The Greatest Among Us

September 22, 2024 Mark 9:30-37 18th Sunday after Pentecost The Greatest Among Us Year B Prelude Greeting Call to Worship L: Jesus calls us to servant ministry. P: We must be willing to help others, not counting the cost or rewards. L: Pretense, disharmony, greed have no place in discipleship. P: Serving God means receiving each person as though they were a beloved child. L: Lord, help us to truly become your disciples. P: Create in us hearts for ministries of compassion and kindness. AMEN. ( United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Opening Prayer Lord, be with us this day, helping us to put our priorities in order; so that we may faithfully serve you by serving your people. Heal our spirits. Enable us to follow your ways all the days of our lives. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Song Jesu Jesus UMH 432 A Sermon for all Ages Good morning, boys and girls. What's one of the biggest, strongest animals on earth? It's got a great big body, and thick legs, and tough skin, and a really, really long nose. Do you know what animal I'm talking about? That's right, it's an elephant. Elephants are one of the biggest, strongest animals on earth. They weigh thousands of pounds, and they can eat over one hundred pounds of food a day. Can you believe that? And elephants are so strong that they can knock over trees, or turn over a car with their long noses. But did you know that elephants are really gentle animals too? Elephants take care of one another. If one elephant gets sick, others will stay with it to protect it until it gets better again. Bigger elephants always stay around the baby elephants to keep them safe until the baby elephant is big enough to take care of itself. Elephants may be big and strong, but they can be loving too. Our Bible story today is about the disciples, the men who followed Jesus around and helped Him with His work. One day, the disciples started arguing over who was the best disciple. Who was the biggest, who was the strongest, who was the most important? But Jesus told them to stop arguing. Jesus didn't care who was the biggest, or the strongest, or the most important. Instead, Jesus wanted to know who was the most loving, the most gentle, the most caring. Those are the things that are important to Jesus. Jesus doesn't care if we're big or we're little, if we're rich or we're poor, if we're white or we're black. Jesus only cares if we love other people and do nice things for other people. Dynamic Preaching, Collected Sermons, by King Duncan Affirmation of faith (from A Brief Statement of Faith) In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace. In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth, praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!” With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen. Passing of the Peace Jesus came to bring peace among us. Let us sow the seeds for peace in our world by sharing the peace of Christ with one another, stranger and friend alike. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Rebecca Gaudino) Scripture Mark 9:30-37 Sermon The Greatest Among Us Today I invite you to listen to the lessons of Chapter 9. I will tell you 3 seemingly unrelated stories, each with a lesson of their own. They each have their own lesson related to Jesus lesson. The scripture begins, Jesus was on his way – his way to Jerusalem to be crucified. It started in chapter 7, and will continue to the end of the gospel lesson in November. Now that the disciples know who the messiah is, he is telling them that the messiah must suffer. This is not a time of hope and resurrection. But a time of suffering, of facing tough times, of dark days of finding faith in the everyday struggle of life. Jesus us preparing his friends and us – what it means to be disciples. What is means to follow Jesus to the Cross. The virtues for today – service and humility. First off – Jesus loves the little children. In the midst of his discipleship lessons, jesus always brings in the children. In church we are reminded that children are an important part of who we are. We have to make sure that the children are included in what we do. Including the children are important part of our discipleship journey. Children are the hope of the future. But sometimes in the church it can be hard to connect to the younger generation, they don’t always see life the same way we do. Dealing with them does not always turn out the way we expect. The Turtle Picnic A turtle family went on a picnic. They had prepared seven years for their outing. The family left home, searching for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey, they found it. For about six months they cleared the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. They discovered, however, that they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt at home. Although he was the fastest of the slow-moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on only one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left. Three years passed—and the little turtle had not returned. Five years. Six years. Then in the seventh year of his absence, the eldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and began to unwrap a sandwich. At that point, the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, “SEE! I knew you wouldn’t wait! Now, I’m not going to get the salt.” Where to Take It from Here… Some of us, like that little turtle, don’t trust anyone or give anyone the benefit of the doubt. We waste away our whole lives waiting for Jesus loves the little children, and sometime so do we. Young people can challenge us, but they teach us valuable lessons about being family, especially being the family of God. Jesus will bring children into his discipleship lesson a few more times. But you have to know that in Jesus day, children were not anything special, they were not the hope of the future. They represented people with no power or control. Children were to be seen and not heard. People really didn’t care about children’s feelings, they were to work along side of adults, with no thanks and no acknowgement. Jesus uses children as the ultimate object lesson on service and humility. In God’s kingdom everything is flipped. The greatest among us must be like a child- a humble servant. The Measure of Greatness - Mark 9:30-37 Some years ago St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City was seeking a new president. Over one hundred candidates applied for the position. The search committee narrowed the list to five eminently qualified persons. Then somebody came up with a brilliant idea: let's send a person to the institutions where each of the five finalists is currently employed, and let's interview the janitor at each place, asking him what he thinks of the man seeking to be our president. This was done and a janitor gave such a glowing appraisal of William MacElvaney that he was selected President of St. Paul's School of Theology. Somebody on that search committee understood, in a flash of genius, that those who live close to Christ become so secure in his love that they no longer relate to other people according to rank or power or money or prestige. They treat janitors and governors with equal dignity. They regard everybody as a VIP. Children seem to do this intuitively; adult Christians have to relearn it. It is a telling little piece of scripture in verse 32: "But they did not understand." That's a picture that can be hung in the halls of the museum of mankind. When confronted by true greatness, we simply do not see it… The president was picked based on his service and his humility. The janitor would have a similar status as the children. Jesus loves the little children. Jesus is patient and kind and understanding with them. Jesus also has to be kind and understanding with the disciples – who often act like children. In the scripture they are arguing amongst themselves, but refuse to tell Jesus what they are arguing about. They all want to be number one, because number one gets to sit closest to Jesus. Jesus reminds them that the greatest is the one who is able to serve and remain humble. In the God’s world, the first is last and the last is first. Everything is turned upside down. Even today we still struggle with what that means. – to strive to be humble and to put others first and to serve. The way up- is always to look down. The Way Up Is Down! - Mark 9:30-37 There once was a palace servant who longed for more than anything else in life to be a knight. He yearned to represent his king and vowed within himself that if he ever had a chance to be a knight he would serve his king as the noblest knight who ever lived. His dream came true. His great day came. At his knighthood ceremony, the former servant, now a knight, made a special oath within himself. He vowed that from that day forward he would bow his knees and lift his arms in homage to no one but his king. As a knight, he was assigned to guard a remote city on the edge of the kingdom. On the day he took up his duties standing at attention in full armor at the city gate, an elderly peasant woman passed by on her way to the market. In a rickety cart, she carried some vegetables she had grown and hoped to sell. As she passed the knight, her rickety old vegetable cart hit a bump on the road and turned over. Potatoes, onions, carrots, and peas spilled everywhere. The peasant woman scurried to get them all back in her cart to no avail. She looked toward the knight in hopes he would help her but already he had forgotten what it was to be a servant. The knight stood there, unmoved, holding his pose. He would not bend to help her. He just stood at attention keeping his vow to never again bow his knees or lift his arms in homage to anyone but his king. Years passed, and one day an elderly one-legged man hobbled by on his old crutch. Directly in front of the knight, the old man's crutch finally gave out and broke in two. "Sir knight," the old one-legged man begged, "please reach down and help me to get up again." The knight, unmoved by the old man's predicament, made no response. He held his pose proudly and remembered he had vowed that he would neither stoop nor lift a hand to help anyone but his king. Decades passed, and the knight grew older. One day his granddaughter came by and said, "Papa, pick me up and take me to the fair." But, even for his own granddaughter the knight would not stoop, for within himself he had made a vow to bow only to his king. Finally, the day came for the king to come. This was the day for which the knight had longed since the day of his knighthood. As the king approached to inspect him, the knight stood proudly and stiffly at attention. As he did, the king noticed a tear rolling down the proud knight's cheek. "You are one of my noblest knights," said the king, "why are you crying?" "Your majesty," the knight replied, "I took a vow that I would bow and lift my arms in homage to you alone, but now that you are here I am an old man unable to keep my vow any more. The years of standing here stiffly at attention, waiting for you to come, have taken their toll. The joints of my armor are rusted and I can no longer lift my arms or bend my knees." The wise king replied, "Perhaps if you had knelt to help all those people who passed by you, and lifted your arms to reach out to all the people who asked for your help, you would have been able to keep your vow to pay me homage today." Jesus Christ says, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all" (v. 