September 21, 2008
By Pastor Laura Gentry
Jonah 3:10-4:11
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.... But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. He prayed to the LORD and said, "O LORD! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live." And the LORD said, "Is it right for you to be angry?" Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city. The LORD God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, "It is better for me to die than to live." But God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?" And he said, "Yes, angry enough to die." Then the LORD said, "You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?" (NRSV)
From time to time, I have been accused of having a flair for the dramatic. I have no idea how this could be but that’s what they say. Because of this, I can certainly relate to the Biblical character of Jonah. More than anything else, he seems to have a flair for the dramatic—in a way that would put my dramatic antics to shame.
In today’s passage, we hear how Jonah’s big mission is accomplished: the Ninevites turn from their wicked ways and repent, but that's not good news to Jonah. He spitefully says, “O Lord! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. And now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Better to die than to live just because God wants to forgive a repentant city? Scholars tell us that Jonah's not just being dramatic in asking for death; he is saying that he believes he has participated in an act of injustice and is worthy of the death sentence. It is not fair that this horrible city should be spared from punishment. Simply not fair!
And then when Jonah’s beloved little bush dies at the teeth of a worm appointed by the Lord and he again wails out: “It is better for me to die than to live!” Hey, my house plants die all the time and you don’t see me going around shouting: “It is better for me to die than to live!” And God responds to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?” Jonah answers, “Yes, angry enough to die.” I want to die! I want to die!
How easy it is to look at Jonah and think what a ridiculous, overly dramatic prophet he was and just laugh. How hard it is to see ourselves in Jonah—to see how we too, would rather God NOT have mercy on just any old body. We wish God’s mercy was more selective. We want to think that we who deserve it are more loved by God.
That's Jonah's mistake. He is a sinner—he has been given God's mercy. He has been saved by the grace of God, but he appears to have totally forgotten that. So when God tells him that he is called to be a prophet and he must go and tell the Ninevites to repent or be destroyed, he protests. Now Ninevah is a nasty city. There are all kinds of immoral and despicable things going on there. But Jonah knows that God is merciful—so that is his first excuse out of his mouth. Oh no, God, you are merciful and you'll probably forgive those terrible Ninevites. So I don’t want to go. I'm not going to tell them to repent because I don't want them getting any of your mercy. I want to be your favorite, not them!
And of course, that's just what God does in the end. God's mercy spreads over all those undeserving people when they repent and it gripes Jonah so much that he actually wants to die because it is so grossly unfair!
And that's the same thing that the workers in the vineyard cry in our Gospel text for today. They show up and they work hard all day long in the hot sun and then some Johnny-come-latelies show up at the very end of the day and yet the master pays them all for a full day of work anyway! Shouldn’t the ones who worked all day get paid more? Not fair!
This kind of thing happens in congregational life all the time. First of all, you have the loyal churchgoers who have been faithful to their congregation and faithful to God for years—they’ve served on council, taught Sunday School, volunteered to help with all kinds of tasks, made jello for countless potlucks and the list goes on and on. And then when newcomers enter the picture, the pastor often welcomes them right on in. Other parishioners welcome them, too. Sometimes, they even get into church leadership positions in their first year or two! And then those faithful folks who have been there forever can get bent out of shape about it. This is OUR church, they protest. How dare these new people come in and take over? How dare they enjoy the same benefits of this Christian community that we do? That's not fair!
Fairness, yes this is the big question that these two scripture lessons bring up for us. How in the world are we going to cope with a God who chooses to be more merciful than fair? There’s no getting around it because that is who God is and who God will continue to be. God is endlessly full of grace and mercy and for reasons we’ll never comprehend, God wants to bestow this grace and mercy on all humankind—not just us. Puzzling, isn’t it?
But God works out this unfairness in a pretty amazing way. Let me tell you a a story. An elderly woman once told me about growing up the oldest of four children. “My mother was always very fair,” she said. “She didn't play favorites. We always knew that we could count on her to be fair. But my father—well, that was another story. The truth is, I grew up secure in the knowledge that I was ‘Daddy's favorite.’ I was the oldest, after all, and the only girl until my sister came along when I was thirteen. I figured it wasn't hurting anybody; my father loved all his children, and probably they never even knew that I was his favorite. But I knew—and that was enough for me.”
