Living the Faith We have Inherited

October 2, 2022 World Communion Sunday 2 Timothy 1:1-14 Living the Faith we have Inherited 17th Sunday after Pentecost Opening Song Welcome The promises of the world turn to ashes and dust, but the promises of God last forever. The Holy One calls to us: “Come!” We come to rekindle the gift of God ablaze within us. Opening Prayer (Lamentations 1, 2 Timothy 1) Source of grace and peace, you call us into being; you keep us in safety; you hold us in life. Far too often, we turn from you, placing our trust in the frail promises of other human beings and the insecure security of wealth. Be with us now. Bring us into your presence. Comfort our pain. Challenge our pride. Enter into our prayer and our praise, that our worship may be pleasing to you. We pray these things in the name of the one who loved us first, Jesus Christ. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Mpho Tutu) Song Standing on the Promises UMH 374 Children’s Sermon Preparation Bring a globe or a world map. Choose some places where you have lived or visited or where you know someone. Prepare to locate and talk about these places. If you have a souvenir from another country, it may be fun to bring that to show to the children as well. Message Greet the children as you typically do. Say: I have brought something special for us to look at today. Does anyone know what this is? Take time for them to answer. Say: A map or a globe shows where all the countries are in the world are. Show the children where they are on the map. Ask: Has anyone here traveled to another country? Take time to find where the children have been. If the children have not been outside of the United States, ask about countries they might want to visit and why. You can also talk about one or two places you have visited and show them souvenirs. Say: Today is World Communion Sunday. Today we remember that God’s church isn’t just here inside our sanctuary. It is full of people from all around the United States and all around our world. We all do God’s work together! Each of us has something we can do to show God’s love to the world. Ask: What are some things that you can do? Take some answers. Say: No matter how big or small we are, we can all show God’s love. Just think about all the people around the world showing God’s love! Closing Prayer Loving God, thank you for big church full of your people from all over the world! Give us courage to show your love to everyone we meet. Amen. (ResourceUMC.org) Passing the Peace of Christ (2 Timothy 1) Hear the words of Jesus: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” The peace of Christ is ours, through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Scripture 2 Timothy 1:1-14 Sermon Living the Faith we have Inherited Is there anything God can't do? It's a question that has been asked for as long as humanity has been searching for the meaning of life. God is omnipotent, we say, and omniscient ” all powerful and all knowing. There is nothing beyond God's power. There is nothing God cannot do. And yet, St. Paul tells us that there IS one thing God can't do. Listen closely to these words that he wrote to Timothy: "If we are faithless, He remains true, for He cannot deny Himself." Did you catch that? "He cannot deny Himself." There it is ” the one thing God cannot do. If you are ever on a television quiz show and the announcer says, "Now, for $1 million, is there anything God cannot do?" you will know the answer. "I've got it! I've got it!" you can scream while you hug your partner and dance across the stage. "What is the answer?" the announcer will ask. And you can look straight into the camera and reply, "God cannot deny Himself." Our task in life, is to be more like God. Our faith is the story of our striving to be connected to God. C.S. Lewis was an English professor, a prolific writer, and a lay leader in the Anglican church. We are familiar with many of his writings. Many which are secular, but with an intentional deep Christian message. The Screwtape Letters was one if his books. Like the books of Timothy – it is a series of letters written by the chief devil, Screwtape to his nephew, Wormwood. Who as a young man, has just started his career as a devil. If there is a hierarchy of angels going up, there is a lowarchy of devils going down. Wormwood is troubled, because he finds that it is particularly hard to evangelize Christians to the dark side. There is one that his is working on, which he calls the patient. In one of his letters, Screwtape reminds Wormwood that his job is not to get the patient to commit some horrible sin, but to just distract him from his faith. Help him to forget to pray, to go to church, to put God first in his life. MY DEAR WORMWOOD, I note with grave displeasure that your patient has become a Christian. Do not indulge the hope that you will escape the usual penalties; indeed, in your better moments, I trust you would hardly even wish to do so. In the meantime we must make the best of the situation. There is no need to despair; hundreds of these adult converts have been reclaimed after a I brief sojourn in the Enemy's camp and are now with us. All the habits of the patient, both mental and bodily, are still in our favour. One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. (From the Screwtape Letters) This is written from the perspective of the devil, the enemy is God. In the preface of the book, C S Lewis says that the devil is always a liar and that nothing that he says is right. It is the exact opposite of what Paul says to Timothy in our scripture. Paul is encouraging Timothy to live in the faith. The letter is passed on to encourage pastors. 1 Timothy is a book about the order of the church. As we begin 2 Timothy – the emphasis is on personal faith – the way we live out the faith in our own lives. It is not just for pastors, but for us all. If we have the faith in our hearts, we are carriers of the faith and we are leaders. There is one thing that Paul and Screwtape agree on – that our faith connected to God is our power. The power that raised Christ from the dead is inside of each of us – if we hold onto the faith. Paul is writing Timothy from prison. But he reminds Timothy that his words are free – the gospel travels wherever it must go and it changes lives and it makes it point no matter what the circumstance. Paul reminds Timothy that he inherited his faith from his mother and grandmother. We don’t know about the circumstance, but Eunice raises her son Timothy alone. Eunice stays with her mother, and they make sure that Timothy grows up in the church. No matter what our story, each of us inherited our faith from someone, even if we didn’t grow up in the church. There was someone in our lives, who even if we never heard a bible story, we knew what it meant to be a Christian from their actions. We could see the spirit of Christ in them. For me, that person is my Aunt Maggie. When my mother and I moved from Arkansas to Illinois, we stayed with Uncle Chester and Aunt Maggie. My grandmother came with us for a while. As a two year old, Aunt Maggie explained that there were a lot of adults in the house, but that she was my person. I listened only to her, I went where she went. We were a team. Every Sunday we went to church. Not everyone in the household went to church every Sunday, but we were there. My uncle was a deacon, so he would be in the pulpit every Sunday. My mother and I moved out a year later, and my mother was not a church goer, but that experience still sticks with me. I had the strength to be in the pulpit every Sunday, because that’s where I saw my uncle. Now that I am grown looking back at that experience, I think it was my grandma’s design for me to inherit Aunt Maggie’s faith. Just a few days ago, Aunt Maggie sent me an encouraging message on Facebook. We are of different deniminations, but she still is my faith mentor. The faith that we inherit is longstanding, but it is still powerful, unchained and useful today. The scewtape letters are a classic today – because the devil still works to distract us from our faith. Pauls message in timothy is classic as well. There is power in our faith. And when we put that power to use in the world, we are making a difference. Bruce Larson tells an unusual story about a woman in their congregation who had been feeling for some time that God had given her a special ministry to those who are hospitalized. She loved calling on patients and trying to impart something of God's love through scripture messages, through prayer, through friendship and concern. She began to sense God wanted her to do this on a continuing basis in one of their local hospitals. This is a woman, mind you, with no special training in counseling or pastoral calling. Nevertheless, she presented herself to the administrator of