I'm kind of a grammar geek. I was that weird kid in grade school who loved diagramming sentences. There's just something comforting about figuring out how each word fits into the sentence and charting it accordingly. It's the only way I can connect with those of you who like to look at budgets and financial reports, but for some reason it's just not the same for me.
I also like to study how language changes through the years. Language formation and grammar are always in flux. "Standard" English today is not the standard English of 100 years ago or even 50 years ago, for that matter. What is acceptable today might not have been acceptable in the writing of our parents or grandparents.
That's because language can be driven from the bottom up. What I mean to say is that rules of grammar can be changed by general usage. As much as grammarians might complain, correct word usage is not always determined by the rules. It takes time, but if a majority of the people of a certain language adopts a way of saying something, it will eventually become the standard. It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong.
A good example is the word irregardless. Right now, if you were to use the word irregardless in a paper for school, your paper would come back to you bleeding red ink. Irregardless is not technically a word in standard usage. Irregardless is a combination of two words that have overlapping meanings-irrespective and regardless. But I would bet that in another 50 years or so, the word irregardless will be a standard word, simply because so many people are using it.
English teachers can complain if they want, but you might as well try keeping the tide from coming in. Unfortunately for an English snob like me, the tide is coming in on the pronunciation of the word nuclear. It still drives me crazy to hear it pronounced nu-cue-lar. But it's probably here to stay.
In the same way that words can change, they can also fall out of use. This morning we're going to be talking about a word that we're hearing less and less. And we Christians (particularly we preachers) are probably to blame. It's a word that is prominent in the Gospels but is not very prominent in our conversation. I would guess that's because it was used so extravagantly and so loudly, people just became tired of it. This word just began to lose its punch.
Today I'd like to try and bring that word back, especially because it is among Jesus' first words to His followers. When Jesus begins to change lives, He invites us to change in a specific way. He invites us to repent. I hope you'll get a clearer picture of what that means this morning.
Tell Your Story
Good morning! Rachel and the kids and I are out of town today. We're at Keith and Deborah's farm with the rest of Rachel's family. I'm really glad to be taking a weekend off and spending it with my family, but I will also miss being with my church family. I look forward to worshiping with you next week. For now, let me give you a preview of the morning you're going to have...
I love to read the first sentences of some of my favorite stories:
• "I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice." -A Prayer for Owen Meany
• "It was a dark and stormy night." -A Wrinkle in Time
• "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." -The Hobbit
• "All this happened, more or less."-Slaughterhouse Five
And my new favorite...
• "I told you last night that I might be gone sometime, and you said, Where, and I said, To be with the Good Lord, and you said, Why, and I said, because I'm old, and you said, I don't think you're old."-Gilead
Of course, what makes a story good isn't just the beginning but the rest of it, as well. I love every one of the stories quoted above. I've read them all multiple times, with the exception of the last one (which I read for the first time just last year). I don't remember a thing about the beginnings of stories I have not cared for.
And, as good as those first sentences are (I wish I had come up with any of them), I really love them because I know the rest of each story. I know the depth of the narrator's memory for Owen Meany, the boy with the wrecked voice. I know what adventure awaits Meg Murray on that dark and stormy night. I know the playfulness and the seriousness with which Vonnegut says everything in the story happened. And I know the beautifully heartbreaking words of farewell that John Ames is about write to his young son.
This morning you'll get to hear a couple of stories that I love. The first is the story of Paul and of his conversion to the Way of Christ. I think that someone ought to write a modern version of Paul's story. It's amazing. There's a great novel in it, just waiting to be brought forth.
The other story you'll get to hear is the story of Bill Hromada and of his conversion to the Way of Christ. It is also an amazing story. Bill's story is a rousing example of how a life can be changed through Jesus.
As you worship this morning. As you reflect on your life during the Lord's Supper, let me invite you to also reflect on your story. How has Jesus changed your life? How is Jesus changing your life even now? I also invite you to share that story with others. We need to hear these stories. They can be a great source of faith. They can inspire. They can spur us on to let Jesus have a hold of our story.