35)… Discipleship is about service and humility. It is about how we live out those virtues in our everyday life. It is about practicing those virtues in everything that we do. It is making a commitment to follow Jesus in every situation, with every person. Following Jesus to the cross is the only way to see the hope of the resurrection. When we live as the children of God- we become the hope for the future. What is Hope? There is a theologian named Victor Havel who defined hope in this way. "Hope," he said, "Is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out." I believe that part of what that means is that hope looks to the intrinsic value of people and of whatever we do. Hope determines the worthwhile-ness of someone or something at the very beginning, so that outcomes become secondary to that person, or that project’s very existence. Edmund L. Hoener, Jr., Losing Place Discipleship, service, humility, hope. Let us pray….. Song Are You Able UMH 530 Prayer God, how amazed we are at the solutions Jesus offers to his disciples when they question their importance to him and his kingdom. They want to know if they will receive the great rewards, if they will be recognized and praised for their accomplishments or at least their efforts. We are still so much like those early disciples. We want you to know how hard we work. We want to be praised and recognized for our efforts and successes. And we want you to pass over our failures as though they were inconsequential. When Jesus was confronted with their fears and concerns, he responded that they should be ready for service rather than adulation, And then he placed a small child in their midst; a child with no guile, no pretense. “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me but the One who sent me.” Help us to reach out to others, not with thought of importance or gain, but in love and compassion; truly caring for each one we meet. When we have done this, we will have truly give our hearts and our service to our Lord. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Invitation to the Offering (Proverbs 31:20, Mark 9, James 3) (just print the title) The writer of Proverbs teaches that God’s Wisdom is present and active in our lives in this way: “She opens her hand to the poor, / and reaches out her hands to the needy.” Jesus lived this wisdom in his life, and called his disciples to this same generosity. Let us give out of this same generous wisdom—a wisdom that seeks a presence and purpose in our lives on behalf of all. Offering Prayer (James 3) You are the generous one, full of mercy and goodness for your creation. Send your wisdom with these gifts, that they may reach those who need your love and welcome. Bring about a harvest of goodness through these gifts sown in peace. Amen. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Rebecca Gaudino) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Go forth into the world in peace. Be of good courage. Hold fast to what is good. Render to no one evil for evil. Strengthen the fainthearted, support the weak, help the afflicted. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit nourish you, animate you and lead you — this day and forever more. (Episcopal Book of Common Worship) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Go in confidence and peace, joyfully serving the Lord who walks with you. Bring hope to the hopeless, joy to those who sorrow, peace to the afflicted. Be true witnesses to the love of God through Jesus Christ. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Additional Illustrations Teaching The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. William A. Ward Carry Someone with You There was a tribe of Indians who lived a long time ago in the state of Mississippi. They lived next to a very swift and dangerous river. The current was so strong that if somebody happened to fall in or stumbled into it they could be swept away downstream. One day the tribe was attacked by a hostile group of settlers. They found themselves with their backs against the river. They were greatly outnumbered and their only chance for escape was to cross the rushing river. They huddled together and those who were strong picked up the weak and put them on their shoulders; the little children, the sick, the old and the infirm, those who were ill or wounded were carried on the backs of those who were strongest. They waded out into the river, and to their surprise they discovered that the weight on their shoulders carrying the least and the lowest helped them to keep their footing and to make it safely across the river. Jesus is trying to teach the disciples an object lesson about greatness, about servanthood, about leadership. He is saying to them and to us, "Have you lost the childlike joy and love and faith that once were yours?" He is also saying to them and to us, "If you want to walk on secure ground in this world it helps to carry someone with you." King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Good Enough to Teach Years ago, after a celebrated international career on the stage, the world-famous violinist Jascha Heifetz became a professor of music at UCLA. When someone asked him why he had left the glamour of performing to become a teacher, Heifetz answered, "Violin-playing is a perishable art. It must be passed on; otherwise it is lost." Then he went on to say, "I remember my old violin professor in Russia. He said that (if I worked hard enough) someday I would be good enough to teach." From a speech by William Graves, editor of National Geographic magazine, Speaker's Idea File The Disciples' Culture Shock In the summer of 1971 I had gone to Munich to study German. It was my first time in "the Fatherland," and I suppose I had half expected to find blond, blue-eyed kids yodeling on street corners, or adults heading to work in Lederhosen humming Beethoven’s 9th. Instead, blaring from every Italian Pizza Parlor, every Turkish shish kabob stall or ubiquitous McDonald’s was the 1971 Lynn Anderson hit song, "I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden." Some of you may even remember the words: it was a rather banal ditty, uttering the commonplace wisdom that sunshine and rain are part of every life. But hearing this American hit song in Munich played havoc with my expectations. In fact, it was such a culture shock that the memory remains vivid even today, three decades later. Two millennia later Mark’s Gospel continues to recall the culture shock the apostles had when the cost of discipleship finally dawned on them; when their expectations of the reign of God came face-to-face with hard-nosed reality; when fascination and enthusiasm with this Jesus began to be transformed into self-sacrificing commitment. Father George Griener _________________ A Biblically Illiterate America Pollster George Gallup Jr. has long referred to America as a "nation of biblical illiterates." Only four in 10 Americans know that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. A majority of citizens cannot name the four Gospels of the New Testament. Only three in 10 teenagers know why Easter is celebrated. Two-thirds of Americans believe there are few, if any, absolute principles to direct human behavior. A poll by the Barna Research Group suggested that religious illiteracy has increased. For example, three out of four Americans (and nearly half of "born-again" Christians) believe the Bible teaches that "God helps those who help themselves." George Barna argues that self-reliance is not only not scriptural, but that it contradicts revelation. Only God determines a person's destiny, the pollster notes. To believe otherwise "exposes our false theological cornerstone - that we are the center of things, that it is up to us to determine our destiny, and that God is merely our assistant ..." A similar number of born-again Christians deny the existence of the Holy Spirit and Satan. One in five denies Jesus' physical resurrection and believes he was a sinner. Earlier surveys of mainline Protestants revealed that barely half of Lutherans, Methodists, and Presbyterians believe in the devil, but 56 percent of Lutherans and 49 percent of Methodists believe in UFOs. One-third of Methodists and Presbyterians have faith in astrology. While nearly three-fourths of all Americans believe in hell, hardly any believe it to be their likely destination in eternity. This Barna poll is intended to help Christian pastors and groups focus their ministries. The sheer number of "errant theological positions" among believers underscores "the magnitude of the challenge facing churches today," Barna notes. University of Wisconsin historian Thomas Reeves indicts popular religious belief and service. "Christianity in modern America is, in large part, innocuous," he writes. "It tends to be easy, upbeat, convenient, and compatible. It does not require self-sacrifice, discipline, humility, an otherworldly outlook, a zeal for souls, a fear as well as love of God. There is little guilt and no punishment, and the payoff in heaven is virtually certain." Former Secretary of Education William Bennett concludes that "We have become the kind of society that civilized countries used to send missionaries to." These are harsh judgments. Perhaps we have been so busy pursuing the American Dream of the good life that we have neglected to nurture the faith on which the Dream is founded. If so, our only fault is inattention. If at the millennium our common faith has faltered, or has shriveled for lack of nourishment, or has been supplanted by sentimentality, at least we have not succumbed to cynicism. Faith has not been lost, only misplaced. As a people, we can retrieve it together. David Yount, "Beggaring Belief," September 04, 2000, Scripps Howard News Service. _________________ The Difficulty of Dealing with Death Russell Anderson tells a story about the time his father was nearing the end of his earthly life. He had finally realized the gravity of his situation. "I got some bad news," he said. "What's that?" Russell responded. "I'm not going to make it," he retorted. Summoning my store of knowledge from my Clinical Pastoral Education course and years of dealing with sickness and death, I asked, "How do you feel about that, Dad?" My father, who was always loathe to reveal too much of his feelings, shot back: "How do you feel about it?" (He had turned the question on me, asking me how I felt about my own death). I remained mute. My first thought was, "But, Dad, I'm not dying, you are." On a deeper level I knew that he was right, I too was dying. I needed to deal with my death as well as his own. Yet I wanted to deny that the shadow of my own death was looming ever larger. The reaction of Russell Anderson is about the same reaction that all of us have when reminded of our own mortality. And it was the same reaction as the disciples in our text for today. They did not know how to deal with Jesus' death or with their own. Denial had set in. Russell Anderson, Lectionary Preaching Workbook, Series V, Cycle B, CSS Publishing, p. 294 people to live up to our poor expectations of them—and they always do. We can be thankful that God doesn’t treat us that way. He accepts us just the way we are. He believes in us. He cheers us on. He thinks the best of us. He is proud of us. When we mess up, he forgives and forgets, and gives us another opportunity to do good. That’s how God treats us, and that’s how we are to treat others. Let’s not think the worst of each other. Let’s expect the best.