“But then one day," she continued, “after I was grown and married and a mother myself, I fell into conversation with my brothers and sisters, and I was surprised and a little bemused to learn that each of them had also grown up with that same unspoken conviction. Each of us had always felt sure that he or she was ‘Daddy's favorite.’ How my father accomplished that, I'll never know!”
In the Lord’s prayer, we pray, “thy kingdom come.” We say we want God’s reign to come here on earth, but in our hearts, do we really want it? What if God's kingdom is not about competition? What if “fair” isn't even a word that can be used in God's kingdom, because in that kingdom each and every one of us is “God’s favorite child”? What if everybody gets the best seat in God's kingdom because we all get the place that is prepared especially for us? What if the kingdom is a place where we don't get what we deserve (which is a good thing), but rather what our loving Father wants to give us? What if God's infinite love and grace and mercy is poured out on each of us and no matter how much everybody else gets, there is still plenty for me? If that is the case, we can’t be likeJonah—protesting God’s unfairness, now can we?
This is the kind of kingdom for which we pray, “thy kingdom come,” and so like Jonah, it is up to us to help make it happen—to proclaim the wideness of God’s mercy to all people and to zealously welcome newcomers regardless of how worthy they appear to us! It is up to us to forgive others their sins, realizing we have all been forgiven by God. It’s up to us to stop worrying about whether or not we are getting our fair share and, instead, recognize each of our brothers and sisters as God's favorite child, too. We must make ourselves available to be the instruments of God's love to these other children of God. We must open our ears to God and be willing to act upon what we hear. That is what will make God’s wonderful kingdom come here on earth.
Indeed, the story of Jonah teaches us that God’s favoritism includes everyone and we are not to begrudge God of giving that grace and mercy to all people. In fact, we cannot stand in the way, no matter how much of a flair for the dramatic we may possess. And not only are we not to stand in the way, we are called to help God’s kingdom come.
Psalm 40 verse one says: “You have put a new song in my heart! Many will see it and fear and will trust in the Lord.” This day, God is singing to you. There is a new song in your heart—a song of grace and freedom, a song of love that was given to you by our Savior Jesus Christ: You are God’s favorite child...and, remarkably, so is everyone else! Therefore, we simply must proclaim this good news to everyone—and stop keeping it under wraps!
Let us pray:
Oh help us Holy God. May your kingdom of love and mercy come to our earth. Help us to kick our Jonah-like pride and recognize that we do not deserve your love more than anyone else. In humility, help us to freely share your mercy with others that you may be worshipped in all the earth. Through your son, our savior we pray. Amen.
© 2008 Laura Gentry
Showing posts with label grace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grace. Show all posts
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Sunday, June 10, 2007
A GRACE-FILLED LIFE
A Sermon for The Second Sunday after Pentecost
June 10, 2007
by Pastor Laura Gentry
Luke 7:11-17
Soon afterwards he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, rise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen among us!” and “God has looked favorably on his people!” This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country. (NRSV)
Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Before this scene in our gospel lesson from Luke, Jesus has healed a highly valued slave of a centurion. But it is the faith of the centurion himself that is most impressive. He believes if Jesus just says the word, his servant will be healed. And sure enough, he was right. Jesus says, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” (Luke 7:9)
Now, Jesus arrives in the town of Nain. As he enters the gates, Jesus notices a funeral procession leaving the town. They are carrying out a dead man. He is the only son of a mother who has already been widowed. Now she has no men to protect her and provide for her financial well-being, as these were the rules of her patriarchal culture. The scripture doesn’t tell us just how devastated this woman is, but given her circumstances, we can be sure she is immeasurably grieved.
A pastor friend of mine officiated at a funeral of a baby that was stillborn. The child’s mother knew from early in her pregnancy that the child would not live, but still she carried the baby for many more months, hoping for a miracle. Alas, when delivery time came, her child emerged into the world fully formed, beautiful, but not alive. At the graveside service, the tiny casket was placed into the hole in the earth because it was too small to sit on top like they do with adult-sized caskets. The mother was so overwhelmed with grief, that she jumped into the hole to embrace the casket of her tiny child once more. It was a devastating moment for everyone. Sometimes grief is just too horrible to even witness.
So it must have been for the mother of this adult child in Nain. Then, along comes Jesus. He sees the mother’s intense grief and he says to her, “Do not weep.” How can she not weep? It almost seems like he is mocking her pain.
