In the NT, there are a number of stories about Jesus which record a healing of an individual. When Jesus is present, there are "signs" that God is there. In his presence, the sick become well, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the speechless, speak, and the dead are raised. He is the very presence of God. I often find myself pulled to the stories of those who have been lame who walk again, for obvious reasons as most of us are pulled to individual stories of Jesus as they match our greatest needs. Which story captures your attention?
The gospel of Luke, the author of which was reported to have been a physician, records most of the "healing" stories, but today's scripture is from the gospel of Mark and it is the story of the healing of the faculty of hearing and speech. …the deaf mute, hears and speaks!
One is not surprised to find this healing of the inability of hearing, for in the Bible, you will often discover the importance of "hearing":
Our problem today is not in having ears to hear, it seems that it is just that there is so much noise that it is a challenge to be selective in our hearing. A child's teacher said to the parents, "it's like he's not hearing me, but I know he hears, it is just that he's not paying attention to my voice."
Do you have anyone who is not paying attention to what you are saying to them? I said, "do you have anyone who is not paying attention to what you are saying to them?" If so, you probably have some indication as to how God must feel toward the likes of us. Today if we could hear God's Voice, if we could be attentive and close out all of the distractive noises, which bombard our hearing system, what would he be saying to us? What is it that God wants us to hear, this morning?
To be sure, His message would be a personal one to each of us, but there are some common messages addressed to us all, and let me lift them up for our hearing: God is saying:
1. "I want you to-Be who you are."
2. "I want you to-Be the Best."
3. "I want you to-Be Confident."
1. I want you to be who you are. And who are you? You are God's child, made in his image. You are a people of peace who know the power of going the second mile, turning the other cheek, of praying for your enemies. By your love for one another, the world will know who you are.
In Philippians 2, we find the Apostle's instruction: "Have this mind in you which was in Christ Jesus, who though he was equal with God, counted equality with God not a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself and became a servant."
Mother Teresa once said: "There should be less talk in the world. Take a broom and clean someone's house." What are you doing in service"?
I try to organize my life on the basis of taking intentionally each year, a project to give myself to: first at home, then at church and then in the community. And if I say firm "yes" to a designated project, then I can be free of guilt and can say "no" to all of the other offers which come my way.
At our home, it is my assigned task to take out the trash, Jane says it is good for my spiritual development, and it is. As it reminds me of a spiritual truth, I stand the tallest when I stoop to serve.
Peter writes in the NT you are a holy people, God's own people. What you shall be is yet to be disclosed, but here and now, you are God's children. Be who you are!
I noticed this week that Bobby Knight, the infamous basketball coach for the University of Indiana was in hot water again-each year it is throwing a chair, punching an official, and this time it was an accusation that he cursed a student. In a news conference, he was asked to comment on the incident and he said that "he did curse for he was merely lecturing the teen about using good manners." Somehow, in a sick sort of a way, I find that funny. Let us live in such a way that we don't have to apologize or explain our actions. Let us have the mind and spirit of Jesus.
2. Secondly, Be the best.
Never compromise yourself to adjust to anything less than the best you can be. In school work or play or work, be the best that you can be. Life is so short, take your best shot.
This week we will, by the miracle of television, be "Down Under" in Australia and will see the best of the world in various sports, compete with one another. Well, the one who finished last, in this world arena is still the best and is a winner.
You are a winner yourself, when you are the best that you can be. And you can never be the best without a sincere dedication to Jesus Christ and the way of Christ.
3. Thirdly, Be confident.
Never be afraid for you are God's child and you are on your way to glory. This is no justification for being haughty or having a feeling of being better than anyone else. Stop putting yourself down and stand tall.
Summary: Stories carried in the London Times during our Presidential Party selection process took shots at our selected candidates. Although a lovely people with style and grace, the English have this problem, they haven't forgotten that we cleaned their plow in 1776. Well one of the stories was about a haughty American from the land of Texas. He came to London and hired this taxi driver for one day to show him around. "In one day, I want to see everything of value", he said. They started at the Tower of London which served as the home of Kings and the place of imprisonment of many over hundreds of years. The Texan asked, "how long did it take to build all of this?" And the taxi driver answered around a hundred years. "In Texas, we could have built it in one year". The Next stop was St. Paul's massive cathedral and again the Texan asked, "how long did it take to build this pretty impressive building?" And the driver said, "well Sir Christopher Wren, who is buried in the cathedral, spent 32 years of his life in design and in some ways, like all the great cathedrals of the world, it is not yet complete." To which the Texan commented, "I have a contractor in Texas who could have built it in six months and had it complete." The driver had just about all he could take when they came to the next stop, which was Westminster Cathedral, the Parliament Buildings, with Big Ben towering over the scene. This time the Texan asked, "Well, what is this? It's pretty impressive. The taxi driver commented, "Well Sir, I don't rightly know, for it wasn't here when I was here this morning."
