Rollen Stewart’s Sign

His name is Rollen Stewart (born 1944). Some called him “Rock’n Rollen.” Others have called him the “The Rainbow Man.” If you are my age or older, then you may remember him. He was a born-again Christian, who during the 1970s and 1980s, was a fixture at American sporting events wearing his rainbow-colored afro-style wig. In his hands he held a sign that read: John 3:16. He seemed to be everywhere. He was at the 1977 NBA Finals. He was at the 1979 MLB All-Star Game. He was at the 1980 Moscow Olympics Games, where he was arrested for a short time. In 1981, he was at the Masters in Augusta, Georgia, and in 1982, and he was at the Indianapolis 500. At the height of his popularity, he was featured in a Budweiser Beer commercial and was portrayed by Christopher Walken (born 1943) on Saturday Night Live.

Where is Rollen Stewart today? He has made a few mistakes. Sadly, he is an inmate at the Mule Creek State Prison in Lone, California, where he is serving three life sentences for kidnapping. If you would like to learn more about Rollen Stewart, then read the article, The Rainbow Man: Lessons on How Not to Evangelize. Today, I do not want to talk about Rollen Stewart. I want to talk about Rollen Stewart’s sign. That leads us to our Gospel reading.

We are in the third chapter of John. Our reading is only part of a longer discussion between two men, Jesus, and Nicodemus. You know about Jesus. Everyone knows about Jesus. He is the Son of God, the very incarnation of God, and our only hope of salvation. Nicodemus is not as famous, but he is still noteworthy. He was a respected member of his community. He was not just a Pharisee, an expert on the law, he was a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Ruling Counsil. That body was established to judge in the details of the law.

Prior to our reading, we are told Nicodemus sought out Jesus at night. Much has been made about that fact. Some believe, he went to Jesus at night to protect his identity. After all, how would it look for a respected Pharisee, a member of the Jewish Ruling Council, to be looking for help from a lowly itinerant rabbi? I believe, Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, because the work of the day was over and the two would have time to talk without interruption. The discussion begins with some flattering words. Nicodemus was impressed by Jesus’s miracles. However, Jesus is not interested in being complimented. Jesus is more interested in salvation.

The Master says it clearly, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” Nicodemus hears the words but fails to understand them. Jesus is baffled by his spiritual ignorance. Jesus explains to Nicodemus his part in God’s plan of salvation for the world. This is where John 3:16 comes into play. They are not Jesus’s words, they are the words of the editor. The verse summarizes what is happening. “For God so loved the world he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” The whole verse pivots on that little complex word, love!

In 1960, C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) wrote a book called The Four Loves. He explored the four kinds of loves found in the Christian faith. Each one is found in the Bible. The first word for love in the Bible is the Greek word EROS, which gives us the word erotic. It is sensual or passionate love. It is the kind of love that involves a box of candy, a fist full of flowers and boxer shorts with hearts. The second word for love in the Bible is the Greek word PHILA, which gives us the word philanthropist. It is a social love. For example, Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) was a philanthropist. He wanted to improve communities, so he gave a fortune to establish libraries in both the United States and Canada. The third word for love in the Bible is the Greek word STORGE. It is an empathic love. It is the kind of love you feel for family members. It is the kind of love you feel for your parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren. The fourth word for love in the Bible is the Greek word AGAPE. That is the word that is used in the New Testament for God’s sacrificial love, which we see in Jesus. It is that Greek word for love that John uses in the Gospel lesson for today, John 3:14-21, for God so loved the world. There is nothing simple about that word. Consider these three things with me.

These thoughts are not original. They came from United Methodist preacher James W. Moore (1938-2019).

In 2014, my wife Kathryn and I went to Germany on a Luther Reformation Tour. It was a great experience. Obviously, Martin Luther (1483-1546) was one of the greatest personalities in church history. Luther will always be remembered as a man of God. However, never forget, he was a man. He had human limitations. He was not a man of great patience. He would often grow frustrated with the people around him. He once grew so frustrated that he said, “If I were God and these vile people were as disobedient as they are now, I would knock the world into pieces!” (That is harsh language for the 1500s.) The good news for his generation was Martin Luther was not God! Martin Luther was a human being, like you and me. He had limitations. God is different, God has no limitations; God’s love has no limitations. God’s love is wide! God cannot stop loving you because God cannot stop loving everyone!

John 3:16 begins: For God so loved the world. In other words, it talks about the width of God’s love. Just think about that phrase for a moment. God loves the world, and the world is very diverse! God’s love is not selective. God loves everyone. He loves all nations. He loves people regardless of their language. He loves all denominations. God loves the liberal and the conservative. He loves people, regardless of their salvation systems. He loves all people, regardless of their sexuality. He loves the attractive and the not so attractive. He loves the rich and poor. God loves the educated and the uneducated. God loves the group you cannot tolerate, and God loves the individual you hate. Consider this with me. The church is not called to judge the world. The church is called to love the world, because God’s love is wide, “For God so loved the world. “That means God loves the strangest creature of all, you! Never question the width of God’s love. However, God’s love is also deep!

In July of 2019, Johnny and Dawn Vann were busy raising their seven children. One afternoon on a North Carolina Beach, the unthinkable happened. A massive high tide wave hit the beach and four of the Vann’s children were swept into the ocean. Without thinking about his own safety, Johnny jumped into the water and saved his children, one by one. The problem is he could not save himself. Rescue crews tried to save him. Despite 45 minutes of CPR, Johnny died. Dawn said her husband will always be remembered as a good person. I think she is wrong. I think John Vann will be remembered as a great person and father, because his love for his children was deep. He died so his children could live. How can you question his love? It is not just the story of a father and his children. It is the story of God and mankind.

Second, God’s love is deep! John 3:16 continues, he gave his one and only son. In other words, it talks about the depth of God’s love. God loves us, but he didn’t just tell us. God demonstrated his love for us by entering this world to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is what makes Good Friday so bad. Jesus, the incarnation of God, died on the cross to atone for your sins. Jesus’ death made eternal life possible for you and me! Do you remember the words of Isaiah 53:5? It says, “By his wounds we were healed.” God love is wide! God’s love is deep. However, God’s love is also powerful! Never question the depth of God’s love.

Do you remember the story of Clara Barton (1821-1912)? During the Spanish-American War, she was overseeing the work of the Red Cross in Cuba. One day Colonel Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) came to her, wanted to buy food for his sick and wounded Rough Riders. But she refused to sell him any. Roosevelt was perplexed. His men needed the help, and he was prepared to pay out of his own funds. When he asked someone why he could not buy the supplies, he was told, “Colonel, just ask for it!” A smile broke over Roosevelt’s face. Now he understood – the provisions were not for sale – all he had to do was simply ask, and they would be given freely. It is not just true of food in the Spanish-American War. It is also true of heaven!

Third, and finally, God’s love is powerful! John 3:16 ends: that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Do you know of anyone who doesn’t want to go to heaven? If you do, then there is only one option. It is not by living a good life or doing good deeds. The only way to go to heaven is to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior. It is the greatest gift you will ever receive. It is too good to be true, but it is true. You can live the rest of your life not worrying about death. It is so liberating! However, it will change you. You will spend the rest of your life trying to find a way to thank God for saving your sin sick soul. The love of God is wide! God’s love is deep! God’s love is powerful!

The major theme of Christianity summarized is in one verse: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. It has been called the Gospel in a nutshell. This is the Good News for today. You are loved! You have always been loved. You will always be loved. God just cannot stop loving you. C.S. Lewis once said, “Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not.”

Give Up

Lent is the Christian season of preparation prior to Easter. Excluding Sundays, it lasts for 40 days. The season lasts for forty days for a reason – the number forty is sacred in the Bible. It rained for 40 days and nights in Noah’s story. The Hebrews wandered for 40 years before entering the Promised Land. Jesus fasted 40 days before being tempted by Satan in the wilderness. The resurrected Jesus walked the face of this world for 40 days before ascending into heaven. This year Easter is March 31 so Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, was February 14.

One of the traditional readings during Lent is Matthew 16:21-28. Do you remember the story? Jesus had become a celebrity. Everyone was talking about him. Everyone wanted something from him. Everyone was guessing about his identity. However, Jesus was not interested in what the masses thought about him. Jesus wanted to know what the disciples thought about him. So, he asked them the question that changed everything, who do you say I am? The normally chatty disciples grew strangely silent. It is not that they don’t have an opinion. It was they don’t want to be wrong. It is Peter who answered first and correctly: Jesus is God’s Messiah, the son of the living God. Instead of Jesus renting a billboard to announce his identity, Jesus asks the disciples not to tell anyone.

