Tag: christianity

How Strong Are You?

Our reading is from Matthew 18:21-35. This entire chapter is about life in the kingdom of God. One of the characteristics of kingdom life is forgiveness. Peter understood that point when he asked Jesus the question: how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Jesus never had a chance to answer the question, because Peter answers it himself – up to seven times? Peter is obviously trying to impress Jesus, because Rabbinic teaching required a person to forgive up to three times. Peter had doubled that requirement and added one for good measure. He must have been waiting for Jesus’s approval, but it never comes. Jesus says seven times is not enough; we are supposed to forgive up to seventy-seven times. Jesus is not asking us to keep track of our forgiving acts, Jesus is asking us to make forgiving a constant characteristic in our lives. To underscore that point, Jesus tells them this parable.

The story is really a one-act play with three scenes. In the first scene, a king wanted to settle his accounts with his servants. One of the servants is brought before the king. It is not a good day for him because he owes the king 10,000 talents. That is a significant sum. At that time, you could buy a servant for one talent. The entire tax base to this area was only 800 talents. This man owes the king 10,000 talents. To make it easy on us, let’s just say the man owed the king ten million dollars. Unable to pay the king back, the king considers selling the man’s wife and children. The servant begs the king not to sell his family and begs the king for more time. The king has mercy on the servant and cancels his entire debt. In the second scene, the shoe is on the other foot. The debt-free servant exits and goes after another servant who owes him money. The amount is very small, only a hundred denarii. If he owed the king ten million dollars, then this man owed him only $20. The second servant begs for more time, but no extension is given. He is beaten and thrown into prison. In the third scene, our story goes full circle. The king is told what happened and he summons the first servant. Because he did not show mercy, then he will not be shown mercy. He is turned over to the jailors to be tortured, until his debt is repaid. Jesus wanted to make sure they didn’t miss the point. He clears up any confusion in verse thirty-five: “This is how my heavenly father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”  Everyone knows the point that Jesus was trying to make. We know we are supposed to forgive. The problem is, we are not good at forgiving, especially within the life of the church. Historically, we are hard on ourselves. In my forty years in the ministry, every church I served struggled with forgiveness. How many examples do you need?

The first funeral I officiated at was for a man by the name of Randolph Scott. He lived in Lancaster, Kentucky. I was in his home several months before his sudden death. I sat in the living room with his wife, but he never came out to see me. He was watching a Cincinnati Reds baseball game. She apologized for her husband’s rudeness and explained he was mad at the whole church. To be more exact, he was mad at a single church member. He said, the man cheated him out of $50 in some business transaction. He said, if that man represented the kind of people in my church, then he didn’t want to have anything to do with my church. He said, he would never forgive the man or the church. Randolph was a man of his word. He never did forgive the man or the church. However, the church prepared a bereavement lunch after his funeral. Randolph Scott knew he was supposed to forgive. The problem was, he refused to forgive. That happened in my first church.

When I arrived at my last church, I found people who refused to forgive. One afternoon, I went to the hospital to visit a parishioner. She was a woman in her late eighties, who took great pride in her years of church service. As I sat next to her bed, she told me how she had saved the church several times with her church dinners. Others told me, she was a good cook, but she had no people skills. She offended many kitchen helpers during her reign. Foolishly, instead of talking to the woman about her behavior, the women’s organization decided to write her a letter to tell her she had been relieved of duty. She was no longer welcome in the kitchen. Obviously, her feelings got hurt, and she swore she would never forgive that group. She was a woman of her word. She never did forgive them. On the day I visited her, she quoted that twenty-year-old letter word for word, and she recited the names of all the people who had signed that letter. And in colorful, ugly language she told me, they could all go to hell. She had spent decades in the church but didn’t hear a single word. She knew she was supposed to forgive, she refused to forgive. Within the life of the church, we know we are supposed to forgive, but we refuse to forgive. No organization is better at self-inflicted wounds than the church. Satan loves our unforgiving spirits. Our unforgiving spirit damages the church we claim to love. This question haunts me:

Why do people refuse to forgive? Josh Emery is a counselor in Fort Collins, Colorado. He says his appointment calendar is filled with people who refuse to forgive. Every story is different, yet every story is the same. He says people don’t forgive for three basic reasons. This is his list:

  1. People don’t forgive because they don’t want to look like they condone the bad behavior.
  • People don’t forgive because the person doesn’t deserve it.
  • People don’t forgive because the person can’t be trusted.

I don’t have a problem with that list. I agree with each point. I am no different from you. I struggle with forgiveness too. I have good reasons not to forgive. The problem is, through the eyes of God, there is no good reason for not forgiving. God knows what we would like to ignore. When we refuse to forgive, we damage the relationship. The relationship between you and the unforgiven person stops evolving. That is true. For Randolph Scott, the relationship stopped evolving on the day he believed he was cheated out of $50. For the woman in the hospital bed, the relationship stopped evolving on the day she got the letter. What relationships in your life have stopped evolving? That is not a good thing. God expects us to forgive, because God expects our relationships to evolve. God expects our relationships to be strong. Within the life of the church, we know we are supposed to forgive, but we refuse to forgive. That is why stories of true forgiveness baffle us.

In the fall of 2006, Charles Carl Roberts IV (1974-2006) did the unthinkable when he held a one-room Amish school full of children hostage in Bart Township, Pennsylvania. After a few terrifying hours, Roberts bound, then shot 10 girls, killing 5 of them before turning the gun on himself. What do you think was the response of the parents of those children and the entire Amish community? Within hours, the Amish families immediately began extending their forgiveness to the gunman’s family. They visited his wife and parents to offer them comfort—they even attended the killer’s funeral. A grandfather of one of the murdered girls cautioned the family not to hate the killer and said, “we must not think evil of this man.” While another father said, “He had a mother and a wife and a soul. And now he’s standing before a just God. Christ calls us to forgive him.” If you were in that community and lost a loved one, could you forgive Charles Carl Roberts IV? In the kingdom of God we forgive, in the world we don’t. Obviously, true forgiveness is not easy.

Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983) was a Dutch watchmaker and Christian, who along with her father and other family members, helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust during World War II. She, herself, suffered in a concentration camp. In her book, The Hiding Place, she recounts those dark days. After the war, she traveled extensively, speaking of God’s grace and forgiveness during those horrible years.

One night, in Munich after one of her speeches, a man came up to her. He looked familiar and it took a moment for her to recognize him. He had been a guard at her concentration camp, Ravensbruck. He had treated her and her sister cruelly. A mountain of emotional memories hit her. In her eyes, he was Satan incarnate. However, after the war, he became a Christian, but that didn’t change her feelings about him. It was hard for her to stand there, but then it got worse. He extended his hand to her and said, “I am grateful for your message. As you said yourself, ‘He washed my sins away.’” Corrie ten Boon would be the first one to admit it. It is one thing to speak about forgiveness, it is something quite different to forgive. She didn’t want to shake his hand because she didn’t want to forgive him, so she prayed God’s help. God did help her, and she did shake his hand. But what is more important, God helped her forgive him. Can I ask you a question?

If there anyone you need to forgive? I am assuming there is, because everyone has been hurt in some way. You know the truth – life is hard and sometimes life can be cruel. Who do you need to forgive? Within the Christian faith, forgiveness is not optional, it is a requirement. You are a disciple of Jesus Christ, and you are supposed to be practicing today what you will be doing for eternity. How can we expect to be forgiven, if we can’t forgive?

Indian activist, Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) was not a Christian, but he understood the power of forgiveness. He once said, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” How strong are you?

Exploring Compassion

Our reading is Luke 10:25-37. Jesus is in Judea and has just sent out the seventy-two followers. The Good News is being spread and lives are being transformed. Jesus understands it clearly. It is not enough just to believe. Those beliefs must change one’s behavior, values and opinions. That is what Jesus is saying at the beginning of our Gospel reading. When questioned about salvation, Jesus asked them to quote the greatest law. That was a softball question. Everyone in Jesus’s world knew the answer. They quoted it daily. It is called the Shema: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul. Then, Jesus asks them about the second greatest law. They are to love their neighbor as themselves. Do you see what Jesus did? He connected the love of God with the love of neighbors. It is not enough to just love God. It is not enough to just love your neighbor. Jesus expects us to love both God and our neighbors. To underscore that point, he tells this parable:

A man was traveling the road between Jericho and Jerusalem. It is a road that covers about seventeen miles. The direction you were traveling mattered because the road was steep. Jerusalem is 2,500 feet above sea level; Jericho is 800 feet below sea level. To make matters worse, it ran through rocky, desert country, which was perfect for robbers. Only a fool would travel this road alone, so we can say this man was a fool. As expected, he is attacked by robbers. The picture is not pretty. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and left him for dead. Laying there in his half-dead state, various people walked by him. The first was a priest. A priest was from the line of Aaron and assisted in worship. The religious man should have known better, but he crosses to the other side of the road, ignoring the victim. The second was a Levite. He was a descendant of Levi, one of the brothers of Joseph. In addition to his religious duties, he had political and educational duties. He should have known better, but he crossed to the other side of the road, ignoring the victim. The third person is our unlikely hero, the Samaritan. You know the Samaritans. They were considered half breeds, half Jewish and half Gentile. The Jews believed they had compromised the faith. The Jews hated them, but the Samaritan was the one who had compassion on the victim in Jesus’s story. He treated the man’s wounds, and he put the man on his own donkey. Together, they traveled to an inn, where our victim heals. The Samaritan shows his true compassion. He takes out his money and gives it to the innkeeper. It equaled two days’ worth of wages. He instructs the innkeeper to care for him in his absence and tells him he will be compensated when he returns. Like all parables, Jesus’s simple parable of the good Samaritan is easy to imagine, yet it contains a profound message. It is easy to understand, yet it is hard to apply. It is not enough to say you love God; you must love others too. That is why compassion within the Christian faith is so important. It is one of the qualities you must nurture within yourself to experience the abundant life in Jesus Christ.

Webster defines compassion as sympathetic pity and concern for the suffering or the misfortunes of others. To me, that definition seems too shallow. True compassion is far more complex.

The great German Roman Catholic theologian, Henri Nouwen (1932-1996), seemed to understand the complexity of compassion. He once explained compassion this way:

Compassion is not pity. Pity lets us stay at a distance.

Compassion is not sympathy. Sympathy is for superiors over inferiors. Compassion is not charity. Charity is for the rich to continue in their status over the poor.

Compassion is born of God. It means entering the other person’s problems. It means taking on the burdens of the other. It means standing in the other person’s shoes. It is the opposite of professionalism. It is the humanizing way to deal with people.

The Good Samaritan illustrates true compassion. True compassion is based on need, not worth. True compassion is based on feelings, not fact. True compassion is based on doing, not understanding. Do the people in your life consider you compassionate? I hope so, because compassion is one of the great qualities of the Christian faith. I am not sure it is possible to be a true Christian without being truly compassionate. Compassion is a big deal, because our world is filled with so many problems.Did you know, according to UNICEF, 80% of our world’s population lives on ten dollars a day or less? How would your life change if you were forced to live on ten dollars a day? How much money do you live on in a single day?

When I think of compassion, Mother Teresa (1910-1997) pops into my mind. Born in Albania and raised in a devout Catholic family, she moved to Ireland at the age of eighteen to join the Sisters of Loreto. Later she moved to Calcutta, India and founded the Missionaries of Charity. They worked with the “poorest of the poor.” Over the decades that group grew to serve in 133 countries ministering to those dying of HIV/AIDS, leprosy, and tuberculosis, as well as running soup kitchens, dispensaries, mobile clinics, orphanages and schools. In 2016, she was canonized by the Catholic Church, because she refused to cross to the other side of the road. Mother Teresa was truly a woman of compassion.

When I research compassion, I find people like Pam Kidd. She writes devotions for Guideposts. One day she received a letter postmarked Harare, Zimbabwe. The letter read:

Dear Ms. Kidd, I have been reading your Daily Devotions for years. Recently, God spoke to me and asked me to tell you that you need to come to Zimbabwe to write about the orphans and the street children of Harare. Please contact me as soon as possible. Thank you.

It was signed by a woman working as a Presbyterian missionary in Harare.

That letter changed everything. A few weeks later, Pam and her husband were flying to Harare. When they arrived in Zimbabwe, they were shocked at what they saw. It was worse than they had imagined. Children living in mud huts, children jumping over sewage in gutters. She could not escape the smell of poverty. Children followed her everywhere. Pam decided to write a story about a woman who fed tea and bread to the orphans daily. They called her “Tea Lady.” As she researched this woman, Pam discovered this saintly woman had no help. She received no funding and needed help. Then, she had a revelation. God had brought her to Harare to help this woman. Over the next ten years, Pam Kidd returned to Africa ten times to help this woman help those orphans. Pam Kidd refused to walk to the other side of the road, because she was a woman of compassion. I hope I am a person of compassion. Are you a person of compassion? I hope so, because our world is crying out for help.

In 1964, Kitty Genovese (1965-1934) lived in Kew Gardens, in Queens, New York City. On March 13 of that year, Winston Moseley (1935-2016) raped and stabbed her to death. As shocking as that crime was the reaction of her neighbors was even worse. Many heard her cry out for help, but no one responded. Her neighbors were guilty of a sin of omission. They knew there was a problem, but they did nothing. In other words, they walked to the other side of the road. In the science of sociology, it has been called the “bystanders’ effect”, or diffusion of responsibility.

As Americans, we have been blessed in many ways. That is why so many long to live here. But, with those blessings comes great responsibility. To whom much is given, much is expected. Our world is calling out for help. What are you going to do? Are you going to walk to the other side of the road and ignore them, or are you going to be like the Good Samaritan, who responded to human need? It all distills down to a simple choice. Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) once said, “The purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion and the will to serve others.”

Examining Your Priorities

Our reading comes from the twelfth chapter of Luke, verses thirteen through twenty-one. Jesus is in Judea and is surrounded by a great crowd. He is offering them both a word of encouragement and a word of warning. Jesus tells them to keep their eyes fixed on God. Without warning, Jesus is interrupted.

The interrupter did not hear a single word from Jesus, because he is preoccupied with personal problems. His problem is complex because it combines two of life’s most complicated topics: family and money. Some things don’t change; family issues and money issues are still complex. That is why verse thirteen resonates with us. The author quotes the man with these words, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” As a member of the modern clergy, I have never been asked to help settle family estates. In Jesus’s day, it was common to take such problems to teachers or rabbis. As a rule, the older brother always received a double portion of the inheritance. Jesus saw the problem instantly – the Master knew the man’s request was rooted in materialism. In other words, Jesus knew the man’s problem was greed. The man’s priorities were confused. Then, Jesus told the man this story.

The ground of a certain rich man produced a bumper crop. That was a good thing and a bad thing. It was a good thing because his crop was valuable. It was a bad thing because he had no place to store his crop. To the business world, the problem is solved easily, he tears down his original barn and builds a bigger one. Once this bumper crop is harvested and stored, life will be easier. It is a great plan except for one major flaw –  the man suddenly dies and is separated from his earthly possessions. Sadly, the man was financially successful, but spiritually bankrupt. That makes me ask an interesting question. How many successful, spiritually bankrupt people do you know? Could it be you are a successful, spiritually bankrupt person?

I have said it a million times, Money is amoral. Money is neither good nor bad. It is how we handle and view our money that makes it good or bad. That is the case in this story. This parable is filled with personal pronouns. Listen to the story again with that filter.

“The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

Jesus’s simple story is dominated by personal pronouns. In verses sixteen through nineteen, the word, “I” is uttered six times by the rich fool. Like the man with the problem, the man in the story is consumed with selfishness and materialism. The man with the problem and the man within the story were victims of greed. Yet, the story is not really about money. It is a story about priorities. The man with the problem and the man in the parable’s greatest priority was money. What is your greatest priority? Sometimes our greatest priorities are bad things. How many examples do you need?

Matthew Perry (1969-2023) was rich. At the time of his death, he was worth $120 million. Most of the money came from the TVshow Friends, where he played Chandler Bing. If he had used his fame and fortune for good, then he would have improved many lives. He would have been welcomed by any non-profit. Sadly, that was not his story. His greatest priority was himself. It has been estimated he spent $9 million on various alcohol and drug addictions treatments. He went into rehab fifteen times. Sometimes our greatest priorities are bad things. However, this is also true: Sometimes our greatest priorities are good things. The problem is, our good things aren’t always the best thing.

There is a website called Quora. On it, people respond to all kinds of questions. I punched in the question: what is your greatest priority? People responded in a variety of ways. One guy said the highest priority in his life was survival skills. One woman answered the greatest priority in her life was her clothes, make-up and hair. Someone else said the greatest priority in their life was finding a life partner. One gentleman said, his greatest priority in his life was sex. How do you answer the question, what is your greatest priority? I would bet your answer is close to my answers.

One of my priorities is financial stability. There are four things you need to know about my personal finances. First, I am a fiscal conservative. I am uncomfortable carrying any kind of debt. I have been known to pay the bill before the bill comes. I do not expect to die rich, but I hope I die debt-free. Second, I am terrified of the Internal Revenue Service. I think everyone should be afraid of the IRS. Third, I recognize everything I have in this world is only on loan from God. The last thing I am going to do financially is cheat God. Fourth, I value work. I was raised in a steel town in Northeast Ohio, where work was not just valued, it was expected. One of my priorities in my life is financial stability.

One of my priorities is good health. In January of 1950, my grandmother came home from church and was preparing lunch for her family. She never ate that meal, because she dropped dead from a fatal heart attack. She didn’t get to be my age. My family tree is filled with high blood pressure. Every morning, I get up and take my medicine, so I won’t have a heart attack. My greatest fear in life is not dying, it is lying in a bed in a nursing home unable to care for myself. One of my priorities in life is my health.

One of my priorities are my children and my grandchildren. I am proud of my children, Sarah and Anna. They are good people who are doing well. I believe they are good people for two reasons. First, they were raised in a single community and knew stability. I never longed for them to be Methodist gypsies wandering around the Annual Conference. They are good people because they are a product of a good community. Second, they know Kathryn and I love them and support them. They don’t need us, but we need them. They know we want what is best for them. It goes without saying – we want what is best for our grandchildren, Pippa and Romeo, and are willing to sacrifice for them. One of my priorities is my children and grandchildren.

One of my priorities is my spouse. Kathryn and I have been married thirty-six years. The time has gone fast; I wish I could slow life down. There are so many things we would like to do together. There are so many places we would like to go together. I have never hidden my feelings for her. My life began on the day we met. One of my greatest priorities is my wife. Nothing seems to matter without her. Let me ask you the question again. What are your priorities?

None of those things are bad things. The problem is none of those things are eternal. Someday, I am going to be separated from my material possessions. Someday, there is an excellent chance I am going to get a terminal disease or get in a fatal accident. The problem is, there is only so much I can do for my children or my grandchildren. Kathryn and I would like to leave this world together, but there is no guarantee. It is a cruel fact; the world is constantly changing. The only thing that is completely stable is God. Only God is eternal.

Years ago, I was called by one of the local funeral homes to officiate at a service. I did not know the deceased. I was called for one reason – neither the deceased nor anyone in the family had a church home. They didn’t even know a member of the clergy. However, they wanted to celebrate their loved one’s life. As is my custom, I went to the calling hours to meet with the family. It was a painful couple of minutes for the family. They apologized to me for not going to church. In their minds, they had good reasons. I told them I wasn’t there to judge them, but I was there to help them celebrate their loved one’s life.

As they told me about him, I discovered he was a good person. He would do anything for anyone. He had worked hard and was well respected by his peers. His hobbies always included family members. His absence would leave a great void in their lives. His brother said, “He lived every day to the fullest. He lived as if he was never going to die.” This is the problem: He did die. Sadly, like the man in Jesus’s story, he was economically successful, but spiritually bankrupt.

The funeral service went off without a hitch. His life was remembered. Some of the memories made people laugh. Some of the memories made people cry. The service ended with me giving the benediction. As is the custom, the last ones to view the body were the family members. After I perform a funeral, most family members stay for a few unpleasant minutes. This family stayed for what seemed like an eternity. Numb, they just stood there looking at the corpse. The veteran funeral director, who was a great churchman, motioned for me to come to him. He whispered in my ear, “Russ, I have seen it a million times. People with no faith linger, because once the service is over, it is over. They will never see their loved one again. People with faith are different. They move on because they know there is more. They know they will see their loved one again in heaven. How great of a priority is God to you? American Baptist minister Rick Warren (born 1954) once said, “Living in the light of eternity changes your priorities.”

God’s Promises

We find ourselves in the eighteenth chapter of Acts, verses eighteen through twenty-two. According to the Bible, when Paul left Corinth, he went to Syria. We are told he got a haircut for the occasion. It was not a fashion statement; however, it did symbolize the end of a sacred period. Paul did not travel alone. He was accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Like Paul, they were both tentmakers and believers. They parted when they got to Ephesus. As usual, Paul goes into the synagogue and tells everyone about Jesus. What is unusual about this story is that Paul’s words fall on welcoming ears. When Paul tells them he must leave, they ask him to stay. He leaves, but promises to come back, God willing. At the end of our reading, Paul finds himself in Caesarea. 

Paul’s promise cannot be overlooked. He promised to return to Ephesus, God willing. I fell in love with that line because it is just so human. In the very next chapter, chapter nineteen, we learn that Paul did return to Ephesus. He kept his promise and was as good as his word. Do you keep all your promises? It is not as easy as it sounds. Sociologists tell us we make promises regularly. In a lifetime we make countless promises. All promises can be grouped into one of three categories.

The first kind of promise is a healthy promise. Those are the promises you make that you fully intend to keep. On the night my daughter was born, I held her in the delivery room. She was perfect and I made a promise that changed my life. I promised her I would always be there for her and would help her in any way I could. I intend to keep that promise until I die. I did not need to write that promise down because it was tattooed on my heart. How many healthy promises have you made?

The second kind of promise is a shallow promise. These promises look like a strong, healthy promise, but conditions exist. People make shallow promises to me all the time. I will officiate at a wedding or funeral for an unchurched family. At some level I connect with them. I am sorry to see the occasion end because I know I will never see them again. As we are parting, they express their appreciation and say to me, “What time is your mass? I may show up someday.” Do you know how many of those good people have shown up through the years? The answer is zero. They said it and they meant it, but something always came up to prevent them from coming. The weather was too nice, their favorite great aunt was getting married again, or they had a hard week, so they required another hour of sleep. Shallow promises look like a strong, healthy promise, but conditions exist. How many shallow promises have you made? 

The third kind of promise is a criminal promise. From the moment these promises are made, you have no intention of keeping them. When I was a student pastor in Kentucky, I had a parishioner who was a chain smoker with a horrible cough. I talked to her after her annual physical. She told me it went well but the doctor made her promise to stop smoking. As she told me, she lit up another cigarette and said, “The doctor needs to mind his own business.” She died of lung cancer in 2013. How many criminal promises have you made? Paul’s promise to return to Ephesus was a healthy promise. He was committed to returning to the Ephesians.

Years ago, I was given a book called God’s Promises. That book listed thousands of God’s promises. God never made a shallow promise. God never made a criminal promise. God only makes healthy promises. He hasn’t broken a single promise. I don’t have time to examine all of God’s promises, but I do have time to examine seven. I found this list on the website thewitnesstoday.com. It has merit.

God promises to be our strength. Isaiah 40:29 says, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” That happens when God is the foundation of our lives. In a world that is constantly changing, God remains consistent. As Christian people, we must wait, and trust God and know He will be victorious in the end. That hope revives our souls and gives us strength.

God promises to never leave us. Hebrews 13:5 says, “For He has said, ‘I will never leave or abandon you.’” That means there has never been a moment in your life when you have ever been alone. God is with us during life’s most rewarding experiences and God is with us during life most challenging experiences. That fact is important because one of the great fears in life is being alone. Those of us of faith know we have never been alone. God is with us!

God promises he has a plan for us to prosper. Jeremiah 29:11 says. “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you.”  Each one of us is born with a divine purpose. You were not just born to be a consumer. You were born to fulfill a particular purpose. The goal is not financial success, the goal is spiritual success.

God promises to hear our prayers. Psalm 139:4 says, “Before a word is on my tongue, you, Lord, know it completely.”  Prayer is a central part of the Christian faith. It is one of the spiritual practices we must practice to grow spiritually. Historians tell us John Calvin (1509-1564), John Knox (1514-1572) and John Wesley (1703-1791) each prayed two hours a day. Their prayers did not fall on deaf ears. Our prayers do not fall on deaf ears. God hears every word.

God promises to fight for us. Exodus 14:14 says, “Ther Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” That quote came from the story of the exodus. The Egyptians were far more powerful than the Hebrews, yet in the end the Hebrews were victorious. It is not just true in the Bible; it is true in life. In the end, God will prevail.

God promises to give us peace. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” That verse is not talking about political peace. There are over one hundred wars in our world today. That verse is talking about spiritual peace. It is the kind of peace that offers harmony and calmness of body, mind and spirit trusting in the power and grace of God.

God promises to always love us. 1 John 4:16 says, God is love. Whoever lives in love lives with God, and God in them.” God’s love is unconditional. That means God loves everyone. That means God loves the people you love and the people you cannot tolerate. That means God loves the strangest person of all, YOU! Never forget God keeps his promises. All of God’s promises are healthy promises.

In this election year, let me tell you this election story. In the 1916 Presidential election, President Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) was running against Supreme Court Justice Charles Evans Hughes (1862-1948). During Wilson’s first four years, war had broken out in Europe. Our country was fixated on that war, and emotionally sided with the allies. However, many did not want our country to take military action. Wilson knew how many felt and promised during the campaign to keep America out of the war. His campaign slogan was “He kept us out of war.” Do you remember your American history?

Months after winning the election, Wilson changed his tune. He went to Congress to approve a declaration of war, and he got what he wanted. The United States entered World War I and 53,513 Americans died in battle. Many historians consider Woodrow Wilson one of the greatest liars in American history. The important question is: how are you doing with your promises? Paul kept his promise and returned to Ephesus. Can the same thing be said about you? American businessman Anthony Hitt once said, “Keep every promise you make and only make promises you can keep.” 

Years ago, I was given a book called God’s Promises. That book listed thousands of God’s promises. He hasn’t broken one. How are you doing with your promises?

Don’t Judge Me!

Chuck Swindoll (born 1934) is an Evangelical Christian pastor, author and educator. You may know him from his radio program, Insight for Living, which airs on 2,000 different radio stations around the world. He tells of being at a pastor’s conference in Spokane, Washington. On the first day, a man approached him and told him how excited he was to hear him preach. That evening as the service began, Swindoll noticed the man sitting near the front. But only a few minutes into the message, the man was sound asleep. Swindoll thought to himself that perhaps he was tired after a long day’s journey and couldn’t help himself. But the same thing happened the next few nights, and Dr. Swindoll found his exasperation with the man growing. On the last night, the man’s wife came up and apologized for her husband’s inattention to the messages. She then explained. He had recently been diagnosed as having terminal cancer and the medication he was taking to ease the pain made him extremely sleepy. But it had been one of his life-long ambitions to hear Dr. Swindoll speak before he died, and now he had fulfilled that goal. Swindoll was humbled by her words and ashamed by his own thoughts. When was the last time you wrongly judged someone? That question takes us to our scripture lesson.

Our scripture reading is Acts 18:12-17. The Apostle Paul is in the city of Corinth. According to our first verse, it was when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia. That means it is about the year 51 AD. At that time Gallio was respected in that corner of the world for two reasons. First, Gallio was respected because he was well connected. His brother, Seneca, was the tutor of Nero, the Roman Emperor. Second, Gallio was respected because had shown himself to be a fair and calm man. It is that quality that saved Paul.  

Once again, Paul had worn out his welcome. The Jews had grown tired of his lecturing in the synagogue and dragged him into court. Gallio was the judge. They felt like they had a solid case against Paul. He was worshipping God in a new way. They may have been the first to recognize that Christianity stood alone. It was not an offshoot of Judaism, making it an illegal religion in the eyes of Rome. As Paul was about to defend himself, Gallio threw the whole case out. He ruled that it is not a matter of the state, rather it was an internal matter among the Jews. Everyone is expelled from the courtroom. Then the ugly scene grows uglier. The Jews are more than embarrassed. They turn on the ruler of the synagogue, Sosthenes, and beat him. It sounds shocking to us, but it must have been just another day for Gallio. He didn’t seem to care. In the end, the group that wanted to make Paul look bad, made themselves look bad. That is what always happens when you judge others. In the end they make themselves look bad. When was the last time you judged someone harshly? When was the last time you made yourself look bad?

Webster defines judgement as: the act or process of forming an opinion after careful thought. We don’t need the word defined, because we have been judged and we have all judged others. There is no other way to say it – judging hurts everyone. Judging hurts the person who is judged. Judging hurts the one who judges. Judging creates a negative environment. Judging damages relationships and organizations. It is painfully true. When judging occurs within the life of the church the church itself gets damaged. We should know better. Jesus told us not to judge. Do you remember the story? 

It is found in the eighth chapter of John. The story is the adulterous woman. Jesus is at the Mount of Olives teaching about the Kingdom of God. Without warning, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees appear dragging an adulterous woman with them. It takes two people to commit adultery, a man and a woman. However, in this story the woman stands alone. The Old Testament law was clear. The woman must be stoned to death. Jesus looked at the woman and had pity on her. He doesn’t respond at first, he writes something in the sand. After a period of silence, Jesus looks at the judging crowd and says, “Ye that is without sin cast the first stone.” Everyone in the crowd dropped their stone because everyone in the crowd had sinned. The crowd disperses, and Jesus tells the woman to sin no more. There is only one point to this story – judging is wrong, yet everyone judges. Judging is a sin, yet everyone judges. The problem is not Jesus. The Master spoke clearly, “DON’T JUDGE!” The problem is us, we simply refuse to apply this teaching to our lives. When was the last time you judged someone harshly?

Years ago, my family was vacationing at Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Most of our time was spent around the pool or at the beach. We didn’t have a car. It really didn’t matter, because we could walk to the beach or a store for supplies. When we walked to the store we took the shortest route. It was through an empty parking lot next to a closed plaza. There was only one store in the plaza left, a liquor store. We walked by that liquor store several times. It was always busy. One of the times we walked by the liquor store my daughter, Sarah, said to me, “I love people in liquor stores!” She was an adult, and I was limited in what I could say. I asked, “Why?” She answered, “Most people in liquor stores have so many problems, they don’t have time to judge you. In church, everyone feels like they have their lives in order, so they have lots of time to judge you. Church people judge you; liquor store people leave you alone.” I didn’t respond because I thought she might be right. She worked on a church staff for nearly six years and did a great job. She left that job for several reasons. One of the reasons was she grew tired of being judged by church people. Do you find some truth in her statement: “In church, everyone feels like they have their lives in order, so they have lots of time to judge you?” When you judge others, you damage the church, the bride of Christ.  

When you judge others, you reveal your greatest flaws. Psychologists tell us we judge other people to fill in various voids in our lives. A website called PositivelyPresent.com wrote about these voids in a May 2009 article called Stop Judging. How many of these voids do you have in your life? 

We judge because we are afraid! Our prejudices fall into this category. That means, you judge the person or group that intimidates you. The more you judge a person or a group, the more that person or group intimidates you. Jesus does not want us to be intimidated by anyone. Never forget it – you are a child of God! When you judge, you are telling the world you are afraid! 

We judge because we are lonely! One of our greatest human fears is loneliness. We rarely judge in isolation. We find others who hold the same opinions and form a bond with them. This is odd to say, but judging fills a social void. When you judge, you are telling the world you are lonely! 

We judge because we are hungry for change! I have never met a person who had a perfect life. Everybody wants to change something. We judge the person who has what we want. For example, someone predicts a failed marriage because they want to be married, or they are bored in their own marriage. When we judge, we tell the world we are seeking a change!  

We judge because we are insecure! This is the bottom line on judging. We really don’t care for ourselves, so we put others down. The goal is to make others less attractive than ourselves. The goal is to get the attention off yourself, so others won’t see your imperfections. The more you judge others, the less you like yourself. When you judge, you are telling the world you are insecure! 

Can I ask you our question one more time? When was the last time you judged someone harshly? When you did, you were telling the world you were afraid, lonely, hungry for a change and insecure.  

In 1884, Charles Elliot (1801-1875) was president of Harvard University. One day on his agenda was a couple who wanted to establish a memorial in the name of their son. When the grieving couple came, they were very unimpressive. Elliot wished they would just leave. They were wasting his valuable time. Trying to speed through the appointment, he asked the couple what he could do. They spoke of some kind of memorial, but their words fell on deaf ears. In a patronizing tone, Eliot brushed aside the idea as being too expensive for this modest couple and they departed. The next year, Elliot learned that this plain pair had gone elsewhere and established a $26 million memorial named Leland Stanford Junior University. Today, we call their memorial Stanford University. Charles Elliot judged this couple wrongly and he missed out on a great opportunity. Can I ask you a question? What great opportunities have you lost because you judged wrongly? 

When was the last time you judged someone harshly? You know better! In the true church, judging others will not be tolerated. It is a sin. In the true church everyone should be accepted the way they are. Albanian born Catholic nun Mother Teresa (1910-1997) said, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” 

Time Well Spent

Allan Bevere is a United Methodist minister. He tells the story of attending a continuing education event in Atlanta. One day, his workshop ran late, and he missed dinner. He was forced to eat at a nearby Burger King. As he walked in a homeless man stopped him and asked him for money. Allan didn’t give him money, but he offered to buy him a meal. The homeless man accepted, and the two men got in line. When they were given their plastic trays, the homeless man said, “Thanks” and turned to eat by himself.

Allan decided to eat with him and followed him to a table. He admitted later it may not have been the wisest choice. The homeless man smelled. Allan said it was hard to eat at first, but then they started to talk. The homeless man’s name was Jason, and he was from southern Florida. He lived with his mother and sister. He hadn’t seen his biological father in years. When his mother found a new boyfriend, he moved in with them. In time, the boyfriend began abusing him and his sister, so they ran. His sister moved in with her boyfriend. Jason bought a bus ticket to Atlanta to make his fortune. The fortune never came, and now Jason was living in the streets. The more Jason talked the more Allan felt sorry for Jason and offered to buy him a bus ticket back to Florida. Jason declined the offer. He said, “No one wants me in Florida.” Allan didn’t know how to respond.

When the meal was over, the two parted. Allan went back to his clean hotel room. Jason went back to the streets. However, before they parted, Jason said something Allan will never forget. He said, “Thank you for your time.” He didn’t thank him for the food. He thanked him for his time. That story reminds us time is valuable. How do you spend your time? That takes us to our scripture.

We find ourselves in the first eleven verses of the eighteenth chapter of Acts. The very first verse tells us Paul was in the city of Corinth. Located just off the Corinthian isthmus, Corinth was the crossroads for both travelers and traders. It was a massive, diverse city. Goods flowed through the city from as far west as Spain to as far east as Egypt. Like Athens, the Corinthians placed a high premium on philosophy and wisdom. Corinth was the home of twelve temples, yet Corinth was infamous for her immorality. Her prostitutes were known around the world. Many would not have even tried to convert them, but this is the Apostle Paul. He knew, the converts he won for Christ in Corinth could easily influence the world. Jesus could be their chief export! Verse eleven tells us Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half.  

It is that line that grabbed my attention this week. Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half. That is a long time, if you are Paul. Most of his stays were very short. In Philippi, he stayed a few weeks at best. In Thessalonica, he stayed approximately a week. In Berea, he stayed a day. He did not stay long in Athens. He did not stay in Corinth for a year and a half because he got tired of traveling. He stayed in Corinth a year and a half because the challenge in front of him was so great. The time aspect in this story is significant because time itself is significant, especially to us mortals.

Psalm 90:2, says, Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” That means God transcends time. In other words, God is not limited by time, but that is not our story. We are limited by time, so we are preoccupied with time. It is one of God’s gifts to us. Every year, God gives us 365 days to live. Every day, God gives us 24 hours to live, 1,440 seconds. If you live to be one hundred years old, then God is giving you 36,525 days to live, including twenty-five leap years. There is no other way to say it – our time is limited. It is my experience that we view time differently as we grow older. The young feel like wasting time is fine, because they have so much left. That is not the case as you grow older. I try not to waste a single day. Benjamin Franklin (1705-1790) once said, “Lost time is never found again.” Do you feel like you are spending your time wisely? How we spend our time reveals our priorities. With those questions in mind, let me ask you these questions:

How much time do you spend handling your responsibilities?  Your responsibilities include work, paying bills, cleaning the house and mowing the yard. Each one of those things is important and each one of those things takes time. Our responsibilities take up a great deal of time. How much time do you spend handling your responsibilities?  

How much time do you spend maintaining your relationships?  We are social animals and maintaining the relationships in our lives takes time. How much time do you spend doing things you don’t want to do because it makes someone in your life happy? That is why grandparents go to baseball games and dance recitals. That is why we attend our spouse’s high school reunions or Christmas parties. How much quality time do you give to your loved ones? How much time do you spend maintaining your relationships?

How much time do you spend on yourself?  In my last few years in the ministry, we were introduced to the term self-care. We were encouraged to take a regular day off. We were encouraged to take all our vacation days. Leaves were offered to those who felt like they were burning out. At first, I dismissed self-care, but no more. Maybe if I had practiced more self-care, I would have lasted longer in the ministry? Self-care is not selfishness. Self-care is important because it helps us escape and rest. How much time do you spend on yourself?

How much time do you spend cultivating your relationship with God?  The founder of Methodism, John Wesley (1703-1791) asked the question, “How is it with your soul?” It is an excellent question because our lives are incomplete without God. That is why the spiritual disciplines are important. The spiritual disciplines are worship, Bible study, fasting, simplicity, solitude, and service. Each one of those things takes time. How much time do you spend cultivating your relationship with God? How we spend our time reveals our priorities. Do you feel like you are spending your time wisely? I am sixty-seven years old, and I ask myself that question regularly.

Several weeks ago, I officiated at a wedding at my former church. I was proud to be part of the wedding. The bride’s name was Katee. She is a beautiful young woman, who I have known most of her life. Her parents joined my church when she was five years old. The church was a big part of her life. She attended Sunday school regularly as a child and was confirmed at twelve years old. As a teenager, she participated in the annual mission trips and the high school Sunday school class. I celebrated with her when she graduated from high school and was happy when she graduated from college. At one point, she was a police officer in my hometown, and is now serving in another community. I viewed her wedding as a celebration of a life well lived.

My wife Kathryn and I went to the wedding reception. The venue was beautiful. We sat at a table with extended family, and we observed the festivities. At one point, Katee and her groom, Tyler, went from table to table to welcome their guests. As I watched them, I thought not just about Katee, I thought about all the people I served at my last church. In my twenty-eight years there, we had been through so much together. I thought about all those Christmas Eve services together. I thought about all those Holy Week activities. I thought about all those Easter mornings. I thought about all the sermons I preached. I thought about all the children I confirmed. I thought about all the children who went to church camp and went on mission trips. I wondered how many babies I baptized and how many people I buried. I wondered how many couples I joined in marriage. How many meetings did I attend and how many crisis moments had I endured. But most of all I thought about the people I had served. They were not perfect people, but they were good people.

As I thought about all those things, I will admit very few things were done perfectly, but everything was done with a genuine spirit of Christian love. Everything was done in the name of Jesus. As I look back, I am proud of my body of work, and I believe my time in the ministry was time well spent. I hope when you look back on your life, you feel the same. Proverbs 16:3 says, “The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

America’s Four Gods

In the early 1960’s there was a radio show called Conversation. The panel was made up of famous personalities of the day. Each one was an expert in a different field. They were to debate the question of the day and come up with one single answer.

The question on one episode was: what are you most afraid of?  After much heated debate, the panel answered: nuclear annihilation. Everyone agreed, but one panelist remained silent. His name was Bennett Cerf (1898-1971). He was a Christian writer who was known for both his quick intellect and his humor. He sat quietly and never tried to persuade the others. Later, the master of ceremonies inquired about his silence. Cerf said, “My answer to the question, what are you most afraid of, seemed silly next to the rest.” He finished by saying, “What I am most afraid of is not being loved.” I think it was a good answer. Can you imagine not being loved? That is one of things that makes the Christian faith so attractive. God loves us and is with us! That takes us to our scripture reading.

We are in the seventeenth chapter of Acts, verses seventeen through thirty-one. Paul is alone in the city of Athens. He is waiting for Silas and Timothy to arrive. As he waits, he explores the city and finds a large number of idols. The idols troubled him, and he shared his concerns with the others. He goes to the synagogue and complains to the local Jews and God-fearing Greeks. In time, he would be invited to the Areopagus, now called Mars Hill, where he addresses two philosophical groups, the Epicureans and the Stoics. The Epicureans promoted happiness through a sensual system of thought. The Stoics believed that happiness came from self-sufficiency and independence. It was a make-or-break moment in Paul’s evangelistic efforts in Athens.

Paul would have to be in top form because the ancient Greek’s understanding of God was different from Paul’s. The ancient Greeks were not pantheists, who believe nature, itself, was God.  They were polytheist, who believed there were multiple gods. Their gods were involved in all aspects of life – work, theater, justice, politics, marriage and battle. Those gods were in a hierarchy with Zeus, the king of the gods, having a level of control over the others, although he was not all mighty. Paul believed in the one triune God. One God with three personalities. There is God the father who is the creator. There is God the son who was the savior, offering redemption to all. There is God the Holy Spirit who is the life giver. What is your understanding of God? It is a good question. Your understanding of God is extremely important.

Despite the decline of the mainline Protestant church, America remains the most religious country in the world. In fact, 95% of Americans believe in God. The greatest divisions in America are not between atheists and believers, or even between people of various faiths. What divides America is how we perceive God and the role he plays in our lives.

In 2010, sociologists Paul Froese and Christopher Bager released a book called America’s Four Gods. They hold Americans, regardless of religious background, view God in four different ways. Let me give you a brief description of the four gods. I will admit I do not have a clear understanding of the first three.

          The Distant God created the world and established natural law. Once completed, God removed himself from the world and only observes it from a distance. National law is never broken, so miracles never occur. History is filled with many who held this view. Many of America’s founding fathers held this view of God. George Washington (1732-1799), John Adams (1735-1826), and Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) held this view of God. They considered themselves Christian Deists. A deist is one who believes in a single god who created the world but does not act to influence the events of the world. It is a rationalist form of theology. Do you know of anyone who believes in a distant God?

          The Critical God acknowledges our sins but does not punish the sinner. This group is generally frustrated with God. Our news reports are filled with bad news and evil characters. Innocent people get hurt and suffer, yet God does nothing to eliminate or relieve their suffering. They are always asking the question, “Why doesn’t God do something?” Through the years I have met many who view God in this way. Do you know of anyone who believes in a critical God?

          The Authoritative God is involved in the world as judge. This group believes the evil and the good get what they deserve in this world. This view reminds me of karma, which is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effects or consequences. We rejoice when good things happen to good people, and we rejoice when bad things happen to bad people. However, we struggle when bad things happen to good people, and when good things happen to bad people. Do you know of anyone who believes in an authoritative God? There is one more view of God.

Recently, I visited a man in a local hospital. His name is Bill and his time in this world is short. He is in hospice care. He was not a stranger; I had seen him many times sitting in worship with his girlfriend. However, I must admit we never talked. I went to visit him at her request. When I got to his room I was taken back by his physical state, the disease was winning. He was pale and thin, but his mind was still quick. I would not have recognized him if he had not spoken. On that day his mind was clear, and his voice was strong. I pulled up a chair next to his bed and he told me his story.

Bill was raised in Youngstown, Ohio. He lived several miles away from his childhood home on the south side. He had a long-term relationship with his Roman Catholic congregation. He attended school at St. Pat’s as a child and was a regular Saturday night worshipper as an adult. It was clear, he was proud of his church, the beauty of the sanctuary, the warmth of the people, the compassion of the priest. He admitted, he only came to my church to be with his girlfriend, but he liked hearing about Jesus. He added, “You can’t hear too much about Jesus.” Once our talk was completed, I prayed with him and he ended our visit with these words: Russ, I have received much more from the faith than I have given. Jesus has always been with me, and he won’t abandoned me now.

          Bill believes in a Beneficial God, and so do I. The Beneficial God loves and helps us despite our failings. That is the God of the Christian faith. That is the God that our world needs because life is hard. Psalm 116:5 says, The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.” What is your understanding of God?

Lost in New York

Many years ago, before man walked on the moon, before a civil war threatened to divide America, before Columbus discovered a New World, there was a man who spoke for God. His name meant “Comforter,” but we call him Nahum. His exact location is unknown, but we do know he spoke to the people of Judah prior to the year 612 BC. The ones receiving these words were the people of Nineveh. Yes, it was the same Nineveh God sent Jonah to one hundred years earlier, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, known for her cruelty, idolatry, and wickedness. The Assyrian Empire covered parts of present-day Iran, Iraq, and Turkey. This time, they were guilty of backsliding. They had repented for Jonah, but they had returned to their old ways. God has had enough and now they must pay for their sins. Those are not just empty words. History tells us the great city of Nineveh was destroyed by a devastating fire in the year 612 BC. Nahum’s brief book, only three chapters long, reminds us sin must be taken seriously. It is as true today as it was in Nahum’s time. 

According to Webster, sin is an immoral act against divine law. We should take sin seriously because our sins damage our relationship with God. While we are not known for our cruelty, idolatry, and wickedness, we are all guilty of sinning. It is no secret. We know we are sinners and God knows we are sinners The Apostle Paul knew we would be sinners. He wrote in Roman 3:23, “All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.” Everyone is guilty of sinning. That means we are more like the Ninevites than we care to admit.  

James W. Moore (1938-2019) was the pastor of the 7,500 member St. Luke United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas from 1984-2006.  He received his Master of Divinity degree from the Methodist Theological School in Delaware, Ohio. Through the years he wrote many books, which are nothing more than his printed sermons. I own several of those books. One of those books is entitled Yes, Lord, I Have Sinned, But I Have Several Excellent Excuses. In that book, he tells us our sins originate in four sources. Three of those ways are found in two parables in the fifteen chapter of Luke. 

Sometimes, we sin by being led astray. That is what happened in the parable of the lost coin. In that parable a coin is lost. That coin equaled a day’s wages. That means it is worth finding. The coin did not grow legs and walk away. The coin was lost because someone misplaced it. That is what happens with people. Some sin because of the influence another has on them. Parents know it is true. That is why we evaluate our children’s friends. That is why we want our children to participate in wholesome activities. Parents fear their young will be influenced by others and get into trouble. God fears we will be led astray by others too. Can I ask you a question? Who are the most influential people in your life? Sometimes we sin by being led astray.  

Sometimes, we sin by running away. That is what happened in the story of the prodigal son. He could not wait for his father to die, so he went to his father for his share of the inheritance. He took his cash and ran. For a short time, he lived life in the fast lane. Then, he discovered what everyone knows – life is expensive. In a short time, he is struggling to survive. Then, as the Bible says, he came to his senses and returned to his father asking for a job. You can call it selfishness. Those are the sins we commit when we think the world revolves around us. Those are the sins we commit because we think we are God’s gift to the world. Can I ask you a question? Do the people in your life consider you selfish? Sometimes, we sin by running away because we are selfish. 

Sometimes, we sin because of resentment. The parable of the prodigal son reveals two origins of sin. The first is selfishness. The second is resentment. It is found in the older son who stayed home. While his little brother was out living the wild life, the older son stayed at home. He got up early daily and went to work. You can call him responsible, but he felt foolish. He dreamed of the wild things he was missing. At first, he must have admired his brother, but in the end, he resented his little brother. It is no fun working when others are having fun. Many believe this is the greatest sin in the life of the church today. It is no fun doing church work when so many have forgotten the church. Can I ask you a question? Who do you resent? Sometimes, we sin because of resentment. 

Sometimes we sin by wandering off. That was the story of the Ninevites. One hundred years earlier, God’s reluctant prophet, Jonah, arrived and told them they must repent. The people heard his word and responded. They started acting like God wanted them to act. They became more loving. They became less judgmental. They became more accepting. They promised they would never return to their cruel, idolatrous, and wicked ways. However, as the emotion wore off, they began to backslide. Before long they were known once again for their cruelty, idolatry, and wickedness. The Ninevites are not much different from us. We know what God wants us to do but we refuse to do it. Can I ask you these questions? How far have you wandered away from God? Are you the person God intended at the very beginning?Has the excitement of that mountaintop experience started to fade away and you find yourself falling into your old routine? Sometimes, we sin because we wander off. I hope that is not your story. Nahum reminds us there is a price to pay for sinning. However, this is the good news for today.  

Nahum lived in Old Testament times, and we live in New Testament times. The great city of Nineveh was destroyed by a fire; that was their punishment for sinning; they got what they deserved. That was the Old Testament way. We deserve to be punished for our sins, but it will never happen, because we live in New Testament times. Every Sunday school child knows Jesus died on the cross for our sins. His death was not pretty because our sins are not pretty. Yet, his death handled the sin problem. How you respond to Jesus’s death is extremely important. Is it just a passing thought or is it a life changing experience? It has been said, “God’s grace is not an excuse to sin, but rather a reason to love and serve him more fully.”

The address was 202 Midwood Street. That was my grandparents’ address in Brooklyn, New York, and the address of the home where my mother was raised. We visited it annually. As a child, I remember it as a massive place. It included an outer sitting room with a player piano, an inner living room with a modest television set, dining room and a tiny kitchen. Upstairs, there were three bedrooms and a full bath with a skylight. It seemed massive to me as a child. Recently, I researched that massive home. It was constructed in 1901 and is 1,800 square feet. The market value of that 1,800 square foot home in Brooklyn today is $2 million. It is hard to compare property values in Brooklyn, New York with northeastern Ohio. Externally, the house was not original. My mother called it a “Brown Stone.” The entire neighborhood was filled with them and each one was identical. Each one was constructed from a tan stone, a flat roof, a bay window, and a flight of stairs leading up to the front door. The only thing that changed about each dwelling was the address. My grandparents lived at 202 Midwood Street. I will never forget that address because of an event that happened to me one day on one of my family’s visits to Brooklyn. 