God doesn't want us to be haughty, or to pretend we are someone we are not, for someone or something will eventually put us in our place. But he does want us to be confident, to be who we are and in so doing, be the best that we can. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Introduction: One of the holy moments of a breakthrough for the first disciples came at Caesarea of Philippi. It came as Peter committed himself to Christ as Lord and Savior. Perhaps the breakthrough that you are waiting for is your commitment to Jesus Christ.
Peter realized what is essential of our faith when he affirmed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God:
1. Our understanding of God is wrapped up in Jesus, for God is like, Jesus said, like a forgiving father, like a woman who seeks the lost coin, like the shepherd who secures the 99 sheet and goes in search for the lost.
2. Jesus is the absolute standard by which we judge the nature of right living. If we can image Jesus doing what we are doing, then it is probably right. But if in our wildest imagination, we can not picture the Son of God involved in what we are involved in, then it is probably against the Will of God.
3. Jesus is the means by which we live out the best that is within us. Yes, if there were a basic Christianity exam, it would raise the issue of who is Jesus and what is our relationship to him.
If there were a basic Christianity exam, one of the first questions would be what do you believe about Jesus?
We are beginning to hear a great deal about Exams for our students as it has become a hot Presidential Campaign issue. Thinking about Student Exams, it was interesting that in England where exams determine College admission, for the first time, females scored higher than the males.
One of the spoofs of football players, in the English papers meaning soccer players, some one circulated a form called "The College Entrance Exam-for football players. It consisted of a series of 20 questions with a time limit of 3 weeks for completion. A few of the questions were these:
I hope our athletes don't mind this rather interesting, twisted humor. Most football players I have known are not dumb and some are quite inspirational. Last year when the St. Louis Rams beat the Tennessee Titans in the Super Bowl, one player's outstanding effort set him apart from the pack. Kurt Warner, quarterback for St. Louis, proved once again why he was named the NFL' s most valuable player for l999. Success hasn't come easily for Warner. He struggled for years unable to make it in the NFL and played for a few European teams, but finally in l999 got his chance to prove himself with the St. Louis Rams.
If, you think, however, that football is the most important thing in Kurt Warner's life, you would be wrong. Four years ago, Warner became a Christian and this is what motivates him. He came to the faith after seeing how his wife, Brenda, handled heartbreaks with grace and peace. A few years ago, Brenda's parents were killed when a tornado struck their home, then their child Zachary suffered permanent brain damage when he was accidentally dropped. In the light of her commitment, Warner committed his life to Christ. And he doesn't miss claiming the opportunity to tell you about the day that he turned his life over to Christ. He has on his football trading card, the story of the day he turned his life over to Christ. It's his way of sharing the story of what Jesus can do with you when he is number one.
It was in Caesarea Philippi, near the end of Jesus' teaching ministry and before the time of his death that Jesus asked the question "What are people saying about me? Who do you say that I am?" And of course it was Peter who said: "You are the Christ, the son of the living God."
Everything that matters in our Christian faith is wrapped up in our response to this basic exam question: Who do you say that Jesus is?
1. The nature of God is experienced in Jesus. Some writer has said, "Jesus is the best photograph God ever had taken." A number of persons who have taken our Disciple Bible study course and for the first time read certain parts of the OT have discovered pictures of God where he is portrayed as vengeful and violent and you wonder to yourself, "Is this an accurate picture of God? And the answer for us is no! In the fullness of time, God revealed himself in Jesus of Nazareth. If you want to claim the image of God for yourself, then you seek the mind and spirit of Jesus. Jesus Christ is the absolute standard by which we discern the nature of God.
2. Secondly, Christ is the absolute standard by which we judge the nature of right living.
Critics of the little bracelet WWJD - What would Jesus Do? Say that we don't know enough about Jesus to be able to ask that question in every moral and ethical situation, and perhaps they are right, but it is the best question we have. To ask ourselves what would Jesus Do? Would probably keep our mouth shut when we are about to curse or criticize. I cannot image Jesus being promiscuous in sexual relationships whether it be heterosexual or homosexual relationships. I cannot image Jesus hitting another person with a stick or firing a gun at a human being or him stealing another person's property. I cannot image Jesus using another person for his personal advantage or abusing a person younger than he.
Our problem is not in knowing enough about what would Jesus would do, our problem is that we know to much and ignore what we do know.
3. Jesus is the Son of God, the absolute standard by which we discern the nature of God right behavior, and he is the means by which we live out the best that is within us. It is "in Christ" that we will experience fulfillment and meaning and hope and peace beyond understanding.
What about Jesus in your life? Commit yourself to him and his way today and watch what happens in your life.
Recently we filled out a Family Life Survey and out of 431 completed forms: The congregation identified as the #1 of 10 recognized needs: The Need For Spiritual Growth. Well let me say to you that Spiritual Growth begins with a commitment to Jesus Christ.
It was also interesting about your responses that 31% who filled out the survey indicated you rarely or never "Share Christ". Now you might say, well 69% do share Christ, but please, we are all the children of God, we are all the recipients of God's grace.
Now there was a time when Jesus said: "Don't tell anyone". In Mark's gospel there is what is called "The Messianic Secret". For the most part, we believe now that it was Jesus trying to be faithful to his teaching ministry and trying not to be overwhelmed with the crowds of people who would come to him as a miracle worker.