a local hospital one morning and declared that she would very much like to come on staff as their chaplain--unpaid, of course. To her amazement, he responded positively. "That's just what we've needed here," he said. "I've been hoping we could find our way to make a chaplain available in an unofficial kind of role. You're on." That all happened over ten years ago. This woman now spends several days a week doing what she loves most, ministering to the sick. This untrained layperson is the hospital chaplain, the only one they've got, and an unofficial but integral part of all staff meetings. (3) You may not be able to make the kind of time commitment that this woman made, but God has called every believer to a ministry. It may be a ministry of caring, of music, of teaching or a host of other ways of serving God and serving God's children. But an integral part of living a fulfilling life is hearing God's voice in your life and of giving your life to something high and worthwhile. Paul reminds Timothy of his heritage and he reminds him of his high calling. I visited my dentist this week. Of all the rooms available he always puts me in this bright Tennessee orange room with a plaque on the wall that reads like this: I’d rather a see sermon than hear one any day. I’d rather one should walk with me than merely show the way. The eye is a better pupil, more willing than the ear. Fine counsel is confusing, but example is always clear. And the best of all the preachers are the ones who live their creeds, For to see a good put into action is what everybody needs. God calls all us to have a rekindled spirit, to be an example, to trust in the power of our faith. I want to leave you with the words of our scripture – in a very simple form From Paul, and older preacher to timothy, whom I love very much and whom God loved:I thank God for you every day. I remember everything we did together and look forward to being with you again. I remember how much you love God, just as your mother and grandmother loved God. Because I remember all this, I also remind you that you have a job to do. God has given you the gifts to be a fine leader, and the church has elected you to be its leader. So do not give up. God does not want you to be too cautious about using your gifts. Instead, God fills you with power and love and self control. So use those gifts. Do not be ashamed to stand up for God’s ways. If people tease you, call you rnames, or even push you around, you can take it. Look at me – I am in prison for doing God’s work, but I do not mind. I know God will take care of me even in prison. And I know that God will take care of you. So remember everything you have learned about God’s love and plan for the world. Follow my brave example. And most of all, remember that God’s Holy Spirit lives in you and gives power to do amazing work for God. Amen. Song One Bread, One Body UMH 620 Pastoral Prayer Generous God, it is easy for us to comfortably imagine so many other Christians praying today and receiving the elements of Holy Communion. We like to think of this as a nice event; yet you remind us that when we have received these gifts we are also called to use the strength that they provide to witness to others through acts of reconciling love. This Communion is not a “nice” service, meant for our comfort. It is a challenge for us to truly accept the love of Jesus Christ, who gave to us his body and his blood, that we might be redeemed to do God’s loving will. As we have gathered here this day, bringing our prayer concerns to you, O Lord, help us to remember that you hold each one of us gently and lovingly, offering your healing mercies. Give us courage to be your witnesses, seeking peace in this war-torn world. For we ask this in the name of Jesus the Christ. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment We can teach people that. We can teach people how to be generous. A child by the name of William placed a dollar in the offering plate some months ago with this note attached: “Dear God, I love you much. When I get to heaven I want to love you even more. I want to give you something today and bow down to you forever. Signed, William.” He probably was no more than six years old. With this sense of generosity can you imagine what this fellow may accomplish as an adult; what kind of help he will be for the world when he grows up Moment for Stewardship Invite several folks to bring forward coins or bills from a variety of countries (or use visuals on the screen, or very descriptive language to help identify different currency), as you identify how congregations around the world are receiving an offering this morning. Whether we share kwatcha, francs, pesos or dollars, we are invited to bring an offering today, to support this congregation and our world-wide ministries. (Describe one or two specific outreach ministries which are underwritten by your offering) From the smallest coin to the largest check, every gift is valued, appreciated and will be used to sustain the work of Christ in the world. With generous hearts and open hands, let us share our offering. Prayer of Thanksgiving God of all good gifts, we’ve gathered to grow in faith, to share our voices and to offer our gifts. We’ve offered these gifts, grateful for all we’ve received from your hand. Receive this offering. Fill us once more with your Spirit, and help us spread the Table love known here to all we encounter in the coming days. AMEN Invitation to Communion God creates and sustains our world, connecting us more surely than any world wide web, binding us together more closely than any cable. On this World Communion Sunday, we gather around one extended table to give thanks for the beauty of God’s people, “church,” with all its varied denominations, with people of every color, nation, and culture. Gracias a Dios! We thank God for beautiful music, in various languages. Grazie Dio [Grat-zia Dee-O] (Italian) We offer thanks for worship in many forms. Sin isiyeo gamsahabnida (Korean) (Shin Ni Ye O Gamshab nit ha) We thank God for Jesus, whose compassion fills us, so we might share whenever we see brothers and sisters in need, whether next door or on the other side of the globe. All are welcome at this Table. It extends from this sanctuary all around the globe, and there is bread and juice for all who will feast with Christ. Come! The feast is prepared, and you have a place. Communion Page 13 Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook As God has poured God’s love on you, go now in peace to bring God’s love to all people. Rest in the confidence of God’s abiding presence with you and be joyful in your service to God. Go in peace and love. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Community Time Benediction As we go back into the ordinariness of the world out there, may God infuse our whole selves with the specialness that we’ve created here together. Let it shape everything we say and do as bearers of God’s image. May it be so! (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Rev. Phiwa Langini) Additional Illustrations Max Lucado relates a touching, true story about a mother named Maria and her daughter, Christina. Maria and Christina lived in a poor village in Brazil. Maria's husband died when Christina was an infant. Maria got a job as a maid in order to support herself and Christina. There were no luxuries, but they got by. For fifteen years things went rather well. But now Christina became a teenager and teenagers often have minds of their own. Christina was not interested in marrying young and raising a family like most of the other girls that she grew up with. Not that she couldn't have had her pick of husbands. Her olive skin and brown eyes, as well as her infectious personality, kept a steady stream of prospects at her door. But she kept them all at arm's length. Christina wanted to go to the city. She dreamed of trading her dusty neighborhood for exciting avenues and city life. Just the thought of this horrified Maria. "People don't know you there," she said with desperation in her voice. "Jobs are scarce and the life is cruel. And besides, if you went there, what would you do for a living?" This is what horrified Maria most. Maria knew exactly what Christina would have to do for a living. That's why her heart broke when she awoke one morning to find her daughter's bed empty. Christina had gone and Maria knew where. Maria set out immediately to bring her back. Maria threw some clothes in a bag, gathered up all her money, and ran out of the house. But not before she had an inspired idea. On her way to the bus stop she paused at a drugstore. She entered a photograph booth there and spent all the money she could afford on pictures of herself. With a purse full of small black-and-white photos, she boarded the bus to Rio de Janeiro. And there Maria began her search. Knowing what a girl would have to do to support herself in this cruel city Maria began with the bars, hotels, nightclubs, any place with a reputation for street walkers or prostitutes. She went to them all. And at each place she left her picture ” taped on a bathroom mirror, tacked to a hotel bulletin board, fastened to a corner phone booth. And on the back of each photo she wrote a note. It wasn't too long before both the money and the pictures ran out, and Maria had to go home. She wept as the bus began its long journey back to her small village. A few weeks later young Christina descended a flight of hotel stairs. "Her young face was tired. Her brown eyes no longer danced with youth but spoke of pain and fear. Her laughter was broken. Her dream had become a nightmare. A thousand times over she had longed to trade these countless beds for her secure pallet. Yet the little village was, in too many ways, too far away. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, her eyes noticed a familiar face. She looked again, and there on the lobby mirror was a small picture of her mother. Christina's eyes burned and her throat tightened as she walked across the room and removed the small photo. Written on the back was this compelling invitation. Whatever you have done, whatever you have become, it doesn't matter. Please come home.' She did." (4) And so can you and I. We really can. And God cannot refuse us entrance back into His family. Perhaps it would help if, in our imagination, every time we see a cross, we could see it as a snapshot of God and on the back of every cross we could see these words, "Whatever you have done, whatever you have become, it doesn't matter. Please come home." Human parents may turn their back on their children. God cannot. Human beings may forget their promises and go back on their word. God cannot. Human beings may reject people because of past sins. God cannot. If anyone here this day would turn your heart over to God ” no matter what you've done, no matter what you have become ” God will receive you. God can do no other. For you see, God's nature and God's name is Love. There is one thing God simply cannot do. He cannot deny Himself. 4. Max Lucado, NO WONDER THEY CALL HIM THE SAVIOR (Portland, Ore.: Multnomah Press, 1986). pp. 157-59. Dynamic Preaching, Collected Sermons, by King Duncan A juggler with a circus was pulled over for speeding. The officer was suspicious when he looked in the back seat and saw several large knives. "What are you doing with those?" he asked. "I'm a juggler with the circus," said the man. "To make it more exciting I juggle those large knives." "Well, show me," said the officer. So the juggler started juggling six of these large knives all at once. Knives were flying everywhere, though amazingly all of them were expertly under his control. While he was performing, another car passed by. The driver of this car did a double take when he saw the juggler throwing six knives up in the air at one time and catching them. He turned to his wife and said, "That's it. I'm through drinking. Why, if I ever got stopped, I could never pass one of those new sobriety tests!" There's a ridiculous story about a young man who was walking through a supermarket to pick up a few things when he noticed an old lady following him around. Thinking nothing of it, he ignored her and continued on. Finally he went to the checkout line, but this older woman got in front of him. "Pardon me," she said, "I'm sorry if my staring at you has made you feel uncomfortable. It's just that you look like my son, who just died recently." "I'm very sorry," replied the young man, "is there anything I can do for you?" "Yes," she said, "As I'm leaving, would you say "˜Good bye, Mother!'? It would make me feel so much better." "Sure," answered the young man. As the old woman was leaving, he called out, "Goodbye, Mother!" She waved back at him and disappeared through the supermarket door. As he stepped up to the checkout counter, he saw that his total was $127.50. "How can that be?" he asked, "I only purchased a few things!" The clerk looked over the top of his reading glasses and said drily, "Your mother said that you would pay for her." (1) In a sense we all pay for the strengths and weaknesses of our parents. Usually people of faith, love and integrity produce children of faith, love and integrity. As people use to say, "the fruit doesn't fall too far from the tree." Penelope J. Stokes in her book Simple Words of Wisdom gives us a beautiful picture of faith in its purest sense. She tells about a scene in the action-packed movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, in which Indy's quest is to find the Holy Grail, the original chalice used by Christ at the Last Supper. But in order to prove himself pure in heart, Indy must face life-threatening challenges that test his humility, his obedience, and his trust. In the final challenge, Indy finds himself teetering on the brink of a deep, vast chasm. The way across, according to the legends, lies right before him. But he cannot see it. He must step out in faith, with no tangible assurance of support. He must trust what his eyes cannot see. Fearful but determined, Indy steps out . . . and discovers himself standing on a bridge of rock, solid and firm beneath his feet but invisible to the eye. (4) I've stood on that rock, haven't you? Anyone who's ever turned a loved one over to God, anyone who's ever staked his life and his reputation on seeking God's will for his life, anyone who's ever sat in a doctor's room and said, "œLord, I'm scared. But I'm turning this over to you. I know whatever comes I will always be under your watchful care," knows what it is to step out on that unseen bridge. It comes to us all sooner or later and it is there where we discover whether we just believe in God or whether we have faith in God. St. Paul had faith in God. That is why he could write, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Young Timothy proved to have that kind of faith as well. Maybe it was because he saw that kind of faith in his mother and grandmother. In times of crisis the greatest gift we can give our children is the example of a peaceful, trusting spirit. Maybe it came from Timothy's sense of calling. When you believe you are seeking to do God's will in the world, you begin to sense God's presence in the world. And it gives you confidence that God is indeed in control. Whatever the source, Timothy was a special follower of our Lord. May we each be special followers as well. ________________________________________ 3. Bruce Larson, The Presence (New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 1988), p. 30. Dynamic Preaching, Collected Sermons, by King Duncan An army officer, his wife, and two children were living in a hotel while he was on a temporary military assignment. One day, a guest in the hotel saw one of the little girls playing house in the lobby. She was saddened for the little girl and said, I’m so sorry that you don’t have a home. The little girl responded quickly, oh we have a home, we don’t have a house to put it in. This is Mother’s Day and the festival of the Christian home and I want to talk about that word of the little girl. But I want to add to it and talk about the fact that families are to provide for us a house for our home and a home for our faith Not only do we know who we are, we need to know that we belong. Hoover Rupert tells a beautiful story about some friends of his who were foster parents of a little girl. One afternoon she asked her mother if she could go play in the park, and the mother told her she could if she would return home by 6:00 for dinner. Well, she came in at a quarter of 6, and the mother reminded her that she still had 15 more minutes to play. And the little girl responded, I know, but I wanted to come back early. And then the little girl explained that her natural parents never required her to come home at any particular time, she could home whenever she pleased. When she was playing with other children, she said, one of them would be called, would hear her mother call and know that she had to be home by 7:00. Another would hear a whistle and know that it was his dad reminding him to come home. And still others would be called and they would leave the park and she would be left there alone in the dark, waiting for her call, but that call would never come. She said, it makes me feel so good that someone wants me to come in, that I came in early. Now that’s what families are for. To let us know that we are wanted, that we are important, that somebody cares about us. Something that really only the family can give us in the kind of power that we need it to be given, and that is that we really belong, that we are in a relationship with others that are important.