Connections Sunday
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:16)
Just before Ruth Ann was born, Rachel and I took a two-day trip to DC just to get away. As luck would have it, "Bodies: The Exhibition" was on display in Arlington, so we got tickets. Perhaps you've heard about "Bodies." Part science and part art, it features approximately 20 human cadavers captured in different poses and dissected in different ways so as to shed light on human anatomy. The point of the exhibit is to educate viewers about the wonderful complexity of the human body.
As far as I am concerned, the exhibit was a success. I came away realizing just how intricately God has made us. The psalmist says it well: "(We are) fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)."
One of the most impressive aspects of the display focused on the musculoskeletal system. Standing in front of a complex web of muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones, it was amazing to me all that was involved in even the simplest of tasks. For every bone that had to move there was a muscle or system of muscles for that movement. And each muscle was attached to its respective bone in just the right place so as to enable mobility. Finally, for every muscle that performed one action, another performed its opposite. Otherwise we would only be able to, say, open our mouths rather than close them or bend our knees rather than straighten them. Of course these muscles usually do their things without us even thinking of them.
But it's really amazing when you think about it. That system of muscles is able to keep us moving. It lifts and pushes and propels our entire body in very subtle and complex ways. And it does so by working in concert. If the muscles didn't work together, human movement would be impossible. No one muscle is strong enough or sitting in the right place. It takes the entire system.
Today is Connections Sunday. It's a chance for you to be better connected to this church. We hope that today you will find new friendships and new ways to serve God. Both are important. They are important to the church and they are important to us as individuals.
It's no coincidence that Paul uses the metaphor of a body to explain the church. It takes a system of organs working together to make the church move. Without all of its parts, the body doesn't work as well. But at the same time, without the rest of the body no individual part can live up to its full potential.
Today, if you haven't already, I hope you'll find your place hear at Norfolk Church of Christ. I hope you'll make connections. If you can, it will be a blessing to you and to this church.
Be Fruitful
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
So how does Jesus change lives? I hope to get a glimpse of it in the coming weeks. We will be following Jesus—listening to him teach and watching him work. We will hear him invite his followers to change; we will see him change lives.
This week, I want to start at the end—the end of a life changed by Jesus. Among the different metaphors Jesus uses to describe this kind of life is the metaphor of fruit. Jesus says that, when it’s all said and done, His followers will be known because they bear fruit and that it’s good fruit. What does he mean? We’ll talk about that this morning. In the meantime, for your reading enjoyment, I thought I’d give you a little bit of useless fruit information from our friends over at wikipedia.com.
• Botanically speaking, cucumbers, tomatoes, peas, corn, beans and peppers are all fruit.
• Botanically speaking, raspberries and blackberries are not actually berries, but tomatoes and avocados are.
• According to superstition in the UK, it’s unwise to pick blackberries after 9/29, because after this date they’ve been claimed by the devil.
• The apple originated in Central Asia in regions including modern-day Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
• Bananas and oranges both originated in Southeast Asia.
• Alexander the Great is credited with the “discovery” of dwarf apples in Asia Minor and bananas in India.
• According to mythology, an apple is the indirect cause of the Trojan War.
• Despite popular misconception, Genesis doesn’t say that the “forbidden fruit” is an apple. Perhaps the idea arose from the fact that, in Latin, the words for apple and evil are the same in the plural (mala).
• In a number of languages, the orange is known as “the Chinese apple.”
• The navel orange was first grown in the 19th century at a Brazilian monastery.
• The world’s leading producer of fresh fruit is India, followed by Vietnam.
• The world’s leading producer of tropical fruit is the Philippines.
• The difference between jam and jelly is that, in jelly preparation, the fruit pulp is filtered out.
Now that you’re ready to go on Jeopardy, let’s look at what really matters. What does Jesus mean when talks about fruit? And how fruitful are you and I? And what must we do to bear fruit? Thanks for joining us for worship.
Finding Our Way
Who’s your favorite person in the Bible? And you can’t answer Jesus, because everyone knows that’s who you’re supposed to answer. Who is your favorite non-Messianic man or woman from scripture?
Far and away, my favorite is Jacob. No contest. I like Jacob, because he’s so imperfect. If you were to paint a picture of Jacob, there’s no way he would deserve a halo. He’s a schemer and a scoundrel. He’s so flawed. He buys his older brother Esau’s birthright with a bowl of stew. With his mother’s help he steals Esau’s inheritance by deceiving his old, blind father. After running away and living with his uncle Laban, he manages to leave with all of Laban’s best livestock. And in spite of all of this, Jacob, prospers. Scripture is very clear to say that the LORD blessed Jacob.