Lord Have Mercy on Me a Sinner

October 23, 2022 20th Sunday After Pentecost Luke 18:9-14 Lord Have Mercy on me a Sinner Year C Opening Song Welcome Call to Worship Leader: Rejoice! We’re here to sing our joy in the God of our salvation. People: This God – the hope of all the earth! Leader: We offer our praise, for God gives us land, air and water. People: We’re awed by all God provides! Leader: All who are drawn close to God, be happy! People: We rejoice, for God is our deliverer. (Disciple’s of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Opening Prayer God of our salvation, Thank you for drawing us to you in this time of worship, (some of us in person, and some by the gift of technology). Thank you the variety of ways you answer our prayers. Hear us now as we offer you our praise. Receive our heart-felt joy as we raise our songs of thanksgiving for all the beauty of the earth. AMEN (Center for Faith and Giving) Song There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy UMH Children’s Sermon • Good morning! • I’d like to tell you a brief story and then ask you a few questions about it. • There once were two girls and neither of them could play soccer. They were both awful at it. • But Girl #1 THOUGHT she could play soccer and that she could play it well. • She’d walk around talking about how she was the best soccer player in the world and how she was better than everyone else and no one knew soccer better than she did. She would say that she was so good that she didn’t even need to practice. She was so good she didn’t even need teammates. • Girl #2 on the other hand, knew she didn’t know how to play soccer. • But she wanted to learn. • So she asked other people how to play. She went to practice. She listened to the coach and ran drills. • That’s it - that’s the story I wanted to tell you. • So, my question to you: Who do you think became the better soccer player? Girl #1 who thinks she already knows how to play soccer or Girl #2 who wants to learn how to play soccer? (Girl #2!) • And why do you think Girl #2 is going to become the better soccer player? (because she wants to learn instead of thinking she already knows it all) TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway) • So in today’s scripture story, Jesus tells a story just like the one I told you. • But instead of the story being about girls who don’t know how to play soccer, Jesus tells a story about two men who don’t know how to live God’s better way of life. • In the story, one man tells God how great of a person he is. • And because that man thinks he knows how to live God’s way, he keeps telling God while he is praying that he’s super-great at life and is so much better at life than everyone else • That sounds a lot like the first girl who thought she knew all there was to know about soccer, doesn’t it? • The other man in the story, though, tells God, “I need help. I don’t know what I’m doing with my life – help me to live it your better way” – which sounds a lot like the second girl who was always trying to learn more about soccer. • So…of the two men, who do you think will be able to learn from God how to live God’s better way? (the 2nd man) • Why do you think that? (because he wants to learn instead of thinking he already knows it all) SHARE the Good News (a.k.a. The Destination) • That’s right! And, just as importantly, you just said one of the main things that Jesus wants us to understand about ourselves from this story. • When we stop thinking that we know it all and instead ask God and others for help, then we will be able to learn and improve. • And, the things we then learn and receive will also be the things that we can also share with the people around us. • That is the good news for today – let’s pray. CLOSING Prayer • This is a repeat-after-me prayer. Dear God, Dear God, Please help us to remember… Please help us to remember… ...that we don’t know it all... ...that we don’t know it all... …and to ask for and listen... …and to ask for and listen... …for help from you and others. …for help from you and others. Thank you and Amen Originally posted October 5, 2013 Updated on September 22, 2022 By Nathaniel Vissia Passing of the Peace Prayer for illumination God of Wisdom and Grace, you speak through your Word read and proclaimed. Prepare us now to listen well. Open our ears to your truth. Humble us in your presence so nothing will stand in the way of what you say to us today. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Teri McDowell Ott) Scripture Luke 18:9-14 Sermon Lord Have Mercy on Me a Sinner Jesus Is Mine As people drive to church each Sunday morning, they pass by the houses of neighbors who, although they may get to sleep in on Sundays, also live hopeless lives with no real certainty that there is a God anywhere who cares. They pass by nursing homes and hospitals that house debilitated people unable to go to church (or anywhere else for that matter). A few en route to church may even see the homeless huddled in doorways and under overpasses. Compared to all that, surely there are times when people drive to church and quietly think, "I thank God I am not like other people. I am thank God I have faith, that I have a church to go to and the desire to attend. I thank God I have honest work to do and health in my body to do it. I am grateful not to be addicted to drugs or booze and that my children and I have a roof over our heads. I pray to God and know that God loves me. I give my offerings here at church and volunteer my time in various programs, too. I am so thankful I am not like other people who are lost, lonely, dishonest, and without the hope I have in my heart. I'm so glad to be a Christian." All in all, such prayers sure sound a lot like a certain character in Luke 18. For that matter, it all sounds a little like some of the songs we sing in church: "I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves ME!" "How vast the benefits divine which WE in Christ possess!" "Blessed assurance, Jesus is MINE!" Scott Hoezee, Comments and Observations When we are thinking about others and wishing they would come to church with us – we are grateful for our faith and worried that others are missing out. But we also don’t realize that we are putting ourselves in the story. In the parable, the pharisee is glad that God loves him, the tax collector realizes that he is a sinner and in need of God’s grace. The last thing that we want to do is to be like the pharisee, Jesus is not impressed with the faith of the pharisees. I think that this is one of those awkward stories that Jesus tells – there are always verses in the gospel that when I deal with them I don’t know what to do with them. Luke is the gospel that challenges us to pray and uses Jesus as an example of how to pray. Jesus is know to go off an to pray to God. He asked God for direction, he expected God to be a part if his life, and most important he was always humble and respectful in his request. The pharisee was a little overconfident in his prayer – he didn’t need to ask God for anything, because it appears that his faith was all about his righteousness – not God’s grace. So the first lesson for us is to be humble in our prayer. Our faith is not about our own righteousness. Humor: Worth a Thousand Points Perhaps you have heard the story of the man who came to the gates of heaven to be greeted by St. Peter. Peter asks the man if he can give a brief history of his life with an emphasis on the good deeds he had done in order to gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven. "You will need 1000 points to be admitted," Peter tells the man. "This will be a cinch," the man thinks to himself, "I've been involved in church from the days of my youth." Then he begins to list his activities for Peter. He was an officer in his youth group, served in every possible position he could as a youngster. Was on the Church Council and every committee the church had to offer. His list was extensive. "Very impressive," Peter smiles at the man. An angel standing with them also smiled and nodded as he tallied the points and then whispered in Peter's ear. Peter tells the man, "This is quite striking -- we seldom see men of your very good works. You will be pleased to know that you have 327 points! Is there anything else you can think of?" The poor soul breaks into a cold sweat and begins to reach deep for every single act of kindness he could think of. He listed them as the angel scratched furiously on his angelic clip board and nodded his head in admiration. Peter looks at the clip board and says, "This is quite exceptional! You now have a total of 402 points. Can you think of anything else?" The distressed guy strives to recall good deeds -- like the time he helped a little old lady across the street. He finally arrives at a grand total of 431 points and cries out... "I am sunk! There is no hope for me! What more could I have done? O Lord, all I can do is beg for your mercy!" "THAT," exclaims Peter, "Is a thousand points!" So also, the tax collector in Jesus' parable finds his hope in the grace and mercy of God. John Jewell, Qualities of Faith So perhaps on our drive to church, before we focus on all of the people who are sleeping in, we should first focus on why we are headed to church. We are in need of prayer ourselves. Our spiritual journey begins with ourselves. Looking at ourselves. Heavenly Humility One time I was in a department store attempting to purchase a new suit. When I tried on a suit I stood in front of a 3-way mirror. The mirror enabled me to see myself from three different perspectives. As I looked at my image in the mirror I said to myself, “Is that really me?” It was very uncomfortable since I normally see myself in a singular mirror. As I continued to check out the suit I realized that in reality people actually see me in reverse. For example, my hair is parted the other way. What I perceive as my good side is really my bad side. When the Pharisee prayed to God he saw his good side. He was filled with righteousness, proud of his perfect record, especially his fasting and tithing record. On the other hand, the tax collector saw his bad side. He realized his unworthiness and said, “God me merciful to me a sinner.” How do see yourself? Are you like the Pharisee who only saw how good he was, or are you like the tax collector who only saw himself in need of God’s forgiveness? Keith Wagner, Heavenly Humility We come to church because we may all look okay on the outside, but we all have something to work on. We are like the college student. They Only Ironed The Parts That Showed Mike Cope, in his article "Righteousness Inside Out," tells of inviting a college student and his girlfriend back to his home after church, to have lunch with him and his wife. "When we got to the house, I took off my suit coat and invited him to do the same. The boy hemmed and hawed for a long time until he could pull me aside, and what he whispered to me then reminded me of the way I used to live when I was in college." It seemed he had only ironed the cuffs and collar of his shirt. If he took off his jacket, his girl would see the rest of his shirt and know what a slob he was. He had only ironed the parts that showed. That was one of the major, ongoing complaints Jesus brought against the Pharisees, the religious leaders of his day. That they were phony. That they were not what they seemed to be. That they were hypocrites. That they only ironed the parts that showed. William R. Boyer, Sorry, Thank You, Please When we are humble and honest with ourselves and with God, we realize just how much we need God. Whenever Jesus tells a parable, there is always a twist. There is an obvious lesson, but there is also a hidden meaning. The obvious lesson is that we should be humble like the tax collector. But what we don’t realize, is that Jesus uses the pharisees in this story, because he was not wrong in his prayer. It was his job to be righteous and good. He went to church, because he knew that others didn’t. that is why he prays that he is glad that he is not like the others. When we criticize the pharisee, we put ourselves in his place. We start to pray that we are glad that we are not like him. When we point one finger at others, then there are 4 that are pointed at ourselves. The