The Tyranny Of The Quick Response
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
When faced with a crisis, our first reaction is to try to come up with a quick solution. However, our quick fixes often come at the expense of long-term solutions, as seen in the economic and environmental situations we currently face. What lessons does the Bible have to teach us about looking short-term versus long-term? Are we called to look at situations through the eyes of urgency and expediency or through the eyes of faith? Stephen McCutchan will write the main article, with Argile Smith providing the response. Illustrations, liturgical aids, and a children's sermon are also provided.
The Tyranny of the Quick Response
Stephen McCutchan
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28; Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b
THE WORLD
Notice how frequently we are seduced by the need to make a quick response. The political headlines give us some quick examples. Earlier in the primary campaigns, both Republican and Democratic candidates wanted to respond to the rise in gas prices by immediately giving consumers quick relief through eliminating the gas tax for the summer. Recently, the current administration wants to cancel restrictions on offshore drilling. When questioned as to the effectiveness of such an action on current gas prices, they agreed that it would not affect gas prices for several years but suggested it might have a positive psychological effect. Most experts agree that temporarily lowering prices on gas could actually have a deleterious effect on the long-range problem of our increasing dependence on foreign oil, but it seems important to politicians to give the appearance of responding to the immediate crisis even if it might have a negative impact in the long term. "Don't just stand there, do something," seems to be their motto.
The Bible dares to suggest that God takes a long-range view of history and invites us to trust in him even when the immediate future looks bleak. While there are certainly times in which it appears that evil is triumphing, faith declares that God will not be put to shame. An early biblical example of that is contained in the story of Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers. It appears that greed, violence, and family betrayal triumph. Psalm 105 declared of this incident, "His feet were hurt with fetters, his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord kept testing him" (vv. 18-19). Are we living in a time of testing to see if we will indeed keep faith with the Lord rather than succumb to the tyranny of a quick response?
THE WORD
In composing the lectionary, the passages from the psalms were deliberately chosen to reflect on the passage selected from the Hebrew Scriptures. The selection for Sunday, August 10, Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b, looks back on the Genesis 37 story of Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers and views that incident from God's perspective. The story in Genesis is a story of jealousy and greed resulting in Joseph's brothers acting violently toward Joseph. This is the opposite of loving your neighbor as yourself, and it is happening in the family of faith.
Psalm 105, however, views the story from the perspective of eternity. God was working through the ignoble behavior of Joseph's brothers to put Joseph in a position whereby he might save the lives of those very brothers who had betrayed him. This is from a long-range perspective. Even the psalmist acknowledges that such an understanding was not apparent to anyone, including Joseph, at the time. "The word of the Lord tested him" (105:19).
This in no way suggests that God arranged to have Joseph sold into slavery so that the impact of famine could be averted. Rather God transformed Joseph's sojourn into slavery into a means of averting the impact of the famine. What we are being led to understand is that even the worst behavior is not beyond the sovereignty of God. God is not defeated by sin. Such an understanding is often not apparent to anyone. It has to be responded to by faith. Far too often our quick response, often filled with judgments that only the Divine can make, fails to even consider how the redemptive power of God can be at work.
Christians should be quick to understand in this Genesis story and the commentary by the psalms that they are witnessing the prototype of the pattern of God's redemptive behavior made visible in Jesus Christ. In Genesis, it was Judah who sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver and in the gospels, it was Judas who sold him for thirty pieces of silver. In Genesis, this act of betrayal laid the foundation for the saving of the people of Israel and in the gospels, Jesus' betrayal led to the salvation of the world. In both cases, we see the fulfillment of Joseph's statement that what other people meant for evil, God transformed or redeemed for the sake of the very ones who were the betraying sinners (Genesis 50:20). It is the pattern of the cross, foreshadowed in the Joseph story that tells us that when things look darkest, we need not despair because God is able to redeem even that which is meant for evil.
In contrast to the often quoted maximum, "Don't just stand there, do something!" there are times when we need to heed a new maxim: "Don't just do something, stand there!" and watch for signs of God's redemptive activity in the unlikeliest of places.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
One could begin the sermon with examples of politicians, business leaders, or church leaders who feel pressured to demonstrate that they are doing something in response to the most recent issue. If you felt uncomfortable in using politics in your illustration, you might want to explore the pressure in business of needing to show quarterly success to your stockholders at the expense of more long-range thinking that, in the end, might be more valuable to the success of the business. You could then make reference to the seduction of appearing relevant, whether in church or in civic life.
The second move of your sermon could be to raise the question of whether in our rush to appear relevant, we are in danger of missing the very redeeming activity of God in our midst. This would allow you to briefly tell the Joseph story in outline. The reference in the psalms to God testing Joseph could be illustrated by providing some "what if" scenarios for the Joseph story. What if Joseph had given in to despair when he was sold into slavery? What if Joseph had succumbed to the seduction by his master's wife in Egypt? What if Joseph had told his fellow prisoners that his life was proof that God was either not in control or a force for evil? One could then introduce the parallels with Jesus with some similar what if's around the passion story.
The third move in your sermon could be to lift up the contrast between quick judgments and actions and the need to trust God in all that happens. Here you are set to emphasize the power of God over evil both in the larger movements of history and in the lives of your parishioners. In our very fluid age, it is important to remind your people that God will not be put to shame. In doing so, we lessen the pressure to make quick judgments about others. As a final illustration from the Bible, you might remind people that Saul (Paul) in the New Testament was behaving as one of the worst enemies of the church until God chose to transform his passions in a manner that spread the gospel to the Gentiles. When we are quick to identify who our enemies are within the church, it is possible that we are excluding the very person who God might use in a redemptive way for all of us.
ANOTHER VIEW
Believing and Enduring
Argile Smith
1 Kings 19:9-18; Romans 10:11
Professor Randy Pausch said, "I'm dying and I'm having fun. And I'm going to keep having fun every day I have left. There's no other way to play it." A striking statement, it goes to the heart of every person who ponders the value of his or her life. Pausch made that statement while he presented his last lecture on September 16, 2007, a month after he found out that he had terminal pancreatic cancer. He lost his battle with the disease on July 25, 2008.
In his lecture, he urged the faculty member and students at Carnegie Mellon College in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to show gratitude at every opportunity. He went on to tell the story about showing his gratitude to the people who helped him to get tenure by taking all of them to Disney World. One of his colleagues questioned him about how he could make such a grand gesture. He replied by saying, "Those people just got me the best job in the world for life. How could I not do that?"
Source: Boston Globe, August 3, 2008
Delivered to a large group of professors and students, Pausch's lecture caught fire, so to speak, once it got outside the lecture hall. When the lecture appeared on YouTube, the site received millions of visitors. Soon afterward, the lecture was published, and it quickly became a best-seller. Copies of The Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams have been flying off the shelves.
Moved by Pausch's example, colleges across the country reinstated the tradition of the last lectures. Administrators and faculty have been amazed at the vast interest generated by such lectures. Inspired by Pausch, scholars were asked to deliver lectures as if they would never give another, seizing the opportunity to offer their insights into what really matters in life. One student commented that the last lectures provided "opportunities in our culture to ask the bigger questions...." The return of the tradition has been a worthwhile endeavor.
In his lecture, Pausch talked about the audience he really wanted to reach when he made his remarks. Although professors and students in the lecture hall heard his stimulating remarks, Pausch said that his lecture was actually directed toward his children. He described his speech as a way of putting himself "in a bottle that would one day wash up on the beach for my children."
Think about some of his comments in light of his intended audience. In his lecture, he said that "experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted" and that "brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something." He left behind good advice for his children, and the other millions of people who were drawn to his insights about life and living.
Needless to say, Pausch's last lecture was a huge success. It accomplished much more that he ever dreamed. He produced a best-seller, revived a nearly forgotten tradition on university campuses, and touched millions of people who wondered how to handle the brick walls in their lives. He had no reason to be disappointed with the way he lived and what he said. The values he embraced came home to honor him in the end. Of course, the greatest honor will bestowed on the people whose lives will make a difference because of the influence of his fine example.
Paul noted in Romans 10:11: the scripture (Isaiah 28:16) says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." That wasn't the first reference to Isaiah 28:16 that he made in his epistle to the Roman Christians. Something about that line drew Paul to refer to it repeatedly. It's embedded in a paragraph in which Paul affirmed the value of a risk-taking and life-transforming faith in Christ. People who take that kind of faith seriously are promised that they won't be disappointed.
For Christians, the verse certainly shines with a luster all its own. At the core of the promise is the issue of belief. Faith makes our lives worth living. Whether we give a lecture that stimulates the interest of millions of people or not, we can count on a life well lived if we center our lives in faith in Christ. In the end, we may not revive an academic institution, but we can rest assured that our lives will have counted for something because we trusted God with our lives.
Elijah seemed to wonder if his life counted for anything in the aftermath of what appeared to be a wonderful success at Mount Carmel. That's where he challenged Jezebel's priests to demonstrate the power of their gods by igniting the altar they had built. When they didn't succeed, he took his turn, showing the people that Israel's God was alive and well by asking Him to ignite the water-soaked altar he had set up in order to prove His supremacy. After the Lord set the altar on fire, Elijah led the people of Israel to get rid of Jezebel's priests. Elijah led Israel to experience a remarkable spiritual renewal. God's people returned to him, pledging that they would worship Him and Him alone.
Of course, Jezebel had no interest in following suit. She warned Elijah that he had one day to set his affairs in order. She promised him that he would meet the same fate as her priests.
That's when Elijah ran for his life. Some people say that he ran because he was afraid. Others say that he was afraid because he ran. Either way, he turned from courageous prophet to frightened fugitive. He begged God to take his life, but God fed him and called him up to the mountain for a personal conversation.
On the mountain, Elijah complained that his life had been useless. He alone was left to serve God, he said. That's when God began to speak to him in a new way. Before he had heard God speak to him in the wind and the fire. Now he would hear from God in the gentle blowing breeze. From there, he was commanded to get back to work and to carry out some specific tasks. In the end, his life wasn't a disappointment. He mattered to his people, his work, and to his God.
A priest's body was found last week by tugboat workers. He had been missing since the day he tried to set a flight record. Father Adelir Antonio de Carli lifted off from the Brazilian port city of Paranagua in April strapped to 1,000 brightly colored helium balloons. The 41-year-old Roman Catholic priest wanted to raise money to help the local truckers in his parish. He wanted to build a rest stop and a worship center for them. His attempt began to unravel when unexpected winds carried him out to sea. He was reported missing only eight hours after he started.
Father Carli was attempting to break a record for the most hours flying with balloons. His bundle of brightly colored balloons was found floating in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Santa Caterina, near the place where he last made contact with people on the ground. In his last message, he reported that his GPS device wasn't working properly and that he was "very cold, but fine."
Source: BBC News, July 29 2008
Father Carli performed an Elijah-sized deed for the sake of his people. Some critics may say that his life turned out to be a failure because his attempt didn't work. In a way, he was successful. His daring attempt was initiated because he wanted to tear down the brick wall in order to get what he wanted: the funds to build something that would help the people in his parish.
No. We wouldn't recommend such a daring feat. We do have to admire Father Carli for attempting it. In the same way we admire Elijah for coming down from the mountain and getting back to work. Professor Pausch deserves our admiration, too. So does any Christian who lives by faith, who believes in Christ enough to place our lives and our futures in His hands.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Joseph never stopped dreaming. Joseph never stopped living well. He still managed to earn the respect of his master. He learned the essential lesson that Emerson taught when he said, He made his dreams real: "To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."
* * *
Paul makes clear in today's letter to the church in Rome that there really are no distinctions to be made between Jews and Greeks. This must have been difficult for the early church... all the early Christian were Jews, of course. And this Paul, first among the most devoted Jews, now tells the church that there are to be no distinctions. He later says in Galatians that the same applies to gender and to economic status especially with regard to slave and free. The church is still struggling with interpretation over various issues of distinction... I wonder when we'll hear this glorious proclamation, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
* * *
I think of the storm and the fear it engenders and then I think of the little bird Billy Graham once mentioned. It is tough not to be afraid in the storms of life, but it is essential to the peace we seek within.
"The storm was raging. The sea was beating against the rocks in huge, dashing waves. The lightning was flashing, the thunder was roaring, the wind was blowing; but the little bird was sound asleep in the crevice of the rock, its head tucked serenely under its wing. That is peace -- to be able to sleep in the storm! In Christ, we are relaxed and at peace in the midst of the confusions, bewilderments, and perplexities of this life. The storm rages, but our hearts are at rest. We have found peace -- at last!"
* * *
Athletes often use the expression, "No pain, no gain." These words suggest that if one wants to achieve high goals in some sports activity, there will be a necessary amount of pain, which comes from much practice, great dedication, and probably some failures along the way. You simply cannot pitch a no-hitter in baseball, perform a hat trick on the hockey rink, or pass for over 400 yards in a game on the gridiron without much pain that preceded the achievement. Such is also the case in our relationship with God and in our lives of faith; there is no "quick fix." Time and energy are required to achieve our goals.
* * *
While on a tour of California's great sequoia trees, a guide pointed out that these massive plants have very shallow root systems. One observer asked, "How is that possible, since these trees are so tall? The roots must support the structure." The guide explained, "Sequoia trees only grow in groves where their roots intertwine with each other. Thus, when strong winds or other natural phenomena come that might disturb the trees, they can stand tall because they support each other. So it is true when those who live the Christian life; our faith must be strong to support each other.
* * *
A stonecutter's task is difficult and takes much patience. The cutter may hit the stone 100 times without, it seems, any progress being made in achieving the end of splitting the stone. Then, seemingly miraculously, on the 101st stroke, the rock is split. Similarly, there is a need for perseverance in our faith. What we seek might not happen tomorrow or next week; but we need to keep knocking.
* * *
Rabbi Moshe took a trip and he brought along with him a donkey, a lamp, and a rooster. Since he was a Jew, he was not allowed to stay in villages along his route, so one night he camped outside a town in the woods. That night, he lit his lamp and was reading the sacred book, when a wind came up, blew the lamp over, and it broke. But Rabbi Moshe simply said, "God does all things well." He went to bed. That night wild animals growled and chased the rooster away. Thieves came and stole his donkey. He only responded, "God does all things well." When he awoke, he passed through the village that had not allowed him a room. He noticed that a band of marauders had gone through the town and slaughtered all the people. He also found out that the marauders had traveled through the woods where he rested. He realized that if the lamp were burning he would have been spotted. If the rooster and donkey had not been chased off they would have made noise and given him away. Thus, he too would be dead. So, again, he said, "God does all things well."
* * *
A man who took great pride in his lawn found himself with a large crop of dandelion. He tried every method he knew to get rid of them. Still they plagued him.
Finally he wrote the Department of Agriculture. He enumerated all the things he had tried and closed his letter with the question: "What shall I do now?"
In due course the reply came: "We suggest you learn to love them."
Perhaps that same lesson could be applied to those who become frustrated with people who hold ideas about the faith that seem to challenge one's perspective of the purity of the church.
-- Anthony de Mello, The Song of the Bird (New York: Image Books, 1984), p. 67
* * *
Periods and Commas
Learning punctuation marks wasn't that easy for Brad. A fifth-grader, he always seemed to have trouble with knowing whether to put a period or a comma in a sentence. Mr. Reedy, his teacher, finally drove home the difference in the two punctuation marks. He told Brad, "Remember that a comma means that you're not finished and that a period means that you are done with the sentence."
Good advice, especially in the story of Joseph. When he told his brothers, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good," notice where the comma is placed in the sentence, and pay close attention to the period.
Mr. Reedy's advice hits home when we think about the punctuation marks we would put in Joseph's statement. Some of us are likely to say, "You meant evil against me." No continuation of thought, no hope of appropriating God's help so we can put a comma there and carry on the thought toward reconciliation.
WORSHIP RESOURCE
Call To Worship
Leader: Scripture tells us of how Jesus once invited Peter
to step out in faith onto the deep waters.
People: We are also invited to step out of our safety,
our security, and walk toward Jesus.
Leader: Peter became afraid and,
in his fear, began to sink.
People: Like Peter, we are afraid and cry out,
"Lord, save us."
Leader: The One who has power over all creation
comes to save us.
People: We will be saved by the One
who is God's Son!
Prayer Of The Day
All around us are signs of your presence,
God-in-Christ.
Where the oppressed receive justice,
you will be found;
where the hungry are being fed,
you are on the serving line;
when the blind receive their sight,
you show them the glories of creation;
where the stranger is welcomed,
you are holding out your arms;
when the prisoners are set free,
you step forward in hope with them;
where promises are broken,
you reach out to mend shattered hearts.
And you are not alone,
for you call us to work beside you
in every place where you are,
with every person you serve,
with every breath you give us,
with every gift with which we have been blessed.
Help us to love you and one another more
than any award, job, or recognition,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father....
Call To Reconciliation
God alone deserves our loyalty and trust, but often our faith sinks and our trust is blown away by the storms of life. Let us tell God of our sins, that we might know forgiveness, and live forever with our God. Join me as we pray, saying,
Unison Prayer Of Confession
Too often, Waiting God, we have so little faith that we begin to sink, and we trust the world to save us. We find it so easy to drown in the temptations of the world. Our boats seem so sturdy and safe that we hesitate to step out of them into new ways of life.
Save us, Holy God, save us! Reach out your hand to those dying in fear and drowning in doubt. Reach out your hand, as Jesus did to Peter, not because we deserve rescue, but because you love us enough to save us, from ourselves, from sin, and from death. This we pray, in Jesus' name.
Silence is kept
Assurance Of Pardon
Leader: We cannot avoid the truth that we are sinners. But the greater truth is that we are forgiven sinners. Through God's love in Christ Jesus, we set aside all that is past, and step out, in courage and faith, into God's future for us.
People: We trust God's promises, we trust Christ's resurrection, we trust the Spirit who works in and through us. Thanks be to God. Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
How to ask for help
Object: a poster with "... - - - ..." and "M'AIDEZ"
Matthew 14:22-33
Hello! Did you hear the lesson today? What an amazing adventure! Jesus helped Peter walk on water! I can float and swim, but I can't walk on water. The disciples were in a boat and saw Jesus walking toward them on the water. Some thought he was a ghost, but Peter said, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." Jesus called him and Peter got out of the boat and began walking. Everything was fine until Peter got frightened by the strong wind. He got scared and immediately began to sink into the water.
If you were in trouble, how would you ask for help? (listen to their responses) Ships at sea used to use Morse code signals when they were in trouble. (hold up the sign) Three short beeps, three long beeps, three short beeps. That's the sign for SOS, a signal that means someone's in trouble. (point to m'aidez) Sometimes you'll hear people say this. This a French phrase that means "help me." It's pronounced "mayday." Have you ever heard that before?
No matter how you do it, it's important to ask for help when you get in trouble. When he began sinking, Peter cried out for Jesus to help him. Jesus immediately reached out his hand to catch Peter and pull him to safety. That's an important thing about Jesus that we should always remember. No matter where we go or what we do, Jesus is always waiting to offer his hand to help us. It doesn't even matter why we need help. The help is there. All we have to do is find a way to ask. Peter's way is probably the simplest: help me.
Prayer: Dear God, please help us understand how much you want to help us in our lives. Show us how to ask for your help whenever we need it. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, August 10, 2008, issue.
Copyright 2008 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
The Tyranny of the Quick Response
Stephen McCutchan
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28; Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b
THE WORLD
Notice how frequently we are seduced by the need to make a quick response. The political headlines give us some quick examples. Earlier in the primary campaigns, both Republican and Democratic candidates wanted to respond to the rise in gas prices by immediately giving consumers quick relief through eliminating the gas tax for the summer. Recently, the current administration wants to cancel restrictions on offshore drilling. When questioned as to the effectiveness of such an action on current gas prices, they agreed that it would not affect gas prices for several years but suggested it might have a positive psychological effect. Most experts agree that temporarily lowering prices on gas could actually have a deleterious effect on the long-range problem of our increasing dependence on foreign oil, but it seems important to politicians to give the appearance of responding to the immediate crisis even if it might have a negative impact in the long term. "Don't just stand there, do something," seems to be their motto.
The Bible dares to suggest that God takes a long-range view of history and invites us to trust in him even when the immediate future looks bleak. While there are certainly times in which it appears that evil is triumphing, faith declares that God will not be put to shame. An early biblical example of that is contained in the story of Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers. It appears that greed, violence, and family betrayal triumph. Psalm 105 declared of this incident, "His feet were hurt with fetters, his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord kept testing him" (vv. 18-19). Are we living in a time of testing to see if we will indeed keep faith with the Lord rather than succumb to the tyranny of a quick response?
THE WORD
In composing the lectionary, the passages from the psalms were deliberately chosen to reflect on the passage selected from the Hebrew Scriptures. The selection for Sunday, August 10, Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b, looks back on the Genesis 37 story of Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers and views that incident from God's perspective. The story in Genesis is a story of jealousy and greed resulting in Joseph's brothers acting violently toward Joseph. This is the opposite of loving your neighbor as yourself, and it is happening in the family of faith.
Psalm 105, however, views the story from the perspective of eternity. God was working through the ignoble behavior of Joseph's brothers to put Joseph in a position whereby he might save the lives of those very brothers who had betrayed him. This is from a long-range perspective. Even the psalmist acknowledges that such an understanding was not apparent to anyone, including Joseph, at the time. "The word of the Lord tested him" (105:19).
This in no way suggests that God arranged to have Joseph sold into slavery so that the impact of famine could be averted. Rather God transformed Joseph's sojourn into slavery into a means of averting the impact of the famine. What we are being led to understand is that even the worst behavior is not beyond the sovereignty of God. God is not defeated by sin. Such an understanding is often not apparent to anyone. It has to be responded to by faith. Far too often our quick response, often filled with judgments that only the Divine can make, fails to even consider how the redemptive power of God can be at work.
Christians should be quick to understand in this Genesis story and the commentary by the psalms that they are witnessing the prototype of the pattern of God's redemptive behavior made visible in Jesus Christ. In Genesis, it was Judah who sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver and in the gospels, it was Judas who sold him for thirty pieces of silver. In Genesis, this act of betrayal laid the foundation for the saving of the people of Israel and in the gospels, Jesus' betrayal led to the salvation of the world. In both cases, we see the fulfillment of Joseph's statement that what other people meant for evil, God transformed or redeemed for the sake of the very ones who were the betraying sinners (Genesis 50:20). It is the pattern of the cross, foreshadowed in the Joseph story that tells us that when things look darkest, we need not despair because God is able to redeem even that which is meant for evil.
In contrast to the often quoted maximum, "Don't just stand there, do something!" there are times when we need to heed a new maxim: "Don't just do something, stand there!" and watch for signs of God's redemptive activity in the unlikeliest of places.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
One could begin the sermon with examples of politicians, business leaders, or church leaders who feel pressured to demonstrate that they are doing something in response to the most recent issue. If you felt uncomfortable in using politics in your illustration, you might want to explore the pressure in business of needing to show quarterly success to your stockholders at the expense of more long-range thinking that, in the end, might be more valuable to the success of the business. You could then make reference to the seduction of appearing relevant, whether in church or in civic life.
The second move of your sermon could be to raise the question of whether in our rush to appear relevant, we are in danger of missing the very redeeming activity of God in our midst. This would allow you to briefly tell the Joseph story in outline. The reference in the psalms to God testing Joseph could be illustrated by providing some "what if" scenarios for the Joseph story. What if Joseph had given in to despair when he was sold into slavery? What if Joseph had succumbed to the seduction by his master's wife in Egypt? What if Joseph had told his fellow prisoners that his life was proof that God was either not in control or a force for evil? One could then introduce the parallels with Jesus with some similar what if's around the passion story.
The third move in your sermon could be to lift up the contrast between quick judgments and actions and the need to trust God in all that happens. Here you are set to emphasize the power of God over evil both in the larger movements of history and in the lives of your parishioners. In our very fluid age, it is important to remind your people that God will not be put to shame. In doing so, we lessen the pressure to make quick judgments about others. As a final illustration from the Bible, you might remind people that Saul (Paul) in the New Testament was behaving as one of the worst enemies of the church until God chose to transform his passions in a manner that spread the gospel to the Gentiles. When we are quick to identify who our enemies are within the church, it is possible that we are excluding the very person who God might use in a redemptive way for all of us.
ANOTHER VIEW
Believing and Enduring
Argile Smith
1 Kings 19:9-18; Romans 10:11
Professor Randy Pausch said, "I'm dying and I'm having fun. And I'm going to keep having fun every day I have left. There's no other way to play it." A striking statement, it goes to the heart of every person who ponders the value of his or her life. Pausch made that statement while he presented his last lecture on September 16, 2007, a month after he found out that he had terminal pancreatic cancer. He lost his battle with the disease on July 25, 2008.
In his lecture, he urged the faculty member and students at Carnegie Mellon College in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to show gratitude at every opportunity. He went on to tell the story about showing his gratitude to the people who helped him to get tenure by taking all of them to Disney World. One of his colleagues questioned him about how he could make such a grand gesture. He replied by saying, "Those people just got me the best job in the world for life. How could I not do that?"
Source: Boston Globe, August 3, 2008
Delivered to a large group of professors and students, Pausch's lecture caught fire, so to speak, once it got outside the lecture hall. When the lecture appeared on YouTube, the site received millions of visitors. Soon afterward, the lecture was published, and it quickly became a best-seller. Copies of The Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams have been flying off the shelves.
Moved by Pausch's example, colleges across the country reinstated the tradition of the last lectures. Administrators and faculty have been amazed at the vast interest generated by such lectures. Inspired by Pausch, scholars were asked to deliver lectures as if they would never give another, seizing the opportunity to offer their insights into what really matters in life. One student commented that the last lectures provided "opportunities in our culture to ask the bigger questions...." The return of the tradition has been a worthwhile endeavor.
In his lecture, Pausch talked about the audience he really wanted to reach when he made his remarks. Although professors and students in the lecture hall heard his stimulating remarks, Pausch said that his lecture was actually directed toward his children. He described his speech as a way of putting himself "in a bottle that would one day wash up on the beach for my children."
Think about some of his comments in light of his intended audience. In his lecture, he said that "experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted" and that "brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something." He left behind good advice for his children, and the other millions of people who were drawn to his insights about life and living.
Needless to say, Pausch's last lecture was a huge success. It accomplished much more that he ever dreamed. He produced a best-seller, revived a nearly forgotten tradition on university campuses, and touched millions of people who wondered how to handle the brick walls in their lives. He had no reason to be disappointed with the way he lived and what he said. The values he embraced came home to honor him in the end. Of course, the greatest honor will bestowed on the people whose lives will make a difference because of the influence of his fine example.
Paul noted in Romans 10:11: the scripture (Isaiah 28:16) says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." That wasn't the first reference to Isaiah 28:16 that he made in his epistle to the Roman Christians. Something about that line drew Paul to refer to it repeatedly. It's embedded in a paragraph in which Paul affirmed the value of a risk-taking and life-transforming faith in Christ. People who take that kind of faith seriously are promised that they won't be disappointed.
For Christians, the verse certainly shines with a luster all its own. At the core of the promise is the issue of belief. Faith makes our lives worth living. Whether we give a lecture that stimulates the interest of millions of people or not, we can count on a life well lived if we center our lives in faith in Christ. In the end, we may not revive an academic institution, but we can rest assured that our lives will have counted for something because we trusted God with our lives.
Elijah seemed to wonder if his life counted for anything in the aftermath of what appeared to be a wonderful success at Mount Carmel. That's where he challenged Jezebel's priests to demonstrate the power of their gods by igniting the altar they had built. When they didn't succeed, he took his turn, showing the people that Israel's God was alive and well by asking Him to ignite the water-soaked altar he had set up in order to prove His supremacy. After the Lord set the altar on fire, Elijah led the people of Israel to get rid of Jezebel's priests. Elijah led Israel to experience a remarkable spiritual renewal. God's people returned to him, pledging that they would worship Him and Him alone.
Of course, Jezebel had no interest in following suit. She warned Elijah that he had one day to set his affairs in order. She promised him that he would meet the same fate as her priests.
That's when Elijah ran for his life. Some people say that he ran because he was afraid. Others say that he was afraid because he ran. Either way, he turned from courageous prophet to frightened fugitive. He begged God to take his life, but God fed him and called him up to the mountain for a personal conversation.
On the mountain, Elijah complained that his life had been useless. He alone was left to serve God, he said. That's when God began to speak to him in a new way. Before he had heard God speak to him in the wind and the fire. Now he would hear from God in the gentle blowing breeze. From there, he was commanded to get back to work and to carry out some specific tasks. In the end, his life wasn't a disappointment. He mattered to his people, his work, and to his God.
A priest's body was found last week by tugboat workers. He had been missing since the day he tried to set a flight record. Father Adelir Antonio de Carli lifted off from the Brazilian port city of Paranagua in April strapped to 1,000 brightly colored helium balloons. The 41-year-old Roman Catholic priest wanted to raise money to help the local truckers in his parish. He wanted to build a rest stop and a worship center for them. His attempt began to unravel when unexpected winds carried him out to sea. He was reported missing only eight hours after he started.
Father Carli was attempting to break a record for the most hours flying with balloons. His bundle of brightly colored balloons was found floating in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Santa Caterina, near the place where he last made contact with people on the ground. In his last message, he reported that his GPS device wasn't working properly and that he was "very cold, but fine."
Source: BBC News, July 29 2008
Father Carli performed an Elijah-sized deed for the sake of his people. Some critics may say that his life turned out to be a failure because his attempt didn't work. In a way, he was successful. His daring attempt was initiated because he wanted to tear down the brick wall in order to get what he wanted: the funds to build something that would help the people in his parish.
No. We wouldn't recommend such a daring feat. We do have to admire Father Carli for attempting it. In the same way we admire Elijah for coming down from the mountain and getting back to work. Professor Pausch deserves our admiration, too. So does any Christian who lives by faith, who believes in Christ enough to place our lives and our futures in His hands.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Joseph never stopped dreaming. Joseph never stopped living well. He still managed to earn the respect of his master. He learned the essential lesson that Emerson taught when he said, He made his dreams real: "To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."
* * *
Paul makes clear in today's letter to the church in Rome that there really are no distinctions to be made between Jews and Greeks. This must have been difficult for the early church... all the early Christian were Jews, of course. And this Paul, first among the most devoted Jews, now tells the church that there are to be no distinctions. He later says in Galatians that the same applies to gender and to economic status especially with regard to slave and free. The church is still struggling with interpretation over various issues of distinction... I wonder when we'll hear this glorious proclamation, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
* * *
I think of the storm and the fear it engenders and then I think of the little bird Billy Graham once mentioned. It is tough not to be afraid in the storms of life, but it is essential to the peace we seek within.
"The storm was raging. The sea was beating against the rocks in huge, dashing waves. The lightning was flashing, the thunder was roaring, the wind was blowing; but the little bird was sound asleep in the crevice of the rock, its head tucked serenely under its wing. That is peace -- to be able to sleep in the storm! In Christ, we are relaxed and at peace in the midst of the confusions, bewilderments, and perplexities of this life. The storm rages, but our hearts are at rest. We have found peace -- at last!"
* * *
Athletes often use the expression, "No pain, no gain." These words suggest that if one wants to achieve high goals in some sports activity, there will be a necessary amount of pain, which comes from much practice, great dedication, and probably some failures along the way. You simply cannot pitch a no-hitter in baseball, perform a hat trick on the hockey rink, or pass for over 400 yards in a game on the gridiron without much pain that preceded the achievement. Such is also the case in our relationship with God and in our lives of faith; there is no "quick fix." Time and energy are required to achieve our goals.
* * *
While on a tour of California's great sequoia trees, a guide pointed out that these massive plants have very shallow root systems. One observer asked, "How is that possible, since these trees are so tall? The roots must support the structure." The guide explained, "Sequoia trees only grow in groves where their roots intertwine with each other. Thus, when strong winds or other natural phenomena come that might disturb the trees, they can stand tall because they support each other. So it is true when those who live the Christian life; our faith must be strong to support each other.
* * *
A stonecutter's task is difficult and takes much patience. The cutter may hit the stone 100 times without, it seems, any progress being made in achieving the end of splitting the stone. Then, seemingly miraculously, on the 101st stroke, the rock is split. Similarly, there is a need for perseverance in our faith. What we seek might not happen tomorrow or next week; but we need to keep knocking.
* * *
Rabbi Moshe took a trip and he brought along with him a donkey, a lamp, and a rooster. Since he was a Jew, he was not allowed to stay in villages along his route, so one night he camped outside a town in the woods. That night, he lit his lamp and was reading the sacred book, when a wind came up, blew the lamp over, and it broke. But Rabbi Moshe simply said, "God does all things well." He went to bed. That night wild animals growled and chased the rooster away. Thieves came and stole his donkey. He only responded, "God does all things well." When he awoke, he passed through the village that had not allowed him a room. He noticed that a band of marauders had gone through the town and slaughtered all the people. He also found out that the marauders had traveled through the woods where he rested. He realized that if the lamp were burning he would have been spotted. If the rooster and donkey had not been chased off they would have made noise and given him away. Thus, he too would be dead. So, again, he said, "God does all things well."
* * *
A man who took great pride in his lawn found himself with a large crop of dandelion. He tried every method he knew to get rid of them. Still they plagued him.
Finally he wrote the Department of Agriculture. He enumerated all the things he had tried and closed his letter with the question: "What shall I do now?"
In due course the reply came: "We suggest you learn to love them."
Perhaps that same lesson could be applied to those who become frustrated with people who hold ideas about the faith that seem to challenge one's perspective of the purity of the church.
-- Anthony de Mello, The Song of the Bird (New York: Image Books, 1984), p. 67
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Periods and Commas
Learning punctuation marks wasn't that easy for Brad. A fifth-grader, he always seemed to have trouble with knowing whether to put a period or a comma in a sentence. Mr. Reedy, his teacher, finally drove home the difference in the two punctuation marks. He told Brad, "Remember that a comma means that you're not finished and that a period means that you are done with the sentence."
Good advice, especially in the story of Joseph. When he told his brothers, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good," notice where the comma is placed in the sentence, and pay close attention to the period.
Mr. Reedy's advice hits home when we think about the punctuation marks we would put in Joseph's statement. Some of us are likely to say, "You meant evil against me." No continuation of thought, no hope of appropriating God's help so we can put a comma there and carry on the thought toward reconciliation.
WORSHIP RESOURCE
Call To Worship
Leader: Scripture tells us of how Jesus once invited Peter
to step out in faith onto the deep waters.
People: We are also invited to step out of our safety,
our security, and walk toward Jesus.
Leader: Peter became afraid and,
in his fear, began to sink.
People: Like Peter, we are afraid and cry out,
"Lord, save us."
Leader: The One who has power over all creation
comes to save us.
People: We will be saved by the One
who is God's Son!
Prayer Of The Day
All around us are signs of your presence,
God-in-Christ.
Where the oppressed receive justice,
you will be found;
where the hungry are being fed,
you are on the serving line;
when the blind receive their sight,
you show them the glories of creation;
where the stranger is welcomed,
you are holding out your arms;
when the prisoners are set free,
you step forward in hope with them;
where promises are broken,
you reach out to mend shattered hearts.
And you are not alone,
for you call us to work beside you
in every place where you are,
with every person you serve,
with every breath you give us,
with every gift with which we have been blessed.
Help us to love you and one another more
than any award, job, or recognition,
even as we pray as Jesus has taught us, saying,
Our Father....
Call To Reconciliation
God alone deserves our loyalty and trust, but often our faith sinks and our trust is blown away by the storms of life. Let us tell God of our sins, that we might know forgiveness, and live forever with our God. Join me as we pray, saying,
Unison Prayer Of Confession
Too often, Waiting God, we have so little faith that we begin to sink, and we trust the world to save us. We find it so easy to drown in the temptations of the world. Our boats seem so sturdy and safe that we hesitate to step out of them into new ways of life.
Save us, Holy God, save us! Reach out your hand to those dying in fear and drowning in doubt. Reach out your hand, as Jesus did to Peter, not because we deserve rescue, but because you love us enough to save us, from ourselves, from sin, and from death. This we pray, in Jesus' name.
Silence is kept
Assurance Of Pardon
Leader: We cannot avoid the truth that we are sinners. But the greater truth is that we are forgiven sinners. Through God's love in Christ Jesus, we set aside all that is past, and step out, in courage and faith, into God's future for us.
People: We trust God's promises, we trust Christ's resurrection, we trust the Spirit who works in and through us. Thanks be to God. Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
How to ask for help
Object: a poster with "... - - - ..." and "M'AIDEZ"
Matthew 14:22-33
Hello! Did you hear the lesson today? What an amazing adventure! Jesus helped Peter walk on water! I can float and swim, but I can't walk on water. The disciples were in a boat and saw Jesus walking toward them on the water. Some thought he was a ghost, but Peter said, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." Jesus called him and Peter got out of the boat and began walking. Everything was fine until Peter got frightened by the strong wind. He got scared and immediately began to sink into the water.
If you were in trouble, how would you ask for help? (listen to their responses) Ships at sea used to use Morse code signals when they were in trouble. (hold up the sign) Three short beeps, three long beeps, three short beeps. That's the sign for SOS, a signal that means someone's in trouble. (point to m'aidez) Sometimes you'll hear people say this. This a French phrase that means "help me." It's pronounced "mayday." Have you ever heard that before?
No matter how you do it, it's important to ask for help when you get in trouble. When he began sinking, Peter cried out for Jesus to help him. Jesus immediately reached out his hand to catch Peter and pull him to safety. That's an important thing about Jesus that we should always remember. No matter where we go or what we do, Jesus is always waiting to offer his hand to help us. It doesn't even matter why we need help. The help is there. All we have to do is find a way to ask. Peter's way is probably the simplest: help me.
Prayer: Dear God, please help us understand how much you want to help us in our lives. Show us how to ask for your help whenever we need it. Amen.
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The Immediate Word, August 10, 2008, issue.
Copyright 2008 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