But of course, the blessing is never quite what we expect, right? Like they say, “Be careful what you wish for.” Jacob prospers. He has numerous servants, wives, children, and livestock. He is rich. But he is also deceived by his family. He must run from the anger of his brother and of his uncle. And on the night before he is reunited with his brother, he spends an entire night wrestling with God. Finally, toward morning, Jacob asks for a blessing from God. He gets it, but he also walks away with a limp that he carries for the rest of his life.
In Jacob Beuchner’s Son of Laughter, a fictional retelling of the story, Jacob compares the blessings of the LORD to a runaway camel. Eventually all he can do is hold on for dear life.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Jacob’s runaway blessings lately, and the warning about “being careful what you wish for.” This morning I want us to start talking about how Jesus changes lives. If that’s are theme for the year and our mission as a church, we would do well to think about what it means to ask Jesus to change our lives. And the best place to start seems to me to be this question: Do we really want Jesus to change our lives? Do we dare ask Jesus to change our lives? And if we do, will we get a runaway blessing?
It reminds me of a quote from Ben Witherington’s blog in which he’s talking about the place where Jesus is born. He concludes it this way:
The old medieval Christmas poem said 'though Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem be born, if he's not born in you, your heart is still forlorn.' Let me just tell you however, if you let that Guest into your inner sanctum, even if you put him in the very back, he will surely take over and become the center of attention in due course. (benwitherington.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.html)
Jesus will change our lives. Are we prepared for the changes he’ll make?
He Lives
I’m not much for creeds. The Churches of Christ have not traditionally given them much attention. Like I’ve said before, they seem to divide more than unify. They’re as liable to confuse as to clarify. One exception is the Apostle’s Creed. Even though it’s not without its problems, it gives a pretty basic and historical summary of what it means to be a Christian. Here are some excerpts:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the creator of heaven and earth.
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit…
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
Let me stop here. If this was all that could be said of Jesus—that he was crucified, died, and was buried, his life would hardly be noteworthy. Granted, there are the claims to divine birth and sonship of God. But neither of these things was without precedent. As we’ve talked about before, the rulers of Jesus’ day (Egyptian, Roman, Persian, etc.) commonly made claims of divine birth.
And his crucifixion certainly wasn’t unique. Crucifixion was a favorite method of execution for the Roman Empire. Largely reserved for slaves and citizens of other nations, it was a shameful death that reinforced Rome’s claims to power. Rome frequently made this very public statement in order to maintain control. At the end of the slave revolt led by Spartacus in 71 B.C., 6,000 surviving rebels were crucified along the road between Rome and Capua. So what sets Jesus apart? Let’s go back to the creed:
…On the third day, He rose again from the dead.
It’s the resurrection that sets Jesus apart. Of the many thousands of people crucified by the Romans, Jesus of Nazareth is the only one to have been raised from the dead. The gospels and the writings of Paul testify that he appeared to his followers—one time as many as 500 of them (1 Cor. 15). Many of those witnesses went to their executions testifying that “Jesus is risen.”
It is why we are here today. We are followers because both facts are true. Jesus died and was raised by God. The resurrection makes a universe of difference. The question for us this morning is what does the resurrection mean to us right now? How is our day to day life different because of it? I hope it gives you hope and teaches you how to live. Happy Easter. Christ is risen.
Not Fit For Church
Today you will hear a story not fit for church. Which is ironic, because if it weren’t for this story, our church would not exist. Neither would any church, for that matter. But honestly, in some ways the story of the crucifixion has very little place in our church atmosphere. Think about it. Just stop from your reading for a moment and take a look around you. What do you see?
I’m imagining you seated in a pew before the beginning of our worship service. Light from the three large windows fills the room. Perhaps there is a buzz of conversation taking place around you, punctuated by the occasional squeal from a baby. People are laughing and greeting one another with hugs and slaps on the back. Children are talking to each other while their parents are herding them to their seats. Colorful slides are rotating on the screen at the front—pictures of parties and baby showers and other joyful events.
