We find ourselves today in the seventh chapter of Mark. According to the text, Jesus was in Decapolis. In other words, Jesus was outside of Galilee, where he was less popular. Decapolis was not a city, but a league of cities on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire. Yet, even there, Jesus was known as a miracle worker. Many came to Jesus to be healed. Others brought their loved ones to Jesus to be healed. That is what happened in the scripture reading for today. People brought a man to Jesus who was deaf and could hardly speak. In the end the man is healed, but the details of the healing are hard to accept. The Master put his fingers into the man’s ears, and he touched the man’s tongue. The healing of the man is interesting, but the compassion in the story is magnetic. If there would have been no compassion in the story, then there would have been no healing. The man got to Jesus because the people in his life had compassion for him. Compassion is what brought Jesus to the man to be healed. Compassion is one of the great characteristics of the Christian faith. Compassion is important but it is also exhausting. That is why verse 36 of our reading is so important. Verse 36 says, “Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.”

It is called the Messianic Secret. This is not the only place Jesus requests silence about a miracle. That request is heard many times in the Gospels. Why would Jesus want to keep his miracles a secret? I can answer that question with one word, protection. Jesus wanted to protect the ministry. We live in a bigger is better world, but not so with Jesus. Jesus was never interested in the crowd. Jesus was only interested in the committed. The crowd was problematic for Jesus. The crowd was stifling to Jesus’ mobile ministry. Jesus said, don’t tell anyone about the healings because he was protecting the ministry. However, Jesus was also protecting himself. It wasn’t that Jesus didn’t want to heal everyone. The problem is Jesus couldn’t heal everyone for emotional reasons. Never forget, Jesus was fully human. With every healing came a story and with every story a little of Jesus’s energy eroded away. Jesus didn’t come to be a healer. Jesus came to establish the Kingdom of God. Jesus requested silence about the miracles because he was protecting himself. If it is true of Jesus, then it is true of us too. Can I be completely honest with you?

Church work is exhausting, because church work is a marathon. I am not just talking about professional clergy. I am talking about anyone who is activity involved in the life of the church. The reason is the church is so personal and we want to give our best to God. No one wants to disappoint God. That leads us to a problem. I have spoken of it in the past. Within the life of every church is the 90/10 Principle. It plays out in every congregation, regardless of church size. The principle says, 90% of the work that is done and 90% of the money that is donated or generated within the life of the church happens because of 10% of the people. So, let me ask you this question. Are you part of the 90% or are you part of the 10%? If you are part of the 90% who are doing next to nothing, then do something. The 10% need your help. If you are part of the 10%, then be careful. Church work is exhausting, and fatigue is a reality. This is the truth. I am always humbled by how hard the 10% work and I am concerned they will burn out. Have you ever experienced church fatigue? Have you ever experienced church burn out?

There is a website called One Love. In one of their posts, they listed five signs of compassion fatigue. I believe, they relate to church fatigue. This is their list.

1. Apathy: Have you ever been apathetic about your church? It isn’t hard to do. People love to promote church’s shortcomings and mistakes. People love to retell church horror stories from years ago. If you take those stories personally and feel powerless to solve the problem, then you will naturally pull away and become apathetic. Have you ever been apathetic about your church? Apathy is a sign of fatigue.

• Anger: Have you ever gotten angry at your church? It may be at a person or a group of people who frustrate you. Staying calm sometimes takes energy. However, you have no energy. It may, or may not, be the issue at hand. It may be something that happened years ago, and you festered on it, until it came out in anger. Have you ever gotten angry at church? Anger in a sign of fatigue.

• Isolation: Have you ever isolated yourself? Have you ever avoided a fellow church member? You are afraid that person, or that group of people, will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. You don’t want to explode. Your greatest desire is just to be left alone. Have you ever avoided a fellow church member? Have you ever avoided a fellow church member? Isolation is a sign of fatigue.

• Negativity: Have you become a pessimist? Are you exhilarating or exhausting? Are people happier when they see you come or see you go? Is everything out of your mouth negative? Do you have an easier time complementing or criticizing? Negativity is a sign of fatigue.

• Fatigue: Fatigue is a sign of fatigue. You just always tired. It is not a matter of a lack of sleep. It is a matter of lack of interest. Fatigue is a sign of fatigue.

I know these five signs are true because I have experienced them in my life. So let me ask you the question again. Have you ever experienced fatigue in the life of the church? Let me say it again. It is important to take care of yourself. I have said it a million times to a million people, “If it is no longer fun, quit!”

On July 1, 2018, a new pastor was appointed to a church within this district. She was bright and passionate about Jesus. She loved her congregation and wanted to get involved in that community. She got off to a fast start. She visited everyone, and I mean everyone. In addition to preparing for Sunday morning, she visited her sick and her shut ins. Every visit came with a story, or two, of someone in their lives who were struggling. She visited them too. Everyone within her congregation loved her which made the announcement so painful to hear. She was leaving her church effective September 1. The reason she resigned was burnout. She was just as bright and passionate, but she was tired. She had burned out. She ran the marathon of the ministry like it was a 100-yard dash. She was a victim of church fatigue. It is important to take care of yourself, so you can take care of others.

Several years ago, I attended a retirement celebration for a man who had served the same church for thirty-eight years. It was his only United Methodist appointment. A great deal was made about his longevity, I was more impressed by his effectiveness. He was known for his compassion. It was about that time he took me to the side and gave me some advice. I listened to his words because I both liked and respected him. His words were straight forward. He said, “Russ, take care of yourself. Take all your days off. Take all you vacation. Take all those leaves. I didn’t and now I’m burned out. No church deserves a pastor who can only give 70 percent. If I would have taken care of myself, then I may have lasted longer.” I heard those word and have tried to apply them. It isn’t just true of clergy. It is true of devoted laity too. I hope you take care of yourself.

Several weeks ago, Kathryn and I made a fast get away. We left town on Monday morning and were home by Friday afternoon. We made a 376 trip to Lexington, Virginia. I was my first trip there. I was ready to go. This job has a million details. We stayed across the road from the Natural Bridge. However, we never saw it. Instead, we went into Lexington, itself. It is not a big place, only a town of 7,000 people. However, it is filled with history. It is the home of the Virginia Military Institute, which we toured. It was the home of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson, who taught at VMI prior to the war. We visited his grave and saw the lemons people had left behind. Lexington is also the home of Washington and Lee College, where Robert E. Lee served as president after the war. His grave is in the basement of the chapel. Just outside the door is his horse’s grave, Traveler. We took a carriage ride around the town, as the guide gave us the highlights. We drove about an hour and visited Appomattox Courthouse, where Lee surrendered to Grant, ending the Civil War. I found it fascinating. Do you know the best part of my trip to Lexington, Virginia? Kathryn and I were alone. No one knew us. We walked through the streets and talked about nothing. We ate in local restaurants uninterrupted. We drove in the car and reminisced. I would get up early and sit in the lobby. I drank a cup of coffee as I read the local paper. This was the best part. Everyone ignored me. It was great but by Friday morning, I was ready to go home and reclaim my purpose. I started to miss my job and my routine. I started to miss the people in my life. I drove home rested and ready to go. Listen to what I am trying to say. I am not saying everyone must travel. However, I am saying everyone must do something to take care of themselves.

In our scripture reading for today, Jesus ordered silence. Don’t tell anyone about my healing, because I have enough people. The Master needed to rest, and he needed to take care of himself. What do you do to care for yourself? Jack Kornfield (born 1945) is a best-selling American author. He once said, “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.”

We find ourselves in the fifth chapter of Mark. Jesus is in Galilee, so his popularity is extremely high. That means, the crowd is thick. Everybody wants something from the Master. One of the faces in the crowd was a man by the name of Jairus. He was the ruler of the local synagogue. In some cases that position was paid, in other cases the position was volunteer. In all cases, the position was respected by the congregation and demanding. He oversaw both building maintenance and worship. He came to Jesus not with a problem within the local synagogue, he came to Jesus with a personal problem. His daughter is dying, and he knows Jesus has the power to heal her. In the mind of Jairus, time is important. He tries to get Jesus to his daughter before time runs out. In other words, he tries to get Jesus to his daughter before she dies. This is the problem. The man is not alone. Others went to Jesus that day with their problems. One of those people was a woman with a gynecological problem. That means, she was considered unclean by her society. The good news is she is healed simply by touching Jesus’s robe. The bad news is her healing prevented Jesus from getting to Jairus’s daughter in time. It is a tragic story. The girl dies, just as her life was beginning. When Jesus arrived the crowd is grieving, because all hope is lost. It is at this moment; Jesus does the unexpected. He resurrects the girl and returns her to her parents. That story resonates in our society because death is, and always will be, shocking. It does matter if death comes after a long illness or in an instant, death is shocking. No one wants to see death invade their personal space. The problem is death is a part of life. How many loved ones have you lost?