His instructions were for that day, not for this one. We have ignored his instructions concerning "giving the tithe", and forgiving 70 times seven, and praying for our enemies, but we have been faithful in his words to "tell no one about him." Its called selective obedience.
The same tongue that is quick to judge and quick to speak of Caesar's wares, is slow to speak in affirmation of Spiritual matters. How long has it been since you said to your child on the way out the door to school, "God be with you!" Or said to a friend going on a trip, "God bless you." Recently I was startled when a plumber said, "May God be in your home." And when a hotel bag boy said, "God bless you on your trip" and a waitress said, "thank you and may God bless you." It was there own unique way of making their witness of reflecting their covenant to God.
Jesus is Lord, Savior, God's son and the best of the sons of men. What we believe about him shapes our lives. When I have compromised Jesus as essential in our faith experience, I have diminished our faith and belittled my own potential, for Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. In him we live and move and have our being. Jesus Christ is the best kept secret of the Christian Church.
What about Jesus in your life? Commit yourself to him and his way today and watch what happens in your life.
One of the wonderful professions is that of teacher.
We have all been influenced by individuals who were our teachers. Dick Allen, a used car salesman, taught me in Sunday School when I and about eight other third graders were terrorizing our small church in Linden, Alabama. I went back to Linden to marry the granddaughter of John Drinkard, a respected lawyer in our little community. Mr. Drinkard and Mr. Dick, as we respectfully called them, smoked cigars, or chewed cigars and always had a big Tampa Nugget in their mouth when they were outside. But when they would come to church they would very carefully lay their carefully chewed cigars on the ledge of the brick at the entrance of the church. A couple of friends of mine and I would just as carefully, Sunday after Sunday, switch those cigars and laugh and giggle half way through the opening exercise in Sunday School. We stopped doing that when we finally grew up and our daddy's caught us one Sunday when we home from college. But Dick Allen was a great teacher.
And there was Mrs. Mashburn, who taught the excitement of reading the newspaper and news magazines "for extra credit." And there was Mrs. Monroe, who taught Art Appreciation and World Religion and Middle Eastern History at Huntingdon College. How they went together, I do not know, but she taught such a varied curriculum because she loved it. She taught with a gleam in her eye and a vision beyond the present.
I know a number of individuals who are 60-80 years old who have a mastery of the English Language, Southern style, who come from Monroeville, Alabama. They are seen in literature through the writings of Harper Lee and Truman Copote, but in the language of how people describe things from that area. I have often wanted to research, who taught English in that small Monroeville High School. Fran and Glenn Lambert are from that era, maybe we need to talk.
There are great teachers today, in our Sunday Schools and in our schools. Jesus was a wonderful teacher. We observe this interestingly enough in the scripture for today.
1. At times he seems to confuse us when he uses words which sound like riddles: "If you want to save your life, you must lose it. And those who lose their life for my sake, and the sake of the gospel will save it." "Many who are first will be last and the last will be first." "If your eye causes you to stumble, then tear it out, it is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell"
2. But Jesus was at his best when he would tell a parable, hold up a coin or point to the birds of the air or the flowers of the field. In the scripture today he uses a "word picture." To be great is to be like a servant, and then he drives the point home when he takes a child and holds him in his arms saying, "when you accept a child, you accept me."
Jesus' style of teaching was to use something very familiar to represent a deep, profound truth. And some of the finest examples are before us today in Mark's scripture: "Who ever wants to be great, must be the servant of all." "Whoever receives a child, receives me… "When I was hungry, you fed me; imprisoned, you visited me; naked, you clothed me.
He used word pictures or familiar objects. For example: "take this bread, my body broken for you. This juice of the vine, my blood shed for you."
3. The Church historically has used a variety of art forms to communicate truths like the pictures depicted in stained glass to portray and teach Biblical truths…look all around you and you will see…originally the cathedrals of Europe were built when the people could not read nor write, and the Bibles were in only large manuscripts chained to the pulpit in the churches, until Martin Luther translated the Latin Vulgate into the German language of the people and the Protestant Reformation multiplied his translation ministry. But before the 16th Century, and the invention of the printing press, Bible stories were read only from the pulpit by the learned scholars in the Ministry, and proclaimed through the medium of stained glass art, or stories or word pictures.
4. Look with me at Jesus' teaching, which is before us today: to be great is to be like a servant and in so doing, we are to show respect to all persons, even this child. …
I was privileged to attend Huntingdon College for my college work where engraved over the entrance of the main building was the statement: "Enter to Grow in Wisdom: Go forth to apply wisdom in service." Even to this day there are individuals who came from that small Methodist school who are teachers, Christian educators, ministers, judges and social workers who are using their knowledge and developed skills for the good of others.
I believe in a consideration of greatness as servant-hood and the importance of respect for even a child, we are getting very close to the mysterious fulfillment of human life at its best. When we are given a gift by life, an ability, money, an affection, a thought, an opportunity, these gifts come from the creator of life, then unless they are used to enhance our lives and be helpful for others, they are lost.
Let me suggest the following this week: