. Reveal your face to us. Let us see you in our midst, in our neighbors, and in ourselves. Clothe us in love and compassion, and continually fashion us as your people for you are our God. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsay) Song Help Us Accept Each Other UMH 560 Prayer for Transformation and New Life Gracious One, you have knit us together wonderfully. You have promised your abiding presence in our lives and have guided us with love. We turn away from you and toward the path to destruction and discord. We judge our neighbor rather than love them and we fail to even honor ourselves as your beloved creation. Amen. ( United Church of Christ Worship Ways – Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsay) Scripture Colossians 3:1-11 Sermon Being Christian in the World Part 2 Perhaps you have heard the story about the eagle that thought he was a chicken. Fable of the Eagle and the Chicken A fable is told about an eagle that thought he was a chicken. When the eagle was very small, he fell from the safety of his nest. A chicken farmer found the eagle, brought him to the farm, and raised him in a chicken coop among his many chickens. The eagle grew up doing what chickens do, living like a chicken, and believing he was a chicken. A naturalist came to the chicken farm to see if what he had heard about an eagle acting like a chicken was really true. He knew that an eagle is king of the sky. He was surprised to see the eagle strutting around the chicken coop, pecking at the ground, and acting very much like a chicken. The farmer explained to the naturalist that this bird was no longer an eagle. He was now a chicken because he had been trained to be a chicken and he believed that he was a chicken. The naturalist knew there was more to this great bird than his actions showed as he “pretended” to be a chicken. He was born an eagle and had the heart of an eagle, and nothing could change that. The man lifted the eagle onto the fence surrounding the chicken coop and said, “Eagle, thou art an eagle. Stretch forth thy wings and fly.” The eagle moved slightly, only to look at the man; then he glanced down at his home among the chickens in the chicken coop where he was comfortable. He jumped off the fence and continued doing what chickens do. The farmer was satisfied. “I told you it was a chicken,” he said. The naturalist returned the next day and tried again to convince the farmer and the eagle that the eagle was born for something greater. He took the eagle to the top of the farmhouse and spoke to him: “Eagle, thou art an eagle. Thou dost belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth thy wings and fly.” The large bird looked at the man, then again down into the chicken coop. He jumped from the man’s arm onto the roof of the farmhouse. Knowing what eagles are really about, the naturalist asked the farmer to let him try one more time. He would return the next day and prove that this bird was an eagle. The farmer, convinced otherwise, said, “It is a chicken.” The naturalist returned the next morning to the chicken farm and took the eagle and the farmer some distance away to the foot of a high mountain. They could not see the farm nor the chicken coop from this new setting. The man held the eagle on his arm and pointed high into the sky where the bright sun was beckoning above. He spoke: “Eagle, thou art an eagle! Thou dost belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth thy wings and fly.” This time the eagle stared skyward into the bright sun, straightened his large body, and stretched his massive wings. His wings moved, slowly at first, then surely and powerfully. With the mighty screech of an eagle, he flew. This story is a good summary of the message of Colossians. As I said this message is a continuation of last week message of what it means for us to live in the world as Christians. In chapter 2 Paul is doing some very gentle teaching about what it means to be a Christian. In chapter 3 he changes his intention a little and he is preaching – telling us what we should be doing with that knowledge. People who don’t know God live as chickens looking at the ground, and when we are resurrected in Christ we are encouraged to look up to the sky for our guidance. It is nothing wrong with identifying with the people of the world. But the mark of a true Christian is baptism. When we are baptized then we are dead to the sin of the world and alive and raised in the resurrection of Christ. We are eagles in the spirit, living in the mud of the world. Dr. John Maxwell writes: “When we become conditioned to perceived truth and closed to new possibilities, the following happens: We wee what we expect to see, not what we can see. We hear what we expect to hear, not what we can hear. We think what we expect to think not what we can think. (Take) the case (of) Henry J. Kaiser’s construction crew. While building a levee along a river bank, a violent rainstorm flooded the earth-moving machinery and destroyed the work that had been done. As Kaiser approached the work site to assess the damages, he found his crew bemoaning the mud and the buried earthmoving equipment. As his workers surrounded him, Kaiser asked, ‘Why are you so glum?’ ‘Can’t you see the disaster?’ they asked. ‘Our equipment is covered with mud.’ Smiling, Kaiser asked, ‘What mud?’ ‘You must be kidding. Look around you. We are surrounded by a sea of mud. How can you say you don’t see any?’ ‘Well,’ said Henry Kaiser, ‘what I see is clear blue sky filled with bright sunshine. I’ve never known mud to sustain itself against the powerful sun. Soon it will be dried up and then we will be able to move our equipment and start over. Furthermore, our attitude will not only affect how we see reality but will also affect the reality itself. Sun or mud, the choice is yours.’ The difference between sun or mud is a matter of perspective. Again, what we expect to see we see. This delightful story involving Henry J. Kaiser reinforces our choice to look at any situation from more than one point of view.”