Years ago, I was introduced to a book written by Elizabeth Kubler Ross, On Death and Dying. If you have never read it, I would encourage you to do so. It has helped many grieving people through the years. It has help me in my time of grieving. The concept is simple. When death invades our personal space, we naturally go through five stages. You know the truth. Grieving is a complex topic for several reasons. First, everyone grieves differently. In other words, you do not grieve the same as the person sitting next to you. Second, the same individual will grieve differently every time because every relationship in our lives is different.  You will grieve differently for your spouse of many years, then you will for a high school friend you haven’t seen in years. However, everyone does have one thing in common. Everyone passes through these five stages of grief. Some rush through a stage, others stay at a stage for a while. However, it is important for you to get through all five to resume your life. If you do not pass through each stage, then you stop living on the day your loved one died. So, what are the five stages of grief?

1. Denial – Even when death is expected, it is a shock. It is a numbness. You just can’t believe the person is gone. You thought they would always be there, but you were wrong. About a year ago, I worked with a woman who continued to text her deceased fiancé. She wondered why he didn’t respond. She was in denial. Have you ever been in denial when a loved one died? You are not the only one. Everyone does it.

• Anger – At some point the emotions kick in, and the person becomes angry. Powerlessness is pointed outward and someone must be blamed. How many examples do you need? The doctor made a fatal mistake. The pharmacist gave him the wrong pill. The hospital is incompetent, or the family was inattentive. I wonder how any hospitals have been sued in the last year. I wonder how many doctors have been sued in the last year. People sue for many reasons. One of those reasons is anger. Have you ever been angry when a loved one dies? You are not the only one. Everyone does it.

• Bargaining – Sometimes, before death comes, we bargain with God. If my loved one is healed, I will spend the rest of my life serving you. Sometimes, after death comes, we bargain with God. We find bargaining in those “if only” statements. If only they would have found the tumor earlier. If only we would have recognized the illness earlier. If only he would have driven down a different road, then the accident would never have happened. Do you hear what you are trying to do? We want life to return to what it was; we want our loved one restored. Have you ever found yourself bargaining when a loved one dies? You are not the only one. Everyone does it.

• Depression – When the bargaining ends, the depression begins. In this case, depression is not a mental illness, it is an appropriate response to a great loss. In many ways, we withdraw from life. There are many who stayed depressed after a death. In many ways they stop living. Have you ever felt depressed when a loved one dies? You are not the only one. Everyone does it.

• Acceptance – I explain it this way: We never really get over the death of a loved one, but we do adjust. Things will never be as they were, but you will find a new normal. Maybe acceptance isn’t the right word? Maybe surrender is? How many times in your life have you been forced to accept the death of a loved one? You are not the only one. Everyone does it.

In the Christian faith, there is a sixth stage to grief. The sixth stage of grief is hope. In the Gospel lesson for today, Jairus and the people in his life were devastated. I am sure some were at stage one, denial. Some must have been at stage two, anger. Jairus, himself, must have been at stage three, bargaining. If Jesus would have arrived earlier, then his daughter would not have died. Jesus’s attendance is not a requirement for the healing. When Jesus resurrects the lifeless girl, he gives everyone hope. Only the Christian faith offers real hope in the face of death.

Since January, I have officiated at twenty-three funerals. Each one of those funerals ended with these words. Perhaps, you remember them on your sad day. They are words of hope.

Jesus was born in the ordinary way, yet he lived an extraordinary life. He never committed a single sin. He deserved to live an extra-long life, but it didn’t happen. He was executed as a young man. It was a Roman form of death. Jesus was crucified. His corpse was placed in a tomb. Once dead, Jesus’ friends came to pay their final respects. Those who came early in the morning, to get the horrible job done, made the great discovery. The tomb was empty! Somehow, Jesus had come back to life. I have never been able to explain how the resurrection happened, because I can’t explain a miracle. However, I do know the resurrection of Jesus changed everything. It is the cornerstone of our faith, and it changed the way you are experiencing today. Without the resurrection of Jesus, it is over with the benediction or the lunch. However, with the resurrection, there is so much more.

When I was young, my mother always told me to tell the truth. She knew I wasn’t too bright, and she knew it would be hard for me to remember all the lies. She said, telling the truth is easier. For this reason, I have always told the truth, even if the truth is hard to hear. Someone once asked me the question, what do you look forward to in your own death? I don’t think about my death too often, but I gave them an honest answer. My answer is your answer. When I die, I look forward to seeing all those people who have gone on ahead of me. I think the person was disappointed in my answer. They wanted me to say, “singing in the choir”. There is no way. They wanted me to say, “standing at the throne”. The problem is, I am too hyperactive. When I get to heaven, I long to see the people who have passed ahead of me, people I have missed for a long time. Can I ask you a question? Who do you want to see when you get to heaven? Who is the first person you want to see when you get to heaven? It going to be a great reunion, thanks to our resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus!

Our Gospel lesson for today began in sadness. A little girl, the daughter of a good man, was dying. Then, the sad moment came. She died. Everyone grieved but the grieving did not last long. Jesus resurrected her, and the reunion began. Norman Cousins (1915-1990) was an American political journalist, author, professor and world peace advocate. He once said, “Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.” 

His name is Kolya. He was the second of three boys who came to our area for prosthetic legs from Dimtrov, Russia, which is northeast of Moscow. His story was truly a miracle. He came in a wheelchair and he left walking on his new legs. That did not happen in an instant. It took time and, during that period, he stayed at my house. Waiting for the next doctor’s appointment took patience. It was a challenge to find things for him to do. One of the things he did was visit American schools in the area. Local teachers were open to his visits. One of the schools he visited was celebrating Halloween. He showed up just in time for the party. The students, and teachers, were dressed in costume. There was a mummy and a ghost. There was a vampire and a zombie. There was a monster and a boy covered in blood holding a plastic ax. The teacher was dressed like a witch. We thought Kolya would love it, but we were wrong. It was one of those cultural problems. Americans love Halloween, but that is not true of the Orthodox world, including Russia. Did you know only 5% of Russians observe Halloween? I tried to explain Halloween, but he didn’t understand. His non-verbal communication asked the question, what is Halloween? That is not an easy question to answer. Consider these three sides of Halloween with me.

Halloween is a holiday! The history of Halloween can be traced back 2,000 years to ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts believed the dead could walk among the living one day annually, October 31. They would wear ghoulish masks so the unwanted visitors could not distinguish between the living and the dead. In North America, where there was a surplus of pumpkins, they carved them with scary faces to ward off spirits. Others offered sweets to appease the spirits. Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches and zombies have long been associated with the evil world. Halloween is a holiday.

Halloween is a big holiday in America. Did you know, according to the National Retail Federation, 68% of all Americans plan on celebrating Halloween? The average American will spend $86.27 on Halloween. As a country we will spend $3.2 billion on costumes, $2.6 billion on candy, $2.7 billion on decorations and $390 million on greeting cards. 22% of all Americans are planning on visiting a haunted house and 44% of all Americans will carve a pumpkin. It is safe to say, in America, Halloween is not just a holiday. Halloween is a big holiday. Do you know anyone who doesn’t pass out candy? Halloween is a big holiday in America.What is Halloween?

Halloween is sinister! This is the very sad truth. Halloween is not all fun and games. There is a very dark side to Halloween. Halloween is the most sacred day on the Satanic calendar. Satanism has been part of our world for centuries. However, the source of modern-day Satanism can be traced back to one man, Anton LaVey (1930-1997). He authored several books to promote his dark world, The Satanic Bible, The Satanic Rituals, The Satanic Witch, The Devil’s Notebook and Satan Speaks! I checked several years ago and at that time, those books were found within the county library system.Those books were vital in the creation of his new church, The Church of Satan.

The best way to explain The Church of Satan is that it runs contrary to the church of Jesus Christ. It is like a parallel universe where everything is opposite. Our congregations are called churches; their congregations are called covens. In churches, we strive to know and accept everyone. In covens, fellow members are unknown because their identity is hidden. In churches, we worship in public. In covens, they worship in private. Churches worship during the day. In covens, they worship in the middle of the night. In church, we talk about our eternal reward. In covens, they talk about temporary gain. In church, we sacrifice for strangers. In covens, they sacrifice and misuse strangers and those who are weaker. In church, we encourage and love. In covens, they intimidate and hate. In church, we worship Jesus. In covens, they worship Satan. Satanism is a sinister parallel universe. If you get nothing else out of this message, then accept this fact. Satanism is real and countless people are regularly being victimized. On Halloween, the holiest day on the Satanic calendar, Satan desires a human sacrifice. I believe, that is where some of those missing children have gone. There is a sinister side to Halloween. That dark fact upsets many. What is Halloween?

That takes us to our Gospel reading for today. In find ourselves today in the seventh chapter of Mark. Jesus is in the vicinity of Tyre. That community is in present day Lebanon, north of Galilee. That fact is important for one reason. Jesus was extremely popular in Galilee, not so in other places. The smaller crowds gave Jesus an opportunity to teach the disciples. Demographically, the population seemed to be less Jewish and more Gentile. That is the case with the woman in the story. The author tells us she was Greek, born in Syria Phoenicia. She had heard of Jesus miraculous powers and knew this was an opportunity to save her daughter. Verse 25 says she was possessed by an evil spirit. She locates Jesus and begs the Master to save her daughter. In other words, she begs Jesus for an exorcism. At first, Jesus refuses to heal the daughter because the woman is a Gentile. In the end, Jesus exorcises the demon because of her great faith. Do you believe in demon possession?

The world struggles with this story and all other Biblical stories which deal with demon possession. The reason is we try to read the Bible like a science book. It is a book of faith. How do you translate demon possession in our modern world?  Some say demon possession in the Bible is untreated seizures. Some say demon possession in the Bible is untreated anxiety. Some say demon possession in the Bible is untreated depression. Some say demon possession in the Bible is some other untreated mental illness. Some say demon possession is just that, demon possession. I believe demon possession does exist. Sometimes, there is no other explanation. How do you understand demon possession in our modern world? However, demon possession in the Bible is more. Demon possession in the Bible is a reminder that our world is filled with sad people, who look to Jesus for help. Our world has a dark side where Satan is alive and well. What is Halloween? Halloween is a reminder!

On the last Sunday of October 2018, I preached a sermon called The Dark Side of Halloween. In that sermon I talked about a young woman I tried to help when I was in the Cleveland area. You may remember her story. Her name was Pat and she lived her life as a victim. As a child she would go to Canada for the annual family vacation. Her parents, both alcoholics, were drunk the entire trip. They entrusted her to an uncle. He wasn’t an alcoholic, but he was a Satan worshipper. He exposed Pat to the worst things this world had to offer. She was raped countless times by a variety of men. She was photographed and was subject of child pornography. Years later, he would send those pictures to her in the mail, just to intimidate her. One night, she was even buried alive in a casket, with a small oxygen tube to keep her breathing. She told me on one occasion she saw Satan, himself. The outcome was predictable. Pat fractured in every possible way. She had six or seven different personalities. She came to me by way of her psychologist, who asked me to help her fix her Christian theology. Do you know what I did? Through the years, I went through the confirmation material seven times to help each personality. It was Pat who taught me about the dark side of Halloween. It has been over twenty-five years since I met with Pat, but I still find myself praying for her. I double up my prayers for Pat on Halloween, because Halloween is the holiest day on the Satanic calendar. On that day, they look for a human sacrifice and Pat didn’t want to be the victim. Every Halloween she would hide in the Cleveland Mero Park system, alone in the woods.

I closed that message with a challenge, and I will challenge you again, to pray not just for Pat, but for all the victims in our society who are suffering silently, due to Satanism. It is a secret world that seldom gets exposed. It is a secret world, but it exists. I woman came to Jesus and begged for help. Her daughter was demon possessed and without Jesus there was no help. Somethings don’t change. Countless victims are living in the dark world of Satanism. Without Jesus, they will remain in the dark. With Jesus, there is hope. 1 John 1:5 says, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”

We find ourselves today in the fourth chapter of Mark. Jesus and the disciples are in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. Their boat is surrounded by other boats. That body of water was infamous for sudden storms and that is exactly what happened. Without warning, the wind began to blow, and the boat, (with low sides perfect for the nets), begins to fill with water. The disciples begin to panic, but Jesus is fast asleep. The contrast between the disciples and Jesus is shocking. They awake Jesus to tell him he is about to die. Jesus is surprised by their emotional state. He comments on their lack of faith and calms the storm. The disciples who had been traveling with Jesus thought they knew him, but their understanding of him was incomplete. They ask a question the world has been trying to answer for generations. “Who is this?” In other words, they asked the question, who is Jesus? How do you answer the question, who is Jesus? The answer you receive will depend on the person you ask.

If you would have asked Jesus’ cynical generation the question, who is Jesus, they would have given you same basic information about him. Jesus was a carpenter. He was the biological son of a woman by the name of Mary. Some believed, Jesus was the biological son of Joseph. Some had questions about his true father. Some didn’t even care enough to answer the question, because he came from Nazareth. Have you ever lived in a town the whole world looked down upon? That was the case with Nazareth. Jesus’ entire world looked down on Nazareth. Even one of his own disciples, Nathaniel, before following Jesus, looked down on Nazareth. Do you remember John 1:46? It says, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” If you asked Jesus’ cynical generation, who is Jesus, their answer is incomplete. Who is Jesus?

It is safe to say, Jesus is the most influential person who has ever lived. His teachings and the retelling of his story has influenced the lives of billions, even Non-Christians. Perhaps, that is why other world religions have been forced to answer the question, who is Jesus? Consider these things with me. Buddhism values Jesus. Some Buddhist scholars are emphasizing the similarities between the life and teachings of Buddha and Jesus. Scientology values Jesus. You can find the teachings of Jesus in the earliest forms of their religious beliefs. In 1974, the religion of Rael was created. It is a UFO religion. Today, they have a following of approximately 100,000. They believe the world was created by species of humanoid extraterrestrials. I believe their theology is a little off but, they too value Jesus. They consider Jesus a prophet. Who is Jesus?

The Bahai Faith values Jesus. Established in 1863, in Persia and parts of the Middle East, the Bahai faith looks for values in each of the world religions. They strive for a new world order, where a balance is struck between the beliefs of all world religions. They consider Jesus to be a manifestation of God. However, they believe Jesus is just one of a series of manifestations of God. Jesus is not the first manifestation of God and Jesus will not be the last manifestation of God. The Bahai Faith may be politically correct, but the Bahai Faith is wrong. Their answer to the question, who is Jesus, is incomplete. Who is Jesus?

Islam values Jesus. Did you know in the Quran, the sacred text of that religion, Jesus is mentioned twenty-five times? That is more often than Muhammad, himself. Jesus is portrayed as being both moral and pious. His generous ways caught the eyes of God, who selected him to be a divine messenger. They also believe Jesus’s original message was lost and altered by first century Christians. Muslims believe, Jesus was not the incarnation of God. As a matter of fact, Muslim reject the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Muslims answer to the question, who is Jesus, is also incomplete. Who is Jesus?

The Hebrew faith values Jesus. They believe Jesus was an historical figure. They believe Jesus was a good man and teacher. They reject the concept that Jesus is part of the trinity and the reject the idea Jesus was the Messiah. The reason is simple. He did not fulfill the Messianic prophecies. Conservative Jews believe the last word from God came through the prophet Malachi, who lived approximately 400 before the birth of Jesus. They believe, any Jew who believes Jesus was the Messiah has crossed the line and has left the Jewish community. In other words, the Jews answer to the question, who is Jesus, is also incomplete. Who is Jesus?

In the Christian faith, the answer to the question, who is Jesus, is not simple. It is complex. It has been said the word became flesh and theologians turned it back into words. That may be true. Consider what the Christian theologians tells us. We believe, Jesus was the incarnation of God. In other words, Jesus was God, who was active at the creation of the world. His love for us can never be questioned. We celebrate Christmas, because we stand in awe of the fact, Jesus left the perfection of heaven to enter our sinful world to save us from sin. He was both fully God and fully human. For a three-year period, he taught the world about the Kingdom of God, preforming miracles to emphasize his message. Yet, his message was more than this world could handle. The religious leaders of his day decided to eliminate Jesus. Their plan worked to perfection. Jesus was arrested during the Passover. Jesus had two trials, one in front of his own people and the other in front of the Roman authorities. He didn’t have a chance. In the end, Jesus was found guilty and executed. He died Roman style, crucified. The few who saw Jesus die on that day witnessed the depth of God’s love for mankind. On a Friday, the day before the Sabbath, they placed his corpse in a tomb and cried themselves to sleep. On the following Sunday, the tears of his followers were replaced by cheers. A few women made the great discovery. Jesus had somehow conquered death. Every Easter we celebrate the resurrection, because it changed everything. Your belief in the resurrection is not optional it is indispensable. If you believe in the resurrection of Jesus, then you will be saved. If you don’t believe in the resurrection of Jesus, then you are lost. (Romans 10:9) Jesus’s resurrection was a bodily resurrection, he was not a ghost. For forty days he walked this world in his resurrected state, proving to all, he had returned. Once that forty-day period was complete, Jesus ascended into heaven. Ten days later, on the Jewish festival of Pentecost, his divine mission was completed. The Holy Spirit came and filled the hearts of all believers. The question sounds simple, who is Jesus? The answer is very complex. Who is Jesus?

When I was in seminary, I had a friend by the name of Mike. He was a wild guy with long red hair and a good heart. He was from the Illinois side of the Mississippi River in the St. Louis area. We lived in the same apartment complex, so we would ride to school together. As we traveled those few miles, we talked and share our stories. Of all the stories Mike told me, this is the one I remember.

He freely admitted, when he got of college, he was a non-believer. The last thing he worried about was Jesus. That all changed one Friday night. He was out drinking and being wild with his friends. Completely drunk, he decided to drive home. He didn’t remember much, but he was driving fast. The expected happened, and Mike got into an accident. He didn’t remember getting cut out of his car and he didn’t remember being taken to the hospital. He did remember being in the hospital’s emergency room. In an unconscious state, he heard his mother talking to the doctor. She began sobbing when the doctor told her, it didn’t look good. The doctor wasn’t a miracle worker, but she promised to do her best, but she wouldn’t make any promises. There was an excellent chance Mike was going to die. Mike didn’t want to die, so, in that unconscious state he promised God, he would do better. As a matter of fact, he promised God to service Him the rest of his life, if God would save him. Mike pulled his shirt open to show me the large ugly scares on his chest from the accident. Mike was good to his word. Once he recovered, he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. In time, he heard God calling him into the ministry and enrolled in seminary. The last time I heard from Mike, he was serving a church in Illinois. Ask Mike the question, who is Jesus, and he will give you the best answer. Jesus is his Lord and Savior. That is the only correct answer.

How do you answer the question, who is Jesus? There is only one truly correct answer. Jesus must be your Lord and Savior. He is your only hope of salvation. The disciples sat in the boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. A storm began to rage, and they thought they were going to die. They woke Jesus to tell him he is going to die too. No one died that day. Jesus calmed the storm and showed the disciples he had the ability to control nature, itself. The disciples are blown away, and they asked themselves the question people for generations have been trying to answer, who is this? Who is Jesus? Later, Jesus would give them the answer, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” (John 14:6)

We find ourselves today in the third chapter of Exodus. However, the story of Moses began in the first chapter of Exodus. You remember the story because you have seen the movie. Joseph’s descendants, the Hebrews, were living in Egypt. They went to that foreign land to escape a great drought as favored people, but, in time, that status was replaced by slavery. The lives of God’s Chosen People were hard, and they cried to God for help. Little did they know their relief would come from one of their own. Moses was born a Hebrew, yet he was raised in the palace of the Pharaoh. He should have had a good life, but it didn’t happen that way. He takes a life and runs into the wilderness to escape the law. That is where we find him today.

According to the text, Moses had to re-established himself in that foreign land. He is married and working for his father-in-law. His occupation is a shepherd. One day while at work, he leads the sheep to a remote area. It is in that secluded area that the miraculous happens. There was a burning bush that was not being consumed by the flames. When Moses goes to examine the bush, God, Himself, began to speak to him. The Almighty tells Moses three things. First, he tells Moses to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground. Second, he tells Moses he is the God of his ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.  Third, he tells him he has heard the cries of his people, who are enslaved in Egypt. Let me say that another way. God heard the prayers of his people, who are enslaved in Egypt. That means God’s Chosen People had not been praying to a deaf God. The Almighty heard their prayers and He hears your prayers too. This is the problem, God may hear our prayers, but he does not always answer our prayers in a way we desire.

Luis Palau (born 1934) is an international evangelist, who had a close relationship with Billy Graham (1918-2018). He was born in Argentina, but today he lives in Portland, Oregon. He writes for Christianity Today. He says there are five different ways God answers our prayers. Consider these with me.

Yes, I thought you would never ask. Sometimes God answers our prayers yes, I thought you would never ask. Ron Wheeler is a Christian cartoonist. He prayed for a new computer to create his own evangelist tracts. Two weeks later, a friend offered him a new computer. A short time later The American Tract Society called to offer him a job. Wouldn’t it be great if God answered our prayers that way all the time? Sometimes God answers our prayers yes, I thought you would never ask.

Yes, and there is more. Sometimes God answers our prayers yes, and there is more. David Smallbone was a bankrupt musician in Nashville, Tennessee. One day, he, his wife and six children prayed for help. It was at that moment things began to change for the better. They started to receive things to survive. However, the best change came through his fifteen-year-old daughter, Rebecca. She received a recording contract. Today, David promotes his daughters sold out concerts. Rebecca St. James is a bright light in Christian music. Sometimes God answers our prayers yes, and there is more.

Yes, but not what you expected. Sometimes God answers our prayers with a yes, but not in the way you expect. Sherman Smith was a Christian running back for the Seattle Seahawks. He was a local celebrity in Seattle, which made his trade to the San Diego Chargers hard to accept. A few weeks after the trade, he hurt his knee, and Smith wondered why he was traded. He got his answer when he led fellow player Miles McPherson to Christ. McPherson became a youth evangelist and has led thousands of youth to Christ. Sometimes God answers our prayers with a yes, but not in the way you expect.

Yes, but wait. Sometimes God answers our prayer with a yes but wait. Recently, I read a story about a young woman, not yet thirty years old, who suffered daily with seizures. Her husband felt helpless and prayed for a healing daily. One night he was out in their backyard pacing and praying. At one point he fell to his knees and asked God to help his wife. Suddenly a doctor’s name popped into his mind. He found the doctor and made an appointment for his wife. That doctor discovered her seizures were cause by a certain chemical imbalance. Today, that woman lives seizure free. Sometimes God answers our prayer with a yes but wait.

No. Sometimes God says, “no,” because our prayers are ridiculous and selfish. We pray to win the lottery, or we pray for a date with a special love interest, or we pray for our favorite team to win. Sometimes, God says, “no,” and our prayers are genuine and heartfelt. How many healing prayers have you uttered for a sick loved one and the person dies? It is at that time we have no other option, but to trust God. The spiritually mature accept no, because they know death is a better option than life. The spiritually immature grow mad at God. The Apostle Paul was spiritually mature. When he wrote Philippians 1:23, he was torn between what was better, life or death? Do you remember that verse? It says, “I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is by far better. Sometimes God answers our prayers with a no.

This is the problem. Many misunderstand prayer. Prayer isn’t about getting what you desire. God does not need our advice about running the universe. You are not going to change God’s mind. Prayer is about spending time with God and if you spend time with God you will change. Are you more interested in changing God’s mind or changing yourself?

Your attitude about prayer should be the same as Bobby Richardson (born 1935). He played second base for the New York Yankees from 1955 to 1966. He was once asked to speak at a meeting of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He prayed this short and poignant prayer:

Dear God, Your will, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. Amen.

However, let’s be honest. Isn’t it wonderful when God answers yes!

There is a story which echoes through the halls of this church late at night. It changed this church and it changed me. It all began on an Easter morning. After the final service I stood in the back and dismissed everyone. When the last few remained, a young couple walked up to me. They were strangers, with a little girl in tow and a baby in arms. Physically spent, the father asked me to pray for his son. I will be the first to admit, I didn’t completely understand the medical condition. In layman’s terms, the baby head was growing too fast. All the father wanted was for his son to live a full normal life. In the next few minutes, I prayed with the couple and arranged a home visit. A few days later I was in their home and prayed for the child once again. They thanked me for my time, and I said, “We can do better. Can you bring the child to church, so the entire congregation can pray for him?” They agreed and a few days later they arrived at church. Before I uttered the pastoral prayer, I told the congregation the baby’s story. I confessed, I really didn’t know the family well, but the baby needed our prayers. I looked at the congregation and said, “I was looking for prayer warriors to help this baby.” I didn’t know how the congregation would respond. Their response surprised me. It seemed like the whole church stood up to pray for the infant. I remember laying my hands on his head and others pressed forward to touch him. Those who could not touch the baby placed their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. The spirit was so genuine, the Holy Spirit began to leak into our prayer. When we ended with the Lord’s Prayer, the Holy Spirit poured over us. When the prayer ended, we all returned to our seats and I prepared to preach. My message was not necessary that day, because we all had experienced God and knew God had touched the baby. Can I tell you the truth? That has been my most humbling experience in the ministry. How powerful was the Holy Spirit that day? The next week, a woman came up to me and asked, “I wasn’t here last week, but what happened? I feel the change in this church.” She was right. This church had changed. I changed too. I can still feel the Holy Spirit in this place.

The day after the miracle, I had a funeral in the morning, so I drove to Cleveland for the baby’s surgery in the afternoon. By the time I arrived, the surgery was over. I was told by the woman at the information desk his room number. When I found the room, I was there alone. A few seconds later they wheeled the baby in a crib into the room. I was expecting to find all the intimidating hospital equipment, but there was none. The only sign of a procedure was a small band-aide on the back of his head. The baby reached through the bars of crib and stuck out his finger to touch mine. When I touch his finger it was like touching God’s finger. Later, I was told the doctors were shocked he was treated so easily. I wasn’t surprised because I knew God had heard our prayers. Do you know where that baby is today. The father got what he wanted. His son is living full normal life. In the last few months, the baby, now a man, graduated from college and last week he began a new job as a chemist.

I can’t guarantee God will always answer your prayers with a yes. However, I can guarantee you that God hears your prayers. God heard the prayers of the Hebrews and he hears our prayers too. Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a Danish philosopher, theologian, poet, and social critic. Do you remember what Kierkegaard said? He once said, “The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.” I know that quote is true because it happened to me.

We are instructed today from the Old Testament book of Isaiah. The name Isaiah means “The Lord Saves.” He is one of the Major Prophets. His book is sixty-six chapters long. Isaiah began his ministry about the year 740 B.C., which makes him a contemporary of Amos, Hosea and Micah. He lived in politically stormy times. The Assyrian Empire was expanding; Israel was declining. Maybe that is why the people are hungry for God. People always look for God when life is hard. The major themes of this book are judgment and salvation.

Our scripture reading for today is a vision. In the vision, Isaiah has a trip into the temple of God. Everything about the temple is impressive. God is seated high and exalted, with a long flowing robe which fills the entire temple. Heavenly creatures are flying around. They are proclaiming the holiness of God. Their message is so powerful the temple shakes and is consumed by smoke. Yet, hiding in some corner of this impressive temple is an insignificant man, Isaiah. He feels out of place. In comparison to God, he is nothing. In comparison to God, his sins are obvious. He thinks he is well hidden but the Almighty sees all. In the end, God saves Isaiah from his sinfulness. One of the flying creatures approaches him with a hot coal, placing it on his lips. The man, Isaiah, is a changed man, atoned and guilt free. Humbled by this experience, Isaiah has no other option, so he spends the rest of his life serving God.

The calling of Isaiah is one of the greatest pieces of scriptures in the Bible. I have preached on it several times. However, this time one theme really stuck out. Look at the scripture with me one more time. The scripture doesn’t say Isaiah changed in any tangible way. The scripture doesn’t say Isaiah got taller. The scripture does not say Isaiah’s IQ score jumped. The scripture does not say he got better at mathematics. The scripture does not say he was given miraculous powers or suddenly had the ability to fly. Isaiah didn’t change in any tangible way, but Isaiah did change. The only thing that changed about Isaiah was his availability. After experiencing God, he became available to God. It sounds like nothing, but it really is something. How available are you making yourself to God? Making yourself available to God is very important in the Christian faith. It has been that way from the very beginning.

The disciples were not exceptional when Jesus called them. Not a single disciple was educated or well connected. Each one had their own flaw. You can say Simon Peter was emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper. Andrew has absolutely no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, placed personal interest above the group. Thomas demonstrated a questioning attitude that undermined morale. As a tax collector, Matthew had a questionable past. James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus had radical leanings, and both could have been manic-depressive. Even the greatest missionary the church has ever known, the Apostle Paul came with baggage. They make the point that God is not interest in our abilities or our inabilities, but that God is interested only in our availability. This is the question you must answer today.

How do you make yourself available to God? There is no single answer. The answer is found in the balance of these four things. Consider these four things with me:

If you want to be available to God’s service, then be faithful. If you are not faithful to God, then you are probably not going to be available to God. If you have ever read the Bible, then you know faithfulness is important. In the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew, Jesus tells the parable of the sheep and the goats. The sheep are told they are going to heaven because they had been living the Gospel. They had been visiting the incarcerated. They had been feeding the hungry. They had been clothing the needy. In verse 21 of that chapter, Jesus says to the sheep, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” If you want to be available to God’s service, then be faithful.

If you want to be available to God’s service, then be teachable. I do not want to shock you, but you don’t know everything. Everybody has something to learn. It has been said learning takes three stages. The first stage is learning the right answers. The second stage is learning the right questions. The third stage is learning what questions are worth asking. What do you think God is trying to teach you today? If you want to be available to God’s service, then be faithful and teachable.

If you want to available to God’s service, then be flexible. This is one of those things time has taught me. God is different from us in many ways. One of those ways is the way we view time and money. We are far more preoccupied with schedules and budgets, than God. Sometimes the greatest ministry moments happen in the most inconvenient times. Jesus understood that divine truth. Jesus was interrupted all the time. Jesus was interrupted while speaking to a great crowd. Jesus was interrupted in sleep. Jesus was interrupted in prayer. Jesus interrupted while healing someone. Jesus was even interrupted while traveling. Jesus was interrupted many times, but Jesus never cared, because he saw those interruptions as an opportunity to minister. Do interruptions bother you? If you want to be available to God, then be faithful, teachable and flexible.

If you want to be available to God’s service, then be humble.Humility does not mean you lack skills or self-worth. Humility means you are using your skills and self-worth to God’s glory. The great missionary to China Hudson Taylor (1832-1905) understood humility. He was scheduled to speak at a large Presbyterian church in Melbourne, Australia. The moderator of the service introduced the missionary in eloquent and glowing terms. He told the large congregation all that Taylor had accomplished, and then presented him as “our illustrious guest.”  Taylor stood quietly for a moment, and then opened his message by saying, “Dear friends, I am the little servant of an illustrious Master.”  If you want to be available to God’s service, then be faithful, teachable, flexible and humble.

God is not interested in our abilities and our inabilities God is only interested in our availability. If you make yourself available to God, who knows what will happen.

When Kathryn and I return to Estonia next summer, it will be her twenty-seventh trip to the former Soviet Union. I have been to Eastern Europe about twenty times, but who is counting? We have traveled to Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Estonia. The trips have always been a balance of building maintenance and children. When I think of the people who have traveled with us through the years, they have very little in common. They all had different skills and interests. However, they all had a passion for people and made themselves available to God. The oldest person to go was a man in his eighties.

The youngest person to go was a fourteen-year-old boy, Colin, from Wooster, Ohio. He was a big strong good-looking young man. He traveled with his father. They made and sold caramel corn to fund their trip. When I told someone we were taking a fourteen-year-old boy to Saint Petersburg, Russia on a mission trip someone scoffed. They asked, “Why are you taking a kid on the trip? He is wet behind the ears and he has no skills. I bet he is a picky eater and he will get homesick.” That negative person was wrong. When I look back on that trip, I remember Colin being one of the most valuable members on that team. Do you know what made Colin so valuable? He was a fourteen-year-old young man, who was strong and good looking. I liked Collin, but the fourteen-year-old girls from the orphanage found him fascinating. Colin was our passport into the social circles of that orphanage. Because of Colin, we had instant creditability. Because of Colin, we had a special connection with those orphans, who we came to help. Colin was a gifted young man with a good heart, but that didn’t really matter. The only thing that really mattered was that Colin made himself available and God did the rest. There is an old quote that says, “God does not ask about our ability or inability, but our availability.”

We find ourselves today in the book of Jonah. He is one of the twelve Minor Prophets. They are not minor because they are not important, they are minor because their books are brief. Tradition tells us Jonah was written by the prophet, himself. The date it was written is approximately 600 BC. One of the most intriguing elements of this Old Testament book are the New Testament undertones. For example, the name Jonah means “dove,” the New Testament symbol of the Holy Spirit. Also, Jonah was saved by a great fish, which is the New Testament symbol of the Christian faith. However, what is important to us today is the basic storyline. Everyone knows the story of Jonah.

His calling comes in the very first verse of the book, “The word of the Lord came to Jonah.” That was a common phrase, when the prophets were called. It is found in other places in the Old Testament as well. Never forget, prophets were called to speak on behalf of God, not predict future events. The problem is not that Jonah doesn’t understand his calling, but that the word Jonah received was clear and exact. The problem was Jonah didn’t want to deliver the divine message. God tells him to go to Nineveh and preach a message of repentance. That is the last thing Jonah wanted to do. This is the truth, he really didn’t care for the Ninevites and he wanted them to perish. You know the story, Jonah headed to the coastal town of Joppa and bought a ticket to take him to Tarshish. Geography is important in this story. The two cities, Nineveh and Tarshish, represent the opposite ends of the commercial world in ancient times. Nineveh was located on the Tigris River in modern day Assyria and Tarshish was located on the coast in modern day southwestern Spain. Jonah may have been a prophet, but his theology was poor. Jonah forgot it is impossible to run away from God. The Almighty is omnipresent. However, there is more to the story than God’s omnipresence. There is also the human factor.

The two great holidays in the Christian faith are Christmas and Easter. At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the incarnation of God. At Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The third great holiday in the Christian faith is Pentecost. You remember the story. It is fifty days after the Passover. The Jews are celebrating the festival of the harvest. We call it Thanksgiving. They called it Pentecost. They don’t have a clue what is about to happened. As instructed by Jesus, the disciples are still in Jerusalem. Without warning, the wind begins to blow, and the Holy Spirit is unleashed on the believers. Before it is over the believers are speaking in a foreign tongue, and the disciples are transformed. No longer confused, the disciples are spiritual giants. According to Acts 2:14, Peter stood up and addressed the crowd. He reminds them of two things. First, he reminds them of Joel’s prophesy (Joel 2:28) about the coming of the Holy Spirit. Second, he reminds them of the ministry and resurrection of Jesus. He concludes his Pentecost sermon with a challenge. They are to repent and believe in Jesus. Those words did not fall on deaf ears. According to Acts 2:41, 3,000 people accepted Jesus on that day. It was one of the great moments in the history of the early church. The doors of the Kingdom of God were wide open on that day. Today, the doors into the Kingdom of God can be much narrower. Can I ask you a personal question?

How many souls have you won for Jesus Christ? Did you know, according to various sources, only 1% of all Christians have won a soul for Jesus Christ? That means 99% of us have never won a soul for Jesus Christ. Maybe that is why so many know the story of Jonah. It is not that we are fascinated with fish. It is that we can relate to Jonah. He was to go to Nineveh and call them to repent. He refused to go. We are to win the world for Jesus Christ, but we refuse to evangelize. How many souls have you won for Jesus Christ? Here is a question you must answer.

Why aren’t Christians evangelizing? That is the question Steven Lee tried to answer. He is a pastor in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In a website called Desiring God, he says there are four basic reasons why Christians don’t evangelize. Maybe you will find yourself on this list.

1. Ignorance How many times have you heard the Gospel message in sermons, books and conservations. You have heard the Gospel message, but do you know the Gospel message. Could you share the Gospel message in sixty seconds, right now? Some don’t evangelize because of ignorance.

• Apathy We live in a society that is preoccupied with animals. Everyone wants to know if their pet will be waiting for them in heaven. I am not as worried about pets, as I am people. Once we get all the people into heaven, I will worry about animals. Some don’t share the Gospel message, because they really don’t care about people. Some don’t evangelize because of ignorance. Some don’t evangelize because they are apathetic.

• Fear Faith has a way of mobilizing us. Fear has a way to immobilizing us. Some don’t evangelize because they are afraid. Some are afraid of losing popularity. Some are afraid of losing respect within their group. Some don’t evangelize because of ignorance. Some don’t evangelize because they are apathetic. Some don’t evangelize because of fear.

• Discrimination That is Jonah’s story. He didn’t want to go to Nineveh because he didn’t like the Ninevites. It may have been the way they looked. It may have been the way they lived. It may have been their language. We understand discrimination, because, sad but true, discrimination is a big part of our society. How many groups do you belittle? Some don’t evangelize because of ignorance. Some don’t evangelize because they are apathetic. Some don’t evangelize because of fear. Some don’t evangelize because of discrimination.

Can I give you some relief?I believe, the 99% statistic is wrong. I believe, many more than 1% of all Christians have won a soul for Jesus Christ. I believe, that statistic is wrong because the question, itself, is flawed. The question, have you won a soul for Jesus Christ, reminds us of Billy Graham’s great evangelistic crusades. At the end of every service an altar call was given, and countless people emotionally came forward to accept Jesus. Evangelism is not limited to altar calls. Evangelism is not limited to a one-time experience. Evangelism is anytime we share Jesus. How many times have you shared Jesus with your words or actions? Let me tell you a little story.

My mother-in-law, Teresa was a strong Methodist. She was raised in the Okmulgee Methodist Church in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, home of the fighting Bulldogs. When she married and moved to Cleveland, she joined the Broadway Methodist Church. When she bought a house in the suburbs, she joined the Bedford Methodist Church. In 1968, the Bedford Methodist Church became the Bedford United Methodist Church, when the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren denominations merged. She had a special place in her heart for the church in Bedford, for she raised her family there. Passing the faith on to her children was important. I am confident there were many fine Sunday school teachers during those years.

However, the best Sunday school teacher at Bedford United Methodist, in my wife’s humble opinion, was a woman by the name of Carol. She did not work outside of the home. She stayed at home to raise her three sons. She wanted the best for them and the best she had to offer them was Jesus. It was for this reason she taught the high school class, which included her sons and my wife, Kathryn. Every Sunday morning at 9:30, she was with a group of high school students talking about Jesus. Not a single student in that class questioned her sincerity, she had known Jesus for years. Not a single student in the class questioned her commitment to them. She wanted the best for them and the best for them was Jesus. A reliable source tells me, Bedford once received a boring dry preacher. Carol knew the teenagers wouldn’t get any spiritual guidance from him, so she packed up her students in her station wagon and took them to worship at the nearby Baptist church. She wanted them to hear about Jesus. It was during one those beyond the extra call of duty activities my wife heard the call the ministry.

As a loving husband, I have to say, Carol changed my wife’s life. When Kathryn was in high school, Carol made her feel special. When Kathryn was in college, Carol prayed for her regularly. When Kathryn was in seminary, Carol invited her to come back to the church to speak to a small group of women. It was a way to encourage her. When Kathryn took those first United Methodist appointments, Carol saw her potential. When Kathryn and I moved to the Cleveland area, Carol visited our churches. When our children were young, Carol watched them in her home. When we travel back to Bedford to remember the life of a lost saint from that church, Carol is there and is hungry to hear about our ministries today. She wants to know what Jesus is doing in our lives now. When our daughter, Anna, gets married next May, guess who is going to be invited? Ask Carol if she saved Kathryn’s soul for Jesus Christ and she will say, “No!” She is too humble, but she evangelized to Kathryn for years.

Evangelism is a funny thing. It has been said, evangelism is like serving a meal. You may make it look appealing, but it is God who gives the appetite. I can give you a big list of things Carol is not. She is not young. She is not a super model. She is not rich. She is not a great singer or entertainer. Yet, she maybe the finest person I have ever known. You can’t help but admire her. She has always brought the best out in other people because she always wanted the best for them. She knew the best she could offer them was Jesus. Can I ask you a question?

Who led you to Jesus? Who was the Carol in your life? It is safe to say, that person did not have an advanced degree in evangelism. It is equally safe to say, that person knew Jesus and wanted the best for you. The best we can offer people is Jesus. Luis Palau (born 1934) is an international evangelist, who lives near Portland, Oregon. He must have known Carol. He once said, “Evangelism is not an option for the Christian life.”

We find ourselves today in the third chapter of First Samuel. The first two chapters give us some important background information. There was a woman by the name of Hannah, who had a difficult time conceiving a child. She prayed so earnestly for a child Hannah caught the attention of a priest named Eli. Once he hears her story, the priest had compassion on her. He prays for her and, in time, she becomes pregnant. When the child is born, she names her son Samuel, which means “the Lord heard.” She is so thankful for his life; Hannah dedicates Samuel to the service of the Lord and entrusts his care to the priest Eli. According to our reading for today, Samuel stayed with Eli many years. This takes us to the scripture reading for today.

According to the text for today, God began to speak to Samuel when he was a boy. The term boy is vague. The great historian Josephus tells us, God began to speak to Samuel when he was twelve years old. That is a significant age in that culture because at twelve years old Samuel was considered a man. According to the text, Samuel was lying down in the temple when God began to speak to him. Samuel heard his name being called and assumes it was Eli who is summoning him. How rare was the word of the Lord? It took God three tries to get Samuel’s attention. This is an interesting question. How many times would it take God to get your attention? I don’t want to sound critical of Samuel. You really can’t blame him. How can you expect him to hear God?

We have a hard time hearing one another. Sometimes, we don’t hear one another because our ears are broken. Have you ever watched television with someone who is hearing impaired? The volume is turned up all the way up. It is deafening. Did you know thirty-five million Americans are considered hearing impaired? That is 11.3% of our national population. Only 28.5% of hearing-impaired Americans use hearing aids. Sometimes, we don’t hear because our ears are broken. Sometimes, we don’t hear another because we are preoccupied. I will be the first to admit, I am guilty. I will be standing next to someone, but my mind is a million miles away. I say it regularly. “I’m sorry. What did you say?” Sometimes, we don’t hear one another because we suffer, from what my dad called, selective hearing. There are somethings we simply just don’t want to hear. How many times has the doctor told you to lose weight and go on a diet? You can’t blame Samuel for not hearing God. We have a hard time hearing one another. However, the story is not about hearing other people. The story is about not hearing God.

Look at the text with me one more time. It is the middle of the night and the characters in the story are down for the day. God calls out to the boy not once, but three times. Each time, the boy assumes it is the priest. Each time, the boy breaks the silence of the night. It is on the third time the priest begins to understand. He instructs the boy to go back to his bed and wait for God to call again. If the Lord speaks to him again, then answer, “Your servant is listening.” What is Eli doing? The aging priest is positioning Samuel, so he has the best possible opportunity to hear God. He didn’t tell him to take a bath. He didn’t tell him to tell the neighbors. He didn’t tell him to start his chores. He told him to lay in the silence of his bed and listen for God. One of the reasons Samuel heard God was he was in perfect position to hear the Almighty. So, this is the question you must answer.

Are you putting yourself in the best possible position to hear God? The people at Beliefnet say there are eight ways to discern God’s will for your life. This list speaks to me and I hope this list speaks to you too.

1. – If you pray daily you are not alone. According to the Pew Research Group, 55% of Americans pray daily. They also tell us 23% of Americans never pray. If you want to hear God pray!

• – The Bible is God’s word. Don’t read the Bible to study it. Read the Bible for the edification of your soul. Lifeway Research tells us 9% of American have read the entire more than once. 11% of Americans have read the entire Bible at least once. 10% of Americans have never read a single word in the Bible. If you want to hear God read the Bible!

• – Have you ever tried to find complete quiet. It is hard. Our world is filled with noise. The music is always playing. The television is always on. Someone is always talking. Someone is always cutting down a tree or mowing the lawn. It is hard to hear God through all the noise. If you want to hear God find a quiet place!

