What A Resume!
Sermon
Sermons On The Second Readings
For Sundays In Advent, Christmas, And Epiphany
If you were to visit the Library of Congress and look up Jesus of Nazareth in the card catalog of authors, you will not find a single entry. Thousands of books have been written about Jesus, but he himself wrote no books, not even a pamphlet or tract. He was able to write, we know. When a woman accused of adultery was brought to him, Jesus "bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger" (John 8:5). Giovanni Papini suggested that he chose the sand on which to write "expressly that the wind might carry away the words." Our Lord wrote his words of truth on material more permanent than parchment or paper; he wrote his message on human hearts. This is what our text is saying to us this morning. Christ is still active in the life and ministry of his servants, writing as clearly as possible, what he has done and intends to do in the lives of his people, the Church. What a resumé that would be! Where can we find it?
What a challenge it has been to search one's memory and a Bible concordance to discover these parts of scripture that might provide the information needed for such a descriptive resumé. But I believe I found it -- of all places -- in a hymnal! Let me explain. Some of our Christian friends who follow a more detailed liturgical worship experience include a weekly "introit" as part of each service of worship. While thumbing through a hymnal containing the introits for the Epiphany season, I noted that Epiphany 2 provides an introit that uses Psalm 40 as its theme. As I read the introit, I mused, "Here it is; Psalm 40 presents one of the clearest and most complete resumés of Christian experience that one can find anywhere." Let me share the resumé with you this morning. I hope as we move along, the resumé will become more and more familiar. In fact, some, if not all of us, may be constrained to say: "That has been my experience! That closely resembles my resumé!" Listen as the scripture unfolds it.
To begin with, the psalm suggests that the Christian is one who has been brought up. "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit" (Psalm 40:1). The phrase "an horrible pit" in the Hebrew language means literally, "a pit of noise." How very well this describes a person before he has committed himself to Christ. He or she exists in the noise of spiritual death, of unbelief, of utter frustration and meaninglessness. Something akin to this is seen in Macbeth, who, after the death of his wife with whom he had treacherously murdered King Duncan, cries, "Out, out brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour on the stage and then is heard no more. Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury -- signifying nothing!" Omar Khayyam echoes the same litany of hopelessness when he says, "The sun is setting, the caravan is starting for the goal of nothing!"
Thank God we were brought up out of that pathetic "pit of noise" in the defining moment when those precious words were spoken over us, "I baptize you, in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
If you have attended a symphony orchestra concert, you will recall seeing the various members of the orchestra entering the stage before the concert began. They began to tune their instruments each in his or her own way. The noise, at times, was deafening, a cacophony of thirty or forty instruments sounding a different note all at the same time! Then, suddenly the maestro appeared and walked to the podium. He tapped his baton several times and there was complete silence. Then his hands moved and the music began. What a difference the presence of the maestro made!
'Twas battered and scarred and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin, but he held it up with the bow.
"What am I bidden, good folks?" said he. "Who'll start the bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar, now two, only two. Two dollars and who'll make it three?
Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three" -- but no!
From the room far back a grey-haired man came forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violin and tightening up all the strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet, as sweet as an angel sings.
The music ceased and the auctioneer with a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, "What am I bid for the old violin?"and held it up with the bow.
"One thousand dollars and who'll make it two? Two thousand and who'll make it three?
Three thousand once and Three thousand twice and going and gone," said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not quite understand
What changed it's worth?" The man replied, "The touch of the master's hand."
And many a person with life out of tune, and battered and torn with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin.
A mess of pottage, another drink, a game -- and he travels on.
He's going once and going twice, he's going and almost gone!
But the Master comes. And the foolish crowd never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought, by the touch of the Master's hand!1
How wonderful it is that our lives have been touched by our Lord's nail-pierced hand. He has brought us up out of a pit of meaninglessness into the radiance of a life filled with purpose and meaning! What a resumé!