Rejoice in Hope

April 19, 2020 1 Peter 1:3-9 Easter: Rejoice in Hope 2nd Sunday of Easter Children’s Sermon Object: An athletic shoe Many of you may have tennis shoes or running shoes at home like these. Some of you might have some shoes that say "Nike" on them. It is not my purpose this morning to give a commercial for Nikes. It is the name that interests me. We are told that back before the time of Jesus there were terrible wars just as there are sometimes today. When an invading army approached a city, the defenders would go out to face the army. The fate of the city would be determined. If there was defeat, the men would be killed or enslaved, the women would be abused, families would be torn apart, and children would be sold as slaves. The people in the city had no way of knowing the news of the battle except by a message carried by a runner. If there was defeat, he tore his clothes, put on ashes and cried, "Woe, woe, defeat." People would try to get away but rarely could. When there was a victory, the runner would be stripped to the waist. He carried a palm branch in his hand. As he ran, perspiration would cover his body. He would be shining in the late afternoon sun. People knew the message even before he arrived. He would run through the city gates and cry, "Nike! Nike!" Nike means victory. The runner was shouting, "Victory! Victory!" This is the first Sunday after Easter. This is a time of putting on our running shoes and shouting, "victory, victory." In our lesson from Peter today, we read about "inexpressible joy." That is what Jesus' resurrection brings us--inexpressible joy. Nike. Victory. Dynamic Preaching, Collected Sermons, by King Duncan Prelude Welcome and announcements Congregational care – what does recovery look like? Attendance in the comments The following Liturgical elements for worship are reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, Second Edition, © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources. For all other uses, please contact the copyright holder. Invitation to Worship (p. 60) God calls us to worship, AND WE COME! Some with laughter and songs of joy. God calls us to worship, AND WE COME! Some from a sense of obligation or habit. God calls us to worship, AND WE COME! Some with hearts heavy with grief. God calls us to worship, AND WE COME! Some with distraction or exhaustion. God calls us to worship, AND WE COME! Some with eagerness or enthusiasm. God calls us to worship, AND WE COME! Some with stress, loneliness or depression. As God’s dearly loved children, We bring all our joy and pain, hurt and hope Into this place of Spirit-given grace, love, and hope Stewardship Moment This is the season of Easter – the season of new life. Our theme for today is hope. But we also cannot deny that there is a lot of hopelessness right now. There is a lot for us to be discouraged about. Have you ever noticed that when you are hopeless, you start to feel that nothing that you do makes a difference. You become convinced that there are no answers that have not been tried. We become convinced that there is nothing that God can do to make a difference. We start to shut down, close the doors and refuse to let the sunshine of God in our lives. Easter is about opening the pathways of life. Hope is that opening. Hope gives us the power to make a difference. Hope leads to a giving spirit. – When we gives to others, we give to ourselves. We are here as a church to give the world hope in spite of what the news says. Let us not forget our church, most importantly let us not forget the mission to bring hope to the world. In this easter season, reach out and give to the church. Offering plate will not be passed, but you can send in your offering, or online giving, or automatic giving. That offering makes a difference. Scripture 1 Peter 1:3-9 Common English Bible (CEB) Thanksgiving 3 May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed! On account of his vast mercy, he has given us new birth. You have been born anew into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 4 You have a pure and enduring inheritance that cannot perish—an inheritance that is presently kept safe in heaven for you. 5 Through his faithfulness, you are guarded by God’s power so that you can receive the salvation he is ready to reveal in the last time. 6 You now rejoice in this hope, even if it’s necessary for you to be distressed for a short time by various trials. 7 This is necessary so that your faith may be found genuine. (Your faith is more valuable than gold, which will be destroyed even though it is itself tested by fire.) Your genuine faith will result in praise, glory, and honor for you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Although you’ve never seen him, you love him. Even though you don’t see him now, you trust him and so rejoice with a glorious joy that is too much for words. 9 You are receiving the goal of your faith: your salvation. Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible Sermon All of the scriptures of the lectionary fell together in a special way today. Usually I only focus on one scripture so that I can stick to one theme. But today they already have a common theme. That theme is faith. They contrast a faith that we can see and a faith that we cannot see. The Gospel lesson is about doubting Thomas, who needed to see the nails in Jesus hand in order to believe. Jesus obliges his faith, but says that blessed are those who don’t see and yet believe in Jesus for themselves. That will be the lesson that many people will hear today. But I thought I would talk about the lesson in 1 Peter. Which focuses on those who have undying faith in a Christ that they have never seen. I want to start out actually sharing the words of the Psalm 16. Once when I was going through a faith crisis, these words spoke to me and I printed them out and put them on my wall to read everyday. Protect me, God, because I take refuge in you. 2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord. Apart from you, I have nothing good.” The words that I needed to cling to You, LORD, are my portion, my cup; you control my destiny. 6 The property lines have fallen beautifully for me; yes, I have a lovely home. CEB The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. NIV In the midst of all that I may have, all that I may have lost, God is my inheritance. 1 Peter is known as the letter of hope. And Peter uses the concept of inheritance to give hopes to Christians all over the world who are going through a difficult time. The Easter season last for 8 weeks, until Pentecost. And 1 Peter is the epistle lesson for all of that time. If you know me, I rarely stick with one lesson from week to week. But 1 Peter is a very short book I would encourage you to read the whole book. Peter is considered a catholic epistle, catholic with a small c means universal. Peter is talking to Christians where ever they may be in the world and whatever situation they are going through. 1 Peter is important because it sums up the Christian message of hope, using all of the concepts of faith. The 3 important concepts of 1 Peter are inheritance, being a soujourner, faith in a God that we cannot see. You know, usually when we think of inheritance, we think of money, property or land. Inheritance is what our parents leave us to continue their legacy. Inheriting Faith George and his wife were visiting his widowed sister Elaine in their hometown in Nebraska, Elaines and George’s mother had died two years ago and this was the first time George and his wife had been able to visit Elaine since the funeral. So there was a good deal of reminiscing about their mother and father and life in the farm that they grew up on. They talked about the years of the Great Depression, the dust storms, the drought, the joys of growing up in a large farm family. They always had enough to eat and often wore hand me down clothes, yet in spite of some hardships, they spoke warmly of those earlier years. As their conversation drifted back to their late parents, Elaine suddenly said with excitement in her voice, George, do you know what, when mother died I got that old trunk of hers, and I have never opened it. With a feeling of childlike excitement, the three of them hurried down the basement steps. Sure enough, in the corner of the basement was the familiar old trunk. After they removed numerous items from the top of the trunk, they gingerly opened it so see what treasures it might hold for them. As the trunk lid squeaked open, the three seekers were met with nothing but stale air. The things is empty, so much for our inheritance. After they had returned upstairs and were sipping coffee, the three of them laughed at their peek in the trunk. We all knew that there was nothing in that trunk. Elaine said, we knew good and well that the folks never did have much in terms of material goods, so there was not anything for us to inherit. Doug told her not to jump to conclusions. He said that they inherited things far more