pharisee’s prayer may have been misguided, but it was still a prayer. He is still a child of God. What Kind of Sinners Can Be Members Samuel Colgate, the founder of the Colgate business empire, was a devout Christian, and he told of an incident that took place in the church he attended. During an evangelistic service, an invitation was given at the close of the sermon for all those who wished to turn their lives over to Christ and be forgiven. One of the first persons to walk down the aisle and kneel at the altar was a well-known prostitute. She knelt in very real repentance, she wept, she asked God to forgive her, and meanwhile the rest of the congregation looked on approvingly at what she was doing. Then she stood and testified that she believed God had forgiven her for her past life, and she now wanted to become a member of the church. For a few moments, the silence was deafening. Finally, Samuel Colgate arose and said, "I guess we blundered when we prayed that the Lord would save sinners. We forgot to specify what kind of sinners. We'd better ask him to forgive us for this oversight. The Holy Spirit has touched this woman and made her truly repentant, but the Lord apparently doesn't understand that she's not the type we want him to rescue. We'd better spell it out for him just which sinners we had in mind." Immediately, a motion was made and unanimously approved that the woman be accepted into membership in the congregation. God accepts us as we are. There's not a sin too black, not a deed too awful, not a thought too horrible for him to forgive. Larry R. Kalajainen, Extraordinary Faith for Ordinary Time, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. The lesson is not just about humility, but also about who we are as a community. We are all sinners, and no matter who we are God gives us grace. So we should not be glad that we are not like others, we should be glad that God loves us all. We are all connected. We should see God in all people and all situations. We thank God that we are all together. My final story You're Not Home Yet How revealing is that story of the old missionary couple who had been working in Africa for years in the days when Teddy Roosevelt was President of the United States. They were returning from Africa to New York City to retire. They had no pension for they belonged to no missionary board. Their health was broken, they were defeated, discouraged, and afraid. When they went down to the wharf to board the ship they discovered to their amazement that they were booked on the same ship with Teddy Roosevelt, who was returning from one of his big game hunting expeditions. They went aboard the ship and no one paid any attention to them. They watched all the tremendous fanfare that accompanied the President's arrival, how the band played as he came aboard, and everyone was agog over the thought of traveling on the same ship with the President of the United States. Passengers were stationing themselves at vantage points throughout the ship to see if they might catch a glimpse of the great man. As the ship moved across the ocean this couple became more and more discouraged, especially the man. He said to his wife, "Dear, something is wrong. Why should we have given our lives in faithful service for God in Africa all these many years and no one cares a thing about us. Here is a man who has been on a big-game hunting expedition and when he comes back everybody makes over him but nobody gives two hoots about us." His wife said, "Dear, you shouldn't feel that way. Try not to be bitter about it." But he said, "I can't help it, I just can't help it, it doesn't look right. After all, if God is running this world, why does he permit such injustice?" As the boat neared the American shore, his spirit became more and more depressed. He said to his wife, "I'll wager that when we get to New York there will be another band there and more fanfare over his arrival, but there will be no one to meet us." Sure enough, when they got in, the ship docked and a band was waiting to greet the President. The mayor of New York City was there and other leaders of the nation, and the papers were full of the President's arrival, but no one said a word to this missionary couple. They slipped off the ship and found a cheap flat on the East side, hoping the next day to see what they could do to make a living in the city. But that first night the man's spirit just broke. He said to his wife, "I can't take this, it's not fair, God is not treating us fairly. Why should we give ourselves like this and have no one to meet us, no one to help us, no one to care. We don't even know where to go. If God is a faithful God, why doesn't he meet our need and send someone along?" And his wife said, "Dear, you mustn't feel this way, you simply must not, it isn't right. Why don't you go in the bedroom and tell the Lord the whole thing?" So he went in, and about a half hour later he came out again and his face was different, his wife could see it. She said, "Dear, what happened? Everything is different I can see. You feel better, don't you?" "Yes," he said, "the Lord settled it with me." "Well," she said, "what did he say?" He said, "I went in and knelt beside the bed and I poured out the whole thing to him. I said, 'Lord, it's not fair. We have given our lives, we've given our blood and sweat and tears in Africa, our health is broken, we have no place to go.' And I told him all -- how bitter I was that the President should receive this tremendous welcome over nothing! Especially I felt bitter about the homecoming he received when no one met us when we returned home." He said, "You know, when I finished it seemed as though the Lord put his hand on my shoulder and simply said, 'But you're not home yet!'" Ray Stedman, The Nature of Prayer _______________________ None of us are at home yet, but may we find our home in being in service to God. Amen. Song I am Thine O Lord UMH 419 Affirmation of faith (From Philippians 2:6-11) Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess to the glory of God: Jesus Christ is Lord! Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Teri McDowell Ott) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment In Luke 18, Jesus tells the parable of two men, praying in the temple. One we would, today, call a braggart or an egotistical show-off. The other we might call a reserved man, or one who did not think of himself more highly than he ought. If you could imagine these two on a spectrum of financial givers, where woould you place yourself on that spectrum? Are you closer to the one who stood up in public, declaring aloud how great he is because of what he does (including giving 10% to the temple)? Or are you closer to the one who takes a back seat, knowing he could be doing much more, and praying for God’s mercy? The truth is, we can never out-give God! And most of us will never be able, if we’re honest, to brag how we give 10% of our worth to the church. But we ALL are able to step away from the temptation to be brassy, bragging, and belittling others. All of us might be inspired by this parable as we seek to embody a humble spirit and stretch ourselves toward significant financial support of the church and the ministries of this congregation. As we receive our morning offering, may each of us find courage to be BOLD in our giving, and humble in our heart. God whom we exalt, Your generosity continues in every moment. Thank you for all you provide for us and for this amazing planet on which we live. Please accept these gifts as one way for us to signal our desire to be part of your abundant provision for life. Help us use this cash, these checks, and our on-line contributions to extend your care to the lost, the lonely, and the least among us. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook May we leave this house of worship today, quick to listen, slow to speak, open to hearing and responding to God’s truth. May God bless you and keep you, be kind and gracious to you, may God look upon you with favor and bring you Peace, Amen (Presbyterian Outlook, Teri McDowell Ott) Community Time Benediction May you be blessed by the least expected people, recognize plenty after empty, and feel an incognito inner urge to be the Spirit’s lungs and tongues. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Maren Tirabassi) Additional Illustrations re You Really Listening? In his book Directions, author James Hamilton shares this insight about listening to God: "Before refrigerators, people used icehouses to preserve their food. Icehouses had thick walls, no windows, and a tightly fitted door. In winter, when streams and lakes were frozen, large blocks of ice were cut, hauled to the icehouses, and covered with sawdust. Often the ice would last well into the summer. One man lost a valuable watch while working in an icehouse. He searched diligently for it, carefully raking through the sawdust, but didn’t find it. His fellow workers also looked, but their efforts, too, proved futile. A small boy who heard about the fruitless search slipped into the icehouse during the noon hour and soon emerged with the watch. Amazed, the men asked him how he found it. I closed the door,'' the boy replied, “lay down in the sawdust, and kept very still. Soon I heard the watch ticking.'' Often the question is not whether God is speaking, but whether we are being still enough, and quiet enough, to hear. Yes, Jesus assures us that our heavenly Father always listens to us, but do we really listen to God? Do we follow the instructions of Psalm 46, "Be still, and know that I am God"? Eric S. Ritz, The Ritz Collection,www.Sermons.com The Best Treatment for Loneliness Dr. Karl Menninger, the famous American psychiatrist, once gave a lecture on mental health & was answering questions from the audience. One man asked, "What would you advise a person to do if that person felt a nervous breakdown coming on?" Everyone there expected him to answer, "Consult a psychiatrist." To their astonishment he replied: Leave your house, go across the railroad tracks, find someone who is in need, and do something to help that person. Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com Bent to the Ground A city boy visited his cousin who lived on a farm in the country for the first time. The city boy had never seen wheat growing in a field. It was an impressive sight for him, the wheat golden brown and ready for harvesting. He noticed that some of the wheat stood tall in the field, whereas some of it was bent low, touching the ground. The city boy said to his cousin, "I bet the ones standing tall are the best ones, aren't they?" His cousin smiled knowingly and reached over and plucked the head of one of the tall-standing wheat stalks and one that was bent to the ground. He rubbed each of them and the city boy saw that the tall one was almost empty of seeds. But the one bent to the ground was full of the promise of a rich harvest. R. Curtis Fussell, Deadly Sins and Living Virtues, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. _________________________ Learn To Empty Yourself A martial arts student was meeting with his master and teacher at a table, having tea. The student said to his master, "I've learned all you have to teach me about defending myself. I want to learn one thing more now. Please teach me about the ways of God." The master took the teakettle and starting pouring the student's cup full of tea. Soon the cup was full and began to spill over onto the saucer. But the master continued to pour the tea until it spilled over the saucer and then onto the floor. The student finally said, "Stop, stop, the tea is spilling over. The cup can't take any more." The master then looked at the student and said, "You are so full of yourself that there is no room in your life for God. It is not possible for you to learn the ways of God until you learn to empty yourself." R. Curtis Fussell, Deadly Sins and Living Virtues, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. The Beginnings of a Spiritual Journey One of my sources of my spiritual grounding is the blues. Van Morrison's Hymns to the Silence has become the sound track of my soul. It floats around me and catches me in moments of solitude. It speaks to me of my journey, the things that have made