• – The Christian faith is more than 2,000 years old. God has touched every generation, and, in every generation, people have written about their experiences with God. They have written about their insights into God’s ways. Read what Augustine had to say. Read what Calvin had to say. Read what Knox had to say. Read what Wesley had to say. If you want to hear God read spiritually rich material!

• – At Group Work Camps, they call it a God sighting. If you train yourself to look for God in this world, you will find him. It may be in the beauty of nature. It may be in the kindness of a friend. It may be in the generosity of a stranger. When was the last time you looked for God? If you want to hear God look for God!

• – The Christian faith was never meant to lived out in isolation. It is a community experience. That is why church is so important. In the true church we don’t complain and criticize. In the true church we encourage and support. In the true church we are honest with one another and hunger for what is best. If you want to hear God talk to other believers!

• – Worship is a great opportunity to hear God. It may be in the words of the message? It may be in the words of the music or at a time of prayer. God speaks to many during worship or attend worship regularly. Did you know, according to the Pew Research Group, 37% of Americans attend church regularly? If you want to hear God worship!

• – Sometimes our own self-image makes us deaf to God. Do you remember this statistic from last week? According to NBC News, 85% of Americans suffer from a low esteem. Maybe one of the reasons we don’t hear God, is we don’t like ourselves? If you want hear God know yourself!

This is the point. Eli positioned Samuel to hear God. There was no guarantee. However, it heightened the opportunity. Are you giving yourself the best possible opportunity to hear God?

It has been a month since Kathryn, and I returned home from Scotland. I will admit I miss that special land. I miss the history, the landscape and the Scottish people. I have told you this in the past. I occasionally need an adventure. Part of the adventure in Scotland was traveling by train. Every day, I would check the train schedules. We traveled during non-peak hours, so it would be easier. Nearly every day, we would sit together on the train and soak up the scenery. One day, the car was full, and we were forced to sit apart. She sat with a couple from Sweden and discussed the royal family. I sat next to a young man, who was lost in thought. When I first arrived, he seemed annoyed. He was forced to move his sack lunch from my seat. I apologized and introduced himself. He told me his first name and said he was a local. I began to tell him how impressed I was with Scotland and told him about how fortune he was to live there. I told him about were our travels took us in Scotland. I told him where we were going to travel in Scotland. I told him about where I live in America. I told him about my job. I told him about my family. I told him about all the rain we had in the spring. I told him about my passion for baseball. I told him I missed my dog, Macy. I told him everything. Then, it hit me. I had been doing all the talking. I stopped talking and looked at him for a response. He was a million miles away. When he finally looked at me, he pushed his shaggy hair back and pulled his earbuds out. He looked at me and said, “Did you say something? I can’t hear anything when I am listening to my music.” I simply said, “That is fine”, and I stopped talking. Why waste your breath if someone isn’t listening? Why waste your breath if someone doesn’t want to listen? Could that be our story?

God is talking to us, but we just aren’t listening. It isn’t a matter of our ears being broken. The thirty-five million hearing impaired Americans are not excluded from divine communication. It could be we are just too busy to hear God. We live in an incredibly fast paced society. There just isn’t enough time to get everything done. I’m guilty. I don’t waste time, but I misuse time. They say without rest our health will decay. I say fast pace living will impede your spiritual life. Could it be we are so preoccupied with life, we don’t have time to listen for God? Or, could it be we don’t want to listen to God because we are afraid of what God is going to say. We want God to say he loves and accepts us. We don’t want God to say, we are sinners who need to repent. We don’t want God to say, we are a disappointment. This is the question you must answer.

Are you putting yourself in the best possible position to hear God? I hope the answer is yes, because best-selling author Bryant H. McGill isn’t wrong. He once said, “One of the sincerest forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.”

We find ourselves today in the twelfth chapter of Genesis, the beginning of Patriarchal History. It is not our first introduction to Abram, later Abraham. He was mentioned in the previous chapter. According to that chapter, Abraham’s father was named Terah. The entire family lived in Haran, until Terah’s death at the age of 205. Some things don’t change. The death of a loved one is always hard, and many make major changes during a time of lose. That is what happened to Abraham.

The twelfth chapter begins with Abraham making major changes in his life. However, Abraham does not initiate the changes. It is God, who initiates the changes. At seventy-five years old, the Almighty instructs Abraham to move to a new land. The name of the land is not identified, but it will be a land that will be remembered for the generations to come. And, in time, it will be filled with Abraham’s descendants, too many to count. Never forget it. Abraham means “the father of the multitude.” How special are Abraham’s descendants? They are so special they will be a blessing to the entire world. For within this race of people, Jesus will be born. Never forget it. Abraham is our spiritual ancestor too. I love this story because Abraham started the greatest challenge of his life at seventy-five years old. This is also true. I am jealous of Abraham because he heard God clearly and discovered his purpose? That leads us to an interesting question.

Have you discovered God’s purpose for your life? Several years ago, Rick Warren wrote a book called The Purpose Driven Life.”  Many churches and Christians read that book. The reason is simple. Many wanted to discover their purpose. About the same time, Warren wrote another book called The Purpose Driven Church. We read that book here. Don’t misunderstand me. I am not knocking the books. They helped many. However, you don’t need to read the books to discover your purpose. All you need to do is read Abraham’s calling. If you want to discover your purpose, then you must do what Abraham did. If you want to remain clueless about your purpose, then don’t read it. So what did Abraham do? Abraham did three things.

First, Abraham trusted God. Look at the text with me. Prior to our reading, we are told Abram had a good life. It was a stable calm life with his father. Abraham was rooted in that community and there was no sign that Abraham was interested leaving it. He had prospered in that land. He had every reason to stay. It was God who initiated the move. This is the key line. There is no sign Abraham questioned God because he trusted God and was open to God’s leading. How far does Abraham trust God? Beyond our reading, we are told the first thing Abraham did in that new land was build an altar to God. It was the first of several altars Abraham would build to God. Abraham built an altar anywhere he had a spiritual mountaintop experience. Moving to a new land made no logical sense, but Abraham did it because Abraham trusted God. This is the question. How far do you trust God? If you want to find your purpose, then you must trust God.

Second, Abraham trusted others. Look at the text with me again. Verse four tells us Abram didn’t travel alone. The scripture tells us he took with him his nephew Lot and his wife Sarai. He took with him his possessions and the people he had acquired in Haran. Some of those people may have been employees and some of those people may have been slaves. This is the point. When Abraham accepted God’s call and moved, it did just affect his life. It affected many lives, including the people who stayed behind. If Abraham was going to maximize his purpose, then he had to trust the people in his life. How far do you trust the people in your life?

One of the great concerns in this church is not knowing everyone. For some reason that is important to many. This is not Cheers where everyone knows your name. This is the church of Jesus Christ. This is the truth. This is not a single cell church. It is impossible to know everyone, especially with three worship services. The only thing that unites this church is the mission, making disciples for Jesus Christ, and the budget, our common enemy. However, knowing everyone isn’t really that important to me. I am more concerned about everyone trusting one another. This is a fair question. How far do you trust your fellow church members? Let me ask you two more questions. Have you ever overworked yourself at church because you want it done right? Experience tells me it will get done, just not by you. You just don’t trust someone else to do your job. Have you ever criticized someone for doing something differently than you would have done it? The issue is what they are doing. The issue is trusting. Trust is a big issue within the life of the church. We will never maximize our efforts as a church until we trust one another. Consider this with me.

One of the great scenes in the Bible is the Great Commission, Matthew 28:16-28. You remember the scene. Earlier in the chapter, we are told Jesus had been resurrected. The pain of Calvary is in the rear-view mirror. The Master’s earthly ministry is complete. The only thing waiting for Jesus is the perfection of heaven. Jesus’s work is done, and he is passing the mantel to the disciples. Jesus tells them to go and make disciples in all nations. I hope you don’t miss the next line. Jesus is turning the work over to eleven men, Judas Iscariot is gone, and Mathias has not yet been chosen, who have been a disappointment to this point. They are pre-Pentecost disciples. They have been unable to understand the simplest concepts, and they failed to do the simplest task. Regardless, Jesus trusted the immature disciples with the ministry. If Jesus could trust the disciples, then you should be able to trust a fellow church member. If you want to find your purpose, then you must trust God. If you want to find your purpose, then you must trust others.

I only have one regret in the ministry. I have found my purpose for life. I am glad I stayed here for twenty-five years and I am glad this place because my home. My regret revolves around a three-year period before I went into the ministry. When I graduated from college, I had a secular job. I met many fine people at that time, but the work seemed superficial. It wasn’t that I didn’t hear God’s calling. It was I tried to ignore God’s calling. I was terrified of public speaking and I knew my eyes were problematic. I failed to see my strengths, because I was so insecure. I failed to answer my calling, my purpose for living, because I didn’t trust myself. How far do you trust yourself?