(Speaker’s Sourcebook II, page 50) A Man focused in the things of the earth An article in a San Francisco newspaper reported that a young man who once found a $5 bill on the street resolved that from that time on he would never lift his eyes while walking. The paper went on to say that over the years he accumulated, among other things, 29,516 buttons, 54,172 pins, 12 cents a bent back, and a miserly disposition. But he also lost something—the glory of sunlight, the radiance of the stars, the smiles of friends, and the freshness of blue skies. I’m afraid that some Christians are like that man. While they may not walk around staring at the sidewalk, they are so engrossed with the things of this life that they give little attention to spiritual and eternal values. Paul also likes to use the theme of putting on things and taking off things. Living in layers. Paul encourages us to put on the values of Christ. This is not the first time that Paul encourages us to be clothed in Christ. We all know that story of the emporer’s new clothes. The emporers tailors convince him that they have made a fine robe with material so exquisite that only the best of people can really see it. The emporer parades around town in his “fine robe” and the people pretend his robe is amazing. Only a little boy tells the truth that he has no clothes on. Paul says that when we are naked in the world there is sexual immorality, moral corruption, lust, evil desire, and greed. When we are clothed in Christ there is Peace, joy and wellbeing. Our perspective changes when we remember to look up once in awhile. In the early church, when people were about to be baptized, the bishop would yell to them to take off our clothes. Things have changed, in baptism people don’t have to get undressed (Oh, in the old days people would undress in private and put on a white robe). But today we are still encouraged to take off our old self and put on a new self. There is a Scottish “first footing” prayer to bring in the New Year. You can find it in the “Prayers and Readings from the Northumbria Community.” Will you repeat after me, line by line, as we pray it together: this day is a new day that has never been before this year is a new year, the opening door. Open the door... Open the door. But wait . . . Before you do, put on some clothes -compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and love. When we come to church we are in the transformation place, the safe space for us to take off our old self, and to become anew in Christ. What parts of yourself that are better off left behind? And what behaviors that reflect the true character of God? what new clothes have you put on today? Something for us all to think about. Amen. Song In Christ There is no East or West UMH 548 Prayer of the Day Benevolent God, you are the source, the guide, and the goal of our lives. Teach us to love what is worth loving, to reject what is offensive to you, and to treasure what is precious in your sight, Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) Pastoral Prayer Lord’s Prayer Children’s Sermon By Lois Parker Edstrom Suggestion: Wear an article of clothing that is much too small. The kids will love the silliness of it. Today’s Bible verse talks about being angry, being hurtful to others, or saying nasty or untrue things. This verse says: “…put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth” (3:8). We are reminded that once we have accepted God’s love we need to put away those things that no longer suit us. It is like outgrowing your coat. When it no longer fits, it is time to replace that coat with one that fits better. God’s love helps us to overcome the bad choices we make such as hurting others, saying untrue, hurtful things, getting angry or telling lies. It’s not much fun to talk about these bad choices, but we all need a reminder once in a while. Once we know better, we can do better. God’s love teaches us how to be a better person. It teaches us how to feel more joy. God’s love teaches us to be all that we can be. Why would you want to wear a coat that is too tight and uncomfortable? Why would you want to live in a way that no longer fits who you are? Enjoy your new life, your new way of living. Stewardship Moment Moment for Stewardship (inspired by Luke 12) Jesus spent time teaching both his disciples and the crowds who gathered, often using parables as one form of instruction/inspiration. “The parable of the rich fool” may be heard as WARNING. But it also may be heard as an invitation. For those living selfishly, the warning sounds like a threat of life coming to an early end because of one’s greed and desire to pile up MORE. For those living “rich toward God”, this comes as an invitation to wisely apportion one’s wealth. Here’s the question: how are you living? Week by week, when we gather to worship God, we have opportunities to demonstrate ways we are aligned with God’s design for living. Do we exhibit fruit of the Spirit: joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). Or do we exhibit works of the flesh: … anger, quarrels, strife, jealousy …(Gal.5: 19-21) Do we acknowledge our identity as part of community/ies such as this congregation, our neighborhood, service organizations, public service…? Do we share what we have (money, possessions, space, privilege…)? Please hear the invitation via the rich fool. Share now, as we receive our morning offering. Prayer of Thanksgiving God of all good gifts, thank you for this opportunity helping us learn from Jesus’ parable. Thank you for all who today acted out their desire to be rich toward you. Receive these gifts. Help us use them to build up a world where believers lead the way with generosity and all know the goodness of sharing in a life of abundance. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Happy are those who know real treasure and where to find it. Happy are those who receive God’s treasure and share it unselfishly. Invest your life and your heart in Christ, just as God has invested Christ in you. Happy are those whose reward is found in heaven, not on earth. Go now in the name of Christ, God’s ultimate gift of love. Thanks be to God. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, J. Wayne Pratt) Community Time Benediction As we have been led by cords of human kindness, let us live connected to all creation. As we have been freed, may we pursue liberty for all. As we have known God’s gracious love, may we embody God’s abundant love. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways – Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsay) Additional Illustrations