me, the yearning for depth in prayer. It reflects a nostalgia for the innocence of youth, time that is gone, and a longing for a safe place to be ... the thirst for God. There is a spirit of rejuvenation and rebirth in Morrison's blues - there is no us and them. He sings.' No matter where I roam/ I will find my way back home/ I will return to the Lord." The point of the story is the old one - "know yourself." The beginning of deep spiritual examination begins here. This is not a beating oneself up, but a prayer of have mercy on me. It is a modest understanding of oneself - that I need others to be more fully myself. I don't have to go it alone. George Hermanson, A Modest Faith - A Subtle Shift In Grammar Worshipping Who She Used To Be Girolamo Savonarola was one of the great preachers of the fifteenth century. He preached in the great cathedral of Florence, Italy, which contained a magnificent marble statue of the blessed virgin Mary. When Savonarola started preaching at this great cathedral, he noticed one day an elderly woman praying before this statue of Mary. He then began to notice that it was her habit to come every day and pray before the statue. Savonarola remarked one day to an elderly priest who had been serving in the cathedral for many years, "Look how devoted and earnest this woman is. Every day she comes and offers prayers to the blessed Mother of Jesus. What a marvelous act of faith." But the elderly priest replied, "Do not be deceived by what you see. Many years ago when the sculptor needed a model to pose for this statue of the blessed Mother, he hired a beautiful young woman to sit for him. This devout worshiper you see here everyday is that young woman. She is worshiping who she used to be." The first and perhaps the deadliest of the seven deadly sins is pride. R. Curtis Fussell, Deadly Sins and Living Virtues, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. We Watched His Eyes It was late New Year's Day when the showdown finally came. The number one and two college bowl teams in the nation were set to fight it out in the Fiesta Bowl at Tempe, Arizona, deciding who would lay claim to being the "Beast of the East" and the best in the nation. Among those who predict such things, there was agreement that the nation's number one team would remain number one that night. Their passing attack had been unstoppable all season long, and it would remain so. A high-scoring game was predicted. Both predictions were wrong. A defensive struggle prevailed, and the number one team was upset, beaten. Interviews and national news stories alike toyed with the obvious question: "How did you stop their passing attack?" Several strategies had been employed, such as mixing up defensive formations, intimidating receivers by hard tackling, and of special significance, watching the mannerisms of the quarterback. Careful study of earlier films had discovered that he "telegraphed" the direction of a pass. "How did you stop him?" "We watched his eyes!" These words may hold the key to our discovery of the "central luminous truth" of the parable about two men who went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The key to this parable has to do with the direction of each man's eyes. Theodore F. Schneider, Until the King Comes, CSS Publishing Company. The Transformation of a Hideous Beetle One afternoon, a man, lying in a canoe close to shore, saw many beetles in the muddy bottom of the lake. He felt sorry for these lowly creatures which would never know any other world except gloom and mud and water. Then a big, black beetle came out of the water. He crawled up on the gunwale and sat there blinking at him. Under the heat of the sun the beetle died. Then a strange thing happened. His black shell cracked down the back. Out of it came a shapeless mass whose hideousness was transformed into a beautiful, brilliantly colored life. Out of that mass gradually unfolded four iridescent wings from which the sunlight flashed a thousand colors. The wings spread wide as if to worship the sun. The man realized that he had witnessed the transformation of a hideous beetle crawling in the mud to a gorgeous dragonfly soaring above the waters. The body that was left behind still clung to the gunwale of the canoe. While the dragonfly explored the wonders of his wings and his new world, the other beetles were still crawling in the mud. He knew that he had seen a miracle of nature. Out of the mud had come a beautiful new life. The thought occurred to him, if the Creator worked such wonders with the lowliest of creatures, what must be in store for his children created in his likeness! That is our hope and our victory on this day. That is our comfort and our peace. O. Garfield Beckstrand II, In Sure and Certain Hope, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. Our Own Vices Dwight L. Moody and Charles Spurgeon were great preachers of the nineteenth century. Moody admired Spurgeon from a distance and looked forward to the opportunity of meeting him in London. On that historic day, Spurgeon answered the door with a cigar in his mouth. Moody was aghast. "How could you, a man of God, smoke that?" Spurgeon took the cigar from his mouth, put his finger on Moody's rather inflated stomach, smiled and said, "The same way you, a man of God, could be that fat." Because we are usually blind to our own vices, we are hardly qualified to judge others. Eric S. Ritz, The Ritz Collection,www.Sermons.com

Is it all about Kings

Rev. Harriette Cross First United Methodist Church of Wilmington April 5, 2020 Philippians 2:5-11 Is this all about Kings? Palm/Passion Sunday Year A Prelude - O Sacred Head Now Wounded Gathering We have gathered here through the internet week after week coming in search of Christ, looking for a deeper faith and a deeper experience of God. I invite you to now close your eyes and to let go of the things that distract and concern you and listen for God. The time is drawing near. Jesus is preparing to enter Jerulasem. How will we greet him? Will we follow him all the way to the cross? The power of Jesus is that he lived what he taught, even when it led to his death. He loved with the abiding awareness of God, radiating the light of God in all he said and did. But that light was too much for the world. There are forces today as there were in ancient Judea that conspire to it out. Where are we in the drama? What are we willing to risk to follow Jesus? A moment of silence As we extinguish this light, we acknowledge the darkness and pain of illness and disease in the world. Put out candle Let us pray. Loving God. There are so many choices before us everyday. Choices offered by our friends, our families, our culture our own past. Some of them encourage the well being of the earth, ourselves and neighbors, others are destructive. Help us to distinguish between them. May we learn from the choices of Jesus and embody compassion, justice and inclusion in all that we do. Amen. Welcome Children’s Sermon Object: Palm branches, one for each child Lesson: Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name. Good morning, boys and girls. Today is a very special day for us. We call it Palm Sunday or the Sunday of the Passion. Later on in our worship service we will hear the story of how Jesus suffered and died on the cross for us. We also remember something else that happened to Jesus not very long before he died on the cross. These palms here will help us tell that story. (Give a palm branch to each child.) Today we are going to pretend that you are the crowds of people who walked along the road with Jesus as he went to Jerusalem. Would you like to do that, boys and girls? (Let them respond.) Good. Jesus decided that he was going to travel to the city of Jerusalem so he could celebrate one of the special Jewish festivals. His disciples went along, too. Do you know what Jesus rode on to get to Jerusalem? (Let them answer.) Yes. He rode on a donkey. As he went along, crowds of people began to gather. They picked up branches, something like the ones you have, and began to wave them. Let's all wave our branches for Jesus, boys and girls. (Let them wave their branches.) Then they also started to shout and sing. This is what they said: "Hosanna to the King!" (Have them all say the phrase.) Very good! That's just what happened to Jesus when he went to Jerusalem. The people got all excited because they thought he was really going to become their king and rule over them. We know that he wasn't going to do that but the people didn't. They just kept shouting, "Hosanna to the King!" Let's wave our branches again, just like the crowd, and remember that Jesus really is our king -- the king of our hearts. And let's shout together: "Hosanna to the King!" (Have them repeat it.) Thank you, boys and girls, for helping me out with today's story. God bless you all. Amen. CSS Publishing Company, WE ARE THE CHURCH, by Wesley T. Runk Stewardship Moment We Don't Have To Do Anything About It, Do We? In his classic novel, "The Robe," Lloyd C. Douglas has a character called Marcellus, who had become enamored of Jesus. He wrote letters to his fiance Diana in Rome. He told her about Jesus' teachings, about his miracles, then about his crucifixion, and then about his resurrection. Finally he informed her that he had decided to become a disciple of Jesus. In her letter of response, Diana said, "What I feared was that it might affect you. It is a beautiful story. Let it remain so. We don't have to do anything about it, do we?" Oh yes, we do, Diana. Bill Bouknight, Collected Sermons, www.eSermons.com We have to remember to support our church, through giving. Even though we are meeting, you offerings are needed more than ever to continue our ministry. Please send in your offering, give online, automatic withdrawal, mail them in, drop them off at the mailbox. Scripture 5 Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus: 6 Though he was in the form of God, he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit. 7 But he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave and by becoming like human beings. When he found himself in the form of a human, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God highly honored him and gave him a name above all names, 10 so that at the name of Jesus everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth might bow 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible Sermon Paul’s message to the Philippians and to each of us is to put on the same mind that Christ has. The mind of Christ, what exactly does that mean? Does that mean that we should believe like Christ, act like Christ, or treat others like Christ would treat them. Maybe it means that we should smell like Christ. Well you may ask, exactly what did Christ smell like? There is a company that did some research and concluded that Christ would have smelled like apricots, frankincense and myrhh. In other words a little fruity. The company actually developed a perfume called virtue – banking that Christians would love to smell like Jesus Today we are going to talk about virtue, not the perfume but the characteristics of Jesus that Paul talks about – humility, obedience and self renunciation. Jesus was able to consider the needs of others, before his personal needs. And Paul tells us that we should be able to do the same. I love it when Paul says that Jesus was in heaven, equal to God – but he was willing to put all of that aside to come to earth and to be a human being. When Paul says that Jesus poured out himself – he uses the word Greek word Kenosis. Kenosis means to empty out – such as pouring the contents out of a cup so that it can be empty. There are 175 references to something being poured out in the bible. Such as pouring out the wrath of God onto man, pouring out the holy spirit. In this case Paul is encouraging each of us to pour our arrogance, disunity, discord an selfishness – and learn to be humble like Jesus. If you want to live as Jesus lived, you must be willing to look beyond you own needs to the needs of others. This does not mean you loathe yourself. Do you think Jesus loathed himself? Of course not. But, in contrast to most of the rest of humanity he did not live just for himself. He lived and died for you and me. Jack Kelley, a reporter for