valuable then money. They inherited good values, honesty, integrity, hard work. That is far more valuable than money. They both agreed that the most important thing that they got was their faith in Jesus. The Isrealites considered themselves to be Chosen by God because God had given them a land that would be theirs and passed on from generation to generation. But as the story points out we inherit much more than material things from our parents and others who come before us. We also inherit their values, their understandings, their skills – but as the story points out the most important thing that we get from our parents is their faith. Our parents, or some other mentor teach us what it means to be a faithful person. Many of us go to church today, because of what someone taught us. And we can be grateful for the values that they instilled in us. Many of us criticized those immaterial lessons that our parents taught us, until we get much older and we understand why they taught those lessons. If you don’t think the faith lessons that you inherited are important listen to this story. In 1955, The Cambridge Humanist Society was formed at Cambridge University in England. Sir Julian Huxley explained that their purpose was to enable people to cope with their environment without resort to the idea that there is a God. He said that one hundred years hence, people would find it as hard to believe in God as they currently do to believe the world is flat. A few years later, another distinguished man of science was asked to address the faculty at Canbridge. He opened his address with these words: “Before my lecture, I want to tell you something. I am a Christian. I was brought up in a Christian home with my brother, and the two of us were closest friends. We were both at the University together. My father and mother were deeply religious. My brother and I had no time for religion. We thought that religion was all right for old people, but we were scientist and we thought we had found our way through by what we were pleased to call scientific methods. Then my brother was killed. My father and mother has resources . And with these resources they met the shattering loss. But I had no one. I had no resources at all. One night, brokenhearted and with all my proud science in ruined uselessness at my feet. I knelt down. I did not know how to pray. I had scorned prayer, but I put out my hand, and I found it was grasped. I knew that someone was coming to my help and somehow I knew it was Christ. I have been a Christian ever since and no one, nothing will take Christ from me any more. The faith that we inherited makes a difference in how we deal with difficult situations. The world tells us there is no hope, there are no answers, it is what is is. But when we have faith, we always look for something more. When things don’t happen the way we plan, we have the patience to wait for something more. We can go forward in life when we don’t have the answers. I remember the pain of a youth who once attended church until his sister died. And then he was so mad at God he could not come to church. I prayed for him because a deeper faith would have helped him to move forward in his faith in spite of his pain. The faith that we inherit from our parents makes a difference. Studies actually show that a child cannot grow emotionally or spiritually without the support of a parent. We may learn more information than our parents, we have different skills from our parents, but emotionally we will always be connected to them and what they taught us. That is why it is critical that we pass our faith in an infinite God onto the next generation. We have to make sure that we give them our faith. It makes all of the difference in the world. It makes the difference in whether they will have hope or no hope, whether they will learn to cope or not cope, whether the glass is half empty or half full. Why is faith so important? Faith gives us hope, it enables us to love what we cant see, it sings for the joy of salvation, it strengthens us, it guides us, it saves us. But it does not protect us from earthly harm. Because we live in a world filled with challenges. And just being faithful does not protect you from harm. And we were not given any real guarantees. That is why Peter wrote this letter of hope – he was writing to a people who were struggling. People who did not fit in, People who were not born with a silver spoon in their mouth. When Peter writes this letter to anyone who was listening – he calls them sojourners – those who are just traveling through a land there are not home. The Greek word for such a sojourner in a strange land is paroikos. A paroikos was a man who was in a strange land and whose thoughts ever turned home. Such a sojourning was called a paroikia; and paroikia is the direct derivation of the English word parish. The Christians in any place are a group of people whose eyes are turned to God and whose loyalty is beyond. “Here,” said the writer to the Hebrews, “we have no lasting city, but we seek the city which is to come” (Hebrews 13:14). We must repeat that this does not mean withdrawal from the world; but it does mean that the Christian sees all things in the light of eternity and life as a journey towards God. It is this which decides the importance which he attaches to anything; it is this which dictates his conduct. It is the touchstone and the dynamic of his life. There is a famous unwritten saying of Jesus: “The world is a bridge. The wise man will pass over it, but he will not build his house upon it The first sentence of the verse says it all – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ By his given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, indefiled, and unfading,kept in heaven for you who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to revealed in the last time. A sojourner is one who is on a journey. And life can be just like a journey, sometimes a journey in the middle of nowhere. But when we follow Christ – it is a journey to get closer to God. It is Easter – and 1 Peter shows us the path of life. So on this faith Sunday in 2020 let us face this crazy world Without losing hope; (2) Without becoming bitter; (3) While trusting in their Lord; Without having seen Christ, loving him . Let us pray…… Pastoral prayer Meditative Music Benediction Additional Illustrations They took her father captive months before young Ann was ever born. He was a prisoner of war. For Ann, her father exists only in wrinkled snapshots and in the memories of her Mom and grandparents. Ann has never seen him facetoface, but she has heard about his smile, and his agility as a highschool halfback. She has heard that he was looking forward to her birth with great eagerness. The last thing he said to her Mom as the train pulled out of the station was, "Look after our child real well." To Ann her father is a stranger and yet not a stranger at all. He is really very dear to her even though she has never laid eyes on him. Not having seen him, she still loves him. Such was the situation of that second generation of Christian believers. They were very much like young Ann. They were not among those who had walked with the Master personally. They were not privileged to be witnesses to his postresurrection appearances. They received all their information about him secondhand. They heard about him from followers such as Simon Peter whose experience of Christ was still fresh and vivid. Those who knew him personally spoke of his gentleness, his kindness and his ability to forgive, even as he hung upon the cross. They told how he prophesied his resurrection. They told of his promise that he was coming back. That's all these second generation Christians hadthe testimony of those who had known him and walked with him. That was all but that was enough. It was enough to convince many of them to leave everything they owned to follow him. In Peter's First Epistle, they are accorded this word of praise, "Without having seen Him, you love Him." I wish that every Christian could develop a spirit like Roberto DeVincenzo's. DeVincenzo, a tough Argentine golfer, won a major tournament and was given a check for his winnings. After the ceremonies, DeVincenzo walked alone to his car where he met a sadeyed young lady. Slowly, she walked up to him and said, "It's a happy day for you, but the doctors say my baby is dying of an incurable blood disease." Before she could utter another word, the champion golfer took out a pen, endorsed his winning check, and put it in the woman's hand, urging her to "make some good days for the baby." A week later DeVincenzo was told the woman had no sick baby and he had thus been tricked out of his winnings. On hearing this, this gallant gentleman merely looked up and said, "You mean there is no baby who is dying without hope? Why that's the best news I've heard all week!" (2) I believe that is the sort of thing Jesus would have said, don't you? We love him even though we have never seen him, first of all, because of the difference he has made in our world. Billy Graham tells a story about a family from South Carolina who went to New York City for a vacation. They told all their friends they would attend the Broadway play, MY FAIR LADY. Unfortunately, the play was sold out and they couldn't obtain tickets. They were disappointed. They were also embarrassed to have to go back home and tell their friends they missed the highlight of their trip. So they decided to do the next best thing. They picked up discarded tickets, purchased a program, and bought the musical tapes. In their motel room they learned all the songs and reviewed the program. Back home they sang and whistled the tunes to all of MY FAIR LADY's hits hoping no one would suspect they never saw it. There are people who have never really had Christ make a difference in their lives. These folks are active in church. They support all the right causes. But they are whistling tunes that belie what is really missing in their hearts. They admire Christ, they identify with his teachings, but they cannot be said to love him. He is still somewhat of a stranger. Inheritance in the bible One of my favorite psalms is Psalm 16 verse 5 says you alone are my inheritance, you make my lot sescure. Lamentations 3:24 says you alone are my inheritance, my hope is in you. The Greek word for such a sojourner in a strange land is paroikos. A paroikos was a man who was in a strange land and whose thoughts ever turned home. Such a sojourning was called a paroikia; and paroikia is the direct derivation of the English word parish. The Christians in any place are a group of people whose eyes are turned to God and whose loyalty is beyond. “Here,” said the writer to the Hebrews, “we have no lasting city, but we seek the city which is to come” (Hebrews 13:14). We must repeat that this does not mean withdrawal from the world; but it does mean that the Christian sees all things in the light of eternity and life as a journey towards God. It is this which decides the importance which he attaches to anything; it is this which dictates his conduct. It is the touchstone and the dynamic of his life. There is a famous unwritten saying of Jesus: “The world is a bridge. The wise man will pass over it, but he will not build his house upon it v) When a man is reborn, it is to a living hope (1 Peter 1:3). Paul describes the heathen world as being without hope

Remembering the Future

November 3, 2013 All Saints Day Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 Ephesians 1:11-23 Year C A world-class woman runner was invited to compete in a road race in Connecticut. On the morning of the race, she drove from New York City, following the directions -- or so she thought -- given her over the telephone. She got lost, stopped at a gas station, and asked for help. She knew that the race started in the parking lot of a shopping mall. The station attendant also knew of such a race scheduled just up the road and directed her there. When she arrived she was relieved to see in the parking lot a modest number of runners preparing to compete. Not as many as she'd anticipated; an easier race than she'd been led to expect. She hurried to the registration desk, announced herself, and was surprised by the race officials' excitement at having so renowned an athlete show up for their race. No, they had no record of her entry, but if she'd hurry and put on this number, she could just make it before the gun goes off. She ran and, naturally, she won easily, some four minutes ahead of the first male runner in second place. Only after the race--when there was no envelope containing her sizable prize and performance money-- did she confirm that the event she'd run was not the race to which she'd been invited. That race was being held several miles farther up the road in another town. She'd gone to the wrong starting line, run the wrong course, and missed her chance to win a valuable prize. As we gather on this Sunday morning, we have a special task this morning to honor those in the body of Christ who have run the right race, and have won the prize of eternal life in Jesus Christ. God’s promise for all of those who have led a faithful life, who have remembered to love God even in the midst of their struggling, is triumph over all troubles, by living in God’s lights forever. Last year, Pope Benedict said that as we remember the lives of those who have departed, we have an opportunity to deepen our relationship with the promise of eternity. This day reminds of our destiny, where we will dwell with the truth of the universe and realize the fulfillment of our purpose. This life with all of its darkness, sickness, evil, pain and death is not all that there is. God has promised that if we are faithful, then we too will prevail and overcome. On this day, as we get a chance to look up in heaven, it is important for us to realize that in Christ we are connected. Our loved ones are a part of the communion of saints, and so are we. In this life we cant touch them, or hear their voice. But in Christ, we are united. The book of Ephesians talks about the gifts that we have received from Christ. If we die in Christ, then we will rise again in Christ. Paul reminds us that life does not begin, until we are united in Christ. Once the holy spirit seals us with baptism – we have been given our inheritance The man stuck out his hand. “I’m Ben Hooper. I was born not far from here across the mountains. My mother wasn’t married when I was born so I had a hard time. When I started to school my classmates had a name for me, and it wasn’t a very nice name. I used to go off by myself at recess and during lunchtime because the taunts of my playmates cut so deeply. “What was worse was going downtown on Saturday afternoon and feeling every eye burning a hole through you. They were all wondering just who my real father was. “When I was about 12 years old a new preacher came to our church. I would always go in late and slip out early. But one day the preacher said the benediction so fast I got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. I could feel every eye in church on me. Just about the time I got to the door I felt a big hand on my shoulder. I looked up and the preacher was looking right at me. “’Who are you, son? Whose boy are you?’ “I felt the old weight come down on me. It was like a big, black cloud. Even the preacher was putting me down. “But as he looked down at me, studying my face, he began to smile a big smile of recognition. ‘Wait a minute,’ he said, ‘I know who you are. I see the family resemblance. You are a son of God.’ “With that he slapped me across the rump and said, ‘Boy, you’ve got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.’” The old man looked across the table at Fred Craddock and said, “That was the most important single sentence ever said to me.” With that he smiled, shook the hand of Craddock and his wife, and moved on to another table to greet old friends. Suddenly, Fred Craddock remembered. On two occasions the people of Tennessee had elected an illegitimate to be their governor. His name was Ben Hooper. (from Power for Living, by Jamie Buckingham, 1983) The good news of Ephesians, is a reminder that we are all children of God. God claims us all. God cares about us all. God loves us all. And that we have all inherited the gifts of God. Paul is praying for the wellbeing of all that are under the seal of the holy spirit. He wants us to know that we have inherited 3 things from God. Paul says that the first thing that we can see and experience is the hope to which he has called you, the second is the realization of the preciousness of the saints in our lives, and the third is the power of immeasurable greatness. The December 11, 2002, online issue of Forbes magazine carried the story of a family feud in one of the richest families in America. The Pritzker family of Chicago owns the Hyatt hotel chain. They also own many other businesses, including cruise lines, railroads, and banks. In 2002, 18-year-old Liesel Pritzker sued her father and other family members, claiming that they drained her trust fund of more than $1 billion. Because of their mismanagement, Liesel claims, her inheritance has been greatly reduced. She is suing for $5 billion dollars in punitive damages. (1) One billion dollars! Poor Liesel! Some of us would like to have her problems. She didn't have to lift a finger to earn this money. It's just there, what's left of it, earning interest, and waiting for her to collect it. Don't you just weep for her? Perhaps we should. No amount of money is worth being alienated from your family. It is sad to think that Ms. Pritzker didn't trust her own father to protect her inheritance for her. What would you do if you knew you had an enormous inheritance waiting for you? Would it make a difference in how you live while you wait to receive it? Reflect on that as I tell you another story I heard recently about a man who came into some money unexpectedly. But when we understand