What in the world does this place have to do with Golgotha, the place of the skull, the scene of the crucifixion? How can we possibly be expected to confront the savagery of a place like that while seated in a place like this? How can we possibly hear the screams of agony that come from Christ, and the screams of derision that come from his persecutors, and the cries of sorrow that come from his family and friends while we are here in this room filled with gentle voices?
And I will not mention the horrible sights. There is a reason that Mel Gibson’s movie was Rated R. These sights are difficult to process when we are surrounded by neatly manicured people dressed in vibrant Sunday clothing.
Nevertheless, today I will talk about the crucifixion. Not in grisly detail. Actually I don’t plan on dwelling on the physical aspects of Jesus’ death at all. I’m much more interested in the spiritual nature of it and what that means for us.
But don’t be fooled. The spiritual details aren’t pretty either. They, too, are hardly fit for church-at least the spiritually sanitized church that you and I generally prefer. The spiritual situation that brought about the events of Jesus’ death are not easy to talk about or sit with. In examining the crucifixion, we are confronted with the worst of human nature. If we sit back and ask ourselves, “How did it come to this—the execution of an innocent (a perfectly innocent) man?” then we are confronted by the sin that we all carry around with us.
But there is good news. In the midst of the spiritual and physical horror there is more than enough love. If there weren’t, then Jesus would have never been crucified. We’ll talk more about it this morning.
Show of Force
One Sunday morning a while back I asked the congregation what superpower they would most like to have. I got a wide range of answers. Someone said they would like to have super strength. Others wanted x-ray vision, others wanted to be able to read minds, and somebody wanted to be able fly.
The other question I’d love to ask is: How many of you would be tempted to use your superpowers to “break the rules?” Would you be tempted to profit illegally from those powers? Would you be tempted to steal? Would you seek revenge on all of those who had ever hurt you? Would you use your power to control others?
There’s a movie out right now called “Jumpers.” I haven’t seen it, but as far as I can gather, it’s about people who have the ability to teleport anywhere in the world. They hang from Big Ben in London, have a picnic on the top of the Sphinx, or show up in the Coliseum after it closes. They can also break the rules. Wouldn’t you be tempted to steal if you knew that your powers gave you the ability to break into any bank in the world?
Since we’re sitting in church, my immediate answer would be, “No.” Of course I would only use my powers for good! I would be a member of the League of Justice instead of the Legion of Doom. I would join the X-men. And I would never dream of abusing my abilities. But I must acknowledge how tempting it would be.
Would you believe that Jesus faced this temptation? Scripture is very clear about it. This morning we’re beginning a series of lessons that will follow Jesus through the final week before his crucifixion. We’ll watch Jesus during his week in Jerusalem. We’ll walk beside him as he goes to his crucifixion, and we’ll celebrate his resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Today we’re going to be looking at a passage where Christ is tempted to misuse the power at his disposal. And we’ll see that he chooses the way that is right, even though it’s the way that is difficult. In entering the city of Jerusalem for his ultimate show down with the forces of darkness, Jesus teaches us what kind of a King he is and what it means to be members of his Kingdom.
It’s a good reminder for us as we talk about changing lives through Jesus this year.
One Long Year
You’ve probably heard the following joke, but it helps me make my point, so I’ll tell it again:
A young man named Johnny was lying on a hillside one day and watching the clouds roll by. Feeling inspired, he decided to talk to God—
Johnny: God?
God: Yes, Johnny?
Johnny: How big are you exactly?
God: Bigger than you can possibly imagine.
Johnny: Help me understand.
God: Ok. To me a million years is like a minute.
Johnny: So what’s a million dollars like to you?
God: Well, it’s like one penny.
(Long pause)
Johnny: God? Can I have a penny?
God: Sure, Johnny. Just a minute.
In Peter’s second letter, he’s dealing with the apparent delay in Jesus’ return and the response of certain critics who wonder out loud, “Just where is this coming that you speak of?” And Peter responds with a reminder that God’s sense of time is not like ours. He says: But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness (2 Peter 3:8-9).
Over and over again we get the idea that our concept of time and God’s concept of time are not the same. Sometimes that’s bad. We want God to deliver on a promise or answer a prayer or take care of a need or rescue us from something. And what must be a brief time to him feels like an eternity to us. Sometimes it appears to work in our favor. God exerts little or not effort to show the small amount of patience with us. That patience translates into an entire lifetime for us.
When it comes to today’s passage I’ll gladly take God’s understanding of time over ours. Jesus says that he has come “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:19). Now that could mean one of our years. In which case, God’s favor lasted 365 days and was exhausted around the year 32 A.D. Or a year in this context could mean one of God’s years which, to us, is ongoing and almost limitless. Fortunately, I believe Jesus is talking about one of God’s years.
And that’s the good news for this morning. You and I are so lucky, so very blessed, to be living in the year of the Lord’s favor. Let’s not let it (or our whole lives) pass us by. Let’s enjoy it today as we worship together.
Free Eye Exam
Camp is coming soon!
Just wanted to say that. It seems far away right now, but it’s not really. In fact, I’m going to be coming after you very soon, wanting you to sign away a week of your life in July. I will not be turned away. You will not be able to refuse my call to make a difference in the life of a kid. In fact, when I ask you to volunteer your services I am going to have one of the wonderful kids of our congregation with me. Then, if you’re tempted to say no, I’ll say, “Don’t look at me! Look at them as you say no.” (Oh yeah. I’ll do it.)
Actually I was thinking about camp as I was preparing for this morning’s lesson. Right next to Camp Idlewild is the Sky Anchor Ranch. There, right beside the driveway that leads to Idlewild is Sky Anchor’s disabilities course, a series of stations designed to emulate life with a variety of disabilities. Campers for our session got to go through it last summer. They tried to throw a shot put from a seated position. They had to trace a picture by looking in a mirror (like dyslexia).
The most popular activities were the blind folded maze and the blind BB gun shoot. Campers had to navigate the maze with a walking stick. They had to shoot the gun with the help of a laser sight and voice commands from their partner.
At each station, the campers learned what life would be like if they didn’t have one of the senses that they (we) take so much for granted. I pray that I never have to adapt to something so drastic, but there’s a decent possibility that some day I will. Some day, if I live long enough, I may very well have to learn how to live without some ability that I once had.
This morning we’re going to read about the opposite kind of process. Jesus declares in Luke 4 that part of his mission on Earth is to enable rather than disable. He says, “I have come to give recovery of sight to the blind.” In most cases that sounds like good news, particularly when Jesus give someone physical sight. But as you and I will see (no pun intended), it’s not always an easy process to gain our spiritual sight. Sometimes it’s a little painful when we get clarity about who we are.
This morning, I hope you’ll be courageous. I hope you are willing to try and see yourself as God sees you. There’s good and bad news there. I’ll be sharing both.
Prison Break
I sometimes have a recurring dream. It usually comes back to me when I’m feeling pressure or anxiety about something that I have to do. Maybe I’m facing a deadline, or I’m feeling overwhelmed so I’m not feeling up to the task at hand. There are different variations, but all of them share a couple of elements.
First, I have somewhere that I’m supposed to be. When I was in college and graduate school, I was supposed to be taking an exam somewhere. But now I often feel like I’m supposed to be preaching. And, usually I’m somehow aware that the audience/congregation is waiting for me. The last song has been sung. The songleader has told the audience, “You may be seated.” And now there is this awkward silence punctuated by the occasional cough or squeal of a child. People are looking around and wondering where I am, some in amusement, others in anger.
Second, for whatever reason, I can’t get there. It’s often because I keep finding myself distracted by other, urgent tasks. A person runs up and begins talking to me. I can’t find my notes. Sometimes I simply can’t find the place where I’m supposed to be speaking.
And that right there is the entire dream. I spend who knows how long trying to get this place where I’m supposed to be so that I can perform this task that I’m supposed to perform. And all the while I am completely in capable of making it. I can’t believe I don’t kick my poor wife senseless just running in place lying down. Finally, as I wake up my panic is washed away in flood of relief as I realize that it was just a dream.
Of all the dreams, though, the worst ones are the ones where I am physically slowed down somehow. I know I need to hurry, but I can’t. It’s like I’m walking in molasses, or it’s like I’ve been drugged. Sometimes I’ll be unable to open my eyes properly. These dreams are maddening. As the feeling of panic rises, my inability to make my body work increases. I HATE having these dreams. I feel so trapped.