USA Today once told the story of the ravaging famine in Somalia, East Africa. In a village decimated by starvation, a photographer noticed a little boy suffering from malnutrition. When the photographer handed a grapefruit to the little boy, he was so weak that he couldn’t even handle the grapefruit. A member of the crew cut it in half and gave it to him. He picked it up, looked as if to say thanks, and walked back toward his village. There on the ground was another little boy, the first boy’s younger brother, who appeared to be dead, his eyes completely glazed over. His older brother knelt down, bit off a piece of the grapefruit and chewed it for a moment. He then opened up his younger brother’s mouth, put the chewed piece in, and worked his brother’s jaws up and down. Later, the news crew learned that the older brother had done that same routine for about two weeks until he, himself, finally died of malnutrition. The younger brother survived. (8) Friend, wouldn’t you love to have a brother like that? You do. Our #1 mantra in life should be Jesus is Lord. If Jesus is the Lord of our lives, what does that mean? On Saturdays the custom at the Erickson house in Peoria, IL, is for Ken Erickson’s wife to clean out leftovers from the refrigerator. One Saturday, she gave the one remaining portion of tortellini to their 6 year old son, Jeremy. However, their 8 year old son, Matthew, also wanted some of the tortellini, so bickering ensued. After several unsuccessful attempts to mediate the dispute, Ken decided on a theological approach. Hoping to convince Jeremy to share his portion with Matthew, he said, “Jeremy, what would Jesus do in this situation?” Jeremy, perhaps thinking about the feeding of the 5,000 immediately responded, “Oh, Dad, He would just make more!” (2) Maybe Jeremy’s right. Theologians warn us against trying to speculate too glibly about what Christ would do in any given situation. After studying Jesus’ parables in depth, one scholar said that the only reliable answer to the question, “What would Jesus do?” can be summed up in two words: “Something unexpected.” When Dr. Fred B. Craddock spoke at the ordination service of our Eastern Pennsylvania Conference on June 8, 1991, he ended his magnificent message with this litany that I believe could guide all of us to serve the living God, whether it be in the manner of the Apostle Paul or Timothy. Dr. Craddock shared: LIVE SIMPLY SERVE FAITHFULLY SPEAK THE TRUTH PRAY DAILY LIVE THE GOSPEL LOVE GENEROUSLY LET GOD - BE GOD! Theologian Leonard Sweet talks of the four “rules” by which we live: The Iron rule Do to others before they do to you; The Silver rule Do to others as they do to you; The Golden rule Do to others as you would have them do to you; and, The Titanium rule Do to others as Jesus has done to you. There’s the rule that we should strive for. The last time that I preached a sermon for Palm Sunday was in 2011. Usually use this day to tell the story of the passion of Jesus before his death – might do a version of it for Good Friday – in the interest of time and simplicity chose to tell a sermon. These are certainly challenging times – expect Christ to show up in unexpected ways. The point of the passion story is that gave up divinity, to come to be a human and to die one of the most humiliating deaths around, just so that he could again be lifted up and exalted by God. In the midst of the unexpected, find comfort that God emptied Godself of majesty – to live your life, understand your struggle and to give the message that you are never alone – God loves you. Let us pray. Prayer Communion – the story from Visions of a World Hungry by Thomas G. Pettepierce Music – Great is They Faithfulness Benediction Additional Illustrations A little boy was starting first grade. Still thinking about kindergarten, he went to the teacher after an hour and said, I am ready for my milk. The teacher explained that in the first grade they don’t serve milk. The little fellow sat down, in a few minutes he was back. Teacher, he said, when is recess? The teacher explained that they didn’t do morning recess in the first grade. The disappointed little fellow again sat down. However, at noon he got up and put on his coat, so the teacher asked where he was going. He explained that it was noon and time to go home. No the teacher explained, in the first grade, we stay until 3 oclock. The little boy stared at her for a minute and finally he said, who the heck signed me up for this anyway. (That is how I feel about all of this). Lose Yourself What does a Christ-like mind look like as we live in the world? We can see it clearly in the great saints and martyrs, such as Mother Teresa or Albert Schweitzer. I'm drawn as well to the idea William Placher suggests in his book "Narratives of a Vulnerable God" as he uses an illustration from the world of basketball. Professor Placher writes, "In basketball the players who are always asking, 'How am I doing? Am I getting my share of the shots?' Those are the ones who never reach their full potential. It is the players who lose themselves who find themselves. And it's that kind of self-forgetfulness that makes the best players." And isn't that the case with all of us in whatever we do? I read about one of the fastest growing churches in the world, with branches in 32 countries already. It is called the Winners Church, and according to its leaders, it lives by a motto that comes from America's religious culture. Here's the motto: "Be happy. Be successful. Join the winners." People flock to that kind of church, I guess. But it all depends, doesn't it, on how we define winning? I wonder what kind of church you would have if your motto were "Whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant." Or about this one for a motto, "Those who want to save their lives will lose them and those who lose their lives for my sake, will find them." Joanna Adams, A Beautiful Mind Humility Rules One time there was a little Swiss watch that had been made with the finest skill and precision. But, the little watch was dissatisfied with its restricted sphere of influence on a lady’s wrist. The watch envied the lofty position of the great clock on the tower of City Hall. One day the little watch and its owner passed City Hall and the tiny watch exclaimed, “I sure wish I could be way up there. I could serve many people instead of just one.” The watch’s owner looked down and said, “I know someone who has a key to the tower. Little watch, you shall have your opportunity.” The next day the little watch was placed at the very top of tower. At that moment the little watch looked down and said, “Oh my! I am too small for anyone to see me. My elevation has resulted in my annihilation.” When we aspire for lofty places to achieve greatness we lose sight of those we influence who are within our reach. In other words, humility rules! Several years ago there was a newspaper cartoon that showed two fields separated by a fence. Each field was the same size and each had plenty of lush green grass. In each field there was a mule whose head stuck through the wire, eating grass from the pasture on the other side, even though it was hard to reach. In the process the mules’ heads became caught in the fence. They panicked and brayed uncontrollably at being unable to free themselves. The cartoonist wisely described the situation with one word: “Discontent.” Like the mules, when we focus on what we don’t have we become blinded to the blessings that surround us. There is nothing wrong with desiring something, but to think that life is greater in someone else’s pasture may result in our being trapped. We have new life when we live with humility. Later in the gospel of Matthew Jesus said, “The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matt. 23:11-12) Once again, humility rules. Keith Wagner, Humility Rules Palm Sunday: Historical Background The palm branches and the shouts harked back a century-and-a-half to the triumph of the Maccabees and the overthrow of the brutal Antiochus Epiphanes, the Saddam Hussein of his day. In 167 B.C. Antiochus had precipitated a full-scale revolt when, having already forbidden the practice of Judaism on pain of death, he set up, right smack in the middle of the Jewish temple, an altar to Zeus and sacrificed a pig on it. Hard to imagine a greater slap in the religious face to good Jews. Stinging from this outrage, an old man of priestly stock named Mattathias rounded up his five sons, all the weapons he could find, and a guerrilla war was launched. Old Mattathias soon died, but his son Judas, called Maccabeus (which means "hammer"), kept on and within three years was able to cleanse and to rededicate the desecrated temple. "Mission Accomplished?" Well, it would be a full 20 years more of fighting, after Judas and a successor brother, Jonathan, had died in battle, that a third brother, Simon, took over, and through his diplomacy achieved Judean independence. That would begin a century of Jewish sovereignty. Of course, there was great celebration. "On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred and seventy-first year, the Jews entered Jerusalem with praise and palm branches, and with harps and cymbals and stringed instruments, and with hymns and songs, because a great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel." So says the account in I Maccabees - a story as well known to the crowd in Jerusalem that day as George Washington and the defeat of the British is known to us. David E. Leininger, A World in Turmoil Palm Sunday What is Palm Sunday? Maybe another way to approach that question is to ask another question: what if the gospel story ended with Palm Sunday? Like the disciples, we maybe would like it if the gospel could conclude right here. After all that the disciples had been through, and with their own secret hope that Jesus would be a political success on whose coattails they would ride to prominence, the disciples looked at the Triumphal Entry and thought, "Now this is more like it!" They probably wanted to capture and bottle that festive atmosphere. It was rather like Peter's reaction to Jesus' transfiguration when Moses and Elijah also appeared with Jesus on the mountaintop. Peter piped up and said, "Let's build some tabernacles right here so we can keep this great thing going forever!" So also on Palm Sunday: if they could have hit the pause button on the remote control of life, this would have been a wonderful image to freeze frame. The problem is that there is no salvation for anyone on Palm Sunday. The people cried "Hosanna," which means "Save us!" But given the world we are in, there could be no salvation from that kind of happy parade. That festive atmosphere, though in one sense befitting the true, deep-down royalty of Jesus as God's Son, still all that hoopla just doesn't fit our world. It doesn't address the problems that need solving. And maybe at this time of war and carnage, of terror and multiple threats of violence all around us, maybe we preachers don't need to work very hard to convince anyone of this point. If we look back upon history, we see that human sin has resulted not in one long string of happy parades but rather in a series calamatis, one long and sad parade of calamity and sorrow. Instead of a festive throng, history shows us things like the Trail of Tears on which Native Americans tramped into exile. History shows us boat-loads of black people in chains, taken from their native country and brought to a place called "America," then paraded before potential buyers, not of their services, but of their very lives. History shows us long lines of Jews marching not in some victory parade but shuffling along toward Nazi gas chambers in Auschwitz. History shows us the Killing Fields of Cambodia, the death squads of Rwanda and Sierra Leone. These are the real parades of human history. Carnivals of sorrow, festivals of death. Scott Hoezee, Comments and Observations Palm Sunday – Who Is That? Picture Fifth Avenue in Manhattan--the stretch of road where the Macy's parade is held each Thanksgiving Day. Imagine that one spring day a kind of makeshift parade is being staged along upper Fifth Avenue near Central Park. But this is not the Macy's parade, not by a long shot. This is a relatively small affair: no floats, no