our inheritance of God, we realize that we have things that cannot never be taken away from us. Things that money cannot buy. Anne Graham Lotz sat down and made an alphabetical list of the eternal blessings that cannot be taken away from us. Listen to the items on her list and notice her clever use of the letters of the alphabet. She wrote: I am: Accepted by God / Beloved by God / Chosen by God / Delivered by God / Enlightened by God / Forgiven by God I have: Grace of God / Hope for the future / Inheritance in heaven / Justification / Knowledge of God / Love / Mercy of God / Nearness to God / Oneness with God / Peace / Quickening of the Spirit I am: Redeemed / Sealed with the Holy Spirit / Treasured by God / United with other believers / Validated as an authentic child of God I have: His Wisdom And one day I will be: Exalted with Him! (4) A lady, when her husband was absent, lost both her children to cholera. She laid them out with a mother’s tenderness, spread a sheet over them, and waited at the door for her husband’s return. “A person lent me some jewels,” she told her husband on his return, “and he now wants to have them back. What shall I do?” “Return them, by all means,” said the husband. Then she led the way, and silently uncovered the forms of their children. On this day we remember the jewels in our life that have been returned to God. We miss them dearly, as we acknowledge that they are now present in the bosom of God. They are resting in the bosom of Christ. They have realized the fulfillment of the inheritance that is for us all. Their life with us was a glimpse of heaven. A glimpse of eternity. A chance for us to look into heaven and to see that God will not break his promise. God is with us in life and in afterlife. That which is born of the flesh shall die, but that which is born of the spirit shall have eternal life. We are connected here on earth to heaven in our spirit. In our ability to life a life of holiness. And hope. The greatest gift of our inheritance is our ability to have hope. To know that no matter how much we suffer, that pain is never god’s final word. God promises that life will be better, we will feel better, those who we remember are in a better life and are living in God’s peace. All Saint’s day is a time for us to look up, and to have a better relationship with eternity. For us to realize that our hope in life is in Christ. In Christ, we are all connected. We are united. When we look up to heaven and see eternity, let us also look around and see those on this earth with us. Those who Christ has sent us to journey with. A holy life, is a life connected to brothers and sisters. Showing the love of God to all of God’s children – living with us and living in eternity. "Holiness is the very principle of eternal life, the very beginning of eternal life in the heart, and that which will certainly grow up to eternal life." ~Jeremiah Burroughs Mrs. Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, who was ninety-three years old on July 22, 1983, applauded and admired by millions, was quoted by many before and during her celebration. Knowing the sorrow she has gracefully borne, I was challenged by words that appeared in Parade magazine addressed to and about her grandchildren: I hope they will have the strength to bear the inevitable difficulties and disappointments and griefs of life. Bear them with dignity and without self-pity. Knowing that tragedies befall everyone, and that, although one may seem singled out for special sorrows, worse things have happened many times to others in the world, and it is not tears, but determination that makes pain bearable. May we inherit the determination, the hope, the power, the spirit of those who now with Christ. And may we life a holy life, that shows others the way to their inheritance in Christ. Amen. Hope For A New Year by King Duncan Passage: Ephesians 1:1-14 • Lectionary: All Saints Item 12 of 19 | Back to Results Object: A letter An Upbeat Word for a Downbeat World, #1 Boys and Girls: Suppose a member of your family--your grandparents or an aunt and uncle--lived hundreds of miles away. Suppose it was not possible for your family to visit them or for them to visit you. And suppose they had never seen you. Your parents are very proud of you. Now imagine that they want to tell your family members all about you. How could they do it? They could send a letter like this one, couldn't they? They could describe the color of your hair and your eyes and how tall you are. What would be a better way? They could send a picture of you. Or if you have a video camera, they could even send a video. But what would he better? Maybe they could send you to spend a few days with them. That would be the best way. Then your family living far off would know exactly what you are like. God wanted people to know what He was like. He tried speaking through great leaders of the Bible like Moses and Elijah and others. But somehow people still couldn't accept God's great love for His children. So He sent a living letter. That living letter was Jesus. John called Jesus the Word of God. We don't know exactly what he meant. But we think it was something like this. That rather than sending a letter like this one. Or a photograph. God came in person in the life of his Son. That way we could know exactly what God is like. belong to the Kingdom of God The story is told of Frederick William IV of Prussia who once visited a school and quizzed the students. He held up a stone and asked the children: to what kingdom does this belong? They responded: mineral. He then, pointed to a flower and asked: to what kingdom does this belong? They answered: plant. He then pointed to a bird flying by outside the window and asked: to what Kingdom does that belong? They replied: animal. Then he asked: now, to what kingdom do I belong. He had raised a profound theological question. To what kingdom do we belong? On a literal sense, we are, off course, part and parcel of the animal kingdom. I belong to the same kingdom as my dog Ruff. He has many human traits. He can pout, he can get excited, he has a temper (as some of you who have visited the parsonage have discovered). But yet, Ruff does not understand time. He cannot grasp that there is a point beyond which he will not live. Only humans can grasp time. Ruff cannot tell right From wrong. It is not within him to share. His limited mind cannot set goals. All of those are human traits. The magnificent thing for humans is that it is within us to rise above purely animal desires and become a part of another kingdom----the Kingdom of God. Staff,www.Sermons.com If a man is filled with anger, than anger controls his life. If a man is filled with greed, then greed dominates his life. If a man is filled with lust, then lust governs his life. If a man is filled with love, then love influences all he does. And if a man is filled with the Holy Spirit, he is controlled by the Spirit - it is, if you will, "control by consent." Realizing that he would soon be gone from this world one day, Moody said to a friend, “Someday you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody of Northfield is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. “At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone higher, that is all—out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal, a body that sin cannot touch, that sin cannot taint, a body fashioned into His glorious body. I was born in the flesh in 1837; I was born of the Spirit in 1856. That which is born of the flesh may die; that which is born of the Spirit will live forever.” POSTED BY JOSHUA HEARNE AT 7:00 AM Collected Sermons, King Duncan, Dynamic Preaching, 2005, 0-000-0000-20

Truly Free