The resumé continues: not only has he brought us up, he has also set us up. "He set my feet upon a rock and established my goings" (v. 2). After he has brought us up, he doesn't leave us to find our way alone. My dear friend, this same Lord has a specific plan for your life, a plan that was prepared before you took your first breath. Listen to his Word as it speaks clearly about this awesome provision. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). Is this difficult for you to imagine? Me, insignificant me, a person for whom God has a special plan and purpose? Even before I was born? Hard to accept at times, isn't it? But listen. Perhaps today the winter winds will blow and snow will begin to fall and cover the earth. If you were to stand outside as the snow is falling you might catch a few flakes on your outstretched hand, but in a moment they would be reduced to simple drops of water. But if you were to go outside with a powerful microscope, allow ten or more flakes to fall on a cold glass slide, then view them under the microscope, you would discover something quite interesting. Every snowflake would have a pattern different from all the rest. Not one would be exactly like another. My dear fellow Christian, do you for one moment believe that the Almighty God who created the heavens, the earth, and everything that exists would have a unique plan for each snowflake that is here for a moment and gone the next and not have a plan for your life and mine, lives that Christ has redeemed at the cost of his own life? Preposterous!
But someone says, "What can one person like me do? I feel so inadequate, so insignificant at times." I'll tell you what you can do. You can live one Christian life! And as you do, the next step will be made crystal clear. God will see to it. Read and ponder the promise in Proverbs 3:5, 6. It is worthy of being memorized. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths." That is his Word; it is meant for you!
Not only has he brought us up and set us up, but our resumé continues; he has also tuned us up! "He has put a new song into my mouth, even praise unto my God, many shall see it and trust in the Lord" (v. 3). This is the final entry in our resumé, as Dr. Guy King once expressed it, "Out of the mire into the choir!"
And what is the result of that new song? Many shall see it and trust in the Lord. Have you ever seen a song? I've heard many songs, so have you. But seen a song, that is something quite new. Well, dear ones, I have seen that new song! It is the expression of the presence and nearness of Jesus seen when one person who has great need is touched in love by another who is living the new baptized life in Christ. That's the new song, and you and I have seen it many times. An old Vacation Bible School chorus had us sing, "Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me; all his wonderful passion and purity. Oh, Thou Spirit divine, cleanse this nature of mine. Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me!" This is the new song -- the song of the new life in Christ -- seen and expressed in your life and mine.
Let me close with a story and two brief quotes.
In 1910, a medical school graduate was encouraged by his loved ones to begin a family practice in Queens, New York, a venture certain to bring him a measure of wealth and success. But somehow he felt that he was needed in a more meaningful medical practice. He approached his pastor and was directed to contact the mission board of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. There he was presented with the challenge of going to a mission field to establish a hospital and begin a missionary outreach in that land. He accepted the challenge, went abroad, and in about ten years had established a much needed hospital and, aided by other missionaries, began preaching and teaching ministries in about twenty villages in the area. One day while traveling to one of the villages he noticed a little boy sitting against a tree. He stopped his Model-T Ford and went over to check the child. It was obvious that the child was desperately ill. The child's family, who felt that he possessed an evil spirit and was a danger to the rest of the family, had probably abandoned him. The missionary took the boy back to the hospital and began to treat him. At first he thought he was going to lose the child, but finally he began to improve. When the boy was completely well, the doctor told him he was going to return him to his family, but before he did he wanted to tell him about someone very wonderful. He told him of the Lord Jesus, of his love, how he healed the sick and did all that he could to bring happiness into the lives of all he met. The doctor concluded by asking, "Wouldn't you like to know him and trust him?" The little fellow replied, "I do know him." "You do?" asked the doctor. "Yes," responded the boy, "I do know him; you are Jesus!" This faithful servant had so beautifully expressed the new song of the new life in Christ that the boy actually thought he was Jesus. I wonder what others think of us?
Now two brief quotes. The first is from Martin Luther. "Christ for every person and every person a Christ to his neighbor." Think about it for a few minutes. Christ is for you, dear friend. He was for you in your baptism; he was for you at the cross -- as he gave his life to redeem you. He will be for you when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death. You will not walk alone! He is for you! But there is another side to the coin, "And every person a Christ to his neighbor."
Men, what are we to be to our wives and children? That swashbuckling macho-man who demands his way and will get it no matter what it costs? No, we are to be a Christ to these precious gifts of God. Wives, what are you to be to your husbands? What are you children to be to your beloved parents and brothers and sisters? You are to be a Christ to them. Something to think about, isn't it?
The final quote comes from Phillips Brooks, the author of "O Little Town Of Bethlehem." "Be such a person, live such a life, that if everyone were such as you and every life a life like yours, this world would be a paradise." Can you think of a more beautiful desire than this? Is it any wonder that some hymnals include the inspiring hymn that has us sing:
O master let me walk with thee, in lowly paths of service free;
Tell me thy secret, help me bear, the strain of toil the fret of care.