His messiahship was to be kept a secret. We call it the “Messianic Secret.” The reason Jesus wanted to keep his identity secret is simple. That generation misunderstood the word, Messiah. They longed for a military Messiah to liberate them from foreign rule. They had grown tired of the Romans. Instead, Jesus was a spiritual Messiah who came to liberate them from sin, itself. Jesus says it clearly, but the disciples don’t listen. As the spiritual Messiah, Jesus would suffer, be rejected, and die. Jesus warns them to be prepared for the same. True discipleship is not about glory, it is about service and sacrifice. Traditionally people give up things for Lent to show the world they are completely committed to Jesus. That leads us to a common question in my Catholic community.

What are you going to give up for Lent? The idea of giving up something for Lent is based on Matthew 16:24, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Giving up something for Lent is not a second chance at your broken New Year’s resolution. It is about self-denial. Giving up something for Lent should be done prayerfully, so we can wholly renew ourselves in Christ. Giving up something for Lent is not a bad thing. It can be a good thing. Giving up something for Lent tests our self-discipline.

These are the most common things people give up for Lent. I found this list on the internet, so it is not original. It is found in a variety of places. What you give up for Lent changes from generation to generation. Are you giving up any of these things for Lent?

1. Chocolate or Sweets

2. Alcohol

3. Smoking

4. Fast Food

5. Swearing

6. Social Media

7. Shopping

8. Sports

9. Caffeine

10. Sex

A television personality announced on Ash Wednesday she is giving up goldfish crackers for Lent. Some believe people who give up secondary things in their lives are not giving up enough for Lent. Some believe it is more important to change your attitudes. I am in this camp. You must dig deeper.

There is a website called Catholic Extension. I found an article on that site called What to Give up for Lent. This is their list of what to give up:

Give up bitterness; turn to forgiveness.
Give up hatred; return good for evil.
Give up negativism; be positive.
Give up complaining; be grateful.
Give up pessimism; be an optimist.
Give up harsh judgments; think kind thoughts.
Give up worry, trust Divine Providence.
Give up discouragement; be full of hope.
Give up anger; be more patient.
Give up pettiness; be more mature.
Give up gloom; enjoy the beauty around you.
Give up jealousy; pray for trust.
Give up gossiping; control your thoughts.
Give up sin; turn to virtue.

That list speaks to me. When I was in the ministry, I prayed people would give up complaining for Lent, but it never happened. Some believe you can still go deeper.

In AD 590, Pope Gregory I (540-604) revised a list of sins that had existed for centuries. We call them the Seven Deadly Sins. St. Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) elaborated on them in the thirteenth century. The Seven Deadly Sins are the origin of all sins. These are the seven deadly sins and a brief examination.

Pride – a feeling of high self-worth based on accomplishment or talent.

Greed – a selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.

Lust – an illicit sexual desire. This often leads to immoral behavior like adultery or pornography.

Envy – an emotion which occurs when someone lacks another person’s quality, skill, or achievement. Aristotle (384 BC- 322 BC) defined envy as pain caused by another’s good fortune.

Gluttony – an overindulgence of food or drink, which in time will harm the body.

Wrath – a loss of self-control.

Sloth – laziness. Every day is a gift from God and not a single day should be wasted.

Some believe if you want to give up something for Lent, then give up something that can be traced back to one of these sins. They have a point because these are the things that are frustrating your spiritual development.

Unlike Christmas and Easter, Lent has not crossed over into the secular world. The reason is obvious. Christmas and Easter emphasize receiving something – presents and candy. Lent emphasizes giving up something. Did you know, according to Life Way Research, only 24% of all Americans observe the season of Lent? That means 76% of all Americans ignore Lent. That means, mathematically, we are in the minority. That does not bother me because Jesus was never interested in the crowd. Jesus was only interested in the committed. How committed are you to Jesus? What are you giving up for Lent? Perhaps, Jesus said it best, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

Norman Vincent Peale’s Tattoo

Our scripture for today is 1 Peter 2:4-12. First Peter is writing a circular letter. He is not writing to any particular church or individual. He was writing to all Christians of his time, so his words had to fit every situation. So, what do you say to everyone that is relevant to everyone? He appeals to their most basic issues of life itself. This letter shows Peter’s pastoral side. In a firm and loving way, he tells them to keep living the faith. That sounds easy, but it is quite hard. It has always been hard. In the first century they were worried about Christian persecution. The threat was obvious. In our generation it is more subtle. The threat is no longer external; it is internal. The world is encouraging us to compromise the faith away. We live in the most immoral times in American history. We have become masters at compromising everything. We should live as aliens in this world. We should always have our eyes fixed on heaven. Peter tells us today to stop compromising faith, and start living the faith.

Today, I want to talk about living the faith. The text reminds us that living the faith involves three things. If you want to live the faith, then you first must learn to love life. How do you feel about your life? Second, you must learn to love others. You do not live in isolation. You live in a world filled with people. Third, you must learn to love Christ. Jesus is simply the greatest life that ever lived. These three are the keys to unlocking your faith and living satisfying lives. They will change you from feeling like a loser to a winner. Let me begin.

First, you must love life. Look at the words Peter uses to describe his readers. They are not harsh words. They are affirming words. Verses nine and ten say, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” Those are God’s words to you. Do you believe them? Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist Victor Frankl (1905-1997) once said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing, his attitude.”

United Methodist James W. Moore (1938-2019) told the story of a woman who went to a doctor. It wasn’t her first visit. She went to the doctor every time she was down. She asked the doctor for a new pill to make her feel better. The doctor asked her to step into the back. The storage room was filled with countless empty pill bottles. The doctor looked at the woman and said, “Each one of these bottles is like every day in your life. You have a choice. Will you fill your days with medicine that will bring hope and healing to the people in your life? Or will you fill your days with poison that will bring death? The choice is yours.” That is the choice that we make every day in our life. What is your choice? This is my question for you:

Do you love life? Jesus is the greatest gift we will ever receive. Life is the second greatest gift we will ever receive. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Love life!

Second, you must love others. It is woven through the fabric of the New Testament. It was why Peter wrote this epistle. He encourages others in the faith. If he had not cared, then not a single word would have been written. I hope your attitude is not like Prussia’s Fredrick the Great (1712-1786). He said, “The more I get to know people, the more I love my dog.”

Peter Arnett (born 1934) was a CNN television commentator and reporter. He tells of a time he was in Israel, in a small town on the West Bank, when a bomb exploded. Bloodied people were everywhere. A man came running up to Peter holding a little girl in his arms. He pleaded with Peter to take her to a hospital. As a member of the press, he would be able to get through security. Peter, the man and the girl jumped into his car and rushed to the hospital. The whole time the man was pleading with him to hurry, to go faster, heartbroken at the thought the little girl might die. Sadly, the little girl’s injuries were too great, and she died on the operating table. When the doctor came out to give them the news, the man collapsed in tears. Peter Arnett was at a loss for words. “I don’t know what to say. I can’t imagine what you must be going through. I’ve never lost a child.” It was then that the man said, “Oh, mister! That girl was not my daughter. I’m an Israeli settler. She was a Palestinian. But there comes a time when each of us must realize that every child, regardless of that child’s background, is a daughter or a son. There must come a time when we realize that we are all family.”

One of the great challenges in life is staying in love with people. Let us be honest. There are many people who aren’t even likeable. It would be easy to ignore them. But we can’t do it, because Jesus told us, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Why would Jesus say such a thing? The Master understood we find support in the healthiest relationships in our lives. Love life! Love others!

Third, you must love Christ. I love the story of the man who collected old books. He met an acquaintance who had just thrown away a Bible that had been stored in the attic of his ancestral home for generations. “I couldn’t read it,” the friend explained. “Somebody named Guten-something had printed on it.” “Not Gutenberg!” the book lover exclaimed in horror. “That Bible was one of the first books ever printed. Why, a copy just sold for over two million dollars!” His friend was unimpressed. “Mine wouldn’t have brought a dollar. Some fellow named Martin Luther had scribbled all over it in German.”

You see, that is the story of our lives. The world says our value comes from who we are. The faith tells us we are of value because of whose we are. It is an incredible story. The God of the universe came into the world and took a human form. He lived the perfect life and was executed as a common criminal. He suffered and died. Why? Because you are so valuable to Him! God knows what we often forget. We are winners! Consider these facts.

Did you know, only 13% of American women consider themselves pretty. Did you know only 28% of American men think themselves handsome. 94% of American men would change something about their looks if they could. 99% of American women would change something about their looks if they could. Can I be honest with you? You are perfect! I wouldn’t change a thing! The real question is, how do you feel about yourself? Do you feel like a winner or a loser? Love life! Love others! Love Christ!

American Protestant clergyman Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993) told the story of walking down the streets of Hong Kong. He came across a tattoo shop. In the window were displayed samples of the tattoos available. There were all kinds of tattoos. However, one tattoo stood out. It was just three words: BORN TO LOSE. He entered the shop in astonishment and pointed to those words. He asked the Chinese tattoo artist, “Does anyone really have that terrible phrase, ‘born to lose’, tattooed on their body?” He replied, “Yes, sometimes.” Peale said, “I just can’t believe that anyone in his right mind would do that.” The Chinese man simply tapped his forehead and said in broken English, “Before tattoo on body, tattoo on mind.” Can I ask you a question?

Would you buy that tattoo, BORN TO LOSE? Maybe you should consider the tattoo, I AM A WINNER. After all, you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, and you know how to live. Disciples of Jesus love life. Disciples of Jesus love others. Disciples of Jesus love him. American Protestant author, teacher, and preacher Francis Chan (born 1967) once said, “Following Jesus is not something you do halfheartedly or on the side. It is not a label you can display when it is useful. It must be central to everything we do and are.”

Talking to God

The founder of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland was John Knox (1514-1572). He died on November 24, 1572. Historians tell us that as he lay on his death bed he asked his wife, thirty-two years his junior, to read the prayer in John 17. In that chapter, Jesus is about to be arrested, so Jesus prays for himself, his disciples, and all believers. As Knox heard Jesus’s prayer, he seemed to forget his own weakness. Suddenly he began to pray. He prayed for his fellowmen. He prayed for the ungodly who had thus far rejected the gospel. He prayed for recent converts. He prayed for protection for the Lord’s servants, many of whom were facing persecution. He prayed a word of thanksgiving. As Knox prayed, his spirit went home to be with the Lord. The man of whom Queen Mary of Scotland (1542-1587) had said, “I fear his prayers more than I do the armies of my enemies,” ministered through prayer until the moment of his death.

What is it about prayer that makes it so powerful? One of the great privileges I had in the ministry was praying with people. I have prayed with people at some incredible times. Both the best and worst in life seem to lead us to prayer. I prayed with young couples who had just welcomed a child into the world. I prayed with young couples who experienced one of life’s greatest disappointments. I prayed with couples who had just decided to unite in marriage. I prayed with people who had decided to end their marriage. I prayed with families who were waiting for a loved one to pass. I prayed with people during a long surgery. I prayed before church dinners and meetings. I prayed for sick family pets and the blessing of a new home. I prayed early on Easter morning and late on Christmas Eve. I prayed for those who are incarcerated and those who were miles away serving our country. I prayed for strangers and for the people I love the most. I have asked people to pray for me when I was sick and recovering from surgery. What is it about prayer that makes it so powerful? Martin Luther (1483-1546) said, “If I should neglect prayer but a single day, I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith.” That leads us to our scripture reading, Mark 1:35-39.

According to the text, it is Sunday and Jesus is praying. Jesus is physically, emotionally, and spiritually spent. Saturday had been a long day. We will never know how long he taught in the synagogue. We will never know how many people were healed. We will never know how many demons he exorcised. What we do know is that Jesus was tired, but the population of Capernaum was energized about Jesus. Verse thirty-five says Jesus got up early the next day to pray. We do not know the content of his prayer, but it must have been something special. He decides to leave his popularity in Capernaum and teach in other synagogues throughout Galilee.

However, there is more to this story than discovering Jesus’ itinerary. It models for us the importance of prayer. If you are a prayer warrior, then you understand the next line. Prayer changes the one who prays. You may think you are changing the outcome, but you are really changing yourself. When you pray, you change your heart. Consider these three things with me.

First, prayer changes your agenda. Look at the text with me. Verse thirty-five says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” In other words, Jesus had a plan. He didn’t wait until an opportunity presented itself. Jesus was very intentional about prayer. He got up early and went to a private place to pray. Are you intentional in your prayer life, or does prayer just happen when an opportunity presents itself? Why is this point so important? It is my experience that people find time for things that are important to them. There is never time for things that are not important.

Years ago, when I was a seminary student, Christmas fell on a Sunday. I remember that year clearly because it was the first Christmas morning I wouldn’t be home. I served a small membership church near Danville, Kentucky and duty called. I preached both on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. I planned to leave for home after Sunday morning worship. My parishioners worried about me driving home. They lived in Garrard County and rarely left their little corner of the world. They saw northeastern Ohio as another planet. They asked for a short service on Christmas morning so I could get on the road, because they didn’t want me to get home too late. It was about 400 miles. One of the men surprised me by filling up my car with gas during the service, and I drove from Danville, Kentucky to Akron, Ohio.

When I got to Akron, I needed a break and some gas. The only gas station that was open was manned by a hairy young fellow with worn-out jeans. He was wearing a shirt that looked like something stolen from Goodwill, and a large multicolored wrinkled hoodie. I walked in and said, “It stinks to work on Christmas Day!” He smiled and said, “I don’t care. I am off on New Year’s Eve! I am having a party! I couldn’t care less about Christmas, but I wouldn’t miss the party.” He asked me, “What are you doing on New Year’s Eve?” I said, “I don’t know.” I hadn’t even thought about New Year’s Eve. It is all a matter of priority. Honestly, I am normally depressed on New Year’s Eve because Christmas is over.

Have you ever noticed people make time for what is important to them? How much time do you spend at work? How much time do you spend golfing? How much time do you spend watching television? How much time do you spend watching football? How much time do you spend playing with the children in your life? How much time do you spend in prayer? Those questions expose your priorities in your life. We make time for the things that are important to us. Prayer changes your agenda.

Second, prayer changes your heart. Prayer makes you more sensitive to human need. Jesus got up early to pray. Then the disciples came and told him everyone was looking for him. He was the talk of the town! But Jesus wasn’t interested in popularity. He was more concerned about others. Prayer led Jesus to the physical and spiritual needs of his world. Verses thirty-eight and thirty-nine say, “Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.’ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.” That piece of scripture tells us prayer calls us to action.Never forget, faith is a verb. The great reformer Martin Luther also said, “Pray as if everything depends on God, then work as if everything depends on you.” Where are your prayers leading you?

Years ago, the Salvation Army was holding their international convention and their founder, Gen. William Booth (1829-1912), could not attend because of physical weakness. He cabled the convention his message. His one-word message was: “OTHERS.” That is the one message that God has sent to our world from the very beginning. The problem is, we aren’t listening. We are so consumed with ourselves that we have missed it. Prayer is not about our needs and wants. Life is not about our needs and our wants. Life and prayer are about OTHERS! God is sending you to the intersection in your life where your personal interest meets human need. Prayer will change your agenda. Prayer will change your heart.

Third, prayer will change your relationship with God. Prayer cultivates a friendship with God. Real friendships take time to grow. Have you ever noticed how much time Jesus spent praying? He is cultivating a relationship with God, an intimacy with God. Let me give you a short, incomplete list of all the times in scripture that Jesus prayed.

1. Mark 1:35 Jesus prayed in the morning

2. Mark 6:46 Jesus prayed in the evening

3. Luke 5:16 Jesus heals the leper and retreats for prayer

4. Luke 6:12 Jesus prays all night and then calls the twelve

5. Luke 9:18 Jesus is praying with the disciples

6. Luke 22:41 Jesus is praying in the garden of Gethsemane

Do I have to go on? Jesus was always praying because it was a priority to him. Prayer was a priority to him because he was trying to stay connected to God. When you pray, you are cultivating a friendship with God.

I am always humbled when I say this, but when we pray, we are talking to the God of the universe. Maybe the reasons you don’t feel an intimacy with God is because you haven’t spent enough time cultivating your friendship with God? Prayer is not just informing God of your needs and your wants. Prayer is taking the time to develop a relationship with God. German-born theoretical physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955) once said, “Physics is easy, relationships are complex”. Take time to cultivate the most important relationship you will ever have, your relationship with God. Prayer will change your agenda. Prayer will change your heart. Prayer will change your relationship with God.

Bill Moyers (born 1934) was a special assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973). He was asked to say grace before a meal in the family quarters of the White House. As Moyers began praying softly, the President interrupted him with “Speak up, Bill! Speak up!” The former Baptist minister from east Texas stopped in mid-sentence and without looking up replied steadily, “I wasn’t talking to you, Mr. President. I was talking to God.” When was the last time you talked to God?