June 3, 2012 Romans 8:12-17 John 3:1-17 Truly Free Trinity Sunday Year B The Queen’s Jubilee In case you have not heard, 60 years ago yesterday – the queen of England took the throne. She assumed the duties of queen when her father died in February. But she was officially anointed as queen on June 2nd. Queen Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of this Realm and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, Is the second longest monarch of England. Her grandmother, Queen Victoria being the longest and oldest. Trinity Sunday Since it seems the June is the month to celebrate things. We may as well celebrate something also. This is Trinity Sunday. Normally, it is just another Sunday. As a matter of fact, for the last few years, as pastor I never even preached on this Sunday because it was always the beginning of annual conference. But the Sunday after Pentecost is the Sunday that we are to remember the fullness of the trinity. With Pentecost the promise of the coming of the holy spirit has come. We have a chance to look at God in all of his glory. And all of his fullness. We understand God – as the father, the son and the holy spirit. And we realize that the more we understand about God, the less we know. Explaining God is a mystery St. Augustine, one of the most astute thinkers the Christian Church has ever produced, was walking along the seashore one day while pondering the doctrine of the Trinity - Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. He seemed to hear a voice saying, "Pick up one of the large sea shells there by the shore." So he picked it up. Then the voice said, "Now pour the ocean into the shell." And he said, "Lord, I can't do that." And the voice answered, "Of course not. In the same way, how can your small, finite mind ever hold and understand the mystery of the eternal, infinite, triune God?" Many Christian churches will be celebrating today the doctrine of the Trinity. It is one of the most prized truths of the Christian faith. "God in three persons, blessed Trinity...." Some explanations of the trinity Some explain the trinity as like a tree – the root, the trunk and the branches – three parts of the same whole. Or some say that the trinity is like a egg – the shell, the egg white, and the yolk. Some say that the trinity is like time – the past, the present and the future. Some say that the trinity is the creator, the sustainer, and the redeemer. There are a lot of other fancy names for the trinity – but the most important to remember is that God is at work in the world and in our lives in many forms and in many ways. There is a God that is so holy that he resides in heaven. There is a God so much a part of us – the he came into the world to speak our language so that we could understand love. Our God is so big, so powerful, so wonderful that we cannot use one set of words to explain what he is doing in the world – we have to use three. Some people believe that The trinity is just one person, others believe they are three separate persons. Whatever we believe about our God – if we have an experience of God – Romans 8 tells us that we should have an assurance of God’s love. Father as example • I read about a small boy who was consistently late coming home from school. His parents warned him one day that he must be home on time that afternoon, but nevertheless he arrived later than ever. His mother met him at the door and said nothing. • At dinner that night, the boy looked at his plate. There was a slice of bread and a glass of water. He looked at his father’s full plate and then at his father, but his father remained silent. The boy was crushed. • The father waited for the full impact to sink in, then quietly took the boy’s plate and placed it in front of himself. He took his own plate of meat and potatoes, put it in front of the boy, and smiled at his son. When that boy grew to be a man, he said, “All my life I’ve known what God is like by what my father did that night.” We know what God is like by what he did for us, in the bible, but most importantly by what he did for us in our lives. Romans 8: 14 -15 says for all who are led by the spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. Anyone can be a child of God by birth, but it is only when we experience the presence of God’s holy spirit in our lives for ourselves that we are truly adopted into the family of God. Paul says that when we take on this spirit inside of our lives – then we become equal to the son of God – Jesus. We can truly call God our brother, because through adoption we have become just like him. Worthy of the same inheritance that he has. Patria Potesta – The Father has complete control Roman adoption was always rendered more serious and more difficult by the Roman patria potestas. The patria potestas was the father’s power over his family; that power was absolute; it was actually the power of absolute disposal and control, and in the early days it was actually the power of life and death. In regard to his father a Roman son never came of age. No matter how old he was, he was still under the patria potestas, in the absolute possession, and under the absolute control, of his father. Obviously this made adoption into another family very difficult and a very serious step. In adoption a person had to pass from one patria potestas to another. He had to pass out of the possession and control of one father into the equally absolute control and possession of another. There were two steps. The first was known as mancipatio, and it was carried out by a symbolic sale, in which copper and scales were symbolically used. Three times the symbolism of sale was carried out. Twice the father symbolically sold his son, and twice he bought him back; and the third time he did not buy him back and thus the patria potestas was held to be broken. After the sale there followed a ceremony called vindicatio. The adopting father went to the praetor, one of the Roman magistrates, and presented a legal case for the transference of the person to be adopted into his patria potestas. When all this was completed the adoption was complete. Clearly this was a serious and impressive step. But it is the consequences of adoption which are most significant for the picture that is in Paul’s mind. There were four main consequences. (1) The adopted person lost all rights to his old family, and gained all the rights of a fully legitimate son in his new family. In the most literal sense, and in the most legally binding way, he got a new father. (2) It followed that he became heir to his new father’s estate. Even if other sons were afterwards born, who were real blood relations, it did not affect his rights. He was inalienably co-heir with them. (3) In law, the old life of the adopted person was completely wiped out. For instance, legally all debts were cancelled; they were wiped out as though they had never been. The adopted person was regarded as a new person entering into a new life with which the past had nothing to do. (4) In the eyes of the law the adopted person was literally and absolutely the son of the new father. Adoption into the family of God is a big deal, not to be taken lightly. As a matter of fact Pauls says that when we are adopted we not only take on the joy – but we also take on the suffering. If we suffer with Christ, then we will share in his glory and resurrection. My wife and I waited 15 years for a child that never came by the natural way. However we were approached one day with a lead of a newborn not yet born. I remember standing in front of the judge on our day of adoption. He pointed his finger and asked of me, “Is anyone coercing you to adopt this little boy?” After we had assured him that we were doing so out of love for our sin, he made this statement. “From today on, he is your son. He may disappoint you, even grieve you but he is your son. Everything you own one day will be his and he will bear your name.” Then he looked to the clerk and gave this command. “So order a change in this child’s birth certificate The process through which a person who does not belong to a given family is formally brought into it and made a full, legal family member with the rights and responsibilities of that position. The practice of adoption was not common among the Jews, but was more widespread in the Greek and Roman world. The apostle Paul used the term to illustrate the truth that believers have been given the status of “sonship” in the heavenly family; they can call God “Father” (Rom. 3:15; Gal. 4:6). Adoption makes it clear that our sonship is conferred on us, in distinction from Christ’s, which is inherent.It was then that I realized that my Heavenly Father loved me so much that, without coercion, He loved me and gave His all to me. On that day, He changed my name and I gladly bear His name and His image. A princess of the King I took this opportunity to wear my tiara today. I had to go an buy a new one, when I realized that I had given my old one away. I take being a princess pretty serious. I have this card in my living room, which says Barbie is a Princess, and you are a princess too. In my garage, I have a sign which days Princess parking only – all others will be toad. And my favorite sign – yes I am a princess – my father is king of kings. Theologically that in incorrect – the title of King of Kings goes to my brother Jesus, not to the father. But the important thing to remember, especially about the trinity – is that if you have seen one, you have seen the other. And it is only with the help of the holy spirit that we see and experience them at all. We all have royal titles and royal responsibilities You are supposed to refer to the queen as her majesty, her children and heirs to the throne are his/her royal highness. Other people of noble birth as my lord. If jesus is the king of kings, your lord and savior – then you are just a royal and special as the queen or anyone else., and you get all of the royal priviledges. We have a right to call on God as the father. And know that he will provide for all of our needs. God’s love for us is bigger than we will ever know or understand. God’s deeds are much more than we can ever talk about. God’s being will always be a big mystery. You are a child of the King – wear your crown of faith well. Let us pray…