Aspiring to Serve God

September 20, 2015 Proverbs 31:10-31 Mark 9: 30-37 Aspiring to serve God Year B I have to admit that I cringe whenever I hear this scripture from proverbs. I don’t know what to do with it, and I ask what does it mean? I have heard some really good sermons on proverbs, and I have heard some really bad ones. As I was preparing this week, I thought at best I could use this text for a women’s day sermon to talk about what it means to be a godly woman. When I choose a scripture to preach on, I always ask, is it empowering. Is it going to give people hope and inspiration to be a better person? On the surface I just don’t see anything empowering about telling women to get up at 3am to start fixing breakfast for their family. And from there spend the rest of your day working and keeping everybody else happy, and doing nothing for yourself. The role of women is changing, we are discovering that we cant do it all. This poem reminds me of the time the trustees did an inspection of my parsonage, and gave me a list of things that needed to be clean – like the grout between the tile in the bathroom. I had to explain to this male trustee, that I was a single woman, with an apathetic teenage son. Who would rather die than help me – which meant everything was on me. I to the trustee, you pay my salary – you can either pay me to stay at home to clean the house, or to leave the mess and come to work and be your pastor. It is your choice, personally I don’t have a preference in how I spend my time – but I cant do both at the same time. And yet on the other hand, if you read this scripture of a woman’s work – it perfectly describes the work of our mothers and grandmothers. They did all of these things everyday – got them done and never complained. I would never preach on this scripture, and yet God works in mysterious ways. God has a way of turning our assumptions on their head. As I started my sermon prep, I learned to have a real appreciation for this scripture. And to rethink its meaning and message. First, let me give you a little background on proverbs. This is a mother’s advice to her teenage or young adult son. Lemuel is a young prince, who will one day become king. His mother wants him to be a good king, so she gives him advice on women, friends, and choosing the right path, instead of getting caught up on what it going on in the streets. Most of the advice that she gives him is about women. In this text she is telling him how to choose the right wife. She wants him to choose a good godly woman, and tells him the qualities of a good woman. Proverbs is the one place in the bible, where wisdom is described as a woman who stands out on the crossroads of life crying out to those nearby. Not everyone listens to her message. Lady wisdom, Sophia has been with God since the beginning of time. She stood by God’s side when he bought creation into being, she was a playmate with Jesus. She knows what she is talking about, but not everyone listens. Proverbs is important to us because as we look at the book of James, the words of Paul, and the rest of the new testament, it is all based on the wisdom books of the Hebrew bible. Unfortunately, in the church we misinterpret the message of being good with the message of being wise. Everything for us comes down to being a good person or a bad person. People outside of the church don’t want their actions to be judged as good or bad, so they think that church and the bible are irrelevant. In reality, there are a lot of good people, who are not wise. Or should I say there are people who look good, who talk good, who dress good, even act good – but in their hearts they are no good. I WANT TO BE PRETTY "I want to be pretty." This is the title of a popular tv program that was airing when we lived in Poland. It was a reality tv show in which in every episode you follow the changes of two women who are the heroes of the program. Each of these women work with a team of specialists for six weeks. During that time they are cut off from contact with their friends and relatives as they undergo major changes in their physical appearance and also their self-image. Finally friends and family are invited to the studio where they meet them face to face with great drama. An example was Gosia who said: "I was good looking all my life but I'm not able to accept how I look now....It's not about being older. But it's simply that I look different. Now I feel like an old used-up slipper. I'm ashamed of myself in front of my husband. This has gone on for nearly a year. How long can he stand it?" Does our life and happiness depend on our appearance? I'm sure Gosia was happier after her transformation but is she a better person? Is she a better wife and mother? Does the change of appearance change our character and make us better people? Right here in this country, I used to love to watch extreme makeover, but always wondered how much those cosmetic changes made in a persons life, when there was no change of heart on the inside. In the Christian bibles – the first words of this scripture say –who can find a good wife? He that does so finds a good thing. Interestingly enough, that is not what the Hebrew bible says. In the jewish religion there is no concept of being good or bad. The jewish religion is about being close to god, not about being good. In the Hebrew bible, the first words of this text actually say who can find a woman of valor. An eschet chayil. Eschet means woman, chayil means valor. A woman of valor is a big deal for them and there are many celebrations for the woman of valor in the jewish calendar. But what does valor mean – valor is one of those living words, which means more than it says. Logos means word, but it is a word that is always put into action. Shalom means peace, but you cant have peace without justice, wholeness and