tickertape, no giant balloon figures floating down the street. It's just a crowd of people waving some tree branches and throwing their coats into the road. At the center of it all is a modest, average looking fellow astride a donkey's colt which actually is too small for him to ride with any kind of dignity. But the members of the parade entourage are nothing if not jubilantly excited. Especially the kids are making a lot of noise, singing and shouting. The enthusiasm of this little crowd is enough eventually to attract some attention. The people standing on the plushly carpeted steps leading into the Plaza complex swivel their heads. The horses hooked up to Central Park carriages turn a lazy eye toward the parade even as the people in the carriages peer out past the canopy to see what the commotion is all about. Shoppers coming out of Saks Fifth Avenue and the Time Warner Center also start to glance around to discover the source of all the hubbub. And inevitably people begin to ask, "Who is that?" In reply the branch-waving, coat-tossing folks excitedly answer, "Who is this, you ask! Why, it's Joshua Jones, a preacher from North Platte in Nebraska!" "Oh. So it's not Donald Trump? Not Tom Cruise or Katie Couric, not Bill Clinton? Joshua Jones from Nebraska? Oh. That's nice." But then eyes roll, eyebrows rise, and smirks are repressed as the big city folks go back to their big city business. Granted that Jerusalem circa 30 A.D. was not New York City. Granted that maybe Jesus' name on that Sunday long ago was a little bit better known than the Joshua Jones in my analogy. Granted, and yet . . . there is something about Matthew 21 which bears resemblance to this allegorical story. "Who is that?" the Jerusalemites ask in verse 10. In verse 11 comes the reply: "Jesus, the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee." Scott Hoezee, Comments and Observations On My Account In a Peanuts cartoon, Charlie Brown and Linus are standing next to each other, staring at a star-filled sky. "Would you like to see a falling star?" Charlie Brown asks Linus. "Sure..." Linus responds. "Then again, I don't know," he adds, after some thought. "I'd hate to have it fall just on my account." In the book Parables of Peanuts, Robert Short uses this cartoon to make the point that a star did fall on our account. God came down to us as Jesus: like a lamb led to slaughter, He died on our account. What humility. What love and, oh, what he accomplished there. Charles Schultz, Peanuts, quoted by Robert Short What is God Like? Legend has it that during Marco Polo's celebrated trip to Asia, he was taken before the great and fearsome ruler, Genghis Khan. Now what was Marco Polo, a Venetian merchant and adventurer, supposed to do before this mighty pagan conqueror? One false move could cost him his life. He decided to tell the story of Jesus as it is recorded in the gospels. It is said that when Marco Polo related the events of Holy Week, and described Jesus' betrayal, his trial, his scourging and crucifixion, Genghis Khan became more and more agitated, more engrossed in the story, and more tense. When Marco Polo pronounced the words, "Then Jesus bowed his head and yielded up his spirit," Genghis Khan could no longer contain himself. He interrupted, bellowing, "What did the Christian's God do then? Did he send thousands of angels from heaven to smite and destroy those who killed his Son?" What did the Christian's God do then? He watched his beloved Son die, that's what the Christian's God did then. For that was the way Jesus chose to ascend the throne of his kingdom and to establish his Lordship for all time. Not at all the way we would expect God to demonstrate his might and power, but that's the way it was and that is how we know what our God is like. John M. Braaten, The Greatest Wonder of All, CSS Publishing Co. Adapted. No Day like This One – Palm Sunday William Stringfellow, a distinguished lawyer who became a very distinguished theologian and who died much too soon, was a strong critic of the church. He was particularly feisty about Palm Sunday. He used to say that Christians go to church on Palm Sunday because they love a parade. I used to resent Stringfellow’s saying that. But I now conclude that he was partially right. I love Palm Sunday. There is no day quite like this one, is there? If there is a better moment in the life of this church than the children’s processional on Palm Sunday, I can’t think what it might be. They come down the aisle in numbers that astonish us. They fill the chancel and the sanctuary. They disturb the normal sedate dignity of worship. Presbyterians like their religion “decently and in order.” And there is nothing very orderly about several hundred children waving palm branches. (Although, truth be told, it is no small accomplishment of logistics to get them all here and lined up and in and out in a manner that lets us get on with the business of the day.) I confess, however, particularly when I have the unique blessing of meeting my own grandchildren in the parade that I sometimes feel that maybe they are the business of the day, they and the spontaneous joy of him coming into the city. In any event, there is no day quite like it in the life of this congregation. And there is no day quite like it in the church year. Someone noted recently that Palm Sunday has all the elements of a classic drama: great characters — frightened disciples stumbling along behind him, cheering crowds, conspiring politicians — and behind it all the clash of huge civilizations and religions and worldviews. And in the center — in fact towering over it all — the figure of one man, a young man, riding on a donkey, on his way to his own death. John M. Buchanan, No Day like This One Nine Winners Here is an example of a different kind of power: Jesus, a young carpenter, riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. His disciples vie for the best seats and he takes a towel and basin to wash their feet. On the cross he meets their evil with a prayer of forgiveness. The one time Methodist Bishop of Mississippi Jack Meadors tells a wonderful story of an incident that occurred during the Special Olympics. Nine children lined up for the 100 yard dash. The gun sounded and the race was off. But only a few yards into the race, one of the children fell and began to cry. For some reason these challenged children did not understand the world's concept of competition and getting ahead and taking advantage when a competitor was down. The other eight children stopped running and came back to their fallen comrade. A young girl with Down's Syndrome kissed him and brushed him off. The children lifted him up together, arm in arm, they ran over the finish line. The audience rose to their feet in applause. There was not one winner, there were nine winners. For a fleeting moment these children showed us what the Kingdom of God is like. They challenged the world's concept that first place is everything. The world says defeating, even destroying, one's competitor is the way to go. The world says that competition and success is an indisputable law. Competition is touted. On Palm Sunday, and then again in the upper room, and then again on the cross, Jesus challenged the world's concept of power. Staff, www.eSermons.com Aw Shucks! A little boy was sick on Palm Sunday and stayed home from church with his mother. His father returned from church holding a palm branch. The little boy was curious and asked, "Why do you have that palm branch, dad?" "You see, when Jesus came into town, everyone waved Palm Branches to honor him, so we got Palm Branches today." The little boy replied, "Aw Shucks! The one Sunday I miss is the Sunday that Jesus shows up!" Traditional Humor Acceptance and Awareness on Palm Sunday Father Henri Nouwen found a sculpture of Jesus on a donkey in the Augustiner Museum in Frieburg. He calls it one of the most moving Christ figures he knows. The fourteenth-century sculpture originally came from a small town close to Breisach on the Rhine. It was made to be pulled on a cart for the Palm Sunday procession. Nouwen found himself drawn to this sculpture. He sent postcards of it to his friends and keeps one in his prayer book. Looking at the face of Jesus he reflects, "There is melancholy, but also peaceful acceptance. There is insight into the fickleness of the human heart, but also immense compassion. There is a deep awareness of the unspeakable pain to be suffered, but also a strong determination to do God’s will. Above all, there is love, an endless, deep and far-reaching love born from an unbreakable intimacy with God and reaching out to all people, wherever they are, were, or will be. There is nothing that he does not fully know. There is nobody whom he does not fully love." King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com We Are Responsible for a Dead Church Some years ago, a new pastor was called to a spiritually dead church in a small Oklahoma town. The pastor spent the first week calling on as many members as possible, inviting them to the first Sunday service. But the effort failed. In spite of many calls, not a single member showed up for worship! So the pastor placed a notice in the local paper stating that since the church was dead, the pastor was going to give it a decent, Christian burial. The funeral for the church would be held at 2 p.m. on the following Sunday. Morbidly curious, the whole town turned out for the "funeral." In front of the pulpit, there was a large casket, smothered in flowers. After the eulogy was given, the pastor invited the congregation to come forward and pay their respects to the dead church. The long line of mourners filed by. Each one peered curiously into the open casket, and then quickly turned away with a guilty, sheepish look. For inside the casket, tilted at just the right angle was a large mirror. Each one saw his own reflection in the mirror as perhaps never before! That is still what happens when human beings allow the living Christ to confront them in their sinful brokenness. This special day calls us to make a choice to receive God's Christ, and to let our lives be made whole again by the power of God. As you begin this Holy Week, can you truly say in your heart, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!" The choice is up to you! Robert A. Beringer, Turning Points, CSS Publishing Company. If you do this you will have the Master''s spirit and the Master''s brush, and you can paint a beautiful tapestry of life--to the honor and glory of God. Have you ever wanted to smell like Jesus? I doubt that any of us have ever given that question much thought, but there is a perfume maker in California where else? that promises exactly that. The makers of a perfume called “Virtue” claim if you wear their perfume, you will smell exactly like Jesus. I’m not making this up. Using the Bible as a guide to what kind of plants were used as perfumes in the Holy Land when Jesus walked the Earth, scientists at a perfume company called IBI claim that Virtue is a close approximation of what Christ and his followers would have smelled like. It’s a sweet blend consisting mostly of apricot, with a dash of frankincense and myrrh, which, of course, were given to the baby Jesus by the three wise men. (1) So there you have it. You, too, can smell like Jesus. Obviously that is absurd, but it does lead us to a much more profound thought by writer Max Lucado. At the beginning of his book, Just Like Jesus, Lucado makes this statement which I believe is quite important: “God loves you just the way you are,” writes Lucado, “but he refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus.” Now there is a statement you can take home with you. Let me say it again: “God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus.” This does not mean living your life as a doormat. It simply means valuing the welfare of others at least as much as you value your own life. I believe that is the definition of courage. I believe that is what it means to be a hero. I believe that is what it means to have the mindset of Christ Jesus who “made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” What would Jesus do? He would do what was good for everyone concerned, not just himself. Go and do likewise.

What do I need to do?