I was not very old. I must have been six or seven. My grandparents wanted to entertain me, so they borrowed a bicycle from a neighbor for me to ride during the visit.  The problem was there are very few places a child can ride a bicycle in the middle of Brooklyn. My only option was to ride up and down Midwood Street. I am confident my parents told me to be careful and I am confident they told me my grandparent’s address, 202 Midwood Street, because all the houses looked the same. The problem was I did not listen to them. I was more interested in trying out the bicycle. When I jumped on the bike and began to peddle, within a few seconds I was lost in the adventure of the ride. I picked up speed fast and I imagined being in all kinds of exciting places. I was having a great time! When I snapped back to reality, I discovered the truth – I was lost in New York. All the homes were identical, and I did not know which one belonged to my grandparents. I could not remember my grandparents’ address, 202 Midwood Street. Emotionally, I went from the highest mountain to the lowest valley. Fear began to flood through me. I thought I would never see my family again. How would I survive on the streets of New York alone? There was only one option, I began to cry. I know that is hard to believe because I am so manly today. I promised myself that I would never ride a bicycle again and I prayed for God to help me. 

God heard my prayer. My savior came to rescue me. In that emotional moment I heard comforting words – it was my mother, who had been watching me from the window the whole time. I do not remember her exact words, but I do remember the relief I felt. My mother took me by the hand, wiped my tears, and led me home. I took one last look at that horrible bicycle and walked inside. I was safe and sound. I am confident I was extra good the rest of that trip. Can I ask you another question? When was the last time you were lost? 

It is not just a story about a small boy lost in a big city. It is the story of the Christian faith, itself. We are lost in sin. Everyone does it and it comes in many forms, each one damaging our relationship with God. We deserve what the people of Nineveh got, punishment. But our punishment never comes because our Savior came 2,000 years ago. His name is Jesus. Grace is a wonderful thing. How do you respond to God’s grace? It has been said, “God’s grace is not an excuse to sin, but rather a reason to love and serve him more fully.”

Testing Your Spiritual Maturity

We find ourselves in the seventeenth chapter of Acts, verses ten through fifteen. The story is a continuation of last week’s reading, Acts 17:1-9. Paul and Silas are on their second missionary journey. The ugly mob from Thessalonica is looking for them. For this reason, they fled at night and headed to Berea. That means they traveled fifty miles to another province. They must have been hoping for a better experience. The problem was, they didn’t learn much from their past mistakes. As soon as they arrive, they do the same exact thing in Berea that they did in Thessalonica. They headed to the synagogue and told everyone about Jesus. However, this time the plan worked. The Bereans were eager to hear about Jesus. They examined the scriptures and found Paul’s words to be true. Verse twelve tells us that many were saved and in that group were both Jews and Greeks. Isn’t it too bad the story doesn’t end there? The problem is our reading continues.

When the Thessalonians heard about what was happening in Berea, they decided to go. In the end, they caused all kinds of problems. They agitated the crowd and caused Paul to flee again. This time, he fled to Athens. Silas caught up with him later. Can I be honest with you?

I have read this story countless times and each time I saw something more clearly. There are many similarities between this week’s story and last week’s story. Both the Thessalonians and the Bereans heard the same message in the same place, the synagogue. Both the Thessalonians and the Bereans heard Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. Both the Thessalonians and the Bereans heard how Jesus was crucified at the hands of sinful men. Both the Thessalonians and the Bereans heard how Jesus was raised from the dead. Both the Thessalonians and the Bereans heard how Jesus ascended into heaven. Both the Thessalonians and the Bereans heard Jesus was their only hope of salvation. Both communities heard the same exact things, but both communities reacted to Paul’s message in completely different ways. The Thessalonians reacted to Paul’s message in a negative way; they formed an ugly mob. The Bereans accepted Paul’s message and helped the ministry. So why did the Thessalonians and the Bereans react so differently?  

The only thing that separates the two communities is their level of spiritual maturity. Verse eleven says the Bereans were of more noble character. Luke never described the Thessalonians using those terms. The Bereans were spiritually mature. The Thessalonians were spiritually immature. Why is that important to us? The reason is simple. The spiritually mature Bereans helped the ministry. They protected Paul and helped him get to Athens. The spiritually immature Thessalonians frustrated the ministry by agitating the group. Are you more like the citizens of Berea? Or are you more like the citizens of Thessalonica? This is the real question: How spiritually mature are you?

In this blog, I want to help you discover your spiritual maturity by giving you a little test. It is not original, it came from the internet highway. I found it on Crosswalk.com.  There are a variety of tests to measure your spiritual maturity, but I chose this one because it is practical. This test does not take long. There are only seven questions. It is important that you answer the questions for yourself, not thinking of anyone else in your life. It is important to remember, tests are not given to tear you down, tests are given to build you up. This is the first question.

Are you self-centered? Spiritual immature Christians are self-centered. Their happiness is the primary goal. They want to know what they are going to get out of church, and they evaluate their church experience based on their expectations. They seem to have forgotten that church is not about their comfort, needs or wants. Church is about God. Spiritually immature people are self-centered. Are you self-centered? 

Are you noisy? Spiritual immature Christians are noisy. In other words, they cry a lot when things don’t go their way. They cry when the energy of the church doesn’t benefit them. They cry when money is being spent on other generations. They cry when money isn’t spent on their ministry or interests. They cry when other groups, not theirs, get praised. They cry at the mention of any mission project of which they won’t benefit. If you have ever heard someone, say, “Why do we help other people – we have problems right here?” Then, you are listening to a spiritually immature person. The church is the only organization that exists for the benefit of its non-members. Spiritually immature people are noisy. Are you noisy?

Are you messy? Spiritual immature Christians are messy. Infants never clean up after themselves. Your church should be a busy place, there should be all kinds of activities. There is nothing sadder than an empty church. The problem is activities within the church cause tension. In my time in the ministry, I am shocked at the mess people leave. Every church tells people to leave the room the way they found it. It doesn’t happen. Part of the problem is laziness. Part of the problem is selfishness. Part of the problem is spiritual immaturity. It would be nice if you left the room in a condition to help the next group. The spiritually immature never clean up after themselves. Are you messy?

Are you impatient? Spiritual immature Christians are impatient. Our society is built on speed. Do you need an example? Fast food is big business in America for one reason, it is fast. That is good enough. It may not even be good food, but it is fast. There came a point when fast food wasn’t fast enough, so someone created the first drive-through window to make it faster. There is nothing wrong with fast, but there is one problem  — God does things in God’s time. Have you ever wished God would move faster? That is why so many struggle with the church. Everything seems to move at a snail’s pace. Group dynamics tells us we can only move as fast as the slowest member. The church has a surplus of slow people! That frustrates many. The spiritually immature are impatient. Are you impatient? 

Are you defined by what you can’t do? Spiritually immature Christians are defined by what they can’t do. Spiritual infants can’t cooperate.Spiritual infants can’t get along. Spiritual infants can’t apologize and mean it. Spiritual infants can’t trust others. Spiritual infants can’t support other groups. Spiritual infants can’t even talk to others outside of their group. However, they can criticize just about everything and everyone. The spiritually immature are defined by what they can’t do. Are you defined by what you can’t do?

Are you explosive? Spiritual immature Christians are explosive. In other words, they are always mad. Do you have someone in your church who is always mad? Several years ago, I received a piece of hate mail. The woman wrote to me to explain why she was leaving my church. It was well outlined and written. Someone accused her of stealing a pie at a church dinner. I’m sure it was a misunderstanding, but to the best of my knowledge she is now unchurched. In other words, she is sitting home alone, teaching my former church a lesson. This is the truth, it was nice when she left because she was always mad about something. The spiritually immature are explosive. Do you know of anyone who is always mad at your church? Are you explosive? Here is the last question:  

Are you irresponsible? Spiritual immature Christians are irresponsible. They are great at expecting a lot out of others but expect nothing from themselves. There is a rule called the 80/20 rule. It says that 80% of the church work is done by 20% of the people. It crosses over into finances, 80% of the money given is by 20% of the people. That leads us to an interesting question: if everyone did as much as you; if everyone gave as much as you, would the ministry of your church expand or contract? The spiritual immature are irresponsible. Are you irresponsible?

So how did you do on your test?

The spiritually immature look a great deal like human infants. They are self-centered, noisy, messy, impatient, unhappy, mad, and irresponsible. When I retired, I was glad the spiritually immature when not part of my life anymore because they are exhausting. Are you a spiritually mature person, like the Bereans, who helped the ministry? Are you a spiritually immature person, like the Thessalonians, who frustrated the ministry?  