wellbeing. Valor means worth but you cant have value without having honor, dedication, kindness, and self worth. As a matter of fact, the word valor means strong and mighty in battle. Chayil – valor is used 250 times in the Hebrew bible (the old testament), and each time that it is used, it means something different. Most famously it is used in the story of the soldier Gideon. An Angel comes to him and calls him a man of valor. A man who fights on behalf of God and not himself. The angel is telling Gideon to see himself as God sees him – and to live into that vision. The problem is that we see ourselves and others through the lense of man. We strive for perfection based on our thoughts and not God’s thoughts. God did not create us to be perfect and to always do the right things. A lot of Christian men use this text as a checklist for choosing a good wife. There are 26 different qualities that the woman has to have if you are counting. The problem with trying to fit a real woman into this passage is like using the Barbie doll as a measure of beauty. Barbie is not a real person. Her measurements are ideal in man’s eyes – not what God intended. This scripture is an ideal personified, not an ideal person. As a matter of fact, a man is supposed to read those poem to his wife during Shabbat meal and to thank her for whatever she has done for him. The bible messages for both mean and women. And this poem applies to us all. In one way we can think of this poem as the human soul. God is the groom, and the people of God are his bride. Jesus is the groom and the church is the bride. A woman of valor is anyone who strives to have a relationship with God. One who bases their actions on their relationship with God and loves God in all things. A woman of valor is a woman who loves God, not a good wife. This poem is not so much about who I am, it is about who I strive to be in all things. It is an ideal that moves me forward in my relationship with God. not about being good. There are some good people, who don’t have a relationship with God. When you read James, Galations, Ephesians, and the rest of the new testament. The message is not to be a good person. Good and bad are just two different sides of the same coin. The message that we have to give to our young people today that the bible is trying to tell us is that wisdom is its own reward. When you choose wisdom, you choose wealth, health, honor, long life and family. Solomon asked for wisdom and God gave him all those things to go with it. Proverbs is a mother asking her son to choose wisdom – so that he could have the riches of life. When you do the right thing – God will reward you. SLEEPING WHEN THE WIND BLOWS A young man applied for a job as a farmhand. When the farmer asked for his qualifications, he said, "I can sleep when the wind blows." This puzzled the farmer. But he liked the young man, and hired him. A few days later, the farmer and his wife were awakened in the night by a violent storm. They quickly began to check things out to see if all was secure. They found that the shutters of the farmhouse had been securely fastened. A good supply of logs had been set next to the fireplace. The young man slept soundly. The farmer and his wife then inspected their property. They found that the farm tools had been placed in the storage shed, safe from the elements. The tractor had been moved into the garage. The barn was properly locked. Even the animals were calm. All was well. The farmer then understood the meaning of the young man's words, "I can sleep when the wind blows." Because the farmhand did his work loyally and faithfully when the skies were clear, he was prepared for the storm. Seek to serve God in all things – that is true wisdom. Amen. TRUST IN GOD "Trust in yourself and you are doomed to disappointment Trust in money and you may have it taken from you; But trust in God, and you are never to be confounded in time or eternity." --D.L. Moody (From a sermon by Jeff Strite, Trusting in Ravens, 8/8/2011)

Footprints in the Sands of Time

Joshua 1:3-7 October 14, 2012 70th Anniversary Celebration Footprints in the sands of Time Story of 3 sisters who didn’t know if they were coming of going 3 sisters lived together. One was 96, one 95, and one 94. The oldest sister ran some bath water, began to step in the tub but she got confused, she couldn’t remember if she was getting in the tub, or out of the tub. Her middle sister decided to come up the steps to help her. But she had to stop halfway up the stairway. She couldn’t remember if she was going up the steps table eating breakfast. All she could do was shaker her head and knock on wood. Thank God her memory was not as bad as her sisters. I will be there to help you two figure out what is going on, just as soon as I see who it is that is knocking at the door. The importance of church anniversary Are we coming, or are we going? Is it time for us to remember the past or to walk toward the future? Are we old School or new school? Today we acknowledge the 70th anniversary of Rust Church. It is important in the black church to celebrate church anniversaries. It is a celebration in the church, that no one can quite remember how it got started. And yet it matters – the church has always been an important part of our culture. The church has given birth to opportunities for people, for our call to justice in the world, to education, to dignity. The church has given us a lot of gifts. Rust Church has given a lot of gifts to the community and the kingdom of God. In its history it has produced and prepared many lay and clergy for ministry, it has given to gift of song and fellowship through its choir, it has reached out and mentored and trained many young people for service. Today is a time to acknowledge what God has done through this church. It is a time for us to remember the