January 29, 2017 Micah 6:1-8 Remember law and order – I used to watch that show religiously for years. And to take it back even further, my grandmother never missed an episode of Perry Mason. We seem to be fascinated with shows about the courtroom. Imagine an episode where the lawyer walks in with the accuser and they take their seat. Then the jury walks in the listen to the case and determine guilt. The court reporter is there and ready to record all of the procedings. You wait patiently to see who is on trial in this courtroom. And you are surprised to find that the deputy is leading you to the front of the room. You are on trial. The lawyer is a young prophet named Micah, the accuser – God himself. The jury – the mountains, the hills, God’s creation. But what did I do you ask. God is suing you – a faithful Christian – for get this – forgetting your faith. Not being faithful to God. But the lawyer has prepared his case and is prepared to find you guilty. First he presents how God has been faithful to you. He reminds you that you would be no where without the help of God. Every step in your life, is a step that God has taken with you. Nothing that you have, belongs to you – it all belongs to God. Everything that you have, every things that you have done is a gift from God. If it was not for God – where would you be today? As you realize that the lawyer is right – God has always remembered you, but you are slacking off in remembering God. You are a good church goer, so what can you do to make it right? Should you light a candle? Or say a special prayer? Or spend 2 hours helping at the food pantry, or even be willing to sing solo on a special song. Or I know – put an extra offering in the plate. And just like in a famous Perry mason episode - the–prosecuter stands up and comes out to speak before the entire courttoom. What does the Lord require of you? Is the Lord impressed with your prayers, your special duties or even the amount of money that you put in the offering plate. None of that matters. God just wants 3 things. Just do three things, Israel: mishpat, hesed, and hasnea (Micah 6:8) Mishpat, hesed and hasnea? What does that mean? Those are the Hebrew words for justice, mercy and to walk humbly with God. Do justice, have mercy and to walk humble with God. To break it down even further. Justice is the call to moral excellence. Justice is what we do not just for one person but for all people. It is how we live out our faith in public. I don’t want to dwell on it one way or another way – but we as faithful Christians are in the midst of a justice challenge. If muslims are not welcome in this country, who will they come for next? If immigrants are not welcome in this country then who is? How do we react to this present issue? Whose side are we on? What does it have to do with us? What does God expect of us, God’s faithful people in his situation? There was a man who watched high level government officials doing the wrong thing. He told on them. The officials were fired, but the man and his family was ostracized in the community. Reporters asked the man if it was worth it to tell what he saw. I did what God expected me to do he replied. What does the Lord expect of you? The second requirement of God is Hesed, or mercy. Mercy is accountable kindness. Kindness with a sense of understanding of the other persons situation. A school teacher by the name of Miss Thompson found it difficult to like one of her students. His name was Teddy Stallard and he was not interested in school, school work, or anything connected to school. His attitude was so disagreeable that Miss Thompson almost found herself enjoying the Fs she wrote on his papers. Miss Thompson knew Teddy’s background. His school records indicated that in the first grade he had shown some promise. In the second grade, his mother fell seriously ill and Teddy was tabbed a slow learner. In the fourth grade he was far behind and his teacher noted that his father had no interest in Teddy’s progress. Christmas time came and the boys and girls in Miss Thompson’s room brought her some gifts. To her surprise, there was a very crudely wrapped present from Teddy. Opening the package, she discovered a gaudy rhinestone bracelet and a bottle of cheap perfume. Sensing that the other children were beginning to smirk and giggle at the gift, Miss Thompson put the bracelet on and opened the perfume. She put some perfume on her wrist and invited the children to smell by saying, "Doesn’t the perfume smell lovely?" "Isn’t the bracelet beautiful?" Taking their cue from Miss Thompson’s kindness, the children responded with "oohs" and "aahs." At the end of the school day, little Teddy went to Miss Thompson’s desk and said: "Miss Thompson ... Miss Thompson, you smell just like my mother ... and her bracelet looks real pretty on you, too. I’m glad you like my presents." From that day forward, Miss Thompson began to show more kindness toward that little boy. And that little boy began to improve - both in grades and attitude. Many years later, Miss Thompson received a letter from Teddy telling her that he was graduating from high school - second in his class. Four years later, she received another letter from Teddy telling her that he was graduating from college first in his class. And four more years later, there was another letter to inform her that this young fellow who had given her a gaudy bracelet and a bottle of cheap perfume was now Theodore Stallard, M.D. Also, he was getting married and his father was now dead, too. Would Miss Thompson be willing to sit where his mother would sit for the wedding if she were alive? "You’re all the family I have left now," wrote Teddy. Miss Thompson sat proudly where Teddy’s mother would have sat for that wedding. That moment of kindness many years before had brought out the best in that young boy. Kindness may cost you something in time ... money ... in pride. But, kindness is what God expects you to show to other people. As Micah phrased it so poignantly: ... and what does the Lord require of you but ... to love kindness...? The last requirement is Hapnea – that is the hardest requirement of all- hard because it is two requirements in one. First to be humble – second to walk humbly with God. Christian humility is not cowardice. It is not a summons to be a doormat. Rather it is an invitation to work behind the scenes in an enterprise greater than any of us could ever accomplish on our own; it is an invitation to appreciate the simple blessings in life; and it is an invitation to trust God whose strength will never fail. It is being reminded that without God we are nothing, we have nothing, we could do nothing. It is not us, it is God’s light in us that makes a difference. So we have to put God first. We have to do what God would do in this situation. The Ancient Isrealites would have enjoyed Perry Mason just as much as we would. They thought that all of life was a courtroom drama. Micah was a young adult holding his community accountable for their relationship with God. He was asking everyone to remember - WWJD – what would Jesus Do. Where is the presence of God in everything that I face in my life. In order for us to do what God expects of us, we have to first be willing to walk humbly with God. To honor God in all that we do and to make sure that God is honored in who we are. To live in quiet fellowship of God. And after laying out the evidence and giving the order – the defense rest its case. It has said all that needs to be said. SERMON ILLUSTRATION Paul Simon: What God Requires In a Rolling Stone interview, musician Paul Simon offers his thoughts on what God requires of us: The only thing that God requires from us is to enjoy life—and love. It doesn't matter if you accomplish anything. You don't have to do anything but appreciate that you're alive. And love, that's the whole point. In contrast, Micah, the Old Testament prophet wrote, "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Anthony DeCurtis, Rolling Stone (02-01-01), p. 50; submitted by David A. Slagle, Lawrenceville, Georgia I think that Paul Simon makes an important point. God call us into court – not to punish us but to love us. God lays out his requirements – not to punish us – but to help us to see clearly. God does not want us to be uptight – but to be happy, relaxed, and comfortable. God wants what is best for us – and the only way to do that is to do what the Lord required – Mishpat, hesed, hasnea. Do justice, show kindess, and to walk humbly with our God. Is it really that hard? Let us pray….. Amen Children’s Sermon…. Exegetical Aim: Happiness comes from a life emptied and humble before God and not from a life full and easy. Props: Several dollar bills or a hand full of coins, a toy that laughs, some kind of food, and a toy sword like a light saber or any object to represent conflict. Also a box or big glass jar. Optional humorous prop: A football or some sports object that is presently in season. If there is a crucial local game then focus on that. Try to hide the sports object. Lesson: I have a question for you this morning: What makes you happy? (responses) With the items hidden behind your back and the jar out in front: Well, I have some things I want to show you. After each item is presented put it in the jar. What is this? (money) Would you be happy if you had this money? (response) Why would that make you happy? What would you do with it? (response) What is this? (laughing object) Listen to this. Make the object laugh. What is it doing? (laughing) Would you be happy if you laughed all the time? (response) Why would that make you happy? (response) What is this? (apple) Would you be happy if you had some food? (response) Why would you be happy? (response) What is this? (boxing gloves) Would you be happy if you had a gun (response) Why would you be happy? (response) This morning I brought something that makes me very happy. Do you want to see it? (response) Do you really want to see it? (response) All right, this makes me so happy! Bring out the football hold it up or toss it air. When Tennessee wins today I am going to be happy! Application: Each of us has something in our life that makes us happy. What makes you happy? (response) It could be chocolate chip cookies or a special toy or a pet. Happiness is pretty important. Jesus even talked about happiness. He said the truly happy people in the world are those who...take out the money...are those who don't have a lot of money. Fold the money and put it away. Then he said, the happiest people in the world are those who take out the laughing object and make it laugh again have some sadness in their life. He also said, the happiest people are those who take out the food are sometimes hungry and have nothing to eat. And he said, the happiest people are those who take out the gun...try to have peace in their life. Finally he said take out the football well, he really didn't say anything about football. But he did say that we could be happy if we remember that true happiness comes when we have a life that is empty. Show that the jar or box is empty. A life that is emp is a life that is ready to be filled with all the good things God wants to put there: His Kingdom, his peace, love, forgiveness, and comfort. Let’s Pray: Lord help us to understand just how empty we are and how much we need you to fill us. Amen. Additional illustrations……. ChristianGlobe, , by Brett Blair SERMON ILLUSTRATION Cornel West on Justice Justice is what love looks like in public. —Cornel West, U.S. professor and scholar (1956—) Cornel West, unknown; submitted by Kevin Miller, executive vice president, Christianity Today International [ read less ] SERMON ILLUSTRATION Søren Kierkegaard on the Difference Between Admirers and Followers If you have any knowledge at all of human nature, you know that those who only admire the truth will, when danger appears, become traitors. The admirer ... Søren Kierkegaard, unknown; submitted by Bill White, Paramount, California [ read less ] SERMON ILLUSTRATION Søren Kierkegaard on the Difference Between Admirers and Followers If you have any knowledge at all of human nature, you know that those who only admire the truth will, when danger appears, become traitors. The admirer is infatuated with the false security of greatness; but if there is any inconvenience or trouble, he pulls back. Admiring the truth, instead of following it, is just as dubious a fire as the fire of erotic love, which at the turn of the hand can be changed into exactly the opposite—to hate, jealousy, and revenge. Christ, however, never asked for admirers, worshipers, or adherents. He consistently spoke of "followers" and "disciples." —Søren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher and theologian (1813–1855) Søren Kierkegaard, unknown; submitted by Bill White, Paramount, California [ read less ]