My grandparents lived in Brooklyn, New York. When I was young, they came to visit us twice a year, during the summer and during the holidays. When I was young, they traveled by bus. We would pick them up at the Greyhound bus station in my hometown. After my grandfather died, my grandmother flew into the area at the regional airport. It really didn’t matter how she arrived, the scene was always the same. The reunion was always genuine. I would run up to her and give her a hug. Grandma would say, “Russell, let me look at you!” She would pull me back, square my shoulders and pat me on my backside. Then, she would say, “You have gotten so big. You are maturing and becoming a man.” My dad, who despised my grandmother and hated her visits, would always respond sarcastically, “What is the big deal? If the boy wasn’t growing, then there would be a problem.” He was right, yet he was so wrong. Can I ask you a question? 

Are you growing? I don’t mean, are you taller. I don’t mean, are you heavier. I mean, are you maturing? Are you growing in the faith? If your answer is “no” or “I’m not sure”, then there is a problem. Today is a good day to test your spiritual maturity and start working on the person God intended you to be from the very beginning. American philosopher Dallas Willard (1935-2013) once said, “The disciple of Christ desires above all else to be like him.”

How Amish Are You?

My mother was raised in Brooklyn, New York. She moved to Ohio when she got married. Through the years, we had many visitors from the Empire State. She wanted them to experience all the sites of Northeastern Ohio, so one by one, she took them to Burton, in Geauga County, to see the Amish. When I was young, I accompanied my mother on those trips. I found the Amish to be curious. I remember asking my mother why they live that way. My mother simply said, “Russell, they are good people, but the Amish hate change.” That little community of Amish is not alone. Ohio has approximately 84,000 Amish.

Did you know there are approximately 384,000 Amish in North America? The Amish are found in 32 different states. Pennsylvania has the largest Amish population, 90,000. Ohio is second. Indiana is third at approximately 64,000. There are approximately 6,100 Amish living in Canada. There are only 30 Amish in New Mexico. In my life, I have seen the Amish countless times. Never forget, they are a traditionalist Christian fellowship with Swiss Anabaptist roots. They are known for simple living, plain dress and a reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology. My mother was right – the Amish hate change! Can I ask you a question? How Amish are you? How do you feel about change? That question takes us to our scripture lesson.

We are in the first nine verses of the seventeenth chapter of Acts. Paul and Silas are on their second missionary journey, in the city of Thessalonica. The scripture tells us they spent a minimum of three weeks there. At that time, Thessalonica had a population of approximately 200,000 residents and was the capital of the province of Macedonia. Part of that population was a colony of Jews who had established a synagogue. It was Paul’s custom to go to the synagogue to teach and tell people about Jesus. That is exactly what he did.

On Saturday, the Sabbath, they go to the synagogue to tell those who have gathered about Jesus. To be more exact, Paul tells them about the Good News of Jesus Christ on three consecutive Sabbaths. The good news is some believe Paul, they accept Jesus, and their souls were saved. In their numbers were some Jews and some God-fearing Greeks. The bad news is Paul’s success made some of the other Jews jealous and the scene turned ugly. They go to the marketplace and round up a mob, who go to the home of Jason to look for Paul and Silas, but they are gone. Frustrated, the mob turns on Jason and drags him in front of the city officials. They identify him as the source of the civil unrest. In the end, Paul and Silas slip out of town quietly.

That ancient synagogue did what we must never do – they became inflexible. At some point, their traditional ways became the most important thing. God had done something new, but they were more interested in the old. God had done a great thing through the ministry of Jesus Christ, but they didn’t care. The only thing they cared about was their traditional ways. They were more concerned about their “likes” and “dislikes” than what others needed. Just like the Amish, this ancient Jewish congregation hated change. Those who resisted change won the battle, but they lost the war. Their body was divided over change.  Can I ask you a question? How Amish are you? How do you feel about change? This is the painful truth; the American Mainline Protestant church has become notorious for her inflexibility.

Years ago, I was involved in a pulpit exchange. It was the third Sunday in January, so the weather was cold and icy and the crowd was thin. When I arrived, I approached four men with the average age of one hundred. Without offering their names, they began to apologize for the poor attendance. They told me about their church’s glorious past. Their choir was the best in the county. The bowling team never threw a gutter ball. The pastor worked 120 hours a week and never asked for a raise. The nursery was filled with crying babies and the crowd was uncountable, standing room only!

When you are the guest preacher, you can ask questions that you can’t ask as the permanent pastor. I asked, “Where did everybody go?” The four of them shook their heads and shrugged their shoulders. They said, “The problem is the younger generation, they are just not committed like us. They just don’t appreciate the old ways. They just don’t appreciate the old songs.” One guy lit up when he looked at his bulletin and announced, “Good! We are singing Lilies of the Valley today!” I said, “Why don’t you start singing some songs younger generations may like?” One gentleman responded, “We are never going to sing that junk. Younger folks just need to grow up.” They were speaking in perfect English, but they might as well have grown beards and spoke Pennsylvania Dutch. They were Amish – they hated change! How Amish are you? Our inflexibility will be our demise.

The mainline Protestant church is dying at an alarming rate. The numbers are not pretty. According to the FASICLD (Francis A. Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership Development), 4,000 churches close their doors annually. That averages out to be approximately 77 churches a week. Consider this fact with me, between 1990 and 2000, our national population grew 11%. During the same period, the membership of the mainline Protestant church dropped 9.5%. Did you know the number of Christians in America is smaller than the number of Christians in India and China? The reason the mainline Protestant church is shrinking is the inflexibility of our membership. It is the same theme found in our scripture lesson. The times had changed, but the people resisted the change. They hated change. You can call them “first century Amish.”

Why do people hate change? There is no single answer. According to the Harvard Review there are ten reasons why people hate change:

  1. Loss of control
  2. Excess uncertainty
  3. Surprises
  4. Everything seems different
  5. Loss of face
  6. Insecurity
  7. More work
  8. Ripple effect
  9. Past resentments
  10. Fear of failure

Can I add an eleventh reason? Most don’t like change at church because of selfishness. They are more concerned about their “likes” and “dislikes” than what is good for other people. They are more concerned about their “likes” and dislikes” than other generations. The mob was created because they didn’t like what was happening. They should have been happy because others were coming to Jesus, but no, they were Amish, they hated change. How Amish are you?

Years ago, I had some interior painting done in my home. The painter showed up at 8:00 on a Monday morning. He did not make the best first impression. I don’t know how else to describe him. He was stuck in the early 1970s. His stringy, graying hair hung down to his shoulders. His beard was ungroomed. His t-shirt was from some past concert. When I opened the door, he simply introduced himself as “the painter.” I said, “Your parents didn’t name you ‘the painter.’ What is your name?” He smiled a toothless smile and answered, “Just call me Squeaks.” I shook Squeak’s hand and said, “Nice to meet you, Squeaks!” In the next few minutes, he carried his equipment in, and he plugged in his boom box. The first song I heard was ACDC’s “Highway to Hell,” then came “Back in Black,” and “Running with the Devil.”

It took Squeaks about two days to finish the job, and he did a good job. Over those hours, I talked to him as I came and went. It didn’t take long for us to become comfortable. At one point, he looked at me and asked, “What do you do for a living?” I responded, “I am a preacher!” He said, “Wow! You save souls for a living? Does that pay well?” He laughed, but I didn’t respond. Then, Squeaks asked, “What kind of preacher are you?” I said, “I am a United Methodist.” He fired back, “Is that anything like the Amish?” I said, “No!” He shocked me when he said, “My girlfriend used to be Amish.” I thought to myself, “he has a girlfriend?” What I said was, “Really? She is a lucky young woman to have you.” Leading with some ugly language he said, “I am the lucky one. She is real sweet and pretty. She appreciates everything I do for her. Her name is Lydia.” I couldn’t leave it alone, so I asked him, “Where did you meet Lydia?” The answer was, at a Ted Nugent (born 1948) concert. I asked him, “What is an Amish girl doing at a Ted Nugent concert?” Squeaks said, “Oh, she isn’t Amish anymore, she walked away.” Squeaks told me because she walked away, her family and the entire Amish community shunned her. He said, “Lydia has tried to reach out to them, but they treat her like she is dead.” I didn’t know what to say, but Squeaks kept talking. Using more colorful ugly language he said, “They are the losers. They are missing out on so much. She is a wonderful, loving person.” Squeaks was right! Squeaks was wiser than he looked. Can I ask you a question?

How Amish are you? How much do you hate change? How many wonderful, loving people aren’t part of our lives because it is our way or the highway? Like it or not, many within the life of the church are like the Amish. They hate change, but the world has changed, God is always doing something new. Russian writer Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) once said, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, no one thinks of changing himself.”