But then he moves toward the dead body and he says, “Young man, I say to you, rise!” (Luke 7:14) The dead man sits up and begins to speak. Resurrection! Before everyone’s eyes.
I have always wanted to witness something like that, haven’t you? I remember when I was a child, one of the first visitations I went to was for an elderly woman named Mrs. Zurcher. She was a dear friend of our family. I was somewhere around third grade when she died and as I stood before her casket, I just could not believe Mrs. Zurcher was gone. She looked so lifelike. I was absolutely determined that if I watched closely enough, I would see her chest rise and fall. I kept a close eye on her throughout the time we were at the visitation because I had concocted an elaborate fantasy that she would suddenly open her eyes and begin to speak to us, saying something like, “Oh for Pete’s sake, dry your eyes everyone! I’m not dead anymore.”
Knowing how much I wanted Mrs. Zurcher to reawaken from her slumber of death, I have a sense of how relieved and amazed the people of Nain must have been when the man was resurrected. How surprising! How amazing! What a miracle! I don’t even think they could have put into words what they were feeling in that moment.
Let’s think for a moment how different this healing story is from the one just before it. In that instance, the centurion dazzled Jesus with his great faith in his request to have the servant healed of his illness. Here, the woman is minding her own business, going along with the funeral procession of her son. She doesn’t ask Jesus to heal him, she doesn’t demonstrate any faith. We don’t even know if she harbors the hope of her son waking up as I did with Mrs. Zurcher. Maybe she’d like Jesus’ help very much but she doesn’t feel worthy to ask for it. We have no idea what was going on in her head. All we know is that her only son has died and she is weeping.
Unlike the centurion, the mother has demonstrated no faith—at least none that the gospel writer saw fit to mention. And when her son is raised, there is no report that she even thanked him.
So, it doesn’t seem to me that this story is about faith. It doesn’t even seem to be about gratitude, though both of these things are wonderful. No, I think what Luke is trying to teach us by including this miracle story is that our God, as demonstrated by Jesus Christ, is a God of grace. Grace—the unearned, unwarranted, unbelievably lavished-upon-us love of God—comes to us not because we are faith-filled or particularly thankful but because God is good, because God simply wants to love us. The resurrection in the story doesn't happen because of a mother's strong belief. It happens because Jesus has compassion for her. This story is not about the woman or her son, but about the amazing compassion and grace Jesus offers. The point is that when grace comes into our lives, it requires nothing of us but to receive it.
How have you experienced grace? In my years in ministry, I have heard some pretty remarkable grace stories. Some people have beat cancer or other life-threatening illnesses. Others have even been pronounced dead and seen the light and heard God’s voice and then been brought back to life—to have a second chance. Some people have come out of a deep depression to find joy and wholeness. Some have found reconciliation in a relationship they thought was entirely over. Still others have found the strength to move on with their lives after a tragic loss. And a great many haven’t had anything dramatic happen, but they have experienced the grace of knowing Christ as a Savior who walks with them throughout their lives.
You see, this story teaches us that God’s grace is all around us at each and every moment. That we are alive is itself a miracle, a gift of God. We cannot do anything to make God love us any less because God is just that loving. God is a God who zealously seeks out and snatches up the lost sheep. And so grace is not just some abstract concept, some idea we like to toy around with in the church. It is a concrete reality. It brings life out of death. It brings hope to the hopeless. It forgives the unforgivable. It promises us eternal life with God. And it has to power to so transform us, that we can offer grace to others as a natural outpouring of the delightful grace in our own hearts.
In this season of Pentecost, we focus upon the Holy Spirit—how it is at work within our lives and how it seeks to develop deeper, more substantial faith in us. And today, as we witness the miracle of grace in our gospel story and we are invited to ponder anew the amazing power of grace at work in us. How is grace working in and among us? How completely loved do you feel? And how does this grace compel you to take bold and loving action in the world? May these questions draw us to an even more grace-filled life. Amen.
© Laura E. Gentry 2007
Sunday, March 25, 2007
PRESS ON
A Sermon for the Fifth Sunday in Lent
March 25, 2007
by Pastor Laura Gentry
Philippians 3:4b-14
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circum-cised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (New Revised Standard Version)
Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In this morning’s second lesson is an excerpt of Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi. Things have been going well there. Their church is growing steadily, both men and women are involved in leadership, and their stewardship is going well. The church has plenty of money. But all is not well. Believe it or not, this congregation has issues within and without. Inside the congregation, there is petty fighting, jealousy and cliques forming. Outside the congregation, Jewish neighbors are looking down on these new converts to the faith and believing themselves superior because they follow all the Jewish laws and rituals.