Lincoln’s Finest Hour

Everyone knows the name Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), and everyone knows his story. Self-educated, he became a lawyer in Illinois and in time became our sixteenth president in 1860. His election was not embraced by all. Before he could be sworn into office, the country was divided over the issue of state’s rights. We still struggle with state’s rights. Lincoln sat in the oval office during the bloody years of the Civil War, tested time and time again.

History tells us Abraham Lincoln often visited military hospitals during the Civil War to cheer up the wounded. On one occasion he visited a mortally wounded young soldier. Lincoln’s heart was broken. “Is there anything I can do for you,” asked the compassionate President. “Please write a letter to my mother,” the young soldier replied. Unrecognized by the soldier, Lincoln sat down and wrote as the youth told him what to say. The letter read:

My Dearest Mother,

I was badly hurt while doing my duty, and I won’t recover. Don’t sorrow too much for me. May God bless you and Father. Kiss Mary and John for me.

The young man was too weak to go on, so Lincoln signed the letter for him and then added this postscript,

Written for your son by Abraham Lincoln.

Asking to see the note, the soldier was astonished to discover who it was that had shown him such kindness. “Are you really our President?” he asked. “Yes,” was the quiet answer. That story shows Lincoln’s compassionate side. Has there ever been a time when you needed some compassion?

Webster defines compassion as, “A sympathy for the feeling of others, often including a desire to help.” Compassion is important because our world can be a hard place. You don’t have to be a soldier in the American Civil War to relate to that story. I have never met a person who did not need compassion. Have you ever felt victimized? You did absolutely nothing wrong and you tried your very best. The problem is everything went wrong. Your entire world attacked you and you found yourself filled with self-pity. Emotionally exhausted, you felt completely alone in a world filled with over eight billion people. Then, from a most unexpected source, God sent you someone who showed you kindness and compassion. The rest of the world questioned your motives and desires, but your angel only gave you peace. Compassion can be a powerful medicine. That takes us to our scripture reading.

Our text is Mark 1:29-34. One of the best things about retirement is napping. I began this custom when I was still working on Sunday afternoons. I have no proof to support the following statement, but I believe it is true. I expended more energy on Sunday mornings than the rest of the week combined. I got up early on Sunday mornings to review my material and update my prayers. I participated in three worship services, which meant I preached three times. I related to countless people and tried to remember everyone’s story. I tried to welcome everyone who entered the building. I am not complaining but there is a certain amount of stress in the ministry. Some have thin skin. I tried to be prophetic; I was speaking for God, yet I can’t insult anyone. I tried to be supportive, but everyone could not get their way. I fielded a variety of complaints from good Christian people. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but I found these few hours on Sunday morning to be exhausting. When I left church after Sunday morning I was spent. I struggled with the simplest conversation because I couldn’t focus. Every week following worship, I ate lunch, turned off my cell phone, and took a nap on the sofa. This confession is not exciting, but it is true.

According to the text today, Jesus was a better man than I. When Jesus left worship, he didn’t nap; he healed the sick. I don’t just mean a healing; I mean a multitude of healings. Verses thirty-three and thirty-four say, “The whole town (of Capernaum) gathered at the door (of Simon and Andrew‘s house), and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.” One of those healings, the first one mentioned, was the mother-in-law of Simon Peter. Verse thirty is key to our understanding. It says she was healed because they told Jesus about her. I am not exactly sure who is included in the word “they”, but “they” must have included Simon Peter. She may not have been healed if “they” had not told Jesus about her. “They” had compassion on her and got her some help. They got her the best help you can possibly get someone in need – Jesus. She benefited from their compassion. Do the people in your life consider you a compassionate person? Our world hungers for compassionate people. If you want to be a compassionate person never forget three things.

First, never forget, compassion is sensitive to the needs of others. British statesman and financier Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902), whose fortune was used to endow the world-famous Rhodes Scholarships, was a stickler for correct dress—but apparently not at the expense of someone else’s feelings. A young man was invited to dine with Rhodes. He arrived by train and had to go directly to Rhodes’s home in his travel-stained clothes. Once there, he was appalled to find the other guests already assembled, wearing full evening dress. After what seemed a long time Rhodes appeared, in a shabby old blue suit. Later the young man learned that his host had been dressed in evening clothes too but put on the old suit when he heard of his young guest’s dilemma.

Simon’s mother-law lay in bed with a fever. The story doesn’t come with a medical chart and all her test scores. The truth is, we don’t know the source of her suffering. That is not important; all that is important is that others had compassion on her. They got her help. Does anyone in your life need help? Do you have anyone in your life who needs Jesus? Compassion is sensitive to the needs of others.

Second, never forget, compassion takes advantage of interruptions. Have you ever noticed there are times when your agenda and God’s agenda don’t match? You know the scene. You have a million things to do. You have a deadline to meet or a sea of people waiting for you. You are in a hurry trying to get it done in time and suddenly, someone shows up who just must talk to you. They have a problem, and you are the only one that can help. I know it is hard, but remember, compassion takes advantage of interruptions.

Consider these ten Bible stories with me.

1. The Parable of the Good Samaritan

2. The Greatest Commandment

3. The Blessing of the Little Children

4. The Healing of the Ten Lepers

5. The Healing of the Paralytic

6. The Healing of the Man Blind from Birth

7. The Rich Young Ruler

8. Zacchaeus

9. Blind Bartimaeus

10. Nicodemus

What do they all have in common? They are all special moments in the Bible that were produced by interruptions. Jesus had compassion on these people and used these interruptions to do real ministry. Have you ever noticed there are times when your agenda and God’s agenda don’t match? The healing of Simon’s mother-in-law was not on the agenda for the day, but Jesus healed her because this was an opportunity for true ministry.

Third and final, never forget, compassion is gracious. When I was in the Cleveland area, I had a parishioner who claimed he hadn’t missed church for fifty years. One day, I figured out that he had heard 2600 sermons, plus the messages on the liturgical holidays. You do the math, fifty years times fifty-two weeks. I was impressed.

One year I got involved in the annual pulpit exchange. You know the event, it is a way to get to know other preachers in the area. I went to the Presbyterian Church, and the Lutheran Church minister came to my church. The Lutheran preacher was just great! He was new to the area, and everyone was surprised to discover he was Korean. Mr. 2600 sermons saw the Lutheran minister and thought he was Japanese. He stood up from his pew and began yelling some ugly language. He said, “We fought them in the war. I don’t have to listen to them in my church.” He stormed out of the church, never to be seen again. Everyone wanted to know what happened. I wanted to know if he had heard a single word of those 2600 sermons. There is no room for prejudicial behavior in God’s church. Compassion is gracious.

I really don’t want to offend anyone, but I must ask, how much of a difference is Jesus making in your life? How many sermons have you heard in your life? How many of those sermons altered your life? The world doesn’t need your opinions. The world needs your compassion.

Let us end at the side of our dying Civil War soldier. You remember the soldier, he was wounded and Abraham Lincoln came to visit him. In time, the president wrote a letter home for him and said his good-bye’s. The soldier couldn’t believe the president’s kindness and compassion. But he really couldn’t believe it when the president said next, “Now, is there anything else I can do?” The lad feebly replied, “Will you please hold my hand? I think it would help me see this through to the end.” With the weight of the world on his shoulders, Lincoln held the young man’s hand until he died. In my opinion, it was Abraham Lincoln’s finest hour.

How many hands have you held during life’s most difficult moments? The situation may not be death, it may be divorce. The situation may be a family issue, or it may be a personal pain. It may be disease, or it may be disappointment. How many hands have you held? How many people in your life need compassion? Scottish Baptist minister and author Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910) once said, “Kindness and compassion make a person attractive.”

Children of the Light

On February 3, 2013, the city of New Orleans hosted the Super Bowl. San Francisco played Baltimore. The Ravens won 34-31. It was a perfect evening for the National Football League, except for a few embarrassing moments. Early in the third quarter there was a blackout in the Superdome. Over 108.4 million people were watching the game when the lights suddenly went out. At the time, it was a big issue with a surplus of finger pointing. The media had a field day. They interviewed many about the situation.

One media outlet interviewed three women who were at the game. They were in one of the sections that grew dark. The interviewer asked them what they did. They said they did three things. First, they tried to stay calm. Second, they decided to stay together. Third, they left their seats and headed toward the exit. They never left the stadium, but they stood near the exit. One of the women said, “We stood near the exit and looked out into the city streets. We saw a light in the distance and decided to run toward that light if something went wrong.” That is the story of the Christian faith. At some point in your life, you ran toward “the light of the world” for protection. That takes us to our scripture reading.