Third, Abraham trusted himself. Look at the scripture with me one last time. God calls Abraham to move to a new land to start a new race. Abraham goes because he trusts God and Abraham goes because he trusts the people in his life. Abraham goes because Abraham believes in himself. There is no sign in the scripture Abraham doubted himself. Abraham believed in Abraham. According to NBC News, 85% of people have a low esteem. Do you believe in yourself? If you want to find your purpose, then you must trust God. If you want to find your purpose, then you must trust others. If you want to find your purpose, then trust yourself.

George Sanders (1906-1972) was a true Hollywood star. In 1951, he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in the movie All About Eve. He seemed to have it all, both fame and fortune. He should have been a happy man, but happiness was not part of his life. History tells us George Sanders checked into a hotel near Barcelona, Spain. He checked in but he never checked out. On April 23, 1972, he took his life. He had a heart attack caused by an overdose of barbiturates. When his lifeless body was found, and a suicide note was also found. This is what the note said:

Dear world, I am leaving because I am bored. I have lived long enough. I am leaving you and your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck!

How can a man with so much have so little? According to the world, Sanders had every you needed to be happy. He had everything he needed to be happy, but he lacked a purpose. There is more to life than collecting things. There is more to life than purchasing things. There is more to life than going to a party. God doesn’t call us to be consumers. God calls us to make a difference in this world. So let ask you the question of the day again.

What is your purpose? Your purpose in life is not necessarily your vocation, the way you pay your bills. Your purpose is your passion. Your purpose is the intersection where your personal interests meet human need. What is that one thing you enjoy doing that benefits someone else? I am convinced there are as many purposes as there are individuals. Your purpose could be helping the young advance in school. It could be helping the aged fill out their income taxes. It could be volunteering at some none-profit which helps some social ill. It could be keeping an eye on your lonely neighbor or traveling the world to help a stranger. It could be raising your children or watching after a parent near the end of their life. I am convinced there are as many purposes as there are people. Abraham’s purpose was to be the father of new nation. What is your purpose? Helen Keller (1880-1968) was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was also the first blind-deaf person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1904, she received that degree from Radcliffe College. She once said, “True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”

We find ourselves today in the forty-second chapter of Job. It is the last chapter of Job, so let me remind you of his story one last time. Much has already happened. When our story began, Job had a good life. He was rich in resources and relationships. He feared God and shunned evil. He was considered the greatest man in the East. Even God was impressed with Job. That is when everything seemed to go wrong. God may have been impressed with Job but not the Dark One. He is convinced his pious ways would pass once hardship entered his life. Sad but true, God grants Satan permission to test Job. The tests are not easy, they are hard. Over a short period of time, he loses everything. Job loses his money. His oxen, donkeys and lambs are taken by foreign raiders, who killed most of the servants. His loses his relationships. All ten of his children, seven sons and three daughters, are gone in an instant by a mighty wind from the wilderness, while partying at the eldest son’s home. He loses his good looks. He is covered with painful boils from head to toe. He loses everything, except for his charming wife. She adds nothing to his life. Too bad the raiders didn’t take her too. Thank goodness for his friends. Job was fortunate. He had three true friends. At first, they say nothing, but in time they begin to speak. Their words are not helpful, they are damaging. They offer Job nothing but bad advice. Job rebukes them and begins to question God. Last week, God reminded Job not to cross the line in his questioning. The one thing God will not tolerate is arrogance. Do the people in your life consider you arrogant? That takes us to today.

We find ourselves today in the forty-second chapter of Job. It is a significant chapter because Job’s good life is restored. The scriptures tell us God blessed the later part of his life more than the former. He reconnects with his extended family, who are generous with him. He once again has ten children, seven sons and three daughters. The unknown author goes out of his way to tell us of the beauty of his daughters. It was not required, but Job put them in the will. God granted Job a long life. He lived another one-hundred and forty years surrounded by many happy children. The story of Job, which had grown so dark, has a happy ending. Can I be honest with you? I considered ending this series last week, but I couldn’t do it. I could not leave Job surrounded by problems, poor, lonely and covered in painful boils. I had to give Job some relief, and you. The scripture lesson for us today reminds us there is always hope with God. Let me state the obvious. Hope is extremely important.

How important is hope? Marian Zimmer Bradley (1930-1999) once said, “The road that is built in hope is more pleasant to travel than the road built in despair, even though both lead to the same destination. It all comes down to a simple choice: You can dwell on the negatives of life or you can look for the positive. Do you see what you have, or do you only see what you want? Here are five reasons you should stay hopeful. This list came from the Dream Achievers Academy.

1. With hope, we can continue living.
2. With hope, we can live through tough times.
3. With hope, we gain strength and become energized.
4. With hope, we are open to new possibilities.
5. With hope, we act.

This is the problem. We know of too many people who left this world surrounded by problems. How many examples do you need?

Walter was one of the best men I have ever known. You may remember him. He was in involved in Boy Scouting as an adult leader for over fifty years. This troop met in this church building. His scouts were not boys, they were men who had limitations or challenges. Walter’s son, Tommy, was one of those scouts. Over a short period of time, like Job, Walter lost two significant people in his life. I was at the hospital both times. Tommy died first, then his wife, Velma, died a month later. To fill the void of their passing, Walter began to travel. In time he would travel to every continent. Walter traveled to Russia with us twice on mission trips. The orphans in that orphanage were children like his scouts, challenged. It was on those trips, we became friends. We were roommates. It was a sad day, when Walter told me he had jaw cancer. Surgery would be required, and his chances were not good. I was at Walter’s last scout meeting. Everyone present, both scouts and civilians, laid their hands-on Walter as I prayed. When the prayer ended everyone was crying. I stood with the scouts as his daughter drove him home. The next day Walter had his surgery. It was the beginning of the end. Throughout that beautiful fall, Walter, who loved the outdoors, laid in a hospital bed failing. When the end came, he was suffering. I spoke Walter’s funeral. I admitted he was my substitute father. Everyone agreed, he deserved better. Do you know of anyone who deserved better? I am not mad that Job had a happy ending. However, this is my question, why don’t happy endings happen more often? Why did Water, and so many others, die surrounded by their problems?This is the answer to that question.

Job was an Old Testament character and we are New Testament people. That does not sound important, but it means a great deal. In the Old Testament there is no great understanding of the afterlife. The idea of heaven and hell are undeveloped. You received your rewards and punishment in this world, based on the merit system. Your rewards came in the form of financial success, the abundance of happy children, especially boys, and happiness. That is why the Promised Land is so importance in the Old Testament. The suffering you experienced in this world was your punishment for living a sinful life. That is why Job’s friends said he was suffering, his hidden sin. That is why the disciples questioned Jesus about the man born blind. “Did he sin in the womb or did his parents sin?” Job was an Old Testament character with Old Testament understandings. You received your reward and punishment now.

We are New Testament people with New Testament understandings. In the New Testament, the idea of heaven and hell are well developed. There is no merit system. In the New Testament, we are saved by grace, and by grace alone. It all revolves around Jesus. Who was Jesus? He is more than an historical character. Jesus was the very incarnation of God. He left the perfection of heaven to slum it with people like us. That is why we celebrate Christmas. For a three-year period, beginning at the age of thirty, Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God, healed the sick to underscore his message, and showed us how to live. We are supposed to be practicing today what we are going to be doing for eternity. Jesus had problems too. He did nothing wrong, but on a horrible Friday afternoon he was executed. His corpse was laid in a tomb, but the tomb could not hold him. You know the story. Jesus walked out of the tomb early on a Sunday morning, conquering death. He was resurrected and that resurrection changed everything. Jesus conquered death, itself. The resurrection is the foundation of the Christian faith. That is why we celebrate Easter. Jesus is our living hope.

Consider this fact with me. Of the four religions that are based on personalities rather than philosophies, only Christianity claims an empty tomb for its founder. In 1900 B.C. Judaism’s Father Abraham died. In 483 B.C. Buddhist writings say Buddha died. Islamic writings say on June 6, 632 A.D. Mohammed died. The only one that is alive is Jesus. Let me make this more clear. In 33 A.D. Jesus died but came back to life appearing to over 500 people over a period of 40 days. How important is the resurrection of Jesus? The resurrection of Jesus separates us from the rest the world! Jesus is our living hope. Romans 10:9 is my favorite Bible verse. It says, “If you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” If that is true, then the opposite is equally true. If you don’t believe in the resurrection then the doors of heaven are closed to you.Being an Old Testament character Job got his reward in this world. Walter got his reward in heaven, thanks to Jesus. May we never forget what Jesus has done for us.

When George Bush (1924-2018) was Vice President of the United States, he represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev (1906-1982). Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev’s widow, Viktoria. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev’s wife performed an act of great courage and hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience ever committed: She reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband’s chest. There in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong. She hoped that there was another life, and that that life was best represented by Jesus who died on the cross, and that the same Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband. Jesus was his living hope. In the end, Jesus is our living hope. Desmond Tutu (born 1931) is a South African Anglican cleric known for his work in human rights. He once said, “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.”