Good old Paul to the rescue! He writes to the Christians in Philippi to help them deal with all of these issues. He sees that they are having some pride trouble—that they are getting all puffed up about themselves and therefore missing the point. So Paul uses himself as an object lesson. He recites all of of his pedigree, as if putting together his religious resume. He was born a Jew and his family followed all the rules and had him circumcised on the 8th day, just like you’re supposed to. Not only that, he is an elite purebred Hebrew. Not only that, his family comes from the Tribe of Benjamin! He’s virtually religious royalty. That ought to impress. But that’s just the start. He’s got the right education and behavior as well. He recalls how zealous he was, how righteous and blameless under the law. In fact, all these things had Paul pretty puffed up (like this paper bag I’m blowing up).
But Paul had a dramatic religious experience in which he encountered Jesus Christ and all of that changed. All of his confidence in himself, in his fabulous religious resume and pedigree became unimportant. In fact, he says that he counts it all a loss because of Christ. He counts his own accomplishments as nothing more than trash (pops paper bag), compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ. It is just not important in comparison to what Christ has done for us on the cross. It is garbage now. What matters is his new life in Jesus.
And this relationship turns Paul completely around. In fact, he even gets a new name. This radical encounter with the living Christ turns him from persecutor of Christians to the first and perhaps boldest Christian missionary. Now, because Christ has taken hold of him, he has all new priorities.
Bulking up your religious resume has not benefit, he tells the Christians at Phillipi. Getting puffed up and thinking you are somehow better than this person or that only leads to conflict. What is most important is knowing Christ. Paul puts it in this way: “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings.”
During Holy Week, which begins next Sunday we will be focusing on Jesus’ passion and death, and that is a necessary part of our journey to Easter. But even in the heart of Lent, we must not lose sight of the fact that we are Easter people. It has been said, truly, that you can’t have Easter without Good Friday. But Good Friday wouldn’t be “good” if it weren’t for Easter. If Jesus had simply suffered and died, and that was the end of the story, why would we want to share in his suffering? In fact, if we were putting our trust in a Christ who was not raised from the dead, we would be, as Paul tells us in another passage, “of all people most to be pitied.”
But just what does Paul mean to “share in his sufferings?” What does this mean for us? Suffering is not something we generally sign up for. Perhaps this Lent we have been practicing some kind of “fasting”: in the kinds or quantities of food we eat, or in our enjoyment of some other pleasures. Or perhaps we have chosen instead to take on some spiritual discipline for this holy season—like more time for prayer. This is a very small way to share in Christ’s suffering, to become like him in his death. Perhaps we need simply to “die” a little more to ourselves—to focus on others and not just on our own concerns and the concerns of those near and dear to us. Jesus said that whatever we do to the least of his brothers and sisters we do to, or for, him. How might we enter into the suffering of those brothers and sisters—the sick, the poor, the homeless or hungry, those who are alone, who are oppressed? It’s not too late to make that a part of our Lenten practice. In fact, we can and should do it anytime, no matter what the season.
Our reading concludes with one more passionate remark from Paul. He writes: “This one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”
I press on! What lies behind is unimportant. We can’t impress God with our fabulous religious resumes. They are trash. What we need is Christ’s resume. We need the one who paid the price for our sins to earn God’s favor for us. We have a friend in Jesus who has redeemed us, and who is calling us, who is calling us to enter into his suffering, death and resurrection. That is the ultimate prize! And it is ours for the taking. So we must press on!
Eugene Peterson has written a paraphrased bible, called The Message. In it, he paraphrases this verse by saying: “I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”
No my friends, we’re not turning back. We know Christ and in our heart of hearts we want to know him more. We want to love him. We want to be entirely his own. Let us press on to follow his call wherever it lead us!
Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
© Laura E. Gentry 2007
March 25, 2007
by Pastor Laura Gentry
Philippians 3:4b-14
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circum-cised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (New Revised Standard Version)
Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In this morning’s second lesson is an excerpt of Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi. Things have been going well there. Their church is growing steadily, both men and women are involved in leadership, and their stewardship is going well. The church has plenty of money. But all is not well. Believe it or not, this congregation has issues within and without. Inside the congregation, there is petty fighting, jealousy and cliques forming. Outside the congregation, Jewish neighbors are looking down on these new converts to the faith and believing themselves superior because they follow all the Jewish laws and rituals.
Good old Paul to the rescue! He writes to the Christians in Philippi to help them deal with all of these issues. He sees that they are having some pride trouble—that they are getting all puffed up about themselves and therefore missing the point. So Paul uses himself as an object lesson. He recites all of of his pedigree, as if putting together his religious resume. He was born a Jew and his family followed all the rules and had him circumcised on the 8th day, just like you’re supposed to. Not only that, he is an elite purebred Hebrew. Not only that, his family comes from the Tribe of Benjamin! He’s virtually religious royalty. That ought to impress. But that’s just the start. He’s got the right education and behavior as well. He recalls how zealous he was, how righteous and blameless under the law. In fact, all these things had Paul pretty puffed up (like this paper bag I’m blowing up).
But Paul had a dramatic religious experience in which he encountered Jesus Christ and all of that changed. All of his confidence in himself, in his fabulous religious resume and pedigree became unimportant. In fact, he says that he counts it all a loss because of Christ. He counts his own accomplishments as nothing more than trash (pops paper bag), compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ. It is just not important in comparison to what Christ has done for us on the cross. It is garbage now. What matters is his new life in Jesus.
And this relationship turns Paul completely around. In fact, he even gets a new name. This radical encounter with the living Christ turns him from persecutor of Christians to the first and perhaps boldest Christian missionary. Now, because Christ has taken hold of him, he has all new priorities.
Bulking up your religious resume has not benefit, he tells the Christians at Phillipi. Getting puffed up and thinking you are somehow better than this person or that only leads to conflict. What is most important is knowing Christ. Paul puts it in this way: “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings.”
During Holy Week, which begins next Sunday we will be focusing on Jesus’ passion and death, and that is a necessary part of our journey to Easter. But even in the heart of Lent, we must not lose sight of the fact that we are Easter people. It has been said, truly, that you can’t have Easter without Good Friday. But Good Friday wouldn’t be “good” if it weren’t for Easter. If Jesus had simply suffered and died, and that was the end of the story, why would we want to share in his suffering? In fact, if we were putting our trust in a Christ who was not raised from the dead, we would be, as Paul tells us in another passage, “of all people most to be pitied.”
But just what does Paul mean to “share in his sufferings?” What does this mean for us? Suffering is not something we generally sign up for. Perhaps this Lent we have been practicing some kind of “fasting”: in the kinds or quantities of food we eat, or in our enjoyment of some other pleasures. Or perhaps we have chosen instead to take on some spiritual discipline for this holy season—like more time for prayer. This is a very small way to share in Christ’s suffering, to become like him in his death. Perhaps we need simply to “die” a little more to ourselves—to focus on others and not just on our own concerns and the concerns of those near and dear to us. Jesus said that whatever we do to the least of his brothers and sisters we do to, or for, him. How might we enter into the suffering of those brothers and sisters—the sick, the poor, the homeless or hungry, those who are alone, who are oppressed? It’s not too late to make that a part of our Lenten practice. In fact, we can and should do it anytime, no matter what the season.
Our reading concludes with one more passionate remark from Paul. He writes: “This one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”
I press on! What lies behind is unimportant. We can’t impress God with our fabulous religious resumes. They are trash. What we need is Christ’s resume. We need the one who paid the price for our sins to earn God’s favor for us. We have a friend in Jesus who has redeemed us, and who is calling us, who is calling us to enter into his suffering, death and resurrection. That is the ultimate prize! And it is ours for the taking. So we must press on!
Eugene Peterson has written a paraphrased bible, called The Message. In it, he paraphrases this verse by saying: “I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”
No my friends, we’re not turning back. We know Christ and in our heart of hearts we want to know him more. We want to love him. We want to be entirely his own. Let us press on to follow his call wherever it lead us!
Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
© Laura E. Gentry 2007
Sunday, March 11, 2007
ARE YOU THIRSTY?
A Sermon for the Third Sunday in Lent
March 11, 2007
by Pastor Laura Gentry
Isaiah 55:1-9
Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (New Revised Standard Version)
Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Are you thirsty?