Our scripture reading is Ephesians 5:8-14. The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Christian congregation in the city of Ephesus, which is in present day Turkey, approximately the year AD 60. I had the good fortune to visit there last year. It is an amazing place, and the background of the epistle is important. Paul is not writing to them to address any problem. There is no sign of heresy or internal conflict. Instead, Paul is writing them with a word of encouragement. He is challenging them not to be content with their present spiritual condition. Instead, they must strive for perfection. In other words, they must strive to be a little more like Jesus every day. To completely understand the text, you must know Paul uses the word “light” to symbolize Jesus. His thought is not original. Jesus called himself “the light of the world” in John 8:12. That makes us, as disciples of Jesus Christ, children of the light, and as children of the light we are striving to become like Jesus.

That does not mean conversion is not important. Every conversion story stands on its own. There is no such thing as a good story or a bad story. It is just your story. Some conversion stories are filled with sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. Like jumping off the high drive, everything changed in an instant. Some conversion stories lack fireworks. You waded into the faith because you were loved by Christian people. Your parents took you to church, enrolled you in Sunday school then confirmation class, and sent you to church camp or on a mission trip. When the Holy Spirit moved you, you accepted Jesus. No one noticed but you would never be the same again. How you accepted Jesus really doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that you accepted Jesus. However, conversion is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of the story. It is the beginning of a journey that will consume your life.

I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior forty-nine years ago. I like to think I have made some progress in the faith. I hate to think my faith is the same as it was as a seventeen-year-old boy. Your spiritual growth is not an option, it is expected. 1 Peter 2:2-3 says, “Like newborn babes, carve spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” As children of the light, Jesus should transform your life. The bloggers at Divinity Jewells say Jesus should transform our lives in four ways.

Jesus transforms our minds. Romans 2:2 says, “Do not conform to the ways of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Paul understood one of the great influences on our lives is our environment. The country in which we are born, the community in which we live, the family in which we belong, all influence us. That is not always a bad thing, but there is a risk. The attitudes of our environment can run contrary to the ways of God. For example, we are taught to love conditionally, but Jesus loves unconditionally. Our attitudes should never completely be conformed to the ways of this world. Jesus must be the greatest influence on your life. My we never forget we are just visitors in this world.

Jesus transforms our desires. Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” What does your heart desire? It is a fair question. Many in our world desire the best for themselves. How many people do you know desire wealth, so they dream of winning the lottery? Others desire recognition, status, position, and fame. The world tells us to desire the best for ourselves, but Jesus desired the best for others. Sometimes it was the temporary things of this world – health and security. Sometimes it was eternal things – salvation. The spiritual mature desire what Jesus desired. Jesus desired what was best for others. What do you desire?

Jesus transforms our relationships. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus commands us to love one another the way that he loves us. In Matthew 26:37-38, Jesus tells us loving our neighbor is the second greatest commandment. How would your relationships change if you simply loved the people in your life? How much drama would you eliminate from your life if you simply loved the people in your life. And everyone in your life loved you? Our relationships are extremely valuable.

Jesus transforms our purpose. In my time in the ministry, I never forgot the bigger picture. I was not working for profit. I was not working for my church or my Bishop. I was working for the Kingdom of God. It consumed me. That is why my personal witness was important. That is why I gave my best to every church I served. John 15:16 says we are to bear fruit that will last. I hope I did. What is your purpose in life?

When I was in seminary, I served a small membership church in Garrard County, Kentucky. The people of the Pleasant Grove Christian Church were patient with me. They were kind to me at a time when I needed some kindness. Most of my parishioners are gone, but I long to worship in that church one more time. If I did anything positive in the ministry, it was because of them. They encouraged me at a time when I needed some encouragement. Without them, I would have left the ministry. That church had a custom that was unique. I have never experienced it anywhere else.

They called it the “The Fifth Sunday Hymn Sing.” The concept was simple. On the fifth Sunday of the month the various Christian churches in the county got together. The location rotated but the order of worship was constant. The host pastor welcomed everyone, invited the crowd to stay for refreshments, and prayed. We would sing a few congregational hymns, then all the choirs from the various churches shared two pieces. Near the end of the service the pastor would ask if anyone had a testimony to share. A few brave souls would come forward to speak. One man from the Mount Hebron Christian Church came forward every time we gathered.

He was an older gentleman who wore an old dark suit, yellowed white shirt and a tie with an American flag print. His story was simple and sincere. He was sixteen years old, and his mother insisted he attend the annual revival. Reluctantly, he went and sat in the corner of the back row. He expected to leave before the benediction, but the preacher talked about hell that evening. The topic grabbed his attention and he hung on every word. He didn’t want to go to hell, so when the altar call was given, he ran to the front of the church as the congregation sang “I Surrender All.” He ended his testimony full of emotions. His final words were, “Thank-you Jesus! Thank-you Lord!” It was a fine story.

I served that congregation for three years and I never missed a Fifth Sunday Hymn Sing, so I must have heard that gentleman’s story twelve times. I knew his testimony better than I knew my own. His testimony was excellent, but it was incomplete. I wanted to ask him if God had done something for him since he was sixteen years old? What was the rest of his story? The Apostle Paul was encouraging the Christians at Ephesus to continue to grow spiritually. As Children of the light, we must continue to grow spiritually too. American author and psychiatrist M. Scott Peck (1936-2005) once said, “The path of spiritual growth is a path of lifelong learning.”

Why the Innocent Suffer

Years ago, I officiated at a wedding in the St. James Meeting House in Boardman, Ohio. I have officiated at many weddings in Boardman Park through the years. They call me because they want a minister, but don’t have a church. On Friday night, I showed up for the rehearsal. Everyone was excited and in a good mood. At the conclusion of the rehearsal, the bride invited me to the rehearsal dinner. My wife Kathryn was out of town, so I decided to go. I planned on dining and dashing. I had other things I needed to do. This is the truth – when I walked into the restaurant, everyone ignored me. Some people are uncomfortable talking to a minister. (I think it is because I am too handsome.) I was relieved when the groom’s father walked up to me and asked me to sit with his family.

His name was Jeff, and he was simply a good guy. I just met him that evening, but I felt like we had known each other for years. Somewhere in our discussion, he confessed that the next day was not only his son’s wedding day, but his anniversary. I asked him the appropriate questions. “How long have you been married?” And “Where were you married?” He gave me an educated guess on the number of years, and he wasn’t sure of the location. I responded, “You don’t know where you were married?” He tried to explain his ignorance by telling me he was an atheist. I said, “You don’t believe there is a God? Jeff said, “No!” I asked, “Have you always been an atheist?” “No! I used to believe in the existence of God but stopped believing because of all the suffering in the world. Why would a loving God permit innocent people to suffer?” I found his honesty to be refreshing. Do you know of anyone, like Jeff, who doesn’t believe there is a God because of all the suffering? Do you know of anyone who is mad at God because of all the suffering in the world? I will be honest with you, all the suffering in our world upsets me.

Someone once asked British novelist and lay theologian C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), “Why do the righteous suffer?” “Why not?” he replied. “They’re the only ones who can take it.” Unless you are living in a coma, you know we have a surplus of suffering in our world. Suffering does not discriminate. It is universal; no one escapes. It is found in both the east and the west. It is found among the young and the not so young. Both men and women experience suffering. Both the wealthy and the poor suffer. It is found among the educated and the uneducated, the ambitious and the not so ambitious. Suffering is found among both believers and non-believers. No one escapes; everyone suffers at one time or another.

Suffering comes from a variety of ways. Sometimes suffering is caused by natural disasters. It takes the form of a tornado, tsunami, or wildfire. Sometimes suffering is caused by poor personal decisions. You decide to smoke and ignore all the research. You sign your name on the line too many times and find yourself hopelessly in debt. You decide to drink and drive. Sometimes suffering is caused by violence. My local news is filled with violent crimes daily. The international news is filled with violence. For example, there are thirty-two wars in our world at this moment, causing countless innocent people to suffer. Sometimes suffering is caused by disease. Our world seems to be filled with various diseases and conditions. How many people do you know are dealing with cancer? Sometimes suffering is caused by mental or emotional issues. How many people do you know take medication to find that perfect balance? How many people do you know see a professional counselor regularly? Sometimes suffering is spiritual. Did you know death is the most common fear in America. Over 20% of Americans are afraid to die. This list is not complete. Our world is filled with suffering. German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) once wrote, “To live is to suffer, to survive is to find the meaning in the suffering.” This leads us to our scripture reading.

Our reading is Job 1:13-22. You know the story; everybody knows the story. Job was a man who was blameless and upright. He feared God and shunned evil (1:1). He had everything in this world a man could desire. He was wealthy and his family had no obvious problems. The best part was that God, Himself, was proud of him. One day Satan comes before God and admits he has been roaming the world. He must have experienced many people in the world, but none could measure up to Job. God highlights Job for his excellence, but Satan is not impressed. Cynical to the core, he questions Job’s behavior. Why not worship God if you have everything? Satan believes Job will change his tune once some hardship enters his perfect life. God grants Satan permission to test Job’s faith. Over a period, Job loses everything—his wealth, family, and health. So, to speak, he goes from the penthouse to the outhouse. He loses everything this world has to offer, but his faith remains intact. In the end, Job passes the test. Job does not stand alone.

The Bible is filled with many people who experienced suffering firsthand. The Bible doesn’t tell us about people who God protected from hardship and suffering; the Bible tells us about people who clung to the faith despite their suffering. How many examples do you need? The son of Jacob, Joseph, the well-built handsome young man, was sold into slavery. The Israelites spent 400 years enslaved by the Egyptians. Moses led them to freedom, but they suffered along the way. The wilderness was hard. King Saul spent many years trying to kill the young David. The entire book of Lamentations was written after Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians and God’s Chosen People were exiled. In the New Testament, only one of the original disciples, John, died of natural causes. The rest were martyred. Even John suffered on the island of Patmos, where he had a series of visions, we call Revelation. The Apostle Paul didn’t fare much better. The scriptures tell us he was shipwrecked, beaten, flogged, exposed to the elements, and left for dead. Even Jesus knew suffering. He was beaten and bruised before being nailed to the cross. The Bible is filled with people who have experienced suffering firsthand. People who get mad at God about the suffering, like Jeff, simply don’t read the Bible.

Suffering is even found in church history. One of the most historic creeds within the church is the Nicene Creed. It was accepted in the year 325 in present-day Turkey, near present-day Istanbul. 318 delegates attended the Nicene Council. It was reported that fewer than 12 had not lost an eye or lost a hand or did not limp on a leg lamed by torture for their Christian faith. Their story is not unique. Throughout Christian history, across all traditions of Christianity, and in every part of the world, some 70 million Christians have been murdered for their faith and hence called martyrs. Suffering is part of the Christian faith. Why do you think you should be excused? Suffering is a part of discipleship.

When I was in seminary, I took a class on theodicy. What is theodicy? It is the combination of two Greek words, the word for God and the word for justice. The entire course was built on the question for today, why do the innocent suffer? The professor told us we needed a strong theology of suffering if we were going to survive in the ministry. He was right. In the ministry, I worked with many good people who suffered regularly. In that class, we were required to develop our own theology of suffering. This is my theology of suffering in a nutshell.

It is grounded in the book of Job. We may live in God’s creation, and it is a great place. Nature, all four seasons, testify to God’s greatness. The world is a great place to spend 100 years! However, while we may live in God’s creation, we also live in Satan’s playground. Our world is not always a pretty place; our world can be downright ugly. The source of all that ugliness is Satan, himself. He attacks us in many ways. There is suffering from natural disasters. He attacks us with the consequences from poor decision making, disease, violence, mental, emotional spiritual issues, and the rest. Every day, we play the part of the Old Testament character, Job. Satan places suffering into our lives because Satan wants us to denounce our faith. However, we won’t do it because we are disciples of Jesus Christ! We know this world is not the main event; it is only the warm-up act. Someday, we are going to heaven! There is no suffering in heaven, only perfection. American theologian and apologist Timothy Keller (1950-2023) once said, “Suffering can define us rather than destroy because God himself walks with us in the fire.”

Perfect Balance

On February 24, 1584, Pope Gregory VIII (1105-1187) signed a papal decree that the Christian world would accept the new Gregorian calendar. The motivation behind the Gregorian calendar was the Julian calendar, which assumes that the earth takes 365.25 days to circle around the sun. The days are divided into twelve months and an extra day is added every four years. According to the Gregorian calendar the new year begins on the first day of January.

Today, the new year is celebrated around the world. Can you name any other holiday that the world, in its entirety, embraces more than New Years? Did you know Sydney, Australia celebrates the New Year by exploding 80,000 fireworks for an estimated crowd of 1.5 million at the stroke of midnight? In Valparaiso, Chile two million come to see fireworks explode. In England, everyone gathers at the London Eye to watch fireworks as Big Ben strikes midnight. In New York City, a crystal ball is dropped in a one-minute countdown in Times Square. Edinburgh, Scotland hosts the world’s largest Hogmanay events to celebrate the New Year. The event lasts four days. In Rio de Janeiro two million people gather on the famous Copacabana Beach to watch a fifteen-minute fireworks display. Finally, in Central America New Year’s events are scheduled throughout the entire month of January.

Can I ask you a simple question? Why do so many people get excited about New Years? The world does not celebrate any other day on the calendar like New Year’s Day. Why January 1? Just think about it. There is nothing special about March 1. We barely notice it. No one cares about August 1. The world does not notice the coming of November 1. December 1 is lost in the Christmas season. What makes January 1 so special? Why do so many people get excited about a New Year? If you surveyed the worldwide crowds, then you would discover there are several reasons why people celebrate the New Year.

Some celebrate the New Year because they will celebrate anything. This group is always ready to party. Are you in this group? They are the same people who pretend to be Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day. They are the same people who pretend to have Mexican roots on Cinco De Mayo. For this group any reason is a good reason to party, so why not celebrate New Year’s Day?

Some celebrate the New Year because they are glad to see the old year go. Maybe you are glad to see 2023 go. For many, it was a difficult year. I have had years I am glad to see end. You will always remember 2023 as the year you did not have a job. You will remember 2023 as the year you lost a loved one. Or you may remember 2023 as the year you discovered that you had cancer or some other health issue. Every year is not a happy year. I remember 2020 as the year of the pandemic. It frustrated our good lives. Some years are a mix of the very best and the very worst. 2021 was the year my daughter got married and the year I had major surgery. How will you remember 2023?

Some celebrate the New Year because it symbolizes a brand-new start. Do you need a brand-new start? I use an electronic calendar, but my wife still uses a paper calendar. I will admit it, there is something about a brand-new paper calendar. Your old calendar is faded and worn but your new calendar is clear and crisp. Each day is empty and filled with possibilities. What do you want to do better in 2024? What area of your life do you want to improve? That is why people make New Year’s resolutions. Have you ever made a resolution to mend a broken relationship? Have you ever made a resolution to watch less television and read more? Have you ever made a resolution to eat less or exercise more? Now is the time to improve yourself! There is no better time to improve yourself than right now.Let us look at our scripture lesson.

We are instructed today from the first nine verses in the third chapter of Ecclesiastes. These words were written by King Solomon. He will always be remembered as a man of wisdom. Some have questioned that because he had 700 wives. (One is enough for me!) Our scripture reminds us that life should be lived in balance. There is no way you could miss the pattern of these verses. There is a time for this and a time for that. If you look at the text, you discover that the this’s and the that’s are linked. Nothing should be done all the time. Nothing should be eliminated all the time. Life is meant to be lived in a certain balance. For example, no one should work 24/7. On the other hand, no one should vacation 24/7. The wise one, Solomon, tells us life must be lived in balance. Are you living your life in balance?

Is your spiritual life in balance? In Matthew 4:4, Jesus quotes, Deuteronomy 8:3. It says, “Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Our world has a surplus of people who are living spiritually out of balance. There is a time to do the temporary things of this world and a time to do the eternal things of God. How much time do you spend doing temporary secular things? (Working, paying bills, cleaning the house) How much time do you spend doing eternal things with God? (Worship, devotion, prayer) Solomon believed mankind is basically blind to God’s meaning for man’s existence. We spend our days chasing after things that really don’t matter. How many meaningless things are going to fill your calendar in 2024? How much time are you going to give God in 2024?

This is the good news for today – now is the time! There is no better time to improve yourself than right now. Now is the time to break your old secular patterns and draw near to God. My goal is to help you live more balanced lives, spiritually. I am going to do that by reminding you of one thing and then challenge you to do something else. There is a time for the things of this world and there is a time for God.