But what would it be like if, in the midst of that dream, I were to find myself able to move quickly? What if my arms and legs were suddenly infused with energy? What if my eyes were suddenly wide open and I could see everything clearly? What a liberating ending that would be to my dream.
I would hope that these dreams are the closest I will ever come to being imprisoned. But I do know this—whenever I wake up, I feel truly free. I feel as if someone has just sprung me from jail.
Maybe your life feels that way today. Maybe you are somehow feeling trapped. Trapped by decisions you have made, trapped by bad things that have happened to you, trapped by weaknesses that you have. Maybe you have somewhere you would like to go or something you would like to be, but you feel like you can’t get there.
The good news for this morning is Jesus’ mission statement in Luke 4. Jesus has been sent to “proclaim freedom for the prisoner” and to “release the oppressed.” Jesus can set us free. We’ll talk about it this morning.
Plenty To Go Around
For this week’s article, I thought that I’d remind you of something that happened to Rachel and me when we were in Bucharest, Romania one summer. While visiting a nearby pool with some kids from church, someone decided to steal our backpack. We found it in the men’s bathroom. They had taken a good deal of money, Rachel’s glasses, and our passports.
The most difficult and most essential items to replace were our passports. They served as identification wherever we went. They contained our visas. Without them, we had no proof that we were in the country legally. More importantly, we would be unable to leave without a replacement.
While our passports were easily replaced by a quick trip to the American embassy, our Romanian visas were another matter. Imagine a nightmare trip to the DMV where, every time you reach the front of the line, you’re told that you don’t have what you’re supposed to have and where every clerk is telling you that you need something different. Now throw in a language barrier.
Finally, add to all of that the lack of true lines. People didn’t queue up. Instead, they formed a swirling mob of humanity with a general sense of where the front was. It soon became clear that if we didn’t push our way to the front like everyone else, we’d sit at the back all day. So, rather than waiting patiently in a line, we spent a couple of hours jockeying for position and carefully guarding the ground we had gained.
When we finally arrived at the front, our clerk had trouble understanding our English over all of the noise, so she motioned us down two windows. Simple enough, right? Only, it wasn’t at all simple to the gentleman next to us, who thought we were trying to break in front of him. He grabbed me by the shoulders and began yelling at me in French. Just as I was thinking, “Hmm, this is not at all the way I expected to meet Jesus,” the “gentle”man saw the clerk waving for us and let me go.
I’ve never been in a room with so many desperate people. Pretty scary. There was never a moment where I felt like I could relax. And I think it was because everyone in the room (myself included) had a very acute sense of scarcity. There wasn’t enough space in the room. There wasn’t enough time for everyone. There weren’t enough employees. Scarcity makes people anxious.
Abundance is just the opposite. Abundance helps people remain calm. That’s why you and I can usually do OK standing in lines. We have this sense that, as long as we wait patiently, we’ll eventually get the attention we want. And we usually do.
Part of Jesus’ Good News in Luke 4 is to remind us that there is abundance. There’s plenty of God’s love and purpose. There’s enough for all of us. That’s why he’s preaching good news to the poor. How’s it work? We’ll talk about it this morning.
Anointed
“A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder—a waif, a nothing, a no man. Have a purpose in life, and, having it, throw such strength of mind and muscle into your work as God has given you.”
Thomas Carlyle
I recently read about a man who began all of his conversations with new acquaintances by asking this question: “What have you done that you believe in and you are proud of?” Not, “Where are you from?” Not, “What do you do for a living?” Not, “Are you married?” Instead, he would ask them about their top priorities.
Since most people were accustomed to more surface-y type “get-to-know-you” questions, this would often catch them off guard. They would find themselves having to really think about the things that matter most to them. It was especially disconcerting for those who were unsure of their answer to that question, those who were no longer able to see the larger meaning in the work they did.
But this was a rare occurrence. Most people found that, with some careful reflection, they could point to the things in their life that were significant. There was no need for those things to be grandiose. Most people found simple answers:
- “I am a parent to my children.”
- “I build furniture.”
- “I own a small business and I do a good job.”