As a nation, it seems that we are. Americans drank more than 23 gallons of bottled water per person in 2004 — about 10 times as much as in 1980. And we drank more than twice as much high fructose corn syrup per person as in 1980.
But that’s not the end of our thirst. We’re thirsty for all kinds of things. We are thirsty for more things and bigger houses. The Census Bureau found that the average floor space in new single-family homes has expanded to 2,227 square feet in 2005 from 1,905 square feet in 1990.
And we’re really thirsty for entertainment. Last year, Americans spent more of their lives than ever—about eight-and-a-half hours a day—watching television, using computers, listening to the radio, going to the movies or reading. For this year, 2007, the average adult is projected to spend 65 days in front of the TV; 41 days listening to the radio; a little over a week on the Internet; a week reading a daily newspaper; and another week listening to recorded music.
A recent survey found 65 percent of respondents spend more time with their computer than they do with their spouses or significant others. That’s not surprising given the infinite amount of things to do on-line: shopping, researching, playing games, selling stuff, meeting people and even caring for virtual pets! That’s right, one of the top twenty most visited websites is called neopet.com. There, you can “adopt” a virtual “neopet” and then feed it, groom it, play with it, take it to the vet, have it send e-mail to other pets, and even have it adopt a virtual pet of it’s own—a pet’s pet (isn’t that what everyone needs?) Right now, there are 199 million neopets out there using up people’s time and energy!
While buying things and being entertained aren’t in themselves bad, they do reveal the desperate thirst that we have to fill our lives with something—anything. “The demand for information and entertainment seems almost insatiable,” says James P. Rutherfurd, executive vice president of a media investment firm that did research for the Census Bureau.
“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters,” says the prophet Isaiah in today’s first lesson. “Ho!” he begins, and not in a Santa sort of way. It is an interjection to grab our attention. Ho! Sit up and take note, this is urgent—extremely urgent! He’s speaking to a thirsty ancient audience who needs to hear from God because they’ve been living in exile. And at the same time, he speaks to us today—to our terribly thirsty, postmodern, almost insatiable, media-dominated, digital world. He cries out to us: “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” You can drink all the bottled water you want, and it won’t quench your spiritual thirst. You can have a 25% bigger house but it won’t satisfy. You can adopt all kinds neopets with pets of their own but it won’t fill you up. You can watch every Oscar award-winning film ever produced and while it may entertain, it can’t give you peace. Ho! Ho, Americans in 2007—yeah you—listen up! You’re in harm’s way!
“Listen carefully to me,” Isaiah goes on to say, “and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live.” Don’t we want to live? Don’t we want to eat what is good and be delighted? Don’t we want to find what it is we’re looking for? It seems obvious that we do, but so often we are seeking this fulfillment apart from God and wondering why we always end up feeling so empty.
Stop doing that, Isaiah urges us. Instead, he offers this word of advice: “Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” There it is. There’s the Lenten theme of repentance.
Repentance seems like an outdated concept. It’s just not hip or trendy in today’s world. It requires that we stop thinking about ourselves only. It requires we recognize the futility of our culture that tells us we just have to keep buying things and entertaining ourselves endlessly. We have to open our eyes and see that such a philosophy just doesn’t work—at least not if we want to really live. In a bold, counter-cultural move, Isaiah invites us to turn away from all of that and to turn back to the God who made us. We are told to seek the Lord before it’s too late.
In the verses that follow this Isaiah passage, it says that you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace. That’s what God in Jesus Christ offers us. Joy—lasting joy. Peace—true peace. These are things you just can’t buy on e-Bay.
Lent is an invitation to take a long, hard look at our lives. It is the time for spiritual spring cleaning. What are we spending our time and money and passion on? Does it satisfy? Likely, what we will find if we’re honest with ourselves is that much of what we’re striving for is self-serving, futile and empty. We’re desperately thirsty. But it’s not too late! There is grace waiting for us. We can seek the Lord. Ho! We can turn ourselves around again and start heading for the light. We can drink of water that quenches our deep down soul thirst. We can eat and be satisfied without money. We can have what is good and discover delight. We can go out in joy and be led forth peace. Ho, my friends, that is worth striving for!
Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
© Laura E. Gentry 2007
March 11, 2007
by Pastor Laura Gentry
Isaiah 55:1-9
Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (New Revised Standard Version)
Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Are you thirsty?
As a nation, it seems that we are. Americans drank more than 23 gallons of bottled water per person in 2004 — about 10 times as much as in 1980. And we drank more than twice as much high fructose corn syrup per person as in 1980.
But that’s not the end of our thirst. We’re thirsty for all kinds of things. We are thirsty for more things and bigger houses. The Census Bureau found that the average floor space in new single-family homes has expanded to 2,227 square feet in 2005 from 1,905 square feet in 1990.
And we’re really thirsty for entertainment. Last year, Americans spent more of their lives than ever—about eight-and-a-half hours a day—watching television, using computers, listening to the radio, going to the movies or reading. For this year, 2007, the average adult is projected to spend 65 days in front of the TV; 41 days listening to the radio; a little over a week on the Internet; a week reading a daily newspaper; and another week listening to recorded music.
A recent survey found 65 percent of respondents spend more time with their computer than they do with their spouses or significant others. That’s not surprising given the infinite amount of things to do on-line: shopping, researching, playing games, selling stuff, meeting people and even caring for virtual pets! That’s right, one of the top twenty most visited websites is called neopet.com. There, you can “adopt” a virtual “neopet” and then feed it, groom it, play with it, take it to the vet, have it send e-mail to other pets, and even have it adopt a virtual pet of it’s own—a pet’s pet (isn’t that what everyone needs?) Right now, there are 199 million neopets out there using up people’s time and energy!
While buying things and being entertained aren’t in themselves bad, they do reveal the desperate thirst that we have to fill our lives with something—anything. “The demand for information and entertainment seems almost insatiable,” says James P. Rutherfurd, executive vice president of a media investment firm that did research for the Census Bureau.
“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters,” says the prophet Isaiah in today’s first lesson. “Ho!” he begins, and not in a Santa sort of way. It is an interjection to grab our attention. Ho! Sit up and take note, this is urgent—extremely urgent! He’s speaking to a thirsty ancient audience who needs to hear from God because they’ve been living in exile. And at the same time, he speaks to us today—to our terribly thirsty, postmodern, almost insatiable, media-dominated, digital world. He cries out to us: “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” You can drink all the bottled water you want, and it won’t quench your spiritual thirst. You can have a 25% bigger house but it won’t satisfy. You can adopt all kinds neopets with pets of their own but it won’t fill you up. You can watch every Oscar award-winning film ever produced and while it may entertain, it can’t give you peace. Ho! Ho, Americans in 2007—yeah you—listen up! You’re in harm’s way!
“Listen carefully to me,” Isaiah goes on to say, “and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live.” Don’t we want to live? Don’t we want to eat what is good and be delighted? Don’t we want to find what it is we’re looking for? It seems obvious that we do, but so often we are seeking this fulfillment apart from God and wondering why we always end up feeling so empty.
Stop doing that, Isaiah urges us. Instead, he offers this word of advice: “Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” There it is. There’s the Lenten theme of repentance.
Repentance seems like an outdated concept. It’s just not hip or trendy in today’s world. It requires that we stop thinking about ourselves only. It requires we recognize the futility of our culture that tells us we just have to keep buying things and entertaining ourselves endlessly. We have to open our eyes and see that such a philosophy just doesn’t work—at least not if we want to really live. In a bold, counter-cultural move, Isaiah invites us to turn away from all of that and to turn back to the God who made us. We are told to seek the Lord before it’s too late.
In the verses that follow this Isaiah passage, it says that you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace. That’s what God in Jesus Christ offers us. Joy—lasting joy. Peace—true peace. These are things you just can’t buy on e-Bay.
Lent is an invitation to take a long, hard look at our lives. It is the time for spiritual spring cleaning. What are we spending our time and money and passion on? Does it satisfy? Likely, what we will find if we’re honest with ourselves is that much of what we’re striving for is self-serving, futile and empty. We’re desperately thirsty. But it’s not too late! There is grace waiting for us. We can seek the Lord. Ho! We can turn ourselves around again and start heading for the light. We can drink of water that quenches our deep down soul thirst. We can eat and be satisfied without money. We can have what is good and discover delight. We can go out in joy and be led forth peace. Ho, my friends, that is worth striving for!
Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
© Laura E. Gentry 2007
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