Help me the slow of heart to move, by some clear winning word of love;
Teach me the wayward feet to stay, and guide them in the homeward way.
In hope that sends a shining ray, far down the future's broadening way;
In peace that only thou canst give, with thee, O Master, let me live.2
He has brought us up, set us up, and tuned us up. What a resumé!
Dear Christian friend, this is your life! Amen.
____________
1. Author unknown.
2. Washington Gladden.
What a challenge it has been to search one's memory and a Bible concordance to discover these parts of scripture that might provide the information needed for such a descriptive resumé. But I believe I found it -- of all places -- in a hymnal! Let me explain. Some of our Christian friends who follow a more detailed liturgical worship experience include a weekly "introit" as part of each service of worship. While thumbing through a hymnal containing the introits for the Epiphany season, I noted that Epiphany 2 provides an introit that uses Psalm 40 as its theme. As I read the introit, I mused, "Here it is; Psalm 40 presents one of the clearest and most complete resumés of Christian experience that one can find anywhere." Let me share the resumé with you this morning. I hope as we move along, the resumé will become more and more familiar. In fact, some, if not all of us, may be constrained to say: "That has been my experience! That closely resembles my resumé!" Listen as the scripture unfolds it.
To begin with, the psalm suggests that the Christian is one who has been brought up. "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit" (Psalm 40:1). The phrase "an horrible pit" in the Hebrew language means literally, "a pit of noise." How very well this describes a person before he has committed himself to Christ. He or she exists in the noise of spiritual death, of unbelief, of utter frustration and meaninglessness. Something akin to this is seen in Macbeth, who, after the death of his wife with whom he had treacherously murdered King Duncan, cries, "Out, out brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour on the stage and then is heard no more. Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury -- signifying nothing!" Omar Khayyam echoes the same litany of hopelessness when he says, "The sun is setting, the caravan is starting for the goal of nothing!"
Thank God we were brought up out of that pathetic "pit of noise" in the defining moment when those precious words were spoken over us, "I baptize you, in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
If you have attended a symphony orchestra concert, you will recall seeing the various members of the orchestra entering the stage before the concert began. They began to tune their instruments each in his or her own way. The noise, at times, was deafening, a cacophony of thirty or forty instruments sounding a different note all at the same time! Then, suddenly the maestro appeared and walked to the podium. He tapped his baton several times and there was complete silence. Then his hands moved and the music began. What a difference the presence of the maestro made!
'Twas battered and scarred and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin, but he held it up with the bow.
"What am I bidden, good folks?" said he. "Who'll start the bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar, now two, only two. Two dollars and who'll make it three?
Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three" -- but no!
From the room far back a grey-haired man came forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violin and tightening up all the strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet, as sweet as an angel sings.
The music ceased and the auctioneer with a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, "What am I bid for the old violin?"and held it up with the bow.
"One thousand dollars and who'll make it two? Two thousand and who'll make it three?
Three thousand once and Three thousand twice and going and gone," said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not quite understand
What changed it's worth?" The man replied, "The touch of the master's hand."
And many a person with life out of tune, and battered and torn with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin.
A mess of pottage, another drink, a game -- and he travels on.
He's going once and going twice, he's going and almost gone!
But the Master comes. And the foolish crowd never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought, by the touch of the Master's hand!1
How wonderful it is that our lives have been touched by our Lord's nail-pierced hand. He has brought us up out of a pit of meaninglessness into the radiance of a life filled with purpose and meaning! What a resumé!
The resumé continues: not only has he brought us up, he has also set us up. "He set my feet upon a rock and established my goings" (v. 2). After he has brought us up, he doesn't leave us to find our way alone. My dear friend, this same Lord has a specific plan for your life, a plan that was prepared before you took your first breath. Listen to his Word as it speaks clearly about this awesome provision. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). Is this difficult for you to imagine? Me, insignificant me, a person for whom God has a special plan and purpose? Even before I was born? Hard to accept at times, isn't it? But listen. Perhaps today the winter winds will blow and snow will begin to fall and cover the earth. If you were to stand outside as the snow is falling you might catch a few flakes on your outstretched hand, but in a moment they would be reduced to simple drops of water. But if you were to go outside with a powerful microscope, allow ten or more flakes to fall on a cold glass slide, then view them under the microscope, you would discover something quite interesting. Every snowflake would have a pattern different from all the rest. Not one would be exactly like another. My dear fellow Christian, do you for one moment believe that the Almighty God who created the heavens, the earth, and everything that exists would have a unique plan for each snowflake that is here for a moment and gone the next and not have a plan for your life and mine, lives that Christ has redeemed at the cost of his own life? Preposterous!