First, if you want to live a balanced spiritual life then I want to remind you that you are a child of God. That is easy to forget in our world. We are so busy running around; we are so busy dealing with life’s problems and challenges. Never forget, you belong to God. The Westminster Confession of Faith says, “The purpose of life is to glorify God.” In Romans 14:8 Paul says, “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” Never forget that you are a child of God. Is the way that you live bringing glory to God?

On September 3, 1967, the old television game show What’s My Line? went off the air. It had been a staple on CBS for seventeen years, airing 867 episodes. Do you remember What’ s My Line? If you do, then you have been watching television for over fifty-five years! Do you remember how the game was played? What’s My Line was a guessing game. The three-person panel would ask the guest ten yes and no questions. They were trying to discover their vocation. At the end the panelists would guess what the guest did for a living. In seventeen years, the country discovered there were many odd vocations and many people who did not stereotypically look like their vocation. So let me ask you the question:

What is your line? You can earn money in many ways. You may be a teacher, preacher, librarian, engineer, secretary, or a person of business. Those are ways to earn money, but they are not your primary purpose in life. Your job is just a part that you play in this world. It is how you pay the bills. However, what you really are is a child of God. If you are going to live a balanced life, both secularly and spiritually, then never forget your true purpose, to glorify God. Does your life bring glory to God? Or do you have some work to do?

Second, if you want to live a balanced spiritual life then I challenge you to develop a plan to help you grow spiritually. In other words, I want you to schedule God into your life. I hope you make God a real priority in your life. There should be a time for service and a time for spiritual disciplines. Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) once said, “It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” Now is the time. What is your plan to grow spiritually in 2024?

Years ago, I preached a sermon series on the Old Testament book of Nehemiah. Do you remember his story? He went back to the city of Jerusalem. The city at that point in history lay in ruins. Nehemiah dreamed of building a wall around the city so he could rebuild it. Along the way we learned that he was both a visionary and a leader. We learned he was detail oriented. Do you remember? He had a plan. He knew the length of the completed wall. He knew the height of the completed wall. He knew the thickness of the completed wall. Based on those facts he knew what he needed to complete the wall. Having a plan doesn’t mean you don’t trust God, having a plan simply means you going to do your best for God.

What is your plan to grow spiritually in 2024? Maybe one of the reasons you aren’t growing in faith is that you don’t have a plan? Now is the time to plan. How much time are you planning on giving God this year? Are you going to read the Bible more? Are you going to pray more? Are you going to mediate more? Have you scheduled God into your life, or doesn’t God fit into your plans for this year? What is your plan to grow spiritually in 2024? Let me end with the random facts.

Did you know the first electric light was so dim that a candle was needed to see its socket? Did you know the first steamboat took 32 hours to chug its way from New York City to Albany, 150 miles? Did you know Wilbur and Orville Wright’s first airplane flight lasted only 12 seconds? Did you know the first automobiles traveled 2 to 4 miles per hour and broke down often? Carriages would pass them with their passengers shouting, “Get a horse!” What do those stories teach us? How you begin really doesn’t matter. What matters more is how you end.

How are going to end 2024? Are you going to be closer to God then you are at this moment? The great wise one, Solomon, said mankind is basically blind to God’s meaning for man’s existence. We spend our days chasing after things that really don’t matter. Life is meant to be lived in perfect balance! Is your life in perfect balance between the temporary things of this world and the eternal things of God? Or do you have some work to do. Now is the time to begin.

Ther Savior is Born

Everyone knows the name Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). He was a French statesman and military leader, who rose to prominence during the French Revolution. He was the Emperor of France from 1804-1814, and for a short time in 1815. During those years he dominated Europe. In 1809, the name Napoleon grabbed the headlines of every international newspaper. Yet, under the headlines God was at work.

The year 1809 was quite a year in the history of the world. For in that year, some significant babies were born. For example, in 1809, William Gladstone (1809-1898) was born. He grew up to be one of England’s finest statesmen. The great writer Alford Lloyd Tennyson (1809-1892) was born in 1809 to a minister and his wife. In 1809, Oliver Wendall Holmes (1809-1894) was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In Boston, Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was born. In 1809, a physician and his wife, the Darwin’s, welcomed their son into the world. They named him Charles Robert (1809-1882). In 1809, a baby was born in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky to the Lincolns. They named him Abraham (1809-1865). Napoleon may have been dominating the headlines, but God was moving under the headlines. It has always been that way.

Our scripture reading is Luke 2:1-7. The headline on the day Jesus was born must have read: HIGHER TAXES! No one wanted to read that headline because no one wants higher taxes. Yet, taxes cannot be ignored. So, for that reason, a decree went out throughout the entire Roman world. Everyone had to return home to be counted for tax reasons. Joseph was not excluded. He was required to return to his hometown, Bethlehem. It is not as simple as it sounds. Joseph was traveling with his true love, Mary. The journey began in Nazareth, Mary’s hometown, so the journey was seventy miles long. To make the story even more complicated, Mary was pregnant, and Joseph was not the biological father. She conceived, not by the help of a man, but through the Holy Spirit. Timing is everything. The child comes after the long journey. Some say the baby came while Mary was in a barn, some say he was born in a cave. Regardless, the baby was born surrounded by animals, so they had to be careful where they stepped. Joseph and Mary did as God commanded. According to the Gospel of Matthew, they gave him the name Jesus. It is important that you know Jesus means “to save.” This is the question you must answer: What did Jesus save us from? In this blog, I am going to look at three answers to that one question. This is the first answer.

Jesus came to save us from disillusionment. One of the great stories of this season is A Christmas Carol. It was written by Charles Dickens (1812-1870) in 1843. You know the story. The theology is poor, but the theme is wonderful. The story revolves around a man named Ebenezer Scrooge. When we first meet him, he is a selfish, greedy businessman. His now famous response, “Bah Humbug!” has become a symbol of a disillusioned spirit. However, thanks to the visits of three ghosts, the ghosts of past, present and future, on Christmas Eve, Scrooge is transformed. By Christmas morning his transformation is complete. He became generous, loving, and a gracious servant of society. The reason our society can’t get enough of A Christmas Carol is, we all relate to Ebenezer Scrooge. Can I ask you a question? Have you ever grown disillusioned?

Jesus came to remind us that there is more to this world, than this world itself. The next time you feel disillusioned, remember this. The God of the universe, who created this entire world out of nothing, knows your name. When you are at your lowest, listen for God. He is calling your name to remind you that you are a person of significance. How important are you? You are so important, God sent his one and only son into this world to die for you, so God can spend eternity with you. Jesus came to save us from our disillusionment. This is the second answer.

Jesus came to save us from defeat. In 1939, a man by the name of Robert May (1905-1976) worked for Montgomery Ward department store. For marketing purposes, he was asked to create a new Christmas character. So, he combined two famous characters, Santa Claus and the Ugly Duckling. He called his new character Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer. You know this story too. The misfit reindeer goes on to save the day. Except for a few “Bah Humbug” people, everybody loves the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer because everybody can relate to Rudolph. We all dream of being the hero. Let me tell you another story.

In 1960, Wilma Rudolph (1940-1994) became the first American woman to win three gold medals in the Olympic Games. Millions of Americans were glued to their television sets that summer. They believed she was the greatest female athlete ever. What made Wilma Rudolph resonate with so many was her personal story. For the first three years of her life, she couldn’t walk and wore heavy braces. The reason was her left leg was paralyzed. Medical experts said she had no hope of ever walking, but Wilma didn’t listen to the experts. She listened to her heart. She worked those long legs in Clarksville, Tennessee, and beat the odds. She became the fastest woman in the world!

I am not going to lie to you. I have known many good people who feel lost. However, I will say this: The nativity stands as a reminder to the fact that God came into the world to stand with us. Jesus was not born in the palace surrounded by aristocrats. He was born in a barn surrounded by commoners, like us. Sometimes, we experience victory, and sometimes, we do not. As Christian people, we know the truth. God is always by our side, and in the end, we are going to be victorious. In the end, everyone who believes in Jesus is going to heaven. Jesus came to save us from our disillusionment. Jesus came to save us from defeat. However, there is more. This is the third answer.