And the man didn’t feel it necessary to judge the answers. He was more interested in engaging people with the question: What matters most to me? So what about you? What would you say if someone were to ask you that very question this morning? Take a moment and think about it. It doesn’t have to be earth shattering. It just needs to be something that you care about. “What are you doing that you believe in?” Try thinking about right now…
Any luck? I hope so. Not so that you can pass some test this morning, but because I want you to be driven by something that matters to you. Also, it might come in handy during today’s worship. That’s a bonus freebie for those of you who take time to read the bulletin article. You’ve got a head start on the others. This morning we’re going to hear what Jesus’ answer to that question would have been. In his Gospel, Luke tells of a trip to his hometown where Jesus, fresh off a vision quest journey into the wilderness, shares his mission with the folks at the synagogue. It’s a stirring one—one that I hope we can adopt in our own way here at Norfolk Church of Christ.
Reality Bites
There once was a golfer who was experiencing a terrible slump. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t seem to get his game back. He put in extra time at the driving range; he tried golf lessons. Nothing worked. Finally he heard about a psychiatrist in town who specialized in treating golfers and, thinking he had nothing else to lose, he made an appointment.
At his first visit, the psychiatrist made a radical suggestion. “I want you to go play a round of golf this weekend,” he said. “But this time I want you to use an imaginary ball. And I want you to see yourself returning to form. I want you to play one of the best games you’ve ever played, only do so in your mind.”
The golfer was desperate enough, so he determined to give it a try the next time he hit the links. It went splendidly. By the time he reached the 18th hole, he was 2 under par and headed for his best round ever. As luck would have it, the player in front of him was also playing without a ball. Turns out he had also gone to see the same psychiatrist. Since both of them were “playing” well, they agreed to play their final hole together and place a friendly wager on it.
The first golfer swung at his imaginary ball and announced that it had gone 280 yards right down the middle of the fairway. The second golfer matched his drive. The first fellow then took out his 5-iron and after swinging at his imaginary ball, he exclaimed, "Look at that shot! It went right over the pin and the reverse spin on it brought it right back into the hole! I win." "No you don't," said the second golfer. "You hit my ball."
What’s the moral of the story? It’s much easier to live by your own rules if you don’t have to face reality.
This morning we’re going hear the story of a man who’s convinced he has all the answers until he is confronted by reality. More precisely, he’s confronted by the real Jesus. And in a strange twist, this is the only instance we know of when a man is struck blind by Jesus. But then again, this all happens so that he can regain his sight later on. It all happens so that he can say the same thing as the man in our theme verse: “…One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"
My prayer for you today is not that you be struck blind, but that you encounter a living and very real Jesus Christ.
Stay Close
- Let all the study of our heart be from now on to have our meditation fixed wholly on the life of Christ…
- How great a vanity it also is to desire a long life and to care little for a good life…
- Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.
--Thomas à Kempis,
The Imitation of Christ
Some time, in the late 1300’s a young German named Thomas Haemerken, the son of a blacksmith, joined a religious group devoted to a simple proposition. They were “simply determined as nearly as possible to live their lives in imitation of the lives of the early Christians.” This group called themselves the “Brothers of the Common Life.” They did not ask for alms. Instead, they sought occupations in order to feed themselves. They were critical of the lavish lifestyle of the clergy of their day. They were dedicated to learning and teaching others about the way of Christ.
All of this happened during a time of great turbulence. Europe was steeped in various conflicts between church and state. Rulers of different countries across the continent vied with the popes of the 12th and 13th centuries for power. In the midst of this, the Brothers of the Common Life called for a return to a simple life of learning and devotion. They sought to abandon quests for power and riches in exchange for a simple Christian life.
On of the byproducts of that quest is The Imitation of Christ one of the most widely read pieces of devotional literature ever written. It has been published numerous times and in countless languages. It features the statements quoted above.
My question for this morning is this: What would happen if we were to follow in à Kempis’ footsteps? What would happen if we were to renew our devotion to following and imitating Christ, even if just for 2008? What would we discover about ourselves? What would we change about ourselves in an effort to be more like Him? How would our priorities change? What would we be passionate about? What things would this congregation start doing? What things might we decide to stop?
I don’t know the answer to any of those questions. But if we are going to Change Lives Through Jesus, I can’t think of a better way to start the year than by renewing our commitments as followers of Jesus. This morning begins that renewal. For the next few months we are going to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. We will watch and learn. Who knows how we will be changed. It is our job only to be his followers.