But someone says, "What can one person like me do? I feel so inadequate, so insignificant at times." I'll tell you what you can do. You can live one Christian life! And as you do, the next step will be made crystal clear. God will see to it. Read and ponder the promise in Proverbs 3:5, 6. It is worthy of being memorized. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths." That is his Word; it is meant for you!
Not only has he brought us up and set us up, but our resumé continues; he has also tuned us up! "He has put a new song into my mouth, even praise unto my God, many shall see it and trust in the Lord" (v. 3). This is the final entry in our resumé, as Dr. Guy King once expressed it, "Out of the mire into the choir!"
And what is the result of that new song? Many shall see it and trust in the Lord. Have you ever seen a song? I've heard many songs, so have you. But seen a song, that is something quite new. Well, dear ones, I have seen that new song! It is the expression of the presence and nearness of Jesus seen when one person who has great need is touched in love by another who is living the new baptized life in Christ. That's the new song, and you and I have seen it many times. An old Vacation Bible School chorus had us sing, "Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me; all his wonderful passion and purity. Oh, Thou Spirit divine, cleanse this nature of mine. Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me!" This is the new song -- the song of the new life in Christ -- seen and expressed in your life and mine.
Let me close with a story and two brief quotes.
In 1910, a medical school graduate was encouraged by his loved ones to begin a family practice in Queens, New York, a venture certain to bring him a measure of wealth and success. But somehow he felt that he was needed in a more meaningful medical practice. He approached his pastor and was directed to contact the mission board of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. There he was presented with the challenge of going to a mission field to establish a hospital and begin a missionary outreach in that land. He accepted the challenge, went abroad, and in about ten years had established a much needed hospital and, aided by other missionaries, began preaching and teaching ministries in about twenty villages in the area. One day while traveling to one of the villages he noticed a little boy sitting against a tree. He stopped his Model-T Ford and went over to check the child. It was obvious that the child was desperately ill. The child's family, who felt that he possessed an evil spirit and was a danger to the rest of the family, had probably abandoned him. The missionary took the boy back to the hospital and began to treat him. At first he thought he was going to lose the child, but finally he began to improve. When the boy was completely well, the doctor told him he was going to return him to his family, but before he did he wanted to tell him about someone very wonderful. He told him of the Lord Jesus, of his love, how he healed the sick and did all that he could to bring happiness into the lives of all he met. The doctor concluded by asking, "Wouldn't you like to know him and trust him?" The little fellow replied, "I do know him." "You do?" asked the doctor. "Yes," responded the boy, "I do know him; you are Jesus!" This faithful servant had so beautifully expressed the new song of the new life in Christ that the boy actually thought he was Jesus. I wonder what others think of us?
Now two brief quotes. The first is from Martin Luther. "Christ for every person and every person a Christ to his neighbor." Think about it for a few minutes. Christ is for you, dear friend. He was for you in your baptism; he was for you at the cross -- as he gave his life to redeem you. He will be for you when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death. You will not walk alone! He is for you! But there is another side to the coin, "And every person a Christ to his neighbor."
Men, what are we to be to our wives and children? That swashbuckling macho-man who demands his way and will get it no matter what it costs? No, we are to be a Christ to these precious gifts of God. Wives, what are you to be to your husbands? What are you children to be to your beloved parents and brothers and sisters? You are to be a Christ to them. Something to think about, isn't it?
The final quote comes from Phillips Brooks, the author of "O Little Town Of Bethlehem." "Be such a person, live such a life, that if everyone were such as you and every life a life like yours, this world would be a paradise." Can you think of a more beautiful desire than this? Is it any wonder that some hymnals include the inspiring hymn that has us sing:
O master let me walk with thee, in lowly paths of service free;
Tell me thy secret, help me bear, the strain of toil the fret of care.
Help me the slow of heart to move, by some clear winning word of love;
Teach me the wayward feet to stay, and guide them in the homeward way.
In hope that sends a shining ray, far down the future's broadening way;
In peace that only thou canst give, with thee, O Master, let me live.2
He has brought us up, set us up, and tuned us up. What a resumé!
Dear Christian friend, this is your life! Amen.
____________
1. Author unknown.
2. Washington Gladden.