Jesus came to save us from death. It has been said, “Death is not extinguishing the light from the Christian; it is putting out the lamp before the dawn.” When I first read that quote, I thought of my grandfather, Roger Adams. He was the greatest man I have ever known. He had the ability to make any situation fun. He had the gift of making everyone in his life feel important and special. This is his story. He was born in Pierpont, Ohio, just south of Conneaut. As a teenager his leg was damaged in a train accident. His father, my great-grandfather, refused to let the doctor amputate his leg. My grandfather had his leg, but he always struggled with that bad leg. Maybe that is why he was the first Adams to leave the farm and head to the big city. He moved to the bright lights of Ashtabula, Ohio. He had many jobs in his life, but the only job I remember him holding was on the docks of Ashtabula harbor. It was a good job, but it was not the job he really wanted. He wanted to go into the ministry, but he never had the opportunity. When I went into the ministry, I wasn’t just fulfilling my dream. I was fulfilling his dream of ministry too. In the twelfth chapter of Hebrews, it says we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, saints, who are cheering us on to do our best. One of those saints cheering me on is my grandfather, Roger Adams. When I see him again in heaven, I am going to tell him everything he missed in the ministry. I am going to tell him I was passionate about the ministry because I did it for the two of us. The Ecology Global Network tells us that two people in our world die every second. You must know someone in that great cloud. There must be someone you miss. There must be someone you will never forget.

I have many questions, but there is one thing I know for sure. Someday, I am going to heaven. I am not making this statement because I think I am a good person or a perfect person. I know I cannot save myself by my good works or by being a good person. I know I am saved by grace and by grace alone, and I lean heavily on grace. I am going to heaven because I worship a perfect Savior. I am going to heaven because of Jesus, who was the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. May we never forget it. Salvation is a gift! Salvation is yours by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. When I get to heaven, I am going to look for Roger Adams, the greatest man I have ever known. Who are you going to look for when you get to heaven?

On December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, after many attempts, Orville (1871-1948) and Wilber Wright (1867-1912) got their flying machine off the ground. Orville was the pilot. He flew for 12 seconds and went 120 feet. The world would never be the same again. Wanting to share their good news, the Wright brothers telegraphed their sister, Katherine (1874-1929), back in Dayton, Ohio this simple message: WE HAVE ACTUALLY FLOWN 120 FEET. WE WILL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. Katherine was thrilled her brothers had flown and wanted to share their good news with the world. She went to the editor of the local newspaper and handed him the message. He read it and responded, “How nice! The boys will be home for Christmas.” He totally missed the big news!

I hope you don’t miss the big news. The Savior of the world is born! He came to save us from our own disillusionment. He came to save us from defeat. He came to save us from death. Do you remember the words of the unnamed angel in the first chapter of Matthew? The angel said, “She will give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

At Peace

We find ourselves in the second chapter of Luke, verses eight through fourteen. The scene is a familiar one. Perhaps it is so familiar, the shock has worn off. After centuries of waiting, the Savior of the world has been born. For generations, everyone longed for his arrival, because he would solve all their problems. Everyone assumed he would be born in the palace; after all, he was a king. Everyone was wrong. (You know what they say about assuming.) He was born in a barn or cave. To the world, his parents, Joseph and Mary, were just another poor couple. Aren’t the poor always having children they can’t afford? According to the Gospel of Matthew, they named him Jesus. The name means “to save.”

It was the greatest moment in human history, but the world almost missed it. An announcement had to be made. It was delivered to an unimpressive group of hard-working shepherds, despised by the religious of their world, but obviously valued by God. Our scripture reading tells us, once the announcement was given, the messenger was surrounded by a great company of singing angels. Their sheet music is long gone, but their words remain: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. We call those words Gloria in Excelsis Deo, the first words in the Latin Vulgate translation. We know those words because they are great words, but what do those words mean? How do you interpret that verse? That is not a simple task.

Some believe the angels are speaking about internal peace. One of my favorite Christmas movies is Home Alone. You may know the background. Home Alone was released in 1990. It was made for $18 million and has grossed approximately $354,000,000. It was filmed in Winnetka, Illinois, and stars Macaulay Culkin (born 1980) as Kevin McCallister. You remember the storyline. Eight-year-old Kevin finds himself home alone, because he got lost in the shuffle as his family leaves for their Christmas vacation. At first, he celebrates his independence, but in time he begins to value his family. Near the end of the movie, Kevin begins to regret how he had treated his family. He walks into a church and confesses his feelings to a stranger, who has his own family problems. The stranger, Kevin’s neighbor, a weird old man, has a great line. He says, “You’re in church now. This is the place to come when you are feeling bad about yourself.” It is a secular movie, but it holds a divine truth.

Have you ever gone to church to find some rest? The world is exhausting because the world promotes your failures. During my time in the ministry, I sat alone in my church’s sanctuary many times because I needed some peace. What I really needed was Jesus. Augustine (354–430) once said, “Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in God.” Internal peace is important! How exhausted are you? Internal peace is important, but it is not the right interpretation.

Some believe the angels are speaking of political peace. Did you know, historians from England, Egypt, Germany, and India tell us, since the year 3600 BC, the world has only been free of war 292 years? During that same period, there have been 14,352 wars, killing 3.7 billion people. The amount of property destroyed during those wars would pay for a golden belt large enough to surround the world, 98 miles wide and 33 feet thick. Did you know that since 650 BC, there have been 1,656 arms races, and only 16 have not ended in war. Most countries involved in a war end up in economic collapse. Did you know there are thirty-two wars raging in our world today, taking more than 526,000 who die annually because of violence associated with armed conflict? Our time is not the only one. There has always been a shortage of peace in our world. Political peace is important, but it is not the right interpretation.

Some believe the angels are speaking of social peace. I love baseball. I remember the night Hank Aaron (born 1934) broke Babe Ruth’s home run record on April 8, 1974. Al Downing of the Los Angelos Dodgers allowed the home run. He held that record for thirty-three years. When his 23-year baseball career ended, he was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame and went to work for the Atlanta Braves. In my eyes, Hank Aaron is a somebody.

One night, he was checking into a hotel, but the clerk didn’t recognize him and told him there were no rooms available. The owner of the hotel recognized Hank Aaron and pulled the clerk to the side. He said, “That is Hank Aaron. He is the one who broke Babe Ruth’s home run record. Tell him we will find him a room.” The clerk went back to the counter and said to Hank, “I am sorry, Mr. Aaron. I didn’t recognize you. Of course, we have a room for you. I didn’t know you were a somebody.” I love Hank Aaron’s response. He said, “Everybody is a somebody.” How would our world change if we treated everybody like somebody?

There is a certain amount of logic to this interpretation. After all, God sees everybody as a somebody, because God loves everyone. It is God’s desire to have everyone accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, so God can spend eternity with everyone. If you treated everyone as a somebody, how would your relationships change? You know the truth, revenge is never sweet. Violence breeds more violence. Hatred poisons the soul. Resentment, jealousy, bigotry, and prejudices are spiritual viruses that will kill your soul. Hank Aaron was right! Everybody is a somebody. Those interpretations are not all bad. Internal peace is important. Political peace is important. Social peace is important, but those interpretations are not correct.

The angels are speaking about peace with God. It is the kind of peace that satisfies your entire being. The great hymn writer of the Methodist movement, Charles Wesley (1707-1788) was at peace with God. He wrote approximately 6,500 hymns. In one of his hymns, he talks about his peace with God. Read the words slowly:

I rest beneath the Almighty’s shade

My griefs expire, my troubles cease;

Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed,

Keep me still in perfect peace.

Charles Wesley was at peace with God. This is the question you must answer today: Are you at peace with God? Consider these two stories with me.

Nicholas Ridley (1550-1555) was an English Bishop in London. However, he is remembered for being one of the greatest martyrs in the history of the church. His witness for Christ was unfailing. He died burned at a stake. On the night before his execution, his brother came to visit him in prison. He wanted to add some comfort. Ridley refused the offer. He told his brother to go home, because he wanted to get a good night’s rest, because he was going to meet Jesus the next day. Those who guarded over him said he slept soundly that night.

One of my favorite movies is The Outlaw Josey Wales. It was released in 1976 and stars Clint Eastwood (born 1930) in the title role. He plays the part of a Missouri farmer who joins a Confederate guerrilla unit at the close of the American Civil War. He ends up on the run from the Union soldiers who murdered his family. Along the way, he encounters a variety of characters. One of those characters was a young man by the name of Jamie, who got wounded. Wales cares for his wounds and bonds with him as they run. At a certain point Jamie admits, “Josey, I’m afraid to die.” Jamie is not alone. I meet people regularly who are afraid to die because they still question their eternity. This is the question you must answer.

Are you afraid to die? Are you more like Nicholas Ridley, who was at peace with God, or Jamie, who was facing an unknown future? I am not a perfect person, but I sleep well

at night because I am at peace with God. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior years ago. The angels sang those words to the shepherds, but their words are still true today: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. Are you at peace with God?