Challenge Sunday
How about a little word trivia to get your day started? (Cause I’m sure you woke up this morning worrying that you might not be getting your Recommended Daily Allowance.)
Have you ever heard someone say that they are going to “throw down the gauntlet?� It’s an expression meaning “to issue a challenge.� Do you know where it comes from? According to my friends at Wikipedia, gauntlets are gloves that extend past the wrist and cover some or all of the forearm. These days they are decorational rather functional. But they were created to protect a person’s hand and arms during hand to hand combat. They were constructed of various materials—leather, chain mail, or even armor.
A knight who wished to challenge someone to a duel would take one of his gauntlets and throw it to the ground before his opponent. If his rival wished to accept the challenge, he would pick it up.
This is not to be confused with “running the gantlet/gauntlet.� (The spellings are so prominently interchangeable, either is now acceptable.) Running the gantlet refers to a form of execution practiced by various cultures throughout history, including the Roman legions and Iroquois Indians. People armed with sticks and clubs form two lines facing each other. The convicted person is then forced to walk the “alley� between the lines, receiving blows from those on either side.
Finally, there’s the expression “kid gloves.� Here it is in a sentence: “Due to his fragile state, we’re treating him with kid gloves.� Kid gloves are ultra soft gloves made from lamb skin or the skin of a baby goat, or kid. To treat someone with kid gloves is to go out of your way to be gentle with them.
So what does all of this have to do with today’s activities? Today is Challenge Sunday, the day where we introduce our theme for the year in some detail. One of our elders, Mike Roman, and I will be sharing our hopes for this year as it pertains to our theme: “Changing Lives Through Jesus.�
So here’s my promise to you: Today, Mike and I are going to throw down the gauntlet. We are going to be challenging you in 2008 to allow your lives to be changed for the better by Jesus Christ. This challenge is not to be taking lightly. We will not be treating you with kid gloves. At the same time, we have confidence in you. What we’re asking is not impossible. We are not asking you to run the gauntlet. I hope you are as excited as I am about being transformed more into the type of person God is calling you to be.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take a nap. All of those verbal gymnastics wore me out.
One Thing I Do Know
Welcome to 2008!
I’ve pointed this out before, and I’ll surely point it out again. The vast majority of scripture is what you and I would call narrative, or “story.� There’s Genesis, with its story about the lives of the patriarchs and there’s Exodus’ story of the escape from Egypt and journey to the promised land. Then there are the stories of the Judges. (As a child, I discovered that they were good to have around whenever the sermon was boring.) There are also the stories of the Kingdom of Israel. There are the stories of the exile and return in books like Nehemiah. There are the first four books of the New Testament, the Gospels. They are the story of Jesus’ life, ministry, death and resurrection. Finally, there are the Acts of the early church.
So what should we make of this fact? How shall we interpret the fact that God has chosen “story� to communicate so much to us? My guess is that he knows how compelling a good story can be. Stories keep our attention in a way that essays rarely do. We find ourselves being concerned by what’s happening to the people. We are made nervous by the conflict. We experience fear or sadness. We are relieved when there is some sort of resolution. I get emotionally involved in a story. All this year, you will be hearing about our theme, “Changing Lives Through Jesus.� I plan on having a lot to say about that. After all, it’s not just our theme for the year, it’s also the professed mission of this church. There is a great deal of scripture describing how one’s life may be changed by Jesus.
But one of the things I plan frequently to do is tell stories. Mainly because there are so many great stories in which someone meets Jesus and comes away changed. In scripture, people who meet Jesus are not the same when they walk away. Here’s another thing I want. I want to be hearing your stories. How has Jesus changed your life? As we’ll see from the story we’re going to hear this morning, the proof for Jesus is in the proverbial pudding. We can sit around and debate Christian evidences all day long—trying to prove God through philosophy. But, for proof of God’s power, the best place to look is not in a philosophy book but in the stories of those whom he has changed. This will be important for us. Before we can expect to change any one else’s life, we have to recognize how our own life has been changed by Jesus. That’s a crucial step. I hope that you’ll begin to work through your own story—a story that is unfolding even as you sit there.
Today you will here from one man who was changed by Jesus. A man who, when asked about Jesus’ identity replied this way: “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.