gifts of those before us, it is a time to accept the challenges ahead. But it is also a time to mark the present – to marvel at the grace of God. Not everything is going as expected, may not be as far as we would like, but praise God we are here for yet another year- to serve in His presence. Amen. Church anniversary is time to hear a message of hope, to hear good singing, to see old friends, and to be in fellowship over good food. I don’t want to keep us from the food – this is a time of celebration – celebration of what God has done. The context of Joshua chapter 1 The message for this morning comes from the book of Joshua – chapter 1. Three times in this chapter God says to Joshua - be strong and courageous. And that is the message for us this morning – be strong and very courageous – for God is with us! In the beginning chapters of Joshua- the people are in a sad and confusing time because they discover that Moses has died. He was the one they looked up to for leadership for years, and now he is gone. No one could possibly take over his authority. Moses spoke of the promises of God, they followed him experiencing miracles, and walking toward the promiseland. With him gone, who would lead them now. Shavet – in intimate minister The bible uses an interesting word when talking about Joshua – they call him a shavet – a minister. One who not only serves, but serves in an intimate way. Joshua serves Moses as a minister – carrying our his every command. But now Joshua is a shavet to God. God has a plan for his people – and he needs Joshua to carry out that plan. But the only way Joshua can do that is be a minister of God. To serve God with all of his being. A minister is not necessarily a pastor. A minister is a lay person, with a heart for God and for God’s word. In this chapter, Moses was important, but Moses was a part of the past. The promise he gave was about yesterday. Joshua was a man of action – a man of the present. Moses yesterday, Joshua today In the time of Moses, the children of God were a people. They were preparing themselves to come into the promisland. It was under Joshua – that they finally laid eyes on the land – when the land came in sight – they united into a nation. When the future becomes real for us – we will step into destiny. We don’t have to stand on the promises, because we live in the reality. As long as we have God on our side, all things are possible. AS LONG AS GOD IS AWAKE A mother and her little four-year-old daughter were preparing to retire for the night. The child was afraid of the night. The child was afraid of the dark, and the mother, alone with the child, felt fearful also. When the light was out, the child caught a glimpse of the moon outside the window, "Mother," she asked, "is the moon God’s light?" "Yes," said the mother, "God’s lights are always shining." The next question was, "Will God blow out His light and go to sleep?" "No, my child, God never goes to sleep." Then, out of the simplicity of a child’s faith, the little one said that which gave reassurance to the fearful mother, "Well, as long as God is awake, I am not afraid." (Source: Sunday School Times. From a sermon by Bill Butsko, "Bread from Heaven" 7/28/2009) It is time… Take the Life that you have ~ and give it your best... Think positive be happy ~ let God do the rest... Take the challenges that life ~ has laid at your feet... Take pride and be thankful ~ for each one you meet... To yourself give forgiveness ~ if you stumble and fall... Take each day that is dealt you and give it your all... Take the love that you’re given and return it with care... Have faith that when needed it will always be there... Take time to find the beauty in the things that you see...Take life’s simple pleasures let them set your heart free... The idea here is simply to even the score As you are met and faced with Life. The man and the lion tale Adrian Rogers tells about the man who bragged that he had cut off the tail of a man-eating lion with his pocket knife. Asked why he hadn't cut off the lion's head, the man replied: "Someone had already done that." God has cutoff the head of our deepest fears, and asks us to claim the victory. Take the tail with pride it is yours. Take on what God has challenged you to do. Live life in fear Lately live a life of fear, not sure if I am up to the challenge of today. Spend all night working over one sermon. Realized I didn’t have any old sermons – spent all night working on two different sermons in two different directions. Every day is like that. Everyday – have to rely on God for strength. The good news is that he has not let me down yet. Joshua took on daunting task of leading after Moses. Took on daunting task of leading people don’t want to go, and have no idea of where they are going. Joshua like Martin Luther King – I have seen the promiseland – time for us to go. Each of us asked to take on the Joshua spirit in our lives. Become the Joshua generation. Be willing to be a minister, not of the church but of God. Not enough to know the word, not enough to feel the presence of God in our lives – act on what God has called us to do. Generation to make promise a reality. Everything you step on will be claimed for God. Everyplace you step will be claimed for God Rest on your feet all over the church and repeat after me, “Every place the sole of your foot shall tread God has already given it to you!” Now lift your left foot and put it down. ‘A’: “Ask and it shall be given. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and the door will be opened!” (Every place the sole of your foot treads!) Now lift your right foot and put it down. ‘B’: “Be thou faithful unto death and I shall give thee a crown of life!” (Every place the sole of your foot treads!) Lift your left foot and put it down. ‘C:, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!” (Every place the sole of your foot treads!) Lift your right foot and put it down. ‘D’: “Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.” (Every place the sole of your foot treads!) Lift your left foot and put it down. ‘E’: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you,…” (Every place the sole of your foot treads!) Lift your right foot and put it down. ‘F’: “Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious of the workers of iniquity for they shall soon be cut down!” (Every place the sole of your foot treads!) Lift your left foot and put it down, ‘G’: “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!” I tell you, EVERY place the sole of your foot shall trod God has already blessed for YOU! God tells each of us to be strong and courageous. One summer morning as Ray Blankenship was preparing his breakfast, he gazed out the window, and saw a small girl being swept along in the rain-flooded drainage ditch beside his Andover, Ohio, home. Blankenship knew that farther downstream, the ditch disappeared with a roar underneath a road and then emptied into the main culvert. Ray dashed out the door and raced along the ditch, trying to get ahead of the foundering child. Then he hurled himself into the deep, churning water. Blankenship surfaced and was able to grab the child's arm. They tumbled end over end. Within about three feet of the yawning culvert, Ray's free hand felt something--possibly a rock-- protruding from one bank. He clung desperately, but the tremendous force of the water tried to tear him and the child away. "If I can just hang on until help comes," he thought. He did better than that. By the time fire-department rescuers arrived, Blankenship had pulled the girl to safety. Both were treated for shock. On April 12, 1989, Ray Blankenship was awarded the Coast Guard's Silver Lifesaving Medal. The award is fitting, for this selfless person was at even greater risk to himself than most people knew. Ray Blankenship can't swim. God wants you to be strong and courageous, because God is about to do a new thing in you, in us, In Rust Church. God says be strong and courageous because I will be with you wherever you go. God is the source of our strength. God was with us in the past, God is with us now, and God will lead his people, his ministers into a new and challenging future. Let us stand strong and see what God will do. What new gifts God will bring to the world through the people of Rust Memorial Church. Let us pray this prayer together…. This is material not used…… IV. Moves/Points Move/Point One – God blesses our courageous, faithful obedience to God’s commandments. a. Our Church was built on biblical principles; b. We must trust those teachings that have sustained our congregation; and c. Faithfulness to Godly teachings will grant to us success. Move/Point Two – God promises to be with us today as God was when we began our journey. a. God guided and blessed Moses; b. God has guided the Church and blessed her labors; and c. God will guide and bless you! Move/Point Three – No formidable foe will deter God’s people. a. God has not promised that there would not be challenges on our journey; b. God has promised that no challenge will prevail against us while we remain in God’s will; and c. The promises of God are for a lifetime. V. Celebration Listen to God’s voice as God speaks to us even now, “Every place the sole of your foot shall tread, I have given unto you!” God’s promise to Israel is still God’s promise to us today. We are the New Israel, the Ransomed and Redeemed Community of Faith. We are God’s twice-born children. We are the Ekklesia, the called out, sanctified servants, and therefore, blessed of God to be called “the Church.” God’s promise belongs to us as well! It was delivered on the Cross of Calvary. It was written with the blood of our Savior. It was sealed in the power of his resurrection. It is available to us even now! As a child growing up, my mother taught me that the Bible is a book filled with God’s promises, “but you cannot claim even one of them,” she cautioned, “if you do not know them.” VI. Illustration(s) Rerouting, Rerouting Now, you don’t have to go to a gas station to ask what is the quickest way to get from point A to point B. All you need to do is pull out your handy Global Positioning System (GPS). Plug in the address and simply follow the directions. One day as I was driving with a friend, we decided to use my GPS to get where we were going. The GPS said turn right and we turned right. The GPS said enter I-85 and we entered I-85. However, when the GPS said make a right, I was running my mouth so I did not hear the GPS correctly. Instead of making a right, I told my friend to make a left. Because we were listening to my voice and not the voice of the GPS, when we turned left, the GPS said “You are now off track.” But I’m so glad the GPS did not stop there. A second later, it said, “Rerouting, rerouting.” Isn’t that like the GPS? I’m not referring to the Global Positioning System. I’m talking about God’s Positioning System. When we get off track God starts rerouting. “Celebration stands at the very center of our lives. Sociologists as well as Christians say that it is essential to the ongoing of our lives. It not only keeps life from being hum-drum, boring, needlessly repetitive, but it enables us to discover again and again who we are, from whence we came, and what we need to be about in our daily lives. In remembering and doing the essential works of the Faith bound up in the sacraments and in the Sunday morning liturgy, we recapture the faith.” Dow, Norman. “A Number of Ways to Celebrate an Anniversary.” Centennial Celebration Committee, First Presbyterian Church. Cisco, TX. Online location: http://synodresourcecenter.org/evang/committee/anniversary/0001/celebrate.html accessed 2 January 2011